The Ruby Knight

Title: The Ruby Knight by David Eddings
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Random House: Ehlanda, Queen of Elenia, has been poisoned. A deep enchantment sustains her life, but it will end soon. Then Sparhawk, Knight of the Queen's Champion, learns where to get to cure for the poison. He and his companions set forth on a dangerous quest to find the antidote before the queen should perish and the peace ends...

Book Two of The Elenium, The Ruby Knight picks up from where The Diamond Throne left off and is very much the middle book of a fantasy trilogy. It's fast-paced and action-filled but the plot doesn't develop too much. Mostly Sparhawk and his entourage travel the continent trying to locate the Bhelliom so that they might heal Queen Ehlana and stop Annias. The big revelation of the book involves Flute, but it's not hard to guess if you've been paying attention. Still, the dialogue is fun and my interest in the characters' well-being kept me reading. I'd definitely recommend The Ruby Knight to any fantasy lover, though I'd suggest reading The Diamond Throne first.

Over the Moon

Title: Over the Moon by Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Virginia Kantra and Sunny
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Short Stories
Rating: 3/5

From the back cover: "Three beloved bestselling superstars and one exciting new voice in paranormal romance come together in an anthology of startling seduction.
"Experience the lure of the moon..."

Over the Moon was a decent book overall, I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. The first story, "Moon Dance" by Angela Knight was good. I liked her writing style though I found the whole daughter running away from overbearing father to the protection of the strong newcomer a little cliched. "Between the Mountain and the Moon" by Virginia Kantra was also good and I'm pretty sure its a sequel to another short story I've already read. I found the main character a little annoying and oblivious at points but I was rooting for her in the end. I was surprised when I realised that I liked "Driftwood" by MaryJanice Davidson. I've read a book by her before and wasn't quite sold on her style. Frankly I'm still not, but I found her main characters hilarious and endearing and I would definitely read a book that focuses on them. The last story in the book, "Mona Lisa Three" by Sunny, didn't work for me at all. Truthfully, it read like a poor imitation of Laurell K. Hamilton's writing, and it seems to fall more under the "erotica" genre than paranormal romance. I did enjoy some of the secondary characters though. In the end, Over the Moon is a book that I'd suggest borrowing from the library or a friend if you like one of the authors but don't spend your money on it.

Camelot's Honour

Title: Camelot's Honour by Sarah Zettel
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Rating: 4/5

Though set in the time of King Arthur and the Round Table, Camelot's Honour focuses on a young Welsh midwife and one of the lesser known Knights, with only a brief passage featuring Arthur and Merlin. The midwife, Elen, goes out one night to deal with a difficult birth only to return to find her family slain by a local chieftain who is loyal to Morgaine. Captured by the chieftain, she vows revenge, but it is only through the aid of young Sir Geraint that she may achieve it.

I've read books dealing with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table before, however, they were all focused on the better known knights and had a very masculine feel to them, so I was understandably worried about reading a book with a female protagonist. Surprisingly I liked the character of Elen from the start. She was very passionate and kind-hearted but when Urien killed her family she quickly showed her backbone and her desire for justice. However I did find her too easily swayed at points.

I also rather enjoyed the addition of faerie to the book. The stories of King Arthur that I've read in the past always involved magic but never of this sort. It brings to mind Spenser's The Faerie Queene and Shakespeare's Oberon and Titania, which are personal favourites. Moreover the glimpses we get of the fae folk help weave the story together from beginning to end. I really enjoyed Camelot's Honour and I'd love to read another in the same series as soon as I figure out her North American publisher.