The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

Written by Shauna Lawless

Narrated by Aoife McMahon

The first in a gripping new historical fantasy series that intertwines Irish mythology with real-life history, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is the thrilling debut novel by Shauna Lawless.
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 one of the Fomorians, 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, a race of warriors who are sworn to kill Fomorians.

Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell hidden in a fortress, forbidden to live amongst the mortals. Fódla agrees to help her kin by going to spy 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. However, preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise...

'Highlander meets The Last Kingdom in this assured and captivating debut... I was hooked from page one.' Anthony Ryan

'Gripping and beautiful. A Celtic Last Kingdom with wild magic and fierce heroines.' Anna Smith Spark

'I really enjoyed the book. It's an excellent read.' Mark Lawrence

'A beguiling blend of fantasy, history, and politics. A gripping start to this series.' D.K. Fields

'A vividly written story that makes the ancient past feel contemporary.' Joseph O'Connor

'Rife with atmosphere and armies, magic and compelling characters, it swept me along and refused to be put down.' H.M. Long

'An epic historical fantasy that weaves myth and history into a sprawling tale of magic, intrigue, and war. Absorbing and richly detailed.' Ian Green

'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.' R.J. Barker

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Nov 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803282619

Shauna Lawless

Shauna Lawless is an avid reader of Irish mythology and folklore. As an Irish woman, she loves that Irish mythology has inspired so many stories over the years, however, she wanted to explore the history and mythology of Ireland in a more authentic way. She lives in Northern Ireland with her family. Her debut novel, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, has been critically acclaimed. The Words of Kings and Prophets is the second volume in the Gael Song trilogy. Follow Shauna on @shaunaLwrites shaunalawless.com

Reviews for The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

[Rachel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5/5
This book is so well written. I was fascinated to find out how much was true to history even though this is historical fantasy. It is a slow burn, but this is not a bad thing, and I think a lot of that will come down to preference. If you are fascinated by Medieval Irish history, then you will appreciate it. If that stuff doesn't really interest you, it might feel boring. But this is not any fault of the writer. Shauna Lawless wrote very real characters. I felt the pain of a mother, the loneliness of an outcast, the harshness of a feudal world, and the weight that many women bore during that time. The author did an excellent job with the prose and characters. I highly recommend this audiobook, as I definitely wouldn't have pronounced a lot of the names and words correctly, and she was incredibly eloquent and put feeling into her narration. This book deserves more hype.