 "Paranormal Romance set in ancient Sumer and modern America" | 2007-12-28 |
| - Reviewed By kentish_bookworm |
"Destiny" works very well as a standalone story and it's not necessary to have read the previous stories ("Infinity" and "Eternity") to follow the action, although one or two nuances, as well as some characters, aren't explained completely. This story follows Nidaba who was mentioned a great deal in "Eternity" as a four thousand year old woman whose mind was perhaps letting go. We meet Nidaba in this story after she has just committed suicide after jumping from a high building, only to recover in the ambulance and to be drugged and then kept in a mental asylum. When Nathan Ian King sees her photograph in the newspaper with the question "who is this woman" he is sure he knows who she is... only that she died four and a half thousand years ago. However he goes to investigate and discovers that she is indeed Nidaba, Priestess of Inanna who was his childhood playmate and only real love when he was the King of Lagesh in ancient Sumer.
With the help of two of his friends, Nathan rescues Nidaba from the mental asylum and cares for her at his house, trying to help her to recover from her catatonic state. However when she does they have a lot of history to cover - they both have much for which to be forgiven. The novel takes place in two times in history, with the modern-day sections when Nathan is caring for Nidaba and the historical sections where Eannatum and Nidaba are growing up and learning to love each other in ancient Sumer. The Sumerian sections are interesting and reasonably accurate.
Of course there is a 'baddie' in this book. Nathan's former wife Puabi, who is trying to get Nidaba's heart to extend her own immortality and to finally pay back her old, old adversary (and who gets her own story told in the much shorter "Immortality"). We also briefly meet Arianna and Nicodimus from "Eternity" but most of the action is between Nathan/Eannatum and Nidaba. It was an interesting story and the historical sections in Sumer added a great deal to the story but somehow it never really completely drew in this reader to the world described. |
| |
| "Romantic Times Review" | 2004-02-21 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
|
| |
 "Brilliant" | 2003-06-05 |
| - Reviewed By jackiecoffman |
| After reading Eternity & Infinity I couldn't wait for Nidaba's story. Nidaba is the mother of Nick from Infinity & Nathan, his father in Nick's previous life. We find out more about Nidaba in her very long life (4500yrs.) Nathan finds Nidaba, locked in a mental institution, kidnaps her & helps her recover. But there is someone from both their past who is looking for her as well, a dark witch or so it seems. After reading about the next book in the series, i'm not so sure. There is a taster in the back of this book. I do hope this series continues & Maggie brings back characters from the previous books, especially Nidaba & Nathan. I just love them all & don't want to see them end. |
| |
| "A Captivating Tale!" | 2002-04-06 |
| - Reviewed By sophie_charm1 |
"Destiny" by Maggie Shayne is the third instalment in a series that has enchanted me from the start. Following on the heels of the wonderful "Eternity" and "Infinity", "Destiny" is a novel readers won't soon forget. Breathtaking settings, fascinating history, and vivid, genuine characters combine to make for a thrilling and mesmerizing tale of a love that transcends time.
Since his days as Prince Eannatum of Sumer, 2500 BC, Immortal High Witch Natum has lived under many different identities. For the last ten years, he has enjoyed his quiet, peaceful life as Nathan King, Boston antiques expert. But his life is suddenly turned upside down when he sees a fuzzy photograph in the paper of a woman who looks like his beloved Nidaba, who he lost over 4000 years ago. The article describes a miracle in which this woman fell from the roof of a building and survived.
Natum immediately travels to the mental hospital where the mystery woman is being held, and comes face to face with the love of his life, Nidaba. Unfortunately, she has been drugged into a state of catatonia and seems unaware of Natum's presence. Natum begins to concoct a plan to get Nidaba out of the hospital secretly, so as not to alert the Dark Immortal Witches as to the whereabouts of this immensely powerful, but currently helpless, Immortal Light Witch. What he doesn't know is that the Dark Witch Puabi is already there, and is planning to take Nidaba's heart at her first opportunity.Only Natum stands in the way of Puabi's success, but he first must rekindle the love he and Nidaba shared, so they can stand united against their evil enemy and face their destiny together.
Shayne skilfully blends the present day romance and suspense of Nidaba and Natum, with fascinating flashbacks to their life together in ancient Sumer. I feel that the flashbacks add great depth to the story, and I firmly believe the book wouldn't have been as good without the history of what Nidaba and Natum meant to one another all those centuries ago.
"Destiny" is a truly wonderful read. I finished this book in record time, simply because I could not put it down. The tale of Nidaba and Natum had me utterly enthralled from page one, and I really cared about what happened to them. "Destiny" is a beautifully rendered tale that will leave you believing in true love. So buy this book (and the other two in the series) right away, you will not regret it! |
| |
| "For a Highlander: The Series fan, this is slightly familiar." | 2001-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| A good read and a good romance, although the story does bear some significant elements similar to the classic 100th episode of HIGHLANDER, "Comes A Horseman." Check out the parallels between Shayne's Nidaba and Nathan, and Methos and Cassandra. |
| |
 "Not As Good As the First Two Books" | 2001-03-27 |
| - Reviewed By mjmdl |
| The first book, Eternity was great. The second book, Infinity was good. This book was OK. I thought it dealt too much with their past. I think the other books should be read to understand the heroine better. |
| |
![Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King [Hardcover]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2BHQnGT-2L._SL500_AA100_.jpg)
![Check Prices on Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King [Hardcover]](images/v2/check_prices.png)
