Product Description
In Gaul at the dawn of the Middle Ages, Lord Richard was hisfamily's fighting man, its invincible champion--until some forcetwisted his blade from his hand. And then he met the Lady Sabra, whosoothed his wounds, healed his pride--and turned him into a vampireunder her tutelage. His new job: Keeper of the King of England. Trueto Sabra's wishes, the English king was keeping civilizationalive. Richard's object in unlife: keep the king alive at allcosts. But that was then--now it's the 1990s and Richard's job isn'tover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

A Solid "Meh", But a Decent First Attempt
I just finished reading the book, and while there are certainly good parts, some of it really didn't work for me.The detail was good and I thought the main character, Richard, was well written and fully formed.He was a hero with flaws, major flaws, and I like that in a main character.To me, it's rather boring to have the main character always doing the right thing at the right time.

I also liked the main villain for the most part. I would have liked to have known more of his history and why he was who he was, but overall he was a good character.Demarest was a good antagonist as well, and probably my second favorite character (if "favorite" is the right word).He was really the perfect annoyance to Richard.Finally, I liked Richard's "sidekick", Sharon.She felt a bit like a Bond Girl at times, but that fit well within the story and added to her charm.

The characters who didn't work for me were Sabra and She-Who-Walks.I didn't have enough of a back story with either of them to truly empathize with either.Especially with She-Who-Walks.It was a real "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" introduction to her then she's all but forgotten about until the last few pages.The character of Sabra also fell flat.That character just never really "breathed" for me.

The plot I'm lukewarm on, but to be fair, I'm just not a big fan of Aurthurian stories.Fortunately, the plot was complex enough to still hold my attention. I'm glad the Aurthurian stuff served more as a back drop than as a main plot point for at least half of the story.That's just my own personal bias, however.

Not really what I was looking for...
Having red the second book in the series, and not really being impressed by it, I picked up the first.The first book in most book series are the best of the bunch and, also, I am a fan of P.N. Elord.
The Holy grail, a assassin and vampires.It should have been great.It was OK.I am sorry, but Elord is a great author when working ALONE.
Get it used and try it out.But don't buy the other books till you have decided if you like this one or not.

different twist on vampire lore
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

PLEASE NOTE: This review is of the abridged audio version of the book.

Richard Dunn is a knight who desperately needs to win the tourney he's competing in if he hopes to make any kind of name for himself. But just as he's about to win, Sabra steps in. The Goddess needs someone to champion for King Arthur and she has chosen Richard for this honor, using her servant Sabra to convert him to a vampire.

Now in present day Richard is working on a case to see why the IRA is after an ancient manuscript. However, at the same time, his beloved Sabra is dying, losing her battle with the vampire beast within. Richard must find the famed Holy Grail to save his love and save himself, for he is also losing control of his beast. With only his failing immortal lover and his new mortal love to assist him, will it be enough to conquer evil once more?

I've been meaning to try PN Elrod for a long time and just never seem to find the time to squeeze her in. So when I had the opportunity to try Keeper of the King I took advantage of it. I loved the whole different twist on vampire lore, having them born as protectors of the Goddess and her chosen ones like King Arthur and everything they stand for. While some of the traditional vampire weaknesses were found here, there were a couple I don't recall seeing before. For example, the idea of having fresh running water like streams and lakes be so dangerous to them. I don't remember ever seeing that before. I also liked the idea that they aren't quite as immortal as everyone, including their own kind, believes. That added a sense of urgency to the story, having Richard in a race against time as well as enemies, to save Sabra.

While the abridgement was well done and the story presented in the audio version felt complete and that it wasn't missing much, there was a noticeable absence of what I can only assume was one of the secondary plots, based on the title. Aside from the King Arthur connection in the conversion of Richard to a vampire and the grail quest, that aspect of the story was absent. The focus of the story was on uncovering the plans of the IRA and their hired assassin and the race to find the grail. I would have loved to see an unabridged version that included more of the Arthurian lore I can only assume was edited down.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, December 2007. All rights reserved.

This is good but is definitely not a FOREVER KNIGHT story
One rainy afternoon I was looking through the book store bargain table and came across this.At first I thought that it was a tie-in to FOREVER KNIGHT since Nigel Bennett (LaCroix) was co-author but a glance at the inside flap description set me straight.Still the description looked good so I got it anyway, hoping that I wouldn't be disappointed.I wasn't a bit and will be getting the rest of the series....at full price.

The story opens in Normandy, where Richard, a champion knight is at yet another tournament and realizes that no champion lasts forever...until he finds that there are exceptions to everything.He is brought across and begins a new life as champion and companion to the Lady Sabra and protector of the Holy Grail.

The action then shifts to modern day Toronto where Richard has adapted to the modern world.He soon finds himself called to his Lady's service again to safe guard the Grail.He travels across Canada and then returns to England in his pursuit to locate the Grail and then to save his Lady.Along the way he battles both mortal and immortal foes and finds some unlikely allies.

I totally enjoyed this novel, much to my surprise.At times the story did seem to drag a bit, and there was perhaps a bit too much plot.Both flaws are common first novel problems but do not detract from the story too much but kept it from 5 star status.I look forward to Richard's continuing adventures.

Forever Knight the novel!
It's pretty much an episode of Forever Knight. We start back in the middle ages when Richard is made into a vampire and face forward to modern day in the city of Toronto, Canada (best city in the world by the by) and Richard is a security specialist helping to protect Canada's Prime Minister.

My problems with this book are:
1) Unrealistic characters/dialogue.
2) The IRA terror plot is outdated.
3) The vampire is too human and too weak.
4) Not dark enough for a vampire novel.

Still, I like PN Elrod and they can't all be keepers (excuse the pun) but I can't recommend buying a new copy. Get it used. ... Read more

Product Description
Read by Nigel Bennett, Keeper of the King is a darkly gripping tale that propels you down a path both erotic and spiritual. ... Read more

Product Description
Vampire hero Richard Dun, once called Lancelot, is back in the latest book in this exciting, critically acclaimed fantasy series by award-winning actor Nigel Bennett and award-winning writer P.N. Elrod. An old enemy from Richard's past, Charon the Assassin, returns and is literally hell-bent on bloody revenge. He's acquired deadly new powers that are annihilating the nebulous plane of Otherside and threaten the very existence of the Realside plane. Unless balance is restored both will be destroyed. From the sultry Yucatan forests to the chill green fields of ancient Glastonbury, Richard Dun marshals his mortal and immortal allies for a fight that will span dimensions and centuries of time. He is no stranger at battling to the death, but how can one earth-bound vampire stand up to a being able to destroy the gods themselves? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

great book!
I had the first two books by Nigel Bennett and P.N. Elrod, but was missing this one.My local bookstore never had it, so I wasn't even sure it got published.I'm so glad I found it on Amazon.com so I could buy it!The whole series is wonderful and worth reading.Nigel Bennett has a unique perspective on vampires, having played one on Forever Knight.P.N. Elrod is a vampire author, and has a wonderful writing style.Buy the whole series, you won't be disappointed.

Disappointing
I read the first two books of this series and I enjoyed them.Not as well written as Elrod's solo books, but enjoyable and fast paced, nonetheless.This book was just plain silly.And the ending?OK, I get it, you want to end the series.But it was just plain silly.

Another great PN Elrod and Nigel Bennett Book
The third book in the series doesn't disappoint.Like the first two books it starts off strong and gives and ending that makes you hope for another book in the series.

A Good Adventure
The final book of Lord Richard Oreleans.You learn more about his relationship with his brothers, and how Richard actually became champion for the family instead of the middle brother.He became a priest. Richard faces many trials to regain his mortality and Cheron is back and not making things easy for our hero.

The story goes all over the world and people finally learn what Richard is.They accept him, and help him on his quest.One of the women he (Richard) loves is taken from him in a surprising manner.Various Gods make an appearance, and the return of Sharron compleates it all.

Over all I enjoyed the book and couldn't stop reading it.I think it'll join my long list of favroites.

Great read!
What a great book, which teaches a lot about vampire and human nature.Excellent characters and suspense. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Focusing on the relationship between effectiveness and improvement in schools and colleges, this study brings together the main theories and research findings in the field. It provides an understanding of the way in which organizational effectiveness is conceptualized, measured and realized. ... Read more

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Dracula didn't spend all of his time in London stalking Mina Harker. He occupied his days exploring the teeming city-and meeting the likes of actress Ellen Terry, the Prince of Wales, and even a young author named Abraham Stoker...

These brand new stories follow the legendary count through the gaslit streets of historic London-with the biggest names in vampire fiction as your tour guides:Fred Saberhagen * Chelsea Quinn Yarbro * Tanya Huff * Elaine Bergstrom * Roxanne Longstreet Conrad * Nancy Kilpatrick * P.N. Elrod and Nigel Bennett * Brad Sinor* Gary Braunbeck * Jody Lynn Nye * Gene DeWeese * Bill Zaget * Judith Procter * Julie Barrett * K.B. Bogen * Amy L. Gruss * and Catt Kingsgrave-Ernstein ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Can stand alone... but better a pair
This book did what no other Vampire tale has done before. Make me want to read the original.So much so, that I downloaded Dracula (another surprise a high rated version for free) to read, before I finished this book, in order to enhance my enjoyment of the references in this anthology.

Great Vampire Short Story Collection
Most short story collections have a few gems, several average, and a lot of below average stories in them. This collection is mostly all gems. The stories really capture the theme of Dracula in London. My favorite is Box Number Fifty by Fred Saberhagen. There is also a rare second-person short story called Berserker by Nancy Kilpatrick. If you enjoy vampire fiction this is a great book for your collection.

Some stories are good
Some stories are really good and i agree with one reviewer's comment about multiple personality problems due to multiple authors.
Stories where Dracula rewards the poor lady for hiding his coffin from dracula hunters is very touching.
Overall a good 1 hour read.
Not much thrilling like original Dracula or even Dracula's Guest... but OK.

A not-too-bad book
Not much to say than if you like this book check out Nigel Bennett's books with P.N. Elrod, Keeper of the King His Father's Sonand Siege Perilous

An enjoyable read
I read this around halloween.I enjoyed having some short stories to read.I thought they were all inventive & interesting.This book is worth a read. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides a different approach to management development for teachers holding positions of responsibility in schools below the level of senior management. It argues that practical help for managers in schools lies in developing a sound understanding of the nature of their job rather than following recipes and applying formulae. Instead of offering a how-to-do-it recipe of `tips for teacher' which may or may not be helpful, it provides the means for teachers to analyse their work, its setting, and the attitudes and expectations of their colleagues, so that they can decide which techniques are likely to be helpful.

The author suggests that not only are primary school middle managers doing different kinds of jobs from their secondary school colleagues, but that there are many different kinds of secondary school “middle managers”. He invites readers to take a reflective and critical look at what influences their individual practice, providing reflective activities to assist in this. The book concludes by outlining an approach to developing a personal development plan for improving individual performance.

Product Description
African mole-rats are a unique taxon of subterranean rodents that range in sociality from solitary-dwelling species to two "eusocial" species, the Damaraland mole-rat and the naked mole-rat. The naked mole-rat is arguably the closest that a mammal comes to behaving like social insects such as bees and termites, with large colonies and a behavioral and reproductive division of labor. As a family, the Bathyergidae represent a model system with which to study the evolution and maintenance of highly social cooperative breeding strategies. In this book, Nigel Bennett and Chris Faulkes provide a synthesis of the current knowledge of bathyergid systematics, ecology, reproductive biology, behavior, and genetics. They explore the role of these factors in the evolution of sociality in the Bathyergidae in the context of both vertebrates and invertebrates. This volume will be an important new resource for anyone interested in the evolution of sociality, specifically in mole-rats. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great comparative analysis of these curious animals
As a fellow mole-rat researcher, I found this book to be an extremely valuable resource for information on all of the Bathyergidae rodents.From phylogenetic analysis to an interspecies comparison of sociality, Bennettand Faulkes cover all of the relevant topics and provide an extensivesummary of all of the relevant literature.Mole-rats are an excellentgroup of animals for studying mammalian social behavior and cooperativebreeding.This book is a must buy for anyone interested in mole-rats oreven animal social behavior for that matter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Solid 3 Stars
Being an enormous Forever Knight fan and Nigel Bennett fan, I eagerly bought the series when I discovered its existence.Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations in many ways.The first book was not without it's flaws, but it was an entertaining story and I did like several of the characters.In this book, however, I found myself all too often counting the pages until the end.

It's not to say the book was all bad.A good portion of the book takes place in Richard Dun's past and that part of the book was amazing.I normally dislike flashbacks and I'm not generally a fan of medieval fiction, but I was really captivated and drawn into that story line.The characters were beautifully written, empathetic and the story was very interesting.It was always such a shame to leave that part of the story and return to the present time in the book.

The story line that takes place in the present is where the main problems lie.I had a hard time swallowing that Richard and Bourland made so many mistakes.These are intelligent, professional characters.It really seemed odd that they'd bungle their own jobs so badly.The twist at the end was apparent since the end of act 1.And if it was so apparent to the reader, it should have been equally apparent to Richard.

But the modern-day story line wasn't completely without merit.Dr. Sam was a nice side character and I loved Jordan Keyes.He was a quirky and memorable character that I'd love to see again in a future novel.

While this was a flawed book, this is also only the second book from Nigel Bennett and he's certainly grown as an author from the first.While I did enjoy the first book better, the parts of the book that I connected with were much better than any scenes from the first.I'm excited to read the third and I hope there will be future books.

I was unhappy with the story...
I am a fan of P.N. Elrod so I ordered this book and "Keeper of the King".But I found I didn't enjoy reading the book - it seemed slow and sometimes dull.Maybe because I am not a fan of the TV show, having only seen a few episodes.Or maybe because I had to read the second book first as the first book has yet to get to me.It could be that I just don't have knowledge about the background, what type of vampires I am dealing with and no real information about the characters.Richard is not like ANY other vampire in any of P.N. Elrod's other vampire series, so I had no real idea when he was in danger or when he wasn't.
But even taking that away, to be honest, I found parts of the book felt slow, with flashbacks that I didn't think added to the story, and a surprise ending, a twisted ending, that I didn't really believe in.In other words, even if I was a fan of the TV show, I might found it hard to plow thru.
In the end I had to take away three points.Please remember, that I am not a fan of Forever Night, because I don't watch it daily, and fans of the show, or of Nigel Bennett, might enjoy the book more.PLUS I have yet to read "Keeper of the King". But I won't suggest it for P.N. Elrod fans UNLESS they also like the show or have some knowledge of its setting.

Richard Rides Again
This is the second novel from the Nigel Bennett / P. N. Elnod collaboration.The first being "The Keeper of the King" where the character Richard who bears a strong resemblance to Nigel Bennett is introduced.Fans of the "Forever Knight" tv series will recognize Bennett as LaCroix from the series.Although both characters are vampires, this is where the similarities end and this novel series is NOT a tie-in from the "Forever Knight" tv series as the reviewer from the Publishers Weekly incorrectly stated in his review.

"His Father's Son" appeals to the reader of many genres. It is an entertaining tale with a delightful mix of supernatural, Arthurian times, and mystery.There is plenty of romance, history, action, and vengeance to go around.The story takes the reader on an adventure from Arthurian Britain to modern day Toronto and Texas, while Richard confronts dilemmas from the past and present.

I look forward to next and so will you.

King is Shining Armor
This is the second best book I have ever read.The other being Bennett's first book.Who would of ever thought of using the state of Texas as the backdrop for a vampire novel.Mr. Bennett is an excellent writer and I can't wait to get the third book in the series.I have a feeling that it is going to be as good if not better the thr first two.

Vampires sworn to protect the weak!
He was once Lancelot the knight, she was once Sabra the priestess. Now they are vampires sworn to protect the weak, facing a romance and challenge which has lasted the ages. This different fantasy will appeal to any who appreciate a blend of intrigue, romance and fantasy. ... Read more

Product Description
This book takes a radically new view of practical small-scale investigations, going beyond the narrowly academic focus of most methods textbooks, to draw on work on reflective practice and consultancy, as well as academic research. It recognises that most research carried out by teachers and managers in education is concerned with helping individuals reflect on their own practice and provide assistance to colleagues, rather than producing academic dissertations. It shows how the position taken by the investigator and the intended purposes of the study, influence how it is designed and carried out, and the criteria by which it is judged.

The articles in this book outline the main principles of reflective practice and consultancy, and relate them to a view of management as concerned with a constant process of reviewing and improving practice. The book explores a number of research strategies including case studies, surveys and action research, and provides a wide range of techniques for planning, data collection, data analysis and presentation, bearing in mind the different audiences and purposes an investigation might serve.

This book is the companion volume to Educational Management in Action: a collection of case studies (edited by Megan Crawford, Lesley Kydd and Susan Parker). It is one of the two course readers for The Open University Course E828 Educational Management in Action.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Brief Tribute to the kalashnikov
Overall this book is an interesting title on this formidable family of rifles for the casual reader. This book has limited depth but provides an adequate overview on the operating system, manufacture, employment and off-shoot copy cat rifles; through various photography and text. After reading "AK-47: The Grim Reaper" by Frank Iannamico this book just did not do it for me. Not that it is bad, but just brief and more geared for the layman. I can recommend this book for the casual reader or a starting place for collectors.

... Read more

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In this book, the editors have drawn together key figures in the field of Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice (EIPP) to introduce its role in informing educational leadership, with the aim of improving learning and teaching. The EIPP approach is considered, both for structuring research studies and for the analysis of the data generated. Relevant examples are also provided to inform the current debate.

This book is important reading for educational professionals, policy makers, practitioners and students.

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The first part of this volume summarizes debates and research in school effectveness and school improvement. The second part develops perspectives from other traditions, especially organization theory. The third part integrates these perspectives and draws out the practical implications. ... Read more

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Chapters: Ralph Mctell, Nigel Farage, Steve Bennett, Iwan Thomas, Patrick Head, Peter Levy, James Dunne, Chris Cowdrey, Tim Harvey, Annabel Croft, Michael Mclean, Alex Blake, Alex Varney, Patrick Watts, Kyle Traynor, Tom Hicks, Thomas Frank Durrant, Gary Johnson, Barry Burchatt, Paul Downton, Alan Igglesden, Colin Pattenden, Nicola Stanbridge, Graham Cowdrey, Dave Oberlé, Gareth Honor. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 106. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Ralph McTell, born Ralph May in Farnborough, Kent, England, 3 December 1944, and raised in Croydon, is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s. Ralph McTell is best known for the song "Streets of London", which has been covered by over two hundred artists around the world. In the 1980s he wrote and played songs for two TV children's programmes, Alphabet Zoo, which also featured Nerys Hughes, followed by Tickle On The Tum, featuring Jacqueline Reddin. Albums were also released from both series. He also recorded the theme song to Cosgrove Hall's adaptation of The Wind in the Willows with Keith Hopwood, and this was released as a single in 1984 after the series was aired on ITV. McTell's guitar playing has been modelled on the style of the USA's country blues guitar players of the early 20th century, including Blind Blake, Robert Johnson and Blind Willie McTell. These influences led a friend to suggest that he change his professional name to McTell as his career was beginning to take shape. McTell's mother, Winifred (née Moss), was born in Hammersmith, London. During the Second World War she was living in Banbury, Oxfordshire, with her sister Olive when she met Frank May. They married in 1943 while Frank was home on leave from the army. Wini...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=185210 ... Read more

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For providers and students in higher educational institutions for postgraduate level courses in educational management and for leadership development provision for Headteachers induction programs, NPQH and LPSH. Softcover available. ... Read more

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Since the early 1980s, school and college managements worldwide have had to cope with a set of rapidly-changing responsibilities and expectations. The direction of government policy in many

parts of the world has been towards greater decentralization and increased institutional autonomy. The contributions to Managing Change in Education explore some of the main theories and processes of educational management, drawing on the theme of institutional, group and personal change and development.

A key theme of the book is that change is not just about the creation of new policies and procedures to implement external mandates. It is also about the strategies by which individuals respond to the impact of structural and cultural change; about personal change as much as organizational change; about the place of values in framing organizational form and culture, as well as those which look at individual and group responses to the pressures which they feel.

This is a companion volume to Managing the Effective School edited by Margaret Preedy. It is the set book for the Open University course E326 Managing Schools: Challenge and Response.

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Text proposes a rethinking of educational leadership; introduces the concept of 'distributed leadership,' where leaders are found in various parts of an organization. Hardcover, softcover available. ... Read more