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Gunmetal Gods
by
They took his daughter, so Micah comes to take their kingdom. Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers.
Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and ...more
Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and ...more
Kindle Edition, 475 pages
Published
October 2020
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Kevah was once a hero who did the impossible. He killed a magus and his legend was born. Ten years later he is old and leads a life averse to warfare but his time will come again. Meanwhile, Micah the metal has been on a conquest for his faith. He has conquered much of the world and now he comes for Kostany, the city that Kevah lives in. He will stop at nothing to achieve his victory.
When an author is bold enough to name a book Gunmetal Gods, they better deliver the goods with a huge, epic story ...more
When an author is bold enough to name a book Gunmetal Gods, they better deliver the goods with a huge, epic story ...more

This is an epic tale. I mean epic. The book encompasses warring warriors, empires and gods; love, hate, feuds and a lot of battles. It is no-holds-barred and takes the reader to some dark places, usually driven by religious fanaticism. It is action packed, compelling and has some strong messages. A roaring, roller-coaster of a read.
A couple of quotes:
'What kind of god takes and takes from those who give and give?'
'even men of faith find ways to justify faithless cruelties.'
The principal protagon ...more
A couple of quotes:
'What kind of god takes and takes from those who give and give?'
'even men of faith find ways to justify faithless cruelties.'
The principal protagon ...more

Advertised as a sort of Game of Thrones with Middle Eastern influence, with the Crusades as an overarching plot and replete with Lovecraftian deities, the story does not disappoint. Some of the characters' motivations may be difficult to grasp at first, as well as keeping track of the various twists and turns, but that's due to the format. There is easily enough story here for a trilogy packed in here for a trilogy, but the author has instead chosen to confine the majority of the book's action t
...more

What a read! An epic saga reminiscent of Game of Thrones in its complexity and grandeur. Political ambition and corruption, backstabbing, treachery, religious hypocrisy, cruelty, bloodshed, all against the backdrop of a variety of gorgeous settings, all brought to life by the author’s use of rich and detailed imagery, and original, often poetic diction. Then there is the array of riveting characters: Paladins, Janisseries, Zabadars, horse warriors from the plains, “whose children learned to ride
...more

**I was provided an ARC for an honest review.**
Characters- 4 stars
-The characters were incredibly well developed and interesting. The protagonist, Kevah was a very well written. Melodi was also a great character.The characters were unique and didn't follow overused tropes. I found myself very invested in their back stories.
Writing- 5 stars
-The book is written in first person. Personally, I'm very critical of books written in first person and I tend to dislike them. This book shocked me in that a ...more

Gunmetal Gods is an epic tale of a clash of two religions fighting over lands and resources. A very loose allegory for the many battles of the historic crusades, this fantastic world has magic that actually exists and strange gods that actually appear.
Most of the story is about the struggle of two great military generals, legends among their own peoples. Both are deeply religious and feel honor bound to achieve the goals of their respective leaders. Both seek to secure the safety of a lost daugh ...more
Most of the story is about the struggle of two great military generals, legends among their own peoples. Both are deeply religious and feel honor bound to achieve the goals of their respective leaders. Both seek to secure the safety of a lost daugh ...more

This is an excellent novel on several levels, from political intrigue and plot to cultural aspects, religion and magical elements, and the vague historical resemblance to the long period of wars between the Ottomans, Byzantium, medieval Europe and the Savafids. Kevah is a warrior, the man who killed a magus, a legend, an unwilling philosopher and, now, in some people’s view, he is a sort of failure. The tale is told in the first person, and we are in Kevah’s head, seeing everything from his pers
...more

I felt the start was a little slow, but it rockets after a certain point. Cliché to say it, but I couldn’t put the book down once it got going. The final act was EXTREMELY satisfying and notched my review up from a 4 to a 5. It seems conclusive and yet leaves some crumbs for a second book, which I’ll be eagerly awaiting.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book!
It gets going very quickly - some might find the pacing a bit fast. As someone who prefers slower books I still enjoyed it all the way through.
The characters were really fun to read and the intrigue kept me on edge. The characters were relatable, including the villain. I sympathized with their plight and emotions.
The ending was satisfying but I wanted more. I hope the author revisits this world or even these characters in a future book!
Gunmetal Gods shin ...more
It gets going very quickly - some might find the pacing a bit fast. As someone who prefers slower books I still enjoyed it all the way through.
The characters were really fun to read and the intrigue kept me on edge. The characters were relatable, including the villain. I sympathized with their plight and emotions.
The ending was satisfying but I wanted more. I hope the author revisits this world or even these characters in a future book!
Gunmetal Gods shin ...more

I just finished Gunmetal Gods and I'm over here
U G L Y C R Y I N G.
I haven't felt this kind of hurt since I read George r.r Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire " series.
This book was beautifully written ..it contained everything a solid fantasy has and more but without being predictable .
Every time I finished a chapter thinking I was done for the night, I just had to keep going because my mind was blown & I had to find out what was going to happen next.
My favorite thing about Gunmetal Gods was th ...more
U G L Y C R Y I N G.
I haven't felt this kind of hurt since I read George r.r Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire " series.
This book was beautifully written ..it contained everything a solid fantasy has and more but without being predictable .
Every time I finished a chapter thinking I was done for the night, I just had to keep going because my mind was blown & I had to find out what was going to happen next.
My favorite thing about Gunmetal Gods was th ...more

Great read from out of nowhere!
This was an unexpected and very interesting recommendation. I tend to alternate between fantasy and sci-fi and this one is a bit different from what I've usually chosen. I am so happy I gave it a try, I can't wait for the 2nd book!
The writing style is a lot more direct and the pacing is pretty quick compared to most of the genre. Huge events come to pass within single paragraphs at times. It's different, but it's consistent and definitely doesn't hurt the story. Th ...more
This was an unexpected and very interesting recommendation. I tend to alternate between fantasy and sci-fi and this one is a bit different from what I've usually chosen. I am so happy I gave it a try, I can't wait for the 2nd book!
The writing style is a lot more direct and the pacing is pretty quick compared to most of the genre. Huge events come to pass within single paragraphs at times. It's different, but it's consistent and definitely doesn't hurt the story. Th ...more

“Faith fills their bellies when food runs out”
Gunmetal Gods jumps right into the action from the first pages. The contrast between Micah the Metal and Kevah, the two main characters, is intriguing to see. One is driven by a desire to conquer the world in the name of his faith. The other is a war hero known for performing a feat once thought impossible, slaying a “magus” or sorcerer. No longer driven to fight, he is called to the battlefield once again to face Micah the Metal and his forces as th ...more
Gunmetal Gods jumps right into the action from the first pages. The contrast between Micah the Metal and Kevah, the two main characters, is intriguing to see. One is driven by a desire to conquer the world in the name of his faith. The other is a war hero known for performing a feat once thought impossible, slaying a “magus” or sorcerer. No longer driven to fight, he is called to the battlefield once again to face Micah the Metal and his forces as th ...more

I thought the premise of this sounded interesting, then I stumbled across the author talking about it on Reddit, and some of the influences that had gone into it which further piqued my interest.
I found the beginning of the book to be above adequate. I was interested, I was not bored, but I also wasn't compulsively turning page after page. There was a bit of a slow simmer in the first third of the book as the world building was done, the players introduced, and the stage set. Note, the POV chan ...more
I found the beginning of the book to be above adequate. I was interested, I was not bored, but I also wasn't compulsively turning page after page. There was a bit of a slow simmer in the first third of the book as the world building was done, the players introduced, and the stage set. Note, the POV chan ...more

The best thing I have to say about this book is that it is original. Drawing heavily from medieval Middle Eastern history and mythology, Akhtar has created a masterpiece of novel world building. The incremental revelations of secrets and gods were timed perfectly to keep me hooked, and I found myself coming back again and again just to figure out what the hell was going on.
However, my main criticism is that it starts very slow. It took me a while to get through the first third of the book becaus ...more
However, my main criticism is that it starts very slow. It took me a while to get through the first third of the book becaus ...more

I really enjoyed this book. The setting blended strong elements from the Ottoman and Byzantine empires together with 16th/17th century Persia. As these are uncommon settings in fantasy, I found this aspect highly refreshing. The worldbuilding was very well thought out and put together, with its historical elements it felt rich and authentic. Two of the main protagonists - Kevah and Micah - had storylines which were emotional and at times heartwrenching, they felt three dimensional and their voic
...more

I appreciate the intrigue of the intro, how the author thrusted the reader right into the story, allowing the readers to be more curious to learn more about the world.
The representation of burned-out veteran soldier is compelling enough. I love how this character was depicted throughout the story. It was amazing.
However, I just find the scenes a little too fast, with barely describing the setting to set up the atmosphere of the scene. It almost seemed chopped up, then weaved together.
Oftentim ...more
The representation of burned-out veteran soldier is compelling enough. I love how this character was depicted throughout the story. It was amazing.
However, I just find the scenes a little too fast, with barely describing the setting to set up the atmosphere of the scene. It almost seemed chopped up, then weaved together.
Oftentim ...more

AWESOME.
A fast paced book.
Great characters that you really get to imagine and become a part off,It definitely brings out your emotions and keeps you clued to the page till the end.
The story is about two different factions , that are fighting for there different religions.
The world is told in great detail and its includes all types of dark magic creatures and more.
I loved the ending but feel there could be more ........
More please Zamil.
A fast paced book.
Great characters that you really get to imagine and become a part off,It definitely brings out your emotions and keeps you clued to the page till the end.
The story is about two different factions , that are fighting for there different religions.
The world is told in great detail and its includes all types of dark magic creatures and more.
I loved the ending but feel there could be more ........
More please Zamil.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
Here is what I generally mean when I choose 3 stars as my rating for a book: The book wasn't bad, but it also didn't particularly excite me. I didn't hate it, but I have no reason to read it again and if someone asks me to recommend books to them, it wouldn't make the list.
Basically, a shrug and "meh."
It took me a while to get into the book. The first half is a whole lot of war-mongering, po ...more
Here is what I generally mean when I choose 3 stars as my rating for a book: The book wasn't bad, but it also didn't particularly excite me. I didn't hate it, but I have no reason to read it again and if someone asks me to recommend books to them, it wouldn't make the list.
Basically, a shrug and "meh."
It took me a while to get into the book. The first half is a whole lot of war-mongering, po ...more

Easily the best fantasy I've read all year. Epic battles, gods with insane scale, and colorful characters. I sympathized with both main characters and often couldn't choose whom I wanted to win. Easy 5/5.
...more

Highly enjoyable
A very well written and enjoyable story. Can't wait for the second book. Great job
Extra words so I can submit this review... ...more
A very well written and enjoyable story. Can't wait for the second book. Great job
Extra words so I can submit this review... ...more

The story and general concept of the book was amazing. So much potential.
Yet I just felt let down by the execution of the storytelling as a whole.
Another reviewer hit the nail on the head for my thoughts on this:
-Scenes felt rushed, or at the very least, not enough detail was added to get a strong feel for them. It felt as if one scene was pushed to the next for the sake of getting the story going, when what was really needed was focus on character development instead. There were times when the ...more
Yet I just felt let down by the execution of the storytelling as a whole.
Another reviewer hit the nail on the head for my thoughts on this:
-Scenes felt rushed, or at the very least, not enough detail was added to get a strong feel for them. It felt as if one scene was pushed to the next for the sake of getting the story going, when what was really needed was focus on character development instead. There were times when the ...more

https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/03...
I got this book on a lark. It was on Kindle Unlimited and it looked interesting so why not. I was immediately sucked into the nonwestern feel of the world. The Middle Eastern roots of this story are obvious from page one, and I loved it. In fact, the worldbuilding was my favorite part of this work. It was lush and layered, and large, expanding further and further as the book went on, hinting at things beyond the borders of this lone book.
In fact, Gunmetal ...more
I got this book on a lark. It was on Kindle Unlimited and it looked interesting so why not. I was immediately sucked into the nonwestern feel of the world. The Middle Eastern roots of this story are obvious from page one, and I loved it. In fact, the worldbuilding was my favorite part of this work. It was lush and layered, and large, expanding further and further as the book went on, hinting at things beyond the borders of this lone book.
In fact, Gunmetal ...more
When Zamil was fourteen, he moved from the dry, dune-spotted Arabian peninsula to the hilly, arctic wasteland that is Western Massachusetts. He despises the cold, isn’t very fond of the sun, and prefers spending all day indoors mashing the keyboard in the hopes something great will come of it. When not dreaming up dark and fantastical journeys, he enjoys binging horror movies, wasting precious tim
...more
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