It's more than ten years since I read the first Kushiel trilogy, and just over five years since I read the first book of the second trilogy, but I found myself enjoying this just as much, despite the relative lack of kink. Here, Imriel engages in an unwise but passionate love affair in his home city in the shadow France of Carey's world, before heading off to his arranged marriage in his world's shadow Britain. It all goes horribly wrong and he must pursue a were-bear across the frozen steppes, dealing also with zealous worshippers of Yeshua setting up a homeland state in the far North. I am guessing that the last book of the trilogy will feature further eastern excursions; I know I'll get to it a bit sooner than I got to this one.
