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New Camelot #1
A Knight in Distress
A knight in distress. A damsel in shining armor. A city to protect.
Knights are supposed to rescue damsels. So when Nathair, a knight in training, is rescued by the princess he's supposed to protect, he's annoyed. And when the princess proves she can fight like a knight? Well, that's enough for a boy to think about a career change.
Knights are supposed to rescue damsels. So when Nathair, a knight in training, is rescued by the princess he's supposed to protect, he's annoyed. And when the princess proves she can fight like a knight? Well, that's enough for a boy to think about a career change.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2018
1 person is currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 2, 2018
This is an amazing story that flips the whole damsel in distress on it’s head. The character Nat a knight in training has to go on a mission to save a princess Bryhannon. Before he can become a full knight. Neither character is who they seem to be and, just who is saving who? Along the way they are caught up in an adventure that if they don’t succeed could destroy their home of New Camelot.
I love positive stories with strong characters who can provide role models for young adults. This is that king of story. Oh, and, it even has dragons. So what’s not to love.
I love positive stories with strong characters who can provide role models for young adults. This is that king of story. Oh, and, it even has dragons. So what’s not to love.
October 9, 2018
Steampunk, knights with a princess to rescue, a princess who doesn't need rescued. The trials of coming of age and learning things aren't always black and white when it comes to gender. A fun read that made me laugh and kept me turning the pages.
July 25, 2020
Steampunk Arthurian Fantasy—What’s Not to Like?
I occasionally like to read fantasy, and I adore steampunk. This book surprisingly combines a traditional medieval-like fantasy quest story with steampunk—and all that with an Arthurian base. What fun! I was drawn into the book right away because of what I first felt was the mistreatment of the young would-be knight at the heart of this book and the touches of humor here and there. I loved the Arthurian references, too. The names of the training academies are funny allusions to it. This book has both your typical fantasy creatures like dragons and steampunk ones like robots! An awesome but unusual mashup for sure. The author flips other things on their heads as well. Despite the quest, the damsel doesn't seem to truly be in distress at all, while our knight in training would seem to be (at least now and then). Just who needs saving. Fun stuff, and I am looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
I occasionally like to read fantasy, and I adore steampunk. This book surprisingly combines a traditional medieval-like fantasy quest story with steampunk—and all that with an Arthurian base. What fun! I was drawn into the book right away because of what I first felt was the mistreatment of the young would-be knight at the heart of this book and the touches of humor here and there. I loved the Arthurian references, too. The names of the training academies are funny allusions to it. This book has both your typical fantasy creatures like dragons and steampunk ones like robots! An awesome but unusual mashup for sure. The author flips other things on their heads as well. Despite the quest, the damsel doesn't seem to truly be in distress at all, while our knight in training would seem to be (at least now and then). Just who needs saving. Fun stuff, and I am looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
July 10, 2019
I really enjoyed this, unfortunately I also got really into Downton Abbey, so I didn’t read it as fast as I usually do 😂. The whole world and characters are fun and realistic. I love this authors imagination. And I think my favorite character may have to be the damn mind wren! This book could easily be a stand alone but I am very much looking forward to the sequel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2020
I recieved an ARC copy of this book from the author and here are my thoughts -
A version of Camelot with both magic and technology creates a vivid picture of what it might be like to live in such a time. A knight in training sent on a quest to save a plucky princess who may or may not need saving. A twisted view of the future-past. The characters are well rounded and believable and the world descriptions are enough for you to really imagine being there. A great first book in a series that promises more of the same great writing.
A version of Camelot with both magic and technology creates a vivid picture of what it might be like to live in such a time. A knight in training sent on a quest to save a plucky princess who may or may not need saving. A twisted view of the future-past. The characters are well rounded and believable and the world descriptions are enough for you to really imagine being there. A great first book in a series that promises more of the same great writing.
July 4, 2020
This is book one in this series and gives a whole new version of the damsel in distress being saved by a knight! Seventeen year old Nathair (Nat) has been training to be a Knight for some years now, along with his best friend Tristan, but faces a lot of problems as his mother is a Snake, a people that are hated in this realm. They both want to join the Swan Knights, one of the most prestigious group of Knights, who do lots of quests and help people. Nathair has been struggling with his studies, after his father died and his sister was badly injured in an accident, leaving his mother having problems keeping hold of their farm and he has had to help on the farm. Women are not allowed to hold property and Nathair is not yet eighteen, so too young to do so as well. His friend Tristan comes from a well off family and is also top student at all of their studies. He has offered to help Nathair’s family, but he refuses. His Knight mentor helps out instead.
During their exam’s, Tristan tries to pass some answers to Nathair and is caught in the act. It was the final exam and Nat is worried he will be dismissed from his studies and unable to become a knight, but is given a chance to pass his quest or never become a knight. He is now at the bottom of the pile when it comes to being given a final quest, which will see if he becomes a knight or has to repeat his final year. But, as all the cadets find out on quest day, the wizard council have persuaded the king to change the rules for this set of quests. The best students get the easiest quests, but even those are now far above what cadets would normally face!
By the time it gets to Nat’s turn, he is given an impossible task, to travel to Lord Torgall’s lands and rescue Princess Bryhannon of Summerland, who has been abducted and is being held in Torgall’s dungeon. Instead of being given a powerful mechanical knight or his mentor to accompany him on this quest, he is given Dagonet, a mechanical knight who ran away from action before and his mentor is only allowed to observe from a distance of no closer than two miles, not much use if something goes wrong! Princess Bryhannon is not sitting waiting for rescue however, doing all she can to escape Torgall’s dungeon and his repeated draining of her blood for magic testing. Women with magic are either put to death or tortures until they are broken. They are also not allowed to handle or be trained to use weapons, but she likes to break the rules. She has uncontrollable magic, which she wants to be taught to manage properly, without anyone finding out hopefully. How and why Torgall thinks she has magic is only uncovered by the end of this book.
She certainly isn’t a damsel in distress and manages to escape the dungeon, through her knowledge of plants and chemicals. She even ends up rescuing Nat when he gets stuck in the enchanted garden area outside of the palace, set up to trap intruders. So, he’s quite annoyed and had to use one of his magic potions to stop himself landing on spike sin a pit! Each one will cost him a third of his reward for completing the quest. Now he can’t even claim to have completed his quest and will lose his chance to become a knight forever. When she ends up showing that she can fight and saves him yet again, he feels like a failure. But there is more at risk than any of them know and a possible attack on their home city of New Camelot, needs to be stopped.
Somehow, Princess Bryhannon is critical to Torgall’s plans and Nathair and Tristan do all they can to stop him, even when this places them up against the Swan Knights themselves and against the proper behaviour expected of a knight. They face far superior mechanical Daemons who can change shapes into any creature and are hard to kill or even stop, plus wizards with deadly magical powers and a traitor in their midst! This was a really refreshingly told story. The young characters are realistic and somewhat uncertain of themselves, especially when it comes to relationships, but will do what they believe to be the right thing, no matter what the consequences. It is a light-hearted retelling of the Knights of Camelot, with a lot of magic thrown in, impossible quests and numerous battles against overwhelming foes. I really enjoyed reading it and can’t wait for book two in the series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the story above.
During their exam’s, Tristan tries to pass some answers to Nathair and is caught in the act. It was the final exam and Nat is worried he will be dismissed from his studies and unable to become a knight, but is given a chance to pass his quest or never become a knight. He is now at the bottom of the pile when it comes to being given a final quest, which will see if he becomes a knight or has to repeat his final year. But, as all the cadets find out on quest day, the wizard council have persuaded the king to change the rules for this set of quests. The best students get the easiest quests, but even those are now far above what cadets would normally face!
By the time it gets to Nat’s turn, he is given an impossible task, to travel to Lord Torgall’s lands and rescue Princess Bryhannon of Summerland, who has been abducted and is being held in Torgall’s dungeon. Instead of being given a powerful mechanical knight or his mentor to accompany him on this quest, he is given Dagonet, a mechanical knight who ran away from action before and his mentor is only allowed to observe from a distance of no closer than two miles, not much use if something goes wrong! Princess Bryhannon is not sitting waiting for rescue however, doing all she can to escape Torgall’s dungeon and his repeated draining of her blood for magic testing. Women with magic are either put to death or tortures until they are broken. They are also not allowed to handle or be trained to use weapons, but she likes to break the rules. She has uncontrollable magic, which she wants to be taught to manage properly, without anyone finding out hopefully. How and why Torgall thinks she has magic is only uncovered by the end of this book.
She certainly isn’t a damsel in distress and manages to escape the dungeon, through her knowledge of plants and chemicals. She even ends up rescuing Nat when he gets stuck in the enchanted garden area outside of the palace, set up to trap intruders. So, he’s quite annoyed and had to use one of his magic potions to stop himself landing on spike sin a pit! Each one will cost him a third of his reward for completing the quest. Now he can’t even claim to have completed his quest and will lose his chance to become a knight forever. When she ends up showing that she can fight and saves him yet again, he feels like a failure. But there is more at risk than any of them know and a possible attack on their home city of New Camelot, needs to be stopped.
Somehow, Princess Bryhannon is critical to Torgall’s plans and Nathair and Tristan do all they can to stop him, even when this places them up against the Swan Knights themselves and against the proper behaviour expected of a knight. They face far superior mechanical Daemons who can change shapes into any creature and are hard to kill or even stop, plus wizards with deadly magical powers and a traitor in their midst! This was a really refreshingly told story. The young characters are realistic and somewhat uncertain of themselves, especially when it comes to relationships, but will do what they believe to be the right thing, no matter what the consequences. It is a light-hearted retelling of the Knights of Camelot, with a lot of magic thrown in, impossible quests and numerous battles against overwhelming foes. I really enjoyed reading it and can’t wait for book two in the series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the story above.
June 22, 2019
I received a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Instead of a traditional review, I am going to break it down into an interview with myself as a reader.
Favourite quote:
“’If you’ve finished staring at me, can we go?’ His voice clashed with his feminine appearance as if he were a barking kitten.”
What age group would I recommend this to?
There’s no mature content in this book and minimal cursing; however, there are some scenes with violence that may set off younger readers. For this reason, I think the book would be appropriate for anyone over 14 years old.
How did I feel reading this book?
It was a refreshing change. How often do we hear stories and fairy tales where the princess is kidnapped or locked away, and the male protagonist has to save her? This story turns the basis for these tales upside down and shows the reader that girls aren’t just delicate damsels in distress – sometimes, it’s the knight who needs help. It was an easy and unique read, a twist on historical fantasy and retelling of classic tales with a science fiction element – that’s right, automatons in the world of New Camelot. Oh, and dragons; can’t forget about the dragons. And that twist at the end? Totally wasn’t expecting that!
How were the characters?
The main characters were very strong and likeable. Nathair I thought was too innocent for his own good – not wanting to bend the truth and trusting others, and I think this might become his fatal flaw later in the story. It’s not a bad trait, it makes the story interesting. Bryhannon is a very strong young woman and stands up for herself and others. She’s really self-sufficient and can handle herself in different situations. The whole world is gender stereotyped, but Bryhannon’s taken it upon her to learn to fight and fend for herself, breaking the rule that only men can fight. Great role models! The mind-wren provided comic relief to ease the tension; I always had a smile on my face when it spoke (poor Nathair lol).
What did I like?
Quite a few things. I liked first of all that although there was a romantic element to this, it did not turn into a love story. The author focused on the story instead of building romantic tension which was great in my opinion as it make the book and the story flow smoothly.
As mentioned above, I love the gender role reversal, and I also like the diversity of the characters. Nathair is part of the Snake Clan, Bryhannon is a princess with a special power, and Nineveh (Nathair’s sister) has a disability. Although some groups discriminate against them for stereotypical reasons, they always support each other.
In my opinion, I like it when stories are told from different perspectives (between Nathair and Bryhannon) so it gives you an understanding of the characters and their thought processes. This was definitely a plus. And finally, the book itself wrapped up nicely to close this arc of the story, and to pave the way for book two.
What didn’t I like?
There really wasn’t much I didn’t like. I found a couple of spelling mistakes, and it was kind of slow at the beginning but other that, it was great! Once I really got into it, it was difficult to put down.
Overall rating:
4/5
Would I read this again?
Definitely!
Would I read the sequel or any future books in this series?
Yes, for sure.
Overall:
Definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy and wants to read about the damsel saving the knight! A fresh take on fantasy with a healthy dose of technology and historical fiction, all blended together to create this masterpiece. I am looking forward to the sequel!
Instead of a traditional review, I am going to break it down into an interview with myself as a reader.
Favourite quote:
“’If you’ve finished staring at me, can we go?’ His voice clashed with his feminine appearance as if he were a barking kitten.”
What age group would I recommend this to?
There’s no mature content in this book and minimal cursing; however, there are some scenes with violence that may set off younger readers. For this reason, I think the book would be appropriate for anyone over 14 years old.
How did I feel reading this book?
It was a refreshing change. How often do we hear stories and fairy tales where the princess is kidnapped or locked away, and the male protagonist has to save her? This story turns the basis for these tales upside down and shows the reader that girls aren’t just delicate damsels in distress – sometimes, it’s the knight who needs help. It was an easy and unique read, a twist on historical fantasy and retelling of classic tales with a science fiction element – that’s right, automatons in the world of New Camelot. Oh, and dragons; can’t forget about the dragons. And that twist at the end? Totally wasn’t expecting that!
How were the characters?
The main characters were very strong and likeable. Nathair I thought was too innocent for his own good – not wanting to bend the truth and trusting others, and I think this might become his fatal flaw later in the story. It’s not a bad trait, it makes the story interesting. Bryhannon is a very strong young woman and stands up for herself and others. She’s really self-sufficient and can handle herself in different situations. The whole world is gender stereotyped, but Bryhannon’s taken it upon her to learn to fight and fend for herself, breaking the rule that only men can fight. Great role models! The mind-wren provided comic relief to ease the tension; I always had a smile on my face when it spoke (poor Nathair lol).
What did I like?
Quite a few things. I liked first of all that although there was a romantic element to this, it did not turn into a love story. The author focused on the story instead of building romantic tension which was great in my opinion as it make the book and the story flow smoothly.
As mentioned above, I love the gender role reversal, and I also like the diversity of the characters. Nathair is part of the Snake Clan, Bryhannon is a princess with a special power, and Nineveh (Nathair’s sister) has a disability. Although some groups discriminate against them for stereotypical reasons, they always support each other.
In my opinion, I like it when stories are told from different perspectives (between Nathair and Bryhannon) so it gives you an understanding of the characters and their thought processes. This was definitely a plus. And finally, the book itself wrapped up nicely to close this arc of the story, and to pave the way for book two.
What didn’t I like?
There really wasn’t much I didn’t like. I found a couple of spelling mistakes, and it was kind of slow at the beginning but other that, it was great! Once I really got into it, it was difficult to put down.
Overall rating:
4/5
Would I read this again?
Definitely!
Would I read the sequel or any future books in this series?
Yes, for sure.
Overall:
Definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy and wants to read about the damsel saving the knight! A fresh take on fantasy with a healthy dose of technology and historical fiction, all blended together to create this masterpiece. I am looking forward to the sequel!
July 2, 2020
All Nathair ever wanted was to become a knight, but after doing poorly on his final exams and being accused of cheating, his only hope of redemption was dashed when he was assigned an impossible task. What's worse was that his father was dead, his sister crippled, and his family part of the Snake people, a race that faced constant discrimination. The only way to help them was to accept the quest, so he did. The quest? Enter enemy territory alone (apart from the useless automaton that monitored him and his mentor who trailed several miles behind) and singlehandedly rescue a princess. Needless to say, he gets into trouble almost immediately and the princess rescues herself and him which is only the beginning of the surprises he will encounter.
A Knight in Distress was a pleasant surprise. Not only did Princess Bryhannon rescue the knight, she understood her strengths and weaknesses and chose the battles she thought were worth fighting. In a society where women were not allowed to use magic (witches are evil while wizards are good) or weapons (although some men see the advantage of training their daughters in self-defense), several of the knight trainees were very open to the idea that the common beliefs were wrong. The villains were unexpected and had motivations that made sense. And the way the Round Table mythology was woven throughout the story was continuously surprising and wonderful.
The story wrapped up neatly - at least the main characters seemed to think so, which was odd for me since there were a lot of things left unfinished and unexplained. But it is only the first in the series, so it would be odder still for everything to be resolved. I am definitely curious to see where the story goes.
I received a free ARC from Booksprout and have reviewed it willingly.
A Knight in Distress was a pleasant surprise. Not only did Princess Bryhannon rescue the knight, she understood her strengths and weaknesses and chose the battles she thought were worth fighting. In a society where women were not allowed to use magic (witches are evil while wizards are good) or weapons (although some men see the advantage of training their daughters in self-defense), several of the knight trainees were very open to the idea that the common beliefs were wrong. The villains were unexpected and had motivations that made sense. And the way the Round Table mythology was woven throughout the story was continuously surprising and wonderful.
The story wrapped up neatly - at least the main characters seemed to think so, which was odd for me since there were a lot of things left unfinished and unexplained. But it is only the first in the series, so it would be odder still for everything to be resolved. I am definitely curious to see where the story goes.
I received a free ARC from Booksprout and have reviewed it willingly.
May 2, 2019
In order to become a full knight, Swan cadets have to go on a quest. But the knight-hating wizards make these tasks all but impossible. Nathair has to rescue Princess Bryhannon from an evil warlord. But she's no ordinary princess, and by the time he gets through all the nasty traps and mazes and poisonous plants, he runs across the darned princess who managed to rescue herself and is on her way out. Worse yet--she ends up rescuing him. He'll never live it down.
If ever there was a character born under an unlucky star, it's poor Nathair. In a world of steampunk automatons and dragons and magic-gone-wrong, he must be cursed. Because he has the worst luck of anyone I've ever met. He fights prejudice by people thinking a Snake clan member has no business becoming a Swan knight, is right in the middle of an undeclared war between knights and wizards, and just wants to graduate by surviving the quest-from-hell designed to set him up for failure.
There's so much to admire about Nathair. I love the characters, right down to the annoying little mind-wren who blurts out Nathair's innermost thoughts at the most inopportune times! By turns funny and tense and sad and scary, this is a rollicking good tale of good vs. evil, with honor, betrayal, heroics--and dragons. What's not to love?
If ever there was a character born under an unlucky star, it's poor Nathair. In a world of steampunk automatons and dragons and magic-gone-wrong, he must be cursed. Because he has the worst luck of anyone I've ever met. He fights prejudice by people thinking a Snake clan member has no business becoming a Swan knight, is right in the middle of an undeclared war between knights and wizards, and just wants to graduate by surviving the quest-from-hell designed to set him up for failure.
There's so much to admire about Nathair. I love the characters, right down to the annoying little mind-wren who blurts out Nathair's innermost thoughts at the most inopportune times! By turns funny and tense and sad and scary, this is a rollicking good tale of good vs. evil, with honor, betrayal, heroics--and dragons. What's not to love?
August 29, 2019
**I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review**
We all know the classic fairytale formula-the damsel in distress and the knight in shiny armor who comes to rescue her, and they live happily ever after. This story takes that formula and turns it on its head. We have Nathair, a knight-in-training whose quest is to rescue the kidnapped princess. Well, in this book, it’s the princess who rescues the knight!
I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing and empowering to read a story where the princess is the hero. You could tell early on that there would be a romance in the story, however I appreciated that it was not a major plot driver. I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely continue the series!
We all know the classic fairytale formula-the damsel in distress and the knight in shiny armor who comes to rescue her, and they live happily ever after. This story takes that formula and turns it on its head. We have Nathair, a knight-in-training whose quest is to rescue the kidnapped princess. Well, in this book, it’s the princess who rescues the knight!
I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing and empowering to read a story where the princess is the hero. You could tell early on that there would be a romance in the story, however I appreciated that it was not a major plot driver. I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely continue the series!
July 1, 2020
Barbara Russell breaths a fun new twist to the King Arthur era, with adding steampunk elements, and a damsel who saves the distressed. When Nathair never expected questioning his qualifications to becoming a knight. Princess Bryhannon just wanted to escape but she didn’t realize she would be rescuing her rescuer.
I couldn’t put this read down, I found my self riveted to know what happens next, laughing to being shocked, and just plain caught up in the story.
I can’t wait to see what Russell brings us next!
I couldn’t put this read down, I found my self riveted to know what happens next, laughing to being shocked, and just plain caught up in the story.
I can’t wait to see what Russell brings us next!
August 22, 2023
Absolutely fantastic story. There is so much happening. Knights. Wizards. Magic. Mechanic soldiers. A beautiful princess.
Read
October 22, 201817-year-old, russet-skinned, golden-eyed Nathair of the Snake clan longs to be a knight. To join the order of the Swan, he sets out on a quest with his trusty sword Durland, his horse Fireheart, and a clockwork knight named Dagonet to rescue the Princess of Summerland who is being held against her will in Wolvenshire Castle by the wizard Lord Torgall – except that Nathair promptly falls into a deadly trap. Quick thinking allows him to cast a stilling charm that freezes him in place, but then there he is, hovering above the spear tips, suspended in the air like a flying squirrel, and after half an hour the charm is going to wear off, at which point he will plummet to his death. Swyve! (And if you don’t know what that means, you should look it up!)
Luckily, Princess Bryhannon has a brain and knows how to use it, if only she can avoid being caught by the Reapers and put in their Exterminator Maleficarum, which is only the beginning of their YA adventures through an amazing world of Arthurian Steampunk populated by Goths and Saxons and Vikings as well as shape-shifting daemons, dragons, mind-wrens, witches, teleportation charms, runelocks, and something very like an Engima machine and possibly a submarine….
Luckily, Princess Bryhannon has a brain and knows how to use it, if only she can avoid being caught by the Reapers and put in their Exterminator Maleficarum, which is only the beginning of their YA adventures through an amazing world of Arthurian Steampunk populated by Goths and Saxons and Vikings as well as shape-shifting daemons, dragons, mind-wrens, witches, teleportation charms, runelocks, and something very like an Engima machine and possibly a submarine….
May 14, 2019
**Review can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
Nathair has been training for years to be a knight, but with his poor grades and recent family issues, he is not super positive about the outcome. With only the trial left to prove he can be a knight, he is willing to give it his all. But he never expected his quest to be so dangerous, a mission that actual knights have already failed. But the princess needs saving so off Nathair goes. But little does he know, the princess has some secrets hidden up her sleeves...
This was a case of cover love at first sight. I am so enamored with this cover, it appeals to me in so many ways, I knew I was going to read the book. Add in the synopsis about the princess saving herself and it was a no-brainer that I needed this story. After I started reading, I realized that this is the second book I have read by Barbara and once again she excels at world building. Regardless of the genre or plot, her worlds are masterpieces filled with lush details and fun quirks, in case this case such as ALL THINGS STEAMPUNK, mechanical round table knights, dragon air express flights, and hints of modern flair such as rooting for your favorite sports team mixed in with historical settings. This is hands down the best King Arthur retelling I have ever encountered, with a unique personality and plot but with touches of the original story peppered throughout.
The story was mainly an action adventure with danger, battles, political intrigue, magic, dragons- and just a touch of romance. I really liked how Bryhannon has magic and fighting skills that no lady should possess, potentially making her undesirable, but instead Nathair points out her abnormalities and then basically shrugs it off or even appreciates her more. Nathair's moral compass points strong and true in the face of every encounter and I just loved that about him (Bry's was a little more skewed, but what do you expect when being yourself is a crime?). Watching the two of them be allowed to be themselves and the slow build of romances was perfect.
I really enjoyed this adventure and I look forward to what will come next for Nathair and Bryhannon.
Nathair has been training for years to be a knight, but with his poor grades and recent family issues, he is not super positive about the outcome. With only the trial left to prove he can be a knight, he is willing to give it his all. But he never expected his quest to be so dangerous, a mission that actual knights have already failed. But the princess needs saving so off Nathair goes. But little does he know, the princess has some secrets hidden up her sleeves...
This was a case of cover love at first sight. I am so enamored with this cover, it appeals to me in so many ways, I knew I was going to read the book. Add in the synopsis about the princess saving herself and it was a no-brainer that I needed this story. After I started reading, I realized that this is the second book I have read by Barbara and once again she excels at world building. Regardless of the genre or plot, her worlds are masterpieces filled with lush details and fun quirks, in case this case such as ALL THINGS STEAMPUNK, mechanical round table knights, dragon air express flights, and hints of modern flair such as rooting for your favorite sports team mixed in with historical settings. This is hands down the best King Arthur retelling I have ever encountered, with a unique personality and plot but with touches of the original story peppered throughout.
The story was mainly an action adventure with danger, battles, political intrigue, magic, dragons- and just a touch of romance. I really liked how Bryhannon has magic and fighting skills that no lady should possess, potentially making her undesirable, but instead Nathair points out her abnormalities and then basically shrugs it off or even appreciates her more. Nathair's moral compass points strong and true in the face of every encounter and I just loved that about him (Bry's was a little more skewed, but what do you expect when being yourself is a crime?). Watching the two of them be allowed to be themselves and the slow build of romances was perfect.
I really enjoyed this adventure and I look forward to what will come next for Nathair and Bryhannon.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews