![]() |
Now | 2025 | Previous | Articles | Road Essays | Road Reviews | Author | Black Authors | Title | Source | Age | Genre | Series | Format | Inclusivity | LGBTA+ | Art Portfolio | Purchase Art | WIP |
|
The Regent's Knight: 08/21/08
The Regent's Knight by J. M Snyder was originally published as an ebook and then republished in an anthology called Forever After. Although I read it in the anthology, I have chosen to use the original artwork. Reviews of this book when it was first released in March was how I first heard of J. M. Snyder and became and avid lurker on her blog. In The Regent's Knight, the kingdom Pharr is under siege, King Adin is missing in battle, presumed dead and his son, Amery is the reluctant regent. To become King he must marry and it must be a woman of noble birth. Amery though has long had his heart stolen by Sir Tovin Raimus, one of his top knights. Given the impossible situation that Amery and Tovin are in and their youth (mid twenties) the angst level is much higher than it is in Persistence of Memory even though the situation in that post-apocalyptic world is probably worse for everyone than the war is for Amery and his subjects. Amery being still early in his relationship with Tovin is too focused on the logistics of their relationship to see the bigger picture. In other words, he's a terrible regent. The story though isn't really about Amery; it's about Tovin and how he has to balance his duty to the kingdom and his love for the regent. Years of service to the King has taught him maturity and given him perhaps a more jaded take on life. I really wanted more insight into what Tovin sees in Amery because it isn't obvious in the seventy pages of the novella except that it isn't the regent's position in society. Having read both stories back to back, I've come to the conclusion that I like Snyder's writing style to try more of his books. The story I thought I would like, I did but I didn't love it. The story I was wary about, Persistence of Memory, I ended up loving. |