When Love cast me out,it was Cruelty who took pity on me.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 a very special mission... and the first one ...
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When Love cast me out,it was Cruelty who took pity on me.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 a very 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 analyse. Almost as talented a spy as she is a courtesan, Phedre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundation of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honour goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair. . . and beyond. Phedre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.REVIEWS:"This brilliant and daring debut catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists... At the end, the heroine reminds me of an equally strong-minded sister whose home was Tara.:-Publishers Weekly
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Good. Pocket paperbk, 912, map, covers somewhat worn and soiledSold into indentured servitude as a child in the sumptuous and exotic Night Court, Phedre no Delaunay is a woman trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, in the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. She also struggles for honor and duty, and her loyalty to the land she loves will take her to the edge of despair and beyond.
I am so glad to have discovered Jacqueline Carey and her "Kushiel's Legacy" series, which begins with "Kushiel's Dart." I've always been an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy, but in recent years I've branched out to read a lot more "regular" fiction as well as other types of genre fiction (gothic, thriller, espionage, etc) and the only unfortunate side effect of being more broadly read is that I've become a lot pickier about what I read in general, but especially when I return to the fantasy genre. Let's face it. There is a LOT of bad fantasy out there, and it can be a little difficult to sift through it all to find a good level of craftmanship and story without doing a bunch of research online before heading to the store (or site...). I picked up "Kushiel's Dart" due to a staff recommendation tagged on the shelf, read the back, hemmed and hawed a little, read the first few pages, carried it around the store for awhile, then put it back and ended up getting it from the library.
This is because I just could NOT decide based on the back of the book and the cover (which is a pretty corny cover complete with red foil stamping and a shirtless woman) whether this was thinly disguised erotica, or if it was a ridiculously brave and ingenious idea.
Luckily for me, it was the latter! The world Carey has created is unique, rich, and believable, and the heroine is well worth championing. Yes, there is sex here, but it isn't nearly so overt as I was expecting, given that Phèdre nó Delaunay is a courtesan. Not only that, but she is a masochist, or an "anguisette" in the parlance of her world. The genius of Carey's work here is that because Phèdre enjoys her work, the taboo aspect of it falls away rather quickly, and her sexuality is not a vulnerability, but instead just part of who she is. (It also helps that very few of the scenes of a sexual nature are particularly explicit). This frees up the reader's attention for the meat of the story. Phèdre is not just a courtesan; she has been trained to observe, analyze, and remember details. Essentially, she is a spy, and an extremely effective one. This leads her into the depths of her country's political turmoil. When she stumbles into a plot against her beloved country, she uses her unique capabilities to work for the preservation of her queen and her homeland.
Of course, "Kushiel's Dart" is not perfect. There are some characters who I wished would have had a little more development, and there are some signs of the first time author, but overall, Carey is just so inventive that I have to forgive her. I will be following the rest of the series to see how she grows as an author and to follow the intriguing, unusual character of Phèdre.
HorseGal
Apr 2, 2007
Sexy and Intriguing
Kushiel's Dart is the beginning of an interesting series that explores convoluted mysteries in an interesting fashion. The main character, Phedre, is a multi-laytered character who happens to be a creature who desires sexual domination. Carey has created a woman who's cultured, sensual, sexual, as well as a bit depraved; but Carey has developed a softer side of Phedre...one who years for acceptance and love. This book starts us on a journey of exploration of the darker side of humanity, but with the hope of something god-like in ourselves. Wonderful book, awesome series!
