Book Review: Shield of the King by MB Mooney

I read Shield of the King a little over a year ago. It was one of the first fantasy books I’ve ever read, and boy was it good! My Instagram post at the time says it has great characters and lots of depth.

Just what you’d expect in a book by MB Mooney!

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Shield of the King

In a realm where ancient legends come to life, follow the journey of Elowen, a young elfess whose heart burns with the dreams of becoming a great hero. Shield of the King weaves a mesmerizing tale of courage, destiny, and the pursuit of justice for all.

Elowen’s world is one of ancient sagas of fabled heroes, and her heart yearns for the chance to stand among the legends she admires. When a sinister plot to assassinate the king threatens to plunge her nation into civil war, Elowen joins forces with her battle-hardened father and embarks on a treacherous journey that will test her mettle in ways she never imagined.

As the conspiracy unfolds, Elowen must confront the harsh realities of deception, betrayal, and bloodshed. Alongside her father, she will unearth the true essence of heroism―a journey that requires courage in the face of danger and a strength to stand for the good of all people. Will Elowen survive the onslaught of dark magic and violence? Will she become the hero she’s destined to be? She may not be the hero they desire, but she is the one who will answer the call.

GENRE

Fantasy

AVAILABILITY

Amazon (Kindle, KU, Hardcover)

My thoughts on Shield of the King

The author and I are in a Word Weavers critique group together, and besides being an all-around great guy, he’s a masterful storyteller. Shield of the King is a fantasy adventure that is clean and full of a richly imagined world. I loved that Elowen was a female elfess who wanted more than anything to be a hero.

Yay for female heroes!

Like I said, I’ve not read much fantasy, but this one hooked me. The characters have depth, and the world they live in captured my attention right away. Elowen became my hero as she bucked the system – women were not allowed to hold positions of power in her world.

One of my favorite lines was early in the book. She was talking to her father about her teacher, who mocked a mighty female warrior, an elf of faith. Her father said:

“The Keeper (teacher) was wrong, but you cannot allow others and their actions to control you. You must rule your own heart and mind. Otherwise, they will win.”

Then he goes on to say, “Because the world is full of stupid, wrong people.”

Elowen’s father is just as great a character as Elowen! Oh, have I mentioned the war lizards? Better than horses, they say! The funny thing is Elowen befriends the lizards, Zaran and Laila.

With great characters and amazing world-building, Shield of the King makes my list of some of the best writing I’ve read.

I give this book an N rating, as in Nothing to Worry About! Even your teens could read this!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024 and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? released Feb. 25, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)