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The Dance of Light #0.5
The Knight of the Moon
John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new mission.
This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler.
Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will be succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth?
As part of “The Dance of Light” series, “The Knight of the Moon” is a novella which takes place seventeen years preceding the events of “The Return of the Knights.”
This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler.
Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will be succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth?
As part of “The Dance of Light” series, “The Knight of the Moon” is a novella which takes place seventeen years preceding the events of “The Return of the Knights.”
ebook
First published November 26, 2023
381 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Kontaxis
5 books130 followersDiscover the enchanting world of "The Dance of Light" epic fantasy series with a FREE prequel novella, "The Knight of the Moon." Join Gregory Kontaxis' mailing list now at https://gregorykontaxis.com/sign-up/ to claim your copy!
Gregory Kontaxis is a Greek epic fantasy author who writes about medieval wars, mythology, politics and epic adventures. His characters are ordinary and at the same time complex living with many challenges to face.
"The Return of the Knights" is the first part of his planned pentalogy “The Dance of Light”.
Gregory was born on 17th December 1989 in Athens. He studied Informatics and Finance in Greece and the United Kingdom and he has worked as a Financial Analyst in Vienna and London. He currently resides in London, where he is occupied with investment risk management and writing.
Gregory Kontaxis is a Greek epic fantasy author who writes about medieval wars, mythology, politics and epic adventures. His characters are ordinary and at the same time complex living with many challenges to face.
"The Return of the Knights" is the first part of his planned pentalogy “The Dance of Light”.
Gregory was born on 17th December 1989 in Athens. He studied Informatics and Finance in Greece and the United Kingdom and he has worked as a Financial Analyst in Vienna and London. He currently resides in London, where he is occupied with investment risk management and writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 30, 2024
Part of my Review Roundup on Before We Go Blog.
Gregory Kontaxis embraces the grimdark heart of his Dance of Light series in this prequel novella, The Knight of the Moon.
The bounty hunter, John, is a brutally fun protagonist with a nuanced gray morality that was missing from the lead characters of The Return of the Knights. In case there is any doubt this is a grimdark novella, The Knight of the Moon also features the Dripping Bucket, Michael R. Fletcher’s interdimensional grimdark tavern.
I enjoyed the character-driven focus of The Knight of the Moon, especially John’s evolving relationship with the female lead, the aptly named Nemesis.
The author’s writing is tighter and flows more naturally than in The Return of the Knights. I hope Kontaxis will continue in this style in the subsequent books of the series.
The Knight of the Moon is the perfect introduction to The Dance of Light series.
Gregory Kontaxis embraces the grimdark heart of his Dance of Light series in this prequel novella, The Knight of the Moon.
The bounty hunter, John, is a brutally fun protagonist with a nuanced gray morality that was missing from the lead characters of The Return of the Knights. In case there is any doubt this is a grimdark novella, The Knight of the Moon also features the Dripping Bucket, Michael R. Fletcher’s interdimensional grimdark tavern.
I enjoyed the character-driven focus of The Knight of the Moon, especially John’s evolving relationship with the female lead, the aptly named Nemesis.
The author’s writing is tighter and flows more naturally than in The Return of the Knights. I hope Kontaxis will continue in this style in the subsequent books of the series.
The Knight of the Moon is the perfect introduction to The Dance of Light series.
October 27, 2023
The Knight of the Moon is a great entry point to a potentially exciting series!
I have had The Return of the Knights on my tbr for a while, but I just haven’t had the time to pick it up. Therefore, I was very excited when Kontaxis reached out and asked if I wanted to read his prequel novella! I read this novella in a bit more than an hour and had a great time with it!
The Knight of the Moon follows John, a bounty hunter, who is suddenly forced to track down and kill the legendary Knight of the Moon! I was absolutely hooked on this story from page one. Kontaxis does a fantastic job at introducing the plot and instantly raises the stakes in the first ten pages! I love that John and Nemesis are underdogs and reluctant heroes, two tropes I adore! This story does a wonderful job at introducing a wide range of tropes and themes fantasy fans love, such as found family, legendary warriors, underdogs, brewing rebellion, power-hungry monarchs and reluctant heroes! I also need to praise Kontaxis’ ability to write such a self-containing epic fantasy story in only around 100 pages – something that is challenging to achieve.
Admittedly, the first half of the novella was considerably more enjoyable to me than the latter half. In the latter portion, some characters’ decisions and their reactions to certain events felt somewhat rushed, leaving me with moments that didn’t entirely make sense. Perhaps expanding the novella by 50 pages could have provided a more satisfying resolution.
Nonetheless, this was an excellent introduction to The Dance of Light series, which is planned to be 5 books long!
Thank you to Kontaxis for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
4 / 5
I have had The Return of the Knights on my tbr for a while, but I just haven’t had the time to pick it up. Therefore, I was very excited when Kontaxis reached out and asked if I wanted to read his prequel novella! I read this novella in a bit more than an hour and had a great time with it!
The Knight of the Moon follows John, a bounty hunter, who is suddenly forced to track down and kill the legendary Knight of the Moon! I was absolutely hooked on this story from page one. Kontaxis does a fantastic job at introducing the plot and instantly raises the stakes in the first ten pages! I love that John and Nemesis are underdogs and reluctant heroes, two tropes I adore! This story does a wonderful job at introducing a wide range of tropes and themes fantasy fans love, such as found family, legendary warriors, underdogs, brewing rebellion, power-hungry monarchs and reluctant heroes! I also need to praise Kontaxis’ ability to write such a self-containing epic fantasy story in only around 100 pages – something that is challenging to achieve.
Admittedly, the first half of the novella was considerably more enjoyable to me than the latter half. In the latter portion, some characters’ decisions and their reactions to certain events felt somewhat rushed, leaving me with moments that didn’t entirely make sense. Perhaps expanding the novella by 50 pages could have provided a more satisfying resolution.
Nonetheless, this was an excellent introduction to The Dance of Light series, which is planned to be 5 books long!
Thank you to Kontaxis for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
4 / 5
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November 23, 2023I received this rather fine hardback copy.
I'm happy to have it -- I'm sad I won't get to read it for a while.
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I'm happy to have it -- I'm sad I won't get to read it for a while.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
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November 28, 2023
Finally back into this world, this time in the form of a novella about one of my favourite characters in the series - JOHN LONG ARM!!! COMMENCE THE CHEERING.
You may remember him as the former bounty hunter, a loyal friend and he's still all of that, but we get to see him during his "glory days" of bounty hunting, as he sets out on a quest to kill The Knight of the Moon to save his own life.
Firstly, yes, this is a prequel, but!! In my opinion you should go read The Return of the Knights first, then go back and read this so you'll know just how cool John is, you'll already know who some of the characters mentioned here will become in the future, and so everything will flow better.
If you want to read this first though, feel free to. I'm sure it'll grip you enough to make you want to continue reading the books that come after. It's also very self-contained, so the ending isn't a cliffhanger and doesn't directly continue into book one. And you get a complete story inside too.
Aside from John's PoV, we get another one in Nemesis, she's anger personified and gets punished unfairly for getting revenge on someone who wronged her. I feel really bad for her, she didn't deserve that.
Her romance with John was very fast, it seemed like they went from just making googly eyes at each other to going all the way without much progression in between, but it's also a novella so that's to be expected. I wouldn't say I ship it, but I don't mind it.
What I liked most was getting to know John a bit better, why he is the way he is and how what happened here shaped the future version of him. Here's to more John novellas!!!
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
You may remember him as the former bounty hunter, a loyal friend and he's still all of that, but we get to see him during his "glory days" of bounty hunting, as he sets out on a quest to kill The Knight of the Moon to save his own life.
Firstly, yes, this is a prequel, but!! In my opinion you should go read The Return of the Knights first, then go back and read this so you'll know just how cool John is, you'll already know who some of the characters mentioned here will become in the future, and so everything will flow better.
If you want to read this first though, feel free to. I'm sure it'll grip you enough to make you want to continue reading the books that come after. It's also very self-contained, so the ending isn't a cliffhanger and doesn't directly continue into book one. And you get a complete story inside too.
Aside from John's PoV, we get another one in Nemesis, she's anger personified and gets punished unfairly for getting revenge on someone who wronged her. I feel really bad for her, she didn't deserve that.
Her romance with John was very fast, it seemed like they went from just making googly eyes at each other to going all the way without much progression in between, but it's also a novella so that's to be expected. I wouldn't say I ship it, but I don't mind it.
What I liked most was getting to know John a bit better, why he is the way he is and how what happened here shaped the future version of him. Here's to more John novellas!!!
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
December 17, 2023
I accepted a digital copy of this novella from the author in consideration of a review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
You know how EVERY fantasy book for the longest time had "For fans of A Song of Ice and Fire" on them and they never lived up to that comparison? Yeah, this novella absolutely does.
Violence. Brutality. Torture. Characters facing outward conflict as well as inner conflict. High stakes. Bravery. Honor. Loyalty. Love.
This novella packs a punch.
Even though I just finished reading THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS, I immediately wanted to reread it now that I have a thorough understanding of the character that is John, the Long Arm, a bounty hunter that always gets his target. He was already a favorite character who is responsible for teaching the reader so much of the world of The Dance of Light series, but this novella adds so much depth to him.
Kontaxis dialed his writing style up a few notches with this novella. Even though I appreciate the slight shift in writing style, I am relieved that the author didn't lose the beautiful classic, old world fantasy style he used in his first book.
I love that he gave me such an understanding of and insight to the character of John. Instead of telling readers about it, Kontaxis showed us in vivid detail what made John such a cynical man - and my goodness - it was violence, it was chaos, and it gutted me. This story is fast paced, graphic, intense and one that will be impossible to forget.
The author did not shy away from thrilling readers with lots of action and movement. By movement, I mean the characters we follow are travelling, on the hunt for a knight that is their target, which expanded on the world building that was such a treat in THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS.
I was already eager to see where the second book in this series would take readers, but after this novella, the eagerness has shifted into need.
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Amanda L., Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
You know how EVERY fantasy book for the longest time had "For fans of A Song of Ice and Fire" on them and they never lived up to that comparison? Yeah, this novella absolutely does.
Violence. Brutality. Torture. Characters facing outward conflict as well as inner conflict. High stakes. Bravery. Honor. Loyalty. Love.
This novella packs a punch.
Even though I just finished reading THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS, I immediately wanted to reread it now that I have a thorough understanding of the character that is John, the Long Arm, a bounty hunter that always gets his target. He was already a favorite character who is responsible for teaching the reader so much of the world of The Dance of Light series, but this novella adds so much depth to him.
Kontaxis dialed his writing style up a few notches with this novella. Even though I appreciate the slight shift in writing style, I am relieved that the author didn't lose the beautiful classic, old world fantasy style he used in his first book.
I love that he gave me such an understanding of and insight to the character of John. Instead of telling readers about it, Kontaxis showed us in vivid detail what made John such a cynical man - and my goodness - it was violence, it was chaos, and it gutted me. This story is fast paced, graphic, intense and one that will be impossible to forget.
The author did not shy away from thrilling readers with lots of action and movement. By movement, I mean the characters we follow are travelling, on the hunt for a knight that is their target, which expanded on the world building that was such a treat in THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS.
I was already eager to see where the second book in this series would take readers, but after this novella, the eagerness has shifted into need.
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Amanda L., Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
November 26, 2023
This review was originally posted on Before We Go Blog
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Filled with action, honour, oppression, self-discovery, romance, and violence, The Knight of the Moon serves as the perfect introduction to the epic Dance of Light series.
This story takes us back to seventeen years before the events unfolding in book 1, The Return of the Knights. We follow famous bounty hunter John the Long Arm, who has been tasked with tracking down a dangerous fugitive, the legendary Knight of the Moon.
Now, I thought The Return of the Knights was a promising debut, but I was not expecting Kontaxis to step up his game quite so much already with this prequel novella. The prose has much more flair and is positively entrancing, the characters have surprising emotional depth, and the world building is woven into the narrative in the most organic way possible.
For me, the biggest highlight of this novella is how it perfectly struck the balance between being character-driven and action-packed. John immediately proved to be a very compelling protagonist with surprising emotional depth, and I loved following him on this high-stakes quest.
Though, it was actually the second perspective who got me completely invested. You see, the prickly and aptly named Nemesis just won my heart the moment I met her. Her journey of defiance and self-discovery was beautifully written and pulled on my heartstrings in unexpected ways.
I do think the first half of the novella was stronger than the second half for me, because I think some plot points, especially the insta-love romance, felt a bit rushed as the pacing quickly increased. Also, while I appreciate that Kontaxis embraced his inner Lord Grimdark, I can’t say I was very impressed with how the ‘bad guys’ were characterised as being evil by constantly threatening with sexual violence against the women in the story.
That said, the beautifully bittersweet ending had some ballsy twists and turns that I really enjoyed, making this short little novella a lot more memorable than you might ever have expected. All of Kontaxis’ best skills as an author are on full display in The Knight of the Moon, and it will leave you hungering for more in the best way possible!
Pick it up for free by signing up to the author's newsletter here: Sign up & get the novella!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Filled with action, honour, oppression, self-discovery, romance, and violence, The Knight of the Moon serves as the perfect introduction to the epic Dance of Light series.
This story takes us back to seventeen years before the events unfolding in book 1, The Return of the Knights. We follow famous bounty hunter John the Long Arm, who has been tasked with tracking down a dangerous fugitive, the legendary Knight of the Moon.
Now, I thought The Return of the Knights was a promising debut, but I was not expecting Kontaxis to step up his game quite so much already with this prequel novella. The prose has much more flair and is positively entrancing, the characters have surprising emotional depth, and the world building is woven into the narrative in the most organic way possible.
For me, the biggest highlight of this novella is how it perfectly struck the balance between being character-driven and action-packed. John immediately proved to be a very compelling protagonist with surprising emotional depth, and I loved following him on this high-stakes quest.
Though, it was actually the second perspective who got me completely invested. You see, the prickly and aptly named Nemesis just won my heart the moment I met her. Her journey of defiance and self-discovery was beautifully written and pulled on my heartstrings in unexpected ways.
I do think the first half of the novella was stronger than the second half for me, because I think some plot points, especially the insta-love romance, felt a bit rushed as the pacing quickly increased. Also, while I appreciate that Kontaxis embraced his inner Lord Grimdark, I can’t say I was very impressed with how the ‘bad guys’ were characterised as being evil by constantly threatening with sexual violence against the women in the story.
That said, the beautifully bittersweet ending had some ballsy twists and turns that I really enjoyed, making this short little novella a lot more memorable than you might ever have expected. All of Kontaxis’ best skills as an author are on full display in The Knight of the Moon, and it will leave you hungering for more in the best way possible!
Pick it up for free by signing up to the author's newsletter here: Sign up & get the novella!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 23, 2023
4/5 Stars
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Honour, romance, cruelty, and high stakes. This is the kind of novella that will leave you wanting more.
The Knight of the Moon is a prequel novella to The Dance of the Light series by Gregory Kontaxis. Taking readers back seventeen years to the beginnings of Walter’s insurrection and giving background to John the Long Arm from The Return of the Knights.
John is a famous bounty hunter in the north and has been tasked with tracking down a Knight who has forsaken their vows to the kingdom and ruler.
Something I had mentioned in my review of The Return of the Knights was how the story was more plot driven and relied on telling rather than showing. With the novella, it was a delight to see how the author’s writing has grown. From balancing character and plot driven storytelling to depth with the character work, Gregory Kontaxis demonstrates exactly why he is an author to watch.
Throughout the story we follow two POV’s from John and Nemesis. I enjoyed learning more about John’s past and what led him to the kind of man he is in The Return of the Knight. Seeing John’s journey, relationships, and the choices he’s faced with was captivating and I loved the complexity we see with his character.
We’re also introduced to a new character named Nemesis. An angry young woman who is faced with a terrible choice. While I both enjoyed and struggled with her character at times, she remains memorable.
Despite the brevity of a novella there was exploration of deeper themes including self-discovery, oppression, and the meaning of honour alongside travel, some action, and even impactful dark moments.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and left me excited for more stories from the author.
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Honour, romance, cruelty, and high stakes. This is the kind of novella that will leave you wanting more.
The Knight of the Moon is a prequel novella to The Dance of the Light series by Gregory Kontaxis. Taking readers back seventeen years to the beginnings of Walter’s insurrection and giving background to John the Long Arm from The Return of the Knights.
John is a famous bounty hunter in the north and has been tasked with tracking down a Knight who has forsaken their vows to the kingdom and ruler.
Something I had mentioned in my review of The Return of the Knights was how the story was more plot driven and relied on telling rather than showing. With the novella, it was a delight to see how the author’s writing has grown. From balancing character and plot driven storytelling to depth with the character work, Gregory Kontaxis demonstrates exactly why he is an author to watch.
Throughout the story we follow two POV’s from John and Nemesis. I enjoyed learning more about John’s past and what led him to the kind of man he is in The Return of the Knight. Seeing John’s journey, relationships, and the choices he’s faced with was captivating and I loved the complexity we see with his character.
We’re also introduced to a new character named Nemesis. An angry young woman who is faced with a terrible choice. While I both enjoyed and struggled with her character at times, she remains memorable.
Despite the brevity of a novella there was exploration of deeper themes including self-discovery, oppression, and the meaning of honour alongside travel, some action, and even impactful dark moments.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and left me excited for more stories from the author.
December 19, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
The Knight of the Moon is a complementary novella to The Dance of Light series, written by Gregory Kontaxis. Set seventeen years before The Return of the Knights, we get to know more about the past of one of the main characters in the series, John, the Long Hand, and about how he lived as a bounty hunter.
John has a good life as a bounty hunter, one of the most renowned in the region; and his fame attracts new contractors with tight deadlines: he should hunt the famous Knight of the Moon in ten days, or either he will become the hunted. To take care of him and, as a sort of punishment, Nemesis, a female soldier, is sent with John; soon discovering that part of the success attributed to John comes from the rest of the party that he keeps hidden for good reasons.
Despite being relatively short in comparison with the main entry of the series, Kontaxis takes his opportunity to develop the characters, while embracing the morally grey aspects that were a bit overlooked in The Return of the Knights. Nemesis is a delicious character, and her banter and anger with John, which will later evolve into a romance, makes a perfect accompaniment for a story that raises the stakes from the start, exploring different tropes such as the reluctant heroes and the start of a rebellion.
I think we can appreciate the growth of Kontaxis as storyteller, especially in the part of giving a better range of nuances to the characters, even when the length constraint him a bit; pacing is really adequate for this kind of narration.
The Knight of the Moon is a perfect entry point in The Dance of Light series, while showing the progress of Gregory Kontaxis as a writer; if you like grim fantasy, feel free to take a pint on the Dripping Bucket, and pick this book.
The Knight of the Moon is a complementary novella to The Dance of Light series, written by Gregory Kontaxis. Set seventeen years before The Return of the Knights, we get to know more about the past of one of the main characters in the series, John, the Long Hand, and about how he lived as a bounty hunter.
John has a good life as a bounty hunter, one of the most renowned in the region; and his fame attracts new contractors with tight deadlines: he should hunt the famous Knight of the Moon in ten days, or either he will become the hunted. To take care of him and, as a sort of punishment, Nemesis, a female soldier, is sent with John; soon discovering that part of the success attributed to John comes from the rest of the party that he keeps hidden for good reasons.
Despite being relatively short in comparison with the main entry of the series, Kontaxis takes his opportunity to develop the characters, while embracing the morally grey aspects that were a bit overlooked in The Return of the Knights. Nemesis is a delicious character, and her banter and anger with John, which will later evolve into a romance, makes a perfect accompaniment for a story that raises the stakes from the start, exploring different tropes such as the reluctant heroes and the start of a rebellion.
I think we can appreciate the growth of Kontaxis as storyteller, especially in the part of giving a better range of nuances to the characters, even when the length constraint him a bit; pacing is really adequate for this kind of narration.
The Knight of the Moon is a perfect entry point in The Dance of Light series, while showing the progress of Gregory Kontaxis as a writer; if you like grim fantasy, feel free to take a pint on the Dripping Bucket, and pick this book.
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January 9, 2026Read for SFINCS3, Round 2 (semifinals) - RTC
October 22, 2023
A distinguished knight forsakes his vows & goes into hiding. An elite bounty hunter is tasked to find him. The aftermath will haunt these lands for years to come.
Moving novella plays out like an old western. Great interactions & climax! Excellent!
Moving novella plays out like an old western. Great interactions & climax! Excellent!
October 21, 2023
As a token of my appreciation for fantasy enthusiasts like you, here's a free ebook copy of "The Knight of the Moon" at www.gregorykontaxis.com.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
November 5, 2023
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Knight of the Moon by Gregory Kontaxis is a great focal point for a brilliant character and an exciting entry to the Dance of Light series.
John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new mission.This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler.Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will he succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth?
This was a novel that took us on a journey of discovery and honour. We walked along the path of darkness and immersed ourselves in the action. John himself is a tough character and Kontaxis has proven he can write complexity in a gripping and surreal way. We really feel for Johns relationships and thoughts and start to wonder what we would do in these situations. The personalities that Kontaxis has written resonate with real life and the sadness that we go through is a bitter hope.
The story itself left a hole that can only be filled by more in this world. Kontaxis has proven that you don’t need magic or creatures, although Return of the Knights handled these well, to make a great fantasy story. The expansion of an already established plot and world leaves us heaving for more. This series has had such a robust start and I am eager to see where this is going.
It is evident that Kontaxis has grown as a writer between this and The Return of the Knights and with a story that dives into authentic character work alongside a hearty plot, this author has definitely earned a place amongst those to keep an eye on.
The Knight of the Moon by Gregory Kontaxis is a great focal point for a brilliant character and an exciting entry to the Dance of Light series.
John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new mission.This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler.Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will he succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth?
This was a novel that took us on a journey of discovery and honour. We walked along the path of darkness and immersed ourselves in the action. John himself is a tough character and Kontaxis has proven he can write complexity in a gripping and surreal way. We really feel for Johns relationships and thoughts and start to wonder what we would do in these situations. The personalities that Kontaxis has written resonate with real life and the sadness that we go through is a bitter hope.
The story itself left a hole that can only be filled by more in this world. Kontaxis has proven that you don’t need magic or creatures, although Return of the Knights handled these well, to make a great fantasy story. The expansion of an already established plot and world leaves us heaving for more. This series has had such a robust start and I am eager to see where this is going.
It is evident that Kontaxis has grown as a writer between this and The Return of the Knights and with a story that dives into authentic character work alongside a hearty plot, this author has definitely earned a place amongst those to keep an eye on.
November 12, 2023
The Knight of the Moon is an adventurous novella that pulls you in right from the start. The writing reads away smoothly and the pace is just right. It's a lovely prequel for The Return of the Knights and I assure you if you love this novella you'll love The Return of the Knights as well, and vice versa. And if you haven't read either one of them, I'd recommend you give them both a chance!
I absolutely loved getting to know more about John this way, and I loved Nemesis, Gareth, Alis, Alan and Edrick as well. All characters felt different and unique, each with their own personality and stories. The villains were amazing too, never wanted to punch characters so badly 😂
The depth of this novella was perfectly well done! I'd recommend anyone to read The Knight of the Moon! All the works of this author so far have been truly amazing! 📖✨
I absolutely loved getting to know more about John this way, and I loved Nemesis, Gareth, Alis, Alan and Edrick as well. All characters felt different and unique, each with their own personality and stories. The villains were amazing too, never wanted to punch characters so badly 😂
The depth of this novella was perfectly well done! I'd recommend anyone to read The Knight of the Moon! All the works of this author so far have been truly amazing! 📖✨
November 27, 2023
Firstly, thanks to Gregory Kontaxis for sending me a copy of The Knight of the Moon to review. This obviously doesn’t affect my thoughts and review.
The Knight of the Moon is set 30 years before the events in The Return of the Knights and follows Long Arm John, one of the main characters in The Return of the Knights, during his bounty hunting days. Long Arm John was already an interesting character in The Return of the Knights, so it was great to see some of his back story and get more of an idea of events hinted at during the main series.
While short, this novella covers a lot of story. The beginning starts a bit slow, but ends up packing a serious action punch towards the end. Long Arm John, a famous bounty hunter, is recruited by Walter (oh yes Walter…) and tasked to kill the Knight of the Moon, a forsaken Knight and possibly the last existing one. He teams up with Nemesis, a disgraced soldier, who must prove herself to Walter. The two make an unlikely but likeable team of reluctant, underdog heroes. There’s lots of tropey fantasy mixed into their bounty adventure that brews into a fantastic fantasy novella.
As mentioned, the action did take a while to start as it felt like the relationship between Long Arm John and Nemesis took precedence. I enjoyed their character development alongside their relationship, but would have liked this to be more of a side story. Despite this, it still worked very well and once the action started, it started with a bang and I couldn’t help ploughing through the rest of the book.
It helped that both characters were super likeable, both coming to terms with issues in their past and showing nice character development throughout such a short book. Long Arm John was especially enjoyable to read about, not just for back-story, but also because of his humorous, moral and easy-going nature that somehow fit with his edgy and badass, bounty hunting personality.
I highly recommend this read for fans who want more of a background knowledge of past events or more detail into Long John. I also think The Knight of the Moon could be a great stepping stone for readers, who want a taste of the unique world that Gregory Kontaxis has created.
The Knight of the Moon is set 30 years before the events in The Return of the Knights and follows Long Arm John, one of the main characters in The Return of the Knights, during his bounty hunting days. Long Arm John was already an interesting character in The Return of the Knights, so it was great to see some of his back story and get more of an idea of events hinted at during the main series.
While short, this novella covers a lot of story. The beginning starts a bit slow, but ends up packing a serious action punch towards the end. Long Arm John, a famous bounty hunter, is recruited by Walter (oh yes Walter…) and tasked to kill the Knight of the Moon, a forsaken Knight and possibly the last existing one. He teams up with Nemesis, a disgraced soldier, who must prove herself to Walter. The two make an unlikely but likeable team of reluctant, underdog heroes. There’s lots of tropey fantasy mixed into their bounty adventure that brews into a fantastic fantasy novella.
As mentioned, the action did take a while to start as it felt like the relationship between Long Arm John and Nemesis took precedence. I enjoyed their character development alongside their relationship, but would have liked this to be more of a side story. Despite this, it still worked very well and once the action started, it started with a bang and I couldn’t help ploughing through the rest of the book.
It helped that both characters were super likeable, both coming to terms with issues in their past and showing nice character development throughout such a short book. Long Arm John was especially enjoyable to read about, not just for back-story, but also because of his humorous, moral and easy-going nature that somehow fit with his edgy and badass, bounty hunting personality.
I highly recommend this read for fans who want more of a background knowledge of past events or more detail into Long John. I also think The Knight of the Moon could be a great stepping stone for readers, who want a taste of the unique world that Gregory Kontaxis has created.
December 13, 2023
An interesting story told through a straightforward prose, results in a quick and enjoyable read.
I must say though that the short length of this novella didn't do the story any favors. A lot happens and 100 pages weren't enough to make the characters and the relationships more impactful. In fact some developments (romance related) felt forced and some of the actions not fully justified.
An ok read and I hope in his full length novel, the author manages to correct all of the above and deliver something even better.
I must say though that the short length of this novella didn't do the story any favors. A lot happens and 100 pages weren't enough to make the characters and the relationships more impactful. In fact some developments (romance related) felt forced and some of the actions not fully justified.
An ok read and I hope in his full length novel, the author manages to correct all of the above and deliver something even better.
January 28, 2024
Πραγματικά, δε νομίζω ότι μπορώ να βρω κάτι αρνητικό να πω για αυτό το βιβλιαράκι. Η ιστορία είναι πάρα πολύ καλή, χωρίς να κουράζει με την κοσμοπλασία ή την ανούσια καταγραφή πληροφοριών. Μαθαίνουμε πράγματα για τον κόσμο του συγγραφέα, χωρίς όμως να πρέπει να μας γεμίσει με πληροφορίες που εδώ χρειαζόμαστε. Όσοι έχετε διαβάσει το πρώτο βιβλίο (Η επιστροφή των Ιπποτών) μάλλον θα λατρέψετε αυτή τη νουβέλα. Όσοι πάλι όχι, διαβάστε άφοβα. Δεν υπάρχουν πράγματα που θα έπρεπε να γνωρίζετε. Έτσι και αλλιώς αυτή η ιστορία προηγείται χρονικά των γεγονότων που διαβάσαμε στην Επιστροφή των Ιπποτών. Και ίσως εξηγεί και κάποια πράγματα. Όσοι αγαπάτε τους ιππότες και του μεσαιωνικού ρύπου φάντασι, εδώ θα ανακαλύψετε ένα διαμαντάκι. Οι υπόλοιποι, ίσως πρέπει να αρχίσετε, έτσι και αλλιώς!
January 25, 2024
Διαβάζοντας τα δύο πρώτα βιβλία της σειράς "Ο χορός του φωτός", δεν θα μπορούσε παρά να ξεχωρίσει κάνεις τον Τζον τον Μακρυχέρη. Ένας χαρακτήρας απρόβλεπτος, με πολύ ενδιαφέρον, ο οποίος όπως αποκαλύφτηκε έχει ένα συγκλονιστικό backstory. Σε αυτή τη νουβέλα παρακολουθούμε μια από τις περιπέτειες του Τζον, η οποία ίσως και να έπαιξε καθοριστικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση του χαρακτήρα που γνωρίσαμε στα βιβλία της σειράς.
⚔️ Θα ξεκινήσω μιλώντας για το βασικότερο μέρος ενός βιβλίου, κατά την άποψή μου. Χαρακτήρες! Οι έξυπνοι χαρακτήρες θεωρώ πως μπορούν να κάνουν τη διαφορά. Εδώ λοιπόν βλέπουμε έναν συνδυασμό δυναμικών και έξυπνων χαρακτήρων, δοσμένους σε ένα εξαιρετικά γραμμένο κείμενο. Όλοι οι ήρωες είχαν έναν λόγο ύπαρξης και μια δική τους φωνή. Εκτός από τον Τζον ξεχώρισα πολύ τον ιππότη του φεγγαριού, αλλά και την Νέμεσις, η οποία και επισήμως έγινε μια από τις αγαπημένες μου female characters. Ο δυναμισμός, το ήθος της και η γενναιότητά της, κόντρα στα δεδομένα της εποχής που παρουσιάζεται την έκαναν να ξεχωρίζει στα μάτια μου.
⚔️ Ένα από τα πράγματα που θαυμάζω σε έναν καλλιτέχνη είναι η συνεχής εξέλιξη και νιώθω πως είδα μια μεγάλη εξέλιξη στην πένα του Γρήγορη Κονταξή, σε σχέση με το πρώτο βιβλίο του που διάβασα (το οποίο ήταν επίσης εξαιρετικό.) Καταφέρνει να δημιουργήσει σκηνικά, τόσο ζωντανά που κανεις αισθάνεται πως τα βλέπει να εξελίσσονται εμπρός του. Εισάγει τον αναγνώστη σιγά σιγά στον κόσμο του, δίχως να μπερδεύει ή να φλυαρεί, αφήνοντας παράλληλα τους χαρακτήρες να οδηγήσουν την πλοκή.
⚔️ Η πλοκή ήταν πολύ έξυπνη! Αν και μέσα μου ένιωθα πως το τέλος δεν θα μπορούσε να είναι διαφορετικό από αυτό που έδωσε ο συγγραφέας, δεν μπόρεσα να φανταστώ τι ακριβώς θα συμβεί ώσπου να φτάσουμε εκεί, ακόμα και όταν έφτασα στις τελευταίες σελίδες. Κράτησε λοιπόν αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον μου!
⚔️ Θα ξεκινήσω μιλώντας για το βασικότερο μέρος ενός βιβλίου, κατά την άποψή μου. Χαρακτήρες! Οι έξυπνοι χαρακτήρες θεωρώ πως μπορούν να κάνουν τη διαφορά. Εδώ λοιπόν βλέπουμε έναν συνδυασμό δυναμικών και έξυπνων χαρακτήρων, δοσμένους σε ένα εξαιρετικά γραμμένο κείμενο. Όλοι οι ήρωες είχαν έναν λόγο ύπαρξης και μια δική τους φωνή. Εκτός από τον Τζον ξεχώρισα πολύ τον ιππότη του φεγγαριού, αλλά και την Νέμεσις, η οποία και επισήμως έγινε μια από τις αγαπημένες μου female characters. Ο δυναμισμός, το ήθος της και η γενναιότητά της, κόντρα στα δεδομένα της εποχής που παρουσιάζεται την έκαναν να ξεχωρίζει στα μάτια μου.
⚔️ Ένα από τα πράγματα που θαυμάζω σε έναν καλλιτέχνη είναι η συνεχής εξέλιξη και νιώθω πως είδα μια μεγάλη εξέλιξη στην πένα του Γρήγορη Κονταξή, σε σχέση με το πρώτο βιβλίο του που διάβασα (το οποίο ήταν επίσης εξαιρετικό.) Καταφέρνει να δημιουργήσει σκηνικά, τόσο ζωντανά που κανεις αισθάνεται πως τα βλέπει να εξελίσσονται εμπρός του. Εισάγει τον αναγνώστη σιγά σιγά στον κόσμο του, δίχως να μπερδεύει ή να φλυαρεί, αφήνοντας παράλληλα τους χαρακτήρες να οδηγήσουν την πλοκή.
⚔️ Η πλοκή ήταν πολύ έξυπνη! Αν και μέσα μου ένιωθα πως το τέλος δεν θα μπορούσε να είναι διαφορετικό από αυτό που έδωσε ο συγγραφέας, δεν μπόρεσα να φανταστώ τι ακριβώς θα συμβεί ώσπου να φτάσουμε εκεί, ακόμα και όταν έφτασα στις τελευταίες σελίδες. Κράτησε λοιπόν αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον μου!
November 17, 2023
Synopsis
John Long Arm, the famed bounty hunter, has a new job: to kill a former knight of the realm. Only, John isn’t really taking on this job by choice. His paymasters are the Soldiers of Gaeldeath at the behest of the tyrant Walter Thorn. Now if John doesn’t find a way to kill an honorable man in hiding then he’ll be killed himself.
Review
Kontaxis’ first novella in The Dance of Light pentalogy focuses on popular character John Long Arm, who features heavily in series opener The Return of the Knights. In this novella we see Long Arm’s typical sardonic, hedonistic lifestyle at once. Only The Knight of the Moon goes on to look at the man behind this armour.
The story unfurls and John’s newfound partner is the fiery female soldier, Nemesis. Nemesis has her own stake in claiming the bounty on the Knight of the Moon - to restore her honour. Kontaxis again shows his ability to depict a bloody and brutal battle sequence in the climax of the novella, and characters who really need a killin’ certainly get their due killin’.
I do feel it appropriate to flag a possible trigger warning in that the novella does include threats of rape towards female characters that may not be for every reader, but there are no graphic, gratuitous or needless scenes of this nature. With that said, I enjoyed Nemesis’ story of her judge, jury, and executioner approach towards the man who attempted to assault her.
TKotM serves its purpose as a tragic story that fleshes out a prominent character from the series’ novels. Long Arm, to put it kindly, is a bit of a bastard but this story sets out to explain more carefully as to why he is the way he is and why he won’t run from the fight against the evil Walter Thorn.
For Honour
The Dance of Light remains a series with potential and this novella, while not essential reading, is one that fans of Long Arm in the first novel will enjoy. I’d still recommend reading The Return of the Knights before The Knight of the Moon for maximum enjoyment of this story, however.
John Long Arm, the famed bounty hunter, has a new job: to kill a former knight of the realm. Only, John isn’t really taking on this job by choice. His paymasters are the Soldiers of Gaeldeath at the behest of the tyrant Walter Thorn. Now if John doesn’t find a way to kill an honorable man in hiding then he’ll be killed himself.
Review
Kontaxis’ first novella in The Dance of Light pentalogy focuses on popular character John Long Arm, who features heavily in series opener The Return of the Knights. In this novella we see Long Arm’s typical sardonic, hedonistic lifestyle at once. Only The Knight of the Moon goes on to look at the man behind this armour.
The story unfurls and John’s newfound partner is the fiery female soldier, Nemesis. Nemesis has her own stake in claiming the bounty on the Knight of the Moon - to restore her honour. Kontaxis again shows his ability to depict a bloody and brutal battle sequence in the climax of the novella, and characters who really need a killin’ certainly get their due killin’.
I do feel it appropriate to flag a possible trigger warning in that the novella does include threats of rape towards female characters that may not be for every reader, but there are no graphic, gratuitous or needless scenes of this nature. With that said, I enjoyed Nemesis’ story of her judge, jury, and executioner approach towards the man who attempted to assault her.
TKotM serves its purpose as a tragic story that fleshes out a prominent character from the series’ novels. Long Arm, to put it kindly, is a bit of a bastard but this story sets out to explain more carefully as to why he is the way he is and why he won’t run from the fight against the evil Walter Thorn.
For Honour
The Dance of Light remains a series with potential and this novella, while not essential reading, is one that fans of Long Arm in the first novel will enjoy. I’d still recommend reading The Return of the Knights before The Knight of the Moon for maximum enjoyment of this story, however.
October 21, 2023
Book Review -The Knight of the Moon
In The Return of the Knight by Gregory Kontaxis there were some awesome characters one in particular was John the long arm.
Upon finding out Gregory was going to release a novella dedicated John, I just knew I had to read it.
Thank you to Gregory for sending an arc of this book, I appreciate it!!
This novella is set 17 years prior to the events in The Return of the Knights.
This is a nice little story to really understand the person John was before we met him in The Return of the Knights.
In this short story John goes through so much change.
We first meet John as a bounty hunter happy with his life of chasing a bounty and plenty of women.
After a bit of bad luck he is sent on a quest to find a knight that has hidden himself away.
Along for the ride is angry young female warrior, Nemesis!
Here is where my enjoyment of this book started to wane, I just do not like a book heavy influence by romance.
For a large chunk of this book the only underlying theme was the romance between John and Nemesis.
I understand why the author did this as it sets up John personality and motivation in future books.
I was sad that it took to 80% in before there was any form of action.
Obviously these gripes are specific to me and I’m sure other will enjoy this side of the book.
John as a character was great, he has so many layers to him that I think most readers will love something about him.
This book was still a good addition to the series and helped expand a characters from book 1 that I really liked.
Rating 6/10 ⭐️
In The Return of the Knight by Gregory Kontaxis there were some awesome characters one in particular was John the long arm.
Upon finding out Gregory was going to release a novella dedicated John, I just knew I had to read it.
Thank you to Gregory for sending an arc of this book, I appreciate it!!
This novella is set 17 years prior to the events in The Return of the Knights.
This is a nice little story to really understand the person John was before we met him in The Return of the Knights.
In this short story John goes through so much change.
We first meet John as a bounty hunter happy with his life of chasing a bounty and plenty of women.
After a bit of bad luck he is sent on a quest to find a knight that has hidden himself away.
Along for the ride is angry young female warrior, Nemesis!
Here is where my enjoyment of this book started to wane, I just do not like a book heavy influence by romance.
For a large chunk of this book the only underlying theme was the romance between John and Nemesis.
I understand why the author did this as it sets up John personality and motivation in future books.
I was sad that it took to 80% in before there was any form of action.
Obviously these gripes are specific to me and I’m sure other will enjoy this side of the book.
John as a character was great, he has so many layers to him that I think most readers will love something about him.
This book was still a good addition to the series and helped expand a characters from book 1 that I really liked.
Rating 6/10 ⭐️
October 21, 2023
This story dives into one of my favorite side characters in Return of the Knights, John. He's a complex character and this novella dives more into his past and how it shapes him into he is when we meet him in Return of the Knights. Kontaxis also creates another memorable character with Nemesis. This is a story that has twists and turns and dark moments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
An enjoyable entry into the series! Following the backstory of John Long Arm as he is ordered by Walter’s men to behead The Knight of the Moon.
Once again the author delivers everything that he sets out to, without straying too far outside the classical fantasy tropes.
A quick read of love, revenge and adventure.
An enjoyable entry into the series! Following the backstory of John Long Arm as he is ordered by Walter’s men to behead The Knight of the Moon.
Once again the author delivers everything that he sets out to, without straying too far outside the classical fantasy tropes.
A quick read of love, revenge and adventure.
June 10, 2024
The Knight of the Moon (Prequel novella to The Return of the Knights) was exactly what I was looking for from Kontaxis. Stepping up his writing game in this short, but action packed romp through the mountains, Gregory wastes no time hooking us into the madness that will engulf our two mains John and Nemesis (yes, what a great name for this new character).
Tasked with tracking down a supposedly disgraced Knight, Our bounty hunter John...or "Long Arm" as he's well known to everyone (including us readers from book 1) is thrown into a mess that is also involving Nemesis. Another Knight that has enraged our big bad from the main series and is being made to accompany John on this seemingly impossible hunt, bring back the head of the "Knight of the Moon" or their lives will end! Not and easy task for either of our MC's seeing as this Knight is one that has been trained by the best and is about as dangerous as they come.
On top of this major hurdle, this Knight has been unjustly accused of abandoning his duty and is about as noble as they come. Nemesis not only knows this Knight but respects him greatly...leaving this hunt weighing heavily on her heart. Our two mains don't start off in the best terms, but this is the dynamic that truly makes this story great! They not only find common ground, but gain respect for each other while engrossing us readers with a great tale of adventure, honor, love, loss and retribution. All packed into just over 100 pages, Kontaxis will touch every emotion and nerve you have...and you will be begging for more by the end!
Story arc and pacing had a much better feel in this entry, which has me needing to get book 2 started immediately! Clearly finding his feel for the story he is crafting, Gregory Stokes the fire he started in Book 1...book 2 should light the sky with burning embers from the blaze he is cooking up! 4⭐ for this solid, quick, Grimdark hunt! Trust no one, cover your trail and keep your eyes peeled...dark times are stretching across these lands and will find us all!! 🔥😈📚
Tasked with tracking down a supposedly disgraced Knight, Our bounty hunter John...or "Long Arm" as he's well known to everyone (including us readers from book 1) is thrown into a mess that is also involving Nemesis. Another Knight that has enraged our big bad from the main series and is being made to accompany John on this seemingly impossible hunt, bring back the head of the "Knight of the Moon" or their lives will end! Not and easy task for either of our MC's seeing as this Knight is one that has been trained by the best and is about as dangerous as they come.
On top of this major hurdle, this Knight has been unjustly accused of abandoning his duty and is about as noble as they come. Nemesis not only knows this Knight but respects him greatly...leaving this hunt weighing heavily on her heart. Our two mains don't start off in the best terms, but this is the dynamic that truly makes this story great! They not only find common ground, but gain respect for each other while engrossing us readers with a great tale of adventure, honor, love, loss and retribution. All packed into just over 100 pages, Kontaxis will touch every emotion and nerve you have...and you will be begging for more by the end!
Story arc and pacing had a much better feel in this entry, which has me needing to get book 2 started immediately! Clearly finding his feel for the story he is crafting, Gregory Stokes the fire he started in Book 1...book 2 should light the sky with burning embers from the blaze he is cooking up! 4⭐ for this solid, quick, Grimdark hunt! Trust no one, cover your trail and keep your eyes peeled...dark times are stretching across these lands and will find us all!! 🔥😈📚
December 20, 2023
Return of the Knights has been on my radar for some time and this felt like a great way to break into the series. It follows a character named John the Long Arm in events long before the start of Return of the Knights as he’s sent to find a wayward knight and bring him to Justice. He’s saddled with a surly female sword fighter named Nemesis and tasked to work together to pay off their respective debts.
What follows is a tale of revelations and conflicts that question things like honor, blind loyalty, love, and hope in the face of hopelessness. All of it goes a long way to telling why John is the way he is in the Return of the Knights. The ending I admit hit me hard and I didn’t see it coming, but it’s a well told tale and the author demonstrates truly compelling storytelling.
The cover is awesome too. Better than the main book, in my opinion, but they’re both excellent.
What follows is a tale of revelations and conflicts that question things like honor, blind loyalty, love, and hope in the face of hopelessness. All of it goes a long way to telling why John is the way he is in the Return of the Knights. The ending I admit hit me hard and I didn’t see it coming, but it’s a well told tale and the author demonstrates truly compelling storytelling.
The cover is awesome too. Better than the main book, in my opinion, but they’re both excellent.
February 4, 2024
Can't wait to get started on Return of the Knights !
April 2, 2024
Απολαυστικό μικρό και επεξηγηματικό.
Read
January 7, 2026I read this for the SFINCS competition. Review to come!
November 21, 2023
Great novella, giving us a touching backstory on one of the core characters from The Return of the Knights, as well as building out the world a bit more. I appreciated this tale, a quick read that you easily just want to suck down.
May 2, 2024
Really enjoyed this, short snappy and to the point. Loved the characters sense of humour and development throughout. Glad I read it! Already started reading another book by the author "The return of the knights"
December 17, 2023
The cover art for this novella is gorgeous. It's a bit darker than my usual books but still a very entertaining quick read.
April 18, 2025
3.5. A good beginning to a series - adventure, a cosy section and then .... OMG, what the hell happened! I enjoyed it 😅
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