Starred review from July 28, 2014
This rich collection includes all six previously published Mercy Thompson short stories, along with four new ones and two epilogue-like outtakes. There’s a little something for everyone. “The Star of David” offers up monsters and Christmas cheer; “Roses in Winter” is a coming-of-age story starring the youngest-ever werewolf; and in “In Red, with Pearls,” a gay werewolf must determine why a zombie tried to kill his lover. Of particular note for series readers is “Silver,” in which Briggs relates how Bran and Samuel became werewolves, and describes the latter’s sorrowful romance with Ariana. Another standout is “Alpha and Omega,” the dynamic romantic novella that kicked off Charles and Anna’s subseries. These intriguing, suspenseful, and occasionally heartwarming stories will thrill and delight fans of Mercy and her friends.
July 1, 2014
Between the eight books in Briggs's "Mercy Thompson" series and the three in the "Alpha and Omega" series that share a universe, one would think that the author had no stories left to tell about this world. Fortunately, that's not the case. "Seeing Eye" is a story about Moira, a white witch who helps a werewolf rescue his brother from a dark coven. "Roses in Winter" features Asil, the werewolf also known as "The Moor," who fears he will lose control of his wolf side but finds a gentleness in dealing with young werewolf Kara. And the story that introduced Anna and Charles, "Alpha and Omega," will be a treat for those who didn't read it when it was anthologized in the paperback On the Prowl. Although beloved series protagonist Mercy has a story here, too ( "Hollow," in which she helps a man who is seeing ghosts), the best tales take advantage of the depth of the author's cast, giving some excellent side characters a chance to shine. There are even two "outtakes"--brief scenes cut from recent novels Silver Bourne and Night Broken. VERDICT Briggs's many fans will eat this up, and it will serve as a solid introduction for new readers.
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