The Guild

Guardians of Destiny #3

by Jean Johnson

THE NEW GUARDIANS OF DESTINY NOVEL

Cult’s awareness, it shall rise:
Hidden people, gather now;
Fight the demons, fight your doubt.
Gearman’s strength shall then endow,
When Guild’s defender casts them out.

For centuries, the mages of Mekhana have done their best to hide themselves and their powers from the rapacious needs of their so-called Patron Deity, Mekha. Greatest of their secrets is the Vortex, a Fountain hidden in the heart of the Hydraulics Guild. But even after the dissolution of Mekha and the freeing of his people, Alonnen isn’t ready to reveal his guardianship to outsiders. Particularly when the remnants of Mekha’s priesthood start looking for a new monstrosity to worship.

Rexei has hidden more than her powers for most of her life; she has also hidden her gender, wary of the hungers of the old priesthood. Only in the safety of the Hydraulics Guild’s innermost secrets can she be herself. While the rest of her people struggle to reinvent themselves and find a deity they can trust, Rexei struggles to trust just one man, the Guardian of the Vortex. Events are moving fast, though; the priesthood is desperate for any new source of power, even a demonic one that requires certain sacrifices to access.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Steampunk, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Fantasy Romance

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2014

About the author

Berkley/Jove Authors Bio

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author

Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.

Reviews

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Jean Johnson book, what can I tell you that I haven’t written a dozen times before? I love her books, her writing style, the amazing world she has created in this series. The many different lands and cultures, where gods and goddesses are very real, and made powerful by the faith of their worshippers.

Prophets from a long time ago have foretold a series of events, and these events are happening now. The third verse is about Mekhana. Their Patron Deity was a false god, kept alive with machinery and stealing magic and life force from mages. At the convocation of the Gods, he was slain for good, and Mekhana is freed of him. As being a mage would get you captured and killed, the Mekhanan people had to develop their technology to do what other counties do with magic. The Guilds have grown strong and powerful to oppose the brutal priesthood. The priests are a bad bunch of men, preying on women and mages and doing whatever they please in the name of Mekha. But now their source of power has vanished and if they want to stay in power, they will need a new Deity fast. A foreign mage tells them how to bind a powerful demon instead, and using his power as their own.

A young woman named Rexei is working under cover in the main temple, examining a complaint from the servers guild about priests abusing the servers. When she overhears the foreign mage tell the local priests about summoning demons when suddenly all the signs of Mekha disappear from the temple walls and the priests’ robes, she knows he will have to be stopped. The priests quickly release their mage prisoners into the winter cold, trying to prevent a riot from the citizens they have abused for so long. The servers are thrown out of the temple as well. And so Rexei finds herself stemming the tide of a riot, and getting hauled away by the militia lieutenant to a place she did not know existed. There is a secret mage guild, and what she knows has to be shared with all the other countries and their Guardians. This demon summoning will have to be stopped, or they will all be overrun by demons from the Netherhells.

Rexei has been living on her own since she was 11, when her family was raided by the priests, and her mother was raped and taken prisoner. The priests breed their female prisoners to create more mages to feed their God, and the male mages who so choose, will join their ranks. Joining guild after guild as an apprentice, Rexei has managed to stay hidden for all those years, dreaming of a better time and a good Deity to lead her people. She has gathered a lot of knowledge over the years, learning all different kinds of trades and jobs and skills, staying where she was safe, fleeing when she was about to be discovered as a mage, or as a female, or if a priest shown attention to her.

But now, with her country thrown into a civilian war, with the militia and the priests battling for power, she needs to take her stand, and show her fellow mages and the various Guild Masters her vision of the future. A future based on the might and the structure of the various Guilds, with a benevolent Goddess named Guildra, and a new country name Guildara. They will have to act fast, before the priests manage to create a new God, keeping themselves in power. And Rexei will have to learn to trust the Mages Guild Master, and perhaps even find love in his arms.

But the priests are not happy that Rexei double crossed them, and they are after revenge, meaning to use her as a demon sacrifice...


I loved the book a lot, Rexei is one resilient young woman who has managed to stay out of harms way for so many years. Scared of getting close to someone, concerned about the rest of her family, her father and her half brothers. Always on the run. She is very capable of taking care of herself, but now there is no place left to hide, with everyone knowing who she is. With the mages hiding place overrun with the freed mages, she will have to share the rooms with the Master himself, and even his bed in this cold winter time. So when Alonnen discovers Rexei is no boy but a woman, which was fun. He is very gentle in getting her to trust him, and Rexei finds himself attracted to him, for the first time. She knows all about what happens between men and women, having been treated as a boy for all those years, but she is still a virgin. And seeing Alonnen naked has made her curious, as he doesn’t immediately try to jump her bones.

Alonnen is not only the mage Guild Master, he is also the Guardian of the Vortex, a source of magical power that has been kept hidden from their mad God. He is not trained like the mages or Guardians in the other countries but he does his best, and he will accept help when offered from the other Guardians. Rexei has to tell her story to them as well, and even when witnessing all those strange new things, she keeps her head cool.
Alonnen really is kind of nerdy, certainly not a gorgeous alpha male, and I enjoyed that aspect a lot too.

I really liked this mix of magic and technique; I totally see motorcycles and cars drive around there in a kind of medieval setting. It is fun, and very well written and plotted out. I think you can read this book as a stand alone but I really do not recommend that. Please start with book 1 to get a feeling for the world building and everything that has happened before. And if you can, you really should start with the Sons of Destiny series first.

The only thing I really did not like in this book, are the love scenes. At the end of this book, Rexei is still technically a virgin, so I think you can get my hint. I mostly skipped and skimmed them. Though the use of technical metaphors was fun and certainly original.

9 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

[Alli · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is good and I love the world these books create but I was put off by the love scenes in this particular one and the constant reminders of the scene for the rest of the book that seemed completely unnecessary. Not my cup of tea here but hopefully I will enjoy the rest of the series.

[Kathy]

Rexei Longshanks... hides her magic, witnessed her mother raped and kidnapped for her magic, as worked in 30 guilds, as moved to safety, a spy for the mage guild;

Alonnen Tallnose... high mage, in charge of the vortex; mages were in hiding from the priests (as they would be kidnapped, collared, held in cages, and drained of magic to feed the evil god) so poorly trained; even-tempered;

Torven Shel Von... of the towers (tried to take over the tower); kidnapped; but at loss of the evil god, he negotiated/aided the priests to keep their power, by telling him he knew how to call and bind demons; The demons are that of the prophecy...

Rexei long knew that the priests were evil... and she works against them; as she found (mostly) refuge in the guilds, she knew they held the power for the average citizen - the rules, the justice, the family - and she developed a medallion that captured the image that represent all guilds... and when the god died, she is knows that the guilds are the hope for a great future - and calls forth a new goddess, Guildra... and Guildra is the amalgamation of her heart/belief of the best of the guilds... interesting thought - how a goddess grows : )

and Alonnen recognizes Rexei's power... and helps her to define it , and to infiltrate the people. How fun!

And Alonnen and Rexei find love with each other... yay

[TinaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rexei suddenly finds herself and her country free of the False God. Fearful and mistrusting of others after witnessing abuse and rape, it takes time for her to trust a man again. Alonnen is kind, patient and understanding of what Rexei has endured, he supports and encourages her as helps define their new Patron Goddess. Very Sweet.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my least favorite book of the series so far. This author has a tendency to get lost in detail losing sight of the overall story. This story was a very slow read for that reason. It was still good and moves the plot along.

Looking forward to the next in the series if it ever comes out in paperback.

[Melia Menzies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author. The first series with the Mage was wonderful. This series has a great storyline but gets a little too worldly at times so I skip those parts.

[Teena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of Steam punk meets Game of Thrones without the extreme violence....just regular violence and bad guys. A fun read with interesting concepts and characters.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at The Book Pushers

I picked (make that grabbed) The Guild with both hands because I absolutely love Jean Johnson’s work. (If you want fantasy romance, start with The Sword, if you want to try some absolutely kick-ass military science fiction, get A Soldier's Duty)

The Guild is book three of her Guardians of Destiny series, after the fun opener, The Tower (reviewed at Reading Reality) and the positively awesome second book,The Grove (reviewed here).

As much as I enjoyed The Guild (and I definitely did) there were moments when I wished I had re-read at least The Grove before I got started. It feels like the time periods between The Grove and The Guild overlapped just a bit. Certainly the political infighting at the massive Convocation that is part of The Grove is causing communication difficulties during The Guild.

One of the fascinating bits of the worldbuilding in this entire series is that this is a world where gods are real. Every country has its own god, and it is necessary for a country to have a god so that it is represented at the regular Convocation of Gods and Man.

Even more interesting, countries get the gods that they create out of their own cultural ethos. With enough belief, a god will manifest, who gets worshipped, which powers the god to do more for its chosen people.

However, there is a catch. Mostly good people get reasonably decent gods, and bad people get bad ones, who eventually die because they are not protecting their people so they lose worshippers, one way or another.

Mekha, the god of the land Mekhana, is the exception that proves several rules. He’s not just bad, he’s evil and downright crazy. He’s so awful that the Convocation 200 years ago revoked his godhood. He should have died. Instead, he came back worse and crazier, because his priesthood kept believing, or at least believing in their privileged status, and created such a climate of fear that it’s as powerful as worship.

Magic is outlawed in Mekhana. Mages are imprisoned and drained of their powers. (Also raped and enslaved). But the priesthood controls everything, and their spies are everywhere. The priests are also the only mages in the country. Everything seems to be working for them, until the new Convocation, the one going on in The Grove, defrocks Mekha again, and this time makes it stick.

All the temples and all the priests in Mekhana lose all their power at once. And everything ever built with that power starts unraveling in a hurry.

All those enslaved mages? Their slave collars stop working, and they start waking up and remembering years of torment. The priesthood starts losing its grip.

Into the power vacuum steps one young woman who has spent her life hiding her gender and her identity as a mage. Rexei knows the worst that the priesthood can dish out, because her mother was taken and drained.

But Rexei’s life on the run has given her an in-depth experience of the one force that has kept Mekhana functional all these years--Rexei is not merely a member of Mekhana’s guild system, but at least an apprentice, if not more, in 30 guilds. She’s seen Mekhana’s people at their best, and she knows what her country is capable of, if they can get the right kind of god.

Rexei has the way forward, if she’s willing to finally stick her neck out and become the leader she was always meant to be.

Standing right beside her is the guild that no one in Mekhana has been willing to admit exists--the Mage Guild will not just come into the open, but the Guild Master finds her combination of innocence and leadership just what he’s been looking for all his life.

There’s a better future out there for all of them, as long as they stop a demon invasion first.

Rexei and Alonnen, head of the secret Mekhana Mage Guild, are fantastic as the reluctant hero and the even more reluctant heroine. They have both spent their entire lives hiding who they are and what power they have, so the bond between them starts out strong, but not romantic. Rexei doesn't recognize romance when it slaps her upside the head. Watching them overcome their equal difficulties believing they can have a relationship, side-by-side of their actual conditioning not to be seen as publicly powerful, makes for a fascinating story.

I give The Guild by Jean Johnson an A-

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A woman who has learned not to trust men has to put all her faith in one in order to save her country from the evil priests who once ruled over them all.

Opening Sentence: If it weren’t for the way the silvery web covering his jaw prevented him from casting spells, Torven Shel Von would have immediately freed himself and transformed his captors into little insects, the kind that were easily squished.

The Review:

For years, Mekhanen citizens have lived in fear, mages in particular. Their god, Mekha, needs mages to feed his power, so his priests round up every mage they can find. Mages under the priests’ “care” are never the same again, subjected to torture, rape, and many other abuses. Rexei Longshanks has spent two months among the priesthood as a spy, posing as a dull-witted member of the Servant’s Guild. One night, two mages are brought in, and the strangest thing happens: Mekha disappears. Mekhana is now a land without a god. With the priests freaking out, Rexei overhears one of the prisoners telling them that they could summon a demon to take the god’s place. Rexei doesn’t know it at the time, but overhearing that conversation will change her life. Thus begins her journey to figure out a way to stop the summoning and put a new god in Mekha’s place. Will she be able to succeed, or will Mekhanans have to face a future even worse than what they’ve already experienced?

