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The Dance of Light #1
The Return of the Knights
The Palace of the Dawn will soon be stormed. The most ruthless man of all time is one step away from assailing on Iovbridge and dethroning Sophie Delamere. The Queen of Knightdorn is now alone, with neither allies nor an army capable of rebuffing the enemy which is approaching her city. Everything appears to be over, until a mysterious young man, Elliot, makes his appearance.
Entangled in a web of lies and politics, Elliot will try to draw Walter away from Iovbridge and face him in the stronghold of Wirskworth. He will attempt to rekindle relations and revive the old alliance between the Queen of Knightdorn and Syrella Endor, the Governor of Wirskworth. Elliot’s mission will take every fibre of his will and if he fails, so shall the kingdom.
Game Of Thrones meets Greek mythology in this explosive epic fantasy story, packed with war, medieval lore, magic, loyalty and bravery. The first book in the series, The Dance of Light, will take you on an epic journey to a fantasy world of men and mythical creatures which will keep you spellbound till the very end.
Entangled in a web of lies and politics, Elliot will try to draw Walter away from Iovbridge and face him in the stronghold of Wirskworth. He will attempt to rekindle relations and revive the old alliance between the Queen of Knightdorn and Syrella Endor, the Governor of Wirskworth. Elliot’s mission will take every fibre of his will and if he fails, so shall the kingdom.
Game Of Thrones meets Greek mythology in this explosive epic fantasy story, packed with war, medieval lore, magic, loyalty and bravery. The first book in the series, The Dance of Light, will take you on an epic journey to a fantasy world of men and mythical creatures which will keep you spellbound till the very end.
Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2021
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1687 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Kontaxis
5 books130 followersDiscover the enchanting world of "The Dance of Light" epic fantasy series with a FREE prequel novella, "The Knight of the Moon." Join Gregory Kontaxis' mailing list now at https://gregorykontaxis.com/sign-up/ to claim your copy!
Gregory Kontaxis is a Greek epic fantasy author who writes about medieval wars, mythology, politics and epic adventures. His characters are ordinary and at the same time complex living with many challenges to face.
"The Return of the Knights" is the first part of his planned pentalogy “The Dance of Light”.
Gregory was born on 17th December 1989 in Athens. He studied Informatics and Finance in Greece and the United Kingdom and he has worked as a Financial Analyst in Vienna and London. He currently resides in London, where he is occupied with investment risk management and writing.
Gregory Kontaxis is a Greek epic fantasy author who writes about medieval wars, mythology, politics and epic adventures. His characters are ordinary and at the same time complex living with many challenges to face.
"The Return of the Knights" is the first part of his planned pentalogy “The Dance of Light”.
Gregory was born on 17th December 1989 in Athens. He studied Informatics and Finance in Greece and the United Kingdom and he has worked as a Financial Analyst in Vienna and London. He currently resides in London, where he is occupied with investment risk management and writing.
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August 25, 2024
My complete review of The Return of the Knights is published at Grimdark Magazine.
The Return of the Knights is the debut novel by Greek fantasy author Gregory Kontaxis and the first volume of his series, The Dance of Light. Originally published in Greek, The Return of the Knights has been translated into English by Sophia Travlos.
Gregory Kontaxis embraces the classic chosen one trope with Elliot, the main protagonist of the story. A village boy who exhibits unusual talents both on the battlefield and in politics, Elliot comes from a humble background but is full of hubris. Overconfident and brash, everything comes a bit too easily for Elliot. I know this is a well-worn fantasy trope, but personally I found Elliot to be overly grating. Grimdark aficionado that I am, I often found myself rooting for the villain just to see Elliot knocked down to size.
Speaking of villains, The Return of the Knights features an archetypal bloodthirsty, power-hungry antagonist in Walter Thorn, a local governor who wages war against the Queen of Knightdorn. Although I cannot quite accept a villain with such an innocuous name as Walter, his violent actions speak clearly for themselves. My favorite parts of The Return of the Knights were whenever Walter walked onto the page with his over-the-top villainy.
The worldbuilding in The Return of the Knights is excellent in terms of its epic scope and complexity. There is a clear influence from A Game of Thrones in the breadth of Kontaxis’s world. If Kontaxis can also match George R.R. Martin’s depth of worldbuilding in future installments of his series, then I could see a loyal fanbase emerging for the land of Knightdorn.
Although my own knowledge of the Greek language is restricted to its use in mathematics, the translation by Sophia Travlos seems quite proficient. The prose flows smoothly throughout the book, with only a few awkward word choices. My only complaint about the writing style is its overreliance on dialogue. I would have preferred a greater emphasis on showing rather than telling the reader.
The Return of the Knights embraces classic epic fantasy and many of its well-worn tropes while also delivering a story full of political intrigue and action. Although many aspects of the book follow standard constructs, Gregory Kontaxis serves up a few shocking twists near the end of the book.
Overall, The Return of the Knights is recommended for epic fantasy fans wishing to quench their thirst for all the classic tropes. Gregory Kontaxis clearly has a lot of talent, and I look forward to reading more from this up-and-coming author.
The Return of the Knights is the debut novel by Greek fantasy author Gregory Kontaxis and the first volume of his series, The Dance of Light. Originally published in Greek, The Return of the Knights has been translated into English by Sophia Travlos.
Gregory Kontaxis embraces the classic chosen one trope with Elliot, the main protagonist of the story. A village boy who exhibits unusual talents both on the battlefield and in politics, Elliot comes from a humble background but is full of hubris. Overconfident and brash, everything comes a bit too easily for Elliot. I know this is a well-worn fantasy trope, but personally I found Elliot to be overly grating. Grimdark aficionado that I am, I often found myself rooting for the villain just to see Elliot knocked down to size.
Speaking of villains, The Return of the Knights features an archetypal bloodthirsty, power-hungry antagonist in Walter Thorn, a local governor who wages war against the Queen of Knightdorn. Although I cannot quite accept a villain with such an innocuous name as Walter, his violent actions speak clearly for themselves. My favorite parts of The Return of the Knights were whenever Walter walked onto the page with his over-the-top villainy.
The worldbuilding in The Return of the Knights is excellent in terms of its epic scope and complexity. There is a clear influence from A Game of Thrones in the breadth of Kontaxis’s world. If Kontaxis can also match George R.R. Martin’s depth of worldbuilding in future installments of his series, then I could see a loyal fanbase emerging for the land of Knightdorn.
Although my own knowledge of the Greek language is restricted to its use in mathematics, the translation by Sophia Travlos seems quite proficient. The prose flows smoothly throughout the book, with only a few awkward word choices. My only complaint about the writing style is its overreliance on dialogue. I would have preferred a greater emphasis on showing rather than telling the reader.
The Return of the Knights embraces classic epic fantasy and many of its well-worn tropes while also delivering a story full of political intrigue and action. Although many aspects of the book follow standard constructs, Gregory Kontaxis serves up a few shocking twists near the end of the book.
Overall, The Return of the Knights is recommended for epic fantasy fans wishing to quench their thirst for all the classic tropes. Gregory Kontaxis clearly has a lot of talent, and I look forward to reading more from this up-and-coming author.
February 17, 2024
If you love classic fantasy then this is the book for you!
I think a lot of the ideas in this novel are great and some sections were incredibly exciting. I think overal I might just have read too many books like this 😅
I might continue though!
I think a lot of the ideas in this novel are great and some sections were incredibly exciting. I think overal I might just have read too many books like this 😅
I might continue though!
May 10, 2023
THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS reminded me of many of the Dragonlance books that I grew up reading. There is a good deal of action, characters who comport themselves bravely and heroically, and a lot of interesting and fun worldbuilding. It's not very long into the book when we are confronted with a heart-stopping action scene as a matter of fact and the pace doesn't really slow down from there. So in terms of entertainment, yes you will not be bored by this book and there are a ton of instances where these characters are thrown into perilous situations and must figure out a way to overcome.
Another aspect that I enjoyed were the magic and the Greek mythology influences. I'm always a fan of injecting ancient lore and mythology into fantasy books, so I appreciated how it accentuated the backdrop and history. I thought it gave the story an added dimension that really piqued my interest as I gradually progressed from one chapter to the next.
There were a couple of things that kind of held me back from enjoying this book as much as I probably could have. For one, the cast of characters and number of factions is immense and it sort of overwhelmed me when I first opened the book and checked out the glossary at the beginning. Especially considering this isn't a huge book. Keeping track of it all during my reading and having to flip back and forth to see who was who in any given chapter resulted in some choppy reading sessions. Also I did find the common villager becomes potential hero theme to be something that is quite familiar to me and one that I've read a number of times before. So I didn't find any new ground being broken there.
But having said that I still think this is a book that would appeal to many readers, especially those who enjoy classic epic fantasy with lots of adventure. It's very much a comfort read type of fantasy that for the seasoned sff reader might bring them back to a time when they were just discovering the wonder of the genre. I definitely had that feeling when reading many parts of THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS.
In the end I certainly had a lot of fun with this book and as this is a continuing series, I look forward to finding out how things evolve from both a story standpoint and also with these characters. I feel as if we have just scratched the surface and that many more things will be revealed in future volumes. Slight criticisms aside I do feel that this is a promising beginning to Gregory Kontaxis' The Dance of Light series!
Another aspect that I enjoyed were the magic and the Greek mythology influences. I'm always a fan of injecting ancient lore and mythology into fantasy books, so I appreciated how it accentuated the backdrop and history. I thought it gave the story an added dimension that really piqued my interest as I gradually progressed from one chapter to the next.
There were a couple of things that kind of held me back from enjoying this book as much as I probably could have. For one, the cast of characters and number of factions is immense and it sort of overwhelmed me when I first opened the book and checked out the glossary at the beginning. Especially considering this isn't a huge book. Keeping track of it all during my reading and having to flip back and forth to see who was who in any given chapter resulted in some choppy reading sessions. Also I did find the common villager becomes potential hero theme to be something that is quite familiar to me and one that I've read a number of times before. So I didn't find any new ground being broken there.
But having said that I still think this is a book that would appeal to many readers, especially those who enjoy classic epic fantasy with lots of adventure. It's very much a comfort read type of fantasy that for the seasoned sff reader might bring them back to a time when they were just discovering the wonder of the genre. I definitely had that feeling when reading many parts of THE RETURN OF THE KNIGHTS.
In the end I certainly had a lot of fun with this book and as this is a continuing series, I look forward to finding out how things evolve from both a story standpoint and also with these characters. I feel as if we have just scratched the surface and that many more things will be revealed in future volumes. Slight criticisms aside I do feel that this is a promising beginning to Gregory Kontaxis' The Dance of Light series!
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May 13, 2023Wobble with my copy!
Written in Greek and translated into English. Apart from the classical mythology it's probably the first Greek fantasy I own.
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Written in Greek and translated into English. Apart from the classical mythology it's probably the first Greek fantasy I own.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
May 9, 2023
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the author in exchange for honest and fair review
Gregory Kontaxis comes out swinging with his debut novel The Return of the Knights which is book one in a five book series called The Dance of Light shockingly enough was originally published in Greek. When Gregory Kontaxis originally reached out and offered me an ARC of the book I had no idea it was a translated edition. In fact I didn’t find out until I was about 25% of the way through the book which speaks volumes to the work done by Sophia Travlos to translate the story.
The Return of the Knights at its core is classic epic fantasy that utilizes the chosen one trope via our main protagonist Elliot. In speaking with Gregory Kontaxis about the book he told me his goal with the story was to create a classical fantasy world where humans were the inferior race and the ones causing the destruction and the other superior races were in the end the only hope of saving it.
Elliot, our main protagonist, is introduced to us as a boy who comes from nothing and was raised in a small village about a half a day’s ride from Isisdor where Queen of Knightdorn Sophie Delamere resides. We quickly learn that Elliot is a skilled fighter and was raised by a Grandmaster named Roger Belet, oddly enough no one has ever heard of this Grandmaster which adds to the intrigue surrounding Elliot. Now while Elliot grew up in what would be considered by most humble beginnings it's very clear he is extremely confident in himself and at times oversteps and becomes arrogant. While I’ve seen reviews label him as arrogant I personally think he walks a fine line between the two and my reasons behind this is when he does make a mistake based on his arrogance you can see it pull at his emotions and you can see the regret for the pain he caused others. At the end of the day he has the personality type I like to classify as “you either love em or hate em” right from the jump. Some of my closest friends in real life have these same personalities so it's safe to say I’m a fan of Elliot. I will also give a warning that the book starts off with Elliot knowing more than what seems logical at the time, all I can say is stick with it. Gregory Kontaxis set it up this way for a reason and I personally think it paid off in the end.
Okay so every epic fantasy has to have a villain right, someone so vial that you just love to hate him. Well our villains name is… wait for it… drum roll… Walter. How the hell are we supposed to be mad at a guy named Walter. Seriously when I hear that name I think of an accountant or school teacher not a villain. As it turns out it didn’t take long for me to hate Walter, I mean this man truly only cares about himself. He’s the type of guy who would cut off his own fathers hand and slap his mother with it just for fun. I suspect it’s Walter's violent actions that give most people the Game of Thrones vibes. I personally enjoyed every time he showed up on a page because I knew something bad was about to happen.
Typical of the chosen one trope before Elliot can leave Isisdor he needs to assemble a team to go with him. I don’t personally have a problem with this as it can add depth to the story and the banter the other characters bring into the mix along the way is a lot of fun. First up we have Selwyn Brau, son of Isisodrs General Peter Brau and a member of Isisdors army. We also have Morys Bardolf, a lord from Wirskworth who is not a fan of their current Governor so he left to fight for the Isisdors army. Alongside them both we have Eleanor Dilertion, a lady of Felador whose parents were killed when she was young. Her brother Bert was the love interest of Queen Sophie before his demise.Lastly we have my second favorite character in the book Long arm John who is a former bounty hunter and smarter then he looks.
Gregory Kontaxis' world building is absolutely fantastic and it truly shows as you explore The world of Knightdorn. It’s full of political intrigue, mystery, backstabbing all while introducing us to a mixture of races and Greek mythical creatures and a touch of magic. We even saw some characters that originally start off as wholesome and good, turn morally gray by the end. Honestly all of this including a few last minute twists leaves me excited to see where he takes the story in book two.
The only criticism I have is at times the pacing felt a little bit off as well as I think some of the characters were under developed. Now that the initial world building is out of the way and the stage is set I really hope Gregory Kontaxis dives deeper into the character development so we can get fully invested in the cast as well as any new characters he may introduce.
Gregory Kontaxis comes out swinging with his debut novel The Return of the Knights which is book one in a five book series called The Dance of Light shockingly enough was originally published in Greek. When Gregory Kontaxis originally reached out and offered me an ARC of the book I had no idea it was a translated edition. In fact I didn’t find out until I was about 25% of the way through the book which speaks volumes to the work done by Sophia Travlos to translate the story.
The Return of the Knights at its core is classic epic fantasy that utilizes the chosen one trope via our main protagonist Elliot. In speaking with Gregory Kontaxis about the book he told me his goal with the story was to create a classical fantasy world where humans were the inferior race and the ones causing the destruction and the other superior races were in the end the only hope of saving it.
Elliot, our main protagonist, is introduced to us as a boy who comes from nothing and was raised in a small village about a half a day’s ride from Isisdor where Queen of Knightdorn Sophie Delamere resides. We quickly learn that Elliot is a skilled fighter and was raised by a Grandmaster named Roger Belet, oddly enough no one has ever heard of this Grandmaster which adds to the intrigue surrounding Elliot. Now while Elliot grew up in what would be considered by most humble beginnings it's very clear he is extremely confident in himself and at times oversteps and becomes arrogant. While I’ve seen reviews label him as arrogant I personally think he walks a fine line between the two and my reasons behind this is when he does make a mistake based on his arrogance you can see it pull at his emotions and you can see the regret for the pain he caused others. At the end of the day he has the personality type I like to classify as “you either love em or hate em” right from the jump. Some of my closest friends in real life have these same personalities so it's safe to say I’m a fan of Elliot. I will also give a warning that the book starts off with Elliot knowing more than what seems logical at the time, all I can say is stick with it. Gregory Kontaxis set it up this way for a reason and I personally think it paid off in the end.
Okay so every epic fantasy has to have a villain right, someone so vial that you just love to hate him. Well our villains name is… wait for it… drum roll… Walter. How the hell are we supposed to be mad at a guy named Walter. Seriously when I hear that name I think of an accountant or school teacher not a villain. As it turns out it didn’t take long for me to hate Walter, I mean this man truly only cares about himself. He’s the type of guy who would cut off his own fathers hand and slap his mother with it just for fun. I suspect it’s Walter's violent actions that give most people the Game of Thrones vibes. I personally enjoyed every time he showed up on a page because I knew something bad was about to happen.
Typical of the chosen one trope before Elliot can leave Isisdor he needs to assemble a team to go with him. I don’t personally have a problem with this as it can add depth to the story and the banter the other characters bring into the mix along the way is a lot of fun. First up we have Selwyn Brau, son of Isisodrs General Peter Brau and a member of Isisdors army. We also have Morys Bardolf, a lord from Wirskworth who is not a fan of their current Governor so he left to fight for the Isisdors army. Alongside them both we have Eleanor Dilertion, a lady of Felador whose parents were killed when she was young. Her brother Bert was the love interest of Queen Sophie before his demise.Lastly we have my second favorite character in the book Long arm John who is a former bounty hunter and smarter then he looks.
Gregory Kontaxis' world building is absolutely fantastic and it truly shows as you explore The world of Knightdorn. It’s full of political intrigue, mystery, backstabbing all while introducing us to a mixture of races and Greek mythical creatures and a touch of magic. We even saw some characters that originally start off as wholesome and good, turn morally gray by the end. Honestly all of this including a few last minute twists leaves me excited to see where he takes the story in book two.
The only criticism I have is at times the pacing felt a little bit off as well as I think some of the characters were under developed. Now that the initial world building is out of the way and the stage is set I really hope Gregory Kontaxis dives deeper into the character development so we can get fully invested in the cast as well as any new characters he may introduce.
September 25, 2022
Ένα από τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα βιβλία επικής φαντασίας που έχω διαβάσει.
Αυτό που με ενθουσίασε περισσότερο από όλα ήταν το world building. Μπορεί να υπήρχαν κάποια info dump αλλά αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι η ιστορία ήταν αργή. Απλά ήθελε περισσότερο χρόνο για να τα αφομοιώσει και να τα θυμάται ο αναγνώστης. Τα πλάσματα, τα Βασίλεια και οι μύθοι είχαν γραφτεί με πολύ προσοχή και επιμέλεια (αγαπημένος μου ήταν ο θρύλος του Καβαλάρη της Μοίρας).
Το βιβλίο θύμιζε αρκετά Lord of the rings και game of thrones , και αυτό το καταλάβαινες από τις περιγραφές (απίστευτα σκηνικά στην γη των Κενταυρων) μέχρι τους χαρακτήρες και πως αυτοί έδεσαν και έφτιαξαν την δίκη τους συντροφιά(έχω μια αδυναμία στον Έλιοτ αλλά και οι άλλοι μου άρεσαν πολύ).
Κλείνοντας να αναφέρω ότι είναι ένα βιβλίο με τρομερή γραφή, συνεχή δράση και αρκετές αποκαλύψεις (ειδικά στο τέλος) που θεωρείται ιδανικό για τους λάτρεις της φαντασίας.
Ανυπομονώ πραγματικά για την συνέχεια !
____
Υ.Γ.: Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο μιας πενταλογιας, όπου σύντομα θα μπορείτε να το βρείτε και στα αγγλικά🥰
Αυτό που με ενθουσίασε περισσότερο από όλα ήταν το world building. Μπορεί να υπήρχαν κάποια info dump αλλά αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι η ιστορία ήταν αργή. Απλά ήθελε περισσότερο χρόνο για να τα αφομοιώσει και να τα θυμάται ο αναγνώστης. Τα πλάσματα, τα Βασίλεια και οι μύθοι είχαν γραφτεί με πολύ προσοχή και επιμέλεια (αγαπημένος μου ήταν ο θρύλος του Καβαλάρη της Μοίρας).
Το βιβλίο θύμιζε αρκετά Lord of the rings και game of thrones , και αυτό το καταλάβαινες από τις περιγραφές (απίστευτα σκηνικά στην γη των Κενταυρων) μέχρι τους χαρακτήρες και πως αυτοί έδεσαν και έφτιαξαν την δίκη τους συντροφιά(έχω μια αδυναμία στον Έλιοτ αλλά και οι άλλοι μου άρεσαν πολύ).
Κλείνοντας να αναφέρω ότι είναι ένα βιβλίο με τρομερή γραφή, συνεχή δράση και αρκετές αποκαλύψεις (ειδικά στο τέλος) που θεωρείται ιδανικό για τους λάτρεις της φαντασίας.
Ανυπομονώ πραγματικά για την συνέχεια !
____
Υ.Γ.: Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο μιας πενταλογιας, όπου σύντομα θα μπορείτε να το βρείτε και στα αγγλικά🥰
August 10, 2023
I think describing this book as 'Game of Thrones meets Greek mythology' is far too generous, but it was still a decent read.
The story begins with Elliot, a kid from a village who seems to have been tasked with saving the world from a tyrant. Said tyrant, Walter, is travelling the place sacking cities, murdering, raping and pillaging as he goes. Elliot rushes to the aid of Sophie, a new queen whose forces are much diminished after all the fighting. Elliot has a plan to save them all.
Firstly, I hated Elliot. He's just some random kid from the 'burbs who shows up and starts ordering everyone around. And when they don't go along with him, he gets all smarmy and like, 'yes good call it is just as it should be even though you should believe me' which just irritated me to no end. I wanted to know him as a person with flaws and feelings, but he's bossy and angsty and not much else. I couldn't see him as a hero at all.
Somehow he becomes the leader of a little band of misfits who love and adore him and I just was not buying it one bit. I LOVE a good group of misfits but I wanted MORE from these characters. I wanted to know them better and share adventures with them. But it's just always about Elliot and what he thinks and does and how these people relate to him. They never got the chance to show their own personalities. For example, I was ready to fall in love with Long Arm but was never given the proper opportunity to.
Added to that, there is SO MUCH WAR TALK. I know some people will LOVE this aspect of it - those interested in military history and the wars of the ages will enjoy the strategy sessions and planning etc but I went into this expecting a fantasy adventure so it really took the fun out of the story for me.
Fantasy levels are minimal and there's also very little adventuring. I was curious about the lore and history and myths etc but there was so much of it that I got a little lost and found it hard to follow. I could tell there was a substantial story, but I felt too distanced from it to become invested in the world. The fantasy elements that were included felt cliché and unoriginal; it was easy to predict things and there wasn't nearly enough done with it to stand out.
On the surface, it's an entertaining story. The writing is decent enough that I was never really bored by it, but it does feel very much like the depth is missing. There's variety in the characters and some colourful scenes, with some great moments. However I felt the disconnect and was never able to truly immerse myself in this world.
I'd say this will definitely appeal more to those more interested in politics and war strategy. Fantasy lovers may be a little disappointed like I was, but it does seem there's potential for things to really open up in the sequel.
With thanks to the author for a copy
The story begins with Elliot, a kid from a village who seems to have been tasked with saving the world from a tyrant. Said tyrant, Walter, is travelling the place sacking cities, murdering, raping and pillaging as he goes. Elliot rushes to the aid of Sophie, a new queen whose forces are much diminished after all the fighting. Elliot has a plan to save them all.
Firstly, I hated Elliot. He's just some random kid from the 'burbs who shows up and starts ordering everyone around. And when they don't go along with him, he gets all smarmy and like, 'yes good call it is just as it should be even though you should believe me' which just irritated me to no end. I wanted to know him as a person with flaws and feelings, but he's bossy and angsty and not much else. I couldn't see him as a hero at all.
Somehow he becomes the leader of a little band of misfits who love and adore him and I just was not buying it one bit. I LOVE a good group of misfits but I wanted MORE from these characters. I wanted to know them better and share adventures with them. But it's just always about Elliot and what he thinks and does and how these people relate to him. They never got the chance to show their own personalities. For example, I was ready to fall in love with Long Arm but was never given the proper opportunity to.
Added to that, there is SO MUCH WAR TALK. I know some people will LOVE this aspect of it - those interested in military history and the wars of the ages will enjoy the strategy sessions and planning etc but I went into this expecting a fantasy adventure so it really took the fun out of the story for me.
Fantasy levels are minimal and there's also very little adventuring. I was curious about the lore and history and myths etc but there was so much of it that I got a little lost and found it hard to follow. I could tell there was a substantial story, but I felt too distanced from it to become invested in the world. The fantasy elements that were included felt cliché and unoriginal; it was easy to predict things and there wasn't nearly enough done with it to stand out.
On the surface, it's an entertaining story. The writing is decent enough that I was never really bored by it, but it does feel very much like the depth is missing. There's variety in the characters and some colourful scenes, with some great moments. However I felt the disconnect and was never able to truly immerse myself in this world.
I'd say this will definitely appeal more to those more interested in politics and war strategy. Fantasy lovers may be a little disappointed like I was, but it does seem there's potential for things to really open up in the sequel.
With thanks to the author for a copy
September 30, 2023
Mr Kontaxis, HOW ARE YOU EXPECTING ME TO WAIT TILL BOOK TWO AFTER THAT ENDING??? I NEED THE SEQUEL IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!
I had such a fabulous time reading this, I didn't want it to end.
The beginning did feel a bit scary, because you're greeted with pages full of character names and there's a lot of them, but the book itself wasn't confusing at all.
It was so easy to get into, and to learn about the characters. The writing helped things along, so even when we were greeted with new info it didn't feel overwhelming and by the end you get a full understanding of why things were set up the way they were.
I read the ebook version, so I didn't flip back to check the names, and honestly you don't need to. If you have a physical copy though, then flip back if you feel like it, but I think it'll be more useful for the sequel, to remember who everyone was.
The main characters (and some of the side ones) made enough of an impact for me to remember who they were each time they appeared on page.
The pacing was nearly perfect, a tiny bit slow at the start, but when Elliot met Sophie it started to pick up.
Also, I need to compliment the translation, it's wonderfully done and made for a very smooth reading experience.
Now let's get into the characters, starting with the man, the myth, the legend, ELLIOT!!!! Cue crowd cheers.
The whole time Elliot was giving Jason (of the Argonauts) and I was living for it. Like, yes you ARE the best and you CAN do anything, flaunt it! I will accept zero Elliot criticism! You don't get him like I do!!!
You'd think he'd remind me more of Hercules, but no, trust me it's Jason. But he'll be a better hero than Jason when this series is over, mark my words.
Yes, he's a little arrogant, but which great hero isn't? He also shows that he cares a lot about his friends and would die trying to protect them.
He's smart and kind of reckless when angry, but honestly that just makes him a better character to me. And yeah, he's definitely my favourite.
My second favourite is John Long Arm, you can't get any better than a former pirate/bounty hunter, you just can't. He's also a loyal friend (all of Elliot's friends are, really, but John is special). If John doesn't make it till the very end of the series you can expect me to start a riot.
Next fav is Velhisya, I think she's a cool character on her own and I can't wait to see what she becomes in the future. I ship her with Elliot too, I'm just saying.
Last favourite (but don't worry, I love them all) is Walter. Some of you are going what??? But LISTEN, if I wasn't meant to like him why is he blonde and with a tiger too??? Just screams power to me. Yeah he's a villain, AND WHAT ABOUT IT?
I don't know if I'm hoping he survives as the series goes on or not...on one hand he's a good villain, on the other I think the people (and non-humans) of that region deserve some peace.
Speaking of non humans, there's centaurs and elves and pegasi and giants. The world building is vast, and judging by how this book ended, it'll be expanding more on the lore in future installments.
I have to mention that I cried approximately three times while reading, once when a certain someone died near the end, and the other two times because the prose was so beautiful it made me tear up.
Finally, if you want politics - The Return of the Knights has it, if you want a found family hero's journey type of story - TROTK has it, if you want a world with elements from Greek Mythology - TROTK has it, if you want characters you can root for - guess what, TROTK has that too!!!
Please pick up this book so we can scream about it together.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I had such a fabulous time reading this, I didn't want it to end.
The beginning did feel a bit scary, because you're greeted with pages full of character names and there's a lot of them, but the book itself wasn't confusing at all.
It was so easy to get into, and to learn about the characters. The writing helped things along, so even when we were greeted with new info it didn't feel overwhelming and by the end you get a full understanding of why things were set up the way they were.
I read the ebook version, so I didn't flip back to check the names, and honestly you don't need to. If you have a physical copy though, then flip back if you feel like it, but I think it'll be more useful for the sequel, to remember who everyone was.
The main characters (and some of the side ones) made enough of an impact for me to remember who they were each time they appeared on page.
The pacing was nearly perfect, a tiny bit slow at the start, but when Elliot met Sophie it started to pick up.
Also, I need to compliment the translation, it's wonderfully done and made for a very smooth reading experience.
Now let's get into the characters, starting with the man, the myth, the legend, ELLIOT!!!! Cue crowd cheers.
The whole time Elliot was giving Jason (of the Argonauts) and I was living for it. Like, yes you ARE the best and you CAN do anything, flaunt it! I will accept zero Elliot criticism! You don't get him like I do!!!
You'd think he'd remind me more of Hercules, but no, trust me it's Jason. But he'll be a better hero than Jason when this series is over, mark my words.
Yes, he's a little arrogant, but which great hero isn't? He also shows that he cares a lot about his friends and would die trying to protect them.
He's smart and kind of reckless when angry, but honestly that just makes him a better character to me. And yeah, he's definitely my favourite.
My second favourite is John Long Arm, you can't get any better than a former pirate/bounty hunter, you just can't. He's also a loyal friend (all of Elliot's friends are, really, but John is special). If John doesn't make it till the very end of the series you can expect me to start a riot.
Next fav is Velhisya, I think she's a cool character on her own and I can't wait to see what she becomes in the future. I ship her with Elliot too, I'm just saying.
Last favourite (but don't worry, I love them all) is Walter. Some of you are going what??? But LISTEN, if I wasn't meant to like him why is he blonde and with a tiger too??? Just screams power to me. Yeah he's a villain, AND WHAT ABOUT IT?
I don't know if I'm hoping he survives as the series goes on or not...on one hand he's a good villain, on the other I think the people (and non-humans) of that region deserve some peace.
Speaking of non humans, there's centaurs and elves and pegasi and giants. The world building is vast, and judging by how this book ended, it'll be expanding more on the lore in future installments.
I have to mention that I cried approximately three times while reading, once when a certain someone died near the end, and the other two times because the prose was so beautiful it made me tear up.
Finally, if you want politics - The Return of the Knights has it, if you want a found family hero's journey type of story - TROTK has it, if you want a world with elements from Greek Mythology - TROTK has it, if you want characters you can root for - guess what, TROTK has that too!!!
Please pick up this book so we can scream about it together.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
September 11, 2022
Δείτε επίσης και στο Chill and read
Το καλοκαίρι τέλειωσε και ήρθε η ώρα να την «πέσω» στα βιβλία που με παρασύρουν σε κόσμους μαγικούς, σε κόσμους φανταστικούς, σε κόσμους που δεν υπάρχουν παρά μόνο στη φαντασία συγγραφέων και αναγνωστών. Ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο είναι και το «Η επιστροφή των Ιπποτών» του Γρηγόρη Κονταξή. Πρόκειται για το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς επικής φαντασίας «Ο Χορός του Φωτός», για τη συνέχεια του οποίου ανυπομονώ! Ας πούμε όμως σε τι αναφέρεται το πρώτο βιβλίο!
Το Νάιτντορν είναι σε πόλεμο τα τελευταία είκοσι χρόνια περίπου. Μετά την επανάσταση εναντίον του δεύτερου βασιλιά, του Τόμας Έγκερκολ, ολόκληρη η ήπειρος ζει υπό το φόβο του Γουόλτερ Θόρν, του πιο αδίστακτου άντρα όλων τον εποχών. Ο εγγονός του πρώτου βασιλιά έχει βαλθεί να πάρει το θρόνο του παππού του πίσω. Είναι ένα βήμα πριν επιτεθεί στο Παλάτι της Αυγής. Ένα βήμα πριν εκθρονίσει τη Σοφί Ντελαμέρ από το Άιοβσμπριτζ, μια γυναίκα που δεν έπρεπε ποτέ να πάρει τη θέση του Τόμας Έγκερκολ. Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα που να τον εμποδίζει να κάνει αυτό το βήμα. Το μόνο που χρειάζεται είναι να ξεκουραστεί ο στρατός του από την τελευταία μάχη.
Η Βασίλισσα έχει μείνει χωρίς συμμάχους. Ο στρατός του Άιοβσμπριτζ είναι πολύ μικρός για να προστατεύσει την πόλη, πόσο μάλλον για να προσφέρει βοήθεια σε πιθανούς συμμάχους. Την τελευταία φορά που προσπάθησε να πολεμήσει μαζί με κάποιον σύμμαχο, η ήττα ήταν συντριπτική. Τώρα, το Άιοβσμπριτζ, μαζί με όσους γλύτωσαν από την τελευταία επίθεση του Γουόλτερ Θόρν στη Ράμερστορμ προσπαθούν να βρουν μια λύση στο κακό που κοντοζυγώνει. Βοήθεια δεν μπορούν να ζητήσουν από πουθενά και το μέλλον προμηνύεται δυσοίωνο. Θα πρέπει άραγε να εγκαταλείψουν την πόλη σαν δειλοί και η βασίλισσά τους να μείνει στην ιστορία ως η πιο δειλή Βασίλισσα;
Πάνω που το σκοτάδι φαίνεται να καλύπτει ζοφερά το μέλλον του Νάιτντορν, ένα δεκαεφτάχρονο αγόρι φτάνει στο Άιοβσμπριτζ με ένα σχέδιο που ίσως μπορέσει να σώσει την πόλη. Αν η Βασίλισσα το εμπιστευτεί. Αν όλα πάνε σύμφωνα με το σχέδιο. Αν το αγόρι μπορέσει να πείσει μια Βασίλισσα και μια Κυβερνήτη να το ακολουθήσουν. Αν το αγόρι καταφέρει να νικήσει μια μονομαχία που μόνο ο ίδιος ο Γουόλτερ Θορν θα μπορούσε να νικήσει. Πολλά τα «αν» και τίποτα σίγουρο, όμως η υπόσχεση για σωτηρία που αχνοφαίνεται στο βάθος είναι πολύ δελεαστική.
«Η επιστροφή των Ιπποτών» είναι μια ιστορία που έχει όλα τα στοιχεία της επικής φαντασίας, όλα όσα θα περίμενε κανείς να βρει! Ένας μεσαιωνικού τύπου κόσμος, γεμάτος με βασιλιάδες, ιππότες, σπαθιά αλλά και μυθικά πλάσματα και μαγεία, μια μικρή μόνο γεύση της οποίας παίρνουμε σε αυτό το πρώτο βιβλίο. Βλέπουμε Κένταυρους και Έλγουιν, διαβάζουμε για ξωτικά, γίγαντες, γοργόνες και γουίβερν και ανυπομονούμε να τα δούμε στα επόμενα βιβλία να συμμετέχουν στην πλοκή.
Ο κόσμος του βιβλίου χτίζεται βήμα βήμα, ώστε να μπορέσει ο αναγνώστης να τον κατανοήσει. Με μικρές δόσεις και κάποιες επαναλήψεις που όμως κάθε φορά έχουν κάτι παραπάνω να πουν στα όσα ήδη ξέρουμε, μαθαίνουμε και την ιστορία του τόπου. Έτσι μπορούμε να κατανοήσουμε τις σχέσεις ανάμεσα όχι μόνο στους ήρωες του βιβλίου, αλλά και στις σχέσεις των λαών και των φυλών του Νάιτντορν. Παράλληλα γίνονται πιο κατανοητοί κάποιοι πολιτικοί χειρισμοί που αλλιώς δε θα έβγαζαν νόημα. Αλλά όπως γίνεται σε κάθε Μεσαιωνικού τύπου κόσμο, πολλοί έχουν τη δική τους ατζέντα κι έτσι οι προδοσίες δίνουν και παίρνουν, κάνοντας την ιστορία ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέρουσα.
Καθώς λοιπόν αγαπώ την επική φαντασία, τους μεσαιωνικούς κόσμους και τα μαγικά πλάσματα, δεν άργησα να συμπαθήσω και αυτόν τον κόσμο. Έπαιξε βέβαια ρόλο και το γεγονός ότι είναι ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο βιβλίο που δημιουργεί πολλές και όμορφες εικόνες κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης. Κοινώς, το προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα!
Το καλοκαίρι τέλειωσε και ήρθε η ώρα να την «πέσω» στα βιβλία που με παρασύρουν σε κόσμους μαγικούς, σε κόσμους φανταστικούς, σε κόσμους που δεν υπάρχουν παρά μόνο στη φαντασία συγγραφέων και αναγνωστών. Ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο είναι και το «Η επιστροφή των Ιπποτών» του Γρηγόρη Κονταξή. Πρόκειται για το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς επικής φαντασίας «Ο Χορός του Φωτός», για τη συνέχεια του οποίου ανυπομονώ! Ας πούμε όμως σε τι αναφέρεται το πρώτο βιβλίο!
Το Νάιτντορν είναι σε πόλεμο τα τελευταία είκοσι χρόνια περίπου. Μετά την επανάσταση εναντίον του δεύτερου βασιλιά, του Τόμας Έγκερκολ, ολόκληρη η ήπειρος ζει υπό το φόβο του Γουόλτερ Θόρν, του πιο αδίστακτου άντρα όλων τον εποχών. Ο εγγονός του πρώτου βασιλιά έχει βαλθεί να πάρει το θρόνο του παππού του πίσω. Είναι ένα βήμα πριν επιτεθεί στο Παλάτι της Αυγής. Ένα βήμα πριν εκθρονίσει τη Σοφί Ντελαμέρ από το Άιοβσμπριτζ, μια γυναίκα που δεν έπρεπε ποτέ να πάρει τη θέση του Τόμας Έγκερκολ. Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα που να τον εμποδίζει να κάνει αυτό το βήμα. Το μόνο που χρειάζεται είναι να ξεκουραστεί ο στρατός του από την τελευταία μάχη.
Η Βασίλισσα έχει μείνει χωρίς συμμάχους. Ο στρατός του Άιοβσμπριτζ είναι πολύ μικρός για να προστατεύσει την πόλη, πόσο μάλλον για να προσφέρει βοήθεια σε πιθανούς συμμάχους. Την τελευταία φορά που προσπάθησε να πολεμήσει μαζί με κάποιον σύμμαχο, η ήττα ήταν συντριπτική. Τώρα, το Άιοβσμπριτζ, μαζί με όσους γλύτωσαν από την τελευταία επίθεση του Γουόλτερ Θόρν στη Ράμερστορμ προσπαθούν να βρουν μια λύση στο κακό που κοντοζυγώνει. Βοήθεια δεν μπορούν να ζητήσουν από πουθενά και το μέλλον προμηνύεται δυσοίωνο. Θα πρέπει άραγε να εγκαταλείψουν την πόλη σαν δειλοί και η βασίλισσά τους να μείνει στην ιστορία ως η πιο δειλή Βασίλισσα;
Πάνω που το σκοτάδι φαίνεται να καλύπτει ζοφερά το μέλλον του Νάιτντορν, ένα δεκαεφτάχρονο αγόρι φτάνει στο Άιοβσμπριτζ με ένα σχέδιο που ίσως μπορέσει να σώσει την πόλη. Αν η Βασίλισσα το εμπιστευτεί. Αν όλα πάνε σύμφωνα με το σχέδιο. Αν το αγόρι μπορέσει να πείσει μια Βασίλισσα και μια Κυβερνήτη να το ακολουθήσουν. Αν το αγόρι καταφέρει να νικήσει μια μονομαχία που μόνο ο ίδιος ο Γουόλτερ Θορν θα μπορούσε να νικήσει. Πολλά τα «αν» και τίποτα σίγουρο, όμως η υπόσχεση για σωτηρία που αχνοφαίνεται στο βάθος είναι πολύ δελεαστική.
«Η επιστροφή των Ιπποτών» είναι μια ιστορία που έχει όλα τα στοιχεία της επικής φαντασίας, όλα όσα θα περίμενε κανείς να βρει! Ένας μεσαιωνικού τύπου κόσμος, γεμάτος με βασιλιάδες, ιππότες, σπαθιά αλλά και μυθικά πλάσματα και μαγεία, μια μικρή μόνο γεύση της οποίας παίρνουμε σε αυτό το πρώτο βιβλίο. Βλέπουμε Κένταυρους και Έλγουιν, διαβάζουμε για ξωτικά, γίγαντες, γοργόνες και γουίβερν και ανυπομονούμε να τα δούμε στα επόμενα βιβλία να συμμετέχουν στην πλοκή.
Ο κόσμος του βιβλίου χτίζεται βήμα βήμα, ώστε να μπορέσει ο αναγνώστης να τον κατανοήσει. Με μικρές δόσεις και κάποιες επαναλήψεις που όμως κάθε φορά έχουν κάτι παραπάνω να πουν στα όσα ήδη ξέρουμε, μαθαίνουμε και την ιστορία του τόπου. Έτσι μπορούμε να κατανοήσουμε τις σχέσεις ανάμεσα όχι μόνο στους ήρωες του βιβλίου, αλλά και στις σχέσεις των λαών και των φυλών του Νάιτντορν. Παράλληλα γίνονται πιο κατανοητοί κάποιοι πολιτικοί χειρισμοί που αλλιώς δε θα έβγαζαν νόημα. Αλλά όπως γίνεται σε κάθε Μεσαιωνικού τύπου κόσμο, πολλοί έχουν τη δική τους ατζέντα κι έτσι οι προδοσίες δίνουν και παίρνουν, κάνοντας την ιστορία ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέρουσα.
Καθώς λοιπόν αγαπώ την επική φαντασία, τους μεσαιωνικούς κόσμους και τα μαγικά πλάσματα, δεν άργησα να συμπαθήσω και αυτόν τον κόσμο. Έπαιξε βέβαια ρόλο και το γεγονός ότι είναι ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο βιβλίο που δημιουργεί πολλές και όμορφες εικόνες κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης. Κοινώς, το προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα!
May 10, 2023
Thank you to the author for the ARC of the English edition.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a great palate cleanser to a heavy, character-focused book I read before this. It's an epic fantasy with many of the classic tropes: chosen one, hail-mary longshot efforts paying off, the mentor, etc., but it takes those tropes and really comes at them from a new angle, by an author whose talent is very clear on the page.
It always astounds me when bilingual authors write in both their native language and their second language - Kontaxis is Greek, and the Greek edition has quite a fanbase already, it seems. It's clear why. Either the author had a very good editor, or has a fluent command over English, because there were very, very few errors in prose that I noticed.
My favorite character has to be Sophie, although most of the characters here get their due pages and we learn more and more about the secret inner-lives of these characters, and how their recklessness or their arrogance or their fear drives them to make spontaneous decisions that have severe consequences. And oh boy, does this book drive home the consequences. Kontaxis writes action in a visceral, engaging way; I really enjoyed the action in this book. There's one particular moment with a character where I was hoping that it would go down a certain dark path, and it did, and it was so, so satisfying. The consequences for that choice really paid off in a good, and even unexpected, way. The plot, while initially tropey, took twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and Kontaxis plays with well-established tropes like a puppeteer.
That isn't to say there aren't flaws - some of the dialogue drags, and descends into "talking heads" a few times, where the characters chat to each other while forgetting that they're in a warzone, or being tortured. It's not as if what they're saying isn't important, I just wish some of these scenes played with environmental cues to convey the tone of the scene and make the dialogue more engaging. That's why I gave it the rating I did - if the dialogue was improved in this way, and these scenes shortened a little, the book could've easily been much higher.
I'm really looking forward to the next book in the Dance of Light series.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a great palate cleanser to a heavy, character-focused book I read before this. It's an epic fantasy with many of the classic tropes: chosen one, hail-mary longshot efforts paying off, the mentor, etc., but it takes those tropes and really comes at them from a new angle, by an author whose talent is very clear on the page.
