Posted by author (see original on Amazon.com) on behalf of:
Pedro
5.0 out of 5 stars A true Chess match!
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
The author has certainly done his homework on Medieval battle scenes; The clash is described in great detail, the brutality of sword fighting is quite dramatic. Hand-to-hand fights are exciting and hair-raising. The planning of overcoming geographic obstacles, the attrition within his ranks due to the long trek to meet the enemy will affect the outcome, giving the reader a true sense of the realistic factors that existed at the time. Overcoming the adversary's camp defenses are done in an unpredictable and dramatic manner. The flanking maneuvers were brilliantly planned, yet, the low chance of success brings a tense feeling throughout, as they were essential for the plan to work. Even this risk is a part of his strategy: he sends his strongest potential future adversary on this extremely dangerous mission; if he dies, the future threat is dealt with, if he wins, the publicly justifiable rewards will buy his Loyalty. A masterpiece of writing!
For once we have a King who is honorable, intelligent, and a true warrior on the battlefields. He has a very sensuous life at home… quite well written, ahem! The Chess game starts off early: He foresees a future threat by a rogue ex-ally, then formulates his tactics, and executes them. An early feast gathering was full of nuances and gamesmanship, it rivals the classic initial dinner scene in Dune. Unlike Chess, even pawns are crucial parts of the deadly game. He has to deftly deal with his Lords, strengthening loyalties by crafty compromises that do not weaken him. The Lords are clueless about this fact, as they are blinded by their own ambition, a part of their being that the King has to deal with and use against them. The problems requiring smart moves continue to add up: Each tactical decision opens a multitude of possible dangerous consequences; the way the King assesses these and deals with them shows us just how he truly deserves to rule, a part that was an absolute pleasure to read.
Characters are extremely well-developed, even each person's idiosyncrasies are interesting and contribute nicely to the plot.
Did I mention that the future Queen is an absolute sexually powerful and seductive woman?
