Format: Mass Market Paperback, 418 pages
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: DAW
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Politics have never been October “Toby” Daye’s strong suit. When she traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to prevent them from going to war with her home, the Kingdom of the Mists, she wasn’t expecting to return with a cure for elf-shot and a whole new set of political headaches.
Now the events she unwittingly set in motion could change the balance of modern Faerie forever, and she has been ordered to appear before a historic convocation of monarchs, hosted by Queen Windermere in the Mists and overseen by the High King and Queen themselves.
Naturally, things have barely gotten underway when the first dead body shows up. As the only changeling in attendance, Toby is already the target of suspicion and hostility. Now she needs to find a killer before they can strike again—and with the doors locked to keep the guilty from escaping, no one is safe.
As danger draws ever closer to her allies and the people she loves best, Toby will have to race against time to prevent the total political destabilization of the West Coast and to get the convocation back on track…and if she fails, the cure for elf-shot may be buried forever, along with the victims she was too slow to save.
Because there are worse fates than sleeping for a hundred years.
Once Broken Faith is the TENTH installment in author Seanan McGuire's October Daye series. Time wise, Once Broken Faith takes place 6 weeks after the ending of A Red-Rose Chain. Toby Daye, Knight Errant, Hero of the Realm, Sworn to Sylvester Torquill of Shadow Hills, daughter to Amandine, first born of Oberon, Dochas Sidhe, Mentor to squire Quentin, Changeling, and engaged to Tybalt, King of Cats, has had an interesting year so far, let alone life. She's removed a fake queen who tried to banish her. She brought back the real Queen in the Mists kicking and screaming. She was sent by same Queen to prevent a war from happening between the Mists and the Kingdom of Silences.
And, she came back with news of a possible cure for Elf Shot. Elf shot has been used for a very long time to knock pure blooded into a sort of unconscious that lasts for 100 years. But, Elf Shot kills Changelings like Toby. When King Aethlin Sollys, who overseas all of North America, calls for a conclave to determine whether or not he will approve Walther's alchemical cure for Elf Shot, Toby will once again be shoved into the spotlight and forced to face Fae politics, their shenanigans, and bigotry in all its glory. Here is where new characters, and new Kingdom's are introduced. (Nice map in the front of the book!)
Toby, who has been hit twice by elf shot, now stands on the precipice of having to not only explain her past actions in removing two Monarchs, but also has to face a hostile conclave filled with Kings and Queens who have no use for Changelings and may not be open to allowing the cure to be used. She has to once again be the hero of the realm that people have come to expect from her by solving several murders, while also realizing that her friends may become targets as well.
Toby though doesn't stand alone. Not for a lack of trying. She has a nice group of allies in Tybalt, Quentin, Raj, Jazz, Karen Brown, and May who are used to seeing Toby act first, and then ask for forgiveness for her actions. They've seen Toby covered in blood, time and time again, and yet, they haven't abandoned her. Even Luidaeg, who gets a whole lot of story time, has become a supporter and protector of Toby, But, I think that subject will soon need to be addressed. I am rather emotionless about Toby and Sylvester's issues, but I think it is time to move on. It is better to forgive, then carry anger around that might cause you to make mistakes.
For series fans, don't forget to read Dreams and Silences. It is an 84 page novella that features Queen Arden, Walther, and Luidaeg. Story takes place right after the last page of Once Broken Faith. Well worth the time to read. And, in closing, if you are looking for novellas featuring some of the important secondary characters, McGuirre has a Chronicle Order of what books and novellas to read. The link can be found here >> October Daye Series Order
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