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The Invisible Ring (The Black Jewels #4)

by Anne Bishop

4.04 · Rating Details · 11,191 Ratings · 264 Reviews

A prequel set in the "dark and sensual world" (11th Hour) of the national bestselling Black Jewels Trilogy.

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped?only to be caught and sold into slavery once again. The notorious queen who has purchased him, known ...more

Mass Market Paperback, 398 pages

Published October 1st 2000 by Roc

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Community Reviews

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Aug 27, 2015 Vilda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook-kindle, fantasy, puts-a-smile-on-your-face, didnt-quite-work-out, wanted-more-lacked-something

'"You love someone," he whispered. "Who?" He bit his tongue, instantly regretting the question.
Daemon's smile was gentle and a little self-mocking. "I don't know. She hasn't been born yet. But I've loved, and served, her all my life. I'll love no other. And I'll serve no other willingly."'

After absolutely loving the main trilogy in this longer series, I was a bit torn if I should continue or not. I didn't want to ruin the trilogy that became one of my absolute favorites, but at the same time I missed the world terribly. However, after struggling with finding something new to read, I decided to give it a go.

I loved being back in this world, but I was a bit disappointed with the story. The Invisible Ring is a prequel to the series, before Jaenelle is even born, and I very much missed our old characters. No surprise! My main disappointment was feeling that the story was a bit dragged out, with my favorite parts being the beginning and end where I felt the main action took place. I also noticed that I really missed getting POVs from more characters here. Instead we mainly get Jared and Dorothea's Warlords POV, and while I enjoyed Jared's view, I wish we'd gotten some of the others' as well. I think it would have added a lot to the story.

What I think I enjoyed the most was actually seeing more of Daemon pre-trilogy. (The only familiar character who appears in this one, besides Dorothea.) I hate seeing him as a slave to Dorothea again, but he as a character is truly amazing and he'll always be a favorite of mine. I also really came to like Jared, Blaed, Lia, Thera and Thomas in this one and I came to care for each of them, even if I didn't end up loving them as much as the previous main characters.

Overall, I did enjoy this one even if it was a bit slow for me. I wouldn't mind a little sequel either, because I'm quite curious about what happens next for everyone. And I'm very excited for the next book in this world, since we're finally going back to our beloved trilogy-characters! I can't wait.

'"Warlord? What Ring do you wear?"
"The Gold, Lady," Jared said softly. Lia was close enough that he could see the hope—and the love—shining in her eyes. "I wear the Gold."'

...more

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Apr 29, 2009 Kerry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, 9, fantasy, 2009, reread, 10, 2007

ORIGINAL READ: 12 August, 2007 to 15 August, 2007 (9/10)

Jared, who has murdered his owner and attempted escape, is recaptured and sold to the mysterious Gray Lady. It soon becomes clear that Jared's new queen is not what she seems to be, and he joins with his fellow slaves--all of whom hide their own secrets--to protect the Gray Lady. During her desperate flight from Dorothea SaDiablo, the Black Widow intent on destroying her and claiming her territory, Jared comes to terms with his own demons a ...more

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Apr 12, 2010 Alice rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: saída-de-emergência, 2010, fantasia

Cronologicamente este livro situa-se antes sequer do nascimento de Jaenelle.
No início deste volume deparamo-nos com um Senhor da Guerra de Jóia Vermelha disponível para venda num mercado de escravos. O seu destino mais certo são as minas de sal (onde o nosso Lucivar passou muitos anos da sua vida), um castigo por ter assassinado a rainha ao serviço da qual se encontrava como escrevo do prazer. Como já sabemos de outras narrativas, as rainhas que se submetem às vontades de Dorothea SaDiablo têm u Cronologicamente este livro situa-se antes sequer do nascimento de Jaenelle.
No início deste volume deparamo-nos com um Senhor da Guerra de Jóia Vermelha disponível para venda num mercado de escravos. O seu destino mais certo são as minas de sal (onde o nosso Lucivar passou muitos anos da sua vida), um castigo por ter assassinado a rainha ao serviço da qual se encontrava como escrevo do prazer. Como já sabemos de outras narrativas, as rainhas que se submetem às vontades de Dorothea SaDiablo têm uma certa tendência para exagerar nas suas atitudes e adoram inferiorizar os demais e estas foram as razões que levaram Jared ao desespero. Embora convencido de que merece castigo e conformado com o seu destino, Jared apenas sonha com uma oportunidade de fuga, nem que por uns momentos, para poder falar a Reyna, a sua mãe. O aparecimento da Senhora Cinzenta, rainha de território que abertamente se declara opositora de Hayll, mulher temida e odiada, perseguida e condenada por Dorothea, vai frustrar-lhe os planos.
Imprevistos farão com que o que supostamente seria uma curta viagem de carruagem pelos ventos se transforme numa longa jornada por terra em que a Senhora Cinzenta e os escravos por si adquiridos terão que fazer algo mais que caminhar para poder alcançar o seu destino. Paralelamente, o novo Guarda-Mor da Dorothea vê-se cada vez mais na obrigação de conseguir levar a cabo a missão recusada pelo seu antecessor e por termo à vida da senhora cinzenta pois as ameaças que sobre si pendem são cada vez mais terríveis e mais credíveis. Contudo,no estranho grupo que acompanha a Senhora Cinzenta poucos são aquilo que parecem e as surpresas sucedem-se a cada curva da estrada.
Não é necessário falar da escrita revigorante da autora e do sui generis mundo por esta criado, os personagens obedecem às premissas de sempre tornando-se tão reais que por vezes nos parece que estão ali mesmo ao nosso lado. Gostei bastante da história e consegui compreender na perfeição os problemas e as motivações de Jared e Lia, contudo não me parece que este volume esteja à altura da afamada trilogia. Alguns personagens deviam, na minha opinião, ter sido muito mais desenvolvidos - como por exemplo Thera - a participação de Daemon Sadi e mesmo as relações entre alguns personagens ficaram muito aquém daquilo a que os fãs de Bishop estão habituados. Enfim, a fasquia está demasiado elevada e deve ser muitíssimo difícil manter um nível que agrade a todos os fãs. Mesmo não me tendo agradado tanto como os volumes que li anteriormente, voltar ao mundo dos Sangue vale sempre a pena e não posso deixar de recomendar a todos os fãs da trilogia das Jóias Negras.
...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Raquel Leite rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: meus

Adicionado também em:
http://cronicasdeumaleitora.blogspot....

Anel oculto é um livro isolado que no entanto tem ligações com a trilogia das jóias negras.
Bishop conta-nos aqui a história da vida de Jared, um Senhor da Guerra de jóia vermelha, que se está para venda no mercado de escravos, que tem lugar em terra de ninguém. No entanto o seu destino é sem duvida as minas de sal, pois é esse o castigo que merece por ter assassinado a rainha a que estava ao serviço.
Quase a terminar o leilão de escravo Adicionado também em:
http://cronicasdeumaleitora.blogspot....

Anel oculto é um livro isolado que no entanto tem ligações com a trilogia das jóias negras.
Bishop conta-nos aqui a história da vida de Jared, um Senhor da Guerra de jóia vermelha, que se está para venda no mercado de escravos, que tem lugar em terra de ninguém. No entanto o seu destino é sem duvida as minas de sal, pois é esse o castigo que merece por ter assassinado a rainha a que estava ao serviço.
Quase a terminar o leilão de escravos, Jared tem a sorte de ser comprado e salvo das minas do sal. Minas essas que ele preferia ir, do que trabalhar para a única rainha que o tinha comprado.
A Rainha Cinzenta, onde se diz que os escravos que entram nunca saem, era a única rainha que Jared desejava nunca vir a servir.
A viagem é longa e perigosa, e Jared, a rainha e outros escravos caminham em direcção ao seu território. Mas a tarefa não é nada fácil, e ninguém é o que parece.
Paralelamente, Dorothea SaDiablo tem um plano juntamente com um dos seus Senhores Da Guerra para destruir a Senhora Cinzenta, visto que o plano do ano passado não correu como ela desejava. O Senhor da Guerra vê-se obviamente na obrigação de não falhar neste plano, por muitas razões, mas a principal por o falhanço ser igual a sua morte.

Gostei de conhecer as novas personagens, Lia principalmente, e as crianças. Com um vislumbre do Daemon Sadi, que adorei rever, por ser uma personagem querida e que eu já conhecia. Thera, também foi uma personagem que achei muito forte se bem que deveria ser mais desenvolvida, mas talvez ache por ter gostado assim tanto dela.
Jared, a personagem principal, está bem construída, embora pense que a sua ligação a Lia deveria estar mais marcante, tal como acontece nos outros livros da trilogia. Não deixando de ser no entanto uma personagem que me cativou e que me deixou curiosa com o seu destino. Salientando uma vez mais a escrita fantástica e a imaginação que Anne Bishop tem, e que me conseguiu prender uma vez mais ao seu mundo.

Este livro, independente, tem acontecimentos anteriores a trilogia em si, até mesmo anterior ao nascimento da Jaenelle. Foi fabuloso entrar outra vez neste mundo que tanto me conquistou desde o inicio, este com novas personagens e todas elas diferentes e interessantes, com acontecimentos que nos revelam principalmente o porquê dos escravos que servem a Rainha Cinzenta nunca saírem do seu serviço. ...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Gardavson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal, fantasy-romance, 5-star

Wonderful read. I have come to love the world Bishop has created. It took a bit to fully understand it, but I now love it. The characters in this book were great. Bishop has a way of creating a main character but still giving great value to her support characters. I loved the characters, main and support. The hero was great. Bishop did a wonderful job of taking a more average abled guy and making him a fantasizable hero. It's not hard to fall in love with a hero who is the best and greatest and ...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Sarah rated it liked it

Good book as a stand-alone, but I was a little disappointed when I found that the main characters of the trilogy were missing.

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Aug 24, 2009 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, strong_females, reviewed, 3_stars, z_author_american, z_read_in_2011

Jared is one of the more powerful members of the Blood, the vaguely aristocratic magic-wielding rulers of the lands he lives in. After a life-alteringly bad choice in his teens, Jared has become a pleasure slave for the Queens and Witches of Hayll. After nine years of bowing to sadistic whims, he does something that has him headed for a short, brutal life in the salt mines unless some fool decides to buy him at the semi-annual slave market.

Enter The Gray Lady. She is one of the few Queens that h Jared is one of the more powerful members of the Blood, the vaguely aristocratic magic-wielding rulers of the lands he lives in. After a life-alteringly bad choice in his teens, Jared has become a pleasure slave for the Queens and Witches of Hayll. After nine years of bowing to sadistic whims, he does something that has him headed for a short, brutal life in the salt mines unless some fool decides to buy him at the semi-annual slave market.

Enter The Gray Lady. She is one of the few Queens that has refused to bow to the demands of affiliation from Hayll's Queen. The Gray Lady sees that the balance of power has shifted dangerously in Hayll. The Queens who are meant to care for their people and their land are instead abusing both. The males who are meant to protect the female Blood are instead breaking the stronger of them in order to eliminate competition for the leaders. Hayll's Queen wants The Gray Lady assassinated.

The Gray Lady buys Jared and a handful of other cast-off slaves at the slave market. She then makes some puzzling choices. Instead of putting everyone in a coach and riding the Winds home, a trip of hours, she buys a cart and heads over land, a journey of days, if not weeks. On the journey, the group faces many dangers together and starts to feel a confusing loyalty to their new owner. Jared is the most torn of all. As a pleasure slave, he has had more than his fill of women, so why is he attracted to this Lady who is old enough to be his grandmother?

I might be finished with this series. I loved the first one and liked the next two, but now that new characters are taking center stage, I'm starting to feel like everyone is too much alike. Some characters overlap between books, but even the new ones fit a mold. The evil women are insanely manipulative and creatively violent. The evil men are terrified of the evil women and so carry out their most vile schemes. The good guys are gorgeous and exquisitely skilled in bed. They're also overly attentive to their ladies' every mood. The good ladies have no concept of self-preservation, snap and snarl at the least provocation, and are fabulous leaders. So now that I've actually noticed that, I think the charm of the books has worn off.

This story was kind of more of the same. Jared is no Lucivar and certainly no Daemon (although Daemon does make an appearance, these are his pre-Jaenelle days and he is very much the Sadist). He's a bit of an idiot. It took him forever to realize some stuff that's pretty obvious from the beginning. Don't get me wrong, there were some surprises, but I wasn't as consistently surprised as Jared was.

The plot just felt like it was wandering around. They nearly miss an ambush, there's some soul searching and some romantic tension, some traveling, another ambush, another near-miss, some more soul searching... You get the idea.

I did finally get caught up in the story toward the very end, when the final confrontation actually happens. I wasn't sure how things were going to work out. I also have to say that I liked that Jared wasn't perfect. Daemon and Lucivar are damaged in their own ways in the earlier books in the series, but they seem to get over it pretty quickly. Jared has to face his demons and either get over them or live a haunted life.

I don't know what happened to me this time around to bring the faults to my attention. Other fans of the series will probably like this book more than I did. ...more

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Nov 19, 2009 Alison rated it liked it

Recommends it for: any one who liked the first 3 Black Jewel novels

Shelves: romance, fantasy

The first three novels of the Black Jewels series really tear at me. On the one hand, I really liked some of the characters and found the world hard to look away from. On the other hand, I felt that the politics were ridiculous and difficult to really understand. On top of all that, the fact that certain races live for thousands upon thousands of years made it difficult to really connect with.

This novel, however, fared a lot better in my mind because the author expects that the reader already h The first three novels of the Black Jewels series really tear at me. On the one hand, I really liked some of the characters and found the world hard to look away from. On the other hand, I felt that the politics were ridiculous and difficult to really understand. On top of all that, the fact that certain races live for thousands upon thousands of years made it difficult to really connect with.

This novel, however, fared a lot better in my mind because the author expects that the reader already has some base level of knowledge regarding the series. It's a smaller story in a sense because it is about Jared and his struggle to find his way out of the slave self and into the man he was always meant to be.

While the change of Lia from young woman to true Queen is very important to the story and is connected to Jared finding himself again, it feels much smaller in scale and scope than Janelle's story in the previous three books.

Lia is not a Mary Sue in the way that Janelle was. Jared is not a Marty Stu either. We watch him make bad decisions based on his knowledge and experience and his mistakes feel real and from an honest place within him.

I do think that the author may have relied too much on the reader's previous knowledge of the world- I felt like I didn't understand distance. How far they had to travel to get back to Lia's territory, why it took so long, why taking a carriage would be so dangerous, even if they had the money. I just felt like I didn't know why the journey took so long outside of it being a tool the author needed to get her characters to fall in love.

I did like how Jared and Lia found each other and connected. It felt more real and less… pedophilic than Daemon and Janelle and based on actual interaction and personality, not just on fate.

I still think all that male "protection" and the female "issues" are a bit much. Every conversation seems to center around who has greater rank, why a Queen has to listen to a male, why males lose their minds and become almost like animals to protect women, etc. Where are the conversations about books, about where people came from, about anything in general? It felt so centered on what stamp a person wore that it got old.

Don't get me wrong- I really did like this book. I was pulled in from the beginning and was sucked along until the end. I had a hard time putting the book down to do anything else, including finishing my nano novel. While I enjoyed the book, I am not blind to its flaws.

I am glad that Anne Bishop is getting away from her core characters in this universe a bit. Never thought I'd say that but while I enjoy Daemon and the rest, it makes the world that much more real to see how other less powerful people deal with the world that they are trapped in.

There was a very real and very terrifying sense of what slavery is like in this world and the terror of getting caught by the wrong people was right there at the surface.

If you like the first three books in the series, I would highly recommend this one as well. Not perfect but a fun read and a great exploration into characters that are different (wonderfully so) than in the original trilogy.
...more

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Aug 20, 2014 Sara Gonçalves rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series, 2016

Anel Oculto traz-nos uma nova história dentro do Universo das Jóias Negras. Fala-nos de personagens novas como Jared e a Rainha Cinzenta, que tentam a seu modo combater os efeitos nefastos de Dorothea, já nossa conhecida, na sociedade. Na verdade, Jared só tem como missão de vida pedir perdão à sua amada mãe, nem que para isso que tenha de sofrer e fugir àquela que lhe parece dar esperança e que parece mexer consigo de uma maneira que ninguém alguma vez conseguiu. A Rainha Cinzenta tem bastantes ...more

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Apr 26, 2014 Crys rated it really liked it

First of all, let me say, I didn't want to read this book yet. I had just finished book 3, and I was so caught up with finding out what happens next, I just wanted to keep going, and come back to this book later. I am so glad I didn't! If you loved the Chronicles of Narnia as a child, then when I say this reminded me of 'The Horse and His Boy', you'll get it. It's a side-step from the main story-line, and happens at an earlier time from where the last book left us, but gives us glimpses of some ...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Melissa rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

This book was the first of Bishop's that I had difficulty getting into. The main character and narrator, Jared, is interesting enough, but he doesn't pull you in as some of the other characters Bishop has created. Also, there wasn't much action, and it left you wanting to know what happened. The readers, or at least I, wanted to know how Lia and Jared's love blossomed in the court.

SPOILER ALERT: Also, the premise of Sadi owing the Grayhaven line anything in the 8th and 9th books makes no sense ...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Amanda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-magic, mystery-suspense, fiction, audiobooks, authors-anne-bishop, read-in-2011

This is a great companion book to The Black Jewels trilogy. We get to see a bit of the life in the Realm before Jaenelle is born. I really liked seeing Daemon show up in this book and give "advice" if that is what you want ot call it. Jared and Leah are get leading characters and Theyra and Blade provide great comic relief with their bickering. I love putting strong female characters against strong male characters that just want to protect each other. Provides for a great dynamic and contrast. T ...more

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Apr 23, 2008 Christina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2008-reads

I don't really know what to say about this book, except kdjgskghskhskjghs I'm such an idiot for putting off reading it for so long! I think because it revolved around different characters to the original Black Jewels trilogy, which always makes me sceptical, that I just instantly decided it wasn't going to interest me. But no, I adored this.

I'm not gonna lie, I squealed hard every time Daemon appeared. "She hasn't been born yet. But I've loved, and served, her all my life. I'll love no other. An ...more

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Aug 28, 2010 Kir rated it did not like it

This was the first Anne Bishop novel I've picked up, and I think it's also going to be my last. The beginning was promising, but I found the very complicated 'jewel' and 'blood' rankings mentioned to clarify different characters relationships throughout the book to be distracting. These caste relationships soon took over the plot of the book and the pace became plodding. Eventually I gave up and started skipping whole sections of the book in an effort to continue on with the initial plotline. Mi ...more

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Sep 29, 2016 Andrew Mowere rated it really liked it

This and Necromance by Gisele walko are the only romance books I have ever been able to get into, period. Not the only sensual erotica books. Only romance. This one stuck in my head so much that all these years later, I still go back from time to time just to read some of Daemon Sadi's quotes. There's intrigue, mystery, magic, and struggle for the greater good all in a setting that teaches us cynicism can only ever fall short against kindness and love.

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Jul 28, 2011 ♆ BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal-romance, magic

I read these books out of order. This is my first book from Ms. Bishop. This world she creates is intriguing. I am kind of amused with her cock ring into a controlling device in a CBT way. This is unexpected. This story is the underdog fighting against a corrupt government. There are rebel forces who still stand for good. I love these stories because it tickles my particular fancy. I'm intrigued enough to read the first three to see how I those go. I've heard so much about them.

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Apr 13, 2010 Lindig rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

First Anne Bishop book I've read. After reading the first 100 pages, I began skipping 30 pages at a time. While I thought her voice was well done, the plot itself was fairly familiar, and her gender politics were annoying and patriarchal. After all, women were "hysterical" at lot, especially at their "moontime," and were yelled at by the men a lot. And the men "served" their ladies by yelling and getting their own way by force.

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Jul 31, 2011 K rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-ve-read-over-and-over-again

Re-read Dec 2015: Reading it right after the original trilogy there are definitely some places where the writing seems rough. Still, points for being a whole Black Jewels plot in one book; sometimes you just don't have time for an epic re-read.

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Apr 19, 2012 Leyoh rated it really liked it

I liked this book the least out of the series although it was a good stop gap and features Daemon briefly...Swoon. I ready to launch back into this series which features very highly in my all time favourites.

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Aug 13, 2008 Danielle Parker rated it liked it

See my review at:

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/iss...

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Feb 16, 2017 Kristen rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I read the original trilogy a few years back. I picked this up from Thriftbooks.com and read it in 4 days over the course of an emotional 4 days where I desperately needed an escape. It was a great refresher on the world, the way the Jewels work and the magic systems. It's a prequel to the trilogy and therefore mentions or deals with two of the main characters from the trilogy, which felt nice. Like coming home to the story again. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of the series.

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Jan 04, 2017 Alice rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A favorite

I would start the Black Jewels Series with this book as it predates the trilogy and has a important impact on the resolution that's later reached. Saying that, the book is easily read as a standalone. It's one of my favorites and the world it creates is unique and brilliant. The magic system based on jewels which reflect the power level of the wearer, and the long and short lived races, the Bloods, Witches and Queens all come together to create a very different culture. One of my favor ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Nancy rated it it was amazing

Good Grief! Anne Bishop is an amazing writer. She lays out whole worlds before us, brings heros, heroines, and monsters with and without hearts to life. This is the book that brought me to the Black Jewels Trilogy and to this writer. Thank goodness.

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Nov 28, 2016 Joy rated it liked it

Shelves: fantastic-fiction, old-reads, series, fae-dragons-witches

There's so much melodrama it could be a Telemundo

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Mar 12, 2010 Nancy O'Toole rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, fantasy

Jared, a Shalador warlord, has spent the last nine years of his life as a pleasure slave for wicked queens. After losing his temper and killing his last queen, he is labeled as too dangerous and sent to a life of hard labor. Only while in the slave market, he catches the attention of an elderly queen whose gray jewels outrank his red. Jared begins in a long harsh journey through the mountains. He finds out that his new mistress, The Gray Lady, isn’t quite what she seems, and neither are many of Jared, a Shalador warlord, has spent the last nine years of his life as a pleasure slave for wicked queens. After losing his temper and killing his last queen, he is labeled as too dangerous and sent to a life of hard labor. Only while in the slave market, he catches the attention of an elderly queen whose gray jewels outrank his red. Jared begins in a long harsh journey through the mountains. He finds out that his new mistress, The Gray Lady, isn’t quite what she seems, and neither are many of the slaves who travel with him. They will have to ban together to survive the trip, especially to survive the dangers set for them by the high priestess Dorthea SaDiablo and her captain of the guard.

The Invisible Ring is a stand alone prequel set in the same universe as Bishop’s Black Jewels trilogy. Two major characters from the trilogy make an appearance, and others are mentioned in passing, but for the most part it’s a completely new story with new characters, making it accessible to both new and old readers of the Black Jewels universe. One thing I like the best about the Black Jewels books is the world building that takes place here. Bishops has created a dark world filled with strict hierarchies, a complex matriarchal rule, interesting magic, and much tension between the sexes. Although it’s been five years since I first picked up the trilogy, I found that I could easily ease myself back into it.

As far as quality goes, The Invisible Ring isn’t as consistent as the original trilogy, but it does stand head and shoulders above another stand alone novel, Tangled Webs. Jared makes an interesting hero, especially when seen in contrast with Dorthea’s captain of the guard, Krelis. The narrative is split between the two men, and it’s interesting to watch Jared’s rise from slavery when paired with Krelis decent into evil as he further commits to Dorthea’s will. Some of the secondary characters, such as Blaed and black widow Thayra, are also interesting, but I have to admit that there were so many minor male characters, that I had a hard time telling between them. Lia was a nice romantic interest, and I really enjoyed the tension between her and Jared. For the most part, I liked her character, but there were a few times that she felt a bit like a Jaenelle stand in.

As far as the writing goes, Bishop certainly has a flare for the dramatic, which can make for many exciting action sequences, and compelling romance. It also means that she does not hold back on the gore and sexual abuse, which makes The Invisible Ring inappropriate for some readers. The story moves along at a comfortable pace and is very easy to read, although somewhat predictable. There are a few things that got on my nerves (for instance, all of the penis/testicle references in the early chapters. Yes they’re a sensual culture! We get that! Also, there were far too many moments where Jared grabs Lia in frustration and accidentally hurts her.), but on a whole the book was a nice read. If you’ve read the Black Jewels trilogy and would like to continue reading about this world, I would recommend this more than Tangled Webs. ...more

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Mar 25, 2015 Heather rated it really liked it

Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels books operate on several levels in ways that would count as negatives were I reading almost any other author’s work. Her characters are stubborn, high-strung, searingly emotional, and highly dangerous. Many of her characters have been treated horribly (some of the material is very dark) and are damaged in various ways. Blooded women and men (those capable of using the Craft) tend to be fiercely independent and stubborn, and relationships between the genders can become Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels books operate on several levels in ways that would count as negatives were I reading almost any other author’s work. Her characters are stubborn, high-strung, searingly emotional, and highly dangerous. Many of her characters have been treated horribly (some of the material is very dark) and are damaged in various ways. Blooded women and men (those capable of using the Craft) tend to be fiercely independent and stubborn, and relationships between the genders can become quite explosive. In Bishop’s hands, however, this is what sets her world apart and makes it so absorbing. There are reasons why her characters are high-strung. (In most urban fantasy books we’d say that both the women and the men tend to have ‘alpha’ personalities.) What makes it so beautiful, though, is the fact that Bishop has worked out a fascinating, richly detailed, complex social system designed to funnel the characters’ high emotions and put restrictions on them to keep them safe. Many of the plots in her books result from cases where that social system has broken down. In The Invisible Ring, much of the conflict between the leads is due to uncertainties that have arisen in that system. I also love the fact that both genders include extremely strong characters. While Blooded men and women occupy very specific social roles, those roles are designed to allow both genders to retain their strength. Each is meant to serve the other on different levels.

The ultimate bad guy, the Queen Dorothea, is pure evil. In almost any other book I’d call this cartoonish. However, the larger-than-life personalities in this world make Dorothea believable in her role. We also get to see how her messed-up version of the social structure can turn everyday people into monsters, which is one of the more fascinating (and repellent) threads in the book.

My only real difficulty was the fact that Jared should have picked up on certain plot details earlier. I need to draw a line here, however. There were several ways in which I thought the characters were missing the obvious, but later found out that what I thought was obvious wasn’t. So if you’re reading this volume and start getting annoyed that one or another plot thread seems too obvious, I’d invite you to give it some time. Bishop is good at red herrings. The only thing I truly ended up being annoyed at was Jared’s inability to understand the Invisible Ring, and even that thread gained more dimension later on in the book.

For the most part the characters from the Black Jewels Trilogy aren’t present, although fans will recognize both Dorothea and Daemon Sadi. While I thought the trilogy was better than The Invisible Ring, this book still swept me up in events and made it very hard for me to stop to do anything else!

I’m too swept up in the series as a whole to be able to say whether this book could stand on its own. I think it would certainly help to have read the trilogy first, but I hadn’t read it in several years and still had little trouble following along.

Visit my site for a longer review including premise and a quote: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/03/r... ...more

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Dec 11, 2014 Nádia Batista rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"Duas palavras: Anne. Bishop. Anne-Bishop. A simples menção deste nome faz-me ansiar pelo livro, sedenta da sua fantasia negra e complexa, com personagens ardentes e assustadoramente reais. Anne Bishop. Sim.

Anel Oculto! Óptima estratégia meter o eterno Daemon Sadi na sinopse, mas por favor, tirem-no. O livro é igualmente fantástico, mas assim não ficamos com um sabor amargo na boca por esperar mais seu do que meia dúzia de páginas. E sim, a sua participação é fundamental, mas... tirem-no da sino "Duas palavras: Anne. Bishop. Anne-Bishop. A simples menção deste nome faz-me ansiar pelo livro, sedenta da sua fantasia negra e complexa, com personagens ardentes e assustadoramente reais. Anne Bishop. Sim.

Anel Oculto! Óptima estratégia meter o eterno Daemon Sadi na sinopse, mas por favor, tirem-no. O livro é igualmente fantástico, mas assim não ficamos com um sabor amargo na boca por esperar mais seu do que meia dúzia de páginas. E sim, a sua participação é fundamental, mas... tirem-no da sinopse!
Neste livro ligado ao universo das Jóias Negras encontramos Jared, um Senhor da Guerra tornado escravo e comprado pela Senhora Cinzenta, a última rainha poderosa o suficiente para fazer frente à maquiavélica Dorothea. Mas o que esconde afinal o estranho lote de escravos comprados em que Jared se encontra? Quem é de facto a Senhora Cinzenta? E, acima de tudo, conseguirá - ou quererá - Jared ver-se livre do anel oculto?
Como já vem sendo habitual, Anne Bishop traz-nos uma história inteligente e bem concebida. Cheia de conspirações, foge um pouco às intrigas da corte e do poder (apesar das várias tentativas de assassinato da Senhora Cinzenta) e torna-se em algo mais rico e perigoso.
Jared é um homem atormentado e em sofrimento, o que se traduz numa personagem bastante interessante; já a Senhora Cinzenta deixa muito a desejar, bem desenvolvida mas difícil de gostar (coloca constantemente em perigo os outros, sempre que os tenta proteger, e é extremamente teimosa). A nível de personagens secundárias, é brutal. Tornam-se quase tão principais como as principais. Imprescindíveis e magistralmente construídas, com poderosas revelações que determinam o rumo da história.
Não há momentos mortos durante a narrativa - há sim o contrário, um crescendo de paixões que culminam de um modo violento e trágico. Bishop não se coíbe de matar personagens.
E depois há a parte em que entra Daemon Sadi, breve mal fulcral. Mais do que o seu envolvimento com Jared e a Senhora Cinzenta, é a cena que protagoniza com o guarda de Dorothea SaDiablo. Para mim, um dos momentos altos do livro.
É inegável a mestria da autora na escrita. Conseguimos ser transportado para as dimensões por si criadas num piscar de olhos. Tudo parece tão real e palpável que ao fecharmos o livro a sensação que fica é estranha, de deslocamento. Um livro que nos deixe com um sentimento tão pesado e tão profundo é certamente um livro a não perder.

Ligado às Jóias Negras mas passível de ser lido sozinho (embora eu não o recomende, pois a trilogia é uma leitura obrigatória), este livro é anterior à trilogia a nível cronológico, acontecendo antes do nascimento de Jaenelle.

Anel Oculto podia ser a típica história de amor e perda, vingança e dor, poder e esperança, mas não é tão linear quanto isso. Basta saber que foi Anne Bishop quem o escreveu."

[http://eu-e-o-bam.blogspot.pt/2015/01...] ...more

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Jul 08, 2015 Liz rated it did not like it

Shelves: to-re-read, abandoned

I only got through the first 150ish pages of this book. It had a few tie-ins with The Black Jewels Trilogy: Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness, but they felt very edited-in. I stopped reading because I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the plot. I spent more time contemplating why I didn't like it than I did reading this book, so I'll give a few of my reasons.

* This book is full of sections that could be used in a creative writing class to teach I only got through the first 150ish pages of this book. It had a few tie-ins with The Black Jewels Trilogy: Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness, but they felt very edited-in. I stopped reading because I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the plot. I spent more time contemplating why I didn't like it than I did reading this book, so I'll give a few of my reasons.

* This book is full of sections that could be used in a creative writing class to teach why "show, don't tell" is a valid "rule". There's a section, about two pages, where a new character tells the main character all about the other new characters. It's two pages of information that would have been interesting if it had evolved naturally in the story--if the reader had learned it through interaction with those characters. Instead we get two pages of history lecture that even bores the main character. There are other sections that are two paragraphs that could be a whole short story for the same reasons.

* The main character is very flat. He's a red-jeweled (has stronger than average magic) warlord (male who has strong protective instincts but isn't as violent/powerful as a warlord prince) who was a pleasure slave. (view spoiler) His character arc, up to what I read, was essentially "am I a slave or am I a warlord". Not a bad character arc, but I think it was explained in too much detail every four or five pages (possible hyperbole there) without any actual character growth.

* All the other characters are archetypes in the world's system.

* The first "plot twist" ((view spoiler)) was foreshadowed far too heavily. The second one ((view spoiler)) also lacked oomph, but I'm unclear as to why. I put the book down after plot twist two, which happened within 40 pages of plot twist one.

Essentially, what I read was 150 pages of exposition. There's a hint of a good book in there, but only in the sense that if you took the outline and rewrote it, then it could be a good story.

I really hate writing negative reviews. I loved this world when I was reading the trilogy, but this feels like it was written before the first three and then published after them. It re-explains everything about the world in dry terms multiple times instead of building off of the context given by the first three.

All that being said, I will try to re-read this book another time--maybe I just wasn't in the right place in my life for it. ...more

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Mar 06, 2008 Jessica rated it really liked it

The Invisible Ring is a prequel to Anne Bishop's The Black Jewels Trilogy. It provided a wonderful insight into what Daemon was like during his years in Tereille, and how he managed to stay sane as he waited for Jaenelle.

That's a minor side story, however. The main plot of this book is how a slave manages, surrounded by love and acceptance, to overcome his history of torture and degradation and finally grow into the person he was meant to be. The ending was incredibly gratifying, and the story i The Invisible Ring is a prequel to Anne Bishop's The Black Jewels Trilogy. It provided a wonderful insight into what Daemon was like during his years in Tereille, and how he managed to stay sane as he waited for Jaenelle.

That's a minor side story, however. The main plot of this book is how a slave manages, surrounded by love and acceptance, to overcome his history of torture and degradation and finally grow into the person he was meant to be. The ending was incredibly gratifying, and the story itself remained interesting through to the end. You can definitely also see that Bishop has matured as an author since writing her earlier works.

I only have a few small gripes with this novel (and Anne Bishop's works in general).

First of all, the characters in this novel are much too black and white.

**Spoiler warning** (but it's really not that big a deal)

I really thought she had something going with the Krelis character, whose parents had originally opposed Dorothea's influence. At the beginning of the book, Krelis was an honorable man, whose ambition and fear of a matriarchal society (understandable as a male) landed him his position as Dorothea's right hand man. I would have found it fascinating to see how a good man could do bad things and live with himself. Well, according to Bishop, you can't. Krelis became more and more psychotic as the book progressed, but in that sense too, it was interesting to see Bishop's take on the situation -- how a human can only go through so much before his or her mind snaps.

**End spoiler**

My other concern is with Bishop's environment. I just find it a little hard to believe that all of the good characters are also the strongest (in terms of physical power). As far as I knew, power corrupts. Moreover, as she explains, her characters, even the "good" ones, walk a fine line between sanity and what she calls "the killing edge." Therefore they could at any time be angered into killing. How come whenever they rise to the killing edge, it's always to kill a bad guy? How are they to know if someone is good or bad? Who are they to judge who is good or bad? The answer Bishop gives: "they just do and it always ends up well" doesn't seem enough to me.

In any case, these issues aside, this story was a wonderful step forward for Bishop, who spent much more time on character development this time around. Would love to see more on these characters, but don't think there are any more in the works. ...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Wise_owl rated it really liked it

Anne Bishop writes book with a particular style, a style that evokes a degree of emotional resonance, at least for me. I think it's a combination of factors. She wonderful portrays both the protagonists and the antgonists. Often giving us multiple points of view, setting up almost pure greek tragic situations, where the audience(in this case the reader) is aware of information but one of the characters is not, making us feel their plight all the more.

That being said, she also puts her charcaters Anne Bishop writes book with a particular style, a style that evokes a degree of emotional resonance, at least for me. I think it's a combination of factors. She wonderful portrays both the protagonists and the antgonists. Often giving us multiple points of view, setting up almost pure greek tragic situations, where the audience(in this case the reader) is aware of information but one of the characters is not, making us feel their plight all the more.

That being said, she also puts her charcaters through the ringer. Her books are traumatic and saturated with rape, torture, disfiguring, and other things of such profound terribleness it's hard to get through them sometimes. That this horribleness is connected to a character driven piece in which we get to know many of the people who are being inflicted, or threatened with this horriblenes is a particularly effective technique. Anne Bishop is responsible for one of the few scenes I have ever read where I had to put the book down and 'take a minute'.

So all that said, the Invisible Ring, while not as 'good' as the Black Jewels trilogy. Is still worth the read. The continued themes of the previous series; the sexual dynamic of a matriarchal society of magic users and how the proscribed gender roles interact, in both postiive and negative ways is here. We get a few glimpses of characters from the other series, as this is a prequal, in so far as it references events talked about in the original trilogy, but that were in the distant past when that series was set.

My criticims of this book are two-fold. It didn't bring alot 'new' to the table. Bishops take on sexual politics is also very particular, and while enjoyable, it does make you wish for protagonists and such that shared different features. It's one of the few works that makes me wonder "Wait... okay so what happens if you have a Gay Blood Male?". There is a lot of biology is destiny going on in this book, and it works very well, as it did in the Black Jewels trilogy, but from time to time is seems over-done.

All in all though, the book was a good read, and did to my emotions what the previous ones did, if just not as intensly. I'd recommend it to fantasy fans, and fans of both Dark Fantasy fiction and perhaps Dark Romantic fiction, keeping my previous warnings about the books content in mind. ...more

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About Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop lives in upstate New York where she enjoys gardening, music, and writing dark, romantic stories. She is the author of fourteen novels, including the award-winning Black Jewels Trilogy. Her most recent novel, Twilight’s Dawn, made the New York Times bestseller list. She is currently working on a new series, which is an urban dark fantasy with a bit of a twist.

Crawford Award (2000)

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Daughter of the Blood (The Black Jewels #1)

Queen of the Darkness (The Black Jewels, #3)

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“Thera started sputtering. "You fool. You idiot." She stopped because Blaethe's response was much pithier and far more creative. She nodded approvingly. "What he said.” — 6 likes

“You’re a virgin. Hell’s fire, Mother Night, and may the Darkness be merciful, you’re a virgin.” Still clutching the coat, she eyed him warily. “There’s no reason to get hysterical. It’s not contagious.” Jared” — 1 likes

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