What do you think?
Rate this book
The King's Watch #6
Eight Kings
The King is Dead
Long Live the King
The Mage-King of Wessex has passed away, and the stage is set for a battle royal:
The richest Mage in England versus the most powerful Coven of Witches.
And Conrad finds himself in the middle.
The struggle is a civilised one at first – Lord Mowbray and the Daughters of the Goddess meet for a conference in Mowbray’s Mage palace of Pellacombe, with Conrad, Mina and Saffron sent to see fair play.
Until first tragedy and then murder plunge the staff kingdom of Wessex into a dangerous crisis, and Conrad has to draw on all his team’s powers and his own experience to avoid a bloodbath.
The sixth instalment of Mark Hayden’s sage of the King’s Watch is a deep study of power at the sharp end, where families and clans are stretched beyond breaking point in the brutal world of magick.
Grab yourself a copy of Eight Kings and immerse yourself in the addictive world of the King’s Watch.
Long Live the King
The Mage-King of Wessex has passed away, and the stage is set for a battle royal:
The richest Mage in England versus the most powerful Coven of Witches.
And Conrad finds himself in the middle.
The struggle is a civilised one at first – Lord Mowbray and the Daughters of the Goddess meet for a conference in Mowbray’s Mage palace of Pellacombe, with Conrad, Mina and Saffron sent to see fair play.
Until first tragedy and then murder plunge the staff kingdom of Wessex into a dangerous crisis, and Conrad has to draw on all his team’s powers and his own experience to avoid a bloodbath.
The sixth instalment of Mark Hayden’s sage of the King’s Watch is a deep study of power at the sharp end, where families and clans are stretched beyond breaking point in the brutal world of magick.
Grab yourself a copy of Eight Kings and immerse yourself in the addictive world of the King’s Watch.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2019
367 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Mark Hayden
27 books284 followersAuthor also writes under Ruth Ward
Mark Hayden is the nom de guerre of Adrian Attwood. He lives in Westmorland with his wife, Anne.
Adrian has had a varied career working for a brewery, teaching English and being the Town Clerk in Carnforth. He is now a part-time writer and part-time assistant in Anne's craft projects.
He is also proud to be the Mad Unky to his Great Nieces & Great Nephew.
His current writing project is the King’s Watch series of urban fantasy novels, from 13th Witch all the way down to Zero Hour. If he can keep it up.
Mark Hayden is the nom de guerre of Adrian Attwood. He lives in Westmorland with his wife, Anne.
Adrian has had a varied career working for a brewery, teaching English and being the Town Clerk in Carnforth. He is now a part-time writer and part-time assistant in Anne's craft projects.
He is also proud to be the Mad Unky to his Great Nieces & Great Nephew.
His current writing project is the King’s Watch series of urban fantasy novels, from 13th Witch all the way down to Zero Hour. If he can keep it up.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 28, 2021
Underneath it all, there is a great murder mystery here but Mark got so tied up in the pre-amble and scene setting that he forgot to actually write it until the last 8th of the book. It feels like more time is spent talking about flying characters around in the helicopter than actual plot points.
Thank goodness there was an index of names because the cast was so big I would have had no idea who anyone was otherwise; so many of whom make such little impact you wonder why you had been introduced at all.
I don't want you to think I dislike the series, I'm sticking with it because there are some great elements to it...but the further the series goes the more it seems to lose it's way from what was an outstanding start.
Surely the shtick of this book is the murder that everyone knew was coming, and as so why did the whodunit only last what felt like 2-3 pages...where was the mystery? One of the only interesting characters we meet (spoiler) is Raven, and thought...this is someone I'd actually like to hear more about, but she dies in a way that makes no sense to the plot.
And what Mowbray (spoiler) does in regards to kingship...I am still really failing to understand the implications of it on the magical world.
I'm committed to finishing the series, for good or bad, and just hope it returns to good form soon.
I feel it really deserves 2 stars, but three is fair.
I'd almost forgotten....in the first half of the book the author tells you to go and read the novellas if you want to know what happens next and I thought (I can't because I don't have a kindle)...well I've just bought this book so why not at least tell me a bit if it's relevant to the plot? Like it is so jarring to hear the narrator effectively put a literally pay wall up mid text, saying if you want to know what happened with X and Y please buy another book.
Lowering to 2 stars because this was so infuriating.
Thank goodness there was an index of names because the cast was so big I would have had no idea who anyone was otherwise; so many of whom make such little impact you wonder why you had been introduced at all.
I don't want you to think I dislike the series, I'm sticking with it because there are some great elements to it...but the further the series goes the more it seems to lose it's way from what was an outstanding start.
Surely the shtick of this book is the murder that everyone knew was coming, and as so why did the whodunit only last what felt like 2-3 pages...where was the mystery? One of the only interesting characters we meet (spoiler) is Raven, and thought...this is someone I'd actually like to hear more about, but she dies in a way that makes no sense to the plot.
And what Mowbray (spoiler) does in regards to kingship...I am still really failing to understand the implications of it on the magical world.
I'm committed to finishing the series, for good or bad, and just hope it returns to good form soon.
I feel it really deserves 2 stars, but three is fair.
I'd almost forgotten....in the first half of the book the author tells you to go and read the novellas if you want to know what happens next and I thought (I can't because I don't have a kindle)...well I've just bought this book so why not at least tell me a bit if it's relevant to the plot? Like it is so jarring to hear the narrator effectively put a literally pay wall up mid text, saying if you want to know what happened with X and Y please buy another book.
Lowering to 2 stars because this was so infuriating.
February 3, 2020
Best one yet.
These get better as the series goes on, world building and characters are maturing excellently. Can’t wait for book 7.
These get better as the series goes on, world building and characters are maturing excellently. Can’t wait for book 7.
October 30, 2020
Hated Mine's prospective, a good seriesofbooks ruined.
In the past these stories have always be told from Conrad's perspective on this book the author tries to vary it between the 2main characters and the read has suffered significantly. There are also blatant holes/plugs in the story for other works the author has written
In the past these stories have always be told from Conrad's perspective on this book the author tries to vary it between the 2main characters and the read has suffered significantly. There are also blatant holes/plugs in the story for other works the author has written
December 21, 2020
This book that more than a hand full of mentions that you should really read a side line novella that's not part of the series. The story seems quite drawn out, seems like one can just skip the first ⅔.
To me this doesn't read like a book but like a long sales ad for that novella.
To me this doesn't read like a book but like a long sales ad for that novella.
May 21, 2022
Book moved into having two protagonists. Not really a fan of the new one. Not sure if Ill go on with the series.
March 19, 2020
This is the ‘additional’ review I posted for The 13th Witch – but the comments made in this review apply to all the books I have read so far in the series, so I am copy/pasting this for the rest of the books I have read. ;)
I've finished reading the series as far as it goes and I am now waiting eagerly for the next book to be published - sometime around the end of March 2020. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed an urban fantasy series quite so much, and to the extent that I immediately started reading again, from the start. The writing is deliciously 'British', the characters each have their own distinctive 'voice' and the author uses some subtle and clever ways to change POVs (which doesn't happen very often.) And I LOVE the slight obsession with shrugging!
As the series progresses, the back story becomes clearer, though there are still several mysteries regarding Conrad, and usually that would irritate me. But it doesn't here. It works really well for some reason (and yes, I know Conrad's story is written in a different series, but I hadn't read those)
I also love the way details are dropped into the story with an almost casual air. I expect the author has done a phenomenal amount of research and it shows, but not in massive info-dumps, or great wodges of boring details. There's a comfortable sense that this author isn't going to drop a clanger or write something so stupid that I want to throw my Kindle across the room. Instead I am quietly enjoying learning small details without feeling I am being lectured at!
There are a few niggles about the actual format of the book - changes in scenes/times are not sometimes marked with the usual *** and it can confuse the reader. The chapter titles are a tad too large - maybe because I have my kindle font set at 'large' and although I like the covers, they have a slight 'blurriness' about them – but I think that might be the Kindle?
However, I have read all six books in the series and I am going to start reading them again, tonight. I think that's a good enough recommendation. ;)
I've finished reading the series as far as it goes and I am now waiting eagerly for the next book to be published - sometime around the end of March 2020. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed an urban fantasy series quite so much, and to the extent that I immediately started reading again, from the start. The writing is deliciously 'British', the characters each have their own distinctive 'voice' and the author uses some subtle and clever ways to change POVs (which doesn't happen very often.) And I LOVE the slight obsession with shrugging!
As the series progresses, the back story becomes clearer, though there are still several mysteries regarding Conrad, and usually that would irritate me. But it doesn't here. It works really well for some reason (and yes, I know Conrad's story is written in a different series, but I hadn't read those)
I also love the way details are dropped into the story with an almost casual air. I expect the author has done a phenomenal amount of research and it shows, but not in massive info-dumps, or great wodges of boring details. There's a comfortable sense that this author isn't going to drop a clanger or write something so stupid that I want to throw my Kindle across the room. Instead I am quietly enjoying learning small details without feeling I am being lectured at!
There are a few niggles about the actual format of the book - changes in scenes/times are not sometimes marked with the usual *** and it can confuse the reader. The chapter titles are a tad too large - maybe because I have my kindle font set at 'large' and although I like the covers, they have a slight 'blurriness' about them – but I think that might be the Kindle?
However, I have read all six books in the series and I am going to start reading them again, tonight. I think that's a good enough recommendation. ;)
March 7, 2021
Hard to Read
I don't know why, since I have loved all of the books in the series, this one was so hard to read. It just seemed to drag. That said, I'm still off to read the next one, because I need to see what happens next.
I don't know why, since I have loved all of the books in the series, this one was so hard to read. It just seemed to drag. That said, I'm still off to read the next one, because I need to see what happens next.
March 31, 2022
3.5
I like this series, I do....but I gotta say it is both dragging and getting more convoluted.
This book was easy to put down. 😕
I like this series, I do....but I gotta say it is both dragging and getting more convoluted.
This book was easy to put down. 😕
October 30, 2021
The King is dead and now a new king must be elevated in his place. But, where some see it as a time of grieving and celebration, others see it as a way to change the past. Thrust into the election by circumstance rather than duty, Conrad Clarke and company soon find themselves standing between the Mages of Mowbray and the Daughters of the Goddess as the two negotiate to bring the 7 Kingdoms into the 21st century.
But, as Clarke and Co. soon find out, the politics of family are much more dynamic and cutthroat than any simple election to invest a new Staff King of the 7 Kingdoms.
Long thought dead children...estranged mothers...and long fostered plans for revenge soon have the King's Watch on duty and deep into it once more.
EIGHT KINGS is Mark Hayden's 6th full novel set in the King's Watch universe. Hayden continues to elevate the stories and his style with each new entry. The complexity of the magickal world as the background has become a wonderful setting for all the many storylines that Hayden has developed...and continues to weave into and out of each story. What may have been a slight reference in book two becomes the driving purpose of a later book, while background characters are never introduced, used, and then cast away at the end of the story as they find their way and influence continuing to play a part.
Hayden's story telling continues to make each new adventure a blazing beacon in the growing genre that is Urban Fantasy alongside such other luminaries as Ben Aaronovitch, Patricia Briggs, and others that have made UF a rich and spreading font of fan favorites.
Another cool little feature is that Hayden (by himself to this point) continues to craft short novellas that he interweaves into the main story line as an interlude in each book. The first 4 of these have been collected into the TALES OF THE KING'S WATCH with the 3rd, THE RING OF TROTH taking place during this story and has a resolution of a long ongoing story line and the beginning of many new ones.
But, as Clarke and Co. soon find out, the politics of family are much more dynamic and cutthroat than any simple election to invest a new Staff King of the 7 Kingdoms.
Long thought dead children...estranged mothers...and long fostered plans for revenge soon have the King's Watch on duty and deep into it once more.
EIGHT KINGS is Mark Hayden's 6th full novel set in the King's Watch universe. Hayden continues to elevate the stories and his style with each new entry. The complexity of the magickal world as the background has become a wonderful setting for all the many storylines that Hayden has developed...and continues to weave into and out of each story. What may have been a slight reference in book two becomes the driving purpose of a later book, while background characters are never introduced, used, and then cast away at the end of the story as they find their way and influence continuing to play a part.
Hayden's story telling continues to make each new adventure a blazing beacon in the growing genre that is Urban Fantasy alongside such other luminaries as Ben Aaronovitch, Patricia Briggs, and others that have made UF a rich and spreading font of fan favorites.
Another cool little feature is that Hayden (by himself to this point) continues to craft short novellas that he interweaves into the main story line as an interlude in each book. The first 4 of these have been collected into the TALES OF THE KING'S WATCH with the 3rd, THE RING OF TROTH taking place during this story and has a resolution of a long ongoing story line and the beginning of many new ones.
January 30, 2025
I wanted to like this book. I very much enjoyed the 5 books that preceeded it. But it wasn't until page 224 of 304 that something remotely interesting happened. I had to force myself to continue reading, it was just....that....boring. I'll probably continue the series, but not until after a long hiatus from Conrad and his exploits.
February 12, 2020
And on to the sixth book in this engrossing series.
Conrad Clarke, his fiance Mina and his new partner Saffron have been tasked with mediating/policing discussions between Lord Mowbray and the Daughters in Cornwall. But there are all sorts of family and political tensions running beneath the surface which culminate in murder. Can Conrad and Mina uncover the truth?
Yet another brilliant installment in what is fast becoming a favourite series set in some of the most beautiful parts of the UK. What's not to love about a magickal detective, family feuds, warring witches and the magnificent Cornish countryside.
Now on to the novellas ...
Conrad Clarke, his fiance Mina and his new partner Saffron have been tasked with mediating/policing discussions between Lord Mowbray and the Daughters in Cornwall. But there are all sorts of family and political tensions running beneath the surface which culminate in murder. Can Conrad and Mina uncover the truth?
Yet another brilliant installment in what is fast becoming a favourite series set in some of the most beautiful parts of the UK. What's not to love about a magickal detective, family feuds, warring witches and the magnificent Cornish countryside.
Now on to the novellas ...
May 24, 2023
2022 bk 180. When the king of Wessex (the mages of that area of England) passes away, there is trouble. Some people want changes to way things are run (let women run, popular vote) others want things to stay the same and the King's family must make decisions as to who will represent them in the election. Conrad, Mina, and Saffron are selected to monitor negotiations relating to the Agreements and then the election. Conrad as security and Mina as the Election official representing the court. Housed in the large estate, along with delegates from the circles, Conrad learns far more about the lives of the uberwealthy than he ever expected. Not to be missed is the helicopter named Smurf.
May 13, 2023
I love this series and I adore Conrad.
I can't stand Mina.
This book was a lot of things but great wasn't one of them.
Nothing really happened in it until the final 50 pages and then it was too much too quick.
I hate the flipping POVs and doing it in these books slows the story down. I also hate Mina so all her POVs just annoyed me.
I despise the reference to the novellas. Novellas should compliment the main story and not distract from it. They should not be mentioned in the flow of the story. They should be mentioned at the end, "If you want to learn more about xx, check out yy." It feel like an ad in the middle of the story and I hated it.
I'm moving on to the next book only because other reviews say it is significantly better.
I do recommend this series and have enjoyed all the prior books but this one was a chore.
I can't stand Mina.
This book was a lot of things but great wasn't one of them.
Nothing really happened in it until the final 50 pages and then it was too much too quick.
I hate the flipping POVs and doing it in these books slows the story down. I also hate Mina so all her POVs just annoyed me.
I despise the reference to the novellas. Novellas should compliment the main story and not distract from it. They should not be mentioned in the flow of the story. They should be mentioned at the end, "If you want to learn more about xx, check out yy." It feel like an ad in the middle of the story and I hated it.
I'm moving on to the next book only because other reviews say it is significantly better.
I do recommend this series and have enjoyed all the prior books but this one was a chore.
March 14, 2022
Audio book. Nothing happened. Much.
Unless you enjoy the recounting of parties, meetings, conferences, pretentious courtly proceedings, cruises, petty family stories, and helicopter trips, this book is a boring farce. That, and i) its shameless marketing of some offshoot novella narrated by Mina, are what ended my interest in this series; ii) Mina's character - an insufferably prissy woman frequently interjected into the narrative, and acting as the main love interest. Vicky is a thousand times more believable, and likeable, as a real person, and an earthy, normal woman.
And yes, I know there's a murder at the end. But I didn't bother to finish the book, a rare indictment on my part. Bye bye Mark.
Unless you enjoy the recounting of parties, meetings, conferences, pretentious courtly proceedings, cruises, petty family stories, and helicopter trips, this book is a boring farce. That, and i) its shameless marketing of some offshoot novella narrated by Mina, are what ended my interest in this series; ii) Mina's character - an insufferably prissy woman frequently interjected into the narrative, and acting as the main love interest. Vicky is a thousand times more believable, and likeable, as a real person, and an earthy, normal woman.
And yes, I know there's a murder at the end. But I didn't bother to finish the book, a rare indictment on my part. Bye bye Mark.
January 21, 2023
Long, but not as good.
This story is fascinating, but Mina takes a weird turn, and Comrad takes more of a backseat. In the final crisis he is more flounderimg around instead of his usual confident approach. Hope this does not become a trend. Still a huge fan of the series. The mid break novellas are getting tiresome though.
This story is fascinating, but Mina takes a weird turn, and Comrad takes more of a backseat. In the final crisis he is more flounderimg around instead of his usual confident approach. Hope this does not become a trend. Still a huge fan of the series. The mid break novellas are getting tiresome though.
August 29, 2020
Really liked this, and like this series, but could definitely do without the frequent references to the e-novellas, particularly as I don't read e-books- found this aspect quite irritating...
October 22, 2021
I have been devouring these King's Watch books, one right after the other. The first one started out a little rocky, but improved over the course of the book, and the series so far had seemed to find it's voice and style and level out from a writing perspective. The stories themselves are engaging and interesting, and the characters are very well developed and continue to grow.
At least, until this one. The story elements are all still there, but the writing felt much more like the first book than what I had just finished in the 5th book. I would put this one at a low 3-star compared to the others. It is still better than 2 stars though.
The writing in Eight Kings felt clunky. I think much of it had to do with passing the POV character around, and since this is written from 1st person, it made for some really awkward transitions. For example, at the end of the chapter, the Conrad voice would flat out tell the reader, "And now I'm going to let Mina tell you what happened next" or something along those lines. And there were places in the story where the current narrator just flat out wouldn't tell you what was happening because 'So-and-so is going to tell you all about it in the next chapter', or 'you need to read all about what happened in this short story' or (and this one irked me the most) 'it doesn't bear repeating here.' The last time this type of writing was featured so heavily was in the first book, and the author used it less and less after even the first half of that novel. It just made for some really clunky storytelling.
Next, plot-wise this was probably the most convoluted of the books so far. I think it was supposed to be more of a political thriller than the others, but Conrad's forte is action hero so there was a lot of listening to gossip, travelling, timeline descriptions, etc. I thought the characters were fairly interesting, but most of the story was kind of boring and didn't really let Conrad do his thing. Probably why we had to switch from his POV so often.
Which leaves the last bit that is purely just my opinion of a character's personality. I'm not a fan of Mina as a primary character. Saffron is ok, but I miss Vicky! The Uncle Conrad + Vicky team was so great! Going around, recruiting Irregulars, defeating baddies, shaping the new reputation of the Watch. I want more of that! Conrad tends to put Mina on a pedestal, and I get that you as the reader aren't supposed to feel sorry for her and that she is fully capable at everything she does... but I just don't like her. And I'm not really a fan of the way Conrad behaves when she's around either. Honestly, it's a little too lovey-dovey for me, and she seems to be quickly becoming a spoiled brat - much more than Saff has ever behaved. So that paired with things being written from her perspective really rubbed me the wrong was in this book.
So overall, I'm still enjoying the series. They are fun, super easy reads that suck you into this take on a magickal Britain. I was just a little disappointed in this book in particular so far, and I thought it would be a good check-in point on Goodreads as well.
At least, until this one. The story elements are all still there, but the writing felt much more like the first book than what I had just finished in the 5th book. I would put this one at a low 3-star compared to the others. It is still better than 2 stars though.
The writing in Eight Kings felt clunky. I think much of it had to do with passing the POV character around, and since this is written from 1st person, it made for some really awkward transitions. For example, at the end of the chapter, the Conrad voice would flat out tell the reader, "And now I'm going to let Mina tell you what happened next" or something along those lines. And there were places in the story where the current narrator just flat out wouldn't tell you what was happening because 'So-and-so is going to tell you all about it in the next chapter', or 'you need to read all about what happened in this short story' or (and this one irked me the most) 'it doesn't bear repeating here.' The last time this type of writing was featured so heavily was in the first book, and the author used it less and less after even the first half of that novel. It just made for some really clunky storytelling.
Next, plot-wise this was probably the most convoluted of the books so far. I think it was supposed to be more of a political thriller than the others, but Conrad's forte is action hero so there was a lot of listening to gossip, travelling, timeline descriptions, etc. I thought the characters were fairly interesting, but most of the story was kind of boring and didn't really let Conrad do his thing. Probably why we had to switch from his POV so often.
Which leaves the last bit that is purely just my opinion of a character's personality. I'm not a fan of Mina as a primary character. Saffron is ok, but I miss Vicky! The Uncle Conrad + Vicky team was so great! Going around, recruiting Irregulars, defeating baddies, shaping the new reputation of the Watch. I want more of that! Conrad tends to put Mina on a pedestal, and I get that you as the reader aren't supposed to feel sorry for her and that she is fully capable at everything she does... but I just don't like her. And I'm not really a fan of the way Conrad behaves when she's around either. Honestly, it's a little too lovey-dovey for me, and she seems to be quickly becoming a spoiled brat - much more than Saff has ever behaved. So that paired with things being written from her perspective really rubbed me the wrong was in this book.
So overall, I'm still enjoying the series. They are fun, super easy reads that suck you into this take on a magickal Britain. I was just a little disappointed in this book in particular so far, and I thought it would be a good check-in point on Goodreads as well.
May 4, 2022
Big Bang Start-Ending With A Fizzle
I originally planned on starting this way back on March 9th. It's now April 28th. In between, I've read quite a bit-semi good, somewhat decent, mostly mediocre, and some just absolutely horrific.
I was originally so glad to be back amongst a series with some substance and depth, with an "excellent" plot to look forward to, and characters which have fondly grown on me!
It appeared to be headed that way. Witty, with a massive dose of intrigue, and an abundance of volume amongst the characters and their intertwined life's. And that was all within less than the first 40 or so pages.
Unfortunately, I must admit, I became disappointed the further along I read. There seemed to be no real plot happening, no "mission" to go on. But a ton of new characters introduced, which I needed to try and figure out how they related to the thin storyline unfolding page by page.
I struggled throughout the entirety of this novel, trying to figure out just exactly what was and wasn't important, and how this particular book was at all related to the rest of the series. I must admit, I never did figure it out. I was more confused than naught, trying to keep it all tied together.
There was a huge influx of new characters that seemed to have no prior, or for that matter future relationship, to the series, as told so far.
I kept having that uncomfortable feeling of being lost, confused, stymied, baffled, and befuddled throughout. I felt as if I needed to start over, or go back a few pages to see if I had inadvertently missed, or skipped over something of importance.
To make matters worse, when "Conrad" referred to Mina's story, not wanting to share her take on what was currently happening, and stressing "her right to tell it in her own words" through the shameless pandering of these novellas that have now started coming out, I felt not only cheated, but bullied into being forced to read these new "sub-series" of books, whether I wanted to or not. I'm not a fan of novellas to begin with.
If you felt it was important enough to publish a short story about it, than it must have been important enough to be included in the book to begin with.
I can understand if the series was over, and fans where begging for more, but darn it, they're being written at the same time. Just one more way of getting an extra title to the author's name, a few more pages into print, and to milk the original for even more. All about marketing and a sales pitch, with no sense of honor, or loyalty to the serial reader.
Very disappointed and I wouldn't even recommend this, if it wasn't for the obvious hints, that a few of these new characters are likely to make an reappearance in later additions.
And finally, I was most upset about the "loss" of a particular character, who's role has now been diminished in the main story moving forward. Without giving up any spoilers, I'm quite convinced I'm not the only one distraught over the way a particular situation played out!
I originally planned on starting this way back on March 9th. It's now April 28th. In between, I've read quite a bit-semi good, somewhat decent, mostly mediocre, and some just absolutely horrific.
I was originally so glad to be back amongst a series with some substance and depth, with an "excellent" plot to look forward to, and characters which have fondly grown on me!
It appeared to be headed that way. Witty, with a massive dose of intrigue, and an abundance of volume amongst the characters and their intertwined life's. And that was all within less than the first 40 or so pages.
Unfortunately, I must admit, I became disappointed the further along I read. There seemed to be no real plot happening, no "mission" to go on. But a ton of new characters introduced, which I needed to try and figure out how they related to the thin storyline unfolding page by page.
I struggled throughout the entirety of this novel, trying to figure out just exactly what was and wasn't important, and how this particular book was at all related to the rest of the series. I must admit, I never did figure it out. I was more confused than naught, trying to keep it all tied together.
There was a huge influx of new characters that seemed to have no prior, or for that matter future relationship, to the series, as told so far.
I kept having that uncomfortable feeling of being lost, confused, stymied, baffled, and befuddled throughout. I felt as if I needed to start over, or go back a few pages to see if I had inadvertently missed, or skipped over something of importance.
To make matters worse, when "Conrad" referred to Mina's story, not wanting to share her take on what was currently happening, and stressing "her right to tell it in her own words" through the shameless pandering of these novellas that have now started coming out, I felt not only cheated, but bullied into being forced to read these new "sub-series" of books, whether I wanted to or not. I'm not a fan of novellas to begin with.
If you felt it was important enough to publish a short story about it, than it must have been important enough to be included in the book to begin with.
I can understand if the series was over, and fans where begging for more, but darn it, they're being written at the same time. Just one more way of getting an extra title to the author's name, a few more pages into print, and to milk the original for even more. All about marketing and a sales pitch, with no sense of honor, or loyalty to the serial reader.
Very disappointed and I wouldn't even recommend this, if it wasn't for the obvious hints, that a few of these new characters are likely to make an reappearance in later additions.
And finally, I was most upset about the "loss" of a particular character, who's role has now been diminished in the main story moving forward. Without giving up any spoilers, I'm quite convinced I'm not the only one distraught over the way a particular situation played out!
June 15, 2022
My Thoughts:
Conrad actually picked Scout up from Ribblegate Farm in the last book. But he is so cute! So for this review, border collie puppy picture it is! I can't say anything more than that or it'll be a spoiler.
The author just gives you the scenes and let the reader connect the dots. Even with that much leeway, there are still little holes in the plot. The "equal" numbers of the both opposing parties as an excuse is really thin when it comes to why the Daughters of the Goddess should care if Morwenna is at the Mowbray "palace" or not. There are already more Daughters than Mowbrays to begin with... That scene just feels like over-the-top dramatised. There is also the issue of trying to keep track of whose who with so many characters in the drama. That dragged the pace of the book down a little bit. Now, I am not much of a detective fan and I don't keep track of the motives and schemes much. And the unravelling of the crime. But, it seems like Conrad always knows whats-what and who-done-it so that is the rationale given in the story line so that what he does next makes sense, and then it turns out that he does not know. I noticed this trend in this series. It is not flattering to the author in plot-building, but because the book does give the reader a wonderful reading time, I will ignore it for now until I have had enough or get bored with this series. Whichever comes first.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Cover art = 3
Pace = (12 hrs and 55 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Cover art = 3
Pace = (12 hrs and 55 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
September 22, 2022
I really like the King's Watch Series, but it felt like it lost it's way here, and lost it quite badly. The only reason I gave this 3 stars was that the last 25% of the book is actually great. I'd have given 5 stars if the first 75% could have been trimmed down to a third (or less) of what was there.
