Review: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

River Marked is the 6^th installment in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.   As I stated in my review of the 5^th installment, Silver Borne, I wouldn’t suggest starting the series this far in.  Start from the beginning.  You wont regret it. 

River Marked took a much different turn from the rest of the series to show you a side of Mercy that we, as readers, have not been terribly familiar with.  Mercy has been an independent and strong willed (to the point of staunch defiance) female lead.  She has bucked any sort of reigns being put on her from day one.  River Marked shows us a distinctly different side of Mercy.  This Mercy is loving and devoted to Adam.  He’s everything to her now and she admits that she needs him.  Not at all the Mercy we have all come to know and love. 

Another great thing about River Marked is the stories.  This book takes a pretty deep dive into Native American folklore.  I don’t know if the stories used are actual existing stories or if Patricia Briggs crafted them specifically for River Marked but the stories are fantastic.  They offer up a much different feel to the book than you are used to. 

River Marked also explores the source of Mercy’s gift of shape-shifting into a coyote.   The book brings to light the actual reasons that Mercy is able to change and she learns a lot about her own heritage, all of this making her feel a lot less alone in the world. 

River Marked flows nicely and brings a historical feel to the table.  This was a fantastic read and a great way to give some answers for questions that have been hanging in the air since the first book in the series.  I can not wait for the next book in the series to come out.  Unfortunately, you have to wait until Spring of 2012 for the release of the as yet untitled 7^th book in the Mercy Thompson series.  Overall, River Marked earns 5 stars!!

On a side note, if you are interested in actually meeting the woman that created Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs is a guest at the 2011 WorldCon (August 17-21,RenoNevada).  For more information, go to: www.renovationsf.org