#there's creepy fae and the wild hunt so definitely things I enjoy even if it's not an easyread

[libraryleopard]

The Wolf Among the Wild Hunt by Marc Fenn Wolfmoor

Adult dark fantasy novella 

After killing the wrong person, a wolf shapeshifter is sentenced to run the Wild Hunt to redeem his honor, a trial few have survived

Aromantic asexual main character in a queerplatonic relationship with an aromantic asexual nonbinary knight

Queernormative medieval Europe-inspired fantasy world including trans, aroace, polyamorous, lesbian, and gay characters 

Dark folklore atmosphere

First in a series (I think) but ends pretty wrapped 

Also includes illustrations throughout

Content warnings as per the author below the cut

Explicit battle violence; descriptions of gore and blood; murder; hunting violence, including violence against animals; sexual assault* (by a woman against a man); descriptions and themes of physical and emotional abuse; trauma from enslavement, violence, and neglect; and suicidal thoughts and ideation 

*author’s content warning said sexual assault is off-page but I would disagree with that a bit

[itishypatiaofalexandria]

Sometimes, for reasons unknown to you in retrospect, you pass up great books because you think that they will not interest you. When you finally stop and read them, you can only despair over what you have missed for so long.

I’m talking about Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series.

They have been sitting on the shelf at my local library for years, and I had consistently passed them up, because of a little faded sticker that reads paranormal romance. Which is not to say that romance is bad, I do read it occasionally, if I am assured that it is really good, or has some other feature that I know I will like. But as I am A) a lesbian, I tend to have less than zero interest in men who are described as devilishly handsome, or rippling muscles, ect.; and B) somewhere  on the grey-ace scale, so I tend to have higher standards in romance than see them, must have them, or love triangles, or this person is attractive and rich, lets get married (I know its a fantasy, but it just doesn’t do it for me). Paranormal romance tends to be the worst of the lot, especially in the post Twilight world. So I tend to steer clear.

Then I read Every Heart a Doorway. When I say read, I mean devoured once, reread slowly again, left for a while, reread, put on my Christmas list, didn’t get it, bought it myself, and read at least two more times. If you haven’t read that book you should do so immediately. It has everything, an interesting idea, a fascinating mystery, engaging characters, and rarest of rarities in a semi-mainstream bestseller, queer characters and themes. (Also Jack. She quickly became a fictional crush for me at least.) It was all wrapped in gorgeous and heartbreakingly clear prose and style.

Anyway, that book was ridiculously good. So the other week when I saw her name on this series that I had ignored for years, I thought, yes, I trust this author. There are some authors whose books you will read even if you know nothing about them, or even if every sign points to them not being you cup of tea. People like Niel Gaiman, or Terry Pratchett, or Brandon Sanderson, or Megan Whalen Turner, or Katherine Addison, or Seanan McGuire. So I check out the first two and I definitely do not regret it.

I’m currently partway through the third book and wow does this series deliver. The main character is a half-human, half-fae woman who is a a PI for the local courts of faerie named October ‘Toby’ Daye. I knew I would like her from the moment she said that she wasn’t a lady, she was a sir (because she is a knight). The books have the same sort of fantasy noir tone to them as Jim Butcher’s Dresden books, but exquisitely done and much more cheerful. (It also feels like, just like the Dresden books, this is going to sprout a complex and well executed myth-arc any second now. I eagerly await.)

The plots are mysteries, as befits a fantasy noir setting. They are also really well done. In the first one I just have to applaud the narration, which despite being first person, made it very clear that the villain was super creepy/suspicious, even though the narrator trusted them implicitly. The second book had an excellent variation on a locked room mystery, where the murders seemed impossible by the known laws of the world, but were happening anyway. (Also, wow does that book go hard. I wasn’t expecting that high of a death count. It really wasn’t high at all numerically, but it was like the literary equivalent of a kill em all horror film.) The third book is changing the formula, where we know who the kidnapper is, its rescuing the kidnappees that is the problem.

Worldbuilding is starting out good, with clear signs that it will only improve. It is clearly based mostly on Celtic mythology, with Sidhe and selkies and the Wild Hunt, as well as Oberon, Maeve, and Titania (by the way, even time it is mentioned that they are missing, my myth arc senses tingle). McGuire easily fills in plot holes, using things like glamour and the nightgasts to explain how a society of non-humans hide. She also doesn’t limit herself to European Mythology either. There have been several kitsune characters, and mentions of Djinn and Peri, which makes the setting much more diverse and realistic. I really enjoy the weird streak of practicality, like mostly nocturnal fae working at twentyfour hour grocery stores, and cell phones that don’t work in deep faerie unless you get a dwarf to magically fiddle with it, or shapeshifters needing to raid goodwill for clothes that will fit their new form.

Characters are many and varied. There are a lot of excellent characters, and many of them are introduced quickly and concisely, so that you really get a feel for what they are like from a single scene. SO many of them are recurring. It gives a real feeling of weight to them, to know that this knight will still be upright and honorable (Sir Etienne-very little screen time so far, but checks so many of my boxes. Also, Toby doesn’t like him. I really hope he comes into focus in a future book, I need to know more about him so that he can become a favorite character.) and this undine will still offer healing and sanctuary (Lily of the tea gardens, who has healed Toby many times so far. You get the feeling that they go way back. I am so not here for the blatant foreshadowing that she doesn’t have the power to protect Toby from anything powerful, because you just know that she would try.). Also, there is the way that previously minor characters come into focus and are more important in different books, like Quentin, who had two minor scenes in the first book, but was one of the most important characters in the second.

I’ve compared these books to the Dresden Files, so I feel like I should say at least one thing that these books are doing a hundred times better. The women are so much better written. There are so many of them, with different personalities and priorities, from Lily, guardian healer spirit; to January, mother and scientist; to Dare, a kid who is in a bad situation and wants to get out; to the extremely dangerous Luidaeg, who is older then all the other immortals, and lonely; and many, many more. It’s amazing. Every book passes the Bechdel test easily.

Finally the romance. Three books in and I’m still not sure why that sticker was on these books. There really hasn’t been much of a romance subplot. When the character of Connor was introduced I thought here we go, but the books are nicely subverting my dread. Connor seemed at first glance to be the stereotypical nice guy/childhood friend/Betty (though not really a “Nice Guy”, thank you Seanan McGuire) of the common love triangle, but it is much more complicated than that. He’s actually an ex of Toby’s and their past relationship didn’t work out, and is now unhappily married. Although he seems interested in rekindling his relationship with Toby, she is much more practical, denying him off the bat. She is very conscious of the way it didn’t work in the past, and of her honor, which I really appreciate. The Veronica of our tale seems to be recurring character Tybalt, but so far (two and a half books in) Toby doesn’t seem to realize it. My grey-ace self is really enjoying this, because the romance is being played so, so subtle. From assuming that Tybalt didn’t like her when he was obviously flirting with her, to very casual displays of trust, to him obviously worrying about her being in dangerous situations, to her wondering where he is when he doesn’t show up to bother her. Three books in and Toby has only now admitted to herself that they are sort of friends. It’s slow and very well done, and like I said before, not really important. The romance plot takes up less than 5% of the action, which is an excellent ratio.

As you can probably tell, the Dresden Files are one of my favorite series. These books feel like someone asked me what my favorite aspects of that series are, and what disappointed me, and then tailor made these books for me, personally. I am enjoying them wholeheartedly, and cannot wait to read the rest.