Shauna Lawless once again shows herself to be an author who can do it all. We are immersed into a truly unique setting that brilliantly blends the gritty history and fascinating mythology of 11th century Ireland, with a generous dose of political intrigue along the way.

Finally dived into this second instalment of the Gael Song trilogy, just before the final book is released next month! Loved book 1 and also the two prequel novellas. Now The Words of Kings and Prophets joins that group.

Once again Shauna Lawless expertly crafts character and tension. As she weaves the different arcs and plot lines together, you feel so tense, as characters cross paths, secrets are revealed and some remain hidden. This is a truly living and breathing world, with mystery lurking around every corner. Many questions are answered, but so many more are asked, so I really cannot wait to turn to book 3, The Land of the Living and the Dead, in September! So glad now that I waited until now to read book 2, as I won't have to wait long to finish this journey!

Gael Song is just a fantastically written series, within which Shauna Lawless consistently shows herself to be a writer of great talent. I will read whatever she puts out into the world.

4.5/5 STARS

Everything I loved about The Children of Gods and Fighting Men was even better in The Words of Kings and Prophets. The storytelling, the contrasting perspectives, the focus on women and their stories - it's all masterfully done. After all the introductions in the first book, we got to focus even more on the characters here and I just want more. Looking forward to getting my hands on The Land of the Living and the Dead .

I enjoyed this sequel and continue to find the history that is explored to be completely interesting and fascinating. I enjoy the different use of the magic systems as well. Shauna Lawless is an author that should be watched. I look forward to seeing where the series and author go.

Shauna Lawless’s **The Words of Kings and Prophets** is a captivating continuation of the tale begun in the first book, blending historical fiction and fantasy set in ancient Ireland. Now that all the parties are established, this sequel flows more easily, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the action. The alternating viewpoints of Gormflaith and Fodla bring powerful, distinct perspectives, each driven by their own motivations yet displaying similar determination and perseverance.

Lawless excels in building tension into every encounter, from marauding Vikings and political strategies of kings and clan leaders to feuding Christian and pagan factions. This sense of anxiety and suspense keeps the plot teetering on a knife’s edge, making it thoroughly engrossing. The meticulous historical details vividly portray the era’s customs and politics, while the seamless blend of historical and fantastical elements creates a unique and compelling world.

One of the strengths of this book is its well-developed, multifaceted characters. Gormflaith and Fodla’s stories are rich with tension and complexity, making their interactions engaging. The descriptive writing brings the settings to life, from lush landscapes to the gritty realities of medieval life. Additionally, the vivid prose, gripping dialogue, heart-stopping battle scenes, and passionate romances infuse the historical setting with a special kind of magic.

Overall, **The Words of Kings and Prophets** is a richly textured novel that skillfully balances history and fantasy. It expands considerably on the first book, introducing unexpected turns that make it difficult to put down, especially in the latter half. This series stands out for its extraordinary quality, moving readers in profound ways. Highly recommended, especially for those seeking something beyond the standard epic fantasy.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men was a bit of a doozy for me, and getting back into this world took a few false starts for me. I think one reason for this is that there's just SO MUCH that goes on, and it had been about a year between books for me, so I felt overwhelmed. Once I dove in though, I was invested, and I couldn't put it down. While I sometimes felt a bit lost, Lawless did enough to help jog the reader's memory when introducing new characters, and I never felt like I truly had no idea what was going on.

A lot of people absolutely love Gormflaith, but I absolutely adore Fodla. I love how Lawless is able to give us two characters who are such opposites yet on such similar paths. I felt more emotionally invested in this one, and I had multiple times where I was upset I had to put my book down before seeing what was going to happen next.

This series for me feels like a good in between of high and "low" fantasy. The magic system is not overly complex, but there is a lot of politicking that takes quite the mental capacity. Not a light read by any means, but still an enjoyable one.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

(4/5 stars) Lawless has a way with words and character development that just makes her books incredible to read. What a piece of art and continuation from the previous book!

Es un placer volver al mundo que Shauna Lawless ha creado en su saga Gael Song y que comenzó con The Children of Gods and Fighting Men y que ahora continúa con las mismas protagonistas y con algo más de magia, que era algo que eché de menos en la primera entrega.


Es una historia muy enraizada en la mitología y la historia irlandesa, con un ritmo pausado que se centra mucho en las intrigas políticas de los vikingos y los irlandeses, lo cual nos puede recordar a la fantasía de corte más clásico. Pero es muy importante el cambio de perspectiva que nos ofrecen las dos protagonistas de la novela, que aunque siguen siendo ninguneadas por ser mujeres vemos cómo poco a poco se van empoderando y tomando decisiones que no son las que esperan sus familiares varones, aunque tengan que hacerlo de tapadillo.

La autora también concede gran importancia a la controversia del tráfico de esclavos, generalizada entre los vikingos y supuestamente prohibida entre los irlandeses, pero cuando se centra la visión en el motor económico de los reinos es cuando se resquebrajan las costuras de la falsedad en la que están instalados estos últimos. Lawless ha decidido dejar un poco de lado el conflicto entre paganos y cristianos en esta segunda entrega, sigue estando presente pero no juega un papel fundamental. Digamos que ahora todo gira alrededor de quién se podrá proclamar rey de reyes, con las nuevas generaciones pisando fuerte.

También ha sido todo un acierto por parte de la escritora los nuevos personajes que va añadiendo a la saga y sobre todo la madurez que van alcanzando las voces principales, se nota una evolución causada por los acontecimientos en los que se ven envueltos y por su propia personalidad, generando una auténtica saga en el sentido más estricto de la palabra.

El tratamiento de las relaciones interpersonales y del amor juega un papel importante en la saga, desde matrimonios de conveniencia a amor verdadero por el que se está dispuesto a sacrificar incluso la inmortalidad. No es una novela romántica, pero el amor también está dentro de la balanza en la que se mide la valía de cada historia. Recomiendo esta lectura para quien esté buscando una fantasía pausada y feminista, no se arrepentirá.

"The gods are always watching you (...). They put hardship in your way to see what you will do."

In The Words of Kings and Prophets, the second book in the Gael Song series, Shauna Lawless masterfully continues the story started in the first book - The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.

In this instalment, we are introduced to a new POV character, Colmon - a Descendant and leader of the Warriors. His chapters appear somewhat sporadically, however, the introduction of his POV not only opens up a new perspective from which the story can be told but broadens the scope of the story. With the addition of a new POV character the scope of the story is expanded and we can follow the threads of the story in different locations.

Moreover, Lawless continues to subtly remind the readers that the world of Medieval Europe is connected. Despite the plot taking place in Ireland, an island, that (is)land is not isolated or separated from the rest of the world. The world of the Middle Ages is connected through the movement of people, goods, ideas and even conquest.

Regarding the two main female POV characters, Fodla and Gormflaith, in terms of character development both keep going from strength to strength. Through the author's compelling and captivating writing, we see how both struggle against the bonds of the patriarchy. Although Fodla and Gormflaith are very different, in The Words of Kings and Prophets both struggle against a common enemy - the patriarchy while trying to carve space in the world that is not always kind to them to live their lives on their terms.

Unlike most (middle) books in the series, The Words of Kings and Prophets does not suffer from the middle book syndrome. On the contrary, the plot and character development keep getting stronger and stronger as the stakes rise. There are no boring bits in this book and I cannot wait to see how the story and the characters will progress in the next instalment.

4.5*

This was a highly anticipated sequel to "The Children of Gods and Fighting Men" - an Irish history retelling with interwoven folklore. An honestly this is kinda my favourite historical fantasy to read.
While the first book was more about womanhood, in this one we have evolved into the topic of motherhood. While it still had the same themes (mostly historical retelling with slight flavour of magic) this did give me major second-book-syndrome. Not a lot happened (although not a lot happened in book one; but book one had more going on) in this book. Mainly Gormflaith tried to be badass and scheming, she was surprisingly bad at it in this one. And Fódla... she mainly just chilled.
I do have to tell that did not damper my enjoyment of the book. I devoured it in a heartbeat, but it needs to be mentioned. This is the reason why I deducted half a star.
Also, looking at how the book 2 ended, I have high hopes for an epic third one. Luckily it is not that long wait.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are, as always, my own.

Well I'm embarrassed for being late on this. Because it is so good. "The Words of Kings and Prophets" continues Shauna Lawless' Gael Song trilogy.

Fódla is doing pretty well, at the start. She has made herself part of the household as a healer and watching her nephew grow. Might have caught the eye of Murchad, saving his life and being charming tends to do that. Except some of the other Tuatha Dé Danann pop in to check on them. And it goes a bit sideways. Meanwhile, Gormflaith is married to another king, yoked to having to support her brother and maintain her cover. Being one of the last Fomorians, capable of burning all around you down, but still being put down because she is a woman has to be galling. So when opportunity to seize power arrives, she does not flinch.

Reasons to read:
-It's a trilogy, conclusion has been announced, nows a great time to dive in
-I NEED some folks to get comeuppance
-Well that is some professional level gaslighting, be a shame if something spear shaped happened to certain folks
-Is Murchad him?
-Fódla and Gormflaith's growth to stop being tokens for others
-Holy crap I was saying the names right!

Cons:
-My shame for being very late

Absolutely stunning, the perfect continuation of Book 1. I wrote in a review of the first book that once the foundations were set, that this book would hurtle forward relentlessly, which is more or less what I got.

Motives of characters are being gradually teased out, with some lore reveals later on that had me shook.

If you're reading this now, read Dreams of Fire, Shauna's new novella, also exceedingly excellent!

The Words of Kings and Prophets

5/5 Stars

Shauna Lawless is ruining my life, she has ruined all other historical fantasy mythology for me. I wish I knew the words to write that would make people understand how much I love this little book series; how much the words impact me on a random day at 2:43pm for no reason.

For those unused to the style of writing and folklore retellings, it may come across as dry or bland, confusing, or otherwise. There is a lot of stationary moments in this second installment, not a lot of moving around until the last quarter of the novel when the location changes place.

Maybe I’ll be able to write a longer review when I have more words, but please note that it has been a long time since I’ve felt this way about a series!

I love the characters, the subtle romance, platonic relationships, the struggle between the Norse Vikings and the Irish Christianity, the fight of ancient civilizations and the isolation from the new world, the power struggle, the plots of overthrowing the leaders and the recreation of a supposedly extinct people.

I love this series – I love it. I think more people should read it and appreciate it.

This book was a gut punch and I loved every moment of it. I don’t want to get into specifics, as it is a sequel, but suffice to say that this series continuous to be one of my favorite.

If you haven’t, you should definitely read this series. If you love atmospheric explorations of the past with a sprinkling of speculative fantasy it’d be perfect!

[4.25/5] THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS occurs shortly after the events in THE CHILDREN OF GODS AND FIGHTING MEN. Fódla is a healer in King Brian's court and guardian of her nephew Broccan. Gormflaith is King Brian's wife, biding her time to slither her way to power. However, infighting among the Tuatha Dé Danann threatens the world of mortals as they have known it for centuries. And, unbeknownst to these immortals, this unrest plays right into the hands of the remaining Fomorians. The stakes continue to rise in this sequel to set the stage for an epic conclusion.

THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS follows the same vein as its predecessor: quiet politicking and maneuvering of mortals and immortals alike to ensure their existence. Readers who fell in love with the early medieval, historical world of Gormflaith and Fódla will likely feel similar about this latest installment. Lawless does a wonderful job using real historical figures and weaving their known history into something fantastical yet tangible. Though steeped wholly in history and Irish and Viking folklore, the smaller tidbits of everyday, historical detail stuck out most to me. That attention to detail made me feel more immersed in the story.

I also love the quiet yet fierce strength of both Gormflaith and Fódla in a man's world, even though Gormflaith is an unlikable character. I understood Gormflaith's motivation despite not caring for her intentions. It was delightful, in a melancholic way, to see Fódla realize and internalize Tomas's manipulation of their relationship. This conscious realization makes Fódla a more strong-willed woman and to fight for what's right.

The themes present in the first book continue here. They include power and how, unchecked, it can corrupt; the ranking of a man above a woman even in societies that, comparatively, regard women better; and the importance of family. Another topic propped up by a secondary character is slavery. There is one particularly important scene that discusses how slavery may still permeate the economy despite one party outlawing it.

Finally, although I enjoyed this sequel, I personally felt it was slower than the first book. However, this is because Lawless sets future scenes in action by laying the groundwork throughout. Each perspective--Fódla, Gormflaith, and Colmon--is important and connects the reader with the characters. The action near the end of the book figuratively glued me to the page and I even audibly gasped at one point.

In summary, THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS continues to impress with its historical details and interwoven Irish and Viking lore. It's easy to root for one character and side eye another and I eagerly await the next book. This series is perfect for those who appreciate historical fiction that dabbles in magic and douses the reader with careful politics.

This was a very good follow up! I liked it more than book one, the magic and lore kicked it up a notch, the villain was more interesting and engaging, and I actually rooted for Gormflaith this time! (I mean, I did last time too, but against my will).

My cons for this series remain the same, however. Several first person POVs is just hard for me, and I still don't think the two main POVs sound different enough from each other, which can make it hard for me to ground myself. This was much better in this one, though, due to being more familiar with their various supporting cast. And I still find Fodla to be very passive. She spends most of this novel having others once again make decisions for her...I suppose that makes it better when she actually DOES make decisions, but following such a passive character can be frustrating for me.

This was a very good follow up! I liked it more than book one, the magic and lore kicked it up a notch, the villain was more interesting and engaging, and I acted rooted for Gormflaith this time! (I mean, I did last time too, but against my will).

My cons for this series remain the same, however. Several first person POVs is just hard for me, and I still don't think the two main POVs sound different enough from each other, which can make it hard for me to ground myself. This was much better in this one, though, due to being more familiar with their various supporting cast. And I still find Fodla to be very passive. She spends most of this novel having others once again make decisions for her...I suppose that makes it better when she actually DOES make decisions, but following such a passive character can be frustrating for me.

In the absolutely captivating second instalment of the Gael Song series, we’re taken back to 1000AD Ireland. We follow Gormflaith, a queen discovering that she has more power than she had known, and Fódla, a healer doing everything she can to keep her nephew safe and hidden. And then arrives Tomas, a threat to both Gormflaith and Fódla - and all of Ireland.

Shauna Lawless’ writing is so breathtakingly beautiful, effortlessly inserting elements of fantasy in such a way it’s hard to believe this isn’t just historical fiction, and that it didn’t all happen this way. The different POV chapters between Gormflaith and Fódla make you so invested in the stories of both characters, and their journeys will have you holding your breath, gasping in shock, and refusing to sleep saying “just one more chapter!”

A sequel that moves quickly along the historical-political lines of the first book where several faction were fighting for supremacy. This fantasy novel seamlessly blends magic, mythology, and history as it continues to unravel the lives of sworn enemies against the backdrop of 11th century Ireland. The deep exploration of Irish history enhances the world built and the fallen pieces of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men interweave greatly in these pages.

I often avoid series because I hate committing but I forgot how warm and comforting it can be to return to characters that you care about and this was the case with The Words of Kings and Prophets.

When I finished The Children of Gods and Fighting Men earlier this year, I predicted that the next book would hit the ground running and it definitely did! The foundational groundwork paid off and in the sequel, we continue to follow Gormflaith and Fódla as they navigate a world divided by and rife with conflict. The cold, ruthless Gormflaith finds herself lacking what she craves most - power - whilst Fódla is desperately trying to keep her nephew safe from people she once trusted.

Gormflaith and I have a tricky relationship. I found myself sympathising a lot with her in this book as she struggles to readjust to her loss of power. With few allies, married to a man she hates and very little control, her grit and determination is rather admirable… until she does something horrible and I go back to hating her (in the most loving way possible). It was interesting to reflect on why her I condemned her actions so much. When morally grey male characters act questionably, their actions are often justified in some way. Can I really blame Gormflaith for wanting more for herself, despite her questionable methods?

Fódla of course is enduringly kind and grappling with difficult decisions of her own. Whilst not as cutthroat as Gormflaith, she is incredibly loyal and comes into her own in this book. Her quiet strength blossoms into a greater sense of agency as she tries to protect Broccan and reevaluate her beliefs about humans.

This series is a slow burn, building strong characters and a world that feels grounded. I’m looking forward to the next one!

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by Net Galley, Head of Zues/AdAstra Books and the author, in exchange for an honest review. Apologies for my delay in providing feedback.

The patriotism is coursing through my Irish veins right now!!

I am just in love with Shauna's to turn Irish folklore and mythology into something I have never experienced. The way that she has created a fantasy tale, an exceptional one at that, and sprinkled in the interesting Irish mythology, Celtic history and Viking warfare is truly not something to be underplayed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. I picked up the audio version as I didn't have much time to read the digital copy, and I am so glad that I did so. The additional narrators massively helped to enhance the story and provide the already well written characters with a much more distinct voice. Bravo to them.

Amongst the characters themselves, Fódla is such a gem. We must protect her at all cost!! Her care for her nephew and struggles to keep those around her safe makes her one of the more wholesome fantasy characters to read. Gormflaith on the other hand, well I hate her. Not because she's poorly written or uninteresting, just because she's an awful person. Still didn't stop me enjoying her chapters though. And don't even get me started on Tomas. *Insert middle finger emoji*

The author does a superb job of balancing the input and interest of both the immortal and mortal sides of this world. Whether it be kings, warriors, witches or children, you are never lacking for intriguing content and conflict in this book.

I'm excited to see where the story goes in the final book of this trilogy. (I hope I'm right in saying it's a trilogy, apologies if not)

Overall, really loved this book so congratulations to Shauna and I wish her all the success and acclaim that this series deserves. It even made me download Duolingo and want to learn more Irish. Such is the power of this amazing author.

Please read it, you won't regret it!!