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    The Iron Knight
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    The Iron Knight
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    The Iron Knight
    Ebook399 pages6 hours

    The Iron Knight

    By Julie Kagawa

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook



    My namemy True Nameis Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl

    To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

    Then Meghan Chasea half human, half fey slip of a girlsmashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

    With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its enda quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.

    To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.



    Don't miss the first book in Julie Kagawa's highly anticipated new series, TALON, AVAILABLE OCTOBER 28, 2014
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin
    Release dateNov 1, 2011
    ISBN9781459215337
    Unavailable
    The Iron Knight
    Author

    Julie Kagawa

    Born in Sacramento, CA, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives is Louisville, KY with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NYT bestselling author of The Iron Fey series. Visit her at juliekagawa.com.

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    Reviews for The Iron Knight

    4.5/5

    113 ratings62 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Amazing story! Truly a great read!! Makes this fantasy world feel so real you find yourself wishing for your own place in it all and at the same time seeing and feeling it all so clearly you feel like you are in it. Very imaginative and creative plot! Had me biting my nails and reading intently the whole way. A truly gifted writer! Thank you for the journey, fun, and escape into such an amazing world!
    • 1/5
      The series wasn't great to start off with and should have ended after three books. This one has a change of main character and no real direction. I could not finish it.
    • 5/5
      gd
    • 5/5
      Thankfully there was a fourth book. I don't think I could have handled it if the The Iron Queen had really ended the series.

      I was a little worried about how I would feel not having Meghan in the book but even though she was missed. It was nice to have the focus be on Ash and Puck. It was nice to have things be in the point of Ash, so we could really see what goes on in that dark little mind of his. It just made me love him more, if that's possible. I will always be Team Ash but I don't think the books would be the same without Puck. Of course how would they find anything without Grim, he's a cat, he knows everything. I liked the big bad wolf and the idea behind why he is a part of Faery. There another new character that completely annoyed me but I got over it and that is in part because of Ash. He had a normal reaction but at the end of the day he knows what he wants and were he belongs.

      I loved the journey of this book. Mostly because it was more of a quest. Nobody was chasing them out of dodge, they went on the journey of their own choosing. If at any time they wanted to abandon it they could, no questions ask and nobody the wiser. That is what makes Ash shine, his dedication to what he was setting out to do. Everything that they go through in the book makes sense to me and definitely fits in with the end game. I especially like the trials, they were not what I was expecting but I understood the purpose of them. The last trial was a definite teaser because I felt like I was waiting for the bomb to explode. Every minute of this book was captivating.

      I just have to say...phew and wow.

      There were some great extras at the end of the book. It reminded me of Japanese manga actually. Julie does a review with guest appearances from Ash and Puck. There is also a survival guide to the NeverNever. It emphasizes wearing clothes that you will be able to run in. It was very cute.

      This series easily moved up my favorites list to at least second place if not battling it out with Harry Potter for first. I can easily say that if there are more books that involve this realm of Faery (i.e. Ethan)I wouldn't hesitate to pick them up.

      The only question that still lingers on my mind....Does Meghan have a true name?







    • 5/5
      This one was absolutely worth the wait!

      For some reason (I suspect economics has a lot to do with it, but maybe I'm just being overly cynical), trilogies seem to be all the rage these days, especially in YA fiction. Sometimes, this is good--an author has a series with characters strong enough and a story arc that can easily span three books without chapters (or heaven forbid, even a book--or two) in which we get the feeling that the author is just trying to stretch things out a bit, since a whole lot of nothing at all in going on. I can happily say that this was definitely the case with Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. Even if it had stopped with three books as the author had originally intended (and I am firmly in the camp of readers who say that she just couldn't leave the story where The Iron Queen ended--thank goodness her editor and readers spoke up and Julie listened!), it would have been an excellently executed series. The progression from book to book has the characters growing and changing, facing new situations and meeting new challenges along the way. I could have lived with the way book three ended, if that was all Kagawa had to write on the Iron Fey. I am very glad I didn't have to, though.

      ***SPOILERS--DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE IRON QUEEN YET!***

      The Iron Knight departs from the others in the series--and this was foreshadowed in the in-between novella Summer's Crossing--because it isn't told from the point of view of Meghan Chase, as the other three books are. In fact, Meghan is very much on the outside of most of this novel. Instead, we get to see inside the head of Ashallyn'darkmyr Tallyn, as he narrates almost all of the story--fitting, since it's finally HIS story. At the end of The Iron Queen, Meghan has taken her place as the ruler of the Iron Fey and banished Ash from her kingdom, as being there would slowly kill him since Summer and Winter Fey cannot tolerate iron in any form. Ash, who had already dedicated himself to be her protector and knight, swears he will spend the rest of eternity if necessary finding a way that they can be together again. The Iron Knight is the story of his quest, which he undertakes with the assistance (and sometimes hinderance) of some predicatable and some surprising characters. Puck is along for the ride, and so is Grim--at least until danger shows up, when the cait sith conveniently disappears. A former enemy becomes a unexpected ally, and a long-gone character resurfaces to play a crucial role in the events of the novel. Kagawa does an amazing job of blending all the things that had happened to Ash, Puck, and Meghan--both in the previous novels and novellas and in the series' prehistory--into this last and final book. I was even more impressed with her ability when I found that she hadn't even planned to write this one in the first place--it's definitely not a slap-it-together-to-please-the-masses effort a la the recent Star Wars disasters--it's absolutely a top-notch effort from start to finish...and what a finish! I literally could not put this one down in the last few chapters. Even then Kagawa wasn't done, though--she finishes the series up with two entertaining bonuses: a "Survival Guide to the Nevernever" ("One can never prepare adequately for entry into the Nevernever. There are, however, a few rules that one can follow to help increase the chances of surviving"...for example, just buying the running shoes is not enough. Actual cardio training is also key.) and a Q & A section with the author and two surprise guests--Ash and Puck. A "Questions for Discussion" section rounds up the book nicely--not that readers will be lacking for topics to discuss in this book, but the sentiment is lovely. ;-) I have to say, as much as I love Meghan Chase, I really think that The Iron Knight is my favorite book of the series. I can't wait to see what future projects Julie Kagawa has in store for her readers.
    • 5/5
      In this final volume of the Iron Fey series, Prince Ash and Robin Goodfellow embark on a quest, first to find the cait sidh Grimalkin, and then to find a way that Ash can reunite with his love, the Queen of the Iron Fey. They find Grimalkin in the bony marsh, at the home of the bone witch--a Baba Yaga character, complete with a chicken-legged shack.
      Meghan Chase, the half human Iron Queen has exiled Ash (for his own good) from her realm. Ash must find a way to be with the woman he loves. Her story is finished, and we don't see her until the end of the book. This book concentrates on the relationship between Ash and his rival Robin Goodfellow. We met old friends as well as new ones. This is a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.
      I read a copy of this book via NetGalley.

    • 5/5
      Awesome! The best of the series. Exciting adventure, surprise twists, heartbreaking moments. A great read.
    • 5/5
      This was a great finish to the Iron Fey series. All the characters from the previous books make an appearance, and reading a book from Ash's POV was refreshing. You should definitely read the rest of the series first.
    • 4/5
      Ash is by far my favorite character from this series,and one of my favorite characters of all time. So I was really excited to read this book. Now why did I only give this book 4 stars then? Ariella! I don't see why she had to be added. I hated that there was another love triangle after all Ash and Megan had to go through to get together. I just wish she would've stayed gone,and it focused more on Ash's journey.

      Okay now that's out of the way I loved Ash and Puck together! Now that dreaded love triangle is over I actually really like Puck,and couldn't imagine the book without him. This book made me feel so many emotions happiness,frustration,sadness and at one point it even brought me to tears. I loved learning more about Ash,and his journey. Oh and of course I loved Grimalkin! This was a great addition to the series,and even though I missed Meghan the boys more than made up for it.

      Overall this was a great read and I recommend this series to everyone.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. I didn't want it to end. This entire series was absolutely amazing! I can't wait for the lost prince to come out. Bravo Julie kagawa!!
    • 5/5
      All of the wonderful things about this book were right on target!Julie Kagawa created beautiful landscapes with her vivid use of langauge. I will certainly pick up the rest of this series!
    • 5/5
      Ok, so I first need to say that this book was definitely my favorite out of the whole series. It is probably because I am so in love with Ash. I enjoyed the adventure and journey throughout this book the most. With our favorite characters along, Ash journeys along to get a human soul so that he can finally join Meghan in the Iron Realm. This book was narrated and told completely from Ash's point of view and I loved that. I feel like most young adult books (maybe just the one's I read) are told from a girl's point of view and I felt like we really got to see who Ash was this time because of that. The tests and trials that he had to go through to earn a human soul were heartwrenching for me and I really felt his character developing and changing throughout the whole book. I went through what felt like a million emotions while I was reading, I laughed at Puck who was always there for the comic relief and to put a smile on my face, and I cried (yep, I did) with Ash as he came to the realization of what it means to be a human and to have a soul. This was a really great conclusion to an amazing series. I really felt like the questions were answered and all the opened ended questions were wrapped up. Although the focus of this book was not on Meghan this time, I loved that I still felt her character throughout the story. I was in awe of the loyalty that Ash showed even when he was wavering and unsure of what he was going to do. Puck and Ash's friendship finally becomes what it has always secretly been and all the loose ends with their future friendship are tied up. But, if you haven't read it yet their was one character who is in this book who suprised (at least me) when they joined the story. I never saw it coming and it had me a little mad at Ash for parts of the book :) I am so sad that it is over but, the good news is Julie Kagawa is working on a new Iron Fey series that is focused around Ethan Chase, Meghan's little brother. The first book is going to be called The Iron Prince. I can't wait!!!
    • 5/5
      RECEIVED FROM: Net Galley for Review***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***Ashallayn’darkmyr Tallyn, the former Unseelie Prince of winter is on a quest to find a way to live in the Iron Kingdom and be with the woman he loves, Meghan Chase, the Iron Queen. He is joined in his journey by his best friend and sworn enemy Puck, his sarcastic guild the cait sith Grimalkin along with a couple other unlikely companions. Together they must find the seer and discover what he must do to gain his soul and become human. As a faery he can’t survive in a world of iron but as a human he could reunite with Meghan, the woman who ordered him from her lands for his own safety. Ash will stop at nothing, do whatever it takes to be back at her side, but is his will to obtain the unobtainable enough for him to survive the trials that lay ahead? I didn’t think it was possible for Kagawa to write a book that would draw me in more than the Iron Queen. I mean I gave that book five stars even as I cried at the sad way it ended. But this book, this book deserves more than five stars. This book comes quite close to perfection in my personal opinion. Meghan didn’t get a lot of play in this novel, she was encountered in dreams and illusions but she wasn’t really there until the very end of the novel. This novel was Ash’s story and told mostly through his eyes. However Kagawa brings us so far inside Ash, the way he thinks, the person he is, that I think I might have fallen a little bit in love with him myself by the time the story was finished. This character was so rich with his horrendous faults and past and his honorable strength. He’s done things so horrible most of us would never imagine or contemplate doing them, and in this story we’re gifted with a journey into that past with him to see the awful winter fey he once was. But the journey is literally to the end of the world on a quest to get his soul, to become human and basically commit to dying to be with Meghan. To love like that, so universally that you would sacrifice everything just to hold the woman you love in your arms for one more moment, it’s what every sappy woman dreams of deep in their heart. And the rest of us who attempt not to appear so sappy, well many of us have the same fantasy, though we wouldn’t normally admit it. It’s not so much that you want the guy to die for you because what would be the fun in that, but that knowledge that he would give up everything if he had to to be with you - that you are literally the most important thing in the world to him. You’d never actually ask a guy to do that because then you really don’t deserve the love he’s given, but knowing he would is definitely worth a nice dreamy sigh and the butterflies in your stomach that appear just looking at him. Ash is the prince charming and knight in shining armor that ever adolescent girl dreams about. How can you not fall just a tad bit in love with this character? I did miss the presence of Meghan, Oberon and Mab in this novel (though I didn’t really mourn the lack of Titania visiting) however the chance to be inside Ash’s mind and share this journey with him was well worth not seeing as much of other beloved characters as I’ve grown used to in the rest of the series. The book stars Ash, Puck, Grimalkin, The Big Bad Wolf and another character whose introduction is a bit of a surprise. By the time you’ve reached the journey’s end you feel like you know each of them intimately as if they were you own friends and companions, people you’ve grown up with and shared secrets with. The characters in this novel become so real to you that even know you’re logically not going to encounter Robin Goodfellow at your favorite hangout, it almost feels like you should. The plot was so much more intense than the other novels, the only one that might even compare is the Iron Queen, but still the stakes don’t seem quite as high in that novel as they are in this one. The secrets revealed are more shocking and the entire story has you on the edge of your seat. As in the other novels the description is so detailed you can easily picture the entire world of the NeverNever as easily as you could picture your own bedroom. The world is so real and intricate. This book is more than an adventure, it’s an emotional roller coaster as you fall for Ash, get angry at him and then despair with him over the difficult choices he must make to achieve his goal. I can’t really explain the anger without revealing some plot details that I think are better left a surprise. However even the things that made me angry at him, in a way I understood. Though I think some of his decision should have come a little quicker and I often wonder if he’d end his journey before it began to seek greener pastures. Regardless of my curiosity over this, he doesn’t give up his quest even when he is plagued with doubt and eventually comes to see it was a journey worth committing to. But it really was hard not to want to yell at the man when his devotion seemed to waver a bit. The growth of his character throughout this journey is tremendous and even if I didn’t have so many other things to applaud about the novel the growth you see in this character alone makes the novel worth reading. Overall I really can’t think of anything I didn’t like about this book. It was an awesome journey and I was disappointed to see it come to an end. Of course it’s highly recommended to lovers of The Iron Fey series, fantasy and romance. I think I’d pretty much recommend this book to just about anyone. This is a fast paced, well written novel with incredible world building, memorable characters and above all an epic story. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this book.
    • 5/5
      This is possibly the best series of books ever written! What a strong finish too... I'm sad it's over i loved it so much. :'( I want to read it again just thinking about it!!! I couldn't recommend a book more.
    • 4/5
      I liked the book, the way it plays out but something kept me from giving it the whole five stars. I guess it might have been because I felt some parts awkward, could have been better. I'm not really sure but the book is recommended.
    • 4/5
      I know all good stories must end but honestly I could keep reading tales by Kagawa for a long time. Great series.
    • 5/5
      I am sad to see this series end, but this book really does wrap it up well. I absolutely love Ash, Puck, and Grimalkin. They are the reasons I loved this series (Meghan got on my nerves at times) and I was excited to read this because it revolved around my favorite characters.I was really loving the story. I loved learning about Ash's past and what he really was like before he ever loved. I loved the fight scenes with Puck and Ash. But then, when I was almost finished, I got to a part that I didn't like. And it went on and on. You see, the thing I love about Ash is that he is this cold, soulless prince who can easily kill anything and not give it a second thought. I love that he happily takes on a fight and knowingly walks into danger because he likes a challenge. We get to see a lot of this Ash during the journey to get a soul, but then, some of that is taken away, and I wasn't happy. He was not the cold Prince Ash from the last 3 books, and I was sad. But regardless, I still really enjoyed the book. The ending still kind of leaves you wondering, which I wouldn't want it any other way.
    • 5/5
      I truly loved this book, Ash took quite the adventure this time around to gain a soul, so that he could be with Meghan in her Iron Realm. He wanted to be human so that he could actually live in the Iron Realm with her, knowing that if he remained Fae he would die upon attempting to live in her Realm. Ash went on this adventure with Puck, Grimlikin, The Big Bad Wolf and another whom he comes across in his travels, this other Fae that he comes across is from his past and never expected to see again, that is one of the first surprises he has on his adventure, they trave through many areas to include the river of dreams and the End of the World. He has to work his way through this adventure to get what he wants to be with Meghan. What an awesome story/adventure, very well told and holds interest throughout. A must read espcially if you have read the others. It kept me holding my breath at times and others wanting to cry as well as fight with them.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to love this book. I absolutely ADORE Ash from the previous books so I hoped this would be one of those rare treats that we could finally see into his mind.But I was a little disappointed. Apart from a few stories such as how his sword was created there was very little in the way of his court life except when he was with Ariella. I would have liked to read more about his childhood, if he had any friends (obviously not, except Puck) and get more of his personality. Little was ever revealed.I was a little disappointed with his reactions to Ariella. I really didn't want him to have second thoughts about Meghan, especially as the quest they were all on was to win the final prize. So his constant 'should I-shouldn't I' did irk me a little.That being said he did prove to be the true to his word.The last thing that annoyed me was the last scenes were too short. We all wanted time for them to be together finally and to see how happy they were. I guess we'll have to leave that to our imaginations!Marks knocked off for:-Story - didn't like Ariella (thought the author could have come up with something else instead)Story - Lack of background, I mean, we've got Ash here!! Tell us!! But no.Ending - To end the series I wanted a little bit more. We've already gone through the books and ebooks to get here. Just a few more pages?
    • 3/5
      Meghan Chase is half-fairy, half-human, the illegitamet daughter of King Oberon. This is the first book in the series and so is pretty interesting in how the author develops the world of the fairies. Meghan has to save her brother from the Iron Fey (a previously unknown type of fairy that the oldfairies don't believe can possibly exsistence, since Iron kills fairies) but is born of the dreams of humans who are immersed in technology. She defeats him and gets her brother back, but on the way falls in love with the Winter prince, which is forbidden in her realm. She makes a promise to return with him to his mother Queen Mab, and so does at the end.
    • 4/5
      MY THOUGHTSLOVED ITThe conclusion of the series brings Prince Ash to tell his tale and the story is an epic journey full of quests and obstacles to overcome in order for Ash to obtain a human soul so he can be with Meghan in the Iron court. Puck and Grimalkin are helping Ash find the solution to his puzzle of becoming human. The trail leads them through some harrowing clashes (several of them between the group itself) and they meet some unique foes with a good sense of fun brought in by Puck. Oh Puck, how I love you! The comic relief he brings to the story is priceless. The conclusion of the series made me like Ash a bit more since some of his gruffness is worn away a bit. The bond that forms between Puck and Ash is extremely well done and really helps move the plot along.Meghan is not the star of this book, but she is in the back of Ash's mind constantly and his loyalty towards her is extremely gratifying for the reader. I honestly kept thinking that this would make a really great movie done in a Monty Python fashion since the trials that the group must endure and overcome had that bit of weirdness and whimsy. Kagawa does an amazing job of writing the perfect dialogue for these characters. This is a series I will definitely go back to savor again and again. I am a bit sad that it is over and hope that the author has something equally wonderful for me to read next.
    • 5/5
      Original Review at: Mother/Gamer/WriterRating: 5 out of 5 controllersReview source: NetGalley What an epic finale to what I am sure is a grand series. I must admit, I haven’t read any of the previous novels, but when I saw this title available on NetGalley I knew I had to have it. Since 2010 with the release of the first book in the Iron Fey Series, The Iron King, I’ve heard great admiration from friends and family members about the series. Needless to say, it piqued my curiosity and quickly became a high priority on my TBR pile. Words cannot describe how phenomenally well written The Iron Knight was, and how much it exceeded my expectations. Woven within its pages was a magnificent story of self-discovery, loyalty, friendship, and love.Unlike the other novels in the series, The Iron Knight is told from the perspective of Ash, the former prince of the UnSeelie Winter Court. The story is his journey and the lengths that he would travel, from the end of the world and every place far in-between; so that he could live happily ever after with the woman he loved, Meghan. His venture to obtain a soul was anything but fun and games. At times he was brutally challenged, leading him to question his choices, his life, and his worth. And if that wasn’t hard enough, Kagawa threw in a clever plot twist, raising a certain woman from Ash’s past back from the dead, creating more tension and turmoil for our love-struck hero. It was definitely a test of his character seeing how Ash would respond to every situation or hardship that was thrown his way. And as the story progressed, readers are able to see his perception of life and his friends change for the better, making him a solid well-rounded character despite his many faults.The side characters in The Iron Knight are truly some of my favorites form this year. It was definitely a team of unlikely companions and each added something fun and exciting to the story, making it a dark and ominous tale instead of fun or light-hearted. Puck or Robin Goodfellow, Ash’s friend turned enemy, turned friend again, was hilarious to read. He was witty, charming and always had a smart-alecky comment for every sticky situation. Although he was in love with the same woman as Ash, he helped the “ice-boy” with his quest and never once questioned why he was doing it. That says a lot about him as a character, and I can’t wait to read a bit of his story in Summer’s Crossing (Iron Fey #3.5). Another surprise character I loved was the legendary Big Bad Wolf. His banter with Grimalkin the cat was fun to read. Each added another level to the story, often offering up their own opinions of Ash’s situation and their distaste for Puck. I thoroughly enjoyed their love-hate relationship and I think others will find the comical duo pleasantly entertaining.Overall, The Iron Knight is one of those books you expect to be great and it turns out to be so much more. It’s fresh, enjoyable, adventurous, sprinkled with myth and fables, and makes for one impressive finale. Julie Kagawa is a one-of-a-kind writer and her presence on the page commands your attention. I am really looking forward to diving into the rest of the novels from this series to see how such a world began. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading The Iron Knight, I implore you to give it a try.
    • 4/5
      I really looked forward to this book, wondering how Julie Kagawa would do with changing the narrator and essentially taking the story in a completely new direction. The Iron Knight was definitely very different from the first three books in the series. While Meghan is very direct, no-nonsense, doesn't agonize much every step she takes and her story is all about action Ash is her opposite and his story is as well. Oh, don't get me wrong, he may be torn up about all kinds of things but he's not going to just sit there, he is a warrior after all. There is a lot of introspection here and the decisions Ash has to make aren't just whether to go and fight, they involve matters of the heart and soul and that complicates things tremendously. There were times when I was terribly disappointed in him, felt that he was continuing on his quest out of the sense of duty, not out of love, but gradually he was able to understand himself and I was glad to see how things turned out. The Iron Knight thrilled me from the very first pages with the lore that is introduced here. There is an old witch who lives in a house on bird legs and there's the gigantic Wolf. I don't know whether these characters are common in Western lore but they are a constant presence in the Slavic fairy tales and when I realized what was going on I was absolutely thrilled. These are the characters I grew up with after all and Ms. Kagawa did them justice. The entire time they were in the story I didn't have any problem with what they did or said and this made me appreciate the novel that much more. With Ash, Puck and Grimalkin in the core of the cast here the dynamic between the characters is essentially familiar but the new additions give it a bit of a new flavor and I saw sides of them I didn't really expect. With Ash and Puck almost competing with Grimalkin and Wolf in who can bicker better there's plenty of verbal dueling that could turn dangerous any minute and the new surprise companion in the quest brings the tension that makes it impossible to be confident in the outcome. And don't worry, we do get to see Meghan again before the story wraps up and she's still her old self, despite being the Iron Queen and ruling a whole realm. The main thing about this novel is how introspective and thoughtful it is, and it's not just about making difficult decisions and coming to terms with one's past, it's about what it means to be human from beginning till the end. I'll admit, I didn't enjoy all the parts of the story, some felt just too surreal and some didn't seem relevant, but as a whole it made me think about who we are as humans and what we have. (See, told you this book isn't like the first three.) I can't believe I'm saying this and you may strongly disagree with me on this but I didn't feel that this book was as inspired as the others. It felt like more "I have to do this" than "I want to tell this story" and although it was done well it just wasn't the same. If you prefer a happy ending to a story though I highly recommend that you read this book: with The Iron Queen ending as it did I can imagine that the lovers of Happily Ever After weren't exactly satisfied and with The Iron Knight Kagawa tied up the most important loose end of all and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
    • 5/5
      I just want to start off by saying, this has got to be THE BEST Iron Fey series book thus far! I loved all of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey books, but this one has to be my favorite. The tension between Puck and Ash was, as always, hilarious. They kept each other afloat through the whole book, and you could see how loyal they were towards each other. You also learned about Ash, and his past, and what makes Ash, Ash.Ash's loyalty towards Megan was amazing, even after his surprise encounter with a past 'friend'. He sought his journey through to the very end, with a few bumps along the way. He encountered the Wolf yet again, and he was pretty funny with his and Grimalkin's encounters, always bashing each other. And, as always, Grimalkin just reminds me so much of the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland, just popping in and out of sight.I love how she (Julie Kagawa) described Ash's past and gave us, the readers, a better understanding of why Ash is just Ash. You got to see his temper, his love and his fears as the cold hard exterior of the Winter Prince started to fade and melt away.Puck delivered a great performance as the ever comedic faerie he is. Just a great comic relief that had me laughing many times throughout the book.I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars because of great writing Kagawa delivers again, I can't wait to read more of her work.
    • 4/5
      4 stars/Fiction; Young AdultThe final book in the Iron Fey series; Kagawa does a fantastic job bringing the entire series to its conclusion.This story is a refreshing change as it is told from Ash's point of view rather than Meghans'. (that we saw in the previous three books) Full of the romance and adventure that have come to expect as well as a fair share of twists; The Iron Knight is the best, if not my favorite of the entire series. Ash's character is fully revealed and RAW in this book, with all his emotions exposed. We learn so much more about him from his persepctive and we get to finally experience in his thoughts/words just how Meghan has affected him. How the love and devotion he feels for Meghan changes him.Though I would have been happy to see this series continue with a few more installments, I am pleased with how it ended. While I struggled a bit with the first book, I am glad that I stuck it out because it turned out to be better than I had expected.I highly recommend the whole series.
    • 5/5
      This series is without question the best series about fairies I've read, and the Iron Knight was a conclusion worthy of whatever praise and love it gets, both on its own and as part of the larger picture of the Iron Fey books. I missed Megan in this book at times, but the world is so vibrant and dangerous and magical that I can't really find faults. Love, love, love!
    • 4/5
      I think I will always associate this book with Snow Patrol's song "Give me Strength" It came on while I was reading the last part of this book and the tears just wouldn't stop. I'm glad that this series didn't end with the The Iron Queen (although awesome/favorite in series)because I wanted Ash to be happy.I felt this book was a healing period for Puck and Ash, and just a strong friendship book in general. There was a lot of action and fun parts with Puck. I found no problem getting into Ash's perspective. Although, I wasn't too happy at first about the surprise character. I felt like Ash was being swayed and was just in it for the oath he made to Meghan, but by the end I respected that character, and felt his true love for Meghan. I'm being cryptic on purpose, I don't want to spoil anything. I will say that the last trial Ash goes through just broke my heart,and that the happy ending prevented that from happening. Yes, it has a happy ending.Grimalkin continues to be full of depth and just so mysterious. I can't wait for the spin-off series.
    • 4/5
      Meghan now sits on the throne of the Iron Realm and for his own safety she has exiled Ash from her territory. With Robin Goodfellow as his companion Ash is on a quest to change - to find a way be able to be with his Queen.While I loved The Iron Queen, I was a bit disappointed with how it ended. So, to find out there was gonna be a 4th book and in Ash's point of view - I was pretty excited to read this one.Excellent read! Took me a bit to get into the world again, but I love that we got to see the story from Ash's POV. Also having Puck along for the ride was great. Funny, and ever the trickster, he had some great lines. The Iron Knight is magical, and gives the readers the perfect ending that will leave you both satisfied and intrigued. Ms. Kagawa's world is full of wonderment and danger. Both beautiful and terrifying. If you haven't picked up this series, do it now you won't regret it.
    • 5/5
      Julie Kagawa not only wrote a great story, but she really got things "right" on an intuitive level. The journey was appropriate, but most importantly, Ash's trials/ challenges were perfect. I also thought that the way that Ariella came into the story was appropriate, and the ending was on pointe. Overall a great finish. I am curious about what sort of story we'll learn about Meghan's little brother.
    • 4/5
      I am going to do my very best to not be spoilery in this review, but it is going to be a challenge and limits what I can talk about. We pick up in The Iron Knight with Ash looking for a way to be with Meghan always, but as a fey who cannot withstand iron in love with the Queen of the Iron Realm; it is not an easy task. Luckily, he does have Puck and Grim along with him to keep him company and they always add welcomed humor to almost any situation. The banter between these characters always keeps me laughing and is one of my favorite things about these novels. Julie writes such great sarcastic characters and makes it impossible not to laugh out loud multiple times while reading what they are up to. My favorite secondary character will always be Grim though. That cat is cryptic, mysteriously disappears every time trouble comes calling, brutally honest with everyone and ridiculously funny. While Grim is my fav, Puck is a very close second. His carefree attitude and ability to find trouble anywhere always makes for an interesting story line. One scene towards the beginning included both of these characters and reminded me of all these points."“This is as far as I go”Startled, we both turned to Grimalkin, sitting tightly on a patch of dry ground, watching us. “From here,” he said, regarding each of in turn, “you are on your own.”“What?” Puck exclaimed. “You mean you’re not going to venture into the hollow of death with us? Shocking. What kind of monster do you think lives here, ice-boy? It has to be pretty nasty for Furball to flake out on us. Oh wait…”"So onto Ash and Meghan. We do get to see Meghan briefly and she is always on Ash’s mind, but this story is about Ash. He is on a quest to find a way to be with Meghan, but it turns into a journey of self-discovery and more than one surprise that I did not see coming. I enjoyed seeing the world through Ash’s eyes. All the previous books have been told from Meghan’s point of view and Ash is not always the most forthcoming with information, so getting a whole book in his head was fantastic. He also picks up a couple other companions from his past that I thought were long gone. These characters throw a serious wrench in his plan multiple times and Julie had me constantly wandering how it was all going to turn out. The only issue I had with Ash was hit attitude at times. He was so low, which is understandable, but I am used to him being confident, and it was adjustment to see him in this state. I understand why he is this way since he is parted from the love of his life, but I was not expecting some of the thoughts that ran through him mind.I really cannot say too much else about the plot without divulging major secrets. I know that Julie was not originally planning on writing this book, but after reading The Iron Queen I am so incredibly happy that she did. The Iron Knight has given me closure and can walk away happy with how Ash and Meghan currently stand. If you are a fan of this series, than this book is an absolute must read! If you have not heard of this series, than you need to go look up The Iron King on your e-reader or go to your bookstore and pick it up. Trust me, it will be worth it.