Dun Ladys Jess

Wow! I got this book as a freebie on Amazon, attracted to its cover and the description. Within a few pages, I was hooked. The true nature of a horse, even in human form, is so very well written. Add to that the twists of plot and tension throughout, and youve got an all together awesome story. Im now a Durgin fan for life.

This was one of those books that Id always meant to read but could never remember the title (Im not a horse person, so the title always came across as strange to me.) But Im so glad one of my friends posted it to my FB wall! I found the premise interesting, even weird -- a horse transforms into a human but isnt a shifter, but a horse with a humans body. That part is really well done, really convincing. The characters she makes friends with come across as real people... even/especially the horse. Im definitely going to buy the rest of the series. Oh, this is a fantasy book, not a shifter romance. There is a tiny bit of romance, but only at the end, and its not the focus of the story.

Great story I am looking forward to reading more or the story. Unusual and fun to read. A man and his horse are brought to our world by magic and the horse is turned into a women.

I found Dun Ladys Jess (The Changespell Saga) by Doranna Durgin an unforgettable story. It is so unusual, it really gets the imagination going and I could not put it down. I had to get the second book in this series and found it just as good as this book.

Hard to believe I hadnt found this one earlier in my life. It is beautiful and has such depth. Would love to read more of the series.

I pick up book to transport me, to enjoy and to relax. This book had it all. I enjoyed the mystery, the magic and the topic. The story evolved and shared all the characters with a role. I found it easy to get involved and followed the story easily. Thanks to the author for being a great storyteller. It is difficult to pull people in, but it was done. Yes, Lady / Jess was and is an interesting character and will live on.

It reads like an offering from a far more experienced writer. But then, I expected nothing less, by the time I actually read it. I discovered Doranna Durgin many years ago, but even then, Dun Ladys Jess was already out of print. I finally tracked it down at an online used book store. It was VERY hard to find... apparently, not many people who read it were willing to give it up. That should tell you something. I, myself, couldnt wait for the American edition of the re-issue... I bought the Canadian edition. HUGE thanks to Red Deer Press for reintroducing it! I have read and enjoyed other fantasies that involved shape-shifting--and Im looking forward to Durgins new one in the Silhouette Nocturne line next year. But Dun Ladys Jess is a change fantasy on an entirely different level. As a person, Jess has the instincts and sensibilities of a horse, but has to learn to use her new and expanded human brain power. As a horse, Jess is not a person in a horses body, shes a horse, confused by the new scope of thought available to her horses brain. This makes the whole story fascinating on a personal development and characterization level, as well as the actual intriguing plot-line of travel and adventure taking place across two very different dimensions. All the characters benefit from Durgins talent at characterization, of course--like all her books--but Jess has, and always will have, a special place in my heart. The action aint bad, either. Durgin excels at pacing a story to keep you turning pages far into the night. Also recommended:

If you are looking for book that is fun to read and does not have any parts that lag, purchase Dun Ladys Jess. It is an imaginative, well-written book that will keep you entertained the entire time you are reading it. Hard to put down. The the storyline concept and thought put into the book made it one that I will think about for a long time. This would be a good book for someone that doesnt know if they think they like fantasy but would like to try it. The characters are believable and the action non-stop. Ive ready two other titles by this author and cant say Ive been disappointed yet. I will be reading more of her work this summer!

This is not the normal type of story I choose. I was influenced to curiosity by the reviews. Im really glad I gave it a try. It was an unusual approach to the body swapping/turned into an animal tropes, and I felt that it was handled very well, and in a unique manner. The pace was a little slow for me, but it worked well for the story. I dont want to give anything away, but I encourage readers to give this unusual story a try. A man on a mission and his horse are thrust into our world, and the horse is unexpectedly turned into a woman in passage. She manages to retain her sanity with the help of experienced horse people, new friends, and her loving rider, but shes still a horse on the inside. She learns more than anyone ever expected she could, and develops opinions, ideas, and goals of her own, but remains deeply committed to her rider, their mission, and to getting home. There are many questions about what will happen to her when they figure out how to get home, and questions about whether or not home will still be safe since their mission has been delayed. Even more questions arise when they are just as unexpectedly transported back to their own world--along with their new friends from this one. Its really pretty well done. I liked it, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, despite it being very different from my regular reads.

This story lingers in my imagination. If am fascinated by authors knowledge and use of the nuances of horse behavior.