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The Children of Gods and Fighting Men
(2022)(The first book in the Gael Song series)
A novel by Shauna Lawless
THE NEW GAEL SONG NOVEL FROM SHAUNA LAWLESS, THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, AVAILABLE TO PREORDER NOW!
The first in a gripping historical fantasy series that intertwines Irish mythology with real-life history, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is the thrilling debut novel in the Gael Song series by Shauna Lawless. Shortlisted for Best Debut at the 2023 British Fantasy Awards.
They think they've killed the last of us...
981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long.
Gormflaith also has a secret. She is a Fomorian, one of an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, another magical race, who are the sworn enemies of all Fomorians.
Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell in a fortress hidden from the mortal world. Fódla agrees to help her kin by spying on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop. But preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise...
Reviewers on The Children of Gods and Fighting Men
'Lawless blends fantasy with historical fiction to great effect.' SFX
'Celebrates the extraordinary history and cultural traditions of Ireland while giving voice to the women who helped shape it. Highly recommended.' Lucy Holland
'An excellent read.' Mark Lawrence
'Highlander meets The Last Kingdom... I was hooked from page one.' Anthony Ryan
'Gripping and beautiful. A Celtic Last Kingdom with wild magic and fierce heroines.' Anna Smith Spark
'A beguiling blend of fantasy, history, and politics.' D.K. Fields
'A vividly written story that makes the ancient past feel contemporary.' Joseph O'Connor
'It swept me along and refused to be put down.' H.M. Long
'An atmospheric journey into a thrilling historical fantasy world.' R.J. Barker
Genre: Fantasy
The first in a gripping historical fantasy series that intertwines Irish mythology with real-life history, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is the thrilling debut novel in the Gael Song series by Shauna Lawless. Shortlisted for Best Debut at the 2023 British Fantasy Awards.
They think they've killed the last of us...
981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long.
Gormflaith also has a secret. She is a Fomorian, one of an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, another magical race, who are the sworn enemies of all Fomorians.
Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell in a fortress hidden from the mortal world. Fódla agrees to help her kin by spying on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop. But preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise...
Reviewers on The Children of Gods and Fighting Men
'Lawless blends fantasy with historical fiction to great effect.' SFX
'Celebrates the extraordinary history and cultural traditions of Ireland while giving voice to the women who helped shape it. Highly recommended.' Lucy Holland
'An excellent read.' Mark Lawrence
'Highlander meets The Last Kingdom... I was hooked from page one.' Anthony Ryan
'Gripping and beautiful. A Celtic Last Kingdom with wild magic and fierce heroines.' Anna Smith Spark
'A beguiling blend of fantasy, history, and politics.' D.K. Fields
'A vividly written story that makes the ancient past feel contemporary.' Joseph O'Connor
'It swept me along and refused to be put down.' H.M. Long
'An atmospheric journey into a thrilling historical fantasy world.' R.J. Barker
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"A compelling and fascinating tale, written with great skill, that draws the reader into a world full of magic, betrayal, warring kings and mythology. With all the complex political machinations of A Song of Ice and Fire and the bloody battles of The Warlord Chronicles, it's ideal for fans of both." - Stephen Aryan
"An atmospheric journey into a thrilling historical fantasy world that feels like it should be real." - RJ Barker
"A beguiling blend of fantasy, history, and politics... Every turn of the page ratchets up the tension. To read this novel is to fall into a richly imagined web of lives. A gripping start to this series." - D K Fields
"An epic historical fantasy that weaves myth and history into an sprawling tale of magic, intrigue, and war. Through the perspectives of Gormflaith and Fodla we pass through the years at a breakneck speed... Lawless weaves a complex and enticing narrative: there are plots and counterplots, and we move through the years swiftly as these slow plans grow to fruition. The intricacies of life in tenth-century Ireland are lovingly portrayed, from the cultural mix of Vikings, Irish, and English, to the merchant markets full of traders from far off lands. A must-read for those who love Irish mythology and history. An absorbing and richly detailed historical fantasy." - Ian Green
"I really enjoyed the book. It's an excellent read." - Mark Lawrence
"A vividly written story that makes the ancient past feel contemporary." - Joseph O'Connor
"Highlander meets The Last Kingdom as feuding clans of magical undying vie for control of tenth-century Ireland in this assured and captivating debut. Themes of motherhood and conflicted obligation lie at the heart of Shauna Lawless's historical fantasy, explored through the eyes of two powerful women compelled to navigate a land where men hold sway, or think they do. I was hooked from page one." - Anthony Ryan
"Gripping and beautiful. A Celtic Last Kingdom with wild magic and fierce heroines." - Anna Smith-Spark
"An atmospheric journey into a thrilling historical fantasy world that feels like it should be real." - RJ Barker
"A beguiling blend of fantasy, history, and politics... Every turn of the page ratchets up the tension. To read this novel is to fall into a richly imagined web of lives. A gripping start to this series." - D K Fields
"An epic historical fantasy that weaves myth and history into an sprawling tale of magic, intrigue, and war. Through the perspectives of Gormflaith and Fodla we pass through the years at a breakneck speed... Lawless weaves a complex and enticing narrative: there are plots and counterplots, and we move through the years swiftly as these slow plans grow to fruition. The intricacies of life in tenth-century Ireland are lovingly portrayed, from the cultural mix of Vikings, Irish, and English, to the merchant markets full of traders from far off lands. A must-read for those who love Irish mythology and history. An absorbing and richly detailed historical fantasy." - Ian Green
"I really enjoyed the book. It's an excellent read." - Mark Lawrence
"A vividly written story that makes the ancient past feel contemporary." - Joseph O'Connor
"Highlander meets The Last Kingdom as feuding clans of magical undying vie for control of tenth-century Ireland in this assured and captivating debut. Themes of motherhood and conflicted obligation lie at the heart of Shauna Lawless's historical fantasy, explored through the eyes of two powerful women compelled to navigate a land where men hold sway, or think they do. I was hooked from page one." - Anthony Ryan
"Gripping and beautiful. A Celtic Last Kingdom with wild magic and fierce heroines." - Anna Smith-Spark
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