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Age of Tyranny #1
The Traitor God
A city threatened by unimaginable horrors must trust their most hated outcast, or lose everything, in this crushing epic fantasy debut.
After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods - Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's killed a god...
After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods - Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's killed a god...
432 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2018
429 people are currently reading
6492 people want to read
About the author
Cameron Johnston
21 books591 followersCameron Johnston is a Scottish writer of fantasy and lives in the city of Glasgow. He is a student of Historical European Martial Arts, loves archaeology, history, folklore and mythology, exploring ancient sites and spooky places, and camping out under the stars with a roaring fire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
June 9, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston is best described as an action-packed video game come to life; a thrill ride of adrenaline, action, blood, and intrigue wrapped up in a story centered on one man’s pursuit of justice. Not every second of the book will dazzle you, but overall you will find yourself having a fun time and wanting more, more, MORE!
Edrin Walker is a liar, a scoundrel, and a damn dangerous magician. His past misdeeds and a deal with the rulers of his home city of Setharis having sent him into ten years of exile; these years spent wandering around the wilds, hiding from daemons who constantly pursue him and attempting to find some form of excitement to pass the time. His dangerous and dull existence only made tolerable by the knowledge that his absence from Setharis keeps his friends Lynas and Charra and their daughter Layla safe.
Then tragedy strikes!
Edrin and Lynas have always shared a magical connection, able to feel each other, sense the other’s joys and pains, even catch fleeting visions from each other’s eyes. And this is generally a good thing until the night Lynas is killed!
Without warning, Edrin is jarred by a vision of his best friends frantic flight from a daemon; the creature stalking Lynas down the alleys of Setharis, finally cornering and taking him down. A mysterious man then appearing to torture and skin Lynas alive. The final thoughts of the dying man that he must get a message to Edrin, warn him of what is going on in the city.
Brutal shock. Bottomless grief. Towering rage. And a touch of deep fear and confusion fills Edrin. His first thoughts that Setharis’s masters have broken their part of the old bargain, allowed harm to befall his friend, even though he has stayed away. The next is an overpowering sense that Charra and Layla will be in danger and that he must go to them, protect them. And, finally, Edrin wonders what exactly was his friend doing to attract the attention of such a heartless killer and whether his past deeds were the real cause of Lynas’s death.
Naturally, the rest of the book chronicles Edrin’s return to Setharis, his search for Lynas’s family, his investigation into the murder of his friend, and a descent into mysterious matters which will reveal the past to Edrin and cause him to question many things he thought he knew.
As I alluded to in the opening, The Traitor God is an action-packed thrill ride where the author drops you down into the middle of the maelstrom, doesn’t waste time explaining every facet of the story, and expects you to ride the wave of controlled chaos as it ebbs and flows from the beginning to the end. Or to put it another way, there is never a dull moment in this story. And it mostly works, providing an exciting tale filled with mystery, twists, magic, and loads of fantastical mayhem.
The main triumph of the novel would have to be the main character, Edrin Walker, whom I can’t say I really liked very much at the beginning of the story. Sure, he had some charm and a mysterious feel to him, but his egotistical nature was a bit too much for me. However, Cameron Johnson actually takes this guy on a real character arc, starting at the aforementioned egotistical loner start line before steadily molding him into a much deeper, more complex, and interesting character by the end.
The only real complaint I’d make toward the story would be the tendency of the author to tell not show, especially in the beginning of the book. I realize it is difficult to resist the urge to cast out proverbial life preservers in the form of paragraphs of explanation to readers after you’ve thrown them into the middle of a story maelstrom, but if you’ve determined to start in the middle of the action, you really have to let your audience survive on their own. Trying to split the difference between fans of slow, methodical plots and sink or swim lovers only serves to frustrate both types; neither of whom feel you’ve totally committed to their preferred narrative pace.
Overall, The Traitor God is a damn fine read. Sure, it is more oriented toward action lovers, having a tendency to skim over intricate plot or subtle character development in favor of more bloody fights or magical explosions, but if you are craving a fast paced, magical fantasy with plenty of action and more than a few twists, then this novel will not disappoint you.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston is best described as an action-packed video game come to life; a thrill ride of adrenaline, action, blood, and intrigue wrapped up in a story centered on one man’s pursuit of justice. Not every second of the book will dazzle you, but overall you will find yourself having a fun time and wanting more, more, MORE!
Edrin Walker is a liar, a scoundrel, and a damn dangerous magician. His past misdeeds and a deal with the rulers of his home city of Setharis having sent him into ten years of exile; these years spent wandering around the wilds, hiding from daemons who constantly pursue him and attempting to find some form of excitement to pass the time. His dangerous and dull existence only made tolerable by the knowledge that his absence from Setharis keeps his friends Lynas and Charra and their daughter Layla safe.
Then tragedy strikes!
Edrin and Lynas have always shared a magical connection, able to feel each other, sense the other’s joys and pains, even catch fleeting visions from each other’s eyes. And this is generally a good thing until the night Lynas is killed!
Without warning, Edrin is jarred by a vision of his best friends frantic flight from a daemon; the creature stalking Lynas down the alleys of Setharis, finally cornering and taking him down. A mysterious man then appearing to torture and skin Lynas alive. The final thoughts of the dying man that he must get a message to Edrin, warn him of what is going on in the city.
Brutal shock. Bottomless grief. Towering rage. And a touch of deep fear and confusion fills Edrin. His first thoughts that Setharis’s masters have broken their part of the old bargain, allowed harm to befall his friend, even though he has stayed away. The next is an overpowering sense that Charra and Layla will be in danger and that he must go to them, protect them. And, finally, Edrin wonders what exactly was his friend doing to attract the attention of such a heartless killer and whether his past deeds were the real cause of Lynas’s death.
Naturally, the rest of the book chronicles Edrin’s return to Setharis, his search for Lynas’s family, his investigation into the murder of his friend, and a descent into mysterious matters which will reveal the past to Edrin and cause him to question many things he thought he knew.
As I alluded to in the opening, The Traitor God is an action-packed thrill ride where the author drops you down into the middle of the maelstrom, doesn’t waste time explaining every facet of the story, and expects you to ride the wave of controlled chaos as it ebbs and flows from the beginning to the end. Or to put it another way, there is never a dull moment in this story. And it mostly works, providing an exciting tale filled with mystery, twists, magic, and loads of fantastical mayhem.
The main triumph of the novel would have to be the main character, Edrin Walker, whom I can’t say I really liked very much at the beginning of the story. Sure, he had some charm and a mysterious feel to him, but his egotistical nature was a bit too much for me. However, Cameron Johnson actually takes this guy on a real character arc, starting at the aforementioned egotistical loner start line before steadily molding him into a much deeper, more complex, and interesting character by the end.
The only real complaint I’d make toward the story would be the tendency of the author to tell not show, especially in the beginning of the book. I realize it is difficult to resist the urge to cast out proverbial life preservers in the form of paragraphs of explanation to readers after you’ve thrown them into the middle of a story maelstrom, but if you’ve determined to start in the middle of the action, you really have to let your audience survive on their own. Trying to split the difference between fans of slow, methodical plots and sink or swim lovers only serves to frustrate both types; neither of whom feel you’ve totally committed to their preferred narrative pace.
Overall, The Traitor God is a damn fine read. Sure, it is more oriented toward action lovers, having a tendency to skim over intricate plot or subtle character development in favor of more bloody fights or magical explosions, but if you are craving a fast paced, magical fantasy with plenty of action and more than a few twists, then this novel will not disappoint you.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
June 4, 2018
4.5 out of 5
Click here for full review:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Angry Robot Books is a publishing company that just keeps churning out quality authors and books lately. It has gradually become one of my favorite publishing companies and I have read quite a few amazing titles over the past few years from them. So when I first saw the absolutely gorgeous cover art of THE TRAITOR GOD written by Scottish author Cameron Johnston, I already had an inkling that I wanted to know more about it. When I found out that it was being published by Angry Robot, to be released in the United States on June 5th, that took me a little bit further. When I read the synopsis of the book and quickly learned that it contained daemons, sorcerers, magicians and gods! Well that only solidified my resolve to search out an advanced reader copy before the impending release date. And when Angry Robot was gracious enough to supply that very advanced copy, I was ready to jump in feet first. This is Cameron Johnston's very first full-length book, which makes what I believe he accomplished with this story all the more impressive. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to this exceptional debut novel, THE TRAITOR GOD.
Cameron Johnston wastes no time in throwing the reader immediately into the action of THE TRAITOR GOD. Edrin Walker is a magician with a not so sterling reputation in his home city of Setharis. When you're rumored to have killed a god in your past, this sentiment is fairly easy to understand. Couple that with a few other shady events in Edrin's earlier life and he has found himself a reviled exile from his home town for the last ten years. Edrin has the ability to connect minds with other gifted magicians that are like himself and this is introduced very effectively in the story when he senses that his best friend Lynas is in mortal danger back home in Setharis. This is troubling to Edrin since as the main condition of his exile, the Arcanum leaders of the city promised not to harm his good friends Lynas, Charra and their daughter Layla as long as he didn't ever return. Things quickly ramp up when Edrin can sense Lynas being stalked by a daemon and ultimately sees him brutally murdered through their connection. Before Lynas meets his violent end, he sends out one last ditch message to Edrin using his skill. This mysterious message forces Edrin to return to the home city that shunned him. The magician is now fueled not only by the desire for revenge at all costs for the treachery and betrayal done to him, but also a by the desperate mission to find Charra and Layla and make sure that the same fate does not befall them as well. It is now obvious that the terms of his exile have been wantonly disregarded for some reason with all bets now being off, but Edrin seems to like it that way. First he must sneak into the city undetected, which is not a small task considering that the docks are tightly guarded by Arcanum "sniffers". Then he must somehow unravel the mystery of who murdered his friend and for what purpose. Did it have something to do with Edrin's past deeds that caused him to be exiled in the first place? Or was the murder just a ploy to somehow get Edrin to return home and face one last judgment of sorts? And what exactly was the mysterious message that Lynas transmitted to Edrin seconds before he died? We are ultimately left wondering if there is a greater conspiracy at work among the higher-up Arcanum of the city and whether Lynas may have stumbled across something that he shouldn't have. And now Edrin is thrust headlong into the middle of a maelstrom of battling factions and deceitful interests. The only question that remains is will he survive and can he save Charra and Layla who also are being hunted by the same evil forces.
This book is like a video game, wrapped inside an action movie, brilliantly told in written word form. A quick disclaimer: Cameron Johnston does not hold your hand and info dump you to death, so you'd better strap yourself in and get ready for one whirlwind of a fantastic story that does not slow down. Edrin is a complex main character in that he starts off as an unsympathetic egotist but as the story progresses, his character does as well and you actually can't help but root for him by the end. It's weird to have such conflicting emotions when dealing with a main character like that. The mysteries unravel slowly and are only hinted at as the book goes on. So as the reader, you really have to remain focused on what is going on throughout because this is not a book that allows for many distractions. I love books that drop you right into the story from the beginning with minimal build-up. I know that I might be in the minority in that regard, but I just don't enjoy a book that sets things up very slowly. I guess it might be the impatient reader in me in that I am always looking for the next book to read, so I don't want to feel like I am being spoon-fed a ton of information to the detriment of the story development. THE TRAITOR GOD was just what I look for in a reading experience. Tons of action, incredible world-building, bad guys who are reaaaally bad, an intriguing mystery at the heart of it etc... This book just worked on so many levels for me and I was left wanting more by the end. I say that not with respect to being unsatisfied with the book's conclusion, but because it was so incredibly good that I wished I had book number two in my hands and ready to go. By all means, do not cheat yourself by skipping this book. It has so much to offer for anyone who loves breakneck action in their Fantasy as well as cool villains and magic aplenty. And for those who like a little bit of mystery in their reads, it has a good deal of that too.
Click here for full review:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Angry Robot Books is a publishing company that just keeps churning out quality authors and books lately. It has gradually become one of my favorite publishing companies and I have read quite a few amazing titles over the past few years from them. So when I first saw the absolutely gorgeous cover art of THE TRAITOR GOD written by Scottish author Cameron Johnston, I already had an inkling that I wanted to know more about it. When I found out that it was being published by Angry Robot, to be released in the United States on June 5th, that took me a little bit further. When I read the synopsis of the book and quickly learned that it contained daemons, sorcerers, magicians and gods! Well that only solidified my resolve to search out an advanced reader copy before the impending release date. And when Angry Robot was gracious enough to supply that very advanced copy, I was ready to jump in feet first. This is Cameron Johnston's very first full-length book, which makes what I believe he accomplished with this story all the more impressive. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to this exceptional debut novel, THE TRAITOR GOD.
Cameron Johnston wastes no time in throwing the reader immediately into the action of THE TRAITOR GOD. Edrin Walker is a magician with a not so sterling reputation in his home city of Setharis. When you're rumored to have killed a god in your past, this sentiment is fairly easy to understand. Couple that with a few other shady events in Edrin's earlier life and he has found himself a reviled exile from his home town for the last ten years. Edrin has the ability to connect minds with other gifted magicians that are like himself and this is introduced very effectively in the story when he senses that his best friend Lynas is in mortal danger back home in Setharis. This is troubling to Edrin since as the main condition of his exile, the Arcanum leaders of the city promised not to harm his good friends Lynas, Charra and their daughter Layla as long as he didn't ever return. Things quickly ramp up when Edrin can sense Lynas being stalked by a daemon and ultimately sees him brutally murdered through their connection. Before Lynas meets his violent end, he sends out one last ditch message to Edrin using his skill. This mysterious message forces Edrin to return to the home city that shunned him. The magician is now fueled not only by the desire for revenge at all costs for the treachery and betrayal done to him, but also a by the desperate mission to find Charra and Layla and make sure that the same fate does not befall them as well. It is now obvious that the terms of his exile have been wantonly disregarded for some reason with all bets now being off, but Edrin seems to like it that way. First he must sneak into the city undetected, which is not a small task considering that the docks are tightly guarded by Arcanum "sniffers". Then he must somehow unravel the mystery of who murdered his friend and for what purpose. Did it have something to do with Edrin's past deeds that caused him to be exiled in the first place? Or was the murder just a ploy to somehow get Edrin to return home and face one last judgment of sorts? And what exactly was the mysterious message that Lynas transmitted to Edrin seconds before he died? We are ultimately left wondering if there is a greater conspiracy at work among the higher-up Arcanum of the city and whether Lynas may have stumbled across something that he shouldn't have. And now Edrin is thrust headlong into the middle of a maelstrom of battling factions and deceitful interests. The only question that remains is will he survive and can he save Charra and Layla who also are being hunted by the same evil forces.
This book is like a video game, wrapped inside an action movie, brilliantly told in written word form. A quick disclaimer: Cameron Johnston does not hold your hand and info dump you to death, so you'd better strap yourself in and get ready for one whirlwind of a fantastic story that does not slow down. Edrin is a complex main character in that he starts off as an unsympathetic egotist but as the story progresses, his character does as well and you actually can't help but root for him by the end. It's weird to have such conflicting emotions when dealing with a main character like that. The mysteries unravel slowly and are only hinted at as the book goes on. So as the reader, you really have to remain focused on what is going on throughout because this is not a book that allows for many distractions. I love books that drop you right into the story from the beginning with minimal build-up. I know that I might be in the minority in that regard, but I just don't enjoy a book that sets things up very slowly. I guess it might be the impatient reader in me in that I am always looking for the next book to read, so I don't want to feel like I am being spoon-fed a ton of information to the detriment of the story development. THE TRAITOR GOD was just what I look for in a reading experience. Tons of action, incredible world-building, bad guys who are reaaaally bad, an intriguing mystery at the heart of it etc... This book just worked on so many levels for me and I was left wanting more by the end. I say that not with respect to being unsatisfied with the book's conclusion, but because it was so incredibly good that I wished I had book number two in my hands and ready to go. By all means, do not cheat yourself by skipping this book. It has so much to offer for anyone who loves breakneck action in their Fantasy as well as cool villains and magic aplenty. And for those who like a little bit of mystery in their reads, it has a good deal of that too.
January 4, 2020
It's taken me forever to get this review up, and it's short, but don't let that be an indicator of how much I did or didn't like it. Because it's fantastic. The Traitor God is a super refreshing and fast-paced fantasy that breaks from the epic journey and focuses on a simple plot but a thrilling story of redemption and revenge. Gruesome and funny at the same time, which is a difficult thing to pull off, but Johnston does it. Highly recommended!
January 24, 2018
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
An assured and complex debut novel with a main protagonist of questionable loyalty and morals that, despite yourself, you can't help but love.
It's not often you come across a fresh voice and a fresh take on magic, but The Traitor God gives both. Moments of absolute horror sit cheek by jowl with humour of the blackest kind and some of the monstrous creations in this book are nauseatingly wonderful. After a slightly slow start I found it increasingly difficult to put this book down.
I dearly hope we get to see more of Magus Edrin Walker in future books.
An assured and complex debut novel with a main protagonist of questionable loyalty and morals that, despite yourself, you can't help but love.
It's not often you come across a fresh voice and a fresh take on magic, but The Traitor God gives both. Moments of absolute horror sit cheek by jowl with humour of the blackest kind and some of the monstrous creations in this book are nauseatingly wonderful. After a slightly slow start I found it increasingly difficult to put this book down.
I dearly hope we get to see more of Magus Edrin Walker in future books.
Read
September 18, 2018Spoiler free review.
There are certain themes that I've always deeply enjoyed in fantasy, and while they do not exist to the exclusion of others and I have enjoyed a wide range, The Traitor God hit upon several themes that hark back to some of my early idols.
