The Sword and Shield

Written by Emma Khoury

Narrated by John Solo

Ezra Toth is your typical sword for hire. A dark past, a few secrets, a talent for killing, with a sharp sword and sharper wit. Perhaps his several dozen cats are a bit unique but other than that . . . He returns from an ordinary, arduous job to find representatives of the crown waiting for him at his home-not so typical. They bring him to the Crown Prince who has a problem only Ezra can solve. Crown Prince Christophe's brother, and possibly even the King himself, are part of a plot to assassinate him. With no idea who in the palace is truly loyal to who, Ezra must navigate a myriad of potential suspects whilst protecting the heir.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705272466

Reviews for The Sword and Shield

[B.R. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

John Solo threw an assassins’ cloak over his shoulders and transformed himself into Ezra Toth. As he morphed into the Sword and Shield for hire, he primarily used the voice of Ezra to tell us his story. Tipping my hat to the narrator who did an awesome job by wielding his voice in such a creative manner. I enjoyed hearing John Solo trying something new, bending and curling those vocal cords like an air punch forcing the top T-die into the bottom V- die. (No PUNS intended lol)

His brave performance will carry listeners away to the fantasy world of Kings who hire assassins. The Castle was filled with drama, politics and very interesting characters. They all had fairly original backgrounds, which I appreciated. Ezra is an amazing character, I fell in love with him instantly. He is a dangerously good fighter, with a sick sense of humour. His ugly scars make him seem like a roughneck motherfucker, but he has the kindest heart and he is above average intellectually and emotionally intelligent. The heat factor is very low, with mainly M/F relationships. I would love for Ezra and the Prince to fall in love, but wishes are made of desires that disappear like a cigarette smokers’ puff into the air.

I do recommend this audiobook. The book is rich with plot and character development. Primary and secondary characters grow with the story, making it gripping and memorable.

Happy Listening