Publishers Weekly
02/13/2023
The knights of the round table are reincarnated in modern-day Vancouver in this playful murder mystery take on the Arthurian mythos. Battis (Bleeding Out) puts a queer and neurodivergent spin on familiar characters to explore a theme of moving past others’ expectations to control one’s own narrative. University provost Mo Penley (a reincarnation of Mordred) is decapitated at a party hosted by university dean Morgan Arcand (aka Morgana). Wayne (Gawain), a young autistic man dragged to the party by his professor aunt Vera (Guinevere), finds the body during a flirtatious moment with Morgan’s assistant Bert (the Green Knight), catapulting him to the top of the suspect list for Valkyrie investigator Hildie. To clear his name, Wayne must lean into his knightly heritage and engage the possibility that the questing beast haunting his dreams has a presence in the real world. Meanwhile, Hildie navigates an overbearing mother and a budding relationship with the youngest of the Wyrd Sisters. Battis handles the psychology of the reincarnated characters well, balancing their awareness of past lives with their present-day agendas. Weaving endearing queer coming-of-age threads throughout the mythically grounded mystery, this satisfying reimagining delivers. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Authentic portrayals of queer, trans, and disabled characters along with a delightful mash-up of modern Vancouver, college life, and Arthurian legends become an immersive story of trying to be in control of your own path, no matter your past. VERDICT Battis (Bleeding Out) gives Arthurian retellings a new twist with this queer urban fantasy.” — Library Journal Starred Review
“Battis handles the psychology of the reincarnated characters well, balancing their awareness of past lives with their present-day agendas. Weaving endearing queer coming-of-age threads throughout the mythically grounded mystery, this satisfying reimagining delivers.” — Publishers Weekly
“Much of this novel will be most resonant for readers familiar with the relationships between characters in Arthurian legends. However, readers in search of queer and autistic representation in fantasy will gladly skim over the confusing parts to savor the heart of the tale: people defying expectations—including, at times, their own—to rewrite their stories and forge their own happy endings.” — Booklist
“This inventive take on the Arthurian myth is a testament to story — the wisdom inherent in old stories, and the power that lies in reimagining what they could be. The possibilities for a combination like this? Endless, as Jes Battis will show you!” — Amanda Leduc, author of The Centaur's Wife
“A charming story of mythological figures in the modern day. Battis’s prose breathes new life into ancient folklore.” — Zabé Ellor, author of Silk Fire
“Arthurian knights vie for power at a university in a contemporary Vancouver where queer and genderqueer students must contend with magic and murder among the faculty. Richly imagined and lushly written, The Winter Knight gives us intriguing characters, a compelling story, and a vivid sense of a beautiful and complex city colonized by invasive myths and ancient dread.” — A.M. Dellamonica, author of Child of a Hidden Sea
“Old friends wear new faces in this lively, funny, heartbreaking tour of a modern city peopled by stories. The Winter Knight will take you kindly by the hand, and leave you believing in courage, compassion, and a world we might be able to see, if we just turn our heads at the right moment. A worthy reimagining.” — Kate Heartfield, author of The Embroidered Book
Library Journal
★ 02/01/2023
Wayne just wants to live his own life as he attends university in Vancouver, but his family will never let him—plus he's the reincarnation of Sir Gawain. In fact, when your aunts, uncles, and various acquaintances are reincarnations too, it is hard to feel there is any choice. In his first semester, Wayne is navigating accommodation approval for his probable autism and his feelings for the dean's assistant, Bert, but now the murder of the university provost has brought more eyes on all of them. With a Valkyrie, Hildie, assigned to investigate, Wayne, Bert, and others become prime suspects, and old stories take new turns. Hildie must navigate her own family issues during her investigation, while the ravenous beast that haunts Wayne's dreams could become a living nightmare. Authentic portrayals of queer, trans, and disabled characters along with a delightful mash-up of modern Vancouver, college life, and Arthurian legends become an immersive story of trying to be in control of your own path, no matter your past. VERDICT Battis (Bleeding Out) gives Arthurian retellings a new twist with this queer urban fantasy.—Kristi Chadwick
June 2023 - AudioFile
This queer fantasy, primarily narrated by Gail Shalan and Dylan Kiedman, features the Knights of the Round Table reborn in present-day Vancouver. Hildie, voiced gently by Shalan, is a Valkyrie who is assigned to investigate the murder of a knight. Shalan's reserved tone and breathy timbre complement the slow pace of the narrative as clues to the killer unfold. Kiedman portrays the reincarnation of the knight Sir Gawain, now a college student on the autism spectrum who is believed to have committed the murder. His chapters are narrated with passion, but sometimes the story's high action flattens its emotional content. Nicky Endres, Lee Osorio, and Gabra Zackman join the ensemble toward the end with perspectives and stories that help listeners keep everything straight. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
