A Red-Rose Chain (October Daye Series Book 9)

The latest book in the series and I loved it! It seems that I'm torn between wanting the book to last as long as possible and yet I want to hurry and devour it quickly. You need to get this book and each and everyone in the series because they're that good!

Another great story from Seanan McGuire. This time Toby is challenged by the false queen who has her henchman read installed king to support her in plan to regain control. Along the way, we learn some startling facts about two of the orbital characters and we are introduced to a transgender character for the first time. Nice job!

On the eve of impending war, an imperiled queen turns to Sir Daye to lead a motley party on a diplomatic mission that... wait, October Daye: diplomat!? She must face diabolical court intrigue with a formal bow when her instincts tell her to just stab someone. Such a well woven world, dramatically told.

I have eagerly devoured another fantastic book in this series. I love Seanan's world building and character development. I especially enjoyed being able to identify where the characters were in my adopted home town of Portland, OR. As the ninth book in the series, I would hope no one would start here and they shouldn't. Events from the first three books are mentioned and expanded on. I loved the new characters and the deepening relationships with old friends. The pacing in this book was better than others in the series but I don't hold it against them. There will be other deeper reviews of this book but I am lending my support to a great writer by adding my two cents.

I love the writing of Ms. McGuire as she weaves a tight plot. She set up the premise of this novel in Rosemary and Rue, many adventures ago. Toby continues to grow and mature, as do those around her. I can highly recommend this.

The author has an agenda to add lgbt characters to her books. Her "ham-fisted" method of turning two long time characters into gay and transsexual characters was just jarring. If she wanted to introduce these types of characters she could have introduced new characters. But she would rather mess with her audience. I was a longtime reader and fan, but this disregard for literature (and her readers) at the expense of being politically correct is not entertaining. DNF and I won’t be purchasing this writer’s work again.

Literally couldn't put this one down and according to kindle stats, neither could others. Even though I sweated the price a bit because it was more expensive than a mass market paperback, I decided to purchase because I knew it would be quality.

I have really enjoyed this series, but I think this is the end of the road for me.

The plot is far more political than previous books, and not particularly compelling. There's lots of talk and the plot seems cyclic in a way that doesn't move forward quickly- Toby talks to bad guy, meets allies and gives them missions, has the same conversation with the bad guy again, rinse and repeat....I think it sets up what will hopefully be a major plot point down the line, but beyond that it didn't seem to contribute much to the ongoing mysteries of the series. Tybalt is still your ideal renfair man, with some delightfully sweet lines to our girl. I missed the Luidaeg, though I guess she can't always be there.

It also has begun to throw in 'teachable moments'. I'm tired of these in every form of media and they're really jarring in an October Daye book, which have been just plain fun. Previously people were just the way they were and whatever, we need to go save the world now. Now we have to have a talk about it. I feel like it's starting to throw characterization off in a bad way and will only get worse further down the line.

Overall, not a bad book, but not as good as the ones before, and the sudden inclusion of teachable moments means this is my last stop, which makes me sad. I really loved this series.

Giving up on what used to a pre-order author with this installment. A true pity as I used to look forward to these.

The humor is gone, what characterization is left is boiler plate from previous novels. Those two points used to be the highlights of the series for me. In its place is growing LGBT agenda as characters suddenly convert to being trans or gay for no other reason than just to do so.

The storyline in this series was never it's strong suit, but if one is happy with them this is just about par for the course. Stuff happens, the villains are lack luster and weak and twirl their mustaches and threaten. This one drags as useless and in the end pointless politics are... sort of attempted I guess. Without the humor, it just isn't enough.

Goodbye Toby, it was fun until it wasn't.

Another completely successful entry to the series. And I should know better than to start one of these books at breakfast. The only thing I have accomplished today is finishing this book - first time through, that is.

I starting reading this book at midnight the day of its release and read all through the night. Having just finished and being pretty much as exhausted as I've ever been after a full night of reading, this might be less than coherent. But I couldn't wait to give this book 5 stars. I think it's the best of the series. I didn't expect it would be; the last book was very strong, as was the one before that, and the whole series has been fantastic (obviously, or I wouldn't have read all night long). I thought that there wasn't much hope that book nine- NINE!- of a series could be as strong as the earlier books. That has not been my experience, particularly in this genre.

But it was. The tension of this book hit me in the stomach right from the start and just never.let.up. It's perfectly paced. I was scared for the characters in a way that had me actually need to close my Kindle and take a break to give my emotions some release! I loved the plot, I loved the new characters and the evolution of the old ones. Silences is fascinating. There were a number of lines that made me laugh out loud and wake up my cat, particularly the idea of beta-testing a war. Loved that.

The relationship between Toby and Tybalt is exactly what it should be. Their balance thrills me. It receives the right amount of focus. I dare anyone to read this series and not adore what those two are building.

Off to sleep now! Thanks for another wonderful read. It was a pleasure to spend the night with your world in my head.

This book is pretty much all politics and talk. I kept waiting for something to actually happen. Now the book does finish up an old lingering plot. The only good thing I took from this read. This book doesn't really advance anything. More political development with the courts but I dont consider that the big picture story. Nothing on the lost fey realms or October's crazy mother. After nine books Im starting to think the author will never go into the disappearance of Oberron and Tatiana. The reclaiming of the lost realms. Realistically you could read the last 10% of the book and get the whole story.

