Waiting on Wednesday 03/19/14
Posted on March 19, 2014 Leave a Comment
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Golden Son by Pierce Brown: January 13, 2015 (Del Rey)
I don’t usually do books for Waiting on Wednedays that are so far out in terms of release date, but I LOVED the book Red Rising and so when I saw that the sequel got a cover reveal from Entertainment Weekly I just couldn’t help myself! Of course this would have been featured earlier but it took me a while to find an image without the EW logo plastered all over it. Much thanks to Tammy at Books Bones & Buffy and her super Google-fu for finding an unblemished cover. The book was also her WoW last week!
“With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.”
Mogsy’s Book Haul – The Book Thing
Posted on March 18, 2014 Leave a Comment
If there’s one thing I find truly bizarre about the town I live, it’s the seemingly total lack of bookstores. Sure, we have our local B&N but that’s pretty much about it. Speaking as someone who used to live in downtown Toronto where there’s a used bookstore on every block, it drives me totally bonkers!
That’s why I was so excited when someone told me about The Book Thing. Possibly Baltimore’s best kept secret, I’ve been living in northernish Maryland for about three years and I couldn’t believe this was the first time I’ve heard of it! It’s about an hour drive to the city which is not too bad, and who could resist this: a non-profit charity created for the sole purpose of taking donated books and giving them away, or in their words, putting unwanted books into the hands of those who want them. Hundreds of thousands of books, totally free. FREE! What these people do is totally amazing.
I went to check it out this weekend and it was like, whoa, book heaven! Essentially just a warehouse full of used books, the building ain’t pretty, but the beauty is what’s inside. Hundreds of shelves lined with books. Volunteers do a good job categorizing everything, but it appears whoever takes care of the Science Fiction and Fantasy section must have a pretty narrow view of the genre, as all I could find in there were mostly Stephen R. Donaldson and Wizards of the Coast novels. So, I rolled up my sleeves and went diving through the EXTENSIVE fiction section where everything’s mixed in to see what I could find on my own.
It was hard not to go nuts. There are just so many books! As with most used bookstores, it’s probably not the most ideal for those with finicky tastes, but you can find some really interesting stuff if you’re open to an adventure. I was on the look out for SFF as I sifted through the literally hundreds of shelves and I was there for two hours and still didn’t finish looking through everything. My TBR is already plenty full these days so to make sure I didn’t go home with dozens of boxes of books, I forced to limit myself only to hardcovers in good condition.
With my loot safely procured, I headed up to the desk and all they asked was that I sign in and write down how many books I’m taking away. That’s it, no fees, no questions asked. There was a big bin at the entrance to donate books too, so I was also able to drop off three boxes of old paperbacks from our spring cleaning. Truly a special place!
At the end of the day I was quite happy with my finds. Here are some that I want to highlight:
The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman – I’ve never read any Felix Gilman but I’ve heard some great stuff about him and his books. A lot of it has been about The Half-Made World so I felt really lucky to find this.
Book Review: Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
Posted on March 17, 2014 Leave a Comment
Book Review: The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu (#LoTaoLT)
Posted on March 16, 2014 3 Comments
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
Genre: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: April 2013
Narrator: Mikael Naramore
Author Info: www.chuforthought.com
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had so much fun livetweeting my read that I did it again with Wesley Chu at #LoTaoLT and lots of fun. I’m certain The Lives of Tao is a little peek in to Chu’s mind and I would definitely like to raid his movie collection and compare notes on the Terminator saga one day…
The prologue introduces us to Edward, host to the alien named Tao. They have an amusing relationship that we soon learn goes well beyond mere parasite and host. Their friendship is very real and, in a surprising turn of events for so early in the book, I found myself already caring for Tao.
Following the events of the prologue, Tao ends up in a new host, Roen Tan, who is not exactly the ideal soldier for the Quasings’ great big, millennia old war between their factions, the Genjix and the Prophus. Roen lacks confidence, ambition, and physical skills, therefore Tao and his companions have a big task ahead of them in training Roen.
While Roen does play a huge part in the story as Tao’s host, this book is called the Lives of Tao. But Chu does a great job of letting Tao have some of the focus, with each chapter opening with Tao describing his time with some of his past hosts. This insight into some of history’s great heroes and villains is moving, and it is integral to the overall story of the Quasings and their war on earth. I loved the way Chu worked in our history, sometimes in depth, other times in passing comments — but it becomes clear that the Quasings have had their hands in every major event in our history. It also becomes clear that there really are no good guys in this.
The first half of the story involves Tao getting Roen in shape and teaching him the ins and outs of survival as an agent of the Prophus, with the help of another agent, Sonya. I really liked the natural progression of Roen’s preparations, that comes complete with his disgruntled lack of appreciation for the process. Chu doesn’t immediately — or ever turn Roen into a super agent who can suddenly kick ass. He survives some of his missions by luck and by the skills and sacrifices of others. And when it comes to the final showdown, he doesn’t magically overcome. Despite the whole concept of aliens on our planet, Chu keeps this story and all the characters very real and down to earth.
Thanks to WhisperSync, I both read and listened to this and enjoyed both options. Mikael Naramore’s narration was great, with special love for his enigmatic Tao.
YA Weekend: Review of Lumière and New Author Spotlight: Jacqueline Garlick
Posted on March 15, 2014 1 Comment
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Illumination Paradox
Publisher: Amazemo Books (December 3, 2013)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought Lumière was fantastic, so much so that I read the whole book in a day. Some parts even made me want to give this one a 4.5 or 5 stars, simply because for an independently published Young Adult novel I thought this was really impressive.
As you know, I’m a pretty picky reader when it comes to the YA category, plus I don’t always jump on board with self-pubs or indies. Still, this book’s description drew me in when it was brought to my attention; something about the story just struck the right tune with me. Right away, I knew I had something good when the prologue opened with an introduction to the heroine Eyelet (what a charming name!) at age eight at the time, looking upon a brass mechanical steam-powered elephant at a carnival. What else will I find in this world?
Fast forward to the first chapter and we see Eyelet as a seventeen-year-old, nine years after that fateful day at the carnival where a mysterious flash lit the skies and changed the world. Troubled by occasional seizures and desperate to hide her illness from the authorities, Eyelet is determined to hunt down the Illuminator, a fantastical machine that was invented years ago by her brilliant scientist father. The machine may be her only chance to cure herself, but first she has to find it before her father’s old nemesis gets to it first.
Jacqueline Garlick made it easy for me to root for her characters by giving them such endearing and energetic personalities. Not far into the story we get to meet Urlick Babbit, the young man who unwittingly rescues our heroine as she escapes capture from her enemies. The poor guy had no idea what he was in for! Even with Eyelet and her total disregard for other people’s privacy or some of the churlish questions that spills out of her mouth, I couldn’t help but find myself amused by the dynamics between these two, as something deeper begins to develop between them. I also like that they’re not a conventional couple. Eyelet has her nettlesome qualities and Urlick isn’t your usual drop-dead gorgeous Prince Charming, having experienced injuries during his birth that marred his appearance. I found their relationship very unique and refreshing.
Again, I just can’t get over how rich the setting is. It’s an original world packed with amazing qualities, flavored with a healthy dose of magic and steampunk. Here and there you will find all sorts of quirky mechanical creations and bizarre creatures — some that are helpful like Eyelet’s ravens, others that aren’t so friendly like the zombie/ghoul-like Turned. There’s also a good chunk of the book where Eyelet is holed up at Urlick’s place, trapped there because of the dangerous Vapours storms, where she discovers all sorts of gadgets and other wonky inventions designed and constructed by the strange boy. Even though this section was a slower break from the action, I was kept interested, never knowing what Eyelet would find next in Urlick’s hideout.
I very much appreciated the nice blend of fantasy with the action-adventure elements of this one. And I was honestly surprised with the quality of the writing and storytelling; whatever polish it requires is very minimal, and as a whole the story was presented exceptionally well and flowed naturally. I wouldn’t have devoured this book so quickly if it hadn’t, and certainly the fun factor of the plot didn’t hurt. I knew I was hooked when as soon as I finished the book, I went online and checked if there was an estimated release date for the next book. Alas, it won’t be for a while yet, but definitely something to look forward to.
Jacqueline was nicknamed “Little Erin” (as in Erin Brockovich) after she took on her school board over being placed in black toxic mould and, well…lost. BUT if she hadn’t lost, she’s still be teaching with no time for writing, which would be the real tragedy because more than anything else in the world Jacqueline loves to write.
What are your favorite books and how have they influenced your writing?
