Warrior's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler

Ransom is a simple knight trying to loyally serve a righteous lord, but he failed to find what he was seeking in Knight's Ransom. Now, he has gone on a great pilgrimage to find a gift to heighten his ability to protect those he is loyal to. He is a man being manipulated by so many different players; fighting wars he doesn't believe in, kidnapped by everyone, and forced out of marrying his true heart's love. Despite these machinations, Ransom stays on track with his personal goals. 

Though he has failed all his kings so far, it seems that destiny had a reason for this. He is meant to serve only one king, the true king, King Arthur reincarnated. The rest of his journey has simply been training. His impressive fighting abilities have now been bolstered by a raven scabbard that heals all wounds and the grail. His strength as a competitor has raised the stakes of the competition. His enemies will become more conniving and tenacious as they try to topple this great knight.

The only time he is (almost) diverted from his path lies solely at the hands of another Fountain-blessed, proving that the power is not granted solely to the valiant or pure of heart. Trying to prove this to the ambitious is daunting.

As if his challenges aren't enough (and he spends part of the narrative contemplating the value of these very struggles), Ransom's simple living and high standards have actually made him the wealthiest man in the country--and maybe even the neighboring country. His destiny certainly wants to keep painting that target on his back bigger and brighter.

His sense of loyalty and values is refreshing in a protagonist. The pure man really is coming out on top in this series. He certainly isn't witty or charming. The best word for our stalwart knight is steadfast. And I absolutely love him.

Though this is an Arthurian retelling, I haven't become aggravated by all the courtly intrigue. In actuality, I'm quite invested in where this story goes and can't wait to see who is going to win the day, Occitania or Ceredigion. So much story was resolved, yet so many new questions were presented. I highly recommend this series.