| Title | : | Knight Errant (Knight Errant, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 312 |
| Publication | : | First published November 7, 2010 |
When Eve rescues former joy-boy and current layabout Rafe Ballard, death seems the likely outcome. Rafe is so apparently useless that Eve calls him 'the baggage' and appoints Taro his custodian. Irritated into disobedience by his carefree charge, Taro tries to get rid of Rafe. Instead he gets them both kidnapped by the jealous husband Rafe was fleeing. Though they are off-planet before Taro can act, his training may be enough to bring them safely through--but now he has bigger problems. Forced into partnership--and freedom--with Rafe, Taro begins to see him differently. Kind, funny, and caring, Rafe is everything Taro never knew he wanted. And all he can't have. Eve's plans leave no room for a playboy boyfriend who can never measure up, and Taro can't let her down.
Caught between the sister he'd die for and the man he's beginning to live for, Taro decides it's time to start making his own plans. And if the new skills aren't enough, he'll give the old ones a try.
Knight Errant (Knight Errant, #1) Reviews
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This is a wonderful science-fiction romance, with humor, tenderness, exciting plot and wonderful characters. The SF element is fairly light, no serious tech interest needed. It took me a little while to get into this book, because there is very little background exposition. Everything filters through the MC's POV, so at first there were quite a few characters introduced, and their relationships to the MC were not always clear. But after the first couple of chapters I was seriously hooked, and whipped through the rest of the book. I bought the sequel
His Faithful Squire as soon as I got back into Internet range.
This series could be read by older YA. The MC is sixteen at the beginning of it, albeit a very old sixteen, having been on his own most of the years between 12 and 15. Toward the end, the two guys have full on sex, a lot, but it is very, very much off page. (I think a couple of kisses make it into words.) As an adult reader, I wish I'd had a little more detail on what happened when, especially the first time, but for YA this would be entirely comfortable.
I love Taro so much - he's intelligent, hyper, violent, mouthy, honorable, confused and impulsive. The progression of the story was great fun, and the side characters were interesting in their own right. Definitely will be a reread. -
YA book, no sex
No rating from me for this book, because I'm clearly not the target market, and I probably shouldn't have read it. I didn't like it because there was no sex. At least, the guys definitely had sex, but it was all off the page. It didn't even fade to black, it just cuts away well in advance. There is touching, and platonic sleeping under the same survival blanket, but dammit, basically I'm reading m/m for the sex. If there's no sex then I need more plot/emotional connection/angst. If none of these then I'll read another genre, thanks.
As the plot is about a 16-year old worried about disappointing his sister I just couldn't relate to it. This would be a great YA m/m novel (although .
The writing is pretty good. The dialogue and plot are still a bit raw and clunky in places, and the characters are pretty one-dimensional, but I see there's another in the series, so I'm sure that's even better. The world is well realised, and this was very well written. Sarge avoids all the usual sci-fi/fantasy pitfalls with names/currencies/measurements/ecology etc. Nothing jolts you out of the world of the story.
If you like your m/m clean and set in space then you'll like this. -
I found this sci-fi romance to be everything I could want in such a novel. There is comedy (of errors), bar room brawls, kidnapping, crash landings on remote unpopulated planets, angst, complex characters with complex pasts, and of course, romance. This is a character driven novel which succeeds so well as all the characters, even the background players, have depth, flaws and individual quirks that bring each and every one to life, keeping you enthralled as the drama unfolds. You won't find an erotic novel here, but you will find a heartwarming romance. Taro and Rafe's adventures together take them on a course of self-discovery, leading to a new awareness of themselves, each other and of those around them. To be completely honest, I was a little surprised by how good this novel is - I loved it!
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4.5 stars rounding up - I really, really enjoyed, and highly recommend, this exceptionally well written and engaging book. It's sci-fi, but the world building is less important than the characters and relationship dynamics. What makes it shine is the fabulous first-person narrative voice of hot-headed, impulsive, but still surprisingly self-aware and infinitely likable young Taro. It's a delight to watch the uber-competent (and usually uber-confident) Taro juggle his allegiance toward and desire to please his sister/guardian with his growing realizations about his true desires and his evolving feelings toward seemingly useless Rafe. Although only a few characters are fleshed out in great detail (perhaps appropriately for first-person POV), the author excels in giving even the minor ones clear identities.
