Customer Reviews

Master of Surrender

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First time I have read this author and I was impressed with this book. I did not know what to anticipate from an author that seems to titillate us with the promise of eroticism in her books based on the covers and titles. I found a well developed and interesting storyline with intelligent, well written prose. Characters are interesting and well developed as is the dialogue. Mild sensuality/sexual scenes/eroticism is not tawdry or gratuitous. I did find the heroine a bit annoying at times, but not excessively so... her emotional attitudes toward the hero or primary male figure did fit in her experiences and females mores in the society of the time. So what am I complaining about?... I guess simply my contemporary attitudes. There are some brutal scenes of violence, but again, not excessive or gratuitous, and in keeping with the brutality of warring factions in that time period. The story revolves around a group of knights tightly bound together by mutual experiences while in captivity together. They are not weak simpering fools with ignorant blind loyalty to one another, they work together as one with a communication that is very interesting to read and experience. This book obviously lays the foundation for the stories of each knight's story in subsequent books. I found the surrounding characters in the book interesting and compelling in and of themselves. Because each knight is such an interesting character and the depth of the interwoven ties to each other a compelling story I have ordered and look forward to the next in this series. Perhaps I shouldn't let the covers and titles of her other books put me off - but for now I am sticking with this series. I certainly recommend giving this series a try.

I really wanted to like this book. I recently reread all Moaning, Garwood and Cole's Highland romances and I am sorry to say that the hero of this book, Rohan, just stank. He was rude and unlikeable, much to my disappointment. Sure, he has been through a lot, but show me a highland warrior in a historical who hasn't... Most of the time, the hero would "overcome" his personal torment to fall in love or at least desire the leading lady. Not so with Rohan. Maybe the author was going for a more realistic take on what would actually happen if a brutal knight were to come across a beautiful enemy female; I now know that I don't desire any realistic takes in my historical romances. There was none of the "romance" that I have become accustomed to in Julie Garwood or Kresly Cole, and even though Moaning's heros are serious alpha males, they never out and out humiliate or demean the heroine. Rohan didn't even seem like he liked Isabel and was just fine with demeaning her infront of everyone. I wanted to like the other 8 knights, and I really tried, but their lack of even a small measure of compassion for innocent people was a big turn off. Rohan was also very vocal about "claiming" Isabel - now I know that this is a big part of any historical romance, but he was nasty, demeaning, and took every opportunity announce to the other knights or her people how he was going to "breach her thighs"...yuck. Isabel was also kind of shallow. How many times can a person say, "leave me my dignity" when it obviously was not going to happen. Come on...get a spine. Over all, I was super disappointed by the book and really perplexed by the great reviews.

I've been looking for a new good medieval and Karin Tabke's first effort hits the mark. I got it Friday evening after a long week's work and stayed up until 2am to finish it, barely pausing to eat and breathe. This was an intense, exhausting story. The tension and the violence are quite draining to read.

The plot is good, although hardly original. Norman conqueror/Saxon maiden has been done many times before. The story takes place in the weeks between Hastings and William's coronation. Armed groups infest the country, killing and terrorizing. Only a ruthless hero can impose order and hunt down the evildoers. Rohan is ruthless. No fluffy, modern-man-disguised-in-armor here. His dealings with everyone, including the heroine are very realistic for the time. Some might find them overly so. He doesn't hesitate to demand Isabel's obedience and body, in public. (Note: no abuse or rape of the heroine occurs).

Isabel is a determined heroine with a strong sense of duty to her people. She behaves intelligently for the most part. Note to author: 2 score means 40 not 20, I'm sure you did not mean for her to be 40 yrs old! The romance is strong, though it takes an awfully long time for them to admit they love each other. The sex scenes are few - they don't get going til around page 200 and the heroine doesn't lose her virginity til page 300. However the sexual tension remains high throughout, because Rohan is determined that Isabel will honor their bargain, and Isabel is equally determined not to risk pregnancy and being left with an illegitimate child. I didn't quite understand why Rohan couldn't offer her marriage earlier to resolve this impasse.

The dialog and descriptions are good and not obviously anachronistic. The writing is good. The secondary characters are good. So why not 5 stars? I found the violence and brutality excessive. Now I'm not one to demand a sanitized, prettified version of the Middle Ages with shiny armor and nice guys. But when you find yourself reading about the hero lopping someone's arms off, being branded with hot iron, other folks getting eyes gouged out and heads on pikes, you know you're not in Kansas anymore. It all got to be too much, and much as I like this book, I'm not sure I'll read it again. I doubt I will be buying the next in the series either, unless the gore is toned down considerably. I appreciate realism but I don't want nightmares when I read a romance. So 4 stars it is.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. After the first few pages, which introduce a group of knights in a situation that bonds them together for life, I was fascinated. Each knight is a unique and believable character, and together their loyalty to one another throughout the story is deeply touching without taking away from how tough each of them is individually.

The hero is formidable, but because we've seen him come through the worst situation ever (at least the worst I can imagine!) with his honor and loyalties intact, we never think he's truly lost. The heroine is brave and conscientious; she has a spine, but is still true to her time and to the responsibilities she has shouldered.

There are few things in fiction more enjoyable than seeing two strong people fall for one another. I can't wait to see which of the knights Ms. Tabke will write next!

'Master of Surrender' is the first book in Karin Tabke's 'Blood Sword Legacy' series.

I went into this book expecting a light bit of historical romance. . . what I got was a surprisingly robust and raunchy historical romance series to sink my teeth into.

Rohan de Luc is a bastard son. Along with a band of likewise illegitimate knights, de Luc heads the Black Sword and fights for William the Conqueror. The year is 1066 and William fights for the English throne against Harold Godwinson, the current Anglo-Saxon king.

Rohan de Luc and his Black band of men are riding in on Alethorpe, to take Rossmoor from one of Harold's Saxon sympathizers. It is here at the Rossmoor battlements that Rohan first lays eyes on the lady of the manor, Isabel of Alethorpe. And in a moment Rohan decides he shall have her - claim her as a part of his victory. Little does Rohan know the fire and fury that rages inside of Isabel - her mother dead, brother and father gone to war and likely never to return. The last thing this lady intends is to let a Norman bastard trespass on her person or steal her maidenhead.

Honestly I went into this book thinking that it would be a bit of light historical romance fluff. Judging from the pretty front cover and a promise of steamy erotica in the blurb. But I was surprised and delighted to read the depths of Karin Tabke's historical commitments.
She hasn't just used the Battle of Hastings as a cheap romantic ploy. Tabke actually goes into heavy historical detail - at once impressing and giving a subtle English history lesson. Tabke writes about the Saxon/Norman hatred and especially delves into the harsh life of the crusading knight. Rohan and his men all bear the physical and mental scars of their battles, and Tabke does not shy away from some rather gruesome war-stories.

The romance is incredible. Tabke takes `will-they-or-won't-they' to a grand level. Isabel and Rohan are caught up in their respective patriotism and Saxon/Norman feud - and they really truly hate each other. It helps that Rohan is a truly awful character. . . he's not a `rake' (wrong time-period) rather he is a barbarian and blood-thirsty fiend. I loved him. He's so awful in the beginning that it makes his romance and redemption all the sweeter. And Isabel is the perfect fiery female to ignite his passions. . .

Perhaps it's not terribly realistic that Rohan wouldn't have just raped and pillaged Isabel after her took Rossmoor - but Tabke writes around that by making Rohan so egotistical and assured of his masculinity that he would rather `tame' Isabel than force her. And the sex scenes are deliciously hot and plentiful - with so much tension to keep things brooding and unpredictable.

I will say that the ending got a tad repetitive - with Isabel playing the damsel in distress in two very similar situations. Regardless, I loved this book and was pleasantly surprised and delighted that Tabke wrote such a fulfilling and exacting historical romance. Wonderful, and I will definitely be reading the next two books in the `Blood Sword Legacy' series.

If you're sick of boring, pleasant, anachronistic knights in your Medieval romance novels, then you must read Tabke's Master of Surrender. Her knight, Rohan du Luc is violent, passionate, incredibly sexy and a perfect match for her heroine, Isabel of Alethorpe. Loved this book right through to the end and can't wait for the next.

It is strange timing. I just read The Wolf and the Dove before picking this book up. I read the first 150 pages and so far, it was almost same story only written more politically correct with the events moved around. The plot, some of the dialog and the scenes were the same as the prior book. I've been reading lots of romance of late and I know it can be repetitive (especially multiple books by the same author). But, this was the first time it really struck me between 2 differ authors.

*** possible spoiler ***
The other thing that I found really too stupid is Isabelle saying that the castle has never been taken in centuries and not to worry. Then the hero breaks down the door in a matter of hours. Then she sends her people to lock themselves in rooms upstairs and tells the knight that the people are safe from him where they are. uh, he just broke down the front door - why would they be safe in the bedrooms? At least he commented on how stupid she was. I would say The Wolf and the Dove was much better done if you want to read this exact story only better. Although in that book, the bedroom scenes are all cut short and it is a lot less politically correct (like women are actually raped and it is violent). Master of surrender feels like the "lite" version of the other book.

I gave it 3 stars because all in all I think it is an average romance novel - nothing special but probably enjoyable to most romance novel fans.

This book had me hooked up in a minute. I couldn't put it down. I just kept reading all till the end.
I loved Isabel, her courage, the way she cared for her people. I could understand her dilemma - if she looses her virginity, she will never have a husband. She was able to think no matter what the circumstances were. And for a change, the hero was able to control himself as well. I loved the setting, and the era. I loved it that they had more practical things on their minds than balls and parties. And I loved it that they didn't make love at once. That made it all the more special.

Was'nt sure about this to begin with reminded me of a Hannah Howell book with a similar theme. Rohan made the book for me with his conflicting thoughts about how he was falling for Isabel and after what he and his brothers in arms suffered how he still maintained a good nature. By the end I did want to see how the rest of the blood sword group faired and how they find their fated partners.

I've been waiting for some time for a good and not too fluffy medieval!! When I heard about this book I could not wait, this book has it all and I was not let down. Can't wait for the next one!