The Queen's Knight

I thoroughly enjoyed The Queen's Knight. I reread The Queen's Gambit before I began this last book, and the two read well as one volume. This book definitely does not stand on its own! Luckily, Chester does not waste time explaining what has gone on before, but just gets into the story. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Before her coronation as Queen Pheresa, the queen of Mandria, kills the husband who betrayed her and arrested her father for aligning with her spouse for the power and treasure he would gain from such an alliance. However, her enemies still remain for Theloi the Cardinal and head of the true church wants to control Pheresa and have the church as the most powerful force in Mandria where Magic is forbidden. She is forced to banish her protector Sir Talmor before she is crowned queen because Theloi knows, even if he can't prove it, that Talmor has magic flowing through his veins. Talmor accepts the wishes of the church because of his love for his queen. During the ceremony, a red mist appears and Pheresa vanishes, taken hostage by the Sebeins, a heretical cult that practice magic and is hunted by the church. Talmor rescues her but witnesses saw him use fire magic so that the queen is forced to exile her beloved to his estate. While she copes with more attacks by the Sebeins, the machinations of Theloi and the rumbles of war from barbarians Talmor waits for Pheresa to call him back from exile. The heroine has grown to be a strong and independent woman worthy to wear the crown and rule the realm by herself. She knows who her enemies are and tries all in the power to keep the kingdom safe from attack from within and without. Although everyone says she can't marry Talmor, she believes that one day she will be his wife for there is nobody else she trusts more. THE QUEEN'S KNIGHT is an entertaining, enthralling romantic fantasy page turner. Harriet Klausner