Gwen’s review of Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy/Contemporary paranormal romance released by Ace 29 Jul 08
Patricia Briggs has been on my very short list of favorite writers ever since I read the first book in the Mercy Thompson series, Moon Called, in February 2006. I wait, very impatiently, for each new Mercy release. It looks like I’ll be waiting, equally impatient, for future releases in the “Anna and Charles” series. Yes, it was that good.
With the Mercy Thompson books, Briggs created a world where the paranormal is beginning to take hold in everyday life. “Normal” people are slowly being introduced to the not so normal – fae, vampires, etc. And, soon, werewolves will be part of the known universe. Unless those opposed to the revelation get their way. Cry Wolf is set in Mercy’s world and focuses on the leader of all the American werewolves – the Marrok – and his pack, of which Charles and Anna, our hero and heroine, are part.
(First – sincere apologies for the grammar in this paragraph, but I just can’t force myself to adhere to The Rules tonight.) One of the things I like the most about Briggs’s writing is how rich in detail it is. Her world has a smell and taste, and I can feel the characters’ environment on every page. The writing isn’t bogged down one bit by this attention to detail – in fact, it is all dovetailed with extraordinary emotional development. Briggs has an elegance to her pacing and phrasing that delivers a punch in every sentence. And, thankfully, Briggs has not written Cry Wolf in first person – unlike Mercy’s books.
The lead characters in Cry Wolf, Anna and Charles, share large portions of the stage with Charles’s father and other members of his pack. Even so, we get to know Anna and Charles very well, and they’re more than one dimensional characters in this book. The beginning of their relationship is in the short story “Alpha and Omega”, however, so be aware that if you pick this book up without reading it, you may feel a bit at sea with some details. I recommend reading it before read Cry Wolf, though I think someone familiar with Mercy’s world could skip it.
Where the Mercy books are strictly urban fantasy with really no HEA’s, this book definitely has one. The emotional development is very satisfying and the action is gripping. I can’t say enough good about this book without gushing very unbecomingly.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of paranormal romance. I highly recommend the Mercy books to anyone who loves urban fantasy, as well. I also highly recommend Briggs’s writing to anyone who simply likes an elegant turn of phrase.
Grade: A
Summary:
Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack… and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer – and son – of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.
Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf – a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
- The prequel to the Alpha and Omega series is the short story “Alpha and Omega” in the anthology On the Prowl. Read my review here.
What’s next for Briggs:
- Briggs’s short story, “Star of David,” is in the Christmas anthology Wolfsbane & Mistletoe and is in Mercy’s world. Excerpt here. Releases in Dec 08.
- Book 4 in the Mercy Thompson series, Bone Crossed, releases 3 Feb 09. There’s an excerpt in the back of Cry Wolf. Squeee!
Must buy this one.
I’ve been a fan of Briggs since Dragon Bones. I think her trad fantasy is even better than her urban fantasy.
I’ll have to look it up, Liv. All I’ve read is this series and the Mercy series. If the rest is of equal quality, I’ll be in what my mom calls “hoggie heaven.”
You need to get commission. I actually wasn’t intending to buy this because the blurb made it sound to me as though it was the same story as in the antho.
Dawn – Cry Wolf picks up just hours after the novella ends. I almost wish I had skimmed the novella before I started reading the book. Briggs doesn’t do a lot of info dumping – one of the reasons I don’t really recommend this as a cold read, though I think it could be done.
This is a really terrific, gripping story about how these two people came together under some serious conditions. Both get hurt, it’s snowing, a crazy ass witch is chasing them, you name it. Great book.
I agree with Liviania – her fantasy novels are superb. You need to read the Hurog series, Gwen. There is a difference in the writing.
Gwen, I love Patricia Briggs, wether it is her urban or her traditional fantasy she is one of the best. This story of Anna and Charles was fantastic, but I liked how she “fleshed” (sorry) some of the characters we have come to love in the Mercy books. Bran blew me away, his love for his sons and his pack… Samuel with his loneliness and how he was quitely giving up. While this book falls timewise between Moon Called and Blood Bound it was nice to see some of the missing moments between the 2 books. Patricia’s publisher is reissuing some of her backlist with “updated” covers and they are worth picking up.