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Mark Lawrence's Reviews > The Shadow of the Gods
The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga, #1)
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I've read quite a few of John's books now, and liked each one a bit more than the last.
This is a fine read, and if you've read any of his other work then you'll find this to be very definitely a Gwynne book with all the stuff you liked from the other books, only more.
We follow three point-of-view characters on journeys that stay separate for most of the book. The setting is ... well, it's very Viking. The pseudo Vikings are firmly grounded in Gwynne's own fascination with the subject, with what feels like authoritative descriptions of arms, armour, clothing, battle methods, lifestyle etc. The gods (which took the forms of colossal animals) are dead but their blood still runs in the veins of many, granting a range of magics and battle-skills.
Two of the main characters run with separate mercenary bands and the camaraderie is well portrayed along with plentiful scraps, duels, shield walls and the like. The enemies range from other warbands to trolls, ice spiders, and a wide variety of magical beasties, including some rather fearsome tooth fairies!
It's a good tale with mounting tension, a slowly revealed plot, unexpected twists, and plenty of bloodshed. It's also definitely the foundation of a larger story with many elements left unresolved for the subsequent titles to chew over.
John Gwynne is very definitely the closest we have to an inheritor of David Gemmell's mantle as master of heroic fantasy with grit and heart.
(Gwynne also wins the contest for having testicles feature most prominently in a fight.)
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This is a fine read, and if you've read any of his other work then you'll find this to be very definitely a Gwynne book with all the stuff you liked from the other books, only more.
We follow three point-of-view characters on journeys that stay separate for most of the book. The setting is ... well, it's very Viking. The pseudo Vikings are firmly grounded in Gwynne's own fascination with the subject, with what feels like authoritative descriptions of arms, armour, clothing, battle methods, lifestyle etc. The gods (which took the forms of colossal animals) are dead but their blood still runs in the veins of many, granting a range of magics and battle-skills.
Two of the main characters run with separate mercenary bands and the camaraderie is well portrayed along with plentiful scraps, duels, shield walls and the like. The enemies range from other warbands to trolls, ice spiders, and a wide variety of magical beasties, including some rather fearsome tooth fairies!
It's a good tale with mounting tension, a slowly revealed plot, unexpected twists, and plenty of bloodshed. It's also definitely the foundation of a larger story with many elements left unresolved for the subsequent titles to chew over.
John Gwynne is very definitely the closest we have to an inheritor of David Gemmell's mantle as master of heroic fantasy with grit and heart.
(Gwynne also wins the contest for having testicles feature most prominently in a fight.)
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year mailing list #prizes
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The Shadow of the Gods.
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Reading Progress
March 5, 2021
–
Started Reading
March 5, 2021
– Shelved
March 18, 2021
–
14.11%
"Gwynne wins the contest for having testicles feature most prominently in a fight."
page
70
April 20, 2021
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41.13%
"Good stuff!
I've noticed just how much description Gwynne does - like 10x what I put in. The docking at Snakavik and the climb to the jarl's hall is essentially 10 pages of description - very well done - if I put in so much, all my books would be doorstops."
page
204
I've noticed just how much description Gwynne does - like 10x what I put in. The docking at Snakavik and the climb to the jarl's hall is essentially 10 pages of description - very well done - if I put in so much, all my books would be doorstops."
May 3, 2021
–
Finished Reading
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May 05, 2021 07:11PM
Great review. As soon as you mentioned it, I realized that it's one reason I felt like I have read Gwynne before. I have a few of Gemmell's books on my shelves as well.
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The big swinging balls.... 😂😂😂
Lawrence..........please give me a new sword and sorcery epic featuring a male protagonist.
Keith wrote: "Lawrence..........please give me a new sword and sorcery epic featuring a male protagonist."Keith...........no.
Oof that rejection destroyed😂😂
The "Woke" crowd didn't take kindly to Jorg Ancrath....hence the heroine based future of Marks work. I do like Nona tho. I bet it will be a movie for her.
Maybe after a good movie deal we can get that grit again ;)
A Nona movie would be very cool. Try some Joe Abercrombie if you like Jorg.
I have. Love Abercrombie....but Lawrence is a better (overall) writer. I'll keep asking until it happens or one of us dies...
Alex wrote: ""Keith...........no"Why not?"
Because I write what I want to write, not what some guy asks me to on the internet. It takes about a year for me to write a book. I'm not spending a year on anything except an idea that really enthuses me when I sit down to start. That's why.
Mark,Well put. Of course, your way with words is central to why we love how a story seems to grip you until you have emptied out your brain on the desk, poking through the left over bits of plot twists and curls of character strengths and weaknesses scatter around the world building crumbs. Tucking them into little paper sleeping bags to save in case you are in desperate need for an instant fix later on in life!
Alex,Mark is entitled to write epic fantasy his way.
He does have a fantastic way of exposing the female mind w/o being exploitative.
The question is: Why should mark have to write w/a male protagonist rather than a complex badass woman?
There are plenty of high fantasy novels that feature white male characters.
For me, I prefer non-binary, female or intersex protagonists & world building that incorporates other religions & ethnicities.
I has nothing to do w/being “woke”. I’m just appreciative of the explosion of a variety of perspectives & cultures.
I grew up in the ‘70s & ‘80s so I only had Mary Stewart, Andre Norton, & Ursula Leguin that provided women’s & girls’ voices in a male dominated field.
Yo, this comment section is wild!! But Mr Lawrence, (or Mark, can I call you Mark?), by my honest opinion your peak prose as a writer was the Red Queens War trilogy, and none of your other MC's comes close to the title of Best MC as Jalan and Snorri
Mark....you just keep doing you Sir. Nona or Yaz or anybody you create is just fine by me ! I will always happily go where you send me and live the trip every time
Mark!!!! I'm more than just some guy on the internet!!!! I'm some guy who pushes your books to those within my sphere of influence.Show me sum love ;)
Lol JK
But really...I appreciate your work, just giving you $h1+
Keith wrote: "Mark!!!! I'm more than just some guy on the internet!!!! I'm some guy who pushes your books to those within my sphere of influence.Show me sum love ;)
Lol JK
But really...I appreciate your work, j..."
Cheers, appreciated.
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to reading this new series.
