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missgarceau's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, War, Violence, Genocide, and Hate crime
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content
quitegood's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I did like this book, and I'm curious to see it continue, its just that I had issue with certain bit of the narrative's structure and with how the themes were executed, and to discuss them will require spoiler, so the non-spoiler version is; good but not great, falls short in places, am interested in the sequel.
So the twist where it turns out Arren is evil does not work because Arren has showed up once at the book's beginning, so finding out he's actually been corrupted by the god who saved him carries very little weight. We're meant to feel as heartbroken as Elo, to know the man he loved has truly gone, but we can't because we don't know who Arren was. Secondly, I love the theme of overcoming hardship and disability, and living to just live, not because you need purpose. But I wish it hadn't been loaded into the final 20% of the book. I know Kissen and Elo are very private characters, but you could have had small moments peppered through out the journey. These are nitpicks, I'm aware, but in that spirit, why'd they have to fuck? I get it, I'm ace, but bloody hell you normies think with your genitals too much!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
jojo_msd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War, Grief, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
laurenbaggy's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Moderate: Eating disorder
julalbert56's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The first two chapters of this book had my jaw on the floor. I was immediately hooked by the action, lore (I will always stan a queer normative world), and beautiful prose. Though I enjoyed the rest of the story (especially the last 25%) I felt like the middle dragged a bit. I was also not a huge fan of Skedi’s random magical takeover, it seemed a little out of place in the narrative I can’t wait to read the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Gore
amy14's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, War, Death, Gore, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-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
5.0
One of my favorite things in GODKILLER is that all of the characters change in very significant ways, prompted by their interactions with each other, but no one changes into any other character's ideal. They bend without breaking, they fit in with each other on the road without wholly molding to one another. Inara is a little girl with a god, Skediceth, living inside her. She seeks out a godkiller to try and find a way to free Skediceth from her, to let them both live separately, no longer intertwined. Kissen, a godkiller, seems to have already changed enough by not killing Skediceth when she meets him, but as they journey together it becomes apparent that being a godkiller doesn't actually mean that she kills every god she meets. Instead, Kissen kills the ones who are making life worse for people, the ones she's paid to kill. Elogast is on a mission from his best friend and king, Arren, to go to a city whose gods he tried to kill, to get one of them to become the king's new heart. Publicly, the king wants all the gods dead, or at least no longer worshipped, so Elogast must keep this mission secret, for the sake of the king. All four of them and up in the same pilgrimage caravan, traveling together with a few others, braving the dangers of the road and the patrolling knights. Skediceth is a god of white lies, untruths that are meant to mitigate harm and make things feel better, even if reality doesn't change because of them. Because he's a god, he's able to affect how lies are perceived, how readily they are believed. This makes things much easier as they travel, deflecting questions and averting gazes, making some trouble never manifest at all.
There's a narrative focus on the way all of the characters have been marked by the gods, changed by them, for good or ill. Kissen has a prosthetic leg fashioned from leather and metal, replacing the flesh leg she lost as a child when the other villagers tried to sacrifice her family to a fire god. She uses the prosthesis when the situation calls for two legs (as travelling and fighting tend to do). Most discussion of her legs is logistical, such as when she's cut in the leg while fighting and just needs to repair or replace the prosthesis, instead of having been injured in her flesh. I like the matter-of-fact handling of it. While there was someone in her past who exploited her and other children like her, the narrative only briefly discusses that time of her life. Now, she has two legs, it's just that the lower part of one of them can detach from the rest of her.
As the first book in the series, Godkiller feels very complete, able to stand alone. It invites a sequel with the way that it changes the situations of the main characters by the end, and I want to know what they do next. It's more open than a standalone without giving me a cliffhanger, which is perfect. The main characters are all very different with competing motivations that have all placed them together for now, but they don't know if they can trust each other. The worldbuilding and characterization work together seamlessly to make an engaging story that isn't afraid to have a slow burn in the middle. Most of it takes place during this pilgrimage, complemented by a much slower story pace. It helps to create a sense of time, that this journey really does take a while, one measured in days or perhaps weeks though not months.
There's a narrative focus on the way all of the characters have been marked by the gods, changed by them, for good or ill. Kissen has a prosthetic leg fashioned from leather and metal, replacing the flesh leg she lost as a child when the other villagers tried to sacrifice her family to a fire god. She uses the prosthesis when the situation calls for two legs (as travelling and fighting tend to do). Most discussion of her legs is logistical, such as when she's cut in the leg while fighting and just needs to repair or replace the prosthesis, instead of having been injured in her flesh. I like the matter-of-fact handling of it. While there was someone in her past who exploited her and other children like her, the narrative only briefly discusses that time of her life. Now, she has two legs, it's just that the lower part of one of them can detach from the rest of her.
As the first book in the series, Godkiller feels very complete, able to stand alone. It invites a sequel with the way that it changes the situations of the main characters by the end, and I want to know what they do next. It's more open than a standalone without giving me a cliffhanger, which is perfect. The main characters are all very different with competing motivations that have all placed them together for now, but they don't know if they can trust each other. The worldbuilding and characterization work together seamlessly to make an engaging story that isn't afraid to have a slow burn in the middle. Most of it takes place during this pilgrimage, complemented by a much slower story pace. It helps to create a sense of time, that this journey really does take a while, one measured in days or perhaps weeks though not months.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Religious bigotry, Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, and Confinement
Moderate: Ableism, Self harm, Sexual content, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement, Trafficking, Animal death, Child abuse, and Slavery
picaresquedreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child death, Murder, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Blood, War, and Sexual content
Minor: Ableism and Child abuse
kjm19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Godkiller is a great display of character driven fantasy that includes so many fun tropes and colourful characters.
It is possibly the most diverse/inclusive set of core characters that I’ve come across in any novel, let alone a fantasy one, which was really refreshing. Several characters have disabilities that add depth and context to their lives and shows us just how possible it is to be inclusive in the fantasy genre. Authors, take note!
The characters are loveable, funny, and relatable. It’s great to see how relationships blossom between our core characters, I do admit that it happens rather fast, but it’s a fast pace story with high stakes. Of course they will form immediate bonds if they have to.
There are convenient elements to the plot line, I must admit, like how quickly Skedi changes his mind about things and how his actions are forgiven etc. But fantasy is all about people coming together to join in one an epic adventure, and I feel that this was crafted very well.
I see how the world is building for a sequel, and I am intrigued to see how the wider context, such as archivists and the role of the King, will play into the future plot.
Kissen is one of my favourite protagonists of recent reads - she is bold in every way possible. Need I say more.
It is possibly the most diverse/inclusive set of core characters that I’ve come across in any novel, let alone a fantasy one, which was really refreshing. Several characters have disabilities that add depth and context to their lives and shows us just how possible it is to be inclusive in the fantasy genre. Authors, take note!
The characters are loveable, funny, and relatable. It’s great to see how relationships blossom between our core characters, I do admit that it happens rather fast, but it’s a fast pace story with high stakes. Of course they will form immediate bonds if they have to.
There are convenient elements to the plot line, I must admit, like how quickly Skedi changes his mind about things and how his actions are forgiven etc. But fantasy is all about people coming together to join in one an epic adventure, and I feel that this was crafted very well.
I see how the world is building for a sequel, and I am intrigued to see how the wider context, such as archivists and the role of the King, will play into the future plot.
Kissen is one of my favourite protagonists of recent reads - she is bold in every way possible. Need I say more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, War, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
kattila's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Great disablility representation and people just casually being gay without it making a fuss. Loved the story too and was invested in the characters and their goals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Genocide, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol and Animal death
Minor: Child abuse and Trafficking