Defender of the North

Defender of the Realm #2

by Corey Holst

England, 1174 a.d. It has been two years since James Hoade married the love of his life and became the Lord of Loxley. He and Lady Elena have had a son and his new life is just starting to feel normal.

But much of England’s nobility is incensed that this upstart is now supposed to be considered their equal and the time has come for them to show him his true place in the world. James is ordered to head north and stop Scotland’s King William from reclaiming Northumberland.

Defender of the North is Book Two in the "Defender of England" series. In an age of castles and knights, James must once again, prove himself worthy. Join James, Allyn, and Stephen as the adventure of a lifetime continues!

Genres: Historical Fiction

370 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2011

About the author

I spent most of my life in southern California, and worked behind the scenes in live theatre for over 40 years. I am now retired and living in the woods outside of Port Angeles, Washington, feeding deer, and making wizard wands.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I won this in a first reads giveaway and am very greateful for it. I loved this book. I won't tell you what it's all about, but I'll tell you what I think of it.

It's full of everything that is English and Scottish. The way Corey wrote this made it very easy to follow. He described things so vividly I felt like I was actually watching the battles take place. (I even held my breath between strikes and pivitol moments.) I haven't read the first of this series (but I sure will now). Even without that, the characters jumped to life. The heros are so admirable and the bad guys just... slimy... sneaky... really bad guys! You really end up feeling for these people and what it must've been like back then. I really liked the commrodary between James & Allyn, and Stephen, Roger and Thomas. I laughed out loud in a couple spots. More than a couple actually. Great humor! They're genuine friends as well as battle-buddies.

This is fast paced historical adventure, action, political intrigue and a tiny smidgen of romance. And the ending... well, it's just perfect! I recommend this book to everyone. I really hope he writes a third to this series. Thanks again for the chance to read it. I'll be passing it around and I'm sure with talent like this Corey Holst won't remain "unknown" for long!

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defender of the North, sequel to Defender of the Realm, is a terrific and rousing story set in Medieval times during the reign of King Henry II of England. It's been two years since James has been knighted and then married Elena who he met in the first story. He's now Lord of Loxley and has many new responsibilities. He's sent off to Northumberland with other lords and soldiers to defend the land in the north from the Scots. He feels like he's in over his head and doesn't even think he belongs there!

It's a great story full of action and humor. I really love the relationship between James and Allyn. The clever way Holst works in real history with his story shows imagination and creativity.

Highly recommended.

[Robert Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A confident work, lightly spiced with testosterone, Defender of the North is highly readable. The prose is direct, flows easily, is unadorned and is not convoluted. A non-complicated plot, logical in its progression, actively holds the reader’s interest with strong descriptive passages making this work a pleasure to spend time with. Recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. LOVED it. I couldn't put it down. Will be back with in depth review when I have a bit more time!

[Corey Holst · Rating 5 out of 5]

The exciting sequel to Defender of the Realm finds Lord James once again thrust into harm's way with his stalwart friend and self-appointed bodyguard Allyn by his side. Even though James has been the Lord of Loxley for two years, he still hasn't quite got the hang of the whole "nobility" lifestyle and the last thing he feels qualified to do is to lead a division of men into battle. But when the King commands it, you march.
As with the first story, humor is interlaced with action sequences while historical events propel the characters through another adventure. If you liked Defender of the Realm, you will love Defender of the North.

[Karie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent continuation of the story of James Hoade, Lord of Loxley. This author has taken the time to do some historical research. It is evident in his writing and makes the story so much more plausible. His descriptions, as well as his character development, hold the reader's attention. It's almost like the reader is watching TV with the author's use of scene changes. There is a constant update of each point which makes the reader say, "Oh yeah. I forgot about him. How IS he getting along?" This is a fun, pleasurable journey. Thanks for all the hard work on behalf of your readers.

[Al Canary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed, but I'm not up for a sequel for a long while.