Genre

Fantasy, Comic fantasy, time-travel fantasy

Audience

Adult

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2024

Themes

Coming of age, romance, quest, heroism, self-discovery

 

Reviewed by

Corinna Turner

Mark Reid’s thirteenth century girlfriend thinks he’s a coward. She’s used to being courted by warriors, and he’s just an ordinary twenty-first century guy. Desperate to prove himself, Mark embarks on an Arthurian-style quest that will test him in multiple ways. If only he had the slightest idea how to ride a horse, swordfight, or (literally!) face his inner demons. Can he survive his quest—and keep his true love?

This short sequel to Rosaline’s Curse is definitely best read after the first book. Some readers might be frustrated by how short this story is, but it is clearly billed as a novelette at the beginning. Fans of Katherine Campbell’s series will not want to miss it. 

Mark’s Noble Quest explores an inevitable dilemma that is bound to develop between Rosaline and Mark with plenty of humor and adventure. Mark learns some important lessons—the ones about boundaries and about resentment being especially memorable. 

Although the values and lessons are things that will be valued by a Catholic or general Christian audience, there is little that is specifically Christian about the book, making it a good read for a secular audience as well.

A quick, light-hearted read that touches on serious moral lessons.

September Books to Pray With: For the Cry of the Earth

Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of
environmental disasters and the climate crisis, making a personal commitment to care for the world
we inhabit.

Infernal Affairs by Declan Finn

St. Tommy finally comes face-to-face with the warlock that has been behind the events of the previous two books while fighting off hordes of everything from gangsters to vampires.

Coven (Book 7 of St. Tommy Series): By Declan Finn

St. Tommy fights the CPS and a group of pagans who have taken over a military base.

Nun of My Business by Karina Fabian

When a nun hires Vern to prove that a new pop song is evil, the dragon suspects his new client might be hiding something.

Brother Wolf by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson

Swept into a werewolf hunt with two nuns, a dashing guardian and a jolly priest, Athene Howard applies her intellectual skills to unravel this mysterious new Papist world.

2025 Reader’s Choice Awards

This year’s favorite books as chosen by CatholicReads subscribers

Deus Vult By Declan Finn

Detective Nolan returns home for a well-deserved vacation only to find himself fighting hordes of gunmen, Lovecraftian monsters, and a demon straight from the pit.

Vigil by Russell Newquist

“Big Trouble in Little China” meets Saint George and the Dragon

Where to begin with J. R. R. Tolkien?

Beyond the adventure, the way to read The Lord of the Rings is not as an allegory but as a meditation on the human Story we are each caught up in, and in which we each have our part to play, our temptations to resist, and our task to accomplish.

Jennifer the Damned By Karen Ullo

A story of a teenage vampire without the glamorous tempting allure, trying to really live in the real world.

Siren Spell by Karina Fabian

Immortal dragon Vern can handle anything—until a curse turns him human…

If Wishes Were Dragons By Karina Fabian

What happens when LARPing becomes a lot more real than a group of D&D players can handle?

Books for Lent

Deepen your Lenten reflection with these stories of repentance and forgiveness

Misshelved Magic by S.R. Crickard

A non-magical librarian and a student mage discover the secrets of a magical library.

The Divided Kingdom by Allison Ramirez

What sinister secrets hide behind the walls of the Island of Mirror?

Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight by G.M. Baker

Dark psychological fairy tale in which the heroine slays her enchanter only to become possessed by his spirit

Wake of Malice by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson

Sent to investigate a series of murders in the Irish countryside, Hugh soon finds signs that someone is messing with old Celtic myths best left undisturbed.

Ironcraft by Pedro Gabriel

Giants war in this Genesis-style mythological fantasy.

Freedom & Responsibility in “Citizen of the Galaxy” by Robert Heinlein

One of the masters of science fiction delivers a story exploring the limits of freedom and the ongoing battle against fallen human nature.

Love, Treachery, and Other Terrors by Katharine Campbell

This quirky, fairytale fantasy is a fun and amusing read with a serious moral backbone.