The Shadow of the Gods (REVIEW)

Rating: 4.5/5

Having heard about John Gwynne for many years- I am happy to say that his first installment to the Bloodsworn saga (and the first book I've read by Gwynne) was absolutely wonderful. John Gwynne is a master at writing battle which feels both intense and frightening but also doesn't drag on longer than it's welcome. 
This was a good book to say the least. John Gwynne writes characters with intensity and skill that drives this story from beginning to end.

Each swipe and stab feels daunting, like any moment could be a character's last- and quite often it would be. There were genuinely shocking deaths that surprised me while reading, which made each fight more gut-wrenching to read.

The best parts of this book were most certainly the battle scenes and the characters. The Shadow of the Gods is a slowburn tale of rage, revenge, and grief driven from three separate character perspectives; Varg, Orka, and Elvar. 

It is clear within the first few chapters that Gwynne is skilled in character writing. He writes all three main characters with such magnificent personalization that every POV feels like a book in itself. 

Orka was by far my favourite perspective to read about, she had so much character depth and mystery around her that left you wondering what she would do next. Orka is the wife to her husband Thorkel, and mother to her son Breca. Haunted by a violent past, Orka struggles to make peace with a domestic life. When tragedy finds her, Orka is pushed into a dark quest of vengeance and violence. Her story is so tragic and its obvious that she is going to be a major player in the events of the rest of the story.

Varg is another really good character. He's an escaped thrall on his way to hunt down the man who killed his sister Froya.In his journey to find a Seidr witch to perform a ritual that will help him find his sister's killer, Varg comes across The Bloodsworn. After demonstrating his skills to the Bloodsworn, a gang of mercenaries with a Seidr witch named Vol, Varg begins his path to proving his worth to the Bloodworn and secure his oath. 

Elvar was the perspective I had the least interest in at the moment but I feel she's going to get more depth going into the next book. I found her really funny and enjoyed her relationship with Grend and the Battle-Grim. I'm excited to see how she develops in the following books. Elvar is a run-away hiding from her past and her family amongst a gang of mercenaries and Thrall merchants, only to stumble upon the truth about the gods and the magic around her. She follows a Seidr witch along with her mercenary group to find the resting place of the final battle of the gods. 

The pacing was good, especially in Varg and Orka's chapters, but I found Elvar's chapters dragged on a bit and I had a hard time connecting with her or any of the Battle-Grim, which I'm hoping will change in The Hunger of the Gods.

Now the ending-
The ending was absolutely fantastic. Although I had anticipated what would be happening at the end- I was still shocked at just how incredible and anxiety inducing the final chapter was. Though this first book was very slowburn, the ending sets up the series for a frightening, fast-paced future that I am thrilled for. The pure adrenaline I felt reading the last 30 pages was unreal and I am thrilled to read the rest of this series.