Ahira's Hangar

Reading Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey www.jacquelinecarey.com. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>

Well, this was once a much longer thread with a lot of replies. Then it was eaten by the hacker attack. I do not know if the missing posts will be restored, so what I'm about to say might become redundant at some point in the future.

I read the three books in the Kushiel trilogy recently, and found them to be enjoyable, though not for the faint of heart.

They tell the story of a young girl who has been marked by an angel named Kushiel as a anguisette, someone who finds exquisite pleasure trhough great pain. She is raised by a nobleman to be a courtesan (a holy calling in her homeland, a thinly disguised France in an alternate Europe) and as a spy.

There are some really eye-popping S&M sex scenes in these books (some made me a bit queasy when they brought out knives and hot pokers and such), but they are integrated into the story (people Phedre is spying on, etc.) so they are not gratuitous.

Traveling through the alternative Europe, Middle East, and Africa is interesting, as are the cultures and religions practiced there (Judaism is practiced, as are pagan religions, and in Terre 'd Ange, Phedre's homeland, angel worship).

Lots of political intrigue, some battle scenes, interesting places and people to visit...fascinating religions. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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One of the hot rumors over at one of my other boards is that Carey is going to be writing a new trilogy based in Terre d'Ange. It is supposed to be featuring Imre, a character introduced in the thirs of her books about Phedre. The first book of the new triology is reportedly going to be called Kushiel's Scion and will be published in summer of 2006. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Carey has posted the first chapter of Kushiel's Scion at her website:
www.jacquelinecarey.com/scion.htm ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I finished reading Kushiel's Scion last week, I wil review it soon. The Bodhisattva

Fantasybookspot.com

My interview this week: Jeff Vandermeer
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Coming of age can be difficult for anyone. But if you are the son of two of the greatest traitors your country has ever known it can be even more difficult. And making it even worse is having spent some of your formative time as a boy in the harem of a sadistic madman. Not to mention being descended in blood from the angel Kushiel, the hand of God's justice. That can give you rather dark sexual urges...

That Imriel, prince of the blood and third in line for the throne of the nation of Terre d'Ange (the France of an alternative Earth) is sane at all is due to his loving adoptive parents. Yet the constant suspicians of his countrymen and the prospect of an unwanted dynastic marriage inspire the young man to leave his native land for the university in Rome. In Italy he will face great difficulties and dangers and will begin to have to grow into his manhood, away from the loving protection of his adoptive parents...

This is the fourth novel in Carey's Kushiel series.
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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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The second book in the trilogy about Imre is due to be released this summer. I would currently advise anyone interested in reading the book to avoid the book's description at Amazon.com. I have never seen so many major spoilers (provided that they do happen in the book, and with Amazon one never knows) spilled out for any book in my life in any form of review.

This would be for Kushiel's Justice.