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I didn't have cable, a steady stream of programming played out of it. I used the set to watch recorded statements with battered women and children. Depositions of men who somehow couldn't control their tempers at home, even though they never seemed to have a problem keeping their emotions in check when I goaded them in court. Sometimes, I played crime scene evidence tapes recorded by detectives. No matter the subject, the station was always the same: The Horror Channel.
I fucking hate white knights. Who the fuck do they think they are with their capes, their swords and their good intentions? They're sillly. I'm not sure why I hate them so much, though. Maybe it's because I thoroughly failed at being one, so I flipped colours quicked than a pro wrestler would put on the NWO colours in the 1990s. You can imagine how worried I was about reading Bracken MacLeod's WHITE KNIGHT. Truth is, it was enjoyable. Very enjoyable, I should say. I should've expected that a novella that was freakin' named WHITE KNIGHT would've had a little perspective to offer on the subject. Turns out that Bracken MacLeod can write. I might hate white knights, but I'm a sucker for complex characters and smart narratives and WHITE KNIGHT offers both things.
Our white knight is an assistant district attorney, working to protect women and children from predators in disguise. It's a tedious, frustrating job that counts more setbacks than victories. Where the opportunity to make a difference presents itself, he doesn't hesitate. He leaves everything and flies to the rescue of the damsel in distress. The world of WHITE KNIGHT is not a fairy tale though and there is a price tag that comes with every action you take. Our white knight in shining armour is about to witness his hopes and dreams parade in front of him, but reality is a ruthless predator on dreamers of his ilk and it's difficult to know if he's going to take reality at face value and react accordingly or if he's going to let his imagination get the best of him. I know I'm being ridiculously vague here, but it's a hundred pages novella and I would hate myself for spoiling one second of this little gem.
The idea that Hurley thought of himself as guiltless - harassed by a system out to get him - made me angry. Of course I was out to get him. But not because I had a vendetta against hard working men with girlfriends who needed a little course-correction from time to time. I was out to get him because he was an inveterate sonofabitch and I hate guys like him.
So, WHITE KNIGHT stands out from the infernal slush pile of terrible novels featuring flawless, heroic protagonists because of two factors: 1) There are fleshed-out bad guys. The villains actually have a mind of their own, a studies psychology and their dialogue lines are not corny, predictable one liners you've heard before. WHITE KNIGHT has a mind of its own and it transpires through every line of its short, but enjoyale narrative. 2) It offers interesting perspective on the social phenomenon that are white knights. The protagonist is a burnt out professional who has seen his most noble ambitions trumped and ridiculed by the system he vowed to enforce. Bracken MacLeod goes beyond the aura of self-righetousness of white knights and presents his protagonist as a lonely idealist who lives in an era that's dangerous to him. It's a soundly constructed story and that goes a long way into beating the unlikely audience into submission.
Obviously, WHITE KNIGHT is a little short. It doesn't feel like it's holding back though, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Novellas and the eBook era can be good like this. Stories now have the necessary lengths they need. Not more. Not less. Of course, not every novella is like that, but WHITE KNIGHT exploits the form really well. If you're looking for a badass read, but can't commit to a long novel, WHITE KNIGHT is what you need. If you're a veteran reader who can carve up some reading time out of a traffic jam and nothingness, WHITE KNIGHT might just be what you need also. It's that kind of story you're going to feel dumb for passing upon. The summer has officially started, so take a moment under the sun for youself with a cold one and WHITE KNIGHT and you might just thank me and twist your literary next of kin's arm into reading it.
BADASS