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    The Shadow Queen
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    The Shadow Queen
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    The Shadow Queen
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Shadow Queen

    Written by Anne Bishop

    Narrated by John Sharian

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The national bestselling Black Jewels saga continues 

    Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to restore the land of Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood's code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. 

    Languishing in the Shadow Realm, Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court. But when she is chosen to rule Dena Nehele, she must convince bitter men to serve once again.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 3, 2009
    ISBN9781429526623
    Unavailable
    The Shadow Queen
    Author

    Anne Bishop

    Anne Bishop is the bestselling author of the Black Jewels series, the Tir Alainn Trilogy and the Landscapes of Ephemera series. Her novels are published in Australia, Germany, the UK and Portugal, as well as the United States. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, reading and music.

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    Reviews for The Shadow Queen

    4/5

    327 ratings25 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Honey Pears and secrets.

      I loved this tale which really had two stories. The main story is about a provisional queen and court struggling to rebuild after the destruction of its Provence by evil queens. Acceptance is difficult but everyone has their own scars and hurts to mend before they can work together. The second story is also about ruling and acceptance of each other’s faults and strengths in the Dark Kingdom. I loved this story it was touching and filled with hope. Even the damaged can repair and accept the way they are.
    • 5/5
      This story has two main plot threads. In the largest one, Theran Grayhaven comes from Terreille to Kaeleer to call on an old favor from Daemon Sadi. He is a descendant of Jared and Lia (The Invisible Ring). He is living in a wartorn land. After Jaenelle cleansed the Blood of all of Dorothea's influence, the landen in Terreille revolted. This revolt was put down but Terreille, particularly Dena Nehele, lacks Queens. Those who survived are either to old or too young to create a court and restore the land.Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court. Her court was seduced away from her by a younger, prettier queen. She knows she's tall, gawky, and not pretty and her confidence has been wrecked by the desertion of the Warlords who should have stayed pledged to her. She is a friend of Jaenelle's and an excellent Queen who cares for her land and her people.Daemon asks Jaenelle who suggests that Cassidy might be the one Theran needs. However, Theran takes one look at her and his disappointment is very clear to her. To him, her lack of beauty and power indicate a woman who won't be able to claim the loyalty of any of the Warlords and Warlord Princes who have fought to keep Dena Nehele.Since the choice is Cassidy or no one, Theran reluctantly brings her to his home knowing that Daemon, Lucivar, and Saetan and other friends will be keeping an eye on the situation. One of the first people Cassidy meets in Gray. Gray is Theran's cousin and a victim of the old Queens. He was captured at fifteen and tortured until he was rescued two years later. He only feels safe when he's working in the gardens at Grayhaven and still has an emotional age of fifteen. However, meeting Cassidy And Saetan, who has retreated to the Keep, after giving control of Dhemlan to Daemon, finds out that even though Dorothea and her disciples are gone homegrown evil still exists which almost brings out the man who destroyed Zuulaman and almost costs him his sanity.This was an excellent story filled with wonderful characters set in a fascinating world.
    • 4/5
      I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Dameon's story in this book. I was told at some point that there really wasn't much of him in this and the next book, but he shares the plot with Cassidy and Theran equally which I took as a treat, since I will always enjoy reading more about Dameon. I even liked the plot with Cassidy pretty well, if a little less than Dameon's side. But that's expected. Now, one more book to complete the series. Not sure what I'll do with myself after that. I might have to go look at some of the other series Bishop wrote with the hope that they are as deliciously good at indulging me.
    • 5/5
      Another great addition to the series! At first I really disliked Theran, and while I still don't love him, and was often disappointed by his behavior, he's understandable. Of course I love Gray, looking forward to seeing him develop. It was also great to keep up with the original characters, and get some new ones as well. Cassidy is a good steady Queen, and Vae is hysterical! Loved it!
    • 5/5
      One of the best fantasy stories i've ever read. This is my fifth time reading/listening to it.!!!
    • 3/5
      So far, all of the Black Jewels books after the original trilogy have fallen short where I'm concerned, and this one -- while better and more satisfying than "Tangled Webs" is still a bit of a disappointment.

      Bishop has been trying to tell stories about other people in this world while continuing the stories of Jaenelle, Daemon, and their family, but the weaving together of the threads is sometimes awkward. Cassidy is a likeable heroine, but her conflict with Theran is frustrating because he is so relentlessly obtuse. Both of them are principled but ignorant, and their clashes remain frustratingly one-dimensional.

