Masques / Wolfsbane

Aralorn #1-2

by Patricia Briggs

After an upbringing of proper behaviour and oppressive expectations, Aralorn fled her noble birthright for a life of adventure as a mercenary spy. But her latest mission involves more peril than she ever imagined.

Agents of Sianim have asked her to gather intelligence on the increasingly popular and powerful sorcerer Geoffrey ae'Magi. Soon Aralorn comes to see past the man's striking charisma - and into a soul as corrupt and black as endless night. And few have the will to resist the sinister might of the ae'Magi and his minions.

So Aralorn, aided by her enigmatic companion, Wolf, joins the rebellion against the ae'Magi. But in a war against a foe armed with the power of illusion, how do you know who the true enemy is - or where he will strike next?

This omnibus edition contains the two titles MASQUES and WOLFSBANE.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Magic, High Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Paranormal Romance

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Masques is a throwback to the kind of sword and sorcery fantasy I was reading in late high school. It has all of the cliches that Diana Wynne Jones mocks in Tough Guide to Fantasyland: the generic medieval setting, the cross-dressing heroine, the Lost Heir, the eeeeeevil darklord. It has been at least a decade since I've read fantasy this pulpy, and I discovered by page 50 that I would be 100% okay with never reading this stuff again.

That's not entirely this book's fault, but Masques is also just not a very good book. I got to page 107 before DNF-ing, and remarkably little had happened in that time. (Heroine escapes dark lord, falls in with the rebels, dark lord starts murdering people.) Instead, there were pages of cringe-y banter between our intrepid heroes who are falling for each other (if you missed this, the omniscient narration helpfully offers the same scenes from both perspective so you know how they feel about each other). Lots of time spent with our heroes reading books, which I don't really mind, but doesn't make for the most electric reading experience. Clever little side stories that also do not provide any kind of momentum. Finally, around page 100, two people turn up dead, and I was all 'hurrah for something happening!' before it turned into more flirting between our protagonists.

There's some promise here, and the writing is usually not terrible enough for me to pay attention to its deficits (other than the supreme awkwardness of the banter). I have not read much of Patricia Briggs's later work, but based on her popularity, I have to assume she's improved as an author.

Some books should stay out of print. This is one of them.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the idea behind this book was incredibly interesting but despite that, I was so bored while reading this book. The way it was written was just so dry and lacked any spark. I loved the shifting part of the story, it’s what kept me reading through to the end. But that was about all I enjoyed about this book. The characters were uninteresting and the writing was just boring.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

My, how you've grown!
Having just finishing devouring both the Mercy and the Alpha & Omega books (start with Preying For Mercy) like they were going to self destruct in 3 days, I found myself casting about at the library for another likely candidate. Enter this omnibus edition of Briggs' very first novel and its sequel. The author provides a nice little disclaimer about how she really didn't have a clue what she was doing when she wrote it and how she wanted to re-write it for this edition, but realized that from the vantage point of 15 experience-filled years it would be an entirely different book if she gave herself free reign.
Fair enough, and I appreciate the difficulty. The fact remains that "Masque" really isn't very good. It's your typical wizards and castles fantasy with a kick-butt heroine who very strongly resembles her later star Mercy Thompson. Wolf is far more monstrous in fact than any of the hero-monsters in her later books, and we aren't necessarily given much reason for Aralorn to be so madly in love with him. But oh well.
Wolfsbane is perhaps a bit better - the writing is a little more confident anyway - but nothing spectacular. One of the little things that rubbed at me while reading it was that she's provided herself with a few too many characters - none of whom seem to do much when Aralorn isn't on the scene, and few of whom seem to be sufficiently interested or involved in the life-or-death mystery that their prodigal daughter has discovered for them.

However, Despite uneven pacing, writing, and etc. I've waded through far, far worse. I'm not sure I would have pursued Briggs as an author had I read it first, so it's probably just as well I started where I did.
It is fascinating to see how much she really Has grown as a writer. It's nice to see that they don't all spring full grown from the head of Zeus, which perhaps provides some hope for the rest of us.

[Shaitarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's probably nearer 2.5 stars if I'm honest. This fairly hefty tome contains two stories - Masques & Wolfsbane - set in a fairly standard fantasy world. The first story was the first thing the author ever wrote, and it shows. It isn't bad, but it's pretty trope heavy and obvious for those of us who have read a whole lot of fantasy, and clearly a first work.

The two main characters - Aralorn and Wolf - are a fairly standard pair; Aralorn is a feisty, smart-mouthed heroine who, bored with a life of privilege, becomes a spy - she's similar to other characters I've come across in Brigg's books. Wolf is a surly, wary loner whose background is painfully obvious to those of us who've read any fantasy at all.

As I say, I didn't find these bad stories, they're just pretty standard. If you really like this author's work and want to read every book she's ever written, then by all means get a copy. If you've read the author's UF series and are curious about her traditional fantasy books, I would recommend you try the Raven duology or When Demons Walk.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

An undeniably well-written urban fantasy filled with kick-ass supernatural heroines and intriguing plots.

‘Shifter’s Wolf’ is a single volume edition containing 2 books within: ‘Masques’ and also ‘Wolfsbane’. I am so pleased that the cover caught my eye in the bookshop, as I am delighted to have discovered Patricia Briggs who is an excellent writer of this particular genre. These outstanding adventures are full of excitement and inspired creativity, complete with many twists and turns as to leave you sat in suspense. I found both of these stories utterly enchanting, for they captured my imagination from the very first page with the use of engaging descriptions and fast-paced action.

Before there was Mercy Thompson…in a world far removed from the Alpha and Omega Werewolves…there was the shapeshifting mercenary Aralorn.

Each story contains everything that I love within the fantasy genre; from magic to mystery, from creatures such as Werewolves and Shapeshifters to Assassins and deadly demons.

Masques –
Aralorn is destined for a life filled with danger and adventure as a mercenary spy. On one particular mission she is required to gather intelligence on the treacherous Sorcerer Geoffrey ae‘Magi. However things are never as they seem and Aralorn must discover whom she can really trust, in a world filled with danger at every turn.

Wolfsbane –
Aralorn’s story continues in this second tale wherein ten long years have passed, in which she led a precarious existence. She now returns home to her father, the Lyon of Lambshold, only to find that he has passed away. This is not the only revelation that Aralorn and her companion Wolf discover, as they come to realize that he is not dead but that a darkness is very much alive within him…

Complete with additional notes from the author, this single volume containing 2 tales, is a must-have edition to add to any collection of ‘the Mercy Thompson’ series and ‘The Alpha & Omega’ series. Both stories were really enjoyable and highly readable; hence I would recommend them to anyone who loves paranormal or fantasy stories. Unlike epic fantasy (a genre which I tend to read most), I did find that both books could have been a little longer and I would have loved for the author to expand upon her world-building a little more. I wanted to discover more about Mercy and her history and so because the lack of background knowledge was included; it almost felt somewhat vague at times.

I have rated this accordingly due to slight lack of depth and content.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this one out of backlist interest, and it was indeed interesting. A lot of the Briggs hallmarks were there -- mind control on the part of the villain, sneaky lady hero, shapeshifting, many much snark, limited useful women, plot-useful but not humanized mental illness -- but tentative. Except for the sexism. That was fascinatingly ever-present and unexamined. Oh and the demonization of mental illness. Also present.

[Cassandra Frederick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted so badly to love this because I love Patricia Briggs and the Mercedes Thompson series, but this just wasn’t for me. The story, while very interesting at times, tended to drag on with things that weren’t really necessary. Like, I know that Aralorn is supposed to be a great storyteller, but several times, things came to a halt so she could tell another story. I don’t thing that was necessary. And it wasn’t the only time things dragged on for stuff that I feel wasn’t needed. One thing I did love was the relationship between Aralorn and Wolf. Even though things felt a bit rushed between them, the chemistry was still there.

Though this book was definitely not one of my favorites, I can forgive it since this was her first book and it was written years ago. But I encourage the people who are thinking of reading her stuff, to not start with this one.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books which I reread annually. Despite its genre tropes and slight predictability, these books are continually engaging, entertaining and heartfelt with Aralorn and Wolf being two of my favourite characters of all. I prefer the traditional authenticity of Patricia Briggs' earlier works and love her character weaving.

[Mskychick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't actually read Shifter's Wolf. I read the 2 books it contains, Masques and Wolfsbane, as individual books several years ago. I didn't want to get confused when following what I've read by Briggs, however, so I need to mark this as read in Goodreads.

[RegencyEmma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!

This book is definitely one of my favourites!

Action, Adventure, Magic, a hint of Romance. Brilliant writing and amazing characters! Basically, everything you could ever want in a book.

Patricia Briggs is a wonderful author.

[Jane Ono · Rating 5 out of 5]

A blend between fantasy and mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

[Cherry Mischievous · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts:
I was in an "In-Between-Good-Books" funk and looking for something to read. Since I am an old Patricia Briggs fan with the Mercedes Thompson series, I went looking for more of her work to read. Thus this book got bought and read. I was a bit apprehensive going into this one because I came across polarized reviews about this book/series. Plus, there was the intro by Patricia Briggs where she went on to say that this was her first work and did not sell too well back then. However I was hoping I won't be too disappointed given that she has edited it extensively since then. So I went into this book "hopeful" but not with raised expectations. Which was good! Because if I went into this book with high expectations, I think I would have been disappointed. As it is, I enjoyed the book just the way it is, with no disappointments. I would say that this book was not as good as the Mercedes Thompson series but not a disappointment either. In fact, it was more than just a "not a disappointment", it was good! The storytelling quality is the same Patricia Briggs good. The plot however tend to meander a bit which was not her usual style. The world building was also not as good as I would have expected of this author either. However, the narration was bang-on. I like Katherine Kellgren 's interpretation of the book. The voice quality is not as pleasing as Johanna Parker but I agree with her interpretation. Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = 3.5
Plot = 4
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

http://www.cherrymischievous.com/2015...

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you just need to settle down with some lighthearted escapist fantasy and make the poor decision to stay up way too late because you really want to find out how the story ends. This is purely hypothetical, of course, and has no resemblance at all to my actual life. I definitely did not stay up way too late reading Shifter's Wolf. It's a two book collection (would that make it a biology? Diology? Forget it. I'm not looking it up.) telling the story of Aralorn, a shapeshifting mercenary fleeing her oppressive noble upbringing for the relative freedom of obscurity. In the first book, Masques, she's working with a group of mercenaries and rescues a sick and injured wolf she finds in an old pit trap. They spend the next several years together, until the day Aralorn's spymaster sends her to investigate rumours of an assassination plot aimed at the head wizard, the ae'Magi, a man named Geoffrey. What she learns derails everything she thought she knew about her countrymen.
We take up with Aralorn and Wolf again in Wolfsbane, where Aralorn returns home after a 10 year absence to attend her father's funeral. She's deeply grieved, her father was a much-loved man and he died quite suddenly. Grief turns to shock and joy when Aralorn discovers he isn't actually dead, only under a spell. But that joy is tempered as it becomes clear that this spell was set as a trap for someone. Removing it will be difficult, dangerous, and complicated further by the fact that to release the spell they have to know who cast it and how. It becomes clear that their enemies are more numerous and powerful than they originally believed.
Both these books get content warnings for violence, torture, and murder, including against children, although nothing is described in detail.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I was really able to enjoy reading a book and could actually finish a story at all. Let alone two stories in one book and both in under 24 hours counting sleep time.

I really liked the story. Even the parts in book one that I'm sure contained all the cliches and stuff the author herself said were there because in editing it she didn't want to lose the original story that fans had read so she compromised.

It was there in these books too, whatever it was that drew me to the Mercy books. Characters? World building? Something else? I don't know how to describe it.

When my friend Jesse send me a copy of the first Mercy book, she said they were great books and at some point while reading the series I decided that Patricia Briggs was indeed a great author.

I've read the first published books of many great and "great" authors. But I usually just end up feeling like "yup, this is 'first' book with all the obvious flaws" and move on. Since I've never read the original first story, I can't comment on how that one would feel. But while reading this book, I can find places that the more experienced author was probably cringing leaving unedited as mentioned in the intro. And yet, whatever it is that makes her a great author was there at work too. And that more than made up for anything that might be momentarily lacking.

[Centrumlumina · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable but not especially spectacular fantasy-romance duology about the adventures of Aralorn, a shapeshifting mercenary spy, and Wolf, her companion who is hiding a dark secret.

I had fun reading this, but I feel some of the potential of these characters was missed - for a 'spy', Aralorn only actually works undercover about three times across both books, while Wolf is played up as far more terrifying by reputation than we ever see him be. The edition I have includes a warning that this is adapted from the author's early work, and it shows in places - the writing is never bad, but occasionally it feels a little naive.

Overall, this was something I liked, but it isn't really worth going out of your way to find a copy.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first published book by Patricia Briggs and it shows. It's not terrible, it just doesn't live up to her current masterpieces. It's a interesting idea for a story but it has so many issues with it. I liked the characters and the world. I wish Patricia Briggs had completely revamped Masques to make it more appealing. However, I do understand her explanation on why she chose to do what she did with it in the present. As far as Wolfsbane, I just really couldn't get into this one. I pushed myself through Masques and I just couldn't do it with Wolfsbane. But Patricia Briggs is still one of my favorite authors.

[L & J Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely mesmerizing! I was one of the few people who originally purchased Masques-her debut novel, which I enjoyed but Patricia Briggs has gone back and reworked both Masques and it’s sequel (Wolfsbane) which are combined in this one book and it is really great! It’s a non-spicy extremely well written tale about a half human half shapeshifter woman who rescues a wild from a pit trap only to discover he is more than a wolf and also fleeing his past and his powerful, evil father. There’s some romance; touch her & die; and Aragorn and Wolf are both kick-ass heroines/heroes.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I say these two books as a whole are due 3.5 Stars, if only because one is her debut and the other is it’s sequel. They have all the rough spots of first novels but also contain gems of Patricia Briggs’ future works, and having read said works it is very interesting to see the ideas and writing style generate and develop through time. Masques and Wolfsbane are good stock; worth a read if you’re a fan of the rest of the author’s work.

[Valene Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the world and magical elements that Briggs created and it left me wanting more stories with these too interesting characters and in this legend-rich world! But it did get quite dark and disturbing at times and dragged in places. Some plot devices were too convenient or too unexplained. There were parts of plot that I wanted more of that were just skimmed over. But overall I enjoyed my time reading it!

Note: Contains dark magic (with human sacrifice and torture) as a major plot device.

[Linda Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant story

Despite the author assuring us, the reader, that this book was written by her much younger self before she developed any writing trade craft I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
Having read every book this author has written I felt compelled to read this one too and wasn't disappointed at all.
I would love to hear any continuing stories about these particular characters as I found them and the world they inhabit quite delightful........Enjoy 😉

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I find that a lot of books with strong female leads start out fantastic and their characters are super badass then as they go on they turn into whimpering simpering fools. Not the case here! Of course there is a love interest but they stay partners and equals it’s awesome and rarely done. So if you like strong female characters this book is worth the read.

[Sonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please!!

This is the Authors first published work and although her note in the preface alludes to it's so called mistakes, I thought it was awesome. A good story, action, adventure, some intrigue and lovely world building, what more could a reader ask for. Now if only Patricia Briggs would write more stories of these characters.... Brilliant! Worth the time to read.❤️

[WonderAl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible, her best work imo

The Mercy Thompson series is good but less deep, less of a complex fantasy world more of a fantasy romance soap. This world with Wolf and Aralorn is more my fantasy cup of tea. Not just about the romance or relationships but a complex landscape of magic and class/power/politics and the effect that has on the people and world.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, it is with Patricia Briggs. Her witty and hard-ass characters, with a plot that will keep you entranced to the point that you will barely come up for air. Then think a medieval world filled with political machinations and magic, both green and human. Mmm how can you not love that!

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very early titles by Patricia Briggs. I really enjoyed them. Great characters and interesting fantasy world. The author says that she knows she would have written them differently with the experience she now has but I still liked them.

[Fastidious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duplicate. Rated based on rates of individual books- Masques and Wolfsbane. See those for review.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. fun and interesting, if not her best work

[Tess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable! A good story with nice turn of phrase. Sure, there are some obvious plot points, but just relax and enjoy and you will have a good time!

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly I never got more than a couple chapters in. It was boring and slow moving and I just couldn’t get into this book. Never finished it and didn’t even want to.