I really loved this book. Not for the romance, or danger but for the back story. It was awesome to learn more about Bran and Sam's past as well as get to know the other members of the back. It changes the way I look at these characters in the Mercy Thompson series. Though I didn't like the jumping around so much I would still say that if you like Mercy Thompson and you want a better look into some other characters this is a book for you.

Anna was attacked and brutally changed into a werewolf, but in the last 3 years that seems to have been the easiest thing that has happened to her. Being told she is on the bottom of the pack makes a werewoman feel that way. But, her world is rocked and shaken to its core when she meets the second most powerful werewolf in the country. When she meets Charles he claims she is not a weak wolf but one of the most powerful and rare ones. She is an Omega, and apparently his mate. Now suddenly things are not as she has thought and her world is changing.

She leaves the city and goes to stay with Charles after a horrific showdown, which is detailed in On The Prowl. Now she is not sure where she fits in, what she can do to help Charles heal from his wounds defending her. Most importantly will her wolf accept Charles as a mate? Now suddenly she and Charles appear to be up against an even tougher foe when out on a job for the Marrock (Charles father). If they both live to tell of the strange happenings will they also be free to let their love grow?

Cry Wolf is the latest book out by the talented Ms. Briggs. Many comments have been written about this book being a stand alone that will confuse you. This book was designed to follow up the anthology On The Prowl, which sets the stage for this story and will give many readers the background that they feel they are missing. I on the other hand had read the first part and found this second book amazing. I loved how you got to see into the interactions between the different characters, which have only been lightly mentioned in the Mercy books. Ms. Briggs does a wonderful job of setting up the healing process and learning of a woman who was stronger than she even thought she was. Also Cry Wolf helps to show how a family that sticks together can be stronger as a unit than apart. I think that anyone that likes a good werewolf book will love Cry Wolf, and it will appeal to those who like a "little more loving" in their book also.

Tanya
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I loved this book. Seeing the inside working of the Montana werewolves was great and meeting Anna, an omega wolf, was very interesting. I also loved getting more insight on Charles.

I absolutely loved the short story in "On the Prowl" and I'm glad that the author chose to continue that storyline.

The short story is not a prequisite for this book, but it gives more of the background between the hero and the heroine. So I would recommend reading it first.

The plotline w/ the witch was very unique and I'm happy to say different from her Mercy books.

I'm glad the author chose not to delve too much on the abuse that Anna went through for the last 3 years and instead went with how she is going to move on from there. It was fascinting seeing Anna adjust, and every once in a while it almost appeared like she had a split personality because the wolf in her took over.

In the short story, she meets up w/ alpha werewolf enforcer, Charles. In the end, Charles finds in her the mate he's been searching for all these years. Oddly enough, Anna is a rare type of werewolf. An Omega, who has the power to repress and sooth the agression in other werewolfs. Omega's are so rare that not much is known about them, and so as Anna learns her powers--the reader learns at the same time.

The story also lays the foundation of mated pairs, delves into the concept of black magic, and introduces more about the werewolf hiearchy.

It's a must read for paranormal readers, it had the right balance of paranormal, drama, romance, action, and dialogue.

I would definitely recommend it, and I can't wait to read some more books on it.

Looking at a number of reviews, it became clear that a lot of these folks are quite good at long and detailed reviews. I am not. I am a fantasy fan and have read everything I can get my hands on, so I was suprised to take a turn from my norm, into werewolves. I am really a fan that quick and have read all of Ms.Brigg's books to date.....excellent!! :)

With the release of CRY WOLF (the first in a new series), Patricia Briggs fans can now look forward to two Briggs books coming out per year. A Mercy Thompson in the winter and an Alpha and Omega in the summer. So. Very. Awesome. After inhaling the original "Alpha and Omega" short story in On the Prowl last year, I could hardly wait to follow Anna and Charles's story in full-length book form and now, having finished it, I can honestly say it was a treat.

Picking up immediately after the events of "Alpha and Omega," Anna finds herself and her few belongings bundled up and on her way to Montana with a wounded Charles and his father, the enigmatic Bran, otherwise known as the Marrok, aka leader of the entire werewolf population of North America. Nervous and unsure of just what she's gotten herself into, Anna suddenly finds herself living at Charles's house, attending werewolf funerals, and embroiled in the same kind of wolf politics she was assiduously kept out of during her time with the Chicago pack. Unsurprisingly, it's one step forward, two steps back for Anna as she attempts to settle into her new life and decide whether or not she even wants to carve out a place for herself with Charles--a still waters run deep sort of man who is reserved, doesn't like crowds, but is also the Marrok's chief assassin.

Anna is a very different breed of heroine from Mercy. After being changed, she was never given the chance to get her bearings and accept her new life. The cool thing about being an Omega (something she is only just beginning to figure out about herself) is she has all of the protective instincts of an Alpha, without any of the violence. This makes her strong and able to influence the mood of every wolf around her. The lame thing is that without those violent instincts, she can be taken advantage of and manipulated to a rather spectacular degree. I liked that this first book didn't rush things. There is plenty of ground left to cover as far as Anna's untapped abilities go and whether or not she and Charles will be able to bridge the still vast gulf between them. I loved the extra time we got to spend with Bran--one of the most interesting characters in this world. I'm looking forward to more on his background and his mate. Because, even though she's heinous, I feel particularly sorry for Leah. It's no kind of life she's got right now and I find myself harboring a little hope for her and her Marrok.

Lastly, CRY WOLF just happens to include a sneak peak of the first chapter of Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4)--the fourth Mercy Thompson book. Did I skip to the back and read it first before delving into CRY WOLF? Maybe...

I am still trying to spoon this one down. The Mercy Thompson series was fantastic and I could read them in 2 days. This one I can't get into. I cannot connect with the characters and I am still trying to finish it after 2 months.

I really enjoy Patricia Brigg's work, and this was no exception. It had a little less humor than I am used to from her, and the lead character wasn;t as strong (IMO) as Mercy. But a good read nonetheless. I'll be picking up the sequel.

I love the Mercy Thompson series. This is just an off shoot of that. Some of the characters that are in that series make an appearance here, but with a lot more story to them.

Anna is an Omega werewolf. She was changes three years ago, but her Alpha was a sadistic jerk, brutalizing her every chance he got to try and break her. She has been rescued by Bran the Mattok, leader of all werewolves in North America, and his some Charles.

But not all is well back at home. There have been a few were kills and Bran is afraid that someone is trying to hint that they don't want him to come out about the werewolves. So, he sends Charles and Anna to check it out.

Charles and Anna are destine to be mated, but she has a lot to get over. He has to figure out what an Omega is exactly. On top of that, they have to figure out who is doing the murders and why.

This is a great book. If you like the Mercy Thompson series, this is a must read!!

The story in the book starts from the other short novella, which is not included in the book. It makes matters somewhat confusing. The author should not have divided the story (by separating the beginning and placing it as a separate novella in another book).

This story starts right off where Ms. Briggs started in her short story in the book "On the Prowl" (featuring various authors). I suggest reading that first so that you have a good background of what Anna went through and how short a time she has really known Charles.

Anna is a werewolf and has been for three years but it wasn't her choice to make the change. In most things she is basically ignorant about what it means to be a werewolf and she knows even less about herself as an Omega wolf. Charles is still recovering from the silver bullets he took in the fight in Chicago and is trying to learn enough for both of them. He's trying not to scare off Anna since they are not "mated" even though their wolves are. The situation is unheard of in the werewolf community.

To compound matters the Marrok must send Charles off to deal with a rogue wolf that has attacked one human too many in the wilds of Montana. Anna, unwilling to let Charles face an enemy alone, goes with him and plays an integral part in taming the rogue as well as the Marrok when he nearly goes berserk after being held captive by a 200 year old witch that can utilize pack bonds and has a guardian werewolf.

As with any good heroine, Anna is what holds the story together. She's shy but stubborn, strong yet delicate, unsure of herself but definitely a force to be reckoned with...

_Cry_Wolf_ is the first book of Patricia Briggs' new series, Alpha and Omega. The book is set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson series, but focuses more on the werewolf pack located in the mountains of Montana. This pack and its leader Bran regularly appear in the Mercy Thompson series, along with Bran's sons Samuel and Charles.

This book has a fairly slow pace and is very "emo", for lack of a better word. There are two main characters, Anna and Charles, and the book is mostly about them trying to work out some relationship issues. Anna was severely abused for three years by her first werewolf pack (as in other reviews, I have to wonder -- why does urban / contemporary / dark urban fantasy genre suddenly have this fixation with sexual assault and the emotional trauma that comes from that?!?) while simultaneously learning nothing of werewolves besides that they were sadistic brutal bastards who enjoy hurting people. The book opens with the aftermath of Charles having saved Anna from her tormentors and taking her home with him and Bran to Montana. Anna has severe issues (as anyone would under those circumstances), including problems with self-esteem, guilt, anxiety, and wondering who's going to beat her up next. Charles is an old wolf who has never really found a mate, so he is as surprised and unsure of how to deal with his emotions as Anna is. There is some suspense and action which show up in the last third, but the first two-thirds are mostly a romance novel about two very hopeful but frightened people trying to learn how to love and trust each other.

I did enjoy the novel, but I didn't love it. I think a lot of Mercy Thompson fans will have mixed feelings about it too. But overall a good book.

On a side note for Mercy Thompson fans -- there is some information in the book about Bran and his sons, particularly Samuel, which makes some parts of the Mercy Thompson series quite a bit more interesting.

This is a good start to a new series by Briggs, and I was pleased that I enjoy reading about Anna as much as I enjoy reading about Mercy. I've been intrigued with the characters of Bran and Charles from reading the other books, and this is a welcome look into their world.

I loved the back story of Bran so much that I would love it if Briggs would write a book starring him. I especially want to read about Bran's relationship with Charles's mother.

I hope to see more of Leah, Asil and Sage in the next book. One of my favorite things about Brigg's writing is that her supporting characters are fully realized.

I strongly recommend reading the novella that is in On the Prowl first. I read recently that the novella will soon be available as a stand-alone ebook.

Previous reviewers gave excellent recaps of the story, so I'll keep this short and sweet:

If you like the Mercedes Thompson series as much as I do this is a great read. Cry Wolf offers more insight into Bran (Alpha of the American Alphas), his enforcer/son Charles, and a new character, the Omega Anna. I didn't read On The Prowl first, but I'd recommend it. Ms. Brigg's short story describes how and why Charles met Anna, which helps the reader fall right into the story in Cry Wolf.

I can't wait for the next installment!

I enjoyed the other books in the world created by Briggs. But, this one too me was boring and redundant. Far too much time was spent on apprehension Anna and Charles had toward each other. It got so old and I just sat there thinking "I get it...you are unsure of how each other feel, move on with the actual story please!". So much time was spent on them sorting each other out the actual meat of the book which to me should have been the rogue shifter they ended up looking for just couldnt make up for all the wasted time. I would have liked more backstory on the witch and her connection. How she got to where she was her motives etc than was given.

Three years a wolf and under the thumb of an abusive and brutal pack and Alpha, Anna Latham, considered a submissive, is not what she seems. As an Omega wolf, a balancing effect for the dominance and violence that often accompanies dominants or Alphas, Anna is a rare breed indeed and is both above and outside the pack. What that means is that pack power, especially dominant power, cannot touch her. The ability to calm and help other wolves find inner peace and sanctuary is usually an ability and a person/wolf that is treasured, yet the Chicago pack she was forced into, is anything but enlightening, or peaceful for herself. It is a force of Anna's personality alone, and thus enhanced by her wolf, that allows her to remain the calm soul she is, and not get violence and embittered herself.

But-Anna just got lucky. Charles, the youngest son of the Marrok, Bran Cornick, has singled her out as his mate. And he's taking her back with him. But she's not entirely sure why. As she struggles to find herself and understand what she is, and her abilities, she and Charles embark on the task of eliminating a rogue werewolf in the cold Cabinets of Montana. As simple as it sounds, it's not. Asil Alvarado, an even older werewolf than Samuel, is at the center of it. A werewolf so old, he has relearned how to fear, and knows he is slowly circling into insanity. As the hunt commences, Charles and Anna come across a 'Nam Vet, Walter Rice, who has been hiding from his own ghosts and is turned into a wolf by the rogue wolf. What they all fail to realize, too late perhaps, is that the rogue is not only something unnatural, but it knows Asil very well. And the witch that now hunts them down, with an aim to take over the power of Bran's pack, is the most terrifying entity that makes even the great Marrok, rattle in fear.

While not a bad tale about boy meets girl, x-y-then-z happens, it's a very formulaic and all too familiar format that Briggs, I thought, was smart and talented enough to avoid. A lot does happen, which keeps the pacing even, it just didn't do it for me. The relationship between Charles and Anna is not only awkward but lacking any fire. The format shifts from Charles & Anna's with theirs being the primary focus, juxtaposed with Asil & Bran's pov. So, there's a lot of mental diagnosis, especially between Charles & Anna which just got long winded and dull. While the wolf element, especially Bran's past and his role as the Marrok and his power is connected to all those in his pack, was very interesting and very intricate, it is but a sidenote.

I didn't read the short story. If Briggs wanted this book to stand on its own, she should have done a prelude with that short story or made sure that readers understood that the relationship was already set up and separate from Cry Wolf. If you didn't read it like me, you'll just jump right in and will get slightly lost. And it'll feel disjointed and was offputting at times. It was careless to not include it, considering the whole book is about Anna's and Charles' struggles to not only accept one another, but to figure out what they mean as a couple.

People enjoyed this book, but I think it's because they miss Mercy and just wanted something to fill the void until Feb 3 of next year. There is no magic here,just a ho-hum story. And don't give CW five stars, out of duty or love for the Mercy series. This book, that will be a series, has to stand on its own and separate from its sister series, and the first test...well, while Brigs didn't hit a home run with this, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

This is the first book that I've read by this author and since it was supposed to be the first in a series decided to give it a try. It was pretty obvious from the start that I'd missed something...a short story that introduced the characters! Maybe you don't need to read that first but I have to think that it would have helped. There were also characters mentioned who I've since discovered were from an earlier series. So my advice...read the earlier series - then the short story - then this book!

I felt like an outsider. Problem was that I didn't read the anthology. The story begins out of nowhere and suddenly you are right in the middle of it. You are supposed to know the main characters, to know how they met/feel/think. There is enough background to understand what is happening and why, but not enough to 'feel' these characters. I like this author so I guess I got a wrong start. My advise: read the anthology first.

This story which began in 'On the Prowl' was a little dissappointing. I really expected a more to come out of the relationship between Anne and Charles. I understand that Anne is a Omega, which basically means she is submissive in her nature, but she also seemed to be to so worried about everything that I dont think that her true self shines through. The story line was somewhat confusing, you have to try to remember who was connected to who and how everything relates. I bought this book because I wanted to know what happened to Anne and Charles, how their relationship grew, however I think they learn to accept each other, I do not think they love each other. Or maybe their maybe how their feelings are expressed is so mixed up with everything else I didnt see it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. There are so many books in this genre, but Briggs manages to breathe new life into it. I really liked the atmosphere she created in this universe and it was appealing and different having the main couple already essentially 'paired' from the get go, i.e. not having to worry about the will they won't they aspect, but still being able to see their relationship with each other grow and develop. That's the romance aspect of it, which I enjoy (being a romance fan), but this is a fantasy genre and this she does equally well, combining them both to create a page turner of a tale! I'm thoroughly interested in Bran and Samuel now too and I'm looking forward to future installments!

"Cry Wolf" is set in the same universe as the Mercy Thompson series, but follows the adventures of Anna, an Omega wolf, and Charles, her mate. Charles is Samuel's brother and Bran son, which fans of the Mercy Thompson series will be familiar with.

Anna just recently arrived from the Chicago pack, which brutalized her during her time as a werewolf. This means that while she is a strong character, she has a lot of fears to overcome, and her fears aren't really groundless given what she has endured.

This book was definitely readable and enjoyable and gave a lot of really interesting backstory to Bran, Samuel and the Marrok clan. I enjoy the world this novel is set in quite a lot, and I found the story to be a fun read. My hope is that she will continue writing Anna and Charles' story in future novels, but without Charles being injured as he was for the duration of this novel.

While it has become a trope of the Urban Fantasy genre, I do tire of the multiple boyfriends/complicated lovelives of the heroines. While the lovelife is still complicated in the Alpha and Omega series, at least it just follows one couple instead of being a triangle kind of story. It would be nice if Urban Fantasy would take a cue from series such as J.D. Robb's "In Death" where you can have a couple stay together happily throughout the course of the series. I think Briggs plans on doing this both in this series and the Mercy Thompson series.

I also enjoyed the point of view of the story changing from Anna, to Charles, to Bran, to Asil. I love Mercy Thompson voice, but I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives in this book.

This was a great new storyline from Patricia Briggs set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson series. It was a nice touch to see featured some of the secondary characters from the Mercy Thompson novels and to learn more about the Marok and his motivations. I hope he gets his own book soon. The only jarring note was the beginning. If you have not read the prior short story published in an anthology, you would have a hard time understanding what had taken place before the start of this book. I do not like anthologies and did not feel like spending the money to pick up the book so I had to piece together what happened and still don't know the details. It would have been nice if the short story had been included in this novel. I can only surmise greed on the part of the publisher for this omission. That being said, I hope Briggs writes as second novel featuring these characters so we can see their relationships further develop.

I enjoyed this book even though it was a trifle juvenile. I like the characters - I am looking forward to Ms. Briggs developing this line in her alternate universe.

I have to say I was really excited at first, I was browsing the shelves at the book store as usual and found this book "Cry Wolf" that looked very interesting. The lady at the check out even said she really enjoyed this book which made me feel even better about my purchase at the time.

I get home and start reading. I get to the first chapter where its talking about Anna. I started to sense something was wrong. The book kept talking about the past in such a way that is similar to when you have a series of books. Where each book rehashes what happened in the previous book to catch the reader up.

I had to stop reading after the point where a cell phone rings and Anna is listening to the conversation. I thought to myself somethings missing, why am I hearing this all second hand? I want to read the actual action of these events for myself! There has to be a book before this one and I missed it as I looked around at the book store.

I go online and start looking on amazon.com only to find out there was indeed a story before this book and it was a short story part of an anthology. I go read up on the anthology and find out 3 of the stories of the 4 aren't worth my time. So I'd have to spend another 7.99 to find out the pre-story to "Cry Wolf"

I read on to find that the short story had originally been meant to stand alone. But once it was realized a continuation of the story would be made they should have either A) put that short story at the beginning of "Cry Wolf" to avoid all this horrible confusion. B) say that you can find the short story on the website of the author (which I dont think it is but I haven't looked yet). or C) At the very least on the cover put a note saying the continued story of Anna and Charles see anthology for more information.

I feel a little cheated and while I hope to someday enjoy the rest of this book with its beautiful cover, I can't bring myself to do that until I have read the short story. And I can't bring myself to purchase an anthology for 1 story that I will like out of four (i already can tell i wont care much for the other 3 stories because of the reviews)

So until the day I can happily read this book I will at least enjoy the pretty artistic cover on the front. Very beautiful.

I am a huge fan of Patricia Briggs work as anyone who has read my reviews can see. However, this book had a slow and confusing start. The prologue begins with a character, Walter that is not introduced until a good bit later in the book and then the first two chapters were dedicated to confusing backstory and the tentativeness between Charles and Anna. The mating bond is slow to kick into place between the two of them. We do get to see a different side of Bran that I found fascinating.

The story later picks up and becomes just as good as the Mercy series, with a 200 year old witch as the villian and a new type of wolf, the omega. I ended up enjoying the book very much. I think that Briggs could have handled the intro much better, but she does get into her groove pretty quickly and then the story really flys. After a certain point I found that I didn't want to put the book down, but it took a few chapters to get there. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Mercy series simply because it is a part of that world.

3.5 stars

Cry Wolf continues the story of Charles and Anna begun in the short story Alpha and Omega (from the On the Prowl Anthology). Anna is moving to Montana to live with Charles, and take her place in the Marrok's pack. However, when you live as long as werewolves do, you can make a lot of enemies. Before they have time to resolve the issues between them Charles and Anna are on the hunt for a rogue werewolf and a whole lot of history is about to smack them in the face.

I think Cry Wolf works best if you've read Alpha and Omega first, there is a catch up at the beginning of Cry Wolf but I think you'd get more out of the story if you read about Charles and Anna's first meeting and how Anna became a werewolf. This book also slots into the Mercy Thompson Universe following up some events that happened after Mercedes returned to the Tri-Cities.

I love Patricia Brigg's heroines. They're not superwomen, they're doing the best they can in difficult situations.

"She wondered that hope was so much harder than despair."

Anna is an Omega wolf. She's previously been told she's a submissive, the lowest of the low, but that just isn't the case. What we experience in Cry Wolf is Anna starting to learn exactly what it means to be an Omega. Charles and Bran will only help her so far, part of being in a werewolf pack means she has to find her own place.

Charles and Anna's relationship as humans is much more wary than their relationship as wolves. Their wolves have already decided they are mates, however their human halves have not. Kind of a unique situation in werewolf society as it usually happens the other way round, with the wolf being more wary.

Patricia Briggs has fleshed out the relationships between the various members of the Montana pack, how they work together as a unit, as a dysfunctional family. It's interesting that Anna thinks of the pack as a bunch of psychotics, in a way the Montana pack is a pack for werewolves who can't fit in anywhere else - they're too damaged, too set in their ways, too broken, but very interesting to read about.

Because Cry Wolf is written in third person rather than first. It also gives us the opportunity to see situations from more than one point of view. It's nice to be able to see what both Charles and Anna are thinking, and also be to see the way Bran thinks and to learn more of his history. There are more complex relationships being explored here rather than just that between Charles and Anna. We also have Bran & the pack, Asil & Bran, Asil & Sage. Each one unique and revealing something different.

I did find the middle of the book a little slow, however with this being the first book in the series, everything has to be set up here, so that didn't bother me too much. And as it seems only book will be released for this series a year, I have a long and impatient wait for the next book. Recommended.

Half way through the book and it still doesn't interest me.

Moon Called, Blood Bound and Iron Kissed were MUCH better!

Taking Charles Cornick, a minor character from the Mercedes Thompson universe, Patricia Briggs expands the werewolf community. On top of following Charles and Anna's relationship, the reader gets more history about Bran Cornick, the Marrok (aka current Werewolf King in North America), meets several characters in Aspen Creek, and learns more about the inner workings of a pack. Briggs uses a first person point of view, but switches between characters. She manages to make this not confusing, it actually adds depth as the reader sees small sections of the story from multiple POVs.

On the positive side, this story utilizes Anna's ignorance as a tool to educate the reader about the rules of the universe without making it too obvious. Briggs also gives information in brief sections, and avoids lectures. The story also flows well from one page to another.

On the negative side, Briggs wrote a short story that doesn't appear in this book, introducing Anna and her negative situation in Chicago. The reader doesn't have to read this, but the beginning of the novel feels as though it's missing some background information. Also, Briggs contradicts a few of her previously stated werewolf rules, but nothing too important.

On the whole, I recommend this book and author for anyone looking for an engaging read about werewolves and relationships.

It pains me to give anything Patricia Briggs has written a poor review, so I'm going to keep this short.

I did not read the short story prequel before starting CRY WOLF, and that was a huge mistake. The short story tells us how Charles and Anna met and recognized one another as mates, and describes Anna's difficult history with her first pack. Not having read the short story, CRY WOLF often felt incomplete. I don't think it fully stands on its own.

This ought to be a minor problem, in the hands of an author as gifted as Briggs is. She should be able to drop me into the story and carry me forward, riveted, as she has in her other books. But the writing itself seemed sloppy to me - too much telling, not enough showing. I often felt like I was reading a plot summary instead of a novel. Characters in CRY WOLF rush from plot point to plot point while the author interrupts with long explanations of backstory and worldbuilding.

I love Patricia Briggs, not just the Mercy Hollings series but her more traditional fantasies, and I was pretty disappointed by CRY WOLF. But I have faith in the author, and I'll cross my fingers and hope that the next installment in the series is back up to her usual high standards.

I am huge a Mercy fan and and one of the reasons why is because she is a rare coyote shifter where werewolves seem abundant. So, I have to admit that because of this I started reading Cry Wolf with a chip on my shoulder ;) I mean after reading about the 'rare', why be satisfied with the seemingly 'common'. ;)

Boy was I surprised! I ended up LOVING this book -- maybe even better then the Mercy ones (I feel like such a traitor)! Anna was an honest and strong woman who had survived a horrible time in her life yet managed to keep her integrity. The hero was also wonderful and love how he cared for Anna -- their romance was very beautiful and realistic. I will be snapping new books from this series as soon they come out!

I am a relative newcomer to Patricia Briggs but have become a great fan. I lost lots of sleep reading "just a few more pages then I'll shut out the light". Her characters are interesting and story lines capture your interest. I cant wait to read the next Alpha and Omega book.

This book is a spin off from an anthology where they were first introduced.
WEll, I did not know that so for the first 4 chapters i was thoughly confused.
I kept thinking i was missing some chapters or something.
Then i found out from other reveiws that it was a spin off from a short story. Gee thanks i wish i known that for the first half of the book.
After, the first half the book is good but this is not her best work yet.
I recommend the Mercy Thompson series more.

I just found this series and the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I liked them so much, I read all four books in less than a month. The rules of the world she created are facinating and the way her characters interact with each other within those rules are endlessly interesting. Cry Wolf is interesting because the "hero" of the story is actually so beat down and then so unsure of herself that she's not really a hero at all, but she still has an impact on everyone around her just by being what she is.

I am a big fan of this genre and wildly enthusiastic about Briggs as an author. I was prepared to LOVE this book as I already considered myself an afficianado of the Mercyverse and was elated by this paralell addition. This is where the "however" is usually inserted, where I list my disillusions, etc. But my objections don't quite rate a "however" nor are they minor enough for the "niggles" pile.

It was...fine. But failed to excite my passion. But better than many offerings in this genre. But not what I've come to expect from this author. But sill entertaining. But missing that extra something. Alpah and Omega felt more commercial and less passionate than the excellent Mercy series, as if it were written for the deadline instead of for the joy of the story. But maybe it caught me wrong, or on a bad day, so I give it 3.75 stars plus .25 starts becasue I think Briggs rocks and I love the integrity she's added to paranormal fiction, which took a big hit when LKH went south.

Specific comments: I felt the action and devices to advance the plot were too pat, that everyone got where they were supposed to be and knew what they were supposed to know without sufficient story-line to support it. The concept of the Omega was vague to me and needed fleshing out IMO. However (a good however), I was floored by the suggestion that Bran was the impetus behind the Grendle in the Beowulf epic, and I'd love to hear more....like a book or 3.

The bottom line: good but not great, be SURE you don't miss any of the Mercy Thompson books as they are fantastic, and the teaser for the 4th Mercy book at the end of A&O definiately whetted my appetite.

I loved this book couldn't put it down finished it in one day loved it.
cant wait for more.

This is the continuation of the Anna and Charles short story that is located in On the Prowl. I would read this short story before reading Cry Wolf. The story is strong enough that it isn't absolutely required, but you will love the story so much you will end of getting the short story book just to read more about the Alpha and Omega. This is an exciting fast read, I hated to put it down once I started it. This is as good as the Mercy Thompson series which I also love!

This book is really good. Let me start with that. It's not even just good for the paranormal romance genre, it's just a good book. The writing is great and very solid, there are none of those weird quirks that lesser writers are cursed with. Things like repeating certain adjectives too often or "making up" heretofore unmentioned things to move the plot along (like someone is stuck in a cave and then - oh, great, the author inserts a magical cave sprite or something willing to show our hero the way out, even though cave sprites never existed in that imagined world until the character was in a bind and needed help). And cliches were, blessedly, kept at a minimum. For that reason alone this book is worth reading. In a phrase, the writing never detracts from the story. It's polished until it shines.

The thing that's missing is the humor. Don't get me wrong, it's not a dry book. There are funny moments and amusing phrases and it's fun to read. But Patricia Briggs has taken a different approach with this series than she did with the Mercedes Thomson series. Instead of a first person POV, this book utilizes the perspective of almost all the major characters (at least four). This is nice, because we learn back stories on many of the characters and begin to understand the impressively conceived intricacies of werewolf society. But my favorite part of the Mercy Thomson series is Mercy Thomson. She's just an interesting character; fragile and strong and warmly expressed. Her individual narration lends so much to the story, including a great deal of the humor. It's a little kitsch at times, but she's charming as well. None of the characters in Cry Wolf are unlikable, but it seems the multiple points of view work better to add tension and interest to the plot than depth to the characters.

Now just a few things I would like to comment on briefly. First, the covers of all her books are ridiculous and misleading. That woman on the cover is the antithesis of the character of Anna in the book. Just read it and you'll see what I mean. I realize authors have no control over the cover art, don't judge a book by its cover, etc, etc. It just bothers me. So don't let that woman's dubiously plump bosom dissuade you. Second, the book seems to start in the middle following Brigg's contribution to an anthology (On the Prowl). I haven't read it and it did take me a while to catch up. But it's certainly doable. Lastly, I wanted to say how much I enjoyed Briggs' characterization of the landscape. Much of the book takes place in the snowy Cabinet Mountains in Montana, and they were so eerie and forbidding even in daylight that there was a constant whiff of menace. The sense of unease never let up. It was great, and unusual to find such a deft touch with nature in a book featuring marauding werewolves.

*(Mild Spoiler Alert) I am worried about future books in the series. This was more a romance than Mercy Thompson, and by the conclusion of this novel, the romance part is neatly concluded. If the two main leads are the stars of the next novels, are they just going to go around solving crimes? Or what? Because that would be a little boring. I hope there will be a book about Bran. This book left me wishing there was some hope for him, as he's obviously unhappy with his mate. Plus, he worked as a distant, enigmatic leader, so why reveal his inner thoughts if he wasn't going to play a major role in later books?

It was a great read, my personal criticisms aside.

'A NEW SERIES BY BRIGGS SET IN THE SAME WORLD-BUT WITH RULES OF ITS OWN'
You can say that again!!!My problem was that the 'new' rules were presented in such a fashion that I simply did not get an understanding until the last few chapters of the book when it all came together. The pace of the book was uneven: a quick beginning-a slow and wordy middle- and a VERY EXCITING ENDING. At times I was going to give up, but I'm really glad I didn't because basically the story is quite good and I think this will be a very interesting series.

The book actually centers around the relationship between Anna, who was changed into a werewolf violently and had suffered much at the hands of Leo a ( dominant male werewolf in a previous book)until Charles Cornick, the enforcer and son of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

They discover that they are mates, and it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that proves invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf, a creature with magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Patricia Briggs is a good solid type writer who can be depended upon for a good story, as proven by her other Mercy Thompson novels. And I am looking forward to the second in this series (Alpha and Omega), but I hope it will be easier to follow.

I generally dislike vampire/werewolf stuff, but I like Patricia Briggs' take on this increasingly tired premise very much ... of course, I already enjoyed her previous fantasy work, so I am predisposed to like her, I guess, and she is a very fine writer, which so many dabblers in this genre are not. In addition, it is not ALL about the romance/sex of the situation, which I appreciate; I dislike romance in general.

Her werewolves are interesting anc complex characters, in this new series as well as the Mercy Thompson series. It is helpful to have read the books in Mercy's series before starting on this one, but not essential.

And I was SO pleased to see that the cover didn't feature another wildly tattooed (in defiance of the description of the character) and very partially dressed bimbo ... a pleasant change. Surely the target audience for these books is not entirely adolescent males? If it is, it shouldn't be - these books are better than that.

Patricia Briggs has created an alternate urban fantasy reality where the things that go bump in the night really do bump...and has created a society where werewolves (Where Wolf?) are real.

She takes her Melody Thompson series and flips it to give us a look inside a carefully constructed werewolf society that realistically depicts the way incredibly long lived shape changers behave when they are confronted and sometimes controlled by their Inner Wolf.

Anna finds herself not the low dog on the totem pole, but the Omega wolf, with power and capabilities that her previous pack leader, the Alpha wolf Leo, now fortunately deceased, trid to hide from her, and torture her out of.

I can't wait for Book 2. Briggs has hooked me again, dammit. This isn't a romance novel masquerading as science fiction. This is good, hard urban fantasy, with enough romance to satisfy anybody.

If you've never read a Patricia Briggs book before, you have a wonderful adventure ahead of you...and it will cost you. Go buy all her books and read them all.

This novel is a spin-off from the Mercy Thompson universe. The leading characters, Charles and Anna, actually were created for a short story in the "On the Prowl" anthology.

The story centers upon the werewolf enforcer, Charles, and his at first unwilling mate, Anna. In the short story, Charles freed Anna from an abusive pack. She was attacked and turned into a werewolf because she possessed a skill outside of the pack, she's an Omega or a 'calmer.' Charles' father, the Marrok who is the chief of the werewolves in this country, values Anna's talent and wants her with them. Charles' wolf has claimed Anna as mate, but he has not taken her against her will.

The mystery revolves around a black witch who seeks a rogue wolf in the Marrok's pack. There may actually be more than one.

I got interested in Briggs' writing with the Mercy Thompson stories I confess my bias is toward that type of tale. I found the beginning of this story long and there was too much 'relationship angst' to really hold my attention. In my opinion, the interesting part of the story (the mystery) got short shrift. I honestly was about to give up reading when the story captured my interest about halfway through.

If you like books which delve more into relationships, "Cry Wolf" is going to be the book for you. You want a faster pace, look at the "Mercy Thompson" books:

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 1)

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 2)

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, Book 3)

My suggestion is to read "On the Prowl" before you read this story. "Cry Wolf" will make a lot more sense with this background material covered.

On the Prowl

Rebecca Kyle, September 2008

This was my first book of Patricia Briggs and I have to say I enjoyed it. The back cover makes it sound like it's a stand alone book, but it's apparantly an off-shoot of her Mercy books. It's complete enough though that you can read it without the other and not miss anything. She sums up what happened in the other book pretty quickly.

Anna and Charles' inner werewolves have mated and now their human sides are trying to get to know one another and forge some kind of relationship. Anna was abused by her other pack and so has some issues to work through. Charles is very thoughtful of her and I liked his character a lot. Their interactions ran the gammut from humorous, sweet, friendly, passionate, serious, etc. THe author tried hard to put some honest emotion in a situation of a fantastical world. I think she did very well with it.

The main conflict in the book was explained and resolved completely in the book with a few minor exceptions (how the witch did what she did was never explained, nor was there given any way to protect themselves against it) so it wasn't a continuous series book like many paranormals are now. I liked that as well. I'm not a big fan of series' that continue the same storyline on and on. I like some closure when I finish a book.

This book I would say had a strong romance in it. From what I've seen of her other books (I haven't read them yet so I can't be certain) they were more paranormal with a smidgin of romance while this one really focused on Anna and Charles' growing relationship. On that note, there are love scenes but no details. I like that a lot. I've gotten a little tired of paranormals being little more than eroticas. I've got an imagination and I don't need or want every little detail. I prefer to imagine things as I want them to be. The author got lots of pluses on that score from me.

My complaints with the book were relatively minor. Charles' stepmother was a horrible person and Bran's reasons for mating with her were not only frustrating but really, really sad and possibly dangerous for the pack I would think. I kept hoping she'd die or something.

The last quarter of the book where they were dealing with the witch and her influence over them dragged on a little too much for me. Plus, she was too all-powerful. Bran is supposedly the Alpha of alphas-meaning all the other packs are under his control and yet he was so easily taken over by this witch. I would have liked more of an even power struggle between the werewolves and the witch.

Overall it was worth my time, my money and my emotional investment in the characters. I liked them both and hope to see more of them in the future. Seeing how this book is billed as Book 1, I can only assume there's more to come and I look forward to it.

A reasonably strong story by a promising author. I experienced a wee bit of confusion at the beginning, thinking perhaps I had missed a novel precluding this one; the characters had already established relationships, history, and friction in their story-arcs. In reality, no such book exists: all of the above was initiated in a short story collection. I assume it couldn't be included in this novel for copyright reasons or some other legal red tape.

Once you're past the "catch-up" phase, which incidentally includes the learning curve of Briggs' world of werewolves (also not explained in depth), the plot solidifies really well. Without giving too much away, I really enjoyed the progress the protagonist makes in terms of both her recovery from horrible abuse, but also in redefining herself as a woman of character. Indeed, while the supernatural element is prevalent throughout, the underpinnings of real human growth are what made this story work well for me.

Nice work, Ms. Briggs, just next time, a little more backstory. :)

I am a massive fan of Patricia Briggs and having read the short story introducing us to Anna and Charles in "On the Prowl" I could not wait for this book.

Charles is an Alpha (known and much loved from the Mercy books) Anna is a woman who has been terribly brutalized by the all male members of her old pack, and is worried about her attraction to Charles. This book starts with them heading home and straight into trouble.

Patricia Briggs has yet again given us a wonderful, strong woman who dispite her past, will not give in. Anna is an Omega, someone rare and unique, and totally outside the rules of the rest of the pack. It was wonderful to see Anna and Charles try to figure each other out.

If you love adventure, excitement, romance, a gripping story, a wounded woman falling for a quiet and deadly hero you are gonna' love this!

While this wasn't as amazing as the Mercedes Thompson series (set in the same world with the same- more or less- characters), it is worth a read. It explains some things the Mercedes books don't (or haven't yet) and gives you more of an understanding of Bran, who is, quite simply put, the patron saint of awesome. Don't mistake me, though. This book is focused on Charles and his new mate Anna, who is a rare and most welcome Omega in the werewolf world.

I feel as if the book was more concerned with their relationship, and the troubles and changes there-in, than the mystery-bad-guy-evil-plan part of the plot. So it is more quiet than the Mercedes books in that way. But again, still worth a read.

Cry Wolf was a good novel with an interesting plot (like all of Patricia's books), but I couldn't get as into it as her Mercy books. Of course, that's because I wanted Anna to be Mercy and she very clearly is not. If you like more of the "damsel-in-distress" type characters than you'll enjoy Anna. Also, there wasn't much build-up in the relationship between Anna and Charles because we know from the very beginning that they're aready mated. So if unsatisfied love is your thing (which it is for me), stick to the Mercy books.
Overall an enjoyable book, but on the charcter side of things, doesn't compare to the Mercy series.

I loved this book, but have to agree with some of the other reviewers that it was very difficult to get into because, although it SAYS it is the first in the series, it is actually a sequel to a short story contained in the anthology ON THE PROWL. I would not have known this except I checked out the author's forum. The publishers MAJORLY screwed up when releasing this book because they either should have had a recap in the intro, included the short story, or TOLD THE READER IT FOLLOWED THE OTHER BOOK.

I do not hold this against the writer, however, and rated it higher. I doubt this was her decision and so she can hardly be blamed for such stupidity on the publishers part. I am not in the process of ordering the first book since none of the bookstores in my area have it (another MISTAKE the publisher made--at least have the first book available). Very annoying but worth the effort. Get the first book and the read this one. You'll enjoy it.

I loved this book, but have to agree with some of the other reviewers that it was very difficult to get into because, although it SAYS it is the first in the series, it is actually a sequel to a short story contained in the anthology ON THE PROWL. I would not have known this except I checked out the author's forum. The publishers MAJORLY screwed up when releasing this book because they either should have had a recap in the intro, included the short story, or TOLD THE READER IT FOLLOWED THE OTHER BOOK.

I do not hold this against the writer, however, and rated it higher. I doubt this was her decision and so she can hardly be blamed for such stupidity on the publishers part. I am not in the process of ordering the first book since none of the bookstores in my area have it (another MISTAKE the publisher made--at least have the first book available). Very annoying but worth the effort. Get the first book and the read this one. You'll enjoy it.

It was nicelly written. And what I liked about it was an inside look into some of the charachters we got to meet in Mercy series... So to make a long story short the book is good as a supporitnve read for those who are already fans of Mercy books

I love all of Patricia Briggs' books. This one was no exception. It had great characters and a good plot. I definitely recommend this book.