Customer Reviews

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, Book 3)

5 star:		(177)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

In this latest installment Mercy is thrust directly into fae affairs as she struggles to clear Zee of murder. Someone has been stealing fae relics and killing those who owned them-a transgression that not even the Gray Lords will stand for. Someone will have to pay the price and that means Mercy and Zee might end up being the fall guys.

It is not necessarily the plot line that attracts readers to this series but the tenuous relationships between the characters. It strongly conjures up similarities to Moning's "Fever" series and Hamilton's "Meredith Gentry" series with one striking difference; while Moning might take us to the front lines of the fae/mortal battle, Brigg's provides only an intoxicating glimpse, concentrating her creative talents on character development.

But that shouldn't discourage readers-this is where Brigg's strength lies. But there is a tone of seriousness to this story not present in earlier novels and fans might be taken aback. For those who have read Kim Harrison's series-remember Rachel and Kisten? Well the tone is just as serious because this 3rd book is the catalyst, and important decisions and events occur.

Mercy finally chooses between Samuel and Adam. Mercy, Adam, Samuel, Ben, Zee and pack politics are fleshed out enough to both satisfy and leave readers clamoring for more. Briggs also touches on a seriously traumatic event that Mercy experiences, and handles it both in a sensitive and cautious way. This event, and the subsequent actions of her characters lend a permanence that will stay long in readers minds.

Brigg's has proven she can stand with the best writers of supe fiction. Mercedes Thompson is just as enigmatic and strong has Armintrout's Carrie Ames, Armstrong's Elena Michaels, and Moning's Mackayla Lane. After waiting a while for this third novel to come out, I was deeply satisfied with the outcome-read it twice in one day though the ending seemed somewhat incomplete-perhaps a ploy to keep us wanting more-at least it worked for me. It delivers on many levels and I can't wait for the next one. Kudos!Copyright(c)Nicola Mattos

Someone's killing fae on the Umatilla Reservation. Mercy (Mercedes) Thompson gets called in by her mentor, Zee, to help see if she can scent out the killer. She's a skinwalker, possibly the only one in existence, and her sense of smell could provide the fae with information to solve the case.

While she's investigating, she also discovers a secret and now she understands far better why the fae were so willing to have permitted themselves to be locked up on reservations. Unfortunately, the rulers of the fae, the Gray Lords, know she knows and that could pose a problem since they keep their secrets close.

Very shortly after, a reservation guard is savagely murdered. Zee is the prime suspect, literally caught red handed while the guard's blood is cooling. Zee goes to jail and refuses to speak a word in his defense despite Mercy hiring the best criminal defense lawyer she can for him.

Despite warnings from the fae, Mercy takes the case. In order to find the killer, she's going to have to use more than just her nose.

Mercy Thompson novels are some of the best serial fiction in urban fantasy. Patricia Briggs excels at character development and not rushing relationships or even growth on her people. Her characters are also good at staying in character.

The mystery in this plot is almost as good as the fantasy. Ms. Briggs has a talent for dramatic writing and she can sink a barb deeper than a mad porcupine. She also did keep me guessing until very near the end of the novel, which is not that common even for hardcore mystery writers.

What is most interesting about Briggs' writing is her worldbuilding. What happens to the world when the supernaturals come out? Many authors have posited an alternative world with this type of scenario. In many ways, I think Patricia Briggs' guess is one of the most interesting and accurate. And as the old saw goes, "those who do not study history are destined to repeat it." Well, those who do study history will strongly recognize the common patterns from Ms. Briggs' books to our history, particularly reservations and the level of hate group activity.

Mercy Thompson Books in Order:

Moon Called (Book 1)
Blood Bound (Book 2)
Iron Kissed (Book 3)

I read a review here that said the ending was bittersweet. I am a romance novel reader first and foremost and almost always require a satisfying (read happy) ending to my books and I felt that Iron Kissed delivered on that regard.

I won't provide a summary because I think other reviews and the blurb does a good job. This book, more than the previous two, is packed with emotion, mystery, romance, and fantasy providing a full bodied read for the urban fantasy fan. Mercy is at a crossroads in her relationships with the two men in her life, Samuel and Adam Hauptman. Both are alpha werewolves although Samuel has no pack and Adam is the alpha of Tri Cities werewolf pack. Mercy must decide which one she loves more because Adam has declared his feelings for her and her lack of definitive response is weakening the clan.

When her mechanic mentor, Siebold Adelbertsmiter aka Zee, calls upon her to repay a favor to the Fae, she is grateful for the distraction. There have been several unsolved murders on the Fae reservation and the magic which the fae can call on without incurring the wrath of the Grey Lords has been insufficient in finding the perpetrator. Mercy is called in to use her nose to see if she can find an identifying scent of the murderer.

She does and completes her task only to receive a call that Zee has been accused of murder himself. Zee is a surrogate father figure for Mercy and it spurs her into finding out who is the real murderer. This investigation triggers a whole set of terrible consequences for Mercy.

Mercy eventually figures out who did the killing but not before something tragic (and I know this is an overused word but it is totally appropriate here) befalls her. In order for her to move on, she must come to terms emotionally and physically with this tragedy. The way in which this tragedy was worked into the story was organic to the mystery. I never felt manipulated.

As a reader of primarily romance, this hit all the right buttons for me. There is a depth of emotion in this book not often found in the urban fantasy trope. Many times urban fantasy is compelling for external motivations: world building, mystery, action. The last third of this story, though, was truly emotional. I was moved to tears at Mercy's struggle with the aftermath of her tragedy and grateful for her eventual triumph.

The love triangle was resolved beautifully and not in a way that I saw coming. I generally hate love triangles, particularly when the author is skilled in making me believe that both are good choices. Samuel and Adam are both decent, honorable men. They also both have their overbearing negatives. I was torn going into the story about which Mercy should choose and while I wanted her to choose someone, I wasn't sure which one and when. The way in which the triangle was resolved was subtle and satisfying. I felt <em>good</em> when I read how the triangle concluded.

If readers haven't picked up a Mercy Thompson book, I think they could start with Iron Kissed although I am sure reading one will spur the desire to read the previous two in the series. It's definitely a series I recommend to romance readers, particularly those that enjoy strong fantasy elements.

I hesitate to give out perfect grades, but I've read this book three times since I received it and each time was transportative. I don't know that it was a perfectly crafted book but it was perfect for me.

Just a note to clarify some speculation that this is the end of the Mercy Thompson series. It is not. Patricia Briggs is contracted for 4 more Mercy Thompson books and has started book 4.

I really like Patricia Briggs as a writer. I really liked the first two Mercy Thompson books -- the characters, the setting, the backstories, everything is thought out and well written.

And there were even a lot of things I liked about _Iron_Kissed_, like finding out more about Zee and the fairy reservation.

But for some unknown reason, dark urban fantasy (or whatever this particular genre is called) has developed a fixation with rape. Some series seem to have escaped that, but far too many (the first book in Kate Daniels series, both the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series, others as well) seem to have some sort of contractual obligation to write in a rape or near-rape of either the main character or someone who the main character is close to and helpless to save. I'm not sure why it's showing up in so many series, if it's suddenly become a fad among writers or if somewhere there is a group of editors who think it's the next hot thing, but I personally hate it.

So, trying to not completely spoil everything, I'll say someone gets sexually assaulted in this book, and it's devastating for them, but I won't say who. Patricia Briggs does a good job dealing with it, in that the actual assault is not overly dwelt on in too much detail, the villain gets punished and there's a lot of good writing where the other characters help the victim deal with the trauma and get back on their feet. But I'll be a lot happier when urban / dark urban / contemporary fantasy gets over its fascination with this.

So, this review comes after reading the novel, several reviews, and sleeping on it. So, first things first. It is probably a 4 3/4 star book, but that's not an option =) I liked this book very, very much. Patricia Briggs tops my list as an author that I love to read, and more importantly, re-read. She writes at a satisfying length (though I do wish for longer books sometimes, so I can keep reading), with complex characters that are nonetheless tangible and realistic. Also, she resists going with the "happy-happy" trend I have observed recently. Her characters go through difficult, or possibly destroying, events, yet they always end with a note of hope, fragile though that may be. In this I find her writing to be reminiscent of Holly Lisle or Ann Bishop, who often use their characters with a brutal lack of care for "gentler" conventions. However she never leaves them dangling (or in some cases reveling) in their pathos, to their (or our) annoyance. She leaves us with a clean taste, and in some cases a deeper thought about "what-if's" and the unusual ways possible to triumph over tragedy.

So, on to Iron Kissed.

As referred to in other reviews, there were interesting conclusions in this book for previously established thread plots. She further developed some characters, most notably Ben (in my opinion). Ben is almost developing into an anti-hero, whom you like in spite of himself. In a broader view he reminds you that people who act awfully often have been the victims of awful events, but that the choice to move beyond the event instead of being consumed by the event is completely up to the "victim".

I do agree that in many ways Samuel was marginalized, but also understand that there are four more books coming (as well as novellas, etc). Within these four books Ms. Briggs has been "gently advised" to keep Mercy's love life "complicated". Ah, commercialism at its best. So, personally I am willing to put up with that in order to see more of Mercy's world. Additionally, I believe that Mercy and Sam discussed there being attraction (not the lack). If this was resolved a bit abruptly I applaud Ms. Briggs for not dragging the resolution on into the next 11 novels (oh wait, she's only contracted for four more, I must be thinking of someone else). As an audience I appreciate the cauterization, as it were.

This book is a more serious examination of Mercy, which allows her to continue to mature and develop as a character. In some ways it is grim, and I admit to re-reading the last 50 pages or so 3 times, to better absorb the emotional impact. To those who thought that the event was "trivialized" by Mercy's "quick recovery and playing ghost whisperer", I would suggest waiting, as well as considering another thought. When a person feels helpless, taking action where possible makes the helplessness less unbearable.

On a side note, I would suggest that her acceptance by the Adam's pack is perhaps an illustration of how much circumstances differ between his and the Marrok's Pack. Even in Moon Called Mercy was treated somewhat courteously by the local pack females, as opposed to Leah (and subsequently Leah's subs) who openly persecute Mercy. Adam has made it clear that he will not tolerate such treatment, where Bran did no such thing.

Overall, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. No book is perfect, and I have always enjoyed Ms. Briggs' writing. If this book had moments that were not all I hoped, I can honestly say no book or author has ever been everything I hoped for. But, I don't want perfection, because perfection is boring. So, sit back, get comfy, and enter Mercy's world, if you dare.

I'm agreeing with all the people who've said that it's a great book. It is. The character development in it is amazing, and I didn't see the twists coming at all. However, I think that the sudden change in tones in the series might be too much for some readers who've loved the previous books. It worked for me, but that's my personal taste. It is much more somber in tones, and I can see why someone would call it depressing. That said, with a good friend and mentor in prison for a murder he didn't commit, what other tone would Mercy take? She's been through a lot in the last two books, and there are going to be some emotional backlashes from it.

The end of the love triangle was bittersweet. I was disappointed at first, I'll admit. It had been built up and built up, and you could practically smell the testosterone in the air, and even the other pack members warning of impending danger if Mercy didn't decide between them soon, and then...it was over before anything really happened. But the more I think about it, I think about how perfect it was. I don't think Briggs wrote one of the guys out just because she didn't know how else to end it. Briggs is a clever woman, she could have done anything with him. If nothing else, she could have had the fae kill him off. I think (SPOILER) she had Sam back down because it was the honorable thing to do. Sam is an old werewolf, and we all know that old habits die hard. Even in this book, it's mentioned how much werewolves hate change, so is it really that hard to believe that Sam had a hard time admitting his true feelings? And even then, he's still a guy, of course he's going to give Adam hell just because he can.

The ending did feel abrupt, especially after the trauma Mercy goes through. That is my biggest bone with the book, and the reason it received four stars instead of five. I'm definitely happy to hear there are more coming along.

There's only one thing I can say about this book for people like myself: Skip pages 227 to 276. The little "tragedy, traumatic experience, etc" that Mercy goes through will give you nightmares and put you in an emotionally bad place if you've experienced her "tragedy" and aren't prepared to read about it.

So here's the spoiler/needed warning: Mercy is manipulated, controlled and violated in mind, body and spirit (raped) by the killer. The werewolf Ben understands completely since he was sexually abused as a child.

The book is good. If you're at a point in your life where you can watch this type of "trauma" on TV or read it in a book without going back to that place, than you don't need to skip any pages. If you haven't reached that point, skip it. You'll still get the gist of everything and understand the ending if you skip those 49 pages; but with your psyche intact.

DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND: If you have first-hand experience with one or (like me) both of these situations, there is nothing gentle, kind or cautious in these 49 pages for those who have been there and definitely not for those that still have moments where the memories come out of nowhere and deliver a sucker punch to your spirit. This is a great book, but you'll hate it if you haven't "recovered" enough to recognize and deal with the fact that your misery is simply a great plot point for the media at large.

If you know someone who has experienced this, DO NOT be dumb enough to give them this book as a way to "deal" or give them hope. The book is fiction and so is Mercy's way of "dealing with it" and blindingly fast "recovery" for the majority of the people who've actually been in Mercy's shoes. Ben is the figure for someone who's "recovered and learned to deal," not Mercy.

I think I've repeated myself enough to hopefully give warning to those who need it. The story is great, I saw nothing wrong with the love triangle and I think the overall tone of the book makes sense when you combine the events of the first two books with this one. This is a true book series, so you need to read the books in order to understand the dynamic of the various character relationships.

In final reference to my warning, I think a friend summed it up best: "The rape was pointless. I think losing her arm would've been more traumatic for Mercy."

Wow, I am trying to figure out what book the "negative nellys" are reading because it isn't the book I read. Iron Kissed is a very pleasing third book for me - yes, it is much more serious than the other two - but it is so well written and necessary to advance the characters and the overall story. I will admit I was mad when the book ended because I wanted more, but not mad in the sense that I was disappointed. I think this book showed the depth to Mercy and opened up the character of Ben for me. I say well done!

This third book in the Mercy Thompson series is set in a more serious tone than the first two -- fair warning to those who prefer their novels to be lighthearted with a happily ever after ending, this book is not that. This story is somber with grim overtones, but unlike some others, I found that this was appropriate for the third novel because it shows Mercy's character growing in depth and experience.

*SPOILER ALERT* I was, however, disappointed like some other reviewers before me in the conclusion of the romantic build-up between Mercy, Samuel, and Adam (and not just because I was a pro-Sam fan). I found it very anticlimatic and somewhat confusing that both characters (Samuel and Mercy) just suddenly seemed to wake up and say "you know what, you're right. I'm not attracted to you, I don't desire you, and I do love you but I'm not IN love with you." It just seemed weird to me. Maybe I could understand that kind of attitude from Mercy, especially given their past history, but Sam as well? It just seemed to me that he would have felt a lot more for her since he'd been pursuing her for the better part of a year. Given his prolonged courting of her -- you would have thought he'd have realized long before then that he wasn't even attracted to her!!!! I mean that's a long time to chase someone only to then do an about face and then say he wasn't physically attracted to her, didn't desire her, and didn't want her for his mate. If that was the case why did he pursue her in the first place? Ms. Briggs anticlimatic conclusion to the love triangle just didn't make much sense to me. I would have understood more if Sam had been upset at not being chosen, that would at least be logical. But to just have Sam shrug it off with the excuse that "I don't desire you anyway -- oh but I do care for you like a sister/packmate" was crazy considering he had been previously obsessed with her.

Regardless of that minor complaint, this was an excellent book that showed us a great deal about all of the characters involved, Mercy, Adam, Sam, Honey and her husband, Jesse and Gabriel, Zee, Uncle Mike, and especially Ben. Ms. Brigg's shows us her wonderful ability to capture her characters in depth and realism. And while this is definitely the best thing about her novels, Iron Kissed also keeps us hooked with the mystery solving, Mercy's sleuthing abilities, and the tantalizing glimpse into the Fae world. The trauma that Mercy goes through, and Adam's reaction to it, moved me to tears at times. Though the cliffhanger-like ending did irritate the heck out of me, it definitely did its job. I can't wait to read the next in the series and hope I don't have to wait another agonizing year to find out!

It is sort of hard writing a review of this book without getting into heavy spoilers...nevertheless, I will try.

I did enjoy it. We get to see a lot more of the fae, who are very interesting to me (I love old Celtic legends about them).

The mystery itself is a good one, with a lot of twists and turns.

Mercy makes a choice between the men in her life, which is a relief (I think another well known series of books has turned me off of paranormal fiction love triangles for life).

But all that said, this is a much darker book than the first two in this series. Since I do not want to get into spoilers, I will only say that some pretty horrible things happen to Mercy over the course of this book. Bad enough that I could see some people having trouble with them. Thankfully, they are not graphically described and are handled very sensitively (especially in the aftermath).

However, I can also see Mercy becoming a stronger character in the long run due to the troubles she encounters here. I could see it leading to some great character development in future books in the series.