Silver and Lead

October Daye, Book 19

By: Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Seanan McGuire’s New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated October Daye series continues as Toby Daye is thrust once again into danger... and this time she has more than ever to protect.

"Narrator Mary Robinette Kowal ... navigates the shifts in tone and energy in this book flawlessly..."—AudioFile on The Brightest Fell

"Mary [Robinette] Kowal is adept at bringing the characters alive and drawing out the humor and determination that run through even their darkest moments."—AudioFile on An Artificial Night

Something is rotten in Faerie. In the aftermath of Titania's reality-warping enchantment, things are returning to what passes for normal in the Kingdom in the Mists—until it's discovered that the royal vaults have been looted, and several powerful magical artifacts are missing. None are things that can be safely left unsecured, and some have the potential to do almost as much damage as Titania did, and having them in the wrong hands could prove just as disastrous.

At least the theft means that Sir October "Toby" Daye, Knight errant and Hero of the Realm, finally has an excuse to get out of the house. Sure, she's eight and a half months pregnant, but that doesn't mean she can’t take care of herself. But with the sea witch offering to stand godmother to Toby's child, maybe there are greater dangers ahead for Toby and her family than it appears....

Old enemies will resurface, new enemies will disguise themselves as friends, and Queen Windermere must try to keep her Hero on the case without getting herself gutted by the increasingly irritated local King of Cats. Sometimes, what's been lost can be the most dangerous threat of all.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

©2025 Seanan McGuire (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Nineteen

I loved it. And I was frustrated by the cliffhanger ending. Fantastic, fun, frustrating story.

So glad to have October back!!

And so glad to have our narrator back! The story is also excellent, with plenty of tension and mystery. Though—if you’re currently pregnant, maybe don’t read just yet.

Iron, Rowan and Yarrow

Themes of balancing confinement with freedom, caution with hazard and the multiple dependencies of duty, friendship, love and respect run through this satisfying conclusion to a number of long running plot threads.

October Is Back and Awesome As Always

Ah, what a pleasure it is to again spend some hours with the wise-cracking, intelligent, heroic, bleeding all over the place October Daye.

This latest entry in the long-running series is as good or better than its predecessors -- in some ways leaner and more direct, with a chapter of setup and then non-stop action until almost the last page. It's difficult to review the plot without giving away too much -- the surprises matter to enjoying the book. Suffice to say that old enemies surface to threaten October and her found-family and as always, she's up to the challenge and prevails in stylish fashion. Well, stylish if bloody conflict is your jam.

For readers of the series: There is a scene where the long-simmering fan speculation about Marcia's true identity seems to be confirmed; it's not stated outright but I don't see any other explanation. Additionally the final few sentences of the book hint at a benevolent and mysterious ally whose identity October figures out -- but she and the author did not see fit to share it with us!

Nevertheless, five stars. Wonderful as usual.