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  • The Shadow of the Gods

  • Written by: John Gwynne
  • Narrated by: Colin Mace
  • Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (362 ratings)

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The Shadow of the Gods

Written by: John Gwynne
Narrated by: Colin Mace
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Publisher's Summary

From acclaimed fantasy author John Gwynne comes the first in the Bloodsworn trilogy, an epic of wild lands and wilder magic, where not all monsters fight with tooth and claw...and the treasures of the gods come at a price.

This is the age of storm and murder.

After the old gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrio.

Now, power-hungry jarls carve out petty kingdoms, and monsters stalk the shadow-haunted woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power, promising fame, and fortune for those brave - or desperate - enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo over the plains and across the fjords, fate follows the footsteps of three people: a huntress searching for her missing son, a jarl's daughter who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who has cast off his chains and now fights alongside the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world, as it once more teeters on the edge of chaos.

For more from John Gwynne, check out:

Of Blood and Bone series: A Time of Dread, A Time of Blood, and A Time of Courage

The Faithful and the Fallen series: Malice, Valor, Ruin, and Wrath

©2021 John Gwynne (P)2021 Orbit

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)

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What listeners say about The Shadow of the Gods

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gwynne is Gold

John Gwynne never disappoints, and this introduction to his latest series confirms it. Gripping from the first chapters, beautiful world building, with a great pace and a thrilling ending. When you add in a the voice talents of Mr. Mace for this audiobook, it's a home run.

Only listen if you're interested in: fantasy, vikings, exceptional story telling and violence.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

it's pretty good 🤷‍♂️

I feel like an anomaly since everyone else loves it lol
I think the writing is beautifully done, and the dark fantasy is fascinating. However, I personally didn't love the characters or dialogue. I also don't like so many female warrior characters without any "magical" explanation for them. But these are all subjective so others may love all that. (*I only got half way through before losing interest)

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The Very Definition Of "Dark" Fantasy

This tale is subdued, gritty, brutal, and loaded with viscerally-affecting gory imagery. John Gwynne paints a vivid picture of a Norse Myth-inspired grim reality - following three plot threads to establish his imaginative world: 'Orka' - a hardscrabble hunter-scavenger trying to avenge a murdered husband & rescue a kidnapped son; 'Varg' - a thrall (~peasant-slave) training to join the legendary "Bloodsworn" mercenaries; and 'Elvar' - daughter of a "Jarl" (feudal lord) abandoning her birthright to seek glory. Each plotline is delivered capably - if a little overburdened with violent encounter after violent encounter - and does a nice job of exploring interesting characters with interesting motivations.
Unfortunately, the societal myth aspects of the overall story arc (involving ancient battles among the now-absent Gods) are unclear - we have no idea *why* this is all happening; invented languages (too frequently quoted) feed the magic system - nonsense phrases get tiresome pretty quickly; virtually *every* chapter includes a bloody death or a fight with a horrible monster dripping saliva and black ichor - it's unrelenting; and I was frustratingly never captivated by the story - frequently finding my mind wandering.

Likewise unfortunate, the narration from Colin Mace contributes to the "droning" impression that I frequently got from the book (noticing it "playing in the background").
Don't get me wrong.. Mace's performance is actually spot-on: pacing, diction, timbre, cadence, and voice-acting are all exemplary (in fact quite a bit above-average) - but he picks up on Gwynne's dark tone a little bit too well. He reads with such seriousness & severity that the narration comes across as almost monotonously gloomy. I furthermore couldn't immerse myself in the fantasy.. actually unable to maintain concentration.

If you are enamored with GrimDark Fantasy dialed up to 11, 'The Shadow Of The Gods' is well-worth your time. I am not (not really). As it stands, I rate the book 7.5 stars out of 10: good enough to make it an enjoyable distraction for a couple of quiet afternoons, but not good enough to get me to invest in reading further in Gwynne's series.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Addicting and captivating

I could not put it down. The author has created a thrilling story. The voice actor holds your attention and paints the story for you. Amazing pairing.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

In running for best book of the year

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.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Boring

So boring I couldn't even fall asleep to it. The reader reads very slowly, and hid voice is low/boring. Not a lot of variations in tones and inflections. I have no idea what the story is about. I've restarted the book 5 times and can't tell you what it's about. No idea. Main characters who?

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

Completely and thoroughly loved this book. I loved the imagination and how the characters were brought to life. As soon as I finished it, I got the second book. Can’t wait until the final book in the series is released. The narrator is perfect for these books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, I can’t wait to read the next!

Its a mix of Viking brutality, magic and adventure. I’m really enjoying the characters and their developing story lines. I’m excited to see how the characters lives intertwine and what will happen next.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

great narrator I loved it

very good. will read the rest if the books in this series. makes me want to play a barbarian in RPGs.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good listen

Excellent narration.
Interesting story .
unexpected twists .
Would recommend to a friend .
Starting the second book asap.

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