Valguard: Knight of Coins

by David N Humphrey

A woman kidnapped by bandits.
A mercenary sent alone to rescue her.
Time is running out, the odds are against him
and he must play a dangerous game to survive...

High up in the fells, a mercenary called Valguard pits himself against a band of vicious thieves and seemingly impossible odds on a daring night-time raid on a remote, fortified stronghold to rescue a hostage. Meanwhile, his employer, The Duke, waits at the border for news of the mission. Will he outwit the ruthless group of over twenty bandits known as The Cutters? Or has his luck ran out and this time he has been sent by his friend to a very bloody death?

The first Valguard book and prologue to the forthcoming novel ‘Ten of Swords’.

Genres: Fantasy

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2014

About the author

Hello! I write adventures featuring a medieval mercenary called Valguard and self publish them to as many outlets as I can. Once described as ‘medieval violence with a touch of magic’ and in many ways feel like a kind of ‘medieval Western’ (or Northern as its cold, not sunny). In the Venn diagram of Historical Fiction and Fantasy, my stories sit in the area where the two genres overlap -- I like to think of it as ‘Swordpunk’. I am only interested in writing more books in the Valguard series, please let me know what you think. Available on Amazon, Smashwords, Apple, B&N, some stuff exclusive to Tablo website and printed books on Blurb, search for ‘Valguard’.
All feedback welcome, Dave.

Reviews

[Julia Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

VALGUARD: KNIGHT OF COINS is a prelude to TEN OF SWORDS, a work-in-progress and the start of a series for author David N. Humphrey. I gave this short and action-packed introduction five-stars. Here’s why:

PLOT: Valguard, a skilled swordsman and mercenary, is tasked with freeing a kidnapped woman from the clutches of the notorious and vicious medieval-gang known as The Cutters. The woman is being held in a farm outpost teeming with armed sentries, all wearing The Cutters' telltale red sash. The odds seemed stacked against Valguard. Good thing he is far more lethal than the weapons he carries. Which is also a good thing, since his orders from the Duke were to leave no Cutter survivors.

CHARACTERS: Valguard is a no-holds-barred fighter who doesn’t squawk over spilled blood, or guts, or any gory body-part in between! At the same time, he is respectful, gentle, and protective of the young woman he rescues. And we also learn that he understands chemistry and natural medicinal herbs. These contrasting traits add depth of character.

WRITING: Author David N. Humphrey is a master at description. Here are two samples:

His legs whipped through the bracken before he crossed a low wooden bridge over the stream, his feet touching the planks three times in a soft thump-thump-thump before he raced back up the grassed ground stopping only when his body slammed flat into the edge of the wall.

and

His eyes were still as he stared at the tiny dot that was a farmhouse nestled in the frosty muted colours of the sloping moors several miles away.

The story is told in an omniscient POV which allows the narrator to freely weave into the minds of the characters to hear their thoughts.

TENSION: This short prelude is all about tension and it starts with the first line:

He knew that before the sun came up he would have to kill everyone in that house.

LOVE: No time for love when Valguard is trying to rescue a woman from twenty-one bandits—all by himself! However, we learn that the young woman he rescues is slated to become someone with elevated importance. It makes the reader wonder if she will appear in TEN OF SWORDS and if she will pull at Valguard’s heartstrings.

TWISTS/SURPRISES: Valguard has several tricks up his sleeve that are both surprising and intriguing.

HUMOR: With the intense fighting, I was surprised that there was room for a bit of humor. But the author pleasantly squeezed some in and the humor gave relief to the visceral action! Here are two samples:

When wondering about why The Cutters decided to get into the kidnapping business, Valguard thinks:

They must have had a ‘what sh*t are we going to pull this week?’ meeting and decided to step it up a notch.

and

When Valguard presses the Duke about why he didn’t just send his own soldiers to rescue the woman, the Duke explains he didn’t want to start a war. Valguard rolls his eyes and says:

Well, we wouldn’t want that. A soldier going to war? Bloody hell.

A brief, action-packed five-star read.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the first chapter,“His job was death,” and I am all in, waiting for those next words to thrill me or chill me. By the end, I’m hooked on the tale of Valguard, a mercenary on a mission. Valguard: Knight of Coins by David N. Humphrey at first glance looks to be the perfect dark prologue to the novel Ten of Swords. Will Valguard be all he is promised to be? I want to say yes, larger than life, confident and able to take on a band of brigands single-handedly. A little over the top? Not at all, Mr. Humphrey took only a few pages to set the stage for the big performance in his next book. I would have to say, mercenary or not, Valguard is a man of honor, driven, and a loner, but will he be able to stay on the right side of that dark line between good and evil? I’m sure his employer is banking on it.

Attention Dark Fantasy Fiends, there’s a new hero in town and his job is death. I’m looking forward to Ten of Swords and more from David N. Humphrey.

I received this copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: January 28, 2015
Publisher: Function9.com
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 35 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Cora Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of medieval violence and a touch of magic make this short story a great introduction to a new fantasy series with Valguard,the mercenary, as the hero. Looking forward to reading more...

[Lee Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Review of
Valguard: Knight of Coins
By
David N Humphrey

This short novella is an introduction to Humphrey’s series of novels about the mercenary Valguard.
It dives straight into the action as Valguard is breaking into a fortified farmstead held by some particularly vicious outlaws. Immediately we are plunged into dark violent scenes as Valguard dispatches the outlaws one by one. The writing is dark and descriptive in the early chapters as each grisly death is described in detail. The tension rises quickly as Valguard sneaks around in the shadows, constantly conscious of his impending discovery.
We are introduced to several of the outlaw characters – some of them are quite nasty and formidable. In a short space of time I found myself invested, not only in the protagonist Valguard, but also in awaiting the slow and painful demise of several of these nasty men.
I don’t want to reveal to much of the plot, but it appears early on Valguard is here on a mission, which is eventually unveiled, as are the reasons behind his previous knowledge of some of the outlaws. There’s a great scene with a clever use of an explosive, which I think most readers will enjoy – it gets quite messy, but one of the highlights for me, certainly. I also quite enjoyed a small twist about Valguard himself, he is not your average man, and this adds an interesting element to the character.
The latter half of the novella, further explores Valguard’s character background, it introduces a few new characters and generally (I assume) sets up the next full length novel. This novella is certainly a great introduction to Valguard, and Humphrey is using this novella as a prelude to a larger story.
It is fast paced, well written and quite exciting in parts; the tension the author creates really makes the early chapters of this story what it is.
I’d very much recommend it as a quick fun read (I read it in just under an hour) and it has intrigued me to read the next instalment – so I would say that as a prologue story, this novella has performed its job well as I will be checking out the longer novel.
Check it out, its dark, gory and smashingly violent.

Thanks for reading

Lee C. Conley

[David Humphrey]

As the author of KNIGHT OF COINS, the first book in the Valguard series and my first published work, I won't be posting a review or rating, but I can offer some background. Originally this story was to the beginning of the next book, Ten of Swords and served as an introduction to the eponymous medieval mercenary Valguard in the same way you have a mini adventure before the credits roll on a James Bond or Indiana Jones film. It was set 6 months before the main story and contained no recurring characters apart from its eponymous antihero. Expanding this into a self contained 12k word novella seemed like the best way of getting my first work 'out there' as a taster or calling card for people to read. It also helped me fathom the process of editing, proofing and self (indie) publishing a book and having it distributed globally. I hope you give it a try you can read it in an hour or so and I think its a cracking tale told as well as I could. I took my time refining draft after draft until I was 100% happy with it, and now months after publishing I still am very proud of what is hopefully the first book in a long series.

[J.T. Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloody Fun!

A silent specter moving unseen in the night comes upon a farmhouse with a bit more of a secret to hide... but this is no chance happening, Valguard works for coin and this black night is no different.

Mr. Humphrey does a fine job thrusting the reader into the bloody dealings of a hired killer. Vivid descriptions and fast pacing move this story right along. I liked that the author not only gave detailed accounts of fighting but also gave correct descriptions to the actual injuries adding a touch of realism.

The plot itself is a strong set up for the next book and has a few surprises. Most importantly it left me wanting to read the next book which I hope to be able to read soon.

Overall, a great story that is worth checking out! You will not be disappointed!

[Philip Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty and dark, Valguard: Knight of Coins introduces the titular character, Valguard - a mercenary with telekinetic powers - as he attempts to rescue a kidnapped girl from a band of brigands. A prologue to the author's coming work, Ten of Swords, Valguard was short and sweet, with depraved villains and gruesome deaths set in a well-constructed medieval world. The writing was atmospheric and nicely developed, with some memorable characters (considering the short length of the tale),and I'll definitely be checking out the novel proper once it's done. A little pricey for a short story, but certainly worth the read!

[A.S. Arnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Knight of Coins is an apropos name for this gem of a novella recounting our first encounter with the mercenary known as Valguard. The writing is fast paced and satisfying, and despite its dark nature, it provides a number of laughs within its pages. Mister Humphrey delivers a story that has us asking questions and leaves us begging for more.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast-paced, gritty fantasy. It is difficult not to love that mercenary’s charm. I look forward to reading more in the future.

[David Humphrey]

This was the Limited Edition 'Black label' prototype paperback of Valguard; Knight of Coins. Only available from Blurb books http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/5871199-valg...

[Stacy Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this based on a recommendation from someone else and I can see why they liked it. They mentioned in particular the dark grittiness of it, and rest assured there is plenty of that in this story. The pretty people are all but absent. But isn't there some truth in that? However, I was a bit disappointed. In my opinion, this story could have used more polishing, mostly on a technical level. I was frustrated by the bits of head-hopping and the awkwardness of the present tense. Plus, one fight scene had two unnamed opponents and quickly became confusing. And that's really sad, because I think underneath that distracting stuff is a character with depth and resonance who needs a better story to shine. I'd like to have seen more of Valguard, who he was and why, not in an expository sense but in tidbits and hints scattered throughout. Mr. Humphrey didn't really start doing that until two-thirds of the way through. There were missed opportunities for such illumination prior to that which were either missed or used for misdirection (or lack of continuity). But the possibilities of Valguard as an anti-hero are tantalizing, and despite the rating I am willing to invest a few more hours' reading just to see what may be in store in the next book, technical issues aside. It could go horribly wrong or wonderfully right. I am hoping it will be the latter.

[The Scribblings · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good short read, perfect for those of us who like a little fantasy violence and need to kill an hour or so (no pun intended).

I did enjoy this. The story involves the main character, a mercenary named Valguard, and his current mission; the rescue of a young woman from a band of brigands. There is plenty of detail in the setting, the people and the action, which is nicely done. It may be brutal in places, but it keeps the story moving along well. And, acting as a prequel/prologue to the first full-length novel, Ten of Swords, it definitely made me look forward to the next installment.

If I did have a problem with it, it would be the plot threads that were left dangling or unexplained, such as Valguard’s abilities and his history with a couple of the other characters. This is probably due to the fact that this was originally intended as the beginning to the next book. I expect that the things I felt needed to be explored more, will be in the novel. Most importantly, even those issues did not take away any enjoyment from the read.

Well worth your time and money. And I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for Ten of Swords.

[Paul Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say honesty is the best policy, and so we will begin with the fact that i know the author of Valguard: Knight of Coins really quite well. In fact the first copy i read was the Blurb black cover paperback version. However this short tale about the medieval mercenary is an excellent stepping stone towards the full book when it is available! I for one really want to know what Valguard will get up when given the freedom of a large book. The bleak setting for the tale is well described as are all the main characters and i really had a sense of the desolate moors where the tale sits.
As an afterword i would just like to say that i have since bought the book twice, once on kindle and once on iBooks as it is always worth a read when you have a spare hour!

[T.A. Uner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid debut story from a new voice in Independent Publishing. Great detail and suspense in the storyline keeps the reader hooked. My only qualm with the book was sometimes Mr. Humphrey would drop in a fact about a character without any build-up. But in no way does this diminish the fine writing or ambitious plot. Four Solid Stars!