BURN BRIGHT by author Patricia Briggs is book five in the
Alpha and Omega series which is
closely linked to the
Mercy Thompson series. Both fabulous series focus on
children of the Marrok, the head of all werewolf packs in
North America. Charles is the enforcer for his father Bran,
the Marrok. Charles kills criminal werewolves in punishment
for their heinous crimes and has been emotionally isolated
his whole life until he meets his mate, Anna.
Anna is an Omega, a wolf with all the leadership skills
of an Alpha but none of the need for dominance. The rare
Omega exists outside the pack hierarchy to bring peace to
everyone around them. I love Anna, even more than I love
the character of Mercy Thompson, which is really saying
something! Anna has grit and compassion, and her emotional
insights bring a great balance to the highly energetic
action and fighting of this paranormal fantasy series. I
adore Charles, too, who always saw himself as a monster in
his own right. Anna, however, recognizes that he acts as
justice for the werewolves and their potential prey,
defending the week from those who would do them injury.
As always, Briggs' worldbuilding is par excellence. The
action is superlative, with so many well fleshed-out
characters filling the pages and providing a swirling
backdrop for the mystery of who is menacing Bran's Aspen
Creek pack. Long-time readers will see many of their
favorite characters here, although a number of new faces are
introduced from the Wildlings, werewolves who are too broken
to live with others (even too damaged for Bran's pack of
dysfunctional wolves).
This is a book that should best enjoyed after reading the
prior books in the series. While familiarity with the
Mercy Thompson series will help fill in some
backstory, it is not strictly necessary. But Briggs'
writing is so exquisite, why would anyone not want to revel
in the whole "MercyVerse"?! Still going strong, Briggs
turns out another solid action-stuffed mystery with the
vibrantly shining BURN BRIGHT.
In her bestselling Alpha and Omega series, Patricia
Briggs "spins tales of werewolves, coyote shifters, and
magic and, my, does she do it well" (USATODAY.com). Now
mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham face a
threat like no other--one that lurks too close to
home...
They are the wild and the broken. The
werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind.
For their own good, they have been exiled to the outskirts
of Aspen Creek, Montana. Close enough to the Marrok's pack
to have its support; far enough away to not cause any
harm.
With their Alpha out of the country, Charles
and Anna are on call when an SOS comes in from the fae mate
of one such wildling. Heading into the mountainous
wilderness, they interrupt the abduction of the wolf--but
can't stop blood from being shed. Now Charles and Anna must
use their skills--his as enforcer, hers as peacemaker--to
track down the attackers, reopening a painful chapter in the
past that springs from the darkest magic of the witchborn...