This was not the book for me. I'm sure this will be loved by some readers but I didn't particularly enjoy this one.

I unfortunately forgot to download the e-book on my kindle before it was archived and/or lost interest in the book because it’s been on my tbr for way too long, so I wasn’t able to read and review it (on time). Since I Must give a star rating, I’ve given it 3 stars to stay neutral/in the middle. Sorry to the publisher for not having gotten around to actually read it. I never request a book without the best of intention to read it and review it, since I know how important it is to the authors in particular. But sometimes life happens and/or reading preferences change so much that you just don’t always get around to read a certain book anymore, even though at the time of requesting I was definitely planning to actually read it of course.

no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review no review sorry

Unfortunately this archived before I could read it, my copy didn’t work and now can’t read to review, my apologies

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

An interesting, cyber-punk(ish) - the cover gave me Blade Runner vibes - take on the King Arthur legend. Told from two different points of view other two time frames which gives it a good pace as you read find to find out what happens to Arthur and just who 'Red' is (though no doubt those well-versed in myths will be able to make an educated guess). Ending leaves me intrigued as to where Eve will go in the conlcuding (?) volume.

Unfortunately i dnf'd this book at about 30%, the writing style just wasn't to my taste despite how much promise the world and lore held, writing style can make or break a story for me.
Nevertheless if you want to read an entirely unique re-imagining for King Arthur's legend I'd still recommend giving this book a chance.

This was one of those books where the cover on the book immediately got my attention. Knights on motorbikes! I mean who can’t fail to be attracted to that! Then there was the premise of the story, transposing Arthurian Legends to an Urban fantasy setting.
But in all honesty, I found that these were the most alluring aspects of the book. It is not to say that I didn’t like the book, it was generally a good book that I enjoyed, however, I did struggle a bit. Especially due to the fact that it is more character driven and has a lot of information, that for me slowed up the pace a little. Is it the book’s fault? No, I don’t think it is! But as it is my interaction with the book, and I feel more that I am relaying more about that, rather than a fault with the book.
Character wise, you can’t fault it. There are some good characters in the book, Art and Garad are both pretty solid characters, but I think that it was Red that I liked most of all.
The plot kept me interested, but I wasn’t wholly invested in it, and at times like I said, some of the large chunks of information did cause me to be a bit derailed and found that I had to work at it. However, again, I think that this was more of a problem with my expectations with the book.
I did like the alternative version of England that Laura Eve built, and I think this did add to the book. I liked that electricity was used as currency and this was something that I had not seen before, so it had that novelty value.
On the whole, I enjoyed the book and would definitely read some more to see how Laura Eve expands the world.

I was fascinated by the premise of this one, and as someone who enjoys Arthurian Legends I was eager to see how that was going to be melded with an urban fantasy setting. Also, I fell in love with the cover at first sight! I will say that this one took me a little while to get into, in part because of the dual POV and how it is written, and also just connecting with the characters and there were a few times when I considered stopping. However, I was completely sucked into the world that Eve had created, and that kept me invested, and as the story found its flow more I was pulled in. I will say that some of the twists and turns were a little predictable, but Eve does an excellent job with the foreshadowing, and keeping the dual timelines separate enough that when they do come together it is fantastic. More importantly, I had fun with this book once I’d got into it properly and the last half or so I flew through. An entertaining read, and something different.

I was really looking forward to this book. After all, I am a massive lover of anything Arthurian so Arthurian mythology meets Gotham sounded right up my alley. Except, I didn't enjoy it. The world building felt confusing and I never got into the characters. Where some were incredibly obvious who they were a reference to (Art and Red being Arthur and Mordred), some were so vague that I still don't know who they were meant to be. I also didn't really get into the different timelines this book had. All in all, it felt like a good idea but didn't work for me.

I received this digital copy in exchange for an honest review, thanks Jo Fletcher Books.

I’m always such a shameless sucker for anything Arthurian and this book fills a void that I didn’t know I had. Hot and queer biker knights in leather riding around a futuristic London, yes please. The concept was already had me desperate to get my hands on a copy, but the execution was so immaculate that I know I’ll be reading Blackheart Knights over and over again.

The book follows two plotlines one set in the past covering Art’s rise to power, and one just a few months before the present following Red and her quest for vengeance. The two plotlines eventually converge, and even though I had a pretty good idea (it is a re-telling) of what was going to happen the punches still hit. If I had to pick a downside I’d say there is a heck of a lot of worldbuilding, and it can feel a little like information is being dumped on you at times, but Eve’s fascinating version of London really does need it. Blackheart Knights, despite being technically set in London, is a completely new world combining oddly medieval justice with modern technology and if you love detailed world-building you’ll love this version of London.

I also fell completely in love with the reluctant and eventually rather clever King Art and his fabulous group of friends. Give me more strong non-binary knights please and thank you, plus the casual bisexuality of most if not all of the characters was also rather refreshing. I’ll admit it would have been nice if Eve had taken a little more time to develop a few more of the characters surrounding Art and Red, but I think because of the perspective switching it would have been rather difficult to fit in.

Blackheart Knights is such a fresh and fascinating retelling that manages to make Arthurian myth modern, bloody, and pretty darn sexy. I loved the fact that even though I knew how it would end, I was desperate for the characters to make different choices. It’s a little slow with heaps of world-building but all in all a thoroughly rewarding and interesting read.

Recommend: Arthurian myth but make it sexy with motorcycles need I say more? You should read this if your a lover of fresh retellings full of queer characters then this one is worth picking up.

This was good, but for some reason I didn't feel satisfied at the end! Loved the world building, hopefully there will be a sequel.

One of the wonderful things about genre fiction is that an author can take their imagination anywhere and run with it. I can imagine a lot of things, but an alternative urban fantasy that has Knights on motorbikes. That is a new on me. Laure Eve’s Blackheart Knights takes some of the essence of the Arthurian legend and places it in a steampunk style London lorded over by rival gangs. The only possibility of peace comes in the form of a single Sword King whose job is to keep this court of vipers in check. Think Game of Throne, but with more bike leather.

Art never wanted to be King, but as the only living relative of the dead King, his name is certainly in contention. He may be illegitimate, but he can be used by others to gain power. There are seven factions in London and each time a monarch dies they all vie for the role of Sword King. Blood does not mean succession, but it may just be spilled. Meanwhile, twenty years later a mysterious fighter called Red has entered the court with revenge in mind. What links these two lost souls across the decades?

The concept of Biker Knights feels like a strange one, but Eve manages to make it work by retaining the structure of a typical sword and sandals style fantasy. There may be the combustion engine and some basic technology, but the feel is still more medieval. A sense of valour and reputation imbues the book. There are those that believe in the creed of Knighthood and others that will use this naivety to their advantage.

Blackheart is a book full of leftfield ideas and not just in the world creation. The story is also told unconventionally. The narrative is split between Art 20 years earlier and Red, 1 year earlier. As the book progresses the narratives both move to towards the present, until they start to overlap. It is towards the end that reader starts to comprehend how many of the characters interact with one another.

The nature of the timeline means that we see a lot more of Art’s life pass, than we do Red. There is an intensity to Red’s story as she is thrown into the limelight and must fight to survive. Art also has these moments, but they are broken up by years of relative stability. If you know the Arthurian legend you will start to notice some of the relational entanglements earlier than others. The concluding section brings all the different strands together and you do get that sense of epic storytelling.

The politics in Blackheart plays a significant role. It is more in this camp than the fantasy that sees a lone warrior set off on a quest. If you enjoy your fantasy with characters that use their brains more than their brawn, you are in for a treat. There is action in the book, not only assassination attempts, but the Knights themselves fight in the courts on behalf of others.

The amount of sex in a book is not something that I often bother to bring up in a review as an adult book may contain adult content, but even I noticed there is a little more in this than in the average fantasy book! If this is something that bothers you, you may wish to avoid this book, if it is not, knock yourself out (like some of the characters may just do if they are not careful).

The central concept of Knights on Bikes may feel a little out there, but Eve has created a rounded political fantasy novel that has all the twists and turns you would expect from a Le Carre novel. The bonus is that you also get cool fight, cool bikes, and cool leathers.

An excellent retelling of Arthurian legend in the freshest manner possible. Laure Eve has always been one of the coolest people of all time, but to add leather-jacket, motorbike-wearing knights to her writing repertoire makes her somehow even cooler.

Thank you Jo Fletcher Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I just finished reading Blackheart Knight. I am not a King Arthur fan but the description of this book sounded really good so I decided to give it a try and see if I would like it.

The world building was something I found interesting and well build. The writer took her time to describe it well. The characters were unfortunately flat in my opinion, I couldn’t connect with them fully. Even though this book was written from both point of views, I didn't get to know Art and Red really well.
The story didn’t make sense for most part; many things were not explained through to the story but just told at the end. Beside that I found it for the most part boring to be honest and long winded and It’s not because of the writing style, because I liked that.
This book however was not somehing I enjoyed reading.

A glitteringly sharp story filled with incredible imagination and stunning world building. I adored this book.

I was a bit disappointed with this book. I heard some good stuff about it, so I thought this was going to be right up my alley. The premise of knights in an urban/modern setting is interesting. I didn' know going into this it was going to be an Arthurian retelling and while some people might be really into that, I personally don't like it.

The movie follows two different timelines and you don't know at first exactly what links them together. My biggest problem with it is that the main character in the "present" storyline, Red, never says what her personal intentions are. You know she's hiding something and becoming a knight is a way to achhieve that goal, but we only know what her motivations are at the end. And I just hated that.

I pretty much figured out the ending before it happened, so it was foreshadowed appropriately, it wasn't sudden or underdeveloped, but the whole time I felt like I was in the dark. I like plot twists but having a character's POV without knowing what their goal is and where the story is heading isn't fun. It just made me not invested in what the main character wanted to do.

Overall, I didn't find this book to be my cup of tea, but I can see how other people might like it.

Sigh. No one is as disappointed as me. I absolutely love leather-clad. angsty characters with a dark past, and I thought as soon as I read the blurb and this was recommended to me that this would be perfect for me. It took a while for me to get into the book, which I think was mostly to do with the writing style, which was not one of my favourites. I really liked the premise for the novel, but for me, it didn’t quite live up to its potential. However, I can see a lot of other people loving this.

This book is an urban fantasy based on the Arthurian legends set in a parallel universe where London is broken into 7 kingdoms with a mix of magic and tech. Very steam punk if you will. There are two main storylines with different timelines that converge in the end.

First we have Art who goes from bastard low born son of a king, who gets to wield the sword won by his champion. Over the next 19 years, we see him go from naive and idealistic teen to a jaded man who lets his insecurities and paranoia blind him to certain situations with disastrous consequences, till finally we see him as a keen political animal who still strives to do well by his people. Red on the other hand is a godchild (people with magical powers) who wants to become a Callabrian Knight. We see her as she starts her training and wins bouts till she becomes a formidable Knight with renown. We also know she has a secret and is keen on a mission of vengeance - she wants to kill the sorcerer Knight who was the one that found her and sponsored her training and whom she has complicated feelings for. There are a whole host of other characters that appear in both timelines with different motivations who all converge at the end.

I struggled with the book in the beginning. The way it is written is slightly weird (I think it’s written in the present tense) and took some getting used to. She writes like this - I quite like the different POVs but for the longest time, can’t see the correlations between the two. As we get closer to the end, I realise that there are too many loose ends so I’m not surprised by the cliffhanger ending - looks like this is going to be a series. 3.5/5 Stars

My thanks to Quercus Books/Jo Fletcher Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Blackheart Knights’ by Laure Eve in exchange for an honest review.

The striking cover image of a knight in full armour astride a motorcycle against the backdrop of a modern city encapsulates the content of this urban fantasy, which is a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and his knights. The author had described it as Camelot meets Gotham.

I will admit that I was a bit wary of this novel as I prefer my Arthurian retellings within a more traditional setting with forests, castles, lakes with ladies lurking under the waters, magical swords, horses, dragons, enchantresses and of course wizards. However, Laure Eve’s vision quickly won me over. In it magic is illegal yet exists everywhere in a vibrant underground culture.

The narrative follows two timelines. The first begins nineteen years ago as seventeen-year-old Artorias (Art) Dracones learns of the unexpected death of his father, Uther Dracones. So Art reluctantly becomes King of the Seven Kingdoms. It is a world full of violence and political machinations that Art must navigate if he is to survive.

The second timeline begins a year before the novel’s present and follows a young woman known only as Red, who is determined to become a Caballaria Knight. To do so she challenges the infamous Sorcerer Knight though during their bout it is obvious that she is a godchild, a being with magic, which is illegal. Rather than have her arrested the Sorcerer Knight arranges for her to enter the punishing training programme.

These two timelines tick down to the present. No further details to avoid spoilers; even though those familiar with the Arthurian legends may have some ideas about its direction. I tried to put aside expectations and just allowed myself to be swept up by Eve’s rich reimagining.

I felt that her plotting was excellent and that despite the move into an urban environment, the essence of the Arthuriad continued. I also thought that Eve crafted her characters well. I felt empathy for both Art and Red, each seemed so alone yet for different reasons.

Overall, I felt that ‘Blackheart Knights’ was a powerful and moving urban fantasy that I found myself completely immersed in.

I had enjoyed both of Laure Eve’s ‘Graces’ YA novels and was extremely pleased to read on her website that ‘Blackheart Knights’ is a duology. Count me in!

Highly recommended.

I hadn’t heard of this book before getting the E-ARC from the publisher, but after reading the synopsis in the e-mail it piqued my interest greatly.

This book has a very strong premise. It’s a mash-up of Arthurian legend with a high concept cyberpunk/metalpunk world in which Art, reluctant royal, has to fight in a tournament in order not to win the crown and Red, novice knight and godschild with a hidden agenda. The oscillating narrative that spans two different timelines took me some work to follow, Laure Eve treats each scene as its own magic trick which makes for overall an entertaining read.

Many thanks to Quercus Books for providing an E-ARC of Blackheart Knight for review.