Top Five Paranormal Countdown - #4


 Hey, folks. I’m sharing with you my all-time favorite paranormal fantasy series, along with what I like and don't like about them and how they, ah, er, influenced my own writing (okay, what I stole from them). I'm counting down, and this week I’m up to number four. I hope you paranormal fans are following this, because I’ve really gotten into it. I hope you’ll comment if you agree or disagree, and if you have some other suggestions. If you aren’t a paranormal fantasy fan, don’t leave yet. You might find something you like. This is the good stuff.

Here’s where we stand so far…

#5 – The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer
 
    Now, for number four, let me introduce you to Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson. Mercy is a shape-shifting coyote, raised by werewolves, who is still kicking ass after seven traditional books and one graphic novel. She comes highly recommended, by me.


What I liked…
The heroine…
The tattooed, kick-ass Volkswagon mechanic named Mercedes is simply to die for, and characters often do. An extraordinary woman engaged in the never-ending struggle to make ends meet, while dealing with any number of extraordinary situations, Mercy insists on doing it all on her own terms. If she likes you, she’ll risk life and limb to help you out. If she doesn’t like you, you’re just plain up shit creek without a paddle.

The werewolves…
They are part of Mercy’s past and present. I love the pack magic and the structure of the global werewolf hierarchy. Some of the characters also appear in another series by Briggs, the Alpha and Omega stories.

The Fae…
There are some great allies and villains from the Faerie world in most of these novels, including Mercy’s former boss, who appears more than once.

Mercy’s cloudy past…
… is slowly revealed as the series progresses. I’m hoping there’s more to come.

The action…
These books are fast-paced. It’s hard to find a place to turn off the light and go to bed.

The sexual tension…
In the first three or four books, Mercy is being courted by two powerful werewolves, and the sexual tension is perfectly balanced with the action.

 

What I didn’t like…
The sexual tension fades…
Mercy chooses a mate by the fourth or fifth book, and the series shows a marked decline for me at that point. I’m still struggling to get through River Marked, mainly for that reason. I’m hoping Frost Burned, which just came out in March, will re-kindle my flame.

 
What I stole…
The omega werewolves…
Okay, technically, the omega wolves are in Briggs’ Alpha and Omega stories, but I found those while looking for more Mercy Thompson. The idea of a type of werewolf who has a calming effect on the dominant wolves and is not so much affected by the dominance of others is essential to the Red Wolf story. And it was the “what if” question, "What would a male omega wolf be like?", that was the original impetus for my own series.

----------------

 So, what do you think? Agree? Disagree? Leave me a comment.
 
  Next time… number three in my top five. Can you guess? Hey, anyone who can guess even one of the top three gets a prize. And I’ll give you a hint: two of the top three are by the same author!
    What is your all-time favorite paranormal book series? Maybe you can introduce me to one of my next top five.

   And it's just possible, you might find your next favorite in the series below. The Red Wolf novels currently enjoy an average reader rating on Amazon of 4.45 out of 5 stars!
The Draculata Nest -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Click on the link to order:
ebook for Kindle    ebook for Nook    ebook for Kobo    in Paperback
in Charlotte    Smashwords

The Dragon of Doughton Park ----------------------------------------------------------
Click on the link to order:
ebook for Kindle    ebook for Nook    ebook for Kobo    in Paperback
in Charlotte    Smashwords

Comments

  1. Kristy BerridgeJune 14, 2013 at 5:22 PM

    I haven't read this series, but since it's you and I highly value your opinion, I will adding this little series to my tbr shelf. Thanks again for a great post, John!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John HundleyJune 15, 2013 at 11:10 AM

      Can't think of a better reason to try them out, Kristy. You'll probably be more familiar with the next three. Let me know what you think.

      Delete

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