Knight Assassin

Talon #2

by James Boschert

A joyous homecoming turns into a nightmare, as a trained assassin must do the one thing he didn't want to do--become an assassin again. Talon, a young Frank, returns to France with his uncle Phillip, a Templar knight, to be reunited with his family who lost him to the Assassins of Alamut when he was just a boy. When he arrives, he finds a sinister threat hanging like a pall over the joyous reunion. Ruthless enemies, who will stop at nothing to destroy his entire family to achieve their ends, are challenging the inheritance of his father.

Talon will have to depend upon a handful of Welsh Archers, whom he met at sea, and his uncle's trusty sergeant Max to help him defend his family from this plot. To accomplish that, however, he must also use the skills he learned as a Persian Hashshashin to tip the balance in his family's favor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction

520 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2010

Reviews

[Cindy Vallar]

Talon de Gilles may be young in age, but inside he is a man. Stolen when a lad, he grew up among the Assassini in Persia and was trained to be a killer. Now, he sails home to reunite with his parents, but his heart remains in Palestine. Captured by the Templars, he was forced to abandon the princess he loves and his best friend, both of whom may now be dead. There is little he can do for them, but his knowledge and skill are in great need aboard the ship, which is pursued by pirates. Aided by his uncle (a Templar knight) and Welsh mercenaries heading home, Talon implements a daring strategy to save all their lives.

The reunion with his parents is filled with joy, but too much has changed and not necessarily for the better. The land his mother inherited from her father and which her husband oversees is desired by her cousin, who is determined to take the property through fair means or foul. Nor can his parents secure their claim of ownership because they are unable to locate legal proof of the inheritance.

At present, her cousin employs mercenaries, who raid and burn outlier holdings. They also leave behind no witnesses. Her cousin has also been courting the church, but it takes Talon’s special talents to unveil the true treachery against his family. While friends from the journey home search for the needed documents, he accompanies his uncle to meet their overlord, the Count of Carcassone, where Talon makes new friends and forges powerful alliances. Talon also becomes a knight and is sent on a secret mission through territories where it’s difficult to tell friend from enemy.

Knight Assassin is the second book of Talon, and while not as exotic as the first, the politics and locales are just as skillfully depicted and unusual. The only drawback to the book pertains to layout formatting and grammatical errors, all of which could have been easily corrected with a thorough proofing before printing. Setting the story in France allows Boschert to spin an intricate web that not only brings the past to life, but also allows readers to meet a plethora of unique and intriguing characters, some of which would not be possible in any other setting. As events unfold, a complicated house of cards is assembled, but a single misstep is all that requires it to topple and it does so during a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat race that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Talon’s adventures.

[Helen Hollick]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"...the second book of Talon, and while not as exotic as the first, the politics and locales are just as skilfully depicted and unusual."

[Dean]

What a great book and series so far!!!! great story!!!!!

[Reader.2-139-846]

Yes, It’s Excellent!

Part Deux of the ‘Sir Talon de Gillies’ series. In the far southern reaches of d’Oc, Talon has many adventures.

[Alex C]

This is the second book in the Talon series and I find the writing better. It seems both more descriptive and concise. I think of it more as a young adult book. Some of the themes might be a bit much for conservative parents ie: violence, murder, killing, some R sex and continuous harping about how the 12th century Europeans are so much dirtier and smellier than the Persians. But most kids already know this. The historical setting is great and as Talon grows more experienced he is able to contrast societies which makes the book even more interesting. The adventure is well paced and there are several sub plots.
I'm moving directly to the third installment.

[Kathy Thomason]

Just as good as the first book in the Talon series

This book starts where the first book ended and follows Talon as he is united with his parents. He lands in the middle of a feud between his parents and his mother's cousin over the ownership of his parents land and fortress. Talon finds out that not only is their cousin after their land but also a corrupt Bishop will get part of the spoils

[Barry]

Different locale but a continuation of the basic story as Talon leaves Palestine to return to his family. After further adventures there, being knighted and finally becoming a Templar, he is ready to return and search for his friends.

[Becca]

I think I'll enjoy the fourth one more....this felt like it was a deviation from the overall plot, though it was an enjoyable one.

[Paul Daniel Ash]

sort of amazingly stilted writing, cardboard characterizations and predictable storyline, but still somehow pretty decent storytelling.