The Rising of the Shield Hero, Volume 11

Rising of the Shield Hero

By: Aneko Yusagi

Narrated by: Shea Taylor

Having claimed his victory at the coliseum tournament, Naofumi successfully frees the demi-human slaves to return to their village. When they arrive back at the village, Naofumi receives news on the whereabouts of Motoyasu, the Spear Hero. In order to capture him, Naofumi organizes a manhunt, but it leads him to a scene of carnage involving the Sword Hero, Motoyasu, and Bitch.

"If that's all you can say to your friends that believed in you . . . You're not worthy of being called a hero. You're not even worthy of being called a human!"

Faced with an unchanged Sword and Spear Hero, Naofumi completely loses it! In the midst of all of this, assassins after Naofumi's life suddenly appear, and everything spirals out of control! The time to cut past ties has finally come in volume eleven of this otherworld revenge fantasy!?

©2015 One Peace Books (P)2024 One Peace Books

Finding the Three Heroes

Honestly, I am grateful for the Narrator for his performance of all the characters gave life and vibrant got me engage with the story. Got few laughs into the story. It was convincing when Ren Amaki was deranged with his screams of rage and madness when facing Naofumi and his party. It been great performance and I am looking forward to forward more your work with the series please continue and thank you Shea Taylor.

Naofumi and his companions just returned from the Zeltoble after winning the slaves back from the village of Lurolona. Although, it was far from over Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo are still suffering the curse that halved their base stats. They got new party member along the way with recent addition to the party Sadeena. Preparing for the upcoming Phoenix along with Wave of Disaster. Naofumi is pressured to find the heroes as soon possible and make them use the powerup methods to face the deadly wave. Naofumi once more went to see if there was more slaves to get help to restore the village that he currently protecting. Beloukas and his nephew is offering news slave to buy to bring back the village. Naofumi's instinct kicks in to notice that there was some slaves that were too cheerful to see him and be brought. Naofumi demand to why some of these slaves to Beloukas that are too eager be brought. To Naofumi's dismay heard that some of the fake slaves are from Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden for political marriages. This aggravate Naofumi with the constant insistence with this and had no time for that although, he get harass about Naofumi's relationship status especially some of his party members and mostly Sadeena.

To his displeasure he often brushes off this subject focus at the matter at hand brought two special slaves are name Fohl and Atla that are half Hakuko are like white tigers. Hearing about their how legendary their strength are formidable can be use in field of battle. The girl named Atla is sick with disease that she does not have long to live. However had an fable medication called Elixir of Yggdrasil that was unlock when getting Spirit Tortoise materials to his shield. Atla is peculiarly moved by Naofumi's kindness despite her being blind yet she can see things most can't see like energy sensing. Naofumi is bit taken back by her observation but regardless he give her that medication that help her and took her and his brother with them to village. Slowly recovering Atla show promise along with her brother Fohl will to help Naofumi and his party. There was an opportunity that some of the villagers want to their level rests to give hero boost stats even Sadeena, Atla, and Fohl agree to undergo the process. Atla had gradually is infatuated with Naofumi and wanted to be his shield to protect him. Fohl does not like how close is Atla to Naofumi and mostly certainly this bothers Raphtalia as well. Once they met up with Queen once they finished the Level rests they encounter King Trash wanted to attack Naofumi but saw Atla in way made him retreat. The Queen explained that Atla is living image of his decease sister and this suprised Naofumi and his party.

Naofumi had been given report that Spear Hero is going back in town find some of his surviving member name Elena turnout she was deserter when after the incident of the Spirit Tortoise flee seeing how weak Motoyasu. Immediately Motoyasu teleported away to escape when seeing Naofumi and his party. Naofumi cursed when Motoyasu escaped however, he had to continue his effort of searching them. There was commotion that there was Ren Amaki who trying cash in his bounty of capturing the bandits however, the guild look at him with utter ill-contempt. Ren was trying to explained that it was legitimate but the guild did not believe him. Naofumi appeared out of the crowd to help out Ren with his troubles after all he trying to help for seeing Ren is worse for wear. Naofumi agrees to hear out Ren after going to tavern what had happened to him after the incident of the Spirit Tortoise. Ren had wanted to get ahead of Naofumi to prove he is better than him which ultimately was reckless that resulted his companions perishing. Ren refuse to take responsibility for their deaths for they were weak this did not sit right with Naofumi hearing that but had to bite his tongue for trying to appease Ren. However, Naofumi thought saw Motoyasu passing by which he had to convince Ren to say where he is at to find Motoyasu to get him. To his utter distain he not only found Motoyasu he found that psychopath redhead seducing low spirit Ren to her side. Naofumi wanted to intervene but Motoyasu was outrage by this blatant lie of Malty, Naofumi seeing his efforts were going to hell that psycho that he dubbed her Witch who wanted nothing to but destroy people's lives with no remorse, Naofumi greatly desire to murder Malty to bring end to all of this but Ren refuse to allow that for he blindly help Malty. Motoyasu is state of despair and confusion which did not help the matter.

The story is fine, but the narrator manages to sound like it’s the most boring thing that they’ve ever read

I swear it’s as if the publisher is going out of their way to get the worst narrators in the business to read these books. I’m not a professional narrator, but I swear I think I could do a better job at this point. A wooden performance with one kid the worst reading cadence’s I have ever heard. There are such bizarre pauses in random places. Like seriously, does nobody over the publisher listen to what these people are turning in before they get published? I’ll admit I’m an amateur with audio editing, but even my amateur skills could tune up some of the awkward pauses to make the sentence flow more naturally. None of the other like novel stories that I read have this problem. This is also the only audiobook series that I’ve read that has changed narrators so many times yet they still managed to suck consistently. These performances are so bad and it says if they get worse over time. The first narrator, Kurt wasn’t the worst. It wasn’t great but at least was at least tolerable . Matthew was awful and I’m glad to see him gone, but Shea is starting to go down the same path that Matthew did.

I know I personally have left a lot of bad reviews about the narrator on this series specifically, but that’s genuinely because I care. Konosuba, Mushoku Tensei (both jobless, reincarnation, and redundant reincarnation), spice and wolf and sword art online don’t suffer from this issue. I know three out of the four that I just mentioned actually managed to get some of the voice actors from the English of the show to reprise their role in the audiobook, and I do believe that’s probably something to do with some contract that the audiobook studio has with the adaptation, but Cliff Kurt is not a English VA for MT and he has yet to fail to deliver an engaging performance. 27 novels later and he’s nailed every single one. I’m not saying you should bring him in for this, but when you’re going to pick out the next person, use him as an example of what to do and use Matthew and Shea, as an example of what not to do.

Sadly, I’m still going to continue buying the audiobooks no matter how bad the performance is, only because I’m trying to support the original series. And I know that, regardless of whether or not I’ve bought the book, the narrator has already gotten paid.

This just really irritates me that you still have yet to get a good narrator for these books. The best you’ve done so far is passable. No one has been truly good. This is the 11th book in the series and they’re still hasn’t been a truly good narrator. I know all these people are professional professionals, and everything, but it really feels like they brought out their C game for these books. Like they’re just collecting a paycheck and they don’t really care about the end result.