The book strikes a perfect balance between adventure/action and relationship/emotion, it deals with some meaningful themes but is never heavy, and it is just a delight to read from start to finish. I was thrilled to discover this book (and this author) and can't wait for the sequel, which apparently is due out this summer. -
Excellent m/m scifi romance about a 16-year old being raised on a spaceship by his sister and her crew. He's been trying to be who she wants him to be, but is quietly miserable. And then he meets a guy who completely aggravates him...
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FIRST RE-READ 14 January 2017
Another series I'm re-reading so I can finally finish it. I love that I still loved this story. I've returned to some others after a few years and been disappointed, so maybe that's why I waited so long to re-read this one.
I still agree with my original reason that I love this story so much because Taro and Rafe and their relationship are a perfectly beautiful embodiment of seeing the best in someone and being willing to do whatever it takes to help them see it too.
I'll even go further and say that stories like this are exactly why I love reading romance. The wonderfully joyful, hopeful fantasy of people finding their perfect person is delightfully escapist. And this is among the most joyful and hopeful I've come across yet. Beautiful.
Some Favorite Quotes:
College. Thousands of idiots in one place, and me not supposed to hit any of them.
Denying denial... would just sound like denial.
"Rafe," I warned, "let go of me."
"No. You're skittish as hell and too fast to chase."
then I found out he was attainable and suddenly I couldn't keep my eyes off the pretty.
He wrapped around me, not doing anything but being warm.
But Rafe had lived his own sort of hell. Unlike Donte--and Selene, and probably me--it didn't show, though. Because he'd turned it around, made horror into--well, honor. Made it part of him, changed and purified it. And then shared it.
"Never bet what you can't stand to lose."
Then... then Rafe happened. Everything I'd never dreamed of, and suddenly what I had was nowhere near enough.
"Oh," he snorted, "yeah. There we go. You can fly, kick the ass of anyone but Cori, live off the land on a poisonous planet, and fix a spaceship. I can make a room pretty."
I'd just watch for places Rafe wanted to go, and lead him there.
ORIGINAL REVIEW 13 November 2012
After reading Ms. Sarge's
Louder Than Sirens, Louder Than Bells, I immediately went out and bought all of her other books I could find. I was so confident I would love this that I've been saving it for a time when I needed it.
Even anticipating loving it, I was still surprised at just how much I ended up totally adoring it. This, for me, was another of those rare books that I end up trying to read more slowly so that I can spend as much time as possible in the world and with the characters before it ends.
It sounds like hyperbole, but there's not a thing I didn't love about this. The world-building was fantastic. The characters were believable and sympathetic and SO MUCH FUN! There was lots of great action and fun exploring of new planets and exciting fights and even what little bits of the sweet mushy stuff that Taro didn't edit out.
I thought the writing style fit the YA character fantastically well. Taro's incomplete thoughts and ease of being side-tracked absolutely fit him, and made me feel like I knew him better and better each time.
Of course, being me, my favorite part is the relationship between Taro and Rafe. I ADORE the two of them together! I love how they both manage to see and to bring out the best in the other. Even when nobody else can see it. And how they both kept trying to do things to make the other happy. Beautiful!
But very most beautiful of all is how Taro starts to make Rafe finally believe he's worth something.
What I love about this story, and the one that first introduced me to Ms. Sarge, are that she's able to distill love down to its simplest form (here, it's seeing the best in someone and being willing to do whatever it takes to help them see in themselves what you see), and create characters who so perfectly demonstrate it that you want to stay in that world and in those moments forever. It's incredible! -
4.5 stars
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I maybe could have liked this.
If it didn't involve a 15-16 yr old and an adult.
If there wasn't normalized physical abuse.
Gross. -
Great Adventure and Sweet Romance
Taro has been adopted - sort of. The woman he considers his big sister, ex-marine Eve Marcori, took him in when his mother died, promising his mother she would look after him. He now has a home on her freight-hauling star ship, brothers and sisters also rescued by Eve, daily training, and soon college. Taro is trying hard to stay out of trouble to please Eve, after all he owes her so much and can't bear to disappoint her. He decides not to tell her college is the last thing he wants to do and he certainly isn't going to tell her he recently realized he's gay.
For Taro, life suddenly gets interesting when Rafe is rescued and joins them on the freighter. Their adventures and budding relationship is what the story is all about. It's a sweet m/m romance with non-explicit love scenes. Though I found it hard to warm up to the characters at first, they soon became very real. Their dialogue is great with snarky Taro and playboy Rafe trying to come to terms with their attraction to each other.
Through bar fights, kidnapping, survival on a poisoned planet, first love, and dealing with Eve's expectations, Taro learns to stand up for who he is and what he wants. It's a great tale once the action starts and I loved the happy for now ending, promising a sequel in 2011. Well written and very creative! I will certainly want to read more. A half star deducted for what seemed like a slow start, but if you hang in there, you soon won't be able to put this one down. -
Despite the PG rating, this story is unputdownable. Taro and Rafe captured my attention from the very beginning and wouldn't let go no matter what. Excellent stuff.
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This was a fun story high on romance (very non-explicit), action and adventure, a kind of romantic comedy sci fi. Tough marine Eve Marcori has semi adopted Kintaro (he has no family & Eve was friends with his mother) & rescued him. She considers him her little brother & Taro doesn't want to disappoint her, but at heart he doesn't want the life she's planned for him including college. He's too restless, gets into bar fights, gambles & is a pickpocket. He's also hiding the fact that he's gay from her. Taro, due to his life experience, appears older than his age, which at the beginning is only a few days away from turning 16.
Taro is assigned to pick up and look after a new 'baggage,' Rafe. Rafe is another one of Eve's rescue (from the sex industry-he's called a joy boy) & her former lover for a brief time. Rafe turns out to be a playboy, a womanizer & an incorrigible flirt who Taro finds attractive but annoying & thinks is totally useless. He plots & schemes to get rid of him. The convergence of Kintaro's plot & Rafe's womanizing ways catching up with him results in them getting kidnapped & being forced to work together & for them to see each other differently. It also causes Taro to evaluate what & who he wants for his future.
Rafe is not exactly a typical romantic hero. He is in some ways as useless as described, flirts way too much and when he does try to help usually ends up almost getting himself or Kintaro killed. But he is a very caring person as well. Kintaro is the opposite in terms of competency. He's a trained fighter, a survivor and a gambler who decides to make his biggest bet yet on something he finds himself thinking he cannot afford to lose, Rafe.
The story has a complete but slightly HFN ending. There is a another story from Rafe's point of view, that I will be checking out. That one takes place 2 years later.
Recommended for those looking for a nice romantic space adventure. -
My latest, greatest self-published find! It's not exactly self-published--Turtleduck Press is a collective of indie authors--but it's still pretty close. Like The Cranberry Hush this is another terrific story from an indie author--a story that needs to be discovered so here I am, doing my part to get the word out!
I don't usually go for sci-fi type stories, but this was much more about the characters and not about Stormtroopers blasting around and saving the universe and thus I enjoyed it even if the setting was not my usual cup of tea.
The characters of Rafe and Taro are wonderful and there's a long slow build to their relationship which makes for a very satisfying story. Wonderful slang, fun writing. I was very surprised when I finished to find out the author wasn't British since all the characters seem to speak with British accents, at least in my mind.
This would make a great movie. I am trying to cast the characters: Taro is "short and dark, dark, dark" (his description); Rafe is tall, slender, curly dark hair, a fabulous smile and a flashy dresser. Any suggestions?
NB: for readers who care about this sort of thing...chronologically Taro is young (he turns 16 as part of the story) but given what life has handed him, he's wise before his years so his age didn't bother me. Rafe's prior career was as a "pleasure-boy" so he has a fair amount of sexual history with women which is discussed, although it doesn't happen on page. I offer this as a warning for sensitive readers.
Definitely recommended. Discover, read, and enjoy! -
I could not...absolutely COULD NOT...walk away from my screen until I finished this. I was expecting good. I've read some of K.D.'s stuff before. But this went beyond what I'd read and elevated to pure awesomeness. This came at a good time for me, since I'd already been having a rough time and needed something to make me smile. This did just that.
Taro is a young man torn between his duty to his sister and his desire for a future of his own choosing. When the obnoxious piece of "baggage" named Rafe enters his life, it gets a whole lot harder for Taro to think straight. Especially when "straight" isn't what he wants to be. Being kidnapped, assaulted, thrown out of just about every bar he's ever been to and finding out just how badly jealousy hurts, Taro evolves into a bloody awesome young man.
I give the book top marks and I INSIST that people who love sci-fi and don't mind the fact that Taro just happens to be gay should get a chance to read this. Even if you do mind the fact that Taro is gay, I still highly recommend it. It's an awesome story, no matter who Taro loves in the end. -
This book had so much going for it. I love sci-fi/fantasy books and small crew space pirate type characters. Since one of the MCs is only 16 don't expect hot sex scenes but this allowed K. D. to focus on the interpersonal and emotional relationships between characters. The MCs help each other to survive though the older is fairly inept at just about everything. He helps the younger to step up and take control of his life instead of just continuing to be a passive character in his own life. This part of growing up that not everyone ever achieves. He learns to be true to himself. It is ironic that he learns this from a former high end joy boy.
The characters are well developed and interesting. Both grow in the course of the book. It is interesting to watch the progression from dislike and distrust to love. This makes for a much more interesting story than if it was insta-love.
I loved this book and the characters. I can see returning to their world many times. I was loaned this book but it is one I will be purchasing. -
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started reading this book, but it delivered more than I expected! A mish mash of characters make up a tenuous family with a female figurehead that can totally kick a**. Taro has a healthy respect for his “sister” and more than a little fear. He hates the guy (Rafe) who shows up on their ship and seems to have had a bit of a cozy relationship with her, until Rafe’s charm begins to turn Taro’s opinion around. After that happens, all he has to worry about is not letting his sister find out…
Excellent world building and vivid characters will make this one stand out. The romance is present, but there’s nothing explicit on page. Loved it and looking forward to a sequel!! -
I don't read science fiction. Not if it has space travel. I just don't. The last science fiction I read was something by Asimov when I was twelve. So I'm not sure why I even tried this. But I sure am glad I did.
It has everything I love, great MC's and side characters, great dialogue humor, a whole lot of havoc, romance. All the actual sex is off page (had to be because the MC is under 18 even though he feels much, much older) and that was the only thing that I wish was different n the story). After I read this I immediately had to continu to
His Faithful Squire . -
Great light fun read!!! Well edited!! The attraction between the MCs is HOT yet the hawtness fades to black. It works well.
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I loved it. Adventure and teenage angst, so over-the-top it almost read like yaoi, except there was way too much introspection for that. It was a little weird to have no on-page sex when one of the MCs is a hyper-sexualized former prostitute, but I suppose it makes it appropriate for all YA audiences.
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Have you ever read a book that, regardless of any minor annoyances, enthralls you so completely you can’t seem to let it go? That was the Knight Errant for me. The story was captivating, exciting, and well thought out and executed.
At first I didn’t think I would like the book. You jump into a world without any build-up. For a science fiction story, it would have been nice to have more upfront information about the world. Also I wasn’t a huge fan of both MCs in the beginning. The book is entirely told from Taro’s point of view and I couldn’t really connect with at first. He is unhappy, but you do not know why and he is being secretive about it. Then you meet Rafe. The crew of the Dream is a group of highly trained, feared individuals who could take on anyone and anything. Rafe is the exact opposite. He is on board as “baggage” and he is basically pathic. I absolutely did not like Rafe when he was introduced. He just seem annoying, self centered and worthless in the beginning and I couldn’t see how I would ever like his character.
It didn’t take long before I warmed up to Taro. Though 16, Taro has been through a lot and acts way older than he is. He is tough, takes zero shit and gives as good as he gets. He is completely devoted to his “sister”, Eve, who has been taking care of him his whole life, but he is getting tired living up to her expectations. He is gay and has yet to tell Eve because he doesn’t want to disappoint her. Rafe figures this out and hounds Taro to tell Eve. Taro has enough of Rafe , and his constant flirting, and tries to lose him in a bar, but both end up getting kidnapped.
That is when the story picked up for me. I love adventure and that is what the reader gets from this point on. Taro and Rafe ends up abandoned on a poisonous planet. Taro does everything he can to keep both of them alive and not fall under Rafe’s spell. During this time you really get to see a different side of Rafe. Yes, he is still worthless when it comes to survival, but you get to see he truly has a heart of gold and all he wants in life is to make people happy. I started to warm up to him then and by the time they left the planet I really liked him.
After their rescue, Taro has to make a lot of decisions about his life. Does he want try to keep Rafe in his life? Is he going to tell Eve he is gay? Is he going to go to college like Eve wants? The remainder of the book is Taro finding answers to these questions and learning to become his own individual. Of course Rafe is by his side helping him along, and getting him in trouble.
Overall a funny, entertaining, and adventurous read. -
After falling in love with
Louder Than Sirens, Louder Than Bells by K.D. Sarge, I didn't think twice before diving into her sci-fi story with a family feel - it sounded like something right up my alley. But the actual book was far from this Firefly/Vorkosigan crossover I'd pictured in my head.
For a while I couldn't understand what exactly was bothering me so much about it, and then it's dawned on me: it didn't feel like I was reading a novel, it felt a whole lot like watching anime! The excessiveness, the overall comedic bloodthirstiness, the archetypal characters, each with a few quirks/traits ramped up to eleven, the key scenes and jokes - everything felt as if taken straight from some shounen series, only with (implied) gay sex. Not to mention manga-style cover, a teenaged main character who comes across as way more adult (no kidding, I thought he was at least 18, when he isn't actually even sixteen yet at the beginning) with a Japanese name and an obligatory troubled childhood.
Unfortunately for me, what felt great and cool in 2D animation just didn't translate that well into a book form. I thought it really lacked depth and I struggled to finish this book for almost a month.
Still, this was written before Louder Than Sirens, so as soon as K.D. Sarge writes something not from this universe, I'm gonna grab that book the moment it'll hit e-shelves. -
Knight Errant is a love story that follows the adventures of Kintaro Hibiki. Kintaro (Taro) wants to meet the expectations of his adopted sister and go to college. Taro doesn't want the life his sister has mapped out for him. He prefers living life on the edge. While trying to figure out how to stomach the boredom of college Taro meets Rafe, a male pleasure giver. Taro tries to ignore his attraction to Rafe. After being kidnapped by the husband of one Rafe's clients, they find themselves stuck on a deserted planet. While trying to survive together planet, Taro gives up trying to fight his attraction and gives in.
Throughout the rest of the book Taro and Rafe end up in some interesting situations. Though there seems to be a lot of scrapes and dangerous situations each situation builds the bond between the two lovers. The story is so well written that I easily forgot that the book followed a gay couple. The gender of the Taro and Rafe took a sideline to the budding romance between the too characters. Knight Errant was easily one of the best books I've read in a while. It's a must read for any looking for a true romance novel. -
I had so much fun reading this book. (I don't do summaries well, so read the blurb). I really loved the two main characters in this book. The setting was good, as was the world-building. The secondary characters were colorful and the plot wasn't too heavy or too thin.
As other reviews have said, there is no on-page sex in this book but it didn't really need it, imho. It would probably be a great "first book" for someone you'd like to expose to the m/m genre.
I suppose I should say that one of the characters is just this side of "jailbait", if you might be squicked by that. I should also say that he is probably more world-wise than his not-too-much-older partner, but some people might have a trigger.
For a fun and sweet read, this is the book for you.
I've already bought and have started the sequel. -
This book presented a challenge to me. I felt as if it were the second book in a series and that it had begun in the middle of the story. All of the characters had back stories, and while I did enjoy the development of the relationship between Rafe and Taro, there were so many other relationships that were also important to the story and I would have liked to understand more about them - Ben and Eve, Eve and Taro's Mother, Eve and her other "rescues" to name a few. I think I would like to read a prequel to this book. That being said, this was a good story and I thought Taro was a great character, and worked well as a narrator.
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This story was fun and fast paced - lots of action and great dialogue. Taro is a young man who has not admitted he's gay to those around him, but falls for one person who no one else thinks he should be with. These guys have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but they work hard to find a way. Very sweet and not explicit, but the chemistry is there all the same. I'm definitely reading the next book in the series.
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YA space opera gay coming of age tale. Taro is a young tough teen, who narrates with snark and smarts. Rafe is a bi courtesan who gets into trouble by being all about the good times and knowing little but charm and seduction. Lots of warrior amazon strong female characters. Adorable, charming, fun.
The world building and secondary character building is pretty minimal and sometimes confusing, but the heart of the story is solid. -
Fantastic book full of madcap adventure that will keep you hooked. What makes K.D.'s stories are her characters- passionate people who resonate within the mind and leap right off the page. I loved Knight Errant...and lucky duck me, I've got the sequel in my hot little hands. :D
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4.5 stars.
An intersting and well writen coming-out story in an sci-fi setting. I'll buy the sequel so yes it was good and YA romance is not that I usually enjoy but Taro and Rafe grow on one. -
This story was interesting and pulling. The plot was comical and funny on many encounters. Writing style was easy and packed with action. I liked that. Overall, I enjoyed this story.
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Totally engaging with a great cast of characters. Reminded me of the TV show, Firefly. Looking forward to getting hold of the next one to see Rafe's viewpoint.
