Wench Review of..

By Zee the Terrible - February 27, 2015

..Vision In Silver by Anne Bishop.

Another day, another much anticipated release the Wenches got their greedy little hands on early thanks to the very awesome Anne Bishop! Vision In Silver is the latest installment of Anne Bishop's The Others! Mark your calendars, readers! March 3rd, 2014! And if you haven't read this series yet, take my advice, pick up Written In Red! And if you need convincing, here's Wench Angela's review! You will not regret it!

Click through to see what I thought about Vision In Silver (once I was done squeeing over the fact that I got to read an ARC!)

This will be a pretty spoiler free review. (Events from the previous books might be referenced.)

Vision In Silver picks up after the events of Murder of Crows, everyone involved is still wondering how to help the cassandra sangue (blood prophets) that The Others and the Intuits rescued from the Controller's compound. But that's just the tip of the iceberg!

I cannot stress enough just how much I love this world Anne Bishop has created. It is like nothing I have ever read before. Thaisia is a wonderful, violent, dark, and mysterious world. The dynamics between the humans, the Others, the Elementals, and the mysterious earth natives who doled out justice in the form of extinction isn't anything like the watered down, domesticated stuff you've read in other fantasy novels. No. These creatures have no respect for humans, they don't want to be like them, or live like them. They quietly tolerate them. They let humans live their lives, they don't interfere, until humans do something stupid like... drug the Others with blood from a cassandra sangue, meat from one, or form a Humans First And Last group. And then it's game over. No second chances.

I love the unforgiving nature of the world. I relish the savagery of their judgement. I am fascinated by the ancient terra indigene like Tess, Plague Rider, Harvester, whatever you want to call her, I NEED to know more about her! And more about others like her. There's a mention of another of her kind, a male, which basically made me want to somehow email or tweet at Anne Bishop and beg her for more information about him! And Tess. Especially Tess.

The Sanguinati were such an integral part of this story, they're like a network of blood vessels (ha!) that run through everything. In all the different cities. Vlad's grandfather Erebus is ready to go to war on behalf of the "sweet bloods" if anyone so much as looks at them wrong. And I adore how protective he is about Meg without really being creepy and smothering her in any way, which is how it usually happens in books when someone that powerful, feared, and respected puts themselves in your corner. I was happy to read more about Vlad and Nyx too. In another world, Nyx and Tess would be a superhero duo. And anyone else think Vlad should get a sort of spin off series? It cannot just be me.

The thread that runs though this story, is the growth of the Humans First and Last movement, and their discrimination against the Others and those that fraternize with them and work for/with them. It's something that is VERY relevant to our world. Why humans have this need to separate, to discriminate, to dwell on differences and resort to violence against those we perceive as "other". One can't help but wonder if maybe the earth natives should just wipe out the hateful lot of us and be done with it. Maybe next time humans repopulate, it won't go so wrong?

Seriously. We suck.

Now, Simon Wolfgard, I do so love his character. And I love that his character develops in a way that realizes and accepts all the differences between the others and the humans, but still works actively in making the Courtyard a place where some sort of harmony can be reached. And to make it so as an example to humans and terra indigene alike. THAT is a true leader, a visionary. Another thing I love about him is that he never crowds Meg, even when he desperately wants to. When she turns to people other than him for help, he gets it, even when it hurts. He gives her breathing room, space to grow and learn. And understand his limitations when it comes to helping her. Doesn't hurt that he's dreamy!

Meg is living her free life in the Courtyard with the Others, but as a blood prophet, she has her limitations. We find out about issues that seem to be common to all the freed blood prophets, and Meg, the trailblazer, helps figure out ways to somehow deal with these. With the help of her human friends. (I love that Ms. Bishop has given Meg a human "pack" of her very own instead of basically leaving her with creatures that might never truly understand her or be able to help her in all the ways she needs.)

I've said from the beginning that heroines take different forms, have different histories that make them what they are. And I've always loved how Meg's past IS very real, and very present in everything she does. I wouldn't have believed it for a second if our imprisoned since childhood blood prophet had escaped and suddenly become some leather wearing, sword toting bad ass within a few books just because that's what we seem to expect in our female leads in fantasy lately. No, Meg has a journey that is all her own. Unique trials and tribulations to overcome. And she is the first to bring hope to an entire group of girls and women who have known nothing but the sad lives they led at the compounds. Meg's future may seem limited and bleak, but she has already made a difference where no one else was able to for years.

Now, my one complaint in this was.. not NEARLY enough Simon and Meg page time. I want+need to see their relationship progress. I felt like there was more Lizzy (Detective Monty's kid) time than Simon/Meg time! And yes, maybe it was because I was SO excited to read more of their awkward "trying to figure this strange thing out" interactions, but it bummed me out just a tiny bit. If you're one for the slow burn (which I usually am) you will be fine with this! The best thing about their growing relationship is the fact that Ms. Bishop NEVER lets you forget the exact nature of both Simon or Meg. Simon, in all his wolfish glory. And Meg, such an innocent in this wild world.

Honestly, the story will keep you glued to the book from start to finish. Do NOT be surprised if you finish this in one sitting. There are strange prophecies from the blood prophets, enough to keep anyone interested, a whole new revelation of cruelty to the cassandra sangue, not to mention so much more we learn about them, stolen jewels, murder, mayhem, Simon and the Courtyard choosing to work VERY closely with more humans and the human police, and a chilling phone call toward the end that raised the hairs on my arm just thinking about it. Simon and Meg have their plates FULL. And I cannot wait to read the next installment to find out what on earth happens next!