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The Invisible Ring (Black Jewels Book 4) by [Anne Bishop]

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Anne Bishop

The Invisible Ring (Black Jewels Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Anne Bishop (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

870 ratings

Book 4 of 12: Black Jewels

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New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the world of her Black Jewels Trilogy with a prequel that follows a man who is determined to rebel against the course set before him...

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped—only to be caught and sold into slavery once again.

Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves—never to be seen again—and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom, or his honor...

Print length

388 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Roc
Publication date

June 3, 2008
Reading age

18 years and up
File size

3443 KB
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Enabled
Word Wise

Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Invisible Ring

“Plenty of adventure, romance, dazzling wizardly pyrotechnics, and [a] unique and fascinating hierarchical magic system...darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action, all set in a thoroughly detailed, invented world of cultures in conflict...The Invisible Ring will serve as an enticement, whetting the appetite to explore more of the realms in the Black Jewels trilogy. It and its predecessors are genuine gems of fantasy much to be prized.”—SF Site

“[An] entertaining otherworlds fantasy adventure with battles and dangers and chases. Fresh and interesting.”—Chronicle

“A weird, but highly diverting and oddly heartwarming mix.”—Locus

“A formidable talent, Ms. Bishop weaves another intense, emotional tale that sparkles with powerful and imaginative magic.”—RT Book Reviews

“The dark and sensual world makes for an engaging stage for Ms. Bishop’s captivating storytelling...I found myself not so much reading the book as devouring it.”—The 11th Hour

“[Bishop exhibits] overall sublime skill as a writer blending the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action, all set in a thoroughly detailed, invented world of cultures in conflict.”—Rambles

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop is a winner of the William L. Crawford Memorial Fantasy Award, presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, for The Black Jewels Trilogy. She is also the author of the Ephemera series, the Tir Alainn trilogy, and the Novels of the Others—including Etched in Bone, Marked in Flesh, Vision in Silver, Murder of Crows, and Written in Red. She lives in upstate New York.

Amazon.com Review

In this engaging story of Jared, a Red-Jeweled Warlord and unwilling pleasure slave, Bishop returns to the world of her Black Jewels trilogy (Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness). Jared, who has murdered his owner and attempted escape, is recaptured and sold to the mysterious Gray Lady. It soon becomes clear that Jared's new queen is not what she seems to be, and he joins with his fellow slaves--all of whom hide their own secrets--to protect the Gray Lady. During her desperate flight from Dorothea SaDiablo, the Black Widow intent on destroying her and claiming her territory, Jared comes to terms with his own demons and discovers what it means to be truly bonded to a queen.

Bishop uses her usual skill to move interesting, rounded characters through a well-drawn world. Although this is a standalone book, there are ties with the events of the trilogy, most especially the appearance of the compelling Daemon Sadi. The author still pulls no punches in describing the sexual violence and misery that are as much a part of this intricate world as the gender role-reversals and the often-agonizing demands of honor and magic. A pleasurable read for fans of emotionally charged fantasy who enjoy both complex characters and societies, and who are not averse to following characters through their struggles and achievements. --Luc Duplessis

--This text refers to the mass_market edition.

Review

Praise for The Invisible Ring

“Plenty of adventure, romance, dazzling wizardly pyrotechnics, and [a] unique and fascinating hierarchical magic system...darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action, all set in a thoroughly detailed, invented world of cultures in conflict...The Invisible Ring will serve as an enticement, whetting the appetite to explore more of the realms in the Black Jewels trilogy. It and its predecessors are genuine gems of fantasy much to be prized.”—SF Site

“[An] entertaining otherworlds fantasy adventure with battles and dangers and chases. Fresh and interesting.”—Chronicle

“A weird, but highly diverting and oddly heartwarming mix.”—Locus

“A formidable talent, Ms. Bishop weaves another intense, emotional tale that sparkles with powerful and imaginative magic.”—RT Book Reviews

“The dark and sensual world makes for an engaging stage for Ms. Bishop’s captivating storytelling...I found myself not so much reading the book as devouring it.”—The 11th Hour

“[Bishop exhibits] overall sublime skill as a writer blending the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action, all set in a thoroughly detailed, invented world of cultures in conflict.”—Rambles --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001ANYF4I
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Roc; Reprint edition (June 3, 2008)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 3, 2008
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3443 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 388 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #123,347 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #500 in Romantic Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #1,447 in Dark Fantasy Horror
- #2,098 in Dark Fantasy

Customer Reviews:
870 ratings

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Anne Bishop

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Anne Bishop is a winner of the William L. Crawford Memorial Fantasy Award, presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

870 global ratings

5 star		78%
4 star		16%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Engaging Prequel to Black Jewels Trilogy

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a prequel to the Black Jewels trilogy. Because some of the characters come from long-lived races, there are a couple of characters who appear in the first trilogy. The villain of this piece is Black Widow and Priestess Dorothea SaDiablo who is also the villain of the first trilogy.

In this one, we see Dorothea's plots and plans as she tries to eliminate any woman of the Blood who might rival her strength and encourage those women who share her views. She is spreading her corrupt version of the Blood to nearby countries. She would especially like to get rid of the Gray-Jeweled Queen who rules a territory called Dena Nehele.

The second continuing character is Daemon Sadi, a major hero in the first trilogy, who is a pleasure slave owned by Dorothea and lent out to other queens. He is doing everything he can to undermine Dorothea's plans and support those who oppose her.

The hero of this story is Jared, a Red-Jeweled Warlord from Shalodor, who has been a pleasure slave for nine years. The story begins with him at auction because he killed the Queen who owned him and her Prince too. He is destined to die in the salt mines of Pruul until he is purchased by the mysterious Gray Lady.

Jared finds himself among a group of slaves purchased by the Grey Lady and on his way to Dena Nehele. He decides that he will escape as soon as he can and head home to Shalador where he needs to make things right with his mother.

Plans quickly go awry when the group finds itself hunted by the Master of the Guard for Dorothea - a thoroughly corrupt man who will do anything to keep himself safe from Dorothea's punishments. The story is filled with adventure and action and danger for our heroes. It was interesting to watch Jared remember what he was taught as a child about honor and service and watch him pledge that service to his Gray Lady.

This was an engaging Dark Fantasy that adds to the Black Jewels series by letting readers get a glimpse of how the world of the first three books came to be.

One person found this helpful

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A Prequel I Liked Just as Much as the Original Series

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

There is a huge gear shift in this book as it is a prequel to the events in the first trilogy of the series. I actually wasn’t really excited to read it as I loved the characters from those books so much. But once you get past that the story in The Invisible Ring flows really well and again it was difficult to put the book down. The few cameos we get from The Sadist were just enough to add to the story but not take it over and show some of the little ways he rebelled against Dorthae long before Witch was born.

Jared was a pleasure slave, until the night he broke and killed both the Queen he served and her brother. He is supposed to be sold to the salt mines to be worked into death. That is until a Gray Lady shows up and buys his contract. Now Jared is on his way to the one of the only courts successfully evading Dorthae’s slow war to take control of all the lands and infect them with her cruel servants.

The only problem, there are lots of people trying to kill them while on route, a traitor in the midst of the traveling party and the Gray Lady, well she isn’t exactly what she seems to be either.

You have to have a solid foundation in this world so even though it is a prequel it shouldn’t be read until after books 1-3. How the Gray Lady and Jared staved off Dorthae and the army is what gave Janaelle the bones of how to save the land and the blood in Queen of Darkness.

It was good to see a few more characters that were good and not twisted into what Dorthae makes people into. We get to see how she took a man with ambition and a streak of cruelty and made him the worst version of himself, until he was almost as cruel as she was.

Great story set in a world I’ve grown to really like, despite its cruelties.

6 people found this helpful

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MrsLeif

Story in the same world but a prequel

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

The Invisible Ring is a Prequel to the Black Jewels series. The story takes place way before Witch is born.

A pleasure slave, Jared, is ready to be sent to die in the salt mines after killing his queen who had abused him. He's ready for his destiny when he’s purchased by the Gray Lady.

Jared has heard of the Grey Lady and what he knows is that people fear her. When a slave is bought, by her, they are never seen or heard from again.

Before the journey to her home in the mountains begins, she removes the Ring of Obedience and replaces it with the Invisible ring.

Besides purchasing Jared, The Gray Lady buys more slaves: Blaed, Thera, Garth, and Brock to mention some.

As the journey begins, it seems someone wants to capture and destroy the Gray Lady. At first, Jared is just trying to stay alive but when he starts noticing that Lia, the Gray Lady, is not what she seems, he starts having mixed feelings. He becomes protective of her. At some point, Jared must decide between staying with her or running for his freedom before all of them die.

A good addition to the series. This story happens before Janelle is born. I like all the characters: Lia, Blaed, Thera, and Jared. It was a good mixture of personalities and Craft.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

4 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

It took some time . . . . . . .

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 7, 2022

Verified Purchase

Confusion, not the best first mindset, but finally clarified that this tome is actually a prequel, and all was well after that. Fantastically rendered, infinitely believable, densely detailed, and worth twice the cost, but definitely tangential to the first three. This takes nothing away, merely distracts. A love story, though, like Hallmark to the tenth power, and true to all of the constructs of the Black Jewels realm. Overwhelmingly worth the read, and the jarring change from the path of the first three books leaves high anticipation for Book 5.

One person found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Must Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 25, 2022

Verified Purchase

A stand alone novel for Anne Bishop's Jewels world. Interesting complex characters who don't simply follow a trope. A well developed and written world full of interesting and complex social ideas as well as physical challenges. I adore every book in this world and any other Anne Bishop writes. The character interactions alone bring me back time and time again. You fall in love with the characters and there is no going back. I highly recommend.

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Top reviews from other countries

J H Sked

Great stuff

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 3, 2011

Verified Purchase

I've read every Anne Bishop book I can get my hands on, although the Black Jewels trilogy is definitely my favourite.

This looks like the start of a new serious set in the same world as the original Black Jewels books, and I look forward to reading the rest.

I understand some readers will be disappointed that the book is not about the characters from these books, although there were a couple of great cameos, but it is set in the world I've come to enjoy, the sense of humour and character building is strong - I couldn't ask for more.

Katherine

Another great black jewels book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

I have no clue why I like this series so much because they don't skimp on the horrific torture and violence in loving detail but all the love scenes are sketchy and fade to black. That willingness to describe violence graphically, and sexual abuse graphically, but not so much the healthy, loving ones was what put me off Outlander and Kushiel's Dart. But I adore this series I think it's probably the unusual choice to emphasise male sexual vulnerability (and normally I couldn't care less about men's problems but in this case they are the ones often used and thrown away and are beholden to the females and are chided for being emotional). I think it might just be that I fell in love with Daemon Sadi...

One person found this helpful

Emma Ovington

A good novel, set in the same land as the ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

A good novel, set in the same land as the black jewels trilogy but before. Enjoyed it a lot!

margaret causer

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 14, 2015

Verified Purchase