The Fury of the Gods ( Bloodsworn Saga #3) by John Gwynne

 October seems to be the month for series finales for me! Right on the heels of Mirrored Heavens (Between Earth and Sky) I wrapped up The Fury of the Gods the much-awaited third and final book in this norse-inspired epic fantasy by fan-favorite John Gwynne, known for having his fabulous big fat epic novels ( Faith and Fallen, and the sequel Blood and Bone ) 

His new trilogy, the Bloodsworn saga is set in an Viking-sque world, still scarred and reeling from the last war between Gods, all of whom are now fallen or lost. The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods sets up the readers for this absolutely compelling nail biting frenzy of a climax, bringing this brilliant tale to a closure. Written across multiple narratives, the readers follow the fate of the lead characters, damaged and scarred by their life experiences, as their world Vigrid comes under attack yet again with colossal powers rising up from dead, set to clash with each other. 

By the third book, Lik Rifa, the mighty dragon has been revived, and having gathered her powers, is now looking to take over the world. And she's bearing down on Snakavik, the fabled city built on top of the deceased Father of Gods, Snaka's skull. Arrayed against her are the mercenary might of the recently crowned Jarl/Chief Elvar and all the other warriors who want to be a part of this 'Skald' song, one for the ages. This is the epic we've been waiting for and John Gwynne goes all out - giving us gigantic battle-sequences that run over long chapters, full of bone-crunching, blood-spraying, axe-chopping, shield-splintering violence that leaps off the pages. The fights are bloody, no quarters given and just so well written that you feel, you're right there, in the middle of all that chaos. This is clearly John Gwynne's strength, immersing us fully into fantastic battle-scenes that are both physically daunting, emotionally draining, just crafted to perfection. Fury doesn't disappoint because after maybe the half-way point of the book, it is just one long drawn out battle after the other, furious, frenetic and feverish, hitting you page after page. 

John continues to build out his characters, going from strength to strength with every new book of his. (His tenth book here!) And in Orka Skullsplitter, John's given us one of the greatest female leads of all times. A distraught mother, racing against time and luck, Orka was once the leader of the famed Bloodsworn. But she trades that for a life of peace and love with her husband. But as we know, from when the events of the Shadow of Gods spiral out of control, that doesn't last very long and she is forced to pick her axe back, when her son, Breca is kidnapped by the cultists worshipping Lik-Rifa. Orka's 'revenge' storyline is unapologetically violent and emotionally the most heart-wrenching. So every time she comes on scene, I get goosebumps anticipating the intense violence and the emotional heft. The quiet tender moments between Orka and her son perfectly balance out this blood-drenched impossible mission she's on. And yes, those thrilling final moments of showdown, the intimate one-on-one duels in the middle of the raging battle all around, doesn't disappoint. 

The other major PoV is Varg, an erstwhile thrall, who has joined up with the Bloodsworn, signing up to bring down the bloodthirsty power-crazy dragon. Varg is also looking to avenge the death of his sister. He is clearly the quintessential 'hero' drawn up in the classic John Gwynne mould; thoughtful, caring, courageous to a fault and committed to his found family. His quest for 'revenge' is also not a straightforward one, given the trials and tribulations his comrades from Bloodsworn go through. I wish I had seen more of the teasing and banter from his friends, Svik and Rokia - which had made Book-2 such a delight but unfortunately, the book is so structured and so relentlessly paced, that we cannot tarry for such. Overll, Varg's story also comes around a full circle to a satisfactory ending. 

Elvar, the proud, headstrong leader of the BattleGrim and now recently made Chief/Jarl is possibly the most complex character John has written. And I loved loved her character arc and the evolution of it. Her moral struggles, her confusion, her moments of self-doubt, her selfless style of leadership, all of which make her real and vulnerable, also made her the most endearing character for me. There are several winning "moments" that I could list that made Elvar my favourite, but I will let you as a reader discover them. 

The other aspect of John Gwynne's characterisation are his "grey" characters who give us a ringside view into the world of the villains. There's Gudvarr and Biorr who do this effectively for us - frankly. the weakest among all the characters, serving no other purpose other than giving us readers access to the plot-points from the Lik-Rifa camp. Biorr still does have a more of a "redemptive" character arc than Gudvarr, who is just the classic coward blessed with unbelievable luck. 

And in this ending finale, don't expect Gwynne to go easy on the reader. There are several "Oh my God" jaw-dropping moments and twists, some scenes that are just plain heart-stopping and gut-wrenching as you watch the fates of some of your favourites unfold.  

The world of Vigrid is fascinating and John Gwynne builds it up really well, further expanding the same in this third book, giving us readers a view unto previously unexplored parts of this compelling harsh world. There are newer legends, more interesting backstories and some scary new monsters who come out of the dark woods. Full points on immersing us into this Vikings world.

Now onto some minor quibbles. But mind you, these could just be me. So yes, this is the final showdown and we are expecting earth-shattering battles as the titans/ Gods collide. While the personal character arcs of each of the main protagonists helps keep us grounded in their motivations, even as the world is shattered from under their feet, I for one, thought the ultimate battle-scenes are stretched for too long. True, there are twists and turns galore in the tide of the battle, with some awe-inspiring reveals thrown in between. But reading over a hundred pages of just impossibly balanced fight sequences was plain exhausting for me. My eyes glazed over after the umpteenth time, "the shields splintered, the blood geysered and the seaxes punched, the mail-rings breaking or the axes chopped through the skull" 

But in true John Gwynne style, reading The Fury of the Gods is ultimately a richly rewarding experience. This is yet another shining masterpiece from the man, who is the true inheritor of the title of the master of "heroic fantasy".  As we turn the last page, our hearts are simultaneously broken and soaring, filled with hope and longing, pulsing with a sense of glory and triumph. For the well deserved ride for our heroes, in this brutal unforgiving world and for us readers, alongside them. 

Highly Recommended, deserving five stars and more!