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    The Invisible Ring
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    The Invisible Ring
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    The Invisible Ring
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Invisible Ring

    Written by Anne Bishop

    Narrated by John Sharian

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A prequel set in the ?dark and sensual world?( 11th Hour) of the national bestselling Black Jewels Trilogy.

    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. The notorious queen who has purchased him, known as the Gray Lady, may not be what she seems. Soon, Jared faces a difficult choice: his freedom, or his honor.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJun 3, 2008
    ISBN9781429537780
    Unavailable
    The Invisible Ring
    Author

    Anne Bishop

    Anne Bishop is the bestselling author of the Black Jewels series, the Tir Alainn Trilogy and the Landscapes of Ephemera series. Her novels are published in Australia, Germany, the UK and Portugal, as well as the United States. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, reading and music.

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    Reviews for The Invisible Ring

    4/5

    504 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Jared, a young pleasure slave joins the household of a woman who may be more than she seems.While THE INVISIBLE RING is set in the same world as THE BLACK JEWELS TRILOGY, it takes place much earlier and has a rather different focus. There are some big things going on in the background, of course, but this is a fairly insular story. It's not about the clash of the titans; it's about Jared and how he comes to terms with who and what he is. Bishop sticks to his POV throughout most of the book, and Jared's emotional journey is unquestionably the focus.I've got to admit, though, that I never became quite so invested in him as I was in the characters from the original trilogy, and this made it a little more difficult for me to sink into the story. I noticed the writing a lot more this time, and I found some of the little tangents a bit distracting. Bishop throws in a lot of inconsequential details that are great if you're really involved, but if you aren't... well, they can bog the story down.I did enjoy it, though. Could I put it down? Not a chance! I liked the story, (which has a healthy dash of romance to it), and I enjoyed getting to see how the regular Blood live. I also thought Bishop did some nice things with Jared's character development. I was particularly taken with the way she contrasted his attitude towards honour with that of the Warlord tasked with the Gray Lady's capture. But when you really, really enjoyed the first thing you read by a particular author, it's always a little daunting to try something new, and it's tempting to contrast the two. I gave in to that temptation, and I found that this book didn't quite measure up against its predecessors. Still, it's definitely worth reading if you like this world.(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      I'm glad I waited a little before reading this one, instead of reading it after finishing the other Black Jewels series. Damon makes a few appearances in this book but mostly it's just Jared and his group. And while I like Jared, he just doesn't compare to Damon and Lucivar. But I did wait a little so the differences were bearable ;). It's a good story and best as a prequel definitely, although it still is only loosely tied into the other books of the series. However I think there might be a re-appearance of these characters in the last two books written for the series, maybe. We'll see I suppose, since I'll be grabbing the last two books soon.
    • 5/5
      Jared is about to be sold to the salt mines of Pruul when he is purchased by the Gray Lady instead. She is feared; no one ever returns from her lands. Instead of the Ring of Obedience that Hayll witches usually use, she uses the Invisible Ring to control her warlord Blood males.I'm in the process of a reread of this series (again) as I love it so much. This is a prequel to the first three books but can be read as a standalone book. It takes place in some territories that haven't been explored in those other books, a whole new world to explore. There are some great twists, and Ms. Bishop's usual fine writing is evident. Lia and Jared are a great pairing as well as Thera and Blaed. The other characters supplement the story in fine style. I'm always happy when Daemon shows up (even if some Queens don't feel the same). Another great book in the Black Jewels series.
    • 3/5
      I found this too full of sexual violence and way high on the body count scale to really enjoy, although it is a dramatic and flowing story. There are males and women, and neither are quite human, but balanced between caricatures of gender roles and strange reverses. Maybe more realistic about the unappealing effects magic might have on thinking beings over evolutionary spans.
    • 2/5
      Set in the same world as The Black Jewels Trilogy, this book sinks even deeper into the cliches the BJT began. The sexism in these books is rather trying, and the plot itself lacked much of the oomph of the BJT, merely because the ending is telegraphed from page 1. Still, an enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book . bishop is a great writer,
    • 3/5
      An enjoyable book in the world of the Black Jewels trilogy. I was sorry to see this one was pre-Jaenelle, because I really like her character, but I loved Daemon's role (another favourite) in it. It isn't huge, but he's his charming self in this book. Overall, I liked the characters in the first three books better, but The invisible ring was quite pleasant to read as well...
    • 5/5
      Bishop has brought us back to the dark fantasy story - similar to the trilogy (i.e. it's not light and fluffy like the other 2 books set outside of the trilogy). This is a good thing. Bishop writes serious stuff with serious moral dilemmas and yet there is satisfaction and a pay-off at the end. I am also very pleased after reading so many other stories recently where the authors get confused between rape and sex to find that Bishop does not get these things confused. Oh, there is both in her story, but everyone, including the characters, know which is which.If you liked the trilogy, you should like this book too.
    • 3/5
      Set in the early years of Book #1, Daemon Sadi is a bit part in the saga of Dena Nehele, where generations later, the setting for the Shadow Queen and Shalador's Lady stories are placed.
    • 4/5
      The fourth Black Jewels novel takes a couple of steps back timeline-wise to pre-Witch days when Daemon SaDiable is still the ringed pleasure slave of Dorthea SaDiablo. A brief cameo by Sadist aside, this story focuses on Jared, a Warlord pleasure slave, and the Gray Lady, a much feared Queen whose territory maintains a fragile independence from Dorthea's creeping corruption. Not exactly what I was expecting, but good reading nonetheless.
    • 4/5
      This not the book I'd start with if you're new to Anne Bishop or her Dark Jewels series. I'd recommend reading at least the opening trilogy first of Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness, despite the fact this novel precedes them chronologically (set a few centuries before) and could stand alone. I think however that earlier written trilogy is the stronger introduction to the Dark Jewels series. The story in The Invisible Ring is alluded to briefly towards the end of Queen of the Darkness, and if you've read that book you might recognize the reference. Although I didn't find this story as striking as the original trilogy, it's more of a standard romance, Bishop does have the ability to make you care about her characters and draw you into their world. I loved the device alluded to in the title of The Invisible Ring, which has the perfect pay off in the last lines of the book. The novels The Shadow Queen and Shalador's Lady, chronologically set after the original trilogy, are more or less sequels to The Invisible Ring, since that novels acts as a backdrop to them--I'd recommend both, particularly if you enjoy this book.
    • 3/5
      This book shares many of the elements of the Dark Jewels trilogy and even shares some of it's characters. It's not quite as good though and at times even reads a little too much like a cheesy romance novel. It was lacking in the passion of some of her other works. That being said I am compairing this to her other works which are excellent and hard to beat. This is still a good book and anyone who enjoys works by Anne Bishop, should enjoy this one as well. Overall a very good book.
    • 5/5
      I cannot help but admire this author and her works. The ability to create complete and parallel worlds with interaction in a way that is simply understood; throw into the mix some fearsome, and yet honourable characters. Add a dash of romance and top it off with the ability to liaise with animals on a level that is something that all animal lovers long to be able to do, and let's face it, you have the perfect world.For me, Ms Bishop has combined these well, and it always leaves me wanting more. I do hope we here more from her in the same vane, with some new, and some old characters thrown in the mix. There's plenty of scope here, and as usual, I'm looking forward to her next Rings novel.
    • 5/5
      Chronologically, "The Invisible Ring" is the first in the Black Jewels series. It follows the journey of the Grey Lady and the slaves that she has bought from auction as she attempts to find her way back to her land. What should have been a simple task is now complicated as someone with both power and resources attempts to end her life. Instead of a simple coach (train-type device) home, she and the slaves are forced into a prolonged overland trip, all the more complicated in its spontaneity.This story focuses on the slave Jared, who is told he wears the Invisible Ring of control, and his exploration of what exactly that means. He must fight the warring desires- the survival instinct that tells him to flee when the opportunity arrives and his Warlord instinct urging him to protect a Queen he has found worthy of his loyalty.Other than a small cameo by Daemon, this book has none of the characters found in the other Jewels books, save Dorothea, the ever-present villain. This book lays the ground work for "Shadow Queen".
    • 5/5
      This is a standalone story set in the same world as the Black Jewels trilogy, chronologically I think it is a few 100 years earlier. Features our favourite Black Jewelled Prince 'The Sadist' in a minor but key role.Worth getting if you enjoyed the rest of the series
    • 3/5
      Predictible, way too tame...
    • 5/5
      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.Having loved Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy and Dreams Made Flesh, I naturally bought this book, set in the same universe. All the same, it's taken me a while to start reading it, partly to save up the pleasure and partly because I wasn't sure it would live up to the other Bishop books.As the book began, I was afraid that it was the latter that was going to prove to be true. A good part of the beginning of the book is spent on Jared reflecting on his bad judgement, bad treamtment and probably terrible future. He's too busy being bitter and narrow minded to actually open his eyes and figure out what is really going on.Fortunately, once we get past that, the story really takes off. This tale is set in the past relative to the main Black Jewels trilogy (and indeed, there is a brief nod to Jared in Queen of the Darkness, as Jaenelle's solution to her problem is in part pased on Lia's solution to the problem posed in this book). At this time Dorothea SaDiablo is still trying to gain influence over all of Terielle and she is shown as both ruthless and very dangerous, in a more active way than we saw in the other books, where she has already accomplished her goal and is resting on her laurels, so to speak. I found Dorothea to be a much more disturbing character in The Invisible Ring than in the Black Jewels trilogy, where she was a more complacent kind of evil.I do like the world Bishop has created here and once again we are given the contrast between the corruption of the ways of the Blood that is being created by Dorothea and those who follow her, compared to those who keep the true ways and with it, balance and peace. The Gray Lady is a true Queen, keeping her territory under her protection and the balance of honor, power and love between her and the members of her court is maintained, much as Dorothea is trying to destroy it. She has raised Lia to be the same, and this is part of what drives Jared so crazy when he discovers Lia's deception.Jared, despite his insistence that he's just a slave with no honour, is nothing of the kind, and as his true instincts reawaken after nine years of mistreatment, he does find himself battling himself more than Dorothea's schemes as he tries to find a proper balance within himself. He is the main protagonist of this book and the growth story is about him - as much as Lia is a lovely character, she doesn't change much beyond the normal developments time requires of us all. It is Jared who must battle his demons and Lia offers the support of a true queen and a caring woman that allows him to do this.I couldn't decide if I found Jared's deliberate blindness to his own honour (and later, ability to love Lia) to be annoying or endearing, but I left the book in all charity with him, so I guess it was an amount of annoyance appropriate to the behaviour more than anything else. I did like the ending - that no magic hand waving could fix everything about him all at once and that he still had some work to do before he could change the silver invisible ring for gold.I liked the metaphor of the title as well, although again, I think it took Jared a bit too long to figure it our considering that he wasn't really all that stupid. And it was great to see Daemon again (or, techically, previously) and to see his character as he endured his life while waiting for Janelle. The scene where Jared realises Daemon does love someone and Daemon agrees, but states that it is with a queen who has been promised but isn't yet born, was poignant and beautiful, made more so I think for having already read Daemon and Janelle's story.So after a rocky start, this developed into a very satisfying story, told with Bishop's usual talent. I like Jared a lot - but I admit I still like Daemon and Jaenelle better. Sorry, Jared.
    • 3/5
      Plot: Regular journey plot with some interesting twists and subplots. Nothing extraordinary, but steady movement and no real lags. Characters: The main character keeps having to compete against expectations set by the Black Jewels trilogy, and it doesn't help that he is upstaged every time one of the characters from there makes a cameo. The adult side characters are nicely done, the children are an absolute nuisance. Style: The usual for Anne Bishop, with occasional phrases getting repeated a little too often for them to be anything but irritating. No overboard on description or elaborate language. Some scenes and elements are familiar from her other books and feel out of place. Plus: An interesting plot, some cameos by Daemon from the trilogy. Minus: The book doesn't quite work. It's in the same universe as the trilogy, and a bit too desperate in its attempt to both fit in and be independent. Summary: A nice complementary story for those really interested in the Blood universe.
    • 4/5
      This is an interesting tale set in the world of the Black Jewels. This particular tale is set before the events of the Black Jewels and does not feature any of those characters. Although this story of the Grey Lady is referenced in Queen Of The Darkness and is the basis of Jaenelle's solution to the taint.
    • 5/5
      Jared is a pleasure slave being sold on to a notorious queen. Demon has a cameo and Dorothea functions as an interesting villan.