the three b's: books, banter, and bromance

This may come as a surprise, but I don't actually have book reviews for every book that I love lying in wait for opportune moments such as this. So you're in for a treat, folks-- book review improv!

Hopefully that sounded less nerdy to you than it did to me when I typed it.

Next up on my list of mid-list books that I love (and that need to be saved) are the Knight and Rouge novels by Hilari Bell. The books are teen/fantasy/buddy/mystery/adventure/humor novels, and star Sir Michael Sevenson and, of course, Fisk.

The premise of the series is that idealistic Michael, who is eighteen in the first book, decides to become a knight errant and search for good deeds and adventure, even though the profession has been defunct for over two centuries. In repayment for Michael getting him out of a long stay in jail, streetwise seventeen-year-old Fisk, former burglar, cardsharp, and conman, becomes Michael's squire, joining him on Michael's crazy misadventures.

And they certainly are misadventures. In the first book, The Last Knight, the boys free a damsel in distress from a tower keep... only to belatedly discover that she was an accused murderess, awaiting trial for her husband's poisoning.

Oops.

Now they have to find and re-capture her, or face the consequences. I won't go into the plots of the second and third books (I don't think there are any spoilers in the plot summaries, but as someone who took off the jackets of Harry Potter books and hid them until I was finished with the entire things, I won't be the one to make that judgment call) but you can read the official plot summaries posted on Hilari Bell's website by clicking on the title of each book: The Last Knight, Rogue's Home, and Player's Ruse.

There's a lot to love about these books. The mystery/adventure is well-written and entertaining, and I'm often trying to figure out whodunnit right along with the characters. The chapters alternate between the voices of Michael and Fisk, and it's entertaining to get the different perspectives of the characters. The books are funny (which probably shouldn't be surprising by now-- humor is something I really value, both in books and everything else). The humor usually manifests itself in Michael and Fisk's friendship. Hilari Bell said that she aimed for the books to be buddy novels, like "fantasy versions of 'buddy' cop shows," but I would describe their relationship as a little bit bromantic, and it's so cute that they're close, even though it outwardly manifests itself in arguments and funny, witty banter (and, come on, who doesn't love good banter?).

My favorite aspect of the books, though, is the characters themselves (I know, right? You'd never have guessed that from my first post). They're flawed, multi-dimensional characters who are nonetheless impossible to dislike because of their kindness, wit, and humor, which makes me want to read about them no matter what they're doing.

But what they are doing is totally entertaining, so I recommend (these are now the links to the B&N pages) The Last Knight, Rogue's Home, and Player's Ruse if the genres listed a few paragraphs above seem to be something you'd be interested in.

And remember, follow the blog, spread the word, and shoot me emails/reviews you've written about your favorite mid-list author at doingitwrite@gmail.com.

Oh, and preview for tomorrow: the post will not be a book review. That's right, folks-- improv AND variety. Really, I'm too good to you.