John Gwynne continues to impress with the second volume in The Bloodsworn saga, Hunger of the Gods. Building out his Norse-inspired world, Hunger of the Gods is no longer just about the brave, foolish and gritty set of warriors seeking out their place in the saga-tales. It is in fact, a rip-roaring adventure where the lines between reality and myth has blurred. The Gods are real and they are alive, breathing fire and raining destruction, ripping apart our living world as we know it. Lik-Rafa, the dragon God has been freed by her worshippers and is a terrible force to reckon with, as she wants to seek revenge for wrongs done to her and her children eons ago. Drawn into this terrifying reality are the brave bunch of adventure-and-glory seekers, both the bands of warriors, The Battle-Grim and the Bloodsworn. And in the middle of all this, Orka - the lone 'wolf' continues her search for her cub, Breca who may have been kidnapped by the dragon-worshippers, in order to bring her to life.

Gwynne sets us down on a rattling freight-train headed for station doom with this pulse-pounding adventure in this much-to-celebrate second book, in what promises to be an epic saga fit for the Gods. This is a giant of a book, well over 600 pages but the pages fly, as Gwynne doesn't pause or even slow down. It's a story that balances well between the frenetic action and propulsive storytelling - Multiple chapters full of massive epic showdowns and terrifying revelations and also the brief lulls in between to showcase the gentler, vulnerable side of the main characters, especially Orka and Elvar.

The story is still about the three main POV's from Book One - Orka, the mother who is in search of her kidnapped son Breca, Elvar - the warrior plagued with self-doubts, fighting her own inner-demons out to prove a point and Varg, the erstwhile thrall, now part of a band of warriors, living inside an unbelievable saga-tale full of guts and glory. Gwynne cleverly adds in two more POVs in this volume: There's Biorr, whom we know is the traitor planted amidst the BattleGrim who killed the chief Agnar, who returns back to the fold, his band of dragon-worshippers, the 'Tainted' who want to balance the world with their dragon-God back among the Living. And then, there's Gudvarr - a sly cunning man, a survivor whose self-interests to stay alive, trumps every other ambition and in the process, the well-laid plans of certain Jarls and more.

It's an interesting mix of characters, through whom the story unspools - as now, we see both sides of the story. Despite this story fashioned as a good-old Norse tale, there is nothing heroic about our 'heroes'. They are all trying hard to stay alive in this world, where nothing conventional makes sense anymore. I mean, there are living Gods - breathing fire, destroying fortresses and ripping apart man and livestock alike for pleasure and for food. It's scary and Gwynne's assured writing brings in this atmosphere of absolute terror, the uncertainty and shock that has become a way of life among these men and women.

While the stakes are now sky-high, what with Gods now involved in mortal affairs ( pun intended ) Gwynne also nicely fleshes out the political tensions that define the normal man's world. The greed and political ambition that fires up enough plans and counter-plotting, full of deception and backstabbing. As far as characters go, the story of Elvar takes an upswing for the better, I found hers a well etched emotional character-arc that pulled me in. Varg, sadly has the weakest storyline in this volume. But the best emotional heft of the story that still punches you in the gut, is Orka the Skullsplitter's story. Her desperate almost superhuman quest to reunite with Breca continues to rip you apart in its intensity and the trails and tribulations they go through. Delightfully, it is not all grim and dark though - yes, there are enough gore and gut spilling, skulls getting smashed and axes and seaxes hurled around, claws and fangs ripping skin - but there are also light moments peppered throughout - like the scenes of Lif and his new-found puppy-love or the banter between Varg and his besties, making for a good light chuckle.

Hunger of the Gods, John Gwynne's tale of Gods descending down to the living world is an excellent addition to this sprawling epic tale of guts and glory. Hunger of the Gods shines bright, with themes of friendship, courage, revenge and found family. Studded with characteristically John-Gwynne style cinematic and stunning action set-pieces, he also flexes those worldbuilding muscles of his, taking us far south of the world into hitherto unexplored regions. Even as I felt the pace was flagging a bit and I was getting a bit weary of all the blood spritzing and guts spilling all over the pages, that frigging' ending took me by my throat - and now I am clamouring for Book Three in this astounding tale, that cannot come sooner.

Highly recommended!

A fantastic, amazing, brutal se one entry into Gwynne's new series.

First, I don't quite know how to put into words how epic the read was; as usual, I loved me some more of the axe-wielding madness.

Overall, Gwynne only gets better and better as a writer.

If you have not read the first book of this series, I will not advise picking this up. Although the author provides a very detailed account of the previous book at the beginning, which helped me remember the more salient points, it does not go into the emotions. In the first book, a lot happened. It took me a while to get used to the blood and gore, but eventually, the tough and vibrant people and their interactions distracted me from the more unsavoury aspects of war.
When I reviewed the first, I was very circumspect about the different factions and their roles in the events that we witnessed. It will be harder to do so here, but I will try. People who have read the first may identify the characters I mention.
Of our adventuring parties, we had two main teams of mercenaries. One irretrievable lost more than the other, but they both had to make changes. The first who lost their leader found out how the Gods were to be resurrected and decided that only one God could destroy the other and brought an ailing version of the Wolf back. Unlike some of the other fantasy I usually read, there is nothing likeable about some of the people we meet. There is no clear 'hero' or 'leader', although a few are in the running. The second band, the nicer one (in comparison), has decided to split to honour their code. On the other side, the clearly unlikeable side, we have one prominent narrator. He is the archetypical self-assured individual who is actually clueless (or is he?). Some of the smaller factions are working on their own private agendas and throwing hurdles in the path of those who are in the know of the bigger issues afoot.
More gods make an appearance than I would have expected. Given the scale of the operation and the number of divisions in loyalty, the world does not look like it can be saved at this point. Given the way some of the stories play out, I would not be surprised if the author just let everything turn back to the 'older' days. My curiosity is heightened at this time. It seems to be an impossible task for any one team to defeat anyone on their own. It seems even more impossible for anyone to work together, at least on the relatively 'good' side.
I think it is the pure bloodshed that prevents me from giving it a full five stars. There is nothing wrong with the way the author writes the battles. In fact, it is the excellent imagery that has me a little queasy. Someone with a stronger stomach than me will love this series. I will definitely want to see where all of this is going.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is based on my own reading experience.

A fantastic follow up to Shadow of the Gods! I loved exploring the world for the first time and somehow returning in a sequel doesn't always match the original visit. However Gwynne does an amazing job of keeping this world fresh.
I particularly loved the short recap of the previous books events.

A fantastic follow up and one of the best viking fantasy books I've had the chance to read!
The characters and worldbuilding Gwynne manages to write are fascinating. Cannot wait to read more from this author.

All sequels should accomplish what John Gwynne’s Hunger of the Gods has. That’s to say, Gwynne’s latest expands the world and characters in such a way as to make The Shadow of the Gods appear a tiny piece of a mosaic you’re finally seeing from the right distance. It hasn’t all resolved yet—far from it—but every element is even clearer, every character fleshed out still further, the world immeasurably deeper. And, lest you forget, all these elements were breath-taking already in The Shadow.

The Hunger of the Gods enters your good graces from the first, even as its length, a good 20% longer than its predecessor, intimidates. Gwynne has added a “The Story So Far” section, helpfully providing a reminder to all us readers whose memory of certain elements of the prior novel might have been blurred by time. The text itself would’ve done a wonderful job recalling all that’s past, but having those several pages’ worth of recap is something all authors of series should do, for utility’s sake.

Following the battle at Oskutred, gods once again walk the mortal plains, three hundred years after what should’ve been their end. In the middle of this is Elvar of the Battle-Grim, the youngest of her mercenary company, a character whose arc through the previous novel is a mere shadow of all that awaits her here. A deep-thinker, she is desperate to act against the recently freed Lik-Rifa in order to honour a magical blood-oath sworn to save the Seidr-witch Uspa’s child. Left alone in the mythical land of Osktured, the Battle-Grim find more than enough tools equal to the task, making use of their enemy’s resources. I’m in awe of the journey Elvar takes throughout these pages, clenching victory after victory from the jaws of despair with ingenuity and brute strength both. She is bloodthirsty but not without compassion and even in her hurt, she is cruel only by necessity. Her final chapters here had me shaking with gleeful anticipation and excitement as Elvar dispelled old ghosts in the most violent way possible. Yum!

The Bloodsworn, meanwhile, are on a mission to get back one of their own, the Seidr-witch Vol. “Glornir’s woman,” as several antagonists describe her, Vol is plenty more than just that. She’ll show as much, given the opportunity. The PoV character here is once more Varg No-Sense, the freed slave who embodies the sense of fraternity that makes the Bloodsworn so special. It’s often a bittersweet journey—sweet for the depth of friendship Varg discovers in his fellow Bloodsworn, time and again, bitter for the loss that comes with every battle. The warrior’s life is no bloodless thing. And Varg’s humanity makes it no easier; there’s a terrible vulnerability in the way he perceives the world, a conflict between the human in him and the inhumanity of all that surrounds him, seen in passages like the following:

Varg felt a lurch of nausea in his belly, followed quickly by a sense of guilt. That he was free, where they were slaves. He had been one of them, not so long ago. A spark of horror and futile anger in his gut, that he lived in a world where people were treated like this.

I do not know if a better world is in the cards; but if it is, I suspect Varg will have a part to play in making it so.

Orka continues her quest to reclaim her son from the child-stealers, joined by a few Bloodsworn following Shadows’ brutal final scene. To see her fall back to a former role, that of leader, is a source of joy; camaraderie here, too, is the name of the game. I grew to love and know and fear for each of her new companions; and seeing all of them take an almost parental pride in returning character Lif as he learned the warrior’s craft is nothing if not cute. Orka’s opening chapters here are bitter, seeing her process the pain of thinking herself closer to her goal than ever, only to find she has deceived herself:

Grief had flowed from her like blood from a sword thrust. But today the wound was seared and stitched closed again, her heart cold and hard.

The hunt is on, as this wolf-mother is ready to pay any price to save her cub from the dragon cultists. And what a journey it is…

Two more perspectives join the fray—one of traitor Biórr, the other of opportunistic coward Gudvarr, both of them offering fresh views of the places of power in these worlds. Gudvarr falls in the thrall of Skalk the Galdurman, a filthy little wizard who really needs an axe stuck into his skull—almost as much as Gudvarr does, in fact. I enjoyed reading Gudvarr’s sections, even as I felt deep loathing for the character. Gwynne does a brilliant job of capturing the inner workings of a man whose foremost instinct is survival at all costs; it’s not a pretty place to inhabit but it sure is interesting.

Biorr’s point of view is less about survival than it is about the cost paid by someone living a double life. It is an arc successful not only in this but also in following the recently freed dragon god’s agenda to crumble the present world order and place herself and her followers on top. Biorr’s personal journey teaches him all the wrong lessons—as becomes evident time and again. I shan’t say more for fear of spoilers, but…I almost feel sorry for Biorr. Almost.

Gwynne is one of the top-tier authors you want to read action scenes from; few authors can make a fight so scrumptious as he, so tactile even in its build-up. Take this:

All around [Elvar] the Battle-Grim were crying out, blades hissing into fists, shields rising. Thuds and bellows, a swarm of creatures surging out of the impenetrable black. They were the things of nightmare, small, large, some slithering on segmented bodies, others scrambling on long-jointed legs, some dripping with slime, others clawed, fanged, pincers clacking, mandibled jaws snapping, some with many eyes, some with none, and they fell upon the Battle-Grim with hissing fury.

It’s gut-wrenching prose whose stink you can breathe in, whose viscera you can almost taste—just as epic fantasy should be written.

The cards are all set, the final hand has been dealt. The final chapter in The Bloodsworn’s saga-tale is ready to be told. I, for one, am desperate to see it finished.

I leave you with these words of wisdom:

“And remember,” Orka continued, “a shield is a weapon as well as a defensive tool. The rim can crush a windpipe or smash teeth out.”

Truer words…

Following the characters from the first book and even a few others was a ride like no other in this book.
A lot of travelling and fighting, gory details, viking and norse referances, and much more fun stuff!
I have totally fallen in love with this world that John Gwynne has created!
I want more!

I've heard about the second-book syndrome, but this one definitely doesn't fit into the description of it.

I thought this book was even better than the first one, if that's possible since I've loved the first one so much.

This book just completely expanded the entire world, but most importantly, the character's lives, their relationships, and their past. We got to get to know our favourites more, but also meet some new characters. We got an insight into their relationships, and this for me really made this book complete.

It's still a dark and gloomy book, but I liked that there was more humour in it, especially through Gudvar's inner monologues. It was a very pleasant change.

This is just one of those books that doesn't need a long review because I have nothing bad to say about it. It's marvellous. Everything from the beautiful writing (especially the last chapter), to the character development, the pacing was absolute perfection and I wouldn't change a single thing. My thought cage is just buzzing with so many pleasant thoughts about this book. Bravo to Mr. John Gwynne.

I apologise to do publisher for submitting my review late, due to personal issues.

I found this book to be much slower than the book it followed. While I enjoyed parts, I think it may just be personally not my cup of tea.

The strength of the characters are what carried it for more, I loved the bonds formed between then and how they were developed

The Hunger of the Gods didn't hook me in like the Shadow of the Gods. I found it hard to get into this one as it was quite slow going for the first quarter of the book. But if you like John Gwynne's work and you want to know more of what happens to the Bloodsworn then you have no choice but to pick up this book!

4.5 stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Orbit, for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own.

I just finished this book and WHYYY you can't just leave us poor readers with an ending like that!

Having said that, I loved this book so much and I couldn't put it down. It picks off right where Shadow of the Gods ended. Where the first book felt more like a set up to an epic story to me, this second book delivers. It's action-packed from beginning to end and there's no stopping everything that has been set into motion.

If you like epic fantasy based on Viking/Nordic lore and you haven't started this series, then what are you doing? Go read this series!

I do appreciate a sequel book that has a Glossary, Cast of Characters and What Has Gone Before at the beginning. I very much enjoyed the first book in this trilogy but an aide mémoire is very handy and saves having to dip into the previous book.

The story picks up immediately after the ending of the previous book, and follows the previous protagonists. Orka is still relentless in her pursuit of her son, but is joined by others on her quest who do put some brakes on her more reckless actions. This is a good development since although her Tainted blood makes her a formidable fighter she is not indestructible, and they add a touch of humour to her journey.
Elvar goes back to her father′s realm with increased status as the leader of the Battle-Grim, and has a ruthlessness which makes her able to handle the challenges that come from the gods themselves.
Varg is becoming part of the Bloodsworn but also makes progress in the search for what became of his sister Freya.
But we also see the viewpoints of characters who are in opposition, including those who have sided with Lik-Rifa, the dragon god who has been let loose on the world. One of my favourite characters is Guovarr who has an internal commentary of insults on everyone who he believes is out to get him, which seems to be everyone in the world except for his aunt.
All the good points of the previous book are repeated in this one, and I′m looking forward again to the next one.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Depending on whether you like the specific tropes this book is going for, you're either going to appreciate how long this book is, or tug at your hair in despair because it isn't done yet. Unfortunately, I was in the latter camp.

This book is a traveling book. We follow the same three characters from the first installment, along with two additional POVs: Biórr and Guðvarr. Four of the characters are travelling for pretty much the entire book, and I've come to realize that is something I don't tend to enjoy, especially not when I get 600+ pages of it.

The other trope prevalent in this book is the one I like to call "oops, you just missed them!" It's when two people are searching for each other, and will be in the same street within seconds of each other, or there at the same time but facing the opposite way so they never see each other. This trope has frustrated me for as long as I can remember, and I lost count of the number of times I wanted to throw something as a character, once again, didn't find who they were looking for.

With regards to the plot, I honestly don't feel like much happens until the 85% mark, except for maybe three or four important plot points that can be summed up in four sentences. But the final 15% is fast-paced and interesting, and I enjoyed it so much more than the rest. I also still really enjoyed both Orka and Varg as characters in general, especially Varg and his exploration of what it means to be Tainted.

One thing I really appreciate about this series is the summary of book one provided by the author at the beginning of this second book. I hope he'll do the same thing for the third one. In that case, if you want to read this series but have similar feelings about travelling stories, my recommendation would be: wait for the summary at the beginning of book 3 (or read one provided by fans if you don't want to wait), and then only read the last 15% of this book.

The Hunger of the Gods is a stunning follow up to The Shadow of the Gods. For any reader who has read the first instalment of The Bloodsworn Saga, I do not think they will require any persuasion to pick up immediately the second instalment, but here goes.
The Shadow of the Gods consisted of the three stories of Orka, Elvar and Varg. In The Hunger of the Gods, John Gwynne fleshes out the saga by introducing the stories of characters met in the first book, each intertwined with our original three protagonists. This helps to provide new layers, improving on the first book without taking anything away from the three central characters.
The action is occasionally brutal and the story is relentless, never allowing a lull for the reader, especially with the cliffhangers at the end of most chapters. This is a step up from the first book which is a five-star book in its own right and an excellent read.

This was an amazing sequel. I can't believe that it's over and I'll have to wait for the next one.

I love that we get to meet a few more characters, even if they aren't my favourite, because they added some valuable insight on what's going on outside of Orka, Varg and Elvar's POVs. As always, I love our original main characters and I really want to read more and more about Orka. She's my favourite.

We also got some subtle LGBTQ+ rep which I loved.

That ending was so good! Can't wait for the third book. From the way it ended and the things that happened, I can't figure out if this will be a trilogy or a quartet but I'm looking forward to the next one either way.

Really liked this book. It's similar to "The Shadow of the Gods" in structure, and follows the same characters, and a few more. It’s a quick read! And so, if you liked the first book, you'll like this one!
I'll be waiting for the next one...

A very good sequel to a solid first book. I think it’s a little too long, and perhaps a few too many perspectives to keep me hooked, but still a solid book with a great world.

Last year The Shadow of the Gods was one of my favorite reads and I'm fairly certain that The Hunger of the Gods will be at the top of my list for this year as well. It is a banger.

We move on fairly directly after the previous book with Elvar who has to deal with the aftermath of the rise of Lik-Rifa. The killing of her chief has left an immense gap in the band of mercenararies the Battle-Grim while the oath they gave to Ursa on finding her son might kill her. Orka in the mean time has met the Bloodsworn though as long as she does not have her son, she cannot find peace in any reuniting. Se has to journey on to find Breca. Varg in the mean time is finally finding his true place amongst the Bloodsworn.

Like I said above, it is a banger. Resurrecting Gods, chaining Gods to one self, Gods that have been in hiding popping in. It is not just the hunger of Lik-Rifa the title refers to though hers is the most obvious. And there are so many factions moving through each other and so many people wanting revenge that it is quite an intricate plot.

When it comes to our three main characters I think that Varg gets the least amount of growth in this installment. I think that is because the Bloodsworn are still more to the side of the whole epic battle in comparison to Orka and Elvar. He still is allowed to get somewhat comfortable and bind himself to the Bloodsworn, something you really see him doing. Orka and Elvar have a lot more god crap to deal with. Orka might me completely focused on getting her son back but we all know she has her heart in the right place. Elvar is idealistic in a way, despite the kind of father she had. Young, and the Battle-Grim are inspired by that. You can see it in the way they follow her.

We also follow two more characters this book. Bjorn, the traitor of the Battle-Grim and Elvars former lover, is our look into the following of Lik-Rifa. We get a better idea of why Bjorn did what he did in book 1. I'm not all of a sudden super sympathetic towards him but it does draw him away from just Bjorn the traitor. And then there is Gudvarr, the nephew to Jarl Sigrun and killer of the brother of Lif (the boy who travels with Orka). He gives us an insight into one of the big cities that has a link to Lik-Rifa. I hate Gudvarr but it was good to see some of the political scheming going on.

But most of all I loved the interactions between characters. Orka and Lif. Orka and the Bloodsworn. Orka and Elvar. Orka, Spert and Vesli. Elvar and her Battle-Grim. The Battle-Grim and Bloodsworn. The Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim with just their own. The jesting. The feelings. The learning. A lot of books can fall and stand with its characters and the relationships that are created, and I feel like this book continues doing that outstandingly

The Shadow of the Gods was my first ever book from John Gwynne and I knew that I was gonna definitely continue with the series and will most likely read all the books written by him. The Hunger of the Gods further cemented that thought. I absolutely loved this one and it did not suffer from the second book syndrome, if anything, it escalated the stakes for me. I can’t wait for the third book!

One of the best things this book has is a recap of what happened in the previous book, along with the character guide and Norse terminologies. That was a godsend because I wasn’t sure if I could actually get to re-read the first book before I could get to this one. Another great thing about this series is the covers, the first book was absolutely brilliant and the second is just as gorgeous and ominous! Now, onto the actual book itself.

It starts off where the first ended and we are met with Elvar, Orka and Varg. It was a bloody aftermath of the events that happened at the end of book one. While the first book had this anticipation of all three main POVs meeting up in an explosive way, they didn’t really have any interaction with each other till the near end of the book. In this one, we see that isn’t the case. Their missions are still their end goals but now they have more in common in a way. The found family aspect is still here and I am so glad of it. I am even more glad that the author included a certain someone’s POV to see how things felt the same and yet changed for that character. It was good to read because it showed that this person wasn’t completely black and white, that this person wasn’t left unaffected by the recent past.

I had really loved Orka’s story and how it developed over the course of the first book and the second installment only made me love her more. Sure, she didn’t have a lot of character development but the thing is, the second book made her more real and settled in the world for me so that’s a great plus in my eyes. As for Varg, I am a bit disappointed by the lack of action, or rather not as much action as Orka’s POV had. But! It was still great on its own, there were moments of intense emotions and those were great. I think mostly I saw the found family aspect of the book with Varg than with anyone else and that’s almost always a weakness of mine. So, of course, I ended up loving it too. As for Elvar, I think her importance to the plot increased in this book and with it, her character development and that made me more interested in how it’s gonna unfold for her in the upcoming book. The Battle-Grim and Elvar had such a great story to tell and I am mostly happy with what I got.

I think there’s something that might not sit well with some people and it’s slightly repetitive scenes and slight pacing issues. That might stop people from enjoying the book fully. For me, the battle scenes and the magic systems/gods made me love the book even more. It’s brutal and it’s bloody, there’s no doubt about it but it’s also so well-written. So, yeah, I ended up giving this one five stars despite having few little quibbles with it.

The Hunger of the Gods is the second book in the Bloodsworn Saga series and is a fantastic continuation from the first book, The Shadow of the Gods. The plot is compelling throughout, the characters are all well written and the world is a vivid one. It was so good to back in this world and with these characters. I cannot recommend this series enough, as well as the author's other series too. I can't wait for the next book in this series.