Knights of the Borrowed Dark (Knights of the Borrowed Dark Book 1)

Denizen Hardwick has lived a boring, albeit safe and predictable, 12 years in an orphanage on the west coast of Ireland. He escapes the mundanity by reading anything he can get his hands on. He doesn’t sit around fantasising about something crazy happening to him, because that only happens in books.KOTBD is the eagerly-anticipated debut and first in the trilogy from Dave Rudden. Traversing the country while alluding to various other global locations, Denizen’s discovery of a mysterious group of knights opens up a world of ‘borrowed darkness.’What we get is a pulpy mix of medieval lore and pure inventiveness. Rudden’s main strengths lie in his core concept of the knights who defend the world from intruding dark forces through a form of ‘magic’ (though they hate that term). The knights pay a ‘cost’ by turning gradually to iron each time they use the power to vanquish the darkness. The author’s descriptions are also a joy to read, such as ‘the road looped round the shoulders of the mountain like a tailor’s measuring tape.’ I found myself re-reading passages to enjoy the description and characterisation in various parts of the book.The plot itself is propelled by a well-rounded cast of characters, none moreso than Denizen himself, a boy who is cynical to the point of having a compendium of frowns. Rudden is also unflinching in shedding blood; nobody is safe, which is always a great and brave feature to see in a series, particularly this early in a trilogy!It leaves you wanting more, and fortunately Dave Rudden seems game to the challenge: Book 2 is already written and we’re already looking forward to it.

There can be no doubt, not a borrowed shadow of a doubt, that KOTBD is amongst the finest examples of children's fantasy. It is classically timeless, but at the same time so original, so new, so today. We seem to be being promised a KOTBD trilogy. That there is more to come is cause for almost inexpressible excitement. I hope that after that, though, Dave Rudden will not be seduced down the route of an interminable series. Such very special writing talent needs to be used to create a whole range of diverse wonders.Late last year we lost, tragically young, a most promising Irish born children's writer in Nigel McDowell. There can, of course, be no direct replacement. However in Dave Rudden we now have another young Irish author who has the potential not only to rival mega sellers like Rick Riordan and Deren Landy but to join the ranks of the real greats in contemporary writing for children with the likes of Philip Reeve, Frances Hardinge and Kenneth Opel.KOTBD gets my very highest recommendation. A rare honour.

I absolutely loved this book (yes I bought it for myself and I'm proud of it!) as despite it being children's literature it really is suitable for all ages - it's gripping and hilarious all at once. Denizen's story grabs you immediately and I found myself wondering how he was getting on many times after reading the book. Happy to say I've now also read the sequel 'The Forever Court' and it is also totally awesome - one very happy reader 😊

There was so much to enjoy about the book. The powerful detail, the nuances -and divided opinions- surrounding the magic system and most certainly the creeping horror threaded through the book. In places it was enough to make me look away, but not for long...

I stuck with Harry to the very end and, after reading Knights of the Borrowed Dark, I imagine I will afford Denizen the same courtesy. This book is both similar and completely different to JK Rowling’s boy wizard, for whom I have a huge affection. Here, too, is an orphan boy brought up wanting for family and affection but, instead, finding character building hardship and emerging into young adulthood all the better for it. It’s the kind of back story we’ve seen umpteen times before but, happily, that is all we’ve seen before. Knights of the Borrowed dark is truly original in its plot and setting and the characters, both good and bad, leap off the page to greet you. I did not want to put this book down and I was disappointed when the end came, not because the ending was bad, but because I wasn’t ready for the tale to be told!

I was blown away by how good this book is. It engaged me and trapped me so much that I wanted to read it all in one go. Great writing and a wonderful story peopled by fantastic characters. Hopefully there will be more.

Brilliantly imagined and so well written, with a real sense of dread in some of the scenes- you're never sure who's going to make it to the next chapter. Certainly not just a YA book!

This book is an amazing example of a superb writer. Dave Rudden clearly creates a great picture of life as a knight. I would recommend this book to all and I think everyone should read this awesome book. I can't wait till the next book.By Ewan Smith.

Hello guys , this had the quantity and quality to capture the reader's interest in an instant.But in the middle chapters of the book, it started to drag itself, and the story was slow paced.The starting was really breath taking!And the ending was out of the world.This book is really great for the "Percy Jackson" fans.And overall its a good read.Please click helpful if you like this review.THANK YOU.

An inteligent book wich uses the "orphan law" to break the standars of the fantasy genre. A must read for adults and children.

On first hearing the premise for Dave Rudden's debut Knights Of The Borrowed Dark, one would be forgiven for uttering "Here we go again."Let's face it, the Coming-Of-Age fantasy has been meticulously mined in recent years. Can anyone actually come up with an original story entertaining enough to grab the imagination of readers without veering too far from the seemingly unbreakable rules of the genre? Well, yes. Dave Rudden has managed just that. He's taken a tired genre and injected into it new life with a gripping and hugely entertaining romp through supernatural Ireland. The reason this book succeeds where many have failed recently though, is that it's impeccably crafted. The prose is strong, yet without over-complication, the narrative bold and often boisterous. Rudden's not afraid to go over the top for good and glory, and this refreshing attitude serves him very well. Interspersed with carefully placed snippets of nostalgia and pop culture references, the story trundles along nicely, and the characters are quickly established and developed, building tension, intrigue and out-and-out mayhem, and while it sets the scene for the further adventures of the wonderfully named Denizen Hardwick, it thankfully doesn't rely on a huge cliffhanger to twist the reader's arm, and just relies on the fact that they've enjoyed both the writing and the story enough to invest in the further adventures of the Knights Of The Borrowed Dark.

I'd never heard of Dave Rudden until recently, when I bought the Doctor Who book "Twelve Angels Weeping". I was impressed with the stories in that, so I got the first book in the trilogy on a gambit.I ended up binge-listening to all 3 KOTBD books over the Christmas 2018 holidays - it was time and money well-spent.I love Vivian Hardwick; she is super-bad-*ssed. And any time I think of cat burglars, I will forever think of Graham McCarron. He's a wonderfully flawed hero - saturnine, but with good reason (unlike Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights").I also really liked the storyline between Denizen and 'the Mercy'. Plus, I found Denizen's core group of friends far more interesting and fun than, for instance, the core group around Harry Potter (yeh, I said it people. Deal with it...).But don't let my 'cafe criticism' put you off. Seriously-seriously people, just read it! :O)

At first, the story will seem familiar to you. An orphan discovers a mysterious world of hidden power, frightening enemies and danger behind every turn. But those familiarities will fall away to Rudden's skill at painting a world that is truly scary, intimate, chilling, real, gritty, fantastic, violent, romantic, funny, and deadly serious.Denizen, the protaganist, is sympathetic without being pathetic, his frustrations are real, and his triumphs are keenly felt when they happen. I perhaps would have liked a little more fleshing-out of the supporting cast, but then, it's a first novel in a trilogy. Time enough for that.The Knights of the Borrowed Dark, their ancient enemies the Tenebrous, and the hidden war between them is rich with colorful characters and interplay. The magic, or this world's version of it, is something I've not seen before in decades of reading fantasy, and the twisted wrongness of the Knights' enemies gave me chills in ways that decades of horror films never have. And it's all presented with a wry, self-aware humor that lovingly pays tribute to the traditions of fantasy fiction, yet has a laugh at the cliches.I'm looking forward to more!

I'm reading this debut novel for the second time. I'm the mom of a thirteen year old, and I've read a lot of YA fiction -- I like to be up on what she's reading. This is a very engaging story, interesting both for its supernatural elements, and also for the very human emotions and experiences the characters live through -- abandonment, loneliness, fear, jealousy, etc. It's also a very carefully crafted piece of writing, so there's a lot of joy to be had in the very sentences of it (which I can't say for all YA fiction I've read).This writer is Irish, and the novel is set there, but when I think of all the American kids who love the Mysterious Benedict Society, The Potter books, and such, they would DEVOUR this.I can't wait for the second novel, which I believe is out already in the UK and Ireland and due out in the US in August or so.

Take a step into a world of darkness and fire - Dave Rudden's debut novel grabs you from the first sentence until the end like a slice of freshly baked chocolate cake, the first taste is mouth-wateringly good, and all too soon you'll find yourself licking the crumbs off the plate, desperate for more!

The author mixes humor, action, and suspense into the story and it isn't predictable, which for me is very important. The main character Denizen was my favorite, but the others are well developed too. Didn't think this book would be able to evoke sadness at any point but it did (you'll know it when you read it). Recommended

This book is amazing; Denizen is a humouress character whose point of view makes the book very easy to read. The characters are all strong in their own, unique ways, and the descriptions in the book are absolutely amazing.

Started with a bang, but then it seemed to fizzle out a bit.

Dave does an absolutely fantastic job in his creation of this story! He chooses his words with such care that the story is very easily seen with your mind's eye; it unfolds before you. This adds to it being a very gripping book that I could not put down. When it was over, I was left wanting the next book immediately!A very good choice for the avoid reader as well as those who feel reading is a chore (this book makes the 'chore' that much more enjoyable!).Recommended for the 9 - 109 age group!