The Shadow of the Gods

An exciting read in the first installment of a new book series, inspired by Norse mythology and history, from reknowned fantasy author John Gwynne.

This was my first John Gwynne (I know, I know, for shame!) and I was not disappointed, especially given the hype around him as an author among fantasy bookish types! I am usually one to avoid hyped books/authors for fear of being let down but I can attest that neither he, nor this book, did that.

The book is well-written and well-researched, which is a boon to any fantasy story. The characters feel real and the prose is easy to read. Yes there are some Nordic words in there but what you can't interpret from context only adds to the flavour.

The story is fairly fast paced but never feels rushed. There's action and violence that is well balanced and doesn't veer into goreporn (thankfully). Some of it is grim but it is never over-described to the point where you'll lose your lunch. Consequences are legit in this world and there are no lazy shortcuts in the story/writing.

Overall, a great book and I can't wait for the next installment to get some more of those ravens!