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Jay Veloso Batista
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Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire (Forerunner Series Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Jay Veloso Batista (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 93 ratings
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Winner of the 2023 Readers' Favorite Bronze medal for Epic Fantasy Fiction! Battles and adventure crisscross the Viking Age! From monumental sea clashes to beleaguered mountain strongholds to war with the tribes of Eire, circumstance drives the scattered Agneson clan across the known world. And beyond the lands of Midgard, mythic hidden folk challenge our forerunner hero. The award-winning Forerunner Series epic continues....

Fleeing an arranged marriage, Kara escapes across the narrow sea to follow her warrior dreams. Escaping slavery, Cub joins Rollo's horde in Britany, while his outlawed brother Sorven fights for survival in the Welsh mountains. Uncle Karl and his warriors rally to Harald Tanglehair in his ambition to unify the wild kingdoms of the North Way, and young Thorfinn is left behind, safe and secure in a tiny fishing village... or is he?

Kara gains her place in king of Dublinn's ranks to prove her mettle, but being a warrior is not what she expected, and what of these new feelings she finds for her closest companion? Will Karl and his crew perish in the great battle of Hafrsfjord? And how will an unprepared Thorfinn survive kidnapping by an 8-armed giant, leaving behind worried friends and a very angry dragon?

Don't miss this 5-star epic fantasy critics are calling "whimsical and gritty," with "fabulous, engaging characters." If you enjoy the history of The Last Kingdom and Nordic myths and legends, the Forerunner Series is a grand tale not to be missed!
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  1. Book 4 of 4
    Forerunner Series
  2. Print length
    400 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2022
  5. Reading age
    16 - 18 years
  6. Grade level
    11 - 12
  7. File size
    6.4 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A masterpiece mixture of Viking history, lore, and magic... a reader will understand and enjoy the narrative from the very first lines.... For me, the highlight of the story is the seamless manner in which the supernatural and magic are woven into the fabric of the narrative. Ghosts, fairies, elves, Viking gods, nine realms, witches, dragon worms, and even an eight-armed giant do not seem out of place in this Norse world and for me, this lifts the book above others in the Viking genre. This is a fantastic read in a wonderful series." --5-star review by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorites

"Kara is as fierce as they come. She's authentic and feels like a flesh and blood young woman, and I think many who read this book will, hopefully, see strength in young women they know that reflects what Batista builds in Kara. My apologies to Kara, though, because the true star of this book is Sorven and his often hilarious take on the Welsh village he did not choose to be in. If you happen to sleep next to someone who cannot tolerate snort-laughing, it's best to save this novel for the daytime. This is a wonderfully well-written, engaging, and wholly engrossing novel, and I've no doubt others with the wisdom to pick it up will feel the same way." --5-star review by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

"Kara's character arc is first-rate and she goes from strong to stronger, until a stunning and completely unexpected plot maneuver sends her into full berserker mode. In a terrifying instant, she is a warrior grown and a young woman broken. The irony is crushing and having grown to love the granddaughter of Ironfist, my heart crumbled. I died a little inside when casualties ran rampant... You would think by being four books into the series that not much can elevate a reader to shock and awe yet Batista keeps the clanking swords and witchy sorcery coming. Very highly recommended." --5-star review by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

"Every page full of suspense, action, and engaging characters! There isn't a moment that I couldn't envision with the vivid imagery included in each scene... distinct character personalities bring the story alive, with humorous events mixed into the serious battle scenes. I was on the edge of my seat because of the unpredictable nature of the story. The conclusion of this story floored me, as I never would have thought the story would turn again. I am eager to read the sequel. I recommend Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire, to readers who like fantasy stories with a colorful array of characters." --5-star review by Stephanie Chapman for Readers' Favorites

"Four equally compelling subplots within this amazing tale, and you will not be able to put the book down until you know the outcome... a fully engrossing tale deftly woven on multiple paths in parallel. The characters are all crafted superbly with much attention to detail being applied consistent with the period and societal behaviors of Viking society. This is equally true for the relationships that are developed, and there is a wonderful variety of these, all unique and substantial in depth and quality. The bond between Kara and Kaelan which develops over time is very real, and greatly enhances the impact of one of the shock elements within the overall plot. Kara, Shieldmaiden Of Eire is definitely a book I would recommend to all those who love quality writing, amazing adventures, intense action, camaraderie, mythology, and the spirit of times past when legends were born." --5-Star review by Steven Robson for Readers' Favorites

From the Author

Teenaged Kara has run away from an arranged marriage and like every young warrior, she feels invincible. She soon learns that being a shieldmaiden for the King of Dublinn is not as easy as she thought! Her older brothers are scattered across the Viking world--from Norway to Wales to the Britany coast, the family fights to earn their way. And her youngest brother Thorfinn, a vardoger who nightly leaves his body to travel the realm between the nine realms, tries his best to help... only to fall prey to a mythical giant, raised from the dead! This is a story of historic battles, love and heartbreak, humor, vengence and untimely death. This is book four of the Forerunner Series.

Do you like history and legends? Enjoy the gritty realism of TV's Vikings or the multi-character fantasy of The Song of Ice and Fire? Want Viking Age drama and adventures like 'The Last Kingdom' wiht a dash fo fantasy... then this is a series you'll love!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09PGR1PD2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ DRAVEL LLC; 1st edition (August 15, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0B5KQVGCQ
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 93 ratings

About the author

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Jay Veloso Batista

Jay Veloso Batista

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Jay Veloso Batista is a published author of Historical Fantasy and Supernatural Suspense, technical non-fiction, poetry and role playing games. The 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Awards has selected THORFINN AND THE WITCH's CURSE as a BRONZE Medal Winner and THE VARDOGER BOY as a Red Ribbon Winner in the Teenage Reader Category. The Forerunner Series includes ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse,’ 'The Vardoger Boy,' 'On Viking Seas,' and coming in 2022, 'Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire (2022).' Jay loves history, cycling and hiking, and good craft beer! A frequent traveler for business and pleasure, Jay has visited all 50 states and all of the continents except Antarctica, and the places he has frequented support his story craft. A father and grandfather, Jay lives on the eastern Delaware shore with his wife where they can kayak, swim in the ocean and eat lots of blue fin crabs! You can learn more about Jay at www.jayvelosobatista.com or on his Facebook Author page.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
93 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the storytelling vivid and evocative. They appreciate the historical fiction with suspense, action, and adventure. The characters are well-developed and strong. Readers describe the book as an enjoyable page-turner and say the series keeps getting better.

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8 customers mention "Storytelling"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the storytelling vivid and engaging. They describe the book as an epic tale with fascinating twists and turns. Readers appreciate the author's skill in weaving together the storylines and blending history, myth, and magic. Overall, they consider it an engaging mix of Viking history, magic, and adventure.

"...The characters are great. The historical events are well imagined and described as I don't think there's a lot of known facts about them for the..." Read more

"...Kara’s life as a warrior is full of particularly fascinating twists & turns. This is a terrific read & an absolute page-turner!" Read more

"This story is an engaging mix of Viking history, magic, and action with Kara as a very likable and strong character...." Read more

"...Highly recommend this series to whoever enjoys fantasy and well detail of its history." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They find the female character strong and the story engaging.

"Love the book and the whole series. The characters are great...." Read more

"...The story is full of captivating characters. The author does a nice job of weaving together the storylines along the way...." Read more

"...Viking history, magic, and action with Kara as a very likable and strong character...." Read more

"The character development keeps getting better, and I enjoy Kara and Cub growing every book in the series...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They describe it as a page-turner and say the series keeps getting better.

"Love the book and the whole series. The characters are great...." Read more

"Riveting & well-written, Book 4 in the Forerunner Series is an incredibly fun read. The story is full of captivating characters...." Read more

"The “Forerunner” series just keeps getting better and better...." Read more

"Wonderful, Transporting Tale..." Read more

Wonderful, Transporting Tale
5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful, Transporting Tale
I most highly recommend this, the fourth book of the Forerunner Saga! It is an exciting, believable, and absorbing read, continuing the adventures of the daughters and sons of Agne Alfenson as they grow to live, fight, and love in the world of 9th Century Danelaw. The evocative story transports you from the green magic of Eire where fourteen-year-old Kara Agnesdatter gallantly wields Wolftongue, her clan’s ancestral blade; to the fecund shores of Brittany with Agne’s eldest son, who stands by Rolf the Conqueror; from the wandering hills of Wales where young Sorven Agneson struggles to find his way; and to the far, fearsome seas in the North with the boy forerunner himself, Thorfinn Agneson, his protective dragon, and his commanding uncle Karl.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Ben Brabbin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Love the book and the whole series. The characters are great. The historical events are well imagined and described as I don't think there's a lot of known facts about them for the most part.
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  • Doug
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Spellbinding Adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Riveting & well-written, Book 4 in the Forerunner Series is an incredibly fun read. The story is full of captivating characters. The author does a nice job of weaving together the storylines along the way. Kara’s life as a warrior is full of particularly fascinating twists & turns. This is a terrific read & an absolute page-turner!
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  • Lisa Papp
    5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging historical fantasy fiction with a strong female character
    Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This story is an engaging mix of Viking history, magic, and action with Kara as a very likable and strong character. The ongoing growth of Kara as a warrior and the twists and turns of the plot and sub-plots kept me entertained all the way through. If you're a fan of historical fiction with suspense, action, and adventure, this is a book (and series) for you.
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  • J.K. Thomas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love the cover
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The character development keeps getting better, and I enjoy Kara and Cub growing every book in the series. Highly recommend this series to whoever enjoys fantasy and well detail of its history.
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  • Omz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Transformative
    Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Kara is a force to reckon with, thus emerging to and from the real growth of mastery.

    Read her journey and find out how she gets into rousing battles.

    It is not a let down, in my opinion the battles got way to detail driven.

    All in all, highly recommended
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  • ibex
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, Transporting Tale
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I most highly recommend this, the fourth book of the Forerunner Saga! It is an exciting, believable, and absorbing read, continuing the adventures of the daughters and sons of Agne Alfenson as they grow to live, fight, and love in the world of 9th Century Danelaw. The evocative story transports you from the green magic of Eire where fourteen-year-old Kara Agnesdatter gallantly wields Wolftongue, her clan’s ancestral blade; to the fecund shores of Brittany with Agne’s eldest son, who stands by Rolf the Conqueror; from the wandering hills of Wales where young Sorven Agneson struggles to find his way; and to the far, fearsome seas in the North with the boy forerunner himself, Thorfinn Agneson, his protective dragon, and his commanding uncle Karl.
    Customer image
    ibex
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Wonderful, Transporting Tale

    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2022
    I most highly recommend this, the fourth book of the Forerunner Saga! It is an exciting, believable, and absorbing read, continuing the adventures of the daughters and sons of Agne Alfenson as they grow to live, fight, and love in the world of 9th Century Danelaw. The evocative story transports you from the green magic of Eire where fourteen-year-old Kara Agnesdatter gallantly wields Wolftongue, her clan’s ancestral blade; to the fecund shores of Brittany with Agne’s eldest son, who stands by Rolf the Conqueror; from the wandering hills of Wales where young Sorven Agneson struggles to find his way; and to the far, fearsome seas in the North with the boy forerunner himself, Thorfinn Agneson, his protective dragon, and his commanding uncle Karl.
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  • Creativeheart
    5.0 out of 5 stars Viking action and adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is the 4th book in the Forerunner Series by Jay Batista. I would highly recommend reading the first three books to get a feeling for the characters and the circumstances that have led them to the precarious places they are at the beginning of this book. You will find you become quite attached to them all! Jay has done a great job of blending history, Norse myth, and magic. He blends tragedy and love, as each character grows to accept their destiny, while, in the case of our teenage heroes, experiencing first love and first loss. There is plenty of action (be advised that there are cringe-worthy battle scenes), but also humor. Magical creatures both interfere and aid in human interaction, with surprising outcomes for our characters. Be kind to your dragon, you might need him someday...
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  • Stephan Barclay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I thought Kara was a great character, she became a warrior and is able to prove her worth to the king she ends up serving.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • MP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great 👍
    Reviewed in India on October 30, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Through breathtaking battles, mystical encounters, and poignant character moments, "The Forerunner Series" transports readers to a Viking world that feels both fantastical and raw. This epic family tale will undoubtedly leave readers eagerly awaiting the next adventure in the Agneson saga. For anyone who loves historical fantasy infused with Norse legend, this series is not to be missed.
    Report
  • James
    5.0 out of 5 stars A series that keeps on giving!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire by Jay Veloso Batista is a captivating blend of historical fiction and fantasy. The novel beautifully captures the fierce spirit of Kara, a young shieldmaiden navigating the treacherous, ancient world. Batista's vivid descriptions and well-researched historical details immerse readers in a richly textured setting. Kara's journey is both inspiring and exhilarating, filled with battles, alliances, and moments of profound personal growth. The character development is exceptional, and the plot is engaging from start to finish. This book is a must-read for fans of strong female protagonists and immersive, well-crafted storytelling. Really looking forward to book five!
    Report
  • Lars-Ingemar Lundström
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Viking saga continues and evolves
    Reviewed in Sweden on July 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    In the exciting fourth book of Forerunner Saga we continue to follow Thorfinn and his siblings in their Viking era adventures. Thorfinn, his brothers Cub and Sorven as well as their sister Kara are each experiencing their own exciting fate in different locations. Much of the story centers around Kara who wants to become a warrior and goes to Viking age Ireland. However Thorfinn, being a wardogger at night, keeps a close eye on and helps them as well as his other relatives by traveling through the Realm Between and the story also takes place in Great Britain as well as in parts of present day Norway and France.
    In Kara Shieldmaiden of Eire, as in the previous books in the series, you will find a perfect mixture of fantasy and historical drama.
    What I like the most about these books is that they describe the life of the Vikings in a very believable way. You experience the atmosphere including smells, sounds and other details of an era long gone. Particularly I think that the large number of fights and battles of the fourth book are described in an interesting and compelling way. I’m especially impressed by the large Viking ship battle at the end of the book.
    The fantasy parts are well woven into the story in a way that makes them seem natural and real. This reflects the beliefs of the Vikings and their way to see the world and their gods.
    The fascinating character set has developed throughout this series of books. They all express their feelings ranging from hate to love in a very compelling way. This also applies to the fantasy characters occupying the various realms in the story. They seem real, having their own thoughts and feelings.
    The author has spent a lot of time researching early Nordic history, folklore and language. Having Swedish as my native language and being familiar with Norwegian and Danish I see that names and words describing objects are selected in an authentic way. This very much contributes to the atmosphere of the old Nordic Viking era making you feel as if you are actually there.
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  • Omega nine
    5.0 out of 5 stars Epic adventure
    Reviewed in Australia on October 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The book has it all… with full of historical aspects. The author is masterful at weaving intricate details and I felt I was right there with the characters. Speaking of characters- I feel Kara’s was well developed and I throughly enjoyed it.

    If you like historical fiction mixed with action adventure and paranormal elements, this one is for you.
    Report
  • Tom
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Read
    Reviewed in India on October 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    In this installment, the Agneson family is scattered across different lands and situations, each character facing unique challenges that add new layers to the story. Kara, a spirited young woman escaping an arranged marriage, heads across the sea to pursue her dream of becoming a warrior. Her journey captures both the strength and vulnerability of a woman stepping outside societal norms in pursuit of honor and independence.
    Report

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