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The Shadow of the Gods

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The Shadow of the Gods

Written by: John Gwynne
Narrated by: Colin Mace
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Set Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic, and vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.

A century has passed since the gods fought and drove themselves to extinction. Now only their bones remain, promising great power to those brave enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrid, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman pursuing battle fame, and a thrall seeking vengeance among the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods.

"A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic." —Anthony Ryan The Greatest Sagas Are Written in Blood

For more from John Gwynne, check out:

The Bloodsworn Trilogy
The Shadow of the Gods
The Hunger of the Gods
The Fury of the Gods

Of Blood and Bone
A Time of Dread
A Time of Blood
A Time of Courage

The Faithful and the Fallen
Malice
Valor
Ruin
Wrath Action & Adventure Dragons & Mythical Creatures Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Historical Mystery Mythology Exciting Scary Icelandic Sagas
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What the critics say

"Gwynne, a Viking reenactor, puts in the work, with fine historical details that make the story come to life. Fans of the era will be delighted with the accuracy. This is a duly exciting start to the series."—Publishers Weekly on The Shadow of the Gods
"A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place. Fantasy can be an escape from reality, but some stories carry the reader to an enhanced reality, a place where the world seems to have brighter colors and sharper contrasts."—Robin Hobb on A Time of Dread
"Great evils, conflicted heroes, bloody battles, betrayal, and giants riding battle bears! What's not to love?"—Peter Newman on A Time of Dread
"A series that promises the same degree of complexity and depth found in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books and George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series."—Library Journal (starred review) on Malice
"Influenced by Gemmell's Rigante and George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones ... Hell of a debut."—Conn Iggulden on Malice

Continue the series
The Hunger of the Gods cover art
The Hunger of the Gods Written by: John Gwynne
The Fury of the Gods cover art
The Fury of the Gods Written by: John Gwynne

Featured Article: The Best Audiobooks like The Witcher For Dark Fantasy Fans to Explore


For fans of dark fantasy looking for collections of short stories and epics like Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, finding a new adventure to get swept up in once again can be challenging. Whether you binge-watched the Netflix series or devoured every incredible book in Andrzej Sapkowski’s series, we’ve compiled a fantastic list of audiobooks that will return you to the world of The Witcher and keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Featured Article The Best Audiobooks like The Witcher For Dark Fantasy Fans to Explore
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11/10 cannot wait for next book.
The narrator is a modern bard.
The story is a well crafted tail in a very unique world. Passion, Violence, Love and War all twisted in to a beautiful masterpiece.

In running for best book of the year

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It’s difficult to find a new edge when something has been “reinvented” as many times as the Edda, but the author does it beautifully. The story is gripping from page 1. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy.

Fresh blood for an old subject

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Overall this book is great. It’s a unique world and intriguing with some badass characters. I will be finishing the series for sure!

There is a couple of flaws. Maybe it’s just me but I lost track of side characters and confused them easily because there were so so many. Many also didn’t have much description so harder to remember. While I’m also for “show don’t tell” in books a bit more explanation on some of the monsters and aspects/lore of the world would have been nice.

The narrator while quite talented goes from whispering to shouting within seconds. Constantly. It’s hard to listen to and I’m constantly juggling the volume. While he does have a great voice, as other reviews mention it kind of turns into droning…. I often found I’d get distracted and have to back track as my mind wandered from the book.

A great story with some flaws but excited to continue it

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Loved Orca, narration was kinda monotone; which worked for most of it, but didn't in some parts where it could have used a bit more emotion. The story was really good, but not great.

Awesome Female Lead

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The Bloodsworn Saga has been on my TBR for a while, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up! This was a fantastic read. Vikings, monsters, and strong female protagonists? Count me in.

The world-building is incredibly interesting, packed with intense duels, monster fights, and a unique take on old gods. It definitely scratches that epic high-fantasy itch, think Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings.

My only real critique is regarding the audiobook production. The narrator is male, yet two of the three main POVs are female, which felt like a pretty odd creative choice and pulled me out of the story a bit. Overall, though, it’s a gripping start to a series!

Odd narrator choice for an epic female driven story

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