Knight of Rapture, Ruth A. Casie Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews Genre: Romance, Sci-fi and Fantasy
** Warning: Spoilers for Book One**
This appealed to me, and as it was the second part of a book duo I read the sample of book one to get some background info. I’ve done that before and find its usually enough to get me up to speed, but I was so hooked on the plots that I ended up buying part one just so I could get the full story. In that part we see the beginning of how Rebeka accidently goes back in time, and discovers that actually that’s where she started and her father brought her forward 400 years for her safety. He’s dead now and seems he never got a chance to explain. At the end of the book something goes wrong, Bran interferes yet again, and Rebeka is thrown forward into the future again. Arik and she are both distraught and seeking a way to bring her back in book two.
Arik has been working with his brother Logan to find Rebeka and bring her back. Unknown to him Rebeka has help from Barrister George and his sister, both powerful druids, and they’re also working to find a way back for her. With help from both ends Arik ends up in 21st century....but although Rebeka had her memories of Arik and the past when she came through Bran has interfered yet again and now she’s has no knowledge of it. Luckily George and Cora do, so they help to try to break Brans enchantment and bring her memories back while also researching a way back for them both. To complicate things there’s problems over ownership of the Manor, and the documents needed seem to be missing. It means a huge amount of research, while at the same time trying to make the Manor pay its way with the new ventures started. This book takes place mainly in 21st century as opposed to the past in book one. Arik is able to help with the reconstructions, and make the ventures of visitors seeing the past and feeling the whole experience as real as possible, and he has some ideas too about further renovation of the mill and village itself to help the experience and the income. It seems though that they have not only Bran working against them but trouble from an unknown source which creates more problems, and they have little time to work it all out. Its another great read. I love the way Arik blends in and they way the staff pull together, and the story they concoct to explain him. The Major and his soldiers are a terrific addition, and the descriptions of them training, rebuilding the mill and village, renovating the old weapons and learning how to use them to create realistic re-enactions for the visitors is especially interesting. I love the way the druid magic works, through runes and chants. Its not a quick found magical wave-of-hand solution, I hate those, and the ones where the main character gains some new unheard of power at the crucial moment. Instead it’s one where they all work hard, by means of research and trial and error experiences, to find the right combination of chants and runes. There’s drama too from Bran and the mystery protagonist, which at times is life threatening. I’d guessed about just after halfway through who I thought was behind it, but couldn’t work out why. I did get somewhat confused towards the end about the travelling issues, and why some of them were restricted – its hard to say without giving too much away – but rather than get bogged down by detail I just accepted the story as it and it flowed well from there, and made for a fabulous and satisfying ending. Stars: Five, a great read to enjoy both the characters, the history and the magic. One you can really get lost in for a few hours. ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers