Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Cary

JSWolf · 07-15-2008, 05:36 PM

I have been reading Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Cary. I've so far read the first 12 chapters. I'm finding it to be very slow going. There is no action. It just plods along and the characters are ones I seem to care nothing about. Does it get better if I continue reading it? Is the rest of the series just like this? I'd like to know what others think before I continue reading.

Elsi · 07-15-2008, 06:06 PM

I abandoned it about 1/2 way through. I couldn't like the characters enough to invest that much time & energy in finishing the book and I certainly wasn't going to read any others in the series. I felt about this book much as I did when I read the first Thomas Covenant book, Lord Foul's Bane. I actually finished that one because I kept thinking, "surely this is going to get better." But it didn't. The guy just kept whining and moaning about all the ills that befell him -- there was nothing likable about him.

It's rare that I give up on a book. I have been known to set one aside for a very long time and eventually return to it. But Kushiel's Dart is one that I don't think I'll ever finish.

MoSo · 07-15-2008, 07:36 PM

I finished the first one, liked the quality of the prose but was lukewarm about the story and characters. I got to the end, pretty much because, but passed on the sequel (sequels?). If you aren't happy with what you've read so far, it doesn't really change much.

slayda · 07-15-2008, 08:11 PM

I liked it and bought others. Liked them as well. But I'm that odd type that did not like "Lonesome Dove" that everyone was raving about. We each have our own tastes.

etitameh · 07-15-2008, 09:59 PM

i love the kushiel's series, but i was hooked on it pretty early on. most likely, if you're not enjoying it by now, it's not going to be your cup of tea.

HappyMartin · 07-16-2008, 01:18 AM

Plodded through it and believe it or not bought the sequel by accident. Load of rubbish I thought but only an opinion. Gave up on it.

astra · 07-16-2008, 07:47 AM

On fictionwise they also have a very interesting price for Kushiel's Chosen.

You Pay: $27.95
Micropay Rebate: 20%
Cost After Rebate: $22.36

While Kindle Price: $7.99

I find it rediculous. I sent fictionwise email explaining the situation, 1 weel later I received a reply that they are going to have a look at it.....it was 1 months ago? Nothing changed ...

Btw. I was planning to read the series as well. Heard a lot of good things about it on some fantasy forums.

MoSo · 07-17-2008, 04:17 PM

In a similar vein to the world building and intrigue in Kushiel's:

(and if you like Kushner's Swordspoint) you might look at Sarah Monette's series - Melusine, The Virtu and The Mirador. Her series of short stories, The Bone Key, is also rather good. I really did NOT like her book Companion to Wolves (co-written with Elizabeth Bear).

Also The Lies of Locke Lamora (although I didn't enjoy the sequel as much), which is a fantasy/heist/caper/historical.

And one of my absolute favorites series, Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. I have a love-disinterest relationship with Bujold's books (her latest series does nothing for me AT ALL), but I adore these two books.

Gudy · 07-18-2008, 04:06 PM

I love the Kushiel series, even though Phedre as a narrator is very slightly annoying. The books are not particularly action-heavy, although there are rather exciting action scenes scattered throughout the series. If the setting, the characters and the intrigue haven't hooked you by chapter 12, though, the series may just not be for you.

GreyCat · 07-18-2008, 05:59 PM

I love the Kushiel series, but I also found that the start of Kushiel's dart was sort of plodding. I can't tell you if you'll like it, but I took a look in my own copy and chapter 12 is still firmly in the slowly-plodding-along part. This book is absolutely a slow starter, but in my personal opinion well worth it. The last book in the series (the third in the second trilogy) is on the top of my reading list and and I'm sorry to see the series end.

JSWolf · 07-29-2008, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

On fictionwise they also have a very interesting price for Kushiel's Chosen.

You Pay: $27.95
Micropay Rebate: 20%
Cost After Rebate: $22.36

While Kindle Price: $7.99

I find it rediculous. I sent fictionwise email explaining the situation, 1 weel later I received a reply that they are going to have a look at it.....it was 1 months ago? Nothing changed ...

Btw. I was planning to read the series as well. Heard a lot of good things about it on some fantasy forums.

I know I am not going to be purchasing this title, but I've also sent a message to them. I decided to have a look at BooksOnBoard as well and sent them a message about it as well. $11.20 is still too pricey.

JSWolf · 07-29-2008, 04:37 PM

I've just taken a look at the new book Kushiel's Mercy and found that Sony and Amazon both have it for $7.19 while Fictionwise and BooksOnBoard are both way overpriced. On Sony's site it says the list price is $7.99 and if that is true, why do BoB and FW both have it priced higher?

thinkpad · 02-02-2010, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have been reading Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Cary. I've so far read the first 12 chapters. I'm finding it to be very slow going. There is no action. It just plods along and the characters are ones I seem to care nothing about. Does it get better if I continue reading it? Is the rest of the series just like this? I'd like to know what others think before I continue reading.

Did you find this as an ebook? I've been looking at Amazon and Fictionwise but my only result so far is for the paperback. Doesn't seem like the publishing industry is very keen on releasing older books as ebooks. Really annoying.

rocketgranny · 02-11-2010, 10:48 PM

Like Elsi (Post #2), I had to stop reading Kushiel's Dart about midway through (something I hardly ever do) and I wound up dumping it in the trash just last week (something I've never done before).

