Product Description

Eight centuries ago the first Knight of the Word was commissioned to combat the demonic evil of the Void. Now that daunting legacy has passed to John Ross--along with powerful magic and the knowledge that his actions are all that stand between a living hell and humanity's future.

Then, after decades of service to the Word, an unspeakable act of violence shatters John Ross's weary faith. Haunted by guilt, he turns his back on his dread gift, settling down to build a normal life, untroubled by demons and nightmares.

But a fallen Knight makes a tempting prize for the Void, which could bend the Knight's magic to its own evil ends. And once the demons on Ross's trail track him to Seattle, neither he nor anyone close to him will be safe. His only hope is Nest Freemark, a college student who wields an extraordinary magic all her own. Five years earlier, Ross had aided Nest when the future of humanity rested upon her choice between Word and Void. Now Nest must return the favor. She must restore Ross's faith, or his life--and hers--will be forfeit . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21962 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-28
• Released on: 1999-06-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 408 pages

Amazon.com Review
John Ross, the tortured, conflicted Knight of the Word from Terry Brooks's Running with the Demon, finally gets a good night's sleep in the sequel. He buys this moment's peace at the cost of his sacred oath to be a champion of the Word, renouncing that pledge after failing to prevent the slaughter of a group of schoolchildren. Duty and destiny are difficult to elude, though, and soon his former charge Nest Freemark, now a college student and Olympic hopeful, arrives to warn him of his imminent destruction, or, worse, his unwitting fall into the service of the Void.

The story winds lazily through sleepy, wet Seattle like a tour bus, steadily building. Everything eventually converges on the homeless shelter where John works with his new sweetie Stefanie Winslow for über-activist Simon Lawrence, a man his dreams tell him he is fated to kill. A thin mystery clouds the identity of the demon conspiring to deliver John unto evil, but the book's real focus is John's fitful, foot-dragging attempts to fulfill his destiny. Knight doesn't provide the suspenseful energy of Running, a book that followed Nest through the dramatic loss of her childhood, but it rejoins her as she assumes the responsibilities of young adulthood and--like that period in life--still manages to deliver satisfying, if more subtle, rewards. --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly
Brooks continues his vacation from his trademark Tolkienesque adventures (the Shannara and Magic Kingdom novels) with this urban dark fantasy, a sharp and satisfying follow-up to last year's Running with the Demon. It has been five years since mortal John Ross was anointed a Knight of the Word, and in that time he has suffered a serious crisis of faith. Unable to prevent the death of innocents in senseless acts of violence engineered by demons of the Void, he has fallen from his calling and drifted to Seattle to work with saintly Simon Lawrence and the Fresh Start program for homeless women and children. Nagged by recurring nightmares of a possible future in which he murders his mentor and dismantles the program, John is guilt-ridden, uncertain and vulnerable to a shape-shifting demon who has infiltrated his circle of associates. His only hope is Nest Freemark, the teenage heroine of his previous adventure, who applies her own grasp of the Word to smoke out the demon before John's dreams?which include her death?can come true. The identity of John's demonic manipulator and the meaning of his dreams are carefully crafted mysteries that build to a climax filled with surprising twists and turns. Brooks's real achievement, however, is his orchestration of the tale's social issues and personal dramas into a scenario with the resonance of myth. Both a sprightly entertainment and a thoughtful allegory of the forces of Good and Evil at large in the modern world, this novel is sure to increase its author's already vast readership. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Haunted by his failure to prevent the death of innocent children, John Ross abandons his calling as a Knight of the Word and opens himself to corruption by the forces of the Void. His only hope for rescue lies with Nest Freemark, a young woman whose demon-blood once brought her to the edge of the Void but who now seeks to repay her debt to the Lady of the Word. The sequel to Running with the Demon (LJ 9/15/97) features a pair of engaging heroes and a fast-paced, though predictable, plot. Best-selling author Brooks continues to maintain his reputation as a polished raconteur. Most libraries should add this to their fantasy collection.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

A Winning Sequel
A Knight of the Word takes place 5 years after the events of Running with the Demon and one of the things I liked about it was how the characters have moved on. Nest has gone off to college and has kinda lost touch with her old life, like a lot of folks do in real life. Her one true friend remains Pick, the six inch sylvan twig man that keeps balance to the magic in the park. I like how Brooks shows her dealing with these feelings, it's very natural.

The roles here are flip flopped from "Demon", in that this time it's up to Nest to go to and help out John Ross, who's lost his faith. The main thing I liked about this book was how sympathetic Ross was. You just start to feel bad for the guy, the things he's gone through and had to endure. More than one man should ever have to. This makes his fall from faith all the more believable and real, in fact, considering the event that triggers it, I'm forced to admit that I probably would have too were I him.

Throughout the book, Ross deals through this problem. He can't just give up, it just doesn't work that way. It's just amazing watching him ignore the totally obvious signs and warnings that he can't give it up because he's blinded by his new life and how good he feels and how right it feels to him. It's amazing, because I've seen people do the same thing in my life, so this book kinda hit me personally there.

The mystery of who the demon is is kind of easy to figure out, and not too much of a shock when it reveals itself, but that's of little consequence, what is of the most consequence is how it effects the characters in the book. You knowing makes it that much more painful knowing how it'll probably effect Ross.

And let's not forget poor Nest, how does she go about helping this man who she has mixed feelings about. But she does, and her relationship with Ross develops further (not in THAT way, you sickos! :). A complicated relationship it is, but a real one that will stand the test of time.

Of course I would be remiss to go through the review and not mention Two Bears! This guy is just plain cool, I could probably read a whole novel on Two Bears, but I'm afraid that would undo what is so cool about him.

And let's not forget Terry Brooks, who has created two characters in John Ross and Nest Freemark that I will probably remember for a long, long time. Plus, he weaves an excellent story around them that deals with important issues such as friendship, strong characters, and the whole homeless situation, which you can see he has some real concern about (and rightly so!) So, in conclusion, Terry Brooks continues to do no wrong in my book.

What's wrong with Terry Brooks
Nest is one of the more interesting characters Brooks has created, yet she does essentially nothing in this entire book. She seems to have this incredible power but we are barely made aware of it. What's the point in creating a great character if you don't use her? How about a bit more character development? This book reads like an outline, very sketchy with little filling in it. I was a huge Terry Brooks fan but in the last 3 years he has left me cold.

Come on, Terry. Get with it.
This was a disappointing, mediocre book. Having read every book Terry Brooks has written, I found myself knowing how the book would end well before I should. The plot twists are as obvious as a parade down Main Street. Mr. Brooks should stop considering himself a successful writer and go back to basics. Otherwise, his fans can find other authors to read. He needs to be hungry and creative, not complacent and boring.