By Patricia Briggs

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Ace Books, 2008

Genres: Fantasy, contemporary fantasy, paranormal, mystery, paranormal mystery

Series: Mercy Thompson; 5

ISBN: 9780441018192

Intended audience: Adult

Number of pages: 342

Setting: Tri-cities (Richland, Kennewick, & Pasco), WA

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: Mercy is still adjusting to pack life; this is made more difficult by the fact that there are pack members who resent her becoming pack.  Additionally, she has a magical book that needs to be returned to its owner, but he can’t be found.  She also has a roommate who is in desperate need of her help and attention.

Appeal factors:

Pacing: Like the rest of the series, this is an extremely fast book.

Characterization: Told in first person through Mercy.  Adam is an important secondary character, as is Samuel.

Frame: The story is framed by the title – I had to look up the spelling of borne, since I was unfamiliar with it.  It is the past participle of the verb to bear (which can mean to give birth, but also means to hold up or support).   I interpret the title’s meaning as supported by silver.  There is a character in this story who goes by the name of Silver.

Story line:  An action packed story which delves deeper into the world of the fae, as well as Mercy’s new pack connections.

Subject headings:

From Pima County Public Library:

Automobile mechanics — Fiction.

Werewolves — Fiction.

Occult fiction.

Thompson, Mercedes (Fictitious character) — Fiction.

Similar authors:

Jim Butcher – The Dresden Files series

Charlaine Harris – Sookie Stackhouse series

Kim Harrison – Rachel Morgan/ Hallows series

Karen Marie Moning – MacKayla Lane/ Fever series

Personal notes: I enjoyed this story more than the previous one.  The characters and relationships continue to grow stronger as the series progresses.

Other: Diversity – walker (shape shifter), werewolves, gremlin, fae, witch, multiracial woman – part Native American, female auto mechanic, homosexuals

Patricia Briggs website