Rating: 
Summary: A satisfying end to the trilogy
Review: Queen of the Darkness was a good read, and it finishes the Black Jewel Trilogy in a way that does not leave the reader in a sense of being betrayed. It was good final book, but I feel myself forced to say that the first book - Daughter of the Blood - was better, and darker, in a way. Anne Bishop manages to maintain her characters. They change, of course, but in a way that is understanable and they are still the same people. Especially Daemon, I feared she would leave the Sadist in the Twisted Kingdom, which happily didn't happen. I like that cruel person, he is so much more then the ordinary stereotypes in most fantasy books. Oh, it is not a good idea to read only one of the series. They belong together and it is unlikely that this one is understood without the other two, and it would be a pity to miss them anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: Reading Queen of the Darkness was like returning to old friends again. How I missed them all! Anne Bishop continues to write emotionally charged, suspenseful scenes filled with clever dialog and coy humor. Daemon is a masterpiece and the book truly shines when he is around. The delicate courtship between him and Janelle is one of the most charming parts of the plot and takes up much of the first half of the book. It gets slightly passed over towards the end and there are jumps in the time sequence that leave several months and sometimes years only vaguely accounted for. The second portion of the book deals with the larger threat to all the Blood and Kaleer in general. The plot here feels a little rushed and I would have prefered that the author space out the "big" and "little" plot lines more evenly rather than dealing almost entirely with one plot first and virtually dropping it to take care of the second later. Surreal comes into her own as a strong character in this book, more so than in the others and her biting sarcasm and witty retorts really pack some punch into the dialog, especially when she gets to have a verbal spar with Daemon. Saetan is both touching as the adoring "papa" and formidable as the "High Lord of Hell", slipping right back into the role he had in the other two books. Daemon is much more fragile this time around but to see him get his bite back again in the end is a thrill. We don't get to climb into Lucivar's head as easily as we did in the second book, which is a minor disappointment but he still stands out like he always has. I spent much of my time cheering outloud (no joke, thank goodness I wasn't reading in public) while I devoured this book in barely three days. Bishop does a wonderful job creating a believable and exciting matriarchal society filled with strong, proud women who are a joy to behold. The violence is particularly strong in parts, just as it was in the first two books, so be prepared for some serious rumbles. I would have liked to have seen a few less characters in favor of more development with the ones taking center stage. I had a hard time keeping track of all the members of Janelle's First Circle, let alone her whole court and the lesser courts of the other territory Queens. I liked the Kindred and wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of them. The author leaves some loose ends that will have me scouring my brains for a while. Is this truly the end? I suppose that's something only she can tell us.
Rating: 
Summary: wow! read it and you'll not put it down!
Review: wow i can hardly wait to recommend this book to all my friends! i was waiting for this book like forever and when i finally got hold of it, wow! i read the whole day long. the charcters are so vivid and they are full of life! they make you want to cry and laugh with them. i was really amazed with janelle's amount of power! to anyone who reads this book, you've made a great choice! here's to you for your good taste
Rating:
Summary: Very good, but the first was the best...
Review: This book was very good, but I have to say that it ended in a rush. The first one was by far the best! I really love this series though, and would recommend it to anyone, even someone who doesn't really care for this genre. the books pull you in and won't let you go! I think it might have been better if I had read them all at once, instead of having to wait for the next one to come out. Maybe they would have flowed a little better. It seemed that quite a lot happened between books (Lucivar got married? did I miss something?) that was never explained. Don't get me wrong, It is a wonderful series, it just could have been better.
Rating:
Summary: oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Review: A lot of people have praised the second book in the Black Jewels trilogy, but I believe it was the beginning of a quality control issue that continues on into this third book. Much of the second book was overwritten. In the third book, particularly the latter half, so many things happen so quickly that one wishes Bishop had taken some unnecessary events out of the second book and spread the necessary action between the two more evenly. Cinematic cut scenes occur to kill off characters who have become inconvenient, or so that we can see the villains Plotting as they rub their hands together with Evil Glee. Other readers have mentioned another problem with "Queen of the Darkness": the fact that too many characters were introduced in the second book for readers to keep track of them all. The failure to provide a "cast of characters" page, with brief descriptions, is a major failing in this book, because so many poorly-drawn characters were introduced in the second book that it's nigh impossible to keep them straight. Of Jaenelle's court, only one member stands out: Karla, and that mostly because of her distinctive habit of saying "Kiss kiss!" (as well as the fact that, when these characters were introduced, she was the first).The men and the other Queens in the first circle are basically interchangeable in terms of personality and speech patterns. Many of the villains are ridiculously simplistic: I'm surprised that Hekatah and Dorothea didn't have moustaches they could twirl. The villains desperately needed to be more complex and interesting. Lucivar isn't even all that well-developed or given a much different "voice" from Daemon, and his appearance is changed significantly from what it was in the first book. The tone of the books also changes a great deal: Surreal in "Queen of the Darkness" does not seem to be the same person as Surreal from "Daughter of the Blood" (the best of the three books, and totally different in mood and tone from the later two volumes). The setting seems far more faux-medieval, where in the first book you were dealing with what felt like an Edwardian world. However, I am giving this book 4 stars because I still enjoyed it, in spite of everything. It took forever and a day to get involved in (the Service Fair scenes are particularly torturously dull and inexplicable), but once I was involved, I could barely put the book down. Daemon's return helped immeasurably: he is probably Bishop's finest creation. I enjoy her writing - she has a particular gift with dialogue, especially where sardonic humour is required - but I hope she learns economy in the future, that she doesn't need to have a sprawling cast of characters to have an interesting story. Most of the interest in this trilogy has been focussed on about five characters (Saetan, Daemon, Lucivar, Jaenelle, Surreal), with about another ten outside characters being reasonably well-done; most of these characters were introduced and best-handled in the first book. She should focus on her strengths instead of exposing her weaknesses, because she's a wonderful writer with a lot of potential, and those weaknesses will eventually shore up if she concentrates on what she does well instead of overloading readers with what she can't handle.
Rating:
Summary: OH MY GOD
Review: wow, is all i can say, if there were 6 stars i would give it that. i am not just talking about that particluar book, but more of the whole trilogy. they are so good it is undescribable by words....in all seriousness they are my favorite books. when you are reading them and you stop it feels like you are going to miss something because it seems like the story just keeps going, it makes it VERY VERY hard to ever put them down. excellent book--and excellent trilogy
Rating:
Summary: The whole trilogy is great
Review: I've just finished the entire trilogy of her books and I absolutely loved them. The way she uses her characters to capture the readers imagination. I felt the emotions that Jaenelle, Daemon, Lucivar, and Saetan were all going through...I really did love the books. I couldn't put them down once I got into them..I can't wait until Anne Bishop's next books come out. I think she's a very aspiring authoress and if you want a good book to get into the Black Jewels Trilogy is the best.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprised How Disappointed I Was Over A "Good" Read
Review: This is not a bad book, by any stretch, and I would recommend purchasing it for anyone who wants to bring some closure to the story line. However, having reread the first 2 books of the trilogy several times (and realizing that both volumes 1 and 2 had distinct "tones" that showed the author was capable of shifting perspectives without losing her audience), I was taken aback at how unsatisfying a second, or third, read this volume was. I'm not sure if it was the characters' development (or lack of it), or how "rushed" the action felt, but I was not captivated the way I was by volumes 1 and (especially) 2. I'm afraid that this really could/should have been one of the few series that should have had a book 4 to more fully develop (and close) the world created by the author.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait from the last book
Review: This trilogy is the best I've ever read. For over a year I've lived by the first two books, and this last was amazing. The plot was as fast paced and full of both darkness and humor as the first book. In fact, most of the book was unexpected, and I found myself being shocked again and again. I stayed up until 3:00am to finish the book, and it was worth every second. The only complaint I might have is that the ending was too abrupt, and left me hanging there. At the same time, I hope she'll follow up with another series, yet hope she doesn't, because it's already perfect the way it is.
Rating:
Summary: Superb book, an abrupt ending, but still wonderful!
Review: I have to say that this trilogy was the best I have ever read. It is compelling, compassionate, and a wonderful read. I could never put them down. The characters (especially Jaenelle, Saetan, Daemon, Lucivar, and cute Graysfang among many others!) become so alive and so easy to relate to/understand. These books make you want to laugh, cry, and feel happy, relieved, and sad for characters. The world is so well described and created that all parts are easily imaginable and vivid. These were such great books! I reccommend them to anyone with an open mind and looking for a great fantasy read!
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