Shifting Plains (Sons of Destiny) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jean Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sons of Destiny | Publication Date: November 3, 2009

Centuries before the time of the Sons of Destiny, a female shapeshifter became the leader of the people of the Shifting Plains...

Tava Ell Var never really knew her mother, but she did know her tragic fate at the hands of a band of cruel shapeshifters-a history set down by Tava's father as a warning about life on the Shifting Plains. But after her father is murdered, Tava encounters a Shifterai warband fighting to rid the Plains of the terrorizing bandits

Shifterai leader Kodan Sin Siin is sympathetic to Tava's suffering, but he's determined to bring the wary young woman to the Plains. Because he knows her secret: She, like he and his men, is a shapeshifter. Once she joins them, he knows that she will see for herself the true fate that awaits her on the Plains, and most of all, lose her fear of his people. And, in time, he knows she will find her place is in their fight-and by his side.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Johnson's fluffy prequel to the Sons of Destiny romantic fantasy series (The Sword, etc.) focuses on Tava Ell Var, child of a human woman raped by were-tigers. Orphaned when her adoptive father is killed by bandits, shunned by the people of the only home she has ever known, Tava is unexpectedly rescued by bookish, hunky Kodan Sin Siin and his Shifterai warband. Remembering her mother's fate, Tava initially resists joining Clan Cat, but she soon finds herself at home and realizes her shape-shifting powers are well beyond the ordinary. Johnson welds together light fantasy and romantic fiction, roughly meshing them into a simple, almost sappy conglomeration. The basis for the fantasy shows great promise, but the gaping plot holes and sudden alternations between tender romance and rough sex may turn many readers off. (Nov.)
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About the Author

The best part about being a writer is the joy of entertaining others. Whether it’s sad or scary, silly or sexy, I love knowing that one of my stories has given someone a good time. I hope this is one of those stories for you, too. Currently I live in the Pacific Northwest. Feel free to drop by my website for a chat.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425230864
• ISBN-13: 978-0425230862
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jean Johnson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, where she is busy struggling to unbury herself from the mountain of plot-bunnies swarming her office.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy to read and re-read, November 5, 2009

By 

Wong Wife (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shifting Plains (Sons of Destiny) (Kindle Edition)

This is my first time to review a book but I could not let the other review stand. Yes, this book is very different from the Sons of Destiny; however, I think it makes a strong standing on its own.

There is a skillful job of setting up the new world and shifterai culture. The heroine is mistrustful of her natural father's people because of the misuse of her mother. She has hidden her shapechanging skills her entire lifetime and has no use for the Shifterai men who rescued her from her neighbors who were trying to steal her land and home after her adopted father's death. The author uses this mistrust and the heroine's introduction to this culture to explain her new world. It is a little slow in parts but well worth the read and I love the hero and his patience with the heroine. I can't wait until the next book in this series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It was okay, May 5, 2010

By 

Neker (Duson, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Shifting Plains (Sons of Destiny) (Mass Market Paperback)

Johnson does a fairly good job creating a male hero that does everything perfect as far as females go. He's always madly wanted by all women, has an incredible body, is a perfect gentleman in public and private, and of course makes mad love. Of course it's great reading about it regardless how hard it would be to believe in real life. Unfortunately, she does not make a very endearing heroine. They are either annoying as all heck, stuck up, or simply too perfect. Perfect men are great for woman to read about, but women don't want to hear about a perfect woman. Tava was a bit too perfect.

My second problem was the descriptions of every little insignificant thing Johnson could think of drag out in overly detailed and boring descriptions. I really don't care how to make a grass logs. I don't need 8 pages front and back on exact step-by-step instructions. Is how to make grass logs significant to the story line? NO! This is just one example. She does this for everything (arrow heads, clothing, oh, and the really, really big one, the TENT!) I think she had to describe how it was made, built, redone, created, who did the creating, augh!) It drove me nuts and literally put me to sleep.

Johnson...think short summaries for unimportant information.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable romantic fantasy, November 7, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shifting Plains (Sons of Destiny) (Mass Market Paperback)

Tava Ell Var has known violence all her life as the offspring of a human female raped by seventeen were-tigers. Her adoptive father, a gentle scribe, showed her kindness while aising her, but marauding bandits murdered him; leaving her alone especially in light of people she has known for years rejecting her. Tava vows vengeance for the only person whoever cared about her.

However, before she can stalk her adversaries, a Shifterai warband led by Kodan Sin Siin kill the outlaws and offer Tava sanctuary with Clan Cat as she is a shapeshifter too. She hesitates well aware of the raping of her mom. She is given no choice as she can be a slave or a free member.

The prequel to the Sons of Destiny saga is an enjoyable romantic fantasy as fans of the series will enjoy the tale of love between shapeshifters. Although not as dramatic as the Sons of Destiny with sudden leaps in the story line, Jean Johnson provides an enjoyable tale in which the romance supersedes the fantasy elements even with a potential she-Tiger who may prove genuine or die as the first female royal shifter in ages.

Harriet Klausner