I was pleasantly surprised by the previous book in this series, so I was looking forward to reading this one. While I did enjoy it, there were issues that kept me from totally loving it. I didn’t realize it while reading, but not a whole lot actually happens in 400 pages. It’s a testament to how well written the book is that I didn’t notice it until after I’d already finished the book. I liked both Rexei and her love interest, Alonnen, but I didn’t really connect fully to either one of them, Rexei in particular. I’m sitting here trying to think of how best to describe them, and I’m coming up empty. That more than anything shows how flat their characters ended up being. Definitely not as interesting as the protagonists in the previous book! There was also an incident towards the end that really annoyed me, as it seemed to be an unnecessary conflict to add at the very last minute, especially when it was resolved in a very simple manner.

On the positive side, I find the world Johnson has created to be absolutely fascinating. I want to go back and read previous books set in this world so that I can experience more of it. It’s very complex and well thought out. There are lighthearted moments that perfectly balance out the more serious occurrences. It’s also unpredictable in how everything resolves, which I greatly appreciate.

All in all, I’m still interested in reading more of this series, but this book, while enjoyable, fell a little flat. If the main couple had been a bit more dynamic, I think I would feel differently. Fans of the series should read this book in order to know what happens, but newcomers should not start here.

Notable Scene:

“Guildra is, therefore, a manifestation of everything the guilds already stand for: law, order, creation, innovation, cooperation, peace, and rankings based not upon our ambitions but upon our qualifications. That is who and what we deserve as our Patron,” she asserted, watching the sea of faces staring at her…and now staring past her. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, but Rexei strove to continue. “We are not going to fall into lawlessness, because we have the Guild System in our blood and in our bones supporting these things, the ways and means of cooperation and organization.

“We don’t have to invent any new concept to gain a true Patron of this land. Let our Patron be the Patron of the Guilds, and let Guildra be the Goddess of a new land. Let Mekhana dissolve along with its False God, and let Guildara rise and take its rightful place in the world. Guildara, which means the Land of the Guilds, overseen and guarded by Guildra, the Goddess of the Guilds,” she finished, spreading her hands in the hopes of emphasizing her words enough to recapture her audience’s attention. “Because this is what we are and have always been, even when crushed under the will of the False God, Mekha.”

It didn’t work. They continued to stare past her shoulders, though all she could sense magically was a cool, clean feeling, like soaking hot, sore feet in a shaded, spring-fed pool in the summertime–refreshing not shocking. But there wasn’t supposed to be anyone behind her. Uneasy, Rexei turned and peered over her shoulder as well.

FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of The Guild. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Guardians of Destiny novels. But somehow I just couldn't get into this one. The characters just weren't as compelling as the other sons of destiny books, especially Rexei. To be fair, the world building is fantastic. The the locale, country, temples, guilds, the old god and the new God, no problems with all of those. But somehow Allonen and Rexei just came across as flat. I honestly was more interested in Allonen's brother than anything else, and the villain magician and priest were also good. Not sure why this one fell flat for me, I usually love Jean Johnson's stuff.

[Deb Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean Johnson continues her Guardians of Destiny series, with the character driven third book, The Guild. Steampunk and fantasy romance fans will love the extreme detail and fantastic world building in this series, featuring a political and religious environment that will take their breathe away. Johnson builds this series from a prophecy that affects every character and person in her world. Where obligation and honor are above all else and protecting the secrets of the guilds may be more than just an duty.

What I liked:

I am a fan of fantasy all types. I am a fan of steampunk, though I feel I am relatively new to the genre. I am a fan of paranormal stories. The Guardian's of Destiny series, satisfies all three of these reading pleasures for me. Jean Johnson's books are about magic and machines and supernatural abilities and all things that make a reader question the laws of the universe and where they fit into it. Her world building is phenomenal and her character development is exceptional. I look forward to every one of her books coming out. The Guild is book three in the series and is just as good or better than all those that have come before.

This series thrives on the complexity of it's world building. Johnson has created a world that is continually developing and changing with each new book to the series. It is all based on a political and religious civilization that is overwhelmed by it's magical properties. There is simply too much magic. Religious orders have sprung up serving deities of every kind and bringing an organized form of chaos to the world, but the boundaries are slipping. Some gods are being destroyed while other more terrifying deities are surfacing. The guilds hold secrets that not even all the priests know about and in this third book in the series it is evident that there are more dangerous things lurking in the dark than even the guardians know about.

I loved the eerie quality that surrounded this book. It was just a feeling that permeated the fabric of the story. The reader may feel a bit unsettled and unsure that they have it all figured out. The Guild completely changed my perspective on where Johnson was taking this series. At first that was disconcerting because I felt a little left out of the loop but as the book progressed and more and more was revealed I got really excited to see what happened next. The world is surely in dire trouble but Johnson focuses more on the plight and circumstances of her characters than the ultimate save the world scenario. That was refreshingly different for the genre, and kept me guessing as to how it would all play out in the end.

Rexei and Alonnen were a great pair. He a guardian of the Vortex, deep in the Hydraulic's guild and she a mage who has hidden her identity, as well as, her gender for most of her life. Their romance was a slow build up to a passionate relationship and I was glad that Johnson chose to go a different route and make their specific story and love even more important the overall series goal of saving the world. It made it so much more intimate and realistic. Because in the midst of life's storms, is often where love blooms. The concept worked amazingly well.

There are some steamy moments in this one, and there are some moments of levity. There are evil gods and demons, fantastic machines and more magic than the reader will know what to do with, but at the heart of it all is a man who knows where his duty lies and woman who is just now coming out of her cocoon and spreading her wings as a mage. Johnson obviously has a complex vision for this series and I love the fact that I can't exactly put my finger on it.

What I didn't like:

This one is a bit too complex to be read as a stand alone. The dynamics of the guilds, the deities and the guardians themselves, build throughout the series. The romantic elements can be read alone, but I think the reader will really be missing out not to read them in order.

Bottom Line:

This is a fantastic fantasy romance book, with great steampunk elements and a romance that is breathtaking. I loved everything about it, from the complexity of the world building to intricate character development. If you are fan of this kind of writing you can't miss with this author.

[Michelle Leah Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Vivacious Valkyrie - Marta:
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review

--Actual rating 4.5 Skulls

For those who love this authors Sons of Destiny books comes a new series that grants a peak into the world that's intertwined with it. It's not essential to have read Sons of Destiny first but this new series which is so closely linked with it adds greatly to the enjoyment. Filled with the authors trademark world building The Guardians of Destiny is finally hitting it's stride with this the third installment .

The citizens of Mekhana have tried for centuries to hide and protect their Mages from the ravenous and destructive God Mekha. Now he's disappeared and it's finally time for a new beginning for all the people but without a patron God or Goddess who will lead them! Change is coming and it's time for peace to come to their troubled land but with a new Convocation amongst the Gods nothing is certain .

Rexei has done her best to remain hidden in plain sight since she saw her mother cruelly taken by evil priests under the protection of Mekha. She's a Mage who hides her power as she knows they would try to drain her magical abilities but she's found a way to survive. Rexei pretends to be a young boy but has never found any where safe enough to stay for very long. She's been working for the priests but with the city in turmoil finds herself in the spotlight and taken to meet the Mage Guild master who has remained hidden within the confines of the Vortex that he guards . It would appear that he now seeks information that Rexei might have.

Rexei is unprepared for Alonnen, he's much younger than she expected the Guild Master to be and far more powerful. He's also far more approachable than other high ranking men she's met and her reactions to Alonnen confuse Rexei. Whilst working for the priests Rexei overheard talk of summoning Demons and Alonnen knows of prophecies that foretell of widespread destruction if that's allowed to happen. The priests are desperate to cling onto the power they've previously wielded and will risk everything but what if they too are being used? Power is an evil taskmaster and corruption can seep into your soul but somehow Alonnen and Rexei must find a way to stop the ultimate sacrifice before it's too late .
This is another amazing piece of fantasy from this deservedly popular author. Her world building is just amazing . As I read this I found myself yet again trying to imagine the people and places described and there's an awful lot happening here. Gods and Goddesses although mentioned do not take centre stage in this book no that's left happily to the human characters. As for the characters Rexei stands out simply for her survival skills ! She's a young woman who is multitalented and constantly reinvents herself and yet she's a contradiction too as her innocence and naïveté make her a sympathetic character . She's someone who the reader can get behind and the scenes where she stands up for what she sees as right will have you cheering. Definitely a mouse that roars!

As for Alonnen I found him to be a quietly confident hero with a quick wit and unafraid to be decisive. I also found his sensitivity towards the heroine Rexei to be quite sweet if honest and that leads me to the question of romance . There is a relationship within this book but it's not forced down the readers throat, instead it's allowed to grow at a steady pace which given Rexei's past makes sense. Fantasy romance at it's best.

Lovely evocative writing style that pulls you in. Likeable characters and interesting supporting ones too! Unique story but I'd like to see more from the Gods as each book is building a picture that is still incomplete for me. Completely different to the other books I've read by Ms Johnson and I love that she can keep surprising me. Recommended.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who love this authors Sons of Destiny books comes a new series that grants a peak into the world that's intertwined with it. It's not essential to have read Sons of Destiny first but this new series which is so closely linked with it adds greatly to the enjoyment. Filled with the authors trademark world building The Guardians of Destiny is finally hitting it's stride with this the third instalment .
The citizens of Mekhana have tried for centuries to hide and protect their Mages from the ravenous and destructive God Mekha. Now he's disappeared and it's finally time for a new beginning for all the people but without a patron God or Goddess who will lead them! Change is coming and it's time for peace to come to their troubled land but with a new Convocation amongst the Gods nothing is certain .
Rexei has done her best to remain hidden in plain sight since she saw her mother cruelly taken by evil priests under the protection of Mekha. She's a Mage who hides her power as she knows they would try to drain her magical abilities but she's found a way to survive. Rexei pretends to be a young boy but has never found any where safe enough to stay for very long. She's been working for the priests but with the city in turmoil finds herself in the spotlight and taken to meet the Mage Guild master who has remained hidden within the confines of the Vortex that he guards . It would appear that he now seeks information that Rexei might have.
Rexei is unprepared for Alonnen, he's much younger than she expected the Guild Master to be and far more powerful. He's also far more approachable than other high ranking men she's met and her reactions to Alonnen confuse Rexei. Whilst working for the priests Rexei overheard talk of summoning Demons and Alonnen knows of prophecies that foretell of widespread destruction if that's allowed to happen. The priests are desperate to cling onto the power they've previously wielded and will risk everything but what if they too are being used? Power is an evil taskmaster and corruption can seep into your soul but somehow Alonnen and Rexei must find a way to stop the ultimate sacrifice before it's too late .
This is another amazing piece of fantasy from this deservedly popular author. Her world building is just amazing . As I read this I found myself yet again trying to imagine the people and places described and there's an awful lot happening here. Gods and Goddesses although mentioned do not take centre stage in this book no that's left happily to the human characters. As for the characters Rexei stands out simply for her survival skills ! She's a young woman who is multitalented and constantly reinvents herself and yet she's a contradiction too as her innocence and naïveté make her a sympathetic character . She's someone who the reader can get behind and the scenes where she stands up for what she sees as right will have you cheering. Definitely a mouse that roars!
As for Alonnen I found him to be a quietly confident hero with a quick wit and unafraid to be decisive. I also found his sensitivity towards the heroine Rexei to be quite sweet if honest and that leads me to the question of romance . There is a relationship within this book but it's not forced down the readers throat, instead it's allowed to grow at a steady pace which given Rexei's past makes sense. Fantasy romance at it's best.
Lovely evocative writing style that pulls you in. Likeable characters and interesting supporting ones too! Unique story but I'd like to see more from the Gods as each book is building a picture that is still incomplete for me. Completely different to the other books I've read by Ms Johnson and I love that she can keep surprising me. Recommended
4 and a half

[K.B. Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was overjoyed to receive an advance review copy of The Guild. As a series, "Guardians of Destiny" is fascinating. The worldbuilding alone is terrifyingly complex. Here is a world in which magic defines both religion and secular pursuits: not because magic is an easy or convenient solution to problems, but because there's too much of it... and if it's not used, it will become the end of things. Unfortunately, both the gods and humanity are involved. Religions have sprung up around these gods, and human beings are driven by their basic natures. The end result is a countless number of civilizations, each of which is centered around a specific deity and has cultivated traits and practices unique to its own population, its members convinced they have the right of it.

I'm so glad I don't live in this world. I'm thrilled I get to visit it!

The Guild is the third book in this series. Like The Tower and The Grove before it, the events in The Guild are about people. Unique people, to be sure--Rexie is a powerful mage, choosing a life of hiding in plain sight over one in which she'd be exploited for her powers, while Alonnen is the only principled priest within a decaying religious order--but they are still just people. Most novels in which prophesies draw characters together focus on those characters within the context of that prophesy. Johnson, on the other hand, puts the characters first. While aware of a prophesy, Rexie and Alonnen are driven by their own personal wants and needs. Alonnen's unbending moral compass and Rexie's transformation from persecuted minority to a fully-realized mage are more significant to them than the fate of the world. Their romance, while slow to start, comes together as a natural progression of their own independent personalities, and is far more enriching (and entertaining! hello smolder!) than if they ended up together as a direct result of Fate.

As if this wasn't enough, the series itself is a puzzle that's gradually resolving itself with each new piece. Johnson knows exactly where "Guardians of Destiny" is headed as a series. While each novel serves as stand-alone insight into a single civilization within this complicated world, it's evident that the series takes place within the context of that aforementioned prophesy. I'm looking forward to reading each book as it comes out, then rereading the series to discover how Johnson's elegant plotting transforms each individual book into part of a whole.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil priests, a mage eating god, as well as mayhem and treachery at every turn are only part of what makes this steampunk tale great fun. Rexei is a young woman who has hidden her gender and mage abilities for years. Trying to maintain her gender identity as a male, she consequently earns a place in many of the guilds throughout the land as an apprentice; her most recent apprenticeship is with the stewards. She is sent to spy on the priests of Mekah, who have captured mages through the years and feeding the mage magic to their evil god. Through a series of events the power of the god disappears leaving the priesthood in chaos and the peoples of this country seeking a new beginning before the priests have the opportunity to establish an even more evil presence as their god.

There is plenty of intrigue with wonderful world building and all of the fantastical machines that make this genre such fun to read. The characters are colorful and likable and even not having read prior installments in the series, it read very well as a standalone novel inspiring curiosity about what might have transpired prior to this work. There is a bit of humor and even a bit of a romance with some smexy goings on, which is tastefully written, for those who enjoy throwing this in the mix.

I enjoyed the story very much and seriously wish I had my own motor-horse, definitely a recommended read for adult steampunk fans.

[Carien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been in a difficult reading mood lately and had trouble finding a book to stick to after the first few pages. This book at least had me intrigued for the entire first chapter so I stuck with it to the end.

And it's a nice read.

It's steampunkish and doesn't even have an airship in it, so that was a big point in favor of this book. Too many authors seem to think they just have to stick an airship in their book to call it steampunk. At least this book had some actual steampunk elements.

I will confess I thought the bad guy was the most intriguing and could have used more screen-time, but Alonnen and Rexei were both enjoyable to read about as well. There are a few times in this book where talk about guilds and a new God got a bit long winded and boring, but mostly it's a nice story.

The romance was nice as well, although I could have done without the smexy talk: piston, cog-star, nethercheeks... It's like putting in that aforementioned airship: if talk like this is meant to convey a steampunk feel, it's not working for me (and it's not sexy either).

All in all this was an entertaining read though, so I might read another book in this series if I come across it.

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital copy in exchange for review from Netgalley.

The Guild is the third book in the Guardians of Destiny series. Although the book is part of a series it can be read alone or together and still be understood.
Jean Johnson is a great author, she always creates such great stories that you can't help but love her books.
She builds worlds you could get lost in and characters that grow as the story builds.
I love the unique plot and I love how Jean creates easily oriented settings that any reader can follow and enjoy.
As the third book in the series its just as exciting as the first book and keeps the excitement going well throughout each installment.
There were a few quirks I didn't quite favor until I realized why those things were done the way they were. Which I found in the end was really quite clever.
I look forward to reading more of this series in the near future.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Three of Guardians of Destiny

The stakes are high as the sociopathic mage exiled from The Tower ends up a prisoner of Mecha. As usual he finagles his way out while angling for a power grab. When the God Mecha's power and symbols suddenly vanish throughout the temple only this unscrupulous mage knows what to do and what has probably happened to Mecha at the Convocation of the Gods Ceremony which he knows is taking place.

With Mecha gone the imprisoned mages are released and the Mage Guild comes out from hiding. Although they are safe from being drained of their power by Mecha, the Priests who supported him are still around and reluctant to release their hold on the people. With numerous dangers surrounding them, a hidden mage comes forth with a new goddess for the people of ex-Mecha, Guildia. This is their story, including a developing romance between the two Guild Masters. Excellent.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the best thing about this book is seeing how this oppressed land finds it way to be free and to see them build what they see as their new future. I loved what Rexei saw as a good way to guide the land. It was great to watch others listen to what Rexei had to say and realize that it was perfect for them and would fit into what they already held in high esteem.

I also really liked the romance between Rexei and Alonnen. I loved how Alonnen was clueless that Rexei was a girl at first, then later loved that Alonnen knew he was going to have to go slow because of what Rexei had been through.

I almost wished that we could get more with this group of characters. I want to see more of how they rebuild their world.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover is so wrong for this book. If you hadn't been reading the series you could be fooled into thinking this was a steampunk novel.
It is an interesting addition to the series. It provides an opportunity for the author to expose the more "technical" aspects of her world and it's magic/god system. The storyline as far as the book's place in the series was a little thin, however other aspects were more fully realized and quite interesting. It will be interesting to see where the series goes from here.

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

It might have been a good story, but it crossed the line from fantasy romance into horror and erotica and that ruined it for me. As soon as the protagonists mentioned butt sex and then proceeded to waste 20 pages on it and think about it and talk about it for the rest of the book, it just ruined it. Totally triggering. I'm glad I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it. I will be nervous about reading anymore of this series now, even though the first two books were so good. Just ugh.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really do enjoy Johnson's visions for the different nations of her world; each is unique with a different sub-genre feel and she has some wonderful notions. However, the climaxes in the books haven't peaked that high (though perhaps that's a series pacing method as I'd expect this to be an eight-book series). Also, the romance aspects of this and the previous were just cloying; The Tower handled it a bit more humorously.

[gremlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find this one quite as interesting as the prior books in this world. However, I'd still read on if more books in this series show up. It does seem to have been set up as an 8 book series (one for each verse of the Guardians prophecy.)

She is very good at making the different countries distinct, which is appreciated.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a bit slow to start out, but it quickly gained momentum. I enjoy how all the characters are distinct from each other while the author layers on more and more of them. The world is rich and well thought out with a continuing themes that just keep drawing me back.

[JB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series, love this author, world, story, characters. More, give me more!

[Klever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully complex mystery of action and interaction.
A world of magic that is describe in avert real way.

[Mary J. Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Jean Johnson's book are great

This book is one of my favorites. As is all about the brothers on Nightfall Island. You must read them all.

[Aiyesha]

DNF