4thace reviewed The Knight by Gene Wolfe
Review of 'The Knight' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This is the first book of a series, or rather the first half of a book which stops pretty abruptly on its last page. It is a portal fantasy set in a world with multiple realms populated with gods, monsters, dragons, and giants along with beings a little closer to humans, with a European feudal system governing people's lives. The main character sort of wanders over and finds himself for out of his element. Seemingly overnight he is transformed from a boy to a full-grown knight and set in a course to obtain the sword Eterne he is fated to wield. For the rest of this volume he goes up and down between the concentric realms of this world, living according to a code of honor as a knight, often broke but not without resources. He inspires intense loyalty to a group of followers, and is equally loyal to them …
This is the first book of a series, or rather the first half of a book which stops pretty abruptly on its last page. It is a portal fantasy set in a world with multiple realms populated with gods, monsters, dragons, and giants along with beings a little closer to humans, with a European feudal system governing people's lives. The main character sort of wanders over and finds himself for out of his element. Seemingly overnight he is transformed from a boy to a full-grown knight and set in a course to obtain the sword Eterne he is fated to wield. For the rest of this volume he goes up and down between the concentric realms of this world, living according to a code of honor as a knight, often broke but not without resources. He inspires intense loyalty to a group of followers, and is equally loyal to them in turn. He proves himself to his fellow knights in combat. At the climax he fights giants and then it ends.
The story is a good time spent with an appealing protagonist. I'll keep an eye out for the ending.
