theguywhoreads

What I hold is the first of the trilogy of Knights of the Borrowed Dark, a fantasy middle-grade book about knights and the court of order holding the balance of the universe. What I never expect was the fantasy I had longed for for a long time since the good old days of the 1980s I loved so much (like Ron Howard's Willow and 1981's Clash of the Titans). Those were the days where fantasy really meant some thing of good versus evil. Knights of the Borrowed Dark has that fire that burns deep into the hearts of any reader who long for such fantasy books... and to my surprise, it does not even read like a middle-grade book at all.

Plot summary: Denizen Hardwick lived almost his whole life in an orphanage at Crosscaper. When a man named Grey appeared to pick him up as the sun sets, Denizen did not know that he was part of a lineage of Knights of the Borrowed Dark that secretly protects mankind from unknown creatures of the dark after he and Grey encounter one. As it comes, there were much bigger plotted evil that is arising as the Knights will have to faced old foes that will once and for all, bring destruction to mankind. But Denizen's first problem would be the turn of his 13th birthday that will, without a choice, putting his life on the line of death and misery.

Just reading this small summary of mine or even from what was provided on the blurb doesn't sound that awesome but after a few chapters, I am beginning to think how far this book can truly go. It has so much potential to be made into a movie. Heck, it is so much more than that as it is well written with poetic sentences and words that is truly rich of learning. Words like:

The whole scene had the glassy, unmoving perfection of a postcard.

... or even...

Simon whispered as they picked their way through a graveyard of candles, the carpet of sea of crushed tallow, the air darkened by a thousand snake tongues of smoke.

I am floored by how well describe each chapter has that not only it is meant to, but it has been a long time since anyone wrote any of that way much better than any middle-grade book I have read. The fantasy element is quite original, but it has been seen before. The execution of the story is pretty much a fantasy adventure kind, that is both exciting and thrilling for me and although one part of the plot is predictable, I felt its forgivable because the delivery is just as exciting as I enjoy it the second 1/2 of the book. Yes, the first 1/2 of the book can be a little draggy as introductions of the characters are well weaved but the excitement begins later. Well, rounded as the characters are memorable and although this is a trilogy, Knights of the Borrowed Dark was only recently released earlier this year and so, some parts of the book have questions to readers that I hope, will be fulfilled in the later sequels.

I have long for a good fantasy novel for quite some time, but a modern fantasy novel that has the standards of what most other would appeal to fans of Rick Riordan and Derek Landy, anyone that hasn't read Percy Jackson would be happy to read this book if they give this a shot. I am glad that I did, satisfied with it and can't wait for the sequel to be released next year.