WARNING! This review includes fanart and random images (done by me) ^.^V Welcome, to the Urban Fantasy genre! And in the middle of everything comes Mercy Thompson, a half native American mechanic who can turn into a coyote. Having the alpha of a pack of wereloves as your neighbour, a powerful fae as your ex-boss and a vampire among your clients who happens to be a huge Scooby Doo fan, is just one of the few things Mercy has to deel with on every day basis. So when a teenage boy, recently turned werewolf, knocks on the door of her garage office, seeking employment and shelter, Mercy isn't fazed at all ... until someone tries to kidnap the boy and threatens not only her, but the peace between the supernatural and the human world. There are a few titles that tend to pop up when we google "Best Urban Fantasy books" and, whether we like it or not, Patricia Brigg's Moon Called is usually among the top of the list. So what is it that makes this series stand out? There are several possible answers to this question: But seriously, with 10 books out already and with the huge variety in the genre, is Mercy Thompson worth investing your time and money? Here are a few things that impressed me personally. 1. THE WORLD (aka. the way the different creatures fit in our world) WEREWOLVES Werewolves are more than just humans who turn fury at least once a month -the humans coexist together with the wolf inside them. That's why, a werewolf in his human shape often behaves like pack animals by instinct - they follow their alpha's orders, they submit to or try to dominate other pack members in order to move up the chain, hunt together and help eachother out. Whether a pack is thriving or not, depends on the alpha's strenght and ability to dominate and support them. 
The place where magic and legends blend seamlessly with our reality. 
The place where each one of us has to decide...
Cause we all know sometimes ... humanity isn't entertaining enough.
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The supernatural communities have lived hidden in our world for generations until, finally, the fae decided to come out (or at least the weaker and prettier ones). As humanity is trying to adjust to the new addition living among them, the rest of the supernatural creatures are trying to deal with their own roles in society. Some would prefer to remain hidden, such as the vampires, while the werewolves are contemplating to reveal themselves to the public as well. Witches don't really care, everyone thinks they are some hippy religious group which dances naked under the full moon anyways.
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Disclaimer: This review will consider the first 10 books without any spoilers.
Adam from the Columbia Basin Pack (Tri-Cities, Washington), his second - Darryl and his third- Warren.
The Columbia Basin Pack is lead by Adam Hauptman, an ex-soldier and Mercy's current neighbour (whom she enjoys tormenting).
VAMPIRES
Vampires are another popular race in the books and a one that causes humanity more harm than good. Despite the numerous ways a vampire can be killed, finding the resting grounds of one is quite difficult. Therefore their existence is better to avoid public knowledge. Just like the werewolves, social structure is really important - a community of vampires is called a seethe which is ruled by a master (although some vampires can be very territorial and prefer to live alone).
Stefan, the friendly neighborhood vampire
In order to remain hidden, each vampire owns humans(also known as "sheep") from which to feed on and share their blood with. In time, as long as they survive, a "sheep" can turn into a vampire if they and their master so "chose" to.
FAE
Most of the fae in America inhabit one of the four Fae reservations in the country. The ruling fae, aka. The Gray Lords, are the truly beautiful and dangerous ones who remain hidden from humanity. Nevertheless, Mercy is surrounded by other powerful fae, including Zee, her ex-boss and friend, who possesses the rare ability of manipulating iron which is usually deadly for his kind.
The fae are extremely protective of their families, even if they are human or half-human.
WALKERS
Walkers are of Native American descent and are born with the ability to shape-shift into a specific animal. They are generally the offspring of a human and a Native American Diety or their decendants. Unlike the werewolves, the walkers do not have a "split personality" when it comes to their animals and can change forms in an instant. Unfortuantely, they're weaker and much easier to kill.
There are also witches, gods, and a few others, but I don't want to bore you with details.
2. THE CHARACTERS
Mercy isn't a strong and powerful character, she's rarely ever important or capable of dealing with the majority of the supernatural community, but she's brave. She doesn't try to save everyone, but she would go through hell to get you out of trouble if you ask her to.
SIDE CHARACTERS
I would be happy to read a whole book about the life of one of the vampires' sheeps, the submissive werewolf in the pack or pretty much ANY of the side cast. Patricia Briggs knows how to introduce characters in a way that would spark your interest and leave you with just enough information that you would want to know more.
3. AUDIOBOOK
Superb! Audio narration can add so many layers to the reading experience if the narrator fits well. Lorelei King does an Amazing job! Worth it! Update Book 10 has two narrators. I'm not a huge fan of characters sounding different every time the narrator changes.
4. COVERS
The British ones are nothing special, but the Americans...... Oh MY GOD! Such beauty cannot be expressed by mear words! I would buy hard covers just so I can gaze at the artwork...*drools*
5. BEN
Ben, the English werewolf who swears a lot.
WHAT about the bad stuff
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1. PACING
Not gonna lie, the pacing in some of the books was excruciatingly slow for me. From book 1 to 6 it's a hit and miss (3, 5 and 6 were the worst), but the series graudually and surely improves with time ....UPDATE Scratch that, I seriously struggled staying awake during book 10. Glad to see (judging from the reviews) that I was the only one, though.
2. CRINGY STUFF
a. Treatment of women in these books can sometimes feel...uncomfortable. I wish the book rationalized it a little bit more.
b. Some male characters are overly protective, overly possessive, overly controling and have the constant need to dominate ANYTHING, even furniture, to make themselves feel good. To be frank, I've never met a man like that in real life, so as long as you know it's just fiction and don't get triggered by it, you'll be fine.
3. LOVE TRIANGLE
4. ORIGINALITY (or lack of it)
That's a major one! Mercy Thompson is one of the classics, dare I say, in the genre, but if you've read quite a few Urban Fantasies already, I doubt this one will strike as anything unique or original. Bear this in mind.
5. BOOK 10
Book 10 has a non-linear timeline = me confused.com
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Conclusion: Whether Mercy Thompson is one of the best Urban Fantasies today or if it's just another series that is barely worth reading among the huge diversity in this genre, it's up for each person to decide. As usual, a book can never be perfect, but if it is capable of immersing you completely into its world, then the flaws are inconsequential.
Would I reread? Already have. The whole series in fact.
Would I buy a Hardcover copy? Mmmm, just because of the artwork. Otherwise paperbacks are good enough.
Would I recommend to a friend? Ummmmmmmmmm, I would, but it all depends on how many urban fantasies you've read prior to this one. If you DON'T like Urban Fantasy in general, I doubt this one will change your mind.
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Other awesome Urban Fantasies that I totally love and have reviewed (or would...soon).
Bitten (REVIEWED)
(Books in the series: 13, Status: Finished)
Heartstrikers (REVIEWED) - One of the best Urban fantasies out there! It's hilarious, it's original, it's deep and it will most probably end up in your list of favorites. Whether it's humor, cute romance, interesting world-building, MEMORABLE quirky characters, dragon mafia or some of the most intense and epic fights, the Heartstrikers is the series for you!
(Books in the series: 4 Status:Still continuing up to 5...I think)
Alex Verus - (REVIEWED)Another one of my favorites! Who would've thought that divination could be such an awesome power! A series that starts simple, packed with action, cool abilities and world-building, and gradually develops into a wonderful, complex story-telling!
(Books in the series: 9 Status:Still continuing)
Fever - These books came out of nowhere and shook the whole community with its awesomeness.Not sure if the male audience will appreciate it as much as the female, but Fever has a unique mix of horror, gore, murder mystery, fae mythology, monsters and sexy dangerous dudes. Not to mention the setting, Dublin, and the descriptions are just breath-taking. These books made me want to visit Ireland, badly! Important! The series were supposed to finish at book 5, but the author decided to extend them. Some fans were extatic, many were horrified. I'm one of those who tried the sequels and would recommend stopping at book 5.
(Books in the series: 11 Status:Still continuing?, Recommendation: Read the first 5, continue at your own risk)
American Gods - And we can't talk about a book that features Native American mythology, without mentioning American Gods. My reread didn't go so well, but I'll leave this as a recommendation, just in case.
(Books in the series:1 , Status: Finished)
Happy reading!
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