Against All Gods

The Age of Bronze #1

by Miles Cameron

The tyranny of the gods is absolute, and they are capricious, malevolent and almost all-powerful, playing cruel games with the fates of mortals for their own ends . . .

A vibrant and powerful epic set against an alternate Bronze Age, this tale of gods, men and monsters, conspiracy and war, is a rich, compelling and original read from a master of the historical and fantasy genres. The people caught up in toils of the gods are merely trying to survive. Victims of vicious whims, trapped by their circumstances or pushed beyond what the mortal frame can bear, a handful of god-touched mortals - a scribe, a warlord, a dancer and a child - are about to be brought together in a conspiracy of their own.

A conspiracy to reach the heavens, and take down the corrupt and aging gods . . . who are already facing troubles of their own . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Adult, Historical Fantasy

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2022

About the author

Miles Cameron is an author, a re-enactor, an outdoors expert and a weapons specialist. He lives, works and writes in Toronto, where he lives with his family. This is his debut fantasy novel.

Reviews

[Khalid Abdul-Mumin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to what promises to be an epic historical and mythological journey into a fantasy realm full of heroes, tricksters, and other figments of our collective unconscious.

Against all Gods is a sprawling Epic Fantasy with a dash of mythology, some smattering of magic and historical fiction that has excellent world-building, deep and thoughtful characterisations, descriptive writing combined with a very fast paced plot and lots of bloodshed.

My top fantasy read of this year followed closely by the fabulous Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. Very highly recommended!

2023 Read
2025 Re-read

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review posted on my blog Out of This World SFF:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...

Miles (Christian) Cameron never ceases to amaze me. I mean, the guy will bust out a brilliant heroic fantasy one year, release an outstanding space opera the next, and now he brings us a historical fantasy with mythology. There is no genre that is safe with Cameron as he deftly crafts each particular story with equally impressive mastery. AGAINST ALL ODDS is just his latest success story and here are my thought upon finishing the book late last night.

Right away I was sucked into this awesome story that involves gods, godborn, who are those descended from gods, mortal god-kings appointed by the gods to ensure that their interests are protected, and various other really interesting characters. There is also an underlying conflict running through this book between the "old gods" and "new gods", so that adds a special dimension to this already multi-layered fantasy epic and got me even more invested as I progressed through each chapter.

Whispers eventually make it to the gods ears that star-metal has fallen from the sky in an area of the mortal-inhabited lands and all hell breaks loose to put it bluntly. You see, star-metal is the only thing that can kill a god and should a weapon or weapons be forged from it, well the results could be disastrous and could threaten the gods' power and unlimited control. Once this occurs the book becomes utterly unputdownable and the action picks up to a fever pitch. I mean, I couldn't be away from this book for more than a couple of hours before I wanted to jump right back in.

I love stories where its kind of difficult to decipher who the good guys are. Just when you think maybe someone has emerged that can fill that role, something happens that makes you question your assessment. And that's where Miles Cameron is truly great at blurring the lines, making you doubt every assumption, he really keeps the reader on their toes with every intense scene and passage of dialogue. There is zero predictability in a Cameron book and as someone who can't stand when plots are predictable, it's why he's always been a go-to author for me.

My favorite parts of this book are the meetings between the gods where I couldn't really tell who was allied with who and vice versa. There were also some moments during those conversations and meetings that made me chuckle as Cameron defuses some of the tension with a good dose of biting humor. A few of these gods are quite gifted wisecrackers to say the least. And yet I could sense that at some point there was going to be a serious reckoning where all bets were off and it got pretty brutal.

Ultimately I really enjoyed AGAINST ALL GODS and see it as the beginning of yet another fabulous series from Miles Cameron. If you want something a bit different from the usual high or epic fantasy, this one should satisfy you on a number of different fronts. The battles are violent and dirty, the world is teetering on the edge of war, the mythology and magic are some of the best I've come across, and the writing as always is top-notch. You are going to want to preorder this one now so that you can begin reading it the second it is published roughly three weeks from now. Believe me though, it is most certainly worth the wait and you will be glad that you decided to start this wonderful journey.

[Nicholas Eames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Christian (or, in this case, Miles) Cameron books always makes me want to read EVEN MORE Christian Cameron books. Another excellent first-instalment to what will undoubtedly be an awesome series!

[Janny]

This book is brazen originality at its best. A raunchy streak of cynicism so exactingly drawn through human characters of varied orientations and backgrounds, it is seamless. How to describe an action packed romp, filled with accurate fighting and a dodgy, arrogant, infighting pantheon toying with their mortal game pieces? Terry Pratchett in the Bronze Age with the shameless and naughty bits exposed, what can possibly go wrong in an upstart war declared on the gods in heaven?

I have not read a book that played with the deified immortals so irreverently since Roger Zelazny.

Bring on the sequel! This is fabulous stuff, and the attention to worldly detail is just as exquisitely researched.

[P.L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scheming, megalomaniacal, utterly egotistical gods, caring for nothing but their own pleasures, indulgences, and cruelties, and holding onto and increasing power, at the expense of all other life, and using mortals as their pawns. But the mortals are tired of the game, and the bravest among them, aspire to overthrow the gods, and be free from their despotism.

Yet, the gods have MAJOR internal issues, and they may just tear themselves apart before the mortals can have their day, destroying the world in the process.

This is the premise of my most recent, fantastic read, penned by the incredible Miles Cameron.

Christian Cameron (otherwise known by pen names that include Miles Cameron, and Gordon Kent) is one of my all-time favourite authors. This prolific, best-selling author of over 40 novels, has penned one of my top ten fantasy series ever: "The Traitor Son Cycle".

When Cameron offered me the incredible opportunity to receive an Advanced Reading Copy of his upcoming new fantasy release, “Against All Gods” (Book One in “The Age of Bronze Series”), in exchange for an honest review, I could not type, “Yes, please!” quickly enough. And I’m so glad I did.

The story moves back and forth fluidly between the mortals and the divine characters. The reader is introduced at the onset of the book to the ethereal court of the current King of the Gods, Enkul-Anu, who rules from the high mountain of Auzu, where the pantheon of the gods resides.

