Synopsis
Return to the "intense...erotic...and imaginative" (Nancy Kress) world of the national bestselling Black Jewels novels in this sequel to The Shadow Queen.
For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. Now that their land has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore it and prove her ability to rule.
But even if Lady Cassidy succeeds, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land-and Lady Cassidy-forever...
Publishers Weekly
The rambling eighth Black Jewels epic fantasy (after 2009’s The Shadow Queen) doesn’t glow as brightly as earlier installments, but faithful fans will cheer to find Lady Cassidy at last on track to a happy ending. Plain jane Cassie, a Rose-jeweled queen, lost her Bhak court to prettier but bratty Lady Kermilla. She’s now recovered from the loss and ready to restore her new land of Shalador to prosperity. When Lady Kermilla pays an unwelcome visit, Warlord Prince Theran Grayhaven, pledged to Cassie’s service, starts making eyes at their guest. Fearing another betrayal, Cassie flees to Eyota, but her heart remains with Grayhaven gardener Jared Blaed. Bishop’s dialogue-heavy prose, ornate magical politics, large cast, and complex caste system bog down the narrative flow, and even the introductory guides will do little to enlighten new readers, leaving this one strictly for the fans. (Mar.)