What do you think?
Rate this book
Knight of Gaelgara
THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED OPENER TO A BRAND NEW HEROIC FANTASY TRILOGY
Sir Roslind of Aksson, fierce and unyielding, is not the only female knight; but she is few among men who cling to older ways. And while whispers of disdain are so easily heard in a land pushing beyond tradition, whispers of rebellion are more subtle, more insidious; and much more costly to ignore.
As the waves of religious reformation crash upon the shores of Aksson, a disgruntled son learns the error of his ways; a traitor leads an unexpected defence; an embattled cougari unsheathes his claws; and one who hides in plain sight will open the gates to a fearsome enemy with ancestral zeal in their hearts.
The Baron of Aksson is a powerful man, proud and ruthless; but he is fading, betrayal already at his door. As his daughter returns from years of training, she must prove her mettle in the fires of the old world as the siege bears down upon the great port city.
But one thing is certain.
Aksson will burn.
REVIEWS
"…superb world-building, a dynamic sense of a mediaeval world on the cusp of devastation, and a bravura heroine in the redoubtable Sir Roslind." Declan Burke, Irish Times
"What sets Gaelgara above the pack is Martin’s nuance and subtlety of world building…there’s a multi-faceted depth to the relationships and personalities of all characters…a compelling, immersive work that will have readers waiting expectantly for the next two installments." Foxed & Torn Review
"Fantastic story, so well written and great connection with the characters. Brilliant writing that transports you to another world!" Clare, ARC Reviewer
"…really captures the kind of dynamics that were found in real-world medieval realms. Martin’s really managed to create a world that feels like it’s ‘lived-in’ and dynamic…[a]ll in all, an excellent debut, and I look forward to reading more by this author." Axel J. Kelly, ARC Reviewer
Sir Roslind of Aksson, fierce and unyielding, is not the only female knight; but she is few among men who cling to older ways. And while whispers of disdain are so easily heard in a land pushing beyond tradition, whispers of rebellion are more subtle, more insidious; and much more costly to ignore.
As the waves of religious reformation crash upon the shores of Aksson, a disgruntled son learns the error of his ways; a traitor leads an unexpected defence; an embattled cougari unsheathes his claws; and one who hides in plain sight will open the gates to a fearsome enemy with ancestral zeal in their hearts.
The Baron of Aksson is a powerful man, proud and ruthless; but he is fading, betrayal already at his door. As his daughter returns from years of training, she must prove her mettle in the fires of the old world as the siege bears down upon the great port city.
But one thing is certain.
Aksson will burn.
REVIEWS
"…superb world-building, a dynamic sense of a mediaeval world on the cusp of devastation, and a bravura heroine in the redoubtable Sir Roslind." Declan Burke, Irish Times
"What sets Gaelgara above the pack is Martin’s nuance and subtlety of world building…there’s a multi-faceted depth to the relationships and personalities of all characters…a compelling, immersive work that will have readers waiting expectantly for the next two installments." Foxed & Torn Review
"Fantastic story, so well written and great connection with the characters. Brilliant writing that transports you to another world!" Clare, ARC Reviewer
"…really captures the kind of dynamics that were found in real-world medieval realms. Martin’s really managed to create a world that feels like it’s ‘lived-in’ and dynamic…[a]ll in all, an excellent debut, and I look forward to reading more by this author." Axel J. Kelly, ARC Reviewer
399 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2024
3 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 18, 2024
I’m only a little ashamed to admit that, over time, I have developed a small bias against novel writers from my own nation. Ireland has a proud literary tradition—one that continues strong to this day. Note the word ‘literary’. As someone who studied Creative Writing at both an Undergraduate and Masters level in Ireland, let me tell you it is hard out here for a genre writer.
Capital L ‘literary’ fiction is what is prioritised by our nation’s culture. Even my own mentors and lecturers struggled to engage with my fantasy writing. They just didn’t know what to do with me. And as I struggled to keep my eyes open through Important Irish Fiction Novel after Important Irish Fiction Novel, it was ‘peace out’ from me.
I turned my reading attention firmly abroad, where the genre fiction I enjoyed could be found in abundance—not somewhat shamefully shunted off to the side (if you ever meet me in person, ask me about an Irish zombie book for an infuriating anecdote).
