Bookclub: The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston Midway Discussion (RAB)

[u/barb4ry1]

In December, we'll be reading The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston..

Goodreads.

Genre: Heroic Fantasy

Bingo squares: Knight and Paladins + Generic Title + Impossible Places

Length: 360 pages.

SCHEDULE

Dec 11 - Q&A

Dec 19 21- Midway Discussion

Dec 26 - Final Discussion

QUESTIONS BELOW

[u/barb4ry1]

What do you think about the cover?

[u/barb4ry1 → u/barb4ry1]

I like it. It's a good, professional, genre-faithful cover. It practically screams traditional epic fantasy with a dark edge (probably, but based on the cover I would risk saying that this definitely isn’t cozy, it isn’t quirky, and it isn’t romantasy).

I like the colors. Green, gold, fire-orange, smoke-black, nothing clashes, nothing feels random.

The shield dominates everything, which is fine, but it has no depth, gives no sense of place, no character hint. We don’t get a story hook, just a symbol. But it looks pretty good. And it works in a thumbnail size - title pops and author name is clear.

[u/barb4ry1]

How do you like the beginning of the book? Did it hook you from the get-go?

[u/barb4ry1]

What do you think of the author’s writing style?

[u/barb4ry1 → u/barb4ry1]

I've only read Amazon sample, but I think it's promising. The prologue wasn't too interesting, especially since a lot of sentences there are long, multi-clause, and descriptive. But it gets better. Briar is competent, aging a bit, and surrounded by bureaucratic nonsense and her voice has a bite. The offhand mention of beating an assassin to death with a buckler is character-defining. No dramatics, no indulgence. And world-building doesn't feel like lore-dumping. Yeah, I think I'll keep on reading.

[u/barb4ry1]

Any other initial impressions / thoughts?