Customer Reviews

Tangled Webs (Black Jewels, Book 6)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I was deeply disappointed in this. Though the story centered around Surreal, many of the usual characters made appearances -- Daemon, the High Lord, Jaenelle, Tersa, Marion, the kindred -- their involvement was fairly limited and superficial, despite the book's description implying that the entire family will come together to help one of their own. The plot itself seemed very shallow and contrived, with Surreal being tricked into arriving at this "Haunted House", then appearing to be fairly helpless within, which is out of character for Surreal. Jaenelle appeared particularly insipid and, in general, the story lacked credibility and was dreadfully predictable. I loved the original Blood trilogy, as well as the volume of short stories, and re-read them frequently, but this has no "re-read" value at all.

The one bright spot was a previously published short story about one of Surreal's assassination jobs which was included at the end. It was much more in the flavor of the original stories and very enjoyable, though short.

Bishop's original trilogy was wonderful, and I loved the characters and the world. After the four short stories in Dreams Made Flesh, I was looking forward to reading a full story which dealt with the aftermath of the trilogy.

This isn't it.

In Tangled Webs, Jaenelle decides to create a "spooky house" to entertain the landen. A disgruntled writer decides to use this opportunity to get back at the Blood for laughing at his books which really autobiographical. He creates his own house, and invites Surreal, Luciver, and Daemon in Jaenelle's name.

The conflict in the book seemed contrived. As in all Bishop's books, there's the conflict between the genders. Jaenelle is mad at Daemon, but he doesn't know why. Luciver apologies to Marian, and she doesn't understand why he cares so much about her feelings.

I was frustrated with the character's behaviors in this book; their intelligence regressed. For example, after knowing Jaenelle, no one questioned the wording and timing of the invitations? Why couldn't Marian read to her son, why depend on Daemon and Saeten?

When you learn that the writer was a newly discovered Blood, you would think that the landen-Blood relationships would be explored, but no. Or Saeten's role now at the Keep. Or how the Coven are handling ruling their own territories.

There just was no substance to this book.

If you enjoyed the previous books, I would recommend that you borrow it, or at least wait until the mass market paperback edition. And don't expect much.

If you've read the Black Jewels Trilogy, you know each book was a meal in itself. Tangled Webs is a snack, and can be easily devoured. Don't expect an epic storyline; in fact, the plot doesn't begin until the reader is well into the book. I get the impression Tangled Webs has more than one objective--and the main one is not to involve us in drama we can't handle.

In some ways, I'd call this novel "light-hearted"--which made it a little awkward for the foundation of a sinister plot. The first third is almost entirely made up of "family fluff"--and by family, you know I mean the SaDiablos. But these are some of the tidbits we, the fans, had been hoping to find. It's the dynamic between the characters that made the trilogy work. So when you fall in love with the characters, this will be a book you can't not buy (if only to read more about the SaDiablos).

Anne addresses some unanswered questions like in Dreams Made Flesh, but she also introduces some new issues that loosely tie into the plot. A downside is that you may feel some things are not fleshed out well enough or not quite in sync with a character. By this, I mean that I had a tough time accepting some of Lucivar's behavior in the book. Don't get me wrong, it is very plausible but, come on, no one likes to think of the Prick as insecure. Regardless, he's still Lucivar and this time we get his temper featured more prominently than Daemon's.

The book could have been longer (but that might be a fan's wishful thinking). It must be intended to give us a glimpse into life of the Blood now that things have settled down, but remind the reader that the Blood are not complacent and, deep down, are not like the landens (no matter how much of a kinship there appears to be). This is where the plotline makes itself valuable: Surreal and Rainier are forced to defend themselves, and some children, without Craft, all at the whim of a lunatic mystery writer who's holding a grudge and completely clueless about just how down and dirty the Blood can get.

Tangled Webs has both charm and flaws. But revisiting the SaDiablo family is always worth while, even when you want to smack them hard!

When I read the reviews for "Tangled Webs", I decided against buying the book. I adore Anne Bishop and most of her writings, except the Fae series. However, being stuck at a Borders for five hours today, I decided to read Tangled Webs and settled in an unobtrusive corner to do so. The second I read the last page and closed the book, I headed for the cash register, cash in hand.

