7.08k reviews for:

The Shadow of the Gods

John Gwynne

4.17 AVERAGE

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

zhen_like_garden's review

3.0
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
ashleykhoffman's profile picture

ashleykhoffman's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 8%

I remain so optimistic about this book... except over an hour in, and pewpew to my head, I couldn't tell you a single thing that is happening. 

Maybe I'll try again someday. 

How this book had me screaming in the last few chapters, what the fuck do you mean John gwynne?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! 
adventurous dark tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character

Look, it was fine and it’s an interesting tale, but I just was thrust around way too much into each characters story that I didn’t have proper time to get invested in each person’s story before the next chapter started.

Maybe I’m not smart enough for this kind of fantasy with so many characters but struggled to make it through and I’m proud I plodded but I don’t think I’ll read the sequel.

bwaggs11's review

5.0

5.0/5.0

WOW. So fucking good. Orka simply is incredible. There is something about a complete bad ass on a rampage of bloody vengeance that just did it for me here. The prose is super great and still super accessible. Beautifully written with strong characters. Action packed, with clear and well described fight choreography made me feel like I was really in this world. All rthe while still having that classic fantasy vibe to it. The descriptions of settings were vivid and immersive and I love how Gwynne was able to do all this so effectively with out taking a lot of page time. Something else that really stood out here again, and something Gwynne does better than any other author I've read is combat. It was so clear, and gritty and disgusting in a good way. Every stab of seax or chop of axe felt so real and visceral. You could feel the hatred certain characters can tap in to... ohhhh... It was soooo fucking good. I want the next one ASAP.

ORKA! Oooooof.
adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

honestly the beginning of the book had me rating this lower. after you figure out who is who, and what some of the common references are it’s a lot less clunky. but “thought-cage” will always read clunky