A second enjoyable entry to the Dragonslayer series that sticks with the formula that made the first book a fast-paced, fun read, whilst adding a few new elements to keep things fresh.
Author – Duncan M Hamilton
Pages – 320
For those that either haven’t read book one, Dragonslayer (or my review for it) you might want to head here first!
There will be possible spoilers for Dragonslayer from this point but none for Knight of the Silver Circle.
After reviewing Dragonslayer, I noticed a lot of fellow bloggers on goodreads were more inclined towards the 3 and 4 stars, whereas I gave it a 5. I understand why; there is nothing particularly groundbreaking, the book isn’t massively in depth, which limits the scale (it’s only just over 300 pages afterall) and it has a relatively simplistic plot. Compared to some fantasy epics that are truly imaginative or grand in scale, I get why you might think, “this just doesn’t have the awe factor or the scope of some fantasy I can compare it to, so naturally I can’t rate it as highly.”
And the same is the case for Knight of the Silver Circle. The thing is though, aswell as books being completely subjective, I believe if we do have to give a book a score out of 5 – which I only do for Goodreads, you have to go with the heart. Before analysing it too much, I tend to like to judge it on my overall enjoyment of the reading experience.
And I’m pleased to say with both books, I’ve found them really fun, exciting page turners that I just really loved!
The character of our main character, Gill is developed further, discovering what man he is and who he wants to be – can he put the darkness of his past behind him, or to use it for positive change? How much has he changed?
Solène’s chapters were also a journey of self discovery in some respects and the ones I actually enjoyed the most. She knows how she wants to use her power and the dangers of working with the Prince Bishop, she must weigh up her own development and the intentions of this shady head of the order.
Speaking of whom, his chapters begin to develop even more of a sinister tone and you realise he will stop at absolutely nothing to take power for himself and use it for his own means. His planning and manoeuverings make for interesting reading.
There are also another couple of characters introduced I really liked, including a new dragon – through him we learn alot more about dragonkind and that not all dragons are these vicious beasts – they can become enlightened (as he is) if taught early enough in their lives, developing wisdom and humility. Of course, they retain the ability to wreak destruction and death should they need to use it.
The plot centres around the Prince Bishop’s developing ambition and the threat of more dragons in the world of Mirabaya, both plotlines intertwining to create a cocktail of action and intrigue.
The charming world is developed further here, with new peoples and villages and of course as mentioned above, a much bigger focus on dragons – their biology, personalities and how they fit into the world. There promises to be an even bigger focus on magic and dragons in the final instalment which I expect will stay true to this fast paced, enjoyable formula. Because here we have a series that you can relax and enjoy, without overthinking anything or having to concentrate super hard, whilst getting dragons, magic and a story that makes you keep wanting to turn every page and start every new chapter. The perfect reads to get you out of a reading slump and ones I’ll read again and again.
Also, those covers… amazing.
Three dragons wreak havoc throughout Mirabay–eating livestock, killing humans, and burning entire villages to ash. It was nearly impossible to kill one, using a legendary sword and the magic of the mysterious Cup; to tackle three, Guillot dal Villerauvais will need help.
The mage Solène fears having to kill again; she leaves Gill to gain greater control over her magic.
The Prince Bishop still wants Gill dead, but more than that, he wants the Cup, and he’ll do whatever he has to to get it, even sending his own daughter–a talented thief and assassin–into the dragons’ path.
As secrets mount on secrets and betrayals on betrayals, both Guillot and Solène face critical decisions that will settle not only their own fate but that of all Mirabaya.
Spells and Spaceships 