‘Silver Borne’ both soars and sinks

The great challenge for authors of character-driven novels is balancing story development with the expectations of the fan base each character inevitably builds.

I love Patricia Briggs and her Mercy Thompson series. I love her latest urban fantasy release, "Silver Borne." But I was really, really disappointed with the resolution of a character plot that's been escalating over four novels, only to be addressed in what seems to be a rushed and all-too-convenient way.

Briggs, who never lets readers down in the big picture, has Mercy pick up where the last book, "Bone Crossed," left off. The independent garage mechanic and coyote shifter is struggling to fit into a werewolf pack led by  Adam, her next-door neighbor and alpha mate. As she tries to find her balance in a social structure that's been split by her induction into the pack, she also has to deal with Samuel, her friend, one-time fiance and now roommate, who's spiraling into a suicidal depression. Samuel is an old, old wolf, and that's something that can lead to madness, loss of control, and a possible death sentence under werewolf law.

In no time at all, Mercy finds herself embroiled in unraveling an attempt to overthrow Adam's leadership while searching for a way to save Samuel, whose control has eroded to the point where his inner wolf has taken over. And it's not just her relationships exploding in her face — an errand to return a Fae book of magic to its owner takes a turn for the deadly when it becomes clear that someone else wants it and is willing to kill for it.
Oh, and did I mention the reality TV crew that's now staking out Mercy's garage in hopes of exposing werewolves for the beasts they are?

Overall, the book is a pleasure. But Samuel's story, one a lot of us have waited for, fell short for me. I don't want to give away too many details, but seeing Samuel go from suicidal to starry-eyed in a matter of chapters was jarring and, quite frankly, a disappointment. The honorable healer and oldest son of the Marrock, who leads the werewolf community in the United States, deserves better. His younger brother Charles even rated a series of his own — see Briggs' Alpha and Omega novels, which are also quality urban fantasy.

I don't believe that Briggs is finished with Samuel yet, so I'm holding out hope that she's planning to shine a light on his plight sometime soon. As for Mercy, she stays true to her nature, which is where most of the adventure comes from.