Knight Protector Brynja knows why the people of her village never wander too far. There’s a witch who lives deep in the heart of the mountain. Some say she’s one of the last elves, who will have her vengeance on mankind. Some say she’s a myth, meant to frighten wandering children.
But Brynja knows better, because she was one of those wandering younglings. And she saw the witch as a child. She still sees her, in her nightmares.
When an army of dragon riders shows up at Brynja’s doorstep, the knight protector has to warn her queen. But the only way to the capital is through the impenetrable wall of riders.
The only way, except through the mountain caves. The only way, unless she’s willing to revisit her nightmares.
Rachel Ford lives in beautiful Central Wisconsin. She is a programmer, who works in everything from SQL to .NET to Cisco CVP and IVR. Her latest foray into new and exciting things has been developing custom Java plugins for CVP applications. Rachel also enjoys recreating historically authentic jewelry, and mixing historical recreations with fantasy elements to create exciting new pieces. When not designing jewelry or tinkering with computers, Rachel spends her time writing and reading science fiction and fantasy.
An excellent second installment, introducing new characters and a new area of the world. Kindle Unlimited.
We meet Brynja who is a Knight for her town, and her younger brother is her Squire. They have an overbearing Mother, who clearly plays favourites and disrespects Bryn. We slowly get to learn their backstories through the action and adventure, of investigating a murder in another nearby town.
As a child Bryn had become lost in the mountainous cavern of caves near her town, a place where there are many rumours about a witch that causes all sorts of harm. But while Bryn was fearful of the witch, she ended up being her saviour. We discover the truth about the 'witch' Ceinwen, who has a dragon friend, and is simply hiding in the mountain caves, away from humans and their violence.
When war comes to threaten the village and the mountain passage - both women are thrown front and centre of the action, and have to step up for something more. Not really much romance here, just the start of a friendship and allyship, and lots of magic with runes to discover. Looking forward to the coming installments.
This was awesome. Troubled childhood, running away... finding a beautiful elf and her dragon, growing up to find her again. Learning you have your own powers, and DRAGONS!!
It's like reading about my life, save for the beautiful elf, having powers and dragons, of course.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was a little.disappointed with this at the start because I thought it was going to continue the story from the first book in some way. It doesnt, not really, aside from the general notion of a war having started. I missed the characters of the first book. However, I soon got into this at about the 30% mark and hoped the original characters should show up in later books. I liked the banter in this book and the use of magic as well as the continued world building. I'll keep reading the series.
This is my first book in this series. I requested it as a review copy on StoryOrigin about 3+ years before writing this…. Yeah, I’m slow. Fuck, the last 2 years have been fucking rough. I kept trying to review it, noticing it was the second book and going “Gotta get an Audible credit to buy the first one….” and kept forgetting, or knocking other books off of my wish list.
Well, fuck. I honestly don’t remember the first 20 – 30% of this book, due to the lack of context. But I kept trudging along, and I’m very glad I did, ’cause the characters are fucking great. And this is the best example of why I don’t read back cover summaries. The summary is a crock of shit. From what I’ve heard so far, I never got the impression main character was afraid of this witch.
The mountain witch is kind, empathetic, helpful, beyond tolerant, even when she has damn good reason not to. That goddamned back cover summary shit pisses me off. It does the characters a disservice, and outright lies to and misleads the reader. She also has this awesome bone-dragon friend who is like a giant cat. He acts aloof and sassy, and acts like he doesn’t want to be there. But when push cums to shove, he’s there for his friend.
And that is what made me enjoy this book. The characters are fucking great. They’re all compelling in their own ways, which really sells their believability as humans. Sure, they’re not all “humans”, but as humans, our only basis for reference is other humans. So all characters in every book and story is just some human archetype or personality trait that’s been muddled with. The important thing here is that they all have personality, charm, character, ideals and beliefs. They don’t cease to exist as people the moment they’re off the page.
I don’t know what the deal with these dragons, riders, and dirty southerners are. I’m sure if I read the first book, or listened to it, they’d tell me all about it.
One aspect of this book I found super janky is the Sci-Fi laser pistols and magic. That’s some Star Wars jank, where it feels like it doesn’t want to be Sci-Fi or fantasy. Why the fuck are people still using swords in a world with goddamn laser pistol technology!? The fuck is that nonsense about? Not only that, they barely seem to be mentioned or play a role, so why even have them?
One other instance of “Abdomen” being referred to as “Stomach”. Your stomach is an internal organ, if a character was stabbed in the stomach, or has their hands on their stomach, they’re beyond fucked. Nobody ever refers to a character resting their hands on their lungs instead of their chest, because that would be idiotic and absurd.
As for the narration, I take issue, as I always do, with ANYBODY who pronounces “envelope” as “onvelope”. You don’t “ontertain” guests at a party, you don’t “onter” a room, and not a fucking soul says a room is “on-veloped” in darkness when you turn off its lights. The narrator also puts annoying emphasis on “wh” sounds, and pronounces them as “hwite”, “hwhispered”, “hwhile”, “hwhen”, and so on. Hwhitch is incredibly fucking annoying and distracting as shit.
That being said I still think the narration was fantastic. Especially the characters. Her scene setting can be dull and monotone when going on for extended lenghts, but her amazing vocalization for the characters is really what saved it. Also, I really can’t stress this enough; The scene setting was good, outside of the extended instances where it was several mintues of scene setting.
Here and there, there were these additional sound effects added in, and I really appreciated that. They were a bit inconsistent, I don’t want that to be viewed as a complaint though. I was simply trying to figure out why it was (seemingly) character noises sometimes, and other times it was stuff like a laser pistol, horse running, glass breaking, or whatever else. There were times I was expecting sounds, and didn’t hear them, and times I didn’t expect them, and got them. It’s more than most narrators do, and I just wanted to note that the extra effort is appreciated. It’s the little touches like that, which add character and make the narration more memorable and easier to reccomend.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
An excellent book, great story with an interesting premise full of knights and dragons, Elves and magic, swords and laser pistols An inventive mix of the futuristic, medieval and legends. An entertaining story that drags you in, with likeable well described characters that you root for. Book 2 of a series but it is a standalone with no crossover characters. Sanguine the elf witch of the mountain just wants to be left alone with her companion dragon but when dragon riders from the South invade the North and trespass on her mountain she is forced to become involved. The story has plenty of action but also deals with loneliness, revenge and duty. Love this series. The narrator is excellent, really bringing the characters to life, There are some nice sound effects interspersed to enhance the story. I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from Storyorigin and am leaving a honest voluntary review
I enjoyed Mountain Witch, although I was a little surprised that it didn't pick up where book 1 of the Knight Protector series left off. I liked the premise of this one and the story flowed well, unfolding at a nice pace, albeit a slower one than the first. I also enjoyed the characters, although I wanted to see more interaction between Brynja and the elven witch.
Lynne Ennis again did a great job with the voices, and she's quite lovely to listen to, but I do have the same hesitation I did in the first book where I felt like some of the characters sounded older than they should have. Still a nice performance, though, just like in Squire Derel.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
If you are a Rachel Ford fan you will not be disappointed in this book! It's another great adventure with knights, magic and more!
As for the narration, it wasn't really doing it for me. I have only listened to a few audiobooks and I'm beginning to think that I am just not a fan of the format in general (so take this with a grain of salt). Lynne's voice tended to lull me to sleep. I'm not sure if it was the accent or the reading itself (or a combo of both), but I could only listen for short intervals. I also found myself struggling to pay attention.
Lynne has narrated several of Rachel's books so if you have enjoyed those, you will definitely enjoy this one. I enjoyed the book itself, but the audio version not so much.
This author has an annoying habit of not writing epilogs. That is to say, she finds an excellent place to end the chapter [after the climax has passed] and ends the book. The characters discuss what they need to do next--and the book is over. No falling action, no chance to catch your breath: Climax-Resolution-EndOfBook. Some authors can get away with this because the next book picks up where the last one left off. This author? Nope. Same world, same series, different characters. The characters are well done and the story intriguing, but the abrupt conclusion is jarring and extremely annoying.
Mountain Witch (Knight Protector, #2), my eighteenth read from author Rachel Ford. Picking up seamlessly from the first book, the action really dials up. This epic fantasy book is so well-written & enjoyable, no matter the genre a Rachel Ford book can be counted on to be entertaining & enjoyable. Lynne Ennis's talented narration made this re-read well worthwhile. I look forward to the next book in the series. “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
I thought this was a great book. There were elves, dragons, knights swords and sorcery. I liked the fact this did not end on a cliff hanger yet I was intrigued enough to want to read the next book. Basically the story is about a knight and her squire who discover their country is about to get invaded along the way they meet a dragon and an elf battle the forces of evil and so on. It is a wonderful mixture of sci-fi, fantasy, magical elements and the author does an interesting job with the world building also. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got to read it from the kindle unlimited program. I am definitely going to try and get my hands on the other books in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Just no. You cannot make Knight Protectors special, important warriors and allow one to be brow beaten by her mother. The whole of the opening sequence was simply wrong. It was disturbing enough when she coddled her squire/brother. The litany of things her mother did to foul his training was disgusting. And the spineless GIRL did not act like a trained leader.
It’s clear to me that any interesting worldbuilding will be buried under a romance plot line involving characters without merit.
I'm a bit upset with this series, the first book ends in a bit of cliffhanger and when I started reading THIS book it's has entirely DIFFERENT protagonists. So that's strike one, then it takes over a quarter of the book to even get to the real plot of the story. So that's strike two. However once it finally does get to the heart of the story, the Author does a great job of creating compelling characters, at least the two main characters anyway. So in conclusion no strike three and the the other three quarters of the book make a great read.
This book really got me thinking about human nature. About the terrible things that we do to another in the environment. But it also serve catalog Summer by redeeming qualities as well. It would appear that we still have a very long way to go. I enjoyed the story. This one was a little slower than the first but I know that everything‘s building to a wonderful climax.
I was disappointed that this is not a continuation of the first book. Heavier in dragons and magic, and with a less experienced and more unsure KP, who nonetheless gets her courage up to get the job done. I loved the witch character though. Once again the ending is rather abrupt but it seems like these characters may all be back yet in future books.
Rachel Ford's "Mountain Witch" is a wonderful continuation in the Knight Protector series, and Lynne Ennis's narration adds a rich layer to the immersive experience. The writing is sharp, keeping you hooked with its blend of mystery and adventure. A captivating journey that fans of fantasy will thoroughly enjoy.
Mountain witch was wonderful listening to on audiobook what a great fantasy adventure. Good characters, Knight protector Brynja must climb the mountain that no man enters cause of story's of a witch that lives in that mountain. But Brynja must warn the queen , when an army of dragon riders come to destroy.
I really enjoyed this book. It was very funny and adventurous. My kind of book. I can’t wait to read the next one. I highly recommend this book and this author.
The first book ended on a cliff hanger and this book is about completely different characters and the ones from the previous book aren't involved? Why on earth would anyone think that's a good way to do a series.
I enjoyed this story although it was very slow paced for me m. In the end I’m glad I finished it and I would continue the series . I did not read the first book so I may go back but it looks like it has different characters which I was not expecting so that may be interesting.
Cool fantasy. I thought it was going to be romance too but no. The characters in the cover are just the two main characters but they just become friends towards the end of the book.
This is book 2 and is more like book 1 ! It is also a more of a building plots and adding key characters. Still there is plenty of action and suspense!
I won't lie, I was a bit disappointed because the story stopped following the previous MC/LI, but soon enough I was over it and fully enjoying this new set of MC, they were fun together and with their friends; the plot was getting more and more interesting and I more and more hooked up on it.
This is book two in the Knight Protector series and follows Knight Protector (KP) Brynja Evansdatter, the protector for her region, who also has her younger brother Agot Knutson, as her squire, not by choice, but from the demands of their mother. He is still a bit of a nuisance, an immature lad who like to cause trouble with his mates and get drunk all the time. As her squire, he is supposed to be her second in command and represent her in her absence. She is the protector for the region and gets called to a nearby village, when one of their watch tower guards, One Eye Olaug, is killed, apparently from above. Firebeard, the marshal of the South Pass, tells Brynja that Olaug’s husband Torkel is missing. He either killed her and ran, or is missing for some other reason. Once they check the watch tower, they soon realise he didn’t kill her. Torkel has set off up mountain Fjell, to see if there is evidence of a sniper on the mountain.
A place Brynja has avoided for some twenty years, since she went exploring in the caves under the mountain as an eight year old and went missing for almost a week. She told everyone she saw a witch in the mountain, but nobody believed her. But soon, the witch’s presence will be revealed to many. She has lived under the mountain for centuries, one of the last elves, with her dragon Aeron, which she reanimated from his bones. Her name is Ceinwen and she has refused to interfere with human battles, as she has witnessed what they have done to each other for far too long. A sudden dragon army attack on the South Pass villages, leaves Brynja with no choice but to go through the mountain, to raise the alarm with those to the south. She and Agot set off, but he laughs at her mentions of a witch under the mountain. She leaves Firebeard to marshal the villagers to safety, as he will probably slow them down over the mountain.
Brynja has to get a message of warning to her queen and she will have to face her worst nightmares, to do her duty. To avoid the masses of dragon riders, she has to find the path she last travelled twenty years ago. A place she promised the witch she would never return to. Her brother is soon to find out that everything she said is true and a relic from her trusted farm manager, will be very important in the days that follow. A war is coming and the witch may be key to both sides. An interesting look at a hermit elf, hidden away, who is going to be brought into the struggle, whether she wants to be or not. A bit of magic in the tale, with dragons and mountain village scenery, with an old world feeling. There is lots more to come in this series, so I look forward to reading more. I received an ARC copy of the book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Brynja has to warn her queen of an invasion but he only choices are to fight through them or face the past and the nightmares she discovered as a child. Definitely ups the intensity from the first book!
**** SPOILER ALERT **** Ford delivers a finely balanced tale in "Mountain Witch: Knight Protector, Book 2". The author did a bang up job with world building and character development both. Both winter and war are coming and KP Brynja must get word to the Queen. Along the way her squire steps up to his maturity. I can hardly wait to read volume three in this entertaining page tuner of a series. In the interest of transparency: I was given a review copy of this book and I am voluntarily sharing this review. It its my own honest opinion..