A knight of the Order of the White Tower, Bennett is on a mission to investigate the possible reappearance of the Order’s old enemy, Mandrake, when he is injured and jumps in a river to escape. During his recovery, he meets a Romany, Stella, to whom he is immediately attracted. Stella ends up accompanying Bennett once he continues on his quest to find more about what Mandrake is currently doing.

Bennett is one of 12 in an order that places great importance in honor and chivalry. While he has superior fighting skills, he is very modest and doesn’t always believe he is capable. Throughout the story, he grows into himself more and comes to believe that he has the skills necessary and is an asset to his order.

Stella is a Romany girl who is traveling with Janette (story detailed in the first book of series) when she meets Bennett. While Stella has been charged with Janette’s protection, Janette requests that she accompany Bennett to aid him in his quest to bring about Mandrake’s demise. Being a Romany, Stella is very confident in her abilities but does undergo a change as she deals with Palima, the Mistress of War, who is rescued by Stella and Bennett.

Bennett was a very good short story. While it was a second book of a series, I was able to follow the story without having to read the first one. Some of the backstory would have been enhanced by having read Janette’s tale but it was still an enjoyable read. The characters are well thought out and detailed, and the world building is sound. The only point I found hard to digest was the quickness of the marriage between Stella and Bennett; it just didn’t feel real. It was obviously needed for the story, but the lead up to it felt forced and contrived. I will definitely be looking for the rest of the series, though.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Lyrical Press
• Book Length: Novel
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-61650-120-4

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To purchase an eBook copy of Bennett from ARe click here.

Books in The Chronicles of the White Tower series in the order they should be read:
Janette’s Tale
Bennett