I have to give credit to Seanan McGuire. It's a pretty great feat to keep a series entertaining and engaging after nine books; and that is just what she has done here with this latest installment in the October Daye series. She crafts new stories and circumstances for her characters that feel fresh, while she still draws on their rich history and past connections to make them relevant. She is consistent without ever being boring. But perhaps most importantly, she continues to infuse these characters with depth and emotion, making them easy to care about and root for.

As the story begins, Toby is engaged to Tybalt, working along with him, Quentin, and the gang to keep the Mists safe, as usual. But normalcy goes out the window when the new Queen's second in command is elf-shot and the neighboring kingdom declares war. Toby has helped to stop a war before, but this time things are more complicated because what the King of Silences wants is something she'll never allow: the old queen back on the throne. To make matters more complicated, Toby is sent to Silences as a diplomat, a role ill-suited to her disposition. Toby does her duty, though, which sends her to an unfamiliar land with deep-seated prejudice against changelings.

Toby spends much of the book, trying to stop a war that seems almost a foregone conclusion. She must endure treachery, traps, and ridicule. Even worse, she has to worry about the safety of the team of family and friends she has brought with her, most of whom are hiding major secrets, like May's origin as a Fetch, Quentin's royalty, and Walter's true identity. It's in her connections with her people that Toby is most sympathetic. Obviously, Tybalt wins the top spot for me, but all of Toby's relationships help make her who she is, and each character has his own, clear true voice, as well as history and depth.

I enjoyed the plot and the conflict. The pacing is good. The worldbuilding is expanding, but is still easy to understand and thankfully, it's never overwhelming. I liked seeing the characters continue to grow and evolve. Specifically, I love the idea of Toby as a Kingbreaker. There is very little I didn't enjoy.

I feel like McGuire goes out-of-the-way to be GLBT inclusive. From early on, these books have pointed out that the Fae community is accepting of gay relationships, which is cool. I've enjoyed May and Jazz and, frankly, didn't give their pairing any more or less thought than I would any other secondary characters. But I felt like there was more a "message" in this installment, perhaps due to the inclusion of a trans backstory for one of the recurring characters in addition to a surprise new possible m/m pairing, and a little spiel about human intolerance. I personally didn't feel like making that particular character trans added anything to his story and it felt to me like it was there just for the sake of being there. You could say that's a good thing for the bigger picture in the world we live in and I would agree. But it also took me out of the story as I wondered why the thread was introduced if it didn't advance his plot development or his character.

Overall, this is a good new installment to a series I have come to enjoy quite a bit. I think fans of the series will satisfied. And I'm already looking forward to book 10.

Rating: B

When the Kingdom of Silences declares war on the Mists by using elfshot against Queen Windermere's seneschal Toby finds herself in a position she's not used to and definitely hasn't been trained for - that of a diplomat! Arden sends Toby to Silences to try and talk them out of starting the war but Toby has never really been the best at holding her tongue and when her allies come under attack there is nothing that will stop her from doing whatever it takes to protect them.

I think I've probably lost all ability to be rational about this series, I just can't get enough of these characters and I love spending time in this world. Toby is probably the least likely person to be called diplomatic so I thought it was absolutely hilarious to see her sent into such a difficult position, especially when we find out who her true enemy is in this case. She has her usually allies with her - Tybalt, Quentin, May and even Walther this time - but she's also out of her comfort zone, in completely unfamiliar territory and enemy number one in the eyes of the King of Silences. Even though she should have diplomatic immunity we all know that the bad guys never play by the rules and the bad guys here are evil to the extreme. I was so angry about some of the things going on in Silences but that definitely shows how invested I am in this series.

I don't want to say too much about Silences but I really enjoyed getting the chance to visit another court and see how different things were there, we meet some really interesting characters too and get a chance to find out a lot more about Walther's background too (I love his character by the way!). We even get to visit another King of Cats and there were several characters introduced in this book that I'm hoping we'll see more of later down the line. Toby's growing in strength and her relationship with Tybalt is rock solid. No matter how much he worries about her I love that he doesn't try to stop her doing what needs to be done and that he's always a reassuring presence at her back. Quentin and May were fabulous as always and although we don't see the Luidaeg face to face there are a couple of phone calls that are full of her usual sarcastic wit.

This is definitely one of my favourite urban fantasy series and it's one I think everyone should read!

While this series continues to be one of my favorite at this point, Red Rose Chain fell flat for me. I think the situation Toby found herself in in this novel was one in which she didn't fit, and in which she did not evolve at all as a character in response to adversity. She was, in this novel, relegated to the role of sacrifice - not a bad roll, but I thought badly handled in this case. Toby comments that one of the strengths of humanity, and by extension Changlings is that they have the capacity to adapt to changing environments, but does not herself show this trait.

I take issue that the antagonists in this novel have no depth - I dislike that the villains did everything but twirl their nonexistent mustaches to prove just how villainous they were. I get it - it's a dysfunctional court, but i feel like the Faerie in this universe does not suffer fools lightly, and some of the actions of these Kings and Queens were pure foolish. Silences was noted to be a very small kingdom, with few allies and few Fay which their king trusted. Mists, though disorganized after Arden took power, still has its best generals, and allies in the undersea (the undersea being considered the heavyweights in Fae conflict, according to "Sea Changes". The only thing Silences has going for it is that Toby believes that they would be vicious in combat because they... are bad guys. To hell with that, Sylvester would hand them their asses in any conflict you may choose. Turn it the bloody hell around, Toby should have walked in there and told them in no uncertain terms that if it came to war, that they would gather all their allies, and would rip them to shreds in the case of failed diplomatic talk.

What what Toby doesn't seem to get, and what King nincompoop doesn't seem to understand is that in this scenario, Toby speaks with the voice of her Queen - That she has the right to bargain, and the responsibility to speak to the king, not as a supplicant, but as a near equal. Ignoring the status of an ambasador, as I understand it, risks triggering Oberon's laws, and thereby forcing the High King to intercede, and even if Silences things they want war with Mists, they don't want war with the Westlands. What it comes down to is that the King of Silences is a damn fool, and the only reason that there's a story here is because Toby, and by extension her entourage, has no grasp of the political situation they're in.

On a side note - now Toby is offering to cure Changlings of their humanity, while on the other hand continuously laments her lost humanity. The Fae in this series - baring the villains - tend to show depth and humanity. I don't understand what her concern with changing all the way is; Toby hasn't showed me how becoming fully Fay will be in any way detrimental - She's perfectly happy to take away the humanity of other Changlings, but not herself... do you think she will warn them of the risks of loosing their humanity? is this an idea that only she holds on to? Does she think of Tybalt, or Quinten, or May, or Danny as less than, because they don't have any humanity? Stop telling me how bad it is to become more fae, without ever showing me.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Toby faces her toughest battle when yet another war is declared on the Mists.

Opening Sentence: “So how long are you and the kitty-cat plannin’ on doing this whole ‘engagement’ thing?”

The Review:

Book number nine in the October “Toby” Daye series pulls no punches. October is put through the most dangerous test that she has had to face so far. I have been amazed by how this series continues to grow and how Toby still learns new things about herself. Once again, I would highly recommend reading the entirety of this series in order to fully understand the characters and events that are happening with the story.

You didn’t think we had not seen the last of the former Queen of the Mists, did you? Well she’s back and she has taken up sanctuary with the King of the Silences. The King has declared war on the new Queen in the Mists saying that she isn’t the rightful heir that the former Queen was wrongfully deposed. Queen Arden sends Toby as a political ambassador to the Kingdom of the Silences, a job that Toby knows may just be her last. As an ambassador, she has three days of political immunity to try to change the mind of the King. He must listen but that doesn’t mean he won’t make Toby’s job incredibly hard, especially when he absolutely refused to do what she wants. Also, “political immunity” doesn’t mean she is safe either. People have known to be killed when on this assignment.

Toby can’t rely on her usual recklessness. She is forced to go by fae politics if she has any hope of stopping this war. Having to go by the weird fae politics makes Toby sit back and think first about what she is going to say and how she is going to act. King Rhys doesn’t play fair. He has the former Queen by his side who knows Toby’s weaknesses so he is able to play dirty.

This story is very eerie. Toby is stuck in a kingdom where no one likes her. The people act funny. The castle is sparse in decoration. And every time Toby thinks things just might go her way a major curveball is thrown to steer her majorly off course. If there ever was a time that Toby thought about just throwing in the towel it is here.

If you thought Toby’s recklessness was over, this story unfortunately takes her recklessness to a whole new level much to Tybalt’s chagrin. This story is perhaps the most dangerous job that she has undertaken. Blind Michael was almost a cakewalk next to what she is forced to endure at Silences. Toby’s powers continue to grow and change in a way that is uncommon for most fae, Rhys will reveal some secrets that I assumed applied to all fae purebloods.

The side characters also make this story. Tybalt, May, Quentin and Walther go with Toby on her journey. Each of these characters have secrets that are revealed that add even more depth to their characters. I was a little bit shocked by one of the revelations but I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised.

Overall, this is a dark chapter in the Toby era but in the end a major breakthrough is made in the fae world that will have drastic consequences for future stories. This series continues to entertain me and I am really looking forward to Toby’s future adventures.

Notable Scene:

“We must walk a short distance, but I assure you, it will be no hardship, for I will be with you,” he said, offering me his arm.

I laughed as I took it. “Wow. Your ego has grown since we’ve known each other, hasn’t it?”

“Ah, but, you see, I have wooed and won the woman of my dreams. Admittedly, some of those dreams would be more properly termed ‘nightmares,’ but I don’t believe we get to be that picky when talking about such things.” He led me out of the alley and onto the tree lined street. I didn’t know Portland well enough to know where we were – I didn’t know Portland at all, really – but he walked without hesitation, and I followed him. Whatever strange methods Cait Sidhe used to mark their holdings for each other, I trusted him to know how to interpret things. “If my ego had not grown, it would surely be sign that I was no true cat, and you would leave me for another.”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I lvoe you, but the cat part has never been the most important thing to me.”

The corner of Tybalt’s mouth curved upward. “And, truly, that is excellent to know. I was considering becoming a horse, or a stag, or perhaps a dairyman.”

“You know, if I ever forget that you’re a weirdo, the fact that you class ‘dairyman’ with horse and deer will remind me.”

“Stag, please,” said Tybalt. He tried to sound wounded. The laughter sort of spoiled the effect. “Do not shame my manhood, I beg of you.”

FTC Advisory: DAW/Penguin provided me with a copy of A Red-Rose Chain. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

If THE WINTER LONG was a cataclysmic event completing so many of the series' arcs, A RED-ROSE CHAIN is a triumphant rise from the ashes. Toby and her friends are thrown into unfamiliar waters with the highest of stakes, and the narrative sparkles along as they alternately quip and kick ass through this mystery. A return of everything fantastic about this series, A RED-ROSE CHAIN proves that with good and the bad revelations in her rearview mirror, Toby's adventures march triumphantly onward.

True to her growth over the course of the series, Toby doesn't face danger alone. While Tybalt may object to belonging to a Scooby Gang, this band of trusted friends both raises the stakes and adds rich dimension to the story. The villains they face are racist bigots, making it all the more satisfying to see the teamwork and skills of so many "lesser" individuals triumph in the end. Equally touching is the backstory of a familiar favorite. Walther accompanies Toby to a home he never hoped to revisit, and in the process achieves new intimacy and vulnerability with his friends.

At several points in this story, I found myself smiling and hugging the book to my chest. An adventure made all the more wonderful by these rightly beloved characters, A RED-ROSE CHAIN is romantic, hilarious, and just the right balance of peril and triumph. There seems to be no end to McGuire's magical world of faerie, and I can't wait for my next opportunity to adventure with Toby and her gang.

Sexual Content: References to sex, scenes of sensuality.

Slight spoiler alert..

This book is just one star above the book where April the Dryad became part of the computer system That book didn't work for me because I like the fae world and the creatures and myths that go with it and whatever you want to call April it's not fae. April was a Dryad but is not one anymore.

This book started out promising and fizzled, I think that if Seanan McGuire spent more time with character development and less time describing the same clothes over again the books would be so much better. In this book I think the big missed opportunity was the motive of the traitor, it was a vague bit of "they treated us badly" and that was it. The courts have treated a LOT of people badly over the eons, it seemed like a weak argument for starting a war where people die on both sides. It's never explained why this character "needs a war" as she says to King Rhys. There race certainly was not treated as poorly as the changelings. The changelings need to start a revolt already and say enough is enough, King Rhys is the worst offender yet when it comes to channeling abuse in the fae courts.

I don't want to say more and give the story away too much. It was a fairly entertaining 6 hours of reading. I do like the characters and that's what keeps me coming back, even if the Seanan buries the story with too many clothing descriptions and missed character development.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

Thus he that overruled I oversway’d,

Leading him prisoner in a red-rose chain:

Strong-tempered steel his stronger strength obey’d,

Yet was he servile to my coy disdain.

-William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis.

Repercussions from events from the previous books are starting to stir up new problems for Toby and the Kingdom of the Mist. It all starts when Madden, the seneschal of Queen Arden in the Mist, is found asleep by an arrow with Elf-shot and a declaration of war form the Kingdom of Silences. In the declaration, Queen Arden is accused of taking the throne from the previous Queen of the Mist, and demands that she steps down and gives the throne back or the kingdom will be invaded. Because Toby was in the knowe when the Madden was hit and is a hero of the kingdom, she draws the short stick and is send to the Kingdom of Silences with a small delegation to try and convince the King to cease the declaration of war. Toby’s delegation consisted of Quentin, May and Walter, while Tybalt decided to tag along to keep his fiance safe. Before leaving, they come to the conclusion that the previous Queen of the Mist must be hiding in Silence. When they get there, they are not prepared for what they encounter, as the name of the kingdom of Silences fits the kingdom to well.

I have been a fan of the October Daye series since the second book, A local Habitation, came out, and reading the ninth book in the series makes me so happy. Toby has changed so much since we met her as a night cashier in the first book; she now is a hero, has a family, a fiance, and most of all she is starting to understand her heritage.

Over the course of the series, we meet the mysterious Queen of the Mist, and in Chimes at Midnight we learned that she wasn’t the actual heir to the throne. Now, in A Red-Rose Chain we learn a little more about her, and even more about her name.

The main topic of this book is Elf-shot, and the consequences that it has had over the fae populations since it was created by the Daoine Sidhe’s FirstBorn. Toby has had her fair share of encounters with Elf-shot; she was it once, she had to turn her daughter human after she was stabbed, and she lost her lover Connor to wound made by an arrow with Elf-shot. It’s safe to say that Toby doesn’t like Elf-shot, and after this book she is going to like it even less.

It seems that Toby is starting to accept her bloodline and even come to understand the purpose that it has with Faerie. I wonder if Amadine ever understood, or if Oberon planned it all along. I can’t wait for the day we see both of them. Toby’s bloodline will play an important part when the Lord and Ladies appear again, I can feel it.

Almost at the end of the book, the story takes a stronger theme that we haven’t seen in the October Daye series, but I felt that while it was a strong scene, it did its job showing the cold side of Faerie and the madness that Purebloods have.

I always like how there are new characters in every book, or we learn more about the past of one of the characters that we have already seen. In A Red-Rose Chain it was the turn of Walter the alchemist Tylwyth Teg, I have always wondered about his past or if he was a spy or ally, but in this story we learned a lot about him and his family.

If you are a longtime fan of the October Daye series, or of the work of Seanan McGuire, then I recommend you A Red-Rose Chain. Toby has come so far and she’s determined to go even farther for the good causes of Faerie.

Toby, can you be a diplomat please?
I'm more of a hurricane than a gentle breeze.
*smirk* we know. Sending you makes a statement.

Toby: I haven't pulled anyone off the throne in this County yet. I'm collecting the full set.

