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    Shalador's Lady
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    Shalador's Lady
    Unavailable
    Shalador's Lady
    Audiobook17 hours

    Shalador's Lady

    Written by Anne Bishop

    Narrated by John Sharian

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Return to the "intense...erotic...and imaginative" (Nancy Kress) world of the national bestselling Black Jewels novels in this sequel to The Shadow Queen.For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. Now that their land has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore it and prove her ability to rule.But even if Lady Cassidy succeeds, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land-and Lady Cassidy-forever...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 2, 2010
    ISBN9781101079737
    Unavailable
    Shalador's Lady
    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 Shalador's Lady

    4.5/5

    217 ratings16 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Lady Cassidy is trying to be a good Queen for Dena Nahele except Theran Greyhaven is undermining her at every step. He isn't shy about his disappointment that she isn't prettier and more powerful. Fortunately the rest of her dozen sworn Warlords and Warlord Princes are much happier with her. So are the landen and the other people she rules over in Greyhaven.She takes a trip to the Shalador Reserve in Eyota to meet more of the Shaladoran Queens and discovers a land parched and almost barren. She knows how to transfer her power to enrich the land but she has never dealt with a land so empty. She almost drains all of her power and shatters her jewels before her Court realizes what's happening and takes her away.After she recovers, she returns to Greyhaven to find the she has a visitor. Lady Kermilla, the Queen who took her Court away from her and ruined her confidence, has come for a visit (and to demand that Cassidy give her money to run her Court). Cassidy tells her to leave but Theran takes one look at her and realizes that Kermilla is the Queen he has been waiting for to cure Dena Nehele. Cassidy is ready to give up and leave until her loyal Court convinces her to return to Eyota and take her Court - minus Theran, there.The story splits viewpoints. We see Cassidy and her Court in Eyota, Theran dealing with Kermilla and Dena Nehele, and Kermilla who is self-absorbed, selfish, hedonistic, and has a major sense of entitlement. It was painful watching Theran making excuses for her and dealing with her very expensive tastes. The contrast with Cassidy and her behavior couldn't have been clearer.This story also saw Gray finally maturing after the trauma he suffered at age fifteen. He picks wonderful role models and teachers in Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar. I loved the scelties who came to Cassidy's Court to help and teach and herd their human sheep. This was a very entertaining entry into the Black Jewels series.
    • 5/5
      Honey Pear Trees

      I loved this as usual. Anything Anne Bishop writes is pure gold. I love that Cassie was given a second chance to be a queen after her other court was stolen from her. It was hard to put up with the stupidity of Prince Greyhaven even after Cassie was able to unlock the spells that hid his family’s treasure. His oblivion towards Kermella was almost intolerable. I loved the honey pears and how they were found and am really looking forward to reading the next story.
    • 4/5
      (Eighth of 9: The Black Jewels series. Fantasy)As you may know, from my other reviews, this is not one of my one of my absolutely favourite series, but I keep coming back to it because it is fun. It's almost YA, except for certain explicit words and scenes (which, if I'm being honest, I could have done without).This is a continuation of the story in The Shadow Queen, picking up from where Cassidy has finally been accepted as the Queen of the Territory of Dena Nehele. Theran Grayhaven, who is the last scion of the leading family of Dena Nehele and descended from legends, had brought her to his Territory to restore the land, after it was devastated by the rule of degenerate Queens. But now the Black Widows have woven their tangled webs and foresee danger ahead for Dena Nehele.Although Cassidy proved herself in The Shadow Queen by dint of hard work and compassion, Theran still feels that a 'proper' Queen would have more style and polish. When an old acquaintance of Cassidy's comes to visit who seems to have that style and polish, Theran is dazzled by her, and forms a magical bond with her, in spite of the fact that she is rather shallow. As a result of this, he has a difference of opinion with the rest of Cassidy's court of twelve Blood males, and the Court moves to one of the Shalador reserves; Shalador being another Territory that was decimated by the bad Queens and whose people were given refuge in Dena Nehele.Cassidy continues with her work ethic of doing her best for the people, both Blood and landen, so we see the contrast between the two Queens, and when things come to a head, we know which Queen is best for the land.I liked this better than The Shadow Queen because it focussed on Cassidy's story without so many side-tracks into the lives and sex lives of Jaenelle, Daemon and co. The humour, though, is not as subtle as I prefer it, which knocks it down the list.I did think that the justice meted Cassidy's 'friend' seemed fair, though her protégée (lead astray by her) didn't get such a chance. I must confess I'm still confused by the multiple hierarchical structure, and a map of the Territory would have been helpful.(With apologies to die-hard fans of the series), I find it light fluff, fun to come back to once in a while.Three and a half stars
    • 3/5
      Shalador's Lady continues the story arc introduced with The Shadow Queen -- we pick up where we left off with Lady Cassidy, who is still trying to pull Dena Nehele together while trying to win the people's hearts and negotiate a reluctant First Escort.The Black Jewels sequels are nowhere near the quality of the original trilogy, and I'm getting a bit tired of the recycled phrases and situations. We get it: a "too soft" voice and sleepy eyes means that the all-powerful Saadi family is angry. Queens are stubborn and too reckless with their own safety, while the Warlord Princes are overprotective. Nothing new there. With that said, however, these books are fun, easy-reads that are good for a quick fix when you're craving time in the Black Jewels world.In this one, I wasn't so much interested in the story as a whole, but I did like seeing the growth of the two male characters Ranon and Gray. We get to see a much more vulnerable side of Ranon, while Gray turns from vulnerable, broken boy to a strong Warlord Prince who is someone to be feared. I also enjoyed getting to see more Sceltie characters and reading about how they interacted with the other Queens and Princes.Overall, I would say this is a light read that will appeal to fans of the series, if only to revisit old characters. Other than that, there's not much to it.
    • 4/5
      Amazon preorder,Amazon received,
      The Black Jewels are always fun to read, although they have some really dark undertones that sometimes are an odd juxtaposition to the playful nature of the books.

