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Mooncalled300

Cover image for Moon Called, the first book in the series

The Mercy Thompson series, or the Mercedes Thompson series is written by Patricia Briggs. This is a companion series to the Alpha and Omega series, set in the same story universe and running concurrently.

Series Description[]

Urban Fantasy for adults. This series is fun, funny, and action packed. The romantic subplot is well-written, and avoids too much melodrama or love triangles. Patricia Briggs creates a developed world, and the characters in it are believeable and likeable even when making hard decisions and existing within a world of mundane and magical rules and constraints. The supernatural lore is superb, combining tradition with innovation.

Series Introduction[]

✥ "Mercedes is a Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. Her Native American heritage has gifted her with the ability to take the form of a coyote at will. She's surrounded by far more powerful supernatural beings, including werewolves, vampires and an assortment of fae." ~ from: Goodreads | Mercy Thompson series

✥ Werewolf and Native American skinwalker culture takes a realistic turn in 2006’s Moon Called, first in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. Using knowledge of real wolf-pack dynamics and the native culture of the Pacific Northwest, Briggs’ series takes urban fantasy out of the urban area, and introduces a novelty to urban fantasy: a stable and slow-building relationship. Though not without their problems, skinwalker Mercy and alpha werewolf Adam are still a novelty in the genre. Briggs also introduces the fae and vampires in unusual, non-urban settings. ~ Heroes and Heartbreakers

Lead's Species[]

  • Coyote walker/shape shifter, mechanic, resident werewolf expert

Primary Supernatural species[]

  • Werewolve, fae, vampires. The mythological tapestry also incorporates an increasing breadth of mythologies, most prominently Native American.

What Sets it Apart[]

  • Coyote shape shifter in the leading role. Supernatural elements are "out' to the government, and must navigate their place in the human world.

Narrative Type and Narrators[]

  • First person narrative told by Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson.

Books in Series[]

Mercy Thompson series

  1. Moon Called (2006)
  2. Blood Bound (2007)
  3. Iron Kissed (2008)
  4. Bone Crossed (2009)
  5. Silver Borne (2010)
  6. River Marked (2011) 
  7. Frost Burned (2013)
  8. Night Broken (2014)
  9. Fire Touched (2016)
  10. Silence Fallen (2017)

11.Storm Cursed (2019)

12. Smoke Bitten (2020)

Shorts and Anthologies

  • 0.5. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming (2009) Graphic novel
  • 1.5. "The Star of David" in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology (2008) [David's story]
  • 6.1. "Fairy Gifts" in Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy anthology (July 5th, 2011) [Vampire Tom in Mercyverse]
  • 6.2. "Gray" in Home Improvement: Undead Edition anthology (August 2nd, 2011) [a Vampire in Mercyverse]
  • 6.5. "In Red, with Pearls" in Down These Strange Streets anthology (October 4th, 2011) [Warren and Kyle's story]
  • Shifting Shadows (September 2, 2014) — collection of Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega stories
    • ?. "Silver" in Shifting Shadows (September 2, 2014)
    • ?. "Roses in Winter" in Shifting Shadows (September 2, 2014)
    • ?. "Redemption" in Shifting Shadows (September 2, 2014)
    • ?. "Hollow" in Shifting Shadows (September 2, 2014)
  • 8.5. "Hopcross Jilly" (2015) — 

Companion Series, Spinoffs, Sequels or Prequels[]

Alpha and Omega series:[]

  • o.5. "Alpha and Omega" in On The Prowl anthology (2007)
  • 1. Cry Wolf (2008)
  • 2. Hunting Grounds (2009)
  • 2.5. "Seeing Eye" in Strange Brew anthology (2009) - [Tom and Moira of the Alpha & Omega series]
  • 3. Fair Game (March 6, 2012)
  • 4. Dead Heat (Spring 2015) - Link

Other Series by Author onsite[]

World-Building[]

Resource: Mercyverse: Canon

Setting[]

Tri-Cities: Kennewick, Pasco and Richland—in Washington — Primary setting for series

Places:

  • Aspen Creek, Montana: the area where Mercy was raised until 16 with the pack.
  • Columbia: The river that flows through the Tri-cities and gives both the pack and seethe the locale part of their names
  • Kennewick, WA: One of the Tri-cities where this story takes place
  • Chicago: Where the pack leader is selling newly turned weres for profit.
  • Richland, WA: One of the Tri-cities in east Washington where the story takes place.
  • Portland, OR: Where Margi and Curt live, and where Mercy went at 16.
  • Washington: The state where most of Mercy's world takes place.
  • Underhill: the fairy realm.
  • Goldendale, Washington
  • The Dalles, Oregon:

Supernatural Elements[]

✥ Coyote shape shifters (also known as avatars or walkers), werewolves, various shifters, vampires, faeries, witches, elves, brownies, gremlins, garden sprites,

Glossary:[]

  • The Marrok: The alpha of all the werewolves in North America.
  • Designation: Vampires use this instead of a name, it makes it so you don't draw the attention of the strong evil you are speaking about and it limits the amount of control gained over them from not using actual names.ie - The teacher, soldier, monster.
  • Grey Lords: Rulers of the Fae. Nemane is one of them.
  • Mettalzauber: Metal-working fae.
  • Mercyverse: Canon

Organizations:[]

  • Pacific Northwest Laboratories: secret; where Dr. Darryl Zao works
  • CNTRP: (pronounced 'cantrip') - Combined Nonhuman and Transhuman Relations Provisors. A new agency formed specifically to deal with the various preternaturals.
  • Grey Lords: Rulers of the Fae. Nemane is one of them.
  • John Lauren Society: Anti-fae group.
  • Citizen for a Bright Future: Anti-fae group.

World[]

✥ The all-inclusive series title is WORLD OF THE MARROK (the Marrok being the head of the werewolf clan that is the focus of the series), but there are two subseries, each focusing on one half of the clan: the city werewolves (MERCY THOMPSON) and the country werewolves (ALPHA AND OMEGA).

Living in the Pacific Northwest, Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson is a Native American “walker” who can shift at will into coyote form. In a feminist twist, she owns her own garage where she repairs mostly German cars. In this world, paranormal beings are gradually making themselves known to the public, beginning with the lesser creatures (e.g., brownies, gremlins, elves, garden sprites) and gradually moving to the greater beings (e.g., werewolves). Vampires are still hidden from public knowledge.

Mercy's father, who died before she was born, was a Native American from whom she received her "walker" talents; her mother is an Anglo who sent her off to foster care (a Montana werewolf pack) when she was a child. Mercy and her mother have since reconciled. In book 1, Mercy has left the Montana pack and moved to Seattle to be on her own. She is running away from the over-protectiveness of the pack elders as well as a failed romance with her childhood sweetheart. The books contain no graphic sexual scenes, but there are a number of blood-lust scenes, particularly in the middle books, that contribute to the high sensuality rating. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: Patricia Briggs: MERCY THOMPSON SERIES

Protagonist[]

✥ Mercy tries to live a peaceful life, but that never works out for an urban fantasy heroine, does it? Her adventures involve her with a variety of supernaturals: vampires, fae, and werewolves—and most of those adventures include violence and multiple injuries for Mercy. Since she lives in a trailer right next door to the local pack headquarters, the werewolves play a big part in Mercy's life. The relationship between Mercy and the pack goes from hate/hate in the early books to to love/love in the later books, with a whole lot of action and emotion in between. At the beginning of the series, Mercy’s possible love interests include two alpha werewolves: Sam, the above-mentioned childhood sweetheart, and Adam, the local pack leader (her neighbor). Early on, she even has a few lusty thoughts about Stefan, a sexy vampire, but that relationship eventually becomes a deep friendship. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: Patricia Briggs: MERCY THOMPSON SERIES

Sidekicks[]

  • Warren / What: werewolf / Sidekick-to: Mercy and Adam / About: gay werewolf (dating Kyle) / Book First Seen:
  • Ben / What: Werewolf / Sidekick-to: Mercy Thompson / About: exiled from London; sexist / Book First Seen:

Characters Chart[]

Character List ~ from Author's site

Characters  What  About the Characters 
Mercedes Thompson-Hauptman Walker Mercy is the heroine of the series. She a Native American Walker—a Coyote-Shifter—and and a VW automechanic; She was raised by the Marrok; 
Adam Hauptman Alpha of Werewolf Pack Alpha of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack; playfully antagonistic relationship with Mercy
Jesse Hauptman Adam's Daughter Adam's teenage daughter; outgoing and optimistic
Stefan Uccello Vampire A vampire and Mercy's friend; owns VW bus decorated like the Scooby-Doo bus
Samuel Cornick Son of the Marrok Son of the Marrok; tried to marry Mercy when she was only sixteen; He has graduated from medical school various times
Bran Cornick The Marrok the Alpha werewolf of all the werewolf packs in North America; raised Mercy;
Siebold Adelbertsmiter (Zee) Faerie A fae with an affinity for metals who previously owned the garage Mercy runs;
Darryl Werewolf & Adam's Second mated to Auriele; mixture African American and Chinese bloodlines, and a lead scientist at a research center
Warren Werewolf; sidekick; Adam's third gay werewolf (dating Kyle) and close friend to Adam and Mercy; loyalty to Adam is unquestionable; looks and sounds like a Texan cowboy, he used to be one;
Ben Werewolf; sidekick A werewolf exiled from London; a sexist character; abused as a child which could be the cause; a red wolf
Kyle Brooks Human Lawyer A human divorce attorney; one of Mercy's closest friends as well as Warren's boyfriend
Marsilla Vampire Queen She is the Queen of the Vampire Seethe in the Tri-Cities
Margi Human Mercy's mother; married to Curt; mother to Nan and Ruthie
Curt Human Mercy's step-father
Nan Human Mercy's half-sister
Ruthie Human Mercy's half-sister
Gary Laughingdog Walker Mercy's half-brother, has visions and tries to avoid their father Coyote

To expand the table, in Edit–Visual mode, right-press on a Row of the table (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add Row or Column. Or, in Source Mode: copy-paste rows.

Patricia Briggs-close

Patricia Briggs

Author[]

Patricia Briggs

Bio: Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children and six horses and writes full-time, much to the delight of her fans. ~ from: Goodreads | Patricia Briggs 

Cover Artist and Contributors[]

Other Contibutors[]

  • Narrator: Lorelei King
  • Editor: 

Publishing Information[]

Publisher: Ace, Penguin Group

Author Page: Patricia Briggs - About - Penguin Group (USA): book list, interview, website link

Book Data: 

  1. Moon Called (Jan 31-2006): Mass Mkt Paperback, 288 pages — ISBN 0441013813 / Hardcover: (Mar 2-2010): by Ace, 324 pages—ISBN: 0441019277
  2. Blood Bound (Jan 30-2007): Mass Mkt Paperback, 292 pages—ISBN 0441014739 / Hardcover (Jan 4-2011): by Ace, 342 pages—ISBN: 0441020070
  3. Iron Kissed (Jan 2-2008): Mass Mkt Paperback, 287 pages—ISBN 0441015662 / Hardcover (Jan 3-2012): by Ace, 352 pages—ISBN: 1937007146
  4. Bone Crossed (Feb 3-2009): Mass Market Paperback, 287 pages—ISBN 044101836X / Hardcover: (Jan 26-2010) by Ace, 309 pages—ISBN: 0441016766
  5. Silver Borne (March 30-2010): Hardcover, 342 pages — ISBN 044101819X / Mass Mkt Pb (Mar 30-2010): by Ace, 292 pages—ISBN: 044101996X
  6. River Marked (Mar 1-2011): Hardcover 1st Edition, 326 pages—ISBN 0441019730 / Mass Mkt Pb (Jan 31-2012): by Ace, 291 pages—ISBN: 0441020003
  7. Frost Burned (Mar 5-2013): Hardcover by Ace, 340 pages—ISBN 0441020011 / MMpb (Jan 28-2014): 320 pages—ISBN: 9780441020027
  8. Night Broken (Mar 11-2014): Hardcover by Ace, 341 pages—ISBN: 042525674X / MMpb (Jan 27-2015): 292 pages—ISBN: 9780425256275
  9. Fire Touched (Mar 8-2016): Hardcover by Ace, 342 pages—ISBN: 0425256766 / MMpb (Jan 31-2017): 289 pages—ISBN: 9780425256299
  10. Silence Fallen (Mar 7-2017): Hardcover by Ace, 371 pages—ISBN: 0425281272

First Book Blurb[]

BOOK ONE BLURB—Moon Called (2006): Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson is a talented Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. She also happens to be a walker, a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. Mercy's next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a bus for a vampire. This is the world of Mercy Thompson, one that looks a lot like ours but is populated by those things that go bump in the night. And Mercy's connection to those things is about to get her into some serious hot water. ~ Goodreads | Moon Called

BOOK TWO BLURB—Blood Bound (2007): Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen... Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind. But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him. Goodreads | Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson, #2) by Patricia Briggs — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

BOOK THREE BLURB—Iron Kissed (2008): I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator... Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape—but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her. Goodreads | Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, #3) by Patricia Briggs — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

BOOK FOUR BLURB—Bone Crossed (2009): By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for. Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan—and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after. Goodreads | Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, #4) by Patricia Briggs — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

BOOK FIVE BLURB—Silver Borne (2010): Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe. And now the leader of the werewolf pack, who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend, has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets has come to light and they're all about to find out how implacable—and dangerous—the fae can be. OK, so maybe her troubles have nothing to do with the job. But she sure could use a holiday. Goodreads | Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson, #5)

BOOK SIX BLURB—River Marked (2011): Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she's never known any others of her kind. Until now. As Mercy comes to terms with this new information, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. Goodreads | River Marked (Mercy Thompson, #6)

BOOK SEVEN BLURB—Frost Burned (2013): Mercy Thompson's life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy's life. But on the edges of humanity, a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more. After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can't reach Adam - or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They've all been abducted. Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from the most unlikely of allies: the vampire seethe. Goodreads | Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson, #7)

BOOK EIGHT BLURB—Night Broken (2014): An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right. Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy. Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart. ~ Goodreads | Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)

BOOK NINE BLURB—Fire Touched (2016): Now she’s back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer... Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae. Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched? ~ Goodreads | Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson, #9)

BOOK TEN BLURB—Silence Fallen (2017): Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes—only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe... Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise... ~ Goodreads | Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson, #10)

First Sentences[]

  1. Moon Called (2006) — I didn't realize he was a werewolf at first.
  2. Blood Bound (2007) — Like most people who own their own businesses, I work long hours that start early in the morning.
  3. Iron Kissed (2008) — "A cowboy, a lawyer, and a mechanic watched Queen of the Damned," I murmured.
  4. Bone Crossed (2009) — I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
  5. Silver Borne (2010) — Tri-Cities: Kennewick, Pasco and Richland—in Washington — Primary setting for series
  6. River Marked (2011)  — Under the glare of the streetlights, I could see that the grass of Stefan's front lawn was dried to yellow by the high summer heat.
  7. Frost Burned (2013) — "You should have brought the van," said my stepdaughter.
  8. Night Broken (2014) — The phone rang while I was elbow-deep in sudsy dishwater.
  9. Fire Touched (2016) — Mercy and Adam have to face the Grey Lords who are a bunch of scheming nimrods, and save Aiden from being taken away and used like another pawn in a war that is on the brink of breaking out.
  10. Silence Fallen (2017) — The reason for taking Mercy, and not Adam is pretty you absence.
  11. Untitled () — 

Quotes[]

Patricia Briggs Quotes (Author of Moon Called)

Read Alikes (similar elements)[]

See Category links at bottom of page

Trivia[]

~ ranked #3 on Goodreads | Best Urban Fantasy Series (181 books)

Goodreads Lists: 

Awards[]

Notes & Tid-bits[]

Patricia Briggs books are frequently found on the New York Times Bestseller List. She's a great story teller and a master plot builder, and she has created an unforgettable set of characters in WORLD OF THE MARROK. If you like the MERCY THOMPSON series, be sure to read the Alpha and Omega series. Charles Cornick, one of A & O's leading characters is referred to several times in River Marked because of his role as Mercy's childhood mentor in all matters pertaining to their shared Native American roots. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction:

See Also[]

See Category links at bottom of this page

External References[]

Books

Series Summaries:

Mercy-verse: Characters, etc:

Content Refs—Tri-Cities

Reviews

Interview

Author

Community:

Book Cover Gallery[]



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