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An Ordinary Knight #1
An Ordinary Knight
Stuck in a humiliating position as the Royal Kennel Guard, Sir Percy sees little hope for anything other than an obscure fate. After all, in the Kingdom of Ithelia, you need a fairy to guide you to greatness, and fairies just don't bother with knights like him. However, when Percy catches the eyes of the sheltered Princess Matilda, his world expands in new and frightening ways. A victim of an ill-planned Christening, Matty has spent her life in a locked tower, hiding from pixie attacks. Now she'll do anything to escape. And if that means dragging Percy along for a cross country search for Prince Charming, so be it. But not all Prince Charmings are what they seem, and as Matty's plight grows more desperate, Percy finds himself losing his heart. Does a lowly knight have what it takes to uncurse a princess?
127 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2015
44 people are currently reading
676 people want to read
About the author
H.L. Burke
94 books566 followersBorn in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 16, 2021
It's books like these that make me wish I had more time to catch up on all my to-read books. I mean can you even imagine clicking on your to-read list and only a few titles are staring back at you expectantly instead of 7 or 8 pages of book after book after book after book....you get the idea.
An Ordinary Knight was anything but an ordinary story with its cute dragon, vengeful fairies, cowardly prince, and kind ogre. Sir Percy and Princess Matty find themselves on an unexpected adventure of self-discovery where loyalty, friendship, bravery and courage are put to the test.
For the most part I liked the characters. Dusty was suspicious at first but lovable by the end. The underdog turned hero, Percy, was sweet and I liked his flaw of getting himself in trouble by talking before thinking. It made his character more believable. Matty could be frustrating sometimes and she tended to switch between strong female lead to damsel in destress pretty quickly. She was a little flighty and I admit I was offended that she took any liking at all to Edwin. Gross.
Overall, this was really a sweet and humorous story with a lot of great fairytale elements. Ironically, magic wasn't the center of this story- true love and sacrifice were. And that cover is lovely!! I need more of this series! Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy and classic fairytales.
An Ordinary Knight was anything but an ordinary story with its cute dragon, vengeful fairies, cowardly prince, and kind ogre. Sir Percy and Princess Matty find themselves on an unexpected adventure of self-discovery where loyalty, friendship, bravery and courage are put to the test.
For the most part I liked the characters. Dusty was suspicious at first but lovable by the end. The underdog turned hero, Percy, was sweet and I liked his flaw of getting himself in trouble by talking before thinking. It made his character more believable. Matty could be frustrating sometimes and she tended to switch between strong female lead to damsel in destress pretty quickly. She was a little flighty and I admit I was offended that she took any liking at all to Edwin. Gross.
Overall, this was really a sweet and humorous story with a lot of great fairytale elements. Ironically, magic wasn't the center of this story- true love and sacrifice were. And that cover is lovely!! I need more of this series! Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy and classic fairytales.
January 20, 2025
A fun, sweet, feel-good adventure!
A delightful story with compelling examples of true love and sacrifice. Fun, creative characters and situations, good morals, and an exciting, interesting plot. Highly recommend!
A delightful story with compelling examples of true love and sacrifice. Fun, creative characters and situations, good morals, and an exciting, interesting plot. Highly recommend!
September 23, 2019
A sweet clean fairy tale that features an ordinary, non-magical knight and a princess who is afraid of being cursed. Enjoyable!
September 29, 2019
A lovely story of bravery, courage and friendship!
November 15, 2015
So good, I read it twice and enjoyed it even more the second time around.
I cannot gush more about this book. It's so good. I love fairy tales, adorable knights who think they're ordinary but really aren't, princesses who aren't helpless at all but think they are, and fairies - crazy ones, vengeful ones, and irresistibly endearing ones. This book has everything you need for a light, heartwarming, sometimes even laugh out loud experience.
I thought Percy made the most adorable knight. His lack of anything magical supposedly made him ordinary, but it made him even more special.
Matty, though not your ordinary princess, isn't the warrior kind who totally defies the damsel in distress stereotype. What I loved about her was she still kept her femininity but let her bravery shine through. And the connection between the two was so palpable, it brought on loads of feels.
I also loved Dusty, the mysterious man who seemed to cause nothing but trouble for Percy but you just know has a good heart.
If you want your heart to sing, even just for a few hours, read this book. I wish I had a print version so I could hug it.
I cannot gush more about this book. It's so good. I love fairy tales, adorable knights who think they're ordinary but really aren't, princesses who aren't helpless at all but think they are, and fairies - crazy ones, vengeful ones, and irresistibly endearing ones. This book has everything you need for a light, heartwarming, sometimes even laugh out loud experience.
I thought Percy made the most adorable knight. His lack of anything magical supposedly made him ordinary, but it made him even more special.
Matty, though not your ordinary princess, isn't the warrior kind who totally defies the damsel in distress stereotype. What I loved about her was she still kept her femininity but let her bravery shine through. And the connection between the two was so palpable, it brought on loads of feels.
I also loved Dusty, the mysterious man who seemed to cause nothing but trouble for Percy but you just know has a good heart.
If you want your heart to sing, even just for a few hours, read this book. I wish I had a print version so I could hug it.
September 24, 2019
This might just be my favorite H.L. Burke book yet! Admittedly, I haven't read all of her books yet, but this one hit all the sweet spots for me.
It is a short book. More like long novella. But it is absolutely adorable! It is somewhat a fairy tale retelling, and it hits a lot of retelling tropes. Yet it spins those tropes so masterfully! I loved Matty and Percy, especially Percy! Percy is so sincere even if he dismisses himself and all his good qualities.
Highly recommend this book!
It is a short book. More like long novella. But it is absolutely adorable! It is somewhat a fairy tale retelling, and it hits a lot of retelling tropes. Yet it spins those tropes so masterfully! I loved Matty and Percy, especially Percy! Percy is so sincere even if he dismisses himself and all his good qualities.
Highly recommend this book!
Read
March 1, 2016A surprisingly satisfying little tale in which the ordinary becomes extraordinary and saves the day. A delightful tale of misfortune, friendship, fairies and true love conquering all in the end. Buy it, read it, you'll enjoy it.
February 25, 2020
Cute
Fun, short, and cute. A pleasant bit of fairytale fluff. It's a light hearted YA romp, with a bit of a storytelling/once upon a time voice.
Fun, short, and cute. A pleasant bit of fairytale fluff. It's a light hearted YA romp, with a bit of a storytelling/once upon a time voice.
December 13, 2024
[4.5 stars]
This is a fun and whimsical story. It’s definitely a fairy tale, but an amalgam of sorts? It’s the story of a very ordinary knight doomed for anonymity, and a princess hidden in a tower for fear of a fairy curse. I love the writing style. It’s light and charming, and the 3rd person perspective adds to the fairy tale feel. It’s also written from the male character’s POV, which is a nice change of pace.
The first 70% was a very solid 5 stars. The ending started to waver, however, as it traded in the whimsical for a bit of cheese. Still a great read, just falling short of perfect.
Content:
There’s no foul language or sex. The violence is very minimal. The romance is sweet and clean, with only a few chaste kisses near the end. There is a lot of magic. There are a couple mentions of God but I definitely wouldn’t classify it as Christian
This is a fun and whimsical story. It’s definitely a fairy tale, but an amalgam of sorts? It’s the story of a very ordinary knight doomed for anonymity, and a princess hidden in a tower for fear of a fairy curse. I love the writing style. It’s light and charming, and the 3rd person perspective adds to the fairy tale feel. It’s also written from the male character’s POV, which is a nice change of pace.
The first 70% was a very solid 5 stars. The ending started to waver, however, as it traded in the whimsical for a bit of cheese. Still a great read, just falling short of perfect.
Content:
There’s no foul language or sex. The violence is very minimal. The romance is sweet and clean, with only a few chaste kisses near the end. There is a lot of magic. There are a couple mentions of God but I definitely wouldn’t classify it as Christian
March 4, 2021
I enjoyed this fun, light-hearted read! It didn't impact me as much as many of H.L. Burke's other books, I think because while Princess Matty and Sir Percy were both cute characters, they didn't have much complexity. But this sweet, feel-good book with snark and creative world-building will definitely make fairy tale fans smile!
November 26, 2020
So cute! A coming of age romance bundled into a road trip :) Loved the concept of a story with someone not gifted by the fairies. 3* as the novella length limited the depth of the characters. Overall I'd recommend it.
February 5, 2017
This is a fun fairy tale that I think young adults will like, although it is a fun, quick read for adults too. When Sir Percival heads to the castle of King Harold, he becomes the guard over guard dogs. But, Percy has more in his future than that as he meets not only a special princess, but a mysterious man named Dusty. The journey begins into a delightful fable.
March 26, 2016
This was a delightful fairy tale that made me smile, made me laugh, and made me worry about what was going to happen to Sir Percival the ordinary knight and Princess Matilda. Both Percy and Matty were noble and charming and lovable, and this reader wanted to alternately hug them and scold them when they thought or did reckless things. The character Dusty adds so much fun and intrigue to this twisty-turny story. A must-read for lovers of fairy tales!
November 16, 2015
This fairy tale reminded me of one of my favorite books of all time, The Ordinary Princess. The characters were solid and enjoyable. The obstacles were interesting and well navigated, and of course, the happily ever after came just in the nick of time. I can recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable quick foray into light magical fantasy.
January 23, 2025
Content:
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. Knights fight, get knocked out, and thrown around. Lots of magical threats of curses.
Sexual: High mild. There is talk of women being 'loose' and at least three separate scenes of people talking about a character making love to another because they're alone together. None of it is true, but the talk is mildly crude. specifically: "is her skin really as soft as it looks?" "They say the nobler the blood the looser they are" type talk.
Having read a few books by H.L. Burke now, I thought this one would be different in tone, since it was more of a traditional fairy-tale medieval setting. It was different, more light, but it still had the intimacy talk in it that I don't care for in the books I read.
The ordinary knight, Percy, gets into a fight defending the honor of the princess because apparently everyone is assuming he slept with her to get his promotion to the royal guard. It could've been a lot more graphic, but it didn't fit the overall tone of the book for me. Everything about it was sweet and light and the language was fun and promised a clean little romp in fairy tale land with a cinnamon roll knight and an innocent/naive princess. But these scenes kept cropping up with people talking about the two of them "making love" or with the icky Prince Gerald, "what our women don't know doesn't hurt them" cheating talk.
It killed the story for me. And made it jarring to go from light and funny, to "I'm uncomfortable". It didn't make sense tonally and kept throwing me off every time I started to sink back into the light fun side again.
I've been steering clear of H.L. Burke's superhero series for the grittier tone, but thought I'd be safe here. The only book of hers that I really liked and was okay with that type of tone was the first Nyssa Glass book. (and it had zero sex talk) I loved that one. Worked so perfect for a haunted house type book. Here....not so much. Oh well. To each their own.
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. Knights fight, get knocked out, and thrown around. Lots of magical threats of curses.
Sexual: High mild. There is talk of women being 'loose' and at least three separate scenes of people talking about a character making love to another because they're alone together. None of it is true, but the talk is mildly crude. specifically: "is her skin really as soft as it looks?" "They say the nobler the blood the looser they are" type talk.
Having read a few books by H.L. Burke now, I thought this one would be different in tone, since it was more of a traditional fairy-tale medieval setting. It was different, more light, but it still had the intimacy talk in it that I don't care for in the books I read.
The ordinary knight, Percy, gets into a fight defending the honor of the princess because apparently everyone is assuming he slept with her to get his promotion to the royal guard. It could've been a lot more graphic, but it didn't fit the overall tone of the book for me. Everything about it was sweet and light and the language was fun and promised a clean little romp in fairy tale land with a cinnamon roll knight and an innocent/naive princess. But these scenes kept cropping up with people talking about the two of them "making love" or with the icky Prince Gerald, "what our women don't know doesn't hurt them" cheating talk.
It killed the story for me. And made it jarring to go from light and funny, to "I'm uncomfortable". It didn't make sense tonally and kept throwing me off every time I started to sink back into the light fun side again.
