Full of Briars

by Seanan McGuire

Ebook, 2016

Status

Available

Call number

Fic SF McGuire

Publication

DAW

Description

Fantasy. Fiction. Mythology. HTML:New York Times-bestselling October Daye series �?� Hugo Award-winning author Seanan McGuire �?� "Top of my urban-paranormal series list!" �??Felicia Day Meet Quentin Sollys. Squire. Hockey fan. Canadian. And Crown Prince to the entire continent of North America, known as "the Westlands" to the fae, currently ruled by his parents, High King Aethlin and High Queen Maida. Not that most people know that, since he's a blind foster squired to a changeling�??not exactly something that screams "hidden royalty." But with a new Queen on the throne in the Mists, his parents have finally come to town to see how he's doing...and to take him home with them. That's going to be a problem, since Quentin doesn't particularly want to leave, and his knight, Sir October Daye, doesn't particularly want to let him go. Set after Chimes at Midnight and before The Winter Long, it's finally time to meet the parents in our first-ever story narrated by Quen… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member krau0098

This is a novella in the October Daye series that is told from October’s squire’s (Quentin Sollys) point of view. This novella gives some good insight into Quentin’s character and sets things up nicely for following books.

I am going to be honest I didn’t like reading from Quentin’s point

of view as much as October’s; he just comes across as a lot more vanilla. However, it was nice to see what Quentin thinks about October and how he views his role as the Crown Prince.

The whole novella is basically dedicated to the debate of whether or not Quentin should stay on as October’s squire. A couple interesting things happen at the end of the novella that will lead into future stories.

Overall I enjoyed the novella. It’s not critical to read to follow the story happening in the October Daye series, but it was some nice filler while fans wait for the next book.

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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey

Again, I want to read the novel this is linked to, to get more of the background. But nice - neat to see things from Quentin's POV. His view of Toby, in particular, is highly amusing...

LibraryThing member tldegray

I really do like Quentin. In the main series I think he's great. I just didn't so much like him in this short? I'm hemming and hawing about this because I'm not quite sure what my problem is. His characterization felt weird to me, sort of unbalanced. Inconsistent, maybe. Which, sure, could be

because he's a seventeen year old kid under some stress. But the text didn't back that up for me. Half the time it seemed his lines were being delivered by Tobey, which, again, could be him imitating her, but I didn't get that from the text.

Okay, yes, this is my issue: Tobey and Tybalt have very clear characterization. Raj was clearly a character on his own and not a stock character. But Quentin's parents could have been any of the good fae parents that have showed up in the series so far, and Quentin himself seemed like a mash-up of Tobey and the stereotype of a Spoiled Prince Who has Learned and Grown.

The ending was great from an emotional standpoint, and I love that Quentin has made a family for himself and wants to keep it.

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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc

Don’t read this novelette until you have read Chimes at Midnight. It would spoil that book for you. The story is from Quentin’s POV and it is great. His parents get to meet Toby and Tybalt and find out that Quentin hasn’t always told them everything in his letters home. And a decision is made

about his blind fostering since now people know who he is and should he be brought back home or stay as Toby’s squire.

I love the stories that she has put up on her website and this one was the first that Daw has published instead of it being self-published and I hope there will be more.

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LibraryThing member KittyCunningham

That was fun.

Cool seeing characters from a perspective besides Toby’s. And nice to get a look at the relationships of some of the younger Sidhe.

LibraryThing member wyvernfriend

Quentin has to choose between Toby and his parents. Once his "blind" fosterage is known his life is in danger if more people knew. It's told from his point of view and you can see how he's finding family with Toby and her motley crew.

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