emmer_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
brandilovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
An exciting fantasy. Not too long ago, the humans fought a war with the gods. The new king has outlawed all shrines and worship. Three, make that four, individuals are brought together on a pilgrimage to the city where the war was fought. A girl, a Godkiller, a knight turned baker, and the God of white lies. The each need answers. They each have secrets. With the exception of the girl, none really trusts the others.
Great world building. Great character building. An ending that leaves you wanting the next book, without a dreaded cliffhanger.
Recommended for readers who enjoy books about people who find their tribes in the most unexpected people.
Great world building. Great character building. An ending that leaves you wanting the next book, without a dreaded cliffhanger.
Recommended for readers who enjoy books about people who find their tribes in the most unexpected people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
awaterswadesthrough's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Medical content, Gore, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Ableism, Blood, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, and War
nicoles_reading_corner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gore, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and War
bluejayreads's review against another edition
4.75
I have heard nothing about this book anywhere – I’m pretty sure I found it through The StoryGraph’s (admittedly pretty great) recommendation algorithm. My library doesn’t even have a copy. But honestly, everybody should know about this book because it’s just so good.
First off, I’m already predisposed to like this concept. If you know anything about me, you know I’m a sucker for interesting, unique, or weird takes on deities and religion. A world where gods are formed out of human desire and sustained by their prayers and offerings, but are also outlawed by the king and hunted down and killed by god-killers, is right up my alley. There are so many fascinating little details, from the details of how a god is created to to the ways gods interact with the humans who give it life and offerings to the process of killing one. I found it fascinating, but even if you don’t, it doesn’t detract at all from the story.
And the story is pretty spectacular too. It starts out with Kissen, who lost her entire family and one of her legs to a god being petty and territorial. Fitted with a pretty cool prosthetic, she now makes a living hunting down and killing gods for coin – a bit like a Witcher if Witchers hunted gods instead of monsters. Then she meets Inara, a kid somehow bound to a small god. On their quest to figure out how to untangle the kid and the god, they join up with Elogast, a former knight on a very illegal quest from the king. Though having four point-of-view characters (Kissen, Inara, Elogast, and Inara’s god) gets annoying at times, it gets less annoying once all four are in the same spot headed in the same direction. And there really isn’t a perspective that could be removed without harming the story as a whole – as irritating as it got in the beginning, this story really does need all four narrators.
I’m not going to comment on the plot much, for a couple reasons. One is that as simple as “go to this city and ask the wild gods how to solve the problem” sounds, the actual reality is significantly more complicated than that. The other is that for as strong as the plot is (and it is very good), it’s the characters that really sang for me in this one. Guilty and disillusioned knight only recently forced to stop hiding from the world and his own feelings; sheltered and scared only child of a noblewoman, uncertain about any of this but determined to be brave; god of little white lies, bound to a single child and desperate for more; and my absolute favorite, strong and broken and furious and violent and loyal and traumatized and all-around spectacular god-killer. The plot is great and the world is spectacular, but in such a way that the characters really shine.
I didn’t know going in that this was first in a series, but I’m very glad it is. The ending left so much open – the whole “burgeoning civil war” thing, whatever the hell the king is up to, how the god got bound to Inara in the first place, why Inara has the weird powers she has, what Kissen is going to do after that ending … And above all, I want to read more. Godkiller just came out, so I’m sure book two will be a long time coming, but I’m looking forward to it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Gore, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Body horror
Mind controlisabeltavares'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
4.0
Godkiller centers around gods and a world where they are not welcomed.
We follow Kissen, a godkiller in charge of killing gods who misbehave. Elogast, a retired knight who fought for the gods to be banished. Inara, a little girl who has a secret that could hurt her.
Three unlikely characters who must unite in order to survive the journey to the city of gods.
I've never read a prologue that completely drew me in as the one in Godkiller. The best part about this story is the writing that created intriguing characters with unlikeable decisions. A world that will crush your hopes and the ones who could give you hope, will most likely kill you.
It is a whirlwind adventure, with secrets to be learned and trust to be earned.
My main critique remains on the odd pacing between action and rest. It made me feel disconnected from the story because when things were reaching an interesting point, it slowed down and turned in another direction. This can also be said about the ending. I don't particularly enjoy cliffhangers but the end felt as if someone deleted the rest of the chapters.
You want to give the reader the best story possible, and I don't think we had it. The end was too disruptive.
Nevertheless, I will be reading the sequel if only to find out what actually happens.
We follow Kissen, a godkiller in charge of killing gods who misbehave. Elogast, a retired knight who fought for the gods to be banished. Inara, a little girl who has a secret that could hurt her.
Three unlikely characters who must unite in order to survive the journey to the city of gods.
I've never read a prologue that completely drew me in as the one in Godkiller. The best part about this story is the writing that created intriguing characters with unlikeable decisions. A world that will crush your hopes and the ones who could give you hope, will most likely kill you.
It is a whirlwind adventure, with secrets to be learned and trust to be earned.
My main critique remains on the odd pacing between action and rest. It made me feel disconnected from the story because when things were reaching an interesting point, it slowed down and turned in another direction. This can also be said about the ending. I don't particularly enjoy cliffhangers but the end felt as if someone deleted the rest of the chapters.
You want to give the reader the best story possible, and I don't think we had it. The end was too disruptive.
Nevertheless, I will be reading the sequel if only to find out what actually happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death of parent
TW: amputation, manipulationbrianneh's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury
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