Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop – a Review

This trilogy is one of my favorite series.  I loved this trilogy, the characters we come to love, and the secondary characters and legendary animals, we love almost as much.  This is a super trilogy, but the first book, which Anne Bishop introduces us to this world, and to the characters, has a lot of darkness in it.  This led the way to the other books in the series, but book 2 & 3 lose most of the darkness, and become two of my most favorite books.

 Daughter of the Blood – book 1

Daughter of the Blood was totally not what I expected.  Bishop has created a world unlike anything I have seen yet.  It was a complex world, and totally different.  Her writing, how she creates characters that are dark, and in time makes you fall in love with them (at least some of them), was superb.  In the beginning, I was trying to absorb the worlds, the introductions of the characters, and the existence that made up of this world.  One thing that Bishop does with Black Jewels, is change the concept of most fantasies.  In this series, the women rule the worlds.  The Queen leads the matriarchy, with other queens or witches ruling men under them.  Also in this book, many of the powerful men are enslaved, become pleasure slaves, and are forced into obedience in an unusual way.  The women ruling these worlds have become corrupt over the years, and are cruel.

This is just the background, and as you get past trying to understand what this world is about, the story begins to unfold.  The three male protagonists you at first do not like, begins to change immediately, as you meet a 7 year old girl, who is destined to become a very powerful witch.  But you fall in love with this young girl…Jaenelle, and those men, some who you think have no heart, and strike fear into others (because of their torture), see into this young girl something they have been waiting for centuries, that will change their lives in the future…if they can keep her alive.  The effect she has, a mere child, on them is wonderful and you totally feel it too. 

The great thing about this book is that you find yourself falling in love or adoring some of those, who you expected to be totally bad, and make no mistake, they are capable of being horrific.  Besides Jaenelle, I totally fell for the Daemon (who was like an anti hero, whom you come to love), & Saetan (adored him), Surreal (a female warrior of a different type), Lucivar, and many good secondary characters.  Sure this book had dark parts, but also has some funny parts, and most amazingly in this type of book…..emotional parts.  Wheras, the dark parts can be horrific, such as the concept for young witches (children still) to suffer through virgin night, which could drive them into madness, child rapes, but unlike other fantasy books, you technically do not see this, therefore you do not suffer to read it.  The cruel men, who enjoy those games, and the Queens who enjoy the suffering they bestow on the men they enslave for their enjoyment, are the dark of this story.  I found it funny, that the enslaved men are loaned by the Queen give the married wives enjoyment, with the husband’s approval. Lol

This amazing ride takes you into the dark, then gets you emotionally involved, then the tension builds as you become invested in trying to save Jaenelle, who is the only one to be able change things for the better in the future,  if she survives, as the Queen and the High Priestess want her dead.   Daughter of the Blood ends partially, but with enough of a cliffhanger to force you to read the next book “Heir to the Shadows”. 

Heir to the Shadows – Book 2

Heir to the Shadows picks up pretty much where the first book left off.  There were such great characters in Daughter of the Blood, but this book introduces even more great characters whom you will come to enjoy.  “Heir to the Shadows” belongs to Jaenelle, as she is still healing and matures along the way. You will marvel at her powers, that even shock Saetan, who is one of the most powerful, if not the most.  Janelle’s life is always in danger, especially since she is still young, even now at 17. The beginning finally brings together Saetan, with the daughter of his soul, as he becomes her father…by choice. 

I can’t say enough about Anne Bishop, how she takes us on this adventure, through the dark parts, and brings forth all the love between Jaenelle, Saetan, and the rest of those who make up her new family.  As Jaenelle continues to heal, her friends come forth to spend the summer with her. The friends you never saw her visiting secretly in the first book, but knew she was meeting them all.  Meeting them (the coven) was a joy, that made this book so special, and an incredible trip.  The more you read, the more you became absorbed with the feelings, and thoughts of each character.  You laugh at Saetan’s reactions to her friends & to Jaenelle; his fears for Jaenelle on seeing her powers; you enjoy the banter between her friends, as well feeling their affection; you cry at some of terrible things done to her kindred or sacrifices along the way.  Bravo, Anne Bishop for bringing a range of emotion throughout this book.  Amazing.

Finally, almost midway, Lucivar comes forth and becomes a major part in the book.  Daemon has a small role in this book, but we know somehow, someway he will return in the next one.  Loved Lucivar, who loved Jaenelle from afar, hardly knowing her, while imprisoned and suffering; but he becomes the big brother & protector that will always stand by her, even if she does have so many. 

