Kushiel's Dart

Comparisons to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series abound when discussing Kushiel's Dart, but this novel isn't what you would think of as typical fantasy; it's much more focused on the sex, which is explicit throughout. However, it's still as chock-full of political intrigue and nuanced characters as any fantasy tale. Taking place on a slightly different version of the Earth we know, PhÃ¨dre nÃ³ Delaunay is a servant sold to a nobleman who realizes she's been marked by the gods. PhÃ¨dre's fate is to be a courtesan, special because of the bond she feels between pain and pleasure. There's more to the plot than just BDSM, though; PhÃ¨dre acts as both courtesan and spy, which leads her on a quest to save her country. From humble beginnings, she uses her cunning, loyalty, and compassion to become diplomat, spymaster, and an incredible tactician. With a strong female lead and extensive world-building, Jacqueline Carey's novel won the 2002 Locus Award and was nominated for the 2002 Gaylactic Spectrum Awards. If you're not afraid of some graphic sex, pedophilia, and abuse, definitely check out this first book in the Kushiel's Universe series.

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Other books by Carey, Jacqueline

Kushiel's Dart

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Godslayer

One thousand years after pledging himself to the dark god Satoris, Lord Tanaros works to defend the citadel of Darkhaven from a human uprising, a situation that is complicated by... Read more

The Sundering

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Kushiel's Scion

Imriel de la Courcel's birth parents are history's most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phedre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions. Stolen, tortured and... Read more

Kushiel's Justice

From Jacqueline Carey, New York Times bestselling author of Kushiel's Scion, comes the second adventure in the Imriel trilogy. Imriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors,... Read more

Kushiel's Mercy

Having learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated... Read more

Naamah's Kiss

Once there were great magicians born to the Maghuin Dhonn; the folk of the Brown Bear, the oldest tribe in Alba. But generations ago, the greatest of them all broke... Read more

Naamah's Curse

Jacqueline Carey, New York Times bestselling author of the Kushiel's Legacy series, delivers book two in her new lushly imagined trilogy featuring daughter of Alba, Moirin. NAAMAH'S CURSE Far from... Read more

Naamah's Blessing

Returning to Terre d'Ange, Moirin finds the royal family broken. Wracked by unrelenting grief at the loss of his wife, Queen Jehanne, King Daniel is unable to rule. Prince Thierry,... Read more

Kushiel's Dart

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Miranda And Caliban

A lovely girl grows up in isolation where her father, a powerful magus, has spirited them to in order to keep them safe. We all know the tale of Prospero\'s... Read more

Kushiel's Chosen

Following hard on the heels of Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey's spectacular debut novel, comes Kushiel's Chosen, the second in the glittering and riveting Kushiel's Legacy Trilogy. PhÃ¨dre nÃ³ Delaunay has... Read more

Kushiel's Avatar

A decade of peace has passed in Terre D'Ange, the country founded by the god Elua. Since the world's most famous courtesan saved her queen from assassination, PhÃ¨dre n? Delauny... Read more