As the series goes along, more elements are woven into the larger story and things carry over between books. In general this is good, but with this book it felt like a) there were too many balls up in the air and b) the main issue of the series was parked not that long after it was identified (in previous books) as the real problem, in favour of... an interesting task, but perhaps not the most pressing one in light of the bigger issue.
I'm also not quite clear on how it is a good use of a Watch Captain's time to essentially be loaned out as a chauffeur (albeit one flying a helicopter). Maybe to be present as security for the event etc, but seems weird that he'd be flying people all around the area. Honestly, it felt like the author just wanted to get some helicopter action in the books.
But really the big problem with this book is that this is a long book (for this series) and the vast majority of it is slow build up, quite mild political intrigue, the main characters chilling with the rich family in question and getting to know them, flying people from one place to another etc.
Oh, the first event happens - some negotiations between two parties - and is wrapped up by about halfway through the book, but it's all nice and polite, with the big dramas being an extra family member turning up (not turning up and trying to undermine the process, just turning up, but for some reason that seems to cause a fuss) and a medical emergency just after it's wrapped up.
Now, all the books before this one are basically Conrad limping from one emergency to another, being attacked, blown up, stabbed, fighting dragons, etc. Poor bloke can't get a rest and neither can those around him. He basically attracts trouble at every turn. Then comes this book, where he flies his helicopter around and chats to people for the first 75% of the book. WTF?
As I said above, the last 25% of the book is where it finally gets going and that is good and yes he does eventually get attacked again as well. It's probably worth reading for that, just... be prepared for the first 75% to drag somewhat.
As the series goes along, more elements are woven into the larger story and things carry over between books. In general this is good, but with this book it felt like a) there were too many balls up in the air and b) the main issue of the series was parked not that long after it was identified (in previous books) as the real problem, in favour of... an interesting task, but perhaps not the most pressing one in light of the bigger issue.
I'm also not quite clear on how it is a good use of a Watch Captain's time to essentially be loaned out as a chauffeur (albeit one flying a helicopter). Maybe to be present as security for the event etc, but seems weird that he'd be flying people all around the area. Honestly, it felt like the author just wanted to get some helicopter action in the books.
But really the big problem with this book is that this is a long book (for this series) and the vast majority of it is slow build up, quite mild political intrigue, the main characters chilling with the rich family in question and getting to know them, flying people from one place to another etc.
Oh, the first event happens - some negotiations between two parties - and is wrapped up by about halfway through the book, but it's all nice and polite, with the big dramas being an extra family member turning up (not turning up and trying to undermine the process, just turning up, but for some reason that seems to cause a fuss) and a medical emergency just after it's wrapped up.
Now, all the books before this one are basically Conrad limping from one emergency to another, being attacked, blown up, stabbed, fighting dragons, etc. Poor bloke can't get a rest and neither can those around him. He basically attracts trouble at every turn. Then comes this book, where he flies his helicopter around and chats to people for the first 75% of the book. WTF?
As I said above, the last 25% of the book is where it finally gets going and that is good and yes he does eventually get attacked again as well. It's probably worth reading for that, just... be prepared for the first 75% to drag somewhat.
May 15, 2023
very frustrating
I’ve enjoyed all of the previous books in the series but I’ve found this to be frustrating. SO MANY CHARACTERS! There are so many characters with similar or even multiple names/descriptions that it’s actually overwhelming. Yes, there is a list of character’s names , it’s about ten pages worth. Think about ten pages of characters, I’ll wait. I’m frustrated with flipping back and forth trying to figure out why this character is casually mentioned , why they’re actually mentioned and are they REALLY necessary to the plot.
Im half way through the book and frustrated. There have been a few instances , I’ll call them book commercials, where the author mentions rather significant plot points that are addressed in side stories. They are loosely explained as other character’s stories to tell so they’re told elsewhere but there are multiple instances in this book that are told from Mina’s perspective. There are also a lot of cultural and geographic commentary that I’m clueless about. I’ve tried using maps but the actual topography isn’t on the maps so it’s not actually helpful. I understand regional differences but it’s assumed the reader understands these things and I don’t. Cricket references might as well be written in a different language because I still don’t understand what is going on or why it keeps showing up in large parts of the story.
Lastly, I am sick of hearing about a dinner date that never seems to happen (cue suspenseful music) and finally we’re told it does but I’ve got to read a side story so still don’t know what happens or the significance of ALL THE REFERENCES. The side stories that supposedly are intricate to the story line and insane amount of characters have made this interesting series an absolute bog of words.
As a reader I can only imagine how many hours and hours and hours of time and thought the author poured into this particular book. However, as a reader I’m finding this book frustrating and not at all a satisfying read. I mentioned I’ve read half of this book and I will finish this but I’m finding it more of a chore instead of the enjoyment I anticipated. As always this is just my opinion and I hope that you enjoy the book instead of sharing my opinion.
I’ve enjoyed all of the previous books in the series but I’ve found this to be frustrating. SO MANY CHARACTERS! There are so many characters with similar or even multiple names/descriptions that it’s actually overwhelming. Yes, there is a list of character’s names , it’s about ten pages worth. Think about ten pages of characters, I’ll wait. I’m frustrated with flipping back and forth trying to figure out why this character is casually mentioned , why they’re actually mentioned and are they REALLY necessary to the plot.
Im half way through the book and frustrated. There have been a few instances , I’ll call them book commercials, where the author mentions rather significant plot points that are addressed in side stories. They are loosely explained as other character’s stories to tell so they’re told elsewhere but there are multiple instances in this book that are told from Mina’s perspective. There are also a lot of cultural and geographic commentary that I’m clueless about. I’ve tried using maps but the actual topography isn’t on the maps so it’s not actually helpful. I understand regional differences but it’s assumed the reader understands these things and I don’t. Cricket references might as well be written in a different language because I still don’t understand what is going on or why it keeps showing up in large parts of the story.
Lastly, I am sick of hearing about a dinner date that never seems to happen (cue suspenseful music) and finally we’re told it does but I’ve got to read a side story so still don’t know what happens or the significance of ALL THE REFERENCES. The side stories that supposedly are intricate to the story line and insane amount of characters have made this interesting series an absolute bog of words.
As a reader I can only imagine how many hours and hours and hours of time and thought the author poured into this particular book. However, as a reader I’m finding this book frustrating and not at all a satisfying read. I mentioned I’ve read half of this book and I will finish this but I’m finding it more of a chore instead of the enjoyment I anticipated. As always this is just my opinion and I hope that you enjoy the book instead of sharing my opinion.
December 3, 2022
Ok, I read six novels and two novellas by now. The main story line kept me going, there were some interesting plots, but still I'm going to quit the series now.
Is it because of the toxic main character? Well, it bothers me increasingly. He surrounds himself with women, but only to prove himself as hero and to use their talents, influence and knowledge, without showing real respect. But that I could ignore and go on in the story.
No, it's because of Mina's offensive tattoo. When it was first introduced, I thought maybe I could ignore that, too. But now it turns up more often as "symbol", when Mina is telling parts of the story.
Why did the author choose this symbol? Does he think, he can white-wash the swastika of its historic blood? The feeble argument, that the swastika was just a harmless sign before the Nazis took it over, does not work for me. Because the Nazis did their anti-human crimes under this banner! There are still lots of hateful people out there, who use the swastika to show their support for the racist, murderous ideology, it now stands for.
Even with the four dots, I find it absolutely offending to be confronted with this symbol on a regular basis. So, it's good-bye to the King's Watch for me.
Is it because of the toxic main character? Well, it bothers me increasingly. He surrounds himself with women, but only to prove himself as hero and to use their talents, influence and knowledge, without showing real respect. But that I could ignore and go on in the story.
No, it's because of Mina's offensive tattoo. When it was first introduced, I thought maybe I could ignore that, too. But now it turns up more often as "symbol", when Mina is telling parts of the story.
Why did the author choose this symbol? Does he think, he can white-wash the swastika of its historic blood? The feeble argument, that the swastika was just a harmless sign before the Nazis took it over, does not work for me. Because the Nazis did their anti-human crimes under this banner! There are still lots of hateful people out there, who use the swastika to show their support for the racist, murderous ideology, it now stands for.
Even with the four dots, I find it absolutely offending to be confronted with this symbol on a regular basis. So, it's good-bye to the King's Watch for me.
March 22, 2020
I have read all of the King's Watch series so far (just starting Ring of Troth). They are very entertaining with some engaging characters and storylines. Some actions, character behaviour and plot devices don't really make sense (like how has Mina suddenly become an experienced criminal investigator from a background in accountancy - and why is she even there? She is supposed to be the accountant!), but just roll with it because the resulting scenes are good.
One thing has taken away from this series. I don't know if it is the editing or formatting or what, but sometimes I am 2 paragraphs in to a new scene and nothing is making sense before I realise it is a new scene. There are no spaces between the scenes in the Kindle version, and sometimes we are also missing quotation marks so don't know if a character is thinking something or has said it aloud. This is an issue with all of the books. It is quite jarring sometimes and impacts negatively on the reading experience. That said, you can get over it, but only with effort.
One thing has taken away from this series. I don't know if it is the editing or formatting or what, but sometimes I am 2 paragraphs in to a new scene and nothing is making sense before I realise it is a new scene. There are no spaces between the scenes in the Kindle version, and sometimes we are also missing quotation marks so don't know if a character is thinking something or has said it aloud. This is an issue with all of the books. It is quite jarring sometimes and impacts negatively on the reading experience. That said, you can get over it, but only with effort.
September 1, 2020
Am I Really Six Books In !!?!
This was a long one!
Lots of people & names to remember along with places, past escapades from previous books. It is a detailed, well written & un-rushed tale that unfolds as it goes on!
No spoilers I promise!
It’s a deep one this that you can’t rush & will find yourself reading bits two or three times over & not for negative reasons either.
I like how the characters grow & unfold, though I find myself not too keen on Mina for some reason? No fault of the author other than he’s written her so well I’m just not keen on her! So really thats a positive for the author & his style.
I now have to test myself away to other series that I’m reading as one book is “well overdue” by years & I love my H.Dresdan for those in the know.
When I return novellas & book seven!
KEEP THIS SERIES GOING MR AUTHOR SIR!
This was a long one!
Lots of people & names to remember along with places, past escapades from previous books. It is a detailed, well written & un-rushed tale that unfolds as it goes on!
No spoilers I promise!
It’s a deep one this that you can’t rush & will find yourself reading bits two or three times over & not for negative reasons either.
I like how the characters grow & unfold, though I find myself not too keen on Mina for some reason? No fault of the author other than he’s written her so well I’m just not keen on her! So really thats a positive for the author & his style.
I now have to test myself away to other series that I’m reading as one book is “well overdue” by years & I love my H.Dresdan for those in the know.
When I return novellas & book seven!
KEEP THIS SERIES GOING MR AUTHOR SIR!
February 26, 2020
I have really enjoyed this series so far but I found this book a little bit frustrating, the first 2/3 of the book was mostly politics and introductions to a large number of new characters. There are a number of tables in the front of the book that explain the affiliations of the various characters but reading on an e-reader meant I couldn’t be bothered to switch back and forth. This lead to me being a bit confused at times as to what was going on and the relationships between the characters. The final 1/3 of the book was a murder mystery and man hunt. That said i did enjoy the book, it was fast paced and I really liked the characters. I would definitely recommend the series and am looking forward to the next book.
January 13, 2023
More adventures with Conrad, Mina, and an expanding cast of magical characters.
I really enjoyed book six. I had a little bit of confusion by the alternating narrators of various chapters. Ultimately I think it was a nice change up. Giving voice to Mina was a fine idea. My only fear is the possibility that Saffron is going to get promoted. Scouts change at the end of the book broke my heart in more ways than I expected. I somehow transposed my Border Terrier of the Border Collie and in my imagination I see him as cartoon dog. Not sure why. We have met Conrad, Mina, and an expanding cast of magical characters, so many I think we need a cast list. I’m getting a little lost at times. Perhaps the short term memory is going?
I really enjoyed book six. I had a little bit of confusion by the alternating narrators of various chapters. Ultimately I think it was a nice change up. Giving voice to Mina was a fine idea. My only fear is the possibility that Saffron is going to get promoted. Scouts change at the end of the book broke my heart in more ways than I expected. I somehow transposed my Border Terrier of the Border Collie and in my imagination I see him as cartoon dog. Not sure why. We have met Conrad, Mina, and an expanding cast of magical characters, so many I think we need a cast list. I’m getting a little lost at times. Perhaps the short term memory is going?
January 19, 2020
Quality series.... just treat yourself and enjoy.
In many ways Mr Hayden has done a very clever thing. By dropping the tough minded practical policeman style of story into the urban fantasy genre he isn't lost among the competition in crime fantasy. It's one of the better series in this genre because magic is a component in the tales rather than an excuse for the sloppy plots or MarySue mechanics (or
50 shades of frustrated housewife) that way to many urban fantasy novels indulge in. There are very few series I'll say this for.... Every one has been worth the time and money. Including the side novellas. Enjoy 😀
In many ways Mr Hayden has done a very clever thing. By dropping the tough minded practical policeman style of story into the urban fantasy genre he isn't lost among the competition in crime fantasy. It's one of the better series in this genre because magic is a component in the tales rather than an excuse for the sloppy plots or MarySue mechanics (or
50 shades of frustrated housewife) that way to many urban fantasy novels indulge in. There are very few series I'll say this for.... Every one has been worth the time and money. Including the side novellas. Enjoy 😀
February 9, 2020
Good story
I like these books a lot, but I dropped because even though I'm English, and live in Kent, the constant cricket is driving me mad. I can tell it's a real personal passion for the author. I get it, but it's as boring and confusing to read, as it is to watch. Still, I like the story. I'm kind of annoyed that important parts of the story have been split into other novellas though. These books are huge. I can't decide if it was greed that lead to that decision, or something else. Especially as they are reffered to often. Amazon only links the main books in reading order, so I haven't read the others. That really needs fixing.
I like these books a lot, but I dropped because even though I'm English, and live in Kent, the constant cricket is driving me mad. I can tell it's a real personal passion for the author. I get it, but it's as boring and confusing to read, as it is to watch. Still, I like the story. I'm kind of annoyed that important parts of the story have been split into other novellas though. These books are huge. I can't decide if it was greed that lead to that decision, or something else. Especially as they are reffered to often. Amazon only links the main books in reading order, so I haven't read the others. That really needs fixing.
Read
June 26, 2020A little disappointing
Loved the first 4 in the series so much I couldn’t put them down. Had a small doubt when the first side story ‘novella’ happened but since it wasn’t really integral to the story line I wasn’t too bothered. Sadly by the time I got to this book the narrative had become pedestrian and the fun happened in the ‘novellas’. It was barely saved right near the ending. I’m not interesting hiving off to read a side story mid book, and reading it after finishing makes no sense. Not sure whose idea it was or whether it’s a ‘trend’ in publishing but forewarned I’m going to avoid any books that use the same approach.
Loved the first 4 in the series so much I couldn’t put them down. Had a small doubt when the first side story ‘novella’ happened but since it wasn’t really integral to the story line I wasn’t too bothered. Sadly by the time I got to this book the narrative had become pedestrian and the fun happened in the ‘novellas’. It was barely saved right near the ending. I’m not interesting hiving off to read a side story mid book, and reading it after finishing makes no sense. Not sure whose idea it was or whether it’s a ‘trend’ in publishing but forewarned I’m going to avoid any books that use the same approach.
January 2, 2021
Read for PopSugar Reading Challenge 2021 - A book with less than 1000 reviews.
This is a great series. The first book is a little clunky but if you stick with it, the overall series is good. I've heard it compared to Dresden Files which I don't think is fair - Squadron Leader Clarke is very different from Harry Dresden, and that's not a bad thing. These do need to be read in order (descending) and there are novellas that go between some of them.
In this, a middle book in the series, the Merlyn Tower Irregulars become embroiled in Family Drama. Mina becomes more of a personage in her own right and Saffron is more likeable.
This is a great series. The first book is a little clunky but if you stick with it, the overall series is good. I've heard it compared to Dresden Files which I don't think is fair - Squadron Leader Clarke is very different from Harry Dresden, and that's not a bad thing. These do need to be read in order (descending) and there are novellas that go between some of them.
In this, a middle book in the series, the Merlyn Tower Irregulars become embroiled in Family Drama. Mina becomes more of a personage in her own right and Saffron is more likeable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews