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Kushiel's Dart Audiobook
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(4.00) - 29,037 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. 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.
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"Without the ability to give 4.5 stars, a 5 star one will just have to do! Such a sweeping monster of a novel, the story took me places I never expected - from the Houses of the Night Blooming Flowers and the grandeur of masked balls to political intrigues, double crossing and outright war. The characters are well written and so fully described I found myself getting involved with each and every one of them and i even found myself choking back tears on a couple of occasions (and no, i'm not referring to Phedre's assignations!). The prose takes a while to get used to as it is quite descriptive and maybe a little too 'wordy' at times but this is just nit picking as with out such rich text the story would lose its magic. About 75% through though I found the story started to flag a little - I kinda knew what i hoped would happen and just wanted to get on with things - but once again it took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and threw something that i totally wasn't expecting which was what sealed the deal for me on this novel.Am looking forward to continuing the saga soon - this is the first of a series of 9 books which are basically a set of 3 trilogies so plenty more reading material to be working my way through there. Ideal!"
— Tamsin (5 out of 5 stars)
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“A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating read.”
— Robert Jordan -
“Making a marvelous debut, Carey spins a breathtaking epic starring an unflinching yet poignantly vulnerable heroine. The tale blends Christianity and paganism with fascinating results, such as arguing, through deft treatment of alternative sexual practices, the sacred potential inherent in every sexual encounter.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“The heroine reminds one of an equally strong-minded sister…No mere feminist novel, this is an assured and magnificent book that will appeal to both male and female readers.”
— Publishers Weekly -
A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating [book].
— Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time series
Kushiel's Dart Listener Reviews
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Kreg Gauss, 12/18/2020
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sarah capital, 11/22/2016
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" Its a good book, just not my style at all. The first half of the book was sooo slow. I just wanted to start skipping chapters, but I hung in there and finished it. This is not one I would buy for my personal collection, but I am glad that I read it. I don't think it lives up to the hype though. "
— Danielle, 2/14/2014 -
" Soooooo long...like 700 pages. But if you can stick it out until about halfway it really picks up. Still good but way too long and the language makes it hard to read at a fast pace. "
— Leah, 2/13/2014 -
" I devoured this book in about 3 days. It has everything "good"in it. beauty, love, action, betrayal... Loved it so much I've already read it 3 times! "
— Isabelle, 2/4/2014 -
" Boy! Oh Boy! This book sure dragged on and on and........... "
— Thamar, 1/3/2014 -
" Fantastic world building with a unique story line and great characters. I can't wait to read the next book! "
— Anna, 12/22/2013 -
" Excellent read. Really enjoyed the characters and the world building. "
— Karen, 12/12/2013 -
" Maybe I just didn't get what the author was trying to convey but I didn't get it.. Was totally slow, and well lacking. I rarely quit books, but couldn't make it after halfway. "
— Lindsey, 11/22/2013 -
" Excellent read! Okay, parts of the book were a bit "squicky" to read - it does get explicit at times - but a good storyline. It's definitely not for the faint of heart. I can't wait to dive in to the rest of the series. "
— Michele, 11/6/2013 -
" What a great series! The beginning can be a little slow but once it gets started the book definitely keeps you on edge. Definitely a series that will keep you reading all night. It can be quite graphic at times FYI. Wonderfully written. "
— Southernbelle5, 10/1/2013 -
" Great trilogy! Wonderfule epic story. I absolutely feel in love with the world Carey created. "Love as thou wilt." "
— Laura, 9/25/2012 -
" Anne Flosnik is not exactly excruciating to listen to, but her voice has a raspy quality that definitely grates and her mispronunciation of french just sort of irritated me every time she did it. The book itself is one of my favorites I've ever read, but I just couldn't get lost in the audio version because the voice was just too jarring. I wish there was another version with a different narrator. I've never heard her narrate other books, but I think I will avoid her from now on. "
— Calenlass, 8/10/2012 -
" Fav book series ever. Beautifully written. A passionate world and just enough sex and BDSM to make it enticing. "
— Jessica, 6/23/2011 -
" The angsty melodrama of this novel eventually took over my brain. I'm not proud. But I've totally read it more than once. "
— Christine, 6/3/2011 -
" One of the best books I've ever read. "
— Faith, 2/26/2011 -
" Picked this book up to try out and loved its open honesty. Phedre is such a beautiful, well-defined character that I couldn't put it down. Definitely read the entire Kushiel series afterwards. "
— Destiny, 2/25/2011 -
" I found this novel refreshing, complex and erotic. "
— Mina, 1/20/2011 -
" The Kushiel series is one of my favorite reads!!! "
— Amanda, 2/25/2010 -
" Very political who's who in the first half. Almost quit on it several times. But plowed through and it got much better in the second half. "
— Jen, 12/24/2009 -
" You've got political intrigue, people descended from angels, and some BDSM like crazy. "
— Keri, 5/30/2009 -
" Could't get thru this one - SLOW I think I got to page 30 before giving up. Maybe I will try again some other time when I'm out of books to read "
— Deb, 4/3/2009
About Jacqueline Carey
Jacqueline 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.
About Anne Flosnik
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.