Reading this book during Hurricane Sandy yesterday was the perfect distraction. I didn't have any idea what Ms. Shinn would do with Justin's story so I let her lead while I followed.

This one is more of a love story and didn't really move the series forward for me so I took a star off for that and the ending. I don't like the fill-in the details endings even if I can see it clearly.

This series has characters that hold me in a sweet thrall. Justin, like Tayse, is a man of honor and purpose. I wond More...

This is the third book in the Twelve Houses series. This is a series best begun with the first book (Mystic and Rider), because while Shinn tries to summarize for those beginning here, there is so much backstory that one really should begin at the beginning (I also thought Mystic and Rider was a superior book). This is my least favorite book in the series so far. It centers around Justin, a King's Rider (an elite fighter), and Ellynor, a gentle girl from the mysterious Lirrenlands. If you've rea More...

Originally posted here.

Dark Moon Defender is the third book in the Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn. Reading order: Mystic and Rider, The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, Reader and Raelynx, Fortune and Fate. Should the books be read in order? Yes. Also, don't read any of the synopses of the latter books if you haven't read the earlier ones. They contain spoilery bits. Even the summary for this book has some spoilers. Dark Moon Defender is all about Justin, Tayse's fellow Rider. He's pr More...

I picked this book up hoping that it could stand alone even though it was a series book. It couldn't. It really has to be read as part of the series.

However, after reading this book I definitely will NOT be reading the series. First of all, there is nothing new or original about this story. It seemed to me like a melding of many other fantasy stories out there. It reminded me a lot of Raymond Feist and also had elements of Dungeon and Dragons. But, the worst thing about this book may surprise yo More...

Book three in the Twelve Houses series turns its focus to Justin, the street urchin turned Kings Rider. He's stationed near the convent of the Pale Mother with orders to watch out for signs of rebellion under the power hungry Halchon and Coralinda Gisseltess. After saving a young novice from the convent, Ellynor, he begins to learn more about her while experiencing the true evil of Coralinda and her hatred of mystics firsthand.

To be honest this book fell a little flat for me. Let's first say I l More...

So far this has been the most exciting book in the series and yet it still felt anti-climactic somehow. The focus of Shinn's books is always on her characters but I still feel she could do better on her realism and her action plotting. Some things about this fantasy land just don't hold together in my mind. For example, why is the largest city in this island nation in the middle of it? Wouldn't it make more sense for it to be a port city on the ocean, maybe there's something about this in the fi More...

Book three in the Twelve Houses series gives us a closer look at the cult that is dedicated to killing mystics. Justin, the hunky King's Rider, is sent to check out suspicious activity at the convent that houses the fanatical Daughters of the Pale Mother. Yes, the ones controlled by that horrid Corilinda Gisseltess. She's gathering an army to go against that mystic loving King. Stone him! (Do we sense any subtle messages about intolerance? Yes! And I love it!)

Anyway, Justin goes under cover, lan More...

Best book in the series so far. I really really really loved it. Beautiful writing, great plot, lots of action, decent romance, and I especially loved how Shinn returned to Senneth and we got to see the story from her point of view again and learn a bit more about what happened with her and Tayse. It's what I've been wanting ever since I finished Mystic and Rider. I also loved reading from both Justin's and Ellynor's perspectives.

The only thing that would push this book from really really really More...

I was in a mood for a fantasy so I picked up this one. I chose it more or less at random and I suppose this is what I get for selecting my reading material that way. This is only secondarily a fantasy. First and foremost it is a romance. One of my criticisms of fantasy is that it tends to be a bit too formulaic, but romance is usually many times more formulaic than fantasy. If you believe the formulas of romance apply to your own life then you should be very happy when the object of your affecti More...

I enjoyed this third book quite a bit. It was very interesting to see things from Justin and Ellynor’s perspective. The majority of the story takes place in Neft, where Justin is working undercover trying to determine what exactly Coralinda is up to. He comes to the rescue of young Ellynor on the streets of Neft and the two quickly become captivated with one another. Up until now, I had a certain image of Justin in my mind, so it was somewhat odd to see things from his perspective, because he no More...

Sharon Shinn is an indulgence. Her stories aren't particularly complex and to be honest, perhaps slightly misogynistic. But I guess she writes smoothly and the stories are always easy to read.

I had to read Dark Moon Defender coz I read the earlier ones. Heh. But it's not a very tight narrative I think. The whole thing about Justin getting married at the end... it just felt a teeny bit trite.

I didn't feel like much happened in this book except for the Romeo/Juliet style romance but in saying so it's a very easy book to read; you'll finish it before you even notice. I actually picked this book up at the library and didn't notice it was part three of a series but it didn't much matter, it was easy enough to get into the book without any prior knowledge.

The characters are cute, interesting enough if very sterotypical (at least it seemed so for me). The bad guy wasn't discussed very mu More...

Some have said that of the Twelve Houses books thus far, this is Sharon Shinn's weakest effort ... well, I beg to differ. I loved it. I think I liked it better than the first two, probably because I had a chance to see such a tremendous change in Justin's character. Wow! I knew I always liked him for a reason. *grin*

Justin, the prickly young Rider, has been sent on a solo mission to spy on the Lumanen Convent. Lumanen Convent is ruled by Coralinda Gisseltess, suspected traitor and a confirmed persecutor of Mystics. For Justin, an orphan whose friends are closer than family, this seems like exile. Until he meets Ellynor.
Ellynor is a novice at the Convent. She accompanied her cousin Rosurie when she was sent away to keep her from an unsuitable romance. Ellynor, who had never been away from her overprotective More...

I liked reading about Justin's tale and how he finds love. i wasnt sure i liked Ellynor at first because she seemed so weak compared to Senneth and Kirra who are strong female characters but she kind of grew on me at the end. I guess my sentiment echoes Senneth as in: i'm not sure i like her yet but if she makes Justin happy its all that matters. There is a nice ordinary vibe about her though because it seems like she acts and thinks the way a typical normal girl would. I did get annoyed at Elly More...

Very good! The more I read this series, the more I like it. I don't particularly love the romance in this book and recognize the issues with it, but unlike Romar Ellynor is a credible and likeable character. I've always had a weakness for male fighters and like the character of Justin, although I do think his portrayal is not harsh enough; Sharon Shinn tends to make her characters too honorable and upright and virtuous to be as interesting as they could be (except Kirra, who I really like). I th More...

Starting off a little slow...


Didn't get much better. A slow middle-of-the-series book. The love story was particularly unattractive and the end a little too easy.

I ended up liking this book far more than I thought I would, It may have something to do with the fact that I had a 3 week hiatus in the middle while I was on vacation.

This is the story that continues the main theme of the Twelve House series told from Justin's point of view. I did not like this as much as Kirras story but I did enjoy it.

While the rest of the group is about on various missions or assignments, Rider Justin has his own assignment. To hang around the tiny town in the land of Neft More...

Dark Moon Defender is the third of the Twelve Houses series by SHaron Shinn.

In the earlier two books we meet and get really involved with the adventures of Senneth, Tayse, Justin, Kirra, Donnal and Cammon as they traveled around the land of Gillengaria at the behest of their King. There is much unrest in the Kingdom. One powerful Lord is trying to foment rebellion and usurp the throne. The minor vassals of the Twelve ruling houses of the land are trying to use the unrest as a way to gain their o More...

Beautifully written though it is, this entry in Shinn's Twelve Houses series is the least satisfying of all her novels. The romance between King's Rider Justin and the Lirren mystic Ellynor is touching and well-drawn, but it is not enough to sustain the whole book. In a faster-paced, more action-packed book, I might have overlooked the tedious repetitiveness and numerous minor inconsistencies, but Dark Moon's sheer lack of drama and suspense made those small crimes more visible. But the biggest More...

It took a few chapters to get into this one. Even though I was already familiar with the characters. I was pleased with the outcome of the story. Pleased that, again, we got glimpses and pieces into everyone's lives. I do like that a few chapters here and there were devoted to those other characters and what they were doing, thus setting up the next installment, but also giving a brief break from the central story for this book. I think this couple was very well written and put together.

Quite entertaining. I did "like" it. Had not realized I was getting a "horses and swords" style fantasy. Had been immersed in those a few years ago when my nephews, brother and I would all read the same sets. Put this to "3" as her Samaria series is a bit more original, so that would be "4" and "5" is for what I consider amazing. Characters are well done and story is crisp - I can recommend this book. Would consider it fine for young adult reading although Amazon doesn't note it as such.

My second favorite of the Twelve Houses series (Mystic and Rider still holds first place). I loved the fleshing out of Justin's character--he wasn't my favorite male character from the series but he is now! How can you not love Justin? He's every childhood friend you ever had, trusted absolutely and wanted to go on an adventure with, rolled in one. I'm glad Shinn gave him the story he deserved; speaking of which, I love the way this book ends, with a smile.

I am enjoying this series about 6 very different people who are brought together on an errand for the King. Initially some of them don't even like eachother, but by book 3 they are as close as family and when one is in trouble they will band together to help out a friend. I love this group and the bond they share with one another. This one is Justin's story, and I love seeing a softer and more protective side to this hardened soldier.

I am starting to REALLY enjoying this series! Can't say why. It has some super cheesy romance parts in books 1-3 -- each character ending up with his/her soulmate (5 out of 6 characters now), lines like "Just the thought of losing him made her wild" and "My life is not complete when he is not in it." Gah! But I'm loving the action and the strong fellowship among the main characters. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I really don't think the most efficient system of syping out political feeling is to send one of your house guards, as honest as the day is long, away from your elite cohort to pose as a stableman in a troubled city. Any king who hasn't thought to develop a spy network deserves what he gets. That said, I always enjoy Shinn's characters and stories of romance, even though this one was quite silly.

The cover of this book said romantic fantasy. I was hoping then that Sharon Shinn had finally put some physical 'action' in this book, unlike the first two in the series! Well, I was a bit disappointed in that department, but the book was still very entertaining and kept a very good thread with our motley crew of 6. I am happy that all of the main characters from Mystic and Rider were present and also the continued theme of forbidden love. It was good to learn more about the Lirrenfolks. I also More...