Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

The Others, #2
URBAN FANTASY
rating

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard - Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader - wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet - and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

“He just hoped Meg leading the way didn’t mean all the blood prophets would do strange things to their hair.”

While I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, it was an excellent follow-up that kept me glued.

The world-building is fascinating and complex - I love Meg and the different creatures in Lakeside and how they interact with each other. It's dark and violent and gritty, but even the humorous parts (and there are several!) work well. The crows especially get a bigger part in the story, and I love that little group. Bad, bad humans must ruin everything as always *sigh*. The Controller plays a larger role and we get to connect with another blood prophet in a cool sub-plot and angle.

It's funny but most of the actual story doesn't start skyrocketing in pace until the end, but it still lured me in since I like the charm of the town and characters so much. There's still a little too much shifting for POVs - I like the cops but dont need to be in their heads quite this much - but I still stayed focused on Meg and her bizarre prophecies, the struggle of the other blood prophets that need rescuing, what's happening with the poor crows, Simon getting more attached to Meg, and the townfolk being the fun but vicious monsters they are.

I do find the way The Others are portrayed as so superior and almost holier-than-thou grating sometimes, even if humans are destructive, but I can't settle with ease on the destroy all humans and take their lands with as much enthusiasm as some of the series readers.

Oh, but this book has cookies - lots and lots of cookies!!



   Book Quotes:

“Human females, they're kind of crazy during this time aren't they?
If you chose to believe the stories written by male writers."