Mighty Kushiel, of rod and weal Late of the brazen portals With blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealed Pricks the eyen of chosen mortals. 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. When she stumbled upon a plot that threatened the very foundations of her homeland, she gave up almost everything she held dear to save it. She survived, and lived to have others tell her story, and if they embellished the tale with fabric of mythical splendor, they weren't far off the mark. The hands of the gods weigh heavily upon Phèdre's brow, and they are not finished with her. While the young queen who sits upon the throne is well loved by the people, there are those who believe another should wear the crown...and those who escaped the wrath of the mighty are not yet done with their schemes for power and revenge.
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"I loved the way this book picks up right from the first one. Mrs. Carey didn't have you scrambling your brain to remember anything from the first book. Instead of the characters not growing or remaining the same. You can see where Phèdre nó Delaunay has involved into a intelligent young woman. "
— Deviant (5 out of 5 stars)
"Kushiel’s Chosen is elegant, intricate, sensual, and captivating. Once you pick it up you won’t want to put it down.”
— Robert Jordan“Masterful treatment of those relationships of Phedre’s and the depth and complexity of the major characters make this book powerfully compelling, and Carey’s ability to take readers inside Phedre’s head and heart fully and completely gives it tremendous emotional punch as well as an unforgettable heroine. There is seemingly something for everyone here: a great love story, intense spirituality, high eroticism, and lots of adventure, intrigue, and swordplay.”
— Booklist (starred review)Reminiscent of the best efforts of Tanith Lee and Anne Rice.... Highly recommended.
— Library Journal" I loved it. It is well written, has great characters and kept me interested all the way through. "
— Gunnhildur, 2/20/2014" I just finished reading this book for the second time, and I still love it. My only criticism is that Phedre escapes impossible situations a little too easily, but that's a minor complaint. The writing and story are terrific. I love this series. "
— Christina, 1/24/2014" excellent pay-off for the world-building in Kushiel's Dart. Stands very well on its own, taking readers on a complex journey of intrigue, desire and splendid pleasure. "
— Justine, 1/19/2014" Amazing! I love anything written by Ms. Carey! "
— GabbyT, 1/12/2014" Just as awesome as the first - kept me riveted until the end. Finished it in a weekend. "
— Diana, 12/29/2013" Another exciting installment, full of agony and ecstasy. And pirates. "
— Lauren, 12/29/2013" To my absolute horror, I did not finish this book. I am an obsessive reader and ALWAYS complete the novels I start. I just could not get into this book. I struggled through the first book in the series and to my disappointment this was the same. "
— Jodi, 12/28/2013" I think this is the weakest of the three books from the original trilogy. Still a good read, and the third book is excellent! "
— Brie, 12/25/2013" What can I say? I truly enjoy this series. "
— Christy, 12/14/2013" See review for Kushiel's Dart. "
— Joel, 10/4/2013Jacqueline Carey is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Kushiel’s Legacy series of historical fantasy novels; the Sundering series, an epic fantasy duology; and the postmodern fables Santa Olivia and Saints Astray, among others.
Anne Flosnik, a seasoned audiobook narrator, has over four hundred titles to her credit and several awards and distinctions, including AudioFile Earphones Awards, a USA Today Recommended Listening selection, an AudioFile “Best Narration of the Year” selection in 2009, and the American Library Association’s Special Services to Children Award. She has also been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She is an award-winning British actress with lead credits on stage, on television, and in commercials and voice-overs.