Book Review - The Fury of the Gods

Rating 10/10 ⭐️

The Fury of the Gods, the third and final book in the Bloodsworn Saga has to be my most anticipated book since reading the first two book of this series in 2022.

To receive an arc of the final book is a huge privilege, thank you netgalley and Little Brown Books, you made a huge John Gwynne fan very happy.

In preparation for reading this arc I reread Shadow/Hunger of the Gods, both were as good as the first time, better even.

Rereading these books made me even more excited to start this final book. Especially after the ending of Hunger of the Gods.

After reading The Fury of the Gods, I can confidently say this is what an ending is meant to look like.

I knew from reading John’s other series The Faithful and the Fallen & Of Blood and Bone that John is a master of delivering final books.
The Fury of the Gods was no exception, John just know how to deliver everything I want in an ending.

From Good vs evil triumphs, bloody battles, revenge arc, this book was simply magnificent.

I love how John will continue to develop his characters, even to the last page.

John has an incredible ability to make the reader love a character, start to hate them and then draw you back to loving them again, it’s just mind boggling how good he is.

He even manages to make you feel things for the “bad guy” and not just hate, which is very difficult to do.

You will not have a John Gwynne book without marvellous battles and plethora of deaths. Safe to say this book has it by the bucket load.

Another thing I love about John is he doesn’t do gore and death for the sake of it. Everything is perfectly planned out and deaths when they come add another layer to the story.

You need to know going into a John Gwynne series that no one is safe…main POV to side characters, no one is safe with John around.

I have said this on many a review, John is number one when it comes to battle scenes, he has in my opinion, god level ability to capture the rawness of the battle. Draw you in as if you’re standing in the shield wall in the thick of the action. I just do not know anytime that comes close to matching John in this.

No word of a lie it felt like this whole book was one big battle, but let me tell you that didn’t drag or hinder the development of the story.

What it did do was make this a fast pace awesome reading experience.

It’s difficult to add further details without spoiling the book, I will just say, if you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for.

This series has just reaffirmed John Gwynne as my favourite author and this series will be finding it way into my top 10 all time favourite series.

OMFG. Sorry for the language but my word. This book has everything and I mean everything you'd want. The wait was long but completely understandable given what the author has been through. I was lucky that I read books 2 and 3 in succession but the author does give a good synopsis at the beginning of each which is very helpful. Book 3 picks up right where book two finishes off and one of the characters who you may be wondering about may or may not make an appearance very soon! The pace then picks up even further and just keeps going. The pacing is excellent and keeps you wanting to read into the night. The books as the others focuses on a few main characters but honestly you love/hate them all. If you like battle scenes boy does this book deliver. It has magic/wolves/dragons and a whole host of myriad creatures some good some not so good. Honestly it's a beautiful book. It edges you to the most satisfactory conclusion I've read in a long time and even possibly hints at more books to be potentially written in this world. I cannot and I can't stress this enough recommend this book more. It's beautiful and in so pleased that John found the strength through heartache to write it. Which in a way makes it even more special. Go read this book and if you haven't read the previous two what are you waiting for. And if you haven't read t read any of his other books go ahead and read those too. You honestly won't regret it.

An epic conclusion, cementing Gwynne's reputation as a master storyteller.

Fury of the Gods is one of the most hotly anticipated books of 2024, concluding the Bloodsworn Saga trilogy. With such high expectations, I confess to being worried it may not be everything I was hoping - but Wow. I just... guys, it is spectacular.

Those familiar with Gwynne's work will know that he excels in memorable characters that stay with you, with the mutiple pov chapters allowing you to delve into both the heroes and villains thought-cages. ForG delivered satisfying endings for these characters - with some shockers along the way and I may have shed a tear or two (both happy and terribly sad tears). But the real gem is Gwynne's ability to write battle scenes. They are visceral and immersive, nail biting and page turning and form the bulk of FotG. He brings his Viking inspired tale to life in a way that very few others could.

Sometimes when you become somewhat heavily invested in a series, it's easy to find yourself disappointed with the ending but this ending is as perfect as it could be in my humble opinion.

Supremely rereadable, I would recommend this trilogy to just about anybody with even a smidging of an interest in fantasy / viking lore.

My favourite read of the year, with Gwynne my favourite author of the moment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Brown Group for providing me with a review copy of 'The Fury of the Gods' in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What an ending to an amazing trilogy of books! 'The Fury of the Gods' takes place after the events of 'The Hunger of the Gods' with Orla finally being reunited with Breca and Lik-Rifa and Rotta trying to find their brother Ulfrir in an attempt to rule a world full of tainted.

One of my favourite things about this book are the characters. They've been amazing since book one and continue to grow in this finale. Orka and Varg are just amazing and their journey has been long, but culminates in an exciting and breath-taking ending!

Also Gudvarr's fate, I won't spoil, is just the absolute most satisfying thing!

The last 100 pages of this book are madness! So much so that I literally had to read them all in one go! It's honestly breath-taking!

Overall this series of books has been an amazing ride to follow. John Gwynne has crested a masterpiece with these books and I could not recommend them anymore higher than I have!

Rating: 5/5

Once again thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with this copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, it was an absolute pleasure!

This is the fantastic conclusion to the Bloodsworn saga. The character development was fantastic in this book and the plot was compelling throughout. The world building continues to be so well done. If you haven't started this trilogy yet, I highly recommend you do.

Time to dust off your Brynja and Nalbinding, grab a shield and axe and prepare to rejoin the shield wall with the Blood Sworn once again - the wait is almost over!

The Fury of the Gods was my most anticipated release of 2024 and the characters and events from the first two books in this epic trilogy have often occupied my thought cage over the past couple of years since Hunger of the Gods was released. Despite the time between releases and having read over 200 books in between, it was surprisingly easy to dive right back into this world and John Gwynne kindly provides a very useful re-cap of events, cast of characters, pronunciation guide and glossary of terms at the beginning to help you get refreshed beforehand - I wish more authors would do this!

This might be the most action heavy book that I have read of this size and once it starts it does not let up until the very end. I often enjoy long, slow burn fantasy epics which take time with world building and exploring extended themes and philosophical thoughts but I also appreciate series such as this that just get down to business and let the steel do the talking instead. Gwynne's reenactment experience once again translates to the page wonderfully, adding authenticity and detail to the description of the battle dress, weapons and techniques, making his close quarters combat scenes feel so immersive and intense. Again, this may not be for everyone but there are also some great character moments and a focus on the importance of the bonds of family throughout.

I really enjoyed the Norse inspired storytelling in this trilogy, blending the style of traditional sagas with epic fantasy - a viking like world with the addition of giant resurrected gods and magic. Knowing that Gwynne is not afraid to kill off main characters or beloved side characters meant that the stakes were always high and that tension remained with every page. The ending was satisfying and bittersweet, but left some room in case the author ever chooses to revisit this world one day (I hope he does!).

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review. So happy to have had the opportunity to get early access to this concluding story and looking forward to my pre-ordered and signed hardback arriving on release date, expected 24th October 2024.

What a finale. Gwynne has delivered an epic, heart-pounding conclusion to the Bloodsworn trilogy.

We pick up right where we left off at the end of book 2 and we start running right away. The plot builds and builds through the first parts, tensions, plotting and characters choosing where their loyalties lie setting the scene for what is to come.
The pace of this book is relentless - every time you think you might get to catch a breath or that surely nothing else could possibly pop up now, you will be shown how wrong you are!

That doesn't mean there isn't room for the characters to shine and show their thoughts and emotions though. Between all the action we get moments of introspection, of sorrow, hope and of joy. I teared up more than once reading this book. The characters feel so real, and you grow to understand them so well over this series that you can't help but feel for them as they navigate the brutal world they live in.

John Gwynne is a master at writing battle scenes, of which there are plenty here. They are all carefully composed, fights and clashes feel real and gritty. Everything feels realistic and nobody gets off lightly, there are no chosen ones, no saviours. A personal favourite was a fight on a ship (I never thought I would be someone who has a favourite battle, I can tell you!).

As we approached the end, something momentous happened and I snuck a look at the percentage of my e-book. I thought there would be no way it would wrap up satisfyingly in such a short amount of book left, but I needn't have worried! I don't think I could have hoped for a better conclusion to this epic series, and I know I will be reading it all over again soon.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book!

There's fantasy, then there's grab you by the seat of your pants, heart racing, I can't believe what I'm reading fantasy, and then there's John Gwynne's The Bloodsworn saga. This trilogy has been an absolute joy to read from the first to last page. We return to the norse inspired world where Lik Rifa, the dragon god and her brother Rotta are on a war path to destroy their brother Ulfrir, dragging the various clans, creatures and monsters into a thrilling final battle. The world building itself in this trilogy is stunning and absorbing. There is a range of POV's from different characters, good, bad and downright snivelling. Each one is compelling and captures your heart, as usual Orka is my absolute hero (we need more mama bears in fantasy- or mama wolfs in her case) The pacing and conflict constantly build in this conclusion to the trilogy. The last half of the book had me on the edge of my seat, cheering, gasping and sobbing at the twists and turns of the final battle. Each fight scene is so well choreographed and written you genuinely feel as though you're there in the deep of the battle.
This is a book series that will stay with me forever. I've loved every page, every line. This is a complete must for anyone who loves fantasy. I mean, just look at the covers! They're stunning!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review. And a big thank you to John for writing this series and getting me into grimdark.

5 solid stars for the finale!! TBH, i just found this trilogy ard 2-3 months ago. Sure, i heard of it for quite sometime, but always putting off of my TBR. I’m glad i picked it up because i love it so much! And thank you for Orbit for granting me this eARC! I’ve just finished book 2 when the email Netgalley came. For me it’s a bittersweet ending for Orka and the bloodsworn. And Elvar!!! I just can’t.. i think i’ll recommend this series to everyone, and i’ll be missing The Bloodsworn for sure!!

I love this series and this was such an emotional and fitting ending. I cannot wait to re-read this already

An epic end to an epic trilogy. This was everything I wanted and more. Beautifully written once again with some jaw dropping action and battle scenes. They were so detailed that I was completely sucked into the fighting and the switching POV’s kept me on my toes, the anticipation was top tier!

The characters absolutely broke me! relatable, funny, full of love, loyalty and friendship. Elvar’s character development was incredible and she ended up being one of my favourites. Okra will also always stand out to me as an incredibly badass, murdering maniac. One of my favourite female main characters I’ve ever read!

Absolutely loved the ending, a true saga tale that had me laughing and crying. I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m actually just sad it’s over now..

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review

A very gratifying ending to the excellent Bloodsworn Saga. I found that I didn't love this as much as the previous two, as things are concluding it's natural that the book is very battle scene heavy, which made the pacing a little off for me and meant that some bits were slightly repetitive. However I have absolutely loved the journey with these characters and seeing how everything wrapped up was so satisfying!

Thank you to Netgalley UK and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a satisfying and emotional conclusion to one of the best series I've read in the last few years.

If you are looking for an epic tale of family, loyalty and revenge, set in a vast and brutal world, this is it. Gwynne has masterfully crafted the story throughout this trilogy at a pace which allows you as a reader to settle into it, while still covering a lot of ground. Where the first two books started more slowly & built in pace throughout, this one hits the ground running and everytime you think it is as big as it's going to get, it gets bigger.

Gwynne is a genius when it comes to writing action scenes; I have never been able to visualise the choreography of a fight so well as with his writing, and there are some epic confrontations in Fury of the Gods. Some key moments are imprinted in my brain, both for their brutality and their cool-ness.

Despite this breakneck pace, there are plenty of emotional beats in between the action scenes, some of which had me tearing up. The characters and their relationships with each other are a highlight of this book to me; they develop in such a natural way. All of the character perspectives on both sides of this conflict are compelling, and my favourite has changed throughout the series, because there are so many chances for them to shine, although I do have a definitive favourite now that the series has concluded and these arcs are completed. Even with the characters who you might not agree with, Gwynne makes sure you understand them, and the side characters are also incredibly 3-dimensional, with their own motivations and arcs. The Bloodsworn have my whole heart.

The scope of the conflict in this book is epic, but the heart of the story is still deeply personal. There are no chosen ones here; characters are driven to pick a side in the wider conflict through the things that happen to them, and which side their enemies are on. It feels organic and believable, and tragic in some cases. I particularly like the focus on choices in this book; we see how one choice can have a huge impact, in both good and bad ways. There are so many pieces of wisdom on friendship, the cycle of violence, and the cost of war contained in these pages.

Overall I think this is my favourite entry in the series; seeing all the plot threads come together was incredibly satisfying, there are so many epic character moments, and I cannot think of another way this story could have ended.

Really solid and well-executed finale to this trilogy. I felt immensely satisfied after finishing this book.

Firstly I would like to thank John Gwynne, The Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for allowing me access to this book so far in advance.

I will start by stating my biases. I am an enormous John Gwynne fan, he’s my favourite author of all time and the reason I read and collect books today. That said I do not feel this affects my review of this book in any way.

For context, it’s currently 01:45am, I have been reading this book for the past 5 hours and haven’t taken a break between finishing it and writing this review to process anything. I’m just going to talk and see what happens.

Big, sweeping declarations out of the way early. This is the best book John Gwynne has ever written, and the best book I have ever read. Malice will always be my favourite book, but this is objectively the best. It is John Gwynne at his finest, there isn’t a single aspect of this book that doesn’t land for me. It’s difficult to talk too much about this book without spoilers but there are a couple of key points I want to hit.

Firstly the pacing is impeccable, Gwynne builds this story gradually through the early stages of the book, building tension, raising the stakes until finally it’s time to let loose and it unleashes at you like Dread Snaka himself.

Secondly is his character work and storytelling. Usually when I read a book there’s at least one POV I care about less than the others but not here. Every single arc lands perfectly, there are no unsatisfying conclusions, very little in the way of predictable outcomes and no loose ends. Everything is weaved together perfectly to reach a crescendo at the perfect time, everything is tied off neatly in such a way that this can stand alone as a trilogy, or Gwynne can expand on the world if he feels like it’s the right thing to do.

Far too often we see trilogies fall at the final hurdle. Trilogies with less pressure and authors writing under significantly better circumstances. John Gwynne has always been one of the greats to me, but I think producing this conclusion to such a highly anticipated series, after everything life has thrown at him will cement his place as one of the giants of fantasy.

Thank you John.

This series has easily earned a spot among my favourites.

John Gwynne’s writing instantly had a hold on my attention, while I read this book (and the previous two) I was always completely locked into the story. He creates a vivid picture in my mind of his world and the characters' appearances, and I love the recap before chapter one, as a forgetful person I’m so glad he included that. This series consists of a great cast of characters, when I first picked up the series I didn’t realise all of their paths would cross and it was done so well, nothing felt forced within this book.

Because this is the last one in the series, every fight scene had me holding my breath and sitting on the edge of my seat. I did get a bit emotional once or twice… maybe more. I am trying to find the words to sing the praises of the ending without including spoilers, I enjoyed the ending a lot. Gwynne wrapped up the series very well, leaving me with no questions. Well, perhaps one of what Vigrid would look like now.

I’m trying to think of some things I didn’t enjoy, and their names are Gudvarr and Biórr. That’s a joke by the way, kind of. I didn’t like the characters however I did enjoy their chapters as it gave insight to what else was currently happening elsewhere in Vigrid.

Provided by NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely Perfect ending to the Bloodsworn Trilogy!

I have a lot of feelings about this book.

It is an Epic Finale of the best kind. I am elated that it has met every single one of my expectations and even surpassed some of them. On the other hand, I feel as if I have been punched in the stomach, and now that it is finished I'm sad but in a good way, which I realize is a bit of a misnomer lol John Gwynne's writing is wonderful as always. Grand and yet easily accessible which, considering the amount of battle scenes in this installment, is a feat in and of itself. Battle scenes were massive yet easy to follow, fully engaging and had me interested throughout.
It is rare to find a character driven story that also has an abundance of plot, and I feel like John Gwynne has developed a perfect hybrid of the two here. Characters are well fleshed out, each with their own motivations and ideologies. The pacing was wonderful, fast and had me perched on the edge of my seat until the very end. The 'emotional' scenes hit me like a Truck. It was glorious.

Overall I couldn't have wished for a better ending. Even though I sit here still an emotional wreck, I KNOW I will re read this series over and over again . This story felt REAL to me. Which, in my opinion, is the biggest compliment I could ever pay an author.

Thank you so much to Little brown books uk and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am leaving them voluntarily.

John Gwynne is just such a fantastic fantasy author, and this book was everything I wanted it to me.
The writing is beautifully immersive, and is just so fleshed out and real feeling. You really get sucked into the world.
Cant' wait to read more stories by John Gwynne - amazing!

Yet another brilliant conclusion to a John Gwynne fantasy series.

This was a brilliant finale with satisfying conclusions all round with a couple of sad moments thrown in, in a way that I find few authors can pull off.
I don't like throwing in spoilers so I will not mention anything of how the story ends or who lives and dies and will only say that this book and series has made it to being one of my all time favourites and cannot wait to see what JW comes up with next.

I don't really have any constructive criticism here but that may be due to JW being my favourite author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc, and to John Gwynne for finishing this book, which I believe is the perfect ending to this trilogy. The action was tremendous from beginning to end, making me feel like I was a part of the gods' war lol. I was throughly enjoyed it.⠀
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I could not quit worrying about Elvar, Varg, and Orka. They'd all grown on me. Having Bioor and Gouvar in first person was intriguing, even if I didn't believe they were particularly important in the previous book. They kept the plot flowing and made it more interesting. But, tbh, Orka in first person is my favourite chapter since it continuously adds to the thrill when she fights the Dragoncult and the Red-Feeder. Orka's will to reclaim Breca continues to surprise me. She is an amazing mother and a strong woman. She is the coolest one.⠀
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Elvar did not appeal to me in the first book, but in the second, she was a total badass and quickly became my favourite. You don't realise how valuable someone is until they're gone. I still giggle at Varg's chapters because of Svik and Rokia. But I can't quit holding my breath when they're on the battlefield. The pace is fast. It will keep you intrigued, especially near the end of book, which is the best and my favourite, with a battle of gods, revenge, blood, and tears. Ugh I loved it. ⠀