Dark Books - Page 17

Queen of the Darkness (Black Jewels, Book 3)

Anne Bishop

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 116 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Stunned and awed 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Mystifying, sensual and radiating with dark magic, tests of faith and compassionate love. This book just lungs for your heart, rips it apart, just to put it back together on the very, very last page.

I admit I havent been stunned and awed over a sci-fi/fantasy novel since the first coming of G.R. Martin. And I havent ached, fought, hoped and feared for a character like the one of Daemon Sadi since I read the first chapters about Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister in Martin's Game of Thrones. I mean, how can one writer catch her reader's uninhibited emotional attention, like Anne Bishop did with this last book of her terryfic Black Jewels Trilogy?

So, let's take a closer look. Queen of Darkness actually is neatly divided in two parts. In the first two thirds it's a - sometimes a bit slow - dance of longing, hope and finally passion. As Daemon Sadi, sworn consort to Jaenelle, the powerful Witch queen who rules the Shadow Realm, reenters the stage, he not only has to overcome his own fears: Would his beloved lady still want him after all that happened before? He also has to overcome her youthful uncertainties: Will she be enough for a man who has lived for 1700 years? Or will she break him apart if she claimed his heart, like those other witch queens tried by forcing him into a slave's service? Of course love prevails - that was never in question.

Had the story ended at this point, I would have considered QoD a good fantasy romance coming to a long awaited conclusion. But Anne Bishop got me there. She really tricked me into believing, that the rest of this novel would be a swift clean-up. Many otherwise good SF&F stories tend to conlude with a good deal of disappointment when the main protagonists become too strong and powerful (I just name Eddings as the master example for way too omnipotent leading characters). But in QoD all of sudden Jaenelle and her friends really face destruction of everything they treasure. And I swear, it's not some deus et machina out-of-nowhere threat, but some evil developments of ongoing machinations and a few well-placed twists of fate. When it seems as if even the greatest sacrifice wouldnt be enough, Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle come up with a devilish plan. And betraying those who trust the most is just a minor part of it. What follows is as mind-blowing as anything I've ever read. It's phenominal in detail, painful in execution and exhilarating in conclusion.

Anne Bishop - you've really crowned yourself as one of the gendre's best with those last 150 pages of Queen of Darkness.

> "Daemon?" There was so much uncertainty in her voice.
> "Hi, sweetheart" he said, his voice husky from the effort not to cry. "I've missed you."
> Her hand moved slowly, with effort, until her palm rested against his face. Her lips curved into a smile. "Daemon."
> This time, when she said this, it sounded like a promise, like a lovely caress.

Oh, what a jewel of beauty!
Thank you, Anne Bishop. Thank you very much for this lesson about pure and unconditional love. And if it comes to that, no sacrifice can be too big. No price too high. And no faith too deep.
So, after I read the last page, it was way past midnight. I went to my beloved wife who was already sound asleep and held her tight, so tight.
What more can I say?
I'm still weeping.

Editorial Review:

Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.

Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.

Hidden Warrior (Tamir Trilogy, Book 2)

Lynn Flewelling

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A trick of magic, a twist of fate.

As the orphaned nephew of the king, trusted companion to his cousin, and second heir to the throne of Skala, Prince Tobin’s future is clear. But not as clear as the spring in which a hill witch shows him his true face--and his secret destiny....

Now Tobin carries a burden he cannot share with even his closest friend, Ki, his squire. He is to rule--not as he is but as he was born: a woman. Given the shape of a boy by dark magic, Tobin is the last hope of the people of Illior--those who desperately seek a return to the old ways, when Skala was ruled by a line of warrior queens. They still believe that only a woman can lift the war, famine, and pestilence that have run rampant through the land since the king usurped his half sister’s throne. It is these outlaw wizards and witches who protect Tobin--and it is for them that Tobin must accept his fate.

With the unsuspecting yet fiercely loyal Ki at his side, Tobin must turn traitor against the only blood ties he has left. He must lift the masks of Skala’s rulers to show their true colors--before he can reveal the power of the woman within himself.

Thief of Lives (Noble Dead)

Barb Hendee, J. C. Hendee

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Even better than DHAMPIR 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

SPOILERS aplenty.

THIEF OF LIVES is the second book in the captivating Noble Dead series and continues the exploits of our vampire hunting trio. For the uninitiated, we have Magiere the reluctant half-human, half-vampire dhampir; Leesil, the half-elven, half-human thief with a lethal past; and Chap, their enigmatic hound who's smarter than the average hound. DHAMPIR, the first book, detailed their less-than-honorable career of bilking naive villagers of their meager wealth as Magiere passed herself off as a vampire hunter and Leesil pretended to be the vampire whom Magiere slays. But, as it turns out, Magiere discovers that she is, in reality, an actual dhampir, a real vampire killer. Her newly found abilities are put to the test as she, Leesil, and Chap face off against bonafide bloodsuckers for the first time. The end of DHAMPIR finds our heroes barely surviving the experience.

Now, cut to THIEF OF LIVES. It's been months since the harrowing events of DHAMPIR and things seemed to have settled down for Magiere, her partner Leesil and their adopted town of Miiska. Their tavern, the Sea Lion, has been rebuilt, thanks to the largesse and manual labor of the townspeople. Magiere looks forward to settling down to a peaceful existence of barkeeping and managing her tavern, thinking that she has successfully retired from her recent forays into vampire slayings. But Leesil, the more forward-thinking of the two, knows better and he, accordingly, has been making preparations.

Thanks to certain actions by Leesil, the town of Miiska is suffering financially. When the savage murder of a prominent councilman's daughter in the far away city of Bela prompts a request for the dhampir's assistance, promising ample monetary compensation, Leesil and Magiere are guiltily compelled to take up the offer, thinking to help the Miiskan citizens. But the city of Bela is much, much bigger and more cosmopolitan than tiny, bucolic Miiska; Leesil and Magiere find themselves at a loss as to where to start hunting their prey. They do receive help from a plucky 10 year old boy, an apprentice scholar/sage, and a street-smart police captain, but that's not nearly enough to tip the scales in their balance as their supernatural foes are powerful and relentless, one of them being particularly bent on personal vengeance against Leesil. Throw into the mix the return of the mysterious Welstiel, who apparently had been working behind the scenes from the get-go to awaken and hone Magiere's powers, and the appearance of an elf assassin, and things couldn't get more troublesome for our beleaguered hunters of the undead.

One of the many appeals of this series is the equality of the two leads. The first novel DHAMPIR intimates that Magiere, being the titular character, is the main protagonist, while Leesil is the romantic foil or the wisecracking sidekick. Well, no. Both are equally fleshed out as thinking and breathing people; both are equally deserving of being the lead; in fact, they each demand the reader's attention and willfully assert themselves in their respective narratives. Leesil is intriguing as a very personable and capable warrior in combat, who's stricken with gambling and drinking flaws. And Magiere, while remaining stubborn and stoic, isn't as cardboard as she was in DHAMPIR. But her unveiling of more personality and vulnerability doesn't make her any less of a fighting machine. She still kicks booty. Magiere reminds me quite a bit of another wonderful female heroine, Del, from Jennifer Roberson's awesome Tiger and Del series.

And, if you're a romantic hopeful, it's the thorny relationship between Magiere and Leesil which will suck you in. On a personal level, as the book opens, things just aren't right between Magiere and Leesil, the cause stemming from Magiere's mistrust of her own vampiric nature and her fear of hurting Leesil. Leesil, for his part, can't understand why Magiere has been so distant with him. Part of the series's allure, also, is that the reader is teased with tidbits about both Magiere and Leesil's mysterious pasts. And it seems the Hendees are planning on divulging the duo's parental goods in the ensuing books.

With this entry, the Hendees look to open up their world past the limited conventions of vampires and vampire slaying as the authors lay down additional subplots concerning a possible quest for a potent artifact and even more reveal about the stringently structured and unforgiving elven society, who consider Leesil to be a traitor to the blood. Questions lurking about Chap are also addressed, much to Leesil's distress.

This time, the villains prove to be not as sympathetic as DHAMPIR's elegant Rashed and his gentle lady love Teesha, although the scheming Chane does show some promise. In fact, the villainess here is fairly annoying. However, the Hendees ensure that their encounters with the vampire hunters are vividly depicted, though probably not as entertaining as Chap's battle with the sausage. And the character who seems to be slated as the series's main baddie is proving to be a very imposing presence.

THIEF OF LIVES is even better than DHAMPIR, in my opinion. Leesil remains as personable, while becoming more assertive and coming more into his own. Magiere is written with more nuance and is more likable and relatable here. Also she gains another unwanted skill with which to combat the undead. And Chap is just a treat. The fantasy storyline is pretty straightforward, though the authors do attempt to throw in several curves. The clashes are as brutal and uncompromising as ever. And the book ends with a new journey, a new goal, and a resolution to and a defining of Leesil and Magiere's relationship. THIEF OF LIVES is highly recommended. Now I'm off to check out the third book SISTER OF THE DEAD.

Editorial Review:

On the heels of Dhampir, Barb and J. C. Hendee's acclaimed fantasy debut, comes a new novel featuring Magiere and Leesil, slayers of the undead...

Magiere the dhampir and Leesil, her half-elf partner, are called out of their self-imposed retirement when vampires besiege the town of Bela-and are discovered to be in a league with the town's most prominent elders...

Everville

Clive Barker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 52 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The third book to the series 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I love Clive Barker and I am getting ready to go pick up his second book Everville. I just saw a question on here about the third book and thought I would give everyone a heads up.

It appears the third book is not out yet and will not neccessarily be out any time soon. Please see the following link for his reasoning for this http://www.clivebarker.dial.pipex.com/newbooksb.html

In a nutshell he says that the last book will be a monster and that it takes time to prepare to write this type of book. It also says that he has other series going on as well that take time. Too many ideas running through his head and that he needs to clone himself. Anyway - take a look at the link if you are interested but he says that he promises it will be out before the end of this century.....

Happy reading!

Editorial Review:

On the borderland between this world and the world of Quiddity, the sea of our dreams, sits Everville.For years it has lived in ignorance of the gleaming shore on which it lies. But its ignorance is not bliss. Opening the door between worlds, Clive Barker delivers his characters into the heart of the human mystery; into a place of revelation, where the forces which have shaped our past--and are ready to destroy our future--are at work.

Heir to the Shadows (Black Jewels, Book 2)

Anne Bishop

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 128 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Absolute Must Read 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This series continues to impress me. I love the rich culture of the world created by Bishop. I'm fascinated by what goes on in each of the Realms and how they've changed yet still echo what they were created to be. And the characters--I find myself drawn to them, again and again, as if they're old friends already.

I'm amazed by how fast the books are moving. Thankfully Bishop doesn't feel the need to explain every last moment of Jaenelle's life. Sometimes whole years are acknowledged in mere sentences. It's rather refreshing after reading so many books that seem to detail every crumb the main character ate for breakfast; skipping through years that occurred but which didn't need to be talked about extensively is a nice surprise. After all, we're getting older in increments--it isn't the minutes that count, it's the years.

This second book focuses on Jaenelle after the events of Daughter of the Blood. Roughly two years have passed. This book got off to a rousing start with one of my favorite characters, Saetan Daemon SaDiablo. Demon-dead, Guardian, the High Priest of Hell itself petitions the Council for parental rights to Jaenelle. And we get to see a taste of Saetan's power. Not that we didn't know how powerful he was in the first book--he is the High Lord of Hell after all--but this is a very public, very ... emphatic show of power.

In this book we also meet many of the friends Jaenelle talked about in Daughter of the Blood. Each of them are as amusing as Jaenelle and they keep Saetan on his toes even more than just Jaenelle did.

The ending is one I know I'm going to want to read again and again. In fact I've read it a few times already. It is lushly and powerfully written allowing us to see that Jaenelle is a match for her adopted father's power.

Editorial Review:

Enough time has passed for the young girl Jaenelle, heir to the magical Darkness. Her physical wounds have heal, ed while amnesia keeps her frightening memories at bay. But with Saetan--a Black-Jewelled Warlord Prince and Jaenelle's foster-father--to protect her, she will continue to grow. Her magic will mature. Her memories will return. And Jaenelle will face her destiny when she remembers Daemon, Saetan's son, who made the ultimate sacrifice for her love.

The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series)

Lynda Hilburn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight just wants a little excitement in her life. A little publishing fame and fortune. She doesn't believe in the paranormal. Especially not comic book children of the night. But when a new client pulls Kismet into the vampire underworld, and introduces her to gorgeous Devereux -- who claims to be an 800-year-old vampire -- Kismet finds herself up to her neck in the undead. Not to mention all the other bizarre creatures crawling out of Denver's supernatural Pandora's Box. And if being attracted to a man who thinks he's an ancient bloodsucker isn't bad enough, someone -- or something -- is leaving a trail of blood-drained dead bodies. Enter handsome FBI profiler Alan Stevens, who warns her that vampires are very real and that one is a murderer. A murderer who is after her. In the midst of it all, Kismet realizes she has feelings for both the vampire and the profiler. But though she cares for each of the men, the reality that vampires exist is enough of a challenge . . . for now.

The Devil You Know

Mike Carey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good Stuff 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I generally dislike graphic novels, so was not at all sure that I would enjoy this book, since the author had only written graphic novels previously. I'm glad I took a chance on it; it's entertaining, original and very well written indeed. I was delighted by the wry humor; I am not a person who often laughs out loud, but several times, this book surprised me sufficiently to trigger a guffaw (a dainty one, of course, but still a guffaw). The characters and world are original, likeable, AND believable, no mean feat in fantasy fiction. The minute I finished it I ran to the book store to get the next installment in hardback. No higher endorsement can be given, when you're as naturally cheap as I am. ;)

Editorial Review:

Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. It may seem like a good ghostbuster can charge what he likes and enjoy a hell of a lifestyle--but there's a risk: Sooner or later he's going to take on a spirit that's too strong for him. While trying to back out of this ill-conceived career, Castor accepts a seemingly simple ghost-hunting case at a museum in the shadowy heart of London--just to pay the bills, you understand. But what should have been a perfectly straightforward exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show, with demons and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. That's OK: Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It's the living who piss him off...

Lud-In-The-Mist

Hope Mirrlees

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Doesn't live up to the Neil Gaiman Hype 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The intro by Neil Gaiman about just how great this book is left me disappointed, when, by the end of the book I was still waiting to be swept away like I expected based on the glowing review by Gaiman. Enjoyable but in like a B-/C range.

Editorial Review:

Originally published in 1926, and unavailable in the US for many years now, this was one of the most well-loved fantasy novels of its day. This is the story of Master Nathaniel Chanticleer, a respectable burgher who learns that his young son has eaten forbidden faery fruit. Lud-in-the-Mist, of the title, is a quasi-medieval town, governed by Master Nathaniel Chanticleer. The town is of the very sensible sort, but being bordered on the west by Fairyland and the Debatable Hills, there are problems in the trafficking of illegal fairy fruit, which Nathaniel's young son eats. The real story underneath concerns the place of fantasy and the imagination in real life, and in the end there is a fine reconciliation of the two. There are swirling subplots as well, which add layers of mystery to an extraordinarily enchanting tale.This is a trade paperback original in the US.

Shadows and Light

Anne Bishop

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not the Black Jewels, but. . . 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 9 people found this review helpful.

First I have to say congradulations to Anne Bishop for setting Ari on the sidelines and introducing Brianna, who is ever so much more interesting. Bishop has a particular talent for creating spirited female characters who aren't annoying (hello romance novels).

Although her characters aren't particularly multi-dimensional, they are enjoyable and the relationships are particularly nicley done. The humourous moments are charming and unforced, and it's nice to see a light side to the darker themes in the book.

Bishop writes well,and her books are easy to read, but she has this incredibly obnoxious habit of punctuating her character's. sentences. like. this. And it drives me crazy. Bishop is too good of a writer to use silly writing devices such as that.

My real complaint about this book, however, and the general theme of Bishop's books seems to be that men should be subservient to females. Shadow's and Light makes all these ominous references to how powerful the withches are, and how everyone has forgotten them, and the men are supposed to worship them. It seems a little contradictory to me that it's utterly horrible for the Black Coats to make women subservient but its alright for the witches to make men subservient. That bothered me a bit.

Overall this was a good book. This series lacks the polish and love that went into the Black Jewels, but it is worth reading, I think.

Editorial Review:

The national bestselling author of the Black Jewels Trilogy returns with book two in the thrilling Tir Alainn Trilogy-a dazzling tale of romance, high adventure, and thrilling fantasy.

An encroaching evil threatens the lives of every witch, woman, and Fae in the realm. And only the Bard, the Muse, and the Gatherer of Souls possess the power to stop the bloodshed.

Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering

Jacqueline Carey

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Total reviews: 67 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

If all that is good thinks you evil... are you?

Once upon a time, the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord and Shaped the world to their will. But Satoris, the youngest among them, was deemed too generous in his gifts to the race of Men, and so began the Shapers' War, which Sundered the world. Now six of the Shapers lay to one end of a vast ocean, and Satoris to the other, reviled by even the race of Men.

Satoris sits in his Darkhaven, surrounded by his allies. Chief among them is Tanaros Blacksword, immortal Commander General of his army. Once a mortal man who was betrayed by King and Wife, Tanaros fled to Darkhaven a thousand years ago, and in Satoris's service has redeemed his honor-but left his humanity behind.

Now there is a new prophecy that tells of Satoris's destruction and the redemption of the world. To thwart it, Satoris sends Tanaros to capture the Lady of the Ellylon, the beautiful Cerelinde, to prevent her alliance with the last High King of Men.

But Tanaros discovers that not all of his heart has been lost--his feelings for Cerelinde could doom Satoris, but save the race of Men...

(20050131)