A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic ― Anthony Ryan

A satisfying and riveting read. The well-realised characters move against a backdrop of a world stunning in its immensity. It’s everything I’ve come to expect from a John Gwynne book ― Robin Hobb

Visceral, heart-breaking and unputdownable ― Jay Kristoff, NYT bestselling author of Empire of the Vampire

A duly exciting start to the series ― Publishers Weekly

A masterclass in storytelling. It is epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart. A near-perfect combination of Vikings and Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, but with a fantastical flare that Gwynne executes flawlessly ― FanFiAddict

Quintessential Gwynne honed to perfection, sharpened to a deadly edge and it does NOT disappoint. For new readers enjoy your first time experiencing Gwynne as he is a magnificent storyteller of gritty and grim fantasy that is full of heart. For old and new readers alike, simply, you are in for a treat as The Shadow of the Gods is absolutely stunning, one hell of an epic series opener and a spectacular dose of Viking-flavoured fantasy. ― The Tattooed Book Geek

Reminds me of all that I love in the fantasy genre. The Shadow of the Gods is an action packed cinematic read. It feels historically authentic, Viking-esque, yet wonderfully fantastical too. A tale of monsters and magic, Gods and legends, friendship and oaths, blood and vengeance – Gwynne has certainly done it again, if not raised the bar even higher ― Fantasy Hive

John Gwynne has written another classic and easily one of the best books of the year ― Under the Radar SFF Books

A brilliant Norse-influenced fantasy that grabs you from the first page and never lets go. Another dazzling epic story from a true master ― Out of This World SFF Reviews

This engaging tale is full of battles, blood, friendship, and epic fame to be sung for ages. I can’t rave about it enough. After finishing this, you will be left breathless, hungering for more. I will immediately be reading every book ever written by John Gwynne ― BookNest

The world is wonderfully rendered with attention paid to what makes the Norse sagas entertaining . . . The three characters are swept up in this larger plot in different ways, which just makes the story richer. The many layers provide a lavish feast for any reader. A great companion to Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology ― Booklist

John Gwynne writes some of the most blood-pumping battle scenes that I have ever read ― Fantasy Book Nerd

Wonderfully atmospheric, and readers looking for a Nordic flavored fantasy adventure will find plenty to love ― Fantasy Book Critic

John Gwynne is the closest we have to an inheritor of David Gemmell’s mantle as master of heroic fantasy with grit and heart ― Mark Lawrence

The best book I’ve read this year ― Miles Cameron