Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire (Forerunner Series Book 4) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review by Francis O’Sullivan

Kara Shieldmaiden of Eire by Jay Veloso Batista
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire is the fourth book in the Forerunner Series of Viking fantasy books. It’s definitely worth reading the books in order, although this book does open with a recap of the series so far.
The story follows members of a family who are having adventures across the Viking world. As the title suggests, Kara is in Ireland getting caught up in conflict between Christian and Pagan communities and trying to prove herself as a Shieldmaiden. Her older brother Cub finds his skills as a linguist as useful as his fighting skills in France. The story jumps between perspectives, with youngest brother Finn connecting the dispersed family with his vardoger abilities. It can be frustrating at times to jump to a different part of the story just when you’re getting engrossed, but then it keeps you reading until you return to that character!
I particularly like all the historical and geographic detail in this book. It’s great getting to see what different areas might have been like at the time, with information such as trade and governing systems coming through the story. We even know who washes and who doesn’t (poor Sorven, living the unhygienic life outside the law…)
This is a five-star read for me. I’d recommend it for fans of action-packed historical stories. It’s great for older teens and young adults (and older adults too…). If you’re new to the series, though, do start with Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse to get to know the characters and enjoy the story in order.

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