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The Godless #1
In the Wake of Gods
Two women. Opposites in personality and status. Divided by the breadth of the world. Identical in appearance.
Vale, bastard daughter and officer of the Helmsguard is trapped within the machinery of her father's Empire. Elyn, a fearful young woman from a remote corner of the Outer Wild, lives an insular and lonely life.
Over centuries, the gods have slowly abandoned their people. The world is now torn between the last two who remained. If the war between them is to be stopped, Elyn and Vale will need to understand the secret which binds them together and the terrible sacrifices it will demand.
Vale, bastard daughter and officer of the Helmsguard is trapped within the machinery of her father's Empire. Elyn, a fearful young woman from a remote corner of the Outer Wild, lives an insular and lonely life.
Over centuries, the gods have slowly abandoned their people. The world is now torn between the last two who remained. If the war between them is to be stopped, Elyn and Vale will need to understand the secret which binds them together and the terrible sacrifices it will demand.
- GenresFantasy
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2020
58 people are currently reading
810 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Monteagle
3 books34 followersChristopher Monteagle is a lifelong fantasy reader and writer of fiction in various forms. Growing up in outback Australia with no running water, electricity, or - needless to say - television, Christopher was introduced to books by Tolkien and Herbert to pass the time. He soon began writing his own stories and became immersed in the worlds of fantasy and fiction.
Christopher lives in Melbourne, Victoria.
Christopher lives in Melbourne, Victoria.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 30, 2020
I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I'm very glad I did. This is an excellent story about two women that had me engaged from the very beginning. Elyn and Vale both go through some challenges that felt very familiar to me - despite taking place in a fantasy setting. They both feel like outsiders in their worlds for different reasons, they're both manipulated and controlled and I loved the story that slowly unfolded around them.
I won't spoil anything here, but I liked the way the book draws you into a divided world through the eyes of two women and then starts to turn it around on you. Some great ideas in here.
Christopher Monteagle has written an epic backdrop of gods and conflict - but has kept a very personal story at the heart of it. I found myself interested in what was going to happen, not because of the fate of the world - but because if what it meant for the two women at the middle of it. Great fantasy.
I won't spoil anything here, but I liked the way the book draws you into a divided world through the eyes of two women and then starts to turn it around on you. Some great ideas in here.
Christopher Monteagle has written an epic backdrop of gods and conflict - but has kept a very personal story at the heart of it. I found myself interested in what was going to happen, not because of the fate of the world - but because if what it meant for the two women at the middle of it. Great fantasy.
June 27, 2020
A great read by an up and coming Author. Hope to see more work from him as he builds on his debut novel.
June 26, 2020
I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy for a fair an honest review. I was also a beta reader of early drafts and saw the story develop as it was written.
The author's writing style is strong and took me back to the time honoured classics of my youth. Maintaining a firm grip on the here and now, nevertheless, this story managed to capture concepts I'd not seen before.
The tale itself is a clever and twisting thing, revolving around two sisters, separated by the breadth of the world and about to embark on separate and yet unified quests to realise their destiny. It was a clever and subversive twist that kept me hooked.
Christopher Monteagle blends folklore and unique storytelling to deliver a compelling novel.
The author's writing style is strong and took me back to the time honoured classics of my youth. Maintaining a firm grip on the here and now, nevertheless, this story managed to capture concepts I'd not seen before.
The tale itself is a clever and twisting thing, revolving around two sisters, separated by the breadth of the world and about to embark on separate and yet unified quests to realise their destiny. It was a clever and subversive twist that kept me hooked.
Christopher Monteagle blends folklore and unique storytelling to deliver a compelling novel.
Read
June 27, 2020In a world where "fantasy novel" has become ubiquitous with drab medieval politics and bloated worldbuilding, it was downright refreshing to read a story that focuses on strong characterisation and follows a bright, exciting narrative. With that said, the world is replete with history and culture: people, places and events in the story are given significance based on their context, and are explored by us - the readers - through the eyes of Elyn and Vale as strangers in their own right. Like so many others, I found myself spending every spare minute in the day racing to the end and enjoying every moment of it. I strongly recommend this for anyone - it's an incredibly satisfying, captivating story which brings a much-needed breath of inspiration to the fantasy genre.
July 17, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.
This is the story of Elyn and Vale: two young women with a totally different life. Elyn lives a quiet life alone with her father in a small town, Vale is the daughter of a God and commander in his army. When she attacks the town where Elyn lives, both of them are in for a big surprise: they look exactly alike.
I was intrigued by this and couldn't wait to find out why!
While I liked the eventual outcome of the story, the story itself lacked a lot of background and character development. I was left with a lot of questions of why things happened as they did and why people acted the way they did. Besides that, the timeline of when things happen is just off. It's like different parts of the story were written independently of each other and had to be linked together later, which unfortunately didn't go very well.
Still I wouldn't say this is a bad story. I thought the idea was original and I've enjoyed reading it, curious to find out what was going to happen. I loved the connection between Elyn and Vale.
But unfortunately the writing style just wasn't for me.
This is the story of Elyn and Vale: two young women with a totally different life. Elyn lives a quiet life alone with her father in a small town, Vale is the daughter of a God and commander in his army. When she attacks the town where Elyn lives, both of them are in for a big surprise: they look exactly alike.
I was intrigued by this and couldn't wait to find out why!
While I liked the eventual outcome of the story, the story itself lacked a lot of background and character development. I was left with a lot of questions of why things happened as they did and why people acted the way they did. Besides that, the timeline of when things happen is just off. It's like different parts of the story were written independently of each other and had to be linked together later, which unfortunately didn't go very well.
Still I wouldn't say this is a bad story. I thought the idea was original and I've enjoyed reading it, curious to find out what was going to happen. I loved the connection between Elyn and Vale.
But unfortunately the writing style just wasn't for me.
December 3, 2020
Amazing Read!
I loved this book the main plot points and execution was so exciting and new to me. Right when I thought I knew where the plot was heading the author introduced a new plot twist! It was such an engaging ride that I’m so sad the book ended. I really love the mythology and world building in this book. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader enough to understand but not too much that you had to read through “info-dumps.” I feel like the book was excellently paced and had a lot of forward momentum. I believe this is part of a series? 👀👀 and if there will be a second book then I ANXIOUSLY await its release!
So with all this praise you’re probably wondering why 4 stars instead of 5? Well towards the end of the book there were some weird editing issues that made understanding what I was reading a little bit of a chore but again it was towards the end of the book. This adventure is definitely worth dealing with a few typos and I’m happy I pushed through!
Once again Wonderful job Author!!
I loved this book the main plot points and execution was so exciting and new to me. Right when I thought I knew where the plot was heading the author introduced a new plot twist! It was such an engaging ride that I’m so sad the book ended. I really love the mythology and world building in this book. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader enough to understand but not too much that you had to read through “info-dumps.” I feel like the book was excellently paced and had a lot of forward momentum. I believe this is part of a series? 👀👀 and if there will be a second book then I ANXIOUSLY await its release!
So with all this praise you’re probably wondering why 4 stars instead of 5? Well towards the end of the book there were some weird editing issues that made understanding what I was reading a little bit of a chore but again it was towards the end of the book. This adventure is definitely worth dealing with a few typos and I’m happy I pushed through!
Once again Wonderful job Author!!
June 27, 2020
From the start, you can see the care with which the world has been constructed, and the characters grown from. The two women the heart of it, Elyn and Vale, are a breath of fresh air for fantasy. The story takes its time getting to know these characters, and what makes them tick as people. There are some interesting world mechanics at play, but even with that, I really enjoyed the book's focus on character, over usual fantasy cliches. There are some get twists and turns right at the end of the book, where the characters we've spent time with are forced to adapt and change.
March 21, 2021
Fantastic and Intriguing Story of Two Twins
Christopher Monteagle has created a brilliant tale of two young women who previously had no knowledge of each other but soon find themselves on opposite sides of a brewing war started by the gods centuries earlier.
Vale is a commander of a powerful army, and Elyn lives in a quiet village hidden away from the realm's political structure until war comes to their village. During the raid, she hears the voice of her twin, and the two of them embark on a journey of not only self-discovery but the discovery of the realm's war-torn history started by the gods.
This book had me intrigued from the very beginning. It is a great fantasy tale that at first feels like a YA fantasy but later on takes on the feel of traditional adult fantasy. This book will please both YA fantasy readers and traditional fantasy readers as he blends in facets of both genres to satisfy all readers.
Monteagle blends in so many fantasy tropes in his realm with surprising twists and turns along the way. I especially enjoyed the military and political aspects and character development with the twins and their supporting characters.
This is a well-written story that any reader of fantasy will thoroughly enjoy.
Christopher Monteagle has created a brilliant tale of two young women who previously had no knowledge of each other but soon find themselves on opposite sides of a brewing war started by the gods centuries earlier.
Vale is a commander of a powerful army, and Elyn lives in a quiet village hidden away from the realm's political structure until war comes to their village. During the raid, she hears the voice of her twin, and the two of them embark on a journey of not only self-discovery but the discovery of the realm's war-torn history started by the gods.
This book had me intrigued from the very beginning. It is a great fantasy tale that at first feels like a YA fantasy but later on takes on the feel of traditional adult fantasy. This book will please both YA fantasy readers and traditional fantasy readers as he blends in facets of both genres to satisfy all readers.
Monteagle blends in so many fantasy tropes in his realm with surprising twists and turns along the way. I especially enjoyed the military and political aspects and character development with the twins and their supporting characters.
This is a well-written story that any reader of fantasy will thoroughly enjoy.
June 26, 2020
I got this book at Comic-Con this year -
had a chance to speak to the author.
The book is captivating and easy to read, I finished it over the weekend. It is a good story, with believable characters and well-written dialogue. The story is character driven, which is refreshing. The author has built an interesting world of gods and war, but made it the background not the focus, in order to focus instead on the two women at the heart of the story.
The book resonated with me, especially Elyn’s journey. How many of us have been there - feeling unsure, vulnerable, lonely, insignificant, lost... I liked how Elyn’s character developed, how she found the courage and strength. The plot moves very quickly in the last chapters, so prepare for a twist! I am very curious what happens next and can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
Overall, a really good book. Highly recommend it!
had a chance to speak to the author.
The book is captivating and easy to read, I finished it over the weekend. It is a good story, with believable characters and well-written dialogue. The story is character driven, which is refreshing. The author has built an interesting world of gods and war, but made it the background not the focus, in order to focus instead on the two women at the heart of the story.
The book resonated with me, especially Elyn’s journey. How many of us have been there - feeling unsure, vulnerable, lonely, insignificant, lost... I liked how Elyn’s character developed, how she found the courage and strength. The plot moves very quickly in the last chapters, so prepare for a twist! I am very curious what happens next and can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
Overall, a really good book. Highly recommend it!
July 23, 2020
To start off the book with two female characters fighting to make things better for the world was the positive for me. Easy read, and enjoyed the difference between characters. Bold and dynamic and thought provoking. Would like for this to turn in to a series!
August 13, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the twits and turns of the storyline. It kept me turning the page to see what would happen next.
The character building was excellent.
I look forward to the next in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The character building was excellent.
I look forward to the next in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 26, 2020
My Mother told me there isn't enough time in the world to waste on reading a bad book. If I hadn't received a review copy of this book I would have heeded her advice and not forced myself through this.
There were times when I had to remind myself that this was a review copy and not a finished product even if I'm reading it on it's supposed date of publication. It was riddled with errors. Particularly grating was when the "two" girls are communicating mentally and the writer manages to lose track of who is who and has one say lines meant for the other. Another is a nonsensical sentence where the words what and that were swapped. It is page after page of this and it made me wonder if I'm reading a review copy or a first draft.
As others have pointed out, the characters weren't terrible and there was enough effort into the world and thought into what was trying to be conveyed. It didn't work. This is why certain people go on to make video games while others can only write fan fiction with those same characters and worlds. Creativity only goes so far. The pacing is particularly troubling. The plot meandered until the end when it finally figured out that there was supposed to be an actual point to this book.
The cover artwork is the most appealing part of this. But you know, you taint it with the blurb at the top about the "awesome" characters and world building. I can't name a single other book that uses awesome as a selling point. It doesn't come across as professional and should have told me that this is a book not fit for print.
There were times when I had to remind myself that this was a review copy and not a finished product even if I'm reading it on it's supposed date of publication. It was riddled with errors. Particularly grating was when the "two" girls are communicating mentally and the writer manages to lose track of who is who and has one say lines meant for the other. Another is a nonsensical sentence where the words what and that were swapped. It is page after page of this and it made me wonder if I'm reading a review copy or a first draft.
As others have pointed out, the characters weren't terrible and there was enough effort into the world and thought into what was trying to be conveyed. It didn't work. This is why certain people go on to make video games while others can only write fan fiction with those same characters and worlds. Creativity only goes so far. The pacing is particularly troubling. The plot meandered until the end when it finally figured out that there was supposed to be an actual point to this book.
The cover artwork is the most appealing part of this. But you know, you taint it with the blurb at the top about the "awesome" characters and world building. I can't name a single other book that uses awesome as a selling point. It doesn't come across as professional and should have told me that this is a book not fit for print.
August 7, 2020
This was an enjoyable and satisfying read. Unlike the typical fantasy, this one doesn't have a protagonist who is, potentially, the greatest mage ever, seeking his rightful ownership of some title, going on a quest with a hearty band of followers to face the oh-so-terrible evil wizard. I really get tired of that oft repeated trope.
This book has a number of interesting characters who are well fleshed out. There are some yummy twists and turns in the plot and the end doesn't leave you hanging.
Overall, a good, solid fantasy novel.
This book has a number of interesting characters who are well fleshed out. There are some yummy twists and turns in the plot and the end doesn't leave you hanging.
Overall, a good, solid fantasy novel.
August 6, 2020
The story is about two young beautiful women who look almost the same way. The colour of their eyes differs though. They have to survive the war and chaos around them. And they are desperate to solve the mystery why they are so similar and why their paths have crossed...
I enjoyed reading this fantasy novel. It would be interesting what will happen next.
I enjoyed reading this fantasy novel. It would be interesting what will happen next.
October 31, 2020
One book or three
I enjoyed this book immensely mostly because it was like nothing I have ever read before. The storyline was captivating enough to keep the reader interested. The only complaint I have is I am not sure if this is one book or 3 due to the divisions of the book (divided into 3 books not 3 parts).
I enjoyed this book immensely mostly because it was like nothing I have ever read before. The storyline was captivating enough to keep the reader interested. The only complaint I have is I am not sure if this is one book or 3 due to the divisions of the book (divided into 3 books not 3 parts).
October 11, 2020
Good novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The world building was great and loved the characters.
June 16, 2025
Such an intriguing story!!
It's starts out quite slow but it was worth pushing through. The pace doesn't pick up much until the end, but the intrigue gets greater and greater.
I particularly loved the dynamic between Vale and Elyn. How their connection immediately made them want to protect one another, even though they were from different worlds, and from enemy lands.
It's starts out quite slow but it was worth pushing through. The pace doesn't pick up much until the end, but the intrigue gets greater and greater.
I particularly loved the dynamic between Vale and Elyn. How their connection immediately made them want to protect one another, even though they were from different worlds, and from enemy lands.
October 13, 2021
Officially 4.5 out of 5 Stars
I received an eARC copy of In the Wake of Gods
I'll go ahead and say that I didn't have any true expectations going into this book but was pleasantly surprised on how well I enjoyed it. I thought the character development was very well done. It was a good balance with so many introduced throughout the story. I think the overall story was different enough within the Fantasy genre to be unique and not feel like the same old story being told. I really enjoyed some of the twists, turns and reveals along the way. The ending was spot on and I would officially give this 4.5 out of 5 if that was capable. I don't give very many 5 star ratings. I'd probably say the only thing that really held that half star back for me was I still got a little confused on the timeline a bit here and there. I know the second book is already completed and I hope to get my hands on it as I am willing to bet there will still be much more to learn about this world and it's characters, perhaps even more of the past that I'm a little fuzzy on.
****Spoilers*****
Without just straight giving the story away in total spoiler fashion, I will say I loved the way the relationships between so many characters developed and evolved throughout this book. I had some true surprised at some key revealing moments and even more speculations coming out of this book.
I am looking forward to continuing this trilogy in the future!
I received an eARC copy of In the Wake of Gods
I'll go ahead and say that I didn't have any true expectations going into this book but was pleasantly surprised on how well I enjoyed it. I thought the character development was very well done. It was a good balance with so many introduced throughout the story. I think the overall story was different enough within the Fantasy genre to be unique and not feel like the same old story being told. I really enjoyed some of the twists, turns and reveals along the way. The ending was spot on and I would officially give this 4.5 out of 5 if that was capable. I don't give very many 5 star ratings. I'd probably say the only thing that really held that half star back for me was I still got a little confused on the timeline a bit here and there. I know the second book is already completed and I hope to get my hands on it as I am willing to bet there will still be much more to learn about this world and it's characters, perhaps even more of the past that I'm a little fuzzy on.
****Spoilers*****
Without just straight giving the story away in total spoiler fashion, I will say I loved the way the relationships between so many characters developed and evolved throughout this book. I had some true surprised at some key revealing moments and even more speculations coming out of this book.
I am looking forward to continuing this trilogy in the future!
October 19, 2020
"In the Wake of Gods" has great leads, interesting world-building, imaginative prose, and more than a few narrative twists that honestly made me gasp. I'm excited to read the next book.
All that being said...
I don't typically make a fuss about typos, missing and/or unneeded commas, and the like. I get that no editing process is perfect. But, when it came to grammatical issues, this book felt like a first draft. It wasn't just one or two sentences either. Commas that shouldn't be there were there, and commas that needed to be there weren't. A few words were left out. A couple times, a character was called the wrong name in dialogue scenes. It reached a point that I had to stop and reread paragraphs to get what was going on.
I really hope the next books are edited with a fine-tooth comb. They have the potential to be truly great.
All that being said...
