Flailing Over The Others by Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

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.

Initial Thoughts. I have seen this series around for the past months. Well, not around but for a few blogs which expressed their fervent love for the books. I have been meaning to read this for some time because… Anne. Bishop.

I’ve read her Black Jewels series and have loved it so much that I count it as one of my absolute favorites and would be recommended to every human being that asked for a book recommendation from me. Actually, I stopped at Dreams Made Flesh because Jaenelle died and Daemon had a child with Surreal which is out of character for both of them. I mean really Daemon!?! This is why I’m wary of Simon and Meg’s romance because I’m still traumatized with what I’ve learned of the characters’ fates in Tangled Webs. That was one book I regret I’ve read. You can tell that I’m not over it even years after I’ve read it.

Ahem.

But I’ve been curious and didn’t even read the first book’s synopsis before I just dived in and began reading. I knew I was going to love it just 17% in.

Worldbuilding. So this is what the world would be like when Nature and its native creatures could fight back against human encroachment.

Did Anne Bishop intend to model the world of The Others after the real Earth? There are so many parallels with landmasses and continents, cities and oceans that I did wonder. Does a map of the whole Namid even exist? I’d like to see it, please.

I should have known that Anne Bishop would do an excellent job of creating this world.

Plot and Storyline. Gorgeous. Amazing. Awesomesauce. Wonderful weaving and blending of elements to create a powerful narrative.

Perspectives. Not many books do this but although Meg is the main protagonist of the story and most of the world revolves around her actions and decisions, the storytelling weren’t centered on her. And her voice wasn’t the only voice heard in the book. It is told from many perspectives, from characters who are important in shaping the story so we get a solid and clear picture of what’s happening in other parts of Thaisia. It shows that although our heroine is special, her actions are not without consequences. Too many one-person, or even two-person, perspectives only provide one window into a book’s world and sometimes, when it is established that a character is a snowflake, it tends to display a little selfishness.

There is a difference between being a snowflake and being a trailblazer.

Romance. Slow burn. And I really mean slow burn. This is the slowest burn I’ve ever read. Nope, no romantic parts yet. But if I read right, then Simon and Meg are falling in love with each other since the first book. I bet that the human pack already has a betting pool on when Simon and Meg realized that. And the terra indigene, well, the closest to the two, are also thinking around the possibility. Vlad and Henry, sure do. But there are things to consider such as first, and the biggest, is the fact that Simon is terra indigene and Meg is human. A different kind of human, sure, but still a human. Second, Meg is a cassandra sangue who after a thousand cuts would die, either from bleeding or madness usually around 35 years old.

I’ve said it earlier, this is why I was reluctant in reading this in the first place. Because although Jaenelle and Daemon did get together, Jaenelle grew old and died. At that time, I thought She was dreams made flesh, she was stronger than any of the Blood, couldn’t she have done something to have her own happiness, her own dream?

I know there would be no love triangles. Nada. Zilch. Just no. But, please, an HEA.

Flailing. My love for this series knows no bounds. After the ending of Vision in Silver, I was upset. A good kind of upset. This is why I don't read stuff that I know I'll love and the next book will not be released until the next year. Damn.