Customer Reviews

Once a Warrior

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I never read books with trashy, bodice-ripping covers, but I happened across Karyn Monk's previous novel, "The Rebel and the Redcoat", while stranded in an airport, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only can she contruct a breathless, gripping plot, and create rounded complex characters, but also her grasp of historical details is more profound than that of many historians. Being an historian myself, I would recommend her novels above many textbooks. The new novel,however -- which I bought expecting to disappointed -- is not just better than the previous one, it is infinitely better, and it deserves to be issued in a more dignified hardback edition -- because it belongs alongside the very best historical fiction ever written. This is a major writer. Set in medieval Scotland, "Once A Warrior" paints the most vividly accurate picture of a wild and turbulent place and time, peopling it with characters so utterly believable they live on in ones heart and mind long after the novel ends, and threading everything together with what must be one of the Great love stories in every sense: intricately constructed, heartbreakingly beautiful, enormously touching, yet also aflame with passionate eroticism, and -- very rare in this genre -- real, knee-slapping humor. Many times I laughed out loud; many times too I was also moved to tears by Ms Monk's deep, compassionate understanding of the human soul. I thoroughly endorse this novel, because I cannot imagine anyone who reads not finding it among the best books they've ever had the privilege and good fortune of coming across. If there were more such writers -- ones who entertain as much as they instruct, who inspire as often as they entrall -- no one would watch television. I thank Ms Monk from the bottom of my heart for this rare masterpiece of -- yes -- literaure. In my books she ranks alongside Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Victor Hugo and George Eliot -- and still has something to teach these past masters about the mysteries of the heart and the exigencies of thorough research.

I'm a sucker for the "tormented/scarred" hero in romance novels, and I discovered this one -- and the great work of Karyn Monk --through reading the reviews posted here on Amazon. Just wanted to add my five stars for this interesting, innovative historical romance. Instead of the usual "Braveheart" type warrior dashing across the moors that we've come to see in so many romances, here we have Malcolm MacFane who has suffered terrible injury in battle and seemingly has disgraced himself before his clan. We have a heroine, Ariella MacKendrick, forced to disguise herself as a man and to attempt to find a chieftain to lead her hapless clan. There is everything from humor to heartbreak in this book -- and the development of the relationship between Malcolm and Ariella is wonderful. Love scenes come later, but are wonderful!
Even a little bit of "Arthurian legend" type elements come in with the powers bestowed by the MacKendrick sword. I've read other of Monks' work and know she is one of the most interesting authors out there. "Once a Warrior" won't disappoint you!

When my sister lent me this book, I was a bit hesistant in reading it cuz the author was unknown to me. I also didn't think I would enjoy reading a love story with a drunken, shattered hero but as soon as I finished the Prologue, I got hooked. Unless I buy a copy for myself, I don't think I'll return this book to my sister just yet.

Ariella and Malcolm's love story was truly unique. They're both full of mistrust & sadness in the beginning then after mending each other's heart and spirit, love flows freely. The way Arielle denies her feelings for Malcolm was sad & a bit frustrating but then again, this is what makes this story different. She wanted a perfect warrior not only for herself but also for her people. Malcolm was a disappointment to her, not only physically but she also believed his heart was not as pure as she once heard it to be. So despite what her heart says, she tries so hard to let her mind rule. She convince herself that Malcolm is not the "one". Malcolm, however tall & handsome, was a scarred hero. He walked with a limp and have back pains. He made a mistake once and was cast out by his own clan. He was depressed, had no more pride and self worth. He was pitiful until she offered him gold to help her clan. In the beginning, it was all because of the gold until Malcolm slowly found his pride back while training her people. He felt respect, he found his self worth and even felt he belonged somewhere. He also found love once more... Malcolm is more human than any other heroes I've read in any book. He wasn't the perfect hero I normally would prefer... but this book proved to be just as satisfying and perhaps even more intriguing, all because of Malcolm's realistic traits. Malcolm's "transformation" and Ariella's "realization" was the most touching part of this book. I have to say that their love making was the best scene I've read in such a long time. It was full of passion, full of love. Karyn Monk truly picked the most wonderful words. The emotional ways of describing their love making was heart quenching. My heart skips a bit just remembering it. I don't want to sound exaggerating but you will agree once you read this book that Malcolm and Ariella's love making scene was truly beautiful. I love this book.

My small complaint is this book didn't have an epilogue. It would have been nice to read about them in the future, to know if they'll have children, how many? and so forth. Perhaps there will be a sequel? Oh well, despite that teeny weeny complaint, I still rated this book a 5 stars because it was truly an amazing read. This is my first book of Karyn Monk and I am more than please to be introduce to such a talented author. I am now in the process of reading the The Witch & the Warrior. So far, it's just as fulfilling as this one.

This was the first book that I've read by this author, and my feelings towards it were lukewarm. I wanted a love story, and this was more of a historical fiction about a Scottish clan with a love story tacked on to it.

First off, the good points. The historical detail was vast and well drawn. I felt like I was really there experiencing what the author was describing. Her prose gave a vivid picture of Scottish clan life during the medieval times, yet it never felt overly wordy, or as if it detracted from the story. This is difficult to do, and I applaud Karyn Monk for being able to do this well.

Also, I often find that books set in the medieval period seem to be very dark and almost devoid of humor. That was not the case in this book. This story had some very funny moments (like when Malcolm is trying to train reluctant poets and artists to become warriors) that had me laughing out loud.

The action and plot was also very well done, and story had a good flow, and the pace was comfortable; interesting, yet not too fast or too slow.

I also liked the idea of a physically imperfect hero. So many romances out there are about people so beautiful that they should be angels. Well, wonderful for them, but don't normal-looking people ever find love? I liked the idea of a tortured hero who will never fully recover, and yet the heroine loves him anyway. I'm so sick of novels about someone who's deaf, or bilnd, or crippled, etc, who just magically recovers. Again, can't someone who has a disability find love too? I really liked that this book tackled this subject, and the author did it well and with delicacy.

My complaints? The romance part of this book was very weak. In 370 pages, it seemed that less than 50 were devoted to the relationship between the hero and the heroine. While I liked the fact that they didn't immediately fall in love (or lust), I felt that the romance aspect of this book was sacrificed for the sake of the plot. The love story was okay, but it didn't make me sigh with happiness or leave me with a warm glow, which is what I want with a romance. When they were seperated, I was not moved very much. A good romance novel usually moves me to tears when the lovers are parted. That didn't happen here.

Also, this book had a secondary romance that had about 5 pages (or less) devoted to it. I kind of felt that the author shouldn't have put the second love story in the book, if she wasn't going to spend any time developing it.

Still, this was an enjoyable read, and I never had to force myself to finish it. If I came across other books by this author, I might try them. Still, if you're looking for really good historical romance that has more focus on the romance, I suggest the works of Jacquie D'Alessandro, LaVryle Spencer, Sabrina Jeffries, Mary Jo Putney, Teresa Medeiros and Catherine Anderson. As for "Once A Warrior", I would recommend borrowing it from the library, as I don't think it's a keeper.

Excellent story of a broken man and fate. A story that makes a point that the inner person is what counts more than what you see. Great story of the rebuilding of belief in your self. Malcolm was so real, not phony in his dealings with Ariella, etc. I fell in love with him. Story has great passion and desire. Also, Ariella's inner warrior spirit - fantastic. I think this story would make a great drama - comedy movie. The training of Ariella's people was hilarious! I did get worried if these two were ever going to have sexual intimacy. At about 3/4 way through the book, I just had to read ahead to see if and when it happened, and if after the build up, was the author going to give skimpy coverage to this event or the attention it deserved. Well, it was quite a love scene, full of passion, feelings, bonding, and all that both deserved especially Malcolm. He certainly knew how! One negative about the story was that I found it hard to believe that Malcolm didn't catch on sooner that Rob was Ariella. This was my first reading of a book by Karyn Monk. I was impressed. I will soon read another to see if she is as good as this one says she is.

I have read other books by Karyn Monk and this one continues to prove her gift as a writer. With her unique characters, dramatic climaxes and quick wit, her stories are difficult to put down. I find myself lost in her stories, completely entralled with her breath-taking stories. Once A Warrior is an excellent historical romance, with lovable characters and an emotional plot. I recommend it to anyone who appreciates the beauty in romance novels.

Malcolm MacFane has deteriorated from the mighty Black Wolf of legend into a broken man, steeped in alcohol to numb the pain of his broken body. Ariella MacKendrick needs a hero to save her peace-loving people from attack by a greedy outcast. She is sent to call upon the Black Wolf for protection and is disappointed to discover the man he has become.

This tale of pain and withdrawal and redemption was brilliantly woven. It was the second of Karyn Monk's books that I've read and I'm sure to read the rest of them. She knows how to weave a marvelous tale incorporating characteristics that bring the hero and heroine off the page. One point of her writing that I do find a bit off is her tendency to throw her hero and heroine into bed based solely on lust. It seemed a bit out of character for the model of virtue that Ariella is portrayed to be, contemplating marriage to someone else, to invite Malcolm into her bed for one stolen moment of passion.

I preferred THE WITCH AND THE WARRIOR, but I found this one to also be entertaining and would recommend it without hesitation.

Once a Warrior is my first Karyn Monk book I read. I picked it up because of I just grew fond of the cover and it didn't betray me as I got hooked on at the very first pages. I love Scottish romance and I love tortured/imperfect heroes so this book is perfect for my taste because it's all about a shattered Scottish warrior. The hero, Malcolm MacFane, seems so real. He has weaknesses of a real human and I like that. The heroine, Ariella MacKendrick, is a real fighter who never falters. The secondary characters are also lovely and they pleasantly add life to the story. This book is very well written. Ms. Monk is blessed with storytelling gift. She also has a wonderful sense of humor and cleverly added a good portion of it to the story. All in all, this is a beautiful love story with unforgettable characters that will linger in your heart for a long time.

This is the first book of Karyn Monk's that I have read. It was utterly brilliant. I read it in about 5 hours. Couldn't put it down. She had me laughing and crying the entire time. Wonderful story of honor, courage, committment, and self-forgiveness. Off to the bookstore now to buy all her books I can find.

People often refer to romance novels as weak and plotless. Karyn Monk, however, has broken down those stereotypes, and written a romance novel with substance! Once A Warrior is a beautifully written book, with exceptionally strong main characters. The heroine, a brave woman, handles her responsibilites with a passion that is to be admired. She is strong-willed, but clearly displays a graceful and tender side as well. The hero, a refreshingly original character, has more than one battle to fight, adding excitement to this historical romance. VERY IMPRESSIVE!