Customer Reviews

Changespell

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Doranna Durgin has created a wonderful sequel to DUN LADY'S JESS with CHANGESPELL. In this novel, someone is changing animals into human slaves, with some not so nice results. Jess is struggling with both human and equine thoughts and feelings about the man she has come to love, her rider, Carey. And Camelon is coming under attack by a rogue magic-user who is trying to take control of were-magic for his own evil gain.

This is a book not only about magic but also about love as Jess fights to come to terms with the feelings she has for Carey. There is plenty of action and adventure as Jess and her frineds come under attack and as the Council of Wizards tried to find the rogue magic user and put him out of commission before all is lost.

Highly recommended, especially for those who loved DUN LADY'S JESS.

Changespell (1997) is the second in a series about a horse, Dun Lady's Jess, who has been transformed into a human and can be either woman or mare. Jess now wears spellstones in her hair, and mane, that can change her into either form. She can trigger the spellstone to change her into a mare, but cannot change back to a woman by herself.

Jess is training horses and testing riders for Kymmet Stables when she receives an urgent message from Arlen. He has found a man who may be a transformed horse. Jess and Ander, a friend, ride to Anfeald to assist Arlen. Upon arrival, Jess quickly determines that the man had actually been transformed from a mule. No one knows who changed him, how he was changed, or why. Although the wizards know that two people are performing major wizardry in the area, none recognize the magical signature.

Unknown to Jess, Ander is highly attracted to her and intends to compete with Carey for her attention. While Jess remains totally oblivious of the situation, the resulting tension between the two men complicates the plot.

Soon Jaime arrives from Ohio to testify at a hearing to free Willand, an apprentice wizard who is presently being confined in a null magic zone due to her misdeeds during Jaime's initial visit to Camelon. After Jaime testifies how Willand had gleefully tortured Arlen and herself, the Wizards Council denies her release, but she escapes shortly thereafter. And then another changespell victim is found nearby, this time a pursan, a large feline, transformed into a woman.

Since the Anfeald couriers are overworked, Jess transforms to Lady and rides out with a message to the local peacekeepers, but is ambushed along the route and tranquilized with a narcotic dart. When Carey learns that Lady is overdue, he rides out with Ander, discovers the ambush scene, and recovers several darts. They bring the darts back to Arlen, who finds a tag spell placed therein which has already caught Carey and Ander. While not bearing the signature of Willand, Arlen suspects that she designed the trap and immediately destroys the darts.

Lady wakes up within a stall in an unknown barn. Other animals, including predators, are also confined in the barn. Eventually the changespell wizards, lead by Willand, come to examine her. They intend to use her transformation ability as a guide to improve their changespell. The situation does not look good.

This novel provides an opportunity for Jess to further comprehend humans, particularly her beloved Carey, and for the humans to further understand her. It also vividly underscores the unusual circumstances that allowed Jess to adapt after her transformation, which has not been successfully replicated. This work most realistically portrays the various animals and, in some ways, attends more to the animals than to the humans. Nevertheless, the good guys are never neglected and are well drawn, but the bad guys get very little time on stage. Tough!

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves animals, mysteries, and magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I really liked this book, and I think it was a good sequel to its predecessor, Dun Lady's Jess. There's adventure, romance (a bunch), and a lot of character development that made this book really great. I enjoy Doranna Durgin's style of writing and the fantasy universe of Camolen that she has created. Another book in this series would be welcome, and I recommend this one highly.

I can describe this book in two words: MAJOR LETDOWN. It had the potential to be great; a werehorse, evil wizard on the rampage seeking revenge... I mean, COME ON! Doranna Durgin REALLY blew this one!