I love this series and I'm very happy to report that it starts off quickly. If you're like me and need a refresher from where the story left off there's a great short description of the main characters at the beginning of the book. There are further reminders of what happened as you read on so it's an easy to story to jump back into. There is a time jump so the one year that Kingfountain had to prepare itself is almost up as the story begins. This book is fast paced and hard to put down. The action moves quickly and Trynne faces a lot of challenges. This book wraps up with a very different pivot going into the next book. Between this book and the last one I tried to delve into the author's previous series of books since he said they are connected to this one. It's not until close to the end that it becomes clear about the overlap. You definitely don't need to have read them to understand this book. I'm excited to see what's in store for Trynne and Kingfountain in the next book.

I have read all the books in this series and I'm never disappointed. I can't wait for the last book and see how it all comes together.

The Silent Shield is the 5th book in the Kingfountain series and the penultimate book of those announced. If you have not read this series, I implore you to give it a try and to become emotionally invested in the characters; their triumphs and their defeats.

Like with the previous book, The Silent Shield focuses mainly on Tryneowny Kiskaddon and her life and training. She is an Oath Maiden and was finally given permission to train others as well. Although the previous book had tragic events, the ones in this book were a punch to the gut. I found myself teary eyed through several sections. The writing is well done especially in those scenes.

Gahalantine, the new bad guy of the story from Chandigarl has given them one year to prepare; and that year is over. And I cannot wait to see what happens following the events of the last chapters. There is so much more to be uncovered and who can you trust?

**Possible spoilers for The Hollow Crown**

I'm so excited to have finally gotten my hands on this!! It did not disappoint. The Silent Shield sees the continuing adventures of Trneowy Kiskaddon in her quest to become an Oath Maiden, earn the seat of the Siege Perilous, and protect her King. I absolutely love this series. I cannot recommend it enough to fellow fantasy fans. Books 3-6 in particular, are reimaginings of Arthurian myth. (King Drew is Arthur, Queen Genevieve is Guinevere, Trynne is Lancelot, Morwena is Morgana, and there is a Merlin, but he is not present in this book.)

In each of the books, there is a short interlude in the chapters, often written by someone whose viewpoint we do not see or know. In this one, it was Owen Kiskaddon, and his story, told in short paragraphs was every bit as interesting as Trynne's. Owen Kiskaddon is one of my favorite fantasy heroes of this year, and seeing how he was handling his abduction had me on edge. This is the single biggest cliffhanger in The Silent Shield. I won't spoil it further by saying why.

I've said it before, I'm sure I'll say it again, but Wheeler is not afraid to put his characters through hell. There are ups and downs and they are all felt, every joy, every sadness. I was reading this on my lunch break today and I felt tears coming on, and I wasn't even sure why. Every book is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Mostly because of the characters. They are real and complex and flawed. The best ones are every shade of gray. You never know who to trust or who not to trust. You want to trust them all and know you shouldn't.

The writing is beautiful but wonderfully accessible. These are easy, fun reads and can be enjoyed in just a couple of days. The world building is rich and full of intricate details, different societies, different cultures. The magic system fascinates me and I love how Wheeler employs it.

I won't spoil the ending, but the only reason I gave this four stars and not five was because it felt a little too convenient. There is a whole other book due out in a couple of months, and I'm very intrigued to see where it is going. This almost felt like it could have been the end to the series, but I'm glad it isn't.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy!

The Silent Shield by Jeff Wheeler is the fifth entry in this series that I originally thought would be a trilogy.

The threatened invasion by Gahalatine and his powerful Wizrs, the disappearance of Own Kiskaddon, the departure of King Andrew's own powerful Wizr has Kingfountain in turmoil.

Trynne, who misses her father and must face the immediate departure of her mother, must put her concerns aside and focus on who might be willing to betray the kingdom. Her two top suspects include Fallon, the man she has cared for since childhood, and her mother's apprentice, a friend she no longer trusts.

An excellent addition to this series that transforms both British history and the Arthurian legends into a fantasy that provides intriguing characters and suspenseful action. My only quibble was the conclusion, but perhaps this is a result of a modern outlook. And anyway, there is one more book to come that might resolve my personal issue!

Read in June; blog review scheduled for Aug. 3

NetGalley/47 North

Fantasy. Aug. 22, 2017. Print length: 304 pages.

Excellent continuation of the series. I loved that Trynne is still the main character. I worried that the jump from Owen to Trynne as the main character in the previous book would make the series lose momentum, but it did not. A Silent Shield proves that the saga still continues very strongly with Trynne. Great worldbuilding and character development.