      I also thought it was ironic that the publisher evidently insisted on making the woman on the cover utterly gorgeous, despite the fact that one of the main conflicts in the story is about Cassidy not being conventionally beautiful.

    • 4/5
      I've read the first two books in the 'Black Jewels' series, and picked this up because it seemed to be a stand-alone story about different people, set in the same world. I didn't feel that I was missing anything by not reading the intervening books, although I realised later that the events related to those in Queen of the Darkness.The first quarter of the book, though, was about the main characters from the series, Jaenelle, Daemon, Saetan and co. - who, unfortunately, irritated me as much as ever. I'm not quite sure why; I think it's because they're both paragons and martyrs and a little bit whiney, though they're almost all-powerful. Plus, while I enjoy a good laugh as much as the next person, these folks end up collapsed on the floor with laughter more times in this one book than I have in my life, at things that are amusing, but not hilarious.Those parts aside, I liked the rest of the story, which is about Theran Greyhaven, the last scion of the ruling family of the Territory of Dena Nehele in the realm of Terreile, looking for a Queen to rule the Territory after the corrupt Queens had been cleansed from the land. The Territory is unstable, having suffered civil war after the cleansing, between the Blood (those with magical powers) and landen (those with no magic). Terreile is in a plane of existence close to Earth, but Theran requests a Queen from the realm of Khaleer, which is closer to the realm of Hell, as she would be trained in the old ways and traditions of the Blood, which have been lost in Dena Nehele over the centuries of corruption and war.The Dene Nehele part of the story was interesting, with the new Queen setting up her court, while the males had to learn the Protocol of making up that court. There was a gentle romance, too, with a bit of a twist, and we learned the history of the situation in Dena Nehele. I enjoyed that part of the story.However, I'm still confused about the hierarchy and how things work in this universe. For instance, Cassidy is a Queen, but she doesn't come from an aristocratic family and she wears a rose jewel (one of the lighter ones) which means her magic isn't very powerful. I think I'm going to have to start the series again and ask for a tutored read! I wish there was some kind of guide or preface. It took me until halfway through the second book to realise there were three planes of existence (Khaleer, Terreile and Hell).The part of the story with the original cast - I don't know; it irritates me the way Regency romances or Bollywood films tend to. There were a couple of parallel storylines that had nothing to do with the Dena Nehele story, which seemed to be meant to invoke horror-filled pity for Daemon and Saetan, but which did nothing for me. I'm willing to give it another go, and continue with the series - at a later date.Enjoyable story, but irritating in parts. I think it rates three and a half stars.
    • 4/5
      Great! I was rather disappointed by nr.5 and 6, but fortunately nr.7 was again a delight. The story takes place after the witch storm, and has both new and old characters. Considering the beauty of the world, and the appealing characters, it doesn't take much of a story to create a satisfying read. And I admit, it's not the most intricate story in the world, plus half the story line is only some extra background and insight into the (old) characters. I don't care though; as long as the story is not a complete flop like in nr. 6, just being in Kaeleer or Terreille makes up for it...
    • 2/5
      Warning: Book involves a highly inappropriate relationship between a developmentally disabled young man (who is effectively a young teen, and likely will be for the rest of his life) and a grown woman.The squick factor got in the way of me enjoying the book as much as I usually do with Bishop. It was nice to encounter less-powerful people who aren't all gorgeous.
    • 5/5
      As usually happens with Anne Bishop’s books, I couldn’t put it down. The main character is Cassie, a queen new to our story, who fits very well into the plot. I like her and everyone who’s beginning a court at Terreile.I also loved to hear again from dear Deamon and Jaenelle and the rest of the gang. There were dark things going on between them, but I had already imagined that this could happen, and sort of liked reading about it.What I didn’t like and sort of felt as a plot hole was Saetan’s brand new journey into the distorted realm. To me, he’s old and wise and has already gone through it all, thus his overwhelming power and presence. To me, he wouldn’t be so weak as to get drawn because of a silly venezuelan-soap-opera-mischief.Still, I can’t wait to read the next book: Shalador’s Lady.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this story. Theron is an ass. Cassidy is the typical ugly duckling. The story is one of hope and growth and bullying and finding oneself as they mature.There is a bit too much about Daemon and his Sadist urges though - I thought it was more like an add-on to bring back old characters but had little to add to the actual story of Cassidy and her Court. There is also a little substory about Saetan which was also sort of odd in the context of Cassidy's story, but I guess Bishop wants to keep us up to date on the goings on with the "family".It's not as dark or heavy as the trilogy, but is quite similar in tone to the Invisible Ring - bit more internal angst and in-fighting than versus an exterior enemy, but engaging anyway. I'm starting the next in the series right now.
