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Knight's Ransom

Tekijä: Jeff Wheeler

JäseniäKirja-arvostelujaSuosituimmuussijaKeskimääräinen arvioMaininnat
1274211,970 (3.89)1
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. A brutal war of succession has plunged the court of Kingfountain into a power struggle between a charitable king who took the crown unlawfully and his ambitious rival, Devon Argentine. The balance of power between the two men hinges on the fate of a young boy ensnared in this courtly intrigue. A boy befittingly nicknamed Ransom. When the Argentine family finally rules, Ransom must make his own way in the world. Opportunities open and shut before him as he journeys along the path to knighthood, blind to a shadowy conspiracy of jealousy and revenge. Ransom interrupts an abduction plot targeting the Queen of Ceredigion and earns a position in service to her son, the firstborn of the new Argentine dynasty. But conflict and treachery threaten the family, and Ransom must also come to understand and hone his burgeoning powers."--Publisher.… (lisätietoja)
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näyttää 4/4
Thanks to 47North and NetGalley for letting me have the opportunity to read and review this intriguing and enjoyable story. If you don't know already, I'm a big fan of Jeff Wheeler and all his stories. He's an amazing author and I love that he writes such great, engaging, and amazing stories that are clean without any language, violence, sex, or the like in them.
This is an exciting and thrilling first book in a new series by Jeff Wheeler that brings us back to the world of Kingfountain, in the past from the Kingfountain series so now this gives us a glimpse into a story and the history of Kingfountain with this series focusing more on the time back when the Argentine family rules/comes to power and how this knight Ransom plays his part in everything. This story really is about Ransom and Claire, their love story, adventures, knights, sword fights, wars/battles, how Ransom has to find his way in the world and make a name for himself and find his place and where he fits in with everything. We discover Ransom has talents that make him a desirable knight/servant to have in a person's employ or as a person's bodyguard. He has to learn to use his talents to protect and serve and do his best to do what is right.
During the story, Ransom discovers a plan to take the Queen and then ends up in her service as a bodyguard to her son who is the firstborn of the new Argentine dynasty. There's, of course, personal and more conflict that presents itself though and Ransom has to learn how to hone his talents and skills to better serve and help others as well as himself as he figures out what to do. It's another intense rollercoaster ride of emotion like most of the stories I read by this author that always seem to apply to life in general and me on a personal level, which makes the betrayal, turmoil, and other adventures with finding oneself and figuring things out and such as well as events throughout the story that much more meaningful to me as the reader and gets me right in the feels that much more.
I did think when I first went to read this book that since I've read so much of his books and all the Kingfountain series that I kind of knew or had some sort of inkling what was going to happen, what story pattern this would follow, but, let me tell you, I had no idea what was going to happen until I read it and while there are a few similarities in some aspects, most of this story is completely new and I have no idea what's going to happen next. The end of this book left me hanging with no clue and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. If you haven't heard or checked out this book yet, then get on it - go pre-order, put it on your list, and get ready for a thrilling beginning to another awesome series by a master storyteller. ( )
  Kiaya40 | Jun 19, 2023 |
After spending much of his life as a hostage of King Gervase, Marshall suddenly finds himself adrift when Gervase dies and Devon Argentine takes the crown, but he’s determined to become a knight and serve a worthy lord.

I’ve seen Jeff Wheeler’s books floating around Amazon for years, but never read one until last year with The Killing Fog. That one wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, but, when I was contacted about reviewing Knight’s Ransom, I thought it was the perfect time for me to pick up another Wheeler book. After all, I did enjoy the storytelling in The Killing Fog. Knight’s Ransom is very different and takes inspiration from Arthurian legend, so I was very happy to read it, and get a taste of Wheeler’s Kingfountain world.

The Plot: The Unwavering Loyalty of a Knight
King Gervase rules Kingfountain, but his reign is tenuous at best as his nephew, the rightful king, fights him at every turn. In Gervase’s care are two children, Claire and Marshall (called Ransom), held as hostages to keep their families loyal. But when Ransom’s father apparently turns his back on his son, something changes in Gervase. Not long after, his death leaves the crown in Devon Argentine’s hands, Claire back in her family’s care, and Ransom left on his own.

Ransom’s father is unwelcoming, so his mother sends him to a cousin where he can train to become a knight. He makes friends and enemies, but shows great, almost mystical, skill. Knighted on the eve of the start of a battle between Kingfountain and Brugia, Ransom unexpectedly discovers incredible abilities that end up leaving him without a lord to serve.

But it’s just the start to Ransom’s journey. With growing, mysterious abilities that have people whispering he might be Fountain-blessed, unrest is brewing in the Argentine family, and between Kingfountain and Occitania. When Ransom is unexpectedly pulled into the ruling family’s service, and back into the same orbit as Claire, he finds himself caught between his morals and duties as a knight in service to the king’s heir.

While I wasn’t thrilled that the entire novel is definitely more tell than show, the story still managed to pull me in. Inspired by Arthurian legend, my mind was taken back to ye olde days and had me believing in honorable knights. I loved the heavy unrest in the Argentine family as the king is constantly battling back the countries that want to invade and take over and his sons are competing against each other. Family dysfunction at it’s best! I loved how twisted the family was, and that Ransom stood out as a beacon of honor and virtue through everything. He was the perfect counterpoint, and his struggles to remain honorable and still carry out his duty really pulled at my heart.

There’s a great deal of adventures and battles, which kept the novel moving at a steady, quick pace that also paused to ensure key information wasn’t missed. It made it easier to focus on the details that were important, which made me glad I didn’t have to page back and forth to piece things together. Overall, it made for a quick, easy read while also providing breathtaking adventure and family squabbles that have far-reaching impacts while also being a ton of fun.

The Characters: A Perfect Balance
Knight’s Ransom is told from Ransom’s perspective. It’s undeniably his story and the telling of his adventures. But it also gives voice to Claire and the Argentine family, the people who figure most heavily in Ransom’s life.

We meet Ransom when he is a boy. Held hostage along with the spirited Claire, she decides to call him Ransom because that’s essentially what he’s being held for. It turns out Ransom seems to be quite a well-adjusted, happy boy who strives to believe in the best in people. He carries this into adulthood and it makes him into an incredibly honorable knight, a nice counterpoint to the equally incredible skills he possesses in battle. I adored everything about him, even though it might have made him a bit of a boring character. But I loved how upright and dutiful he was, kind of like a pillar of virtue while surrounded by a plotting ruling family. He did seem too trusting and naive, though, but definitely the kind of knight I’d swoon for.

A colorful cast surrounds Ransom. Claire is a spirited, spunky lady from an island country that had me thinking of Ireland or Scotland. I loved how sure she was of herself and just how outspoken she was. The Argentine family felt like the quintessential dysfunctional family with betrayals and in-fighting at every turn. Devon the Elder is stuck on ensuring his heir inherits a whole, peaceful kingdom. His oldest, Devon the Younger, is determined the take the crown on his own terms, while his three younger brothers sulk and try to undermine him and each other. Trust comes and goes, loyalty comes and goes, and none of them are above using each other for their own ends, or from clawing for any power available. Surrounded as he is by this cast, I’m quite glad Ransom is as honorable and, dare I say boring, as he is.

The Setting: Arthurian-Inspired Europe
Knight’s Ransom offers the typical European-inspired fantasy. Centered around a fantastical version of medieval Britain, it draws from Arthurian legend and pulls in what might be medieval France. It’s easy to draw parallels to certain European countries, which made it both comforting and familiar so the story is the focus.

This series is set in Wheeler’s already established Kingfountain world, but during an earlier time period. Being unfamiliar with the Kingfountain novels, I was a little apprehensive about wandering into this book, but I didn’t feel I was missing anything. The world felt established, as it should, but I didn’t feel I needed prior exposure to Kingfountain to be able to enjoy it.

Overall, the world building felt like it simply flowed. It was a lovely unfolding of the world as Ransom traveled around the world, either trying to find a way to support himself or in service to a lord. I liked that it drew from established real-world places, but took it’s own unique fantasy spin.

Overall: A Fun Read With a Wonderful Lead Character
Knight’s Ransom was a fun read. I didn’t like all the tell, but everything else was a ton of fun. The characters perfectly balanced each other, there’s a hint of mystery that’s scratched just enough, and the story promises more adventures throughout the rest of the series. My favorite part, though, was that the battles were not overly gory or descriptive. They weren’t fun, but I appreciated that there was more of a focus on Ransom’s abilities and how they guided him to make certain moves and take certain strategies. Or maybe my favorite part was that I just fell in love with Ransom. As boring as his honor could make him, I adored his strong honorable streak. A quick, easy read, Knight’s Ransom is perfect for those who enjoy Arthurian legends, or at least a taste of the medieval days of the British Isles.

Thank you to Julia Romero at Wunderkind PR for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own. ( )
  The_Lily_Cafe | May 29, 2022 |
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not for me, fam. I ended up quitting at about the 40% mark. Here's why:

If you like the standard-fare, white-hero-is-special-because-the-story-calls-for-it fantasy, then you'll likely enjoy this book. I do enjoys those types of fantasy novels now and then, but I need a little something ~extra~ to keep me interested. Some examples include: a complex villain or an anti-hero MC, interesting magic system, deep world building, dragons probably.

By almost the halfway point, Knight's Ransom had none of this except for the merest hint of magic. Like, our MC - Ransom - is well-blessed or whatever, and it gives him a beserker rage so he can be the most violent man during killing times. I'm just over it.

The only female character was incredibly flat. Her perspective was only through very brief jounal entries, that mostly seem to help pass larger chunks of time in the story. She remembers Ransom from their childhood together, and of course finds him handsome and is interested in him, even though they really know nothing about each other as adults.

There was also a scene that struck me as a huge missed opportunity to do something different with the relationship between two male characters. They'd been rivals, but forced to spend time together. Character A comes across some hard times and Character B suggests that Character A ask him for help. I thought this would be a turning point between the two of them and certainly would have shown some decent development. But it turns out Character B was just trolling and after Character A asked him for help, he was basically like "Lol, no. I've been waiting for this forever, please go kill yourself."

Stale rivalries are stale.

I just needed a little something more from this one and it didn't deliver. Despite my critiques, I do find Wheeler's writing very easy to read. Maybe I'll prefer a different story by him in the future. ( )
  MillieHennessy | Feb 13, 2021 |
Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheeler is my introduction to his writing and I am so happy to have met him and his characters. I loved the book and look forward to reading more of his work. I think I waited to long after reading Knight’s Ransom to write the review, because I don’t feel it reflects how I truly felt.

Ransom had been taken hostage by King Gervase. Now, the king is dead and he’s going home. He had met Claire while he was a hostage and she is the one who gave him his name, Ransom. The king had raised them both as if they were his own. Claire is very outspoken and I think Ransom will have his hands full with her. Will they become a couple. I don’t know yet, but I am going to find out.

The point of views bounce back and forth between Ransom and Claire.

Ransom wants to become a knight and leader, but the path will be fraught with danger and intrigue.

There is something special about Ransom and when he is at his lowest, something good comes his way.

So much betrayal, political machinations, kings fighting, always fighting. Seems to me they need to find something else to do. Maybe they have too much spare time and desire to dominate.

Ransom makes difficult choices, but his loyalty can never be questioned. He is caught in the courtly machinations going on, young royals being easily manipulated, then betrayed, sons going to war to depose their father as king, brothers fighting each other.

There are many characters and not all will survive, but this is Ransom’s story and it will be told over several books. I do like when an author is not afraid to kill off his characters, though some will be missed, others I will be glad are gone.

Medieval history is stretched and twisted in this brutal world, brilliantly spelled out through Jeff’s words. I am hooked and can hardly wait for the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheeler.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com ( )
  sherry69 | Jan 28, 2021 |
näyttää 4/4
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"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. A brutal war of succession has plunged the court of Kingfountain into a power struggle between a charitable king who took the crown unlawfully and his ambitious rival, Devon Argentine. The balance of power between the two men hinges on the fate of a young boy ensnared in this courtly intrigue. A boy befittingly nicknamed Ransom. When the Argentine family finally rules, Ransom must make his own way in the world. Opportunities open and shut before him as he journeys along the path to knighthood, blind to a shadowy conspiracy of jealousy and revenge. Ransom interrupts an abduction plot targeting the Queen of Ceredigion and earns a position in service to her son, the firstborn of the new Argentine dynasty. But conflict and treachery threaten the family, and Ransom must also come to understand and hone his burgeoning powers."--Publisher.

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