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The Paladin
"Tongue-in-cheek action-adventure in the genre of 'Kill Bill' and 'Hell Boy' --- the Publisher" This book is no longer available.
272 pages, Trade Paperback
First published May 5, 2011
4 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Ken Newman
26 books65 followersKen Newman has loved stories of the fantastic since listening to his grandmother's folk tales of witches and haints when he was a child. Devouring the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury and Fredric Brown, to name a few, gave his imagination wings. Ken is the author of the paranormal thriller Forsaken and the newly released science fiction adventure Dead Ends, both released by Black Opal Books.
When not writing, he enjoys sculpting, cheesy monster movies, and building the occasional trebuchet.
A member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Ken lives in East Tennessee with his wife Christian and their three daughters.
Please feel free to contact Ken, he would love to hear from you.
www.newkman.net
@newkman61
facebook.com/newkman61.com
When not writing, he enjoys sculpting, cheesy monster movies, and building the occasional trebuchet.
A member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Ken lives in East Tennessee with his wife Christian and their three daughters.
Please feel free to contact Ken, he would love to hear from you.
www.newkman.net
@newkman61
facebook.com/newkman61.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 4, 2012
When I was sent a review copy from the author, I was thrilled to read something so full of adventure and originality. Who doesn't want to live the life of their favorite heroine from a novel?
I knew I was going to like it from the first chapter. The characters were fun and very well written. I think the only thing that bugged me was what one character would say particularly. Larry as an adult calling Harry/Maggie baby girl. He called her girl quite frequently, which was a bit annoying, but I could deal with that.. I just didn't enjoy the baby girl talk. *shrugs* It just didn't flow with how I saw his character, but that's just my opinion. That being said, that didn't take away from how much I enjoyed this read and the over all flow of the story.
It wasn't a book that I'd normally pick up. It was somewhere up my alley though, so I'm glad to have had the chance to read this fun read.
I especially liked that the author had a knack of making it a real adventure. There's were death's and a few loose ends which makes me believe there will be more Maggie to come.
I read somewhere that this would make a great graphic novel and I totally agree. I thought it almost immediately after starting the first few chapters. It's writing style and how he portrays the story makes you want to see it come to life. I'd love to see this go graphic.
All things said, this was a fun read. I'd rate it closer to 3 1/2 or 4 stars. It's a fresh new world that's fun to get lost in.
I knew I was going to like it from the first chapter. The characters were fun and very well written. I think the only thing that bugged me was what one character would say particularly. Larry as an adult calling Harry/Maggie baby girl. He called her girl quite frequently, which was a bit annoying, but I could deal with that.. I just didn't enjoy the baby girl talk. *shrugs* It just didn't flow with how I saw his character, but that's just my opinion. That being said, that didn't take away from how much I enjoyed this read and the over all flow of the story.
It wasn't a book that I'd normally pick up. It was somewhere up my alley though, so I'm glad to have had the chance to read this fun read.
I especially liked that the author had a knack of making it a real adventure. There's were death's and a few loose ends which makes me believe there will be more Maggie to come.
I read somewhere that this would make a great graphic novel and I totally agree. I thought it almost immediately after starting the first few chapters. It's writing style and how he portrays the story makes you want to see it come to life. I'd love to see this go graphic.
All things said, this was a fun read. I'd rate it closer to 3 1/2 or 4 stars. It's a fresh new world that's fun to get lost in.
August 29, 2011
When then author Ken Newman sent me a review request for his book The Paladin and part of the blurb attached was: "Tongue-in-cheek action-adventure in the genre of 'Kill Bill' and 'Hell Boy' --- the Publisher" After reading that quote I jumped on the chance to read The Paladin. Thankfully I was not disappointed.
Who hasn’t wanted to jump into the life of one of your favorite book characters? I know I have! Well careful what you wish for because that is sort of what happens to Harriet Smith. I loved Harriet’s character. In the first chapter she is given a test to see if she has what it takes to be The Paladin, aka badass super hero, for her new boss Larry. (Who happens to be a fallen angel that can’t kill anyone if he ever wants a chance at getting into heaven again.) Harriet passes the test with flying colors. As she becomes the Paladin and her story line progressed, I was amazed at how smoothly Harriet went from kindergarten teacher to Paladin world savior, and it didn’t feel forced to me. I was with her every step of the way.
I will say that the introduction of characters in the first few chapters did get confusing, especially when it came to the super evil bad guy’s flunkeys for the simple fact that they had first and last names, and Newman interchanged them on occasion. Other than the disconnect in the beginning I loved The Paladin. There is so much more I want to say about characters but they would be spoilers!
I could definitely see this book turned into a graphic novel or a super hero movie. I am very glad to tell you that Mr. Newman says this is hopefully the first in the series. I was so happy when he told me this because I have to know what happens next to the Paladin after the news she got at the end of the book!
Happy Reading,
Rebecca
www.bendingthespine.blogspot.com
August 18, 2011
Harry (that’s short for Harriet) is a kindergarten teacher with a small addiction to Blue Fox novels, which her employee does not approve – when she gets a new 5 year old into her class she isn’t expecting the kid to come with aggressive bodybuilders who try to take her down. She’s about to kick some serious ass when she’s drawn through a portal and loses a whole month, but that is not the weirdest thing yet, she wakes up in a spa in Japan, apparently having passed a job interview. Now most people would be frazzled, but she takes the events on Blue Fox style, not friggin out to be more exact.
She’s been hired, not as kindergarten teacher, but a Paladin to do the work of a “fallen” angel who very much so wants to get back on the good graces of god – since who does want to life the rest of their lives in the fires of Hell after all? Now Harry is dead and Maggie Black is born to punish the wicked and help the innocent – to be precise she has to find and kill a boy, Zack, to make sure world doesn’t suffer the evil consequences, it should not matter that the boy is innocent.
Battling the supernatural isn’t exactly easy and she meets Silas with a past worth telling and it doesn’t take long for her to develop feeling for the man.
The plots interesting, and funny, full of witty remarks and humor. The story is fun to read, and really does have the air of Kill Bill and Hell Boy, this is paranormal story that men will enjoy! Now there were parts where the story slipped a little from me and I had to focus back on the feel of the book. Entertaining journey nonetheless.
She’s been hired, not as kindergarten teacher, but a Paladin to do the work of a “fallen” angel who very much so wants to get back on the good graces of god – since who does want to life the rest of their lives in the fires of Hell after all? Now Harry is dead and Maggie Black is born to punish the wicked and help the innocent – to be precise she has to find and kill a boy, Zack, to make sure world doesn’t suffer the evil consequences, it should not matter that the boy is innocent.
Battling the supernatural isn’t exactly easy and she meets Silas with a past worth telling and it doesn’t take long for her to develop feeling for the man.
The plots interesting, and funny, full of witty remarks and humor. The story is fun to read, and really does have the air of Kill Bill and Hell Boy, this is paranormal story that men will enjoy! Now there were parts where the story slipped a little from me and I had to focus back on the feel of the book. Entertaining journey nonetheless.
August 20, 2011
The Paladin is a novel by Ken Newman from Sunbury Press.
Book Blurb:
Larry is an angel of the Lord... retired. To avoid final judgment and a rather warm room without a view, he seeks to make amends by helping humanity against spiritual darkness. Unable to directly interfere, he must use a human to do his dirty work, or as he calls them... Paladins.
A lonely kindergarten teacher, Harriet Smith, dreaming of romance and an exciting life of high adventure, has no idea that she has been chosen... that is until she is kidnapped by a five year old, and reborn as the sultry, Maggie Black.
Maggie is about to find that the world is a far different place than she could have ever imagined as she faces shape shifting hit men, psychotic witches, and a four thousand year old living weapon of mass destruction.
Fortunately, Maggie isn't alone, as Silas Cole, a deceased Paladin, comes to her aid, possessing the body of his murdered great grandson. Maggie soon falls in love with the dashing Silas, but finds that to save humanity, she must sacrifice the man she loves.
My thoughts:
Harriet Smith does not really fit in at the fancy school where she tries to teach the pampered offspring of the wealthy. As a matter of fact, Harriet Smith does not really fit in anywhere.
Imagine her surprise when she is kidnapped and given the opportunity to change her life entirely.
Accepting the proposition before her - Harriet is transformed into Maggie Black, a tough and very competent Paladin on a mission.
And what a mission. She just has to save humanity - no pressure.
The Paladin is fun and quirky and an enjoyable read. The editing could have been a little better - some words were left out and others left in where they didn’t belong - but I had no trouble overlooking that - it’s not a deal breaker for me.
I give The Paladin 3 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Sunbury Press, Inc. (5-5-11)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934597449
ISBN-13: 978-1934597446
Book Blurb:
Larry is an angel of the Lord... retired. To avoid final judgment and a rather warm room without a view, he seeks to make amends by helping humanity against spiritual darkness. Unable to directly interfere, he must use a human to do his dirty work, or as he calls them... Paladins.
A lonely kindergarten teacher, Harriet Smith, dreaming of romance and an exciting life of high adventure, has no idea that she has been chosen... that is until she is kidnapped by a five year old, and reborn as the sultry, Maggie Black.
Maggie is about to find that the world is a far different place than she could have ever imagined as she faces shape shifting hit men, psychotic witches, and a four thousand year old living weapon of mass destruction.
Fortunately, Maggie isn't alone, as Silas Cole, a deceased Paladin, comes to her aid, possessing the body of his murdered great grandson. Maggie soon falls in love with the dashing Silas, but finds that to save humanity, she must sacrifice the man she loves.
My thoughts:
Harriet Smith does not really fit in at the fancy school where she tries to teach the pampered offspring of the wealthy. As a matter of fact, Harriet Smith does not really fit in anywhere.
Imagine her surprise when she is kidnapped and given the opportunity to change her life entirely.
Accepting the proposition before her - Harriet is transformed into Maggie Black, a tough and very competent Paladin on a mission.
And what a mission. She just has to save humanity - no pressure.
The Paladin is fun and quirky and an enjoyable read. The editing could have been a little better - some words were left out and others left in where they didn’t belong - but I had no trouble overlooking that - it’s not a deal breaker for me.
I give The Paladin 3 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Sunbury Press, Inc. (5-5-11)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934597449
ISBN-13: 978-1934597446
January 21, 2016
Wowee! The Paladin is a ride. Not only is it a humorous and fun read but it's very original. This book follows the mission of one Maggie Black, paladin extrodinare, on her quest to stop a devoted husband from lifiting a curse put on his wife that has kept her entrapped for hundreds of years. Oh - did I mention the wife is a supernatural demon who has the power to destroy the world? Or that her husband uses witches and shape-shifters to stop Maggie? And how about the fact that Maggie works for an angel named Larry and owns a sword that's really a demon? And the fun just starts there. Wait until you meet the hypocritical town preacher or Silas Cole, the once-thought murderer who is actually the worlds savior?
The Paladin is pure entertainment. Nothing really deep. My only critiques would be the cover art (not a good representation of the book) and the characters are slightly shallow (but I was so excited to read the next page that it didn't bother me one bit). Read this book for the pure joy of reading or for a laugh. It's easily picked up, put down, and picked up again. If you like fantasy set in the real world, stories featuring a strong female lead, characters that span the range of human personality, even action set to an intriguing background, try The Paladin.
Recommended for older teens and adults. 4.5 stars!
The Paladin is pure entertainment. Nothing really deep. My only critiques would be the cover art (not a good representation of the book) and the characters are slightly shallow (but I was so excited to read the next page that it didn't bother me one bit). Read this book for the pure joy of reading or for a laugh. It's easily picked up, put down, and picked up again. If you like fantasy set in the real world, stories featuring a strong female lead, characters that span the range of human personality, even action set to an intriguing background, try The Paladin.
Recommended for older teens and adults. 4.5 stars!
August 10, 2011
What I liked most about this book was its freshness, not only in plot, but also in writing style. As readers in this modern age, we are constantly bombarded by supernatural mysteries, etc. which while fun, tends to run in the same direction ie vampires, werewolves, zombies. This book is a bit different, which is why it made it a pretty interesting read.
The characters were well done. Larry, the angel who recruits Harriet (or Maggie as her alter ego is called) is hilarious, with many moments of dialogue where he has us laughing out loud. He tends to steal every scene he is in, which is a bit of a problem sometimes. We are supposed to care more for Harriet, and yet, we are drawn to Larry. The whole Silas and Harriet relationship feels a bit thin, it progresses too quickly. Silas, however, is a great character, with a lot of great history that adds quite a bit to the plot.
As with many books, this one could have used a bit more careful editing, just because there are, here and there, some syntax issued. It is not too bad, though, it definitely does not interfere with the story so do not hesitate to pick it up on that account.
I f you’re looking for a fun, quick-paced paranormal mystery, this one is a good choice.
The characters were well done. Larry, the angel who recruits Harriet (or Maggie as her alter ego is called) is hilarious, with many moments of dialogue where he has us laughing out loud. He tends to steal every scene he is in, which is a bit of a problem sometimes. We are supposed to care more for Harriet, and yet, we are drawn to Larry. The whole Silas and Harriet relationship feels a bit thin, it progresses too quickly. Silas, however, is a great character, with a lot of great history that adds quite a bit to the plot.
As with many books, this one could have used a bit more careful editing, just because there are, here and there, some syntax issued. It is not too bad, though, it definitely does not interfere with the story so do not hesitate to pick it up on that account.
I f you’re looking for a fun, quick-paced paranormal mystery, this one is a good choice.
July 25, 2011
I highly recommend The Paladin to any urban fantasy fan that loves to read about a heroine that starts out as an unlikely hero that grows into a kick ass chick. Newman did a great job of keeping me entertained and there was so many twisted that I could not pretend the end of the book, which is a sign of a great writer, in my opinion. I also liked the fact that Newman was not afraid to let a few of his characters die and don’t expect a nice clean ending with a bow on it. There are few things left hanging which I hope means that The Paladin is the first in a line of many more books about Maggie and/or Larry.
September 19, 2011
When I saw the cover of The Paladin I knew that this book would be action packed. And let me tell you something, it was. Harriet Smith is one tough cookie who can kick ass, just like the Bride (Beatrix Kiddo) in the movie Kill Bill. She was awesome. The story was fast paced and I was quickly absorbed into the pages to read what happens to this character. The thing I didn’t like about this story is that there where too many characters. And too many characters can make you either love the story more or get you confused. I got confused. I would love the book a bit more if it would be turned into a graphic novel.
August 4, 2011
Loved the book! I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun urban fantasy. Had a great plot and very developed characters. I really got into the character of Harry/Maggie, plus Larry the Angel is a hoot! My only quam is that the cover really sucks. Hope this is book one of a series. If it is, please get a better cover artist!
August 10, 2011
Ex-kindergarten teacher, Harriet, finds herself doing the bidding of ex-angel Larry. His duty is to right wrongs that have been made, and he wants Harriet to do the hard work. Harriet, now transformed into her alter ego Maggie and now Paladin of Larry's, must find a man named Zack and kill him before he can, unknowingly, release a tornado of evil on the Earth. Maggie will face a scummy priest, a nasty witch, a snobby girl, and many other baddies throughout her attempts to find and kill Zack and save the world.
There were a lot of things to like about The Paladin. First of all, the plot was intriguing right away. Mostly because it was something new. Second, the many different characters. All the characters offered very distinct personalities, which is great because there are SO MANY in this story. Third, the cover. It's rugged and has a cool comic book style.
Unfortunately, some of the things that were positives about the book were also negatives. The plot while interesting and action packed, was choppy. This is also a product of the multiple characters and points of view. The transitions between different characters was not always smooth, which left me with a jerky reaction and pulled me out of the story.
The character Silas and his history were definitely my favorite part. His past and how he ended up the way he did were the result of a major deception and betrayal, and I feel like he handled it all pretty well. Once he entered the story, it really picked up and gave it the emotion I feel was lacking in the beginning.
Maggie on the other hand, pretty much handles things TOO well. She hardly questions Larry's ideas, and goes right along with the plan to kill Zack. I feel like a true heroine should attempt to think of new ideas and create new plans for tough situations. Murder of innocents should never be a first option. The characters could all have used a little more soul searching. I feel like their personalities were there, but showing why they are this way (instead of telling) would have more impact. The evil (in all forms) that Maggie, Silas, and Larry must face is pretty nasty; however, I feel like it was wrapped up too easily in the end.
What I think was needed in this story, and I'm sure others who read this will agree, was more editing. I don't usually focus on this in my reviews, because I prefer to focus on the story itself. However, I feel like this is a big enough issue that it needs mentioning because I know how picky some of you readers are. With a few more rounds of editing I think this could have been a stronger story. The grammar and spelling errors were obvious, enough to pull me out of the story, and the dialogue was a bit static.
Overall, I did like the story, but feel like it is not ready for public viewing yet.
There were a lot of things to like about The Paladin. First of all, the plot was intriguing right away. Mostly because it was something new. Second, the many different characters. All the characters offered very distinct personalities, which is great because there are SO MANY in this story. Third, the cover. It's rugged and has a cool comic book style.
Unfortunately, some of the things that were positives about the book were also negatives. The plot while interesting and action packed, was choppy. This is also a product of the multiple characters and points of view. The transitions between different characters was not always smooth, which left me with a jerky reaction and pulled me out of the story.
The character Silas and his history were definitely my favorite part. His past and how he ended up the way he did were the result of a major deception and betrayal, and I feel like he handled it all pretty well. Once he entered the story, it really picked up and gave it the emotion I feel was lacking in the beginning.
Maggie on the other hand, pretty much handles things TOO well. She hardly questions Larry's ideas, and goes right along with the plan to kill Zack. I feel like a true heroine should attempt to think of new ideas and create new plans for tough situations. Murder of innocents should never be a first option. The characters could all have used a little more soul searching. I feel like their personalities were there, but showing why they are this way (instead of telling) would have more impact. The evil (in all forms) that Maggie, Silas, and Larry must face is pretty nasty; however, I feel like it was wrapped up too easily in the end.
What I think was needed in this story, and I'm sure others who read this will agree, was more editing. I don't usually focus on this in my reviews, because I prefer to focus on the story itself. However, I feel like this is a big enough issue that it needs mentioning because I know how picky some of you readers are. With a few more rounds of editing I think this could have been a stronger story. The grammar and spelling errors were obvious, enough to pull me out of the story, and the dialogue was a bit static.
Overall, I did like the story, but feel like it is not ready for public viewing yet.
July 31, 2011
Harriet was a kindergarten teacher until Larry appeared one day. Larry, the ex-angel decided that Harriet would make a great Paladin. Righting wrongs is what Larry does to get back in good with God. Instead of handling supernatural problems himself, he gets his Paladin to do it for him.
After Harriet is chosen, she is whisked off and transformed into Maggie Black. Instead of flipping out with all of the supernatural stuff Maggie has come backs, and kicks ass. This was a fact that actually bugged me. It didn't seem very real, or a natural response. There is also some roaming POVs in the first half that bugged me.
Larry sends Maggie to a small southern town. Here she is to kill an innocent boy, Zack, before he unknowingly releases a monster that could bring the end of the world. His grandfather, Silas was the one who sealed the monster for Larry sixty nine years ago. I was actually irritated with Maggie for not trying to discover other options.
Zack, the handsome boy, about to bring the world to its knees is doing it for what he thinks is a good reason. An ex-girlfriend of his, Brenda, says that kidnappers have taken her mother and want Zack to find this 'vessel.' Zack, being a great guy agrees to help her even though their past is rocky. I liked both Zack and Brenda. Brenda comes across as snobby, but once more of her history is explained my perception of her changed.
There is a very small romantic plot line. Maggie meets up with Zack's dead grandfather, Silas, and falls in love. I wasn't crazy about the relationship. Maggie falls for the pretty blue eyes very quickly, and not very long after that decides she is in love with him.
The plot line is strong, with a lot of action. It has a wide range of characters, but only a few of them stuck with me. The chapters are short, and make for easy reading. At times some of the wording is strange, and easily jarred me out of the story. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I think that was because I was never strongly invested in Maggie.
After Harriet is chosen, she is whisked off and transformed into Maggie Black. Instead of flipping out with all of the supernatural stuff Maggie has come backs, and kicks ass. This was a fact that actually bugged me. It didn't seem very real, or a natural response. There is also some roaming POVs in the first half that bugged me.
Larry sends Maggie to a small southern town. Here she is to kill an innocent boy, Zack, before he unknowingly releases a monster that could bring the end of the world. His grandfather, Silas was the one who sealed the monster for Larry sixty nine years ago. I was actually irritated with Maggie for not trying to discover other options.
Zack, the handsome boy, about to bring the world to its knees is doing it for what he thinks is a good reason. An ex-girlfriend of his, Brenda, says that kidnappers have taken her mother and want Zack to find this 'vessel.' Zack, being a great guy agrees to help her even though their past is rocky. I liked both Zack and Brenda. Brenda comes across as snobby, but once more of her history is explained my perception of her changed.
