River Marked

Patty Briggs is one of my favorite writers, and I think Mercy is one of my favorite characters. She is ballsy and doesn't take any prisoners. But she is not super woman, I think one of the hardest scenes I ever read was where Mercy was sexually assaulted in a previous book, her recovery from that incident I think is some of Briggs' best writing.

But on to the actual book, it started out a little slow for me. I think Briggs was trying to establish an intimate relationship with Adam and Mercy, but it honestly just felt to drag on. The last half of the book picks up and became a very enjoyable read. Briggs is one of the fantasy writers that doesn't stay in one or two of the supernatural categories, she is willing to include any and all show more supernatural elements, and she blends them in such a way that is still cohesive for the reader as well as entertaining. This book is no exception. There is interaction with her vampire friend who needs Mercy's help, the werewolf pack Mercy is no married into, the fae sending Mercy and Adam to the honeymoon spot as well as the Fae villains, as well as the exploration of Mercy's heritage which brought in a whole new supernatural element never explored before.

Mercy has always been an outsider in the books, she is the only one of her kind, or so she thought. As a coyote raised by wolves, I believe that Mercy has always been content with the road her life went down. She has even mentioned in prior books that she has looked in mildly to her heritage but never really took it further. This book changes all of that, her heritage rises up to meet her.

I love the Native American culture, and I love that Briggs did not just make this about one specific tribe, in fact in the end Mercy is the child of all of the tribes because her father is one of the remaining immortal figures Coyote that serve the Great Spirit that all of the Native Americans believe in. The extensive culture that Briggs explores in this book is amazing, and it is great that she was able to not only make a plot that was interesting to the reader but also gives Mercy more depth and a clear and remaining link to her past, that is sure to show up in the following books.

The book was full of small sentimental moments that long time fans of these series would appreciate. I believe my favorite of these moments would be Bran at Mercy's wedding, acting all parts of the father he really feels he is to Mercy. Seeing the bond Mercy had developed with the most powerful werewolf in the world is something so sweet and special. I also love that Mercy is becoming more and more like a mother to Jesse, they have always had a good dynamic together, but it has begun to really evolve into a parent and child dynamic that has been so great to watch evolve.

I also really love the small moments Mercy has with Stefan. Stefan was a main element in the prior book. One of my biggest issues with a lot of series writers is they forget the prior books existed for some characters, the main character always remains changed but the others just seem to be along for the ride. Briggs never does that to her characters. While Stefan was not a main player this time around, she didn't forget him and showed him as the damaged vampire he should be. And true to her form Mercy does everything she can to help him heal. And in the end when Mercy herself is healing from the situation within this book, Stefan comes along to help her as well. The moment between the two of them at the end was sweet not just because of Stefan caring for Mercy when he was still clearly not completely well himself, but also the interaction Coyote and Stefan have together. Mercy is clearly a character that has the ability to unite elements of the supernatural that prefer to remain separate and also typically at odds.

Over all this is a book I loved reading, even though it to in my opinion, took far to long to pick up. The continual mundane activities that Mercy and Adam go through for so much of the beginning of the book reminds me almost of how Harry Potter's last book seemed to go on forever when they were on the run, it was just more and more of the same over and over again for far to many pages. I also think she made the river monster far to large, I think she could have made the monster even slightly smaller and way more believable within that context. But overall I think the book was great, probably my second favorite of her books. show less

At the start of "River Marked", I found myself smiling. I was glad to be back in Mercy's company and pleased that she has been granted some happiness. Patricia Briggs writes in a way that makes me feel that I'm going, if not home, then at least back to a favourite place when I open a Mercedes Thompson book. That's a rare gift.

Mercy is getting married. Honest. Any day soon. If she can survive her mother's plan-everything-down-to-the-last-second approach. As the wedding plans devolved into chaos my smile broadened. This felt warm and real.

When the Fae offered a fancy mobile home for Mercy's honeymoon and a free stay at a perfect spot and I grinned harder, knowing that bad things were bound to follow.

The honeymoon takes place on the show more Columbia River, near Horsethief Lake Park in Washington and the Bad Thing is drawn from Native American traditions and is a lot scarier than the vampires and most of the Fae we've met so far. This monster is hunger incarnate and people are its favourite prey.

I liked the way this story used Mercy's Native American heritage and of course, her Walker/Coyote nature to give her a better understanding of herself without getting all soppy about it and without sentimentalising Native American Myths. There were clever links to the pictographs and the scene in the local standing stones was very well done. I loved the fact that Mercy's magical nature meant she could see things the young shaman-in-training wanted to believe in but had not yet managed to see.

This time, even though Adam is at her side, it is Mercy who must save the day. She gets help from some surprising places, including meeting with Coyote himself. Patricia Briggs manages to balance, magic, myth, murderous violence with humour and compassion in a way I find very pleasing.

The book also moves Mercy on. It gives her happiness and security and demonstrates her strength while still showing her as vulnerable. The letter Mercy wrote to Adam, to be opened if she didn't survive her encounter with the Big Bad, summed her up perfectly. show less

I adore this series! A strong-willed, tough, bad ass chick, and the werewolf who loves her on honeymoon? Rawr! ...except for that nasty monster in the river near their secluded campground, of course...

Mercy and Adam arrive at their honeymoon spot - a campground that turns out to belong to some of the Fey - and have to solve a mystery of disappearing locals and visitors. Creepy and suspenseful and, of course, sexy!

Recommended (but start at the beginning of the Mercy Thompson books! Moon Called is #1)

I love reading a new Mercy Thompson book. But when I close the last pages I want to sigh because it means I have another year to go before there will be another installment. "River Marked" is Adam and Mercy's book. Its almost an ode to their relationship...mixed with death, dismemberment and child killings. The book starts out with a bang. Mercy visits Stefan, who has been missing in action for too darn long. She helps to pull him from his depression following the devastating events from the last time we saw him. Then she and Adam get married. That entire event is hysterical and so perfect for the couple. The side cast of characters are all present and it is like visiting with old friends. Then the story truly starts as Mercy and Adam show more go to a deserted campgrounds in a borrowed trailer for their honeymoon. The find trouble, because they are Mercy and Adam after all!

There is an ancient monster in the Columbia River killing people that it lures into its waters. The idea of the monster in the river is actually very simple but also entirely the creepiest villian I have read about it awhile. I unfortunately found the creature far too easy to dispose of and that was a bit of a letdown. I think the main thing readers are supposed to get out of "River Marked" are the details about Mercy's heritage. We discover much about her status as a shifter and her father. She meets a man called Coyote who brings up as many questions as he does answers. While I enjoyed getting the backstory I also felt this was truly where the book stumbles a bit. There was just far too much information being given in too little time. Some of the more supernatural aspects of the story confused me but they confused Mercy also. I agree with those who mentioned that there were too many new characters in "River Marked". It was hard at time to keep all the newbies straight.

I actually really liked the fact that Adam and Mercy were removed from their everyday environment. It was nice to take in some different scenery and to see them just being together and enjoying each other. Mercy an Adam are truly meant for each other...readers can feel the love between the two, which is quite a testament to Brigg's writing. Mercy if one of the strongest female leads in Urban Fantasy. She is so darn likeable. She rarely has a 'too stupid to live' moment. She does stupid things sometimes but its when she truly has no other choice. I loved how Mercy and Adam are portrayed when working through an argument. (I could strive to be that patient in my own marriage.)

The book was not without a few flaws. It wasn't my favorite in the series but it was still darn strong considering the series is six books strong. If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy this book, and especially this series, is a must read. show less

I love the Mercy Thompson series and have looked forward to each book, but I have to say this installment fell short. The title refers to an ancient evil monster that Mercy doesn't even learn about until more than halfway through the book. So, what happened in that first half? Not a whole lot, as it turns out.

The first half is almost a house-keeping exercise. We haven't seen Stefan since the devastating events of Bone Crossed. So, Mercy visits him only to learn that he, and consequently his menagerie, are wasting away in apathy; he needs a friend to shake him out of it. Then we have Adam and Mercy's long delayed wedding and honeymoon. Readers get cameos from just about everyone important to Mercy. It's not to say I didn't enjoy reading show more the first half (especially the wedding) - I love the characters and even their mundane activities kept me turning the pages. But, as far as plot goes, this book felt like a short story stretched unnecessarily into a novel. There was a lot of incredibly detailed, and I think unnecessary, description in the story. It felt like every character and setting introduced was described down to the smallest stitch of clothing.

The second half was an exciting read. Readers get more information on Mercy's heritage, the return of Coyote and his contemporaries (Hawk, Wolf, etc.), a great battle and more world-building. The book also had a lot of the humor that makes Mercy so much fun to read - she's not kicking ass, she's winning through courage and cunning, with a lot of help from friends. Overall, fans will no doubt enjoy this but I'm not sure it's worth the price of a hardcover. Here's hoping the next book gives these wonderful characters, and readers, a more complex plot to chew on. show less

Years after first meeting her standoffish neighbor Adam, Mercy and Adam have fallen in love, negotiated with each other about the kind of life they can share, and are at last married. But a borrowed trailer to use on their honeymoon comes with a catch--the fae want Mercy to investigate a band of otterfae that recently escaped from the fae reservation. The plot is pretty straightfoward; what really wowed me about this book was the relationship between Mercy and Adam and the climactic battle near the end. Romances abound in the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre, but theirs is easily my favorite. Neither is my type, nor is their relationship my favorite kind to be entertained by (that I reserve for witty banter-y types like show more Beatrice&Benedick), but their love for each other is so solid, and comes across in so many ways large and small, that I was completely charmed. I like that they each feel comfortable and safe with the other. And their love and trust is Mercy's last asset in her final battle: when all else fails, when all her allies are gone and her last obsidian blade has broken, she fights with no weapons and a broken leg rather than let Adam down. That is some hardcore epic shit, and I ate it up with a spoon. show less

Coming into a series of novels four or five in sometimes can be easy other times difficult. For me this was a bit difficult in that River Marked was a payoff novel for fans. By that I mean the central characters have happy endings, new beginnings and there is some closure.
It was an enjoyable read, the pace of the novel is pretty good but I just felt like it lacked something. There seemed to be slabs of text that did not drive the story forward and I wondered why they were there. It might be because I have never read any previous books that I missed the point for the descriptions and explanations. Plus the whole possessiveness of the two main characters, being in love I get it, being so possessive that you do not like anyone touching show more your partner is bordering on plain creepy.
For fans, I am sure this book will go down a treat. For me it was not enough to want me go back and read the start of the series. show less