Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
Woohoo! Another Mercy Thompson book from Patricia Briggs’ is hitting the shelves. I had just finished book four (Bone Crossed) only a few weeks ago, so I was very happy to get a chance to read Silver Borne so soon afterwards.
I love the Mercy Thompson series. I started reading it while waiting for the next Dresden Files novel and they have been a worthy diversion. Silver Borne, the fifth book in the series, continues the story of Were-Coyote and VW mechanic Mercy Thompson. With each installment Mercy has found herself in deeper trouble, and Silver Borne carries on that tradition with enthusiasm.
This time, Mercy is on the outs with the local werewolf pack, and in the middle of a fae struggle for power. She holds an item that a fae queen needs and, in typical fae fashion, the queen has no problem taking down Mercy’s friends in order to get it.
MERCY THOMPSON Series
Patricia Briggs’ books are fast-paced, and Silver Borne reads as one of the fastest. The mystery begins almost immediately and leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat till the climactic conclusion. Mercy’s adventures are always fun to read, but they have taken on a bit of a more serious tone in the last couple of books. Mercy always carries the consequences of previous encounters into the next story, and in Silver Borne you can be sure she gains a little more baggage to take into book 6. Some of the awkward romances and unresolved side plots get some much needed attention in this book as well.
Overall Silver Borne is highly entertaining. It’s a great book to read through in just a couple of sittings. (I would like it very much if Briggs decided to make subsequent books longer — they always feel too short.) Fans of the series will not be disappointed in Silver Borne, and new readers should start Mercy Thompson now before they get too far behind.
~Justin Blazier
The audiobook edition, read by Lorelei King, is excellent. A great choice for narrator.
~Kat Hooper
Published in 2010. Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, never knows what the day—or night—may bring. But in the fifth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, she’s about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous—those who seek them are just plain deadly… Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical Fae, the less you know, the better. But you can’t always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secret knowledge—and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side—leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam’s life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live…
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JUSTIN BLAZIER (on FanLit's staff since September 2009) is a Cyber-Security Analyst/Network Engineer located in Northern Kentucky. Like many fantasy enthusiasts, Justin cut his teeth on authors like Tolkien, Anthony, and Lewis. Due to lack of space, his small public library would often give him their donated SFF books. When he is not reading books he is likely playing board games or Tabletop RPGs. Justin lives in a quiet neighborhood with his wife, their daughter, and Norman the dog.
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KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.
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I hate to admit I have not yet read any books by Patricia Briggs. Now I do have the first of the Mercy series on my shelf to read. I have a few books to read before I can get to it. But I will get there.
Nice covers.
To be honest I’ve always had a mild dislike for the Mercy Thompson covers. The character is a fairly conservative dresser. And Patricia makes it a point to mention she only has one tattoo and even that has special meaning. As a guy reading these books, I do get weird looks from friends and family ..thinking I’ve taken up reading some sort of goth romance. The artwork itself though is quite exceptional, it’s just the concept I’m not overly thrilled with.
I think it’s the colors I like. So many of today’s covers are dark and gloomy and “atmospheric,” so these stand out.