Moon Called

Recent Comments

1. 

   Tom Knapp @ 3:27 pm

   Authors the likes of Tanya Huff, Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris have successfully peopled our modern world with vampires, lycanthropes and other supernatural beings who, to some extent, coexist politely among us mere mortals, living within complex hierarchies, bureaucracies and clan protocols.

   Add Patricia Briggs to the list. In Moon Called, she gives us a world where lesser fae beings such as brownies have “come out” to an incredulous public — were forced out, more accurately, because of increasing advances in technology and forensic investigations — while the greater fae and supernatural buildings — werewolves, vampires and such — remain hidden from popular view. Briggs, best known for high fantasy, makes a smooth transition to its dark, contemporary counterpart with this novel.

   Based in the Pacific Northwest, Moon Called focuses on an apparent clan war among werewolves, and Briggs outlines a creative, highly detailed society in which they live. The focal point, however, is Mercy Thompson, auto mechanic and shifter.

   Most of the fae population originated in Europe, emigrating to North America along with colonial settlers. Shifters, however, have their roots in Native American traditions, and their powers don’t always work by the same rules. Mercy shifts at will to and from coyote form, and even in human form she has enhanced senses and speed.

   Mercy becomes involved in the story when a teenager walks into her garage looking for work. She gives him one — warily, because her senses tell he’s a werewolf, and he’s not from the local clan. But all too soon, men and werewolves come looking for him, the local Alpha has been attacked in his own home, and a dead body has been left as a warning on Mercy’s front porch. The action just heats up from there, as the local seethe of vampires and at least one local witch take an interest. Fortunately, Mercy is quick on her feet and has a keen, analytical mind when it comes to sorting out conspiracy theories.
   

   
2. 

   ReadMoreBooks @ 3:49 pm

   Great mystery. Plenty of red herrings and twists to keep on interested. A great feel for werewolf, vampire, and fae politics – without being preachy.

   The heroine is very likeable. Tough without being a “Mary Sue”. Smart without feeling a need to make the men around her feel stupid. Funny without being camp.

   All in all, a very good read. None of the so called “erotica” that Laurell K. Hamilton insists on brow beating us with, but lots of romantic interests and possible future romance.

   I particularly like that this heroine is a self confident business owner, who accepts what she is. She recognizes her limitations of size and strength (against both men and wolves), and accepts that it’s okay to leave the fight to others every once in a while.

   I will definitely be reading this author again.

   
3. 

   Snowbrocade @ 5:55 pm

   Mercy Thompson is a new entry in the tough-chick, alternate universe, preternatural fantasy/thriller genre. In a world where vampires, the fae and werewolves co-exist with humans, Mercy straddles the line as one of the few remaining “walkers” from a Native American magical bloodline whose scions can shift at will into the shape of a coyote.

   As a child, Mercy was orphaned and was raised by a pack of werewolves. She ran away from the pack and an early marriage in her teens. Now she lives alone, the owner of her own car repair shop. When Mercy takes in a newly made teen werewolf she unwittingly takes on a whole world of hurt from those who are performing experiments on werewolves. She seeks refuge in her childhood pack and gets to the bottom of the evil cabal preying on young shapeshifters.

   Blood Bound is a tautly written action thriller in a believable alternate universe. Her characters are well written, sympathetic and entertaining. Briggs manages to convey the intricacies of this alternate universe without long detailed explanations. There is some romantic tension between Mercy and her old flame, but in mercifully small doses. Very enjoyable and looking forward to the next installment in the series!

   
4. 

   Anthrophile @ 8:04 pm

   This is the least-crappy light/pop werewolf-based novel I have ever read. That is to say, it’s GOOD.

   I’ve long been a fan of werewolf mythology — they always seemed cleaner (morally if not physically; predators instead of sociopaths), wilder, more “natural,” and less… well … pretentious than their vampire counterparts. (Plus, there are far fewer writers doing werewolves, so they’re fresher. Even though vamps will always have their Goth-y charm, for me.) But all too often, unless we’re talking “literary,” Samuel Delaney-esque sci-fi (or something by Dennis Danvers, try “Wilderness,” it’s BEAUTIFUL), what I’ve actually seen most often is thinly disguised, substandard romance, Harlequin-book-of-the-month style.

   I was expecting what the genre all too often presents, which is a scant excuse for forced, clunky, fanfiction-y erotica. This book was different — it was engaging and charming, with just enough “sexy” thrown in to be a seasoning to the tale, instead of “trying too hard.” What we have here is essentially a murder mystery — a detective story. (It’s what I love about fantasy/sci-fi/spec fic in general — you can take any genre and hang it upon the supernatural framework: two for one.) Twists and turns and people who you think are going to live…

   I bought the book for the most flighty of reasons — because of the cover. The woman depicted on the front struck me as extremely atypical. Not your normal hot, big-eyed, busty, bookcover material. She’s rangy, and tough, and it takes you a long while to decide if she’s pretty or not. But she looks like there might be some depth to her, something unexpected. She’s obviously thinking, but you’re not sure what. Funnily enough, this has wound up being the pretty much the same opinion I have of the book itself. It’s pithy and spare, the prose is strong, and it has a couple of new ideas up its sleeves to boot. There is no sap here.

   I love the idea of Native American “walkers” (coyote-shifters) being as strong as, and standing in opposition to, the standard Euro-mythological werewolves. I’d love it if Briggs revisited the concept of these walkers in subsequent novels.

   After I bought this book I started looking up everything Briggs has written. Really, the woman has a gift. The best I can explain it is, she manages to write “light,” fast-paced, easy and quick to get through books without them being dumb. I read this book (and then immediately after, “Dragon’s Bones,” which… oh, Oreg breaks my heart!!) and felt like they had actually tried to teach me a little something about humanity, something real about people and their psyche, rather than just diverting me for a couple of hours. (Or titillating me to distract me from the lack of plot and logic.) There’s real soul here.

   I’d say this one’s a four-star plot (it IS pop after all), with five-star characters and prose, and knowing more of Briggs now, I’ll definitely call her a five-star author. Her characters give you something to hook your heart onto, something to love about them, a reason to root for them, without that feeling that you’ve seen their type a thousand times before. Briggs is, at the heart, a true storyteller. It’s pop with a brain.
   

   
5. 

   Jeffrey R. Hammond @ 10:20 pm

   Patricia Briggs has talent – a lot of it. Her character Mercy is tough, smart, and capable – but savvy enough to know her own limitations. She’s a skinwalker – a coyote – and inhabits a dangerous world of weres, vamps, “faes”, witches and other supernaturals, managing to navigate them all without getting herself killed.
   
   Mercy is great. This book however, is a case of a superior character inhabiting a so-so story, way too talky and plodding. In the last 100 pages I found myself foundering on every other page keeping all the characters straight, and having to do so because very little happened a lot of the time except endless discussion of were politics. The dialogue is good, don’t get me wrong – but the action was pretty lacking and just had too many characters of lesser importance to track. I want better for Mercy in the next installment – more balance of action and dialogue that’s worthy of a great new heroine.