In her first published book, Larraine Wills takes us on historical fantasy journey packed with religious fanatics and royal protocol. The story begins when a young boy barely escapes abuse in the name of religion and finds his freedom in the forest. He eventually becomes a soldier and creates a new name, Garron of Lockmar, earning a reputation that gains him the title and position of Governor of Sheritan.

When Princess Fayahstella of Ives arrives at his door seeking sanctuary from Caslock, a man trying to take over her nation, he reluctantly agrees. This starts a chaotic journey of good vs. evil, deception, corruption and a little bit of love.

My feelings on this book are mixed; I liked it for the most part, but there were elements of the story that made it impossible for me to love it. The first being "the royal voice," a high-pitched, ear-piercing squeal the princess is forced to speak with; it was very annoying to read and made me grateful I didn't have an audio version.

There was almost too much going on in this story and at times I felt the author took for granted that the reader was familiar with her imaginary world and characters, leaving me a little lost and confused every so often. Some of the male characters, including Garron, did not have definitive personalities; they went from one extreme to the other, making it hard for me to become attached to any of them.

The Knowing is a respectable debut and an enjoyable read. I think with a little polish it could have been a fantastic book. I am not ready to give up on this author and will happily read her next one.