The Recommended Reading Order for The Others
When diving into the dark, complex world of Anne Bishop’s The Others, the best path forward is straightforward: read the books in order of publication. Because the global political climate, character development, and supernatural tensions build sequentially across the series, reading out of order will spoil major plot points and historical changes in the setting of Thaisia.
The series is divided into two distinct arcs: the primary five-book sequence centering on blood prophet Meg Corbyn, followed by the companion novels published under The World of the Others banner. The publication sequence is also the chronological sequence, making it the cleanest way to experience the story.
The Meg Corbyn Quintet (Main Series)
This is where the story begins, introducing readers to the Lakeside Courtyard and the fragile peace between humanity and the earth's native predators, the terra indigene.
- Written in Red (2013): The series opener introduces Meg Corbyn, a cassandra sangue (blood prophet) on the run from her captors, who seeks sanctuary in the Lakeside Courtyard. It establishes the tense relationship between humans and the Others, led by the Wolf shifter Simon Wolfgard.
- Murder of Crows (2014): Tensions escalate as a radical human supremacy group called the Humans First and Last movement begins causing trouble, threatening the fragile peace Meg has found.
- Vision in Silver (2015): With the blood prophets freed but struggling to survive their addictive visions, Meg and her supernatural allies must figure out how to help them before the conflict reaches a boiling point.
- Marked in Flesh (2016): The conflict between the human population and the Others reaches a global scale, drawing the attention of the Elders—the ancient, terrifying forces of nature who view humans as nothing more than meat.
- Etched in Bone (2017): The aftermath of the global war leaves the Lakeside Courtyard dealing with a new influx of human residents and the devious troublemakers who try to exploit the survivors.
The World of the Others (Spin-off Series)
These novels expand the universe beyond the Lakeside Courtyard, focusing on different locations and introducing new primary protagonists, while dealing with the fallout of the events in Etched in Bone. They should be read after the main quintet.
- Lake Silence (2018): Set in the rustic resort town of Sproing, this novel introduces Vicki DeVine, a human divorcee running a resort called The Jumble. She finds herself caught in a local murder investigation alongside the local Others, including the Crow shifter Aggie.
- Wild Country (2019): This book shifts focus to the town of Bennett, which is being resettled by both humans and the Others after its previous human population was wiped out during the events of the main series. It highlights the challenges of building an integrated community.
- Crowbones (2022): Returning to Sproing and The Jumble resort, Vicki DeVine and her Crow allies must solve a series of mysterious deaths when an ancient, scary figure known as Crowbones appears during a winter gathering.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
Fortunately for readers, there is no divergence between publication order and chronological order. Every book in the franchise follows the chronological progression of time in Thaisia. While the spin-off novels like Lake Silence and Wild Country take place in different locations (Sproing and Bennett, respectively), they occur in the years immediately following the climax of the main series (specifically after Marked in Flesh and Etched in Bone). Reading the spin-offs before finishing the main series will expose readers to massive spoilers regarding the outcome of the war between humanity and the Elders.
Where to Start: The Perfect Entry Point
There is only one logical place to begin reading: Written in Red. Unlike some urban fantasy series where the first book can be skipped or is disconnected from the main plot, the entire mythos of Thaisia is built on the events of the first novel. It introduces the complex terminology, the nature of the terra indigene, the rules of the blood prophets, and the fundamental societal dynamics. Starting with a spin-off like Lake Silence is possible but highly discouraged, as it assumes the reader already understands the laws, terminology, and history of the world.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you crack open the first book, here are a few structural and stylistic details to keep in mind:
- No Co-authored Books or Anthologies: The entire series is written solely by Anne Bishop. Furthermore, unlike many urban fantasy series that feature scattered short stories or novellas in external anthologies, The Others consists strictly of these eight novels. You do not need to hunt down rare anthologies or short story collections.
- A Different Kind of Supernatural: Do not expect typical urban fantasy tropes. The vampires (Sanguinati) and shifters in this series are not human-centric; they are elemental predators who have learned to tolerate humans for their technology, clothing, and baked goods. Humans are not the dominant species, and the tone of the series frequently reminds readers of this hierarchy.
- A Slow-Burn Found Family: While there are romantic elements in the series, particularly the slow-burn bond between Meg and Simon, the series is not a paranormal romance. The focus is heavily on community, survival, and the concept of found family in a harsh world.