"Ireland is our home. It is a land of myth and magic, but our magic is fading."

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This is the story of tenth century Ireland told from the viewpoint of two women of vastly different clans of magical immortals. Gormflaith is the widow of the Viking king of Dublin and she is enamored with her mortal son, manipulating everything she can to make him the new king. She and her brother are the last fire-wielding Fomorians. Fodla is a healer of the Tuatha Dé Danann sworn to not meddle in human affairs and yet has found herself in the court of Brian Boru. History plays out as true history did but we get a unique perspective from these two women and how their choices and magic impacted it all.

I LOVED this story, I did not want to put it down. I have been spending more time reading Irish history this year and really loved my recent read Follett's The Morning and the Evening. It too tackles Viking culture but in England and Normandy. The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is just as immersive and powerful but the magical, mythical elements were fabulous. I also appreciated that we got a little more of a female perspective, especially since both of these are badasses.

Thanks to Head of Zeus via Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. I have since purchased a copy. All opinions above are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book has the feel of a sweeping epic, and I was a bit disappointed when it ended as it didn't really feel like the plot had got properly going yet. Fodla is a sweet character, although her arc from apathy towards mortals to being on their side was fairly predictable. Gormflaith was a much more interesting character and I'll be intrigued to see where she goes next with her scheming. The book felt a bit baggy in places while it skipped over events in others, but I'm enough of a sucker for the combination of mythology, history and magic to want to see where this goes.

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I loved the writing in this story so much. The world building was so vivid and the characters really well developed. For me it started out a bit slow but it didn’t take long to pull me in and once it did I just kept wanting more and to know what happened next. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book is fantastic!

We follow the lives of two women, Gormflaith and Fodla.
Gormflaith is the widow of the King of Dublin. She is also one of the last Fomorians, immortals with the gift of fire magic. Her only goal is to see her son become King.

Fodla is Tuatha De Danann. She is a gifted Healer. The Tuatha are forbidden from living among the mortals, so they live in a hidden fortress.

The Tuatha have been hunting and killing the Fomorians for decades. They believe they have finally wiped them all out.

The remaining Fomorians are afraid to use their magic for fear that it will draw the attention of the Tuatha. But it may be too late.

I loved this so much! I loved the Irish mythology mixed with the history. I loved the characters, especially Fodla. I hated a couple of them as well, but it made the story even better. I am very excited for the next one. The writing is top notch! This is definitely a new favorite.

Absolutely cracking Irish historical fantasy, written intelligently and well. Lawless has a knack for understanding people and showing that understanding in how they interact. At first the writing is understated as is typical for a more internal journey style narrative but there is plenty of action later on, all of which is sweeter for the careful set up. The historical accuracy is pretty good (although women did not have quite such an oppressed role in 10th C Ireland ) and I can see why any changes were made. Overall a great book. I look forward to the next one.

This book was very meh for me. I didn't hate it at all and it was easy to read, but I just didn't really get much out of it. I liked one of the view point characters, but the other was just very manipulative and used her body several times in order to get her way. I get that she was grasping for power in any way she could, but it annoyed me that the only ways she could get that power was bossing her son around or having sex with people.

I also expected more battles. We seemed to be constantly on the edge of one, but it didn't actually happen until the end of the book. There were a lot of negotiations or almost battles. It meant that there didn't really seem to be a lot of danger in the book so there wasn't a lot of excitement.

I did like the history element. It was interesting to learn about the Vikings in Ireland and see how much conflict between the Norse religion and the Christian church. I like how much she used real history and events to make up the story but still had fantasy elements.

I probably won't bother continuing with this series.

i love vikings. i love ireland. and i love this book! this was such a refreshing fantasy read with nice chapter length and lovely characters.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is an immensely captivating and brutal historical fantasy of a massive scale. This was a sweeping historical fantasy inspired by Irish mythology teaming with feuds, nobility, Witches, Vikings, and Druids! Mortals feud for the Irish Throne and gods intervene as Ireland changes from a land of folklore and legend to a world where myth and magic are dangerous.

Overall I really enjoyed The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. I adored that the reference for pronunciations was at the front of the book rather than at the end! I look forward to recommending it to fans of Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, and the Fifth Season by N, K, Jeminson.

I was received a digital arc by the publisher via NetGalley - thank you to Head of Zeus, NetGalley and Shauna Lawless

A fantastic, tense and BRUTAL read. If you like George RR Martin or Madeline Miller, this is your next series. I loved the Irish lore and politics that capture the plot and characters of this series and cannot wait to read the second installment. This book is long, but involved. I found myself engaged and looked for the next opportunity to read it. I think anyone with an interest in mythology will find this book fascinating and engaging.

I absolutely loved this - the perfect mix of epic fantasy and historical fiction, I was utterly hooked from the first page.

Definitely in my top reads for 2022!!!
Well I may have been thunderstruck by Thor because I'm astonished this is a debut, the Author absolutely gets their readers, knows exactly how to absorb us into every word.
I am obsessed with everything about this book, the standard edition in itself is stunning, thank you @headofzeus for gifting me to review, and then @thebrokennbinding edition absolutely enhances it with even more charisma. So happy managed to grab one of these before they sold out!!
It's books like this that I love reading the most. It has the perfect balance of history and fantasy weaved richly together by exceptionally good world building, a steady pace, enticing narrative and compelling characters. I really enjoyed the complexity of the story lines propelled through alternate chapters of two very different and interesting perspectives Gormflaith is a Formorian and the widow of the King of Dublin. Fodla is one of the Descendants and the last remaining link to the Tuatha dé Danann. I honestly don't know which I'd choose as a favourite because both are so fascinating for different reasons, fantastic character development all round. I didn't know much at all of Irish Mythology and after reading this I'm interested in finding out more. I loved that the story is based on real historical events and people, and charactersenchanted with rish mythology.
I'm excited to see what happens next!!!!

At a time when all the fantasy being promoted seems to be YA fantasy romance or highly eroticised fantasy romance this was a relief.

I adored the setting - both location and time period, even though this technically isn't an "epic" it felt like an epic in a similar way to George R R Martin's Game of Thrones without the convoluted horde of characters and of course overly complex storyline.

We have just a couple of "species" who each have their own motivations, fears, and parts to play in this story and each group felt relatable, even when we don't agree with the specific choices they are making.

I loved this and would recommend this for people who like fantasy similar to Game of Thrones but found that one a bit over-facing. This is much more enjoyable!

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a fantastic first book in a thrilling Historical Fiction Fantasy series. The book is set in 981 A.D. Ireland. The Viking King of Dublin is dead and his wife, Gormflaith, has plans to install her son on the throne. But there are several sons and uncles that Gormflaith must go through before she achieves her goal. Gormflaith also has a secret that she must keep to avoid death by those sworn to kill her race. Gormflaith is a Fomorian, an immortal race who can do fire-magic.

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. Her kind hunted the Fomorian, believing that they eradicated the last of them. Fódla is sent on a mission to spy on King Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She desperately wants to avoid war between the kingdoms, but she is not the only force working to maneuver the power structure of Ireland.

This is a great book. It immediately grabbed my attention and held it throughout. The character development of Gormflaith and Fódla is well done. Both women are complex and total bad-asses. The supporting characters are defined well enough to play off the MCs, but it's clear that several of them have secret agendas that I hope to find out more about in the next book. The pacing is steady throughout the book and the worldbuilding is subtly sprinkled throughout. The book ended on great cliffhangers and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus. All opinions are my own.

3.75 stars
For a full review with light spoilers you can check out my video: https://youtu.be/Kn8rOpf-bTM
All together this was a good book. More politically minded than I had expected. I guess the whole plot was kind of centered around the who would win the throne aspect. You never saw the two groups mentioned meet and know for sure that they were the other. Floda's chapters were definitely my preferred ones.

The Children of Gods tells the story of Early Middle Age Ireland through the eyes of two women, Gormflaith (The Fomorian, who is imbued with the mystical fires of her near extinct race) and Fodla ( From the Tuatha de Danaan, who happens to be a healer). And both are on very different sides of the coin.

We start the book with the death of Gormflaith’s husband, Amlav and we soon realise that instead of mourning the passing of her husband, Gormflaith is in fact celebrating the loss. Fodla on the other hand comes across the fact that her sister, who is hiding in a monastery is under attack, from the son of Gormflaith, Sitirc and that she is pregnant to a human, which is a big no – no in Tuatha de Danaan society and Fodla ends up looking after her child whilst her sister is banished.

The story is then told form the corresponding views of both the women. Gormflaith is trying to put her son, Sitric on the throne, whilst Fodla, is sent to spy on King Brian in order to determine if the peace treaty that King Brian is brokering will be viable.

As this is history, there is a large cast of characters and thanks goodness for the Dramatis personae at the front, which was in constant use, not only to give me pointers of the correct pronunciation of names, but who they were.

Now one of the things that I enjoyed about this book is the fact that whilst there is the presence of historical events, the main focus are the characters rather than the events. And what characters they are.

Gormflaith is a force of nature, constantly plotting and scheming and quite interestingly turning into her mother. As I said, when we first meet Gormflaith, she is not mourning the death of her husband, and when it comes to the funeral, her mother makes an appearance to give her some advice. In that scene, we get the impression that Gormflaith hates that she is being manipulated and used, and we relaise that this is a key to sending Gormflaith on the path that she chooses. On top of that Gormflaith can be a complete horrible git. She is like that popular kid at school that is thoroughly odious. Yes, I accept that she's strong and she is a product of her upbringing, but she delights in being nasty to everyone that she comes across. And if you have read it, and you think I might be being a bit unfair to her, there is a scene which describes how she delighted in making Amlavs kids squeal and cry and how she loved to inflict pain on them. I loved it when she gets a dressing down from Olaf. I was dying to laugh!

However, you'd think that Shauna Lawless would characterise Fodla as being the polar opposite, but she is just as flawed in her own way. Fodla at times comes across as being easily taken advantage of, but in other ways quite stoic.At times she is naive in her perspectives, continually believing that the people that she has been sent to spy on are wicked and amoral. However, as she gets to know them she sees that there is another side to people and eventually she learn to challenge her views.

Not only that, you see that the two opposing sides of the Fomorians and and the Tuatha de Danaan and the fact that they are in actuality opposing sides of the same coin. Both are equally manipulative, both have no regard for the lives they interfere and destroy, and it is not long that Fodla realises that she is just as much a pawn as we see that Gormflaith is.

The Children of Gods and Fighting men is an impressive piece of historical fiction that is accentuated by its tinge of fantasy. It's a book filed with memorable characters and political wrangling equal to that of Game of Thrones.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is an apt title because it is the summary of the entire story that is written in this novel. A novel about two female protagonists that shape and influence the world of men around them, and that has to deal with a lot more difficulty. This is a story about motherhood and childbirth, immortality, and death. This is a story about the lives of young men and young men brought into a world where the competing Kings of Ireland fight amongst each other, trying to claim all of Ireland under their rule while having to deal with Viking intruders who will one day become a part of the Irish culture and its history.

It’s a good backdrop to explain the conflict between two mythological institutions, the Fomorians and the Tuatha that once ruled Ireland now have to compete with the growing influence of Christanity and the growing decline of the Norse Religion. Gormflaith has a tumultuous journey within this novel, trying to grow her influence, make allies, and court betrayal all the while trying to make her son Sitric, the King of Dublin. Yet the conflict between the Fomorians and the Tuatha comes to a full circle at one point. Then we have Fódla who is trying to prevent a war from happening, but in my opinion, both the Fomorians and the Tuatha have used humanity for their own misdeeds while claiming to be the superior race.

This book will make you emotional many times, and it did for me. There were points that reminded me of my own childhood, and how a mother’s love is the most powerful thing a child can ever have. From the day her child is born, she does not stop loving him or her. Or, that depends on the individual herself. Even a father’s love for his or her child is strong. This book is about parenthood, as much as it is about being gifted the gift of immortality vs those that do not have that very gift. It’s part Sandman, part Lord of the Rings, and part Irish mythology all bundled into one novel.

I really enjoyed this, yet I feel saddened at the same time. The cycle of war will not end until the world is grown anew. It’s a 10/10 from me!

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless is enticing, carefully drawing you in with the promise of unending ambition, intrigue, and suffering.

Thank you to the author (Shauna Lawless) and publisher (Head of Zeus) for an advance reading copy of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions. The Children of Gods and Fighting Men releases September 1st, 2022.

If you happened to see my early discussions on my social media platforms, then you'll already know how much I loved this story. I was immediately captivated early on, and it never let up. If you are a reader like me who loves stories focusing on how far one would go to achieve their goals, and the boundaries they are willing to cross in the name of ambition, then you will devour this historical fantasy.

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

Inspired by Irish Mythology, Lawless's ability to capture a readers attention was on full display. The plot was gripping and slowly revealed a plot much broader in scope. Told through the eyes of two female POVs, a heart wrenching story unfolds of a feud between two immortal tribes where descendants have been at each other for years. Here in lies witches and druids, vikings and fire magic, and my personal favorite-- king makers.

This is going to take off once it's released to the world. Keep this debut author on your radar as this is the first in a series. Thank you again for the opportunity to read and review The Children of Gods and Fighting Men!

This is a new historical Irish mythology series set in the 10th century.
Being Irish myself I always anticipate new Irish authors with a lot of excitement and being a historical and Irish mythology enthusiast I have been excited about this book since I first knew of it's existence! And let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint!

Lawless has done a fantastic job bringing to life Irish history with fantastical elements to create this story, I absolutely devoured it! The writing is excellent and the characters are fantastic! Two lead females? We love to see it!!
Very excited for the next installment!