This book is the second in Anne Bishop's Black Jewel's Trilogy. I enjoyed the first book (Daughter of the Blood--see my review "Caught in the Web") and I am beginning to warm up to Bishop's unique and wonderful style. I love the array of creatures that show up in the novel, and the complexity of her characters.

Bishop does not garble the beginning of this book as she did the first novel. She dives right in and hooks you from the beginning and keeps you until the very end. The book has many twists and turns and is complex in an emotional and political manner. She creates level to her characters, giving them each a shade of darkness. In her style, there is no pure innocent, her characters are dark, but they seem real, even those such as Lucivar with his wings. There are several mythological puns in her names such as Saeton, Lord of Hell (Satan)? Hekatah (queen of witches, Shakespeare anyone?) Lucivar with wings (Lucifer) Daemon (meaning demon). I found these connections interesting. Her characters grab the reader and make them care. I find myself interested in Daemon and Lucivar and hoping nothing terrible will happen to them. That's why I keep reading. I almost wept for Daemon as he worked through his demons in the twisted kingdom. Her characters are all dual, except for some of the "bad" characters like Hekatah. Lucivar and Daemon have destroyed many people, but they still hold a real love for each other (they are brothers) and Janelle. Aside from characters' outburst of anger and two rather small magical battles there is very little action in this book.


Many of the characters are returning from the first novel, Janelle, Witch, the subject and the catalyst for the series has been in a coma for 2 years and now fears intimate contact with males. Her character finishes growing up and she grows in depth. We learn more about Lucivar and his mother. We get to know Lucivar as a character. He is hot-headed, but not uncaring. He knows what buttons of Janelle's to push, but his is also fiercely protective of her. Saetan grows as a father figure and we grow to understand him better. Daemon almost does not exist as a character in this novel, he has lost his mind, gone into the Twisted Kingdom as they call it. He journeys through the kingdom throughout the novel. Hekatah, a witch who wishes to control everything schemes against Saetan and plots on ways to control Janelle. She provides the main outside conflict in the story. There are also a host of Janelle's Friends which come from different areas and are different nationalities. I get them confused and the countries confused. I really could use a map to see how the realms and kingdoms relate. There are even telepathic "blood"(meaning they can wear the magic jewels) Unicorns, Dogs, Cats, Horses, and Wolves that have names and characters. Aaron and Khardeen are two warlords that are introduced in this novel--briefly, remember them they show up in the beginning of the third novel.

The story line is the basic piecing together was was lost in the first book with a little mischief from Hekatah and a dash of a teenage girl, with lots of power, with high emotions as she grows to adulthood. In the first novel, It is discovered that Janelle is the witch of legend. The one whom will have mighty powers and be fated to rule the realms. It deals with her growing up in a family that doesn't understand her power and thinks her crazy. They put her into briarwood, an institution, where she is raped. As she goes through childhood in the first novel her male power triangle begins to gather about her as Saetan, Lord of Hell, tries to become her legal Guardian. Daemon (Saetan's son) is serving in her home and becomes her friend. She meets Lucivar, but he does not play a big role in the first novel as he is confined to the salt mines of Pruul. In Heir to the Shadows, Janelle has to get past the rape and the scars it left. Lucivar is still trapped in the salt mine, he must get free or die. In the final confrontation to get Janelle away from Briarwood, Daemon is hurt and cannot remember what has happened. He fears he has killed Janelle and loses his mind, can he find it again? The Dark Council, which is some kind of ruling body, with Queens and such I never have understood their real purpose, is trying to take Janelle away from Saeton. Humans are also killing the kindred, those telepathic animals, and that must be stopped. Janelle has no desire to use her extreme powers or to rule the realms, but Hekatah's antics may cause her to take up the position. The story is mainly emotional and inner conflict and politics. There are a couple of battles towards the end of the book are Janelle's enemies get more bold.

The story is very good. It flows well and has very good, solid characters, but is not driven by physical action. Its not a quest novel in that the characters are traveling to find a certain object. They marched toward a goal, may it be emotional stability, acceptance, or another goal. It can be dark at times. This series is different than any I have read before. It may be confusing at times with so many places and characters. I could use a map, but its not too bad. I can't wait to see how the third book turns out.

NOTE: I have done a slight description of the three realms in the comments section in response to another member's comment.

Recommended: Yes