Fifty Shades of Grey meets Game of Thrones, Kushiel's Dart is the first in a triptych of beautifully constructed historical fantasies that combine passion, danger, great battles, and deep eroticism.
"When Love cast me out, it was Cruelty who took pity on me."
In a kingdom born of angels, Phèdre is an anguisette, cursed or blessed to find pleasure in pain. Sold to the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, her fate as a beautiful but anonymous courtesan was sealed. Her bond was purchased by the nobleman Anafiel Delauney, who recognized the scarlet mote in Phèdre's eye as the rare mark of one touched by a powerful deity. Under Delauney's patronage she is trained in history, politics, language, and the use of body and mind as the ultimate weapon of subterfuge in a dangerous game of courtly intrigue.
Guided into the bed chambers of Terre D'Ange's most influential nobles, Phèdre uncovers a conspiracy against the throne so vast that even her teacher cannot see the whole of it. As her nation is besieged by invading hordes from the north, the most unthinkable threat to her beloved home comes from traitors within. Betrayed and blindsided by her own longings, only Phèdre and her trusted bodyguard Josselin are left to cross borders and warring armies in a race to stop the final blow from falling.
Enter a lush world of pleasure houses, ambitious warlords, scheming courtiers, and the harsh justice of blessed deities through the eyes of a heroine like no other. Sprawling and darkly sensual, Kushiel's Dart is the start of a truly original fantasy series perfect for mature fans of George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb, and Anne Bishop.
Publisher: Macmillan
Original Binding: Mass Market
Pages: 928 pages
ISBN-10: 125075951X
Item Weight: 0.9 lbs
Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.6 x 6.7 inches
Customer Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars 50,001 + ratings
"A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating read." --Robert Jordan
"A beautifully written story and a gem of a fantasy novel." --Associated Press
"This brilliant and daring debut catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Making a marvelous debut, Carey spins a breathtaking epic starring an unflinching yet poignantly vulnerable heroine." --Booklist, starred review
"With her provocative debut novel, Jacqueline Carey introduces herself as an extraordinarily talented writer…Ms. Carey weaves an exquisite tapestry of politics, intrigue, history, magic, desire and fate into a breathtaking epic that will captivate readers." --Romantic Times, Top Pick/Gold Medal, 4½ stars
"Jacqueline Carey astonishes with her first novel…sexy and sometimes shocking, if you don't mind your eyeballs popping out every couple of chapters, this is a swell tale." --The Detroit Free Press
"Compulsively readable…a saga worthy of the field's best writer on such a scale, George R. R. Martin. It's an astonishing debut." --Locus
"The highly distinctive voice of the protagonist, Phedre, captured me within the first few pages of the novel and held me spellbound.... This is a stunning debut novel." --Juliet Marillier
New York Times bestseller Jacqueline Carey is the author of the critically acclaimed Kushiel's Legacy series (Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, and Kushiel's Avatar) of historical fantasy novels, the Sundering epic fantasy duology (Banewreaker and Godslayer), and the standalone epic fantasy Starless. Carey currently resides in west Michigan. Although often asked by inquiring fans, she does not, in fact, have any tattoos.
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