Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

It's 900 AD in viking era Ireland, and in this story we follow two gifted, driven women with different agendas. First is Gormflaith, a woman in possession of a special power due to her magical heritage, but one she has to keep secret. Gormflaith is determined to help her son Sitric gain the throne of Dublin and will get rid of anyone who is in her way. We also follow Fódla, part of the remaining descendants of the Tuatha de Danann and has the gift of healing. As Gormflaith helps Sitric, Fódla is charged with travelling to the home of King Brian Boru and spying on him and his troops.

I really enjoyed this brilliant foray into ancient Ireland. It really helped spark a new passion into trying to learn more about these old figures of history and well as ancient folklore and mythology connected to Ireland. I though the juxtaposition of Gormflaith and Fódla as our characters were brilliant as in the ways they are similar, both powerful in their own right but also beholden to the men in their lives, though while Fódla is gentle and kind, Gormflaith is ruthless and happy to kill those in the way even if they are innocent.

The author weaved true history in with fantasy and magic brilliantly - making the story unique and fun, yet still respecting the deep history and beliefs of ancient Ireland. Really looking forward to the next book and seeing how Gormlaith and Fódla's stories intermingle with that of Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf!

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kwthor's review

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I didn't connect with the characters and everything was bleak, bitter and about getting what you want at all coasts.

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mjparkles's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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szuum's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

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

4.25

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indyjg'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? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This stunning first novel of the Gael Song series is a brilliant, gripping historical fantasy that I could barely put down. From the first pages, you’re immediately thrown into a fantastical 10th-century Ireland where feuding magical clans are vying for power in a changing political and religious landscape. Tales of magic, betrayal and warring kings are told from the dual perspectives of Gormflaith, an ambitious and machiavellian Queen who, while vying for power, is also trying to keep her identity as one of the few remaining Fomorians, powerful wielders of fire-magic a secret. On the other side of the coin, we’re introduced to Fódla, a healer belonging to the Tuatha Dé Danann, another race of immortal magic users forbidden from interacting with mortals but have increasingly been drawn into mortal conflicts.

These two rival groups are sworn enemies, determined to destroy each other. Lawless beautifully describes the political manoeuvring and intrigue between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann and the changing religious landscape between the Norse and Christian communities at the time. However, my favourite aspect of this book is how morality is woven throughout the story; there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ factions, merely morally grey characters with compelling and nuanced perspectives. I also thoroughly enjoyed how both Gormflaith and Fódla were fleshed-out, captivating and strong female characters. They were given due time to understand and relate to their motivations while still being morally grey, so many books fall short of this. Lawless’s prose read like a Madeline Miller or Natalie Haynes book, and needless to say, I am keenly anticipating the sequel, so Children of Gods and Fighting Men gets five stars from me!

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