The second novel of John Gwynne's New York Times bestselling Bloodsworn Saga, this story set in a Norse-inspired world is packed with myth, magic, and vengeance.​

"Visceral, heartbreaking, and unputdownable." --Jay Kristoff on The Shadow of the Gods

THE DEAD GODS ARE RISING.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own-and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfill her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.

Their only hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead...and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

Praise for The Shadow of the Gods

"There is not a dull chapter in this fantasy epic." --Vulture (Best of the Year)

"A satisfying and riveting read. It's everything I've come to expect from a John Gwynne book." --Robin Hobb

"A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic." --Anthony Ryan

"A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart." --FanFiAddict

For more from John Gwynne, check out:

The Bloodsworn Trilogy
The Shadow of the Gods
The Hunger of the Gods
The Fury of the Gods

Of Blood and Bone
A Time of Dread
A Time of Blood
A Time of Courage

The Faithful and the Fallen
Malice
Valor
Ruin
Wrath

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 11/18/2025
ISBN: 9780316597074
Pages: 656
Size: 9.50h x 6.25w x 1.93d