Supernatural Romance from Patricia Briggs - Hunting Ground: Alpha and Omega, Book 2
64Patricia Briggs: Werewolves and Magic
Do you love Patricia Briggs? If you do, you may well have become acquainted with her through her series of novels based around the shapeshifter and car mechanic Mercy Thompson. If not these, then perhaps through some of her earlier novels about dragons, monsters and magic.
Her latest riff is based around a couple of characters loosely related to Mercy. The male protagonist, Charles Cornick, is the brother of one of Mercy’s suitors. He is the eldest son of the ‘Marrok’ – the leader of all werewolves on the American continent. He also fulfils the role of investigator and enforcer for his father, sometimes including the duties of an executioner.
His love interest Anna is a fairly newly ‘made’ werewolf of three or four years standing. Until recently she was a member of an abusive and dangerously dysfunctional pack, trapped by her submissive position and the psychotic behaviour of her abusers.
Wolves and Magic and Vampires, Oh My...
Urban Fantasy: Patricia Briggs
This book is a sequel to one covering their initial courtship: Anna and Charles are now officially mated, although still at the honeymoon stage. In this case, this means less lovey-doveyness and kissing and canoodling (although there’s plenty of the latter), and rather more tentative feeling each other out and getting used to their new bond. This is made more difficult by Anna’s previous experience of abuse: she knows she can trust Charles, but it’s still difficult for her to be close to any man.
They are in Seattle to broker a major conference between many wolfpacks around the world. This is necessary because the Marrok has decided it is time for the wolves to ‘come out’, i.e. to admit their existence to the wider world and ‘regular’ people. The wolves of other countries have understandable concerns: Charles’ job is to reassure and negotiate with them to provide support for any problems.
Romance, Wolves and Danger
However, there are obstacles in the way. The French pack is led by a psychopath who will never agree or co-operate with the Marrok’s plans. He attacks Anna in public, and though she is unhurt, Charles’ retaliation is out of control and could lead to retribution. The British pack’s leader is co-operative, but when his wife is murdered he goes to pieces and has to be cared for by the local pack. And when Anna goes out shopping with the local pack leader and his wife, they are attacked by vampires. Anna achieves a swift kill with one of them, and the leader’s wife is a powerful witch capable of summoning awesome powers, but they are very shaken. Then there is a murder…
This book is emotionally intense and packed with action. Charles and Anna’s relationship is still fragile and seems at times perched on a precipice. There is so much violence, so much blood, with attacks coming from all sides. But is there a common thread linking them all? You’ll just have to buy the book and find out…
