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The Vagrant Gods #3
The Slain Divine
In the thrilling conclusion to USA Today bestselling author David Dalglish's new epic fantasy trilogy, an usurped prince must master the magic of shadows in order to reclaim his kingdom and his people. The Everlorn Empire's grip on Thanet is tighter than ever. The God-Incarnate himself has arrived on its shores to crush the struggling rebellion and carry out his final, sinister he will sacrifice the entire island in order to rise, reincarnated from its ashes. The rebellion is struggling to separate allies from enemies, and to figure out a way to stop the slow destruction of everything and everyone they care for. Meanwhile, Cyrus is disappearing deeper beneath the vicious mask of the "Vagrant". Under the mantel of the legendary assassin, he may be strong enough to take down the Empire, but at what cost?
523 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2024
39 people are currently reading
807 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
January 27, 2024
I like to keep David Dalglish on his toes but I’ve delayed this review long enough.
The Slain Divine. The conclusion to the Vagrant Gods trilogy. Clearly, I can’t talk much at all about the plot so I’m going to discuss my general feelings. This was phenomenal. If there was one word to describe this finale, it would be bittersweet. As a final book, it succeeds in doing what it was designed to do and what Dalglish does best, tie up loose ends and leave readers with satisfying closure. If you are looking for a new series to binge that is one crazy roller coaster ride filled with video game inspo, honestly book 2 and 3 of this series reminded me of Elden Ring because of the massive scale of certain scenes and battles. A very easy 5 out of 5 stars.
Full review to come on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
The Slain Divine. The conclusion to the Vagrant Gods trilogy. Clearly, I can’t talk much at all about the plot so I’m going to discuss my general feelings. This was phenomenal. If there was one word to describe this finale, it would be bittersweet. As a final book, it succeeds in doing what it was designed to do and what Dalglish does best, tie up loose ends and leave readers with satisfying closure. If you are looking for a new series to binge that is one crazy roller coaster ride filled with video game inspo, honestly book 2 and 3 of this series reminded me of Elden Ring because of the massive scale of certain scenes and battles. A very easy 5 out of 5 stars.
Full review to come on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
March 28, 2024
3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/nOaOLBiqSXw
This is the finale to this epic fantasy trilogy. I was a huge fan of the first book that captured my attention with a strong emotional start. The book introduced likable characters with a compelling emotional hook. It worked. I was in for the full ride.
Moving onto book two, and now book three, I have now experienced the full scope of the story. I will admit I am a touch underwhelmed. These later installments were objectively fine, but failed to elicit the emotional response.
Don't get me wrong this was a solidly good fantasy trilogy. I'm only so hard on it because I thought it was something more fresh than it ended up being in the end.
Anyone interested in this trilogy should start back at the beginning with The Bladed Faith.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/nOaOLBiqSXw
This is the finale to this epic fantasy trilogy. I was a huge fan of the first book that captured my attention with a strong emotional start. The book introduced likable characters with a compelling emotional hook. It worked. I was in for the full ride.
Moving onto book two, and now book three, I have now experienced the full scope of the story. I will admit I am a touch underwhelmed. These later installments were objectively fine, but failed to elicit the emotional response.
Don't get me wrong this was a solidly good fantasy trilogy. I'm only so hard on it because I thought it was something more fresh than it ended up being in the end.
Anyone interested in this trilogy should start back at the beginning with The Bladed Faith.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 13, 2023
The first two books in David Dalglish's Vagrant Gods trilogy absolutely blew me away and cemented Dalglish as one of my favorite fantasy authors writing today. With every book it just seems like he continues to top himself and so I honestly could not wait to crack open this final entry and hopefully get the fabulous ending that I suspected was about to unfold. Turns out the climax of this series was even better than I could have hoped for and it more than fulfilled the promise of the previous books, as the breakneck events leading up to the grand finale simply blew me away.
As this is the conclusion of the series I will try to steer away from anything that could be viewed as spoilery, so I will mostly stick to my general feelings about the series and this book in particular. The story picks up pretty much immediately following the tumultuous events of the second book. Suffice to say The Sapphire Altar not only forwarded the plot considerably but also avoided the usual "middle book syndrome" by throwing a lot of unexpected curveballs into the mix. That book in particular really upped the ante with regard to the pacing and in my opinion did a lot to successfully lay the groundwork for a truly epic finish. Will the pocket groups of resistance organizing themselves within Thanet be able to overthrow the occupying force of The Everlorn Empire once and for all? Or will they be resigned to their fate as ineffectual slaves to their new leader's strict and unforgiving religious beliefs?
The mark of a really great series is how sad you are to see it all end and I was utterly beside myself as I passed the midway point of THE SLAIN DIVINE. I began to read just a little slower, reread certain passages, and just really soak the entire book in. There are very few books that affect me that way but when you are immersed in a fantastic story like this one and feel like you have lived in this world with these characters for three years, it's both a little bittersweet and wholly rewarding/satisfying at the same time. Ultimately though I know that David Dalglish will have another banger of a series brewing hot on the heels of this one so I take solace in the fact that I have that to look forward to.
THE SLAIN DIVINE checks off every box that you could want for the conclusion of a fantasy series. The characters get put through about the toughest situations imaginable, the action sequences are vivid and hit you viscerally, and the engaging plot keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time up to the breathtaking final pages. This series should be a must read for anyone who loves in-depth fantasy that delivers bigtime on the magic and mayhem. Do yourself a favor and check this trilogy out if you haven't yet. You just might discover a brand new favorite fantasy series. Author David Dalglish seems to have that effect on readers and the great news is he seems to write these highly entertaining tomes almost faster than we can read them.
As this is the conclusion of the series I will try to steer away from anything that could be viewed as spoilery, so I will mostly stick to my general feelings about the series and this book in particular. The story picks up pretty much immediately following the tumultuous events of the second book. Suffice to say The Sapphire Altar not only forwarded the plot considerably but also avoided the usual "middle book syndrome" by throwing a lot of unexpected curveballs into the mix. That book in particular really upped the ante with regard to the pacing and in my opinion did a lot to successfully lay the groundwork for a truly epic finish. Will the pocket groups of resistance organizing themselves within Thanet be able to overthrow the occupying force of The Everlorn Empire once and for all? Or will they be resigned to their fate as ineffectual slaves to their new leader's strict and unforgiving religious beliefs?
The mark of a really great series is how sad you are to see it all end and I was utterly beside myself as I passed the midway point of THE SLAIN DIVINE. I began to read just a little slower, reread certain passages, and just really soak the entire book in. There are very few books that affect me that way but when you are immersed in a fantastic story like this one and feel like you have lived in this world with these characters for three years, it's both a little bittersweet and wholly rewarding/satisfying at the same time. Ultimately though I know that David Dalglish will have another banger of a series brewing hot on the heels of this one so I take solace in the fact that I have that to look forward to.
THE SLAIN DIVINE checks off every box that you could want for the conclusion of a fantasy series. The characters get put through about the toughest situations imaginable, the action sequences are vivid and hit you viscerally, and the engaging plot keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time up to the breathtaking final pages. This series should be a must read for anyone who loves in-depth fantasy that delivers bigtime on the magic and mayhem. Do yourself a favor and check this trilogy out if you haven't yet. You just might discover a brand new favorite fantasy series. Author David Dalglish seems to have that effect on readers and the great news is he seems to write these highly entertaining tomes almost faster than we can read them.
October 5, 2024
The Bladed Faith ★★★★
The Sapphire Altar ★★★★
The Slain Divine ★★★★
I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the entire series without giving away any spoilers. This is the second series I’ve read by Dalglish, and it certainly won’t be my last. He himself describes it as the “definitive Dalglish novel.” The story follows Prince Cyrus, whose life is upended at twelve when his gods and parents are killed. He then joins a revolutionary group and transforms into an exceptionally skilled assassin.
As you can see from my ratings, I gave each book in the series 4 stars, which indicates that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is consistently solid, though each installment has its strengths and weaknesses—some excel in character development, while others shine in pacing or plot.
Dalglish has a knack for creating well-rounded and unique characters. There are several memorable figures with distinct abilities and backgrounds that make them hard not to appreciate. I particularly enjoyed the training arc in the first book, which allowed us to witness Cyrus's gradual growth rather than him suddenly gaining powers. This realistic approach is often overlooked in other narratives. In the second and third books, new characters are introduced, and they’re just as well-crafted.
While the plot may not be the most original, Dalglish manages to put his own spin on familiar fantasy tropes, making the story feel fresh rather than recycled. The pacing is generally fast, and with high stakes and large-scale battles, it becomes an addictive read.
The world-building is impressive as well. Having read only one of Dalglish's works prior, I was already aware of his creativity in this area, and this series does not disappoint. It’s filled with intriguing and imaginative concepts.
In summary, this series is another triumph for Dalglish. The writing is strong, the characters are well-developed, and the world-building is exceptional. Each book excels in different aspects, but they all deliver a great experience. I’m eagerly anticipating Dalglish's next series—maybe I’ll even explore his earlier works!
The Sapphire Altar ★★★★
The Slain Divine ★★★★
“The wise can rebuild a better world from the ashes, but for there to be ashes, we must first burn down the old and the rotten. I say we get to burning.”
I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the entire series without giving away any spoilers. This is the second series I’ve read by Dalglish, and it certainly won’t be my last. He himself describes it as the “definitive Dalglish novel.” The story follows Prince Cyrus, whose life is upended at twelve when his gods and parents are killed. He then joins a revolutionary group and transforms into an exceptionally skilled assassin.
As you can see from my ratings, I gave each book in the series 4 stars, which indicates that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is consistently solid, though each installment has its strengths and weaknesses—some excel in character development, while others shine in pacing or plot.
Dalglish has a knack for creating well-rounded and unique characters. There are several memorable figures with distinct abilities and backgrounds that make them hard not to appreciate. I particularly enjoyed the training arc in the first book, which allowed us to witness Cyrus's gradual growth rather than him suddenly gaining powers. This realistic approach is often overlooked in other narratives. In the second and third books, new characters are introduced, and they’re just as well-crafted.
While the plot may not be the most original, Dalglish manages to put his own spin on familiar fantasy tropes, making the story feel fresh rather than recycled. The pacing is generally fast, and with high stakes and large-scale battles, it becomes an addictive read.
The world-building is impressive as well. Having read only one of Dalglish's works prior, I was already aware of his creativity in this area, and this series does not disappoint. It’s filled with intriguing and imaginative concepts.
In summary, this series is another triumph for Dalglish. The writing is strong, the characters are well-developed, and the world-building is exceptional. Each book excels in different aspects, but they all deliver a great experience. I’m eagerly anticipating Dalglish's next series—maybe I’ll even explore his earlier works!
February 3, 2024
Let this house be the first forge she kindled. And within it, bathed in embers, let her own body be the first weapon crafted in her name. The Goddess of the Forge stepped out to the cold night street and exhaled ash onto the wind.
4.5 stars. What a great conclusion!! Action-packed and exciting and surprising and full of really great character moments. I feel all buzzed, and I'm itching to find more high fantasy similar to this, that deals with gods and religion and the faithful in this type of way, talks about different types of devotion and deity like this, and also has a bunch of queer characters and characters of colour. I enjoyed this so much, and while I have some minor nit-picks, everything that I loved far outstrips those little quibbles. Spoilery thoughts below!
There's probably a lot that I forgot to mention/discuss... a lot happened in this book! And I mean, it's far from perfect, and there are a few things about the writing that are a little cheesy or over the top I guess. But I just enjoyed my time with it SO much. I love finishing a series and feeling so satisfied.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Jaime Lincoln Smith and Imani Parks and... woof. I'm just glad I still liked this so much. Parks isn't my fave narrator, in terms of her cadence and character voices, but I've gotten used to her. This is a different male narrator, however, and I... did not like his narration much. Lol. The way he did prose was fine, actually pretty good, but every character voice he did sounded so whiny and nasally and downright bad. Cyrus especially sounded a little ridiculous. I finished this 500+ page book in a day, and it's because I was so immersed in the story, but it's also because I sped up the male parts as much as I could bear while still being able to understand, so that they'd go by quicker. Again, I'm just glad it didn't impact my opinion of the book itself! I'm really glad to have tried this author and this series, and I will be looking into his backlist soon.
Content warnings:
“Turn away from me, and I shall forever love you still. If you are to grant me your faith, may it be because of that love , and nothing else.”
Read
September 30, 2024An epic and heartfelt conclusion to the trilogy. This will definitely not be the last Dalglish book I read.
May 10, 2024
7.5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Lucavi, the God-Incarnate, sets foot on Thanet, an island on its knees, yet very much apart from the rest of the empire he controls. No, more than controls—wields, like a weapon, as he is their savior, their divine, their one and only god. And while Thanet has yet to give in heart and soul, they will never have to. For Lucavi has something very different in mind for the tiny island, something that doesn’t require complete obeisance.
The Vagrant may strike fear into any under the Everlorn Empire’s sway, but he is far from reclaiming his crown. And with more soldiers—not to mention a living god—descending on his stolen kingdom, Cyrus may never sit its throne. More upsetting, he may never have his vengeance, nor taste divinity, something he is fast becoming, like it or not.
But with the God-Incarnate comes another, unintended consequence of his divinity. One that may yet provide the means to defeat the Everlorn Empire, and free Thanet from its clutches.
—
The Vagrant Gods continues, albeit in a somewhat darker and more bloody direction. And—if you’ve come this far, you know—it’s been bloody enough as it is. Still, with the amount of soldiers brought to protect/serve the God-Incarnate, there’s more than enough blood to go around.
And yet, the realism just wasn’t there for me. It seems too easy to escape in what really isn’t the biggest city, and our heroes always seem to kill an impressive amount of endlessly respawning soldiers before fading into the background, while their pursuers get bored and stop searching. It’s a bit like a bad video game. Not to mention the end, where something impossible happens, nearly ruining the entire thing.
Still, the characters remain well-written and interesting. My favorites remain the Vagrant/Cyrus and Sinshei, with an honorable mention to Soma, whose own story just got so much more interesting with the bomb dropped at the end of the Sapphire Altar. Keles wasn’t nearly as bad as she was in the previous book, joining Stasia and Arn in that category. Mari took her place as shallow and unbelievable (at least for me), while both Dario and a mystery guest arrive to steal the story until they, too, fade into the background.
TL;DR
All in all… this wasn’t the author’s strongest work, but it’s a decent end to a good series, and—while this chapter has ended—the door is open to a possible future, beyond Thanet’s shores. If you’ve come this far, continuing the series should be a no-brainer. If you haven’t yet experienced this series—start with the Bladed Faith, see how it goes. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading any Dalglish: I’d go with Soulkeeper—as it begins what I consider the author’s strongest body of work—but you could also try A Dance of Cloaks, as the Shadowdance is quite a journey in its own right.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Lucavi, the God-Incarnate, sets foot on Thanet, an island on its knees, yet very much apart from the rest of the empire he controls. No, more than controls—wields, like a weapon, as he is their savior, their divine, their one and only god. And while Thanet has yet to give in heart and soul, they will never have to. For Lucavi has something very different in mind for the tiny island, something that doesn’t require complete obeisance.
The Vagrant may strike fear into any under the Everlorn Empire’s sway, but he is far from reclaiming his crown. And with more soldiers—not to mention a living god—descending on his stolen kingdom, Cyrus may never sit its throne. More upsetting, he may never have his vengeance, nor taste divinity, something he is fast becoming, like it or not.
But with the God-Incarnate comes another, unintended consequence of his divinity. One that may yet provide the means to defeat the Everlorn Empire, and free Thanet from its clutches.
—
The Vagrant Gods continues, albeit in a somewhat darker and more bloody direction. And—if you’ve come this far, you know—it’s been bloody enough as it is. Still, with the amount of soldiers brought to protect/serve the God-Incarnate, there’s more than enough blood to go around.
And yet, the realism just wasn’t there for me. It seems too easy to escape in what really isn’t the biggest city, and our heroes always seem to kill an impressive amount of endlessly respawning soldiers before fading into the background, while their pursuers get bored and stop searching. It’s a bit like a bad video game. Not to mention the end, where something impossible happens, nearly ruining the entire thing.