    • 4/5
      My reaction upon finishing this was torn between 'could have been better', 'why wasn't it longer'. 'needed less Daemon and Jaenelle' and 'why didn't I buy the one that comes after it at the same time'. Oh Anne Bishop, your books are sweet, sweet crack.
    • 3/5
      Not as good as other stories in the series, compounded by the fact that the ending was incredibly abrupt. Presumably "Shalador's Lady" will pick up where this leaves off and give a more complete picture of Cassidy and the restoration of Dena Nehele.
    • 2/5
      After reading some of the other reviews, I think I should have started with a different book in this series. But this was the one available when I was in the mood for escapist reading. The story of Cassie, an emotionally fragile queen whose former court resigned en masse; Theran, the heir of Grayhaven, who needs a queen to inspire his people; and Gray, Theran's cousin and a boy in a man's body, tortured by the former Queen who believed him to be the heir. The imagined world of the Black Jewels is an intriguing concept, but I wasn't wowed by the writer's skills in bringing it to life. I liked it enough that I will probably still pick up the trilogy, though.
    • 5/5
      ONE OF THE BEST: contains Saetan's cheesecake, Daemon/Sadist attacks Jaenelle, Saeten goes after Vulchera
    • 5/5
      A Rose Jeweled Queen abandoned by her Court doesn't have much to hope for in the way of prospects. Especially not when she's plain, not too young, and not an aristo. Cassidy isn't sure what she's going to do - but she knows her prospects aren't good.For Theran Greyhaven, repairing the damage to his fractured kingdom means finding a Queen - but not just any Queen. It has to be one that knows the old ways of Protocol, one that the Blood males will accept. His only hope is a favor owed by the Sadist, Daemon Sadi... an uneasy, if not outright terrifying idea.The seventh book of the Blood continues following some of the minor nobles from the earlier trilogy, but Bishop does an exceptional job of winding in main characters Janelle, Daemon, etc. so that the whole creation moves forward. For all that this is Cassidy's story, the bits that aren't set in Dena Nehele are just as intriguing. I'm looking forward to seeing her story continued.
    • 4/5
      This not the book I'd start with if you're new to Anne Bishop or her Dark Jewels series. I'd recommend reading first at least the opening trilogy of Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness, and I think it would help to read The Invisible Ring, which forms the backdrop to this tale set in the territory of Dona Nehele, once ruled by that novel's Gray Lady.In Queen of the Darkness, Saetan told Alexandra that it's not magical power that makes a strong queen, and after the previous books dealing with super-powered witches that were the strongest in the blood's history, it was intriguing to read about Cassidy, someone weak magically speaking that nevertheless has strengths that allow her to begin to pull together a shattered people. It was also fun to revisit old friends from the other books like Saetan, Lucifar, Daemon and Jaenelle. (Especially since they share a good portion of this book's narrative even more reason you should read the opening trilogy first) I think the sequel to this novel, Shalador's Lady, is even stronger.
    • 2/5
      This novel wasn't as enthralling as I'd hoped. It spend a great deal of time revisiting the story of Jaenelle and Dameon and didn't focus as much on the new story--which I didn't like as much.
    • 4/5
      Another kind of Queen that doesn't have one of the dark jewels. How can she change the mind of warlords or even save the land where she goes? Even a broken man can have an effect on a Queen.
    • 2/5
      the first 3 books of this series had something dark and edgy about them, but none of her later books satisfied me. Here Cassie, the plain, freckled Queen, goes to teach the old ways to a devestated province. I didn't care much for her, didn't mind Gray, but didn't get her first Consort at all - he couldn't get over that she wasn't flashy and fabulous and struggled to serve her? It was too clunky and lacked poetry. Everything that happened was really obvious and frankly, not all that interested. I liked the time spent with Janelle and Daemon better, how he struggles with his well honed sadistic impulses, but even that didn't add much. It just felt ... unneccesary. We didn't need this book, it added nothing to the world building and didn't give great new characters or add all that much to characters we knew.
    • 5/5
