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Blackhand
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***
The Shattered Kingdom is broken, and the Hourglass Isles are no exception. They’ve been embroiled in war for a thousand years, ever since the First King’s failed attempt to unite them. House Sand, one of the two noble families vying for power over the isles, has secured an unprecedented marriage for its eldest prince at the Brownstone of West-Isle, one that if consummated would confer them a significant advantage over their age-long adversary, House Glass.
Heath has just landed at the castle with his liege, who is among the favorites to win the tournament before the ceremony. But when an unnamed knight in black begins to brutally defeat all comers in the jousts it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems at the Brownstone.
Blackhand, the first of the three Hourglass Novellas, puts Heath at the foremost front of an ageless war. Iron will clash and blood will spill, and no night will ever pass in perfect silence.
***
The Shattered Kingdom is broken, and the Hourglass Isles are no exception. They’ve been embroiled in war for a thousand years, ever since the First King’s failed attempt to unite them. House Sand, one of the two noble families vying for power over the isles, has secured an unprecedented marriage for its eldest prince at the Brownstone of West-Isle, one that if consummated would confer them a significant advantage over their age-long adversary, House Glass.
Heath has just landed at the castle with his liege, who is among the favorites to win the tournament before the ceremony. But when an unnamed knight in black begins to brutally defeat all comers in the jousts it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems at the Brownstone.
Blackhand, the first of the three Hourglass Novellas, puts Heath at the foremost front of an ageless war. Iron will clash and blood will spill, and no night will ever pass in perfect silence.
- GenresFantasy
82 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 18, 2019
Wow! I really enjoyed this book.
I have to admit that I was hesitant to read this book since it was only a novella and I heard that it ended on a cliffhanger. Well, I can confirm it does end on a cliffhanger but I was so drawn in by the lore and the world created by the author that I immediately purchased the next novella and added to the top of my TBR pile.
In 88 pages the author does a fantastic job setting up the world and lore of their universe. The story follows a Squire through two days of a jousting tournament. The world is vividly realized and keeps very grounded in medieval realism. This definitely was a nice break from the epic high fantasy that I had been reading.
I hope the second novella continues the solid storyline and I look forward to reading it soon.
I have to admit that I was hesitant to read this book since it was only a novella and I heard that it ended on a cliffhanger. Well, I can confirm it does end on a cliffhanger but I was so drawn in by the lore and the world created by the author that I immediately purchased the next novella and added to the top of my TBR pile.
In 88 pages the author does a fantastic job setting up the world and lore of their universe. The story follows a Squire through two days of a jousting tournament. The world is vividly realized and keeps very grounded in medieval realism. This definitely was a nice break from the epic high fantasy that I had been reading.
I hope the second novella continues the solid storyline and I look forward to reading it soon.
March 14, 2016
Well...that ending took me completely by surprise.
The story is a medieval type fantasy tale set on the Hourglass Isles during a prince's wedding celebration. For the most part, this novella focused on the jousting competition between knights before the ceremony. It follows around Heath, a timid young squire seeking knighthood from his liege, Ser Westyn. Naturally, as a seventeen-year-old adolescent, Heath becomes obsessed with one of the local girls named Katryn. When not featuring descriptions of the jousting battles, much of the writing centered around either Heath's infatuation with this girl, or his general squire duties.
The plot intrigued me, especially concerning the Mystery Knight that seemed hellbent on inflicting grave wounds upon his opponents. At times I felt Heath's crush on the girl to be distracting in the scheme of things, but it wasn't overly bothersome. In fact, without that element I don't think the ending would have caught me so utterly off-guard in the way it did.
Now my interest has been piqued. It's a shame that the story ends here as I'm sure the three novellas could have easily been consolidated into one solid book, but in the future I may be tempted into discovering what happens next.
The story is a medieval type fantasy tale set on the Hourglass Isles during a prince's wedding celebration. For the most part, this novella focused on the jousting competition between knights before the ceremony. It follows around Heath, a timid young squire seeking knighthood from his liege, Ser Westyn. Naturally, as a seventeen-year-old adolescent, Heath becomes obsessed with one of the local girls named Katryn. When not featuring descriptions of the jousting battles, much of the writing centered around either Heath's infatuation with this girl, or his general squire duties.
The plot intrigued me, especially concerning the Mystery Knight that seemed hellbent on inflicting grave wounds upon his opponents. At times I felt Heath's crush on the girl to be distracting in the scheme of things, but it wasn't overly bothersome. In fact, without that element I don't think the ending would have caught me so utterly off-guard in the way it did.
Now my interest has been piqued. It's a shame that the story ends here as I'm sure the three novellas could have easily been consolidated into one solid book, but in the future I may be tempted into discovering what happens next.
June 20, 2016
Not to my taste.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews