Changespell

Changespell Saga #2

by Doranna Durgin

Award-winning author Doranna Durgin has nearly 40 published novels (MMPB, trade, and hardcover) and another 19 short pieces. Now available from the author, CHANGESPELL is a re-released Baen Fantasy. Once a horse, still learning human ways...only Dun Lady's Jess has the insight--and heart--to save her world from a rogue bent on revenge.(Changespell Saga Book II)

"Durgin tells this deeply insightful and touching tale with a deft clarity. Her eye for detail will delight and astonish you..."
--Hypatia's Hoard
~~~~~~

Jess, once a horse called Dun Lady's Jess, is still struggling to integrate her human and equine selves when the wizard Arlen discovers someone in Camolen is callously turning wild creatures into bewildered and maddened human slaves.

It's unsettling enough that Camolen's wizards can't find the rogue magic user--but the trouble has just started. A dangerous wizard escapes, Arlen's hold comes under attack, and an entire company of peacekeepers disappears. Jess soon realizes that she and her friends are at the center of events that threaten to leave her trapped helplessly in equine form while her friends fall victim to revenge and the Council of Wizards slowly loses control of Camolen.

Other books in this series: Barrenlands, Dun Lady's Jess, Changespell Legacy

"Doranna Durgin is one of the freshest new voices in fantasy fiction. Her style is clean, uncluttered, and effortless. Changespell is a full-bore, straight-ahead, fast and furious read. I want more!"
--Jennifer Roberson, author of the Karavans and Sword Dancer series


Praise for Dun Lady's Jess

"....Dun Lady's Jess is unique. Durgin has created a character who is utterly believable as both horse and horse-in-human-body. The setup is brilliant: the magic that causes the transformation is not in the horse, but external, and the creature that is Dun Lady's Jess must adapt, must find an identity that works in both paradigms. Humans who encounter her, in either body, must also adapt to the reality that created her and that she represents. She cannot be, any longer, just another mare...she cannot be, ever, just another woman...."
--Excerpt from Elizabeth Moon's Forward for Dun Lady's Jess

"A thrill ride with a fantasy twist, neatly done by a knowledgeable author - short, sweet, and paced at a gallop, Dun Lady's Jess can't help but to win you over."
--Janny Wurts

"Horses, heroics, and magic--a great combination! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dun Lady's Jess, a spirited and daring novel. I couldn't put it down."
--Kristen Britain, author of the Green Rider series

"Dun Lady's Jess is a wonderful read for those who are horse fans and those who are just plain fantasy fans or fans of great writing."
--Josepha Sherman, bestselling author/editor

"Dun Lady's Jess is everything a great fantasy ought to be: Exciting, moving, and utterly original. Doranna Durgin has spun a marvelous tale, set it in a world that feels as real as our own, and populated that world with characters who will stay with you long after you read the final page. An excellent book, which I highly recommend."
--David Coe, author of Winds of the Forelands & the LonTobyn Chronicle

"Jess is a tale of wonderfully diverse and riveting characters embroiled in extraordinary events, told with a deftness and care few authors can achieve. Once you begin, you won't be able to put it down until you know what happens -- and then you'll wish it never stopped. I highly recommend it."
--Diana Pharoah Francis, author of Path of Blood

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction Fantasy, Romance, Horses

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Doranna Durgin is an award-winning author (the Compton Crook for Best First SF/F/H novel) whose quirky spirit has led to an extensive and eclectic publishing journey across genres, publishers, and publishing lines. Beyond that, she hangs around outside her Southwest mountain home with horse and highly accomplished competition dogs. She doesn't believe in mastering the beast within, but in channeling its power--for good or bad has yet to be decided! She says, “My books are SF/F, mystery, paranormal romance, & romantic suspense. My world is the Southwest, and my dogs are Beagles!”

Doranna’s most recent releases encompass the three books of the Reckoners trilogy--a powerful ghostbuster raised by a spirit, her brilliantly eccentric backup team, a cat who isn't a cat, and a fiercely driven bounty hunter from a different dimension who brings them together when worlds collide.

Reviews

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its too bad that this book is so hard to find. I had to get it through inter library loan and there was only one copy in all of Alberta.
If you like animals in your fantasy stories then you won't find many authors who do animal communication better than Doranna Durgin. Changespell is a continuation of the story of Jess, a woman who started life as a horse, Dun's Lady Jess, and now spends time as both horse and woman. If that isn't enough of a trial to deal with, there is still a forest full of evil magic wielders, some mysterious connection between mundane and magical realities, and a some very challenging romantic possibilities.
I enjoyed this book from start to finish.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much! I wish I had discovered it years ago. The adventures of Dun Lady’s Jess, the horse who was accidentally turned into a woman when she was magically transported to another world and who, though she was not born a shifter, is now (with the help of her wizard friends) learning to shift back and forth between her two forms, are endlessly interesting. In this book Jess is learning more how to be a human. The growing romance between Jess and Carey, her longtime master, is also interesting, but a very light touch and does not seriously intrude on the story overall.

This time almost everybody is back in Camolen, the world that is originally home to Jess and Carey. Dayna is still there, now being trained as a wizard herself. And Arlen, the wizard Carey works for, has brought Jamie back from her home in Ohio to testify at what amounts to a parole hearing for the rogue wizard, Willand.

Only things are beginning to go wrong. Just a little bit at first, but then they get worse and worse. Jess, who has been working at another courier station with a man named Ander, who likes her too – there is a bit of a love triangle here, but Ander doesn’t really have a chance – is summoned back to Arlen’s keep in Anfeald to evaluate a man who may be a mule transformed into human form. They have hardly determined that before news comes that Willand has escaped. Meanwhile Peacekeepers (sort of like Camolen’s police force) have been disappearing. And Jess, in her horse form as Lady, is ambushed and kidnapped as she is on her way to deliver dispatches to one of the Peacekeeper stations.

In this way, they discover the new group of rogue wizards that is responsible for all the trouble.

[Lael Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Jael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dun Lady's Jess was absolutely captivating and even though it did not end with cliffhangers of any sort, I went and bought this book immediately simply because I can't have enough of Jess and Carey and Arlen and Jaime and Mark. Especially Mark, simply because he is exactly like my brother.

Here's the problem: Where in Book 1 I found Jess' little quirks brought over from her horse persona endearing and realistic, in Changespell, it starts bordering on annoying. In Book 1, it is evident that despite her continued expression of horse behaviour, she is continuously learning to adapt to the human way of life. In Book 2, this is all I see: Jess is stubborn. Jess is headstrong. Jess is unwilling to compromise her horse behaviour simply because she can and the world should learn to accept her as she is. Well, let's be honest. This "don't change yourself to make the world happy" thing doesn't apply in every situation and it seems to me that it's something Jess doesn't understand. Jaime told her in Book 1 to be her own person and it felt like she decided it meant she can stop trying to learn to accept the human's way of life. For example, when people crowded her, her horse instincts kick in and she (quite literally) kicks out at the offender. Just like that. No warning at all, except for that "mentally laid-back ears" that she expects people to see. Oh, and did I mention that she also knows that said person doesn't know that she is a horse and didn't bother mentioning it, so said person won't know what to look out for? Of course, essentially there is nothing wrong with that since a lifetime's worth of behaviour can be hard to change and I know that first hand. The problem is, where in Book 1 she would feel guilty about it and try to change; in Book 2, she feels completely self-righteous doing it and gets annoyed at the offender instead. I mean, really? You wanted to have the liberty to change into human as and when you fancy it, so shut up and start learning some manners. If you can't deal with it, go back being a horse. Humans aren't superior to horses, you know (no sarcasm intended). Really, it's not her actions that annoy me. It's the attitude.

Also, where in Book 1 the characters were all rather rational and wise, in book 2, I felt as if they have all gone and lost their wits and cool. In Book 1, when Carey was so desperate to save Arlen, it made sense. In Book 2, when Dayna was so convinced that her raw magic can handle the rogues and hence decided that they should make a happy little trip to confront them, it felt like pride and arrogance. Happy, self-absorbed little children that think that they can do anything and everything that they want without considering the consequences. They were like, what happens if we win? World Peace! Hurray! What happens if we lose? Oh, umm... I think it'll be bad. Oh, let's not spend too much time thinking about it because it'll distract me. People, you think about all the good and bad of a situation before you do something so big! What if the plan failed and you are used as hostages against your friends. Wow. Congratulations but you just made an already complicated situation more complicated. Except, of course, if the friends made the wise decision of not giving in to the bad guys' demands, you'd go all outraged and think that it's them being to slow to act and all that crap (reference to Arlen's capture in Book 1 here). No, dears. It's them weighing the good vs the bad and deciding that the good outweighs the bad. Something that you will do well to learn. And it was irritating when Carey insisted on accompanying them even when he knows his own physical limitations. No, I take that back. They needed a guide and Carey was being selfless to offer. What he should have done was to stay back on their final stop to prevent hindering the others. Offering to go after Eric was pure stupid. I can't help but think that if he hadn't offered to go, Jess would never have needed to endure the chains in the first place. Good thing Jess learnt how to trigger the changespell as Lady or else it would really have been all for naught.

Honestly, if I hadn't liked Dun Lady's Jess (Book 1, not the character) so much, I would probably have given this book a much lower rating. At least it's not so bad that I would have thrown it into the bin without finishing it (I hope). As it is, 3 stars is the most I will ever give it.

[Kat W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: Book description on goodreads is wrong. The correct description is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B...

Another fun adventure that spent more time exploring Jess' nature(s) and where she fits in the world. The ensemble cast was again good, though poor Mark got left out. I was also surprised at some of the harsh reality Durgin had in the story, which was good for making it easier to relate to the characters, but a little sad if you were expecting something gentler. It's a happy ending so it doesn't get that dark.

Once again, the e-book version needs some serious typos editing, but otherwise did not overly disrupt the experience.

[Hannah Steenbock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with Jess when I read the first book in the series. It helps that I love and adore horses, of course, but Doranna Durgin makes Jess really "feel" like a horse in a human body.

In "Changespell", Jess' story continues in a gripping adventure that brings together Jaime, Carey, Jess and Dayna again. Only Mark gets left out...

I enjoyed this very much because it's a full adventure in its own right, even as it picks up some threads from the first book. Jess continues to grow in her human personality while also incorporating her horse essence more and more. And yet her relationship with Carey remains troubled.

Of course, there are also evil wizards, a nasty drug and changed animals to content with, so things never get boring.

Enjoy this wild ride!

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess is now coming to terms with her dual existence. But she is faced with threats from within and without. There are strange, unfamiliar magics being practiced.

Doranna Durgin has managed to write a sequel which isn't just the same book in a different disguise. The challenges which face Jess and her friends arise from the happenings in Dun Lady's Jess, but are not the same old, same old. An original plot, recommended to lovers of fantasy.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This continues to be an interesting series that twists the traditional shapeshifter story and layers it really fluidly with a traditional fantasy setting and backdrop of wizards and amazingly engrossing characters.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to see most of the people we met in the previous book again. I liked seeing character growth across the board here, too. :)

[Sue Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle book of the series.

Good and easy read. Would recommend it for that weekend trip to the beach or mountains while you sit be the fire with a cup of tea.