What a captivating novel! A sergeant, a veteran in his end 30ties who served his king for 20 years and has lost his family in the wars with a neighbouring country, is invalided during an uprising in the capital and blamed for the disaster and the great loss of lives his commanding officer caused.

Saved by his former commander and friend from execution as a scapegoat, he is banished to a far away and forgotten royal palace to work there as the groundsman. Trying to bring the gardens back from being a jungle he meets a lonely young girl of around 6. The two of them become friends and he gets to know her secret. But can he protect her?

It is a lovely book. You can feel the love of the limping lonely man for this equally lonely girl. The village near the castle and the castle itself are populated by a whole rainbow of people. The world is a fantasy world but resembles a 13/14th century Medieval society. There are only a few hints to non-human persons or magic but it is mostly a pseudo England with rebels (Scots?) invading it.

I really enjoyed reading it. It is part of a series and book 2 is about a warrior maiden mentioned in this book but I think the three books will bring the saga to a close or so I hope. Looking forward to read the other novels in this series.

An original and endearing tale, I'll be sure to pick up more from this author soon. The setting was more evocative of true medieval times, unlike a lot of newer fantasy, which was refreshing. My only complaint is the odd timeline set up made the story a bit confusing to follow at first, but I got into it eventually. .

Great world building, engaging characters, can't wait to read more from this author. Characters are likeable and there is enough action to keep things interesting, but it doesn't hurtle along so fast that you're afraid you've missed something important.

What a great find. Servant of the Crown is the first in the series of the Heir to the Crown series and from the outset, it gives us wonderfully constructed characters in a difficult world. Gerald, our veteran who endures so much disaster, and Anna, the little girl of dirty feet, will both steal your heart. The world, while it does fit into the realm of fantasy, the 'otherworldliness' and use of magic takes a backseat to the action and adventure of the characters, making the world much more reminiscent of Medieval based fiction. The weaving of the fantasy elements into the story is subtle and well done. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book, as with any great series, the end has left me ready to find out what happens next! A well-designed world with memorable characters and a nicely paced plot. A very enjoyable read.

I enjoyed Bennett's book. It's an easy read and the plot flows smoothly. Looking forward to next in series.