Book Review - THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS by Shauna Lawless

 

(Title: The Words of Kings and Prophets / Author: Shauna Lawless / Publisher: Head of Zeus / Publication Date: September 14, 2023 / Total Pages: 416)

Back Cover Blurb

Ireland, 1000 AD. Gormflaith is unhappily married to Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, and although a queen she struggles with her limited position. As an immortal Fomorian with the secret gift of magic, Gormflaith has a burning desire: to find and destroy the hidden fortress of her sworn enemies, the Descendants, who seek to kill her kind at all costs. She begins to use her magical powers, and discovers she is more skilled than she ever realised... but can she control what she will become?

Meanwhile Fodla, the Descendants' healer, mourns her banished sister but clings to life as the guardian of her young nephew. She seeks a place of safety for them both, but he has secrets of his own that could threaten everything - and Fodla must do all in her power to keep him hidden away from those who would use him for evil.

When a mysterious man comes to King Brian's court, his presence could spell disaster or deliverance for both Gormflaith and Fodla - and for Ireland herself. For he is Tomas, an ambitious immortal with few scruples - and he will do anything to see his plans become reality.

Soon, mortals and immortals alike are drawn towards a bitter conflict that could decide the future of Ireland and all her people.

Review

The Gael Song series is one that is deeply rooted in Irish history, folklore, and mythology. If you are a fan of the types of books written by Bernard Cornwell, Sharon Kay Penman, and Morgan Llywelyn, you should find much to savor and enjoy in Shauna Lawless' brilliantly penned works. And Lawless adds an element of fantasy to the historical fiction aspect that elevates everything to an incredibly high level. The first book The Children of Gods and Fighting Men absolutely knocked my socks off when I read it last year and I have been waiting rather impatiently ever since for the next one to drop. So when I was given the opportunity to obtain an early copy of the sequel from the author (thanks Shauna!), my excitement level understandable was pretty high. I really couldn't wait to settle in and get reacquainted with these characters and their adventures.

THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS continues the tale began in the first book in dramatic and compelling fashion. Now that all of the parties are known and the introductions are out of the way, I found this book flowed more easily for me and I was able to just kick back and get totally immersed in the action taking place. The chapters alternated primarily between the viewpoints of Gormflaith and Fodla and each of their stories are extremely powerful in their own distinct way. While they both have different motivations and are on different sides of the conflict that is gradually unfolding, they are strangely similar in many respects when it comes to their determination/perseverance in accomplishing their endgames. 

One thing that I really enjoyed about this book, and the overall series quite frankly, is how Lawless is able to build such a wonderful sense of tension into every single encounter. Whether it be marauding Vikings, the political dealings/strategy of kings and clan leaders, the feuding between various Christian and pagan factions, there are so many instances where the anxiety and suspense are at a fever pitch and so much of the plot teeters on a knife's edge that could plunge everyone into war with the slightest of missteps. It really kept me completely engrossed the entire time.

I can't say enough about the extraordinary quality of this series. This is by no means a dry and plodding historical retelling, on the contrary, Shauna Lawless infuses her historical setting of 10th/11th century Ireland with a very special kind of magic. It's a magic that is manifested through her vivid prose, convincing characters, gripping dialogue, heart-stopping battle scenes, and passion-imbued romance. All of this and more are what truly makes THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS one of my favorite reads of the year so far. But I wasn't really surprised to be honest.

Ultimately I thought this was a brilliant sequel that expands on the first book considerably and throws in quite a few unexpected turns that had me not wanting to put this book down for the last half of it. THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS is a tremendously told story that everyone should be reading right now. Not too many books will move you in the ways that the first two books in the Gael Song series by Shauna Lawless do. I highly recommend giving them a go, especially if you are looking for something outside of the standard male-dominated epic fantasy fare.

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