There are a lot of characters in The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, and reading the dramatis personae is possibly the most intimidated I've ever been by a book, but I surprisingly didn't have a particularly hard time getting to know any of them, aside from the main characters. The protagonists are supposedly meant to be some sort of polar opposites, and they are, somewhat, but they have very similar voices and very similar lives. I would have preferred them to have more differences, rather than both plot lines being approximately the same, and possibly even for the book to be in third person, just to avoid the element of confusion. I did really like the main characters, though! The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is very much about women trying to survive and live in a men's world, and Fódla and Gormflaith are really interesting in the sense that the two of them are shaped by being women in society in very different ways. There are also lots of other aspects of womanhood, discussions around domestic abuse, arranged marriages, women in positions of power, and one of my favorite aspects in feminist books: motherhood and children.

The world is really fun, I always love a dark, raw fantasy world, and the aspect of history/mythology made this one extra interesting. There's not too much magic, unfortunately, but I suspect that there will be more of that in potential future books in the series. The prose itself is also very nice, I found it to be a unique combination of dry and immersive that I ended up really enjoying. I would describe the writing as rational, rather than emotional, there is a lot of lore and politics handled in a almost text book kind of way, but I also found myself a lot more emotionally affected by the war and terrible events than I normally am with fantasy, to the point where it was bordering on difficult to read.

My main issue with this book was the plot, because although there is a lot of intrigue and stuff going on, I honestly couldn't tell you what happens in this book. There was no point to the story, no goal and no foreshadowing, it just kept going on and on and on in chapter after chapter. There was nothing keeping me interested in the story, because there was no mystery, only a series of events. I don't need to know what happens in the sequel, because there haven't been any hints to make me care. It was a few events in chronological order (really strange time skips? suddenly it's ten years later), and then the book was over. The only reason I'm mildly interested in reading a potential second book is that I'm curious about what happens to the characters, not because I care about the plot.

I think this has a lot of potential as a series, because of the incredibly interesting characters and world building, and because of how strong the writing is, especially considering The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a debut novel, but it doesn't go all the way for me because of the opposite-of-intriguing plot. I'm still interested in a sequel, however, and I would recommend this to any reader of dark, political fantasy. If you liked She Who Became the Sun you'd love this one!

This historical fiction set in Ireland had light fantasy, Vikings, political power struggles and strong women. Told from the perspectives of two women on opposite sides of an age old but somewhat dormant battle of the Formorians versus the Tuatha de Danann. One woman, Queen Formlaith, is driven by power and a determination to not just survive, but to rule. She hides her powers and uses her calculating, clever mind to further hers and her son’s goals in Dublin. Fódla is a healer but restricted from using her magic on humans by the Council since the new laws. She is set the task of infiltrating the King’s army as a spy, a task which takes many years and leads her far away from her people. Riddled with Irish history from 981AD onwards, this was an intricate tale of the women of the era who, despite their powerful magic, were smothered by the laws of their lands and the power of the men in their lives. It was interesting to learn more of the history of Ireland, amongst the fiction of this novel, and observe the dire situation of women in history, at the mercy of men, discarded easily and betrayed without thought. Women believed to be possessions, to be unsuited to strategy, but useful as pawns.
It was, at times, difficult to track the jumps in time and to marry the two women’s perspectives. And with anything rooted heavily in history, it could be a little slow in places, but on the whole this was an interesting read and a valuable commentary on feminism, women, and their rightful places in history - whether they’re seemingly the villain or not.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

Happy UK release day to this absolute stunner of a book!

I would just like to say thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is one of my few 5-star books from this year. Our story follows two women, Gormflaith – one of the last of her kind as a Fomorian, who wants nothing more than to not be in hiding, to bring her beloved son to power with her high ambitions. And Fódla, a Tuatha De Danann – the race sworn to kill the Fomorians. After being separated from the mortal race, she agrees to spy and live amongst the mortals to gather information on a man who aims to be the High King of Ireland. She finds a land ready for war, one that she is desperate to stop despite not being allowed to meddle in human affairs.

The story – the first in a series, covers the span of a few years as Ireland gets closer and closer to war, the kings and lords of the lands create alliances and betray the loose bonds between leaders.

I adored this book; I loved how much I hated some of the characters – and I’ll be honest. I absolutely hated Gormflaith. Despite her ambitions for herself and her son, wanting to not hide herself any longer, wanting to be more than what her mother told her she’d be. But she was insufferable. I had so many distasteful feelings towards Gormflaith, including admiration for how much she was willing to do to get what she wants – even if it destroys everyone around her.

Fódla was admirable, with more sympathy and humanity than her ex-lover and the rest of her race that no longer interferes with humans and their wars. She is one of my favourite main female characters in a book in quite a long time, her love for the people she meets and her disdain for the rules that she had to be under to even be a spy for the Irish people.

There’s a very lovely perspective of magic in this book, it’s not the main plot – as most of the characters are magicless humans. There’s human conflict, human wars, human outcomes not brought to their peak with magic – it’s such a nice mix of humanity and magic that felt very balanced. And I’m not someone who enjoys the rules of magic in most books that have recently come out.

The time span of the book was such a good pace, it didn’t feel like it was too fast or too slow. Everything felt very natural, nothing was forced. The pacing was so well done – much like the rest of the book.

I did especially like the pronunciation and who’s who guide at the beginning.

Overall, I really adored this book – I’ve recommended it multiple times to friends already, pre-ordered the physical copy, and am eagerly waiting the rest of the series.

This is a beautifully written historical fantasy novel and the amount of research that the author undertook is apparent in the reading. I love the Irish history and mythology and was completely immersed in the story as I read. This story has witches and Vikings, and beings of power, and I absolutely loved how the story flowed. I loved the dual narrative and the richness of the characters. This is a beautifully written book and the story will appeal to anyone that loves Irish folklore and mythology and strong main characters.

Children of Gods and Fighting Men is the book in the planned Gael Song trilogy, which tells the story of a changing society, A society that is being fought over by mortal men, all intent on ruling their region and ultimately becoming King of Ireland. There is a passing of the guard as Ireland is moving on from the realm of myths and legends. Two females stand at the centre of two mythical groups, Gormflaith being of Fomorian descent and Fodla, a part of the Tuatha de Danann line. Both groups have their own set of magical powers but are both sworn enemies. The Fomorians are thought to have died out and any use of their magic runs the risk of revealing their existence. Similarly, Fodla is forbidden from using her healing power openly for fear of revealing herself.

What follow is the weaving of a tale as the mythical agents implant themselves into the battles of the men as the factions seek to maintain their position and influence in society while still hiding in plain sight.

There are so many aspects of this novel that I love and appreciate. The spirit and nature of the Irish people are well represented, as the drive and thirst for power is contrasted with the simple day to day living, hospitality and generosity of the everyday folk. There is a strong look at a firmly patriarchal society through the lens of our two strong and capable female characters. Interestingly, they are intent on doing their part in maintaining the nature of this society, even though individually they could wield such power. It leads to a strong examination of the nature of man and woman. What makes a person good or bad? What influences them and is easy enough to define people in terms of being one or the other, or are the lines blurred. The themes are as relevant today as they have been in the past.

How the world was explained, built, and developed means that the story feels grounded in reality while having a strong magical flavour. I can’t wait to see how the story develops next.

Am I a sucker for twists on actual historical events? You bet I am. As soon as I finished reading, I was jumping around trying to research Irish history to see what did or did not line up. Most of it lined up pretty darn well. Lawless weaves together the history and the mythology so seamlessly that it feels impossible for actual history to have happened without the magic right there along side. It's a big book, but I sped through it in only a few nights. You can't stop. I want the sequel. I need more of this world. Lawless is a top tier world builder.

Fabulous read! Steeped in Irish mythology and with a wonderful cast of characters, this is an engaging read for anyone who loves fantasy or mythology reads.

This book was not for me. I’m not sure if I’m in a fantasy slump, but I just could not get into this story. My thanks to Head of Zeus Publishing for this ARC.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Ms. Lawless is a well written, complex story that is easy to read. The time is around 980 A.D. and set in Ireland. The story is told from the point of view of two female protagonists from two immortal, ancient, magical races (the Formorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann) that are committed to destroying each other. The Vikings, the Irish, the English, pagans and Christians just adds to the complexity of the plot.
Exceptional character development (especially the characters Foodla and Gormflaith), great world building and a door stopper length book. This is a fun story and I highly recommend it. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

(4/5) I would describe this book as historical fiction sprinkled with a bit of fantasy. I loved that it was based on actual figures and events in 10th century Irish history and mythology. If you like political intrigue, you'll enjoy this book! I found it easy to read, and I really enjoyed the duality of the two female POVs - they're so different but at the same time two badass feminist characters! This book did a great job of setting the stage for the rest of the series, and I will be really interested to see where Lawless takes it. I need more character development and to see where Gormflaith and Fódla end up. This is certainly just the beginning -- when I was reading this series I could definitely picture it as a TV show (think: Vikings, The Last Kingdom, Medici, The Tudors, etc.) and I want MORE!

Also, be warned that this book has LOTS of Irish names and I would like to personally apologize to the author for butchering every single one of them except Brian when I read it in my head. Perhaps the audiobook would be corrective, but don't expect to be able to spell any of the names in a pop quiz if you go for the audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is out TOMORROW!

4.5/5 (will probably round up to 5 on reread)

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a wonderfully written story that blends historical fiction and fantasy perfectly. Actual magic that is consistent through out this book despite needing to be hidden from the main populace. The narrative is rich and enticing; the world building full and complex; the characters well developed and complicated. And best of all? A pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book! (I never remember to check the back of the book for one. I always dive right in and everyone's name turns into Dalinar's wife's name if I cannot work it out.)

The story follows Gormflaith and Fodla, both belong to opposing supernatural races. Both on a journey working through the world of men (mortal and not) and finding their own power/voice. I don't want to spoil too much, but their stories compliment and contrast each other very well, not just in their magic skills but the realizations they come to regarding those around them.

Shauna Lawless has done an excellent job blending historical fiction and fantasy. I really cannot wait for the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Superb historical novel with fantasy underpinning (or vice versa?), set in 10th Century Ireland. The potentially off putting amounts of exposition required to set both the historical context and the myths and legends that are incorporated seamlessly, and Lawless is able to get on with the world building. Setting two strong non-mortal women as the lead characters, and ensuring the whole story can be told from their perspectives, is a great decision to help embed both the concept and the distance from the mortal men they deal with. Fantastic start to a series.

With a great blend of Irish Mythology and historical fiction this made for an enthralling read. Set in 981 AD, the Viking King of Dublin is dead, leaving his young widow and her son. It has a great balance of brutal times, authentic, vivid surroundings, and some inspiring infiltration of magic.
The history and myth is deftly woven into a world of family feuds, politics, some romance and strong, almost fearless sisters in a male dominated world. Such was the quality of writing and character development; amidst a captivating story it was hard to believe it was a debut. Get behind the good guys, enjoy the tension and journey .
My reading experience flew by as I was engaged and carried along with this fascinating and compelling read. Really looking forward to the next one.

"I will kill them. All of them. And then I will rule Ireland, as is my right. We are the children of gods, and the people of Ireland are the children of men."

Shauna Lawless’ debut novel is a potent blend of myth, history and fantasy, expertly woven together to create something unlike anything I've read before. Set at the turn of the tenth century, the narrative is split between two women - Gormflaith, a queen in Dublin, hell-bent on consolidating her son’s power and keeping him safe. Oh, and she’s also secretly one of the last Formorians , a feared, destructive, fire-bending race.

Fódla, meanwhile, is a magical healer who is sent on a mission to spy on the high kings of Ireland in the name of keeping her people, the Descendants of the Tuatha De Dannan, safe. Fódla is much more naturalistic, caring and tries to do the right thing, even when that means sacrificing something she loves.

The genius of the two points of view is that these women are black and white - Gormflaith is a power-hungry, arrogant and vindictive woman, (I loved her) whereas Fódla is much more gentle and selfless. The contrast between the two women helped me get invested in both their plots, and it was especially satisfying to read when those plots converged.

I really enjoyed this one, even though history nor fantasy are my usual cups of tea, I do love a good belt of Irish mythology. It’s not entirely necessary to have a degree in Irish myths and legends to enjoy this one though - Lawless explains where needed, and gives further context to both the historical and fantastic elements. She’s a fantastic writer, too, and the story is peppered with beautiful images and striking dialogue.

The world-building is also fantastic, and immersive - granted I was familiar with the source material of Irish myths but it felt vivid and real to read, impressively so. The complex plot got away from me at times, I will admit, but overall The Children of Gods and Fighting Men has converted me to the world of fantasy.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a good read, although I went into it expecting a little bit more of a focus on the mythological. The first third of the book was brilliant. I was immediately pulled into the world and the culture - both of which I never really knew much about. The mythological races were fascinating to me and it has a lot of potential to escalate into a very interesting conflict. That was around the time where I started having some doubts because the structure of the story makes it very difficult to showcase that mythology. Both of our protagonists need to hide their powers from everyone around them and their paths don't intersect for basically the entire book. They are also really good at hiding their powers - I never felt scared enough for them. What we are left with then is largely a historical fiction novel - which to its benefit is quite well written and filled with political intrigue as our protagonists try to influence the course of events to their factions gain. The end does swing back a bit towards the mythological with promises of future escalation so I am quite excited to see what it's all building up to. It's very possible that the slow gradual build up will be worth it in the end, but only time will tell.

A fantastic tale weaving myths and legends into the history of Ireland. I loved this book, the writing is wonderful and grips you from the first page. The characters are so interesting and it is amazing to see how their ambitions play against other characters in the intricate politics of this world that Shauna Lawless has created. The two different perspectives of Gormflaith and Fódla work so well together as you see the two sides of the story being pulled together, Gormflaith's ambition is a driving force in this story and I loved that, she is so clever and knows exactly how to get where she wants. Overall this was a fun political fantasy steeped in Irish Mythology and History and I can't wait for the sequel!

First, I’d like to say thank you to Paige and the team at Head of Zeus for sending me this work and including me on the tour – this in no way affected my opinion of the book.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is a mix of political intrigue, intimate character-work, and vast, effective world-building; it was a joy to read and would certainly appeal to those fantasy fans who don’t necessarily need their action upfront and overwhelming, for its pages are etched with rich characters and a complex storyline.

The plot is as vast as the sea of characters that popular it, but the POVS number two main characters: Fodla, a Tuatha De Danann, a sect of mages that have manipulated and protected Ireland from the shadows, a sect that grows smaller in number and members born with actual power. These legendary magicians are first and foremost foe to the Fomorians, ‘descendants from the line of King Balor himself, and with fire-magic in our blood.’ Both characters are a part of a war, fought by Viking convert Kings and Irish Kings as they butt heads and act unknowingly as proxies to this war that has been going on for hundreds of years. For me, the pace was a lot slower than I’d normally read, with a lot of the initial fifty-percent of the book focusing on political maneuvering between both POV characters, manipulating from the shadows, and a lot less on the brutalities of war, battle, and everything in between. Yes, there’s bloodshed, but I’m someone who usually enjoys the odd duel or two and certainly a lot more throwing-of-magic, that isn’t to say this book isn’t beautifully written.

When it comes to efficiency of sentence and delivery of world-building Shauna is an expert; there were passages, and sentences that were both deliberate and absolutely magical in terms of world-building:

‘The way Fomorian descendants aged was strange. We lived hundreds of years in the blood of youth, and then in the last year, age rotted us like over-ripened fruit.’

Simple, powerful, and only in the first chapter are we told enough to get through the book knowing exactly what Fomorians are and how they can wield fire-magic; often, writers are told to show, and this can dilute the sense and increase confusion but – from a world-building point of view – I felt comfortable right away. These speak of a writer comfortable with their craft; there are many examples of why this book is so efficiently world-built, but I wouldn’t want to spoil them for you. I found myself many times jealous of the craft that went into this book, and this is why primarily I’ve focused on this in my review.

With efficiency of world-building comes clarity of writing and so that flows into character-work and the depth that is presented. Both characters you’re forced to follow, forced to turn the page because of their very human motivations, despite their other-worldy powers. Both have family, often in the form of sons, they want to see thrive and protect, which you cannot help but want to see out until the end.

Overall, if you like your fantasy doused in political intrigue and maneuvering, your plots complex, and that steer away from outright violence, this would be the perfect read for you. Couple that with Shauna’s writing prowess, and you’re in for a great read.

Wow! Just wow. Historical fantasy’s are my favourite genre to read and this book did not disappoint. Now that it’s over my nerves are on edge and I am desperately craving for more.

The way Lawless laces together Irish mythology, magic and authentic history is knowledgeably impressive; she completely enchanted my mind with this gripping masterpiece of a story.

The characters Lawless brings to life are remarkable engaging characters. The two main POV’s in this tale are both strong willed women, Fódla a descendant of the Tuatha Dé Danann; a magical linage that is suppose to no longer exist and has the gift of healing and Gormflaith who is one of the last Fomorians yields the mystical power of fire magic and is also immortal.

Fódla is sent by her people to spy on one of the Irish Kings and becomes the healer for his people but must suppress her actual power of healing and not use it on mortal men and follow the laws of her kind. Gormflaith is a women of power and influence and strives to secure the throne for her son Sitric, she must also suppress her magical despite being one of the last of her kind as she is also hunted by the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Both of these women have strong challenges ahead submerge with life and death choices and political schemes.

I am utterly invested in this new series, and will be impatiently awaiting the next instalment.

I have never read any book centered around either Irish history or Irish / Viking mythology before, so I went into this one without really knowing what to expect. Due to my lack of background knowledge, it took me some time to understand the world building and the different, clashing beliefs. I do think that they could have been introduced in even more detail during those chapters without a lot of action, but I did manage to follow the plot either way.

Something that played into the issues I had with the world building was that while both Gormflaith and Fodla were well-developed characters, I don’t know anything about how either of them feels about their magic. Is healing a calling or just a job to Fodla? How does Gormflaith feel when she wields her power? What are their limits?

As for the plot, I liked to have the alternating views between Fodla and Gormflaith, where Fodla mostly seemed like an innocent woman who was dragged into the schemings of other people while focusing on protecting those she holds dear, and Gormflaith was the influential queen who pulled the strings from the shadows. For most of the book I liked Fodla‘s perspective better, but switching between the sceneries from one chapter to the next was a great way for the reader to have all the information to understand what was going on.

What did bother me a bit about Fodla was that despite being over a hundred years old, she oftentimes seemed rather naive and clueless about what was going on. At that age, I would expect her to be able to see through most mortal men‘s little tricks and deceits. Her plot line seemed fairly convenient and while the lack of scheming in it was a relief from having to follow all the alliances and pacts in Gormflaith‘s world, I would have liked for Fodla to face more of a struggle and have more obstacles in her way.

Either way, this was a great debut with a unique and intriguing plot. I‘m very much looking forward to reading the sequel when it is published!

4/5 stars.

"I will kill them. All of them. And then I will rule Ireland, as is my right. We are the children of gods, and the people of Ireland are the children of men."

Thank all the gods this is a series because as soon as it ended, I wanted more and more. Historical fiction with threads of magic/fantasy......yes please!!! And this story hits all the notes to perfection! I am coming across more novels that are female centered and am loving how writers of HF are featuring the stories of these strong women who were powerful forces but whose stories have been buried in time.

The story is set in 10th century Ireland and features two main POV's. Gormflaith is the new widow of the Viking King of Dublin, who schemes to see her son on the throne and also happens to be an immortal Fomorian possessing fire-magic. However, she must keep her powers hidden as the Fomorians are hunted by the Tuatha Dé Danaan. Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danaan and has the gift of healing. Her kind have removed themselves from the lives of mortals and reside in a hidden fortress. With continuing turmoil and battles among mortals both the Fomorians and Tuatha Dé Danaan are forced to become involved in trying to steer events and remaining apart becomes impossible. These events lead Fódla and Gormflaith on a deadly collision course.

The mix of historical figures like Brian Boru, combined with Irish and Norse mythology and legends truly makes for a fantastically entertaining read. The roles that women played and how they worked to have control over their own lives is so well portrayed and both Gormflaith and Fódla are compelling characters. There is no easy line to separate characters into good and bad, only realistic choices that these women make to protect their loved ones and their peoples. A wonderful story and terrific start to this series, cannot wait for book two!!!!

Thanks to Head of Zeus books and Netgalley for the ARC.