Customer Reviews

The Rose and the Warrior

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In The Rose and the Warrior, Karyn Monk again transports readers to Medieval Scotland. A gifted storyteller, Ms. Monk weaves her tale into an entertaining tapestry of colorful characters, dramatic action and vibrant language, sparked by touches of her trademark humor.

In this passionate story played against a backdrop of clan rivalry and family loyalty, we meet two different kinds of warriors. Melantha of the Clan MacKillon is a beautiful young woman fiercely determined to protect her people. Disguised as a thief, she preys on the men of Laird MacTier, the very forces that attacked her clan and left them nearly destitute and starving. Not knowing he hunts a woman, Roarke of the MacTiers is sent to capture the daring thief known only as the Falcon, but finds himself her prisoner instead.

Although the MacKillons are supposed to be his enemies, Roarke finds himself sympathetic to their plight. Their goodness and honor make him question a lifetime spent warring in his laird's name. His growing attraction to Melantha compels him to protect not only her, but also the people she holds so dear.

For her clan to survive, Melantha must overcome her bitter hatred of all things MacTier and trust Roarke on his own merits. For love to grow, she must also learn to trust the dictates of her heart.

Once again, Ms. Monk succeeds in creating a dynamic, multi-layered novel where emotion and action embrace and love is the grandest adventure of all.

This story was thoroughly entertaining! Roarke as the weary warrior who comes to understand the devastation he has caused in his 20 yrs of fighting. Melantha who has lost so many to war, yet finds herself drawn to a warrior (an enemy one). Roarke and Melantha are terrific characters, BUT I loved the MacKillions! Absent-minded Laid MacKillion, Thor the ancient council member constantly threatening to " grind the enemies bones to dust to make bread.", Magnus the old warrior who accidentally shoots Roarke in the bum and then can't stop bragging about it! They are wonderful! You can see how Roarke and his men come to care for them and want to protect them, even from their own clan the MacTiers. These characters are warm and funny. They ALL grow just from having been part of each others lives. Roarke and Melantha are both respected, strong leaders, yet unsure in love. A witty and wonderful tale! KCS

This is my third book of Karyn Monk and I say, she does have the talent to captivate her readers. She's gifted with words to open your mind and soars your heart.

As usual, like every other books of Karyn Monk that I have read, her characters are always well defined. Tired, battle-scarred Roarke and the capable, courageous Melantha are both very interesting couple. In my opinion, there is no lacking in character description or development. You will see through them and will have different views of what they are and what they've been through. However, I did wish they would spent more time together to develop their relationship or their love for each other. I guess base on their circumstances, it is essential to create it as it is...that's just a small niggle on my part. This is not a simply love story book, there is lots of dishonorable acts yet with reasons you can comprehend as u read through it. I did feel sad reading what Melantha have been through in her short life...the McKillon's hardship especially the hungry children squeezed my heart. It'll make u despise the over-bearing and the selfish McTiers but then again, it's all part of the "war", part of what it use to be. Sadly, the weak becomes weaker while the strong becomes stronger. Ms. Monk words will also make u see the viewpoint of a warrior who have attacked clans for their own advantage. A warrior who swore fealty to his Laird and simply follow orders without really looking into the circumstances until he was force to see it firsthand...it's truly heart warming. The situation and the conflicts of this book is very well written. It will involved you thorougly! I also enjoyed the secondary characters immensely. They are definitely a comical spice to this book. No doubt, the "elders" will truly bring smile to your face. I also love Roarke's warrior friends, Eric, Myles and Donald. I wonder if Ms. Monk will write a book for Donald. I may have rated this book a 4 stars but overall, this book is once again a delightful read.

Most avid readers know that the first fifty pages of a book are a good idicator if the book is a keeper or if it should be add to the return-to-used-book-store-for-a-traded-in stack. I purchased Karyn Monk's, The Rose and the Warrior, as an impulse buy. Lately I have stayed with favorite authors who are guaranteed to deliver a whitty, plot driven, intelligently written and entertaining book. I was genuiely suprised by Karyn Monk's work, after only thiry pages I realized that I would have to add her to my list of favorite authors. The Rose and the Warrior, set in hills of Scotland, tells the tale of a misfit band of thieves who capture and attempted to ransom a group of seasoned warriors. It is clear at all times who is really in controll of the situation. The topics of retribution, revenge and clan loyalty are all covered. The book is humorous. The dialogue is smart and intelligent (not maudling nor mundane). You will love the characters. The female lead character is strong and independent not simpering or weak. The lead male character is exactly what dreams are made of: strong, dependable, loyal and understanding. The entire book is enjoyable from start to finish. The Rose and the Warrior may be the first book by Karyn Monk that you ever read but it certainly won't be the last. It wasn't for me!

I thoroughly enjoyed the overall writing and witty dialogue of Melantha and Roarke's story. The bumbling McKillon clan has a lot of feisty characters that make sure a smile is always near the surface as you are reading. Magnus and Thor, two elders of the clan (though a bit repetitive in their speeches) spin such yarns and are so extreme in their beliefs, that after a while, as the reader, you WANT Thor to "hack the McTiers up and grind their bones for bread". I suppose the extent of Clan McKillon's ineptitude stretches the realm of credibility, but this is romance reading, right?

In the past, I have enjoyed Karyn Monk's novels because they are well written and are awash in historical detail. The Rose and the Warrior falls a bit shy on the level of historical detail. We see a time in Scot's history where there is clan warfare and where might makes right. It is, therefore, a bit of a stretch that the hero is able to change his attitude as much as he does. He has quite an epiphany, and I have a hard time buying his vault-face and going against everything he has believed in for 30+ years. Deep down, I really liked Roarke, and his role as our older, weary warrior/hero. He's tired and sore and just can't fight any more. You feel for him as he sits stiffly on his horse, wanting to ease his pain. Melantha is also a good character, well written, with a lot of depth. She has seen a lot in her short time, and Ms. Monk does an excellent job showing her struggle as she loses her mother, then her father, and is forced to look after her three younger brothers as well as try and help a starving and desperate clan.

What I can't understand is Roarke and Melantha's attraction to each other. (A 30-something-year-old and from what I can gather, a teen). They do not talk much, and when they do it is usually with an antagonistic bent. There is very little sexual tension; enough to whet the reader's appetite, but not enough to draw our leads together. So why and how do they fall in love? None of this is explained very well. Although I enjoyed the McKillon Clan and their personalities, I do have to wonder how they maintained their cheery, optimistic and oh so polite countenance. After being raided and nearly starving to death over the winter, I doubt they would have behaved as they did. This aside, I did enjoy this Robinhood tale and would suggest picking up a copy to read.

In the 3 books I've read of Karyn Monks, all her characters are well grounded and defined and come alive on the pages, and "The Rose and The Warrior" is no exception. Not only was Roarke a hardened seasoned warrior, but a man with depth and soul as well, and as the story unfolds his character becomes the core of the story. Along with Roarke, are his three friends, Eric, Daniel and Myles, worthy warriors and very different in their own contrasting personalities. The long suffering Melantha, so young to experience such losses is both courageous and independent struggling to maintain a daily life for herself and her brothers and her Clan. The conflict of interests and the way they are dealt with are quite funny, and some of it made me laugh until my stomach hurt. There are also the very funny MacKillions who are so softhearted and well intentioned they treat their prisoners as honored guests. If you're like me and appreciate having other good books recommended, here's my list for your consideration: "The Princess & the Barbarian" by Betina Krahn (one of my favorites), The Dark Queen Trilogy "The Dark Queen" book 1, "The Courtesane" book 2, and "The Silver Rose" book 3 all by Susan Carroll; "Once A Warrior" by Karyn Monk; and her other warrior books; "The Prize" by Julie Garwood"; "The Lily and The Sword" by Sara Bennett; and "A Kingdom of Dreams" by Judith McNaught (the only book by her I would recommend though).

Most avid readers know that the first one hundred pages of a book is a good idicator if the book is a keeper or if it should be add to the return-to-used-book-store-for-a-traded-in-stack. I purchased Karyn Monk's, The Rose and the Warrior, as an impulse buy. Lately I have stayed with favorite authors who are guaranteed to deliver a whitty, plot driven, intelligently written and entertaining book. I was genuiely suprised by Karyn Monk's work, after only thiry pages I realized that I would have to add her to my list of favorite authors. The Rose and the Warrior, set in hills of Scotland, tells the tale of a misfit band of thieves who capture and attempted to ransom a group of seasoned warriors. It is clear at all time who is really in controll of the situation. The topics of retribution, revenge and clan loyalty are all covered. The book is humorous. The dialogue is smart and intelligent (not maudling nor mundane). You will love the characters. The female lead character is strong and independent not simpering or weak. The lead male character is exactly what dreams are made of: strong, dependable, loyal and understanding. The entire book is enjoyable from start to finish. The Rose and the Warrior may be the first book by Karyn Monk that you ever read but it certainly won't be the last. It wasn't for me!

When a band of invincible Mac Tier warriors ride out to capture "The Falcon," fate plays a dirty trick on them. A giant net thrown falls upon and restrains three of the brutish Mac Tiers, while an arrow in the arse fells Roarke, their fearless leader. Stunned that they have been overcome, the Mac Tiers think nothing can be more farfetched than their capture--until they see the face of that mysterious thief, The Falcon. After seeing her clan fall to ruin and losing her father at the hand of the despicable MacTiers, Melantha vows to protect her clan and family from any further torment. The key to that end, she believes, will be achieved through her Mac Tier captives. Surely, the Laird Mac Tier will give in to her demands in order to secure the safe return of his warriors -- in exchange for a small ransom of gold that she can use to buy protection for her clan. Although labeled hostages, the Mac Tier warriors find the MacKillons to be a charming, hospitable bunch. The kindness and generosity of their good-hearted captors soon warms the hearts of the arrogant warriors and causes them to question their loyalty to their own clan. Roarke Mac Tier once had a passion for battle, but after living amongst his enemies, he quickly loses his taste for it. Soon, he can think of nothing else but the beautiful emerald-eyed Melantha. Melantha, on the other hand, has no use for the lying, cheating, murdering MacTiers and tries to deny what is fast becoming her heart's desire. Can love ever grow in a barren path of death and destruction? The Rose And The Warrior is an absolutely delightful read, with an inspiring hero and heroine, and an enchanting cast of characters.With her gifted pen, Karyn Monk provides passion, medieval flavor, comedy, suspense, intrigue and hope, all the necessary ingredients for a memorable read. I highly recommend this book, as well as Witch And The Warrior, to anyone who wants to enjoy what they read. I look forward to reading her other books, Surrender To A Stranger and Once A Warrior.

Lynne Remick, Reviewer

I took a chance on this book (given the mixed reviews) but since other Karyn Monk books had received accolades, why not? I have never not finished a book, until now. I just can't do it! Things happened too quickly and didn't make sense as to why. Melantha's clan too readily accepted warriors from an enemy clan, who had just raided and destroyed the majority of their village not two weeks prior, regardless that these men did not participate. I know that romance novels don't necessarily follow the "rules" as it is for how people would react in a given century, but that was ridiculous. If you were part of an enemy clan, then you were also an enemy. For crying out loud, at least have Roarke save her brother BEFORE they think that he might be an okay kind of a guy! If you want to read this book, please do, but be forewarned.. look for it at the library before you spend $7 on it... What I want to know is can I get a refund???

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and enjoyed the humor which was throughout the whole book - especially the exchanges with Magnus and Thor. I know I wouldn't mind being conquered by any of the four warriors, Roarke, Myles, Erik or Donald. This book has been put on the "keeper" shelf and I'm looking forward to reading her others.