Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Kushiel's Dart cover art

Kushiel's Dart

By: Jacqueline Carey
Narrated by: Jessica Whittaker
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

A Kiss of Iron cover art
The Serpent and the Wings of Night cover art
Fourth Wing cover art
House of Beating Wings cover art
Daughter of No Worlds cover art
A Court This Cruel and Lovely cover art
Rhapsodic cover art
From Blood and Ash cover art
Dune cover art
New Spring cover art
Many Are the Dead cover art
The Song of the First Blade cover art
The Mists of Avalon cover art
The Black Moth cover art
The First Princess of Wales cover art
King's Dragon cover art

Summary

Winner of the Locus Award for Best First Novel, Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey is an intoxicating fantasy of intrigue, betrayal and desire – perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass and Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Servant. Seductress. Spy.

All Phèdre nó Delaunay has known is a life of servitude – until now. When her bond is purchased by a nobleman, Anafiel Delaunay, he transforms her into a charming courtesan and skillful spy. He’s also the first to recognize what she is: one touched by the god Kushiel’s dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.

But when Phèdre uncovers a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland, she’s thrown into a world of deadly courtiers, heroic traitors and one truly Machiavellian villainess. Her journey will take her to the edge of despair and beyond. For false friends, loving enemies and beloved assassins all wear the same glittering masks – and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.

Continue the journey with Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey.

©2011 Jacqueline Carey (P)2023 Macmillan Publishers International Limited

Critic reviews

"A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating read." (Robert Jordan)

"With her provocative debut novel, Jacqueline Carey introduces herself as an extraordinarily talented writer... Ms Carey weaves an exquisite tapestry of politics, intrigue, history, magic, desire and fate into a breathtaking epic that will captivate readers." (Romantic Times)

"Superbly detailed, fascinatingly textured, and sometimes unbearably intense: a resonant, deeply satisfying and altogether remarkable debut." (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Kushiel's Dart

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    18
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    18
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    16
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • J
  • 30-07-23

Beautifully done

A perfect narrator to a beautiful book. The accents are well done, the prononciation even more so.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Slow start accelerates to a resounding climax...

Give it time - the characters develop over the first few hours but the pace gathers and once you get going the breakneck gallop draws you into its heart pounding embrace as Phedre and friends navigate the exotic, erotic political and literary DE Angeline mansions to the brutal Skaldi winters.
I never expected to like this book which came as a recommendation following my reading #(listening) of "A Discovery of Witches" and the "Witcher" books and was bemoaning the use of the credit after an hour but i persisted because of the reviews, both here and on "Goodreads". And, some 25 hours later - over 50, if I include Part II, by gum I'm glad I did!!
The book, the narration all come together in a harmony of excellence - I hate comparing books, movies, TV shows etc or ranking them but this one is right up there with my other favourites - and I have added Carey to my other beloved authors - too many to list here.
Just try it out if you like adventure and action laden period pieces with the merest soupcon of elegantly-described, fragrant and flagellant (sic) BDSM Erotica - never graphic or coarse.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Epic forward-thinking fantasy

I can't write a better summary than what the author has provided, so read that to get the gist of the book. I think I first read this story 20ish years ago, so it was interesting to see it made into a modern audiobook. I wasn't disappointed.

Performance: Jessica Whittaker does an amazing job with the VERY odd names, places, titles, gods, and other words that I wouldn't have the vaguest idea how to pronounce. I mean, our main character is "Phèdre nó Delaunay " good luck with that! And yet Whittaker manages and brings life to Phèdre's tale.

Story: At times I had difficulty keeping track of the characters, places, relationships between them as we tried to figure out who was promised to who, who was supposed to be sitting on which throne, etc. And don't get attached to the characters, they have a tendency to kill them off frequently.

Get the next in the series? Yes, but not right away. Phèdre has a Happy For Now ending and I kinda want to give Phèdre a chance to relax (at least in my mind) before she ends up in whatever hell that her life seems to be. That girl just does NOT get a break.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely Epic would give it 6 stars if I could

I first read this on kindle a few years ago but came back to try the Audio version and this doesn't disappoint. The narration is top class and really brings out the story and the characters. Also there are things missed the first time round which make more sense on a second reading.

This is one of those books that is just brilliant with a mixture of adventure, comedy intrigue and sex. Throw in a forbidden romance and is up there with the best of the best.

Really great and lovable characters especially Phedre our heroine. Even the evil rival is a fully developed 3D character who its hard not to like. Its maybe a little slow to start but once it gets going its a real page turner and holds the interest to the end and beyond...
Its the first of a Trilogy and the other 2 books don't disappoint either
Absolutely recommend this, its one of the best of its genre

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Totally love this!

This is one of my again and again stories. Where is the next? Can’t wait!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful