Unusually for a novel with multiple perspectives, each of Gwynne’s protagonists is equally strong, with an equally compelling storyline. Each are very different, living very separate lives – but something is rising, a dormant power believed dead that could spell the end of Vigrid once and for all. And Elvar, daughter of a noble bloodline, rejects her heritage and goes in search of battle fame. Varg, a fugitive thrall, tries to find justice for his sister. Amidst this chaos, Orka, a wife and mother, tries to eke out a living for her family, staying away from the politicking Jarls. In the broken remains, power-hungry Jarls feud for dominance, and monsters – remnants of the dead gods – stalk the lands. The land of Vigrid has been shattered by the fall of the gods, driven to extinction by war. This is definitely a read for epic fantasy fans who like their stories on the bloodier side. The world Gwynne creates is cruel and unflinching, with no safety for the characters within. It tells an excellent, brutal tale, punctuated throughout by a sense of unease. ‘The Shadow of the Gods’ is the first book in John Gwynne’s ‘Bloodsworn Saga’, a new epic fantasy series inspired by Norse mythology.
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