Book Review - THE LAST SHIELD by Cameron Johnston

 

(Title: The Last Shield / Author: Cameron Johnston / Publisher: Angry Robot Books / Publication Date: August 13, 2024 / Total Pages: 400)

Back Cover Blurb

A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle, Cameron Johnston's The Last Shield is an engaging fantasy read, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Mark Lawrence. 

The ancient forest realm of Sunweald is bordered on two sides by far mightier nations - a precarious situation. At its centre, The Sunweald Palace is home to the Lord Regent and heir to the throne, together with numerous precious and powerful artefacts. The palace is protected by the realm's elite Shields, dedicated to guarding the royal line against all foes. A group of vicious brigands called the Wildwood Reivers have been stealing arcane artefacts and smuggling them across the the borders, out of Sunweald. And the objects they most desire are stored in the mystical Wyrm Vault, hidden away deep in the bones of the earth, within the walls of the Palace itself.

As political and religious tensions mount, Sunweald's druids prepare to enact rituals for the Summer Solstice - but the Wildwood Reivers and their treacherous allies have other plans. It falls to Briar, the commander of the Shields, to defend the ancient corridors and secret tunnels of the Palace. The odds may be against her, but she'll see every enemy head adorning a spike or she'll die trying...

Review

Cam Johnston has written some of my favorite fantasy books. From his brilliant debut duology Age of Tyranny to his standalone gem The Maleficent Seven, he always brings the goods when it comes to writing original and exciting stories filled with outstanding characters. Likewise, Johnston's latest book THE LAST SHIELD is also a standalone and I can't tell you how refreshing that is in an industry where trilogies and lengthy series seem to be the norm. It's nice to actually be able to sit back and enjoy a book that you know is going to be a full story with a "no cliffhangers" final resolution at the end. And I have to say that I enjoyed every heart-pounding minute of this one.

Thrill ride doesn't even begin to describe this book and how nonstop the intense action is. From the very first page we are thrown into a devious conspiracy and it doesn't really let up from there as a sinister plot is launched and it falls upon the severely battle-injured main character Briar to protect a bratty and frankly prickish prince and heir to the throne from a seemingly endless group of deadly assassins. Physically hampered though she may be, Briar also knows every secret tunnel and escape route within the palace like the back of her hand and she will need to rely on her cunning, experience, and sheer force of will to deny the conniving scoundrels the prize they want.

Cameron Johnston pulls off a neat trick in this one as I found myself rooting so hard for the main character even though the person she is protecting is in large part one of the most dislikeable characters you will ever encounter in the beginning of this story. However, Briar herself is such a resilient person who is all about loyalty and duty that it's hard not to be fully invested in hoping for her eventual success. She's been through a lot and yet still puts her own pain and challenges to the side in order to protect those she is charged with protecting and bring justice to those who have turned traitor to the kingdom.

I can't say enough great things about THE LAST SHIELD. This is a book that takes you on a thrilling chase filled with dark underground passageways, countless moments of uncertain dangers, and some of the most wildly engaging storytelling, period. If you haven't read a Cameron Johnston book yet you are cheating yourself out of one of the most imaginative voices in the genre. The guy quite simply delivers every single time and THE LAST SHIELD only solidifies his place as a huge force to be reckoned with. Preorder this immediately because you aren't going to want to waste one single second to read it once it is officially released in August. This is thoroughly entertaining stuff that will satisfy even the most finicky of readers.

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