Customer Reviews

Mercury's War (Breeds, Book 16)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mercury Warrant was created to be one of the greatest Breeds ever to exist. Both lion and man, Mercury epitomized the Breed ideal, until the day he heard his mate - the one woman born to be his and his alone - died and the lion inside him was caged, beaten down by drugs that scientists injected into him. Though now free of the labs he was created in and one of the Breeds' most trusted enforcers, Mercury still lives with the knowledge that he will never know what it means to have a true mate. Until Ria Rodriquez shows up at the doors of Sanctuary, the Feline Breed compound, and awakens the lion within. Mercury knows the sexy little clerk isn't what she claims to be, and he's determined to uncover all her secrets.

If Ria knows one thing, it's how to blend in. Sent to discover who has been leaking Sanctuary's top secret information to an outside pharmaceutical company, Ria covers her fiery, passionate nature with drab clothes and a placid but firm demeanor. The only problem being the gorgeous Breed enforcer determined to undermine her calm façade. Ria has seen Mercury's file, knows that he has had and lost a mate, and thinks he can never truly be hers. Even so, Ria can't resist the temptation Mercury offers.

As danger mounts and threats attack the very heart of Sanctuary, both Mercury and Ria find themselves battling both for the safety of the Breeds and for the growing bond between them. But in a world where peril lurks around every corner and not everything is as it seems, can love survive?

Make sure you're sitting down, because Mercury's War is one meltingly erotic, knee-weakening thrill of a tale. Lora Leigh has delivered a luscious, sexy love story wrapped in intrigue, adventure, and romance that is guaranteed to leave you begging for more.

Mercury is not only the epitome of what a Breed is considered to be, he's the embodiment of what a hero should be. He's a deliciously strong, alpha male, with - and I really must include this - incredibly gorgeous eyes. Even more importantly, his faith in his love for Ria, no matter what his files or tests tell him, is endearing. Additionally, his acknowledgment, trust, and appreciation of Ria's own strength and intelligence are what completely won me over.

Ria, in turn, is one of my favorite of Ms. Leigh's heroines. She's tough, capable, and incredibly intelligent. She's also vulnerable and masks what she truly needs in order to protect her heart. Ria's easy to love and identify with, and it made Mercury's War all the more compelling a read because I was eager for her to find happiness with Mercury.

In addition to a great romance, Mercury's War delves further into the Breed universe. I'll forgo saying much on the subject, as it is too fun and fascinating experience the development of the world, with all the twists and turns Ms. Leigh provides. I will say that fans of the series will delight in learning more about the Vanderale family. Additionally, Jonas Wyatt fans of the world will rejoice that the Director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs not only plays a large part of the book, but that Ms. Leigh opens up the story to include sides of Jonas we have only glimpsed before now. Being on his territory, in his own mind, and dealing with his men, we get to see behind the machinations to the man beneath. As an avowed Jonas admirer, I will say that his scenes were some of my favorite in the book and I dare any detractors not to love him after reading Mercury's War.

The only thing I would wish for in this book is a little more attention to detail. There were a significant number of small discrepancies from other books in the series, and each one drew me out of the story. While it doesn't considerably detract from my overall opinion of the book, I did find them distracting enough to note.

In the end, old and new fans alike will delight in the newest addition to Ms. Leigh's wickedly sirenic series. As passionate and untamed as the lion inside him, Mercury will capture your attention and not let go; his book can do no less.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Mercury Warrant is the most animalistic of the feline breeds. Thought to be the only male whose mate is deceased, Mercury is watched closely by doctors to make sure his feral nature does not surface. Since his supposed mate died in the labs Mercury is resigned to live his life alone without the comfort of the one woman nature intended for him. It is because of this that Mercury is asked to be the bodyguard of Ria Rodriquez, the woman sent to the breed compound by the Leo to track a spy selling confidential information to a pharmaceutical company. The more time Mercury spends with the lovely Ms. Rodriquez the more reluctant he is to let her go - even without the presence of the one thing all mated couples possess.

Ria Rodriquez is on a mission for the Leo. Arriving at Sanctuary, she is surprised but secretly pleased to find the feline breed Mercury Warrant waiting for her. Ria is thoroughly intrigued by this lion and while she knows she can't be his mate, she is willing to be his lover. Her heart breaks more each day that passes without showing signs of their true relationship.

There are other factors to consider. Mercury's feral disposition is being watched closely by friend and foe alike and it isn't until the animal inside of Mercury breaks free of his invisible bonds that the relationship between Mercury and Ria is solidified.

I have been in love with Mercury Warrant since he and his leonine features were first introduced in Tempting the Beast, the first feline breed installment. Every single time his dead mate was mentioned my heart cried a little inside. I wanted Mercury to have a mate but I was picky. I wanted his mate to be worthy of him. I wanted her to be strong but not bullying. I wanted her beautiful but realistic. And I wanted her to love Mercury like he deserved. Ria could not have been better written. She was strong without being hateful. She was striking in her own way and I easily related to her. Last but not least, she adored Mercury with every beat of her heart and for that alone I was satisfied.

MERCURY'S WAR answers gobs of questions and then leaves some unanswered. In the erotic and suspenseful way in which Ms. Leigh is quickly becoming famous, she left me begging for more. I need more breeds, I need more mating heat, and I need Jonas Wyatt badly. Silliness aside, Lora Leigh has really delivered with MERCURY'S WAR. Readers will laugh, readers will blush, and some may cry. But when the last word is read they will be stunned and seriously sad the book ended. I know I was.

MERCURY'S WAR releases from Berkley in October 2008. While it is readable as a standalone, I think reading the series in the correct order is a must to fully enjoy this amazing world created by an amazing author.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of all those who wrote the positive reviews on 'Mercury's war', I have to say I was very disappointed in this latest offering from Ms. Leigh. I loved Mercury right from the first time he appeared in the earlier breed books, but I felt that his story didn't do him justice. There was just too much repetition in the book, and the story just didn't flow for me. I felt like at the start of every chapter, I was getting re-introduced to the characters so much it felt like there was a lot of filler in the book. Unfortunately, this may have worked better as a short story maybe? And the 'hot scenes' for me were just so-so this time
My biggest gripe with this book however is the multitude of typos-I wish some more effort had been put into the editing. I've noticed this with a lot of Lora Leigh's books and it's just very annoying when the editing in a book is sloppy. Having said all that, I still gave the book 3 stars because Merc's storyline was different from the rest, and I felt he was well matched with Ria, and it made for an ok read.
I also got an anthology that was released the same day as 'Mercury's war' , 'The magical Christmas cat' just for Lora Leigh's (Noble Chavin's) story in there, and I really enjoyed that one better than Mercury's war. All the things that made mercury's war not work for me seem to be absent in Noble's story-the editing is better and the story is tighter. I remain a loyal Lora Leigh fan though, and I think her writing is getting better.

The Breeds are people created in laboratories by mixing human and animal DNA to create perfect soldiers. Mistreated as test objects, murdered and abused, they finally managed to free themselves and have now established sanctuaries in the USA. But their lives are a constant battle against their former owners and the many fanatics who see them as less than humans. Mercury, a lion breed, has lost his mate many years ago. Since Breeds mate for life, his attraction to Ria, a human who has come to his Sanctuary to find spies selling Breed secrets, doesn't seem to have a future. Although she doesn't really want just an affair, she can't resist Mercury. But things soon get even more difficult when his mate comes back and the spies start killing people...
'Mercury's War' is part of Lora Leigh's Breeds-series which she started with the independent publisher Ellora's Cave (specialised in erotic romance) and which continues with mainstream publisher Berkley. Berkley still want the series to be erotic, but limited to types of sex that are widely acceptable in the USA and as politically correct as possible within such a series. The result is that - in contrast to the beginning of the series - we get lots of sex scenes of the same type now, which can get very boring very quickly. Instead of using less sex and maybe put more time and energy into the plot, this particular novel takes about 200 pages until the actual suspense plot really gets going. Before, the two protagonists basically circle around each other and not much else is happening. When the plot finally starts, it's full of contradictions, often illogical (the beloved ex-mate is suddenly an unattractive, vindictive bitch; the weak human is suddenly so powerful she can beat up a Breed, ...), the villains get no depth at all, the ending of the suspense plot is hurried, ... I was really disappointed. I'd have given this novel less points if it weren't for the passages when the plot gets going for a change. I'd say that Mrs. Leigh and the publisher can't have it both ways: She should either write good stories with some sex or continue writing erotic novels that are more daring than this. This mix of some plot with the same sex scene in slight variations over and over again really isn't that great.

