The third book in the Gael Song series opens in 1011 AD. Ireland faces a conflict between the mortal kingdoms and the Fomorians and Descendants, who both seek dominion over the mortal world. Gormflaith, the queen of King Brian, plans to establish control over Ireland and destroy the Descendants, but she cannot do it alone. The Descendants are divided, and Fódla, a former member of King Brian's inner circle, must use this division to thwart treacherous plots. With lives on the line, Fódla must reveal the evil in time. As secret schemes come to fruition, the only possible outcome is war, and the clash will change the course of history forever.

With Ireland united under a single monarch, the book begins with Ireland enjoying peace. Together with her brother Murchad, Queen Gormflaith watches and plots to shape events to her own advantage, with the added edge of now possessing the witch power of a descendant to augment her own Fomorian fire magic.

Fódla and Gormflaith continue to shine in the Gael song series, and adding different viewpoints from other characters, such as Murchad and Colmon, adds to a more complex and compelling story. The Land of the Living Dead allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the mythology of Ireland while creating a more character-driven, perfectly paced story, making it impossible to put the book down until you finish it.

Ending a series is no easy feat, and while Lawless delivers in almost every way possible, the ending of The Land of the Living Dead felt somewhat rushed. The rest of The Land of the Living Dead was perfectly paced, but the ending felt like there wasn’t enough time to fully digest the events of the book, from the loss of certain characters to the victories. Some plot points were left to have an ambiguous ending, and while it does work, it will leave readers a little frustrated, but perhaps that is because Lawless has plans to continue the series in some way. Either way, it’s a fantastic read that will have you wanting more of the world that Lawless creates.

A book can only be as good as the characters, and Lawless creates fantastic, intricate characters that allow you to be fully enthralled in the series while learning about history in a way that doesn’t feel like a lesson. Murchad, Broccan, and Tairdelbach are characters that could have done with a little more time on the page, purely because these were fantastic characters to read. Lawless sets up the scene for the next generation of characters, and if her next piece of work is anything like The Land of the Living Dead, it will be an excellent read.

Ending the Gael song trilogy with The Land of the Living Dead offers a near-perfect end with complex, exciting storylines with Irish mythologies as its backdrop. Lawless creates an engrossing, twisting story that dramatically weaves in history, culminating in an unexpected ending, making it a perfect choice for readers who enjoy myth and history.

I've thought about this book and the characters every day since I finished it!

The Land of the Living and the Dead picks up ten years after The Words of Kings and Prophets. However, Shauna has created such a well developed world and characters that you feel like you haven't missed anything.

Before reading, I wasn't sure I was emotionally prepared for what might happen to the characters l've come to love. I felt all of the emotions while reading - happiness, anxiety, anger, heartache, joy and sadness. There were so many twists and turns and it was difficult to put down.

The ending was simultaneously heartbreaking and beautiful - I loved it! I cannot wait to see what Shauna writes next and I will definitely be reading whatever it is.

If you love books with realistic and flawed characters, well developed settings, politics and strategy, The Gael Song series is absolutely for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Wow what a book. Picking up around a decade after book 2, The Land of the Living and the Dead is another triumph by Shauna Lawless. I am constantly on the hunt for well-written, nuanced FMCs that range from a little twisted to morally black, and Gormflaith classes up there among my favourites with her cunning.

The POV characterisations in general have been so incredible throughout this entire trilogy, and this book continued this to make the ending pack a PUNCH; I was fighting for my life tearing up 😅

There are a few aspects to the ending that I think would’ve made it even stronger if they had been expanded on/hinted at just a little more (no spoilers but specifically about Donnchad), but all in all, this series was delightful and I’ll be looking to continue the journey in this world with her next series!

Oof this series was amazing in every way. I never got an arc for a series I'm so invested in . I dropped everything and read it. This series got me im a chokehold. Sad it ended but , thank you so much for allowing me to have this arc.

I don’t know how Shauna Lawless to balance character driven and plot driven writing, yet she’s done it again. After two books and two novellas, the third and final book of the “Gael Song” series dances between the two concepts like she would dance an Irish jig. She makes it look easy from the outside but it is actually a very complicated goal to achieve. In a way, it is like trying to untangle a Celtic knot.

I recognize that I was a bit afraid of this book before reading it, mainly because I am deeply emotionally involved in these characters and their development. Knowing that Irish legends, myths, and songs almost always have a gloomy or tragic feel beneath the words and the melodies I was prepared for something great in terms of storytelling but I had no hope of a happy ending (which isn’t a bad thing per se). A few months prior to reading this book Shauna herself without unveiling anything plot-wise, had warned me that I would probably cry. And she was right. But you know, there are tears of sadness and rage and there are tears of joy as well, what kind of tears I shed I won’t tell so don’t take anything for granted before the end of this book.

The only certainty is that Fódla’s and some other characters’ stories end here. Forgive me for keeping the plot of this third book a secret, but I believe that these secrets and tribulations are for you to unveil, just know that it’s so worth the while. I can guarantee that the “Gael Song” books leave a tattoo in your heart and your soul, that’s all you need to know. As for the end of the series, well, it is an end. Some doors are closing here but also some others are opening, there’s hope for the future and some of the characters’ paths are only beginning. Something new, as fearsome and as hopeful as the day that Fódla started her own journey, is being born. Ancient legends and myths never end, they just become other people’s stories, tangled with other stories in the unfihished tale that is History, combined with folklore, magic, and fantasy. After all, this is how legends are born. How lucky we are that we have a master storyteller to guide us through the darkness into the light.

This is not over. YET.

Really interesting read with a good mix between historical and fantasy, my Irish history is shockingly bad so I wasn't aware that the bones of the story were real until the epilogue- I did feel like this book was setting up for book 2 a bit too much

I tried so hard to get into this. I read the first two books to prepare to read this arc. I truly just don’t think it is for me. I had to DNF. I didn’t even want to finish the first 2 books, but I don’t think it’s a case of this was a bad book, I think it’s a personal thing. I even think that it may just be the right book, wrong time kinda thing too. I might come back to this series and end up loving it. But right now, I wasn’t enjoying it.

Read The Dreams of Fire and The Land of the Living and the Dead one after the other. It was a wild ride into myth, an experience that kept turning pages.
Great world building and excellent storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Mesmerizing read that masterfully blends history with haunting elements. I was captivated by the rich historical detail and the way Lawless brought the setting to life, making it feel almost like a character in its own right. The characters were well drawn, with complex motivations that kept me invested in their journeys.
However, there were moments when the pacing dragged a bit, and I found myself wanting to move through some slower sections more quickly. Despite that, the evocative storytelling and emotional depth make this a compelling book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD completes this sage of Irish history and magic with epic battles and lots of betrayal.

This is an epic instalment, as you'd expect for a finale that brings together a history full of family squabbles and battles with magic and mythology. There is a giant battle and lots of bickering (not all of it fermented by Gormflaith, but a lot is as she cannot stop stirring the pot.) There is also the most magic used in this book, and I loved seeing it unleashed and used in a variety of ways.

There is a large cost to this book, so many characters dying and the ones who don't, often paying heavy prices for survival - except those who fall into the category of "life/those around them drops things into their laps and take it as their due." It was certainly a wrench when some of my favourites died to further the aims of those I didn't like as much.

Murchad is a narrator in this book! I was so excited when I saw his first chapter (he is a minor POV like Ronnat and Colman). He's been so important to events through the books, so to finally get a glimpse into his thoughts was great. Plus his perspective let the book sit in the thick of the battles and all their chaos.

While this closes off the main part of the series, there is a novella to come later on, which is excited - a bit more time left in this world!

The Gael Song series is one the most satisfying reads! The character arcs are just amazing, I absolutely love to hate characters and I definitely did! The political juggling and intrigue is immense and honestly at times nail biting. I love the Irish history, the battles, the magic and the high stakes! I know there is more to come in this world and the ending is definitely open for a new flame haired badass FMC! I wasn’t sure at one point how it was going to end when I was at 85% and I knew so much action was to come - I think it all happened quickly but also true to life as that’s how fast change does happen. This is a series I will constantly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

It has been 3 days since I finished this book and I am still not over the ending!!!

the most negative thing i have to say is that we get more povs in this book, which usually wouldn't be a bad thing for me but this book is all 1st person, which I really don't like with multiple povs.
Otherwise, I still love the characters! Fondla's growth and her finally standing in for herself, even if she was a lot less of an active participant in this part of the story. Partially that is because Fodla's arc was in big parts already done after book 2. Her Arc was always more introspective than Gorflaith's. It was about finding her confidence, which she did at the end of book one. As such, while there still are some obstacles to her happiness those are more plot contrivances than true problems.
Except for Gormflaith. Since she is such a Bitch (in the best way) she is very much the antagonist. And on top of that an antagonist that Fodla still doesn't know about at the beginning of the book. Giving the antagonist one of the main povs was honestly genius. Seeing Fodla slowly building happiness while knowing what Gormflaith was scheming gave me so much anxiety!!!
An lastly the ending. i think not everyone will be happy bc it is quite open and feels like a setup for following future characters. HOWEVER 30 pages from the end and I still wrote a friend that I wasn't sure if it was gonna end good and if any characters were gonna survive. And as someone who has read as much as me that's hard to do!

If you haven't been keeping up with the Gael Song Saga by Shauna Lawless the third installment The Land of the Living and the Dead is due out in September. I've had the luxury of not only keeping up with the series but absolutely loving it even if it has some of my usual struggles present. I'll get into that in just a moment. Leading up to the third book, I first want to take a brief look back and mention that I have previously given both The Children of Gods and Fighting Men as well as The Words of Kings and Prophets 5-Stars each. I had high hopes for this one and it was not only on my radar but I was watching almost daily for it to become available as soon as I first heard mention of it hitting the UK.

The pacing was smooth as far as timing goes. I will say The Land of the Living and the Dead seemed even more intense than the previous two. I'm not sure if it was due to the anticipation of reading it, wondering if this would be the last book in the series or simply a writing design by the author. I posted online last night immediately after finishing the book that I was emotionally drained. This is where I'll mention that I still struggle with so many of the names within this book, series and story. I believe I did a bit better with them this time though. I don't know if I'm getting more familiar with many of them or if the added index of names at the beginning of the book continue to help me. I'm thinking a bit of both. I do love the fact that Shauna includes this addition section to start the book, not only to help me with internal pronunciations but also as a bit of a refresher of things that have already passed in the story.

The world building is still simply amazing. Shauna mentions in each of her books that she has done considerable amount of research from Irish history when putting these together. It's difficult to believe just so much of this epic tale might have actually taken place. I think this fact alone helps me get lost in this world. This is certainly a dark and gritty world but those moments of hope or happiness shin all the brighter when we do come across them. Considering some of my recent reads are on such a grand scale of complete worlds or even universes, this world seems just as epic due to the descriptive writing the author brings to us. One other thing I will mention beyond Irish history and I won't get into any debate as to religions or magics but in this story these are woven in to perfection to make an extraordinary story.

The character development was once again top shelf! So many character arcs came full circle as our core groups returned to locations setting up history altering moments in book three. Seeing so many relationships begin, change directions or conclude is just one of the aspects that made this read so intense for me. Epic battles where you aren't sure who may turn sides or who may become the heroes. There is rather large amount of loss experienced in this story, so prepare yourself. I will say that I couldn't be happier with one specific pair that finally get to come together and experience happiness if only for what seems a very short amount of time. Shauna also does a fantastic job in writing characters I simply cannot stand and need to see them get what's coming to them. Oh are there plenty of these!

Seeing some of the younger generation grow up in this read was also really good to see. It also put some of the other arcs of more magical characters into perspective when you take a step back and consider how many generations they have seen come and go over the decades or centuries.

In the end I'm still not sure where things go from here. It was a great ending to this story but it's certainly open for more. I'm not aware if Shauna continues to add to this saga and if so how many books she has in mind. If she doesn't I'm still happy where things left off here. If she does, I'll be keeping up with what comes next.

If you haven't had a chance to read any of Gael Song Saga yet and you enjoy a solid mix of Irish Mythology, Historical Fiction and Epic Fantasy, do yourself a favor and pick up book one The Children of God and Fighting Men. If you have already started this journey and liked what you read in books one or two, keep going!

I did not realize that this was part of a series and though I tried to read and enjoy it, it was a bit too complicated to jump into so it was a DNF until I can get my hands on the first two books! From what I can tell this is an epic series with great writing in one of the coolest settings in history!

What a beautiful book and series.

Shauna Lawless has an amazing ability to take you through the world building while continuing to integrate the narrative of the story. Truly a skill as an author.

The story is so full. From well round characters, a complex story, politics, magic, fight scenes, and more. It's a wonderful mix of Irish mythology, history, and fiction. This series is one of my favourites of all time, and I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to read an ARC.

The ending landed beautifully and impactfully. This story has taken me through some many emotions, and the last novel of this trilogy has met the standard the other two novels set. A gut wrenching, heart pounding, and emotive read all round.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book, as the rest of the series was so good! The characters are complex and multi-faceted, and we get to see a lot of hidden layers in this book. Now that Broccan and Tairdelbrach have grown up, and Donnchad has become older, we get to see more of their characters in action. I'm really hoping that there are more books in this series, as there were some loose ends that I really want to see completed!
The writing was immersive, atmospheric, and hard-hitting. I loved all the different political plots and the spin that the author took on the Battle of Clontarf. While I am not very well-versed in Irish mythology or history, I definitely want to learn more after reading these books!
Fans of the series can expect action, intrigue, suspense and heartbreak in the newest installment of the Gael Song series. I can't wait to read what Shauna Lawless writes next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC!

To start, I will say that Gael Song is one of the best series I have ever read. I devoured the first two books and two novellas last month and was desperate to get to this book. I stopped everything when I was approved for this ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review The Land of the Living and the Dead.

What a conclusion. I am devastated that this portion of the story has ended, but elated to know there will be a next era of this world. The way Shauna Lawless wraps Irish history, mythology and fantasy elements together so seamlessly into one beautiful story makes you feel like this could have actually happened the way she wrote it. The way you become so intimate with these characters who are real players in the bloody history between the Irish and the Vikings is so well crafted that you cannot help but be immersed in this story.

The opening of this third installment is a decade after the second book ends. Ireland is united under High King Brian Boru, with both Irish and Vikings (omentarily) living peacefully. If we know the ambition of Gormflaith though, we know this will not last. She sees to it to set her son, Sitric onto her husband's throne. War ensues and Shauna brings an accuracy to the battle of Clontarf that will make you wish you could change history.

Meanwhile Fodla, Coleman and Broccan are ready to uncover the treachery that Tomas has been sewing so that they can return to their friends in Killaloe. Fodla has been waiting many years to see Murchad again in hopes that he still loves her as he once did. Her sister's prophecies sit in the back of her mind, knowing danger could be around every corner, threatening to take those who she loves most.

I love these books, the characters, the backdrop of Ireland is so well described throughout that you can feel the salt air on your skin. Shauna Lawless is now an autobuy author for me. I will never stop thinking about or talking about this series. Well done. NOW I NEED THE LAST NOVELLA!

The Land of the Living and the Dead is the third and final book of the Gael Song series by Shauna Lawless.
The story picks up 11 years after the events of book 2. Our characters are ready for new steps, new beginnings and new battles. Gormflaith is still trying to get more power for herself and her family, and also waiting for a time when Fomorians can return to their former glory. And Fodla needs to be cautious to protect herself and her loved ones not only from the enemies outside but inside her people as well.
It’s hard to describe the events of the third book without spoilers. So I’ll just say that starting from the beginning of the book the story picked up the pace and we dived into a dynamic, intriguing, and dangerous story. There were exciting moments, heartwarming reunions, and encounters that chilled blood. All the villains of the story reached their highest point and I enjoyed hating them. And my love for my favorites grew even more in this book.
For me, 85% of the books worked so well for me.
But. Sadly I have issues with the ending. It felt like at the end of book 3 we nicely wrapped up events of book 3. But what about the series? For me, it felt like the ending was somewhat open and ambiguous and I’ll need to read the future series to get this conclusion. I didn’t know about the next series. And even though I’m excited about it overall I would be so much more happy if we could get a solid conclusion in this book. I know, that it’s partly a problem of my expectations. But I write about my experience and impressions anyway. For me, the final part felt rushed and I didn’t have time to mourn a loss or to cheer for a win properly.
Because of that, The Land of the Living and the Dead gets the lowest rating in the series for me. Still solid 3.75/5(rounded up to 4), but it really could have been 5 stars for me if not for the ending.
I’m still curious about a new series, you know, I had such a good time with the Gael Song.
But endings usually are the most important parts for me, so I would not hide my disappointment about it. It was a bitter-sweet goodbye for me.
Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!

I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book. Absolutely loved the character development (especially in the villainous characters!) and the pacing was none stop. The Irish mythology and setting leaks off the page and you feel as though you’re standing right next to the characters.

It was rewarding to see the conclusion of a few overall arcs, but it did feel that this was more of a mid-season finale vs. trilogy conclusion and that took away from the ending for me a little bit. I would have preferred the focus to stay on the current series in some big moments vs, shifting to set up the next. That being said, I CANNOT WAIT for the next series because the setup suggests an explosive culmination.

I am speechless. I've been trying to write this review for like ever now. I know this is the end of the first era but I honestly dont' know what I'm going to do. I need more. I NEED TEN MORE PLEASE.