1/6/2024 0 Comments The shadow you review![]() On the other side of the coin we have two warriors who are trained in battle and are used to the inevitable death and bloodshed that comes from fighting, and for some reason I connected just as much with Varg’s and Elvar’s stories. Orka turns into a vicious killing machine, blinded by her desire to find her son and avenge his kidnapping, and it was a little too much for me at times. I’ve seen lots of reviews that name Orka as the favorite of the three main characters, and while I did love her and I was impressed by her determination, I can’t say I liked her more than Varg or Elvar, both of whom captured my imagination and leapt off the page. Gwynne not only has a detailed backstory and a purpose for each one, but he makes you care for them. But I was impressed by how well developed all the characters were, even the side characters, who often get the short end of the stick. For this reason it was impossible for me to race through this book, as it took a slower reading pace to fully grasp everything the author was doing.Īs for the characters, there are a lot of them, and combined with unfamiliar Norse names, it was sometimes challenging to keep everyone straight. Truly, Gwynne’s story is a feast for the senses, stuffed full of interesting world-building ideas, characters and mythology. Many people want them destroyed, but I was fascinated by these half human, half animal characters who can morph into deadly, animal-like forms. I also loved the Tainted, creatures with the blood of the gods running through their veins. There are many examples of these monsters scattered throughout the book, and I never tired of reading about them. Orka and her family have one such creature bound to them, a vaesen named Spert, fed some of Orka’s blood each day to keep her loyal. I loved how some of the vaesen are deadly and dangerous, while others can be used as protection. The land is filled with monster-like creatures called vaesen, born of the gods and released into the world when the gods died. I was happy to see a map in the ARC I read, which shows the skull of Snaka as well as its undulating skeleton, which makes up a vast mountain range called the Boneback Mountains. One of my favorite locations in the story is Snakavik, a city built on and inside of the huge skeleton of the god Snaka (and as his name suggests, he is a snake-like creature!) Gwynne’s descriptions of entering the city through the gaping mouth of Snaka’s skull and what lies within are pure magic. Gwynne infuses his story with so many wonderful details and gorgeous imagery, including a world where the gods are dead but their skeletal remains still litter the land. But after reading this book, I will definitely be seeking out more of it. ![]() The book is based on Norse mythology, a subgenre I haven’t read much of, to be honest. All three will find heartache, joy, death and blood on their journeys, as their paths inevitably draw closer and closer together. She has been with a group called the Battle-Grim for several years when the story begins, when they find themselves on a journey to the mythic land of Oskutreð. And Elvar is a young woman who has left her home and an arranged marriage in order to find fame and fortune in battle. He joins a group of mercenaries called the Bloodsworn in order to seek the services of a Seiðr-witch, a woman who can help him find the man who killed her. Varg is an escaped thrall, or slave, who is on a mission to avenge his sister’s death. Orka lives with her beloved husband Thorkel and her son Breca, but when they are torn away from her, Orka vows vengeance and sets off to find her son and kill the person responsible. The narrative shifts among three main characters, each on their own path, but whose journeys eventually come together. Rather it’s a very intricately plotted story with a carefully constructed world, and it’s not the sort of book you breeze through quickly. Gwynne clearly has his craft down to a science, and even though it took me a solid two weeks to finish The Shadow of the Gods, it wasn’t because I was struggling to enjoy it. I’m happy to finally check John Gwynne off my fantasy bucket list! And I have to say, I was very impressed. “We all live with death’s talons in our shoulder, her breath on our neck.” – Elvar The nitty gritty: Complex worldbuilding, intimate characterizations and brutal action make The Shadow of the Gods a must read for epic fantasy fans. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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