Lady Knight: Book 4 of the Protector of the Small Quartet [Hardcover]

I was expecting something entirely different from this series. I had no idea it would be filled with weird creatures and magic ( which I generally hate). This book was boring for the most part and didn't like the way it ended entirely for Kel

LADY KNIGHT is the greatest book I have read in a long time; I was never bored while reading it. Pierce has the fantastic ability to create what many authors have forgotten how to do: real characters. Kel work diligently for her title as "Lady Knight" as she experience both losses and triumphs in her quest to find herself and her greater purpose. (She even gets a cold!) Not only do the books character's become real, but the scenery and the plot comes to life with Pierce's vivid descriptions. Another unique aspect of her writing is that her heroines are all women while the majority of the world's books pose another male figure as the protagonist. It was a wonderful experience to read a book that shows the passion of the human spirit and the courage that lies within each of us. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves action, adventure, (even a little bit of magic) and stories about finding one's place in the world. I have not yet read the other three books in the PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL series, but I am very anxious to do so!

I must beg to disagree with several of the reviews cited here.
No, there isn't much romance in Lady Knight. But surely this is a reflection of Kel's occupation with events. I don't think I'll be spoiling it for anyone if I mention that there is a war with Scanra. It was fairly inevitable. As such, Kel is pretty tied up with her all-consuming assignment, with very little time for romance. And I found the little hints about Dom (and Owen, though I may be paranoid) to be a quite intriguing; more so, perhaps, than out and out snogging, which is what you get with Alanna and Daine.
I thought Lady Knight was interesting and an amusing read. (That sounds condescending, but I'm avoiding using 'fun' as an adjective). The battle strategy, heavily used throughout the book, was fascinating, Pierce's trademark sly humour pervaded throughout, and many old favourite characters returned, including one of my personal favourites, Neal. Numair, Cleon, Dom, Quinden, Owen, Faleron, Raoul, Alanna, Baird, Merric, Wyldon, one of the hill bandits, Daine, Peachblossom, Hoshi and Roald all make appearances of varying lengths, and we are granted a blessed respite from Jon's arrogant presence. Buri, my very favourite character does not feature, although the epilogue mentions some interesting gossip on her situation! Added to this wonderful mix are some great new characters, including some difficult refugees.
Kel's character develops beautifully, and it is a joy to see, or rather, read.
The reason I have taken the 1/2 star off this marvellous book, however, is because of Cleon. Not giving too much away, I do not think Pierce dealt with Kel and Cleons' relationship adequately, but left poor Cleon out on a bit of a limb. (NB: This is not the same as 'not enough romance')
As for the ending, I found it more than conclusive enough. In real life, loose ends are not always tied up, and the protagonist doesn't always 'get' a true love. Pierce fans are just spoilt by Daine and Alannas' very satisfactory endings. I like this new method. As long as we hear more about Kel in future Tortall books, as we have about Alanna and Daine, I'm fine with this.
All in all a very satisfactory read, although reading the rest of the series first is a must.