There is a very small romantic plot line. Maggie meets up with Zack's dead grandfather, Silas, and falls in love. I wasn't crazy about the relationship. Maggie falls for the pretty blue eyes very quickly, and not very long after that decides she is in love with him.
The plot line is strong, with a lot of action. It has a wide range of characters, but only a few of them stuck with me. The chapters are short, and make for easy reading. At times some of the wording is strange, and easily jarred me out of the story. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I think that was because I was never strongly invested in Maggie.
July 30, 2011
Harriet was a kindergarten teacher until Larry appeared one day. Larry, the ex-angel decided that Harriet would make a great Paladin. Righting wrongs is what Larry does to get back in good with God. Instead of handling supernatural problems himself, he gets his Paladin to do it for him.
After Harriet is chosen, she is whisked off and transformed into Maggie Black. Instead of flipping out with all of the supernatural stuff Maggie has come backs, and kicks ass. This was a fact that actually bugged me. It didn't seem very real, or a natural response. There is also some roaming POVs in the first half that bugged me.
Larry sends Maggie to a small southern town. Here she is to kill an innocent boy, Zack, before he unknowingly releases a monster that could bring the end of the world. His grandfather, Silas was the one who sealed the monster for Larry sixty nine years ago. I was actually irritated with Maggie for not trying to discover other options.
Zack, the handsome boy, about to bring the world to its knees is doing it for what he thinks is a good reason. An ex-girlfriend of his, Brenda, says that kidnappers have taken her mother and want Zack to find this 'vessel.' Zack, being a great guy agrees to help her even though their past is rocky. I liked both Zack and Brenda. Brenda comes across as snobby, but once more of her history is explained my perception of her changed.
There is a very small romantic plot line. Maggie meets up with Zack's dead grandfather, Silas, and falls in love. I wasn't crazy about the relationship. Maggie falls for the pretty blue eyes very quickly, and not very long after that decides she is in love with him.
The plot line is strong, with a lot of action. It has a wide range of characters, but only a few of them stuck with me. The chapters are short, and make for easy reading. At times some of the wording is strange, and easily jarred me out of the story. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I think that was because I was never strongly invested in Maggie.
-Beth (Guest Reviewer)
After Harriet is chosen, she is whisked off and transformed into Maggie Black. Instead of flipping out with all of the supernatural stuff Maggie has come backs, and kicks ass. This was a fact that actually bugged me. It didn't seem very real, or a natural response. There is also some roaming POVs in the first half that bugged me.
Larry sends Maggie to a small southern town. Here she is to kill an innocent boy, Zack, before he unknowingly releases a monster that could bring the end of the world. His grandfather, Silas was the one who sealed the monster for Larry sixty nine years ago. I was actually irritated with Maggie for not trying to discover other options.
Zack, the handsome boy, about to bring the world to its knees is doing it for what he thinks is a good reason. An ex-girlfriend of his, Brenda, says that kidnappers have taken her mother and want Zack to find this 'vessel.' Zack, being a great guy agrees to help her even though their past is rocky. I liked both Zack and Brenda. Brenda comes across as snobby, but once more of her history is explained my perception of her changed.
There is a very small romantic plot line. Maggie meets up with Zack's dead grandfather, Silas, and falls in love. I wasn't crazy about the relationship. Maggie falls for the pretty blue eyes very quickly, and not very long after that decides she is in love with him.
The plot line is strong, with a lot of action. It has a wide range of characters, but only a few of them stuck with me. The chapters are short, and make for easy reading. At times some of the wording is strange, and easily jarred me out of the story. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I think that was because I was never strongly invested in Maggie.
-Beth (Guest Reviewer)
October 1, 2011
(Received Copy For Review by Author)
Overall Rating: 3.6/5 (Rounded to 4)
When I read "kidnapped by a five year old", "shape-shifting hit men", and "psychotic witches" I knew I had to read this! After reading, “in the genre of 'Kill Bill' and 'Hell Boy'” It went from a yes, to a HELL YES! haha. In the beginning of The Paladin by Ken Newman we meet kindergarten teacher Harriet Smith who is busy reading and daydreaming of an action packed life, one she knows she’ll only be able to experience through words in a book...right? WRONG! Her life is turned upside down when she is given a test and reborn as kick-ass character Maggie Black, and it is then that the action she’s been dreaming of becomes all too real.
I was just a tad bit confused in the first few chapters as to where things were going. The 3rd person narrative kept on changing between different characters who were all connected to each other is some way, and I had a difficult time keeping up when so much was going on. I really would have preferred if there were more chapters that followed Maggie. She had to be my favorite character in this book (which is probably why I wanted more chapters of her. :P) Her’s were so interesting and just plain awesome, it’s hard not to want more of that. haha.
Nevertheless, The Paladin is a great first novel in what I hope will be phenomenal series. It has moments of comedy, action-y goodness, and even a little romance. I can easily see this being turned into a movie and certainly hope it one day becomes one. Ken Newman does a fantastic job with this book and I am anxious to see what will lie ahead.
Originally posted at: RJ Does Books
Overall Rating: 3.6/5 (Rounded to 4)
When I read "kidnapped by a five year old", "shape-shifting hit men", and "psychotic witches" I knew I had to read this! After reading, “in the genre of 'Kill Bill' and 'Hell Boy'” It went from a yes, to a HELL YES! haha. In the beginning of The Paladin by Ken Newman we meet kindergarten teacher Harriet Smith who is busy reading and daydreaming of an action packed life, one she knows she’ll only be able to experience through words in a book...right? WRONG! Her life is turned upside down when she is given a test and reborn as kick-ass character Maggie Black, and it is then that the action she’s been dreaming of becomes all too real.
I was just a tad bit confused in the first few chapters as to where things were going. The 3rd person narrative kept on changing between different characters who were all connected to each other is some way, and I had a difficult time keeping up when so much was going on. I really would have preferred if there were more chapters that followed Maggie. She had to be my favorite character in this book (which is probably why I wanted more chapters of her. :P) Her’s were so interesting and just plain awesome, it’s hard not to want more of that. haha.
Nevertheless, The Paladin is a great first novel in what I hope will be phenomenal series. It has moments of comedy, action-y goodness, and even a little romance. I can easily see this being turned into a movie and certainly hope it one day becomes one. Ken Newman does a fantastic job with this book and I am anxious to see what will lie ahead.
Originally posted at: RJ Does Books
November 23, 2023
So it's been several months since I read the book, and I decided to go through my journal and actually write the review.
To start, the book began as very Christian-forward. Pretty big turn-off for me frankly but I powered on. The characters and their dialogue is pretty goofy, like caricatures - everything about their speaking seemed stilted and kind of poorly written, not funny just bad.
This book was written in 2011 according to the copywrite on the inside, but we have a character that just spews racial and gay slurs. I understand that the author is trying to show how deplorable the character is but really?
One of my biggest gripes, like truly had to set the book down multiple times because it pissed me off, was the dialogue. At one point, we have one character going through a monologue, and another character constantly interrupts the 'speech.' The interruptions served no point to the plot or the character development. It was just there to be there and oh mylanta, it was frustratingly bad.
And avoid the synopsis, it basically gives the entire plot away.
To start, the book began as very Christian-forward. Pretty big turn-off for me frankly but I powered on. The characters and their dialogue is pretty goofy, like caricatures - everything about their speaking seemed stilted and kind of poorly written, not funny just bad.
This book was written in 2011 according to the copywrite on the inside, but we have a character that just spews racial and gay slurs. I understand that the author is trying to show how deplorable the character is but really?
One of my biggest gripes, like truly had to set the book down multiple times because it pissed me off, was the dialogue. At one point, we have one character going through a monologue, and another character constantly interrupts the 'speech.' The interruptions served no point to the plot or the character development. It was just there to be there and oh mylanta, it was frustratingly bad.
And avoid the synopsis, it basically gives the entire plot away.
July 24, 2012
Going in to this book, I wasn't sure what I expected. But I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Newman was able to hold my attention throughout. Yes, it is rather like a B-Movie and the characterization is lacking depth and growth. This was not a detractor for me though others may find it to be a problem. Reading this book, I willingly suspended my disbelief and enjoyed the ride. I sincerely hope there will be additional books with these characters.
January 18, 2012
Take my rating with a grain of salt, I did not finish the book. Once I ran into language that I considered very offensive I removed it from my kindle. I felt for those first few pages I read that the writing was subpar, and simplistic, when I ran into language I would not tolerate in my own home I had enough.
July 25, 2014
I enjoyed the story itself. Spelling, grammatical and syntax errors were a bit distracting though.
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