An Artificial Night

I've been enjoying Seanan's "October Daye" novels since the beginning. They're definitely a cut above the usual elves-in-San Francisco, solidly written and with a nice mix of the genre-familiar and interesting new elements (like Tybalt, King of Cats). Often, series lose momentum, repeat the same unresolved romantic and other tensions, and generally reflect the author's having exhausted the subject. Sometimes, the world and characters just aren't well enough developed to sustain more than one volume; there's only so far you can get on a handful of nifty ideas.

An Artificial Night defies this trend. In many ways, it's stronger and more vivid than the previous books (and if you haven't read them, that should not discourage you from jumping in the middle of the series). October "Toby" Daye is a changeling, half-human, who works as the only private detective to the faerie realm in San Francisco. She's had her share of adventures, mishaps (including being turned into a fish for 15 years), and romances. Her newest assignment involves tracking down children, both human and fae, who've been kidnapped by the Wild Hunt. The landscape, inner and outer, is darker and more intense. Yet in the midst of the tale, McGuire's prose soars from solid to poetic, and it's this that makes the book memorable:

"I killed him with silver and iron and the light of a candle." I shivered as the memories slipped over me, trying to ignore the feeling of blood on my hands. Blood has power; part of me was his forever. The knives had been iron and silver, but hat was only the end of the kill, not the means. He died by blood and fire and faith, by roses and the cold flicker of candlelight. My blades were only an afterthought, a sharp reminder that the long, wild chase was over and it was time to lie down and be still. It was time to close the nursery windows. It was time to grow up.

October Daye, private investigator to San Francisco's faerie nobility, stumbles upon her most troubling case yet. Two of her friends' children vanish without a trace, and a third falls into an enchanted sleep from which no one can awaken her. Toby pokes around and learns that other children have been disappearing as well, both fae and human, and that an ancient and sinister power is behind the kidnappings.

Seanan McGuire wisely plays to her strengths -- and Toby's -- in _An Artificial Night_. McGuire is a terrific writer, but concealing the villain's identity isn't always her strong point. It works well, then, that _An Artificial Night_ is not a whodunit. Toby and the reader learn pretty quickly who is responsible, and the real questions are whether Toby can defeat him and how steep the price will be. The first two October Daye novels read like mysteries, but this one reads more like a grim, bloody fairy tale. Of the three it's the closest to "straight" fantasy or to old-school urban fantasy.

As for Toby's strengths, one of the things that has bugged me about this series is the way other characters seem convinced Toby is the biggest badass who ever badass'd. She isn't. She's actually pretty underpowered for her world and often loses fights. Sheer toughness is not what makes her a hero. _An Artificial Night_ features some great exploration of whether Toby is a hero, and if so, what qualities make her worthy of the term.

McGuire also develops Toby's relationships with several beloved secondary characters (Tybalt and the Luideag are my favorites). In one moving scene, Toby learns that there really are people out there who have her back. I'm not sure what I love more about this scene, the way it ties into folklore or the way it brings home to Toby that she isn't alone in the world.

The plot is creepy and compelling, and makes probably the best use of faerie lore we've seen yet in the series. The fae realm comes to life in all its beauty, and its horror, and its tricky bargains. I liked _A Local Habitation_ just a bit better personally -- I think in part because there was more comic relief -- but this is a worthy addition to the series and is almost certainly the best-plotted of the three books so far.

Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT has the most interesting storyline so far in the October Daye series. Instead of playing the role of a failed detective, we watch Toby's attempts at being a hero. And let me just say that I enjoyed this approach much more than the detective route, simply because there was more action and adventure as opposed to idly standing around, clueless.

I thought that this book had a lot more humor in it, much to my delight. I also found that I was unable to willingly set the book down at any point--something that I was able to do with books 1 and 2.

There's no cheerful Toby this time around. She's pessimistic and sarcastic, much like the Toby I have come to know and accept. Said pessimism grated on my nerves at some points, but I think it's more because she attempted to justify her actions a bit too much instead of just sucking it up and moving on. This does not happen often, just once or twice.

In regards to Toby/Tybalt: well, their interactions were limited this time around. Instead of having our darling King of Cats playing a key role in the story, Tybalt steps back to let a few other characters shine. Though that's not to say he doesn't stop by. He does, quite a few times. And he's a bit more affectionate to boot.

When I first initially heard that Tybalt wasn't around as much, I was distraught. Aside from the interesting world building (which I wasn't really feeling in A LOCAL HABITATION), Tybalt is the main reason I adore this series so much. Surprisingly enough, I did enjoy the book, even with the lack of Tybalt.

I found that Toby's obliviousness to Tybalt's feelings wasn't driving me insane this time around. I mean, she's still oblivious at times, and it made me want to scream, but then at other times, she hinted that she knew how he felt about her. For instance, during one scene towards the end with her, Connor, and Tybalt. I almost gasped when she acknowledged there might have been something there. Maybe she's finally been slapped around often enough that common sense is overpowering her lack of understanding when that cat flirts with her.

I had a few complaints about Toby's Fetch, May. First of all, what purpose did she serve in the story except to make Connor want to cry, be slightly annoying, and drive like a madwoman? (I'll admit the second scene when she drives over the bridge had me laughing hysterically, but that's more because of the children than anything else.) Second, for someone who's so closely associated with death and whatnot, a lot of the characters acted nonchalant around May. They had an initial reaction of regarding her with distaste, but then they kind of just... shrugged her off and moved on.

I kind of liked May towards the end, but I'm not too fond of her at the same time. I don't like that she's squirmed her way into Toby's life. I don't like that she's just there with no true purpose. There was such a fuss about her at the start, and I feel kind of let down now. I would have awarded this AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT 5 stars if May had been explored--or even if there was a hint about her serving a purpose in the next story.

Likewise, the final showdown didn't entirely feel final. I would have preferred it if there was a huge fight between everyone in the scene right before. That screamed finality to me more than the last scene, but hey, I like my drama, and I like chaos.

Complaints aside, I enjoyed AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT moreso than A LOCAL HABITATION. Despite the fact that Tybalt played less of a role in this story, I think I prefer the adventure over mystery. Toby's a bad detective because she's so oblivious to the things that matter. But a hero? A bit dorky, but a huge improvement. I'm eagerly anticipating book 4, LATE ECLIPSES, in March. Something tells me Tybalt will be playing a larger role this time around.

In this third installment in the October Daye series, author Seanan McGuire delivers another exciting fast-paced urban fantasy set in a lush vivid, yet dark world that draws readers in and won't let them leave. With characters that are just as fascinating as the plot and the world, An Artificial Night is so mesmerizing that you'll desperately be looking for the next installment as soon as you finish the last page -I know I was.

Wise-talking, multi-faceted half-fae detective Toby Day is back, but isn't too happy to encounter May Day, a creature known as her "Fetch" -an ominous omen that pointed to the end for Toby. Soon after, Toby gets word that Blind Michael, the lord of the Wild Hunt, is kidnapping fae and human children to replenish his riders. Toby goes after Michael to bring the children back while discovering some fascinating inner strengths and truths about herself.

Spinning another spellbinding tale, An Artificial Night is a great addition to any paranormal fan's library that will satsify fans of the previous novels while still converting new fans. Be warned though, if you haven't read the two other books in the series, Rosemary and Rue and A Local Habitation, you'll be pretty lost, so I'd suggest starting with Rosemary and Rue. But let me warn you now -once you start, you'll get addicted.

Can't wait for Late Eclipses to drop in March 2011.

This book just upped the ante on the series. Finally a strong plot with lots of action. I really like the secondary characters and each one received a lot of development in this story, particularly Luidaeg and Quentin. We also meet some new and interesting characters as well. In this book, October learns that children went missing overnight, to include the children of her best friends Mitch and Stacey as well as 5 of the Cait Sidhe children that belong to Tybalt, the King of Cats. October agrees to find the children, and unlike the last book where she's trying to solve a mystery and can't figure out s***, this book she goes on a quest. Much cooler. I heard that the books pick up even more from here and I can't wait! On to book 4!

After reading Seanan McGuire's first two October Daye books, I said in an the store review that I hoped Toby Daye would get out of the PI business, because McGuire didn't seem to have the knack of writing plausible murder mysteries and the weakness of the mystery spoiled the reader's experience of the excellent fantasy setting McGuire has designed.

NOTE--MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

In "An Artificial Night," McGuire does that, more or less. Oh, Toby is still a private investigator catering to the fae, but this book is not a mystery. Instead, Toby gets involved in a harrowing chase to retrieve stolen children before they are turned into monsters. This allows her to display the San Francisco-with-fae setting to advantage, and allows her to develop both returning characters and characters we have not previously seen. A wonderful, can't-put-it-down read; hopefully the remaining books in the series will continue in this vein.

Plot Summary: October "Toby" Daye is a half-human/half-faerie knight for the Duke of Shadowed Hills, but in simple parlance, she's a private investigator who happens to deal exclusively with fae problems. This time the job is even more personal, when a kidnapper snatches children whom Toby knows and loves. She vows to bring them back or die trying, and death is looking pretty inevitable when her personal Fetch - Toby's harbinger of death - shows up on her doorstep. The kidnapper is an ancient, insane faery who is so powerful that no one has ever tried to stop him, but Toby is a mother who has lost her own child in a sense, and she refuses to accept his evil customs. To get the kids back she'll need to beat him at his own game, which is anything but child's play.

(OCTOBER DAYE SERIES: BOOK THREE)

For me, An Artificial Night, brought this series back up to the five-star rating that I gave to book one, Rosemary and Rue. Seanan McGuire's writing feels so dense and weighty to me, like a flour-less chocolate cake, but what astounds me is that her stories are such easy-to-read page-turners as well. Usually those two concepts do not mix nicely, but it works here, and it works well. The result is an urban fantasy that is at the top of the ever-growing UF pile, and one of my perennial favorites. Considering that this is only book three, I'd say that's a mighty achievement.

This time around, Toby must literally stop one of the boogeymen of faerie children everywhere - Blind Michael. Parents use the fear of Blind Michael to get their kids to eat their vegetables, or do their chores, but Toby learns that he's all too real, and when he snatches some children from a close friend, Toby goes on a personal mission to deliver them back home. It's an impossible task, but with death hanging around her neck, she figures she has nothing left to lose.

I assumed this would be a rather simple three part play: Toby finds the kids; Toby fights the bad guy; Toby brings them home; The End. I was wrong. It was an emotional ride of ups and downs, and Toby is such a gritty, stubborn little fighter. I love her resolve. Toby's personal story progressed, and I have to say, I like where it's going.

An Artificial Night will be released on September 7, 2010. The next book after this one will be called Late Eclipses, and it will come out in March 2011. If you'd like to catch up on this series in the meantime, here is the reading order for the October Daye series.

Rosemary and Rue
A Local Habitation
An Artificial Night

Warning: Certain things in this review might be considered mild spoilers.

You pretty much know the day's going to suck when the harbinger of your death knocks on your front door before dawn. But while October Daye is less than thrilled to meet her Fetch, readers are more likely to enjoy the experience. May is one of several intriguing and entertaining elements in An Artificial Night, the third book in Seanan McGuire's urban fantasy series. (Earlier books are Rosemary and Rue and A Local Habitation.)

Transformation is a running theme in McGuire's books, and An Artificial Night is a transformative book in the series. Unlike the previous two books, there's no mystery to be solved. There's also a lot less urban and a lot more fantasy to be found here. Except for one adrenaline-pumping chase scene through San Francisco, all the significant action takes place in faerie lands, places you would never mistake for a human city.

More important, this is the book in which we leave behind Toby, the reluctant private investigator and damaged person, and truly meet October Daye, knight of Shadowed Hills and hero. Here in full display is the moral determination, the unshakable loyalty to family and friends (that has in turn inspired the love and loyalty given her, which is key to the book both plotwise and thematically), and the near-pathological stubbornness that together form the core of Toby's character. Instead of being pushed into action, Toby chooses to oppose Blind Michael, leader of the Wild Hunt and a massively powerful Firstborn of the fae. Michael has stolen the children of friends, something Toby finds intolerable, so she takes on a seemingly suicidal quest to retrieve them.

Naturally, since this is a Seanan McGuire story, Toby goes through all sorts of hell in her efforts to free the children, and not everyone gets a happy ending. But the resolution of the primary conflict is believable and effective, and the progress made in both Toby's relationships and her awareness of and belief in herself makes for a satisfying read.

There were some elements I didn't like. I hope there's more information coming in future volumes on why May appeared when she did. There's a riff on Tybalt's feline nature that felt forced and manipulative. I would have liked to see more done with the concept of rhyming magic. I wish Toby spent less time unconscious. And I really, really wish that Toby was quicker on the uptake sometimes. (The initial advice she got from Lily wasn't particularly obscure. I got it immediately, and I shouldn't be that far ahead.)

Still, An Artificial Night is the most exciting and most emotionally satisfying of the October Daye books to date. I give it 4.5 out of five stars.

** spoiler alert **
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When I first read it I thought it was good, but I had to read it a second time to really appreciate it. Reading AAN a second time let me understand it better I think. Also every time I read it I find new little details that I missed the first time. We get introduced to a couple of new characters that you'll love (May and Raj!) The whole book was great, but I especially love the part at the end when everyone's there to stop Blind Michael's ride and Tybalt practically tells him that Toby is his by saying that his claim precedes Blind Michael's. Also, Toby enjoying Tybalt's chin scratching? so cute. Loved the whole book, there was lots of revelations and lots more questions ;)

I always feel like the October Daye books are walking right on the hairs edge of becoming an irresistibly good series...all it needs is for something more between Toby and Tybalt, King of Cats. There are little hints of something between them, but I need for there to be more! If you were hoping for that in this book, sorry, not so much. Although the tease of their being a possibility is still there, taunting the reader.

Daye's world is made up of a plethora of mythological and fairy tale creatures, not just the standard ones most people know but an intriguing mix of the known and the unheard of. This time she's playing with childrens nursery and jump roping rhymes in an effort to battle Oberon's son, the Luidaeg's even more awful brother.

The scenery and suspense pop off the page and the characters are almost always interesting. It's October's actions that I don't understand but seem to make her endearing to the other characters. She's determined to get into trouble, neck deep in the drama, even when it's not necessary.And what in the heck is up with her mother? Everyone seems to know who Amandine is but we have no idea why. Hopefully that will get answered in the next book, judging by the snippet at the end of this one, purpose built to intrigue us.

(Some minor SPOILERS) When I read book 1, I thought this has the makings of a good series. So I got book 2. Still pretty good, although I had it figured out waaaaay before Toby did. But at least Tybalt played a bigger part. I thought it might lead to something significant in book 3. So I've just finished book 3 and I'm not really that impressed. The overall plot was interesting, but there was too much detail in the journeys, to the point where I actually skimmed parts. I found May annoying and the fact that she has moved in with Toby disappoints me.

But my biggest disappointment is that Tybalt is so far in the background as to have disappeared. I'm wondering if he's going to just be a footnote in book 4. Seriously, I like a book with lots of action, but I like some romance, too, even a little sex! Quentin, a 15-year old, and Connor, a married man play a much larger part in Toby's life than an actual eligible man. It's like she's being held away from men, and let's face it, she's not a teenager.

I also got very tired of the "hero" bit.

Well, it was definitely better than the last. The plot moved along fairly quickly and made for an easy fast read. I thought the problem was more plausible than the last, also. Toby still has a mystery to solve...kids are kidnapped during the night (two of which are Toby's "adopted" niece and nephew) and several from Tybalts people. Toby plays the hero and sets out to save the day, but not before her herald of death, her Fletch (self-proclaimed "May")shows up. It would be nice if there was some growth in character and relationships within the book. Enough with all the cryptic crud. Too much more of that and I will be through with this series.

My largest problem with the book concerns the ending. Blind Michael is built up throughout the novel as the holy terror of all time in faerie knowledge. Yet, the resolution of the book was too easily solved. Why not do in the beginning what happened in the end? It made no sense to me.

This series gets better with each book. There’s so much darkness here, and real poetry in the writing. I know this is a series, but I’m always relieved and amazed when October survives at the end.

I simply adore Seanan's easy, conversational and yet quirky style. I appreciate that she maintains the integrity of her diction and impressive mastery of the English language without becoming dry, confusing, or difficult to follow. That, coupled with the ever-evolving personalities of the characters, guarantees that I will be a fan for a long time to come. When you then include faerie tales and modern fantasy, I'm quite hooked. My only objection is the amount of time I have to wait between books.

In /An Artificial Night/, Seanan outdoes herself with building up the world and each individual set with vibrant descriptions and, sometimes, startling sensory input. Nursery rhymes come to life alongside the Brothers Grimm and the legends of (primarily) Western Europe in a terrifying and alluring dance of desperate hope, heart-wrenching catastrophe and terrifying suspense. I cannot rave enough about this particuler book in the series, either, having been a fan of the poems that inspire the events that transpire since I was a very young child.

I simply adore Seanan's easy, conversational and yet quirky style. I appreciate that she maintains the integrity of her diction and impressive mastery of the English language without becoming dry, confusing, or difficult to follow. That, coupled with the ever-evolving personalities of the characters, guarantees that I will be a fan for a long time to come. When you then include faerie tales and modern fantasy, I'm quite hooked. My only objection is the amount of time I have to wait between books.

In /An Artificial Night/, Seanan outdoes herself with building up the world and each individual set with vibrant descriptions and, sometimes, startling sensory input. Nursery rhymes come to life alongside the Brothers Grimm and the legends of (primarily) Western Europe in a terrifying and alluring dance of desperate hope, heart-wrenching catastrophe and terrifying suspense. I cannot rave enough about this particuler book in the series, either, having been a fan of the poems that inspire the events that transpire since I was a very young child.

First off, you can read and enjoy this book without having read the first two it stands on it's own two feet.

Other reviews go over the plot of this book and I won't rehash.
Book one set up the world and the rules, book two got the authors ducks in a row. Now we get to see some awesome action. Fairies are other, they are dangerous that's what all of the old mythology says - in general you should avoid dealing with them. One of the Fae starts stealing children from their bedrooms and October goes out to save them in an adventure that simply just sizzles, I read this book in one sitting and couldn't put it down it was simply amazing. This simply is one of the best fantasy stories I've read this year and by far one of the best urban fantasy books I've read all year.

Half-fae detective Sir Toby Daye the changeling is stunned and despondent to meet May Daye, a magical doppelganger whose encounter means the sleuth's death will come shortly. Even before she reacts to meeting the Fetch, she learns the Lord of the Wild Hunt Blind Michael has abducted numerous fae and human children as a source to replace his depleted riders.

Since some of the kidnapped are part of her extended family, an outraged Toby plans to challenge Blind Michael though that is a very dangerous notion as there are three roads to this powerful essence, but none can be used twice. She tracks him on the deadly Faerie Roads which is his element and on the streets of San Francisco, which sadly is also his element. On her treacherous quest, Toby is renewed with new supporters risking their lives to further the chance of success of her mission.

The third October Daye (see Rosemary and Rue, and A Local Habitation) is a fabulous private investigative urban fantasy. Toby, who has been burned by both sides of her DNA, is foolishly brave, kick butt tough and spunky sass as she traverses the roads of no return; while knowing deep in her soul failure could prove worse than death because she might be trapped as part of the Wild Hunt. An Artificial Night is a strong Noir due to the heroine and her tours of San Francisco and the land of Fairie as she works a perilous abduction case.

Harriet Klausner

A very well written mystery that is will written mystery and series with interesting well developed characters, lots of non-stop action, interesting relationships, and great endings. I would recommend this book and series too anyone who enjoys well written mysteries.

There are some things that are just endemic to all series. The second book will always be the weakest in the series in regards to plot and character development. If there is an element of romantic tension between two main characters, the author will always, but always, drag it out entirely too long because they are incapable of writing interesting relationships where couples are actually together. There will be one, (in this case 3) overarching "mysteries" that show up in bits, and with which the readers usually become bored long before the writer actually decides to make it relevant. The main character doesn't grow but becomes a parody of themselves or the archetype they portray.

This series has just about every single one of those flaws. It's not quite annoying enough (except a couple of things) to make me not bother to read the next one, but it's coming close. While the second in this series was just idiotic in regards to plot, there is much improvement in the main plot of this one. But what is horrendous in the never-ending mystery arches that have been dropped into every book in the series without any furtherance of the plot or any movement towards solving them. If there is no movement on the mother mystery, or the Luna disappearance mystery, or any of the other "hint-hint-hint" issues the author keeps dropping in, I am probably done. At book four, if she's still just spinning her wheels, I am getting off the ride.

Then there's the love interest angle. It appeared since book 1 that the author was setting Tybalt up to be a suitor who had admired Toby from afar for a while. Of course, the author is one of those typical writers who can't advance a love plot, so his solution was that Tybalt would from now on be randomly dropped into the beginning for about three sentences of blather then show up to help Toby for about a chapter towards the middle and then disappear at the end of the book. In book 2 it wasn't quite so bad, but in this book, Tybalt is informed that Toby is most likely going to die and he kind of shrugs and goes, "ah okay come see me later if you live". WTF? I am supposed to get behind a pairing where the guy is that blase about his lady loves impending death?? So I can only assume I've been reading it wrong all along and Tybalt is not going to be Toby's main squeeze, because who would believe it now?

Also, and here's a little hint to all the aspiring writers out there, there is a difference between a hero and a martyr. And if all the other main characters have to make a humongous deal out of your main character, and every single one of them, explain patiently to her why they understand the reason she has to behave like a total idiot and go charging off to her death "because she's the hero", then that's a pretty good clue she's not actually a hero, just a victim of her own PR. By the time the third person had told TOby how they knew she had to go do something suicidal and stupid because she was the hero, I actually wanted to vomit. If you have to force feed the concept to your reader like that, you need to get out of writing, because clearly you aren't selling it with subtlety.

I think this series has potential. It needs to hatchet half the extraneous plot lines and redundant characters ( I mean really what's the difference between Luna and Lily except one plays in the water and the other with posies) and tighten up the loose threads and it could grow into something.

But right now, as it stands, if #4 doesn't at least tie up something, I am done.

Excellent, simply excellent. I stayed up until 4 am last night finishing it. This book is better than book 2 and may be better than the first book in the series. I need to run to my B&N and get the fourth book now.

Seanan McGuire did an awesome job with the latest addition to the series. She stayed true to the weirdness of faeries and didn't try to make them too human. The story moved at a quick and entertaining pace, and the characters' personalities were developed more. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.