Enkul–Anu is a shrewd, calculating leader, who rules with a heady mix of tyranny and manipulation. Still, the ruler of the gods likes his carnal pleasures, and fiendishly delights in pain to those who oppose him. This lord of gods cannot rest easy on his throne, however, as he and his followers overthrew the previous divine regime to ascend to their current heights. They are considered “The New Gods”, having successfully rebelled and replaced “The Old Gods”.

So Enkul-Anu is cagey, suspicious of everyone, fearing of being toppled in turn. He keeps the humans harshly in line, through pure fear of his retribution. He does the same with his entire court of gods, including his offspring and consorts. He watches for any signs of insurrection amongst the gods and goddesses, ready to crush it. He also keeps an eye on some of the survivors from the Old Gods, whom he considers “The Enemy.” Chief among them, Temis and Tyka. Enkul-Anu is also concerned that his senior gods have gotten distracted, old and useless, and the younger ones are plotting, incompetent, and flighty.

But most of Enkul-Anu’s headaches are about to come of the human variety, in largely the form of the following players:

Gamash, an old warrior, and a magus, who was a great hero, and former tool of the gods, has lost his beloved daughter, killed callously by one of Enkul-Anu’s subordinates. Gamash vows revenge, and is willing to court Enkul-Anu’s enemies, to get that vengeance. Gamash turns to a mysterious blacksmith and his apprentices for aid, to fashion weapons made of a substance that can possibly slay a god.

Meanwhile, performer Era, uses all her wits, athleticism, and courage, to flee death and destruction, and along the way adopts an enigmatic young orphan boy, whose stuffed bear seems to predict the future.

Pollon a scribe, and his friend Atosa, a jeweller, are wrongfully imprisoned and tortured for trying to do the right thing.

Zos, a veteran mercenary, who is also a daring bull-leaper, is given a suicide mission by his masters, and the cynical warrior might be becoming tired enough of life to not care.

Finally, Aanat, a master captain, and trader, wants to keep his ship, and his family who are its crew, safe from harm. He and his people are also pacifists, and take an oath not to harm others. But in a particularly savage world of gods, monsters, and barbaric humans, keeping that oath has never been more difficult.

For me, every book begins with the characters, and the characters in this book were absolutely fabulous. The iniquitous gods are hilarious in their excesses and their wickedness. Gorged on sex, violence, and vanity, and filled with all the human insecurities, weaknesses, and downright pitiful self-absorption, these gods are anything but magnanimous and worthy of veneration. But again, they are also freaking hysterically funny! Druku and Sypa especially had me snickering with their antics. Nonetheless, it was the big cheese, Enkul-Anu, and his constant cursing and derision about his fellow gods really got me laughing out loud.

The humans, who Cameron clearly identifies as the protagonists, are also really humorous. But they also have heart, complex motivations, and most are at least somewhat morally grey, save for the Harkans, who I found to be very noble overall. Era was my favourite: uncompromisingly proud of and comfortable with her sexuality, resourceful, tough, full of life, lust, and the kind of friend you want in your corner. Zos’ combination of charisma, world-weary skepticism, and bravado, made for a really dynamic character as well. The odd little boy Daos, and his relationship with his foster mother, Era, will melt your heart, and Cameron will also force you to care, a lot, about the donkey!

The world-building was incredible, inspired by ancient Greek mythology, filled with magic, mythical creatures and diverse races, lofty temples, and sword and sandal heroes. Bronze age technology, marauding cannibalistic tribes, horrifying monsters, half-god / half-human offspring of the gods, indiscriminate liaisons with mortals running rampant, and hey – A REALLY DANGEROUS DRAGON, what more could you want?

The landscape is beautifully depicted by Cameron, lovely, yet utterly bleak and brutal at the same time. Set in the backdrop of a time before steel, when the economy was based on a bartering system. Cameron’s vivid descriptions make the reader feel like they are living in the time when gods walked the earth, bred mortals, and made half-god children.

Special note: I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the loving, polygamous lifestyle of the Harkans, and about the inscrutable "Dry One" who the human crew encounters. The Dry Ones are feared and hated monsters, but the one the protagonists encounter seems to indicate potential for otherwise.

While this book is sometimes zany, often irreverant, the themes Cameron explores are very dire, including canibalism, ritual human sacrifice, slavery, betrayal, unmitigated greed, torture, sexual assault and murder, to name a few, so reader be warned. As expected with a writing master such as Cameron, these themes are handled with aplomb, dark humour, and a glimmer of real hope.

A huge theme is whether or not humans have been tricked all their lives, ascribing virtue to gods who are by no means worthy of such adoration. Some mortals cling to their worship of the gods, despite the evidence plainly in their face all along that the gods were detestable. The gods feel the humans are beneath contempt, just playthings, but necessary to feed their existence, and the humans become equally contemptuous of the gods, due to the god's oppressive treatment of their mortal subjects. Once this happens, and the humans open their eyes to how badly the gods behave, it seems war is unavoidable, because without mutual respect, neither party can value the lives of the other. Even the peace-loving Harkans.

There is chilling foreshadowing however, that should the audacious mortals somehow manage to survive, and in fact succeed in their quest, will they simply become that which they despise, providing more of the same sort of cruelty and capriciousness, if they manage to supplant their divine masters?

I fear a "here's the new boss, same as the old boss" outcome, if any of the humans manage to remain alive by the end of the series. Because, as we have learned throughout history, absolute power can corrupt absolutely (or "eternally" in the case of gods, as the cover of the book notes), as the saying goes.

Cameron's prose is great. The writing is taunt, economical, yet somehow also so descriptive and luxuriant, and it always keeps you glued to the pages, making for a compulsive read:

"Dekhu was an island of degradation and torment. They witnessed hundreds of acts of cruelty under every decaying portico. On one ruined mosaic floor, two slaves fought with staves, both of them covered in blood; on another two women danced with chillingly unsensual lasciviousness. Whips cracked, fists pounded, and for the most part, the victims were blank-faced, unresponsive, less inclined to rebellion than donkeys or mules."

In typical Cameron fashion, the battles are bloody, thrilling, and some of the best fantasy has to offer. There are only a handful of writers who can write combat like Cameron (an expert on ancient warfare and weapons, and a reenactor). He is simply one of the best at it, anywhere. Your heart will beat faster with every sword stroke, or blast of magic, as you wring your hands over the fate of your favourite characters, and are stupified by the level of realism Cameron brings to a fight scene. The author makes you hear, see and FEEL it all, and transport you into the heat of the desperate struggle for life and death. Phenomenal.

This fantasy book is epic, really witty, dark, violent, and glorious.

Every time I think I have my "best books of the year" list sorted, here comes a book like "Against All Gods" to throw a wrench in my well-made plans. Cameron is at the top of his game here: highly, highly recommended. Go get it!

[BookishBenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review.

Against All Gods is the first book in The Age of Bronze series from Miles Cameron. It should be an explosive story about mortals clashing with gods but unfortunately this fell short of the mark.

2.5 (rounded up to 3)

I'm a fan of The Boys tv show and so when I read the synopsis for Against All Gods I was really excited to get into this. There were some things I did like so let me start with those first:

I liked the action scenes when they did occur. Split between many POVs (more on that in a moment) it flowed well with slick action. The fighting descriptions were accurate and believable, showing you the fight. You would have the first person engaging in a fight, then it would move to the next POV to tell the next part of the fight. I thought this worked extremely well given the large cast of characters and kept the momentum by shifting the focus evenly between them.

I liked the premise a lot. Gods kill someone's daughter, the father is p*ssed off and wants revenge. Slowly others who are also angry at the gods find themselves drawn together mysteriously for the same goal; to kill the gods.

That's it. Now I'm about to go into is why I didn't like this book and I don't like giving reviews that list what I didn't enjoy but this is, as always, an honest review of my experience with the book, someone else's experience might be different.

Firstly, some of the chapters in this book are over 50 pages long. That's about 1/9th of the book. I counted two chapters over 50 pages but there might have been more. This is just too long, even with the multiple POVs for me to sit and enjoy. I just felt like it was never-ending before I got a break.

There were too many characters for me. Between five and eight at times and then you have the gods. There were a lot. I found this confusing and it really threw me off. I had to keep flicking back through the pages to see who was who or who had just done what action recently. To be fair though, there is a very detailed glossary at the start but I would have to keep going back to see who was who and this pulls me out of the story.

Something that would have helped a lot with the multiple POVs would have been character building. I found that the gods had character to them, a personality, but the mortal POVs mostly felt like husks with one defining factor about them, their 'origin' story, and nothing else to really separate them until the last 5-10% of the book. It felt like a Joe Abercrombie book but with little character development. Not much plot in there either.

You know what the storyline is, revenge against the gods but the plot throughout the book was non-existent for so long that many parts just felt sluggish to get through (on top of the huge chapters). There were honestly times I felt like I wanted to DNF this book but I pursued because the concept idea, The Boys meets Greek Mythology is brilliant! Unfortunately it just didn't pay off.

Also, there is one part I think a lot of people won't like. "She wasn't pretty despite her massive breasts". I just felt like this didn't need to be in there. I'm never one to jump on my soapbox about a minor thing in a book but I felt like this was not needed and seemed to suggest that the beauty of someone is relevant to their breast size? It wasn't told from a POV of a character and so felt to me to be coming from the author's voice.

I really wanted Against All Gods to be this amazing story that would take me away to the Bronze Age. What starts as a comical, smart, dark fantasy turns into a historical fiction story that seems to change the prose between sections of mortals and gods. The final 5-10% was actually really good and if that was the same throughout the whole book then it would have resided with me on a 4* level I think.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars
This was a solid fantasy novel built around a rather brilliant premise. This is my second time reading Miles Cameron and his strengths really shine in this one. The worldbuilding on this Bronze Aged setting was particularly well drawn. I loved how the author imagined a time and place where mysticism rather than precise science ideas rules the land.

I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a rich new epic fantasy to anyone who loves the genre.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overall for the characters (the gods take top billing here, Enkul-Annu, Druku, and Nisroch especially, though Zos, Pollon, Era, and the Hakran crew are also close), twists and turns, and action that makes one turn pages until the end.

The novel is set into a universe where gods (and bunch of other "supernatural creatures like demons, the Bright Ones etc) are real, humans live generally short miserable lives at the whim of the gods and of their mostly godborn (or godborn descended) ruling class and there is magic that some humans can access - the gods have it out that it is only through their intercession but the sort of pantheist Hakrans - definitely not worshippers of the current crop of gods - are as good "aura" manipulators as the best of the god cities magicians

It starts quite dark and brutal (rulers torturing slaves, an old warrior and prophet having his beloved daughter slain by the gods because he displeased them decades ago - actually she was slain by mistake as he was supposed to be the target but the god sent to do the deed was kind of arrogant and stupid and killing mortals has always been his hobby so it didn't really matter to him whom he was killing, this to the despair of Enkul-Annu, the nominal ruler of the gods who has his plans and examples to be made of, a sack or two of cities with grotesque acts of violence, a few live crucifixions and of course human sacrifices as that is how the city rulers commune with the gods etc) but then it sort of veers into non-stop action with a lot of dark irony and even humor (the machinations of various gods, the unabashed relaxed attitude of the drunken god Druku and overall the huffing and puffing of Enkul-Annu as his minions are either too stupid to fully implement his plans or clever but plotting towards their own ends, so doing Enkul's will only insofar as it benefits them, the multi-family of the pacifists vegan Hakran crew etc).

And so it goes, with energy, surprises, casual brutality but also redemption and retribution, as the heroes from the first part unite to depose the gods, or at least that's what they think they want and are meant to do; but of course, things are not as simple...

Overall, highly recommended and the sequel (of which there is a small taste at the end) a huge asap probably next year

[Matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Men and women fighting against ancient gods, magic, mistery and lot of action.
All told in a modern style and a touch of humour that I personally love.
Cameron is definitely becoming one of my favourite authors.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy received from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Oooooh, Bronze Age inspired fantasy. Yes please.

I love Greek Mythology. I have done ever since I saw the 1980s Clash of the Titans when I was 7 years old and I still love reading stories inspired by that time period so I was in my element reading Against All Gods. There’s just something about Gods meddling in the affairs of men that really interests me.

The story follows several characters, most notably Zos, a godborn sellsword, Era, a singer, dancer and swordswoman, Pollon, a scribe and Daos, a mysterious young boy who can see things and talks to a stuffed bear that isn’t all what it seems. There’s also the gods, scheming away. I really liked the characters, they work well together and I enjoyed reading their stories.

The thing I really liked about this book was just how different it felt to the other books by Cameron that I’ve read. It’s nothing like The Traitor Son Cycle, with its chivalric romance story, which makes it stand out even more. Cameron has created another fascinating world and filled it with characters that I loved to read about. Once again, the action scenes are well written and very engaging to read. Cameron knows what he’s writing about and it shows through.

Against All Gods is a promising start to this series. It has an interesting world and enjoyable, sympathetic characters you can get behind. The story is fascinating and I love the Ancient Greek inspiration behind it. It’s a well written and engaging story and I am very much looking forward to reading what happens next.

[Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, look: Against All Gods is anime outrageous, absolutely over-the top, balls-to-the-walls story about group of ragtags taking on gods.
And I mean, literally Gods, as in powerful beings who can bend laws of physics.
But they really, really, had it coming.

Imagine a human who barely survived some idiocy gods or their representatives on Earth put them through watching a carnage before them and than they mutter:"Fucking Gods."
Now, imagine the Head God looking with distaste at his Pantheon after some disaster and then he mutters to himself:"Fucking Idiots."

This, my friends, is the crux upon the entire plot of this series hinges. Basically, overpowered egomaniacs are playing their power games and wracking havoc on humans in the process because they can and/or are bored and the God in charge is jaded only because they make him look stupid, not because he cares for humans. Gods in general don't really concern with humans in this novel. So, that means it's up to little beings to stop their idiocy themselves.
As part of old goddess's plan to overthrow the current God in charge, several humans are carefully guided and manipulated to the same point:
-Gamash of WeshWesh- the old warrior mage hero who fought bravely on behalf of Gods only to lose his daughter in an act of casual cruelty of a young god.
-Zos- a Godborn sellsword. (Godborn is a descendant of Gods or humans appointed by Gods who prolonged their life by giving them ambrosia).
-Era, a Godborn dancer and entertainer who travels with mysterious child Daos who seems to receive prophetic messages from his toy bear.
-Pollon, a scribe and Atosa, a Chief jeweller whose honourable nature led to their imprisonment and punishment.
-Hefa-Asus, a mysterious smith who knows more than he lets on and seems to wait all of his life to fulfil his task in this plan and travels with his apprentice Nicte.

All of them are carefully led to a position to strike at Enkul-Anu, current God in charge, and his Pantheon, but they just kind of realized they had enough of Gods' games and decided to do their own thing and overthrow them all together.

-As stereotypical as ragtag group of misfits in this scenario sound, it's exactly what I enjoyed about it. And perhaps the aged sellsword the most: Zos is a typical hero who's past his prime and who's seen countless battles. He kind of lost his purpose and seems to just fulfil his contracts, before he embarks on this journey. He is absolutely clueless in some finer dealings with people and women in particular, but he knows how to battle. And he has that heart of gold which springs in the crucial moments where he reluctantly does a heroic thing and, don't blame me, but I just like reading this. It doesn't mean that other characters are not as developed, but Era and Zos stand out. It's the combo of humour, the badass moments a plenty since author writes really memorable fight scenes and interesting background and, quite honestly, it reads like Zos was author's favourite as well.
-Since plot offers nothing particularly new and characters were a bit stereotypical, I have to mention the world-building. I am entirely conflicted about this, because I was baffled by some things, and then there were some parts I was absolutely enthralled with and wanted to know more. For example, the story opens with Author's Note that because novel is being set in a fantasy version of the Bronze Age there is no steel, no standardised measure system, it's barter economy, etc. But, to be quite honest, if he didn't stress the importance of Bronze Age reference, I honestly wouldn't even pay the intention as much and you know why? Because the novel literally opens with a scene where Head God asks: "What the fuck just happened?" It was, more than anything, a clue to me that I shouldn't take it as seriously and be pedantic about the whole thing. I understand why it's there, but light, ott tone, in my opinion, gave the author a greater leeway about, let's call it, "authenticity" of bronze age. But some parts of world-building were so epic and interesting: like, Zos was a slave trained to be a bull-leaper- it's a type of gladiators who are supposed to jump at a charging bull and there is a whole legend about this and references to their fearlessness. Then there is the entire culture of Hakrans who are pacifists ship-traders with unusual marriage and family structure. A large part of the book is happening aboard of Untroubling Swan where family of Hakrans gets entangled with our group of heroes and it challenges their believes and way of life. It was not just mentioned to be woke inclusion, it was actually fascinating to read how Hakrans and their ways fit in this world in regard to other nations and Gods. Gods themselves are fun to read and well-imagined. My favourite was Druku, God of drunkenness and orgies and Cameron put a fun twist to this. I just liked reading about them being flawed, vain and rude schemers with weaknesses to exploit, as opposed to them being omnipotent beings of ageless wisdom.
-My biggest criticism is that for a novel that is so fun to read about, it opens with Ganesh's pov that's rather confusing to get into and figure out what's happening. It's like he's in a weird state of mind and it's hard to get a grasp of what's going on and it took me several days to get through this chapter. He is otherwise a fun character, but as far as introductory chapters go, his was the only one I had issues with. This is supposed to kick the story going, so I suggest you just go through it, because then you meet Era, Zos and Pollon and they will engage you for sure.
-Ending is, naturally, the mess of epic proportions and our group being broken up, so I expect some kind of reunion in the next one.

All in all, this is just so damn fun. It's the blood-soaked, monster-filled bonanza with the absurdity of Record of Ragnarok and it's not even attempting to be anything else.
_____________
I would like to thank Netgalley, Orion Publishing Group and Miles Cameron for an advanced copy of Agains All Gods. All opinions are my own.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Against All Gods from the author.

The always impressive and inventive Miles Cameron returns with another awesome novel, Against All Gods, a compelling epic with a truly divine story.

In a damaged world filled with death, despair and injustice, the gods rule with an iron fist. Secure in their power and glory after destroying or banishing the previous pantheon, the current gods make games of the lives of mortals, controlling them for their own gain and punishing them on a whim. However, the gods are not as secure as they would hope, and all it will take is one spark to ignite a deadly rebellion against them.

When the daughter of powerful magos and aristocrat, Gamash of Weshwesh, is killed by a malicious god, it sets off a chain of events that will change everything. Determined to get revenge, Gamash finds himself a willing tool of an older god who exists to stir up chaos and challenge her new masters. Following the signs laid out before him, Gamash receives weapons that can hurt the corrupt divine beings and embarks on a quest to challenge the gods once and for all.

As Gamash’s quest continues, he is soon joined by an eclectic mixture of mortals, all of whom have their own issues with the current deities and who have been manipulated to fight against them. Faced with dangers at every turn and soon caught up amid multiple divine conspiracies, these reluctant rebels soon begin to understand the full extent of the danger they find themselves in. Determined not to be mere pawns in a cosmic game of immortal gods, the rebels will decide to do the impossible: go up against all the gods and win!

Wow, Cameron continues to impress me with his unique and incredible story writing. Against All Gods is a distinctive and powerful read that takes multiple fantastic characters on an epic adventure through a great new fantasy landscape. I loved the powerful narrative that Against All Gods contained, and it really did not take me long to become incredible addicted to its twisty and compelling tale. Complex, utterly enthralling and very fun, Against All Gods was an excellent read and I honestly have no choice but to give it a full five-star rating.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2022/06/23/...

An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 30 June 2022:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2022/07/18/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”We're a group of mortals trying to make war on heaven.”

In a world where humans are the playthings of gods, a grieving father turns to the Enemy to rebel against them. She reveals how everything humans think they know is a lie, and shares the secret that will save and condemn them all. There is more than one metal - Star-stone, and it’s deadly to gods.

In his dreams a blue woman brought him bolts of silver lightning, and he gave them to the most unsuitable people: a slave with a bull's head tattoo, a dancing woman; a warrior; a scribe, but most of all a smith and his apprentice.

There are many POVs and storylines to follow, but Cameron leads you through them with fast-paced tenacity and joy that you miss each one as you move on. It may seem disconnected and unnerving to begin with, but trust that all the threads weave together to create a revenge-worthy rebellion.
There’s also a glossary of characters at the start of the book which could be helpful to refer to.

Expect demons, desert creatures, scheming gods and goddesses, wars, gruesome torture, found family, pirates, and epic fight scenes.

I definitely preferred the first 75%; after this, there was just a lot of unbelievable fighting and action.

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[Dezideriu Szabo · Rating 4 out of 5]

9 out of 10. Great begining of a new series. It reminds me of Zelazny`s Lord of Light.

[Eva Müller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts slowly. Very slowly. Because each POV-character gets a quite lengthy introduction/backstory. I don't mind books with many POVs, but even I get exhausted when I spend over 100 pages on what feels like a prologue (because the introductory chapters are mostly set during the same time and centre around a major event). I was very relieved when the characters finally met and the plot started properly. And how it started.

Wow.

Because it's essentially a "A bunch of misfits are doing a heist" plot, but it's not about stealing something valuable but about...killing the gods. I had no idea how much I wanted a plot like that. It's glorious. (Especially because the gods are just a beautiful, horrible, dysfunctional family that is so much fun to watch/read about and that you really really want to get what's coming to them.

Sadly, with such a long "prologue" and quite a lot of chapters set in the domain of the gods there's not as much time for the interaction between the characters as I would have liked. I still feel like I have no idea how some characters feel about each other because I barely saw them interacting. And really memorable were just the interactions between Zos (who is a very privileged dude) and Era (who has a problem with privilege in general but very specifically with the one Zos has) and how they slowly came to appreciate each other.

I'm still giving this quite a high rating because come on...a heist Against All Gods . That's just cool. And because I'm giving it some benefit-of-the-first-in-a-series-doubt. Of course, you'll need to set things up and spend some time on introducing the characters (but...that much? Really?). And what it's setting up just promises to be very very cool.
Thanks to Gollanz for providing me with a review copy.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixture of mythologies woven into a tale of a rag tag group of rebels who stood up to all the gods. A classic tyrant and politic chess board move. The first half was introduction through each POV’s journey switch between some of the gods. The fighting was not disappointed.

[Justus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very impressed with Cameron's The Traitor Son Cycle but was less impressed with his The Ill-Made Knight. His strength is definitely that his writing is much closer to historical fiction -- with the eye for real world historical details -- than most fantasy. So I when I heard he was writing a "bronze age fantasy" I was cautiously optimistic. It seems like it would play right into his wheelhouse. And bronze age fantasy is one of those "why isn't there more of this" that often comes up in internet discussions.

While Cameron falls for a few typical fantasy conventions that I'm not fond of -- he introduces way too many characters who don't really meet up until at least half way through this 500 page book -- he mostly succeeds in delivering a great book.

Yes, he has too many characters -- which especially shows around the conclusion when many of them fade into the background -- but they're all pretty great and likeable. The bronze age trappings are fantastic -- this is a secondary fantasy world but you can feel the Greek-like trappings.

But probably my favorite aspect is how he handles the gods. Anyone who has read anything in Greek mythology knows that Greek gods are nothing like the Christian god. They are petty, stupid, and constantly there doing stuff, causing problems. The gods here are very much in the Greek mold and -- as the title suggests -- a major part of the plot.

I very rarely continue series -- I have no problem dropping series at the slightest hint of me not having fun reading them -- but this is one of the few where I'm looking forward to seeing how book 2 turns out.

[danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I actually really struggled to rate this book and summarise my thoughts for this review. For the first 15-20% I really considered DNFing this - it's an incredibly slow start and it doesn't really pull you in. Things definitely pick up after that, but overall I'm left feeling that it's a bit flat for an epic fantasy.

The plot was intriguing and the world building done quite well, but I think the character development and pacing is what threw this off for me. In saying that, it's only the first book so I'm sure the author was limited in the foundation he needed to lay for the rest of the series, but I just didn't feel strongly connected to any character or found any of them a bit likeable. I think if the cast of protagonists was slimmed down a bit, I could have spent more time getting to know some of the POVs and ultimately, feel more invested in their part to play.

The plot does pick up from the 50% mark, and I did want to know how everything worked out, I just didn't really care how it got there and who did what.

I'm not sure if I'll continue with the rest of the series or not, but I'm looking forward to seeing reviews. If it becomes more character driven, as opposed to solely plot driven, then I'll likely give it a shot!

[Rylan Chudy-Dilworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

the ending kind of saved this book for me. looking forward to the next one. miles cameron's writing was very odd at points i won't lie

[Matt Heppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought Against All Gods was a terrific bronze-age fantasy.

Against all Gods has a big cast of characters, but I didn't have any trouble keeping their personalities and stories separated. The humans are a diverse group, each person with their own motivation and desires. Same goes for the gods, however, they are a good bit less sympathetic. The gods are capricious and jealous and have little regard for the humans who worship them.

I loved the worldbuilding. It was a fresh and unique setting for a fantasy novel, combining elements of many historical cultures to create a diverse and interesting world.

Wonderful bronze age worldbuilding, a great cast of characters, intrigue, and exciting action. I devoured the novel and look forward to the sequel. Highly recommended!

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, for sure. Picked it up by chance a few minutes before the library closed for the day. It turned out to be a lucky coincidence! Even if Against All Gods were hard to understand in the beginning (so many fucking names...) it absolutely grew on me. The sheer number of plots and back-stabbing motives were brilliant to explore. And come on, who can't love The Dry One? All of ours favourite, eh, pet?

[Gregory Mele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tales of the Olympian gods, and before them the strange, capricious and harsh deities of Sumer and Akkad, have lingered in the mind of western civilizations through to the modern day, and arguably taken new form in the narratives of our modern deities and demigods: superheroes.

Thus, it is perhaps appropriate that this Bronze Age epic be described as "The Illiad meets The Boys".

In this alternate world, the gods are real, they are decidedly not very nice...and they are losing it. Immortality, much as it is with the Norse pantheon of our world, is not natural to the gods, but comes from ingesting a kind of ambrosia, and this never-ending life has a price: senility. Their powers aren't dimmed, but their minds waning, the divine court includes a PTSD war-god prone to bursting into tears, a sea goddess who never goes near the water, and a goddess of love who can't differentiate that from lust and spends more time tweaking and refining her 'look' more than a Kardashian woman has plastic surgery.

In short, they are a mess, the lesser deities and demigods they have produced are spoiled children who will never be up to taking their place, and Enkul-Anu, Storm Lord and King of the Gods, knows it. Unfortunately, while his own powers and mind seem intact, he has few he can trust. Druku, one of the eldest of the gods, seems untouched but is the god of orgies and drunkenness really the guy you want to try and rely on to save your empire?

Consequently, when word comes that one of the war-gods children has murdered the daughter of an aged mortal magus....well....gods will be gods. It shouldn't have happened, but, what are they going to do about it?

Sadly, for Enkul-Anu, quite a bit, as it turns out that old wizard, Gammash, has a new ally -- one of the older race of gods (aka: Titans), overthrown by Enkul-Anu and his brood, who is only more than happy to reveal that the rulers of 'heaven' are more mortal than they let on, and terribly, terribly afraid of iron, for a very good reason....

With this set-up (and I have told you nothing not contained in the prologue and chapter 1), Gammash begins to put together a rogues' gallery that feels like a Bronze Age RPG party: Zos, a powerful, if aging, mercenary; Era, a dancer and swordswoman who is the by-blow of a noble and temple dancer; Pollon, a scribe, archer and former priest; Hefa-Asus a giant smith and his apprentice, a tough-as-nails young woman named Nicte; and Daos, a young orphan who just may have a teddy-bear that is channeling a god.

The first half of the novel, in typical 'caper' format, is about the gathering of these companions, and how they came to be so angry, disenfranchised or jaded that the idea of trying to overthrow their own gods seems like a good idea.

With our 'party of adventurers' pulled together, through both Gammash's efforts and the rather bizarre machinations of an inhuman being from an insectoid race called the Dry Ones (I'm going to stay vague here, but trust me, this is one of the coolest, not remotely human, humanoids in modern fantasy in a long time), who has its own reason to want the gods taken down, and a group of sea-faring pacifists, the story shifts to a set-piece adventure on this world's equivalent to the Minoan island of Thera...which, if you know your history, may give you an idea what is to come....

Against All Gods is simply gonzo. As a setting, the world is fresh and wonderful, uniting bits of Mycenean Greece with Mesopotamia, Old Kingdom Egypt, Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley and the Moche of Peru into a single, cohesive whole, while very much having a modern vibe. Cameron writes here with a fast-paced, very modern voice -- gods and humans throw f-bombs around and speak in an easy, modern American vernacular. Although the subject matter are gods and heroes, if you think more of a modern caper/gangster story, you'll have a feel for what the author is up to here.

For those who are fans of the author's earlier "Traitor Son" and "Masters and Mages" series, there are hints of linkage revealed late in the novel, and of course, if you read the protagonists' names carefully, some interesting hints of what might lie ahead.

All-in-all a fresh, fun and fast-paced story!

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rate this book 2.5 stars.

I think the author put a lot of thought into it historically and had a great vision, however it was poorly executed.

The storyline is disjointed and isn't interesting. It took almost 300 pages for Plot A to really start. The whole idea was to bring certain chosen characters together, but it took 250+ pages to get there and nothing REALLY happened up to that time. The author showed a lot of their "origin" stories but they weren't riveting or contributed a whole lot to Plot A. Most of these characters' just meandered through a number of challenges until they all came together, and then the true plot happened. At that point though, I didn't really care, so I just skimmed through the rest of the book.

The author tries to strike a balance between letting you know the different plots of the gods and keeping things mysterious enough to where there are twists, but the gods just argue and complain and call each other "fat" to the point where half the time I didn't know what was going on and what their motivations were. So by the time one of them breaks down everything at the end, it just feels like the author was throwing the final twist to make you go "wow!," but it doesn't succeed because you didn't know or care about what was going on by then.

The characters don't shine. They're two-dimensional and there is a lot of telling about them versus showing. This was done easily since so many people were meeting other people in different scenarios, so you got to know the individuals by being told what was good about them from the perspective of other individuals. When they all came together, in what was supposed to be the "aha!" moment, it boiled to so many people you didn't care about chiming in or thinking about the other in a long and disjointed dialogue scene. By that time though (when Plot A picked up), I just didn't care. The whole scene where these random strangers went through so many disjointed thoughts about their destinies, the gods, who they were, and in language that didn't make sense entirely, was a complete pain and not believable. Like, they just met some of these people, some random little kid was telling people what to do because "he was told," and they're all like, "we're in this together!" That's when I decided to skim.

The world-building is solid but there are a lot of things that aren't explained well or are hard to pick up on. The author tries to hide key ideas through a mysterious plot where we don't always know who has the upper-hand among the gods and he doesn't want to throw everything in your face through heavy exposition; however, he doesn't balance it to the point where you understand the culture, the relationship with the gods, who the Dry Ones are, etc. This took away from the overall storyline and strength of the story. He tries to pull from Mesopotamian, Greek, and Egyptian cultures, and I applaud him for it, it just wasn't always coherent and melded into a fully fleshed world.

The writing is okay. The action scenes are confusing. Sometimes the dialogue meanders or isn't important (in the "Aha" moment where everyone comes together to determine their destiny, the characters had to talk about cooking and the best cuisine). Sometimes, within one person's point of view, you actually get the thoughts from another character in the same scene, so you don't know who is actually thinking what. When there is constant dialogue, the author has to tell you who is smiling and swallowing and all that. I must have read about people's different smiles every time there was a dialogue. Here is one line of dialogue that really threw me off: "Era swallowed, as Zos had done earlier." Like, why did we need to be told that?

The only ways the author seems to be able to describe women is by providing details on their bodies. He had to tell you about their voluptuous bodies, their big breasts, their dark eyes luring some poor man in. He had to describe how the men suddenly became incompetent and immediately drawn to the women, to the point where they can't think of anything else. The random and sudden romance between Era and Zos, describe mostly through Pollon's eyes, was weird.

Overall - if I see the sequel in a bookstore and I have no other options, I may pick it up.

[Kalle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Against All Gods is a story that mixes gods, demigods, and humans in an alternate Bronze Age world. I love mythology and books that mix fantasy, history, and mythology in particular and was excited to read this book!

First off, what a idea for a setting! However, for some reason, I came into this story expecting Mesopotamian mythology (yes I know that's not Bronze Age and I'm stupid) and then saw some reviews mention Greek mythology. I was then confused because I didn't recognize any of the gods and I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of Greek mythology. Literally just now I realized that it is set in an alternate timeline, which is a cool idea, but I as confused for the entirety of the book on the location, setting, and how the gods work.

This book just generally wasn't for me, even though I usually really like books like this. I was not prepared for how violent this book is. It starts off super violent and stays that way the whole time. The language in general is really coarse. Characters swear literally every page, which didn't bother me but did kind of take me out of the time period, whatever that time period might be. Characters are really brutal to each other. Again, this doesn't necessarily bother me in some books, but here it just felt unnecessary and mean. The prose that isn't like this is super basic and all characters talk exactly the same, making it hard for me to remember who was who. I also couldn't tell the gods from human characters and kept getting lost.

Additionally, I thought that the writing of women left a lot to be desired. They are only described by appearance and in a way that was so clearly written by a man. There was a huge focus on breasts, thighs, waist, and butt, and not much else. I felt like we were supposed to know if the readers should like a female character based on her positive or negative physical description, which doesn't exactly lead to a lot of nuance. The one queer character is a woman and expresses multiple times that she does not want kids. Within the same chapter she meets and adopts a child and allows him to call her "mama." Eeugh, no thanks. A female goddess frets about how she thinks that she gained weight for way too many pages and another goddess calls her fat. Again, no thanks. I felt like the male gaze was staring at me the whole time I read this.

Again, I really like books like these that involve history, mythology, fantasy, and even the brutality of living in a difficult world. I don't mind reading about violence or gore if it has a point. However, this book made me feel like I wasn't meant to or welcome to read this story, and that makes me sad. I wish that there had been a stronger balance between these factors because I think it would have made for an interesting story. As it is, it was not for me. 2 stars. Thank you to Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Clara Lew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A world filled with extravagant, self-involved gods and the havoc they wreak on humans, who seek to overthrow them...

I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. The worldbuilding was well-developed and I could see just how much effort Cameron had put into researching the historical elements of this book, but I couldn't bring myself to be wowed by it. I did appreciate the description and research put into the Bronze Age and the portrayal of the gods, which I felt rang true to expectations.

One of the things that made me uncomfortable was the description of women, where their breasts were mentioned more than it was really necessary to, mainly to signify attractiveness but are even mentioned in descriptions of demonic creatures that are meant to be unattractive, where you'd think that the POV character would have better things than to notice that!

It was obvious that this was written for the male gaze, because even the one queer POV character, Era, is thirsted over by Pollon and Zos, both straight men who are aware of her sexual orientation, something that felt like a weird choice for me, as it didn't seem necessary for the plot progression. In addition, the book kickstarts Gamash's journey by having his pregnant daughter die, which is another trope that tends to be a bit overused, where women die for male characters' growth.

While there was a lot of action and worldbuilding, the characters fell a bit short for me, as I found it difficult to connect with them. Even though some of them express their anger at the situation they find themselves in, they never do so to the extent that makes me feel their desperation or makes me want to root for their success enough to be invested. To me, the human element was what let me down, and ultimately made it hard for me to truly enjoy this book.

*I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Vidumavi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book so, so much. The premise seemed right up my alley. The blurb where it said for fans of Madeline Miller and Dan Simmons is right up my alley. But this book was just not. My god, was it not.

I don't know what exactly made it so dull to me. The forgettable characters and predictable plot? The dry prose which just did not click for me. The fact that the rules of this world were never quite made clear to me? Probably a combination of all of them.

There were parts in this book that were a lot of fun though! The god chapters, or more like snippets between chapters, were amazing. None of them were who you think they are, and alliances shift about every other chapter. Simpering fools turn out the be woman with plans, lumbering brutes plan to take out the learned messenger. Lots of fun all around. Where I could predict most of the things happening on the human side of things, the gods part is where this book truly shines. It's just unfortunate that this is a minor, subplot almost, compared to the human centric story told here.

The gods were also the most interesting characters. From lustful, simpering Sypa to tyrannical Enkul–Anu. These characters jumped from the page. It's just a pity that none of the human characters did. I can barely remember their names, that's how forgettable they were to me.

An unfortunate start to a premise that could be great. I see many rave reviews here on goodreads, so maybe I'll try the sequel anyways.

[GingerOrange · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a fan of the writing.

I think the premise and the action was really exciting. And I was so interested in jumping in and getting swept up in this world. But I honestly did not enjoy the writing so much. I think the author was unclear and he jumped from scene to scene too much. The alternating characters and all with the different Gods. It was never explained well in the start so it felt so messy. I liked the action and I liked the characters, don’t get me wrong. But I think the writing was just so vague and things felt all over the place so I couldn’t fully get into the story.

Overall, I liked the plot and characters but I’m not a fan of the writing style here. It just frustrated me to be honest because I knew I could have loved this story.

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was completely and utterly lost and confused by the plot of this book, or at least what I could read. I get this guy’s gods accidentally killed his daughter and some nameless, possibility, evil god answers and the guy goes on a quest for enlightenment, but I don’t understand why I should care.

[Nico · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are books that entertain, books that challenge, and then there are books like "Against All Gods" by Miles Cameron—a literary sledgehammer wrapped in mythological grandeur and dark humor. This isn’t just another fantasy epic with gods and mortals locked in an eternal chess game; it's a ruthless dissection of power, vanity, and the often grotesque absurdity of divine authority. Cameron pulls no punches, presenting gods not as ethereal paragons but as petty, megalomaniacal tyrants plagued by the same insecurities and vices as the mortals they disdain. Enkul-Anu, the paranoid king of the gods, rules not with wisdom but with the fragile ego of someone perpetually fearing his own irrelevance. His divine court isn’t a pantheon of awe-inspiring deities but a chaotic assembly of schemers, drunkards, and narcissists, each more delightfully detestable than the last.

Amidst this celestial farce stand the mortals—ragtag, flawed, painfully human. Zos, the aging mercenary with a heart begrudgingly in the right place; Era, a fierce and unapologetically vibrant performer who refuses to be reduced to a mere side note in the gods' narratives; and Gamash, the archetype of the tragic hero whose thirst for vengeance is as destructive as the gods he seeks to topple. Cameron's characters are not here to restore order or uphold noble ideals; they are here to survive, to rebel, and to remind us that heroism often wears the most tattered cloaks.

Cameron's prose is razor-sharp, oscillating between lyrical brutality and sardonic wit. The action sequences are visceral, choreographed with a precision that makes every sword swing feel consequential. This is no sanitized, romanticized fantasy warfare; it's blood, sweat, and existential dread, served with a side of gallows humor. Yet, for all its narrative prowess, "Against All Gods" is not without its indulgences. The sprawling cast and dense mythology occasionally buckle under their own weight, with chapters that stretch beyond their narrative elasticity. Some characters drift perilously close to becoming narrative filler, overshadowed by the sheer volume of voices vying for attention. And while Cameron's penchant for irreverence mostly hits the mark, there are moments where the flippant tone undercuts the story's darker, more poignant beats.

But to dwell on these flaws would be to miss the point. "Against All Gods" is not a book that seeks perfection; it seeks impact. It’s an unflinching, gloriously chaotic tale that revels in its imperfections, much like the mortals and gods it portrays. Cameron doesn’t just tell a story; he throws you headfirst into a maelstrom of divine decay and human defiance, daring you to emerge unscathed. In the end, this is less a book and more a battle cry—against tyranny, against complacency, and, fittingly, against all gods.

[Wombat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Miles Cameron never fails to impress.

This was a change of pace though - Traitor Son was a psudo-europe high fantasy, Masters & Mages was a more late middle ages story of magic and metalsmiths, while Arcana Imperii was a full on space opera - all of them were great character books!

This time we're in a bronze age epic fantasy, with gods and demigods walking the earth and oppressing mortals.

The basics: There was a war in haven an age ago.. the new gods now have the world in their grip (but they are... arrogant and care nothing for mortals). Scattered mortals are slowly coming to hate their lot, and start to rebel against the gods - with the help of "the enemy"... but what is really happening?

It started a tad slow. The names were unfamiliar to me, and I had a little trouble discerning the various names, but it became apparent we have a "mediterranean" type sea surrounded by various city states and cultures. We get a slowly growing band of misfits from the mortals: Gamash (magician), Zos (godborn merc), Era (godborn "dancer"), Pollon (scribe), Hefa-Asus (smith). All have reason to hate the gods and have been mistreated in various ways. Among their stories we uncover a plot to unseat the gods with the aid of "star-metal" (iron - which is anti-magic and can kill gods and supernatural creatures) and some subtle influence by some among the gods who hate their brethren for being callous idiots...

My only issue was that the "gods" felt too ... out of place? They talked and behaved in very "modern" ways and I had difficulties at time reconciling their characters with the setting of a bronze-age world. But they were really interesting nonetheless!

Honestly it hurt a little to finish this book knowing there are no others in the series completed yet...