Okay, real talk, there isn’t a lot I feel like I can say about this book without giving away massive spoilers, so let me try to sell you the first book in the series (The Shadow of the Gods): if you like your fantasies epic, with nitty-gritty world-building, dark and troubled main characters, and your world filled to the brim with Nordic inspiration – the Bloodsworn Saga is right for you!

The gods have been dead for ages, but they’re coming back with a vengeance. We’re reunited with our main characters (Varg, Orka, and Elvar) as well as a couple of new ones (I will not reveal who!) whose paths have finally crossed after all the build-up of the first novel. We continue to watch them on their individual journeys and get a glimpse at the bigger picture and how the patterns of fate have linked them all. As far as second books in trilogies go, this one was a hit! While I found it a bit slow to start, the majority of the book travels at a breakneck speed with fights and battles, significant historical events (gods are coming back to life??), and a huge cliffhanger that had me screaming at the last page of text.

Gwynne takes great care to give each of his characters a distinct voice and is a master at weaving intricate tapestries out of plotlines. The rich Nordic inspiration shines through the text and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that he includes a pronunciation guide for words foreign to the average English audience. The magical nature, mystical elements, and stunning settings included really thrust the reader into the world he’s painted for us. Since I primarily listened to this as an audiobook, I also have to give a shout out to the narrator, Colin Mace, who brings Gwynne’s words, settings, and characters to life. I am absolutely DYING to see how this all ends in the final book being published later this year, and I have a feeling I will not emotionally recover for a long time.