Kwin

by Trudie Collins

Not everything is always as it seems Kwin is a soldier, Commander of the Western battalion. He and his men have killed more Wayvern raiders than any other platoon. It had been a good idea. Enter Wayvern, allow himself to be captured and made a slave, use his magic to escape, find his kidnapped bride-to-be, rescue her and return to Tippet. But that’s not what happened. Now Kwin is a slave and his magical abilities have been suppressed. He has no idea where Shona is, how he is going to find her or how he can escape. But something about Luka is different. She purchased him as a pleasure slave, but won’t allow him anywhere near her. She is hiding many secrets. Her other slaves treat her as a friend instead of their owner. And her magically enhanced pet dog is much more than he seems. Gareth joined his best friend in his quest to rescue his bride to keep him out of trouble. Now he finds himself in more danger than he has ever encountered before. Owned by a woman who likes to play games with his life, as well as his body, his only hope is that Kwin will find a way for them both to escape. With not just his life on the line, can Kwin discover Luka’s secrets and use them to free himself before it’s too late for those he holds most dear?

Genres: Fantasy

362 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2018

Reviews

[Anthony Kohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kwin Longbow is a warrior. Not just a warrior; he’s the commander of the Western Battalion. His close friend, Gareth, is his second-in-command.

The king has ordered Kwin to wed Shona, daughter of one of his most important retainers. Unfortunately, just before the wedding, Shona – along with a lot of others from her father’s estate – are kidnapped by raiders from the neighboring kingdom to be sold as slaves.

Kwin’s duty is clear – he has to leave Tippet and enter Wayvern to rescue his bride – even though they have yet to meet. Along the way, he and Gareth – because Gareth couldn’t let his best friend go alone, could he? – are enslaved, sold to different masters and have a number of harrowing adventures.

Kwin eventually finds Shona, but by then the prospect of marrying her has lost a bit of its luster. Not that she isn’t still a lovely young lady, one that Gareth, for example, can’t help finding incredibly attractive, it’s just that he has had his horizons broadened.

It’s not a surprise ending, by then, but it is unquestionably satisfying. This was a truly engaging read.

[S.K. Wee · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the eve of his wedding, Commander Longbow, better known as Kwin, discovers his betrothed has been kidnapped by the marauding Wayvern. Though Kwin had never met his future bride, he feels obligated to attempt a rescue. The Wayvern are notorious slave peddlers and often capture innocents to sell for profit. Kwin and his best friend, Gareth, hatch a plan to infiltrate the slave market by getting captured themselves. Only their plans go awry once they have been rendered unconscious shortly after crossing the border.
The story follows Kwin’s betrothed, along with the two men through their various adventures as captured slaves. They face many dangers as they meet new people along the way. The twists and turns keep the story moving at a decent pace. The characters are well-drawn as the plots thicken. This story kept me turning the pages in anticipation. Loved how the author wove the various storylines together. Highly recommended for all fantasy/romance readers.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book and found it to be an excellent read. This author is definitely one of my favourites and I have been lucky to read her work.

This is a fantasy tale about Kwin, a soldier, who has a deep sense of duty, so when his chosen bride is kidnapped, he and his closest friend, Gareth, have a quest to save her.

The tale has many levels and themes. It is both brutal and beautiful. It highlights the terrors of slavery, while also showing the beauty of love, honour and loyalty. It is filled with adventure and magic, alongside the ugliness of acts of evil.

Great characters, plot and a wonderful sense of place are brought alive with an easy, flowing style of writing. Even the sex scenes were well done and not out of place...certainly not used as a ploy for sales as some authors do.

Overall, an enjoyable and meaningful story.

Highly recommended.

[Sherrie Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. My only regret was that it had to end. (I was so thoroughly enjoying Kwin and Luka, and Gareth and Shona and each of the supporting characters, and so engaged in what was going on in Wayvern that I could have kept reading and reading.) Strong characters--admirable people you identified with and respected, and a believable and captivating plot--made the book hard to put down. I stayed up half the night to finish it. Kwin has just the right amount of action, dialog, and description. Tension, emotion-provoking episodes, good, noble characters, evil, repulsive characters, and the perfect amount of physical and emotional intimacy to make me feel like I was right there with them, drew me into the book and didn't let me go until the end. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more. Highly recommended.

[Máire Brophy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kwin is a novel that just skips along. It's the story of a soldier who uncovers life in a strange and hostile country when he goes with his best friend on a rescue mission . Allowing himself to be taken as a slave and separated from his friend, he's exposed to this other society from the bottom of the pile.

I found this book a hugely enjoyable read. It has action, romance and fantasy, beautifully balanced together. While it's never flippant about serious issues and shows some of the ugly side of society, it does have enough likeable characters for you to follow and hope for. It's serious and light hearted in all the right places.

It's quite a long book but it's so readable, I just flew through it over a weekend.

[Louise Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books from this author, but this one really had me hooked from the moment Kwin set out with his best friend to rescue the bride he has never met. Honour and duty are the name of the game in this tale, but I loved the way the characters developed and changed while enslaved.

There's a real mystery to solve here too and the book had me turning the pages as Kwin and Gareth became increasingly more desperate to regain their freedom and to discover Luka's secrets.

All in all a great and satisfying read!

[Diane Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few other books from this author. After reading this, I have decided the writer is very versatile.
The overall story was entertaining, and the charters were likable. I can't say it's a page to or a easy read but that's not a bad thing in this case. There is a lot to keep up with in this book, but it really keeps your mind alive. Nice to find an enjoyable story like this from time to time.

I loved the ending.

[Rajib Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kwin is a delightful read of a commander turned slave to rescue the love of his life. But when his life is thrown into disarray with the loss of his magical power, his true character emerges. Lots of action and characters to keep you engrossed as the story progresses. A well-written tale that deserves your attention.

[T.N. Traynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story adventure and romance

I really enjoyed this. Kwin is betrothed to Shona but before they can get married she is kidnapped and sold into slavery in neighbouring land Wayvern. Taking his friend the two set off on a rescue mission. This story is packed with magic and adventure and the thrill of romance against the odds.

[Dorothea Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredible story. There is a lot going on in this book, and that's a good thing. It causes the reader to become completely engrossed. The characters are likeable and interesting. The book is well written. If you're looking for an adventure...check out this novel.

[Cherime MacFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done

Good read. Easy to get into. Epic fantasy that's an easy read is hard to find. Well written with interesting characters.