(Which, let’s face it, wouldn’t be the worst way to spend a reading week.)īut I don’t read this series for the worldbuilding, entertaining and well-developed though it may be. If you keep a cheat sheet to put names to characters, you’ll probably need it - that or reread the earlier books first. Mercy is most definitely the star.Ī lot of old friends make an appearance, too, though vampires largely take a backseat. In this book, there are fewer antagonists, and the politics are mostly focused on finding a way to co-exist with the fae. There was a point in this series where the dynamics between werewolves, vampires, fae and human became so convoluted that the worldbuilding started to become murky in my head. Mercy offers protection on behalf of the pack, which has the unfortunate consequence of pitting the werewolves against the Grey Lords.įor existing fans of the series, Fire Touched hearkens back to the cadence of earlier books. Aiden is a human boy who was trapped in a magic-touched world, and when he escaped, the fae tortured him in an attempt to understand his power. In return, he asks for protection against the fae. When the local police request the Columbia Basin pack’s help in dealing with a troll (on a bridge, naturally!) an unusual boy called Aiden comes to the werewolves’ aid. If you’re the kind of reader who likes to absorb the worldbuilding in urban fantasy, you’ll need to start with the first book, Moon Called, and also follow the related series, Alpha and Omega. I wouldn’t recommend it as a place to start if you’re new to Briggs’s work, but it’s not a dealbreaker as long as you’re not fussed about references to previous plot points and can gloss over implied relationships between characters.

It relies heavily on the female protagonist’s voice, and when it’s an open-ended series with strong romantic elements I tend to struggle past the first three books. The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs is the only one that has stuck with me.įire Touched is book 9 of the series, and I think it’s safe to say that most of its readers will already be heavily invested in the series. Urban fantasy has always been very hit or miss for me. Destiny and Berkley are both imprints of Penguin Random House. Fire Touched hearkens back to earlier books in the series. The cast might be a little crowded, but Mercy always holds her own.Īn advance reading copy of this book was generously provided by Berkley via Netgalley.ĭisclosure: Kat hosts the Heart to Heart podcast for Destiny Romance.

Fire touched by patricia briggs