Kushiel's Dart

By: Jacqueline Carey

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 31 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2008 Jacqueline Carey (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This brilliant and daring debut catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating audiobook." (Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time series)

Hard to get into

The narrator is probably what is killing this book for me. Her voice is extremely dry and I can barely tell the characters apart. The story starts slow as well, but I can get past that. I can see how this would be good, but unless there’s a different narrator i don’t know if I’ll ever finish this one…

Chapter 35 is the one you want ;)

If it was less French, it would be perfect. But still a good political drama with the BDSM smut you've been looking for

Need to listen

Love love all the books need to read u will love it you will love it

I don't know if I can finish this

After listening for 11 hours, I've had to switch to something else more fast paced. This book is so ploddingly slow, I just can't endure it right now. It's putting me to sleep at work while I listen to it. Who knows if I'll ever come back to finish it. In my experience, if the first several hours have put you to sleep - it generally doesn't get much better.

Great listen!

This is a great book, and the narrator is one of the best I've listened to. I generally only listen to audiobooks while I'm cleaning house, working out, ect, but I was so captivated by this series that I found myself staying up late to listen and my house sparkled! At first I thought it might be better to read it to help keep all the intricate details straight, but ended up preferring to listen because I enjoyed the narrator so much (I also would have driven myself crazy trying to figure out all the correct pronunciations). Although I would not recommend this to someone who is easily offended by graphic sex scenes or someone looking for a "light read", it is definitely right up my alley and I very much enjoyed it.

Slow Start

I took another reviewer's advice and listened patiently through the first 8-9 hours. then something drastic happens and the whole story changes. I struggled through the beginning, but after that I couldn't stop listening! Good stuff!

excellent

it's long but so worth it. author does a good job of weaving a story and narrator is pleasant to listen to.

Love Jacqueline Carey's work

This will always be one of my favorite books. I was very impressed with the narrator, and will listen to again and again i'm sure.

New Lands with familiar themes

I have read the Naamah series and love it, so I started with this one. I love the familiarity of the gods they and the accent of the narrator are wonderful. The story is along the lines of a courtesan with unforgettable abilities that goes beyond the bed. With just a hint og magical undertones. for a first book, not bad.

Terrible narrator for a great book

What made the experience of listening to Kushiel's Dart the most enjoyable?

The story is excellent. The characters well rounded and believable.

What did you like best about this story?

The depth of the story and the fullness of the world created.

What three words best describe Anne Flosnik’s performance?

Boring. Wrong accent.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A story of love and passions that scours the heart and scourges the flesh.

Any additional comments?

Thank goodness the last three books have a different narrator. I would have gone stark raving mad have to listen to Flosnik's terrible voices.