If you're looking for dark-goosebumps stuff, try Anne Bishop's "Black Jewels" trilogy ... no S&M stuff and a doozy of a story line <grin>.

07-15-2008, 05:36 PM	#1
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Cary I have been reading Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Cary. I've so far read the first 12 chapters. I'm finding it to be very slow going. There is no action. It just plods along and the characters are ones I seem to care nothing about. Does it get better if I continue reading it? Is the rest of the series just like this? I'd like to know what others think before I continue reading.

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07-15-2008, 06:06 PM	#2
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	I abandoned it about 1/2 way through. I couldn't like the characters enough to invest that much time & energy in finishing the book and I certainly wasn't going to read any others in the series. I felt about this book much as I did when I read the first Thomas Covenant book, *Lord Foul's Bane. I actually finished that one because I kept thinking, "surely this is going to get better." But it didn't. The guy just kept whining and moaning about all the ills that befell him -- there was nothing likable about him. It's rare that I give up on a book. I have been known to set one aside for a very long time and eventually return to it. But Kushiel's Dart* is one that I don't think I'll ever finish.

07-15-2008, 07:36 PM	#3
MoSo Crankier than average Posts: 143 Karma: 345 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern Oregon mountains Device: Kindle #1, Kindle #2; internet appliance - The Chumby.	I finished the first one, liked the quality of the prose but was lukewarm about the story and characters. I got to the end, pretty much because, but passed on the sequel (sequels?). If you aren't happy with what you've read so far, it doesn't really change much.

07-15-2008, 08:11 PM	#4
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	I liked it and bought others. Liked them as well. But I'm that odd type that did not like "Lonesome Dove" that everyone was raving about. We each have our own tastes.

07-15-2008, 09:59 PM	#5
etitameh Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 122 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Kindle	i love the kushiel's series, but i was hooked on it pretty early on. most likely, if you're not enjoying it by now, it's not going to be your cup of tea.

07-16-2008, 01:18 AM	#6
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	Plodded through it and believe it or not bought the sequel by accident. Load of rubbish I thought but only an opinion. Gave up on it.

07-16-2008, 07:47 AM	#7
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	On fictionwise they also have a very interesting price for Kushiel's Chosen. You Pay: $27.95 Micropay Rebate: 20% Cost After Rebate: $22.36 While Kindle Price: *$7.99* I find it rediculous. I sent fictionwise email explaining the situation, 1 weel later I received a reply that they are going to have a look at it.....it was 1 months ago? Nothing changed ... Btw. I was planning to read the series as well. Heard a lot of good things about it on some fantasy forums.

07-17-2008, 04:17 PM	#8
MoSo Crankier than average Posts: 143 Karma: 345 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern Oregon mountains Device: Kindle #1, Kindle #2; internet appliance - The Chumby.	In a similar vein to the world building and intrigue in Kushiel's: (and if you like Kushner's Swordspoint) you might look at Sarah Monette's series - Melusine, The Virtu and The Mirador. Her series of short stories, The Bone Key, is also rather good. I really did NOT like her book Companion to Wolves (co-written with Elizabeth Bear). Also The Lies of Locke Lamora (although I didn't enjoy the sequel as much), which is a fantasy/heist/caper/historical. And one of my absolute favorites series, Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. I have a love-disinterest relationship with Bujold's books (her latest series does nothing for me AT ALL), but I adore these two books.

07-18-2008, 04:06 PM	#9
Gudy Wizard Posts: 1,154 Karma: 3252017 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Germany Device: Pocketbook Touch Lux (623)	I love the Kushiel series, even though Phedre as a narrator is very slightly annoying. The books are not particularly action-heavy, although there are rather exciting action scenes scattered throughout the series. If the setting, the characters and the intrigue haven't hooked you by chapter 12, though, the series may just not be for you.

07-18-2008, 05:59 PM	#10
GreyCat Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 1721 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oslo, Norway Device: Cybook Gen3 & Opus, Sony PRS-650, Sony PRS-T1	I love the Kushiel series, but I also found that the start of Kushiel's dart was sort of plodding. I can't tell you if you'll like it, but I took a look in my own copy and chapter 12 is still firmly in the slowly-plodding-along part. This book is absolutely a slow starter, but in my personal opinion well worth it. The last book in the series (the third in the second trilogy) is on the top of my reading list and and I'm sorry to see the series end.

07-29-2008, 04:37 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I've just taken a look at the new book Kushiel's Mercy and found that Sony and Amazon both have it for $7.19 while Fictionwise and BooksOnBoard are both way overpriced. On Sony's site it says the list price is $7.99 and if that is true, why do BoB and FW both have it priced higher?

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02-11-2010, 10:48 PM	#14
rocketgranny Member Posts: 19 Karma: 54 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco, CA Device: Nook	Like Elsi (Post #2), I had to stop reading Kushiel's Dart about midway through (something I hardly ever do) and I wound up dumping it in the trash just last week (something I've never done before). If you're looking for dark-goosebumps stuff, try Anne Bishop's "Black Jewels" trilogy ... no S&M stuff and a doozy of a story line <grin>.