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A review by shdnx
Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
4.0
Wow. I just finished this book and I'm trying to organize my thoughts for a proper review. I have to admit, the ending (world change) caught me very much off-guard, and I'm still trying to figure out what it means. It was an ingenious idea in terms of world-building and series-planning (there's so much potential in it that it makes me shiver).
The story
To be entirely honest, I haven't enjoyed the crime investigation type of story that much. It was good, but not too much so, and would only earn a weak 3 stars from me in itself.
I'm not too much into that genre (i.e. I don't usually read detective books), so I don't really have anything to compare it to; it's just that this type of book is not for me.
What interested me a whole lot more was Charles' conscience-problems, which leads us to the strongest aspect of the book (apart from the ending).
The characters
Charles' character I have always found fascinating. Fair Game finally explores the psychology of being a law-enforcing assassin. The plot felt absolutely right on this thread.
Last - but definitely not least - the romantic elements and the Anna-Charles relationship. It's important to note that this installment of the Alpha and Omega series is a lot more urban-fantasy, and a lot less romance than its predecessors. The reason behind this is trivial: there's only so much romance one can have a relationship without it becoming forced and/or clumsy. Anna and Charles have gone far in their relationship already, and it is slowing down as they begin to figure out how to live their lives together.
Truth be told, I liked this kind of romance much more than when it was in the "wild" phase during the previous books, but then again, I've never been much of a romantic guy.
Anna was seriously charming. I just had an embarrassing thought: she is exactly a kind of woman I can fall in love with. Uh oh.
While there weren't really any character development in store for her during this book, it is a clear demonstration as to how far she has gone since we had met her in Cry Wolf (or its prequel).
This brings a problem though, which the author won't get away with in her next Alpha and Omega novel (if there will be a next - I very much hope so): Anna is simply too perfect. As a general rule, perfect things don't make for good stories. It was okay for this one book (greatly because of it is so short), but it can become boring very quickly.
The numerous secondary characters were okay, but nothing special. None of them actually acquired any depth, but that is hardly surprising considering the length of the novel.
Summary
A must-read for all Mercedes Thompson/Alpha and Omega fans. Not an outstanding novel by any measures, but it's a fun, rather light and quick read. 4 stars for rating is just about right.
The story
To be entirely honest, I haven't enjoyed the crime investigation type of story that much. It was good, but not too much so, and would only earn a weak 3 stars from me in itself.
I'm not too much into that genre (i.e. I don't usually read detective books), so I don't really have anything to compare it to; it's just that this type of book is not for me.
What interested me a whole lot more was Charles' conscience-problems, which leads us to the strongest aspect of the book (apart from the ending).
The characters
Charles' character I have always found fascinating. Fair Game finally explores the psychology of being a law-enforcing assassin. The plot felt absolutely right on this thread.
Last - but definitely not least - the romantic elements and the Anna-Charles relationship. It's important to note that this installment of the Alpha and Omega series is a lot more urban-fantasy, and a lot less romance than its predecessors. The reason behind this is trivial: there's only so much romance one can have a relationship without it becoming forced and/or clumsy. Anna and Charles have gone far in their relationship already, and it is slowing down as they begin to figure out how to live their lives together.
Truth be told, I liked this kind of romance much more than when it was in the "wild" phase during the previous books, but then again, I've never been much of a romantic guy.
Anna was seriously charming. I just had an embarrassing thought: she is exactly a kind of woman I can fall in love with. Uh oh.
While there weren't really any character development in store for her during this book, it is a clear demonstration as to how far she has gone since we had met her in Cry Wolf (or its prequel).
This brings a problem though, which the author won't get away with in her next Alpha and Omega novel (if there will be a next - I very much hope so): Anna is simply too perfect. As a general rule, perfect things don't make for good stories. It was okay for this one book (greatly because of it is so short), but it can become boring very quickly.
The numerous secondary characters were okay, but nothing special. None of them actually acquired any depth, but that is hardly surprising considering the length of the novel.
Summary
A must-read for all Mercedes Thompson/Alpha and Omega fans. Not an outstanding novel by any measures, but it's a fun, rather light and quick read. 4 stars for rating is just about right.