#kushiel&039;s dart

[joncronshawauthor]

From Shadows to Steel: Evolution of the Assassin Fantasy Genre

Throughout the vast realms of fantasy literature, there exists a subgenre that focuses on the moral ambiguities of being a killer—the assassin fantasy genre. From the mysterious and silent killers of ancient tales to the morally complex anti-heroes of modern sagas, the portrayal of assassins in literature has evolved significantly over time. Today, we’ll delve into the evolution of the assassin…

[hannaedits]

Shepherd.com: "The best books that blend fantasy and alternate history"

Shepherd.com: “The best books that blend fantasy and alternate history”

Have you heard of Shepherd? It’s an interesting new option for those looking for book recommendations. I was asked to contribute an article in a way that ties into my Steel Empires series, so the topic I landed on was the best books that blend fantasy and alternate history. It was incredibly difficult to settle on 5 books, and you can definitely take as given that I recommend the full series…

[gigiglorious]

Read-Along | Kushiel's Dart Chapters 9-12

Read-Along | Kushiel’s Dart Chapters 9-12

I’m doing a read-along of the Kushiel Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey here and on Reddit! These posts are just meant to be my thoughts and observations while reading the chapters. A more complex review is forthcoming after I finish the book.

Announcement!

Previous chapters (5-8).

Chapter 9

Delauney’s got his plans as always. I know Phèdre loves him but I am always reminded that she and Alcuin…

[coffeeatmidnight]

Down the TBR Hole #5

Down the TBR Hole #5

I am very late (a full month), but decided this is exactly the kind of exercise that I need to get over my “reader’s block.” I have been in a slump with wedding planning (yay!), working from home, and *finally* getting to see my mom and stepdad for the first time since February. Now, it has been hard to get back into reading. However, seeing what is out there and what I was once excited to read…

[shethinks23]

I Like Big Books, I Cannot Lie

I Like Big Books, I Cannot Lie

In 2018, I participated in the Good Reads reading challenge. It was my aim to read two books a month every month and by New Years Eve 2018, I would have read 24 books. As some of you know, last year I crushed that goal and ended up finishing the year at 65 books read.

I was really strong in the beginning of the year and then from September through November, I did not read a single book. There…

[karinawebster]

Phedre's Trilogy | Jacqueline Carey | series review

Phedre’s Trilogy | Jacqueline Carey | series review #bookreview #bookblog #fantasy #fiction #karinareads #kushielslegacy

‘love as though wilt’

I read and adored Jacqueline Carey’s magnificent Phedre’s Trilogy last year so I thought I’d combine my reviews for the trilogy here in case you fancy some exquisite writing and epic romance in a Renaissance-esque fantasy setting. Featuring royalty, pirates, kidnapping and betrayal, happy reading!

Kushiel’s Dart

While the start (more…)

[ktc-artwork]

Book Review #7 Kushiel's Dart

Book Review #7 Kushiel’s Dart

Hello everyone, I hope you had a good Labor Day weekend I know I sure did! Welcome to my seventh book review on Kushiel’s Dart By Jacquline Carey. Depending on which copy of the book you have or get will depend on the page numbers you have to read, the first print copy of the book is around 912 pages or the new cover remake is about 654 pages, so a pretty long read. Don’t get cocky with new…

[ihaskidgloves]

MUSING MONDAYS | I need a vacation!

But unfortunately, I can’t do that yet. Almost everyone in our office took vacation leave and we’re left with just the skeleton crew. Sigh. I’ll eventually get my turn. Probably some time in the fall. A trip back to NYC is so long overdue.

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

* I’m currently reading… * Up next I think I’ll read… * I bought…

[bookishbethanyerin]

What I'm Reading {1}

What I’m Reading {1}

A lot of great fantasy, lately!

Golden Son by Pierce Brown 

The second in the Red Rising trilogy, this sucker was such a gut punch. Brown is an author who doesn’t go easy on his protagonist, Darrow, and the entire book will have you hungrily flipping the pages, needing to more as you read more. The action is intense, the plotting is tight, the motivations are ever-changing, and the end of the…

[gigiglorious]

Read-Along | Kushiel's Dart Chapters 5-8

Read-Along | Kushiel’s Dart Chapters 5-8

I’m doing a read-along of the Kushiel Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey here and on Reddit!

Announcement!

Previous chapters (1-4).

Chapter 5

There’s a lot of appropriation of different cultures by the Night Court. It’s not something I picked up a lot of when I first read the book, but after rereading it multiple times now I can see all the work Carey has put into worldbuilding. It’s the little…

[gigiglorious]

Jacqueline Carey announced she was retelling Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s perspective. I have not stopped screaming since. Now we’re doing a read-along of Kushiel’s Legacy on r/fantasy. The read-along covers the three books of Phèdre’s trilogy, starting with Kushiel’s Dart.

(Illustrations by Tran Nguyen. Subterranean Press Limited Edition.)

Kushiel’s Dart

“The land of Terre d’Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good… and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.

Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission… and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel’s Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.

Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair… and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel’s Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.”

The discussion posts will be happening on r/fantasy but I wanted to also compile my thoughts separately. This is one of my favourite series. I have read it multiple times. Years ago when 50 Shade of Grey took everybody by storm, a number of sites and people started recommending sexy, feminism reads that didn’t have terrible stereotypes about BDSM. Kushiel’s Dart was one of those books and I picked it up out of curiosity since I’d always loved fantasy. I wound up reading the first two trilogies in two weeks, averaging a 1000 page book every two and a half days while working two jobs.

I was obsessed to put it mildly. And while this is one of my favourite series, I’ve never actually done a comprehensive reread with notes. So I’m looking forward to rereading favourite parts, spotting things I missed previously, and digging in deeper to the gender and sexual politics of Terre D’Ange.

Everyone is welcome to join along. I will be adding links to each discussion to this post for ease of organization.

Monday, June 4: Chapters 1-4

Thursday, June 7: Chapters 5-8

Monday, June 11: Chapters 9-12

Thursday, June 14: Chapters 13-16

Monday, June 18: Chapters 17-20

Thursday, June 21: Chapters 21-24

Monday, June 25: Chapters 25-28

Thursday, June 28: Chapters 29-32

Monday, July 2: Chapters 33-36

Thursday, July 5: Chapters 37-40

Monday, July 9: Chapters 41-44

Thursday, July 12: Chapters 45-48

Monday, July 16: Chapters 49-52

Thursday, July 19: Chapters 53-56

Monday, July 23: Chapters 57-60

Thursday, July 26: Chapters 61-64

Monday, July 30: Chapters 65-68

Thursday, August: 2: Chapters 69-72

Monday, August 6: Chapters 73-76

Thursday, August 9: Chapters 77-80

Monday, August 13: Chapters 81-84

Thursday, August 16: Chapters 85-88

Monday, August 20: Chapters 89-92

Thursday, August 23: Chapters 93-96

Announcement | Kushiel’s Legacy Read-Along Jacqueline Carey announced she was retelling Kushiel's Dart from Joscelin's perspective. I have not stopped screaming since.

[gigiglorious]

Read-Along | Kushiel's Dart - Chapters 1-4

Read-Along | Kushiel’s Dart – Chapters 1-4

And it’s started!

For those who don’t remember there’s a read-along of Phèdre’s trilogy in the Kushiel’s Legacy Series happening on r/fantasy. I’m one of the people leading it and will be posting my thoughts here as well.

Chapter 1

Book opens with assertion that Phèdre isn’t a bastard child.

Despite a culture with sacred sex work, there still appears to be misunderstandings and assumptions about…