Shattered Shields

Cover of Shattered Shields, edited by Jennifer Brozek and Bryan Thomas SchmidtEditor: Jennifer Brozek and Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Cover Artist: Todd Lockwood
Released: November 2014
Publisher: Baen Books
ISBN: 978-1-4767-3701-0
Buy: AmazonBarnes & NobleBaenIndieBoundGoodreads

“…cuts to the heart of military fantasy, diving directly into the most exciting moments of dramatic bravery, grand battles, and life-changing heroism…Freestanding tales feature compact worldbuilding and characters who rise from everyday to exceptional…Readers who…want more depth…will find these offerings appealing.”—Publisher’s Weekly

Swords and Shields. Faith and Magic. Grab yours and get ready, for the enemy is on the move.

High fantasy and mighty conflicts go hand-in-hand. In great wars, armies rise to fight evil hordes and heroes struggle to push beyond their imperfections and save the day. These stories include more than just epic landscapes and characters…but also epic battles.

Imagine a doctor struggling to identify the spy who has infiltrated his company’s ranks and poisoned his colleagues or a boy suspected of murder by a king yet protected by a princess as he helps her father against his own people. Imagine a butcher discovering that he’s called to lead an uprising, or a First Born knowing that she must betray her own in order to save humanity.

The possibilities are endless, but at the heart they have this in common: soldiers–ordinary and otherwise-struggling against extraordinary odds to survive the day. They must withstand dark magic, dodge enemy blades, and defy the odds to survive Shattered Shields.

Contents:
   “Ashes and Starlight” by David Farland
   “The Fixed Stars” by Seanan McGuire
   “The Keeper of Names” by Larry Correia
   “The Smaller We Are” by John Helfers
   “Invictus” by Annie Bellet
   “Rising Above” by Sarah A. Hoyt
   “A Cup of Wisdom” by Joseph Zieja
   “Words of Power” by Wendy N. Wagner
   “Lightweaver in Shadow” by Gray Rinehart
   “Hoofsore and Weary” by Cat Rambo
   “Vengeance” by Robin Wayne Bailey
   “Deadfall” by Nancy Fulda
   “Yael of the Strings” by John R. Fultz
   “The Gleaners” by Dave Gross
   “Bonded Men” by James L. Sutter
   “Bone Candy” by Glen Cook
   “First Blood” by Elizabeth Moon

“…no matter the setting, what each tale does superbly is capture that fantasy feeling of swords clashing, arrows flying, warriors screaming, and magic flashing in the most varied of any genre”—Bookwraith

“…a perfect gateway drug into heroic fantasy. All of the stories are well written and fast-moving…I enjoyed every single one.”—Adventures Fantastic

“SHATTERED SHIELDS pays homage to one of the major sub-genres of science fiction and fantasy with a truly fine batch of stories by old pros and newcomers alike.”—Mike Resnick

“An inventive and thought-provoking set of tales that capture the bravery and terrors of battle. Carries the banner of military fantasy proudly.”—John Marco, author of The Bronze Knight Series

“One of the most surprising and enjoyable selections on my reading list this year, Shattered Shields has something for everyone.”—Daniel Burton

“In Shattered Shields, editors Brozek and Schmidt bring together both fresh and seasoned voices in settings both familiar and new to fill up this powerhouse anthology with the noise of battle, the mumbling of spells and the heartache of war. I hope to see more from this editorial team in the near future.”—Ken Scholes, award-winning author of the Psalms of Isaak