marleywrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The found family 😭 I love them forever 😭
This book had a slow start, but the world building was incredible. Despite the slow exposition, I was invested in the world and characters. Right from the start we see curses and magical bonds and sacrifices. We see remnants of violence and war. This story has such a rich history that I just want to dig into the lore.
I’m intrigued to see what happens with the main characters of this story. I can’t say much more without spoiling anything, but I have a feeling more will be resolved in the next book. If you’re expecting a neat conclusion, this isn’t it, but I promise you will be glued to the book for the last 100 pages. I read the last 80 in less than 2 hours because I was INVESTED‼️
This novel was like a road trip gone wrong. AND YET!! I cared about this book so much by the end. I’m glad I picked it up.
Plus I have the waterstones edition and it’s gorgeous. Although Skedi doesn’t look like how I imagined him on the cover. If that’s him. I wish we could see his hare form. EDIT: he’s on the back cover!!
This book had a slow start, but the world building was incredible. Despite the slow exposition, I was invested in the world and characters. Right from the start we see curses and magical bonds and sacrifices. We see remnants of violence and war. This story has such a rich history that I just want to dig into the lore.
I’m intrigued to see what happens with the main characters of this story. I can’t say much more without spoiling anything, but I have a feeling more will be resolved in the next book. If you’re expecting a neat conclusion, this isn’t it, but I promise you will be glued to the book for the last 100 pages. I read the last 80 in less than 2 hours because I was INVESTED‼️
This novel was like a road trip gone wrong. AND YET!! I cared about this book so much by the end. I’m glad I picked it up.
Plus I have the waterstones edition and it’s gorgeous. Although Skedi doesn’t look like how I imagined him on the cover. If that’s him. I wish we could see his hare form. EDIT: he’s on the back cover!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Blood, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
thebookraiders's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Cursing, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, War, and Blood
micheala's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
For some reason when I started reading this book I was convinced that it was a standalone, and I was worried with the pacing. Turns out it's book 1 in a trilogy.
This book is fairy short (especially for an adult fantasy) at only 288 pages, so the fact that it took til page 92 (32%) to get to the end of the blurb, wasn't my favourite. If your going to have a slow paced book, I personally prefer that it be a much longer book - like 500+ pages.
I also didn't necessarily love that we have 3.5 POVs (3 main ones and 1 occasional) Like, yes they all felt like they were adding to the story, but again with it being so short, it felt like too much - particularly once they were travelling as a group.
I did really enjoy the worldbuilding and character progression - we had one character I didn't like in the beginning that grew on me, and another that I liked, then hated, then started to warm back up to by the end.
I am a little concerned for the second book, in that if it's paced in the same way I don't think we are going to get any plot resolutions. And if we don't get any plot resolutions, then why is it a trilogy and not a duology? Essentially, if the books are going to be smaller than average, you really need to sell me on why there needs to be more smaller books then fewer longer books.
This book is fairy short (especially for an adult fantasy) at only 288 pages, so the fact that it took til page 92 (32%) to get to the end of the blurb, wasn't my favourite. If your going to have a slow paced book, I personally prefer that it be a much longer book - like 500+ pages.
I also didn't necessarily love that we have 3.5 POVs (3 main ones and 1 occasional) Like, yes they all felt like they were adding to the story, but again with it being so short, it felt like too much - particularly once they were travelling as a group.
I did really enjoy the worldbuilding and character progression - we had one character I didn't like in the beginning that grew on me, and another that I liked, then hated, then started to warm back up to by the end.
I am a little concerned for the second book, in that if it's paced in the same way I don't think we are going to get any plot resolutions. And if we don't get any plot resolutions, then why is it a trilogy and not a duology? Essentially, if the books are going to be smaller than average, you really need to sell me on why there needs to be more smaller books then fewer longer books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Genocide, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Kidnapping
bluejay21's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
moonchild_cos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, War, Blood, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content
aitanavec's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Violence
midnight_rose_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Godkiller is the first book in a trilogy by Hannah Kaner. It is about a woman named Kissen who becomes a Godkiller to avenge her family. When she was a girl they were killed when some of the people of her village sacrificed them to the fire god, which you learn about in the prologue. Inara Craier is a young noble girl from Lesscia who is inexplicably bound to the god of white lies named Skediceth. She sets out to her villages town to find a ‘veiga’ (which is what Godkillers are called in this world), to help her separate herself from the god. Skedi themself wants to seek a shrine and find followers to love them. Elogast is a former knight turned baker who has guilt he couldn’t completely help his friend who was the prince turned king Arren, in the war with the gods. All of the characters converge with each other and set off together to Blenraden the place where the godwar was fought each hoping to find the answers they seek there.
Godkiller is an impressive debut to a promising new trilogy. Those who love Norse-esque epic fantasy, with a focus on character will find much to like here. Also cheers to Hannah for telling a effective first installment of this story, but not having the book be doorstopper long.
Godkiller is an impressive debut to a promising new trilogy. Those who love Norse-esque epic fantasy, with a focus on character will find much to like here. Also cheers to Hannah for telling a effective first installment of this story, but not having the book be doorstopper long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and Cursing
Minor: Sexual content
luckylulureads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Violence, War, Animal death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Grief, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Infertility
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hannah Kaner’s deliciously explosive and utterly enchanting, dark fantasy was a fast paced and fiercely addictive debut; full of gods,demons, disillusioned knights and god killing mercenaries with hearts of gold that ensnared me from the first page and left me breathless with excitement!
It follows Kissen whose family was murdered by zealots of a fire god, now makes a living killing gods and enjoys it, that is until she finds a god she can’t kill and the young girl, Inara that it has somehow attached itself to.
Joined by the former knight commander; Kissen, the young noble and the god of white lies all journey towards the ruined city of Blenraden (where the last of the wild gods reside) to each beg a favour.
But with a bloody civil war on the horizon and shadowy demons in pursuit, Kissen and Co. face untold danger for something is rotting at the heart of the kingdom—and only they can stop it…
This was such an action packed, whirlwind of a book and I loved every well plotted and exquisitely detailed second of it!
The world building was a huge part of what I loved most, it’s exhilaratingly atmospheric and threaded with uncertainty. I loved how vividly detailed the lore surrounding the dwindling gods were and how intrinsically linked their (and the world’s) magic was to the worship and offerings of desperate people, torn between their faith and the king’s new laws.
I also loved Kissen, who was such a fierce, and tenacious character whose gruff, standoffish exterior hides a deep well of compassion and protectiveness for her loved ones. She can be impulsive at times which does lead to some not so stellar results, but her ability to own up to them, learn and move on was something that really impressed me. As did her Geralt levels of attitude and badass-ness (and the matching feistiness of her horse, Legs also gives Roach competition for fave fictional horse of all time.)
Elo was likewise a really intriguing character, his endearing Jaskier/Dandelion level of goodness and self sacrificing personality make it impossible not to love him (not to mention his skills in baking and occasional renditions of bawdy military songs), plus his relationship dynamics and banter with Kissen was perfect.
I can’t talk about endearing characters and not mention the adorable-ness of Inara (the young noble) and Skedi, the little god bound to her. The bond they share was a genuinely sweet highlight for the most part and I liked that (alongside Kissen and Elo) we also got to experience both of their POVs—though Skedi’s did surprise me a little! If you loved Lyra and Pan from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, then you’re most likely going to adore these two.
The disability rep was really good (Kissen has a prosthesis) and it was really refreshing to see the representation in a main (and incredibly pivotal to the narrative) character too as opposed to just a minor or supporting character.
Overall, a phenomenally strong and enjoyable debut from Hannah Kaner which ends on a satisfying, though slightly cliffhanger-y ending. I’m definitely excited to see where the rest of the series takes us—and desperately hoping the wait won’t be too long!
Also, a massive thank you to Harper Voyager for the wonderful Proof.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Cursing
Minor: War
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