5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/05/02/the-hunger-of-the-gods-the-bloodsworn-saga-2-by-john-gwynne-wyrdandwonder-book-review/

My Five Word TL:DR Review : Even Better Than The First

Almost a year ago today I posted my review for The Shadow of the Gods. It was gushing. TSofGs was an absolutely fantastic start to series, I gave it an unabashed 5* for the absolute joy in reading that it inspired in me. So, how did The Hunger of the Gods stack up? It was even better. I don’t know how that’s possible but there you go – does that mean I rated the first book too highly? Not at all it simply means that I’m going to have to start adding extra little stars to this series. Be aware that this review may contain spoilers for book 1 so bear that in mind before reading.

To avoid this review turning into a dissertation I’m going to give only a brief overview of the plot here. We continue immediately where book 1 left off with the release of a dragon God. I mean, seriously, people, who would ever have thought that was a good idea? But, here we are, Lik-Rifa is released and has a vision of a new age wrought in blood. Meanwhile, Orka remains steadfast in the hunt for her son and has some fearsome company in her quest. The Bloodsworn have their very own mission with one of their own, Varg, having his own side quest and then we have Elvar and the Battle-grim, determined to win fame and glory and make daring rescues of their own.

I mean, on the face of it, when you spell it all out in that way, it seems like there’s a lot going on here but in actual fact it doesn’t feel overly complicated or busy when you’re reading. If anything it’s quite the opposite, it just all comes together so very well. I enjoyed all the switches in storylines and can genuinely say that this is such an exciting read because of that. There’s a lot of action, battles, politics and squirm-inducing critters but at the same time Gwynne takes the time to weave in the history and lore of the place and develop the characters really successfully as the story moves forward. The motivations are all so believable and there’s an epic sense of scope, particularly when you look at the Gods. In fact, let’s just take a moment to look at this aspect of the story. Clearly, this won’t be the first time that seasoned fantasy readers will have encountered Gods on this scale with all the sibling rivalry involved but what I love here is that all the Gods have their own natures linked to particular animals and over time, through interactions with humans, some of these traits have been passed on – such descendants being known as the Tainted. I love this aspect of the story and the way it changes the nature of the battles involved.

Gwynne is an author who excels at action scenes and all them are breathtakingly described. I had my heart in my throat every time shields locked wondering whether any favourites would fall under the axe, and I’m not going to lie, this is an author who isn’t shy of killing off some of his people so don’t become complacent in that respect because anything can happen. But, it’s not all action. There’s wonderful moments of camaraderie and banter, or cunning snippets of other scenes playing out and weaving the story together. The pacing is just so well planned and I loved the way that as the story progresses you have these shorter chapters that really pack a punch. I mean in one respect, as the tension rose I found myself thinking ‘nooooooo’ when we jumped pov just as something tantalising was revealed, everything became so intense and yet at the same time I have to acknowledge it drove my reading on into the early hours with the age old ‘just one more chapter’.

I don’t know what more I can say, I feel like I’m waxing lyrical about this and I’m in danger of going overboard with the praise but I can’t help myself. I’m having such a good time with this series that I don’t want anyone to miss out. A fantastic storyline, amazing characters, pacing perfection, sublime writing, some downright icky characters – all I can say right now is the thing with the tongues! Why, just why was there a need to go there? If you love fantasy and you’re not reading this series then I implore you, do yourself a favour and get on board. I have so much emotion right now – I’m watching Gwynne and thinking it’s going to be a long wait for the next book.

That is all.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 5* (I would actually give it 5.5 if I could!)

John Gwynne has become one of my favourite authors after reading The Hunger of the Gods and now I need to read all of his backlist.
First of all, I loved the cover art for this book too and second I really appreciated the fact that the author included a brief summary of what happened in book 1 so you can refresh your memory.

Let's get to my review now. I loved this book too. We now have more POVs to follow besides Orka, Elvar and Varg but that didn't cause any problem but they added more to the story. The new POVs are Biorr and Gudvarr.
The story begins from where we have left it in The Shadow of the Godsb and now the storylines of our main characters are interconnected. The book continues to be brutal and with many battle scenes.
In this book I loved even more Orka's character and I really liked the relationship dynamics between her and the supporting characters.
The ending was really intense and now I need book 3 asap.

Just as brilliant as book one!
Elvar's POVs was a bit boring (but I didn't enjoy them in book one either) but the rest was great.
Can't wait for book three!

The dead gods are rising…

I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series, The Shadow of the Gods, before reading The Hunger of The Gods. Some (small) spoilers revealed below!

The epic Bloodsworn Saga continues with The Hunger of the Gods. Prepare for more action, adventure, nightmarish creatures and vengeance galore. I adored The Shadow of the Gods but the second book surpasses it in terms of the world-building, evolution of the characters and the major twists and gasp-inducing sequences of action which abound throughout the book.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god has risen. She’s seeking to establish her domination of the entire world and to seek vengeance on those who imprisoned her. Orka, Varg and Elvar return to continue on their personal journeys; their fates entwining further as the story progresses. Told from the point of view of the three main characters, Gwynne introduces two new narrators, Biorr and Gudvarr, who appeared as peripheral characters in the first book. I really enjoyed seeing events from their point of view (I thoroughly despise the drip-nosed brat Gudvarr!) Gwynne gives each of these characters a unique voice, their thoughts and memories drawing the reader further into the story and the world conjured on the pages.

Orka remains my favourite character. Torn between her warrior and maternal sides, Orka remains true to her blood oath to find her son and avenge her husband’s death. The characters are superbly developed by Gwynne and I was captivated from start to finish by this story.

Gwynne’s imagination has run riot on the pages of The Hunger of the Gods- the creatures are even more terrifying than those in the first book. I’m still getting over the chapter that included the “tungumater” (tongue-eater). And yes, they are as terrifying as what you are currently imagining right now!

I can’t wait to see what happens in the concluding book to the Bloodsworn Saga. A fast-paced, dark, gritty epic adventure perfect for fans of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series and of course, Beowulf.

I had to concentrate a lot while reading this to remember who was who and where everyone was but that aside, I really enjoyed it!
The world is rich and varied , as are the characters and I found myself completely immersed in the story as soon as I got my head back in the world!
The writing is amazing.

Please note, The Hunger of the Gods is the second book in an ongoing series. I would strongly advise reading book one, The Shadow of the Gods, before proceeding further as what follows will likely contain minor spoilers. Consider yourself duly warned.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own – and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her.

Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.

Their hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

I’ve been looking forward to this. The Shadow of the Gods was one of my standout novels of 2021. In The Hunger of the Gods, events pick up directly after the end of book one. The dragon god, Lik-Rifa, has been released upon the world and there are a hardy few willing to take up the cause and stand against her.

Orka remains my favourite character. There is such a grim determination in everything she does. No obstacle, however huge, is insurmountable. Orka’s a fantastical Sarah Connor. Absolutely nothing will stop her from finding, and protecting, her son. Where the characterisation excels is in exploring the depth of her loss. Orka’s husband is still warm in the ground, but she has no time to mourn, she has to cope with the trauma of her only child’s kidnapping. It seems Orka only ever finds anything close to peace when she gives herself over to her bloodlust. In those moments, everything else slips away. In the moment there is no pain, no suffering, only action and reaction. It reads like an addictive oblivion, that can only be found in the heart of a battle. I see it as a mark of just how broken Orka is, that the numbness of conflict is the only thing that can offer any respite. In a book where there is so much bloodletting and violence, there is always a concern that in the quieter moments things might feel a little flat. Not so in this case. When the fighting stops, and the adrenaline burns away, we get the opportunity to learn how it is only anger and grief that keeps Orka moving forward. Gwynne makes her raw emotion feel palpable. It very nearly leaps off the page.

The other characters are just as well observed but we’d be here all day if I spent time just trying to dissect them all. Suffice to say, we’re all good on that front.

Another thing that struck me there is a rhythm to the narrative where the various threads of the plot are drawn together and then split apart again. It makes things feel like a proper Scandinavian saga of old. Elements weave in and out of the warp and weft of the story. I particularly enjoy the instances where characters we already know meet for the first time. You get their impressions as they size one another up. We’ve already followed them separately, but it gives new insight into viewing them from someone else’s perspective. Clever stuff, eh?

Gwynne’s writing hits the mark every time when it comes to the frenetic chaos of the various battles and fights. The Bloodsworn are all driven by the blood of the gods in their veins. When called upon they give that power free reign to run wild. When it comes to the action scenes you just have to hold on and hope you live to see the other side. Everywhere you look there are literal guts, bloody gore and everything in-between.

Over and above the first-class characterisation and the gasp-inducing action scenes, the thing that really stands out for me is the way the author blends the historic elements of Norse culture and their mythology with his evocative fantasy world. Everything dovetails so perfectly. Look, I know I’m fashionably late to the party and Gwynne has been publishing novels for a decade now, but this is the first series of his I have read. The good news is that The Bloodsworn Saga acts as the ideal gateway drug to his writing. This is an author whose work I’m sure I’m going to keep coming back to again and again. Things couldn’t be better from where I’m stood, there is a whole back catalogue for me to go out there and devour.

As an aside, Gwynne gets extra points for choosing to use a wheel of cheese as an offensive weapon. Well played.

The Shadow of the Gods was a great book, The Hunger of the Gods surpasses it. The characters are given the opportunity to evolve, the pace of the story never lets up and there is that promise of much more left still to discover. I loved every word.

The Hunger of the Gods is published by Orbit and is now. Highly recommended.

My musical recommendation had to be something suitably vast and anthemic to capture the tone of the novel, so I went with a known quantity. I listened to God of War by Bear McCreary while reading this book. They complement one another perfectly. I’m sure Orka and Kratos would be most appreciative of this choice. They both favour the direct no-nonsense approach to problem-solving.

Book 2 of this incredible series, and the plot thickens …

<Spoilers abound from this point - especially if you haven’t read Book 1>


So in this book we get more of everything. We get more of Orka trying to get her son back and going to all the lengths, doing whatever it takes and killing anyone that gets in her way. We get more Gods - Lik-Rifa was freed at the end of Book 1 and is set on world domination. Ulfrir the Wolf God, Rotta and Orna make appearances. We also get more of snivelling snot face that is Gudvar - who takes being a weasel to new heights. I cannot wait till he dies. My 2 favourite rag tag groups are still the there - the Blood sworn are still battling to save Vol and outwit their enemies, and the Battle Grim fall under new leadership - Elvar ascends to new heights as she manages to hold a god in thrall.

This brings me back to some of the morally grey issues. Lik-Rifa and her followers are painted as the bad guys even though they are the ones trying to free the tainted, and stop slavery. Yet they are the same ones abducting children and brain washing them. Same with Elvar and the Battle Grim - they are the “good guys” but they still enslave people and even have the balls to enslave Ulfrir. Elvar has the most character development as she’s grown in strength, taken on more responsibility and does some brilliant cunning moves especially at the end.

All in all it was really fun to get back into this world and reconnect with the characters. The first book was thrilling because I was discovering all the characters and their connections and each new development was like an explosive plot twist. This is less that because we’ve met all the characters already and JG already set the stage. Not to say there isn’t tension or surprises or even action - it’s all there in spades. Just a little muted compared to book 1. Cannot wait for the next one - 4.5 stars.

Shadow of the gods was one of my favorite books of 2021. So I had high hopes for The Hunger Of the Gods. It is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. And I am happy to say, it met all of my expectations and was just epic!!

The Hunger of the gods is the second book in The Bloodsworn Saga. It picks up right after where we left off in The Shadow of the Gods. One of the things I really appreciate about Gwynne is how he has included a character's list and the story so far section. This really helps in refreshing my memory and also keeping track of who's who, especially when the books are published with some time between them.

The story is set in a Norse-inspired world called Vigrið. We follow our 3 main Characters Orka, Elvar and Varg after the events of book 1 into new adventures. Lik-Rifa has risen and now the Battle-Grim needs to find a way to restore the balance. The solution is the kind with lots of danger. Battle-Grim's decision will change the world once again tipping the scales and creating more conflict. The high stakes all-out war breaks out threatening the land of Vigrið.

The best thing about this book is the character work. I love that john Gwynne has created some of the best female characters in this book. They are all extremely powerful warriors with so many layers to them. It's always amazing to explore multi-dimensional characters. This was a thrilling adventure and we get to not only follow our 3 main characters in TSOG, we also get two additional POVs from the antagonist's of the story.

Overall, this is a fantastic continuation of the Shadow of the Gods. It's a slow burn fantasy like the first one with the tension and momentum building gradually up towards the end. And that finale is one heck of an explosive sequence. The book ends on a cliffhanger and did leave me with a lot of questions. I can't wait to get my hands on the 3rd book and find out what will happen to our Warbands.

As of this writing, I was still thinking about the last few pages of this novel, then I came to a sad realization that I had to wait for the next book to come. The Hunger of the Gods indulges its readers in the filmic, epic battle in the vicious land of Vigrið.

If you were like who who was lazy to reread the first book and forget most of what happened in the story, fret not since there was a detailed recap where the story left off. Moreover, there was a glossary, character list, and a pronunciation guide.

Plotwise, it was more brutal and gripping; the stakes were higher, it had back-to-back action scenes, and the thematic significance subplots were well-written. The story was told in multiple perspectives, and I liked the two additional POVs for it made me appreciate the morally gray angle presented in the story. I felt like I was more invested in the characters here compared to the first book. Orka's POV was my favorite back then. There was not much happening here for she was already set on her revenge and rescue of her son Breca, but it was still nice to see her interact with other supporting characters. Varg's arc continued the theme of found family as he travelled with the Bloodsworn. His relationship with them was more solid as the idea of brotherhood and belongingness slowly sunk into his thought cage. Lastly, Elvar's POV was a complete surprised since her POV was my least favorite in The Shadow of the Gods. Her character development was so satisfying! She stepped up and became more mature, cunning, and courageous. Her chapters were definitely the ones I was always looking forward to while reading this.

The minor thing that kept me from giving this a full 5 stars rating was the pacing. The traveling parts were a little bit dragging at times. Also, there were times that I forgot the places where everyone was at the moment because of the constant movements from one place to another. Nevertheless, it was still a helluva book.

Overall, The Hunger of the Gods is a thrilling sequel with ruthless action sequences grimdark readers will enjoy. I cannot wait for the next book!

4.5/5 stars!

The Hunger of the Gods is the second book in the Bloodsworn Saga. This book was one of my anticipated releases for 2022. It started where the first book left off. The only thing I can say about The Hunger of the Gods is epic. We follow the same characters as the first book but also there were a few new POVs. I think that really adds a lot to the story. I pretty much love all the main characters but also John Gwynne wrote amazing side characters too. Every side character had a unique character and that was really fun to read.
In this book, the world grew a lot. Bloodsworn travel to Iskidan to save Vol. We learn a little bit about Iskidan too. I think John Gwynne's writings is amazing. He can describe battle scenes very vividly. He created an amazing world and story.
Overall, if you like Norse inspired stories, gods and battles this book is definitely for you. I can't wait for the final book and after that cliffhanger, I need it now. I know the final is going to be epic too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Thanks to netgalley and @orbitbooks for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
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4,5/5
The Hunger of the Gods is the next instalment in the Bloodsworn Saga and one of the new releases I was most looking forward to this year. Even though I didn't read The Shadow of the Gods until right before the second book, I found it very helpful that there was a summary of what happened in the first part at the beginning. Actually, it should be obligatory that there is such a summary in epic fantasy or sci-fi books. We follow Orka, Varg and Elvar, among others, again, but get the pov's of a few side characters, which gave the story even more depth.
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Orka, however, remained my favourite perspective. Her strength and determination to achieve her goal, driven by her love for her loved ones is just inspiring to read. Also, how she always wants to be strong and aloof, but can't help helping other people and taking them into her heart made her quickly become and stay my favourite character. In Varg and Elvar's chapters you continue to get a lot of found family feelings, which I really liked in the first part. Elvar in particular has undergone a great development and has interested me much more in this book. One of the new perspectives was Gudvarr, who brings a villain point of view to the story, but also has many facets, as his actions and his thoughts are often far apart. Without saying more, this makes him a really interesting character.
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It doesn't get a full 5 stars, however, because the characters travelled too much for me. That is necessary for the story, but I would have liked to get to know a place a little longer. Also, there were a bit too many fight scenes, not all of them were necessary for the story in my opinion.

4.25 stars

The Hunger of the Gods is the second book in the bloodsworn trilogy and is just as action packed, relentless and ruthlessly compelling as the first. Set against the backdrop of the land of Vigrid, a desolate viking inspired land where the gods have died and violence runs rampant. We follow our characters on their journeys to pursue family and self acceptance and explore human nature in all it's gritty reality.

