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Knights of the Borrowed Dark Trilogy #1
Knights of the Borrowed Dark
This imaginative new fantasy will charm fans of the Ranger’s Apprentice and Rick Riordan.
Denizen Hardwick is an orphan, and his life is, well, normal. Sure, in storybooks orphans are rescued from drudgery when they discover they are a wizard or a warrior or a prophesized king. But this is real life—orphans are just kids without parents. At least that’s what Denizen thought. . . .
On a particularly dark night, the gates of Crosscaper Orphanage open to a car that almost growls with power. The car and the man in it retrieve Denizen with the promise of introducing him to a long-lost aunt. But on the ride into the city, they are attacked. Denizen soon learns that monsters can grow out of the shadows. And there is an ancient order of knights who keep them at bay. Denizen has a unique connection to these knights, but everything they tell him feels like a half-truth. If Denizen joins the order, is he fulfilling his destiny, or turning his back on everything his family did to keep him alive?
Denizen Hardwick is an orphan, and his life is, well, normal. Sure, in storybooks orphans are rescued from drudgery when they discover they are a wizard or a warrior or a prophesized king. But this is real life—orphans are just kids without parents. At least that’s what Denizen thought. . . .
On a particularly dark night, the gates of Crosscaper Orphanage open to a car that almost growls with power. The car and the man in it retrieve Denizen with the promise of introducing him to a long-lost aunt. But on the ride into the city, they are attacked. Denizen soon learns that monsters can grow out of the shadows. And there is an ancient order of knights who keep them at bay. Denizen has a unique connection to these knights, but everything they tell him feels like a half-truth. If Denizen joins the order, is he fulfilling his destiny, or turning his back on everything his family did to keep him alive?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2016
151 people are currently reading
3213 people want to read
About the author
Dave Rudden
12 books193 followersI began my arts career as a storyteller in Dublin at nights like The Monday Echo and Milk & Cookies, before realising that it might be a good idea to try writing some of this stuff down.
From then, it was submitting to journals and anthologies, getting rejections, and then occasionally getting accepted by nice places like Bare Hands, the Stinging Fly and The Quotable.
In 2013 I won the Fantasy Book Review Short Story Prize, which was lovely, and I’ve had short stories short-listed for the Hennessy New Writing Award and the Bath Short Story Prize. I graduated from the UCD Creative Writing Masters with the first chapter of what would become Knights of the Borrowed Dark and signed with rockstar agent Clare Wallace of the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency soon after.
Since then, I’ve released the second two books in the KOTBD trilogy, written Doctor Who books for the BBC, and written plays and TV and music videos and RPGs .
I teach creative writing at UCD, currently serve as DCU’s Artist in Residence, and have travelled to more than nine hundred schools and libraries all over the world to talk about writing, mental health, and monsters. I also have two new series coming in 2025.
Follow me on Twitter at @d_ruddenwrites or on TikTok at @daveruddenwrites
From then, it was submitting to journals and anthologies, getting rejections, and then occasionally getting accepted by nice places like Bare Hands, the Stinging Fly and The Quotable.
In 2013 I won the Fantasy Book Review Short Story Prize, which was lovely, and I’ve had short stories short-listed for the Hennessy New Writing Award and the Bath Short Story Prize. I graduated from the UCD Creative Writing Masters with the first chapter of what would become Knights of the Borrowed Dark and signed with rockstar agent Clare Wallace of the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency soon after.
Since then, I’ve released the second two books in the KOTBD trilogy, written Doctor Who books for the BBC, and written plays and TV and music videos and RPGs .
I teach creative writing at UCD, currently serve as DCU’s Artist in Residence, and have travelled to more than nine hundred schools and libraries all over the world to talk about writing, mental health, and monsters. I also have two new series coming in 2025.
Follow me on Twitter at @d_ruddenwrites or on TikTok at @daveruddenwrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
April 19, 2017
One thing you might not know about me, is that I have a strange obsession with dark fantasy, and eldritch horror mythology. So when I came across a deal on Netgalley from Puffin for the first two books in this series, I just knew from the plot summary that I had to give requesting it a shot. Imagine my delight when I found out I was approved!
I know some people take issue with the use of tropes, but there are a few times that I think the tried and true formula really works. For a Middle Grade story especially, the idea of a downtrodden child becoming caught up in the magical and fantastic is easy to relate to, and exciting. Not to mention, I feel like the creativity alone on Rudden's part really sets this one apart from a lot of the other standard offerings in the genre.
One of the last places I expected find a story about eldritch horrors in the same vein as Lovecraft was in a Middle Grade novel, but because it's so unique to the genre it becomes that much more compelling. Rudden is a master at creating unique creatures to fill his universe with. There are monsters galore, and each of them are totally unique and just a little bit horrifying.
I will say though that part of me is hesitant about lauding this as a total victory of the novel though, because I sometimes think it veers a bit too deeply into disturbing territory. I think if I were to introduce a child to this series, I would make sure that they were in their teens and equipped to handle when things get just a little bit scary.
Another aspect of this that impressed me was the prose. I feel like Middle Grade prose often becomes a bit too reliant on telling over showing, but Rudden's prose is carefully and beautifully executed. He's clearly a very skilled writer. His prose isn't too flowery, but I do wonder if it's slightly overwritten for its audience at times. That being said, while it might pose a bit of a challenge to younger tweens, I think they might appreciate the challenge here as they explore all the interesting locations and characters this book has to offer.
We have to talk about the characters too. While I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of Denizen's name, I appreciate how well written he is. Rudden doesn't shy away from exhibiting his flaws. He's angry, (rightfully so) and cynical of the things happening around him, and it totally makes sense. The other knights are all extremely memorable characters both in name and characterization. I particularly enjoyed Grey and Fuller Jack. <3
Make no mistake though. This is really dark and it probably isn't going to be for everybody, or every child. I'm faulting it one full star both due to the prose being slightly overwritten for the genre, but also because I think at times it forgets that it's a story for tweens and gets just slightly too disturbing.
★★★★✩ = 4/5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, and Penguin Random House UK Children’s Puffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
See this review and more like it on my blog: Bookbastion.net
I know some people take issue with the use of tropes, but there are a few times that I think the tried and true formula really works. For a Middle Grade story especially, the idea of a downtrodden child becoming caught up in the magical and fantastic is easy to relate to, and exciting. Not to mention, I feel like the creativity alone on Rudden's part really sets this one apart from a lot of the other standard offerings in the genre.
One of the last places I expected find a story about eldritch horrors in the same vein as Lovecraft was in a Middle Grade novel, but because it's so unique to the genre it becomes that much more compelling. Rudden is a master at creating unique creatures to fill his universe with. There are monsters galore, and each of them are totally unique and just a little bit horrifying.
I will say though that part of me is hesitant about lauding this as a total victory of the novel though, because I sometimes think it veers a bit too deeply into disturbing territory. I think if I were to introduce a child to this series, I would make sure that they were in their teens and equipped to handle when things get just a little bit scary.
Another aspect of this that impressed me was the prose. I feel like Middle Grade prose often becomes a bit too reliant on telling over showing, but Rudden's prose is carefully and beautifully executed. He's clearly a very skilled writer. His prose isn't too flowery, but I do wonder if it's slightly overwritten for its audience at times. That being said, while it might pose a bit of a challenge to younger tweens, I think they might appreciate the challenge here as they explore all the interesting locations and characters this book has to offer.
We have to talk about the characters too. While I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of Denizen's name, I appreciate how well written he is. Rudden doesn't shy away from exhibiting his flaws. He's angry, (rightfully so) and cynical of the things happening around him, and it totally makes sense. The other knights are all extremely memorable characters both in name and characterization. I particularly enjoyed Grey and Fuller Jack. <3
Make no mistake though. This is really dark and it probably isn't going to be for everybody, or every child. I'm faulting it one full star both due to the prose being slightly overwritten for the genre, but also because I think at times it forgets that it's a story for tweens and gets just slightly too disturbing.
★★★★✩ = 4/5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, and Penguin Random House UK Children’s Puffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
See this review and more like it on my blog: Bookbastion.net
March 22, 2021
3.5 Stars
Well that was a great action fantasy novel!
I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this as I am on a mission to find engaging books with high school aged male protagonists. These seem to be few and far apart. There are a bunch of well known and well loved ones, but not too many beyond that list. The main character is 13 so this is suitable for NZ Y7 - Y9.
The story is not new, however, it feels quite a bit darker than the likes of Harry Potter. There is a great balance between action and character development and some 'edge of seat' type tension in some places. Excellent addition to our library!
Well that was a great action fantasy novel!
I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this as I am on a mission to find engaging books with high school aged male protagonists. These seem to be few and far apart. There are a bunch of well known and well loved ones, but not too many beyond that list. The main character is 13 so this is suitable for NZ Y7 - Y9.
The story is not new, however, it feels quite a bit darker than the likes of Harry Potter. There is a great balance between action and character development and some 'edge of seat' type tension in some places. Excellent addition to our library!
January 19, 2016
this is the next harry potter/hunger games, of that i'm sure. while the genre can feel a bit overworked as of late, the deft creation of a truly unique world of monsters, steel, danger and glory as well as rudden's gorgeous mastery of language makes this unlike anything i've read recently, YA or not. the protagonist, denizen, is a sekptical 13 year old of many frowns who is dragged into a secret world and ancient battle. he's the sort of lad you'd like to sit quietly with and enjoy some tea and a think. i was so glad to get an advanced copy, but now i can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!!
March 12, 2016
Review from Mia, aged 12.
This book is about thirteen year-old Denizen Hardwick, an orphan who only knew his parents for two years. Crosscaper Orphange is the only place Denizen has seen in eleven years. But when an auntie he has never heard of about sends for him, his dull life suddenly turns vibrant. A colleague of his auntie's picks him up. And after an encounter with a nightmarish creature, the teenager learns about an entire different world. He's taken to mysterious Serephin Row, where he learns aboout the Knights of the Borrowed Dark, people who use words to destroy creatures made of darkness. Denizen then meets his auntie and experiences a period of time where light bursts out of him. This means he can be a Knight, like his auntie and her colleagues. He's offered a career, but will he choose to take it?
This book was an amazing read with an excellent story-line. It's the first proof-copy I have gotten in a while and I was glad I got it. It is fairly easy to read and follow. Recommended to ages 9+ who like fantasy, action, adventure, fiction and mystery.
This book is about thirteen year-old Denizen Hardwick, an orphan who only knew his parents for two years. Crosscaper Orphange is the only place Denizen has seen in eleven years. But when an auntie he has never heard of about sends for him, his dull life suddenly turns vibrant. A colleague of his auntie's picks him up. And after an encounter with a nightmarish creature, the teenager learns about an entire different world. He's taken to mysterious Serephin Row, where he learns aboout the Knights of the Borrowed Dark, people who use words to destroy creatures made of darkness. Denizen then meets his auntie and experiences a period of time where light bursts out of him. This means he can be a Knight, like his auntie and her colleagues. He's offered a career, but will he choose to take it?
This book was an amazing read with an excellent story-line. It's the first proof-copy I have gotten in a while and I was glad I got it. It is fairly easy to read and follow. Recommended to ages 9+ who like fantasy, action, adventure, fiction and mystery.
February 7, 2016
Denizen Hardwick is more of an orphan that the other orphans at Crosscaper. At least they know where they come from. He only has his birthday and his name. Until a visitor arrives that changes everything. Brilliantly written, with a nuanced and loveable supporting cast, and terrifying yet three-dimensional monsters, Knights of the Borrowed Dark is the kind of book you push on other people so you can talk about it more. It's the kind of book that's friends with you. The characters feel actively real, and their struggles and heart-breaks, human and fantastical stick with you. There's a heft to the world-building, a solidity and a depth that's rare and wonderful. I loved it.
October 4, 2022
„Show me something you can build from revenge that you can’t build from acceptance.“
November 17, 2025
wowieee that was a good run!!!
the premise isn't anything new, but i really liked denizen's character. he's not a typical bold brave righteous ya protagonist (well a little) but he's also cynical and honest and questions the things around him. it was just refreshing to read.
the premise isn't anything new, but i really liked denizen's character. he's not a typical bold brave righteous ya protagonist (well a little) but he's also cynical and honest and questions the things around him. it was just refreshing to read.
