Against All Gods: the epic conclusion to the WHO LET THE GODS OUT series: Who Let the Gods Out? 4

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So Enkul-Anu is cagey, suspicious of everyone, fearing of being toppled in turn. He keeps the humans harshly in line, through pure fear of his retribution. He does the same with his entire court of gods, including his offspring and consorts. He watches for any signs of insurrection amongst the gods and goddesses, ready to crush it. He also keeps an eye on some of the survivors from the Old Gods, whom he considers “The Enemy.” Chief among them, Temis and Tyka. Enkul-Anu is also concerned that his senior gods have gotten distracted, old and useless, and the younger ones are plotting, incompetent, and flighty. For me, every book begins with the characters, and the characters in this book were absolutely fabulous. But most of Enkul-Anu’s headaches are about to come of the human variety, in largely the form of the following players: Meanwhile, performer Era, uses all her wits, athleticism, and courage, to flee death and destruction, and along the way adopts an enigmatic young orphan boy, whose stuffed bear seems to predict the future. There’s a real feel of the classic fantasy ensemble story, but with a fresh and engaging perspective on the genre which blends mythology, historical accuracy and a modern tone of voice. Mortals curse the gods, gods curse the ineptitude of other gods, and it’s all very mythological except it’s delivered in deadpan modern vernacular which somehow feels totally appropriate and often drily funny. Cameron’s deep love and knowledge of Bronze Age Greece comes through in incredibly detailed and utterly absorbing world building (everything from writing and cooking to sailing and fighting just feels so believable, a clear sign of a writer who genuinely understands this time period), tied together in a fascinating blend of historical fiction and fantasy. Cameron doesn’t pull any punches either, portraying the hardships of life in this sort of period in blunt, often gruesome detail – violence, slavery, death, human sacrifice, it’s all here, but balanced out by compassion and understanding too.

Against All Gods: Six Polemics on Religion and an Essay on Against All Gods: Six Polemics on Religion and an Essay on

Many thanks to Miles Cameron and Gollancz for sending me an advance copy of Against All Gods in exchange for my honest opinions.The world-building was incredible, inspired by ancient Greek mythology, filled with magic, mythical creatures and diverse races, lofty temples, and sword and sandal heroes. Bronze age technology, marauding cannibalistic tribes, horrifying monsters, half-god / half-human offspring of the gods, indiscriminate liaisons with mortals running rampant, and hey – A REALLY DANGEROUS DRAGON, what more could you want? Promising historical fantasy debut featuring an expansive cast, an engaging plot, and a detailed eye for combat' The Ranting Dragon on The Red Knight

Against All Gods • Christian Cameron

The tyranny of the gods is absolute, and they are capricious, malevolent and almost all-powerful, playing cruel games with the fates of mortals for their own ends . . . A conspiracy to reach the heavens, and take down the corrupt and aging gods . . . who are already facing troubles of their own . . . There is chilling foreshadowing however, that should the audacious mortals somehow manage to survive, and in fact succeed in their quest, will they simply become that which they despise, providing more of the same sort of cruelty and capriciousness, if they manage to supplant their divine masters?An epic that draws on a wide variety of myths and legends, gods and heroes, this new trilogy is a must read for fans of Dan Simmons and Madeline Miller alike. While this book is sometimes zany, often irreverant, the themes Cameron explores are very dire, including canibalism, ritual human sacrifice, slavery, betrayal, unmitigated greed, torture, sexual assault and murder, to name a few, so reader be warned. As expected with a writing master such as Cameron, these themes are handled with aplomb, dark humour, and a glimmer of real hope. A vibrant and powerful epic set against an alternate Bronze Age, this tale of gods, men and monsters, conspiracy and war, is a rich, compelling and original read from a master of the historical and fantasy genres. The people caught up in toils of the gods are merely trying to survive. Victims of vicious whims, trapped by their circumstances or pushed beyond what the mortal frame can bear, a handful of god-touched mortals – a scribe, a warlord, a dancer and a child – are about to be brought together in a conspiracy of their own.