Book Review | The Hunger of the Gods

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne continues where the first book left off. Orka is searching for her son, Varg is hunting down his sister’s murderer, and Glornir is trying to rescue his lover. To top it all off, Lik-Rifa is now free and resurrecting the wolf god Ulfrir may be the only key to defeating her.

I admit, I was a little cautious coming into this book because sometimes middle books feel like a slog before the big final battle. However, this book does not relent. There is axe cleaving and throat slitting aplenty here.

Also, I know I’m biased as a horror aficionado, but I adore this series’ grotesque monsters and the sheer amount of body horror incorporated into the story. In this book, we’re introduced to tongue-eaters—parasitic monsters that slowly devour its hosts’ tongue, until they grow large enough to burst from their hosts’ skull. In essence, they remind me of the chestbursters from Alien in the best possible way.

All in all, this book was everything I wanted in a sequel and more. It's a bloody tale about love and vengeance—filled with complex, compelling characters who continue to grow on me and a whole lot of deep cunning and backstabbing.

Honestly, I haven’t been this hyped for an epic fantasy series in ages. Gwynne simultaneously borrows from Norse mythology while crafting a well-wrought world that is uniquely his own, and it reminds me of why I fell in love with the genre in the first place.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : April 12, 2022

Publisher : Orbit

IBSN : 0316539929

Pages : 672

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