"In a land of fantasy and magic, ancient promises must be fulfilled..."

In a land of fantasy and magic, ancient promises must be fulfilled...

Tynan has been captured by an evil sorcerer in service to the Romans. Prophecy tells of the legendary Dark Chieftain who will claim the territorial goddess as his mate, free the faeries from imprisonment, and return magick and peace to the lands. When Tynan arrives, they suspect he is the one to fulfill the prophecy and desire to stop him at any cost.

Bryna is an orphan, abandoned at birth and slave to the Romans. She has no knowledge of her family and therefore knows nothing of her true identity. All she has learned was at the side of her beloved Druidess teacher. Fate has great plans for Bryna, beginning with the rescue of Tynan.

Now Tynan and Bryna discover a bond between them that was totally unexpected yet unable to be resisted. She does not believe Tynan when he tells her she is his mate for she in convinced her dreams tell her otherwise. They are meant for a destiny greater than she ever expected, but first she must accept her true nature and learn to harness its powers. Can Bryna and Tynan overcome the treachery set on separating them forever? What of her hidden spirit? Can she accept her Predestined fate in time to save Tynan's people?

Predestined by R Garland Gray is a fresh vision of the land of the Fae and its connection to the world of humans. Her concept of forsworn vows passed on through the generations by blood is fascinating to explore along with Tynan and Bryna. Magick plays a key role, as is typical of fantasy romance, but its effects on the land and its people is revealed in a unique way.

The action lulls in some places, and the conflicts can be somewhat anticlimactic, but this story is more character driven, which makes the slower pace work well. There are still enough surprises to the tale which will make readers eager to find out what will happen next.

Ms. Gray paints a vivid picture with her landscape of twilight beauty. Readers can see the stone fortress and brilliant moonlight and will feel the rain and wind in their hair. This world is one of magick and enchantment, which is reflected in the land and trees. One will long to travel along the feypaths and experience the life and festivals of Bryna, Tynan and company. Come along and enjoy their world, it is guaranteed to be a thrilling adventure.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2006. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Posted April 25, 2006

Summary

In an ancient realm of magic, love has a destiny of its own . . . Abandoned at birth on the shores of a sacred loch, Bryna never knew her family or true heritage. She exists as a slave in the fortress of a Roman invader, her only friend an ancient, blind Druidess, Derina. Her life is bleak and without hope. And then Derina tells her she must rescue the prisoner in the dungeon. Tynan lies naked, chained to a cold, stone slab, both body and mind tortured by the Sorcerer, evil ally of the Roman lord. The Sorcerer's purpose? To discover if this one, at last, might by the Dark Chieftain, the fulfiller of prophecy. Even deeper in the dungeon, trapped by magical enchantment, are the faeries. They await their liberator, the one who has been prophesied. And the Dark Chieftain awaits a destiny of his own . . . mating with the territorial goddess . . . a union that will set the land, and many lives, aright. First, however, he must gain his freedom and find her. And Bryna is on her way to the dungeon . . .