Amazon.com: Customer reviews: River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) (A Mercy Thompson Novel)

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Mercy gets married!

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2020

I love this series. It's been a while since I've been able to say that about a new to me series, but Mercy Thompson is awesome. It hits all the right buttons for me and had me wanting to immediately re-read the book even though I just finished it.

Mercy and Adam get married! WooHoo! And may I add, I love all the details of how it came about. Snorts! So off they go on their honeymoon and, as well all know, where ever Mercy goes, trouble follows. How much trouble can you get in when you're own your honeymoon in a campground?

Two words: river monster. *Smacks forehead* Trust Mercy to get right into the thick of it all. Even with her man at her side, things get pretty dangerous. Not to worry, Mercy handles it with her own usual coyote flair. O.o Along the way we get to learn more about Mercy's background that even she didn't know. ACK! With the author dangling carrots like this right and left there really was no putting down this book!

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Boundless Book Reviews Sara

Not my favorite

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2019

I originally read this on back in 2011 and gave it four stars. Listening to it the second go around, I remembered how much I didn’t care for it compared to the first five books in the series. Listening to them back to back makes the differences obvious.

In River Marked Mercy and Adam get married and go on their honeymoon, which I loved. The parts with them together not fighting bad guys seems so few and far between so it was nice seeing them together being a happy couple for a while. However, trouble always follows Mercy. This time in the guise of a HUGE River Devil that can take over people’s minds and eat them.

What I didn’t care for in this story is it goes from an Urban Fantasy revolving around Fae, Vampires and Werewolves and morphs into Native American folklore. The entire feel of the story changes. I understand that Mercy is Native American, and her Coyote form comes from that heritage, but this story didn’t feel like it fit with the larger Mercy World to me. It took a complete 180. Bringing in the spirit animals, with Wolf especially was just weird. How does that fit in with the larger world? For me, it only adds more confusion, especially any time Coyote speaks and the deal about her father. WTH.

River Marked is not my favorite, and I am rating this one 3 Boundless Stars.

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Boundless Book Reviews Sara

Not my favorite

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2019

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6 people found this helpful

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Jacque

Mercy gets married!

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2020

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Carole Wooten

Another great chapter

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2017

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This wasn't my favorite book in the series but it was still a really good story. If you have been following my reviews you probably already know that I adore this series. I remember reading this book back when it was first released and enjoying it and I liked it just as much on this audio re-read. This is a series that I have made a point to keep up with and look forward to every installment. I had a lot of fun listening to the audio of this story.

This story takes place away from most of the group and I have to say that I missed some of the characters that I have grown to love just a bit. Mercy and Adam are there for the whole book so I didn't have too much time to spend missing everyone else. Mercy and Adam are off on their honeymoon but they end up getting involved in a situation that needs their help. There are some interesting characters that are a part of this installment including some that knew Mercy's father.

This book had a lot of really good elements. I like how Mercy and Adam's relationship just keeps getting stronger. I really cannot get enough of these two and think that they are just perfect for each other. The chemistry between them is amazing. It was interesting to learn a little bit more about Mercy's background. Her father is really quite a mystery so getting the chance to learn a little bit more is really quite exciting. There was plenty of excitement in this installment. I mean there is a river monster to be battled so of course there is some excitement. This was the kind of book that you just don't want to put down.

Lorelei King does an amazing job with this audiobook. I really didn't expect anything else. She has done such a fantastic job with all of book in this series that I have listened to so far. She has become the voice of Mercy form me. She does a great job with a large cast of characters and brings a lot of emotion into the story. Her voice is very pleasant to listen to and she read the story at a very natural pace. I was able to completely lose myself in this book for hours at a time. I can't wait to listen to more of this series.

I would highly recommend this series to others. I do think that this is a series that really does need to be read in order since the relationships between the characters develop throughout the series. I can't wait to continue with my re-read of this series very soon.

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Barbara Elness

Awesome Addition to the Mercy Thompson Series!

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2016

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After their surprising wedding, Adam plans a ten-day camping honeymoon in a luxury trailer at a new campground they have all to themselves, but of course nothing ever goes as planned when Mercy is involved. The trailer and campground were loaned to them by the fae, and there were some ulterior motives behind it. After rescuing a Native American man from the river, they become involved in a plan to rid the river from the evil being that is preying on anyone who comes near. Mercy meets the spirit of her father for the first time, as well as some interesting Native American walkers and medicine men, including Coyote. I loved seeing Mercy learn more about her beginnings and her heritage and seeing the honeymooners have some alone time - at least they got some of that before all the excitement began. Because werewolves aren’t able to swim, most of the action centers on her and her new walker friends, which frustrates poor Adam, who wants nothing more than to protect his mate. Mercy can never stay out of trouble, but seeing her fight through it all is always a treat. This was a really great addition to the Mercy Thompson series, and I can’t wait to see what trouble Mercy gets into (and out of) next.

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pooled ink ReviewsTop Contributor: Fantasy Books

different but still an adventure

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2020

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This was fun! We get to explore a new setting, new cultures, new lore, new characters...It was a bit different from the previous books (both the players on the board, the setting, and even the overall plan of attack/vibe) so some may not be ready for that departure from what has become familiar and comfortable, but I for one really enjoyed this book even if I do remain partial to the more familiar rhythm of the previous books. I also loved getting to know more about Mercy and her coyote!

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Angela

Great Mercy and Adam time!

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2014

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Mercy's going crazy. And it's not the fae, wolves, or vampires that are scaring her this time.

It's her wedding. More specifically, planning it with her mother. Who apparently thinks doves, pigeons, and butterflies would be a wonderful addition to the day. She's ready to elope. The honeymoon should make up for it all though, and be just what she needs. Just her, Adam, a camper and no one for miles for ten days. Bliss.

Unfortunately things don't go quite as planned and when they find a person with his foot bit off, Mercy's suddenly thrust into a mystery that brings her into much closer contact with her own personal history.

I loved this book. Loved it. I think that most fans will either love it, or not like it and be bored by it. It takes us away from all the secondary characters that we love in the Tri-Cities for most of the book, and focuses on Adam and Mercy, and Mercy's roots.

For 5 books I've been waiting to get some more in-depth alone time with Mercy and Adam. I think that this book really solidifies what they are to and for each other and I love that they fit so perfectly.

We meet some new characters, and one, in particular, is a favorite. He's fabulous, funny, smart, and just a little bit crazy. And learning more about Mercy's past - things she didn't even know - is fun and extremely entertaining. Especially watching Mercy try to assimilate this knowledge into herself, and come to terms with things that are a complete surprise to her.

There is a thing with these books that bugs me a bit. It doesn't bug me until I'm finished, but it does bother me. Near the end, when Mercy and Adam are getting ready to fight the "big bad" Adam's always, ALWAYS, knocked out of the fight somehow. There's something that prevents him from being there to help - and mostly this is probably because he'd wipe the floor with anything that was trying to hurt Mercy and Mercy needs to be the one that saves the day/herself/others etc. I get that, and I like that Mercy saves the day, but I wish this could be handled a bit differently so that it didn't feel like Adam was incapacitated every single book. A good example is Kate and Curran - Curran (Magic Bites) is obviously stronger, but Kate's essential and strong too. They work together to get what needs to be done, done. Anyway. Like I said, a minor bother, but I did want to bring it up.

Great book though. Strong interpersonal relationships, strong mystery story-line (with some great emotionally charged moments) and fantastic characters. This continues to be one of my favorite series, and Patricia Briggs a favorite author.

6 people found this helpful

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M Weidner

I always enjoy Mercy

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019

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I very seldom give 5 stars, my thinking being that 3 being average is a pretty good rating for most books. So it stands to reason that giving 4 stars means this book was very good. I have enjoyed all the Mercy Thompson series so far, finding Mercy to be a character who stands by her convictions despite being part of a world where odd is the norm. Her place in her world doesn't shift her views as to what is right on a most basic level. The "monsters" in this installment were vicious and were put to rest by Mercy and Adam. Another case closed. The wierd and varied creatures that Mercy must battle is part of the appeal and they have been so very creative. I'll keep reading, for sure.

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Smitten with Reading

B rating for audiobook....

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2014

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My Review:
Overall.... 3.75
Performance... 4.75
Story.... 3.25

This book takes Mercy on a different type of adventure as it's just her and Adam on their honeymoon for most of the book and the bad guy is a water devil...something that Adam can't help fight since as a werewolf, he sinks in water. As a result, this book has a very different feel for Mercy. She doesn't have the pack or her pack of misfit paranormals helping her. Instead she has a lot of Indian-based lore legends who help out.

I'll admit that I missed the normal characters in this book. I love all those characters that Mercy is normally surrounded by. They all have this great camaraderie in their interactions that build the fun in the story. That was missing in this book for me as I just didn't have that same attachments to her band of helpers in this book. I wanted Ben and Stefan and Jessi and Sam and... well, you get the idea. The book simply wasn't as good without them.

The book does have more Adam and Mercy moments and I enjoyed that aspect of it. It's wonderful to see their relationship and trust grow past where either of them are truly comfortable. But they are comfortable in their love so they trust that when their instincts are screaming. I loved that Adam managed to hold back and simply watch while Mercy did her thing in this book. That's a true sign of love and I did enjoy that he has grown so much to trust her like that...even to the point of losing her.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite book in the series, but it was still important to the overall story arc and it was still enjoyable. I understand that there are going to be these types of books for me in any series and I'm definitely okay with that. The plus to that is that I was actually able to listen to the entire book on audio rather than skipping to the book where I could read faster myself. And honestly that's its own special treat just because the narrator, Lorelei King, does such an incredible job on this series. Her range of voices and accents is truly impressive. NEVER do I get confused on who's talking and with literally hundreds of characters in the entire series, that's truly impressive. On to book #6.

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Colleen

Not fantastic, but still good

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2011

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River Marked, book six in the Mercy Thompson series by the recently-seen Patricia Briggs, arrived a day before the drop date, with the typical garish cover. I did my little happy dance and settled in to read... it all in one sitting.

River Marked started with Mercy confronting the pining and moping vampire Stefan about his neglect of his kept humans. It then zoomed instantly into the chaos and confusion of Mercy's now-inevitable marriage to Adam Hauptman, alpha werewolf of the Columbia Basin pack. With Anna and Charles Cornick's wedding as the only previous example (in the interlaced Alpha and Omega series), I was pleased to read Briggs following that model once again. Despite possible foreshadowing, neither gangsters nor banshee showed up at the wedding. The worst thing was the now-typical Mercy in a huff over other people getting the better of her.

After all the fol-der-ol, Mercy and Adam departed on their honeymoon to a riverside campground, and thus the real plot started. Briggs used the age-old idea (which she has used twice before) that changing the scenery can often spice up both the plot and the people. She hasn't been wrong so far, and she was not wrong this time either. This was a vivid river side location, an incredibly real set of monsters, and a colorful cast. Briggs discarded all of the usual main cast of characters (except for Mercy and Adam) and picked up an entirely new set of locals... and gods.

And there's the rub. While Briggs spent her previous books building fictional worlds around gods and beliefs which are very much at the fringe, this time she set her authorial feet squarely inside of the Native American pantheon. And it went squish. Her gods were neither powerful enough nor... engaged enough?... to stand as gods, but they were too powerful to stand as men. So I ended up teetering on the edge of suspension of disbelief, unwilling to commit my full weight behind the story.

The story itself was a solid, action-packed, twists-and-turns plot that was very much in the Briggs style. She did not waste a paragraph of space. Every sentence was dedicated to building the scene, the mood, or the action. She mixed up the action with dialog, and split introspection with well paced mood changes that allowed Mercy and Adam to enjoy their honeymoon time without this turning into a Hot! Werewolf! Romance! that would have been a real departure from the mood. Briggs's callbacks to previous books were sprinkled throughout the book, and allowed me to nod along without needing to race over to the shelf to check any details about the walking stick, or Yo-Yo girl, for example. There was a moment of action that allowed Darryl to check in, and another one when Jessie's phone call to her father broke the mood, reminding me that there was still the rest of the pack out there without Adam specifically saying anything about them.

I sincerely appreciate that Briggs has never subscribed Mercy to Power of the Month club. Mercy's talents have grown up slowly and naturally over time, and in this book I'm pleased to say that there were no sparkling new magic tricks to be had by her, or by Adam for that matter. The two of them continued to verbally spar over protecting each other, and then to stand together against all outsiders. Unfortunately, the knowledge that they gained from the visiting gods felt a little too contrived for my taste, and I think I would have rather not known.

All in all, it was a strong action book with a soft section where the magic layer was laid down. Depending on how a reader feels about Native American religion may influence where they rank this one on the shelves. If you are a strong follower of the Coyote myths, I would recommend a second look at Urban Shaman, by C.E. Murphy, before a first read of this book. If that doesn't bother you, then dive right in. I enjoyed River Marked, and think that the relationship development between Adam and Mercy was worth the time all by itself. And for those who are fond of Mercy's mother, there is one laugh-out-loud moment when Mercy threatens to call her mom...

(This review first appeared in Geek Speak Magazine, geekspeakmagazine.com)

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A. Prassas

Another good entry in a very engaging series

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014

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Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series just keeps getting better and better. The author does a great job of combining heart-thumping supernatural action with a little romance, a little day-to-day slice of life, and a little intrigue and mysticism.

The world of Mercy Thompson is populated by werewolves, vampires, fae, and other things that go bump in the night, but the way it's written it feels as real as the world outside my window. Briggs is good at bringing supernatural characters to life through human everyday moments, and the universe is well drawn across all the books in this series (and the Alpha and Omega series which is in the same universe). Actions that happen in one book are often reflected in another and resonate across the universe. Unlike series from similar authors, this series has gotten better with each book. The author has avoided common tropes or cliches and her romantic elements don't seem sappy or out of character. She is good at bringing in new characters or revisiting old ones without losing the focus of the books.

SPOILERS BELOW

For this book, Mercy and her husband Adam travel out of the Tri-Cities area on their honeymoon. What starts as an engaging vacation away from the side characters that normally populate these books turns into a discovery of Mercy's background as we meet new walkers. We also learn more about Native American beliefs, fight a nasty bad guy, and see how Adam and Mercy navigate some tricky waters as a newly married couple. If you are a fan of Adam's pack mates and other characters from the Tri-Cities, then be aware that they don't appear much in this book. The action takes place elsewhere and new allies (and enemies) are the focus. I liked the moments with Mercy and Coyote as she learns more about her background, and it felt right that Mercy was able to learn more about her past as she is beginning a new future with Adam. Overall, I liked the story and found the villain very scary.

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River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) (A Mercy Thompson Novel)

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