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Kushiel's Dart is the first novel in the Kushiel's Legacy saga. It is narrated in first-person perspective by Phèdre nó Delaunay. The book covers Phèdre's life from birth to approximately age twenty-two.

Publisher's summary[]

Hardcover[]

A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger... a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm...

Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phédre nó Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy... and unlikely heroine. But when Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d'Ange, she has no choice.

Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phèdre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond.

Phèdre nó Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm's deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world.

Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age and the birth of a new. It is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. A world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, deposed rulers and a besieged Queen, a warrior-priest, the Prince of Travelers, barbarian warlords, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess ... all seen through the unflinching eyes of an unforgettable heroine.

Mass market paperback[]

The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.

Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.

Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart—a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.

Plot summary[]

Phèdre nó Delaunay's story begins as “a whore’s unwanted get”. Sold into the Night Court as a child, she is seen as flawed because of the red mote in her left eye. It is only when Anafiel Delaunay, a noble and former court poet, recognizes her as stricken by Kushiel’s Dart that Phèdre’s true nature is understood. She is an anguissette, someone marked by the god to feel pain as pleasure. Raised by Delaunay in his household, she is trained as both a courtesan and a spy, a tool in her master’s intrigues. Even all of Delaunay’s training cannot prevent the unthinkable, and when Phèdre finds herself framed for an unspeakable crime and betrayed into to the frozen, enemy lands of Skaldia it takes all of her intelligence and resilience to escape with a dire warning for her young Queen-the Skaldi plan to attack Terre D’Ange and their country is about to betrayed by one of its own. With no one else to trust, Queen Ysandre turns to Phèdre to complete one last impossible task, travel across the dangerous straits to Alba to seek assistance from the strange and unknown Cruithne and to finish the work Delaunay had begun-that of joining two nations under the banner of Blessed Elua’s precept: Love as thou wilt.

Cover gallery[]

Characters[]

Delaunay's Household
Anafiel Delaunay—noble
Alcuin nó Delaunay—Delaunay's pupil
Phèdre nó Delaunay—Delaunay's pupil; anguissette
Guy—Delaunay's man
Joscelin Verreuil—Cassiline Brother (Siovale)

Members of the Royal Family: Terre d'Ange
Ganelon de la Courcel—King of Terre d'Ange
Genevieve de la Courcel—Queen of Terre d'Ange (deceased)
Isabel L'Envers de la Courcel—wife of Rolande; Princess-Consort (deceased)
Rolande de la Courcel—son of Ganelon and Genevieve; Dauphin (deceased)
Ysandre de la Courcel—daughter of Rolande and Isabel; Dauphine
Barquiel L'Envers—brother of Isabel; Duc L'Envers (Namarre)
Baudoin de Trevalion—son of Lyonette and Marc; Prince of the Blood
Bernadette de Trevalion—daughter of Lyonette and Marc; Princess of the Blood
Lyonette de Trevalion—sister of Ganelon; Princess of the Blood; Lioness of Azzalle
Marc de Trevalion—Duc of Trevalion (Azzalle)

Members of the Royal Family: La Serenissima
Benedicte de la Courcel—brother of Ganelon; Prince of the Blood
Maria Stregazza de la Courcel—wife of Benedicte
Dominic Stregazza—husband of Thérèse; cousin of the Doge of La Serenissima
Marie-Celeste de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of Benedicte and Maria; Princess of the Blood; wed to Doge of La Serenissima's son
Thérèse de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of Benedicte and Maria; Princess of the Blood

D'Angeline Peerage
Isidore d'Aiglemort—son of Maslin; Duc d'Aiglemort (Camlach)
Maslin d'Aiglemort—Duc d'Aiglemort (Camlach)
Marquise Solaine Belfours—noble; secretary of the Privy Seal
Rogier Clavel—noble; member of L'Envers entourage
Childric d'Essoms—noble; member of Court of Chancery
Cecilie Laveau-Perrin—wife of Chevalier Perrin (deceased); former adept of Cereus House; tutor to Phèdre and Alcuin
Roxanne de Mereliot—Lady of Marsilikos (Eisande)
Quincel de Morhban—Duc de Morhban (Kusheth)
Lord Rinforte—Prefect of the Cassiline Brotherhood
Edmée de Rocaille—betrothed of Rolande (deceased)
Melisande Shahrizai—noble (Kusheth)
(Tabor, Sacriphant, Persia, Marmion, Fanchone—members of House Shahrizai; Melisande's kin)
Ghislain de Somerville—son of Percy
Percy de Somerville—Comte de Somerville (L'Agnace); Prince of the Blood; Royal Commander
Tibault de Toluard—Comte de Toluard (Siovale)
Gaspar Trevalion—Comte de Forcay (Azzalle) cousin to Marc
Luc and Mahieu Verreuil—sons of Millard; Joscelin's brothers
Millard Verreuil—Chevalier Verreuil; Joscelin’s father (Siovale)

Night Court
Liliane de Souverain—adept of Jasmine House; mother of Phèdre
Miriam Bouscevre—Dowayne of Cereus House
Juliette, Ellyn, Etienne, Calantia, Jacinthe, Donatien—apprentices of Cereus House
Brother Louvel—priest of Elua
Jareth Moran—Second of Cereus House
Suriah—adept of Cereus House
Didier Vascon—Second of Valerian House

Skaldia
Ailsa—woman in Gunter's steading
Gunter Arnlaugson—head of steading
Evrard the Sharptongued—thane in Gunter's steading
Gerde—woman in Selig's steading
Harald the Beardless—thane in Gunter's steading
Hedwig—woman in Gunter's steading
Kolbjorn of the Manni—one of Selig's warleaders
Knud—thane in Gunter's steading
Lodur the One-Eyed—priest of Odhirm
Waldemar Selig—head of steading; warlord
Trygve—member of the White Brethren White
White Brethren—Selig's thanes

Tsingani
Abhirati—grandmother of Anasztaizia
Anasztaizia—mother of Hyacinthe
Csavin—nephew of Manoj
Gisella—wife of Neci
Hyacinthe—friend to Phèdre; "Prince of Travellers"
Manoj—father of Anasztaizia; King of the Tsingani
Neci—headman of a kumpania

Alba and Eire
Breidaia—eldest daughter of Necthana
Brennan—son of Grainne
Cruarch of Alba—King of the Picti
Drustan mab Necthana—son of Necthana; Prince of the Picti
Eamonn mac Conor—Lord of the Dalriada
Foclaidha—wife of the Cruarch
Grainne mac Conor—sister of Eamonn; Lady of the Dalriada
Maelcon—son of the Cruarch and Foclaidha
Moiread—youngest daughter of Necthana
Necthana—sister of the Cruarch
Sibeal—middle daughter of Necthana

Three Sisters
Gildas—servant of the Master of the Straits
Master of the Straits—controls the seas between Alba and Terre d’Ange
Tilian—servant of the Master of the Straits

Others
Vitale Bouvarre—merchant; Stregazza ally
Pierre Cantrel—merchant; father of Phèdre
Camilo—apprentice of Gonzago de Escabares
Danele—wife of Taavi; dyer
Emile—member of Hyacinthe's crew
Maestro Gonzago de Escabares—Aragonian historian; former teacher to Delaunay
Fortun—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys
Gavin Friote—seneschal of Perrinwolde
Heloise Friote—wife of Gavin
Purnell Friote—son of Gavin
Richeline Friote—wife of Purnell
Aelric Leithe—sailor
Jean Marchand—second-in-command to Rousse
Thelesis de Mornay—King's Poet
Mierette nó Orchis—former adept of Orchis House
Remy—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys
Quintilius Rousse—Royal Admiral
Taavi—Yeshuite weaver
(Maia and Rena—daughters of Taavi and Danele)
Master Robert Tielhard—marquist
Ti-Philippe—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys
Lelahiah Valais—chirurgeon (Eisande)
Japheth nó Eglantine-Vardennes—playwright
Seth ben Yavin—Yeshuite scholar

Chapter Summaries[]

Chapter 1                    Chapter 21                    Chapter 41                    Chapter 61       Chapter 81

Chapter 2                    Chapter 22                    Chapter 42                    Chapter 62       Chapter 82

Chapter 3                    Chapter 23                    Chapter 43                    Chapter 63       Chapter 83

Chapter 4                    Chapter 24                    Chapter 44                    Chapter 64       Chapter 84

Chapter 5                    Chapter 25                    Chapter 45                    Chapter 65       Chapter 85

Chapter 6                    Chapter 26                    Chapter 46                    Chapter 66       Chapter 86

Chapter 7                    Chapter 27                    Chapter 47                    Chapter 67       Chapter 87

Chapter 8                    Chapter 28                    Chapter 48                    Chapter 68       Chapter 88

Chapter 9                    Chapter 29                    Chapter 49                    Chapter 69       Chapter 89

Chapter 10                  Chapter 30                    Chapter 50                    Chapter 70       Chapter 90

Chapter 11                  Chapter 31                    Chapter 51                    Chapter 71       Chapter 91

Chapter 12                  Chapter 32                    Chapter 52                    Chapter 72       Chapter 92

Chapter 13                  Chapter 33                    Chapter 53                    Chapter 73       Chapter 93

Chapter 14                  Chapter 34                    Chapter 54                    Chapter 74       Chapter 94

Chapter 15                  Chapter 35                    Chapter 55                    Chapter 75       Chapter 95

Chapter 16                  Chapter 36                    Chapter 56                    Chapter 76       Chapter 96

Chapter 17                  Chapter 37                    Chapter 57                    Chapter 77     

Chapter 18                  Chapter 38                    Chapter 58                    Chapter 78      

Chapter 19                  Chapter 39                    Chapter 59                    Chapter 79      

Chapter 20                  Chapter 40                    Chapter 60                    Chapter 80

References[]

Novels of the trilogies
Kushiel's Dart
2001
Kushiel's Chosen
2002
Kushiel's Avatar
2003
Kushiel's Scion
2006
Kushiel's Justice
2007
Kushiel's Mercy
2008
Naamah's Kiss
2009
Naamah's Curse
2010
Naamah's Blessing
2011
Cassiel's Servant
2023
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