      I occasionally have minor twinges of discomfort over the male/female dynamics, which is the only reason I don't quite give out a five, but the characters, imagery and dialog always carry the day.

      They also are very much female power fantasy structured to women's real fantasies and I think that is what makes them appealing.
    • 4/5
      Shalador's lady is a direct sequel to The shadow queen, continuing the story of Cassidy and her court (as well as Jaenelle, Saetan and Daemon of course). I once more really liked this book. Again, it's not the most brilliant story in the world (as I've mentioned for Dark Jewels 4-7 as well), but it is one of the more brilliant worlds inhabited by several of the more brilliant characters.
    • 5/5
      As usually happens with Anne Bishop’s books, I could'nt put this book down. This is the story after the events in The Shadow Queen and Twilight's Dawn.It’s the story of Queen Cassidy and the recovery of Terreile after the Witch storm. It’s also the story of Theran, heir to the land, and how what he thinks what’s best for his land actually isn’t. It can be a lesson about people, a warning to make us look at the larger picture when we’re blinded by love. It’s a story about personal growth, about facing challenges without running away from them, about the importance of ambition and self-esteem. This is not the typical story when you fall in love with the heroine because she’s perfect. Cassie is good and strong, but she doesn’t know it yet. So she’s scared and cries a lot (and sometimes almost faints). In the beginning she has trust issues with everyone around her, mainly because she’s suffered from treason before. It’s funny that in the beginning of the book there’s a map of Terreile that I swear it’s the map of Portugal without one or two provinces.In sum, another great book from the Dark Jewels series.
    • 5/5
      It was a nice wrap up to the Dena Nehele/Shalador story line started in the Invisible Ring. It's a better story than The Shadow Queen, mainly because there isn't as much scene jumping from the story of Cassidy to the goings-on of Daemon in Khaleer.It was engaging and suspenseful and had a satisfying conclusion. And now I'm going to be hard-pressed to find any fantasy series to live up to this one.
    • 5/5
      Cassidy's year as Queen of Dena Nehele isn't even half over yet, and already her presence has made a difference in the lives of the people. But Theran Grayhaven remains convinced she's second best. He doesn't feel the loyalty to Cassidy that the rest of her court does, and never will. But when an old rival of Cassidy's drops by for a visit, Theran finds his Queen. Will past history ruin Dena Nehele's present? Janelle's tangled web and the dreams of the Dena Nehele Black Widows are troubled....Excellent continuation!
    • 5/5
      Well, Anne Bishop has done it again. Another delightful tale of the Blood that's completely engaging and hard to put down, seasoned generously with the heart and wit that make these books so charming. This tome follows the tale of Cassidy, who we met in 'The Shadow Queen,' as she contines to try and rule her demense. Alas, all is not well within her court, and even as she continues to improve the land, she is betrayed from within. Will she falter, or find the strength to overcome the opposition?I will say this: the book is about 90% pure politics. Generally I loathe such tomes (WoT suffers greatly from this problem in parts), but her characters! The characters are just so likeable, she actually makes politics interesting. I think its the fact that her characters are just so human, yet more, that makes them so attractive. They glare, they loom dangerously, they spout vast quantities of energy, they speak in spooky voices. But at the same time, they make idiots of themselves, they get all snarly, they bitch and moan. And no one's exempt. Everyone, even the most mighty, is at some point a fool. And that makes the characters so much more believable. All the characters do a lot of growing and developing in this book - in particular Gray. Also, there is quite a large Sceltie presence in this chapter of the 'Jewels' saga. It adds quite a bit of lighthearted fun.I found the resolution to be both satisfying and amusing. Not much action in the volume, but a great deal of character growth and major world developments. Not a book you'd want to introduce someone 'Black Jewels' with, but a fun and enjoyable read for fans of the series.
    • 5/5
      If you haven't read another novel in Bishop's Dark Jewels universe, this wouldn't be where I'd start. Go read the opening trilogy in the series first, which starts with Daughter of the Blood, since this novel would act as a spoiler, and those are the strongest novels in the series. You'd also want to read The Shadow Queen before reading this novel, since Shalador's Lady is the sequel, and I think you'd be lost without reading it. (The Invisible Ring, which is set a few hundred years before, also provides backstory, but I don't think is crucial to be read before this one). If you have read and enjoyed The Shadow Queen however, you won't be disappointed, in fact I think this is the stronger novel, which strikes a better balance between the parts of the book that checks in with Jaenelle and other characters from earlier in the series and Cassidy and her court. I think the antagonist is a bit weak, and Theron, and even Cassidy at a certain point acted in ways that made me want to slap them, and wonder why they've seemingly regressed since the last book. Nevertheless, this story more than once moved me to laughter and even tears, and any novel that does that belongs among my favorites. And if you do love the Dark Jewels books, it's like settling down to catch up with old friends.
    • 4/5
      I've followed this series from the beginning and love the books. I think the overall concept is fascinating (some have magic, some don't, you're born into a magic "caste" etc.) These later books are perhaps not as exciting as some of the others, but they are still fascinating and bittersweet, and picking one up is like settling in for a visit with a friend, at this point.Here, Cassidy is faced with her nemesis, Kermilla - the Queen who took Cassidy's prior court - when she comes to Grayhaven to discuss her Queen's gift. Cassidy runs away to Shalador, where her kindness, fairness and generosity work their own brand of magic on both the Blood and Landens. A great read.
    • 4/5
      A welcome return to Anne Bishop's Black Jewels world sees the story continuing from The Shadow Queen. Cassidy has gained some support from the Warlords of Shalador and Dene Nehele. One still stands against her despite being sworn to be part of her inner circle. Luckily she has the care and companionship of Grey who is fast on track to becomming the Warlord he was always destined to be. He will never have his true strength as his Jewels have been decided, but he has a quiet power and stength that others are beginning to notice and follow.An old rival of Cassidy's visits and turns her world upside down. She was responsible for Cassie's biggest heartache and seems set on repeating her behaviour. Cassie withdraws foresaking the positive effect she is having on the people and Grey and her Warlords battle to keep her with them and not hide herself away. Demon, Saetan and Lucivar all get involved as well as Witch and Surreal plus a healthy dose of Scheltie's led by Lady Vae so it looks like Cassie may have no choice but to stick around! The tangled webs though do not look good for the future of Dene Nehele...I loved this addition to the series (of course!). Cassie is stronger than she thinks she is and very easy to connect with. As is Grey. I really enjoyed spending time getting to know her first circle better, the good and the misguided. I hope there are many more books to come in this series.
    • 5/5
      Once again, I have flown through one of Anne Bishop's books, getting thoroughly immersed in the world and the characters she has created. This one was much better than [The Shadow Queen], if only because the focus stayed on Cassidy and the people of Dena Nehele. Having Daemon and Jeanelle present is always fun, because I have to know what they are doing in their lives! Cassidy really grew into her own skin in this one, as did Gray and the rest of the First Circle, which was exactly what they all needed to find their strength. The cryptic nature of the Black Widows, as well as the older men, added to the sense of tension in Cassidy's territory. When Kermilla shows up thinking she can steal Cassie's court away from her again - ooh it was so great to read the perspective from the men who just were not hearing anything as ridiculous as that. Protocol really enables the boys to boss around their queens, and it just makes their relationships even deeper and stronger.The whole Dark Jewels series is my favorite by far. The world is so detailed and the characters are so real that I always find myself smiling, crying, laughing, and feeling every other emotion right along with the characters. I LOVE IT AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR ANOTHER! I know one of the series I'll be rereading for some fun this summer!
    • 5/5
      I've been following this series for over ten years now and have yet to feel any disappointment. Lady continues the trilogy of focusing o the rebuilding of one territory in the realm of Terreille, which was worst damaged by the psychic/magical storm a few years previous to removed the tainted Blood. Cassidy is still seeking out her place as temporary queen of Dene Nehele, where most of her court supports her. Save for one, the man who originally sought out a new Queen, Theran Greyhaven (whose ancestors' tale is told in The Invisible Ring). An old rival of Cassidy's comes to visit, Theran is instantly taken by the new Queen, and the power struggles continue. Will Cassidy be able to still rule, or will the former usurper again steal the people of this Queen?I have to admit that from the beginning I knew this book would hold a special place in my heart. for the fact that my name is one of the minor characters in this book. (I'm Shaddo's wife, in case you wonder.) Yet still, I dove into the book as much as I could around school work and took every chance I could to continue the story. It was so worth the time and did wonders for my spirit.This isn't the place to start, if you've never acquainted yourself with Bishop's Realms series. If you know some of the history though, you should be able to slip right in and continue the story. Otherwise, pick up Daughter of the Blood and get to enjoying!
    • 5/5
      I'm a huge fan of this series. I'm not sure how well Shalador's Lady would stand up for people who didn't read and adore the original three black jewels books, but for me any time I get more of this world is wonderful.On the surface this is a book about Cassidy, but in practice there are a lot of characters who get focus, including Ranon and of course Sadi and Daemon. So it ends up being a book about the world, rather than a book about one person. If you love the world, like I do, that ends up being a good thing. If you need a strong character to drive you through the plot, you may end up being a bit disappointed.