The Master

Sons of Destiny #3

by Jean Johnson

The third novel in the acclaimed Sons of Destiny series.

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

Kidnapped and taken captive by slavers, Dominor is sold to a lovely mage, who promises freedom. But Lady Serina has plans for him--to re-enact a mating ritual, to help reverse a Tantric spell cast centuries ago. Agreeing to help, Dominor doesn't suspect the secret she holds--because there is more to this magical mating than she 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.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Fantasy Romance, Fiction

340 pages, Trade Paperback

First published September 4, 2007

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

[Nisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

True, there was an excess of sex in this book, but I really like the introduction of another country and its politics. I was really looking forward to reading this, mostly for Dominor. I like his character, even if he is a bit arrogant and says dumb things on occasion. Serina is not bad. Not my ideal character, but she is scatterbrained and quite competent (except for not feeding herself and such), so somewhat likable. I wish her history had more of an impact, but it came off as not very important to her or anyone, so it did seem like unnecessary passages. The foreshadowing of Evanor's story was a little strong (maybe to keep readers invested to read the next book).

It's not really a bad read, as some reviewers find it. Its a pleasant story, with an absurd premise (that my logic could not really tease), but a workable cast. It is definitely much better than the 2nd book, which had needless sex scattered throughout. I find that it was the perfect miz of fantasy, romance, and smut, if you are in the mood for the combo. The positions were a little challenging to envision; I think I gave up after awhile. There was even some character conflict which my wannabe preteen self seemed to enjoy.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this one, but I decided to set it aside after only reading halfway. I became bored with the story and I do plan on continuing the series, but this one just didn't work out for me. And after almost a week of trying to get through it, I decided that I will have to come back to it later.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining. I liked Dominor and Serina right away. I've been getting back into reading some paranormal romance, and so glad I did.

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 1 out of 5]

Captured and magically bound by his kidnappers, the hero is trying to trick his way into getting the cuffs off him when his kidnappers are attacked themselves and taken prisoner. Too bad the hero's 'rescuers' are not so nice and put him on the slave block to be sold. The heroine has been working on a counter spell to the one inadvertently put on them to slow the birth of magically born children. As a scientist, the heroine is doing the calculations and she figures she needs a strong mage to aid her in her quest. But magically ability is only half the battle. To get into the spell itself, she needs a sexual partner and that man must be attractive if she if to succeed. When she witnesses the hero on the slave block she thanks destiny for her good fortune. She spends a great deal of money on the dirty and smelly man but she knows he will be just what she needs. It's a good thing she wasn't wanting a slave because the hero isn't very well at taking orders. But once magically bound to aid her, the heroine instills in him the fact that they are working towards a common goal. She to break the curse and he to help her before returning to his family. As time passes, they develop a friendship as well as an indulgent sexually relationship. They share likes and dislikes, they speak of their past and of their fears. They fall in love. But the heroine fears he will be gone when the spell is complete or rather when he realizes she's lied to him and tricked him into succumbing to the final part of the spell- her getting pregnant.
To say I 'read' this book would be a gross exaggeration. I skimmed the entire thing. I knew from experience that this book was going to be a stinker and I tried really really hard to at least give it a chance but it was just too dumb. The writing style is painfully a equal part complicated and dull. The long drawn out paragraphs are coma worthy and the total lack of characterization make these people into nothing but cardboard cut outs. The plot is extremely long considering the book is only 300 pages but honestly it felt like I was reading this stupid book for days. I just kept wishing it would end and the pain of having to continue was like enduring torture. Safe to say I didn't just dislike this book- I hated it. I am announcing my withdraw from this author for good. No more chances, no more time wasted on basic smutty and valueless books. I'm done.

[Christel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Third son shall meet his match:
Strong of will and strong of mind
You seek she who is your kind
Set your trap and be your fatee
When Lady is the Master's mate.

Dominor is the third son and he was kidnapped and taken captive by the Mandarites. They wanted them to help them in thier ongoing battles with the Natallians. Unfortunately, they are captured by the Natallian navy before they can get to Mandare and sold at a slave auction.
Lady Serina is a powerful mage and buys Dominor for her use in a Tantric curse reversal. Once the curse is reversed she has promised him that she will return him to Nightfall. But as always something happens. Serina has a secret that Dominor has no idea what it is about and he won't be happy when he does.

It was okay but a little too intelluctual reading to me. Serina is a mathamagician and she goes into details about her formulae and it really got a little boring at times. But I slogged through it. Actually I would give a 4.5 if I could but a 4 will have to suffice. But it also gives some details of the future of the brothers Evanor and Rydan's books.

[Gardavson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. The book was decent. The characters were well developed and likeable, even the side characters. The reason this book didn't rate higher was the lack of plot. There was plenty of steam, and a decent plot concept, but the plot wasn't enough to cover the length of the book. Pretty much the beginning was good and the end was good, but nothing happened in between. There was a whole lot of filler that was not interesting, and often made no sense to me.

This was Dom and Serina's story. He had been kidnapped in the first book in the series. He ended up being rescued, in a sense, by Serina and oath bound to her in return for her returning him to his home and family. She has a bit of permenant magic to cook up in which she needs his "services". The book also begins fleshing out Rydans story and sets Evanor's story into motion.

Johnson creates really, really good characters. The world she creates is average. It's the fleshing out of her plots that need work. Her characters are made for better stuff. It makes me realize the difficulty involved in writting a book, and how difficult it must be to pull it all together.

Off to the next!

[Josephine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Looking for a light read, instead the book spent quite a long time explaining an unfathomable history and premises. The information only slightly needed for the story. It could have been simplified and the story would have been strengthened.
However, Johnson still has interesting characters so I did complete the read.

[Coral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot: 3/5 (simplistic plot)
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 3/5 (average in terms of syntax and grammar but bordering on too much explanations *yawns* that I tend to skip things and missed a lot of details)
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5

[Gypsie Holley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this book takes you off Nightfall and into another part of this world. We get to see bustling cities to a nunnery. The destiny of Dominor finds a wonderfully scatterbrained mathmagician who is far superior to his ego magics and falls for her and learns to accept he can't beat everyone. Still looking forward to the next one. This is completely different and makes me laugh out loud each time.


Best quotes from the book:


"You have maybe a minute before I throw you on that desk and do my best to sexually nail you to it." ---Dominor

"No way could watching some dumb girl get naked be that much fun!" ---Mikor

[Crazy4more · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars very close to 4! The story of the 3rd son not knowing he'd meet his prophecied fate head-on as he tried to survive the kidnappers; sold into slavery; used in a mathmagical calculation to revoke a curse set by a pair of lovers...figured out by scatteredbrain-genius-passionate-absent-minded Font Guardian, Serena...only to realize he'd do it all over again just to be duped again, to be used, to be given a chance to tell her he'd give up his existence, be her slave and her beckon-calls. Hot, sexy, funny and sweet! can sexy/hotness really go with sweet and funny? with Serena...YES!

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one I did not like at all. It went from a good story to just complete obsession with having sex. So that will end this series for me. I am so disappointed it had potential to be such a great series.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

หนังสือชุด Son of destiny ดำเนินมาถึงเล่มสาม กับเรื่อง The Master แต่เพราะความน่าเบื่อโคตรกับเล่มแรกในชุดอย่าง The Sword ทำ ให้แม็กซ์ไม่มีความอยากที่จะอ่านเล่มสองแม้แต่น้อย ดังนั้นเมื่อได้เล่มสามมาอยู่ในมือ อ่านพล็อตแล้วก็ลงล็อคว่าเป็นแนวที่เราชอบหนักหนา จึงไม่ลังเลที่จะข้ามมาอ่านเล่มนี้ก่อน

ส่วนหนึ่งคงเพราะ The Master เป็น การเล่าเรื่องของโดมินอร์ ลูกชายคนที่สามซึ่งถูกลักพาตัวไปในเล่มหนึ่ง การที่ไม่อ่านเล่มสองจึงไม่มีผลอะไรเลย เพราะว่าโดมินอร์เองก็ไม่รู้ว่าเกิดอะไรขึ้นในระหว่างที่เขาหายตัวไป

และที่สำคัญที่ทำให้เรื่องนี้ดีกว่าเล่มแรกก็คือ บรรดาพี่น้องของพระเอกไม่ค่อยจะมีบทนัก จึงไม่มีการเล่าเรื่องชนิดที่ พี่ชายคนโตพูดว่า.... แล้วก็ตามมาด้วย คนที่สองพูดว่า.... ลองคิดแล้วกันว่า มีลูกชายตั้งแปดคน กว่าจะพูดกันครบ แค่คนละรอบ ก็เบื่อตายแล้ว

