Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

Now return to the realm of the Blood in Dreams Made Flesh - featuring four revelatory all-new adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred...

Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch ever known, centuries of hopes and dreams made flesh at last. She has forged ties with three of the realm's mightiest Blood warriors; Saetan, the High Lord of Hell, who trains Jaenelle in magic and adopts her as his daughter; Lucivar, the winged Eyrien warlord who becomes her protector; and Daemon, born to be Witch's lover. Jaenelle has assumed her rightful place as Queen of the Darkness and restored order and peace to the realms...but at a terrible cost.

In Dreams Made Flesh, discover the origin of the mystical Jewels, and experience the forbidden passion between Lucivar and a simple hearth witch. Witness the clash between Saetan and a Priestess that may forever change reality. And learn whether the sacrifice of Jaenelle's magic has destroyed any hope of happiness between her and Daemon.

Weaver of Dreams

The magic of the Darkness is passed from one race to another as new caretakers for the Realms are chosen in this tale of the origin of the Jewels of power...

Weaver of Dreams is a short story, coming in at only 10 pages. It tells the story of how the Blood comes into being. I have to admit that I read this story twice and was still a little lost. However, having said that, we do get some understanding of who Draca is, who is one of the significant secondary characters that appear in the first three novels.

The Prince of Ebon Rih

Under the cold eye of his aristocratic mother, Eyrien Warlord Prince Lucivar Yaslana struggles with his feelings for his housekeeper, the hearth witch Marian...

The Prince of Ebon Rih is a novella length story that is set between Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness. It tells the story of Lucivar and Marian - her background, her skills, how they fall in love. It was a really romantic tale, showing us again how strong the family bond is between Saetan, Lucivar and Jaenelle, as well as exposing Jaenelle's sense of fun and perceptive nature. We are also introduced us to a character who plays a significant role in the fourth story in this book.

Zuulaman

The Queen of Zuulaman believe they can coerce Saetan into doing their bidding by threatening the life of his child - only to unleash the High Lord of Hell's incalculable fury.

Another short story, this time about 30 pages long, that shows just how powerful The High Lord of Hell is when he loses control of his power when a couple of Queens who should know better cause him unspeakable pain. Frightening. Even more frightening is the fact that Daemon seems to have even less self control. This story also explains some background information regarding the relationship between Saetan and Hekatah. All through the trilogy, Hekatah is one of the thorns in Saetan's side, but their original source of hate has not been explained until now - and boy does she deserve it!

Kaeleer's Heart

Daemon fears Jaenelle will never recover from sacrificing her Black Jewels to purge the Realm of the corrupt Queens. He desires nothing more than to heal her, body and soul - and help her unravel the secret of Twilight's Dawn, the Jewel Jaenelle now
possesses.

Another novella length story, this time focusing on the relationship between Daemon and Jaenelle. As Jaenelle is recovering from the incredible strain and toll that was placed on her to stop all out war between the territories, Daemon is anxious to ensure that he does nothing to hurt her or harm her in any way. As he treats her as an invalid, she is looking for confirmation that he still wants her, the way she is now, as opposed to her previous all powerful Queen status.

It doesn't help that a lady has decided that Daemon is hers and that she must free him, any way she can and at any cost, so that he can be with her.

Does Daemon actually possess the self control required to be a fair and just leader. This is where he is put to the test.

Another romantic tale, also featuring Saetan, Surreal and Lucivar, and several other secondary characters.

Overall this was an entertaining return to the world of the Black Jewels trilogy. There is apparently going to be another Black Jewels book sometime in the next year or so, and I will definitely be getting it as soon as I possible can after it comes out. Now I am going to try her other trilogy and see if I find it as enjoyable as I did this one!

Rating 4/5


By the way...it's always interesting doing spell check on a post like this....so many spelling errors...according to blogger anyway! LOL!


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The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop

This is my read for the December TBR challenge, which for this month was to read a book published prior to 2006. Whilst I might have only just scraped in for the deadline to post, I actually finished reading it quite early in the month on 11 December.

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.

Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves - never to be seen again - and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom or his honour....

Title: The Invisible Ring

Author: Anne Bishop

Year published: 2000

Why did you get this book? I have read the Black Jewels trilogy and can't get enough of them so at the moment I am trying to get anything I can that is set in that world.

Do you like the cover? It's okay.

Did you enjoy the book? Yes!

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? No, the author wasn't new to me and yes I would definitely read other things by this author. I actually have Dreams Made Flesh here to read at the moment - more stories set in the same worlds as the Black Jewels trilogy.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? The library wouldn't like me anymore if I kept it so I took it back. If it had of been mine in the first place I would definitely have kept it!

Anything else? This is in many ways a prequel to the Black Jewels trilogy but I am glad that I read it in published order as I could just sit down and enjoy it already understanding the way that the world worked. A very enjoyable read.

Anne Bishop is definitely one of my finds of 2006. I can't wait for the next Black Jewels book to come out!!

Rating 4.5/5

Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop

The Dark Court has been Formed

Jaenelle Angelline has made her Offering to the Darkness, and reigns as Queen of Ebon Askavi. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one door has been closed, a window may be opened...or broken through.

Even Witch cannot protect the Shadow Realm alone. Somewhere, long lost in the madness of the Twisted Kingdom, is Daemon, her promised Consort. His unyielding love for Jaenelle will complete her court and secure her power. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to stave off their enemies.

What a stunning conclusion to the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. The first two books in the series are Daughter of the Blood and Heir to the Shadows. This book was so excellent, with the suspense and the pacing building up so to an incredible crescendo. It was suspenseful and emotional (I very nearly cried on the train!) and when I closed the book it was with a huge sigh as I thought.....Wow!

Jaenelle is Queen of Ebon Askavi, but the role of Consort remains empty as every waits for Daemon to make his way out of the Twisted Kingdom. Everyone is looking for him...not only Jaenelle and her allies.

Once Daemon takes his place, both of them need to get to know each other again. Daemon doesn't want to scare her, Jaenelle doesn't know how to tell him that she wants him. And in the meantime dark forces are crossing the boundaries of Kaeleer with the aim of destroying the Queen and the Dark Lord.

With the world building pretty much complete after the first book in the trilogy, this book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, as Jaenelle and Daemon must do anything it takes to stop a war between the various realms, that if left unchecked could destroy all of the Blood once and for all. All of the characters we have come to know are in this book, including the assassin Surreal, Saetan and Lucivar, and the other young queens.

Whilst this was the end of the trilogy, there are a couple of other books by Bishop set in this world, and I will definitely be getting those sooner rather than later.

Fantastic!!

Rating 5/5

Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop

This is the second book in the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop following on from Daughter of the Blood.

Dreams Made Flesh

The Blood have waited centuries for the coming of Witch, the living embodiment of magic. But Jaenelle, the young girl prophecy spoke of, is haunted by the cruel battles fought over her future power.. for not all the Blood await her as saviour. Some dismiss her as myth. Some refuse to believe. And some would use her, making her a puppet to their whims.

Only time, and the love of her guardians have healed Jaenelle's physical wounds. But her mind is still fragile, amnesia providing a shield from the terrors of her childhood. Nothing, however, can shield her from her destiny. And soon the day of reckoning will come. When her memories return. When her magic matures. When she is forced to accept her fate.

And on that day, the dark Realms will know what it means to be ruled by Witch.

THIS is the book I read while I was on holidays!! Which is kind of funny I guess because it wouldn't be my normal kind of vacation read - mainly because it is a book that I had to think about as I read it, particularly in the beginning parts.

This book takes up where the first book begins, so there may be a few spoilers for Daughter of the Blood in this review.

Jaenelle's body is healing but her spirit is still wandering in the abyss following on from the traumatic events at the end of the last book. This book is really the story of her gradual recovery, both physically and mentally, her gradual rebuilding of her friendships with the other young queens in the realms that will eventually help form her power base and also her realisations about what really happened to her, and who saved her life.

Lucivar plays more of the starring role in this book, and Daemon is much less present (and I missed him). It enable Jaenelle and Lucivar to form a stronger relationship that I am sure will be an important element of the next book. I do however really hope that Lucivar gets to find a mate in the next book.

I think that reading this book has really helped get my head around the world that Bishop has created. I think I said in my review of Daughter of the Blood that there were things that I found confusing in relation to the world building in the first book. In this book because there was actually less world building as opposed to just living in the created world it was much easier to follow the intricate webs between worlds and different levels and things within the realms. I am glad that I didn't leave too much time between reading the two books.

There was still plenty of tensions within the story as some tried to get to Jaenelle to destroy her and stop her from reaching her fated position of Witch. The stage is set for a fantastic third book, for Daemon to reenter the story, Jaenelle ready to be who she is fated to be and the world ready for the show down between good and evil.

Rating 4.5/5


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Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop

Seven hundred years ago, a Black Widow witch sees an ancient prophecy come to life in her dazzling web of dreams and visions. Now the Dark Kingdom readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, a Witch who will yield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But she is still young, still open to influence - and corruption.

Whoever controls the Queen controls the Darkness. Three men - sworn enemies - know that. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent young girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, where the weapons are hate and love...and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining...

I'm not really sure what to say about this book! I enjoyed it immensely. I finished it at 3 o'clock in the morning, and got up out of bed to check whether the next book in the series was available on the library website, so that's a good sign.

Maybe the reason I am a bit stumped is that I am not really much of a fantasy reader, and so for quite some time it was a bit like hard work to get into all the world building straight in my head, and what all the various levels of jewels meant but once I got into the book I was in. In a lot of ways Bishop has taken the world as we know it, and turned it upside down. The good guys live in Hell, women are the power mad rulers whose every whim is to be catered too, and I have to say that the obedience ring sounds completely scary! Glad not to be a bloke in Bishop's world I can tell you!

The characters were interesting, and I can't wait to meet up with Lucivar and Daemon in particular again in the next book, in particular to know whether Daemon actually can find a more equal relationship than he has with any of the women that he has to service (for want of a better word!)

The main storyline for this first book is the introduction of Jaenelle as Witch - destined to rule the world and an incredibly powerful witch. To her family, she is emotionally unstable. To all her friends in the various countries of the world that she travels to by web (basically seems to be a large spiders web with different paths depending on the colour of the jewel that you have!) she is a character that brings laughter and light, freshness and hope!

I am really looking forward to reading more of this series!


Rating 4/5


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