Customer Reviews

Queen of the Darkness (Black Jewels, Book 3)

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mystifying, sensual and radiating with dark magic, tests of faith and compassionate love. This book just lungs for your heart, rips it apart, just to put it back together on the very, very last page.

I admit I havent been stunned and awed over a sci-fi/fantasy novel since the first coming of G.R. Martin. And I havent ached, fought, hoped and feared for a character like the one of Daemon Sadi since I read the first chapters about Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister in Martin's Game of Thrones. I mean, how can one writer catch her reader's uninhibited emotional attention, like Anne Bishop did with this last book of her terryfic Black Jewels Trilogy?

So, let's take a closer look. Queen of Darkness actually is neatly divided in two parts. In the first two thirds it's a - sometimes a bit slow - dance of longing, hope and finally passion. As Daemon Sadi, sworn consort to Jaenelle, the powerful Witch queen who rules the Shadow Realm, reenters the stage, he not only has to overcome his own fears: Would his beloved lady still want him after all that happened before? He also has to overcome her youthful uncertainties: Will she be enough for a man who has lived for 1700 years? Or will she break him apart if she claimed his heart, like those other witch queens tried by forcing him into a slave's service? Of course love prevails - that was never in question.

Had the story ended at this point, I would have considered QoD a good fantasy romance coming to a long awaited conclusion. But Anne Bishop got me there. She really tricked me into believing, that the rest of this novel would be a swift clean-up. Many otherwise good SF&F stories tend to conlude with a good deal of disappointment when the main protagonists become too strong and powerful (I just name Eddings as the master example for way too omnipotent leading characters). But in QoD all of sudden Jaenelle and her friends really face destruction of everything they treasure. And I swear, it's not some deus et machina out-of-nowhere threat, but some evil developments of ongoing machinations and a few well-placed twists of fate. When it seems as if even the greatest sacrifice wouldnt be enough, Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle come up with a devilish plan. And betraying those who trust the most is just a minor part of it. What follows is as mind-blowing as anything I've ever read. It's phenominal in detail, painful in execution and exhilarating in conclusion.

Anne Bishop - you've really crowned yourself as one of the gendre's best with those last 150 pages of Queen of Darkness.

> "Daemon?" There was so much uncertainty in her voice.
> "Hi, sweetheart" he said, his voice husky from the effort not to cry. "I've missed you."
> Her hand moved slowly, with effort, until her palm rested against his face. Her lips curved into a smile. "Daemon."
> This time, when she said this, it sounded like a promise, like a lovely caress.

Oh, what a jewel of beauty!
Thank you, Anne Bishop. Thank you very much for this lesson about pure and unconditional love. And if it comes to that, no sacrifice can be too big. No price too high. And no faith too deep.
So, after I read the last page, it was way past midnight. I went to my beloved wife who was already sound asleep and held her tight, so tight.
What more can I say?
I'm still weeping.

This novel occupied me. I read it very quickly, in about twelve hours, wanting to know what happened after 'Heir to the Shadows.' It made me very emotional in places. All of those are supposedly the marks of a great novel.

And yet...

I rated it three stars when all's said and done.

The good first:

Daemon Sadi is back. And his character has gotten a reworking that wouldn't have been possible if not for the traumatic events that happened to him in the first two books. I see now some of the reasons for his absence in 'Heir to the Shadows,' and they are good ones. He is the bang in the book, his insecurity and returning confidence great conduits for the reader's emotions. And his actions near the end of the book really deserve the name of the novel's climax, rather than what Jaenelle does. I have rarely seen such a skillful evocation of a character dancing on the line between good and evil. I won't reveal what it is, not wanting to get into spoilers, but this is the part in all the books that most played with my emotions, and yet left me breathless and happy afterward, instead of irritated that I'd been toyed with.

The other parts of the book were the whimper.

When the book begins, we have leapfrogged several years in time, and I will reveal this, since I don't think it spoils much of the plot of the book: Lucivar is married. This abruptly appears, and we don't get to see much of his wife or son, which makes the transition appear pointless. Lucivar was developed as a deep character in 'Heir to the Shadows,' and there seems no reason to abandon that. I never quite learned what the author was doing here.

The minor character problem has continued to pile up, so that I often flipped through the pages trying to reconcile a scene that didn't seem to make sense. Was this person the son of this woman, or her brother? Why was Character A so upset about Character B's action? One skill that Bishop does seem to lack is introducing large numbers of characters all at once. The book as a whole seems rushed, but the introduction or reintroduction of the characters especially so.

The problems with Jaenelle have deepened and intensified. I could accept her characterization through Daemon's point of view, since he is in love with her and not seeing her realistically. But the other characters continue to stare at her with religious awe. It is very strange. I still had the feeling that most of their awe was for her potential powers, rather than what she had actually done.

What Jaenelle actually does ends the book, and it was very disappointing to me. Where Daemon's ending kept me entranced, this made me almost close the book. Where I admired the emotions that Daemon's ending evokes, here I thought it was tears for the sake of tears. And the very, very last pages of the book seemed to be a shaky compromise between 'happy ending' and 'angsty ending.' Perhaps I'm alone in preferring one or the other, but if there's a compromise, let it be well-done. This didn't strike me that way.

It's hard to say whether I'm disappointed with the trilogy or not. I would definitely recommend reading it. However, I can't recommend it wholeheartedly, and especially not to people who need to sympathize with a female character to keep the plot moving forward. I've heard the series touted because of Jaenelle, but I don't think she ever achieves the status of real heroics; those are reserved for Saetan, Lucivar, and Daemon. So if you don't mind male characters in the lead, love odd societies and dark fantasies, and can deal with an ambivalent ending, I would say go for it. If not, perhaps best to leave these on the shelves.

To put it bluntly- this book ROCKS! It is the third in a trilogy about Jaenelle Angelline and what happens to her and the people around her after she has made the Offering. She has also become Queen of Ebon Askavi to save the Kindred from being slaughtered by the corrupt Blood who try to steal the land from them.

Daemon returns in this book to be the consort of the new Queen. Along with his love and loyalty to her, she is protected by the three: father Saeten, brother Lucivar, and lover Daemon.(Don'tcha just love those names?)Many characters in these three books have names and places that play off the biblical and Shakespearean. This will become very important as the book draws to a close. This triangle of four will be the only thing that can save her as she attempts to save them all from their corrupt enemies loyal to Dorothea and Heketah within the Blood realm.
The development of the relationship between Daemon and Jaenelle is heart wrenching and several facts come to light which totally surprised me. You will have to read it to find out for yourself.

I was absolutely delighted with the 'edge of your seat' ending. BUT I don't want it to be the end. I want to know what happens to the characters. Yes the war is fought but what happens when they go to pick up the pieces?

It is rumored that there will be a fourth book offered and I pray there will be. Queen of the Darkness had a great ending but left me wanting more. Characters are so well developed, the plot flows, and it is a real page turner. You have to get this book.

With Queen of the Darkness, Anne Bishop closes out one of the best dark fantasy trilogies ever written. The depth and richness of the worlds she created in this series must be experienced to be believed, especially with "good guys" including the likes of Saetan, High Lord of Hell, and his sons Daemon Sadi and Lucivar. Of course, Jaenelle Angelline is the center of attention as always; the young girl we first met in Daughter of the Blood, struggling to find friendship, acceptance, and guidance from those who - unlike her awful family - could recognize her for what she was, has grown up and now sits upon the Dark Throne of Ebon Askavi. She is surrounded by a coven of friends from neighboring realms and their males, protected by the most powerful warlords of the Blood, yet despite her own power as Witch - the almost mythological manifestation of true Blood power, dreams made flesh - sorrow continues to number all of her days. Daemon Sadi, her chosen Consort, has yet to return from the Twisted Kingdom of madness, many Kindred lives have been lost at the hands of the evildoers ruling the kingdom of Terreille, and a cataclysmic war looms on the horizon, a war Jaenelle knows will kill everyone she cares about.

