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44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good teacher. So-so goddess, September 26, 2002
This review is from: Goddess By Mistake (Paperback)
"Goddess by Mistake" is really an R-rated romance with a fantasy overlay. The heroine, Shannon Parker is a high school English teacher who gets transferred to an alternate world where she is mistaken for the Voice of the Goddess Epona. She is forced into a ritual marriage with the centaur, ClanFintan (yes, a Celtic centaur) and together they set out to save their people from an immense horde of bat-winged vampire-demons who like to schlurp the blood of, and impregnate human women. (The scene where a woman gives birth to a vampire is a real gross-out.) Shannon-Rhiannon (S-R) is a feisty heroine and her interior monologues are wickedly amusing. My only problem with her is that she is constantly ogling her scantily-clad guardsmen and her centaur-husband, who is (according to S-R) hung like a--well, he is half horse. S-R spends way too much time dressing, undressing, taking baths, picking out jewelry, panting after various males, and riding, umm, bareback. Her character too often lapses into one-dimensional vaudeville: a sort of 'broad' Benny Hill patter-routine (leer, leer. Snort.) That one quibble aside, P.C. Cast writes like a dream and the school-teacher-turned-priestess's commentary on her new world is appealingly (and sometimes grossly) funny. There's not much of a plot in "Goddess by Mistake," but the zaftig dialogue will make you snort up your soda pop through your nose.
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewing the Goddess, August 12, 2001
This review is from: Goddess By Mistake (Paperback)
Not much in the way of being a critic, all I can do is give you my opinion of the book and it's contents. First I should tell you that although I do read well I'm not easy to keep attentive. It takes some really good writing and plots to keep me interested in a story to the point of wanting to stop everything and read it. In "Goddess by Mistake" you are served up a very humorous and fanciful story with plenty of adventure and romance to keep anyone interested, even me! The lead character "Shannon Parker" gets teleported into an alternate world were there are people that are "mirror" duplicates of folks she knows. They are however living in a far different world and are in far different circumstances. Shannon's "mirror" double "Rhiannon" has just pulled a switcheroo on her and has changed places with her forcing her to live in this mirror world. Rhiannon is the "chosen of Epona" the goddess of horses and warriors and in our world has no powers but Shannon now has all of hers. They are not identical in any way though with Rhiannon taking liberties with her male guards and just about any other male she wants. Her "Bitchy" attitude causes Shannon no end of trouble. Shannon on the other hand is caring and thoughtful, always thinking of everyone else before herself but indulging in her favorite past time, red wine. Well, OK so she does have another but only with one male, her new husband who she had to marry once she arrived in her new world. The only problem is, he's a Centaur! And he bites. LOL! Shannon does grow quickly to love him deeply and he her but I don't want to ruin the story for you. P.C. Cast does what is hard to find today by allowing the males (both human and Centaur) to assume the roles that males assume best, being male! They are proud, testosterone filled brutes that have honor and virility. They make males look real good and there is nary a limp wrist in the bunch. I'd be proud to go into battle with any of them. The females are also well represented. Phyl is generous with her descriptions of them and they play their role in a way that any male would love. She doesn't let the females step on the males toes (or hooves) in any way. They both compliment each other in a way that they once did in real life here. By her own admission Phyl considered her book to be more of a "chick book" but after reading it I (very much all male) can tell you that men as well will love it. Phyl takes humorous swipes at men but always in a respectful way. She gives a really good insight into what women think about men but thankfully she doesn't do it in a viscious way. Her's is a "my own opinion" type of commentary that pokes fun at the differences between males and females but doesn't cause any injury for either sex. Now for the Centaurs. My first thought about this book was, "Are the Centaurs going to be stereotyped as the drunken, wild apparitions Ovid gave us all? That was not the case, instead they are honorbound, proud warriors and huntresses who have no contempt for human kind. They have wonderful senses of humor and will display it at the drop of a hat. I was not disappointed at all. She came through with flying colors. Her Centaurs are all that and then some. They are brave fighters that boldly defend innocent lives and give their lives for the safety of those they have charge over. In a nutshell, this is one very exciting book and well worth the money and time to accuire. I have not in a long time sat up all night reading a book and losing track of time while doing it but I did with this one. When I got to the first battle with the Fomorians (the evil vampiric race or "The bad guys") I couldn't put the book down. I read all through the night until I finished the book, savoring every circumstance and situation. I was literally glued to the story like I haven't been in years.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A jeweled surprise!, October 29, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Goddess By Mistake (Paperback)
I couldn't believe it when I stumbled into this book. I read it by accident, which is a funny irony considering the title. And, oh baby! was I pleased I did read it! Shannon Parker is a hilarious English teacher from Oklahama who gets forced to exchanged places with a Goddess in an alternative mirror world where mythology is reality. The first thing that happens to her is she finds herself married to an amazingly handsome CENTAUR!! And whoo-hoo what a guy! I fell in love with him as Shannon did. The relationship between the two is believable, romantic and VERY, VERY hot!! Then all hell breakes loose (almost literally). Shannon and her centaur lover (who can shapeshift into human form -- but you love him so much you DON'T CARE whether he's human or centaur) have to join the good guys against evil. This book never stops. Shannon made me laugh and cry out loud. I just want to know when the next one will be available!! I'm not done with Partholon!
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