Still, the characters remain well-written and interesting. My favorites remain the Vagrant/Cyrus and Sinshei, with an honorable mention to Soma, whose own story just got so much more interesting with the bomb dropped at the end of the Sapphire Altar. Keles wasn’t nearly as bad as she was in the previous book, joining Stasia and Arn in that category. Mari took her place as shallow and unbelievable (at least for me), while both Dario and a mystery guest arrive to steal the story until they, too, fade into the background.
TL;DR
All in all… this wasn’t the author’s strongest work, but it’s a decent end to a good series, and—while this chapter has ended—the door is open to a possible future, beyond Thanet’s shores. If you’ve come this far, continuing the series should be a no-brainer. If you haven’t yet experienced this series—start with the Bladed Faith, see how it goes. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading any Dalglish: I’d go with Soulkeeper—as it begins what I consider the author’s strongest body of work—but you could also try A Dance of Cloaks, as the Shadowdance is quite a journey in its own right.
December 2, 2024
Another one bites the dust!
This is by far my favourite series Dalglish has written yet!
The action was great and the story progress smoothly. I think his character moments and his characterization, whether focused on religious or spiritual ideals, gave the world a lot of feeling. Character ambitions and goals were always clear, especially with a large cast, and the twists kept on going.
I've already pre-ordered Level:Unknown and Radiant King. Dalglish has become an auto buy author!
This is by far my favourite series Dalglish has written yet!
The action was great and the story progress smoothly. I think his character moments and his characterization, whether focused on religious or spiritual ideals, gave the world a lot of feeling. Character ambitions and goals were always clear, especially with a large cast, and the twists kept on going.
I've already pre-ordered Level:Unknown and Radiant King. Dalglish has become an auto buy author!
Want to read
October 17, 2023Just got approved for an ARC:) Currently working through the first two installments, reviews to come soon!
February 10, 2024
If, like me, you enjoy fantasy where the Gods heavily interfere in the world, then this is a trilogy for you. I really enjoyed Dalglish's exploration of Godhood and what it means to be divine. He took it in some really interesting directions.
I loved the team assembled in here. Stasia is a badass, Mari is the heart with a core of steel, Arn is just a giant teddy bear and Cyrus...I just adored Cyrus and his journey was probably the most emotional for me.
I have absolutely loved this trilogy! David Dalglish continues to be an auto buy author for me and I can't wait to see where he takes me next.
I loved the team assembled in here. Stasia is a badass, Mari is the heart with a core of steel, Arn is just a giant teddy bear and Cyrus...I just adored Cyrus and his journey was probably the most emotional for me.
I have absolutely loved this trilogy! David Dalglish continues to be an auto buy author for me and I can't wait to see where he takes me next.
July 15, 2025
What a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. Absolutely stunning. Worked on multiple thematic layers that I really loved. Masterful work.
(As I noted for book two, the audio narration was…not great. The replacement male narrator had a great voice but chose super weird accents and intonations for about half the characters. The female narrator still seemed kind of wooden.)
One of my favorite epic fantasy trilogies in recent memory.
(As I noted for book two, the audio narration was…not great. The replacement male narrator had a great voice but chose super weird accents and intonations for about half the characters. The female narrator still seemed kind of wooden.)
One of my favorite epic fantasy trilogies in recent memory.
December 27, 2023
An epic conclusion to a remarkable trilogy. The series biggest strength was always the characters and the deep bond between them.
This last installment highlights this fact even more. David Dalglish action scenes are always a delight to read and the culmination of the series allow him to deliver some thrilling action sequence.
This last installment highlights this fact even more. David Dalglish action scenes are always a delight to read and the culmination of the series allow him to deliver some thrilling action sequence.
January 23, 2024
Final rating: 3.5/5 Stars. Full review to come. I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
March 20, 2024
Highly satisfying conclusion to an excellent series. I'll be sure to read more Dalglish and anything else in this world
March 7, 2025
All in all I liked this conclusion. There were things I didn't expect and some I found a bit nonsensical but generally a good ending.
October 24, 2023
Rating: 2.3/5
Review: This was a whole heck of a lot better than the previous novel. The title gives the whole thing away, but there you go. Really great cover art.
The characters, as usual were all OTT in expression, all powerful and speshul. I liked the Vagrant before, as he was rendered mundane in many ways which kept the story line grounded. About a third of the novel is guts on the floor type filler. Battles this excessive in graphic rendering gets very olde.
The constant movement and finely rendered world building lent for a thriving story line. There is still the wokey component interleaved with a chapter dedicated to this crap. Easy enough to skim.
The twists and turns to the plot are great but you know where you are going to end up thanks to the title.
Review: This was a whole heck of a lot better than the previous novel. The title gives the whole thing away, but there you go. Really great cover art.
The characters, as usual were all OTT in expression, all powerful and speshul. I liked the Vagrant before, as he was rendered mundane in many ways which kept the story line grounded. About a third of the novel is guts on the floor type filler. Battles this excessive in graphic rendering gets very olde.
The constant movement and finely rendered world building lent for a thriving story line. There is still the wokey component interleaved with a chapter dedicated to this crap. Easy enough to skim.
The twists and turns to the plot are great but you know where you are going to end up thanks to the title.
May 9, 2025
By far the strongest installment of the series. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this trilogy. I might be being too generous with an all around 4 stars for each individual book (1 was more a 3.5, and 2 was closer to a 2.5,) however when viewed as a sum whole I find the rating justified. Book 3 truly helped to bring everything together.
The Vagrant Gods trilogy features likable characters within a creative world, and the author assumed a fair bit of risk with some of his scenes/portrayals.
The Vagrant Gods trilogy features likable characters within a creative world, and the author assumed a fair bit of risk with some of his scenes/portrayals.
May 24, 2024
This review first appeared on my Substack newsletter, Omnivorous.
Warning: Spoilers for the book follow.
I’ve been a fan of David Dalglish’s The Vagrant Gods series since I read the first volume several years ago. Each subsequent installment has increased the stakes and the intensity, until it all comes down to this: the arrival of Lucavi on the shores of Thanet, where he will enact a terrible mass sacrifice–in effect, a genocide–in order to ensure that his essence and spirit are transferred to his chosen heir. However, despite his enormous power there are quite a few obstacles standing in his way, not the least of which is our band of heroes, including Cyrus (who is increasingly possessed by the vengeful spirit known as the Vagrant), Stasia (who has her own divinity to contend with), Mari (who can take on the personae of various vanquished gods), Keles (who is a royal in her own right), and Arn (who once served the Everlorn Empire but has now become a warrior for their enemies).
It’s not every author who can give you characters that you truly care about and invest in, particularly not when it comes to grimdark. Whether it’s Cyrus or Keles, Mari or Stasia, Arn or his brother Dario, these are people that you actually can believe are real and whose emotional investments–both in liberating the island of Thanet and in their personal lives–have heft to them. These are people that are caught up in a titanic conflict in which thousands of lives are at stake, but they also have loves that they want to protect, and this is what makes them much more than the simple archetypes they might have otherwise become.
There’s a brutal beauty to Dalglish’s prose that makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters as they engage in brutal and ugly battles, all in an effort to keep the world from plunging under the complete dominion of the power-mad Lucavi who is, I think, one of the most sinister villains to have emerged from recent epic fantasy. Like many dictators, he has become very much convinced by his own propaganda, to the point that he really does think it’s for the best that many thousands give up their lives so that his infernal rule can be continued, just as he clearly hopes that he’ll be able to take the battle to the gods in the afterlife, as well. The fact that Lucavi is like so many terrifying leaders in our own word–both religious and secular–is precisely what makes him so terrifying.
This makes it all the more satisfying when Lucavi–whose body has been taken over by one of his own predecessors–is finally cut down by Cyrus/the Vagrant, who has himself been possessed of the literal spirit of vengeance. We’ve been waiting for this moment since the very first book, and now it has come to pass. It’s a fitting end for a creature who has shown himself to be truly monstrous, willing to sacrifice everyone and anyone on the altar of his own misguided faith. This doesn’t mean that Cyrus gets to enjoy the fruits of his labor, because he ultimately realizes, as many heroes have before him, that the world he’s created ultimately has no space for him.
Like the best of epic fantasy, The Slain Divine, and indeed the series as a whole, engages with some of the big questions currently percolating in our culture and society. From the beginning, one of the key issues in the series is the nature of individual agency, and to what extent one person can change the course of empire and the efforts of those in power to bring everyone under a dictatorship. The series suggests that there is power in both the individual and the collective, which makes this concluding novel a particularly pertinent one in the sinister era in which we find ourselves.
Moreover, the series, and this book in particular, is concerned with the nature of religious faith and dogma. The Everlorn Empire and its acolytes for the most part seem to truly believe that it is their mission, and their right, to subjugate all of the other peoples and gods, both in this world and the next, and Dalglish. In different times this would perhaps seem to be a bit too-on-the-nose in terms of social commentary, but in a world in which Christian nationalists both in the United States and abroad seem to determined to bludgeon everyone else into submission and to eradicate all faith that runs contrary to their own, it’s precisely this real-world relevance that gives this series its unique power.
Even though much of the novel focuses on the heroes, there are two characters who are more morally ambiguous. The first is Sinshei, daughter of Lucavi, who has her own ambitions and yearns to take her father’s place so that she can enact her own vision of reform. We’re never quite sure how to respond to her, precisely because she’s a part of this corrupt and violence system. In the end, however, her ambitions are as vain as her father’s, and the same is true of Soma who, as readers of the last book know, is in fact the vanquished god Dagon. Like Sinshei he has his own ambitions for the Everlorn Empire, and he is unfortunately also a tyrant-in-the-making. Rather than returning the world to a state of many gods, he instead wants to take the monster’s place, setting himself up as another dictator. Once again Dalglish makes it clear that, while Lucavi might be the most visible avatar of religious oppression, he is hardly unique. Once again, this is a timely warning about certain figures in our own world who would try to remake the body politic in their own image.
I think it’s safe to say that The Slain Divine did not disappoint. It’s one of those books that, as a result of its powerful prose and its potent messaging, is designed to stay with you long after you finish the final page. And that, I think, is the mark of a truly great work of fantasy.
Warning: Spoilers for the book follow.
I’ve been a fan of David Dalglish’s The Vagrant Gods series since I read the first volume several years ago. Each subsequent installment has increased the stakes and the intensity, until it all comes down to this: the arrival of Lucavi on the shores of Thanet, where he will enact a terrible mass sacrifice–in effect, a genocide–in order to ensure that his essence and spirit are transferred to his chosen heir. However, despite his enormous power there are quite a few obstacles standing in his way, not the least of which is our band of heroes, including Cyrus (who is increasingly possessed by the vengeful spirit known as the Vagrant), Stasia (who has her own divinity to contend with), Mari (who can take on the personae of various vanquished gods), Keles (who is a royal in her own right), and Arn (who once served the Everlorn Empire but has now become a warrior for their enemies).
It’s not every author who can give you characters that you truly care about and invest in, particularly not when it comes to grimdark. Whether it’s Cyrus or Keles, Mari or Stasia, Arn or his brother Dario, these are people that you actually can believe are real and whose emotional investments–both in liberating the island of Thanet and in their personal lives–have heft to them. These are people that are caught up in a titanic conflict in which thousands of lives are at stake, but they also have loves that they want to protect, and this is what makes them much more than the simple archetypes they might have otherwise become.
There’s a brutal beauty to Dalglish’s prose that makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters as they engage in brutal and ugly battles, all in an effort to keep the world from plunging under the complete dominion of the power-mad Lucavi who is, I think, one of the most sinister villains to have emerged from recent epic fantasy. Like many dictators, he has become very much convinced by his own propaganda, to the point that he really does think it’s for the best that many thousands give up their lives so that his infernal rule can be continued, just as he clearly hopes that he’ll be able to take the battle to the gods in the afterlife, as well. The fact that Lucavi is like so many terrifying leaders in our own word–both religious and secular–is precisely what makes him so terrifying.
This makes it all the more satisfying when Lucavi–whose body has been taken over by one of his own predecessors–is finally cut down by Cyrus/the Vagrant, who has himself been possessed of the literal spirit of vengeance. We’ve been waiting for this moment since the very first book, and now it has come to pass. It’s a fitting end for a creature who has shown himself to be truly monstrous, willing to sacrifice everyone and anyone on the altar of his own misguided faith. This doesn’t mean that Cyrus gets to enjoy the fruits of his labor, because he ultimately realizes, as many heroes have before him, that the world he’s created ultimately has no space for him.
Like the best of epic fantasy, The Slain Divine, and indeed the series as a whole, engages with some of the big questions currently percolating in our culture and society. From the beginning, one of the key issues in the series is the nature of individual agency, and to what extent one person can change the course of empire and the efforts of those in power to bring everyone under a dictatorship. The series suggests that there is power in both the individual and the collective, which makes this concluding novel a particularly pertinent one in the sinister era in which we find ourselves.
Moreover, the series, and this book in particular, is concerned with the nature of religious faith and dogma. The Everlorn Empire and its acolytes for the most part seem to truly believe that it is their mission, and their right, to subjugate all of the other peoples and gods, both in this world and the next, and Dalglish. In different times this would perhaps seem to be a bit too-on-the-nose in terms of social commentary, but in a world in which Christian nationalists both in the United States and abroad seem to determined to bludgeon everyone else into submission and to eradicate all faith that runs contrary to their own, it’s precisely this real-world relevance that gives this series its unique power.
Even though much of the novel focuses on the heroes, there are two characters who are more morally ambiguous. The first is Sinshei, daughter of Lucavi, who has her own ambitions and yearns to take her father’s place so that she can enact her own vision of reform. We’re never quite sure how to respond to her, precisely because she’s a part of this corrupt and violence system. In the end, however, her ambitions are as vain as her father’s, and the same is true of Soma who, as readers of the last book know, is in fact the vanquished god Dagon. Like Sinshei he has his own ambitions for the Everlorn Empire, and he is unfortunately also a tyrant-in-the-making. Rather than returning the world to a state of many gods, he instead wants to take the monster’s place, setting himself up as another dictator. Once again Dalglish makes it clear that, while Lucavi might be the most visible avatar of religious oppression, he is hardly unique. Once again, this is a timely warning about certain figures in our own world who would try to remake the body politic in their own image.
I think it’s safe to say that The Slain Divine did not disappoint. It’s one of those books that, as a result of its powerful prose and its potent messaging, is designed to stay with you long after you finish the final page. And that, I think, is the mark of a truly great work of fantasy.
October 23, 2023
Early released ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This will be a spoiler-free review.
"The Slain Divine" wraps up author David Dalglish's "Vagrant Gods" series, one that that I had the fortune of discovering thanks to the opening book, "The Bladed Faith" being listed under the Reccommendations tab in Goodreads. I immediately took to the series, especially with the elements of upheaval and revolution, faith in others (whether they are ordinary people or divine beings), and the erasure of culture. Now, on this day, I have concluded my trek through the series by finishing "The Slain Divine"- where Dalglish saves the best book of the series for last. Along with the themes that I previously listed, The Slain Divine does its best with character work and action sequences. I intend to discuss both of them, along with plot progression.
First for the characters: Though Cyrus is considered the central protagonist of this series, the amount of point-of-view page time has decreased from around 50% of "The Bladed Faith" to about 25% here in this book. Over the course of the preceding books, around ten additional characters have acquired their own POV chapters, with their own personal character developments on close display. Some characters that stuck out to me are the following:
Cyrus- Obviously, the central character, but he and The Vagrant are becoming less separate from each other. Similar to the superheroes that all of us have seen, Cyrus doesn't have a plan for what happens if he wins. He feels that he cannot simply drop The Vagrant and just exist as Cyrus. That he must stay as a weapon rather than a person.
Keles- The closest to a deuteragonist of the series, her character work continues improvement. She is the closest to an anchor to Cyrus, preventing him from completely shedding his humanity. Similar to Cyrus, she also doesn't have a true plan about what she is to do if her side wins, but as the role of a Queen rather than the Queen's weapon.
Mari- Dalglish says in the "Note from the Author" section at the end that Mari was his favorite. I can see why- he must've had fun writing her character. Her relationship with Arn is especially wholesome.
