The Ill-Made Knight
Chivalry, Book 1
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The Ill-Made Knight
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Narrated by:
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Saul Reichlin
About this listen
Discover the first medieval adventure in the action-packed Chivalry series! Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden.
September, 1356. Poitiers.
The greatest knights of the age were ready to give battle.
On the English side, Edward, the Black Prince, who'd earned his spurs at Crecy.
On the French side, the king and his son, the dauphin. With 12,000 knights.
And then there is William Gold. A cook's boy - the lowest of the low - who had once been branded as a thief. William dreams of being a knight, but in this savage new world of intrigue, betrayal and greed, first he must learn to survive.
As rapacious English mercenaries plunder a country already ravaged by plague, and the peasantry take violent revenge against the French knights who have failed to protect them, is chivalry any more than a boyish fantasy?
©2021 Christian Cameron (P)2021 Orion Publishing GroupCritic Reviews
"A sword-slash above the rest." (Irish Examiner)
"One of the finest writers of historical fiction in the world." (Ben Kane)
"Brilliantly evoked." (Sunday Times)
What listeners say about The Ill-Made Knight
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Samuel
- 19-05-2023
Very well written story.
One of the best historical novels in the medieval period. Easily on par with Bernard Cornwell.
Start with cons:
Not too sure about some of the more creative decisions which sap historical accuracy - especially regarding Jeanette, but it is well delivered and not too great a focus.
While women did fight in harness, it was by no means common and largely met with failure on the battlefield unless they were surrounded by a large party of men willing to die to protect them. Often this was due to rich patrons or parents who significantly funded their protection.
The fanatically loyal simp-squad aspect is covered in the story, but really, this character arc is something that probably should have been removed at the content edit.
Those sections really doesn’t contribute at all to the focus of the story - while also turning Jeanette into something of a Mary Sue of morality, martial prowess, and uncompelling gender-bent sexuality.
I exaggerate somewhat, but it was unnecessary for this character to exist in the story, and it only detracts from the historicity.
Still, if you skip these sections, you get a great novel with interesting, compelling and realistic characters of both sexes.
On to some Pro’s:
It was great to see William return to his roots, and his interactions with his home in Clarkenwell.
The love interest of Emily is also well structured and logically formed, as were Williams’ flings with camp followers and peasant girls. The writing of combat is gritty, immersive and consistent, while the travels showing both the wonders and extremes of war really illustrated the level of hardship experienced by all during the Hundred Years’ War.
One of the biggest pleasant surprises is the role religion plays. It’s great to see a modern writer tackle the contemporary understanding of simultaneously how the church corruption and positive moral philosophy created a dichotomy which many of the clergy and faithful struggled with then, and still struggle with today.
The way the Friars comprehend and convey this to William through the lens of knighthood and the military orders is brilliant.
By and large, a really interesting read, and well worth a try for fans of Cornwell and Scarrow.
Strongly recommend for history fans.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-02-2024
Best historical fiction series ever
Christian Cameron never disappoints when it comes to historical fiction but this series is my favourite by far. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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