It took me joining a fantasy book club turn my eyes back to the writing being published on my own island. Knight of Gaelgara is written by Irishman Gary J. Martin, and published by the Irish publisher, Temple Dark Books. And it is, miraculously, pure epic fantasy for adults. Not ‘speculative fiction’ or ‘genre-bending’ or whatever fancy people call books they read with ghosts in them.
Still, I did experience some trepidation before reading the novel. I was worried that the story would be overly ‘Irish’; the cover features a lady with red hair, and the title has the syllable ‘gael’ in it. It brought to mind American stereotypes of Irishness that had me wondering if Martin’s book was really going to be for me.
Thankfully, it very much was.
The eponymous Knight of Gaelgara is Sir Roslind, daughter of the Baron of the coastal city Aksson. The Baron has been acting strange lately—turning on his own navy and pushing his citizens to the brink. This, coupled with the arrival of a fearsome assassin and the existence of traitor in the Baron’s close personal circle, points to one thing: invasion.
Roslind may be featured heavily on the cover, and is certainly the novel’s most heroic character, but she isn’t the story’s sole focus. This is a multi-POV story that flits all across the city of Aksson as various players work towards—and sometimes, against—the city’s survival.
One of the best aspects of the novel is how Martin explores and expands this world using these various perspective characters while maintaining a laser-tight focus on the immediate stakes of Aksson’s survival. Martin has developed a complex political world that we learn just enough about to understand the motivations of some of the characters without overloading us with superfluous detail.
Gaelgara isn’t a particularly thick tome, either—for an epic fantasy novel, anyway. It moves at a fast pace, urged forward by the extremely tight timespan that the story takes place across. From beginning to end, the story spans a day-and-a-half at a stretch. This is another way that the novel stands out from the crowd. In Knight of Gaelgara, the end seems nigh. Characters are constantly pressed for time, get worn down by their exertions, and are constantly playing catch-up with a superior foe. I just really loved the pacing and the urgency.
The characters are great, too. The highlight was a feline-like ‘cougari’ assassin with strong personal ties to Aksson and a rich backstory that feels like could be the focus of its own story, if Martin ever wanted to pursue that avenue. Roslind has some siblings too, and they each got to go on their own journeys. It’s impressive the amount of story that Martin managed to pack into the novel, really (And I haven’t even mentioned the various soldiers and sailors that each get their time to shine).
I’m so glad that I gave Knight of Gaelgara a go. Despite my trepidations, there was nothing pandering or overly Irish about the novel, which was refreshing. You might think I’m being too harsh on the current state of Irish publishing, but I’ve literally been told by one prominent Irish author that my writing wasn’t ‘Irish’ enough. So, yeah, maybe I’m taking an outlandish dose of second-hand pride in Knight of Gaelgara, but it’s rare to find an Irish fantasy author that’s right up my alley.
It should be noted that this is the first book of a series that has yet to be completed—and the ending will definitely leave you wanting more—but I, for one, am delighted to get on the ground floor with this series.
(Originally posted at: https://www.kieran-obrien.com/post/kn...)
Capital L ‘literary’ fiction is what is prioritised by our nation’s culture. Even my own mentors and lecturers struggled to engage with my fantasy writing. They just didn’t know what to do with me. And as I struggled to keep my eyes open through Important Irish Fiction Novel after Important Irish Fiction Novel, it was ‘peace out’ from me.
I turned my reading attention firmly abroad, where the genre fiction I enjoyed could be found in abundance—not somewhat shamefully shunted off to the side (if you ever meet me in person, ask me about an Irish zombie book for an infuriating anecdote).
It took me joining a fantasy book club turn my eyes back to the writing being published on my own island. Knight of Gaelgara is written by Irishman Gary J. Martin, and published by the Irish publisher, Temple Dark Books. And it is, miraculously, pure epic fantasy for adults. Not ‘speculative fiction’ or ‘genre-bending’ or whatever fancy people call books they read with ghosts in them.
Still, I did experience some trepidation before reading the novel. I was worried that the story would be overly ‘Irish’; the cover features a lady with red hair, and the title has the syllable ‘gael’ in it. It brought to mind American stereotypes of Irishness that had me wondering if Martin’s book was really going to be for me.
