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 tostand 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 heroshe’s destined to be? She may not be the hero they desire, but she is the one who will answer the call.

In Shield of the King, MB Mooney masterfully crafts an epic fantasy adventure, captivating readers of all ages. Prepare to be swept away by a richly imagined world, where magic and might collide, and where Elowen’s unwavering determination lights the way through the darkest of times.

If you enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff, you’ll be enthralled with Shield of the King by award-winning fantasy author MB Mooney!

MB Mooney believes Great Stories Change the World, and he loves to live and tell great stories. In the 2nd grade, Mooney was bored and getting in trouble, so his teacher said, “Why don’t you write me a story?” He’s been writing science fiction and fantasy stories ever since. Check out his YouTube channel, Great Stories Change the World, for reviews and tips on writing. MB Mooney lives in the Atlanta, GA area with his amazing wife, three creative kids, and a mischievous dog. You will often find him fueled by coffee and rocking out to heavy metal when he writes.

In Shield of the King by MB Mooney, from a very young age, Elowen was trained as a warrior by her father, the former Shield of the King and a general. However, there is one problem. Women had always been kept away from power positions within the kingdom. When Elowen’s father is called back out of retirement and into the king’s service, Elowen insists she go along and fight beside her father. With her mother dead, he is the only person in her life, and she refuses to be left alone. Elowen is trained as a warrior and believes she can help her father in whatever quest the king has for him. The pair soon learns of the assassination attempts on the king’s life, and this is why Natanel has been called out of retirement. Her father believes Elowen can gain information from the other competitors in the Kalia, a combative event to find the best warrior in the kingdom. Elowen battles during the day and travels secretly with her father into the northern part of the realm to visit his old spy network. As the rebellion is exposed and Elowen uncovers long-buried secrets, her world and life are threatened. She discovers she must fight for her beliefs and find a way to exist in a corrupt kingdom. How will she live once all the lies are revealed? MB Mooney’s character development is exceptional. The reader will be able to clearly visualize each character introduced. The characters are deep, well-constructed, and brilliantly developed. Every new scene that unfolds allows the reader to enjoy and picture everything the characters are seeing, hearing, and feeling. At times, in some books, plots can get muddy, but this is not the case with Shield of the King. Mooney’s plot is well-developed, laid out, and planned. There is absolutely nothing negative I can say about this book. I applaud the author who has thoroughly entertained me, taken me on a journey into the Elven kingdom, and enveloped me in a storyline I completely enjoyed. This book will definitely appeal to young adults, fantasy lovers, and general readers. Well done! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Shield of the King
by MB Mooney
Yorkshire Publishing

book review by Kat Kennedy

"You’re not alone, Elowen. You have friends. If you want them."

In the small, quiet town of Rami, retired general and champion warrior Natanel secretly trains his young daughter, Elowen, in sword fighting and defense tactics. Elowen’s dream is to fight with the Desert Corps as her father had before her. Unfortunately, in their society female elves are not allowed to be educated, much less join the army. When a summons from the king arrives, Elowen discovers that her father’s past holds secrets. The trusted general had been in service as Shield of the King, and now King Yacob has called him back into service because of an uprising in the capital. As Natanel prepares to travel, Elowen insists she accompany him. When they arrive at the capital, the city is preparing for the Kaila in which “elves, humans, and dwarves from across Eres come to celebrate and compete in peace.” Will Natanel stop the insurrection and keep the king safe? Will Elowen earn the respect of the Elven and prove her worth as a fighter?

Mooney creates a fascinating world of characters and creatures that immediately pulls the reader into the story. His writing is tight with beautifully descriptive language, well-rounded characters, and thrilling plot twists. Descriptions of battles and tournament fighting are intriguing. The author writes in an engaging style that invites readers into this world. The backstory of Elowen’s deceased mother, whom the king calls a traitor, is captivating. When the truth is revealed, Elowen must reconcile her feelings for both father and mother whose motives she doesn’t fully understand. As she discovers some hard facts about both her parents and the kingdom, she must decide where to make a stand in a complicated and painful situation. Luckily, she has befriended fellow tournament contestants and will not have to stand alone. This page-turner does not disappoint.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Book 1 of the fantasy Elowen series, Shield of the King, introduces a kingdom where a girl is trained to be a warrior by her father, who is a general. This is extraordinary because, in this world, women are not trained for positions of power; much less daughters who have been expelled from school for the temerity of correcting an instructor during a lesson.

Elowen's elf father has both bowed to the extreme repression of females and defied it, in his own way, by seeing that his daughter received unprecedented opportunities to learn and grow. His teachings come home to roost in an extraordinary opportunity when a plot to assassinate the king brings the retired general back into action, his daughter at his side.

Nobody wants a hero who is considered a rebellious loser. And yet, Elowen doesn't think of herself as such. Thankfully. She joins her father in the quest to thwart the enemy, in the process also deftly defying the status quo that has kept women repressed and preserved the secrets and corruption that are infecting and destroying the kingdom.

MB Mooney crafts a heartfelt story of a young girl seeking to learn more about her mother, striving to overcome the limitations set by her society and kingdom and joining at her father's side in a role women typically don't experience.

From a Tournament which changes her abilities and challenges her role even further to facing down the Ruchali, along with the training she's received about who they are, Mooney creates a satisfying dichotomy between personalities, groups, and events. This continually tests perceptions of good and evil in the kingdom Elowen navigates both with and without her father, driven by further lessons on how these elements intersect with her life and future:

"We are stupid. Less than elven, right? Savages. Animals. When we fight for our own rights, for our own survival, we are monsters, evil.”

“You kill innocents,” I said. “You want chaos and death.”

“That’s what your father told you,” Bhelen said.

“Yes.”

On the face of it, Shield of the King is about rebellion and struggle. Look deeper to see that it also is about a young woman who tackles not only her own abilities and place in the world, but the ideals and prejudices which lay in her own heart.

Young adult and adult readers will find it much more multifaceted than the usual fantasy, filled with political, social, and psychological revelations that temper action with thought-provoking moments of introspection and growth.

The character of Elowen is likeable and involving, but equally compelling are the enemies and friends around her who each lend their own visions and perceptions to her growing world.

Libraries interested in fantasy stories that embrace such disparate themes as the growing powers of young women, their ability to navigate repression and opportunity, and the corruption in and possibilities of a kingdom's redemption will find much to like and highly recommend in the vivid Shield of the King.