Veena’s review of Marked In Flesh (The Others, Book 4) by Anne Bishop
Fantasy Romance published by Roc 08 Mar 16
With each book in this series Ms. Bishop sweeps her readers deeper and deeper into her fantasy world. The power of her imagination and her word pictures are so vivid that I feel like I could be watching a movie instead of reading a book. Readers be warned, this is a series that must be read in order. Each book is more compelling than the last and I’m sad when it ends because of the long wait until the next one.
When Simon Wolfgard granted a shivering Meg Corbyn sanctuary in the Lakeside Courtyard on a snowy winter evening, it was clear his actions would have far-reaching consequences. In each book the positive consequences are substantiated in a very meaningful way, but the actions of the HFL have now changed the playing field dramatically and it’s the Lakeside courtyard but most particularly Simon and Meg who stand between the Elders and humans.
The warning signs were clear in the previous book that the world is heading to a war engineered by the Humans First and Last movement. In the name of war and conquest, the HFL commit unspeakable atrocities decimating friends. The Elders retaliate in their own unique way and sanction the rest of the living.
Friendships and loyalty are a key theme in this story. The human pack that has formed around Meg has grown as Simon has opened more of the courtyard to humans. The local police pack has also forged their own bonds of loyalty and friendship with the others, which will be repaid in kind, particularly by Nathan, one of the courtyard enforcers. The dynamics of the human pack as they settle in make for very interesting reading.
While Vlad, Simon, and Henry have been a core group with strong friendships between them for the first time, we see strong relationships emerge between other characters as they look out for each other. We also get to see a lot more of the elementals who control earth and the various bodies of water around the world. I’m intrigued by the Elder’s interest in Meg and how it will manifest itself in future books.
At the core of the story, of course, is still the growing and deepening relationship between Meg and Simon. The world is changing and trailblazer Meg has to lay the trail for all the blood prophets. Can she use tarot-like cards to still feel the euphoria, instead of cutting? While she’s afraid of sex, she still wants the euphoria that comes from cutting. These are the weighty matters that need to be answered as the series continues. I cannot wait to see where Ms. Bishop takes us next in the brave new world that’s now left.
Grade: A +
Summary:
For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within 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 delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.
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 that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…
Other books in this series:
