The Gods Must Burn is best described as a story about haunting. We follow Basuin through death, and watch him reminisce and mourn the life, the loves and the trail of death he left in his wake. All while he learns to navigate life as a god tasked with protecting another goddess and eventually takes the reins of his own grief in order to make right the world he helped make wrong.

I cannot understate how thoroughly, entirely and completely I fell in love with this book its world and its characters.

We'll start with the stand-outs. The characters and the world.

Basuin is gorgeous. He's introspective, powerful, poetic and just so, so well written. I love me a sentimental simp and by the Gods Bass fits that bill and so much more. Ren... well I honestly wanted her to step on me a good portion of this book [okay fine the whole book.] She's the most fantastic blend of powerful and gentle, and she walks the line between those two facets absolutely beautifully. The slow development of their relationship was genuinely incredible thing to read.

On the note of Ren, I was left wondering a good bit of this book if Taylor does in fact have access to a pantheon. Because there's something so terrifyingly realistic in how she writes gods and goddesses, like she herself has walked among them. [Probably as the Goddess of Writing.]

In terms of the wider cast this was one of the best examples of fantastical ensemble I think I've ever read, particularly from a debut. Moore was ambitious and it really paid off. There is a thick, fleshy wider cast but you get to know every single character so well, they felt absolutely real. Particular standouts were Yaelic [one of the people I cried over]

Moore is a master of words. There's several points in this book my jaw genuinely dropped like something out of a goddamn cartoon. Her themes of mourning, the effect of war and the corruption of a relationship and how you look back on things with the benefit of hindsight is powerful throughout. There's a lyricism to TGMB that has a kind of melody too it, and whilst its very much of a rollercoaster of a book, there's not a moment I felt lost or left behind.

For a magic system which at the end of the day is quite simple, I feel like it was really well done. Again the Gods were absolutely a standout here, but the world Moore has crafted here is really beautifully done. Especially how we see the different ways different [mortal as well as immortal] characters interact with the deities.

My only real gripe with the book was Moore does tend to... really reiterate her point. As we get toward the middle of the book Basuin becomes tied spiritually to Ren, meaning should he die - she dies. We then here Bass talk about, oh gods if I die she dies if I die she dies if I die she dies... approximately 43 times [for reference an exaggeration but not like a massive one.] This was not the only example. It didn't take away from my enjoyment by any stretch... but like buddy, yeah, gotcha. We can move on!

Beyond that the villain, Kensy, feels mostly fleshed out after the fact and we see his development second hand through Bass' retrospection. I would have enjoyed this more in the present, but accept in the setting of the story that would have been especially difficult.

I do not cry at books. I did not cry at Marley and Me. I cried at this goddamn piece of fiction 3 times. Not only do you become immersed in this world, Moore has a way of writing characters and emotion in the most delectable way. You feel every beat of pain, passion, fear and I was chomping at the bit for it.

Genuinely at one point dm'ed the woman [thanks for not blocking me] wanting to be loved the way her characters love.

I can genuinely say I think this is a voice to keep an eye out for, I think there are incredible things in store for someone as talented as Moore. [That wasn't meant to rhyme but you know what I'll take it.]

This had that element that I enjoyed about the genre, it had that element that I was looking for and thought worked as a fantasy romance novel. I was invested in the mythology of this world and the eco-fantasy concept during this read. The characters were wonderfully done and worked in this universe. T.R. Moore has a strong writing style and am excited for more.

"War is easy. War doesn’t die."

Nothing goes wrong with a character-driven fantasy
story and The Gods Must Burn is exactly a book that you should read. It centres around spiritual, war and colonialism yet it was structured really well despite relying on heavy themes such as pursuit of power, heroism, war trauma and moral ambiguity. Basuin of Ankor being the main protagonist and sole narrator reminds me of FitzChivalry from The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. A very complex and layered character that you can’t help but love and root for. His dynamic with other characters is so beautifully written especially with Ren, the godforest and Yaelic. However, I do find a small part of the writing style a bit repetitive that at one point it kinda reduces the character insight but it’s not really a big issue. Overall, the author did a good job crafting an engaging story with immersive worldbuilding. I can’t wait for more readers to jump into the world of The Gods Must Burn. Thanks Netgalley and Rebellion for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book until about the 5th chapter. Then, I was hooked. Very dark but also very good representation of trauma. It is deeply visceral in its handling of trauma response and love.

I KNEW without a doubt that I would enjoy the hell out of this book and I DID. This was so fun to read, and felt entirely its own - unique and a world you can almost step into!! This is a fantastic debut and I am excited for more!

The writing in this novel is so lush, I loved it. It was deeply emotional and touched on some very dark topics really well. I loved how the characters were so realistic and handled so carefully.

The Gods Must Burn is a gorgeous gut punch of a book. I found it so beautiful and moving and such a great example of how a story set in a fantasy world can feel so relevant to our current lives.

The story follows Basuin, a war hero struggling with intense PTSD from a mission gone horribly wrong where he was the only survivor. He still feels duty bound as a soldier, even though he only joined the forces to be able to help his sick mother, who passed while he was away at war, adding to his trauma. He’s never gone home and doesn’t know what or where home is anymore.

His commander, Kensy, leads him and their fleet onto an island they believe is uninhabited, except by spirits and gods. This is where Basuin is led into a trap where he loses his life trying to save two wolf pups after Kensy murdered their mother and set their den on fire. The Wolf God possesses him as his vessel, and Basuin’s world begins to unravel. He finds himself bound to one of the wolf pups, Yaelic, who says he will serve Basuin for saving him and his brother, Hami. Part of Basuin’s new duty as The Wolf God is to protect Ren, The Forest God, who reluctantly begins to teach Basuin how to harness his magic. They form an alliance of sorts to protect the forest from Kensy and the rest of the army. What follows is a gorgeous story that deals with themes of grief, war, colonialism, family, duty, and the most beautiful love story.

I absolutely adored this and can’t recommend it enough. The blurb references The Wolf & the Woodsman and Princess Mononoke; it personally also reminded me of The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart. Overall, such beautiful storytelling, imagery, and raw, real characters. I can’t wait to see what T.R. Moore writes next. Thank you to NetGalley & Solaris Books/Rebellion for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!