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Mercy Thompson #5
Silver Borne
Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, never knows what the day - or night - may bring in a world where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). But she is about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous whose 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 she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secrets - 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 Samuel's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...
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 she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secrets - 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 Samuel's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2010
About the author
Patricia Briggs
136 books29.2k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,688 reviews
December 1, 2022
I don't recommend doing what Naomi and I did, which is read through the Mercy Thompson books back to back. It becomes reasonably clear that the reader is getting roughly the same story with different covers. I've spent a lot of time considering this; the series has many ardent fans, and I used to be among them. I think it all depends on what one enjoys in a story, and how tolerant one is of repetition. I'd rate my tolerance somewhere in the middle, but only until the tipping point occurs, either through saturation or through pet peeve. I think series like this are best enjoyed exactly as they occurred: published one at a time, a year in between. Then the repeated explanations and summaries don't irritate, they only recall, taking on the cadence of storytelling, when the reader slips into the story world with the beginning "long, long ago and far, far away..."
Despite a reliance on folklore and fairy tales, the Mercy Thompson series is and remains a sanitized, muted version of those grim worlds. The slavering wolf can actually control themselves, if they are old and really powerful. The strange fae will probably help you if you amuse or respect them, but even the bad ones won't trap you for years until everyone you loved has died. Scary vampires exist, but a sheep necklace can protect you; there's also a vampire that wears t-shirts and watches movies. None of the wolves go crazy despite frequent assertions that it can happen. No one except bad guys are ripped apart. Even vampires can repent. Victims are saved. Misguided humans are coached. Almost everyone gets a chance to redeem themselves. There's very little true evil. No one even swears. I note it because while it is one of the things I enjoy, that sense of ultimate goodness and happy endings, I also believe it explains part of the series' popularity.
Unfortunately, familiarity also enables recognition of faults, and there are quite a few. The overall series arc lacks a sense of coherency. After reading through a number of the Briggs' family posts, its clear that the series expanded to accommodate popularity and not out of an internal sense of story progression. The first was written; Blood Bound came about because the first did well, followed by a surprise contract to buy three more books. I'd contrast this with another favorite author, Ilona Andrews, who had a clear arc for a seven-book series and a sense of where it was headed in both story and emotion. The plotting to date in Mercy has been roughly the same for each book: someone is imprisoned and with Mercy's special powers, the group will save the day. This is true in Moon Called (Adam), Blood Bound (Stefen, etc.), Iron Kissed (Zee), Bone Crossed (Mercy) and Silver Bourne (spoiler/Mercy). The emotional plotting is also startlingly similar: Mercy will have trouble trusting her affection for Adam. After mistrusting him when she should not have, he will still support her and she will vow to trust him. At the same time, one of the powerful people she loves is willing to sacrifice/suicide.
Binge-reading also draws attention to a narrative containing a lot of telling without showing. Mercy will have asides in every book telling about her history, the fae reservation, werewolves, the wolves' coming out and her relationships with Samuel and Adam. Usually she will also educated the reader on Zee and the Grey Lords, and Stefen and the seethe. I think this is generally forgivable to many readers as the familiarity echoes the storytelling tradition, and the ritual of description, but again distance makes the heart grow fonder.
But those are mostly academic issues. What I've found less personally enjoyable, and perhaps even less forgivable are the roles women have in the series. Which is very little: Mercy operates in a man's world, both figuratively and literally. Mercy herself demonstrates no particular direct agency; all of the plots start with her reacting to an event that happens to her genuine, unsuspecting little self. The reader is quickly introduced to the idea that women associated with werewolf packs 'hate' Mercy, and that becomes an ongoing theme through the series. Even human women dislike Mercy, as Gabriel's mom Sylvia does. The exception to agency is Blood Bound, where the evil and conniving Marsilia engineers an elaborate trap, although clearly she still hates Mercy. I realized that even side characters are almost universally male with the exception of a couple of inscrutable fae. The only exceptions being Mercy's mom--who is never more than a whirlwind in and out of the scene--and Adam's daughter, Jesse. I found it disappointing, particularly from a female author with girls of her own.
Silver Bourne was the gestalt for me, highlighting all the redundancies. It comes as no surprise then, that a book lent to Mercy by a bookstore owner (male) may have other properties, and that the werewolves in the pack are still trying to break Adam and Mercy up. Samuel is sick at heart and only his wolf saves him, and now Mercy must save his wolf. Mercy's home is targeted. Someone is kidnapped and Mercy must save them, and Adam endures several challenges. Samuel's depression plot was solved very easily and tritely by L-U-V, which I thought disappointing after the complicated emotional fallout of the rape back in Iron Kissed. It was the last book of the series I bought, back in the day when I was silly enough to still auto-buy authors.
Three and a half redundancies, rounding down because that's what I did last time.
Despite a reliance on folklore and fairy tales, the Mercy Thompson series is and remains a sanitized, muted version of those grim worlds. The slavering wolf can actually control themselves, if they are old and really powerful. The strange fae will probably help you if you amuse or respect them, but even the bad ones won't trap you for years until everyone you loved has died. Scary vampires exist, but a sheep necklace can protect you; there's also a vampire that wears t-shirts and watches movies. None of the wolves go crazy despite frequent assertions that it can happen. No one except bad guys are ripped apart. Even vampires can repent. Victims are saved. Misguided humans are coached. Almost everyone gets a chance to redeem themselves. There's very little true evil. No one even swears. I note it because while it is one of the things I enjoy, that sense of ultimate goodness and happy endings, I also believe it explains part of the series' popularity.
Unfortunately, familiarity also enables recognition of faults, and there are quite a few. The overall series arc lacks a sense of coherency. After reading through a number of the Briggs' family posts, its clear that the series expanded to accommodate popularity and not out of an internal sense of story progression. The first was written; Blood Bound came about because the first did well, followed by a surprise contract to buy three more books. I'd contrast this with another favorite author, Ilona Andrews, who had a clear arc for a seven-book series and a sense of where it was headed in both story and emotion. The plotting to date in Mercy has been roughly the same for each book: someone is imprisoned and with Mercy's special powers, the group will save the day. This is true in Moon Called (Adam), Blood Bound (Stefen, etc.), Iron Kissed (Zee), Bone Crossed (Mercy) and Silver Bourne (spoiler/Mercy). The emotional plotting is also startlingly similar: Mercy will have trouble trusting her affection for Adam. After mistrusting him when she should not have, he will still support her and she will vow to trust him. At the same time, one of the powerful people she loves is willing to sacrifice/suicide.
Binge-reading also draws attention to a narrative containing a lot of telling without showing. Mercy will have asides in every book telling about her history, the fae reservation, werewolves, the wolves' coming out and her relationships with Samuel and Adam. Usually she will also educated the reader on Zee and the Grey Lords, and Stefen and the seethe. I think this is generally forgivable to many readers as the familiarity echoes the storytelling tradition, and the ritual of description, but again distance makes the heart grow fonder.
But those are mostly academic issues. What I've found less personally enjoyable, and perhaps even less forgivable are the roles women have in the series. Which is very little: Mercy operates in a man's world, both figuratively and literally. Mercy herself demonstrates no particular direct agency; all of the plots start with her reacting to an event that happens to her genuine, unsuspecting little self. The reader is quickly introduced to the idea that women associated with werewolf packs 'hate' Mercy, and that becomes an ongoing theme through the series. Even human women dislike Mercy, as Gabriel's mom Sylvia does. The exception to agency is Blood Bound, where the evil and conniving Marsilia engineers an elaborate trap, although clearly she still hates Mercy. I realized that even side characters are almost universally male with the exception of a couple of inscrutable fae. The only exceptions being Mercy's mom--who is never more than a whirlwind in and out of the scene--and Adam's daughter, Jesse. I found it disappointing, particularly from a female author with girls of her own.
Silver Bourne was the gestalt for me, highlighting all the redundancies. It comes as no surprise then, that a book lent to Mercy by a bookstore owner (male) may have other properties, and that the werewolves in the pack are still trying to break Adam and Mercy up. Samuel is sick at heart and only his wolf saves him, and now Mercy must save his wolf. Mercy's home is targeted. Someone is kidnapped and Mercy must save them, and Adam endures several challenges. Samuel's depression plot was solved very easily and tritely by L-U-V, which I thought disappointing after the complicated emotional fallout of the rape back in Iron Kissed. It was the last book of the series I bought, back in the day when I was silly enough to still auto-buy authors.
Three and a half redundancies, rounding down because that's what I did last time.
April 14, 2017
Patricia Briggs does not disappoint us in Silver Borne, the 5th book in her fabulous Mercy Thompson Series.
This story goes deeper into the secretive and dark and dangerous fae world….
Mercy has something that the fae want back – a book she had borrowed from a fae friend, who is in danger because of that. She finds herself being contacted by the Fae Queen, demanding the return of their valuable book…
In between trying to find her fae friend, she another problem thrown at her by Adam’s wolf pack, who are most unhappy about her Adam making her part of his pact without their consent.
She’s his mate and that will never change….…
I just love this series.
My favorite quote:
We continue following Mercy’s life and the world that she lives in…trouble always follows her as she throws herself into saving or helping her friends.
This story goes deeper into the secretive and dark and dangerous fae world….
Mercy has something that the fae want back – a book she had borrowed from a fae friend, who is in danger because of that. She finds herself being contacted by the Fae Queen, demanding the return of their valuable book…
In between trying to find her fae friend, she another problem thrown at her by Adam’s wolf pack, who are most unhappy about her Adam making her part of his pact without their consent.
But Adam is not backing down. He’s committed to Mercy and no matter what is pack thinks, says or do….
She’s his mate and that will never change….…
I love the chemistry between Adam and Mercy. Their connection is unbreakable and I like seeing their relationship grow instead of having that insta-love thing.
The world building and the characters are so well developed that makes it so real and believable.
I just love this series.
My favorite quote:
December 17, 2017
Still love ❤️
June 1, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. My passion for this sub-genre has been waning because there has been SO much of it out there, but Mercy is one of the originals, and a really good heroine, working-class, compassionate and never perfect. I think I actually enjoyed this installment in the series better than the last, the characters were really fleshed out, the mystery was well-plotted. Nothing HUGE happens, but being comfortable with the world and the other characters is nothing to sniff at. Enjoyable, and all in all still one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series!
November 9, 2016
I flew through this in 3 days! Love Adam - sigh!
October 1, 2018
3.5 stars. This was a decent book as part of the ongoing Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series, and worth reading for those who are already into this series, but not one of my favorites in this series. It combines two or three plotlines:
First, we have Mercy's ongoing issues with her failure to be fully accepted by her mate Adam's werewolf pack, which become Adam's issues. This leads to some insurrection in the ranks and a series of mixed martial arts fights for position and rank in the pack, including that of the Alpha. The disclosure of the conspiracy and the martial arts fights were interesting reading - Briggs said she worked with her husband to write the fight scenes in as authentic a way as possible, and it shows. Unfortunately, this continuing plot about the pack's issues with Mercy has passed its Sell By date, for my money. We're kind of treading water here now.
Second, there's the "Silver Borne" artifact plot: A special book was loaned to Mercy by a bookstore owner in a previous book, and when she tries to return it, the bookstore is closed, the owner is missing, and Mercy is worried about him. This ties into the third plotline, a personal crisis that Mercy's old friend Samuel is having. He's at the end of his rope emotionally, and his wolf "Sam" (the werewolf half of his personality) takes over their body to prevent a crisis ... but that's only a temporary solution.
So Mercy has three problems, all of which are hitting the boiling point.
My favorite part of the book was the Sam/Samuel part; the werewolf politicking and fighting would have been more fun if it were more fresh. The Silver Borne artifact part of the plot wasn't at all memorable.
First, we have Mercy's ongoing issues with her failure to be fully accepted by her mate Adam's werewolf pack, which become Adam's issues. This leads to some insurrection in the ranks and a series of mixed martial arts fights for position and rank in the pack, including that of the Alpha. The disclosure of the conspiracy and the martial arts fights were interesting reading - Briggs said she worked with her husband to write the fight scenes in as authentic a way as possible, and it shows. Unfortunately, this continuing plot about the pack's issues with Mercy has passed its Sell By date, for my money. We're kind of treading water here now.
Second, there's the "Silver Borne" artifact plot: A special book was loaned to Mercy by a bookstore owner in a previous book, and when she tries to return it, the bookstore is closed, the owner is missing, and Mercy is worried about him. This ties into the third plotline, a personal crisis that Mercy's old friend Samuel is having. He's at the end of his rope emotionally, and his wolf "Sam" (the werewolf half of his personality) takes over their body to prevent a crisis ... but that's only a temporary solution.
So Mercy has three problems, all of which are hitting the boiling point.
My favorite part of the book was the Sam/Samuel part; the werewolf politicking and fighting would have been more fun if it were more fresh. The Silver Borne artifact part of the plot wasn't at all memorable.
April 15, 2017
Same old, same old. I love Mercy but these books are starting to show a clear pattern. I wish PB would shake up her plotlines a little with something (or someone) fresh.
April 19, 2010
I can't deny that I read this book in one sitting, and that the narrative was absorbing. Briggs is a good writer. But by the next morning, all I could think of were complaints. I suspect I'll be in the minority in disliking this, though.
There's no Stephan at all. Maybe the author thinks everybody is sick of vampires. I'm not. I'm sick of the damned Fae. Their presence has ruined this series for me. They're too otherworldy and overly-magical for the kind of urban fantasy I enjoy. I've always liked Zee pretty well, but I disliked extremely the whole long sequence with the Fae towards the end of this book. The previous book revolved around the Fae also, but at least it had a better overall plot than this one.
I don't like that Briggs has made her werewolves have split personalities. I can see that a werewolf would think of himself as having a different identify when he transforms, but to give the inner wolf an actual separate personality is taking that too far. And while I usually like pack dynamics, they were fairly pathetic here.
Finally, I didn't like the pat resolution to the Samuel problem. I felt unsatisfied and disappointed at the end of this book, and I won't be jumping to buy the next one as soon as it releases.
There's no Stephan at all. Maybe the author thinks everybody is sick of vampires. I'm not. I'm sick of the damned Fae. Their presence has ruined this series for me. They're too otherworldy and overly-magical for the kind of urban fantasy I enjoy. I've always liked Zee pretty well, but I disliked extremely the whole long sequence with the Fae towards the end of this book. The previous book revolved around the Fae also, but at least it had a better overall plot than this one.
I don't like that Briggs has made her werewolves have split personalities. I can see that a werewolf would think of himself as having a different identify when he transforms, but to give the inner wolf an actual separate personality is taking that too far. And while I usually like pack dynamics, they were fairly pathetic here.
Finally, I didn't like the pat resolution to the Samuel problem. I felt unsatisfied and disappointed at the end of this book, and I won't be jumping to buy the next one as soon as it releases.
April 16, 2020
Re-read for the 3rd time April 14th 2020.
Re-read March 25th 2017 Can't stop my re-reading binge!
****Spoilers if you haven't read the previous books****
Mercy navigates Pack dynamics and the animosity of some of the members. Being a coyote brought into a werewolf Pack doesn't make several happy, but there are a couple unhappy for another reason. Adam and Mercy's relationship strengthens in spite of some outside interference and I'm always impressed with the loyalty and love between them.
Samuel's mental condition takes a turn for the worse, but Mercy is a good friend and Adam is helpful with his support.
Mercy is also dragged into Fae issues, once again.
Thoughts back in September 2013:
So, so, so good!! Love this series! Review, maybe...
Re-read March 25th 2017 Can't stop my re-reading binge!
****Spoilers if you haven't read the previous books****
Mercy navigates Pack dynamics and the animosity of some of the members. Being a coyote brought into a werewolf Pack doesn't make several happy, but there are a couple unhappy for another reason. Adam and Mercy's relationship strengthens in spite of some outside interference and I'm always impressed with the loyalty and love between them.
Samuel's mental condition takes a turn for the worse, but Mercy is a good friend and Adam is helpful with his support.
Mercy is also dragged into Fae issues, once again.
Thoughts back in September 2013:
So, so, so good!! Love this series! Review, maybe...
February 8, 2018
February 2018 Reread. Buddy read with Sarah and Erica.
February 2017 Re-read
January 2016 Re-read: Buddy read with Sarah
This is probably one of my favorite books in the series. I always love the ones that deal with the fae a little bit more than the others. And this one definitely has the fae in spades. Beyond that we really get to delve into the issues that Adam's been having in his Pack. I like that things don't magically get better, but that it takes work and figuring out the problem to get to a solution.
Samuel. What can I say about Samuel. He breaks my heart in this book. I didn't always love him, but I always wanted him around. He wasn't for Mercy, but he was an amazing person and wolf. I still cry when I read a great many of Sam's storyline in this book.
My one complaint, and overall it's fairly minor, and probably something we just didn't see the consequences of - is
Still. I love this book. The Pack; Samuel, the fae - it's all perfect and heart-wrenching and suspenseful.
Original Review:
You know, when reading a series I should always write my thoughts down on the day I finish it - or the next day at the latest. I'm already a couple of days late on this one, and I've finished River Marked too. It makes it harder to separate everything out for me.
Mercy's newly mated to Adam and brought into their pack. There are some wolves that aren't at all happy about this, and use Mercy's unawareness of pack magic to make trouble. Maybe they just want Mercy out, maybe they want Adam out too and are using Mercy as a stepping stone.
When Samuel ends up seriously needing Mercy's help, she realizes she needs to take a step back and try to get a handle on everything. A call from Tad to look after that fae thing that was given her (and I just had a flash of the scene from Hackers "It's in that place where I put that thing that one time..."). Now Mercy's the target, along with the pack, of someone who wants it badly.
Lots of things going on in this one. The pack politics, followed closely by Samuel's story-line, were my favorites here. Which is what nearly makes it a five-star read for me. I loved how the pack stuff moved and was resolved (even if I'm a little grumpy at the light punishment some transgressions got).
Samuel nearly broke my heart, and that's pretty much all I can say without spoiling the hell out of it. I also liked that it wasn't dragged out for a long time (more than one book).
The fae "mystery" story-line was probably the weakest. It just didn't hold my attention nearly as much as the relationship (Adam&Pack/Pack&Mercy/Mercy&Adam/Samuel&Mercy/etc) dynamics going on with everyone else I cared about.
I love how strong and smart Mercy is, but that's she's not infallible. She does make mistakes, but there are consequences for them. There is one mistake in particular that seemed to just be dropped when she was rescued. Just because I've come to expect it, I'm sure there was something that was said/happened because of this, but I would have really liked to see it. Otherwise it feels like a dropped thread that was put in there for no real purpose.
Overall, another great installment in the Mercy Thompson world with some minor things to niggle at me.
Up next: River Marked
February 2017 Re-read
January 2016 Re-read: Buddy read with Sarah
This is probably one of my favorite books in the series. I always love the ones that deal with the fae a little bit more than the others. And this one definitely has the fae in spades. Beyond that we really get to delve into the issues that Adam's been having in his Pack. I like that things don't magically get better, but that it takes work and figuring out the problem to get to a solution.
Samuel. What can I say about Samuel. He breaks my heart in this book. I didn't always love him, but I always wanted him around. He wasn't for Mercy, but he was an amazing person and wolf. I still cry when I read a great many of Sam's storyline in this book.
My one complaint, and overall it's fairly minor, and probably something we just didn't see the consequences of - is
Still. I love this book. The Pack; Samuel, the fae - it's all perfect and heart-wrenching and suspenseful.
Original Review:
You know, when reading a series I should always write my thoughts down on the day I finish it - or the next day at the latest. I'm already a couple of days late on this one, and I've finished River Marked too. It makes it harder to separate everything out for me.
Mercy's newly mated to Adam and brought into their pack. There are some wolves that aren't at all happy about this, and use Mercy's unawareness of pack magic to make trouble. Maybe they just want Mercy out, maybe they want Adam out too and are using Mercy as a stepping stone.
When Samuel ends up seriously needing Mercy's help, she realizes she needs to take a step back and try to get a handle on everything. A call from Tad to look after that fae thing that was given her (and I just had a flash of the scene from Hackers "It's in that place where I put that thing that one time..."). Now Mercy's the target, along with the pack, of someone who wants it badly.
Lots of things going on in this one. The pack politics, followed closely by Samuel's story-line, were my favorites here. Which is what nearly makes it a five-star read for me. I loved how the pack stuff moved and was resolved (even if I'm a little grumpy at the light punishment some transgressions got).
Samuel nearly broke my heart, and that's pretty much all I can say without spoiling the hell out of it. I also liked that it wasn't dragged out for a long time (more than one book).
The fae "mystery" story-line was probably the weakest. It just didn't hold my attention nearly as much as the relationship (Adam&Pack/Pack&Mercy/Mercy&Adam/Samuel&Mercy/etc) dynamics going on with everyone else I cared about.
I love how strong and smart Mercy is, but that's she's not infallible. She does make mistakes, but there are consequences for them. There is one mistake in particular that seemed to just be dropped when she was rescued. Just because I've come to expect it, I'm sure there was something that was said/happened because of this, but I would have really liked to see it. Otherwise it feels like a dropped thread that was put in there for no real purpose.
Overall, another great installment in the Mercy Thompson world with some minor things to niggle at me.
Up next: River Marked
April 14, 2020
I follow several supernatural/paranormal series, but this one is easily one of my favorites. Brigg’s does a fabulous, fabulous job of being consistent with her characters while helping them to grow and change. I am ceaselessly impressed with how she juggles all her supernatural aspects. So far she has kept everything on an even keel and has given us the information we needed without doing a chapter of info dump or disrupting the action. And the way she writes relationships is fantastic – not just the romance between Mercy and Adam, but Mercy’s other relationships as well. So many heroines are solitary, relying primarily on the hero to form who they are, but Mercy is her own person. She is complete without Adam and better with him. She has friends who care about her and friends she cares about. In other words, like a real woman, she has a lot of aspects that she juggles to make her life work. And make it work she does.
June 23, 2017
I never get tired of this series!!! The introduction of coyote is like icing on the cake!!! 5 stars!!!
July 5, 2017
Another great instalment! This book involved the fae and the vamps didn't even get a bit part! It's interesting that when I read the first book in this series, I was almost put off continuing by all the werewolf politics. Here in book 5, there is a lot of werewolf politicking, but now that I'm happily ensconced in the series, it was interesting to read.
April 25, 2015
I love everything about this book!
April 27, 2020
Series Re-read
Original Review:
“Such a small thing to cause so much trouble.”
There is some dissonance in the pack. After the way that Adam introduced Mercy into the pack there has been a little fall out. It seems that some are more upset than others and they might be trying to play around in Mercy’s mind trying to stir up trouble. Samuel is also having troubles of his own. He hasn’t been right for a while and has given up. Mercy must try to find a way to save him from himself and join the wolf and man back together again. While dealing with all of that it seems the Finn as disappeared and someone might be looking for the book on the Fae she borrowed from him.
Again this is a great layering of a few stories that overlap. I really felt bad for Samuel as he has given up on his life and was contemplating death. Mercy was a true friend to him and helped in ways no one else could. I really liked seeing the vulnerable part of Adam as he tries to fix the pack and still make sure that Mercy is okay. I really didn’t expect the dissention in the pack ranks to come from where it did but that in itself was a good storyline.
A Fae is looking for the book that Mercy borrowed and everyone around her seems to be in danger yet again. Jessie really shined through in this book. I always like her little power plays with her father and how she is still so much a kid but at the same time you can tell she has been through a lot too. I adore the little romance between Gabriel and Jessie as well it is cute and not overdone.
My main man Zee is still one of my favorite characters. He is mostly a mystery even now that we have seen through his Fae glamour a few times but it is always interesting the magic he can produce. I really look forward to his grumpiness and find it so funny.
“Why is it that all cars are women?" he asked. "Because they're fussy and demanding," answered Zee.
"Because if they were men, they'd sit around and complain instead of getting the job done," I told him.”
But ultimately beside the world that I’ve immersed myself in I love the love story between Adam and Mercy. They get one another and fight so hard for each other. Adam would literally run into a burning building for her and she would do the same.
“I knew he would never leave me, never let me down-because the man had never abandoned anything in his long life. If I hadn’t taken the gold rope of our bond, I knew Adam would have sat on me and hog-tied me with it. I liked that. A lot.”
Another fun one in the Mercy Thompson series. But I still gotta know what the heck is up with that walking stick? Will we ever find out?
Original Review:
“Such a small thing to cause so much trouble.”
There is some dissonance in the pack. After the way that Adam introduced Mercy into the pack there has been a little fall out. It seems that some are more upset than others and they might be trying to play around in Mercy’s mind trying to stir up trouble. Samuel is also having troubles of his own. He hasn’t been right for a while and has given up. Mercy must try to find a way to save him from himself and join the wolf and man back together again. While dealing with all of that it seems the Finn as disappeared and someone might be looking for the book on the Fae she borrowed from him.
Again this is a great layering of a few stories that overlap. I really felt bad for Samuel as he has given up on his life and was contemplating death. Mercy was a true friend to him and helped in ways no one else could. I really liked seeing the vulnerable part of Adam as he tries to fix the pack and still make sure that Mercy is okay. I really didn’t expect the dissention in the pack ranks to come from where it did but that in itself was a good storyline.
A Fae is looking for the book that Mercy borrowed and everyone around her seems to be in danger yet again. Jessie really shined through in this book. I always like her little power plays with her father and how she is still so much a kid but at the same time you can tell she has been through a lot too. I adore the little romance between Gabriel and Jessie as well it is cute and not overdone.
My main man Zee is still one of my favorite characters. He is mostly a mystery even now that we have seen through his Fae glamour a few times but it is always interesting the magic he can produce. I really look forward to his grumpiness and find it so funny.
“Why is it that all cars are women?" he asked. "Because they're fussy and demanding," answered Zee.
"Because if they were men, they'd sit around and complain instead of getting the job done," I told him.”
But ultimately beside the world that I’ve immersed myself in I love the love story between Adam and Mercy. They get one another and fight so hard for each other. Adam would literally run into a burning building for her and she would do the same.
“I knew he would never leave me, never let me down-because the man had never abandoned anything in his long life. If I hadn’t taken the gold rope of our bond, I knew Adam would have sat on me and hog-tied me with it. I liked that. A lot.”
Another fun one in the Mercy Thompson series. But I still gotta know what the heck is up with that walking stick? Will we ever find out?
July 6, 2019
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Still Too Little Adam*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Re-read: 06.07.2019
The fifth book in the series, the Volkswagen mechanic and a walker (a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will), Mercedes ‘Mercy’ Athena Thompson (how old is she?), gets a call from her former boss' son who is worried about a friend, and of course Mercy can't stay out of anything. So she goes an investigates and finds herself in bigger trouble than she realized. And than there's the pack, who many does not accept a coyote as the Alpha's mate. On top of that, there's problems with roommate, who seems to have given up.
Overall the book is actually pretty ‘eh’. There's too little Adam in this book. He only shows up when the danger(s) are over and Mercy's done it all, and it's getting a bit annoying. He also gets hurt a lot and while I like the concept of the werewolves instincts of challenging when the Alpha is hurt, I don't like that it takes away the feeling of ‘pack’/family. I also struggle with so it all felt so sudden, and not very well developed. Then of course there's still my struggle with connecting with Mercy. I should also say - which I'm sorry for - but I struggled to feel/see Mercy and her mate's bond/love. And that ruined the whole book for me.
Other Characters:
The list is long so I put it in a spoilers tag.
“No apologies from you,” he told me, his voice soft enough to melt my knees and most of my other parts. “First of all, as I already pointed out—you would make the same choices again, right? So an apology doesn’t work. Secondly, you, being who you are, could have made no other choice. Since I love you, as you are, where you are—it hardly makes sense for me to kick about it when you act like yourself. Right?”
“People don’t always see it that way,” I said, stepping into him until our hip bones bumped.
He laughed, a quiet sound that made me happy down to my toes. “Yeah, well, I don’t promise I’ll always be logical about it.” He gave a rueful glance to my broken counter and the cash register on its side. “Especially at first.” His smile dropped away. “I thought you were trying to leave me.”
“I might be dumb,” I told him, putting my nose against his silk tie, “but I’m not that dumb. I’ve gotcha now, and you aren’t getting away.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Fantasy (M/F)
Series: - Series, Book Five.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Adam Hauptman.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - It's me... I do love re-reading.
New Rating - 2.5/3 stars (I gave it 4 stars first time reading it).
April 3, 2010
Briggs is my drug of choice! I loved this book! It made me very glad that I had also read the Alpha and Omega series!
February 10, 2017
Read April 2, 2010:
Wow, wow, wow. I adored this installment of the Mercy series, and it is definitely one of my favorites. This book was a bit of a change from the rest of the series though. Usually Mercy's adventures are action driven with a lot of humor, wit, danger, and a sprinkle of romance to tease readers. With this book though romance definitely took the front seat in terms of plot with action/plot taking a more secondary role. Either way though it was fantastic.
The plot combined my 2 favorite elements in the Mercy universe - Werewolves and the Fae. Werewolf politics are amazingly structured, confusing, and strict. Every peek we get into the complexities of dominance, gender issues, and the magic behind their ties is so detailed, insightful, and engaging. The Fae continue to be the more intriguing and mystifying species that I have come across in any urban fantasy series.
The character development is wonderful as well. Samuel has been on the back burner a bit since Mercy became Adam's mate and getting a peek into his very old mind and the strife he is dealing with was great. Although discovering just what a teddy bear Adam can be, and his intense and unconditional love for Mercy was beautiful. Mercy herself grew a great deal in this book as well. She has come to accept and welcome the pack, wants to belong, wants to be involved, all while retaining her independence and unique qualities. I only wish we could have seen her as a coyote more this book. Some of my favorite secondary characters like Zee, Warren, and Ben made appearances this time around and any chance to have them in a scene is totally welcomed.
Crazily enough I cannot think of a bad thing to say about this book. Others have thought negatively on the length of the challenge scene which I greatly enjoyed as it revealed so much more about hierarchy in packs, or Mercy's ability to always get out of her insane problems with little consequence (although the climax of Iron Kissed disproves this greatly I think). Yes, the solutions through out these books tend to be a bit convenient but are well thought through, developed, and make sense.
All in all, this is the best urban fantasy series out there, and to me all others are weighted against it. I can't wait for the next anything Brigg's puts out! Especially the 3rd installment in the Alpha and Omega series!
*****
Review of the audio book January 2011:
This installment is still one of my favorites of the series. There was so much character development in this book, and a much clearer understanding of Mercy's interaction and place within the pack. Again, I wish there had been more explanation into Sam's developments, but hopefully one day she will write a great short story or something about it! Now I am seriously chomping at the bit to get my hands on book 6!!!
Wow, wow, wow. I adored this installment of the Mercy series, and it is definitely one of my favorites. This book was a bit of a change from the rest of the series though. Usually Mercy's adventures are action driven with a lot of humor, wit, danger, and a sprinkle of romance to tease readers. With this book though romance definitely took the front seat in terms of plot with action/plot taking a more secondary role. Either way though it was fantastic.
The plot combined my 2 favorite elements in the Mercy universe - Werewolves and the Fae. Werewolf politics are amazingly structured, confusing, and strict. Every peek we get into the complexities of dominance, gender issues, and the magic behind their ties is so detailed, insightful, and engaging. The Fae continue to be the more intriguing and mystifying species that I have come across in any urban fantasy series.
The character development is wonderful as well. Samuel has been on the back burner a bit since Mercy became Adam's mate and getting a peek into his very old mind and the strife he is dealing with was great. Although discovering just what a teddy bear Adam can be, and his intense and unconditional love for Mercy was beautiful. Mercy herself grew a great deal in this book as well. She has come to accept and welcome the pack, wants to belong, wants to be involved, all while retaining her independence and unique qualities. I only wish we could have seen her as a coyote more this book. Some of my favorite secondary characters like Zee, Warren, and Ben made appearances this time around and any chance to have them in a scene is totally welcomed.
Crazily enough I cannot think of a bad thing to say about this book. Others have thought negatively on the length of the challenge scene which I greatly enjoyed as it revealed so much more about hierarchy in packs, or Mercy's ability to always get out of her insane problems with little consequence (although the climax of Iron Kissed disproves this greatly I think). Yes, the solutions through out these books tend to be a bit convenient but are well thought through, developed, and make sense.
All in all, this is the best urban fantasy series out there, and to me all others are weighted against it. I can't wait for the next anything Brigg's puts out! Especially the 3rd installment in the Alpha and Omega series!
*****
Review of the audio book January 2011:
This installment is still one of my favorites of the series. There was so much character development in this book, and a much clearer understanding of Mercy's interaction and place within the pack. Again, I wish there had been more explanation into Sam's developments, but hopefully one day she will write a great short story or something about it! Now I am seriously chomping at the bit to get my hands on book 6!!!
December 29, 2015
*** 4.10 ***
Another wondrous Mercy Thompson adventure and another book added to my "really pleasant read" shelf. Mercy's world is full of magical creatures, most of which deserve their monster label. Our part time coyote is once again entangled in a game of life and death, as much as she tries to convince her friends and pack mates that she does not actively look for trouble. Last time the vampires were gunning for her, this time the local Fae are looking for something she is in possession of, though she is not exactly sure what that is.
On the wolfpack front there is unrest brewing as well. The power structure is shaky since Adam brought Mercy in and she took her place as the alpha's mate. The cracks in the pack magic, partially created by her long time refusal to be his mate, have lead to power struggles and threaten Adam's authority and leave him open to challenges by other dominant and power hungry wolfs. And also, how utterly ridiculous for a gorgeous, powerful alpha like Adam to hook up with a half breed lowly coyote like trailer trash Mercy!!! What would the other wolfpacks think???
So, while it seems that the people who should have her back are doing everything but, and random Faes are also randomly targeting her with malicious intent, she is also faced with trying to find a reason for her best friend to stay alive... Did I mention she is still dealing with the residual panic attacks following a very traumatic experience while under the influence of mind control??? Yea, all this while trying to earn her bacon by working as a mechanic during the day and somehow succeeding in staying sane! Now there is a woman we can use as a role model!
This book was not as fluid and naturally flowing as the others up to now, but that did not make it any less interesting and compelling. We learn more about the Fae and pack politics, and we also see the growing devotion between Adam and Mercy. All characters undergo changes and the story continues to expand. We fall deeper into the thrall of Patricia Brigg's writing and are left with no choice but to keep on reading ... I may or may not be bespelled into jumping straight in the next volume... I have to go and chain myself to the book, so I wish all of you happy reading!!!
Another wondrous Mercy Thompson adventure and another book added to my "really pleasant read" shelf. Mercy's world is full of magical creatures, most of which deserve their monster label. Our part time coyote is once again entangled in a game of life and death, as much as she tries to convince her friends and pack mates that she does not actively look for trouble. Last time the vampires were gunning for her, this time the local Fae are looking for something she is in possession of, though she is not exactly sure what that is.
On the wolfpack front there is unrest brewing as well. The power structure is shaky since Adam brought Mercy in and she took her place as the alpha's mate. The cracks in the pack magic, partially created by her long time refusal to be his mate, have lead to power struggles and threaten Adam's authority and leave him open to challenges by other dominant and power hungry wolfs. And also, how utterly ridiculous for a gorgeous, powerful alpha like Adam to hook up with a half breed lowly coyote like trailer trash Mercy!!! What would the other wolfpacks think???
So, while it seems that the people who should have her back are doing everything but, and random Faes are also randomly targeting her with malicious intent, she is also faced with trying to find a reason for her best friend to stay alive... Did I mention she is still dealing with the residual panic attacks following a very traumatic experience while under the influence of mind control??? Yea, all this while trying to earn her bacon by working as a mechanic during the day and somehow succeeding in staying sane! Now there is a woman we can use as a role model!
This book was not as fluid and naturally flowing as the others up to now, but that did not make it any less interesting and compelling. We learn more about the Fae and pack politics, and we also see the growing devotion between Adam and Mercy. All characters undergo changes and the story continues to expand. We fall deeper into the thrall of Patricia Brigg's writing and are left with no choice but to keep on reading ... I may or may not be bespelled into jumping straight in the next volume... I have to go and chain myself to the book, so I wish all of you happy reading!!!
May 26, 2024
I still love this one a lot. I feel like this is the beginning of the true breadth of the series that really ties in the multitude of characters and builds up the character development that makes the series need to go on forever.
I noticed the 2nd time around was The Queen of the Fae and how diminished she was in the story. I wanted there to be more about her instead of having her be somewhat of a meager foe.
It's great to come back after 5 years and still feel like Mercy has been with me this whole time. I love the expanse of her relationship with Adam and the extra information about Sam.
4.5 Stars for me! Rounded up to 5.
I noticed the 2nd time around was The Queen of the Fae and how diminished she was in the story. I wanted there to be more about her instead of having her be somewhat of a meager foe.
It's great to come back after 5 years and still feel like Mercy has been with me this whole time. I love the expanse of her relationship with Adam and the extra information about Sam.
4.5 Stars for me! Rounded up to 5.
February 8, 2018
1st Read August 2010 - Rating 5 *
2nd Read March 2014
3rd Read January 2016
4th Read February 2017 - Rating reduces to 4 *
5th Read February 2018
Original Review
When Mercy gets a message asking her to look after a fae book that she had previously borrowed she is curious about what has happened to it's owner. Then she finds herself being targeted by a mysterious fae who is not only after her but also targeting Adam and her pack but what does this have to do with the book? To make matters worse Samuel, who's depression has been worsening over the months, has taken a turn for the worse. For survival Samuel's wolf has taken control but that makes him dangerous - and marks him for death if Adam and the Marrock find out. Can Mercy help Samuel regain control before the other werewolves find out what has happened and what does the powerful fae want with the book?
Although this review won't contain spoilers for Silver Borne as this is book 5 in the Mercy Thompson series it will be impossible to review without giving spoilers for previous books in the series. If you haven't read the rest of the series then I wouldn't recommend reading any further but I would suggest you check out Moon Called as this is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and Mercy is definitely one of my favorite heroines!
Anyone who has read any of the books in this series will already know that Mercy has a knack for drawing attention of the supernatural races who are more powerful than she is. She may be a Walker (a shifter who can turn into a Coyote) but her powers are limited - especially when compared to the werewolves or fae. Having come up against the fae before she is understandably wary when she finds herself being targeted again but she is determined to protect her friends and find out what is going on.
My favorite part of this book has to be the interaction between Adam & Mercy, I just love them both as a couple & it is nice to watch their relationship develop since their mating in the last book. There are some really sweet, emotional scenes between the two of them and if anything I now love Adam even more. We get to see a more vulnerable side to him in this installment but he is still all alpha male. Mercy is still trying to get used to the pack bonds and most of the pack still aren't happy that she is now one of them. I enjoyed finding out more about the pack politics and seeing Mercy learn how to deal with this new bond and the werewolves who are against her.
Samuel has been one of my favorite characters ever since we first met him and although I didn't want him & Mercy to end up together, I do want to see him have his own happy ending. I felt so sad for him in the last book as you could see how badly he was feeling but parts of this book had my heart breaking for him. As an old wolf he has lived too long and has started to give up on life. Mercy loves him and wants to protect him but when his wolf takes control she is very worried about what could happen. Having a wolf in control is a very dangerous thing for both the wolf and for everyone surrounding him - if the Marrock finds out what has happened he will have no choice other than killing Samuel. If I had one slight complaint about this story it would be that things with Samuel tied up a little too easily but I'm hoping we will get to explore more about what happens with him in the next book.
If you're a fan of this series then I'm sure Silver Borne won't disappoint, it is one of my favorite books in the series. I enjoyed the action and mystery surrounding the fae artifact but for me it was the relationship development between the characters that made the story. If you haven't read this series yet then I can't recommend it strongly enough. It's going to be a long wait until River Marked but I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the Alpha and Omega series in the meantime.
________________________________
2nd Read
Reread with Ange
I loved it just as much the second time around. I can't believe how much of the story I'd forgotten, nearly the whole book came as a complete surprise so it was like reading it for the first time all over again!
I just love, love, love Mercy and Adam together, they are such a brilliant couple. This is as far as I ever got with the series so I can't wait to get started on River Marked to find out what happens next!
________________________________
3rd Read
Buddy read with Ange
Since it's been nearly 2 years since Ange & I buddy read this series last we decided we're well overdue another read in the run up to the release of Fire Touched next March.
I love this series so much! The characters, the world building just everything about these books makes them a comfort read for me. Along with Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series this is probably my most reread series & I never get tired of it.
________________________________
4th Read
Mercy & Adam are so cute together, Sam breaks my heart and I adore Bran! I hate half the pack but luckily because this is a reread I know they get what's coming to them eventually - it's just a very long and frustrating wait.
2nd Read March 2014
3rd Read January 2016
4th Read February 2017 - Rating reduces to 4 *
5th Read February 2018
Original Review
When Mercy gets a message asking her to look after a fae book that she had previously borrowed she is curious about what has happened to it's owner. Then she finds herself being targeted by a mysterious fae who is not only after her but also targeting Adam and her pack but what does this have to do with the book? To make matters worse Samuel, who's depression has been worsening over the months, has taken a turn for the worse. For survival Samuel's wolf has taken control but that makes him dangerous - and marks him for death if Adam and the Marrock find out. Can Mercy help Samuel regain control before the other werewolves find out what has happened and what does the powerful fae want with the book?
Although this review won't contain spoilers for Silver Borne as this is book 5 in the Mercy Thompson series it will be impossible to review without giving spoilers for previous books in the series. If you haven't read the rest of the series then I wouldn't recommend reading any further but I would suggest you check out Moon Called as this is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and Mercy is definitely one of my favorite heroines!
Anyone who has read any of the books in this series will already know that Mercy has a knack for drawing attention of the supernatural races who are more powerful than she is. She may be a Walker (a shifter who can turn into a Coyote) but her powers are limited - especially when compared to the werewolves or fae. Having come up against the fae before she is understandably wary when she finds herself being targeted again but she is determined to protect her friends and find out what is going on.
My favorite part of this book has to be the interaction between Adam & Mercy, I just love them both as a couple & it is nice to watch their relationship develop since their mating in the last book. There are some really sweet, emotional scenes between the two of them and if anything I now love Adam even more. We get to see a more vulnerable side to him in this installment but he is still all alpha male. Mercy is still trying to get used to the pack bonds and most of the pack still aren't happy that she is now one of them. I enjoyed finding out more about the pack politics and seeing Mercy learn how to deal with this new bond and the werewolves who are against her.
Samuel has been one of my favorite characters ever since we first met him and although I didn't want him & Mercy to end up together, I do want to see him have his own happy ending. I felt so sad for him in the last book as you could see how badly he was feeling but parts of this book had my heart breaking for him. As an old wolf he has lived too long and has started to give up on life. Mercy loves him and wants to protect him but when his wolf takes control she is very worried about what could happen. Having a wolf in control is a very dangerous thing for both the wolf and for everyone surrounding him - if the Marrock finds out what has happened he will have no choice other than killing Samuel. If I had one slight complaint about this story it would be that things with Samuel tied up a little too easily but I'm hoping we will get to explore more about what happens with him in the next book.
If you're a fan of this series then I'm sure Silver Borne won't disappoint, it is one of my favorite books in the series. I enjoyed the action and mystery surrounding the fae artifact but for me it was the relationship development between the characters that made the story. If you haven't read this series yet then I can't recommend it strongly enough. It's going to be a long wait until River Marked but I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the Alpha and Omega series in the meantime.
________________________________
2nd Read
Reread with Ange
I loved it just as much the second time around. I can't believe how much of the story I'd forgotten, nearly the whole book came as a complete surprise so it was like reading it for the first time all over again!
I just love, love, love Mercy and Adam together, they are such a brilliant couple. This is as far as I ever got with the series so I can't wait to get started on River Marked to find out what happens next!
________________________________
3rd Read
Buddy read with Ange
Since it's been nearly 2 years since Ange & I buddy read this series last we decided we're well overdue another read in the run up to the release of Fire Touched next March.
I love this series so much! The characters, the world building just everything about these books makes them a comfort read for me. Along with Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series this is probably my most reread series & I never get tired of it.
________________________________
4th Read
Mercy & Adam are so cute together, Sam breaks my heart and I adore Bran! I hate half the pack but luckily because this is a reread I know they get what's coming to them eventually - it's just a very long and frustrating wait.
April 27, 2020
Ahh!! *satisfied sigh* I just re-read this book, and enjoyed it even more the second time. Up from 4 to 5 stars. So far, THIS book, #5, Silver Borne, is the BEST in this series. Enough plot and plenty of action, but also character driven and relational. Romance, too. I loved it!
By the way, Mercy is not a typical stock UF character. Quiz yourself with 15 questions about Mercy's age, ancestry, beliefs, occupation, etc.
Mild Spoilers Ahoy: Mercy and friends must rescue an old bookseller (Phin) and Gabriel (Mercy's teenage assistant) from the cruel, ambitious fairy queen, who enthralls her captives under the hill (Underhill). They must not let said fae queen (once called Daphne) get her hands on Silver Borne, a magical artifact of great power, crafted centuries ago by Ariana, under duress.
Such an evil fae villain (was Daphne the fae in A&O, book 2?)
Relationships: Samuel is ready to give up on life, for he has no mate. His wolf is taking over. Mercy helps him stay in the game long enough for a lost love from his ancient past to appear. That relationship was initially built over troubled waters, but the old feelings run deep, so they work it out. Nice!! I wanted more of this story line, but nice. I hope to see more of Samuel and his love in future books.
Meanwhile, Adam and Mercy are trying to develop telepathic mating bonds and pack bonds, and Adam is trying to ease Mercy into bed, but someone in the pack wants Mercy dead, and someone else wants Adam's position as Alpha.
The action never ends, with bounty hunters, fishy fae thugs, explosions, hospitalizations, kidnappings, enthrallment, and dirty pack politicking (jockeying for position). We also get silver garlands, glowing rocks, and a new home for Mercy.
Lots of great interactions with primary and secondary characters, with some showing increased loyalty and courage, and others revealing corruption and cowardice. Secondary characters include Samuel (werewolf, Bran's eldest), Zee (powerful metal-work fae "gremlin" warrior disguised as old mechanic), Jessie (Adam's 17-year-old daughter), Ariana (a "good" fae), etc. Bran plays a fair sized role, too, and his son Charles from the wonderful Alpha and Omega series makes a telephone appearance. We also see Warren/Kyle, Ben, and Daryl/Auriele, as well as Mary Jo/Henry, and Paul.
Sigh! After so much worry -- thinking he'd lost Mercy several times -- Adam's wolf is finally content. The two engage in one delightful (but not explicit) love scene. Even better, Mercy has learned to enjoy the sex, the mating bond, and the pack bonds. She is finally able to let the past go.
Just right. ;-)
One gripe, a decided spoiler!! Why did Briggs let the I wanted to see justice, punishment suited to the serious crime. Harsh, ya think?
Content: Some rather gruesome bloody scenes. One sex scene, but it's sorta fade to black. The language is mainly clean, which I rather appreciate (Adam, old school, won't let anyone swear in front of Jessie or Mercy).
By the way, Mercy is not a typical stock UF character. Quiz yourself with 15 questions about Mercy's age, ancestry, beliefs, occupation, etc.
Mild Spoilers Ahoy: Mercy and friends must rescue an old bookseller (Phin) and Gabriel (Mercy's teenage assistant) from the cruel, ambitious fairy queen, who enthralls her captives under the hill (Underhill). They must not let said fae queen (once called Daphne) get her hands on Silver Borne, a magical artifact of great power, crafted centuries ago by Ariana, under duress.
Such an evil fae villain (was Daphne the fae in A&O, book 2?)
Relationships: Samuel is ready to give up on life, for he has no mate. His wolf is taking over. Mercy helps him stay in the game long enough for a lost love from his ancient past to appear. That relationship was initially built over troubled waters, but the old feelings run deep, so they work it out. Nice!! I wanted more of this story line, but nice. I hope to see more of Samuel and his love in future books.
Meanwhile, Adam and Mercy are trying to develop telepathic mating bonds and pack bonds, and Adam is trying to ease Mercy into bed, but someone in the pack wants Mercy dead, and someone else wants Adam's position as Alpha.
The action never ends, with bounty hunters, fishy fae thugs, explosions, hospitalizations, kidnappings, enthrallment, and dirty pack politicking (jockeying for position). We also get silver garlands, glowing rocks, and a new home for Mercy.
Lots of great interactions with primary and secondary characters, with some showing increased loyalty and courage, and others revealing corruption and cowardice. Secondary characters include Samuel (werewolf, Bran's eldest), Zee (powerful metal-work fae "gremlin" warrior disguised as old mechanic), Jessie (Adam's 17-year-old daughter), Ariana (a "good" fae), etc. Bran plays a fair sized role, too, and his son Charles from the wonderful Alpha and Omega series makes a telephone appearance. We also see Warren/Kyle, Ben, and Daryl/Auriele, as well as Mary Jo/Henry, and Paul.
Sigh! After so much worry -- thinking he'd lost Mercy several times -- Adam's wolf is finally content. The two engage in one delightful (but not explicit) love scene. Even better, Mercy has learned to enjoy the sex, the mating bond, and the pack bonds. She is finally able to let the past go.
Just right. ;-)
One gripe, a decided spoiler!! Why did Briggs let the I wanted to see justice, punishment suited to the serious crime. Harsh, ya think?
Content: Some rather gruesome bloody scenes. One sex scene, but it's sorta fade to black. The language is mainly clean, which I rather appreciate (Adam, old school, won't let anyone swear in front of Jessie or Mercy).
June 30, 2015
"I thought you were dead," he said...
"Stupid," I said. "As if I'd die without taking you with me."
He smiled faintly.
Mercy has grown on me throughout this series. She still isn't as much of a smartass as I would like, but she is becoming more and more fun as time goes on. In this book, she is dealing with Samuel's issues while trying to figure out where Phin, the bookstore owner, has gone. On top of that, she has Adam's pack messing with her because some of them are not happy with her status as Adam's mate. So, there is a lot going on. And, as usual, Mercy ends up dealing with bad guys, getting hurt, going off on her own, etc..etc... And, as usual, it is all without Adam. I don't know why the author gave Mercy a boyfriend who she has to leave on the sidelines every time that Mercy does anything. I get that he is a nice guy, but the fact that he has such a short fuse, and is so over-protective would drive me crazy. I feel like the author has to make up reasons to get Adam out of the way for Mercy to go running off on an adventure without him every book because he would just take over and spoil everything. And, for Mr. Macho Pack Leader, she sure has saved his ass a lot. I'm just saying...
It is nice to see Samuel have a story, but he is in wolf form for much of the book and so we don't get to have him speaking - which is a bummer. And, the bad news is that there is absolutely no Stefan in this book. :(
But, Jesse is developing into a pretty good character, and so is Ben. I would like to see Ben get a storyline in the future.
"Stupid," I said. "As if I'd die without taking you with me."
He smiled faintly.
Mercy has grown on me throughout this series. She still isn't as much of a smartass as I would like, but she is becoming more and more fun as time goes on. In this book, she is dealing with Samuel's issues while trying to figure out where Phin, the bookstore owner, has gone. On top of that, she has Adam's pack messing with her because some of them are not happy with her status as Adam's mate. So, there is a lot going on. And, as usual, Mercy ends up dealing with bad guys, getting hurt, going off on her own, etc..etc... And, as usual, it is all without Adam. I don't know why the author gave Mercy a boyfriend who she has to leave on the sidelines every time that Mercy does anything. I get that he is a nice guy, but the fact that he has such a short fuse, and is so over-protective would drive me crazy. I feel like the author has to make up reasons to get Adam out of the way for Mercy to go running off on an adventure without him every book because he would just take over and spoil everything. And, for Mr. Macho Pack Leader, she sure has saved his ass a lot. I'm just saying...
It is nice to see Samuel have a story, but he is in wolf form for much of the book and so we don't get to have him speaking - which is a bummer. And, the bad news is that there is absolutely no Stefan in this book. :(
But, Jesse is developing into a pretty good character, and so is Ben. I would like to see Ben get a storyline in the future.
November 25, 2014
Seriously, this is one of the most kick ass Urban Fantasy series out there. Mercy is the best type of heroine in that she's so atypical, it's impossible not to love her. She's more likeable than Rachel from the Hollows series by Kim Harrison, she's more down to earth than the pseudo romance-slash-UF series heroines out there. She's the best friend I never had, and considering all the beasties and baddies coming after her, that may be a good thing.
In this installment, the bond between her and Adam is tested over and over. If I ever hand any doubts about their devotion or the strength of the mating bond between this unlikely duo, then all my questions were answered in Silver Borne. Not to mention the entirely new spin she puts on a handful of characters already fitted into the story. So much happens in each Mercy book, I can't even begin to name it all. Suffice it to say, this series is effing amazing.
I'll end with a favorite quote from Adam to Mercy:
"He sighed. "I don't think an apology will do, Mercy. Because an apology implies that you wouldn't do it again. And, under the circumstances, you wouldn't do anything differently, would you?"
"No."
"And you shouldn't have to apologize for being right," he said with a sigh. "Much as I'd like to tell you differently."
Love that guy :D
In this installment, the bond between her and Adam is tested over and over. If I ever hand any doubts about their devotion or the strength of the mating bond between this unlikely duo, then all my questions were answered in Silver Borne. Not to mention the entirely new spin she puts on a handful of characters already fitted into the story. So much happens in each Mercy book, I can't even begin to name it all. Suffice it to say, this series is effing amazing.
I'll end with a favorite quote from Adam to Mercy:
"He sighed. "I don't think an apology will do, Mercy. Because an apology implies that you wouldn't do it again. And, under the circumstances, you wouldn't do anything differently, would you?"
"No."
"And you shouldn't have to apologize for being right," he said with a sigh. "Much as I'd like to tell you differently."
Love that guy :D
March 1, 2023
Mercy’s adventures continue! When she gets a call with a message from Phin to take care of the thing he gave her she can’t help but do some investigating. But everywhere she goes to look for Phin she sees the Fae and realizes she may be getting in over her head again (which of course doesn’t stop her). At the same time Samuel is losing his will to live and with a werewolf that is highly dangerous. I love Mercy’s character and love to see her relationship with Adam develop as she figures out how a coyote can fit into a werewolf pack.
August 30, 2024
Quien iba a decir que un libro de cuentos de fae, escrito por un fae le iba a traer tantos problemas? Y lo peor, es que es prestado!. Pero ese libro es mucho mas de lo que parece en el exterior, y cuando Mercy se da cuenta que es eso lo que están buscando los fae que están détras de ella, haciéndole daño a todos sus amigos, debe buscar la manera de detenerlos. Pero ese no es su único problema, Samuel esta sufriendo de depresión y pareciera que no hay nada que pueda hacer para salvarlo, ¿o sí?
Así que Mercy se debe volver a enfrentar a los fae para proteger a sus amigos, debe descubrir quien de la manada esta jugando con ella, y también debe ayudar a Samuel a salir de su depresión. Podrá con todo antes de que alguien sufra mas?
Este libro me esperaba que fuera mas hacia los vampiros o hacia la política de los hombres-lobo ahora que ella era la pareja del Alfa. Pero resulto totalmente diferente de lo que esperaba. Me gusto bastante como desarrollaron el misterio de quien era el que quería hacerles daño y porque, y también me gusto la forma como resulto la unión de la manada. No me gusto tanto como resolvieron la depresión de Samuel, ni lo de la familia de Gabriel, quiero saber que va a pasar con esos dos de ahora en adelante.
En fin, este libro fue bastante entretenido, hubo partes donde no podía soltarlo, quería saber que iba a pasar, pero al final todo se resolvió, no tan bien como me hubiera gustado, pero se resolvió. Así que seguiré con la serie, esperando ver en que otros problemas se mete nuestra prota y como sale de ellos.
Así que Mercy se debe volver a enfrentar a los fae para proteger a sus amigos, debe descubrir quien de la manada esta jugando con ella, y también debe ayudar a Samuel a salir de su depresión. Podrá con todo antes de que alguien sufra mas?
Este libro me esperaba que fuera mas hacia los vampiros o hacia la política de los hombres-lobo ahora que ella era la pareja del Alfa. Pero resulto totalmente diferente de lo que esperaba. Me gusto bastante como desarrollaron el misterio de quien era el que quería hacerles daño y porque, y también me gusto la forma como resulto la unión de la manada. No me gusto tanto como resolvieron la depresión de Samuel, ni lo de la familia de Gabriel, quiero saber que va a pasar con esos dos de ahora en adelante.
En fin, este libro fue bastante entretenido, hubo partes donde no podía soltarlo, quería saber que iba a pasar, pero al final todo se resolvió, no tan bien como me hubiera gustado, pero se resolvió. Así que seguiré con la serie, esperando ver en que otros problemas se mete nuestra prota y como sale de ellos.
March 18, 2021
4.5 Stars for Silver Borne: Mercy Thompson Series, Book 5 (audiobook) by Patricia Brigs read by Lorelei King. This is such a fun series. I love just the characters. And it’s a real treat getting to listen to Lorelei King do the narration.
September 14, 2016
4.5 stars - great!
This book was yet another winner for me in this series. I really loved it. I laughed a couple of times. . .I cried possibly a couple of times (but definitely after the end). :-)
I wrote the first paragraph of this review immediately after finishing this book. Time is not doing it any favors. Had I written this review yesterday, after finishing it, it probably would have been a five-star story. Now, though? Now I'm thinking it was just 4.5-stars-great.
The main reason for this downgrade is, I think, because I am tired. This was the third book in a row where Mercy was under the spell of the Big Bad. First, in Iron Kissed, she was drugged by Fairy Wine. Then, in Bone Crossed, it was vampire mind control (granted, she wasn't really "under control," but her memories were tampered with). And in this book, she's in thrall thanks to some sort of Fairy collar. I'm tired of this. Sure, Mercy is not the strongest of protagonists, but surely we could read about her getting into some other type of trouble?
And I'm afraid that my feeling tired of the "thrall" storylines is now coloring my impression of this book. It was still a great story, though.
One other problem - but this one doesn't have any bearing on my feelings for the story - is that the short story, "Silver," in Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, was said to be the first half of this book. It really wasn't. Had I not yet read "Silver," I doubt I'd have felt lost when this book got to "that" part. (Meaning the part where )
"Silver" turned out to be a three-part story (so far, at least): Part One was "Silver." Part Two was whichever book told us what happened to Bran afterwards (this was one or two books ago, I think). And this book was Part Three, giving us what happened "next" for Samuel and Ariana.
I guess I haven't talked very much about this book, have I? Sorry about that.
I mentioned laughing out loud a couple of times. . . I LOLed on page 61 and again on page 161. :-)
The first line that made me laugh was more of a scene. It was when Zee said Gabriel's family car's mother was a cola-machine. lol ;-) (That was in Chapter 4.)
The second line was in Chapter 9, when Mercy is talking to a few wolves and Jesse. She is reminded of a time when she "had to take over my sister's Girl Scout troop when my mother had been sick. Fourteen preteen girls, a tableful of werewolves--there were certain monstrous similarities." LOL ;-)
I also mentioned that I might have shed a tear or three sometime in the middle-ish. But I really cannot remember when - or why - that might have been. I definitely shed a few tears in the end, though.
One thing that is good about all of these "thrall" storylines is that they certainly ratchet up the tension. I was so relieved to be able to close the cover of this book that I cried a bit. The ending in and of itself was not one that otherwise would have made me cry. Though it was sweet. :-)
Here is what happens: :-)
I should probably also mention that I'm happy that Samuel But that seemed too easy. Sure it could be the beginning to seeing a once-again-healthy Samuel, but I have a sinking suspicion that this is also the end and that Samuel will be fine for the foreseeable future. Especially since his troubles weren't mentioned again.
So this was a great story for me. I loved it, yadda-yadda-yadda. But. . .
I really hope that we're done with the "thrall" storylines. :-/
EDIT/UPDATE: So I just realized that I forgot to mention. . .once again we had a book that excluded Stefan! No vampires at all were in this book, but Stefan was at least mentioned. Still, though, I wish we could have all of the major secondary characters appear in every book, even if only in a very limited way. :-/
This book was yet another winner for me in this series. I really loved it. I laughed a couple of times. . .I cried possibly a couple of times (but definitely after the end). :-)
I wrote the first paragraph of this review immediately after finishing this book. Time is not doing it any favors. Had I written this review yesterday, after finishing it, it probably would have been a five-star story. Now, though? Now I'm thinking it was just 4.5-stars-great.
The main reason for this downgrade is, I think, because I am tired. This was the third book in a row where Mercy was under the spell of the Big Bad. First, in Iron Kissed, she was drugged by Fairy Wine. Then, in Bone Crossed, it was vampire mind control (granted, she wasn't really "under control," but her memories were tampered with). And in this book, she's in thrall thanks to some sort of Fairy collar. I'm tired of this. Sure, Mercy is not the strongest of protagonists, but surely we could read about her getting into some other type of trouble?
And I'm afraid that my feeling tired of the "thrall" storylines is now coloring my impression of this book. It was still a great story, though.
One other problem - but this one doesn't have any bearing on my feelings for the story - is that the short story, "Silver," in Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, was said to be the first half of this book. It really wasn't. Had I not yet read "Silver," I doubt I'd have felt lost when this book got to "that" part. (Meaning the part where )
"Silver" turned out to be a three-part story (so far, at least): Part One was "Silver." Part Two was whichever book told us what happened to Bran afterwards (this was one or two books ago, I think). And this book was Part Three, giving us what happened "next" for Samuel and Ariana.
I guess I haven't talked very much about this book, have I? Sorry about that.
I mentioned laughing out loud a couple of times. . . I LOLed on page 61 and again on page 161. :-)
The first line that made me laugh was more of a scene. It was when Zee said Gabriel's family car's mother was a cola-machine. lol ;-) (That was in Chapter 4.)
The second line was in Chapter 9, when Mercy is talking to a few wolves and Jesse. She is reminded of a time when she "had to take over my sister's Girl Scout troop when my mother had been sick. Fourteen preteen girls, a tableful of werewolves--there were certain monstrous similarities." LOL ;-)
I also mentioned that I might have shed a tear or three sometime in the middle-ish. But I really cannot remember when - or why - that might have been. I definitely shed a few tears in the end, though.
One thing that is good about all of these "thrall" storylines is that they certainly ratchet up the tension. I was so relieved to be able to close the cover of this book that I cried a bit. The ending in and of itself was not one that otherwise would have made me cry. Though it was sweet. :-)
Here is what happens: :-)
I should probably also mention that I'm happy that Samuel But that seemed too easy. Sure it could be the beginning to seeing a once-again-healthy Samuel, but I have a sinking suspicion that this is also the end and that Samuel will be fine for the foreseeable future. Especially since his troubles weren't mentioned again.
So this was a great story for me. I loved it, yadda-yadda-yadda. But. . .
I really hope that we're done with the "thrall" storylines. :-/
EDIT/UPDATE: So I just realized that I forgot to mention. . .once again we had a book that excluded Stefan! No vampires at all were in this book, but Stefan was at least mentioned. Still, though, I wish we could have all of the major secondary characters appear in every book, even if only in a very limited way. :-/
June 23, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this book. Anyone who has been following my reviews probably already knows how much I love this series and this book was no exception. It was so nice to re-visit this wonderful story and spend more time with characters that I have grown to love. This wasn't the most exciting book in the series or my favorite but it was still a very solid read.
Mercy has a lot to deal with in this installment. She needs to find the owner of the bookstore where she borrowed a very special book in a previous installment. It seems that he might be in some kind of trouble and someone wants to get his hands on the book. Samuel is in crisis and his wolf is in control. Mercy knows that if he doesn't come around quickly then it will be the end for Samuel so she wants to give him some time to sort things out.
There are also a few issues concerning the pack and Mercy's relationship with Adam. Not everyone in the pack is happy to have Mercy as a member. Being a part of a pack is new to Mercy and she isn't used to how easily they can get in her head. Adam and Mercy do love each other and take some steps to get things worked out.
My favorite parts of this book were the sections that dealt with the pack and Adam. It is kind of fun after reading the whole series to see how much things have changed over the course of the series. I think that both Mercy and Adam took some major steps in this book to strengthen their relationship and Mercy's place in the pack. The issues with Samuel were also very well done. I really do enjoy his character and he is really in a bad place for much of this book.
Lorelei King is the voice of Mercy Thompson. She does such a wonderful job narrating this series that I usually want to move to the next book just as soon as I finish a book. The character's emotions really come across perfectly with her narration and she is able to voice a large number of characters very well. I look forward to listening to this narrator many more times in the future.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is a series that really needs to be read in order since the character relationships are a large part of the story. I look forward to continuing with my re-read of this series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
Great story and the audio is very well done.
Source: audible purchase
I really enjoyed this book. Anyone who has been following my reviews probably already knows how much I love this series and this book was no exception. It was so nice to re-visit this wonderful story and spend more time with characters that I have grown to love. This wasn't the most exciting book in the series or my favorite but it was still a very solid read.
Mercy has a lot to deal with in this installment. She needs to find the owner of the bookstore where she borrowed a very special book in a previous installment. It seems that he might be in some kind of trouble and someone wants to get his hands on the book. Samuel is in crisis and his wolf is in control. Mercy knows that if he doesn't come around quickly then it will be the end for Samuel so she wants to give him some time to sort things out.
There are also a few issues concerning the pack and Mercy's relationship with Adam. Not everyone in the pack is happy to have Mercy as a member. Being a part of a pack is new to Mercy and she isn't used to how easily they can get in her head. Adam and Mercy do love each other and take some steps to get things worked out.
My favorite parts of this book were the sections that dealt with the pack and Adam. It is kind of fun after reading the whole series to see how much things have changed over the course of the series. I think that both Mercy and Adam took some major steps in this book to strengthen their relationship and Mercy's place in the pack. The issues with Samuel were also very well done. I really do enjoy his character and he is really in a bad place for much of this book.
Lorelei King is the voice of Mercy Thompson. She does such a wonderful job narrating this series that I usually want to move to the next book just as soon as I finish a book. The character's emotions really come across perfectly with her narration and she is able to voice a large number of characters very well. I look forward to listening to this narrator many more times in the future.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is a series that really needs to be read in order since the character relationships are a large part of the story. I look forward to continuing with my re-read of this series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
Great story and the audio is very well done.
Source: audible purchase
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