Kildar (Paladin of Shadows Book 2) Mass Market Paperback – May 22, 2007

These pulp novels were the trashy novels I read several years later ( 1960s ) as I found them in the basement where my dad’s stuff was stored.This one, Kildar, is up to date ( 2000s ), more thrilling, more graphic & frank in all respects — and at least as well written as the best of that bygone era. Not as literate nor as well plotted as the pinnacle of espionage thrillers ( Smiley’s People, etc ) nor as scary also much funnier/tongue in cheek.The “adult” segments do put some people off and they are loaded with hyperbolic fantasy and well past the boldness of a Matt Helm story but not as bold as Fanny Hill.Overall I am happy with my selections of numerous Audible Editions, though some are over dramatized in delivery or slightly cartoonish in voicing — this one, Kildar, is spot on — Probably just luck.I have all the Paladin Of Shadows in text & Audible and the presentation is great though you can tell that the flame of inspiration was flickering in the last one.

Read this one in less than three days.

He goes under the fictional name of Mike Jenkins (a.k.a. Ghost). He is a retired SEAL, traveling, a multimillionaire due to a few jobs he did for the government. While traveling through Georgia, the country not the state, he is snowed in while driving through the Valley of the Keldara. The Keldara people are very poor and an extremely private type of people. Six "families" govern the area. The Chechens use eastern Georgia as a type of safe base. They often raid the area, murdering entire families, abducting young girls for the slave market, and stealing anything worthwhile. Jenkins only meant to stay until the snow thawed. Instead he ended up buying the farm.The Keldara have not had a Kildar (leader) in a very long time. The "Kildar" is the one who owns the fort and rules the valley, as well as, the Keldara people. Jenkins buys the caravanserai (fort) and all the land and possessions entailed with it. Slowly, the people come to trust him. Unlike the government and prior managers, Jenkins immediately begins making changes for the better. Jenkins brings in some farm machinery to help the Keldara with their farming. Since Jenkins also has some enemies (specifically among Islamic terrorists) he hires some seriously high military personnel and brings them in to reside within the caravanserai with him. These trainers begin to mold the Keldara into a well-armed militia.Jenkins takes his responsibilities seriously! So when the Chechens first try to kidnap some girls, Jenkins makes an example of them. By doing so, he rescues the girls, but the girls are already considered ruined. Therefore, Jenkins now has a harem. Good thing the caravanserai has a harem wing already. Convenient!Turns out the Keldara are not pacifists in any way, shape, or form. Each one has the potential to become a SEAL, thus some real training begins. Things are about to become very interesting.**** Author John Ringo shows that he has a seriously warped sense of humor. For those who doubt me, check out the little section in the front of the book that NORMALLY tells you "This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental." Etc, etc, etc. Let's just say that I have NEVER seen one written quite this way. I knew immediately that Ringo is my type of author! Not only is this story clever and very entertaining, but it sets the foundation for future Keldara novels. Yeah, this mainly targets the male audience and that shows; however, any female who does not find herself threatened by an alpha-male will totally enjoy reading this one as well. Highly recommended reading! ****Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The book was described as: Condition: Used - Acceptable.I would describe the book as in Good condition, a clear step up from Acceptable.Seller has met all of my expectations. Thank you, glenthebookseller

The pleasure in this very readable second entry in John Ringo's adventure series is the fantasy-fulfillment . The action is down from the first book (Ghost) but Ringo lays the groundwork for his very action-heavy series entries to follow with this book. It is richly satisfying in a different way. Mike Harmon is the Ghost, incredibly rich, with his own harem of beautiful women, owner of his own castle, with a private army and retainers, ruler of his own little pocket kingdom, his own cool title (the Kildar), and able to effortlessly deal with enemies by handing them their heads. It's what I want to be when I grow up. In a remote section of the "stans" of southwest Asia, Harmon buys up the local caravanserai (an inn for camel caravans) where he will hide out in comfort and safety beyond the easy reach of vengeance-driven Arab terrorists (see Ghost). His purchase also brings with it the rest of the valley, its tenants, and the title of Kildar. Accepted by the locals and paying good cash, he starts building up his own private army. The next time the anti-Russian Chechen terrorists enter the valley to murder, pillage, and kidnap female slaves for the sex trade, they'll face the Kildar and his Keldara warriors. His guys have the right credentials as the descendants of the Byzantine emperor's Viking bodyguard. Expect a great fight at the end with the terrorists to top things up and it promises a lot of future action in subsequent novels. A little general knowledge on the tumult of southwest Asia while you're at it. Doesn't get better.

Who doesn’t dream of leading a warrior race and being a warlord, surrounded by beautiful women and firmly ensconced in his stone fortress?

Great read and very enjoyable. Looking forward to reading the next instalment. Well written and not the first time I have read this series.

John Ringo has created a uniquely entertaining action series for an adult audience. It holds together incredibly well and has the small details that draw you into the story. Love his work and it's a great read.

Mark Harmon, der ehemalige SEAL, steht wieder im Mittelpunkt von John Ringos Werk.Nachdem der Held im ersten Band bei drei Gelegenheiten die Pläne islamischer Terroristen zunichte gemacht hat, scheint es für Ihn an der Zeit zu sein, ein Weilchen abzutauchen. So fährt er von Russland aus nach Georgien, wo es angeblich die schönsten Prostituierten geben soll (das Thema "Geschmack" und "John Ringo wird in den Rezensionen des ersten Bandes hinreichend abgehandelt...).Aufgrund eines Wintersturms muss Mike Harmon einige Tage im Dorf Alersso im Osten Georgiens verbringen.Dieses Dorf wird seit ewigen Zeiten vom Stamm der Keldara bewohnt und war einst eine wichtige Station der Seidenstrasse auf dem Weg nach/von Tiblis. Dementsprechend wird das Dorf von einem Fort-ähnlichen Bau, einer Karavanserei, geziert. Seit jeher wurde dieses Fort vom Kildar (Titel für Herrscher) bewohnt, der über das gesamte Tal, seine Bewohner und über das gesamte Eigentum (Häuser der Bauern, Vieh, Werkzeug) herrschte.Zum Zeitpunkt der Ankunft unseres Helden hatte sich an diesen nahezu mittelalterlichen Verhältnissen nichts geändert, nur das die Bank of Tbilsi nun der Kildar ist.Die Zustände in dieser Region sind geprägt von Armut, fehlender Technologie, mangelndem Einfluss der georgischen Zentralregierung und der Tatsache, dass sich tschetschenische Rebellen in dieser Gegend herumtreiben, um der russischen Verfolgung zu entgehen. Soviel zum Hintergrund der Geschichte.Wie es nicht anders sein kann, kauft unser Held die Karavanserei (und damit das gesamte Tal) und wird durch keldarische Tradition zum Kildar (Herrscher) über das Tal und seine Bewohner die Keldara. Für Mike ist dieser Ort ein fast perfekter Platz, um unterzutauchen, wären da nicht die bösen Tschetschenen, die ihrerseits seit Band I unserem Helden sehr böse sind. Daher baut Mike Harmon eine kleine Armee auf, die ihn verteidigen soll, falls die Tschetschenen seinen Aufenthaltsort erfahren sollten.Rein "zufällig" dient der Aufbau jener Armee auch der Lösung eines diplomatischen Problems zwischen Russland, Amerika und Georgien. So erhält unser Held den Auftrag aller drei Staaten, mit seiner Armee die Tschetschenen in der Region um das Dorf Alersso zu bekämpfen. Der richtige Job für einen ehemaligen SEAL und Wunderwuzzi....Witzig ist, mit welchem finanziellen Aufwand Mike Harmon aus allen Teilen der Welt Ausrüstungsgegenstände, Möbel, Kleidung, Traktoren, Lastwägen und einen Massanzug um EUR 30.000 (aus London) in das georgische Bergland transportieren lässt. DHL lässt grüssen...Durch die oberflächliche Einbindung historischer Fakten rund um das Volk der Keldara und ihrer mitterlalterlichen Gebräuche, die auf einen modernen Amerikaner und Ex-SEAL stoßen, erhält der Roman einen Reiz, den man nach Band I nicht vermutet hätte. So ist Ringo mit diesem Buch über seinen üblichen Hauruck-Stil hinausgewachsen, so dass man doch vier Sterne vertreten kann.

great read

A good read but this will not be everyone cup of tea due to the fact the hero is politically incorrect