Bea's Book Nook: Bea Reviews Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Publisher: ROC
Series: The Others #3
Format Read: eGalley & hardcover
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble |
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Blurb from goodreads:

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep.

Bea's Thoughts:

So this review has been a struggle to write because I like the book so damn much. It's not quite Written in Red good, but it's good, 4 solid shiny stars good. :D Trying to think of something intelligent to write besides, "Buy it, read it!" has been a challenge.

Vision in Silver picks up shortly after a Murder of Crows ends. Relations between the humans and the Others have continued to deteriorate even as word has spread of the Lakeside Courtyard's success in interacting with humans, thanks in part to Meg and her female friends whom Simon the Courtyard leader calls 'the female pack'. Simon finds himself in the unusual position of welcoming and incorporating the humans who have worked for the Courtyard and even extending that help to outside humans such as Montgomery, a police officer who has worked to help and protect the Others. It's not just from the goodness of his heart but a desire to make Meg happy and just as important, an experiment to see if humans and Others can successfully live and work together.

Help, assistance, mutual cooperation are important themes in the book as is change. The Courtyard and its inhabitants are changing, many of the Others are changing, human society is changing, the cassandra sangue have extreme changes to adjust to, even Meg and Simon are changing. Many of these changes require trust and cooperation. Some of the changes are good or beneficial, some are not, and some it's not yet clear where they will fall on the scale. A concern to Simon, his friends and peers, and the Elders of the Others is just how much the Others are changing and will those changes ultimately be good or bad?

Vision in Silver was an engrossing blend of politics, story, and characters. We spend as much time in Simon's head as we do in Meg's and officer Montgomery continues to play an important role. Bishop isn't all seriousness though with nice bits of humor here and there, some of which involve a plush, smelly teddy bear named Boo Bear. I still have questions about some of the world building and humanity's evolution, especially the similarities and differences to our own, but Bishop has built a solid fascinating world that serves as a lens to many of the issues we deal with everyday while being a compelling read about characters, no, people, that I care about and want to know more about it. The Others will never be sweet and cuddly but they're fascinating, terrifying, and utterly engaging. Meg is sweet with a strength even she doesn't always recognize but she's not perfect and it was heartbreaking at times watching her mistakes. She grew up a lot in this story and I liked her even more by the end.

I stayed up late reading Vision in Silver and I've read it several times. Now I want to re-read the first two books. This is a series that's a keeper and Vision in Silver is worth a read or five. Haven't started the series yet? Start with book one, Written in Red, then read book two, Murder of Crows. You won't be sorry.

Some quotes:

He could, and would, rid the Courtyard of the sickness called human before it contaminated the terra indigene, before it changed the. He was, after all, the dominant Wolf, the leader.

He grinned. Gaggle of girls. Female pack had a sound of teeth and power. But gaggle? Easier to deal with a gaggle as long as he remembered a gaggle could change into a pack pretty damn fast.

Monty looked at Simon and motioned toward the door. "I'll walk you out." "My scent here is fresh. I can find the door to outside." Simon cocked his head. "This walking. It's like a female in a story saying she's going to powder her nose when she's really going to pee?"
Pete choked.
"Something like that," Monty said in a strangled voice.

For now, he and Meg were going to have the adventure of seeing a new place ad having a new experience. Together.

He wasn't human. Would never be human. And Meg didn't expect him to be. But feeling her hand in his, Simon thought maybe he could learn to be human enough.