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Black Knight Chronicles #3
Knight Moves
The Award-Winning horror comedy series continues with more funny vampires, more bloodshed, and more body hair!
In the third installment of The Black Knight Chronicles, vampire detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood find another vampire (or more) playing in their Charlotte NC sandbox, and the boys are NOT happy about it.
While tracking down the killer of a young college student, they encounter boobytraps, defenestration, coeds, a werewolf bounty hunter, and worst of all - game night at a comic shop!
In the third installment of The Black Knight Chronicles, vampire detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood find another vampire (or more) playing in their Charlotte NC sandbox, and the boys are NOT happy about it.
While tracking down the killer of a young college student, they encounter boobytraps, defenestration, coeds, a werewolf bounty hunter, and worst of all - game night at a comic shop!
154 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2011
19 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
John G. Hartness
191 books592 followersJohn G. Hartness is a teller of tales, a righter of wrong, defender of ladies’ virtues, and some people call him Maurice, for he speaks of the pompatus of love.
He is also the award-winning author of the urban fantasy series The Black Knight Chronicles (Bell Bridge Books), the Bubba the Monster Hunter comedic horror series, the Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter dark fantasy series, and many other projects.
In 2016, John teamed up with a pair of other publishing industry ne’er-do-wells and founded Falstaff Books, a small press dedicated to publishing the best of genre fictions “misfit toys.”
In his copious free time John enjoys long walks on the beach, rescuing kittens from trees and playing Magic: the Gathering.
For free short stories and to follow his activities and appearances on his newsletter, follow this link - http://eepurl.com/fV4In
He is also the award-winning author of the urban fantasy series The Black Knight Chronicles (Bell Bridge Books), the Bubba the Monster Hunter comedic horror series, the Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter dark fantasy series, and many other projects.
In 2016, John teamed up with a pair of other publishing industry ne’er-do-wells and founded Falstaff Books, a small press dedicated to publishing the best of genre fictions “misfit toys.”
In his copious free time John enjoys long walks on the beach, rescuing kittens from trees and playing Magic: the Gathering.
For free short stories and to follow his activities and appearances on his newsletter, follow this link - http://eepurl.com/fV4In
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 2, 2015
From blog central at: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2015/...
Well, got that fix out of the way. I'm about full-up on my need for humorous urban fantasy, so I can finally slip into something different. On deck and dragging is finishing The Severed Streets (and why on earth that fool author introduced Neil Gaiman is beyond me), (re)reading Katwalk, which should count as an initial read since I first read it about twenty years ago, re-reading Quantum Thief and hopefully, immersing myself in The Troupe. Oh, and The Spirit Stone. So I've got a lot to do, people; I need to make this quick.
Right, on to the main point. Knight Moves is book three in the vampire buddy duo of Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood, aided and abetted by Father Mike and Detective Sabrina Law. It begins with a bowling date, and Jimmy and Sabrina seemed poised for their first clench when they are rudely interrupted by Greg bearing news of a dead--and drained--body on the local college campus. Oh-oh: Jimmy knows all too well what that means. They're too late--or just on time, depending on your point of view--to do what needs to be done, and the newly risen twenty year-old woman is going to cause some thorny philosophical and emotional issues. The investigation into her death takes off, moves quickly among a combination of expected and unexpected plot points, and maintains a fast pace until the end.
There is a plot point or two that had me wondering about the world-building in this version of Charlotte, North Carolina, but I didn't dwell too long, and honestly, close reading might have explained it. But I don't read these kind of books to focus on the amazing world-building and language finesse. I want plotting to be generally coherent and enough action that I can't accidentally-on-purpose skip five pages and still be able to understand what's going on. So, success.
What I tend to appreciate most about this series is the combination of humor, emotional sensitivity and action. It's clear the more we learn about Jimmy that he has some serious internal conflict about his life as a vampire, no matter how he tries to spin the 'apex predator' slogan. However, Jimmy (and Hartness) does not take himself as seriously as Dresden (and Butcher), and the quips are more appropriately placed with respect to scene tone and action. The humor is a nice mix of commentary that hints at an emotional depth while turning it into a laugh:
"But I couldn't change that, so I had to be responsible for her. Greg was going to love this. He'd wanted a puppy for years, and I kept saying no. Now I was going to bring home a pet vampire."
