The Hunger of the Gods: 2 (The Bloodsworn Trilogy)

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This is yet another incredible book from John Gwynne, and for me cements him as the best active fantasy author. Every one of his books is a 5/5 for me, which is not true for any other fantasy author. It's frequent for the middle book in a series to be the worst one (looking at you Mistborn), but thankfully this book breaks from that trend.

THE DEAD GODS ARE RISING. Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest. If it sounds like I’m being a bit too negative, don’t worry, there’s still a ton I really liked about this book! It just didn’t quite live up to my admittedly sky-high expectations. Overall, if you’re looking for an epic Norse inspired fantasy story with characters you care about and epic action, you’ll find a ton to love in Hunger of the Gods. It just suffers a bit from middle book syndrome. Still, I’ll be counting down the days until I can read the finale!! Orka is just one of the best book characters I have ever read, full stop. I thought this woman threw down in the first book but here she takes it to another level. Do we need to talk about the eye?!!! She is the definition of F around and find out! I loved her new crew and of course Lif has a special place in my heart. But the scene stealers for me are Spert and Vessli! I love these little weirdo demons so much!The Hunger of the Gods” is a fantastic follow-up to “The Shadow of the Gods”, and the ending, if it reads as it seems to read, will totally rip your heart out in inimitable John Gywnne fashion. The first POV is Orka, a widow, mother, and unmatched fighter. Orka’s life has been reduced, essentially, to a single minded purpose: to retrieve her son Breca, who has been abducted, and lies in the clutches of forces loyal to Lik-Rifa. But not even a god can stand in the way of Orka’s burning desire for vengeance, and to save her only child. But now Orka’s journey to rescue Breca has reunited her with the Bloodsworn, of which she used to be the leader. Brother. How have I had such good fortune to find these people, after so many years of loneliness and pain?” Varg is finally getting used to life as a free man, he is also learning how to fight and how better to use his powers, his POV was always refreshing.

It’s rude,” Gudvar muttered, “and would not be so brave and foolish as to insult me if those bars were not there to protect it.” A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart."—FanFiAddict I also need to talk about Orka. In my review for The Shadow of the Gods, I mentioned that Orka had “the potential to become one of my all-time favourite characters”, and I can firmly say that she has entered my hall of fame! Orka continues to be fierce, compassionate, compelling and complex. Orka’s sheer will and determination to fight for her loved ones is awe-inspiring. Fantasy books need more badass mothers! Ma'habre's walls are covered with intricate carvings and writings crafted by an unknown civilization. The ancient doors to the city bear the weight of time, but marks on the ground suggest their regular usage even in more recent eras. Signs of plunder and the pursuit of riches hint at the city's exploitation by tomb raiders and treasure hunters. The POVs in this book are slightly expanded. In book one the focus was pretty much on three main characters, however we get a little bit of a wider scope in THE HUNGER OF THE GODS and this makes sense given that the story is expanding considerably as well. That being said, I didn't mind the fact that we experience some other characters' journeys and it wasn't confusing as their stories intersect with the main characters much of the time. So Gwynne has definitely given us a broader view of the players in book two and the results are spectacular.According to Miro Haverinen, the appearance of the city was inspired by the ancient Mesopotamian cultures. These may include ancient civilizations like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Elam (though the Elamites were situated in the Zagros mountains in Persia or modern day Iran). John Gwynne's books are always difficult for me to review because so much happens, the characters are really complex (in a good way) and there's often a rich and detailed history to his tales that are hard to encapsulate in a short review. So I will do my best, although I feel like no matter what I come up with it won't come anywhere near doing this book or series justice. If more made that choice, in their head and hearts, to live a peaceful life with those they love and value, and just allow others to do the same.” // 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.

The paths of the Battle-Grim and the Bloodsworn collide, as the dragon-god LIk-Rifa, now awoken, makes her plans for world domination, and only the might of another god can hope to oppose her. But that god is also dead, and will need to be raised by mortal hands, and dark magic, if Lik-Rifa is to be defeated. But gods have their own purposes, and the wolf-god Ulfrir is not one to easily suffer being tamed by humans. The world is wonderfully rendered with attention paid to what makes the Norse sagas entertaining….The many layers provide a lavish feast for any reader. A great companion to Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology."— Booklist (starred review) on The Shadow of the GodsThere are moments of this book I absolutely loved, and I really enjoy this world and these characters, so even a step down is still fantastic. I cannot wait for book three after that amazing ending. This is an incredible followup to what is fast becoming one of my favorite series of all time. John Gwynne is a master of his craft, and his characters in this story are (in my opinion) the best he's ever created. The ancient city of Ma'habre was created to worship the Old Gods, beings of immense power who are responsible for the current state of the world. In earlier times, it bore the name Ma'havre, but the passage of time led to a linguistic shift. Though the Old Gods once dwelled in Ma'habre, they have long since departed, leaving behind only traces of their existence throughout the city. Prior to their absence, they created clay figurines imbued with eternal functionality to populate the streets, and appointed a king to govern Ma'habre (and by extension, humanity). Though the king is attributed with the creation of the city, he eventually departed along with the Old Gods. The clay figurines have been awaiting his return in the aeons since.

The second POV we get that differs from “The Shadow of the Gods” is Gudvarr, another villain of the story. Gudvarr is not all craven, and not unresourceful, but also not far from as politically astute or brave as he believes himself to be. His insecurities and failings are laid bare for the reader, as well as his hypocrisy and cowardice. Still, at times the reader may feel sympathy for this character, who aspires to be a great warrior, and gain the attention of his aunt. His POV chapters also provide some welcome levity, and he fumbles and stumbles his way into great peril, and also great opportunity.

The third POV is that of Elvar, warrior of noble birth, still trying to prove herself, and seek acclaim, among the indomitable Battle-Grim mercenaries. After overcoming challenges to her leadership, Elvar now leads the Battle-Grim, and is discovering the burdens of that leadership. She must lead the Battle-Grim to further riches and glory, and all while accomplishing the mission that binds her to Upsa, which is to rescue Upsa’s son. But all roads seem to lead to Elvar confronting her past, her noble upbringing, and the ruthless father who she spurned, to forge her own path.