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malfy's review against another edition
5.0
So good!!
This book really built up my anxiety, not in a bad way though
This book really built up my anxiety, not in a bad way though
elliered's review against another edition
4.0
GOODNESS I have a love hate relationship with this series. Of course I love the huge cast of characters, but the death of any of the good guys... makes some chapters much more saddening. Thankfully with Meg there is always a sense of hope in the end.
shelleyjld's review against another edition
3.0
This series gives me mixed feelings.
The good:
The earth natives are truly a different species. They are complex and varied and interesting.
The suspense builds in a way that keeps you reading.
The blood prophets are interesting as they figure out their next steps and evolve
The community that emerges amongst the good guys is wonderful
The bad:
Another reviewer named Anne said that this story is about a “mentally challenged girl who falls in love with a talking dog” and that is so accurate. We have a mentally stunted woman and a man who is basically a dog. He cannot understand people and is so dog like that he’s almost funny. So the romance aspect is weird because you are kind of wanting them to be together but also kind of weird because it’s a girl and her dog kind of.
Other reviewers also pointed out the sexism of the series. The novelty of the world allowed me to ignore this but honestly it just keeps getting worse. Overall, this might as well be set in the 1950s.
The plot meanders. It’s three books of stupid humans escalating their behavior while the terra indigene and smart humans say “don’t do that or we will all be wiped out” over and over. When will the world/nature retaliate!? Finally they do but it’s over quickly and does not manage to wipe out the bad guys. I mean it feels so anticlimactic because we are told that this city was destroyed or that city was attacked but it’s over in a few pages and happens off page and then the mayor and other bad guys are left alive?! Very unsatisfactory ending.
And finally the characters are interchangeable. Jesse and Tobias are the same as Steve and Jerry. Joe and Jackson were hard to sort out because they were so alike and both J names. It just felt like the earth native types were complex and varied and interesting but the actual personalities were shallowly made.
I read the reviews for the next book and I’m going to stop here.
The good:
The earth natives are truly a different species. They are complex and varied and interesting.
The suspense builds in a way that keeps you reading.
The blood prophets are interesting as they figure out their next steps and evolve
The community that emerges amongst the good guys is wonderful
The bad:
Another reviewer named Anne said that this story is about a “mentally challenged girl who falls in love with a talking dog” and that is so accurate. We have a mentally stunted woman and a man who is basically a dog. He cannot understand people and is so dog like that he’s almost funny. So the romance aspect is weird because you are kind of wanting them to be together but also kind of weird because it’s a girl and her dog kind of.
Other reviewers also pointed out the sexism of the series. The novelty of the world allowed me to ignore this but honestly it just keeps getting worse. Overall, this might as well be set in the 1950s.
The plot meanders. It’s three books of stupid humans escalating their behavior while the terra indigene and smart humans say “don’t do that or we will all be wiped out” over and over. When will the world/nature retaliate!? Finally they do but it’s over quickly and does not manage to wipe out the bad guys. I mean it feels so anticlimactic because we are told that this city was destroyed or that city was attacked but it’s over in a few pages and happens off page and then the mayor and other bad guys are left alive?! Very unsatisfactory ending.
And finally the characters are interchangeable. Jesse and Tobias are the same as Steve and Jerry. Joe and Jackson were hard to sort out because they were so alike and both J names. It just felt like the earth native types were complex and varied and interesting but the actual personalities were shallowly made.
I read the reviews for the next book and I’m going to stop here.
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
4.0
Marked in Flesh was good, but it felt like a "bridge" book. YOu know, one of those books that bridges the gap between the excitement of one book to the next. It's important, especially since as the reader you need to know why the next big crises is happening, but it isn't terribly fun to read.
That's what this book felt like. Now granted, by the end of the book we are clearly moving into the "OH-SHIT-WHAT-HAVE-WE-DONE" phase. And that's good and right after everything that happened in these books, but still for the majority of the book it was just full of tension, and not the pleasant kind. Now some readers, may like this and think that it contributes to feeling like the humans and Others do in the book. That's not a false argument, but it just went on too long. I was ready for something to happen, and then once it finally did it was like I couldn't absorb what was happening.
If you're hoping that Meg and Simon finally get it together in this book, NOPE! I hesitate to say that this world/book got to big for Bishop, because she's successfully written much larger worlds before. However, I don't think we spent enough time with the other characters, to care about them as much as Meg/Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. Her Tir Alainn series does this in a way, the difference being is that each book focused on it's own characters with side notes to characters from the prior books. Which makes it work. It gives you enough time with each set of characters to really care about them. This was jerkier, and didn't feel as finessed. All in all, I'm excited for Etched in Bone. I don't doubt that Bishop can deliver a knockout punch to this series. 4 out of 5 stars.
That's what this book felt like. Now granted, by the end of the book we are clearly moving into the "OH-SHIT-WHAT-HAVE-WE-DONE" phase. And that's good and right after everything that happened in these books, but still for the majority of the book it was just full of tension, and not the pleasant kind. Now some readers, may like this and think that it contributes to feeling like the humans and Others do in the book. That's not a false argument, but it just went on too long. I was ready for something to happen, and then once it finally did it was like I couldn't absorb what was happening.
If you're hoping that Meg and Simon finally get it together in this book, NOPE! I hesitate to say that this world/book got to big for Bishop, because she's successfully written much larger worlds before. However, I don't think we spent enough time with the other characters, to care about them as much as Meg/Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. Her Tir Alainn series does this in a way, the difference being is that each book focused on it's own characters with side notes to characters from the prior books. Which makes it work. It gives you enough time with each set of characters to really care about them. This was jerkier, and didn't feel as finessed. All in all, I'm excited for Etched in Bone. I don't doubt that Bishop can deliver a knockout punch to this series. 4 out of 5 stars.
ashkwtf's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. A lot of narration from characters I didn't care about; not much progress in the Simon/Meg situation. Entirely filler.
bookloverchelle's review against another edition
4.0
Another great read from Anne Bishop in The Others series. Tensions have been rising between the Humans First and Last movement and The Others who rule the land. When the HFL strikes across the nation against the Others they think they have the upper hand. What they don't realize what lies in the undeveloped lands, what hunts in the night. When The Others strike back, any one in their path is not safe. Can Meg and Simon work together, using her gift of prophecy, to save those that they care about? I really love the characters, the suspense, and the humor that comes out in the least expected times. Really great read!