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The Song of Godhunters #2
A Testimony of Blood
High fantasy inspired by West African Spirituality that follows a young musician drawn into battle between gods. Perfect for fans of S.A. Chakraborty, Joe Abercrombie, and Marlon Jame's Black Leopard, Red Wolf.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
Unknown Binding
First published July 17, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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August 12, 2026I had a great time reading A Testimony of Blood: it was well-paced, filled with political intrigue, and we saw the emergence of lots of interesting plots that I’m looking forward to seeing play out in the next book.
We were introduced to a new POV character- Lethi, a mixed-race soldier working for the Palmaime army. I detest Lethi and wanted him to drop dead in every single one of his chapters, but he’s well-written, and I understand the purpose his character serves: he illustrates how indoctrination and propaganda mould a person and affects the psyche. I hate Lethi because I hate colonialists, empathise with the Natives and recognise subjugating an entire people under the guise of salvation whilst believing yourself to be superior to them is deeply immoral. But it has been ingrained in Lethi his entire life that The Native’s are inferior and barbaric, that those of Palamaine are civilised and ‘walk in the light’. He has seen those who serve Palmaine rewarded and treated well, but those who opposed were shunned and mistreated. He truly believes he’s doing the right thing- or at least desperately wants to. Throughout the novel, we see Lethi’s internal struggle regarding how the army conducts its affairs and deep down, he knows the treatment of The Natives is wrong. I hope in the next book, his conscience as well as Attem’s betrayal spur him on to deviate from the path he’s on.
I love the religious lore of this world. I find it endlessly intriguing that The Son (The Palmaine’s god) is descended from Dara (The Native’s god). Having The Son be descended from Dara really emphasises Palmaine’s hypocrisy; they are quick to call the native traditions of Darosa paganism and blasphemous, whilst conveniently refusing to acknowledge their own God’s link to The Native’s God as if they did acknowledge this fact, it would contradict their narrative. Religion has always been used as a colonialist tool, and Payne portrays this beautifully.
Xango being revealed as The Sixth Priest was a brilliant twist and I can’t picture how this storyline will turn out. I have lots of questions- why did he defect, can Rumi still read his book, if Rumi can’t read his book can they even hope to defeat him? My mind is reeling from the possibilities.
I HATE that Palman’s army now has the ability to shadow-wield via those with Native blood. It was The Native’s ONE advantage, and now even that has been stolen. That being said, I (ruefully) admit this was a great choice from Payne and I think potentially, this new division of shadow-wielders could end up being a double edged sword. Palmaine incessantly insists they are better than The Natives and all their practices are beneath them, but if that is the case, why debase yourself to acquire a power only those who have native blood can ever hope to posses? Sequentially, the fact that full-blooded Palmanians are unable to posses this power not only contradicts their claim of superiority, but strengthens The Natives claim to Darosa. I hope the shadow-wielders working for Palmaine come to recognise no matter what they do for the empire, Palmaine does not value them and will always see them as lesser. After that realisation, I hope that they embrace their Native heritage and seek their freedom.
One of my favourite things about this series is the conflict amongst the 4 tribes. Similarly to how in general, Black people are all grouped under the same umbrella, the 4 tribes are all Natives, but that is where the similarities end. They worship the same God, but each tribe have their own languages, traditions and cultures. Though all of them have been enslaved, each tribe has experienced varying degrees of hardship, and each tribe has different desires. Seeing Falina acknowledge this and seeing how she begins to navigate this political landscape was compelling.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to book 3.
We were introduced to a new POV character- Lethi, a mixed-race soldier working for the Palmaime army. I detest Lethi and wanted him to drop dead in every single one of his chapters, but he’s well-written, and I understand the purpose his character serves: he illustrates how indoctrination and propaganda mould a person and affects the psyche. I hate Lethi because I hate colonialists, empathise with the Natives and recognise subjugating an entire people under the guise of salvation whilst believing yourself to be superior to them is deeply immoral. But it has been ingrained in Lethi his entire life that The Native’s are inferior and barbaric, that those of Palamaine are civilised and ‘walk in the light’. He has seen those who serve Palmaine rewarded and treated well, but those who opposed were shunned and mistreated. He truly believes he’s doing the right thing- or at least desperately wants to. Throughout the novel, we see Lethi’s internal struggle regarding how the army conducts its affairs and deep down, he knows the treatment of The Natives is wrong. I hope in the next book, his conscience as well as Attem’s betrayal spur him on to deviate from the path he’s on.
I love the religious lore of this world. I find it endlessly intriguing that The Son (The Palmaine’s god) is descended from Dara (The Native’s god). Having The Son be descended from Dara really emphasises Palmaine’s hypocrisy; they are quick to call the native traditions of Darosa paganism and blasphemous, whilst conveniently refusing to acknowledge their own God’s link to The Native’s God as if they did acknowledge this fact, it would contradict their narrative. Religion has always been used as a colonialist tool, and Payne portrays this beautifully.
Xango being revealed as The Sixth Priest was a brilliant twist and I can’t picture how this storyline will turn out. I have lots of questions- why did he defect, can Rumi still read his book, if Rumi can’t read his book can they even hope to defeat him? My mind is reeling from the possibilities.
I HATE that Palman’s army now has the ability to shadow-wield via those with Native blood. It was The Native’s ONE advantage, and now even that has been stolen. That being said, I (ruefully) admit this was a great choice from Payne and I think potentially, this new division of shadow-wielders could end up being a double edged sword. Palmaine incessantly insists they are better than The Natives and all their practices are beneath them, but if that is the case, why debase yourself to acquire a power only those who have native blood can ever hope to posses? Sequentially, the fact that full-blooded Palmanians are unable to posses this power not only contradicts their claim of superiority, but strengthens The Natives claim to Darosa. I hope the shadow-wielders working for Palmaine come to recognise no matter what they do for the empire, Palmaine does not value them and will always see them as lesser. After that realisation, I hope that they embrace their Native heritage and seek their freedom.
One of my favourite things about this series is the conflict amongst the 4 tribes. Similarly to how in general, Black people are all grouped under the same umbrella, the 4 tribes are all Natives, but that is where the similarities end. They worship the same God, but each tribe have their own languages, traditions and cultures. Though all of them have been enslaved, each tribe has experienced varying degrees of hardship, and each tribe has different desires. Seeing Falina acknowledge this and seeing how she begins to navigate this political landscape was compelling.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to book 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2025
what an excellent sequel.
This book is packed full of action and heart wrenching moments between characters. a story of love and hate, of taking back what is theirs by right, of fighting for what you believe in.
we meet a new character Lethi, and while he is fighting on the side of the Palamine I couldn't help but care for him. he was one of my favourites, when I know I should hate him and what he stands for, but Rogba has created an complex character and things are not always as black and white as they seem.
but the plot moves on from the ending of The Dance of Shadows, and I couldn't be more entertained. I was pulled through these pages and I would blink, and 100 pages have gone by. it makes an easy read, though some of the topics may not be as easy to digest, especially when thinking out real world events.
Rumi continued to grow in this book. but I really enjoyed seeing more of the world that Rogba has built. it was exploring it in a way that made me entertained and want to know more.
this book pulled at my heart strings in the best (and worst) way, kept me glued to the book, and the last 200 pages were a whirlwind of action and heartbreak. I outwardly shouted reading this book.
I cannot wait to see where the next book goes.
This book is packed full of action and heart wrenching moments between characters. a story of love and hate, of taking back what is theirs by right, of fighting for what you believe in.
we meet a new character Lethi, and while he is fighting on the side of the Palamine I couldn't help but care for him. he was one of my favourites, when I know I should hate him and what he stands for, but Rogba has created an complex character and things are not always as black and white as they seem.
but the plot moves on from the ending of The Dance of Shadows, and I couldn't be more entertained. I was pulled through these pages and I would blink, and 100 pages have gone by. it makes an easy read, though some of the topics may not be as easy to digest, especially when thinking out real world events.
Rumi continued to grow in this book. but I really enjoyed seeing more of the world that Rogba has built. it was exploring it in a way that made me entertained and want to know more.
this book pulled at my heart strings in the best (and worst) way, kept me glued to the book, and the last 200 pages were a whirlwind of action and heartbreak. I outwardly shouted reading this book.
I cannot wait to see where the next book goes.
July 23, 2025
I just finished A Testimony of Blood and thought it was exceptional. The writing is sharp and well-paced, with world-building that feels both original and deeply rooted. It draws from West African mythology in a way that feels authentic rather than decorative, and the story carries real emotional weight without losing its sense of momentum. It’s thoughtful, layered, and stays with you. Worth reading.
March 30, 2026
This was poorly written. Maybe the first book was as well but that was a debut. Surely the author learned something since then. I couldn't get through this. And starting with a chapter from a pathetic genocide-participant was certainly a choice.
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October 20, 2025It was exceptional - Payne is an exceptional writer that as with his first books captured my interest from start to finish. I did not want to put the book down and cannot wait to read his next book.
July 31, 2026
hoooooked
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews