When Demons Walk by P. Briggs

I knew that Patricia Briggs wrote fantasy as well as urban fantasy, but I haven’t actually seen any of her other books. While walking through the grocery store, I found When Demons Walk and I didn’t even think about not buying it. I love her Mercy Thompson series, so I had no doubts about this one.

Set in Southwood, Sham is a sorceress and a thief who is out for vengeance against those who crippled her master after the Cybellian invasion. Walking through the Purgatory after visiting one of her victims, she comes across Southwood’s Reeve and makes an impression. When trouble brews at the Reeve’s court, he sets out to gain her assistance in finding the culprit. What happens next is simple great storytelling.

Briggs weaves a tale involving characters who enthrall us and a world with so many intriguing aspects that you can’t help but want to know more. Even though this novel can stand alone (according to Briggs website), I can’t help to feel that I want more. What happens between Sham and the Reeve, how do the Southwood nobles and the Easterners get along. What happens next? The story leaves you wanting more. You develop so much empathy for the characters that you’re not satisfied when the story ends. In my opinion, this is a good thing.

Overall, I would recommend When Demons Walk to anyone who likes Briggs previous novels as well as anyone who has read Maria Snyder’s Study series. Between the descriptive storytelling and the imaginative characters, no one should walk away from this novel feeling like they’ve been cheated.

I’m already looking to see if this is part of a series or not, and I found out that it’s actually the third novel in the Sianim series, but it can actually stand alone as well. I’m am definitely going to try and get my hands on the other two novels in the series – Masques and Steal the Dragon.

Read Order:
Masques
Steal the Dragon
When Demons Walk

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

4 Comments

  1. Masques is currently out of print and almost impossible to find, but Steal the Dragon has been reprinted like When Demons Walk and is easy to get.

    Apparently Briggs has been contracted to update Masques for publication but she’s been contracted to do the Mercy Thompson books first so that project is on the backburner.

  2. I want to read this series and am annoyed that Masques is impossible to track down. I love the Mercy Thompson series and the short story of hers I read earlier this year and hope to read some of her fantasy stuff. I have the first in the Maria Snyder books to read and am looking forward to getting around to it.

  3. I like the new cover. I ADORE PB’s Mercy series, so I went hunting in my local used bookstore for her back list. I only found one – this one. The heroine on the cover looks like a bondage addict or one of those scantily-leather-clad video game characters. The new one is much better. lol. Haven’t read it yet. I’m glad to see you liked it. I’ll move it up my TBR pile!

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