Silver and Lead – Seanan McGuire

Anyone reviewing book 19 of a series can be assumed to have enjoyed the first eighteen. Anyone reading a review of book 19 of a series can also be assumed to have enjoyed earlier books in the series. So the useful questions about book 19 are how it compares to earlier books, and how it carries the series forward.

The plot device goes something like this: “Dangerous magical items have been stolen from the vault, and only you can find them!” “I’m eight and a half months pregnant. Can it wait a few days?” “No! The magical items that have been stolen from the vault are dangerous!” “When were they stolen?” “A few months ago?”

Bad judgment calls ensue. The villains are very clever. The Hero keeps charging in without adequate backup. The writing is good - McGuire’s writing is always good - but it is good in service to a plot that doesn’t much advance the overall story.

The main book is followed by a novella-length epilogue set in Saltmarsh - where Dianda too is about to give birth. It is meant to feel good and it does.