It’s hard to say goodbye to a series I’ve enjoyed as much as this one. So reading this last installment of Anne Bishop’s The Others series was bittersweet. It definitely feels like the end, but the world is big enough and in enough turmoil that Bishop will easily be able to pick up with her planned a spinoff series in the future.

As with the previous books in the series, the great characters really shine through to be the best thing that this story has to offer. There are so many players in the courtyard. Each has a unique voice. I am particularly fond of Tess, though her role here is small. What all of the mismatched monsters have in common is their love of Meg. And here it’s finally time to see where the chips fall when humanity is put under the microscope and Meg is at the center of it all.

You see, the elders are now interested in how things work in the courtyard. It’s something of a model as they determine whether humanity is worth keeping around at all. They force Simon to allow a bad element inside so they can observe the difference between good humans and bad. And it’s obvious from the beginning who will end up hurt the most. The person who matters the most.

Many of us have been waiting since the beginning for the slow burn between Simon and Meg to finally, I don’t know, even get lukewarm. Finally, there is a little movement on that front. There is talk about it throughout the book. Obviously there is a bond between these two, but the way that the author has set this up, it can’t go very far. I understand this is an urban fantasy and not a romance, but the payoff here is very G-rated. If there were something even milder than G rated, I would call it that. I guess I wish it could’ve been something more. I wish the payoff would’ve started a little earlier so a little more could have worked here, but it wasn’t. And at least there is resolution.

I did however love the family dynamic with Meg and Simon and Sam. Even Skippy. I’m satisfied with where we leave things with Meg’s need to cut. I’ve grown to really enjoy Monty and his mother in the courtyard. And I’m really quite good with where we leave everything.

I’m glad it ended where it did. And I look forward to seeing where we go in the spinoff.

Rating: B+

Four and a half stars: A quiet and bittersweet ending to a favorite series. I want more!

Things are finally starting to settle at the Lakeside Courtyard after the Teeth and Claws eradicated the human uprising. The quiet doesn't last long as trouble soon finds its way to the courtyard. This time, the conflict comes from Sergeant Montgomery's brother, Jimmy. Jimmy arrives at the courtyard with his kids and wife in tow expecting a free ride, as he plans to start setting up his schemes. Simon and the the Others are ready to flush him out, but the Elders force them to allow him to stay so they can see how a bad human can cause problems. Will one bad apple ruin the fragile peace?

What I Liked:
*Etched in Bone was a quieter read in comparison to the rest of the series. This one felt like a bonus book as it focused once again on the Lakeside Courtyard instead of the worldwide problems started by the Humans First and Last movement. The plots wasn't as thick and the danger wasn't as deadly. Even though this wasn't as dangerous and as exciting, it still featured all I love about the series: tremendous characters, interesting story lines, and humor and romance. I love this series, and I am waiting for more.
*One of the highlights of this series has been the quiet and slow burning friendship/romance between Simon and Meg. Their relationship started on shaky ground, as Simon wanted to eat Meg in the beginning. Slowly, Meg changed the way he saw her as well as other humans, and a fragile friendship was formed. The bonds of that friendship have continued to strengthen with each and every book. For those of you who want a hot, torrid romance, this isn't going to satisfy you. For all of you who like the quiet relationships where more is said in a touch or a look, you will eat this up. I loved watching this romance evolve, and even though it ended in the right place, I still wanted more.
*Jimmy, the villain, stole the show. Yes, he is vile, cunning and completely evil, but he made me laugh. I loved getting inside his twisted head and seeing how he thought. He is one of those villains you love to hate. He was by far my favorite villain of the series.
*I liked getting small snippets of characters that I am certain will be featured in the spin off series. I am most curious about the female, mounted deputy who is sent to Bennett. I want to see more of Jana.
*The book ends in a good spot, no drama or turmoil, and all seems right. Even though I was pleased, I wanted way more.
*I have listened to all the books in this series narrated by Alexandra Harris. I love her work with these characters. I highly recommend the audiobooks.
And The Not So Much:
*I struggled a bit with the believability of the abduction. It just didn't seem possible to me with so many eyes on the courtyard.
*This in some ways felt like an extra book added on to the series because the main story line involving the Humans First and Last Movement was concluded and nothing major was going on. The story was still good, but it pales in comparison to the last couple of books, still it was nice to get a quieter book.
*I was disappointed that Jean's story was still left unfinished. At least this time, there is a mention of her. I am hoping for more follow up with Hope Wolfsong and Jean in the next series.

Etched in Bone is an easier read that its predecessors. This one features a smaller conflict in the Lakeside Courtyard instead of a worldwide scale. Still I loved that it featured all my favorite characters, and I especially loved seeing movement in my favorite romance. It was a bittersweet read for me as I am reluctant to let these characters go. The only thing that eases the sting is I know a spin off series is coming. For all of you who still have not picked up this series, get it done!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Every time I finish a book in this series I think there's no way Anne Bishop can top the story. She proves me wrong each time and I'm so happy she does.

The storyline does not get boring and you never want to put it down. The characters are not cookie cutter stereotypes and have all fumbled their way through some major learning curves. The novel has intrigue, humor, action, little smidge of romance, and some horror all thrown together in a perfectly blended fantasy book.

Etched in Bone marks the fifth installment of Anne Bishop's novels of the Others and picks up right where Marked in Flesh left off... and I like where it goes for the most part.

The book seemed to focus more on the inter-species politics than the first four... and by that I mean actual attempts at politic and civil resolutions (instead of just eating the offenders). We have the humans who want to work with the Others to ensure their own survival, the Others who have come to care for their human pack (and some of the technologies they've never bothered to master on their own), the humans who court extinction, and the Others who are only just starting to pay attention to the events going on in the world at large.

One thing I can say for Bishop is that she knows how to write characters that you love to hate, especially manipulative, self-important, abusive men. There are times when civilization does not suit the Others, especially when they are seeking to understand malicious humans in their midst. You'll be happy when the inevitable hammer comes down on the villain of this story.

Meg and the Elders led to a bit of amusement, a semi-common occurrence considering she look like 'meat' to the Others but does not smell like prey. My continued appreciation and unease with how cutting is handled continues, though there is considerably less self-harm here than in previous novels. Instead we get more focus on her attempts to divert the impulse and developing new strategies. And if you've been waiting for Meg and Simon's relationship to start actually becoming more than friends, you'll see some development, but in their own particular ways.

4.5 stars

This is the conclusion to the Lakeside Arc of The Others series. I was sad to see them go but I was really happy to move on

It’s the aftermath of the Elder’s culling of the human herds. There are less humans and the Cleo-Roman Alliance is no more. Strict rules have been put in place regarding travel and food seems to be a constant worry. For Lakeside, most of the city survived and it is one of the largest remaining human governed cities in Thaisa. There is a new Mayor and Police commissioner who want to work with the Courtyard to bring peace. However the Lakeside Courtyard is going through its own changes. Under Simon’s leadership it has become a training ground for Others. It is also where the human pack resides and Monty’s brother has arrived bringing trouble with him.

This book is all about after. It’s about recovery and rebuilding. Meg and Simon and the rest of the courtyard end up making decisions that affect everywhere else. They are helping to reestablish Bennet again and they work with both the Terre Indigene and the Inuit. The courtyard also has two invisible visitors, Elders, who are there to observe the humans and how to tell of they are going to be trouble.

The human pack has become important. They live in Terre Indigene owned buildings and work for them. Monty’s brother, Jimmy arrives in Lakeside with expectations of how he wants things to go and ignites trouble right off the bat. Most of the book was him creating trouble and everyone else dealing with it. Mostly because the Elders want to observe Jimmy and see why he is so bad.

There were a bunch of new human characters in this book. Serria was a wimp. I didn’t like Jimmy, for obvious reasons, but I was a little bit tired of Monty. He’s a good guy but he is still surprised by strictness of the Others and I got tired of his excuses. Twylia, Monty’s mom, was my favorite new characters. She was awesome. There really are a lot of human characters and I will admit I was more interested in the Others. Although I really wanted to see Burke take Jimmy down as many pegs as possible.

I missed some of the characters that we had spent time with in the other books. The Elementals were only peripherally in the book. I missed Hope and Jackson. I really wanted to see how they came through and what was going on with their part of Thasia. I also wanted to spend more time in Bennett. Barb is funny and Jana is interesting and the Others there along with Jesse Walker, Tobias and Rachel Wolfgard .

I was happy with Meg and Simon’s relationship and the note is finished on. He is not human and she doesn’t want human. I think they are cute and I hope that we get mentions of them in the next book. I was also really happy with Sam and Skippy.

I’m looking forward to the next arc. I hope it is full of new people and places and few old friends.

This turned out to be my favorite book in the series. It is a really great series so that is saying a lot. It took me almost a week to read this book. Not because it was slow but because I was extremely busy with work. Anytime I had a free moment, I had this book in my hands and I enjoyed everything I read. There were some moments that really stayed with me and one scene was so touching that I had to stop reading so that I could share what was happening with my family. It was a really nice conclusion to the story revolving around this group of characters.

Some of the earlier books in the series spent quite a bit of time away from the Courtyard. This book stays with Meg, Simon, and the other characters living within the Courtyard which I actually liked a whole lot better. This book has a big focus on the humans that have become a part of the community, including Jimmy and his family who are new additions. The Others and the humans are working well together and things are looking really promising except that Jimmy and his family are not making life easy.

Jimmy is Lt. Montgomery's brother. Montgomery actually has his entire family at the Courtyard including his mother, daughter, sister, and her daughters. He didn't invite his brother who has been a trouble maker and criminal for years. Jimmy finds out where they are and shows up and starts causing trouble the moment he arrives. It was really easy to hate Jimmy and his wife was no better.

It has been really nice to see this group of characters grow and their relationships develop over the course of the series. Simon and Meg become closer with each book and some of the humans are also becoming very attached. Montgomery's mother, Twyla, was amazing in this book. She says what needs to be said and is firm but extremely caring. There is a scene with Skippy that really moved me and Twyla's reaction to everything made it even more. This is a series that really does need to be read in order since each book builds upon the previous one.

I would highly recommend this series to fans of urban fiction. I am looking forward to future books in this series even though they are supposed to be about a different group of characters. I have my fingers crossed that we will get a least a glimpse of these characters again.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Berkley Publishing Group - Roc via NetGalley.

The Others is one of my favorite urban fantasy series. I love The Others so much because it is almost a purely character driven story. There is still a great over arching plot to the whole series, but what keeps me turning the pages are the characters. ETCHED IN BONE continues that tradition and develops the characters even more than before.

My favorite thing about ETCHED IN BONE and the entire The Others series are the emotions the book pulls from me. The Others series is one of the few series that can actually make me laugh out loud. Some of the wolves, especially the pups, just do crazy things that make me laugh. Other moments make me tear up whether because of something sad happening or just something amazing. There was one scene in particular involving Sam that brought up a lot of emotions. It was an amazing character development scene that really hit home for me. There aren't many series out there like that.

If you aren't a fan of character driven books then ETCHED IN BONE isn't for you. There is a solid plot in ETCHED IN BONE, but it isn't the focus in my opinion. However, if The Others series hits you like it does me, then ETCHED IN BONE is just more of the same, but better because the characters keep growing and changing. ETCHED IN BONE is a satisfactory conclusion to the Meg Corbyn arc, though I hope we still get to see here in Bishop's future projects in Thaisia, because it will be sad to see her go.

Meg Corbyn, blood prophet, and Simon Wolfguard, wolf shifter, have to keep their community safe from the predations of a local human policeman's brother and the lethal interest of the Elders, the world's top predators.
Wonderful paranormal alternate world with truly unique take on the morals and the modus operandi of an alien species. Couldn't put this one down.

After surviving the recent devastation that was brought down on the city of Lakeside by oldest and deadliest of the terra indigene, Meg Corbyn, along with the other residents of the Courtyard, has been busy adapting to the new version of the world that remains. Compared to the rest of the continent of Thasia, they’ve been lucky. But, simultaneous visits from both an unwanted human and the Elders just might turn an already delicate balance into something deadly, and even “Namid’s teeth and claws” must learn that everyone has a price to pay eventually.

Regardless of the themes that have been explored by The Others stories, it has always revolved around the two main characters, Meg and Simon. Etched in Bone brings their mutual journey to a satisfying, if gratifyingly predictable, close. What began as an entertaining and antagonistic friendship has deepened into something far sweeter, and I’ve enjoyed the evolution a great deal.

While there are many thoroughly fascinating characters in this series, I felt that the real standout in Etched in Bone is Captain Montgomery’s mother, Miss Twyla. Officially introduced in the previous book, Marked in Flesh, she is the Courtyard’s stern, loving “Grandmother”—and elder of the human pack—and everyone (most Others, included) rightly defers to her judgment. Like the shifters, she is able to make tough choices for the benefit of the whole Courtyard, regardless of the cost to herself. I think my favorite thing about her, however, is that she knows the difference between kindness and pity, and, by putting that conviction into practice, leaves no question about which will leave the recipient’s dignity intact.

Part of the fun of these novels for me has always been the suspense that exists, despite having a main character with the “gift” of prophecy. Even with Meg’s ability to see the future, along with the multiple POVs the author uses throughout, I was still unable to do much more than wait for the bad things—which seemed to accumulate—to happen just as the other characters involved did. As a result, I found Etched in Bone especially difficult to put down during my initial reading.

As has been the case with the other novels in the series, Etched in Bone is a lesson in consequences. Whether they are the result of random decisions, Meg’s prophecies, or the “irreproachable” will of the Elders, every choice made by both humans and Others causes repercussions that are felt by them all. From the very first story it was predicted that Meg’s presence would change things for those living in the Lakeside Courtyard, and here we finally see just how true that is.

Though not completely free of difficulties, this series has been a favorite of mine since the first book, and Etched in Bone is no exception. Filled with suspense, humor, a villain so inexcusably toxic that there’s no way anyone could possibly justify his motives, and a touch of romance, it is an apt conclusion to the series so far. It’s been a pleasure to get to know the residents of the Others’ world, and I’ll keep these books close enough for a reread for a good while to come.

I love this series. I love the worldbuilding; I love the characters; I love the stories in each subsequent book. So I can’t help to be excited when I got my hands on Etched in Bone. “What are Meg and Simon up to now?” I ask myself. And let me tell you, they both made big steps in this book, both individually and towards each other, but we’ll get to that in due time.

First, a bit of shameless self-promotion. I have been following this series since its debut, so if you are interested in reading my other reviews, just click on the links: book one, book two, book three, book four.

How much human should the terra indigene keep? This is the question that Simon and all the Others at the Lakeside courtyard have to answer. And that answer is not only for the Elders who took an interested in Meg and the curious relationship terra indigene and humans have in the courtyard. No, Simon, Vlad and the others need to decide for themselves as well. Since terra indigene transform to take the traits of the strongest predators, they can become too human and risk losing part of what makes them wolfguard or sanginati. So how much human is too much? Not only in the numbers of the human pack that now lives in the courtyard and relies on its resources, but also in the interactions they have with those humans and how much they allow themselves to change.

The theme of change is central to this book. Simon and the courtyard Others struggle to determine just how much they need and want to change now that they have Meg and the human pack to think about. The humans living in Lakeside are face with a much steeper change of circumstances now that the terra indigene have reclaimed most of the lands. Meg and the other cassandra sangue are trying to choose a way of speaking prophesy that doesn’t involve cutting…

And Meg has their own struggles and her own choices to make as well. She has found a place where she belongs and people (human and other) she considers friends and family, so it’s only natural for her to want to fit in, to be as normal as possible. She wants to do everything they can do and she doesn’t want to cause them more problems than necessary. Unfortunately, in her desire to be normal, she forgets that she is not normal and can’t really be normal – she is cassandra sangue.

Simon has to come to terms with his own feelings towards Meg and what that means both for him and for the courtyard. I’m glad that he finally decides to be upfront with Meg about this, and that they approach the situation like responsible adults and talk it out, even if it takes some rather traumatic events for them to get to that conversation.

The other important theme in Etched in Bone is that evil doesn’t always act overtly. It can present a perfectly harmless façade to the world. And that one bad apple can sour the whole barrel, or in this case one individual can threaten the peaceful existence inside Lakeside’s human pack. To the Elders, the arrival of Morty’s brother is nothing more than an interesting development in their quest to understand humans. They are perfectly happy to observe and not interfere, letting the human pack deal with this intrusion. Unfortunately, they also want to keep him in the Courtyard for observation, so the humans can’t do the one logical thing that would help them deal with this toxic person – cast him out.

This decision almost ends in disaster and teacher the Elders a valuable lesson – just because they are Namid’s teeth and claws, it doesn’t make them infallible. They can make mistakes and live with the consequences. And that sometimes what seems like a small stone falling off a cliff can trigger a landslide.

All in all, I loved the progress all of the characters made in this book and I am excited to see where they will go from here. The others, at least in Lakeside and around the Simple Folk villages, are starting to treat their humans as a valuable part of the pack. Lakeside humans are actively working on restoring as much order and cooperation as they can in their city. Cassandra sangue finally learn how to survive outside of their cells and hopefully not die after a thousand cuts telling prophecies. Let’s see where the next book takes us.

PS. I received and advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very dark book, and it wasn't my favorite in the series. There is a horrid human in the form of Cyrus James Montgomery, the brother of police officer Monty. I have adored this series and I will miss Lakeside. But this book left a bad taste in my mouth all because of the horrific actions of Cyrus James (Jimmy) along with his wife and children. The language in this book is very harsh and there is sexual violence, which surprised me greatly as there has been no sexuality in the books prior to this. To go from no sexual content in the series to the introduction of sexual abuse was quite disturbing. The fact that the abuse was made by a child against another child, just made me scratch my head in confusion.

The story line was both perplexing and disappointing. I would have killed for it to have focused on Meg and Simon. I have been pining away to see there relationship move forward, not for it to happen in the last chapters of the book. The books main focus centered around the Montgomery family, instead of the other characters I have grown to love. It was an unfulfilling end to the series.

Such an unusual series. Fabulous character development and an engrossing story.

ETCHED IN BONE was an utter treat. I have to admit while all the happenings in previous books centering around the major changes in the world were interesting and gripping, I missed the lesser focus on the Courtyard and Meg/Simon. They've had a very slow burn building up in a romance and I really appreciate how it was all woven together in ETCHED IN BONE. The slower pacing allowed for much more character focus this time around and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Don't get me wrong, there's no massive movement in said romance department, but enough that it satisfied my inner romantic, while still staying true to the characters. Very well done!

The first half of this book felt like the aftermath of a storm, a storm in the name of claw and teeth. So while the first half doesn't have much action, it paves the way for how everyone is going to adjust to the new ways, and it was enjoyable to watch them all trying and figure things out. Even more interesting, we get a more personal look into the claws and teeth. You can imagine how well their direct interaction with the courtyard turned out, leading to both some very tense moments and also strangely hilarious ones as well.

That being said, while the first half or so of the book was about new beginnings, the second half took off with a massive bang. Things literally hit the fan, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I found the balance between the various pacings to be incredibly well done, with just the right amount of character focus, yet also adding in intense plot points to thrill.

All in all this was a very good somewhat ending to a much loved series. The author has announced she'll be back to this world in the future. But for now, I'm more than satisfied with how everything played out. It was a perfectly fitting goodbye, and I know I'll be back to re-read this series again!

Anne Bishop’s The Other’s series is a gem among gems. It is an Urban Fantasy set within an alternate reality where supernaturals rule and humans are relegated to small communities, afraid of the wild areas.
In the fifth installment, and rumored, LAST installment of The Others, (which really it’s only Meg’s last story, it’s been announced that there will be more Other novels, just not within Meg’s story ARC) the tension is high between humans and others. The line is drawn between some humans and some shifters, and Meg Corbyn is afraid of what lies ahead, because her visions are showing her death.

This final recap brings more attention on the humans and others and how they come together. It also focuses on Meg and Simon, with almost a detailed building up from almost the beginning. The other stories in the series have been intense, action-packed stories and this one is a little different. It wraps up Meg’s story, shines lights on previously foggy issues, and then exposes some other topics that might be brought into the spin-off.

Overall, The Other’s is a fantastic Urban Fantasy series. Bishop’s writing style is unique and I could wrap myself up in the dialogue. She has a way of writing the inner thoughts of the “different” kind of creatures that make up the Others that makes things seem so clear. I’m impressed with Bishop’s series and look forward to reading much more from her.

I’ve looked forward to the fifth and final book in The Others series with so much anticipation. When I received my copy I didn’t realize that Ms. Bishop would be telling more stories in this world, so I will admit to having a bit of sadness along with my anticipation at seeing this series end.

The fifth installment picks up right where Marked in Flesh left off. The Humans First and Last movement ended with a war with the Terra Indigene. Now the truce between humans and the Others is tenuous.  Lakeside Courtyard is still very much on edge and caught in the middle. They understand why the Elders are wary of humans, but they have their own human pack to protect. Then there is Meg and her place within the community. Meg has a special place within Lakeside because of her title as Blood Prophet, but also because of her growing relationship with Simon.

Things come to a head when the rest of Montgomery’s family makes their way into Lakeside and upsets the balance Simon has created with his human pack. With the Elders watching, and ultimately being who will make the final decisions about how much freedom the remaining humans in the area will have. But will they realize too late that all humans aren’t the same and don’t represent the same danger?

Etched in Bone was he perfect send off to this much beloved series. I will miss Meg and Simon. I was more than pleased with how Ms. Bishop chose to leave their relationship. Hopefully we will see them again as the series shifts to other communities and introduces new characters.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

Etched in Bone (A Novel of the Others) is an Awesome addition to this series! Anne Bishop is a master in world building. Etched in Bone takes up after the last book Marked in Flesh. The Elders have wiped out some of the human run cities to quell the Humans First uprising. Now there are only a small number of human run cities and they are few and far between. The Others have started to populate the cities that were purged. They are putting humans that they trust in those cities to help the Others run them efficiently. Only certain ships are allowed to traverse the waterways to bring supplies to the cities. This book was such a joy to read! This is the last book in this series at the moment, and to my understanding there will be another series branching off to follow the life of another cassandra sangue, or blood prophet. Sometimes it is hard to say good-bye to old friends, and that is how I view these character. So, until the next book or series comes out, I urge you to start this series or get this book to complete your collection. I recommend this book and series to everyone. You will not be disappointed!! I give Etched in Bone 5/5 stars.

I love this series, and have been eagerly awaiting the final installment. Real Life kept getting in the way of reading my eArc, however, but I finally found a chunk of time to set aside to do nothing but read Etched in Bone. This was everything I had hoped for and more. I was left with happy tingles by the end, and getting there was an adventure with all of the residents of the Courtyard. When Meg encounters danger, she isn’t a passive victim, but instead takes control of her own rescue. She has grown a lot, and Simon, the growly Wolf, has also been changed from his interactions with the young blood prophet.

When Monty’s brother Cyrus arrives in Lakeside, he knows it will spell trouble. He asks Simon and the Others to not allow him into the Courtyard, but the Elders have other ideas. They want to see how a bad human affects the good humans, and they force Simon to allow Cyrus and his family to stay.

Cyrus and his family cause a ripple of unease and discontent through the Courtyard residents. I hated Cyrus – absolutely Hated. Him. If I had one complaint about this book, it is that the villain was too one-dimensional. Even his point of view was full of hateful thoughts and opinions of the other characters, as Cyrus only ever thinks of anyone but himself. He has no morals and his only motivations are taking what he wants from the suckers that surround him. I kept wishing Simon or Henry would just eat him and get it over with.

The relationships between the humans and the Others are the major focus of the novels. Meg has changed everyone, humans as well as Others. Before Meg’s arrival at Howling Good Reads, Simon saw humans as meat. After he gets to know Meg and her pack of exploding fluffballs, he begins to see them as something else. All of the Others begin to see the humans as something else, and while Meg will always hold the dearest spot in their hearts, they begin to care for the other humans interacting with the Courtyard as well. The strengthening of bonds is the heart of Etched in Bone. Despite adversity and a catalyst for conflict, the friendships that have been built over the previous novels are tested, and in the end, hold firm. While there was doubt that humans and Others would ever view each other with anything other than suspicion, the actions of one special human prove that there’s a common ground for everyone.

Grade: 5 stars

We both set out to write a review for Etched in Bone, but it was one of those books that inspire not criticism or praise so much as a lot of things that make you go hmm. So we're calling this a review/discussion and we hope you'll share your thoughts in the comments.

Gretl's Thoughts
Other than "OMG! Simeg are so cute!" my biggest takeaway from Etched in Bone is that the politics in the series have become much more relatable. It's been there from the beginning but it's disguised enough that I think you could choose to ignore it until now. Things like the humans leasing the land from its original owners and therefore having an obligation not to abuse it are obviously about environmentalism. The Humans First and Last movement is about racism. (Those are both oversimplifications though.) The last book was focused global politics and you could view Namid's teeth and claws as the Others' nuclear option since whole cities are destroyed.

