Iron Kissed
Title: Iron Kissed
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson, Book 3
Publication Info: Ace Books, January 2008
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3
The third book in the Mercy Thompson series is Dark. Though I knew the terrible price Mercy has to pay ahead of time (I looked it up), I was still on pins and needles from page one. Iron Kissed has delicious world building and great story telling, although it lacks the humor and light-hearted moments of the previous books. I especially like the world building about the fae that Ms. Briggs brings to life. Forget Tinkerbelle – Ms. Briggs has resurrected the original fairy tales in all their gruesome glory.
All is not right in fairyland. Mercy Thompson is called in to use her superhuman nose to find a killer as grisly murders rock the fae reservation in Eastern Washington. The lords of the fae will do anything and sacrifice anyone to keep the humans from finding out. Humans are already wary of the fae, and no one wants to give fodder to the fae hate groups. But when Mercy’s old mentor Zee, who taught her everything she knows about cars and sold her the garage, is arrested for the murders, Mercy refuses to let an innocent man die. She hunts for the real killer even as the fae issue warrants for her death and fae-hate groups plot nefarious schemes around her. Will her loyalty cost her her life? By the skin of her teeth, Mercy tackles her most dangerous mystery yet. But the price is high.
Dominant werewolves Samuel and Adam have been courting Mercy, and she finally makes a choice. While her relationship with Samuel is complex and well-communicated to the reader, I have to wonder after three books just what her relationship with Adam consists of. Mercy and Adam have known each other for 7 years before we meet them, but during the course of the three books we rarely see them together unless Adam is in a dangerous rage and Mercy is trying to calm him down. The romance reader in me wants more. I want to know about the good times between them, not just that Mercy thinks Adam in a rage is hawt. The ending of the book left me with a “WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?????” feeling. BUT, I recognize that this isn’t a romance novel – It’s Urban Fantasy
Iron Kissed is great and I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT ONE. What – 2009??? Are you kidding me? I am not a patient person. At least Cry Wolf comes out in August. It is the sequel to the novella in On the Prowl and is about Charles, Samuel’s brother and the Marrok’s second son.
If you have yet to read any of the Mercy Thompson series, don’t start in the middle. I highly recommend them in order:
Book 1: Moon Called
Book 2: Blood Bound
Book 3: Iron Kissed
Tags: Book lovers & reviewers, Iron Kissed, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, Urban Fantasy
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May 21, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Seriously, someone needs to light a fire under Ms. Briggs’ ass. Write faster, damn it!!!
I agree that it would be good to see some more relationship building between Mercy and Adam. Show us what is going to keep them together. Make the reader fall more in love with him.
I am jonesing for some more Mercy, Adam, Zee, Samuel, Warren…
May 21, 2008 at 5:28 pm
We should have brought more of them to the island! I’ve fallen so hard for this series that I have half a mind to drive to Montana for MisCon this weekend to talk to Ms. Briggs. “Why,” I shall ask her, “are you here and not at home writing? Have pity on us! We want more!” One tries not to cross the line from rabid fan to stalker.
May 21, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I so need to get this one! Yeah, I am always left wanting more of this Adam Mercy relationship! A lot of UF is light on the romance. I really like to have both. I really think things will be trending toward more romance heavy UF.
May 22, 2008 at 5:11 am
I adore this series. Iron Kissed is my favorite of them, and it actually is on the bookshelf adjacent to my bed. I love to read the ending of it as a comfort read before I go to sleep.
I ADORE Adam Hauptman as a hero and I cannot wait to see more of him, and the rest of the pack in the next book.
I’m also really looking forward to Cry Wolf. I love that she’s exploring the romantic side more in this series.
May 22, 2008 at 6:35 am
I can’t wait to see how she incorporates more romance with Charles and Anna. I did not have a huge problem with this UF series being light on the romance. I think I was just happy that it did not go the way of the Anita Blake series. (Sorry if you love those books, I just couldn’t get past the 4th or 5th book. Between the love triangle that never ended and the whateveryoucallit that made Anita irresistable to everyone…)
I know what you mean about restraining yourslef, staying a fan and not crazy fan-girl. I just love her, though! Hence, Adam in my hut :)
May 22, 2008 at 7:55 am
I am not complaining that the books are light on romance. It’s only that I love Mercy and I love Adam and I would really enjoy learning more about their romance. I have only read Guilty Pleasures, the first of the Anita Blake series. That series isn’t romance. Perhaps UF-erotica, but not romance. Sex does not a romance make.
May 22, 2008 at 7:58 am
I only skimmed your review, because I haven’t yet read this series, even though I own all of them. Even the On the Prowl anthology. I keep leaving this same comment everywhere these books are reviewed… I really need to read them!! ARGH! I’ll have my own Patricia Briggs marathon soon. :)
May 22, 2008 at 9:46 am
[...] Also reviewed by: Love Vampires My Art Case (She_Wulf) Ciaralira [...]
May 23, 2008 at 10:03 am
Awesome series….looking forward to the next one
May 31, 2008 at 11:09 pm
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! Ok so I was never really into this whole vampire wolf thingy unless it was on a movie. Now usually I prefer books and so one of my friends has an older brother and he gave her some patricia briggs books. She read the first one then I saw her with it in class one day and I was like oh this looks prety interesting can I read it when your done. So I did then the second one and then the third I finished the third a few hours ago. OMG I want to know what happens next I didnt know that patricia could make something so scary hot and steamy and actiony and make you want more all at the same time. My goodness Im not very patient either but its gonna be worth the wait. I hope that these books never end I couldnt live without seeing any more mercy and adam OMG I would die. Never have I had so much passion for anyone elses books omg I want that book so bad. Can’t wait for Bone Crossed!!!!!