The Faerie queen is very interested in what happened in the previous book, what Connor and Meryl did. She has a spear that seeks truth and when she tries to use it on Connor it--because it has a mind of its own--chooses to leave her and go to Connor. To make things even worse the veil between the worlds is very thin right now and the dead are leaving Tir Na Nog and entering Boston.

Connor's previous partner returns bringing with him all the baggage he and Connor share, and also bringing a little bit of resolution that Connor so badly needs in his life. Meryl, Connor's girlfriend, has a few secrets of her own that shake Connor, and Joe turns out to be braver than I ever thought. A solid read, definitely a good follow up to the previous two books. ( )

The books all take place on an Earth that is slightly, okay a lot, different than the Earth we know. Magic is an everyday thing. Connor Grey has magical powers but he has lost most of them and can't remember what happened to cause it. Some very powerful magical beings have tried to restore it but to no avail. You can feel Connor's frustration as he works to save his friends and his city from those that would do them harm. Reminds me alot of Jim Butcher books. ( )

This one's climax was confusing - and it was probably supposed to be, given what all was going on - but I found it hard to follow. Still enjoyable, though. ( )

Better and better, diving into book 4. ( )

As usual, the book starts a little slowly but the pace increases soon and by halfway through, I couldn't put it down. I love Connor. I love how del Marco is able to show me Connor's deepest feelings with very little telling. I love how equal the genders are. I love Meryl and I know why Connor cares about her. (Frequently in UF, I have no idea why the main chars are attracted to one another.) I feel Connors confused emotions around just about everything in the story. I love that he stands up and is snarky when he wants to be and feels pushed and not just any time he is angry and annoyed.

I love how in each book he find himself in a situation or two where he's being his old self-absorbed self and that when he realizes it, he feels like crap. I love how in each book there is something that wiggles into his head and allows him to think for awhile about going back to the old job and that maybe it would be okay. If he had changed 100%, it would be too unbelievable. This Connor, who is struggling to be the good man who's come to the surface while being caught by moments if his former self, is real to me. I also love how in this book we hear about the good man he was before he lost his abilities despite being an arrogant ass.

I also really like how del Marco usually recognizes that his readers are smart and knowledgeable about fae things and what they don't know they'll look up or figure out. So he doesn't go into long descriptive passages about what Ogham runes are (unlike the previous book I read) nor does he have the protagonist be ignorant in order to make the reader feel better. Connor is a Druid raised by fae and he would and does know what Ogham runes are.

I just love Connor Grey. If del Marco would just get into it faster (and bring a gay character permanently into the storyline) these would easily be 5 star books for me.

Just don't look at the covers. The guy on the cover looks too old for a Druid Conner's age: they live much longer and their bodies age more slowly. Plus, Connor's way cuter than that. ;) ( )