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Family issues can be complicated, but nothing brings a family closer together than fighting deadly wind monsters like the howlaa, breaking a few black magic curses, and a good dose of sibling rivalry. This is just an ordinary family reunion for the shape-shifting mercenary, Aralorn. For Aralorn, life is anything but simple and sweet–especially when it comes to her colossal family.
Wolfsbane, by Patricia Briggs, is the sequel to Masques. However, one it is okay if you have not read the first book. The second is easy to understand whether or not you have read the first book.
Wolfsbane continues the story of Aralorn–a shape-shifter, a green mage, and a mercenary–and her companion Cain ae’Magi, better known as Wolf–the son of Geoffrey–and the former Archmage and villain of the previous book, Masques.
Foreboding events have been occurring on Aralorn’s father’s estate, which cause her to return home for the first time in a century. While her reunion with her family may have have had happy moments, it becomes over-shadowed by the death of Aralorn’s father, the Lyon of Lambshold.
In a grand and joyous turn of events, Aralorn discovers that her father is not truly dead. However, he is ensnared in a very powerful and evil spell that could only have been performed with the blackest of magic.
With help from the new Archmage Lord Kisrah, Aralorn’s mother’s people (the shape-shifters), Aralorn’s family, and her faithful companion, Wolf, hope to save Aralorn’s father from an untimely death and find out who cast the spell on him and why. But is Aralorn willing to make the monstrous sacrifice that will be required to undo the forbidden black magic that has ensnared her father?
In a review on BOOKYURT, Wolfsbane is summarized fairly well. “In the end, Wolfsbane is a fast, easy, and entertaining read – and though it is still not quite up to Mercy Thompson weight, it is easily my favorite of the Sianim series.”
Another review by Andrew Robins applauds the book. “Wolfsbane was still written reasonably early on Patricia Briggs’ career, but it contains many more of the qualities that I have found in her later work. In short, it is a very clever story that riffs extremely well off the first novel, even to the point of brilliantly exploiting some of that book’s flaws.”
I found Wolfsbane to be an enthralling book that I couldn’t put down. It is easy to follow.
The characters and their relations to each other are intriguing. The world that they live in is captivating. The love story between Aralorn and Wolf is breathtaking.
I only wish Patricia Briggs had continued Aralorn’s and Wolf’s story, for it has potential to become an incredible series. I look forward to reading more of Patricia Briggs work.
If you would like to read the full reviews of Wolfsbane that were mentioned in this article, go to http://bookyurt.com and http://helenlowe.info. Some of Patricia Briggs’ other series are the Mercy Thompson Series, the Alpha and Omega Series, Raven Duology, Hurog Duology, and The Hob. For more information about Patricia Briggs’ books go to http://www.patriciabriggs.com.