In Mercury's War, Leigh follows the Breeds through a new threat. Someone inside Sanctuary is selling medical information to outside sources. Ria is sent to find the leak before Pride leader Callan or BBA Director Jonas know the leak exists.

I loved the interaction between Mercury and Ria. Oozing with tension and longing, they are a truly hot couple. Also, in this book, as in Harmony's Way: A Novel of Paranormal Passion (The Breeds, Volume 2) (Harmony's Way is the 8th book in the Breeds series, not the second as shown by Amazon) Jonas shows himself to have a heart. I do hope he will eventually get a book.

There were a few things that bothered me in this story, and I'll start with Mercury shrinking two inches from previous descriptions. Not a biggie, but it bugged me. I also didn't like the woman thought to be his mate showing up so late in the story and having little to do with the storyline except disrupt the romance. It felt too contrived for me to accept her appearance. Finally, there was little information given about the spies. After all the buildup they seemed to be written as little more than an afterthought.

Even so, Mercury's book was a great read and has kept me hooked on the Breeds stories. Absolutley worth buying.

Long time reader of Lora Leigh, so I'm very familiar with the hot, hot sex scenes in her books. I've also read all of her available Breed, Wolf, Feline, and Coyote books, so I'm a loyal fan. I was very interested when Mercury finally got his own book.


Spoiler alert:


In general, I really liked the book and the hero and heroine, and of course the steamy scenes were good....this is Lora Leigh. My disappointment was that the plot was sometimes contradictory and at other times just didn't meet the build up of expectation. Ria's back story and her real relationship with the Leo and his family was just handled awkwardly. I think Lora was trying to be mysterious, but it just didn't flow that way. Also Ria was a latent or hybrid Breed without any outward appearance of being a Breed, but she has to file her canines monthly? Hmmm. There was also this big buildup to a conspiracy that was supposed to be a coup to unseat Callan, so you think someone from the inner circle is about to be revealed as a traitor, but it's really a little known lab assistant and a nurse? Why would a lab assistant and a nurse go to the trouble of making Callan look bad or to unseat him? It turns out to just be the sell of confidential info for money by two minor culprits who somehow have the technical genius to circumvent all the security protocols and software security. They were also able to duplicate Callan's voice to give false orders that of course were going to be discovered as false. I know, I know. Some of you will say it was all part of the bigger plot to make the Breeds look bad, and to further the pharmaceutical bad guys plans, but the plot had too many weak points and just didn't deliver in order to make the story a good one. Don't get me started with the Alaiyah subplot. Is she or isn't she according to the tests? Jonas has Alaiyah working for him for 8 months and had already had tests run in the same lab where the tampering was occurring to confirm she wasn't Mercury's mate. I think this confusing mess was to set up a future story for Alaiyah since she's obviously mated with someone. Just not Lora's best story, but I still like that Mercury got his mate.


Overall, an enjoyable read and an okay addition to the Breed series.

I'm not one to write reviews of books I have read - and I have read MANY. But I felt compelled to write one about this book because I was stunned by how good it was.

From Lora Leigh I have read:

The Breed Next Door (from Hotspell Anthology)
Megan's Mark
Harmony's Way
Tanner's Scheme
In a Wolf's Embrace (from Beyond the Dark anthology)
Dawn's Awakening
A Jaguar's Kiss
A Christmas Kiss (from Hot for the Holidays Anthology)
Mercury's War

Mercury's War is the best Breed book I have read as of right now. Lora Leigh has a pattern to her books. A lot of author's do, and I don't mind that at all. But it sort of gets predictable with the pattern. I even get downright annoyed at times with the reluctance the characters display in the earlier books. Sometimes it takes up to half the book to finally get around to the interaction and passion that I so much enjoy from her books.

Mercury's War took me to a whole new place. It's like the characters just jumped off the page for me. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I got angry, I completely FELT the characters in this book. After I finished it I just had to go back and re-read parts of the book several times because I couldn't get enough of it. I was even laughing out loud while riding the metro bus home from work and I had people around me asking what was so funny, and then jotting down the book to get it themselves! For me, this was a very powerful book. I have several other Breed books to read but they're going to have to measure up to Mercury's War......and I don't think they stand a chance! But we shall see.

Mercury Warrant is the most animalistic of the feline breeds. As the only male who lost his mate, Mercury is watched closely by doctors to make sure his feral nature does not resurface. Since his mate died in the labs, Mercury is resigned to live his life alone without the comfort of the one woman nature intended for him. It is because of this that Mercury is asked to be the bodyguard of Ria Rodriquez, the woman sent to the breed compound to track a spy selling confidential information to a pharmaceutical company. The more time Mercury spends with the lovely Ms. Rodriquez, the more reluctant he is to let her go - even without the presence of the one thing all mated couples possess.

Ria Rodriquez is on a mission for the Leo. Arriving at Sanctuary, she is surprised, but secretly pleased, to find the feline breed Mercury Warrant waiting for her. Ria is thoroughly intrigued by this lion and while she knows she can't be his mate, she is willing to be his lover. As their relationship solidifies, Ria's heart breaks more as each day passes. With no signs of a true breed relationship, Ria is left feeling without hope for a future between her and her leonine lover.

There are other factors to consider. Mercury's feral disposition is being watched closely by friend and foe alike and it isn't until the animal inside of Mercury breaks free of his invisible bonds that the relationship between Mercury and Ria is solidified.

I have been in love with Mercury Warrant since he and his leonine features were first introduced in Tempting the Beast, the first feline breed installment. Every single time his dead mate was mentioned my heart cried a little inside. I wanted Mercury to have a mate but I was picky. I wanted his mate to be worthy of him. I wanted her to be strong but not bullying. I wanted her beautiful but realistic. And I wanted her to love Mercury like he deserved. Ria could not have been better written. She was strong without being hateful. She was striking in her own way and I easily related to her. Last but not least, she adored Mercury with every beat of her heart and for that alone I was satisfied.

MERCURY'S WAR answers gobs of questions while introducing even more. In the erotic and suspenseful way in which Ms. Leigh is quickly becoming famous, she left me begging for more. I need more breeds, I need more mating heat, and I need Jonas Wyatt badly. Silliness aside, Lora Leigh has really delivered with MERCURY'S WAR. Readers will laugh, readers will blush, and readers will cry. But when the last word is read they will be stunned and seriously sad the book ended. I know I was.

MERCURY'S WAR released from Berkley in October 2008. While it is readable as a standalone, I think reading the series in the correct order is a must to fully enjoy this amazing world created by the amazing Lora Leigh.

***Natalie S.***

Mercury Warrant was said to be one of the best Breeds ever to have been created. Until one night while in captivity, Mercury's would be mate died (I said "would be" because the mating was never completed, nor was there any hormone exchange). Rampant with rage for his mate's death, Mercury was overcome by acute Feral Displacement, an anomaly where the animal within overtakes the human. Caught and confined, he underwent severe drug therapy to numb the effects of the Feral Displacement. After which the heart of his Lion became chained within his psyche allowing Mercury to behave civilized. Unfortunately with this chaining, he now lacked all the unique strengths that his beast once offered him along with any chance to experience the mating heat. So far it has been known that Breeds mate only once.

Mercury, the only Breed with facial features closely resembling that of his Lion Breed counterpart, is now the most human in his pride.

Ria Rodriguez is in disguise and on a mission. Find who is hijacking highly classified information from Sanctuary without the resident Breeds ever being the wiser. Dressed in dowdy clothing and a severe bun, Ria comes to call disguised as a clerk for Vanderale Industries and the Leo (1st created Breed), with the cover assignment of discovering Sanctuary's use of Vanderale funds and whether or not funding should continue.