It always astounds me when bilingual authors write in both their native language and their second language - Kontaxis is Greek, and the Greek edition has quite a fanbase already, it seems. It's clear why. Either the author had a very good editor, or has a fluent command over English, because there were very, very few errors in prose that I noticed.
My favorite character has to be Sophie, although most of the characters here get their due pages and we learn more and more about the secret inner-lives of these characters, and how their recklessness or their arrogance or their fear drives them to make spontaneous decisions that have severe consequences. And oh boy, does this book drive home the consequences. Kontaxis writes action in a visceral, engaging way; I really enjoyed the action in this book. There's one particular moment with a character where I was hoping that it would go down a certain dark path, and it did, and it was so, so satisfying. The consequences for that choice really paid off in a good, and even unexpected, way. The plot, while initially tropey, took twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and Kontaxis plays with well-established tropes like a puppeteer.
That isn't to say there aren't flaws - some of the dialogue drags, and descends into "talking heads" a few times, where the characters chat to each other while forgetting that they're in a warzone, or being tortured. It's not as if what they're saying isn't important, I just wish some of these scenes played with environmental cues to convey the tone of the scene and make the dialogue more engaging. That's why I gave it the rating I did - if the dialogue was improved in this way, and these scenes shortened a little, the book could've easily been much higher.
I'm really looking forward to the next book in the Dance of Light series.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
December 12, 2023
I accepted a (gorgeous) hardback copy of this book from the author in consideration of a review. I listened to the audiobook in conjunction with the physical copy and the audiobook was purchased using my own funds. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
Friends, I won't lie to you. 90% of the reason I was interested in reading this book was because of its beautiful cover design. The other 10% is because the villain of this story (he really is the worst ) is named Walter. Anytime there's a bad guy with a name like that, I just gotta know more. Can you imagine the street cred he had to earn in order to overcome an unassuming name like Walter?
In the spirit of full transparency, I do not like narratives where almost the entirety of the book is told to the reader, instead of shown. I say that so you are aware that my personal preference possibly affects my overall review and to not let this be the only review you read to determine if this is one for you.
I will say Kontaxis pulled off this style in one of the better ways I've read. We got the history of why The Palace of the Dawn no longer has any allies, why Walter Thorn has been skirmishing in surrounding areas and asserting his control, folklore, legends, myths, etc. This information is shared with readers through several nested narratives where different characters share these tales with our main character and his little band as they travel about, attempting to restore old alliances.
Because this book is dialogue heavy with only small pockets of action, I never got particularly attached to any of the characters. Morys was the only one who managed to stir my emotions a bit. As a character driven reader, I was a little sad not to get any real nuggets of character development. Our main character, Elliott, did have some moments where we saw him wrestle with himself and learn much in the process, but it was a very small portion of the story.
So what was it that kept me reading? Guy Barnes. The award winning voice actor and audiobook narrator presented this story in the way that it should be - he brought it to life with his voice. The stories where we're told and not shown - great narrators are the key to success, in my opinion. They're perfect for the old tradition of oration, passing a story down from one generation to the next and Guy did an outstanding job. I knew I was in for a good time with the first line. It was like I was sitting in a big, comfy chair - nice fire blazing in the fireplace - with Guy leaning forward in the chair opposite me, regaling me with this tale.
The intricacy and cleverness of Elliot to outsmart Walter was so well done. There were so many important pieces that had to go just right, or everything could fall apart. When you see the big picture after all is said and done, you have to appreciate the creativity and intelligence on the part of the author.
Even though the writing style is not my preferred choice, I will absolutely be continuing the series because the author revealed something that I just have to read more about in the next installment!!!
It could very well be that this first book was written in this style strictly because it's a first book and a sort of fast-paced way for the author to catch everyone up to where the story really starts. I can't wait to find out.
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Amanda L., Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Sharon A-B, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
Friends, I won't lie to you. 90% of the reason I was interested in reading this book was because of its beautiful cover design. The other 10% is because the villain of this story (he really is the worst ) is named Walter. Anytime there's a bad guy with a name like that, I just gotta know more. Can you imagine the street cred he had to earn in order to overcome an unassuming name like Walter?
In the spirit of full transparency, I do not like narratives where almost the entirety of the book is told to the reader, instead of shown. I say that so you are aware that my personal preference possibly affects my overall review and to not let this be the only review you read to determine if this is one for you.
I will say Kontaxis pulled off this style in one of the better ways I've read. We got the history of why The Palace of the Dawn no longer has any allies, why Walter Thorn has been skirmishing in surrounding areas and asserting his control, folklore, legends, myths, etc. This information is shared with readers through several nested narratives where different characters share these tales with our main character and his little band as they travel about, attempting to restore old alliances.
Because this book is dialogue heavy with only small pockets of action, I never got particularly attached to any of the characters. Morys was the only one who managed to stir my emotions a bit. As a character driven reader, I was a little sad not to get any real nuggets of character development. Our main character, Elliott, did have some moments where we saw him wrestle with himself and learn much in the process, but it was a very small portion of the story.
So what was it that kept me reading? Guy Barnes. The award winning voice actor and audiobook narrator presented this story in the way that it should be - he brought it to life with his voice. The stories where we're told and not shown - great narrators are the key to success, in my opinion. They're perfect for the old tradition of oration, passing a story down from one generation to the next and Guy did an outstanding job. I knew I was in for a good time with the first line. It was like I was sitting in a big, comfy chair - nice fire blazing in the fireplace - with Guy leaning forward in the chair opposite me, regaling me with this tale.
The intricacy and cleverness of Elliot to outsmart Walter was so well done. There were so many important pieces that had to go just right, or everything could fall apart. When you see the big picture after all is said and done, you have to appreciate the creativity and intelligence on the part of the author.
Even though the writing style is not my preferred choice, I will absolutely be continuing the series because the author revealed something that I just have to read more about in the next installment!!!
It could very well be that this first book was written in this style strictly because it's a first book and a sort of fast-paced way for the author to catch everyone up to where the story really starts. I can't wait to find out.
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
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May 9, 2023
Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-retu...
Interview: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
The Return of the Knights is the debut novel from Gregory Kontaxis, the first installment in The Dance of Light series. Pitched as Games of Thrones meets Greek mythology (from a Greek author, something that gives more value to it), I was super excited to read it, and found a great story, epic fantasy as its best mixed with political intrigue, one of my favourite elements in the genre.
Knightdorn has been at war for over twenty years, and it seems that finally Walter Thorn, the local governor that started the rebellion against the Queen of Knightdorn, is close to winning the war. After getting control over Rammerstorm, assaulting the Palace of Dawn is the last step in order to fulfill his objectives.
Sophie Delamere, Queen of Knightdorn is between the sword and the wall, as seems Walter storming over Iovbridge is just a matter of time; but this is when Eliott appears, the main protagonist of this story. A character that represents the classic trope of the chosen one: a boy that grew up in a humble village, trained by the last Grand Master; he seems to be the only hope for Sophie, proving his skills just at the time of reaching the court.
Entering into a web of politics and lies, Eliott will try to bring Walter's attention to the Wirksworth fortress, and in the meanwhile, revive the old alliances between Knightdorn and the governor of Wirksworth, their only hope to beat Thorn.
Eliott as a character was a mixed bag of feelings for me, because while you can see archetypical hubris that characterizes some Greek heroes, at the same time, it is possible to see that he's actually really skilled, and it's doing everything in order to keep Knightdorn safe. He evolves alongside the book, learning more about how in reality the government works, and how complicated is to keep a kingdom united.
Alongside Eliott, I would like to highlight two characters more, Sophie and Walter. Sophie, despite seeming to be a well-intentioned character, with the passing of time, we get to see how she is, in reality, closer to a grey morality. Walter is the perfect villain, somebody who has a clear motivation to instigate the rebellion, a brilliant commander; having him as the counterpoint to our heroes reinforces them.
Knightdorn as a world is extremely interesting, mixing together some of the classic fantasy creatures, such as elves, with more related to Greek mythology (Pegasus play a rather important role), creating what we could call the perfect classical mix (classic fantasy with classic culture).
While the relatively short length of the book only let us explore some of the locations in Knightdorn, we get to appreciate the complexity of the world that Kontaxis has created, and honestly, I hope we get to visit more fortresses and cities in the next books.
Kontaxis weaves marvelously classic fantasy with Greek mythology elements, giving them his own twist. A complex story with several layers that are unveiled step by step, always making you want more, especially recommended for classic fantasy lovers. I want to return to Knightdorn soon.
Interview: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
The Return of the Knights is the debut novel from Gregory Kontaxis, the first installment in The Dance of Light series. Pitched as Games of Thrones meets Greek mythology (from a Greek author, something that gives more value to it), I was super excited to read it, and found a great story, epic fantasy as its best mixed with political intrigue, one of my favourite elements in the genre.
Knightdorn has been at war for over twenty years, and it seems that finally Walter Thorn, the local governor that started the rebellion against the Queen of Knightdorn, is close to winning the war. After getting control over Rammerstorm, assaulting the Palace of Dawn is the last step in order to fulfill his objectives.
Sophie Delamere, Queen of Knightdorn is between the sword and the wall, as seems Walter storming over Iovbridge is just a matter of time; but this is when Eliott appears, the main protagonist of this story. A character that represents the classic trope of the chosen one: a boy that grew up in a humble village, trained by the last Grand Master; he seems to be the only hope for Sophie, proving his skills just at the time of reaching the court.
Entering into a web of politics and lies, Eliott will try to bring Walter's attention to the Wirksworth fortress, and in the meanwhile, revive the old alliances between Knightdorn and the governor of Wirksworth, their only hope to beat Thorn.
Eliott as a character was a mixed bag of feelings for me, because while you can see archetypical hubris that characterizes some Greek heroes, at the same time, it is possible to see that he's actually really skilled, and it's doing everything in order to keep Knightdorn safe. He evolves alongside the book, learning more about how in reality the government works, and how complicated is to keep a kingdom united.
Alongside Eliott, I would like to highlight two characters more, Sophie and Walter. Sophie, despite seeming to be a well-intentioned character, with the passing of time, we get to see how she is, in reality, closer to a grey morality. Walter is the perfect villain, somebody who has a clear motivation to instigate the rebellion, a brilliant commander; having him as the counterpoint to our heroes reinforces them.
Knightdorn as a world is extremely interesting, mixing together some of the classic fantasy creatures, such as elves, with more related to Greek mythology (Pegasus play a rather important role), creating what we could call the perfect classical mix (classic fantasy with classic culture).
While the relatively short length of the book only let us explore some of the locations in Knightdorn, we get to appreciate the complexity of the world that Kontaxis has created, and honestly, I hope we get to visit more fortresses and cities in the next books.
Kontaxis weaves marvelously classic fantasy with Greek mythology elements, giving them his own twist. A complex story with several layers that are unveiled step by step, always making you want more, especially recommended for classic fantasy lovers. I want to return to Knightdorn soon.
August 1, 2023
The Return of the Knights is a good ol' epic fantasy filled to the brim with all the most beloved tropes of the fantasy genre, and yet it somehow manages to feel fresh and exciting. Heroic characters, brutal war, deadly political intrigue, Greek mythology influences and intriguing lore... this book has got it all.
While the scope of this story is unapologetically epic, we mainly zoom in on a young and orphaned village boy with inexplicable powers; a.k.a. the ultimate chosen one. Elliot might be Queen Sophie’s last hope to stop her power-hungry uncle from winning the war and taking over her seat of power, and he is more than willing to help if that means he can get his revenge. Elliot is quickly thrust into a dangerous web of brutal war, deadly political intrigue, and earth-shattering secrets, yet he will stop at nothing to win his fight.
This book was pitched to me as Game of Thrones meets Greek mythology and I honestly think that is a very apt description/comparison, though mostly when it comes to the scope of the world and the tense political landscape.
The schemes upon schemes and brutal back stabbings and betrayals were extremely well-written, and I loved that the reader is constantly kept on their toes.
It is also very clear that the author put a lot of time, care, passion and love into creating this world with its rich history, diverse races and intriguing lore. I really enjoyed the Greek influences and thought that those elements gave this relatively classic-feeling story a nice fresh spin.
That said, I personally think there was a bit too much exposition and clunky delivery of world building through awkward dialogue, which hampered my sense of wonder and immersion a bit. Still, the bits and pieces of lore that we do get are very tantalising and I am curious to explore this world further in future instalments in the series.
As for the character work, I think that this is where the Game of Thrones comparison falls a bit flat. The characters are all enjoyable enough to follow, but for me they lacked personality, complexity and emotional depth. The heroic characters are bold and valorous to a fault and the antagonists are as vile and devilishly evil as you can get them, which felt a bit boring to me.
As a character-driven reader, this lack of emotional investment in the characters is what held me back from enjoying the story as much as I could have, though I recognize that this is a very personal qualm of mine.
I do have to say that I am very impressed with how smoothly the book read, though. Even with my personal quibbles, I managed to fly through it because it is such a comfortable read. There are multiple exciting twists and reveals, especially in the second half of the book, which kept me very intrigued and eager to read on.
The prose is also quite simple and approachable, which isn’t totally to my tastes, yet I think it was actually a good thing here considering that the story is already complex enough in its world building and plot. And I must say that I am very impressed with how effortless the translation from Greek felt here, because while it must have been an incredibly difficult task to nail, I thought it all flowed very nicely and I barely even noticed that I was reading a translated novel.
Overall, I had a good time with this story and it gave me some great nostalgic feels for the classic fantasy stories that I grew up with.
I am curious to see how the story and characters will develop from here, because I think the author has great potential and the ending was very promising to me.
While this story might not reinvent the wheel, it certainly delivers on what it promises and executes well-beloved fantasy tropes very well. If you are in the mood for a well-done classic fantasy that stands out from the crowd through its Greek mythology influences, then you have to check out The Return of the Knights.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
While the scope of this story is unapologetically epic, we mainly zoom in on a young and orphaned village boy with inexplicable powers; a.k.a. the ultimate chosen one. Elliot might be Queen Sophie’s last hope to stop her power-hungry uncle from winning the war and taking over her seat of power, and he is more than willing to help if that means he can get his revenge. Elliot is quickly thrust into a dangerous web of brutal war, deadly political intrigue, and earth-shattering secrets, yet he will stop at nothing to win his fight.
This book was pitched to me as Game of Thrones meets Greek mythology and I honestly think that is a very apt description/comparison, though mostly when it comes to the scope of the world and the tense political landscape.
The schemes upon schemes and brutal back stabbings and betrayals were extremely well-written, and I loved that the reader is constantly kept on their toes.
It is also very clear that the author put a lot of time, care, passion and love into creating this world with its rich history, diverse races and intriguing lore. I really enjoyed the Greek influences and thought that those elements gave this relatively classic-feeling story a nice fresh spin.
That said, I personally think there was a bit too much exposition and clunky delivery of world building through awkward dialogue, which hampered my sense of wonder and immersion a bit. Still, the bits and pieces of lore that we do get are very tantalising and I am curious to explore this world further in future instalments in the series.
As for the character work, I think that this is where the Game of Thrones comparison falls a bit flat. The characters are all enjoyable enough to follow, but for me they lacked personality, complexity and emotional depth. The heroic characters are bold and valorous to a fault and the antagonists are as vile and devilishly evil as you can get them, which felt a bit boring to me.
As a character-driven reader, this lack of emotional investment in the characters is what held me back from enjoying the story as much as I could have, though I recognize that this is a very personal qualm of mine.
I do have to say that I am very impressed with how smoothly the book read, though. Even with my personal quibbles, I managed to fly through it because it is such a comfortable read. There are multiple exciting twists and reveals, especially in the second half of the book, which kept me very intrigued and eager to read on.
The prose is also quite simple and approachable, which isn’t totally to my tastes, yet I think it was actually a good thing here considering that the story is already complex enough in its world building and plot. And I must say that I am very impressed with how effortless the translation from Greek felt here, because while it must have been an incredibly difficult task to nail, I thought it all flowed very nicely and I barely even noticed that I was reading a translated novel.
Overall, I had a good time with this story and it gave me some great nostalgic feels for the classic fantasy stories that I grew up with.
I am curious to see how the story and characters will develop from here, because I think the author has great potential and the ending was very promising to me.
While this story might not reinvent the wheel, it certainly delivers on what it promises and executes well-beloved fantasy tropes very well. If you are in the mood for a well-done classic fantasy that stands out from the crowd through its Greek mythology influences, then you have to check out The Return of the Knights.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 12, 2023
Read this a week ago, I am still in awe till posting of my review today
"The Return of the Knights" by Gregory Kontaxis is an enthralling tale that transports readers to a world of chivalry, honor, and epic adventures. Set in a medieval kingdom plagued by darkness and tyranny, this book is a gripping fusion of fantasy and historical fiction that will captivate readers from start to finish.
Kontaxis skillfully weaves a complex narrative filled with richly developed characters that come to life on the pages. The protagonists, a group of valiant knights, are flawed yet compelling, each with their own unique motivations and backstories. As the story unfolds, the author deftly explores the themes of redemption, loyalty, and sacrifice, immersing readers in an emotional journey that tugs at the heartstrings.
The world-building in "The Return of the Knights" is meticulous and vivid. Kontaxis's attention to detail transports readers to a realm where castles loom large, forests hold secrets, and battles are fought with sword and shield. The descriptions are so immersive that one can practically hear the clash of steel and smell the scent of pine as the characters traverse the kingdom.
What sets this book apart is the author's ability to balance action-packed sequences with moments of introspection and introspective depth. The battle scenes are expertly choreographed, keeping readers on the edge of their seats, while the quieter moments provide a chance for the characters to grow and evolve. Kontaxis's prose is fluid and engaging, effortlessly driving the plot forward and creating a sense of urgency that compels readers to keep turning the pages.
"The Return of the Knights" is a true page-turner, with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Kontaxis's storytelling prowess shines through as he masterfully builds suspense and delivers surprises that leave readers yearning for more. The pacing is impeccable, balancing exposition with action and ensuring that the story never loses momentum.
"The Return of the Knights" by Gregory Kontaxis is an enthralling tale that transports readers to a world of chivalry, honor, and epic adventures. Set in a medieval kingdom plagued by darkness and tyranny, this book is a gripping fusion of fantasy and historical fiction that will captivate readers from start to finish.
Kontaxis skillfully weaves a complex narrative filled with richly developed characters that come to life on the pages. The protagonists, a group of valiant knights, are flawed yet compelling, each with their own unique motivations and backstories. As the story unfolds, the author deftly explores the themes of redemption, loyalty, and sacrifice, immersing readers in an emotional journey that tugs at the heartstrings.
The world-building in "The Return of the Knights" is meticulous and vivid. Kontaxis's attention to detail transports readers to a realm where castles loom large, forests hold secrets, and battles are fought with sword and shield. The descriptions are so immersive that one can practically hear the clash of steel and smell the scent of pine as the characters traverse the kingdom.
What sets this book apart is the author's ability to balance action-packed sequences with moments of introspection and introspective depth. The battle scenes are expertly choreographed, keeping readers on the edge of their seats, while the quieter moments provide a chance for the characters to grow and evolve. Kontaxis's prose is fluid and engaging, effortlessly driving the plot forward and creating a sense of urgency that compels readers to keep turning the pages.
"The Return of the Knights" is a true page-turner, with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Kontaxis's storytelling prowess shines through as he masterfully builds suspense and delivers surprises that leave readers yearning for more. The pacing is impeccable, balancing exposition with action and ensuring that the story never loses momentum.
May 11, 2023
The Return of the Knights is the debut novel by Gregory Kontaxis and if you are a lover of fantasy novels with in-depth world-building, the right amount of backstory, and characters that will keep you page-turning to the end then this is the book for you!
This book is the first in the Dance of Light series, and it will grab you from the very beginning and leave you howling for more. The author drops you in the middle of an ongoing war, not one just starting or on the verge...no. Full. Blown. A man who has hungered for the crown for 17 years has taken matters into his own hands. You'll read how he has done the most egregious acts in his quest for the crown. He has no morals. I don't care what you say! This man is evil! LOL! Don't worry though! There are those who are looking to stand against him. There is a character by the name of Elliot who will absolutely grab your attention. He may start off seeming like nothing special, but brace yourself and hold on to your chair because he is going to floor you!
The deeper you go into this story the more you will learn about this fantasy world, the characters who call it home, and the mythical creatures throughout. Have plans when you pick this book up? Cancel them! You won't be putting this book down until you reach the last page. Be prepared to be begging for more. Hopefully we won't have long to wait, because I know that I need to know what happens next. This is an author to watch.
5 out of 5 stars.
Want to check out a more detailed review of this book? Check out my blog: https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot...
This book is the first in the Dance of Light series, and it will grab you from the very beginning and leave you howling for more. The author drops you in the middle of an ongoing war, not one just starting or on the verge...no. Full. Blown. A man who has hungered for the crown for 17 years has taken matters into his own hands. You'll read how he has done the most egregious acts in his quest for the crown. He has no morals. I don't care what you say! This man is evil! LOL! Don't worry though! There are those who are looking to stand against him. There is a character by the name of Elliot who will absolutely grab your attention. He may start off seeming like nothing special, but brace yourself and hold on to your chair because he is going to floor you!
The deeper you go into this story the more you will learn about this fantasy world, the characters who call it home, and the mythical creatures throughout. Have plans when you pick this book up? Cancel them! You won't be putting this book down until you reach the last page. Be prepared to be begging for more. Hopefully we won't have long to wait, because I know that I need to know what happens next. This is an author to watch.
5 out of 5 stars.
Want to check out a more detailed review of this book? Check out my blog: https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot...
May 24, 2023
Return of the Knights started with a bit of action to get your blood flowing before pulling back to a slower pace, which is the way I like to start my books. It felt very much like an introductory novel overall, which isn’t too surprising considering this series is planned to have 5 main books.
This feels like a very ambitious book that some people have compared to ASOIAF, which I personally have not read. Based on what I’ve heard about it though, I can see where the comparison originates. There is a ton of political intrigue and very interesting lore and world-building. You can really tell that the author has put a lot of thought into this, and it’s the part I’m most curious about in future installments for this series.
Sadly though, there are multiple things that I struggled with as well. It was difficult at times to follow the political machinations because there were so many names to keep track of but not enough history with these people yet for them to solidly stick in my memory. While some things felt overly complicated, others felt too simplified in order to fit into the complicated narrative that was needed to move this story along. I do have to say though that this improved some in the second half so I am optimistic moving forward, especially now that we’re a bit more familiar with the characters and setting in general.
Much of the dialogue felt clunky and, for me, the language in it didn’t always fit the world. While I do generally like political intrigue, it occasionally felt a bit too convoluted just for confusion’s sake and that sometimes took the steam out of some of the reveals that otherwise would’ve really surprised me.
In that same vein, the characters didn’t feel quite as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. They felt somewhat one-dimensional for much of the story, which made the ending a little bit anti-climactic because the actions felt more out of character rather than like an unexpected twist that I might’ve appreciated more otherwise. The women especially often felt more like accessories to move the plot along rather than their own characters with motives and feelings.
I do have to say though that for much of the book, I forgot that this was a translation. There were a couple of words that felt out of place but overall, this was a really smooth reading experience in that regard. I’ve read a different translated series before that ended up not working for me and I suspect it was due to the translation as the original received a lot of praise. I did not feel the same here so kudos to the translator on that.
This turned out to be a much longer review than I originally anticipated but the book definitely left me with a lot of feelings. The author set a high bar for himself and managed to meet some aspects better than others. Nonetheless, I do think that he is someone to keep an eye on because this ambitious debut lays the groundwork for a series with a lot of potential.
This feels like a very ambitious book that some people have compared to ASOIAF, which I personally have not read. Based on what I’ve heard about it though, I can see where the comparison originates. There is a ton of political intrigue and very interesting lore and world-building. You can really tell that the author has put a lot of thought into this, and it’s the part I’m most curious about in future installments for this series.
Sadly though, there are multiple things that I struggled with as well. It was difficult at times to follow the political machinations because there were so many names to keep track of but not enough history with these people yet for them to solidly stick in my memory. While some things felt overly complicated, others felt too simplified in order to fit into the complicated narrative that was needed to move this story along. I do have to say though that this improved some in the second half so I am optimistic moving forward, especially now that we’re a bit more familiar with the characters and setting in general.
Much of the dialogue felt clunky and, for me, the language in it didn’t always fit the world. While I do generally like political intrigue, it occasionally felt a bit too convoluted just for confusion’s sake and that sometimes took the steam out of some of the reveals that otherwise would’ve really surprised me.
In that same vein, the characters didn’t feel quite as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. They felt somewhat one-dimensional for much of the story, which made the ending a little bit anti-climactic because the actions felt more out of character rather than like an unexpected twist that I might’ve appreciated more otherwise. The women especially often felt more like accessories to move the plot along rather than their own characters with motives and feelings.
I do have to say though that for much of the book, I forgot that this was a translation. There were a couple of words that felt out of place but overall, this was a really smooth reading experience in that regard. I’ve read a different translated series before that ended up not working for me and I suspect it was due to the translation as the original received a lot of praise. I did not feel the same here so kudos to the translator on that.
This turned out to be a much longer review than I originally anticipated but the book definitely left me with a lot of feelings. The author set a high bar for himself and managed to meet some aspects better than others. Nonetheless, I do think that he is someone to keep an eye on because this ambitious debut lays the groundwork for a series with a lot of potential.
May 13, 2023
The Return Of The Knights is an entertainingly ambitious politically driven fantasy that never quite lives up to the scale it sets itself. With impressive level of thought and detail going into this debut ,and a rip-roaring start, my hopes were high. However, I found it to fall under the weight of its own detail, resulting in long and rambling exposition with characters that never quite grow beyond their archetypes. Kontaxis is to be commended for writing a debut translated from his first language, and fans of classic high and political fantasy will certainly enjoy this tale if one can look beyond the debut pitfalls, however for myself it was a read that didn’t hit the usual depth I look for.
Let me begin this review proper by once again stating the immense breadth and detail of the worldbuilding contained within this world. The flavour of Greek mythology infused within comes from the appearance of several mythical creatures, from Pegasi to Centaur, and when the focus of the narrative is on the mythological it is when it is at its most engrossing. For those of you who know me, this is likely unsurprising as I am a worldbuilding fanatic! Give me all the Elven bards singing their heavenly tales, a thousand plus years of lost history, I will lap it all in! In this book we have most of our mythological creatures locked away in a mountain realm whilst the humans do what they do best, fight over power.
And fight indeed they do! In fact we open in media res with the despicable Walther Thorn charging his way on the battlefield towards the armies of Queen Sophie Delamere. I was really impressed by this fast paced action very quickly investing me into the outcome of this battle! Gregory has an notable ability to rouse the reader in support of his heroes despite any later misgivings. I simply couldn’t help myself but root for these characters because here is not a grimdark morality. Our characters are the best of the good, and the worst of the worst, with Walther Thorn being a particularly despicable cretin of a villain.
Here is where the narrative falters in its presentation of character however. Gregory tries to invest them with different shades, but it never quite works on the page. The main character we follow is Elliott (one must say not the most fantastical sounding name, and the sometimes unusual naming of places and people did on occasion draw me out of the book) a mysterious man who turns up claiming to be the only one who can save the realm of Knightdorn from the villainy of Walter Thorn. For the majority of the novel, Elliott is presented as this almost unstoppable ‘Gary Stu’, and this was a big issue for me throughout. Elliott manages win after win, and is presented in such a perfect manner that it was a real struggle to connect with him, and this extended to the other characters.
Now to offer balance to this perspective, Gregory does introduce some more multi-faceted elements to his characters later in the novel, and we see how Elliott is not always destined to win (despite how it feels). But I feel the point to be made here, is that there is a difference between a personality driven novel, and a character driven one. A personality driven novel, as I would consider Return of the Knights to be, is one driven by archetypal characters; characters that have one or two defining elements central to them Outside of Elliott, the most memorable character is John, a former military man descended into alcoholism, longing for a chance at redemption. One can see from this the archetypes at play here; the mysterious young boy raised to save the kingdom, and the grizzled old veteran plagued by his past.
Conversely a character driven novel is one where the characters further the plot and the plot furthers the character in a great symbiosis; where the characters blur the line between fiction and reality as we grow to know and perhaps even love them in all their many flaws. A character driven novel elevates story through its deep exploration of the world and the characters place in it, by letting the characters themselves tell the tale of their own making rather than have it fall into familiar structures.
Here we are thrust into a world of numerous factions and political manoeuvrings, one which grows increasingly complex. For a reader like myself, driven to drink in all the myriad details of the world and its peoples this is usually part of the joy in the telling. However, Return of the Knights finds itself hampered by an excessive reliance on exposition, and explaining each potential political outcome in great detail. It is certainly understandable why Gregory took such an approach, however the beauty and the success of worldbuilding is in its delivery, and unfortunately here the elements didn’t quite marry up. Something many authors have to learn along their journey is that giving their characters flaws to try to provide some colour isn’t quite enough to bring life to those on the page, and this was the feeling one was left with by the end.
Having said all this, the energy thrumming through this novel is undeniable. Despite the issues I had I was kept intrigued, if not fully invested. As said previously, the mystique surrounding the more mystical elements was the pinnacle here, along with the rip-roaring start. Walter Thorn was an incredibly despicable villain with Gregory injecting high levels of darkness into proceedings through his antagonist and proceedings are left in an exciting manner despite a fumbling conclusion.
Overall, it cannot be said this was a book without promise, plenty is to be found, and many fans of classic and high fantasy will find a good time if they can look past its debut flaws. Personally, it was a book I finished with a longing for what it could’ve been, but nevertheless I am confident that the sequel will be addressing some of these concerns and I will be there to cheer on our characters.
Let me begin this review proper by once again stating the immense breadth and detail of the worldbuilding contained within this world. The flavour of Greek mythology infused within comes from the appearance of several mythical creatures, from Pegasi to Centaur, and when the focus of the narrative is on the mythological it is when it is at its most engrossing. For those of you who know me, this is likely unsurprising as I am a worldbuilding fanatic! Give me all the Elven bards singing their heavenly tales, a thousand plus years of lost history, I will lap it all in! In this book we have most of our mythological creatures locked away in a mountain realm whilst the humans do what they do best, fight over power.
And fight indeed they do! In fact we open in media res with the despicable Walther Thorn charging his way on the battlefield towards the armies of Queen Sophie Delamere. I was really impressed by this fast paced action very quickly investing me into the outcome of this battle! Gregory has an notable ability to rouse the reader in support of his heroes despite any later misgivings. I simply couldn’t help myself but root for these characters because here is not a grimdark morality. Our characters are the best of the good, and the worst of the worst, with Walther Thorn being a particularly despicable cretin of a villain.
Here is where the narrative falters in its presentation of character however. Gregory tries to invest them with different shades, but it never quite works on the page. The main character we follow is Elliott (one must say not the most fantastical sounding name, and the sometimes unusual naming of places and people did on occasion draw me out of the book) a mysterious man who turns up claiming to be the only one who can save the realm of Knightdorn from the villainy of Walter Thorn. For the majority of the novel, Elliott is presented as this almost unstoppable ‘Gary Stu’, and this was a big issue for me throughout. Elliott manages win after win, and is presented in such a perfect manner that it was a real struggle to connect with him, and this extended to the other characters.
Now to offer balance to this perspective, Gregory does introduce some more multi-faceted elements to his characters later in the novel, and we see how Elliott is not always destined to win (despite how it feels). But I feel the point to be made here, is that there is a difference between a personality driven novel, and a character driven one. A personality driven novel, as I would consider Return of the Knights to be, is one driven by archetypal characters; characters that have one or two defining elements central to them Outside of Elliott, the most memorable character is John, a former military man descended into alcoholism, longing for a chance at redemption. One can see from this the archetypes at play here; the mysterious young boy raised to save the kingdom, and the grizzled old veteran plagued by his past.
Conversely a character driven novel is one where the characters further the plot and the plot furthers the character in a great symbiosis; where the characters blur the line between fiction and reality as we grow to know and perhaps even love them in all their many flaws. A character driven novel elevates story through its deep exploration of the world and the characters place in it, by letting the characters themselves tell the tale of their own making rather than have it fall into familiar structures.
Here we are thrust into a world of numerous factions and political manoeuvrings, one which grows increasingly complex. For a reader like myself, driven to drink in all the myriad details of the world and its peoples this is usually part of the joy in the telling. However, Return of the Knights finds itself hampered by an excessive reliance on exposition, and explaining each potential political outcome in great detail. It is certainly understandable why Gregory took such an approach, however the beauty and the success of worldbuilding is in its delivery, and unfortunately here the elements didn’t quite marry up. Something many authors have to learn along their journey is that giving their characters flaws to try to provide some colour isn’t quite enough to bring life to those on the page, and this was the feeling one was left with by the end.
Having said all this, the energy thrumming through this novel is undeniable. Despite the issues I had I was kept intrigued, if not fully invested. As said previously, the mystique surrounding the more mystical elements was the pinnacle here, along with the rip-roaring start. Walter Thorn was an incredibly despicable villain with Gregory injecting high levels of darkness into proceedings through his antagonist and proceedings are left in an exciting manner despite a fumbling conclusion.
Overall, it cannot be said this was a book without promise, plenty is to be found, and many fans of classic and high fantasy will find a good time if they can look past its debut flaws. Personally, it was a book I finished with a longing for what it could’ve been, but nevertheless I am confident that the sequel will be addressing some of these concerns and I will be there to cheer on our characters.
February 23, 2024
The Return of the Knights by Gregory Kontaxis is a promising epic fantasy debut!
If you like the classic style fantasy, with a big cast, scope and world, this is definitely worth a look!
While I was well entertained, I also had some gripes with the book, especially the sort of type you often find in debuts.
The chosen one trope is strong with this book, and while I can enjoy a book featuring that, it was just a tad over the top for me. He's young, bust the best fighter ever (even after having an expectational training, it just felt too much), and if that's not enough, everyone trusts him instantly and he gets super important quests.
There are also quite a lot of explaining, especially at the end of the book. I wouldn't have needed all that info dumped into the dialogue, most if it was obvious throughout the story, if you just paid attention.
There's also the obligatory bathing scene, with breasts being caressed by the water, however, later on in the book we get a similar scene with a male character, so it's less a "male gaze" thing, but more of a more sensory writing style it seems.
The last of my problems was the villain, who was just the worst baddy there ever was, for no real obvious reason, other than him being a very horrible person, and very overpowered as well.
I did however really love the big world to explore, the politics and scheming and interweaving plot strands. It's a good foundation for a series that could grow into something like A Song of Ice and Fire!
There's different mythologies and cultures involved as well, which made the world feel fresher and more nuanced.
The action scenes were well written and gripping, even if I would have liked our hero knocked down notch or 10. Fight scenes are often hit or miss for me, so I really enjoyed that part!
So all in all this wasn't a perfect book, but definitely a very promising start!
If you like the classic style fantasy, with a big cast, scope and world, this is definitely worth a look!
While I was well entertained, I also had some gripes with the book, especially the sort of type you often find in debuts.
The chosen one trope is strong with this book, and while I can enjoy a book featuring that, it was just a tad over the top for me. He's young, bust the best fighter ever (even after having an expectational training, it just felt too much), and if that's not enough, everyone trusts him instantly and he gets super important quests.
There are also quite a lot of explaining, especially at the end of the book. I wouldn't have needed all that info dumped into the dialogue, most if it was obvious throughout the story, if you just paid attention.
There's also the obligatory bathing scene, with breasts being caressed by the water, however, later on in the book we get a similar scene with a male character, so it's less a "male gaze" thing, but more of a more sensory writing style it seems.
The last of my problems was the villain, who was just the worst baddy there ever was, for no real obvious reason, other than him being a very horrible person, and very overpowered as well.
I did however really love the big world to explore, the politics and scheming and interweaving plot strands. It's a good foundation for a series that could grow into something like A Song of Ice and Fire!
There's different mythologies and cultures involved as well, which made the world feel fresher and more nuanced.
The action scenes were well written and gripping, even if I would have liked our hero knocked down notch or 10. Fight scenes are often hit or miss for me, so I really enjoyed that part!
So all in all this wasn't a perfect book, but definitely a very promising start!
April 18, 2023
The Palace of the Dawn will soon be stormed. The most ruthless man of all time is one step away from assailing on Iovbridge and dethroning Sophie Delamere. The Queen of Knightdorn is now alone, with neither allies nor an army capable of rebuffing the enemy which is approaching her city. Everything appears to be over, until a mysterious young man, Elliot, makes his appearance.
Entangled in a web of lies and politics, Elliot will try to draw Walter away from Iovbridge and face him in the stronghold of Wirskworth. He will attempt to rekindle relations and revive the old alliance between the Queen of Knightdorn and Syrella Endor, the Governor of Wirskworth. Elliot’s mission will take every fibre of his will and if he fails, so shall the kingdom.
Game Of Thrones meets Greek mythology in this explosive epic fantasy story, packed with war, medieval lore, magic, loyalty, and bravery. The first book in the series, The Dance of Light, will take you on an epic journey to a fantasy world of men and mythical creatures which will keep you spellbound till the very end.
I am always on the lookout for new stories so when I saw the cover for The Return of the Knights, I just had to look up the blurb and hear what this was all about. Gregory has put out an amazing epic fantasy debut for his The Dance of Light series that is filled with epic battles, political intrigue and magic that makes for a brilliant first novel. There are drips of emotional intensity that spark the imagination that can be a tad overwhelming but the more we explore this world, the more I can see this becoming a fantastic series.
There are foundations laid here that do need work. The story is interesting and unique and has the potential to build on a classic base of characters, but some felt 2D when they should have gotten more spotlight. The suspense and mystery were perhaps my favourite part and the messages that Gregory conveyed throughout were handled well. This is a story that feels familiar but knocks some of those tropes out the park.
The book itself felt like it could have been condensed and some parts felt repetitive. There were some overly analysed conversations that drew me out at times, but I was pulled back in by the story itself. Gregory Kontaxis has made a great structure for this series, and I hope that it can be tightened for the future because I'm excited to see where this goes.
Entangled in a web of lies and politics, Elliot will try to draw Walter away from Iovbridge and face him in the stronghold of Wirskworth. He will attempt to rekindle relations and revive the old alliance between the Queen of Knightdorn and Syrella Endor, the Governor of Wirskworth. Elliot’s mission will take every fibre of his will and if he fails, so shall the kingdom.
Game Of Thrones meets Greek mythology in this explosive epic fantasy story, packed with war, medieval lore, magic, loyalty, and bravery. The first book in the series, The Dance of Light, will take you on an epic journey to a fantasy world of men and mythical creatures which will keep you spellbound till the very end.
I am always on the lookout for new stories so when I saw the cover for The Return of the Knights, I just had to look up the blurb and hear what this was all about. Gregory has put out an amazing epic fantasy debut for his The Dance of Light series that is filled with epic battles, political intrigue and magic that makes for a brilliant first novel. There are drips of emotional intensity that spark the imagination that can be a tad overwhelming but the more we explore this world, the more I can see this becoming a fantastic series.
There are foundations laid here that do need work. The story is interesting and unique and has the potential to build on a classic base of characters, but some felt 2D when they should have gotten more spotlight. The suspense and mystery were perhaps my favourite part and the messages that Gregory conveyed throughout were handled well. This is a story that feels familiar but knocks some of those tropes out the park.
The book itself felt like it could have been condensed and some parts felt repetitive. There were some overly analysed conversations that drew me out at times, but I was pulled back in by the story itself. Gregory Kontaxis has made a great structure for this series, and I hope that it can be tightened for the future because I'm excited to see where this goes.
May 7, 2023
Όταν ο Γρηγόρης με προσέγγισε για να διαβάσω το βιβλί�� του, ομολογώ με πέτυχε σε μια πολύ δύσκολη φάση της αναγνωστικής ζωής μου. Μετά από καθημερινό και πολύ διάβασμα, χρειαζόμουν μια περίοδο ξεκούρασης και αποχής. Φαντάζεστε λοιπόν πως ένιωσα όταν αντίκρισα το 500 σελίδων βιβλίο και έμαθα ότι αποτελεί το πρώτα από μια πενταλογία! Παρόλα αυτά, ξεκινώντας, η ιστορία με αντάμειψε με το παραπάνω. Οι σελίδες έτρεχαν χωρίς πρόβλημα και άνετα.
Περισσότερα σε κάποιο από τα επόμενα τεύχη του περιοδικού Αλλόκοσμες Ιστορίες
Περισσότερα σε κάποιο από τα επόμενα τεύχη του περιοδικού Αλλόκοσμες Ιστορίες
April 26, 2023
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. First off, the cover of this book is so gorgeous. Kontaxis has created a world that is filled with lore, magic, and mythical creatures. It gave off Game of Thrones and Percy Jackson vibes. There were several different POVs in the story that give you a look at almost all sides of those involved in the conflict. Walter is definitely a terrifying villain and Sophie becomes morally gray compared to how she is first portrayed. There were a lot of great female characters and the twist at the end was interesting. I struggled to like Elliot. While his arrogance is noted, not many people do much to set him straight. He does learn his lesson in the end but it doesn't really feel like he changed much. While he sets off while an interesting group of people, the only person we don't get a POV for us Eleanor and I felt that was a missed opportunity to bring out her character besides her being a woman who fights and needs to be protected by the group. Her romance with Morys felt rushed and almost out of nowhere. I also thought she was much younger than him so it caught me off guard. I wasn't a fan of Morys dying and still felt like the character had more to offer. The pacing in places felt a bit off. There was a lot of exposition that bogged down the narrative and some of which felt unnecessary. I did like Syrella, Peter, and John as characters. This series has a lot of potential and no doubt Kontaxis has a lot in store for Elliot and the others. 3.5 out of 5, rounded up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2023
The Queen of Knightdorn braces for the last defence. Her enemy ruthlessly destroying all in its path. All seems lost as a mysterious boy enters the palace grounds.
Fantastic classic fantasy! World of scheming, politics, battle & mythological creatures.
Loved it. Ready for book 2!
Fantastic classic fantasy! World of scheming, politics, battle & mythological creatures.
Loved it. Ready for book 2!
September 12, 2023
3/5 Stars
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Readers will be pulled in with bloody battles, classic fantasy tropes and political intrigue all set within this Greek fantasy epic. Originally published in Greek, The Return of the Knights is book 1 in The Dance of Light series and Gregory Kontaxis’ debut novel.
The story follows the conflicts between the Queen of Knightdorn and leader of a rebellion, Walter Thorn. Walter is a ruthless man, who will stop at nothing to obtain her throne and his victory appears close at hand. After suffering several losses to Walter with no hope in sight, a young man named Elliot arrives with a plan that could save the Queen in her hour of need.
Elliot is a young man trained by his master and raised in a small village towards one purpose in life. Despite his humble upbringing he demonstrates great skill and loyalty to the Queen of Knightdorn. Yet, while he shows great skill with combat, and strategy; he is also rash, arrogant, and at times naïve. To me, this made Elliot a believable, yet flawed protagonist. I found myself both rooting for and against him at times due to his behaviour or choices, which makes sense considering Elliot is seventeen years old throughout the story.
Walter, on the other hand, quickly caught my interest. He is unapologetically cruel and efficient in his quest for the throne. The means he uses to punish and the POVs we saw from his character demonstrated a calculating mind and remorseless heart making him a compelling villain.
I also found the political scheming, strategies, betrayals, and the tensions within the plot were well written. All these developments were enticing in their complexity, and yet it felt like we only scratched the surface. The same can be said for the rich world, lore, and mythical creatures. The scope of the world feels large, and carefully built while maintaining an air of mystery.
I was also surprised by how quickly I was pulled into the world, story, characters, and the severity of their circumstances. Within the first 20%, Gregory Kontaxis drops readers right into action, and history making this complex political intrigue accessible.
Not only that, but it also features a Knights, animal companions, the chosen one and band of misfits tropes, war, reveals, twists, and much more.
However, as a character driven reader I found the choice of storytelling took me out of the reading experience at times. It felt plot driven, lacked character growth I often crave, and relied on telling rather than showing.
Despite this, the complexity of the world, plot, and the fantastic action scenes remained enticing and shows that Gregory Kontaxis is an author to watch.
I look forward to continuing the series to see what happens next and recommend this for fans of plot driven political fantasy with a refreshing lore.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Readers will be pulled in with bloody battles, classic fantasy tropes and political intrigue all set within this Greek fantasy epic. Originally published in Greek, The Return of the Knights is book 1 in The Dance of Light series and Gregory Kontaxis’ debut novel.
The story follows the conflicts between the Queen of Knightdorn and leader of a rebellion, Walter Thorn. Walter is a ruthless man, who will stop at nothing to obtain her throne and his victory appears close at hand. After suffering several losses to Walter with no hope in sight, a young man named Elliot arrives with a plan that could save the Queen in her hour of need.
Elliot is a young man trained by his master and raised in a small village towards one purpose in life. Despite his humble upbringing he demonstrates great skill and loyalty to the Queen of Knightdorn. Yet, while he shows great skill with combat, and strategy; he is also rash, arrogant, and at times naïve. To me, this made Elliot a believable, yet flawed protagonist. I found myself both rooting for and against him at times due to his behaviour or choices, which makes sense considering Elliot is seventeen years old throughout the story.
Walter, on the other hand, quickly caught my interest. He is unapologetically cruel and efficient in his quest for the throne. The means he uses to punish and the POVs we saw from his character demonstrated a calculating mind and remorseless heart making him a compelling villain.
I also found the political scheming, strategies, betrayals, and the tensions within the plot were well written. All these developments were enticing in their complexity, and yet it felt like we only scratched the surface. The same can be said for the rich world, lore, and mythical creatures. The scope of the world feels large, and carefully built while maintaining an air of mystery.
I was also surprised by how quickly I was pulled into the world, story, characters, and the severity of their circumstances. Within the first 20%, Gregory Kontaxis drops readers right into action, and history making this complex political intrigue accessible.
Not only that, but it also features a Knights, animal companions, the chosen one and band of misfits tropes, war, reveals, twists, and much more.
However, as a character driven reader I found the choice of storytelling took me out of the reading experience at times. It felt plot driven, lacked character growth I often crave, and relied on telling rather than showing.
Despite this, the complexity of the world, plot, and the fantastic action scenes remained enticing and shows that Gregory Kontaxis is an author to watch.
I look forward to continuing the series to see what happens next and recommend this for fans of plot driven political fantasy with a refreshing lore.
September 29, 2022
Αν είσαι κι εσύ λάτρης των βιβλίων επικής φαντασίας και σε εξάπτει η δράση, οι μάχες, τα φανταστικά πλάσματα και η έξυπνη στρατηγική, τότε αυτό το βιβλίο είναι ακριβώς αυτό που ψάχνεις.
Το Νάιντρον, ύστερα απο 17 χρόνια σθεναρής μάχης, κινδυνεύει να πέσει στα χέρια του πιο αιμοδιψή δολοφόνου, του Γουόλτερ Θορν. Το στέμμα απειλείται και η βασίλισσα Σοφί, ένα βήμα πριν την ολοκληρωτική κατάρρευση, ολιγωρεί. Ένα αγόρι άγνωστο, ένας άριστος πολεμιστής δίχως ταυτότητα, έρχεται να αποκαλύψει ένα ρηξικέλευθο σχέδιο, του οποίου η επίτευξη μοιάζει ταυτόχρονα απίθανη μα και τελευταία ελπίδα για σωτηρία. Το παιδί αυτό, κρατώντας στα χέρια του ζωές, θα βαδίσει στο ζοφερό μονοπάτι του κινδύνου.
Το βιβλίο αυτό απαρτίζεται απο δύο μέρη. Το πρώτο μέρος αφορά την ένταξη του αναγνώστη στον ευφάνταστο φανταστικό κόσμο που έχει πλάσει ο συγγραφέας και φυσικά στη σταδιακή ένταξη στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες. Μύθοι,θρύλοι,ιστορίες του βασιλείου ξετυλίγονται. Σε εκείνο το σημείο παρατήρησα πως υπήρχαν πολλές πληροφορίες που μπερδεύουν κάπως. Ωστόσο, τόσο οι σημειώσεις στις τελευταίες σελίδες, όσο και οι χάρτες στην αρχή, μπορούν να φανούν ιδιαίτερα βοηθητικοί. Στο δεύτερο μέρος, έχοντας πια γνωρίσει τον κόσμο θεωρητικά, ερχόμαστε να τον δούμε πρακτικά. Νέα πρόσωπα, ανατροπές, αιματηρές μάχες και προκλήσεις που κόβουν την ανάσα.
Η γραφή του συγγραφέα, μέστη από εικόνες και με μια δόση από την λυρικότητα που αρμόζει στην συγκεκριμένη θεματολογία, μας παρασύρει στο όμορφο Νάιντρον και μας γνωρίζει τους καλοδομημένους χαρακτήρες, χαρίζοντας σκέψεις και αναμνήσεις.
Ανεξαρτήτως θεματολογίας, προσωπικά εκτιμώ να βλέπω καλογραμμένους χαρακτήρες. Χαρακτήρες ανθρώπινους που βλέπει κανείς να μεγαλώνουν και να ωριμάζουν, να κάνουν λάθη, να μετανιώνουν, να νιώθουν την καρδιά τους να σκιρτά και ο χτύπος της να φτάνει στο στέρνο του αναγνώστη. Οι χαρακτήρες του συγκεκριμένου έργου με εξέπληξαν πολλές φορές, άλλοτε ευχάριστα και άλλοτε δυσάρεστα. Ωστόσο όλοι τους ήταν μοναδικοί. (Καλά αγάπησα τον Έλιοτ λίγο παραπάνω. Το είπα!🤣)
Ευφάνταστοι μύθοι για το βασίλειο και το παρελθόν του, για μάχες και μαγικά πλάσματα που με έκαναν να θαυμάσω αυτή την κοσμογονία. Μα περισσότερο θαύμασα την προσοχή με την οποία γράφτηκε κάθε λέξη. Εκτίμησα και απομνημόνευσα πολλές "φράσεις κλειδιά" για τη ζωή που είδα να ξεπετάγονται σαν μαργαριτάρια από τις αράδες του συγγραφέα. Περνά σημαντικά μυνήματα!
Φυσικά προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα σε κάθε λάτρη (και μη) της επικής φαντασίας!
Το Νάιντρον, ύστερα απο 17 χρόνια σθεναρής μάχης, κινδυνεύει να πέσει στα χέρια του πιο αιμοδιψή δολοφόνου, του Γουόλτερ Θορν. Το στέμμα απειλείται και η βασίλισσα Σοφί, ένα βήμα πριν την ολοκληρωτική κατάρρευση, ολιγωρεί. Ένα αγόρι άγνωστο, ένας άριστος πολεμιστής δίχως ταυτότητα, έρχεται να αποκαλύψει ένα ρηξικέλευθο σχέδιο, του οποίου η επίτευξη μοιάζει ταυτόχρονα απίθανη μα και τελευταία ελπίδα για σωτηρία. Το παιδί αυτό, κρατώντας στα χέρια του ζωές, θα βαδίσει στο ζοφερό μονοπάτι του κινδύνου.
Το βιβλίο αυτό απαρτίζεται απο δύο μέρη. Το πρώτο μέρος αφορά την ένταξη του αναγνώστη στον ευφάνταστο φανταστικό κόσμο που έχει πλάσει ο συγγραφέας και φυσικά στη σταδιακή ένταξη στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες. Μύθοι,θρύλοι,ιστορίες του βασιλείου ξετυλίγονται. Σε εκείνο το σημείο παρατήρησα πως υπήρχαν πολλές πληροφορίες που μπερδεύουν κάπως. Ωστόσο, τόσο οι σημειώσεις στις τελευταίες σελίδες, όσο και οι χάρτες στην αρχή, μπορούν να φανούν ιδιαίτερα βοηθητικοί. Στο δεύτερο μέρος, έχοντας πια γνωρίσει τον κόσμο θεωρητικά, ερχόμαστε να τον δούμε πρακτικά. Νέα πρόσωπα, ανατροπές, αιματηρές μάχες και προκλήσεις που κόβουν την ανάσα.
Η γραφή του συγγραφέα, μέστη από εικόνες και με μια δόση από την λυρικότητα που αρμόζει στην συγκεκριμένη θεματολογία, μας παρασύρει στο όμορφο Νάιντρον και μας γνωρίζει τους καλοδομημένους χαρακτήρες, χαρίζοντας σκέψεις και αναμνήσεις.
Ανεξαρτήτως θεματολογίας, προσωπικά εκτιμώ να βλέπω καλογραμμένους χαρακτήρες. Χαρακτήρες ανθρώπινους που βλέπει κανείς να μεγαλώνουν και να ωριμάζουν, να κάνουν λάθη, να μετανιώνουν, να νιώθουν την καρδιά τους να σκιρτά και ο χτύπος της να φτάνει στο στέρνο του αναγνώστη. Οι χαρακτήρες του συγκεκριμένου έργου με εξέπληξαν πολλές φορές, άλλοτε ευχάριστα και άλλοτε δυσάρεστα. Ωστόσο όλοι τους ήταν μοναδικοί. (Καλά αγάπησα τον Έλιοτ λίγο παραπάνω. Το είπα!🤣)
Ευφάνταστοι μύθοι για το βασίλειο και το παρελθόν του, για μάχες και μαγικά πλάσματα που με έκαναν να θαυμάσω αυτή την κοσμογονία. Μα περισσότερο θαύμασα την προσοχή με την οποία γράφτηκε κάθε λέξη. Εκτίμησα και απομνημόνευσα πολλές "φράσεις κλειδιά" για τη ζωή που είδα να ξεπετάγονται σαν μαργαριτάρια από τις αράδες του συγγραφέα. Περνά σημαντικά μυνήματα!
Φυσικά προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα σε κάθε λάτρη (και μη) της επικής φαντασίας!
April 9, 2023
Interesting tale, nice story development. I would have like a little more development of the different characters and a bit of background for the main character Elliott and some of the other main characters. However still an enjoyable tale to read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2023
Review: The Return of the Knights by Gregory Kontaxis
Synopsis
Knightdorn faces its darkest hour. The invincible forces of Walter Thorn approach Iovbridge, intent on dethroning Queen Sophie Delamere and crowning a tyrant.
When all hope seems lost, youthful Elliot announces himself before the queen as a knight, a title banned due to a betrayal and conduct of the Royal Guard. His skills with the sword are formidable. His confidence is unwavering. More importantly, he has a plan to stop Thorn.
With time running out to rekindle old alliances within the world of men and mythical beasts, Elliot and his newfound friends before Thorn suspects their trickery.
Review:
Gregory Kontaxis. Remember the name as there’s a lot more to come from this author. A lot more. Not content with starting out with a standalone or a trilogy, oh no, Kontaxis boldly swoops in with the first in a pentalogy; his The Dance of Light series.
It’s this confidence that is imbued in the book’s protagonist, Elliot (surname not included because … spoilers). We’re introduced to Elliot’s prowess with the sword in the book’s prologue and soon find him to be a flawed and fledgling hero when he appears again. Here’s a thing I liked about this novel - I liked the supporting characters and the antagonist, Walter Thorn, more.
Wait, what? Are you telling me, Beardy, that you didn’t like the main character? Well … yes and no. I didn’t like how stubborn and headstrong he is. I didn’t like how he feels that everyone should simply listen to him because he’s an excellent fighter. But I liked that he learned real quickly that he needed to change his approach, how he forms strong bonds with his companions and betters to combat Thorn.
Much like Queen Sophie’s advisors, I actually don’t believe we’re meant to like Elliot at first. But the triumph of The Return of the Knights is seeing this petulant boy grow into an increasingly competent knight worthy of the title. I loved that by the end of the book he’s no longer a pompous kid but a wartorn leader with a strategy of his own.
I feel that too often tales like this feature a generic lead character who comes out of nowhere and is immediately the chosen one. Unfortunately several books can’t escape the resulting bland and damp squib of a saga that follows. Kontaxis takes this trope but breathes in some actual character growth to make it interesting. As such, we get a deeply satisfying arc to cut through the politics and the warfare like a mighty vanguard.
Not Another Odysseus
Another key area to point out here is the Greek mythological element to the story. This isn’t a lazy rehash of Odysseus or Hercules but a blossoming epic that cleverly borrows some of the elements of Greek mythology we know and love. Centaurs and Pegasi feature heavily in the lore more so than gods and ancient heroes. In this way, Kontaxis is like some Grecian wizard of Oz - pay no attention to the man behind the κουρτίνα - bringing some new colour to old legends.
There are moments where the prose flits to this mythical style that I find hard to describe. All I can say is that these were the moments of the book I enjoyed the most and didn’t want to finish. Everything soared into the mythological and the fantastical before effortlessly landing back into the plot to screw over the scenery-chewing baddie. Real satisfying reading.
And what a baddie. Walter Thorn is insidious. He Joffrey grown up and, terrifyingly, made competent.. He’s just so evil. Real elements of Cluny the Scourge incalculable cruelty and villainy but with enough depth to make him compelling. He also has a poisonous white tiger. Yep.
When you’re not warming to Elliot or shaking your fist at Thorn, there’s a perfectly competent backing cast to accompany you along the journey through Knightdorn. And with this cast, Kontaxis gives a real mezze of themes throughout: found family, the chosen one, elder races, mythical curses, siege warfare, battles, revenge, heartbreaking character deaths; the list can go on and on.
My Two Cent[aur]s’ Worth
As you can see in that last paragraph, if there’s one criticism I can level at the book is that there’s a lot to take in when it comes to TRotK. There are some moments that could have been equally as effective in later instalments of the series but these are not many.
It could well be that if you enjoy a book that sticks to one or two tropes then you might struggle with some elements of TRofK but it’s not something that spoiled my enjoyment of the novel. Yes, there were plenty of tropes on display but it never felt like the author was ticking off a list.
The political elements were mercifully not too political. I like my grand plans easy to follow and Elliot’s masterplan made sense and played out in a believable way. Queen Sophie’s progression from beleaguered and reluctant ruler to a more ruthless politician was a neat touch and I look forward to seeing what happens as the war with Thorn develops.
The Endless Knight
Kontaxis clearly earns a “one-to-watch” reputation and I’m excited to see where this series goes. There seems to be the potential for the Greek Myth elements to ramp up in the sequels after TRotK gives us an early taste. With a novella out in November we thankfully don’t need to wait too long to see Kontaxis’ new mythology style again.
Synopsis
Knightdorn faces its darkest hour. The invincible forces of Walter Thorn approach Iovbridge, intent on dethroning Queen Sophie Delamere and crowning a tyrant.
When all hope seems lost, youthful Elliot announces himself before the queen as a knight, a title banned due to a betrayal and conduct of the Royal Guard. His skills with the sword are formidable. His confidence is unwavering. More importantly, he has a plan to stop Thorn.
With time running out to rekindle old alliances within the world of men and mythical beasts, Elliot and his newfound friends before Thorn suspects their trickery.
Review:
Gregory Kontaxis. Remember the name as there’s a lot more to come from this author. A lot more. Not content with starting out with a standalone or a trilogy, oh no, Kontaxis boldly swoops in with the first in a pentalogy; his The Dance of Light series.
It’s this confidence that is imbued in the book’s protagonist, Elliot (surname not included because … spoilers). We’re introduced to Elliot’s prowess with the sword in the book’s prologue and soon find him to be a flawed and fledgling hero when he appears again. Here’s a thing I liked about this novel - I liked the supporting characters and the antagonist, Walter Thorn, more.
Wait, what? Are you telling me, Beardy, that you didn’t like the main character? Well … yes and no. I didn’t like how stubborn and headstrong he is. I didn’t like how he feels that everyone should simply listen to him because he’s an excellent fighter. But I liked that he learned real quickly that he needed to change his approach, how he forms strong bonds with his companions and betters to combat Thorn.
Much like Queen Sophie’s advisors, I actually don’t believe we’re meant to like Elliot at first. But the triumph of The Return of the Knights is seeing this petulant boy grow into an increasingly competent knight worthy of the title. I loved that by the end of the book he’s no longer a pompous kid but a wartorn leader with a strategy of his own.
I feel that too often tales like this feature a generic lead character who comes out of nowhere and is immediately the chosen one. Unfortunately several books can’t escape the resulting bland and damp squib of a saga that follows. Kontaxis takes this trope but breathes in some actual character growth to make it interesting. As such, we get a deeply satisfying arc to cut through the politics and the warfare like a mighty vanguard.
Not Another Odysseus
Another key area to point out here is the Greek mythological element to the story. This isn’t a lazy rehash of Odysseus or Hercules but a blossoming epic that cleverly borrows some of the elements of Greek mythology we know and love. Centaurs and Pegasi feature heavily in the lore more so than gods and ancient heroes. In this way, Kontaxis is like some Grecian wizard of Oz - pay no attention to the man behind the κουρτίνα - bringing some new colour to old legends.
There are moments where the prose flits to this mythical style that I find hard to describe. All I can say is that these were the moments of the book I enjoyed the most and didn’t want to finish. Everything soared into the mythological and the fantastical before effortlessly landing back into the plot to screw over the scenery-chewing baddie. Real satisfying reading.
And what a baddie. Walter Thorn is insidious. He Joffrey grown up and, terrifyingly, made competent.. He’s just so evil. Real elements of Cluny the Scourge incalculable cruelty and villainy but with enough depth to make him compelling. He also has a poisonous white tiger. Yep.
When you’re not warming to Elliot or shaking your fist at Thorn, there’s a perfectly competent backing cast to accompany you along the journey through Knightdorn. And with this cast, Kontaxis gives a real mezze of themes throughout: found family, the chosen one, elder races, mythical curses, siege warfare, battles, revenge, heartbreaking character deaths; the list can go on and on.
My Two Cent[aur]s’ Worth
As you can see in that last paragraph, if there’s one criticism I can level at the book is that there’s a lot to take in when it comes to TRotK. There are some moments that could have been equally as effective in later instalments of the series but these are not many.
It could well be that if you enjoy a book that sticks to one or two tropes then you might struggle with some elements of TRofK but it’s not something that spoiled my enjoyment of the novel. Yes, there were plenty of tropes on display but it never felt like the author was ticking off a list.
The political elements were mercifully not too political. I like my grand plans easy to follow and Elliot’s masterplan made sense and played out in a believable way. Queen Sophie’s progression from beleaguered and reluctant ruler to a more ruthless politician was a neat touch and I look forward to seeing what happens as the war with Thorn develops.
The Endless Knight
Kontaxis clearly earns a “one-to-watch” reputation and I’m excited to see where this series goes. There seems to be the potential for the Greek Myth elements to ramp up in the sequels after TRotK gives us an early taste. With a novella out in November we thankfully don’t need to wait too long to see Kontaxis’ new mythology style again.
February 28, 2024
Thank you to Gregory Kontaxis for the ebook in exchange for review. And apologies or the delay in getting the review out in the world.
***
3.5 rounded up
The Return of the Knights brings a heroic tale of a young man’s journey to lead a nation to stand against an invading army led by the tyrant Walter Thorn.
There was a lot to like in this book. This is a very classical feeling story. We know who the villain is and the hero and most of the side characters fall to one side of the other. I’m a fan of the classics so I enjoy a lot of the tropes that come along with the labels. Personally, I just like it when I can hate the bad guy and have fun doing it.
*
Elliot is our rising star. Raised and trained by a grandmaster - he is skilled in the art of war and is quick thinking. This is somewhat of a coming-of-age tale for him- though he already has the skills, his growth comes more in the learning and accepting of his family and his mentors’ choices for him etc.
Elliot can be rather brash and his ego is large at times, and I admit, deservedly, when it comes to his skills. Let’s just say he didn’t lack confidence and that boldness (though his heart was always in the right place) didn’t always make him the most likeable character.
Walter Thorn is the aforementioned tyrant. Walter feels like such a tame name, for a man whose rebellion has kept the country at war for the last twenty years- killing and pillaging his way across the land, doesn’t it? But don’t the name fool you, he’s a nasty piece of work. I appreciated that he was as smart and capable as a man of his station that has accomplished near domination should be. I hate it when the enemy is an idiot and easily falls in the end.
There is a huge amount of history and lore in this world. Every part of the map they travel to, we get a story about its people and their history. While I loved how it gave the world and story, this vibe of a collection of legends- its downfall was the huge amount of people that it added to the story making it hard to know who will be important to remember for later. The upside was that the legends were really cool and I enjoyed them.
I love good plotty behind the scenes strategic sessions, especially when it involves moving armies around or siege strategies and Return of the Knights has that in spades. This was a double-edged sword for me, because while I love that sort of thing, it bordered on the side of too much sometimes when it came to the exploring of every possible outcome of the enemies’ movements. At times, it could be a little exhausting in that respect. I did love how it showcased how smart these two leaders were and it kept you guessing to the end who would come out on top.
TLDR:
Return of the Knights is a really fun story in that classic fantasy vein. The characters and the story itself have that feel of legends in the making- building to something grand as they work together to change the world around them. I had a few niggles here and there and I can’t say I wasn’t daunted by that massive glossary at the beginning, but it settles. If you love your stories, full of myths and creatures with heroic young men and women, fighting for justice and love - Return of the Knights is a great choice and looks to be a promising beginning to this series.
Other notes-
Considering this was translated from its original Greek, I have to be incredibly impressed with how well the story was put together and told. I never once had a moment where I felt meaning or intent was off or lost in translation.
Also, nothing against the name Walter (it’s actually a family name for us) I just need an intro. 😊
***
3.5 rounded up
The Return of the Knights brings a heroic tale of a young man’s journey to lead a nation to stand against an invading army led by the tyrant Walter Thorn.
There was a lot to like in this book. This is a very classical feeling story. We know who the villain is and the hero and most of the side characters fall to one side of the other. I’m a fan of the classics so I enjoy a lot of the tropes that come along with the labels. Personally, I just like it when I can hate the bad guy and have fun doing it.
*
Elliot is our rising star. Raised and trained by a grandmaster - he is skilled in the art of war and is quick thinking. This is somewhat of a coming-of-age tale for him- though he already has the skills, his growth comes more in the learning and accepting of his family and his mentors’ choices for him etc.
Elliot can be rather brash and his ego is large at times, and I admit, deservedly, when it comes to his skills. Let’s just say he didn’t lack confidence and that boldness (though his heart was always in the right place) didn’t always make him the most likeable character.
Walter Thorn is the aforementioned tyrant. Walter feels like such a tame name, for a man whose rebellion has kept the country at war for the last twenty years- killing and pillaging his way across the land, doesn’t it? But don’t the name fool you, he’s a nasty piece of work. I appreciated that he was as smart and capable as a man of his station that has accomplished near domination should be. I hate it when the enemy is an idiot and easily falls in the end.
There is a huge amount of history and lore in this world. Every part of the map they travel to, we get a story about its people and their history. While I loved how it gave the world and story, this vibe of a collection of legends- its downfall was the huge amount of people that it added to the story making it hard to know who will be important to remember for later. The upside was that the legends were really cool and I enjoyed them.
I love good plotty behind the scenes strategic sessions, especially when it involves moving armies around or siege strategies and Return of the Knights has that in spades. This was a double-edged sword for me, because while I love that sort of thing, it bordered on the side of too much sometimes when it came to the exploring of every possible outcome of the enemies’ movements. At times, it could be a little exhausting in that respect. I did love how it showcased how smart these two leaders were and it kept you guessing to the end who would come out on top.
TLDR:
Return of the Knights is a really fun story in that classic fantasy vein. The characters and the story itself have that feel of legends in the making- building to something grand as they work together to change the world around them. I had a few niggles here and there and I can’t say I wasn’t daunted by that massive glossary at the beginning, but it settles. If you love your stories, full of myths and creatures with heroic young men and women, fighting for justice and love - Return of the Knights is a great choice and looks to be a promising beginning to this series.
Other notes-
Considering this was translated from its original Greek, I have to be incredibly impressed with how well the story was put together and told. I never once had a moment where I felt meaning or intent was off or lost in translation.
Also, nothing against the name Walter (it’s actually a family name for us) I just need an intro. 😊
April 11, 2025
Thoughts to come
Honestly I don't think the audiobook narrator did this one any favors. I had to go to the ebook. The breathy voices and female parts just. I'm sorry. I couldn't. And that makes me sad because I won this in a giveaway the author hosted.
There is just an ungodly amount of name, place, and other info dumping and political / military intrigue in a world where I don't feel like I'm connected enough to the setting yet to appreciate it. This was especially difficult in the audiobook unless one had the index handy, and that's just way too much work so I let the names and places roll over me.
These characters just come out of nowhere and jump into the plot like ... 🤷♀️
I think someone who has not read a lot of fantasy might be into this but it's a little bit difficult to see the surface skimmed off something that would normally be 2-3 books in a deeper world build ....
Honestly I don't think the audiobook narrator did this one any favors. I had to go to the ebook. The breathy voices and female parts just. I'm sorry. I couldn't. And that makes me sad because I won this in a giveaway the author hosted.
There is just an ungodly amount of name, place, and other info dumping and political / military intrigue in a world where I don't feel like I'm connected enough to the setting yet to appreciate it. This was especially difficult in the audiobook unless one had the index handy, and that's just way too much work so I let the names and places roll over me.
These characters just come out of nowhere and jump into the plot like ... 🤷♀️
I think someone who has not read a lot of fantasy might be into this but it's a little bit difficult to see the surface skimmed off something that would normally be 2-3 books in a deeper world build ....
June 2, 2023
This was a very good story!!
If you are a fan of strategic warfare, I think this book will be right up your alley. It was very impressive, to me, the strategy between the two opposing forces. This has a really great blend of some backstory that catapults you into the current state.
This was such an easy read that the first time I sat the book down I was already 100 pages deep. It blending politics and war and family histories together beautifully. Just when you needed a little action, boom, someone is fighting. Then when you needed a little slower pace, our characters even had time to get Jiggy with it dancing.
It wasn’t all fun and games. Big bad Walter is an amazing villain. He can sling that sword as good as anyone in the land and he is a very smart tactician. Good thing there is a hero in the form of a young man named Elliot. He is a classical hero. Came from nothing but can swing that sword himself and he knows strategy. It was a fun mouse and cat game they played.
It’s hard for me to give reviews without spoiling anything but I really think this book hit all the high points of classic fantasy and is really set up perfectly for future books. I enjoyed it immensely and believe this has so much potential moving forward.
If you are a fan of strategic warfare, I think this book will be right up your alley. It was very impressive, to me, the strategy between the two opposing forces. This has a really great blend of some backstory that catapults you into the current state.
This was such an easy read that the first time I sat the book down I was already 100 pages deep. It blending politics and war and family histories together beautifully. Just when you needed a little action, boom, someone is fighting. Then when you needed a little slower pace, our characters even had time to get Jiggy with it dancing.
It wasn’t all fun and games. Big bad Walter is an amazing villain. He can sling that sword as good as anyone in the land and he is a very smart tactician. Good thing there is a hero in the form of a young man named Elliot. He is a classical hero. Came from nothing but can swing that sword himself and he knows strategy. It was a fun mouse and cat game they played.
It’s hard for me to give reviews without spoiling anything but I really think this book hit all the high points of classic fantasy and is really set up perfectly for future books. I enjoyed it immensely and believe this has so much potential moving forward.
September 26, 2022
Ένα καταπληκτικό βιβλίο Επικής Φαντασίας, με τρομερή πλοκή, που αδυνατούσα να το αφήσω από τα χέρια μου.
Ο συγγραφέας έχει δώσει όλη του την ψυχή να μας χτίσει έναν κόσμο αντάξιο των φανταστικών κόσμων που έχουμε διαβάσει από μεγάλους συγγραφείς ή έχουμε δει σε τηλεοπτικές σειρές/ταινίες.
Οι χαρακτήρες δένουν πολύ μεταξύ τους, τους βρήκα συναρπαστικούς και γοητευτικούς και η φαντασία του συγγραφέα φαίνεται να είναι αστείρευτη.
Μαγεία, μυστήριο, έρωτας, πόλεμος, μάχη, πλάσματα.
Τι άλλο να ζητήσω; Ίσως να το δω να μεταφέρεται στη μεγάλη οθόνη!!
Απλά Φανταστικό!!! Και το βασικότερο, κυκλοφόρησε πρώτα στο εξωτερικό στα αγγλικά και μετά μεταφράστηκε 🙌
Ο συγγραφέας έχει δώσει όλη του την ψυχή να μας χτίσει έναν κόσμο αντάξιο των φανταστικών κόσμων που έχουμε διαβάσει από μεγάλους συγγραφείς ή έχουμε δει σε τηλεοπτικές σειρές/ταινίες.
Οι χαρακτήρες δένουν πολύ μεταξύ τους, τους βρήκα συναρπαστικούς και γοητευτικούς και η φαντασία του συγγραφέα φαίνεται να είναι αστείρευτη.
Μαγεία, μυστήριο, έρωτας, πόλεμος, μάχη, πλάσματα.
Τι άλλο να ζητήσω; Ίσως να το δω να μεταφέρεται στη μεγάλη οθόνη!!
Απλά Φανταστικό!!! Και το βασικότερο, κυκλοφόρησε πρώτα στο εξωτερικό στα αγγλικά και μετά μεταφράστηκε 🙌
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