THE OTHERS by Evette Davis is the first in The Council Trilogy, a captivating fantasy series that showcases Davis’s deep appreciation and exploration of the genre. Olivia Shepherd awakes one day to find a strange woman named Elsa in her kitchen, and her life will never be the same from then on. She finds herself immersed in the hidden realm of the “Others,” a network of fairies, demons, vampires, and time walkers. Recruited by The Council, a secret organization that covertly influences human affairs, she becomes embroiled in their operations.
Davis builds her fantasy world around San Francisco, creating a fun and unique experience from the very beginning: “That’s when the city’s Others—fairies, witches, vampires, and werewolves—can meet. They attend to their business in the darkness of night, the light muted, the air damp and gray.” Her knowledge of the fantasy genre is evident, as she skillfully weaves fantastical elements with politics, society, and history. The result is a love letter to San Francisco and fantasy—a city where the culture thrives and hides a darker and more mysterious underbelly.
Olivia’s love interest, William, is a vampire who has lived for centuries. He has participated in enough events to believe that intervention is futile. While he wants to avoid getting invested in human matters, Olivia still cares deeply: “It was astonishing to think I had been sitting in the car with someone who had walked the fields of Europe in 1916 […] The only problem was, William didn’t seem to have emerged with a very good opinion of the human race.” The incorporation of historical elements elevates the narrative, too, as it creates a more multifaceted universe and binds our world to theirs. In terms of characters, Davis understands how events impact the individual: “The pain and disappointment of his life hung about him like a cloak. It permeated the air, giving him a rank and bitter scent. This, I mused, was an example of human betrayal left festering….”
However, the book’s pacing is a bit uneven, as the story often advances quickly, not allowing certain events the gravity they deserve. The “telling” rather than “showing” approach enters at times, which may create a slight disconnect for the reader. Additionally, the romance in the book moves swiftly, with limited character development. The book could have benefited from more in-depth exploration of the characters; it could also have given them more time to process events and new information, allowing the same for the reader. More detailed descriptions and a slower pace could have enhanced the overall reading experience as well.
Even with these drawbacks, Davis’s passion for fantasy and the exciting story shines through, and the ending leaves the reader eager for more. With two books remaining in the series, it’s worth picking up the first one to escape into another world.
Evette Davis’s THE OTHERS showcases her deep passion for storytelling and the enchanting world of the supernatural.
~Tess McCumstie for IndieReader