A massive fantasy tale about the violent death of an old age and the birth of a new one. Here is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phedre no 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, and the arts of pleasure. Above all, she learns the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, yet ...
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A massive fantasy tale about the violent death of an old age and the birth of a new one. Here is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phedre no 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, and the arts of pleasure. Above all, she learns the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, yet talented spy, she may seem an unlikely heroine...but when Phedre stumbles upon a plot threatening her homeland, Terre d'Ange, she has no choice but to act. Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia, and accompanied only by disdainful young warrior-priest, Phedre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey, to return to her people and deliver them 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.
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Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $1.99, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Books.
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $1.99, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $1.99, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Books.
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $1.99, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Books.
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $2.13, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Books.
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Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $2.72, fair condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Fantasy.
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Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972. Used books may not include companion materials, some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, and may not include cd-rom or access codes. Customer service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $3.24, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Fantasy.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Kushiel's Dart to cart. $3.24, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Tor Fantasy.
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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!
