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Forging of a Knight #3
Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt
They have been hinted at – heroes of glorious legend, villains of infamous fable – some have made their presence known, while others only by name: Aurelus, Amali, Termenon, Qualtan, Jesepha, Darksiege, and Shaz.
Now, heroes of the past and present will unite against Those That Stand in Shadow. From the steaming jungles of the Third Continent to a Prison Planet forged by angels, the Arch-Mages and their champions will find themselves in a race against time to prevent Shaz and his agents from finding the Dark Ones’ demonic fathers and releasing them from bondage. Enemies will become allies, and allies will become foes in the ultimate confrontation with evil that will span two continents, new lands, and new terrors!
Now, heroes of the past and present will unite against Those That Stand in Shadow. From the steaming jungles of the Third Continent to a Prison Planet forged by angels, the Arch-Mages and their champions will find themselves in a race against time to prevent Shaz and his agents from finding the Dark Ones’ demonic fathers and releasing them from bondage. Enemies will become allies, and allies will become foes in the ultimate confrontation with evil that will span two continents, new lands, and new terrors!
392 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2014
2 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Hugo Negron
7 books29 followersAn avid fan of myths and fantasy, I have always had a passion for reading and writing. My background includes an M.A. in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University as well as an M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I’ve also achieved PHR (Professional in Human Resources) certification. I instruct adult learners in resume development, and work as a full time recruiting manager. In addition, I am also an amateur cartoonist, having taken classes at the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 12, 2014
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
I don't know where the time has gone but it feels like only yesterday when I picked up my first Forging of a Knight book but actually it has already been two years since. In amongst the many indie authors that I read Hugo Negron entry was definitely one of the best that I had come across in a long time. A solid return to classic Epic Sword and Sorcery Fantasy and above all producing a highly enjoyable read for both older and younger readers. Last year Hugo Negron published his second book in the series, Rise of the Slavekeepers, which completely turned the tables and readily showed that Hugo Negron is an author with a lot of creativity and that dares to show it! Those extra dimensions were very cool to read and what first seemed as a rather bold move, paid off fully in the end. but now we have reached the conclusion of the first Forging of a Knight story arc, in personal communication Hugo Negron said that it's an ongoing series but each three books is an story arc of its own.
Let me just say upfront that you wont be disappointed. In the first book we got introduced to our knight in the making Qualtan and and orcne Glaive, they had some adventures and here also a dark and nefarious organization that had plans to take over the world came to light, Those That Stand in Shadow. In the second book our hero Qualtan was steadily growing up becoming the knight he always had dreamed to be, what Hugo Negron also did very nicely was to broadened world of the Forging of a Knight series, introducing, yes quite boldly extra dimensions, though this is a bit science fiction, it did work wonders in the Epic Fantasy backdrop. Now for the conclusion of the first story arc.
The introduction as always in the Forging of a Knight stories are very remarkable and will get you readily fired up. You are directly offered a cool perspective not that of Qualtan or any guys of the good side but that of the evil side, Shaz and Darksiege and their plans, as I already said this readily got me in the mood of reading as with these kind of questing books Epic Fantasy book I always enjoy to read about what the other side think and plans. ANd you are in for quite a surprise by on of the important characters of Those That Stand in Shadow. After this you are transported to the perspectives of the good guys and see how they are recapturing events of the second book and are looking forward. Right until the interference of said person of Those That Stand in Shadow, now I wont tread into details as to who this is because that would spoil the surprise way to much. Now a race is on to stop Those That Stand in Shadow from freeing their demonic father, to help them take over the world and everything in between. In this quest Qualtan is once again not alone he is aided by the kingdom's most bravest knights, some who we have read about in earlier stories and others that are brand new. In their quest to stop Those That Stand in Shadow, Qualtan and many other a knight has to rediscover things for themselves, learning and growing up even how veteran they might be. This all leading up to an unavoidable and quite cataclysmic ending. But don't think the trek of Qualtan and his friends is solely walking they have to fend of otherworldly threats and other challenges as they go, this is perhaps the most eventful journey that Qualtan will have undertaken, getting out alive will proof to be quite a challenge... Even though you are strong and fast, there is always someone better than you, but the most important thing is never to give in what you believe. (another message that I think Hugo Negron wanted to show via Qualtan's character).
I really liked the story that Hugo Negron showed in Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt and especially the build up of the story. It starts of, if you don't take the prologue into consideration, quite harmless but soon picks up with a nice pacing. The story is in the lines of undertaking a journey typically accompanied with Epic Fantasy but it doesn't only focus on departing from town A and getting to destination B. A lot of things happen in between and not only action and fighting scenes but Hugo Negron nicely also addresses other aspects such as enlarging his world once again by delving into untold history of several old and new characters. I liked the parts of the White Knight and how he got to be but also more of the history of Those That Stand in Shadow, their plans and why some would go rogue. You could clearly feel the tension between the Arch Mages and Those That Stand in Shadow. It seems for me that Hugo Negron gets better with each new book. I made some comments about the hard writing style and words that were I think hard to understand for a younger audience, in Prison Planet he nicely changed this and wrote from start to finish a great story.
From the cover of the book you can already glimpse that the Qualtan shows isn't the Qualtan from the first books, he looks grown up and from the first page that once again read about Qualtan he acts mature, not to say that he acted childish in the first book but he considers his actions and it seems that by all the earlier events he has come to understand that if you want to be a good knight, you have to act virtuous and live and keep to your standards, treat people how you want to be treated. I enjoy reading about Qualtan, it is not that his actions are over exaggerated to be a good knight they are natural and does play into how you want to see a knight to be shown. Fighting for the good side doesn't make Qualtan ignorant for other things that happen besides him, instead he takes in everything from his surrounding and processes it. Quite the transformation but I guess this is the true forging part. Next to Qualtan's character there are plenty of more good guys and bad guys that you follow. Two of the other characters of the good side that stood out for me were Jesepha and the White Knight. The introduction as Jesepha as a determined female knight does break some nice standard rules, you not often see a female knight in Epic Fantasy stories I know that a lot of young female readers will cheer her on. The White Knight is a new addition and even though you only learn about him in this story, Hugo Negron takes enough time to nestle him into the story, I liked the backstory of him and did add something of an emotional current to the story. He is very cool but once you learn what he actually did does make you rethink.
Now for the bad guys. I have to stress this part once again. From the first book till Prison Planet, the chapters that focus on Those That Stand in Shadow have been a treat to read. In this Epic Fantasy backdrop and two faction fighting against each other the elaboration given over their actions give a better grasp on the story and does fully create a well rounded story. Plus it is just really cool to read about what they can and plan to do, it is not something over the top but Hugo Negron writes their actions in a dooming threat kind of way, Those That Stand in Shadow are dangerous and not to be trifled with... This all combined with the introduction of Prison Planet really topped it all off, Hugo Negron introduces a nice and for me totally unexpected plot twist! very nicely done.
Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt is a terrific ending to the first Forging of a Knight series. Hugo Negron has gotten better at writing with every single book. As I already said from the first book he was on my radar and he kept on it with his second book. Writing a series as a self published author is difficult but his second book didn't falter and with this third book Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt Hugo Negron pulled all the stops to create one spectacular ending. I already mentioned a big plot twist and I will keep on saying it, this really transformed the story thusfar and will propose and interesting start for continuation. The characters all over the series never stop developing and this is something that helps to get the story further. It seems that you have never learned everything just yet about the characters and the world. Though the premise of the story of Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt might sound like a simple journey, your wrong, it's far from it. Hugo Negron keeps on building his world and characters and keeps on revealing more backstory, there is never a dull moment in this book. Hugo Negron has already written three very strong books, he has already let know that he is a few pages in the fourth book, I am eager to find out the direction of that story. Recommended!
I don't know where the time has gone but it feels like only yesterday when I picked up my first Forging of a Knight book but actually it has already been two years since. In amongst the many indie authors that I read Hugo Negron entry was definitely one of the best that I had come across in a long time. A solid return to classic Epic Sword and Sorcery Fantasy and above all producing a highly enjoyable read for both older and younger readers. Last year Hugo Negron published his second book in the series, Rise of the Slavekeepers, which completely turned the tables and readily showed that Hugo Negron is an author with a lot of creativity and that dares to show it! Those extra dimensions were very cool to read and what first seemed as a rather bold move, paid off fully in the end. but now we have reached the conclusion of the first Forging of a Knight story arc, in personal communication Hugo Negron said that it's an ongoing series but each three books is an story arc of its own.
Let me just say upfront that you wont be disappointed. In the first book we got introduced to our knight in the making Qualtan and and orcne Glaive, they had some adventures and here also a dark and nefarious organization that had plans to take over the world came to light, Those That Stand in Shadow. In the second book our hero Qualtan was steadily growing up becoming the knight he always had dreamed to be, what Hugo Negron also did very nicely was to broadened world of the Forging of a Knight series, introducing, yes quite boldly extra dimensions, though this is a bit science fiction, it did work wonders in the Epic Fantasy backdrop. Now for the conclusion of the first story arc.
The introduction as always in the Forging of a Knight stories are very remarkable and will get you readily fired up. You are directly offered a cool perspective not that of Qualtan or any guys of the good side but that of the evil side, Shaz and Darksiege and their plans, as I already said this readily got me in the mood of reading as with these kind of questing books Epic Fantasy book I always enjoy to read about what the other side think and plans. ANd you are in for quite a surprise by on of the important characters of Those That Stand in Shadow. After this you are transported to the perspectives of the good guys and see how they are recapturing events of the second book and are looking forward. Right until the interference of said person of Those That Stand in Shadow, now I wont tread into details as to who this is because that would spoil the surprise way to much. Now a race is on to stop Those That Stand in Shadow from freeing their demonic father, to help them take over the world and everything in between. In this quest Qualtan is once again not alone he is aided by the kingdom's most bravest knights, some who we have read about in earlier stories and others that are brand new. In their quest to stop Those That Stand in Shadow, Qualtan and many other a knight has to rediscover things for themselves, learning and growing up even how veteran they might be. This all leading up to an unavoidable and quite cataclysmic ending. But don't think the trek of Qualtan and his friends is solely walking they have to fend of otherworldly threats and other challenges as they go, this is perhaps the most eventful journey that Qualtan will have undertaken, getting out alive will proof to be quite a challenge... Even though you are strong and fast, there is always someone better than you, but the most important thing is never to give in what you believe. (another message that I think Hugo Negron wanted to show via Qualtan's character).
I really liked the story that Hugo Negron showed in Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt and especially the build up of the story. It starts of, if you don't take the prologue into consideration, quite harmless but soon picks up with a nice pacing. The story is in the lines of undertaking a journey typically accompanied with Epic Fantasy but it doesn't only focus on departing from town A and getting to destination B. A lot of things happen in between and not only action and fighting scenes but Hugo Negron nicely also addresses other aspects such as enlarging his world once again by delving into untold history of several old and new characters. I liked the parts of the White Knight and how he got to be but also more of the history of Those That Stand in Shadow, their plans and why some would go rogue. You could clearly feel the tension between the Arch Mages and Those That Stand in Shadow. It seems for me that Hugo Negron gets better with each new book. I made some comments about the hard writing style and words that were I think hard to understand for a younger audience, in Prison Planet he nicely changed this and wrote from start to finish a great story.
From the cover of the book you can already glimpse that the Qualtan shows isn't the Qualtan from the first books, he looks grown up and from the first page that once again read about Qualtan he acts mature, not to say that he acted childish in the first book but he considers his actions and it seems that by all the earlier events he has come to understand that if you want to be a good knight, you have to act virtuous and live and keep to your standards, treat people how you want to be treated. I enjoy reading about Qualtan, it is not that his actions are over exaggerated to be a good knight they are natural and does play into how you want to see a knight to be shown. Fighting for the good side doesn't make Qualtan ignorant for other things that happen besides him, instead he takes in everything from his surrounding and processes it. Quite the transformation but I guess this is the true forging part. Next to Qualtan's character there are plenty of more good guys and bad guys that you follow. Two of the other characters of the good side that stood out for me were Jesepha and the White Knight. The introduction as Jesepha as a determined female knight does break some nice standard rules, you not often see a female knight in Epic Fantasy stories I know that a lot of young female readers will cheer her on. The White Knight is a new addition and even though you only learn about him in this story, Hugo Negron takes enough time to nestle him into the story, I liked the backstory of him and did add something of an emotional current to the story. He is very cool but once you learn what he actually did does make you rethink.
Now for the bad guys. I have to stress this part once again. From the first book till Prison Planet, the chapters that focus on Those That Stand in Shadow have been a treat to read. In this Epic Fantasy backdrop and two faction fighting against each other the elaboration given over their actions give a better grasp on the story and does fully create a well rounded story. Plus it is just really cool to read about what they can and plan to do, it is not something over the top but Hugo Negron writes their actions in a dooming threat kind of way, Those That Stand in Shadow are dangerous and not to be trifled with... This all combined with the introduction of Prison Planet really topped it all off, Hugo Negron introduces a nice and for me totally unexpected plot twist! very nicely done.
Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt is a terrific ending to the first Forging of a Knight series. Hugo Negron has gotten better at writing with every single book. As I already said from the first book he was on my radar and he kept on it with his second book. Writing a series as a self published author is difficult but his second book didn't falter and with this third book Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt Hugo Negron pulled all the stops to create one spectacular ending. I already mentioned a big plot twist and I will keep on saying it, this really transformed the story thusfar and will propose and interesting start for continuation. The characters all over the series never stop developing and this is something that helps to get the story further. It seems that you have never learned everything just yet about the characters and the world. Though the premise of the story of Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt might sound like a simple journey, your wrong, it's far from it. Hugo Negron keeps on building his world and characters and keeps on revealing more backstory, there is never a dull moment in this book. Hugo Negron has already written three very strong books, he has already let know that he is a few pages in the fourth book, I am eager to find out the direction of that story. Recommended!
October 6, 2025
Loved it
This work transports us to an epic world full of magic, myths, and colossal battles. The plot unfolds a large-scale adventure, traveling from the suffocating jungles of the third continent to a planetary prison created by angels, where heroes and villains must redefine their loyalties. With intrigue, unexpected twists, and a backdrop of ancient dark forces seeking liberation, the story promises to keep the reader in constant suspense. It is a tale of fragile alliances, inevitable sacrifices, and the eternal struggle between light and shadow, ideal for those who enjoy epic fantasy with grandiose settings and decisive confrontations.
It is a book that grabs you from the first page; the more you read, the more you want to know and be able to solve those riddles in your mind, which the book shapes for you so that you can have a reading experience that is interesting and educational.
This work transports us to an epic world full of magic, myths, and colossal battles. The plot unfolds a large-scale adventure, traveling from the suffocating jungles of the third continent to a planetary prison created by angels, where heroes and villains must redefine their loyalties. With intrigue, unexpected twists, and a backdrop of ancient dark forces seeking liberation, the story promises to keep the reader in constant suspense. It is a tale of fragile alliances, inevitable sacrifices, and the eternal struggle between light and shadow, ideal for those who enjoy epic fantasy with grandiose settings and decisive confrontations.
It is a book that grabs you from the first page; the more you read, the more you want to know and be able to solve those riddles in your mind, which the book shapes for you so that you can have a reading experience that is interesting and educational.
October 8, 2025
A fun read
This is one of those books whose story captivates the reader from beginning to end.
Even the cover draws attention with its combination of colors and figures, allowing one to get an idea of the story without even reading the content.
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt by Negron is written with a highly descriptive narrative that enables the reader to easily imagine the characters and the settings where the story takes place.
The reading is fast-paced, as the plot never becomes monotonous and includes twists that make the reader unwilling to put the book down.
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt is an excellent reading choice for a moment of relaxation
This is one of those books whose story captivates the reader from beginning to end.
Even the cover draws attention with its combination of colors and figures, allowing one to get an idea of the story without even reading the content.
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt by Negron is written with a highly descriptive narrative that enables the reader to easily imagine the characters and the settings where the story takes place.
The reading is fast-paced, as the plot never becomes monotonous and includes twists that make the reader unwilling to put the book down.
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt is an excellent reading choice for a moment of relaxation
October 16, 2025
Forging of a Knight: Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt is a great fantasy story full of action and imagination. Negron creates a world that feels alive, with knights, strange creatures, and deep adventures. I liked how the main character never gives up, even when everything seems lost. It reminded me of times in my own life when I had to stay strong and believe in myself. One night I was reading it on the bus, and I missed my stop because I got so into the story! The battles were exciting, but what I liked most was the message about courage, friendship, and honor. You can tell the author really loves this world and its heroes. It’s the kind of book that makes you dream about being part of an epic quest.
October 10, 2025
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt by Hugo V. Negron was exciting but also dark at times. I really liked how the story showed Wolf’s fight to survive in such a tough world. Even when the Mah-Lahkt tried to control him, he held on to who he was and refused to let them change his identity.
It also reminded me of moments in my own life when I felt pressure to change just to fit in. I remember thinking it would be easier to go along, but I didn’t feel happy pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Like Wolf, I learned that real strength means protecting your heart and your identity. The mix of action and emotion in this story made it very powerful for me.
It also reminded me of moments in my own life when I felt pressure to change just to fit in. I remember thinking it would be easier to go along, but I didn’t feel happy pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Like Wolf, I learned that real strength means protecting your heart and your identity. The mix of action and emotion in this story made it very powerful for me.
January 22, 2015
Hugo Negron has treated us with an exhilarating end to a major story arc in this third volume of Forging of a Knight. In this epic volume, Qualton, the titular knight of the series, and a band of the world's greatest heroes(well, one world at least . . .), set out to prevent Shaz of Those That Stand in Shadow from obtaining the power of a greater evil after a warning from an unlikely ally(ish). The mission takes them to an entirely different world, and pits them against the greatest trials and tribulations they have ever faced.
Negron continues to write some of the most exciting fantasy action scenes I've seen from any author, brilliantly composed with the tendency to suck you into the action like a triple A blockbuster movie. The returning characters(Qualton, Jesepha, Cassandra, Aurelus, and a couple others) are well written and for the most part gain even more depth in this volume. These are definitely the characters we've grown to know over the previous books, showing no hints of becoming watered down or reduced to nothing more than simple plot devices as some authors allow their characters to do over the course of epic series.
The general story lacks the depth of the preceding volume(Rise of the Slavekeepers), but I think the reason is simply because this is what the previous two books was building towards. There's a couple surprises thrown in here and there, but for the most part the book is straight forward, at times reading like an epic fantasy road movie(hmm . . . that makes two movie comparisons now).
The world is, as always, brilliantly detailed and developed, the strange, wondrous, and ofttimes dangerous prison planet of the Mah Lahkt vivid and breathtaking. I'm fairly certain Hugo Negron's imagination has no boundaries, the lands and the creatures who inhabit them endlessly creative.
Although this book easily deserves the five stars I've rated it, I do have a few small quibbles. Looking at the primary hero, Qualton, and the primary villain, Shaz, I feel that the story presents as an almost too perfect display of good versus evil. Shaz has absolutely no redeeming qualities. Yes, he's evil. Yes, he's kind of insane. But it would be nice if he had a little more depth . . . a gray area, if you will. The same goes with Qualton being a little too good. I in no way feel that he should be written as an antihero(as seems to be the current trend with fantasy protagonists), but it would be nice to see him swayed towards the darker side a little more, to see his values and honor truly put to the test. I'd love to read a scene and be surprised by what actions he takes to reach an end.
Other than that, I was slightly disappointed that Glaive was relegated to a single scene early on in the story. To the best of my understanding, the next book will bring him back to the forefront, his tiny part in this book serving to set up his story in it, but he's such a great character that I sorely missed him in this adventure. Oh, well, new characters Tarkanus and Finbar offer plenty of comic relief!
Overall, this is a more-than-worthy end to a major story arc, and it leaves several interesting threads that I am eager to follow into future volumes. If you haven't read any of the books in this series, you need to start from book 1, and I urge any fans of swords and sorcery fantasy to do just that. For those following this series, you don't want to miss out on this action-packed adventure.
Negron continues to write some of the most exciting fantasy action scenes I've seen from any author, brilliantly composed with the tendency to suck you into the action like a triple A blockbuster movie. The returning characters(Qualton, Jesepha, Cassandra, Aurelus, and a couple others) are well written and for the most part gain even more depth in this volume. These are definitely the characters we've grown to know over the previous books, showing no hints of becoming watered down or reduced to nothing more than simple plot devices as some authors allow their characters to do over the course of epic series.
The general story lacks the depth of the preceding volume(Rise of the Slavekeepers), but I think the reason is simply because this is what the previous two books was building towards. There's a couple surprises thrown in here and there, but for the most part the book is straight forward, at times reading like an epic fantasy road movie(hmm . . . that makes two movie comparisons now).
The world is, as always, brilliantly detailed and developed, the strange, wondrous, and ofttimes dangerous prison planet of the Mah Lahkt vivid and breathtaking. I'm fairly certain Hugo Negron's imagination has no boundaries, the lands and the creatures who inhabit them endlessly creative.
Although this book easily deserves the five stars I've rated it, I do have a few small quibbles. Looking at the primary hero, Qualton, and the primary villain, Shaz, I feel that the story presents as an almost too perfect display of good versus evil. Shaz has absolutely no redeeming qualities. Yes, he's evil. Yes, he's kind of insane. But it would be nice if he had a little more depth . . . a gray area, if you will. The same goes with Qualton being a little too good. I in no way feel that he should be written as an antihero(as seems to be the current trend with fantasy protagonists), but it would be nice to see him swayed towards the darker side a little more, to see his values and honor truly put to the test. I'd love to read a scene and be surprised by what actions he takes to reach an end.
Other than that, I was slightly disappointed that Glaive was relegated to a single scene early on in the story. To the best of my understanding, the next book will bring him back to the forefront, his tiny part in this book serving to set up his story in it, but he's such a great character that I sorely missed him in this adventure. Oh, well, new characters Tarkanus and Finbar offer plenty of comic relief!
Overall, this is a more-than-worthy end to a major story arc, and it leaves several interesting threads that I am eager to follow into future volumes. If you haven't read any of the books in this series, you need to start from book 1, and I urge any fans of swords and sorcery fantasy to do just that. For those following this series, you don't want to miss out on this action-packed adventure.
December 16, 2014
I received this as a first read. I really like this book. I have not read the other two books but was able to jump in and follow. It was a very fun epic fantasy read. I loved all the different types of characters in the book. I also enjoyed the world building as it suck me in as soon as a started to read. I also enjoyed the author style of writing. All in all a very pleasant reading adventure.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews