The Black King: Book Two of Black Throne [Mass Market Paperback]

Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Black Throne | Publication Date: August 1, 2000

One of fantasy fiction's foremost creators concludes the epic black throne saga with this magnificent tale of a world coveted by a ruthless spirit, returned to life in the mind of an innocent monarch.
The Black King
For Gift, who has renounced the Black Throne to become a Shaman, the news from Blue Isle is disheartening. There his sister, Queen Arianna, once a proponent of peace, has begun to prepare for war. For unknown to Gift, Arianna has been possessed by the dark soul of the Black King who nearly destroyed the Fey Empire generations before in his mad quest for power. Through darkest magic he has returned to life in Arianna's body to finish what he started--while the queen's true consciousness has been hidden away by her most ardent supporters.  Now Gift must somehow avert the tragedy that threatens his world. But looming above all is the ancient curse of Blood against Blood, forbidding one member of the Black Family from taking the life of another. Yet what choice does Gift have? If the Black King is allowed to assume the Throne he will plunge the world into a terrifying cataclysm that could destroy all who inhabit it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Also by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Black Throne
The Black Queen
The Books Of The Fey
I: The Sacrifice
II: The Changeling
III: The Rival
IV: The Resistance
V: Victory
Alien Influences
Star Wars ®: The New Rebellion

From the Inside Flap

One of fantasy fiction's foremost creators concludes the epic black throne saga with this magnificent tale of a world coveted by a ruthless spirit, returned to life in the mind of an innocent monarch.
The Black King
For Gift, who has renounced the Black Throne to become a Shaman, the news from Blue Isle is disheartening. There his sister, Queen Arianna, once a proponent of peace, has begun to prepare for war. For unknown to Gift, Arianna has been possessed by the dark soul of the Black King who nearly destroyed the Fey Empire generations before in his mad quest for power. Through darkest magic he has returned to life in Arianna's body to finish what he started--while the queen's true consciousness has been hidden away by her most ardent supporters.  Now Gift must somehow avert the tragedy that threatens his world. But looming above all is the ancient curse of Blood against Blood, forbidding one member of the Black Family from taking the life of another. Yet what choice does Gift have? If the Black King is allowed to assume the Throne he will plunge the world into a terrifying cataclysm that could destroy all who inhabit it.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055358118X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553581188
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #753,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great series, August 22, 2000

By 

New Mom 2009 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black King: Book Two of Black Throne (Mass Market Paperback)

I will admit that I am a voracious, but picky reader. I like a lot of books, but seldom love them. However, this is a series that I do love. It is not all 'Hollywood endings' and stalwart, dashing heros. The Fey world is well developed and the characters are very interesting. I don't think it is a great idea to pick this book up without having read the previous ones. Although it can certainly be read on its own, the story will more rounded if read in as a series. In order to fully absorb this book, you should read the series from the start. I place Kristine Rusch up there with Guy Gavriel Kay, Robin McKinley, Katherine Kerr, and George R.R. Martin (my current faves.) My only fault with this book (and it's slight) is that I think Rusch forms a stronger relationship between the male and female sibling main characters than was previously there. Bottom line, I will certainly keep buying and enjoying this series.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Fantasy Novel, August 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black King: Book Two of Black Throne (Mass Market Paperback)

With the recent decline of some of my favorite authors like Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, Raymond E. Feist and even Terry Goodkind to a lesser extent, there hasn't been much to get excited about in fantasy. This was the first novel I've purchased in months and I loved it. This is the eleventh book I've read from Rusch, including all the Fey series. This one in particular stayed focused on the main characters with credible tension, disagreements and magical battles. The characters are as real as an author can get. I like this series because it moves through time(unlike Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time). Main characters do die in this series and we get to move on and read the stories of their children. If you're looking for a Rusch novel outside the Fey stories, try Traitors. I can't believe she's so low in Amazon's sales rank. Rusch is a great author.