Anne Bishop’s sparkling “Black Jewels” series
While strong female characters in fantasy literature are not uncommon, they are often created by men. If you don’t believe this makes a difference, just take a look at Roy Thomas’s Red Sonja, or even William Moulton Marston’s Wonder Woman. Novelist Anne Bishop turns traditional expectations of buxom, sword-wielding fantasy heroines on their heads, however, in her stellar series, “The Black Jewels.”The series was originally conceived as a trilogy, with the first book, Daughter of the Blood, published in 1998, Heir to the Shadows in 1999, and Queen of the Darkness in 2000. The title refers to the magical jewels which are awarded to (almost) every individual in a coming-of-age ceremony. The darkest jewels are the most powerful. In an interesting twist, jeweled women are the dominant ruling force, holding court over a coven of female attendants and a harem of fawning males. Bishop’s first three books tell the story of a young girl named Jaenelle Angelline who has the ability to become the most powerful witch in the universe.The “Black Jewels” books proved so popular that they became Bishop’s flagship series. Perhaps one reason is their crossover appeal, with even people who say they don’t read fantasy novels falling for it (as in this Amazon review). The romance between Jaenelle and her lover Daemon is one compelling aspect that sets these novels apart, along with Bishop’s evocative and emotional writing. The first trilogy was followed by a prequel at the end of 2000, with four more books in the series since then.Bishop has also written two other series, the “Tir Alainn Trilogy” and the “Landscapes of Ephemera,” along with a number of short stories appearing in different anthologies. If you’re in the mood for a sensuous and romantic fantasy that sets itself apart from the crowd, take a trip into Bishop’s “Black Jewels” universe.