Where the first book was more dark and much torture, this book lightens up a lot, though again it must have its cruel events, and dark villains, it is still an easier and great read.  Sometimes second books of trilogies are not as good as the first, but this one to me continued the storyline and growth of Jaenelle so well, it surpassed the first book, and leads to the last book.  The last 1/3 of the book was sensational, very exciting, with heart shattering moments that pull you so deep into the story, that you feel you are experiencing it.  Saetan is such a wonderful character, watching him love Janelle, laugh at her, worry about her, and fear losing her, take the teasing from her friends or Lucivar, and he is the High Lord of Hell.  What a joy to read such great characters.

Queen of the Darkness – Book 3

“Queen of the Darkness” is the 3^rd book in Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels trilogy.  After I finished this book, I was totally hyped and couldn’t come down fast enough from an emotional read. “In “Queen of the Darkness”, the lighter, but intense story continues to an exciting and emotional ending. 

“Queen of the Darkness” is two parts.  Part 1 brings you back into the story, meeting all the wonderful people you became so attached to in the previous two books, as well as some new characters. It also brings the major pieces together, such as Daemon and Surreal to the family, and sets things up for the exciting Part 2, where choices have to made, to face the forthcoming battle against evil.  

Anne Bishop not only creates such wonderful leading characters, her secondary characters are just as lovable.  She has a way that brings them so close to your heart, and it’s almost like you are living within each of those characters. Of course, as in any story, she has her villains, and in this case they are women (some men); her 2 vicious villainess’ are as hated, as the others are loved. 

Upon finishing the Black Jewels trilogy, these wonderful characters that I have come to love, will stay with me:

Jaenelle– whom you meet at 7 years old, and know she is destined for greatness.  You will love her immediately and watch her mature from a child, to a young adult, to a young woman, and to WITCH.

 Saetan – He is the High Lord of Hell, as I said before, nothing like you would have imagined him to be.  He is a joy to watch throughout the entire series.  He is fun, humorous, and at the same time can be lethal.   But his love for the daughter of his soul, Jaenelle, and later on for his sons, his family, and her friends is so wonderful to be part of. 

Lucivar – So strong, funny, tough, a leader and loyal to his sister.  He knew early on that this child he briefly met would be someone in the future who will change his life forever. 

Daemon – He should go down as one of the best leading male characters in fiction.  He is strong, beautiful, and highly sexual.  He has a very cruel side (due to his horrific early days), and the wonderful emotional loving side (after he meets Jaenelle). Daemon fits the description of dark & light…love & hate. A very emotional ride throughout for him. 

The four of them complete each other.  But there are so many other characters you also come to care deeply about;  Surreal, Andulvar, Karla, Prothvar, Ladvarian, Kaelas, Graysfang, and of course the rest of her coven and their warlords.  You know you are in trouble, when you find yourself falling in love with Lord Ladvarian..one of the warlord heroes…………………………..a kindred dog…lmao…ahhhhh Ladvarian.  🙂

The last  third of the book was very exciting and tense, as Anne Bishop pulled everything out of her imagination to play with your emotions…hatred for those evil bitches, for what they were doing; sadness and tears for the sacrifices to be made to save the them all.  Surreal trying to teach Jaenelle how to kiss Daemon.…laughter;  Saetan dreaming..and all those characters who came to visit him in his dream to say goodbye….tears;  Surreal & her mother….crying vengeance against two of the most vile men..….cheers;  Daemon at the fountain….double tears;  Saetan hearing the wolves howling.…triple tears.  Then later came my Ladvarian….*grins* to bring some peace.

If I had to pick one thing that I would have changed..it is part of the ending.  Though it was a good ending, I would have liked to have enhanced it more with an epilogue or another chapter bringing some of them together as a group.  But that is me, I like those mushy endings.

Anne Bishop follows this trilogy with Dreams Made Flesh, which is 4 short stories in the Black Jewels.  The last story in the book, picks up after the end of Queen of the Darkness, and we get our answers. 

I am totally in awe of Anne Bishop, who took her time in telling us her story, and bringing us these wonderful characters, whom we were able to live through them.  She has created a heart rendering, beautiful story of a young child coming to greatness, and the devoted men and friends, who stood beside her against the evil.  Bravo… Bravo Anne Bishop.  Lastly, I have to say one more thing…………………”Mother Night!”   🙂

Reviewed by Barb