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Heart of Steel
Everyone loves the stories of chivalry, bravery, loyalty, love gained, lost, unrequited and timeless. Daring feats, epic quests, bloody wars, and more...
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker—Tessandra dreamed of being the first woman in her family to join the Legion of the Bold. But that promising career in the Legion was dashed when the riderless dragon Merryn selected Tess, much to her disappointment. Now joining the queen's service, though not in the capacity she expected, Tess is about to begin her first mission—and it's already shaping up to be full of peril.
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles—As a courier, Loran has always worked alone, but her latest delivery comes with a a mute knight without a name. The strange knight at first seems more hindrance and help—especially after they insist on saving the life of a brigand Loran would have preferred dead.
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie—The Septimoan Law of War states, "No woman shall ever bear arms for king and country. Should she participate in war, her only acceptable role is that of nurse." But Floriane has no patience or time for such a law—especially once she finds herself right in the middle of a war.
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter—Ser Isolde has been tasked with the underwhelming duty of escorting young Lady Siofra home from her sorceress' training. She has better things to do with her time than babysit a silly girl, but at least the matter will be simple and quickly over...
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris—Long a part of Prince Tom's inner circle, and newly knighted, still Isi is a man eternally out of place. Once a slave, always a foreigner, and that's only the start of what makes him odd to most. Confusing feelings for Tom do not remotely help.
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley—The king is dead, and Rae finds herself dragged right into the heart of politics when her lover, the queen, orders her to find a rumored bastard child and bring them back at any cost.
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve—Setting aside her vow to defend against wickedness, a disillusioned Maud turned her back on the Order of Saint Kilda four years ago and struck out on her own. Then two of her former shield-sisters arrive in town town, hell-bent on dragging her back into the fold, and Maud's past and present collide.
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker—Tessandra dreamed of being the first woman in her family to join the Legion of the Bold. But that promising career in the Legion was dashed when the riderless dragon Merryn selected Tess, much to her disappointment. Now joining the queen's service, though not in the capacity she expected, Tess is about to begin her first mission—and it's already shaping up to be full of peril.
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles—As a courier, Loran has always worked alone, but her latest delivery comes with a a mute knight without a name. The strange knight at first seems more hindrance and help—especially after they insist on saving the life of a brigand Loran would have preferred dead.
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie—The Septimoan Law of War states, "No woman shall ever bear arms for king and country. Should she participate in war, her only acceptable role is that of nurse." But Floriane has no patience or time for such a law—especially once she finds herself right in the middle of a war.
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter—Ser Isolde has been tasked with the underwhelming duty of escorting young Lady Siofra home from her sorceress' training. She has better things to do with her time than babysit a silly girl, but at least the matter will be simple and quickly over...
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris—Long a part of Prince Tom's inner circle, and newly knighted, still Isi is a man eternally out of place. Once a slave, always a foreigner, and that's only the start of what makes him odd to most. Confusing feelings for Tom do not remotely help.
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley—The king is dead, and Rae finds herself dragged right into the heart of politics when her lover, the queen, orders her to find a rumored bastard child and bring them back at any cost.
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve—Setting aside her vow to defend against wickedness, a disillusioned Maud turned her back on the Order of Saint Kilda four years ago and struck out on her own. Then two of her former shield-sisters arrive in town town, hell-bent on dragging her back into the fold, and Maud's past and present collide.
- GenresFantasyAnthologiesLGBT
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2017
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 18, 2018
heart of steel is a solid anthology focusing on lgbtqia knights, most of which are women, which is nice as women knights are relatively underrepresented, and sapphic knights even more so. a couple of stories are a bit wobbly, but there's only one that i disliked, and that's pretty good going for an anthology.
overall rating: 3.5, rounded up because of the overall enjoyability (new word coined lmao) of the collection and for the wonderful blackberries and buckthorn.
the queen's dragon rider by cora walker
*4 stars*
i love dragons, especially baby dragons! this had a cohesive and interesting plot, and i liked it a lot.
the silent knight by avery stiles
*3 stars*
this had interesting characters and a nice romance, but i thought the polyamorous aspect was slightly underdeveloped, and there wasn't really much of a plot. it was still an enjoyable story, though.
to tame a dragon by christina marie
*1 star*
this was such a weird treatment of gender and to be quite honest i had 0 idea what was going on?? yeah i don't have much else to say about this
blackberries and buckthorn by t.s. porter
*5 stars*
this was definitely my favourite in the anthology! there was an interesting magic system and a great plot, and the character development was done really well for such a short amount of words in which to do it. i also liked how normalised being trans was (which is something seen in a couple of these other stories as well)
the heartless knight by heather morris
*4 stars*
this was the only story with an aro/ace protagonist, and there was also a pretty action-filled plot including espionage and intrigue, which was fun. i can't say a lot about the treatment of aro/ace people because i'm neither, but to me it seemed like a really good representation.
ser rae of del by b.a. huntley
*4.5 stars*
plot twists!! plot twists everywhere!! how did huntley fit so many plot twists in here!!
shieldmaiden's vow by helena maeve
*3 stars*
i found this mildly confusing but also pretty entertaining, i guess it was alright - and a story that opens with a sex scene is always good lmao.
overall rating: 3.5, rounded up because of the overall enjoyability (new word coined lmao) of the collection and for the wonderful blackberries and buckthorn.
the queen's dragon rider by cora walker
*4 stars*
i love dragons, especially baby dragons! this had a cohesive and interesting plot, and i liked it a lot.
the silent knight by avery stiles
*3 stars*
this had interesting characters and a nice romance, but i thought the polyamorous aspect was slightly underdeveloped, and there wasn't really much of a plot. it was still an enjoyable story, though.
to tame a dragon by christina marie
*1 star*
this was such a weird treatment of gender and to be quite honest i had 0 idea what was going on?? yeah i don't have much else to say about this
blackberries and buckthorn by t.s. porter
*5 stars*
this was definitely my favourite in the anthology! there was an interesting magic system and a great plot, and the character development was done really well for such a short amount of words in which to do it. i also liked how normalised being trans was (which is something seen in a couple of these other stories as well)
the heartless knight by heather morris
*4 stars*
this was the only story with an aro/ace protagonist, and there was also a pretty action-filled plot including espionage and intrigue, which was fun. i can't say a lot about the treatment of aro/ace people because i'm neither, but to me it seemed like a really good representation.
ser rae of del by b.a. huntley
*4.5 stars*
plot twists!! plot twists everywhere!! how did huntley fit so many plot twists in here!!
shieldmaiden's vow by helena maeve
*3 stars*
i found this mildly confusing but also pretty entertaining, i guess it was alright - and a story that opens with a sex scene is always good lmao.
did-not-finish
October 7, 2017NOT YET A REVIEW
Received this ARC from Netgalley and Less than Three for an honest review
This anthology contains seven LGBT related stories involving knights.
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker
Dragons, war, fantasy
A dragon riding knight rides a dragon. Spots worms. I mean wyrms, enemy worms. Fights them. Becomes injured. Iron forger working woman (dwarf) helps the injured knight woman.
Complications ensue due to the original nature of the dragon riders mission. Vaguely put, yes.
Great world created here. I wish to read more. Immediately.
Rating: 5.00
October 6 2017
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles
Knight, thief, sneak, mute
Two people are sent on a mission to delivery a package. Both normally work alone. Neither know why the client hired both of them. Especially since one is the kind you hire because they know how to travel unseen, quiet, traveling hidden trails. While the other is a knight - a squeaky, clanky knight. Though they are also supposedly super good and have a massive reputation (supposedly because that reputation certainly doesn't seem accurate, but let's not go to far down this path).
I liked the story, for the most part, all the way up to the part wherein the two traveling women suddenly add a third party to their mix. A man. One of the women has a kind of 'I want to explode that person' vibe going on - and no, I'm not just saying that - the person literally had just waved their fingers and killed that man's five 'friends', so they do have that power. But the knight stops them from killing the last man.
After one night spent near each other, feelings change. And I, the reader, go from thinking this will be another story I'll rate highly to knowing I just can't do that. This story disappointed.
Rating: 3.30
October 7 2017
To Tame a Dragon by Christina Marie
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve
age-30; age-22; FF; transgender; England?
So . . . story opens with a woman of 22 and a woman of 30 humping each other in bed.
'Maud gave her spent cock one last flick of the tongue and sat up'. - oh, it's a woman with cock story, eh?
'Alais cocked an eyebrow.' - shesh, now the eyebrows have cocks? Wait, no, there 'cocked' means something different. *nods*
Right, so, this story involves two women, one a knight, the other her maid. One of the women currently has a penis. The other does not. I'm not 100% certain which is which (in either maid/knight, penis/no penis issues). Though believe it is Maud who a) has the penis (Wait, no, Alais has the prick; though it was Maud who was a Sir but is now Lady; do they both have cocks?) and b) is the knight. Maud is called to handle an issue involving . . . um . . some Benjamin person. Who, it appears, has gone to town with a weapon. And stuff.
I believe I've liked stories by this author before. One of the reasons I got this specific book was because of that. Reading a story that involves one woman licking another woman's cock . . . well, I don't particularly like reading that even when we are talking about strap-ons, so . . .. mmphs. So saying I should probably also note that I'd read one full length work by this author, gave it a 3 something rating, and read a short story that I gave ~4.8 rating. And I've long been of the opinion that short and long works are different 'animals' and authors cannot always successfully write both. Also - both shorts, this one and the other, involve transgender people, so there is/was a good chance of success (for me the reader) to read this. But I've gotten away from the story, eh?
Right, so, after the confusion of the beginning (who is in bed? Who is the knight? etc. etc.), the story turned to investigating the mystery of why the aforementioned Benjamin fella killed his wife and kids. He claims he was possessed. Some of the townspeople believe he lies, some of them think it possible - and some (the same some?) point out the 'differences' about Alais. Is Alais a witch?
Oh, and another female knight turns up . . . and stuff. Wanting Maud. Presumably.
Gah - the main character, Maud, is so dislikable, sadly. mmphs. And then rapes . . . or . . did she? So confusing, this story. So confusing.
I . . . I have no clue what I just read.
Rating: 2.0
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker: 5.0
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles: 3.30
To Tame a Dragon by Christina Marie:
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter:
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris:
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley:
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve: 2.0
Overall:
Received this ARC from Netgalley and Less than Three for an honest review
This anthology contains seven LGBT related stories involving knights.
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker
Dragons, war, fantasy
A dragon riding knight rides a dragon. Spots worms. I mean wyrms, enemy worms. Fights them. Becomes injured. Iron forger working woman (dwarf) helps the injured knight woman.
Complications ensue due to the original nature of the dragon riders mission. Vaguely put, yes.
Great world created here. I wish to read more. Immediately.
Rating: 5.00
October 6 2017
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles
Knight, thief, sneak, mute
Two people are sent on a mission to delivery a package. Both normally work alone. Neither know why the client hired both of them. Especially since one is the kind you hire because they know how to travel unseen, quiet, traveling hidden trails. While the other is a knight - a squeaky, clanky knight. Though they are also supposedly super good and have a massive reputation (supposedly because that reputation certainly doesn't seem accurate, but let's not go to far down this path).
I liked the story, for the most part, all the way up to the part wherein the two traveling women suddenly add a third party to their mix. A man. One of the women has a kind of 'I want to explode that person' vibe going on - and no, I'm not just saying that - the person literally had just waved their fingers and killed that man's five 'friends', so they do have that power. But the knight stops them from killing the last man.
After one night spent near each other, feelings change. And I, the reader, go from thinking this will be another story I'll rate highly to knowing I just can't do that. This story disappointed.
Rating: 3.30
October 7 2017
To Tame a Dragon by Christina Marie
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve
age-30; age-22; FF; transgender; England?
So . . . story opens with a woman of 22 and a woman of 30 humping each other in bed.
'Maud gave her spent cock one last flick of the tongue and sat up'. - oh, it's a woman with cock story, eh?
'Alais cocked an eyebrow.' - shesh, now the eyebrows have cocks? Wait, no, there 'cocked' means something different. *nods*
Right, so, this story involves two women, one a knight, the other her maid. One of the women currently has a penis. The other does not. I'm not 100% certain which is which (in either maid/knight, penis/no penis issues). Though believe it is Maud who a) has the penis (Wait, no, Alais has the prick; though it was Maud who was a Sir but is now Lady; do they both have cocks?) and b) is the knight. Maud is called to handle an issue involving . . . um . . some Benjamin person. Who, it appears, has gone to town with a weapon. And stuff.
I believe I've liked stories by this author before. One of the reasons I got this specific book was because of that. Reading a story that involves one woman licking another woman's cock . . . well, I don't particularly like reading that even when we are talking about strap-ons, so . . .. mmphs. So saying I should probably also note that I'd read one full length work by this author, gave it a 3 something rating, and read a short story that I gave ~4.8 rating. And I've long been of the opinion that short and long works are different 'animals' and authors cannot always successfully write both. Also - both shorts, this one and the other, involve transgender people, so there is/was a good chance of success (for me the reader) to read this. But I've gotten away from the story, eh?
Right, so, after the confusion of the beginning (who is in bed? Who is the knight? etc. etc.), the story turned to investigating the mystery of why the aforementioned Benjamin fella killed his wife and kids. He claims he was possessed. Some of the townspeople believe he lies, some of them think it possible - and some (the same some?) point out the 'differences' about Alais. Is Alais a witch?
Oh, and another female knight turns up . . . and stuff. Wanting Maud. Presumably.
Gah - the main character, Maud, is so dislikable, sadly. mmphs. And then rapes . . . or . . did she? So confusing, this story. So confusing.
I . . . I have no clue what I just read.
Rating: 2.0
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker: 5.0
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles: 3.30
To Tame a Dragon by Christina Marie:
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter:
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris:
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley:
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve: 2.0
Overall:
paused
October 30, 2017This is the first time I'm reading a short story anthology and I just realized that waiting to finish the whole book before assigning a rating and doing a review of individual stories isn't going to work. Not with the current memory cells I have anyway. :) It's slow going because of work, but I'm going to read all of them....eventually, as so far, I'm rather impressed with the world-building, the wide variety of characters, plots and adventures, the quality of writing, and of course, story after unique story featuring women knights, which is something of a rarity in lesfic. I'm currently on my fourth story and, though there are both hits and misses, I'm putting the misses down more to being due to my particular preference for f/f relationships.
The Queen's Dragon Rider - Cora Walker
11,000 words
Outstanding world-building, strong characterizations, and getting straight into the action without too much preamble makes this story a strong start for the anthology. Tess is a dragon rider, not by choice, but by being chosen by a dragon. But not just any dragon, the legendary Merryn, raised and ridden by royalty. They patrol the skies under the service of her Queen, as guardians of a community of human and dwarf settlements. Even as she is still getting used to riding a dragon through the air instead of a horse through the forest, as she has trained for all her life, Tess encounters some serious trouble. On the ground, Aria, a blacksmith-in-training dwarf witnesses the aerial encounters and volunteers to help. But she gets way more than she bargains for as Tess is also carrying a special package.
The story starts off with all the elements of a good fantasy and action adventure yarn, but when I got to the end, it felt like I've just read the first few chapters of a novel length book. So much so that I wondered if this anthology is filled with intros (it isn't, thank god) that are meant to entice me to read another book. The interesting thing is that this IS a complete story, with a proper end. But the universe the author created is so rich and filled with so much possibility, it wouldn't be hard to expand this into a full length novel. Because of the word limit, the plot (and the romance) progresses at breakneck, fast-forwarding speed, and not all plot threads were resolved. I wouldn't be surprised if this story got turned into a novel. In fact, I think it deserves to be one.
4.4 stars
The Silent Knight - Avery Stiles
13,000 words
This story started as my favorite and ended up as my least favorite. The reason? it started with the Silent Knight, and I loved it. Loved how she interacted with the main character. Loved the contrast between them. And then all of a sudden this sly, talky, motormouth shows up and ruins everything. I hated him so much that, liked the MC, I wished the Silent Knight would off him. But no....Silent Knight, noble that she is, lets him live, but ends up killing all my interest in the story. I'm afraid I skimmed the rest of it and yup, he'd pretty much usurped the story from the titular character completely, I wondered why this story was even titled Silent Knight. She was nothing more than a story prop, and a nice sounding pun. :( Unfortunately, I never did find out how she became the Silent Knight. Like the first story, this one again felt like it could be the start of a longer adventure. But unlike the first, I have no interest in sticking around to find out, especially since motormouth seems to be firmly a part of it.
1.33 stars (5 for before motormouth shows up, 0 for afterwards, -1 for using and then forgetting all about the Silent Knight. Sorry, but I'm just pissed)
To Tame A Dragon - Christina Dza Marie
14,000 words
The previous story made me realize this may not be an all-f/f anthology. Actually, it never claimed to be. This anthology is about women knights. If there was an f/f relationship, count it as a bonus. The protagonist here is a woman knight dressed as a man, leading a quest to hunt down dragons. The hunting party is composed of all men. I wasn't really into this story due to the lack of any female interaction, but the prospect of reading an m/f romance turned me off even more, as the knight started falling for someone in the party. Fortunately, the knight is firmly in the lesbian camp (kudos to the author for that!) and just isn't turned on by men. The author's solution is perfect. And lest I give the wrong impression that this story is all about the romance (its just a subplot), this is an action/adventure story of quest by a party of hunters to capture dragons. It is also a complete story and not an intro to something else.
3.5 stars
Blackberries and Buckthorn - TS Porter
23k words
This is the best story so far. It has everything I look for in fantasy reads: world-building, fascinating characters, interesting plot, adventures. And everything I look for in lesfic reads: romance, drama, and relationships. It's also a complete story. Perfection.
5 stars
to be continued....
ARC from Netgalley
The Queen's Dragon Rider - Cora Walker
11,000 words
Outstanding world-building, strong characterizations, and getting straight into the action without too much preamble makes this story a strong start for the anthology. Tess is a dragon rider, not by choice, but by being chosen by a dragon. But not just any dragon, the legendary Merryn, raised and ridden by royalty. They patrol the skies under the service of her Queen, as guardians of a community of human and dwarf settlements. Even as she is still getting used to riding a dragon through the air instead of a horse through the forest, as she has trained for all her life, Tess encounters some serious trouble. On the ground, Aria, a blacksmith-in-training dwarf witnesses the aerial encounters and volunteers to help. But she gets way more than she bargains for as Tess is also carrying a special package.
The story starts off with all the elements of a good fantasy and action adventure yarn, but when I got to the end, it felt like I've just read the first few chapters of a novel length book. So much so that I wondered if this anthology is filled with intros (it isn't, thank god) that are meant to entice me to read another book. The interesting thing is that this IS a complete story, with a proper end. But the universe the author created is so rich and filled with so much possibility, it wouldn't be hard to expand this into a full length novel. Because of the word limit, the plot (and the romance) progresses at breakneck, fast-forwarding speed, and not all plot threads were resolved. I wouldn't be surprised if this story got turned into a novel. In fact, I think it deserves to be one.
4.4 stars
The Silent Knight - Avery Stiles
13,000 words
This story started as my favorite and ended up as my least favorite. The reason? it started with the Silent Knight, and I loved it. Loved how she interacted with the main character. Loved the contrast between them. And then all of a sudden this sly, talky, motormouth shows up and ruins everything. I hated him so much that, liked the MC, I wished the Silent Knight would off him. But no....Silent Knight, noble that she is, lets him live, but ends up killing all my interest in the story. I'm afraid I skimmed the rest of it and yup, he'd pretty much usurped the story from the titular character completely, I wondered why this story was even titled Silent Knight. She was nothing more than a story prop, and a nice sounding pun. :( Unfortunately, I never did find out how she became the Silent Knight. Like the first story, this one again felt like it could be the start of a longer adventure. But unlike the first, I have no interest in sticking around to find out, especially since motormouth seems to be firmly a part of it.
1.33 stars (5 for before motormouth shows up, 0 for afterwards, -1 for using and then forgetting all about the Silent Knight. Sorry, but I'm just pissed)
To Tame A Dragon - Christina Dza Marie
14,000 words
The previous story made me realize this may not be an all-f/f anthology. Actually, it never claimed to be. This anthology is about women knights. If there was an f/f relationship, count it as a bonus. The protagonist here is a woman knight dressed as a man, leading a quest to hunt down dragons. The hunting party is composed of all men. I wasn't really into this story due to the lack of any female interaction, but the prospect of reading an m/f romance turned me off even more, as the knight started falling for someone in the party. Fortunately, the knight is firmly in the lesbian camp (kudos to the author for that!) and just isn't turned on by men. The author's solution is perfect. And lest I give the wrong impression that this story is all about the romance (its just a subplot), this is an action/adventure story of quest by a party of hunters to capture dragons. It is also a complete story and not an intro to something else.
3.5 stars
Blackberries and Buckthorn - TS Porter
23k words
This is the best story so far. It has everything I look for in fantasy reads: world-building, fascinating characters, interesting plot, adventures. And everything I look for in lesfic reads: romance, drama, and relationships. It's also a complete story. Perfection.
5 stars
to be continued....
ARC from Netgalley
October 31, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Another awesome queer fantasy anthology from LT3. If you've read any of their other shorts or anthologies this is pretty much more of the same but that's ok because it's always a fun time. As always with anthologies there were some stories I liked more than others, but it was an overall good collection. Lots of lady knights, lots of trans characters, and even a story with an aro/ace protagonist! I think that's the first time I've seen that in one of these collections and I really appreciated it.
There were a few bumps along the way. Like there's one story where the knight is a lesbian and kind of 'falls in love' with this guy but is worried basically because she 'doesn't like dick' but then it's all okay because actually he's genderfluid and can shapeshift! I can see what they were going for I guess but the whole thing just seemed to reinforce that 'gender = genitals' and I was definitely a little bit uncomfortable with that whole thing, especially in an anthology that otherwise had a lot of great trans characters. Also I've seen a review with a complaint that there is one story where a lesbian is the villain and while in regular media I could see being upset about that, if most of the characters are queer I feel like it doesn't matter if the villain is also queer because they aren't the ONLY representation in the story.
Anyway, just my two cents on a few of the 'issues' people might have with this anthology but overall I thought it was a really fun and enjoyable read.
Another awesome queer fantasy anthology from LT3. If you've read any of their other shorts or anthologies this is pretty much more of the same but that's ok because it's always a fun time. As always with anthologies there were some stories I liked more than others, but it was an overall good collection. Lots of lady knights, lots of trans characters, and even a story with an aro/ace protagonist! I think that's the first time I've seen that in one of these collections and I really appreciated it.
There were a few bumps along the way. Like there's one story where the knight is a lesbian and kind of 'falls in love' with this guy but is worried basically because she 'doesn't like dick' but then it's all okay because actually he's genderfluid and can shapeshift! I can see what they were going for I guess but the whole thing just seemed to reinforce that 'gender = genitals' and I was definitely a little bit uncomfortable with that whole thing, especially in an anthology that otherwise had a lot of great trans characters. Also I've seen a review with a complaint that there is one story where a lesbian is the villain and while in regular media I could see being upset about that, if most of the characters are queer I feel like it doesn't matter if the villain is also queer because they aren't the ONLY representation in the story.
Anyway, just my two cents on a few of the 'issues' people might have with this anthology but overall I thought it was a really fun and enjoyable read.
September 21, 2017
I think this is one of my favourite anthologies I've read this year. Lady knights covered almost all the pages, and when they weren't lady knights, they were most often trans knights.
How can a person not fall completely in love with content like this?
Also, it had two of my favourite authors: Cora Walker and TS Porter. I'm not biased at all.
Opening with Cora Walker's "The Queen's Dragon Rider", we get a close relationship between a lady knight and her dragon before we even meet the love interest. And let me say, there wasn't a page of this story that I wasn't invested in. I absolutely love stories that have close emotional connections with multiple people (and dragons).
I found "The Silent Knight" by Avery Stiles to be a very sweet read, for many reasons. One: I love silent characters. I just find that their ability to communicate is so wonderful because it's different. That's certainly the case here. And also, I LOVED THE POLY STORYLINE. Ahem. I'm not going to lie, I felt like bopping Farris on the head multiple times in this short, but it seemed like the beginning of what could be a very promising full length novel.
Miles is a young lady who pretends to be a man in order to be a knight in "To Tame a Dragon" by Christina Marie. As its title may suggest, this story had dragons in it too, but they took a far step back to the romance between Miles and the wonderful shapechanging Ikram. I love love loved the dialogue in this one.
"Blackberries and Buckthorn" by TS Porter sees Lady Siofra being guided between castles after her sorcerer training by Ser Izzy, even as she comes to terms with her green magic. This is a good enemies to lovers story.
I think I would have enjoyed "Ser Rae of Del" by B.A. Huntley more had they been consistent in the spelling of Sir/Ser in the tale, though that might be something that's fixed up in later edits. I wasn't 100% sure of the trans rep in this story, but that might have been simply because it wasn't the main focus of this story.
December 28, 2017
I nice collection of stories. They were all cute and fun to read. All could be considered the beginnings of deeper stories. The meeting stories and budding romances of future couples.
October 8, 2018
Please note: My copy of this book does NOT contain Duties of a Knight by Sandra Bard. I don't know if this is an oversight, or if this book wasn't even supposed to be listed in this anthology. (Guessing the latter, but just putting it out there.)
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker
Tess - one of the two main characters in this story, isn't easy to like. Sure, her disappointment is believable but, considering that she's a dragon rider, it's not endearing. I mean, she gets to ride a dragon into battle and she's unhappy about it? Once she starts improving though, the story becomes really fun. (And her and Aria (the female dwarf) are totally cute together.)
****
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles
I don't love one of the main characters being mute - especially in a pre-industrial society where it's pretty unlikely that everyone can read/write. That being said…there was a point that the story picked up. Mostly when Farris really started to play a part. Though the romance - that wasn't exactly what I expected and so much better than I'd hoped - was a little quick, it was still really sweet.
****
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie
The only complaint I have about this story is that it's only a short story. Honestly, the world that the author created could EASILY handle an entire series. And I would totally be there. Anyway, the romance was…kind of odd but super nice. And there were some gender hijinks going on, like a woman pretending to be a man, and actual gender bending. Which, honestly, took me a moment, but I love it.
*****
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter
I thought this story was epic and amazing, a total 5 star read - right up until we have a totally out-of-place appearance by a pair of fae. … I'm not a fan of fae and it was a total shock that they were even there. But… Well…
****
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris
This was quite a departure from the other stories in the book. First, this is the first story that didn't have at least a partial lesbian romance (because one of the pervious was a F/F/M triad) and, also, it isn't even really a romance. The main male character is asexual and might possibly be aromantic and there was strong threads of self acceptance and friendship running through it. (And a totally awesome woman!)
****
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley
Blech. Established - unhealthy - relationship, emotional cheating on one side, physical cheating on the other, generic fantasy world, characters that I didn't feel anything for, very distancing writing style. Just, in general, a very un-enjoyable story.
*
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve
While the plot is somewhat interesting, the world building is nonexistent except for a rip off of the Legend of the Seeker (whatever the book series was) where the male magic user basically always goes crazy from their power. And the 'romance' was...bad. I HATE Maud, the main character, the relationship between her and her girlfriend/partner is power imbalanced and ... well, I thought they were cheating on each other, because Maud slept with another woman and felt guilty afterwards (and Alias, the girlfriend, 'broke up' with Maud and Maud heard her and another person together and got all the hurt feelings). But, judging by the foursome at the end of the story, they might have been supposed to be in an open relationship. This might have worked, if they ever actually alluded to it, but as it was, they just felt like a pair of dirty cheaters. And Maud was a highhanded ass of the type I'm more used to seeing in men. (Also, this story is really preoccupied with making the characters have sex. I count at least four sex scenes and I'm not even trying to remember. … And none of them were the exact same people involved. …)
*
Honestly, I came close to loving all the first five stories and thought this was going to be a five star anthology. Then I got to the last two and hated both of them - because both were heavy with the cheating and light on the world building. This does not make me happy.
So, because I really don't know what to rate this book, I added the stars then divided by the number of stories and come up with 3.28 which, rounded down, gave us the 3 star rating. (That I feel totally guilty giving To Tame a Dragon, because IT was totally awesome and doesn't deserve to be contaminated by these last two stories.)
The Queen's Dragon Rider by Cora Walker
Tess - one of the two main characters in this story, isn't easy to like. Sure, her disappointment is believable but, considering that she's a dragon rider, it's not endearing. I mean, she gets to ride a dragon into battle and she's unhappy about it? Once she starts improving though, the story becomes really fun. (And her and Aria (the female dwarf) are totally cute together.)
****
The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles
I don't love one of the main characters being mute - especially in a pre-industrial society where it's pretty unlikely that everyone can read/write. That being said…there was a point that the story picked up. Mostly when Farris really started to play a part. Though the romance - that wasn't exactly what I expected and so much better than I'd hoped - was a little quick, it was still really sweet.
****
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie
The only complaint I have about this story is that it's only a short story. Honestly, the world that the author created could EASILY handle an entire series. And I would totally be there. Anyway, the romance was…kind of odd but super nice. And there were some gender hijinks going on, like a woman pretending to be a man, and actual gender bending. Which, honestly, took me a moment, but I love it.
*****
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter
I thought this story was epic and amazing, a total 5 star read - right up until we have a totally out-of-place appearance by a pair of fae. … I'm not a fan of fae and it was a total shock that they were even there. But… Well…
****
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris
This was quite a departure from the other stories in the book. First, this is the first story that didn't have at least a partial lesbian romance (because one of the pervious was a F/F/M triad) and, also, it isn't even really a romance. The main male character is asexual and might possibly be aromantic and there was strong threads of self acceptance and friendship running through it. (And a totally awesome woman!)
****
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley
Blech. Established - unhealthy - relationship, emotional cheating on one side, physical cheating on the other, generic fantasy world, characters that I didn't feel anything for, very distancing writing style. Just, in general, a very un-enjoyable story.
*
A Shieldmaiden's Vow by Helena Maeve
While the plot is somewhat interesting, the world building is nonexistent except for a rip off of the Legend of the Seeker (whatever the book series was) where the male magic user basically always goes crazy from their power. And the 'romance' was...bad. I HATE Maud, the main character, the relationship between her and her girlfriend/partner is power imbalanced and ... well, I thought they were cheating on each other, because Maud slept with another woman and felt guilty afterwards (and Alias, the girlfriend, 'broke up' with Maud and Maud heard her and another person together and got all the hurt feelings). But, judging by the foursome at the end of the story, they might have been supposed to be in an open relationship. This might have worked, if they ever actually alluded to it, but as it was, they just felt like a pair of dirty cheaters. And Maud was a highhanded ass of the type I'm more used to seeing in men. (Also, this story is really preoccupied with making the characters have sex. I count at least four sex scenes and I'm not even trying to remember. … And none of them were the exact same people involved. …)
*
Honestly, I came close to loving all the first five stories and thought this was going to be a five star anthology. Then I got to the last two and hated both of them - because both were heavy with the cheating and light on the world building. This does not make me happy.
So, because I really don't know what to rate this book, I added the stars then divided by the number of stories and come up with 3.28 which, rounded down, gave us the 3 star rating. (That I feel totally guilty giving To Tame a Dragon, because IT was totally awesome and doesn't deserve to be contaminated by these last two stories.)
October 15, 2017
(3.5 stars)
I love a good tale with interesting knights in it, so I couldn’t resist this when I saw it. Not just knights, but so many female knights! Plus there were some dragons mentioned, so I definitely wanted to read it. And for the most part I really enjoyed these short, intriguing romantic reads.
==============================
I’ll admit I didn’t enjoy The Queen’s Dragon Rider by Cora Walker much at first, because I didn’t like Tess and how mean she was being to her dragon, Merryn. Yes, she had a disappointment, but he’s a dragon! He picked her! They get to fly! Mostly I saw her behaviour as excessive pouting, so I didn’t like her much. The romance was also a bit too fast and forced. I did, however, love Aria. In fact I want more Aria. A dragon riding dwarf? Who also happens to be a lesbian? I need so much more of this in my life! (3.5 stars)
I found a lot to like about The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles, at least in the beginning. Loran is quite fun and her secretive ways were very intriguing. I also absolutely loved our silent knight. However, the whole thing with Farris just… no. It felt really unnecessary and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why he was needed at all. Sadly, his inclusion ruined what would otherwise have been one my favourites. (2 stars)
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie was pretty cute. Sir Miles was great and I loved the romance. Anything else I say will just be spoilers. (4 stars)
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter was probably my favourite in plot and character content, and yet I wasn’t particularly convinced by the romance. I really liked Issy and all the characters were beautifully developed. I just didn’t feel like the romance between her and Siofra was necessary. Especially given Issy’s general dislike of magic. Her feelings for Siofra seem to come out of nowhere, but at least the scope of the story does allow a nice length of time to develop and the ending was believable even if it wasn’t quite what I wanted. (4 stars)
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris was potentially really interesting, and not least because it featured an asexual protagonist. I really liked Isi and loved the relationship he had with Tom. However, there is a huge plot going on here and it doesn’t come even close to being resolved. Too many questions, too much going on. It doesn’t make for a good novella, which is a shame, because as a beginning, I found it rather fascinating. (3 stars)
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley was another one that had interesting characters. Rae is everything you’d expect from a knight – chivalrous and loyal and dedicated. I’m not entirely convinced about the way the romance played out or how Rae’s trans status was raised, but on the whole I still enjoyed it. (3.5 stars)
Finally there’s A Shieldmaiden’s Vow by Helena Maeve, which I didn’t even bother to finish. I didn’t like a single character, I hated the way they treated each other and once the mystery was over I had absolutely no interest in seeing them all get into bed. Maud and Katrina were the worst of the bunch and Alais lost my respect after that argument. I had absolutely no interest whatsoever in seeing any of them happy. (1 star.)
==============================
In all there are definitely some stories that are better than others here, but also a lot to like and enjoy. The unifying theme is strong and there’s a couple of stories I would love to see expanded in the future. Overall, if you love knights and romance and LGBTQA+ reads, then you should find something to like in here.
(Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
I love a good tale with interesting knights in it, so I couldn’t resist this when I saw it. Not just knights, but so many female knights! Plus there were some dragons mentioned, so I definitely wanted to read it. And for the most part I really enjoyed these short, intriguing romantic reads.
==============================
I’ll admit I didn’t enjoy The Queen’s Dragon Rider by Cora Walker much at first, because I didn’t like Tess and how mean she was being to her dragon, Merryn. Yes, she had a disappointment, but he’s a dragon! He picked her! They get to fly! Mostly I saw her behaviour as excessive pouting, so I didn’t like her much. The romance was also a bit too fast and forced. I did, however, love Aria. In fact I want more Aria. A dragon riding dwarf? Who also happens to be a lesbian? I need so much more of this in my life! (3.5 stars)
I found a lot to like about The Silent Knight by Avery Stiles, at least in the beginning. Loran is quite fun and her secretive ways were very intriguing. I also absolutely loved our silent knight. However, the whole thing with Farris just… no. It felt really unnecessary and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why he was needed at all. Sadly, his inclusion ruined what would otherwise have been one my favourites. (2 stars)
To Tame a Dragon by Christina DZA Marie was pretty cute. Sir Miles was great and I loved the romance. Anything else I say will just be spoilers. (4 stars)
Blackberries and Buckthorn by TS Porter was probably my favourite in plot and character content, and yet I wasn’t particularly convinced by the romance. I really liked Issy and all the characters were beautifully developed. I just didn’t feel like the romance between her and Siofra was necessary. Especially given Issy’s general dislike of magic. Her feelings for Siofra seem to come out of nowhere, but at least the scope of the story does allow a nice length of time to develop and the ending was believable even if it wasn’t quite what I wanted. (4 stars)
The Heartless Knight by Heather Morris was potentially really interesting, and not least because it featured an asexual protagonist. I really liked Isi and loved the relationship he had with Tom. However, there is a huge plot going on here and it doesn’t come even close to being resolved. Too many questions, too much going on. It doesn’t make for a good novella, which is a shame, because as a beginning, I found it rather fascinating. (3 stars)
Ser Rae of Del by B.A. Huntley was another one that had interesting characters. Rae is everything you’d expect from a knight – chivalrous and loyal and dedicated. I’m not entirely convinced about the way the romance played out or how Rae’s trans status was raised, but on the whole I still enjoyed it. (3.5 stars)
Finally there’s A Shieldmaiden’s Vow by Helena Maeve, which I didn’t even bother to finish. I didn’t like a single character, I hated the way they treated each other and once the mystery was over I had absolutely no interest in seeing them all get into bed. Maud and Katrina were the worst of the bunch and Alais lost my respect after that argument. I had absolutely no interest whatsoever in seeing any of them happy. (1 star.)
==============================
In all there are definitely some stories that are better than others here, but also a lot to like and enjoy. The unifying theme is strong and there’s a couple of stories I would love to see expanded in the future. Overall, if you love knights and romance and LGBTQA+ reads, then you should find something to like in here.
(Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
October 10, 2017
Hearts of Steel features LBGTQA+ characters in a fantasy setting. All of the stories are complete and there are many standouts. Like I do with all Anthologies I read, I'll break my review down into each story.
The Queen's Dragon Rider - Cora Walker - I'm not sure I would have started the anthology with this one. It's a clean lesbian fantasy that is bigger on the fantasy than the romance elements. This story in particular had several editing errors that made it into publication and the ending is a bit abrupt. I liked Tess, Merryn, and Aria. 3 stars.
The Silent Knight - Avery Stiles - This story has the best POV character in the book. Loran is funny, interesting, and all around great. The use of a mute character was great. The romance is sort of pre-polyamorous romance with more of the focus on character growth/plot. I would have liked to have seen more with Farris (the third). Basically I liked the characters and wished this story was longer... maybe the trio facing the repercussions for the mission gone wrong? 4 stars.
To Tame a Dragon - Christina DZA Marie - I really liked this story featuring a female knight who has to hide her gender and a shapeshifter who has to hide their true nature. The symbolism was spot on and I was very satisfied with both the love story and the fantasy story. 5 stars.
Blackberries and Buckthorn - TS Porter - A knight and her companions must escort their ruler's daughter home which is more dangerous than it sounds. To say I loved this story would be an understatement. It is the best story in the anthology with well-rounded characters and even side characters. The romance made sense, even in the face of some twists. 5 stars.
The Heartless Knight - Heather Morris - This story features the lone asexual character in the anthology. While the main character is well-developed. The story itself needed more oomph. 3 stars.
Ser Rae of Del - B.A. Huntley - This story has an almost fairytale quality to it. While it could have used a better editor, it was still fun and well done. The twist was predictable, but that didn't make it less satisfying. 4 stars.
A Shieldmaiden's Vow - Helena Maeve - The other polyamorous story in the group. It was a bit confusing in parts. Especially the beginning and the ending featured a huge WTF moment. I wasn't terribly fond of the characters. 3 stars.
In all, there are a few authors I will happily check out more of their works on and this is a good taste of some up-and-coming authors.
4 stars.
***I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley
The Queen's Dragon Rider - Cora Walker - I'm not sure I would have started the anthology with this one. It's a clean lesbian fantasy that is bigger on the fantasy than the romance elements. This story in particular had several editing errors that made it into publication and the ending is a bit abrupt. I liked Tess, Merryn, and Aria. 3 stars.
The Silent Knight - Avery Stiles - This story has the best POV character in the book. Loran is funny, interesting, and all around great. The use of a mute character was great. The romance is sort of pre-polyamorous romance with more of the focus on character growth/plot. I would have liked to have seen more with Farris (the third). Basically I liked the characters and wished this story was longer... maybe the trio facing the repercussions for the mission gone wrong? 4 stars.
To Tame a Dragon - Christina DZA Marie - I really liked this story featuring a female knight who has to hide her gender and a shapeshifter who has to hide their true nature. The symbolism was spot on and I was very satisfied with both the love story and the fantasy story. 5 stars.
Blackberries and Buckthorn - TS Porter - A knight and her companions must escort their ruler's daughter home which is more dangerous than it sounds. To say I loved this story would be an understatement. It is the best story in the anthology with well-rounded characters and even side characters. The romance made sense, even in the face of some twists. 5 stars.
The Heartless Knight - Heather Morris - This story features the lone asexual character in the anthology. While the main character is well-developed. The story itself needed more oomph. 3 stars.
Ser Rae of Del - B.A. Huntley - This story has an almost fairytale quality to it. While it could have used a better editor, it was still fun and well done. The twist was predictable, but that didn't make it less satisfying. 4 stars.
A Shieldmaiden's Vow - Helena Maeve - The other polyamorous story in the group. It was a bit confusing in parts. Especially the beginning and the ending featured a huge WTF moment. I wasn't terribly fond of the characters. 3 stars.
In all, there are a few authors I will happily check out more of their works on and this is a good taste of some up-and-coming authors.
4 stars.
***I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley
October 18, 2017
I rec'd a copy from NetGalley/Less Than Three Press for an honest review.
Knights and dragons star in this anthology of fantasy tales. An easy read, my favourites were "To Tame A Dragon" by Christina DZA Marie and "The Queen's Dragon Rider" by Cora Walker. Anyone who likes fantasy, dragons and lady knights should like this collection.
