WRITTEN IN RED by Anne Bishop-Cover Reveal
TITLE: Written in Red
SERIES: Novel of the Others
AUTHOR: Anne Bishop
RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2013
Written in Red (Novel of the Others #1) by Anne Bishop-Cover Reveal
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Interview with Anne Bishop
Interview with Anne Bishop
The Reading Café and Bodice Rippers Femme Fatales are happy to welcome the wonderful Anne Bishop to our sites. Many of you already know some of Anne’s work, as we have posted some reviews of all three of her series. Without further ado, let us begin the interview.
TRC/BR: Our first few questions are probably one that you have been asked many times, but there are new readers to the world of fantasy and the paranormal who do NOT know the world of Anne Bishop.
Can you tell us something about yourself? A little biographical background into the ‘real’ Anne Bishop?
AB: I live in upstate New York and have a small herd of indoor unicorns. In the summer I putter in the garden, and in the winter I listen to music and watch DVDs to catch up on television shows I missed. And I try to read a few pages of something every day. Since I spend a lot of time writing stories, the real me leads a quiet life.
TRC/BR: Many authors start to write as children and teens, getting a feel for the rhythm of story lines and characters. When did you first begin to write? Have you always had a fascination with the world of the paranormal and fantasy?
AB: I probably started getting the feel for stories and characters before I knew how to form letters and write words. My interest then was in Westerns and animal stories. Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone was most likely my first exposure to the strange and eerie side of stories. I do remember writing some eerie Western stories around the time I was in junior high school, as well as teenage witch stories.
Ephemera
TRC/BR: Tell us about Bridge of Dreams, book #3 of the Ephemera series, which is expected to be released this month (March 2012). We do know it is about Lee.
AB: It is about Lee, but it’s also about Danyal, who is a Shaman in the city of Vision, and Zhahar, who comes from a race called the Tryad. There is a saying in Vision: Is the sight that matters most the kind that is seen with the eyes or with the heart? That is a question Lee, Danyal, and Zhahar have to answer as part of their personal journeys. Danger is hidden, and the city of Vision as well as Zhahar’s people may be lost if Lee and the others can’t find a way to see the enemy.
TRC/BR: What made you decide to do a novella “The Voice”, a month prior to the release of Bridge of Dreams?
AB: The first line of the story–“They called her The Voice because she had none”–haunted me for a long time. A few years ago, the story that had been forming around that first line emerged, and I wrote it. I wasn’t sure what to do with an Ephemera story that size, so I put it away, but the idea of going back to the city of Vision stayed with me. When I thought about Lee’s journey and where it might take him, Vision was waiting for me. Because the novella takes place in the same landscape as the novel and has some of the same characters, I showed the story to my editor. I was thrilled that we were able to offer it as a kind of prequel in ebook and audiobook formats.
TRC/BR: Is Bridge of Dreams the end of the Ephemera series?
AB: I don’t have a particular storyline in mind at the moment, but it doesn’t feel like the end. Ephemera has possibilities yet to be explored.
TRC/BR: Belladonna left things open for Glorianna and the Eater of the World. Will we see a happy ending for her?
AB: We see more of her journey, and while I don’t think it would be considered a typical happy ending, I feel good about where the journey is taking her.
TRC/BR: How did you come up with the idea of Ephemera, it’s heroine- Glorianna Belladonna, and it’s world?
AB: Like all of my stories, many ideas and pieces have to come together over months–and sometimes years–to create a place. At the time the first seeds for Ephemera were taking root, I was reading some self-help/psychology books, and I was intrigued by the idea that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. I pondered what would happen if that idea was literal–that a person lived in landscapes that were a reflection of his or her own heart. Then there was the idea that in the twilight of waking dreams it would be possible to cross over to a kind of dreamscape that was another world. That got me far enough to rough out a short story about an incubus named Sebastian who lived in a place called the Den of Iniquity. And while I was pondering this character named Sebastian and how he came to live in a place like the Den, I found his cousin Glorianna Belladonna and the Landscapers. The idea of dreamscapes became transformed into a world of landscapes called Ephemera, and I slowly learned its broken history. I found Lee and Nadia and Lynnea and Teaser and the Eater of the World. Once I had found that much, the only way to learn more was to tell their story. Since I’m an organic writer, the story grew out of the characters and the choices they made, and the characters grew out of the story, which, in turn, helped shape the world.
Black Jewels Series
TRC/BR: What was your inspiration for The Black Jewels series? Did you have an outline where you knew in what the direction the story would evolve?
AB: Keep in mind that it’s been 25 years since I began playing with the ideas that evolved into the Blood and the Realms. Inspiration? Lots of things. Reading fantasy stories that had a dark wizard and his army led me to wondering how the story might look from his point of view, and that led to wondering what a culture would be like if its roots began in the dark images of fantasy and mythology. Reading about sexual practices throughout history led to playing with gender reversal for some of the sexual mores. Wanting a blend of romance and fantasy combined with an adult kind of grittiness began my shaping of the Blood and their culture. Playing with the idea of animals having the same kind of magic as humans was the first step to the kindred. From there it was creating races and daydreaming scenarios to see how the Blood’s society played out; watching characters develop or, like the High Lord, simply appear. And then one day I looked at this complex, dark society where so much of the Blood’s survival depended on the strongest acting with honor and wondered what would happen if things went wrong. That’s when all those ideas and characters clicked into place. At that point, I had a father and his estranged sons, and I had a three-part story of what happens when a child comes into their lives who has the power to change their world–if she can survive to maturity. So three years after that first idea surfaced, I began writing the story that became the Black Jewels Trilogy. There wasn’t an outline. I’m a very organic writer. I knew the three story arcs. I wrote the story to find out how the characters reached those points in their lives.
TRC/BR: The world of The Black Jewels and its characters tend to ride the spectrum from light to dark, in varying shades of personality. For example, Daemon Sadi. We see him as a man capable of most vial acts, yet he is a gentle, loving son, brother and husband. He will kill to protect the one’s he loves, sadistically torture those who would threaten his family and then breakdown in tears at the feet of his father. How do you develop a character such as Daemon Sadi?
AB: How do you develop such a character? I don’t know. Daemon was a gift from the Muse. That spectrum of emotion he shows is, in large part, a reflection of Daemon being a Warlord Prince. The Blood have a dark, violent culture that demands a strong code of honor in order for the majority of people to survive the strongest among them. In that sense, Daemon Sadi is an example of his society and his caste. But he is also a result of his own brutalization in childhood, which provided him with the examples and the tools to become a sadistic kind of predator.
TRC/BR: In Daughter of the Blood, there is an intimate moment between Saetan and the ‘daughter of his soul’- Jaenelle- an almost ethereal moment, where the reader wonders if Saetan would have pursued a relationship with Jaenelle when she reached adulthood, even though he knew that Jaenelle was fated as Daemon’s mate. Had you ever considered Saetan as Jaenelle’s love interest?
AB: Never. From the moment those characters appeared, Daemon was always the lover and Saetan was always the father. There is a sensuality to Saetan and Jaenelle’s relationship because he is a Warlord Prince and she is a Queen, and also because the Blood are who and what they are. And sometimes he is envious of the relationship Daemon has with her. But Saetan was promised a daughter in Cassandra’s vision and he understood from the beginning that Jaenelle needed a father who would be her protector, so he drew a line that he never crossed.
TRC/BR: The SaDiablo men have all been tortured, yet grew into loving and caring men (although their demons still rode them hard). How difficult is it to write and think about the torture these beautiful men endured..at the hands of such evil women?
AB: I was able to write those scenes by knowing that the Black Jewels was and is, at its core, a love story, so I knew the men would survive the bad stuff and be all right in the end.
TRC/BR: Twilight’s Dawn neatly wrapped up several storylines, but 70 years in the life of Daemon and Jaenelle are missing. We understand you had many readers wanting to know what happened to Daemon and Jaenelle, and Twilight’s Dawn was the book you wrote to let the fans know about their life. If and when will you consider writing more about these wonderful characters? Have you any plans at the moment to continue this series?
AB: Right now all of my creative energy is going into the new series, and the Black Jewels characters are resting, as they have at other times. I don’t know what will come from that fallow time. When other stories are ready to be told, they tend to rise to the surface of my awareness.
TRC/BR: Luciver’s storyline and background was only a short story in Dreams Made Flesh , although he has been included in most of the other books. And now that Daemon and Surreal have a daughter, have you considered writing a new series, based on the next generation of the SaDiablo family?
AB: Daemonar has expressed some interest in being in a story, but not until he’s older.
TRC/BR: How did you come up with the haunted house theme in “Tangled Webs”. It was a fun story, yet so different from the other books.
AB: Having read a lot of mysteries, I thought it would be fun to write a locked room mystery. That idea drifted around for quite a while. And the idea of doing a story that spotlighted Surreal was also drifting in the part of my mind that holds the stories. And then one autumn, while looking at Halloween decorations and signs for haunted house amusements, I wondered what the Blood would do as an equivalent. Then I wondered what Jaenelle would do as an equivalent and how everyone else would respond. That’s when all those different ideas began to come together as a potential Black Jewels story.
TRC/BR: The Shadow Queen and Shalador’s Lady was a wonderful continuation in the Black Jewels series. What made you decide to create a new storyline with Cassie and Gray as the leads.?
AB: I have a scribbled story idea about Theran that dates back to the time I was writing The Invisible Ring. But that’s all I had for a long time: Theran bringing a Queen from Kaeleer to Dena Nehele after the purge. So we’re talking about a gestation period that lasted for years before a story began to emerge. I thought Cassidy and Theran would be together, but when I started working on the story and the personalities emerged, I realized they didn’t like each other. And then Gray showed up, and he was so right for Cassie. And then Vae showed up. And Ranon. From there the story grew from what those characters wanted or needed, especially when those wants and needs were in conflict. I also wanted to do a story about Blood who weren’t the high-powered aristos like the SaDiablo family. I had originally thought Daemon, Jaenelle, and the rest of their family would be secondary players. I should have known better, but I thought that. Instead their story was interwoven into Cassie and Gray’s story. So the initial thought for the story occurred years before the first line was written, and by then, as typically happens, it wasn’t really the same story at all. It was so much more.
TRC/BR: How did you come up with the wonderful Kindreds? They were great in the trilogy, but also added so much humor in Shalador’s Lady.
AB: Ladvarian was one of the first characters to emerge when the Realms and the Blood were taking shape. He’s a Sceltie. I got herded into bringing in more races of kindred. What else can I say?
TRC/BR: Who are your favorite characters for The Black Jewels series and why?
AB: Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar. The Black Jewels Trilogy was a love story about the price a person is willing to pay for a dream. Different kinds of love, but the story was shaped around the relationship those three men had with Jaenelle.
TRC/BR: Which character holds a ‘special’ place in your heart and why?
AB: Daemon Sadi. Why? Because he’s Daemon.
Tir Alainn
TRC/BR: How did you come up with the story of Tir Alainn and the Fae’s.
AB: Again, a long gestation. When I started thinking about what I wanted to write after the Black Jewels Trilogy and The Invisible Ring, I knew I wanted a different kind of magic, and using earth magic as the basis for it appealed to me. That led me to thinking in terms of a more traditional kind of witch, and that led to thoughts about the persecution of those who are different, and that led to bringing in the shadow of the Inquisition. A cloud formation on the horizon was the inspiration for the world where the Fae lived. And that began the process of considering the details of the world and the limitations of the magic, and how the Fae traveled from Tir Alainn to the mortal world, and who the characters were. And when Morag the Gatherer appeared, the relationship between witches, humans, Fae, and Inquisitors began to fall into place.
TRC/BR: Tir Alainn had one of the most vile characters in Adolpho–the Witch’s Hammer. How hard was it to write some of the horrific things he did in this trilogy?
AB: When I’m writing a story and am in a character’s point of view, I have to see with his eyes and believe what he believes while I’m working on that scene. So from Aldopho’s point of view, nothing he did was horrific. That said, after the Tir Alainn trilogy was published, I’ve never been able to go back and read one of the scenes that was from Adolpho’s point of view. I skip over them when I pick up any of the books to visit the characters.
TRC/BR: Will you ever go back to Tir Alainn? Will we ever get to see what happens to Ari & Neall, and their daughter? Selena and Liam? Breanna and Falco?
AB: I hope so. I circle back to them to see if anything resonates in a way that tells me there is a story close to the surface. So far, the world of the Fae has been quiet.
TRC/BR: Our hearts broke when Morag was killed, is there any chance of her coming back, if you did another story?
AB: Again, I hope so, but I won’t know until the story chooses to be written.
Miscellaneous
TRC/BR: We hear you are doing a new series, with a change in genres for you….Urban Fantasy. Can you tell us a bit about this new series, and how did you come up with doing Urban Fantasy.
AB: I’ve enjoyed reading Urban Fantasy for a number of years and thought I would like to try a story about shape-shifters and vampires someday. I carried that thought around for several years, gathering pictures and making notes about things that resonated with that forming world. When I pondered what I wanted to write after finishing Twilight’s Dawn, the ideas for place and story came together, and the characters said “Our turn.” As for the series, it’s a contemporary urban setting, but it’s not Earth, so that world and the story have shaped themselves around each other. There are two books planned for these characters right now, which is great because I’m having a lot of fun with them.
TRC/BR: Who were your favorite characters in each series?
AB: Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar from the Black Jewels, Sebastian and Glorianna from Ephemera, Ashk and Morag from Tir Alainn, and Simon and Meg from the new series.
TRC/BR: What are you working on today?
AB: I’m working on the first book in the new series, which is due in March.
TRC/BR: Do you have any plans to publish a book of short stories, involving all your different series?
AB: I haven’t yet written short stories in all the series. I may do a collection of my short fiction someday, but that’s still in the future.
Thank you Anne, for taking the time to talk with us. This has been a wonderful interview. We all wish you the best with your release of Bridge of Dreams, and look forward to your new series.
To learn more about Anne, you can visit her at the following sites:
http://www.annebishop.com
www.facebook.com/darkrealms
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞GIVEAWAY∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
The Reading Cafe and Anne Bishop are offering a GIVEAWAY to two (2) of our eligible members. 2 eligible members will each receive ONE signed copy of one of Anne’s books.
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT
1. You MUST be a member of The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, register today.
2. The giveaway is open to registered members in Canada and US only.
3. Giveaway dates March 14 to March 17, 2012-Winners to be announced on March 18, 2012
4. Bridge of Dreams OR Twilight’s Dawn (sorry no choice)
Anne Bishop Biography and Book Listing
Anne Bishop – Biography/Book Listing/ Artwork
Anne Bishop Biography
Anne Bishop is the New York Times bestselling author of Bridge of Dreams, as well as fourteen other novels, including the award-winning Black Jewels Trilogy. Recent stories include The Voice: An Ephemera Novella, and A Strand In the Web, which will appear in the anthology Stranded (August 2012). Her books have been translated into several languages including Czech, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Polish, and Russian. She recently completed the first book in a new urban fantasy series. When she’s not writing, Anne enjoys gardening, reading, and music. You can visit her at www.annebishop.com.
Anne Bishop Book List
Black Jewels – Realms of the Blood
Daughter of the Blood — paperback 1998/trade paperback 2007
Heir to the Shadows — paperback 1999/trade paperback 2007
Queen of the Darkness — paperback 2000/trade paperback 2007
The Black Jewels Trilogy omnibus edition — 2003
The Invisible Ring — paperback 2000/trade paperback 2008
Dreams Made Flesh — trade paperback 2005/paperback 2006
Tangled Webs — hardcover 2008/paperback 2009
The Shadow Queen — hardcover 2009/paperback 2010
Shalador’s Lady — hardcover 2010/paperback 2011
Twilight’s Dawn — hardcover 2011/paperback 2012
Ephemera – The Landscapes of Ephemera
SEBASTIAN — hardcover 2006/paperback 2007
Belladonna — hardcover 2007/paperback 2008
Bridge of Dreams — hardcover 2012/paperback 2013
The Voice – eSpecial novella 2012
Tir Alainn – The World of the Fae
The Pillars of the World — paperback 2001
Shadows and Light — paperback 2002
The House of Gaian — paperback 2003
Mossy Creek
Summer in Mossy Creek — trade paperback 2003
Chanandra’s Special Artwork for Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Characters
The Reading Cafe wants to thank Chanandra for allowing us to post her wonderful artwork on many of the Black Jewels characters. This tribute is for Anne Bishop from The Reading Cafe and Chanandra.
Jaenelle and Daemon
Lucivar Yaslana
Karla Surreal
Gabrielle 
Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop (New Release) – a Review
Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop – a Review
Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop, is the third book in her Ephemera series. The first two books were Sebastian and Belladonna. A lot was left open in Belladonna, when she stopped the Eater of the Word, at a large cost to her soul, where her heart split into two..good & evil. But Michael saved her at the end, but still a long way from recovering, if she ever will. Bridge of Dreams picks up pretty much after the end of Belladonna.
If you are reading this, and do not understand what is Ephemera? It is another one of Anne Bishop’s fascinating worlds. The world of Ephemera is divided into many different landscapes, mostly small and disconnected from each other. There are bridges that connect some of the places, all by the discretion of the Landscaper who builds them. The landscapes in Ephemera are driven by the hearts of the people who live there, and those hearts are both good (light) and evil (dark). The landscaper can help control the world. But most of the Landscapers were killed by the Eater of the World, and all that remains is Glorianna Belladonna, who is the most powerful of them all. With just thought, or talking to Ephemera, she can change this world.
Lee, who is a Bridge and Belladonna’s brother, is the hero in this story. Though we will see many of our favorites from the first two books, such as Sebastian, Michael, Nadia, Lynnea, Yoshani, Teaser, Caitlin, as well as Glorianna Belladonna, who plays a major part in this book too. Lee, who is still upset, that he could not help his sister, when she took on the dark to save the world, as he has a hard time dealing with her two halfs. He also feels that he is losing his sister to her lover, Michael. Lee keeps his distance, and others in the family, including Glorianna see him pulling away.
