R. Garcia y Robertson

This was a book for a long Thanksgiving road trip, and I was so disgusted from it from the get-go that I almost didn't read it through.

This is a time-travel fantasy/romance. A modern Hollywood executive takes a walk in the Welsh countryside and comes across a knight on horseback and falls in love with him immediately. He saved her from a band of rogues, and then they part ways. She then has to find a way back through the glitch of time to find the knight again.

Unfortunately, this entire show more novel is based on the plot point that the heroine, Robyn, has no idea who Edward the Earl of March really is. I do because I read many books on the War of the Roses. But Robyn insists on being ignorant because she doesn't want to know what happens to him (well, duh, he's definitely dead). Enter the witches who can send her back in time! Oh, and she is very "modern" and kind of stupid, leading her to immediate accusations of witchcraft, and then into the bed of the same reincarnated boyfriend who just manipulated her in the future (YA RLY). The displacement spell enables her to immediately understand any and every language of the time period, and write and read it, too. I want some of that. Oh, and EVERYONE loves Robyn and is instantly loyal to her - except for the bad guys who just wants to torture her for kinks, but they like her in their own way. Mary Sue to the rescue!

If I can completely ignore the heroine, the book is good. The writing is excellent and provides wonderful details on everyday medieval life and actively fights against stereotypes. I loved that aspect of the book. I just wish I could hit Robyn upside the head. I mean, she gets the chance to go back to the future (ha!) and she buys some smart things like bug spray, painkillers, and a history book (which she refuses to read, but some other medieval bad-guy person does *facepalm*) and... and... TAMPONS.

There is a second book that I already own, but I don't think I can bear to read it. I'll just skim through and hope Robyn finally gets burned as a witch, though she'll probably just mope and meddle with history some more. Sigh. show less

Garcia y Robertson, R. The Virgin and the Dinosaur. The Virgin and the Dinosaur No. 1. Avon, 1996.
R. Garcia y Robertson gave up an academic career in history to write historical fantasies and science fiction. When Jurassic Park made a splash in the early 1990s, he must have said to himself, well, why not have a little fun with it. The result is a time travel adventure story that is a little bit of Jurassic Park and a little Indiana Jones. Jake is a veteran time travel guide, a good friend of show more Sitting Bull, and a guy who can fly an airship. Peg is a sexy young dinosaur expert who wants to see them in the flesh. It is hot Mesozoic Montana, so Jake has plenty of opportunity to see her in the flesh. But she is not afraid to tell him to control his testosterone and get on with finding some large saurian critters for her to watch. Adventure, romance, and corporate skullduggery ensue. The pacing is good and the tone is always a little tongue in cheek. Fun. 4 Stars. show less

Although it bogs down in a couple of places, I found Knight Errant a fun read. I disagree with blurbers that compare it in quality to Outlander, finding Knight Errant's main characters' motivations flimsy and the romantic attraction dull. But there are several interesting supporting characters and the interweaving of witchcraft is intriguing. Some funny lines and lots of history kept me going and will ensure that I pick up the sequel.

Aria, the mischievous foster-daughter of the Bone Witch, comes across a French knight wandering in her forest. They fall in love, but have no time to luxuriate in it. Numerous armies are massed against them, for the knight has stolen the Firebird's Egg, the curse and luck of Russia's rulers. Aria and Sir Roye go on a quest to dispose of the egg, but are separated almost immediately. They each have their own adventures, but are finally reunited and manage to throw the egg into a pit of fire. show more

It's not a good book. The author regularly jumps from one character's perspective to another's within the space of two sentences. Whenever he gets bored with a plot, he inserts a randomly chosen deus ex machina to sweep the characters off to the next bit. In the first few chapters, Robertson y Garcia writes detailed characterizations for Aria and Sir Roye. As the chapters go on, however, he loses interest in their particulars and focuses on their sex lives instead. There is a lot of sex, and it's written in a rather prurient way...it felt gratuitous and a bit exploitive. show less