John Gwynne I applaud you!

Another book full of amazing and unique characters who you can't help but love. Everything about this book was perfect. The characters, the world-building, the action, the pacing. I went into this with high high expectations and I was not disappointed. I am so ready for the rest of the series!

Another five star read for me (as all of his books have been). I can't wait to get my physical copy and read this again.

Release date - 6 May (UK) 4 May (US)

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for an ARC e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I always find it strange to start reading a new book in a new world. After spending seven novels in the Banished Lands and all its wonderful characters, it did feel a bit weird to be transported to a completely new world with a new cast of characters.

I quickly got used to it though and the new, Viking inspired, world is very interesting and just as well created as the Banished Land. It is a very brutal world and there’s lots of killing and violence. It was great. There’s a certain atmosphere to the novel, it’s very forbidding and you know something big is going to happen.

The story follows three characters, Orka, Varg and Elvar. Of the three characters, I found Orka’s story the most interesting. She spends most of the novel hunting for her son who has been kidnapped. Her desperation at losing her son and her determination to get him back, no matter how violent, was so interesting to read. Varg’s plot was also interesting. He’s a thrall who is looking for revenge for the death of his sister. Elvar’s story was the least interesting for the moment but I am interested in seeing where it goes as the story continues.

The Shadow of the Gods contains all of the hallmarks of an epic John Gwynne novel. The characters are excellent, the story flows well and once it gets you in its grip it doesn’t let you go. The world is dark, violent and excellently realised. It grabbed me almost immediately and the books ends at a point where it made me desperate to know what happens next. All of the POV characters are well written and very sympathetic. I cannot wait to read the next part in the series because I am desperate to find out what happens next and I really want to see where the story is going to go.

I was lucky enough to get hold of an e-ARC on netgalley, so here we are. The Shadow of the Gods was my first book by John Gwynne (I own the author's other books but haven't gotten around to them yet) and boy, was it good!

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this book is its characters. We get POVs from three characters - Orka, Varg and and Elvar and I loved how compelling each of their stories were. We have Orka, who is now undoubtedly one of the best characters I've read in a long long time. She is a badass warrior, a mother, and every battle scene she is in is a thing a beauty.
I have also unofficially adopted Varg, whose story was the most emotional one for me. (In my head, I've made him the cinnamon-roll character who needs to be protected at all costs.)
The third POV is of another female warrior, Elvar. Elvar's story spoke to me the most. I live in a country where the daughters are (still) forced to marry to satisfy societal norms and Elvar's struggle is something I could relate to the most.
While we are talking about the characters, I want to add how pleasantly surprised I was to see women being described without even a bit of objectification. For someone who has complained about this issue a lot, I was really happy to see a lot of body positivity all around, especially in Orka's chapters.

Inspired by Norse mythology and the tale of Ragnarök, this book also has an epic world-building, some amazing battle scenes, shapeshifters, magic-wielders, a huge variety of monsters and I know it may seem like I’m spouting all the things I like but, seriously, this book is one hell of a package! The book really reinforces the found family trope in every page, and I wish I could tell you how much it made me appreciate my love for this trope even more.

It's good to know the book whose cover I was drooling over all those months ago isn't really just another pretty cover but that it has a badass story to tell as well.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy, monsters, magic and character-driven stories. And dragons, of course. Dragons are always a good reason to pick up a book. At least for me.

Now to wait for the sequel.

Llevaba mucho tiempo queriendo leer a John Gwynne. Las referencias sobre su obra siempre han sido excelentes y basta un vistazo a sus libros en GoodReads para ver que la nota media de sus volúmenes, con decenas de miles de reviews, están muy por encima de la habitual media para la mayoría de los publicados en el mercado.

Al mismo tiempo he sido algo perezoso dada la magnitud de la misión. Su obra hasta la llegada de este The Shadow of the Gods se divide en dos sagas situadas en el mismo mundo pero en momentos temporales distintos, haciéndolas no necesariamente dependientes entre ellas. La primera, que lo dio a conocer, es The Faithful and the Fallen, compuesta por cuatro libros, el primero de ellos ganador del premio David Gemmell a mejor debut de fantasía. La segunda, Of Blood and Bone, es una trilogía situada un siglo después de la anterior. Según he leído, por encima y sin entrar en mucho detalle, hablamos en ambos casos de sagas de pura fantasía épica con personajes muy bien definidos, grandes dosis de acción y una importante ración de sangre salpicando la cara del lector.

The Shadow of the Gods es el inicio de una nueva saga y, ahora sí, el momento ideal para leer a John Gwynne. The Bloodsworn Saga es un escenario completamente nuevo, con ninguna referencia con las anteriores novelas. Se encuentra situada en un mundo claramente nórdico lleno de referencias vikingas y, además, cuenta con una portada que vende libros por sí misma. ¿Qué mejor momento?


En un mundo fantástico de corte vikingo, Vigrið, en el que los Dioses lucharon hasta su propia extinción, The Shadow of the Gods nos cuenta la historia de tres personajes: Orka, Varg y Elvar. Cada uno con su propio pasado e historia particular, totalmente diferenciada. Y, cada uno de ellos, con una voz claramente definida que hace que no necesites leer el título del capítulo para saber en qué personaje se está centrando en cada momento.

La historia de Orka es la de una madre al mismo tiempo que una de las más fieras guerreras de Vigrið. Desde el mismo inicio la veremos sobrevivir al lado de su marido e hijo aunque los eventos pronto elevaran el tono convirtiéndola de una de las líneas argumentales más potentes del libro. Varg es un personaje en busca de venganza por la muerte de su hermana. Para buscar la verdad absoluta sobre lo ocurrido sus sospechas lo llevan a intentar unirse a una banda de mercenarios. Enseguida lo veremos pelear a vida o muerte junto con un medio trol y, a partir de ahí, ir de baño de sangre en baño de sangre. Elvar, sin embargo, es una trama que tarda mucho en arrancar. Hasta medio libro no terminé de enganchar con una historia que, sin embargo, diría que se convierte en la más importante del último tercio de lectura. Lo que se revela sobre ella en cierto punto intermedio cambia nuestra percepción sobre este mundo y da un sentido a la previa (y, en parte aburrida) sucesión de batallas que no parecían tener un destino o causa clara.

Ya lo he mencionado en un par de ocasiones pero tiene que quedar claro que este es un libro muy sangriento. Dicen que el más sangriento de la obra de Gwynne. Las batallas no acaban con un hachazo y listo. Los duelos son crueles, a cara de perro (o de trol, en este caso), donde los personajes mueren de la manera más salvaje posible. Pocos, muy pocos capítulos hay en este libro donde no acabemos salpicados de vísceras como consecuencia de los fieros encuentros que continuamente tienen lugar. Y, al mismo tiempo, las batallas son agiles y directas al mismo tiempo que llenas de detalles muy realistas.


Durante las tres líneas argumentales de The Shadow of the Gods encontraremos también diversos monstruos de corte nórdico y fantástico con los que los personajes se irán enfrentando o, mejor, intentar pasar desapercibidos dada la brutalidad de los mismos, ya sean trol, näcken u otros mucho peores. Sin embargo, no puedo evitar destacar mi pequeña decepción con el hecho de que la portada en realidad sea todo un reclamo para vender libros, pero no tanto una escena que este en el libro. Es verdad que pronto veremos unos dragoncitos pequeños, pero tienen que pasar centenares de páginas para empezar a ver algo siquiera parecido a la magnífica ilustración de cubierta. La parte buena, por el contrario, es que el libro es tan entretenido que pronto se queda en algo anecdótico.

Dicho todo esto, que no es poco, The Shadow of the Gods es una novela de fantasía épica de las que merecen la pena leer. Mi primer acercamiento a John Gwynne se salda con una difícilmente superable cantidad de sangre y escenas de lo más crudo, unido a personajes bien caracterizados donde únicamente hubiera agradecido un pequeño resumen de personajes para terminarme de situarme (llegado cierto momento entre palabrejas nórdicas y nombres de personajes vikingos ya no sabía ni qué idioma estaba leyendo). Sin duda este es el mejor momento de leer a Gwynne: una nueva trilogía, independiente, lleno de ritmo y acción, una portada a la que dirigir los ojos al primer vistazo y una historia de fantasía cruda y visceral que no necesita de grandes innovaciones para destacar sobre la mayoría.

This is one of the most immersive books I've read in an age. Forget it's fantasy, this book oozes with authenticity, of years of research and a deep understanding of Norse Mythology. The world is so well crafted, it could easily be Scandinavia or Iceland at the peak of the Viking age. The gods and their wars have ruined the world, their memories as tainted as the people they have left behind. No one prays to them anymore, just curses their past existence.


Into this world John Gwynne has written a blood soaked epic that will grip any fantasy or Viking lover. The explosive violence, vivid descriptions and brilliantly written dialogue draw you in and I often found myself unwilling to put it down.


