Kushiel's Scion

By: Jacqueline Carey

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 27 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Imriel de la Courcel's birth parents are history's most reviled traitors, but his adoptive parents, the Comtesse Phedre and the warrior-priest Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood; third in line for the throne in a land that revels in art, beauty and desire. It is a court steeped in deeply laid conspiracies - and there are many who would see the young prince dead. Some despise him out of hatred for his mother, Melisande, who nearly destroyed the entire realm in her quest for power. Others because they fear he has inherited his mother's irresistible allure - and her dangerous gifts.

As he comes of age, plagued by unwanted desires, Imriel shares their fears. When a simple act of friendship traps Imriel in a besieged city where the infamous Melisande is worshiped as a goddess and where a dead man leads an army, the prince must face his greatest test: to find his true self.

©2006 Jacqueline Carey (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Intelligent, sexy, heartbreakingly human.... Carey at her intoxicating best." ( Booklist Starred Review)
"Credible and gripping, this is heroic fantasy at its finest." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

amazing

wonderful performance and eloquent story telling. one to listen to again and again. a true favorite.

great series!

well read and written.
easier to stomach than fedres story but no less dynamic for it

loved it

the voice actor is amazing. this is everything audiobooks should be. i love this series and loved listening to this book done justice by the narrator. thank you

Great story horrible narration

What made the experience of listening to Kushiel's Scion the most enjoyable?

I love this series. I really enjoy the plot and intrigue and characters. If I hadn't read this book before listening to it I wouldn't have liked it I don't think and all because of the narration done by Vance.

What didn’t you like about Simon Vance’s performance?

Simon Vance doesn't do this author justice at all. After listening to this story from a woman's point of view over the last 3 books it is natural to find some adjustments going to a male narration, but he can't pronounce half the names, titles and places correct and his inflections for each character are totally bazar. Having a lot of trouble getting through this book. Wish he would have stayed closer to the other narrations.

Fun and frustrating

The story builds slowly, and it probably helps to have read the first three books in the series, but the last three can stand on their own. The characters are interesting, and the story is fun to follow. It's also deeply frustrating, because it leaves off so you have to read the next book. These shouldn't be read if you embarrass easily. There is some serious adult content. If that doesn't bother you, then the world the author creates is interesting, and you'll be left wanting to know how things turn out.

compulsively listenable

it's so addicting. ready to download the next book ASAP. i wish i could go live in Terre D'Ange.

My favorite author delivers again

it was well read but I disagree with the narrator's choices for some of the male characters. particularly Joscelyn. And some of the accent choices were weird.

Brilliant Segue

I have read 5 of the 6 books in this series. This one provides the basis for Emriel, who goes on to be the major character in the next three books. The rest of it wasn't what I cared for, but necessary for the plot structure. If you're into plot, character development, intrigue and a great basis for alternate history this series is totally what you're looking for. I really started to understand the "Love as Thou Wilt" precept. Moral ambiguity set aside, Carey managed to develop an entirely different universe with Terre D'ange. It is a great story that's hard to put down.

great story, horrid pronunciation

loved the book, narrator was awful. voice was pleasant enough, however the pronunciation of many of the words was quite horrid. this baffles me as there is a pronunciation guide available.

good but not imri

with Imriel being a teenager, the narrator should've been younger. sounded like an old man reading mean very special book I enjoyed. not what I would've went with