Shield of Winter

Legend of the Gods, Book 2

By: Aaron Hodges

Narrated by: David Stifel

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Alana has been captured. She expected an agonizing death to follow, but instead, she now finds herself a guest of the Tsar. Locked away amidst the wealth and luxury, it isn’t long before she learns the reason she was spared - her entire life has been a lie. Her true identity lurks within, chained by magic, but with promises of untold power. It terrifies her, and yet...she must know the truth.

Meanwhile, ex-soldier Devon plans a fresh rebellion in Trola. But after carving his legend in the blood of their people, he’s a marked man. He’ll have to watch his step if he’s to successfully negotiate the shifting tides of the Trolan cause - and not end up dead in the process. Either way, failure is not an option, because without an uprising, Alana will be lost to him forever....

Grab this all new epic fantasy by New York Times best-selling author Aaron Hodges.

©2018 Aaron Hodges (P)2018 Aaron Hodges

A Great Listen

This is a well written LitRPG. There's great world building and character development. It has action, adventure, twists and turns. I haven't listened to the first book but found I was able to follow this one with no problems. After listening to this story I believe I'll see if I can get book one. I have a feeling this one will be even better after listening to book one. I enjoyed the relatability of the characters and the situations they would find themselves in. Not everything was sunshine and roses which helped with the believableness of the story. The narration by David Stifel was well done. He gave each character their own voice and emotions. The only complaint I have is that he could've read at a bit faster pace but overall, he really helped the story to come alive and feel real.

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Great story and really great characters.

I love this author. I've read or listened to just about everything he's written and I'm never disappointed. You can trust me when I tell you, this author is extremely talented.

Swords and Sorcery - exciting and immersive

Shield of Winter is the second book in the Legend of the Gods trilogy and flows seamlessly from the first book Oathbreaker. This is a fast paced adventure with many unexpected twists and a cliffhanger ending that will drive you to get the next book, Dawn of War. Shield of Winter is a book for mature young adults and older, due to the intimate scenes and graphic violence.

Spoiler Alert.
Devon, the retired warrior, and Killian, the Innkeeper, set out to infiltrate the Tzar's island capitol where Alana is being held captive. Meanwhile her brother Braiden has taken refuge in the North with the priest Elana who is trying to teach him to master his newly acquired magic. The golden dragon on the cover is Danielle, friend of Elana, who has her part to play.

The narration by David Stfiel is superb. Each character is well defined, and his interpretation gives that added dimension that I so enjoy about audio books.

Highly recommended.

This is my honest review of this audiobook which was gifted to me by the author. I have previously bought and enjoyed Oathbreaker and suggest that you start this trilogy with Oathbreaker, although Shield of Winter can be enjoyed as a stand alone.

A fantastic read!

A brilliant sequel! Loved every moment of it.

Action, adventure and the twists will keep you hooked and invested in this story from beginning to end.

Very interesting and exciting.

Perfect for readers of epic fantasy.

The narration was well narrated. Very enjoyable.

Shield of winter won't leave you cold

Shield of winter won't leave you cold as there is lots of action and dragons to heat things up!! I just finished this audio book and enjoyed it immensely. If you haven't found this author you are in for a treat as well as some trickery from magic. Give this one a try!

Shield of Winter

This is a really good second book in a series.I loved Oathbreaker and this picks up where that left off.Alana gets captured and figures she will die,but doesn't.There is a quest to rescue her. It's full of twists and turns and magic. David Stifel was a fine narrator,again. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

Slower pace, but still well worth the listen!

While I enjoyed this second installment, it didn't have that insistent action of Oathbraker. There is plenty of action, but it was more character development in my opinion.

In this story, Alana has been brought back to the Citadel and learned that the Tsar is her father. It takes a little while for her to break through the defenses she herself put into place before she remembers most of who she was. However, the person she has been in the recent past is not the same as the one she was before, and she must suppress the newer version of herself in order to become who she is expected to be.

Meanwhile, Devon and Killian have set off from the Northlands in order to rescue Alana. Along the way, they make a new acquaintance and then strike a bargain with who is basically the undeclared ruler of the city of Trola. They then set off for the Citadel, but find themselves in dangerous company.

Braden and Anala have remained in the Northlands to continue Braden's study of his Magick. When word comes of Braden's unexpected lineage, things get tense with the queen due to threats that have been sent through emissaries. Eventually, Braden cannot wait any longer to get to his sister, so he and Anala set off on their own journey.

* Slight spoilers ahead *

When Devon and Killian arrive, they do not get the reception they are expecting, and end up with an old man in a cell. They don't find out until later who this man is, but he is an important part of the history of the three Nations, as well as the upcoming battle. Fans of the Sword of Light Trilogy will be happy to see another old friend.

During the denouement of this story, Alana has been reminded of the missing parts of her memory, and she tries to take action against her enemy. Unfortunately, he has the power of hundreds of Magickers under his control, and she is easily subdued. But, all is not lost, because heroes of the past and present come to fight the evil. Along the way, more of the Tsar's history is revealed, and we learn of even more lives he has destroyed in the past. In order to allow everyone to escape, the old man makes the ultimate sacrifice and is able to district the Tsar just long enough.

And though there are some good outcomes in the book, there is also heartache and the loss of heroes along the way. I was heartbroken for our characters and myself by the losses they endured, although one of the sacrifices did not surprise me a great deal.

Overall, as with almost all fantasy series, this is the book that fills in the blanks. Although it's not the heart racing, action packed, thrill ride the first book was, it is just as important to the story.

I think the narrator did a good job. I still wish that the characters were a little more differentiated, but he is a very good story teller.

* I received a free copy of this audiobook and I am leaving my honest review. *

Great Story!

I received this audio book for free in exchange for my honest review. The writing and narration in this exciting tale are both impeccable. You will definitely not be disappointed with this one.

Amazing story and captivating.

Throughly enjoyed the story bring told to me by David Stifel. He brought the storyline to life through his voice. What pleasure I had with eyes closed listening to his voice bring it to life within my mind. What a great experience and being almost there within the story.

Bad Guy Gets All the Breaks, knows all the trick

This story drags on and on with too many twists and turns. It's not a very fun read. If you are listening to the Audible version, it can very easily become mere background noise.