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thebibliophilegirl's review against another edition
4.0
When I was going into this book, I thought it sounded amazing. It sounded kind of like Game of Thrones... in a way?? It's definitely a fantasy and it deals with different Gods, fighting over realms and family feuds. And I was exactly right. But it was just that. Fighting, blood, gore, torture, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.
The Mireces worship the bloodthirsty Red Gods. Exiled from Rilpor a thousand years ago, and left to suffer a harsh life in the cold mountains, a new Mireces king now plots an invasion of Rilpor’s thriving cities and fertile earth.
Dom Templeson is a Watcher, a civilian warrior guarding Rilpor’s border. He is also the most powerful seer in generations, plagued with visions and prophecies. His people are devoted followers of the god of light and life, but Dom harbours deep secrets, which threatens to be exposed when Rillirin, an escaped Mireces slave, stumbles broken and bleeding into his village.
Meanwhile, more and more of Rilpor’s most powerful figures are turning to the dark rituals and bloody sacrifices of the Red Gods, including the prince, who plots to wrest the throne from his dying father in the heart of the kingdom. Can Rillirin, with her inside knowledge of the Red Gods and her shocking ties to the Mireces King, help Rilpor win the coming war?
Ok, so you've got a gist of what the book is about. Let me just start out by saying that this book had a very slow start for me. It just seemed like it was dragging forever. There were way too many characters and I couldn't keep up. I had to keep a note of who was related to who and who was working for who. It got to about 40% and I finally knew what was going on, who the characters were and I understood the concept of the Gods more. There was also a bit towards the end of the book where I felt like crying in happiness because one of the ships finally happened
The writing style and the description were beautiful and even though I was confused about the characters, the plot was still pretty exciting which is why I might actually give this a re-read in the near future. I think by re-reading this book, I'll enjoy it even more because I'll have a better understanding of each other the characters and I'll know who is related to whom, which characters are fighting for which side, and I'm hoping that I'll understand the concept of Dom's knowings a bit more as I'm still confused by them.
Warning: contains triggers of rape, abuse and death.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Mireces worship the bloodthirsty Red Gods. Exiled from Rilpor a thousand years ago, and left to suffer a harsh life in the cold mountains, a new Mireces king now plots an invasion of Rilpor’s thriving cities and fertile earth.
Dom Templeson is a Watcher, a civilian warrior guarding Rilpor’s border. He is also the most powerful seer in generations, plagued with visions and prophecies. His people are devoted followers of the god of light and life, but Dom harbours deep secrets, which threatens to be exposed when Rillirin, an escaped Mireces slave, stumbles broken and bleeding into his village.
Meanwhile, more and more of Rilpor’s most powerful figures are turning to the dark rituals and bloody sacrifices of the Red Gods, including the prince, who plots to wrest the throne from his dying father in the heart of the kingdom. Can Rillirin, with her inside knowledge of the Red Gods and her shocking ties to the Mireces King, help Rilpor win the coming war?
Ok, so you've got a gist of what the book is about. Let me just start out by saying that this book had a very slow start for me. It just seemed like it was dragging forever. There were way too many characters and I couldn't keep up. I had to keep a note of who was related to who and who was working for who. It got to about 40% and I finally knew what was going on, who the characters were and I understood the concept of the Gods more. There was also a bit towards the end of the book where I felt like crying in happiness because one of the ships finally happened
The writing style and the description were beautiful and even though I was confused about the characters, the plot was still pretty exciting which is why I might actually give this a re-read in the near future. I think by re-reading this book, I'll enjoy it even more because I'll have a better understanding of each other the characters and I'll know who is related to whom, which characters are fighting for which side, and I'm hoping that I'll understand the concept of Dom's knowings a bit more as I'm still confused by them.
Warning: contains triggers of rape, abuse and death.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
book_roast's review against another edition
*DNF'ed at 50%, will speak more about it in the livestream :)
emancipatedindividual's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
rosienreads's review
5.0
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
Intense, captivating and powerful; Godblind is the fantastic debut fantasy from author Anna Stephens. It is a novel that is filled to the brim with war, political intrigue and gods, capturing a number of different themes from free will to feminism, but all within the threads of the novel. It is set in a world where the Red Gods have been exiled and their people cast out, but now revenge is on the horizon and no-one can escape the call of the Gods.
Plot
I will admit, I really was not sure about this book when I began. The contents page told me that it would be told from a large number of character perspectives. The first page was full of so much world-building, it was near-impossible to take in. Yet, once the book got going, the daunting beginning turned into something which took you elsewhere, to the world within the pages. The multiple points of view worked well in creating a rounded narrative which both increased the intensity of the story and showed how a war can be fought on multiple fronts, with multiple perspectives.
My main gripe with the novel was the pacing, or rather the effect the pacing had on my reading experience. The pacing itself was perfect – it kept the novel moving and successfully navigated the balance between action and breathers. However, it also convinced me that I was reading a stand-alone novel. So much happened and it felt like Godblind was rounding up to a brilliant conclusion, and then the cliff-hangers began. This novel is not, as I first thought, a stand-alone fantasy novel, but rather the first in a series. The series, I have no doubt, will be brilliant, but it was such a frustrating ending to have gone through so much with the characters and then not have any conclusion at the end.
Characters
As I mentioned, this book features a lot of characters, both POV and secondary characters. This did concern me when I first started as I find that having too many character perspectives can be confusing and a bit of a turn off but Anna Stephens handles this beautifully. Each one has their own story-line, but at no point does it ever feel like the characters are there for no reason. Everything is inter-connected and every character feels integral to the plot. I also particularly enjoyed how even the more villainous characters got their own perspective, showing their motivations and how there are not just two sides to the war.
The Gods themselves are particularly intriguing. We only really see the Dark Lady in close detail, but it was fascinating to see her bring all her pieces into play, in her attempt to achieve her goals. The Gods’ interactions with the other characters was interesting to read, particularly as it made you question who really was in control at times.
World/Setting
The world in this book is phenomenal. Despite a rough start of intense world-building, it settles down quite quickly and the world begins to gradually rise around you as you read. The different character perspectives allow you to see a large number of different places and lifestyles of the world Anna Stephens has created and it is a fascinating one.
The cultures for both the Rilporians and the Mireces are well established, especially how their cultures have been built up around the traits of their gods. The interaction between the Gods and the mortals also added another layer to the novel, particularly with the similarities and differences between the worship of the Red Gods and the Rilporian Gods. I just wish I’d had a map, just to be able to better picture the distances and where the towns and cities were in relation to one another.
Final Thoughts
If you are to read any fantasy novel this year, this should be near the top of your list. It was unlike any fantasy book I’ve read recently and stood out to me both in story and writing. I do wish I had known it was the first in a series when I was reading it as the ended was a bit disappointing for me, especially since I’m going to have to wait so long for the sequel, but everything else worked brilliantly. Godblind is a fantastic novel and a remarkable debut.
Summary
Intense, captivating and powerful; Godblind is the fantastic debut fantasy from author Anna Stephens. It is a novel that is filled to the brim with war, political intrigue and gods, capturing a number of different themes from free will to feminism, but all within the threads of the novel. It is set in a world where the Red Gods have been exiled and their people cast out, but now revenge is on the horizon and no-one can escape the call of the Gods.
Plot
I will admit, I really was not sure about this book when I began. The contents page told me that it would be told from a large number of character perspectives. The first page was full of so much world-building, it was near-impossible to take in. Yet, once the book got going, the daunting beginning turned into something which took you elsewhere, to the world within the pages. The multiple points of view worked well in creating a rounded narrative which both increased the intensity of the story and showed how a war can be fought on multiple fronts, with multiple perspectives.
My main gripe with the novel was the pacing, or rather the effect the pacing had on my reading experience. The pacing itself was perfect – it kept the novel moving and successfully navigated the balance between action and breathers. However, it also convinced me that I was reading a stand-alone novel. So much happened and it felt like Godblind was rounding up to a brilliant conclusion, and then the cliff-hangers began. This novel is not, as I first thought, a stand-alone fantasy novel, but rather the first in a series. The series, I have no doubt, will be brilliant, but it was such a frustrating ending to have gone through so much with the characters and then not have any conclusion at the end.
Characters
As I mentioned, this book features a lot of characters, both POV and secondary characters. This did concern me when I first started as I find that having too many character perspectives can be confusing and a bit of a turn off but Anna Stephens handles this beautifully. Each one has their own story-line, but at no point does it ever feel like the characters are there for no reason. Everything is inter-connected and every character feels integral to the plot. I also particularly enjoyed how even the more villainous characters got their own perspective, showing their motivations and how there are not just two sides to the war.
The Gods themselves are particularly intriguing. We only really see the Dark Lady in close detail, but it was fascinating to see her bring all her pieces into play, in her attempt to achieve her goals. The Gods’ interactions with the other characters was interesting to read, particularly as it made you question who really was in control at times.
World/Setting
The world in this book is phenomenal. Despite a rough start of intense world-building, it settles down quite quickly and the world begins to gradually rise around you as you read. The different character perspectives allow you to see a large number of different places and lifestyles of the world Anna Stephens has created and it is a fascinating one.
The cultures for both the Rilporians and the Mireces are well established, especially how their cultures have been built up around the traits of their gods. The interaction between the Gods and the mortals also added another layer to the novel, particularly with the similarities and differences between the worship of the Red Gods and the Rilporian Gods. I just wish I’d had a map, just to be able to better picture the distances and where the towns and cities were in relation to one another.
Final Thoughts
If you are to read any fantasy novel this year, this should be near the top of your list. It was unlike any fantasy book I’ve read recently and stood out to me both in story and writing. I do wish I had known it was the first in a series when I was reading it as the ended was a bit disappointing for me, especially since I’m going to have to wait so long for the sequel, but everything else worked brilliantly. Godblind is a fantastic novel and a remarkable debut.
eggbeater's review against another edition
5.0
Apparently this was the author's first novel and I don't remember how I stumbled across it but I'm so glad I did because it was excellent! The fight scenes were especially good and the characters were just awesome. This was a dark fantasy novel on steroids. I can't wait for the next book.
rowena_m_andrews's review against another edition
5.0
Grim, dark, bloody… and I love every moment of it.
Now, this is not the first time I’ve read Godblind, or even the second or third… and yet every time I read it, it feels like a punch in the gut and falling in love all over again. Now, this is certainly not a book for the faint of heart, and it shows that from the very beginning with some very bloody sacrifice, and it goes from there – blood and torture, violence and sacrifice, and yet it is far more than that. It is humanity in all forms and at all levels, pushed to the limits through choice, fate and circumstance.
This is a world where the Gods are real and shape many aspects of people’s lives – in very different ways. It’s a brilliant exploration of what people will do for faith, and how that can be twisted from a single person to an army, to an entire people. The worldbuilding is done through the characters, it’s through their eyes that we see faith and tradition, political intrigue, love and family, and fighting – it’s all shaped by the world, but it is through their actions and voices that we are shown the world. And this world feels so real because of it, especially as there are so many twists, layers between layers, that you can’t help but be entirely immersed in it.
There are a lot POV characters, and for me, each and every one of them regardless of what side of the conflict they were on stood out vividly. They are brilliantly drawn, each with their own voice and view on the world and proceedings around them. Not only does this offer us varied views on the world, on the situation and plans (which is fantastic in a story of twisted threads, betrayals and opposing views). There is also great diversity in the characters, both POV and secondary, and this book and series stands out for me because of its female characters. Who are wonderfully strong, flawed and human in an uneven world, where some are welcomed to fight, others have to fight to be able to, and others fight because there is no other choice. This is not to say that there is no balance, and in this book, both men and women are vulnerable, have courage, need rescuing and are the rescuers – people bound by blood, both familial or shed in war or in the name of faith.
In terms of the main POV characters – I have a very definite bias for Crys throughout the entire series, I loved him from the moment we met him, and my heart twisted for him so many times, the threads of his story gripping me. That said, I loved all the characters – even the Blessed One and her bloody hammer were fascinating and understandable, you might hate them and what they’re doing, but you can see why they are on that path. Gilda has a special place in my heart- I would like to possess even half her heart and compassion, and if I was to take Crys out of consideration I would have to say that Mace Koridam and Tara Carter were probably very high on my list of favourites. But I would struggle to choose, and that is due to the sheer strength of the characterisation and writing.
The multiple POVs and the relative shortness of the chapters mean that Godblind is fast-paced and it really lends to the urgency of the situation and makes it really difficult to put down once you’re caught up in the events. There are moments when it is so intense, that it is hard to breathe, and you are so involved in the characters – their fates, their relationships (especially when Gods and battles lie between them), that you care deeply about the outcomes.
Honestly, I could talk for days about this book – this series – and still not come close to summing it up, or how I feel about it. Godblind is something different, something that has gripped me and refuses to let go, so here is to the Trickster and lots more rereadings.
Now, this is not the first time I’ve read Godblind, or even the second or third… and yet every time I read it, it feels like a punch in the gut and falling in love all over again. Now, this is certainly not a book for the faint of heart, and it shows that from the very beginning with some very bloody sacrifice, and it goes from there – blood and torture, violence and sacrifice, and yet it is far more than that. It is humanity in all forms and at all levels, pushed to the limits through choice, fate and circumstance.
This is a world where the Gods are real and shape many aspects of people’s lives – in very different ways. It’s a brilliant exploration of what people will do for faith, and how that can be twisted from a single person to an army, to an entire people. The worldbuilding is done through the characters, it’s through their eyes that we see faith and tradition, political intrigue, love and family, and fighting – it’s all shaped by the world, but it is through their actions and voices that we are shown the world. And this world feels so real because of it, especially as there are so many twists, layers between layers, that you can’t help but be entirely immersed in it.
There are a lot POV characters, and for me, each and every one of them regardless of what side of the conflict they were on stood out vividly. They are brilliantly drawn, each with their own voice and view on the world and proceedings around them. Not only does this offer us varied views on the world, on the situation and plans (which is fantastic in a story of twisted threads, betrayals and opposing views). There is also great diversity in the characters, both POV and secondary, and this book and series stands out for me because of its female characters. Who are wonderfully strong, flawed and human in an uneven world, where some are welcomed to fight, others have to fight to be able to, and others fight because there is no other choice. This is not to say that there is no balance, and in this book, both men and women are vulnerable, have courage, need rescuing and are the rescuers – people bound by blood, both familial or shed in war or in the name of faith.
In terms of the main POV characters – I have a very definite bias for Crys throughout the entire series, I loved him from the moment we met him, and my heart twisted for him so many times, the threads of his story gripping me. That said, I loved all the characters – even the Blessed One and her bloody hammer were fascinating and understandable, you might hate them and what they’re doing, but you can see why they are on that path. Gilda has a special place in my heart- I would like to possess even half her heart and compassion, and if I was to take Crys out of consideration I would have to say that Mace Koridam and Tara Carter were probably very high on my list of favourites. But I would struggle to choose, and that is due to the sheer strength of the characterisation and writing.
The multiple POVs and the relative shortness of the chapters mean that Godblind is fast-paced and it really lends to the urgency of the situation and makes it really difficult to put down once you’re caught up in the events. There are moments when it is so intense, that it is hard to breathe, and you are so involved in the characters – their fates, their relationships (especially when Gods and battles lie between them), that you care deeply about the outcomes.
Honestly, I could talk for days about this book – this series – and still not come close to summing it up, or how I feel about it. Godblind is something different, something that has gripped me and refuses to let go, so here is to the Trickster and lots more rereadings.
deadgoodbookreviews's review against another edition
4.0
Full review up on my blog: http://bit.ly/2scVMZF
My main problem with multiple POV epic fantasy is and always will be that it without fail takes me a good third of the book to work out who is who. I have to keep flicking back chapters (which is hard to do on a kindle) to remind myself which particular person’s viewpoint we are currently seeing and whether they are a goody or a baddy. In this book, sometimes this was a little easier because they bad guys tended to be really bad. Like, graphic descriptions of torture bad.
The vast majority of the characters we follow in this story were male. Or if that wasn’t the case it did feel quite male dominated which I’ve come to expect from this kind of fantasy at this point. There were some great female characters. There’s the damaged ex-slave with a secret past, the strong female army captain in a male environment and, of course, the evil queen. These characters felt really fleshed out which was definitely necessary in this world (I switch off if there are too many male characters for too long cause I just can’t relate). Having said that, there were some cool male characters both good and evil whom the story follows, to reveal them would be a little spoilery so I’m going to let you discover it for yourselves.
This book is pretty brutal, I’m not going to lie. If you’re not comfortable reading about violence, bloodshed, torture and sexual assault (comfortable is the wrong word) then this is not the book for you. If you have a particular trigger that you want to know about then please feel free to ask me in the comments or direct message me on twitter (@judithcmoore) and I’ll be happy to let you know.
All in all I did enjoy this book, even though this isn’t my favourite genre to read it was well written for the most part, though things did get a little confusing towards the end. This is the proposed opening to a trilogy so I can see there is a way to go yet. In general, if this is the kind of book you enjoy reading then this is a good example of the genre.
My rating: 4/5 stars
By the way, I received a free digital advanced review copy of Godblind from the publisher (Talos) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
My main problem with multiple POV epic fantasy is and always will be that it without fail takes me a good third of the book to work out who is who. I have to keep flicking back chapters (which is hard to do on a kindle) to remind myself which particular person’s viewpoint we are currently seeing and whether they are a goody or a baddy. In this book, sometimes this was a little easier because they bad guys tended to be really bad. Like, graphic descriptions of torture bad.
The vast majority of the characters we follow in this story were male. Or if that wasn’t the case it did feel quite male dominated which I’ve come to expect from this kind of fantasy at this point. There were some great female characters. There’s the damaged ex-slave with a secret past, the strong female army captain in a male environment and, of course, the evil queen. These characters felt really fleshed out which was definitely necessary in this world (I switch off if there are too many male characters for too long cause I just can’t relate). Having said that, there were some cool male characters both good and evil whom the story follows, to reveal them would be a little spoilery so I’m going to let you discover it for yourselves.
This book is pretty brutal, I’m not going to lie. If you’re not comfortable reading about violence, bloodshed, torture and sexual assault (comfortable is the wrong word) then this is not the book for you. If you have a particular trigger that you want to know about then please feel free to ask me in the comments or direct message me on twitter (@judithcmoore) and I’ll be happy to let you know.
All in all I did enjoy this book, even though this isn’t my favourite genre to read it was well written for the most part, though things did get a little confusing towards the end. This is the proposed opening to a trilogy so I can see there is a way to go yet. In general, if this is the kind of book you enjoy reading then this is a good example of the genre.
My rating: 4/5 stars
By the way, I received a free digital advanced review copy of Godblind from the publisher (Talos) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
anastaciya's review against another edition
2.0
Oh, the pain... I wanted to like it. I truly did. But just couldn't make myself care. It was so hard to follow
jessni's review against another edition
2.0
Definitely hits the mark of being a dark fantasy - there were several scenes that were verging on difficult to read. I like the overall story and Dom is such a fascinating character.
The biggest downfalls are that this book seem like more of a setup for the next two rather than its own story. Also, the constantly switching perspectives, and the sheer number of them, often made it difficult to remember who was who, develop a connection with many of the characters, or sometimes be fully present in a scene because they keep switching so suddenly.
The biggest downfalls are that this book seem like more of a setup for the next two rather than its own story. Also, the constantly switching perspectives, and the sheer number of them, often made it difficult to remember who was who, develop a connection with many of the characters, or sometimes be fully present in a scene because they keep switching so suddenly.
mylogicisfuzzy's review against another edition
2.0
Started off interesting enough but soon became predictable, weak, basic, no character development. This is grimdark wannabe, seriously overhyped.