The Black Queen (Black Throne, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Black Throne | Publication Date: August 3, 1999

From one of the most acclaimed creators of fantasy fiction comes the epic tale of the Black Throne, a stirring saga of tumultuous conflict set in a magical world, in a powerful family, and in the tortured and divided mind of its monarch.

The Fey Empire has been at peace for fifteen years. But Queen Arianna, who holds the Black Throne, has become increasingly troubled by a mysterious presence that is waking in her mind. It is a force of ruthless power, determined to seize the throne even if it means destroying Arianna's very essence in the process. And when the queen's body is not her own, it spells trouble for a warlike empire already beginning to chafe under the strictures of peace.

Worse, it seems that the only person who can help Arianna is her brother, Gift, the legitimate heir to the Black Throne--and the one the Throne itself has chosen as ruler. To refuse its summoning could bring disaster, but to accept it could be more dire still. So while his sister is locked in a battle to save her very soul, Gift must use his incomplete knowledge of magic in a desperate fight to discover a solution. At stake is the fate of the entire world--which stands poised on the brink of unimaginable chaos.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As the Black Queen of the Fey, Arianna rules the Blue Isle with wisdom and powerAuntil a malign force invades her mind and threatens to seize control for itself. Set in the same world as the popular Fey series, this novel of a young woman's struggle to reconcile herself to the awesome responsibilities of rulership while battling a ruthless enemy whose magic rivals her own belongs in libraries where the author has a following.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

From one of the most acclaimed creators of fantasy fiction comes the epic tale of the Black Throne, a stirring saga of tumultuous conflict set in a magical world, in a powerful family, and in the tortured and divided mind of its monarch.

The Fey Empire has been at peace for fifteen years. But Queen Arianna, who holds the Black Throne, has become increasingly troubled by a mysterious presence that is waking in her mind. It is a force of ruthless power, determined to seize the throne even if it means destroying Arianna's very essence in the process. And when the queen's body is not her own, it spells trouble for a warlike empire already beginning to chafe under the strictures of peace.

Worse, it seems that the only person who can help Arianna is her brother, Gift, the legitimate heir to the Black Throne--and the one the Throne itself has chosen as ruler. To refuse its summoning could bring disaster, but to accept it could be more dire still. So while his sister is locked in a battle to save her very soul, Gift must use his incomplete knowledge of magic in a desperate fight to discover a solution. At stake is the fate of the entire world--which stands poised on the brink of unimaginable chaos.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (August 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553581155
• ISBN-13: 978-0553581157
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but A little disappointing, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Queen (Black Throne, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

It was a good book, and it was cool to catch up on what's been going on since "Victory". It seemed that she spent almost the whole book on buildup though. It didn't say QUITE as much as I wanted to know, and there wasn't much action until the end. It was still excellant, and every Fey fan should read it. But it wasn't quite up to the last one's standard.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Good, December 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Queen (Black Throne, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is the next installment of the Fey series, beginning 15 years after the last book, Victory.
Arianna is now Black Queen and has kept her people at peace for her entire rule. But they are beginning to grow weary. For hundreds of years, the Fey have conquered one nation after another, thier goal world domination.But this young queen from the peaceful yet deadly Blue Isle stands in thier way.
On top of this, Arianna is fighting a battle of her own with her old enemy, Rugad, who threatens to destroy everything has worked for.
Her only hope is her brother,Gift. But he is a world away, and getting to Arianna in time is practically impossible.
I reccomend this to anyone who enjoys a book with an exciting plot and unforgetable charecters.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An easy read, but very gripping, November 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Queen (Black Throne, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I borrowed this book from a co-worker with no expectations as I'd never heard of Rusch. I found myself glued to the book and only put it down by falling asleep because it was so late. Rusch does a fine job explicitly describing fantasy lands, people and magic. This is especially true towards the end when we are inside Arianna's mind. I am now interested in reading the Fey series. I also recommend that if people like these books, they should read Stephen King's Dark Tower series.