"Fine epic fantasy"

The free People of the Shield of the Sky are all women, a self-sustaining community that only uses males to get pregnant so their community will have fresh blood. The chosen that are selected mate with the Aliuri, shapeshifters that are children of the Deva spirits of the sky, water, and earth. Rhena was not called but went up to the mountain anyway where a shapeshifter permanently scarred her cheek. When Rhena came down from the mountain she was sent into exile until the powers of the Aliuri weakens and many of the Devas disappear, leaving the Free People without any protection.

Rhena is recalled and assigned to find out what happened to the Devas and the Aliuri. Along the way she meets the seer Tahvo and she rescues the Aliori Cian. They cross paths with Qustis; together they make Four, a fighting unit that travels to Karchedon, the heart of the evil Arrihidaean Empire where the worship of the Stone is at its strongest. Each member of the quartet has a different reason to go to Karchedon but when they arrive they ﷯﷯discover﷯﷯ it is their destiny to destroy the evil entity that is in the stone which seeks to bring all mankind under its domination.

SHIELD OF THE SKY is epic fantasy unlike other works this author has written as the shapeshifting romances that made Susan Krinard is only a small start of this work. Four individuals are on a quest to destroy the stone and bring down the empire; although they doubt their worthiness, all of them agree to play their part even if it means their death. Character driven but with plenty of action scenes, this romantic fantasy will give the reader hours of enjoyable pleasure.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 24, 2004

Summary

Ever since witnessing a sacred ritual, Rhenna of the Free People has been isolated. Not outcast, yet not part of her tribe, she walks alone, guarding the land's borders. And growing more troubled by the changes in the wind. Anger and war are rising. The mountain-dwelling shapeshifters--- partners to the Free People--are disappearing, and word has come of an evil new god: the Stone god, whose followers are known by the red stones they hold and the dangerous powers that accompany them.

So when Rhenna hears that a shapeshifter has been captured by the Stone God's servants, she must rescue him. Now Rhenna is embroiled in a dangerous game as the forces of evil and nature fight to control humanity's future. Together with a growing band--the enigmatic shaman Tahvo, the panther shapechanger Cian and the rebel Quintus of conquered Tiberia--she must travel the world, seeking to prevent its destruction.

Whatever danger lies ahead, the downfall of the Stone God has begun ....