Are you born with magic, or do you have to be bitten for it?

In Season 2, Episode 4 of the Pack Podcast (Episode 16 overall), Greg, Linda, and Hasna dig into how magic works in Patricia Briggs' Mercyverse. Is it hereditary, like witches, fae, and walkers? Or is it contagion, like werewolves and vampires? And where do wizards fit in?

In this episode:

• Hereditary magic vs. contagion: the theory that splits the Mercyverse in two
• Black, grey, and white witches, and what each one feeds on
• Sorcerers and demon partnerships vs. wizards, and why we know so little about wizards
• Mercy's ability to see and influence ghosts, and the theory that she has power over the dead
• Why Coyote, Bear, Raven, and the other avatars sit outside every category
• Whether being born magical or being changed makes you more sympathetic, and which one the hosts would choose
• Why nearly every supernatural power in the series comes with a price, and whether Mercy pays one
• Stress baking, pie-making heroines, and why the everyday moments keep Mercy relatable

Also this episode: Grim Oak's special edition of Bloodbound opened to the public on October 28. Check it out here: [link]

Join the pack on Patreon! We have four tiers: Pup, Pack, Alpha, and Walker. Alpha and Walker members join our after-show chat the Sunday after each episode drops. [Patreon link]

Spoiler warning: This episode discusses events through the most recent books and short stories, including Storm Cursed, Bloodbound, and Rivermarked.

Chapters (these follow the raw recording, so adjust them to your final edit)
0:00 Welcome and Patreon shout-outs
3:00 Wolf and Patricia Briggs news
4:10 Grim Oak's Bloodbound special edition
5:40 Hereditary vs. contagion magic
7:30 The three kinds of witches
8:35 Sorcerers vs. wizards
10:40 Mercy and the dead
13:40 Coyote and the primal avatars
15:15 Born or bitten: who gets our sympathy?
18:45 Which would you choose?
21:10 The price of power
26:45 Mercy, baking, and staying grounded
28:30 Wrap-up and next steps

Happy Halloween from the Pack Podcast! In episode 15 (yes, we wish it were 13), Greg, Hasna, and Linda tackle the question every Mercy Thompson fan has whispered at least once: is Wulfe the creepiest character Patricia Briggs has ever written?

He looks like a teenager with an angelic face, but he's a witch-born vampire who's been around since the Renaissance, and nobody can say for sure what he wants. We dig into his creepiest moments in Blood Bound, the strange mix of witch, wizard, fae, and vampire that may explain why he's so unhinged, and the theory that he's a monster built by other monsters who outgrew his creators. We also debate Bonarata's fear of him, his fixation on Mercy, whether he's really an ally, and where he's headed after Soul Taken.

Plus: news on the Graphic Audio delay, the Steel Rain cover reveal, and a look at why some hosts predict Wulfe's redemption while others are not so sure.

Do you agree, or is there a creepier character we should be talking about? Let us know, because we're already plotting a Part 2!

Join our Patreon for the after-chat on Sunday, October 11 at 10 AM Pacific. Happy Halloween!

Pack Podcast Ep. 14 is here! Patricia Briggs finally brings her legendary assistant "Sparky" (aka Anne) out from behind the curtain — the woman who's been running the show behind the scenes for years, from bookkeeping to manuscripts to keeping Patty out of (occasional) trouble.

Plus: Steel Rain is officially finished 🎉, Dan Dos Santos has already delivered a cover Patty calls his best yet (reveal coming at DragonCon 👀), and Patty's already deep into the next Mercy book. We also swap convention stories from Bubonicon — George R.R. Martin, Martha Wells, and T. Kingfisher all made appearances.

Grab your tea (or coffee, Hasna ☕), settle in, and come hang out with the Pack.

#PackPodcast #PatriciaBriggs #MercyThompson #SteelRain #DragonCon #Mercyverse #UrbanFantasy #BookTok

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and episode overview
04:10 Patricia Briggs and Anne introduce themselves and discuss their recent travels
16:17 Highlights from recent book signings and conventions
20:06 Details about the upcoming Steel Rain book and its length
30:10 Cover reveal and promotional plans for Steel Rain
32:45 The unique experience of visiting the Olympic rainforest
33:21 Closing remarks and appreciation for fans and Patreon supporters