Customer Reviews

Dark Champion

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jo Beverly's Dark Champion is a delightful book. I enjoyed reading it and couldn't wait to reach the end. The story is creative and the characters are exciting and unpredictable.

Immogen of Carrisford desperately needs to save her home. After the unexpected death of her father, her castle is seized by a ruthless warlord. To save herself and her people she must find a champion.

Tyron FitzRoger of Cleve steps in to save Immogen and her castle. He has his own agenda mainly to marry Immogen. Immogen considers him to be a strong arm who is being paid to save her castle.

The relationship between the two moves back and forth with Immogen making desperate attempts to maintain her freedom while Tyron skillfully manuevers her into a marriage agreement. The two face certain peril throughout the story as they try to ellude attempts to drive them apart.

Dark Champion is an excellent historical romance. It has all of the drama you would expect during the reign of King Henry of England.

I don't usually like to read medievals - if they are realistically portrayed they are too dark, and if they are not realistically portrayed - well, I don't like unrealistic books. But I love Jo Beverley, so I tried this one out.

As far as being realistically portrayed - that's a big yes! As far as being a dark novel - that's a yes, too. There are some descriptions that are so graphic... well, I don't usually go for that, but like I said, I love Jo Beverley, and this was only a small part of the book... It was worth it. This is a very realistic novel in every way, and Ms. Beverly does not shy away from describing every aspect of medieval life, whether that is something that will offend modern sensibilities or not.

In fact, Jo Beverley doesn't shy away from exploring any issue at all, as you can tell from reading some of her other novels. One of the issues touched on in this book is the role that religion played in midieval life, and the mindset of the people who lived in those times. A large part of the plot hinges on the priest and the way his mindset affected the characters in the story, and that was absolutely realistically portrayed, and not only that but I have read many books set in the same era that bypassed this aspect of their lives totally. It's hard to understand how you can write any kind of medieval book, consider yourself an historical writer, and completely ignore the religious aspect, but many other writers do do that. Not Jo Beverley.

What I like about Jo Beverley is what I perceive to be her emotional honesty - this is someone who is very comfortable in her skin, and she is therefore able to examine all the human emotions - whether good, or bad - but never with a bias, she is always fair. She doesn't say - this emotion is good, this one is bad - rather, she brings up her characters feelings, their thoughts, and she presents them to the reader - you make your own judgments. I really like that in a writer.

I have one minor complaint to make about this book, however. Jo Beverley writes with a certain respect for her audience - she's not one of those writers to rehash what she wrote three pages ago in case the reader missed it - she assumes the reader is intelligent and did not miss it. She also does not spend a lot of time explaining why her characters do or do not do something - she assumes that you will pick that up on your own, as you read the story. That's good, but also it has its drawbacks. In this book, for instance, the whole last episode of the story - where the h/h are separated for a while - I have to admit I was somewhat confused about the whole story - as to why they both acted the way they did. Make no mistake, where Jo Beverley is concerned, there is always a *good* reason for each of her characters actions - it's just that she didn't explain it, and I spent three days racking my brains trying to figure it out.

On the other hand, this aspect of Jo Beverley's writing (that she doesn't explain everything, but shows you how the characters react and lets you make the assumptions on your own) is what I like best about her books. But in this case, maybe because this story was set a thousand years ago, and I don't generally read books set in that time period, I was somewhat more at sea than I would otherwise be. I would have liked, in this case, for her to explain how the mideival mindset towards *honor* works, and how it differs from the modern mindset of how we perceive things today - and how the hero's feelings of "honor above all else" affected this story's outcome.

I finished this book with a renewed respect for this author - a respect for someone who has such a rare and complete understanding of the both the intellect and the emotions - kudos to Ms. Beverley!

"Dark Champion" is set in the middle ages and begins with Imogen's witnessing the rape of her servant and the taking of her castle. Imogen disguises herself as a pregnant peasant and walks to FitzRoger's castle to beg for help. Unlike most romantic heroes, FitzRoger is a hard man, not instantly smitten with the heroine; instead, he does not trust her. Imogen witnesses him whip a man for drunkenness. Later, we found out that he had also raped and killed a child; my bet is that Ms Beverley thought if the offense were just drunkenness, the reader would dislike FitzRoger too much. Imogen does not trust him, nor like him, but she needs him. Of course, he does take her castle back and they marry for political advantage. She is only 16, overwhelmed, fearful, and often behaves badly toward him. He, in turn, admits that he married her for her wealth and that he would have married anyone, of any description, with such, and he frequently warns her to behave or he may beat her. Are their behaviors historically accurate? Probably. Were they attractive? No. The book did keep my interest, however. Gradually, they change toward one another, but FitzRoger at the end is forced to lash Imogen once to save her from a much worse punishment from the king. She, in turn, is relieved that he has been so merciful. Although believable in the context and historically, it did not make me like him. So, if you want a book that reflects midieval attitudes more accurately than those in most romances, you will like "Dark Champion." If you like your history with a more romantic hue, this book probably won't appeal to you.

I read this book because I fell in love with Jo Beverley's works after I first read Lord of My Heart. This books definitely holds up to Beverley's excellent style of writing.

I was very impressed throughout the book. Any Jo Beverley fan will be pleased, as well. There were a few sections where I was frustrated with both the heroine and the hero (for being dense, and not confiding in each other). But then again, misunderstanding is so essential to Jo Beverley's plots. No one would want to read a book that finished before it even really began.

A superb book. Well worth the reading time. Excellent for romance lovers; excellent for historical fiction; excellent for medieval fiction.

Good book - read if you haven't already - but beware this is a re-issue of a book that has been released several years ago.

Ok, I had totally forgotten that I had previously said that I was going to be more careful about reading JB's medieval romances! Opps! I did it again! This one is really hard for me to give a review on. On one hand, this is not at all my usual type of read (in fact, I usually RUN from this type!); On the other hand, I have to admit that JB has just done an excellent job on this story! I started out only having a grudging respect (& no liking) for the heroine.... by the end of the book, I couldn't have admired her more. The hero was to die for thoughout the entire story.
However, as I have found in the past, JB gives a terribly historically correct accounting of the lives the people led in the Middle Ages.... YUCK! However...... after just a few chapters, I knew that I didn't like this type of writing.... AND I knew that I was going to HAVE TO finish the story! (yes, I'm often confused! lol) So, as far as a recommend: For those of you that can't handle brutality - DON't read it; However, if you like a historically correct medieval romance, & those realities don't bother you, then this would most probably be an excellent read..... Your decision. Happy Reading!
(p.s. - now I just can't figure out if I want to to try another one! lol decisions, decisions, decisions!)

I loved the heroine in this novel - she goes from a pampered daughter to a besieged orphan who must become a leader for her people. She develops into such a strong female character, I think this is my favorite historical romance ever. Imogen has to marry a husband strong enough to keep her home and people secure, but she makes sure to retain most of the rights to her wealth. The most memorable incident was when Imogen ends up knocking her temporarily disabled husband unconscious so he can't fight his enemy and she has the enemy killed, even though she knows this will get her into deep trouble with the king later (it's an act of love, as her husband is too injured to fight well). She cleverly talks herself out of trouble with the king, for the most part, and her husband knows it was an act of love so does his best to punish her (as the king demands) as lightly as possible.

I've read most of Jo Beverley's work and this is by far my favorite. 'The Shattered Rose' was pretty good, the other two in the same era ('Lord of Midnight' and 'Lord of My Heart') were not as interesting. There is a Regency novel with a decendent of Imogen and FitzRoger, can't recall that title, but it wasn't nearly as good as 'Dark Champion'.

Anyway, this is one novel I'll read over and over again.

I loved this book as I did so many of Beverly's others. What more can I say beyond what the other reviewer's have? Well, I would like to add that if you haven't read her Malloren series you are missing something amazing. The latest book in the series 'A most unsuitable man' is about the descendant of the hero and heroine in this novel. Marvellous stuff. Can't wait for more . . .

Whatever period Beverley chooses to write about her characters are so full of depth, heart and emotion that it is always a pleasure to pick up one of her books and dive in for an emotional ride. This book about Tyron and Imogeen (although I prefer to call her Ginger) was so well done. Imogeen is 16, hard to believe so much horror could be dumped on her at such a young age. No wonder she was barely able to deal with some of it rationally. She showed great strength in going to her neighbor Tyron Fitzroger to regain her Castle but was totally unprepared in dealing with him as a woman, that he would expect to marry. The way her mind was manipulated by the priest was so frustrating to read, but Tyron's realization that she was so young and his patience with "Ginger" was beautifully written. Tyron was so strong and yet he had enough of a vulnerable streak to make him one of the best heroes I've read about recently. The Middle Ages is not usually my favorite time period to read about but this Beverley book was first rate and I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend her Malloren and Rogue series!!

Jo Beverley doesn't shy away from unpleasantness; that means that her work is not everyone's cup of tea. In this book, the brutality, misconceptions, and chauvinism of the early Middle Ages are clearly woven into the characters and the storyline. Hence, Imogen's sheltered existence and overreliance on an unworthy spiritual advisor, as well as FitzRoger's clear understanding of what he must do to succeed in that world. He does what is necessary even when he would rather not; his practicality is a necessary and welcome compliment to Imogen's more idealistic view.

While Imogen is an innocent, and often makes foolish mistakes as a result of her lack of experience, she shows a good deal of growth at the book's end. FitzRoger's phobia is an interesting problem for a warrior and makes him more human. He handles Imogen's fears are handled with great patience and tenderness.

The villains in this piece are truly vile, though in varying ways, and the good guys wear slightly gray hats (helms). Beverley creates more complex characters than a number of writers, in part because she willingly delves into the darker side of human nature. Those uncomfortable with reading about that darker nature might want to avoid this book (and most of her books). FitzRoger is perhaps a stronger character than Imogen, and her "gift" seemed a bit too coincidental, but otherwise the book is well-written and engaging.