Knight's Ransom (The First Argentines, #1)

by Jeff Wheeler

“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 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler comes an epic new series of warring kingdoms, deadly family rivalries, and fearless loyalty, set in the world of Kingfountain.

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.

• ISBN10: 154202529X
• ISBN13: 9781542025294
• Publish Date: 26 January 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Amazon Publishing
• Imprint: 47North
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[Baroness Book Trove]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Knight's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler is the start of a great series in this world that the author has done such a great job of creating.

Will Ransom find someone to give his loyalty to?

Marshall "Ransom" Barton

Marshall, better known as Ransom, is the main character of this new prequel series to Kingfountain. We follow Ransom during different parts of his life, from when he was eight years old until he was twenty-three years old. It's not a continuous account either as we jump from different years, but I liked it, especially with hearing a bit from Claire, a potential love interest of Ransom. All Ransom has ever wanted was to find a place where he belonged. People who could be friends and especially to serve a lord as his knight. Sadly that isn't in the cards for Ransom. I felt bad for him throughout the entire book.

The Story

The story starts with a historian trying to figure out these early years of the kingdom's life and can't find much about the time of where there are two kings with the same name. Then we pop into Ransom's story, and he is trying to find a place in this cruel time, basically. All Ransom has ever wanted was to find someone to serve as a knight and not only that but to find a place to belong. Ransom has had a tough time on that in all forms of a way for it to work. He is all about loyalty, and finding that is hard, especially with war trying to come in.

Five Stars

Knight's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler is a roller coaster of emotions. First, your laughing, then your crying, and then you're mad at Mr. Wheeler and closing the book to walk away for an hour. Just to come back and do it all over again. Sometimes in a different order. Mr. Wheeler is a fantastical author who gives all these emotions to his readers within his books. This is my first book from this guy, and I'm definitely coming back to read more from him. I might also, at some point, go back to read his Kingfountain series. I am giving this book five stars and recommending it to anyone that reads historical fantasy or just fantasy in general since I really think that you will like it!

Coming in May 2021

Coming in September 2021

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Knight's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler.

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available on January 26th.

Reminiscent of Tad Williams’ The Dragonbone Chair, this book is obviously the work of a master. Every sentence, every word, is placed with care and precision. The story woven is a fantastic one, and I couldn’t put the book down.

This book follows Ransom- once a king’s hostage, now a knight hopeful- as he navigates the dangers involved in becoming a knight and in growing up. He finds himself in a very precarious position, in-between warring kingdoms. Threats, both from without the court and within, abound on all sides. One false step and Ransom could lose his sense of honor-or his life.

I loved absolutely everything about this book. The characters were fully developed, complex individuals, each with their own motivations and personalities. The book was told from Ransom’s point of view, interspersed with diary entries from Claire, the recipient of his affection. I loved Ransom, of course. He was often caught between his own sense of morality and the code of honor he swore to follow. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to see him realize that a knightly code of honor does not apply in every situation. His internal battles were just as interesting as his physical battles.
And what battles! They were so vividly painted, it was like being right in the middle of them. They all felt incredibly real. The adrenaline and bloodlust versus fear and even sadness at taking a life- it was all conveyed brilliantly. I often had my heart in my throat (a rather uncomfortable sensation, I might add), reading the fight scenes.

The secret deals and cutthroat politics were engrossing to say the least. Every time I thought I had a character pegged, they would do something completely unexpected. One particular person had me totally fooled. When they made their move, I was absolutely stunned. Even the smallest move can turn a chess game, I guess.

I was fully immersed in the world from page one. It was vast and so well described, I could picture everything perfectly. Honestly, from plot, to characters, to world development, there is nothing that wasn’t done wonderfully. This is an author I’ll be reading more from, I can tell you that.

If you like high fantasy, if you enjoy writers such as Tolkien, Tad Williams, and Sean Russell, if you like stories with a hint of Arthurian themes, you’ll love this book.