Book: Silver Borne
ISBN-13: 978-0441018192
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson Series No. 5
Publisher: Ace Hardcover
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release: March 30, 2010
Length: 352 pages (Hardcover)
Rating: C+ (80 / 100)
Verdict
In her fifth installment in the excellent Mercy Thompson Series, Patricia Briggs strays from the tumultuous action of her previous books in favor of developing her character’ personal relationships, arguably shifting the genre of the title from urban fantasy to paranormal romance. The result is that Silver Borne is much more feminine than previous books in the series. However, the effect isn’t at all disappointing. As skillfully as she’s built her characters, Silver Borne is still a gripping read.
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Pros: Excellent character development. Great dialog. Deeply engrossing drama.
Cons: Frustratingly little action. Not a lot of story arc between novels. No vampires.
Synopsis
In Brief: Mercy has something one of the Fae want, and unless she discovers which fae before they corner her, it might be curtains for her. But when a when a reality television star bursts into her office, things begin to get a bit bumpy.
Official: When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam’s life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live…
Review
Silver Borne opens some months after the event of the 2009 Bone Crossed with the were-Coyote and full-time auto mechanic Mercy settling into her relationship with Adam, alpha of the local werewolf pack. From there, the plot thickens as Mercy is faced with a series of personal challenges in rapid succession.
Briggs has a powerful talent for breathing life into the most unlikely of characters in surprisingly short order and cloaking them in a sweeping mythology that leaves you wanting more. As a result, her series stays fresh and readable, making it worthy time investment for urban fantasy lovers.
The biggest shortcoming of Mercy Thompson Series is that, while character development carries from one book to the next, there is very little story arc between entries in the series. There is no arch nemesis looming in the background of Briggs’ novels. There is very little mystery in the past of her protagonist’s background. And there doesn’t seem to be any obvious final showdown creeping up. Some readers will find this break from the mold of the genre refreshing. Others may find it irritating.
The established pattern for the urban fantasy genre is for the protagonist to accumulate assets and knowledge used in each subsequent plot, as the odds slowly mount against the character. Briggs eschews this model in favor of emotionally complex characters and tightly-written, character-driven dramas that leave no loose ends.
The upswing is that this series has a lot more staying power than other series, such as Laurell K. Hamilton’s stuff. (How many times in a row can a fairy princess uncover a new magical power by having kinky sex?) The down side is that – trying not to be a complete sexist here – these books do seem written for female audiences, rather than the comic book crowd sometimes seen haunting the fantasy aisle.
The further the series progresses the farther apart the knock-em down fights are spaced and the more Briggs dwells on matters of the heart.
The bottom line is that fans of the previous books in The Mercedes Thompson Series won’t be disappointed with Silver Borne. And, while guys shouldn’t hesitate to give these books a try, beginning with the excellent Moon Called, the ladies are going to be more pleased with Silver Borne than the guys.
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Further Information
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