Blood Bound

Blood Bound (2007) Patricia Briggs

The second Mercy Thompson books finds Mercy helping the vampires–specifically Stefan, who is a friend of sorts.

The Mistress of the City knows what Mercy is, but believes Stefan that Mercy is no threat to the local seethe, and so accepts Mercy’s place in the city (although Mercy still has to pay protection to the vampires).

There is a good deal of good versus evil in this story, since there is a demon at the heart of the problems.

Science doesn’t allow for magic any more than it allows for evil.

“I haven’t seen a sorcerer for centuries. Most people today don’t have the belief in evil and the knowledge necessary to make a pact with a demon.”

I do like how Mercy (much like Jane Yellowrock) has a strong faith that is integrated into the core of her being.

I also appreciate (even if I don’t like it per se) that there are fae hate groups, and that the preternatural communities recognize that they have to spin their existence to save themselves from genocide.

I like the amount of thought that went into the reactions of the world to the supernatural.

And how the supernatural would survive in a human world.

Werewolves aren’t immortal, just immune to age. But time is their enemy anyway. After just so long, one wolf told me, nothing matters anymore and death looks better than living another day.

And I also like the amount of thought that went into the supernatural communities themselves, and how they would work–and how individuals would react within those communities.

But Warren, hurt and confused, his human half submerged under the wolf, had forgotten that he was supposed to submit to Darryl’s authority. It should have been an instinctive thing. That Warren wasn’t listening to Darryl meant one thing— Darryl wasn’t really more dominant, Warren had been faking it all along.

One of the fascinating things that comes of rereading this series is seeing the set-up for things that happen in later books (or in the companion books and stories).

I do love this series.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Ace

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