GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Book Review: Crowbones (The World of Others #3, The Others #8) by Anne Bishop | I Smell Sheep

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Book Review: Crowbones (The World of Others #3, The Others #8) by Anne Bishop

Crowbones (The World of Others #3, The Others #8)
by Anne Bishop
March 8, 2022
Publisher: Ace
In this engrossing and gripping fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her friends must find a killer—before it’s too late.…

Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!

Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.
 
But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.
 
To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.

Crowbones is the third installment in The World of Others spin-off series. It tells a tale spanning only days wherein a small settlement is seemingly terrorized by a boogey-man-like elder being named Crowbones. Crowbones’ arrival coincides with a Halloween-like event, contributing an additional layer to the spooky, somewhat post-apocalyptic setting. Humans and shifters alike frantically try to unwind the purpose of Crowbones’ arrival as the body count rises.

Much of the action in Crowbones takes place at The Jumble, a rustic resort owned by Victoria “Vicki” DeVine. Vicki has a close communion with The Others, including animal shifters, vampires, elementals, and elders. There is a vested interest, it seems, on behalf of The Others to ensure Vicki’s safety. Vicki is a relatable character. She struggles with anxiety due to past trauma. Vicki is also seemingly ordinary in appearance, a rarity among female main characters in fantasy series. Many readers will connect with Vicki’s humility and humanity.

The plot unfolds as a whodunit. When bodies start piling up, there is a vast cast of characters and suspects. The deaths are brutal and violent, shaking The Jumbles staff and visitors to the core. An eclectic group of characters working collectively to uncover the threat to The Jumble and the village of Sproing. I found the thriller elements of the story entertaining. The vast cast of characters lends interest and variety to the story.

In the interest of full disclosure, I entered this universe with Crowbones. I had heard of The Others series but have not read any other installments set in this world. That being said, it took me a while to understand what was going on. Bishop’s world is highly imaginative with an incredible amount of world-building, including unique months/days of the week. Bishop provides a map (of a neighbouring town?) and a list of characters grouped by type. I was constantly referring to this list to parse out alignment and connection. This made the reading experience disjointed and slow. It’s likely advisable to start at the beginning, if not of The Others series, but at least with The World of Others.

Four Sheep





Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop is the winner of the RT Book Reviews 2013 Career Achievement Award in Fantasy and the 2017 Career Achievement Award in Urban Fantasy. She also received the RT Book Reviews Pioneer Award as well as the William L. Crawford Memorial Fantasy Award for the Black Jewels Trilogy.

Her most recent novel is The Queen’s Bargain, a Black Jewels novel. When she’s not getting her characters into trouble, Anne enjoys gardening, reading, and music. Since you're reading this, there's no point in telling you to visit her website at www.annebishop.com.

1 comment:

  1. I liked revisiting Lake Silence, but the storyline underwhelmed and was rather repetitive.

    ReplyDelete