The characters in the novel are brilliant, fleshed out, with each having their own journey to embark on, their own story to tell. The three POV characters, Varg, Orka and Elvar, each have a past they would rather not share, their baggage weighing more than their mail. Orka for me was instantly gripping, engaging. She is a warrior, a fighter, deadly with blade or spear. But more than anything else she is a mother and a wife, and when her family are in peril she will cut a bloody swathe through a gods ruined land to get her retribution.


Varg is a runaway slave. His sister murdered, he will stop at nothing to find her killer. He finds himself taken in by the The Bloodsworn, a band of mercenaries that earn their coin with shield and spear. His is a journey of growth and discovery, both within himself and the world around him.


Elvar didn't immediately hold my interest, not sure why. A member of another mercenary band, The Battle-grim, I don't think I quite understood the point in her involvement until I reached the end, and then I was completely hooked on her story.


As with most books that are the first in a series, the ending is sudden and many questions remain unanswered. I'm already chaffing at the bit to get a look at book two in what is sure to be an epic series.


*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

An epic and brutally compelling new fantasy

The Shadow of the Gods is the first book I have read by John Gwynne. I did not know too much about this one, other than Norse mythology, monsters, gods, and dragons. I had seen some good reviews so decided to give it a shot and I am so glad I did. This is definitely one of the best fantasy's I have read so far this year!

The old gods have become extinct due to the wars they had among themselves, but that was not the only consequence of their fighting, they have shattered the land they have left behind.
The bones of the Gods left behind still hold great power, which the power-hungry Jarls are desperate to hunt down and hold.

We follow three POV's who are in different places of the land:
Orka - The mother and huntress searching for her missing son
Elvar - The warrior trying to escape her family and purse battle fame
Varg - A Thrall (slave) who is in search for vengeance of his murdered sister
I loved each of these characters, they all had great back stories that were really well told. They have really depth and each one brings something different to the story.

There are some parts I wanted to scream and shout at, the betrayals I never saw coming! I love when a book is not predictable. I would love to dive into these twists in the book, but I really do not want to spoil anything.

I could tell after chapter one that this was a book I was going to really enjoy. It was fast paced which I enjoyed, there was so much action. The fight scenes were detailed and easy to follow. I loved the descriptiveness throughout, there are some really nice sentences.

The Shadow of the Gods is an epic, gritty fantasy. With an amazing start to this new series, I cannot wait to get a hold of book two, it cannot come soon enough.
If you are looking for a new fantasy read, I highly recommend this one. It was certainly an addictive read for me.

While I wait for book two, I will be checking out John Gwynne's other work.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK / Orbit via NetGalley for an e-arc of this.

4.5 Stars

This is my second time reading a series by John Gwynne. The Faithful and the fallen series hooked me and I quickly became a fan of his work and this time he doesn't disappoint either.

The Gods ruled supreme and mortals were seen as nothing but insignificant and petty creatures who were below them, not worthy of another glace. Then came the war, where the gods showed everyone how they are not so different from the creatures they considered "petty". The only issue was that when mortals fight, the destruction is not so far flung, it can be limited. But when gods fight, they break the world. Such is the world we enter at the start of this book. Vigrid, the battle plain, where the gods fought eachother (for power, revenge, hate who can really tell) to their mutual destruction along with the scouring of the world. Humanity who escaped the war now have the herculean task of rebuilding themselves up from this broken world. This is not helped by the fact that monsters ( collectively termed Vaesen, a multitude of types including but not limited to trolls, spiders, serpents etc) wreak havoc across the world as a result of the war which inadvertently opened the gate to their realm and vigrid. To top all of this, the gods are still present, Well kind of. The bones of the dead gods are littered across vigrid, they possess some remnant of power and are thus sought by every ruler, bounty hunter and warrior. Certain humans also become "god touched" (tainted as they are commonly called), meaning they could invoke some abilities of their god. Like the bones, these tainted people are sought after, often taken as a slaves against their wish.
We follow three principal characters:
Orka, a huntress who lives with her husband and child far away from human settlements. They make their living from what nature gives them. She is stern but loving but from the start itself we see a coldness inside her. She tries to hide it as best as she could, be we the reader quickly realise that there is something about her that she doesn't want others to see, something cold and dark that she has kept locked inside her, something of her past they she doesn't wish to reawaken lest she fears for those close to her. She might have succeeded in this, but fate is cruel. Tragedy strikes her family and now to save them, she has to reawaken what she truly was. An incredibly badass character, who would burn the world, if it meant she could save her family.
Varg, the second character we meet is a thrall (a slave) who is on the run for a crime he has committed against his masters. He seeks to join the bloodsworn, a mercenary band but his has other motives for his recruitment. Varg is a lonely and miserable soul, who has never experienced companionship and this makes it all the more heartwarming as he begins to get used to this group. it's also important to mention that he is kind of an idiot, well idiot is a strong term maybe senseless. This act first and think later sort of mentality gains him his warrior nickname "Varg No sense" and it's a pleasure reading his interactions with his new family.
Elvar, the third character we meet is a warrior in a renowned band. Unlike the other two, she take a while to get used to. This is mainly because of the fact that both Orka and Varg have some goal or intend in mind they want to achieve whereas Elvar doesn't, all her goals just feels like she is just going along with it. Just like other main characters though, she has secrets, she is not just a warrior but royalty, she has a past she does not wish to remember. But yet again fate is cruel, it brings back old wounds just as she begin to forget them. I have to mention Grend, Elvar's bodyguard who is sworn to protect her (I'm getting Kastell and Macquin feeling, don't go direction John, as much as I loved Macquin's stroy please don't)
The three characters set upon their own paths, for glory, revenge or sheer need. But they soon realise that there is something bigger afoot in the world, something bigger than their individual quests. And behind it all, something dark and full of malice. The writing is what you expect from a John Gwynne novel, fast paced, gritty action and fun character interaction. I kept thinking one more chapter and then I'll sleep, well this ended up with me devouring the book in 4 days (I get only about 1 to 1.5 hours free time a day for reading) so pretty fast moving in my opinion. The plot itself is predictable but pretty fun to read. It kind of feels like comfort food (comfort read if that's a word) You know what you're getting into and still you relish every moment of it. The ending was something I saw coming (it reminded me of the ending of Malice) and that is one of my main gripes with this book. Another issue was that I wanted a few more POV's but I have a feeling it's intentional and in the coming books we'll get more character POV's (similar to the faithful and the fallen series).

I also like to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC, this does in no way affect my feelings or my rating of the book.

The Shadow of the Gods, book one of the Bloodsworn by John Gwynne, was my most anticipated release of the year. I loved the Banished Lands books and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this new release, especially after seeing the gorgeous cover design. I was always going to like this book; it was just a question of how much.

The premise here is of a broken world. The gods fought themselves to extinction but their remains still hold power, as does the blood flowing through the veins of their descendants. Warbands travel the world searching for relics of the gods for fame and fortune. The Tainted – descendants of the gods’ children – are kept as slaves in thrall collars, sold to the highest bidder as symbols of status and power.

The book is set in a new world, the Norse-inspired Vigrið, within the Shattered Realms. Being a brand-new series, there’s always going to be some extra time required in building the world and here I felt we were given a lot, but perhaps with not enough explanation.

The book is filled with Norse or Norse-inspired terminology, and while much of this is explained, not all of it was done so from the outset. On occasion it wouldn’t be until the second or third mention where we’re given a description of what a word means, so prior to that we are left to use our own best guess based on the scenario.
While I didn’t feel this detracted from the story much, I can see how it would cause some people an issue. One thing that caused an issue for me was the repeated use of “thought cage” for brain or mind, which I found quite jarring. Other repetition was also prevalent – every tavern smelling of urine, certain people always having snot dripping at the end of their nose and troll testicles (!) being key ones that stick out for their perhaps unusual nature.

The book focuses on three main characters: Orka, Varg and Elvar. Orka is a woman living in the wilderness with her husband and son. She is clearly a woman with an interesting buried history, which begins to be unveiled once the catalyst for her story kicks in, at around a third of the way through the book.

With Varg, we are quickly introduced to his motives, he is an escaped thrall looking for a Sieðr-witch or Galdurman to perform an akáll – that’s an invocation that ultimately will put him on his way to avenging his sister’s death. Varg quickly ends up involved with the Bloodsworn, a warband of what might normally be considered Viking raiders. In another such band, the Battle-Grim, we find Elvar, a young woman who is looking to make a name for herself through battle fame.

The characters are generally well written and likeable, although I felt they were in some ways a bit too similar, despite outward appearances. This may just be because the land is an unforgiving place where “life is battle”, but for Varg and Elvar especially, their surroundings are a bit too similar and on occasion I found it difficult remembering which warband side characters belonged to, Varg’s or Elvar’s. The individual storylines are easily separated however, meaning this was always quickly righted in my head.

John Gwynne is known for his battle scenes, and there are plenty here to keep up a good pace. Being a Viking reenactor, Gwynne knows what he is about when it comes to these scenes. Although it’s a completely different setting, there are similarities here to his previous novels, with the shield wall playing a big part in any battle we see. The armour and weaponry are well detailed, sometimes a little further than might be necessary, and all told it makes for a realistic portrayal of the warrior life of these characters.

I’m still not altogether sure how I feel about the pacing of this book. The battle scenes are perhaps shorter than I’m used to from Gwynne but as always, they are fast flowing and exciting. Outside of that we see a lot of travel, either on land or in one of Vigrið’s many boats. This is slower, but gives us more character development and allows us to see some more of the world. The part I struggled with for the pacing though, was regarding the storyline itself. I felt that Orka’s story only really started moving at a third of the way through the book, and Elvar’s was beyond that, perhaps more towards the halfway point.

For both, there were things happening prior to this, but we don’t get to see what their story is actually about until we’re already (hopefully) invested. Varg is a bit different, as his story is outlined from the beginning, but then he is swept up in scenes largely out of his control, following where the Bloodsworn go as he looks to complete his quest with the help of the band’s Sieðr-witch. The decisions leading to this seem a bit convenient, but I suppose given Varg’s circumstances at the start of the book, they can be forgiven.

Like Varg, I felt thrown into the deep end with The Shadow of the Gods. There’s lots of new terminology, creatures, and not only lots of names but predominantly Norse-sounding ones with Icelandic or Old-Norse characters (ð, þ etc) which if you are not familiar with, can slow you down as you work how you are going to pronounce them. Although I don’t usually use them, I would say this is a book that might benefit from a glossary and pronunciation guide, which may or may not be included in the final published editions.

My overall thoughts on The Shadow of the Gods then, are mixed. I didn’t love reading it at the time, and in that first third it didn’t hold my interest as well as it should have. Looking back though, I find that my overall feeling definitely improved as the book drew to a close, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book.
I felt that Malice was a good book, on the verge of being great, and the six Banished Lands books that followed were all 5-star / 90%+ reads for me. I am hopeful that will be the case here as well. I don’t think The Shadow of the Gods is as good as I remember Malice being, however they are completely different books, so any proper comparison would be unfair. Either way, there is definite potential for the rest of the series now that things have really started to kick off.

From the ending of The Shadow of the Gods, I can see a good likelihood of book two continuing the John Gwynne tradition – picking up from exactly the same spot. The three storylines are starting to converge, the world is being changed and new alliances look on the verge of being formed. With the story starting from here, with well-defined and even more motivated characters, a really interesting world that we now have familiarity with and all hell breaking loose, the possibilities for the next book are endless and exciting.

This is easily one of the best fantasy novels I have read in a good long while. The blend of Norse-inspired mythology with John Gwynne's fantasy creation made for thrilling, entertaining and engaging reading. Being a fan of all things Norse, I devoured this one far quicker than I expected and find myself miserable for knowing that the next one won't be out for a while yet.

Gwynne's writing was masterful, realistic and darkly gritty. Just the kind of stuff you'd expect from a tale inspired by the Norse people and the rugged, brutal lifestyle they lived. The story itself is told from three point of views (Orka, Varg and Elvar) and, although Varg was a firm favourite of mine from the word go, all three have such wonderful stories unfolding that you can't help but love each of them. Often in a book with multiple POVs I have a character that I groan at when they get a lengthy chapter (or, indeed, a chapter at all), but with this I found myself not caring who was up next and looking forward to each one regardless.

There's not really anything negative to say about this one for certain, the one glaring 'mistake' I came across was a continuity error involving Varg and a cleaver that magically ended up being in two places at once during a fight early on. I'm only including this in the review in case it is not noticed and the publisher reads this. Might save some slight embarrassment if it can be caught in time to alter digital/kindle copies. This paragraph won't appear anywhere but my Netgalley review.

One slight annoyance is not simply limited to this book, but all books that write in a 'Norse/Greek/Egyptian/any time period' inspired genre. The frustrating use of italics when using a word that is from that period but not used in our own. For me, it's needless. Why would any sane person need a weapon or piece of armour written in italics just because a Norse word is used instead? That could easily be solved by having a brief glossary.

So yea, my review is overwhelmingly positive because, short of the italics being a personal annoyance, there really isn't anything but good stuff between the two covers of this work. I haven't read Gwynne's Faithful and the Fallen series ... something I might have to remedy if it's even half as good as this book is. So not only was Shadow of the Gods good enough to be my favourite fantasy in recent memory, it's made me want to rush out and buy his other books.

Having read a good deal of Norse fiction myself, I can say that this feels authentic. Gwynne's skill and attention to detail is second to none. He had me believing everything to the extent that I had to remind myself the creatures he describes weren't real. Bravo, John Gwynne. Shadow of the Gods was a real tour de force.

The TLDR of this review: I'm saddened that ratings are only out of five. It deserved more.

“This is a world of blood. Of tooth and claw and sharp iron. Of short lives and painful deaths.”
ARC provided by the publisher Orbit Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The gods are dead but their stories are still being told and their songs are still being sung. The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne enters the fantasy battle plain with a brand new Norse-inspired epic fantasy that will claim battle fame amongst the 2021 fantasy releases.

In all honesty The Shadow of the Gods is the very first book by John Gwynne I’ve ever read. Throughout the time I’ve discovered my love for adult fantasy, John Gwynne’s books has always been in my radar. With many good books I wanna read I haven’t managed to read The Faith and the Fallen series. Once I got the ARC (Advance Readers Copy) of this book I took it as a sign and bumped it up my TBR because I’ve heard nothing but good things about Gwynne’s writing. Thankfully jumping into this book it is a new series in a different world with a whole new cast of characters. The very first thing that caught my eye about this book is the GIGANTIC scale of the dragon on the cover compared to the teenie tiny warrior facing it. This amazing cover art is done by Marcus Whinney from Ndream Studio. To check out the process it took for him to create this scary dragon click here. And please check out this non spoiler review by The Fantasy Reviews that included a glossary of all the Scandinavian terms for your reference while reading the book, click here.

” … When gods go to war, it is no small thing. The world was broken in their ruin.”

The Shadow of the Gods is the first instalment to a norse-inspired epic fantasy saga by fantasy’s most renown voices John Gwynne, the author of The Faithful and The Fallen series. For readers who are interested in reading this book and questioning if you have to read Gwynne’s other works the answer is no. The story is completely new, set in a new land called Vigrið or the Battle Plain. In Vigrið, gods used to rule the world, they are admired and worshipped by the people. Until the gods destroyed themselves in a war that drove them into extinction, shattering the land of Vigrið as they fell. In this story we follow three main characters : Orka, Elvar, and Varg. The three of them each carved their way in the Battle Plain each motivated by their own agenda of family, vengeance, and battle fame. But their three paths share a common theme of blood, death, and heart thumping combat. Family is also one of the common themes that is present in all three POVs. Though some could argue each character has a different definition of “family” especially Elvar. It sparked a few thoughts in me about found/chosen family and biological family. Seeing the different variations of familial relationship from each characters perspectives is refreshing.

“I am blood. I am death. I am vengeance.”

It is clear that Gwynne’s ability in characterization is undoubtedly amazing. Each of the three main characters is distinct and well fleshed out. Orka, Elvar, and Varg all of them have their own colors that readers can easily get familiar with them easily. The one character that stood out most from the three is Orka. I have to be clear first that I’m biased towards Orka, her story arc is the most heart wrenching, desperate, and painful out of all the three. Orka’s role as a mother, wife, and a warrior left a strong impression on me. Not just that Orka is a seasoned warrior, she has experienced everything and left the life of travelling with a warband slaying monsters gaining battle fame behind to raise her family. Orka’s emotions bleeds out of the page, I always anticipate reading her chapters because of the nonstop action that is recklessly gritty. She is just unstoppable! I think she will go down as one my favorite female characters in fantasy. The duality in her personality is truly astonishing, she only shows her gentle kindness and love towards the people she cares the most. Even though some of Orka’s actions are questionable, planning wise, her motivation and protectiveness towards her son is admirable. If I could describe Orka as character in one sentence is, “Don’t mess with Mama Bear!”.

“I have not forgotten you. I will never forget you. And my oath stands, I will make it happen. But if I feel some moments of cheer as I walk that path, or find some friends, is that so bad a thing? Should it feel so . . . wrong?”