I've been steering clear of H.L. Burke's superhero series for the grittier tone, but thought I'd be safe here. The only book of hers that I really liked and was okay with that type of tone was the first Nyssa Glass book. (and it had zero sex talk) I loved that one. Worked so perfect for a haunted house type book. Here....not so much. Oh well. To each their own.
July 25, 2017
This is a cute novella. It has a similar vibe to An Ordinary Princess or Dealing With Dragons – a bit tongue-in-cheek and a little snarky. I’m normally not a huge fan of novellas but this one actually surprised me with a few twists &/or directions I wasn’t expecting. It was a fun story and something I’d feel comfortable recommending to any age group. This was my first story by H.L. Burke and I’ll definitely be reading more.
My only feedback is I thought the book itself was a bit big. Novellas are often smaller-sized so there are more pages and the books are a bit sturdier. Since this was full-sized, it was a bit thin and I was concerned with not bending the corners of that adorable cover.
(Disclosure of Material Connection: I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)
My only feedback is I thought the book itself was a bit big. Novellas are often smaller-sized so there are more pages and the books are a bit sturdier. Since this was full-sized, it was a bit thin and I was concerned with not bending the corners of that adorable cover.
(Disclosure of Material Connection: I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)
August 18, 2025
A story that takes fairy tale tropes and up-ends them charmingly.
In a fairy tale world where every princess and knight is visited by fairies at their christening, meet Sir Percy, a knight so ordinary that not a single fairy attended. This is probably not such a bad thing as, as often as not, some perceived slight by fairies turns a christening into a curse. It’s surprising that the knights in the kingdom aren’t all played by frogs.
Sir Percy is, indeed, nothing special, from your traditional hero perspective. This does not, however, stop Burke from making Percy likable, nay, lovable right from the start. In an unremarkable existence, he persists. A person like him would never have a hope of meeting a princess, or becoming a hero, or would he? It’s a short read, so I’ll leave it up to you to find out but rest assured, it’s worth the read.
Burke writes amusing, likeable characters with a charming story that really takes you places. Absolutely worth the read, very enjoyable.
In a fairy tale world where every princess and knight is visited by fairies at their christening, meet Sir Percy, a knight so ordinary that not a single fairy attended. This is probably not such a bad thing as, as often as not, some perceived slight by fairies turns a christening into a curse. It’s surprising that the knights in the kingdom aren’t all played by frogs.
Sir Percy is, indeed, nothing special, from your traditional hero perspective. This does not, however, stop Burke from making Percy likable, nay, lovable right from the start. In an unremarkable existence, he persists. A person like him would never have a hope of meeting a princess, or becoming a hero, or would he? It’s a short read, so I’ll leave it up to you to find out but rest assured, it’s worth the read.
Burke writes amusing, likeable characters with a charming story that really takes you places. Absolutely worth the read, very enjoyable.
August 22, 2019
Percy is resistant to charms and curses which makes him ordinary in the kingdom of Ithelia. Princess Matilda, or Matty, has been stuck in a tower since birth to protect her from the fairies who want to curse her. When the two set off cross-country to save Matty from the fairies, they find they are also saving each other.
This is a lovely novella, perfect for children and adults to enjoy. It has all the requisites for the perfect fairy-tale: ogres, dragons, a fairy godfather, princess, and knights. Every character is finely drawn; Percy does his best as a knight and Matty is a practical princess. The villains are more unlikeable than evil. Anyone who likes fairy tales will enjoy this story.
This is a lovely novella, perfect for children and adults to enjoy. It has all the requisites for the perfect fairy-tale: ogres, dragons, a fairy godfather, princess, and knights. Every character is finely drawn; Percy does his best as a knight and Matty is a practical princess. The villains are more unlikeable than evil. Anyone who likes fairy tales will enjoy this story.
January 16, 2020
Straightforward fairytale with a solid theme and a happy ending. I enjoyed the aspect of Percy being ordinary, with no magic blessing, and his journey to accepting that lack of magic was ok. There wasn’t much of a story arch for the Princess but I enjoyed her innocence and heart-warming character. Aside from a few awkwardly worded phrasings and lackluster combat scenes (I just didn’t enjoy the hand to hand fight and the sword fight seemed a bit simple too), this was a fun story. I loved cheering on the characters and was anxious to see how in the world the ending would work out for everyone involved. I’d recommend it for a young audience or those who love clean fairytales with no swearing or adult content.
February 15, 2022
Percy is a knight in a world where all the royals are gifted with some type of magicalness except for him-he is a magical blank as no fairies either gifted him or cursed him at his birth. He tries to find some type of job in in this world of magic and finally winds up guarding a princess. Many things happen of which I will not tell you-nary a clue as the story is short enough and cute enough to finish in a day. With drama, humor and just a spark of magic Percy and his Princess Matty get their happily ever after! Enjoy!
April 30, 2023
*audiobook review*
An Ordinary Knight by H.L.Burke is not a fairytale retelling. This fairytale like story is a completely original tale that feels like an older story.
The princess Matilda has lived in a tower her whole life to protect her from fairies. They are out to get her.
Percy has lived his whole life as an ordinary guy because fairies want nothing to do with him.
When these to get together it turns into an adventure.
Narrator Rena Gail does an amazing job of differing her voice to make each character sound unique. one of my favorite narrators.
An Ordinary Knight by H.L.Burke is not a fairytale retelling. This fairytale like story is a completely original tale that feels like an older story.
The princess Matilda has lived in a tower her whole life to protect her from fairies. They are out to get her.
Percy has lived his whole life as an ordinary guy because fairies want nothing to do with him.
When these to get together it turns into an adventure.
Narrator Rena Gail does an amazing job of differing her voice to make each character sound unique. one of my favorite narrators.
October 1, 2020
~Disclaimer I received a free audiobook code of this book~
Given this was a fairytale I knew where the story was going from the beginning. However, I found the quick read was rather fun and I'll probably check out more of the authors books as a result.
Some characters are rather one note, but that is again to expected in a fairy tale. The main character is very likable and the world it creates is interesting.
Def worth a looksee (especially if you have kindle unlimited).
Given this was a fairytale I knew where the story was going from the beginning. However, I found the quick read was rather fun and I'll probably check out more of the authors books as a result.
Some characters are rather one note, but that is again to expected in a fairy tale. The main character is very likable and the world it creates is interesting.
Def worth a looksee (especially if you have kindle unlimited).
May 9, 2021
Being fairy blessed is overrated. I enjoyed this cute story which retells Rapunzel's story as a background to Sir Percy's demonstration that just being an ordinary person may be just what is needed to overcome a curse - no extra blessings or curses required. I wonder if Percy's children will share his particular capability.
April 14, 2025
I really liked this twisted version of fairy tale tropes. A truly ordinary knight? A talkative, kind princess? A mysterious fairy godmother? Sign me up! It is so cute and a perfect sweet romance.
The only content is about a certain lecherous prince, and it isn't heavily described. Kissing only. No gore. No cussing. No alcohol/drugs.
The only content is about a certain lecherous prince, and it isn't heavily described. Kissing only. No gore. No cussing. No alcohol/drugs.
August 25, 2017
A Clever Fairytale
Percy is a fun and charming hero. Matty is a sweet heroine. This is a fun read that is well-paced. I not only enjoyed the main characters but also the parade of less than worthy suitors.
Percy is a fun and charming hero. Matty is a sweet heroine. This is a fun read that is well-paced. I not only enjoyed the main characters but also the parade of less than worthy suitors.
May 11, 2017
A Fairy Fable
I loved this story. I recommend everyone to read it. I look forward to reading more of her books. Kattie 5/10/17.
I loved this story. I recommend everyone to read it. I look forward to reading more of her books. Kattie 5/10/17.
July 27, 2017
Very cute. Percy was a good guy, and I really liked Matty too. A short, sweet read.
March 11, 2018
Good story
I really liked reading this story and watching the characters grow as they meet challenges. There wasn't much violence and it was sweet without being overly so.
I really liked reading this story and watching the characters grow as they meet challenges. There wasn't much violence and it was sweet without being overly so.
December 13, 2021
Cute, fun, original, fairytale adventure story with some inventive twists and likable characters.
April 24, 2022
Another cute adventure story, as expected of Burke.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews