In the Shadow of the Gods audiobook

3.5 of 4 starshttps://lynns-books.com/2016/06/24/in...In the Shadow of the Gods is the debut novel by Rachel Dunne that brings to us a world of divided religion and bound Gods.Many years ago the land of Fiatera was created by Gods now known as the Parents. In later years their children, The Twins, added their own creations to this world and as a result were cast out of Heaven and bound to earth. Since The Fall (as it became known) the people of Fiatera predominantly worship The Parents however there is a small, cult like faction who still worship The Twins and believe that they can be restored to their former glory. This first instalment takes a look at a number of characters that will eventually either cross paths or will play a role in finding these bound Gods.I think this was a very entertaining read with solid writing and a cast of characters that are interesting to read about. It is an ambitious story and, without wanting to sound critical, is clearly a book that plays the role of ‘set up’ for the rest of the series.The story is told from a number of POVs which is a great way to bring to light different aspects of the world. We visit the cold North where the climate is so harsh that only the Northmen seem able to survive there. They’re a hard race of warriors with their own brand of honour – reminiscent of Vikings – they have no qualms about raiding other villages and killing and pillaging. The capital city of Fiatera is virtually split into two with those unfortunate enough to have fallen on hard times seeking refuge below the streets in the Canals. The Canals are rife with crime and run by gangs, all warring with each other for supremacy. Away from the Capital is Mount Raturo, home to those who follow The Twins. These followers, priests and seekers literally live in the darkness beneath the mountain.So, to the characters. We are introduced to Aro and Rora. Being twins they are lucky to have survived as followers of The Parents drown all twins at birth to prevent the Bound Gods being resurrected. They have spent the majority of their young lives barely staying alive, one step ahead of discovery and eventually seeking refuge in the Canals. Aro is an odd character, quite a weak boy who needs the protection of his sister Rora – although to be honest I have my own suspicions about Aro that I won’t elaborate on for fear of spoilers (plus, lets face it, I could be massively wrong :D). Rora is fiercely protective of Aro and puts herself into any number of difficult and dangerous situations to prevent him from being harmed. Scal is a young boy – either abandoned or orphaned – and found near a prison camp on the edges of the Northern territories. Clearly of the Northmen race nobody is keen to take him in until a Priest in the camp takes pity and provides Scal with a safe home. We have a former seeker now turned priest – Joros. Joros lives beneath the mountain and has ambitions. He plans to rise to the top and his ambitions leave him with a morale compass that lacks a few of the nicer character traits. Joros is reluctantly accompanied by a Mage called Anddyr. I say reluctantly because Anddyr seems to have been captured by one of the priests and reduced to a shadow of his former self by being forced into a drug dependent state that leaves him desperate for more of the foul paste that binds him to Joros. Along the way we make the acquaintance of a priestess (Vatri) who, badly disfigured by fire, claims to be God chosen and sent to follow Scal on his travels. Finally we have Keiro. Also a former follower of the Fallen Keiro has been cast out of Mount Raturo. He now wanders the land, still preaching to those who will listen and relentlessly searching.The story arcs for most of these characters, barring one, eventually come together and an unlikely alliance is formed.Whilst I do have some niggles with this book I think that Dunne has successfully written a story that will hook most readers and make them keen to continue the journey. She has created a world of ambiguity really. We’re not really totally sure about who are the good guys here. Were The Parents very harsh for throwing their children out of heaven and binding them so cruelly – or were their actions justified and necessary in order to protect the world. Are the followers of the Twins right to seek their resurrection? There are certainly elements to their form of worship that give me pause for doubt – not only about their methods but also maybe their sanity! What about the characters. I’m not overly fond of most of them. I liked Scal and could definitely read much more about his life but he still needs to be injected with a little more ‘something’ that I can’t quite put my finger on. The Twins – well, again, they’re just lacking a little bit of spark that would take them from being good to read about to a winning combination. Joros and Vatri are definitely not my favourite characters at the moment – they’re both quite obsessive characters who don’t have many redeeming streaks. Keira, I like the journey that he takes us on and found his travels really interesting. I’m a bit puzzled about what he’s got himself into though – time will tell.I think the world building could do with adding to. At the moment it all feels fairly generic and the only thing that comes across is the religious aspects. That being said there’s plenty of time for this to be developed and I suppose it stands to reason that the religious aspects would be primarily focused on for this type of story. I would like a bit more background both for the places and the characters but again, I think it would have been easy to make this into a very wieldy book. As it is I think this works very well as a set up book. There’s plenty going on and no lack of pace and it will give readers a perfect platform to move onto the next instalment.On the whole I think this is a promising start to a series I’m keen to find out more about.I received a copy courtesy of the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

If'n you like your fantasy at turns dark, bloody, ethereal, and bleak, this is the series for you!This beautifully-written fantasy debut has so many big ideas, and they're all so skillfully presented!

Rachel Dunne's "In the Shadow of the Gods (Bound Gods #1)" is an original story centering on the fantasy world of Fiatera. On Fiatera, twins are sacrificed in order to prevent the young gods known as the "Twins" from rising again. Overall, I would rate this book a 4.7 out of 5.Characters include Joros, Scal, Vatri, Anddyr, Keiro, and twins Rora and Aro. Rora is definitely my favorite character; her brother, Aro can be kind of irritating. All the characters are developed well, as is the setting for the story. Dunne's storytelling is engaging, easy to read and hard to put down. I definitely look forward to the future installments of this series.My copy of this book was obtained from the Goodreads website. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

4.5/5 Rating Review first posted at MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape and The Speculative HeraldA new epic fantasy author to look-out for!*Discalimer: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.Many months back, I saw the cover of this book and read the description; I then sent out a request for a review copy a minute later. The Parents must have been smiling down on me, for I was granted that request, and In the Shadows of the Gods proved to be among the best books I’ve read this year. Multiple POVs and compelling characters; intertwining plots, and a story with a large scope; great prose, and a vast world with wonderful and creative world building. All the ingredient you need to make a epic fantasy trilogy that fans will devour.It has been almost 800 years  since The Fall – when the Parents exiled the Twins, burying them deep within the Earth. Since then, two religions have formed: those who follow the Parents, and those who follow the Twins. Followers of the Parents, believe the Parents were right in their punishment of the Twins. Because of their faith, twins are actively hunted down and persecuted; anytime twins are born, they are instantly drowned, or if there is no water around, they are burned to death. Followers of the Twins believe the Parents were motivated by their jealously of the Twins to exile them. Their goal is find and release the Twins from captivity, so they may overthrow their parents.One of these priest of the Fallen is Joros, and he makes it his mission in life to find where the twins are buried, and bring them back to power. As he works his way through the politics of the Ventallo, to get himself into the position to he needs to be, four other souls – Scal, a Northernman; Rora and Aro, two orphans;  Keiro, priest of the Twinss – walk their own, separate paths. Though they all have different goals in life, soon, their paths will come together…Joros is a priest of the Fall, and currently a Seeker. Returning with him to Mount Raturo are three people, whom he will bring before the Ventallo. Mount Raturo is the mountain in which the priest of Twins live. I say “in” because they actively live inside the dark caves, with no sunlight what-so-ever penetrating, and no flames allowed – unless the flames are turned blue. It can take days to walk up this mountain, and if the walk itself does not kill you, the Sentinels that guard the way up will. When he finally reaches the Ventallo, left with him is one women – who is carrying twins. With this  achievement, Joros is rewarded with a promotion into the Ventallo, as well. As part of his induction, he is shown something that was thought to only a myth: that the Twins were real. For in a box, lies an actual body part of a Twin.Personally, I found Joros’ character arc to be wave of emotions, and an exremelley compelling one. When we first met him walking up the mountain, I loved him, and thought he would be a “good” guy. But later in “802 Years after the Fall”, the Raturo and living with the twins growing up, seemed to turn him into a bitter old man, and suddenly I wasn’t a fan of him anymore. But again(!), later, when one certain event happens, and even though had did more to for me to see him a character I didn’t like, I was suddenly feeling pity and even… rooting?… for him.Rora and Aro have been living together since, what appears to be, they were small children. They are currently living in the Canals, which I can best describe as similar to the sewers of a city. Although not completely underground, the Canals have the same hygiene and cleanliness as sewers, and are prone to flooding. Inside of these Canals, are many different gangs, which if one wants to survive in the Canals, must pledge oneself too. After trying to leave the Canals to thieve and rob the uptown, Rora is attacked and beaten to point of death. Aro saves her by finding a man of the upptertown to help. However, he asks something in return for living with him, and this ends up have life-altering affects for the two, where they find themselves talking to the head of a Canal gang.Rora is extremely head-strong, and confident, and will do anything to protect Aro and make sure he is fed and safe. Aro, by contrast, and is a whining, immature cry-baby, who at times, I was convinced couldn’t be more than seven. Roar is the type to bury a knife if your stomach while starting you in the eye; Aro would break down crying and apologize, if he bumped in to you and you looked at him. These two characters were also equally great, but what compelled me most for their chapters was the seeing Canals and learning the gang government – which Rora and Aro find themselves neck-deep at one point.Scal is an orphan northman (a feared barbarian-like people from the north), who is found in the snow near a prison camp as a child. Soldiers first thought to kill him, but is instead brought to the prison’s priest (of the Parents), Kierro. Kerrio tried his best to raise, and talk to Scal, and while he doesn’t not yet talk, he follows Kierro around like a shadow and listen to mostly everything he says. The first time he does hear Scal talk is when fighting with a new boy in camp, Brennon. But it was night a fight of anger, it was because the two boys are having fun. From then on, Scal looks to Kerrus as mentor/father, and Brennon becomes his best friend. Scal and Brennons’ release day is soon, but one day while Scal is out, a pack of Norhterman attack the prisoner camp…Scal was my favorite character and POV chapters to read. He is the characters on the cover (or, at least, that is the attire of a northman). His story is one of pain, love, loss, rage, vengeance, and loneliness. The journey he takes, the places he sees and goes, his thought and actions, and what he has to live with and through – I could have a read whole book devoted solely to Scal! Throughout his story, he always reflects on his time with Brennon and Kerrus, and often quotes lessons that Kerrus had taught him. I love when stories do quotes like this. Kerrus doesn’t have the most original, but they are unique enough that they don’t feel clique. It is also in Scal’s story that we meet Vatri, the the book’s back cover alludes to.As the back cover mentions, Scal’s and Vatri’s, and Rora’s and Aro’s paths, all do eventually lead together with Joro and Andyyr. However,  there is one other POV character who remains off, doing his own thing: Keiro.Keiro is also a Seeker, like Joro once was – except he doesn’t have the same luck. After witnessing two twins drowned right before his eyes, moments after they are born, he returns to Mount Raturo to have his eyes removed, for he can no longer stand to see a world like this. As he is half way through the act, he sees something that changes him: the twins that Joro saved. Keiro is banished from Raturo for not completing his sacrificed, but is allowed to keep preaching his faith of the twins. If he is to ever comeback to Raturo though, he will be executed.Keiro was an interesting character, because as we approached the end of the book, I could see the other story lines, slowly coming together – but Keiro was off wandering the lands, and I was waiting to see where this would take us. Where it took us was to a far off land, and Keiro’s POV chapters end up being, arguably, the most important of all in the book.Things I love about epic fantasy series, such as A Song of Ice and Fire, are not the number of POV characters, but the locations of these characters. Each and every POV character in In The Shadows of the Gods takes place in a completely different locations. Joro is in the dark Mount Raturo, where the priests of the Twins live, in complete darkness, playing political games with each other to gain power and respect; Scal is the frozen north, growing up and marching along with the Northmen – who murder without a second thought, yet hold very true to their morals and respect – and is living in the cold and snowy hell as a mercenary; Rora and Aro are living the Canals – the slums of the slums – and they have to to survive, learning to manipulate and play the games in the gang underwood; Kerio takes us all across the map.Since this was an eARC, I actually didn’t read the book info before I read it (I did before requesting the review copy, I had just forgotten). Because of this, I had NO IDEA that Joro “gathers a team of disparate fighters,” and when it did happen, I was a tab bit bummed out. They do not come to together until all most the very end, and them coming together like that, with what the ending this first book is, did feel slightly rushed. And because three out of the four POV characters are all together, in the same location, and on same storyline now, it did take a bit of the excitement of changing POVs away, for me. Particularly at the end when there was a scene where I would have preferred to seen something through another character’s eyes. Up until that point though, this was an effortless and absorbing read!Each character hooked me from the beginning, and all of their separate plot lines were just as compelling as the next. The pacing of the novel is excellent as well! Very fast paced, the only thing I wished was that at the chapters were longer, or another chapter or two, was added for each POV. As I said earlier, I love reading in different locations, and Dunne did a magnificent job in world building, with each locations have different dialects, mannerism, and ways-of-life, but I feel the novel could have benefited from extending a scene of two in each. This would have allowed readers to spend more time in those regions, with the characters, creating a greater picture of the fine details of the world, and also developing the characters that little bit more that they needed for me to say they were also complex.The best way I can think to describe In the Shadow of the Gods: a perfect epic fantasy for beginners. I mean that 100% as a complement! There are multiple POVs, but not so many characters to loose track of; intertwining plots, but not super complex where you have to re-read sections; excellent world building, but not so vast that we get bogged down with details; and mythology (of the Parents and the Twins), that is basic, but details of it are revealed slowly and appropriately, adding to the mystery and suspense of the story. It has never been so easy and effortlessly for me to read an epic fantasy story, that had this compelling of a plot and characters.Here is a fun-fact for you I learned after reading the book: In the Shadow of the Gods, was a semi-finalist for the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, and was then picked by Harper Voyager.4.5/5 Rating-DJ

I was blessed to stumble upon an advanced copy of this book and was immediately hooked. I'm a huge fantasy fan and always looking for mature, interesting, richly dressed out worlds to explore. Rachel Dunne has created that here in spades. The cast of characters is varied and engaging, complicated and very believable. I got so attached to some of them, I actually found myself talking out loud to them at times (yeah, I'm that reader...) and even tearing up some as I witnessed their struggles. Add some healthy doses of philosophy, religion, relationships, politics, and plenty of surprises, and this one has all the ingredients of a winner. If you don't like violence or dark edgy stuff, this might be too strong for you. Of course, that's like talking about "hot" salsa- everyone's taste is subjective and hard to describe from the inside in a meaningful way. I like my fiction edgy and somewhat dark, in an intelligent way that's somewhat realistic without being gratuitous. I think Ms. Dunne has captured that sweet spot perfectly here. It's edgy enough to give it that messy human grit, but not overly so, and with plenty of heart to keep the story balanced and and light in places as well. I'm in love with this book. I rarely write letters to authors, but when I turned the last page I couldn't help it. I was desperate for the next in the series and needed to tell her how much I loved it and find out when the next one is coming. Now I know I'll have to wait a bit, but... worth it! Worth it. For what it's worth. :) Calleaghn

This is the first book of the Bound Gods trilogy. This one takes a bit getting the gang together, telling their back stories. Scal, a quiet fierce Northern warrior who is working on his fourth "life", after some brutal and bloody tragedies struck his previous three. Rora and Aro, twins trying to avoid the grisly fate of other twins by fighting and killing from within the lower classes. Vatri, some strange priestess who gloms onto Scal for reasons unknown and annoying to Scal. Anddyr, a mage who is drug tied to the leader of this rag tag band, Joros. Joros is a real piece of work - cruel, impatient, violent and temperamental - a real asshole, to be honest. They come together in a bit of a haphazard way and try to track down and interrupt a mysterious rite.As you can see, this is a weird fantasy novel. Of the entire group, only Rora is at all likable and she is kind of a heartless killer, albeit for obvious reasons. Her brother is basically a wastrel and a drunk. Scal is a real warrior, but man, is he scarred, both physically and mentally. And what else can I say about Joros? I mean he starts the book by throwing someone off a cliff and he gets meaner! It is also strange because Dunne somehow manages to have 2 fantasy tropes I viscerally hate - plenty of magic and a quest - and yet I still enjoyed the book a lot! She gets away with the magic by having the magic user be an abused slave of Joros and we don't really know too much about the magic "system". It isn't horribly overused and the magic user is a someone to feel sorry for. And the quest doesn't really kick in until the final quarter of the book and she basically just has them start out and then skips to the finish, which avoids the "one damn thing after another" part of fantasy quests that make me crazy.I'm really curious to see what happens next to this woefully mismatched "team". Definitely one to try if you're interested in a dark, violent world.

I received a free review copy of this book.Great for people looking for an epic conflict with a wintery feel! You can really feel the chill seeping up out of the pages. Cold climates, cold hearts, and cold welcomes are all in abundant supply.There's entirely too much "people being beaten up" in this book for my taste. I didn't know that was a thing I had a problem with! I guess regular, casual violence from a POV character is a bit different than seeing it in an antagonist.I'm not sure I can fully trust any of these characters, let alone several sets of them working together (?), or at least travelling in a group. Keiro's my favorite; he's the most straightforward, and possibly the only true innocent.I don't know where this is going, or even which side of the religious conflict to root for! There's certainly a lot more story to be told, though.

Full disclosure, I received a copy on the Goodreads giveaway.This is an interesting debut novel. There is a lot here to like. The characters are well colored and multidimensional. They all have flaws and redemptive qualities. The world, which feels a bit focused on a small area to start, begins to expand as the characters do. The one letdown was the pacing seemed a bit slow to start the book. The last third of the book rolled nicely to the finish. I thought the "cliffhanger" ending was a little undesirable as it made it feel a bit like an unfinished story, but I enjoyed this read for the most part. I look forward to reading book number 2 to see where Rachel takes this. I'd recommend this for sure. An admirable first effort!

I enjoyed this book. Had no preconceived notions or read reviews prior to opening the first page. The story started out rather slowly...almost too slowly. The players who turn up had very different life stories. They eventually came together into what might call a mission for a few and for others a journey or escape. At this juncture, it is difficult to determine the respective roles in this motley company.A myth or long forgotten tale of gods reminiscent of Greek gods is at the core of this story. It is a story of strife, jealousy, and retribution. However, one cannot kill the gods but may entrap them forever unless...There is a point in the story line where my interest was clinched. An unexpected arrangement that was not anticipated. Well done. It is nice to surprised.

This book started as a solid 3 stars for me. It was an interesting premise, solid world building and reasonably interesting characters. I found it a bit difficult to keep the characters straight initially as they jumped around quite a bit. As the plot started to weave together, and the characters became more fleshed out it became a four star book. By the end, when everything resolved and some elements of the plot were a bit surprising, it shot up to an unquestionable five stars. I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the series and I hope that the author continues to write.

A fairly good fantasy read. Overall, I felt the character development was fairly well done and each of the main characters given a solid backstory and a purpose for their call to action.However, the world-building was essentially non-existent and the plot was confusing at times. This may just be my inexperience with fantasy novels and trying to keep track of all the different characters and plots, but I feel for even an inexperienced reader it should have had a better flow.It was a fun read but I don't forsee myself reading the rest of the trilogy as of yet.

Fantastic. My only complaint: Dunne really likes those fragment sentences. Usually I don't mind that style of writing, but sometimes it's a little hard to follow, which disrupts the flow of reading. But otherwise, I thought it was an excellent first novel. The characters are all dynamic and unique, and the story is an intriguing epic. Definitely looking forward to the next installment.

This. Book. Was. Amazing. It was a great story. It was a little hard to follow all the characters at first (kind of like Game of Thrones) but totally worth the read! The world that is created is so interesting! I’m excited for the next book!

The audio book narrator is amazing. I guess it would not have been nearly as good without him. I really enjoyed the characters and the world, quite an interesting take and different. The story was good but could have been better.

I saw this book on the shelf and I thought that I would try it. Glad I did, thoroughly enjoyed it. Grear debut.