Many of the characters have revenge quests that should feel emotionally charged, and yet the book prioritized the action of the plot over those emotions. But that's also the joy of reading amazing books, that anticipation for something that is potentially even greater down the road.

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. I am the author of epic fantasy series The Faithful and the Fallen, Of Blood and Bone and The Bloodsworn Saga.

The three main POV characters—Orka, Varg, Elvar—from the first book have to deal with the aftermath of their respective conclusion. We travel with them as they give us some insight into the "bad guys" and what they are planning for the future of Vigrid. The theme of leadership was strong in Orka's chapters, but it's even more evident in Elvar and the Battle-Grim's story.

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.She is so unselfish with her fighting talents and uses every opportunity to push people away who are trying to help her because she does not want them to get hurt, or worse. By this, I mean that Gwynne is emulating what one of my favorite authors and series of all time did, and that is Joe Abercrombie's style on Sand dan Glokta and Jezal dan Luthar in The First Law trilogy.

Battle Sequences: One of the many reasons why John Gwynne is among my favourite authors is that his detailed/descriptive writing of battle sequences where I can easily track what is happening on the battlefield. Consequently, the magic that was only somewhat present in The Shadow of the Gods is considerably ramped up in this entry.I think it will change the minds of those who really do not like to read fantasy or are on the fence.

Elvar, on the other hand, is taking the Battle-Grim across the land to carry out her blood promise, and Varg is helping his team find Vol. I was often lost by the sea of names, I did check the glossary, yes but I wasn't able to truly distinguish their personalities except for very few, the rest were painted by the same shade.The Shadow of the Gods is absolutely stunning, one hell of an epic series opener, and a spectacular dose of Viking-flavoured fantasy. I was reading this in a receptive state of mind—I was embroiled in the plot, excited about the resurrection of the gods, and yes, fairly emotional in some heart-wrenching moments. The author did such a great job of describing and developing the characters, they were so realistic and complex. The scope of Lik-Rifa and Ulfrir in the cover arts is massive, and the realism looks downright stunning. The Shadow of the Gods, the first instalment of The Bloodsworn, is released publicly next month, so I can't say too much.