Kushiel's Scion [Mass Market Paperback]

After the hideous disappointment of "Banewreaker", I was on pins and needles regarding Carey's return to Terre D'Ange in "Kushiel's Scion." Would the sexy, dark, original voice that had given us Phedre, Joscelin, Hyacinthe, and Melisande be replaced by the boring tediousness of the "Sundering" series? I just knew it would kill me to see that happen to these beloved characters. Furthermore, what to make of the fact that the next three books would not be narrated by that most cunning of linguists? Would Terre D'Ange without Phedre be whipped cream without the cherry?

Thank Elua, all my fears were unfounded. "Scion", while taking the Kushiel's Legacy series in a new direction, is a welcome and worthy addition, and Imriel is an excellent and insightful new narrator. His voice is, naturally, different from Phedre's, but the beautiful, rich language is the same. Carey has done a great job making the transition from anguissette to prince.

Imriel's story is also very different from Phedre and Joscelin's, and part of what makes this book interesting is that he recognizes it. Imri adores his foster parents, but despairs at ever living up to their example. For one thing, Phedre and Joscelin are once-in-a-generation heroes, larger than life and - in Phedre's case - chosen by Kushiel himself. Imri, while a royal Prince of the Blood, is still ordinary, and the son of Terre D'Ange's greatest traitor to boot. More than anything, he wants to be good - but first, he must decide what that means. Can he be good without ever saving the world the way Phedre did? Is it possible to be good with Kushiel's blood - and his mother's treachery - in his veins?

More than anything (and unlike previous books), "Kushiel's Scion" is a coming of age story. Still scarred by his childhood abuse, and troubled by the shadow that his mother Melisande continues to cast, Imriel stumbles through his life, torn between the various factions that either support or suspect him. One of the most interesting things about having him as a narrator is seeing old and beloved characters through his eyes. For instance, while Phedre loves Ysandre and Nicola dearly, Imri doesn't like either of them - and Carey makes us understand why and even empathize. On the other hand, Phedre's feelings towards House Shahrizai (Melisande's family) were justifiably complex, bound up with mistrust and desire. Imriel feels some of that, too, and yet his young Shahrizai cousins are among his closest and most loyal of friends.

The second half of "Scion" has Imriel participating in that most time-honored rite of adolescent independence - going away to college. In this case, it's the University of Tiberium, where Anafiel Delauney studied so many years ago. Imri hopes to find out where Delauney learned the arts of "covertcy", and ends up stumbling into a large and powerful Guild of spies and power-brokers who are quite interested in Melisande's talented son. He also makes a group of international friends, including the Dalriadan Prince Eamonn mac Grainne, the Skaldian woman Brigitta, and a troubled and haunted young Tiberian, Lucius.

The action in the book comes in the form of a large siege and battle towards the very end. Imriel is, at best, a periphery character in the battle itself - he's caught up in it by chance. Yet this, too, is part of his search in learning to be good. He learns that it's not necessary to be a god-chosen hero like Phedre or a great swordsman like Joscelin in order to be a good soldier, a good friend, and a good man. Phedre did heroic things because she was the only one who could do them. Imriel does small things because sometimes, they're all he can do.

Nitpicks - I hope the prudes out there who objected to the explicit sexuality of the first three books are happy, because the sex here is toned down considerably. Indeed, Imri's history means that almost every sexual encounter is entangled with feelings of guilt and horror. Pity. I really started to miss Phedre's exuberant eroticism about halfway through; the sex here feels a little cold and unsatisfying. The ending of "Scion" is likewise slightly frustrating, without as much of a resolution as I might have liked. Still, it does leave me wanting more. The groundwork is laid here for another fascinating triptych of books about an extraordinary character, executed by a brilliant and talented writer. I am, again, on pins and needles - in a good way!

Return to Terre d'Ange with Kushiel's Scion, sequel to the Kushiel's Legacy trilogy. This book follows Phedre's adopted son, Imriel, son of the treacherous Melisande and third in line for the D'Angeline throne. Carey does an excellent job of developing Imriel into a complicated, troubled young man without in any way betraying the character he was in Kushiel's Avatar: haunted but with the proverbial heart of gold.

Imriel is coming of age here, and coming to terms with desires he finds hard to face. Between his molestation at the hands of the Markhagir of Drujan, his anger with Melisande, and the dominant tendencies inherent in his bloodline, Imriel finds sexuality a minefield of issues. He wants more than anything to be a good person, but fears he's fated to be something else.

His quest to find maturity and inner peace will lead him to the Night Court (fans of the Night Court rejoice--we see more of it here than we have since Dart), into court intrigues, and to an Italy still clinging to the ghosts of its glorious past. Imriel finds himself surrounded by schemes, plots, and conflicted desires, and truly comes of age in this hotbed of troubles. I really love what Carey does with his character, and can't wait to see what comes next for him, as it's clear there will be further Imriel books.

The one thing I didn't like at first was that the climactic battle didn't seem to have much to do with Imriel; it was more that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But on further thought, I realized that Phedre, too, was sucked into things she never meant to be involved with, in Dart and Chosen. I'm just so accustomed to the Phedre of Avatar, plunging herself headlong into adventure because she knows she has to--but this is a mature, 30ish Phedre. Like the younger Phedre, Imriel ends up in situations he never intended to be involved with, but becomes a stronger character through these tribulations. In the end, I think the plot works, and really shows how far Imriel has come since the beginning of the book.

In Kushiel's Scion, Carey returns to the lush alternate Europe

she mapped so well in the Kushiel's Legacy trilogy. This is

a fascinating world, grounded in an imaginative religion/mythos

and vividly detailed. And as in the Kushiel's Legacy books, Carey has once again created a narrator with a marvelously unique voice.

As young Imriel no Montreve de la Courcel, foster child to Terre D'Ange's greatest living heroes, shares his struggles to find his place in the world and define how to shoulder the legacy of heroism and villainy he was born to, the reader is enmeshed in Terre D'Ange's past and future. The

device of revisiting the stories in Kushiel's Legacy, through Imriel's eyes, was very well-done. And Imriel's own story as it unfolds becomes just as fascinating as Phedre's once was.

I expected to like this book, if for no other reason than that I was eager to revist Terre D'Ange - one of my most favorite landscapes. But this book far surpassed those expectations, going off in directions I had not anticipated. Imriel is a wonderfully complex character - brooding,angry,

wounded,loving, honorable and intensely driven. I really loved this book and impatiently look forward the next volumne. Kudos to Ms. Carey, for finding a way to include and be true to Phedre and Josceline and to give Imriel his own voice and story. Highly, highly recommended for Kushiel's Legacy fans.

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