The Shadow of the Gods

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been meaning to read “Malice” by John Gwynne, but haven't gotten around to it, so this is my first foray into one of his fantasy worlds. I was thoroughly impressed. This Norse-inspired story follows 3 characters from different backgrounds, all seeking different goals. This world was once run by now-dead gods that were brutal and dangerous. There are offspring scattered throughout the world from these gods that have special powers. However, the rest of the population has enslaved all of these offspring and mad them do their bidding. The 3 main characters are battling their way through this harsh world in their own ways.

For the majority of this book, I felt like I had no idea what was going on. Gwynne really doesn't explain anything for the reader. For the most part, this was ok, because the payoff when you understood what was going on was great. However, I do think at times it detracted from the story because I was just so confused that I wasn't fully engaging.

My favorite part about Gwynne's writing in this book is that he really doesn't pull any punches. This book is very battle-heavy, and his characters are not immune from injury and death. He makes these battles seem realistic, brutal, and chaotic, like they would be in real life. I appreciated this a lot.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans. It is full of magic and fighting and mythology, and is an intense read.

TW: gore, death, slavery