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Lord of Blackthorne
A young knight, his head full of his grandfather’s tales of chivalry and dragonslaying, single-handedly defeats the rebel Baron Reynald of Gorstone. The king rewards his courage with a fief of his own, but he must travel to the distant borderlands to claim it. Maybe it was not a gift after all?
Amid the harsh, unforgiving border country, the new Lord of Blackthorne struggles to rebuild a life from the ruins and forge key alliances. There are bandits in the strangely threatening woods, fierce sea tribes beyond the mountains, scant hope of help from the crown and strange powers in play.
As he and his people finally come to terms with rebuilding their lives, he receives a cryptic warning. A warlord is gathering outlaws to his banner in the west…
Amid the harsh, unforgiving border country, the new Lord of Blackthorne struggles to rebuild a life from the ruins and forge key alliances. There are bandits in the strangely threatening woods, fierce sea tribes beyond the mountains, scant hope of help from the crown and strange powers in play.
As he and his people finally come to terms with rebuilding their lives, he receives a cryptic warning. A warlord is gathering outlaws to his banner in the west…
464 pages, Hardcover
Published November 11, 2025
20 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 22, 2025
A young knight is rewarded by his king for military prowess with his own fiefdom. A dream come true in theory, considerably more of a challenge in practice, given the castle and lands are in the borderlands, with threats from several directions.
I picked this up hoping for a medieval-ish political relationship building story along the lines of The Goblin Emperor. This is much less complex, and shines most in its feeling for the land itself. There are evocative descriptions of old-growth forests, moors & marshes and mountainous areas, and the weather and travel conditions in each. The characters and interactions are more straightforward. The titular Lord is a good fellow and is so well-meaning that even sensible reservations are overcome by the many people who help him out. The handling of class privilege here is "it's okay that he's upper-class because he's nice to his peasants." The story also can't quite decide whether it's fantasy or alternate historical ... there are several supernatural elements, but written in that 'is this really happening?' way that doesn't land for me personally. Yes please dragons!
Hopefully all this will be developed further in book 2, which I will definitely look out for -- this is a very readable slice-of-life story.
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher. Release date late Oct/early Nov.
I picked this up hoping for a medieval-ish political relationship building story along the lines of The Goblin Emperor. This is much less complex, and shines most in its feeling for the land itself. There are evocative descriptions of old-growth forests, moors & marshes and mountainous areas, and the weather and travel conditions in each. The characters and interactions are more straightforward. The titular Lord is a good fellow and is so well-meaning that even sensible reservations are overcome by the many people who help him out. The handling of class privilege here is "it's okay that he's upper-class because he's nice to his peasants." The story also can't quite decide whether it's fantasy or alternate historical ... there are several supernatural elements, but written in that 'is this really happening?' way that doesn't land for me personally. Yes please dragons!
Hopefully all this will be developed further in book 2, which I will definitely look out for -- this is a very readable slice-of-life story.
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher. Release date late Oct/early Nov.
December 20, 2025
The reason Lord of Blackthorne likely has so many positive reviews is because it was written by Jason Kingsley, a popular medieval YouTuber. The audience for this book is primarily his fans, and because of that, many of them are predisposed to like it. I am also a fan of Kingsley’s YouTube channel; I think his is one of the best in the genre of medieval history. However, that doesn’t erase the fact that this book is one of the worst I’ve read. There was seemingly no quality control involved in its writing or release, a hypothesis strengthened by the fact that it was published by a breakoff of Kingsley’s video game company. It doesn’t appear to have been professionally edited, and I’d be hard-pressed to accept that it was even proofread by the author, or that it went through more than one draft.
(Be advised; spoilers follow)
Weak Characters
The characters in this novel have no growth or real motivation. The protagonist, Lord Blackthorne, isn’t even given a name. He spends the first hundred pages being called: The Young Knight. It isn’t until he moves to his new castle that the narration refers to him as Blackthorne. His primary personality trait is that he is noble to the point of parody. He believes in chivalry so strongly that he forbids himself from lying or behaving in any way less than honorably. Like most of the modern people who read the novel, he holds a very anti-medieval worldview that all people are equal and that nobles and people in power should aid and protect those under them. However, we never learn why Blackthorne has such a modern viewpoint. He simply does because the novel was written by a modern man who (presumably) didn’t want his protagonist to think he was genetically superior to everyone else. However, in a story, characters need to have their worldviews challenged, and nothing ever happens to challenge Blackthorne’s worldview. From the beginning, he knows the way he needs to act, and he solves every problem placed before him. In the end, he realizes he was put on this earth to nurture others and help them grow, but that realization ultimately means nothing because he was already doing that throughout the whole book. It would be one thing if he started as an irresponsible youth and then grew into a paternal and protective figure, but that doesn’t happen.
The only other character worth mentioning is Osga, the wild, unkempt man Blackthorne meets in the ruins of the castle. Osga has no other function in the story than to be Blackthorne’s sidekick. He follows him around and offers advice, but he never takes an action that alters the trajectory of the story. In the end, it’s revealed that Osga is the bastard son of the old Lord of Blackthorne, which is supposed to explain why he had a noble bearing throughout the novel despite his “wild man” appearance. The only problem is that this actively enforces the medieval idea of the superior nature of the nobility, which fundamentally subverts Blackthorne’s whole reason for existing.
The villain, Gorstone, is such a one-dimensional character that I wasn’t even going to include him at first. His entire villainous plot happens off-screen, so the readers don’t even realize what he’s doing until about 300 pages into 460 page novel. We get no reason behind why he’s a villain other than the fact that he’s the embodiment of medieval noble superiority and believes he’s better than everyone else. He has no real quarrel with Blackthorne other than the flimsy argument that Blackthorne destroyed his castle at the beginning. Is that really worth wiping his army out on Blackthorne’s defenses, though? I wouldn’t think so.
Lack of Drama
I was taken aback by the novel’s complete lack of drama, conflict, or any sort of physical or emotional stakes. Here are some examples:
Part 1:
The first hundred pages or so are taken up by a long, dry description of a siege. Most of the action is viewed by Blackthorne from a distance, creating a disconnect between the reader and what should be intensely distressing, frenetic action. He sneaks around the walls and climbs them with his helmet off. While he does so, he thinks about how dangerous it is and how much trouble he’d be in if someone spotted him and started throwing rocks at him. Had Blackthorne actively been in danger during the climb, having rocks strike the wall near him, or having arrows ping off the stones, the reader would have been put into a position to worry about him and cheer for his success. As it stands now, Blackthorne ends the siege without any major trouble or danger to himself.
Part 2:
The next section of the book details Blackthorne’s arrival at his new castle, meeting the villagers, and beginning the process of fixing the place up. Aside from a slightly shaky start, the villagers have no problem with Blackthorne arriving and announcing himself as the new lord. It would have been far more dramatically interesting for some of them to vehemently oppose Blackthorne. That way, he would have been forced to choose to stick with his worldview of equality or revert to a more tyrannical medieval style of rule. His ultimate choice to continue respecting his people despite their lack of respect toward him would have actually told us something about his character.
Part 3:
This section details the preparations for and the engagement of another siege, this time with Blakthorne on the defending side. Like before, his villagers have no issue with following him into battle against an enemy they know nothing about. They might have been expected to be scared of dying, but in the end, it doesn’t matter, as the battle goes relatively smoothly for Blackthorne, complete with groups of friends he made along the way arriving at various points to help turn the tide. Only a token few villagers are killed, and none of the ones who are ever got anything more than one or two lines of dialogue. The important villagers all make it out okay.
Lack of Editing
Despite everything else, I feel that this is the worst sin this novel commits. The pages are filled with grammatical errors and typos. There are far too many to list in this review, but the most common are comma splices and run-on sentences. There are also several examples of words with letters missing or even sentences with missing words. The lack of a copy or line editor is apparent.
But more than that, the novel is entirely too long, filled with superfluous details and asides that serve no purpose and should have been cut. Kingsley’s greatest strength, his deep knowledge of the medieval period, becomes his biggest weakness as he grinds the story to a halt to give the reader history lessons—which, it should be noted, ultimately don’t matter to the story. Personally, I think a good editor could have cut about 40-50% of this book, leaving nothing but the bare minimum required to tell what little of Blackthorne’s story there is, and it would have been stronger for it.
Conclusion
As I stated earlier, I am a fan of Jason Kingsley’s YouTube channel, and it brings me no great pleasure to write such a scathing review of his first novel, but unfortunately, I have more respect for myself, my time, and my money. This novel wasn’t worth any of them. A good editor or a trusted beta reader should have explained all the problems with this novel to Kingsley before it ever saw the light of day. Like other authors, he then could have taken those criticisms to heart and come up with a much stronger work. Instead, we are expected to pay $30 for what was clearly a first draft, and it isn’t worth it, no matter how you feel about the author.
(Be advised; spoilers follow)
Weak Characters
The characters in this novel have no growth or real motivation. The protagonist, Lord Blackthorne, isn’t even given a name. He spends the first hundred pages being called: The Young Knight. It isn’t until he moves to his new castle that the narration refers to him as Blackthorne. His primary personality trait is that he is noble to the point of parody. He believes in chivalry so strongly that he forbids himself from lying or behaving in any way less than honorably. Like most of the modern people who read the novel, he holds a very anti-medieval worldview that all people are equal and that nobles and people in power should aid and protect those under them. However, we never learn why Blackthorne has such a modern viewpoint. He simply does because the novel was written by a modern man who (presumably) didn’t want his protagonist to think he was genetically superior to everyone else. However, in a story, characters need to have their worldviews challenged, and nothing ever happens to challenge Blackthorne’s worldview. From the beginning, he knows the way he needs to act, and he solves every problem placed before him. In the end, he realizes he was put on this earth to nurture others and help them grow, but that realization ultimately means nothing because he was already doing that throughout the whole book. It would be one thing if he started as an irresponsible youth and then grew into a paternal and protective figure, but that doesn’t happen.
The only other character worth mentioning is Osga, the wild, unkempt man Blackthorne meets in the ruins of the castle. Osga has no other function in the story than to be Blackthorne’s sidekick. He follows him around and offers advice, but he never takes an action that alters the trajectory of the story. In the end, it’s revealed that Osga is the bastard son of the old Lord of Blackthorne, which is supposed to explain why he had a noble bearing throughout the novel despite his “wild man” appearance. The only problem is that this actively enforces the medieval idea of the superior nature of the nobility, which fundamentally subverts Blackthorne’s whole reason for existing.
The villain, Gorstone, is such a one-dimensional character that I wasn’t even going to include him at first. His entire villainous plot happens off-screen, so the readers don’t even realize what he’s doing until about 300 pages into 460 page novel. We get no reason behind why he’s a villain other than the fact that he’s the embodiment of medieval noble superiority and believes he’s better than everyone else. He has no real quarrel with Blackthorne other than the flimsy argument that Blackthorne destroyed his castle at the beginning. Is that really worth wiping his army out on Blackthorne’s defenses, though? I wouldn’t think so.
Lack of Drama
I was taken aback by the novel’s complete lack of drama, conflict, or any sort of physical or emotional stakes. Here are some examples:
Part 1:
The first hundred pages or so are taken up by a long, dry description of a siege. Most of the action is viewed by Blackthorne from a distance, creating a disconnect between the reader and what should be intensely distressing, frenetic action. He sneaks around the walls and climbs them with his helmet off. While he does so, he thinks about how dangerous it is and how much trouble he’d be in if someone spotted him and started throwing rocks at him. Had Blackthorne actively been in danger during the climb, having rocks strike the wall near him, or having arrows ping off the stones, the reader would have been put into a position to worry about him and cheer for his success. As it stands now, Blackthorne ends the siege without any major trouble or danger to himself.
Part 2:
The next section of the book details Blackthorne’s arrival at his new castle, meeting the villagers, and beginning the process of fixing the place up. Aside from a slightly shaky start, the villagers have no problem with Blackthorne arriving and announcing himself as the new lord. It would have been far more dramatically interesting for some of them to vehemently oppose Blackthorne. That way, he would have been forced to choose to stick with his worldview of equality or revert to a more tyrannical medieval style of rule. His ultimate choice to continue respecting his people despite their lack of respect toward him would have actually told us something about his character.
Part 3:
This section details the preparations for and the engagement of another siege, this time with Blakthorne on the defending side. Like before, his villagers have no issue with following him into battle against an enemy they know nothing about. They might have been expected to be scared of dying, but in the end, it doesn’t matter, as the battle goes relatively smoothly for Blackthorne, complete with groups of friends he made along the way arriving at various points to help turn the tide. Only a token few villagers are killed, and none of the ones who are ever got anything more than one or two lines of dialogue. The important villagers all make it out okay.
Lack of Editing
Despite everything else, I feel that this is the worst sin this novel commits. The pages are filled with grammatical errors and typos. There are far too many to list in this review, but the most common are comma splices and run-on sentences. There are also several examples of words with letters missing or even sentences with missing words. The lack of a copy or line editor is apparent.
But more than that, the novel is entirely too long, filled with superfluous details and asides that serve no purpose and should have been cut. Kingsley’s greatest strength, his deep knowledge of the medieval period, becomes his biggest weakness as he grinds the story to a halt to give the reader history lessons—which, it should be noted, ultimately don’t matter to the story. Personally, I think a good editor could have cut about 40-50% of this book, leaving nothing but the bare minimum required to tell what little of Blackthorne’s story there is, and it would have been stronger for it.
Conclusion
As I stated earlier, I am a fan of Jason Kingsley’s YouTube channel, and it brings me no great pleasure to write such a scathing review of his first novel, but unfortunately, I have more respect for myself, my time, and my money. This novel wasn’t worth any of them. A good editor or a trusted beta reader should have explained all the problems with this novel to Kingsley before it ever saw the light of day. Like other authors, he then could have taken those criticisms to heart and come up with a much stronger work. Instead, we are expected to pay $30 for what was clearly a first draft, and it isn’t worth it, no matter how you feel about the author.
September 29, 2025
4.25 Stars
I LOVED this book. In many ways, it's exactly what I wanted: a grounded pseudo-fantasy set in a medieval equivalent world that closely (a little too closely for my taste, but I'll forgive it) mirrors our own that extols an almost naive - but refreshing - narrative of the validity of virtue and chivalry. While it doesn't shy away from the realities of combat and ugliness of humanity, neither does it revel in it, preferring instead to show the various ways in which goodness presents itself and how there is actual power in friendship and kindness.
I am aware that the author is some kind of Youtuber who (forgive my ignorance) talks about medieval Europe on his channel with some degree of authority and it shows. While a long line of medieval/fantasy authors have played favorites with certain realities of the era, the trend has been towards a greater level of verisimilitude and Kingsley isn't shy about delivering in that arena. The first third of the book has an almost cozy quality to it as our new-made Lord of Blackthorne sets about restoring his keep with the help of his new subjects. It is here where I could almost feel Kingsley lecturing me on how certain things would or would not work in contrast to or in accordance with other medieval/fantasy standards. To be clear: it was a welcome novelty. And Kingsley doesn't beat you over the head with it either, taking it for granted that you've probably read some fantasy before and know certain things.
So why no fifth star if I really only have good things to say about it? This purports to be the first book in a series titled The Blackthorne Chronicles, and it lives up to such a billing. While there is a beginning, middle, and end to this story, the way that Kingsley tantalizingly establishes that there are more stories to be told through various not-too-subtle means makes it feel like this is merely the prologue of a larger narrative. This is not usually too bad a thing; Tolkien's Two Towers and Liu's Dark Forest are excellent examples of books I've ADORED that were essentially incomplete parts of a larger narrative. Ironically then, the fact that I don't know who the "Big Bad" we are working towards is gives this particular story a sort of aimlessness despite all the fun we have and the strength of its (relatively) self-contained narrative.
Perhaps after we've read some future books that re-contextualizes this one, I will look back on this work and say "WOW! What an amazing piece of literature that foreshadows so much, that lays the groundwork for so many twists, and is so essential to the understanding of these characters!" But for now all that I can say is that I loved this book. That is as earnest and true a statement as any that our Lord of Blackthorne might make. I greatly look forward to reading more and revisiting this first book down the road.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion for advanced access to this ebook scheduled to be published November 11th, 2025 at time of writing.
I LOVED this book. In many ways, it's exactly what I wanted: a grounded pseudo-fantasy set in a medieval equivalent world that closely (a little too closely for my taste, but I'll forgive it) mirrors our own that extols an almost naive - but refreshing - narrative of the validity of virtue and chivalry. While it doesn't shy away from the realities of combat and ugliness of humanity, neither does it revel in it, preferring instead to show the various ways in which goodness presents itself and how there is actual power in friendship and kindness.
I am aware that the author is some kind of Youtuber who (forgive my ignorance) talks about medieval Europe on his channel with some degree of authority and it shows. While a long line of medieval/fantasy authors have played favorites with certain realities of the era, the trend has been towards a greater level of verisimilitude and Kingsley isn't shy about delivering in that arena. The first third of the book has an almost cozy quality to it as our new-made Lord of Blackthorne sets about restoring his keep with the help of his new subjects. It is here where I could almost feel Kingsley lecturing me on how certain things would or would not work in contrast to or in accordance with other medieval/fantasy standards. To be clear: it was a welcome novelty. And Kingsley doesn't beat you over the head with it either, taking it for granted that you've probably read some fantasy before and know certain things.
So why no fifth star if I really only have good things to say about it? This purports to be the first book in a series titled The Blackthorne Chronicles, and it lives up to such a billing. While there is a beginning, middle, and end to this story, the way that Kingsley tantalizingly establishes that there are more stories to be told through various not-too-subtle means makes it feel like this is merely the prologue of a larger narrative. This is not usually too bad a thing; Tolkien's Two Towers and Liu's Dark Forest are excellent examples of books I've ADORED that were essentially incomplete parts of a larger narrative. Ironically then, the fact that I don't know who the "Big Bad" we are working towards is gives this particular story a sort of aimlessness despite all the fun we have and the strength of its (relatively) self-contained narrative.
Perhaps after we've read some future books that re-contextualizes this one, I will look back on this work and say "WOW! What an amazing piece of literature that foreshadows so much, that lays the groundwork for so many twists, and is so essential to the understanding of these characters!" But for now all that I can say is that I loved this book. That is as earnest and true a statement as any that our Lord of Blackthorne might make. I greatly look forward to reading more and revisiting this first book down the road.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion for advanced access to this ebook scheduled to be published November 11th, 2025 at time of writing.
November 28, 2025
#Lordofblackthorne by #jasonkingsley published in 2025. Such a Wonderful book. I really enjoy his YouTube videos. The book is Full of detail you would expect given his knowledge of horses and the medieval period. It is Lovely to spend time with the characters and in the world. The book Takes its time and is thoroughly engaging and atmospheric. It is Perfectly paced and delightfully calming. A Brilliant evening fireside read. The Protagonist blackthorne not given a name until he becomes lord of blackthorne. I wonder what his secret is. All the characters he meets seem to have depth and backstory. As a fellow horseman it’s nice to see the author write about riding correctly: Gently collecting the reins rather than some writers that have their characters thrash about and manhandle the reins with urgent ferocity.
I was having a great time just reading about blackthorne getting to know the villagers and slowly repairing the castle. That could have lasted longer exploring all the new rooms and places, but perhaps there is time for that later.
What surprised me was how effective Kingsley was at creating a sense of tension and threatening menace when our hero was first making his way through breckenwood. Kingsley’s experience enthusiasm and knowledge of the medieval period really help ground this tale in an authentic way. The ‘magic’ and ‘dragons’ are hinted at but not fully expressed. Hopefully this will become a series and those fantasy elements can be explored more later. The map was excellent and very useful. The protagonist is clearly a stand in for Kingsley. The chap on the cover looks very much like him. Blackthorne’s horse phantom is based on kingsley’s horse ghost And the mule in want of a name is kingsley’s mule with no name. Delightfully charming. Very good at keeping interest and intrigue. Asks a question but does not give immediate answer. Some answers are left to the reader’s imagination. Some to be answered in future books I hope. The Action scenes are well written and the book even includes A Robin Hood figure and some Viking types. Utterly fantastic!
I was having a great time just reading about blackthorne getting to know the villagers and slowly repairing the castle. That could have lasted longer exploring all the new rooms and places, but perhaps there is time for that later.
What surprised me was how effective Kingsley was at creating a sense of tension and threatening menace when our hero was first making his way through breckenwood. Kingsley’s experience enthusiasm and knowledge of the medieval period really help ground this tale in an authentic way. The ‘magic’ and ‘dragons’ are hinted at but not fully expressed. Hopefully this will become a series and those fantasy elements can be explored more later. The map was excellent and very useful. The protagonist is clearly a stand in for Kingsley. The chap on the cover looks very much like him. Blackthorne’s horse phantom is based on kingsley’s horse ghost And the mule in want of a name is kingsley’s mule with no name. Delightfully charming. Very good at keeping interest and intrigue. Asks a question but does not give immediate answer. Some answers are left to the reader’s imagination. Some to be answered in future books I hope. The Action scenes are well written and the book even includes A Robin Hood figure and some Viking types. Utterly fantastic!
July 29, 2025
Let me start with the author. Jason Kingsley is a knight, an expert in medieval realities, jouster and brilliant narrator of his own channel about the life of medieval society. There is no point in listing all his achievements and talents, as this is material for a separate book, which, by the way, has already been written. He created a fantasy novel set in a chivalric setting - the story of how a novice knight who dreams of fighting dragons becomes the lord of a ruined castle in the deep ditch and confronts his dreams with a leaking roof over his head and wet boots. In front of him he has the Glass Mountains and the sinister Westlanders, and behind him a king who is a jerk.
You have to admit it promises to be good, doesn't it? Plus a discreet element of magic, not too much, just right, a bit of combat, and plenty of details about knightly life, armor, and weapons, as the author decided to write about what he truly knows. You will immediately ask what could have gone wrong - and the answer is: NOTHING. Everything went right, the novel is a real pleasure to read. „Lord of Blackthorne” is a story in which immortal motifs, well known to all fantasy lovers, are used in a subtile and original way. One of them is worth a special mention: It is nature, nature in the broadest sense of the term, coupled with magic as usual, but this time without exaltation, without naïve environmentalism. Nature you don't fight, because you can't win, but make friends, and you will survive. From the Phantom horse (fans of the MHTV channel say hello to an old friend) and the Mule With No Name to the blackthorn bushes from which the main character takes his name. Nature is harsh, doesn't forgive mistakes, doesn't promise anything - but in times of need you can count on her as a reluctant but faithful ally.
And one more detail, this time highly unusual. ‘Lord of Blackthorne’ is a novel without a love plot. There are important female characters in it, but these are friends, colleagues, advisers, sometimes authorities and oracles - but whenever Blackthorne looks towards them in a more personal way, he shoots a gaff. Perhaps the author has a love story in store for him, after all his novel is intended to be the first volume of a planned series. I can't hide the fact that, irrespective of whether the protagonist falls in love (or not), I expect a lot from the continuation, because the novel ends far too quickly. You're tempted to ask, "Is this all?" and hope that it is not.
Hippogriff Quill
You have to admit it promises to be good, doesn't it? Plus a discreet element of magic, not too much, just right, a bit of combat, and plenty of details about knightly life, armor, and weapons, as the author decided to write about what he truly knows. You will immediately ask what could have gone wrong - and the answer is: NOTHING. Everything went right, the novel is a real pleasure to read. „Lord of Blackthorne” is a story in which immortal motifs, well known to all fantasy lovers, are used in a subtile and original way. One of them is worth a special mention: It is nature, nature in the broadest sense of the term, coupled with magic as usual, but this time without exaltation, without naïve environmentalism. Nature you don't fight, because you can't win, but make friends, and you will survive. From the Phantom horse (fans of the MHTV channel say hello to an old friend) and the Mule With No Name to the blackthorn bushes from which the main character takes his name. Nature is harsh, doesn't forgive mistakes, doesn't promise anything - but in times of need you can count on her as a reluctant but faithful ally.
And one more detail, this time highly unusual. ‘Lord of Blackthorne’ is a novel without a love plot. There are important female characters in it, but these are friends, colleagues, advisers, sometimes authorities and oracles - but whenever Blackthorne looks towards them in a more personal way, he shoots a gaff. Perhaps the author has a love story in store for him, after all his novel is intended to be the first volume of a planned series. I can't hide the fact that, irrespective of whether the protagonist falls in love (or not), I expect a lot from the continuation, because the novel ends far too quickly. You're tempted to ask, "Is this all?" and hope that it is not.
Hippogriff Quill
October 26, 2025
After a young knight single-handedly ends a siege and wins the king's favour, he receives a reward: he becomes the new, young Lord Blackthorne. But when the young lord visits his lands, he wonders whether it was actually a reward or rather a punishment, as his castle turns out to be a long-abandoned ruin. After decades without a lord, the knight must not only rebuild his castle, but also win over the villagers. Beyond the borders, there are new parties that the new lord seeks out in order to lead his lands to prosperity. But this does not seem to be the only challenge, as there is talk of new dangers...
The story is a classic knight's tale, which paints a very vivid picture of the Middle Ages with a wealth of detail. We follow the young lord and learn a lot about weapons, equipment, the construction of a castle and much more. The world itself is a fantasy world populated by knights and Nordic peoples, with a touch of magic and monsters such as dragons. The story is told very slowly in some places, taking time for details, and in other places very quickly with a few small leaps in time.
The protagonist is a young, righteous knight who lives very much by the code and, due to his past, is not above getting his hands dirty. But that is also a minor criticism: the story goes too smoothly, the protagonist is too good, there are hardly any conflicts that are seriously worrying, and because of this, the story feels a bit flat, but nevertheless, the world had a certain pull, so that you wanted to know how it would continue.
The book is not a standalone and is part of the Blackthorne Chronicles. I am therefore very excited to see how it continues and will definitely read the next volume.
For this reason, the story is recommended for anyone who wants a classic, light-hearted knight story with insights into the ‘true Middle Ages’ and a touch of fantasy.
Many thanks to the team at Kingsley, Rebellion and NetGalley for the free e-ARC.
The story is a classic knight's tale, which paints a very vivid picture of the Middle Ages with a wealth of detail. We follow the young lord and learn a lot about weapons, equipment, the construction of a castle and much more. The world itself is a fantasy world populated by knights and Nordic peoples, with a touch of magic and monsters such as dragons. The story is told very slowly in some places, taking time for details, and in other places very quickly with a few small leaps in time.
The protagonist is a young, righteous knight who lives very much by the code and, due to his past, is not above getting his hands dirty. But that is also a minor criticism: the story goes too smoothly, the protagonist is too good, there are hardly any conflicts that are seriously worrying, and because of this, the story feels a bit flat, but nevertheless, the world had a certain pull, so that you wanted to know how it would continue.
The book is not a standalone and is part of the Blackthorne Chronicles. I am therefore very excited to see how it continues and will definitely read the next volume.
For this reason, the story is recommended for anyone who wants a classic, light-hearted knight story with insights into the ‘true Middle Ages’ and a touch of fantasy.
Many thanks to the team at Kingsley, Rebellion and NetGalley for the free e-ARC.
July 23, 2025
It’s very good! It says it’s not out yet, but that’s not actually true. Kickstarter backers have started receiving them and an ebook is available through the publisher’s website. I say this just so people know this isn’t some “fan review” praising a book that hasn’t actually been read yet!
Couldn’t put it down. Despite its considerable length, I finished it in about a day because I just couldn’t bring myself to put it down and wanted to know what was going to happen next! It’s absolutely worth picking up if you’re at all into the medieval/light fantasy genre. Lots of good tidbits of information (the author is a medieval historian and has infused facts that fit the story but are also clearly there to teach the reader or clear common misconceptions). As far as I understand this is the author’s first novel, and I admit I was a bit worried about how good it would be. But it’s clear that he is plenty talented, and probably had good people helping him, because it was very easy to get absorbed in the story and there weren’t any moments where I was pulled out by the kind of writing flubs that are common when people who are not practiced, professional authors try to write stories.
If you are interested in it, I would recommend going to the publisher’s website to pick up the ebook. The price is exceedingly reasonable, the files are simple epub or mobi (so are easy to read on pretty much any device you can think of) and the overall value is better than any book I’ve bought in years, maybe ever. I wasn’t actually planning on buying it yet, and was kind of waiting for the physical copy to be widely available before I made a decision. But when I saw the price of the ebook and the fact that it wasn’t locked down by aggressive and ridiculous DRM, I knew I had to check it out. I’m very glad that I did!
Couldn’t put it down. Despite its considerable length, I finished it in about a day because I just couldn’t bring myself to put it down and wanted to know what was going to happen next! It’s absolutely worth picking up if you’re at all into the medieval/light fantasy genre. Lots of good tidbits of information (the author is a medieval historian and has infused facts that fit the story but are also clearly there to teach the reader or clear common misconceptions). As far as I understand this is the author’s first novel, and I admit I was a bit worried about how good it would be. But it’s clear that he is plenty talented, and probably had good people helping him, because it was very easy to get absorbed in the story and there weren’t any moments where I was pulled out by the kind of writing flubs that are common when people who are not practiced, professional authors try to write stories.
If you are interested in it, I would recommend going to the publisher’s website to pick up the ebook. The price is exceedingly reasonable, the files are simple epub or mobi (so are easy to read on pretty much any device you can think of) and the overall value is better than any book I’ve bought in years, maybe ever. I wasn’t actually planning on buying it yet, and was kind of waiting for the physical copy to be widely available before I made a decision. But when I saw the price of the ebook and the fact that it wasn’t locked down by aggressive and ridiculous DRM, I knew I had to check it out. I’m very glad that I did!
October 26, 2025
This freshman effort from YouTuber and Game Company owner Jason Kingsley is so charming and delightful I think it needs to be entered as a serious entry for Cosy Fantasy read as well.
The writing is better than your average Fantasy fare, particular for a new author. I account this very much to Jason, who speaks beautifully on his YouTube channel and has a wonderful command of the language himself.
The character, who never has a name more than Lord of Blackthorne (a device which I found curious and also really liked - I hope to find out more about his history) is IMPOSSIBLE not to like. He's a bit 'perfect' but who cares, if I want morally gray or villain MCs I will read something else. I like a Hero to be a Hero.
The 'world' very much seems to be early medieval England and I'm here for it. The book was not cluttered up with ridiculous description of everything, which for some absurd reason, all these new fantasy authors seem to believe is 'good' writing -- but Jason knows better. Probably owing to the fact that he is not a young man, and has read all the foundational fantasy himself. Mores the better.
For this reader, I wish he'd play even more into the old magic and folklore, he is good at it.
There is a LOT of detail about fighting and combat in this book and it's incredibly accurate - the author himself being an expert on medieval life/warfare/mounted combat. Anyone wanting, finally, an accurate portrayal of medieval combat this book is for you.
I thought there could have been more tidbits of common life in there, but I can see why he focused on what he focused on.
All in all, a really great beginning effort and I will definitely read any more he publishes.
The writing is better than your average Fantasy fare, particular for a new author. I account this very much to Jason, who speaks beautifully on his YouTube channel and has a wonderful command of the language himself.
The character, who never has a name more than Lord of Blackthorne (a device which I found curious and also really liked - I hope to find out more about his history) is IMPOSSIBLE not to like. He's a bit 'perfect' but who cares, if I want morally gray or villain MCs I will read something else. I like a Hero to be a Hero.
The 'world' very much seems to be early medieval England and I'm here for it. The book was not cluttered up with ridiculous description of everything, which for some absurd reason, all these new fantasy authors seem to believe is 'good' writing -- but Jason knows better. Probably owing to the fact that he is not a young man, and has read all the foundational fantasy himself. Mores the better.
For this reader, I wish he'd play even more into the old magic and folklore, he is good at it.
There is a LOT of detail about fighting and combat in this book and it's incredibly accurate - the author himself being an expert on medieval life/warfare/mounted combat. Anyone wanting, finally, an accurate portrayal of medieval combat this book is for you.
I thought there could have been more tidbits of common life in there, but I can see why he focused on what he focused on.
All in all, a really great beginning effort and I will definitely read any more he publishes.
August 21, 2025
As a long-time subscriber of the author's Modern History TV YouTube channel, my expectations for this book were already high, and yet Lord of Blackthorne still completely blew me away.
The descriptions were gorgeously vivid, rich with sensory details that pulled me straight into the story. It's been a long time since a book had me so deeply immersed. It genuinely felt as if I was right there alongside Blackthorne, Osga, and the villagers, experiencing everything first hand.
What really stood out were the evocative descriptions of landscapes and the changing seasons. The way the scenery shifted as Blackthorne travelled, the local flora and fauna, the smell of the earth, the bite of the wind, the subtle changes in light. These weren’t just atmospheric flourishes, they grounded the story in a physical reality that felt tangible and alive.
Jason Kingsley's deep knowledge and passion for history shines on every page. He goes beyond just using the right terminology or explaining how things would have worked, and adds the subtle, everyday sorts of details that wouldn't make it into history books, and certainly not into most fantasy novels, that make this world feel so authentic and lived-in.
As someone who usually devours books at full speed, I found myself intentionally taking this one more slowly because there was SO MUCH to savour.
The only reason I’m giving it 4.75 stars instead of a full 5 is that the writing in the first few pages felt a little rough around the edges. You can feel the author settling into his stride as the story progresses, and once he does, it’s an incredibly immersive and rewarding read.
The descriptions were gorgeously vivid, rich with sensory details that pulled me straight into the story. It's been a long time since a book had me so deeply immersed. It genuinely felt as if I was right there alongside Blackthorne, Osga, and the villagers, experiencing everything first hand.
What really stood out were the evocative descriptions of landscapes and the changing seasons. The way the scenery shifted as Blackthorne travelled, the local flora and fauna, the smell of the earth, the bite of the wind, the subtle changes in light. These weren’t just atmospheric flourishes, they grounded the story in a physical reality that felt tangible and alive.
Jason Kingsley's deep knowledge and passion for history shines on every page. He goes beyond just using the right terminology or explaining how things would have worked, and adds the subtle, everyday sorts of details that wouldn't make it into history books, and certainly not into most fantasy novels, that make this world feel so authentic and lived-in.
As someone who usually devours books at full speed, I found myself intentionally taking this one more slowly because there was SO MUCH to savour.
The only reason I’m giving it 4.75 stars instead of a full 5 is that the writing in the first few pages felt a little rough around the edges. You can feel the author settling into his stride as the story progresses, and once he does, it’s an incredibly immersive and rewarding read.
July 21, 2025
Lord of Blackthorne is the first Medieval Fantasy novel of author Jason Kingsley, CBE. It is a smashing tale. A young Knight saves his King and much of an army in a battle with the evil Baron Gorstone. Was magic involved? That’s the question. He is rewarded with his own fiefdom as the new Lord of Blackthorne. But his new domain isn’t much of a gift. He must elicit the loyalty of his new subjects while rebuilding a ruined castle. And that’s the easy part. He soon encounters outlaws, cross-border enemies, and worse yet, the return of Gorstone. The characters are multilayered, interesting, and not always what they seem. The fighting and horsemanship are accurately described. It's funny to say that fantastical things seem real, but that's well written and believable is this Medieval world. Lots of twists and turns to enjoy while the intensity and danger of the story increase with every page. The author has created a wonderful world to explore as well as an exciting adventure story. Highly recommended. Lord of Blackthorne, digital edition is available for purchase and download at Rebellion Publishing. Hard back and other digital editions are available for Preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online book sellers.
October 16, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy!
DNF'ed a few chapters in, mainly on the basis that if you can't make the siege of a castle exciting, how boring is the rest of the book going to be?
Someone on the editing team really needed to remind Kingsley that he didn't need to include EVERY SINGLE historical detail about every little thing he mentioned. It makes for clunky, unnatural-sounding sentences that distract our attention from what's actually going on - and that's before we get into the random tangents Kingsley includes at what are supposed to be tense moments. Why do we need a random aside about the forest and the tenacity of nature when our main character is supposed to be finding a way into the castle? The King himself has charged our main character with this task, men are literally dying at the front gate trying to besiege the castle, and the MC is swanning around casually in the forest, reminiscing about his childhood. There's no sense of urgency at all!
What's more, there were several grammatical errors - mainly fragment sentences and misplaced commas - that made the whole book look unprofessional and amateurish. It seemed like an interesting idea, but unfortunately, this is an anti-recommend.
DNF'ed a few chapters in, mainly on the basis that if you can't make the siege of a castle exciting, how boring is the rest of the book going to be?
Someone on the editing team really needed to remind Kingsley that he didn't need to include EVERY SINGLE historical detail about every little thing he mentioned. It makes for clunky, unnatural-sounding sentences that distract our attention from what's actually going on - and that's before we get into the random tangents Kingsley includes at what are supposed to be tense moments. Why do we need a random aside about the forest and the tenacity of nature when our main character is supposed to be finding a way into the castle? The King himself has charged our main character with this task, men are literally dying at the front gate trying to besiege the castle, and the MC is swanning around casually in the forest, reminiscing about his childhood. There's no sense of urgency at all!
What's more, there were several grammatical errors - mainly fragment sentences and misplaced commas - that made the whole book look unprofessional and amateurish. It seemed like an interesting idea, but unfortunately, this is an anti-recommend.
November 28, 2025
A young knight, his head full of chivalry , single-handedly defeats the rebel Baron Reynald of Gorstone. Hah, with help from a mysterious old woman and some luck.
The king rewards his courage with a fief of his own, but he must travel to the distant borderlands to claim it. Maybe it was not a gift after all? No it is a ruin and the King had lied, promising the victor THE castle, not a castle.
Amid the harsh, unforgiving border country, the new Lord of Blackthorne struggles to rebuild a life from the ruins and forge key alliances.
He sure does! And of course dire things are happening, does the bronze medallion the old woman gave him have any connection to all this?
Ah knights. I was looking for a new knightly book and came across this.
I thought it might be a bit twee, but no. I really enjoyed it!
The fight at the castle was action packed, and exciting!!
In fact can't wait for the next book!!
The king rewards his courage with a fief of his own, but he must travel to the distant borderlands to claim it. Maybe it was not a gift after all? No it is a ruin and the King had lied, promising the victor THE castle, not a castle.
Amid the harsh, unforgiving border country, the new Lord of Blackthorne struggles to rebuild a life from the ruins and forge key alliances.
He sure does! And of course dire things are happening, does the bronze medallion the old woman gave him have any connection to all this?
Ah knights. I was looking for a new knightly book and came across this.
I thought it might be a bit twee, but no. I really enjoyed it!
The fight at the castle was action packed, and exciting!!
In fact can't wait for the next book!!
October 11, 2025
A light fantasy. For an act of bravery, a Knight is made Lord of Blackthorne, an obscure and run down area on the edge of the Kingdom. Can he unite his villagers, get them to accept him and protect them? Bad things are coming and he is going to need friends and support he doesn’t have.
Odd this, its fantasy with a very light touch of magic but mainly old fashion swords, arrows and good deeds. As a first fiction book by the author, it is well written with engaging characters and very easy reading. Maybe that is it’s problem, it is slightly too easy reading, feels very YA level fantasy. Blackthorne is almost too good to be true, always does the right thing and there is never a real sense of peril. Even in the darkest moments it has kind of been telegraphed what will happen next.
I would read another one, but I’d want it less predictable and a bit darker.
Odd this, its fantasy with a very light touch of magic but mainly old fashion swords, arrows and good deeds. As a first fiction book by the author, it is well written with engaging characters and very easy reading. Maybe that is it’s problem, it is slightly too easy reading, feels very YA level fantasy. Blackthorne is almost too good to be true, always does the right thing and there is never a real sense of peril. Even in the darkest moments it has kind of been telegraphed what will happen next.
I would read another one, but I’d want it less predictable and a bit darker.
November 1, 2025
This is the perfect story for everyone who enjoys a classic tale about knights, outlaws, bravery, and mysterious crones.
The story is told in a very traditional manner. It never surprised me, but still hit all the tropes (two men against a thousand, castle under siege, gruff companion, and many more) and was in this way very satisfying. The main character is unfortunately pretty one-dimensional, but the side characters make up for it. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and think this series has a lot of potential, even though the book also works perfectly as a stand-alone in my opinion. I'm looking forward to what the author is going to do from here on!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC! All opinions expressed are my own.
The story is told in a very traditional manner. It never surprised me, but still hit all the tropes (two men against a thousand, castle under siege, gruff companion, and many more) and was in this way very satisfying. The main character is unfortunately pretty one-dimensional, but the side characters make up for it. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and think this series has a lot of potential, even though the book also works perfectly as a stand-alone in my opinion. I'm looking forward to what the author is going to do from here on!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC! All opinions expressed are my own.
November 15, 2025
Being a fan of Mr. Kingsley’s Modern History TV, You Tube channel, and all things horses and medieval, I looked forward to diving into this medieval era fantasy.
The story has an interesting premise identifying the protagonist as the Knight, then as the Lord of Blackthorne. It is an upbeat, adventurous romp, with a hero that is nearly perfect. I would recommend this as a YA for readers of any age.
It started a bit slowly but built into a page-turning adventure with authentic, period detail that I expected and charming fantasy elements. Mega yes to the archery! I write of mounted archery adventures myself and was thrilled to nock, draw, shoot with our hero, Blackthorne, Jack, and the rest.
Fun debut novel, and we are all waiting for Book Two =---->
The story has an interesting premise identifying the protagonist as the Knight, then as the Lord of Blackthorne. It is an upbeat, adventurous romp, with a hero that is nearly perfect. I would recommend this as a YA for readers of any age.
It started a bit slowly but built into a page-turning adventure with authentic, period detail that I expected and charming fantasy elements. Mega yes to the archery! I write of mounted archery adventures myself and was thrilled to nock, draw, shoot with our hero, Blackthorne, Jack, and the rest.
Fun debut novel, and we are all waiting for Book Two =---->
September 12, 2025
Knights and brimstone, battles and dragons, marching through unknown terrain, and pure old time fantasy. between the writing, the language, and how the characters are built, it is every epic fantasy readers dream. You will just melt into this book just like bastian falls into the world of the never-ending story. This is fantastic.
October 31, 2025
Excellent debut novel from Jason Kingsley pulling in his wealth of knowledge about the medieval period, especially the small details, and mixing it in with a light touch of mythology and fantasy to create a very rich setting and characters in this historical fantasy novel. Already keen to see were the story goes from here!
November 10, 2025
Thank you Rebellion Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC.
I had such fun reading this; it brought back the nostalgia of medieval movies of the 1990s and 200s, the atmosphere felt authentic and I connected with the main character; the young knight.
Can't wait to read what comes next in this series.
I had such fun reading this; it brought back the nostalgia of medieval movies of the 1990s and 200s, the atmosphere felt authentic and I connected with the main character; the young knight.
Can't wait to read what comes next in this series.
November 17, 2025
I absolutely loved this book and it would have easily been in the running for my best of 2025 but for it running smack dab into one of my pet peeves.
The Pet Peeve: referencing a Real World language in a fantasy world. Something this book does twice - once with Latin (forgivable as it was a universal language but still annoying) and once with English (yeah, that one annoyed me as the world in question was definitely a fantasy version of England). This far too common occurrence ruins the worldbuilding for me and takes me out of the author's world.
Other than this, I cannot recommend this book more.
The Pet Peeve: referencing a Real World language in a fantasy world. Something this book does twice - once with Latin (forgivable as it was a universal language but still annoying) and once with English (yeah, that one annoyed me as the world in question was definitely a fantasy version of England). This far too common occurrence ruins the worldbuilding for me and takes me out of the author's world.
Other than this, I cannot recommend this book more.
December 20, 2025
I loved diving into this medieval world of war horses, knights and ancient mystery.
I‘ve been following Jason Kingsley‘s YouTube channel for a while. His knowledge about the middle ages is fascinating. His horses are gorgeous and super well trained.
I hope this will be the start of a series of books about the Lord of Blackthorne.
I‘ve been following Jason Kingsley‘s YouTube channel for a while. His knowledge about the middle ages is fascinating. His horses are gorgeous and super well trained.
I hope this will be the start of a series of books about the Lord of Blackthorne.
November 28, 2025
EXCELLENT and fun read!!!! Easy to read but also had great detail which gives way to easily visualization - so much fun good pacing and character development. Cannot wait for the next edition (I think he’s writing this as a “chronicle”
November 16, 2025
Wonderful tale!
This story is told so well, it kept me reading page after page. I found myself disappointed it was over! Well done, wordsmith. Thank you.
This story is told so well, it kept me reading page after page. I found myself disappointed it was over! Well done, wordsmith. Thank you.
August 26, 2025
Nice classic hero’s tell. From someone who knows his stuff very well. It’s refreshing to read fiction from someone who knows the finer details of the time period he’s inspired by. I love his YouTube Channel “Modern History TV” immensely and am happy to have done my small part in supporting his writing endeavors. I got this digital copy from his Rebellion games shop.
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