Being the Leo's employee and family friend, Ria is a heightened security risk. The Breed assigned to guard Ria's life is Mercury, and he can't help but fall into lust at first sight. Infused with immediate suspicion, Mercury has the distinct impression that Ria is hiding something and he's thoroughly enamored by the thought of discovering what's behind the clerk facade and if the hellion within wants to come out and play. Ria on the other hand, is in no mood for games. She is aware of Merc's history and is not willing to risk her heart to a man who already lost his years ago.

Ria is and always has been an outsider. A traumatic past has taught her to guard her heart and guard it well. Mercury's incapability to fully mate with her adds to Ria's feelings of inferiority. She wants him badly, but refuses to subject herself to the pain of their inevitable parting. He is unattainable by the laws of nature and really who can compete with that? But what Ria is truly lacking is the will to fight for what she wants but Mercury soon puts her strength and desire to the test and when finally given the chance, Ria proves that she can fight till the death.

Mercury also feels like a man apart. A Breed embodying only the limited capabilities of a human makes for a very awkward conversation. Plus, Mercury has been denied what he most desires, his mate. Although consumed with desire for the dowdy little clerk, Mercury resolves himself to the fact that although he can't mate, doesn't mean he can't love and begins pursuing Ria in earnest.

As evidence of a Sanctuary traitor builds, Ria's inner walls of defense begin to crumble. Mercury's persistence proves to be undeniable and Ria soon finds herself falling head first into love. The feeling is mutual but the lack of mating heat causes pain to bleed upon their relationship. In addition, Mercury is once again exhibiting Feral Displacement and the resident Breed scientist wants to confine Mercury for drug therapy. Finally, Mercury enjoys a blast from his past when his mate comes back from the dead to reclaim what is thought to be hers. All the while, Ria is trying to track a traitor who may be planning to kill.

Leigh delivers with 'Mercury's War', and is now my favorite Breeds series installment thus far. Mercury and Ria were perfect for each other. Both were outsiders striving to fit in, and by finding each other they finally became apart of something. There were plenty of exciting twists and turns in this novel with some excellent surprises that packed an unbelievable punch. My inner submissive thoroughly enjoyed Mercury's overwhelmingly dominant tendencies, especially as Ria unlocks the chains of the beast within, all I can safely say is DAMN IT"S HAWT! Leigh fans rest assured that you'll not be disappointed with 'Mercury's War'. Enjoy!

First of all, I made the mistake of reading Leigh's entry in The Magical Christmas Cat before I read this book. Don't do that. The short story gives stuff away. Whodunnit stuff.

I've been waiting for Merc's story for quite a while now, and I'm almost entirely satisfied with this book. (I will not go into plot here, as other reviewers have done an admirable job of outlining the story.) I love Mercury, and Ria's pretty good too. There are a few scenes that made my hair stand up on the back of my neck--one is when other breeds accuse Mercury of attacking Ria. His reaction made my heart hurt for him. This is always the sign of a superior book.
My first instinct for this book was a four or even a five star review. But on reflection, there were two things that kept this from being a five star read and may make it a 3.5 star.
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!







The first is Mercury's reaction when he's confronted by his "old" mate and Ria trys to do the right thing and leave him. Initially he's too passive in this scene. He should have hurled that chick out of the way and immediately gone to Ria. I know he was shocked, but as a Breed, even one supressing his cat, he should have sought to reassure the woman he loved.
The second is that Ria turns out to be part Breed herself. And here we have some discrepancies in the story. We're initially told that she's a latent, that the cat characteristics have not expressed themselves in her appearance. Then we're told she's been filing her canine teeth. What? And wouldn't other breeds have sensed this in her? Plus, as readers we're privy to her thoughts. There's little to no indication that she's a breed. Her reasons for hiding her identity from the others seem flimsy despite the betrayal she experienced as young woman. I mean, hey, Ria's seen others (characters who suffered more than her) come out of the Breed closet with success. And finally, this revelation doesn't add anything to the plot. I hate surprises just for the sake of surprises. But that's personal preference.

Read this book and enjoy it. Lora Leigh is a good writer with a unique imagination. I can't wait for her next breed novel.