"A great addition to this new series."
Having saved Terre d'Ange (see KUSHIEL'S DART), Phedre
no Delaunaey is proud of becoming a member of the peerage
yet bored with the acceptable social life as the Comtesse
de Montrève. Tedium changes into anticipation as Phedre
learns that her deadly enemy Melisande has escaped from
incarceration. Phedre knows that Melisande will do
anything including treason to avenge her recent defeat. At
about the same time, though the young queen is popular
amongst the people, there are others who believe she is
unworthy of the throne. If Melisande joins with these
traitors hell will break loose in the land. A former anguisette Phedre feels an adrenaline rush as
she plans to return to her vocation while chasing down her
foe. However, the hunted becomes the prey when, in spite
of her anguisette talents and her abilities to spy, Phedre
becomes the prisoner of Melisande. With no hope to escape
from her mountaintop jail on an isolated island, Phedre
understands the consequence if she fails to find her
freedom and stop the sedition led by Melisande. KUSHIEL'S CHOSEN is an intriguing fantasy that follows
the adventures of its heroine trying to save her world.
The problem is that in an extremely short time, Kushiel
hops from one adventure to another without any closure at a
pace that would make Indiana Jones require bed rest against
a villain who seems to have lost her bite at least in this
sequel. Though not as strong as its predecessor, KUSHIEL'S
DART, Phedre still remains an interesting champion who
readers will root for in hope that she attains a slow but
glorious victory. Harriet Klausner - Copyright © 2002
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted March 16, 2002
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Following hard on the heels of Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey's spectacular debut novel, comes Kushiel's Chosen, a glittering and riveting historical fantasy. The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It is said that the 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. Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye and sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with a very special mission--and the first to recognize her for who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.
Phèdre has trained in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Having stumbled upon a plot that threatened the very foundations of her homeland, she gave up almost everything she held dear to save it. She survived, and lived to have others tell her story, and if they embellished the tale with fabric of mythical splendor, they weren't far off the mark. The hands of the gods weigh heavily upon Phèdre's brow, and they are not yet done with their charge--for while the young queen who sits upon the throne is well loved by the people, there are those who believe that other heads should wear the crown. And those who escaped the wrath of the mighty are not yet done with their schemes for power and revenge. To protect and serve, Phèdre will once again leave her beloved homeland. From the sun-drenched villas of La Serenissima to the wilds of old Hellas, from a prison designed to drive the very gods mad to an island of immutable joy. Phèdre will meet old friends and new enemies and discover a plot so dreadful as to make the earth tremble, masterminded by the one person she cannot turn away from.
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