Welcome to my weekly feature that focuses on audiobooks. It’s time to…
Audiobook review: Mercy Thompson Series
Title: Fire Touched
Author: Patricia Briggs
Narrator: Lorelei King
Audio Speed: 1.25x
Series: Mercy Thompson #9
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audiobook Source: purchased
With things between the Fae and the rest of the world straining to a dangerous point, Mercy and Adam find themselves defenders of the Tri-Cities after the Pack kills a nasty troll on national TV. Along with defeating the troll, the pair are reunited with their fae friends, Z and Tad, who bring with them a fire-touched human boy who has been locked in the fae realm for centuries. Now Mercy and Adam must find a way to keep those they love and those under their protection safe from the fae threats.
BAM! Mercy is back! Fire Touched is another amazing story from the creative mind of Patricia Briggs. Chronologically, the book takes place sometime shortly after and briefly refers to the events of Dead Heat (Alpha and Omega #4), and is tied to the larger story arc of fae discontent that has spanned both the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series for the past few books. It also ties up some of the short-term and long-standing issues with which the pack and/or Mercy has been dealing. Warning – this book is NOT the place to start your journey with this amazing series!
There is so much that I loved and enjoyed about Fire Touched, it’s hard to express exactly what made it so great. I like that Ms. Briggs has brought Mercy and Adam back to solving a mystery that threatens their well-being, while much of the pack drama is laid to rest almost immediately (note: it’s about damn time!). Adam and Mercy’s relationship grew exponentially during the course of the previous book, and their mutual trust is strengthened as a result, making their actions seamless throughout this book.
I think I most appreciate how all the parts work together in this one. Each piece of the story supports the larger whole. Nothing is extraneous and superfluous. The storytelling is amazing, especially when shared by Lorelei King. Additionally, the book moves the entire series forward, while creating interesting changes that will significantly impact future stories. But it’s all done in a way that isn’t showy or brash, which is well-suited to Mercy’s persona. It wasn’t until the book was over that I realized how much was put to rest during the events of Fire Touched.
While I enjoy reading this series nearly as much as listening to it, Lorelei King IS Mercy to me. As soon as I heard that first sentence, I fell into a happy place that felt like home. Ms. King nails everything about Mercy, from her confidence to her uncertainty; from her love for Adam and Jesse to her distrust of those outside her inner circle. She is young yet wise, which all comes through in Ms. King’s performance. But it’s not just Mercy, the cast of characters is huge, and each has his or her own voice, accent, emotional responses, and inflections.
Mercy Thompson has become one of my all-time favorite heroines and series. Fire Touched is one of the best books in the series, bringing together a huge cast and many parts to create an a wonderful story.
My Rating: A
Narration: A+
I really wished I had of done this series on audio! I think this book is opening us up for a lot to come, and I can’t wait!
I agree… closing the door on somethings and opening up the door for so much more!
I strongly urge you to do a “re-read” of the series with audio – check your online library system if they have them. I have read and listened to many of the books and enjoy both ways, but Lorelei King is amazing!
I finally got the audio yesterday. So I am picking up where I left off on the ebook that I got from the library. I am a huge fan of this series on audio
I did several of the first few in a back-and-forth between ebook and audio. 🙂
Oh yeah. She’s an awesome heroine 😀 So glad you enjoyed it, Jen! I read this one but am currently listening to Night Broken. First time listening to King and so far really enjoying it 🙂
She is amazing. And it’s an amazing series. It all goes together so well!
*cries*
I want it now
*sad panda* How much longer do you have to wait?
I so loved this book. There is so much to come. I loved how Adam really dropped the mic and put his foot down. I agree that it was about time. I think that the pack will be much better off now. I also agree that Lorelei King is amazing. One of my favorite narrators, whether she’s narrating Charley Davidson or Mercy Thompson. Great review.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads
Thanks so much! Listening was such a treat!
I loved this book. It’s my favorite read of 2016 so far! Loved your review, can’t wait to listen to this one. I just LOVE King’s narration!
Yes… I love reading these books, but the audio version is my favorite.
I can’t listen. I’ve tried twice now. King is great but she’s Charley Davidson for me. I started out reading Mercy and I can’t make the switch in my head. The mood and feel of the characters and series changes if I let King tell me the story.
And I’m the flip-flop of that. I didn’t listen to a Charley book until last year, having read the first several. While the voice/tone she uses for Charley is different than Mercy… she’ll always be Mercy to me.
LOL I can’t hear a difference between her performance between CD and MT. They sound the same to me. All the women in MT sound like Charley/Cookie and all the guys sound like Reyes.
[…] Reviews in the Series: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #1) River Marked by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #6) Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #7) Night Broken by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #8) Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #9) […]