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Showing posts with label Mercy Thompson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mercy Thompson. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Review: Cry Wolf Vol. 2 Graphic Novel by Patricia Briggs, et. al
Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf Volume 2
Author: Patricia Briggs/ David Lawrence/ Todd Herman
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: InkLit
Alpha & Omega Graphic Novels
ISBN: #978-0425266281
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Format(s): Hardcover (112 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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A world of shapeshifting wolves comes vividly to life in this collection of four comics based on Cry Wolf, the first book in Patricia Briggs’s #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.
Charles and Anna are on the hunt for a rogue werewolf in the Montana mountains. The creature has morphed into something so dark that it kills everything in its path: deer, elk, grizzlies…humans.
But the wolf is the creature of something far more powerful. One of Charles and Anna’s own pack harbors a centuries-old secret that has come back to haunt him—and wreak vengeance on those around him.
Charles and Anna—unaware of the truth—are two innocents who stand in the way. But even as members of their pack rally around them, Anna’s rare power comes into its own—and is unleashed…
What G & U are talking about:
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WARNING: Please note that the series this graphic novel is based on is an ADULT urban fantasy series. Sometime we can easily mistake a graphic novel for being an acceptable young adult genre, a comic book if you will. That is not the case. There are very serious adult themes that take place in this story that are not appropriate for young children.
Gikany and Una need to make sure you understand before reading our review: we are die-hard Briggs fans. We have read her books numerous times over. To us, seeing the graphic novel is a way to experience beloved stories in a new way.
We read the last novel, Alpha & Omega: Cry Wolf Vol 1 and we are not surprised that the graphics remain as they were in Alpha & Omega: Cry Wolf Vol 2. It would be odd to have a character look differently or have the world appear changed in the next installment. That being said, we are still disappointed that Bran looks so much older than we feel he is characterized. However, the other characters all feel true to character in their depictions. We enjoy the way the artist captures the moments from the storyline.
Although there are a few tweaks in the storyline in Alpha & Omega: Cry Wolf Vol 2 it remains true to the essence of the story. We are not surprised by the subtle differences simply because a different media cannot always convey the story the same way.
Gikany and Una thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the graphic series of Alpha and Omega and we eagerly look forward to the next. If you are a Briggs fan – pick this up – it is a great way to enjoy an author in a new way.
Their Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Review & Giveaway: Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Frost Burned
Author: Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Ace
Mercy Thompson #7
ISBN: #978-1841497983
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Hardcover (352 pgs) e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Shapeshifter Mercy Thompson's life is calming down, at least enough that she can focus on mundane matters like Black Friday sales. But on her return, Mercy is unable to contact her mate, Alpha Adam Hauptman, or the other members of their pack. All she knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam's disappearance may be related - and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from the most unlikely of allies: the vampire seethe.
What G & U are talking about:
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Gikany and Una must start by saying, we love Patricia Briggs. Gikany is responsible for hooking Una on this delightful series. The Mercy Thompson series, as many of you faithful blog followers know, is one of our favorite series, and we reread it at least once a year. Frost Burned is a novel we have been salivating for. Considering the final events of the Alpha and Omega series’ last novel, Fair Game, we were very interested in Mercy’s next appearance.
If you are new to the series – you should just stop here, go out and purchase (or borrow from the library) Moon Called and start from the beginning. For anyone who has not read the series, there are natural spoilers that cannot be avoided – this is the seventh book in the series. We have reviewed Moon Called and we encourage you to read that review if you are interested in the series.
The Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series are intertwined with Frost Burned taking place after the events of Fair Game (Alpha and Omega #3), which occurred after the last Mercy Thompson novel, River Marked. Mercy has healed from the numerous broken bones and other injuries she suffered during that novel. Frost Burned begins with Mercy doing some mother/ stepdaughter bonding with Jesse. While braving the insanity that is that Black Friday, they are involved in a small car accident, which is just the tip of the iceberg. When Mercy tries to call for help from the pack (her poor Rabbit may be a lost cause), no one answers. It is as if the pack has vanished – leaving Mercy and Jesse to fend for themselves.
Something, which Una was expecting since she reads Ms. Brigg’s blog, is a change in the narration of Frost Burned. Since the beginning of the Mercy Thompson series, the narration has been solely from Mercy’s point of view. However, in Frost Burned, Ms. Briggs, was not able to leave it solely to Mercy’s narration without detracting from the storyline. Therefore we are given a few chapters in Adam’s point of view. What an experience to have an Alpha wolf’s perspective. After reading Mercy’s point of view and how she sees the world – it was so fascinating to have such a different perspective. A simple example we can give of this contrast is that Mercy described the skin of Zee’s true form as the color of teak. Adam, on the other hand, thought of it as a warm oak. Not that this is a huge thing, but the subtle differences in opinion and view are what made this so enriching.
To all the fans of the Mercy Thompson who have missed the feel of previous novels, this one is more like previous ones. Although Frost Burned is similar to previous novels, it is very different. Mercy has matured and her attitude has evolved, and these changes are evident in the choices she makes. What we are grateful for is that she is still the same stubborn, mischievous coyote we have come to respect and love. Part of us mourns her maturation as it could herald the end of the series. No one likes to say goodbye to such beloved characters or such a unique and fascinating world. But take comfort, we do know that there is at least one more Mercy Thompson book in the works.
If you haven’t picked up the Mercy Thompson series yet, and you still decided to read this review…. Go get it!! Gikany and Una like to use Ms. Briggs as a benchmark for other books and worlds, in conversations relating to books. She is a standard to us (and to other authors as we have come to find out). For any urban fantasy lover out there, this is a MUST series.
Please do not start with Frost Burned; part of the magic of it is that we have such a connection to the characters and the world. This series is expertly woven and we encourage you to start reading the series from the beginning so you can come to the absolute joy that watching a character evolve overtime brings.
Their Rating:
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Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
Giveaway
I am giving away one (1) copy of Frost Burned to one (1) lucky commenter. To enter, please leave a comment regarding the Mercy Thompson series (tell us your favorite book, favorite moment, what you want to see next, etc.) and your email address. You do not need to be a google friends connect follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated. Contest is open from March 6, 2013 until Tuesday March 12, 2013 at 11:59 PM EDT. Contest is restricted to US mailing addresses only. One (1) winner will be randomly selected from eligible entries. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail.
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday Snippets #55
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Ace Publishing.
January 31, 2006
My home is a single-wide trailer almost as old as I am that sits in the middle of a couple of fenced acres. There are a lot of small-acreage properties in Finley with trailers or manufactured homes, but along the river there are also mansions like the one my neighbor lives in.
I turned into my drive with a crunch of gravel and stopped the old diesel Rabbit in front of my home. I noticed the cat carrier sitting on my porch as soon as I got out of the car.
Medea gave me a plaintive yowl, but I picked up the note taped to the tope of the carrier and read it before I let her out.
MS. THOMPSON, it said in heavy block letters, PLEASE KEEP YOUR FELINE OFF MY PROPERTY. IF I SEE IT AGAIN, I WILL EAT IT.
The note was unsigned.
I undid the latch and lifted the cat up and rubbed my face in her rabbitlike fur.
“Did the mean old werewolf stick the poor kitty in the box and leave her?” I asked.
She smelled like my neighbor, which told me that Adam had spent some time with her on his lap before he’d brought her over here. Most cats don’t like werewolves-or walkers like me either. Medea likes everyone, poor old cat, even my grumpy neighbor. Which is why she often ended up in the cat carrier on my porch.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday Snippets #48
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
Ace Publishing.
March 1, 2011
Sunday Snippet
“What can you tell me about the thing in the river?” I asked finally.
He made a rude sound. “I can tell you she’s not a poor misunderstood creature. Gordon is right. She’s Hunger, and she won’t be satisfied until she consumes the world.”
She. That answered several things. There was only one. That seemed more manageable than a swarm of monsters that could bite a woman in half and make a man shoot Adam.
“How big is it?” I asked.
He looked at me and poked his tongue into his cheek. “You know? That’s a good question. I think we ought to find out.”
And he knocked me into the river.
The water was icy and closed over my head, encasing me in silence and darkness. For a moment the shock of the fall, of the cold, and of sheer surprise froze my muscles, and I couldn’t move. Then my feet hit the riverbed, and the motion somehow woke up every nerve into screaming urgency. I pushed off and up, coming to the surface and sucking in air.
I could hear him laughing.
Son of a bitch. I would kill him. I didn’t care if he was Coyote or the son of Satan. He was a dead man walking.
I struck out for the swimming hole even though it meant fighting the river. But for the next mile downstream or so, the riverbank was cliff face, and I didn’t want to stay in the river that long; there was a monster out here somewhere.
A toddler walking along the bank could have beat me, for all the forward progress I made. I was only a fair swimmer, strength without technique. It was enough to beat the slow flow of the Columbia, but not by much.
Two otter heads poked up beside me, and I growled at them. Somehow knowing they were fae made them less of a threat than real river otters though I expect the opposite was actually true. I was too busy fighting the river to worry about adjusting my beliefs in accordance to reality.
They disappeared under the water for a few minutes before one popped up again, watching my slow progress with cool appraisal.
“I’d swim faster if I were you,” observed Coyote.
Rage fueled my strokes, and I finally made it around the bend and into the shallower, slower water. I swam until the water was waist-deep and staggered toward shore on my feet. Coyote waded in knee-deep and stopped to watch me.
“What did you find out?” he asked.
“That you are a jerk,” I told him, my voice vibrating involuntarily with the chill. “What in-“
Something wrapped around my waist and jerked me off my feet, and my head was underwater again.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Review: River Marked
River MarkedAuthor: Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Ace Books
Mercy Thompson Series #6
ISBN: #978-0441019731
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Hardcover (336 pgs), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the book dust jacket:
Welcome to Patricia Brigg’s world, a place where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist). It takes a very unusual woman to call it home – and there’s no one quite like Mercy.
Coyote Shifter Mercy Thompson knows that life with her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will never be boring, but even their wedding doesn’t go as planned. Nevertheless, a ten-day honeymoon camping on the banks of the Columbia River, alone, just the two of them, should make up for it. But the trip – and the pimped-out trailer they’re using – is courtesy of the fae. And nothing from the fae comes without strings attached….
Being a different breed of shapeshifter – a walker – Mercy can see ghosts, but the spirit of her long-gone father has never visited her. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River – and innocent people are dying. As other walkers make their presence known to Mercy, she must reconnect with her heritage to exorcise the world of the legend known as the river devil…
What Gikany & Una are talking about:
The wait is over, at least for us, River Marked is here! Would it be wrong to say that the rest of you poor people had to wait until the March 1? Oh, wait, today is the first of March…well, what are you waiting for? GO GET IT! This highly anticipated sixth novel in the Mercy Thompson series was well worth waiting for.
**Please note, if you haven’t read the series, this review will spoil some plot points in the earlier books so please; Go buy and read the first five books (or check them out from your local library) and then come back, read this review and then go get this book. We are happy to help you out!
The first part of the novel is classic Mercy Thompson. It has all of the elements of humor and wit that we have come to associate with Patricia Briggs’ writing. We’ll just come out and say it: Mercy and Adam get married. Mercy’s wedding is all we could have asked for. For those who have been waiting with baited breath…nah, we can’t do it. It needs to be savored and a review cannot do it justice to the absolute glory of it. Their honey moon, however, is not the respite they envisioned. Mercy is once again plunged into an impossible situation requiring decisions no person would willingly make. Sadly, she is the only one who can resolve this conflict.
In this novel, Briggs focuses, much to our delight, less on the imported European preternatural creatures and more on native creatures that they displaced upon their arrival. On their honeymoon, Mercy and Adam encounter a river monster, various gods and other walkers. To defeat the monster, Mercy has to embrace her past – for the things that have made her an outsider her whole life are the key to the world’s survival.
We loved the first part of this book and the homecoming at the very end. Our favorite parts of this series have always been Mercy’s interactions with the extended family she has created for herself. While we understand her honeymoon could not (and should not) feature them, we still missed it. The witty banter between the new characters introduced in this novel during the honeymoon, while enjoyable, still lacked the affection that we’ve become accustomed to in the previous novels. Briggs does a good job of exploring Mercy’s origins, even if we didn’t understand it all. It felt over simplified and almost academic; lacking the nuances that would have conveyed the mysterious complexity of the mythology. That being said, this adventure adds to the richness of Mercy’s character, and to the world the series exists in. The more we learn about Mercy, the more we come to realize that she has unwittingly become a bridge between the self-segregating preternatural communities.
All in all, we find this a welcome addition to the Mercy Thompson series! We look forward to seeing how the revelations from this novel are incorporated into the future books. Now to fight over who gets to reread it first…. Wait, Twimom, can we keep this book? We don’t have to send it back, do we? Can we keep it, can we keep it? Pretty please….
Their Rating:
Loved it – enthusiastically recommend (A)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Review: Moon Called
Moon CalledAuthor: Patricia Briggs
Release Date: January 31, 2006
Publisher: Ace
Mercy Thompson Series #1
ISBN: #978-0441013814
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): hardcover (reprint 2010), paperback (304 pgs), e-book
This book was purchased with their own money.
From the Goodreads:
Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.
Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.
She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.
But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.
What Gikany & Una are talking about:
In the first book of the series, Moon Called, we are introduced to Mercedes Thompson the Volkswagen mechanic who lives in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. The irony is not lost on Mercy. She has an alpha werewolf for a neighbor, a fae for a mentor, and a vampire for a repeat client. Weird for Mercy is truly relative. Living close to a werewolf is somewhat comforting but mostly exasperating to Mercy who grew up amongst the pack of the foremost alpha werewolf in North America. This gives her not only a unique outlook in life, but a piercing insight into pack dynamics and werewolf psychology. This leaves Mercy well situated to offer assistance to a lone, lost and very recently turned werewolf.
Mercy knows “Mac” could be trouble when he stumbles into her garage looking for work. But she cannot turn her back on the kid, who obviously needs more than just a job. By helping “Mac”, Mercy finds herself getting neck deep into paranormal politics and conflicts, which she had avoided (so she thought) since leaving home. When “Mac’s” troubles spill over to include Mercy and her neighbor’s pack, she finds herself running home to find help. While there, she discovers answers to questions she didn’t know she had. After she returns to the Tri-Cities with a healing werewolf and an old-flame, Mercy realizes that “Mac’s” troubles were just the beginning.
Since this is our first book review, we are reluctant to divulge much more in fear of revealing spoilers. We have read the series so many times; it would be far too easy for us to accidently give something away. Trust us; this series is fantastic, gripping, and really fun to read. In fact, it has kept us up all night because, “we HAD to know what happens next.” Mercy’s sense of humor (and dare we say sarcastic wit), even amongst great strife, makes for a suspenseful and humorous read. Please note, this novel and the entire series is available in hardback, paperback and ebook. Between the two of us we have all three and duplicates. And for those that enjoy graphic novels, there is a prequel already available with the rest of the series (being retold in this medium) coming soon. Needless to say, we can’t wait for the rest and already own and have enjoyed the prequel.
Their Rating:
Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
Mercy Thompson Series: An Introduction
Readers: Today I would like to welcome my two newest members to the review team here at That's What I'm Talking About. You can read more about Gikany and Una in the "About Us" section of the blog.
Gikany and I are thrilled to be taking over, ahem, we mean reviewing books here on Twimom’s blog. We think the best way for us to introduce ourselves is to say that we are book addicts. There are so many wonderful books out there, and we can say for sure that Gikany and I are not snobby when it comes to a particular genre. Although, we may have our personal favorite genres (and authors) between the two of us, we cover the gamut. Books are to be read and enjoyed; they are the ultimate escape from the rigors of our realities.
Today, however, we aren’t going to discuss anything that general, because you’ll be here for hours reading about our loves, opinions, recommendations, etc. Gikany and I believe that our first post to That’s What I am Talking About *Westcoast Remix* should reflect a book that we feel is a must read for urban fantasy fans. Have you heard of Patricia Briggs? She is the author of the fantastic Mercy Thompson series. She has developed a well-crafted world filled with numerous types of paranormal creatures, all with intriguing associated mythologies. To prepare you for the upcoming review of her soon-to-be-released River Marked, (Gikany and I are eagerly awaiting this new novel) we are going to give you a quick overview of the series and *hopefully* a review of the first book in the series, Moon Called, if we don’t seriously sidetracked talking about the series. Please note, to truly understand, follow and enjoy the series, you need to start reading from the first book.
One of the most unique elements of the Mercy Thompson series is that the main character, Mercy Thompson, is not only female, but Native American with a most unique ability. Mercy is a walker; able to change into a coyote at will. Her abilities are based on the Native American legends of skinwalkers. Her abilities do not make her bigger or stronger or more powerful, but give her a unique insight into the world surrounding her. What we love most about Mercy is that although she can change into a coyote and knows werewolves, vampires and fae, we feel like we have so much in common with her. She is very down to earth and is a complex character. Mercy is very compassionate and has a strong independent streak in her. She is very intelligent and well educated but prefers to swing a wrench rather than pursue a more “genteel” career. Her mother would prefer she pursue a teaching career, however, it would not be feasible considering her lifestyle. She sometimes makes mistakes, but she owns up to them. We love her sense of independence and her fearlessness when it comes to making the hard decisions. Her motto is sometimes, “better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.” Considering the situations she barges into being a relatively “less powerful” paranormal creature, this is a courageous though some what foolhardy stance.
We rate this series with an overall 4.75 (there is an on-going discussion about this – feel free to ask...). But it is a MUST read!
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