Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (The Others #6)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Ace on March 6, 2018
Source: Library
In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy, set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, Vicki DeVine and her lodger, the shapeshifter Aggie Crowe, stumble onto a dead body . . . and find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.View Spoiler »
LAKE SILENCE is the sixth book in Anne Bishop’s The Others, an urban fantasy series that chronicles the developing personal and political relationships of humans and the Others, supernatural creatures who can take human form. It’s also a spin-off of the original series, so if you’ve been interested in checking this series out, LAKE SILENCE is a great place to jump in.
In the small village of Sproing, newcomer Vicki DeVine is doing her best to revive a rundown nature resort called The Jumble. The property was part of her divorce settlement, and despite its current lack of profitability, it’s by far the best thing to come out of her marriage. There’s only one problem: while Vicki owns the buildings at The Jumble, the land itself belongs to the Others. The terra indigene have strict laws governing their lands, and a human like Vicki is quite literally dead meat if she breaks them. Thankfully Vicki has lots of allies in Sproing, not all of them strictly human…
If I had to describe this series in one sentence it would be this: dark urban fantasy featuring shifters meets cozy mystery with a dash of politics. Intrigued? You should be. The action in LAKE SILENCE begins when Vicki’s only lodger at The Jumble stumbles upon a dead human and takes one of his eyeballs for her lunch. Vicki, understandably freaked out on all counts, calls the police…and falls right into the trap set for her by a shadowy group who want the valuable land The Jumble sits on for their own.
The characters in LAKE SILENCE are all complex, compelling, and dogged by darkness. My favourite combination! Vicki in particular is a fantastic character: her insecurities and struggles are relatable and realistic, but her problems never completely take over her development. Vicki has panic attacks and serious trust issues, but they don’t stifle her warmth and compassion. Her curiosity about the Others is especially charming, and leads to some genuinely hilarious moments. Secondary characters like officer Grimshaw, the local bookseller Julian, the boarding house operator Ineke, and Aggie Crowe are all equally as lovable, and I love the dynamic that’s building between them.
Since LAKE SILENCE is only a minor continuation of the first series arc, there are only minimal references to the events and characters within them. Bishop introduces the Others or terra indigene to new readers, going over their society, politics, and history with humans. Long-time readers of the series shouldn’t find themselves bored by this though, since Sproing is a unique community with its own creatures. Sure, it features a twee bookstore and café just like Lakeside, but the village’s proximity to Other-controlled land means the conflict (and harmony) between humans and the Others are quite different. We also get to meet a few different types of terra indigene, including the mysterious and beautiful water creature, the Lady of Lake Silence!
With LAKE SILENCE, Anne Bishop has provided both a great introduction to the world of the Others and a strong continuation of the series for longtime fans. If you like character driven urban fantasy, add this to your TBR immediately!