My favourite books are many, but I’ll talk about a few that have really stuck with me here. First, I’d have to say, CRANK by Ellen Hopkins really changed the way I looked at storytelling. The fact that she could tell a such a poignant and moving story in so few words, and in such free flowing verse, opened up a whole new world for me as a writer. It was like she gave me permission to experiment with methods of expressing my characters voices, including breaks from prose into enjambment, which I absolutely love. Another book that is not only a favourite but has enriched my craft is WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. I fell instantly in love with the main character, an old man in a nursing home, flashing back to his life when he was young, and found myself cheering for him to the final page. I read it once, then read it again, dissecting the author’s technique in order to better understand what went into the character that I loved so much, and why. Lastly, I really enjoyed DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, by Laini Taylor. I just loved that book and everything about it. From the absolutely beautiful writing, the author’s wonderful sense of balance between descriptive prose and informative verse, to the battery of unique and compelling characters, and the fantastical, twisty, dreamy plot. Not to mention the romance. A double romance, actually. To me, reading this book was like working me way through a box of fine candy, savouring every piece along the way.
What authors have inspired you?
As mentioned above, Ellen Hopkins has been incredibly instrumental in inspiring me. Ellen is an incredibly talented and generous writer and human being. Ellen is very supportive of new, up-coming writers, offering one of the finest writing mentor programs in America. I had the great fortune or participating in her program, which not only taught me how to write, but helped to educate me about the industry. Other writers who have inspired me are Rumer Godden, Lori Lansens, Anne Sewell. Lori Lansens, is from my hometown, and a former high school friend. Walking through the bookstore one day I came across her book, Rush Holme Road, on the shelf. That was the moment that I believed it was possible or me to succeed as a writer, after all, my friend had. 🙂
Describe your writing process. How do you handle writer’s block and other challenges?
My writing process consists of the creation of a first draft, as quickly as I can, whereby I just allow myself to write and my creativity to flow without stopping to worry about errors, followed by at least three solid passes whereby I focus on certain aspects of the draft. For example, I usually do a pass for the ‘big ticket items’ I call them. During this pass, I look for holes in the plot, concerns of believability, inconsistency in character, that type of thing. The second pass I concern myself with grammar and spelling. And in my final pass, I ‘build character’, meaning, I go through the manuscript and search for places where I can ‘warm’ up the character’s personalities, making dialogue richer and emotion deeper, in an effort to better bring the characters to life on the page.
What are your future writing plans?
Well…I’ll be working on the second book in THE ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, NOIR, of course, but I also plan to release a new three part serial, entitled IF ONLY…, to tide readers over until I’m able to do Book Two justice. The first installment of IF ONLY… should be available by the end of March 2014. IF ONLY… is a contemporary, coming of age mystery/romance, featuring Kyla and Denver and their heart-wrenching story of love and devotion after a tragic accident leaves Denver incommunicable. Or so doctor’s think. In addition to that I have plans to write a New Adult contemporary romance, entitled THE HEARTMENDERS SOCIETY, where we meet twenty-three year old, chronically disorganized, Maizy Mosley on her quest to straighten out her life–one man at a time. To hear about any of these new releases (and participate in fantastic launch contests) readers can keep up with me at: http://www.jacquelinegarlick.com. And to be the first to hear about up-coming releases, and gain access advanced chapters and other special perks, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter!
Book Review: The Tower Broken by Mazarkis Williams
Posted on March 14, 2014 Leave a Comment
The Tower Broken by Mazarkis Williams
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 3 of Tower and Knife Trilogy
Publisher: Jo Fletcher (UK: November 21, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finishing a series is always a little bittersweet, isn’t it? I find this is absolutely the case with Mazarkis Williams’ Tower and Knife trilogy. Of course, I’m thrilled to have finally reached the stunning conclusion to find out how it all ends, but I also know I’m going to miss this world and its characters.
It is also a wonderful thing to see an author’s skills grow and evolve as time goes on. Though I think I’ll always be a little in love with Williams’ beautiful writing, I was admittedly much more taken with these last two books in the trilogy than I was with The Emperor’s Knife. All three novels had their own individual strengths, but in general I found Knife Sworn and The Tower Broken to have much better flow and greater complexity than the first book.
In fact, I now find myself at a dilemma. The last two books have both been very strong, and I really can’t decide which one I liked better. The Tower Broken, having a much darker plot and effectively raising the stakes, obviously appealed to me a lot. After the events of Knife Sworn, the fate of the world is teetering on the edge, threatened by a malignant force moving itself across the land and devouring everything it touches. The storm moves ever closer to the city of Cerana, and Emperor Sarmin finds he is powerless to do anything to stop its path of destruction. Things are definitely heating up in this one.
On the other hand, I LOVED the chapters about Grada, Nessaket, and Rushes from the last novel. Having the narratives of these three female characters was one of the best things about that book, but in this one they have once again faded back into the background, giving other characters the chance to step into the spotlight. Mesema and of course Sarmin both have their own chapters, but this time we also meet the fruit-seller-turned-mage Farid as well as Duke Didryk, whose point of view adds even more mystery to the already shadowy plot line.
While these new perspectives brought a heightened sense of intrigue and tension to the table, I still missed Grada, who has become the Emperor’s royal assassin, and even found myself wondering after Nessaket, Sarmin’s mercurial mother. But most of all, I missed following Rushes, the poor slave girl who has gone through such an ordeal in the course of these two books. I won’t deny I was a little disappointed to see so little of the three of them in this novel, but fortunately I was able to get over it quickly, because Williams does such a good job making all her characters interesting. Much like the series, I felt that many of the protagonists especially Sarmin and Mesema have finally come into their own. The transformation of their relationship was the highlight for me in this one; by the end I could see where the author had wanted to go with the two of them all along.
I also think I would be remiss if I ended this review without making mention of the magic in the Tower and Knife world. The first book introduced us to the complex dynamic between mages and spirits, with the former harnessing their abilities by imprisoning the latter into their bodies, then sucking them dry of the energy required to power magic spells. We get to see a lot more of that here, as well as insight into the concept of “pattern magic” which is central to this entire trilogy. I think it’s great how the last book ends with a much more detailed look into the mechanics of this system, because I’d always felt the story needed it.
So the the trilogy may be over, but I would read any future books by Mazarkis Williams in a heartbeat! Pulling off the final installment of a series is always a doozy, but it was done well here, even if everything wrapped up a little too neatly. I would still take a “complete” and satisfying ending like this over an open-ended one any day. Ultimately I think Williams made all the right calls, and at the end of the day served up an impressive conclusion.
Tour Review: Night Owls by Lauren M. Roy
Posted on March 13, 2014 Leave a Comment
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Night Owls
Publisher: Ace (February 25, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Score one to this book for having a protagonist who is a bookseller. And bonus points for her being a vampire too. The title of this novel is actually in reference to the bookstore she runs, a quaint little place on a college campus called Night Owls which is open to 3am every night. Now why can’t there be something that awesome around where I live? I’d spend all my insomnia-ridden nights there with a big mug of tea and a good book.
Meet Valerie McTeague, sleeping the sleep of the dead by day, providing the students of Edgewood a study haven by night. No more hunting Jackals for her; she’s done with that life and has left it all behind, settling into a quiet routine with the help of her human servant Chaz.
But unfortunately for Val, that life isn’t done with her. Trouble lands on her doorstep in the form of Elly Garrett, who has a magical book the Jackals want. However, the book manages to transfer its information into the mind of Justin, a Night Owls employee who gets more than he bargained for when he unwittingly trips the wards on the old tome. The werewolf-like shapeshifting Jackals have already killed Elly’s mentor, so you can be sure nothing would stop them from killing Justin too. Val and Chaz have no choice but to seek help from the warlock Cavale, who also happens to be Elly’s estranged brother.
Overall, Night Owls has a plot that is both clever and brisk, full of windy twists and turns and yet someone all those story threads manage to come together in the end. That said, the flow felt a bit disjointed until I grew more accustomed to the structure and style of storytelling. We have several perspectives in play here and with Val being a vampire, the book almost has this day-night cycle feel going on as one of our main protagonists always has to sleep away the daylight hours. You won’t get a lot of rehashing as the main narrative is always picked up by the next POV right where the last one ends, so if you don’t keep up you’ll feel like you’re missing something.
Happily, the book firmly establishes its rhythm once the characters are united and find their synergy. The story picks up considerably at this point, and the different relationships made it even better. There are clearly some serious issues between foster siblings Elly and Cavale, which causes a lot of tension in spite of the obvious love they have for each other. Something also seems to be brewing between Elly and Justin, a future romance perhaps? And unless my eyes deceive me, Val and Chaz seem to have something to work out too, in their complicated vampire-Renfield relationship.
In the end, I liked this one. Because I read so much urban fantasy though, I can’t help but be a bit picky. When it comes to this genre, I don’t often find myself blown away by “Book 1s”, but a lot of my favorite series have started out by hooking me with the first book and only wowing me later on. This book has that feel, and as such it’s definitely one I’ll want to stick with.
Admittedly, you’re probably not going to find anything too new in Night Owls at this early stage, but if the story description interests you and if you enjoy the genre it should settle quite comfortably. An action-filled plot, a “Scooby Gang” type ensemble cast, and a world full of supernatural creatures and beings should make the UF fan feel right at home. All things considered, it has everything to make it a promising start to a new series — great world, great characters, and most importantly, a great story with lots of potential for more!
TV/Book Review: Legend of the Seeker and Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Posted on March 12, 2014 7 Comments
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Legend of the Seeker (2008)
A while back, I had myself a Legend of the Seeker marathon. The show was tastefully cheesy, fantasy fun and I enjoyed it enough to finally read its source material. Consequently, this will be as much a review of The Wizard’s First Rule, as it is a comparison to Legend of the Seeker.
Both book and show begin in much the same way, with a beautiful woman escaping the clutches of nasty soldiers. Woodsman Richard Cipher witnesses this and comes to her rescue, only to learn that she really isn’t a mere damsel in distress. Though he doesn’t know her true nature, when she touches one of her attackers and he turns on his companions, Richard realizes that Kahlan Amnell is no ordinary woman. From there, Richard takes her to see his old friend Zed, whom Richard believes can help Kahlan find the wizard she seeks. Low and behold, Zed has been that wizard all along, and as identities and destinies are partially unravelled, Richard accepts the Sword of Truth and becomes the Seeker, destined to join Kahlan and Zed to stop the evil Darken Rahl from taking over the world.
The TV interpretation of these three main characters is more or less the same, save for Richard, who is a little larger and prone to anger in the book, something the Sword feeds off of. The show didn’t go very deeply into the magic of the Sword of Truth and its connection to Richard, so this became a very interesting topic for me as I read on. The book, unsurprisingly, delves much deeper into the magic of Goodkind’s world, with each form, each type of user, and each use of the particular forms having very specific details.
One thing that I really loved about the show was the romance between Kahlan and Richard. Richard is the perfect gentleman who respects the fact that Kahlan cannot be with him in a full romantic capacity due to the nature of her powers. In the show, I appreciated that they didn’t drag out the reason behind her shying away from him, and when she does confess that she is a Confessor and why she can’t be with him physically, he simply accepts it and lets her know that simply being with her is enough. The bond they form along their journey becomes very real, and, while the final result is super lovey-dovey, gag-me-with-a-spoon, it makes sense.
The show lifted this aspect of their relationship straight from the book, with the only differences being that Goodkind did drag out the secret keeping, with Kahlan not telling Richard about her abilities until somewhere near the end.
When I first mentioned that I wanted to read this series, a fellow book blogger commented on the role women play in Goodkind’s world. Initially, I thought his negative assessment was wrong. Kahlan is a great character and stands as Richard’s equal. She’s more than just a love interest and she’s no damsel in distress, though I appreciate that the show places more emphasis on her fighting ability, showing that she can hold her own as a human being, and not just a person endowed with magic. Kahlan’s significant role in the story and her place as Richard’s apparent equal lulled me into a sense of acceptance over the role of women in general. But toward the end, I realized the error of my ways. When Kahlan goes full Mother Confessor, the evil queen and her spoiled kid are confronted, and the man-hating Mord Sith appear to work their dominatrix goodness over Richard. I realized that the females in Goodkind’s story, while seeming to be empowered, are really just an exercise in misogyny disguised as misandry.
The Confessor’s power can be used on anyone, yet the examples of its use are most often males, with emphasis on how it subjugates them, turning them into mindless slaves to the Confessor’s will. While Kahlan is at least developed as a character beyond her power, the only female whose purpose isn’t to dominate males is Rachel, who, with a little encouragement, proves herself to be the bravest and strongest of all of them. But Rachel is only a little girl when we meet her. By the precedent set, she’ll grow up to rule over men too. If she’s really lucky, she’ll be tortured and raped and made into a Mord Sith.
Kahlan’s return to full on Mother Confessor status seemed to be a major turning point in the book, not only in terms of plot, but in terms of where my rating started to fall and my feminist rage started to rise. It’s good that I watched the show first because the creators clearly found the better aspects of the book and did a much better job of tempering the far more disgusting ones. The female aspect in particular was handled much better in the show, with Confessors shown to deal with both males and females equally. The Mord Sith still exist and are still a source of man-hating torture, but the show’s decision with the characters of Denna and the introduction of Cara softened the blow and made for much more interesting and justifiable reasons for Richard’s subsequent actions after meeting them. The show did continue on to introduce a group of witches and there were a few other dangerous sorceresses along the way, but at least it did a better job of leveling the playing field and making some of the women a bit more than just angry archetypes.
In the book, the Mord Sith and then a dragon and finally, the attempted rape of Kahlan were jarring additions to what had otherwise been a pretty good story. But these elements were kind of crammed into the end in a manner that made them feel like they were last minute decisions in order to get the characters to their final conflict through literal torture and pain.
Thankfully, Kahlan’s assault is not needed in the show for the purpose it serves in the book, and the show could take the time and liberty to make the introduction of other elements, such as the Mord Sith, much more organic and much less…ugh.
I’m not sure how much more story Goodkind tells of Kahlan and Richard in the Sword of Truth series, but I went from wanting to know more, to quickly shelving the rest. I’ll stick to my much more enjoyable TV memories.
Waiting on Wednesday 03/12/14
Posted on March 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
But now the bodies of children are being pulled from the Thames… and Bond is about to become inextricably linked with an uncanny, undying enemy.”
Book Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Posted on March 11, 2014 5 Comments
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 8 of Mercy Thompson
Publisher: Ace (March 11, 2014)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mercy Thompson is a favorite urban fantasy of mine, one of the long-running series that I’ve kept up with NO MATTER WHAT. Clearly so much has changed in these books since the beginning, not least of all the marriage between Mercy and the werewolf Alpha Adam. I’ve always thought having the main character tie the knot was a gutsy but smart move — after all, there’s only so far you can take the romantic tension between Mercy and the men in her life, and I can appreciate a series that’s not afraid to evolve.
As it happens, I’ve started enjoying these Mercy books so much more since she formed a mate bond with Adam and was subsequently integrated into the Columbia Basin pack, albeit to some dissent and opposition from the other wolves. Inviting a coyote shapeshifter into a den of werewolves was apparently quite the scandal! It leads to no end of conflict in these books, which is just the way I like it. It’s hard to resist tuning in to each installment just to watch the fur fly, er…so to speak.
But wow, Night Broken really takes things to the next level. Let’s just put it this way: there’s the drama you think you know, and then there’s the invite-your-ex-wife-to-live-with-you-and-your-new-wife drama featured in this book. Throughout this series, Mercy’s faced all sorts of nasty things that go bump in the night, including evil vampires, overzealous fae, a river demon and now a volcano god in Night Broken. But Adam’s ex-wife Christy might just give them all a run for their money.
I adore Mercy’s character so much which is why in the end I still loved this book to bits, but I have to say I spent most of this book feeling awfully indignant. If Patricia Briggs had set out to make her readers squirm, then she was definitely successful. I wanted so badly to wring Christy’s neck, and then maybe go beat up each and every one of wolves in the hopes of smacking some sense into their heads. Whatever respect I gained for Adam in the last book, I’m sorry to say I lost some of it again here. Alphas may have a natural instinct to protect those in need, but letting someone walk all over your wife is also NOT okay. And I wanted to shake Mercy too, for not fighting back earlier and just letting it all happen.
Ironically, Christy the mundane human may have seized the throne as the most loathsome antagonist of this entire series ever. It’s not often that a fictional baddie can make me see red, but Christy managed to do it single-handedly. I resent her for rendering Mercy self-conscious and powerless to act in a lot of situations, and I also dislike the effect she seems to have on the rest of the pack. Christy doesn’t have any supernatural powers, but she does possess the uncanny ability to manipulate others, and all the werewolves act as if they’ve taken a bunch of silly pills when they’re around her. It’s always rankled me how “pack magic” can sometimes override human common sense when it comes to the wolves, and Christy’s the dangerous catalyst that makes many of them act out of character.
Despite my roiling emotions, I have to say Night Broken is my favorite Mercy Thompson book yet, simply due to the reactions it invoked from me. I’m mad at a few characters but certainly not mad at the novel, and when it comes to a ongoing series and eight books under my belt, at this point I’d gladly take stories with emotional impact over the same-old-same-old that leaves me cold. It’s nice to see I can still be surprised. I would also love to see the return of Gary Laughingdog, Mercy’s sort of half brother who was introduced in this book, and given how past characters in this series have a penchant for returning in later installments, things are looking good for me!
This one opened my eyes to how much I am invested in these characters, especially when it comes to Mercy; I felt anger and offense on her behalf even if she was too polite and courteous to show it. In a way, the ex-wife drama even overshadowed the main storyline involving the hunt for Christy’s stalker (which was why she had to stay with Adam and Mercy in the first place) but in the end there’s action aplenty to complement the social conflict, making this one hell of an entertaining book.
The BiblioSanctum 