Under the Healing Sign [Paperback]

Nick O'Donohoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995

In the sequel to The Magic and the Healing, veterinarian BJ Vaughan once again brings the benefits of modern medicine to the fantasy creatures and copes with the destructive forces that have entered Crossroads.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

O'Donohoe's sequel to his Magic and the Healing (1994) brings back Dr. B. J. Vaughn, veterinary to the faerie beasts of Crossroads, and all her friends and foes. In the course of this story, she and the faun Stefan become lovers as he acquires an education, she learns the secret of the relations between griffins and chimeras, and she and her friends teach the centaurs about preventive medicine and first aid. More serious crises impend, however, when Morgan le Fay returns to again menace Crossroads and, this time, to meet final defeat at the hands of B. J., who, as a reward, becomes the patron demigoddess of Crossroads. O'Donohoe has taken a concept that could have led to terminal cuteness and instead has produced two powerful, intelligent, and eminently readable books, making one hope for a third and more. Roland Green

Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: Ace (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441001807
• ISBN-13: 978-0441001804
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,342,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic Indeed, October 10, 2000

By 

Aislinn Cassels-Hyde([e-mail]) (the heart of Dune itself.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the Healing Sign (Paperback)

I first started reading Under the Healing Sign when I was on summer vacation at my god parents' house. They have piles of books at that house. I know that I am glad for that though, because if they did not, I would never had read any of the books in this series. In this book, BJ Vaughan is working as a full time vet in Crossroads, the place where all the worlds meet. She has become acustomed to seeing things she did not even know existed. She tries her best to save everyone and everything, but that is impossible for anyone except for maybe God, or A god. Many things happen including another attack from Morgan and her army of evil. By using strength, courage and wit alone, can this evil be stopped. The theme of the story is that if you use common sense, you can defeat almost any evil in a matter of time. Of course, once you do acomplish this, the evil is not really gone, but only pevented for a little longer. BJ, is in my opinion, the ideal model of a vet. She has to go throught the trauma of puting her werewolf puppy to sleep, right in the middle of a war. She still keeps her cool until there is room and time for her to break down and let out her emotions. Morgan, on the other hand, is cunning but not very emotional. She kills for fun, and does not care whether it is her friend or her enemy. Also, the fact that she can not die is comforting in her fight for all out evil. She is the perfect villain. The only thing that was slightly frustrating was when one of the main characters died. But if it had not happened, one of the most important parts would not have taken place. That many people died is a given, but the few importants that passed were heart renching deaths. I can not say more about that without giving away the story. All in all, I think that this is a first class book. It has just enough reality mixed with the fantasy to make it belevable, but it's not too believable, so you don't get bored. I recomend it to everyone, as long as you have some time to read. I could not put it down.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid fantasy novel, June 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Under the Healing Sign (Paperback)

This book is similar to the first in the series (The Magic and the Healing), mixing modern and fantastical elements (both mythological and Mr. O'Donohoe's original ideas) very well. There is some substance here, but mostly it is a fun read. A good page-turner, humor and drama are intermingled well. None of the characters become one-dimensional or (in the cardinal sin in any novel) dull. Recommended for any reader, but make sure to start with book one of the series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy at its best! Vibrant and mesmerizing, a real treat!!, January 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Under the Healing Sign (Paperback)

If it's 3 a.m. and you are trying to figure out how to be a midwife to a centaur,then you've fallen under the spell of Nick O'Donohoe and his many and varied friends at the Crossroads.

This series of books(3 so far)is both factual and fanciful as B.J.Vaughn,the veternarian, must come to terms with bringing both the best and the worst that our world has to offer to the "other Folk of Crossroads". A very good read,indeed.