August 16, 2016
OK, yes, you've heard it before. Orphan boy wizard set to save the world from the evil dark fornces.
But, this book, this book has a sense of humor about it. The characters have read the same books that you have. They know how it all turns out. Denizen is one such orphan, in the orphanage Crosscaper, and he, along with his best friend Simon, read all the books they can get their hands on. As the headmaster of the orphanage/school comments about the students:
Not wanting to give to much away, but the cover sort of does it, as does the blurb, yes, Denizen does turn out to be that special boy, and is taken away to fight the good fight, though as they comment later on in the book:
It is a rocking good adventure stories. Some things I figured out, others I was surpised at. Great world building, of what the enemy is, and how the "powers" work. I raced through this book, once I started it. Some people are calling it the next Hunger Games, or the next Harry Potter, but I think this book is cool on its own. Good humor. Good evil people. Good fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
But, this book, this book has a sense of humor about it. The characters have read the same books that you have. They know how it all turns out. Denizen is one such orphan, in the orphanage Crosscaper, and he, along with his best friend Simon, read all the books they can get their hands on. As the headmaster of the orphanage/school comments about the students:
The library books, on the other had had been read to pieces. And as for the content? Story after story of noble orphans rescued from drudgery, and now every time someone came to visit, hopeful orphans began packing their bags, ready for their new life as a wizard, warrior or prophesied king.
Not wanting to give to much away, but the cover sort of does it, as does the blurb, yes, Denizen does turn out to be that special boy, and is taken away to fight the good fight, though as they comment later on in the book:
"And besides," she said airily," to die in the service of the Order is the greatest of all honors." Denizen stared at her. "Seriously?" "God, no," she said. "Are you insane?"
It is a rocking good adventure stories. Some things I figured out, others I was surpised at. Great world building, of what the enemy is, and how the "powers" work. I raced through this book, once I started it. Some people are calling it the next Hunger Games, or the next Harry Potter, but I think this book is cool on its own. Good humor. Good evil people. Good fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
December 2, 2015
Oh! MY! GOSH!!! SOOOOO good!!! This is when the double edged sword of bookselling is wielded. One side of the blade is the ARC that arrives in an unassuming box from the publisher. So many books it can be hard to find the gems. Then, I find one. Greedily we (my son and I) read it up. The other side of the finely honed blade nicks me. Not only will the book not be available for a whole year; which means I can't sell it yet, but now I am hooked and have to wait for the sequel!
I still have a 100 pages to go. My son and I are sharing this as a read aloud. What I can say at this moment is that while we have a boy with undiscovered powers coming into his own, the writing is gorgeous with rich language, dynamic plot, creepy evil, intriguing characters. It is going to be a labor to wait for this sequel.
Addendum
We finished the book. My son's comment says it all, "that was such a good book I didn't want it to end."
I still have a 100 pages to go. My son and I are sharing this as a read aloud. What I can say at this moment is that while we have a boy with undiscovered powers coming into his own, the writing is gorgeous with rich language, dynamic plot, creepy evil, intriguing characters. It is going to be a labor to wait for this sequel.
Addendum
We finished the book. My son's comment says it all, "that was such a good book I didn't want it to end."
June 17, 2016
This book was full of suspense and it definitely made me want to keep on reading. Denizen- the main character, was great. He wasn't the perfect boy (because nobody is perfect), but there was something about him which made me like him as a character. Especially as a hero. His friendship with his best friend was something I adored as well. The other characters in the book were great, no one particularly annoying- perhaps maybe Abigail...but that was at the beginning, when she was first introduced. She was the only character who I struggled to imagine.
All in all, this book was a brilliant read. Plus, it reminds me of Harry Potter, but a little darker and creepier. So to those who love fantasy and magic, this would be a great read for you.
All in all, this book was a brilliant read. Plus, it reminds me of Harry Potter, but a little darker and creepier. So to those who love fantasy and magic, this would be a great read for you.
June 17, 2017
Knights of the Borrowed Dark was a new addition to my personal TBR recently. I had the pleasure of meeting the author in Galway recently and had a chat about his books. I have a 7 year old boy (his reading age is that of a 9/10 year old) who is an avid reader, and he asked me to read this for him to see if it is suitable for him to read himself. Personally, I think he’s still a bit young for it, but I LOVED IT!!!!
Knights of the Borrowed Dark follows Denizen Hardwick, a orphan living in Crosscaper Orhanage on the west coast of Ireland. One night, the gates to the orphanage open and Denizen is collected on the promise of being introduced to his long lost aunt. On the way to meet her, the car in which he is travelling is attacked, by something. Denizen then learns that this something lives in the shadows, and sometimes can get through the breach.
What follows is a super fun read full of action and monsters and knights. These knights don’t deign to tell poor Denizen very much, and he end up having to learn their methods in his own ways. Give the option to join this order of knights, Denizen then has to make a life-changing decision.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark is a thrilling, compulsive and completely magical story. Packed full of enthralling characters, with more action and mystery than I was expecting, this book exceeded my hopes entirely. I cant wait to read the next book, and I also can’t wait to re-read this along with my son when he gets to it!
Highly recommended!
Knights of the Borrowed Dark follows Denizen Hardwick, a orphan living in Crosscaper Orhanage on the west coast of Ireland. One night, the gates to the orphanage open and Denizen is collected on the promise of being introduced to his long lost aunt. On the way to meet her, the car in which he is travelling is attacked, by something. Denizen then learns that this something lives in the shadows, and sometimes can get through the breach.
What follows is a super fun read full of action and monsters and knights. These knights don’t deign to tell poor Denizen very much, and he end up having to learn their methods in his own ways. Give the option to join this order of knights, Denizen then has to make a life-changing decision.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark is a thrilling, compulsive and completely magical story. Packed full of enthralling characters, with more action and mystery than I was expecting, this book exceeded my hopes entirely. I cant wait to read the next book, and I also can’t wait to re-read this along with my son when he gets to it!
Highly recommended!
April 17, 2024
A tremendously gripping and fast-paced fantasy adventure, that may well be written with kiddies as its primary audience but will easily win over older readers too.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark follows Denizen Hardwick, an orphan whose ordinary life gets flipped upside down when he encounters a monstrous shadow creature and a knight wielding the power of light.
The story moves at a swift pace and is filled with thrilling twists and turns and moments of discovery. With its nightmarish creatures and the constant threat of an encroaching darkness, I was reminded of Jonathan Stroud's fantastic Lockwood & Co. series; the books even draw on similar themes of friendship, bravery and facing the unknown.
Overall, Knights of the Borrowed Dark is a fantastic first book in a series. It leaves you wanting more with its cliffhanger ending and the promise of a grander adventure to come. If you're searching for a captivating fantasy read filled with action, friendship, and a touch of darkness, this book is definitely worth a look. 4*
Knights of the Borrowed Dark follows Denizen Hardwick, an orphan whose ordinary life gets flipped upside down when he encounters a monstrous shadow creature and a knight wielding the power of light.
The story moves at a swift pace and is filled with thrilling twists and turns and moments of discovery. With its nightmarish creatures and the constant threat of an encroaching darkness, I was reminded of Jonathan Stroud's fantastic Lockwood & Co. series; the books even draw on similar themes of friendship, bravery and facing the unknown.
Overall, Knights of the Borrowed Dark is a fantastic first book in a series. It leaves you wanting more with its cliffhanger ending and the promise of a grander adventure to come. If you're searching for a captivating fantasy read filled with action, friendship, and a touch of darkness, this book is definitely worth a look. 4*
February 13, 2019
A well-written children's book
I considered giving this book a 4-star rating; the writing is quite good and at times the book ventures into horror territory in spite of being a children's book first and foremost.
The monsters - the Tenebrous - are impressively scary monsters and the main attractions of the book, and though most of them are faceless they all stand out, especially the Clockwork Three and their haunting of one of the more prominent settings of the book. I'm impressed that they are so well-described and outright scary
The other characters are well-enough defined to be likeable, even if many of them play small roles, and I don't feel that the Knights of The Borrowed Dark stand out among other fantasy heroes.
My main issue with this book is the story following the usual children's fantasy playbook to the letter: downtrodden boy suddenly being whisked away from his boring everyday life by destiny which provides him with magic powers that may save the world. But the book and the author win a lot in my book by blatantly admitting it.
My 33 year old self may "only" be giving this a 3-star rating, and may read the rest of the series at one point.
My 7-11 year old self would have given this a 5-star rating and bought the 2nd book ASAP, possibly arguing with my parents about not needing to sleep, before finishing the series.
I considered giving this book a 4-star rating; the writing is quite good and at times the book ventures into horror territory in spite of being a children's book first and foremost.
The monsters - the Tenebrous - are impressively scary monsters and the main attractions of the book, and though most of them are faceless they all stand out, especially the Clockwork Three and their haunting of one of the more prominent settings of the book. I'm impressed that they are so well-described and outright scary
The other characters are well-enough defined to be likeable, even if many of them play small roles, and I don't feel that the Knights of The Borrowed Dark stand out among other fantasy heroes.
My main issue with this book is the story following the usual children's fantasy playbook to the letter: downtrodden boy suddenly being whisked away from his boring everyday life by destiny which provides him with magic powers that may save the world. But the book and the author win a lot in my book by blatantly admitting it.
My 33 year old self may "only" be giving this a 3-star rating, and may read the rest of the series at one point.
My 7-11 year old self would have given this a 5-star rating and bought the 2nd book ASAP, possibly arguing with my parents about not needing to sleep, before finishing the series.
June 30, 2016
Det lånade mörkrets riddare var en bok jag genast blev nyfiken på när jag såg den i Modernistas sommarkatalog, och jag blev väldigt glad när jag fick den som recex. Och precis som jag förväntat mig så var det en bok jag tyckte mycket om.
Handlingen var oerhört spännande, och jag fann världen att vara så fascinerande. Det känns som en ganska mörk bok, trots att den riktar sig till lite yngre läsare, och det var något jag verkligen uppskattade. Monstren kändes väldigt genomtänkta och obehagliga, och det här är definitivt en bok jag gärna skulle se som film.
När det kommer till karaktärerna så tyckte jag mycket om Denizen. Han var både smart, modig och rolig, mina tre favoritdrag hos en karaktär. Jag gillade även Simon, Abigail och de andra bi-karaktärerna mycket. Stort plus också för karaktärstwister jag inte alls såg komma.
Det lånade mörkrets riddare var fantastiskt spännande och full av action. Och med en av de mest intressanta världar på länge, så längtar jag redan efter uppföljaren. Rekommenderas varmt.
Handlingen var oerhört spännande, och jag fann världen att vara så fascinerande. Det känns som en ganska mörk bok, trots att den riktar sig till lite yngre läsare, och det var något jag verkligen uppskattade. Monstren kändes väldigt genomtänkta och obehagliga, och det här är definitivt en bok jag gärna skulle se som film.
När det kommer till karaktärerna så tyckte jag mycket om Denizen. Han var både smart, modig och rolig, mina tre favoritdrag hos en karaktär. Jag gillade även Simon, Abigail och de andra bi-karaktärerna mycket. Stort plus också för karaktärstwister jag inte alls såg komma.
Det lånade mörkrets riddare var fantastiskt spännande och full av action. Och med en av de mest intressanta världar på länge, så längtar jag redan efter uppföljaren. Rekommenderas varmt.
January 28, 2016
Absolutely brilliant! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a children's book quite this much. It was wonderfully well written, genuinely funny, extremely creepy and in a world of 'cookie cutter' books very original. It's recommended for fans of Rick Riordan, Derek Landy and Neil Gaiman but whilst reading it I was often reminded of some of the more fantastical works of Clive Barker, such as Weaveworld, which is high praise indeed. A throughly good book which I hope does big things!
January 22, 2016
I will be the first to admit that Fantasy is not exactly my favourite genre, and that I have no heart, but even I was powerless to resist the charming wit and whimsy of this beautifully composed, touching, intelligently written tale of a young lad struggling in the face of adolescence, not to mention spooky monsters.
August 13, 2022
Knights of the Borrowed Dark is such a good book. Although it is a children's/YA book I think that adults would love it too. Denizen and Simon are my favourite characters, their friendship is one of the best parts of the book. It is a good vs evil story with lots of twists that keep you really interested. The story is quite creepy in places and has a real eerie feel to it. The settings come alive with the author's great descriptions. I would highly recommend the book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
April 2, 2017
I reread this for my bookclub, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. The first time I tend to gulp the story down, tearing through the pages in a race to find what happens next; the second time I could appreciate the wonderful writing better. First read 18th January 2016 So good, I keep itching to press it into everyone's hands - in work, at home, walking down the street - only to remember it's not published yet!
January 4, 2017
När jag fick boken i brevlådan trodde jag ju aldrig att den skulle vara såhär bra..! Hade fått en bild av att den skulle vara väldigt barnslig, men det var den verkligen inte- snarare tvärtom! Väldigt detaljerad. Gillade verkligen boken rakt igenom, såå bra! Rekommenderas starkt!
January 22, 2016
A thoroughly enjoyable read. The world is excellently constructed, accompanied by an engrossing plot with a humorous undertone. I imagine most fans of Pratchett and Gaiman would enjoy this book.
June 9, 2017
It's a middle grade book but I love how dark it is :D
Review in Swedish at Boktycke.
Review in Swedish at Boktycke.
April 2, 2020
This felt like exactly what the first book in a YA fantasy series should be. Reminded me so much of the world building of Keys to the Kingdom, but more grounded in friendships and individual relationships. I will be suggesting this to all the teenagers out there.
December 17, 2019
Read this one because it wasn’t getting much love in my library. Hopefully that will change. Great series to hand to my Harry Potter readers! Excited to read book 2.
February 4, 2017
An absolute adventure from page one.
May 6, 2017
An Unexpected Fantasy of Darkness and Light... 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.
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.
March 28, 2020
Knights of the Borrowed Dark is exciting, suspenseful, and entertaining! Full of mystery and intrigue. The story is both thrilling and entertaining. Particularly amusing is the contrast between Denizen's thoughts and his words/actions.
Denizen's personality, along with the mysterious atmosphere and the weird and unusual beings coming in from the other side, pulled me into the story immediately.
I liked Denizen's character from the start. He's been dealt a nasty deck -- orphaned when he was two, sent to this dismal orphanage at the end of the world, with these uncaring adults as staff... But still, he is able to rise above it and convince himself he doesn't need anybody (except maybe his best friend Simon).
Then his whole reality gets dashed to the side: He has family. And he has powers. And there's this whole other world out there that is threatening the world he knows. And he can do something to protect the world he knows. He can become a Knight. Cool.
This was a great read! The writing is fantastic. The characters are diverse and interesting. Denizen's thought process is tons of fun to follow, as well as his personal development. Unexpected twists and turns provide suspense and surprises!
I can totally recommend Knights of the Borrowed Dark!
I received a copy of this book from Random House Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
BUDDY READ:Paranormal/Fantasy > Knights of the Borrowed Dark (Knights of the Borrowed Dark Trilogy #1) -- Starting May 10th 2017
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Denizen's personality, along with the mysterious atmosphere and the weird and unusual beings coming in from the other side, pulled me into the story immediately.
I liked Denizen's character from the start. He's been dealt a nasty deck -- orphaned when he was two, sent to this dismal orphanage at the end of the world, with these uncaring adults as staff... But still, he is able to rise above it and convince himself he doesn't need anybody (except maybe his best friend Simon).
Then his whole reality gets dashed to the side: He has family. And he has powers. And there's this whole other world out there that is threatening the world he knows. And he can do something to protect the world he knows. He can become a Knight. Cool.
This was a great read! The writing is fantastic. The characters are diverse and interesting. Denizen's thought process is tons of fun to follow, as well as his personal development. Unexpected twists and turns provide suspense and surprises!
I can totally recommend Knights of the Borrowed Dark!
I received a copy of this book from Random House Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
BUDDY READ:Paranormal/Fantasy > Knights of the Borrowed Dark (Knights of the Borrowed Dark Trilogy #1) -- Starting May 10th 2017
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
January 30, 2017
This book was fucking awesome.
I loved the cynical, skeptical/anti-hero personality of our main character - Denizen Hardwick. It was refreshing to read such a strong minded character without the ego.
The humor was also nice, this book could've been a lot more serious and therefore depressing than it actually was but thanks to the inclusion of some brilliantly placed jokes it managed to keeping a light-hearted and interesting tone.
Although the pacing slow I found the exposition and filler pages were entertaining, so much so I was enraptured the whole time.
I thought this book had a very unique premise. One that plays on every child's dream to over come their nightmares and the monsters of the dark.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark had a very realistic spin in its execution and, honestly, I just really loved this book. It's my exact piece of cake. Loved it, can't wait for the next in the series.
I loved the cynical, skeptical/anti-hero personality of our main character - Denizen Hardwick. It was refreshing to read such a strong minded character without the ego.
The humor was also nice, this book could've been a lot more serious and therefore depressing than it actually was but thanks to the inclusion of some brilliantly placed jokes it managed to keeping a light-hearted and interesting tone.
Although the pacing slow I found the exposition and filler pages were entertaining, so much so I was enraptured the whole time.
I thought this book had a very unique premise. One that plays on every child's dream to over come their nightmares and the monsters of the dark.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark had a very realistic spin in its execution and, honestly, I just really loved this book. It's my exact piece of cake. Loved it, can't wait for the next in the series.
February 2, 2016
The space that Dave Rudden created in writing this book is large, poetic and inviting. The language balances between friendly and articulate to the point of art and never tumbles into the realm of dense, trivial or archaic. From the get-go, the reader is instantly there, completely with it, and involved with the characters; each one full of a life and realism that can only come from the very best and well constructed writing. The plot never lets you down, it startles, enchants, saddens and makes you question in all the right places. This is a book set in the young adult genre, but really it is versatile-built for the enjoyment of any reader, which in itself is a huge accomplishment. I look forward to being a (loud) part in the huge wave of fandom this brilliant piece of literature is going to create. 10/10 would pay the Cost to read (over and over) again.
June 25, 2016
Överraskande bra. Gillar att den är ensamstående (även om en uppföljare skulle vara kul också) och hur Rudden skriver om Denizen. Rekommenderas!
June 28, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I picked it up in the shop because I am going to a questions session with the author, so thoight it best to read something of his first! No offence meant to Mr. Rudden but i had low expectations... I love fantasy, but i often find that many attempt to write this genre and well, i don't think many succeed... So this book came as a rather pleasant surprise!
It is set in Ireland, which was hilarious at first! Anyone living in Ireland will no there are plenty of very unextraordinary places and in this book a few were mentioned that i know, so that gave me a good laugh, even though i doubt it was intended to be funny!
The main character i thought was believeable as a young boy thrown into a crazy, magic filled universe. He was sarcastic and comical and didnt just happen to pick up a sword and be a naturally gifted individual so I enjoyed that.
The book wasnt too long. Now this is a complicated point in the sense that, many fantasy nivels are very VERY long and they need to be, but others are unnecessarily long, just to try and be like other fantasy based stories (if you understand what i mean). This was concise and not dragged out, so that for me was a positive.
The only reason i cannot give this book a 5 star rating is because it wasnt quite exciting enough... I do not give 5 stars often because 5 stars has to be pretty special and while this book was good, it wasnt a fantastically memorable work. All the same i would tell anyone to give it a shot!
It is set in Ireland, which was hilarious at first! Anyone living in Ireland will no there are plenty of very unextraordinary places and in this book a few were mentioned that i know, so that gave me a good laugh, even though i doubt it was intended to be funny!
The main character i thought was believeable as a young boy thrown into a crazy, magic filled universe. He was sarcastic and comical and didnt just happen to pick up a sword and be a naturally gifted individual so I enjoyed that.
The book wasnt too long. Now this is a complicated point in the sense that, many fantasy nivels are very VERY long and they need to be, but others are unnecessarily long, just to try and be like other fantasy based stories (if you understand what i mean). This was concise and not dragged out, so that for me was a positive.
The only reason i cannot give this book a 5 star rating is because it wasnt quite exciting enough... I do not give 5 stars often because 5 stars has to be pretty special and while this book was good, it wasnt a fantastically memorable work. All the same i would tell anyone to give it a shot!
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