Going from that to crisis on a much more personal level gives Etched in Bone a slightly different feel. This book was about rulers who are out of touch with those they govern. It's a "Let them eat cake" situation. The Elders who have come to observe the Courtyard don't understand humans and their ignorance endangers people. Maybe because it's on a more personal scale, I find it much harder to ignore the politics in this book.

I think setting Meg and Simon's relationship in this smaller, more intimate context makes sense. The big, global events in Marked in Flesh might have overshadowed their HEA. This way we also see the results of the climax from the previous book. And it sets up the characters who are going to be in the spinoff series, which moves away from the Lakeside Courtyard.

It might be better to look at this book as a transition between story arcs, like Allegiance of Honor, rather than a series finale. The latter makes it seem like a really long epilogue showing the aftermath of events in Marked in Flesh, which is much less satisfying. (Goodreads also lists the next book as The Others #6, rather than first in a new series.)

I enjoyed Etched in Bone, especially Simeg, but wasn't blown away like I was with some of the earlier books in the series. It also gave me lots of food for thought, which is never a bad thing.

Rose Red's Thoughts
I agree with everything that Gretl said. The politics and the parallels that can be made to our current political situation hit a little close to home this time around. I especially agree with her observation that Etched in Bone felt like an extended epilogue for Marked in Flesh. As a continuation of the story, I was enthralled with the new details of the world and I loved seeing how the newest members of the Human Pack were settling into the Courtyard. I also loved seeing how the consequences of the Human First and Last movement were being handled.

One of my favorite things about this series, and it showed up in this book, is how Bishop presents evil and the bad guy. They're not like other big bads in the SFF genres. They're not out rightly evil. For the most part, the bad guys have an attractive face and can be seen as totally reasonable by the humans. Case in point, look at how far the HFL movement got in the previous books. An overarching theme we've seen in this series is that mistakes are made on both sides when you underestimate your enemy. This is definitely the case with the Elders in this book:

“They had needed to learn too much too quickly, and they had made a mistake. They would fix this.”

I found Jimmy to be a fascinating character in all of his horribleness. He acted as a foil that revealed sides to several of our main characters that we hadn't seen before. The thing is I knew as soon as he showed up on the page how his arc was going to play out and it felt like it took forever to get to the resolution. The pacing of the story was slow and felt off in such a way that the climax felt very anticlimactic.

As a series/Lakeside arc ender, this book fell incredibly short for me. I don't feel like the Lakeside arc was wrapped up at all. I didn't get a solid conclusion and it's messing with how I feel about the book overall. Like Gretl observed, this book felt more like a transition book and not a series ender. And this may be an unpopular opinion but there was not enough Simon and Meg in this last book of their arc. Don't get me wrong! What we do see of them is adorable and I loved all of their scenes but it felt like they were already getting brushed to the side to make room for the new arc and I didn't like that. Overall, I was underwhelmed.

This review will be posted life at 7pm UK time.

After the deathly events that transpired in Marked in Death, with the Elders mass-murdering so many humans in revenge for the Others deaths caused by the Human First Movement, Etched in Bone brings a slower proceedings to this world. The pacing faltered at times, leaving this book anti-climatic, but still enjoyable to fans of this series. It brings a conclusion to Meg and Simon that friends of mine and myself have been waiting for with baited breath and a whole lot of nervousness.

The Lakeside Courtyard has the eyes of the Elders upon them. The Elders are sorta like Big-Brother, watching every moment between humans and others, which will decide the fate of how much Namid’s teeth and claws will allow humans to navigate the world. Simon is uneasy and has serious misgivings after the Elders order him to allow Monty’s brother to cause mischief–and worse–as an experiment inside the Courtyard. Not only does Jimmy bring trouble, but he brings a lot of pain and danger to everyone in the courtyard, with Monty doing his best to try and keep his family together and safe.

Marked in Flesh I struggled with at times, which I’m so sad to be writing. For one it took me a long time to read the book, whereas I glommed the previous installments. I suppose I was looking for something bigger and more epic after Marked in Flesh, but this book is quieter in tone that shows the conclusions of previous events in micro details that sometimes left me feeling a little bored. Too many details of small world-building that verged on info-dump. Another big issue of mine was Jimmy. Jimmy was so over-the-top bad that I really found it hard to read his POV.

