I received a review copy of the book from the publishers as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Star Rating:
Series: third book of trilogy
*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILERS for NORTHERN WRATH and SHACKLED FATES*
Blurb:
ALL SHALL PERISH
The great wolf howls for Ragnarok to begin. The half-giant Einer leads an army of the dead to clash with the golden shields of Asgard. The nornir tie and retie their threads, as Loki’s and Odin’s schemes unfold… and unravel. For not even cunning gods and giants see every part of the web.
As the survivors of the burned village of Ash-hill converge on the final battle on Ida’s Plain, only two are truly free to choose their paths and prevent the annihilation of the nine worlds: a storyteller who holds all destinies in his hands, and a shieldmaiden with no destiny at all.
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
SLAUGHTERED GODS is the epic finale to this trilogy as Ragnarok comes and all men and giants and gods must face destiny.
As you might have guessed from the fact this book follows the end of the world according to Norse mythology, there is a lot of fighting in this book. In fact, Ragnarok takes up a full third of this book (at least!) It really shows off the scope of the battle, how it encompasses all the nine realms, and causes absolute destruction to the way things were.
The story told through the battle (and before!) is of gods and giants and men trying to thwart the end of all things – or trying to ensure all end and that some don’t sneakily survive. It gives the battle stakes, because there is that possibility that some might survive and you, the reader, have to decide if you want that or not. It becomes more than just everyone destroying each other because fate said so.
I liked that, among all these heroic deaths of characters striving to fulfil specific goals, there were “pointless” deaths – characters who were just killed. They didn’t have goals, were just part of the battle. Their deaths achieved nothing nor were the consequence of attempting something. It helped it feel more realistic, give a face to countless number who were fighting because they were fighting, the ones without a stake in it.
In all, it is an ending that feels suitably and satisfyingly epic and unpredictable, playing with the mythology and creating a tale of destruction and defiance.
Read my reviews of other books by Thilde Kold Holdt:
The Hanged God (this series):
- NORTHERN WRATH (#1)
- SHACKLED FATES (#2)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 