No, it's not perfect. No, it's not the original Dark Jewels trilogy. But, and I think this is part of what many reviewers are missing, it's not supposed to be. The cosmic battle is over. The good guys 'won' for now, and life has to settle back to normal. And, the one complaint I had with the original trilogy was that there were no 'good days' to compare the then-atrocities to.

Granted, I'm no author. I can create worlds and characters with ease, but setting down a coherent series of events, ending with an exciting and fulfilling conclusion? I'll leave that to others. Perhaps that's why I loved this book so much. I got to see what Blood society 'should' be like, on a larger scale than the snippets that Bishop threw in for contrast in the original trilogy. The Invisible Ring showed a few flashes, and Dreams Made Flesh expanded on it, but it was Tangled Webs that gave me a deeper understanding of the characters when their every move is not being threatened by Evil Forces(tm).

I'll agree, the plot was fluff. But I do love fluff, and the relationships between characters are what held me mesmerized. The villain was laughable and probably the weakest point of the book. And Surreal (my favorite character along with Tersa and Karla) was out of form. But I /idolized/ the few flashes of Tersa (especially at the end!), moped over Sylvia and Saetan, giggled through the first hundred pages, and got all weepy at the last room of Jaenelle's spooky house. (The intended, fun spooky house.)

Perhaps my expectations are lower, but I have a lot of damn fine fantasy on my bookshelves, including Jacqueline Carey, Sharon Shinn, and Susanna Clarke....most fans of Bishop already seem to, or would love these authors. But I found very little wrong with Tangled Webs, besides a weak storyline. For me, it's not about the story anymore, it's about the world and the people in it. The ties of affection that Bishop has knotted between her audience and the characters and the world itself are Gordian, to say the least. I literally felt loved by this book, and by the author at the end of the story. Perhaps it's not what most were expecting, but I, for one, am grateful for the chance to return yet again and savor a world that irresistibly draws me into its depths. I hope that The Shadow Queen is as fun, and I seriously hope all these loose ends are tied up...eventually. There's no hurry. I'll keep reading.

Without a doubt, the Black Jewels trilogy is dark fantasy at its best. After reading the first book alone, it became clear that Bishop excelled in world building and characterization; Daemon and Lucivar are impossible to forget, and the rest of the cast is just as dynamic. But the emphasis is solidly on fantasy elements in the original trilogy. With Tangled Webs Bishop has, to an extent, created a mainstream Black Jewels book that introduces the hook and tension of a suspense novel into the plot. Therefore, a comparison can hardly be drawn, especially since the quality of writing is still present. Speaking for myself, I immediately fell back into the world of the Blood; it was like I had never spent time away. Once I began, there was no putting the book aside. I had to finish it. And I did - in one sitting.

Tangled Webs takes a close look at Lucivar and Daemon, and their various relationships; it was a look that I thoroughly enjoyed, and in fact want more of. Surreal takes center stage in "the spooky house" and thus the suspense arc of the plot. She was a good one to throw in there, too, as her sharp tongue and even sharper attitude heightens the tension. My one complaint - and it is a minor one at that - is that their adversary could have been more lethal, more dangerous, without the use of props in the house. There's nothing quite like "watching" Lucivar and/or Daemon stalk their prey.

Overall, I was more than satisfied with this offering; in fact, I loved it. And while I think readers unfamiliar with this world would benefit from reading the trilogy first, I also believe that Tangled Webs is accessible, that it's a kinder introduction to a brutal society. As for established fans, well, it's what you make of it. If you go into it expecting the same thing, the same feel, of the original Black Jewels books you may or may not be let down. Tangled Webs is different, not for better or worse, it's just different, but if you love the characters I think you'll enjoy it, as well.

I'm giving Tangled Webs 4 stars simply because it's Anne Bishop and I'm a huge fan. BUT...I was bordering on feeling insulted by the beginning 100 or so pages of this book. The dialogue was insipid and the premise seemed amateurish at best. Where was the wonderful author that brought us the incomparable Black Jewels trilogy?? Where was her edginess, her creativity, and amazing story telling skills?

Thankfully, as the meat of the story approached, things became more interesting and somewhat enjoyable. The reader began to see a bit more of the true nature of the characters developed in the Jewels Trilogy, but it was still lacking the awe inspiring wonderment.

Another reviewer had made an interesting and valid point: Ms. Bishop told her epic tale that, in my opinion, was perfection, so why continue if there was nothing at least as wonderful to add as she had written in the past?

Considering the astonishing talent Ms. Bishop has as a writer of fantasy, I know in my gut that she could have done, and perhaps will do, better in her future endeavors. I, for one, would love for her to write a tale of the beginnings of the Blood: the origins of the Jewels and the dragons that dole them out. How did it all begin and with who? Now *that* would be a story worth reading.

If you are a fan of The Jewels books, then you will eagerly embrace revisiting the characters and the world Bishop has created and that alone is worth the read.

This book is set after the Dark Jewel trilogy ends and the realms are cleansed. One sees all of the much loved characters again. Surreal and Rainer are caught in a 'Spooky' house, by a man wanting to get even with the Blood. I have really enjoyed all of Anne Bishops books and this one was no exception. I liked that some history was clarified. The story moved very fast I actually read the book in one day. The actual story that is described front flap though doesn't not really start until almost 100 pages in. Not the first 100 pages were a drag to read. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the Dark Jewel Trilogy. (though one would have to read those books before reading this one and maybe even Dreams made Flesh).

Okay, so I'm a pushover for Daemon and Lucivar. Always have been, always will be. Or so I thought.

This book, which I originally expected to be a sassy, arsekickin' look at Surreal's character, turned out to be nothing more than a twice-watered down story from way too many viewpoints. When you write a novel, and your previously awesome warrior MC's most challenging obstacle is his battle with illiteracy, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. Maybe. Possibly. PLEASE.

I was so excited about this book that I ignored my husband for about three or four hours as soon as we came home from the bookstore and practically devoured it. I was hoping it would get a little less hokey, the entire time, but alas, it was not to be.

As much as I love Daemon, Lucivar, and Saetan's characters, I find the constant misunderstandings monotonous and demeaning to their intelligence. I don't like stupid characters, and until this book, I didn't think that applied to any of the three, but by the end I felt that at least Daemon and Lucivar had IDIOT stamped on their foreheads in big red letters.

The book was paced well enough, but diluted with subplots to the point that I really didn't care so much about the main "spooky house" plot once the book started rolling. You know those parts of a book you come to and immediately think "If I skip this, will I really miss something THAT important?" Well, every time the Surreal/Ranier scenes came up I literally counted the pages to the next scene and wondered just that. Problem was, the entire book supposedly hinged on those scenes.

I think the main problem here is that her original Black Jewel Trilogy MC ensemble has too strong of a pull, for Bishop as a writer, and her readership as a whole. I think if the old MCs had less of a role in this book, it would have been much better. I really liked Surreal in the original series, she shined even though she played a smaller role than many of the other characters, but in this story, where she should have played a much larger role, her character fell flat. Or rather, it was steamrolled by Daemon, Lucivar, and Jaenelle.

I'm not giving up on Bishop just yet. It was still a fun read, but I expected more. I'm crossing my fingers for another Blood book with some substance.

As the author states at the beginning, this book is a look into things after the big battles are complete. While not as exciting or ground-breaking as the trilogy or even Dreams Made Flesh, I found the novel very very enjoyable. I loved how it showed how things had progressed between the major characters. A very good revisit to characters that we are fascinated with and feel we know. I believe the author has indicated she may write more books in the Black Jewels universe, but perhaps not with these characters. While the Black Jewels universe is wonderful and unique (bravo Anne Bishop!), I have to say its these wonderful characters that I really adore and I hope there will be more looks into what happens to them after the current books.

Tangled Webs: Very much recommended.

Make sure you read the previous books in this serious before picking up this one. The characters will not make much sense without that background knowledge.

As far as my star review, I am a big fan of Anne Bishop, so I admit my review is biased. But this was my least favorite book that Bishop has written set in the Black Jewel universe. The story is set around Surreal, who is one of the most interesting characters in this universe, but I would have preferred a "prequel" story with her (i.e. expand upon the short story at the end). The story in this book is not very challenging to any of the characters, and at no point is there ever much suspense. However, if you are a fan of this universe then definitely pick this up.