Shield-Maiden: Under the Howling Moon

The Road to Valhalla, Book 1

By: Melanie Karsak

Narrated by: Lesley Parkin

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Chosen by Odin. Destined for Valhalla.

In my dreams, Odin whispers to me.
He tells me I'm destined to wield a legendary sword.
He tells me my road will bring me to Valhalla.

But when I wake, I'm only Hervor. Fatherless. Unloved. Unwanted. Jarl Bjartmar, my grandfather, calls me cursed. My mother, her memories stolen by the gods, has forgotten me. Everyone tells me I should have been left to the wolves, but no one will tell me why.

None but Eydis, a thrall with völva magic, believes I'm meant for a greater destiny. Yet who can believe a devotee of Loki?

When the king and his son arrive for the holy blót, the runes begin to fall in my favor. A way forward may lie in the handsome Viking set on winning my heart, but only if I unravel the mystery hanging over me first.

Fans of Vikings, The Last Kingdom, and The Mists of Avalon will relish Shield-Maiden: Under the Howling Moon. This sweeping Viking Historical Fantasy retells the Norse Hervarar Saga, depicting the life of the shieldmaiden Hervor, the inspiration for J. R. R. Tolkien's Éowyn.

©2020 Clockpunk Press (P)2020 Clockpunk Press

IM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK!

The story is dark, compelling and the characters are fantastic! So much depth and development even in the first book! I’m so excited to continue with the series 😍 I loved the narrator’s voice and the way she portrayed each character.

Epic Tale!!

Sheild-Maiden by Melanie Karsak is the first in the series! I loved this story and was hooked till the end. Very well written with great detail and emotion. The characters were very likable and relatable. Cannot wait to continue this adventure in the next story!!!

Excellent Viking Historical Fantasy!

I’m not familiar with this author but I decided to give this new series a try. I was pleasantly surprised at the well developed characters and excellent world building. I’m not too familiar with Norse Mythology but the author did a great job creating an amazing world with secrets, drama, ruthlessness, mystery, adventure, Gods, Vikings, and a touch of romance.

Narration was well done and brought the story to life.

The story drew me in slowly and kept me engaged from beginning to conclusion. It’s hard to believe a grandfather would be so ruthless and brutal against his own granddaughter! The story revolves around a great mystery that needs to be unraveled so that Hervor can understand where she comes from and why her grandfather treats her so terribly.

The story is so well written and the characters so well portrayed that I felt like I was in the story and could feel their thoughts and emotions. The only issue I have is the story concludes too soon. Although some of the mysteries have been uncovered, there is a lot that has to be straightened and resolved. I need book two ASAP!

Solid start to a series!

I received a copy from Audiobx and the author, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

This was a solid start to a new series. It came across slow at first, but I think that is because there is a lot of world-building taking place. The heroine is definitely a character to be admired. I appreciated her strength and tenacity. The narrator did a perfect job of voicing each character. If you are looking for a book that sweeps you into Viking territory and Norse mythology, then you want to add this to your TBR!

Great Book

I really enjoyed this book! The narration paired with a story of a strong female sold it for me.
I love Norse mythology and I loved listening to the character's story colored by it. The narration is perfect. Lesley Parkin has such a great accent and gives each character their own unique voice.
Author Melanie Karsak buildings a beautiful story of learning who you are while still knowing at your core you are strong and your own being.
I look forward to teh next book.
I received an audio copy for review; all opinions are my own.

Interesting Fantasy

I really enjoyed Melanie Karsak's Steampunk Fairytale series - they were interesting and clean. So I was excited to give this book a listen. I enjoyed the story, the narrator was excellent, voicing the different characters distinctly and making the world seem alive. I wanted to find out what happened to the heroine. The book is part of a series, and while it has a bit of conclusion to the storyline, it leaves you wondering what will happen, although not quite a cliffhanger.
I did find there was a bit more innuendo (some of it pretty blatant) than I am comfortable with, which surprised me since other books by this author didn't have that. There were no explicit scenes, or language, (although there was the older version of cursing it wasn't anything recognizable today.). There was a bit of violence, which is to be expected as the story is about a shield maiden (warrior.). If this were a TV show I would expect it to be rated TV-MA for the violence and innuendo.

A Great Mix Of Action, Mythology, and Romance!

I loved the mythology that was mixed into the book, a book that is already rife with action, humor, friendships, mystery, romance, and violence. I easily got lost within the unfolding of the story as well as the rich and imaginative world-building and fantastic characters (good and bad). It's definitely worth listening/reading. The narrator was also great at bringing to life the characters, as well as, the characters. I can't wait to listen to book 2!

Gods and Warrior Women

Hervor is unwanted in her home under the lordship of her grandfather, Jarl Bjartmar. She is the daughter of a mother who has lost her memories and a father no one will speak of. Hervor wants nothing more than to be a shield-maiden, a female viking warrior, but her Jarl will hear none of it.

Hervor's only friend is her thrall, Eydis, an owned girl of sorts, who is beloved by the god Loki who occasionally grants her visions and knowledge that help both her and Hervor.

The gods presence is heavy throughout this story. They are a clear and ever-present aspect of the people's live. Odin himself sometimes speaks to Hervor.

But in order to become the shield-maiden she hopes to be she may have to leave behind everything she knows

Great adventure!

Narrator makes you feel like you're traveling in their world! To find your calling in life! To go through your life thinking your cursed!

Shield Maiden

This was a great first book in the series, it gives you a lot of backstory on the characters. It might seem it starts off a little slow, but it really leaves you wanting more! Can’t wait to read the next book to see what this new adventure awaits!

Very enjoyable

Great story, looking forward to the next one. Got confused by some of the names at times but an easy listen

Shield maiden

This is the first book in the series and introduces to the characters with a mystery to be solved. It is a good story about vikings, following a would be shield maiden and listening to it draws you in. I'm looking forward to the next book to see what advature and trouble is still to come.