Kushiel's Avatar (Kushiel's Legacy)

okay, okay, I admit it, I am a sucker for a good love storie that has great characters, lots of action, suspence, and a great story line to boot, so yes, I really enjoyed this book since it had it all. I would say that this series of books is among my very favorite.

This book makes me cry in every way one can. The characters you came to love in the first two books are put through trials unfathomable to a frail human spirit, and emerge in glowing triumph. Their story is humbling... and inspiring.

The final book in a trilogy that is a spellbinding story, I tried to read it as slowly as I possibly could so that I wouldn't get to the end too quickly. Bravo to Jacqueline Carey for giving us three wonderful books.

After much anticipation and being unable to find this book, ANYWHERE, in NZ, I turned to the store and had the book delivered unbelievably fast. Phedre's adventure has seen me through the summer holidays and I am looking forward to cracking open Kushiel's Scion. Not exactly happy with the quality of the book as pages are falling out after only one read. I will survive however !!

The series is the story of a high society prostitue with espionage skills on a fairly generic medieval backgroung generously looted from well known mythology, history, and French. The first book is well worth reading as the heroine discovers how she can use her unique talents to survive in a world full of court intrigue and treachery. The tension between herself and her dutiful, disciplined companion keeps it interesting.
In book three, these elements are mostly gone, there is an almost endless repetition of past events, and not much is moved forward. I watched my Kindle's progress indicator slowly work itself forward to 50% before the story even gets into gear. Up to that, we visit known locations, reconnect with old acquaintances, and load cargo on ships and horses.
The book has a few moments, moving and exciting even, before the excitments subsides and we roll towards the predictable conclusion.

If you are reading reviews to find out if the second and third books are worth reading, I would counsel you that they are not. Enjoy the first book and let it be.

I swear I am mentally and emotionally drained. I’ll be honest, I don’t even know where to start with this review. It’s a good review, mind you, but my brain is literally swimming and trying to sort through so much information.

Regarding the trilogy: Kushiel’s Dart, Kushiel’s Chosen, and now Kushiel’s Avatar, I don’t think I’ve ever been so enveloped in characters, as I have in these particular books. I feel as a reader, you invest so much time getting to know both Phedre and Joscelin, that you don’t really want to say good-bye to them.

Terre de Ange has had 10 years of peace; as predicted from the previous book. In those 10 years, Phedre has essentially drown herself with information regarding The Master of the Straits, her dearest friend, Hyacinthe. Information can take one only so far. Phedre is missing a key ingredient in the recipe to free her friend; the Name of God. A name spoken at the beginning of existence and has never been recorded.

Phedre receives a correspondence from non other than the infamous Melisande. Melisande, who is still confined to the Temple of Asherat, requests to see Phedre in La Serenissima. With minor hesitation, Phedre and Joscelin travel once again to La Serenissima against the Queen’s wishes. Once there, it seems that Melisande will strike a deal with Phedre. Imriel, Melisande’s son, is missing. Thought to have been hidden safely in the Temple of Elua, no one can seem to find out what happened to him. In exchange for looking for her son, Melisande is willing to give Phedre all the information she has accumulated about the lost tribe of Dan; a tribe rumored to know the secrets of the Name of God. And how could Phedre turn that down? After 10 years of research with little to no progress, new information is better than going in circles.

Of course Joscelin accompanies Phedre every step of the way. What starts out as a hide and seek for the lost Prince, leads them to a truth or dare adventure in the darkest area imaginable. Imriel is first tracked at the Temple of Elua; the priest explaining that Imriel was tending the goats, and never returned. On the outskirts of the city of Siovale, Phedre discovers that Imriel was not the only child stolen. Their first quest is to find out what happened to the children. Receiving help from the Tsignano, it turns out that the children were sold. Once Phedre, Joscelin, and the soldiers of Siovale catch up to the child slavers, Imriel has been sold at a higher price, and taken to a distant land.

A darkness has settled across the land. What was once realm of the Lord of Light, has now become the land of the Lord of Darkness. And of course, this is where Imriel has been traced to “Love as thou wilt” is pushed to the limit in this book. Joscelin remains the perfect companion, enduring unimaginable anguish. And even though Phedre is an aguisette, even her abilities are put to the test.

You’ll definitely have to read the rest of the book to find out what happens. Some things I can tell you about this book, and really say this series is for you:

If you want EXTREMELY well written, in depth characters
If you want a well written plot, and plot twists, that tie every single book together, and also make you want to continue reading
If you want to get lost in a new world, that compares to no other you’ve read before
If you want a book that keeps you up all night reading
I honestly cannot tell you the last time I was emotionally attached to characters. I’m the type of person who really gets lost in a book. The book quite literally plays out in my head. I would absolutely love if this trilogy came to the big screen, but I’m 200% certain that Hollywood would not do it justice. Some quotes that hit me throughout the book, really 3 in particular.

Love as thou wilt- really the whole kit and caboodle of the theme.
That which yields is not always weak.
We speak of stories ending, when in truth it is we who end. The stories go on and on.
I wasn’t too sure starting this series if I would be a fan or not. When you see how many pages each book is, it’s a little daunting. You are hit with a TON of information and a TON of character names. Each book builds off of the previous one. And I am happy to say, this is a series that will forever remain on my bookshelf.

Thank you Jacqueline Carey for sucking me in to Terre de Ange, and getting to know Phedre and Joscelin. They will forever be a character that I will come back to.

Reviewed by Francesca and posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

What a ride this was! I have had this series on my TBR for years and last year I took the plunge and started book one. I have to say it’s been a wonderful experience and one I consider a must read if you’re a fan of epic fantasy stories, in the same vein as Game of Thrones.

I picked up KUSHIEL’S AVATAR in February I believe. As with the other books, Phedre doesn’t have it easy and I admit the first half of this book was hard for me to read. And that also means I had to take it in small doses. So it’s taken me a a few months to finish reading this book. Jacqueline Carey has really put our emotions through the ringer and these characters have overcome so many obstacles. But KUSHIEL’S AVATAR gives us closure on a lot of people. It was truly the perfect ending to Phedre’s story, even though I didn’t want it to end.

As much as these books are fantasy, and I wouldn’t classify them as romance, they do depict an epic love story. Jocelin and Phedre are a pair unlike any other. Both their natures are complete opposites and make their relationship one of struggles. And this book brought a major part of that to the forefront. It broke my heart to see Jocelin have to deal with Phedre’s nature so in his face. I admit this were some of the times I had to stop reading. It still gets me teary eyed to think of how deep their love is, and the things they’ve had to deal with. Not many couples in books or real life can say they have and the strength of their love is what pushed through in the end. I love that.utc-top-pick

I also absolutely loved the turn of events in the storyline after about half way through the book. It warms my heart to see this added element to their HEA and makes their future even more perfect to me.

I am sad to say goodbye to these characters but I know they are going to stay with me forever. Jacqueline Carey created a world that I felt immersed in and characters I truly care for. Their journey wasn’t easy, for them or for me, but I am sitting here with content tears in my eyes for how beautiful their story was. Now I know I’ll need more of this world!

It's hard to review this whole book without giving major spoilers, but I will try. It will definitely spoil Kushiel's Dart and Kushiel's Chosen, so don't read this review until you've read those books.

I waffle between four and five stars on this one, to be honest. It's probably more of a 4.5, but I'll rate it 5 despite the issues I have, since the storytelling and worldbuilding are still enough to overcome the peeves. The major peeve, for me, still being the more prevalent and horrible misuse of “loathe” (as opposed to the correct “loath”). It's ALL OVER this book, and it makes me cringe every time. The writing is once again not nearly as purple as in Dart, but this one constant and consistent mess-up bothers the ever-loving snot out of me.

That said, it also handles some of my favorite stuff quite well. Once again, the world-building is exquisite, as is the characterization. I love seeing Phèdre and Joscelin's growth in the ten years since Chosen - especially Joscelin. The Joscelin of the earlier books would never have survived this one, and I'm glad he got his ten years' respite. I also love seeing much more of Carey's world, especially far off, exotic lands and how the myths and cultures of their real-life counterparts are worked into the Kushiel world. And, too, there's by very favorite of seeing the gods at work in mortal lives. It's heavier handed in this book, but that theme has always been the main draw for me.

Avatar picks up after Phèdre's prophesied ten years' respite, during which she has studied more Yeshuite texts in an effort to find the key to Hyacinthe's freedom. If anything, I wish this entire trilogy had more Hyacinthe! Still, we knew Phèdre would never give up in that quest – nor in her (and everybody's) quest to find the missing Prince Imriel de la Courcel, son of her god-linked nemesis. In book 3, these two quests, of course, intertwine.

Which leads Phèdre and Joscelin down a Long Road indeed, and a hard one. This book needs a major TRIGGER WARNING, I think, because it is not filled with the same consensual, spiritual BDSM fun/worship of the earlier books. No, this time Phèdre must submit herself to *true* darkness, steeped in death and madness. This is not sexy fun playtime. This is horrible, degrading, truly torturous stuff. It is not for the weak of heart – but it's handled well, imho. It's a darkness that has the potential to take over the entire world, and the gods themselves are doing whatever they can to try to stop it, though of course the price of that always falls on the mortals.

(MILD SPOILER)

Of course, at some point Phèdre does indeed find young Imriel, who is completely ignorant of his heritage. I adore Imriel's characterization! There's a big underlying theme with nature vs. nurture, and how much of his traitorous parents' qualities lie in him versus the influence of the life he has lived. To me, Imriel is such a joy, and his interactions with Phèdre, even when negative, still shine. Imriel is one of the great strengths of this novel, I think, and his scenes should not be overlooked at all.

I can't speak much more of my favorite portions without giving too much away, but I will say that I think just about every scene is wonderfully done, especially the climaxes. The only real issue I have is that the foreshadowing is too heavy-handed in places. But all of her interactions with every character is wonderful, and all of the god-touched moments are brilliant. It could definitely be in danger of seeming too Mary-Sue-ish in places, but Phèdre's god-given gifts are unique and it makes sense that she would be the one in some of these positions. Not just her, though. We also see how the gods work through other characters, and whether it's blatant like Phèdre or much more subtle, it's still expertly done.

It's a wonderful conclusion to Phèdre's series. The dark parts and the bright parts balance each other brilliantly. While I'm not necessarily super-happy about certain parts of the conclusion, I must admit that it's all quite fitting. It wraps up all of the loose ends, but definitely leaves me wanting more – which is good, since Imriel eventually gets a trilogy of his own. I can't wait to reread those!

Kushiel's Avatar picks up ten years after the events of the last book. It's been ten years of peace for Phedre and my favorite warrior priest, Joscelin Verreuil, but that respite comes to an end as the two heroes of the realm are called upon to help someone neither ever thought to willingly aid while simultaneously delivering on a long-held promise to an old friend. Their efforts will take them through what we would consider the Middle East and Africa and will keep them far from their home fires for a long, long time.

This is easily the darkest book in the trilogy in my opinion and, again, it is at the near halfway mark when things start to take a turn. Up to that point the reader gets a sense that the subject matter will be hard but once you get about halfway through, the ugliness really hits you in the face. It was difficult to read but, like a rubber-necker passing a car accident, I couldn't look away.

Phedre has always been a challenging heroine for me in that her nature as an anguisette is hard for me to wrap my mind around. By turns she impresses me with her loyalty and her courage and then she horrifies me with some of the things that sexually arouse her. Though I think that this is intentional by the author because Phedre has this same type of dual reaction to herself. She is a woman marked by the angel, Kushiel, and this results in an internal divide of sorts, with her mind and heart on one side and her body on another. So while I am at times utterly appalled by the things (and people) that create sexual desire in her, Phedre herself is horrified in her heart and mind. She is plagued by self-hatred and loathing at times which lends an element of sadness to her existence. Nevertheless, knowing all this in my head it is still difficult for me to always like Phedre simply because I just can't mentally go where she goes. And in this book, Phedre mentally goes to some very dark places.

As for Joscelin, he has come a long way since book one and I enjoyed seeing the way that he and Phedre have learned to work and live together. You get a definite sense that they are both older and wiser and don't leave the things unsaid that need to be said. Joscelin is now definitely high on my list of book boyfriends. Forever after, whenever a male character promises to follow the woman he loves into damnation and beyond Joscelin Verreuil has set the standard. That said, once the ugliness of the events in this book rises up to slap the reader in the face, the question arises...at what point can love no longer survive?

This was a worthy conclusion to Phedre's trilogy and I was riveted to the story for almost all of it (I was more caught up in the Imriel part of the storyline as opposed to Hyacinth's). Through all the darkness and the light, the victories and the losses, the bitterest hate and the most uplifting love, I have felt swept away and transported along with the characters. I have always considered myself open-minded but these books have challenged me on that point somewhat, and that's not a bad thing. As Blessed Elua taught: <i>"Love as thou wilt."</i> And that's not a bad edict by which to live.

This book is as well written as the previous 2- however it is dark and deals with some violence towards young children, as well as rape. If you cannot handle either I would suggest a. not reading it or skipping over several passages (which is what I have done). For the most part Carey glosses over certain sections like in the other books but in others she does go into detail the depravity in which our heroine has fallen on her quest to do Elua's will.

It is an interesting dynamic that exists between Joscelin and Phedre in this book, unlike any that she has written. An easy sense of companion and lover alike, yet Phedre tests the bonds of their relationship.

Good read I only gave 4 stars because of the children.

Phedre no Delauney finds herself unable to forget the fate of her childhood friend, Hyacinthe and has spent the last ten years searching for a way to free him from his role as Master of the Straits. Apart from that, her and Joscelin have been able to live a life of relative peace, but that predicted ten years of calm is now ending. Phedre receives notice that Melisande's son is missing, and she undertakes the search for him as repayment for an old debt. She quickly realizes that Kushiel's hand is in this and the boys disappearance is tied to Hyacinthe's fate.

Phedre and Joscelin's travels take them to the far reaches of the world. and for me, this made it the best book in the series. From the darkest depths of evil in Drujan to the deserts, jungles, and highlands of Jebe-Barkal and Saba each scene is exquisitely described by Jacqueline Carey, transporting me alongside Phedre on her adventures. The plot in this one is also a bit quicker moving than the previous two novels. A great tale of love, adventure, and the price that must be paid in order to live fully and love deeply.

Jacqueline Carey writes a stunning conclusion to this epic, one-of-a-kind fantasy trilogy. Taking place some years after Kushiel's Chosen , we once again meet courtesan Phèdre nó Delaunay, who, for her exploits was honored with the Companion's Star by the queen of Terre D'Ange herself. Her love and chevalier Joscelin Verreuil still guards her, yet Phèdre is now plagued by dreams of her best childhood friend, Hyacinthe, who is trapped by ancient magic on an island, never to leave. Phèdre sets out to free him, and in so doing must save the young child of the woman Melisande, who has plagued Phèdre her whole life.

If I thought that Ms. Carey had told all that there was to tell about Phèdre and her adventures, I was plenty wrong. In perhaps her most brilliant work yet, Carey once again demonstrates her unparalleled skill at world-building. While I am familiar by now with the world of Terre D'Ange, Phèdre's quest leads her far from this land, into this world's version of Africa and Western Europe, providing Carey with an opportunity to create lustrous backdrops fraught with danger and intrigue. Along the way, Phèdre makes friends, as she does tend to do, introducing the reader to a wonderful new cast of characters, such as the Tsingani, Hyacinthe's people, and the slaves-turned-freedwomen of Saba.

It would be remiss of me to discuss this book without talking about an integral addition to the character manifesto: Imriel, young son of exile and traitor Melisande. Raised in ignorance of his heritage, Imriel is sold into slavery and must be rescued by Phèdre and Joscelin, at great cost to all. I was a little apprehensive of the appearance of a child in this series, namely because I didn't want to see Phèdre settle down quite yet, but Imriel won me over by being, surprisingly, every bit his mother's son.

Carey's prose is superb as always, wending and weaving in melody as Phèdre's narrative positively leaps off the page. In her later years (I suspect Phèdre may be in her early thirties, by this book), Phèdre seems to have gained a maturity and wisdom which gets her out of many a predicament. Never one to leap before looking, Phèdre is one of the smartest and bravest heroines I've had the pleasure of reading about. Her connection to her chevalier, the Casseline warrior Joscelin, is like something out of a fairytale, it seems, and there are many swoon-worthy dialogues and scenes sprinkled throughout the book.

Kushiel's Avatar was an action-packed, resounding conclusion to a phenomenal trilogy. While certainly an ambitious undertaking at 750 pages, the chapters fly by, gaining momentum to a conclusion that will leave you both awestruck and satisfied (and even a little teary-eyed, as Phèdre effectively says her goodbyes to the reader). Phèdre is a worthwhile heroine and the story could not have concluded any better. I look to Ms. Carey's next trilogy with bated breath.

Phèdre and Joscelin have had ten years of much needed rest... until the night that Phèdre dreams of her childhood friend Hyacinthe. He is still trapped on the island of the Master of the Straits and Phèdre has been studying ancient Habiru (Hebrew) texts to try to find a way to free him. If she can discover the lost name of God, she thinks she can use it to compel the angel Rahab to let Hyacinthe go.

Meanwhile (there's always more than one major plot going on in the Kushiel books), Melisande's son Imriel, third in line to the d'Angeline throne, is missing and Melisande, still in captivity, wants Phèdre to find him. These two quests, finding Imriel and the name of God, keep Phèdre busy during Kushiel's Avatar. And, as usual, her plans involve travel to exotic places, mooning over Melisande, sadistic sex with tyrants, and a lot of agony for Joscelin... Poor Joscelin. He's always being asked to bear too much.

Kushiel's Avatar is an exciting story and a nice ending to the first Kushiel trilogy. Imriel's character is a welcome addition and it will be interesting to see how the horrible experiences he endured in Kushiel's Avatar help form his personality in later books (in which he is the main character). This is also a good place to bring Phèdre's adventures to an end. She's nearing the point of unbelievability as she saves lives and creates world peace wherever she goes. After her accomplishments in this book, it's hard to imagine what she can do to top them in the future.

Jacqueline Carey's writing is lovely, but it's becoming occasionally repetitive (e.g., "whore's unwanted get", "summer blue eyes", "the compass by which I had fixed my heart"). In Kushiel's Avatar, her writing is best when Phèdre expresses her awe at the name of God and the connection between that name and God's character and creation. I thought this was beautifully done. (I didn't for a minute, though, believe that the Children of Yisra-el would let a d'Angeline whore's unwanted get look in the Ark of the Covenant...)

Fans of the series will be pleased with Kushiel's Avatar and, like me, will want to follow Imriel's journey in the next book, Kushiel's Scion. I should mention, again, that this series was superb on audio.

Ten years have passed for Phedre and Joscelin. Years of peace and happiness uninterrupted by intrigue. The only damper is the knowledge that her best friend, Hyacinthe, is stuck as master of the straights, fulfilling an age old curse. But one again the gods have a higher purpose for them, a message seen in dreams and in the form of a plea for help from the traitor, Melisande. her son, hidden away for the past ten years, has been kidnapped. Thus begins the most imporatant journey of Phedre's life. A journey to not only save an innocent boy, but finally a way to free Hyacinthe and thwart an evil that no one realizes even exists.

A fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. Phedre takes Joscelin to hell and beyond and pushed both of their vows, to each other and to their gods, to the test. As they decend into near madness they realize how great sacrifice can lead to such amazing rewards. The journey takes to places few have heard of and brings them back home full of rewards, but scarred for life.

This is my favorite book of the series by far. I keep wanting to say more about the story, but I don't want to give too much away for those that haven't read the first two yet. What I can say is that if you haven't read these yet, you must! There is a follow up series that I have all but the first one for, and I know that it has moved up to the top of my wish list for books to buy.

5/5

Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Avatar (Tor, 2003)

The mark of a great series is that when you get to the last hundred pages or so, you don't want to see it end. Such it is with Kushiel's Avatar, the third and final novel in Carey's D'Angeline trilogy. (The series continues on, but later books focus on Imriel.) Phedre and Joscelin, a decade after the events of the last book, have just lived their lives, running Montreve, attending fetes, acting like the landed gentry they are, but all the while Phedre has been researching a way to break Hyacinthe's curse. After awaking from what she believes to be a portent, Phedre finds herself the recipient of a note from Melisande Shahrizai asking for her help in locating her missing son. Now, her son has been missing for a decade to everyone else, but Melisande has known all along where he is. But he has vanished from his hidey-hole without a trace, and in order to secure Phedre's help in finding him, Melisande offers the last of her hoarded power: the name of a guide who can help Phedre find the lost Tribe of Dan, who supposedly hold the Name of God--the only thing that Phedre has found that might be able to free Hyacinthe.

I was initially nonplussed with the idea that this was basically a travelogue, but then I realized that when it comes right down to it, the other two have been travelogues as well. This one just takes us on a romp through parts of Asia and Africa rather than parts of Europe. Carey's obviously done some research on medieval cultures, and it serves her well in her descriptions of places that the characters (and, likely, most of her readers) consider exotic indeed. She never lets the details get in the way of the story, though, and that's what counts. She wanted to give the trilogy a big sendoff, and she certainly delivers here. Everything the characters know is tested, from the bonds between them to their worldview. Each is pushed to the limits of his or her endurance, beliefs, and skill, but in ways that make sense and don't seem contrived (well, beyond the obvious). Everything ties up rather neatly at the end, but this being the last book in a trilogy, that's kind of expected.

A wonderful ending to a wonderful trilogy. Given some of the philosophy at the base of the subject matter, these books probably aren't for everyone, but I'd suggest everyone at least give them a try. Carey has built something incredible here, and I hope she continues writing novels in this world as long as the ideas stay this fresh. **** ½

This is my second reading of this book. I am getting ready to start reading the second series having to do with this character set; so I wanted to give the last book in the series a quick read-through. I forget that these are not quick books to read and I also forget how enjoyable they are.

This book follows Phedre' and Josceline in a whole new set of adventures. Phedre's quest to free Hyacinthe from the curse of being the Master of the Straights leads her into a greater adventure than she and Josceline could ever imagine. Phedre has further dealings with Melisandre and ends up on a sidequest to recover Melisandre's missing son. The quest takes Phedre and Josceline on a more hellish journey than either of them could have imagined; the burning question remains will they be able to survive it both physically and in spirit?

I love these books. There is no character that I admire more than Phedre. She seems to be so graceful and at peace with what she needs to do. Even though Phedre often despises herself for what she must do; the book is written so beautifully that you can't help admire her commitment. Throughout that book I often thought of the phrase that formed the thought behind the previous books "that which yields is not always weak." (or something to that effect).

The book is beautifully written and wondrously crafted leaving me with a content and peaceful feeling upon reading the book. There is something for everyone; action, love, adventure. Some how Carey makes you really care about the characters; even those that only make a brief appearance. In Melisandre's son, Imriel, we meet a wonderful new character.

I love the way that Phedre's and Josceline's relationship has matured. So often characters are left right after the happily-ever-after happens; we never find out what happens after the boy gets the girl (or vis versa). In this book you see how Phedre and Josceline's relationship has matured into the type of relationship "normal" people are more often in. Of course throughout the book pervades the premise of these novels; the following of Elua which is simply to "love as thou wilt". This book reminds us that love comes in many forms from children, to spouses, to the love of the pursuit of knowledge or pursuit of the game.

Again I should say I have just loved this series. Just keep in mind this is not a quick read. The writing is a little bit more advanced and the descriptions take some time to get through. Still the time spent reading is worth it. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to reading the next series; which is written from Imreil's point of view.

[...]

Jacqueline Carey has cemented her place among fantasy fans with her Kushiel trilogy. Phedre no Delaunay, her heroine, is a courtesan with a strange mark--a blood-red mote in her eye, "Kushiel's dart," a sign that she is one for whom "pleasure and pain are intertwined." Well, "Kushiel's Avatar" takes Phedre's taste for pain and the intrigues that surround her and sets up a finish to one of the most interesting works the genre has seen in a decade.

Phedre has two matters on her mind: Melisande de la Courcel (formerly Shahrizai), in exile for attempting to overthrow Queen Ysandre of Terre d'Ange; and her friend Hyacinthe, doomed to a lonely existence as Master of the Straits unless Phedre can do the impossible and find the Name of God. Daunting as it is, Phedre has searched for years. When Melisande's young son Imriel (the son of the treacherous prince Benedicte de la Courcel) goes missing, Phedre goes off to find him--and her twin missions, for Imriel and Hyacinthe, take her into dark, hidden lands and lethal secrets.

If that sounds like the worst of all fantasy cliches, then rest assured: Carey pulls it off. Weaving a truly scary group of people in with a retelling of the Solomon and Sheba legend, she takes Phedre from the figurative depths of Hell as "Death's Whore" to the equally figurative throne of God. None of this would be as enthralling as it is if Carey wasn't able to make the reader believe wholeheartedly in her characters. Scenes that, in the hands of lesser writers, would smack of "supercharacters" and McGuffins, are revelatory in Carey's hands.

If for nothing else, Carey should be commended for introducing a new kind of evil creature: the nightmarish sorcerors of Drujan whose shadows bring death. But she not only creates images of great beauty and horror, she lavishes care on her characters' relationships, their hates and their loves--and nothing exemplifies this more than the romance between Phedre and her Cassiline consort, Joscelin Verreuil. Joscelin's oath to Phedre undergoes a test that, frankly, anyone would be expected to fail; likewise Phedre's ordeal at the hands of a man considered to be Death himself is an experience full of transformation and anguish. Carey treats this with compassion and only a little saccharine. As for Melisande and Hyacinthe, the only two who have a hold on Phedre that can equal Joscelin's, they too emerge at the end of the adventure fundamentally changed. Melisande becomes, if not softer, then certainly more human and complex--and, in the end, a tragic figure; Hyacinthe is not quite tragic, but still placed somewhat beyond the simple existence and successes he once dreamed of for himself.

I heartily recommend this novel and its predecessors. "Kushiel's Legacy" is a fine series, and an excellent example of what a writer can do when he or she decides to take an unorthodox character down the usual Hero's Journey. I'm looking forward to her Imriel trilogy, and I daresay I'll probably buy any book she writes in the future.

I really think Jacqueline Carey has come into her own with this third volume of her "Kushiel's Legacy" series. Her characters have matured and become more than they were in the first and second volumes: Phedre especially has begun to fully blossom as a full-fleshed character. Considering the hardships she puts herself through to rescue someone she cares about and someone she has no real reason to care for, she has become more than a mere courtesan, more than a tool in the hands of her gods, she is, dare I say it, become a saint for her world. Even Melisande Shahrizai has become a more human figure, even an object of pity (though I'm still looking forward to seeing Kushiel *someday* give her the shaft for being such a manipulative expletive-deleted...). There are far fewer explicit scenes, but one of the pivotal scenes is cringe-inducing and rightly so. Yet you realize that Phedre approaches this particular patron, the crazed god-king of the most bleak cult imaginable, because it has to be done in order to save an innocent young man from a fate far worse than death. And this is why I say she has become a saint for her world.

I love the travelogue aspects of the setting: Jacqueline Carey has this way of creating archetypal versions of ancient civilizations and vanished historical eras and bringing them to life so that they scintillate and vibrate, making you feel like you're there, walking the crowded streets of Iskandria (Alexandria, Egypt), or crossing the desert to Meroe (Eithiopia?), or entering the forgotten city of Saba (biblical Sheba). It's great to see a fantasy writer step outside the usual box of psuedo medieval Europe that seems to be the main template for a lot of fantasy settings and create fantasy versions of African settings! But above all, it's a world I love to keep going back to, and there are people in it I've come to love -- and hate -- as if they were real people.

The Kushiel series deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Where are the action figures? I'd buy them. Where is the movie!

We expect one resounding climax out of a story. Kushiel's Avatar has three of them. There is the resolution in Darsanga, when our Phedre takes on the evil Mahrkagir and his satanic cult that threatens the world. There is our Phedre's journey to Africa to find the magical name of God. And there is our darling Phedre's face-off with supernatural Rahab to try to win Hyacinthe's freedom.

I could rave about this book and the entire series for pages and pages. But I'd rather point out a few flaws. It's more fun. You already know I love the books.

Yes there are some little flaws here and there, but the fact is, the best way to improve these books would be to illustrate them. Generations ago, books were illustrated. I guess greed got in the way. I guess it has become too expensive to illustrate them anymore, which translates into - publishers don't want to go to the expense. This book cries out for a lot of great illustrations, of all the characters and major events.

Don't tell me things are better left to our imagination. Bull. That's no excuse. I'd rather see the author's imagination, in a large series of approved illustrations of her characters.

This series is so terrific that it forces me to think outside the box and demand some improvements in the book biz. I want several dozen beautiful full page full color illustrations.

Melisande Shahrizai is such a wonderful villain. I think it was so original of the author to have her villain and hero in love with each other. She does it, slightly, with the Mahrkagir as well, but who cares about that creep.

All right, there is one criticism. The episodes in Darsanga are really awfully dark. It is pretty upsetting. It was worse than Merry and Pippin taken prisoner by Saruman's orcs. It was kind of equivalent to Sauron actually capturing Frodo and Sam, and putting them through hell.

Whew! I'm glad they got out of there!

When I read 'Kushiel's Dart', I was deeply thrilled and fascinated. 'Kushiel's Chosen' proved to be equally amazing, although not as revolutionary as the 'Dart'. When I started 'Kushiel's Avatar', I still loved it, though I felt that some of the magic had expired.
However, I kept on reading and I could not put it down. When I was done, I was as thrilled as I had been with the 'Dart', though for a completely different reason. While the first novel is amazing for its plot, the second one for its characters, the third one, 'Kushiel's Avatar' is fascinating for its concept.
If the topics in the first two books are intrigues and strenght of personalities, the third one concentrates on the topic of love. How deep can love go? What can a person do out of love? "Love as thou wilt", the 'Dart' said. But what, in the end of ends, is love? Carey's interpretation on the issue left a lasting impression on me.
I adore Phedre and Melisande not only because they are beautiful, dangerous, charismatic and smart. They are also very complex characters. Phedre isn't merely a merry 'whore's unwanted get' with a fondness for the sharper edge of love. Melisande isn't only an evil genuis with plans to rule the whole world against all odds. I love the feeling that they are mirror twins - they have taken exactly the opposite side, though their driving force is the same.
What truly fascinated me about this book is the historical accuracy in it, however. At a few spots I was thinking to myself "oh, THIS is weak"; especially the scenes in the zenana. It wasn't until I started working on my own project about the Ottoman harems that I realized it all sounded very familiar. I was stunned to see how accurate it actually, so unlike what I thought! The cliques in the harem, the eunuches, the fortune-telling, the opium, the constant water and the despair that killed the women - it's just incredible! I could not believe how well Carey told a real story in a fantasy dress.
If you liked the first two books, you're definitely going to like this one as well. Phedre grows a lot from the little cute anguisette girl that she is in "Kushiel's Dart" to become the mature character in the "Avatar". The ending was pretty good as well - it was well completed. I believe that no more sequels should be written about Phedre and Joscelin, though, as true masterpieces should be preserved as they are.

Overall, I was enthralled with this series of books. Sure, at times the descriptions grew overly detailed and tedious, the endless traveling across varied terrain all blending into one, long disorienting journey, and still. The description of the characters was absolutely gorgeous. Joscelin in particular was captured with such an exquisite beauty that I craved to read every scene featuring him. Phedre’s abilities did seem to challenge the suspension of disbelief, but for an epic fantasy heroine, it was not uncanny. The language is perhaps the strongest merit of the book. Sensual and elevated, yet surprisingly humorous at the most fitting of times. I would have been more captivated had the language been even more nuanced and specific, not necessarily more decorative, but held a more realistic mixture of low and high diction. To describe the trilogy in one word, it would be sweeping. Both in language and plot, covering expansive geography and each challenge more insurmountable than the last, yet always with the subtle assurance that our author would treat these beloved characters with compassion. In more words than one, the novels are sensual, enchanting, daring, and ultimately wholly satisfying. I would recommend the trilogy to a friend. If for nothing but Phedre and Joscelin’s relationship alone. This book contains one of the most moving and beautifully written sex scenes I've ever read - enough to bring tears to my eyes. Finishing the massive volumes at last is like rising, dazed, from a long dream, feeling like I’d overslept, but already wishing I were back in bed.

After reading the first book in this series -- KUSHIEL'S DART, which was incredible -- I wondered if Ms. Carey could keep her stories interesting and her characters growing. My estimation of the trilogy fell a little with KUSHIEL'S CHOSEN -- less exciting than the first but still an involving story -- but KUSHIEL'S AVATAR more than proves that Jaqueline Carey is a master.
Set a decade after the end of KUSHIEL'S CHOSEN, the book starts off strong with a mysterious letter from Phedre's down-but-never-out adversary, the beautiful and deadly Melisande, quiet in exile these ten years. The adventure begins immediately and doesn't end until the last page, with Phedre on a dangerous double quest: to locate a missing person whose very existence threatens Terre d'Ange, and to find a way to set her childhood best friend free of the geis that will otherwise bind him for eternity.
AVATAR has all the adventure, eroticism, intrigues, and creative twists of DART, with none of CHOSEN's slowness. Joscelin and Phedre have both matured immensely, and the relationship between them is well-drawn and plays almost painfully into the plot. Melisande spends less time as a major player, but her shadow is everywhere, lending the story another layer of mystery. There is also a delightful new character on the scene, whose inclusion adds new depth to Phedre and Joscelin, and who helps to bring the cycle to a satisfactory -- indeed excellent -- close. The only drawback is that there are no more Phedre novels!

...However, unlike the first two books of the series, this one takes a little longer to get into. For roughly the first 250 pages of the novel, Phedre goes from place to place, meeting a whole bunch of characters new and old, all very swiftly. This doesn't allow much time for character development, and even reunions with characters not seen for a loooong time (ie Hyacinthe)only take up a few pages. Not Carrey's best style, but all of these meetings prove intrinsic for the rest of the book. And once she gets going, Carrey fully lives up to the promise of the last two books in the series, taking Phedre even farther from home, to ever more exotic places, even as far as the land that "died and lives again."
Carrey sends her characters -most notably the unlikely duo of Phedre and Joscelin- to new heights, and plummeting to new depths of despair. Love is tested time and again, until even Phedre begins to question Elua's path. This is a quest to finally free her childhood friend, Hyacinthe, but it will lead them down paths darker than ever, and places more evil than anyone had ever dreamed.
A word of advice: if you haven't read the first two books recently, before attempting this one, you may want to revisit them, or at least have them close at hand. There's a LOT of reference to characters and places that came before, and obviously, you're expected to know what Phedre's referring to, as it doesn't go into much detail. All the same, one you begin this book, it will be impossible to put it down.
An EXCELLENT read.
((BTW, I love how the maps in each book slowly get larger, to show even MORE places!!!! --but I'm just strange..--))

When I first discovered the Kushiel's Legacy trilogy, I did not expect anything more than a mix of fantasy and romance, spiced with kinky sex. I made the same mistake as all those characters who underestimated Jacqueline Carey's heroine, Phedre, missing the keen mind working behind the guise of a beautiful courtesan. What's more, both author and protagonist have aged gracefully. Ten years after the events of the last novel, Phedre seems less a weapon of her country and more her own woman. She thus has much more to lose when she sets out on a personal quest to rescue a childhood friend. Her journey takes her to distant lands in Carey's reimagination of our world: from a deathly harem beyond the Tigris and Euphrates, south past the realm of a menacing pharaoh and across the desert, to a land where a lost tribe of Yisra-El hides the Name of God. The pilgrimage seems certain to cost Phedre her friendships, her lover, and her life. In a sense, these losses are what make this character and this trilogy so remarkable. She owes all her accomplishments not to skill with a sword or supernatural power but to her capacity for love and self-sacrifice (and a fair amount of wit, to be sure). To the author's credit, this theme never came across as hokey. On the contrary, I had a harder time putting this novel down than its predecessors. Suffice to say that I'm looking forward to Carey's next work, though by now she has earned high expectations!

A good adventure/fantasy read from Jacqueline Carey.

I've decided to do a review of all three "Kushiel" books,(that being "Kushiel's Dart', "Kushiel's Chosen" and "Kushiel's Avatar") as one review; all three books are connected with the same ongoing story line, quality of prose and a consistent level of interest and intrigue.

This is a story of Phedre, a heroine who is blessed (or cursed, depending on your point of view) with some special talents and skills; she rises from obscure beginnings to queens' favorite over the course of the three novels.

The books were well written and gripped one's interest from early on. There is travel, love, betrayals, unexpected enemies and friends, and a few situations where magical qualities are displayed; but my favorite scenes were those of the battles and escapes. You should also be aware that there are some very intense, sexually explicit encounters in these books.

All in all, I enjoyed this trilogy very much; while not deep or philosophical it was easy to read and found myself looking forward to finding time to return to these books when the opportunity arose. The only negative, (and this is purely a subjective, personal opinion) was that I found the areas involving travel within the book a little long and dragged out; but this is a minor complaint compared to the overall quality of the entire trilogy. 4 1/2 stars.

The 3rd instalment in this trilogy is as strong and powerful as the first! Jacqueline Carey is one of these rare authors who can write ad infinitum - but IMO with excellent skills in describing the plot, the action,the land,the adventures, the pleasure of pain of Phedre,the sensual and deep love of Josceline and Phedre, the fear and terror in the seraglio and the characters in each plot! Ms. Carey includes s&m but describes it in such a way that we almost feel what Phedre feels. The human degradation of slavery mixes with the exultation of defeating another enemy! The utter helplessness, yet sexual yearning of Phedre in the presence of Melisande. I could read the story of Phedre, Joscelin,Imriel & Melisande forever.
What makes these stories so compelling Carey's attention to every detail of each country that Phedre travels through including the language,customs, beliefs, clothing,etc. Ms.Carey puts you BESIDE Phedre and Joscelin and you see and feel what they both do! Joscelin is sexy and beautiful and Phedre puts his courage and love to the test at every turn, only to find themselves falling more deeply in love with each other. Then of course Phedre faces the Master of Straits in hopes of releasing her beloved friend Hyacinthe. Don't let me get started there!
Have already started reading the second trilogy. I want more!

This, more than Kushiel's Dart or Kushiel's Chosen, is not a story for the faint of heart. After exquisitely detailed political maneuvering in the first two books, Carey sends Phedre on a quest in her final story. A quest that takes Phedre to the limits of her endurance, nearly breaking her, and her Perfect Companion and Consort, Joscelin.

The introduction of Imriel, son of Phedre's nemesis Melisande, is deft and unexpected. Carey has a knack for surprising plot turns, and Imriel was one of the most pleasant surprises of the series. (The wait for Imriel's story, due in 2006, is also likely to kill Carey's diehard fans.)

I've heard complaints that this story was too dark, or too different from the first two novels of this astonishing trilogy. It's true: the quest is more spiritual than political; the conflicts more internal. The story does not suffer from it, and a third round of Phedre saving the throne of her country would stretch believability. This is a very introspective book, and Phedre does grow, and mature.

There are fight scenes, as excellently written as ever, but politics takes a backseat as Phedre struggles to save Imriel and herself from the clutches of a cult darker than any I have encountered in fiction. And she travels to the ends of the earth to save her friend Hyacinthe from his lonely exile, and doomed existence as the Master of Straits. Beautifully interwoven with ancient Jewish history and Kabbalah, Carey is the master of her craft, and the decreased focus on politics does not diminish this story. It is a quest story in the best sense of the word, and the ending is bittersweet, and wrenching, despite the fact that Phedre wins the day in the end. Highly, highly recommended. There are few authors that could create such a well-built world; fewer that could so deftly twist the strands of a plot.

Anxiously awaiting more of Imriel's story; in the meantime, Banewreaker and Godslayer are on the way.

"Kushiel's Avatar," is the last book in Jacqueline Carey's dramatic trilogy of life in a world similar to Earth, during a period reminiscent of our Renaissance. This fantastic romantic adventure is every bit as exciting as Ms. Carey's first two books, "Kushiel's Dart" and "Kushiel's Chosen," and a very worthy conclusion. (Although there are still some loopholes left - tiny ones, but just enough room for another book to slip through. Always hoping)!
Ten years have past since we last saw our lash-loving lady, the true "anguisette," Phedre no Delauney, Comtesse de Montreve, peer of Terre d'Ange. She and her beloved companion, the Cassiline apostate, Joscelin Verreuil have been residing on their estates and maturing with grace and beauty. But neither is able to forget the fate of Phedre's childhood friend Hyacinthe and the terrible sacrifice he made in order that a queen be crowned and peace reign. Nothing less than discovering the most secret and holy name of the "One God" will do to free him - an almost impossible task to accomplish which will involve traveling over continents and seas, in what I believe is the most awesome adventure of them all! Then Melisande Shahrizai, Phedre's nemesis and patron of old, surfaces and begs a boon - I won't even go there. You'll have to read the book.
The adventures of Phedre and friends are every bit as breathtaking, if not more so, than those in preceding books. Ms. Carey has explored various religions and forms of spirituality in her other novels - religions resembling Christianity and Judaism, and others where gods and demigods are worshipped, similar to those of ancient Greece and Rome. In this, the last part of the trilogy, the author pulls all her characters and their adventures together to show a bigger pattern and spiritual purpose. In other words, there is an author's message. These folks are not just hanging out to have fun while risking life and limb...and lash! Phedre discovers that her service to Kushiel has served a much higher cause than she ever thought possible, and has been integrated into the service of all whom she has served. Ms. Carey gives additional depth and dimension to her characters and story with this last touch. A terrific conclusion to a superb epic fantasy!
JANA

"Anguisette" Comtesse Phedre has for the most part over the past decade lived in domestic tranquillity with her loyal swordsman Joscelin though she also meets the demands of her demi-gods to feel pain when making love by annually taking on a few "lovers". However, her former lover and rival, Melisande, imprisoned in a temple for an unsuccessful coup, asks Phedre for help. Melisande's son, Imriel vanished. If Phèdre rescues Imriel, Melisande will provide the location of the lost tribe of Dan, whose elders reportedly know the hidden Name.
Phèdre and Joscelin quickly learn that slavers heading south abducted Imriel. They follow the trail to the Pharaoh of Menekhet who informs them that the lad was taken to the nightmarish Drujan, headed by The Conqueror of Death and bloody priests who kill, seemingly by magic, for any slight. Imriel is the sacrifice that authenticates the Conqueror's dominance. Phèdre knows she needs to get inside so she arranges for Joscelin to sell her to the Conqueror of Death as a sex slave.
The latest Kushiel tale is fantasy at its most powerfully visual best. The story line is colorful as the audience journeys with the heroine on her trek to what is the equivalent of Africa. The lead protagonists as expected are complete individuals so that fans understand their motives and how each interacts with others in adventurous scenarios while the secondary characters appear so authentic that the depth of the plot is as deep as a tale seemingly can become. Though better if read after the first two novels, KUSHIEL'S AVATAR could stand-alone to the delight of an appreciative genre.
Harriet Klausner

As with the previous two books, we are led through many landscapes as Phedre gets captured and flees her captors only to fall in with a different set of travelers. The imagery of these landscapes are wonderfully vivid and distinct in their flavors. Joscelin, of course, follows and protects in his ever conservative yet sexy way.

What I love about this book is how incredibly dark it gets in Dharsanga, which I will term 'hell.' This part of the book is NOT for the squeamish. You may have thought there were squeamish bits in the previous books, but the time we spend in hell trumps them all. Part of the measure of a book is how much emotion it can evoke, and this will elicit a very visceral reaction.

Another reason to love this book is how nicely it wraps up all the loose bits and character plots for the entire series of Phedre books. It's always nice to have an ending that does justice to the series so if you have started this series, definitely finish reading it!

"Ten years peace, she had promised; one, I thought, for every man I sent to death outside the City of Elua." Ten years of peace is shattered by two dreams; one of Hyacinth, Phedre's childhood Tsingano friend, and the other of a diamond on a velvet chord, a token of Melisande. When Melisande summons Phedre's aid to find her son Imriel de la Courcel after he has gone missing, she offers up the only thing that could tempt Phedre to undertake such a task, the location where she might discover the clue to breaking Hyacinthe's curse, the name of God.

Her search leads her to Aragonia, where she unearths a child slave trade market that has been selling D'angeline children to foreign lands for high profits. To follow the trail is to venture first to Menekheten, then to hell itself. Phedre must decide whether the gain outways the risk as her relationship with her perfect companion, Joscelin, is put to the test and her own sanity stretches to the brink.

I didn't think this series could have gotten any better than "Kushiel's Chosen" but I was happily mistaken. "Kushiel's Avatar" is a stunning book, fraught with peril, sacrifice, and yearning unlike anything I have read before. I blew away all of my expectations and sets a new precedent for the fantasy novel. This was, simply put, a fantastic conclusion to a phenomenal series, one that showcase Carey's skills with such resonance. I found myself completely drawn into this spellbinding world of intrigue and opulance once again, and also found a pleasant new addition in the presence of Imriel, whose story is so compelling and heart rendering that there was several times I had to put the book down to clear my head and readjust my thoughts to accommodate him. This, for me, was a fabulous book, and a great end to a treasure of a story.

I almost wish that Carey would pursue the story of Imriel in a follow up series, as I found him so ingaging and so haphazardly thrown into the world his mother had created for him against his will. If it never happens, I will not hold it against Carey, as she has already made me a stalwart fan with this series. I am sure that I will be reading anything she writes after this, and I am a little sorry that the story is over because I am going through "Kushiel" withdrawl already. This is a must read. I would not avoid it if I were you.

The Phedre trilogy as a whole is very entertaining and can be hard to put down sometimes...sometimes it can be slow, but when you stick with it you are fulfilled in the end. The books are big, dense and full of well developed characters and plots. I do own the other two trilogies written by Jacqueline Carey but I need to decompress a little bit and read something simpler. Next time though, I'll probably read them back to back because it is easy to forget particular details about the plots, being as dense as they are.

Never a disappointment from Carey 4 1/2 stars!

Kushiel's Avatar is the darkest and most fantasy-oriented of the three novels about Phaedra no Delauney. It more than satisfactorily resolves the different plot lines from the preceding novels. Ultimately this is a novel about redemption and the costs of love and honour. Phaedre's odyssey, for such is the real thrust of the novel, takes her across Europe, the Near East, and into deepest Africa as she tries to end the curse against Hyacinthe and to find the kidnapped son of Melisande. The journey takes her to the "heart of darkness" and some of the most horrific incidents of the trilogy, as she copes with a monstrous butcher who seeks to unleash his own form of evil in the world. The nature of Phaedre's role as an anguisette and a tool of the gods is utilized in fascinating form during this novel. Jacqueline Carey also leaves enough open for a new trilogy promised about the live of Imriel, Melisande's son. Whether she can match the level of the trilogy, Kushiel's Legacy, again will be interesting to learn. I, for one, will welcome an opportunity to return to this world.

I thought this final chapter in the Kushiel Trilogy was absolutely riveting! The mixture of Old Testament stories, mythology, and high adventure was fascinating and made for a wonderful read. Carey really knows how to mix elements of eroticism, historical fiction, traditional or "high" fantasy, and produce something completely amazing. I have only ever written one other review on the store.com for my favorite book, Mists of Avalon, and this is how highly I recommend this. In my opinion, it was the best of the trilogy. Phaedre's journey is spiritual, physical, and emotional all at once, and Melisande is serves as both foil and a temptation to her.
I think what I appreciate most about Carey's writing is not only her beautiful, erudite mixture of mythology and history, but the way that her characters are so human and not one-dimensional. Melisande, the "villian", is as fascinating in her own way as Phaedre, and avoids being so stereotypically "evil".
I don't think I can praise this book, or this series, enough!

The concluding volume of the adventures of Phedre (a sequel focussed on a character in this book has recently been published) takes place after Kushiel and Joscelyn have enjoyed ten years of peace together. Those years come to an end when Phedre receives a plea for help from none other than her old enemy Melisande Shahrizai, leading to her longest journey yet and two dramatic conclusions to her adventures. Two semi-distinct adventures in one volume is perhaps a bit much, but Carey throughout this series has always gone for too much over barely enough.

In the first, Phedre becomes part of the harem of the Mahrkagir of Akkadia, in her most dangerous trial ever. Waldemar Selig, the barbarian chief Phedre defeated in Kushiel's Dart, was, from the viewpoint of his own people, an admirable and even great leader. Melisande was essentially an ambitious and ruthless courtier. But this time, Phedre is placing herself in the power of a man who is purely evil, with seemingly little chance of surviving.

But Phedre does survive, naturally, and then goes on one more journey, deep into Africa where she can learn the secret name of God in order to release her oldest friend Hyacinthe from the curse laid on him by the Master of the Straits in Kushiel's Dart. This story I thought wasn't as interesting as the Akkadian story, but it was in many ways a satisfactory conclusion for the trilogy.

As usual, Carey juggles an extraordinary number of locations and characters, but does an excellent job of giving unique touches to each. I liked this final volume a touch less than the first two, but I would still say this is some of the very best fantasy I have ever read, quite possibly the best. As with the earlier volumes, explicit sexual content makes it appropriate only for older readers.

In _Kushiel's Chosen_, an oracle promised Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve ten years of peace. Now, the ten years are up and she finds that the peace that is threatened is her own peace of mind as she struggles to find the final key to undo the curse that keeps her childhood friend, Hyacinthe, imprisoned on a lonely island.
_Kushiel's Avatar_ is a quieter and more contemplative book in tone than the previous two in the series. It's a Quest book, yes, but the quest is as much spiritual in nature as it is a quest for a physical object. To complete the tasks before her, Phedre must come to certain realizations about the nature of love, the nature of compassion and the importance of family. I thought Carey handled these topics incredibly well, indulging in less sermonizing that one might expect while showing a lot of clarity of thought and example.
The plot is complex, encompassing a huge number of characters and covering a lot of territory, but events are more important as pieces of an underlying pattern. Therefore, they are not always gone into in great detail. There is much less action, less intrigue, less swashbuckling and straightforward adventure than we have seen in Carey's previous novels. There is less kinky sex. This might annoy some readers who are looking for an action-packed book, but I found it very fitting. Overall, I found _Kushiel's Avatar_ to be a more mature book and I thought it was an appropriate close to the series.
I actually liked this volume better than I liked its predecessors. Unfortunately, grammatical concerns force me to rate it at only four stars; I just think writers should not use words like "Whence" and "Thence" when it's obvious that they have no idea what they mean. Carey also has trouble recognizing adverbs and choosing the correct noun case in complex sentences. I am the kind of person who finds this extremely distracting.
If you're looking for the sword fighting, political hijinks and steamy encounters of _Kushiel's Dart_ and Kushiel's Chosen_, you may be disappointed in _Kushiel's Avatar_. If you can enjoy a thoughtful book where theme and plot are carefully woven to tella complex story, you won't be dusappointed.

I don't want to discuss too much of the plot -- there would be too many spoilers -- but Carey does a very thorough job of wrapping up all the loose ends leftover from her middle novel "Kushiel's Chosen"... Phedre's quest to free Hyacinthe and its links to the One God, the whereabouts of Melisande's son Imriel, the mysterious bronze edge of power in Phedre's voice... She answers all the questions we were left with before.
At times the book is a touch melodramatic, and there are definitely a few slow spots, but if you enjoyed "Kushiel's Dart" and "Kushiel's Chosen," I highly recommend the final book in this trilogy. (If you haven't read either of the first two books, I recommend you start with those, because you won't be nearly as caught up in the characters' histories without them). For those people who complained about "Kushiel's Chosen," don't worry -- the scope of the novel definitely extends beyond a Phedre-Melisande contest of wills (taking us to new countries and introducing the power of new gods, no less), Phedre grows as a character (much better than she was in "K's Chosen," though I still liked her best in "K's Dart"), and the ending is satisfying (if slightly bittersweet).
Despite the few flaws I mentioned earlier, I thought this book was worth the wait... You know a novel is good when you finish it and find yourself wishing the series wasn't over! Anyone know if Carey is planning to write more novels set in Terra D'Ange?

I LOVE these books, and this one ties the many intricate threads of its predecessors into a big, beautiful tangled climax! I have re-read these books several times over the years, and find my compromised memory a blessing as I am allowed to be surprised and delighted over and over: this tale is so convoluted I doubt if anyone can remember all it's intricacies, ever! Each re-reading deepens my love for the cultures, people, and events that Carey has so wonderfully created and shared with us! For me this is the absolute pinnacle of its genre and no one should claim to be a lover of historical fiction/fantasy if s/he has not read these series!

The final book of the Kushiel trilogy is simply stunning. It is also far more difficult to read than its predecessors. There were times when I had to put it down and come back to it because the sadism was too intense, whereas I read the first two in three sittings each. But it was too compelling to abandon. The emotional resonance of the story is amazing, light-years beyond "Dart" and "Chosen," and the plotting is magnificent. I cried several times. I don't know what more I can say about the book in general except that it is a more than fitting finale to an amazing trilogy.
That said, for me the sadism of the episode in the Mahrkagir's palace would have been irredeemable if it were not for what followed. There were references throughout the first two books to Jewish culture and folklore (the Book of Raziel, the "khai" pendants, the culturally "Jewish" Yeshuites who are religiously Christian (Why, Ms. Carey? Why?) etc.) but I did not expect the sudden and and heartrendingly beautiful welling of Jewish mysticism in the finale. Carey's use of the concept of the Name of God was a breathtaking departure from the expected, and while I am ideologically troubled by its juxtaposition with sado-masochism, prostitution and paganism, my emotional side was satisfied, delighted and swept away. The talent and depth of knowledge that must have been required to pull it off leaves me nearly speechless.

As you can see in the other reviews, there is much that happens in this book. The story that JC tells is simply incredible. The detail that she uses, the depths of each character, the flow of the story are all aspects that make her a truly great author. But setting that aside, the VAST world that JC creates is just amazing. The number of characters and their family histories and how those histories intermingle with other family histories is nothing short of amazing. Yet it is never so overbearing that the reader can't follow.
I truly great book to me is one that when you finish it, you feel that you have visited another world, and watched characters that became living people to you. And a book that when you are done means a certain amount of sadness in knowing that your are done following the lives of characters/people that you have come to care about.
Get this book, read this book, love this book, eagerly await her next series.

After having finished Kushiels Avatar, I can hardly think of a thing except wanting more of the story to go on...There is so much more I want to know and be involved with. These characters are so richly developed that you feel a part of their life. I held my breath for pages, I laughed and cried and felt a whole range of emotions. I opened my mind to new ways of looking at culture and religion, and above all else it
was refreshing to once again believe in the power of love. Carey is an excellent writer, and although I think each book was a tad slow in the beginning, you are wishing it would slow down 1/4 of the way through because you can hardly catch your breath, (or put the book down to go to sleep!!!) Please write MORE!!! And if the public wants a story with a range of emotion, and ideas set in beauty and suspense then this is definitly the book for you!

I've been transported by the series for the last week. I'm not sure how to describe it- epic journey, coming of age, love story, theology, world view, BDSM story? Its some of all of those genres. The BDSM parts might be squick some readers, as they are somewhat graphic. One might find Phedra's submissive side annoying if not read and understood in the context of D/s. The BDSM scenes are beautifully written and realistic. The vanilla love scenes are equally beautiful written and poignant. All three are proper novels in their own right, complete with denouement. Extremely enjoyable read from start to finish.

Carey does such an amazing job of world-building that I feel like I've been in Terre d'Ange,(France) La Serenissima, (Venice) Menekhet, (Egypt), Akkadia (Iran, Iraq) and oh yes Drujan (Georgia & Azerbaijan) along with her characters. (And I really, really didn't want to be in Drujan. It's a terrible horrible no good place.) Then they follow the Nile River to Lake Victoria. It's quite a hero's journey Phedre, Joscelin and then Imriel make. And as with hero's journeys, though a lot of land is covered, most of the changes are internal. I'm sorry to have finished this book. I read this long book quickly, without getting much sleep, I had to know what was coming next. I want to read more about these characters. Fortunately, according to the author's website, she is planning a series about Imriel. I wish I could read it ***now.***

As a whole, I love this series. As a part, I love this book. I have never read a series that interweaves sex, seduction, BDSM, fantasy, politics, alternate universe mythos, religion, multi-cultural in-depth characters, parties, naval warfare, land warfare, siege warfare, magical warfare, clothing and fashions, and brilliant scenery that reads so quickly, so well, so fantastic, that I could barely put this book down during work, home, and sometimes sleep. This book, along with the others in the series, has something that I think every author needs to read and combine with their craft. Carey is a Master Author, and needs to be placed alongside the other Masters of the written word in textbooks.

This story is an amazingly rich and layered fantasy that will completely suck you in if you give it half a chance.

From reading all three of the Kushiel's novels thus far, I can tell that Ms. Carey has done her research about ancient places, languages, myths, and religions to weave her stories into something that feels real even as you are swept away in the fantasy of it all. You are able to see the world that was, yet imagine a world that might have been all at the same time.

These are NOT kids books. They have sexual themes that definitly make them grown-up reading and make it necessary to be able to put personal preferences aside and simply go along with the story, but nothing about those situations feel gratuitous or simply placed there for shock value; they actually help propel the story. Avatar in particular has scenes which shock and upset, but this serves to bring you farther into Phedre's world and empathize with her plight.

All in all, I love the Kushiel's stories and am anxiously looking forward to the next books. If you love history and love fantasy, I think you will also find this series facinating.

I was expecting to be disappointed from the reviews on here and from the ho-hum 2nd book in the series. I wasn't.
Carey put in all the usual convoluted plot twists, family and political intrigue, strange events, unpronounceable names and excessive traveling to new lands. The main difference is that 10 years have passed since we last knew everyone and that time has been good. All the characters have matured and their personalities have deepened. Phedre is a woman, not a girl playing spy games and I find her even more appealing than in the other two books. Joscelin is a much more relaxed man, secure in himself and their love together. Melisande even has her claws cut a bit and becomes much more human (she now has a HUGE weak-spot).
The plot starts off simply but becomes tangled and the travelers become very sidetracked, as always. This time, their adventures become extremely dark for about 1/3 of the book. Joscelin and Phedre are tested to the core of their beings and their love. I found this section of the story very moving. Phedre begins to feel the presence of her gods and this drives a lot of the rest of the story. She finds out the truth of her nature, more than she ever wanted too. (She also gets the chance to save the world, essentially, but that's almost a footnote.)
The whole book is about faith and love-losing it and finding it, both within and without oneself. Above all, it is about love itself, in all its forms and powers. Love can be a weapon and a healer, it can save and it can curse, it can kill and bring life. Phedre's journey through her spiritual awakening is much deeper than I expected for this series. On the whole, I found it to be a very moving book and deeply religious (in the various religions of the land.)
For the book itself, it is much better than the second book. They are faced with the real world more than simply backstabbing court politics (like the second book). There are a few explicit sex scenes between her and Joscelin thrown in (only one integral to the plot). Her abilities as an anguissette are used only for one part of this book, sexually speaking (it saves her life and the lives of others). Part of her journey is discovering that bearing pain can take many forms and not just for the pleasure of others or herself. She also begins to find purpose in the fact that she was god-chosen and that it wasn't just a random event. All the political intrigue seems to wear on her and after her experiences she feels it's all rather shallow. I have a feeling she'll be less immersed in court politics when this is done.
This book is the same as the other two on the surface, but the deep thread running through the book is about the larger questions of humanity and Carey does a good job of letting Phedre figure out her own answers. I think it was a fitting ending to the series. We have watched a girl grow into a complete woman.

I thought this was a superb finish for the trilogy!! There are episodes in this story that are heartrending, and you share the feelings of Phedre as she goes through her adventures. This story takes our heroine anywhere and everywhere, and our group of unlikely partners increases. Some great characters are presented in this story, including a pirate and some renegade fighters. My favorite plot advancement of this book is Joscelin and Phedre's relationship. It made me so happy to see their relationship grow, and I would have been so disappointed if it hadn't. This is by far my favorite book of this trilogy, and I would recommend this to anyone, and I can't wait until Carey's new book is available!!

I love the characters of Phaedre and Joscelin. And despite the sadism I enjoyed Kushiel's Dart and this book, for the lush descriptions of clothing, cultures and travels; and the characters themselves. But to warn anyone who has not yet read these books, there are very, very graphic descriptions of sadistic sex including cutting, burning, and flesh tearing. Most of the reviewers coyly sidestep this issue by simply saying the story is "dark". The sickening, horribly sadistic sex scenes when the characters are in Drujan in this book really bothered me. Perhaps I have too good of an imagination... reading scenes like that or seeing them in a movie, they are much too real to me.

Carey set this up so she could end the series here. There are still stories she can yet tell, but she's done a good job of tying up loose ends. I'm very satisfied with how she has ended it.
This novel takes place ten years after the end of Kushiel's Chosen. Not much has happened in that time. For the first 200-300 pages of this novel, I wasn't that happy with it. Phedre does a LOT of traveling back and forth across the land, and Carey never delves deeply at all into any events or characters. This is partly because Phedre never spends more than a chapter or two in one place! Carey can't write well in that style. However, Phedre does end up spending time in several locations and it is that majority of the book that the story is extremely interesting and Carey shines.
I definitely recommend the book and the entire series!

This legacy gets it's grand finale in this book. I highly recommend reading the first two before jumping into this one because you'll undoubtedly be confused if you don't. Nevertheless, Kushiel's Avatar is the avatar of the legacy itself. With a plot so simple yet intricate, with more characters, and more of Joscelin breaking his vows, lol, this last and, in my humble opinion, greatest of the legacy will keep you on the edge your seat and will definitely have you yearning for the future release of the Imri series, Kushiel's Scion. Don't try to figure out the plot to this book before hand, you'll only damage many brain cells. An astonishing fantasy that Carey did an excellent job of engendering to life, this is one book (and Trilogy) you'll never forget. You won't want to put it down. It contains a variety of genre's including those regarding war tactics, romance, seduction, religion, pirating, dark fantasy, betrayal, and most importantly, love.

Yes, I am the person below but I've made a new account.

Fans of this series will be happy to know that Carey's writing chops are still there. She can write descriptive prose with the best of them. She understands pacing and never lets the pace drag, despite the length of the novel. Anyone expecting the tautly plotted political intrigue of the first two books in this series will be surprised, however.

Sure, there's some of that going on. What would a Carey book be without it? But this book is about a journey Phedre and Joscelin take, both physically and spiritually. We see more growth in their characters and their relationship in this installment than in the previous two put together. We see Phedre given the choice to be free of her anguisette nature forever, but at a terrible cost. We see her at the mercy of an abuser even more brutal and amoral than Melisande, who degrades her so thoroughly that she is reduced to begging for more torture and loathes her own nature in a way she never has. We also see her exalted and empowered. We see her bereft of everything she loves, but finally gifted with more than she ever dared to hope for.

There is no question that Phedre is one of the most complex characters in modern fantasy. Her bizarre nature may occlude her nobility to some, but for those who perceive that she embodies loyalty, self-sacrifice, and love, she stands as one of the truly great creations in the genre. I cannot recommend this book, and indeed this series, in sufficiently strong terms. Buy this book, but read the other two first.

The last book of this trilogy.

An amazing ending, gave us readers exactly what we wanted. Truelly wonderful ending, I can keep on going forever with positive synonyms, but I wont.This book had a dark undertone to it and had a more of a quest quality to it, which of course was refreshing and original. Not in the least bit disappoiting, this ending was a reward to the readers of this trilogy. Sometimes haunting, yet always delightful reading. A climactic ending, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear or two. I really loved this trilogy, and it is rare indeed to find books as enjoyble as this trilogy. From time to time i read over my favorite chapters returning to the wonderful, alluring,sexual,adventurous world of Phedre no Delauay.

Read and enjoy.

The magic in this book, as in the other two, is subtle but has powerful manifestations. The book starts a little slow, yet is the darkest one of the thrilogy. It also shows the evolution of the characters, and it is easy to notice the ways in which they have grown.
I like how all the pieces fit. I was delighted to see how the villains have reasons for their behaviour, and there is not absolute goodness or evilry in the story, which is mostly about a woman struggling to understand the will of her gods, and help a friend in need. Phedre and her companions are a really interesting lot.
Very good book, with a good ending.

Fans of this series will be happy to know that Carey's writing chops are still there. She can write descriptive prose with the best of them. She understands pacing and never lets the pace drag, despite the length of the novel. Anyone expecting the tautly plotted political intrigue of the first two books in this series will be surprised, however.

Sure, there's some of that going on. What would a Carey book be without it? But this book is about a journey Phedre and Joscelin take, both physically and spiritually. We see more growth in their characters and their relationship in this installment than in the previous two put together. We see Phedre given the choice to be free of her anguisette nature forever, but at a terrible cost. We see her at the mercy of an abuser even more brutal and amoral than Melisande, who degrades her so thoroughly that she is reduced to begging for more torture and loathes her own nature in a way she never has. We also see her exalted and empowered. We see her bereft of everything she loves, but finally gifted with more than she ever dared to hope for.

There is no question that Phedre is one of the most complex characters in modern fantasy. Her bizarre nature may occlude her nobility to some, but for those who perceive that she embodies loyalty, self-sacrifice, and love, she stands as one of the truly great creations in the genre. I cannot recommend this book, and indeed this series, in sufficiently strong terms. Buy this book, but read the other two first.

The last book of this trilogy.

An amazing ending, gave us readers exactly what we wanted. Truelly wonderful ending, I can keep on going forever with positive synonyms, but I wont.This book had a dark undertone to it and had a more of a quest quality to it, which of course was refreshing and original. Not in the least bit disappoiting, this ending was a reward to the readers of this trilogy. Sometimes haunting, yet always delightful reading. A climactic ending, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear or two. I really loved this trilogy, and it is rare indeed to find books as enjoyble as this trilogy. From time to time i read over my favorite chapters returning to the wonderful, alluring,sexual,adventurous world of Phedre no Delauay.

Read and enjoy.

The magic in this book, as in the other two, is subtle but has powerful manifestations. The book starts a little slow, yet is the darkest one of the thrilogy. It also shows the evolution of the characters, and it is easy to notice the ways in which they have grown.
I like how all the pieces fit. I was delighted to see how the villains have reasons for their behaviour, and there is not absolute goodness or evilry in the story, which is mostly about a woman struggling to understand the will of her gods, and help a friend in need. Phedre and her companions are a really interesting lot.
Very good book, with a good ending.

I really enjoyed the ending to this trilogy.
The story was fantasically, wonderfully and amazingly woven together.
The highest praise that I can give for any book is that I don't want it to end. As I neared the end of "Kushiel's Avatar", I found myself slowing down my reading as I did not want it to end. The only other fiction book that I have done that with was "The Lord of the Rings", which I consider one of the greatest books ever written.
I'll look forward to reading more of Ms. Carey's work.
And I will miss Phedre, Joscelin and all the rest.

I liked the first two books in the series, but this one could've been cut by at least a third by excluding all the reminders from the other books. I understand that it's difficult to write the last book in a series and that authors want each book to stand on its own, but this one goes overboard (pun intended). Every character in the first 10 chapters gets a lengthy introduction detailing their past exploits in the series. It's really tedious and gets in the way of the actual plot.

This is not exactly for the average reader.

It's gets pretty dark in the middle (I've heard that some people have to skip that part), and is very theological and religion based. If you were bored in the beginning of Kushiel's Dart, you'd be bored reading quite a bit of this. There are periods where it's pages of long descriptions and the ramblings of thoughts in the character's mind. On the plus side, it's very emotional and draws you in, and the writing is so evocative that it's almost like watching a movie.

Overall, very enjoyable.

Of all of the books in the Kushiel's Dart series, this one is definitely the darkest. Phedre's travels take her into territories unknown to her geographically, as well as into the deepest chasms of her soul. Phedra must face the darkest parts of herself in order to fulfill promises not only to Hyacinth, her most beloved friend, but to the traitorous Millisande. It is a story of loyalty and honor as well as of redemption.
What was particularly intriguing about this story was the comparison between Phedre's reluctant acceptance of who and what she is with Imriel's (Millisande's son) ignorance (and later defiance) of his heritage. If Jacqueline Carey chooses to write another Terre D'Ange story, I do hope that it follows Imriel's path and the long road he (no doubt) will have to take in accepting who and what he is.
Overall, this story should be pleasing to anyone who has read the previous books in the Kushiel's Dart series. However, there are times where the story seems to drag, as Phedre and her party stop in and greet everyone she has met both in this book and the previous two (tying up loose ends, I suppose). Carey spends some needless time on characters that do not truly deserve it (and often are simply forgettable). And there are times when readers will probably say "Yes, yes... we know Phedre carries this heavy burden so lets just get on with it already!" But the story itself is beautiful in it's own way, though it does not compare to the first two (hence the 4 star rating rather than 5).
Enjoy.

I too, expected to be a bit disappointed after reading some of the reviews here. I now think those were from people who did not read the same book I did.
Phedre's life for the past 10 years were as it was decreed, peaceful. However, Kushiel is a jealous god, and decided that the scheme and games would continue. With Josscelin at her side, she traverses into the land of the Pharaohs to find her nemises' child, Imriel. Into a land held by darkness and a mad man who has tastes that even she dispises but comes to crave. Into the land of a forgotten tribe to find the Name of God to free her friend Hyacinthe, bound as Master of the Straits. All in all, a fun read amd a nice ending to a trilogy that I have throughly enjoyed.

At last we see the end of Phedre's journeys. After reading the first two books of this saga, I was eager to see the finish. Jacqueline Carey did a fabulous job wrapping up the series, although I hope there is room for more.
AS always, the writing was beautiful and moving. Phedre travels the ends of the earth to set free Hyacinthe and to help an old enemy who holds a key to Hyacinthe's freedom.
I would recommend this book for all who have read the first two of the series. Jumping in at this point could be done, but I think the books should be read in order.

This is my absolute favorite book in Phedre's trilogy! I loved all of the books but this one by far was the best. You have to have read the 1st two in order to follow along and it is a series that you really have to follow as it can be confusing at times. The 1st book especially was confusing at the start, but once you get used to it and the characters it is a wonderful world filled with characters that you can support and love. I would recommend this series and the following 3 books to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read!

In this third book in the series, Phedre faces her most difficult challenges yet, and is forced to press her loyalites to their breaking point. She wrestles with questions of her own identity, and what it means to be an anguisette. The trials and tests in this third book develop her strength and maturity. Nice to know her whole life didn't peak at age 20, eh? In this episode, she takes on supernatural forces again and again with only her gifts of love, loyalty and pain. Through it all, Phedre and Josceline continue to grow and continue to face the challenges of accepting & loving each other for who and what they are. Many wonderful new characters and new settings. A great read!

An intense conclusion to the Kushiel's Legacy triology - and just as riveting as its forerunners! Once again, Carey is successful in creating an epic world of diverse cultures, heartbreaking romance, political intrigue, sensuality, comedy - and above all, a host of characters (new and old) that will draw you so far into Phedre's story, you'll be lost in it until the end. I must say that Phedre's encounter with the Lord of Death is part of an unsettling portion of the book that will leave your skin crawling. The dark elements found in this third installment of the triology parallel Phedre's full exposure as the anguissette she is, in all her guilty pleasures, and finally the acceptance of who she is. The growth and maturity in Phedre's character by the end (as with Joscelin, Hyacinthe and Imriel) adds to the complexity of the story as a whole. Carey has succeeded in bringing Phedre's journey on a round-a-bout in her enthralling conclusion. Go read it! You won't be disappointed.

This is probably my favorite in the Kushiel trilogy. Like the other two books it has everything (adventure, romance, humor) with a bit more suspense.
The book continues with the adventures of Phedre and Joscelin (a cross between a bodyguard and boyfriend I guess) with a ten year gap between the previous book and this one. The exiled woman who betrayed them both is back, sending word to Phedre to help her find her missing son. Believing that the boy has been used as a pawn in a highly political game, Phedre goes in search of him only to find that his kidnapping is part of something much more simple, yet far more sinister.
So she goes after him, deliberately travelling to a far away, hell on earth place that she knows she may very well never escape from. Just when you think "shes dead for sure this time", Phedre escapes and gets what she wants (because she always does). Still, wondering how she will do it makes for great reading. Some of her experiences in this place are truely awful and graphic, so that might be a put off if that bothers you.
You definitely could start with this book and not be too confused, although I recommend that you at least read the second book before this one because it is important to understand the political circles Phedre runs in, and why exactly she risks her life for the son of a woman she despises.
I love this trilogy, mostly because it has an amazing female heroine. Plus I love the ending of each book, which always revolves around a huge "homecoming" party, where things are said that wrap up each book nicely.

What more can be said? A superb fantasy trilogy has a magnificent conclusion in Kushiel's Avatar. This one is even more exotic, erotic, and intense than the first two volumes, and Carey does an excellent job in bringing this huge undertaking of a story to a satisfying conclusion. Believe all the hype; these novels and their characters will linger in the mind and the heart for a long time after you have finished with them. They deserve to be considered classics.

I can't begin to imagine the depths to which J.Carey plumbed to get this plot out. There are few trilogies that have held readers in thrall for so long, and this is one of them. The long-awaited conclusion!
For Hyacinthe.
I wept at the end, as is meet, because it's the ending but it is also the beginning of Imri's own story. Just like Thelesis says...and love - at the root of all things - saves.

This legacy gets it's grand finale in this book. I highly recommend reading the first two before jumping into this one because you'll undoubtedly be confused if you don't. Nevertheless, Kushiel's Avatar is the avatar of the legacy itself. With a plot so simple yet intricate, with more characters, and more of Joscelin breaking his vows, lol, this last and, in my humble opinion, greatest of the legacy will keep you on the edge your seat and will definitely have you yearning for the future release of the Imri series, Kushiel's Scion. Don't try to figure out the plot to this book before hand, you'll only damage many brain cells. An astonishing fantasy that Carey did an excellent job of engendering to life, this is one book (and Trilogy) you'll never forget. You won't want to put it down. It contains a variety of genre's including those regarding war tactics, romance, seduction, religion, pirating, dark fantasy, betrayal, and most importantly, love.

One of the best things I enjoyed about this series was the fact that I did not have to read the previous book as a review before reading the 3rd. Compared to Mr. Jordan, and now, unfortunately Mr. Goodkind, Ms. Carey has allowed me to enjoy a story within a trilogy without tedious explanations or the absolute need to read the previous novels before understanding an iota of what was going on in Phedre's life.
So, if you haven't read the other novels in a while, go ahead and pick up Kushiel's Avatar. Granted, you may have to put it down in some spots and regroup before you pick it up again, but it is a wonderful tale that deserves to be read. If you want more backstory, you can re-read the other novels later, at your leisure.

This novel gets a little dark, so I would caution those not interested in reading about the scarier side of violent sexuality to stay away from it. This may be why some readers didn't enjoy it as much, but for those able to handle such, it is simply amazing. The way that every aspect meshes together is fitting with the idea of divine guidance behind Carey's world and the wrap up is just perfect. I look forward to the forthcoming trilogy on Imriel very much. Again, Melisande's presence is just impressive, as are the other characters. While the ideas behind this volume are a little less historical and more fantastical, I couldn't put it down just like the other two in the series.

Kushiel's Avatar is in the line of those rare epic journeys one mourns the end of and desires more of when it is done. The greatness of this trilogy derives from the strength of Carey's unique heroine Phedre and the quality of her and her many companions' love. I would recommend this trilogy and especially the last chapter of it to anyone who believes in and seeks expression of love's fullness in its many forms and also to anyone who enjoys an adventure, for it truly delivers both of these. I would like to thank the author, for I feel she has done a great service with her trilogy by liberating love from its many conventions and in taking me and many others for a time into a world of wonderous beauty and great humanity.

Kushiel's Dart left me spell bound, it was one of the best books I'd read all year with excellent culture, a twisting plot, and many remarkable characters like Melisande, Delauney, sweet Alcuin, Eamon and Grainne, Drustan, and even Hedwig and Gunther of the Skaldi... I even had a certain respect for Selig when the book was done. And Phedre herself truely had a miraculous transformation, from a sex-craving "whore's unwanted get" to a strong woman.

In Kushiel's Chosen I felt it did not quite do justess to Phedre or many other characters, I particularly did not like the way Phedre described people who were not D'Angeline, which was much more unflattering in LaSerrenisima and Ilyria than it was in Eire and Alba in Kushiel's Dart. But I still throroughly enjoyed the book.

Kushiel's Avatar, however, did not at all live up to my expectations. Phedre seems by far to be too much of a perfect character, and her romance with Joscelin seems forced at best. I never really liked Joscelin's character much, but by the end Kushiel's Dart I had appreciated him and his romance with Phedre -in Chosen I could look past the rigidness of their scenes together. But in Avatar the romance was utterly lacking and I could not understand why Phedre was in love with him when she is the desire of more than half the the D'Angeline nobility.

The part I really enjoyed was her time in Drujani with the zenana. The Makhagir's character really caught my attention, he was beautifully done, as was Phedre's character in that interval and all the other of the zenena, particularly Kaneka and Druscilla.

One of the problems with this story is that it has been stretched to far in the previous book, Chosen, and Phedre has already evolved to the point where there is really no point in making her run around, as she is clearly perfect.

Imriel was a gem to the story though, I found his bound with Phedre quite real and truly a wonderful thing in her character, as was the zenena expirence... It was a good book, but it laked the brilliance and intrigue of its predesesors.

What I really did not enjoy was Valere L'Envers, it was really stupid how she liked Phedre and hated her when she returned, I could understand if all she did when sending Phedre off was bid her good luck, but Valere made a big speach on how she tresured Phedre as a friend and was loathe to send her off. Curtesy did not demand that, so it made no sense when she came back.

I also hated the sudden romance between Hyacinthe and Sibeal, it was completely unrealistic and so obviously a devise to remove Hyacinthe complications from the picture. I could understand a simple crush on Sibeal's part, her becoming enamoured with Hyacinthe because of his sacrifice and valore, but love? Especially on Hyacinthe's part, who has scarse spoken with the girl. He has been locked on an island, cut off from everyone for the past twelve years and suddenly he is in a deep relationship with some one he has not spoken too nor even known so long? It is unbelivable.

Personally, I would have more thoroughly enjoyed it if Carey spent another hundred pages for Phedre and Hyacinthe to realize the end of their relationship, and perhaps, at the end show Hyacinthe flirting with Sibeal and the begginings of their love, rather than forcing it out of nowhere.

Still, Phedre's growth into motherhood was satisfing, and their traveals to Dirsanga and conter-part africa pretty much made the story a good read.

I bought this book years ago. Reading the whole series is the best way to go. Some of the subject matter is very graphic. Lots of rough sex. I would say not for kids. BUt for myself, I really loved the whole series. Very interesting story line and I love Carey's form of writing. Great characters.

This was a little bit of a departure from the previous two books of the series, in that it was more introspective and a lot deeper. I loved it, and loved the way it ended the series.

I felt the characters had grown, matured, and it was wonderful to read about them as they discovered more about themselves. I can't recommend this series highly enough. It's just a wonderful read, with characters you almost wish Carey would write about incessently, Gabaldon-style.

5 Stars: Great book, wonderful series. In my dreams I could write this well.

The conclusion of the Kushiel trilogy has Phedre working to keep an old vow to save a friend from a lonely, tragic fate. Her quest is sidetracked as she searches for a missing son of her enemy. She rescues him at great cost, and ultimately rescues her friend.

The conclusion of the trilogy was as gripping a read as the other two books. My only regret is that Phedre's story is over.

The author explores the intricacies of human relationships while introducing the reader to the lyrical world of the almost-past. The story is enriched with political intrigue and diverse topography of the ancient world. The main character Phedre again plumbs the depths of human love and cruelty, this time in a search for freedom for her childhood friend. A stunning culmination of the series!

I loved this book as well as the first two. My only disappointment is that this trilogy has ended. The characters are beautiful and the lands that are visited are rich with beauty, espionage, political upheavals and betrayals. Beautifully written and extremely detailed. These three books are truly masterpieces and ones that I will re-read again.

I loved this book as well as the first two. My only disappointment is that this trilogy has ended. The characters are beautiful and the lands that are visited are rich with beauty, espionage, political upheavals and betrayals. Beautifully written and extremely detailed. These three books are truly masterpieces and ones that I will re-read again.

I loved this book. All of the Kushiels legacy stories are great, but this one, I could not put down. I don't understand why this book is out of print. Absolutely one of the best science fiction books to date!!

I loved the first two books. In fact, I read them so often that they fell apart and had to buy hard cover copies. So, I waited for the conclusion of the trilogy with baited breath.

Wow, what a waste of time.

All the things that made Carey's first to novels so compelling were there, but it was as if her editor decided not to rein in Carey's tendency to be a bit overwrought this time because "hey, melodrama worked for the first two book so more melodrama will be better for the third!" There were too many plot twists, too many different cultures to explore, too many unlikely friendships, too much trauma between Phedre and Joscelin, too much interference from gods, just too, too, too.

The bones of a fantastic conclusion are there, but some of the flesh should have been pared off before releasing this one to the public.

I wasn't going to do a review of this but then ... I disliked the book so much I just had to. The other two books were different and interesting even though politics and S/M are not my thing. Ms. Carey can be a great story teller as evidenced by the first two books.

However, she takes a sharp downward turn in *Kushiel's Avatar*. There were too many new lands with overblown descriptions and so much Sadism and torture I couldn't read most of it. Sex? All good if it meshes with the plot. S/M? I can read that too when it furthers the plot. Sexually torturing children and pages of unbelievable torture that should logically kill someone? And has killed many? Nope. Sorry. Skipped all that. I skipped whole paragraphs ... and then whole pages. I skipped so much I think I only read about half of the novel. And that was just because I wanted to find out if Hyacinth was going to be rescued from the island.

If there are any further *Kushiel* novels I will not read them and I would not recommend them to anyone unless they are into reading about child molestation and Sadism that could and does end in murder. Oh, and politics, intrigue, backstabbing (repeat several times). You get the idea.