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Gryphon's Quest

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When a protection spells goes wrong at birth, Gryphon O'Connor spends his life as an outcast. The only one of his kind, he uncontrollably alternates between a human form and that of a gryphon until Shaula Gallagher, Sorceress of the Ancients, lends her aid. In return for his service, she helps Gryphon control his transformations. Though he tires of being used, Gryphon accepts another task; this one could mean the salvation of his Order as well as those on the Outside. He must retrieve rune stones with unspeakable power before their use can be discovered and horror unleashed on Earth.

Acquisition assistant Heather Green loves antiquities, and especially Irish artifacts. Studying the artifacts of her heritage is like stepping into "another world of magic, myth, and mystery." But she never expects to confront myth in person, especially in such a sexy babe magnet as Gryphon. She initially does not believe his story of the runes, but when someone is murdered at the museum, she has no one else to believe. But if Gryphon reveals the truth of his identity, he brings certain death to Heather.

The first of the series TALES OF THE ORDER, GRYPHON'S QUEST will delight paranormal romance lovers. Candace Sams creates a world of myth and mystery that lies concealed within our own mundane existence, unsuspected and carefully guarded. Heather is a woman of remarkable strength concealed beneath a deceptively mundane exterior. Gryhon is a man isolated and alone, even among his own people. Together they create a powerful presence and love draws them close but ancient law forbids their being together. Indeed, even knowledge of Gryphon's true form threatens Heather's existence. A strong plot revolving around the missing runes gives the novel a fast paced story readers will not be able to put down. Destined for the keeper shelf, GRYPHON'S QUEST comes very highly recommended.

Gryphon O' Connor is a Druid Warrior, charged with the protection of his people. His people include fairies, elves and other so called mythical creatures that humankind have long ago stopped believing in. He is also the only one of his kind, a man able to shape shift into another being, destined to be alone. When the Sorceress of the Ancients sends him on a quest to New York to bring back stolen Irish artifacts, he hadn't bargained on meeting and falling for feisty young woman Heather Green. Heather works in the acquisitions department in the museum where the artifacts were sent.

She can hardly believe that she has finally met someone who lives up to her ideal fantasy, a tall, dark and handsome stranger reminiscent of all those Celtic heroes she'd read about and who she thought didn't exist. Heather is determined to help recover the stolen property, no matter how much Gryphon insists otherwise.

The stolen artifacts include a set of three rune stones, which when translated will allow the speaker to shapeshift into something resembling their inner soul. Unfortunately the stones have been used by someone with a dark soul and now a monstrous killer is on the streets, determined to make Heather it's next victim...

This is a well plotted story of romance and adventure, with a murder mystery thrown in for good measure, although I think the killer was revealed a little too early. The main plot seems to be how two people so different as Heather and Gryphon can get together, when there are so many obstacles in the way, not the least of which is the fact that anyone who reveals to Outsiders (which is what Heather is, after all), about their existence is condemned to death, and so is the Outsider they told.

I think more could have been made of this, why was there such a rule? Surely not all Outsiders were as terrible as they were making out, and they do come to this conclusion in the end. Because there are so few of the magical beings left, they know they will die out unless they can introduce new blood into the gene pool.

The love scenes between Gryphon and Heather were deftly handled, erotic without crossing that line into more heavy territory. It was heartbreaking watching the way Gryphon was treated by the others because he was different, he was even more of an outsider than the Outsiders. And what became of Heather once she found out Gryphon's secret? Well, you'll just have to read and find out!

A great read.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams.

Gryphon's Quest is a top-notch paranormal romance. The hero is VERY hunky and the heroine is spirited and smart. The premise here is that there is an ancient order of mystical beings who are hidden from the everyday world.
Gryphon O'Connor is a druid warrior from this order who has the birth-given ability to shape-shift to a powerful black griffin. His quest is to find stolen magical runestones that give shape-shifting powers to the person who obtains them, and return them to the Order where they belong, before all is exposed to the world of the humans.
Heather Green works at the Manhattan Museum of Antiquities where the stones have turned up. Enlisting her help, Gryphon pulls her into an unbelievable world of magic and intrigue. The danger to Heather is not only from the madman who has the stones, but from the Sorceress of the Ancients who cannot allow the secret of the Order to become known. She must protect the beings of the magic Order against the outside world. Gryphon knows that he can't afford to fall in love with a human, but his heart doesn't seem to count the cost. Heather is drawn to this legendary being, although she knows there is no future for them together.
I totally enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next book of the Order to come out. Candace Sams' heroes are to die for. Yumm!

THIS IS A SUPERB BOOK - FANTASY ROMANCE AT ITS BEST - CELTIC MYTHICAL BEINGS RUNE STONES AND DRUIDS.. FEY GOBLINS SYLPHS AND HUMANS.. IN A MODERN SETTING... Gryphon has had a lonely life one of a kind...born of druid parents who used a spell to prolong life and keep him safe.. when he was born left him with shapeshifting abilities..ones that other members of the order he belongs shun.... he is tasked often to take care of The Orders problems.. but this time he is asked the ultimate sacrifice which could end his life... to go to the Outside and retrieve stolen Rune Stones that were taken from an Ancient Druid Burial site.. these Runes have special powers when they have been translated leaving the translator with shapeshifting abilites.. however...... there is a flaw.. the abilities takes on the image of the soul.. so therefore... if the person who using those stones is not pure in heart... well the rest I shall leave for those who buy this book and you should if you enjoy such writers as Maggie Shayne Christine Feehan Nancy Gideon Keri Arthur and Jay Roycraft Rosemary Laurey... this this is a book for you........ Fantasy Entertainment at its best.. and the begining of a series too....... Money spent on this book will not be wasted and will surely remain on your keeper shelf....

Gryphon's Quest, by Candace Sams is a fantastic start to the Tales of the Order. I read the second book, The Gazing Globe, first, which I thoroughly enjoyed and then went in pursuit of the first Tale of the Order, Gryphon's Quest. I really can't say that I enjoyed one book over the other, as they both are equally unique with wonderful creativity and suspense woven around the romance of the two lead characters. Each is an amazing creation in its own right following the common lore of fairies, druids, nymphs, elves, etc.

In Gryphon's Quest, it opens up in modern day introducing us to a secret Order. This Order is a society of fairies, druids, elves, nymphs, sprites, etc all living in harmony with each other in a beautiful shire that is hidden away in England and from the human race in hopes to protect their ways and culture.

However amongst the order is a unique and singular man/creature. His name and what he is are the same, a Gryphon. So different is Gryphon from the rest of his folk that his peers cast him aside at a young age. Only his parents love him for who he is and it ultimately has lead to a very lonely life. In order to find value in this realm and gain more control over his ability to shape shift into a gryphon, which is half eagle like bird and half lion, he makes a pact with the leader, Shayla.

Shayla is the sorceress that rules over the order and commands great powers. She bestows on Gryphon the ability to control his change provided he will help her protect the order and go on missions of her choosing. He accepts and as time goes on Gryphon finds these missions more tedious as it only seems to alienate him even more from the rest of the shire folk.

His latest mission is to recover the three ancient runes, stolen from the order and now in the United States. Gryphon and his parents go to New York in pursuit of them. It is upon this mission that Gryphon encounters Heather, an assistant to one of the scientists in the museum. Gryphon believes that through Heather he should be able to gain the runes and return to England where he can resume his lonely life where it left off.

But his loneliness has made him reckless and he becomes more entangled with Heather than he ever dreamed; for she does not know his true identity and truly cares for the man she is coming to know. However relationships outside the Order are forbidden and can carry a punishment of death. So Gryphon walks a fine line in his enlistment of Heather to find the runes and his new found feelings for her.

As the plot and conflicts continue to twist and be nurtured my reading accelerates wondering if a bridge just might be made between the Order and the outside world? Or, if either will survive this quest to love each other, because someone in the outside world has initiated the runes for evil and is wreaking havoc in New York hunting those that are after the runes.

This book is awesome. It has an air of magic that weaves through it right into the wonderful love scenes shared between Heather and Gryphon. I totally recommend not only this book but also the series that is growing from this first Tale of the Order. Candace Sams is a wonderfully creative author that is taking paranormal romance to new heights. I can't wait to read her next Tale of the Order, Stone Heart.

Gryphon O'Connor, a warrior and a myth, is sent to the USA by the mysterious Order of supernatural creatures. He must retrieve the ancient runestones that were stolen from a secret burial place in Ireland and transported to a museum. Heather Green, a museum employee and an assistant of the prime suspect, is his only way to breach the museum's security and finds the stones and the thief before the arcane magic of the stones is envoked, causing horrible consequences.

Another kind of horrible consequences will follow if Heather finds out about the Order, for every Outsider that gains secret knowledge must die. It sounds exciting, and it is a nice, if not original, story. This kind of plot never ceases to please the readers. But there are certain moments that make the reader stop and go huh? Or simply stop.

Like why does Gryphon, a myth, a warrior of great power, the James Bond of the Order, goes to his missions escorted by his parents like a schoolboy--and that's exactly the way he interacts with them, having to explain himself all the time and unable to do anything about it. Perhaps his slightly grudging obedience is meant to show the depth of his filial love, but still it makes a somewhat immature impression.

Or why everyone is so puzzled about the possible "identity of the beast" when there are, in fact, only two suspects? Surveillance, anyone?

Or perhaps it's because of the telling statements like "Heather wasn't stupid"--though the reader sometimes wonders if she is indeed not very bright as she tends to chew on the same arguments again and again without any progress, thinking about certain things on page # 20, 50, 100 and 170, in exactly the same way and almost the same words.

Or why does Heather keep a relationship with Niall? Not only he has no redeeming qualities, the most important issue is that she finds nothing in him attractive. She isn't even sexually attracted to him. Why does this woman keep a relationship with a man she does not love, like or even want?

Or maybe it is the emotional mildness that smoothes the conflicts of the story, never letting the reader be on edge? Both Gryphon and Heather, despite the fact that they are loudly claim their love, never actually do something to get together and fight the circumstances--they are resigned with the destiny parting them forever, it is the same grudging obedience Gryph possesses just about every controlling factor in his life. What kind of a warrior is he if when he is told to jump, he says, "No, damn you, I won't!... Well, how high?" There is no conflict between Gryph and Heather, no rough edges. Even Gryph's battle of wills with Shayla is muted. There is supposed to be angst, but it is so carefully written, angst becomes whining.

In her capacity as the protector of a secretive magical order, the Sorceress of the Ancients worries that someone stole three rune stones that enable the owner to shape shift. She directs Druid Warrior, Gryphon O'Connor to retrieve the stones before someone learns of their power and consequently enable humanity to learn about their order clandestinely living amongst mankind.

Gryphon journeys to New York where the artifacts have been delivered, but appears he is too late as the stones apparently were used to commit the murder of a guard at the Manhattan Museum of Antiquities. Gryphon knows he needs help and turns to museum employee Heather Green for assistance in finding the stones amidst the humongous edifice. Heather rejects Gryphon's story that the stolen rune stones probably led to the guard's murder even as she finds herself attracted to this lunatic. As Gryphon and Heather fall in love, he wonders whether the Sorceress of The Ancients will allow he and his beloved to live when the prime directive is to hide their existence from the mundane world.

GRYPHON'S QUEST is a tremendous tale that contains much appeal to readers of fantasy, mystery, and romance. The story line is brilliantly devised so that elements from each genre smoothly intertwine into a strong tale. Gryphon is a lonely hero in a Prometheus sort of way while Heather is a wonderfully intrepid heroine who bridges the gap between mankind and myth-kind. Readers who relish a powerfully written amateur sleuthing romantic fantasy will want to peruse Candace Sams opening gamut in what the audience will hope is a long running series.

Harriet Klausner

Overall Review:

Gryphon's Quest by Candace Sams is an outstanding creative beginning of the Tales of the Order series. Heather, a brave, non judgmental, caring and honest strong heroine is the perfect match for Gryphon both in their love for one another and their love for the world and others no matter their kind. Gryphon, a hero with so much inner torture and anger about his difference from others in the order, his unhappiness with his life and the loneliness he experiences from others avoiding him due to fearing him, is one that the reader will so much see his gifts in beauty just as Heather did. Gryphon's Quest will have the reader's heart racing with the adventures that Heather and Gryphon travel. And even more, the reader's heart will feel so much empathy for the want of Gryphon and Heather's quest to be together. The author, Candace Sams, creates a series that the reader will want to know every legend of those that live within the Order. This suburb mystical story is definitely a keeper that will remain in the reader's mind for weeks and weeks to come. Scenes will be pictured in the readers mind with beauty and joy. This story in its entire deserves all the attention of any reader of fantasy and romance.

Book Summary:
Gryphon's Quest by Candace Sams is book one in the Tales Of The Order series. Gryphon O'Connor, a Druid warrior, is summoned by the Sorceress Of The Ancients, Shayla Gallagher, to report to her for a deed she needs him to attend to. Shayla had supreme power among all in the Order. Her responsibility is to uphold the law and punish those who break them. One of the rules of the Order is that those people outside of the Order must not learn of their existence. If someone in the order tells an outsider, both would need to be killed.

Upon receiving the news that he was needed, Gryphon took his time arriving from the Goblin meadows, where he finds peace away from those who ridicule him. Those in the Order, consider him a freak, monstrous and fear him except for one Fairy friend, Lore. Gryphon's parents, James and Gwyneth, had meddled with powers before he was born, so that he would be born with the ability to protect himself and others. But something went wrong and this resulted in him becomings a shape shifting creature that was different and out of control. For Shayla helping with this, Gryphon's life was to serve her as she commanded. Gryphon feels disgust for all the deeds that Shayla had him complete but when he finds out the urgency of this deed, he takes it upon him to complete. Gryphon had to bring 3 Rune Stones, which were artifacts taken from an unapproved burial site in Ireland and sent to the museum, and return them to a hiding place where they will never be found again.

Heather works at the museum and finds crates filled with mislabeled and inappropriately tagged artifacts. Unknown to her that they were taken illegally, Heather works long hours to sort through these items. Gryphon, against the advisement of his parents, requests Heather's assistance in entering the museum to find these stones before they are used for the wrong reasons and danger occurs. Gryphon, while not revealing who he is, finds respect and trust with Heather in assisting him. Heather and Gryphon find love with one another knowing they could not be together forever. Gryphon too thought he would never experience love because of how he and others viewed him and their pairing is forbidden since she is an outsider of the Order. Danger comes to both and they must battle injuries and their hearts to get the 3 Rune Stones and bring them to safekeeping.
Tales of the Order: The Gazing GlobeStone Heart

Sams has a unique ability to create an alternate world as opposed to the modern world. She calls this the "Order". Here mythical, or are they, beings inhabit our world by keeping themselves hidden from modern unbelievers.

By creating believable characters with all the emotions and attributes of humans, but with the added special characteristics of each type, she can meld the two worlds together.

In this book, the hero is just like any other hero in any other book, except he has unique talents and abilities. He is called upon to save his way of life and all the people who depend on the secrecy to keep them safe. Unbeknownst to humans, he is also saving them.

By enlisting an "outsider's" help, he breaks the rules, but isn't that what a good hero has to do sometimes?

These books are quick reads, and by making the mythical beings seem real, Sams has us wondering if they really do exisit outside the pages of her books.

By TT reviewer Chere Gruver

Gryphon O'Connor is fed up with everything. He's tired of always being at the beck and call of the Sorceress. He is fed up with constantly doing everything asked of him. He probably wouldn't mind this so much if he could at least have the acceptance of the members of the Order, but he has always been feared and taunted. Parents even keep their children away from him. He is so tired of this. It isn't his fault that he is the way he is. His parents shouldn't have been messing around with things they didn't understand after he was conceived.

Once again, the Sorceress has summoned him. This time, he decides that he isn't in any kind of a hurry to get there. When he finally gets to the Castle, he finds his parents are already with the Sorceress. She decides to send all three of them on a mission. It turns out that three very special rune stones have been taken by someone. The stones were buried with the last protectors of them and now they have been unearthed and taken away. These three rune stones will give someone the power to shapeshift. What the person shifts into will be the reflection of that person's soul. If the rune stones are used for a evil purpose, the person will shift into something ugly. The Sorceress sends the three of them to New York where the stones have been taken.

Gryph's parents fly to America from England. Gryphon flies. Thanks to his parents meddling with spells after he was conceived, Gryphon shifts into the shape of a black gryphon. The Order has a law that no Outsider can be told of the Order. If an Outsider should learn of the Order, whoever told the Outsider, along with the Outsider, will be put to death.

Meanwhile, in New York, Heather is working at a museum. She is in charge of cataloging the relics that the Professor has shipped back to the museum. Heather has a boyfriend, Niall. Lately, Niall has become way too possessive for Heather and she is just about to dump him. Heather is very knowledge about everything Celtic, which is her area of expertise. The Professor has just returned from a trip to Great Britain and has sent quite a few relics back from that area. Heather is working late again. Ned, the security guard, who she considers a friend, always walks her to her car.

When Heather is in bed that evening, she has an unexpected visitor. Gryph has come into her small apartment. He wants information on the rune stones. Heather doesn't know anything about them. She is frightened by Gryph, but somehow knows that he won't hurt her.

The next morning when Heather gets to the parking lot of the museum, she is met by a police detective. He informs her that Ned has been murdered and that she was the last person to see him alive. Heather is very upset by this news. She can't understand why anyone would murder Ned and decides to try and find out what happened and why. She begins to wonder about the three rune stones that Gryph told her about.

Now, Gryphon and Heather begin to work together to try and find the three rune stones. They also need to find out who has them. Gryphon knows that whoever it is murdered Ned. Gryphon must be very careful in what he tells Heather. He doesn't want to be responsible for anything happening to her because of him.

Gryphon is a tortured soul. He is very bitter about his life. He has no friends and spends most of his time alone. The other members of the Order all shun him and he is very bitter about this. He begins to fall in love with Heather. He is afraid of what she will think of him if she finds out that he can shift to a gryphon. Gryphon is afraid that Heather will see him as a monster, just like everyone else he knows. This is something that he will have to overcome. Heather has been alone for most of her life. Her parents died some time ago and she has never really gotten close to anyone after that. She feels that whenever she gets close to someone, they die. When Ned is murdered, this just reinforces those feelings. She can't understand why Gryphon is keeping so many secrets from her. The Sorceress is in charge of the Order and she acts accordingly. She is very strong and domineering. She is used to having people in the air when she says jump. She realizes that Gryphon is just about at the end of his tether and something must be done about it.

I definitely enjoyed this book. I loved the way that Celtic lore and things fantastic were woven into it. It's so very realistic and believable that I almost expect to find fairies in my garden. I really enjoyed the reading about the Order and how the Sorceress keeps everything under control. This is a wonderful fantasy that I definitely recommend to all lovers of things Celtic!!