คราวนี้ลูกชายแห่งโชคชะตามาคนเดียว (เป็นส่วนใหญ่) หนังสือทั้งเล่มจึงโฟกัสที่ตัวเขา และเป็นโชคดีที่ทั้งพระเอกและนางเอกในเล่มนี้น่าสนใจ จึงทำให้ค่อนข้างเวิร์คสำหรับแม็กซ์


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 doesnt 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.
ก่อนอื่นคงต้องเตือนกันนิดนึง คุณไม่จำเป็นต้องอ่านเล่มสองก็สามารถอ่านเล่มสามได้ แต่แม็กซ์ไม่คิดว่า คุณจะสามารถเริ่มต้นอ่านหนังสือชุดนี้ที่เล่มนี้ได้นะ เพราะคนแต่งแทบจะไม่เกริ่นเรื่องเพื่อปูพื้นเลย

พี่น้องตระกูลคอร์วิสเป็นฝาแฝดสี่คู่ เกิดวันเดียวกัน ห่างกันสองปี คือบุคคลในตำนานโบราณที่ทำนายว่า การเกิดของคนทั้งแปดจะนำความพินาศมาสู่อาณาจักรที่พวกเขาอยู่ ดังนั้นเมื่อแฝดคู่สุดท้องเริ่มแสดงความสามารถทางเวทมนตร์ในวัยยี่สิบปี ทั้งแปดจึงถึงจับส่งไปอยู่ที่เกาะไนท์ฟอลตามลำพัง ห้ามติดต่อกับโลกภายนอก

เป็นเวลาสามปีที่ทั้งแปดอยู่กันตามลำพัง จนกระทั่งการมาถึงของเคลลี่ สาวจากอีกมิติหนึ่ง (ซึ่งก็มาจากมิติที่เราอยู่กันนั่นแหละ โลกในเรื่องเป็นมิติคู่ขนานกับโลกเรา) เพื่อเป็นเจ้าสาวให้กับพี่ชายคนโต ในเรื่อง The Sword หนังสือที่เต็มไปด้วยฉากทำความสะอาดบ้าน น่าเบื่อสุดสุด แต่ตัวละครที่ออกหลายตัวก็ยังดูมีอนาคตมากพอที่แม็กซ์จะตามอ่านต่อ

โดมินอร์ น้องชายคนที่สามก็เป็นหนึ่งตัวละครที่น่าสนใจ เขาเป็นพ่อมดที่มีพลังสูงสุดเป็นอันดับในตระกูล รองจากน้องชายคนเล็ก มอร์แกนแนน และน้องชายคนที่หก ไรเดน ดอมเป็นคนที่ชอบการแข่งขัน ไม่ยอมแพ้ในทุกเรื่องไม่ว่าจะเป็นเรื่องอะไรก็ตาม

เมื่อเริ่มต้นเรื่องโดมินอร์ซึ่งถูกลักพาตัว (ในช่วงตอนจบเล่มแรก) ถูกโชคชะตาพลิกผันอีกครั้ง เมื่อคนที่ลักพาตัวเขาโดนจับโดยประเทศคู่อริ เขา และคนที่จับเขามาถูกนำไปขายเป็นทาส และในฐานะที่เป็นพ่อมดที่เต็มไปได้อำนาจ ค่าตัวของเขาสูงและเป็นที่ต้องการ

และก็เป็นโชคชะตาที่เลดี้เซริน่าอยู่ในตลาดค้า ทาสวันนั้นพอ นั่นก็เพราะว่าเซริน่ากำลังมองหาพ่อมดเพื่อเข้าร่วมในการทำพิธีเพื่อแก้ไข ความไม่สมดุลทางเพศของเมืองที่เธออยู่ หรือจะพูดให้ถูกก็เป็นข้ออ้างเพื่อจะให้ตัวละครมีเซ็กส์กันนั่นแหละ (นึกถึงหนังจีนประเภทที่ต้องเปิดจุดลมปราณด้วยการให้ตัวเอกมีอะไรกันพรรณ นั้นแหละ) และดอมก็มีคุณสมบัติตามนั้นทุกอย่าง

พล็อตเรื่องโง่ ๆ แต่แม็กซ์ชอบวิธีการเล่าเรื่อง และที่สำคัญชอบตัวละคร หลังจากเจอนางเอกโง่ พระเอกเง่ามาหลายเรื่อง อย่างน้อยก็ไม่ใช่เล่มนี้

หนังสือที่ไม่มีความขัดแย้ง ฟังดูน่าเบื่อ แต่ก็ไม่น่าเบื่อนะ อาจเพราะแม็กซ์ชอบตัวละครอย่างจริงใจ เซริน่าเป็นผู้หญิงตามที่เธอควรเป็น คนแต่งกำหนดให้เธอเป็นหญิงสาวที่ทรงอำนาจ ร่ำรวยทั้งทรัพย์และเวทมนตร์ เธออายุยี่สิบเจ็ดปี ไม่ใช่สาวรุ่น และเธอก็ไม่เคยทำตัวเป็นเด็กปัญญาอ่อน

เวลาอ่านแม็กซ์รู้สึกถึงความเหมาะสมของทั้ง พระเอกและนางเอก ดอมเป็นส่วนเติมเต็มที่ขาดหายไปในชีวิตของเธอ ในขณะเดียวกันเธอก็เป็นผู้หญิงเพียงคนเดียวสำหรับเขา

นี่ไม่ได้เป็นการบอกว่าเรื่องนี้ดีโคตรสมบูรณ์ แบบหรอกนะ เพราะไม่มีความขัดแย้ง บางครั้งแม็กซ์ก็รู้สึกว่าตัวละครยอมรับโชคชะตาของตัวเองง่ายเกินไป โดมินอร์ยอมรับว่าเซริน่าคือผู้หญิงที่ฟ้าลิขิตให้เขาอย่างง่ายดาย เขามีเหตุผลอย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ สำหรับคนที่ถูกจับมาจากครอบครัว และทุกคนที่เขารู้จัก

เท่าที่อ่านงานของจีน จอห์นสันมาสองเล่ม แม็กซ์ชักจะจับทางเธอได้แล้วล่ะ จีนไม่ใช่คนที่เขียนหนังสือชนิดที่น่าตื่นเต้น ต้องลุ้น เธอเขียนเรื่องโดยเอาตัวละครนำหน้า ถ้าตัวละครของเธอมีความน่าสนใจ (อย่าง The Master) หนังสือเล่มนั้นก็จะเวิร์คสำหรับแม็กซ์ แต่ถ้าน่าเบื่อ (The Sword) ที่ทั้งวันนางเอกเอาแต่ทำความสะอาดบ้าน มันก็ลงเหว

เหลือพี่น้องอีกห้าคน แต่ที่แม็กซ์ชอบคือคนที่หกกะคนสุดท้าย ที่ตอนนี้ยังไม่เห็นได้ข่าวนะว่าสนพ.จะต่อสัญญาเธอให้เขียนจนจบรึเปล่า (สัญญาเซ็นต์กันแค่สี่เล่ม) ก็คงต้องลุ้นต่อไป

คะแนนที่ 70

[Darian Froseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, sexy, easy read in the sons of destiny series. I think this was my favorite one so far. It’s a little spicier than the previous books, which I enjoyed. It is fairly predictable, but it was fun to have the world expanded a bit, while still following a similar formula to the first two books. I will definitely be reading the next one.

[Lauren Verlaque · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd book in the Sons of Destiny series. This one is about Dominor, the Master, and his exile in Natalia, featuring Serina, Guardian or Koral-tai, and master mathemagician. Tantric mystical sexytime and an absent-minded professor type

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the end of the first book, Dominor is kidnapped by the Mandarites. They need a strong male mage like him to fight their enemies, the women of Natallia. In Natallia, it are the women who are the ones with magic, treating the men like second rank citizens. The Mandarites have escaped the country to found their own, where they keep women as slaves, with no powers at all. And they try to breed magical sons on them, for which Dominor would be perfect. But Dominor has grown up respecting women, and has no intention whatsoever to join those Mandarites willingly. But for now he is their captive, drugged and bound with magic negating shackles in the hull of the ship.

After a major storm has blown the ship of course, they are captured by the Natallian navy, and all the people on board are sold as war prize slaves. Including Dominor. The Natallian’s don’t care that he was kidnapped; he is now a slave and will bring a nice price. Lucky for Dominor, the Lady Serina is looking for an outlander male mage, and she buys him, saving him from a life used as a stud by the Royal family.
Serina is the Guardian of a magical Fountain, up in the mountains. 800 years ago, a couple made love in the Fountain itself, accidentally using the magic for a Curse, that causes the male babies born with magic, be stripped of that magic and given it to the nearest female newborn. Serina wants to fix that imbalance, and she needs to retrace their actions as close as possible, and then use the magic to put things to rights. And for that, she needs an outlander mage. Serina is an arithmancy mage, and she can calculate anything.

When Serina is escorting the nuns of Koral Tai to the village for trading, she happens to see Dominor in the slave market, and she buys him. Dominor longs for a bath and new clothes, as he really smells like an outhouse and is still dressed in the rags his captors dressed him in. To get on his good side, Serina does buy fabrics for new clothes at his suggestion, and some new shoes and boots, on their way to the Inn. When Dominor is finally clean again, and dressed in his new clothes Serina made for him, using her magic, she tells him of her plans for him. If he swears a mage oath that he will help her with her project, she will set him free and return him to Nightfall Isle in a year. Dominor has little choice but to agree to the bargain, but he also likes to be a part of such an important magical working. And if his brother Wolfer has met his Bride by now, Serina might be his own Destined Bride. He sure doesn’t mind practicing lovemaking to this beautiful mage after his years of celibacy!

Dominor soon starts taking care of Serina, when she is lost in her calculations, shielding her from the nuns and their foolish questions, making sure she eats and sleeps on time, and he really enjoys being useful and needed. Back at the retreat, he meets Muriel and her son Mikor, Serina’s best friend, and the widow of the previous Guardian and a Seer. Muriel is the local Healer, and the one who took care of Serina before Dominor, but she is glad to give those duties over to Dominor.

Dominor never knew about Fountains, or Fonts, but he is a strong enough mage to be able to withstand the magic within. And he is astonished when he finds out that his sixth born brother Rydan, is the Guardian of a Fountain as well! Why did Rydan never tell him and their other brothers?


I enjoyed this third book. Dominor is very competitive and kind of arrogant, even though he is not the strongest mage of the 8 brothers. He is a generalist, good in many things, but Serina is totally brilliant in her field, a genius, and he admires her very much for that. He likes taking care of her, of being needed, because in daily things, she is kind of a shatterbrain. She does listen to his suggestions, and their lovemaking leads to falling in love soon. Now how can he convince her to marry him without spooking her?

Serina is a very strong woman, very smart, and dedicated to her work. But she is kind of a wanderer and does not intend to stay at Koral Tai for the rest of her life. The life of a nun is not for her. She enjoys men too much for that, and now she has to do some Tantric magic to right an old wrong. Dominor surprises her, with how he acts and takes care of her without any complaints. Sure, he is bossy, but Serina knows she needs it, or she would never eat anything after breakfast and just keep working on her calculations.
I liked that she buys cheap vases in bulk, just to be able to trash them when in a temper as her work does not progress as it should. It makes her more likable and human.

Mariel and Mikor make great secondary characters, and of course I already know they will feature in the fourth book, as the fourth brother Evanor is desperately needing a Healer with Mariel’s skills …

The Third of Sons shall meet his match
Strong of will and strong of mind
You seek she who is your kind
Set your trap and be your fate
When Lady is the Master’s mate

9 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much sex. not enough magic or action.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and easy read. It's been seven years since I read the first two but it wasn't hard to get back into the story.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series. Happy to be rereading them.

[Leanna Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publisher did a grave disservice with the covers of this series. Great writing/storytelling becomes greatly ignored...

[Jennifer R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[Laurla2]

"stupidity... led to idiotic notions that could not be easily dislodged from the feeble minds of those who clung to them."

"tantrum: to release a lot of emotional energy with very little control."

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm loving reading each if the brothers stories and how their partner balances them out.

[Danielle Nicholson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rule of 50 applied

[Vampyress · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one I ended up skimming more than actually reading. Mostly because elements of it made me very uncomfortable.

[LWB Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Third of Sons shall meet his match:
Strong of will and strong of mind
You seek she who is your kind
Set your trap and be your fate
When Lady is the Master’s mate"

Eight mage-brothers who were born in four sets of twins, all on the same day two years apart each time, are known as the Sons of Destiny. They fulfil the Curse of the Eight Prophecies, written by the seer Draganna over a thousand years ago. They were exciled by the Council of Mages of Katan to Nightfall Isle to prevent the fulfilment of the eight prophecies. But now with two fulfilled prophecies and the fourth already on it’s way, the thirdborn of the eight mage brothers stands not the ghost of a chance to get away from his destiny.

Lady Serina, a great mage and obsessed mathematician, cannot believe her luck when she, by chance sees Dominor at the slave market. He is the answer to all her prayers, she needs a powerful mage from abroad to participate in a mating ritual to undo a permanent spell that was cast long ago. To secure his co-operation she conveniently conceals a major detail of this ritual. She is sure he is competent and powerful enough to perform this mating ritual with her and of course it doesn’t hurt that she is attracted to this very tall, handsome, sexy stranger. But what will he do if he ever finds out the whole truth?

Taken captive and far away from his home Nightfall Isle, Dominor is sold as a slave at a slave market. His humiliation is complete. The beautiful Lady Serena buys him and offers him a deal, he is to aid her in a mating ritual in exchange for his freedom and powers. As an arrogant and dominant male he wants to be in control of his own life again so he agrees, but he cannot help feeling that this beautiful, clever Lady has not told him the whole truth about this mating ritual. He also cannot shake the feeling that she might be destined to be his wife. Has he finally met his match?

This story is mainly about Serina and Dominor. Dom is truly an alpha male, handsome, sexy, arrogant, very competitive and all alone in a strange place that is called Natallia. Serina is very obsessed with her work, so obsessed that she forgets she has a social life as well. When she gets angry or upset she throws vases through her workroom. They are very different and at the same time very alike, Dom has finally met his intellectual equal and it turns him on. Their attraction just vibrates from the pages. As the story develops further you see how Dom doesn’t feel the need anymore to compete with her all the time, he feels content with managing her life and just to be in it. Misunderstandings tear them apart, leaving them both alone to deal with their inner turmoil. I really felt for them, they are adoring characters.

Dom to Serina:
“Put yourself in my hands,” he promised her, “and I will give you pleasures untold.”

Serina to Dom:
“Stop teasing me, Dominor, and start pleasing me!”

In this volume of the Sons of Destiny Jean Johnson takes a whole new direction with her plot. The magical world gets explored much more in depth, she shows us how magic influences daily life and what happens when one cast a spell thoughtlessly. At the same time she gives us subtle clues on plots still to come in future installments. Slowly you see the development of a larger plot that probably has it's grand finale at the end of this series and how every character introduced to us, each in his or her own way, plays a part in it. Little by little all the pieces come together. For instance it turns out that Rydan, the gorgeous sexy, brooding sixthborn brother, already knows Serina and has a few other secrets of his own. I really like to know how powerful he really is, there is so much more to him than meets the eye!

So with this book Jean Johnson once again proves that she has a vivid imagination. She has created a perfect blend of romance, magic, destined mates and a touch of history. I love it! I have devoured every page as if it was the last one of the book. So far these series is a fantastic enthralling read and I cannot wait to read Evanor’s story!

Jean Johnson keeps you riveted to your couch with her new book!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This magical world is split and disjointed, because of some underlying twist in the magical blanket. We know of Katar and Nightfall, and were exposed to the Mandarites who visited the island of Nightfall, and kidnapped Dominor. The Mandarites are at war with the Natallians. 800 years ago, when two mages had sex in the fountain (a magical portal) and got pregnant, they placed a blessing on the zygote that if a girl, the sister would share in her brother's powers (or some such thing), which the magical fountain interpreted to mean take all magical 'genes' from the brothers and give them to the sisters... meaning that the girls were mages, but the boys not. Ultimately, a band of males started a civil war with the Natallians, and took chauvinism to a new height of basic enslavement of all women in the lands they took. They kidnap Dominor with the hope of enticing him with unrestricted access to any woman and so that they would have his services as a mage. Magenon (7th brother and matchmaker) sends a storm so that the ship will fall into Natallian hands, and Dominor can find his destiny.

3rd brother, Dominor - curse fulfilled by 1st brother's finding a wife is kidnapped by the Mandarites, who are subsequently captured by the Natallians, and he is sold as a slave to Lady Serena, mage and guardian of the fountain where it all started. She is calculating what it will take to correct the imbalance, and needs a male mage to recreate the mating in the fountain and impregnate her, hence she sees Dominor as Fates' answer. Serena is from the Moon_____ place - an area cut off from the rest of the world (kind of a Switzerland), with only one mage (the queen) and all magic going to hold the barrier to keep them safe. As sister to the queen, Serena would only be known as the sister and have no magic, so she left and has traveled around, learning about all magics. She excels at mathemagics.

As Serena negotiates to free Dominor from his bonds (that don't allow him to use magic), she explains it all to him, withholding that she needs to become pregnant - justifying to herself she will take sole responsibility for the child. He agrees to her terms, they are attracted to one another, and as soon as he is clean pretty much jump into the practicing of sex. and of course they fall in love. He does not tell her of the prophecy of his mate, but he comes to know she is the one for him. Random words about children, though, convince her that he does not want children (misunderstanding). And he takes over the running of her life outside of her calculations - dealing with the nuns, making her stop to eat, sleep, & have sex, etc. Ultimately, the perform the act in the fountain, she is pregnant, she sends him immediately home to his family (especially to his depressed twin, who lost his voice therefore his magic), he figures it out... his twin and Mariel (Serena's best friend, and a healer) also figure out what happened, and they join forces to trick Serena into flashing onto the island, where they can work out the misunderstanding.... and they do...

some scenes that stand out - Dominor is competitive, he wants to be the best - and when he refects on his life and his brothers, it is in the context of that competition - which ones he has bested (with magic, with women, and/or physical tests), and which talents he cannot best them at... and Dominor accepts Serena's superiority at her calculations, and easily finds a place as her manager - and feels team-like with her - ahhhh.

The transporting of multiple horse/carts through the magic mirror transport system... the fountain, and mini-fountains that connect mages... Razan, the brother who is a guardian of the fountain on Nightfall that no one knows of, and a torment that is hinted at (but no woman in sight for him)... of Evanor's loss, and hope in Mariel - when will she join them? oh the next book, I'm sure. Mariel's 8 year old son, raised among nuns, eager for a father... practicing sex, in many positions (some even floating)... magical ways of cleaning clothes, ordering food, setting up protections.

[MaggieReadsRom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the series and a fresh set of twins, starting with Dominor whose destiny will unfold first.

The story of his kidnapping by the Mandarites continues in his own book. Picking up where we left of in the Sword, Dominor suffers being bound and shackled, being captured as a war prize and being sold off on a slave-market. Luckily for him he's bought by Lady Serina, his Prophesied bride. With the purchase of Dominor starts a lovely story of trust and love, sprinkled with magic and passion.

Dominor is proud, competitive, self-assured and a just that bit arrogant he pulls it of without being annoying. He appreciates the finer things in life and he knows what he has to offer, whether it's to his family or to his destined bride.
Serina is intelligent, bossy, logical, practical and headstrong. She tends to lose herself in her calculations and projects creating a wonderful absentminded contrast to her intelligence. It also makes her very endearing.

I truly enjoyed myself reading their story. They are perfect for each other, complementing the other one and at the same time challenging each other, both in intelligence and in passion. Dominor shows Serina there is much more in life than mathemagics and arithmancy and Serina shows Dominor he has more to offer than competition and dominance.

I liked that the story was mainly focused on Dominor and Serina with their relationship and their part in the whole puzzle but of course I was happy to get reacquainted with the eight gorgeous brothers and to new meet new secondary characters such as Mariel and her son Mikor.

Jean Johnson knows how to write compelling characters, both primary and secondary. Each one has its big or small part in the recurring plot. They are only waiting to be placed in the right spot at the right time. Little by little she reveals more of the ongoing and intriguing plot of the curse, surprising me with twists and turns I really didn't see coming. I admire the way she can spread it out over such an amount of books and still keep it fresh and surprising. Small hints are given to where Evanor's (Dominor's twin) story is heading to but they are so subtle it's intriguing and enticing without disturbing the focus on Dominor and Serina.

I also thought it was nice to see the story taken to other scenery besides the Isle of Nightfall. I really liked reading about the people of Natallia, the nuns of Koral-Tai and the customs of The Moonlands, where Serina originally comes from. But the developments on the Isle of Nightfall are just as intriguing, seeing how they are building their own kingdom under the rule of Queen Kelly.

Jean Johnson has created a complete and fascinating magical world of fantasy mixing known and unknown concepts together. She makes unknown concepts easy to understand because of her simple and accessible writing style, but she also manages to cover everyday things such as lock picking, showers, mathematics and science in a magical blanket that makes them feel extraordinary.

With the Sons of Destiny Jean Johnson has created an enticing and intriguing world in which you effortlessly submerge because of its ease and simplicity.
You're lured into a new world full of unknown and known concepts in a different context and you easily embrace them all because of the way Johnson describes them.
A world that's complete and fascinating and seriously arouses the imagination.

[The Window Seat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out my reviews at http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/

The Master is the first sign that all is not quite well in the world of the Sons of Destiny. The third born son, Dominor, who is arrogant and powerful, is promised to have the destiny of meeting his match. Since no women are allowed on the island by law, it is acknowledged that he will likely have to go off the island to meet his match. Isn't it convenient that he has then been kidnapped and taken from the island?

While kidnapped, Dominor's ship runs across an enemy ship and soon Dominor winds up at a slave market - as a commodity. Thus the master will now be mastered. The lady who buys him, Serina, doesn't want Dominor for simple housework, though. She needs a powerful male mage for sexual experimentation and, eventually, impregnation. Serina makes a bargain with Dominor. If he stays a year and helps her to complete her experiment, at the end of the year, she will return him to the island of Nightfall. Of course, she doesn't tell him that he needs to impregnate her or that she plans on having the baby and then kicking him out.

Meanwhile, back on Nightfall, Dominor's twin brother Evanor has lost his voice. Considering all his magic comes from his music and from his voice, this means that he has been rendered magicless. He used to be the one that would be able to contact any of the brothers when they went missing. That means that the people back on Nightfall have no idea where Dominor is or if he is safe. This will become a major point in his book, which is next, The Song.

Of course, as Dominor and Serina practice this magical experiment, they begin to fall in love. The BIG MISUNDERSTANDING ploy is used when Serina continues to keep Dominor in the dark about the true goal of her experiments. Instead, after they succeed in their experiment, she sends him, without so much as a goodbye, back to Nightfall.

After a few days of being home and comforting his twin, Dominor begins to suspect Serina's true motive and it is only a matter of time before the two are reunited. But as an extra bonus, Serina arranges for a magical singing healer to come to Nightfall to try to heal Dominor's twin. That is then the set-up for the next book in the series.

This book was written very poorly. The situations are so contrived and obvious that it is not even enjoyable to listen to the banter between the two lead characters. In the back of your mind, you can see how the whole story will play out. The passion between the two is completely lacking. Everything is couched in the "magical sexual experiment". By the end of the book, the only reason that I saw for Dominor to fall for her was that they were sexually compatible and she was smarter than him. That's it. Beyond that, she rarely shows him any concern or compassion and it is even a running "joke" that she is so absentminded that she would forget about him entirely if he let her. Sorry, that is not my idea of romance. Although this isn't the worst of the series, it is pretty close to it. If you are not compulsive about reading every book in a series, this one, which takes place off the island and beyond the scope of the world building activities, it can be easily skipped with no real damage done to the overall story arc.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book that I am absolutely unsure of. On one hand, I liked Dominor, I liked the concept of his being captured (back in book 1 The Sword ) and yet it fizzled. There was absolutely no conflict. How do you right a book where everyone is content the whole time? A little bit of conflict at the end...about 3 pages worth. Really it was a misunderstanding. The other 2 books had way more going on. I think everything in this series it too easy. Oh he can't get that done? presto! magic. Oh, she needs a shower? abra cadabra, magic. it's annoying. It's like the author is very pro-woman, but wants alpha males, and can't make them compliment their women without sacrificing that trait. There is very little "dominating" with Dominor the Master. Which wouldn't be a big deal, except he is supposedly dominant and the master. If I were to judge the whole series off this one book I wouldn't read on. And the weird thing is that it wasn't a bad book by any means...just... boring. Nothing happened.
In book 1 Dominor got kidnapped.
In book 2 we have no clue where he is, but it's assumed since he's so strong and powerful and smart, he'll be able to fool the kidnappers (from a misogynistic culture that needs male mages) into thinking he's on their side.
In book 3, he does that, but their ship gets blown off course, and he ends up in the female dominated society and sold into slavery...except our heroine sees him and buys him. and they have sex. Alot of it. For the sake of her spell she's trying to cast. And then he goes home, gets her to come with him, and the end. Seriously. That was it. If I read book 4 it won't be soon. I need a break from jean johnson.