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A Kiss of Shadows (novel)
Encyclopedia
A Kiss of Shadows is the first novel in the Merry Gentry
series by Laurell K. Hamilton
.
princess
turned private investigator
in a world where faeries are not only known to the general public, but are also popular, the heroine is Princess Meredith NicEssus. As niece to Andais, The Queen of Air and Darkness, she is a royal of the Unseelie Court, however having fled the court three years before she has been hiding herself under the name of Merry Gentry and working as a private investigator for the Grey Detective Agency.
, in a world where magical creatures are "out of the closet" and, in some cases, even legal. Princess Meredith NicEssus is working for the Grey Detective Agency under the assumed name of Meredith 'Merry' Gentry. When two women come to the agency with a story about fey-wannabes and rituals involving fey women, Merry goes undercover to investigate. However, she and her colleagues get more than they bargained for when it is discovered that the culprit is using Branwyn's Tears, an illegal oil that can make a human appear as a sidhe lover for a night, and turn even a sidhe or a sidhe-descendant into his sexual slave.
In the process of solving the case, Merry's secret is revealed, and she is hunted by the demonic Sluagh. Brought to see their King, Sholto, he offers Meredith a deal. Himself disapproved of by Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness, because of his mixed blood, he proposes an alliance between the two of them. Jealous at the idea of Merry becoming his lover, Sholto's harem of nighthags attack Merry. During the fight Merry's gift, theHand of Flesh, is revealed when one of them, Nerys, becomes turned into a ball of flesh.
Shocked, Merry tries to flee, but is trapped. Doyle, Captain of the Queen's Raven Guard, appears. He announces that the Queen never sent the Sluagh, and that in fact the Queen meant her no harm. As proof of this he produces the Queen's sword Mortal Dread, as well as the Queen's mark, which he transfers to Merry in a kiss.
Merry returns with Doyle to the Court. The Queen claims that she wants her bloodline to continue upon the throne. She is willing to take as her heir whichever of Meredith or her cousin, Cel, can first produce an heir. She lifts the geiss of celibacy upon her Ravens for Meredith alone, insisting that she choose at least three in order to increase the chance of pregnancy.
While this offer would permit Merry to end her self-imposed exile and return home, it also brings dangers. Cel, previously the sole heir, makes several attempts upon her life. Merry makes alliances with others such as Kurag, the Goblin King.
However, Cel was behind the Branwyn's Tears incident in LA. In punishment, he is to be confined for six months after being coated with the oil himself, something akin to torture.
Non-recurring characters include:
The death toll in A Kiss of Shadows includes:
Merry Gentry
Merry Gentry is the title character of fantasy series by US writer Laurell K. Hamilton, best-known for her previous series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter...
series by Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell Kaye Hamilton is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where...
.
Plot introduction
A faerieFairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
turned private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
in a world where faeries are not only known to the general public, but are also popular, the heroine is Princess Meredith NicEssus. As niece to Andais, The Queen of Air and Darkness, she is a royal of the Unseelie Court, however having fled the court three years before she has been hiding herself under the name of Merry Gentry and working as a private investigator for the Grey Detective Agency.
Plot summary
The story begins in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, in a world where magical creatures are "out of the closet" and, in some cases, even legal. Princess Meredith NicEssus is working for the Grey Detective Agency under the assumed name of Meredith 'Merry' Gentry. When two women come to the agency with a story about fey-wannabes and rituals involving fey women, Merry goes undercover to investigate. However, she and her colleagues get more than they bargained for when it is discovered that the culprit is using Branwyn's Tears, an illegal oil that can make a human appear as a sidhe lover for a night, and turn even a sidhe or a sidhe-descendant into his sexual slave.
In the process of solving the case, Merry's secret is revealed, and she is hunted by the demonic Sluagh. Brought to see their King, Sholto, he offers Meredith a deal. Himself disapproved of by Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness, because of his mixed blood, he proposes an alliance between the two of them. Jealous at the idea of Merry becoming his lover, Sholto's harem of nighthags attack Merry. During the fight Merry's gift, theHand of Flesh, is revealed when one of them, Nerys, becomes turned into a ball of flesh.
Shocked, Merry tries to flee, but is trapped. Doyle, Captain of the Queen's Raven Guard, appears. He announces that the Queen never sent the Sluagh, and that in fact the Queen meant her no harm. As proof of this he produces the Queen's sword Mortal Dread, as well as the Queen's mark, which he transfers to Merry in a kiss.
Merry returns with Doyle to the Court. The Queen claims that she wants her bloodline to continue upon the throne. She is willing to take as her heir whichever of Meredith or her cousin, Cel, can first produce an heir. She lifts the geiss of celibacy upon her Ravens for Meredith alone, insisting that she choose at least three in order to increase the chance of pregnancy.
While this offer would permit Merry to end her self-imposed exile and return home, it also brings dangers. Cel, previously the sole heir, makes several attempts upon her life. Merry makes alliances with others such as Kurag, the Goblin King.
However, Cel was behind the Branwyn's Tears incident in LA. In punishment, he is to be confined for six months after being coated with the oil himself, something akin to torture.
Major characters
A Kiss of Shadows features the following major characters.- Andais - Queen of Air and Darkness, Merry's aunt, the sister of Essus, and mother of Cel. Andais is a war goddess, and the sadistic Queen of the Unseelie Court. Her personal guard, called the "Queen's Ravens" is composed exclusively of men. Although she is a sadist and is widely believed to be insane, Andais appears to have the best interests of the Court at heart and has sworn to abdicate her throne in favor of whichever of Cel or Merry can demonstrate themselves capable of producing new sidhe children. Her current consort is Eamon.
- Barinthus - A sea god and one of the Queen's Ravens, Barinthus is one of the most powerful members of the Courts. He has long been called the "Kingmaker" for his involvement in the selection of court rulers. He supported first Essus and now Merry for the Unseelie throne.
- Cel - Prince of Old Blood and son of Andais. His personal guard is made up entirely of women.
- Doyle - Captain of the Queen's Ravens. Often referred to as the Queen's Darkness (or simply as my Darkness by the Queen.)
- Frost - Doyle's second-in-command. Often referred to as Killing Frost.
- Galen - The youngest member of the Queen's Ravens and also Merry's best friend. Lineage is half-pixie and half Unseelie sidhe. Powers include subtle ability to have everyone like him. Extremely unpolitical, naive and idealistic. He is the voice of childhood reasoning for Merry. Unfortunately, letting go of those ideals is allowing Merry to survive.
- Jeremy Grey - Owner of the Grey Detective Agency, Trowe.
- Kitto - Goblin/sidhe/snake hybrid, given to Merry by Kurag as part of their alliance.
- Kurag - King of Goblins, Merry's ally. Was ally of Merry's father prior to his death. Has a conjoined twin that is attached to the side of his head. When formally addressed by Merry, she addresses both Kruag and his twin.
- Meredith NicEssus/Merry Gentry - Title heroine, Princess, Daughter of Essus.
- Rhys - Raven, former God of Death. Film Noir buff.
- Sholto - Lord of the Sluagh
- Siobhan - Captain of the King's Guard, Cel's right hand and personal Killer. Can kill with a touch.
Other characters
Recurring characters include:- Barry Jenkins - Human newspaper reporter.
- Black Agnes - Nighthag, Member of the Sluagh and Sholto's lover.
- Ringo - Formerly a human gang member, but turned fae after saving fae who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now works for the Grey Detective Agency.
- Roane Finn - Merry's lover and colleague at the Grey Detective Agency, a Roan or SelkieSelkieSelkies are mythological creatures that are found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore....
- Segna the Gold - A nighthag and member of the Sluagh.
- Teresa - The Grey Detective Agency's resident psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
- Uther - A Jack-in-Irons who works for the Grey Detective Agency.
Non-recurring characters include:
- Alistair Norton - Fae wannabe
- Eileen Galan - Lawyer
- Gethin - one of the Sluagh
- Frances Norton - Wife of Alistair Norton who approaches the Grey Agency for help with a death spell.
- Keelin - a Brownie who was Merry's childhood friend and is now Cel's lover.
- Lucinda Tate - Detective
- Maury Klein - Security specialist
- Naomi Phelps - Lover of Alistair Norton who approaches the Grey Agency for help
- Nerys the Grey - A nighthag and member of the Sluagh.
- Raimundo Alvera - Detective
The death toll in A Kiss of Shadows includes:
- Alistair Norton - Killed by being eaten by spiders
- Nerys the Grey - Killed by Merry when Hand of Flesh appears.
- Pasco - Died during attack on Merry, turned inside out and joined to twin Rozwyn. Tossed down the endless pit
- Rozenwyn - Died during attack on Merry. turned inside out and joined to twin Pasco. Tossed down the endless pit
Major themes
- The need for Merry to become pregnant by one of her Guards.
- Faerie politics, particularly within the Unseelie Court.
- The development of magical abilities in Merry, formerly looked down upon for not possessing any major powers.