The Queen's Bargain

Black Jewels, Book 10

By: Anne Bishop

Narrated by: Gary Littman

Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

POWER HAS A PRICE. SO DOES LOVE.

Return to the dark, sensual, and powerful world of the Black Jewels in this long-awaited new story in the New York Times best-selling fantasy saga.

After a youthful mistake, Lord Dillon's reputation is in tatters, leaving him vulnerable to aristo girls looking for a bit of fun. To restore his reputation and honor, he needs a handfast - a one-year contract of marriage. He sets his sights on Jillian, a young Eyrien witch from Ebon Rih, who he believes has only a flimsy connection to the noble society that spurned him. Unfortunately for Dillon, he is unaware of Jillian's true connections until he finds himself facing Lucivar Yaslana, the volatile Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih.

Meanwhile, Surreal SaDiablo's marriage is crumbling. Daemon Sadi, the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, recognizes there is something wrong between him and Surreal, but he doesn't realize that his attempt to suppress his own nature in order to spare his wife is causing his mind to splinter. To save Daemon, and the Realm of Kaeleer if he breaks, help must be sought from someone who no longer exists in any of the Realms - the only Queen powerful enough to control Daemon Sadi. The Queen known as Witch.

As Jillian rides the winds of first love with Dillon, Daemon and Surreal struggle to survive the wounds of a marriage turned stormy - and Lucivar has to find a way to keep everyone in his family safe...even from each other.

©2020 Anne Bishop (P)2020 Penguin Audio

LIKE FINALLY COMIN' HOME

I was actually depressed after completing the Black Jewels series, One of the most moving, gripping and entrancing set of books I've read in my lifetime (we're talkin' thousands of books)..
Read it from the beginning, join me in an undeniably additive pleasure..s

Pretty good follow up

Well, it wasn’t the first three core novels, but it brought back many of the characters - those from the long-lived races - some generations after Witch cleansed the realms in Queen of the Darkness. Character development was excellent, working out the established events and dynamics both at the individual level and among the realms.

I didn’t like the new narrator, I’m afraid. Not that the original narrator of the early books was at all perfect, but... I didn’t like this narrator’s voice for Lucivar, who sounded like a deck hand for some reason, or especially the older women’s voices, Karla and the eccentric queen who both inexplicably also sounded like deck hands with forty-year cigarette habits. Also. It’s a French word and doesn’t obey English pronunciation rules, but “valet” really is pronounced “val- AY,” without the “t,” just like “filet” is pronounced “fill- LAY.” But other than those relatively significant pet peeves, the narrator was pretty good. Definitely worth a credit.

The story

I enjoy the story! However, preferred previous book narrator… This one voice is too over exaggerated.

Queen's Bargin

Not sure why John Sharian wasn't the narrator for this but I missed his take on Sadi's voice and croon. Yes I know people complained he had changed Janelle's voice /accent on a couple previous books but it was easy to wrap that accent around her - to help her feel more exotic. Just didn't care for Gary Littman. I couldn't get into the story. Prolly won't get the next audio if done with Mr. Littman.

LOVE THE BOOK & SERIES DO NOT LIKE NARATOR

The narrator for this book was horrible. He talks in such a rushed, fast manner that the characters sound completely wrong. I tried reducing the speed to see if that helped but that was even worse. I preferred all the other books in this series that were done by John Sharian.

I miss John Sharian

I love the story as I do with all of Anne Bishops’s books, but I do not like the new narrator. In my opinion he made almost all of the characters sound like gremlins. I do miss the voices done by John Sharian a great deal!

I’m glad we got another book into this world.
I can’t wait to read more, and see where these characters continue to go!

why didn't the narrator listen to the other books?

I've been waiting months for Anne Bishop's new book to come out and was very excited to continue the story. The story felt very short but was very entertaining. However, I wish I had taken the time to read the book instead of listening to it.

The narrator pronounced most of the names, nicknames, and locations incorrectly. He also did this Romanian/ vampire voice for some of the characters I found very misplaced. They aren't vampires! it's like the narrator never read or listened to any of the other books.

The story was decent ......

But I really missed the original narrator and this made it difficult for me to fully engage with the characters. It is worth the listen, but I felt unmoored.

Excellent book

I love this book! Anne Bishop is an amazing writer. The characters, world building and relationships are really well done. I finished the book in less than 24 hours, I had a hard time putting it down.

Love the author, really dislike the narrator

Book and story line good, but narrator is a ‘no go’. Disappointing and distracting. Will not listen to this narrator again.