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The Nine Worlds #1
Shield Maiden
Anna is a 12 year old girl growing up in a Saxon village in 7th century Mercia. Her life changes when she finds a golden horn in the ruins of a Roman Villa. Soon an ugly dwarf, a beautiful sorceress and even her own people are after her.
What powers does the horn have and why does everyone want it?
And why is Anna the only one who can get a note out of it?
Shield Maiden is the first book in The Nine Worlds series in which the historical world of Anglo-Saxon England meets the mysterious world of myths and legends, gods and monsters our ancestors believed in.
This is the world as it might have been had those stories been true…
What powers does the horn have and why does everyone want it?
And why is Anna the only one who can get a note out of it?
Shield Maiden is the first book in The Nine Worlds series in which the historical world of Anglo-Saxon England meets the mysterious world of myths and legends, gods and monsters our ancestors believed in.
This is the world as it might have been had those stories been true…
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2012
232 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Richard Denning
23 books51 followersI was born in Ilkeston in Derbyshire and live in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands.
I worked as a General Practitioner with a North Birmingham practice until April 2017 when I retired from NHS practice to focus on my other work. I am married with two children.
I am a historical fiction, historical fantasy and Young adult sci-fi, writer. I also write online articles on historical, publishing and gaming related topics. I have my own Blog 'Richard's Ramblings' where discuss these and other subjects.
I visit Historical Associations, Schools, Libraries, Clubs and Societies. Topics covered include the Anglo-Saxon Era, The Great Fire of London, Time Travel and Creative Writing.
A keen player of board games and other games I am one of the directors of UK Games Expo
(the UK's largest hobby games convention and one of the largest in the world).
I am a board game designer and my first Board Game 'The Great Fire on London 1666' was published by Medusa Games and Prime Games in October 2010. Since then I have published several other games.
I worked as a General Practitioner with a North Birmingham practice until April 2017 when I retired from NHS practice to focus on my other work. I am married with two children.
I am a historical fiction, historical fantasy and Young adult sci-fi, writer. I also write online articles on historical, publishing and gaming related topics. I have my own Blog 'Richard's Ramblings' where discuss these and other subjects.
I visit Historical Associations, Schools, Libraries, Clubs and Societies. Topics covered include the Anglo-Saxon Era, The Great Fire of London, Time Travel and Creative Writing.
A keen player of board games and other games I am one of the directors of UK Games Expo
(the UK's largest hobby games convention and one of the largest in the world).
I am a board game designer and my first Board Game 'The Great Fire on London 1666' was published by Medusa Games and Prime Games in October 2010. Since then I have published several other games.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 25, 2017
A really good story - aimed for the middle school audience - a blend of edge of the seat adventure, magic, mythology and medieval history.
Four young adventurers go up against Norse Gods and their minions to put a stop to Loki gaining enough powerful artefacts to take over the world and destroy everyone who stands in his way.
This story has a Valkyrie putting people under her spell to find the magical horn which our MC get in the first chapter.
This book is the first in a series.
Four young adventurers go up against Norse Gods and their minions to put a stop to Loki gaining enough powerful artefacts to take over the world and destroy everyone who stands in his way.
This story has a Valkyrie putting people under her spell to find the magical horn which our MC get in the first chapter.
This book is the first in a series.
December 28, 2015
Great for fifth/ sixth grade intro to mythology.
I downloaded this title for free with a poor description as to the target audience. Light and easy reading, many third graders will have no problem enjoying this book. Well written and professionally published there is little to fault, other than its limited readership. This is not Rick Reardon mythology writ large, but one of those books that is read in youth and mostly forgotten.
I downloaded this title for free with a poor description as to the target audience. Light and easy reading, many third graders will have no problem enjoying this book. Well written and professionally published there is little to fault, other than its limited readership. This is not Rick Reardon mythology writ large, but one of those books that is read in youth and mostly forgotten.
August 22, 2017
I could just as easily give this a 5 star rating, since the reason I bought it is to share with my 10 year old and it will be great for that. It is a novel for younger readers, just as it says, but not at all too simple for adults looking for a quick and very entertaining read. I like the setting in a Norse world in England. You can match up the children's characters to traditional D&D classes, but there are plenty of twists and turns so it is not cliche.
December 28, 2017
This is very firmly planted in the middle school territory. It's not complicated enough for young adult fare, but it does a fairly good job of introducing some real world legends and making it accessible for that slightly younger crowd. I also like the theme of female empowerment that Shield Maiden espouses. Or is it the challenging of gender norms at that time in history? Whichever it is, it will work for some people.
December 12, 2018
I love it. It is full of adventure and excitement and it tells a few of the Viking believes e
I love it.
I think that this book would be great for people who are into adventurous books or Viking books or women power
I love it.
I think that this book would be great for people who are into adventurous books or Viking books or women power
July 14, 2017
Great story
Great story for the whole family. The kids will learn some history while enjoying a great book. I highly recommend it
Great story for the whole family. The kids will learn some history while enjoying a great book. I highly recommend it
October 16, 2017
This was a good read. I think 10 to 13 yrs would really li me this book.
February 26, 2019
Exciting and clean story
I love kid heroes & combined with pagan gods even better! I can honestly recommend for pre-teens, teens and adults.
I love kid heroes & combined with pagan gods even better! I can honestly recommend for pre-teens, teens and adults.
August 25, 2017
My review of this book is mixed, so I will start with the good, and then move onto my criticisms. To start with, this is definitely my kind of book. I love Anglo-Saxon history, I love mythology, and I love Old English. There is so much about this book that is right up my alley. Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I especially liked the strong beginning. The author did not make the beginning-writer mistake of starting with an info dump. Right from page one, there was conflict. Mr. Denning dropped me in the middle of a scene with no explanation and started the action. This is what I like to see, as a reader. He got me hooked, and made me want to read more. I also really like the end of the story.
Now for the criticism. Although I like the story, the writing is a little rough. Although the author avoiding the beginning-writer mistake I mentioned above, there many others that he did make; such as repetition of words and phrases, overuse of adverbs, use of words like "suddenly" and "began," and an over-abundance of intrusive dialouge tags, like "exclaimed." Denning's talent is evident, as his imagination. It looks he has great potential, but the writing just isn't quite there yet. I would recommend workshopping more prior to publication. There are many writing critique groups online, and probably a few that can be found in your area thought Meetup.com. Such groups have helped me improve my own writing quite a bit.
So I have given this book three starts, because I liked the story, but it lost points for me due to the not-quite-ready-for-prime-time writing. Hopefully, the subsequent books in this series show improvement.
Now for the criticism. Although I like the story, the writing is a little rough. Although the author avoiding the beginning-writer mistake I mentioned above, there many others that he did make; such as repetition of words and phrases, overuse of adverbs, use of words like "suddenly" and "began," and an over-abundance of intrusive dialouge tags, like "exclaimed." Denning's talent is evident, as his imagination. It looks he has great potential, but the writing just isn't quite there yet. I would recommend workshopping more prior to publication. There are many writing critique groups online, and probably a few that can be found in your area thought Meetup.com. Such groups have helped me improve my own writing quite a bit.
So I have given this book three starts, because I liked the story, but it lost points for me due to the not-quite-ready-for-prime-time writing. Hopefully, the subsequent books in this series show improvement.
May 8, 2022
This is an exciting story set in Anglo-Saxon England, specifically in Mercia in A.D. 600. I love medieval history and was familiar with the setting, but you don't need any background knowledge to get caught up quickly into the adventures of twelve-year-old Anna and her group of friends.
Before you know it, the author has whisked you off from the quiet life of a medieval village, to the discovery of an ancient treasure of the gods, the appearance of strange beasts and characters, and finally to a journey into the Nine Worlds of Anglo-Saxon mythology and the home of the gods.
What I enjoyed most was the diverse characterisation of the group of children: Anna, the leader and warrior, a true champion and shield maiden of legend; Lar, her younger brother and a good archer; Wilburh, who is learning his wizard spells; Hild the healer; and Ellette, the youngest, smallest and quickest, who is good with a sling. It was a pleasure to be in the company of these children through their adventures, aided by Raedann the travelling storyteller, and Gurthrunn the dwarf.
Behind the enjoyable fantasy adventure is the important message that girls can be equally as brave and heroic as boys, as is shown by the fact that the Horn of Heimdall chooses Anna, rather than anyone else, to be its champion in the world.
I am pleased to see that there are two sequels to this story, and I look forward to following the adventures of Anna and her friends in the rest of the trilogy.
Before you know it, the author has whisked you off from the quiet life of a medieval village, to the discovery of an ancient treasure of the gods, the appearance of strange beasts and characters, and finally to a journey into the Nine Worlds of Anglo-Saxon mythology and the home of the gods.
What I enjoyed most was the diverse characterisation of the group of children: Anna, the leader and warrior, a true champion and shield maiden of legend; Lar, her younger brother and a good archer; Wilburh, who is learning his wizard spells; Hild the healer; and Ellette, the youngest, smallest and quickest, who is good with a sling. It was a pleasure to be in the company of these children through their adventures, aided by Raedann the travelling storyteller, and Gurthrunn the dwarf.
Behind the enjoyable fantasy adventure is the important message that girls can be equally as brave and heroic as boys, as is shown by the fact that the Horn of Heimdall chooses Anna, rather than anyone else, to be its champion in the world.
I am pleased to see that there are two sequels to this story, and I look forward to following the adventures of Anna and her friends in the rest of the trilogy.
August 16, 2017
Go back in time
A short, enjoyable story for middle grades. The author does a good job of bringing the world of the Angles to life. It is interesting to read a story about the early gods of England. I was not aware that another culture shared the stories of Asgard. The heroine of the story learns many lessons about herself, and the world(s) around her, and does a good job of being a true leader. She is not conceited or power-hungry, and allows the people around her to use their special abilities to achieve their goals.
A short, enjoyable story for middle grades. The author does a good job of bringing the world of the Angles to life. It is interesting to read a story about the early gods of England. I was not aware that another culture shared the stories of Asgard. The heroine of the story learns many lessons about herself, and the world(s) around her, and does a good job of being a true leader. She is not conceited or power-hungry, and allows the people around her to use their special abilities to achieve their goals.
July 4, 2025
Kind of cute. Middle grade or younger type of Norse-mythology fantasy. I read about half then decided not to read anymore. The story was fine and the pacing seemed ok but I just wasn't that motivated...the most exciting thing is all the mythology and it's not new to me so that was that. I think for young kids this would be very fun though.
February 18, 2018
Very good book
The chapter to me was hard to get through but the book began to interest me. I actually had a hard time putting it down. I love reading books on gods. It fascinates me.
The chapter to me was hard to get through but the book began to interest me. I actually had a hard time putting it down. I love reading books on gods. It fascinates me.
June 12, 2020
An enjoyable tale
A wonderful tale, I like that it references back to historical place and events, and encourages the reader to explore and examine history. My children loved when I could share a book from first hand knowledge.
A wonderful tale, I like that it references back to historical place and events, and encourages the reader to explore and examine history. My children loved when I could share a book from first hand knowledge.
October 28, 2022
Okay. Sometimes it seems like I was reading a kid story but it was worth reading. Plenty of fantasy. Went at a good pace. Would probably read the next one but have to buy it and not good enough for that.
July 21, 2017
Kids would enjoy this book but it still needs some work. It's an interesting time period and the addition of mythology is great but it's sluggish to read.
May 3, 2019
Interesting
Definitely a different slant very engaging and fast paced excellent for the younger readers
Would give as gift
Easy to follow
Art a bit sketchy
Definitely a different slant very engaging and fast paced excellent for the younger readers
Would give as gift
Easy to follow
Art a bit sketchy
April 26, 2022
I think this was enjoyable but didn't have me gripped, At 37 I may be too old for the story to be honest
July 25, 2024
This book made me feel thoroughly transported to the world of the Pagan Anglo-Saxons, with its depictions of village life, the mysterious Roman ruins, and the dialogue, which sometimes sounds like it's been ripped from an Old English poem. The setting details felt convincingly historical, and for that reason alone, I would recommend Shield Maiden to anyone interested in exploring England's pre-Christian past, no matter their age.
The story is a bit shopworn, but by no means bad. It reminds me of any of a dozen Saturday morning cartoons that I used to watch in the 90s, where a supernatural being puts all the adults under mind control, and it's up to the kids to break the spell.
I was also disappointed by the decision to make the Anglo-Saxon religion a carbon copy of the Norse religion. The two religions likely split off from each other centuries before the events of Shield Maiden and would probably have been as distinct from each other as Islam is from Christianity. Obviously, I don't expect Denning to know exactly how the Anglo-Saxons imagined their gods. No one does. But I would have loved to see someone of Denning's historical knowledge speculate and use the power of his craft to bring those long forgotten cosmologies to life. This would have helped Shield Maiden to stand out among the 100 other Norse Mythology books for kids cluttering bookstore shelves.
The story is a bit shopworn, but by no means bad. It reminds me of any of a dozen Saturday morning cartoons that I used to watch in the 90s, where a supernatural being puts all the adults under mind control, and it's up to the kids to break the spell.
I was also disappointed by the decision to make the Anglo-Saxon religion a carbon copy of the Norse religion. The two religions likely split off from each other centuries before the events of Shield Maiden and would probably have been as distinct from each other as Islam is from Christianity. Obviously, I don't expect Denning to know exactly how the Anglo-Saxons imagined their gods. No one does. But I would have loved to see someone of Denning's historical knowledge speculate and use the power of his craft to bring those long forgotten cosmologies to life. This would have helped Shield Maiden to stand out among the 100 other Norse Mythology books for kids cluttering bookstore shelves.
August 20, 2015
Straightforward adventure story based on the Saxons living in England in 600 AD. Written for preteens, but a fun story regardless. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
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March 26, 2018If you like mythology you will like this book. Some of the Old English was hard to follow and understand but otherwise I did enjoy this book, but I don't think I enjoyed it well enough to read the other books in the series. I will put them on my list to read but they will not be ones that I run out and try to find right away.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews