The Black Jewels Trilogy

I just finished reading the third book in a trilogy by Anne Bishop. I didn't know about this author until I started browsing the Sci-fi/fantasy section one day out of frustration because I hadn't had much luck in finding a good book in a long time. I happened upon her Pillars of the World book and became immediately fascinated. I read that trilogy in about 10 days. The Black Jewels Trilogy took longer than 10 days, but not by much.

The first book was extremely violent, but the second and third books were considerably less violent and I finally realized that the first book had to set up the scene. It was a very LONG scene setup but you had no doubt that it was a very bad situation by the time you reached the end. Of course, throughout the three books the same message is said over and over "Briarwood is the pretty poison. There is no cure for Briarwood." Those phrases are stuck in my mind like a broken record. While visiting the bookstore on Monday (at which time I bought the third volume), I discovered that there are continuing stories of the characters. I may just have to get that one too sometime. ;) But not right now. My obsession to end the trilogy is over and I can move on to other things that are demanding my attention.

Do you ever get obsessed in that way when you're reading something interesting? It happens to me all the time and no amount of self-rebuke can make me put that book down unless I have no other choice (like going to work). I've stayed up all night reading sometimes because I couldn't put a book down. I paid for it the next day, but even knowing that I'll be miserable doesn't stop me. There's just something magical about the written word that can make the four walls of your room disappear and become another world where imagination has no limits.