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Miriam Black #4
Thunderbird
In the fourth installment of the Miriam Black series, Miriam heads to the southwest in search of another psychic who may be able to help her understand her curse, but instead finds a cult of domestic terrorists and the worst vision of death she’s had yet. Miriam Black is being developed as a TV series by Starz with the producers of Breaking Bad.
Miriam is becoming addicted to seeing her death visions, but she is also trying out something new: Hope. She is in search of another psychic who can help her with her curse, but finds a group of domestic terrorists in her deadliest vision to date.
Miriam is becoming addicted to seeing her death visions, but she is also trying out something new: Hope. She is in search of another psychic who can help her with her curse, but finds a group of domestic terrorists in her deadliest vision to date.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2017
100 people are currently reading
1398 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Wendig
183 books7,299 followersChuck Wendig is a novelist, a screenwriter, and a freelance penmonkey.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
July 5, 2025
Miriam Black, book four: Miriam is not leading, and has never led, the best life, but now she has a path, a direction, she's seeking the woman who can take her power/curse from her! As if life could ever be that simple for Miriam. Very foul mouthed, very direct, highly intolerant of toxic masculinity (and other people in general); Miriam kind of revelled in in her single minded loner life, but these adventures are beginning to see her form friendships, well two and a half friendships. The FBI want her to work for them, her friends would rather not have her in their lives, and Miriam? Miriam is a woman on a mission, and this is truly, and I quote the book cover, some "gritty, full throttled' storytelling, set in the American borderlands teeming with armed militia and Narcos! And on top of the hard core violence, mayhem, child-nappings, vicious assaults, torture etc. Miriam is trying to give up smoking... now that is truly dangerous!!!! .
The hardest thing about reviewing a Miriam Black story is trying to share my journey without giving out:
1. spoilers on this volume;
2. but also spoilers for people yet to read any of the previous volumes.
The series is that good, the continuity is tight, there are no plot holes despite all the havoc in these stories and every character big or small is a living breathable testament to great world building through characterisation. If you're a reader looking for a solid fix of bad-ass female characterisation, this is the series for you. An immense series, an immense volume, with an immense, dare-I-say it, dark version of Lisbeth Salander(!) in Miriam Black. A very firm Four Star, 9.5 out of 12 read.
2025 and 2023 read
The hardest thing about reviewing a Miriam Black story is trying to share my journey without giving out:
1. spoilers on this volume;
2. but also spoilers for people yet to read any of the previous volumes.
The series is that good, the continuity is tight, there are no plot holes despite all the havoc in these stories and every character big or small is a living breathable testament to great world building through characterisation. If you're a reader looking for a solid fix of bad-ass female characterisation, this is the series for you. An immense series, an immense volume, with an immense, dare-I-say it, dark version of Lisbeth Salander(!) in Miriam Black. A very firm Four Star, 9.5 out of 12 read.
2025 and 2023 read
February 27, 2017
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/02/27/...
Chuck Wendig is one of my favorite authors, and to date I must have read more than a dozen of his books. But whenever someone asks what I think is his best work, my mind always comes back to Miriam Black.
Oh Miriam, Miriam, Miriam, “my fair fuckin’ lady” Miriam. From the very start she had me with her snarky spitfire devil-may-care ways, though in truth it is her secret power that makes most people sit up and pay attention. With no more than the slightest touch, she can tell you when you’ll die and how it’ll happen. All she needs is a bit of skin-on-skin contact, and the visions will trigger and she will know.
But is such a power more of a gift or a curse? Very few people actually want the knowledge Miriam can glean, and her abilities have brought her more pain than anything else. Imagine foreseeing hundreds of deaths, many of which can be pretty disturbing or gruesome—accidents, car crashes, illnesses, murders, and suicides. Imagine seeing how those closest to you will die, but knowing there’s nothing you can do to stop it or change it.
So Miriam has decided that she doesn’t want anything to do with death anymore. Thunderbird is the fourth novel of the series in which our protagonist begins to take the necessary steps to get rid of her powers. Last we saw her, she had just gotten a name of a person who might be able to help, so now she’s on her way to the Southwest to find the psychic known as Mary Scissors. Unfortunately, Mary is proving to be a hard woman to find, and soon Miriam and her friend Gabby are getting mixed up with the Arizona drug gangs and crazy militia cults.
Technically, it is possible to read Thunderbird on its own without having read the previous novels, though I have to say it’s probably not ideal. The story here is a culmination of everything that happened before, and knowing Miriam’s past will make it easier to understand why she has come to a point where she feels she has no choice but to get rid of her curse. There are also characters and references to events from the first three novels, and the significance of some of these appearances and mentions are going to be confusing if you haven’t read them yet. Even I had a few stumbles along the way because I couldn’t remember all the details of what happened; after all, it has been about three years since the last book came out, and it was a wait that felt like an eternity at times, given how much I adore this series.
Still, a part of me also has to wonder if the long hiatus affected my experience with this book, because there are certain aspects that feel a little different about it. One thing that first made me fall in love with the Miriam Black series was the sheer horror aspect of it; I still remember certain scenes from Blackbirds and Mockingbird that were so violently and gut-churningly graphic that I almost couldn’t bear to read anymore. And yet, I also once wrote how Wendig’s writing can make you desperately want to keep turning the pages and be scared to do so at the same time, and that is why I love these books.
Thunderbird, however, probably didn’t hit me as profoundly or affect me as viscerally. Is Miriam Black getting soft? I certainly hope not! But this book did strike me as being a little more conventional and having fewer sharp edges as the first three. One simply has to compare the villains in this story to the likes of those that came before (Ashley Gaynes? Shudder! The Mockingbird Killer? GAH!) and it’s easy to see why this one felt less terrifying and lacked a certain punch in that regard. I also had some mixed feelings about the interludes. Let’s just say they can be…tricky. Time jumps can be tough to pull off, and personally I didn’t think they worked all of the time. I enjoyed those flashbacks that dropped at appropriate moments, giving us important details or building up the atmosphere, but I didn’t like them so much when they disrupted the momentum and took away from the developing suspense.
That said, while this probably wasn’t my favorite book of the series (that distinction still belongs to The Cormorant, the previous one) I still think it’s great because of what it does for Miriam. Wendig has done an exceptional job developing her backstory and personality in Thunderbird, and in spite of all her faults and damaged psyche, I just love everything about her character. Beneath that sarcastic badass persona is a woman with a bigger heart than she would probably like to admit, and over the last couple installments we’ve been able to see that part of her emerge.
There really is no one else quite like Miriam Black, so if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her yet, what are you waiting for? I highly recommend picking up this series, and if you can, definitely start her story from the beginning. I promise you won’t regret it.
Chuck Wendig is one of my favorite authors, and to date I must have read more than a dozen of his books. But whenever someone asks what I think is his best work, my mind always comes back to Miriam Black.
Oh Miriam, Miriam, Miriam, “my fair fuckin’ lady” Miriam. From the very start she had me with her snarky spitfire devil-may-care ways, though in truth it is her secret power that makes most people sit up and pay attention. With no more than the slightest touch, she can tell you when you’ll die and how it’ll happen. All she needs is a bit of skin-on-skin contact, and the visions will trigger and she will know.
But is such a power more of a gift or a curse? Very few people actually want the knowledge Miriam can glean, and her abilities have brought her more pain than anything else. Imagine foreseeing hundreds of deaths, many of which can be pretty disturbing or gruesome—accidents, car crashes, illnesses, murders, and suicides. Imagine seeing how those closest to you will die, but knowing there’s nothing you can do to stop it or change it.
So Miriam has decided that she doesn’t want anything to do with death anymore. Thunderbird is the fourth novel of the series in which our protagonist begins to take the necessary steps to get rid of her powers. Last we saw her, she had just gotten a name of a person who might be able to help, so now she’s on her way to the Southwest to find the psychic known as Mary Scissors. Unfortunately, Mary is proving to be a hard woman to find, and soon Miriam and her friend Gabby are getting mixed up with the Arizona drug gangs and crazy militia cults.
Technically, it is possible to read Thunderbird on its own without having read the previous novels, though I have to say it’s probably not ideal. The story here is a culmination of everything that happened before, and knowing Miriam’s past will make it easier to understand why she has come to a point where she feels she has no choice but to get rid of her curse. There are also characters and references to events from the first three novels, and the significance of some of these appearances and mentions are going to be confusing if you haven’t read them yet. Even I had a few stumbles along the way because I couldn’t remember all the details of what happened; after all, it has been about three years since the last book came out, and it was a wait that felt like an eternity at times, given how much I adore this series.
Still, a part of me also has to wonder if the long hiatus affected my experience with this book, because there are certain aspects that feel a little different about it. One thing that first made me fall in love with the Miriam Black series was the sheer horror aspect of it; I still remember certain scenes from Blackbirds and Mockingbird that were so violently and gut-churningly graphic that I almost couldn’t bear to read anymore. And yet, I also once wrote how Wendig’s writing can make you desperately want to keep turning the pages and be scared to do so at the same time, and that is why I love these books.
Thunderbird, however, probably didn’t hit me as profoundly or affect me as viscerally. Is Miriam Black getting soft? I certainly hope not! But this book did strike me as being a little more conventional and having fewer sharp edges as the first three. One simply has to compare the villains in this story to the likes of those that came before (Ashley Gaynes? Shudder! The Mockingbird Killer? GAH!) and it’s easy to see why this one felt less terrifying and lacked a certain punch in that regard. I also had some mixed feelings about the interludes. Let’s just say they can be…tricky. Time jumps can be tough to pull off, and personally I didn’t think they worked all of the time. I enjoyed those flashbacks that dropped at appropriate moments, giving us important details or building up the atmosphere, but I didn’t like them so much when they disrupted the momentum and took away from the developing suspense.
That said, while this probably wasn’t my favorite book of the series (that distinction still belongs to The Cormorant, the previous one) I still think it’s great because of what it does for Miriam. Wendig has done an exceptional job developing her backstory and personality in Thunderbird, and in spite of all her faults and damaged psyche, I just love everything about her character. Beneath that sarcastic badass persona is a woman with a bigger heart than she would probably like to admit, and over the last couple installments we’ve been able to see that part of her emerge.
There really is no one else quite like Miriam Black, so if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her yet, what are you waiting for? I highly recommend picking up this series, and if you can, definitely start her story from the beginning. I promise you won’t regret it.
December 19, 2018
Miriam seems to be growing up. A little.
I mean, what else can a girl do but survive all these years of being able to see everyone's death in graphic detail by just her little touch? Take up jogging? Quit smoking? Stop cursing all those wonderfully imaginative curses at everyone and everything and despair at just how f***ed up her life is or how EVERYONE gets hurt when they're near her?
Ah, well, no. But baby steps. Baby steps.
She's trying. And taking to the road with her girlfriend who inexplicably wants to stay by her side and taking a wizard along with them... Or I should say, they're riding the wizard... it all becomes a fateful quest to remove the curse from her by whatever messed up means or idea that comes into her head.
Of course, everything goes horribly, horribly wrong. This isn't so much a UF as it is a hardcore trainwreck of a life slamming into other trainwrecks, fighting fate, others with abilities, and Miriam Black herself.
The writing is key. And Wendig shows us all about the seediest underbellies.
Very good book. Maybe not as hard-hitting as the previous, but that's what she gets when she discovers she has friends. It's not a bad trade.
I mean, what else can a girl do but survive all these years of being able to see everyone's death in graphic detail by just her little touch? Take up jogging? Quit smoking? Stop cursing all those wonderfully imaginative curses at everyone and everything and despair at just how f***ed up her life is or how EVERYONE gets hurt when they're near her?
Ah, well, no. But baby steps. Baby steps.
She's trying. And taking to the road with her girlfriend who inexplicably wants to stay by her side and taking a wizard along with them... Or I should say, they're riding the wizard... it all becomes a fateful quest to remove the curse from her by whatever messed up means or idea that comes into her head.
Of course, everything goes horribly, horribly wrong. This isn't so much a UF as it is a hardcore trainwreck of a life slamming into other trainwrecks, fighting fate, others with abilities, and Miriam Black herself.
The writing is key. And Wendig shows us all about the seediest underbellies.
Very good book. Maybe not as hard-hitting as the previous, but that's what she gets when she discovers she has friends. It's not a bad trade.
November 9, 2020
That’s it. Chuck Wendig has officially blown my mind into smithereens. I honestly don’t know how he does what he does but I’m eternally thankful for it because it is bloody damn fantastic! Just when I think Miriam can’t evolve anymore, she manages to surprise me and become even more of an awesome badass character that I love with all my heart. While I do love all the murder and mayhem and craziness that goes on, my favourite part of this series by far is seeing Miriam’s evolution from Blackbirds to now. Fantasy also plays a MUCH bigger part in this book and quite honestly, it completely wowed me and gave me shivers and I am SO down for it! And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to dive right into book five because with that ending I NEED to know what happens next!
March 6, 2017
Dangit, Wendig! That ending! And you're going to make us wait for an explanation? Seriously? Book five had better come out this year or very early next! Bah!
April 17, 2019
"So violent. Like a feral cat. We like that about you Miriam. You get things done. We hope you stay on board with us for a long time. We'd hate to see you go. Though we do have one helluva severance package for you when the time comes - "
Miriam's plight to purge her curse takes a turn for the worse when her world and that of an 8yr boy, collide, causing a ripple effect sure to permeate throughout Miriam's remaining days.
Supernatural and urban-fantasy elements steadily become more paramount in the fourth installment of the foul speaking, ass-kicking Miriam Black series, yet the undertones of horror remain strong - there are some truly gut churning scenes thanks to Miriam's strengthened ability to share conscience with her avian allies.
There's a bit of back and forth as the plot pushes and pulls Miriam between salvation and slaughter progressively building towards a draw-dropping ending more akin to a punch in the face than a full stop at the end of a sentence. Wow.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Such a fun series.
Miriam's plight to purge her curse takes a turn for the worse when her world and that of an 8yr boy, collide, causing a ripple effect sure to permeate throughout Miriam's remaining days.
Supernatural and urban-fantasy elements steadily become more paramount in the fourth installment of the foul speaking, ass-kicking Miriam Black series, yet the undertones of horror remain strong - there are some truly gut churning scenes thanks to Miriam's strengthened ability to share conscience with her avian allies.
There's a bit of back and forth as the plot pushes and pulls Miriam between salvation and slaughter progressively building towards a draw-dropping ending more akin to a punch in the face than a full stop at the end of a sentence. Wow.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Such a fun series.
March 14, 2017
Miriam Black is back, bitches!
In Thunderbird, the fourth installment of the series, Miriam is seeking a mysterious psychic she hopes can finally rid her of her curse - the ability to foresee the death of those she touches. During her search, she becomes mixed up with a group of domestic terrorists with grand ambitions. Following inadvertent skin-to-skin contact with a member of their troupe, Miriam has a vision of their horrifying plan. Will Miriam make the choice to alter fate or say “screw it” and continue her search?
Sweet cream on an ice cream sandwich, this was fan-freakin’-tastic. I had my doubts that ol’ Chuck would be able to match the intensity of the original trilogy but it was all for naught. Wendig stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park with all the vigor of a steroid-shooting Mark Maguire.
Wendig proves he hasn’t missed a beat when writing for Miriam. More than ever, it’s clear that Miriam uses her brash, aggressive humor and foul-mouthed insults to create a front for her increasing fragilility. In Thunderbird, Wendig really pulls back the layers of Miriam and lets the reader feel the extent to which she is suffering because of a lifetime of guilt and self-loathing. I think that to date, this is the strongest book in the series regarding Miriam’s development. Some of the scenes in which Wendig write about Miriam’s growing hallucinations and subsequent interactions with “the trespasser” - a visual manifestation of her unwanted power - are Dr. Strange-level weird. I loved them.
Like its predecessors, Thunderbird takes a lot of twists and turns before arriving at its final destination - and what a destination it is! I had to make sure my jaw was still attached given how far and fast it dropped. With at least two more novels in the pipeline, to say Wendig has his work cut out for him is an understatement. If you aren’t already reading this series, you need to rectify that immediately. Tell them Brandon sent you.
In Thunderbird, the fourth installment of the series, Miriam is seeking a mysterious psychic she hopes can finally rid her of her curse - the ability to foresee the death of those she touches. During her search, she becomes mixed up with a group of domestic terrorists with grand ambitions. Following inadvertent skin-to-skin contact with a member of their troupe, Miriam has a vision of their horrifying plan. Will Miriam make the choice to alter fate or say “screw it” and continue her search?
Sweet cream on an ice cream sandwich, this was fan-freakin’-tastic. I had my doubts that ol’ Chuck would be able to match the intensity of the original trilogy but it was all for naught. Wendig stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park with all the vigor of a steroid-shooting Mark Maguire.
Wendig proves he hasn’t missed a beat when writing for Miriam. More than ever, it’s clear that Miriam uses her brash, aggressive humor and foul-mouthed insults to create a front for her increasing fragilility. In Thunderbird, Wendig really pulls back the layers of Miriam and lets the reader feel the extent to which she is suffering because of a lifetime of guilt and self-loathing. I think that to date, this is the strongest book in the series regarding Miriam’s development. Some of the scenes in which Wendig write about Miriam’s growing hallucinations and subsequent interactions with “the trespasser” - a visual manifestation of her unwanted power - are Dr. Strange-level weird. I loved them.
Like its predecessors, Thunderbird takes a lot of twists and turns before arriving at its final destination - and what a destination it is! I had to make sure my jaw was still attached given how far and fast it dropped. With at least two more novels in the pipeline, to say Wendig has his work cut out for him is an understatement. If you aren’t already reading this series, you need to rectify that immediately. Tell them Brandon sent you.
March 28, 2017
**This is a NO SPOILER review** I'm not telling you the plot, in fact, don't even read the blurbs on the backs of these books--go into it blind, okay? Don't even read this unless you've read the others. Don't read any of my reviews until AFTER you've read these books yourself. Just know, they are all FIVE STARS and they are AMAZING! That's all you need to know.***
I honestly don't know how Wendig does what he does. Here we are at the fourth book in the Miriam Black series and I'm just stunned at his abilities. Awestruck. I might be crazy, it might be premature-but this book series is right there next to Game of Thrones. Nothing will dethrone the Dark Tower--that's number one. The gold standard. Game of Thrones was holding down the second place slot--but now I'm not so sure. I have a new contender here...
We have gone through a lot with our protagonist. She's introduced to us in book one, Blackbirds. We like her right away. She's gutsy, dangerous, crazy. The bad guys are *really bad* the good guys, Louis are really good. We get a glimpse of what life is like for this strangely gifted woman--sort of like hell, actually and is Miriam the way she is because of her curse or is the curse this bad because of her?
Book two, Mockingbird, Chuck peels back more layers. We fall more in love with her--we fall in love with Louis. The bad guys are different but the rules are still the same. We think we're figuring shit out, how this all works for Miriam, but towards the end, we don't. We don't know enough--we have more questions now. This is my favorite book in the series at this point.
Book three, The Cormorant, blows the lid off what we thought we knew. The rules all change--everything changes, even Miriam. I wasn't sure I liked her as much as I previously thought. I started to worry that she selfishly pulls people down and gets them killed. Maybe she should just run off and be alone somewhere? But then she surprised me. I fell in love with her all over again. Chuck brought in some new characters and proved that he can make us hurt so bad. I see what he's doing now. He's getting us invested. He's making us feel for these people. Please don't take King's advice, Chuck! Don't kill your darlings!
Thunderbird.
I read this book slowly. I treasured it. Savored it, because I don't know when book five is coming and I didn't want this to be over. I hate those long gaps between the next books! *crying*
But then story grabbed me like a vice on the back of the neck and pulled me into it. I stayed up way too late last night and finished. Chuck developed a character from the last book, Gabby, even more and now I'm really into her--Louis and Gabby--I'm all in with these two. A new character was introduced, Isaiah (or Isaac) now I forget, but he's a little boy with a gift. We don't get much back story on this kid and only get a glimpse of what he can do but WHOA. I like this kid, I have a feeling we'll see him again in book 5. YES!!! The bad guys in this book were really developed! I loved this crazy story.
The ending.
Are you serious?
How long do I have to wait until the next book??? I can't wait. Seriously. Let me tell you Wendig's strong suits okay:
1. The short chapters. I'm ruined for other books now with long-ish chapters. This series has punchy, razor's edge like chapters and they're rad. They're addicting. One chapter had like one sentence.
2. Dialog. I've never read anything like it. He's the master. I'm in awe
3. Character development. These characters are flesh and blood people. Complicated, 3 dimensional and dammit if you don't love them all. I hate that! Be careful with my heart!
4. Dynamic story building. These stories!!! How does he do this!! AHHHHHHHH *fangirling*
Anyways, I'm a huge fat, fan. Sorry if this review is all over the place. It's just too much to write all my feelings down on this one. *sigh*
I honestly don't know how Wendig does what he does. Here we are at the fourth book in the Miriam Black series and I'm just stunned at his abilities. Awestruck. I might be crazy, it might be premature-but this book series is right there next to Game of Thrones. Nothing will dethrone the Dark Tower--that's number one. The gold standard. Game of Thrones was holding down the second place slot--but now I'm not so sure. I have a new contender here...
We have gone through a lot with our protagonist. She's introduced to us in book one, Blackbirds. We like her right away. She's gutsy, dangerous, crazy. The bad guys are *really bad* the good guys, Louis are really good. We get a glimpse of what life is like for this strangely gifted woman--sort of like hell, actually and is Miriam the way she is because of her curse or is the curse this bad because of her?