I don't typically make a fuss about typos, missing and/or unneeded commas, and the like. I get that no editing process is perfect. But, when it came to grammatical issues, this book felt like a first draft. It wasn't just one or two sentences either. Commas that shouldn't be there were there, and commas that needed to be there weren't. A few words were left out. A couple times, a character was called the wrong name in dialogue scenes. It reached a point that I had to stop and reread paragraphs to get what was going on.
I really hope the next books are edited with a fine-tooth comb. They have the potential to be truly great.
dnf
July 10, 2020DNF @ 49%
*I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I'm not feeling it. It's been very predictable so far. I was expecting this to be an adult story but it feels more like a young adult. I don't think this book is for me and I rather put it down than push through it and give it a terrible rating only because I don't seem to be the right audience for it.
The chapter in the bar got me eye rolling so hard... and that's when I decided to put it down. The flirting with barman made me cringe and I couldn't handle Elyn being overly dramatic. The dialogue in general was surprisingly bad in some places. I really wanted to love this book because it sounded very interesting but unfortunately, it's not working for me.
*I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I'm not feeling it. It's been very predictable so far. I was expecting this to be an adult story but it feels more like a young adult. I don't think this book is for me and I rather put it down than push through it and give it a terrible rating only because I don't seem to be the right audience for it.
The chapter in the bar got me eye rolling so hard... and that's when I decided to put it down. The flirting with barman made me cringe and I couldn't handle Elyn being overly dramatic. The dialogue in general was surprisingly bad in some places. I really wanted to love this book because it sounded very interesting but unfortunately, it's not working for me.
October 27, 2022
Christopher Monteagle's book, "In the Wake of Gods," is a refreshing, exhilarating, and just flat-out fun-to-read fantasy novel. The book's setting is Kovalith, a world once ruled by a host of gods. Only two gods remain, and one god, Bythe, seeks domination. However, two human women may be the key to opposing the warlike god. "In the Wake of the Gods" is worth a look.
July 15, 2025
A world abandoned by the very Gods that made it, now that is certainly an interesting premise! Despite the somewhat 2D supporting and side characters I greatly enjoyed delving on in to this book and its lore.
I was conflicted on whether to give this 3 or 4 stars, but ultimately the plot won me over and it got the 4 stars. But characterisations felt rather flat, most people were either ‘clearly not good’ or ‘clearly good’, with little nuance in their behaviours or their very existence.
I quite liked our protagonists, and feel like the author did a good job with their characterisation.
The book has a surprisingly strong amount of Fatphobia in it. With the only two fat (Morbus and Jarren) characters being both villains who are oft described as pudgy, ‘high pitched and feminine sounding’ and, especially of Morbus, ‘disgusting looking’. You can have a fat characters be a bad character, but when all the fat characters are bad it’s a little eyebrow raising. Especially when the descriptions are ones like ‘disgusting’ or constantly trying to dehumanise them.
In a more medieval setting, fatness was a sign of wealth and privilege (because you had excess food/no duties that would burn it up), which might be what the author is intending with these characters, but it was not handled very well and instead just feels both spiteful and hateful.
Indie Authors tend to not have access to as extensive proofreading or copy editors, so I like to point out stuff I find in case the author reads this and makes a reprint :D
Update: The author sent me a newer edition (for free!) that fixes the majority of these problems, and the few that weren’t fixed are getting fixed in a future reprinting. Great care from this author, definitely recommend checking them out. ^…^
MASSIVE SPOILERS BELOW
I was conflicted on whether to give this 3 or 4 stars, but ultimately the plot won me over and it got the 4 stars. But characterisations felt rather flat, most people were either ‘clearly not good’ or ‘clearly good’, with little nuance in their behaviours or their very existence.
I quite liked our protagonists, and feel like the author did a good job with their characterisation.
The book has a surprisingly strong amount of Fatphobia in it. With the only two fat (Morbus and Jarren) characters being both villains who are oft described as pudgy, ‘high pitched and feminine sounding’ and, especially of Morbus, ‘disgusting looking’. You can have a fat characters be a bad character, but when all the fat characters are bad it’s a little eyebrow raising. Especially when the descriptions are ones like ‘disgusting’ or constantly trying to dehumanise them.
In a more medieval setting, fatness was a sign of wealth and privilege (because you had excess food/no duties that would burn it up), which might be what the author is intending with these characters, but it was not handled very well and instead just feels both spiteful and hateful.
Indie Authors tend to not have access to as extensive proofreading or copy editors, so I like to point out stuff I find in case the author reads this and makes a reprint :D
Update: The author sent me a newer edition (for free!) that fixes the majority of these problems, and the few that weren’t fixed are getting fixed in a future reprinting. Great care from this author, definitely recommend checking them out. ^…^
MASSIVE SPOILERS BELOW
August 24, 2021
// Trigger Warnings: sexual assault (graphic), description of violence (mild), brief talk of genocide (minor)
This book wasn't my cup of tea, but what brought the rating down was the intolerable amount of misogyny and bias in the text. I left this book throughly disgusted and angry. I'm going to go into a couple of examples. This might be a little disjointed, but I willshow excerpts from the novel if anyone is interested.
— "Slut", "bitch", and "whore" are used freely when talking about women. Almost every man used one of these words to talk about a women or women as a whole. And no one pushes back against it – not even the two women who were the main characters.
— At one point a barkeep is flirty with Elyn while bringing her more drinks and then she goes over to the bar and flirts back. That's completely fine! But then he has the audacity to point to a group of women and say:
Notice how this paragraph treats men and women differently. The women are demonized for wanting to sleep with men and flirting with them (the same thing the MC is doing right now?).
And the sentence "The women were dressed in a vulgar attempt to reveal certain body parts, as if this would compensate for their lost youth" makes me want to throw up. It's so goddamn ugly.
Another quote:
A man wants to sleep with a woman and uses degrading descriptors? He's showing a collegial hallmark of male friendship.
A woman wants to sleep with a man who's also interested? She's a whore and trying to compensate for her youth.
The same text that condones this kind of dehumanizing talk also condemns women for agreeing to have sex with the men who...want...to have sex? If the men are interested and so are the women, then why are the women being treated like shit?
I don't mind reading about sexism in my books, but I DO mind when it's just a natural part of the text that isn't challenged (even by the WOMEN who lead the story).
Additional Notes:
— Uses "Strange, almond-shaped eyes" to describe an East Asian-coded female character.
— Elyn has no personality, drive, or interests. She's just there to react, and be told what to do by men and various side characters. In one scene, she'll said something akin to "I'm done keeping secrets. I don't want to anymore and I won't." and then she won't do a damn thing about it until prompted. Her best friend is exactly the same.
— Elyn's "best friend" has no purpose. In our first introduction, Elyn introduces her as being soooo pretty...much prettier than me :( and she wishes she got the same attention. And nothing else. And then she's written out of the novel and appears at the end and does absolutely nothing.
Elyn acts like they're so close . . . but she hasn't been there the whole novel? And when she was there, Elyn did nothing but push her away, dismiss her, or ignore her. So I don't buy it.
— Elyn gets SA-ed multiple times and it's pushed aside for no reason. The encounters border on mild and graphic depending on your line in the sand. Personally, it made me physically uncomfortable to read. The first time it happens, her "friend" sees it and when Jason wants to step up to defend Elyn, just gives Elyn a "knowing look" and says not to worry about it.
What the actual hell was this supposed to convey? Because what I saw was that her friend doesn't give a fuck about her wellbeing, and that SA should be brushed under the rug? The book doesn't ever give an explanation as to why Elyn doesn't do anything about it, or why she doesn't defend herself, or why her friend dismissed it and then acted like they agreed on it.
For all the above reasons, I'm not finishing the series and I've banned this author and this publishing house form my reading list.
Book received from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
This book wasn't my cup of tea, but what brought the rating down was the intolerable amount of misogyny and bias in the text. I left this book throughly disgusted and angry. I'm going to go into a couple of examples. This might be a little disjointed, but I willshow excerpts from the novel if anyone is interested.
— "Slut", "bitch", and "whore" are used freely when talking about women. Almost every man used one of these words to talk about a women or women as a whole. And no one pushes back against it – not even the two women who were the main characters.
— At one point a barkeep is flirty with Elyn while bringing her more drinks and then she goes over to the bar and flirts back. That's completely fine! But then he has the audacity to point to a group of women and say:
"Good," he whispered in a conspiring tone. "I'd hate to see you grow up like them." He jerked his head toward a group of three middle-aged women behind him, all of them laughing a little too loud and acting a little too friendly with another group of men sitting at the same table. The women were dressed in a vulgar attempt to reveal certain body parts, as if this would compensate for their lost youth. and the similarly aging men were looking at them with an undisguised, selfish lust.
In the Wake of Gods, page 154
Notice how this paragraph treats men and women differently. The women are demonized for wanting to sleep with men and flirting with them (the same thing the MC is doing right now?).
And the sentence "The women were dressed in a vulgar attempt to reveal certain body parts, as if this would compensate for their lost youth" makes me want to throw up. It's so goddamn ugly.
Another quote:
"You just want to get back to some whores," Walt said with a smile. Edward offered a dignified shrug.
"A man has his needs, and they certainly ain't filled by sleeping on frozen rock every night!"
"Well, it's been so long for me that a frozen rock is starting to look pretty good."
Both men laughed at the collegial sharing of desire that was a hallmark of male friendship.
In the Wake of Gods, page 183/184
A man wants to sleep with a woman and uses degrading descriptors? He's showing a collegial hallmark of male friendship.
A woman wants to sleep with a man who's also interested? She's a whore and trying to compensate for her youth.
The same text that condones this kind of dehumanizing talk also condemns women for agreeing to have sex with the men who...want...to have sex? If the men are interested and so are the women, then why are the women being treated like shit?
I don't mind reading about sexism in my books, but I DO mind when it's just a natural part of the text that isn't challenged (even by the WOMEN who lead the story).
Additional Notes:
— Uses "Strange, almond-shaped eyes" to describe an East Asian-coded female character.
— Elyn has no personality, drive, or interests. She's just there to react, and be told what to do by men and various side characters. In one scene, she'll said something akin to "I'm done keeping secrets. I don't want to anymore and I won't." and then she won't do a damn thing about it until prompted. Her best friend is exactly the same.
— Elyn's "best friend" has no purpose. In our first introduction, Elyn introduces her as being soooo pretty...much prettier than me :( and she wishes she got the same attention. And nothing else. And then she's written out of the novel and appears at the end and does absolutely nothing.
Elyn acts like they're so close . . . but she hasn't been there the whole novel? And when she was there, Elyn did nothing but push her away, dismiss her, or ignore her. So I don't buy it.
— Elyn gets SA-ed multiple times and it's pushed aside for no reason. The encounters border on mild and graphic depending on your line in the sand. Personally, it made me physically uncomfortable to read. The first time it happens, her "friend" sees it and when Jason wants to step up to defend Elyn, just gives Elyn a "knowing look" and says not to worry about it.
What the actual hell was this supposed to convey? Because what I saw was that her friend doesn't give a fuck about her wellbeing, and that SA should be brushed under the rug? The book doesn't ever give an explanation as to why Elyn doesn't do anything about it, or why she doesn't defend herself, or why her friend dismissed it and then acted like they agreed on it.
For all the above reasons, I'm not finishing the series and I've banned this author and this publishing house form my reading list.
Book received from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
August 15, 2021
Great story. Very believable characters. I really felt for both Elyn and Vale as they both go through their journeys. Both of them are trying to understand who they are, while everyone else is just interested in keeping them subjugated. There's no good guys or bad guys, just people motivated by power for different reasons. This is an interesting book because I felt like it took a street-level view of a fantasy world which, was a nice change. It raises a lot of questions for me about the history of the Iron Union and Bythe and the rest of the gods. I hope we get to see more of it explored in the rest of the trilogy. But this book is a coming of age story about two young women at the personal level, and I have to admit it pushed my buttons. 5 stars.
May 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this.
The world building and mythology were original and immersive, and the character dynamics were believable and engaging. To me, it feels like this book has set the scene for an ongoing saga; at least I hope so!
There are a few marvelous treats peppered throughout the book; I won't spoil them but you'll know them when you find them.
The world building and mythology were original and immersive, and the character dynamics were believable and engaging. To me, it feels like this book has set the scene for an ongoing saga; at least I hope so!
There are a few marvelous treats peppered throughout the book; I won't spoil them but you'll know them when you find them.
September 2, 2021
good fantasy
Liked the characters and world building. I don’t usually read fantasy but this held my attention. Good book for any age if you like fantasy.
Liked the characters and world building. I don’t usually read fantasy but this held my attention. Good book for any age if you like fantasy.
June 17, 2020
2.75/5 stars
I really liked the characters. Elyn and Vale are easy to root for with cunning villains in a place where no one is fully good. Everyone has ulterior motives and it's up to Vale to teach Elyn that. The two have an interesting bond that feels a little forced. Maybe it's because they met and all of a sudden get a bond and then there's a time jump to where they are talking in each other's minds and know each other better than anyone else. That, paired with the fact that they're on opposite sides of the war, made me want more build up to them being friends. Where's the fight? Where's the doubt? I wanted them to struggle, knowing they have an inside look into the enemy, but feeling bad about taking advantage of someone they now know so well. Along similar lines, I wanted more development in the other character relationships as well. I don't feel like we are given enough time to feel for the characters before stuff happens to them. When secrets are revealed that are supposed to put a rift between characters, I have a difficult time caring because we haven't been given the time and words to understand what's at stake between characters.
The world is very interesting. It's a world where all but one of the many gods have died, and the one left wants to rule everything. There's a group of people called the Ageless, left behind by the last goddess. It's an interesting hierarchy and I wish it was developed more. How are the Ageless making more Ageless without their goddess? What is their motivation? They are the leaders of a small Outpost, but they do nothing when the town is invaded. They run to another city, and this where it gets a little confusing. I don't quite understand how long the time jump is. At some places it says a couple weeks, but in others it says a couple years. If it's years, not enough happens, if it's weeks, there needs to be more development. If it's weeks, the main characters became close way too fast, and the locations need more explaining. The worst is that Elyn wonders why her townspeople are still seen as outsiders/foreigners to the place they ran to. If it's only been a couple of weeks, it will obviously take more time. Especially because they are bringing a war onto their heads.
The biggest issue I had is with the plot. There doesn't seem to be any until the last 100 pages. It feels like characters are floating from scene to scene, with no motivation and no stakes. Vale keeps getting what feels like empty threats from her surrogate mother, but they don't end up being anything. There's a scene where the woman says she's going to send her on some stupid mission and keep her away from the fighting so she will lose her standing, but then the next scene is a time jump, and she's still right where she was. This brings up a major question in my mind, why does Yvorre hate Vale so much? She's a great fighter and leader, and does everything she and the god want, and yet Yvorre despises her. Why didn't she raise her to be her champion? To do everything she says? She could use her in the long run, but instead she ostracizes her. Back to my point about the plot, I honestly couldn't tell you what the plot was until the last 100 pages. Then it finally started kind of coming together.
Overall, even though I liked the characters, the world, and the writing, the lack of development in the characters and the plot made it an average, if not slightly disappointing, read.
I really liked the characters. Elyn and Vale are easy to root for with cunning villains in a place where no one is fully good. Everyone has ulterior motives and it's up to Vale to teach Elyn that. The two have an interesting bond that feels a little forced. Maybe it's because they met and all of a sudden get a bond and then there's a time jump to where they are talking in each other's minds and know each other better than anyone else. That, paired with the fact that they're on opposite sides of the war, made me want more build up to them being friends. Where's the fight? Where's the doubt? I wanted them to struggle, knowing they have an inside look into the enemy, but feeling bad about taking advantage of someone they now know so well. Along similar lines, I wanted more development in the other character relationships as well. I don't feel like we are given enough time to feel for the characters before stuff happens to them. When secrets are revealed that are supposed to put a rift between characters, I have a difficult time caring because we haven't been given the time and words to understand what's at stake between characters.
The world is very interesting. It's a world where all but one of the many gods have died, and the one left wants to rule everything. There's a group of people called the Ageless, left behind by the last goddess. It's an interesting hierarchy and I wish it was developed more. How are the Ageless making more Ageless without their goddess? What is their motivation? They are the leaders of a small Outpost, but they do nothing when the town is invaded. They run to another city, and this where it gets a little confusing. I don't quite understand how long the time jump is. At some places it says a couple weeks, but in others it says a couple years. If it's years, not enough happens, if it's weeks, there needs to be more development. If it's weeks, the main characters became close way too fast, and the locations need more explaining. The worst is that Elyn wonders why her townspeople are still seen as outsiders/foreigners to the place they ran to. If it's only been a couple of weeks, it will obviously take more time. Especially because they are bringing a war onto their heads.
The biggest issue I had is with the plot. There doesn't seem to be any until the last 100 pages. It feels like characters are floating from scene to scene, with no motivation and no stakes. Vale keeps getting what feels like empty threats from her surrogate mother, but they don't end up being anything. There's a scene where the woman says she's going to send her on some stupid mission and keep her away from the fighting so she will lose her standing, but then the next scene is a time jump, and she's still right where she was. This brings up a major question in my mind, why does Yvorre hate Vale so much? She's a great fighter and leader, and does everything she and the god want, and yet Yvorre despises her. Why didn't she raise her to be her champion? To do everything she says? She could use her in the long run, but instead she ostracizes her. Back to my point about the plot, I honestly couldn't tell you what the plot was until the last 100 pages. Then it finally started kind of coming together.
Overall, even though I liked the characters, the world, and the writing, the lack of development in the characters and the plot made it an average, if not slightly disappointing, read.
December 18, 2021
A character driven novel that is more ya than fantasy. Both main characters show good development but they end up being Mary Sue-d partially. Felt like the author decided to throw away the side characters at the end, maybe the next book will show why this one ended that way. Look forward to seeing how the trilogy develops. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2021
Decent fantasy book.
April 18, 2022
Loved this book. The atmosphere was great and the twists kept me reading on and on to find out what would happen next.
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