Godkiller

     Godkiller (Fallen Gods #1) by Hannah Kaner is a high fantasy with solid characters, an excellent delivery on its gods, and an aesthetic that often borders on the dark fantasy.

     There is a fair bit that Godkiller succeeds in, but the elements it succeeds the most in is it gods. The gods of this world are small, earthly gods, beings of rivers, and flame, and concepts rather than cosmic beings, which is important because it allows our characters to interact with them and, as the title suggests, kill them. Yet, despite being small, the author still successfully sells their godhood; much of this derives from the strength of the prose, which is often lush and reverent or fearful as the god in question demands, but also from how the reader is allowed to interact with the gods. Both from the characters interactions with the various gods, and the POV of the one god we follow, we are shown how they derive power from and covet worship. These glimpses into the psychology help define the gods, their place in the world, much of the narrative conflict around them and, most crucially, distinguish them from simply being gifted humans.

     The aesthetics of the book is probably it’s second strongest element. Most of them evolve around the gods, but even so, from the curses and how the appear in the world, to how characters interact with them, to the demons, to how the gods lust are worship and sacrifices, and can grow progressively more tyrannical, to Kissen’s metal leg; the world is just lush, and vibrant, and full of visceral, and often gothic fantasy.

     The characters are strong/reasonably complex and generally likable. The noble girl and the little god are the most interesting of our four primary characters, their relationship having the most nuance, most meaningful complexity and interactions while the girl herself is just likable. The knight is likable as well, but is simply less interesting. Of the four, Kissen, while solid, is probably the weakest; she is an effective delivery of her archetype, but isn’t particularly likable outside of her interactions with the noble girl.

     The prose, pacing, and general plotting for the book are good, ultimately providing me with a fun, immersive high fantasy read.