Customer Reviews

Daughter of the Blood (Black Jewels, Book 1)

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Wow! I mean Wow! Daughter of the Blood is one of the most mesmerizing, powerful, unforgettable books I have ever read. Talk about making a splash with your first published novel; Anne Bishop does that and more. This is the kind of complex, intricately crafted novel that almost demands multiple readings if one is to grasp all of the nuances worked seamlessly into the story. The universe Bishop brings to life here is unlike any other I have had the good fortune to tread, and while I sometimes felt unsure of certain elements of the plot and a little confused about several of the large number of characters featured herein, the writing is devastatingly captivating. Some people call this a mix of romance and horror; for all my horror loving friends out there, don't let the mention of romance stop you from immersing yourself in this incredible novel. I would categorize Daughter of the Blood as a sensuous dark fantasy of a type many horror fans should love.

Daughter of the Blood is a concentrated form of literary magic. Like magic, one often finds oneself shocked and amused, unable to explain what you just experienced but blown away by the impact of it. The action takes place in a fantastic world where the land of the living overlays the land of the demon-dead, the very fabric of realities linked together with the beauty and force of powerful silken webs of existence so tiny that most of the living never suspect their existence. It is a dark universe where traditional good and evil transcend one another. In fact, the most positive of forces reside in Hell itself, led by Saetan, the High Lord of Hell himself. Two of his estranged sons, Lucivar and Daemon, exist among the living on the other side of the veil, enduring unbelievable hardships at the hands of powerful female witches. Women rule the world of the living, and even the most powerful of men are exploited and dominated. Those "of the Blood," both women and men, possess magical powers drawn from an assortment of multi-colored jewels, but even men of the Black (the most powerful jewel) are subjugated and enslaved to demented Black Widow queens and priestesses. Daemon has been forced to serve his queens in the most humiliating of ways for centuries; having never known his father, he has become the coldest of men, forced to wear the Ring of Obedience (and, let me tell you, you don't wear this particular ring on your finger) and suffer terrible brutalities. Only his dreams of she who is yet to come, the only woman he will willingly serve, keep him from falling into an abyss too deep to return from.

Everything changes, in both Hell and the world of the living, when the prophecy of a new and all-powerful witch is fulfilled in the form of a sapphire-eyed young lady named Jaenelle. She is not just "a witch;" rather, she is Witch. At twelve years old, she has little understanding of just what she is, but she travels between the realms to seek the instruction of Saetan in the Craft and continually amazes her new tutor with the power and knowledge she possesses. Daemon, whom Saetan first views as a possible threat to Jaenelle, ends up serving Jaenelle's grandmother and develops a powerful bond and a very real love for the young lady. He will become her protector from several forces of evil, namely the corrupted Black Widows and dark priestesses now holding sway in the land, women intent on destroying Jaenelle and the threat she poses to their continued rule by perversion. Daemon is one of the most impressively constructed characters I have met in a long time, as is Jaenelle. Surprisingly, there are moments of great humor to be found in these pages, most of them arising from the young girl's naiveté about the world and Saetan's attempts to answer her increasingly bold questions, but a continuously dark story takes a dramatically shocking dark turn toward the end as Jaenelle's secret life, the one she keeps hidden from Saetan and Daemon, is exposed, threatening to destroy her and the men bound to serve her. The romantic elements of the novel, seemingly problematic due to the character's young age, are handled with great care and beauty, revealing the hand of a true master craftswoman of words at work here.

Those who like their novels straightforward and easily understandable may balk at the richness of the world Anne Bishop has created here, but lovers of dark fantasy and well-constructed literature in general will find themselves immersed in a world they have never imagined. I don't have the words to describe just how powerful an effect this book had on my consciousness and emotions. This first book of The Black Jewels Trilogy is the most unique and easily the most powerful work of dark fantasy I have ever read. Thank goodness there are two additional books in the series, for I could not, at this point, leave this universe of Bishop's creation even if I wanted to.

This book and it's sequel Heir to Shadows are a must have!!! I read through the night to finish each of them, and I can't wait for the third book to come out! Already I have re-read each book more than three times in the last month, because the story is so gripping.

Anne Bishop's wonderful sense of humor is expressed in many of the scenes between Jaenelle and the other main characters (namely Saetan and Daemon). This precocious 12 year old never fails to confound them, and the encounters can become hysterically funny as they try to find a way to deal with a young girl with powers beyond anyone's imagination. She's got enough power to do the unimaginable, but can't do the simple things. Their sheer terror at what she is capable of (or sometimes not capable of doing), is humorously mixed with exasperation, frustration, and tenderness. I laughed out loud at so many scenes that my mother, who doesn't read fantasy, demanded that she get to read it after me... She's also an Anne Bishop fan now!!

