It has been a while but finally, I have another review for you and this time from one of my favourite indie authors, CT Ortega. This is the penultimate book of the Warfare of the Gods series, and I was very excited to jump in, having read Asgard and the Hunt a while ago which set the scene for what is sure to be an epic final 2 books.
We jump straight into the action where book 3 finished which I won’t go into too much detail about to avoid spoilers. However, Bastet is on a mission to rescue her sister from Ishtar who has her own much bigger mission and plan for the entirety of Saggilmut.
Characters
Once we again we saw some really great character progression, especially with the sisters Bastet and Sekhmet. One is battling with memory loss and the other is desperately trying to rescue the other and bring them back. It is interesting to see how the two characters grow throughout the book from the initial introduction to now.
It was also intriguing to see how each God reacted to the incoming war, and the continued humanising element to these deities made it easier to relate and empathise with them. The decisions they had to make were often difficult and emotional, not decisions I would ever wish to make, but they faced all hurdles and obstacles together, even to the point of seeing kingdoms unite against a common enemy.
It was also great to see Kushim (once known as the writer) become a bigger part of this novel. We were first introduced to him as a normal human in book 1 who was chosen to become the writer of all Gods. However, now we see him being forced to remain by Sekhmet’s side. By Ishtar he is seen as her pet, but to me it is more than that. Kushim is a symbol of another time. A time before Ishtar and I feel that this sense of something familiar brings some comfort to Sekhmet, even when she can’t remember the past or who Kushim truly was.
We also have a little cameo in the form of the Prince of Nightmares and Dreams which I absolutely loved. Although he makes a small appearance it’s amazing how much of an impact he has on the overall story.
Setting
As with all the previous titles, the settings were beautifully described. In this one we travel to all the kingdoms and see the death and destruction being caused by the war. It is heart-breaking to see the destruction of these kingdoms, however it is also humbling to see the people come together for a united cause.
Story
Whereas the previous book was mainly about setting the scene for the final two novels, this one was very action heavy and fast paced. I loved how we were thrown straight into the middle of the chaos. It was also really interesting to see the philosophical conversations between the gods about what is right and wrong. There were some hard hitting topics discussed such as whether mass genocide is worth it for achieving the ultimate end goal of peace or whether submission is the way to go to save lives. In a way it is adhering to the old phrase “the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few” do you save everyone by admitting defeat, thus avoiding too much death, or do you pit your people to fight with all their might, losing countless numbers in order to gain control and ensure your version of peace is adhered to? It’s a tough question and one which was discussed on many occasions throughout the book by the gods.
This was a brutal, bloody, action-packed book. This one will bring all the emotions to the surface, anger, annoyance, sadness, joy and a strong feeling of justice or lack of. But one thing this book does is keep you on your toes. It will keep you hooked until the end and the ending is both superb and nail biting with the intense cliff hanger.
I am very much looking forward to the final chapter to this epic saga, I can just feel it will be just as brutal, and just as emotional. If you have read the 3rd book, I highly recommend this one. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Go and read The Writer and the Throne and work your way through the series. If you like your mythology and legends, you will love this series.
I cannot believe that we only have one more book in the series to go, it has been a rollercoaster of emotions and I am excited but also sad it is coming to an end. But, all good things must come to an end and I cannot wait to see what happens with Ishtar, Bastet, Sekhmet and co.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – an action packed, emotional journey which will raise lots of questions and make you consider your own opinions of war and justice. Highly recommend!!
Much love 💘
Lizzieslittlebooknook 