The Return of the Knights by Gregory Kontaxis

Martin’s depth of worldbuilding in future installments of his series, then I could see a loyal fanbase emerging for the land of Knightdorn.Īlthough my own knowledge of the Greek language is restricted to its use in mathematics, the translation by Sophia Travlos seems quite proficient. There is a clear influence from A Game of Thrones in the breadth of Kontaxis’s world. The worldbuilding in The Return of the Knights is excellent in terms of its epic scope and complexity.

My favorite parts of The Return of the Knights were whenever Walter walked onto the page with his over-the-top villainy. Although I cannot quite accept a villain with such an innocuous name as Walter, his violent actions speak clearly for themselves. Speaking of villains, The Return of the Knights features an archetypal bloodthirsty, power-hungry antagonist in Walter Thorn, a local governor who wages war against the Queen of Knightdorn. Grimdark aficionado that I am, I often found myself rooting for the villain just to see Elliot knocked down to size. I know this is a well-worn fantasy trope, but personally I found Elliot to be overly grating. Overconfident and brash, everything comes a bit too easily for Elliot. A village boy who exhibits unusual talents both on the battlefield and in politics, Elliot comes from a humble background but is full of hubris. Gregory Kontaxis embraces the classic chosen one trope with Elliot, the main protagonist of the story. Originally published in Greek, The Return of the Knights has been translated into English by Sophia Travlos. The Return of the Knights is the debut novel by Greek fantasy author Gregory Kontaxis and the first volume of his series, The Dance of Light. My complete review of The Return of the Knights is published at Grimdark Magazine. The first book in the series, The Dance of Light, will take you on an epic journey to a fantasy world of men and mythical creatures which will keep you spellbound till the very end. Game Of Thrones meets Greek mythology in this explosive epic fantasy story, packed with war, medieval lore, magic, loyalty and bravery. Elliot’s mission will take every fibre of his will and if he fails, so shall the kingdom.

He will attempt to rekindle relations and revive the old alliance between the Queen of Knightdorn and Syrella Endor, the Governor of Wirskworth. Everything appears to be over, until a mysterious young man, Elliot, makes his appearance.Įntangled in a web of lies and politics, Elliot will try to draw Walter away from Iovbridge and face him in the stronghold of Wirskworth.

The Queen of Knightdorn is now alone, with neither allies nor an army capable of rebuffing the enemy which is approaching her city. The most ruthless man of all time is one step away from assailing on Iovbridge and dethroning Sophie Delamere. The Palace of the Dawn will soon be stormed.

The Return of the Knights by Gregory Kontaxis