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cquinnsnaps's review against another edition
5.0
Being familiar with the characters from the game this novella was based on, I had high hopes and was not disappointed. The banter among the group and the tropes the characters were based on were familiar but fun. A quick read, but the settings felt well established. Excited for more from the author in this world.
anais_novels's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookwtch's review against another edition
3.0
Demacia!
Garen: First Shield is the first novella published by Riot, and a worthy start to something I've personally been longing for!
It's hard not to be a little biased with my rating, as Garen isn't my favorite of champs, but that aside it's an intriguing story that centers around the Dauntless Vanguard, and more specifically so the members of First Shield - along with ranger-knight Quinn and her legendary eagle, Valor.
I do think prospective readers need to have some basic knowledge of the lore of League of Legends to keep intrigue going, as the writing style is okay - but there's definitely room for improvement.
Still, a strong first step in a new direction!
I'm excited to see what comes next!
trackofwords's review against another edition
4.0
The first ever League of Legends novella from Riot Games, Anthony Reynolds’ Garen: First Shield is an action-packed tale of duty and determination that offers a glimpse into the life of the elite soldiery of Demacia. Still wracked with guilt for his inability to prevent the assassination of the Demacian King, Garen Crownguard leads a small force of the Dauntless Vanguard on a peace-time mission to a neighbouring, allied nation. Recent communications from Demacia’s ambassador to the Nockmirch have proven suspicious, and the mission is simply to check that all is still well, but when the Vanguard’s arrival reveals a plot that threatens the security of Demacia, Garen and his warriors find themselves vastly outnumbered by a ferocious enemy out for their blood.
First Shield does a pretty good job of finding the balance between action and insight, adding new detail to the setting and the characters without neglecting the basics or overwhelming newcomers with too much new information, or putting them off with endless references to assumed knowledge, all within the constraints of a novella. There’s lots to enjoy, as long as you recognise that this isn’t a full-length novel, and therefore needs to touch lightly on some elements. In-depth character studies or geopolitical explorations may come in future League stories, but until that happens First Shield is a good place to start.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2020/12/24/garen-first-shield-anthony-reynolds/
First Shield does a pretty good job of finding the balance between action and insight, adding new detail to the setting and the characters without neglecting the basics or overwhelming newcomers with too much new information, or putting them off with endless references to assumed knowledge, all within the constraints of a novella. There’s lots to enjoy, as long as you recognise that this isn’t a full-length novel, and therefore needs to touch lightly on some elements. In-depth character studies or geopolitical explorations may come in future League stories, but until that happens First Shield is a good place to start.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2020/12/24/garen-first-shield-anthony-reynolds/
devindevon's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Competent setup for what's to come, it's good for what it is but it's clear that there are bigger stories coming up here
apostir's review against another edition
4.0
Chapter one to tree had a lot of Infos I was able to take a lot of notes there, from chapter four to six they just traveled and greeted the People of Nockmitch and from chapter seven to eleven they just plain fought and died and chapter twelve they got back home and made the transition for the next book. I wanted to write a detailed review and I even took notes for everything but half the book was just fighting which I'm not so interested in.
Nonetheless it was a good book and I enjoyed it I didn't regret reading it though it had a hefty price for me. I payed almost 7 Euro that's quite a lot compared to longer and better books.
Nonetheless it was a good book and I enjoyed it I didn't regret reading it though it had a hefty price for me. I payed almost 7 Euro that's quite a lot compared to longer and better books.
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