People at Arms > Likes and Comments

Here is the place to discuss the books you read, original tale, collection of tales, retelling or novel inspired by fairy/folk tales and mythology where there is a character (s)who is a “People-at-Arms”
Includes knights, soldiers, guards, police, etc.

I have just read Alix E Harrow's The Everlasting which was an excellent fairy tale inspired book. One of the MCs is a knight.

Erin wrote: "I have just read Alix E Harrow's The Everlasting which was an excellent fairy tale inspired book. One of the MCs is a knight."

I'm almost finished with that one and loving it!

2 books I read for last years challenge have soldiers Clytemnestra and Babylonia by Costanza Casati and based on mythology Clytemnestra on Greek and Babylonia on Mesopotamian. Both books however are realistic, meaning there are no magical occurrences even though they are based on mythology.
Both books also would count for the rulers prompt

I’ve been reading the detective books from the series Leaphorn and Chee by Tony Hillerman and will mostly likely count them for this prompt in the challenge. There is also no magic but lots of Native American mythology.

I suggest:
Paladin's Grace
Nettle & Bone

Just read Thornhedge, which fit this prompt well and was a very nice read! :)

Andy wrote: "Just read Thornhedge, which fit this prompt well and was a very nice read! :)"

I was going to recommend that one, too! Also Swordheart. T. Kingfisher likes the men-at-arms...

I read Don't Call the Wolf for this, but I didn't love it. The Polish folklore is cool, and I did like the main characters, but secondary characters got messy, and I didn't like the ending. I'd read more by the author, though. One of the main characters is a dragon slayer.

Some other books I enjoyed that fit this theme:
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse: A really cool series about an Indigenous monster hunter.
Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson: a fun, slim graphic novel about ladies knighting up when their men leave the castle.
Once & Future by A.R. Capetta: a fun sci-fi Arthurian retelling, and first in a series.
Sword Stone Table: Old Legends, New Voices: a short story anthology of Arthurian legends.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark: I love this book, about a detective in steampunk Cairo.
Spear by Nicola Griffith: My favorite Arthurian legend retelling!
The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman: another extremely good Arthurian retelling.
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth: Slavic folklore, monster hunters, really excellent novella. I need to read the next in the series.
Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp: MG fantasy with a young nonbinary apprentice knight and disabled princess. Really loved it, would work for royalty, too.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden: A really lovely WWII historical fantasy, with one soldier pov character. The other character would work for cleric.
The Unbroken by C.L. Clark: Main character is a soldier, other main character is royalty.

Happened to read 2 that fit this...

Nightshade & Oak by Molly O'Neill
It was ok. I liked the Welsh lore but it didn't really do much for me as it felt like just a string of quest events and small battles, running from the enemy, and trying to reach a location in a very linear way.

The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman
Was amazing! I loved this book so much. It's a retelling of a lay by Marie de France about Bisclavret the werewolf, a knight who gets trapped as a wolf by someone who betrays him. It was so full of emotion, suffering, yearning, love and it was just...perfect.

What Feasts at Night - there are three books in the series, so any of them would fit people at arms.

Ozsaur wrote: "What Feasts at Night - there are three books in the series, so any of them would fit people at arms."

I read that one for this challenge, too.

Margaret wrote: I read that one for this challenge, too.

It's a really good choice for the prompt. Plus, it's T. Kingfisher!

I read Listening Woman and People of Darkness for this prompt. Both books are more “ realistic “ detective novels by Tony Hillerman, however they have lots of Native American legends and mythology in them. They are fun reads!

Ozsaur wrote: "Margaret wrote: I read that one for this challenge, too.

It's a really good choice for the prompt. Plus, it's T. Kingfisher!"

Can't go wrong with her! I'm currently reading Nine Goblins by her, which could also be used for this challenge!

Margaret wrote: Can't go wrong with her! I'm currently reading Nine Goblins by her, which could also be used for this challenge!

I just read Nine Goblins, and adored it! I used it for land steward, at a bit of a stretch.

Ozsaur wrote: "Margaret wrote: Can't go wrong with her! I'm currently reading Nine Goblins by her, which could also be used for this challenge!

I just read Nine Goblins, and ado..."

Ha! I just asked in another thread if you enjoyed it. Glad you did!

I did! My review was mostly KITTEN AND TEDDY BEAR! LOL

Ozsaur wrote: "I did! My review was mostly KITTEN AND TEDDY BEAR! LOL"

LOVE

I read (and reviewed) _Deirdre_, James Stephens's 1923 re-telling of the Irish "Deirdre of the Sorrows" legend (which also was told in a 1909 play by John Millington Synge). This story (possibly set around the time of Christ) is about a beautiful young woman who catches the eye of Ulster's aging King Conchobar. Rather than marry him, Deirdre flees to Scotland with her young lover, a warrior named Naoise, and his two brothers. The King can't get her out of his mind and tricks the four into returning to Ireland, where they face an uncertain fate. A battle ensues, in which a druid plays a key role. This novel is available in a free online Project Gutenberg edition. It is one of the "pre-tales" associated with "Ireland's Iliad," the Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley").