Book Review - THE SHADOW OF THE GODS by John Gwynne

(Title: The Shadow of the Gods / Author: John Gwynne / Publisher: Orbit / Publication Date: May 4, 2021 / Pages: 496)

Book Blurb

After the gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrid.

Now a new world is rising, where power-hungry jarls feud and monsters stalk the woods and mountains.  A word where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power for those brave - or desperate - enough to seek them out.

Now, as whispers of war echo across the mountains and fjords, fate follows in the footsteps of three people: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods...

Review

John Gwynne has long been a favorite author of mine.  I've mentioned before that I've never given a single book of his anything less than a five-star rating.  No other author carries that distinction.  When I heard that his latest book THE SHADOW OF THE GODS was going to be heavily influenced by Norse mythology and Viking lore, it was as if my two favorite things were coming together to create a story written just for me.  I recently received an advance copy from publisher Orbit (thank you) and a mere two weeks later here we are with me finished the book and still reeling from the entire experience.

Unlike the previous series that John Gwynne has written, this first book in The Bloodsworn Saga only has three main POV characters.  I thought this worked incredibly well as it kept the story tight and the pacing brisk, forwarding the events that take place a great deal in a short period of time  Oh and about those characters: first is Orka, a loving wife and mother with the heart of a warrior.  Cross her at your own peril as she protects those she cares about with a fierceness that cannot even be measured.  

Varg was sold to a slaver at a young age, only to escape soon after.  His sister wasn't so lucky however, and Varg has become increasingly obsessed with finding the identity of those who murdered her.  His unquenchable desire for vengeance finds him eventually hooked up with a group of Bloodsworn.  Because these monster-hunting mercenaries often travel with witches who can perform searchings, he believes they may be able to help him find the answers he seeks.  But first he must prove himself worthy of achieving the title Bloodsworn, or die trying.  

Finally we have Elvar, a member of a another mercenary group of cutthroats that seek out fortune wherever they can find it.  She is staunchly loyal to their leader who often takes on questionable jobs for his own personal glory and fame, sometimes at the expense of those who blindly follow him.  Their most recent job in particular is one that could spell the end for this band of fortune-hunters and Elvar must make a hard choice that will test her commitment and force her to come to terms with who she really is.

As these three characters are scattered in different locations across the continent of Vigrid, evil forces are scheming and formulating their own plans.  And when children begin disappearing within the towns and holds, superstitious fears begin to take root with whispers and mutterings that terrible monsters stalking the woods may be to blame.  Are the gods unleashing their anger over what took place ages ago, or could the truth be even more horrible than that?

First, let me just say that THE SHADOW OF THE GODS is relentless in its pace and compelling story line.  Having read both of John's previous series, I am confident in saying that the action in this book is definitely more plentiful than in either of the opening books in those series.  We don't get a lot of buildup before things begin happening, and boy do they happen.  There's really not a respite throughout the entire book.  So much so that I read it over four days in 100-150 page chunks because I didn't want to stop in the middle of a bloody battle or pursuit.

What made this a fantastic read for me is that you really can't trust a single character.  This is one of the hallmarks of a John Gwynne story, those who we think are the good characters, often are just the opposite  You are always kept on your toes and waiting for that knife in the back, or in Gwynne's case, ax to the cranium.  Everyone is put in peril so that turning each page is often a stressful endeavor as you don't know if your favorite character will meet their demise suddenly and painfully.  It truly is what makes Gwynne one of the best authors on the planet.  There is ZERO predictability whatsoever and nobody (not even the great George RR Martin) does it better in my opinion.

As far as the setting goes, Vigrid is a rugged continent and home to a number of different clans and tribes who are each governed by individual jarls.  These jarls are entrusted with protecting their settlements from attack and also with settling disputes.  As such, many of these jarls wield much power and often with that power exists corruption.  Such is also the case in real word politics as we all know, so it was pretty easy to relate to many of the struggles of the people of Vigrid as many just wished to be left to tend their land and live a quiet life with their families free from the punitive taxes and laws of the jarls.

Finally, these larger than life characters are so much the backbone of this book.  Orka may be my favorite of any John Gwynne character.  A mother who will do anything to protect her family and when pushed to the limit, will stick a seaxe in your gut and drop a memorable quote on you as your body hits the floor.  I found her character chapters to be the ones that I looked forward to the most.  

I feel like I should temper what I'm about to say, but at the same time I also have an obligation to be truthful.  The Faithful and the Fallen series and the Of Blood and Bone series are two of the best ever in fantasy.  John Gwynne has already carved out his place with those two landmark works.  That being said, THE SHADOW OF THE GODS impacted me in such a way that I really believe it is my favorite of all.  I know that is saying a lot given what has come before, but I have no problem with putting it out there.  He somehow manages to get better and better with each successive epic story he produces, and that is something that is tremendous news for every one of his readers.  It's staggering to think what this series could achieve given the extraordinary quality of this first book.

To wrap things up I would just like to say, this book will thrill you with scenes of battle unmatched, it will break your heart as you accompany these characters through every torturous and tense moment, it will fill you with wonder at the dark magic and mythical monsters that inhabit it, and it will completely dazzle you as only a John Gwynne book can.  I simply don't have the words to describe what a next-level read this is.  I have no idea how John Gwynne is going to top it, but he keeps proving me wrong time and time again so I'm not betting against him.  All I'm saying is I can't wait for the next one.  THE SHADOW OF THE GODS will be released on May 4th, but you can preorder it now on most bookseller websites.  I highly recommend doing so because you are not going to want to delay reading it for any length of time.

And yep, the five-star review streak continues for Mr. Gwynne.

Overall Rating:.