Knight's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler Pages: 432
Published by 47North on January 26, 2021
Series: The First Argentines #1
Genres: adult, Fantasy & Magic, Romance
Source: Paperback ARC from Publisher
“Jeff Wheeler has always been one of our more dependable storytellers. Knight’s Ransom adds to his reputation. A fine page-turner.” —Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author.
From Jeff Wheeler, the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain novels, comes an epic new series of warring kingdoms, deadly family rivalries, and fearless loyalty.
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. Securing his place will not be easy, nor will winning the affection of Lady Claire de Murrow, a fiery young heiress from an unpredictably mad kingdom.
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—abilities that involve more than his mastery with a blade and that make him as much a target as his lord.
Knight’s Ransom is the first book in The First Argentines series by Jeff Wheeler. The Fist Argentines series is an epic fantasy series that is set in the same world as Jeff Wheeler’s Kingfountain series, but you do not need to read the Kingfountain series in order to be able to enjoy and understand this book. I loved Knight’s Ransom. It has a classic fantasy feel with a big sweep world, fascinating plot and great well developed characters. It has made me even more excited to read the Kingfountain series, which has been on my TBR wishlist for forever! I can’t wait to continue on with The First Argentine’s series, and read more by Jeff Wheeler. He is a fantastic classic fantasy writer.
In Knight’s Ransom, we meet our main character Ransom who is trying to become a knight. I loved Ransom. He is a fantastic main character because I felt like I really got to know him, and I I could feel everything he was going through. Jeff Wheeler is a master storyteller. I can tell that this story is really planned and thought out because everything felt purposeful, which is one of my favorite things to find in an epic fantasy! I am dying to get my hands on the next book in the series because I have so many questions! So many! We join Ransom as he discovers a plan to overthrow the Queen. He ends up as one of her bodyguards, and finds himself in the middle of some crazy world politics. I love a vast fantasy world and I think that is where Jeff Wheeler excels the most. HIs world feels epic and it is filled with twists, turns and surprises that are sure to genuinely shock you. (I know they did for me!) I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot, so just know that this book is fantastically crafted and it held my attention from page one to the end!
I also really enjoyed the romance between Ransom and Lady Claire. It was super sweet, and I was happy to see a romance subplot present in the story. I hope it continues in the future books! Bottom line: If you are a fan of epic fantasies with fantastic characters, wonderful world building, complex politics and secrets galore, then The First Argentines series is one that you do not want to miss. I loved this book and can’t wait for the sequel!
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