Review: The Knight of the Moon by Gregory Kontaxis

Blurb:

John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new mission.

This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler.

Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will be succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth?

As part of “The Dance of Light” series, “The Knight of the Moon” is a novella which takes place seventeen years preceding the events of “The Return of the Knights.”

“Knights and Grand Masters don’t train women, Long Arm.” “Because they’re idiots,” John replied. “Only a few believe that women could become worthy warriors.”

Review:

Novellas are all the rage these days in the indie fantasy space, and Gregory Kontaxis jumped on that hype train by writing one hell of a prequel novella with 'The Knight of the Moon,' bound to leave fans of 'The Dance of Light' series wanting more.

Kontaxis takes us back 17 years prior to the events depicted in 'The Return of the Knights,' offering a glimpse into the insurrection led by Walter. Alongside this narrative, he delves deeper into the backstory of a beloved character, the infamous bounty hunter John the Long Arm.

John has been tasked with tracking down a Knight who is rumored to have forsaken his vows to both his king and kingdom. Kontaxis throws a wrench in John’s plan by introducing the female lead of the story, aptly named Nemesis. As the old adage goes, "Behind every great man is a great woman," and this couldn’t be more true for these two.

I don’t want to die for the sake of land and wealth. I don’t want to fight in cities that will be pillaged and see women violated to their last breath.

Having spoken with Kontaxis extensively before he wrote this novella as a member of his arc team, I was genuinely excited to delve deeper into John’s journey and the choices he's confronted with, as well as to explore how the relationships he forged along the way shaped him into the man we encounter in book one of the series. However, I was not prepared to be blindsided by an incredible new female lead, and as a result, I became completely engrossed in her story instead.

When they were far away enough, Nemesis glanced at John through the dark. “You’ve got skill,” Nemesis told him. “I know,” he replied smugly, and Nemesis felt a desire to slap him.

To be honest, whenever I encounter a feisty female lead brimming with sass, quick wit, and a readiness to take on the world, I instantly connect with them because they remind me of my long-time gaming friend, Jenks. As a result, her voice enters my mind and helps to bring Nemesis to life even more, further immersing me in the story.

I also have to commend Kontaxis for actively listening to his readers and incorporating their feedback and criticism from book one to enhance his writing abilities. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting to witness such a transformation in such a short read, but Kontaxis delivered. In my honest opinion, the only area where Kontaxis still needs a bit of improvement is his pacing.

The first half of the story was absolutely spot-on, and just like in book one, "The Knight of the Moon" had me hooked from the very first page; there was no way I was putting the book down until I reached the end. However, in the latter half of the story, there were moments where things felt a little rushed. While I understand what Kontaxis was aiming for in these moments, and while I do think they are still plausible, I believe that if he had taken a few extra pages to flesh things out a little more in these scenes, they would have felt more natural to readers. Ultimately, we're reading a fantasy story, and as such, not everything needs to feel entirely believable to still be enjoyable.

I know something is going on between you and Nemesis. I’ve seen how you look at each other... Finally, a woman managed to charm you, Long Arm.

At the end of the day, "The Knight of the Moon" by Gregory Kontaxis is a wonderful fantasy novella that takes readers on a journey with two reluctant heroes you can’t help but fall in love with. If you enjoy classic tropes such as found family, underdogs, reluctant heroes, and rebellion, then grab your free copy of this novella by signing up for Kontaxis's newsletter and dive into "The Dance of Light" series today.