Customer Reviews

Knight Triumphant

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are 5 books in this series. Reading them in order does make a difference. I've found them all to be "hard to put down." (Haven't had much sleep since I started these books! LOL.) Here is the order of the series:

Come the Morning

Conquer the Night

Seize the Dawn

Knight Triumphant

The Lion in Glory

It is definitely a must that you read "Seize the Dawn" before "Knight Triumphant." While reading "Seize," be sure to pay close attention to a loving couple by the names of "Eric" and "Margot." They make "Knight Triumphant" much more meaningful.

You will find that after reading the first few books in the series, you will want to skim through some parts of this book that repeat the history of the war and certain parts of the Graham family history. These parts are, of course, included in the stories for readers whom have not read the first books in the series. In "Knight Triumphant," these parts are short and easy to skip over. Also, the author has veered from the type of couple that she used in the first three books (a Scottish knight, and an English heiress) to make this story unique.

Knight Triumphant:

The war between Scotland and England has been a bloody battle for well over a decade. After years of fighting for their freedom, Scotland is at last feeling the triumph of winning back their country. King Edward I of England is old and his health is failing. Scotland has finally crowned their own king, Robert Bruce, and has united to fight as one people. In their new power, Scotland brings down many castles that have been taken over by the English. The one castle that they will not touch is "Castle Langley." It has been infected with a plague that has killed nearly everyone within it's walls. The English inhabitants blame the Scots who contracted the plague while at sea, then infected much of Scotland.

Eric Graham is desperate to get to his beloved wife, Margot, and their little girl, Aileen. They have been held prisoner in Castle Langley. Both have been stricken by the plague. The lady of Langley, Igrainia, is known to have knowledge of herbs for healing. Her people have cast her out of the castle, in fear that she may also become ill while nursing the countless victims. Eric finds her en-route to a safer territory. He seizes her and demands that she give him passage into Langley, as well as heal his wife and child. Igrainia has already lost her own husband to the plague, and knows that there is little she can do.

Upon entering Castle Langley, Eric and his men find that there are very few people left alive and well enough to guard it. He instantly claims the castle in the name of his king, Robert Bruce. He puts his wife in the master's chamber where he insists that Igrainia will save her. Eric sits at Margot's side as he prays for her life. While doing so, he also becomes infected. Now he is fighting for his own life. In his half- conscious state, he realizes that his wife has left this world. He is utterly devastated.

Igrainia knows how it feels to lose someone so dear. After losing her own husband, her compassion fuels her attempts to save Eric. She works tirelessly to see him through the plague that has taken hold of his body. Many people of Langley suggest that she should let the enemy invader die. But fear of retaliation by his men, and her own sense of honor, demand that she try to save him. When he revives, he is determined to find revenge against the people who took his wife prisoner. His greatest enemy is the man who imprisoned Margot, and is now trying to capture and marry Igrainia, Robert Neville. Neville wants all of the wealth that Igrainia has been left after her husband's death. He'll murder anyone who stands in his way.

Eric is angry and racked with grief. He is also afflicted with unbearable guilt as he finds himself growing to care for Igrainia. He learns that Igrainia is suffering the very same devastation. In their months together defending Langley, they progress from blaming one another for their lost loves, to giving one another a reason to hope for the future.

While reading "Knight Triumphant," you'll come to adore Eric's cousin Jamie. You'll look forward to reading his story in the 5th book, "The Lion in Glory."

I started not to read this b/c it didn't sound very appealing to me, but I am so glad that I did b/c I would've missed out on one of the sweetest romance stories out there. I am also very selective about romance novels, but adoring medieval novels like I do I read it. I have NEVER cried while reading a romance novel, but I had tears running down my face reading this one. I really can't understand the negative reviews for this book. This book is so well written. Shannon Drake writes like she lived in that time period. It wasn't repetitive in any way, and they didn't keep throwing things up in each other's faces. The only thing I can see that might be negative to some is the slow paced beginning. But after about page 100 it sped up and never slowed down. It was so worth the wait. The book is so good, that I wasn't even bothered that there wasn't a love scene until 2/3 into the book. I loved Eric's character. He is so strong. Igrania is great as well. This is one of the most realistic medieval romances I've ever read. I was so sad when I was finished reading it. I hope Drakes's other romance novels are this good. One more thing.......what Eric and Igrania have both been through and lost makes their love even more true.

This was an excellent book however kind of hard to read at the beginning if you read the novel before this one which introduced Eric and Margot. In the prior novel, these two finally get marrried after being together for years. You get to see how Margot loved him unconditionally. In this book, Margot dies in the the beginning and he has to marry someone else for Scotland. I would not have liked this novel if Eric would have been lusting after the heroine from the beginning totally showing no respect to Margot's memory. This did not happen. He mourned Margot deeply but learned to go on and accept his new wife. This was so realistic and made this an excellent novel.

I have read several of Drake's books. I am a historical (before the 15th century) fan. I have read hundreds of the aforementioned books. Drake certainly does something extra special with this book, as I was hard-pressed to put it down...even lost several nights of sleep. That's saying a lot since I have been known to throw cheesy non-realistic historical romance books out the window!

There was something about Eric's character that made him feel so alive to me. Usually I am fully aware that I am reading characters in a book, yet with "Eric", I could see his handsome and strong norse face too clearly. Hear the actual tone to his voice, feel his courage, his fear, his pain, his determination to overcome and live life, and his appreciation in whatever happiness those choices bring to him...which in this case was the gift of Igrainia.

It is a unique and unusual read. For those of you who like tons of romance in each chapter you may well be disappointed. Yet, romance does exist in acceptable doses. Those of you like myself who have read epic novels ...who also adore romance books, but can respect when the author deviates to work extra hard for hard-core realism and character developement (the kind that loops you into the book and the time-era in which it is set) - - will be thrilled by the depth of thought Drake puts into this one.

I do agree that Drake needs to brain-storm up some different basic outlines for her historical adventures, as they can be repetitive, and thus predictable. Which is never appreciated by any avid reader. Still, I can't do less than recommend this book as an engrossing and satisfying read.

I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. SHANNON DRAKE IS AN EXCELLENT WRITTER AND THIS IS ONE OF HER BEST!!!!!

Shannon Drake does it again with this extraordinary book! I absolutely loved this book. I felt so heartsick for Igrainia ans Eric, both at opposite ends of a terrible war and such heartache to overcome! I almost came close to tears when Igrainia was in the crypts, trying to explain her feelings to Afton. What a heartbreaking chapter! It was almost like I was there, that is how very well the book is portrayed. This is a keeper, and I will probably read it a thousand times! Now.......on to Jamie's story, The Lion in Glory!!

I'm only half way through the book, and i can't believe how this book is dragging on. I can't give it a 4 or 5 but due to the level of structuring Ms. Graham created, i can't give it less than a 3. Usually, her books are wonderfully paced, but at the halfway point, her characters have only had one scene where they *might* have felt something other than anger and loathing for each other.

You always know when the heroine is going to throw up her beloved, but dead, husband Afton and when the hero is going to bring up his dead wife. I like the characters when they are by themselves, but I do not like them together, all that much. They are both entirely too stubborn and clash too often. They feel so much animosity towards each other at even the half way point, I don't feel like the story is going to improve much.

In 1307, when ailing King Edward I sends troops to end Bruce's campaign for Scottish freedom, Scots take over the Borders' Castle Langley after defeating the depleted English forces that are struggling with the plague. Scottish leader Eric Graham learns that his child is dead from the plague and his wife is near death. He blames Lord Afton for their plight feeling the inhuman treatment of the Scottish prisoners caused their deaths, but the English aristocrat has also died from the plague. Afton's widow Lady Igrainia tries to heal the sick, but Eric treats her with scorn and warns her that if his wife dies she dies too. Eric becomes ill and Igrainia heals him, but his wife dies.

Eric informs Igrainia that King Bruce has ordered him to marry her because Edward plans to wed her to Afton's cousin Robert Neville. Igrainia says no, but Eric forces her to marry him anyway. Eric admits that Igrainia tries to help Scot and English alike and begins to fall in with her. She reciprocates after observing how much Eric cares for everyone, but she wonders if his gilded cage is any better than the one Robert would lock her inside.

KNIGHTS TRIUMPHANT, the fourth Graham Family novel, is a well-crafted medieval romance that displays the impact of the Kings on the lives of nobles. Though the squabble between the lead characters feels overdone, the cast provides a deep look at the point when Edward I is nearing death. Fans of Shannon Drake will enjoy this tale and that the three previous will be republished.

Harriet Klausner

Knight Triumphant is such an amazing story. Heather Graham aka Shannon Drake never misses with her historicals. I absolutely devoured this entire series. There is only one left in the series that has yet to be published, "Queen's Lady" and I for one wish the publishers would get of their backsides and get it onto the store shelves. If you get a chance, I highly recommend reading this entire series. You won't be disappointed, a little tired from staying up late because you can't put the books down, but never disappointed.

Knight Triumphant gives the reader a story set in Scotland during the ascension of Robert the Bruce that rings true, with lots of satisfying detail. The turmoil, politics and mixed loyalties fo the time make for a solid background to the story of the Hero and Heroine. Unfortunately, although the antagonistic characters eventually come together, the process is not justified. We are not shown the chemistry between them, and indeed, there may not be any. Both are brave and admirable, but nothing of the process of their falling in love by the end of the book is mentioned. As a result, when it all came about in the end, I wasn't convinced.

The Author gave the Heroine an inordinate fondness for water; she demands a bath once a day, loves to get her feet wet and plunges into every stream she can manage to find. It became unintentionally humorous for me by the end, as if she was turning into a sponge, or some kind of frustrated mermaid. In a time when she was supposed to be a distressed captive, it made her seem self-indulgent. Indeed, this Heroine, for all of her constant, desperate attempts at escape, is certainly not motivated by suffering. The Hero and his cohorts seldom subject her to any worse abuse than locking the door to whatever room or cell she happens to be put in, and she's often put there because she herself insists on it, chafing at the reality that she's a "prisoner" of politics. She's often her own worst enemy, physically throwing herself forward into danger and conflict again and again without reason or thought, until she reminds the reader of a mindless moth, battering itself against a lightbulb.

All in all, this is a satisfying read, but the characters could have benefitted from a more carefully constructed relationship.