The Painter Knight (Branion series, Book 2) [Paperback]

Fiona Patton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Daw Book Collectors | Publication Date: June 1, 1998

In th kingdom of Branion, the hereditary royal line is blessed -or cursed- with the power of the Flame, a magic which can as easily destroy its human vessel as well as whatever foe it has been unleashed against. Two hundred years before the events of THE STONE PRINCE, Branion is beseiged by a civil war, and only Simon, Court Painter and closest friend of the kingdom's ruler, can find the courage to rescue a young child--the heir to the Flame--from becoming a victim in the family power struggle!

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: DAW (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886777801
• ISBN-13: 978-0886777807
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable, April 5, 2005

By 

Furio (Genova - Italy) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Painter Knight (Branion series, Book 2) (Paperback)

ms patton has done a fine job: this book is no masterpiece but is written professionally, it can easily entertain and i feel like recommending it both to adults and to teens.

the world created here is rich and detailed: it is clear enough how ms patton drew inspiration from xiv century europe. political intrigue is believable without being boring, the plotting is good if sometimes a bit obvious and slow.

characters are generally excellently developed: little kassandra is a bit dull, but simon's parents are lovely and the villains are intriguing.

the love story of simon and king marcellus moved me to tears: the mingle of sexual passion AND friendship, the intimacy they share; it is NEVER rhetorical and ms patton deserves great praise for this.

one can wonder my recommending this novel with gay characters to teens: i have (good) reasons: sex is mentioned but never graphic, natural as breathing.
ms patton utopia is a world where men and women are absolutely on a level, equally strong, equally powerful, equally evil. bisexuality is the rule, homosexuality is no problem and sex is no issue at all: i admit i was shocked and delighted by the ease, no nonsense attitude of the characters on this subject.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well written return to Branion, April 9, 1999

By 

Katherine A. Keller (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Painter Knight (Branion series, Book 2) (Paperback)

One of the things I most enjoyed about Patton's first novel, _The Stone Prince_ was the richness and depth of setting. One knew that she had reams and reams of notes about customs and history. In _The Painter Knight_ she tells us of one of the darker chapters in Branion's history.

The level of intrigue and backstabbing in this novel is matched only English history. The intense story filled with its wonderfully human characters (who have vices in proportion to virtue) kept me enthralled.

If nothing else, Patton reminds me a bit of Robert Jordan in her ability to create dynamic women characters. And I give her all due homage for not sidestepping the issue of human sexuality.

But, I did find one or two things a bit annoying. Kassandra's lisp and childish talk grates after about 20 pages, and though she's a bright child, I cannot believe that a 4 year old can make some of the incredibly adroit political moves she pulls off -- she acts like a 20 year old at times.

Despite that, I've put noticible wear and tear on my copy, which is perhaps the greatest praise an author could ask for.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, March 3, 2000

By 

Laura (Huntington Beach, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Painter Knight (Branion series, Book 2) (Paperback)

This is a wonderfully written book that has beautifully portrayed characters. Its presentation of homosexual love is sensitive and not mocking (people in this universe do not care about sexual orientation - the people are bisexual). It has a fine mix of humor with seriousness. This book can be read alone from the other books in the series (the books are standalones within the same universe), and is probably the best in the series (although The Stone Prince completes for this honor).