Power, magic and terrifyingly unstoppable wizards. Fans of Glen Cook's The Black Company are going to get right behind Johnston's take on magic and the mages of the Arcanum. From lowly sniffers, whose gifts are mundanely workaday, to the towering gods who could probably take an atomic bomb on the chin if they were fresh, there's also much that Steven Erikson's fans are going to get their teeth into here. The hero occupies something of a low to mid ground, which is a nice place to observe events from, whilst enabling him to participate effectively. In some ways the magic occasionally doesn't make sense, but then, I'm rather fond of that too. When magic becomes too believable, to me some of the mystery is lost.
There is a noir, detective thriller air to some of the investigations that Edrin Walker is required to go on before the last 20% of the book hits a gas-up, non-stop rush towards a series of progressively more and more deadly climaxes. I was at times reminded of Akira, The Thing, various modern vampire fiction (there are no vampires), a particular Tolkienesque moment, and we enter a flurry of 'wrap up' moments that play on a good deal of what has gone before to reach a satisfying conclusion.
This book shimmers between Grimdark and Grimheart for me, but ultimately I felt that the split was very much 85-15 in favour of Grimdark. I'm not sure that anyone who survives the first chapter of the story is ultimately a good person, even those that show care for one another. There's a LOT of gore in this book (it's entirely central to the plot). And poop (used in a unique fashion at times). And mud (covering everyone most of the time). And violence. A lot of violence. But despite that, the book never really felt bleak to me; the tone remains quite light, even during times of great ordeal, largely due to Walker's narration.
Fans of the Grimdark subgenre will enjoy The Traitor God, and the book is left nicely open for the forthcoming sequel.
There are certain themes that I've always deeply enjoyed in fantasy, and while they do not exist to the exclusion of others and I have enjoyed a wide range, The Traitor God hit upon several themes that hark back to some of my early idols.
Power, magic and terrifyingly unstoppable wizards. Fans of Glen Cook's The Black Company are going to get right behind Johnston's take on magic and the mages of the Arcanum. From lowly sniffers, whose gifts are mundanely workaday, to the towering gods who could probably take an atomic bomb on the chin if they were fresh, there's also much that Steven Erikson's fans are going to get their teeth into here. The hero occupies something of a low to mid ground, which is a nice place to observe events from, whilst enabling him to participate effectively. In some ways the magic occasionally doesn't make sense, but then, I'm rather fond of that too. When magic becomes too believable, to me some of the mystery is lost.
There is a noir, detective thriller air to some of the investigations that Edrin Walker is required to go on before the last 20% of the book hits a gas-up, non-stop rush towards a series of progressively more and more deadly climaxes. I was at times reminded of Akira, The Thing, various modern vampire fiction (there are no vampires), a particular Tolkienesque moment, and we enter a flurry of 'wrap up' moments that play on a good deal of what has gone before to reach a satisfying conclusion.
This book shimmers between Grimdark and Grimheart for me, but ultimately I felt that the split was very much 85-15 in favour of Grimdark. I'm not sure that anyone who survives the first chapter of the story is ultimately a good person, even those that show care for one another. There's a LOT of gore in this book (it's entirely central to the plot). And poop (used in a unique fashion at times). And mud (covering everyone most of the time). And violence. A lot of violence. But despite that, the book never really felt bleak to me; the tone remains quite light, even during times of great ordeal, largely due to Walker's narration.
Fans of the Grimdark subgenre will enjoy The Traitor God, and the book is left nicely open for the forthcoming sequel.
August 7, 2019
Beautifully dark and disturbing! Strapped full of action and mixed with an enticing story. Edrin Walker is one of my new favorite grimdark characters. Some of my favorite heroes are the ones that don't act the part and never wanted to be one in the first place.
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars ****
"Nothing is ever quite as terrifying as your own mind."
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars ****
November 8, 2018
Edrin Walker is coming home.
Ten wretched years of exile have been shattered by the howl in his head; the agonized cry of the friend to whom he had secretly (and illegally) gift-bonded before he left. It was part of the condition of his banishment, that the friend and his family would be protected throughout the course of his absence. Promises had been made. Promises were broken. All bets were off.
No one wants Edrin Walker swaggering back down the streets of Setharis. A rogue mage with the rare talent of turning minds to his personal use was trouble from start to finish. Those circumstances surrounding his departure were nothing short of disturbing. Rumors of an underground battle, an ancient spirit-laden weapon, the death of a god, made the man a risk not even the great Arcanum, in all its wisdom and power, considered worth the taking. If only they knew what he'd done that night. If only Edrin, himself, could remember it...
The Traitor God is a swash-buckling feast of a tale that hews to the lustiest of fantasy's traditions - which in this genre, as you well know, has less to do with the erotic than it does the size of the egos in play, the stakes set, the challenges met. Our first-time author is ambitious, and passionate, and capable on this score. While the climactic lay-up tottered a bit - plenty of rim before it hit that net - Johnston's game was worth attending.
I'll be reserving a seat for the next.
Ten wretched years of exile have been shattered by the howl in his head; the agonized cry of the friend to whom he had secretly (and illegally) gift-bonded before he left. It was part of the condition of his banishment, that the friend and his family would be protected throughout the course of his absence. Promises had been made. Promises were broken. All bets were off.
No one wants Edrin Walker swaggering back down the streets of Setharis. A rogue mage with the rare talent of turning minds to his personal use was trouble from start to finish. Those circumstances surrounding his departure were nothing short of disturbing. Rumors of an underground battle, an ancient spirit-laden weapon, the death of a god, made the man a risk not even the great Arcanum, in all its wisdom and power, considered worth the taking. If only they knew what he'd done that night. If only Edrin, himself, could remember it...
The Traitor God is a swash-buckling feast of a tale that hews to the lustiest of fantasy's traditions - which in this genre, as you well know, has less to do with the erotic than it does the size of the egos in play, the stakes set, the challenges met. Our first-time author is ambitious, and passionate, and capable on this score. While the climactic lay-up tottered a bit - plenty of rim before it hit that net - Johnston's game was worth attending.
I'll be reserving a seat for the next.
December 11, 2019
This book wasn't bad. It started out really well- the narrator had a dark sense of humor and the first-person perspective reminded me a lot of Jim Butcher's writing. The book got into the head of the main character quite a bit, which was good at times, but sometimes the plot seemed to stall while the narrator alternated between flashbacks and insights into the world around him which was elaborately developed and dumped quickly through the narrator.
I would've liked to have the other characters fleshed out more. They felt fairly stock, and when one disappeared another would appear with a new name, but it seemed like the same character. The other characters weren't extremely likable.
After a certain point the book became all combat for around 150 pages or so. It was good if you like page after page of fighting, spells, creatures and close calls. It reminded me of a combat heavy D & D session with very little role playing. There wasn't much interaction between the characters until the very end of the book once the fighting started.
It wasn't a bad book, and I will probably read the next one in the series, but I have other books pressing their way up my tbr before I spend more money to continue this series.
3 stars
I would've liked to have the other characters fleshed out more. They felt fairly stock, and when one disappeared another would appear with a new name, but it seemed like the same character. The other characters weren't extremely likable.
After a certain point the book became all combat for around 150 pages or so. It was good if you like page after page of fighting, spells, creatures and close calls. It reminded me of a combat heavy D & D session with very little role playing. There wasn't much interaction between the characters until the very end of the book once the fighting started.
It wasn't a bad book, and I will probably read the next one in the series, but I have other books pressing their way up my tbr before I spend more money to continue this series.
3 stars
September 3, 2025
Ahoy there mateys! This year (2025) I had a hankering to reread the traitor god. I originally read it back in 2018 when it was a standalone. I listened to the audiobook and ended up loving it just as much the second time. Original review still stands . . .
************************************
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This was one of those times where the stars aligned and the read was the perfect fit for me mood. I read it in one sitting. It was entertaining, engrossing, and a bit violent (Arrr!!). I even refused to get shut-eye and instead stayed up into the wee hours of the morn turning pages because I just had to know how it ended.
The story follows Edrin Walker, a magician, who has been on the run for over 10 years. He left his hometown in order to keep his two friends and their daughter safe. The price - his memories of the reason why. Talk about a fun set-up!
His time on the run is brought to a sudden halt when his friend Lynas is murdered. Edrin feels his death through the secret mind-link that they share. He is so far away that there is scant information on the who and why of the murder. The how however was all too clear. Edrin is determined to avenge his friend no matter what the consequences. He just has to figure out who killed him first.
Edrin is infamous, distrusted, and a rascal. I absolutely loved him. I adored how loyal he is to his friends. I enjoyed the magic in the world and especially how Edrin uses it. I thought it was fantastic that Edrin had an intense phobia that he struggled to overcome. I loved that daemon cats are out to kill him. I frickin' loved his dagger - seriously it is awesome.
This is seemingly a standalone but I wouldn't mind having other novels written in this world. Pick this one up and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Angry Robot!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
************************************
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This was one of those times where the stars aligned and the read was the perfect fit for me mood. I read it in one sitting. It was entertaining, engrossing, and a bit violent (Arrr!!). I even refused to get shut-eye and instead stayed up into the wee hours of the morn turning pages because I just had to know how it ended.
The story follows Edrin Walker, a magician, who has been on the run for over 10 years. He left his hometown in order to keep his two friends and their daughter safe. The price - his memories of the reason why. Talk about a fun set-up!
His time on the run is brought to a sudden halt when his friend Lynas is murdered. Edrin feels his death through the secret mind-link that they share. He is so far away that there is scant information on the who and why of the murder. The how however was all too clear. Edrin is determined to avenge his friend no matter what the consequences. He just has to figure out who killed him first.
Edrin is infamous, distrusted, and a rascal. I absolutely loved him. I adored how loyal he is to his friends. I enjoyed the magic in the world and especially how Edrin uses it. I thought it was fantastic that Edrin had an intense phobia that he struggled to overcome. I loved that daemon cats are out to kill him. I frickin' loved his dagger - seriously it is awesome.
This is seemingly a standalone but I wouldn't mind having other novels written in this world. Pick this one up and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Angry Robot!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
April 26, 2018
Visceral and gripping fantasy, horribly and hugely enjoyable.
December 2, 2020
3,5 Stars
I especially enjoyed the main character who is not a good guy, but also not actually evil. I clicked with him very early on and loved his character development over the course of the story!
The side characters were also interesting and well enough fleshed out to stand in their own and not feel like cardboard cutouts as a backdrop.
Some parts of the books felt a bit stretched out to me and could have been a bit tighter.
The violence and fighting especially sometimes felt like a very over the top Hollywood horror movie and instead of taking me to the edge of my seat I was instead smirking a bit.
I think the "monsters" were just too big and too powerful, so the people had to be even more over the top powerful and it spiralled a bit out of control from there.
Aside from that one major annoyance I really enjoyed the book and all the little and big twists and turns it took! A cool world and intriguing plot will make me pick up the second one too!
I especially enjoyed the main character who is not a good guy, but also not actually evil. I clicked with him very early on and loved his character development over the course of the story!
The side characters were also interesting and well enough fleshed out to stand in their own and not feel like cardboard cutouts as a backdrop.
Some parts of the books felt a bit stretched out to me and could have been a bit tighter.
The violence and fighting especially sometimes felt like a very over the top Hollywood horror movie and instead of taking me to the edge of my seat I was instead smirking a bit.
I think the "monsters" were just too big and too powerful, so the people had to be even more over the top powerful and it spiralled a bit out of control from there.
Aside from that one major annoyance I really enjoyed the book and all the little and big twists and turns it took! A cool world and intriguing plot will make me pick up the second one too!
August 18, 2019
I guess I don't have much to say about this one. I enjoyed it, will read the next one.
May 23, 2020
The Traitor God was freaking explosive. It is a top-notch action novel
August 9, 2018
Read this review and more at Book Geeks Uncompromised!
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edrin Walker's mind is loosely linked to that of his childhood friend, Lynas, although he has not seen Lynas in a decade. When Walker experiences the violent death of his friend through their link, this sets off a story of revenge and mystery as Walker uncovers the truths behind Lynas's murder and what his killers hoped to conceal.
This book is absolutely one that drops you into the middle of a world and doesn't stop everything to get some exposition in to explain the world to the reader. Normally, this is something that I look for in a book. And I think as far as world-building, Johnston was pretty successful. I got a fantastic feel of the world as the story went along.
However, I think his characters suffered in this approach.
I never really felt connected to any of them. I liked Charra and Layla well enough but in a distant sort of way. Edrin has been close to Lynas and Charra since they were children so there is a long-standing relationship there but jumping in later in their lives after they've been separated for so long and trying to establish this relationship for the reader just didn't work for me in this book. I never felt the bonds of their friendship very strongly which only added to my disconnect from the characters.
Edrin himself I was a little annoyed by at times. Honestly, he is the same MC from every fantasy book ever. In his 30s, ruggedly handsome, scarred, charming and incredibly gifted magically and totally freaking full of himself.
I just...I dunno, where's the new? I felt like I had seen the exact same character over and over again.
But the thing that really bothered me was that the only limitation on his super awesome magic power is that a)if he uses it, people he doesn't want to know he is around could detect him and b)using too much at one time could open his mind to manipulation by another being. But that is some hardcore magic he has to do to get to that point and naturally, it does come into play later on in the book.
But as for the first, it seemed like this limitation was set up and then a hundred exceptions were found throughout the course of the story to get around it. Running water apparently hides it, he got lucky, apparently touching the person he is using the magic on can hide it. I am one that loves to see characters challenged. But the main challenge put on our main character here was rendered pointless very quickly.
I will say that I found the mystery itself intriguing but without being able to connect to the characters, this book just was not for me.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edrin Walker's mind is loosely linked to that of his childhood friend, Lynas, although he has not seen Lynas in a decade. When Walker experiences the violent death of his friend through their link, this sets off a story of revenge and mystery as Walker uncovers the truths behind Lynas's murder and what his killers hoped to conceal.
This book is absolutely one that drops you into the middle of a world and doesn't stop everything to get some exposition in to explain the world to the reader. Normally, this is something that I look for in a book. And I think as far as world-building, Johnston was pretty successful. I got a fantastic feel of the world as the story went along.
However, I think his characters suffered in this approach.
I never really felt connected to any of them. I liked Charra and Layla well enough but in a distant sort of way. Edrin has been close to Lynas and Charra since they were children so there is a long-standing relationship there but jumping in later in their lives after they've been separated for so long and trying to establish this relationship for the reader just didn't work for me in this book. I never felt the bonds of their friendship very strongly which only added to my disconnect from the characters.
Edrin himself I was a little annoyed by at times. Honestly, he is the same MC from every fantasy book ever. In his 30s, ruggedly handsome, scarred, charming and incredibly gifted magically and totally freaking full of himself.
I just...I dunno, where's the new? I felt like I had seen the exact same character over and over again.
But the thing that really bothered me was that the only limitation on his super awesome magic power is that a)if he uses it, people he doesn't want to know he is around could detect him and b)using too much at one time could open his mind to manipulation by another being. But that is some hardcore magic he has to do to get to that point and naturally, it does come into play later on in the book.
But as for the first, it seemed like this limitation was set up and then a hundred exceptions were found throughout the course of the story to get around it. Running water apparently hides it, he got lucky, apparently touching the person he is using the magic on can hide it. I am one that loves to see characters challenged. But the main challenge put on our main character here was rendered pointless very quickly.
I will say that I found the mystery itself intriguing but without being able to connect to the characters, this book just was not for me.
August 23, 2019
3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/vxFOWyIazmg
This story blended together a classic revenge plot with a mystery as the protagonist attempted to investigate the situation surrounding his friend’s untimely death.
The best part of this novel was easily the main character, Edrin, who was a fouled-mouthed individual with plenty of snarky personality. Told in a first person perspective, we, as the reader, were given a front seat to Edrin’s inner thoughts, which made it easy to connect with him as a character. Edrin is not traditional fantasy hero, but rather a morally gray individual who lives by his own set of rules. I personally really liked him as a character, but readers need to be okay reading about an unlikeable person.
While this book did not go far enough to be considered grimdark, it was certainly gritty. The world that Johnston created was grim, filled with proverty, crime, and prostitution. The story was not gory or gruesome, yet the author never shied away from the darker sides of life.
The use of magic in this book was exciting and fantastical. The magic system was quite soft, which created a sense of wonder. I particularly liked that there were costs to using the magic and, subsequently, the protagonist was limited his abilities.
I have seen other reviewers describe this book like an RPG video game and I very much agree with that comparison. The story was fast paced and action packed with a lot of narrative drive. The story specifically reminded me of the Witcher games because both involve a gritty protagonist investigating a mystery in a fantasy setting. However, I do not want to create unfair expectations, so I will be clear that Edrin was not Gerault.
Where this fantasy book felt short for me was in it’s lack of originality. I felt like I have read this kind of story so many times before and it just did not bring anything new to the genre. That being said, if you can’t get enough of classic fantasy narratives, this one might be for you. For myself, I personally never got immersed in the narrative, which unfortunately affected my enjoyment of the book.
This book had a satisfying ending while still leaving a clear path for the story to continue. The Traitor God is the first book in the Age of Tyranny duology and I will be reading and reviewing second book, God of Broken Things.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher, Angry Robot Books.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/vxFOWyIazmg
This story blended together a classic revenge plot with a mystery as the protagonist attempted to investigate the situation surrounding his friend’s untimely death.
The best part of this novel was easily the main character, Edrin, who was a fouled-mouthed individual with plenty of snarky personality. Told in a first person perspective, we, as the reader, were given a front seat to Edrin’s inner thoughts, which made it easy to connect with him as a character. Edrin is not traditional fantasy hero, but rather a morally gray individual who lives by his own set of rules. I personally really liked him as a character, but readers need to be okay reading about an unlikeable person.
