Marked In Flesh (A Novel of the Others Book 4) (urspr publ 2016; utgåvan 2016)

Picking up shortly after the events in Vision in Silver, Anne Bishop’s 4th novel of “The Others” succeeds in immersing fans of this excellent urban fantasy series in the lives of the characters living in the unique world of the terre indigene, or earth natives. Readers accustomed to tough- as-nails urban fantasy heroines are initially surprised by the innocent and naïve Meg Corbin, who escapes a horrific life of abuse and captivity and lands in the middle of the Courtyard of the shape-shifting Others. But Meg is more than she seems: a cassandre sangue, or blood prophet, who has visions when she sheds blood. And her visions have helped the Others in the Courtyard, and other humans, as well, survive a number of traumatic events. In this novel, the Humans First Movement (the HFM), is planning multiple attacks against the Others and the humans who are their friends. It will be up to Meg and her allies in the Courtyard to avert the coming crisis triggered by the animosity between the members of the HFM and the Others, while the terre indigene Elders decide whether the entire human population should be destroyed forever. Readers unfamiliar with this series will have trouble comprehending the story due to the complex world-building the author has created in her previous novels in the series. However, those who have long been fans will enjoy spending more time in this unique world of “The Others.”

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< Do you know what the Sharkgard call humans on a ship? >
< No, what? >
< Meat in a can. >

Tensions between the Others and Humans First and Last movement have been ramping up. It all comes to a head in Marked in Flesh, the fourth book in The Others series by Anne Bishop. Caught in the middle are the Others and humans of Lakeside Courtyard, where Simon Wolfgard has taken on the task of protecting their own in the war to come.

I blew through this book in two days. This story kept me on the edge of my seat! It also made me sad as I knew going in approximately where this would go and yet held out hope that the HFL movement would come to it's senses. Simon had a rough choice to make and make it he did for the benefit of the entire Courtyard. It's nice to see Meg continuing to work through how to help the other cassandra sangue. The prophecy cards seem to be working so I hope this is explored more in book five. If I had one disappointment it is that I wanted to spend more time with the Elders. The scene with the Elders at the the police precinct was terrifying and I needed more like that! That was awesome. The other scenes with our main characters were good and tense but I wasn't really worried they'd pull through. Also very amusing that the Elders have a sense of humor.

While there are a few dangling story threads this did sort of feel like it could have been the end of the series. I'm curious what's going to happen in book 5. Rebuilding maybe? ( )

Anne Bishop’s series about an alternative world where Humans are in the food chain rather than at the top of it, keeps delivering a wonderful mix of page-turning tension, moments of amusement as races misunderstand one another (the agony aunt letter from a wolf who was confused by a woman who wants foreplay but doesn’t invite another couple to join them, had me laughing out loud), and a strong sense of revulsion at human greed and… well… inhumanity.

“Marked In Flesh” pulls together the themes from the previous three books to create a huge confrontation between The Others and the Humans First & Last movement.

The strength of the books comes partly from the contrasting characters of Meg: innocent, ignorant, vulnerable, carrying the scars of long abuse and yet always willing to risk herself to save others and Simon, strong, fierce, leader of the Wolfguard and the Courtyard who despises humans yet helps those who behave well and partly from the fact that Anne Bishop has created a world where the humans seem more monstrous than the shapeshifters and vampires who surround them.

I read this book in two days, showing all the classic signs of a high-functioning addict: changing my schedule to be alone with my book, losing more time than I meant to spend, covering my work quickly so I could get back to what I really wanted to be doing.

If you’ve read the other books in the series, then you’ll need no convincing to read this one. If you haven’t read any of them yet, then the good news is you can now read all four in a row (wow, that would be good), starting with “Written In Red”. ( )

The fourth book finally has everything come to a head with the story lines. Meg is still struggling with finding a way to control her prophecies. Hope is also working a new way of telling her prophecies without cutting and it works for her but will not work for everyone. And what Hope sees is scaring everyone. Things come to a head with Humans First and Last with them attacking Others on their own land. Things in the world are changing and will not be the same by the end of the book. I really enjoyed this one and it was nice not to have a cliffhanger ending. Now to sit tight and wait for the next one, I have to admit it was nice finding a new to me series and reading 4 books in fairly quick succession.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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So compelling, I love these characters and this story. While the build up was crazy long, as the Others decide how much human the Terre Indigene want to keep, it was worth every word. Also listened to audio narrated by Alexandra Harris (who is FABULOUS).
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