I read the original trilogy a long time ago and wasn't sure if I'd be able to pick up the series without rereading the older books, but have no fear - Carey catches you up without boring you. I also wasn't sure if I'd like a book focused on Imriel and not Phedre, but, wow was I wrong. This book is great reading. Gripping plot, beautiful setting, fascinating alternate history, and well-thought-out characters. Although it's long, the writing is spare and lovely and never slow. This book deals extremely frankly with alternate sexuality and will be hated by bible thumpers and prudes everywhere. It is not appropriate for younger readers. I think anyone else will find it enchanting. ( )

I only discovered Jacqueline Carey a few months back, as her book 'Kushiel's Dart' appeared on a list of top 50 fantasy reads I came across somewhere. I fell in love with Phedre and Joscelin and the cast of amazing characters; the world Carey created was intricate and believable; and the plots fast paced and addictive. I ordered the next two in the series before I was even a third of the way into the first.

On that basis, I waited until I had all three in this series before starting - because I knew I would not want to wait! And that was a very good plan. The three volumes are all more than 700 pages - and I read the lot in a week. It helped that I spent a fair bit of time in airports and on planes, but I would have read through the night if I had to!

I've now ordered copies of everything else she has written - and will be watching the post box every day.

Now, to my review of the first in this series, 'Kushiel's Scion'.

One of the strengths of the first series was the intelligent voice of Phèdre nó Delaunay, the anguissette marked by Kusheil. Such a strong female voice is unusual and Carey took a big risk by moving the emphasis of the series away from Phedre. But she succeeds admirably. She dramatically and skillfully changes her point of view from the mindset of a mature woman to that of an adolescent boy with an unusual amount of baggage.

Imriel is the son of the treacherous Melisande and third in line for the D'Angeline throne. After his heartbreaking trials as a youngster in the first series, he was adopted by Phèdre and her consort, the brooding Casseline warrior, Joscelin. At the outset of this tale, Imriel is a much less complex character than Phèdre – as a young teenager, he has yet to acquire her life experience. However, this trilogy is about his coming of age.

We meet Imriel again as an adolescent who manages to be heartbreakingly fragile in one moment and ridiculously brave at the next. He's boyish with an innocent yearning to fit in and be ordinary, but at the same time he's moved by dark, violent desires that he doesn’t understand. He possesses a keen intelligence that can sense and manipulate the flaws in others but is haunted by the shadow of his traitorous parents and his time as a slave Darsanga. He wants more than anything to be a good person, but fears his heritage and his history mean he is fated to be something else. The poor kid basically couldn't be boring if he tried.

He is a strong protagonist, and a fitting heir to Phèdre’s legacy. However, fans of Phèdre can rest easy, as she is a strong presence in the book, if not the lead character. There are many familiar characters in the book, and several wonderful new faces. We also get a look at more of the world beyond Terre d'Ange and the equivalent of our Rome, Tiberium, as Imriel seeks out answers to questions of the past. Phèdre has taught him the art of Covertcy, as her mentor Anafiel Delaunay had done for herself, but who and where had passed these teachings to Anafiel Delaunay? Imriel will seek answers for this and other questions - and find even more puzzles along the way.

The plot and subplots are unique and stunning. The excitement just doesn't stop. Carey effortlessly combines swashbuckling adventure, romance, eroticism, political intrigue and world building. Her imaginative use of historic detail, diverse cultures, the creation of many varied characters and their development, make this series so special. There are enough complexities in this tale to satisfy the most demanding and discerning reader. ( )

Beginning of a new trilogy in the world of Terre D'Ange. Do yourself a favour & start with Kushiel's Dart, an intricately woven world with a heroine you'll fall in love with. Still can't believe this was a debut novel!

Your heart will ache for Imriel, guaranteed. Carey adeptly switches voices here, and gives us a more in-depth look at a different culture -- that of Tiberium. Imriel is thus drawn into the cycles of political intrigue that ensnared the previous generation, but struggles "to be good" despite it all. While this book doesn't quite match the thrilling pace of Avatar, it's an excellent novel, setting up Imriel for his destiny. ( )

Ever since reading Jacqueline Carey's first published novel, Kushiel's Dart, I knew that I would be reading anything by her that I could get my hands on. While none of the other books have grabbed me in quite the same way so far, I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. Kushiel's Scion is the fourth book of her Kushiel's Legacy series and the first book of the second trilogy. Even though I loved the first three books, it took me a while to start Kushiel's Scion--the books are lengthy and require a significant amount of time devoted to reading them. But, for me anyway, it has been totally worth it, and Kushiel's Scion is no exception.

Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel only wants to be good. He never wanted to be a prince of Terre d'Ange, third in line to the throne. In fact, he was quite content with his life as a goatherd, oblivious to his true identity. But that was before he was kidnapped as a child and sold into soul-shattering slavery. He was rescued and fostered by the heroes of the realm--the Comtesse de Montrève, Phèdre nó Delaunay, and her consort Joscelin Verreuil--but not before being physically and spiritually scarred. His mother, Melisande Shahrizai, is the land's greatest traitor, and there are many at court who would like to see Imriel disgraced or dead. Imriel struggles to accept his heritage and terrible past while trying to avoid the worst of the intrigue, speculations, and underhand dealings at court. Thrust into a life as a member of the royal family, and with all the responsibilities that accompany it, he seeks to leave, hoping to discover and accept himself, both the good and the bad.

Beyond the first trilogy of the Kushiel's Legacy series, I have yet to read any of Carey's other books (though I do plan to), so I wondered how well she would handle a different protagonist. The answer--quite well indeed; Imriel is definitely a different character than Phèdre. Carey's writing is still elegant (and I still love it), but Imriel's perspective is more straightforward and a little less flowery than his adoptive mother's. Carey also did an excellent job of introducing the back-story from the previous three books. Because the past events are seen through Imriel's eyes, it wasn't as repetitive as it could have been for those who read the first trilogy while still allowing newcomers to fully enjoy the story. It is not necessary to have read the previous books, though it adds quite a bit. Unlike most of the books that came before it, Kushiel's Scion isn't quite an epic save-the-kingdom tale but a slightly quieter coming of age story.

I rather liked Imriel as a protagonist, but, like most teenagers, I wanted to smack him upside the head more than once. His personality is much more passive than that of Phèdre's, especially towards the beginning of the book, but by the end he is more at home with himself as a person. The changes he goes through and the maturation of his character are handled very well--it is clear that he is different from when he began. Overall, Kushiel's Scion fits in very nicely with the previous books even if it is a different kind of story. The writing is still beautiful, there's still plenty of intrigue, and the plot and characters continue to be deep and complex (there's a reason that a detailed dramatis personae and map are included). I'm definitely looking forward to spending more time in Carey's world and watching Imriel continue to grow as a young man in Kushiel's Justice.

Experiments in Reading ( )