Naamah's Kiss (Kushiel Legacy)

I was so excited to see another book by Jacqueline Carey. But, I also wondered how she could churn out another one so quickly. Now I know. By sacrificing the story. I fell in love with Kushiel's Dart and have devoured each of the books in the series. But the depth of character and the careful plot development just aren't there this time around. Moirin is a little annoying. Things come to her so easily and she doesn't seem to work very hard at her gifts or grow very much from her experiences. An entire book could have been dedicated toher entrance into D'Angeline society and the pitfalls she encountered in the City of Elua. Raphael's story and their intimate connection could definitely have explored further. It seems that a few dinners at a manor house in Alba somehow prepared Moirin for the intrigues and intricacies of court life in Terre D'Ange. I can't imagine any other young girl overcoming an upbringing in the woods and fitting into royal society so quickly. And I won't even begin to address the relationship with Bao. The plot in this book was all over the place and by the end I couldn't imagine what more there could be to say about Moirin.

Jacqueline, please . . . Take your time with the next one. We can wait.

For fans of the Kushiel books: go buy this book. You will not be disappointed. I've been asked if it's the same as the other books, and I have to say both yes and no. Ms Carey has a gift for changing the tone of the books to match the narrator. The first series was lush with an edge, reflecting Pheadre's taste for pain. The second series was much brighter and brasher, reflecting Imriel's personality. This new series has a softer, more serene tone to it, because Moirin is a much more serene and centered individual. But the writing is just as elegant and lush as the others.

For those of who have not read the others ... I *think* you could read this without reading the others. Ms Carey does give enough of a description of the world that you wouldn't be lost. But you would miss a lot of the layers of the world, and what makes these books so great are all the layers thoughtfully woven together.

So go read this. Savor it. I normally gobble books in hours, but I stretched the reading of this over three nights, and it was well worth. I cried at the end, but the tears were sweet.

In the wilderness of Alba, the mysterious folk of the Maghuin Dhonn are a dying race. Still, young Moirin grows up with her mother, apart from civilization and steeped in the ways of her people. Even an unlikely friendship with a young Alban royal, doesn't cause her to stray from her desire to be true to the mysterious Bear Goddess they worship. But Moirin has an unknown destiny. She is not only a child of the Maghuin Dhonn, but she is also half D'Angeline and under the influence of their gods, namely Naamah, the Bright Lady, the goddess of desire. Moirin can feel it in her heart when the Maghuin Dhonn is leading her towards her destiny. The feeling leads her away from sadness and tragedy in Alba and across the straits to the sophisticated, intrigue-filled Court of Terre D'Ange where she will play a part in the doings of magicians and royal lovers. Eventually it will lead her much farther, to the far lands of Ch'in, where a princess and an empire are in peril. Along the way, Naamah's way of desire lead Moirin into various beds, but only one man will win her heart.

While the world is that of the previous trilogies, the time is a century later and the amazing Phedre and her Jocelyn and Prince Imriel are now the stuff of stories and legend. Some of their descendants, however, survive. Moirin herself is the great-granddaughter of Alais, and the Courcels still rule in Terre D'Ange. And the fabulous Night Court still goes on as ever. The way of Naamah is more gentle than that of Kushiel, sweet desire rather than pain, and Moirin, despite her Bear Goddess, is a suitable agent of desire, less complicated and softer and simpler than the incredible, darker, conflicted Phedre. The world continues to be complex and interesting as a setting. The characters may seem to be pale shadows of those in the first trilogy, but they are still intriguing in their own right. The plot is also less dramatic (saving an empire is not quite up with saving the world, but it's still not chopped liver!), but is nonetheless full of adventure and exploring new lands and people as well as happily revisiting more familiar country.

If a reader comes in with fresh eyes and a willingness to explore more of a wonderful world via a new character with a very different outlook and approach rather than wishing for a re-tread of previous books, they should be more than satisfied. For those who may be concerned, there are sex scenes, but there are plenty of adventures and magic outside the bedroom, as well.

I found this book entertaining, and it was relatively enjoyable to read, but it lacks the "wow factor" that was there in the first three books of Kushiel's Legacy.

One of it's main downfalls is that it has so many of the same elements as Phèdre's story. At times it almost feels like you are simply rereading her story, but the main character is from Alba and has a different name. Also, Raphael is completely insufferable, and you have to deal with him being in the story for quite some time. I do like Moirin though. She does better writing a female voice, and I found her more likeable than Imriel.

Overall, the story line is interesting and the characters are fun, if not all completely fleshed out. A good read, but not a great one.

The first few chapters, I was completely engrossed. FINALLY, I rejoiced, Carey has left behind Terre d'Ange, which, frankly, had been fully mined by the third book, and is taking me into new territory. When the protagonist jumps a ship for Terre d'Ange, involves herself in the sexual escapades, then travels on a long boring journey that does absolutely nothing to advance the story, the word "hack" sprung to mind. I have been teased by this writer before -- Santa Olivia is a fresh and interesting book and I dared hope something new might be forthcoming.

Really, I don't think I even finished this one, or, if I did, I skipped to the last few pages and considered it finished. If you asked me what it was about, I would shrug my shoulders. I'm glad I got it from the library.

I have one more bit to say. I am happy for Carey, that she likes to travel. I like to travel too. However, I read fiction for story and character, not as a travelogue. Next time Care writes a 800 page with a 300 page trip, may her editor take out a big fat red pen.

Jacqueline Carey has once again created a wonderful and beautiful story! I LOVED the first trilogy with Phedre and Joscelin's story and it's definitely my favorite series of all time. Imri's trilogy was still very good, but not AS good. But this one has just earned second in the favorites. It was unbelievably good!
Things that may catch your attention in that description are that Moirin has some magic. She can go invisible, she can coax plants to grow, and I can tell you that later some other gifts come to fruition as well. She also has an amazing ability to just feel and know the world around her. Great senses, I guess you could say. She's blessed with gods smiling down on her and gifts from each one of them have been bestowed upon her. Which happens to be unusual anymore in this world, so many see her as a witch (or call her thusly) though once they get to know her they always love her.
Moirin shows how human she is by being saddened by leaving those she loves behind, but she is very brave in accepting her destiny and following it where it takes her. She accepts her lot, although makes a few mistakes, which once again, shows only how human she really is.
Moirin finds herself through her gods smiling upon her. And she follows her destiny where it takes her whether she really wants to or not. Moirin finds love, or what she thinks is love, a few times but it's not until later that you really feel she has found her Joscelin (you'll only understand that if you've read the first Kushiel's Trilogy), her man who is there to stand by her no matter what and is her 'soulmate' so to speak, even while she follows the path of Naamah. Although not a courtesan, she learns the skills of the bedchamber by the Queen of Terre D' Ange herself and it comes in handy in her travels (as I'm sure it will in the future also).
Moirin's destiny takes her into some 'strange' circumstances as she is the first to say. A lover to a dragon, trapped in a Ch'in princess. Can you say strange? Yes, very. She finds herself the necessary companion to the Ch'in princess as they go on a journey to expel the dragon. This travel takes us through some beautiful lands in Ch'in (China) and the descriptions were beautifully done. Anyone who's seen China on TV, or even better, in real life, will be able to picture it all very well. And likely even if you haven't (but who hasn't?). The story in this final quarter of the book is so unique and so beautiful as they see horror wrought by the Divine Thunder (cannons), but beauty restored as many sacrifice themselves to the princess, Moirin and the Ch'in Empire. The final conflict is is wonderfully done but the book is left wide open as Moirin sets off to find her destiny once again.
Naamah's Kiss is filled with beauty, adventure, and love. And balanced with cruelty and trials, the world, the characters, the entire story is completely and utterly amazing. Jacqueline Carey did not, for one minute, lack a single thing in this book.
She brought the adventure I loved from the first trilogy, as well as the love(s) and the world, of course. But it is unique in that it's all new characters, some new countries, and a dragon. Okay come on, a dragon. Now that is a very cool place to take the story, if you ask me.
I place this book above most of my 5 star books. These books are just so amazing, nothing can quite live up to them. But I can only do up to 5 stars, so I give it the best rating possible!

I happily picked up Jacqueline Carey's Namaah's Kiss after reading the other books in this Kushiel Fantasy series, first with Phedre and then with Imriel's stories, but they are the stuff of legend when we finally get to Moirin's story.

Moirin grows up a little bit of a witch in the woods with her mother and discovers that her father was from Terre D'Ange, so the goods of both her parents are speaking to her and giving her guidance. She ends up controlling her powers working with an Asian guru, who takes her on the adventure of her life. She rises to the challenge and helps in the quest to save the Princess... a nice change from the boys always saving the day.

I really like this series, as I am usually a proponent of the George RR Martin or Robin Hobb books, they are a total guilty pleasure and I'll keep reading them as long as Carey keeps churning them out. She does a nice job in creating worlds and with her characters. Sometimes the characters are a little shallow (I admit) and the story is obvious but it does what it advertises and gives me a good fantasy read with a little bit of happy smut for good measure. Enjoy!

I wanted to like this. Heck, I did like it. I loved it, adored it, even. I really enjoyed the Kushiel series as is, but I was pleased to see that Naamah wasn't quite as dense as its predecessors. Nothing against a large, thick book, but they do certainly take some time to devote to. This was much lighter, but still intriguing, and all the better for it.

I loved the cute naivete of Moirin, and I absolutely adored the passion and love in her relationship with Jehanne. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed to find out she was leaving with Master Lo and..ugh... Bao. And therein lies the problem.

Bao is quite possibly the least likable Carey character I've ever read, if not one of the least likable in -any- book. He's mean, rude, uncouth, brash, the list goes on. He doesn't remotely seem attractive to me at all, and I hated to see Jehanne left to spend time with, well...this. It got even worse when Moirin and Bao suddenly fell into a tension-filled romp in the sheets just because Master Lo gave them some sort of tonic.

Still, it didn't completely ruin the book for me. What very well might, however, is the fact that apparently these two might be shoehorned into being "soulmates" and the entire second book is dealing with their continuing relationship. This just might be enough for me to turn off the series entirely, which is very, very depressing to say--because it should have been completely fantastic.

It's just too bad a bratty, loud peasant boy had to ruin it.

Kushiel's Dart and the subsequent 2 books are on my top ten list. But this series began to degenerate with Imriel and now, with Naamah's Kiss, is just plain boring! There is no tension in this book. No tension with the characters, the relationships, even the sex. While Imriel's internal tension was a bit tiresome for me, at least the story was entertaining. This simply isn't. The sex feels gratuitous, the character's decisions baffling. So sad.

Luckily, I just discovered Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay... it more than made up for this one.

Read this at the library if you must, or better yet, find something else to spend your time on!

I am an avid reader and I adored the Phedre and the Imriel series. Well rounded characters, interesting threads and well created plot twists. Her stories were sensual but grounded in plot.

The last time I chose to leave a book unfinished was in highschool. I could not get through this one.

The characters were silly. Their motivations were shallow. The plot was sticky and contrived.

I was disapointed on all accounts. If you had not told me the authors name, I would never have thought that Carrey could have produced both the Imriel books and Naamahs Kiss.

Being a huge fan of Carey's work, I was really looking forward to this new series, the result though is ultimately disappointing.

It feels rushed, Carey goes through the motions, but never creates any real depth to the plot or her characters (which is her real strength). Moirin is shallow and trite, where she should be naive and savage. All the support cast are a shadow of what Carey can do. They are just not engaging at all.

In the end, this book is like a theme park ride, it certainly is enjoyable but ultimately lacks any emotional engagement.

Everything comes to Moirin easily. Whatever poor decisions she makes, success falls into her lap. A good example is the magic she learns: Through no effort of her own, it just comes to her (or is given to her) and you just know as a reader at that point that she will just oh so conveniently use it to save the day a couple hundred pages later. Please. You can do better than that.

All the while she has her very own homing beacon of fate inside her, that makes all the decisions for her. It's the ultimate killer of any sort of suspense. If you add Moirin's almost singular focus on 'desire', she comes across as unlikeable, shallow and unreflective, bumbling through the story, waiting for a 'Thumbs Up' from her fate traffic light.

On the whole, the sexual component of the book lacks the meaning and importance of her previous books. She just comes across as overeager, sleeping with everything that isn't on a tree on a count of five.

I could go on, but suffice to say that while I applaud the effort, this book comes across as uninspired and it's miles away from the quality of her previous work. It's a shame.

Nonetheless, as far as theme park rides go, this is a fairly good one if you don't expect anything other than a cheap thrill. At least it's worth the price of admission.

Sadly disappointed in this one. I absolutely adored Phedre's trilogy, and Imriel's almost as much. But I felt like the one weakness in both trilogies was the use of magic, and this entire book is more magic-focused than any of the previous six. It's totally random and the lack of a system just makes everyone seem conveniently all-powerful when the plot requires it.

On the other hand, learning more about Alba was interesting, and the clues about what happened to all the old characters were fun as well. I also liked the new protagonist's interpretation of Terre d'Ange [though I hope it doesn't ruin the other books for me when I go back and read them].

One last note: JC's treatment of Daoism and Chinese culture in general is really, really shallow, especially compared to the historical touches in her previous books. My opinion might run this way because I don't know a ton about European history and have had the (mis?)fortune of having taken painfully detailed classes on Daoism, but she really seems to have just picked the kind of token aspects of Chinese culture and religion that you see in American movies or bad translations of the Daodejing from the self-help section. It doesn't come across as disrespectful -- just overambitious and under-researched. But if blatant cultural anachronisms bother you a lot, tread carefully and hope the next book's setting in the New World (maybe?) is more interesting.

I am going to just make this short and to the point. I did not like this series. It never lived up to my expectations and so was a great disappointment to me. There were a few passages that I thought matched some of Carey's previous writing, but for the most part this was not nearly as good or as enjoyable as the Kushiel series.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. After spending so much time with Phedre and Imriel, moving forward in time with a new host of characters leaving "loved ones" behind is a little scary. It is the literary equivalent of having a magical time in elementary school and moving on to middle school. There are some similarities in Namah's Kiss but it's quite all together different.

Morin is an absolute delight! For whatever reason I identified with her more so than characters in the
previous installments and in most other novels. Morin is a representation of the challenges many face in our modern world. Moirin is blessed to have a mother who sheltered and loved her. But she has to find her own destiny as we all do. She isn't a fantastical prodigy. She is naïve, eager to learn, loving and a person out in the world just trying to do the right thing. She makes mistakes, she is often confused, she loves easily but she has courage in her conviction. This combination makes her powerful.

I enjoyed Morin's story and look forward to her growth and her many adventures to come. It is refreshing to see the continuation of the series with a fresh new take, not a rehash of books already written. Thank you Jacqueline, beautiful story!

This book was interesting especially in the beginning the story seemed new and different unlike the previous Kushiel books but it doesn't take long for all of that to disappear and Carey's returns to writing about Terre d'Ange as she did in the earlier series. I agree with the review below where it says that Moirin grows up in a cave and is very savage one minute and then in the next she is turned into a noble court lady. I found this part very poorly developed. I also think that Carey needs to get new phrases I think she used the the word mayhap way too much and describing Moirin's father as wearing a red robe over and over again. The creativity seems to be relying heavily on already used ideas and folklore from Eastern countries, which comes off as very stale. Over all it was interesting but not worth buying in my opinion, at least as a hard cover maybe paper back would be OK.

I first started reading the Kushiel's Legacy series at a rather young age for the series' content- not yet out of high school I was growing up with Phedre and exploring the world Carey weaves. I was tugged into this tapestry as an entity hovering over the narrator Phedre, watching her carve her way through amassed difficulties. It was extremely emotional- many times I cried at the overwhelming sense of hopelessness one woman touched by a god-like figure endured, especially when the call tested the bond between Phedre and her soulmate, Joscelin.

Imriel's story was no different. Albeit a tangled and torn young man, Imriel, too, struggled through immense situations to give himself a name in history.

Now, Moirin encounters that history. As I turned each page in Namaah's Kiss, I wondered at every turn whether or not I would see names I recognized- my heart leapt at Alais, Phedre, Anafiel, Imriel and the others. It's like a chance to go back and see what impact they had on the world through a proper judge- Moirin, an outsider, looking in.

The beautiful thing about Moirin is her exquisite voice. She is an individual with her own path, her own unique heritage, and a perfect narrator.

Carey first gives us her early life in Alba. She is molded in the ways of her people, given skills she'll use to navigate her destiny. She learns of love and loss, companionship and loneliness, wildness and civilization. She is made more whole with each lesson, a foundation for her "yin and yang" experiences to come.

Her destiny takes her to Terre d'Ange after an unfortunate death of a childhood friend and lover and an encounter with Maghuin Dhonn; needless to say, I couldn't wait for this "homecoming."

Terre d'Ange does not disappoint. Nothing should be taken for face value; Phedre herself stands as a testament to that- "a whore's unwanted get" becomes a savior of Terre d'Ange. Do not let the pettiness of Terre d'Ange royalty fool you. Carey does not disappoint and delivers a unique depth to each character that makes difficulties for Moirin as she herself learns of Terre d'Ange's subtle and overt traits and customs.

Without giving away anymore of the book, it's definitely worthy of the Kushiel's Legacy series' exemplary ardor, plot suspense, and genuine characterization. The Companions continue to extend their hand into lives touched by destiny and fate with a worthy result and earned recognition. Moirin is no Phedre or Imriel; "I am me."

Other reviews have pretty much summed it up, but overall, this was just boring. While readable and an acceptable way to pass the time, I found the ending anticlimactic after the big scene in Terre D'Ange, had less than no interest in the love interest figure, and didn't care at all for the Ch'in portions. Sorry, but hope she does better with the next one. I have to say though, unless she's planning on replacing a lot of the characters, I doubt it.

All too often authors start publishing books that look suspiciously like their prior series but with names switched around. It is with great joy that I can state Carey is not one of them.

Moirin is a refreshing heroine who has a sweetness and openness about her that is very refreshing to share as the reader gets to journey with her throughout the world.

If you enjoyed her previous two series, then you will love this new installment.

Don't feel too sad that this takes place a couple generations after the other books either. We can let our imaginations fill in the gaps and let them remain frozen in time at the prime of their love and health. And now we are free to explore the uncharted wildernesses still left in this world. :)

I would love for Carey to continue expanding this alternate world that she has created. Maybe have a future series showcase a D'Angeline who travels to the New world. ;)

If you are a fan of Jacqueline Carey's other works in this world, you will enjoy this book as well. A very different kind of heroine which, in my opinion, breathes new life into this world. I'm glad I ignored the nit-pickers and added this book to the collection.

This book brings us back to the world of Kushiel's Legacy series with all new characters and a world which, sadly, has not changed significantly since we last left Sidonie and Imriel. 100 year have past and little of note has occurred in the world.

The books, when compared to her previous six books, comes off as a major disappointment.

First, you meet the protagonist, Moirin of the Maghuin Dhonn, whose mother is of the Maghuin Dhonn, but whose father is a D'Angeline Priest. Moirin comes off as very like Phedre nu Delauney. She doesn't so much as grow in the book as she suddenly changes. One moment, she's uncomfortable within the Cities of Man, the next she's comfortable inside, by and large, with occasions uncomfortableness. One moment she's completely of the Maghuin Dhonn, and the next she's somehow completely embracing D'Angeline Customs, all of them.

One of the things that made the first Kushiel's Scion Trilogy, by and large, was that the protagonist used sex as a part of the story. Sex was, in fact, an integral part of the plot, as she was a courtesan spy. Not true, with our new protagonist, Moirin. In fact, I find that most of the sex scenes in the book come off as random and don't necessarily help or add to the plot at all. There's definitely a large amount of cheese involved in how she ends up getting into some of the sex scenes she's involved in.

In fact, the plot itself comes off as pretty rickety. One moment she's in Alba, the next in Terra D'Ange and the next in Ch'in. Scenes are set clearly intending to lead you to the obviously coming sequel to this book (In fact, the author tells you a number of times that you haven't seen the LAST of one of the enemies you meet).

Honestly, I felt that that, as well as the constant references to the other two books, hurt the book. Even if we are to buy that little has happened in the 100 years since the last trilogy, are all the stories the protagonist knows ONLY about Phedre and Imriel? Truly?

All in all, I feel that this was a disappointing book and I can only hope that Ms. Carey can do better with the sequel.

Although there will never be a comparison to Kushiel's Dart, I really did like this book. I also like the new heroine. I think she is trying to redeem the people that is why she is using these characters and now she is on a different continent with different types of people. If you like Jacqueline Carey and you are a Jacqueline Carey Fan, i think this book is a must read.

As an avid fan of Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, I preordered Namaah's Kiss months ago. And when it arrived in the mail, I joyfully devoured it in record time. As always, Carey's writing is superb, beautiful and lush, heady and intoxicating like rich red wine.

In her previous novels, Carey has lovingly crafted a wondrous and beautiful world, a mythic allegory of our own, both strange but immediately familiar. It was a joy to revisit these now familiar places, Alba and Terre d'Ange (and new places like Ch'in!), but this time through new eyes. As one of the Maghuin Dhonn, Moirin is a child of the woods and wild places, untutored in d'Angeline ways. This lends the book a delightful new perspective as young Moirin learns of her d'Angeline heritage and the gifts of Namaah.

I could not help but feel a little bit sad while reading the book. It takes place several generations after the Kushiel series and like the first reviewer, I missed Phedre and Joscelin, Imriel and Sidonie and all the others. We do get tantalizing morsels, enough to leave me happy knowing our old friends lived well. And I have no doubt, that in the Terre d'Ange that lies beyond, they stand smiling as they watch our new heroine fulfill her destiny.

For those new to Carey, I would suggest starting with the first in the series, Kushiel's Dart. For any longstanding fans, buy this book and curl up with a glass of wine and enjoy. She is not Phedre nor Imri but Moirin mine is a worthy successor and I look forward to following her adventures for years to come.

As always, delightful. Jacqueline Carey has a magical way with words. She wends perfect tales which encompass improbable adventure with endearingly imperfect characters. It is difficult to dislike any character too much because there is always some bad in good and tragic goodness in evil. The only thing preventing me from reading Naamah's Kiss straight through was the fact that gravity dropped the book on my face when I could no longer stay awake to read. Is it my favorite of the Kushiel series? No, but amongst so many wonderful choices it is difficult to determine a hierarchy of "favorite" within the series. Although, I must say that Kushiel's Dart drew me into the series and continues to captivate me to this day.

I picked this up at my local library as after reading reviews I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend my hard earned money on a copy - and feel I made the right decision. O.K. read but not a book I feel I would need to purchase - main reasons: Am not a prude but am getting a little tired of the sex (especially the woman on woman) the "shock" value of this is getting old in the Carey books; poor character development - motivation for actions: chemistry between Moirin @ Bao just isn't there. Not sure if I will continue with this series or not; but since I can get it from the library maybe I will.

Anyone who knows the author knows how she writes. This book is a good example of her increasing talent. The story was well thought out, the characters believe able, and the story was compelling. I recommend this book.

In _Naamah's Kiss_, Jacqueline Carey returns to the world she created in the Kushiel's Legacy series, and introduces a delightful new heroine.

Moirin mac Fainche is a descendant of Alais de la Courcel and a member of the Maghuin Dhonn tribe of Alba. On her father's side, she's D'Angeline, with lines of descent from Naamah and Anael. When a tragedy changes Moirin's young life, and an initiatory rite reveals that she has a destiny beyond the sea, Moirin travels to Terre d'Ange in search of her father. There, she's treated as an exotic novelty.

In no time at all, she's over her head in a web of intrigue, with only her courage, her wits, and her deep-seated beliefs to protect her. The publisher's blurb mentions that she travels to Ch'in, so I won't consider that a spoiler; eventually she does go to Ch'in and becomes involved in a knotty situation there as well. The plot is complex, and while at first there seems to be little connection between Moirin's adventures in Terre d'Ange and her adventures in Ch'in, it turns out that the things she learns and gains in Terre d'Ange are crucial in dealing with what comes later.

As is usual for the first book in a Carey trilogy, the major plotline of _Naamah's Kiss_ is resolved by book's end, and several other plotlines remain open for exploration in the next two installments.

To me, one of the best things about _Naamah's Kiss_ is that Moirin's voice is so clear. Many authors seem to write the same character over and over. Carey doesn't. I never felt like I was reading Phedre's voice, or Imriel's. Moirin doesn't have Phedre's silken manners, or Imriel's Byronic angst, and she's sharp-tongued in a way that the other two are not. Her attitude toward sex is different, too. Phedre's sexual adventures are often a means to an end; Imriel's are often fraught with emotional turmoil. When Moirin goes to bed with someone, it's for the sheer joy of it. (I should mention that there's a lot of sex in _Naamah's Kiss_, but if you're bothered by that, you probably haven't followed the series this far.)

Perhaps most interestingly, Moirin provides a more critical view of D'Angeline society. Phedre had a bone-deep love of it, but Moirin sees the contrast between what Terre d'Ange should be (a kingdom based on love) and what it is: often frivolous, often xenophobic, often over-concerned with wealth and titles. Side note: There's talk of an expedition to "Terra Nova," and I'm interested to see how Carey handles the issue of colonialism. I can see it being similar in some ways to what happened in our world, and different in others.

I highly recommend _Naamah's Kiss_ to anyone who enjoyed the Kushiel books, and to anyone who was tempted to try them but put off by the BDSM (Moirin is sexually active, but her tastes don't run to whips and chains). Carey's prose is as lush and sensual as ever, and Moirin is a wonderful heroine.

I loved every book in the Kushiel series. Each character was so well developed and nothing seemed forced. This book just didn't do it for me. It lacked the passion and the vivid discription found in the Kushiel series. I found it hard to empathize with the heroine and I found her to be very superficial. I guess after reading the epic tales of Phedre and Imriel my expectations were too high.

Although I did greatly enjoy this book, I felt like in comparison to the first six books, this one fell a little short. It seemed to me that the maturity of both Phedre and Imriel was far greater than that of Moirin, and the plotline of Naamah's Kiss seemed trivial in comparison to its predecessors.

Great, another book with a half naked lady on the cover, I thought. I judged a book by its cover and figured that this new series couldn't be any good. I didn't find Naamah a compelling deity in her own right. The sex and sensuality aspect, comprising a larger universe and retinue of angels and gods, is something I could empathize with and understand; but I felt like, by itself, a representation of free and limitless sexuality is static and overplayed. If that's all I wanted, I'd go hit up my grocery store for an Ok! magazine. Also, I was worried that the book would drift into Orientalism.

Also, I was mad at the Albans. They can take their bloody legacy and shove it, I thought.

What a ridiculously epic, fantastically smart and finely written book this is. Absolutely as great as the Kushiel books. And a gripping coming of age story. I can't wait for the next one.

This book blew my mind-duh!

I've read virtually all of Jacqueline Carey's books and I must say this one is a disappointment. It has the overall feel of a book quickly written without much forethought. The characters are poorly developed and come off as pale imitations of the primary characters in the Phedre series (e.g. the lustful young heroine....the proud and stubborn consort and protector....the wise older man that serves as a mentor and spirit guide....the vain and fickle female love interest).

Sorry, we've been there and done that.

[...]

I was captured from the first page of this book and have loved all the characters. I like the new perspective, the travels and the different focus - it's nice to not see all the incredibly tragic things that happened previous in Terre D'Ange and Alba and Skaldia and everywhere else that Phedre and Imriel and the rest of the gangs found themselves tortured, raped, and fighting.

This is a different kind of struggle that Moirin and her compatriots experience and I love love love that there is more magic in these books than before. As much as I always loved the tinge of sadism in the Kushiel books, it's also refreshing to see a focus on the softer gifts of love.

Within the first chapter of this book, I sensed an optimism, a languid happiness that flowed through this new series. I loved the Kushile series and its sex, pain and tension, but I am still able to embrace the characters here in their own right. After all, Phedre is long gone when this series opens. I can't agree with the other reviews that say this is a disappointment. Is it the best Carey has written? NO! Is it worth seeing this through? Absolutely. Life is not all bondage and tension in Terre D'Ange....it is nice to appreciate a slow languisement now and then, yes?

I simply loved this book. I read it slowly, wanting to savor every word... the characters are new, the cultures are familiar... If you enjoy Jacqueline Carey's writing style, if you wish to be swept into a different world, to chase adventure, play with magic and make love.... read this book.Naamah's Kiss

I liked Bao. I like that she is breaking out of her comfort zone. Imriel's story was so BORING. He was just a Phedre lite. I like Moirin. She is completely different. And I like that she shows what happens to a country full of jaded people. I cant wait to read the second book.

