Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  True Knight

SERIES:  Prosper Woods Chronicles Book 0.5 (Prequel)

AUTHOR:  Patricia Logan

NARRATOR:  John Solo

PUBLISHER:  Westburg Publishing

LENGTH:  4 hours and 28 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  March 17, 2021

BLURB:

My name is Romeo Harmon and I’m the new sheriff of Prosper Woods, a small California town smack dab in the middle of the sequoia forest. People around here tell me the town hasn’t changed a whole hell of a lot since power lines and telephones were installed. It’s a quaint place with a movie theater that shows the old classics, a saloon with a decent choice of beer, a general store with a grumpy old coot behind the till, a gas station with a pimply young mechanic, and a bed and breakfast that attracts tourists and vacation money.

I think I’m gonna like it here.

My name is Vincent Lasco. I’ve searched a long time to find a new place to settle down. Because of what I am, I need to pull up stakes and start over every twenty years or so—before people realize that I don’t age anymore. Prosper Woods has everything a man like me could ever want. Though there aren’t many humans, it doesn’t really matter. I’m so old, I don’t need to eat very often and there’s no reason to expose myself to the locals whom I hope to call friends some day.

I think I’m gonna like it here.

There’s newcomers in town. Prosper Woods is a nice place as long as you’re passing through. I wonder how long these folks will stay once they find out what’s really going on here. Somehow…

I don’t think they’re gonna like it here.

(True Knight is the prequel to the Prosper Woods Chronicles and includes an excerpt from True Mate, the first book in the new series)

REVIEW:

Patricia Logan’s True Knight is a wild ride. Prosper Woods, the small California town tucked away in the sequoia forest, is inhabited by all kinds of animal shifters, werewolves, witches, vampires, and other as-yet-to-be-revealed supernatural beings.  It’s a place that’s pulsing with magic, and it seems that mayhem is on the rise.  Set aside your expectations because there’s no way you can predict anything that happens here.

This is a prequel to the Prosper Woods Chronicles series and my first question is, why?  Why is this a prequel and not a full-length story focusing on Romeo and Vincent?  It’s ¾ of the way to a full-length story and there was enough happening here that it certainly could have been fleshed out further, rather than rushed.  And the denouement with Romeo and Vincent was definitely rushed.  Then the story just abruptly ended and, notably, immediately picks up in True Mate, Book 1, almost like it’s another chapter, not a whole new story.  

Part of the reason why I find the prequel structure irksome stems from my love of the content.  I was engrossed in the story and the very unusual romance between Romeo and Vincent.  It’s sexy, suspenseful and amazingly creative.  I don’t want to say much more here because it’s best to find out what happens as it organically unfolds. 

The story starts out slowly, but that’s really not surprising. Ms. Logan is laying down the foundation for the series, establishing the background for the characters and events to come.  It’s no small task because there are a lot of characters with very unique characteristics and exceptional histories.  She also does a lot of her world building here.  I could picture the town, Vincent’s home, the forest … Ms. Logan vividly paints the scenes for us in living color.  Additionally, there are a lot of sensory elements described, particularly because the supernatural creatures have heightened abilities, like vampires’ extremely sensitive sense of smell.  The result is detailed scenes brimming with sights, sounds and smells that you experience like you are there.

Ms. Logan crafts a convincing emotional connection between Romeo and Vincent, who are very different men, and manages to do so in a short span of time.  John Solo does a terrific job of delivering that emotional connection through his narration.  I have listened to Mr. Solo’s narration a number of times and have always found that he delivers a solid performance.  But in the True Knight audiobook, he hits it out of the park.

This is not simply narration.  Mr. Solo delivers a vocal performance that is strong and expressive.  His dynamics are outstanding;  they’re thoughtful, appropriate and augment the message he is delivering.  One of Mr. Solo’s strengths is his consistent differentiation between many different characters through his pitch, timbre and intonation.  His expertise in that area shines here where there are a lot of diverse characters engaged in the story.  In prior audios, I noted Mr. Solo’s tendency to place overemphasis on certain words, drawing them out in a way that sounds unnatural.  I saw very little sign of it here, though. He hit all the right notes with just the right amount of energy and emphasis.

The absolute high point of the audiobook is Mr. Solo’s narration of Vincent.  Absolutely pitch perfect.  Vincent sounded exactly as I expected him to.  In fact, Mr. Solo’s delivery was so immersive, I actually forgot he was narrating.  Phenomenal.

Overall, I highly recommend the audiobook of True Knight.  But prepare yourself to immediately start reading Book 1, True Mate.  The first chapter is provided as a “teaser” at the end of True Knight.  For the rest of it, we have to wait until April 30th.  Sadly, the audio (presumably with Mr. Solo at the mic) doesn’t have a release date yet.  😞  I’ll be eagerly awaiting its arrival so I can experience more of this unique world through Mr. Solo’s voice.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Audible 

Amazon