A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger… a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm…Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phédre nó Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of … of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy… and unlikely heroine. But when Phédre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d’Ange, she has no choice.
Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phédre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond.
Phédre nó Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm’s deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world.
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. It is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. A world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, deposed rulers and a besieged Queen, a warrior-priest, the Prince of Travelers, barbarian warlords, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess… all seen through the unflinching eyes of an unforgettable heroine.
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I’ve never read a book or series since or before this book that was like the world this author creates. It’s a great read!
There’s a reason this series is considered a classic. The writing is sophisticated, the characters interesting, and the world-building original and seamless. After I read the first book, I bought the whole series in paper versions because I needed them for my library.
The main character is a child when she’s sold into training as a prostitute. The owners recognize that she delights in pain so begin to train her as a sadomasochistic companion. I read about 40 pages before I gave up on the book. It was just too dark for me.
If you’ve wanted a well written feminist alternative to Game of Thrones, here it is. One of my favorite book series ever!
Great book. Have read countless times. Author is my favorite.
well written but didn’t like the s&m lean to the story
Very well written.
Loved this book!
The characters and story were well developed and interesting. Great story. Have read it several times.
What, what, WHAT can I say about “Kushiel’s Dart”? Reading it was, quite simply, a life-changing experience for me. I mean, maybe I didn’t go out and get a marque tattooed on my back like some people did, but it opened my eyes to a whole new side of epic fantasy.
The world-building is excellent. Carey has created a kind of alternative history fantasy, mashing up Judeo-Christian mythology and French (!!!Points for uniqueness in fantasy!) culture to make something distinctly her own. And her characters jump off the page with life. It’s a long, complicated, unwieldy kind of epic fantasy plot, it’s true, but that’s what you want in the genre, right? If you like the kind of thing that Robin Hobb or George RR Martin produce, you’ll be right at home with the plotting here.
A word about the sex: this is not a book for the prudish. The sex scenes are described in explicit detail, and make the “50 Shades” books seem tame. However, Carey writes about sex in a way that makes it appealing and sexy (for want of a better word), and emphasizes consent and female agency. One of the many excellent things about this book and Carey’s work in general is that she writes erotica that’s, you know, actually erotic rather than creepy and rape-y.
In short, this may not be for everyone, but I’d still say that both epic fantasy and erotica fans owe it to themselves to read this book and the rest of the series.
I absolutely love this book (and the first three of the series). I have read it several times over and each time I get sucked into it and tune the world out. Everything is so easy to imagine from the descriptions and the story she weaves twists you up. Characters you think you dislike become your favorite against your will.
Kushiel’s Dart, the beginning of the initial trilogy for the series, is one of my favorite books of all time. I love the complex vulnerability Carey’s built into the character Phèdre nó Delaunay, and how she crafted the steadfast dedication from Joscelin Verreuil. Between the intricate worldbuilding, detailed political maneuvering, and the toe-curling scenes of intimacy, this book ticks all the marks for me. 5-Stars, and I highly recommend.
A sensational world that captures the most sensual and darkest delights of fantasy romance. One of my all-time faves!
Honestly, the story was great, and the characters are pretty cool, but am I the only one who had trouble reading this? I don’t do well with audio books, but I paid extra for audio because I had a feeling this book would be too “fancy” for me. By “fancy” I mean a ton of words I don’t understand or can even say, and/or a ton or words that make me wonder “am I stupid or something,” so I look them up in the dictionary and realize it’s not a real word. Now don’t get me wrong, it was extremely well-written!
So it was semi-torture reading through this, but I kept at it because I really liked the heroine. She uses all the knowledge she has been given, and her one skill, to move pieces in her direction. She’s also pretty selfless, and she’s not annoying/stubborn like many heroines you read about and watch on film, nowadays.
Also, there is some sex in this novel. Actually, sex is kind of her skill, but it’s not written in an erotic way, and it does add to the overall plot and character development. But definitely not a book for children.
This book is almost an erotic fantasy. It is not the easiest read, but if you like strong female leads that own their sexuality, with a dark past, then the main character, Phedre no Delaunay will be interesting to you. She was born cursed and becomes a religious courtesan (yes religious). She is a masochist, loves pain, but that is not all. The story has spies, monarchy, love and betrayal.
I read this book just about every year. I’ve listened to it on long drives across country. I love the whole series, but possibly the third book is the one I love best.
Jacqueline Carey built not just a world, but also intertwined new mythology into existing myths and legends. Follow the main character from her childhood up through her late teens. Through betrayal, pain, happiness, and friendship.
I don’t want to give anything away, just read it!
Absolutely loved this book. What an amazing premise and storyline with well developed characters. Just love Phedre and her champion, Jocelyn. Off to read the next in the series. Note: This book is 900 pages – so it’s a biggie. Well worth the read.
I love this alternate, intrigue laden, and sensual world that Jacqueline Carey has created. Phedre’s strength through suffering is exquisite!
There is a strong sense of tension in Carey’s works. While rooting for the engaging heroine, the reader is wondering if her next engagement will cause lasting damage to her in some way.
This installment is, to me, the best entrance to Kushiel’s world. It might be quite hard to leave it.
I enjoyed this book! It is not nasty, although it does have erotic bits, it is worthwhile as a decent book even without that. It is in a slightly alternate world, in which there is another set of gods. There is an internal consistency to the world and behavior of the characters that is surprising in this genre, and which carries on through the series in a philosophical manner, exploring extremes of love and religious devotion, and faith in this alternate gods system. Very interesting.