      Once again, Anne Bishop doesn't disappoint, producing another great Black Jewels book. This book takes place after Witch has cleansed the realm and answers the question: what happened in Terreille after the cleansing of the Blood? Readers familiar with the series will be happy to see that Janelle, Luciver, Daemon, and Saetan have reappearing roles. However, the main characters of this book are Lady Cassidy and the Court that she forms in Dena Nehele.Dena Nehele has found itself without any Queens who are able to rule the territory, and make the daring request to have one of the Queens in Kaeleer move into their lands and set up a Court, based on the Protocol of old. The problem is, they aren't completely ready to accept all the entanglements that can accompany learning the Old Ways.Cassidy must learn to work with her new Court while overcoming a horrible bout of homesickness. Just when she is ready to give up, she meets Gray, a man so brutalized that he is still a boy in a man's body. It becomes clear that they are meant to be together, but first, he must overcome his past and become the man that she needs him to be.All this and a mystery to boot! There are tales of a treasure hidden on the estate grounds- a treasure that will help the Territory heal from the trauma of the cleansing. It is a treasure that only the new Queen can find as she slowly gains acceptance in her new home.Overall, I loved this book. I can agree with others who have pointed out that the scenes with Janelle and Daemon can be distracting. I wouldn't have them cut, as I am always hungry for any scene with Daemon. Perhaps this should have been cut into two different stories, like "Dreams Made Flesh".One warning: avoid the kindle version. There are so many formatting problems that I demanded a refund and read the hardcover. Trying to read it in the kindle edition will ruin the entire experience.
    • 4/5
      A fantasy novel about a realm that has been occupied by an evil that has now been vanquished. How do the survivors come together, learn to trust again, and begin to rebuild their home? In part, a sad story that acknowledges that we are all scarred, and yet offers hope that with time we can all live with our scars. On first reading, this didn’t seem to belong in the same league as my other favourite Anne Bishop books. I liked it more on second reading, though, and wonder if this (like 'The Invisible Ring') is just a subtler story that creeps its way into your affections.
    • 5/5
      I. Loved. This. Book. I really did.Anne Bishop has mesmerized me every time with her Black Jewels books, and her characters have become almost friends. This book was no different, and after chewing through it so fast, I feel an almost grief at having to wait for any more!For the main line story, Cassidy (a Rose jewel Queen) is recovering from the rejection of her entire court for lack of political standing. The realm of Dena Nehele is in need of a Queen, as the Storm which swept the realms 2 years before had destroyed all but the very old and the very young queens. Appealing to Daemon Sadi for help based on a favor owed an ancestor, Cassidy is contracted to rule Dena Nehele for a year to help get them back on their feet. Obviously this doesn't go smoothly, or there'd be no story! I have to agree with another reviewer who mentioned the storyline with Jaenelle, Daemon and Saetan are somewhat disjointed and don't fit easily into the main storyline, but I didn't find that put me off - these characters are "friends" enough that it still made sense to me and was compelling. I couldn't put the book down, and even though it's only been a day (and this may sound totally pathetic), I miss them all.
    • 4/5
      I really wanted to love this book - I've reread the original trilogy several times, and continue to love them - but this book felt strangely disjointed. I was expecting something more along the lines of Invisible Ring, since this is a "sequel" to it - set in the same world, but with new characters. Instead, I got a mish mash of everything. I was interested in Cassidy and her story, and would've loved a book that dealt only with her struggles to become the Queen of Dena Nehele. The secondary plot lines with Saetan, Jaenelle, and Daemon, however, felt like constant interruptions. Look, I loved reading about those characters, but honestly - their plot lines had *nothing* to do with the main plot line. If those secondary plot lines had been removed, this would've been at least a 4 star book. As it is, I'll generously give it a 3.5.
    • 5/5
      Once again, Bishop delivers a thrilling, lush, sensual novel replete with complex, engaging characters, a healthy dose of humor and that fascinating, wonderful magic system established so well in her previous 'Jewels' books. Anyone who's enjoyed the previous 'Jewels' novels will adore this. You really do need to read all the previous books first, though - there's a tremendous amount of backstory to many of the details here. You can PROBABLY enjoy it without having read the others, but really.. knowing some of the characters in advance, and the history of the land, makes for so much more a satisfying read. Just outright fun. Watching the SaDiablo family bicker continues to be a joy, as does reading about Daemon sashaying around being his ridiculously sexy self. The new characters, by and large, arent ENTIRELY new.. they have ties to characters in previous novels. They're well developed and believable though, all the personality conflicts that arise ringing true. I would enjoy reading more about this particular cast, although I'm not sure they have more stories to tell.Bishop is an amazing writer, and the 'Jewels' novels are like literary crack to me (I read this book in just about a day). I could not recommend this book/series more highly.