“Nerdection Must Read”
A good knight in shining armor and a (kinda) evil princess that definitely doesn’t need saving. Light and Dark at war. And a dynamic that can save the world. Read this and more in this enthralling fantasy book, The Ebon Knight, the first book of The Ebon Knight Chronicles by James Wood.
Spoiler Free Plot of The Ebon Knight
Two factions at war, that only a Princess and a Knight can end.
Kelso Hart is an outcast knight of the Light. Kind, handsome, and brooding, Kelso has, again, no match in fighting. But that’s because he’s the bearer of a legendary sword, Argenta. If unsheathed in a battle, Argenta can wreak havoc like nothing else.
Ava Pentran is the youngest princess of the ruling house of Dark. Powerful, dangerous and unforgiving, Ava has no match in fighting. Living in exile, she only has her spear of Furies – powerful warrior women – to protect her and an uncanny magical secret she doesn’t want anybody to find about.
When fate causes Kelso and Ava to meet for a dual, both find each other to be different than expected. Kelso is braver. Ava, not that evil. Can they join forces against a shared interest?
In this epic urban fantasy book, The Ebon Knight, the Light and the Dark are at war, and the Dark is obviously winning. However, things rapidly turn downhill when the Princess discovers a new, more chaotic faction is slowly emerging.
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My Take on The Ebon Knight
The prince of darkness is a gentleman. No, Shakespeare, screw that. The princess of darkness is a lady. Now, that’s better. Because, yes, Ava truly is a noble person, who cares enough about justice and killed only the bad guys. I loved how the author portrays her badass personality. She’s witty, she’s dangerous, and she cares for her friends the Furies.
“You could always kill yourself if the wait becomes too long,” offered Ava in a tone of disinterested observation. “Consider it.”
Princess Ava
And Kelso? The male protagonist of The Ebon Knight was The Knight in the literary sense. Kind. Honorable. Brave. Brooding. I loved how he retreated inside his mind when facing a difficult time. James Wood has made him into a 3D character, one you can easily relate yourself with. I also loved Argenta’s continuous bickering in Kelso’s head.
Argenta broke in. “I curse the day you picked me up! I will see you dead before — ” With an effort of will, he walled her off again
Argenta in her usual mood with Kelso
Coming to the dialogues! The delivery! The dynamics! James Wood has indeed built a truly epic world, where factions like the ‘Dark’, the ‘Light’, the ‘Other’ and the ‘Furies’ exist, to name a few. The plot is set in a fantastic urban fantasy modern world with just the right amount of magic in it. The book was a little slow to begin, with Wood meticulously layering the complex world out for the readers. However, the villainy, the thrill, the angst— now that was a constant throughout the story. And I loved how Wood was able to keep that up throughout.
One thing that I found a little challenging was the back and forth between narratives. There were many POVs in the beginning, and that definitely required some catching up. However, if you love multiple POVs with intricate world building, The Ebon Knight may just be your next right pick! Also worthwhile to mention is the antagonist of the story, Jesslyn, will keep you on your toes till the end, so gear up.
Highly recommended for fans of Mark Lawrence and Brandon Sanderson, this epic fantasy will take you away into a world of war, politics and magic.
About The Author Of The Ebon Knight
James Wood, born in Detroit, Michigan but raised in rural Nevada, found the transition from city to countryside to be whiplash-inducing. He prefers to characterize his formative years as a kind of “boot camp” that primed him for life’s challenges after his move to California, where he eventually met his wife. Two decades, four kids, three dogs, one cat, and one fish later, James came to the realization that he wasn’t as prepared as he once believed.
A writer of urban fantasy with a touch of humor and perhaps more than a smidge of romance, James firmly holds the belief that evil is evil and good is good. However, he promptly set out to challenge his convictions by crafting a series that defies these notions—because that’s just how he rolls.
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