THE DARK QUEEN

Author: Susan Carroll ISBN: 0345437969 3/2005 HISTORICAL Publisher: BALLANTINE
Time Period: mid to latter 1500's

From Brittany’s misty shores to the decadent splendor of Paris’s royal court, one woman must fulfill her destiny–while facing the treacherous designs of Catherine de Medici, the dark queen. She is Ariane, the Lady of Faire Isle, one of the Cheney sisters, renowned for their mystical skills and for keeping the isle secure and prosperous. But this is a time when women of ability are deemed sorceresses, when Renaissance France is torn by ruthless political intrigues, and all are held in thrall to the sinister ambitions of Queen Catherine de Medici. Then a wounded stranger arrives on Faire Isle, bearing a secret the Dark Queen will do everything in her power to possess. The only person Ariane can turn to is the comte de Renard, a nobleman with fiery determination and a past as mysterious as his own unusual gifts. Riveting, vibrant, and breathtaking, The Dark Queen follows Ariane and Renard as they risk everything to prevent the fulfillment of a dreadful prophecy–even if they must tempt fate and their own passions.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

What an enthralling and mesmerizing blend of romance, intrigue, suspense, mystery and the mystical is THE DARK QUEEN. Without a doubt, I'm almost positive that this book will easily become my top Top Pick for 2005 (and if THE DARK QUEEN is any indication of what's to come, THE COURTESAN, the second in this series, may be as well). It would definitely take some highly-skilled writing and storytelling to knock Susan Carroll off this lofty pedestal I've set her upon, believe me.

Set during the turbulent time of Catherine de Medici, aka The Dark Queen, Ariane Cheney, as her mother did before her, has assumed the mantle of The Lady of Faire Isle, a place rooted deeply in the magic and healing arts practiced by The Daughters of the Earth to which she belongs—white witches, in other words. When Ariane gives safe haven to a Huguenot soldier who holds evidence of evil doing by Catherine, evidence that once produced could cause grave political consequences, Ariane finds herself pitted against witch hunters, the Queen's Army, and finally against The Dark Queen herself, whose expertise in the arts of dark magic is unsurpassed by anyone—except the wicked Melusine herself.

THE DARK QUEEN is more than just a love story between Ariane and the comte de Renard, an aristocrat who holds secrets of his own and relentlessly pursues Ariane to become his wife, attempting to bind her to him through a set of magic rings. Ariane's sisters also play important roles in this first book: The beautiful but tragic Gabrielle, whose wounded heart and loss of innocence cost her her magic, seems to be nothing more than a lost and angry soul, anxious to escape the confines of their island home. However, all she lacks in self-esteem she soon makes up for in valor, standing strong beside her sisters whenever they or their isle are threatened. Miri, the youngest at 13 and a shy, awkward, naive teenager, has the gift of understanding animals. Her quiet way and gentle heart instill in all she meets a need to protect her, while her prophetic dreams foretell Ariane of a dark and bloody future event, a catastrophe through which THE DARK QUEEN will come to its heart pounding, heart wrenching climax.

It's been a very long time since I've been moved to tears by unexpected events that take place in a romance; longer still since I've been completely engrossed and drawn into a sequence of events so deeply, as I was during the latter parts of THE DARK QUEEN. I wasn't quite sure whether to throft this book across the room, or hug it tight and thank the stars above that Ballantine sent it to me for review.

Ms. Carroll's writing is tight, her style flowing and fast-paced, making all 519 pages fly by like a mere 100. Each character's personality, no matter how minor, was aptly portrayed and developed, and the dialogue—a major sticking point with me—was absolutely perfect to a tee. The romantic relationship that develops between Ariane and Renaud is emotional, many times tender, and always heartfelt, while the relationship set ups for Gabrielle and Capt. Remy, and Miri and the young witch hunter's apprentice, Simon, gives us a glimpse of what's next in this fascinating and spellbinding trilogy from Susan Carroll. To be quite honest, it's going to be a pins-'n'-needles wait for me until August!

Nancy Davis