The book also deals with very dark issues, including abuse and the kind of society that results when trust, respect, and honor between men and women is destroyed. What's saddest about it is that a few people have systematically destroyed those bonds in order to gain power for themselves. Anne Bishop weaves these dark threads with those of hope that with the coming of the new queen, Jaenelle, that things will change. If they can protect her long enough for her to grow up...

First a warning--this book has graphic violence, a complex plot, and a confusing tendency to use names like Saetan, Daemon, Hell, and Lucivar which have absolutely no connection to what the names mean in the normal context. This was really offputting for me and I kept debating on buying this book for quite a while, but I am glad I finally did!

And now on to the plot!
The Blood of Terrielle were once the guardians of the land. The Warlord Princes and the lesser blood protected their Witch, and in turn the witch cherished them and the land. But after hundreds of years of treachery and deception by one powerful and ambitious witch, Dorotea, hatred and distrust now rule the land where she is the ultimate and unchallenged ruler.
Under this warped, evil woman, males, through rape and cruelty, now break witches before they come into their power, and those witches who escape this fate enslave and torment the males out of vengeance in an endless circle of distrust and fear.

Into this land of horror is born Jaenelle Angelline, a loving and innocent girl, destined to be the most powerful Witch ever and savior of the land. She can pass at will from land to land, even into the land of the undead. She is befriended and taught by the High Lord of Hell, sworn enemy of Dorotea, and she sees wonders like unicorns and telepathic beasts. And she learns not to tell a soul about her strange experiences, for her own family comes to believe her to be mad and they repeatedly lock her away in Briarwood for treatments. Briarwood, where young, helpless, highstrung witches are sent for treatments, and come out mindless and passive, if they come out at all...
But Jaenelle is not without defenders for in her travels she has met winged Lucivar, an enslaved Eyrian Warlord Prince, and Daemon, a handsome warlord prince sent to Jaenelle's home to act as a household bedslave by Dorotea. Both recognize in her the potential to be Witch and will do anything, even endanger their own lives and sanity to save her from the unspeakable evil she has faced alone for so long.

When I began reading this book my first thought was that it was set in an AOL role-playing chatroom. Anyone who has visited the Medieval Tavern on said ISP should understand. For those who have not I present the following characters:

Saetan - High Lord of Hell, Demon, loving father and really a great guy.

Daemon Sadi (The Sadist) - Saetan's son, gorgeous pleasure slave who can't.. ahem, has certainly earned his nickname, but he's really a great guy.

Lucivar - Saetan's son, also a pleasure slave, has bat wings and a terrible temper, has been known to rip men limb from limb, but he's really a great guy.

Surreal - the beautiful and talented prostitute/assassin with a heck of a vengeful streak.

And then there's the heroine, Jaenelle Angelline, who is more powerful than any of them, including her adopted father, the High Lord of Hell.

I know I sound disdainful, but the truth is once I started reading (and got used to the cliches) I couldn't stop. The story was interesting if a bit predictable. Be warned that you cannot read just one; the story takes place over the course of the entire Black Jewels Trilogy.

One final note, though. These books aren't for the squeamish. If you have a problem with blood and gore or taboo sex I wouldn't suggest reading this series.

If i had not read such rave reviews on Amazon, i would never have gotten my hands on such an excellent book by such an amazing author.

Daughter of the Blood is the first book in the Black Jewels Trilogy. This is one of the best fantasy-romance books i have read since Jacqueline Carey's 'Kushiel's' series, Juliet Marillier's 'Sevenwaters Trilogy' and Kate Forsyth's 'Witches of Eileanan' series.

As so many of you have reviewed this book, it is indeed dark, with subjects like rape and pleasure slaves being brought up in a very honest manner. And it definitely is not a book for the faint-hearted nor those who cannot accept the fact that Anne Bishop holds nothing back when describing her scenes in the book.

I spent two days reading this book and after i closed the book, i could not believe that i had not had the foresight to get book 2 and 3 as well.

I would not do any summarising of fear that i might give away some things, but i have to say that Daemon is one of the most fascinating characters to ever grace the pages of a book. Jaenelle is an excellent character and one could not help but love the girl and her wisdom and her innocence. Saetan and Lucivar are equally likable, and the detestable Heketah and Dorothea SaDiablo invokes tremendous feelings of hatred.

Okay, i gotta stop now and go and read Heir to the Shadows, which i ran out to get straight after i finished reading Daughter of the Blood. Trust me when i say u will not regret reading this wonderful trilogy as well as all those other books by Anne Bishop.