Another character that I’m rooting for is Varg. Varg is a man that is on a mission to avenge his sister’s death, but to do so he must first know who is responsible. This lead him to get intertwined with the Bloodsworn, a warband that has garnered battle fame over the years in Vigrið. What makes Varg such an impactful character is his emotional development throughout the story. Varg had a rough childhood with his sister, all his life he had to fight for his and his sister’s survival. Because of this Varg feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere, reading the joy he gets after discovering that he belonged somewhere and is appreciated by a lot of people is just so soft. There are many instances where I was so close to tears because of Varg, there is a certain degree purity in the way he views his relationship with the Bloodsworn. I think out of all the bands in the book Bloodsworn has got to be the best of the best, hence the name of the series The Bloodsword Saga. The level of comradery, loyalty, and friendship amongst the characters is just lively and full of energy. From Svik, Rokia, Einar the Half Troll, Torvik, and many more. My favorite member of the Bloodsworn has to go to Svik, the story about him, the cheese, and the Troll will never fail to entertain me.

“Our choices decide the future. Who we trust, who we love. And our choices will determine what comes of the treasures we find at Oskutreð. Kin are not the answer. Blood is not the answer.”

Lastly, Elvar, a young ambitious warrior that is trying to make a name for herself with a warband called, The Battlegrim. In the earlier chapters, Elvar’s perspective isn’t the most interesting out the others. Nothing is wrong about her chapters if I compare Elvar’s chapters with Orka’s or Varg’s its pretty tough. The thing that I didn’t expect is how her arc picked up around 40-50% into the book. There are pretty big revelations about her background that I completely changed my opinion about Elvar. The fascinating aspect about Elvar POVs is her relationship with Grend, a man that has always been by Elvar’s side since she was young. Their guardian-daughter relationship is the factor that I liked most in Elvar’s POV. Besides that one of the strongest qualities about Elvar’s character is her unshakeable determination to be free and earn her battle fame. Shutting out any door that will lead her to live a life of servitude. Though Elvar didn’t show a lot of growth as a character compared to the other two, Elvar’s defiance is consistently inspiring. As someone that identifies as a female Elvar’s story resonated with me on so many levels. I love when female characters that defies gender conforming roles. Her character definitely grew on me and let me remind you Elvar’s story is just starting! The events that happened in this first book will shape her and her decisions in the coming sequels.

“To the Battle-Plain, where the battle had raged the hardest on that dread day, the Guðfalla, when the gods fell, and where vaesen prowled now in greater numbers.”

Personally, I’ve been craving to read an epic fantasy about bands of mercenaries doing mercenary things. This book fulfilled that need for that found family adventuring party, killing creatures and plowing through hordes. The lore for the world of Vigrið with the gods and their demise, the artifacts that are left behind, nasty creatures that live in the land, and many-many more is a spectacle to read. Gwynne’s world building is well detailed and consistent throughout. The revelation of each story of the gods is done by showing readers instead telling readers as the characters reach certain places in Vigrið. Gwynne has made a wondrous world where the gods used to rule but now each place is like a giant graveyard filled with remnants of what had happened in the past. The people of the world had built a society surrounding these remnants to protect themselves from the dangers of vaesens that threats human lives. Every time Gwynne describes a place I was floored by how intricate and detailed the world is. It is imaginative, full of awe, and breath taking.

“Cursed blood flows in them. That is why when mankind rose from the ashes of the Guðfalla they swore to hunt out any of the gods who survived the gods-fall, and to hunt out their seed, their mingling with humankind”

The magic that is established in the world with the existence of Galdurman and the Seiðr-witch is intriguing. Though it is not explored further about how either uses their magic, Gwynne did treat us to the differences between the two. They are similar but different in many ways, one had learned and trained their magic while the other inherited their powers from their ancestors. It surprises how one is viewed a smidge lesser than the other. Heck they even despise each other I think. This leads to another part of the world that fascinated me. How the world views the “tainted” as lesser or slaves as the society actively hunts them down to be sold or enslaved as thralls. People value them the same as objects to collect or to use. The tainted have to actively suppress themselves from being discovered or else they might lose everything. The setting of the story revolves around the remnants of the Guðfalla and how the event impacted the current world. As it serves as the perfect back drop for a story that is oozing with battle starved characters seeking glory or vengeance. It amplified the stakes even further that blew my expectations of how grand and epic the world is.

This is the first time I’ve ever read a John Gwynne book and it was an experience adjusting to John Gwynne’s writing style. What impressed me about Gwynne’s writing is his descriptive, detailed, and cinematic world building. My gripe with Gwynne’s writing is during character introductions. Though all the characters have a variety of personality and visuals, there are moments when Gwynne over describes a character. By this I mean Gwynne would list of every single equipment to a tea that is owned by each character and these characters owns a similar set of equipment. Same again when it came to food, if a band of warriors is having dinner Gwynne will mention every single thing on the table. For me personally it got repetitive and I usually skim these parts as it is mentioned so many times I started memorizing it. But this is just a small thing about the story that can easily be overlooked. It didn’t hinder me from enjoying the book as a whole.

“It is what it is. I will take one step at a time, kill one enemy at a time. They have made their choice and are in this, now. They know the path we are walking, the steel-edge of it, where life and death are closer than lovers.”

Gwynne has a knack for writing emotional battle scenes that exudes heroism, bravery, and raw barbaric strength. I love raging barbarians that just go ham during battle. And Gwynne does not disappoint at all! There are plenty of skull splitting moments that is gruesome and brutal. For battle fever readers you’re in for a treat. Each battle sequence is written tremendously well, from one to one combat, large scale battle scenes, deadly struggles against monstrous beings, and many more. Every time the bands forms a shield wall it brings me close to tears because readers can feel the excitement and jitters of comradery in battle. The last few chapters of the story contained one of the most intense climactic battle scene, I got cold sweats just by thinking about it. Gwynne did a great job in conveying the sheer tension with each stab of the seax, each block of the shield, each jab of the spear, and many more; creating a symphony of insane brutality and skull splitting deaths that is vividly written.

Final thoughts, The Shadow of the Gods is the first book to an epic Norse-inspired adventure that is intensely bloody and character driven. It took me a while to get used to John Gwynne’s writing but he lived up to his expectations. Now I understand the hype for his books and I will definitely pick his books up in the near future. For a first book to a series it starts of strong and created a perfect base for future sequels. I’d be lying if I didn’t say my expectations are quite high for second book. I just hope that the characters finds a sliver of happiness, the ending to this first book is too heart wrenching I just can’t bear it. From a scale of 1 to 10 I’d rate this 11 for pain. I highly recommend for those who love a character driven story, with descriptive world building that rich with lore, and brutally believable battle scenes to pre order this book immediately or demand your library to buy it for you, just get your hands on it once it is available.

“All is lies,” she murmured. “They call this the age of peace, because the ancient war is over and the gods are dead, but if this is peace . . .”

“This is the age of storm and murder . . . ”

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

John Gwynne is an author whose books have been on my to-read list for a long time, especially given the high praise they often get in fantasy forums. I just never ever came around to actually starting any of his earlier series, so when presented the opportunity to read The Shadow of the Gods, the first book in his latest series – The Bloodsworn Saga, I decided to give it a go. I’m so pleased that I choose to read this, as it may just be one of the best epic fantasy releases of the year.

The Shadow of the Gods is a Norse-mythology-inspired story set in the fantasy world of Vigrið. The old gods fought a war amongst themselves and left the world in ruins. Now humans rule the land, and their politics take centre stage, as each lord, queen, or jarl wants to rule all across Vigrið. But in the background, the old deities still hold considerable sway. Humans still seek and collect their bones due to the powers within these relics. Their descendants are now hunted and enslaved, only to be used for the magic that runs in their blood. It is a world caught between the gods of the past and the human rulers of the present, and we witness it through three unique perspectives:
- Orka, a deadly assassin who has given up her craft for raising her family.
- Elvar, one who has rejected what her family expects of her position, instead choosing to hunt for battle fame and glory.
- Varg, a slave who is on the hunt for vengeance for his dead sister.

As mentioned at the beginning, this was the first book by John Gwynne I have read. Hence, I cannot compare it to his earlier works, but there were many elements across The Shadow of the Gods that I enjoyed during my reading. Firstly, the execution of multiple perspectives and story pacing is perfect. The chapters are short and crisp, which keep the reader engaged, as one quickly want to come back to the character and learn how their story unfolds but have enough substance so that the shifts do not feel pointless or haphazard. Secondly, character development is immaculate. Any amount of words will fall short to completely describe the complexity that Orka brings into the world – a deadly assassin whose rage knows no bounds, but also a mother whose love for her son can blind any other threat. Similarly, the writing makes sure that the reader can relate to the conflicts that run in Varg’s mind or the excitement and rage that flows through Elvar’s veins. Additionally, the writing style ensures that the memorability does not end with the three lead protagonists but extends to other characters in the plot, such as Mord, Uspa, and Svik. All of this helps the reader to immerse themselves in the world of Vigrið.

With any fantasy series, one does expect the parallel storylines to come together at some point, and I have thoroughly enjoyed how the multiple story arcs are starting to intertwine as The Shadow of the Gods comes to an end. Much like Elvar, who was scared yet excited as she and her Battle-Grim squad ventured on their quest, I cannot wait to see where John Gwynne takes us in the next chapter of The Bloodsworn Saga. The shadow and danger of the old gods have never loomed larger on Vigrið, and it is hard to see how our three sets of eyes into this world will rise after the ash and smoke has settled from the ending of The Shadow of the Gods.

The story is the start of a new storyline that is not based in the same world as his previous books and is set in a Viking world, full of battle-hardened warriors, Jarls, and monsters (If there's something that is going to get my attention, it is definitely monsters!).

The Shadow of the Gods revolves around three main characters; Varg, Orka, and Elvar. Each with their own separate storylines, running side by side. Each one showing different aspects of the world of Virgid.

With Varg, we follow him as he joins the warband the Bloodsworn (the very same Bloodsworn on the front cover that this saga is all about!). We share his experiences as he initially joins the war band and then his adventures as he travels the land of Virgid.

Independently, of this, there is Elvar's story. Elvar is a member of another warband, the Battle Grim. Elvar's thread opens up the world further, showing us another perspective of the world that the characters reside in. Elvar's story does take time to gain momentum. However, when it does, her part in this saga is gigantic (In fact, my jaw literally dropped and I found myself going Whooooa, like a big kid. Gordon Bennett, I wish I could tell you more, but you need to read it and I don't want to spoil it).

And finally, we have Orka! Upon reading many of the reviews and comments about The Shadow of the Gods, Orka's story is the one that has had the most resonance with readers, and when you read the book, you can see why. Orka is such a brilliant character, she has both warmth and depth, and is a proper badass! She is a woman fueled by vengeance And she will stop at nothing to enact it, she's like a force of nature.

One of the many strengths of this book are the rich and complex characters that populate The Shadow of the Gods. However, besides the main protagonists of the story, there is a dearth of individuals who make up the supporting cast. Each one of these adds to the texture of the book. Characters like Svik, who delights us each time he is on the page, especially when he waxes lyrical about his love of cheese. Which had me in peals of laughter.

This book worked on so many levels. Gwynne's world-building is so gorgeously crafted and immersive. In 'The Shadow of the Gods', John Gwynne throws the reader into an expansive world made up of monsters and cities built on the skeletons of Gods. It is a brutal world, a world of tooth and claw, where life is battle',

However, not only that but John Gwynne keeps you enthralled even in the quiet moments. For instance, when Svik tells the story of a time he was captured by a troll and engaged him in an eating contest. I was as engrossed at this story as much as the Bloodsworn sat at the campfire.
It's amazing how he interjects the furious battle scenes with moments of humour and comradeship, that grip you just as much as the massive, bloody fight scenes.

Let's talk about the battle scenes! Oh my goodness, John Gwynne writes some of the most blood-pumping battle scenes that I have ever read. When he writes a battle scene, you can almost hear the clash of steel reverberating around you, smell the perspiration of warriors next to you and feel the jolt of metal as sword hits shield.

I constantly marveled at John Gwynne's masterful storytelling, I found myself unable to lift my head from the page. It's books like this that show the wealth, depth, and scope of stories written in the fantasy genre and keep me begging for more.

With his new book The Shadow of the Gods, John Gwynne shows us that the pen is indeed mightier than the seax, as he swathes his way to the top of everyone's to be read list in this must read fantasy book of the year.

Wow! this book was everything what I love about adult fantasy. This was my first John Gwynne book and definitely not going to be the last. The writing is absolutely marvelous, the way he painted the dangerous and bleak work of Vigrio was fantastic and I loved every minute of it. The world-building and mythology was so authentic, there's so much to learn about this world but it never felt info dumpy. Everything is well thought out and the effort the author put in creating this world definitely shows in the narrative. The pacing of the plot sometimes felt slow but I was never bored because I always wanted to know what will happen next. Similarly, the action scenes were some of the best I have read and oh so good!

The only lacking thing I felt was the characters.. like I don't actively hated anyone, in fact I think the characters and the relationship development between characters were done very well but somehow I don't feel very attached to anyone of the main POV characters. Maybe that will change as the series progresses but for now I feel pretty neutral on the characters.

Overall, great plot, writing and world building and I totally love the idea of tainted, warbands and vengeful and spiteful gods. Definitely recommend this one to anyone who wants to read a well rounded fantasy which will leave you wanting for more.

Quizá la mejor manera de describir un libro de fantasía no sea hacer hincapié en la verosimilitud de sus batallas, pero no se puede negar que uno de los principales alicientes de la lectura de The Shadow of the Gods son precisamente estas escenas de enfrentamientos épicos, que parecen directamente sacadas de una recreación de la época. Al igual que en los más que recomendables vídeos de Miles Cameron, John Gwynne describe de forma totalmente inmersiva los movimientos de cada batalla, de forma que parece que estemos presentes en ese muro de escudos que choca con el enemigo o en esa escaramuza contra unos asaltantes. También es destacable la crudeza con que se describen los resultados de estos enfrentamientos, con más que considerable cantidad de casquería resultante. The Shadow of the Gods no es un libro para almas sensibles.


La ambientación nórdica también está muy conseguida, el autor consigue hacernos partícipes de la dureza de la vida en condiciones bastante extremas. No obstante, el principal motor de la parte fantástica de la historia es una mitología muy atractiva. Hace siglos hubo un gran enfrentamiento entre los dioses y acabaron todos muertos o desaparecidos. Sin embargo, sus descendientes humanos, los Tainted, siguen en el mundo, muchas veces perseguidos y esclavizados por sus características especiales, que les hacen valiosos a ojos de los poderosos. En esta parte más mágica de la narración cabe destacar la presencia de los vaesen, trolls y todo tipo de seres mágicos que pondrán a prueba a los humanos y sobre todo, sus capacidades de lucha.

Los diferentes puntos de vista de la obra están muy compensados y retienen el interés del lector de una forma bastante homogénea. Aunque cada hilo está condenado a encontrarse con los otros, es cierto que durante la mayor parte de la duración de la novela son independientes, pudiendo considerarse como relatos perfectamente válidos por sí mismos. No obstante, al verlos como un tapiz que se va desplegando ante nosotros, se puede apreciar el trabajo impecable realizado por el autor en la planificación de la obra.

También me parece importante destacar el papel de la mujer en esta sociedad de inspiración nórdica. Dos de los tres puntos de vista del libro son de mujeres, y además de mujeres de armas tomar que representan dos papeles muy distintos, la «ama de casa» que se ve obligada a retornar a un pasado que dejó atrás por amor a su familia y la «rica heredera» que renunció a todo por la fama y la gloria eterna. Pero no son solo estos dos personajes, es que hay muchas más que resultan fundamentales para el desarrollo de la historia. No parece que estén en el libro para cumplir una cuota, si no que se encuentran donde están por méritos propios.

Los personajes están muy bien trazados por Gwynne, que ha sido capaz de conjugar el desarrollo de los acontecimientos con la exposición de sus historias sin que en ningún momento tengamos sensación de infodump. Es verdad que al principio podemos andar algo perdidos mientras nos hacemos la composición de lugar y que los desplazamientos de cada grupo por el mundo a veces pueden resultar confusos, pero estos pequeños problemas se soslayan conformen vas avanzando en la lectura.

Recomiendo mucho la lectura de The Shadow of the Gods, a pesar de la magnífica y engañosa portada que nos había hecho suspirar con la presencia de dragones.

This is a high fantasy story (the first book of hopefully many to come) in The Bloodsworn Saga series, set in a Norse-inspired world, called Vigrid. This is a gut-wrenchingly violent world, reminiscent of God of War (PS4) and The Vikings, cold, cruel but insanely interesting.

''This is a world of blood. Of tooth and claw and sharp iron. Of short lives and painful deaths.''

1) Synopsis:
The Gods are dead. 300 years ago, they battled against each other and fell. The world was destroyed, all kinds of monsters crawling out of the deepest, darkest pit. The only remains of the great Gods are the bones of their corpses and their descendants, the Tainted. But because the Gods destroyed the world, the Tainted are hunted, used, killed, or enslaved as thralls, so that the world won't meet the same fate again.

But we all know humans are no better.

When children start going missing and whispers of war can be heard across the land, we walk through the saga-tales of three characters, Orka, Elvar, and Varg. Orka is a fierce huntress, mother, Varg a thrall hungry for vengeance, and Elvar a noblewoman who rejected her privilege in search for battle-fame.

2) The World
A cold, cruel, unforgiving world, extensively detailed. It's dark, gloomy, but the atmosphere is like a whirlpool, it just sucks you in. At times I felt like it was a freezing winter night, and I needed to curl up next to the fireplace (which I don't have) and cover myself with three bearskins.

The creatures described are so grisly and revolting, but not through exaggeratedly grotesque descriptions, but simply, their mere existence is enough to make you cringe. Imagine a creature that eats blood and spit-soaked porridge. I won't go into details, that's enough to give you a little taste. *wink wink*

I've never before read better fighting/battle scenes, so intricate, real, and raw, making you feel itchy and anxious, and wanting to jump into the book, grab a seax or spear. Thank you Battle Lord John Gwynne.

3) CHARACTERS
''I am blood. I am death. I am vengeance.''

Every character has such an authentic story and a path that they follow. The most compelling and iconic one for me was the fierce, savage, blood-thirsty Orka.

The quests of the MCs are pushed forward by their need for vengeance or need to move on from the past and find a resolution in the present. All of them have unsevered ties to the past that they can't bury or escape from, but actually, have to tap into to move forward.

''But Vigrid is not fair. All that can make the world fair is...your thought-cage. The choices you make. Choose to treat others fairly. You'll sleep better for it.''

4) Descriptions
If you're sensitive to realistic, sensory, detailed descriptions of fights, wounds, death overall, then... pick up your skirt and petticoat and trot off, because this one will make you clutch your pearls. Axe's crunching into skulls, brains and blood splatter over cheeks, spears piercing bellies, guts spilling out, gashes, wounds, screams, stench.

Sensory details and imagery are what make this cold, gray world brilliant and not bland. It is through this that you carefully feel out the situation, the characters, figure out what emotions you're supposed to feel.

5) Pacing
It took me a while to get into it, the beginning was a bit slower, and I couldn't connect to the characters right away. It took me the longest to connect to Varg as a character, but when I did, it was brilliant. But have no fear, the book doesn't lack plot or action. This is simply not a book I could just read quickly or skim over. Every sentence is there with A PURPOSE. There is no fluff, no word that's meaningless, or just there to increase the word count. It's worth the slow chewing because you're going to have a lot to digest.

PS Some new phrases I have added to my vocabulary after reading this: thought-cage, weasel-turd along with its variants such as weasel-shite and troll-shite.

Don't be a weasel-shite and read this book. It will rattle your thought-cage.

The Shadow of the Gods
John Gwynne
A Massive thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for a copy of The Shadow of the Gods in return for an honest review.
This is a spoiler free review; I’m going to leave out a lot of what I want to write in hopes I leave as much magic in this book as possible.
You know the sort of book that when you read that final sentence it leaves you feeling like you’ve been stabbed in the gut? That lingering feeling of confusion, “what am I supposed to do with my life now?” you say to yourself, before you start trying to figure out how many days you will roughly have to wait till the next book is released? John Gwynne writes those sorts of books, and this is that kind of book.
John Gwynne’s first book, Malice, came out in 2012, and even with the fact that Gwynne is a writer that manages to bring out a book almost yearly, I’ve still had to spend a lot of time with this crippling feeling of loss every time one of his books ends and I’m left waiting for the next. The Faithful and the Fallen’s final entry left me in a book depression that took me weeks to bounce back from, and now he’s plunged me back into the pit of despair as we start that cycle all over again. Whether you’ve just started your first ever visit to the Banished Lands or you are a seasoned veteran you will know why Gwynne’s readers love his books. In my opinion Gwynne is possibly the best epic fantasy author we have right now, his writing is incredible, and manages to stay consistently incredible across all of the areas that are needed for a true epic fantasy.
Even if you haven’t read any of my posts yet, you have probably realised that I’m a little bit of a John Gwynne fan, and it should be no surprise that I absolutely adored this book. The Shadow of the Gods was my most anticipated book of the 2021 and honestly it was a painful couple of months watching twitter receive their ARCs. I wasn’t lucky enough to get a physical copy, and even trying to trade the Gwynne family my future first-born wasn’t enough to achieve that apparently, but luckily, I did get an eBook and thank God I did. However, regardless of my fanboying, there is no need to be concerned of my bias showing during this review, because this book didn’t need it. It was a truly spectacular debut to Gwynne’s new world and probably the easiest five-star review I’ve ever given, The Shadow of the Gods was superb.
Our setting is the shattered lands of Vigrið, the battle plains, the graveyard of the Gods. The people of Vigrið spend their lives fighting over the scraps of these long dead Gods, trying to forge their own homes and kingdoms, even building their homes in the bodies of these fallen behemoths. Gwynne has done an amazing job of forming this world, and it was probably his best effort at world building so far. Vigrið is a lot smaller than The Banished Lands we saw previously, and this really allowed Gwynne to flesh out this world with so much more detail. You can really see that this was a passion project for Gwynne, the immense amount of research that was undertaken and the love for history really shines through in his writing. Vigrið truly feeling like something taken straight out of the Norse history and Mythology, filled with vibrant and terrifying monsters, dripping in things we recognise from the stories, even getting to see the famed Blood Eagle at a point. There’s so much I want to go into about the intricacies of Vigrið, and the people and beasts that live there, but I want to leave that for you to find out.
Now almost any avid reader of Gwynne will tell you that his greatest talent is his ability to write incredible characters and it seems that he is really trying to outdo himself. The reason I believe Shadow of the Gods sets itself above Gwynne’s previous offerings is because we have the greatest set of characters he has written so far, and that is really hard to say because I feel like I’m betraying the Brightstar and I’m a little ashamed of myself. TFatF had over the course of its four books, fourteen characters getting their own POV chapters, and this has its upsides. Gwynne’s character writing is so good that each one of those characters is someone you’re invested in, someone that you are emotionally attached to and each person that Gwynne writes about is interesting to read. But on the flipside, it also sucks spending so much time away from those characters you care about the most, especially when most authors enjoy ending their chapters with mini cliff-hangers. Instead, The Shadow of the Gods is split between just three POV characters and I couldn’t be happier about Gwynne streamlining his story and focusing his writing into less characters this time round. This is in part due to the difference in scope between Gwynne’s two worlds, we have a smaller world with a more condensed storyline, because of that Gwynne has been able to focus all of his energies into these three stunning characters.
Orka, Orka, Orka, a name I have heard whispered through the community over and over as I sat by and watched people devour this story. A legend building as I hear this name, and the reason I need to read this book more and more. Orka turned out to be everything I hoped for, the hype was true, and I honestly believe that Gwynne has written one of the best characters that we will ever see in Fantasy. Not only this, but some of the most beautiful and daunting prose Gwynne has ever written were in Orka’s chapters and the level of writing he produced was stunning. A woman that I can imagine going toe to toe with God of Wars Kratos, or Abercrombie’s The Bloody Nine, it is those moments of rage and blood intertwined with the interactions and developments between her and her family that make Orka so perfect. I could quote her hundred times over and I could sit here and write about how incredible every chapter was, but I want you to read that magic for the first time and not have it ruined by myself.
“Orka shook her head. “You are like rune magic to me, Thorkel Ulfsson. How is it we have faced the same horrors, fought the same battles? The Terrible things we have done. And yet…” She sighed. “I do not feel like a young horse before green meadows. How are you so strong, where I am so weak?”
“Weak, are you moon touched, woman? I would not challenge you to an arm-wrestle, let alone a holmganga duel”.
Then we have Varg, Varg is trying to fulfil the oath he has made to find out what happened to his sister and avenge her, his is a story of pain, sadness, and revenge. His path finds itself intertwined with the legendary Bloodsworn, a famous group of warriors and monster hunters after whom this series was named after. Using my keen detective skills, I have deduced that Varg and the Bloodsworn might be fairly important to the story. Varg’s story is wonderful to read, a Thrall for all his life, the moments of comradeship and happiness he finds during his time with Bloodsworn leaves your heart aching, all of those moments being tinged with guilt as he struggles to believe he should be allowed these slivers of joy. You cannot help but become emotionally attached to Varg. The Bloodsworn also make for a wonderfully entertaining bunch of characters which really add to the enjoyment when you get to his chapters, Einar and Svik add these little sparks of fun into the story and are wonderful additions, I hope Gwynne decides to keep them around, but you can never really tell with him.
Elvar is the final member of our cast, and probably the character I was least attached to, her story took a little while to really suck you in but when it finally did it added a distinct weight to the story and she certainly carved her way into your heart. Elvar is part of the Battle Grim, another of Vigrið’s mercenary groups, not quite the heroic band that Varg finds himself with but fearsome all the same. Elvar’s story may be a slow burn and you don’t get a lot from her at the beginning, but she becomes a much more complicated character as the book goes on and you cannot help but love her. Grend is Elvar’s shadow and is both a quiet mountain and someone who manages to bring a chuckle to almost every chapter, I really loved his addons in Elvar’s story and I need more Grend content. For me, her final few pages were some of the most exciting in the book and I really see her exploding to the forefront in book two of the Bloodsworn saga and knowing what Gwynne can do with characterizations I would not be surprised to see her competing with Orka for that number one spot in our hearts.
“Men die, Women die, all creatures of flesh and blood die, but battle-fame survives. To become a song, a saga-tale told from generation to generation. That way we will live forever. That is what I want, what all of us want.”
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I’m a sucker for a decent fight. I want a few axes and a good shield wall; I want to see death and destruction and the necessary grandiose battles that come with most fantasy and that’s all you need to have me hooked. So, on the plus side for me this may be Gwynne’s most violent book to date (which is real hard considering all his previous books ended in pretty epic levels of bloodshed). On top of everything else Gwynne can do, the man can write action and there are very few equals when it comes to writing scenes filled with groups of people hitting each other with big pointy weapons. Gwynne writes in a way that makes you feel like you are there in the shield wall yourself, he makes you understand and feel the danger of that spear flying past your face or the power behind the axe that just split the man next to you in half. Gwynne writes like he himself stood in that shield wall and felt the spear fly past his face, and honestly learning about the Gwynne family, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were many of the things they’ve re-enacted. We had some beautiful fights in this book and I’m sure the scale will only ramp up. I’m excited.
This is grim, brutal, intense, epic fantasy at its best and absolute joy to read. This is some of the best writing we’ve seen from Gwynne and it will only continue to get better. I can’t wait to read more of these spectacular characters and in my humble opinion Gwynne continues to secure his position as the best Fantasy author around right now.
Thanks for reading.

“Death is our constant companion, a whisper in our ear, but when you see a friend fall…nothing prepares us for it, even though we’ve waded through a river of the dead.”

The Shadow of the Gods is set in Vigrid, a Norse-inspired world, and is the first book in the Bloodsword Saga.
Let me first start by saying that I am from a small Nordic country called the Faroe Islands, and I know how to speak Faroese, Danish, and I can read Swedish and Norwegian. Furthermore, I have grown up hearing about Nordic creatures such as the Nix, the Seal Women and Huldufólk. So did this book feel Norse inspired? Absolutely!

The Shadow of the Gods is filled with Norse terminology, myths and creatures. I love seeing names used, such as Sigrun, Agnar and Einar, commonly used in the Faroe Islands. It was a joy to be able to read and understand the Nordic (Icelandic, I think?) used in this book. If you are looking for a Norse-inspired fantasy, then The Shadow of the Gods is the perfect book for you. My only concern is the lack of a glossary. I hope that a glossary is added in the final print so that readers can look up the meaning of the terms used.

John Gwynne is one of the best contemporary fantasy authors when writing a story with multiple POVs. We follow three distinct storylines, and Gwynne masterfully switches between the POVs. The pacing is terrific, and tension and stakes are gradually raised throughout this story, making the reader engaged in each plotline. This book is going to break your heart, so bring tissues!

Orka, Elvar and Varg are well fleshed out, with depth and complex motivations, which make these characters incredibly memorable. I love Orka! It is rare to see a compassionate and badass mother in fantasy. Orka is fierce, loyal and protecting and has the potential to become one of my all-time favourite characters.
Furthermore, the world-building is phenomenal. Gwynne expertly uses Norse inspiration in his world-building, making Vigrid feel vast and fascinating. The world of Vigrid is filled with harsh terrain, mythical creatures, forbidden magic and gods.

My only “criticism” is that Elvar’s storyline starts at a slow pace. However, since you are following multiple POVs, the story never feels dull, and Elvar’s plotline picks up at the 50% mark.

In conclusion, The Shadow of the Gods is a fantastic introduction to the Bloodsworn Saga, filled with memorable characters, phenomenal world-building and heartache. This book is perfect for readers that love Norse inspiration and epic fantasy. I am already anxiously waiting for the sequel!

4.5 / 5 stars

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow of the Gods is the new benchmark in Norse mythology-inspired stories. This is the fantasy I’ve been waiting for.

In all honesty, this book had as good a chance as possible of becoming a favourite of mine, for I am without a doubt an ardent reader and supporter of John Gwynne and his books, having read and loved all of his previous works. Both The Faithful and the Fallen and Of Blood and Bone are masterpieces in my estimation and occupy treasured spaces on my shelf and within my heart. Nevertheless, no book is a certain thing as writers are only human beings, but I could not contain my excitement when I read that this latest venture of Mr Gwynne was another epic fantasy story, this time with Norse ink in its veins. I believe that mythologies always appeal to a wide fan base, with Norse and Greek, in particular, being personal favourites. And while I am nowhere near well-read on the subjects, I squeed like any fan worthy of the title at the idea of a favourite author shaping a story from the fertile ground that is the Norse culture. On such a foundation The Shadow of the Gods had much to live up to and I tried to curtail my hopes a little. There was no need though. At the end of this story, I was once again in awe at witnessing a master completely comfortable in executing an epically captivating and exciting tale.

The Shadow of the Gods is unconnected to anything that the author has written before, and is set in the world of Vigrið, the Battle-Plain. A world of departed deities, bloody feuds and fearsome monsters; a harsh, unforgiving place that will brook nothing less than hard words and harder actions to survive and where only fools do not learn to protect themselves. The tales speak of an ancient war between the gods that came to a ruinous head 300 years ago, culminating in the Guðfalla, the final battle of devastating proportions that turned Vigrid into a graveyard of gods. A shattered land bleeding monsters, vaesan, from the wounds of this conflagration and littered with the sought after, potent remnants of these fallen beings. A place in which the blood of the gods still flows through the veins of Vigrid’s inhabitants. But in this world where the gods and their kin once lived, thrived, and were worshipped, such worship is now forbidden, and those who display any of the gifts that would mark them as possessing even a hint of the deific blood, the Tainted, are despised and mercilessly hunted. For never again will Vigrid be ruled over by the whims of gods.

“This is a world of blood.. of tooth and claw and sharp iron. Of short lives and painful deaths.”

The narrative is told through three different character viewpoints. Orka, a huntress, a mother, a wife, and a fierce warrior who only wishes to spend time with her family in relative peace. Elvar, a mercenary who dreams of carving her name into history and the sagas. And Varg, a once-thrall with a driving hunger for vengeance who has been given a path to it as a member of the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn. As to how they are part of the plot and fit together, you will have to read to learn more.

She glanced at him, saw fear in his eyes. “It sounds . . . dangerous.”
“This is Vigrið,” she answered. “Living is dangerous.

For fans of the author, character comparisons are inevitable, and the unforgettable ones that we spent our time with within The Banished Lands, John Gwynne’s previous two series, are eternal favourites of mine. That is all due to the phenomenal characterization that the author gifted us with. Such consistently well-crafted characters are a mainstay of the greatest writers and it has been evident in every single book of Gwynne’s. The Shadow of the Gods is no different. Once again they are superbly written and I already feel these new characters fighting tooth and nail to be part of that much-loved family of characters that never leave us. And as has ever been the case with Gwynne’s works (and I pray it never changes) the themes that stand out are love, loyalty, friendship and family, including found family. These themes are at the heart of the story and its characters, driving their decisions and shaping their futures and it’s one of the many reasons I can buy John Gwynne’s books without knowing a single thing about them. The emotions he invests in every character’s storyline never fail to move me. They will always be a joy to read.

“Battle- fame is nothing; it is chaff on the wind. Bonds of love, of kinship, of passion, of friendship: that is what we should all be yearning for.”

But don’t be fooled into thinking that these motifs in The Shadow of the Gods translate into clear cut good and bad, heroes and white knights. This world is a jagged edge and will cut anything and anyone soft to ribbons. Hesitation often means death. As for our main characters in The Shadow of the Gods, Mr Gwynne does not handle any of them with kid gloves, their journeys tumultuous, bloody and nerve-wracking to say the least. All three of the protagonists had me completely riveted to the page by the end. I admit, Elvar’s chapters initially had me longing to return to Varg and Orka. Thankfully this changed as the story progressed and brought with it some essential key moments in her development. Now I can’t wait to read more about her. I still like Varg much more though, unlike Elvar his storyline gripped me right from the start, but I won’t again be wishing Elvar’s chapters to speed along any quicker in the next book. As for Orka… Damn, I wish everyone could see the grin on my face right now.

“You are my second; should you not be giving me advice on how to win?”
“Put your axe in his skull,” Orka said.

Orka is one of the most remarkable characters I have ever encountered on a page, and I would lay down my life for her. Singularly determined, protective, loving and fierce as an inferno, the mother, wife and warrior are every single thing that I could hope for and want in a character. She has instantly fought herself a way onto my favourites list and I do not wish to be the character that challenges her for her spot. Say your goodbyes, would be my only advice. And before I forget, the animal companions, another strength of the author, are as wonderful as ever and I will never tire of finding them in these stories.

I have already spoken much of the world but will add that Mr Gwynne is creating something exceptional here. Norse mythology is deftly woven throughout the narrative, and his love for it and knowledge of it shows through his comprehensive efforts on the page. The various gods, the locations, means of transport, sagas, culture, weapons and armour, tactics and fighting styles, magics and mysteries… Although I have always been fascinated and am mindful of how lacking my knowledge of it is, I have just never gotten to the point of amending this shortcoming. Until now. I dread John Gwynne has awakened a slumbering beast, and it is ravenous! I ordered a few books I definitely should not have. Sorry budget! Soon I will know all the things though, muhahahaha! In the meantime, I already know more than when I started as the author had me looking up various Norse terms and names and researching many of the references to Norse mythology.

“There comes the shadow- dark dragon flying,
The gleaming serpent, up from Dark- of- Moon Hills; He flies over the plain, and in his pinions he carries corpses.”

Speaking of, there are quite a few words or terms in the book that many readers will be unfamiliar with which could overwhelm. I was slightly worried initially but had no issues in the end and I think the point of view count helped with that. The Shadow of the Gods has the lowest count of character perspectives employed in any of John Gwynne’s novels. Generally, I’m not much bothered by the number of perspectives, unless it switches mid-series or there are far too many. For the most part, as long as characters are written well and distinctive, then I’m happy. In this case, though, I think the lower amount of POV’s is an excellent choice, tempering the unfamiliar terms with focused storytelling and providing a great balance. That said, I do hope that the final published book will have a glossary, as it would be valuable to be able to quickly consult it if needed. And now that I have mentioned hopes, can we get Johan Egerkrans to illustrate an edition? That would be just lovely. 🙂

Lastly, the fights, the battles, the blood and brutality! Is there any author who can hold a candle to Master Gwynne in this department? If so, they are a rare breed indeed. Juxtaposed against the numerous quiet moments in the book, the violence that is so frequently required in Vigrid explodes off the page with savage intensity! Be it involving humans, trolls, fell-wolves, Tennúr, Tainted or Näcken, I doubt anyone inclined to bloodlust or the appreciation of cheese would name themselves unsatisfied whilst reading The Shadow of the Gods. And while Gwynne has long ago conquered this facet and earned the title of Battle Lord, his writing is still getting better and better, resulting in more intense, breathtaking encounters than ever before. The climax of this book brought with it unmatched ferocity, delivering bloodcurdling betrayal, crushing loss and spilling enough blood to turn rivers red, with John Gwynne’s characters carving a bloody path to a denouement that was as shocking and simultaneously exciting as they come. Masterful.

“I am blood. I am death, I am vengeance”

The Shadow of the Gods is without a doubt as emphatic an opening book as I have read, one of the best beginnings to a fantasy series yet and unquestionably John Gwynne’s best start. I am once again in awe of this author, and there are not many I can say that about on a regular basis. If you are a fan of the author or genre then this is a must-read – you will be doing yourself a disservice by not doing so. Thinking about all his other books has reminded me that I once named John Gwynne an official member of fantasy’s best of the best club. Those days are past though. John Gwynne is presently a member of the board and has his sights set on becoming the chairman.

“All is lies,” she murmured. “They call this the age of peace, because the ancient war is over and the gods are dead, but if this is peace . . .” She looked to the skies, clouds low and heavy, snow falling in sheets now, and back at the blood- soaked corpses.

“This is the age of storm and murder . . . ”

The Shadow of the Gods is a rich blend of Norse mythology, vengeance and victory. As the first instalment in The Bloodsworn Saga, John Gwynne creates a gritty world full of legends, where only the ruthless survive. Fantasy readers are going to enjoy this new, epic fantasy series.

With a fast pace, this fantasy is relentless. There is so much action in this book, battles and brawls and training. The detailing made the fights really easy to follow and you can’t help but get caught up in the action. I’ve not read many Norse inspired fantasy books, making the world of Vigrið feel rich and unique.

The Shadow of the Gods follows three perspectives, Orka, Elvar and Varg, who are all facing their own battles. Orka and Elvar were my favourites, they were strong and independent, and I found their stories really interesting. They may be on different paths, but they’re united in their strength and endurance.

Orka has a bloodied past, but she represses that to focus on her husband, Thorkel and their son, Brecca. There is a strong theme of family through Orka’s perspective, and she will do anything to protect them. Orka might be a hardened fighter, but her powerful love made her easy to root for.

As the book progressed, Elvar’s chapters got better and better. A member of the Battle Grim, all she wants is to become legendary, to hear her battle fame sung so that she will live forever.

The third point of View follows Varg, who is trying to uncover the truth behind his sister’s murder. Unfortunately, I found it hard to become invested in Varg’s perspective. I felt disconnected from his character, and I can’t quite put my finger on why, there was just something that didn’t click for me.

Despite enjoying this one, I found it hard to visualise some of the creatures. With the fast pacing, it was difficult to absorb the details and track all the characters at the same time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was a good introduction to Gwynne’s writing style, and I look forward to seeing what else is in store for Elvar and Orka.

I received an uncorrected proof copy of The Shadow of the Gods in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to John Gwynne and Orbit Books.

The Shadow of the Gods is a gritty and violent Norse mythology-inspired tale that features monsters, magic, vengeance, warbands, and shield walls. It takes place approximately 300-years after the Gods of Vigrið fought and battled themselves to annihilation and follows three distinct point of view perspectives as they traverse Gwynne’s well-realised dark fantasy world.

The Shadow of the GodsThese characters are Orka, an ex-warrior who lives with her husband and son at a quiet steading, Varg, a thrall who is running to escape his slave masters, and Elvar, a young warrior who is trying to find battle fame with the monster hunting warband the Battle-Grim. They all have deep and interesting pasts of which we are given more details of as the story progresses. Through the eyes of these characters, I was engrossed from the very first chapter and by about the fourth chapter I was chuffed to see that Gwynne had worked his magic again.

Gwynne has crafted a fresh and unique fantasy world and adventure that I’d summarise as a mixture of some of the finest elements from Norse Mythology and Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom novels. (There are a few people who get called “arselings” as homage to Leofric I imagine and warriors in this world wish to die with a weapon in their hand.) It features The Witcher-esque monsters and heartwarming friendships and camaraderie that I also adored in Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen series. It seems like Gwynne went into writing this series with big ambitions and wasn’t going to hold back on his vision. This world is as majestic as it is haunting, as macabre as it is beautiful. An example is that one of Vigrið’s main cities is in the skull of a dead god. The imagery throughout is phenomenal.

The Shadow of the Gods has dozens of excellent set pieces, standout moments, action segments, skirmishes, and showdowns. So often I finished a chapter with a cheesy grin knowing that something awesome had just happened and imagining how epic a live-action version of these scenes would be. Gwynne is one of the best in the fantasy game at writing thrilling fighting and brutal action moments.

For a 500-page novel, there is a huge cast of characters. The three main protagonists are all great to follow but I did find myself most excited when returning to Orka’s storyline. I think this is probably due to Orka’s arc being more precise and classic fantasy than Varg’s and Elvar’s who both find themselves as members of warbands. In the warbands, there is a wide mix of players from varying backgrounds, cultures, and skillsets. Einar Half-Troll, Rokia, and Grend were really fine supporting characters and some of the banter and humour is witty and wry. When we returned to one of the warband-focused point of views, I will admit that I sometimes had to refamiliarise myself with the crew of each faction and what they’d been up to during their last chapter as their missions and objectives were similar occasionally. Also worth mentioning, a nice touch that I really enjoyed was when one of the characters would mention another person the reader is familiar with from another story arc, fitting another piece in the puzzle of how the storylines may be interconnected.

So, why am I only giving The Shadow of the Gods four-stars? Without a doubt, The Shadow of the Gods was my most anticipated read of the year and all the reviewers I trust have given it glowing five-star reviews. Gwynne is one of my favourite authors and I think all of the aforementioned are reasons that I overhyped it to myself. It’s an excellent start to what I have no doubt will be a stunning and fresh fantasy saga. I awarded Malice and A Time of Dread four-stars each too and ended up adoring those series. In my mind, I expected the world’s most phenomenal fantasy standalone novel and on that front, it doesn’t quite deliver. That being said, the endings are fantastic, the set-up for the next novel is intriguing, there may be animal or monster companions(!), it’s an addictive read, and, knowing Gwynne’s previous work, I think every book in the series will build on these fine foundations to a conclusion of epic, possibly world-shattering proportions. Gwynne’s a talented wordsmith and the next tale in The Bloodsworn Saga will probably be my most anticipated read of the year when that’s released too. If you haven’t read any of Gwynne’s books yet, The Shadow of the Gods might be the best place to start.