Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There was something about this series that kept me reading til the very end. It was a struggle at times. The war dragged on in every book of this series but the story in general kept me intrigued enough to want the conclusion. I enjoyed reading from multiple POVs. The world of Gods and Godkiller I found to be interesting. Overall I was satisfied with the conclusion to this story.

Faithbreaker is the third book in the Fallen Gods trilogy and it is a fantastic conclusion to the series. While this one started off a bit slower, once the plot started picking up I was hooked. And it manages to give us a very satisfying yet bitter-sweet ending to the series. The highlight of the book, and series overall, are the characters that Hannah Kaner has developed. Their growth was very well done and I loved the representation, especially of characters with disabilities (including our main character). One complaint I had is that we did not get enough of Kissen in this one. It felt like we spent a lot of time with other POV characters so I felt like I didn't get enough time with our FMC by the time it was over.

Overall, the book delivered on my expectations on a unique fantasy world, witty prose, and a cast of characters I could root for. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing a digital ARC of this book.

Note: I received a free unpublished proof of this book, for a limited time, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

I was really excited to get a chance to read this one before publication since I had applied for Sunbringer, the second book, the year before but it was unavailable. So thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for making this happen.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner, the first book in the series, first caught my attention as a bestseller when I was in university. Turns out, Hannah Kaner is actually from an area somewhat close to where I went to university, so that’s neat! I do not think the books are heavily-influenced by that region since they take place in a fictitious world that is very different from England, but it is a fun fact I felt I should include.

I enjoyed the first book a lot. The main gist, without spoilers, for reference, or a recap if you’ve already read it: Kissen, a young woman whose family were killed by the worshippers of a fire god when she was young, is now a professional godkiller. In this world, gods are physical beings that rely on worship and offerings for survival, and will otherwise fade away. Some gods have taken advantage of human societes in order to get these resources, resulting in human death and starvation, whereas others have a more give-and-take relationship with humans. The king of the region, Arren, has officially banned the worship of gods, but people do it anyway for various reasons. The story follows Kissen, the king’s former friend and knight Elogast who quit to become a baker, and a young girl named Inara with a god of white lies attached to her. Their stories converge together in a plotline full of political intrigue, magic, and their ongoing quest for survival.

The second book, Sunbringer, continues the plot of the first. I am not going into too much detail on the exact plot points of either book because they are the sorts of books where things unfold in layers and information is slowly revealed. I.e. if you want a book/series where the main plot is revealed at the beginning and followed through to the end in a straightforward manner, you may not enjoy these. There were definitely parts of the second book that seemed to drag a bit but it was a strong follow-up to the first. Book Two mostly follows the same characters but introduces new settings and ideas.

Naturally I was very excited for Faithbreaker. Overall I thought this book was a good finisher to the series, and would probably read more books about these characters and this world. I thought the character arcs were refreshingly unique, even for a fantasy that touches on a lot of familiar tropes. I felt that the tropes that were utilized were solid fan favorites like found family, female protagonist who’s a skilled fighter, split loyalties, and political revolution/upheaval that are general enough to be done in unique ways in fantasy. I also liked that Kaner featured a diverse cast of characters that felt realistic in a multicultural world that has its own flaws but is, in some ways, a bit friendlier and more open-minded than our own. I can’t speak to how well Kaner represented all of these experiences and identities, in part because I genuinely do not know much about Kaner herself or what research/advisory she sought out, but I got the sense that she was at least trying to represent real-life people and groups fairly and not treat her characters as deliberate stereotypes or jokes.

There are a couple of things about these books that didn’t do it for me, but mostly in the sense of “writing” as opposed to “plot/world/subject matter.” Firstly, I felt that the ratio of “words” to “plot progression” was a bit off, in that it seemed like the author used slightly too much space to say things. It was a bit tiresome to get through at points because everything was taking longer than expected. I don’t think this is a problem with the book though, I think I just prefer books with faster pacing, or in which the author’s meaning is consolidated into more concise prose. At times I thought that 100% of the story was being told with 125% of the necessary words—things the author wasn’t going to elaborate on didn’t need as much page time. Nevertheless the book was not terrible about this.

In a related vein, I think the nature of the descriptions and scene-setting regarding worldbuilding was a bit less satisfying than it could have been. There are many vivid descriptions of characters’ uniforms, battle scenes, and places the characters are visiting or moving through, but there were questions lurking in the back of my mind about the actual government of this world, how it worked, and the general social/political/religious sentiments of the people and cultures within it that seemed as if they should have, or could have, been answered or outlined in more detail.

That said, readers who enjoy the writing style common in romantasy and young adult won’t be disappointed, particularly as these books are nevertheless a bit “meatier” than many of those titles in that the book’s ideas take more of a center stage than the romance. While I found the writing to be similar to young adult in that there is sometimes more atmosphere than solid worldbuilding, the characters are older and have more adult responsibilities (including real-world responsibilities beyond “saving the kingdom” or “being strong and awesome”), which will be enjoyable for readers who like that style but are less interested in the whole “coming of age” aspect of most YA in which teenagers are only just starting to find their way in the world. The romance in the book, while definitely important to the plot, is pretty much closed-door/fade to black, so good for people who enjoy romantasy without a great deal of explicit “spicy scenes.”

Kaner has also been nominated for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, an award handed out alongside the Hugos, for her first two books (this one, published in 2025, is not eligible). While she is up against five other great writers, I truly believe she deserves the nomination, as that alone is an honor in and of itself, and I hope it motivates more people to read her books. While this is Kaner’s second and last year of eligibility for the Astounding Award (and she was nominated in 2024 as well), I would not be surprised if the Fallen Gods trilogy as a whole were nominated for the 2026 Hugo for Best Series.

Overall, Faithbreaker was a strong and enjoyable finish to a great series with a good ending, and I’m definitely interested to see what Hannah Kaner writes next!

Here is the finale of the Fallen Gods Trilogy that we have been waiting for since first being introduced to this rag-tag team. The fire god Hseth and her followers are consuming everything in their way, and Kissen, Inara, Elo, and Arren must reconcile to have any chance at stopping the destruction.

It was fun following the same cast of characters in this wrap-up of the trilogy, much like reuniting with old friends. Some parts of the book with all the war strategizing did not hold my attention as much as I would have liked, as this is the last book we focus a lot on big battles against Hseth. However, the heart of the story is great. I especially loved following Kissen on her pirate adventure in this book with Lessa, their interactions were so well written and the action in these parts is fun. As always, there are lots of POVs to follow and a lot of the characters separated and went their own way for most of the book. Skediceth remains one of my favorite characters. Without giving too much away, I read the very end of the book the same day my dog passed away, and I bawled like a baby. So be prepared for a little emotional trauma. What a great ride though to a beautiful series.

If you enjoy fantasy, great world-building, found family, and big and little gods, you should give this entire trilogy a read! I definitely recommend starting with the first book, GodKiller, to avoid being lost. A wonderful job by Hannah Kaner on wrapping up the story so well. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.

Hannah Kaner delivered an absolutely stunning finale to one of my most favorite trilogies. Seriously- every book made me fall more in love! The characters really wound my heart up and I was tangled in emotions. If you haven't started this trilogy, then you're seriously missing out!

Absolutely loved this. This entire series is great and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading through this world. Hannah has become an author I would definitely read again in the future.

Let me finish wiping away my tears real quick so I can write this review because WTF (complimentary). Truly a five-star ending to a five-star series.

The final Fallen Gods novel, Faithbreaker, finds our heroes preparing to take on Hseth: the fire god who’s gained an army of believers who will stop at nothing to take down the king and his followers, even if it means all of Middren burning along with them.

This final book delivered on all of the things that I’ve learned to expect: sharp wit, heart-pounding action, lovable characters, and just the right amount of romance. I loved the way this series explored power, hope, sacrifice, and the strength of found family — all of these of course coming together beautifully in the final installment.

I fear Hannah Kaner made a fan for life with this one! Can’t wait to see what she does next.

Many thanks to Harper Voyager for the digital ARC!

I highly anticipated the wrap up of this story, but unfortunately Faithbreaker didn't deliver what I wanted. I think my problem was the characters were yet again separated for basically the whole book. This made sense in the context of the war, but was disappointing as a reader. For me there was also a lot of time spent on the war, strategies, and battles, which is just not for me. Overall I think this book would be liked by people who read fantasy for war and battles and politics, but didn't fulfill what I wanted out of it. 3 stars

I feel like we never quite regained the magic of the first book for this series. It took a longggg time for me to get through this last one, but ultimately I'm glad I did and I'm glad I stuck with it. Looking forward to more from this author

I really enjoyed my time with it. This series is a little difficult for me to review because while I loved Godkiller a lot, Sunbringer and Faithbreaker were a little less "wow" to me. Godkiller felt a lot fresher than the other two books, but they're not bad, I just liked them a tiny bit less than Godkiller.

Let me get what I didn’t love about this one out of the way: the pacing drags at times, it sometimes felt like nothing was happening, it lacked more focus on world-building and lore, and I wish it did something more interesting than war.

That said, the characters are the standout. We know the main ones so well by now and are so invested in them that spending time with them is a joy. They’re so nuanced and interesting, I loved them. Also, the prose was nice, and the author did a good job of establishing how high the stakes were. Everyone had to put their differences aside and unite against a common enemy, which is always fun, and some interesting relationships came out of it.

The last 20% is the most engaging because the war is, of course, epic, and it felt like it could go either way. I was moved to almost tears by the sacrifices that had to be made and what these characters lost, but it all made sense. Overall, it’s a solid conclusion to the series, and I loved the time I spent in this world. I recommend, for sure!

There's not much I can say about this final installment to the series without spoiling aspects of the story, but this story proved to make this whole story a 5 star series. I can't recommend this series more for those that love found family stories with real disability representation and struggles. Kaner is able to create amazing story behind her characters and show their movements through their own grief and faith while moving alongside one another in the story.

The stakes for this book were high and the opportunity to lose characters was always a question.

I recommend for anyone who loves strong characters with a lot of world building on an interesting world. The characters are easy to fall for and the romantic elements added a little different feeling to the whole vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Man this book really stuck the landing!! It very quickly brought me back into what was happening with each character without having a synopsis and also very quickly made me cry. I love all of the main characters so much and they really get put through the wringer, I wish I could give all 4 of them a hug.

This series truly got better with each installment!

Much faster paced with great character development. A fitting end to the trilogy that made me cry. If you're looking for a book with a sappy ending with everything tied up in a neat bow, this isn't your book. Props to the author for not shying away from death and trauma.

Unfortunately, I don't think that this series is for me. While I did like the world building and the overall premise, I didn't really like the characters that much. With the story being told through so many POV's, it ended up feeling like a lot of my time was spent following characters I didn't care for. That being said, I could see others liking this a lot if the characters happen to click for them!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Kaner’s Fallen Gods trilogy, and I thought this was a great conclusion to the series. She does such a great job with her character work and worldbuilding that reading this series has been a treat, and while there are some minor quibbles, I finished reading this feeling satisfied. I loved the relationships between characters and I think most of the emotional beats really hit. Kaner had a nice balance between POVs and I feel like she nailed the ending. I didn’t super care for the romance aspect, though, and there were definitely times where I felt like some scenes could have more room to breathe/felt like they were going on too long in comparison to the rest of the book. Still, this is a series I’m glad I have on my shelves and will definitely reread in the future.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Voyager for this ARC.

Despite having the ARC, it took me an embarrassingly long time to pick up Faithbreaker. Partially because I wasn’t in a fantasy mood, but mostly because I didn’t want this story to end. I knew Faithbreaker was going to break my heart (ha ha) and I wasn’t wrong. I won’t say much in order not to spoil it, but this was by far the most emotional book of the series and I found myself closing my eyes and wishing for a different outcome with multiple characters.

Faithbreaker is an amazing conclusion to an amazing series, and I recommend the series as a whole. Please read it and love it like I have.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read. Ms Kaner did a great job in the finale to the Fallen Gods trilogy. Godkiller hooked me and Faithbreaker ended it.

4 stars

So things have come to a head and war is at hand as Hseth's power has grown out of control. She and her faithful are marching all over burning everything and everyone in their path.

Now former enemies are coming together to try to defeat Hseth and her followers.

Elo is back in Arren's army, albeit uneasily. And he's not welcomed back with open arms, at least initially.

Inara, Kissen, and Lady Craier are headed to find additional help and on the way find plenty of trouble.

Everything culminates in a final battle with Hseth that ends with unnecessary deaths, heartbreaking sacrifices, and the return of Middren's gods.

Y'all. I cried.

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner is an absolutely stunning masterpiece that delivers on every front—world-building, emotional depth, character complexity, and heart-pounding action. From the first page, Kaner pulls you into a universe where belief is currency, power is perilous, and loyalty is tested at every turn.

The protagonist, whose resilience and internal struggle are portrayed with remarkable nuance, is a beacon of strength in a dark and treacherous world. Kaner masterfully crafts a narrative that balances the fantastical with the intimate, gods and rebels, faith and betrayal, magic and mortality, all seamlessly interwoven to create a rich and immersive story.

The writing is nothing short of lyrical. Every sentence carries weight, emotion, and meaning. There is a precision to Kaner’s prose that makes even the quietest moments feel momentous. Dialogue snaps with tension and wit, while the action scenes are visceral and cinematic, often leaving you breathless.

But perhaps what sets Faithbreaker apart most is its unflinching exploration of faith, not just religious or spiritual belief, but the faith we place in ourselves, in others, and in the world we want to build. It’s a deeply human story told on an epic scale, with themes that resonate long after the final page.

Kaner proves once again that she is a powerhouse talent in the fantasy genre, and Faithbreaker is a must-read for fans of morally gray heroes, fierce heroines, richly layered plots, and fantasy that dares to ask big questions.

An unforgettable ride, raw, radiant, and revelatory. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

3.5⭐
A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, that I see myself appreciating more on an eventual reread. Godkiller is still my favorite of the three, but the things I loved most about that don’t really amount to a trilogy worth of plot.

The core 4 of Kissen, Inara, Skedi, and Elo are still the best parts of the story, I just love how deeply they’ve all come to care about each other. Inara in particular is a standout for me, because usually I find kid character to be be something you tolerate to get back to the rest of the story, but I genuinely enjoy any time we spend with her.

The weakest part is just that I’ve never cared about Arren, even a little bit. And unfortunately, I think you really have to care about what’s happening around him to love this. But again, I think that’s something that will improve on a reread, because I won’t spend the whole time being like ‘why is he here?’

I also want to shout out the disability representation throughout the whole series, although I don’t use any mobility aids myself, so grain of salt etc etc.