You don't read this book, you experience it, body and soul. Anne Bishop's writing is intense and enthusiastic, making this book a breathless thrill. Her flair for the dramatic leads to many moments of high emotion and energy, but she incorporates it all with a deft touch, using it to make her characters seem all the more vibrant.

Bishop creates a world full of violence and turmoil, and she does not shy away from graphic details or adult themes. But no one can accuse her of being dull - opening this book is like being suddenly torn from your seat by a ruthless hand that never loses its grip. Luckily for me, I enjoyed the wild ride and couldn't wait to get back on again for a second trip.

Bishop comes on strong right from page one, showing us her strange world unapologetically in all its bizarre and nightmarish glory. But don't be put off by the book's initial shock value - the author delivers a fully realized, complex plot, a unique magic system and social culture, and vivid characters. Daemon is a splended creation, radiating with sexual energy and brooding intensity. He bursts into every scene with such charisma that I couldn't help but cheer whenever he is allowed to shine in all his terrifying glory. Bishop's male characters are balanced out by her equally stunning female characters, specifically Janelle and Surreal, who we will get to know better as the series progresses. My only complaint is that Bishop tries to include too many characters. By the end I felt I needed a chart to keep them all straight and some of the lesser ones had already faded into the background.

I have one other request for future editions of this book: a map! I had a hard time keeping track of all the place names and boundaries, especially since her "lands" often exist on top of each other in different dimensions. One building, for example, can be simultaniously located in several worlds at once, and this concept is a bit hard to grasp at the outset.

Overall this is an incredible and highly enjoyable book. It's not often that I find myself filled with that childlike anticipation while waiting to get my hands on book 2 and 3. But thanks to Anne Bishop, what a joy it was to feel that way again.

Daughter of the Blood, the first of the Black jewels trilogy, is like black, overly strong and bitter coffee served in an ordinary, all too familiar cup. While we look at the cup and see nothing new, the moment we convince ourselves to drink what's inside, we find that the drink belies its container.

Enter Jaenelle Angelline, a twelve year old girl who, according to "prophecy", is a living legend, dreams made flesh, Witch, the most powerful Blood (magic user) to have ever existed. She is "destined" to become great and powerful and forever alter the destiny of the world, blah, blah, blah. Basically it's nothing you haven't heard a hundred times before.

The beginning reads like something out of a creative writer's workshop. You'll find yourself bogged down with tons of back story and the life-histories of just about every important character you come across. This approach hurts the book and makes going from one page to the next at the very beginning a test of patience. This will annoy anybody with attention span problems, especially when you start to think how all the back story Bishop gives is either unnecessary, or could have been told much more interestingly as scenes instead of lectures. However, once you get past the rough beginning, it turns from a test of patience to a struggle to force yourself to put the book down. While the overall plot is nothing original, there are so many original and refreshing twists thrown into the mix that is like flavored sugar added to water.

Chief among these twists is the blurring of traditional roles. In this book, dark is good. Darkness is worshipped as a deity akin to God, and symbolizes what is pure and good. In the book's world, women rule and men serve. Women are socially powerful and men, even if they're stronger magic-wise, are considered inferior and submissive. Magic goes by jewels. Basically, the darker the jewel a Blood (or magic user) wears, the more powerful he or she is. You'll be hard pressed to find much of the "wizard" clichés in this book, as magic (or "Craft", as the book calls it) is as natural in the book's environment as speech.

However, I can't consciously recommend this book without giving a warning: this book is NOT for the feint of heart. This book has tons of sex that only sometimes is truly relevant to the story. It depicts rape, bondage, incest, and pedophilia, as well as the use of mind-altering drugs. Some will also be put off by the characters. Most of the "good" guys live in Hell, and names like Saetan SaDiablo, Daemon, Mephis, and Lucivar could possibly offend the deeply religious. I'm as open-minded as they come and I found some of the scenes a bit risqué for my taste. I can easily imagine this book pissing a lot of sensitive people off.

Then there are the characters. They are portrayed surprisingly well. Daemon Sadi is not quite a hero, and not quite an anti-hero. He is a man who is jaded and completely twisted by the perverse society he is forced to live in. He himself is twisted to the extent that he is nicknamed the Sadist and is feared by every other Blood on the planet. Yet underneath all that, Jaenelle shows us, is a heart of gold that never got to shine before Jaenelle entered his life. Saetan, despite being the all-powerful High Lord of Hell, is a sweetheart from the start and acts kinda like the father I wish I had. Jaenelle isn't portrayed as well as the rest of the characters, as the story is never told from her perspective, but you can't help but feel for her after all the horrors she's had to live through for years.

In conclusion, despite the racy material and a bumpy start, I found this book highly enjoyable and after writing this review you better believe I am going to eagerly devour the second book. The story is flawed overall and seems to go out of its way to try to shock you. If it had a better beginning, a more original plot, and was toned down a little I'd give it the highest possible score, but in its present form I'll give it a 4 out of 5.

*MATURE CONTENT*

A witch on the edge of madness has a vision that the witch of all witches shall finally enter the world. A daughter of the Jeweled Blood who will call to account the many perversions that have been perpetuated by her people. That was seven centuries ago.

After all that time, a mysterious child wanders the world, treading paths that even the most experienced of the Blood find hard to imagine. She is innocent, yet wary. Known only as "Jaenelle," her power is remarkable but dangerously untamed. Her hunger for knowledge and friendship overwhelm young and ancient alike. Just being in the room with her makes most people want to dedicate their lives to her.

With all the support offered to Jaenelle, it is the people to matter most that may destroy her. It is a matter of time before her future is influenced by the people in her life. The staggering question is whether it will be those with pure intent, or will she be shattered by evil?

Anne Bishop's worlds are intricately amazing. She weaves her dark imagination in unexpected ways, leading readers through completely original fantasy tales.

In this novel, the first of "The Black Jewels Trilogy," the roles of her characters are well defined, and the plot moves forward at a brisk pace, only slowing when the reader needs to catch a breath. There is, however, a strong element of perversion that may upset sensitive--even some less sensitive--readers. Various, sometimes graphic, forms of rape and mutilation to both males and females occur throughout the book. It is not celebrated by the "good guys" at all, but it is ingrained in their current culture. These are the "perversions" brought about by the Blood, and which the prophesied Queen of Witches, known as Witch, is supposed to heal.

This is a difficult novel to review, as the storytelling is excellent, but the story being told is so vicious that many readers will be disturbed. Bishop paints a violated world in need of rescue, but one wonders if this is a world too far gone for hope.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
08/17/2007

Before I even begin, let me say this: do not read this series if you can't handle being exposed to the worst of human nature. I will not lie... rape, war, greed, and viciousness are all to be found within these pages, but don't let that turn you off. The skill with which Anne Bishop blends these disturbing subjects into fantasy is phenominal. Never have I read a series like this.
Dry humor mixes flawlessly with dark plot twists and the males in this book are incredible. Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar are so stunningly developed, it actually made me feel as though I could hear the different inflections in their tones as I read. Each voice is developed so thoroughly and has its own distinctive personality and spark, I would be hard pressed to say who is my favorite.
I will confess that I thought Bishop's weakest character was her child heroine, Jaenelle. All women in Daughter of the Blood seemed to be lacking personality except for my favorite female character, Surreal, the sassy, sharp-tongued courtesan. Later on in the series they get a little more developed, but as of right now Surreal is the heavy hitter in the female section, though I don't really think she's supposed to be. On to the villians...
Dorothea and Hekatah are actually more pathetic than they are evil. Strangely enough, one finds themselves beginning to hate the people you're not really supposed to hate (like Jaenelle's family). Know that the two leading ladies usually direct the troops, but it's the slimy ones, like their puppet Greer, who really start to get under your skin.
Even surpassing the Kushiel's Legacy Trilogy (by Jacquline Carey) and LKH's Anita Blake series, this is probably the best fantasy I've read in a long time.

For centuries now, the world of the Blood has been slipping into a hellish state, tainted by the machinations of two power-hungry women, slowly and subtly twisted and broken into a mere shadow of its former self. But there is hope: a prophecy has been made of the coming of a Queen who might yet save them all, not merely another witch but Witch, the embodiment of the dreams and hopes of all races. But before she can save her world, first she, and those who would aid her, must survive long enough for Witch to come into power....

In a single brilliant stroke, Anne Bishop opens up a whole new fantasy series while simultaneously overturning many of the more common notions pervading fantasy today. This is undeniably a brilliant book, well written, with an engaging storyline and characters that are lovable or despicable as their position requires and yet unique to nearly all I have read. In a world where the Darkness is 'good' (but evil is not), where many of the good guys live in Hell (but they're not nasty, just dead), where magic users where 'Jewels' with the darker jewels more powerful than the light (Black Jewels strongest of all), the notion of the three main protagonists being known as the Sadist, The High Lord of Hell, and Witch fits perfectly. Breathtaking and astounding, if you like dark fantasy in even the slightest way, this is a book you must read. The only possible warning I can think of is that this deals with many adult issues, including rape, and isn't for children.