Book two, Mockingbird, Chuck peels back more layers. We fall more in love with her--we fall in love with Louis. The bad guys are different but the rules are still the same. We think we're figuring shit out, how this all works for Miriam, but towards the end, we don't. We don't know enough--we have more questions now. This is my favorite book in the series at this point.
Book three, The Cormorant, blows the lid off what we thought we knew. The rules all change--everything changes, even Miriam. I wasn't sure I liked her as much as I previously thought. I started to worry that she selfishly pulls people down and gets them killed. Maybe she should just run off and be alone somewhere? But then she surprised me. I fell in love with her all over again. Chuck brought in some new characters and proved that he can make us hurt so bad. I see what he's doing now. He's getting us invested. He's making us feel for these people. Please don't take King's advice, Chuck! Don't kill your darlings!
Thunderbird.
I read this book slowly. I treasured it. Savored it, because I don't know when book five is coming and I didn't want this to be over. I hate those long gaps between the next books! *crying*
But then story grabbed me like a vice on the back of the neck and pulled me into it. I stayed up way too late last night and finished. Chuck developed a character from the last book, Gabby, even more and now I'm really into her--Louis and Gabby--I'm all in with these two. A new character was introduced, Isaiah (or Isaac) now I forget, but he's a little boy with a gift. We don't get much back story on this kid and only get a glimpse of what he can do but WHOA. I like this kid, I have a feeling we'll see him again in book 5. YES!!! The bad guys in this book were really developed! I loved this crazy story.
The ending.
Are you serious?
How long do I have to wait until the next book??? I can't wait. Seriously. Let me tell you Wendig's strong suits okay:
1. The short chapters. I'm ruined for other books now with long-ish chapters. This series has punchy, razor's edge like chapters and they're rad. They're addicting. One chapter had like one sentence.
2. Dialog. I've never read anything like it. He's the master. I'm in awe
3. Character development. These characters are flesh and blood people. Complicated, 3 dimensional and dammit if you don't love them all. I hate that! Be careful with my heart!
4. Dynamic story building. These stories!!! How does he do this!! AHHHHHHHH *fangirling*
Anyways, I'm a huge fat, fan. Sorry if this review is all over the place. It's just too much to write all my feelings down on this one. *sigh*
Want to read
February 24, 2016God I love Miriam Black!!! Although, as much as I love the cover, I REALLY miss the original amazeballs covers by Joey Hi-Fi, which I think were far superior to these new ones.
December 5, 2019
And we’re back with the caustic Miriam Black!
I must admit before writing this review I had to go back & re-read my prior entries in the series to see how I’d left it as this episode felt very differently to how I remembered it. The focus seemed all wrong? Different for sure. It felt more like a “thriller”…… perhaps the 4 year gap from Cormorant says it all, a different style evolves after the hiatus?
So….. back to my prior review……. Yeah well…… not very helpful….. a tad cryptic was my last entry but it does point towards the vibe of the series which is about Miriam & her darkness as well as her “gift” which is somewhat lacking from this book, which has more of a story/plot about it than the prior three with Miriam acting as one of the leading characters. I’m missing the humour as well, no real belly laughs in this one, although there is some snark, it seems forced….. its all about Miriam trying to find another psychic who can help her with her “curse” who was touched upon at the end of the prior book…... They didn’t really NEED a story/plot, when they have Miriam Black! We didn’t even have Miriam pulling “words” out of the air & dropping them in which was always a favourite aspect of the stories.
To be fair as a genre it was always going to have limitations & Chuck Wendig has done well to get past the success of the first book which delivered in spades by keeping the interest going & Miriam fresh until well perhaps now……
It’s ok, it has it’s moments & the whole thing around Miriam & Birds is delved into but I can’t really give it more than that middling three (rounded down from 3.25) as I struggled in places to maintain an interest as it fell a little flat. Have to mention that right near the end the humour assaults us in waves & it’s like we’ve got the ol’ Miriam back, we defo see a different side to her in this book.
I shall read on when I can lay my lands on a copy this side of the pond, also sad to read that the anticipated TV series didn’t take off too.
I must admit before writing this review I had to go back & re-read my prior entries in the series to see how I’d left it as this episode felt very differently to how I remembered it. The focus seemed all wrong? Different for sure. It felt more like a “thriller”…… perhaps the 4 year gap from Cormorant says it all, a different style evolves after the hiatus?
So….. back to my prior review……. Yeah well…… not very helpful….. a tad cryptic was my last entry but it does point towards the vibe of the series which is about Miriam & her darkness as well as her “gift” which is somewhat lacking from this book, which has more of a story/plot about it than the prior three with Miriam acting as one of the leading characters. I’m missing the humour as well, no real belly laughs in this one, although there is some snark, it seems forced….. its all about Miriam trying to find another psychic who can help her with her “curse” who was touched upon at the end of the prior book…... They didn’t really NEED a story/plot, when they have Miriam Black! We didn’t even have Miriam pulling “words” out of the air & dropping them in which was always a favourite aspect of the stories.
To be fair as a genre it was always going to have limitations & Chuck Wendig has done well to get past the success of the first book which delivered in spades by keeping the interest going & Miriam fresh until well perhaps now……
It’s ok, it has it’s moments & the whole thing around Miriam & Birds is delved into but I can’t really give it more than that middling three (rounded down from 3.25) as I struggled in places to maintain an interest as it fell a little flat. Have to mention that right near the end the humour assaults us in waves & it’s like we’ve got the ol’ Miriam back, we defo see a different side to her in this book.
I shall read on when I can lay my lands on a copy this side of the pond, also sad to read that the anticipated TV series didn’t take off too.
March 6, 2017
Another EXCELLENT Miriam Black book! I wonder if there will ever be another character/series that I love as much as Miriam. If so, I've yet to encounter one in any other book. It's a travesty that this isn't a TV series on HBO/Showtime/FX, etc. Miriam is her usual foul mouthed, dark self (aka, perfect!) as she investigates the bad deeds a terrorist-like organization is up to and a mysterious young boy that might have powers of his own. Great story with legit one of the most badass scenes I've ever read at about the 85% mark. It gives me chills imagining it on the big screen. Can't wait for the next installment, terrific ending!!
April 9, 2018
Miriam Black is a take-no-prisoners girl, who have a special ability whereby when she touches someone, she is able to see how and when they die. She also can enter the minds of birds and control them. Miriam wants to be more human and less of a freak, and is seeking a woman named Mary Stitch, whose name she acquired in the last book from Mary's sociopathic brother, who she has been told can make her powers go away. However, along the way, Miriam meets up with other people with special abilities, who are being recruited to join a cult of domestic terrorists, and Miriam and her girlfriend decide they must stop the group before they commit a heinous crime.
I was somewhat disappointed because what makes Miriam so great is her edginess, which seems to be waning. A cliffhanger ending though, but happily Book #5 was recently published.
I was somewhat disappointed because what makes Miriam so great is her edginess, which seems to be waning. A cliffhanger ending though, but happily Book #5 was recently published.
May 26, 2017
Miriam just laughed, because, c'mon. Titmouse. Titmouse. The ranger just stood there, annoyed --blink, blink, blink--and Miriam of course explained because Miriam of course enjoys digging holes and jumping in them. She said, "Because first you imagine a mouse, a little squeaky mouse, and then you imagine a tit--a boob, a breast, a sweater monkey that has escaped its underwire cage--and now it's attached to the mouse? Like, on its back? Or the top of its head? Flopping around like a damn Jell-O mold? Huh? Right? Oh, come on. That's funny. That's just... that's just good humor, lady."
Thunderbird is the fourth book in Chuck Wendig’s Miriam Black series. Just like the three books that came before it, this was fucking glorious! I devoured it within 24 hours, a major thing for me these days between life & writing. It's one of my favorite series for a reason! I find it so easy to fall into this messed up, authentic world that Wendig has created.
In Cormorant, Miriam learned of a psychic who may be able to get rid of her curse/gift & give her back some semblance of a normal life. She heads to the Southwest in search of this woman, Mary Scissors. What she finds is so much more. Because of course! This is Miriam Black we are talking about. She finds trouble. Trouble finds her. And boy does it find her in this installment! Just when you think Miriam has seen it all.. Wendig throws in the worst vision Miriam has ever experienced.
This time around Miriam is different, though. There is something within her that has.. changed. She has been abandoned, knocked around, emotionally shattered. She has had one too many close calls. Miriam has seen some shit! This has definitely taken a toll on her. She has matured slightly (but still has her filthy mouth, fuck you very much) & she is more hopeful than ever before. It's just a really amazing thing to see this character grow so massively, so genuinely. It gives me the warm fuzzies in my cold, black heart!
Wendig again gives us more pieces of the Miriam puzzle. He really is masterful at a well-paced, never hectic story. Layer by layer unravelling this beautifully complex, broken but trying to heal, badass individual that I love so much. Wendig speaks to my soul & I cannot get enough of it!
I need book five like Miriam needs her next nicotine fix!
Thunderbird is the fourth book in Chuck Wendig’s Miriam Black series. Just like the three books that came before it, this was fucking glorious! I devoured it within 24 hours, a major thing for me these days between life & writing. It's one of my favorite series for a reason! I find it so easy to fall into this messed up, authentic world that Wendig has created.
In Cormorant, Miriam learned of a psychic who may be able to get rid of her curse/gift & give her back some semblance of a normal life. She heads to the Southwest in search of this woman, Mary Scissors. What she finds is so much more. Because of course! This is Miriam Black we are talking about. She finds trouble. Trouble finds her. And boy does it find her in this installment! Just when you think Miriam has seen it all.. Wendig throws in the worst vision Miriam has ever experienced.
This time around Miriam is different, though. There is something within her that has.. changed. She has been abandoned, knocked around, emotionally shattered. She has had one too many close calls. Miriam has seen some shit! This has definitely taken a toll on her. She has matured slightly (but still has her filthy mouth, fuck you very much) & she is more hopeful than ever before. It's just a really amazing thing to see this character grow so massively, so genuinely. It gives me the warm fuzzies in my cold, black heart!
Wendig again gives us more pieces of the Miriam puzzle. He really is masterful at a well-paced, never hectic story. Layer by layer unravelling this beautifully complex, broken but trying to heal, badass individual that I love so much. Wendig speaks to my soul & I cannot get enough of it!
I need book five like Miriam needs her next nicotine fix!
March 18, 2017
3.5 stars. Don't offhand recall specifically what I thought of the prior three (although I know I liked enough to keep reading them), but suspect frankly that this was the best of the bunch. Wendig seems to be growing as a writer and doing a nice job developing his style (both prose and storytelling) for the Miriam Black books. Hopefully in the next two of this second trilogy he'll start answering some of the big questions.
March 6, 2017
Miriam Black is back! On the path to rid herself of a curse, Miriam discovers that her power has more to offer than she thought.
Miriam Black is attempting to be healthy. Running, cutting out cigarettes and participating in a relationship. That all goes to hell when. while out on a run, she encounters a woman with a young boy fleeing an unseen threat. Upon touching the woman, she has a vision of both of their deaths. Using her new (and badass) powers Miriam manages to narrowly avoid death. The woman and the boy escape with Miriam's car and she is left alone in the desert. Just another day in the life of a cursed soul.
Miriam is desperate to hold onto her sanity. Her power and/or curse is driving her insane. Louis is getting married. She is becoming addicted to seeing people's deaths, it makes her feeling both meaningful and powerful. The search for Mary Stitch, a woman who can supposedly rid her of the death visions, is never-ending and past events are forever hanging over her. But we all know that Miriam Black won't take this sitting down, she has given up so much to get to this point, and the fight is not over yet.
Thunderbird follows several key plots all flowing alongside each other. Miriam's quest to rid herself of her power. Protecting a young boy (who has a powerful and unknown curse) from a group of hunters. Discovering the extent of Miriam's power. Fighting Ethan and his band of people with powers of their own. I really enjoyed each and every story-line that CW included. I constantly found myself wanting to know ahead of time what happens. The intensity and tooth-and-nail action is electrifying. Each hit that Miriam takes to her body and soul just fuels the readers anticipation of a hellfire revenge plot.
Chuck Wendig has written such a brilliant series and I am so glad it is being made into a TV show. Miriam Black is pure genius, she is cocksure, badass, ridiculously funny and broken to the core. I think that everyone can relate to her in someway because she has seen it all and is still going on strong. CW style mixes intriguing plot design, graphic imagery and relentless humour to carry the reader through to the conclusion of Thunderbird, which as always is both satisfying and keeps me wanting more.
I love the fact that Chuck Wendig is so tuned into to this series, even though it seems he always has 100 things going on at once. Crafting new dynamics, conflicts, brilliant characters, foreshadowing, jumping timelines and creating perfect psychopath villains. If you have never picked up a MB book then please start from the beginning as jumping in at this stage probably won't be as enjoyable. Thunderbird is for readers who enjoy thrilling fiction that mixes humour with fantasy/magic and graphic violence.
I only have one complaint about Thunderbird, and this centres around the repetitive or lengthy sections of pain and/or discomfort that Miriam suffers. I know that it is required to build up the atmosphere and prepare the reader for Miriam's comeback, but at times it was grating and I was desperate for the story to move on from it. That said, if you can cope with prolonged periods of anguish, Thunderbird (or the entire series in fact) is worth your time and money.
Miriam Black is all about the ferocity of nature. Knowing the unknowable, which is something we all wish we could do. I have given Thunderbird 5/5 stars because CW is so dedicated to his craft. The plot is filled with great story-lines. The characters are memorable. The overall world that Miriam occupies is always expanding and I certainly look forward to the next two instalments.
Miriam Black is attempting to be healthy. Running, cutting out cigarettes and participating in a relationship. That all goes to hell when. while out on a run, she encounters a woman with a young boy fleeing an unseen threat. Upon touching the woman, she has a vision of both of their deaths. Using her new (and badass) powers Miriam manages to narrowly avoid death. The woman and the boy escape with Miriam's car and she is left alone in the desert. Just another day in the life of a cursed soul.
Miriam is desperate to hold onto her sanity. Her power and/or curse is driving her insane. Louis is getting married. She is becoming addicted to seeing people's deaths, it makes her feeling both meaningful and powerful. The search for Mary Stitch, a woman who can supposedly rid her of the death visions, is never-ending and past events are forever hanging over her. But we all know that Miriam Black won't take this sitting down, she has given up so much to get to this point, and the fight is not over yet.
Thunderbird follows several key plots all flowing alongside each other. Miriam's quest to rid herself of her power. Protecting a young boy (who has a powerful and unknown curse) from a group of hunters. Discovering the extent of Miriam's power. Fighting Ethan and his band of people with powers of their own. I really enjoyed each and every story-line that CW included. I constantly found myself wanting to know ahead of time what happens. The intensity and tooth-and-nail action is electrifying. Each hit that Miriam takes to her body and soul just fuels the readers anticipation of a hellfire revenge plot.
Chuck Wendig has written such a brilliant series and I am so glad it is being made into a TV show. Miriam Black is pure genius, she is cocksure, badass, ridiculously funny and broken to the core. I think that everyone can relate to her in someway because she has seen it all and is still going on strong. CW style mixes intriguing plot design, graphic imagery and relentless humour to carry the reader through to the conclusion of Thunderbird, which as always is both satisfying and keeps me wanting more.
I love the fact that Chuck Wendig is so tuned into to this series, even though it seems he always has 100 things going on at once. Crafting new dynamics, conflicts, brilliant characters, foreshadowing, jumping timelines and creating perfect psychopath villains. If you have never picked up a MB book then please start from the beginning as jumping in at this stage probably won't be as enjoyable. Thunderbird is for readers who enjoy thrilling fiction that mixes humour with fantasy/magic and graphic violence.
I only have one complaint about Thunderbird, and this centres around the repetitive or lengthy sections of pain and/or discomfort that Miriam suffers. I know that it is required to build up the atmosphere and prepare the reader for Miriam's comeback, but at times it was grating and I was desperate for the story to move on from it. That said, if you can cope with prolonged periods of anguish, Thunderbird (or the entire series in fact) is worth your time and money.
Miriam Black is all about the ferocity of nature. Knowing the unknowable, which is something we all wish we could do. I have given Thunderbird 5/5 stars because CW is so dedicated to his craft. The plot is filled with great story-lines. The characters are memorable. The overall world that Miriam occupies is always expanding and I certainly look forward to the next two instalments.
February 10, 2019
4 Stars
Thunderbird book 4 in the Miriam Black series by Chuck Wendig was a welcome return to our dark and cursed heroine. I really enjoyed this book especially after such a long delay between this and the last book The Cormorant. Couple this with the fact that I was really disappointed with book three, a strong return was absolutely necessary.
This is a dark book that is leading up to a dark ending. Part horror, part drama, with a little bit of twisted humor is what you can expect with these books. I look forward to reading the conclusion.
Chuck Wendig is a fantastic writer and that is evident from the very first page through the closing words. This book is well paced, well structured, and a lot of fun to read. The first third of this book was top notch. I loved the scenes and the banter between Miriam and the FBI agents. The backstories were all great and I loved seeing the tragedy and the curse behind Miriam’s gift.
I love Miriam, and I love Wendig!
If you have not read Chuck Wendig than I implore you to go and pick up one of his books. He is amazing. This book will have to be read to continue the series but it is a let down…
Thunderbird book 4 in the Miriam Black series by Chuck Wendig was a welcome return to our dark and cursed heroine. I really enjoyed this book especially after such a long delay between this and the last book The Cormorant. Couple this with the fact that I was really disappointed with book three, a strong return was absolutely necessary.
This is a dark book that is leading up to a dark ending. Part horror, part drama, with a little bit of twisted humor is what you can expect with these books. I look forward to reading the conclusion.
Chuck Wendig is a fantastic writer and that is evident from the very first page through the closing words. This book is well paced, well structured, and a lot of fun to read. The first third of this book was top notch. I loved the scenes and the banter between Miriam and the FBI agents. The backstories were all great and I loved seeing the tragedy and the curse behind Miriam’s gift.
I love Miriam, and I love Wendig!
If you have not read Chuck Wendig than I implore you to go and pick up one of his books. He is amazing. This book will have to be read to continue the series but it is a let down…
February 19, 2020
Miriam Black is not the girl next door for those that haven't read any of these. I was a little confused at times trying to figure out past vs present but amidst some of my confusion, I was right back on track with Miriam's story.
I think I enjoyed this book better than book 3 but I enjoyed the first two the most. Miriam's story is not yet over.
I think I enjoyed this book better than book 3 but I enjoyed the first two the most. Miriam's story is not yet over.
April 10, 2018
Didn’t like this one quite as much as the others. Still good though - 4.5 stars rather than 5.
March 28, 2017
I don't know, maybe because it's been a long time since the last book or maybe it's me, but this is a hard one to read. I started reading it a week ago, made it 10 pages, put it down. Then decided that this was the weekend I would read it, started over and in 2 days only made it 65 pages, which is not good for me. In 2 days I should have finished it and another book. What I liked about Miriam at the start, her rude crudeness grates on my last sane nerve. Violence seems to be her only move any more. I get that she doesn't want her gift any more, but come on, enough is enough.
I will say that Miriam going off about the snowman and how hot she was and what she would do with him was super funny!
In the end this one just wasn't for me.
I will say that Miriam going off about the snowman and how hot she was and what she would do with him was super funny!
In the end this one just wasn't for me.
June 16, 2017
So.Much.Suffering... Truth be told, my empathy for poor Miriam kept me from enjoying this book as much as the others in the series. That's one effed up militia/cult:-/ The whole bird ability/thingy Miriam's got going on... creepy.
And THAT ending! That's one hell of a cliffhanger
And THAT ending! That's one hell of a cliffhanger
November 29, 2020
I wasn't sure about the series when I read the first book but this keep getting better and better, each book since than grabs hold of you and don't let go. They are so dark, gritty and very entertaining, I keep wondering what will happen to Miriam next and how this will end, but truth be told I don't really want the series to end. They are just that good
December 31, 2016
I wasn't a huge fan of the plot about the Coming Storm, but, damn, I love Miriam in all her jagged brokenness.
June 3, 2017
CHUCK WENDIG, YOU MOTHERFUCKER
January 1, 2018
Review to follow...
April 10, 2017
I like Miriam Black. I like that she's tough and self-aware, that she knows she's vulnerable and how she's vulnerable. I've liked seeing her evolve over the course of the series. At the end of book 3, The Cormorant, she makes an important phone call and the story ends with a sliver of hope, which is dashed pretty thoroughly by the second chapter of Thunderbird. Still, in the face unbearable pain and disappointment, Miriam perseveres. She cares, she loves, and Miriam is beginning to see that even when it wounds, love strengthens. And I love that. I think whatever the next (and last?) installment has in store for Miriam she'll be a force to be reckoned with.
That cliffhanger was just evil though.
That cliffhanger was just evil though.
January 30, 2022
Miriam wants to be better. At least a little bit. Her growth over this series is handled well, while she still remains the tortured yet compelling person we met at the beginning. With Thunderbird, Miriam is looking for a way out of the supernatural happenings that have shaped her life. Unfortunately, there are still other powers with their own agendas--both human and not--and despite her best efforts, Miriam's pesky conscience won't give up so easily. She's taking a stand, coming into her power--and pity anyone who gets in her way.
If only it were that simple.
If only it were that simple.
December 15, 2020
I noticed four years passed between this book and the previous, and you could tell. Seems like he lost his way. Although, after reading the last page, I immediately placed my hold for the next title. Wow! I can't wait to see where this goes!
August 3, 2017
Wendig's Miriam Black series is the opposite of suck. That's the best I can do at the moment. Read my reviews of the first three in this series if you want a more thorough, heartfelt explanation of how I feel about these books.
Read
September 27, 2018Complex, engrossing characters. Wendig is a very good urban fantasy author.
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