Arn and Dario- The book continues the attempted reconciliation of the estranged brothers. Following Arn sparing Dario's life close to the end of the previous book, Dario now has a POV and must decide what he thinks is right. Whether he can understand what Arn is trying to get through the him with. As for Arn, he continues to be a steadfast ally to Thorda and his daughters.
Thorda- Similar to "The Sapphire Altar", Thorda doesn't have the active role that he had in "The Bladed Faith". Thorda has reached the point where he has put his trust in his allies to operate without any insistant approval. He and Cyrus now have a relationship of equals, rather than mentor and student.
Now onto the action sequences. I won't speak long on this, but Dalglish has a knack for writing these. I've read works where the action is too over-written, and I tend to tune out some of the action. For this book, and its predecessors, that is not the case. The sequences are well crafted, with the motions and positions of the fighters are much considered, as are the exact tendencies of the fighters themselves.
Finally, I would like to conclude with discussing the plot progression. With the arrival of Lucavi onto the island nation of Thanet for its incarnation ceremony (expected to pass on its being into a chosen heir), it is clear that the final conflict between two forces, being the Thanet revolutionaries vs. the Everlorn Empire, is reaching its final stages. The end of "The Sapphire Altar" has revealed that Everlorn paragon Soma is actually the Dagon the serpent god, one of Thanet's ruling gods long before the events of the series. His alignment in the situation is interesting, because of his disdain towards the current occupiers of Thanet...but also Endarius and Lycaena, his betrayers when he was cast away. Furthermore, there is also Sinshei's strong desire to be the Heir-Incarnate of her father, Lucavi. So strong, that she will temporarily align her interest with the revolutionaries in order to create the exact scenario that she wants. There is also the fact that Cyrus's state of being, known as the "Vagrant", has been imbuing its own personality into Cyrus, seem to be creating a different man altogether. These issues present as obstacles to the revolutionaries plan to end the reign of Lucavi.
Dalglish brings back an aspect from "The Bladed Faith", where he titles a chapter as "The Night Before", where several characters their point-of-views before initiating a risky all-or-nothing plan, with great unknowns. This reminds me very much of famous musicals such as West Side Story ("Tonight Quintet") and Les Miserables ("One Day More"), where the characters also deal with a tense night before drastic action.
5/5, best book of the series. Improves on already-strong preceding books. Looking forward to future works from Dalglish.
"The Slain Divine" wraps up author David Dalglish's "Vagrant Gods" series, one that that I had the fortune of discovering thanks to the opening book, "The Bladed Faith" being listed under the Reccommendations tab in Goodreads. I immediately took to the series, especially with the elements of upheaval and revolution, faith in others (whether they are ordinary people or divine beings), and the erasure of culture. Now, on this day, I have concluded my trek through the series by finishing "The Slain Divine"- where Dalglish saves the best book of the series for last. Along with the themes that I previously listed, The Slain Divine does its best with character work and action sequences. I intend to discuss both of them, along with plot progression.
First for the characters: Though Cyrus is considered the central protagonist of this series, the amount of point-of-view page time has decreased from around 50% of "The Bladed Faith" to about 25% here in this book. Over the course of the preceding books, around ten additional characters have acquired their own POV chapters, with their own personal character developments on close display. Some characters that stuck out to me are the following:
Cyrus- Obviously, the central character, but he and The Vagrant are becoming less separate from each other. Similar to the superheroes that all of us have seen, Cyrus doesn't have a plan for what happens if he wins. He feels that he cannot simply drop The Vagrant and just exist as Cyrus. That he must stay as a weapon rather than a person.
Keles- The closest to a deuteragonist of the series, her character work continues improvement. She is the closest to an anchor to Cyrus, preventing him from completely shedding his humanity. Similar to Cyrus, she also doesn't have a true plan about what she is to do if her side wins, but as the role of a Queen rather than the Queen's weapon.
Mari- Dalglish says in the "Note from the Author" section at the end that Mari was his favorite. I can see why- he must've had fun writing her character. Her relationship with Arn is especially wholesome.
Arn and Dario- The book continues the attempted reconciliation of the estranged brothers. Following Arn sparing Dario's life close to the end of the previous book, Dario now has a POV and must decide what he thinks is right. Whether he can understand what Arn is trying to get through the him with. As for Arn, he continues to be a steadfast ally to Thorda and his daughters.
Thorda- Similar to "The Sapphire Altar", Thorda doesn't have the active role that he had in "The Bladed Faith". Thorda has reached the point where he has put his trust in his allies to operate without any insistant approval. He and Cyrus now have a relationship of equals, rather than mentor and student.
Now onto the action sequences. I won't speak long on this, but Dalglish has a knack for writing these. I've read works where the action is too over-written, and I tend to tune out some of the action. For this book, and its predecessors, that is not the case. The sequences are well crafted, with the motions and positions of the fighters are much considered, as are the exact tendencies of the fighters themselves.
Finally, I would like to conclude with discussing the plot progression. With the arrival of Lucavi onto the island nation of Thanet for its incarnation ceremony (expected to pass on its being into a chosen heir), it is clear that the final conflict between two forces, being the Thanet revolutionaries vs. the Everlorn Empire, is reaching its final stages. The end of "The Sapphire Altar" has revealed that Everlorn paragon Soma is actually the Dagon the serpent god, one of Thanet's ruling gods long before the events of the series. His alignment in the situation is interesting, because of his disdain towards the current occupiers of Thanet...but also Endarius and Lycaena, his betrayers when he was cast away. Furthermore, there is also Sinshei's strong desire to be the Heir-Incarnate of her father, Lucavi. So strong, that she will temporarily align her interest with the revolutionaries in order to create the exact scenario that she wants. There is also the fact that Cyrus's state of being, known as the "Vagrant", has been imbuing its own personality into Cyrus, seem to be creating a different man altogether. These issues present as obstacles to the revolutionaries plan to end the reign of Lucavi.
Dalglish brings back an aspect from "The Bladed Faith", where he titles a chapter as "The Night Before", where several characters their point-of-views before initiating a risky all-or-nothing plan, with great unknowns. This reminds me very much of famous musicals such as West Side Story ("Tonight Quintet") and Les Miserables ("One Day More"), where the characters also deal with a tense night before drastic action.
5/5, best book of the series. Improves on already-strong preceding books. Looking forward to future works from Dalglish.
January 8, 2024
***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a copy of The Slain Divine via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
There was a lot to like about this series, and The Slain Divine was a fitting conclusion to the story of Thanet and the Vagrant. It had plenty of exciting fights and battles, which is definitely one of Dalglish's strengths as a writer, and the themes were fascinating and thought-provoking. The end of each character arc made sense, and the way the story wrapped up left the door open for further adventures in this world while also feeling like a whole story had been told. All in all, I was satisfied.
Unfortunately, there were some things that didn't really work for me in The Slain Divine. The repetitiveness of the plot was the primary factor that kept me from completely loving this book. It just jumped from one fight to the next. The first half of the story was the characters hunting down the God-Incarnate's children, which seemed redundant given that none of them were as strong as the heir from the previous book. Despite the fights being intense, I never believed the protagonists would lose because they were overpowered compared to their foes. It took me forever to get through the first half of the story because I just didn't find any of it gripping.
There was also just too much being wrapped up in The Slain Divine, including the final execution of Lucavi's plan, the return of Dagon, the end of Sinshei's scheming, and the resolution of each of the protagonists' arcs. It didn't help that most of it was crammed into the back half of the book. The end reminded me of The Return of the King with several distinct places that should've been an end. This ultimately diluted each climax for me because they were squeezed together one after the other. Dagon's story, in particular, felt sidelined for most of the book, and his ending felt rushed as it was sandwiched between two other climactic moments that held more weight for me.
All that being said, the latter half of The Slain Divine had me in a choke-hold. It was intense, and I was on the edge of my seat to see how everything would come together in the end. I finally felt scared for the characters and really enjoyed how it all played out.
I also loved how the theme of faith was explored in The Slain Divine and the entire series. It brilliantly illustrated that faith can be used for both good and evil and provide the impetus for growth and destruction depending on how it is wielded. The climax of the book, or one of them at least, was brilliant in the way it showed how forcing one's faith on others has a tendency to create a residual resentment, or counter-faith, that will come back to bite you eventually. The story also explored the influence of power and its tendency to corrupt even those with noble goals. It tackled the age-old question of whether the end justifies the means in fascinating ways.
I was pleasantly surprised by the characterization of the God-Incarnate Lucavi in The Slain Divine. I wasn't expecting something so human given how the heir, Galvanis, was portrayed in the previous book. Lucavi's character provided a fascinating window into the mind of someone raised into godhood and shaped into something awful by the expectations of his ancestors and the world. I honestly wish he'd been explored even more because his story expanded on the history of Everlorn's faith in such interesting ways. I also really loved Arn and his blossoming relationship with Mari. Arn was such a lovable oaf, and I found myself smiling anytime the two were together on the page.
Overall, The Slain Divine was a good conclusion to the story of the Vagrant Gods. If the second half of the story had been expanded into the entire book, this probably would have been a five star read for me. I struggled so much with the first half, though, which means I rate this one 3.75 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content on my blog.
There was a lot to like about this series, and The Slain Divine was a fitting conclusion to the story of Thanet and the Vagrant. It had plenty of exciting fights and battles, which is definitely one of Dalglish's strengths as a writer, and the themes were fascinating and thought-provoking. The end of each character arc made sense, and the way the story wrapped up left the door open for further adventures in this world while also feeling like a whole story had been told. All in all, I was satisfied.
Unfortunately, there were some things that didn't really work for me in The Slain Divine. The repetitiveness of the plot was the primary factor that kept me from completely loving this book. It just jumped from one fight to the next. The first half of the story was the characters hunting down the God-Incarnate's children, which seemed redundant given that none of them were as strong as the heir from the previous book. Despite the fights being intense, I never believed the protagonists would lose because they were overpowered compared to their foes. It took me forever to get through the first half of the story because I just didn't find any of it gripping.
There was also just too much being wrapped up in The Slain Divine, including the final execution of Lucavi's plan, the return of Dagon, the end of Sinshei's scheming, and the resolution of each of the protagonists' arcs. It didn't help that most of it was crammed into the back half of the book. The end reminded me of The Return of the King with several distinct places that should've been an end. This ultimately diluted each climax for me because they were squeezed together one after the other. Dagon's story, in particular, felt sidelined for most of the book, and his ending felt rushed as it was sandwiched between two other climactic moments that held more weight for me.
All that being said, the latter half of The Slain Divine had me in a choke-hold. It was intense, and I was on the edge of my seat to see how everything would come together in the end. I finally felt scared for the characters and really enjoyed how it all played out.
I also loved how the theme of faith was explored in The Slain Divine and the entire series. It brilliantly illustrated that faith can be used for both good and evil and provide the impetus for growth and destruction depending on how it is wielded. The climax of the book, or one of them at least, was brilliant in the way it showed how forcing one's faith on others has a tendency to create a residual resentment, or counter-faith, that will come back to bite you eventually. The story also explored the influence of power and its tendency to corrupt even those with noble goals. It tackled the age-old question of whether the end justifies the means in fascinating ways.
I was pleasantly surprised by the characterization of the God-Incarnate Lucavi in The Slain Divine. I wasn't expecting something so human given how the heir, Galvanis, was portrayed in the previous book. Lucavi's character provided a fascinating window into the mind of someone raised into godhood and shaped into something awful by the expectations of his ancestors and the world. I honestly wish he'd been explored even more because his story expanded on the history of Everlorn's faith in such interesting ways. I also really loved Arn and his blossoming relationship with Mari. Arn was such a lovable oaf, and I found myself smiling anytime the two were together on the page.
Overall, The Slain Divine was a good conclusion to the story of the Vagrant Gods. If the second half of the story had been expanded into the entire book, this probably would have been a five star read for me. I struggled so much with the first half, though, which means I rate this one 3.75 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content on my blog.
July 22, 2024
Thank you to Orbit and Angela Man for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I always struggle so much with books and series that I love. Reading the last book in a trilogy usually gets procrastinated, because I never want to say goodbye to the characters, but then I get too curious and have to find out what happens in the story. That’s what happened here—I was dying of curiosity as to what was going to occur next, but couldn’t bear the thought of losing any of the characters I loved so much. Hence, a review in June for a book that was published in January. Sorry.
This one starts off with a much needed synopsis of what happened in the two previous books. I love when an author does this, and don’t know why every author of a series doesn’t do this—it’s really helpful in recalling important parts that I might not remember, or might have overlooked in rereads.
After this, Dalglish offers us a peek into Dagon’s past, giving us some of his experience and motivation, allowing readers to gain insight into why Dagon is the way he is in the present day. We also get a lot of POV characters in this story, and while it could be overwhelming, Dalglish has worked his way up to this number by adding in more characters in each book, adding in a few more in this story. In this way, readers also understand what is happening in various factions who are fighting for control of Thanet. While I have my favorite characters (Mari, clearly) and those that I really enjoy reading chapters through their eyes, there are others who became more morally gray and started to grow on me, and then there is at least one who I despised (Lucavi, duh).
There was so much incredible character growth in this story, for so many of the characters. I loved seeing them really adapt to their changing circumstances, and grow as a result of this. And while all this is occurring, there is so, so much action. Thanet is the staging ground for a massive showdown—the God-Incarnate has arrived and is determined to put down the rebellion so he can implement his evil plan, Sinshei is expecting to be made the Heir-Incarnate, our rebellion crew is fighting to take the island back and restore control to the rightful ruler, and Soma wants to be free and be worshiped as the rightful god of the island. There are cracks in all of the foundations that have been starting to show, and it’s never more obvious than in this book.
Obviously, the actions scenes were outstanding. Dalglish can write a fight scene wonderfully, as he demonstrated in the previous two books, so I wasn’t worried about that, but he really displayed that even more in this book. There’s scheming and machinations going on behind the scenes left and right, and it felt like so many characters were ready to stab another in the back, making unlikely allies in order to achieve their goals. But of course, nothing works out as planned in this world.
Overall, this was a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the series. I was heartbroken and fulfilled, cried happy tears and sad, celebrated and mourned with the characters I have come to know like old friends, and had periods where I wanted to throw the book at the wall (but refrained because it’s a pretty heavy book). Ultimately, my trust in the author wasn’t misplaced, and he concluded this trilogy perfectly—the pace, the plot, and the character development all wrapped up in a way that wasn’t necessarily perfect, but felt just right. Dalglish is a skilled author, and this is one of my favorite series that I’ve read recently. Don’t hesitate to grab this if you enjoy underdog stories, rebellious fantasies, and strong, female-led casts of characters with lots of action and cool but unique magic systems.
I always struggle so much with books and series that I love. Reading the last book in a trilogy usually gets procrastinated, because I never want to say goodbye to the characters, but then I get too curious and have to find out what happens in the story. That’s what happened here—I was dying of curiosity as to what was going to occur next, but couldn’t bear the thought of losing any of the characters I loved so much. Hence, a review in June for a book that was published in January. Sorry.
This one starts off with a much needed synopsis of what happened in the two previous books. I love when an author does this, and don’t know why every author of a series doesn’t do this—it’s really helpful in recalling important parts that I might not remember, or might have overlooked in rereads.
After this, Dalglish offers us a peek into Dagon’s past, giving us some of his experience and motivation, allowing readers to gain insight into why Dagon is the way he is in the present day. We also get a lot of POV characters in this story, and while it could be overwhelming, Dalglish has worked his way up to this number by adding in more characters in each book, adding in a few more in this story. In this way, readers also understand what is happening in various factions who are fighting for control of Thanet. While I have my favorite characters (Mari, clearly) and those that I really enjoy reading chapters through their eyes, there are others who became more morally gray and started to grow on me, and then there is at least one who I despised (Lucavi, duh).
There was so much incredible character growth in this story, for so many of the characters. I loved seeing them really adapt to their changing circumstances, and grow as a result of this. And while all this is occurring, there is so, so much action. Thanet is the staging ground for a massive showdown—the God-Incarnate has arrived and is determined to put down the rebellion so he can implement his evil plan, Sinshei is expecting to be made the Heir-Incarnate, our rebellion crew is fighting to take the island back and restore control to the rightful ruler, and Soma wants to be free and be worshiped as the rightful god of the island. There are cracks in all of the foundations that have been starting to show, and it’s never more obvious than in this book.
Obviously, the actions scenes were outstanding. Dalglish can write a fight scene wonderfully, as he demonstrated in the previous two books, so I wasn’t worried about that, but he really displayed that even more in this book. There’s scheming and machinations going on behind the scenes left and right, and it felt like so many characters were ready to stab another in the back, making unlikely allies in order to achieve their goals. But of course, nothing works out as planned in this world.
Overall, this was a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the series. I was heartbroken and fulfilled, cried happy tears and sad, celebrated and mourned with the characters I have come to know like old friends, and had periods where I wanted to throw the book at the wall (but refrained because it’s a pretty heavy book). Ultimately, my trust in the author wasn’t misplaced, and he concluded this trilogy perfectly—the pace, the plot, and the character development all wrapped up in a way that wasn’t necessarily perfect, but felt just right. Dalglish is a skilled author, and this is one of my favorite series that I’ve read recently. Don’t hesitate to grab this if you enjoy underdog stories, rebellious fantasies, and strong, female-led casts of characters with lots of action and cool but unique magic systems.
January 22, 2024
It’s tough reviewing the conclusion of a trilogy without any spoilers so I will try not to give anything away.
This book is a solid conclusion to a great series, it did however have some issues that were mostly due to pacing. Some things that were built up throughout the series concluded rather quickly or seemed to be kind of brushed off completely and towards the very end of the book, it felt like the same plot line was used 3 times within a short amount of pages.
I’ve said it in my previous reviews for the other books in the series but my favourite aspect of this series are the characters. There’s a big cast of characters and they are all very interesting and have their own plot lines and the author gives them their own time to develop. I felt a slight disconnect to them in the first book, but really started to connect to them in the second and am very sad to leave them after finishing this third book. They feel like real people who have their own struggles. Some are trying to fight for a better future, some are haunted by the horrors of their past, and some seem to be trying to figure out what they want and who they truly are after being influenced by others their entire lives. They’re all strong in their own unique way and honestly I just find a lot of them cool.
Most of the series is set in the same location but we do get to see other parts of the world as the characters reflect on their past. I really hope the author writes more books set in this world as it seems huge and we’ve only seen a fraction of it. The magic system is also really interesting. It’s based around belief and gods. It’s more of a softer magic system where the types of abilities any given god has will be related to their aspects. For example, a seaside village would be more likely to have a god of fishing, a fish god or a god of storms and their magic/abilities would be related to those aspects. These gods can also pass on some of their magic to their devoted followers. Throughout the series we see many different magic systems but the possibilities could be endless depending on the worshippers’ needs and where they live.
Although parts of the conclusion were a bit disappointing, it was still a great book and I’m so happy to have read this series. I will definitely keep an eye out for the other works of this author.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a solid conclusion to a great series, it did however have some issues that were mostly due to pacing. Some things that were built up throughout the series concluded rather quickly or seemed to be kind of brushed off completely and towards the very end of the book, it felt like the same plot line was used 3 times within a short amount of pages.
I’ve said it in my previous reviews for the other books in the series but my favourite aspect of this series are the characters. There’s a big cast of characters and they are all very interesting and have their own plot lines and the author gives them their own time to develop. I felt a slight disconnect to them in the first book, but really started to connect to them in the second and am very sad to leave them after finishing this third book. They feel like real people who have their own struggles. Some are trying to fight for a better future, some are haunted by the horrors of their past, and some seem to be trying to figure out what they want and who they truly are after being influenced by others their entire lives. They’re all strong in their own unique way and honestly I just find a lot of them cool.
Most of the series is set in the same location but we do get to see other parts of the world as the characters reflect on their past. I really hope the author writes more books set in this world as it seems huge and we’ve only seen a fraction of it. The magic system is also really interesting. It’s based around belief and gods. It’s more of a softer magic system where the types of abilities any given god has will be related to their aspects. For example, a seaside village would be more likely to have a god of fishing, a fish god or a god of storms and their magic/abilities would be related to those aspects. These gods can also pass on some of their magic to their devoted followers. Throughout the series we see many different magic systems but the possibilities could be endless depending on the worshippers’ needs and where they live.
Although parts of the conclusion were a bit disappointing, it was still a great book and I’m so happy to have read this series. I will definitely keep an eye out for the other works of this author.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2024
We have reached the conclusion of the war between the invading Everlorn empire and the forces of Thanet. Although the book is good, I still can't help but feel a little underwhelmed with it, especially compared to the previous two.
Like the previous books, the action itself is written very well. Fights are fast-paced, vivid, and brutal. However, unlike in The Sapphire Altar, I never get the feeling of fear from these. Whenever there's a fight, it feels like we already know who is going to win, which makes them less exciting. Plus, the big fights at the end have an almost manga/anime feel to them, where all someone has to do to win is power up to a new level, and the fight is one-sided. While that works for manga/anime because of the awesome visuals, here we don't have that luxury, and it leaves fights feeling lackluster.
Speaking of lackluster, the God-Incarnate Lucavi is nowhere near the excellent villain that Galvanis or even Magus was. I am very surprised by just how little he does here. I wish there was more of a demonstration of how powerful he is.
As far as characters go, everyone is still great. Even Cyrus is a little better written than he was before, but the standout for me is Stasia. She goes through great character growth and even has an epic, jaw-dropping moment. She is easily the best character in the series for me.
One thing I absolutely hate is the final battle. I can't say much about it without getting into spoilers, but it just feels wrong and thrown in just to give the series a more positive ending. I could have done without it.
In the end, this is a very good series that starts off strong but ends a little lukewarm. It's still worth a read as it doesn't take too much time to get through it all, and some of the characters make the experience well worth it.
Like the previous books, the action itself is written very well. Fights are fast-paced, vivid, and brutal. However, unlike in The Sapphire Altar, I never get the feeling of fear from these. Whenever there's a fight, it feels like we already know who is going to win, which makes them less exciting. Plus, the big fights at the end have an almost manga/anime feel to them, where all someone has to do to win is power up to a new level, and the fight is one-sided. While that works for manga/anime because of the awesome visuals, here we don't have that luxury, and it leaves fights feeling lackluster.
Speaking of lackluster, the God-Incarnate Lucavi is nowhere near the excellent villain that Galvanis or even Magus was. I am very surprised by just how little he does here. I wish there was more of a demonstration of how powerful he is.
As far as characters go, everyone is still great. Even Cyrus is a little better written than he was before, but the standout for me is Stasia. She goes through great character growth and even has an epic, jaw-dropping moment. She is easily the best character in the series for me.
One thing I absolutely hate is the final battle. I can't say much about it without getting into spoilers, but it just feels wrong and thrown in just to give the series a more positive ending. I could have done without it.
In the end, this is a very good series that starts off strong but ends a little lukewarm. It's still worth a read as it doesn't take too much time to get through it all, and some of the characters make the experience well worth it.
March 28, 2024
3.75/4⭐️
I really don’t know what to say about this book truly and honestly. It’s was such a wonderful end to a series and although this book took a while to finish I still found myself kinda sad now that it’s over.
The characters you subconsciously grow to love them so much and root for their success. And to see how they were in the first book to how they are now, it’s so hard not to fall in love with them or grow to hate the bad guys or just get a connection to the people within this world.
This book is VERY high fantasy and relies a lot on world and character building so if that is not something you are used to I would advise to pick up a different story, because as someone who is not used to this type of story writing I definitely found myself struggling through a lot of the book. But if you would like the challenge it is definitely worth the read.
These books are the definition of “just stick with it, it gets better I promise you” because it does. I felt like every book started off super slow and then once the %50-60 mark it’s just rapid pace you would want to put it down. And was it worth it? … I’m not too entirely sure. I would say yes because once I finished this book I just felt a warm sense of contentment which it’s super nice after such a dense and intense series.
All in all David Dalglish wrote a fantastic series and I will definitely be looking into his other works.
Thank you for a winter time Mr.Dalglish we shall reconnect soon through your other stories🙂
I really don’t know what to say about this book truly and honestly. It’s was such a wonderful end to a series and although this book took a while to finish I still found myself kinda sad now that it’s over.
The characters you subconsciously grow to love them so much and root for their success. And to see how they were in the first book to how they are now, it’s so hard not to fall in love with them or grow to hate the bad guys or just get a connection to the people within this world.
This book is VERY high fantasy and relies a lot on world and character building so if that is not something you are used to I would advise to pick up a different story, because as someone who is not used to this type of story writing I definitely found myself struggling through a lot of the book. But if you would like the challenge it is definitely worth the read.
These books are the definition of “just stick with it, it gets better I promise you” because it does. I felt like every book started off super slow and then once the %50-60 mark it’s just rapid pace you would want to put it down. And was it worth it? … I’m not too entirely sure. I would say yes because once I finished this book I just felt a warm sense of contentment which it’s super nice after such a dense and intense series.
All in all David Dalglish wrote a fantastic series and I will definitely be looking into his other works.
Thank you for a winter time Mr.Dalglish we shall reconnect soon through your other stories🙂
January 2, 2024
This was probably the best of the series for me and proved a very satisfying and enjoyable read. There are course a few surprises that came about that I did not see coming. I thought the way the story was ended was ok for the most part and didn't think to see so many survive I suppose. Not that I am mad that they lived but thought they might lose a few as this was a war against someone that was supposed to be a god. The God Incarnate was sort of disappointing after hearing so much about him and his supposed power. Cyrus and the Vagrant was sort of strange and was not expecting that at all. The Vagrant and Stasia become so strong that even the Paragons were not that of a match for them. Also expected something different to happen between Cyrus and Keles. The Soma/Dagon was also sort of a letdown in a way but didn't really like him that much anyway. I will enjoy thinking about how everything eventually turned out for sure though. Loved the journey that Cyrus, Keles, Mari, Stasia took me on. This will be a series so many enjoy as I know some people wait until a trilogy is finished before they try reading them. This is four and half for me but overall, this series is five stars. Thanks to the author who continues to write great books and the publishers for the chance to read this book.
April 10, 2024
Torn whether or not to give this a full 5 stars, it’s close but I don’t think I can.
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved the book, the final installment in a trilogy I was incredibly interested in and enjoyed. The only real problem I had with it was that I felt it shifted focus from Cyrus to the others in the gang a bit more than I personally would’ve liked. Cyrus was my favorite character, and as much as I loved the rest of them, I felt like I wanted more of his POV. I think switching too much to and from the others didn’t make some parts of the book hit as emotionally as they were intended to.
The beginning of it felt a little fast, after having struggled to kill one Heir Incarnate they kill 2 and capture 1 in surprising succession and with surprising ease. That being said, after that. The last 1/3 of the book I was absolutely hooked. I couldn’t put it down. From the second the six hundred year ceremony began to the very end I was glued to the pages.
This will forever be a series that I will highly recommend to any fantasy reader, especially those who enjoy grim, dark fantasy.
An incredibly solid ending from a series that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more stories from in the future.
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved the book, the final installment in a trilogy I was incredibly interested in and enjoyed. The only real problem I had with it was that I felt it shifted focus from Cyrus to the others in the gang a bit more than I personally would’ve liked. Cyrus was my favorite character, and as much as I loved the rest of them, I felt like I wanted more of his POV. I think switching too much to and from the others didn’t make some parts of the book hit as emotionally as they were intended to.
The beginning of it felt a little fast, after having struggled to kill one Heir Incarnate they kill 2 and capture 1 in surprising succession and with surprising ease. That being said, after that. The last 1/3 of the book I was absolutely hooked. I couldn’t put it down. From the second the six hundred year ceremony began to the very end I was glued to the pages.
This will forever be a series that I will highly recommend to any fantasy reader, especially those who enjoy grim, dark fantasy.
An incredibly solid ending from a series that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more stories from in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2025
3.5 stars. Overall, I think it was a very fun story with a “good” and “satisfying” ending, though personally there were a few things that didn’t sit right with me:
- Throughout the whole series we were teased the romance between Cyrus and Keles…only for it to never happen? I understand logically with the betrayal at the end and all, but it still left me wanting a spark between them for all the foreshadowing.
- Sinshei, as a character, deserved a more satisfying ending than what she got, especially since she appears on the cover of this book. She was a constant villain throughout the series, but she died before the end in a very anticlimactic way and quite suddenly, which I thought was too simple for her complex character.
- The Vagrant splitting from Cyrus to become a ghost-like being at the end seemed off in my opinion since the mask needed Cyrus to wear it at the beginning in the first place? Why not just have Cyrus overtake the Vagrant and become Keles’ defender himself? Also, I wish Cyrus stayed in Thanet at the end, but that could be debated for ages, and I’m not fully against it either way.
Still, it was an easy read with lots of action and characters who are just so fun to read about.
- Throughout the whole series we were teased the romance between Cyrus and Keles…only for it to never happen? I understand logically with the betrayal at the end and all, but it still left me wanting a spark between them for all the foreshadowing.
- Sinshei, as a character, deserved a more satisfying ending than what she got, especially since she appears on the cover of this book. She was a constant villain throughout the series, but she died before the end in a very anticlimactic way and quite suddenly, which I thought was too simple for her complex character.
- The Vagrant splitting from Cyrus to become a ghost-like being at the end seemed off in my opinion since the mask needed Cyrus to wear it at the beginning in the first place? Why not just have Cyrus overtake the Vagrant and become Keles’ defender himself? Also, I wish Cyrus stayed in Thanet at the end, but that could be debated for ages, and I’m not fully against it either way.
Still, it was an easy read with lots of action and characters who are just so fun to read about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2024
Get in loser, we fighting god!
Another finale, this time it's The Vagrant Gods series by David Dalglish with "The Slain Divine." Things actually seemed to be in a pretty good spot after the last one. At least until the fleet with the god of the Everlorn empire was spotted off the coast. And he might be a tiny bit upset over the murder of his son and heir... But he is on the island for one goal, sacrifice the entire population to pass on his divinity to the next person. Not a great outcome for the people living there. What lines will the rebels cross and which allies will they keep to avoid certain death? How tight a grip is the Vagrant's mask on Cyrus?
Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for the ARC, was a pleasure to help with the trilogy. But y'all went feral in that last quarter, I'm still catching up.
Reasons to read:
-A good ending
-The rules were established early for the gods in this series and we are seeing that carried through the finale, appreciate that
-Characters who are true to themselves
-Waking up to throw hands with god
-Getting back at your toxic ex
Cons:
-Can we throw down an oppressive church that bogarts resources and is not chill at all in reality?
Another finale, this time it's The Vagrant Gods series by David Dalglish with "The Slain Divine." Things actually seemed to be in a pretty good spot after the last one. At least until the fleet with the god of the Everlorn empire was spotted off the coast. And he might be a tiny bit upset over the murder of his son and heir... But he is on the island for one goal, sacrifice the entire population to pass on his divinity to the next person. Not a great outcome for the people living there. What lines will the rebels cross and which allies will they keep to avoid certain death? How tight a grip is the Vagrant's mask on Cyrus?
Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for the ARC, was a pleasure to help with the trilogy. But y'all went feral in that last quarter, I'm still catching up.
Reasons to read:
-A good ending
-The rules were established early for the gods in this series and we are seeing that carried through the finale, appreciate that
-Characters who are true to themselves
-Waking up to throw hands with god
-Getting back at your toxic ex
Cons:
-Can we throw down an oppressive church that bogarts resources and is not chill at all in reality?
February 1, 2024
ugh... an utter slog. one of those books - one of those series, really- where you pine for the time lost while reading it. more anime fight scenes that lack all sense of crunch or danger, like a videogame with bad hit detection. more video-game mini- and end-bosses with no sense of grandeur or even spectacle. there was some potential for sad to see Dalglish playing coy with Bassir and Lucavi, too - six hundred years is a long time - you'd think it would all be on the table at that point. a strangely staid shying away from homoeroticism when Clarissa and Stasia exist (and where it would make perfect sense to implement).
straight talk, i DNF'd this with only seven or so pages to go, the irritation was so great. Dalglish seems like a great dude to game with. but if you're gonna give me a bad boy god antagonist, give me Kefka at least.
straight talk, i DNF'd this with only seven or so pages to go, the irritation was so great. Dalglish seems like a great dude to game with. but if you're gonna give me a bad boy god antagonist, give me Kefka at least.
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