John Gwynne is my king!

I was desperate to read this as soon as I got the arc so I was gutted that the formatting of the file was terrible. I couldn’t read it at all. I therefore had to wait for my physical copy before I was able to review. Because of this, I actually had time to reread the first 2 books in the series, so I was well prepared.

Gwynne never shies away from killing characters you’ve come to love, so this book broke me, and made me cry quite a few times. I will say like most of his final books, there was a LOT more battle than the other two which took away from the personal moments that made you love the characters in book one and two.

It is a rare thing when all three books in a trilogy are 5 star reads. John Gwynne absolutely achieved this with The Bloodsworn Saga.

I wanted to get the absolute most out of The Fury of the Gods and so I re-read the first two books in the trilogy first to refresh my memory and fall in love with the world and it's characters all over again. It's not totally necessary though as the author provides a super useful little recap at the beginning of each book which is such a great little touch. Honestly, it was also partly to put off the inevitable. I just knew that with so many fantastic characters in such a brutal world of war, there's no way that they will all survive this. After spending many hours with these characters I found myself loving and caring about each and every one of them (except perhaps that snot-nosed cowardly pile of troll dung, Guðvarr - though I still love him as a character, just in a different way to the others!). The characters are just so well developed - both the "good guys" and the "bad guys". There are moments of darkness and bad decisions for the "good guys" and moments of hope and redemption for the "bad guys" which creates full realised characters that you can't help but connect with.

When I finally started reading, I just couldn't stop. Everything was totally ramped up, the action, the adventure, the drama, the emotions. The pacing had me utterly breathless. It was so great to see all the individual stories coming together and weaving to their conclusions. The best word for this book is "EPIC".

Very rarely have I felt truly satisfied by the conclusion of a trilogy. This is the book that broke the mold. Without spoiling anything, while not everyone gets a happy ending, there was still a sense of "rightness" about each character's conclusion. Upon finishing the last few words, I was grinning from ear to ear and my heart was full. I just wanted to find John Gwynne, shake his hand and give him a big hug for writing such a wonderful fantastical trilogy.

While everything is wrapped up well, a little door is kept open for this world to be revisited, perhaps we will rejoin this brutal magical world a few years down the line with new characters and new adventures. If so, I will absolutely be here for it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved it. A great ending to a brilliant series. Love the multiple character POVs, the characters and development, the story the everything. Really wonderful stuff.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eArc!

I have to say, I was a little disappointed with the final instalment of this trilogy... it seemed like 85 of the 92 chapters were just filler, and nothing really happens until right at the end, and then it all felt a little rushed.

That's not to say I won't be reading any more of Gwynne's books, as I do generally enjoy them, it's just this one fell a little flat.

What a finale! It was amazingly paced, riveting and deeply satisfying. Book two felt like a whole lot of set up and a bit tedious at times but I’m really glad to say it paid off. It was really well written and the characters really came to their full potential.

John Gwynne simply does not miss.

This was the perfect end to the trilogy - everything feels resolved fully and the world is so intricate and beautiful. I loved all of our characters too - even at their most frustrating I found myself rooting for them,

I wish we could spend even more time in this series, but I'm so excited to read more of Gwynne's work.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

John Gwynne has another hit on his hands with this one. Brilliant writing style, a captivating plot and characters who you will love, hate and want to protect all at the same time.

Esperaba mucho del final de la Bloodsworn Saga, de John Gwynne, porque sus dos primeras entregas me habían parecido todo un compendio de lo que se puede desear en una fantasía épica nórdica. Y aunque The Fury of the Gods cierra prácticamente todas las tramas e hilos abiertos con anterioridad, el libro en sí me ha parecido demasiado procedimental, en el sentido de que sigue un esquema bastante rígido (viaje, encuentro, batalla, vuelta a comenzar) que no es lo que hubiera deseado para rematar la historia.


Entiendo que Gwynne tenía el destino al que se dirigían sus personajes ya pensado de antemano, pero el camino que siguen para llegar a ese final épico es en lo que no ha brillado tanto. Tenemos un montón de batallas sangrientas, muchísimas y ahí se explaya el autor sin perder un ápice de su crudeza y verosimilitud, pero es en los interludios entre lucha y lucha, donde son más importantes los diálogos y las tramas cuando vemos que el libro se sostiene a duras penas. Una verdadera lástima porque los personajes que hemos visto merecían un final mejor, o al menos, mejor narrado. Da la impresión de que ha cogido un calco y ha aplicado el mismo esquema a todos los desenlaces, en bucle: aquí se pelea, aquí se consigue la venganza y aquí se comen las perdices. Me ha parecido tremendamente repetitivo, la verdad.

Esto no quiere desmerecer la serie, ni quiere decir que el libro no tenga momentos cautivadores, como la decisión que toma Elvar y que le dará su sobrenombre para la eternidad, cambiando totalmente el balance de fuerzas y el futuro de todos. Es solo que las ideas tan buenas con las que contaba desde el principio se ven lastradas por una ejecución no sé si torpe, pero sí bastante mejorable. No estoy diciendo que toda la fantasía tenga que hablar necesariamente de la lucha de clases y de sistemas políticos y organizativos, pero si el punto sobre el que pivota la novela es esta decisión de Elvar… a lo mejor un poquito más de controversia o de diálogo o de confrontación hubiera sido adecuado. ¿Es que a nadie se le había pasado antes por la cabeza que la forma de ganar poderosos seguidores era esa?

Una novela que, por desgracia, hace que baje mi apreciación general de la saga, que hasta esta entrega era altísima.

Wow, what a phenomenal ending to the most intensely thrilling trilogy.

This one hurt in the best way. I absolutely adore the way John Gwynne writes about grief and family. The emotions are incredibly real and there are so many powerful scenes throughout this fantastic book.

The characterisations, the world building, and the fight scenes were all crafted masterfully. I think I have found my favourite read of 2024!

I have a deep love for Elvar and her character arc, but Orka fully has my heart. I have annotated so much of this book and highlighted various scenes from Orka, and this scene in particular solidified my love for her:
““Do you remember the serpents on the Sea-Wolf. The mother serpent and her young?”
“Aye, Mama, I do,” Breca said.
“You remember how she taught them to hunt, to kill?”
“Yes.”
“I will teach you now.””

She is fierce and vicious and completely feral in her desire to protect her child. All of the Bloodsworn stole my heart and I never wanted to leave this world. I even enjoyed the comedic relief of Guðvarr; he was the worst, but his inner dialogue got me everytime.

Leaving a piece of me in Vigrið and can’t wait to explore more of John Gwynne’s back catalogue!

Easiest five stars I have ever given. I would recommend this so highly to lovers of truly epic fantasy with deep roots in Nordic mythology!

The final installment... As with all good things, this adventure has come to an end far too quickly. Gwynne simply never disappoints—since The Faithful and the Fallen, I haven’t come across a single weaker book from this author. He just knows how to create something unique in what seems to be an already fully explored fantasy genre. I don’t want to spoil anything; for me, the final part of this saga is pure beauty, and I sincerely hope that one day John Gwynne will return to this world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Plot: The Gods are brought back from dead. Elvar has to fulfill her oath, Varg has to avenge her sister and Orka has to save her son but Bloodsworn, Battlegrim and Orka are all scattered around. The war is taking them to Snakavik and it is time for God war.
Thoughts: A complete end to the trilogy giving everybody the justice they deserve. This is action packed fast paced full of vengeance and bloodshed. About 40% of the 2nd half is only war and slightly felt rushed with chapter after chapter resolving vengeance after vengeance in succession. But otherwise everything was just perfect and I highly recommend this series for high fantasy lovers.

WOW! I can't even think to explain how much I loved this book. The Fury of the Gods was one of my most anticipated books of 2024, and I was completely and utterly blown away by it. The author wrote the battle scenes with such skill that they are unforgettable. I had to hold my breath a few times while reading them.
The emotional scenes were heart-wrenching, but the comedic moments were on par, as always. The book's pacing is great, balancing epic battles with quieter character moments. John Gwynne's prose is both lyrical and powerful, making every page a joy to read.

The characters in Fury of the Gods are complex and compelling. Each character is well-developed, making you root for every single one. I absolutely 100% recommend this trilogy to anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre or for those who are just fans of Vikings.


I want to give NetGalley a huge thank you for giving me a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The epic conclusion to the Bloodsworn saga.

This book had gods, warriors, all sorts of creatures, and non-stop action. Loved the world building and happy to be back with that characters.

I really enjoy the way Gwynne describes the landscape and vegetation in this book, and the parts with food were so well depicted my stomach rumbled.

My main gripe was that the fight scenes took up a lot of pages and I did find I was suffering from battle fatigue at times. I would have preferred more character work as when things happened to certain characters I didn't feel as emotionally affected as I might have expected.

Overall a great read and a fitting end to the trilogy.

I enjoyed this book, however it ended up as the weakest of the trilogy for me. In the end, there was just SO much action that even though the action was brilliantly written it sort of blended together for me. I did also feel that many supporting characters I loved in previous books got short shrift, and I felt like we barely got to see them due to the action taking prominence. I also felt everything about Snaka felt rushed, and was honestly spoiled by the cover. Finally, I was sad to see a character that I thought was killed off previously in a very gut wrenching moment just turn up not dead.

Despite those criticisms there are a lot of things to love about this book, specifically a fantastic moment with Elvar I won't spoil, but that had been really well foreshadowed and written.

This book is good and is worth your time, but I felt a little disappointed due to my high expectations. Full review on my YouTube channel in the links below!

Wow. The Fury of the Gods is a breathtaking ending to a fabulous series. The characters are fabulous and Gwynne is as usual not afraid to murder a couple to keep us on our toes 😭. So emotional and the ending is fabulous. I hope we see more stories in this world because I NEED more ASAP. Lots of unexpected twists and turns and some truly heartbreaking moments. Well worth the wait.

This Bloodsworn trilogy is probably a must for those who enjoy Norse fantasy and intense blood battles. It had been a long time since I read earlier books in the trilogy, so my memory was very hazy, and the read takes off where you left in at the end of the 2nd book .It did take me quite a while to get back into it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I was grateful for the cast info and tips with pronunciation, which adds to the pleasure of the read.

There is a lot packed into this book, which in some ways makes it hard to capture. To be aware the culmination of this story is essentially battle driven, so expect much gore with blood lusty scenes and aural inspiring crushing of bones as part of this. It may seem a bit heavy for some given the volume and intensity of fighting scenes. Indeed there was a time when I could have done with a bigger pause. Such scenes however were engrossing and compelling, overtly described, realistic and subsequently vividly pictured in the minds eye.

Set in the fictional lands of Vigrið, the characters have been well established in the previous books, so much development had happened. as a consequence there was minimal further character development to refer to, albeit Orka and Varg as well as Elva and Guðvarr shine as always.

The ship scene was particularly engrossing, taking the situation into a different sphere, I felt very engaged reading this part of the book and enjoyed the overall ending. it's probably a book you need to commit to reading in a timely manner to keep abreast of it all. I think it would help to read the trilogy on rather quick succession too. Overall a quality read.

October seems to be the month for series finales for me! Right on the heels of Mirrored Heavens (Between Earth and Sky) I wrapped up The Fury of the Gods the much-awaited third and final book in this norse-inspired epic fantasy by fan-favorite John Gwynne, known for having his fabulous big fat epic novels ( Faith and Fallen, and the sequel Blood and Bone )

His new trilogy, the Bloodsworn saga is set in an Viking-sque world, still scarred and reeling from the last war between Gods, all of whom are now fallen or lost. The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods sets up the readers for this absolutely compelling nail biting frenzy of a climax, bringing this brilliant tale to a closure. Written across multiple narratives, the readers follow the fate of the lead characters, damaged and scarred by their life experiences, as their world Vigrid comes under attack yet again with colossal powers rising up again, set to clash with each other.

The third book is where the final showdown happens - as Lik Rifa, the mighty dragon is free and having gathered her powers, is looking to take over the world. And she's bearing down on Snakavik, the fabled city built on top of the deceased Father of Gods, Snaka's skull. Arrayed against her are the mercenary might of the recently crowned Queen/Chief Elvar and all the other warriors who want to be a part of this 'Skald' song, one for the ages. This is the epic we've been waiting for and John Gwynne goes all out - giving us gigantic battle-sequences that run over long chapters, full of bone-crunching, blood-spraying, axe-chopping, shield-splintering violence that leaps off the pages. The fights are bloody, no quarters given and just bloody-well choreographed/written that you are right in the middle of the chaos. That is clearly John Gwynne's strength, to give us battle-scene that are both physically daunting, emotionally draining, crafted to perfection. Fury doesn't disappoint because after maybe half-way point of the book, it is just one long drawn out battle after the other, furious, frenetic and feverish.

John continues to ratchet up his character development, book after book. And in Orka Skullsplitter, John's given us one of the greatest female leads of all times. A distraught mother, racing against time and luck, Orka was once even the leader of the famed Bloodsworn. But she walks away, to lead a life of peace and love with her husband. But as we know, from when the events of the Shadow of Gods spiral out of control, Orka has had to give up on this life and is forced back to pick up her axe, when her son, Breca is kidnapped by the cultists worshipping Lik-Rifa. Orka's 'revenge' storyline is unapologetically violent and emotionally the most heart-wrenching. So every time she comes on scene, I get goosebumps anticipating the intense violence and the emotional heft. The quieter tender moments between Orka and her son perfectly balance out this blood-drenched impossible mission she's on. And yes, those thrilling final moments of showdown, those intimate one-on-one duels in the middle of the raging battle all around, doesn't disappoint.

The other major POV is Varg, an erstwhile thrall, who has joined up with the Bloodsworn, signing up to bring down the bloodthirsty power-crazy dragon. Varg is also looking to finally avenge the death of his sister. He is clearly the quintessential 'hero' in the classic John Gwynne mould; thoughtful, caring, courageous to a fault and committed to his found family. His quest for 'revenge' is also not a straightforward one, given the trials and tribulations his comrades in the Bloodsworn go through. But his story also comes around a full circle to a satisfactory ending.

Elvar, the proud, headstrong leader of the BattleGrim and now recently Chief/Queen is possibly the most complex character John has written. And I loved loved her character arc and the evolution. Her moral struggles, her confusion, her moments of self-doubt, her selfless style of leadership, all of which make her real and vulnerable, also made her the most endearing character for me. There are several winning "moments" that I could list that Elvar my favorite, but I will let you as a reader discover them.

The other aspect of John Gwynne's characterisation are his "grey" characters who give us a ringside view into the world of the villains. There's Gudvarr and Biorr who do this effectively for us - frankly. the weakest among all the characters, serving no other purpose other than giving us readers access to the plot-points from the Lik-Rifa camp. Biorr still does have a more of a "redemptive" character arc than Gudvarr, the classic coward blessed with unbelievable luck.

And in this ending, don't expect Gwynne to go easy on the reader. There are several "Oh my God" jaw-dropping moments and twists, some scenes that are just plain heart-stopping gut-wrenching as you watch the fates of some of your favorites unfold.

The world of Vigrid is fascinating and John Gwynne builds it up really well further expanding the same in this third book, giving us readers a view unto previously unexplored parts of this brilliantly set up world. There are newer legends, more interesting backstories and some scary new monsters who come out of the dark woods. Full points on immersing us into this Vikings world.

Now onto some minor quibbles. But mind you, these could just be me. So yes, this is the final showdown and we are expecting earth-shattering battles as the titans/ Gods collide. While the personal character arcs of each of the main protagonists helps keep us grounded in their motivations, even as the world is shattered from under their feet, I for one, thought the ultimate battle-scenes are stretched for too long. True, there are twists and turns galore in the tide of the battle, with some awe-inspiring reveals thrown in between, reading over a hundred pages of just impossibly balanced fight sequences was plain exhausting for me. My eyes glazed over after the umpteenth time, "the shields splintered, the blood geysered and the blades clashed or the axes chopped through the skull"

But in true John Gwynne style, reading The Fury of the Gods is ultimately a rewarding experience. This is yet another shining masterpiece from the man, who is the true inheritor of the title of the master of "heroic fantasy". As we turn the last pages, our hearts are simultaneously broken, soaring, full of hope, pulsing with a sense of glory and triumph. It is a well deserved ride for our heroes, in this brutal unforgiving world and for us readers, alongside them. Recommended, deserving five stars and more!

After a week of finishing it, I still have no idea about it!!

You know I think we all expected this coming, right?! Mind-blowing, dark, tight, and the ending... I just was like no, no, no, NOT YOU... and again... no, no, no, NOT ANYMORE... oh this isn't done yet. Please, please, please, dear John, not him, not him...

And still you didn't read it, how could you?!

Shitty review I know! Sorry Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley

John Gwynne knows how to land a finale! This is, his third series I've completed, and every time I'm astounded, how he wraps all the threads up with the perfect blend of emotion, story writing, and integrity to the characters he's created.

The ending of this really starts from about 60 percent, which means there are 300 or so pages of the final battle. This was like the end of the Avengers (Endgame), where you are comprehensively invested in every single characters outcome. This is a masterful storytelling

I do think there were perhaps too many characters at times, and 1 of the PoV just didn't work for me across book 2 or 3.

But all in all, this is a story of epic proportions, and John Gwynne is the best writer of epic fantasy since Tolkien

This was en incredible end to an incredible series. I can't fathom how everything ties to feather and how expansive the world has become. Incredible, truly. Thank you for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review .