Book 3), Queen of the Darkness (Black Jewels

Anne Bishop brings her Black Jewels trilogy to its exciting conclusion in "Queen of the Darkness." Jaenelle has established her court, and Daemon has escaped the Twisted Kingdom, but Dorothea and Heketah continue to scheme at spreading Hayll's corrupting influence into Kaeleer, inciting a war that threatens to destroy all the Blood in both realms.
The story finishes as strongly as it began in "Daughter of the Blood." Bishop has created a fascinating, immersive world with these books, filled with characters that I've really grown attached to. The world's social structure is also quite interesting, and a welcome departure from many other fantasies I've read. If anyone finds anything to complain about here, it's that the ending, while very well done, leaves some questions unanswered. But Bishop has stated on her website that there are a number of stories she'd still like to tell about the Blood, including the events that follow those of the Black Jewels trilogy. I certainly look forward to reading them.
Bishop has written one other book which takes place in the realms of the Blood, "The Invisible Ring." It's not as compelling as the main trilogy, but fans of the trilogy will still enjoy it, and I recommend taking a look.

With Queen of the Darkness, Anne Bishop closes out one of the best dark fantasy trilogies ever written. The depth and richness of the worlds she created in this series must be experienced to be believed, especially with "good guys" including the likes of Saetan, High Lord of Hell, and his sons Daemon Sadi and Lucivar. Of course, Jaenelle Angelline is the center of attention as always; the young girl we first met in Daughter of the Blood, struggling to find friendship, acceptance, and guidance from those who - unlike her awful family - could recognize her for what she was, has grown up and now sits upon the Dark Throne of Ebon Askavi. She is surrounded by a coven of friends from neighboring realms and their males, protected by the most powerful warlords of the Blood, yet despite her own power as Witch - the almost mythological manifestation of true Blood power, dreams made flesh - sorrow continues to number all of her days. Daemon Sadi, her chosen Consort, has yet to return from the Twisted Kingdom of madness, many Kindred lives have been lost at the hands of the evildoers ruling the kingdom of Terreille, and a cataclysmic war looms on the horizon, a war Jaenelle knows will kill everyone she cares about.
I think the beginning of this novel threw me off stride a little bit, and I was never able to completely recover. As Queen of the Darkness opens, several years have passed since Daemon emerged from the Twisted Kingdom, yet he is nowhere to be found. When he is located, largely by luck or fate, and brought to the Hall alongside the likes of Wilhelmina, Jaenelle's sister, he remembers nothing of the cataclysmic events that closed out the first book in the trilogy. When Jaenelle returns, a definite rift exists between her and Daemon, and Jaenelle has little to do with a sister she once loved. The situation with Daemon becomes clear as the book nears its end (culminating in a very touching scene), yet I felt there was a strong disconnect between the characters. Later, when the evil plots of Hekatah the dark priestess and her hateful ally witch Dorothea must finally be dealt with once and for all, I didn't completely buy into the way things happened. Certainly, there were some surprises, and I could barely stand to see some of the things that took place actually happen, but things just didn't seem 100% right. The pivotal subterfuge around which Jaenelle's secret plans are put into motion seemed especially contrived - it was as if everyone just decided one morning that they should look at a central character differently, and I never saw any justification for the types of doubts that arose.
Fans of the series will be thrilled to know that justice is finally done, and those who have hurt Jaenelle and the members of her Dark Court over the years get exactly what is due them. Sadly, however, some dear characters are also lost or maimed through acts of villainy and the vindictive lust for power. The Kindred, non-human creatures of the Blood whom we encountered in Heir to the Shadows, are woven into this concluding novel in a beautifully intricate fashion, making for a more complex but at the same time enriching reading experience. At the same time, secondary players in the drama, many of whom I had struggled to truly understand, also emerge in grand fashion as the trilogy approaches its climax.
Even if I wasn't 100% satisfied with this third and final novel, I have nothing but the highest of praise for Anne Bishop's literary genius and for The Black Jewels Trilogy as a whole. No fictional kingdom of dark fantasy has ever seemed so vivid and original, nor have characters as complex as the main actors in this story ever been seen before - not by my eyes, anyway. The subject matter makes these books unsuited for young readers, but mature readers who appreciate originality and the word-weaving of literary magic will very likely find themselves deeply immersed in this world and come away echoing my final comment here: Anne Bishop is the Queen of Dark Fantasy.

"Queen of the Darkness" is the third and last book in Anne Bishop's extraordinary "Black Jewels Trilogy." This is a strong novel which truly enhances the material in the first two books and provides a most fitting conclusion to this epic series. I would strongly advise reading the books in order, beginning with "Daughter of the Blood" and then "Heir to the Shadows" to best appreciate the intricate story, characters and unique world that Ms. Bishop has created. I only wish the author had written a quartet!

In the world where Darkness rules, an ancient prophecy comes true. Jaenelle Angelline is born Witch. She is the "dream made flesh" and the hope and light of the future. Jaenelle has matured and come into her own now. She made the Offering to the Darkness and is Queen of the Dark Court at Ebon Askavi in the Realm of Karleer and is the Heart of the land and her Kingdom. The First Circle of her Court consists of her adopted father, Prince Saetan as Steward of the Dark Court, Prince Lucivar Yaslana as First Escort and Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih, her beloved Daemon Sadi as Warlord Prince and Royal Consort, and all the Queens, Priestesses, Healers, Warlord Princes, Kindred, etc., who she befriended as a child, now also serve her in her highest court. She hopes that the Corrupt Blood will no longer slaughter and maim her people and defile the land. However, Jaenelle will need all her friends and their power to meet the evil that is coming.

Dorothea, the High Priestess of Hayll, and Hekatah, the self-proclaimed Dark Priestess of Hell were created to be noble caretakers of the Realms. Both women have perverted their Craft and their purpose, infected those who serve them, and threaten to destroy the Realms to fulfill their insatiable greed for power. They plot to gain control over Witch Queen Jaenelle and rule all through her. Hekatah also plans to destroy her ally Dorothea and hold ultimate power. The Realms are in chaos and terrible war and destruction threaten. The corrupted Blood must be cleansed. To do this and save everyone and everything she cares for, Jaenelle must make a terrible and shocking decision.

The book is filled with plot twists, excitement and originality. Ms. Bishop explores themes like duty, loyalty, honor and self-sacrifice. Her wry wit is ever present and the narrative is spellbinding. This series is outstanding and I cannot recommend it highly enough! An easy 5 Stars!
JANA

Queen of the Darkness, the third and final book in Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy is comparable to that of the movie, Return of the Jedi. I can't help but compare this series to the original Star Wars Trilogy. With Queen of the Darkness you know it will be an explosive accumulation of everything that happened in the past two books.

Queen of the Darkness is where Jaenelle has come into her own and is now a very powerful queen in her own right. With all this responsibility placed on her shoulders, which she never really wanted, has many important decisions to make. So many creatures, people and animals alike rely on her for guidance. Janelle's family and close friends know what she is capable of, and it is quiet a scary thing. If Janelle's hand is forced, she will send such destruction across the land. I liken Jaenelle to a ticking time bomb. Her great Witch power that is deep inside of her is building at such a fast rate because of the evil skanky whore queen, Dorothea, the High Priestess of Hayll and Hekatah the self-proclaimed skank Dark Priestess of Hell. These two women are the most villainous characters I have ever read in literature. They come in a close second to Iago, my all time favorite villain from William Shakespeare's Othello. They are manipulative, disgusting, greedy and have no morals. They don't love; just hate and enjoy making those around them suffer. They are the complete opposite of every that Jaenelle is. And they think Janelle is a pitiful scarred woman who will be defeated so they can rule over the realms.

Because we, the readers, know what Janelle is capable of and these two perverted evil skanks don't, when Janelle decides enough is enough with them, the showdown is going to be something of epic proportions. Buckle yourselves in your seats because this is going to be one bumpy ride!

It seems the realms have become filled with the stench of evil, much like the cities of Sodom and Gomorra that were told in the Old Testament of the bible. Evil is oozing out of every corner. The Blood has been corrupted and the only way to make things right is a mass cleansing. This is where the prophesy comes into play, where Witch will save everything that is good and right and destroy everything that is not. She is dreams made flesh; the savior. And Janelle is this savior.

A war is brewing. Anne takes very intricate steps with Queen of the Darkness and uses her amazing storytelling skills to make the tension grow. We don't know when or how, but something bad is going to happen. Think of those horror movies where you watch the unfortunate soon to be victim of the serial killer wander around unaware that she will be killed brutally. The audience calls out trying to save the poor woman, but it is no use, because the deranged killer is behind her with a knife ready to plunge it into her flesh. That is the feeling I had while reading Queen of the Darkness. Every page made me very aware that the ending to this epic series will not end all happy and carefree. There will be collateral damage and the one responsible for it all is Jaenelle, who over the course of these three books is a character you can't help but grown such an emotional attachment to.

Even though this may sound like a doom and gloom novel, there are some bright points. Lucivar Yaslana, who is Janelle's biggest supporter and protector, has found peace in his own life. After thousands of years of horrendous torture both in body and spirit, Lucivar is now married and has a son. His joy came through every single scene he was in because after all his suffering, he has found his own slice of heaven. Saetan, Lucivar's father and High Lord of Hell, is a loving father and grandfather not only Jaenelle, his adopted daughter, but those who are her servants and followers. He is there to give Jaenelle guidance and help her lead.

Then there is Daemon Sadi, son to Saeten and half-brother to Lucivar. When Heir to the Shadows ended, Daemon was lost in the Twisted Kingdom, insane from grief because he believed he stole Jaenelle's innocence by raping her. Jaenelle went back into the Twisted Kingdom to save Daemon, and now five years later, Daemon has risen out of the Kingdom and is on a search. He is lost and still a bit broken because he feels he doesn't deserve Jaenelle who he has been waiting for his whole life. Lucivar is there the help him him. Daemon is able to find Jaenelle again. That will begin the next step in their fragile relationship. When Daemon first met Jaenelle, she was barely a teenager, now she is a grown woman with incredible power. She loves Daemon deeply. Daemon's feelings for Jaenelle can not be named because what he feels for her is so deep and imbedded into his soul. He welcomes everything that Jaenelle is from healer, to queen to Witch.

The love between Daemon and Jaenelle is a subtle passion. When they finally come together after so many years apart, I wanted to be overcome with their love. Anne only gives her readers a peek-a-boo look at what Daemon and Jaenelle experience in each other's arms. And for those who don't know, Daemon may be skilled at bringing women pleasure because of his phantom power, but has never had actual sex with a woman. He is a virgin and his first time will be with Jaenelle. If only Anne had gone into further detail with the actual physical love between these two.

But their happiness does not last for long. Dorothea has finally pushed Janelle too far and now Jaenelle must give into the power of Witch. That means she will gather all her strength and power and unleash it across the land. Jaenelle is an atomic bomb waiting to explode and no one can talk her out of it, not even Daemon. Daemon decides to help Jaenelle and will channel his own power, the power of the Sadist. He grapples with this side of himself and he may not survive either, because when Saeten is captured by Dorothea, Daemon must do some appalling things.

The last one-hundred pages of Queen of the Darkness are fast paced and mind blowing. This is a meticulous planned step by step process that Anne has written to end her Black Jewels Trilogy. It has been a very long time since such a book made my heart pound. I cringed and gasped as my heart broke for what Daemon had to do and the final outcome with Jaenelle. The way Anne leaves things will have you aching in pain alongside these two and those they love. What I can promise you is that Dorothea and Hekatah get their comeuppance.

But, with the destruction and death to those who turn away from the light, there is a hope of a better tomorrow. Things are not what they seem. Anne gives her readers a special gift in the book, Dreams Made Flesh, which holds four short stories. One being is Kaeleer's Heart. This story begins a short time after Queen of the Darkness ends and about the aftermath that Jaenelle has unleashed. Anne writes a tender story about Daemon and Jaenelle that I was hoping for in Queen of Darkness. Both these two characters seem so broken. Again, things are not what they seem and Anne delivers the romance and love that Daemon and Jaenelle have for one another so perfectly.

My journey with Anne Bishop and her Black Jewels Trilogy was an incredible escape into a world that floored me. These three books have so much yearning and emotion in every scene that Anne has written. If I were you, I would not let this series pass you by like it did with me for so long.

Katiebabs

Daughter of the Blood (Black Jewels, Book 1)
Heir to the Shadows (Black Jewels, Book 2)

***spoiler alert***

The only -really-- exciting bits for me in this novel were Lucivar stumbling into Daemon in that service fair - I was like, `c'mon, c'mon...sign the man already!!', Jaenelle majorly losing her cool with the Aaron-Vania episode, the retribution after Wilhelmina's aborted abduction, and, honestly?... virtually everything else involving Daemon.

Yeah, even that excruciating scene he had to play out in front of Hekatah and Dorothea.

`Coz, quite simply, a certain `something' was missing in this installment. Sure, Daemon becomes the Consort and, after what feels like *hundreds* of pages later on, finally gets it on with Jaenelle - and yet, all throughout this novel, there just doesn't seem to be enough emphasis on the relationship itself between these two. That heartrending scene by the end of the first book, "Daughter of the Blood", in which Daemon had to coax Witch from the abyss... there--where did all that emotion, that intensity, go?

Jaenelle was an adolescent then, true, but even then Bishop was able to fully convey (well, to me, at least) just how much Daemon loves the girl-woman - the absolute despair at the thought of losing her was felt so keenly to the reader precisely because the interaction between them was carefully nurtured during that period when Daemon was staying at Beldon Mor.

However, in "Queen of the Darkness" (wherein the prospect of him finally becoming the Consort was one of the things I really was looking forward to), it seems as if the whole story was about everything *but* Jaenelle and Daemon's love (and reacquaintance). Stuff about friggin' tangled webs, spiders and caves, cryptic messages of kindred dreaming dreams made flesh, and more (in retrospect) fumbling attempts by Hekatah to fight Saetan.

And I think I really missed something in between "Heir to the Shadows" and this one: uhm... who is Marian? HOW exactly did the love story between her and Lucivar begin? It would have been nice (to put mildly) to have their story given more attention.

>>By the way, yes, I am very much aware that this is a fantasy *first* before romance<<. And even if I do try to focus on the non-romantic aspects, I still find myself missing those bits wherein Jaenelle was an extremely *likeable* character. Wherein she is the Queen yet still very much that winsome daughter of Saetan or the bosom buddy of the coven and the kindred. This finale was just too -too-- serious. Either she's almost always withdrawn to herself, in pain, or in anger.

And even if the reason behind these `serious' things is the brewing threat of war (and how `queenly' Jaenelle has had to act), the pockets of side-stories themselves (Karla's, Alexandra's, Lord Jorval's, Kartane's, etc.) which were supposed to help on with the whole storyline felt too disjointed and underdeveloped. Like there were really just there to fill-in the pages. Oftentimes, there really was no coherence or even absolute closure as to how some of the other characters' fates played out. For instance, whatever happened to the triangle of power hinted at very strongly in the 2nd book? That of Jaenelle, Karla, Gabriellle's?

And Witch's maelstrom itself? What happened to it? So much build-up on it but I turn a page and it has apparently passed. I mean... what the heck...? If this `un'disclosure was Bishop's intent to convey how truly terrifying and majestic Jaenelle's powers are that it defies description, well... frankly, it was quite disappointing. I was expecting more than rough winds and being tossed and pressed down on the ground...

And then *poof!* there's Jaenelle, done with the cleansing of the Blood, drained of her powers and now hurtling down into the abyss. It's OVER.

And THAT's why Daemon's sadistic `game' in order to rescue Saetan and the others will just have to be the highlight of this particular novel. It's a hefty consolation. I mean, if you have to skimp on the showdown itself, why not at least make the penultimate THAT devastating, eh?

Okay, rant over.

--

Seriously, though, I am just really disappointed because I absolutely LOVED the preceding two books... *le sigh*

I have been absolutely addicted to Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy ever since I discovered Daughter of the Blood and after the huge changes at the end of Heir to the Shadows I couldn't wait to start Queen of the Darkness. This book was everything I'd hoped it would be and then some and I didn't want to put it down for a second. I can't believe how much I've come to love these characters and I'm was so incredibly invested in their stories that I desperately needed to know what would happen to them all. I'm going to assume that if you're reading this review you've already read the last two books so although this review will be spoiler free for Queen of Darkness I will be discussing events in previous stories. If you don't want to see these spoilers then look away now but before you go I will tell you that the Black Jewels trilogy is one of the most complex, compelling and utterly addictive fantasy series that I've discovered in a long time and if it's one you haven't started yet then you're seriously missing out!

Still with me? Well, in that case I'm going to assume you're already an Anne Bishop fan and high five you for loving the series as much as I do! At the end of Heir to the Shadows we saw Jaenelle claim her territory so that she was able to protect her Kindred friends. Jaenelle now has a court of powerful Queens, Warlords and Kindred who would all do anything for her but she takes that responsibility seriously and will protect them with her life if needed. I have loved seeing Jaenelle grow into her power, she really is an incredible character and after so much suffering in her life she has now become a strong and confident young woman. I actually feel very proud of everything that she has achieved and I couldn't wait to see her figure out how to deal with the enemies who have done everything they could to destroy her.

One of the things that I was most excited about was seeing her reunited with Daemon. I missed his presence in the last book but I understood why that distance was needed, he has suffered enough though and it was time to see both of them find a way to happiness. Daemon has finally found his way out of the Twisted Kingdom and taken his place at Jaenelle's side as her consort but it is a role in name only as the two of them struggle to communicate their wants and needs to each other. I really enjoyed seeing someone as experienced as Daemon so unsure of himself, he loves Jaenelle so much and is terrified of putting pressure on her but as inexperienced as she is she has no idea how to make the first move. It was great seeing Saetan, Lucivar and the others help the two of them work through things and I loved seeing them all spending time together building or rebuilding their bonds. Things between Saetan and his sons are incredibly complicated but we get to see them slowly get to know each other and learn to trust themselves.

Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch born in thousands of years and she can feel the evil that is trying to destroy all three realms. She knows what has to be done to stop it and she knows that she will pay the ultimate price but that is something she is willing to do to protect the people she loves. Her friends aren't quite so willing to let her bear that cost though and they are determined to find another way. The love that all of these characters have for her is absolutely heart warming but I've also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the friendships build between them as individuals and getting to see some of my favourite characters find love and happiness in their own right.

I don't want to say too much more about what happens in this book because I think it's much better if you can enjoy the journey for yourself. I will say that I absolutely loved every minute of this book. This entire series has taken me on an emotional roller coaster, one where I've both laughed and cried. There have been times when I was so mad that my blood was boiling and others where I felt emotionally drained and exhausted but I have also fallen in love and met some of the most fantastic characters - ones who will stay with me for years to come. I can absolutely guarantee that this is a series I'll return to again in the future and I'm glad that I've still got some short stories set in the same world to devour before the journey is completely over. I may be a fairly new fan of Anne Bishop but I'm now a die-hard one and I can't wait to discover more of her books!

I say "conclusion" because the complex world which Anne Bishop has created calls for more investigation. I do hope she is considering other books beyond these three and "The Invisible Ring". Same basic complaints that hetereosexuality is viewed negatively in many ways, especially a woman's first sexual encounter. Also I do not like how quickly she jumps from one scene and character to another, often spending only a page on a scene then far too many details on another section. It was difficult to feel much for the "bad characters" and even though should capture our feelings to a degree. However, the the plots are consistant, the world is complex and interesting. I enjoyed the fact that there is no real happy ending, because in such a world it is doubtful own concept of "happy" could be found. If you've read the first two and want to know what happens, then this will answer some of your questions but not all.

The beginning of the book was almost a pleasant sort of quiet, with characters who had been separated for so long reunited and everyone coming together as a court and as a family. Then the last third was an epic fight and a closing to the trilogy. Although this series didn't blow my mind, I can't stress enough how enjoyable and engaging it was to read. I'll probably pick up the rest of the series (spin-offs and short stories, I think) eventually.

When I finished the second book, Heir to the Shadows, I immediately started on this one. Jaenelle has finally made her Offering to the Darkness, and has set up her court as the Queen of Ebon Askavi. She is finally in the full blossom of her unimaginable power. The Blood have been slaughtering her people in an effort to take over her lands, and she must find a way to destroy the taint that has taken over many of the Blood. Even with the help of her Court and the Kindred, their combined strength may not be enough to keep the Realms from being destroyed in a terrible war.
In some books I feel like I'm left hanging, even though it's the end of the trilogy, with what-if's and what-about's wandering through my head. I did not feel this way at the end of this trilogy. The ending was a perfect conclusion to a wonderful, captivating series.

Mystifying, sensual and radiating with dark magic, tests of faith and compassionate love. This book just lungs for your heart, rips it apart, just to put it back together on the very, very last page.

I admit I havent been stunned and awed over a sci-fi/fantasy novel since the first coming of G.R. Martin. And I havent ached, fought, hoped and feared for a character like the one of Daemon Sadi since I read the first chapters about Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister in Martin's Game of Thrones. I mean, how can one writer catch her reader's uninhibited emotional attention, like Anne Bishop did with this last book of her terryfic Black Jewels Trilogy?

So, let's take a closer look. Queen of Darkness actually is neatly divided in two parts. In the first two thirds it's a - sometimes a bit slow - dance of longing, hope and finally passion. As Daemon Sadi, sworn consort to Jaenelle, the powerful Witch queen who rules the Shadow Realm, reenters the stage, he not only has to overcome his own fears: Would his beloved lady still want him after all that happened before? He also has to overcome her youthful uncertainties: Will she be enough for a man who has lived for 1700 years? Or will she break him apart if she claimed his heart, like those other witch queens tried by forcing him into a slave's service? Of course love prevails - that was never in question.

Had the story ended at this point, I would have considered QoD a good fantasy romance coming to a long awaited conclusion. But Anne Bishop got me there. She really tricked me into believing, that the rest of this novel would be a swift clean-up. Many otherwise good SF&F stories tend to conlude with a good deal of disappointment when the main protagonists become too strong and powerful (I just name Eddings as the master example for way too omnipotent leading characters). But in QoD all of sudden Jaenelle and her friends really face destruction of everything they treasure. And I swear, it's not some deus et machina out-of-nowhere threat, but some evil developments of ongoing machinations and a few well-placed twists of fate. When it seems as if even the greatest sacrifice wouldnt be enough, Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle come up with a devilish plan. And betraying those who trust the most is just a minor part of it. What follows is as mind-blowing as anything I've ever read. It's phenominal in detail, painful in execution and exhilarating in conclusion.

Anne Bishop - you've really crowned yourself as one of the gendre's best with those last 150 pages of Queen of Darkness.

> "Daemon?" There was so much uncertainty in her voice.

> "Hi, sweetheart" he said, his voice husky from the effort not to cry. "I've missed you."

> Her hand moved slowly, with effort, until her palm rested against his face. Her lips curved into a smile. "Daemon."

> This time, when she said this, it sounded like a promise, like a lovely caress.

Oh, what a jewel of beauty!

Thank you, Anne Bishop. Thank you very much for this lesson about pure and unconditional love. And if it comes to that, no sacrifice can be too big. No price too high. And no faith too deep.

So, after I read the last page, it was way past midnight. I went to my beloved wife who was already sound asleep and held her tight, so tight.

What more can I say?

I'm still weeping.

Despite the main character scoring an astounding 238 on the Universal Mary Sue Litmus test, I like this series. Admittedly, the main character Janelle is insipid and colorless, with no personality at all. None. That said, the world building is really strong! It is also true that although this trilogy developed the universe, I like the 3 of the 4 other books set in it MUCH better. That said, this is a book that I still like, and reread(!), 14 years later. That alone makes it deserve at least four stars. Thank you for reading this largely incoherent and vague review. Sorry. It's just hard to articulate why this series is a keeper, even though it is. Read it once, and then read the other novels (except Tangled Web). A couple of the short stories aren't bad either. Maybe the real issue in this book is that the main character is Daemon. Who would still have an elevated Mary Sue score, but not like Janelle's. Hmmmm. I will have to think about this.

Characters have a way of living inside of an author, growing and developing and spinning the yarn of their life. Ms. Bishop has brought to us the complete story of a cast of characters who live, love, hate and die like we do. Queen is the conclusion of the story, loose ends are tied up and dear friends are laid to rest. There is pain, but with it comes hope for dream that will not die. Those of us who are rabid fans are both thrilled to have the book in our hands and saddened by the ending of our time with those characters we have grown to care about. I am just glad they came to such a fine storyteller as Ms. Bishop. :)

Ms. Bishop should either find a new editor or else change publishers. Her third novel and, one can only assume the conclusion of the Dark Jewels trilogy, was rushed, choppy, facile and altogether disappointing.
Let me be clear: I adored the first book, enjoyed the second, and looked forward to this one for months. Perhaps I set my expectations too high. But the strength of her characters and storyline in the first two seemed to promise a terrific climax. Unfortunately, while there was a whisper of the former glory, the third book has left me feeling cheated. Where is some sort of resolution for the various beloved characters? What the heck kind of ending was that last chapter? How dare Ms. Bishop give her devoted readers such a facile conclusion! I know she could have done far better, and that's what hurts; to imagine what might have been!

I ordered the omnibus and so forced myself to read the whole thing. The highest compliment I can give it is that it was okay enough to manage to slog through the whole thing. I thought it would be a fun guilty pleasure and instead it is just bland. The characters are as flat as pancakes, they keep talking about some big battle that MUST be fought even though they don't really explain why it must be fought, the villains are ridiculous, literally every one of their plans are foiled two seconds in to them. It's slip-shod and goes from plot to repetitive plot without ever resolving a plot or launching a new one properly.

I really enjoyed all three novels in this series and I devoured them in about a week. I'm ready to start over and read them again because they were such an exciting adventure the first time.
However I feel the same way about the last book that others have mentioned....What happened with Janelle and Daemon? Was Janelle able to heal Saeton so that he could go back to Sylvia? What's with the new jewel that Janelle has? What's so special about it? Does she still have a court? What about Karla? I still have so many questions that were left unanswered the list just goes on and on.
Also like others who have written a review on this book I found the other two far more engaging, I would still recomend the trilogy to anyone looking for a good read and lot's of laughs even with the darkness in the books.
I just hope that the author will consider writing one more book to tie up the loose ends.
All in all they are worth the read!

This book (like the previous ones) is VERY INTENSE. But very good. I read it, then imediately turned right around and started back on my favorite chapters (about ch4 to the end). I blew off an entire day reading and rereading it (about 2.5 times before I finally put it down). I hate to see the trilogy end. Maybe Ms Bishop would do us the favor of more books. Maybe set a generation in the future? I am going to go read the Invisible Ring now.
My scale: 1 star=don't bother; 2 star=get it from the library and don't waste your cash; 3 stars=a nice read, get it from the library or buy it; 4 stars=read it, buy it. 5 stars=A must. BUY IT, READ IT (several times!)

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found _Queen of the Darkness_ to be a perfect ending for Ms. Bishop's breakthrough series. Ms. Bishop knows better than to give a pat, "And they lived happily ever after". The characters all have relatively murky futures - Daemon and Janelle, Saetan and Sylvia, Surreal, they are all questions. Their future is as unknowable to them as to us, and that's the perfect way for it to be. While the aftermath of the novel would certainly fill another trilogy of its own, I hope it's never written (though a few short stories would not be unwelcome). The question, "What happens next?" is vital for the book to work. Life is never certain, just as Witch's future was never certain.
The characters are all well-represented - which is remarkable, given some have only brief but nuanced roles which gives a clear indication of their lives. Beyond Jo (who has all of two or three lines devoted to him in the first two books) and Hepsabah (who disappears entirely from the second book), I can't think of anyone who wasn't, in some way, referred to (even if all it is is a reference to a meeting of the First Circle) and given a context in the story. The silence on Cassandra's whereabouts is a particularly brilliant descision. By saying practically nothing, Bishop manages to speak volumes about what's happening in that area of the story.
Unless it was missed, a slew of new characters were introduced in the second novel, and not all of them could take center stage for any span of time. It's a testament to the author's skill that a generally clear picture develops about everyone of importance. Slipping in references and nuances throughout the story, the plot remains tight and paced precisely without lacking reminders that there are more than a handful of lives in the balance, and that some of those are friends (even if little-seen.)
What Bishop manages is a terrific combination of breathtaking plot, complex character interaction, and not a few charmingly humorous scenes to balance the great weight of destiny that rushes the reader forward. She should be commended for this.

This novel occupied me. I read it very quickly, in about twelve hours, wanting to know what happened after 'Heir to the Shadows.' It made me very emotional in places. All of those are supposedly the marks of a great novel.
And yet...
I rated it three stars when all's said and done.
The good first:
Daemon Sadi is back. And his character has gotten a reworking that wouldn't have been possible if not for the traumatic events that happened to him in the first two books. I see now some of the reasons for his absence in 'Heir to the Shadows,' and they are good ones. He is the bang in the book, his insecurity and returning confidence great conduits for the reader's emotions. And his actions near the end of the book really deserve the name of the novel's climax, rather than what Jaenelle does. I have rarely seen such a skillful evocation of a character dancing on the line between good and evil. I won't reveal what it is, not wanting to get into spoilers, but this is the part in all the books that most played with my emotions, and yet left me breathless and happy afterward, instead of irritated that I'd been toyed with.
The other parts of the book were the whimper.
When the book begins, we have leapfrogged several years in time, and I will reveal this, since I don't think it spoils much of the plot of the book: Lucivar is married. This abruptly appears, and we don't get to see much of his wife or son, which makes the transition appear pointless. Lucivar was developed as a deep character in 'Heir to the Shadows,' and there seems no reason to abandon that. I never quite learned what the author was doing here.
The minor character problem has continued to pile up, so that I often flipped through the pages trying to reconcile a scene that didn't seem to make sense. Was this person the son of this woman, or her brother? Why was Character A so upset about Character B's action? One skill that Bishop does seem to lack is introducing large numbers of characters all at once. The book as a whole seems rushed, but the introduction or reintroduction of the characters especially so.
The problems with Jaenelle have deepened and intensified. I could accept her characterization through Daemon's point of view, since he is in love with her and not seeing her realistically. But the other characters continue to stare at her with religious awe. It is very strange. I still had the feeling that most of their awe was for her potential powers, rather than what she had actually done.
What Jaenelle actually does ends the book, and it was very disappointing to me. Where Daemon's ending kept me entranced, this made me almost close the book. Where I admired the emotions that Daemon's ending evokes, here I thought it was tears for the sake of tears. And the very, very last pages of the book seemed to be a shaky compromise between 'happy ending' and 'angsty ending.' Perhaps I'm alone in preferring one or the other, but if there's a compromise, let it be well-done. This didn't strike me that way.
It's hard to say whether I'm disappointed with the trilogy or not. I would definitely recommend reading it. However, I can't recommend it wholeheartedly, and especially not to people who need to sympathize with a female character to keep the plot moving forward. I've heard the series touted because of Jaenelle, but I don't think she ever achieves the status of real heroics; those are reserved for Saetan, Lucivar, and Daemon. So if you don't mind male characters in the lead, love odd societies and dark fantasies, and can deal with an ambivalent ending, I would say go for it. If not, perhaps best to leave these on the shelves.

Ms. Bishop has entranced her readers from the very beginning, with characters both dark and vulnerable and delightfully real. This is the final chapter of the Black Jewels chronicle, I know that Ms. Bishop was true to her characters and told their story to the best of her ability. That does not mean that I as a reader have to be completely happy about it.
When good triumphs over evil everyone cheers, but the triumph comes at a terrible cost for some characters we readers have come to feel incredible fondness for. Ms. Bishop did not take the easy way out, she did not give us a cookie cutter happy ending, but she told a story filled with hope, betrayal, dismay and love. I found the book difficult to read, only because I had grown so attached to the characters, but this IS the ending of THIS story. I hope you enjoy it.

Firstly, I would like to defend the ending of the book since I note that a lot of reviewers have complained about it. Well, I think the ending is fine. A little abrupt but it suits the tone of the book. I think if we just judge the book on the basis that it is a sword and sorcery book i.e. quest to save the world etc, the ending frankly sucks. However, this trilogy is the story of Jaenelle and how she grows and matures and finds true love. It is more of a fantasy of a girl who grows up to find acceptance after a harrowing childhood ( in the most ostentatious way possible; being all powerful.) Hence the ending (which I shall not spoil it for would-be readers), is an ending quite like, Gone With the Wind which pretty leaves the ending to the reader's imagination. On the other hand the action in the book is pretty choppy and we never quite delve into the other characters' psyche like we had in the earlier books. The tone is suitably dark, gory and morbid, but the reader gets the feeling that the story strongly revolves around Jaenelle (and her relationship with Daemon) and hence the writing uses her as a focal point. Any other plot/subplot that does not directly affect her is cursorily dealt with and then we return once more to her (and Daemon). Thusly, we do not see much action. Still, on the whole, the strength of the book lies in the fact that it is part of a trilogy. The series is entertaining and I would strongly reccommend it to anyone who likes a rather original dark-toned series.

I have really liked this trilogy. The first two books were wonderful and for the most part I enjoyed the last one, Queen of the Darkness. However, I have to agree with a previous reviewer concerning this book. The ending was completely rushed and as a result left me feeling slightly disappointed. Storylines the author created were sort of left hanging, especially dealing with Saetan and the other members of Jaenalle's Dark Court. I mean, what exactly happened to them and what will the future have in store for them? I was not expecting some sappy ending but I would have liked a more concrete one.
But like I said, for the most part I enjoyed this book. It was good to see what was happening with your favorite characters, especially Daemon, Lucifer and Surreal. At some parts I was laughing out loud and others feeling sad, especially toward the end when some characters were sacrificed for the good of the others. It left me moved. I have come to love the characters in this series and I think Bishop did a great job. Overall, this series was great. Definitely read it.

I finished reading queen of the darkness in two days. I lovedthe first half of the book, and some of the second half but i hatedthe part just before the end. I couldn't believe that Jaenelle could ask them to sacrifice that much, but at least she did too. For the most part, Daemon was almost always great, except there were a few places where he seemed to be out of character, eg. those times when he was afraid of Lucivar and when he fainted. That didn't sound like him to me. Lucivar was great! His whole family is great. Jaenelle, sometimes she doesn't seem like the Jaenelle that was in the first two books, she's changed a lot when it comes to ruling and killing these days. Does anyone else think that the woman on the cover looks a little to old to be twenty five? Surreal is the best; she's funny and she's always picking fights with the guys in the family, for after an upset with her name, she's become family. Chaosti, Khardeen and Aaron were mentioned a lot in this book compared to the other two and we learn what happened to them, ie marriage, children etc. but there are some people that we just don't see any more, except for one line appearences, which was really confusing and annoying. There are so many new people and they're not described enough for people to remember them by. One thing i don't understand fully is the ending, and since i can't say what happened here, if anyone could fill me in on exactly what they thought happened i'd be grateful. All in all, i loved this book, bar the end.

I have really liked this trilogy. The first two books were wonderful and for the most part I enjoyed the last one, Queen of the Darkness. However, I have to agree with a previous reviewer concerning this book. The ending was completely rushed and as a result left me feeling slightly disappointed. Storylines the author created were sort of left hanging, especially dealing with Saetan and the other members of Jaenalle's Dark Court. I mean, what exactly happened to them and what will the future have in store for them? I was not expecting some sappy ending but I would have liked a more concrete one.
But like I said, for the most part I enjoyed this book. It was good to see what was happening with your favorite characters, especially Daemon, Lucifer and Surreal. At some parts I was laughing out loud and others feeling sad, especially toward the end when some characters were sacrificed for the good of the others. It left me moved. I have come to love the characters in this series and I think Bishop did a great job. Overall, this series was great. Definitely read it.

I finished reading queen of the darkness in two days. I lovedthe first half of the book, and some of the second half but i hatedthe part just before the end. I couldn't believe that Jaenelle could ask them to sacrifice that much, but at least she did too. For the most part, Daemon was almost always great, except there were a few places where he seemed to be out of character, eg. those times when he was afraid of Lucivar and when he fainted. That didn't sound like him to me. Lucivar was great! His whole family is great. Jaenelle, sometimes she doesn't seem like the Jaenelle that was in the first two books, she's changed a lot when it comes to ruling and killing these days. Does anyone else think that the woman on the cover looks a little to old to be twenty five? Surreal is the best; she's funny and she's always picking fights with the guys in the family, for after an upset with her name, she's become family. Chaosti, Khardeen and Aaron were mentioned a lot in this book compared to the other two and we learn what happened to them, ie marriage, children etc. but there are some people that we just don't see any more, except for one line appearences, which was really confusing and annoying. There are so many new people and they're not described enough for people to remember them by. One thing i don't understand fully is the ending, and since i can't say what happened here, if anyone could fill me in on exactly what they thought happened i'd be grateful. All in all, i loved this book, bar the end.

everyone snarls. still, well done in terms of plot and characterization, though i would give character a B for consistency. it's actually the more minor characters who were more interesting to read; surreal, cassandra, lucivar. bishop gets an A++ for plot from me. as her reader, i could use more versatility in language, more lyricism in description, and more character development in the heroes of the novel.

Wow again, having just finished reading this 3rd (hopefully NOT the last) book in the Black Jewels trilogy I am left breathless, usually I space my serial reading out by reading other books in between but with this series I couldn't wait to read the next book and now like a true artist Ms Bishop has left me wanting more! Please, please let there be more books in this series or related to this series. I have also read the Invisible Ring.....in fact that book led me to purchase the first book of this series! Again, please let there be more books in this series!
I found the peripheral characters to be as interesting as the 4 main characters and am half way in love with both Daemon and Lucivar. Janelle as a child was delightful as an adult intriguing... I want to know how she recovers and where do they all go from here. The Kindred characters are also fascinating and their interaction with the ?human? characters is at times very funny.....just what I'd imagined how animals would view us if we could see inside their minds.

Anne Bishop is the BEST! I personally ran into thebookstore and obtained the first copy of the book before they even putit on the shelves. Queen is the last book in the Black Jewels Trilogy and I have been waiting months for it and I will say, it was well worth the wait! Jaenelle, Saetan, Daemon, Lucivar and all of our favorite characters were still as strongly written as in the first two books. Those of us who have been waiting for certain deaths will be pleased and many questions are resolved, new ones are also brought up so we will hopefully obtain further input from Anne in the near future. This is not a critical review analyzing the aspects of the book, but I will say this, Anne knows exactly how to control your emotions and you do not need an interpreter to help you read the book.

I love this series! The characters are amazingly well done, I feel like I would be able to pick them out on the street I know them so well. She does a wonderful job of drawing you in and needing to hear the rest of the story. From the very first book I couldn't put them down!

This book was soooo much better then her other ones. It wasn't like they were boring or anything but I just zoomed right trough this one because I needed to find out what happens. I think this was the most heart-touching book of all three. Deamon was so... well... he is realy cool and lives up to his name(sadist). He was always my favorite character because you'll never know what he is going to say or do next espaicaly in this book. Their is alot or romance in this book and that is what makes it even better and richer. Depressingly it is the last of this trigoly and it was a great ride while it lasted. I want to tell on the people who are unsure of buying these books to just get the books now! The first two are a little slow but the last one is a roller coaster. The best part is the evoltion of all the characters. You will lean to love every single word of this book. So don't get the books for me but do it because you know that you are going to love them.

I absolutely LOVE Ms. Bishop's first two books in the Black Jewels series, but the third book wasn't nearly up to the first two. It was an enjoyable read, but much of it was disjointed and seemed to me to be rather hastily thrown together... like she intended to end the series here, then changed her mind. I loved having everyone finally come together (especially nice to have Daemon back!) but it was nearly anticlimactic the way she wrote it. Like she just wanted to get everyone together, and she didn't care how. She seems to have lost a few people in the shuffle (namely Manny's husband), then found a few of them at the end (remember Cassandra?). This book is worth all the trouble and agony I went through to get it. Ms Bishop will take you on an adventure you will never want to end. The interaction of the people will have you alternately laughing and infuriated. A wonderful series, and I hope The Invisible Ring continues this story.

I recently finished reading The Dark Jewels Trilogy for the third time, and I have to say, it was just as good this time around as the first two. Anne Bishop has a willingness to deal with the dark side of life as well as the goodness without the squeamishness you find in most books, all the while making it all highly entertaining for her spellbound audience. I stumbled onto Daughter of the Blood about the time Heir to the Shadows was released, and I've been hooked on Ms. Bishop's work to the point that I've even read all of her short stories I can find. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is looking for something different, no matter what their normal taste in reading would be. I'm anticipating the release of The Invisible Ring with high expectations. Thank you, Ms. Bishop, for crafting such a superior story!

Daughter of the Blood was absolutely original, imaginative, and just plain terrific. Heir to the Shadows was not as much so, and Queen of the Darkness was even less so.
This trilogy had the promise of an original premise. The problem seems to lie in how the story "falls" together. The answers to some situations seem a bit too contrived and convenient. The so-called enemies seem a bit too weak to really pose any threat. New characters are thrown in haphazardly, and the old characters that had a role in the previous books have mysteriously disappeared, or have been reduced.
I wish the trilogy could have ended on a better note, but it was still a good story to read. Daughter of the Blood will always remain a classic on my list, I'm just sorry that the next two sequels will not. However, all things aside, Ms. Bishop displays great promise. I look forward to reading her other works.

Anne Bishop takes hold of her reader's very souls in the stunning conclusion to her fascinating Black Jewels Trilogy.
Jaenelle is no longer a child, but a grown woman with all the confusion to go with it, and Daemon, the man destined to be her consort, is finally making his way back to her after agonozing time spent lost in the Twisted Kingdom.
Not only is it the same wonderfully dark tale Bishop has been weaving in the previous two books, but a new element is added with the highly amusing encounters with Surreal and others of the dark court. It is truly increadible listening to her biting sense of humor and seeing beloved characthers reactions to it.
In short, through the tragedies of past and sadness of necessary sacrifices, Bishop pulls her trilogy to an end in an astoundingly fantastic way. Truly a worthy ending to a much loved series.

_Queen of the Darkness_ is a wonderful conclusion to the best dark fantasy trilogy I've ever read. Jaenelle has come into her full power, and her consort Daemon has returned from the Twisted Kingdom. They and Jaenelle's family and friends must fight against Dorothea SaDiablo's evil, possibly at grave cost to them and all of the Blood. Very highly recommended.

What a wonderful way to conclude an absolutely brilliant trilogy. Though the third book was great, I must admit that I enjoyed the first two quite a bit more. However, since there is no way you can miss the first two of the series('Daughter of the Blood' and 'Heir to the Shadows'), this conclusion is a must read. This book struck me as a bit cruder and more introspective than the previous ones. Compared to other books by other authors this book is unbelievable; compared to the first two in the trilogy, a little less so.
I loved 'Daughter of the Blood' and 'Heir to the Shadows' and I am grateful that I only found out about them recently so that I did not have too wait long before reading the conclusion 'Queen of the Darkness'. I won't mention how many places I contacted in order to get this book as soon as possible. It was worth the wait! Anne Bishop, please finish your next book 'The Invisible Ring' quickly! I can't wait to read it.

Ms. Bishops words to describe the voice that rises from the Darkness are the perfect ones to describe her novels. She pulls no punches, and these books are not for the squeamish. In Queen of the Darkness, she draws the threads she wove in the first two novels into a tangled web as entrapping, and sometimes as horrifying, as those which guard the Weavers of Dreams. The characters we've loved and hated so well are brought into startling focus, and facets of them which have only been hinted at are brought into full light. Throughout the book is the fascinating dance between Jaenelle and Daemon, Queen and Consort, Witch and Sadist. And when each displays their power in their full, dark glory... if I ever had to face one or the other unveiled, I could only pray it wouldn't be the Sadist!

I was so angry! Anne Bishop threw her characters together (and forgot some) and then expects us to call it an ending to the trilogy! I don't think so! Daughter and Heir were absolutely fabulous, but Queen left me seriously wanting more.
It was nice having Daemon back, and to get together with Jaenelle(finally), but there was none of the fire that was in the other books. And in Daemon and Jaenelle's relationship there was none of the charm that was in Daughter. The ending to Queen was absolutely horrible. Compared to Daughter and Heir, Queen was flat and lifeless. I seriously demand that she extend the trilogy.

Queen of the Darkness finishes the Black Jewels Trilogy with a bang. It sums up Bishops extreme talents and ability to have the world end but have your favorite characters have a good outlook to a happily ever after. There is a lot that happens in this book, lots of action and heart-throbbing decisions that could tear apart even the strongest bonds. I salute this book!

Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop is an excellent ending to the Black Jewels. It was one of the best books I've ever read, although I truthfully enjoyed Heir to the Shadows more, I was very pleased with the way Ms. Bishop ended the story, though I would have liked to know more about Daemon and Jaenelle. I cried so hard during the last few chapters of the book, when well loved characters sacrificed themselves for the good of the realm, it was beautiful. By the time I finished this trilogy, I honestly felt as though all of these people were my greatest friends in the world. This Trilogy is a MUST read!

This book was in a word magnificent. The intensity from beginning to end was wonderful and you felt the urgency of the characters on each page. The comedic moments were placed just right and all in all this book was fabulous I highly recommend this entire series.

I devoured the final book in the this amazing trilogy. It is jammed full of the same type of writing I enjoyed in the first two books. The only thing I disliked was that this trilogy was so good, I finished all three books in two days.

Who needs Carrie's rage? Jaenelle can wipe out an entire race. Some people think the ending is rushed, BUT I loved it. The absence of everyone in the end except for Jaenelle and Daemon makes you wonder if the other characters will have their own trilogy. Can you imagine Jaenelle's circle with a trilogy of their lives. Especially Karla. Now, that's a girl with balls. Noone else would have been so ballsy with Daemon or Uncle Saetan. I hope Anne does that. Her writing is spectactular. It's very intriging. Oh, I know maybe Anne could write about the kindred. That would be interesting.

Wonderful. For month's I've waited for the release of this title, and now that I've read it I can only sing it's praises. Ms. Bishop has once again demonstrated her ability to bring the noble, darker side of human nature to the fore. This piece is a masterwork, filled with humor and magic. But always reminding the readers that underneath it all lies a brilliantly dark and violent world.
Thank you Anne Bishop, for granting us all a look into this haunting world of your imagination. It is truly a Dream made Paper.