Friends who really aren't, family who doesn't recognize you, and monarchy who steal more than the throne. Life is tough for October "Toby" Daye and her friends. Even being effectively non-destructible is not the bonus they thought it is - several times over.

re-read because I got the next book! Yay!

Can we just have a shout-out to engagements that last more than one book? *applause* Thank you. Now, Tybalt, take Toby's hand and marry her before she delays until the sun goes cold.
(see also, Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels and Curran. Finally married! with father-in-law problems.)

Ninth in the urban fantasy series revolving around Sir October Daye and based in San Francisco with this story beginning in March 2013.

My Take
It's a story fraught with tension, fear, bigotry, and arrogance. It really is well done, there's just…something missing. Something I can't figure out, even as Toby shows why she is a hero as she gives more than her all to exact revenge. I suspect it's the reason I haven't given it a "5", which really isn't fair.

It's scary when Tybalt starts listing all the ways that a fae court can maneuver in the mortal world to hurt other fae without offending Oberon's law.

Lol, Quentin reckons being Toby's squire has been fabulous for his education, "By the time [he's] king, there won't be anything left that can surprise [him]."

What is it about arrogant people who think they're so much better than anyone around them? It's bad enough having to suffer their self-important egos, but must they treat everyone else so poorly? And Rhys is too involved in himself to hear what he doesn't want to hear. I do love that he's terrified of Toby and her reputation as a king-breaker, mwah-hah-hahhhh…

"My blood isn't 'tainted'. I got it from my parents. … And if Tybalt and I have kids, they won't be tainted either. They'll be our children, and we'll love them no matter what their heritage looks like."

It'll crack you up when May gives Toby all the reasons why she must go with Toby to Silences. Chief of them is that Toby is hopeless with clothes and grooming! It's even funnier how relieved everyone else is at the thought that Toby won't be let loose without a maid, lol!

They discover how horrible the Silences of today is once they get there. They'll never be able to sleep, eat, drink, or speak as long as they're there. Although, I did enjoy the possibilities offered by Tybalt's comment about Toby's origins.

Huh? I'd never a thought that reproducing children of Maeve with children of Titania would be like mixing apples with cheese graters. Ewww. I keep trying to imagine that one.

I like Joe's reasoning for opening a comic book store. It's so practical!

"Open roads, O' fellow readers."

The Story
Things are looking up.

For the first time in what feels like years, October "Toby" Daye has been able to pause long enough to take a breath and look at her life — and she likes what she sees. She has friends. She has allies. She has a squire to train and a King of Cats to love, and maybe, just maybe, she can let her guard down for a change.

Or not. When Queen Windermere's seneschal is elf-shot and thrown into an enchanted sleep by agents from the neighboring Kingdom of Silences, Toby finds herself in a role she never expected to play: that of a diplomat. She must travel to Portland, Oregon, to convince King Rhys of Silences not to go to war against the Mists. But nothing is that simple, and what October finds in Silences is worse than she would ever have imagined.

How far will Toby go when lives are on the line, and when allies both old and new are threatened by a force she had never expected to face again? How much is October willing to give up, and how much is she willing to change? In Faerie, what's past is never really gone.

It's just waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

The Characters
Sir October Christine Daye, Knight of Lost Words, is a hero and knight of the realm, protecting the peace amongst the fae in our world. She's also half-fae, a Dóchas Sidhe, thanks to being the child of a Firstborn ( Late Eclipses , 4). Spike is Toby's rose-goblin, one of Luna's cuttings. Cagney and Lacey are Toby's Siamese cats.

Tybalt, a.k.a., Rand, is Toby's fiancé and the King of Cats, a Cait Sidhe. Quentin Sollys is Toby's squire and the crown prince of the Westlands in blind fosterage. His parents are High King Aethlin and High Queen Maida Sollys who are based in Toronto. Professor Walther Davies is Tylwyth Teg and an alchemist and chemistry teacher at UC-Berkeley. May Daye is Toby's fetch, a death omen who was once a night-haunt ( Late Eclipses ), while Jazz is a Raven-maid and May's live-in girlfriend.

The Court of Cats is…
…Tybalt's kingdom. Raj is his heir. Tybalt will leave Gabriel and Opal as his representatives when he leaves with Toby on her diplomatic mission. Alazne is Gabriel and Opal's only surviving kit.

The Kingdom of the Mists is…
…one of the Divided Courts and based in the knowe in Muir Woods. The cowardly Queen Arden Windermere, daughter of the murdered King Gilad Windermere, is its newest queen after events in Chimes at Midnight , 7. Nolan is her elf-shot brother. Madden is Cu Sidhe, a faerie dog, who used to work next door to Borderland Books in a coffee shop. Now he's Arden's seneschal. Faolitiarna "Tia" is Madden's sister. Lowri, a Glastig, is one of the Queen's guards.

When Gilad reigned, the Mists was a safe place for changelings.

The Duchy of Shadowed Hills is…
…ruled by Duke Sylvester Torquill and the closest person Toby has to a father, and it turns out he's actually her uncle. He's also her semi-estranged liege lord after what happened in The Winter Long , 8. Simon Torquill, Sylvester's brother, is Toby's stepfather, having been married to Amandine, Toby's mother, a daughter of Oberon. A bad man, actually. Luna is Sylvester's duchess and a Blodynbryd. Bridget Ames ( Ashes of Honor , 6) is also a professor at Berkeley and living with Sir Etienne, a Tuatha de Dannan knight and Toby's former instructor.

Danny is a bridge troll and a taxi driver. Stacy and Mitch Brown are more of Toby's friends, and their children include Karen, their fifteen-year-old daughter and an oneiromancer, able to move, manipulate, and communicate through dreams ( An Artificial Night ).

The Kingdom of Silences in Portland is…
…ruled by a bullying bigot of a Tuatha de Dannan, Rhys, a former baron in the Mists, appointed as king by the false Queen after the War of Silences. The false Queen is the former psycho bitch queen (and former Siren before Toby bled it out of her(!) and still part Banshee) in the Mists, who is Toby's greatest enemy. The former ruling family had been Tylwyth Teg. Marlis is Rhys' seneschal and Walther's sister, held in thrall. The kingdom is known for training the best alchemists.

Waltrune "Truny" was once Marlis' sister. Torsten is Walther's cousin and the crown prince of Silences. Now he's elf-shot and suffering Rhys' attentions. Other members of Walther's family who are elf-shot include Walther's parents and Uncle Holger and Aunt Silger, the king and queen.

Ceres is Luna's sister and had been tutor to the Davies and Yates family lines, and she's thrilled that Toby killed their father in An Artificial Night , 3. Ceres' mother was Acacia, a Firstborn of Dryads and Blodynbryd.

Cait Sidhe in Portland is…
…a potential ally with Jolgier, a.k.a., Joe, as their king of cats and a friend of Tybalt's. He runs a comic book shop; Susie is his human clerk. Libby is Joe's human wife whom he loves dearly.

The other Divided Courts include…
…Countess April O'Leary is a cyber dryad, who rules Tamed Lightning with the help of her remaining mother, Li Qin, a scholar ( A Local Habitation , 2). Dianda is a Merrow and rules Saltmist, an Undersea kingdom ( One Salt Sea , 5). Wild Strawberries and Deep Mists are other courts.

Oberon is the king of the faeries, one of the First Three, and he "locked up" the door between Faerie and our world while he "went on vacation". The other Two are Maeve and Titania. He left the fae with but one rule: don't kill. Elf-shot is one of the ways the fae get around that rule. The Luidaeg is a sea witch and a Firstborn daughter of Maeve and Oberon. She is the mother of the Roane. Eira Rosynhwyr, a.k.a., Evening Winterose, is her elder sister and a Daoine Sidhe Firstborn.

Changelings are part human, part fae while mixed-bloods are a blend of different fae, and still considered purebloods, with the added challenge of almost inevitable madness. The Choice is a time in life that all changelings come to. When they must choose between being fully human or fully fae. If they choose human… Dóchas Sidhe are bloodworkers who can temporarily take the powers of anyone whose blood they sample, manipulate their blood, and heal very quickly. Tuatha de Dannan can teleport but aren't much at illusion. Cait Sidhe are fae cats with their own courts. Cu Sidhe are faerie dogs. Mauthe Doog is a shaggy black dog who can pop in and out of sight and is from the deeper realms of Faerie. Daoine Sidhe. Tylwyth Teg can fly.

Rose-goblins are a blend of cat and spiky rosebush. Goblin fruit is a naturally occurring narcotic that doesn't affect the purebloods, but an unbreakable addiction for humans and changelings. A knowe is a hollow hill where the wall between the Summerlands and earth is thin.

Chelsea Ames was the too-powerful teleporter and Etienne's changeling daughter in Ashes of Honor , 6, who ripped holes in that door. Connor had been Toby's lover.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a gray and gloomy one, a gray mist obscuring the woods and the castle barely there behind Toby, red rose petals falling around a Toby clad in an empire-waisted sheer white and bloody gown, her black leather jacket hanging from her shoulders. It's a pensive look on Toby's face, for she has much to ponder.

I think the title is a reference to the rose goblins created by Ceres and Luna, creating a A Red Rose Chain that will aid Sir Toby in her quest to achieve peace between the kingdoms.

The previous book in the series, "The Winter Long", overturned many of the basic "facts" readers thought they knew. The next book could not possibly keep up that level of surprise. However... A lot of this book is just recapping what went before. And with eight previous books, that's a lot of recapping. The first chapter features Toby and Danny capturing dangerous canine fae animals... very similar to the opening of another book in the series. Toby is sent to another kingdom as an ambassador(?!) -- but we don't even arrive in Silences for over 100 pages. Another reviewer does have a point in saying that you could read the last 10% of the book and get almost all of the plot. We do meet another Blodynbryd, more rose goblins (awwww), and learn more about Walther. We also see a Fae court run by an all-out species-ist bigot. But if the King is such a bigot, why is he associated (and more) with a certain other "bad guy"? There is another "bad guy", only revealed as such at the end of the book. This character's motivations are unbelieveable. After "The Winter Long", Ms. McGuire may be coasting a bit. This series has been one of my favourites. With any luck, the next book will return the Toby Daye series to its usual level of 4.5 to 5 stars.

As a series, this has all the pieces need for an excellent fantasy book. Incredible, richly crafted world, amazing characters with loads of depth on both the good and the bad side, and intricately built stories that keep readers interested from the start and never leave them bored for even a moment.

This addition to the October Daye series is no exception. I have always loved October’s character as she is totally imperfect but is strong enough to both stand on her own and accept help in the times she needs it. We continue to see that in this book, especially with her relationship with Tybalt. He has power and strength of his own, but chooses to use that in support of Toby rather than to make her do what he wants or put her on a lower footing than him. This is an example of a balanced relationship that you so very rarely see in any genre of story that it puts this into a special category all by itself.

Even though it had been a while since I last read a book in this series, I had no problem dropping right back into the story. I didn’t even really have too many issues with trying to remember bits of the previous stories, which is another nice aspect to this series and how it is written.

This is one of those stories that I have a somewhat difficult time articulating what I liked about it because I honestly pretty much loved the whole thing. The only even remotely negative thing I can say is that it ended way before I was ready to leave that world behind. I just want more.

I see that others do not share my opinion here, but I thought this was one of the lesser books of the series. This is partly because many of the mysteries set up in the first book have been answered, so there weren't the extra layers to the plot that have been in previous books. Another issue I had was with one of the "bad guys." Without giving anything away, I really had questions about the motivations behind one of the bad guys. And, when the question was finally answered, it was in a throw-away line that didn't really explain anything, but implicated other people in bad acts. Yet, the good guys don't seem to react to this knowledge about there being other dangerous characters that could yet act against them. Actually, the whole denouement seemed abbreviated.
One other thing began to bother me. October, as hero of these books, is always getting hurt, running into danger, never acting as if her safety were a consideration. In this book, the author began to almost mock that in the voice of October. October kept saying things like, "since I always end up covered in blood, my being covered in blood again shouldn't be a surprise;" or, "you don't expect me to try to avoid risking my life and limb now." (paraphrasing) I know that's part of the excitement of the story to have the hero face danger and death and come out alive, but maybe by the ninth book October needs to reconsider her choices rather than joke about something that's not funny. Or maybe these lines are metafictional comments by the author that she has to take her character to these extremes in every book. Either way, it made me aware that this is a characteristic of October that doesn't entirely make sense to me. She knows she's going to face these do or die situations, but she doesn't start planning for them. She's not evolving as a character in this area.
So, with that said, I have really enjoyed this series as a whole. The author came up with a new way of looking at the fae and Faerie that has been interesting and fun. And I'm glad I read this book. Tybalt, in particular, is one of my favorites. I love the Shakespearean style of his speech. I'm happy every time he opens his mouth. But unfortunately, I can't say this is one of the better books of the series.

Red Rose Chain is book #9 in the October Daye series. Toby and Tybalt are discussing wedding plans, carefree in the company on the new queen, Arden Windermere. Of course, this is Toby’s world so things don’t stay that way for long, Arden’s best friend and senschal, a cu sidhe named Madden is elf shot, and she doesn’t handle the situation with grace. This is a declaration of war by the infamous Kingdom of Silences. The one we hear about throughout the series for the war in years gone by. That none of the purebloods wish to discuss….

Arden’s solution (due to some bad decisions on Toby’s part) is to send Toby and her friends to the Kingdom of Silences with diplomatic immunity for three days, to attempt to circumvent the war. If you are familiar with the series, you know how unlikely this sounds with Toby’s tact and all.

Red rose chain was certainly an interesting addition to the series. I really have grown to like Walther’s character more. There were some slower parts to the read, but overall enjoyable. The end was fascinating as well. If you are a fan of the series, you will not be disappointed.

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Excellent, as is the rest of the series, if you haven't read the first few books I recommend them, especially if you're a paranormal fantasy reader. You don't absolutely have to read them in order, but the books make more sense if you do, as the characters develop throughout. Feels much like Kim Harrison's "Dead Witch Walking" series. Seanan also writes under the nom de plume "Mira Grant" and frankly has written one of the best zombie series out there, IMO. An excellent writer, an excellent series.

Another fantastic October Daye novel.

Usually by book 9 in a series I start to get bored but that is not the case here. If you are reading this review I am assuming you have read the other books so this should not be a spoiler. Toby is up to her usual stunts: She bleeds a lot, she worries constantly over her friends, she never thinks she knows what she is doing but somehow manages to make everything work out.

I ended the book wanting more - which is the sign of a great author. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

4.5 stars. Another great installment- tons of action, suspense, intrigue. Why not five stars then? I felt like the ending was a bit rushed; several things I expected to see in the end were inferred but not seen, or not inferred at all. Also Raj, one of my top fave characters, did not appear at all. Still, an excellent read. In a way, having the incomplete ending makes me want to read the next book all the more.

A Red-Rose Chain
Seanan McGuire
DAW, Sep 1 2015, $7.99
ISBN: 9780756408091

Portland, Oregon area Kingdom of Silences King Rhys declares war on the San Francisco based Kingdom of the Mists by claiming the latter committed treacherous acts when Queen Arden took the throne instead of the “rightful” ruler. Trying to prevent hostilities from heating up, Queen Arden assigns October Daye as a diplomat to negotiate a peaceful solution that may prevent many unnecessary Fae deaths.

Knowing there are much better choices at the Mists court than someone like her who shoots first, Toby concludes Arden cleverly selected her because she expected the usual chaotic destruction that Daye brings to wherever she goes. Thus Toby believes her real mission is to remove Rhys from the throne without causing bloodshed; which is okay by her because the king’s gory viciousness towards her race of changelings is an abomination she cannot accept and besides he allied with the Mists’ deposed, despotic and dead previous monarch. However, Toby and her retinue including her fiancé Tybalt fail to account for diabolical Rhys’ ability to manipulate his opponents. He now has her where he wants her because she possesses something he covets that Toby cannot afford to lose.

The ninth October Daye urban fantasy (see The Winter Long) is an exhilarating entry in which the heroine tries her best to prevent a Fae Pacific Coast war from occurring. Toby is awesome in her diplomatic role as she has to control her urge to kick butt while also accepting crap tossed in her face; and at the same time prevent Rhys from usurping a critical part of her. Series fans will relish this seemingly transitional novel with the overarching twist of October Daye, peace negotiator.

Harriet Klausner

Book number nine of a ten book fantasy series. Goodness, I hate fantasy. Except Seanans. And _Arial_. Good stuff.

Toby's life keeps on getting more and more complicated. I expect her to go after the High King next.

BTW, even though Ms. McGuire and I share the same middle and last name, she and I are not related (to my knowledge). One of my favorite sayings is that McGuire is Irish for Smith.

She has done it again. This is probably the most afraid I've been my favorite heroine. This is also the deepest, realist that I've felt the live between Toby and Tybalt. I can't wait for their wedding day to arrive.

This may be the weakest book of the series. The setting is dull, the bad guy is one-dimensional, and it really doesn't further Toby's storyline. The Luidaeg is almost completely absent from this book as is most of the humor. Worst of all, the ending is jarringly abrupt. I'm giving it four stars because a weak October Daye is still better than ninety percent of the urban fiction out there, but this was my least favorite of the nine I've read so far.

I was so excited to see this on my kindle last night that I got about 2/3 done immediately and the balance on the commute into work. This is probably one of the best paced and tightest stories to date. It is interesting and fun and exciting and not predictable--like so many Urban Fantasy novels are. This story is very much stands alone, and in some ways would serve as a great introduction to the series (if it weren't book number 9). Aside from Jim Butcher, Seanan has some of the best developed, most thought out, richest world building out there.

All of that rich world building and great complex characters is a double edged sword-- you really notice it missing. Or I did at any rate. Thats why it felt like a stand alone/side adventure, it very much could have happened at any time and the consequences of its ending are not broached and don't seem to matter too much in the grand scheme (other then perhaps cementing her unofficial new title which would spoil it if included.) I missed learning more about the Sea Witch or her mom or other universe building details that I've come to really enjoy and expect. It is a very different kind of novel then most of the other October ones, where you feel as if the world itself is the central character. This was the action movie of the series. October was still herself, and the writing was still great, it was just much faster paced then previous outings. No big reveals. No big questions brought up. No bomb shells dropped. No level ups. Heck not even much of an epilogue. In fact, this is the second or third book in this genre this year that had this sort of wrap up/ epilogue missing. I wonder if its a trend to engage readers, or appeal to more people midway through the series, or just writers coincidently changing it up.

I truly love the October Daye series. Finishing this book was frustrating only in that I now have to wait for the next one to be published! It's been very entertaining to see how Ms. McGuire has developed the characters over the series. I'm looking forward to the next one!

I was pretty sure there would be a major change to a familiar character, and blood magic, and the usual Scooby gang. In this I was not disappointed. It was not, however, as repetitive as I had feared, and quite enjoyable.

I was so excited to see this on my kindle last night that I got about 2/3 done immediately and the balance on the commute into work. This is probably one of the best paced and tightest stories to date. It is interesting and fun and exciting and not predictable--like so many Urban Fantasy novels are. This story is very much stands alone, and in some ways would serve as a great introduction to the series (if it weren't book number 9). Aside from Jim Butcher, Seanan has some of the best developed, most thought out, richest world building out there.

All of that rich world building and great complex characters is a double edged sword-- you really notice it missing. Or I did at any rate. Thats why it felt like a stand alone/side adventure, it very much could have happened at any time and the consequences of its ending are not broached and don't seem to matter too much in the grand scheme (other then perhaps cementing her unofficial new title which would spoil it if included.) I missed learning more about the Sea Witch or her mom or other universe building details that I've come to really enjoy and expect. It is a very different kind of novel then most of the other October ones, where you feel as if the world itself is the central character. This was the action movie of the series. October was still herself, and the writing was still great, it was just much faster paced then previous outings. No big reveals. No big questions brought up. No bomb shells dropped. No level ups. Heck not even much of an epilogue. In fact, this is the second or third book in this genre this year that had this sort of wrap up/ epilogue missing. I wonder if its a trend to engage readers, or appeal to more people midway through the series, or just writers coincidently changing it up.

I truly love the October Daye series. Finishing this book was frustrating only in that I now have to wait for the next one to be published! It's been very entertaining to see how Ms. McGuire has developed the characters over the series. I'm looking forward to the next one!

I was pretty sure there would be a major change to a familiar character, and blood magic, and the usual Scooby gang. In this I was not disappointed. It was not, however, as repetitive as I had feared, and quite enjoyable.

I am hooked on these October Day
Series. I like to read how she gets out of the dilemmas she happens to encounter. I enjoy the read, yet so sad when I get to the end. Now I have to wait for a next book. Hope some day it goes to film. I would definitely go see it!

Everything about this book, and this series, is absolutely amazing. First review ever, and it won't be long.. But my goodness the suspense, and the relationship between Toby and Tybalt.. AH <3 I'd give it 10 stars if I could!