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Kushiel's Dart
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Review
"A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating read."--Robert Jordan
"This brilliant and daring debut catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists . . . . At the end, the heroine reminds one of an equally strong-minded sister whose home was Tara."-"Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"This brilliant and daring debut catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists . . . . At the end, the heroine reminds one of an equally strong-minded sister whose home was Tara."-"Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
Product Description
The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.
Phedre no Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.
Phedre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phedre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phedre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.
Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of "Kushiel's Dart"-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.
Phedre no Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.
Phedre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phedre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phedre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.
Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of "Kushiel's Dart"-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.
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First Sentence
Lest anyone should suppose that I am a cuckoo's child, got on the wrong side of the blanket by lusty peasant stock and sold into indenture in a shortfallen season, I may say that I am House-born and reared in the Night Court proper, for all the good it did me. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Lest anyone should suppose that I am a cuckoo's child, got on the wrong side of the blanket by lusty peasant stock and sold into indenture in a shortfallen season, I may say that I am House-born and reared in the Night Court proper, for all the good it did me. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A beautifully crafted piece of writing, containing some very clever ideas. The story is set in an alternate middle ages with a completely new religious mythology. Although it's tempting to gloss over the religion at first, (especially if you're a speed reader as I am)do try not to, as the religion is the basis of the story, the belief system motivating both main characters. This is a tale of treachery, love and betrayal, but most particularly love in all it's forms. There's the love for one's friends and fellow man, love for one's country, love for one's Gods (even when they drive you hard)and erotic love. There is a lovely erotic undercurrent throughout the book as our heroine comes to terms with the fact that she feels pain as pleasure and what this means for her when she is enslaved.
There's plenty of political shenanigans, spying and battles. I couldn't resist looking at the maps every now and again and trying to work out where the characters were in modern terms.
There's plenty of political shenanigans, spying and battles. I couldn't resist looking at the maps every now and again and trying to work out where the characters were in modern terms.
And how many of us could resist the Cassiline? What a knight in shining armour! I love the way he starts out a pompous idiot and his character develops through adversity. The Perfect Companion indeed.
Not so much magical as mystical, I highly recommend Kushiel's Dart and the following two novels in the trilogy.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was attracted to this novel by the heroine Phedre's physical marker - which I share and which sets her apart and determines the path of her life from infancy - a scarlet mote in her left eye.
The book may be daunting in size but it has an ambitious range and the author writes superbly and sensually. Here is finally a book which deals on a cerebral and physical level dealing often with the extremes of intimate relations (especially due to Phedre's unusual propensities as an anguissette derived from the spot in her eye, Kushiel's dart).
Without elaborating too much, the setting of Phedre's world appears to be a Europe after the Crucifixion which did not occur exactly as it does in the bible. Instead a new deity was born from the blood of Christ and the tears of Mary Magdalene leading to a number of other events which are detailed in the book. The upshot is that Phedre is born into a pleasure house (of which there are many) where everyone is extremely good-looking (a premise explained quite convincingly) consecrated to the worship of Naamah.
The most difficult part of the book is the political intrigues involving a cast of hundreds people which is not always easy to follow. However this aspect of the novel is balanced by the development of Phedre's character with very likeable central characters and a good pace. Buy this one and you won't be disappointed.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the story of Phedre No'Delauney, and starts when she is a very small child and her story as an anguisette, chosen to experience pain and pleasure as one.
This book can be quite erotic at times, but this book should not be dismissed as erotic fiction it is much more than that, an extremely well told book based in the middle ages in Europe, the use of the old country names such as Alba emphasises this.
Phedre bears the mark of Kushiel's Dart, a scarlet mote in her eye. The main part of this story revolves a\round Terre D'Ange (Land of Angels), the inhabitants of Terre D'Ange are descended from divine beings.
The story is based on politics, love & betrayal, aside from Phedre the cast of characters is impressive with extremely well-developed characters, and JC has detailed these very well within the story. The beginning of the story can get quite cumbersome and this is quite a long book but, it is well worth sticking to it after the first 150 pages or so the plot gets much more interesting. I did get the feeling that Phedre was narrating from sometime long ago in the past and seems as though she was looking back and re-living her experiences.
This is a fantastic novel, it has been criticised but, I personally feel this is a brilliant book and remains one of my all-time favourites, it is a very long book as indeed are the others in this trilogy, though this one is the longest but, it is never drawn out and is simply a stunning book to read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gripping
Excellent sequel. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot, which had some very unpredictable twists and turns. I look forward to the next volume.
Published 22 days ago by R. M. Wilson
Love this book.
I read this first several years ago after it caught my eye in the library. It instantly became one of my favourite books of all time. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Pookie
"Kushiel's Legacy" series book 1
At first glance Phèdre appears an unlikely heroine. Sold by her mother into the servitude of a brothel (albeit an extremely high class establishment), discovered to be an... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Book Addict
Kushiel's Dart hits the bullseye
This is a wonderful book. I have recommended it to a fair number of people over the years, and most have told me how much they enjoyed it. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Frann Leach
So worth waiting for...
This epic centres around the first-person narrator,Phedre, who was abandoned by her parents and raised as a courtesan. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Jenna Louise
Couldn't finish the book
I know people have rated this highly, so obviously it appeals to some very much. I'm afraid I'm not one of them. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2010 by D. I. Macdonald
Though if I would give it a 3.5 if I could, I cannot say, for I am...
Firstly, I must say I absolutely hate these covers. Her mark looks like a giant tramp stamp. It doesn't even look like a real tattoo--it looks like a peel on sticker you'd get from... Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2009 by L. R. Richardson
Fabulous histroical fantasy
As an avid reader of fantasy 'other worlds/magic/poor boy saves world' drivel, when I first picked up Kushiel's Dart I thought that it would be much of the same. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2009 by Kate
'Love as thou wilt and Elua will ever guide your steps.'
'Kushiel's Dart' tells the story of Phedre no Delaunay and the politics and challenges of her homeland Terre D'Ange with Jacqueline Carey describing all of Phedre's companions,... Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2007 by starlight sunrise
Absorbing
I first read this book about 2 years ago when it was recommended to me by a (male) friend - I figured out what had caught his imagination fairly quickly! Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2007 by Bezzer
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