Vision in Silver (The Others #3) by Anne Bishop

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop is a multi layered installment that further explores expands, or fully brings to light already introduced conflicts while opening up new dangerous threads. Residents of the Lakeside Courtyard and their human friends continue to be the main focus as they are pulled into all of these conflicts which include but are not limited to: the manipulation of humans by humans through the hidden or not so hidden agenda of the Humans First and Last Organization; consequences brought about when a group of cassandra sangue were released by the Others and brought their plight to the public’s attention; further exploration of human / Others relationships, and tentative, but effective, exposure to the terra indigene or earth natives from the wild country.

Bishop expands the world-building and kicks forward the overall storyarc by utilizing the already established characters. For example, instead of introducing a myriad of extraneous characters to establish the terrors that the newly freed cassandra sangue suffer, Bishop introduces one new cassandra sangue to the mix and heavily utilizes Meg's character as a general example of what all they girls are experiencing. Bishop achieves this by having Meg regress to a similar level of distress as she becomes overwhelmed by stimuli and loses control of the cutting urges.

Meg’s distress is an effective tool as far as the overall storyarc is concerned. However, as a central participant to everything that is going on in this story, Meg becomes more of a distraction than an asset to the Others. For the first half of the book her character disappointingly regresses to that overprotected needy role I believed she was slowly shedding on Murder of Crows, Book 2. Bishop’s Meg is an interesting and different kind of female protagonist though. She is not part of the action or fights battles, and could easily be dismissed as a sweet seer who has caught the male protagonist’s eye and makes everyone around her feel protective.

Meg's character, however, is central to this series. She has served as a catalyst to all the events occurring. The best example is how Simon and the Others at the Lakeside Courtyard slowly began to view humans as more than meat and has grown so that this viewpoint has extended outside Lakeside to other Courtyards. Furthermore, Simon's view of humans has evolved enough that some of those humans are now under the Others’ protection. This evolution in Simon's views, limited as they are toward certain humans, has not only served to open the Others’ eyes as to what is happening in the human world-at-large, but has also attracted the attention of the terra indigene or earth natives residing in the wild country, terrifying and mysterious breed just beginning to make themselves felt. Everything is connected.

In addition to Meg and Simon, Bishop also utilizes Lieutenant Montgomery of the Lakeside Police Department to further the overall storyarc by intrinsically integrating his personal life to a key section in this book. Strong contributions by secondary characters are a given, as Bishop closes some threads in this installment while expanding and opening others. Expect power plays as well as power issues -- some expected and others surprising to say the least.

The personal relationship between Simon and Meg moves forward in slow motion. The friendship has deepened to a point where they seem to be more of an oblivious couple. Meg and Simon admire and are fiercely protective of each other. However, while they have become jealous or territorial of their alone-time and accept the need to be together, there is a sense that the reality of romance has not fully entered their minds. Would a real romance with a human be acceptable to the Others? I am simply not sure how a romantic relationship would work between Simon and Meg. I am not sure that Bishop will take their relationship that far, although I am fervently hoping that she will do just that because this is the cutest couple I’ve come across in a long while -- Simon's wolfy / doggy reactions to Meg are too adorable for words.

Vision in Silver has action, a couple of mysteries, those fun and joyously adorable moments I love, a big build-up and a quiet resolution with a narrated climax that came as a bit of a disappointment. I do, however, appreciate how brilliantly Bishop ties things together to effectively and almost effortlessly further the overall storyarc. This is a great installment and a must read for fans of this excellent series. Grade: B+

The Others Series:
Written in Red, Book #1
Murder of Crows, Book #2
Vision in Silver, Book #3

March 2015 Releases: Kasuo Ishiguro, Anne Bishop, Jonathan Harper

I'm keeping it simple this time around. Following are three highly anticipated March releases.

• Kasuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day is a favorite book to this day. Highly anticipated, The Buried Giant seems to be a different sort of book from this author. I'm certainly not missing his first novel in a decade.
• Anne Bishop's The Others fantasy series has turned into a "must read" for me. Vision in Silver is another book I will be reading as soon as it releases.
• I have enjoyed Jonathan Harper's short stories as they were included in different anthologies and won't be missing his debut collection Daydreamers: Stories.

The Buried Giant by Kasuo Ishiguro - Fantasy Fiction
Releasing: March 3, 2015 (Knof, Random House)

From the author of Never Let Me Go and the Booker Prize-winning The Remains of the Day.

The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl and Beatrice, a couple of elderly Britons, decide that now is the time, finally, for them to set off across this troubled land of mist and rain to find the son they have not seen for years, the son they can scarcely remember. They know they will face many hazards—some strange and otherworldly—but they cannot foresee how their journey will reveal to them the dark and forgotten corners of their love for each other. Nor can they foresee that they will be joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight—each of them, like Axl and Beatrice, lost in some way to his own past, but drawn inexorably toward the comfort, and the burden, of the fullness of a life’s memories.

Sometimes savage, sometimes mysterious, always intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel in a decade tells a luminous story about the act of forgetting and the power of memory, a resonant tale of love, vengeance, and war.

Vision in Silver: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop - Fantasy
Releasing: March 3, 2015 (Roc)

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. 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 is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…

Daydreamers: Stories by Jonathan Harper - LGBT Fiction Single Author Collection
Releasing: March 28, 2015 (Lethe Press)

Ne'er-do-wells, prodigal sons, and young men without so much as a clue to their present state of mind let alone their futures are waiting to be met in the stories within Daydreamers, Jonathan Harper s debut collection. But these men are not Walter Mittys everyday life refuses to allow them languor. Whether it be the roll of the dice in a Dungeons & Dragons game played in a hostile, rural bar, the lure of body modification and being suspended in front of a crowd, or discovering a body on the beach, the rough edges of each young man cannot help but be noticed, even admired. And once a young man is admired, he needs to decide whether or not to awaken from his daydreams.

"A catalog of suburbia's petty desolations and meditations on lost chances; Harper makes for a keen archivist of his characters' flawed, unfinished manifestos." --Genevieve Valentine, author of The Girls at the Kingfisher Club and Mechanique.

Murder of Crows: A Novel of the Others (Book #2) by Anne Bishop

I really enjoyed Written in Red, the first book in Anne Bishop's character driven, edgy an humorous fantasy (UF) series. Needless to say the second book quickly became a highly anticipated read and thankfully it did not disappoint. In Murder of Crows Bishop expands the overall story arc and world-building, continues to develop already established characters, and introduces fresh, interesting faces.

Meg has become an integral part of the terra indigene community in the Lakeside Courtyard. Loved and cared for by all, she is also more confident when standing up for herself. That potential I hoped for when I read Written in Red is slowly coming to fruition for this character and although she is still sweet, Meg is not as compliant. After the events that occurred a few weeks back, the Courtyard's leader Simon Wolfgard is not only an overprotective best friend who cares deeply for Meg, but her own personal bodyguard. He is there, in her bed, when her dreams bring an unexpected vision about death and blood.

Meg is having visions and those prickly feelings without the necessity of cutting her skin, but the urge to cut overwhelms her more often. She sees black feathers, blood, and snow. When crows and members of the Crowgard become targets, violence breaks out nearby between a human town and terra indigene Courtyard, and again in the Midwest. Investigations lead to the involvement of the Humans First and Last (HFL) organization and the two addictive drugs, "feel good" and "gone over wolf." The terra indigene from Thaisia won't take these attacks lightly, and as the incidents snowball, Simon, Meg, human policemen, Captain Burke and Monty, along with the rest of the crew find themselves in the center of the upcoming storm. Particularly after an incident reveals that the Controller and cassandra sague may be part of the problem. Simon won't stop until the evil man is found and his Meg is safe.

There is so much going on in this book! First, the relationship between Meg and Simon shifts from a caring to a deeper friendship that is quickly turning into more, but doesn't quite get to romance. I'm glad this relationship hasn't been rushed. I like the way Bishop handles Meg's confusion about what is going on with Simon -- after all she is pretty naïve and needs time to process new information. And, Simon's reactions and almost complete ignorance about his growing feelings for Meg are priceless. They are SO cute together. So cute!!

"Simon leaned against the back wall of the Liaison's Office.

Done. Simple enough since Meg had done most of the work of setting boundaries around a friendship that had had none before. He should feel grateful, but what he wanted to do was raise his head and howl the Song of Lonely."

The growing relationship between Simon and Meg is wonderful, but overall Murder of Crows is a darker than Written in Red. There is carnage interspersed throughout the story from beginning to end, and gruesome scenes with seriously horrific villains. And please note that the shifters in this story are not the worse "monsters" you will find. There is more tension and less of the humorous everyday life scenes that I so enjoyed in Written in Red. Don't get me wrong there are a few quiet scenes and fun, amusing moments that made me laugh, but for the most part there seems to be a shift in focus.

Having said that, one of the aspects of Murder of Crows that I enjoyed is that although the perspective of the Others -- Simon, Tess, Vlad, Henry, etc. -- toward certain humans have changed or are changing through daily interactions, they still retain that certain wild darkness that makes them unique among shifters in other books. However, with the latest human communities introduced by Bishop in this installment and Simon's plans for training terra indigene in the future, it is clear that already not all humans are just "meat." So I do wonder where Bishop is headed. Probably balance, but, will these shifters retain their uniqueness by the end of this series? We'll see.

The outcome of this book is not wrapped in a tidy little bow, but the way in which the most immediate threads are resolved work for me. I am certainly looking forward to reading the next book! There are more than enough threads left open to continue with the world and relationship building. Who was the man on the train? Will there be war? Will Monty get his daughter Lizzy? I hope so! I'm also hoping for more character growth all around, as well as more growth in Meg's and Simon's relationship. I want to know more about the human cities in the old world, the newly introduced Intuits, and even more about the cassandra sangue. Bishop addresses the cutting -- how it began and the consequences -- but I'm still hoping for possible resolutions. Placing all my hopes and questions aside for now, that final, sweet scene is definitely a winner. Sigh . . .

Category: Fantasy (UF)
Series: The Others
Publisher/Release Date: Roc/March 4, 2014
Grade: B+

Visit Anne Bishop here.

Series:
Written in Red, Book #1
Murder of Crows, Book #2

Favorite Books of 2013

2013 is over! I can't tell you how happy that makes me. ;P Looking back at my reading statistics though, it was a very good year.

I read approximately 209 books during 2013, and among them found so many great books that choosing my top ten favorites became problematic. In the end I decided to disregard the publishing year and chose them from the most memorable books read and reviewed during the year (unfortunately, I read some books I loved, but did not review), rated A=5.0 and/or A-/B+=4.5. Once that decision was made, it became easier to sort them out. I still came up with more than ten. So, here they are, in no particular order, my favorite fifteen reads of 2013!*

1) Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews
Urban Fantasy (2013, Ace)
A cohesive and emotional read, Magic Rises is undoubtedly my favorite Urban Fantasy book of the year. At its core this is a transitional book, a bridge between the beginning of this fantastic UF series and changes to come, and it is most impressive that the quality in the writing and story telling does not wane one bit. Magic Rises is an excellent example of an exciting bridge book with character growth and a storyline that drives the overall story arc forward to the next level in a successfully established series. The fact that I fell in love with Kate, Curran and the rest of the characters all over again, and this writing team created a fantastic villain with depth, is beside the point. Hah!

2) Heart of Obsidian (Psy/Changeling #11) by Nalini Singh
SFF/Romance (2013, Berkeley)
One of the best installments in Nalini Singh's long Psy/Changeling paranormal romance series, Heart of Obsidian reads more like a sci-fi/fantasy romance piece. With this book, Singh drives forward the overall  story arc with scientific and fantasy details that make sense and are tightly woven with her world-building, and develops an unlikely, but believable romance despite the fact that the male protagonist is portrayed as a cold sociopath with psycho tendencies. That's talent.

3) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
SF/Fantasy (2013, William Morrow Books)
This fantasy piece is more of a fairy tale for adults. Gaiman tightly weaves in fantasy elements with adult subjects. Gaiman cleverly takes the distortion of childhood memory issue and by having the adult narrate terrifying, magically-driven events that occurred during his childhood, creates an unforgettable, multi-layered, fantasy piece.

4) Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Science Fiction (2012, Broad Rich Publishing)
Published in 2012, the Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey is one of the best science fiction books I read in 2013! This is a captivating post-apocalyptic science fiction volume composed of five novellas from Howey's Wool series. Wool serves as the "hook" with subsequent novellas progressively going from great, to excellent, to outstanding. Memorable in and of itself is the oppressive, repressive, suffocating, and tension-filled atmosphere. This is a fantastic series that shouldn't be missed!

5) Duke of Midnight (Maiden Lane #6) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical Romance (2013, Grand Central Publishing)
With a stiff, guilt-ridden, duty bound, grief stricken duke as a hero whose perfect solution to past problems is to become a marauding vigilante, Hoyt meets the challenge by creating his match in Artemis, a passionate woman of character, strong enough to conquer and balance his flaws. Add to that a plot that moves and great secondary characters such as the intriguing Apollo and sweet Sophie, and this historical romance is worth a read or two. The Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt stays at the top of my historical romance list with this fabulous installment.

6) In Search Of and Others by Will Ludwigsen
Speculative Fiction Short Story Collection (2013, Lethe Press)
With some highly imaginative stories and a gorgeous writing style, Will Ludwigsen takes the reader for a fantastic ride while he explores the "what ifs" and "why nots," the unexplained and unexpected in his collection of speculative fiction stories In Search Of and Others. If, like me, you love well-done speculative fiction and short works that will make your mind soar into other planes that challenge the imagination, then you may appreciate and understand why this collection is such an unforgettable read.

7) Now or Never: A Last Chance Romance (Part 1) by Logan Belle
Contemporary Romance (2013, Moxie Books)
Now or Never is a novella, not a full-length novel. Additionally, it is Part 1 of a series so the romance is not complete. Yet, the depth of feeling conveyed by the female protagonist when faced with a devastating medical diagnosis, and the inadequacies and personal self-doubts that arise while she searches for sexual fulfillment after years of neglecting herself as a woman, made this a contemporary read that I fully connected with emotionally. Logan Belle is a writer whose works I've enjoyed in the past, and is fast becoming one whose work I will follow in the future.

8) The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
Historical Romance (2013, Dell)
The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh is a classic of old. Re-released in 2013 by Dell, I'm pretty sure it will also become a new classic. In it, Balogh digs deep into the most unlikable of heroes, a man whose self-loathing is as deep as the sea, and the woman who can't see past his faults. Balogh's talents are in full display in this fabulous historical romance. If you're a fan don't miss it, if you haven't read Balogh yet, give it a try. :)

9) Written in Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop
Fantasy (2013, Roc)
Reading Written in Red by Anne Bishop felt like a breath of fresh air with loads of potential. Even with the few concerns that I harbored about the source of the heroine's powers, this book became one of my favorite fantasy (or if you prefer UF) reads of the year. Particularly impressive in this fantasy are the shifters and the world built around them, with characters that maintain their initial impact throughout the story and to the end. The second book of this series, Murder of Crows, is one of my most anticipated books of 2014!

10) Guardian Demon (Guardian Series #8) by Meljean Brook
Paranormal Romance (2013, Berkley)
The end of a series can be a sad time for fans of a series, but with Guardian Demon, Meljean Brook made the end to the Guardian Series a moment to celebrate. The romance section of this paranormal romance is slow in building and worth the wait. But the most impressive and enjoyable aspect of reading this book is the end to the overall story arc in which Brook ties up all the loose ends of this all around successful and complex paranormal romance series.

11) Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro
Literary Fiction (2012, Douglas Gibson Books)
In this collection of short stories by Alice Munro some pieces spoke to me more than others, however, overall I found this to be a quiet, masterful, and memorable book where this author often wraps truth in fiction. She focuses her stories on pivotal but mundane moments that change people's lives. Some moments are depicted as harsh with a sense of distance about them, while others are intimate, personal, emotional. They are all valid. In some pieces, Munro also incorporates a subtle history of feminism that I personally appreciated, along with the last four biographical, very personal, short stories of the collection.

12) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Science Fiction (2010, Ace)
First published in 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness is considered a masterpiece and science fiction classic. The best science fiction novel I read in 2013, this is book #4 (also the first full length novel) in Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series. This is a complex story of a Terran who as an Ekumen mobile becomes the first Envoy to contact the Gethenians in their frozen planet, and his journey to understanding a radically different people and world. The result is a science fiction piece where Le Guin integrates this world's cultural and sociopolitical issues in detail, but at its core brilliantly focuses on the subject of gender and duality. A fantastic book that I won't soon forget!

13) The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
SF/Historical Fiction/Romance (2008, Allison & Busby)
In this book, Kearsley swept me away to 1708 and Scotland's failed Jacobite conflict as she incorporates three dimensional historical figures, historical facts, and a beautiful romance, while simultaneously taking me to a modern day Scotland where another couple finds happiness. In The Winter Sea, Susanna Kearsley creates a fusion of contemporary time travel with historical fiction and two romance story lines running parallel to each other. It may sound complicated, but her stories are written with attention to detail, authority, and flair!

14) The Favor by Megan Hart
Contemporary Fiction (2013, MIRA)
In The Favor, Megan Hart takes the talents for writing fiction that she so brilliantly incorporates in her successful erotic romances and ramps them up to create a memorable contemporary fiction piece. With a plot that challenges comfort zones, and flawed, deeply explored characters, this contemporary fiction piece showcases another facet of Hart's talents. A memorable read.

15) Looking for the Gulf Motel by Richard Blanco
Poetry (2012, University of Pittsburgh Press)
In Richard Blanco's multi-layered poetry volume Looking for the Gulf Motel I found an introspective, narrative style, as well as lyrical poems filled with nostalgia, grief, love and hope for the future, all progressively exploring his personal experiences as the gay son of an immigrant family, identity issues, and love. This volume touched and soothed me with its very intimate focus and easy connection with the reader.


* LGBT: 2013 Favorite Books and Authors list is posted separately (See full list here.)
2013: Favorite Quotes

Halloween Reads: Creepy, Disturbing UF/Fantasy/LGBT/Spec Fic & Horror!

It's October. Time for reading the spooky and disturbing. I have a stack of books that I have been reading or checking out -- not a Stephen King book in sight either... but we all already know he's the King! My list is a combination of books that have an edge of the dark stuff, and others that are made of darkness. You may or may not have heard of them, but what they all have in common is that they are all great reads!

URBAN FANTASY AND FANTASY with an edge and a dash of the dark stuff. If you don't like too much of the creepy stuff that comes with horror but enjoy a bit of edge, urban fantasy, and fantasy can provide that. The following is a list of books I highly enjoyed, beginning with a few I read recently:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (Novel 2013, Fantasy) - An adult fairy tale with the Gaiman magic and a darker, more adult plot at its core. There are some pretty disturbing scenes in this fairy tale, and not all of them come from the magic-side of things.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop (Novel, 2013 - Fantasy) - This fantasy piece has some fantastically gruesome shifters! I mean these are not cookie cutter vampires or shifters. The story has darkness and edge with a dash of warmth and humor providing balance. A great beginning to a new fantasy series by Ms. Bishop.

Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong (Novel, 2013 - Urban Fantasy) - Omens is the beginning of a new urban fantasy series by Armstrong. However, the fantasy aspects of the story are a bit blunted in the first book, but overall the story is definitely unsettling -- more of a suspense read with light paranormal elements and an edgy flavor.

Bone and Jewel Creatures by Elizabeth Bear (Novella, 2010 - Fantasy) This novella with necromancy as a central theme is gorgeously dark. It also serves as a sort of prequel to Elizabeth Bear's Eternal Sky fantasy series.

SPECULATIVE FICTION ANYONE? 

In Search Of and Others by Will Ludwigsen (Collection 2013, Speculative Fiction) is one of the best collections of speculative fiction short stories I read this past year. It has those disturbing, unsettling pieces, and the ones that just make you think and wonder.

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Doctor Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth (Illustrated Book, 2013 - Speculative Fiction/Horror) is one of the most creative pieces I read this year. This book has some magnificent illustrations and a very short story about Doctor Spencer Black, separate they are a curiosity, together they become a uniquely gruesome experience.

Fungi edited by Orrin Grey and Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Anthology, 2012 - Speculative Fiction/Horror) I began reading Fungi last year, finished it in 2013, and never reviewed it. It's a shame because this is such a great collection. I have favorite pieces that are stuck in my mind as if I read them yesterday, either because they're disturbing or downright unique. Two quick examples: "Last Bloom on the Sage by Andrew Penn Romine" is a memorable short with fantastic characters, world building, action and a plot that combines western steampunk with mushroom weirdness. And, in "Midnight Mushrumps by W. H. Pugmire" the beginning reads like a dream that quickly gains the atmosphere of a dark fairy tale and veers off into a dank, fungi infested, horror-filled nightmare.

READING: Moving on to a list of books I'm reading at the moment, you will find everything from the mild to pure unadulterated horror!

Still Life with Murder (Gilded Age Mystery #1) by P. B. Ryan (2003 Historical Mystery/Suspense) I saw a recommendation for this book at Li's site Me and My Books and decided to check it out. I'm already 25% through the book. It is set in the midst of aristocratic Boston during the Civil War and the main character is an Irish immigrant. It has an upstairs/downstairs sort of flavor with scenes that range from posh settings to the Bostonian Irish ghettos. I'm really liking it. Not a horror or speculative fiction read, but definitely a good mystery so far.

The Dust of Wonderland by Lee Thomas (2013, Novel Rerelease - LGBT Speculative Fiction/Horror) This story, set in New Orleans, is all about atmosphere and suspense. Lee Thomas always keeps me at the edge of my seat, and that's exactly what happened as soon as I began reading the prologue. I'm about 25% through the book and will let you know how it turns out. Mr. Thomas is an author whose works I absolutely, positively recommend if you want to read excellent spec-fic/suspense/horror that has a deeper, more meaningful subplot at its core. He does not disappoint.

Zombies: Shambling through the Ages ed. by Steve Berman (2013, Anthology - Horror) I am reading this collection at the moment. I am enjoying the creative way zombies are portrayed by the different authors, some of them are quite unusual. The book is divided in such a way that it more or less gives a history of the zombie, so the stories follow a fascinating progression. I was really hooked by the first short story "Blood Marker by Victoria Janssen," which almost serves as a sort of introduction to the Before Lazarus section and sets up a precedent for the uniqueness that follows.

I have more! My list was rather long this year, but I paired it down to ten which was not easy. I also have a "want to read" list and TBR pile that is a mile long. Do you read spooky stories, mysteries or crime suspense during October? What books do you recommend?

2012 Halloween Recs
2012 Xtra Scary Recs
2011 Halloween Reads

Written in Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop

Last month when I was suffering from some serious reader's block, Nath recommended Written in Red by Anne Bishop, a fantasy with romance elements or "urban fantasy," and the first book of Bishop's The Others series.

Meg Corbyn is on the run and inadvertently finds refuge at the Lakeside Courtyard where the Others rule and uninvited stray humans can easily become the evening's dinner or next day's "special meat" at the butcher shop. Meg is a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, with a special ability to see visions of the future when her skin is cut. For this reason, she has been kept enslaved her entire life by a Controller in a government sanctioned facility where her visions are sold for profit. Meg knows they won't allow her to stay free for long. Luckily, she finds a job with the Others as Human Liaison and gains their trust and protection.

Simon Wolfgard is the head of the Lakeside Courtyard. He deals with humans because he has to, and although the Courtyard has been set up to bring humans and shifters closer, Simon has little understanding and/or respect for humans. To him they are nothing more than prey. However, when Meg comes in looking for a job and a place to stay and Simon notices that she doesn't smell like prey, he hires her to work in the mail room as their Human Liaison. But he's aware that she is lying about something and her weird smell drives him a little crazy from the beginning. When Meg is discovered, will the Others protect her? Or will she die at the Courtyard as her vision predicts?

I loved the shape-shifters in this fantasy. The Others are not your cutesy, likable shape-shifters, vampires and/or elementals. Oh no! In Bishop's world these are ancient beings who roamed the earth before humans evolved, and humans exist only by the Others' leave. They are portrayed as a rather scary different breed, as unlike humans as they can possibly be, with a disregard for human life and contempt for what we think of as humanity. While the two sides have worked out a livable and workable agreement, in this world the Others are top dogs and humans, the underdogs.

As the head of the Lakeside Courtyard, wolf shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is a total control freak when it comes to keeping his people and his territory safe. He is cold and ruthless with very little understanding or caring for humans (or Others) who break his laws. However as a result of Simon's  interactions with Meg, there is character growth as the story moves along. What I liked about his character is that although he accepts some changes, Simon maintains the edge that makes him different to the end.

Meg's character on the other hand is a bit of a problem for me. She is an extremely likable character both to the reader and to the characters in the story. Meg wins hearts and minds easily with her kindness, naivete, and nobility. I loved the scenes between Meg and the young wolf shape-shifter Sam, the growth that you see in her as she slowly comes out of her shell and makes friends around the community is heartwarming, and those moments when she stands up for herself are encouraging for the future. Throughout and by the end of the story, everyone who knows Meg is willing to do whatever is necessary to protect her life because she deserves it.

My problems? Meg is not a kickass heroine, which is usually okay with me, but she comes off as a bit too naive, nice, sweet and perfect (a Mary Sue), although one with growth potential. But Meg is such a nice and kind soul that her likability factor is on the high end of the scale and I have a feeling that as she stays around the Others, she'll learn how to take care of herself -- that's where the growth potential comes in. Additionally, there are some very strong female secondary characters that serve as a great contrast to Meg. What really became a bit troubling for me is the cutting and the description of how this affects Meg. Cutting is such a serious issue that I'm not quite sure how I feel about the fact that Bishop is using self-mutilation as the trigger for Meg's "special power." I'm actually withholding my final thoughts on that until I see how Bishop works this issue into the series.

There's also a romance building between Meg and Simon in Written in Red. Actually it is more of a special friendship between Simon and Meg that bloomed from hostility and distrust. Simon's wolf actually accepts Meg first, and there is a matter of trust and bonding going on there that I really like. Obviously sweet Meg is not ready for more and frankly I don't think that Simon is ready for an intimate relationship with a human either. I believe he has a long way to go yet.

Written in Red is a well-written, character driven fantasy with a bit of action, mystery, edginess, gore, and a touch of humor that surprised me. The secondary characters -- Monty, Tess, Henry, Vlad, Sam, Jasper -- play significant roles and are worth mentioning because they make this a well-rounded read. The action is limited but makes an impact, and the mystery revealed at the end is well done. However, when it comes to villains I was a bit disappointed as the threat felt more dangerous than the reality, particularly Asia who in my opinion comes off as more TSTL than truly dangerous. Of course there are threads left open to resolve in future installments and I look forward to finding out more! Even with my reservations, my grade is going to be on the high end. I really enjoyed Written in Read as a whole (read  it in two straight sittings!), and see a lot of potential in this fantasy series.

Category: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
Series: The Others, #1
Publisher/Release Date: Roc/March 5, 2013 -- Kindle Ed.
Grade: B+

Visit Anne Bishop here.