Gwen’s review of The Master (The Sons of Destiny, Book 3) by Jean Johnson
Fantasy romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Sep 07

It should be no surprise that I like a little fantasy with my romance.  I know it doesn’t come as a surprise that a book titled “The Master” was something I liked.  What is surprising me is how compelling I’m finding this series.  It’s very fun fantasy romance with lots of interesting characters and a unique world where paranormal is normal and normal is not. 

So far I’ve only read The Master and The Storm.  I have The Cat and, I think, The Sword in my TBR pile and I’ll be happy to read them one of these days.  All of the books so far read fine on their own – I wasn’t too at sea when I first read The Storm (the first I’ve read).

The Master begins with our hero being held captive and eventually sold in a slave market to our heroine.  She wants to use him for some tantric magic to correct a long ago cast spell that went awry.  Through practicing for the “tantric” part of the spell, our hero and heroine fall in lust and then love.  It’s a nice romance and both characters grow thru it and become more mature people as a result.

I enjoyed this book, though I wasn’t in raptures over it.  Johnson has crafted an interesting world filled with interesting twists and fascinating details.  However, this book lacks some of the tension and drama I see evident in The Storm and I think it lacks “content” as a result.  It is a lighter version of the story/world.

As with The Storm, this book has a large cast of interesting secondary characters.  Included are the other brothers, their mates (so far), and various other peoples.  All secondary roles are there to promote the main relationship, so there’s no distractions from the key reason we’re here – the romance between the hero and heroine.

I did NOT like how stupid the heroine remained about the key misunderstanding in the book.  One of my pet peeves is the “Big Misunderstanding” plot device authors use.  I find it very frustrating when characters don’t just talk (one of my personal pet peeves, for that matter).

I recommend this book for fans of the series and Johnson’s writing.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day-they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. To avoid tempting their destiny, the brothers are exiled to the Isle of Nightfall, where women are forbidden. But when the abducted third-born brother is taken by a powerful and beautiful mage, he wonders if she is his own Prophesied Disaster, his foretold wife-to-be

Kidnapped from the Isle of Nightfall, taken captive by slavers, Dominor is sold to a lovely mage, who promises freedom. But Lady Serina has plans for him; she needs another powerful mage to re-enact a mating ritual, to help reverse a Tantric spell cast centuries ago. Agreeing to help her, Dominor doesn’t suspect the secret she holds back from him: there is more to this magical mating than the Arithmancer has revealed.

Once the ritual is complete, he will be returned to Nightfall. But when that secret finally shatters, baring the truth behind the misunderstandings now separating them, Dominor is determined to retake possession of the woman who is his Destiny.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series: