Review: Fire Touched

Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson, #9
Released: March 8th 2016
Publisher: Orbit UK
Length: 352 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: The Book Depository

Mercy Thompson is 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?

Mercy Thompson is one of the characters that defined urban fantasy, along with Harry Dresden, Kate Daniels and a few others. It’s a very exclusive company she’s in, but her position is well deserved. Even the most determined critics of the genre would be hard pressed to find a flaw within this series, and what’s more, Briggs just keeps polishing the details to make her books even better and more exciting.


Fire Touched takes us right in the middle of the big confrontation with the fae. Mercy has links to all sides and as usual, her sense of honor and justice leads her right in the thick of things. The pack decides to protect a young boy from the Grey Lords and their decision has major consequences and brings some earth-shattering moments. Zee is back, along with Tad, and there are a few additions to the pack. I missed Zee desperately in Night Broken. The very brief encounter between him and Mercy simply didn’t suffice. It was wonderful to have him back in full force and to finally untangle just a tiny bit more of the mystery that surrounds him. Aside from that, I think Mercy’s fans will be delighted by some of Adam’s decisions in this book, as well as the ever-expanding circle of Mercy’s friends and allies.

Fire Touched is occasionally a very emotional book with heartbreaking moments designed to make us think about Mercy’s place in the world. I loved seeing her more confident and secure enough to handle things that would have made her run not too long ago. With Adam’s help and unwavering love, she has made herself into someone well-rounded, with deep enough roots to offer stability not only to her own family, but to many others as well.

Mercy’s best quality is her incredible intellect. She thinks things through and considers every consequence before she opens her mouth. She is incredibly aware of the people around her and knows precisely when and how she can help. Her sensitivity to subtle signs from other people, including body language, always manages to amaze me. We should all strive to be just a little bit more like her.

There are at least two more books planned in the Mercy Thompson series, but I hope Patricia will not stop there. She hasn’t lost any quality at all with time. If anything, her work keeps getting better, which gives me hope that she’ll stay with Mercy for a long time to come.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.