Murder Of Crows (The Others, #2)

by Anne Bishop

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.75 ★ Audiobook⎮ I began this audiobook within seconds of finishing the previous installment. When you’re riding the high of a newly discovered series, you do things like that. I will say that I liked this installment slightly less than the first, but only slightly. It continued with the larger, over-arcing storyline, which moved at a steady pace, while the smaller, faster-paced plotlines shifted focus a little in this installment. For example, the main storyline (the growing divide between humans and terra indigene) is steadily picking up steam, albeit at a tantalizingly pace, and the minor plotlines (usually dealing with smaller/internal conflicts) that are happening in conjunction are occurring and being resolved much more quickly. This installment saw more of Mary Lee and the other humans that work in the Courtyard and not as much of Sam, the wolf pup whom I adored in the previous book. I appreciate how Anne Bishop can artfully juggle multiple minor plotlines in tandem with the overall main plot. This technique gives her the opportunity to develop extremely well-rounded characters, along with an excellently crafted world. Murder of Crows takes the reader even further into the world beyond the Courtyard and it is marvelous. It’s amazing how Bishop’s writing strikes such a delicate and enticing balance that causes the story and its characters to come across as delightfully dark. For me, it’s just perfect, like a really great dark chocolate.