I think the beginning of this novel threw me off stride a little bit, and I was never able to completely recover. As Queen of the Darkness opens, several years have passed since Daemon emerged from the Twisted Kingdom, yet he is nowhere to be found. When he is located, largely by luck or fate, and brought to the Hall alongside the likes of Wilhelmina, Jaenelle's sister, he remembers nothing of the cataclysmic events that closed out the first book in the trilogy. When Jaenelle returns, a definite rift exists between her and Daemon, and Jaenelle has little to do with a sister she once loved. The situation with Daemon becomes clear as the book nears its end (culminating in a very touching scene), yet I felt there was a strong disconnect between the characters. Later, when the evil plots of Hekatah the dark priestess and her hateful ally witch Dorothea must finally be dealt with once and for all, I didn't completely buy into the way things happened. Certainly, there were some surprises, and I could barely stand to see some of the things that took place actually happen, but things just didn't seem 100% right. The pivotal subterfuge around which Jaenelle's secret plans are put into motion seemed especially contrived - it was as if everyone just decided one morning that they should look at a central character differently, and I never saw any justification for the types of doubts that arose.

Fans of the series will be thrilled to know that justice is finally done, and those who have hurt Jaenelle and the members of her Dark Court over the years get exactly what is due them. Sadly, however, some dear characters are also lost or maimed through acts of villainy and the vindictive lust for power. The Kindred, non-human creatures of the Blood whom we encountered in Heir to the Shadows, are woven into this concluding novel in a beautifully intricate fashion, making for a more complex but at the same time enriching reading experience. At the same time, secondary players in the drama, many of whom I had struggled to truly understand, also emerge in grand fashion as the trilogy approaches its climax.

Even if I wasn't 100% satisfied with this third and final novel, I have nothing but the highest of praise for Anne Bishop's literary genius and for The Black Jewels Trilogy as a whole. No fictional kingdom of dark fantasy has ever seemed so vivid and original, nor have characters as complex as the main actors in this story ever been seen before - not by my eyes, anyway. The subject matter makes these books unsuited for young readers, but mature readers who appreciate originality and the word-weaving of literary magic will very likely find themselves deeply immersed in this world and come away echoing my final comment here: Anne Bishop is the Queen of Dark Fantasy.

"Queen of the Darkness" is the third and last book in Anne Bishop's extraordinary "Black Jewels Trilogy." This is a strong novel which truly enhances the material in the first two books and provides a most fitting conclusion to this epic series. I would strongly advise reading the books in order, beginning with "Daughter of the Blood" and then "Heir to the Shadows" to best appreciate the intricate story, characters and unique world that Ms. Bishop has created. I only wish the author had written a quartet!

In the world where Darkness rules, an ancient prophecy comes true. Jaenelle Angelline is born Witch. She is the "dream made flesh" and the hope and light of the future. Jaenelle has matured and come into her own now. She made the Offering to the Darkness and is Queen of the Dark Court at Ebon Askavi in the Realm of Karleer and is the Heart of the land and her Kingdom. The First Circle of her Court consists of her adopted father, Prince Saetan as Steward of the Dark Court, Prince Lucivar Yaslana as First Escort and Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih, her beloved Daemon Sadi as Warlord Prince and Royal Consort, and all the Queens, Priestesses, Healers, Warlord Princes, Kindred, etc., who she befriended as a child, now also serve her in her highest court. She hopes that the Corrupt Blood will no longer slaughter and maim her people and defile the land. However, Jaenelle will need all her friends and their power to meet the evil that is coming.

Dorothea, the High Priestess of Hayll, and Hekatah, the self-proclaimed Dark Priestess of Hell were created to be noble caretakers of the Realms. Both women have perverted their Craft and their purpose, infected those who serve them, and threaten to destroy the Realms to fulfill their insatiable greed for power. They plot to gain control over Witch Queen Jaenelle and rule all through her. Hekatah also plans to destroy her ally Dorothea and hold ultimate power. The Realms are in chaos and terrible war and destruction threaten. The corrupted Blood must be cleansed. To do this and save everyone and everything she cares for, Jaenelle must make a terrible and shocking decision.

The book is filled with plot twists, excitement and originality. Ms. Bishop explores themes like duty, loyalty, honor and self-sacrifice. Her wry wit is ever present and the narrative is spellbinding. This series is outstanding and I cannot recommend it highly enough! An easy 5 Stars!
JANA

I have never finished a book in such a short time, oh my gods this was wonderful! I don't want to spoil too much here, though I will say towards the end you definately want to have tissues around if you're a sap like me. A bittersweet happy ending, DEFINATELY was worth the wait!

Wonderful. For month's I've waited for the release of this title, and now that I've read it I can only sing it's praises. Ms. Bishop has once again demonstrated her ability to bring the noble, darker side of human nature to the fore. This piece is a masterwork, filled with humor and magic. But always reminding the readers that underneath it all lies a brilliantly dark and violent world.

Thank you Anne Bishop, for granting us all a look into this haunting world of your imagination. It is truly a Dream made Paper.

I have really liked this trilogy. The first two books were wonderful and for the most part I enjoyed the last one, Queen of the Darkness. However, I have to agree with a previous reviewer concerning this book. The ending was completely rushed and as a result left me feeling slightly disappointed. Storylines the author created were sort of left hanging, especially dealing with Saetan and the other members of Jaenalle's Dark Court. I mean, what exactly happened to them and what will the future have in store for them? I was not expecting some sappy ending but I would have liked a more concrete one.

But like I said, for the most part I enjoyed this book. It was good to see what was happening with your favorite characters, especially Daemon, Lucifer and Surreal. At some parts I was laughing out loud and others feeling sad, especially toward the end when some characters were sacrificed for the good of the others. It left me moved. I have come to love the characters in this series and I think Bishop did a great job. Overall, this series was great. Definitely read it.

As a huge fan of this series, it honestly pains me to write a mediocre review of this novel. However, after a couple of days to think it over, I feel that I must do so.

This book feels like either Ms. Bishop threw it together as quickly as possible or her editor chopped much of it up with a battle axe. The story doesn't flow nearly as well as the first two Dark Jewels books, and several plot points are either dropped or are abruptly resolved (Saeten and Sylvia as one example). The end of the novel also suffers from this flaw, and was a major disappointment.

Although it does have several faults, I did still enjoy reading this book, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the series to anyone. It retains the same lighthearted yet dark flavor of the previous two, and I found tears in my eyes in several places. Unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations, but that was the result of comparing it to the previous books in the trilogy, and is a tribute to Ms. Bishop's talent. Compared to the majority of the other contemporary books in the fantasy genre, this one would rate at least 4 stars.

I look forward to seeing what Ms. Bishop does next!

I know that this was only a trilogy, but by the end of the book, I wanted to know what happened next. Heketah and Dorothea are able to connive their way into forcing Jaenelle to make a decision about who she is and what she wants. Jaenelle's birth family has some hard decisions to make about their expectations. I loved seeing the interaction between Surreal, Lucivar, Saetan, and Daemon. There were moments at the beginning that broke my heart, and moments that I was cheering for the characters.

This was a good book to end the series with--many things that were mentioned in the other two books were finished off here. I really felt that the ending left me hanging. But there was a lead in (kind of) to the book "The Invisible Ring." I will probably read that book soon.

There were storylines that could have been developed more, but the love story between Daemon and Jaenelle was very well written. I would highly recommend the entire series to anyone.