It's 900 AD in viking era Ireland, and in this story we follow two gifted, driven women with different agendas. First is Gormflaith, a woman in possession of a special power due to her magical heritage, but one she has to keep secret. Gormflaith is determined to help her son Sitric gain the throne of Dublin and will get rid of anyone who is in her way. We also follow Fódla, part of the remaining descendants of the Tuatha de Danann and has the gift of healing. As Gormflaith helps Sitric, Fódla is charged with travelling to the home of King Brian Boru and spying on him and his troops.

I really enjoyed this brilliant foray into ancient Ireland. It really helped spark a new passion into trying to learn more about these old figures of history and well as ancient folklore and mythology connected to Ireland. I though the juxtaposition of Gormflaith and Fódla as our characters were brilliant as in the ways they are similar, both powerful in their own right but also beholden to the men in their lives, though while Fódla is gentle and kind, Gormflaith is ruthless and happy to kill those in the way even if they are innocent.

The author weaved true history in with fantasy and magic brilliantly - making the story unique and fun, yet still respecting the deep history and beliefs of ancient Ireland. Really looking forward to the next book and seeing how Gormlaith and Fódla's stories intermingle with that of Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf!

I am very lucky to have received an ARC of one of my most anticipated releases of 2022! I received this in return for an honest review. And here it is...

Two leading female characters of incredible depth operating in 10th century Ireland, weaving historical events, political intrigue, mythology and a sprinkling of fantastical elements into a truly fascinating story. Can it get much better? Oh wait, it can when it is accompanied by the brilliant yet understated prose of Shauna Lawless, who displays a masterful grip on plot progression and character development.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a new historical fantasy tale that takes place in Ireland, exploring the state of this land in the 10th century, showing us the clash of cultures between the Norse and the Irish, as well as the religious split growing ever more prominent. Then, on top of that, we have our fantastical elements which are taken and inspired by Irish Mythology.

Our two PoV characters are part of different magical groups that have both abilities, and the gift (or curse) of long life. The groups they belong to are the Tuatha Dé Danann and then the Fomorians, but these are rivals who both yearn to destroy the other.

There is no 'good' or 'bad' side in this book. There are a group of characters in the middle. Some whose motivations are admirable, but the course they take most decidedly not, and others of the opposite nature, and then some who have immoral motivations and also take an evil path.

Gormflaith was probably my favourite character. One of our leading female PoVs, her main intention and motivation is to keep her son alive and aid him in his endeavours. She takes a leading role in the politics aiming to make her son King of Dublin, acting as a Machiavellian politician who concedes rarely to moral obligations. She is a fantastic character who has to operate in a patriarchal society, yet uses her almost supreme wisdom to dominate and mould the events unfolding around her. She is most certainly a force of nature, and a joy to follow on the page.

One more thing I will mention before I wrap up is that there is little action, but the constant threat of it breaking out and the fragile political nature of this book keeps you so engaged. And then, the action we are shown is written expertly, with the suspense built so well and then erupting into a crescendo of brutality, adrenaline and fear from our characters who witness these events.

In The Children of Gods and Fighting Men we have a book that hits high high levels in every aspect of storytelling. The plot is thoroughly engaging. Shauna Lawless builds a vivid world and conveys the fragile state of the land, also exploring the constant presence of death. The themes of war, patriarchy, grief and more are built on subtly and powerfully through the understated, efficient prose which had an enchanting quality about it. In short, it is safe to say that I loved this, and I am pretty sure that most people will.

5/5 STARS

I really enjoyed this and found it the perfect mix between fantasy and historical. All the lead characters were fleshed out really well and i thought the action and drama was placed. That managed to keep me hooked and invested in the story and want to read it. I will continue with this series as I'd like to see how it goes as I'm really invested in the characters now!

They think they've killed the last of us...

981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long. Gormflaith also has a secret. She is one of the Fomorians, an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of warriors who are sworn to kill Fomorians.

Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell hidden in a fortress, forbidden to live amongst the mortals. Fódla agrees to help her kin by going to spy on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop. However, preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise...

Rate : 4 out of 5
Thoughts : Can't put this book down! This book keeps you questioning and wanting to know more!
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a stunning debut historical fantasy tale from Shauna Lawless. Lawless weaves history and Irish mythology into this unforgettable tale. Set in 10th Century Ireland, the story follows Gormflaith, the widow of the King of Dublin. Gormflaith has high hopes for her son, but kings don’t always stay king for long. Gormflaith also has a secret – she is part of an immortal race with fire magic that she has kept hidden to protect herself from the Tuatha Dé Danann – those sworn to kill her kind. Meanwhile, Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with a gift for healing. When is sent on a mission in Ireland she finds a county on the precipice of war and she will do anything to stop it.

Going into this book I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was captivated right from the very beginning and I found I could not put this book down. The story is full of political intrigue and scheming. The story is well executed and I definitely found myself thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it. Lawless has created a really clever story with a really tense and compelling plot. Our two main POVs are on different sides and it was fascinating seeing their stories unfold.

One of the things that captivated me most about The Children of Gods and Fighting Men was the detailed worldbuilding. The story and world felt so well crafted and I am so looking forward to reading more from this author. It feels like Lawless did lots of research to build such a vivid depiction of Ireland at that time. Not only is the worldbuilding excellent, but Lawless has also created some truly fascinating characters. Our two main POVS – Gormflaith and Fódla were really well developed. I enjoyed both points of view a lot but I think my favourite was Gormflaith, she was so determined to get what she wants for her son and there is nothing she won’t do to succeed. She is an incredibly cunning character and I can't wait to see where the story takes her in book two.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a tense, addictive historical fantasy tale. If you’re looking for a story with strong female characters, lots of political intrigue, and a plot that will keep you turning pages long into the night – this one is definitely worth checking out.

This is a magnificent debut!

I would certainly recommend this for anyone interested in Irish folklore, mythology and historical fiction. This is the first installment of the "Gael Song" series and Shauna Lawless does an excellent job of starting with a truly epic historical tale. Strong characters and good writing combines to create a world of political maneuvering, intrigue, violence and that is wildly interesting from beginning to end.

DNF 28%

If I am Irish and I hate the flow, the style & the choices of this book. What does that say?
Listen, I was looking for much more, but this book was mediocre and didn't give me much of the charm of my birth country!

My only regret about this nook was that I put off reading it for so long. It was absolutely phenomenal!

With "The Children of Gods and Fighting Men," Lawless combines historical fiction (late 990 AD), Irish mythology and magic into an amazing story told from two differing points of view, both fascinating and intelligent female protagonists.

can not wait to read the upcoming sequel "The Words of Kings and Prophets."

I gave this a three out of five stars. The time jumps confused me at times while I was reading this. But I liked the story and the characters. I love the mention of the gods. It’s interesting that pet of it took place when Christianity took over Ireland over paganism. I would have loved to be in the time of paganism in Ireland.

"Children of Gods and Fighting Men" proved challenging for me, as I struggled to develop a genuine investment in the characters. The dual storylines, which I had hoped would contribute to a compelling plot, unfortunately, fell short and left me feeling disconnected from the narrative. The lack of a sense of urgency throughout the book made it difficult to stay engaged, and there were moments when I contemplated abandoning it altogether.

From the title alone, one would expect an intriguing exploration of gods and their wrath or captivating lore surrounding their existence. However, I was disappointed to find that the book failed to deliver on these promises. The absence of action throughout the story resulted in a dull and monotonous plotline, leaving me longing for more excitement and depth.

I ultimately felt let down by its lack of compelling characters, a cohesive plot, and the absence of any real substance to drive the story forward. "Children of Gods and Fighting Men" failed to captivate my imagination, leaving me underwhelmed by its overall execution.

First of, the cover is absolutely stunning and I will definitely be adding the book to my shelf as soon as possible.
I have never read any Irish folklore, which should be a crying shame as I have Irish great grandfather. But this book has definitely sparked that need for more.
I loved the writing, this is my first book by Shauna Lawless and definitely won't be the last, and the anticipation has already begun for the second book in the series.

Fantastic use of Irish mythology in a new epic historical fantasy. The mythology Lawless draws from is rich, and has yet to see the fantasy treatment until now. She absolutely nails it and I look forward to what is coming

One of the best books I've read in a while. A saga of mythology interwoven with believable characters. It sweeps you along time and space from Ireland to Northumbria, from healers to lovers. It has been a long time since I read any fantasy-type novel, and this one has reignited my love for the genre

"The Children of Gods and Fighting Men" by Shauna Lawless is a beautifully crafted collection of poetry that explores the themes of mythology, ancestry, and identity. Lawless's writing style is both elegant and powerful, drawing the reader into a world of gods and heroes, of love and loss, of strength and vulnerability.

The poems in this collection are diverse in form and tone, ranging from traditional ballads to free verse and experimental structures. Lawless's skillful use of language and imagery creates a vivid picture of the world she evokes, immersing the reader in the rich and complex mythology of her ancestral homeland.

While the collection's themes are steeped in Irish mythology and folklore, the universal nature of Lawless's writing ensures that her work will resonate with readers of all backgrounds. "The Children of Gods and Fighting Men" is a stunning debut from a talented poet, and a must-read for anyone interested in mythology, ancestry, or the power of language to shape our understanding of the world around us

This was such an interesting book! The Irish mythology and history was fascinating and the magical elements really enhanced the story. The two main characters are polar opposites. Having an ambitious, ruthless, needy and controlling woman as one POV showed how soft and innocent the other POV is. There are so many characters it does get a little confusing. However, the main cast is really interesting. There's a lot of variety, morally grey characters and undercurrents of political manoeuvring. I'd love to hear about the magic more in the next book and look forward to reading it.

The backdrop of old Ireland with various tribes, characters with various perspectives and distinct ambition, and a great mix of genre necessities like political scheming, cultural conflict, and religious clashes.

I found this one very hard going. I started it, got a few chapters in, and eventually DNF'd because it was just not grabbing me. It might have been that I wasn't in the mood, because it was certainly broad and engaging, and there was evidence, even in the early chapters, of deep and nuanced characters and really excellent engagement with the underpinning mythology. Right book, wrong time, I think, so I'll shelve this one for a future day.

Amazing historical fantasy. Wonderful characters set in a magical but all-too-real backdrop of viking-age Ireland.

Excellent and gripping. I love the attention to historical detail and the way our two protagonist's stories wove around each other. I wish that Netgalley gave more time to longer books as we get the same number of days to read an 800page book as we do to read a 200page pook. I would have loved to take my time and really savour this book but the Netgalley time limit made it impossible. A. Truly excellent read regardless

I was really excited about this book because it focused on a myth I knew nothing about. However, I could not get into the writing. It was not descriptive or had any rich, sumptuous detail. Thus, the writing did not impress me. As for the characters, I found Gormlaith to be unlikable. However, Fodla was very likable. Thus, this novel had potential, but it was no executed well. Still, I recommend this for fans of The Lost Queen, The Widow Queen, and Swan Maiden!