Title: Alpha & Omega
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Alpha & Omega #0.5, Mercy-verse #7
In: Shifting Shadows (Patricia Briggs) & On the Prowl (Patricia Briggs)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Ace fantasy & Berkley
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: Anna touched Alan Frazier’s smiling face with trembling fingers.

The werewolf Anna finds a new sense of self when the son of the werewolf king comes to town to quell unrest in the Chicago pack – and inspires a power in Anna that she’s never felt before.

Anna is one of the sweetest literary characters that I have read in paranormal fantasy in a long time. Her introduction in this short story bought out a new aspect of the Mercedes Thompson universe and ran beautifully alongside Moon Called.

And then there is Charles… I love Adam and Samuel, but I still think that Charles is my favourite werewolf. The mixture of his position as werewolf assassin and Native American medicine man (for lack of a better term) leaves a strong and intriguing character. Within the first few paragraphs, he leaps off the page and his silent presence engulfs you. Anna’s sweet vulnerability is a beautiful contrast to both his overbearing presence and unemotional role within the Pack is one of my favourite dynamics in Briggs’ books.

The idea of an Omega is something that I had never considered before, but there are certainly those that seem to fit this bill in our everyday lives. The idea of somebody who is protective, but not violent; dominant, but doesn’t require followers is a great change from the general leaders and followers structure of most societies and social systems.

<- Seeing Eye

Cry Wolf ->

Image source: Patricia Briggs