Book Review: The Last Knight by Hilari Bell

The Last Knight by Hilari Bell

Release Date: September 1, 2007

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 368

Received: Library

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Page

Summary

From Goodreads:

In alternate chapters, eighteen-year-old Sir Michael Sevenson, an anachronistic knight errant, and seventeen-year-old Fisk, his street-wise squire, tell of their noble quest to bring Lady Ceciel to justice while trying to solve her husband's murder.

Review

Two guys are better than one

There’s something about stories following two guys as they combine forces that just gets me every time. Holmes and Watson, Dean and Sam Winchester, a friendship duo like that is an automatic “YES PLEASE!” for me. Hilari Bell’s Knight and Rogue series is no exception. 

Hilari Bell has created two superb characters in Michael and Fisk. Michael and Fisk are opposites in most ways, often finding themselves at odds with one another over questions of morality and what constitutes a wise course of action. These debates are highly amusing, with both characters convincing me equally. 

Michael is well-described and wears his heart on his sleeve. He is a noble and kind man with an unwavering sense of right and wrong. His growth and good heart endeared him to me early on and my liking only increased as the story progressed.

Fisk, on the other hand, is more in line with Bell's style of walking a tightrope line of morality. A character with secrets, many of which are hinted at and only a few of which we actually come to learn, Fisk is compulsively likable despite his often craven and self-serving acts. I am very intrigued by this character and hope we learn more about Fisk's past in the next book.

I love to hate her

Though not as main a character as Michael or Fisk, Lady Ceciel is still a very interesting character in her own right. Her actions are both objectionable and understandable, and it is impossible not to admire her intelligence in staying a step ahead of her pursuers. 

Does anyone remember the scene in Jurassic Park (um, I was…am…in love with that movie) where the raptor guy realizes he was just successfully stalked by the Queen raptor and he’s about to be chow? He turns to her and admiringly says “Clever girl” right before she rips him to shreds. That’s Lady Ceciel. 

Except…she is also pretty convincing. She’s not a cackling villain acting evil for the sake of being evil. She genuinely believes she is doing the morally right thing and she makes a strong argument, even as her actions turned my stomach. 

This world we live in

The plot is equally interesting, successfully combining fantasy adventure with detective mystery. I found myself wanting to read more and more as new clues were uncovered and new adventures found. I didn't figure out what was really going on with the mystery aspects until either just before it happened or only as it was happening. Though long at 368 pages, I found this book to be a real page-turner and I barely felt the length.

The only complaint I really have for the book is Bell's world-building. While the rules were laid out well enough, I didn't have a clear idea of how they actually played out in daily living. There also wasn't much explanation as to why certain things were the way they were. Other features I just found silly or annoying. The characters more than make up for this, though. 

Yet another series?

Yeah, it’s part of a series. I know, I know, a little part of me cries every time I hear that even though I love series. I wouldn’t worry too much about it here though. This book wraps up well and works as a standalone. There aren’t any annoying cliffhangers to worry about here and I’ve heard the same applies for the other two books in the series, both of which are published. 

I want to read the next book because I enjoyed the characters and want to read more about their adventures. This is how I think authors should do series. Make me want to read the next book because the first was so good, not because the story is left unfinished. I've actually already bought the second book based on the strength of this one (something I almost never do!).

 Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

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