Every Gwynne's craft is a masterpiece. Astounding world-building. Notable characters. The Shadow of the Gods is a new take to Norse mythology which gives a fresh new fantasy story that readers can devour. No doubt that this series would be as astounding s Gwynne's previous series, The Faithful and the Fallen and the Of Blood and BOne trilogy.

This book started out great. I genuinely had a good time reading it. The flow was good, and Orka is an interesting character and the best choice to open the book with.

But then at one point everything just stopped being interesting. While the worldbuilding was good and the lore kept things interesting, everything else just.. fell flat and the story was so.. so slow. Now, I am someone who usually doesn't have a problem with slow-paced books. I can appreciate authors taking their time to carefully establish the plot and characters. But with this book, it just felt like it was going nowhere.

It also didn't help that I felt very disconnected with the characters. Varg and Elvar were just not compelling enough for POV characters that I found them to be outshined by side characters most of the times. Even Orka who I really liked in the beginning started to be just "alright" to me halfway through.

As the others have pointed out, the ending was excellent and I did enjoy reading the last few chapters of the book where everything started to come together and finally made sense.

Overall, it was pretty underwhelming for me and I'm not sure if I will check out the 2nd book.

I could say so much about this book. It was one of my most anticipated pre-orders and it lived up to the hype for me.

We follow three POVs. Firstly, Orka, who we meet with her son and husband essentially very much a family who are content with their land and getting by (reminded me of early Vikings with Bjorn, Lagertha and Ragnar). Next up is Varg, a former slave who we meet on the run searching for answers about the death of his sister and lastly, Elvar who is a warrior as part of the Battle-Grim.

The world building is great - picturing the Norwegian Fjords and snow laden paths that crunch when stepped on was so easy to do without the descriptions being overly flowery.

Its pretty fast paced but there are moments, aside from the brutality of battle, where the characters are given time to breath and flesh out their personalities (Shvik's Troll campfire story will live long in memory) and there are some memorable side characters which enhance the story and offer intrigue going into the 2nd entry.

What also struck with me was how, despite being Norse-inspired, it had very much its own magic system/fantasy elements from the Gods to the Monsters. Don't expect to find references to Odin, Loki and Thor. This world has its own back story and own myths and legends, and part of the fun was unpacking that.

I loved how these three seemingly unconnected stories, on opposite sides of the world really, were slowly woven together as Gwynne masterfully starts pulling at threads to connect events.

Brilliant opening to what promises to be an epic new series.

First of all, thanks a lot to Little, Brown, and Orbit, for sending me over this beautiful ARC – it in no way affected my review. I’ve even got myself a special edition version of this book on order … if that is any indication of how I felt about this book.

It is bookshelf worthy, reread worthy and definitely the start of a series you’ll want to follow to the bitter end.

The Shadow of the Gods is an intensely set, vigorously paced and unrelenting read that’ll have you thinking about it when you’ve put it down, gone to bed, or at work, however you spend the weird time you spend not reading. It’s one of those books that seems like a marathon when you look back at it sweaty, tired with sick down your shirt and tears stinging your face. But in fact, it was a sprint because it was consumed so fast you’ll have to slowly digest what it was you liked about the book in the first place. Which is pretty much everything in my case.

The plot is one of three POVS: Orka, Varg and Elvar, each who are somehow caught up in the fact that children are going missing from the lands, with their parents mostly dead in the wake of bloodthirsty and mysterious child-stealings. Orka falls victim to one of these and races through the Battle Plain with bloodthirsty vengeance untold. Meanwhile, Varg escapes thralldom and joins the Bloodsworn in an attempt to convince their Seithir woman to use magic that’ll let him witness his sister’s last moments in a bid to find her killer, and Elvar is part of the BattleGrim, a group of mercenaries that trade in the lives of the Tainted, people gifted/cursed by the fallen gods that can use some of their powers, and wind up on a mission which finds them in search of the fallen gods bones of power, and other treasures left in their wake. Writing that short passage really did make me realise how much happened throughout the course of the book. It is certainly one that’s got everything fantasy fans will need. Along with characters you can get behind, feel something for and pray they succeed … though the plot springs its own traps and the land where the gods died isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

It is set in a rich environment torn from the Viking Sagas themselves – it was no surprise to learn that Gwynne is a Viking reenactor; he coats every page in copious amount of authentic detail. From seax to nalbinding hat, it really is all there. While it is a fantasy in its own right, with a pantheon of gods not dissimilar from norse but new at the same time, it has enough nods to the history, culture and mythology of the Vikings to entice anyone interested in their history, or even fans of the TV show with the same name.

A fantastic element of the book, and something very crucial to why I enjoyed it, were all the strange and wonderful creatures that inhabit the land. We have … Spert … yeah, okay. More like dangerous and grotesque. I think he’s a scorpion-like creature with a human face, and that about readies you for the rest of the creatures of the Battle Plain. There are trolls, bull trolls, giant ravens, and a whole subset of creatures called tennur which come in all sorts of weird shapes and hail from a pit caused by the gods.

Gwynne certainly puts his characters through the ringer; they are beaten and broken, beaten, and healed, beaten, and beaten. There’s more chapters that end in a blackout in this book than any other I’ve read – which goes a way to show how no characters are safe. It did start to wear thin with me in the end, but I do like book where none of our main cast are safe. It’s a very stale book where the main characters stay safe, to which Gwynne’s book says, Here, character, take another beating!

Overall, a book that was right up my street, that I certainly will be thinking about for the next … while, that I have already recommend to a whole boatload of friends. It’s great for fans of Vikings, TV show or actual people alike. Go out and buy it … I think you’ll enjoy it if you’ve found your way onto this site.

I've been a bit slow to get to read the new releases in main-stream epic fantasy but I'm glad I got to read this one.

This is my first experience of a John Gwynne novel and despite the usual slow start - like in most epic fantasy where we get to know the various characters, it all came together in a wonderfully dramatic climax.

I will definitely be following this series as it releases.

A gripping and enjoyable read.

Fantasy is always a bit of a gamble for me (I'm usually disappointed with the plots, and get bored by lengthy descriptions of fighting), but the premise of this book was too interesting to resist, and happily it more than lived up to my expectations.

The plot was exciting and well-paced, with just enough loose ends at every stage to keep me reading on. Some key information was deliberately held back and revealed gradually; this was always done elegantly, not clumsily. I only noticed one instance of "telling" rather than "showing," and this was minor and quickly forgotten.

I loved the numerous excellent kick-ass women, and the kennings such as "thought-cage," "whale road" and "deep-cunning." Various Norse words and phrases are artfully incorporated, making it possible to get the gist without knowing exactly what they mean. Still, a glossary would have been useful for those interested in reading further, whilst not interrupting the narrative flow for those who would rather just get on with the story.

4.5 stars.
The Shadow of the Gods is a promising first book in the series and I'm expecting to like the sequel even more. I love having multiple POVs that converge together and my favourite part was seeing each story starting to connect at the end, which I'm sure will continue in the next book. The other part I loved was the inclusion of Norse mythology, which I know very little about but was easy to understand - the mythology and complex world-building is explained and interwoven in the story without info-dumping. It took a while to get into the story and feel attached to the characters, but by the end I was thoroughly invested in all of their fates. I enjoyed each POV and there was none that I dreaded to read about, unlike most other books! The story is slow-paced, but filled with striking descriptions, as well as intense and gory battle-scenes. Overall, it's a very strong set up for the rest of the series and I can't wait to read more!

While John Gwynne is a household fantasy name I have to admit that I had not previously read anything by him. But he has been on my radar. So when I got the chance to read a book set in a new world I decided to plunge right on in. And I was not dissapointed.

The Shadow of Gods is set in a world that is inspired by Beowulf and Ragnarok. A world filled with memories of perished and foolish Gods, filled with their own made creatures that terrorize the humans. It is a hard world and as such this book is harsh, violent and bloody. It fits with the world that is created.

Next to humans there are thralls (slaves), god made creatures and those that are tainted (descended from the Gods that possess powers). The worldbuilding beyond that is very detailed. I felt I was right there along with these characters in this world. And done so well. I never felt like I was infodumped or even overwhelmed by what was happening.

We follow three characters throughout the story. Orka, a mom and warrior; Varg, a thrall; Elvar,a noblewoman who turned her back on her ancestry. I loved how the various storylines were coming together at the end and how family relations weaved between the stories.

Out of those three characters I was immediately drawn to Orka. As a mom I was drawn in by her worries, her homely life and later on her quest to reunite her family. But beyond that, she is a very easy character to like. She is incredibly skilled and talented, but she walked away from her history (even if we aren't exactly sure what that is at this point). She build her own life with her husband and child. She knows what she wants and yet she will do the right thing or change course when it is needed.

Elvar on the other hand was a little harder to get a feel for. Being apart of a band of mercenaries it is hard to see at first why she turned her back on her noble family for this. Learning to fight one can do in other ways one would say. But then we actually get to meet her family and I a 100% understood why she walked away. Her inner conflict in that moment also added to the strengthening of her character.

Varg was rather straightforward from the start. His quest to find his sisters fate was the only thing on his mind and he would do anything to get there. Yet when he meets the Bloodsworn he realizes that there can be more to life than his revenge. His starting point already made him easy to follow but as he embraces that there can be more to his life, it gives him such a great characterization.

All in all Shadow of Gods has become one of my favorites reads this year and I can't wait for the sequel!

I was very excited to read this, and I wasn’t disappointed!

We have 3 POVs: Orka, Varg and Elvar. Orka, a former warrior, wants to just live a peaceful life with her family. But that life is disrupted when her husband is killed, and her son stolen. Varg is a former thrall (slave) who wants to avenge his sister’s death and joins Bloodsworn, a warband. Elvar is a daughter of a jarl who joined a warband in search of glory.

I have to say that there is a fair number of characters. And I can already see myself wondering who all these people are when reading the next book. I kept wondering how these 3 main characters will get together.

It took me some time to warm up to Orka but in the in she was the character I was most interested in. I wanted to, and still want to, learn more about her past. At first, she seems very strict and harsh towards her son, and you could tell there’s a story behind that. I found Varg to be the less interesting, many of the other characters in his group were far more interesting. I’m interested to see how the betrayals will affect Elvar in the future and how that storyline evolves.

I liked the world-building and writing. By looking at the cover you would think there are a lot of dragons but that wasn’t the case. Maybe in the next book? This was my first read by Gwynne, even though I’ve had Malice for some time. But I can’t wait to read the next book.

This book is everything I want fantasy to be. The cool title and the epic cover did not disappoint! The world John Gwynne created is inspired by north mythology. I especially love his use of northern or northern inspired words. The great battle of the Gods has happened 300 years before our journey begins. Only the bones of the gods remain. It is a dark and gritty world in which monsters roam and people kill each other for power or in vicious cycles of vengeance. Despite the darkness, loyalty and (found) family stand at the core of this book. The worldbuilding and atmosphere are stunning. Everytime I picked this up I was totally swept away. Also because the pacing was fantastic, Gwynne writes fight scenes so well. There are epic moments, yes, but the reality of warfare stands at the forefront. This book does not hold back on gruesome realities.
The best part of "The Shadow of the Gods" were the characters. I loved Orca and Varg from the start. I needed a little more time to get really invested in Elvar's storyline, but that plot did not disappoint. At the end there were some twist and turns I really did not expect. Orca was my favourite character, I love that she is older than the typical fantasy character and that she is a mother. Also I have read so many revenge stories, but the two revenge seeking characters in this book never felt typical. I loved this so much! I can recommend this to everyone who reads fantasy.

After reading the blurb I was very excited to be offered the chance to read this book and want to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an Advanced Reader's Copy.

'A huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.' There is nothing I love more than a woman who can kick some arse and not be all about the men, so when there were two strong female main characters I knew this would be a good book for me.

I will say, it took me a while to get into the story. There were words that I did not understand and with no glossary I did find myself having to google a lot of the terms used to know what they were talking about (ie. I thought 'Thrall' meant sex worker and wasn't until later when that didn't make sense and I googled it and discovered it means slave.). Also because the story jumped about between the three main characters I found it hard to remember all of the names and who was who within the story. Some of this can be tied to RL things meaning I couldn't get into it properly but I do know that some of it wasn't.

Do not get me wrong however, I did enjoy the book and once the plot got going I found myself really intrigued in the storylines and how they intertwined. It is clearly the first in a series and the world-building did slow down the first half of the book however that is very common in fantasy series. The second half of the book was action packed and full of exciting battles.

I look forward to seeing where the story goes and what becomes of the characters I have come to know.

The first book in a new epic fantasy saga, The Shadow of the Gods is an action-packed, Norse-inspired tale.

The world is inspired by Ragnarok and Norse mythology. It's filled with Viking-esque warriors, fantastical creatures, magic, and dragons. The world-building is handled masterfully, introducing the reader to this brand new world with ease and setting the scene for not just this book, but for the rest of the series too.

This story follows multiple individuals - Orka, Elvar, and Varg. Each is following a different path yet as the book progresses, their worlds slowly start to converge. It's clear that they are being set up to join together more in the books to come.

The three separate narratives provide the opportunity to learn more about the world and its key players. These three characters are unique with different backgrounds, yet they all bear certain key similarities which are explored throughout the book.

Orka is a trader, preferring to live a solitary lifestyle on her remote steading with her beloved husband and young son. Orka's devotion to her family is mirrored by that of Varg, a former thrall searching for a way to avenge his sister's murderer. Elvar completes the trio. She is a warrior with the Battle-Grim, setting sail in search of riches and battle-fame.

The characterisations are excellent, although it does take a while to get into the story and become invested in the characters. This is partly due to the multiple narratives and partly due to the need to familiarise yourself with the world.

The Shadow of the Gods is a strong start to a promising fantasy saga and one to watch out for this spring.

So I adored this book! 🥰👍🏻
This one was already highly anticipated for me but it absolutely blew away my expectations.
This new world Gwynne has created is amazing. Influenced by Ragnarok and Beowulf you can tell that he did his research to make the descriptions of the landscape to where I could feel the atmosphere of what it would be like to live there. I loved the inclusion of the different types of creatures some unique to me and a few that I’m familiar with.
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However Gwynne’s amazing characterizations were the star of this book. With morally grey characters and found family aspects that I just really enjoyed.
The brutal battle scenes were some of the most vivid I’ve ever read. As a Viking reenactment enthusiast, Gwynne did an excellent job of making the fight scenes realistic and you can feel his passion for his love of Norse mythology through the pages. Especially where he included actual Old Norse language which I will admit I had to google and I still couldn’t pronounce them 🙈😂 but I think they were a great addition
I am so excited for book two and I’m now on the hype train to urge everyone to read this book!! 😍🙌🏻.

Absolutely brilliant book, John Gwynne is very talented writer. I loved this so much I ordered a signed copy, will definitely be reading more from him.

This review contains minor spoilers. You read at your behest.

Shadow of the Gods is one of the most epic novels I have read in a long time. It is brutal, awash with gore, as it is a Norse-inspired historical fantasy setting. The book had me attached to each of the character's personal stories, and to witness their tales of love, loss, and redemption. This is a world where the Gods fought each other and became corrupted, hence they saw humanity as nothing as more than thralls. The humans fought against them and then vowed to hunt them down, for this is a world of Dead Gods whose essence has survived in some humans, who can possess the power of the Gods. Or they're known as tainted. And the tainted aren't respected well enough in this world, for they are seen as violent, dangerous, and above all, a threat. This is the very simplified version of what I give you here.

The worldbuilding is impressive and I already felt I was in that lands where Orka lives with her family, Varg on his quest to become more than remaining a thrall for the rest of his life, and Elvar seeking glory and adventure. The book cover does exactly what it says on the tin and we come across so many stories. Characters that want vengeance, characters that realize this world is brutal, and it will chew you up and spit you out if you don't adapt to it. Living in a world of Dead Gods and Bounty Hunters and Slavers reminds me of how far humanity has fallen in this world. Blood and battle are more ordained, more celebrated than living a life of prosperity. For us humans, why did we worship Gods in the first place? To give us a sense of security? To answer the question of why we were put here in the first place? What was the purpose of a God in the first place? A higher being with powers that would bless our lives yet show us our humanity? We worshipped Gods because we did not have the answers to the questions we sought. Nowadays, it isn't so. In this world, however, most of the Gods turn on each other, fighting each other, betraying each other. To live in a world like this is only for the tough, not for the good-hearted. And those good-hearted are often taken away by evil and greedy people.

And there's plenty of them in Gwyne's world. There won't come a moment where you see young slaves being taken away from villages, or where thralls who are your slaves, treated as common muck. There are tales of heroism, there are excellent battle sequences, and well-written dialogue, well-written description. I loved the fact that there are different creatures in this novel inspired by Norse Mythology. My favorite were the Giant Ravens, Vesli, and Spert. You will soon see as you read this novel, and Breca is a character I grew to like. He is an innocent child trapped in this world of brutality and toughness. But he has a tough, resilient stance in this world. He isn't afraid, but he knows the ways of the world. I just wonder, are there any good Gods in this world?

It's a 10/10. Epic action, high stakes, tension, all good!

I also listened to Assassin Creed Valhalla OST on youtube and Wardruna, they really fit the theme.

Amazon and Waterstones review submitted

Phenomenal book!

The Shadow of the Gods weaves Norse mythology into an epic fantasy story. We follow 3 POV's with 2 of them being strong female leads. This was a really fresh take on both fantasy writing and Norse inspired writing. I really enjoyed all 3 POV's and the journeys they each go through.

The lines between good and bad are blurry which really makes you wonder who the heroes and villains are. The idea of the magical/special people being thralls, enslaved and used, was interesting. It definitely makes you question how wrong the society is. The magic is easy to understand and the various mythical creatures are described really well. It's really refreshing to read about 'monsters/creatures' that I've never heard of before instead of going for the obvious ones.

If you've read any of Gwynne's other books then you'll be familiar with how fantastic the battle scenes are - you will not be disappointed. Just like Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen), the first half of the book is world and character building. The second half is BAM action. The twists at the end I did not see coming and on two occasions I had to put the book down to pick my jaw up off the floor.

A fantastic read and I cannot wait for instalment two!

I really adore Greek mythology and have always been intrigued and wanted to know more/read more about Norse mythology and Norse inspired fantasy. When I saw that this book was a Norse inspired fantasy book I knew that I wanted to read it straight away. This book is set in Vigrid 300 years after the old gods died in a battle that left the world broken. In the present time the gods are dead and their remains scattered. Their descendants who are called the Tainted, are hunted and sold to become thralls. The story follows 3 characters : Orka ,Varg and Elvar with alternating chapters from each of their perspectives.

I really liked the world building and it was explained really well , however I found it to be quite a slow start and I do personally prefer a faster paced book. This did pick up in the last part of the book but I did unfortunately struggle for a while to get to that point.

Thank you to netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the e-Arc.

I was super excited to read this book, not only because I knew of the author and their previous works, but also because of the premise. Getting into the story, however turned out to be more of a chore than a fun time.

It was very slow and never really took off. I like the writing and the world and how things are explained, and I know fantasy tends to be rather slow paced, but this was extremely slow and with characters that didn't really stand out on the page for me, it didn't mix well.

I'm sure devoted fans of the author will love this, but it was too slow and not enough forward momentum in the plot for me. I wasn't really invested in any of the characters or their journey so, it's a three star read for me, and I'll leave it at that for now.

The Shadow of the Gods is a Norse inspired epic fantasy filled with bloody brilliant battle scenes, incredible and complex world, and fantastic characters.


Set in Vigrid, 300 years after the old gods died in a battle that left the world broken. In the present, the gods are dead, their remains scattered, and their descendants, the Tainted, are hunted and sold to become thralls. New territories were forged, Jarls feud for more land and power, and mercenary bands are formed and hired to search for the relics and remains of the gods and their descendants. It follows three perspectives — Orka, a retired warrior living her life as a huntress with her family; Varg, an ex-thrall who recently joined the legendary Bloodsworn as he seeks his revenge; and Elvar, a noblewoman who rejected a privileged life to join the Battle-Grim to make her own name and earn glory.

The three protagonists' POV started separate, slowly to leading to how their lives are intertwined. John Gwynne allows the readers to get to know and invest on the characters first and carefully shaping the world and introducing the lore in the background. His characterization is superb, each POV are distinct and memorable.

As a sucker for mythology, I love how detailed the Norse mythology in this one. It's also inspired by Ragnarok and Beowulf. And the way John Gwynne weaved and mixed everything together: MASTERPIECE.

The story started slow and gradually increases. Most action happened in the second half of the novel. Also, the worldbuilding is incredible. It's complex, comprehensive, and detailed all at once. As the three protagonists continue their quest through the wilderness, we are rewarded to the beauty and danger of Vigrid, of vivid descriptions of scenes and environment. The battle scenes are top tier. Violent and gritty and excellently executed.

Wow! I am expecting this to be amazing, yet it exceeded my expectation so easily. I have read all previous works of John Gwynne and I can say that his writing is continuously improving.

What a brilliant start to a series. My favorite read this year so far. I'm (im)patiently waiting for the second book!

Big thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK / Orbit and Netgalley for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

I have read the entirity of John Gwynne’s output and feel that he has grown stronger as a writer from book to book. Shadow of the God’s continues that trend; it is his most tautly written book to date.

The story is told through three view points: Varg, a former thrall, Orka, a smallholder with a violent past and Elvar, the daughter of royalty, now a mercenary. Whilst all three viewpoints were compelling and well-rounded, I found Orka to be my favourite. It is always refreshing to read such a powerful, well-rounded female character in fantasy fiction.

John Gwynne’s is amongst the best in the genre at writing detailed, visceral battle scenes and there are many excellent such set pieces here. The reader really is transported into the action.

Fans of John Gwynne will find much to love here. As for readers new to his work, this is the start of a completely new series – where better to start?

My thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review