We start this book at pretty much exactly where book 1 left off, continuing to follow Orka, Elvar and Varg on their journeys. Orka is still in pursuit of her son, Breca and teams up with some of the bloodsworn to try and find him, along the way encountering old enemies and new foes. Elvar is dealing with the implications of the end of book one and must be a temporary leader for the battle-grim and their new godly allies to try defeat the dragon god lik-rifa. Varg has found his place among the bloodsworn and they are now in pursuit of the bloodsworn leader Glornir's wife - the witch Vol who is in the hands of enemies. We also get the additional POVs of Biorr and Gudvarr, which initially I was a bit unsure about as both are quite unlikable characters and more on the side of the 'villains' but I did actually feel their POVs added a lot to the story and provided a greater scope of what was going on in the world.

I really loved all the gods in this one. I'm a complete sucker in fantasy books for gods meddling in events and I love that the main conflict in this book is to do with the rising gods. Lik-rifa the dragon god is pretty much set up as the main villain of the series but you all know how I feel about an evil sexy woman lol. Ulfrir is very interesting and quite mysterious and Rotta is very sneaky but kind of charming. I'm also super intrigued by Skuggar, who if they turn out to be a character I think I will love. I also like exploring how the "tainted" (humans with god-blood) are treated in the world and how the reawakening of the gods might begin to change this dynamic.

I also enjoyed getting to see a bit more of Breca in this one, his little personality is so loveable and sassy (in a really weird way he reminded me of percy jackson haha) and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in book 3!! Spert and Vesli are also adorable and elevate this book for me because whenever a book has cute animal companions I will instantly love it 1000% more. I really loved all the other creatures we see in this book as well.

The writing and atmosphere are both excellent. I'm a big fan of all John Gywnne's books but I honestly think this book stepped it up with the prose a bit and for the first time reading one of his books I was like 'wow I really like this writing style' whereas before his writing was always good but kind of similar to Sanderson in the way you don't notice it. He also manages to create an absolutely impeccable atmosphere, this feels like THE series to read if you want viking fantasy, you truly feel transported to early 100s AD Scandinavia. From the imagery, the food descriptions, the weapon descriptions, the clothes, the language and names every detail is meticulously crafted and well researched and creates a fantastic reading experience.

One really small detail that I love is how they call brains 'thought cages' - it makes me chuckle every time haha.

John Gywnne is also very good at writing battle scenes and action. Sometimes there are a few too many for my taste but they are all very well written and easy to follow, whilst keeping you on the edge of your seat.

This series is fantastic but I think the only thing that keeps it from being 5 stars and a new all time favourite is that for me none of the characters are super standout and I don't really completely love any of them. They are all interesting to read about but I think I'm just not that emotionally attached. It is the nature of the book so it's not really a criticism but every character we follow is a powerful warrior and sometimes this does get a bit same-y between the POVs.

Overall I would highly recommend this series if you are looking for an action packed, Viking inspired series with god-magic, lots of fighting and a look at the lengths people go to for their families. Book 2 is just as good as book 1, if not better (I think I prefer book 2) and I absolutely cannot wait to see how this trilogy wraps up -especially after that cliff-hanger!!

What an absolutely astonishing sequel to Shadow of the Gods! John spins a tale of epic proportions and provides a masterclass in story-telling.

This book starts directly after Shadow, and as well as returning to Orka, Elvar and Varg, we have another two characters viewpoints - Guthvarr and Biorr. Whilst arguably one could say these are the 'bad guys' John does an outstanding job of demonstrating that everyone is the hero of their own story and he brings a complexity and depth to his characters that I've rarely seen in other books. Speaking of which - the general character building is exceptional. I didn't just care for our three protagonists, but numerous side characters (I confess, I'm a little in love with Einar. And Svik. And Grend... ) Shout out to Orka and Elvar - two of the strongest female leads in a book I've come across.

The story itself is phenomenal - as with Shadow, there's a lovely build up to the finale of the book - it's completely immersive with nail-biting tension and action-packed battles - and an ending that had me shouting "what??!!" Ack, to have to wait for the final installment !

This is arguably one of the best books I've ever read and will remain in my thought-cage for some time.

Oh - and just a moment to appreciate the start of this book - where John provides a summary of book 1, a reminder of who the characters are and a pronunciation guide.

4,5 stars

This was one of the most anticipated books of the year and it didn’t disappoint. And I absolutely loved the recap of the previous book. Wish more books had one.

The book starts where the last book ended. Orka is trying to find his son, Varg wants to find his sister and Elvar is looking for her own vengeance. Orka is still my favourite by far. I liked Varg’s chapters but mostly because the other members of the group are interesting. Elvar’s chapters were the least interesting, but they weren’t bad. It was great to see that she has grown and found herself. I liked seeing how the different storylines merged with each other.

My only minor issue is with the pacing. There’s a lot of travelling in the book and it slowed the pace a bit at times. But that was pretty much my only problem, and it wasn’t a huge one. But there are also a lot of battles so there is plenty of action too.

I can’t wait for the next book and what happens next! Because it was an evil way to end the book…

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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This continues straight from the end of the first book and so it was easy to get back into the world without having to orient myself into a new scene and grasp for any sense.

Gwynne explores more characters, settings and a fresh plot that has unpredictable twists and turns. I really enjoyed this sequel and can't wait for the next book!

Full review to come.

Overall rating: 5/5 stars

The Hunger of the Gods is the epic, action packed, and gripping second book of the Bloodsworn Saga.
It starts just after the previous book ended and it's an exciting ride that never drags.
There's a lot of world building, new characters, some funny and some very sad moments.
I appreciated the summary at the beginning of the book and list of characters.
An exciting and entertaining epic fantasy.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Hunger of the Gods is out!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I was lucky enough to receive an eArc of this so I read it a couple of weeks ago but wanted to wait until publication day to post my review.

The Hunger of the Gods starts off straight after The Shadow of the Gods so you're immediately immersed in the same world again. John Gwynne introduces some new character POVs whilst maintaining the original Orka, Varg and Elvar and these characters help to deepen the story. We also travel more so the story definitely broadens and deepens.
I loved seeing the characters lives intersect, it was so interesting seeing them through each others eyes. There's lots of action, intrigue and heartbreaking moments, I can't believe it took me so long to discover John Gwynne.

#bloodswornsaga #TheHungeroftheGods #orbitbooks #netgalley #theDeadGodsareRising #norsemythology

I adored The Shadow of the Gods and I was chomping at the bit to read the second book in the trilogy and boy, did it deliver.

John Gwynne possesses a fantastic imagination and I love how he incorporates in depth knowledge of Viking culture, history and Norse mythology into the themes and elements of this story.

Orka, Varg and Elvar are back again and we also now have additional points of view from two of the other characters (not saying who because…spoilers) which was a fun addition. As per the first book, I struggled a bit to engage with Elvar’s character although she definitely does show some growth in this book which piqued my interest as to where her character goes next. I also enjoyed reading more about Varg although it seems there are still answers to come with regards to what he seeks. Orka…I would literally die for her. She is the best, the greatest, the numero uno. I love her. Forever and ever, Amen.

We learn a lot more about the gods in this instalment which is great because they are SO %*@&$#£# cool. I would read the hell out of a prequel to this series which told their story. The creativity and imagination Gwynne has spun when putting together the lore for this series is just * chef kiss *

I thought the story was paced effectively throughout and the build up to the ending was nerve shredding. I kept putting the book down during the last 3% because it was so tense. It was that funny mix of it being so exciting yet not wanting it to end. I literally kicked my sandal across the room when I got to the end to release some tension.

So long story short, I loved it. I’m really excited to see where these characters go next. I know the author has suffered a huge personal tragedy with the death of his daughter so it may be some time before he is in a place to finish the series but some things are worth waiting for.

Superb writing. Gwynne always managed to awe his readers with finesse fight scenes and astounding characters! Orka, Elvar, and other notable characters made this sequel a thrill to the end.


Looking forward the final and 3rd book!

The Hunger of the Gods is the second book in John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga. If you haven’t read The Shadow of the Gods, go back and start there.

This felt like quite a demanding read, due to the sheer volume of characters and plot threads at play. For this reason, the cast list and recap of The Shadow of the Gods found at the start of the book were both much appreciated. The number of characters within this book inevitably relegates many of them to mere names on a page, but the six POV characters are all well defined and fleshed out.

The Hunger of the Gods does what any good ‘middle book’ of a trilogy should do – it builds upon and enhances the world set up in book one, whilst setting the stage tentalisingly for the final book in the series. This is Viking and Nordic God-inspired fantasy done well. There are few people who write a battle scene as well as John Gwynne.

If you enjoyed The Shadow of the Gods, you’ll adore this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.