Dreams Made Flesh (Black Jewels, Book 5)

The series left me feeling like--"What happened next? I have to know!" And let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed with this ending! It was so well written, each story fed into the other so seamlessly, it was a joy to read and watch new characters (and even old ones) blend flawlessly! Look, I'm usually not fond of follow-on stories, as I feel if they're done poorly it cheapens the experience of the series, but this one? This one is a book you SHOULD read! Don't pass it up, alright? Just "add to cart" already :)

Love all of the Black Jewel Series, I actually purchased them at this time for my sister as a Christmas gift. My sister had read the first 3 but hadn't had the opportunity to read any of the others so I purchased the entire series for her. She loved the first 3, I'm sure this one will be no different. These books are definitely not for the kindhearted and I would describe them as dark and disturbing for most of the series, they can be graphic, horrifying, fantastic, whimsical, saddening and much much more. I have found myself actually laughing out loud, and crying so hard I had to put them away for a while. I've read and reread them probably close to 10 times and can say that I feel they blow most other writers and writing styles out of the water. Everyone is all about 50 Shades of Gray for its sexual content and heat but, in my opinion, nothing beats these books in that aspect as well as many others, I find myself wishing I could step through the pages and live in their world. These books are definitely something you read with an open mind and they are by no means written for children.

This book is made up of four stories that happened during or before the Black Jewels trilogy. The first story is about the dragons and the golden spiders before the Blood received their jewels (10 pages). The second story is about how Lucivar and Marian met, fell in love, and eventually married (218 pages). The third story is about Saetan's past and the beginning of the first war (44 pages). The fourth story is after "Queen of the Darkness" and focuses on Daemon and Jaenelle (166 pages). With all four stories you get a nice sized book. Personally, I could do without the first story. It has little relevance to the trilogy and is not long enough for you to care what happens to the characters. The second and the fourth stories are by far the best. You are reading about developed characters and you tend to have a vested interest in what happens in the stories. The third story about Saetan is referenced in both in the second and fourth stories. As a stand alone story it is ok. It is a short memory that explains certain aspects of Saetan's behavior. Being referenced by the other two stories, makes this a more valuable story. Overall, I would say that three out of the four stories are good, two of those three are spectacular. It is a must buy if you want to know what happens after the trilogy.

This is a series of short-stories set in the Black Jewels universe by Anne Bishop. The stories cover a long period of time, starting with the creation of the blood and the first weaver of dreams. My favorite story of the bunch revolves around Lucivar Yaslana, and his romance with Marian. This story is both fun and flirty as Luciver figures out how to let go and love again. Overall, a well rounded collection of stories that add nicely to the universe!

I was worried about this book--how could you have a sequel to the Black Jewels Trilogy without it diminishing the story? Most sequels are a disappointment. Not "Kaeleer's Heart". It wrapped up some questions left over from the Black Jewels in a very satisfying way. The trilogy wouldn't have been as powerful if this story had been included; reading it later as a separate story gave closure without spoiling the rhythm of the original series. The other stories in the book were also very enjoyable, and it was a pleasure to visit the characters again. On the negative side, the writing didn't seem to be quite as flowing and elegant as that in the original series. Readers should read the original trilogy before reading these short stories in order to get to know the characters and to get a full appreciation for Anne Bishop's talent. The only other negative impression I had about the book was that some of the character's behaviors and speaking styles didn't seem to mesh completely with the original series. Not a surprise, really, given the years that have passed since the publication of the last of the Black Jewels trilogy. None of these issues were enough of a detriment to keep this book from being one I'll read again--Anne Bishop is one of the great fantasy writers.

From the moment I began reading the first book in Anne Bishop's Black Jewel Series I was captivated, moved, and entralled with the story and the characters. The Realms are painted as an evocative place full of pain, love, joy, and sorrow so real and gut wrentching I sometimes needed to put the book down and walk a way for a short period of time in order to regain my focus on the reality of this world. Dreams Made Flesh is brilliantly written and supposed to be the last book in this series. So my question to Ms. Bishop is a simple one...why stop now? I want more of these characters. I want to know more about the ones I have read about and I would like to read of new characters and their stories. Unlike some author's, who can lose the feel of story and/or characters in book after book, such has never been the case for this series. There is still so much to explore in the Realms. I am certain that once anyone who loves to read begins this series they will agree...Give us more. Because, Ms. Bishop, if you write it...I will read!

I absolutely love the Black Jewels series. This collection of shorter stories provides more information about the main characters, including how Lucivar met and fell in love with Marian. It was a joy to read.

Another fantastic book by Anne Bishop! I don't want to give too much away, but it goes into detail about a couple of things you wonder about in the Black Jewels trilogy, such as how Lucivar met Marian etc. I love Anne Bishop's books and this was another case of me totally ignoring my boyfriend whilst I had to find out what happens next on each page. Would recommend this to everyone who's already read the Black Jewels trilogy, but for goodness sake don't read it before or you will have massive spoilers!

This was an excellent book. I just love Anne Bishop books. They are intriguing right from the start. Can't wait to get to the next one.

One of my favorite books. I love it. Dark fantasy that will make read it in one day😉

Ce livre comporte 4 nouvelles passionnantes qui complètent la première trilogie. La toute dernière nouvelle, "Kaeleer's Heart", est tout simplement la suite immédiate de la trilogie. J'ai particulièrement aimé "The Prince of Ebon Rih", qui raconte comment Lucivar a fini par séduire Marian, la sorcière de son coeur. C'est léger, drôle, sensuel et tendre. Très réussi. "Zuulaman" est une excellence histoire également, courte et intense, dans laquelle on découvre à quel point le beau Saetan peut devenir dangereux et impitoyable quand on le pousse à bout. En résumé, c'est génial. On retrouve la plupart des personnages de la trilogie. L'ensemble du livre est très bien écrit, avec beaucoup d'humour. Complètement épatant.