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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Shadow of the Gods is a good book, with fantastic world building, but it is incredibly slow paced. I spent a majority of this book wondering when the story was going to actually pick up. For the first half of the book there really wasn’t a whole lot going on, and I didn’t feel particularly connected to any of the characters.
Most of the excitement and big reveals come toward the end, and boy did those last few chapters make up for the slow beginning. The end of this book is so good. I could not put it down. The last 3 chapters are everything I wanted from this book. The visual descriptions and battle sequences are so cinematic. I love how the writer introduces a character and immediately gives a physical description of them. Never did I have a hard time imagining what something or someone looked like. I will definitely be getting the next book in this series.
Most of the excitement and big reveals come toward the end, and boy did those last few chapters make up for the slow beginning. The end of this book is so good. I could not put it down. The last 3 chapters are everything I wanted from this book. The visual descriptions and battle sequences are so cinematic. I love how the writer introduces a character and immediately gives a physical description of them. Never did I have a hard time imagining what something or someone looked like. I will definitely be getting the next book in this series.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This one is just under 4 stars for me but since 3.9 isn't an option I gave it 3.75. I was engaged the whole time, and enjoyed the characters. Will most likely read the rest of the series.
I could see this book being awesome. I wanted to love it. I did. Truly. But this was more a book for my husband or brother. I got page 100 and DNF’d.
BUT the story was good
The action was frequent
The writing was great
It just wasn’t for me personally
BUT the story was good
The action was frequent
The writing was great
It just wasn’t for me personally
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
slow-paced
Orka is John Wick. Very fun and promising start to a trilogy. Can't wait to chew threw the next two. My only critique is that I think the characterizations are a touch thin here, but, overall, this is a well-paced and well-structured Viking romp.
I really wanted to love this book. Norse-inspired dark fantasy, old gods, grief-fueled quests—everything should have worked. But around 70% in, I found myself wondering if the story was going anywhere beyond three warbands all walking toward the same location.
The world is vivid and brutal, the prose rich, but sometimes it felt like I was wading through mud—literally and narratively. I struggled to connect with the characters emotionally, even when their arcs were deeply personal. Maybe the payoff comes in later books, but as a standalone? I’m not quite sure what this one was trying to say beyond “life is hard and vengeance is blood-soaked.”
Not a bad book by any means. Just… not the journey I hoped for.
The world is vivid and brutal, the prose rich, but sometimes it felt like I was wading through mud—literally and narratively. I struggled to connect with the characters emotionally, even when their arcs were deeply personal. Maybe the payoff comes in later books, but as a standalone? I’m not quite sure what this one was trying to say beyond “life is hard and vengeance is blood-soaked.”
Not a bad book by any means. Just… not the journey I hoped for.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes