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kitvaria_sarene's review
4.0
This was a fun and quick enough read.
I enjoyed the characters and especially the flying pet fox.
For me personally it felt a bit shallow at times. Both in the characters that really took a while to get from two dimensional tropes to more rounded people and also in the military strategy.
For a book that leans this heavily on the military aspects it often felt a bit too quick and easily resolved.
Nevertheless I was well entertained and wanted to know what would happen next!
I enjoyed the characters and especially the flying pet fox.
For me personally it felt a bit shallow at times. Both in the characters that really took a while to get from two dimensional tropes to more rounded people and also in the military strategy.
For a book that leans this heavily on the military aspects it often felt a bit too quick and easily resolved.
Nevertheless I was well entertained and wanted to know what would happen next!
davidgreenwriter's review
5.0
Growing up, I was a big fan of Arthurian legends and as I got older, found Bernard Cornwell's take in the Warlord Chronicles which delved heavily into the Roman and military aspect of the sagas. From there, I read (and watched) Sharpe and have always enjoyed his viewpoint on military fiction.
I've often found military fantasy hit-and-miss with sometimes the focus being too much on the tactics and battle, and not on the characters, or vice-versa.
I'd like to say here that Andy Peloquin seems to straddle these themes like Cornwell can while keeping the pace brisk, the stakes high, and the action heart-stopping and filled with fantasy.
Recommended.
I've often found military fantasy hit-and-miss with sometimes the focus being too much on the tactics and battle, and not on the characters, or vice-versa.
I'd like to say here that Andy Peloquin seems to straddle these themes like Cornwell can while keeping the pace brisk, the stakes high, and the action heart-stopping and filled with fantasy.
Recommended.
thehamsterreads's review
5.0
I loved this book! Shields in Shadow is truly full of non-stop action! It’s military fantasy at its finest. When the story opens, Aravon is Captain of the sixth Legion when they are ambushed by the vicious Eirdkilrs and every last soldier is slain. Aravon only survives because he was buried under a pile of corpses, and when he regained consciousness he crawled out and was found and taken to safety. When he awakes, he is in the care of Duke Dyrund, who tasks Aravon with training and leading an elite force that will infiltrate enemy territory to turn the tide of the war. Hellbent on revenge, Aravon and his new recruits train hard and learn new tactics to hopefully turn their enemies’ strengths against them.
I really enjoyed this book! It’s full of military strategy and battle scenes but I never got tired of it. Andy is a brilliant author and his way of writing always keeps the reader engaged! I liked all the characters. They were very well developed with their own quirks, strengths and weaknesses, and they learn to work with one another as a team. My favourites were Belthar, a huge strongman, Skathi, the only woman on the team, and of course, Aravon. Belthar wasn’t always the smartest man of the bunch, but he was still able to contribute to their strategy, and he was really adorable because he would get so abashed when he did something wrong, or whenever Skathi was around. Skathi was an archer, and she could kick major butt! And Aravon was such a good leader, and managed to overcome his fear of losing men, and learned to trust that his people knew what they were doing. I also really liked how loyal he was to his wife, even though she thought he was dead and due to his new assignment, he’ll never see her again. That’s an honourable man. I still hold out hope that it will work out for them to get back together again! My most favourite thing in this book though, was Snarl, an Enfield - a mythical creature that is half fox, half eagle. He was brought to Aravon as a puppy and he was sooo cute! He grew up over the course of the book, but he remains so lovable! The world building is excellent and as I already mentioned, the writing is too! The battles are so vividly described it’s like watching a movie scene. I guess just a warning, there’s a lot of blood and gore, so if you aren’t into that then this might not be the best book for you. But otherwise, I highly recommend this book!
I received an ARC from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It’s full of military strategy and battle scenes but I never got tired of it. Andy is a brilliant author and his way of writing always keeps the reader engaged! I liked all the characters. They were very well developed with their own quirks, strengths and weaknesses, and they learn to work with one another as a team. My favourites were Belthar, a huge strongman, Skathi, the only woman on the team, and of course, Aravon. Belthar wasn’t always the smartest man of the bunch, but he was still able to contribute to their strategy, and he was really adorable because he would get so abashed when he did something wrong, or whenever Skathi was around. Skathi was an archer, and she could kick major butt! And Aravon was such a good leader, and managed to overcome his fear of losing men, and learned to trust that his people knew what they were doing. I also really liked how loyal he was to his wife, even though she thought he was dead and due to his new assignment, he’ll never see her again. That’s an honourable man. I still hold out hope that it will work out for them to get back together again! My most favourite thing in this book though, was Snarl, an Enfield - a mythical creature that is half fox, half eagle. He was brought to Aravon as a puppy and he was sooo cute! He grew up over the course of the book, but he remains so lovable! The world building is excellent and as I already mentioned, the writing is too! The battles are so vividly described it’s like watching a movie scene. I guess just a warning, there’s a lot of blood and gore, so if you aren’t into that then this might not be the best book for you. But otherwise, I highly recommend this book!
I received an ARC from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
inked_up_bookshelf's review
4.0
Fantasy meets military. Wow I throughly enjoyed nearly every word on the page! Trying to live up to and past expectations of his highly known father plus surpass who he is. With a team behind him and a companion like Snarl. Is there anything that can’t be overcome?
secre's review
3.0
Re-read.
Full of action and excitement, this is a fast paced example of the military fantasy genre and anyone who likes their novels to be full of git, blood and axes flying will surely find this right up their street. Starting with the absolute decimation of his company of men, Aravon finds himself recovered from deaths door only to lead a very different kind of company. With a company of just six, he is given the task of using subterfuge and trickery to bring the enemy down from the inside, or at least scythe down their numbers to something a little more manageable for the main army to cope with. Peloquin sets up the odds very well, with the Eirdkilr barbarian forces standing over seven foot tall and using strategies that work against the typical strictly controlled formations of the Legions armies. Year after year, the humans - or Eird, half-men as the Eirdkilr call them - have found themselves pushed further back and have lost more and more men to what is becoming to seem like a hopeless war of attrition. It is down to Aravon to tip the scales.
Some aspects of this are done really very well indeed and I count the characterisations and development of characters throughout the novel as one of these aspects. All seven of our key characters are drawn out in wonderful detail, each with their own flaws and issues and yet each playing a key part in the formation of this little band of fighters. Aravon is depicted well as a man living in the shadow of his famous father and yet trying to lead in his own distinctive and caring way. The group around him are no less individual with a giant with a heart of absolute gold, even as he flings enemies across the fields with his axe, a snarky scout with a talent for really hacking off the ladies and a chip on his shoulder, a master at sneaking through terrain and a talented and fiercely independent female archer. Adding to this you then have a Secret-Keeper with a talent for cooking up masterpieces of alchemy and tricks yet also handy with a weapon and a Mender who is deeply uncomfortable about sticking people with the pointy end of a sword. The team is chucked together and Peloquin manages to capture the building of trust and strength that comes from being thrown into impossible situations. Each and every one of the characters manages to stand out in their own right.
The story is undeniably dark with a lot of blood, gore and battle cries, but the way the relationships between characters are built adds a degree of levity to what could otherwise simply be grim slaughter after slaughter. This is very much needed because the story goes from one pitched battle to another and then another, all fighting what seem like impossible odds. When our characters aren't trying to not get killed they are journeying towards another battle in which they may well get killed. Whilst this certainly keeps you on your toes, I did find that it became rather samey after a while and lacked the depth, passion and intensity that I found so powerful in Peloquin's other series, Child of the Night Guild (full five star recommendation there). There's only so much hacking and slashing that I can take before it starts to lose the power and meaning and my limit was surpassed here. That said, Peloquin certainly knows how to write a fraught battle scene.
The world building also seemed lacking in some ways - whilst we get introduced to some of the aspects of magic and mystery, much of the background of this world hasn't yet been filled in. I would have liked to see more of this kind of attention in favour of removing a few of the hack, slash, beat 'em up scenes. What we do get is certainly interesting and I am really interested to find out more, particularly about that mysterious group of Secret Keepers, there just wasn't quite enough of it for me. That's a very personal note though as the style of writing will be far more suitable for someone who takes great joy in the violence of the action scenes. Everyone is individual and this will undoubtedly strike exactly the right notes for some people.
So, all in all? I'm interested but not enthralled. I will certainly read the follow on in the series because I really enjoyed witnessing the way the characters interacted. Peloquin has also set himself up with an intriguing mystery to solve as the potential focus of the next storyline and I am keen to see where he takes this as it could be a very different tone indeed depending on what path he chooses to take.
Full of action and excitement, this is a fast paced example of the military fantasy genre and anyone who likes their novels to be full of git, blood and axes flying will surely find this right up their street. Starting with the absolute decimation of his company of men, Aravon finds himself recovered from deaths door only to lead a very different kind of company. With a company of just six, he is given the task of using subterfuge and trickery to bring the enemy down from the inside, or at least scythe down their numbers to something a little more manageable for the main army to cope with. Peloquin sets up the odds very well, with the Eirdkilr barbarian forces standing over seven foot tall and using strategies that work against the typical strictly controlled formations of the Legions armies. Year after year, the humans - or Eird, half-men as the Eirdkilr call them - have found themselves pushed further back and have lost more and more men to what is becoming to seem like a hopeless war of attrition. It is down to Aravon to tip the scales.
Some aspects of this are done really very well indeed and I count the characterisations and development of characters throughout the novel as one of these aspects. All seven of our key characters are drawn out in wonderful detail, each with their own flaws and issues and yet each playing a key part in the formation of this little band of fighters. Aravon is depicted well as a man living in the shadow of his famous father and yet trying to lead in his own distinctive and caring way. The group around him are no less individual with a giant with a heart of absolute gold, even as he flings enemies across the fields with his axe, a snarky scout with a talent for really hacking off the ladies and a chip on his shoulder, a master at sneaking through terrain and a talented and fiercely independent female archer. Adding to this you then have a Secret-Keeper with a talent for cooking up masterpieces of alchemy and tricks yet also handy with a weapon and a Mender who is deeply uncomfortable about sticking people with the pointy end of a sword. The team is chucked together and Peloquin manages to capture the building of trust and strength that comes from being thrown into impossible situations. Each and every one of the characters manages to stand out in their own right.
The story is undeniably dark with a lot of blood, gore and battle cries, but the way the relationships between characters are built adds a degree of levity to what could otherwise simply be grim slaughter after slaughter. This is very much needed because the story goes from one pitched battle to another and then another, all fighting what seem like impossible odds. When our characters aren't trying to not get killed they are journeying towards another battle in which they may well get killed. Whilst this certainly keeps you on your toes, I did find that it became rather samey after a while and lacked the depth, passion and intensity that I found so powerful in Peloquin's other series, Child of the Night Guild (full five star recommendation there). There's only so much hacking and slashing that I can take before it starts to lose the power and meaning and my limit was surpassed here. That said, Peloquin certainly knows how to write a fraught battle scene.
The world building also seemed lacking in some ways - whilst we get introduced to some of the aspects of magic and mystery, much of the background of this world hasn't yet been filled in. I would have liked to see more of this kind of attention in favour of removing a few of the hack, slash, beat 'em up scenes. What we do get is certainly interesting and I am really interested to find out more, particularly about that mysterious group of Secret Keepers, there just wasn't quite enough of it for me. That's a very personal note though as the style of writing will be far more suitable for someone who takes great joy in the violence of the action scenes. Everyone is individual and this will undoubtedly strike exactly the right notes for some people.
So, all in all? I'm interested but not enthralled. I will certainly read the follow on in the series because I really enjoyed witnessing the way the characters interacted. Peloquin has also set himself up with an intriguing mystery to solve as the potential focus of the next storyline and I am keen to see where he takes this as it could be a very different tone indeed depending on what path he chooses to take.
vidbaz's review
4.0
I like this new trend where main characters are specialists of the field that they are in and do not make stupid mistakes because of that.
Plot wise its a strait forward story we have 7 man team with specific skills that need to help the war and somehow turn it around think of them special forces.
Now for the character we are introduces to 7 members in the team all of them have something that will help on the mission. One thing that buged me is that they all have specific trait for characterization almost one dimensional and because of that it was hard to attache to them maby next book will flesh them out more
Now the pace and action are top notch battles fell dynamic and alive everything that happens feels natural in the context of the story and i loved it.
Til the last chapter in the book i was thinking that it is 3 star book good nothing special but the last chapter pushed it to 4 start not gona spoil it but now i cant wait for the sequel.
Plot wise its a strait forward story we have 7 man team with specific skills that need to help the war and somehow turn it around think of them special forces.
Now for the character we are introduces to 7 members in the team all of them have something that will help on the mission. One thing that buged me is that they all have specific trait for characterization almost one dimensional and because of that it was hard to attache to them maby next book will flesh them out more
Now the pace and action are top notch battles fell dynamic and alive everything that happens feels natural in the context of the story and i loved it.
Til the last chapter in the book i was thinking that it is 3 star book good nothing special but the last chapter pushed it to 4 start not gona spoil it but now i cant wait for the sequel.
its_justine's review
3.0
Some demons can only be slain by the passage of time.
Aravon, the once-proud and renowned Captain of the Legion's Sixth Company, is now sole survivor of the bloodshed and carnage allotted by the imposing Eirdkilr barbarians. The savages have one goal: to rid Fehl of the half-men - those who traveled across the Frozen Sea, and took what wasn't theirs to take. Narrowly escaping the fate of his men, Aravon finds sanctuary under the care and protection of the Duke of Eastfall, a man who bravely fought alongside his own father. With hope of securing their foothold in Fehl, and driving the barbarians back across the Sawtooth Mountains, the Duke establishes an elite force to work in the shadows, subverting the Legion Aravon once loyally served. Aravon and his team must infiltrate the Eirdkilrs from inside their own territory in order to save the entire kingdom. Against the odds, is there a chance for success, or will his fear of repeated failure, and underlying need for forgiveness and redemption hinder his path?
Shields in Shadow is a perfect example of what Military Fantasy has to offer: mathematically strategic and filled with visceral, high-energy, and bloody battles. While I originally went into this story expecting a first-class crew single-handedly picking apart the enemy from the inside, the nameless company relies on planning, subterfuge, and sheer luck to aid those that lie in the Eirdkilrs' path. With very specific information - odds, yardage, travel times, sizes of weapons (and people) - I often found myself feeling like a General leaning over a marker-covered map, listening to my Commanders tirelessly discussing battle and travel tactics. While this comprehensive and scientific approach may work for most, there were instances that began to pull me from the immersion of the story. The beginning of the book builds a powerful engine for vengeance, but at times I felt as though this concept took a backseat in the events that followed. What started as a tale of retribution essentially became the saga of Captain Aravon and his redemption.
Peloquin presents us with a diverse cast of strongly developed characters, reminiscent of a well-rounded role-playing party. Aravon, Legionnaire Captain living in his father's shadow, a true leader of men, yet broken by slaughter. Colborn, the unlikely, yet capable half-Fehlan Lieutenant, master of the lands. Belthar, the massive axe-wielding warrior with a heart of gold, always throwing himself towards the frontlines. Zaharis, the mysterious and monk-like Secret Keeper, master alchemist and honed warrior. Noll, a talented Scout of the shattered Sixth Company who deeply resents Aravon for surviving the massacre. Draian, the Mender/healer who's more comfortable fixing men than breaking them. And finally Skathi, an archer specifically trained to counter Eirdkilr ranged weapons, and sole woman on the team. In order to achieve the impossible, they must work together as a cohesive unit, despite only being acquainted with each other for a short amount of time. Witnessing the building of trust, as well as the brotherly/soldierly banter, added an appreciated levity to an otherwise dark story.
While the first third of the book introduces us to and develops the character dynamics, the rest is spent on the many highways, forest paths, and wagon trails throughout Fehl. Our group of heroes is always on the move, in hopes of staying ahead of the Eirdkilr horde and preventing the destruction it will inevitably leave in its wake. Stories told around campfires and while atop horseback are vehicles for worldbuilding, intelligently narrating the past, preparing for the present, and setting up the future. We get but a glimpse of the magic and myth infused into the world, with insights into an enigmatic race that came before - one able to harness the mysteries of creation, and the present chase to unlock those secrets. Creatures of legend grace the skies and lands, and mentions of gifts bestowed by the gods piqued my interest. I only wished these aspects were built upon more as we traveled farther into Fehlan territory.
Carefully written with sharp attention to minute details, Peloquin has created a treat for fans of the Military Fantasy sub-genre. The book ties up nicely, but the final chapter paves the way for the future of the series with a jarring unanswered question. I will admit I found myself questioning several inconstancies, mainly when it came to communication between our heroes, as well as instances of unnecessary repetition, but the underlying story kept the pages turning at a rapid pace. If you're looking for strategy and beautifully executed action, then Shields in Shadow is what you're looking for.
Note: I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a complementary advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Aravon, the once-proud and renowned Captain of the Legion's Sixth Company, is now sole survivor of the bloodshed and carnage allotted by the imposing Eirdkilr barbarians. The savages have one goal: to rid Fehl of the half-men - those who traveled across the Frozen Sea, and took what wasn't theirs to take. Narrowly escaping the fate of his men, Aravon finds sanctuary under the care and protection of the Duke of Eastfall, a man who bravely fought alongside his own father. With hope of securing their foothold in Fehl, and driving the barbarians back across the Sawtooth Mountains, the Duke establishes an elite force to work in the shadows, subverting the Legion Aravon once loyally served. Aravon and his team must infiltrate the Eirdkilrs from inside their own territory in order to save the entire kingdom. Against the odds, is there a chance for success, or will his fear of repeated failure, and underlying need for forgiveness and redemption hinder his path?
Shields in Shadow is a perfect example of what Military Fantasy has to offer: mathematically strategic and filled with visceral, high-energy, and bloody battles. While I originally went into this story expecting a first-class crew single-handedly picking apart the enemy from the inside, the nameless company relies on planning, subterfuge, and sheer luck to aid those that lie in the Eirdkilrs' path. With very specific information - odds, yardage, travel times, sizes of weapons (and people) - I often found myself feeling like a General leaning over a marker-covered map, listening to my Commanders tirelessly discussing battle and travel tactics. While this comprehensive and scientific approach may work for most, there were instances that began to pull me from the immersion of the story. The beginning of the book builds a powerful engine for vengeance, but at times I felt as though this concept took a backseat in the events that followed. What started as a tale of retribution essentially became the saga of Captain Aravon and his redemption.
Peloquin presents us with a diverse cast of strongly developed characters, reminiscent of a well-rounded role-playing party. Aravon, Legionnaire Captain living in his father's shadow, a true leader of men, yet broken by slaughter. Colborn, the unlikely, yet capable half-Fehlan Lieutenant, master of the lands. Belthar, the massive axe-wielding warrior with a heart of gold, always throwing himself towards the frontlines. Zaharis, the mysterious and monk-like Secret Keeper, master alchemist and honed warrior. Noll, a talented Scout of the shattered Sixth Company who deeply resents Aravon for surviving the massacre. Draian, the Mender/healer who's more comfortable fixing men than breaking them. And finally Skathi, an archer specifically trained to counter Eirdkilr ranged weapons, and sole woman on the team. In order to achieve the impossible, they must work together as a cohesive unit, despite only being acquainted with each other for a short amount of time. Witnessing the building of trust, as well as the brotherly/soldierly banter, added an appreciated levity to an otherwise dark story.
While the first third of the book introduces us to and develops the character dynamics, the rest is spent on the many highways, forest paths, and wagon trails throughout Fehl. Our group of heroes is always on the move, in hopes of staying ahead of the Eirdkilr horde and preventing the destruction it will inevitably leave in its wake. Stories told around campfires and while atop horseback are vehicles for worldbuilding, intelligently narrating the past, preparing for the present, and setting up the future. We get but a glimpse of the magic and myth infused into the world, with insights into an enigmatic race that came before - one able to harness the mysteries of creation, and the present chase to unlock those secrets. Creatures of legend grace the skies and lands, and mentions of gifts bestowed by the gods piqued my interest. I only wished these aspects were built upon more as we traveled farther into Fehlan territory.
Carefully written with sharp attention to minute details, Peloquin has created a treat for fans of the Military Fantasy sub-genre. The book ties up nicely, but the final chapter paves the way for the future of the series with a jarring unanswered question. I will admit I found myself questioning several inconstancies, mainly when it came to communication between our heroes, as well as instances of unnecessary repetition, but the underlying story kept the pages turning at a rapid pace. If you're looking for strategy and beautifully executed action, then Shields in Shadow is what you're looking for.
Note: I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a complementary advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
kartiknarayanan's review
4.0
This series is like a dirty dozen/ guns of navarone type military themed fantasy. I liked Shields in Shadow so much that I ended up binge reading the entire quadrilogy. There are shades of Richard Sharp in the main character when it comes to the relentless fighting and moving from one dire situation to the another. The series has a satisfying ending too which is rare in this kind of fiction. The one criticism I have is its immense length - I feel that half of the books could have been cut away to keep the series nice and tight.
catsy2022's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rating: A
"May it bring you the Swordsman's favor," she'd told him the day she'd hung it around his neck. "And may it bring you back to me." I'm coming home.
I spent some time looking at my kindle, back and forth looking at the trilogy this book is in and then decided over the weekend that it was time to read it. Shields in Shadow is the introductory novel to the Warriors of Blood and Shadow series by Andy Peloquin.
Aravon is Captain of the Sixth Battalion in the Princelander army caught in the midst of battle with the Eirdkilrs. Aravon is rendered unconscious and when he awakens in an unknown castle, he learns his entire battalion has been slaughtered and he is the only survivor. The war is turning against the Princelanders so Aravon and a group of elite soldiers are drafted into a warband who report to the prince. Aravon is appointed Captain and his band are set on missions to stop the Eirdkilr without being discovered.
Draian winked. "We Menders spend more time on our knees than on the battlefield." Aravon raised an eyebrow, which elicited a laugh from Draian.
I was surprised by this book, I never expected it to be this good and digestible. The world is very clearly inspired by European history with many of the Eirdkilr names and towns sounding vaguely Scandinavian / northern European. The naming convention for their clans and noteworthy combatants was great and you could clearly see the connection between their race. They are 7 feet tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed monsters who wield spears and battleaxes. They are called Eirdkilr because they kill the "eird" which is their name for the Princelanders, meaning "half-men". I, on the other hand, felt like the names for the Princelanders made much less sense and at the start of the book I was so confused reading Draian and Dyrund over and over.
The key players in this book are Noll (scout), Colburn (lieutenant/swordsman), Belthar (tank), Skathi (archer), Zaharis (alchemist) and Draian (medic). These characters are each not that well-developed but have a singular strong personality trait that is supplemented with two or three other minor traits. I can't explain this very well, but the party has a lot of jokey banter and snipe at each other very regularly. The only thing that really defines them is their combat style. I felt a bit disappointed at the lack of female characters and the fact that all of the inhabitants of the continent are white (which may historically make some sense, but still...). The training montages were particularly interesting to me and I liked to see everyone become more adept at their new and familiar weapons - I did feel that the party was a bit overpowered in battle and that only the weakest link was up for elimination... I also think towards the end of the book, the injuries sustained by the party are less and less apparently as they are forced into multiple battles one-after-the-other. I mean, this isn't realistic, but it's the best we can do when we need to keep the story moving.
Another addition to the story is that they use sign language as a major communication form in and out of stealth scenarios. It is represented by italicised text but I felt like it was used at times where it made, no sense - like in the middle of a voiced conversation - and at times it was described in such a funny way. Zaharis' hands flashed! TADAH!
The mainland kingdoms of Einan used the antiquated system of paces and leagues, distances that changed according to each city. However, Prince Toran's grandfather—together with the Secret Keepers—had created and established a unified system of feet, yards, and miles. The standardized measurements made mapmaking far more of a quantifiable science than an art form, with distances both consistent and reliable.
Lol at this quote above. Feet, yards and miles, so standardised and easily understood. 38 inches in a yard, 2.5(cm) * 38 makes sense.
Aravon held out a hand, and Zaharis clasped it. “We live or die as a unit.”
“The company of the damned,” Zaharis replied.
What made me realise that perhaps this story was something good, was that I found myself crying out in shock, or actually crying at the truly brutal and sometimes senseless deaths of the innocent and minor characters. I was anxious to see where the story went and if the characters would survive. I wanted the author to not show any mercy to anyone in his book, and that's what we really received. I was so thankful that we found some resolution in this initial book, that the story was concluded and another storyline opened up. It was a worry of mine that a multi-book series would follow the same villains and heroes across all the books until finally solving it in the last one - but we do get a solid resolution here and I'm glad I read this. The ending chapters of this book continued to excite me, injecting the book with some much-needed mystery.
Protect the men beside you. Stand strong. Show the enemy no mercy.
Definitely a fun one to read, almost constant action and a little bit of politics.
"May it bring you the Swordsman's favor," she'd told him the day she'd hung it around his neck. "And may it bring you back to me." I'm coming home.
I spent some time looking at my kindle, back and forth looking at the trilogy this book is in and then decided over the weekend that it was time to read it. Shields in Shadow is the introductory novel to the Warriors of Blood and Shadow series by Andy Peloquin.
Aravon is Captain of the Sixth Battalion in the Princelander army caught in the midst of battle with the Eirdkilrs. Aravon is rendered unconscious and when he awakens in an unknown castle, he learns his entire battalion has been slaughtered and he is the only survivor. The war is turning against the Princelanders so Aravon and a group of elite soldiers are drafted into a warband who report to the prince. Aravon is appointed Captain and his band are set on missions to stop the Eirdkilr without being discovered.
Draian winked. "We Menders spend more time on our knees than on the battlefield." Aravon raised an eyebrow, which elicited a laugh from Draian.
I was surprised by this book, I never expected it to be this good and digestible. The world is very clearly inspired by European history with many of the Eirdkilr names and towns sounding vaguely Scandinavian / northern European. The naming convention for their clans and noteworthy combatants was great and you could clearly see the connection between their race. They are 7 feet tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed monsters who wield spears and battleaxes. They are called Eirdkilr because they kill the "eird" which is their name for the Princelanders, meaning "half-men". I, on the other hand, felt like the names for the Princelanders made much less sense and at the start of the book I was so confused reading Draian and Dyrund over and over.
The key players in this book are Noll (scout), Colburn (lieutenant/swordsman), Belthar (tank), Skathi (archer), Zaharis (alchemist) and Draian (medic). These characters are each not that well-developed but have a singular strong personality trait that is supplemented with two or three other minor traits. I can't explain this very well, but the party has a lot of jokey banter and snipe at each other very regularly. The only thing that really defines them is their combat style. I felt a bit disappointed at the lack of female characters and the fact that all of the inhabitants of the continent are white (which may historically make some sense, but still...). The training montages were particularly interesting to me and I liked to see everyone become more adept at their new and familiar weapons - I did feel that the party was a bit overpowered in battle and that only the weakest link was up for elimination... I also think towards the end of the book, the injuries sustained by the party are less and less apparently as they are forced into multiple battles one-after-the-other. I mean, this isn't realistic, but it's the best we can do when we need to keep the story moving.
Another addition to the story is that they use sign language as a major communication form in and out of stealth scenarios. It is represented by italicised text but I felt like it was used at times where it made, no sense - like in the middle of a voiced conversation - and at times it was described in such a funny way. Zaharis' hands flashed! TADAH!
The mainland kingdoms of Einan used the antiquated system of paces and leagues, distances that changed according to each city. However, Prince Toran's grandfather—together with the Secret Keepers—had created and established a unified system of feet, yards, and miles. The standardized measurements made mapmaking far more of a quantifiable science than an art form, with distances both consistent and reliable.
Lol at this quote above. Feet, yards and miles, so standardised and easily understood. 38 inches in a yard, 2.5(cm) * 38 makes sense.
Aravon held out a hand, and Zaharis clasped it. “We live or die as a unit.”
“The company of the damned,” Zaharis replied.
What made me realise that perhaps this story was something good, was that I found myself crying out in shock, or actually crying at the truly brutal and sometimes senseless deaths of the innocent and minor characters. I was anxious to see where the story went and if the characters would survive. I wanted the author to not show any mercy to anyone in his book, and that's what we really received. I was so thankful that we found some resolution in this initial book, that the story was concluded and another storyline opened up. It was a worry of mine that a multi-book series would follow the same villains and heroes across all the books until finally solving it in the last one - but we do get a solid resolution here and I'm glad I read this. The ending chapters of this book continued to excite me, injecting the book with some much-needed mystery.
Protect the men beside you. Stand strong. Show the enemy no mercy.
Definitely a fun one to read, almost constant action and a little bit of politics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Medical content and Sexism
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