While this book did not go far enough to be considered grimdark, it was certainly gritty. The world that Johnston created was grim, filled with proverty, crime, and prostitution. The story was not gory or gruesome, yet the author never shied away from the darker sides of life.
The use of magic in this book was exciting and fantastical. The magic system was quite soft, which created a sense of wonder. I particularly liked that there were costs to using the magic and, subsequently, the protagonist was limited his abilities.
I have seen other reviewers describe this book like an RPG video game and I very much agree with that comparison. The story was fast paced and action packed with a lot of narrative drive. The story specifically reminded me of the Witcher games because both involve a gritty protagonist investigating a mystery in a fantasy setting. However, I do not want to create unfair expectations, so I will be clear that Edrin was not Gerault.
Where this fantasy book felt short for me was in it’s lack of originality. I felt like I have read this kind of story so many times before and it just did not bring anything new to the genre. That being said, if you can’t get enough of classic fantasy narratives, this one might be for you. For myself, I personally never got immersed in the narrative, which unfortunately affected my enjoyment of the book.
This book had a satisfying ending while still leaving a clear path for the story to continue. The Traitor God is the first book in the Age of Tyranny duology and I will be reading and reviewing second book, God of Broken Things.
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher, Angry Robot Books.
December 12, 2020
The Traitor God took forever for me to read. I don't understand why. It had magic, action and a pretty good story plot. It just wasn't engaging for me. I would read a page and put it down due to boredom. I don't know what to say. Maybe it's an author personality trait that I don't click with?
The book is trying to sell itself off as bloody and grimdark, and it fell far from it. More like a goody two shoes fantasy. Sure, there is blood and death in the pages, but it feels like the author wanted to be kind and not offend anyone. There was never a sense of doom because you knew the key players were going to be just fine! Get your ass handed to you by a monster, then drown, then get shot in the chest with an arrow? Just head to your nearest healer and moments later you're fine to fight again.
My favorite quote: "How are you still alive?"
I know what it is! Cameron Johnston couldn't tap into the psychoticness of grimdark!! Sir, you should stop selling your book as grimdark just because you fit the parameters of the definition. Hardcore grimdark readers might be disappointed in what they find.
I have the second book sitting on my shelf. I don't know how soon I will get to it, if I pick it up at all.
September 18, 2019
A fine debut, reminiscent of Ed Macdonald, with perhaps a dash of Daniel Polansky thrown in. Action-packed and well-paced; dark enough, without advancing to "grimdark"; indisputable character arc. TTG concluded with a satisfying climax that sealed my purchase of the next book in the series.
April 29, 2019
The Traitor God is the story of Edrin Walker, a surly deviant of a magician who has spent the last ten years running away from a past he can't quite remember. He's fairly certain, however, that it has something to do with his murdering of a god. But when his best friend is killed and enemies from abroad start to invade, Edrin returns back to his home city in an attempt to unravel the plot and his past both.
I'll start by saying I listened to this one and it was narrated by Paul Woodson who did a fantastic job of it. His sarcastic flair really helped bring Edrin Walker to life in all his sour, aresholic glory (yes, I just made up a new word for it).
We ride along in Edrin's head for this one, and he's a fairly typical anti-hero for the most part. He's the type of man who claims he's only there to gain vengeance for his friend, and only cares about those he calls friends... but when the threat becomes bigger than him, he's the first one to throw himself into the fray. He's a complex character and best of all, he barely even understands why himself. At Edrin's core is a mystery, a hole in his mind. He's fairly certain he killed a god, and he knows there were consequences for that that he's dealing with even 10 years after the fact, but he has no idea how or why he did it. It's a compelling mystery with an answer that is 50% drip fed to the reader, and then 50% slammed into the reader's mind like a magical command.
There's action galore, witty banter, juvenile banter, heart felt reunions, and horrifying monsters. It's a bit of a thrill ride really and rarely lets up on the pace once it gets going.
A hearty 4 stars from me, and I'll definitely be picking up book 2 when it releases.
I'll start by saying I listened to this one and it was narrated by Paul Woodson who did a fantastic job of it. His sarcastic flair really helped bring Edrin Walker to life in all his sour, aresholic glory (yes, I just made up a new word for it).
We ride along in Edrin's head for this one, and he's a fairly typical anti-hero for the most part. He's the type of man who claims he's only there to gain vengeance for his friend, and only cares about those he calls friends... but when the threat becomes bigger than him, he's the first one to throw himself into the fray. He's a complex character and best of all, he barely even understands why himself. At Edrin's core is a mystery, a hole in his mind. He's fairly certain he killed a god, and he knows there were consequences for that that he's dealing with even 10 years after the fact, but he has no idea how or why he did it. It's a compelling mystery with an answer that is 50% drip fed to the reader, and then 50% slammed into the reader's mind like a magical command.
There's action galore, witty banter, juvenile banter, heart felt reunions, and horrifying monsters. It's a bit of a thrill ride really and rarely lets up on the pace once it gets going.
A hearty 4 stars from me, and I'll definitely be picking up book 2 when it releases.
June 7, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Sometimes what you need is just an opportunity to decompress, to unsheathe your blades and to rid your foes of their guts with an unrestrained series of stabbing and slashing. As if he read my mind, Cameron Johnston invites readers to tag along the magician Edrin Walker in his quest for vengeance after 10 years on the run and there’s absolutely nothing pretty about what is about to go down.
Edrin Walker has been hiding from daemons and debts for as long as he could remember. Having very little memory of what occurred, he still recalls pieces of the deal he once made with a powerful being in order to protect his friends, as long as he left his city quietly. However, there’s nothing more devastating than finding out that one of those friends that was supposed to be safe from harm’s way ends up meeting death in the ugliest way possible. Surged with a thirst for revenge, Edrin Walker returns to his past life in hopes of finding the mysterious figure who stole a piece of his life and to met out justice with a little bit of rage.
The Traitor God is easily a grim dark fantasy story that promises dark humour, bloody action sequences and disgusting creatures that will indubitably leave a nasty first impression on you. The story kicks things off on a linear foot by giving the protagonist a goal that he will continuously pursue, even with obstacles crawling out of the darkest corners to put an end to him. The mystery behind who he’s chasing is what drives this story forward, and around halfway through the adventure, it starts to rain blood and limbs as if there was no tomorrow. The immersive touch to this story was welcomed with open arms as you are quickly tossed into a whirlpool of twists that ceaselessly expand on the magic system.
Edrin Walker’s character proves to be a very determined hero who does everything to get the things he sets his mind on completed, no matter the cost. His internal conflict with his soul-bound blade makes for some fun interactions as well as an additional coat of insight into his personality. His banter with the other reccurent characters also adds for some hilarious moments that will hold your attention feverishly. Told in first-person, the story also finds a nice balance between characterization and world-building, as it explores the perception of the world of every one of those who are Gifted and those who are not. With the Arcanum trying to maintain a control on those who are considered maguses, you quickly come to notice that the tension is very present between certain individuals. Once you understand the powers of Edrin Walker, you sort of also understand how dangerous things can get, and how much fun awaits you later on.
The Traitor God is a wonderful fantasy story that knows how to keep you hooked till the end. Its grasp on grimdark elements is stellar and makes this a truly fun book to pick up when you feel like you need a nice quick swim through an ocean of blood. Don’t we all just love those? Oh, and did I mention that the gore is omnipresent? Oh, yes. Yes, it is.
You can find an exclusive interview with the author and me by click here.
Thank you to Angry Robot for sending me a copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
Sometimes what you need is just an opportunity to decompress, to unsheathe your blades and to rid your foes of their guts with an unrestrained series of stabbing and slashing. As if he read my mind, Cameron Johnston invites readers to tag along the magician Edrin Walker in his quest for vengeance after 10 years on the run and there’s absolutely nothing pretty about what is about to go down.
Edrin Walker has been hiding from daemons and debts for as long as he could remember. Having very little memory of what occurred, he still recalls pieces of the deal he once made with a powerful being in order to protect his friends, as long as he left his city quietly. However, there’s nothing more devastating than finding out that one of those friends that was supposed to be safe from harm’s way ends up meeting death in the ugliest way possible. Surged with a thirst for revenge, Edrin Walker returns to his past life in hopes of finding the mysterious figure who stole a piece of his life and to met out justice with a little bit of rage.
The Traitor God is easily a grim dark fantasy story that promises dark humour, bloody action sequences and disgusting creatures that will indubitably leave a nasty first impression on you. The story kicks things off on a linear foot by giving the protagonist a goal that he will continuously pursue, even with obstacles crawling out of the darkest corners to put an end to him. The mystery behind who he’s chasing is what drives this story forward, and around halfway through the adventure, it starts to rain blood and limbs as if there was no tomorrow. The immersive touch to this story was welcomed with open arms as you are quickly tossed into a whirlpool of twists that ceaselessly expand on the magic system.
Edrin Walker’s character proves to be a very determined hero who does everything to get the things he sets his mind on completed, no matter the cost. His internal conflict with his soul-bound blade makes for some fun interactions as well as an additional coat of insight into his personality. His banter with the other reccurent characters also adds for some hilarious moments that will hold your attention feverishly. Told in first-person, the story also finds a nice balance between characterization and world-building, as it explores the perception of the world of every one of those who are Gifted and those who are not. With the Arcanum trying to maintain a control on those who are considered maguses, you quickly come to notice that the tension is very present between certain individuals. Once you understand the powers of Edrin Walker, you sort of also understand how dangerous things can get, and how much fun awaits you later on.
The Traitor God is a wonderful fantasy story that knows how to keep you hooked till the end. Its grasp on grimdark elements is stellar and makes this a truly fun book to pick up when you feel like you need a nice quick swim through an ocean of blood. Don’t we all just love those? Oh, and did I mention that the gore is omnipresent? Oh, yes. Yes, it is.
You can find an exclusive interview with the author and me by click here.
Thank you to Angry Robot for sending me a copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
August 17, 2023
Actual rating: 4.5*
This review was originally posted on RockStarlitBookAsylum!
I've been meaning to read The Traitor God for a while now, but the timing was never quite right for that. I've read samples of Johnston's other works which just made me want to read it even more. Finally the time has come and I have to say, it was worth the wait. I'm just sorry, I haven't made time for it sooner. I partly read, partly listened to it on audiobook, and let me just tell you, Paul Woodson did a great job giving this book a voice.
Edrin Walker spends the last ten years of his life in exile thanks to a deal he made to keep his friends safe and sound in Setharis. Until one day the game suddenly changes. He not only has to solve a murder mystery, but also has to save the city and keep his head on his shoulders long enough to do so. That's plenty enough to ask of someone who prefers to stay in the background, minding his own business. The fact that he is a rare type of magus the others hate and fear does not help either. He likes to call himself peoplemancer, others prefer tyrant. No wonder he is not all that fond of the Arcanum.
The Traitor God operates with a couple of well known tropes, such as the Underrated Special One or the Partially Lost Memories, but it's done in a pretty enjoyable way. It also made me realise - well, it's not like I didn't know already - that I indeed prefer books that have one main setting, which I can explore and learn about along with the MC or through them. Also that I love a well established already existing relationship between the MC and other characters. In this case it's Charra, one of Walker's friends he wished to keep safe. Oh and let's not forget about Harailt, his childhood bully. Talking about childhood. I liked how Johnston linked past and present events together in the plot. That definitely was a nice touch, and made a very realistic flaw in Walker's character. Though flaw might not be the right word for it. I think what I liked about him is that he could be just almost anyone with an attitude, he just happens to be a magus as well. He is not a hero, just a man, whose decisions has serious consequences but he doesn't hesitate to make them. Come to think of it, this might be the description of a hero. Where am I even going with this? Anyway, he is also a good example at how prejudice can affect a person's life. That, and plain old manipulation.
The Traitor God has a lot going on for it: murder mystery, magic, friendship, backstabbing, monsters, intrigue and some well placed gory scenes - usually accompanied by fighting which will leave your heart racing. Spiced with humor, though I definitely would have liked to see more of that, I know for a fact Johnston has it in him. I especially found interesting the society of Setharis with the gods, the magi, the gifted and everyone else. How this city was built on the remains of a long gone Empire and still didn't learn from it.
In terms of criticism, at the beginning, it took me a bit to get into the book. I found the first couple of chapter repetitive, as we kept being told over and over and over again how Walker couldn't remember that night when he left Setharis. But then we got over that bit of awkwardness, like the beginning of a new relationship, it took a bit of trial and error to find out we actually are a good match. And I very much look forward to our next date in God of Broken Things.
Cameron Johnston doesn't shy away from making his characters suffer, or get them into impossibly looking situations and splashing a good dose of blood on everything, but he still manages to make his characters painfully real. The Traitor God is a grimdark journey into a city's (and humans') deeply buried secrets. Just make sure you don't run into the Smilers while you walk the streets of Setharis.
This review was originally posted on RockStarlitBookAsylum!
"Almost every powerful magus I'd ever met had disappeared up their own arse long ago. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. Me, I was content to be a nobody."
I've been meaning to read The Traitor God for a while now, but the timing was never quite right for that. I've read samples of Johnston's other works which just made me want to read it even more. Finally the time has come and I have to say, it was worth the wait. I'm just sorry, I haven't made time for it sooner. I partly read, partly listened to it on audiobook, and let me just tell you, Paul Woodson did a great job giving this book a voice.
Edrin Walker spends the last ten years of his life in exile thanks to a deal he made to keep his friends safe and sound in Setharis. Until one day the game suddenly changes. He not only has to solve a murder mystery, but also has to save the city and keep his head on his shoulders long enough to do so. That's plenty enough to ask of someone who prefers to stay in the background, minding his own business. The fact that he is a rare type of magus the others hate and fear does not help either. He likes to call himself peoplemancer, others prefer tyrant. No wonder he is not all that fond of the Arcanum.
The Traitor God operates with a couple of well known tropes, such as the Underrated Special One or the Partially Lost Memories, but it's done in a pretty enjoyable way. It also made me realise - well, it's not like I didn't know already - that I indeed prefer books that have one main setting, which I can explore and learn about along with the MC or through them. Also that I love a well established already existing relationship between the MC and other characters. In this case it's Charra, one of Walker's friends he wished to keep safe. Oh and let's not forget about Harailt, his childhood bully. Talking about childhood. I liked how Johnston linked past and present events together in the plot. That definitely was a nice touch, and made a very realistic flaw in Walker's character. Though flaw might not be the right word for it. I think what I liked about him is that he could be just almost anyone with an attitude, he just happens to be a magus as well. He is not a hero, just a man, whose decisions has serious consequences but he doesn't hesitate to make them. Come to think of it, this might be the description of a hero. Where am I even going with this? Anyway, he is also a good example at how prejudice can affect a person's life. That, and plain old manipulation.
The Traitor God has a lot going on for it: murder mystery, magic, friendship, backstabbing, monsters, intrigue and some well placed gory scenes - usually accompanied by fighting which will leave your heart racing. Spiced with humor, though I definitely would have liked to see more of that, I know for a fact Johnston has it in him. I especially found interesting the society of Setharis with the gods, the magi, the gifted and everyone else. How this city was built on the remains of a long gone Empire and still didn't learn from it.
In terms of criticism, at the beginning, it took me a bit to get into the book. I found the first couple of chapter repetitive, as we kept being told over and over and over again how Walker couldn't remember that night when he left Setharis. But then we got over that bit of awkwardness, like the beginning of a new relationship, it took a bit of trial and error to find out we actually are a good match. And I very much look forward to our next date in God of Broken Things.
Cameron Johnston doesn't shy away from making his characters suffer, or get them into impossibly looking situations and splashing a good dose of blood on everything, but he still manages to make his characters painfully real. The Traitor God is a grimdark journey into a city's (and humans') deeply buried secrets. Just make sure you don't run into the Smilers while you walk the streets of Setharis.
June 25, 2019
This book grew on me. Dislike: first person. Ugh...it always seems to self serving and I'm not that guy. Now on to the likes. My favorite part of this book was seeing the internal struggle Walker has with who he is, what he was, and what dark force he might become if he lets his control slip. That was strong enough to carry the whole story. Most of the book read like an old 1950s film noir detective mystery. Sure, there was magic and a little bit of some mean viking like dudes looking for a fight, but the real magic comes at the end third. That's when things got weird- but not in a bad way. I think Johnston did a great job at creating a new world, despite the gore he stuck with, and I look forward to reading the next installment.
December 17, 2024
This was a pretty solid read, but didn't do anything to wow me. The plot was decent, and I liked the magic and the way that this had a real impact on the first-person narrator - not only in the link he has (had) to his childhood friend, but also the effects of him using his magic. There are some neat little moves made to throw hunters off his scent as well, which I thought added a nice little element to both the magical worldbuilding and to the character.
The bit that didn't work for me though was the writing, or specifically some of the choices made. There were, for me, too many flashbacks. These were sometimes reasonably lengthy, and coming in the middle of something else, they really threw me off my stride as I was reading. The flashbacks in isolation worked well to give some history, but I would have preferred that to be delivered in a different way that didn't break up the main story so much.
The bit that didn't work for me though was the writing, or specifically some of the choices made. There were, for me, too many flashbacks. These were sometimes reasonably lengthy, and coming in the middle of something else, they really threw me off my stride as I was reading. The flashbacks in isolation worked well to give some history, but I would have preferred that to be delivered in a different way that didn't break up the main story so much.
May 7, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, and think that it needs to be talked about a lot more than it is. Very nice take on a MC that's not a teenager, but rather a middle aged man with a past and a history. I also liked the fact that he, among with most of the other characters, were very much no-nonsen, and "oh fuck, here we go again, let's do this shit then".
I'm a really shitty reviewer, but never mind that, read this book, cause it's bloody good! Starting the second one immideately.
I'm a really shitty reviewer, but never mind that, read this book, cause it's bloody good! Starting the second one immideately.
June 19, 2019
The Traitor God is a book set in a world which has seen its fair share of turmoil. The once powerful Escharric empire crumbled centuries ago and their achievements and discoveries are still sought after. Magic plays a large part in this world, with some people born with a Gift (an affinity for a certain strain of magic), able to work their way up through the ranks (assuming they survive their tests) and hope for a place in leadership of Setharis, the most civilised of the remaining cities.
The magic used here feels similar to that in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, with some people able to increase their strength or size, manipulate fire, water or air, or in Edrin Walker's case - control people's minds.
Walker starts off the story in a far flung city on the run from magical bounty hunter beasts and savage invaders. There is a "bad thing" in his past that he has only a vague memory of (like anyone who has woken up fully clothed with a dreadful hangover), and though he knows he cannot return to Setharis, he finds himself compelled to.
The book follows Walker's investigation to identify his friend's killer, and he gradually reveals a plot to destroy the city. As his power would normally see him imprisoned as a tyrant, he has to keep his abilities under wraps as much as possible. I have seen a few fantasy tales recently try to have more of a mystery angle, almost being a crime novel in a fantasy setting. This is the first time I have seen it delivered so well that it manages to cover both genres without compromise.
The story and writing here are truly fantastic. It has been quite some time since I have been able to rattle through a book with an amazing narrative tone, excellent gritty dialogue and a thrilling story. You are never more than a few pages away from a major revelation or exciting conflict.
I have the follow-up book to read and will delve into that with relish very soon.
The magic used here feels similar to that in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, with some people able to increase their strength or size, manipulate fire, water or air, or in Edrin Walker's case - control people's minds.
Walker starts off the story in a far flung city on the run from magical bounty hunter beasts and savage invaders. There is a "bad thing" in his past that he has only a vague memory of (like anyone who has woken up fully clothed with a dreadful hangover), and though he knows he cannot return to Setharis, he finds himself compelled to.
The book follows Walker's investigation to identify his friend's killer, and he gradually reveals a plot to destroy the city. As his power would normally see him imprisoned as a tyrant, he has to keep his abilities under wraps as much as possible. I have seen a few fantasy tales recently try to have more of a mystery angle, almost being a crime novel in a fantasy setting. This is the first time I have seen it delivered so well that it manages to cover both genres without compromise.
The story and writing here are truly fantastic. It has been quite some time since I have been able to rattle through a book with an amazing narrative tone, excellent gritty dialogue and a thrilling story. You are never more than a few pages away from a major revelation or exciting conflict.
I have the follow-up book to read and will delve into that with relish very soon.
September 22, 2018
Edrin Walker is an exiled mage who has been on the run for more than ten long years. It’s been a hard life, he’s lived mostly on the move going from tavern to tavern just one step ahead of those who are hunting him. He has a lot of debt that’s built up over the years, he managed to fix that by faking his death. The demons are harder to shake off, however, and shadow cats stalk him from town to town. One night as he was enjoying some ale (which mages aren’t supposed to do) someone busts down the door and throws a latern inside lighting the tavern on fire. He manages to get out of the tavern just in time to see ships landing in the dockside town, the Skagrills came to raid the village and he needs to get out of there quickly. When he’s trying to find a way to escape, which to him seems like a better plan than staying and valiantly fighting the invaders, he’s struck down by a vision. He’s Gift-bonded, it’s an illegal practice that links two minds together forming a very strong bond. His best friend Lynas is connected to him and he sends a shrieking message down their connection. Not only is Edrin in trouble, but so is Lynas and they’re both about to die.
Edrin was fortunate enough to escape his encounter, but his friend Lynas was not, he feels the Gift-bond weaken and vanish after his friends death and he’s left reeling from the ordeal. Lynas was more to him than just a friend, and closer to him than a brother – these two were linked in more ways than one and he’s absolutely determined to find out who killed him and why, and take his revenge. He boards passage on a boat headed for the land he was exiled from, and the place where his friend was murdered. His friends wife, Charra, helps him explore the city and search for clues as to what happened to his friend, it leads down a lot of dark paths and he uncovers a huge scandal. Edrin is also uncovering secrets within his own mind, as part of his agreement during his exile he had his memory wiped of a very important and probably dangerous event. All he knows is that involved the death of a god, and that all of the gods have recently gone silent, the priests claiming their gods are blind and bound.
For the first part of the book I didn’t know if I was going to like Edrin, he was kind of a prick and extremely self centered. He does sort of stay in the grey area for a lot of the book, he doesn’t mind killing people too much and his selfishness is pervasive throughout. However, there were redeeming qualities to him that built up over time and made me change my mind about the halfway point. He is extremely loyal to those he cares about, and he manages to keep a friendship with Charra that remained not-sexual and just genuine platonic affection. I kept expecting to see a romance there and it never came, it was kind of refreshing. The guy is also very self aware, he cherished his friend Lynas because he kept him grounded and was his backup conscience when his own started to fail. He recognized that being friends with Lynas kept whatever part of him that was honorable alive even if just barely. He also has a soft spot for the downtrodden and underdogs, often giving to the poor even if he thinks that it may just get spent on drugs. He’s a character that struggled with his morality and toed the line without going over so much that I couldn’t root for him.
I really liked the world building in this, it was pretty extensive but it didn’t suffer from long info dumps, there was info slowly trickled in throughout that opened the world slowly. Magic in this world is described as a “worm”, something that gets into your mind and begs you to let go and let it overwhelm you. People often fall into madness if they channel too often or open themselves up too much. There are also clear distinctions in power level, with street illusionists being at the bottom end, the lesser-gifted, the Magus, and the Archmagus with each class being considerably stronger than the one before it. It’s a mysterious magic system rather than a hard magic system and the powers range from aeromancy, to hydromancy, to pyromancy etc. Edrin holds a forbidden form of magic that allows him to take control over a person’s mind, people are usually executed if they’re found using it, and it’s what makes his Gift-bond with Lynas illegal. It’s technically called “tyranny” or “enslavement” by society, but he prefers to call it “peoplemancy”. There are lots of different monsters and creatures both tropey and original, Shadow Cats are the size of horses and not to be fucked with. I liked the fact that there are conflicting histories about the gods, and that the gods are believed to have once been human. Mageblood has magical properties and it’s legal to sell since it has legit magical uses and down on their luck mages can use it for a quick dollar. It is, however, an addictive substance and people burn their minds out on it. There’s a creepy as shit gang of women known as the Smilers, and each of their members had their mouths cut at the creases going upwards to create permanently scarred smiles… like the Joker. Also not to be fucked with.
This one is written in the first person past tense with quick and to the point prose, it leads to a very fast read. The pacing was pretty spot on, there was always something going on that was interesting even during ‘downtime’ where there wasn’t any immediate danger. There were a few awkward or repetitive phrases or bits of dialogue that didn’t quite work, but they were few and far between so it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
Audience:
demons
greyer characters
first person writing
fast paced
lots of magic
mysterious magic
greyer character
darker without being grimdark
Ratings:
Plot: 12.2/15
Characters: 12.5/15
World Building: 13/15
Writing: 11.25/15
Pacing: 12/15
Originality: 11.3/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8/10
Final Score: 80.25/100 – or 4.1/5 – recommended!
Edrin was fortunate enough to escape his encounter, but his friend Lynas was not, he feels the Gift-bond weaken and vanish after his friends death and he’s left reeling from the ordeal. Lynas was more to him than just a friend, and closer to him than a brother – these two were linked in more ways than one and he’s absolutely determined to find out who killed him and why, and take his revenge. He boards passage on a boat headed for the land he was exiled from, and the place where his friend was murdered. His friends wife, Charra, helps him explore the city and search for clues as to what happened to his friend, it leads down a lot of dark paths and he uncovers a huge scandal. Edrin is also uncovering secrets within his own mind, as part of his agreement during his exile he had his memory wiped of a very important and probably dangerous event. All he knows is that involved the death of a god, and that all of the gods have recently gone silent, the priests claiming their gods are blind and bound.
For the first part of the book I didn’t know if I was going to like Edrin, he was kind of a prick and extremely self centered. He does sort of stay in the grey area for a lot of the book, he doesn’t mind killing people too much and his selfishness is pervasive throughout. However, there were redeeming qualities to him that built up over time and made me change my mind about the halfway point. He is extremely loyal to those he cares about, and he manages to keep a friendship with Charra that remained not-sexual and just genuine platonic affection. I kept expecting to see a romance there and it never came, it was kind of refreshing. The guy is also very self aware, he cherished his friend Lynas because he kept him grounded and was his backup conscience when his own started to fail. He recognized that being friends with Lynas kept whatever part of him that was honorable alive even if just barely. He also has a soft spot for the downtrodden and underdogs, often giving to the poor even if he thinks that it may just get spent on drugs. He’s a character that struggled with his morality and toed the line without going over so much that I couldn’t root for him.
I really liked the world building in this, it was pretty extensive but it didn’t suffer from long info dumps, there was info slowly trickled in throughout that opened the world slowly. Magic in this world is described as a “worm”, something that gets into your mind and begs you to let go and let it overwhelm you. People often fall into madness if they channel too often or open themselves up too much. There are also clear distinctions in power level, with street illusionists being at the bottom end, the lesser-gifted, the Magus, and the Archmagus with each class being considerably stronger than the one before it. It’s a mysterious magic system rather than a hard magic system and the powers range from aeromancy, to hydromancy, to pyromancy etc. Edrin holds a forbidden form of magic that allows him to take control over a person’s mind, people are usually executed if they’re found using it, and it’s what makes his Gift-bond with Lynas illegal. It’s technically called “tyranny” or “enslavement” by society, but he prefers to call it “peoplemancy”. There are lots of different monsters and creatures both tropey and original, Shadow Cats are the size of horses and not to be fucked with. I liked the fact that there are conflicting histories about the gods, and that the gods are believed to have once been human. Mageblood has magical properties and it’s legal to sell since it has legit magical uses and down on their luck mages can use it for a quick dollar. It is, however, an addictive substance and people burn their minds out on it. There’s a creepy as shit gang of women known as the Smilers, and each of their members had their mouths cut at the creases going upwards to create permanently scarred smiles… like the Joker. Also not to be fucked with.
This one is written in the first person past tense with quick and to the point prose, it leads to a very fast read. The pacing was pretty spot on, there was always something going on that was interesting even during ‘downtime’ where there wasn’t any immediate danger. There were a few awkward or repetitive phrases or bits of dialogue that didn’t quite work, but they were few and far between so it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
Audience:
demons
greyer characters
first person writing
fast paced
lots of magic
mysterious magic
greyer character
darker without being grimdark
Ratings:
Plot: 12.2/15
Characters: 12.5/15
World Building: 13/15
Writing: 11.25/15
Pacing: 12/15
Originality: 11.3/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8/10
Final Score: 80.25/100 – or 4.1/5 – recommended!
March 28, 2019
This book felt like a noir, urban fantasy mystery, mixed with sword and sorcery adventure. Lots of magic and the story mostly took place within a single city.
I really liked this book. It was fast paced and just plain fun. The main character was morally grey, but very well done. His relationship with his magic was interesting and provided a lot of conflict. I look forward to the second book.
I really liked this book. It was fast paced and just plain fun. The main character was morally grey, but very well done. His relationship with his magic was interesting and provided a lot of conflict. I look forward to the second book.
April 10, 2020
This one has languished on my TBR for far too long, courtesy of giving preference to ARCs, so when I finally got around to reading it, I couldn’t believe I’d put it on the long finger for so long. The story tells of Edrin Walker, a mage who had faked his own death, but now must return to the city where he was a wanted man to discover who killed his friend. He’s not only hunted by his own cadre, but demons from another dimension who have been summoned by a mystery figure. Walker knows whoever killed his friend also controls the demons. He needs to navigate his old stomping ground, calling on old friends who believe he’s dead to help him in his quest.
Walker’s definitely my kind of protagonist, He won’t headline in an epic fantasy any time soon - he’s sarcastic, crude, self-absorbed and will use random strangers to his own benefit, but he’s also brave and loyal, and is willing to risk himself to save those few he cares about. He’s pretty darn funny too
The world, although it’s set in one city, is interesting, the cast of characters are fun, and the line between protagonist and antagonist is fine indeed. Also, the title is cool
Walker’s definitely my kind of protagonist, He won’t headline in an epic fantasy any time soon - he’s sarcastic, crude, self-absorbed and will use random strangers to his own benefit, but he’s also brave and loyal, and is willing to risk himself to save those few he cares about. He’s pretty darn funny too
The world, although it’s set in one city, is interesting, the cast of characters are fun, and the line between protagonist and antagonist is fine indeed. Also, the title is cool
April 25, 2021
There was a whole lot to like in this book. It read like a fantasy version of an old school noir story with a cynical main character who is far from your standard hero. This was a brutal and bloody book filled with few wholly good characters but it never strayed into the bleakness of true grimdark.
The scope of the story started small but quickly grew, though the author managed to keep things grounded. Magic is everywhere in this book in everything from mages to gods to daemons. The variety of creatures and powers was great. The whole book had a very atmospheric feel and the writing had a unique voice that I really enjoyed.
I definitely want to read more in this world so I’m glad there is another book, though things ended satisfyingly enough that I would have been content if this had been a standalone.
The scope of the story started small but quickly grew, though the author managed to keep things grounded. Magic is everywhere in this book in everything from mages to gods to daemons. The variety of creatures and powers was great. The whole book had a very atmospheric feel and the writing had a unique voice that I really enjoyed.
I definitely want to read more in this world so I’m glad there is another book, though things ended satisfyingly enough that I would have been content if this had been a standalone.
dnf
September 27, 2022DNF. I usually enjoy first-person narratives, but this narrator goes off on way too many tangents.
June 17, 2018
Thank you Angry Robot Books, via Netgalley for allowing me to read The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston in exchange for an honest review.
What drew me towards The Traitor Gods was initially the cover; I mean, it’s beautifully illustrated, and it’s so interesting. There’s so much to look at! The second thing that drew me towards this novel was the title: The Traitor God. The title alone sparks my imagination. I can honestly say that when the title drop happened, I did not expect it to happen in the way it did!
I also made a couple predictions along the way while reading, and one came true while the other was only half right. Anywho! The Traitor God is a High Fantasy novel, and something that I deeply appreciate is that the novel pretty much got underway a few pages into the book.
The Traitor God was certainly interesting, and at 15% into the novel there was already so much that had happened. I was almost overwhelmed honestly. If I hadn’t told myself that I was reading this book to the end, then I might have had trouble finishing this book.
The only thing that I didn’t particularly enjoy was that a lot of history is thrown into this novel. So much so that the dialogue between characters was disrupted so that we could learn some history. What I particularly didn’t like about this was in some instances, this history telling would end up taking chapters sometimes. Nevertheless, I understand that there was a lot to pack into The Traitor God though, so in the long run, I’m okay with it.
I truly liked seeing the gentler side to Walker. I especially enjoyed seeing the scene between Lynas and Walker when they were children.
There were a few times where the story picked up. The first, to get the story really going was at 15%. Then again around the 65% mark. After the 65% mark the story has quite a few ups and downs in the sense of plot. However, after the 65% mark, the story really picks up. Anytime before then was just leading up to it and my friends, it felt so long. I feel like I read 3 books with this one.
Something that I should have expected with The Traitor God was all of the foul language that was spoken in this novel. There’s so much of it.
The Traitor God felt like such a long book. There was so much history packed into this story—-both the world’s history as well as Walkers history. Something that I truly enjoyed was the fact that even though Walker’s story is one of revenge, I felt like Walker’s story is also one of redemption.
I give The Traitor God, 3 stars.
What drew me towards The Traitor Gods was initially the cover; I mean, it’s beautifully illustrated, and it’s so interesting. There’s so much to look at! The second thing that drew me towards this novel was the title: The Traitor God. The title alone sparks my imagination. I can honestly say that when the title drop happened, I did not expect it to happen in the way it did!
I also made a couple predictions along the way while reading, and one came true while the other was only half right. Anywho! The Traitor God is a High Fantasy novel, and something that I deeply appreciate is that the novel pretty much got underway a few pages into the book.
The Traitor God was certainly interesting, and at 15% into the novel there was already so much that had happened. I was almost overwhelmed honestly. If I hadn’t told myself that I was reading this book to the end, then I might have had trouble finishing this book.
The only thing that I didn’t particularly enjoy was that a lot of history is thrown into this novel. So much so that the dialogue between characters was disrupted so that we could learn some history. What I particularly didn’t like about this was in some instances, this history telling would end up taking chapters sometimes. Nevertheless, I understand that there was a lot to pack into The Traitor God though, so in the long run, I’m okay with it.
I truly liked seeing the gentler side to Walker. I especially enjoyed seeing the scene between Lynas and Walker when they were children.
There were a few times where the story picked up. The first, to get the story really going was at 15%. Then again around the 65% mark. After the 65% mark the story has quite a few ups and downs in the sense of plot. However, after the 65% mark, the story really picks up. Anytime before then was just leading up to it and my friends, it felt so long. I feel like I read 3 books with this one.
Something that I should have expected with The Traitor God was all of the foul language that was spoken in this novel. There’s so much of it.
The Traitor God felt like such a long book. There was so much history packed into this story—-both the world’s history as well as Walkers history. Something that I truly enjoyed was the fact that even though Walker’s story is one of revenge, I felt like Walker’s story is also one of redemption.
I give The Traitor God, 3 stars.
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