This is Jean Johnson's first book. She tells a great story. She has also laid out a path for a terrific new series. There was a bit too much info in the beginning of the story, meant to set up the series. It basically surrounds 8 brothers who are known as "The Sons of Destiny", born in 4 sets of twins in a different universe where magic thrives.
The problem was trying not to get confused as she introduced 8 men, pointing out each of their names, each of their specific magical gifts, each of their personalities, each of their physical descriptions, and which brother is a twin to which other. Another important detail to note is that each brother has a prophesied destiny. Some have positive destinies, others are said to be cursed. About half way through the book, I was able to keep most of the details straight.
For those who would like a head-start, here is a quick reference to The Sons of Destiny. Otherwise, scroll down for a specific review of "The Sword."
1. Saber "The Sword": Oldest of the 8 brothers. A master magician ("Mage") in the field of swords. His prophesied curse: If he ever finds true love, disaster will fall upon his land. Heir to a Count title that would have made him ruler of his native land of Katan, if the brothers had not been exiled by citizens who were afraid of the curse.
His Twin-
2. Wolfer "The Wolf": Second oldest. A Mage in the field of hunting, he can turn himself into a wolf. Largest and most muscular of the brothers. His personality is that of a gentle giant. He wears a braided lock of hair around his wrist; a gift from the woman he loved in Katan before the exile.
3. Dominor "The Master": Third oldest. A Mage with multiple gifts, he is said to be the one who will control his own destiny. Fiercely competitive and a perfectionist in all things. It is prophesied that he will meet a woman who is his match.
His Twin-
4. Evanor "The Song": Fourth oldest. A Mage of sound. Anyone can contact him from anywhere in the universe by singing out his name. He can then respond and have a conversation with his caller. He sings with a pure and beautiful voice. His personality is gentle and mild.
5. Trevan "The Cat": Fifth in the line. A Mage of animals, he can turn himself into many different beasts and birds, but his favorite is the one that matches his own personality: the cat. Enjoys seducing and flirting with women. Skilled in building furniture and other things from wood.
His Twin-
6. Rydan "The Storm": Sixth in line. A Mage of night and weather. A mystery to his family, he chooses to only leave his room during the night hours. Always dressed in black, his hair and eyes are also midnight black. Rarely speaks or shows emotion. Can conjure storms at will. It is prophesied that if he falls in love, the woman will destroy him at dawn.
7. Koranen "The Flame": Second youngest. A Mage of fire. Can conjure flames from his hands. Can also magically heal burn wounds. Uses fire to create magic lamps that light the brothers' castle. Can battle dragon-like beasts with his flames. Easy tempered and friendly.
His Twin-
8. Morganen "The Mage": Youngest Son of Destiny. Known simply as "The Mage" because he is by far the most powerful and gifted magician in the family- possibly even the universe. Can transport people and objects through different galaxies. Is a bit feared by his brothers because of his power, yet loved because of his giving spirit and kind temperament. Has taken the burden of the prophesied curses upon his own shoulders, working endlessly to help each brother find true love and happiness despite their curses.
Now that you know the brothers, here is a specific review of Saber's story...
Being the oldest, Saber feels responsible for making sure that he and his 8 brothers avoid their prophesied destinies. His destiny is said to be one of a great curse. If he falls in love, his land will face disaster. The people of his land have banished the 8 brothers in order to avoid the tragedy he may cause them. As a result, he has been denied his right to rule as The Count of Katan.
Kelly Doyle is living a dismal life in modern day America. She has lost her job and is barely making ends meet by sewing and doing embroidery for pay. She nearly dies when hateful neighbors set her house on fire while she is sleeping in her bed.
Saber's youngest brother, Morganen, sees Kelly burning through his scrying mirror. To save her life, he brings her through the mirror into the world of magic. He then has his twin, Koranen, heal her burn wounds and save her life. Morganen has plans for Kelly. He believes she may be Saber's destiny. He is sure they can break the curse.
Over the next several weeks, Saber and Kelly are forced to spend time together. Little by little, love blossoms.
A ship has landed on the brothers' island. Staking a flag into the ground, the crew's leader claims the island in the name of his king. Now the brothers must find a way to keep the outsiders from bringing war to their home. Using magic, they create an illusional kingdom of great power. The outsiders are fooled and decide to leave, but not without causing the brothers to suffer an unbearable loss.
This book ends with a big opening for the next in the series to pick up on. I'm looking forward to seeing how they will handle the tragedy.
All of the brother characters are excellent. They all have their own way of being fun, sexy, and mysterious.
I wish I could have liked Kelly's character as well. I liked her less and less as the story unfolded. The 8 brothers brought her into their home and saved her life. They treat her with the utmost respect. In return, she complains that they are all slobs and announces that she is taking over the castle. When one of the brothers, Dominor, refuses to do her bidding in his own home, she uses karate to slam him to the floor and nearly dislocates his arm. She holds him there until he agrees to "obey her." She dictates house rules that basically say nobody is allowed to touch her or yell at her. This is extremely hypocritical, because she spends the whole book screaming at them, calling them disrespectful names, and threatening them. Somehow, this is supposed to be okay because she is female. She also makes a point of letting them all know that men are stupid and not worthy of respect in general. Any one of these men could have easily snapped her in two, but they never retaliate because they were raised to treat women gently. I was really wishing one of them would slap a "sit- down- and -shut- up" spell on her. I would have been able to enjoy the story more.
Another problem is the fact that she is written to somehow know everything about everything. With a degree in business, how exactly did she come to know all of the details about how cars are made, how to design elaborate mechanical pulley systems in various different forms, how guns are made, how buildings are constructed, etc...? It was too much.
I'm truly hoping the next book, Wolfer's story, will have a female character that I can like. If Kelly had been likable, this book would have been as easy 5 star read.
