# Can I read Mercy Thompson Series without reading Alpha and Omega?



## bohemianedu (Jul 24, 2014)

I'm wondering whether I can just read the Mercy Thompson Series, or do I need to grab the Alpha and Omega novels and read those too? Will it change my reading of the Mercy Thompson novel without reading the Alpha and Omega novels?


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## loonlover (Jul 4, 2009)

Alpha and Omega add background to the Mercy Thompson stories, but do not have to be read before enjoying the series.


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## bohemianedu (Jul 24, 2014)

loonlover said:


> Alpha and Omega add background to the Mercy Thompson stories, but do not have to be read before enjoying the series.


Cool to know. I went ahead and picked up the first three.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I have only read the current books in the Mercy Thompson series, waiting for #9 now. But I have not read the Alpha and Omega series. Looks like that one started like 3 years after the Mercy Thompson? I mean not series time line, but publication time line. I honestly haven't been tempted yet with this other series as I am not a fan of the intertwined stuff and I worry I am getting confused if I do. So I just ignore it for now.  

Still have to wait until march for the next Mercy. Sigh.


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## bohemianedu (Jul 24, 2014)

Atunah said:


> I have only read the current books in the Mercy Thompson series, waiting for #9 now. But I have not read the Alpha and Omega series. Looks like that one started like 3 years after the Mercy Thompson? I mean not series time line, but publication time line. I honestly haven't been tempted yet with this other series as I am not a fan of the intertwined stuff and I worry I am getting confused if I do. So I just ignore it for now.
> 
> Still have to wait until march for the next Mercy. Sigh.


Yeah, I'll probably just read them in the timeline order on Briggs's site. I didn't get the fourth book in the Alpha and Omega series yet, though. I may wait until it comes out in paperback. I wonder if you could read Mercy Thompson straight through and then read the Alpha and Omega series. I wonder if there would be spoilers.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I"ve read both and no, they are really fairly separate.  There's some overlap in the characters being used, but it's mostly minor, at least so far.  That is to say that a character from one series will appear in the other, but only in minor roles (short scenes or phone calls).  I like the Alpha and Omega series better, but I started with the Mercy one and they're both great series.  I put off reading Alpha and Omega for a long time because I thought I didn't like spin offs but it's its own series.


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