Even though the first book was not exactly my thing, despite my high hopes, I was actually really looking forward to the second book in the series. Despite the fact that about half of the first book went straight over my head, I was really curious what was gonna happen to the characters in this sequel and I was also looking forward to getting some answers and reveals. Luckily HarperVoyager granted me a digital copy of this book through Netgalley.

I really have no idea why, but it feels like in this second book once more half of the story goes over my head. I'm not an English native, but usually I don't have any issues understanding what I read. In this case I do understand the words I'm reading. I'm just not always understanding what the author is trying to say with all those words. It feels like I miss the deeper layer. It feels like I miss the actual important part of the story.

And that's a pity, because there are a lot of interesting elements in this book. In the first book the amount of Gods was a little confusing, but in this book I started to understand better and better how this world worked and what was going on. It's a unique concept and creates a world with loads of possibilities. Combine it with loads of politics and conflicts and there is not one moment our characters can just lean back and relax.

I also like all the different characters. Kissen is slowly learning and changing throughout the story and it's amazing to see who she is now compared to who she was when we met her. The true star of the story, if you ask me, is Inara though. She becomes more interesting with every chapter and the moment we get some answers concerning her powers is the moment we all of a sudden realize how powerful she truly is.

However, since it still feels like I missed so much, I won't pick up the sequel anymore. However, if you enjoyed the first book, you'll certainly love this second book too.

<i>Gods are power, made real by faith.</i>

*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVoyager for an advance copy of Sunbringer.*

<u>Sunbringer is the second installment in the Fallen Gods’ trilogy.</u> Godkiller was one of my favorite books of 2023 and I read its sequel with great expectations. <b>The bar was really high but I’m happy to say that the author didn’t disappoint me.</b>

<u>I would describe this new book as a journey: a great fantasy quest that has some strong classic vibes. </u>The pace is slower than in Godkiller but you get to know the main characters more deeply than in the first book. The story is full of thoughts, feelings, fears and dreams so you can have a full insight into the characters' hearts and minds.

We have a new voice in this book that tells us a different side of the war and adds value to the story. Some side characters also get more focus and we meet new ones that I’m pretty sure we will see again in the future.

<b>Hannah’s style is very immersive</b> and she’s able to create the perfect atmosphere for the reading. The narration is full of small details about nature, landscapes and even the surroundings that add realism to the story. I felt like I was physically walking along the streets of Belraden with the characters.

I will add (without spoilers) that <b>the plot twist on the third act is brilliant and made me gasp!</b> It was one of those twists that you don’t see coming but make perfect sense within the story. Which made me even more excited about the third and final installment in the trilogy.

If I have to mention something which disappointed me slightly, it was the queer representation. Don’t get me wrong, this book is set in a queernorm world and it’s full of representation: there are not only queer but also trans and disabled characters, BUT I was expecting to finally see the sapphic side of Kissen. However, I quite understand that romance is not an important part of this story, so I’m not really complaining.

Sunbringer felt like the calm before the storm. A book about war, strategy and guilt. Hannah put pieces together just to prepare the reader for what’s about to come and I can’t be more excited about the third and final part!

<b>4/5 stars
Rep: queernorm world</b>

I loved everything about Godkiller, and I think Sunbringer it’s a worthy follow up book in the Fallen Gods series!

Sunbringer starts immediately after Godkiller events, with an additional POV that I loved and added much value to the story. The narrative continues with the remaining characters we already love, but for most of the book, they are apart, and I really wanted more time with them all together. I also wanted more of Kissen, which is my favourite character, and we didn’t get to see nearly enough of her. I understand the reason behind it: Inara, Skediceth and Elo need more time to grow into themselves, and I’m loving to read about it, but I miss Kissen.

The book is slower paced than Godkiller and has significant less action during the first half of it, which affected my overall enjoyment of the story. I could see that Hannah was moving all the pieces for an epic ending, but I just wasn’t curious enough to know it and struggled to get going.

Hannah is making a terrific job writing <b>Fallen Gods</b> characters, and this remains my favorite bit of the series. I’m loving to see their change and growth, from the main characters to the villains. I also love the premise around the Gods and their power source, which I believe it is a great foundation for interesting conversations around religion and beliefs.

That said, the ending is quite good and worthy of my initial struggle. Although I’ve guessed the twists, that didn’t affect my appreciation for the story, and I will be waiting expectantly for the next installment of <b>Fallen Gods</b>.

I cannot review this series and not comment on the stellar representation included in it. This is wonderfully done.

<i>I would like to thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest an honest review.</i>

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner is a direct sequel to her impressive debut Godkiller, and picks up almost from the moment that the first book finishes, so I would say that readers will need to be familiar with the plot of Godkiller as otherwise the story will be completely confusing. If you have read and enjoyed Godkiller you will find much to enjoy here. Kissen is still as stubborn and feisty as ever, and once again it is really impactful to see a main character with an obvious disability deal with the challenges and obstacles that puts in her way. Elo ,formerly right hand to the King is now becoming involved in a rebellion against a man he once regarded as a brother but now knows is in league with the Gods he once vowed to destroy. Then of course there are my favourite characters, Inara and her companion, Skedi, the God of White Lies. Inara does a lot of growing up in this book, and the revelations about her past and her family pave the way for a very exciting conclusion to the trilogy.
This book felt a little slower paced in comparison to Godkiller, and there is more of a focus on political intrigue and character development , with less fast paced action, at least in the first two thirds of the book. While I can understand why the characters were separated at the start of the book so that they could undergo the individual journeys needed for each of them to grow, I did miss having the gang all together and hopefully we will see more of them as a reunited group in the next book, which promises to be pretty dramatic and action packed given how this book ended.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

Picking up from where Godkiller ended, Sunbringer continues to follow the characters of book one in the aftermath of Kissen’s battle with Hseth, the fire god who killed her family. Kissen, washed ashore far away from where she first fell, is trying to make her way back to Inara and Elo (with the help of gods such as Aan and Osidisen along the way) while Inara (with the help of Telle and Skedi) continues to try to learn more about who and what she is. However, neither of these tasks will be easy. Kissen is hunted, Inara still has to hide her mysterious connection to Skedi, and the kingdom is in the grips of a dangerous wave of extremist faith - not only for King Arren, the man who would be a god and who now goes by Sunbringer, but also - perhaps more worryingly - a fervent faith in Hseth has taken root. She won’t stay gone for long, and with her return she will usher in an age of violence, death and devastation.

That is, unless Kissen and the gang can stop this from happening…

Sunbringer was the perfect follow up to Godkiller and had many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I loved that, like in book one, we still got so many points of view - Arren, Elo, Skedi, Kissen and Inara - and the introduction of new characters really helped to drive the narrative forward and heighten the peril our characters faced. As someone from the north east of England, like the author, I loved some of the dialect/language used, particularly by Kissen (it’s not every day you see characters in fantasy novels saying howay!) and Hannah Kaner is definitely an autobuy author for me now. I can’t wait for book three.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC of this novel.

I found this a little disappointing.
I really enjoyed Godkiller. I appreciate that these books are fantasy/myth books and not romance books but in my opinion this book needed something a little lighter to give the plot a breather. It all felt a little convoluted at times and I couldn’t quite figure out the motivations of the characters.

That being said, it’s still a good book and I’m sure the actual published copies will be better after some edits. I enjoyed reading the POV of Kisse: she’s strong, fiery and engaging. Inara was on a quest to find out who/what she is. I found it really enjoyable to see her character unfold a bit as she grew into someone independent and strong, despite being so young.
I’m hoping the next book rounds this trilogy off nicely.
Thanks Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the arc of this book.

3,5/ 5

Even though this book picks up basically right where Godkiller left off, it quickly falls back into a more medium, almost a slower paste until things start to pick up again around the 50%-60% mark I’d say.

My whole reading experience was basically an up and down. Every time I thought I reached a point where I could really dive into the story, the next chapter put me almost into a slump. This might be due to the different pov, which I usually really like. Might also be because of the writing, which was fine overall but did have some moments which felt ???

Funny enough, while Elo was probably my least favourite pov in Godkiller, his and Inara’s were actually my favourite ones here. Especially because Inara’s povs involved Telle, who I happen to really like.
Kissen was in the beginning not very likeable and I can’t even explain why. I couldn’t really care for Skedi’s chapters, except for the last 20%, because they felt like a 2.0 version of Inara’s pov. Which, thinking about it, might have been on purpose considering their relationship.
Arren’s chapter were a great addition to everyone else's pov. Especially because one might argue Arren and Elo’s relationship was a main plot here.

What this book mostly focuses on is the rebellion. So you can expect a lot of fights, strategic conversations and, the best part, more (powerful) gods.
This was already my favourite part in Godkiller and exploring more of the world and the respective gods in different parts of said world was really interesting as well as seeing the relationship people have with their gods, which couldn’t be more different comparing the ones who worship Hseth and the ones who worship Scian.

I dived right back into the Fallen Gods series and we pick up right where we left off with Godkiller. There are some surprises to be found in this story so this is one of those reviews that’s hard to write without giving anything away. King Arren isn’t on his best behaviour, as you’d expect, and with Elo no longer loyal to him, it means there are some difficult decisions ahead - though personally I’m still reeling from that betrayal in Godkiller, and Elo’s wounds serve as a reminder.

There’s plenty of action to keep your attention in this, and we find out more about Inara and her powers, and about the Gods in Middren. You won’t be surprised to know there’s a good dose of action in this, multiple perspectives, and some pretty high stakes! I enjoyed returning to this world although I do find myself getting a little lost and confused at times, with all of the characters and the unusual twists and turns but otherwise, this brings the story forward well and I look forward to seeing what the final book in the trilogy has in store - and what the cover is going to look like! The cover designs for this series are a sight to behold and I’m barely resisting buying physical copies just so I can stare at them.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Sunbringer, is undoubtedly, an incredible sequel to Godkiller, and it has everything I love in: found family, multiple character perspectives, political intrigue, queer and disability representation, and a diverse cast. I stayed up until 2 a.m. last night because I just couldn't put this book down. It's a total punch-packer, with even more depth in exploring politics and fanaticism. The multi POV style is on point, and each character has their own story to overcome. Personally, I think Inara steals the show (alongside Skediceth - again).

I was a little worried that "Sunbringer" wouldn't live up to the high bar set by "Godkiller," but hey, was I happy to be wrong! Hannah Kaner expands the world while keeping all the complexity and fantastic characters intact. This book has it all – political intrigue, action, and twists that will leave you guessing - not to mention a rebellion, where everyone has a vital role to play.

I'm buzzing with excitement for book three and eagerly counting down the days until its release!

Huge thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for giving me this ARC to devour.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!

I'm so glad to see Kaner going from strength to strength in this series - I really enjoyed Godkiller but I think this just took everything up a notch.

The characters and politics were interesting, and having Kissen and Elo separated for a lot of the book didn't annoy me like it usually does - I think it gave Elo and Inara a chance to come into their own and get more development on their end.

Definitely interested to see where this goes in the final book - it promises to be epic!

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read a proof of this before publication and I am so glad I could read Godkiller and Sunbringer back-to-back. The pacing did feel slow at first but it picked up quickly after a couple of chapters. Inara and Skediceth remind me so much of Lyra and Pan from His Dark Materials that I can’t help but love them. I felt like we did get a lot more Elogast POVs than anyone else, which isn’t a bad thing, I just missed Kissen too much and wanted that reunion to happen. I absolutely cannot wait for the final book and I do feel like I will be a loyal Hannah Kaner reader from now on. I don’t think I have been so hooked on a fantasy series since A Darker Shade Of Magic and I just want to consume so much more of this world and Hannah’s writing.

Hannah Kaner is an amazing author who has managed to create a fantasy world so encapsulating it’s hard to believe it doesn’t exist. Their writing style is beautiful and easy to read. The characters are complex, diverse and brilliantly written, so much so they practically jump off the page. I thoroughly enjoyed jumping back into this universe and will be thinking about this series for a while! I highly recommend to any fantasy lovers!

"Sunbringer" is the followup to the incredible "Godkiller" by Hannah Kaner and is the second book in the "Fallen Gods" trilogy. "Sunbringer" continues from where the first book ends and I would recommend that you read the series in order by starting with "Godkiller" - while it is possible to dive in with book two, the reader will miss out on many of the background relationships and basics about the history of gods in the novel. Plus, "Godkiller" is so good that it really is worth your time!
Anyway, onwith my review of "Sunbringer", at the end of book one, our four protoganists:
Inara, Skedi, Elo and Kissen are no longer travelling together and now have even greater plans of their own. As a result, each chapter is dedicated to a different character and provides the reader with an insight into their thoughts and behaviour. It also does lead to a jump back and forth in the storyline, but this is within relatively short spaces of time (minutes and hours) so it is not difficult to keep track.
Considering the rave reviews that "Godkiller" received, I was a little wary to commence "Sunbringer" as I feared it could not possibly liveup to my expectations but Kaner, has actually expanded the world, without losing any of the nuance and characters that made the first book such a success. Once again, there is a mix of political intrigue and action, with plenty of twists to keep the reader on their toes and not knowing what to expect next.
I'm so excited for book three and am counting down the days until it is released! Five stars!!

Sunbringer is an intriguing and unique fantasy novel. This second book in the series picks up where Godkiller left off and we are immediately thrown back into the story and continuing on the quest of the characters.
I felt the plot really developed in this book and whilst some questions from book 1 were answered there was still a lot of worldbuilding and development throughout this book. I'm looking forward to seeing where this all goes in book 3.

3.75 rounded up to a 4

The story picks right up where Godkiller ended, continuing with the same feel as before, but then with new, bigger stakes. The story had begun to truly take its shape — things are about to happen!

But there are also a few differences compared to Godkiller that I didn't like as much. Although these things are rather unavoidable, I think it is fair to mention them. Where the main four characters spent most of their time together in Godkiller, they are more separated, resulting in the story hopping back and forth between plots. Because of that, I had to keep mentally switching and sometimes go even about thirty pages back to check what happened.
Another thing that made it harder to follow was the solid amount of side characters added to the story. I regret not noting them down, because of their fantasy names, it was hard to keep track of them.
(But on a positive note, there is also more of Telle and Yatho)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Release Date: Feb 15th (US 12th March)
YES YES YES!!!

I read Godkiller as an audiobook not long after it came out in early 2023. I loved it so much I ordered a hardback edition from overseas. So when I was approved for the eARC of Sunbringer I binge read it within a few days.

It gave me everything I wanted. I got answers to so many questions Godkiller left me with after that cliffhanger ending. And of course now I have more questions after finishing this one. We got to spend more time with characters we were introduced to in the first book and discover more about their relationships and daily lives.

Not as much travelling as book 1, which worked well for the pacing. I loved watching Inara become more of a standalone character in this one. She's still so young, so a lot of her frustrations are with adults trying to protect her and we get that expected push back. Elo is struggling to gain enough followers in order to take down his ex bestie, who betrayed him at the end of book 1. He’s still a reluctant hero who just wants to bake bread, but it was interesting to see how far he’ll go to talk down Arren. And Kissen, I hope she never changes. Gods literally keep saving her life and she just keeps insulting them. Despite everything she was put through and what she did at the end of Godkiller, she still has that snark and distrust for any god.

Perfect mix of action vs political intrigue. Can't wait for book 3!

Free eARC was provided to me via NetGalley from HarperCollins UK/Harper Voyager. This review was written and left voluntarily.

Godkiller remains one of my FAVOURITE fantasy reads of all time, so my anxiety and excitement for this sequel was HIGH.

But I should have never doubted Hannah for a second! Sunbringer is a action-packed sequel, which broadens the world I've come to love in a way that not only grows the world, draws in more gods but also allows our characters to be more badass and grow! Not only does are group get to grow together but each character has their own time to shine.

I honestly can't say to much about this sequel for fear of getting carried away and just spoiling the entire book, but its safe to say I will be picking up the next book and ANYTHING Hannah writes.

“Why does it always come to this?” She said, “That power changes, and knowledge burns?”

Sunbringer packs just as much of a punch as its daring predecessor Godkiller, whilst also expanding to include a wider exploration into politics and fanaticism. It is once again multi POV, and Kaner does a fantastic job in making each voice distinct and gives them their own character arc they must overcome, and for me, Inara is the star of this book (And Skediceth, always.)

This book does not suffer from second book syndrome per se, as it is enjoyable and has a satisfying narrative of its own, but it is definitely setting up the scene for what is to come in Book 3. My favourite part was definitely getting to meet some of the smaller gods and the emphasis that no matter how small, everyone has a part to play in a rebellion.

This series really captures the complexity of contradictions. They wish to eradicate the gods, but they need them. A Godkiller becomes a god protector. These themes are woven seamlessly throughout the book and the outcome is truly phenomenal.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own,

Sunbringer, which picks up straight after the thrilling end of Godkiller, is a slower, more political story from its predecessor with a greater focus on exploring the wider world (although there are still plenty of twists and surprises). Threats are coming from all sides - with fanatical worshippers of a bloodthirsty god itching for war and a king eager to secure his own renown by becoming a god himself.

Our main characters are focused on their own missions and that keeps them apart for much of the book - the main negative of the book for me, I missed them being together. This is also a book that spends a lot of it's time pushing the characters to confront and readjust their views of the world. It was nice to see them all given time to develop and change.

We also learn more about the gods and spend time with gods other than Skedi. The mythology of the world was one of my favourite parts of Godkiller, so I enjoyed exploring the gods more and getting a more nuanced view of their existence and worship.

A middle book is always a tricky one, but Sunbringer does a good job of developing the story from Godkiller, setting things up for the next book, and still having it's own satisfying story.

I have no idea where the story will go next but I can't wait to find out.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!

I loved Godkiller, it's an incredible debut and one of my favourite releases of the year, and the sequel, Sunbringer, (releasing February 2024) absolutely doesn't disappoint. Sunbringer sets up the larger, looming plot line to expand on the loveable characters from Godkiller.

I adore this world and all the characters in it so incredibly much, it's all astoundingly beautiful. It's a world of gods who are both forbidden and desperately needed. This is a land that is broken and healed and broken all over again. It's a world of jagged edges, full of jagged people all trying to navigate their way through it as best they can.
It's phenomenal and I hope you love it as much as I do!