A more substantial plot & expanded lore rather interesting but human characters are dull. Solène’s storyline is entirely predictable because completely generic; Gill also a fantasy stereotype with little to distinguish from the pack of fantasy characters just ;like him already in canon,

Knight of the Silver Circle is a great sequel to Dragonslayer. I love both the books but for differing reasons.

If Dragonslayer is about setting up the plot and the world, Knight of the Silver Circle is about the consequences of the return of the dragons. As always, the characters are excellent - a hallmark of Duncan Hamilton - they have believable motivations and the interactions are fun. The story is as captivating as ever though there is one predictable twist in it.

In conclusion, this series is definitely worth reading and you should not miss reading it.

While I didn’t absolutely love the first book in this series, I could still appreciate what it was trying to do and the type of approachable, sword and magic fantasy story it was telling. The characters, while fairly predictable, were also well-drawn and familiar enough that I was definitely not set against continuing with the series. On a whim, I requested this one a while back. It took a while to get to it, but here we are! Overall, while it’s still not my favorite fantasy series ever, I did like this one better than “Dragonslayer.”

After returning with a dragon’s head, Gill has re-established himself as a dragonslayer of note. Parting ways with Solene, the two are set to go about their lives again, not expecting to see one another again. But it soon becomes apparent that dragons aren’t done with them let. Three new ones begin pestering the countryside, drawing Gill out once again and now against worse odds than ever. For her part, Solene fears what is coming and is still working on gaining full control of her powers. But there may not be time as the Prince Bishop continues to make his own moves.

So, overall, this was very similar to the first book. It’s your tried and true classic fantasy story where the heroes are heroic, the mages struggle with their magic, and the bad guy does ad things. But in a lot of ways I think it also improved on the first book. For one thing, part of what I liked about the first book was the inclusion of POV chapters from the dragon’s perspective. Here we get more of that, which I still think is pretty unique, but we also dive more into dragon culture. We learn the variety of dragons out there, how some are just rampaging beasts essentially, but how others are quite intellectual and have a sort of society amongst themselves. I definitely continued to be interested in this angle of the story.

As far as Gill goes, I still think that he’s a bit of a cookie-cutter hero in that he’s almost exactly what you’d expect. In my review of the first book, I struggled with the lack of exploration into his emotional arc dealing with the loss of his family. But I was glad to see here that his struggles with alcoholism weren’t simply swept under the rug after the first book. Yes, he had success again as a dragonslayer and is largely coming into his own again as an esteemed fighter. But we still see him struggle with his past and the part of him that has dwelled in booze for so long.

I also liked that we got more from the villain of the story, the Prince Bishop. In the first book, he, too, was fairly one dimensional. Here, we see more from him and learn more about his own motives and how far he is willing to go against our heroes. It gave him enough depth to make him more of an interesting character to follow in his own right.

The writing is also still solid and Hamilton is clearly an adept storyteller. However, the series continues to feel a bit one note. And, like I said in my first review, it still seems as if it’s not bringing much new to the genre as a whole. There’s definitely an appeal and an audience for this type of book, but I also like fantasy stories that surprise me in some way or another. A good example would be Michael J. Sullivan’s “Age of Myth” series. That, too, is a fairly typical fantasy adventure story with elves, dwarves, humans, and dragons. But the story also takes several surprising turns, focusing in on characters you originally cast as side-characters and doing away with some whom you thought would be around for the long haul and occupying important roles in the story. But, all of that said, fans of classic fantasy will still likely enjoy this second entry from Hamilton.

Rating 7: Improves on the first novel, but still a bit bland to really hit home for me.

(Link will go live Dec. 16)

I want to call Guillot dal Villerauvais an antihero, because if there’s one thing the man does not want to be, it’s a hero. He’s been there and done that and knows, for sure, for certain and for true, that the so-called glory is empty. As tempting as the adulation still is, he’s all too aware that it’s a cup of poison.

And so much of his personal behavior since he left the capital in disgrace five years ago has been, well, let’s call it less than heroic that it feels wrong for him to accept any of it. He knows he has plenty to atone for – and that killing the dragon that destroyed his village is just a drop in a very large bucket.

But now that he’s needed, truly needed – and feels guilty as hell about why he’s needed even though it isn’t his fault – he’s there. On the front line. In front of the damn dragon. Or in this book, dragons, plural.

Once Gill learns that the dragon he killed wasn’t the only one left in the world after all, he sets out to kill the not one but three that seem to have followed in its wake. After all, he’s the only “experienced” dragonslayer in Mirabaya – or anywhere else – in more than a thousand years.

He’ll just have to put that experience to work – again, and again, and again.

But without the help of his unsung assistant, the sorceress Solène. Solène unlocked the secrets that gave the original Knights of the Silver Circle their power. Solène can’t control her magic – to the point where that lack of control will kill her.

So she leaves Gill with the magical cup, the words to say, and a hope and a prayer that it will be enough to see him through.

While the Prince Bishop plots back in the capital to steal the glory that Gill has no use for, the cup that makes it all possible, and the kingdom if he can manage it.

He almost certainly can. He’ll just need a little bit of magic – along with a ruthless desire to let nothing stand in his way. Not even the king he’s supposed to serve.

Escape Rating A+: So far, this series has turned out to be a joy and a delight. I loved Dragonslayer, to the point where I couldn’t stand to wait for the utterly marvelous audiobook to play out and switched to the ebook just to see what happened that much faster. As I did this time around, switching from audio to text at about the 40% mark.

It’s obvious that I have no more patience waiting to see how a good book tells its story than the Prince Bishop does waiting for all of his many, many plans to ripen to fruition.

Like the first book in the series, this second book tells its rather epic story in a relatively short number of pages while keeping its large scope. At the same time, it hews to its sword and sorcery roots by switching perspectives from the swordsman Gill to the burgeoning sorceress Solène to the power-hungry politician Amaury with all the aplomb of the ablest swashbuckler.

But the washed-up, wasted, struggling Gill is the true hero and the true focus. Solène has her own story, but a big part of our interest in her revolves around her aid to Gill. And Amaury, well, Amaury is the villain and nemesis that every good hero needs. Smart, politically savvy, utterly ruthless and completely without remorse.

A big part of this entry in the series, which is a middle book that manages totally NOT to feel like one, is on the dragon hunt. Several of them, appropriately, as there are not one but three dragons this time around. There’s plenty of glory to be had, and plenty of men looking to grab it. That they are underprepared and less than successful is no surprise but adds plenty of drama and action to the story.

At the same time, there’s an underlying truth to this part of the saga that reminds me in a very peculiar way of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. If you’re not familiar, that’s the one with the whales. And Mirabaya or at least its Prince Bishop, like the Earth of that movie, is about to discover that the thing that can save them is the thing that they’ve been so successful at destroying.

The ways in which that destruction will bite someone, or several someones, in the ass will be revealed in the final book in the trilogy, Servant of the Crown. Which I can’t wait to start in the morning.

Going with a 3.75 star rating. I stated this in the last review for book one, but I just don't care for books that contain a lot of inner dialogue and thought. I prefer books that have more character interaction. Just my own personal taste.

Guillot aka Gill is still awesome. He's straightforward, lazy and funny. He reminds me of a lazy version of Geralt. He was a lot more focused this time around and did things with a lot more care. I enjoyed watching him slay dragons, help the villagers and work with other people. Gill still rocks for me.

Solene is bae! I just adore her and her heart. She's seriously the only pure hearted character in this trilogy. She tries hard to learn about her magic, help Gill and survive in the craziness of her world. I can't wait to see how powerful she becomes and if she really goes along with the enlightenment.

Amaury aka Prince Bishop is still an infuriating man and his daughter is annoying. He is a great villain for the trilogy. I'm interested in seeing how far his scheme goes and how many people continue to die for his stupidity. After what he did to the king -- I just need him to die.

Pharadon was my new favorite character in this book! First off he was a cool darn dragon, but the ability to change into human form and speak was insane! He was sensible and well rounded. There is a lot of promise with him and I'm stoked to see what happens next and for the pretty golden dragon.

Overall, it was good dragon novel. I'm intrigued by the addition of Pharadon and him working with Gill. I will definitely be reading the conclusion of this trilogy to see how everything ends for the characters.

This book started out with much the same feeling as the first book—exactly what you’d expect, but thankfully, this book delivers the twist that was set up in the first book, and I’m thrilled for that. I also love how well the twist fits in the world-building and how it sets Gill up for an impossible choice. And it really nails the tension as the reader is left wondering what's going to happen when everything eventually comes to a head!



As for characters, I’m still kind of luke-warm on Gill and Solene. They’re fine characters, I just think that I’m not clicking with them. What I did appreciate was some of Gill’s two steps forward one step back character arc. There was a particular point where I realized I was a little more attached to Gill than I wanted to be, and I’m pretty sure I groaned out loud at the choice he made, like I wanted to shake him and go, “NO DUDE DON’T”.



I would say overall that I enjoyed this book a little more than the first, and it's clear that the series is heading in a new direction, which I appreciate. I also think it does a fantastic job of setting up the third book, and I'll be eagerly awaiting it!



I’d still keep the same recommendation for this series, if you’re a fan of high fantasy, and want to read about dragons and the guys who slay them, definitely check it out.

Lo he mencionado numerosas veces en este blog, a mí hay muchos libros que me entran por los ojos. Una portada bonita, una buena campaña de marketing. Y en parte lo disfruto, esa emoción por algo desconocido, por descubrir una historia que promete sensaciones interesantes. Y es precisamente ese efecto el que genera expectativas que se van al garete bastante rápido. Antes de seguir la reseña echadle un vistazo a la portada de este libro. Y luego al título. ¡Cazadragones! ¡Portadón con dragón! Sí, ¿os suena de algo esto, eh, Priorato del Naranjo? No aprendo.

Dragonslayer está situada en el mismo mundo de fantasía pseudomedieval de la antigua trilogía de Hamilton. En este caso la historia gira alrededor del viaje de redención de un tipo cuya meta consiste en acabar con la criatura mítica que da nombre al libro (y a la trilogía), algo que, por supuesto, cambiará el curso de los acontecimientos en el reino y en todo el continente. Lord Guillot, que en su día fue un gran guerrero y ahora es el lord de un pequeño pueblo inspirado en Francia (creo que se llama Villerauvais o algo por el estilo, lo siento pero no retenía ninguno de los nombres al leer) se tira a la bebida cuando su mujer muere. Es entonces cuando el dragón aparece y Guillot ve la oportunidad de dejar esos años de ebriedad y de deshonra atrás. Monta un grupo de personas con los que viajar y cruzar el país y sale en busca del dragón. No hay más, por el camino se encuentra a personajes, bandidos, trabas con soldados, etc. Nada que no hayamos leído antes.


Y ahí radica mi problema. No tengo reparos en leer una novela de fantasía sencillita, o incluso clónica. Me gustan las novelas de aventuras, disfruto de los dragones, de las batallas, de personajes heroicos que se levantan del charco de barro y resurgen de un trauma. Son historias que me llaman la atención, aunque sean olvidables. Pero cuando una historia que has leído cientos de veces está contada sin gracia, sin personalidad, sin un atisbo de estilo, entonces todo se va al garete y se vuelve insoportable. Dragonslayer es un libro que tenía todo los números para gustarme, para evadirme durante un fin de semana: dragones, caballeros, un libro breve (no llega a las 300pgs), una premisa conocida... Pero está escrito con tan poca gracia, los personajes son tan sosos, y la tensión está tan mal llevada que se me hizo eterno el viaje con Guillot a lo largo de estas 300 páginas. El libro no cuenta nada, no reflexiona sobre apenas nada que no sea la típica frase de taza de Wonderful. Los personajes no tienen ningún tipo de conexión emocional y se nota demasiado la artificialidad de su diseño. Se nota que estás leyendo un libro escrito por un tipo, y no una historia. Eso sin contar con que el final es tan predecible que solo con la sinopsis ya intuiréis dónde y cómo va a terminar. Una lástima, porque era una novela en la que había puesto unas expectativas bastante bajas pero que ni siquiera así ha llegado a cumplir. Por si hay algún interesado, los dos siguientes libros de la trilogía están al caer, el segundo ya ha sido publicado y el tercero está ahí ahí. Y por supuesto, con unas ilustraciones de cubierta despampanantes.

This was a really enjoyable second instalment in this series that I think I enjoyed more than book one! It tells the continuing story of Gil and his role as the land's only dragon slayer. Firstly, the narrative was really well paced and kept my interest throughout, which was great, The story is simple and straightforward and I appreciated the way in which Hamilton has expanded on both the world building and the characters in this instalment. There were some really interesting developments for the dragons and once again, I very much enjoyed the chapters we got from a dragon's perspective. I also thought that the book sets up really well for the final instalment, which I shall definitely be reading. Overall, I would say that this series isn't breaking any boundaries or doing anything wildly original, but if you like straightforward, linear narratives about dragons, you should check this out.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved the first book and can tell this one is epic, but I couldn’t get back into the storyline and the protagonists enough to coherently review the book. My favorite part of the first book was the introduction of such unlikely heroes - it felt novel and exciting to read. Now that we’re into a second book, it feels like those surprises have lost some of their charm. The writing is as solid as the first, but I just couldn’t seem to pick it back up. Thank you for the chance to review.

Knight of the Silver Circle is the second book in Duncan M. Hamilton's The Dragonslayer series, and is a worthy successor to its predecessor. The story begins by setting up some new stakes and finding our heroes Guillot and Solene right where we left them. In the aftermath of the first book, Guillot and Solene come to grips with repercussions of what they've done, and Prince Bishop Amaury continues scheming in the capital city of Mirabaya. Soon, our heroes are separated, and they must separately work feverishly to conquer their own monsters, outside and in, where nobody can be trusted and, in truth, they fear themselves as well.

What I liked most about this book is that after about the 30% mark, the dynamics really pick up and the reading becomes much more gripping than what has preceded it in this series. I had a very hard time putting this book down after that point and devoured it until the end. The story delves deeper into the mythos and history of this world, and increases the stakes for all major characters, introducing some new ones, while others meet grisly ends. The book ends on a gigantic cliffhanger, with the fate of some characters unknown, and others left in peril. Not knowing what happens next is so not fair!

It is certain that Hamilton has found his stride with this series, and book three, whenever it may arrive, is high on my list of anticipated titles. This latest entry is smarter, more savvy, and full of greater intrigue than what came before, and it left me wanting even more. Do yourself a favor and see what a Knight of the Silver Circle is made of, or later you may feel regret as strong as dragon's fire.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series where we have a lot of setup of the world this story takes place in. The plot is well established so the second book is the consequences of a dragon being slayed and the rest showing up to wreck havoc.

We learn more about our two heroines as they split at the beginning of the story right as 3 more dragons are wrecking havoc. Does Gill really know how the silver cup works? Solene is unsure how her magic works so she sets off to be trained in how to use it. A rag tag band of members is rounded up in attempt to deal with this new threat. How will it all play out and what is to come in the third book i can hardly wait.

Knight of the Silver Circle by Duncan Hamilton is second in the Dragonslayer trilogy. Alpheratz the Black has been defeated. Gill doesn't get the chance to rest for long though. Long dormant eggs clutched by Alpheratz' mate have unexpectedly hatched, and now three more dragons are terrorising the land. With none to shepherd their growth, mental or physical, these juveniles are potentially far more dangerous than their da. Learning the secret of the Chevalier protection ceremony from Solene, Guillot must recruit new dragonslayers to meet the threat. There's more than meets the eye with these dragons though. Things that will change the way humanity regards the ancient creatures. Dragon memory is long, and human memory a mere mayfly flicker.

Gill continues to be my absolute favourite. I can't get it out of my head now that he looks like an era appropriate Hopper (from Stranger Things). It's because their background is so similar, with loss and how they handle it, and how true crisis shows them they are still good people, and there are still things worth fighting for. Also, a similar sarcastic sense of humour. I felt so bad for Gill in the aftermath of his recruitment efforts. Sure they took out two of the dragons, but at what cost? And the betrayal before the hunt for the third was heart-rending.

I enjoyed following Solene's story as it diverged from Gill's, only to rejoin again unexpectedly. In his increasing hunger for power, Amaury has sent Solene to find the Temple of the Enlightened. I guessed the secret of the enlightened early on, and was pleased to see I was correct. Also, her search and success greatly appealed to the anthropologist in me! I wish we had gotten to explore more ruins with her. Maybe next book. I wanted to hug her too, so much. She suffers a terrible loss, in the form of my favourite tertiary character. I won't give it away, but I hope Solene or Solene and Gill together can fill the gap this person has left in the opposition against Amaury. I think the Prince Bishop's intentions are (mostly) well-meant, but he's going about it all the wrong way. Especially in trying to force magic on a populace taught to fear it. You can't so completely overturn centuries of thought to the contrary all at once. Small, in-between steps of compromise are needed, but he doesn't want to wait for that.

I loved Pharadon! I know we will see more of him in the final book, which will hopefully take Gill and Solene away from the crazy political machinations for awhile, as the search for more vessels of enlightenment. Although, they know exactly where the stolen one is headed so maybe they can get it back before Amaury gets it. I know the golden dragon is still about, but I'm hoping that we get to see even more. It seems Alpheratz couldn't sense the dormant ones, so maybe there are other sleepers that will waken. It seems the more the Fount refills the land, the more likely nearby dragons will waken, and we know from Alpheratz, and the ones here, that they are not merely beasts, but a self-aware species more advanced than humans in many ways.

And now I'm going to go crazy til the next book comes out!! I have to be choosy as to which books I get as hardcopy lately, thanks to space. This is one of two series that have earned those spots! (The Mia Scalisi series by Meredith Allison is the other, and if you enjoy Prohibition era historical fiction, be sure to check them out.)

***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Macmillan Tor/Forge for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for JBN Tours.

As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Guillot dal Villerauvais is drawn farther into the life and service he had left far behind. Solène attempts to come to terms with the great magical talent she fears is as much a curse as a blessing, while the Prince Bishop’s quest for power twists and turns, and takes on a life of its own.
With dragons to slay, and an enemy whose grip on the kingdom grows ever tighter, Gill and his comrades must fight to remain true to themselves, while standing at the precipice of a kingdom in peril.
The Dragonslayer Trilogy:
1. Dragonslayer
2. Knight of the Silver Circle
3. Servant of the Crown

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
Dragons have returned after a thousand years, but greater dangers lurk in the shadows...

Knight of the Silver Circle, by Duncan M. Hamilton is the next installment in highly anticipated, The Dragonslayer Trilogy. Guillot dal Villerauvais is drawn farther into the life and service he had left far behind. Solène attempts to come to terms with the great magical talent she fears is as much a curse as a blessing,

Knight of the Silver Circle is an incredible epic fantasy, the author delivers an atmospheric, stunning adventurous storyline, the pacing and execution is excellent. Wonderfully engaging with creative multiple POVs makes for an enjoyable read.
People in nearby towns are terrified, and one mayor has searched out Guillot to ask for help. It seems some of the dragon eggs have hatched and the babies are growing quickly. Amaury, the Prince Bishop, is still thirsting for for power and wrecking havoc through out kingdom. His character is more developed and refined in this book. All the characters become more fleshed out. The atmospheric fantasy world building is stellar. The plot line has some intriguing twist, with betrayals. Engaging political intrigue along with some key elements surface within the novel.
Hamilton leads the reader as the book progresses and really takes off on a spellbinding aventures tale.
A exceptional written fantasy novel, that I was completely immersed in. I completely unprepared for the ending, and can’t wait for the last book in this mind blowing fantasy series.

I did something different with this book than I usually do with new releases in a series, and I did not go back and reread the previous installments prior to reading the new. Honestly, I have read a lot of books since reading "Dragonslayer" so I was having a little trouble recalling many details beyond a sense of really enjoying it.

Names, backgrounds, and relationships came back to me as I was reading and it was a novel experience to build back to the peak engagement in the story from the start of the second book. We continued to see growth in a few key characters, and were introduced to some new and I don't think there was a viewpoint that I didn't enjoy.

Overall, the story continued to build upon the foundations laid in the first book, and I was hooked the entire way. I was left with as much to think about as I had at the beginning of the book and I am eagerly anticipating getting my hands on book 3.

This book was just stellar!! The characters were amazing and the story is all about the aftermath of the dragons coming back and what that means. I really loved that the author didn't take a lot of time setting up the world and story again. It just opened and got going! If you loved book one you will die hard fall in love with this one. Not many book twos do very well for me but this one blew me away!! This one ended way to soon for me and I can not wait for book three!!

Absolutely brilliant! Sequels are always dangerous. They have a bad habit of losing the reader through a failure to meet the same high standard of the 1st book. Mr. Hamilton however, doesn't have this issue. This book follows Dragon Slayer perfectly, and as a bonus, the author didn't feel the need to continually remind us of what had previously transpired, or, what powers may have been conferred. I love the way he left the players in this book, to just get on with what they had to do without the recaps.
The main characters are very easy to love, respect and dislike. They're well formed, well rounded, and let's be homest, they ride the twists and turns like a commuter bus on the Bolivian Death Road.
I'll stop now, and simply say, if you love, action, adventure, redemption, and the odd dragon is a bonus, then you need to read this series.

If you liked the previous book in the series, you'll like this one.
Good writing, straight forward plot, continues the story in the series while raising the plot.

This is just so perfect!! After having things set up in the Dragonslayer we follow Gill and Solene as they go their separate ways to try and find fulfillment in their lives. Solene is trying to learn how to control her power so that she doesn’t burn out her magic. Gill is asked to slay more dragons in a border village. They both encounter perils, mysteries to be uncovered, and startling truths. The villain, Amaury is still at his machinations and becomes even more daring and hateful in his quest for power. I seriously hope that he gets what is coming to him, a full on karmic slam. I loathe him and that is the sign of a well written villain. Gill had finally come to terms with his past, as has Solene. I’m hoping that in the next book they are able to full grasp their full potential and change the world for the better. I’m seriously looking forward to the next novel. I want it now!!

This is a highly enjoyable second addition to this series. I find the story so gripping, the pacing excellent and the multiple POVs certainly help with this, and the characters very compelling. If you are a fan of Geralt from the Witcher series you will likely enjoy Gill’s character. Highly recommend for fans of Witcher and Game of Thrones.

Knight of the Silver Circle by Duncan Hamilton, almost as good as the first. This second book in the series delivers a solid book, that only barely suffers from being the second book. If you enjoyed the first and were tantalized by the ending don't miss out on this book.