Ben Pick
Written on Jul 4, 2021
'A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic' Anthony Ryan
THE GREATEST SAGAS ARE WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
A century has passed since the gods fought and drove themselves to extinction. Now only their bones remain, promising great power to those brave enough to seek them out.
As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrið, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman pursuing battle fame, and a thrall seeking vengeance among the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.
All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods.
Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.
Further praise for The Shadow of the Gods
'Visceral, heart-breaking and unputdownable' Jay Kristoff
'A satisfying and riveting read. The well-realised characters move against a backdrop of a world stunning in its immensity. It's everything I've come to expect from a John Gwynne book' Robin Hobb
'A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart' FanFiAddict
'Quintessential Gwynne honed to perfection . . . The Shadow of the Gods is absolutely stunning, one hell of an epic series opener and a spectacular dose of Viking-flavoured fantasy' The Tattooed Book Geek
'Reminds me of all that I love in the fantasy genre. The Shadow of the Gods is an action-packed cinematic read' Fantasy Hive
- ISBN10 0356514188
- ISBN13 9780356514185
- Publish Date 6 May 2021 (first published 4 May 2021)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 14 December 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Orbit
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 496
- Language English
Reviews
Ashley
Written on May 16, 2021
I was really excited for The Shadow of the Gods because I wasn’t impressed with Malice and was really curious to see how John Gwynne has changed as a writer since his debut novel.
At the beginning, I was immediately more impressed. The writing was better and I was more interested in the characters.
It took hitting the halfway mark to start feeling disappointed. That’s when I realized that where John Gwynne doesn’t seem to click with me is the middle of the books. That’s when things get boring. That’s when, somehow, characters don’t live up to their initial hook. They have interesting stories and motivations, but I lose interest in their actions and interactions over time. The book never develops into something that’s “unputdownable” or even hugely memorable.
This wasn’t a bad book; it was still much better than Malice. But I still don’t have that same amazement and wonder that so many other people seem to have. It’s a bummer, because some components are definitely there. The three characters we follow all have intriguing stories. For me, John Gwynne is just missing an X factor that actually makes me fall in love with them and invested in their fates.
Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub
Written on Mar 22, 2021
First of all, let’s talk about the feel of this book. It takes place in a Norse-inspired world, stark and harsh. Our heroes are all about one bad decision away from becoming villains. It’s survival of the fittest, or of the most desperate. It’s also the perfect setting for a story that is almost mind-bogglingly epic.
Vigrio is split into a few cities, each run by a Jarl who gives his people protection in exchange for loyalty (or, you know, taxes). The Jarls do this through their Tainted Warriors, people with unbelievable powers inherited from the blood of gods. Their powers vary, although I personally was a fan of the berserkers. These Tainted Warriors are controlled by a sort of collar that reins in their power. They are hunted and sold to different Jarls. Basically, if you’re a Tainted Warrior you’re not in the best of situations. Enter Varg, one of my favorite characters.
Varg is wanted for murder, and we first see him on the run. His driving goal is to find out about what happened to his dead sister. In order to get these answers, he needs the help of a Tainted Warrior. This simple beginning leads to a fantastic storyline, one that kept me fascinated. From his very first battle (which started to go belly-up when his groin punch hurt him instead of the intended target), I was drawn in. Through him, the reader is treated to a side of the world that might not otherwise be seen and appreciated.
There’s Elvar, a soldier in a war-band, those who look for tainted to sell to Jarls. She’s got a past that she’s trying to outrace. Her story arc was interesting, but did not grab me quite as much as the others. Of course, it was still incredibly well written.
Finally, there’s Orka. She was my absolute favorite part of the book, although it’s hard to pick a favorite. She was an extremely complicated character. In fact, I wasn’t even sure I liked her at first. She came across as hard and cold. Then I realized: that’s how she copes and survives. She’s a warrior. She’s a mother. She’s a wife. She is smart, and strong, and a bit ruthless. She’s pretty stinking amazing and I loved getting to the chapters about her. I keep hearing people talking abut how cruel Gwyne is to his characters and now I’m scared.
The Shadow of the Gods is brutal and genius, a perfect balance between breath-taking battle scenes and intricate characters. I high recommend picking this one up.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2021/03/24/the-shadow-of-the-gods-the-bloodsworn-trilogy-1/