Hammer of Fate
The Rune Song #1
G. N. Gudgion
Publication date: June 1, 2023 by Second Sky Books
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 👢👢👢👢
Summary: “No surrender. No retreat.” With twenty enemy swords at their backs and a broken bridge ahead, the last knights of an outlaw order turn to fight. A young woman with forbidden magic joins their final stand. And as blade meets blade, she starts to sing…
Adelais was raised in the far north, learning stories of the old gods and the skill of weaving runes into magic. Now, she is locked in a convent far from home, forced to kneel to a foreign god.
When inquisitors arrive with plans to torture an innocent man, Adelais cannot stand by. She aids an attack to free the prisoner and joins the raiders as they flee into the night.
Her new companions are the last of the Guardians—once a powerful holy order, now ragged fugitives, hunted almost to extinction.
The knights carry a secret treasure, precious and powerful enough to shape kingdoms. Their pursuers, desperate to possess it, will crush any who stand in their way.
Nowhere is safe—in city or chateau, on the road or in the wilds. And even disguised as a boy, Adelais draws attention wherever she goes. Is she angel or demon, priestess or witch?
Adelais must summon all her courage and all her memories of the old gods’ magic as the noose tightens around her and a thunderous final reckoning approaches.
Discover a thrilling new series, with a rich world and action that will leave you breathless. Hammer of Fate is inspired by Viking magic, medieval combat and the fall of the Templar knights—perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence, Andrzej Sapkowski and Robin Hobb.
My thoughts: This book started off slowly. The author justifiably needed to provide a lot of context very quickly in order to get the plot moving along. Readers will be awash with references of historical events such as the Spanish Inquisition and the Knights Templar. The fantasy portion of this new series is in the magical power of runes. Gudgion balanced the devotion of faith with bloody torture and executions. The intensity of battle was mirrored by the need to love and be loved. While some story elements have definitely been overused, Gudgion wove together a fast paced enjoyable read. Hammer of Fate proved to be a solid beginning to a promising new series.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley courtesy of Second Sky Books.
Thank you!
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