Product Description
Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.
Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.
Jan-Thorsten Reszat @ 6:07 pm
Mystifying, sensual and radiating with dark magic, tests of faith and compassionate love. This book just lungs for your heart, rips it apart, just to put it back together on the very, very last page.
I admit I havent been stunned and awed over a sci-fi/fantasy novel since the first coming of G.R. Martin. And I havent ached, fought, hoped and feared for a character like the one of Daemon Sadi since I read the first chapters about Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister in Martin’s Game of Thrones. I mean, how can one writer catch her reader’s uninhibited emotional attention, like Anne Bishop did with this last book of her terryfic Black Jewels Trilogy?
So, let’s take a closer look. Queen of Darkness actually is neatly divided in two parts. In the first two thirds it’s a – sometimes a bit slow – dance of longing, hope and finally passion. As Daemon Sadi, sworn consort to Jaenelle, the powerful Witch queen who rules the Shadow Realm, reenters the stage, he not only has to overcome his own fears: Would his beloved lady still want him after all that happened before? He also has to overcome her youthful uncertainties: Will she be enough for a man who has lived for 1700 years? Or will she break him apart if she claimed his heart, like those other witch queens tried by forcing him into a slave’s service? Of course love prevails – that was never in question.
Had the story ended at this point, I would have considered QoD a good fantasy romance coming to a long awaited conclusion. But Anne Bishop got me there. She really tricked me into believing, that the rest of this novel would be a swift clean-up. Many otherwise good SF&F stories tend to conlude with a good deal of disappointment when the main protagonists become too strong and powerful (I just name Eddings as the master example for way too omnipotent leading characters). But in QoD all of sudden Jaenelle and her friends really face destruction of everything they treasure. And I swear, it’s not some deus et machina out-of-nowhere threat, but some evil developments of ongoing machinations and a few well-placed twists of fate. When it seems as if even the greatest sacrifice wouldnt be enough, Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle come up with a devilish plan. And betraying those who trust the most is just a minor part of it. What follows is as mind-blowing as anything I’ve ever read. It’s phenominal in detail, painful in execution and exhilarating in conclusion.
Anne Bishop – you’ve really crowned yourself as one of the gendre’s best with those last 150 pages of Queen of Darkness.
> “Daemon?” There was so much uncertainty in her voice.
> “Hi, sweetheart” he said, his voice husky from the effort not to cry. “I’ve missed you.”
> Her hand moved slowly, with effort, until her palm rested against his face. Her lips curved into a smile. “Daemon.”
> This time, when she said this, it sounded like a promise, like a lovely caress.
Oh, what a jewel of beauty!
Thank you, Anne Bishop. Thank you very much for this lesson about pure and unconditional love. And if it comes to that, no sacrifice can be too big. No price too high. And no faith too deep.
So, after I read the last page, it was way past midnight. I went to my beloved wife who was already sound asleep and held her tight, so tight.
What more can I say?
I’m still weeping.
Daniel Jolley @ 7:39 pm
With Queen of the Darkness, Anne Bishop closes out one of the best dark fantasy trilogies ever written. The depth and richness of the worlds she created in this series must be experienced to be believed, especially with “good guys” including the likes of Saetan, High Lord of Hell, and his sons Daemon Sadi and Lucivar. Of course, Jaenelle Angelline is the center of attention as always; the young girl we first met in Daughter of the Blood, struggling to find friendship, acceptance, and guidance from those who – unlike her awful family – could recognize her for what she was, has grown up and now sits upon the Dark Throne of Ebon Askavi. She is surrounded by a coven of friends from neighboring realms and their males, protected by the most powerful warlords of the Blood, yet despite her own power as Witch – the almost mythological manifestation of true Blood power, dreams made flesh – sorrow continues to number all of her days. Daemon Sadi, her chosen Consort, has yet to return from the Twisted Kingdom of madness, many Kindred lives have been lost at the hands of the evildoers ruling the kingdom of Terreille, and a cataclysmic war looms on the horizon, a war Jaenelle knows will kill everyone she cares about.
I think the beginning of this novel threw me off stride a little bit, and I was never able to completely recover. As Queen of the Darkness opens, several years have passed since Daemon emerged from the Twisted Kingdom, yet he is nowhere to be found. When he is located, largely by luck or fate, and brought to the Hall alongside the likes of Wilhelmina, Jaenelle’s sister, he remembers nothing of the cataclysmic events that closed out the first book in the trilogy. When Jaenelle returns, a definite rift exists between her and Daemon, and Jaenelle has little to do with a sister she once loved. The situation with Daemon becomes clear as the book nears its end (culminating in a very touching scene), yet I felt there was a strong disconnect between the characters. Later, when the evil plots of Hekatah the dark priestess and her hateful ally witch Dorothea must finally be dealt with once and for all, I didn’t completely buy into the way things happened. Certainly, there were some surprises, and I could barely stand to see some of the things that took place actually happen, but things just didn’t seem 100% right. The pivotal subterfuge around which Jaenelle’s secret plans are put into motion seemed especially contrived – it was as if everyone just decided one morning that they should look at a central character differently, and I never saw any justification for the types of doubts that arose.
Fans of the series will be thrilled to know that justice is finally done, and those who have hurt Jaenelle and the members of her Dark Court over the years get exactly what is due them. Sadly, however, some dear characters are also lost or maimed through acts of villainy and the vindictive lust for power. The Kindred, non-human creatures of the Blood whom we encountered in Heir to the Shadows, are woven into this concluding novel in a beautifully intricate fashion, making for a more complex but at the same time enriching reading experience. At the same time, secondary players in the drama, many of whom I had struggled to truly understand, also emerge in grand fashion as the trilogy approaches its climax.
Even if I wasn’t 100% satisfied with this third and final novel, I have nothing but the highest of praise for Anne Bishop’s literary genius and for The Black Jewels Trilogy as a whole. No fictional kingdom of dark fantasy has ever seemed so vivid and original, nor have characters as complex as the main actors in this story ever been seen before – not by my eyes, anyway. The subject matter makes these books unsuited for young readers, but mature readers who appreciate originality and the word-weaving of literary magic will very likely find themselves deeply immersed in this world and come away echoing my final comment here: Anne Bishop is the Queen of Dark Fantasy.
Jana L. Perskie @ 8:23 pm
“Queen of the Darkness” is the third and last book in Anne Bishop’s extraordinary “Black Jewels Trilogy.” This is a strong novel which truly enhances the material in the first two books and provides a most fitting conclusion to this epic series. I would strongly advise reading the books in order, beginning with “Daughter of the Blood” and then “Heir to the Shadows” to best appreciate the intricate story, characters and unique world that Ms. Bishop has created. I only wish the author had written a quartet!
In the world where Darkness rules, an ancient prophecy comes true. Jaenelle Angelline is born Witch. She is the “dream made flesh” and the hope and light of the future. Jaenelle has matured and come into her own now. She made the Offering to the Darkness and is Queen of the Dark Court at Ebon Askavi in the Realm of Karleer and is the Heart of the land and her Kingdom. The First Circle of her Court consists of her adopted father, Prince Saetan as Steward of the Dark Court, Prince Lucivar Yaslana as First Escort and Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih, her beloved Daemon Sadi as Warlord Prince and Royal Consort, and all the Queens, Priestesses, Healers, Warlord Princes, Kindred, etc., who she befriended as a child, now also serve her in her highest court. She hopes that the Corrupt Blood will no longer slaughter and maim her people and defile the land. However, Jaenelle will need all her friends and their power to meet the evil that is coming.
Dorothea, the High Priestess of Hayll, and Hekatah, the self-proclaimed Dark Priestess of Hell were created to be noble caretakers of the Realms. Both women have perverted their Craft and their purpose, infected those who serve them, and threaten to destroy the Realms to fulfill their insatiable greed for power. They plot to gain control over Witch Queen Jaenelle and rule all through her. Hekatah also plans to destroy her ally Dorothea and hold ultimate power. The Realms are in chaos and terrible war and destruction threaten. The corrupted Blood must be cleansed. To do this and save everyone and everything she cares for, Jaenelle must make a terrible and shocking decision.
The book is filled with plot twists, excitement and originality. Ms. Bishop explores themes like duty, loyalty, honor and self-sacrifice. Her wry wit is ever present and the narrative is spellbinding. This series is outstanding and I cannot recommend it highly enough! An easy 5 Stars!
JANA
Anonymous @ 11:06 pm
To put it bluntly- this book ROCKS! It is the third in a trilogy about Jaenelle Angelline and what happens to her and the people around her after she has made the Offering. She has also become Queen of Ebon Askavi to save the Kindred from being slaughtered by the corrupt Blood who try to steal the land from them.
Daemon returns in this book to be the consort of the new Queen. Along with his love and loyalty to her, she is protected by the three: father Saeten, brother Lucivar, and lover Daemon.(Don’tcha just love those names?)Many characters in these three books have names and places that play off the biblical and Shakespearean. This will become very important as the book draws to a close. This triangle of four will be the only thing that can save her as she attempts to save them all from their corrupt enemies loyal to Dorothea and Heketah within the Blood realm.
The development of the relationship between Daemon and Jaenelle is heart wrenching and several facts come to light which totally surprised me. You will have to read it to find out for yourself.
I was absolutely delighted with the ‘edge of your seat’ ending. BUT I don’t want it to be the end. I want to know what happens to the characters. Yes the war is fought but what happens when they go to pick up the pieces?
It is rumored that there will be a fourth book offered and I pray there will be. Queen of the Darkness had a great ending but left me wanting more. Characters are so well developed, the plot flows, and it is a real page turner. You have to get this book.
Soli Johnson @ 11:43 pm
I have never finished a book in such a short time, oh my gods this was wonderful! I don’t want to spoil too much here, though I will say towards the end you definately want to have tissues around if you’re a sap like me. A bittersweet happy ending, DEFINATELY was worth the wait!