Shields in Shadow (The Silent Champions, Book 1)

Andy
Peloquin
Genre: 
Paranormal

EPIC FANTASY/MILITARY:  Captain Aravon, commander of the Legion’s Sixth Company, watches his entire command wiped out in an ambush. Only sheer luck saves him—though badly injured and lying under a pile of corpses. The next thing he knows, he’s waking up in a secret base where Duke Dyrund informs him he has been chosen to lead a top-secret troop of specialized warriors. The only problem is he must give up everything in his life and become a shadow warrior. Accepting this onerous duty, Aravon trains his men—and one woman. They are the elite and have a mission that is plain old crazy if not suicidal! But, through battle after bloody battle, Aravon and his troop struggle on, defying the odds at every turn. The only question: will their luck hold?

Andy Peloquin is a master of dark fantasy! For readers interested in fighting action set in a complex and fascinating fantasy world, “Shields in Shadow” is the ticket! A battle-fest, full of detailed descriptions of the blood, gore and battle stratagems. Readers looking for something deeper, however, will likely be disappointed. The story begins with battle and doesn’t get much deeper. The world building, while interesting and necessary in a first book in a series, is so complex it may leave readers wanting a map to orient themselves. The battle scenes, which gleefully detail every swing, unfortunately become rather repetitive, leaving little room for character development. The one female in the troop, for instance, seems to be just one of the guys. That said, with its intriguing premise, Mr. Peloquin’s new series will delight fans looking for action, medieval weapons, and the art of war!

Marc Joseph