It’s been a long time since I’ve read books that make me jump up and down with excitement, or throw the book away from me in anger. I was shaking, overcome with emotion, as I read the final scenes of Disorderly Knights. Dorothy has such a gift for story-telling and character development. It is hard to believe that with a three-page character list at the front of this book, I have a firm grasp of each personality (which is not due to any lack of complexity).

I knew, from Game of Kings and Queen’s Play, that Dorothy had produced the hero to end all heroes (despite a few definite character flaws and a sometimes questionable set of morals, we love Lymond, don’t we?) – but in Disorderly Knights she also hands us the villain to end all villains. Oh my god this man will send shivers down your spine (but of course, discovering that he’s a villain takes the whole book…. Dorothyyy).

Dorothy’s play with good and evil in this book is perfect. We must understand the intricacies of religious tension in 16th century Europe, and in the first half of this book we are in Malta battling the Turks in the 1565 Siege with the Knights Hospitaller (do not even get me started on Dorothy’s historical accuracy).

As a last, quick side-note – Oonagh is the strongest female character I’ve ever encountered, Phillipa creates all sorts of trouble but I adore her, Kate breaks my heart, Sybilla is amazing (I love the Cutler family interactions in general), and Joleta… there is too much to say about Joleta I can’t even get started.

I defy anyone who can put down this book during the last 100 pages.