Jacqueline Carey gives us an exceptional series and is a gifted author . When one reads the Kushiels series the descriptive writing has you feeling like you are there with the characters. You see the green mountainsides and feel the dry desert heat.The series of books has depth and character development with a wonderful historical fiction background. This is an enjoyable historical fiction book with a lot of sexuality about a different culture that seems familiar to bring you closer to the story.