The Hunger of the Gods

by John Gwynne

Overview

Packed with myth, magic, and bloody vengeance, John Gwynne's "masterfully crafted, brutally compelling, Norse-inspired epic" (Anthony Ryan) continues in The Hunger of the Gods.

THE DEAD GODS ARE RISING.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.   
   
As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own–and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.   
   
Elvar has sworn to fulfill her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.   
 
Their only hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead...and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.  

Praise for The Shadow of the Gods

“There is not a dull chapter in this fantasy epic.” —Vulture (Best of the Year)
 
"A satisfying and riveting read. It’s everything I’ve come to expect from a John Gwynne book." —Robin Hobb
 
"A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic." —Anthony Ryan
 
"A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart." —FanFiAddict
 
For more from John Gwynne, check out:
 
The Bloodsworn Trilogy
The Shadow of the Gods
The Hunger 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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316539920
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Series:	The Bloodsworn Trilogy
Pages:	672
Sales rank:	1,816
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.90(d)

About the Author

John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He’s played double bass in a rock ’n’ roll band and traveled the USA and Canada. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, where he is part of a Viking reenactment group. When not writing, he can often be found standing in a shield wall with his three sons about him. His dogs think he is their slave.

Editorial Reviews

03/28/2022

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god, is free from her prison and marches with her dragon-born Tainted followers to conquer the divided realms of Vigrid in Gwynne’s furious, battle-filled follow-up to The Shadow of the Gods. As Orka Skullsplitter and Uspa, the Seidr-witch, both search for their stolen children, their quests lead them into the path of the Lik-Rifa’s fierce war band. But Orka and Uspa have war bands of their own, along with monsters called vaesen and spell books written by the gods that can resurrect and enthrall even long-deceased deities. While reborn gods take to the skies to fight for dominion, mortals plot, scheme, and betray down below, all in the name of power. Gwynne keeps mainly to the Norse elements that make his prose ring with verisimilitude, but he expands his world with a visit to the mighty southern empire of Iskidan that gives the book a bit of a Byzantine feel. He also plays fair by giving his characters challenges that sometimes do defeat them, even as they hold the reins on revivified gods. It’s an exciting outing that nicely sets up the trilogy’s finale. Agent: Julia Crisp, Julia Crisp Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"A satisfying and riveting read. The well-realized 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 on The Shadow of the Gods

"The world is wonderfully rendered with attention paid to what makes the Norse sagas entertaining….The many layers provide a lavish feast for any reader. A great companion to Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology."—Booklist (starred review) on The Shadow of the Gods

"There is not a dull chapter in this fantasy epic. As tension mounts with each passing page, Gwynne delivers exhilarating fights and gruesome battles with such vivid prose the choreography jumps off the page."—Vulture (Best of the Year) on The Shadow of the Gods

"A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic."—Anthony Ryan on The Shadow of the Gods

"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

“Visceral, heart-breaking and unputdownable.”—Jay Kristoff on The Shadow of the Gods

"A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart."—FanFiAddict on The Shadow of the Gods

"Quintessential Gwynne, honed to perfection . . . 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 on The Shadow of the Gods

From the Publisher