What do you think?
Rate this book
Avatars #2
Shadow Falling
I was born in a world ruled by gods.
This worked out well for me, as I am a god.
For centuries we were the rulers of our worlds.
But things changed.
Now, the stakes are high.
Let the games begin. . . .
Caught in an ancient rivalry not of their making, on an earth devoid of all other humans, a group of teens learns they are avatars of immortal gods, put on earth in a form that’s only too mortal. Now they are bound to fight one another—and only one of them can survive. Do they resist the forces controlling them and unite to save themselves and perhaps even return to their own time? Or can one of them win this battle and seize immortality and the life of a god? Tui T. Sutherland ups the ante in this second volume of her witty and absorbing fantasy trilogy about life, immortality, and what it means to live among the gods—and to do their dirty work.
This worked out well for me, as I am a god.
For centuries we were the rulers of our worlds.
But things changed.
Now, the stakes are high.
Let the games begin. . . .
Caught in an ancient rivalry not of their making, on an earth devoid of all other humans, a group of teens learns they are avatars of immortal gods, put on earth in a form that’s only too mortal. Now they are bound to fight one another—and only one of them can survive. Do they resist the forces controlling them and unite to save themselves and perhaps even return to their own time? Or can one of them win this battle and seize immortality and the life of a god? Tui T. Sutherland ups the ante in this second volume of her witty and absorbing fantasy trilogy about life, immortality, and what it means to live among the gods—and to do their dirty work.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Tui T. Sutherland
197 books6,208 followersOkay, I know what you’re thinking. Tui? What kind of name is that? Is it short for something?
Nope. Among the many great things to come out of New Zealand (the Lord of the Rings movies, cats that paint, my mom) is a bird called the tui—not as well known as the kiwi, but a heck of a lot noisier!
I was born July 31 (same birthday as Harry Potter!) in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Asuncion, Paraguay; Miami, Florida; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to New Jersey in high school, where I started doing theatre—mostly backstage work, because (a) it was fun, and (b) you got to hang out in the dark with cute boys. (Er, I mean . . . because it was artistically fulfilling, yes.)
I graduated from Williams College in ’98 and I currently live in Boston with my husband, my perfect new baby, and my adorable yoodle Sunshine (what’s a yoodle? A puppy that’s three-quarters poodle and one-quarter Yorkshire terrier, of course!).
Much to my parents’ relief, I abandoned my theatrical aspirations after college for the far more stable and lucrative career of fiction writing.
My first two official books were beginning readers, part of Grosset & Dunlap’s “First Friends” series for kids learning to read. MEET MO AND ELLA is tough to find now, but FUN WITH MO AND ELLA should still be out there somewhere.
My first novel for teenagers was THIS MUST BE LOVE, which retells Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a modern-day high school, from the POV of the two heroines, Hermia and Helena.
And now I'm writing in a new project called SEEKERS! It's a children's book series that I'm writing with Erin Hunter. Check out my blog to find out more!
Nope. Among the many great things to come out of New Zealand (the Lord of the Rings movies, cats that paint, my mom) is a bird called the tui—not as well known as the kiwi, but a heck of a lot noisier!
I was born July 31 (same birthday as Harry Potter!) in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Asuncion, Paraguay; Miami, Florida; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to New Jersey in high school, where I started doing theatre—mostly backstage work, because (a) it was fun, and (b) you got to hang out in the dark with cute boys. (Er, I mean . . . because it was artistically fulfilling, yes.)
I graduated from Williams College in ’98 and I currently live in Boston with my husband, my perfect new baby, and my adorable yoodle Sunshine (what’s a yoodle? A puppy that’s three-quarters poodle and one-quarter Yorkshire terrier, of course!).
Much to my parents’ relief, I abandoned my theatrical aspirations after college for the far more stable and lucrative career of fiction writing.
My first two official books were beginning readers, part of Grosset & Dunlap’s “First Friends” series for kids learning to read. MEET MO AND ELLA is tough to find now, but FUN WITH MO AND ELLA should still be out there somewhere.
My first novel for teenagers was THIS MUST BE LOVE, which retells Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a modern-day high school, from the POV of the two heroines, Hermia and Helena.
And now I'm writing in a new project called SEEKERS! It's a children's book series that I'm writing with Erin Hunter. Check out my blog to find out more!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 2, 2009
This book is even better than the first. It has action, comedy and relationship between the characters. It has a battle with the kids and the Gods from all different kinds of religions. I really hope they make a film out of this series.
July 9, 2022
its so sad that nobody knows about this book :(
June 30, 2022
It's getting better as a series.
April 23, 2015
The world had mostly ended, and now six avatars of various pantheons of gods (and one Polynesian interloper) are charged with killing each other in a winner-take-all contest. Unfortunately for the gods, the avatars have turned out more human than expected, and although some of them embrace the mission others hold back.
Gus was possessed by the Polynesian god of war Oro and doesn't have the benefit of a trainer, but Oro knows how to handle himself. Gus is still one of my favorites. He's not integrated with Oro's power, since Oro's personality is not his, and he's more than a little concerned that his own personality might not survive the experience. And when Oro really gets going, he proves that the one everyone has chalked up as the weakest has enough fight in him to potentially tip the scales . . .
Tigre, along with Gus, is one of the more normal (human) of the cast. He's been flat out told he's a weak god, and his own pantheon doesn't expect him to win. I adored his trainer Tlaloc and the "training" sessions they have together. (And it's also quite funny how everyone else is cursing out weather gods practicing storm-summoning as they'd like just a LITTLE less rain).
Diana continues to struggle between the Diana/Artemis and Venus sides of her personality. I loved how Apollo, who can only speak the truth, is both the most honest and the most subversive of the pantheon, as he's bending the rules as far as he can to let her know things the other gods all want kept secret. I also loved how Diana came to her own decision about Amon and what she does with him.
I liked Kali's relationship with Shiva, and how steady and reliable it is compared to the teenage drama happening with Gus and Diana or Tigre and Anna. And how that doesn't mean they don't disagree or fight, but there's an assurance on both sides that they're in this for eternity. And I liked how Kali, far from being a one-dimensional god who brings fire and destruction, has a softer side the other gods don't want to admit is there.
This book is incredibly funny. Tlaloc had me laughing every time he shows up. Lines like: "A SLUG IN BED WILL LOSE HIS HEAD! ARISE, PATHETIC ONE! TLALOC HAS RETURNED TO BEAT YOUR POWERS INTO YOU!" followed by "LOOK TO THE SKIES! THEY ARE FULL OF DISGUSTING SUNSHINE! LET US GO FORTH AND TRAIN ANEW TO BRING THE WRATH OF THE CLOUDS DOWN AMONG US!"
Thor's cheerful incomprehensibility combined with his gigantic stature and strength gets played for more than a few laughs. Or the utter self-absorption of the Greek pantheon in particular, who decide to inhabit an art museum because they like looking at the paintings and sculptures of themselves and making snide remarks about how other members of their pantheon were portrayed. Or the way Kali refuses to let Tigre live down the way he almost became an involuntary organ donor in the first book. Or Quetzie: Kali says she dooooesn't need any comments from the peanut gallery. Is that me? Am I the peanut gallery? Does that mean I get peanuts?
Overall this is a much stronger book than the first, packed with a lot of action, humor, and drama. Tui T. Sutherland has incredible range as an author---I've enjoyed her books for younger readers, but she nails the older ranges as well. I like the different types of humor and the way more than half the book had me laughing out loud, yet underneath there's a deadly serious game going on that the teenagers are desperate to escape (well, most of them). And I have my own guesses about the unnamed god that comments on the various events and characters; the commentary frequently adds a bit more humor or insight. Do read the first book first, just to get to know the world and the characters. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
Gus was possessed by the Polynesian god of war Oro and doesn't have the benefit of a trainer, but Oro knows how to handle himself. Gus is still one of my favorites. He's not integrated with Oro's power, since Oro's personality is not his, and he's more than a little concerned that his own personality might not survive the experience. And when Oro really gets going, he proves that the one everyone has chalked up as the weakest has enough fight in him to potentially tip the scales . . .
Tigre, along with Gus, is one of the more normal (human) of the cast. He's been flat out told he's a weak god, and his own pantheon doesn't expect him to win. I adored his trainer Tlaloc and the "training" sessions they have together. (And it's also quite funny how everyone else is cursing out weather gods practicing storm-summoning as they'd like just a LITTLE less rain).
Diana continues to struggle between the Diana/Artemis and Venus sides of her personality. I loved how Apollo, who can only speak the truth, is both the most honest and the most subversive of the pantheon, as he's bending the rules as far as he can to let her know things the other gods all want kept secret. I also loved how Diana came to her own decision about Amon and what she does with him.
I liked Kali's relationship with Shiva, and how steady and reliable it is compared to the teenage drama happening with Gus and Diana or Tigre and Anna. And how that doesn't mean they don't disagree or fight, but there's an assurance on both sides that they're in this for eternity. And I liked how Kali, far from being a one-dimensional god who brings fire and destruction, has a softer side the other gods don't want to admit is there.
This book is incredibly funny. Tlaloc had me laughing every time he shows up. Lines like: "A SLUG IN BED WILL LOSE HIS HEAD! ARISE, PATHETIC ONE! TLALOC HAS RETURNED TO BEAT YOUR POWERS INTO YOU!" followed by "LOOK TO THE SKIES! THEY ARE FULL OF DISGUSTING SUNSHINE! LET US GO FORTH AND TRAIN ANEW TO BRING THE WRATH OF THE CLOUDS DOWN AMONG US!"
Thor's cheerful incomprehensibility combined with his gigantic stature and strength gets played for more than a few laughs. Or the utter self-absorption of the Greek pantheon in particular, who decide to inhabit an art museum because they like looking at the paintings and sculptures of themselves and making snide remarks about how other members of their pantheon were portrayed. Or the way Kali refuses to let Tigre live down the way he almost became an involuntary organ donor in the first book. Or Quetzie: Kali says she dooooesn't need any comments from the peanut gallery. Is that me? Am I the peanut gallery? Does that mean I get peanuts?
Overall this is a much stronger book than the first, packed with a lot of action, humor, and drama. Tui T. Sutherland has incredible range as an author---I've enjoyed her books for younger readers, but she nails the older ranges as well. I like the different types of humor and the way more than half the book had me laughing out loud, yet underneath there's a deadly serious game going on that the teenagers are desperate to escape (well, most of them). And I have my own guesses about the unnamed god that comments on the various events and characters; the commentary frequently adds a bit more humor or insight. Do read the first book first, just to get to know the world and the characters. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
February 11, 2017
AWESOME!
Spoiler Alert!
Diana gets stabbed by Anna! :O!
Spoiler Alert!
Diana gets stabbed by Anna! :O!
August 6, 2016
Después de como 6 años de querer leer este libro y no conseguirlo por ninguna parte, por fin logre conseguir una copia.
Estuve algo preocupada cuando lo comencé por que pensé que tal vez ya había crecido mucho en mis gustos y mi critica para que me gustara este libro, pero aunque tardo en empezar en algún momento ya no pude detenerme.
Cada cabo suelto de el libro anterior encuentra su explicación en este libro. Descubrimos personajes nuevos y me fascina la interacción de los panteones con sus propios avatars al igual que con las otras deidades. Definitivamente un libro fresco de ideas con un mundo en expansión. Las escenas de acción están tan bien construidas que al leerlo sentí como si estuviera viendo una película.
Le recomendaría este libro a cualquiera que le guste la fantasía y las distopias. Solo intenten no compararlo con Percy Jackson, o se llevarán un chasco, si es bueno, pero Percy es mucho mejor.
Tiene sus detalles, como todo. Pero lo releería cientos de veces.
Estuve algo preocupada cuando lo comencé por que pensé que tal vez ya había crecido mucho en mis gustos y mi critica para que me gustara este libro, pero aunque tardo en empezar en algún momento ya no pude detenerme.
Cada cabo suelto de el libro anterior encuentra su explicación en este libro. Descubrimos personajes nuevos y me fascina la interacción de los panteones con sus propios avatars al igual que con las otras deidades. Definitivamente un libro fresco de ideas con un mundo en expansión. Las escenas de acción están tan bien construidas que al leerlo sentí como si estuviera viendo una película.
Le recomendaría este libro a cualquiera que le guste la fantasía y las distopias. Solo intenten no compararlo con Percy Jackson, o se llevarán un chasco, si es bueno, pero Percy es mucho mejor.
Tiene sus detalles, como todo. Pero lo releería cientos de veces.
June 8, 2010
When I first started the book, I was worried that Kali's character would change because she had been given her memories as a goddess. Happily, I was completely wrong.
Kali's goddess memories meshed nicely with her human personality. Her character didn't change, and I liked her relationship with Shiva much better than Gus's relationship with Diana.
That aside, the book picks up shortly after the first one ends. It quickly gains speed, and doesn't slow down, even at the very end. There's never a lull in the action, and the characters never became obnoxiously powerful, even as gods.
However, like the first book, this one ends with a cliff hanger. Fortunately, the third seems just as good as the first two.
Kali's goddess memories meshed nicely with her human personality. Her character didn't change, and I liked her relationship with Shiva much better than Gus's relationship with Diana.
That aside, the book picks up shortly after the first one ends. It quickly gains speed, and doesn't slow down, even at the very end. There's never a lull in the action, and the characters never became obnoxiously powerful, even as gods.
However, like the first book, this one ends with a cliff hanger. Fortunately, the third seems just as good as the first two.
July 6, 2016
While I wasn't too keen on the first volume of this series, I was interested enough in the whole god pantheon vs. god pantheon to continue into the second book, and I'm glad I did. The first book was nothing but world building and very little actual plot, but the second volume finally kicks things into gear. I was happy that despite each character being an avatar of a god or goddess their personalities remained very true to the characters we were introduced to in the first book- I like the whole mortal vs. immortal battle that all of them struggle with one way or another, plus I love that there are no good or bad characters. Everyone is a nice mix of both.
February 7, 2015
I loved the first one, and really loved this one. The world got so much larger and the cast swelled with the addition of the "twins" and Thor (who was hilarious). I read his series so fast I have a hard time remembering what happened in each book (which to me is always a good sign of a great series).
February 17, 2008
This was one of those sequels where you can tell it was all planned out ahead of time. The new characters mesh perfectly into the story and the action and adventure is just as exciting and (even better) not a total rehash of the plot of the first book! An excellent series!
June 9, 2008
It was an amazing book. Despite what i thought would make a horrible set of upcoming books from the last several pages of the preveious one, i liked it a lot. IT WOULD have gotten a 5 if not for the absolutely horrible cliffhanger at the end.
January 16, 2013
I thought this book was so great that after reading it I reread it. There is a new character and love interest for Tigre, they find out more and more about what they are expected to do, there are great fights, and a scene I reread six times because it was so great.
September 20, 2015
the second book in the Avatars series and just as good as the first. This one doesn't end in the same type of cliffhanger as the other did, but it did set up very well for the third book. This one really starts the fights between the avatars and really thickens the plot soup.
October 7, 2008
Exciting follow-up to So This is How it Ends with additional characters and many action-packed battle scenes between the avatars. I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion of the trilogy.
October 26, 2008
A great sequel to a great book. It was extremely good once again and I'm glad the author didn't fail to amaze me. That's all I have to say except go TigrexKali <3
January 2, 2009
For some reason I liked the characters a lot more in the second book than the first. Both are wonderful reads though!
February 15, 2010
Excellent continuation of the series. I enjoyed the character/world development; however, I think the author should have spent more time on Thor.
Definitely planning to read the next one.
Definitely planning to read the next one.
May 31, 2011
The continuation of "This is how the world ends" and as new avatars arrive so do more conflicts, romances, and betrayals as they fight for the gods.
September 4, 2013
It made better sense than the first book and Anna surprised me.
July 15, 2008
once again i loved the whole god thing and avatar's i loved it i want the third
September 16, 2017
Ha ha i love kali she is so awesome!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews