Review of A Shield in the Shadows

[mmm17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Shield in the Shadows" by Cheryl Bristow.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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A Shield in the Shadows, a historical fiction novel by Cheryl Bristow, takes place in 405 and 406 AD. Its protagonist, a beautiful sixteen-year-old named Theona, flees her village in Germania (modern-day Poland), the only Christian settlement within forty miles, after a violent attack by the Huns. Theona's mother gets killed in the attack, and her little brother Wolfric goes missing, possibly kidnapped by the Huns. Theona and her father Rhodus, a missionary, join a caravan of hundreds of thousands of barbarians led by Radagaisus, a vicious warlord who plans to invade the Roman Empire. Radagaisus is a pagan who vowed to burn Rome to the ground. However, two young Roman tribunes, eighteen-year-old Marius Ausonius and his friend Flavius Eucherius, son of General Stilicho, are prepared to defend the Roman Empire from this threat. Against this rich historical background, a tightly spun web of war and love gets woven.

There are several positives to this excellent book. Firstly, I liked the story's historical and cultural backdrop. This aspect was what I enjoyed the most. The historical background gets masterfully depicted, and it frames the narrative nicely. For instance, I appreciated how the author described a siege carried out by the Roman military, but no spoilers are allowed! In short, the saga gets narrated against vividly painted contexts, and the book seems to be well-researched. The author skillfully provides several historical facts, explanations, and details, including maps and a glossary, which I enjoyed. Bristow achieves this without seeming preachy or laborious, making for a gripping and fun read.

Additionally, amid all the turmoil, there's an engaging and nuanced love story with coming-of-age elements. Theona's personal life and the unfolding war are both fundamental points of focus in the story, and the author pieces them together beautifully. Therefore, what begins as a tale of war turns into a far richer novel.

The characters are also well-developed. I particularly liked the author's portrayal of Roderic, Radagaisus's younger son and one of Theona's suitors. He's a rich and complex character conflicted between his loyalty to his father, who hates Christians, and his love for Theona, who uses the Bible, the only book in their language, to teach him to read and write in Gothic.

Lastly, I rate A Shield in the Shadows 4 out of 4 stars. I found no noteworthy negative points in this outstanding book. The editing seemed clean and professional, for I found no errors. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those who appreciate reading about wars. Also, if you like stories involving the Roman Empire, you should consider it.

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A Shield in the Shadows
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[Mbenma Esther 080]

I don't know what historical fiction can be without an element of war. This story did justice to that. Thanks for the review

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your review. It seems the author has done intense research to create the historical context for this book, especially the Roman background.

[Michelle Menezes]

Historical fiction is not my genre, so I won't be reading this one, but it does seem well written. You mentioned that the book has a glossary, maps, and information that is researched properly, which is something I like in books such as these. It helps the reader connect with the content and understand it in depth, so I commend the author for her efforts.
Thank you for a detailed review!

[Satwik Mohanty]

Historical fiction with good narration sounds quite appealing. I wonder how the concepts of love and war are portrayed in this book. Thanks for the detailed review!

[PeterRabitt20]

I applaud the author's diligence in the research and the plot-building. I like the various themes included, romance, thrill-suspension, and realistic fiction. Thanks for the review.

[kiki2881]

I like this theme about empires and kingdoms specially when religions are involved. It's nice to read materials that give us a glimpse of other religions and that world. I also liked how the time set in the story influenced the plot. Although the story doesn't center about gods, but I do hope Bristow mentions them in the story.

[Amprye]

This book looks quite intriguing. The combination of the historical background and the thrilling fictional plot are sure to be interesting. Congratulations on book of the day!

[Leen282]

The Roman empire is one of my favorite settings for historical fiction. I like it that the heavy topic of war gets combined with a coming of age love story. Great review!

[Timothy Rucinski]

I'm not much of a fan of historical fiction with an underlying Christian theme, so this book isn't for me. However, from the sections that I read, the author is a wonderful writer. Her descriptions of events and her characterizations are quite believable. Congratulations on BOTD!

[Kirsi Cultrera]

Well-researched historical fiction with good characters is definitely a book worth of checking out! This story takes place during a time period I know nothing about, but it sounds like the author did her homework well. I wonder what happened to little Wolfrick, did they maybe find him later on in the story? And what happens to Theona and her father, as it sounds like they picked a wrong side, taking in consideration that Romans are probably not easy to conquer.

Thanks for an intriguing review!

[Reema Aydieh]

The story sounds fascinating but historical fiction isn’t my thing. But the suspense and thriller elements add more to it.

[Kaushiki Parihar]

Well, I don't appreciate reading about wars, but I can consider this book for its involvement of Roman Empires. Thanks for the great review.

[Aan Granados]

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, as well as Romance and war stories. Looks like this book has all these elements. Thanks for your review.

[Novela book]

It seems intriguing and worth a read. It has elements of war in historical fiction which is one of my interests. Great review.