I received a free copy of The Outlaw Knight for my honest review. I received no compensation for this post.
About the Book:
An Ancient Family Dispute.
An Impossible Love.
About the Author:
Elizabeth Chadwick (UK) is the author of 17 historical novels, including The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, A Place Beyond Courage, Lords of the White Castle, Shadows and Strongholds, the Winter Mantle, and The Falcons of Montabard, four of which have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Awards.
My Opinion:
The Outlaw Knight is the continuation of the FitzWaren family saga begun in Shadows and Strongholds. You do not have to have read the first book to appreciate this one. This book follows Fulke FitzWarin from a young man in the service of Prince John to his years rebelling against King John when what he feels is his rightful inheritance is being kept from him.
Young Fulke is removed from John’s service but not from court. He rises in the service of Theobald Walter and ultimately ends up marrying his widow despite John’s competing interest. No matter where he turns he finds things going against him until he finally snaps and he becomes that outlaw knight. Will it ruin his family?
There is one thing you can count on with any Elizabeth Chadwick book and that is attention to the smallest detail of the period be it attire, food or accommodations. This is why I love her books so very much; I know that once I begin to read I will soon find myself lost in the medieval world. I will almost smell the aromas and feel the materials yet she does it in a manner so smooth and so masterful you hardly realize it’s happening. I feel as if I’m in the middle of a movie in my head and re-entering the modern world is always jarring.
Fulke’s was a good story but he didn’t thrill me as much as other characters from the pen of Ms. Chadwick hence the 4.5 stars instead of 5. A mild difference. I don’t know what it was about him – the cover freaked me a bit, perhaps that didn’t help. He just wasn’t as heroic I suppose as his father Brunin or everyone’s favorite knight, William Marshal. I still read the book over the course of two days so it’s not like it was painful to read….I will pick up anything Ms. Chadwick writes because I know that when I do I am in for a magical experience.
Rating:
4.5
You can read an excerpt of The Outlaw Knight
You can read my review of Shadows and Strongholds
You can purchase The Outlaw Knight on Sourcebooks.com
You can purchase Shadows and Strongholds on Sourcebooks.com
You can purchase The Outlaw Knight on Amazon.com
You can purchase Shadows and Strongholds on Amazon.com
Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Outlaw Knight for my honest review. I received no compensation for this post.
