Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Library Books March 23, 2008

The following books are available at the Portales Public Library:

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs. Patricia Briggs, author of several fantasy novels, has entered the genre of supernatural heroines. And while the monsters her new heroine fights may be fairly stereotypical — werewolves, vampires, fairies — her wonderful heroine is anything but. Mercy Thompson is a mechanic who happens to shift into a coyote whenever it pleases her. Preferring to keep a low profile to humans, she’s spent the bulk of her adult life “fitting in.” Life has other plans for her however, and she is drawn into life-threatening events and mysteries which only Mercy can resolve. It sounds like a fairly common story line, but Mercy is one of the coolest and strongest female protagonists to come along in a while. Additionally, she’s a heroine with a strong code of personal ethics, a strong sense of loyalty and a surprisingly genuine expression of faith in a higher power. All very interesting qualities for a woman who can kick butt and outsmart the bad guys.

This series began with Moon Called, continuing with Blood Bound with Iron Kissed as the third. All three titles have strong story lines, but the growth and improvement of the characters and action is obvious as the series progresses. Iron Kissed is the strongest of the three with the characters fleshing out beautifully, drawing the reader in and suspending belief. And while some of the subject matter is difficult to read, the author handles the more violent scenes with great dignity and care. She adeptly plays down the gory details, providing the reader with enough information to make sense of the situations, without being sensationalistic and violent for the sake of violence. It’s a highly recommendable read for anyone interested in dark urban fantasy.