Lainn's Destiny, Alma Chronicles II - Reviews based on previous versions.

REVIEW NUMBER 1

LAINN’S DESTINY
TOBY HEATHCOTTE
ISBN#1- 932866-42-6
October 2004
Triskelion Publishing
http://www.triskelionpublishing.com
E-Book
$5.99
365 pgs
Historical
5 cups

Alma Chronicles Book 2

A group of souls connected by love and by hate since Celtic times find each other through the ages - this is the basis behind the Alma chronicles beginning with Alison's Legacy and continuing with this story LAINN'S DESTINY.

Lainn MacPhearson and his mother Alison are labeled Jacobites and therefore imagined enemies of the crown; they run for their lives and find themselves without a home. Boarding a schooner to America seems to be the best idea but carries the heartbreak of leaving Allison's soldier husband Thomas behind with no means to find and follow them. A grueling sea voyage leads them to colonial America to begin a new life.  A life, which Lainn’s own visions of his destiny show, will be important in the birth of the new nation that has already begun to take shape. Along this journey, Lainn will meet many of those who were so important to his past incarnations and who will again help shape the life he will lead and choices made in this lifetime. His adventures and brave deeds will place him among the founding fathers of this great nation and write him a place in the annuls of history and patriotism. Alison and Thomas' destiny continues as well with their path being a rocky road, perhaps to rough for them to ever find their way back to each other again.

This is a Sequel to Alison's Legacy by author TOBY HEATHCOTTE. LAINN'S DESTINY continues the story of Alison, and her son Lainn from age 9. The reader is quickly swept into a world of war and hatred for no other reason than where you were born. You ride along on the trip to America and enter into the pre-Revolutionary War world of the colonists who could no longer stand for the oppression of the British rule. Real people, places and events are seamlessly introduced throughout this magnificent tale creating believability and invoking strong feelings of patriotism.  This story reminds readers that the freedoms we enjoy today and even take for granted were hard won through the sweat and blood of those who came before us. A powerful memorable tale these characters will jump straight off the pages and into your heart.  A must read!

Johnna Flores
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

REVIEW NUMBER 2

LAINN’S DESTINY
TOBY HEATHCOTTE
ISBN # 1-932866-42-6
October, 2004
Triskelion Publishing
www.triskelionpublishing.com
E-Book
5.99
244 Pages
Historical/Paranormal
Rating:  4 Cups

Lainn as a small boy left England with his mother fleeing for their lives. Alison, thought to be a Jacobite by the English, was being hunted. Through the terrifying voyage across the seas, Lainn knew his destiny was upon him.  Using the ancient power of sight, he knew there was an important place for him in this life; and the place where this flight would lead them would be the beginning for him.  As Lainn grows to become a man searching for his destiny, his life takes many fascinating turns.

As a young girl Catherine was Alison’s apprentice.  Catherine, who remained in England, was the only link left to their past. Wanting to visit America, it was her duty to stay in England to care for her aging father.  Yet through letters, Catherine was able to help them reunite with Thomas, Alison’s husband. Catherine would not be reunited with Lainn, and Alison for more than a 20 years. When Lainn and Catherine do reunite she becomes part of his destiny.

Lainn’s Destiny is a fabulous story.  Toby Heathcotte writes an extraordinary tale twisted with historic detail.  The characters lives and personalities wove within each other seamlessly. Even though the story focus was on Lainn, I fell in love with the other characters also as they were each developed with care.  While reading this story, I felt all the emotions encompassed with being human as we travel through life.  After reading Lainn’s Destiny, I am defiantly going to snatch up the others in this series. I would highly recommend this book to those who love historical romance.  

Carla Vail
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

REVIEW NUMBER 3

It’s 1746 and nine years old, Lainn rushes home to warn his mother of trouble coming their way. The redcoats want Alison, who happens to be a Jacobite, out of England and fast. They barely escape before their house is burned to the ground.

In the meantime, Alison’s husband and Lainn’s stepfather is in Scotland fighting the Highlanders. Disgusted by his own people’s behavior, he helps a dying Highlander and is punished for his “crime.” Sentenced to lashings, he finally returns to England to find that his beloved wife and the boy he cares for like a son are presumed dead.

Alison, desperate to keep her son safe, gains passage on the next ship bound for the Colonies. After an exhausting trip, that includes being attacked by pirates, they arrive in Dutter’s Landing, on the Chesapeake. That’s where Alison and Lainn start a new life and a new future.

Lainn becomes an apprentice to Mr. Dutter, the first man to settle in Dutter’s Landing and Alison opens up a tavern. They quickly become a part of the land and the colonies, and as Lainn grows older, he finds himself fighting for the colonies and then writing about the ill treatment of slaves and eventually becomes a doctor trying to fulfill the destiny he was bound for.

According to the title, this is the sequel to Alison’s Legacy. To tell you the truth, I had long forgotten this book was a sequel until I sat down to write this review. This book stood by itself. In fact, there was so much detail in this story that I couldn’t write it all down on one page, including a mysticism thread about past lives that was fascinating but difficult to describe.

What I loved about this book was the detail it gives of history. I felt what it was like to be back in England in the 1700’s and in the Colonies and even in Scotland. I felt the humiliation the slaves had to go though and cheered when Lainn did something to try to help them. I fell in love with Lainn, as I’m sure anyone who reads this book will. He wasn’t perfect but he always learned from his mistakes. I think I’m going to have to go back and find Alison’s story so that I can learn more about this wonderful family. I recommend this book for anyone who loves history with a twist of the unknown.

Reviewed by: Melanie: Four angels

Lainn’s Destiny
By Toby Heathcotte
Ebook $5.99, ISBN 0932866426 
Triskelion Publishing, Oct 2004

REVIEW NUMBER 4

By Toby Heathcotte
Ebook $5.99, ISBN 0932866426 
Triskelion Publishing, Oct 2004

Book review by Kathleen Cunningham Guler in Bardsong, the Journal for Celebrating the Celtic Spirit


Lainn’s Destiny is the second book in the Alma Chronicle Series and tells the story of Lainn MacPhearson, who dedicates his life to the ideal of freedom. Picking up where the first book, Alison’s Legacy, leaves off, Lainn and his Scottish mother, Alison, both Jacobite sympathizers, flee to the American colonies in 1746 to avoid English persecution. 

As a young child in England, Lainn had learned that a great destiny awaits him. Once in America, he finds inspiration in a Scottish warrior who survived the slaughter at Culloden then helped slaves and others escape persecution in the colonies. Desiring to embrace similar noble deeds, Lainn searches for an occupation that will lead him to his destiny. He becomes a printer’s apprentice, a soldier, a doctor, even a writer. But as he is saddled with a spiteful, alcoholic wife and witnesses the unending injustices of hatred, prejudice, and greed, he begins to question whether he will ever realize this goal.

As in the first book of this series, the issue of reincarnation binds the characters together. In the course of his search for his true purpose, Lainn comes to realize his destiny lies not only in the current life he is living, but also in the interconnected past and future, and through the loved ones and enemies to whom he is bound. Toby Heathcotte’s strong, well-crafted characters transcend a mere tale of the hardships of colonial life — they define the American quest for freedom from oppression that people of Celtic descent have experienced in their homelands for centuries only too well.

REVIEW NUMBER 5

LAINN'S DESTINY

Author Toby Heathcotte

Publisher www.triskelionpublishing.com

Published June 2005

Rating

Setting 1700s Great Britain and North America

Type Historical Paranormal (E-book)

This sequel to Alison's Legacy is rich in history and characterization, but not everyone in this book is who they seem. Some have traveled through the ages, and the direction of the future rests with the timely discovery of their ruse.

Nine-year-old Lainn MacPhearson and his mother journey to the Colonies to escape religious persecution in England. His father joins them in the Maryland colony where they forge a life as valued members of the community. As Lainn becomes a man, he not only joins the fight for freedom from oppression at the hands of the English, but also makes valuable contributions as a physician.

This is a fairy tale to savor as it frequently pits good against evil, using a backdrop of actual events to tell an interesting story with familiar faces from the past and new ones to remember. SENSUAL (dl $5.99)

REVIEW NUMBER 6

Lainn’s Destiny

Four Hearts

Picking up where Alison’s Legacy ends, Lainn’s Destiny continues the story of Alison, Thomas and their son Lainn.  From the battlefields of Scotland to the vicious treatment of Scots in England of the 1740’s to early America the family survives trials and tribulations, their love for each other never wavering.

Following Thomas and Alison’s wedding Thomas is called away with the British Army and he soon finds himself at Culloden and the fierce battle fought by those brave men. The cruel brutality of the time is poignantly told through Thomas’ time at the Battle of Culloden. It is not long before Thomas finds his sense of humanity overriding his duty to the crown and he assists a dying Highlander. When he is caught, his punishment is beyond horrific. As soon as possible he leaves the Army and returns to Alison and Lainn. Sadly, he cannot find them – shortly after Thomas’ departure one of his men, with a group of other British soldiers went in search of Alison and believing Alison to be inside the cottage burns it to the ground. Alison and Lainn flee first to London and in a desperate bid to save their lives board a ship to America.  Upon their arrival in Chesapeake Bay Alison returns to her roots and opens a tavern, which quickly thrives. As time passes both Thomas and Alison begin to doubt their faith in ever finding each other again.

The beginning chapters of Lainn’s Destiny are extremely painful to read. The sheer brutality of one person to another, even against a woman, was extremely difficult to read. Kudos to Ms. Heathcotte for tackling the true telling of not only the battle of Culloden, but for how Alison, as a Scottish woman was treated by her husband’s people. The mercenary behavior of those Alison turns to for help is made the more telling when she arrives in the Chesapeake Bay area and meets the truly good people of Dutters Landing.  The early pages are dark and painful to read.

While continuing to deal with life’s struggles the author tenderly introduces the reader to the possibilities that are indeed Lainn’s destiny. As he searches for his career – from printer to soldier to reporter and doctor Lainn meets and interacts with the heroes of the American Revolution.

It was disappointing when Thomas finally finds them in that it reads almost like a non-event.  Little emotion is felt aside from his initial entry into the inn. It is as if only a week or so had passed since the couple last saw each other; however, that in itself speaks to Ms. Heathcotte’s skill in presenting how reincarnated souls respond to each other. Alison and Thomas’ loves transcends not only time and distance, it crosses into lifetimes. Indeed, readers are treated to a hint of future story lines by Thomas’ dreams of a flying machine.  The stories, from beginning to end are unified and interwoven so the passage from one book to the next is seamless.

The inherent kindness and gentle soul that is the essence of Thomas, first as Alma’s lute player and then as Thomas is well written. It is telling of Alison’s own growth from her lifetime as Alma to the one as Alison that she not only learned her lesson of being true to her love, she accepts that for all her lifetimes there will only be Thomas, or the soul that is now Thomas for her.

Lainn as well grows and develops – he clearly sees his destiny as that of freeing those held in slavery. An old soul he carries his knowledge and wisdom from lifetime to lifetime, yet he is also very human in his resentment when Thomas finds his family. Lainn acted as the man of the house, yet also sought a new husband for his mother. His inner turmoil at both resenting Thomas’ return and yet at the same time thrilling to it is so well presented.

Lainn’s Destiny is a stand-alone book; one need not have read Alison’s Legacy to enjoy it. Ms. Heathcotte weaves key points from Alison’s Legacy into Lainn’s Destiny so that even if the reader does not read the first book, nothing is lost.  However, readers will not want to miss out on any part of this wonderful series.

 
Reviewed by Gina
October 2005

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