Kushiel's Avatar

Kushiels’ Avatar is the third book in the Kushiel’s legacy series.

In this book Phedre the winsome and gritty anguisette, bidden to seek pain in love by her gods, the cruel Kushiel and the loving Naamah, has matured gracefully. Now the Comtesse Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve, she enjoys maintaining an estate together with the swordsman Joscelin, her faithful consort. As her marquee is done she now only accepts three patrons a year, continuing to follow her calling, but now on her terms.

In this book the beautiful, treacherous Melisande Shahrizai asks Phedre to rescue her kidnapped son, Imriel. In return, Melisande promises to help Phedre find the Name of God, the key to freeing Hyacinthe, her boyhood friend whom she vowed to help free from his curse as the Master of the Straits.

In the search for Imriel, Phedre comes into the hands of the insane warlord and servant of the dark god Mahrkagir. She learns true and utter pain of body and spirit, nearly losing herself in his hands. Joseline must stand by and watch as she slowly loses strength and spirit. His role is just as hard, pretending to be something he is not, in order to rescue Imriel and save Phedre when the time is right.

Phedre and Joslin must use all their strength of body and spirit, if they hope to gain the trust of Imriel, who is also in the clutches of the madman and escape with their lives.

I find these books interesting because no one is perfect and their is no knight on a shining horse coming to rescue the damsel in distress. They are true romances with lots of love, understanding and strength of character, even when they make mistakes they live on and learn from them.