14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Cat Delivers A Good Read, June 16, 2008
This review is from: The Cat (The Sons of Destiny, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
Once again, I have waited with great anticipation for the release of a new novel by Jean Johnson, and The Cat has proven to be worth the wait. With great eagerness I cracked the spine of the book that focuses on Trevan, the fifth-born of the Sons of Destiny. I wanted to read the story of the man who shares my nickname!
In the forward, Ms. Johnson warns the reader - this book and the one to follow, The Storm, share a parallel time-frame. She points out that two people, having experienced the same thing, will tell two different stories because of perspective. This intrigued me; how would she separate these two stories sufficiently enough to leave surprises for The Storm?
Let me reassure any uncertain fans or new readers. Rydan, the sixth-born, is reclusive enough that an entirely separate set of novels about his life could be written to parallel the rest of the Sons of Destiny books and never fail to be fresh. Yes, we know who he's courting (or being courted by?), but we've also known all along whom Morganen is courting! The key there, will be HOW it happens.
Enough about the book that isn't published though. We're talking about The Cat. Purrrrrrrr.
In The Cat, we find that all is not well with at least two of the unattached brothers. Trevan, being one of them, has gone from Feast to Famine in the terms of a ladies man. And he's feeling the inevitable aches and pains of the exile of the eight brothers. Nothing he and his pyrotechnically-challenged brother, Koranen, can work up provides a satisfactory relief.
In the meantime, we are introduced to representatives of another country and race. The Shiftari are natural shapechangers, as opposed to the specialized magic both Trevan and Wolfer enjoy. Amara and Arora, having fled their homeland and forced to abandon their promising futures, have arrived on the island. A great mystery surrounds Arora, and Amara has sworn to protect her twin sister from the multitude of greedy mages that would steal away with Arora for what she is. Much to Amara's horror, they've arrived on an odd island nation that seems populated with nothing more than mages!
Worse, she feels abandoned by the gods and, after meeting Trevan and having learned she is his "destined" wife, she cannot accept that! She can't trust him or his brothers, and Kelly - oh, don't get her started on Kelly! A completely powerless, outworlder upstart that DARES call herself a Queen!
While musing on this review, I've considered the balances of each of the brothers. Saber, the eldest, is tempered like the steel he favors. Oh, he has a temper, but he's the solid backbone of the family. He's ordered and disciplined. Wolfer, his twin, is wilder, more prone to acting on instinct, based on emotional response. Like a wild creature.
Dominor, third-born, is strong-willed and proud. He is, after all, The Master! He is a leader, though he defers to Saber. His twin, Evanor, on the other hand, is more laid-back, domestic, and willing to be equal or subordinate. The song, after all, needs harmony as well as melody.
Trevan is all about people. Women, mostly, of course, but he is a people person. His charm has been carefully studied. His twin, Rydan, is all about secrecy and seclusion. It seems mysteries are Rydan's way, though it's hard to say, he's such a mystery!
Koranen, the pyromancer, is the epitome of magic out of control. One lapse of concentration on Koranen's part and POOF! Up in flames. Well, not he himself, though that may be a possibility, but much of his surroundings would suffer - especially any potential romantic interest! On the other hand is his twin, Morganen, who embodies the most powerful of magics and the wit and wisdom to use them. It's often been said that Morganen may possibly be the most powerful mage ever known. I have no doubts!
At any rate, The Cat proves to be a delightful read, dealing not only with Trevan's challenge of wooing a proud princess who struggles to allow trust back into her life, but the ongoing challenges of the incipient kingdom of Nightfall. Even Queen Kelly has lessons to be learned in this latest chapter of the Sons of Destiny, and not entirely dealing with establishing the kingdom. We also get an enjoyable (at least for me), inside view of the plans for the building of Nightfall, as well as the arrival of the first non-curse-related citizens.
We only have three more installments of this delightful tale! I eagerly await them all... but on the same hand I dread the day when I close a book and realize that there will be no more forthcoming. Of course, Ms. Johnson very likely will have many new stories to come. Perhaps not of the same world, but she holds a vast Universe of possibilities within her imagination.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another surprising love story!, June 9, 2008
This review is from: The Cat (The Sons of Destiny, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
Trevan, known as the Cat, is the acknowledged womanizer of the Corvis brothers. With this as his reputation, it seems that love and marriage will probably happen faster than any of the other brothers, right?
WRONG!!
The woman apparently destined to become Trevan's bride is a shapeshifter Princess named Amara, who has been too long on the run, protecting herself and her twin, Arora, from mages who would use Arora's great power for their own selfish purposes.
Amara has more than enough reasons to NOT trust ANYONE, after all of her narrow escapes since being forced to flee her homeland.
It will take all of Trevan's experience in romancing the ladies to overcome Amara's honest distrust and strict upbringing, to prove himself worthy as a potential mate.
To do that, he must first try to unwind the fiercely guarded secrets she holds dear, and do some honest self examination of himself and his own motives, and win her heart.
Can he do it?
Well, for the answer to that, pick up this volume and find out!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great fantasy romance, January 25, 2010
Amara and Arora flee their home country and land on the island of Nightfall. Amara has sworn to protect her twin sister Arora, who is surrounded by a great mystery. Amara has a natural distrust against mages and suddenly she finds herself and her sister on an island full of mages. To add even more confusion to the already reigning chaos in her feelings and thoughts she meets Trevan, who tells her that she is his "destined" bride. She feels herself drawn to him, but he is a mage, and her experience is that mages can't be trusted. So Trevan has his hands full to charm Amara and persuade her that he is worthy of her trust.
A small warning should be issued, because THE CAT and the following book of the Sons of the Destiny series, THE STORM share a parallel time frame. I was intrigued by the idea and I have to say, that Ms. Johnson did a really good job with both books.
Ms. Johnson introduces a new country and race in the world where the Sons of Destiny live, namely the Shifterai, who are natural shapeshifters in opposite to Trevan and Wolfer who use magic. Amara and Arora are wary when it comes to strangers, because of Arora's secret.
The love story between Amara and Trevan is not the highlight of the book, because the encounters between Amara and Kelly, the Queen of Nightfall are highly entertaining. Both woman are very headstrong and passionate about their opinions, Kelly finally has to learn some long overdue lessons about diplomacy and forgiveness.
I highly recommend that you read this series in the correct order, because all the books are strongly connected with each other, but the series is soooo much fun!
Courtesy of Loveromances and More!
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