Rating: 5
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
"Seven hundred years ago, a Black Widow witch saw an ancient prophecy come to life in her web of dreams and visions.
Now the Dark Realm readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, the Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But the Queen is still young, still open to influence - and corruption.
Whoever controls the Queen controls the Darkness. Three men - sworn enemies - know this. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent young girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, where the weapons are hate and love - and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining..."
I first read The Black Jewels Trilogy about 18 months ago, while on a ship in Libya of all places. It was recommended to me by Rhinoa, and I did really enjoy it, but it wasn't love. I have since read the follow-up books, Dreams Made Flesh and Tangled Webs, and suddenly found the desire, nay the need to reread the trilogy.
It is now official. I love The Black Jewels Trilogy, and indeed this entire world Anne Bishop has created. Few stories have gripped me in this way, even fewer upon reading them for a second time. I have actually found myself struggling to get into the car in the morning, because I couldn't put the book down. I even snuck away to a hidden corner in the office (a la Nymeth!) some lunchtimes to have a read.
Anne Bishop is a fabulous storyteller. There is no other way to explain what it is about these books that draws the reader in. It is not simply her writing, or her characters, settings or plots, it is a glorious combination of all the above that blend together forming a delicious concoction of fantasy, magic, with a large dollop of darkness that simmers with suspense, and a touch of the erotic. Set in a world where in each race, there are some people who are Blood, and some of these wear the Jewels, and possess the varying strength and power given to them by these Jewels. A trio of male characters form the backbone of this story, each wears a dark Jewel, and each has his own trials and tribulations throughout the trilogy. It is their shared desire to love, serve and protect Witch that brings them together and ultimately shapes their paths. Thousands of years pass, but when Witch finally appears, she is not what anyone expects, a mere child, vulnerable to physical and emotional attack and corruption. These men must pull together in order to help this young girl shape herself into the woman she must become if she is to rule and save the Blood who have been tainted by evil for millenia.
To describe Bishop's world as detailed would be an understatement. This may be a little daunting at first, but the reader soon gets used to it. Bishop has created a hierarchy amongst the Blood, Protocol by which the courts must abide, and an emotional intensity among her characters that rarely translates well onto the page. Almost every character here is somewhat unstable. Emotions are heightened, especially rage, loyalty and lust. Traditional gender rules have also been changed, with females generally more dominant. Two of the main male characters have spent centuries as pleasure slaves, making them bitter, resentful and dangerous. This danger is palpable. It practically leaps off the page and grabs you by the throat.
When I read Dreams Made Flesh, it was Lucivar's character that I enjoyed following the most, but upon rereading the trilogy, I find myself far more drawn to Saetan, the High Lord of Hell. He is the glue who holds this family, this alliance, together until Jaenelle is old enough to come into her full power and status as Queen, and more importantly as Witch. He is ancient by our standards, and yet youthful in comparison with other characters. He is a formidable opponent for most, yet trembles in the glory of Witch. His strength and vulnerability are what make him one of the most interesting characters. Just when I think I have his character pegged, he does something to surprise me. I still love reading about Lucivar, his impulsive and independent nature, yet his overwhelming desire to serve and protect Jaenelle, and his willingness to die for her, and what she represents. But the other part of the story that really captured my attention far more this time round was the Kindred, animals who are also Blood and wear Jewels, who are also responsibly for dreaming Witch into existence. They more than any other Blood in this story are the ones that trust and hope, placing their faith in the Witch, when even the best of men and women would doubt.
I dearly hope that Anne Bishop continues this saga. With Dreams Made Flesh and Tangled Webs, the author showed how a story can be continued and developed without detracting from the power of the original trilogy, and there is much more potential for character development within the world she created. It pains me that Bishop's work is largely unheard of in the UK, and I for one will definitely be sharing it with friends who are fans of fantasy fiction. I cannot recommend these stories enough.
Other blog reviews:
Things Mean A Lot
Confessions of a Book Addict (Daughter of the Blood)
Confessions of a Book Addict (Heir to the Shadows)
Have I missed yours?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Black Jewels Trilogy - Anne Bishop
Monday, November 17, 2008
Adventures and obsessions..
Well that was indeed a ridiculously short job. Two days in fact, though a very intense and somewhat fun two days. And with a well-deserved five-day holiday in Brisbane afterwards, visiting some friends! We walked, shopped, had lots of high tea, visited a glow-worm cave, went to the beach, watched the US election and celebrated with an Obamarama party! It was lovely to get the chance to see (once again!) everything I love about Australia, especially the ocean, the hills and fabulous wildlife. And now I am back, and it looks like I won’t be going offshore again before March, which leaves me lots of reading and blogging time! Speaking of which...I started reading Rebecca, but have made the mistake of also starting to reread The Black Jewels Trilogy, which I now cannot put down! It’s a real effort coming into the office, when all I want to do is sit at home and read.
I have also discovered a newfound obsession with vampires. I don’t mean obsessed in a dressing up in dark sexy clothing, roaming the streets at night and biting people obsessed (though I am sure there is nothing wrong with that…), but over the past few months, I have really started to enjoy reading vampire fiction and watching vampire television! Considering I’m pushing 30, I’m a bit late onto the vampire bandwagon, but I’m sure it will make Rhinoa happy (she’s been trying to get me to read Anne Rice and such for ages!). I recently started watching the television series Blood Ties, which isn’t fabulous, but I am enjoying it more than anything else on the box right now. So, on Saturday I broke my book buying ban (bad mariel) and bought the first Charlaine Harris novel, Dead After Dark, and am looking forward to the film adaptation of Twilight, which should be hitting our screens in a few weeks. I’ve had sudden interests like these in the past, with animal stories as a child, travel and nature writing as a teenager, and now my longer lasting enjoyment of fantasy fiction.
Where will this newfound obsession take me? Well I’ll certainly be diverted from the reading I was hoping to do! So my question to you is…who else is a big fan of the more bitey fantasy fiction, and have you gone through a similar obsession, however brief?
Quokka!
Beach on the Spit, Gold Coast, Queensland
High rises meet the sea, Gold Coast, Queensland
Glow-worm cave, Springbrook Park, Queensland
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - Stephen King
Rating: 2 1/2
Read for: TBR Challenge 2008, RIP Challenge (and a birthday gift!)
A friend of mine is a huge fan of the Dark Tower series and bought the first installment, The Gunslinger, for my birthday last year, and I finally got around to reading it. The Gunslinger is the short introduction to Stephen King's series, described by many as his epic masterpiece. I had high hopes, despite not being a great fan of King, perhaps because my friend had raved about the book so much, and because this series does break away from the author's usual horror genre.
The story revolves around Roland of Gilead, the titular Gunslinger, and his journey to find The Dark Tower, and what it might mean for him and the world. A cross between fantasy and apocalyptic fiction, the story is in a western setting, with gunslingers, deserts, saloons and crazy preachers. We meet the Gunslinger as he is travelling through the desert, hunting the Man in Black, his reasons for this becoming apparent as the story progresses. As Roland's journey continues, the mystery slowly unfolds, as the story and its events get darker and darker. As our Gunslinger catches up with his quarry, he is left with a terrible decision, and though he discovers some answers, he is left with yet more questions.
To my disappointment, I found The Gunslinger quite a struggle. I found the story slow and laborious, with King taking far too much time with his descriptions of the landscape. Even Roland's dreams and memories weren't enough to capture my imagination. I have not read any of King's work since my teenage years, and though I am perhaps more patient now, I am also more critical, and found myself bored very easily. If the story were not so short, I may not have finished it. The ending was beautifully written and the philosophical musings were a welcome touch, and are probably what saved my review from being only 2/5! I am glad that I finished it, though it left me (along with Roland) with a lot more questions. However, I for one did not enjoy this journey enough to read the next chapter in the series, so mystery of The Dark Tower will remain just that.