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.

This book was fantastic. I highly recommend reading Patricia Brigg's story in the On the Prowl anthology before reading this story. The story of Charles and Anna pick up right where the anthology ends. I love the idea of an omega. I did see Anna as weak in the beginning but it's to be expected with her past. She's been through a lot of changes and trama. During this book we get to see her heal, grow stronger and have confidence in herself.

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.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written except for one thing. I knew the background story because I read it in an anthology. But if I had not done so, the first couple of chapters would have been confusing and I probably wouldn't have finished it. The author either needed a summary or make the book longer and include the previous story. If she didn't want to bore those who had already read it, then she could have included a note at the beginning and told these readers to start on page whatever.
The concept of the omega was interesting and a good addition to her world. How she handled her main character's background trauma was well done. I liked the fact this was actually addressed and not just "it all went away because she met the right man" stuff I've read in other books.

I've read Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series and enjoyed them greatly. The problem with this book, which I picked up without having read any reviews, is that the "prequel" the other reviews list seems to contain the introduction to the characters. It was very disconcerting to be thrown into the story shortly after so many important events have occurred, but before the main characters have settled into a relationship. Without being there for the "reveal" of their intended relationship, past problems, etc it was very hard to establish an emotional connection to any of the characters. Although you are told about these in the shorthand recap style of a second book, it's just not enough to invoke reader sympathy. I couldn't see how the characters bonded (if they did) in the previous dramatic action and therefore, I cared very little if they continued to stay together. Bothered by this, I found it hard to care at all and didn't finish the book. For a book clearly labeled the first of the series, splitting the formative action off for an anthology entry was just a really bad decision.

This book reminded me a Danille Steel novel with a dash of fantasy thrown in it. The victimized "Omega" was difficult to relate to or understand. She doesn't really shine till the end of the book when it's really too late to do so. The "Beowolf" tale should have been explored, it would have made the novel a richer story.
I have loved Patrica Briggs other novels,lets hope "Cry Wolf" was just a bump in the road.

I have been looking for a new author to read as I'm getting a bit done with Laurell K Hamilton. This is the first book I've read by this author and I know nothing about her.

I really enjoyed this version of a werewolf story. I found many of the concepts the same as other wolf stories I've read but the world it's set in is different in interesting ways.

It was interesting in how it presented the old topic of "what is truly good and what is truly evil?" I enjoyed the varying degrees of grey in this area that the book presented.

I got the novel yesterday and sat down after work with it. I finished it two hours past my bedtime. Its rare that I read a book in one sitting like that but the story held my attention. I couldn't wait to find out what happens next and I enjoyed some surprises at the end.

I'm re-reading it today on my lunch. I checked out this book based upon the reviews here and I'm so glad that I did. I might just have a new series to collect! Is there a book #2??

I loved this because the characters are so real...flawed but working on it. And so far, all of Patricia Briggs' books have been great.

Briggs tells a great tale as usual. I love Mercy and this is a nice addition to her universe.
But what I DON'T Like is that in the Kindle edition there is NO COVER ART. For that I would buy the paperback and skip the Kindle.

I started reading Patricia Brigg's book Moon Called. I am perfectly at home in the wonderful world she has created, it is rich and delightful. I picked this book up under the same impression thinking that since it shared some of the same characters the quality would be equal.

I was hardly able to get through the first 2 chapters; not because anything was wrong with the writing, but because I was absolutely 100% lost. I stopped about 20 times to re-read the intro, look for mention of a book that preceded this, assumed I had book 2 of some series or that there was a horrible mistake at the printers and left out about 10 chapters. Half way through the book and you still have no idea what is going on. I felt like an intruder on a story I had no business being it.

There is no mention in the book that you **HAVE** to read "On the prowl" first. No, really -- you do, because nothing makes sense in the book otherwise. I was pretty pissed off by the end of the book only to find out there was some prequal story that isn't mentioned ANYWHERE else on the book.

This book is a pretty sound action romance from Patricia Briggs, with the unique, added bonus -gem, I should say- of Briggs' gripping, all too human characters and atypical situations and histories. There are a few points that readers have problems with. I'll sum up them here for potential readers:

- The short story in the On the Prowl anthology is pretty much a must-read before beginning this book. It explains a lot about Anna's character and introduces you to the interesting and different relationship between her and Charles, which is continued here. If you don't believe me, read the first chapter of Cry Wolf. You'll immediately notice the reference to past events. They were confusing and important enough to Anna's character to make me pick up the short story pretty quickly.

- If you've read the Mercy series, this book concentrates more on the relationship between Charles and Anna than the action, per se-- although a strong plot is definitely present, for those concerned, along with her trademark character development. Briggs didn't get sloppy or anything. She just shifted the focus. It is not like the Mercy books, where the romance is more of a small subplot. Mercy begins her series single; Anna meets her mate in her short story. I'm not sure whether this trend will continue in the next Alpha/Omega books. Personally, I liked the romance. Just a note: If you've read the Mercy series, this does explain quite a bit about some of the characters in those books as well so it's worth reading.

- The action is influenced by past events related in this book. The histories of several characters have a large part to do with the present situation the characters find themselves in. It doesn't take away from the current characters or the action; the flashbacks are ultimately few and brief. Indeed, I found it very interesting to learn more about the werewolf world (much is explained), and also about some of my favorite characters' backgrounds. The histories themselves are developed, engaging stories, not just planted in after the fact.

At any rate, I really liked the book, I loved Briggs' unique werewolves and characters and her integration of folklore like the Berserker legend, and I can't wait to read the next A/O book, hopefully another romance from one of our favorite characters, perhaps Bran?

I've read all of Briggs novels including the Mercy series (Which has become one of my favorites). I did not realize upon getting this one that it would be an off-shot of the Mercy series. What a fantastic surprise! I did not read the short story that precedes this novel, so I was a little peeved when I did not know the story behind Anna And Charles and it was not explained fully throughout the story. Regardless, I still enjoyed Cry Wolf. Briggs did not write a romance novel...she wrote a mystery/romance/paranormal/magical tale. I would definitely recommend ANY of Briggs novels to anyone who enjoys a good storyline with believable and interesting characters.

When.. I started reading the book I was felt like I was coming in on the second book or something. So I flipped back a few pages to see if there was a book one listed. I realized no this is book one its just somehow started on the tail-end of another story and I feel left behind and confuse. I think things would have went much smoother had the author skipped the first chapter where Charles is injured and Anna is getting her things from her apartment. I mean I kinda get why she did it to showcase Anna's past and the reasons for her behavior, but things would have gone alot better if she'd just given a brief synopsis somewhere or used flashbacks to get it across. So the reader doesn't start out feeling like their missing something like say oh how the relationship intially began. I just don't feel like I really got to know either of the characters EXCEPT Asil.. who wasn't even one of the main characters.
Another critique that I have in that the book moved a little ssslllooooww. There wasn't much action to move the story along. The Villainess came off mostly as a petulant child. I don't think I would rush to buy the next book. This is the first briggs book I actually chose to read I've been skipping the Mercy thompson series, however; after reading about Samuel I'm tempted to give them a try, but If I end up feeling the same about them.. Then i'm not just not meant to be a Briggs fan.

Turned against her will and abused by her pack back in Chicago, Anna was saved by Charles Cornick. Son of the Marrok, the leader of all North American werewolves, Charles is an enforcer and killer for his father. When his inner wolf chose Anna as his mate he brought her back to Montana with him. But the honeymoon isn't over... it hasn't even begun.

There's trouble stirring in the winter-kissed woods of north-western Montana. People are being attacked by what must be a werewolf and Bran, the Marrok, wants to know for sure. It's possible the attacks may be an attempt to scare Bran because he has been talking about revealing the existence of werewolves to the rest of the world. Who better to send than his enforcer and his Omega? When Anna and Charles set off into the mountains to uncover the truth they end up meeting up with something even scarier than another werewolf. If they can't defeat this new evil every werewolf in North America is in danger.

While some reviewers will disagree, having read Cry Wolf, I feel that it is essential that the short-story "Alpha and Omega" from On the Prowl be read before reading this book. Even having read the short-story I was a little lost trying to understand the dynamic of the Omega wolf. Maybe I'm a bit thick but even now that I've finished Cry Wolf I find myself with questions and confusion. Doh!

I wanted to love this book. I'm a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series, which is also set in this world, and living in Montana I was hoping that Briggs would give the same loving care to it she has to the Tri-Cities in Mercy's series. But I just didn't feel it. The story felt almost... drawn from a hat. I loved Asil, Sage, Tag and Walter, it had great supporting characters. Anna is alright, but I felt like she was closed off from me as a reader, as if we really didn't get to see too much into who she is. Charles was much the same but having read of him in Mercy's series I've never liked him and found him dull as a hero. I'll give the series another shot certainly, but this opener just didn't win my heart as I had hoped.

I just wanted to make sure that whoever is thinking about reading this book knows that they should read On the Prowl first. Its not a have to but it gives you a little more insight on this book series.

I just recently read where people were saying to read On the Prowl first, so needless to say I read Cry Wolf before I ever heard that! I don't agree with those that say there isn't enough back story! If you read the Mercy Books, you know this falls right between the first two and it the world is already familiar. I liked the way the back story was left out, it gave more depth to the characters. It created a mystery as to why she was the way she way. I really thought this was a very emotional book. The way she reacted as fall out of her abuse - it was very touching the way her and Charles were with each other. I really enjoyed the book - it will be added to my favorites with Mercy Thompson and Aishling Grey books!

Not that I haven't found anything so far by Briggs that I don't like, but this is a real gem of a story. It reads so easily and has so many emotional twists that it really kept me turning pages.

Patricia Briggs is quickly becoming my favorite author with her latest werewolf series. I absolutely love Mercedes Thompson, who is a very independent mechanic in her human form and a very independent coyote in her alterate form and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. (What a cliff hanger at the end of Iron Kissed!)


Right in the middle of Mercy's series, before the publication of Iron Kissed, Briggs introduced a fantastic new female heroine, Anna, in her short story "Alpha and Omega" that appeared in the "On the Prowl" collection published last year. Wow. It was great and I have been waiting impatiently for months to get the rest of the story. Cry Wolf did not disappoint.

As some have written, Cry Wolf can stand alone, but it's like starting in chapter 3 without knowing it. Personally, I strongly suggest readers read the short story before starting Cry Wolf.

Charles, who is the son of Bran, the head of all the werewolves in North America, is a very rare "born werewolf" who acts as his father's designated assassin. Charles is the one who gets sent in to clean up the mess when werewolves go bad (or crazy). He has to act as judge,jury and executioner and consequently he refuses to get too close to anyone because he knows that one day, he might have to kill him (or her). Anna, who lives in Chicago, is a very special "Omega" werewolf whose very presence amongst a werewolf gathering brings calm, helping the human side of the werewolf to keep his control over his wolf. In the short story, Charles' wolf "Brother Wolf" immediately and exceptionally claims Anna as his mate, which we are told by Charles is very unusual as normally a werewolf's wolf will wait for his human side to select a mate.

In Cry Wolf, Anna returns with Bran and Charles to Montana and immediately becomes integral to Charles' new mission of finding the rogue werewolf who has killed one or more hunters and/or hikers in the Cabinet mountain area of the Marrock's territory. As events unfold, we get to know a lot more of Bran's story and his personal life, & there are also several hints about Samuel - who I hope will become the main character in a future Briggs book. In the end, Anna as an Omega, is the only one who *can* save the day and she does it in an immensely believable way - with critical help coming at different times from every member of the team.

I do hope there are more Charles & Anna full length novels from Briggs in the future. This one had a strong romantic element in it (compared to the action packed Mercy books) which isn't a bad thing at all, but I will be disappointed if Charles and Anna's story ends with Cry Wolf with some sort of implicit "and they lived happily ever after". I want very much to find out more about Anna's powers as an Omega (there are definite hints that she has not fully exploited all of her capabilities) and I hope that Anna and Charles (like Dashiell Hammett's Nick and Nora Charles) become central characters to some more action packed adventures.

I won't go into detail about the book, there are a few reviews here that give the to be reader enough detail about it. I read the short for the book and couldn't wait to read it after that!! Charles & Anna are great together and I do hope Bran gets his own book too, as well as Asil. I was so excited about the Mercy preview for Bone Crossed at the end of the book!! It's a great story, alot of action at the end...pick it up and sit back and enjoy :)

Set in the same world as Briggs' other supernatural series, this one features werewolf Anna, who is an "omega" wolf, above the pack hierarchy and capable of disregarding alpha orders and calming the violent tendencies of the alpha wolves. The plot is detailed elsewhere so I won't repeat it. It's basically a fun romance, nothing unique. I'd give this book 3 1/2 stars if i had the option - it's well-written, but not as good as the author's "Mercy Thompson" series, which is much more unique and "fresh" feeling (and not primarily romance centered). I had not read the short story in the anthology On the Prowl that is the actual beginning of this book, so while I was provided enough of the backstory to move along in the book, I think it was more difficult to become emotionally engaged with the main characters. The special "omega wolf" premise is interesting yet the designation felt somewhat unearned by the main character. Felt like a "special power" awarded the character to move the plot along rather than a carefully constructed part of the world. Also, not that a fantasy world around werewolves has to be true to actual wolf pack dynamics, but it would be nice if the "omega" wolf idea in the story corresponded somewhat to reality. From what I've read, an actual "omega" wolf is the weakest member of the pack and bears the brunt of the wolves' aggression. Fits in with Anna's abuse by her original wolf pack but not at all with what an "omega" werewolf is defined as in the story.

I recently became a huge fan of Riggs' Mercy Thompson series, so I pre-ordered this one hoping for more of the same. It's a good read, but different in style --- unlike the other series, this one is not told in the first person.

The most frustrating aspect was to come in immediately AFTER the main character has recently become the mate of (or has agreed to mate with) Charles and been involved in the death of her alpha. Since the book is billed as the first volume in its series, this was more than a little unfair to this reader who had yet to read what should be the first few chapters of this book. Only after reading the readers reviews posted after this book came out, did I find that I needed to buy an anthology 'On the Prowl' written with 3 others that includes a novella on all this. As I was reading and unaware of this, I kept wondering if I had somehow skipped over whole chapters or if there were passages to soon to come where characters would retell what had happened.

The story itself is a good one and I will read it again if I ever get a chance to read the prequel that is in 'On the Prowl'

Really I'd give this 3 and a half stars.

First, read the short story in the Anthology On the Prowl that is the beginning of this book. It's a five star short! And the rest of the anthology is equally good.

Charles is the very dominant second of his father, Marrok to all North American werewolves. On a trip to Chicago to sort out some bad wolves that Mercy( Brigg's very popular heroine of a parallel series) has tattled on, he finds Anna a brutalized and subjugated Omega wolf. Omegas bring peace to all around them and are considered near sacred.

Finding that they are Mates the two struggle to find the path of their relationship. Anna struggles to understand herself and the Marroks pack. And together they hunt down a possible rogue and a very scary witch who has her sights on the Marrok and his people in a two hundred year old grudge against a pack member.

It's a good story, it just didn't leave me salivating for more like Mercy's books do. And BTW this book actually happens just after book one of the Mercy series I believe.

I read the short story in the anthology before reading this book as many had recommended in the reviews. I enjoyed the short story, it had a lot of action and made me want to read Cry Wolf. Unfotunately, the interest in the story slowly started to die as I was reading the book. I did not feel any real connection between Charles and Anna. It felt strained, cold and forced. I was expecting more emotion between them since they both wanted to be mated to eachother. This is the first time I have read this author's work and I don't now if it is me or her style of writing but at times I had a hard time understanding what she meant and who it was that she was writing about. I had to re-read many sentences over. Unfortunately, I will not be starting her other series....I am disappointed as I wanted to like this author. I know from the reviews listed she has many fans, I wish I could say I have become one of them.

Yes, you really do need to read Charles and Anna's story in the On The Prowl anthology first as it is the preface to this full length novel. I was hoping for a little more development in Charles/Anna's relationship. And, while I was hoping for a longer story I really have no complaints.

A significant positive for Cry Wolf contrary to other novellas turned novels I have read is the story continues right where the novella ends rather than novel embellishing and almost entirely changing the storyline as happens with other authors. I don't understand that strategy!

I have stated this in other PB reviews but it bears repeating for those who have not read anything else by Patricia Briggs. PB is truly the ultimate storyteller. She knows how to enthrall you so that you enjoy every bit of what she's written. Go out and find everything by PB you can get your hands on. She will not disappoint!

I don't know what is planned for C&A as a series but I'd definitely continue with this one.

Same time line as her Mercy Thompson series, but following a different son of the Marrok. The son, Charles, and his new mate Anna each have two sides to them. One human, the other wolf. Their wolves have decided that they are soul mates, yet throughout the book you're left wondering about the human side of them. They struggle to learn about each other, and themselves as they are thrust into a highly dangerous adventure in harsh terrain. Anna is an Omega wolf, which is a bit of a mystery to the reader, and to Anna as well. They defeat evil, free another wolf from emotional torment, and find that their human halves are soul mates too.

The magic of Patricia Briggs' writing is not lost in this book, which I read slowly, to savor, and loved every page.