Lord of the Beasts

by Susan Krinard

Book Overview

Inherited from an otherworldly father, enchanted blood flows through Donal Fleming's veins. Yet though his empathic ability for all creatures gives purpose to his calling as a veterinarian, life among his mother's mortal kind has left him wary, and he secretly hungers for the freedom to live unrestrained by civilized society. Until Cordelia... Cordelia Hardcastle has always played by society's rules, confined in a gilded cage of propriety and convention...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373771398
• ISBN13: 9780373771394
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Hqn
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

Not what I was expecting, but good nonetheless

Donal is a half-Fane vet who is able to speak to and understand animals. He runs into Cordelia, an animal lover herself, and through a mutual relationship with Ivy, a young woman Donal saves, he agrees to over see her menagerie. At this point the reader doesn't expect much, but then a plot is created that is twisted and surprising. There's jealousy, betrayal, and trickery that can all lead to a murderous end. I don't really understand the low rating. I liked this book. It was quite a change from the paranormal romance books that I am use to. This was more of a...sweet book but it's far from sappy. Donal is a quiet hero but he faces danger with complete confidence. The bulk of the book deals with Donal's relationships with his animals and then evolves into a relationship with Cordelia. He believes that if he falls in love with a mortal then he shall lose his gift to speak with his animals, thus giving the reader an internal struggle with the main character. I liked Donal's reserve nature. He didn't speak much but his attitude was strong. It made the moments where he did laugh and smile and joke even more meaningful for the reader. I would recommend this book. It's an easy read worth killing time over.

A book for lovers of the animal kingdom

Donal Fleming is part fane, part human. His father was Lord of the Forests, son of the Queen Titania of Tir Na Nog, that otherwordly place. Donal has inherited his fane blood and gift with animals from his father. Donal shuns the human World and lives with his beloved animals in the countryside working as a lowly vetinarian. He longs to escape the trap of the human World and to discover the animal kingdom. Codelia Hardcastle is the daughter of an aristocrat but with an uncoventional upbringing. She has travelled the World with her father and like Donal has a love of animals. But she is confined to society's rules and bindings until she meets Donal Fleming in an unexpected chance meeting at the London Zoological Gardens. Donal shows her that animals cannot be kept locked up in cages no matter how much she loves them just like human emotions cannot be bound by society's propriety. Donal is immediately captivated by the enchanting Cordelia and her passion for wild animals that she shares with him. However, can he give up his magical powers to empathise and heal animals for the woman who entrapped his heart? This is a great sequel to the exellent Forest Lord. Donal makes a wonderful hero you can cheer for. Cordelia I found was a strong heroine although at times can be a bit annoying and not so deserving of Donal's attention. Still I found this book a fast page turner and the Fane world is well created and you can almost believe yourself being drawn into Tir Na Nog. The side plot involving another Fane halfling, Ivy, unravelled well and you found yourself hoping that Ivy would find her happy ending and it was nice to see a return of the hob, Tod, also featured in the Forest Lord. A most marvellous read indeed. Highly recommended read! Lea Ling Tsang

superb Victorian romance

In 1847 England, Donal Fleming can easily talk with the animals, but struggles to communicate in any way with humans. Donal understands what animals say and has used his talent by becoming a veterinarian to ease their aches, pains, and somewhat concerns. This need to ease the burden of the beasts places Donal in consistent trouble especially with those mortals who mistreat animals. Cousins Theodora and Cordelia Hardcastle tour the new Zoological gardens in Regent's Park along with other Zoological Society fellows. While most visitors including Theodora are in awe, Cordelia is concerned as she has seen the animals in their natural habitat. When Cordelia calms down a rogue elephant at the same time that Donal also soothes the maligned beast, they meet for the first time. The attraction is obvious, but it their mutual love and respect for the animal kingdom that brings them together. Now Donal must choose between human love and his destiny as the LORD OF THE BEASTS. The sequel to THE FOREST LORD, LORD OF THE BEASTS is a superb Victorian romance with some fantasy elements that delightfully enhance the prime story line of two animal lovers falling in love. Donal and Cordelia are wonderful protagonists but ironically as their love grows it brings out the beast in him forcing the hero to choose between his "powers" and his desires. Susan Krinard provides an enchanting historical with a touch of the whimsical to the delight of readers. Harriet Klausner