Or recognizing plot/vampire tropes, such as when Jimmy and Greg are discussing a stolen vehicle:
"'Yeah, whatever. You got any clients that run chop shops?'
'No. You got any old informants that owe you a favor?'
'No. So if we're out of the stereotypical ideas, what's next?'"
As well as current cultural commentary:
"And she's kinda the Kingpin of Charlotte, if you've read enough Daredevil comics to get the reference.'
'I saw that really crappy movie with Ben Affleck, if that's what you mean,' Abby said. 'But I get it.'"
(Personally, I like to think of it as that bad comic-book movie where Jennifer Gardner makes an appearance, but we all have our ways of describing Daredevil).
At any rate, though humor often seems to be a staple of the UF genre, it's hard to maintain the tone of seriousness if your heroes are going to make as many quips as judo moves. Hartness found a balance that works for me, particularly in the development of the emotional aspects of Jimmy and Greg's lives. If you've been following this long, you know that although they are best friends, Jimmy turned Greg, and both of them live with some heavy emotional consequences. There's also a developing angle with Father Mike, and the growing connection between Jimmy and Sabrina. If humor pops up, it's because it helps put a brave face on the heartbreak, or indirectly comment on Jimmy's affection. Plus, Sabrina is freaking funny:
'So,' Sabrina said. 'If you two are done measuring things no one else is interested in seeing, what's the plan for the evening?''
And honestly, although there are enough references to crack me up, Hartness doesn't come near Ready Player One or Geekomancy in the cultural references, which is nice. Yet despite my claim to the contrary, I'll leave you with one last little giggle:
"I pulled a chair in from the kitchen for Sabrina and looked around for a place to sit. If we kept adding supernatural associates to our little Junior Justice League, we were totally going to need a satellite. Or at least a real office."
Well, got that fix out of the way. I'm about full-up on my need for humorous urban fantasy, so I can finally slip into something different. On deck and dragging is finishing The Severed Streets (and why on earth that fool author introduced Neil Gaiman is beyond me), (re)reading Katwalk, which should count as an initial read since I first read it about twenty years ago, re-reading Quantum Thief and hopefully, immersing myself in The Troupe. Oh, and The Spirit Stone. So I've got a lot to do, people; I need to make this quick.
Right, on to the main point. Knight Moves is book three in the vampire buddy duo of Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood, aided and abetted by Father Mike and Detective Sabrina Law. It begins with a bowling date, and Jimmy and Sabrina seemed poised for their first clench when they are rudely interrupted by Greg bearing news of a dead--and drained--body on the local college campus. Oh-oh: Jimmy knows all too well what that means. They're too late--or just on time, depending on your point of view--to do what needs to be done, and the newly risen twenty year-old woman is going to cause some thorny philosophical and emotional issues. The investigation into her death takes off, moves quickly among a combination of expected and unexpected plot points, and maintains a fast pace until the end.
There is a plot point or two that had me wondering about the world-building in this version of Charlotte, North Carolina, but I didn't dwell too long, and honestly, close reading might have explained it. But I don't read these kind of books to focus on the amazing world-building and language finesse. I want plotting to be generally coherent and enough action that I can't accidentally-on-purpose skip five pages and still be able to understand what's going on. So, success.
What I tend to appreciate most about this series is the combination of humor, emotional sensitivity and action. It's clear the more we learn about Jimmy that he has some serious internal conflict about his life as a vampire, no matter how he tries to spin the 'apex predator' slogan. However, Jimmy (and Hartness) does not take himself as seriously as Dresden (and Butcher), and the quips are more appropriately placed with respect to scene tone and action. The humor is a nice mix of commentary that hints at an emotional depth while turning it into a laugh:
"But I couldn't change that, so I had to be responsible for her. Greg was going to love this. He'd wanted a puppy for years, and I kept saying no. Now I was going to bring home a pet vampire."
Or recognizing plot/vampire tropes, such as when Jimmy and Greg are discussing a stolen vehicle:
"'Yeah, whatever. You got any clients that run chop shops?'
'No. You got any old informants that owe you a favor?'
'No. So if we're out of the stereotypical ideas, what's next?'"
As well as current cultural commentary:
"And she's kinda the Kingpin of Charlotte, if you've read enough Daredevil comics to get the reference.'
'I saw that really crappy movie with Ben Affleck, if that's what you mean,' Abby said. 'But I get it.'"
(Personally, I like to think of it as that bad comic-book movie where Jennifer Gardner makes an appearance, but we all have our ways of describing Daredevil).
At any rate, though humor often seems to be a staple of the UF genre, it's hard to maintain the tone of seriousness if your heroes are going to make as many quips as judo moves. Hartness found a balance that works for me, particularly in the development of the emotional aspects of Jimmy and Greg's lives. If you've been following this long, you know that although they are best friends, Jimmy turned Greg, and both of them live with some heavy emotional consequences. There's also a developing angle with Father Mike, and the growing connection between Jimmy and Sabrina. If humor pops up, it's because it helps put a brave face on the heartbreak, or indirectly comment on Jimmy's affection. Plus, Sabrina is freaking funny:
'So,' Sabrina said. 'If you two are done measuring things no one else is interested in seeing, what's the plan for the evening?''
And honestly, although there are enough references to crack me up, Hartness doesn't come near Ready Player One or Geekomancy in the cultural references, which is nice. Yet despite my claim to the contrary, I'll leave you with one last little giggle:
"I pulled a chair in from the kitchen for Sabrina and looked around for a place to sit. If we kept adding supernatural associates to our little Junior Justice League, we were totally going to need a satellite. Or at least a real office."
February 5, 2023
Great reading
A fantastic very will written Sci-Fi Thriller. The character are interesting and very will developed. The story line is entertaining with lot of misdirection leading to the conclusion. I highly recommend this series. Enjoy reading 2020
A fantastic very will written Sci-Fi Thriller. The character are interesting and very will developed. The story line is entertaining with lot of misdirection leading to the conclusion. I highly recommend this series. Enjoy reading 2020
November 8, 2021
I'm really enjoying this series. On to the next book!
August 30, 2016
If you like supernatural reading and vampires, you will love this series.
February 7, 2022
I have to say that this series is improving. Sure, Jimmy is still bungling his way through the world but he is improving. Even if Jimmy and Greg sometimes make think of old Laurel and Hardy short movies I’m starting to like them more and more.
I still think the book blurb on Amazon is nonsense. I don’t know what kind of award this series is supposed to have won but to me this is sure as hell isn’t worthy of any meaningful awards. I also still do not understand why they call it a comedy series. After three books it is still a normal urban fantasy series, yes it has comedy relief in it but so those pretty much any urban fantasy series I’ve read. This one maybe more than some but it’s not a comedy series.
There’s quite a lot of things happening in this instalment. Jimmy is getting to know more about the vampire world, especially that he and Greg is not the only bloodsucker around. Not that this is necessarily good news though.
Jimmy and Greg’s merry band gets a new member as well although this happens in the usual more or less stumbling and clueless way most things happens when Jimmy and Greg are involved. I do like this new addition though. She is… Well I think I’ll quote the book on that one: “Just what I needed, a psycho gun-nut cheerleader coed to raise as if it were my very own. Next time I’m totally getting a cactus.”
Although there’s a lot of things happening, including a lot of action, bantering and trash talk of course, there is unfortunately not that much development when it comes to Jimmy’s powers and his understanding of them. I would really have liked to see some more of that.
Anyway, I liked the book and I felt it was an improvement of over the two first books.
I still think the book blurb on Amazon is nonsense. I don’t know what kind of award this series is supposed to have won but to me this is sure as hell isn’t worthy of any meaningful awards. I also still do not understand why they call it a comedy series. After three books it is still a normal urban fantasy series, yes it has comedy relief in it but so those pretty much any urban fantasy series I’ve read. This one maybe more than some but it’s not a comedy series.
There’s quite a lot of things happening in this instalment. Jimmy is getting to know more about the vampire world, especially that he and Greg is not the only bloodsucker around. Not that this is necessarily good news though.
Jimmy and Greg’s merry band gets a new member as well although this happens in the usual more or less stumbling and clueless way most things happens when Jimmy and Greg are involved. I do like this new addition though. She is… Well I think I’ll quote the book on that one: “Just what I needed, a psycho gun-nut cheerleader coed to raise as if it were my very own. Next time I’m totally getting a cactus.”
Although there’s a lot of things happening, including a lot of action, bantering and trash talk of course, there is unfortunately not that much development when it comes to Jimmy’s powers and his understanding of them. I would really have liked to see some more of that.
Anyway, I liked the book and I felt it was an improvement of over the two first books.
July 21, 2017
I give this a like rating as a novella which is what I'm considering it, but as a novel it would just be ok. While the writing flowed well and nothing irritated me, the story was quite simple and too short. I'm also as incredulous as jimmy about one new thing he learned. Really? How could he really not know about it? Something major is happening to one of Jimmy's closest friends and it's basically dropped. Something momentous happens to Greg and we're not included in what happens. All of that could be fleshed out. The author did manage to fit some character development and meaningful exchanges despite the length.
After reading two of these books, I'm not really invested in the characters so I'm going to split the like and ok and give Knight Moves 2.5 stars.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
After reading two of these books, I'm not really invested in the characters so I'm going to split the like and ok and give Knight Moves 2.5 stars.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 18, 2018
I like this take on vampires. This one got into the politics of the undead a little bit. As with the previous books, there is quite a bit of hilarity to go along with the detective noir. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
October 21, 2025
The vampire detectives are back and this time they find out they are not the only vampires in town. When a murder victim is found drained of all blood, the duo try to stop the victim rising as an undead. Unfortunately they are too late and find themselves in a vampire turf war.
May 28, 2019
Great
I can't believe I'm sucked into another series by John Hartness. I was holding out for a new book in the other series and happened on this. Glad I did !
I can't believe I'm sucked into another series by John Hartness. I was holding out for a new book in the other series and happened on this. Glad I did !
June 28, 2013
James and Greg are called for a rather worrying murder – a body drained of blood and ready to wake up again as a vampire. Yes, they’re not the only vampires in town any more.
Far from it, they suddenly find themselves surrounded by vampires – a whole pack of bloodsuckers who have passed under their radar. Or, perhaps more accurately, James and Greg have passed under their radar.
They’ve been noticed now – and not only do they have a baby vampire to look after, but James’s creator is in town. Throw in a pack of college vampires preying indiscriminately and an old vampire who claims to be the boss of all vampires in the city and there’s a lot to handle and a lot to learn
Even before the werewolf vampire hunter shows up
Greg and James’ experience as vampires is interesting and grows complex in this book. I have previously said that I loved how we had 2 vampires who genuinely enjoyed being vampires. In this that changes a lot – while James still very much revels in being a vampire, he clearly still holds a severe grudge against the vampire that sired him. This is as much from the way he was sired as anything else. But Greg goes beyond that – he doesn’t like being a vampire, and part of that is linked to his weight, as a fat man who can now never lose weight, he resents being a vampire, but part of it is linked to the old cliché – he won’t be able to grow old and have kids. I have to say I don’t like the meme, it’s been done too often and there’s rarely enough justification for why people should hate being supernatural immortals so much. In this case we have more because of the way they were sired as well as watching their childhood friend grow old and develop cancer it probably brings it home much more powerfully. So, it’s a more reasoned depiction of the whole “woe is me I’m a vampire” and they certainly don’t spend pages whining about it, but I can’t help but be sad that they’ve reversed something in the series I loved so much.
But this also partially reflects their conflicting attitudes towards what it takes to be a vampire. Greg is ferociously dedicated to drinking blood only from blood bags and hates that James continues to bite people and teach the new vampire Abby how to hunt. They even have an outright argument about it when James finally snaps in the face of Greg’s judgement and reluctance because Sabrina is in trouble and it’s time for Greg to act like the apex predator he is. In some ways it’s reminiscent of the whole Musty Vampire vs Evil Fun Vampire trope we see a lot – but by making them friends and the differences not so extreme it adds a lot of new angles to an old idea.
I really quite like how Greg and James were introduced to the greater vampire community and authority. It’s interesting because, again, it’s so very different from what we’re used to. So often the local vampire authorities are extremely powerful and not to be messed with – they serve as a deus ex machinae, a limit on character actions. But Greg and James, because of their contact with Sabrina (and I also like that killing a human detective isn’t seen as something that can be done in a casual or offhand manner, even for a vampire) and the fae in previous books, they’re too much a wildcard to be so dismissed. It strikes an excellent balance between having a vastly older more powerful vampire to be respected, yet not having to grovel – it, again, flies in the face of many tropes and not just because the protagonist is cocky and spunky and refuses to grovel when they should. I like that the master of the city is clearly powerful through machinations and plotting not just age and power – and the plotting is rather nicely displayed.
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Far from it, they suddenly find themselves surrounded by vampires – a whole pack of bloodsuckers who have passed under their radar. Or, perhaps more accurately, James and Greg have passed under their radar.
They’ve been noticed now – and not only do they have a baby vampire to look after, but James’s creator is in town. Throw in a pack of college vampires preying indiscriminately and an old vampire who claims to be the boss of all vampires in the city and there’s a lot to handle and a lot to learn
Even before the werewolf vampire hunter shows up
Greg and James’ experience as vampires is interesting and grows complex in this book. I have previously said that I loved how we had 2 vampires who genuinely enjoyed being vampires. In this that changes a lot – while James still very much revels in being a vampire, he clearly still holds a severe grudge against the vampire that sired him. This is as much from the way he was sired as anything else. But Greg goes beyond that – he doesn’t like being a vampire, and part of that is linked to his weight, as a fat man who can now never lose weight, he resents being a vampire, but part of it is linked to the old cliché – he won’t be able to grow old and have kids. I have to say I don’t like the meme, it’s been done too often and there’s rarely enough justification for why people should hate being supernatural immortals so much. In this case we have more because of the way they were sired as well as watching their childhood friend grow old and develop cancer it probably brings it home much more powerfully. So, it’s a more reasoned depiction of the whole “woe is me I’m a vampire” and they certainly don’t spend pages whining about it, but I can’t help but be sad that they’ve reversed something in the series I loved so much.
But this also partially reflects their conflicting attitudes towards what it takes to be a vampire. Greg is ferociously dedicated to drinking blood only from blood bags and hates that James continues to bite people and teach the new vampire Abby how to hunt. They even have an outright argument about it when James finally snaps in the face of Greg’s judgement and reluctance because Sabrina is in trouble and it’s time for Greg to act like the apex predator he is. In some ways it’s reminiscent of the whole Musty Vampire vs Evil Fun Vampire trope we see a lot – but by making them friends and the differences not so extreme it adds a lot of new angles to an old idea.
I really quite like how Greg and James were introduced to the greater vampire community and authority. It’s interesting because, again, it’s so very different from what we’re used to. So often the local vampire authorities are extremely powerful and not to be messed with – they serve as a deus ex machinae, a limit on character actions. But Greg and James, because of their contact with Sabrina (and I also like that killing a human detective isn’t seen as something that can be done in a casual or offhand manner, even for a vampire) and the fae in previous books, they’re too much a wildcard to be so dismissed. It strikes an excellent balance between having a vastly older more powerful vampire to be respected, yet not having to grovel – it, again, flies in the face of many tropes and not just because the protagonist is cocky and spunky and refuses to grovel when they should. I like that the master of the city is clearly powerful through machinations and plotting not just age and power – and the plotting is rather nicely displayed.
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June 24, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy
Trigger Warnings: violence, killing
My Thoughts: This third book in the Black Knight Chronicles is a darker book than the previous ones. Jimmy and Greg discover they are not, in fact, the only vampires in town, and they meet a werewolf, which makes Greg very excited. The characters are developed quite a bit more in this book, although the action is still very fast and furious.
In an almost comedic continuity error, the reflection that was there in the first book and gone in the second book is back in this third book. Hartness really needs to write this stuff down somewhere and keep track of it! Also, when they pull over Bobby with Abigail in the ambulance, it specifically says that he was running with lights but no siren, but not a page later Sabrina is “yell[ing] over the blaring siren”. Really sloppy editing.
However, fans of the series won't want to miss this book. I have no idea if there will be any more books in this series. This one was written a couple years ago, and the shorts compilation that I do not yet have was published a year ago. An omnibus edition of the first three books is scheduled for publication from Bell Bridge Books, and I found a note from 2012 saying “early 2013”, but that deadline has passed with no further words. Still, I have enjoyed this series immensely (and it's not quite finished—still have that novella to read), so I hope they'll be out soon. I know I'll be watching for any new stuff. If you like urban fantasies, be sure to check this one out.
Series Information: Knight Moves is the third book in the Black Knight Chronicles.
Book 1: Hard Day's Knight, review linked here where formatting allowed
Book 2: Back in Black, review linked here where formatting allowed
Novella 1: Movie Knight, review linked here where formatting allowed
Novella 2: Black Magic Woman
There is also a book of short stories called Knight (un)Life - Black Knight Shorts Vol. 1, which I do not currently have. He has a number of other books, including his Bubba Monster Hunter books, a number of which I currently have as well.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through the LibraryThing Members Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: In the third installment of The Black Knight Chronicles, vampire private investigators Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood find another vampire (or more) playing in their sandbox, and the boys are NOT happy about it.
While tracking down the killer of a young college student, they encounter boobytraps, defenestration, coeds, a hirsute bounty hunter with a moon fetish and a bad attitude, and worst of all—game night at a comic shop!
Reading Level: adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy
Trigger Warnings: violence, killing
My Thoughts: This third book in the Black Knight Chronicles is a darker book than the previous ones. Jimmy and Greg discover they are not, in fact, the only vampires in town, and they meet a werewolf, which makes Greg very excited. The characters are developed quite a bit more in this book, although the action is still very fast and furious.
In an almost comedic continuity error, the reflection that was there in the first book and gone in the second book is back in this third book. Hartness really needs to write this stuff down somewhere and keep track of it! Also, when they pull over Bobby with Abigail in the ambulance, it specifically says that he was running with lights but no siren, but not a page later Sabrina is “yell[ing] over the blaring siren”. Really sloppy editing.
However, fans of the series won't want to miss this book. I have no idea if there will be any more books in this series. This one was written a couple years ago, and the shorts compilation that I do not yet have was published a year ago. An omnibus edition of the first three books is scheduled for publication from Bell Bridge Books, and I found a note from 2012 saying “early 2013”, but that deadline has passed with no further words. Still, I have enjoyed this series immensely (and it's not quite finished—still have that novella to read), so I hope they'll be out soon. I know I'll be watching for any new stuff. If you like urban fantasies, be sure to check this one out.
Series Information: Knight Moves is the third book in the Black Knight Chronicles.
Book 1: Hard Day's Knight, review linked here where formatting allowed
Book 2: Back in Black, review linked here where formatting allowed
Novella 1: Movie Knight, review linked here where formatting allowed
Novella 2: Black Magic Woman
There is also a book of short stories called Knight (un)Life - Black Knight Shorts Vol. 1, which I do not currently have. He has a number of other books, including his Bubba Monster Hunter books, a number of which I currently have as well.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through the LibraryThing Members Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: In the third installment of The Black Knight Chronicles, vampire private investigators Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood find another vampire (or more) playing in their sandbox, and the boys are NOT happy about it.
While tracking down the killer of a young college student, they encounter boobytraps, defenestration, coeds, a hirsute bounty hunter with a moon fetish and a bad attitude, and worst of all—game night at a comic shop!
November 22, 2011
Two buddies live together as roommates, drink beer, play video games and reading comic books. Doesn’t seem like a good book does it? How about if those buddies are also vampires, one dresses in a superhero costume and they fight crime in their spare time? Puts a little twist on the story and sounds like a much better story.
And believe me, it is a MUCH better story. I thought that the plot of the book was fantastic, the characters well developed and the writing intelligent and witty but very easy to follow. John Hartness has written his vampires in a way that they could be ordinary people, if ordinary people drank blood to survive and surprised themselves with super human strength. The fact that these vampires are a little nerdy and read comic books just adds to the humor and lightheartedness of the story.
Knight Moves is book 3 of the Black Knight Chronicles series by John Hartness. Not having read the first two books, I thought it would be a good test of the books readability to start out in the middle of the series. I was able to read Knight Moves as a stand alone book and completely understand the story, which says a lot for the writer. I plan on reading the first two books of the series and I suspect that some of the references in the book, such as “cousin to a fairy” and “the time we battled a …(insert supernatural creature here)” will be expanded on. These comments did not detract from the story and actually made me curious about what the vampires had been doing before this book.
Overall, I was sad when the book ended. I had enjoyed reading it so much that the ending was frustrating. I can’t wait to find the first two books in the series and look forward to more books from John Hartness.
I received the EPub version of Dark Knight free from Library Thing giveaway.
And believe me, it is a MUCH better story. I thought that the plot of the book was fantastic, the characters well developed and the writing intelligent and witty but very easy to follow. John Hartness has written his vampires in a way that they could be ordinary people, if ordinary people drank blood to survive and surprised themselves with super human strength. The fact that these vampires are a little nerdy and read comic books just adds to the humor and lightheartedness of the story.
Knight Moves is book 3 of the Black Knight Chronicles series by John Hartness. Not having read the first two books, I thought it would be a good test of the books readability to start out in the middle of the series. I was able to read Knight Moves as a stand alone book and completely understand the story, which says a lot for the writer. I plan on reading the first two books of the series and I suspect that some of the references in the book, such as “cousin to a fairy” and “the time we battled a …(insert supernatural creature here)” will be expanded on. These comments did not detract from the story and actually made me curious about what the vampires had been doing before this book.
Overall, I was sad when the book ended. I had enjoyed reading it so much that the ending was frustrating. I can’t wait to find the first two books in the series and look forward to more books from John Hartness.
I received the EPub version of Dark Knight free from Library Thing giveaway.
August 20, 2011
Knight Moves by John Hartness is the third full length book in the Black Knight Chronicles. This book brings the the core characters Jimmy, Greg, Sabrina, and Mike back for another crazy adventure. This time Jimmy and Greg are called to the scene of a corpse completely drained of blood that has been posed at a construction site. A body with absolutely no blood can only mean one thing, there is another vampire on their turf.
This book shows Jimmy and Greg once again that they still have no idea what other paranormal activity is going on in their city. There is also a bit more background on when the duo of vampires were recently turned and how they reacted to it. The relationships between the characters are also revealed in a little bit more depth. Do Sabrina and Jimmy have a chance? What is the secret that Mike has been keeping from the guys?
Another strong book in the series I will continue to follow along with the misadventures of the Black Knight Detective Agency.
This book shows Jimmy and Greg once again that they still have no idea what other paranormal activity is going on in their city. There is also a bit more background on when the duo of vampires were recently turned and how they reacted to it. The relationships between the characters are also revealed in a little bit more depth. Do Sabrina and Jimmy have a chance? What is the secret that Mike has been keeping from the guys?
Another strong book in the series I will continue to follow along with the misadventures of the Black Knight Detective Agency.
February 15, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I wish I had known that there were other books set before this one, before reading it but it was not very hard to follow. It follows a “nerdy ” vampire and his friends. The thought of nerdy vampires was enough to make me laugh and all of their antics along the way made this book one of the most enjoyable I’ve read in a long time. Plus it has one of the best fight scenes I have every read, the very original ending to that fight made this entire book elevate in my opinion of it.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who favors vampire books. It’s outside the normal realm of the suave and sophisticated vampires but I think it shows a good perspective that not every vampire can be oh so cool and collected all the time. This is now on my list as a keeper that I probably read over and over again.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who favors vampire books. It’s outside the normal realm of the suave and sophisticated vampires but I think it shows a good perspective that not every vampire can be oh so cool and collected all the time. This is now on my list as a keeper that I probably read over and over again.
June 20, 2012
The introduction of a whole new vampire underground living in Charlotte was long overdue but a little difficult to swallow. I find it hard to believe that in fifteen years they never came across another vampire but managed to get into it with just about everything else out there. That didn't stop me from enjoying it however and I especially liked the introduction of Abby, hopefully she'll help Jimmy get Greg to stop wearing spandex and will offer us someone else to watch grow and development. I mean Jimmy's got the girl, Krysta is dead so I'm guessing that there'll be some sort of confrontation between Greg and Jimmy coming and a smack down between Jimmy and Lilith. Something to look forward to.
October 21, 2011
I enjoy this series. Its quick and friendly read. And in this one, Hartness seems to have found a more solid writing style.
The narrator and his best friend are vampires who make a living as detectives. There is a touch of fairie, demon, trolls, etc.
The characters are nerds who were turned at the age of 23. One of them was an overweight uber-geek, who is now stuck in a fat body, but insists on wearing spandex and pretending he is a superhero.
Its kept light and enjoyable.
The is nothing too desperately deep and moralizing about them, but they do keep a rather focused sense of being on the side of "good".
The narrator and his best friend are vampires who make a living as detectives. There is a touch of fairie, demon, trolls, etc.
The characters are nerds who were turned at the age of 23. One of them was an overweight uber-geek, who is now stuck in a fat body, but insists on wearing spandex and pretending he is a superhero.
Its kept light and enjoyable.
The is nothing too desperately deep and moralizing about them, but they do keep a rather focused sense of being on the side of "good".
April 22, 2012
When a girl is found drained to death by vampires Detective Sabrina Law draws the obvious conclusion that the only vampires she knows in town did the deed. However, she's wrong and the boys are about to find out Charlotte is not quite as vampire-free as they thought. I thought this book was enjoyable, though not quite as funny as the previous books in the series, but it does represent a definite turning point for the boys story. I'm still looking forward to the next book and reading all the short stories in the series in the meantime.
January 21, 2014
Loved it especially with the addition of other vampires in this one and how our favourite private eyes differ from the rest of their undead species, due in no small part to their epic nerdcentric behaviour.
I wasn't particularly impressed by Jimmy's sire I always figured she would be a bigger addition to the story and would be a larger than life vampire but it was nice to see the guys get some closer on this and I really enjoyed it.
I wasn't particularly impressed by Jimmy's sire I always figured she would be a bigger addition to the story and would be a larger than life vampire but it was nice to see the guys get some closer on this and I really enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2015
The Black Knight Chronicles are full of all the thrills, chills, laughs and feels you could be looking for. Written with brilliant wit and pacing, you will find yourself happily tagging along as part of Black Knight Investigations, saving the fair city of Charlotte and most definitely throwing back a few beers (or other beverage of choice).
I reviewed all 5 books in one post.
Check it out at http://wegeekgirls.com/2015/11/09/boo...
I reviewed all 5 books in one post.
Check it out at http://wegeekgirls.com/2015/11/09/boo...
September 8, 2016
Third of Harness's amusing urban fantasy. Like all series, the stories vary in quality... but the characters are compelling and the humor sometimes surprises. The developing story concerns two vampires (who adamantly detest the notion that they should sparkle ;D ) has been great. Fun read!
June 25, 2015
The series is getting better and better - in fact I just bought book #4 and pre-ordered book #5. There are still a few 'campy' quotes, but overall a pretty good original story.
Best quote in the book may be "Life sucks, wear a helmet."
Best quote in the book may be "Life sucks, wear a helmet."
September 27, 2015
I've got some issues with the world building in this series, and it does sometimes feel like the author is just taking the low-hanging fruit of popular vampire fiction and rolling with it, but otherwise it's enjoyable pulp reading.
August 2, 2016
A little darker, with bite!
Sorry, couldn't resist. Buuuuuut, it's true. I think our hero and the story was one of the darkest so far in the series.
However, it still has the puns and the funnies. Plus, some new characters that I look forward to learning more about.
Sorry, couldn't resist. Buuuuuut, it's true. I think our hero and the story was one of the darkest so far in the series.
However, it still has the puns and the funnies. Plus, some new characters that I look forward to learning more about.
August 20, 2011
Review coming soon...
August 24, 2011
Great addition to the series! Fun, campy and with enough nerd-dom to make apologies for all the sparkly vampire induced comas in the genre! Hats off John!
July 15, 2012
Another fun book by John G. Hartness! Fast paced, great story, and FINALLY some payoff between two if the lead characters, :)
I only hate that I have to wait until next year for the next one!
I only hate that I have to wait until next year for the next one!
March 28, 2013
Hey there back. hell of trouble follows,
At this point you know the characters, if you liked the first two book you'll love this one!
At this point you know the characters, if you liked the first two book you'll love this one!
June 15, 2013
Lots of fun to be had here. I really enjoyed it.
Read
August 11, 2013False
December 14, 2013
Great book. Funny and full of action. I've finished my re-read to be ready for Book 4 that comes out next Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to see where the series goes.
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