Shield Maiden, Sharon Emmerichs
Shield Maiden, Sharon Emmerichs
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

Shield Maiden

Author: Sharon Emmerichs

Narrator: Victoria Fox

Unabridged: 12 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Redhook

Published: 10/03/2023

Synopsis

Both epic and intimate, Shield Maiden is the brilliantly imagined retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of a fierce young woman reclaiming her power. Fryda has grown up hearing tales of her uncle, King Beowulf, and his spectacular defeat of the monstrous Grendel. Her one desire is to become a shield maiden in her own right, but a terrible accident during her childhood has thwarted this dream. Yet still, somehow, she feels an uncontrollable power begin to rise within herself. The last thing Fryda wants is to be forced into a political marriage, especially as her heart belongs to her lifelong friend, Theow. However, as foreign kings and chieftains descend upon her home to celebrate Beowulf's fifty years as the king of Geatland, the partnership begins to seem inevitable. That is, until, amidst the lavish gifts and drunken revelry, a discovery is made that threatens the safety of Fryda's entire clan – and her own life. Incensed by this betrayal, Fryda resolves to fight for her people no matter the cost. As a queen should. As a shield maiden would. And as the perilous situation worsens, Fryda's powers seem only to grow stronger. But she is not the only one to feel the effects of her new-found battle-magic. For, buried deep in her gilded lair, a dragon is drawn to Fryda's untamed power, and is slowly awakening from a long, cursed sleep...

Reviews

Goodreads review by Shauna on January 25, 2023

So I haven’t enjoyed much YA fantasy romance recently. I’ve found issues of consent and grumpy male love interests to be the main culprits. I only mention this because Shield Maiden is a welcome relief to what is currently on the market. We have both a captivating female protagonist called Fryda and......more

Goodreads review by Justin on May 05, 2025

This novel by Sharon Emmerichs was an absolutely brilliant and moving read. The book truly captures the powerful Nordic spirit found in the old Norse sagas and myths. The story explores betrayal, lust, love, friendship, identity, community, and the power of myth. As you read through the book, one ca......more

Goodreads review by kay on November 09, 2022

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing this ARC. This was a mixed bag. I read Beowulf for college and enjoyed both the content and analysis, I love Norse mythology and historical fiction so this looked like a really promising read. However, it tried to be so many things at once it just......more

Goodreads review by Hannah on March 13, 2023

Aah, I wanted to love this so much more than I did. I've said previously that slow pacing doesn't tend to put me off - but I just needed something, anything, to happen for much of this book. Maybe I needed to be more familiar with Beowulf to appreciate it more - I think it also suffered from the boo......more

Goodreads review by Julie on October 06, 2023

Shield Maiden is a unique reimagining of Beowulf’s last battle with the dragon but told from his niece’s point of view. I buddy read this with Leah from Leah’s Books, and we had some amazing conversations comparing this story to our recollections of the original and discussing the plot, characters,......more

Quotes

"A rousing and romantic mythological fantasy that boasts a heroine with a generous spirit, an unshakable will and a dragon's fury."—H. M. Long, author of the Hall of Smoke series

"Casts a superb spell...Shimmering with detail, with a propulsive plot to match."—D. K. Fields, author of the Tales of Fenest series

"Fantastic fun...An entrancing story of power and peril, presenting a side to the sagas we have never seen before."—Ian Green, author of The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath

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