Be the Serpent
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- Create Date：2022-10-28 11:21:42
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Seanan McGuire
- ISBN：B0BFV26PJ1
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
The 16th novel of the Hugo-nominated， New York Times best-selling October Daye urban-fantasy series。
October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married。 All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero's life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else， the good parts and the bad ones alike， not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share。 But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists， and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal”， she's doing her best to adjust。
It isn't always easy， but she's a hero， right？ She's done harder。
Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time， and October's brief respite turns into a battle for her life， her community， and everything she has ever believed to be true。
The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due， and whether she incurred them or not， she's going to be the one who has to pay。
October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married。 All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero's life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else， the good parts and the bad ones alike， not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share。 But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists， and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal”， she's doing her best to adjust。
It isn't always easy， but she's a hero， right？ She's done harder。
Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time， and October's brief respite turns into a battle for her life， her community， and everything she has ever believed to be true。
The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due， and whether she incurred them or not， she's going to be the one who has to pay。
Reviews
Emma
，
This has to be one of my all time favourite series。 I enjoyed getting back into Octobers adventures and this one did not disappoint。The world building is fantastic and I loved the plot especially the twist at the end！ I did not see that coming and it’s a long wait for the next one。I love all the characters and they’ve developed so well throughout the series。I can’t wait to find out what happens next for October
Al
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 4。5 stars， mainly because I felt like a lot happened and nothing happened in this book at the same time， leaving me just a little bit dissatisfied。Oberon is a terrible father。 And kind of a terrible person。 Or ostrich。I love the Luidaeg。About that the ending: I hate cliffhangers。 I almost wish that I had waited until next year to read it， closer to the next book coming out。 Oh well！ I am interested to see how/if the goose girl reference plays out
Taylor
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Man， what the fuck。
Melinda Weprin
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This is starting to finish up some of the bits and pieces from other books。 I'll be very interested to see if there is an end point for this series or if Toby is just going to keep falling into things。 Even more so how is the author going to resolve the re-entry of the creator powers？ This is starting to finish up some of the bits and pieces from other books。 I'll be very interested to see if there is an end point for this series or if Toby is just going to keep falling into things。 Even more so how is the author going to resolve the re-entry of the creator powers？ 。。。more
debra
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Ok， I am going to be different here。 I have read every Toby book for the past 16 years。 Needless to say， I have loved them。 I was involved in many series but very few are still holding my interest today。 Toby has。 I love her。 I love Tybalt & the Luidaeg。 I enjoy most of the rest of the regulars - even if they are not likable I enjoy not liking them， you know？However， as I have grown older I have realised there is a point in even the VERY best of series where enough is enough。 This doesn't mean t Ok， I am going to be different here。 I have read every Toby book for the past 16 years。 Needless to say， I have loved them。 I was involved in many series but very few are still holding my interest today。 Toby has。 I love her。 I love Tybalt & the Luidaeg。 I enjoy most of the rest of the regulars - even if they are not likable I enjoy not liking them， you know？However， as I have grown older I have realised there is a point in even the VERY best of series where enough is enough。 This doesn't mean the writer is no longer writing good books。 It means that， to me， the main characters deserve to be left to get on with it。 In most UF series， that involves a HEA。 Not a cheesy one。 A deserved one。 In my mind， Toby & Tybalt have reached that place。 When I read the end of this book I cried。 Frustration。 I am over my instinctive limit for the these characters。I am not describing anything about the story or the cliff hanger。 I am still putting this behind spoiler tags just because I have made it clear that the end is a certain direction。 Mcguire is a wonderful skilled writer who makes it seem effortless。 I just wish she was a tiny bit less of a LONG game fan。I don't know if I will read book 17。 It will be a sad day if I have the chance & choose not to。 。。。more
Jenny
，
Wow。 And a cliff-hanger - Yuck！ Not a fan， but wow。 People are not who they seem and it's so very super super sad。 Will Oberon ever step up？ Will the Leaduig ever be free？ We're finding all of the 'Three' now - I guess that why she can keep the series going。 So many characters to find and manage。And， a little announcement - where will that lead。Now I have to wait for the next book - ANNOYING！！ Wow。 And a cliff-hanger - Yuck！ Not a fan， but wow。 People are not who they seem and it's so very super super sad。 Will Oberon ever step up？ Will the Leaduig ever be free？ We're finding all of the 'Three' now - I guess that why she can keep the series going。 So many characters to find and manage。And， a little announcement - where will that lead。Now I have to wait for the next book - ANNOYING！！ 。。。more
Anne Frazer
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TW/CW: Death of a child， fantasy violence， language， grief， compulsionREVIEW: Another book by one of my favorite authors in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre！ It always amazes me how this can be the sixteenth book in the series and as fresh and engaging as the first – McGuire has a real talent for that。Be the Serpent picks up a few months after When Sorrows Come ended， and follows October Daye through another heart-rending adventure with Faerie。 It also includes a new novella from the point of view of th TW/CW: Death of a child， fantasy violence， language， grief， compulsionREVIEW: Another book by one of my favorite authors in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre！ It always amazes me how this can be the sixteenth book in the series and as fresh and engaging as the first – McGuire has a real talent for that。Be the Serpent picks up a few months after When Sorrows Come ended， and follows October Daye through another heart-rending adventure with Faerie。 It also includes a new novella from the point of view of the Luidaeg， which I found a fascinating read。Just like the others， this book pulled at my heart， always finding a way to make me care about the characters and understanding the struggles October has to face to try to do the right thing when she really just wants to be with her created family at peace。 I recommend this book and this series to everyone who loves fantasy and stories about the Fae as I deeply love McGuire’s fae world。 Beware the cliffhanger on this one， though！ 。。。more
Fabri
，
Before I finished this one， I could count in one hand the books that gave me heartburn while reading。 That mixture of dreading to go on， yet absolutely needing to know what happens next。"Be the Serpent" is incredible。 It grabs you kicking and screaming and doesn't let go as the tragedies unfold one after another。 And that ending。。。 I don't have words。If you made it this far into Toby's story， you need to read this as soon as possible。 Before I finished this one， I could count in one hand the books that gave me heartburn while reading。 That mixture of dreading to go on， yet absolutely needing to know what happens next。"Be the Serpent" is incredible。 It grabs you kicking and screaming and doesn't let go as the tragedies unfold one after another。 And that ending。。。 I don't have words。If you made it this far into Toby's story， you need to read this as soon as possible。 。。。more
Deborah
，
Wow， this one is very good。 The beginning wastes quite a bit of time catching up people who should have alread read the first 15 books， why would anyone start here？ It does mention that we are only 6 years into the story even though it is the sixteenth book。The short at the end is very dark， but does explain some things and some people。 #JennyGuyColvin
Jasmine
，
Tightly-plotted and delightful。 And terrifying。 Oberon can go suck an egg。 AND WHAT WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER。
Casey
，
4。5 starsI received an e-ARC copy of Be the Serpent from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 Toby has been enjoying the down time after her wedding and maybe she's getting the hang of being married。 When her best friend's children are attack， Toby must figure out what is going on and fast， because everything she cares about is in jeopardy。Toby has come a long way over 16 books。 She's brought change to the faery where ever she goes。 This book is a major turning point。 An 4。5 starsI received an e-ARC copy of Be the Serpent from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 Toby has been enjoying the down time after her wedding and maybe she's getting the hang of being married。 When her best friend's children are attack， Toby must figure out what is going on and fast， because everything she cares about is in jeopardy。Toby has come a long way over 16 books。 She's brought change to the faery where ever she goes。 This book is a major turning point。 And it is packed。 There are so many spoilers that it is hard to talk about。 I really do love Tybalt's and Toby's relationship。 Also I am looking forward to what is going to happen to Raysel and Simon just gets better with every book。 There is a cliff hanger at the end。 It is a doozy。 I am on pins and needles for the next book。 。。。more
Geffstar
，
Loved this one。Imho this is probably the best book in the series sine book 10 （Once broken faith）。Emotional at times and a lot of action as usual。。。。。。。。。The cliffhanger ending was brilliant， first one in the series if i recall correctly， and i can’t wait for the next one next year。
Lara
，
Ahhhhhhhhhhh， oh noooooooo， I am going to be gnawing my nails anxiously until next September。
Ilana Costello （patel）
，
An excellent continuation of October Daye's saga。 We get to dive deeper into the lives of the Three。 Many hints from as far back as book one have started to bear fruit！ An excellent continuation of October Daye's saga。 We get to dive deeper into the lives of the Three。 Many hints from as far back as book one have started to bear fruit！ 。。。more
Jane Curry
，
I wanted so much to like this book。 I’ve loved every other book in this series。 No spoilers but this whole series should have been wrapped up with the wedding and the last book。
Joyanna Haggard
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OMG the ending！ Just when i think the author can't find new ways to suprise me and add more suspence she does。 OMG the ending！ Just when i think the author can't find new ways to suprise me and add more suspence she does。 。。。more
Emily
，
Ah Toby you’ve been hurtling towards this for so long。 Man McGuire has a twisty devilish creative mind
Sheldon Wiebe
，
Newlywed Sir October Daye faces her biggest challenge when one of her beloved adoptive nieces is brutally murdered - and her best friend appears to have been spellbound。Be the Serpent continues the incredibly excellent series by Seanan McGuire - whom I've suggested before， might have a wee dram of fae blood in her to create at such a high level over such a long period。Toby， of course， remains one of the most endearingly rough-edged characters in fantasy and a source of constant delight。Here， she Newlywed Sir October Daye faces her biggest challenge when one of her beloved adoptive nieces is brutally murdered - and her best friend appears to have been spellbound。Be the Serpent continues the incredibly excellent series by Seanan McGuire - whom I've suggested before， might have a wee dram of fae blood in her to create at such a high level over such a long period。Toby， of course， remains one of the most endearingly rough-edged characters in fantasy and a source of constant delight。Here， she even gets to tear a strip off a god （figuratively speaking） not once but a number of times。Her foe， in this instance， is both her worst nightmare and her best friend and the culmination of a carefully plotted tale that reaches back to her very first adventure。 There's also a weird cliffhanger that I want to live long enough to see resolved。As a bonus， the book includes the novella， Such Dangerous Seas， wherein we learn the origin of the sea witch， Antigone of Albany （or rather， how she came to be the sea witch）。It is as good as the novel it accompanies。 。。。more
Kathern
，
Don't even know what to say about the ending。 Don't even know what to say about the ending。 。。。more
Amanda
，
Holy shit I can’t wait another year。
Christine
，
Every time I pick up the next October Daye I think， this is going to be the one where McGuire doesn't blow my mind。 This is the one where she's setting something up for a later book and not going to blow my mind this time。 Then I start reading and she freaking slays me again。 Every time I pick up the next October Daye I think， this is going to be the one where McGuire doesn't blow my mind。 This is the one where she's setting something up for a later book and not going to blow my mind this time。 Then I start reading and she freaking slays me again。 。。。more
Minh
，
I'm constantly pondering when it comes to Toby's life， just what else could possibly happen。 And man did it， in spades。It's a complicated tale woven around an even more complex backstory， but someone or something is targeting the Brown family with tragic results。 I'd made a note in the previous book pondering about friendships coming up from the woodwork and in proper Seanan style didn't have to wait long。 I'm constantly pondering when it comes to Toby's life， just what else could possibly happen。 And man did it， in spades。It's a complicated tale woven around an even more complex backstory， but someone or something is targeting the Brown family with tragic results。 I'd made a note in the previous book pondering about friendships coming up from the woodwork and in proper Seanan style didn't have to wait long。 。。。more
Joel Rosen
，
The most compelling book in the series in quite some time。 Still my favorite of all of her series。 Am looking forward to the next。
Andrea Rittschof
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It’s no mystery why I love Seanan McGuire’s books， she grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go。 Even though this is book 16 in the October Daye series， the story sweeps you up and you find yourself completely involved in October’s life and her struggles as quickly as if you just walked away from an old friend。 And just as the book has started small and built so too does the series， this book building the series to an emotional and powerful crescendo that will be impacting readers for some tim It’s no mystery why I love Seanan McGuire’s books， she grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go。 Even though this is book 16 in the October Daye series， the story sweeps you up and you find yourself completely involved in October’s life and her struggles as quickly as if you just walked away from an old friend。 And just as the book has started small and built so too does the series， this book building the series to an emotional and powerful crescendo that will be impacting readers for some time。 One of the reasons the novel is so dynamic and emotional， is that Seanan McGuire quickly drops the reader into October’s life， pulling in the reader with ease， and presenting the current situation fast enough that you can’t stop reading。 This novel’s battle is a uniquely fairy kind of problem and escalates， forcing October to learn more about Fairie， the way magic works and nothing is ever quite as it seems as just when the situation appears resolved something else happens。 In this novel， we’re beginning to see more and more of the shape of the world Seanan has created， the future of the series and the kind of confrontation she is building to with the books。 We also get a glimpse into why events have happened as they have。 It makes for a powerful story with an emotional gut punch of an ending。 I do like the way some things are resolved and other matters are left with a hook to keep readers invested in the next book。 I know I certainly want to read it now。 I also adore Simon Lordan， how his character has been redeemed and he is now one of my favorite secondary characters。 I just want to hug him。 Seanan has complex characters that are impossible not to love， a story that is riveting， an emotional and powerful conclusion and I can’t wait to see what she does next。 If you love the rest of the books， run to the booksellers。 If not， pick up the rest of the series， read them and then this one。 This is a series that is building to something incredible and while each novel is amazing， I love seeing more of the arch of the overall series。 I do warn you， be prepared for the emotional gut punch of an ending。 。。。more
Colin
，
Book 16 Usually Doesn’t Hit This HardAfter the relatively chill （for Toby that is） last book， this one comes in swing hard and delivers some of the best stuff of an already excellent series
Carolyn F。
，
As usual， lots of fighting and blood。 But this ending was just awful。 （view spoiler）[What about the baby？ （hide spoiler）] Very frustrating ending。 As usual， lots of fighting and blood。 But this ending was just awful。 （view spoiler）[What about the baby？ （hide spoiler）] Very frustrating ending。 。。。more
EJ
，
Ugh！ I hate cliffhanger endings 😖 Can't Toby have just a little bit of peace？ And aaarrrgggghhhh， I have to wait nearly a year for the next book！ Ugh！ I hate cliffhanger endings 😖 Can't Toby have just a little bit of peace？ And aaarrrgggghhhh， I have to wait nearly a year for the next book！ 。。。more
Josh
，
One of the great things McGuire has done with her October Daye series is let her character grow and evolve in ways that are at times granular but also make a great deal of sense。 Toby is a very different person from the rather broken shell we first met lo these many books ago， which is part of why these books are stronger than many long-running series。 Very often an author leaves their main character in a bit of limbo once they become loved like this and doesn't allow them to keep growing and ev One of the great things McGuire has done with her October Daye series is let her character grow and evolve in ways that are at times granular but also make a great deal of sense。 Toby is a very different person from the rather broken shell we first met lo these many books ago， which is part of why these books are stronger than many long-running series。 Very often an author leaves their main character in a bit of limbo once they become loved like this and doesn't allow them to keep growing and evolving。 （Jane Evanovich is rather notorious for this， IMHO）This book digs in on some of this in some quiet ways， showing how Toby still bears the scars from her years transformed into a fish， but also in how she copes with them and how those hard years as a shunned changeling and her time transformed and all of the hard things she's done and fought for as a Hero of the Realm have leant her a depth of compassion that few of her peers are able to muster， even if it's shielded behind a load of outward bluster， sarcasm， and snotty bluster。 It's one of the reasons I still love this series even as deep as it's gone （and it's very hard to maintain quality after this many pages have been turned） and look forward to every new chapter。This one is a nasty one， as a ticking timebomb has finally gone off in Faerie， and it looks like everyone is going to have to pay some price for it。 The problems and failures of Oberon & his Queens have come home to roost and it's a real problem when you're dealing with beings who are functionally gods， and struggle to relate to other beings （mortal or not） with any real sense of perspective。That's the basic problem for Oberon: he doesn't know how to relate to people at their scale very well （if at all） and encompasses so much that he pretty much can't see the forest for the trees， in part because his very nature makes it a challenge to understand that a forest is even made up of trees， it seems。 Titania， on the other hand， is the ultimate narcissist without any of Toby's compassion or even understanding why it would be beneficial or appropriate。 Rules and morality have to claim to her in her mind， because she is so far beyond them all。 Maeve？ maybe she sacrificed herself for all of creation。 Maybe not。 But as a result， she fractured the balance between the godly trinity of Titania/Oberon/Maeve。 The whole thing is a gigantic mess。 And now it's really on。This one is pretty harsh， with wreckage all over the place。 Toby navigates it better than almost anyone else would， partly because of her willingness and ability to act rather than sit and watch， but everybody is out of their league with Titania on the field。 Ugh， she sucks so much。Wild ending。 Really want to know where and how book 17 goes from here！ 。。。more
Manda Lees
，
Aww fuck that was the best October book I’ve read for a while。 A year is going to be a long time。
Jenny
，
Argh cliffhangerOverall it’s a bit depressing， and the end is a bit oh yay oh boo oh yay oh booo。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Be the Serpent
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Be the Serpent&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Be the Serpent&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0