Walking alone doing his rounds, Lee is attacked by the evil wizards that are still alive or not locked up where Belladonna left them. He recognizes that they are looking to find Belladonna, so Lee does what he must do to save his sister and mother. Using his powers, he cuts his ties to Ephemera, and his sister and sends himself and his attackers away. He ends up in Vision, a city that cannot see the evil wizards destroying their city, as it slowly being taken over by the dark wizards. Lee, is blinded and drugged by the wizards who captured him, and he is locked away in Asylum. There he meets Danyal, who is a Shaman, that was recently assigned to Vision to help save it. Lee also meets and falls in love with Zhahar, who is hiding a big secret.
Danyal is different then most Shamans, who have failed to prevent the dark evil from spreading in Vision. With Zhahar’s help, and her sisters, they convince Danyal to help Lee. The key is for all of them to escape and find their back to Belladonna, and his family to get assistance to help stop the evil in Vision.
Anne Bishop has a wonderful way of creating new characters, new worlds that are mind boggling. In this book, she has created a new race, called Tryad’s. Zhahar is a Tryad, who are three into one. Very interesting and I really did enjoy this new, yet almost impossible race. I liked Zhahar, and her other two sisters, Zeela and Sholeh. They play a major part of this story, especially when they all go back to the Den and Sanctuary.
Glorianna Belladonna, Lee, Danyal (with help from Yoshani) and the Tryads are the focus of this story. The ending was very good, as you couldn’t put the book down to find out what happens. You marvel at Belladonna’s powers; enjoy how she and Lee make up, even have fun with their mud fight; you totally thrown, as to how the Tryad’s live and how could Lee and Zhahar have a life together? There is an ending that satisfies some things, but so many questions are left open. My original thought when reading this series, was this was the end. But with so many questions still to be answered, such as Lee and Zhaher and her sisters; the remaining Dark guides and wizards; is Ephmera safe forever from the Eater of the World, (who did not appear in this book).
I loved Belladonna, and how you can see both sides of her, and how she is working to control her dark side. Love her closeness to her family, Michael, Nada, Sebastian, Lynnea, and to Lee. Love her ability to talk to Ephemera, who was the wild child. Loved how Ephemera would talk back to her, Michael…those were fun and precious moments. This is a complex world though, as most of Anne Bishop’s worlds are. You do need to read the first two books to really understand the story, and what is Ephemera. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and hope Anne Bishop will continue the series, as I feel there are still some open questions.
Reviewed by Barb
Sebastian & Belladonna – Reviews
Sebastian & Belladonna – Reviews
Ephemera Series by Anne Bishop
Since I really love Anne Bishop’s wonderful characterization, as well as her amazing creations of different fantasy worlds, I started reading her Ephemera series. The first book was Sebastian, with Belladonna the second book. The third book of this series “Bridges of Dreams” was just released last week.
Sebastian – Book 1
Sebastian started a bit slow for me, but mostly because this was a completely different world, though most of what Bishop does is different; and this was way different then the previous series. I did like some of the characters she was introducing, but was not crazy about the villain, Eater of the World. Maybe because the villain represents many vicious types of bugs or whatever, and I hate bugs. Lol so this creeped me out a bit.
The world of Ephemera is divided into many different landscapes, mostly small and disconnected from each other. There are bridges that connect some of the places, all by the discretion of the Landscaper who builds them. The landscapes in Ephemera are driven by the hearts of the people who live there. Needless to say, some are the good side..light, and others are dark. The Eater of the World, had been locked in one landscape for centuries, and now has escaped to begin his dark deeds to capture and destroy all of Ephemera.
Sebastian is the hero of this book, but the main heroine is Glorianna Belladonna, who is a rogue landscaper, but the most powerful of her kind. She is the only one who could possibly beat the dark, as she is pure good and truly the heart of Ephemera. The wizards are portrayed as bad, since they want to destroy Glorianna, as they are afraid of her powers. Sebastian is her cousin, and he is an incubus, who lives in a demon landscape made by Glorianna for him and those like him. They are not bad, just demons who need a place for themselves. But Sebastian, finds his true love…Lynnea and begins to change, and realize his own powers.
Though the story was slow a bit early on, with all the confusing landscapes, and meeting all the characters, as well as seeing how bad this monster was. The last half of the book was so much better. I really enjoyed Sebastian’s romance with Lynnea, loved his relationships with his family (Nadia, Lee and Glorianna), his friendships (Teaser, Philo) in his landscape (Den of Iniquity), who they became dependent on him as their leader. It was a good story with an exciting ending. I really did enjoy this great ending.
I look forward to reading Belladonna, because Glorianna is a great character, which Bishop does so well in all her books.
Belladonna – Book 2
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were a lot of great parts, fun parts, and the bad stuff was more distant then in the first book. Belladonna kept my interest throughout the book and the last half I had a hard time putting it down.
I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the main characters (family & friends), such as Nadia, Sebastian, Lynnea, Yoshani, Teaser, Caitlan, Bridget. The main characters in this book were Glorianna and Michael, and though I really liked them, I felt there could have been a little more emphasis on their romance. I really liked Glorianna, she was the ultimate heroine, who had the world on her shoulders; the one to help everyone, be there for everyone, her strong love for her family, and be willing to sacrifice her life to save them all. She didn’t have time to fall in love, and though she did love with Michael; they teased a bit, and at no time did they really let us enjoy their budding romance. Michael was more descriptive of his love even before he met her, and you see that throughout. But she is hesitant knowing what she must do, and her brother and cousin were totally against Michael. I just feel there could have been more for their romance, much like Sebastian had with Lynnea.
The end was great, and Michael’s love for Glorianna, as well as Sebastian’s love for her, is what saves her, and that was emotional. I thought overall the book was fun, exciting, with great writing. Bishops worlds are totally mind-boggling, and at times confusing. I loved almost all of the characters in the book.
I find it totally amazing how Anne Bishop can create such strange and different worlds and pull you totally in. Bishop is an excellent writer, she creates these complex worlds, and has the ability to give us the wonderful characters that she creates. At the end of Belladonna, we can see things left open for the next book. The eater of the world was still locked in the landscape, but near the end, he found a tiny ‘hearts hope’ plant, so he can conceivably find a way out. Lee is part of the threesome, and he was conspicuously absent near the end. Glorianna wasn’t totally right yet, and her and Michael needed more closure. I can see all of this coming to play in Bridge of Dreams.
Reviewed by Barb
TWILIGHT’S DAWN by Anne Bishop-a review
TWILIGHT’S DAWN by Anne Bishop
Continuing our reviews on feature author Anne Bishop
TWILIGHT’S DAWN released in March 2011 was the final entry in Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series, but rumor abounds that Twilight’s Dawn was written to appease the readers and fans of the series. Many readers questioned what happens to Jaenelle and Daemon, Satan, Lucivar and Surreal, and Twilight’s Dawn was written to answer those questions. Many readers were pleased with the release, especially those hoping for a revelation or resolution to their many questions, but other readers have more questions. Twilight’s Dawn is a four-part anthology leading up the The Highlord’s Daughter.
WINSOL GIFTS
Winsol Gifts is a lighthearted look at what would be considered the Winter Solstice or the celebration of the Christian Christmas. Anne writes a happy storyline where the Sa Diablo family, work their way through the ups and downs of the preparations for the celebration. We are privy to Daemon’s first true Winsol with Jaenelle, Saetan’s first Winsol dance with Jaenelle as both the daughter of his heart and his daughter-in-law, Tersa’s worry about secrets and surprises, and the love of a father, so powerful, that it will bring his sons to tears. There are many whose families no longer care or who have left this plain of existence, and the celebration of Winsol, will bring everyone, including those considered family by blood, by heart and by choice together for a week-long celebration of life and love.
SHADES OF HONOR
Shades of Honor takes place before the events in The Shadow Queen. Both Surreal and Rainier are recovering from injuries sustained, but where Surreal was in denial about her injuries, Rainier is denial about his recovery. And Surreal’s hope to forget the past, is addressed by Witch, who points out that Surreal did everything she could, but death and injury are not avoidable at all times.
Focusing on recovery and defensive techniques, Lucivar endures the trials and tribulations of teaching and training those closest, as well as those guarding the Prince, but contracts must be honored, and as the Prince of Ebon Rih, Lucivar must resign himself to his duties over the people’s of Ebon Rih. Preventing blood-shed and keeping the community together, Lucivar must reign in his love for family and exact a posture where no one will question his authority.
FAMILY
Family’s storyline involves Sylvia and her young boys. Targeted by predators, Sylvia suffers greatly at the hands of a would-be assassin, her children are missing and Beron’s vocal chords are all but destroyed to prevent him from speaking out about what he saw. But healing the body is difficult and healing the mind can be worse. Daemon and Jaenelle make it their mission to exact revenge for the Queen of Halaway, and Saetan’s love for a friend, will break your heart
THE HIGH LORD’S DAUGHTER
The High Lord’s Daughter is the culmination of a build-up towards an end. Whether this particular novella is the end, or the answer to so many questions, but for many it wasn’t what everyone expected.
Jaenelle is Witch, and therefore not one of the long-lived races, and in the opening lines, we discover that Jaenelle has died following 70 years with Daemon. Daemon has difficulty with the loss of his wife and mate, but made a promise to Jaenelle to end his period of mourning following one year, is met with trepidation and sorrow.
17 years later, Daemon still suffers the anguish and heartbreak of Jaenelle’s death, and comes to the realization that his father has suffered as well. Saetan Sa Diablo, the Highlord of Hell, has chosen to become one of the demon-dead and finally entering the final death. But secrets reveal that Daemon has not been as honest with the others as well, and his position of The High Lord comes as a surprise to everyone.
Seeking solace through their loss Surreal and Daemon find comfort in each other’s arms, but fate plays a role, when Surreal discovers she is pregnant with Daemon’s daughter. Never having children with Jaenelle, and worried that Surreal will not grant parental rights at her Birthright Ceremony, Daemon risks the memory of Jaenelle, and asks Surreal for her hand in marriage.
The High Lord’s Daughter focuses on Daemon and Surreal’s daughter Jaenelle Saetien, named for both Jaenelle Angelline and Saetan Sa Diablo. Laughing through the trials of raising a young witch, who has many of the same qualities and abilities as the former Jaenelle we watch as the kindred gather once again, and a secret friend whispers of powers beyond her years. Worried that Jaenelle Saetien is the re-incarnation of Daemon’s true love, Surreal must ask the question of Tersa, and come to the realization that Jaenelle Saetien may be more than just a witch….but Dreams Made Flesh…the dreams of Daemon, the dreams of Surreal and the dreams of Witch.
Twilight’s Dawn will be released in paperback March 2012
Reviewed by Sandy
The Reading Cafe has a discovered a wonderful artist, who has agreed to allow us to post her wonderful artwork on many of the Black Jewels characters. Over the next few days, we will be adding Chanandra’s work to some of our reviews. Thank you, Chanandra for your fabulous work, which in itself is a tribute to Anne Bishop.
SURREAL SA DIABLO by Chanandra
DAEMON SADI SA DIABLO by Chanandra
You can find Chanadra’s art at DeviantART
The Shadow Queen & Shalador’s Lady – a Combined Review
The Shadow Queen & Shalador’s Lady – a Combined Review
As we continue with our feature on Anne Bishop, we will stay in the world of Black Jewels. The combined review of The Shadow Queen and Shalador’s Lady picks up some time after the trilogy ended, and focuses on a new heroine and hero. However, do not be mislead, you will continue to see Jaenelle, Daemon, Lucivar and Saetan play a big role in these two books. These two books are excellent additions to the Black Jewels series. Especially Shalador’s Lady, which is exceptional.
The Shadow Queen
The Shadow Queen continues in the world Anne Bishop created in the Black Jewels trilogy, but introduces new characters, a new heroine; this becomes her story, which will be followed by Shalador’s Lady. The Shadow Queen introduces us to Cassidy, the heroine in this story, and we also get to continue to enjoy seeing Jaenelle, Saetan, Daemon and Lucivar again. Anne Bishop, as I have said before has an uncanny ability to create great new characters, and she does not disappoint in The Shadow Queen. Cassidy, a former Queen, who lost her court, due to her not being pretty enough, to another prettier Queen, was asked by Jaenelle to go to Terreille, and become Queen to a territory (Dena Nehele) that needed help to rebuild. Despite her lack of confidence, Cassidy agrees to help for a minimum of a year. She is accompanied by Vae, a female kindred dog. Lol Vae is one little bitch lady, and handles all the men very well. Lol cutely done.
Some of the characters we meet are Theran Greyhaven, who is the one who asked the SaDiablo family for help; Gray (Jared Blaed Greyhaven), Theran’s cousin, who is mentally unstable due to being tortured as a young boy; Randon (Warlord), and Shira (Black Widow witch). I did not like Theran, as he was ill mannered, and did not care much for Cassidy, as she wasn’t pretty enough for him. But I loved Gray, loved how he comes out of his shell to eventually and shyly love Cassie. Great story leading to a romance for the future, and Gray’s possible emergence as a Warlord. Cassidy, having learned how a Queen should act from her days with the coven, and the protocol (which Vae is an expert in) that is required, eventually earns the respect of those she has chosen as her first court, as well as the landen people (non blood). She, if given the chance will make a great Queen. But again, there is Theran, who makes her life difficult, though he is not evil. In fact, this is an easy book to read, as we see very little evil.
The love story between Jaenelle and Dameon continues, and Lucivar Yaslana continues to be to me……………’sigh’…need I say more.
The ending of The Shadow Queen was nice, but was left somewhat open, as when Cassidy was finally going to meet the lower territory Queens to work with her, you never got to see that. In this case, Bishop showed she was trying to leave it open for the next book. I enjoyed this book, the stories with Cassidy and the stories back home in Kaeleer with the SaDiablo family (whom I will never have enough of), made it fun.
Shalador’s Lady
I loved this book, and I would have to rate this book close to Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness (book 2 & 3 of Black Jewels trilogy). Anne Bishop continues to amaze me what a great storyteller she is. As I have said before, her characterizations are wonderful, and you truly do get to know most of the main characters. At the start of the Black Jewels trilogy, I fell in love with Jaenelle, Saetan, Lucivar, Daemon and Surreal. Over time, Bishop has brought in different characters to lead the new stories, and yet she amazingly continues to allow us to see our much loved favorites continually in these stories, without interfering with the current storyline.
Shalador’s Lady was such a fun book, with many of the characters (Cassie, Gray, Ranon, Talon, Shira, Theran) whom you met in The Shadow Queen, but this book was far better. The villain in this book, is not dark, but petty, selfish, pretty young girl (Kermilla), who thought only of herself and used her feminine wiles to get her way. In fact the entire book was not dark at all. Cassie is again the heroine, who had to fight her lack of confidence and felt threatened by the pretty Kermilla, and of course the stubborn and stupid Theran (who refused to see Cassie as the good Queen, but only saw the pretty Kermilla). The story endears you to Cassie, as she tries to win the trust of her court, warlords, witches, villages, by helping them rebuild from the destruction (that took place in the early Black Jewels trilogy. It’s a good story of friendship, trust, and love. Gray (Jared Blaed) turned out to be a great hero, and Cassie’s true love. Excellent romance.
But two things separated this book from the two earlier ones leading to this (The Invisible Ring and The Shadow Queen). The continued presence of the SaDiablo family was very much a part of this story, though in the background, but still a large part of it, as they too tried to help (quietly), Cassie, Gray and the others. Seeing them, and many of the older characters such as Karla, Morghann, Sabrina, Tersa, Khary, Aaron intermix throughout the story was fun and enjoyable. There were some great moments throughout;
- Gray becoming so close to the SaDiablo family, especially Uncle Saetan 🙂
- The wonderful sweet romance between Gray, who came out of his shell to become a strong Warlord, and Cassie, who was a great character and a wonderful Queen.
- The former members of Jaenelle’s court meeting to discuss Kermilla, and how to help Cassie, without her knowing.
- The Scelties….12 of them coming to live in Cassie’s town..to help. Awesome, fun and hilarious. I love the Scelties, this is what made this book so much fun.
- Ladvarian, Kaelas and Jaal coming to visit Theran and Kermilla…to let them know that if she tries to hurt one of the kindred again they will come hunt her down. Such a cool moment. Lol especially with Kermilla thinking she was getting a Sceltie for herself and my Ladvarian snarled at her….lol
- Vae standing next Cassie defending her…when Cassie dropped her club and almost hit Vae in the head….poor Vae…just kept staring at the club…it was so funny. I couldn’t stop laughing….oh well I guess you have had to have read it.
- Khollie (the shy Sceltie) who almost got killed…sad..then tearful when he got better.
- Darkmist…whoa what an awesome power (especially in a kindred dog)
- The strong, hard Warlords, who lost so much to the evil Queens in the past, coming to love Cassie. Bishop did this so well.
- Jaenelle’s message to Theran near the end to accept his last chance. Lol
- Saeten and Janelle – sweet revenge near the end
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I did not want it to end. Anne Bishop did a great job bringing back old friends and having them come together throughout the story with many of the new characters and not one bit of darkness. Not that Kermilla wasn’t a good villain, she was, and you would like to kill her, but she wasn’t evil in the sense of those bitches in the earlier three books. I am sad that there is only one book left (twilights dawn), and they are short stories. I will terribly miss the SaDiablo family, and their wonderful kindred friends.
Reviewed by Barb
The Reading Cafe has a discovered a wonderful artist, who has agreed to allow us to post her wonderful artwork on many of the Black Jewels characters. Over the next few days, we will be adding Chanandra’s work to some of our reviews. Thank you, Chanandra for your fabulous work, which in itself is a tribute to Anne Bishop.
Cassidy, by Chanandra
You can find all of Chanandra’s art on DeviantART
Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop – a Review
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 3rd 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