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    Kushiel's Dart
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    Kushiel's Dart
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    Kushiel's Dart
    Ebook1,041 pages17 hours

    Kushiel's Dart

    By Jacqueline Carey

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger... a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm...

    Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phédre nó Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy... and unlikely heroine. But when Phédre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d'Ange, she has no choice.

    Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phédre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond.

    Phédre nó Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm's deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world.

    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. It is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. A world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, deposed rulers and a besieged Queen, a warrior-priest, the Prince of Travelers, barbarian warlords, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess... all seen through the unflinching eyes of an unforgettable heroine.

    At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    Editor's Note

    A romping adventure…

    The worldbuilding is lush. It’s like our world, but different. Blessed Elua sprang from the blood of the Christ, and he changed the shape of the world with a single blessing, “Love as thou wilt.” It’s a romping adventure, a spy game, a pull between love and sacrifice.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateMar 15, 2002
    ISBN9781429910903
    Author

    Jacqueline Carey

    Jacqueline Carey is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning Kushiel’s Legacy series of historical fantasy novels. Recent novels include the Shakespearean adaptation Miranda and Caliban and the epic fantasy standalone Starless. Carey enjoys doing research on a wide variety of arcane topics, and an affinity for travel has taken her from Iceland to China to date. She currently lives in West Michigan.

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    Reviews for Kushiel's Dart

    4/5

    2,125 ratings125 reviews

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    • 5/5
      As a courtesan spy, Phèdre nó Delauney is no ordinary heroine. Nor is she an ordinary courtesan. Born with a scarlet mote in her eye, she has been marked by Kushiel, the god of Judgement, to be both cursed and blessed to find pain and pleasure together. Her homeland is Terre d'Ange, a land of exquisite beauty where the blood of the gods flow through its people's veins. It is a land where prostitution has been sanctified and "Love as you wilt," is the most sacred commandment.But all is not well in Terre d'Ange. The king is aging and has no heir. The court is filled with traitors. The land is threatened by impending war. But when Phèdre stumbles upon a deadly conspiracy, she is the only one in a position to save her beloved homeland.Kushiel's Dart is Jacqueline Carey's debut novel. Her prose is absolutely gorgeous and while being very detailed is not boring. There is explicit, but not gratuitous, sex and violence, so this book is not for everyone. I enjoyed the novel very much, and look forward to reading the rest of Kushiel's Legacy.Experiments in Reading
    • 5/5
      This isn't going to be so much a review as a collection of impressions and random thoughts. (It's a popular book: plenty of other reviews out there to read!) I'd known about this book for years—I dimly remember it coming out—but although the book description is accurate, it never enticed me. I even read other books by Carey and enjoyed them without ever feeling an urge to read this one. I finally dove in because I'm doing an A-Z book challenge and needed a book with a title that starts with K(!). And then I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed reading it, although not enough to keep my copy.The book is long, and I didn't like all parts equally. The first bit (Phèdre's childhood) dragged, but I got more interested as she reached adulthood. But as the plot turned to political machinations, while I was still enjoying it overall, the sheer number of characters and how they were related to each other overwhelmed me. (Yes, there are over five pages of "dramatis personae" at the beginning of the book, and I much appreciated that, but I still lost track of who was who. Maybe I needed an infographic.) Perhaps a few hundred fewer pages of everything might've improved things. For instance, I'd like to have gotten a more well-rounded view of the villain beyond "beautiful" and "Machiavellian," but she almost got lost in the flood of characters.Yeah, there's sex. Quite a lot compared to many books, and the BDSM flavor of most of it won't be to many readers' tastes. Luckily, there wasn't enough to totally drag the plot to a halt for me. 901 pages, and no mention of contraception or unwanted pregnancies: clearly this is a fantasy novel.There are two more books in this trilogy, and I'm willing to try the next one. If nothing else, the world-building has sucked me in!
    • 5/5
      Kushiel's Dart is the debut novel of Jacqueline Carey, and the first book of the Kushiel's Legacy series.Phèdre has been raised in the Night Court since being sold to them as a small child. She is marked with a small red mote in her eye - an imperfection that seems to render her too imperfect to be a Servant of Naamah until the wily noble Anafiel Delauney adopts her because he has recognised her for what she is - a god-touched anguisette, destined to take true pleasure in pain. Under his tutelage, she learns the art of spying and political intrigue as well as the arts of the bedchamber, and realises too late what a deadly game she's playing. I won't go into much more detail for fear of spoilers, but schemes and plots abound, and Phèdre gets to see a lot of the world.Most fantasy books are set in imaginary worlds, but Kushiel's Dart is set in an alternative history Europe what seems to be the Renaissance era. Elua, the son of Jesus's blood and Mary Magdalene's tears, settled in Terre D'Ange (present-day France) with his angel Companions. This changed the course of history in Europe, and although we see some familiarity in the naming of countries, most of it is pretty unfamiliar. The world of Kushiel's Dart is touched by gods and angels, and there is subtle magic related to their gods in every culture.This book is not for the prudish - the country of Terre D'Ange has only one religious commandment: Love as thou wilt. All forms of loving are sacred, and the Night Court is the most honoured of all. Marriage happens, but people are expected to follow their own desires, regardless of gender, number or manner. Our protagonist Phèdre is a courtesan that specialises in receiving pain, and Carey explores every facet of this in full detail. Ordinarily, I don't really care for sex in books, but it is so unabashed and straightforward and well-written that I actually enjoyed it.Overall, I really enjoyed this book - the plot, the characters and the world. Every character was complex, every relationship layered, every motivation deeper than suspected. Phèdre was the tinest bit annoying towards the end, but the ending was pretty terrific, and I couldn't wait to read Kushiel's Chosen.Comment
    • 4/5
      Not hard fantasy, and not alternate history. Not enough rigor of internal world-building (Germanic tribes and Celts lifted whole-sale) for the first, and too much altered prior for the second (Celts beat off the Romans - angels came down and walked among us to follow God's bastard son).It's interesting, that a lot of labels just don't apply. Lots of tapestry imagery used, and it fits to describe the construction itself.
    • 2/5
      The story did engage my curiosity enough to make it to the end. However, this book could have been edited down to half the pages without loosing any of the momentum. The language was inconsistent -- sometime it was written as if the author was trying to follow some imagined linguistic pattern that indicated an ancient tongue but then shifted to a more "modern" linguistic pattern. I wondered if there were multiple authors. The author also seemed to be unsure if she was writing an erotic novel or an historical romance.
    • 5/5
      I have been avoiding Jacqueline Carey's books for years for no reason I can recall except that I think I disliked the name Kushiel for some reason or other. Well, no more. This books has it all, writing, plot, action, sex (albeit not 'straight').I will not detail the plot. Suffice it to say that it was complex with a goodly number of characters. The editing was excellent as one naturally expects in a printed book. The action was fast and interesting. The sex was unusual but it was interesting so keep an open mind. The author knows the sexual activities she is writing about perhaps from her psychology major, perhaps in some other manner.The book is well worth the reading and the time. I am sorry that I waited so long to read it but I console myself with the thought of the others in the series. The book is heartily recommended.This review can also be found on Amazon.com.
    • 5/5
      Sweepingly epic, sensual, romantic, erotic, and a hell of a good read. I actually bought this book 5 years ago (when I bought Harry Potter #5), and it's a shame I waited this long to finally read it. It seems like the epic books I've read recently (this, Cryptonomicon, Foucault's Pendulum) have been the best and brightest of my collection, easily outpacing everything else I pick up. It makes me want to read them all the more, now, which is great considering I have the two other books in this trilogy, as well as any number of huge and imposing books waiting in the wings.
    • 3/5
      While I enjoyed the characters and the plot, I found the first person narrative a little forced. The foreshadowing was heavy-handed, and prevented me from enjoying any sense of present moment.However, this did improve in the second half, when events started occurring much more rapidly. Also, I am a little bit uncomfortable with how the sexuality of the main character was portrayed. In the story, Phedre's desire for submission/rebellion/pain seems to be something 'done' to her by a god-like power, and she is required to take partners at her master's bidding, or as they are forced on her by circumstance. Which seems gravely at odds with the 'Love as thou wilt' rule so often stated.
    • 5/5
      Some other reviews commented on the "steamy" BDSM material in this book - I didn't see any of this. There are some scenes that include a sexual "result" but the most graphic we get is "rigid phallus" and "flung her legs up". Oh, and the names of some whips/tools, but it certainly isn't detailed enough to become steamy... unless I'm truly desensitized... hmmm.Anyway. The book is very long. And has a lot of politics and strangely named characters in it - both of which make it hard to follow or to keep track of who is who. I think it would have been less daunting if it were 200 pages shorter and some of the political maneuverings were omitted.The main character is strong and competent (and, surprise!, female). The other main characters are consistent and fully fleshed, even the bad guy's are written with some redeeming qualities since, really, nobody is thoroughly evil.But, anyway, it was an excellent story, and very engaging once you grasp the strange names. As I started the book, I was pretty sure it would be one that would go back to the pile, unread... this was not the case, and now I'm going to try the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      This book was recommended by a friend, who knew my search for easy-to-read books with good plots. I enjoyed this novel so much, that I scarcely noticed how long it was (928 pages!). It was a total page-turner. The descriptive narrative was great, whether in the bedroom or on a battlefield. A wonderful read!
    • 4/5
      A big fat fantasy book starring a likeable Mary-Sue. Phedre the heroine is a 'super-sub', god touched with the ability to endure pain and find pleasure in it. If you want lots of political intregue, kinky sex, and the heroine always saving the day with her awesomeness while everyone else falls for her, this is probably the book for you. For all that that might sound a bit cliched, the characters are very engaging, the plot is well paced and moderately twisty, and it's very hard to put down.
    • 4/5
      "Ysandre's face changed, turning compassionate; she knew, well enough, the truth of my words. 'You're right, of course. I'm sorry, Phèdre. But you must understand, while she is free, with allies to aid her, I will never rest easy on my throne.'"Set in an alternate version of Renaissance France, this is the story of a courtesan caught up in court intrigues, treachery, and war. It's very impressively written. Phèdre nó Delauney, the protagonist, is a remarkable creation. Trained from an early age in decorum, her narrative voice exudes delicacy and elegance. It's unusual to feel the sensibilities of the narrator colour your experience quite so fully. In this, at least, Carey's achievement should be celebrated.It could be argued that this becomes a flaw at times, as Phèdre's voice doesn't really lend itself to the urgency required of battle scenes. But this is forgivable, as Carey hits enough heights to maintain one's interest.The European world that is portrayed is beautifully realised, with some marvellous touches that make it unique, but still anchored in recognisable characteristics of our own world. Her characters, too, are vivid and touchingly detailed.It's a long book, and the ending, though satisfying, is plainly a set-up for a sequel. But it's more than worthwhile.
    • 5/5
      Set in an alternate version of Europe, where the descendants of angels have created a unique society where their primary mandate in life is to "love as thou wilt". Jacqueline's writing style, while slightly wordy, is very lyrical, and the subject of sex--very prominent in this society--is dealt with both very practically, and also very philosophically. What does it really mean to "love as thou wilt"? What are the implications in the lives of those involved? I find this book's--and in fact the entire series--gives some very interesting perspectives on these question.This title is among my favorite of all Carey's novels, and I always enjoy re-reading Phedre's journey again.
    • 3/5
      I was recommended this book for being erotic fantasy with lots of female/female stuff. The book was all right. It has a problem with infodumping. Giving lots of information about people and places that the reader has not had the chance to learn to care about yet.And, I'm sorry, but if this is what one considers erotic, I think people should get outmore. The female/female scenes? Every single one of them (of all, what, three?) was SKIPPED over. If you call skipping over the action erotic, um, go you. But you lose credibility.I did like the love interest in the book, though. As I said, it's not bad, but it should not be promoted as erotic. The story's decent and the characters are pretty good. The author should lay off of the infodumping, though.
    • 3/5
      Amazing world building, but there were too many simultaneous story-lines. Also, the fact that she is remembering the past from an unknown future point caused more confusion.
    • 4/5
      Re-read this for Vaginal Fantasy Hangout. This is one of my all-time favorite books and series. It's beautifully written, full of intrigue and subtle romance. There are some sexy bits, after all Phedre is a courtesan. There is a lot of political maneuvering in this book to keep up with, though the story is interesting enough to make it worthwhile.
    • 4/5
      Okay, so it took me about 128 pages to really get into this one...after that there was just no stopping! Unending thrill and adventure. Full fantasy with tons of strong women and hunky men. I thought, at about 5/8 of the way through, how can this be a series? What more can possibly happen to these people? Yet in the final 200 pages - loose ends were tied and new storylines plotted, old characters stopped in to say hello and introduced the next generation cast! I'm looking forward to picking up the next installment and seeing poor Josceline make his choice over and over again.
    • 5/5
      This book is Godlike. It tells the story of "a whore's unwanted get" and her ascention into the uppermost ranks of her society, while battling her rivil in a dangerous game of wit and knoweledge. It is somewhat of a difficult read as the names and places are enough to pull the eyes out the sockets and twist the memory into a gooey mess. A map is provided at the front of the book and direly needed throughout the story.Deserves 12 and 1/2 stars.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the main character Phedre for her cunning and sexy facets. The story is one adventure leading into another and kept me interested through its 700 pages. I kept thinking about the plot long after finishing the book.
    • 5/5
      Sex, political intrigue, love, friendship...it is all in this book. The first in a series that is a must read. At times it is beautiful and at times it is rough, but it not a book that I could put down.
    • 5/5
      Most people either love this book, or leave it unfinished. On the plus side, it is well written, you care about the characters, and the plot moves foward fairly well. On the negative side, it is long, and the plot involves two courtisans, one a male and one a female who gets pleasure from pain. I liked it, although it took me two trys to get through it. Carey does a good job of setting the scene, but I can see how some people think she takes too long to do it. Also the sexual politics will put some people off, especially since it involves homosexuality and bdsm. If you are not bothered by those topics, and have plenty of time, and are looking for a very coherent created world, you might really enjoy the series.
    • 5/5
      My favorite of the Kushiel's Legacy series. There's a perfect balance of romance, erotica, and intrigue all set in a richly detailed world. Point of interest: Phedre is a courtesan -- essentially, a highly-paid whore. In her culture, that's a generally acceptable profession. There's some squeamishness about it from some characters, but Phedre and other courtesans are generally accepted, which makes the book an interesting look into what might happen if sex work was more valued in our culture today. However, everyone in the culture is beautiful. It's repeated over and over that everyone who lives in Terre d'Ange is gorgeous. So while the idea of "sex work as legitimized work" is explored, sexuality is still confined to the beautiful.
    • 4/5
      Phedre ne Delaunay is a beautiful courtesan who enjoys pain (an anguisette) and serves her master, Anafiel, as a spy. Wonderful fantasy/period piece about political intrigue, love, sacred prostitution, and submission. Very highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      I'm torn with this one, a quick read really for all it's over 1000 pages it's full of detail and interesting moments but a lot of it stretches my disbelief a little too far. An alternative historical Laurel K Hamilton with a bit more plot and detail.
    • 5/5
      I am so glad to have discovered Jacqueline Carey and her "Kushiel's Legacy" series, which begins with "Kushiel's Dart." I've always been an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy, but in recent years I've branched out to read a lot more "regular" fiction as well as other types of genre fiction (gothic, thriller, espionage, etc) and the only unfortunate side effect of being more broadly read is that I've become a lot pickier about what I read in general, but especially when I return to the fantasy genre. Let's face it. There is a LOT of bad fantasy out there, and it can be a little difficult to sift through it all to find a good level of craftmanship and story without doing a bunch of research online before heading to the store (or site...). I picked up "Kushiel's Dart" due to a staff recommendation tagged on the shelf, read the back, hemmed and hawed a little, read the first few pages, carried it around the store for awhile, then put it back and ended up getting it from the library. This is because I just could NOT decide based on the back of the book and the cover (which is a pretty corny cover complete with red foil stamping and a shirtless woman) whether this was thinly disguised erotica, or if it was a ridiculously brave and ingenious idea. Luckily for me, it was the latter! The world Carey has created is unique, rich, and believable, and the heroine is well worth championing. Yes, there is sex here, but it isn't nearly so overt as I was expecting, given that Phèdre nó Delaunay is a courtesan. Not only that, but she is a masochist, or an "anguisette" in the parlance of her world. The genius of Carey's work here is that because Phèdre enjoys her work, the taboo aspect of it falls away rather quickly, and her sexuality is not a vulnerability, but instead just part of who she is. (It also helps that very few of the scenes of a sexual nature are particularly explicit). This frees up the reader's attention for the meat of the story. Phèdre is not just a courtesan; she has been trained to observe, analyze, and remember details. Essentially, she is a spy, and an extremely effective one. This leads her into the depths of her country's political turmoil. When she stumbles into a plot against her beloved country, she uses her unique capabilities to work for the preservation of her queen and her homeland. Of course, "Kushiel's Dart" is not perfect. There are some characters who I wished would have had a little more development, and there are some signs of the first time author, but overall, Carey is just so inventive that I have to forgive her. I will be following the rest of the series to see how she grows as an author and to follow the intriguing, unusual character of Phèdre.
    • 3/5
      Phèdre nó Delaunay is from the land of Terre d’Ange which is described as a place of great beauty. Discovered by angels and the resulting race of people descended from them. Their god gave them one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. What that means is the people worship by having sex. Courtesans like Phèdre are honored and given extensive training. However the emphasis on appearance means any flaw makes one damaged and undesirable. Phèdre is born with a scarlet mote in one eye and thus considered undesirable, until Anafiel Delaunay who recognizes that the mote means she is pricked by Kushiel’s Dart, chosen by the gods so to speak. She experiences pain and pleasure as one.

      The training Phèdre receives from Anafiel Delaunay is more than the courtly arts, he trains her to be a spy. To observe, remember and analyze. Because of this Phèdre discovers a plot against the ruling party. This is when the excitement begins.

      Before I read this book I started to read Kushiel’s Scion (Imriel’s Trilogy #1) not realizing is not the first book, but the first book of the second part. After reading partway and realizing I was starting in the middle I put that book down and picked up this one. The book moves rather slowly setting the stage, learning about Phèdre’s childhood, how she came to be a courtesan and the reasons Delaunay wants her to spy. The plot line was rather complicated, it involved political manipulations, and people not being what they appeared, since I had read part of the fourth book I know what was coming, that is probably why I am still reading. It was not too hard to follow the plot line, once you understand who the main players are and what their eventual goals are.

      What annoyed me about these books is how often Phèdre repeats herself, we are constantly reminded that D’Angeleans value appearance and beauty and that she is beautiful, that their god Elua told them to ‘love as thou wilt’, that she was a skilled courtesan and spy, that she is aroused by pain and when aroused can’t resist the one administering the pain all because she has been pricked by Kushiel’s Dart. It’s like Ms. Carey was afraid we would forget things from one chapter to the next. Also Phèdre is an anguisette, and much is made of the fact that one has been born in many years, yet they have a temple to the god Kushiel and in this temple are adepts who practice what would be considered sado-masochism, this makes me wonder how is she the only one when obviously there are others who derive pleasure from pain? This is something that doesn’t make sense, if she was the first one born in 50 years, wouldn’t they have to dust off the temple for her?

      These are just the thoughts and questions that occurred to me while reading the book, there are others but telling them would reveal too many things that happen in the book. I did like this book, but if these problems hadn’t existed I would have enjoyed it more.
    • 4/5
      I have a lot of complicated feelings about this series. It's so imperfect in some ways and so just what I need in others.
    • 1/5
      Let me tell you guys a secret (which isn't really a secret): I'm one of those literary cowards who, when things turn really ugly, will stop reading immediately, and there’s nothing –not even the promise of a happy ending- that will make me go back and finish it. The copy I was reading it’s not mine, so I won’t even feel guilty (I didn’t pay for it!). So yes, this is it for me and Kushiel’s Dart, mostly because I can’t take more of the heroine’s misfortunes. I’ve held my ground through rapes, floggings, and other types of violence inflicted on Phèdre, but I will not –because I don’t have the stomach, or the nerves, for it- withstand someone cutting her with a very sharp knife. I...I…just can’t. O_O
    • 5/5
      This book is so good I can not even tell you in words why its so good. I have sold this book to so many people in my local book store, yet I can never fully tell them why its so good! They have all loved it. If you like scifi try it you can't go wrong.
    • 5/5
      Dark fantasy, sensual, sexy, spell binding and extremely well written. The main character is a seductive temptress name Phedre no Delauney......The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobleman, the first to recognize that she is one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. He trained Phèdre in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber--and, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze.Phedre is a,"whores unwanted get" sold as an indentured servant who pays back her training in her trade of sex, pain and pleasure. Her society-Terre d'Ange is different. People are bisexual and there is only one rule: Love as thou wilt. They have a true god of love who was born from the tears and blood of a Christ like diety. Phedre is sold into servitude and a life of politics by her parents because she is not perfect. She has a small mote in her eye-she has been pricked by Kushiels dart this trilogy follows her adventures. This series is by a first time author and I have read tons of fantasy and never anything this overtly sexual-it is very good and highly reccomended....