Meg doesn’t seem to realise the danger of what is going on in the courtyard and there is a disconnect between her and Simon for a little part of the book. Meg is still learning the ways of tarot reading and she’s getting better at it, but the urge to cut will most likely always remain with her for the rest of her life. There’s not much that happens in this book with Meg until the very end. It’s mostly Monty’s brother causing trouble and the world readjusting itself. Though a message that runs through this series is how humans never learn and still keep making the same mistakes time and time again. Which is all too believable.

So while I had issues with this book, there are still many things to love–and those are the characters and the bond and friendship they have built, especially the exploding human fluffballs which have become part of the Courtyard pack. Another storyline that is resolved is the romance between Meg and Simon. I’m not gonna beat around the bush and be coy. I was super happy with how things ended between them, though I wished it had been a stronger thread throughout the book. Bishop also never lets you forget that the Others aren’t human. Bishop lulls you into thinking everything is going so nice and swimmingly and then BAM. She reveals the darker and primal instincts of the Others that makes you squeamish and reminds you they have no hesitation in thinking of humans as meat lol.

The ending was more action-paced and the bad guy gets his comeuppance in Others fashion. While I was somewhat disappointed in this book, I have loved the journey Anne Bishop has given to us and I’m so happy there is an upcoming spin-off novel. I don’t know if this is the last story of the Courtyard, but I really hope Bishop returns. I so want Vlad to have his own book and to see more of Meg and Simon.

I give Etched in Bone a B-

Etched in Bone is the Fifth installment in author Anne Bishop's The Others series. The story picks up pretty much right where Marked in Flesh left off. The citizens of Lakeside and elsewhere are picking up the pieces after the Elders, aka Namid's teeth and claws, swept through putting down a revolt by Humans. In some areas like Cel-Romano, humanity will never be the same. In other areas, the clean up is becoming a major project that needs people to fill vacancy.

Simon Wolfgard has his plate filled worrying about the Elders pending visit to Courtside. A visit that will also come with a major challenge that the Elders pretty much encouraged to see how the Others and Humans work out their problems. Simon also has to figure out what the Elders meant by how much human the terra indigene will keep. Simon also has to deal with the Intuits, Simple Folk, Sweet Bloods, and ensuring that his humans are well taken care of. But, protecting and keeping Meg safe from harm is his biggest piece of the puzzle.

The Lakeside Courtyard has been fundamentally changed forever after the arrival of Meg Corbyn. Meg is known as a sweet blood to the Elders, and a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet to the rest of her human pack. Meg has tried to avoid cutting herself knowing that the more she cuts, the more probability that she will loose herself. As the trailblazer for other sweet bloods, this means coming up with other ways of seeing possible dangers. There was a curious part to this story that I have long wondered about. What happens when a Sweet Blood cuts a healed scar? Do they lose themselves? Do they survive? Or, do they fall to pieces in the darkness of what they see?

Meg's pack of humans have become even more of a presence than at any time before. They've also grown by leaps and bounds with the addition of a group of police officers who are now living within the general vicinity. I already mentioned Twylla and for good reason. She is a strong character, with a strong will for doing what is necessary. She takes charge in several different areas, and makes hard choices like leaving her own kids to their own devices. She also has a strong intuition when it comes to how to treat Others like Sam, and Skippy which makes for some humorous reading. But, when it comes to her son Jimmy, he may be the one person who may tear down her character along with everyone else in Lakeside.

For the first time in a while, there is hope that Meg and Simon will finally get over the hump and become more than just friends. There is so much protectiveness when it comes to Meg from not only Sam, but Vlad, and Tess as well. I adore Meg, Simon, Skippy, and even Sam together. It takes an outsider in the human police department to finally wake up Simon to the point where he knows that Meg is his family, and perhaps even though she will never become a wolf, his mate.

Etched in Bone is the final novel feature Meg and the Lakeside crew. But, you will be happy to know that there is a Sixth novel planned for 2018. That novel is being called Lake Silence. Here is a teaser "Bishop’s new novel takes readers to a human village nestled in the terra indigene-controlled Finger Lakes region of Northeast Thaisia. It stars divorcee Victoria “Vicki” DeVine, owner of The Jumble — a small, self-sufficient community located on the shore of Lake Silence. Vicki and the town’s residents soon find themselves caught up in a chilling mystery, after a series of vicious murders rock the small community.