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Oink, oink!



For those who follow my reviews, I'm unable to stop myself from comparing this series to candy. As I learned in [b:Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us|15797397|Salt Sugar Fat How the Food Giants Hooked Us|Michael Moss|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361919312s/15797397.jpg|21520265], food companies spend hundreds of thousands engineering taste to hit that optimal flavor point where taste buds light up without making us feel something is too sugary, salty or rich. It's the reason we can eat handfuls of M&Ms or Doritos, ostensibly with enjoyment, without feeling satiated. Like its predecessors, Marked in Flesh hits my taste bud sweet spot, giving me the feeling that I'm consuming something delicious without ever filling me up. And, much like candy, I have to say the calories are largely empty; as they say in the nutrition world, these are not nutrient-dense calories.

It's hard to keep it all the books and subplots straight, but in short, this is The One Where The Chickens Come Home to Roost. In a barely-veiled allegory of our time, the rampant consumerism and selfish ego of the HumansFirst! movement is causing the world to go out of balance and the Powers to be pissed off. Meg, our foretelling Cassandra, is troubled with images of dead Wolves, but in a move familiar to young adult readers everywhere, decides to Lie About Problems to People Who Care.

Meanwhile, the Intuits (get it? Like intuition as Inuit?) are reaching out to the Others in their own communities and another Cassandra being cared for by the Others is also drawing bloody prophecies. It is apparently a race to be the Slowest To Interpret Prophecy ever, because we all already know HumansFirst! are pissing off the natural powers and they're gonna fuck something up somehow. It doesn't make it any less shocking or tragic when it occurs, which is a tribute to Bishop.

There's a few more viewpoints in this fourth book, which by some accounts is irritating Bishop's fan base. I didn't think it was done any differently than the last book, and I admit is was interesting to see something other than Meg driving around the compound in her BOW. Although, never fear--there is a discussion about that.

When it comes, the Great Apocalypse is fairly underwhelming to the apocalypse reader. Everyone knows the writer is supposed to draw the damage out so that we can vicariously compare our preparations and reactions to that of the heroes. Bishop apparently doesn't; although there are lots of veiled warnings about how terrible it will be, apparently laying in a six month supply of toilet paper (P.S., apparently girls need more than boys do) and buying your romance reads ahead of time is adequate. The devastation is over in a blip, but we aren't sure exactly what happened because communication systems are down. Although the Powers don't understand satellites and cell phones, so maybe they aren't completely down. We're not entirely sure yet. There's also a super-cutsey moment when one of the Elders is Amused by Meg howling (sigh, must we repeat this storyline again?), and a super-stupid moment when Tess is hurt despite being The Reaper That Sucks the Life Out of Everything.

Things I hate: the sexism. Oh, the sexism. There's a lot of "human females do..." followed by amusement/puzzlement on the part of the males. The human men are protectors and leaders; the human women nurturers. Apparently, there are no female Hawks, Bears, Cats or Wolves (all predators), although there are female Crows (because Shiny!). Apparently, females can be Weather because we're all capricious and temperamental. Other things that continue to annoy include this surprising integration of 21st century technology like email into the same world-building where Others need to be taught how to make a cash transaction. Apparently delivery trucks, cell phones and computers will be whittled by Henry out of wood in the future. And, how can I forget--in a nod to Stereotype 101, we have an elderly black woman with a no-nonsense approach brought in to control the human children and clean the office.

Things I love: the environmental theme. Meg's continued sweetness. The idea that the Others are questioning how much human metaphorically, within themselves--as well as practically. The idea that there will be payback for misdeeds. The glacially-moving relationship between Meg and Simon is a rare romance treat and appropriate given their newness to human experience. The idea that humans are not the dominant life forms.

Yep, this is just a literary One Pound Bag of M&Ms; a little embarrassing and a lot of mmmm-good. ( )

1st read: July 2020
2nd read: May 2024 ( )

Once things actually started happening, the story got really good. I found the romance at the end a bit forced, but we're dealing with two very awkward folks so I'll give them a pass.

I thought the book was a bit overpriced, so I went with audio-book, but I'll pick up the Kindle version after a price drop. ( )

For me, the quality of these books is going down. The attention gets divided over too many places, and the story is a bit more bland. It was still entertaining and cozy, though. ( )

The demise of the human race is coming at the hands of the Elders. Simon and Meg struggle to save at least their own community .
library book read 12/22/2023 ( )

This is an amazing series, if you haven't started it yet, please go do that now! You won't be disappointed! :D

Worldbuilding, as always, was very good. We move through several towns where Intuits and the Others live, and of course, our beloved Lakeside Courtyard.
Scenes and environments were well detailed, triggering memories from previous books as well as putting new locations on our map.

Character development was great. Meg continues to grow, step by little step, even though the events in this book force her to go even more out of her comfort zone. Being the one other cassandra sangue look to for guidance and help is not a small thing. But she has her female pack and the Courtyard residents te help her.
I like how all the characters have such diverse and rich stories. This book really does center around the human packs the Courtyard seems to be growing and I look forward to reading more how they interact :)

Pacing and flow were great. Once you get to the good stuff, you really, really (yes, really) want to continue reading and find out what happens next! Meh, who needs sleep anyway, right?

The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is no sex described in this book (if that is important to you).

All in all, I just really love this series and recommend everyone to at least try the first book. Can't wait to get going on book 5! ( )

While I really love this series, I am getting a bit tired of the "where's Meg", "Meg's OK", "Watch Meg". Meg can't sneeze without 10 different beings checking in on her. Oh well. ( )

I really fight with this series. the base story idea is so great. it's unique and has so many directions it could be expanded in. hell it would make a great TV series.

but the writing is poor, it lacks the expansion and explanation it needs. this is the 4th book, we shouldn't be forced to read a rehash of who every character is and their base traits. give a little remember what happened in the last book and move the story forward. I mean book 3 was all character development and filler so there wasn't a need for this book to be as well right?

I could totally be alone but the idea and story are great. the writing just leaves a desire for someone else to come in and write the story instead.

I assume most are still hanging on for the one question that has been dragged out through the books to be answered anyways. lol ( )

It's starting to move a little slow, but that might just be because of the format (audiobook, a little bit at a time while at the gym). But, it seems like it is taking FOREVER for things to progress. Still love all the characters though! ( )

Still loving this series...so good! ( )

Ok, so the only thing I did not like about this book is that I'm finding it hard to imagine where the story will go from here. Both satisfying and sad, but such a large culmination of events that I could see this being the end of series, and that would be tragic. Mostly because I crave these books. I love reading them. I love the not-so-subtle war between human greed and nature's survival and the peculiar point of view of the inhuman wolves.

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I love that she writes such long books. You can immerse yourself in an Anne Bishop book for a week or more, enjoying it for hours and hours, getting sucked in deeper each chapter. It killed me with each loss in this one as the "clever meat" committed one awful act after the next against the Terra indigine. And yet, it doesn't seem like there's much hope at this point.

Simon and Meg continue slowly growing closer, with Meg learning to read her tarot cards as a way of predicting the future, rather than cutting her wrists. They're still so far from physical intimacy, and it seems strongly hinted that Meg has experienced sexual violence at the hands of the controller, and so she's still something of a breakable entity. I want so much to see Meg strong and whole. ( )

I literally had to force myself put this down, because I would have read straight through the work day - as it is, I still read the whole thing in less than a day! Some parts frustrating, some parts fulfilling... Mostly, I just want the next (final!) installment NOW. ( )

I always enjoy Anne Bishop's books so I don't know why it took me so long to read this series. I love The Others series the characters are great and the world is fascinating. This series reminds me a bit of her Ephemera series mixed with Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series and Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. ( )

3.5 ( )

There's some satisfying action in this book, and a big step toward more human/other conflicts. Meg continues to be an annoyingly perfect character, but I've stopped hoping for that to change and it's made it much easier to put up with. ( )

And I’d thought the *last* book was dark! That was nothing compared to this one.

I have a lot of feelings about the overall arc of the series, about how huge the expansion of the world and story has grown from book one, but if I’m just looking at this installment, it’s just as good as the rest of the series. Maybe a pinch more actually a three star book than the others in terms of quality. ( )

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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I love this series! I'm heartbroken over the wolves and Joe especially stupid HFL people
It's going to be hard to wait for the next one to come out ( )

Spoilers inside proceed at your own risk.

Well as many are expecting things just got real. HFL are being idiots and in this book everything escalates. The entire plot is bigger and encompasses many towns and settlements so I love seeing all the interaction between them. I also love how much The Others in the Lakeside Courtyard have opened up to the fact that not all humans are bad, despite how many humans in this series are. I love the new characters popping up everywhere and of course there are touches of Ms. Bishops signature macabre style.

I'm intrigued by the new settlements and blood prophets as well as the Elders who bring down the house (literally). I love seeing the scope of the terra indigne (sp?) and can't wait to continue this amazing series. The books continue to get better and better. ( )