Thankfully, it very much was.
The eponymous Knight of Gaelgara is Sir Roslind, daughter of the Baron of the coastal city Aksson. The Baron has been acting strange lately—turning on his own navy and pushing his citizens to the brink. This, coupled with the arrival of a fearsome assassin and the existence of traitor in the Baron’s close personal circle, points to one thing: invasion.
Roslind may be featured heavily on the cover, and is certainly the novel’s most heroic character, but she isn’t the story’s sole focus. This is a multi-POV story that flits all across the city of Aksson as various players work towards—and sometimes, against—the city’s survival.
One of the best aspects of the novel is how Martin explores and expands this world using these various perspective characters while maintaining a laser-tight focus on the immediate stakes of Aksson’s survival. Martin has developed a complex political world that we learn just enough about to understand the motivations of some of the characters without overloading us with superfluous detail.
Gaelgara isn’t a particularly thick tome, either—for an epic fantasy novel, anyway. It moves at a fast pace, urged forward by the extremely tight timespan that the story takes place across. From beginning to end, the story spans a day-and-a-half at a stretch. This is another way that the novel stands out from the crowd. In Knight of Gaelgara, the end seems nigh. Characters are constantly pressed for time, get worn down by their exertions, and are constantly playing catch-up with a superior foe. I just really loved the pacing and the urgency.
The characters are great, too. The highlight was a feline-like ‘cougari’ assassin with strong personal ties to Aksson and a rich backstory that feels like could be the focus of its own story, if Martin ever wanted to pursue that avenue. Roslind has some siblings too, and they each got to go on their own journeys. It’s impressive the amount of story that Martin managed to pack into the novel, really (And I haven’t even mentioned the various soldiers and sailors that each get their time to shine).
I’m so glad that I gave Knight of Gaelgara a go. Despite my trepidations, there was nothing pandering or overly Irish about the novel, which was refreshing. You might think I’m being too harsh on the current state of Irish publishing, but I’ve literally been told by one prominent Irish author that my writing wasn’t ‘Irish’ enough. So, yeah, maybe I’m taking an outlandish dose of second-hand pride in Knight of Gaelgara, but it’s rare to find an Irish fantasy author that’s right up my alley.
It should be noted that this is the first book of a series that has yet to be completed—and the ending will definitely leave you wanting more—but I, for one, am delighted to get on the ground floor with this series.
(Originally posted at: https://www.kieran-obrien.com/post/kn...)
January 7, 2025
I believe this is the author’s first book ever, and first in the trilogy. Certainly sets the scene for the war to come.
The book has a distinctly Gaelic feeling, and uniquely is written, almost exclusively, from a law enforcement perspective. Would like to see a little more life to the city and to the world outside of the various military / policing organisations. I really liked the character of Leech, seen in chapter 27, and the brief interaction we have with him. It’s moments like this that add life and breath to the world. Would certainly like to see, even briefly, more points of view of the various citizens - the merchant class, the poor, the labourers, husbands and wives, children, and so on.
But overall I am very impressed both with the concept art and the first book, I will await the second volume hungry to learn more about Thorn, Sir Rosilind and the agitator behind Admiral Laventis.
The book has a distinctly Gaelic feeling, and uniquely is written, almost exclusively, from a law enforcement perspective. Would like to see a little more life to the city and to the world outside of the various military / policing organisations. I really liked the character of Leech, seen in chapter 27, and the brief interaction we have with him. It’s moments like this that add life and breath to the world. Would certainly like to see, even briefly, more points of view of the various citizens - the merchant class, the poor, the labourers, husbands and wives, children, and so on.
But overall I am very impressed both with the concept art and the first book, I will await the second volume hungry to learn more about Thorn, Sir Rosilind and the agitator behind Admiral Laventis.
September 4, 2025
It's a fun book: this is an easy recommendation for anybody looking for a tightly-paced heroic fantasy read. We follow a wide cast of characters as a city quickly falls into chaos. Throughout there is plenty of the requisite action and intrigue that draws people to the genre.
What most impresses me is the plotting and pacing. Most of the book takes place over the space of a day, with an unexpected invasion of a city. We see this mostly through the eyes of the ruling noble family (including Roslin, the titular knight) and those loyal to them. Fighting breaks out in various parts of the city with no clear lines of communication between the various characters, leading to a sense of chaos and confusion that enhances the very frequent action sequences.
I would also note that it pleases me greatly to see more speculative fiction coming from Ireland - our nation punches above its weight for literary fiction and poetry, but genre has been neglected for the past few decades. Kudos to Temple Dark books and the great work they are doing as a small press.
If I have a gripe with the book, it's the perspective used and how it relates to exposition. We have a kind of omniscient narration masquerading as close third - which is fine in and of itself, but can be a bit jarring when we have several instances of 'head-hopping' in succession after reading from a single perspective for a few pages. It works with the pace of the book though, my bigger issue is how this perspective is used for exposition.
In the opening chapters we get a brief scene with whichever new character is being introduced followed by a few expository paragraphs of backstory. This is, perhaps, a necessary evil to keep the large cast of characters from becoming muddled while maintaining the pace. Though at times it does feel the writer is worried about the reader being lost. Not a bad thing, but not to my taste - though I hope this can reassure readers who are on the fence because they fear the large cast will be confusing.
There are also some editorial mistakes - quite a few typos ('pouring' vs 'poring' and 'breath' vs 'breathe' both occur multiple times which leads me to believe there may have been some ill-suited ctrl+f/ctrl+r shenanigans), and a few long segments where several long and unwieldy sentences are chained together disharmoniously.
I'm willing to cut Temple Dark Books some slack here - they are pretty new and a small press to boot, and I'm certainly going to follow their work and those of this author closely in future.
What most impresses me is the plotting and pacing. Most of the book takes place over the space of a day, with an unexpected invasion of a city. We see this mostly through the eyes of the ruling noble family (including Roslin, the titular knight) and those loyal to them. Fighting breaks out in various parts of the city with no clear lines of communication between the various characters, leading to a sense of chaos and confusion that enhances the very frequent action sequences.
I would also note that it pleases me greatly to see more speculative fiction coming from Ireland - our nation punches above its weight for literary fiction and poetry, but genre has been neglected for the past few decades. Kudos to Temple Dark books and the great work they are doing as a small press.
If I have a gripe with the book, it's the perspective used and how it relates to exposition. We have a kind of omniscient narration masquerading as close third - which is fine in and of itself, but can be a bit jarring when we have several instances of 'head-hopping' in succession after reading from a single perspective for a few pages. It works with the pace of the book though, my bigger issue is how this perspective is used for exposition.
In the opening chapters we get a brief scene with whichever new character is being introduced followed by a few expository paragraphs of backstory. This is, perhaps, a necessary evil to keep the large cast of characters from becoming muddled while maintaining the pace. Though at times it does feel the writer is worried about the reader being lost. Not a bad thing, but not to my taste - though I hope this can reassure readers who are on the fence because they fear the large cast will be confusing.
There are also some editorial mistakes - quite a few typos ('pouring' vs 'poring' and 'breath' vs 'breathe' both occur multiple times which leads me to believe there may have been some ill-suited ctrl+f/ctrl+r shenanigans), and a few long segments where several long and unwieldy sentences are chained together disharmoniously.
I'm willing to cut Temple Dark Books some slack here - they are pretty new and a small press to boot, and I'm certainly going to follow their work and those of this author closely in future.
July 22, 2025
KNIGHT OF GAELGARA is yet another stunning debut to a series published by Temple Dark Publishing. It’s firmly set in the realm of ‘medieval fantasy’ and contains some of the elements that made the ‘Game of Thrones’ series so enjoyable, while managing to avoid the faults. With a layered narrative, numerous characters, and feeling true to life of the medieval period, this is one medieval fantasy fans will not want to miss.
A simple synopsis of a much more complex plot is: Sir Rosalind Radsvinn, newly anointed knight, returns to her home, the portside city of Akkson. The city is ruled by her father, Baron Feylan Radsvinn, on the continent of Gaelgara. And, in a torrid 48 hours, the city is torn apart by the combined assault of invaders from the outside, as well as the internal strife and rebellion of the people of Akkson.
Again, that is very simplified, there is a LOT going on in the book, but I don’t want to give it away. The story is written in third person but told from the perspective of multiple narrators, each with their own agenda for the city of Akkson. That’s where the plot complexity comes in, not many of the characters are united in how they view things, and that’s what keeps the narrative engrossing. There are loyalists, flat-out traitors, and those on the fence, and the author makes sure to provide reasons for each. The main turncoat out to destroy the Baron’s family may be a ‘bad guy,’ but he certainly has some justification for what he does, even if you don’t agree with it. Many of the characters are written in shades of gray as opposed to black and white, and it’s what keeps the story so interesting. The Baron’s family alone is a study in dysfunction. Rosalind remains loyal to her father, Baron Radsvinn, although he hasn’t done a good job of running the city in the first place, while her brother Ulrik Radsvinn is an opportunist who may swing to either side, depending on how it benefits him. It works like that from the top level characters down to the basic foot soldiers, all the characters are complex and feel true to life. Thankfully, there is a character appendix at the beginning of the book for readers who start to feel overwhelmed by the scope of it all.
As far as the writing, this is seriously immersive stuff that will make you think the author must have lived through the period. It feels real, from the trebuchets and ballistae being used to destroy the city walls, to the hard, messy, and ugly battles. These are not glamorous battles like in movies, people get stabbed through the armpits or under the chin through the skull, the kind of places a warrior would actually target, since they are unprotected. It’s the same with the characters that use war-hammers, they go for the joints, and crush them. It’s a good reminder that medieval warfare was hardly honorable, it was unpleasant and a bloody mess. Interesting note: poison gas is actually used as a siege weapon in the book, a very creative touch. There are also some well written naval battles in the book, something medieval fantasy writers rarely include. Truth be told, they might have been my favorite battle scenes of the book.
What also sets this one apart from the others and puts it at the top of the pile are the original touches in terms of humanoids. The character Thorn is a cougari, a cat-man humanoid, and the Whale Riders are water-breathing humanoids who live in the ocean and ride into battle on whales decked out in armor. Those races add an interesting new element to the ‘medieval’ style, but it doesn’t push it into the realm of straight fantasy. Very original, and let’s hope the Whale Riders keep playing a role, they were one of the best parts.
A quick aside: to me, adding the cougari and whale riders avoided the mistake that for me, sank the whole THRONES series. When George Martin added dragons, it killed the whole thing by adding a too-powerful element to the series, destroying what had been a delicate balance. The cougari and whale riders add an edge to one side, but they don't tip the scales dramatically. And that, my friends, makes all the difference in keeping the readers invested in the book.
To sum up: for the readers that felt a void in their lives when it became apparent that the ‘Game of Thrones’ series will probably never be finished, fear not. Gary J. Martin is here, and continues the genre in his own spectacular, as well as original, fashion. This one makes my list of ‘can’t miss’ titles for the year, alongside Ishmael Soledad’s DIATHESIS, Christopher Micklos’s TICK TOWN, and J.R. Konkol’s THE GUARDIAN'S GAMBIT. Now, let’s hope we don’t have to wait ten years for the next installment in the series!
A simple synopsis of a much more complex plot is: Sir Rosalind Radsvinn, newly anointed knight, returns to her home, the portside city of Akkson. The city is ruled by her father, Baron Feylan Radsvinn, on the continent of Gaelgara. And, in a torrid 48 hours, the city is torn apart by the combined assault of invaders from the outside, as well as the internal strife and rebellion of the people of Akkson.
Again, that is very simplified, there is a LOT going on in the book, but I don’t want to give it away. The story is written in third person but told from the perspective of multiple narrators, each with their own agenda for the city of Akkson. That’s where the plot complexity comes in, not many of the characters are united in how they view things, and that’s what keeps the narrative engrossing. There are loyalists, flat-out traitors, and those on the fence, and the author makes sure to provide reasons for each. The main turncoat out to destroy the Baron’s family may be a ‘bad guy,’ but he certainly has some justification for what he does, even if you don’t agree with it. Many of the characters are written in shades of gray as opposed to black and white, and it’s what keeps the story so interesting. The Baron’s family alone is a study in dysfunction. Rosalind remains loyal to her father, Baron Radsvinn, although he hasn’t done a good job of running the city in the first place, while her brother Ulrik Radsvinn is an opportunist who may swing to either side, depending on how it benefits him. It works like that from the top level characters down to the basic foot soldiers, all the characters are complex and feel true to life. Thankfully, there is a character appendix at the beginning of the book for readers who start to feel overwhelmed by the scope of it all.
As far as the writing, this is seriously immersive stuff that will make you think the author must have lived through the period. It feels real, from the trebuchets and ballistae being used to destroy the city walls, to the hard, messy, and ugly battles. These are not glamorous battles like in movies, people get stabbed through the armpits or under the chin through the skull, the kind of places a warrior would actually target, since they are unprotected. It’s the same with the characters that use war-hammers, they go for the joints, and crush them. It’s a good reminder that medieval warfare was hardly honorable, it was unpleasant and a bloody mess. Interesting note: poison gas is actually used as a siege weapon in the book, a very creative touch. There are also some well written naval battles in the book, something medieval fantasy writers rarely include. Truth be told, they might have been my favorite battle scenes of the book.
What also sets this one apart from the others and puts it at the top of the pile are the original touches in terms of humanoids. The character Thorn is a cougari, a cat-man humanoid, and the Whale Riders are water-breathing humanoids who live in the ocean and ride into battle on whales decked out in armor. Those races add an interesting new element to the ‘medieval’ style, but it doesn’t push it into the realm of straight fantasy. Very original, and let’s hope the Whale Riders keep playing a role, they were one of the best parts.
A quick aside: to me, adding the cougari and whale riders avoided the mistake that for me, sank the whole THRONES series. When George Martin added dragons, it killed the whole thing by adding a too-powerful element to the series, destroying what had been a delicate balance. The cougari and whale riders add an edge to one side, but they don't tip the scales dramatically. And that, my friends, makes all the difference in keeping the readers invested in the book.
To sum up: for the readers that felt a void in their lives when it became apparent that the ‘Game of Thrones’ series will probably never be finished, fear not. Gary J. Martin is here, and continues the genre in his own spectacular, as well as original, fashion. This one makes my list of ‘can’t miss’ titles for the year, alongside Ishmael Soledad’s DIATHESIS, Christopher Micklos’s TICK TOWN, and J.R. Konkol’s THE GUARDIAN'S GAMBIT. Now, let’s hope we don’t have to wait ten years for the next installment in the series!
October 2, 2024
Knight of Gaelgara by Gary J. Martin may be perhaps one of the better fantasy novels that I’ve read recently.
We open in the titular Gaelgara, a feudal realm that - as we’ll learn - has lately fallen on hard times, with threats both within and without. Our protagonist, Sir Roslind Radsvinn of Axxson, has just been dubbed a knight and is preparing to return to the port city of Axxson of which her father is the Baron. However, her homecoming will be far from the happy occasion she might have imagined, as danger threatens both her family and their city. Enemies prepare to assail them, provocateurs stir up dissent aided by corruption within the realm, and all is not as it seems with Roslind’s father.
As someone who has a keen interest in medieval history - including a PhD in the development of Crusading ideology, that’s how much of a nerd I am! - I found this to be one of the few fantasy novels that really captures the kind of dynamics that were found in real-world medieval realms (while at the same time creating a world very much of its own). One major example of this is the awkward and at times confrontational relationship between the secular authorities of Gaelgara and the dominant religious faith, the Temple of Oln, which will ring a bell with anyone familiar with Medieval Europe, as will the corruption seen within the Church.
I also feel that Martin’s really managed to create a world that feels like it’s lived in and dynamic, not the kind of unchanging medieval stasis that a lot of fantasy - even some of my favourite works - can be guilty of. The titular knight being an example of that: in-universe, female knights like Roslind are still an innovation within the realm, with the knight Roslind squired for having been the first woman to become a knight. Likewise, Gaelgara’s backstory establishes it as being relatively recent as a major power, having grown at the expense of a declining previous empire, the Zadesti. Now, it may be that Gaelgara itself is in decline. Many fantasy worlds have little change from era to era, featuring realms that endure unchanged for thousands of years, so something that mirrors the dynamism and messiness of real-world history is very refreshing.
Martin isn’t just a master world builder, however. He’s also very good at writing characters. Roslind herself, our protagonist, is a definite favourite of mine: a strong character, yet realistically so, and as befitting a ‘newly-minted’ knight is shown as still having a lot to learn. Her varied relationship with others of her family - her protectiveness of her younger sister Kitsvanna, the terse relationship with her coldly political brother Ulrik, the more difficult bond with her father, Baron Feylan, strained since the death of her beloved mother Noemi - feels very real, and makes you want to learn more about the characters.
Ironically enough, the only slight note of critique I have about the novel also concerns characters, namely that there are a lot besides those I’ve mentioned. It took me a little while to fully get into the story, especially given how quickly many are introduced - all good characters, I stress, just they came at me quite fast! But given how much I enjoyed the book, this is a relatively minor issue.
All in all, an excellent debut, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
We open in the titular Gaelgara, a feudal realm that - as we’ll learn - has lately fallen on hard times, with threats both within and without. Our protagonist, Sir Roslind Radsvinn of Axxson, has just been dubbed a knight and is preparing to return to the port city of Axxson of which her father is the Baron. However, her homecoming will be far from the happy occasion she might have imagined, as danger threatens both her family and their city. Enemies prepare to assail them, provocateurs stir up dissent aided by corruption within the realm, and all is not as it seems with Roslind’s father.
As someone who has a keen interest in medieval history - including a PhD in the development of Crusading ideology, that’s how much of a nerd I am! - I found this to be one of the few fantasy novels that really captures the kind of dynamics that were found in real-world medieval realms (while at the same time creating a world very much of its own). One major example of this is the awkward and at times confrontational relationship between the secular authorities of Gaelgara and the dominant religious faith, the Temple of Oln, which will ring a bell with anyone familiar with Medieval Europe, as will the corruption seen within the Church.
I also feel that Martin’s really managed to create a world that feels like it’s lived in and dynamic, not the kind of unchanging medieval stasis that a lot of fantasy - even some of my favourite works - can be guilty of. The titular knight being an example of that: in-universe, female knights like Roslind are still an innovation within the realm, with the knight Roslind squired for having been the first woman to become a knight. Likewise, Gaelgara’s backstory establishes it as being relatively recent as a major power, having grown at the expense of a declining previous empire, the Zadesti. Now, it may be that Gaelgara itself is in decline. Many fantasy worlds have little change from era to era, featuring realms that endure unchanged for thousands of years, so something that mirrors the dynamism and messiness of real-world history is very refreshing.
Martin isn’t just a master world builder, however. He’s also very good at writing characters. Roslind herself, our protagonist, is a definite favourite of mine: a strong character, yet realistically so, and as befitting a ‘newly-minted’ knight is shown as still having a lot to learn. Her varied relationship with others of her family - her protectiveness of her younger sister Kitsvanna, the terse relationship with her coldly political brother Ulrik, the more difficult bond with her father, Baron Feylan, strained since the death of her beloved mother Noemi - feels very real, and makes you want to learn more about the characters.
Ironically enough, the only slight note of critique I have about the novel also concerns characters, namely that there are a lot besides those I’ve mentioned. It took me a little while to fully get into the story, especially given how quickly many are introduced - all good characters, I stress, just they came at me quite fast! But given how much I enjoyed the book, this is a relatively minor issue.
All in all, an excellent debut, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
October 10, 2024
Actual Rating 2.5
Sir Roslind is one of few female knights who serves her king, and her father is a Baron of a large trade city. She believes that her duty is to abide by the rules traditionally laid out for knights. But when unexpected events begin to threaten her father’s rule, she finds herself hard pressed to protect everyone she cares about. As betrayals occur and factions clash, Rosalind finds her city in the center of the tumult, and she doesn’t know how she or the city will stand against the rising tides.
I wanted to love this one, and the book did start off strong by introducing a few interesting characters and some conflict right away. But this book suffers from trying to be too expansive. It starts with multiple POVs of only main characters, which is easy enough to become situated in. But as the events of the book escalated, the author chose to include more and more POVs to try and grant a picture of everything that is happening from every aspect that may be relevant. While this did add to the background of the events, it was unnecessary and quickly became unwieldy, lessening the impact of the characters.
It also made it too difficult to become invested in the events or characters as things jumped around too often. It meant that there wasn’t much meaningful worldbuilding or setting development that wasn’t related to the escalating conflicts. There’s a list of characters at the beginning of the book, and there were 40+ characters and their factions and full titles listed.
I hate that the meat of this story and the characters got lost under the breadth that the author tried to include. This book has good bones, and I do think the characters would have been compelling if they hadn’t gotten lost in the last half of the book. The writing is strong, the plot is interesting, and the ending was strong; I’ll likely try more from this author in the future even though this one didn’t quite work for me.
If you’re interested in a fantasy with a “decidedly Gaelic feel” that’s focused on insurrections and battles, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Sir Roslind is one of few female knights who serves her king, and her father is a Baron of a large trade city. She believes that her duty is to abide by the rules traditionally laid out for knights. But when unexpected events begin to threaten her father’s rule, she finds herself hard pressed to protect everyone she cares about. As betrayals occur and factions clash, Rosalind finds her city in the center of the tumult, and she doesn’t know how she or the city will stand against the rising tides.
I wanted to love this one, and the book did start off strong by introducing a few interesting characters and some conflict right away. But this book suffers from trying to be too expansive. It starts with multiple POVs of only main characters, which is easy enough to become situated in. But as the events of the book escalated, the author chose to include more and more POVs to try and grant a picture of everything that is happening from every aspect that may be relevant. While this did add to the background of the events, it was unnecessary and quickly became unwieldy, lessening the impact of the characters.
It also made it too difficult to become invested in the events or characters as things jumped around too often. It meant that there wasn’t much meaningful worldbuilding or setting development that wasn’t related to the escalating conflicts. There’s a list of characters at the beginning of the book, and there were 40+ characters and their factions and full titles listed.
I hate that the meat of this story and the characters got lost under the breadth that the author tried to include. This book has good bones, and I do think the characters would have been compelling if they hadn’t gotten lost in the last half of the book. The writing is strong, the plot is interesting, and the ending was strong; I’ll likely try more from this author in the future even though this one didn’t quite work for me.
If you’re interested in a fantasy with a “decidedly Gaelic feel” that’s focused on insurrections and battles, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 16, 2024
I loved Knight of Gaelgara, it's so beautifully written.
I don't usually read Fantasy books, but I'm glad I did, it's brilliant!
This is not only a Fantasy book, there is much more.
The author tells us about a girl determined to become a valiant knight, Roslind, daughter of the baron of the city of Aksson, destined to be the heroine of this story.
And this is also the story of the inhabitants of the city of Aksson, woken up in the middle of the night under the attack of an unknown enemy.
Suddenly the war, with all the destruction and the death that it brings with it.
It all takes place in a day or so, which makes the pages intense, captivating.
The description of the setting is so accurate and detailed that makes you feel as you were there, trying to figure out what's happening, just like the protagonists of the book, whose traits and feelings the author skillfully outlines little by little. Roslind, her siblings and her father, the Cougari - this mysterious creature - the enemies...you get to know them page after page.
But this book leaves you wanting to know more about them and their reasons, about their future, definitely to be continued!
Looking forward to read the book II!
I don't usually read Fantasy books, but I'm glad I did, it's brilliant!
This is not only a Fantasy book, there is much more.
The author tells us about a girl determined to become a valiant knight, Roslind, daughter of the baron of the city of Aksson, destined to be the heroine of this story.
And this is also the story of the inhabitants of the city of Aksson, woken up in the middle of the night under the attack of an unknown enemy.
Suddenly the war, with all the destruction and the death that it brings with it.
It all takes place in a day or so, which makes the pages intense, captivating.
The description of the setting is so accurate and detailed that makes you feel as you were there, trying to figure out what's happening, just like the protagonists of the book, whose traits and feelings the author skillfully outlines little by little. Roslind, her siblings and her father, the Cougari - this mysterious creature - the enemies...you get to know them page after page.
But this book leaves you wanting to know more about them and their reasons, about their future, definitely to be continued!
Looking forward to read the book II!
September 25, 2024
Really enjoyed this book from an Irish author and published by an Irish company. No over the top unpronounceable names which can lead me astray sometimes. The right amount of fighting, intrigue & power struggle. Eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews