In this powerful and exciting fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, humans and the shape-shifting Others will see whether they can live side by side...without destroying one another.
There are ghost towns in the world—places where the humans were annihilated in retaliation for the slaughter of the shape-shifting Others.
One of those places is Bennett, a town at the northern end of the Elder Hills—a town surrounded by the wild country. Now efforts are being made to resettle Bennett as a community where humans and Others live and work together. A young female police officer has been hired as the deputy to a Wolfgard sheriff. A deadly type of Other wants to run a human-style saloon. And a couple with four foster children—one of whom is a blood prophet—hope to find acceptance.
But as they reopen the stores and the professional offices and start to make lives for themselves, the town of Bennett attracts the attention of other humans looking for profit. And the arrival of the outlaw Blackstone Clan will either unite Others and humans...or bury them all.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
Wild Country is the book I was expecting when I first picked up Lake Silence so I was really excited that we were being given the chance to catch up with familiar faces from Prairie Gold and Bennett. Bennett's human population was wiped out in the war started by the Humans First and Last group, only the Intuit settlement at Prairie Gold survived but they're pretty cut off now that Bennett is a ghost town. Thanks to their connection to people at the Lakeside Courtyard the Elders have decided to allow Bennett to be resettled, but only as a terra indigene run town. Humans who can live in peace will be tolerated but anyone who crosses the line will be punished severely.
Timeline wise the first half of this book runs alongside events in Etched in Bone, we get to see the applicants accepted at the job fair arrive in Bennett and start work on creating a new community and we also get to see how the terra indigene living there react to the news of Meg's abduction. I still miss Meg and Simon as main characters but I loved getting the chance to catch up with familiar faces like Jesse, her son Tobias and the sanguinati town leader Tolya. I also really enjoyed getting to know Barbara Ellen (Michael's sister who went to Bennett to be the town vet) and the new human deputy Jana who arrived to work alongside the existing wolfgard Sheriff Virgil & deputy Kane.
It's been fun getting to see more of this world and how Others in different areas react to the humans they are now far more wary of thanks to the HFL. We also get to see how the blood prophets are settling in and continuing to learn about their own abilities which was something I was very happy about. I think my main issue with this book was that the humans were still able to cause so much trouble. The Others were on high alert thanks to some worrying prophecies, the Elders were watching and had clearly marked the boundaries where humans were allowed and where they weren't and yet we still had a group of humans able to sneak in and cause so much devastation.
I could have understood the Others laying a trap, letting the humans think their plan was working but I found it impossible to believe that the Elders didn't spot these encroachers on their territory and do something about them. The battle scenes could have been epic if it had been revealed that the Elders and the rest of the terra indigene had been working together to lay a huge trap but instead they were caught off guard and once again paid the price when many lives were lost. It was heartbreaking to read about and just didn't feel realistic to me considering everything that had gone before.
That battle came pretty close to ruining this story for me but I enjoyed the rest so much that I can't rate the book less than 4 stars. The truth is that I devoured all 7 books in about 9 days because I was so addicted to this series that I couldn't stop reading! That should give you an idea of how invested I became in this world and how skilful Ann Bishop is as a writer. It's been a long time since I last devoured a series like that and I know I'll be rereading the books regularly in the future. I'm not sure if Anne Bishop is done with this world but I really hope that she'll give us at least a few more books because I'm still not ready to say goodbye.
Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Hardback / Kindle:
Showing posts with label The Others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Others. Show all posts
Monday, 4 March 2019
Monday, 11 February 2019
Review: Lake Silence - Anne Bishop
In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her shape-shifting lodger find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.
Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others--vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget....
After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns such as Vicki's don't have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.
Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe--one of the shape-shifting Others--discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken--and all the destructive powers of nature at their command.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
I have to admit when I found out this book wasn't set at the Lakeside Courtyard I assumed it would be at one of the settlements we've already seen in previous books. There are lots of groups I'd be interested in seeing more of so I was really surprised that this was about a completely new set of characters that haven't been mentioned before. I love this world though so it didn't take me long to fall into this story and it was actually really refreshing to have so many new faces to get to know.
Vicki is a human who has recently got out of an abusive relationship, her ex-husband gave her a run down resort near Lake Silence as part of the divorce settlement and she's slowly settling into her new home and carrying out much needed renovations to turn The Jumble into a going concern. Vicki knows the town is run by the terra indigene rather than humans but she didn't realise that the Others paid so much attention to her home until she walks into the kitchen one day to find her only lodger about to eat an eyeball. Thats the first time Vicki realises that Aggie is one of the Crowgard but Vicki's biggest problem is that the eyeball Aggie thinks would make a tasty lunch comes from a man who has been murdered on her property. When corrupt detectives try to pin the murder on Vicki some of the Others start paying a lot more attention to what is happening at The Jumble, and they're really not happy about the people who are trying to force Vicki out of her home.
I really liked this little town and most of it's inhabitants. You have a mix of humans, intuits and various terra indigene from the sanguinati and elementals to crows, bears and cats who are all trying to learn how to live amongst each other. The Jumble is a perfect place for the different groups to get together in a safe environment and mingle, that's what the Others had always planned the place to be used for and they're happy that Vicki seems to be taking her responsibilities as custodian of the land seriously. Someone wants her out though and that is a threat that concerns everyone, especially when the Elders are currently paying so much attention to the remaining human settlements and the threat of war isn't that far away. As much as I'm still hoping to see characters like Meg and Simon again I'm enjoying this new group and looking forward to spending more time with them in the next book.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others--vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget....
After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns such as Vicki's don't have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.
Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe--one of the shape-shifting Others--discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken--and all the destructive powers of nature at their command.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
I have to admit when I found out this book wasn't set at the Lakeside Courtyard I assumed it would be at one of the settlements we've already seen in previous books. There are lots of groups I'd be interested in seeing more of so I was really surprised that this was about a completely new set of characters that haven't been mentioned before. I love this world though so it didn't take me long to fall into this story and it was actually really refreshing to have so many new faces to get to know.
Vicki is a human who has recently got out of an abusive relationship, her ex-husband gave her a run down resort near Lake Silence as part of the divorce settlement and she's slowly settling into her new home and carrying out much needed renovations to turn The Jumble into a going concern. Vicki knows the town is run by the terra indigene rather than humans but she didn't realise that the Others paid so much attention to her home until she walks into the kitchen one day to find her only lodger about to eat an eyeball. Thats the first time Vicki realises that Aggie is one of the Crowgard but Vicki's biggest problem is that the eyeball Aggie thinks would make a tasty lunch comes from a man who has been murdered on her property. When corrupt detectives try to pin the murder on Vicki some of the Others start paying a lot more attention to what is happening at The Jumble, and they're really not happy about the people who are trying to force Vicki out of her home.
I really liked this little town and most of it's inhabitants. You have a mix of humans, intuits and various terra indigene from the sanguinati and elementals to crows, bears and cats who are all trying to learn how to live amongst each other. The Jumble is a perfect place for the different groups to get together in a safe environment and mingle, that's what the Others had always planned the place to be used for and they're happy that Vicki seems to be taking her responsibilities as custodian of the land seriously. Someone wants her out though and that is a threat that concerns everyone, especially when the Elders are currently paying so much attention to the remaining human settlements and the threat of war isn't that far away. As much as I'm still hoping to see characters like Meg and Simon again I'm enjoying this new group and looking forward to spending more time with them in the next book.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Sunday, 10 February 2019
Review: Etched in Bone - Anne Bishop
Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves...
After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness...
As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.
With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave...
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
As humans are struggling to comprehend the new world order since the Elders unleashed their fury on members of the HFL movement Simon and the rest of the members of the Lakeside Courtyard know this could just be the beginning. The Elders have seen first hand how much trouble humans can cause as a group, many cities and towns didn't survive the punishment they doled out after the attacks on the Wolfgard and the places that remain are under intense scrutiny. In the past the Elders kept to the wild country and left the rest of the terra indigene to monitor the humans but now they're paying attention and it wouldn't take much for them to decide extinction is the best course of action after all.
The community around Lakeside is trying to pick up the pieces and Simon is having to deal with finding extra supplies for the ever increasing members of the human pack at the Courtyard. Things are going quite well until Lieutenant Montgomery's estranged brother turns up expecting a free ride. When Jimmy realises that his mother and brother aren't just going to keep giving him the handouts he thinks he's entitled to he puts plans in motion that could end up destroying what's left of humanity.
I've loved every minute of this series so I was really sad to find out that this is the last book focusing on Meg, Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. I still don't feel ready to say goodbye to this group so I'm glad there are more books in the world and I really hope we'll see more than minor cameo appearances from the people we already know and love. I've been rooting for a Meg and Simon romance from the beginning, it's been blindingly obvious to everyone but the two of them that they've been falling in love since they first met and I've been waiting for them to realise it for such a long time. I hate to say it but I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of their romance in this final book, yes they finally start to admit their feelings and the way things ended left me very hopeful about their future, but I wanted more. I wanted to see them take the next step in their relationship, wanted to see them try to figure out how to make things work, was looking forward to seeing how everyone around them would react to them as a couple and to seeing how many funny misunderstandings they would have because they both see the world so differently. There was just so much potential there that it seems like a wasted opportunity to end things where they did.
Having said that there was still a lot I enjoyed about this book, including what we did see of Meg and Simon starting to admit their feelings, in fact if there was going to be another book staring the two of them then I'd have been over the moon with what we did get to see of them in Etched in Silence. I also really enjoyed seeing how the Others coped with having more humans around the Courtyard, there were some funny misunderstandings because they all see things in different ways, I'm particularly thinking of Kowalski on his bicycle here! Every single one of these books have had moments that made me laugh out loud so even though the series is quite dark in places there has been plenty of fun along the way too. The storyline with Monty's brother was extremely frustrating (mainly because I wanted Simon to just eat Jimmy and be done with it!) but it was interesting to see how much attention the Elders were paying to the courtyard and to Meg in particular.
I'm sad our time in the courtyard is over but I'm glad we're not completely done with this world yet. I'm assuming the next book will be set in one of the smaller communities we've already seen glimpses of and there are lots of characters I'd like to know more about so it's going to be fun to see who we're spending time with next. I really hope we'll get to see Meg and Simon making cameo appearances though.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness...
As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.
With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave...
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
As humans are struggling to comprehend the new world order since the Elders unleashed their fury on members of the HFL movement Simon and the rest of the members of the Lakeside Courtyard know this could just be the beginning. The Elders have seen first hand how much trouble humans can cause as a group, many cities and towns didn't survive the punishment they doled out after the attacks on the Wolfgard and the places that remain are under intense scrutiny. In the past the Elders kept to the wild country and left the rest of the terra indigene to monitor the humans but now they're paying attention and it wouldn't take much for them to decide extinction is the best course of action after all.
The community around Lakeside is trying to pick up the pieces and Simon is having to deal with finding extra supplies for the ever increasing members of the human pack at the Courtyard. Things are going quite well until Lieutenant Montgomery's estranged brother turns up expecting a free ride. When Jimmy realises that his mother and brother aren't just going to keep giving him the handouts he thinks he's entitled to he puts plans in motion that could end up destroying what's left of humanity.
I've loved every minute of this series so I was really sad to find out that this is the last book focusing on Meg, Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. I still don't feel ready to say goodbye to this group so I'm glad there are more books in the world and I really hope we'll see more than minor cameo appearances from the people we already know and love. I've been rooting for a Meg and Simon romance from the beginning, it's been blindingly obvious to everyone but the two of them that they've been falling in love since they first met and I've been waiting for them to realise it for such a long time. I hate to say it but I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of their romance in this final book, yes they finally start to admit their feelings and the way things ended left me very hopeful about their future, but I wanted more. I wanted to see them take the next step in their relationship, wanted to see them try to figure out how to make things work, was looking forward to seeing how everyone around them would react to them as a couple and to seeing how many funny misunderstandings they would have because they both see the world so differently. There was just so much potential there that it seems like a wasted opportunity to end things where they did.
Having said that there was still a lot I enjoyed about this book, including what we did see of Meg and Simon starting to admit their feelings, in fact if there was going to be another book staring the two of them then I'd have been over the moon with what we did get to see of them in Etched in Silence. I also really enjoyed seeing how the Others coped with having more humans around the Courtyard, there were some funny misunderstandings because they all see things in different ways, I'm particularly thinking of Kowalski on his bicycle here! Every single one of these books have had moments that made me laugh out loud so even though the series is quite dark in places there has been plenty of fun along the way too. The storyline with Monty's brother was extremely frustrating (mainly because I wanted Simon to just eat Jimmy and be done with it!) but it was interesting to see how much attention the Elders were paying to the courtyard and to Meg in particular.
I'm sad our time in the courtyard is over but I'm glad we're not completely done with this world yet. I'm assuming the next book will be set in one of the smaller communities we've already seen glimpses of and there are lots of characters I'd like to know more about so it's going to be fun to see who we're spending time with next. I really hope we'll get to see Meg and Simon making cameo appearances though.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Saturday, 9 February 2019
Review: Marked in Flesh - Anne Bishop
In the fourth novel in Anne Bishop's New York Times bestselling series, the Others will need to decide how much humanity they're willing to tolerate - both within themselves and their community...
Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the dynamic between humans and Others has changed. Some, such as Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn see the closer companionship as beneficial.
But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don't realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land - and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to safeguard what is theirs...
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
As a species humans really are pretty stupid. The Others may call us "clever meat" but really a large majority of us are so stupid you could almost call us suicidal. Rather than learn from the lessons the terra indigene tried to teach them in the previous book the members of HFL decide they're going to continue the attacks, this time with devastating consequences for both the Others and for humanity. Now the humans have the attention of the terra indigene Elders and they're throwing around words like "total extinction". All that remains to be seen is how many, or how few, people will survive when the Elders come calling.
I've been so hooked on this series that I devoured the first four books (about 2000 pages!) in five days, I made every excuse I could come up with to spend as much time as possible reading and I think I've actually given myself eye strain because today I'm having too much trouble focusing to dive into book five. Anyway, that's my really long winded way of telling you that I absolutely LOVE this series. Everything about this world is fascinating to me, I love that humans are at the bottom of the food chain, I've really enjoyed getting to know all the different characters who live in the Lakeside Courtyard and I was desperate to know what would happen when the Elders came calling.
Unfortunately we have to witness some pretty terrible attacks on the Others first though. Is it weird I was more upset when the werewolves were attacked than I was when humans were facing possible extinction? I honestly don't care if that's weird because very few humans in this world actually deserve to survive so I'd be quite happy to see most of them wiped off the face of the planet. Obviously I'm not talking about Meg, her human pack or even the Others friendly police officers but anyone who had a membership card for the HFL would make a very tasty Elder snack in my opinion!
Anyway, we finally get some pay off in terms of the Others fighting back, the Elders have watched, they've listened and they've learned and now they're ready to treat humans the way they deserve to be treated. My one slight complaint was that I wanted to see certain people suffer a bit more, I'm not normally one for graphic violence but I would actually have enjoyed more here! I also really wanted more Meg and Simon, of course we do see a lot of them but what I'm desperately waiting for is some payoff in the romance department. Can someone just smash their heads together and MAKE THEM KISS! Please, for the love of God lets bring this romance to the boil because the slow build that I was enjoying so much in the beginning is starting to kill me!
Yes, I am possibly a little too invested in this but I've spent more time in the book world than I have in the real one this week so the lines between fantasy and reality are starting to blur. Surely that's a sign on Anne Bishop's fantastic writing though? I can't recommend this series highly enough!
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the dynamic between humans and Others has changed. Some, such as Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn see the closer companionship as beneficial.
But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don't realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land - and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to safeguard what is theirs...
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
As a species humans really are pretty stupid. The Others may call us "clever meat" but really a large majority of us are so stupid you could almost call us suicidal. Rather than learn from the lessons the terra indigene tried to teach them in the previous book the members of HFL decide they're going to continue the attacks, this time with devastating consequences for both the Others and for humanity. Now the humans have the attention of the terra indigene Elders and they're throwing around words like "total extinction". All that remains to be seen is how many, or how few, people will survive when the Elders come calling.
I've been so hooked on this series that I devoured the first four books (about 2000 pages!) in five days, I made every excuse I could come up with to spend as much time as possible reading and I think I've actually given myself eye strain because today I'm having too much trouble focusing to dive into book five. Anyway, that's my really long winded way of telling you that I absolutely LOVE this series. Everything about this world is fascinating to me, I love that humans are at the bottom of the food chain, I've really enjoyed getting to know all the different characters who live in the Lakeside Courtyard and I was desperate to know what would happen when the Elders came calling.
Unfortunately we have to witness some pretty terrible attacks on the Others first though. Is it weird I was more upset when the werewolves were attacked than I was when humans were facing possible extinction? I honestly don't care if that's weird because very few humans in this world actually deserve to survive so I'd be quite happy to see most of them wiped off the face of the planet. Obviously I'm not talking about Meg, her human pack or even the Others friendly police officers but anyone who had a membership card for the HFL would make a very tasty Elder snack in my opinion!
Anyway, we finally get some pay off in terms of the Others fighting back, the Elders have watched, they've listened and they've learned and now they're ready to treat humans the way they deserve to be treated. My one slight complaint was that I wanted to see certain people suffer a bit more, I'm not normally one for graphic violence but I would actually have enjoyed more here! I also really wanted more Meg and Simon, of course we do see a lot of them but what I'm desperately waiting for is some payoff in the romance department. Can someone just smash their heads together and MAKE THEM KISS! Please, for the love of God lets bring this romance to the boil because the slow build that I was enjoying so much in the beginning is starting to kill me!
Yes, I am possibly a little too invested in this but I've spent more time in the book world than I have in the real one this week so the lines between fantasy and reality are starting to blur. Surely that's a sign on Anne Bishop's fantastic writing though? I can't recommend this series highly enough!
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Friday, 8 February 2019
Review: Vision in Silver - Anne Bishop
New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop transports readers to a "stunningly original" world of magic and political unrest - where the only chance at peace requires a deadly price....
The Others freed the blood prophets to protect them from exploitation, but their actions had dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn's help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.
Meg knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions might be Simon's only hope of ending the conflict.
For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the battle is threatening to break out right on Meg and Simon's doorstep....
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
The terra indigene may have saved the blood prophets and destroyed the compounds where they had been held captive and exploited but it turns out that was the easy part. The hard part is going to be finding a way to help the girls survive life on the outside, away from their strictly regimented routines and experienced handlers. The Others and the intuits are doing their best to make them comfortable in their new homes but they're finding so many changes hard to cope with and the only person who has a chance of helping them survive is Meg.
Meanwhile the animosity between humans and the Others is increasing thanks to the HFL (Humans First and Last) movement. Nicholas Scratch is the perfect spokesperson for the group, full of charm and playing on people's fears and prejudices to stir up hatred and bigotry. Not all humans agree with the HFL but unless Simon can figure out a way to reduce tensions between the two groups all humans will pay the price. They have no idea what kind of trouble they are stirring but they're about to get a few reminders.
I'm still totally hooked on this series and haven't really come up for air since I started Written in Red a few days ago. I'm fascinated by this world that Anne Bishop has created and I love so many of these characters. It's been really interesting to see the changes that have come over the Lakeside Courtyard since Meg walked into their lives, the small human pack they've accepted for her is gradually growing and the Others who live there are starting to see how interesting life can be with cooperative humans around. Of course the more trouble that HFL stir up around the whole of Thaisia the greater the danger is but Simon is still trying to find a way forward that allows both groups to live side by side.
I've loved seeing Meg start to make friends and build a life for herself but now she's facing her biggest challenge yet and struggling to find answers that could help the rest of the blood prophets. She has friends around her now though and I really like the camaraderie between the human pack but also the Others who have taken her under their wings. One of my favourite things is the friendship between Meg and Simon though, it's so easy for everyone else to see that they're falling in love but Meg has no experience and doesn't understand while Simon isn't willing to admit his feelings because Others mating with humans just isn't the done thing. I really want to see some payoff between these two soon but so far I'm enjoying the slowburn. We're starting to see more of police officers like Monty and Burke and how the way they act is having a huge impact on relationships between humans and the Others too. Monty has a lot going on in this book and honestly it was something I was really hoping would happen so I did cheer a little when a certain new character showed up.
I finished this book at 6am this morning so that should give you an idea of how much I was enjoying it, especially if I add that I managed to grab three hours of sleep before I was awake again and making a start on Marked in Flesh. I honestly can't remember the last time a series grabbed me this hard but right now I'm loving every minute of it.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
The Others freed the blood prophets to protect them from exploitation, but their actions had dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn's help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.
Meg knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions might be Simon's only hope of ending the conflict.
For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the battle is threatening to break out right on Meg and Simon's doorstep....
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
The terra indigene may have saved the blood prophets and destroyed the compounds where they had been held captive and exploited but it turns out that was the easy part. The hard part is going to be finding a way to help the girls survive life on the outside, away from their strictly regimented routines and experienced handlers. The Others and the intuits are doing their best to make them comfortable in their new homes but they're finding so many changes hard to cope with and the only person who has a chance of helping them survive is Meg.
Meanwhile the animosity between humans and the Others is increasing thanks to the HFL (Humans First and Last) movement. Nicholas Scratch is the perfect spokesperson for the group, full of charm and playing on people's fears and prejudices to stir up hatred and bigotry. Not all humans agree with the HFL but unless Simon can figure out a way to reduce tensions between the two groups all humans will pay the price. They have no idea what kind of trouble they are stirring but they're about to get a few reminders.
I'm still totally hooked on this series and haven't really come up for air since I started Written in Red a few days ago. I'm fascinated by this world that Anne Bishop has created and I love so many of these characters. It's been really interesting to see the changes that have come over the Lakeside Courtyard since Meg walked into their lives, the small human pack they've accepted for her is gradually growing and the Others who live there are starting to see how interesting life can be with cooperative humans around. Of course the more trouble that HFL stir up around the whole of Thaisia the greater the danger is but Simon is still trying to find a way forward that allows both groups to live side by side.
I've loved seeing Meg start to make friends and build a life for herself but now she's facing her biggest challenge yet and struggling to find answers that could help the rest of the blood prophets. She has friends around her now though and I really like the camaraderie between the human pack but also the Others who have taken her under their wings. One of my favourite things is the friendship between Meg and Simon though, it's so easy for everyone else to see that they're falling in love but Meg has no experience and doesn't understand while Simon isn't willing to admit his feelings because Others mating with humans just isn't the done thing. I really want to see some payoff between these two soon but so far I'm enjoying the slowburn. We're starting to see more of police officers like Monty and Burke and how the way they act is having a huge impact on relationships between humans and the Others too. Monty has a lot going on in this book and honestly it was something I was really hoping would happen so I did cheer a little when a certain new character showed up.
I finished this book at 6am this morning so that should give you an idea of how much I was enjoying it, especially if I add that I managed to grab three hours of sleep before I was awake again and making a start on Marked in Flesh. I honestly can't remember the last time a series grabbed me this hard but right now I'm loving every minute of it.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Thursday, 7 February 2019
Review: Murder of Crows - Anne Bishop
Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop's world of the Others--where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules...
After winning the trust of the Others residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.
The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard--Lakeside's shape-shifting leader--wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.
As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet--and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
With two new drugs on the market that seem specially designed to cause trouble between the humans and the terra indigene Meg's prophecies are coming more frequently than ever, the problem is figuring out how to interpret them in time to prevent the tragedies she's seeing. She's setting into life in the Lakeside Courtyard, finding new friends and slowly coming to grips with life outside of captivity but that doesn't stop her worrying about the girls who were left behind, she wants them to get a chance at the freedom she has found but worries about how they would cope on the outside. The Controller is still determined to capture his escaped "property" but Simon and the rest of the courtyard residents will do whatever it takes to protect Meg, they're confused by her human ways but find her extremely amusing and are surprised by how much they enjoy having her around. As tensions between the humans and the terra indigene become increasingly fraught the only chance they have of diffusing the situation is figuring out where the drug is coming from and stopping it's distribution but even that may not be enough to stop the HFL organisation from starting a war they have no hope of winning.
I'm totally hooked on this series and I'm actually having trouble stopping reading for long enough to write proper reviews so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. These books are fantastic, if you like dark urban fantasy then this series is a must read that I can't recommend highly enough. I'm kicking myself for not discovering it years ago but I'm also celebrating that I can continue to binge through another 5 books before I have to start waiting a year for each new instalment.
I love everything about the Lakeside Courtyard, there are so many wonderful characters living there and it's been so much fun getting to know them all. These aren't your usual shapeshifters, vampires and supernatural creatures, Anne Bishop has put her own spin on all of them and created a world that is totally captivating. The humans are at the bottom of this food chain and they're not happy about it but they really wouldn't stand a chance against the terra indigene so it's a good job at least some of them are sensible enough to see that. I have a feeling tensions are only going to get higher though so it remains to be seen if all out war can be avoided.
As I write this review I'm already nearly halfway through the third book in the series and I have a feeling I'm not going to come up for air until I've binged the lot. It's the first time in a long time that I've devoured a series so quickly and I have absolutely zero regrets!
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
After winning the trust of the Others residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.
The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard--Lakeside's shape-shifting leader--wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.
As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet--and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
With two new drugs on the market that seem specially designed to cause trouble between the humans and the terra indigene Meg's prophecies are coming more frequently than ever, the problem is figuring out how to interpret them in time to prevent the tragedies she's seeing. She's setting into life in the Lakeside Courtyard, finding new friends and slowly coming to grips with life outside of captivity but that doesn't stop her worrying about the girls who were left behind, she wants them to get a chance at the freedom she has found but worries about how they would cope on the outside. The Controller is still determined to capture his escaped "property" but Simon and the rest of the courtyard residents will do whatever it takes to protect Meg, they're confused by her human ways but find her extremely amusing and are surprised by how much they enjoy having her around. As tensions between the humans and the terra indigene become increasingly fraught the only chance they have of diffusing the situation is figuring out where the drug is coming from and stopping it's distribution but even that may not be enough to stop the HFL organisation from starting a war they have no hope of winning.
I'm totally hooked on this series and I'm actually having trouble stopping reading for long enough to write proper reviews so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. These books are fantastic, if you like dark urban fantasy then this series is a must read that I can't recommend highly enough. I'm kicking myself for not discovering it years ago but I'm also celebrating that I can continue to binge through another 5 books before I have to start waiting a year for each new instalment.
I love everything about the Lakeside Courtyard, there are so many wonderful characters living there and it's been so much fun getting to know them all. These aren't your usual shapeshifters, vampires and supernatural creatures, Anne Bishop has put her own spin on all of them and created a world that is totally captivating. The humans are at the bottom of this food chain and they're not happy about it but they really wouldn't stand a chance against the terra indigene so it's a good job at least some of them are sensible enough to see that. I have a feeling tensions are only going to get higher though so it remains to be seen if all out war can be avoided.
As I write this review I'm already nearly halfway through the third book in the series and I have a feeling I'm not going to come up for air until I've binged the lot. It's the first time in a long time that I've devoured a series so quickly and I have absolutely zero regrets!
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Tuesday, 5 February 2019
Review: Written in Red - Anne Bishop
Enter the world of the Others in the first novel in New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop's thrilling fantasy series: a place where unearthly entities--vampires and shape-shifters among them--rule the Earth and prey on the human race.
As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.
Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
Let me introduce you to a world where humans aren't the dominant species. In fact humanity's very existence relies on the tolerance of The Others, all the different supernatural creatures that came before us and still own the land we live on, the food we eat and even the water we drink. The Others, also known as terra indigene, come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, some have animal forms (wolves, bears, coyotes, crows & many more), others are vampires (but not quite the vampires we're used to), there are also elementals and all kinds of different creatures. They all tend to have a human form but they don't think or act like humans do and they're definitely dangerous.
The Others don't have a very high opinion of humans, most of them think of us as a potential food source and they don't think twice about eating anyone who crosses them so be very careful not to step foot in their territory uninvited. Humans are allowed to live in certain areas and for the most part if they leave the Others alone then they're free to live their daily lives in whatever way they choose, cross them though and your lives are forfeit. There are very few places that the two groups cross paths and one of those is at the Lakeside Courtyard, home to a group of Others and mostly kept behind closed walls they do have a few outward facing businesses that humans are allowed to enter.
Enter Meg, she's a human but a rather rare and special one, she's a cassandra sangue or blood prophet, someone who gets glimpses of the future but only through blood and pain. The cassandra sangue are rare and in high demand because of how valuable their prophecies are, they are also unprotected by human laws and considered property that other people can own. Meg grew up in captivity, all her experience of the world comes from lessons and the prophecies she has seen rather than real experience and a lot of things are extremely confusing to her because of that. She managed to escape from her "Controller" and when she came across Lakeside Courtyard, a place where human laws do not apply, she sought sanctuary by applying for a job as their human liaison.
I'm not going to say much more about what happens in the book, it's fairly easy to guess that the people Meg escaped from want her back and will go to great lengths to make that happen but once the Others have accepted her into the very small group of people they trust they will do whatever it takes to protect her. Even if that means full out war with humanity.
This book had me captivated from the very first page, I'm already a fan of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series so I had high hopes when I started reading Written in Red but even then I was surprised by how much I loved it. The world building is phenomenal and totally different to anything else I've come across even though I'm a huge urban fantasy fan and have read a lot of books in this genre. The characters are all unique and interesting, I loved the way the various shifters still act more like their animal counterparts even when in their human shape, Winter and the elementals were great and I can't wait to find out more about Tess, a mysterious species of terra indigene that all of the others are slightly afraid of. There was darkness (many humans end up getting eaten, but only ones who deserve it and Meg can only see prophecies by cutting herself) but also humour, great friendships, strong family bonds, adorable baby werewolves, hilarious crows who like building things and refuse to give people their change if the coins are shiny, grumpy werewolves, magical ponies, trickster coyotes, vampires who can drink your blood with just a touch, human police who are trying to prevent a war and one blood prophet who is just trying to find her way in a world that is completely alien to her.
I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to read the next one so I'm diving straight into Murder of Crows now and I have a feeling I'm going to be binging this whole series over the next couple of weeks.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.
Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.
The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)
Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information
Review:
Let me introduce you to a world where humans aren't the dominant species. In fact humanity's very existence relies on the tolerance of The Others, all the different supernatural creatures that came before us and still own the land we live on, the food we eat and even the water we drink. The Others, also known as terra indigene, come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, some have animal forms (wolves, bears, coyotes, crows & many more), others are vampires (but not quite the vampires we're used to), there are also elementals and all kinds of different creatures. They all tend to have a human form but they don't think or act like humans do and they're definitely dangerous.
The Others don't have a very high opinion of humans, most of them think of us as a potential food source and they don't think twice about eating anyone who crosses them so be very careful not to step foot in their territory uninvited. Humans are allowed to live in certain areas and for the most part if they leave the Others alone then they're free to live their daily lives in whatever way they choose, cross them though and your lives are forfeit. There are very few places that the two groups cross paths and one of those is at the Lakeside Courtyard, home to a group of Others and mostly kept behind closed walls they do have a few outward facing businesses that humans are allowed to enter.
Enter Meg, she's a human but a rather rare and special one, she's a cassandra sangue or blood prophet, someone who gets glimpses of the future but only through blood and pain. The cassandra sangue are rare and in high demand because of how valuable their prophecies are, they are also unprotected by human laws and considered property that other people can own. Meg grew up in captivity, all her experience of the world comes from lessons and the prophecies she has seen rather than real experience and a lot of things are extremely confusing to her because of that. She managed to escape from her "Controller" and when she came across Lakeside Courtyard, a place where human laws do not apply, she sought sanctuary by applying for a job as their human liaison.
I'm not going to say much more about what happens in the book, it's fairly easy to guess that the people Meg escaped from want her back and will go to great lengths to make that happen but once the Others have accepted her into the very small group of people they trust they will do whatever it takes to protect her. Even if that means full out war with humanity.
This book had me captivated from the very first page, I'm already a fan of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series so I had high hopes when I started reading Written in Red but even then I was surprised by how much I loved it. The world building is phenomenal and totally different to anything else I've come across even though I'm a huge urban fantasy fan and have read a lot of books in this genre. The characters are all unique and interesting, I loved the way the various shifters still act more like their animal counterparts even when in their human shape, Winter and the elementals were great and I can't wait to find out more about Tess, a mysterious species of terra indigene that all of the others are slightly afraid of. There was darkness (many humans end up getting eaten, but only ones who deserve it and Meg can only see prophecies by cutting herself) but also humour, great friendships, strong family bonds, adorable baby werewolves, hilarious crows who like building things and refuse to give people their change if the coins are shiny, grumpy werewolves, magical ponies, trickster coyotes, vampires who can drink your blood with just a touch, human police who are trying to prevent a war and one blood prophet who is just trying to find her way in a world that is completely alien to her.
I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to read the next one so I'm diving straight into Murder of Crows now and I have a feeling I'm going to be binging this whole series over the next couple of weeks.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
Paperback / Kindle:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)






