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    Altered Destiny
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    Altered Destiny
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    Altered Destiny
    Ebook429 pages6 hours

    Altered Destiny

    By Shawna Thomas

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Selia has run her family's tavern since she was fifteen and can hunt and fight the equal of any man. When she rescues a badly wounded man and nurses him back to health, she has no idea she's about to change not only her life, but also the destinies of two peoples

    The battered warrior is Svistraa race of bloodthirsty savages determined to destroy her homeland. Or so the stories claim. Jaden reveals a different truth: how his ancestors were driven into the barren northern mountains. Now they are strong and war parties are pushing south wanting their land back.

    The son of a Svistra Commander, Jaden is looking for a way to bring peace to both humans and Svistrans. He tries to ignore his growing passion for Selia, but when she is captured he has to decide what he would be willing to sacrifice to save the woman he loves

    105,000 words
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCarina Press
    Release dateSep 19, 2011
    ISBN9781426892264
    Unavailable
    Altered Destiny

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    Reviews for Altered Destiny

    4/5

    36 ratings3 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 5/5
      Well written, interesting plot, extremely well researched [which is more than I can say for most books these days], excellent characters who stay in character for who and what they are.

      This book was very very well done. I admit, I'm surprised. I expected what passes for writing in the Gay erotic genre. Instead I got an actual book by an author who can write.

      The story was well crafted and honestly, I couldn't put it down.
    • 3/5
      I was really in the mood for a fantasy romance when I picked up ALTERED DESTINY, but it didn't quite satisfy my craving - the romance between Selia and Jaden is intense and prominent in the novel, but they spend an awful lot of time apart. Likewise, the fantasy universe of ALTERED DESTINY contains a few fascinating fantasy elements - I especially loved the White Forest and the radioactive Wastes - but there's more sword than sorcery here by a long shot.

      Personally, I would have liked it if Thomas had dialed up the romance and the fantasy elements a little higher. The remainder of the plot ended up being sort of distracting to me for an odd reason: I became increasingly convinced, as I read, that the human/Svistra conflict was a fantasy re-imagining of the Israel/Palestine conflict. For example, check out this little snipped of dialogue from Altered Destiny:

      *****

      "At one time there were great friendships between Svistra and human."
      "How is that possible? The Svistra are no more than animals. Rabid dogs that must be put down to protect the innocent."
      "We are what you made us."
      "What is that supposed to mean?" Nathan's voice rose.
      "Humans took our land, our dignity and our way of life."

      *****

      There are humans named Oren and Ari, which are common Israeli names. The Svistra are divided into tribes and adopt dishonorable guerrilla tactics. One of the Svistra was named Ledid, which means "delicious" in Arabic (though I think it also has the same meaning in Hebrew). The climax of the novel involves the reparation of territory there's all this discussion about what to do about the settlers and returning to old borders...all I'm saying is, once I had this bee in my bonnet, I couldn't swat it away.

      I will stay that this conflict, with it's contemporary resonance, made the star-crossed romance between Selia and Jaden all the more tragic. I really believed that they would be shamed for choosing to love one another no matter where they went, and the deep resentment that the humans feel for the Svistra and the Svistra for the humans is sharply and painfully evoked.
    • 4/5
      4 ½ Stars

      Let me start this review by saying: Holy Freaking Monkeys this book was STEAMY SIZZLING HOT! Getting that out of the way I can tell you The Gladiator’s Master was a very nice surprise. If I’m honest I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did, but this book was great in many ways.

      Gaidres is a man who lives for revenge. His previous owner Cruxos came to his little town and not only took him as a slave, he also murdered his lover. After Cruxos death, his nephew Caelius has inherited him and the ludus where Gaidres has lived the last couple of years. Caelius may not be the man who took him as a slave but just by sharing Cruxos blood Gaidres considers him guilty, therefore in his revenge plans he needs to die too.

      After arriving to the ludus and meeting his new gladiators for the first time Caelius is appalled at the conditions they have been living. His uncle’s “care” left a lot to be desired. Caelius is a man who doesn’t enjoy violence but see the ludus as an opportunity to increase his political power; for that reason he wants to bring the ludus back to his former glory and decides to invest in the gladiators welfare. One gladiator has caught his eye, not only he is the one in the best shape but Gaidres also has a daring look. Caelius names Gaidres as the ludus representative and mediator. But what Caelius really wants is for Gaidres to come willingly to his bed.

      Gaidres is intrigued by Caelius, not only he is a different kind of dominus but he is also a very attractive man. Gaidres knows Caelius wants him and if he is honest with himself he wants him too. Making his decision, Gaidres come to Caelius’ bed. On the beginning he wants to get closer to Caelius just to wait for the perfect opportunity to kill him, but after spending some time with Caelius Gaidres realizes that the Roman he should hate is slowly stealing a place in his heart. A place Caelius will be very please to keep if just Gaidres allows him.

      I really liked Gaidres, he is the perfect tortured hero who needs to leave his sad and traumatic past behind to be able to embrace his future and all the good things that will come with it.
      Even though I liked caelius I found his character a bit too modern for the times. I’m not so sure how a Roman society would have accepts his actions without a problem.

      My final thought: As I said before I really loved The Gladiator’s Master. This book was not only sexy but also emotional intense. The characters are strong and well developed, the story line is interesting and entangling and the writing was beautiful. There are many (great) sex scenes but they are all masterfully written. At no time they felt like fillers but more like an important part in the development of the relationship.
      The Gladiator’s Master is a book you will read with a grin on your face and a book I recommend you if you like m/m sexy stories.