3.5 stars.
Knights and dragons star in this anthology of fantasy tales. An easy read, my favourites were "To Tame A Dragon" by Christina DZA Marie and "The Queen's Dragon Rider" by Cora Walker. Anyone who likes fantasy, dragons and lady knights should like this collection.
3.5 stars.
January 5, 2018
Some fun fantasy romance tales focusing on lesbian and/or trans characters.
October 30, 2017
I got an ARC from NetGalley for honest reviewing. I'll rate each story separately.
The Queen's Dragon Rider
★★★★★
So good. I loved the dragons and the worldbuilding, and the fight sequence was basically the climax of the entire anthology for me. By the end I was emotionally attached to the girls (and Merryn) and sad about it being a short story. It just needs a good revision because I spotted 3 or 4 spelling mistakes.
The Silent Knight
★✩✩✩✩
It begins with a female narrator and her traveling companion who happens to be a mute lady knight, and it's okay. Then the third party in what will grow into a polyamorous relationship (within, like, 3 days) shows up and is… a really obnoxious, kind of creepy man. Farris just killed the possibility of me enjoying this story, especially after the stream scene. Even though the title suggests the knight will be the focus or at least half of it, 90% of the story seemed to be interactions between the narrator and the dude, with Kisa just silently standing in the backgroung and agreeing with everything the man says.
To Tame a Dragon
★✩✩✩✩
This story was awkward. It falls (plummets head first) into a frankly homophobic “hearts not parts” argument when the self-identified lesbian narrator falls in love with a man and wonders if [sic] “she just… hadn't met the right man before”, then backpedals to point out how the concept of “fixing” gay people is wrong, awkwardly tries to make the couple okay by making the man a shapeshifter, and goes on to briefly equate crossdressing (as a means for women in sexist societies to step outside strict gender roles) to being transgender. And I couldn't care about the plot.
Blackberries and Buckthorn
★★★★★
Oh, plant magic, I love plant magic always! This story was so adorable and magical. I really liked the worldbuilding, the guild of women knights, women's lunar religion, the castle for green sorceresses… The couple had the best relationship in the anthology, and even though it's a short story we get to see how they come to mutually respect and love each other.
The Heartless Knight
★★★✩✩ (3.5)
I enjoyed the political aspects of it and would read a longer story getting further into them. I'm confused about what part of it was LGBT though? Also, I'm dubious about the “dark skinned character who used to be a slave” plot device - I'm not an authority on the subject though, and can only recommend asking readers of color to review it.
Ser Rae of Del
★★✩✩✩
While the plot actually has potential (transman knight dragged into a race for the throne, things get violent, a transitioning potion exists!) both the writing and the timeline within the story are so, so, SO rushed. Some parts were frankly tacky - I cringed hard at “chivalry is sexy”. Oh, and a lesbian is the villain (why, o why?).
A Shieldmaiden's Vow
✩✩✩✩✩
UH. This starts out bad enough, and I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt until I read the other reviews. I'm pretty okay with skipping this story now.
-- Final rating: ★★✩✩✩
I devoured two out of the seven stories and need to read their continuations ASAP, but the rest was incredibly disappointing and messy. In many cases, the writers had to pause the pacing to let the reader know their characters are LGBT instead of making it sound like a natural part of their stories.
The Queen's Dragon Rider
★★★★★
So good. I loved the dragons and the worldbuilding, and the fight sequence was basically the climax of the entire anthology for me. By the end I was emotionally attached to the girls (and Merryn) and sad about it being a short story. It just needs a good revision because I spotted 3 or 4 spelling mistakes.
The Silent Knight
★✩✩✩✩
It begins with a female narrator and her traveling companion who happens to be a mute lady knight, and it's okay. Then the third party in what will grow into a polyamorous relationship (within, like, 3 days) shows up and is… a really obnoxious, kind of creepy man. Farris just killed the possibility of me enjoying this story, especially after the stream scene. Even though the title suggests the knight will be the focus or at least half of it, 90% of the story seemed to be interactions between the narrator and the dude, with Kisa just silently standing in the backgroung and agreeing with everything the man says.
To Tame a Dragon
★✩✩✩✩
This story was awkward. It falls (plummets head first) into a frankly homophobic “hearts not parts” argument when the self-identified lesbian narrator falls in love with a man and wonders if [sic] “she just… hadn't met the right man before”, then backpedals to point out how the concept of “fixing” gay people is wrong, awkwardly tries to make the couple okay by making the man a shapeshifter, and goes on to briefly equate crossdressing (as a means for women in sexist societies to step outside strict gender roles) to being transgender. And I couldn't care about the plot.
Blackberries and Buckthorn
★★★★★
Oh, plant magic, I love plant magic always! This story was so adorable and magical. I really liked the worldbuilding, the guild of women knights, women's lunar religion, the castle for green sorceresses… The couple had the best relationship in the anthology, and even though it's a short story we get to see how they come to mutually respect and love each other.
The Heartless Knight
★★★✩✩ (3.5)
I enjoyed the political aspects of it and would read a longer story getting further into them. I'm confused about what part of it was LGBT though? Also, I'm dubious about the “dark skinned character who used to be a slave” plot device - I'm not an authority on the subject though, and can only recommend asking readers of color to review it.
Ser Rae of Del
★★✩✩✩
While the plot actually has potential (transman knight dragged into a race for the throne, things get violent, a transitioning potion exists!) both the writing and the timeline within the story are so, so, SO rushed. Some parts were frankly tacky - I cringed hard at “chivalry is sexy”. Oh, and a lesbian is the villain (why, o why?).
A Shieldmaiden's Vow
✩✩✩✩✩
UH. This starts out bad enough, and I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt until I read the other reviews. I'm pretty okay with skipping this story now.
-- Final rating: ★★✩✩✩
I devoured two out of the seven stories and need to read their continuations ASAP, but the rest was incredibly disappointing and messy. In many cases, the writers had to pause the pacing to let the reader know their characters are LGBT instead of making it sound like a natural part of their stories.
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