The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga)

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With his latest incredible novel, the impressive John Gwynne once again shows why he is one of the leading authors of dark fantasy fiction. The Shadow of the Gods is a fantastic and captivating read that takes the reader on thrilling adventures with some exceptional characters. Featuring a powerful narrative and an intricate and grim new fantasy setting, The Shadow of the Gods is an outstanding and addictive novel that is one of the best fantasy books of 2021. A highly recommended read for anyone looking for their latest dark fantasy fix, I cannot wait to see where Gwynne takes The Bloodsworn Saga next, but you have to know it is going to be something particularly epic. His characterisation is superb, his books populated by characters that readers genuinely care about While life is always bloody in Vigrið, times are especially bleak now with war looming on the horizon, monsters roaming the wilds and sinister forces gather out of sight. In these dark times, three dangerous people will find the fate of Vigrið resting in their hands. These new heroes include Orka, a hunter and trapper who lives a quiet life in the wilds with her family, attempting to avoid her troubled past while raising her young son. Meanwhile, Varg, an escaped thrall seeking answers, finds unexpected friendship by joining the legendary Bloodsworn mercenary company. Finally, Elvar, a young noblewoman running from her family, seeks glory and battle fame as part of the Battle-Grim, another mercenary band who specialise in capturing Tainted humans.

Gwynne is best known for his critically acclaimed series The Faithful and the Fallen, but thankfully you don’t need to be familiar with the author’s previous works to enjoy The Shadow of the Gods. Itis a totally new series set in a totally new world, making it accessible to longtime fans and newcomers alike. 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.Elvar was the main character that took me longer than the other characters to feel invested in The Shadow of the Gods. However, I knew from the last quarter, and the end of the first novel, that she's going to be a crucially important character in The Bloodsworn Saga, and The Hunger of the Gods proved that. Elvar's starting and concluding chapters in this book were impactful. Witnessing how much she has developed since her first chapter in The Shadow of the Gods was undeniably satisfying to me. The theme of leadership was strong in Orka's chapters, but it's even more evident in Elvar and the Battle-Grim's story. Also, following the epic bloodbath in the conclusion of Elvar's story in The Shadow of the Gods, the calamity and destruction displayed in the last few chapters of Elvar's story in this book were Gwynne's epic and thrilling battle scenes at their best.

Orka and her story arc was easily the biggest highlight of The Shadow of the Gods for me. It was a simple revenge and rescue story executed magnificently. With that book alone, Orka has become one of my favorite characters in fantasy. It should not come as a surprise that I continue to enjoy reading Orka's POV chapters immensely. Almost every moment of being inside her head was so delightful. Seeing her incredible strength and determination to protect what she loves remains inspiring. Technically, a few moments aside, Orka did not develop much as a character. Considering her relatively older age, prowess, and expertise in war, she was already ahead in wisdom (when she's not too pissed, at least) compared to many other characters in the series. But I just loved reading about the relationships she built with the other supporting characters. Plus, the battle scenes in her chapters—especially the final few chapters—were utterly breathtaking. Also, I am a big fan of the God of War video games. Whether it's the Greek-mythology original trilogy or the newly released Norse-mythology one, I think they're all masterwork in video games. And I know John Gwynne and his family are all fans of the Norse-mythology God of War video game, too. That's why it genuinely made me happy to see this nod to the video game. John Gwynne has improved on everything that made The Shadow of the Gods great! The stakes are higher, the characters are more compelling, and the world is fleshed out more! However, this book does feel like a middle book in some ways. There is a lot of travelling in this book which does slow the pace of the story down a bit. However, the conclusion is incredible and heartbreaking! It is worth reading this book just to experience the last chapters of this book! So, a little life lesson for me here: when the entire reviewing world says a book is good, then you can be damn sure that it will be an amazing read! In this case, The Shadow of the Gods turned out to be an exceptional and captivating novel which provides an intense and clever story with great characters exploring a harsh and broken world. Gwynne did an incredible job with his latest novel, and this was easily one of the best fantasy books I have read so far this year, earning an easy five-star rating from me. The Shadow of the Gods has an incredible and powerful narrative that becomes even more addictive and exciting the further you get into it. This is an outstanding and dark fantasy story which cleverly Gwynne has anchored to three separate point-of-view characters, Orka, Varg and Elvar. I really liked how Gwynne came up with three separate narratives that are fun and memorable in their own unique way, and The Shadow of the Gods is stronger because of this. Una saga que integra continuamente elementos nórdicos de una manera tan eficiente que es para aplaudir. La tradición, leyendas e idiomas nórdicos. El uso de los lenguajes por ejemplo en la magia le da ese toque de realismo. Y eso no es nada. Una ambientación de lo más cuidada y muy bien desarrollada. I connected a lot with Elvar, and her story feels...sort of villainous? As the fair-fame band of trappers and slavers, they were already a bit murky and unlikable, but it's interesting to see their side of things. I think their primary path in this installment is positively rooted, so they become more sympathetic...maybe? Idk. I'm excited to follow the Battle-Grim further into the abyss.And also, the character interaction especially the conversation between the main characters were handled wonderfully and I would love to read more of other characters reaction when they find out Orka is the Skullsplitter. The Shadow of the Gods is told from the POV of many different characters with the Titan that created the Man God or at least was the main proponent of creating the Man God being the POV and then his chapter would be followed by the Man God of whom would detail the fall of his life.