The first book in the "Kushiel Trilogy", _Kushiel's Dart_, was one of the best -- if not the best -- fantasy book of last year, and its sequel, _Kushiel's Chosen_, did not disappoint me in the least. It is a certainly a different book, at least compared to the first half of _Kushiel's Dart_ which centred around Phèdre's coming of age, as _Kushiel's Chosen_ combines the headache-inducing intrigues of the first half of _Kushiel's Dart_ with the fast-paced action of its latter half. To keep the kingdom of Terre d'Ange and its queen Ysandre safe, Phèdre must learn not only who it was who betrayed them and released Melisande, but also where Melisande hides and what she plans to do. To do this, Phèdre must use all the skills taught to her by her dead mentor, as well as her unique skills as an anguisette. The price for her choice, however, may be higher than she would like, and the pain of the body is nothing compared to the pain of the soul.
Like the previous book, _Kushiel's Chosen_ is well-written and a pleasure to read. But it is also not, as was the case with the first one, a book for those who dislike a fair amount of adult content, a first-person narrative and plenty of both brilliant and beautiful characters.
Obviously, I quite like those things myself, and I've already started the count-down until the final part, _Kushiel's Avatar_, is out...