This book is excellent. I read it in just a matter of a few nights. The story is well told and makes reference to characters we are familiar with from Kushiel's Legacy (though those characters are not in the book). The only thing I don't like is that I can't just pick up the next one yet! Can't wait for the next one to hit shelves so that I can start reading about Moirin's next adventure!

It breaks my heart to write this, but this book just isn't very good.

(SPOILERS AHEAD.)

Jacqueline Carey's been my favorite author since I first read Kushiel's Dart in January 2002. That book caught me from the first paragraph, and I read the first chapter right there in the bookstore, before buying it. If you're reading this, you probably know what an experience falling in love with that book--that world--was for me. There were some less-convincing characters, and some less-riveting passages, but for three epic novels, the quality level was kept remarkably high throughout.

The fundamentally wonderful thing about Kushiel's Dart was how dense it was, how much beauty and intrigue and meaning was packed into each page, into each plot development. The last two books of the first series were slightly less dense, but made up for it with rich action.

The Imriel series was more difficult to love. The characters were, for the most part, still 3d and believable, Imri's inner personality was fully realized, and his interactions with those around him followed an emotional logic. But the first two books' plots were pretty thin, and could have been condensed into one. Carey bulked them out with too many placeholder characters, too many pointless dead-end activities (why DID he go to Rome, anyway?), and too many ideas not fully realized (that secret society sure was a dud).

Worst of all, the pivotal plot point--that Imri turns his back on love to pursue duty, with disastrous results--always felt forced, like the author was making a character do something unnatural for the sake of her plot. That's bad enough when it's a brief episode...but it was the bulk of the second novel. As a result of that psychological forcing, the book dragged a lot, as you followed him through what you knew the WHOLE TIME was the wrong decision and its foreshadowed consequences. Only in the third Imriel book do we really get back to the high adventure and clockwork pace that defined the first trilogy from the start.

The Imriel series' quality suffered due to this feeling of filler and incredibly slow pace in the first two novels. But Carey picked it back up in the third, and that series overall left a good taste in my mouth. However, you can sell books by writing decent trilogies, but to be a good author, your novels themselves need reread value. Two of that series three books don't really have it.

Which brings us to Naamah's Kiss. This novel not only doesn't stand on its own (which is STILL the best criteria of a good trilogy-opener), it arguably wouldn't have been published at all, were it a first novel by an unknown author.

Moirin is dull. Her mother is dull. Her first lover is dull, and so is his family. Carey tried to write the story of a naive, uncivilized girl, but missed the mark on actual innocence, substituting vagueness and exploitability. I know, not everybody can be a Delaunay-trained genius, or even a conflicted quasi-Shahrizai. But Moirin took subjectivity, unreliability, and naivete to an almost Faulknerian level. And that's as close as Naamah's Kiss came to literature.

There are a handful of beautiful passages and concepts here--Moirin's initiation, her developing relationship with her father, and the scenes where we begin to understand, and then meet, the dragon. The passages with her father are moving, and I appreciated the theme where she comes to terms with having a D'Angeline heritage and gift, as well as the Alban one she's loyal to. Exploring Moirin's multi-ethnicity, and the interactions of her two gifts through her young adulthood--not to mention the changes in Alba and Terre D'Ange in the new century--these would have been enough for a whole book.

But the author who rote the densely-packed Kushiel's Dart is long gone. Carey takes enough plot points for the first quarter of a Phedre story, and spreads them over the whole novel. Now, I don't want to read another Phedre story. I want to read a densely-packed Moirin story...and Moirin's story is the thinnest Carey's ever put to print.

So much could still have been done with the Alban part of the book, the culture and rites, the tension of the different ethnic groups--that's where Moirin shines, in the beginning. The initiation rite itself was beautiful, pure Carey. But it only serves to highlight the flatness of the rest of the tale. Instead, Carey reaches for what's become a worn-thin plot contrivance: send the character to another country. It's become less a metaphor for her characters' growth, and more of a substitute for it. It feels like Moirin is, as Imri unfortunately sometimes was, less of her own person and more of a tool of the author, setting up plot points for later books at the expense of interest and density in the present one. It felt like the author preparing to stretch a little bit of story a long way.

Second big problem in this book: Terre D'Ange has become an aggravating place. I can't think of one single likeable character in the whole City of Elua. The closest I came to relating to them was a brief twinge of compassion when a couple of them (temporarily) acted stable and humane. The ones that weren't tediously loco were savior-perfect. All those admirable, unique characters populating the first two series? Nothing like that here. All those villains you loved to hate, and the deliciously ambivalent ones? Nowhere to be found. Moirin's friends at the Palace (of course) are abrasive, self-absorbed nuts, and her enemies are simply petty and selfish. In fact, there's a pretty fair overlap of her friends and enemies. This doesn't make for intrigue. It just makes Moirin look unintelligent.

Carey had an amazing opportunity to display a place familiar to her readers--Terre D'Ange and the City of Elua--through fresh eyes, even critical eyes. Instead, she has Moirin get accustomed rather fast, embroiling her in a fairly shrill and petty Palace clique. After a time, the only differentiation Moirin has is her ability to be exploited, and repetitive references to her spiritual practice and healing ability.

Which leads me to one of my biggest problems with the novel: the Asian characters. Frankly, I got tired of the "Me Chinese" way Carey made them talk, as well as the gamut of Asian stereotypes they ran. I mean, seriously? Wise old meditation-teaching herbal scholar, with his mysterious young warrior-acolyte? Just no. I absolutely couldn't believe the love interest was Bao. He's easily the least-desireable character Carey's ever written, and that includes Waldemar Selig.

Bao's a cypher. He's rude. His big draw is that he apparently smells like metal. Another critic was right--he's the poor man's Joscelin. There is no chemistry whatsoever between him and Moirin. Their union was a dismaying surprise--not in the wonderful Phedre-Joscelin way, more an upsetting "Carey doesn't seriously expect me to buy this" sort of way. Bao's all set up to be the big soulmate, Moirin's MacGuffin for the next book...and their relationship is just flat absurd.

Sexuality in Carey's first trilogy was a deeply meaningful, spiritual act--not only did plot points hinge on it, but so did philosophical ideas. I'm sure a lot of us fans fell in love with this story in part because of the boundary-pushing, yet beautiful portrayal of sex and love. In the second series, we are treated to Imriel's growth out of sexual abuse and into the conflict between duty and following his passion. I think that's what makes me feel most burned of all about Moirin's story. The sex here is just this side of meaningless and random. It's like Carey's heart's just not in that aspect of her writing anymore. I agree with another reader that some of the sex here verges on cheesy. Moirin doesn't have any believable chemistry with anyone she sleeps with; the closest she comes to that is early teenage hormones. The "gift of desire" of Naamah, part of Moirin's heritage, goes quickly from an intriguing concept into a belabored plot device, steering Moirin here and there. If it was used to move the plot forward, I could even understand that; but none of Moirin's relationships seem to matter much to the plot at all. In addition, Moirin is abused by two of her lovers, and it is barely acknowledged. How is that reflective of Elua's will? If Carey wanted to portray D'Angeline society as unwell, that should have been a major theme of the book...not something touched-on and excused.

It all just felt like Carey's publishing too often--biting off big undigested chunks of ideas, set up and then quickly abandoned; interspersed with long, drawn-out passages that go nowhere, filled with decisions you want to shake the characters for making. I don't want her to write the same story over again, that's not why I'm sad. I just want her to keep working on a book until it's at the level of quality we all know she can reach.

I know people who love JC will think I'm not a fan, and hate on my review. But honestly, who out there will calim this is as good as Kushiel's Dart, or even Kushiel's Mercy? If those were five-star books, then this can't be.

I hate to criticize my favorite author. I am sure that Carey will get the story told and that it will be worth reading. But after years of excitedly buying her books the day they arrived, I'll be checking the next one out of the library first.

I actually want to cry...I could not have cared less what happened to any of these characters. I am unable to express how disappointed I was in this book. I guess I'm going to have to re-read Dart again.

What a disappointment this book was, after the wonderful series written previously by Ms. Carey. The plot is lackluster, the characters are boring paper dolls, the whole thing fails to engage the reader. Obviously the author and publisher are cashing in on previous success. I returned this book, it was a complete waste of time and money. Don't bother with it.

Sorry not a homophobe at all but am getting tired of this continuing theme in J.Carey's books. Just finished Namaah's Kiss and Santa Olivia and while the writing was good, as a straight person the lesbian erotica is just not my cup of tea. If it is yours though you will undoubtedly enjoy this book along with Santa Olivia very much. The writing is good and the theme is very tastefully done. Good stories.

I love this series. The characters are well written and the story is page turning. So much more depth and substance than 50 shades or any other like book. I am amazed also that in this series of books that are so well written you can close your eyes and feel like you are a fly on the wall. Now this is a sexually explicit book that has so much more to the story than sex, even if the sexuality is a big part of the book. It is about a different culture, kingdoms and how they grow with intrigue and everything that goes with kingdoms in other historical fiction books. For those that may be offended by the explicit rendering of the sexual aspect of one country, I would say have an open mind because the story is so well done and weaves a magical web of sacrifice and duty. I especially enjoyed the parts where God was shown to bless those who sacrifice for others. As in the sea parts- not going to divulge spoilers and this is about the entire series not just the first book. I have all the hardbacks and now the kindle editions as well.

I am an avid reader and I adored the Phedre and the Imriel series. Well rounded characters, interesting threads and well created plot twists. Her stories were sensual but grounded in plot.

The last time I chose to leave a book unfinished was in highschool. I could not get through this one.

The characters were silly. Their motivations were shallow. The plot was sticky and contrived.

I was disapointed on all accounts. If you had not told me the authors name, I would never have thought that Carrey could have produced both the Imriel books and Naamahs Kiss.