The Shadow of the Gods

By: John Gwynne

Narrated by: Colin Mace

Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from best-selling author John Gwynne.

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

Now a new world is rising, where power-hungry jarls feud and monsters stalk the woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power for those brave - or desperate - enough to seek them out.  

As whispers of war echo across the mountains and fjords, fate follows in the footsteps of three people: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed 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....

©2021 John Gwynne (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic Reviews

"John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy." (Adrian Tchaikovsky)

"John Gwynne writes fantasy with the heart of a hero and the inventiveness of a master mage." (Sebastien de Castell)

A master storyteller at work

John Gwynne has transitioned from one believable world to the next. This story takes you on a ride that never allows you to breathe beyond the gasp it takes to get to the next chapter. Shield wall to Shield wall, this saga drags you through mud, blud and gore to a breathtaking end. Definitely a story worth your time!

Wow.

Damn that was good. Narrator is good and story is great. Give it a listen.

Finished it in a day

Step into a world of blistering carnage, mercenaries in search of battle fame, legends in the making and ancient Norse inspired gods.
Feel the burn of your muscles as you row around the fiords and battle in the shield-wall.

I finished this masterpiece in a day, I just couldn’t put it down. Each of the characters were compelling for their own reasons. From the slave seeking revenge, to the noble woman seeking fame and the bloodiest of all, the warrior seeking her child. John Gwynne’s world came alive to all my senses, as I heard the creaking of the dragon ships, smelled the sea, the smoky mead-halls and felt the jolt of shield clashing against shield in battle.

I’m sure there are better reviews than mine. I’m only putting down what this novel made me feel. I laughed, I exclaimed in surprise, frustration and triumph. I felt the wonder, the camaraderie between the characters and I just did not want to leave Vigrið.

Last but not least, Collin Mace was an excellent choice as a narrator for the audiobook, his gruff and versatile voice fully immersed me into the world.
This was a four stars for me. I really Liked it.

5 stars. No question. Utterly fantastic!

Honestly and thoroughly enjoyed this new tale from John Gwynne. Much grittier than his previous works and I love it all the more because of it.

Viking inspired to a point it felt historical, despite the fantastical creatures and powers present throughout.

Strong characters. Strong setting. Strong story.

Happy. Sad. Tense. Funny. Exciting. An emotional rollercoaster for sure. And oh what a very cool ending.

The saga begins. The making of a classic?

This book has been a revelation. It is really hard to put into words just how good it is. The setting is exceptionally realised, the pacing brisk, the characters (mostly) likeable, their dialogue sharp. There is an atmosphere here that truly sucks the reader in and does not let go. Can't wait for the next installment.

Excellent Story and Narrator

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and I'm very fussy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't want to say too much but it's not much of a spoiler to say that this book is essentially a Viking fantasy book.

The narrator took a little getting used to because he's so serious, which may sound strange, but you'll know what I mean when you listen to the sample. However, I soon realised that his style very much suits the type of story, which is not something I can say about any audiobook I've listened to before. I very much like the narrator.

Getting back to the book itself; I loved the main characters, although I do think the character development could be better with some secondary characters but overall, those people were real to me and that's what matters. I did get slightly confused sometimes with the story or, more accurately, with who's who between two different groups in the story but it wasn't a big deal and will certainly be easier in the next book, which I can't wait for.

My only real complaint about this book is that it's not long enough and we all know that's actually a compliment.

Well read

This was well read and was glad to hear no strong American voice that I’ll suits this genre. My only concern was that the narrator did some of the internal voices a little too lilting, as if it was an upset little girl talking - an affectation that sounded like the person was so depressed they wanted to walk the soul road weaponless. Although I did sort of get used to it. Overall very well done. The story itself came highly recommended but I would not rank it among the top books I have read, though it is worth a read, especially if you enjoy the Norse Mythos.

Fantastic

Fantasy is my favourite genre of audiobook and this is up there with the best. Great characters, action packed and gripping throughout. Best listen of 2021 so far!

Great

This was a fantastic book! The audible version was gripping. Much better than John Gwynne’s previous offerings!

Just wow!

Absolutely brilliant. Not listened to a book of this calibre for quite some time. Now I have to wait for the next one....

An Exciting New Listen

This was my first John Gwynne book and I thoroughly enjoyed it; the only negative point to note is that the rest of the series isn't out yet!

This story engaged me from the off. It is multi-layered and complex whilst being easy to follow with characters you connect with, the perfect balance of the fantastical and (what seems to be) the historical- nothing seemed too far fetched or unbelievable. I especially enjoyed the strong female leads and thought the narration was excellent.

Can't wait to find out what happens next.

Very good start but hope it gets better

The characters are well realised but I was a little bored by the lore and magic system. All viewpoint characters are great but only Orka stands out as one I could really sympathise with and want to continue moving forward. We simply don't learn enough about the other two viewpoint characters to care as much.

John Gwynne's prose is beautiful though.