The shadow of the gods by John Gwynne

Series: Bloodsworn Saga (#1)

Format: 528 pages, Paperback

Published: May 4, 2021 by Orbit

Fantasy /own

This turned out to be one of the best books so far this year. And that ending was epic! Bloody amazing.

There are three povs.

Varg, a slave who wants to revenge his murdered sister. But he is being hunted and is fleeing for his life.

Orka, who used to be a warrior, but settled down with a husband and child. But now children are going missing in her village.

Elvar, who joined a warband hoping to find glory. But she has a secret.

I did like Orka the most. She was a mom, and she was fierce. Again, that ending. Dang! Varg was interesting and there is something about him. Elvar was good, but yes I can't say I connect with someone seeking clearing as much as someone seeking her son.

The world was norse inspired, with words and things showing that and really giving that feeling about hardened viking warriors, feuding jarls and a ragnarök that seems to have come and gone. Gods dead and in one instance a corpse of one spread across half the world. Not to mention a dragon one still being guarded under earth, but having faded to legend. But legends always have truth in them.

There are battles, revenge, death, destruction, a rich interesting world and a war coming. I can't wait! I want the next book at once. Really good fantasy.

After the old gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrio. Now, power-hungry jarls carve out petty kingdoms, and monsters stalk the shadow-haunted woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power, promising fame and fortune for those brave - or desperate - enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo over the plains and across the fjords, fate follows the footsteps of three people: a huntress searching for her missing son, a jarl's daughter who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who has cast off his chains and now fights alongside the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn. All three will shape the fate of the world, as it once more teeters on the edge of chaos.