Naamah's Curse

April 12, 2010
In this sequel to 2009’s Naamah’s Kiss
, Moirin, the devoted servant of a sex goddess, journeys across half of a fantasy version of Asia in search of her soulmate, Bao. In Tatar territory, she finds Bao... and his wife. His father-in-law, the Great Khan, is willing to go to great extremes to keep Bao and Moirin apart. Captured by the fanatic Patriarch of Riva, Moirin escapes to find that Bao has vanished again, this time headed toward the distant lair of the Spider Queen and her army of assassins. The romantic tale is marred by Moirin’s narcissistic awareness that she is destined for a glorious fate that lesser mortals like Bao’s jealous wife may only envy. Carey’s storytelling ability is top-notch, however, and readers will applaud her willingness to resolve major plot threads in the middle book of a trilogy.

June 15, 2010

This second book in a projected trilogy (after Naamah's Kiss) and eighth installment in the larger world of "Kushiel's Legacy" follows Moirin as she navigates challenging terrains to reconnect with her Chi'n soul mate, Bao. Leaving the Orient, Moirin makes for Tartar territory, where she is captured and sold to a religious leader who wants to convert her to the path of Yeshua to aid him in an escalating holy war. Religion is much more of a theme here than in the previous book. The first part addresses the holy wars started on behalf of the son of God, and the second takes Moirin south, where she encounters fictionalized Buddhism and Hinduism. Far less focused on sex than many of Carey's other series titles, this novel is more of a traditional quest fantasy, albeit with a sexually generous female protagonist. VERDICT Recommended for series fans. Readers who enjoy fantasies that involve alternative mythological or religious history such as those by Marion Zimmer Bradley may also want to follow Moirin's journey. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/10.]--Karen Kleckner, Deerfield P.L., IL

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2010
Still chasing her destiny in the sequel to Naamahs Kiss (2009), Moirin follows the urging of her diadh-anam across Tatar territory, looking for Bao, her Chin lover, who holds the other half of her divine soul-spark. She finds him married to the Great Khans daughter, and their plans to smooth this wrinkle go disastrously wrong when the Great Khan arranges to have Moirin kidnapped by fanatical, pious Vralians, while Bao is led into the lands of the Spider Queen. Though this book is packed with new people, new lands, and new gods, the pacing is slow and the tone reflective. Careys involving depictions of several religions also grow rather pointed. While Bao is never present long enough to gain depth, Moirin grows in strength and compassion, confronting several interesting crossroads in her faith and her way of life. Despite a middle book feel, series fans will love it, and an ominous warning about Raphael de Merliot, whom Moirin must reckon with, gives us something to look forward to in the next book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)