★★★☆☆ The Saint of Steel formula for romance

Paladin's Hope

T. Kingfisher

The novels in T. Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series have a consistent formula. (I speak only of the first three, since I have not yet read the last one.) They are told from two points of view: that of one of the paladins of the late Saint of Steel and of the paladin's romantic interest. This is an unusual (to me) form for a romance. Because we are in the heads of both the putative romantic partners, we know from the start that they find each other attractive. Now, I am not a big fan of romance novels. And when you eliminate the "He loves me, he loves me not..." suspense for the reader you take much of the air out of the romance plot. The characters themselves are left in suspense, they do a lot of "He loves me, he loves me not..." agonizing, and since you're in their heads, you hear all about it.

Add to this that the paladins share a history and certain personality traits. This was not a big problem in book 1, Paladin's Grace, because Stephen and his story were new to us and not uninteresting. But by the third book we pretty much know what to expect of a paladin of the Saint of Steel.

Now, behind the romance there is a real plot going on about murders and something that resembles magic, although it is probably really technology. For one who is not a fan of romance these fantasy mystery stories are the real attraction, and the limp, predictable romance just a distraction.

In Paladin's Hope that mystery plot disappointed me. It didn't seem connected to the big story of the series in any obvious way. Of course I hope that the final book, Paladin's Faith, will connect it up, but by itself it seemed almost pointless.

I do, however, intend to read Paladin's Faith, so I have not actually given up on the series yet.

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