Marked in Flesh --by Anne Bishop

Fiction / Urban Fantasy

416 pages

5 Stars

This is the fourth in the series about "The Others" by Anne Bishop. The main, and only problem, I have with her books is I read them sooo much faster than she writes them! Ship the kids to Granny, send the husband to work, call your boss and take a sick day (mental health counts!), make a pot of coffee (or whatever you drink) and sit back and go for the ride. Better yet, check into a hotel with room service. Fewer disruptions. And they'll let you read while luxuriating in the hot tub.

If you've not read the first three books, stop right now, go get and read them. Although you can read this one as a stand alone, it will make so much more sense if you read the others first. Besides, then you can stay a whole week in that hotel with room service—and your husband's credit card ;-)

Yes, these books are that good!

Problems come to a head when an international ring of pig-headed humans decide it's time to get rid of The Others and claim Earth as theirs, and theirs alone. They have lived with The Others for generations, and have become complacent in what they are, and what they can do. They have signed treaties they don't like, and now think the time has come to arise, and put Humans First, Last, and Always.

All of our favorite characters are here, especially Simon Wolfgard and Meg Corbyn. We meet new friends, lose a few friends, and fight a war of survival.

Meg, a human blood prophet, comes up with ways for her fellow blood prophets to hopefully get away from cutting themselves to see prophecy and possibly lead more "normal" lives.

Simon, the leader of the pack, must do his best to save at least some of humanity from the wrath of the ancient Others. The older ones are by far the most powerful, and truly desire to rid the entire planet of humans. All humans. But not all humans deserve annihilation.

Some authors have a hard time carrying a story from book to book, but not Ms. Bishop; each book reads better, faster, and ever more engrossing than the preceding one. I don't know how many books are scheduled in this series, but I will be sorely sorry when it's over. I really enjoy my time with Meg and Simon and all the characters in the Courtyard.