#Tuesday Review - Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop (Urban Fantasy)

Series: The Others # 4
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Penguin/ROC
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy

For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…

Marked in Flesh is the fourth installment in Anne Bishops' The Other's series. As this is book number four, I would suggest that you take in consideration that there may or may not be some mild spoilers involved in this review. While I try like Hades to avoid them, at this point, we are deep into a series that has become one of my most appealing series currently being published, and one that I would walk barefoot through a patch of coals to get of the copy.

"We will give you some time to decide how much human the terra indigene can keep."

If you have read this series from the beginning (Written in Red), you know that there are really two main characters who really stand out because of who they are and what they stand for. The first is 24-year old Meg Corbyn who is known as a sweet blood, cassandra sangue, or blood prophet. She can see a future by cutting her own skin, something that the terra indigene of Lakeside Courtyard have been trying to help her stop. Cassandras only have 1,000 cuts before they lose their minds. 

Meg has come a long way since she stumbled into the Lakeside Courtyard, and became the human liaison between the terra indigene, and the human world. It hasn't been easy for Meg, especially now that she's considered to be the Trailblazer for other girls who were rescued by the terra indigene and given a hopeful future. I will say that the terra indigene are very protective of Meg to the point of really trying to solve her cutting issue. She is surrounding by her own human pack which she relies on, and then there is Simon, her go to, her friend, her thorn in her side, and maybe, crossing fingers, much more by the time this series winds down.

Simon Wolfgard is the leader of the Lakeside Courtyard. He has been given the assignment by the Elders, Namad's Teeth and Claws, to find a way to save his courtyard from being destroyed. Danger is on the horizon, and thanks the the Humans First and Last Movement, the Elders are really pissed off at all humans. There is trouble on all fronts, and Bishop really makes you feel the distress and pensiveness of all the characters involved. Whenever you turn the page, you just know that there is something awful going to happen and quickly, and whether or not your favorite characters survive, is just a matter of hoping she doesn't go all evil and kill everyone off.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that the world that Bishop has written, which is almost an alternative version of our own, has been expanded to include parts of the Midwest, and Cel-Romano where the human thugs are fighting a war of aggression. I love that Simon and the Terra indigene could have blocked any more humans from entering their courtyard, but they chose to help a select group, and the police from being destroyed.

I love the Intuits, and Hope (cassandra), and how Meg has really made a name for herself, especially with the Elders who are very, very curious about her. I love Simon and Meg's sauciness and fun. They are playful, and adorable, and it doesn't have to mean that there is a point where they must have sex. There are more than two dozen character who are important to this series. I can't see killing any of them off at this point because it would turn the tide as to what may or may not affect Meg and her human pack-mates.

I am all in for the fifth installment which is currently untitled, but should be releasing in 2017. I am curious about the Elders and their attitude towards Meg. I look forward to seeing if book # 5 is the last book, or will there be more story. 

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