Enter the world of the Others in the first novel in New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s thrilling fantasy series: a place where unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—rule the Earth and prey on the human race.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 … 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.
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This is one of my favorite series, I have re-read it many times. Meg is free after having grown up essentially in a prison. She was used and abused for the prophecies in her skin. But she is brave, resilient, and innocent. I love seeing Meg figure out the world around her and seeing the Others try to figure out the oddness that is Meg. The world is interesting – the Others have mannerisms and characteristics of their creatures even in their human form, and in their land Human Law Does Not Apply. If you have t read this series you should definitely check it out!
Ever have a book that you have come to late, seen all the descriptions and praise, and just smiled in anticipation because you know that you are part of that target audience who are just going to love it through and through- hugging the Kindle to you and sighing contentedly. That was me and… I did indeed love this one- one, no two eyerolls, but for the most part, loved it.
Written in Red is the first book and introduces a dark, well crafted world. Humans are prey and the Others are not humans who get furry or sprout fangs. I do love when my monsters get to act like monsters so I sighed with happiness at the first sign that a human being stupid got eaten with relish and a little seasoning (okay, teasing about the seasoning).
The story begins with a brief explanation of the fantasy world which has some commonalities with earth, but all the power and magic and ruthless strength go to the non-humans who see the humans as little more than upright animals with opposable thumbs and cool gadgets.
The first chapter introduces a mysterious woman fleeing danger and choosing the Others’ compound as the lesser of two evils. Meg applies for the job of Liaison between the Others and humans. In essence she is a glorified mail room clerk and postal delivery person now. This may seem comical, but the Others do a lot of mail orders to avoid contact with the human ‘monkeys’. And, the Others’ Courtyard in the boundary of the human city near the great lake is a clearing house for all the Others who live out in the Wild and away from human settlements.
This Lakeside Courtyard is the big experiment run by Simon Wolfgard. He has hired a few humans and opened a few businesses to human customers to see how it works to allow this limited interaction between humans and Others. Something about Meg had him hiring her on the spot though she has no skill or experience. He doesn’t know why the shivering, bedraggled human tempted him to this impetuous action, but he is riled up because she doesn’t smell like prey and she has secrets. She’s running from something.
And, the something has found her. Meg ran away from an institution where she was prized as a commodity rather than a person and she wants more, but she has to stay free. Human law doesn’t apply in the Others’ Courtyard so she begs a job to buy her some time in her flight from her handler. She has foreseen her own death and now just wants to live life to the fullest. She has no idea how and has to feel her way working and living among beasts, vampires, and elementals who can take on human skin.
It is the humans who are the most danger to her and trouble is coming from more than one direction. Simon learns Megs’ secrets about the time he learns of the danger, but she has brought little Sam out of his two year silence and won the friendship of many in the Courtyard with her winsome ways. She is theirs and they will protect her.
Much of this book was very much the usual first in series introductions and getting the plot underway. It was not tedious and was interspersed with some action and nice moments of suspense. The intro to the larger cast of characters was neatly handled as were the switches in point of view between a half dozen characters with Meg and Simon getting the front stage much of the time.
I thought it was both a good use of humor and a way of describing the true differences between humans and Others when the Others had these headscratching moments over human conversations and actions. This actually explains a little why they figure out a certain human is acting suspicious, but she manages to stay ahead of them for quite a while because they can’t get a fix on what she’s up to. Personally, I thought, given how they handle stuff, that they should have just chomp-chomped the first time she crossed the line instead of the half-dozen chances she got to wreck havoc. Unfortunately, they start acting out of character as soon as poor Meg who might not like them eating the humans is installed.
Meg was my one big niggle. I liked Meg and liked that she was a bit of something different in some ways, but also felt she was something of a Mary Sue figure. The moving and shaking happens around her and with little time or effort, she suddenly has everyone’s liking and loyalty. She wins over monsters who eat human for breakfast just by dropping off their mail and saying ‘good morning’. She sweet talks a grieving and traumatized wolf pup out silence, out of his hidey spot, and into a shift in a couple of encounters. Good on her (I love that she is kind- I really do), but that shouldn’t have impressed the big baddies much especially since her arrival signals quite a bit of trouble and bother for them. Her winning over the whole Lakeside Courtyard in a few days was far-fetched, but I am willing to get past that and see where this series is going. I think Meg will grow on me now that I’m past the intro.
Simon was a fun cranky wolf character, but it was Henry the spirit bear grizzily, the ponies who are more than they seem, and the mysterious Tess that even the monsters tip-toed around that I enjoyed most. Actually, I liked everyone, including Meg, who lived in the Courtyard.
The last chapters were page-turners and I could barely breathe. I loved seeing the Others rise up in fury to show who and what they really are. Meg’s worth to the hidden bad guy along with humans who are arrogant and greedy enough to buck the system are going to make this ongoing series stay exciting.
So, I loved my first outing with this series and its fresh take on paranormals and fantasy. I am definitely going forward with the series. Oh, and yes, if you were sandbagging like me and love urban fantasy or low fantasy, snag it when you get the chance.
Love this series. One of my favorites.
What a surprise this was! “Written in Red” has been on my TBR list for a while now. When other readers say Anne Bishop is a master world builder, they speak the truth. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I read the first pages, but whoa! Drawn in, stuck and happy to be here. I really did enjoy this. The world is so carefully constructed, detailed… I admit that sometimes the detail was a little much, but well-placed. If you’re looking for something extremely different, this is one you should try. Looking forward to Book 2.
I just finished devouring the entire series and loved it. It’s some of the most creative and original world-building I’ve seen in a long time. Wonderful characters, fascinating interactions, exciting action and Bishop’s delightful quiet humor that runs beneath it to surface here and there.
I love this series! In a category where werewolves and Other creatures are a dime a dozen. These characters were a refreshing twist on the genre. Absolutely wonderful characters and great world! Highly recommend!!
Love the world of the Others!! In this first book we meet Meg a blood prophet who has escaped her owners. She finds refuge in the company of the Others the dominant predators on the planet. While the prophet and others try to get to know each other and find a way to co exist a threat from the man who owned Meg comes to town. They must band together in order to survive what is to come. Fantastic world building! And a wonderfully inventive take on wolves, vampires and other fantasy creatures!!
This is the first in the series of The Others. There are seven books all together and I just finished reading the last one today. This is the second time I’ve read them all altho the first time I had to wait between books. If you like unusual fantasy, try these books.
I’ll admit…at first I had trouble getting into the character and story. The writing style was so different, so unique that at first I couldn’t relate, but as I continued reading it was as though the story took over. The pacing, the cadence of the author’s writing, the simple language but most of all the viewpoint of Meg, the main character was unlike anything I’d ever read. Here’s the thing. Meg didn’t see the world the way everyone else does. For her, the world was stringing together a sequence of images, and she struggled to relate those images to images she’d been shown and what she’s been taught so she could make sense of the world. Imagine growing up in a bubble and then escaping into the world. The world was foreign and overwhelming for her. Information overload. Anne Bishop completely captured this character’s perspective in an unbelievably artful and subtle way. The author’s “show don’t tell” writing mastery was incredible. You don’t know and have never known anyone like Meg — a blood prophet with her visions, a being both wondrous and terrible. Terrible because of the devastating future she sees and would try to change. Her purity, her innocence and above all her well-intended nature is soothing to the beasts around her. Her actions put sanity and order into their lives. In her naiveté she was friendly to the head vampire who immediately adored her and wanted to protect her. “Sweet blood” he called her.
Simon the wolf who shifted into human form was gruff with all the characteristics you’d expect of the leader of a wolf pack. The dynamics between him and Meg were both real and humorous. “Bad wolf” Meg muttered under her breath. I couldn’t stop laughing at that. The mystery began unfolding and this wonderfully crafted world began changing. While the book wasn’t full of intense conflict at every turn, it didn’t need to be. The climax was sufficiently intense.
I can’t say enough about this book. I’m an avid reader, reading at least 100 books a year and this story grabbed my heart and lingered in my thought for days. Brilliant story-telling Anne Bishop, simply brilliant.
Love this book and this series. The characters are original and it’s great to see how they develop and grow.
I think Anne Bishop is an awesome author. This novel is a fine example of that. It’s a cool new world and humans are not at the top of the foodchain. It represents a fierce sense of loyalty and survival instinct. It’s animalistic!
I’ve already downloaded book two in the series. Written in Red provides mystery to keep you guessing and action to keep the pages turning. I’ve gotta go read book two.
This is a very original series. This author draws the reader into the world of the Others and allows us to see what life would be like if nature fought back against the human tendency to take because we believe ourselves entitled.
If you like alternate realities and supernatural stories this series is a favorite. It was different from others that I have read. I liked the story and characters.
Love these books. This is the first in a series. At first I was skeptical but then I was so entrenched in the characters I could not put it down. I have reread it so many times and still love it.
Excellent adventure, great villian
I don’t usually give such a high rating for this genre, but the writing was so good, the world built brilliantly and the characters ‘real’ enough to be out of the next neighborhood, that any lower rating would have been a lie.
This book was wonderful and fun to read
The author creates a meticulously detailed, coherent and intriguing world in which to set this paranormal urban fantasy thriller. In this world, the terra indigene are the stewards of the earth and they take the motto “respect the earth” seriously. Humans are not the top of the food chain, but despite that, there are still humans who have to push the boundaries of what is acceptable. What does a leader of the terra indigene (who generally considers humans to be aggravating ‘meat’) do when a victim of human trafficking seeks sanctuary with him? Change his worldview, that’s what he does – and the world changes with him. Fascinating!
I’m hoping this is the first in the Others series. I haven’t read them for awhile. Anyway, there are several books in this series-all excellent!