Reviews with content warning for Child death - Godkiller

It was okay. The overall concept was intriguing but the characters were ultimately very flat.

Kissen, despite being a bisexual femme amputee, felt incredibly one-dimensional. She's traumatized and as a result is hard and brusque, and the author attempted mysterious but failed thanks to the multi-pov format. There's no room for Kissen to develop and grow in a way that's entertaining or interesting. I take issue with that because the book attempts to set her up as the main protagonist when, at most, she plays a supporting role to the overall plot. I found myself wondering why I was supposed to care about this character when the story really isn't about her?

The sexual chemistry between her and Elogast (a complete Mary-sue) was shoe-horned in, and it did nothing to enhance the characters or the story.

Despite all those things that could make her a complex and fascinating character, she is failed by the writing.

The little creature Sketi was the most compelling of them all, but even he fell flat a fair amount. But his arc has good bones to it.

His psychic connection to Inara is something that kept me reading because I was so curious about what that is and how it will play out in the story.

Sketi is what kept me in this book. He develops and learns and questions himself and his motives. He messes up and redeems himself. However, like all the others, he is limited by the writing. Still, Godkiller would have been better off being told entirely from his perspective as opposed to the multi-POV format, which just feels lazy at this point.

Finished it because the plot was fun and the world the author built felt fully-realized, if a little redundant. It was a decently fun romp but be patient with the mediocre writing and character development.

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epellicci's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book is a stunning slow burn adventure that is packed with rich world-building and imagery. I loved it. Set mostly on the road, it is a little more slow paced than some of its more trendy competition in the genre, but Godkiller is absolutely worth the time. It is made by the strength of it's characters - both in their resilience, and their relationships with each other. Packed with representation, and exploring loss, strength, and family, it is simply beautiful. I can't wait for Sunbringer

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littlealderman's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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twistykris's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved the overall feel and vibe of the book- dark and moody, with some Witcher vibes. The characters were diverse and interesting in their moods, attitudes, needs, and motivations. Kissen was a badass FMC (though at times, it felt a little like the author was forcing this down our throats- yes, she hates gods and most people and doesn't get attached, we understand). It was very sweet to see her grow fond of Inara and Elo (and even Skedi). One of my favorite tropes is "closed-off-badass-gets-attached-to-another-character-even-if-they-don't-like-it." Elogast was a tough, protective cinnamon roll (and a little naïve), Inara's development was SO fantastic and I can't wait to hear more about *who* and *what* she is. And Skedi. My stupid, selfish, sweet, loving Skedi. I thought he was a very interesting god and I cannot wait to see more of his backstory as he learns it himself.

There is wonderful POC, queer, and disabled representation in this. There a variety of skin tones, a couple bi/ pan characters (including the FMC), a deaf character, and the FMC uses a prosthetic leg. Queerness is normalized in this society, and hand-signing is frequently used amongst the deaf and non-deaf characters. There is also openness to talk about trauma and PTSD. There's also a moment where Kissen describes a certain fat goddess as "full of flesh and life, her arms round and supple... her belly too, soft and yielding." I am always appreciative of a fat character being described as beautiful and "kissable."

I do wish the romance between the FMC and MMC was fleshed out more. And for being a short book (~300 pages), the middle seemed to drag. I don't know if I was just in a slump or if it was the pacing, but I was really having a hard time picking up the book to jump back into the story.

I am looking forward to reading the next installment when it comes out!

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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Writing: 4⭐️/5

The writing in this novel is strong in some sections and adequate in others. I thought the descriptions were strong, the world-building strong, but portions of the book dedicated to emotions or the inner turmoil of characters could sometimes fall flat in comparison to everything else. Similarly, the dialogue, especially at the beginning, felt forced, attempting to craft a badass female MC, but it came off a little cringe-y.

Characters: 3.75⭐️/5

Listen. I love the badass female protagonist as much as the next gal, but I felt a bit forced by Kaner to accept our MC’s badassery. She was in your face, blunt, and sassy to the point of disinterest, seemingly cutting elements from the typical badass female character and pasting it onto the page. Similarly, Elo’s determination to be a pouty ex-soldier with a chip on his shoulder reads similarly. His broody demeanour felt broody for no reason other than to be broody, and I was happy when he started to develop into something more.

Now, that being said, nearly everyone else was so fascinating to read about. The gods and their desire to have gifts. The young King and his suspiciously timed mission. The young girl who is plagued with a god of white lies. That god of white lies and his desire to undo the hurt he causes. If the two main characters had hit a stronger stride earlier, this could have easily been a five.

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5

The plot – and the world it takes place in – are instantly fascinating. We have a world, once overcome with gods and their patrons, now devoid of them. We have a quest to find the lost gods, and an attempt to untie a small god from the girl it wound itself around. I loved the story and I was fascinated at nearly every turn to understand and read about the next exciting moment, the next beautiful description, the next intriguing turn.

Who Should Read This Book?

Fans of older young adult fiction looking for a brilliant fantasy world
Those who LOVE the badass female protagonist
Fantasy readers looking for plot and world-building over writing

Content Warnings?

Death, fire, fire injury, murder, stalking, gaslighting, confinement, toxic relationship, toxic friendship, violence, injury, blood, injury detail, death of parent, death of child, war, sexism, sexual content,

Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

Fascinating. If I had the second, I would have started reading immediately.

Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5

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clarabooksit's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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