I loved the adventure this book took us on. The book follows three MCs who each come from wildly different backgrounds, but they all end up traveling to the same destination. The world building, and the lore of the gods in the culture was perfect. It blended into the story seamlessly without dragging the narrative down.

Kissen, Elo, and Inara (plus Skedi) are an amazing cast of characters, and I love that we learned about each of them as they learned about each other. I love a good found family story and this novel delivered.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I thought this was a really interesting debut! I definitely give it credit for its originality and uniqueness, although it didn't quite stick the landing for me. I thought the premise was interesting but I kinda lost the plotline here and there. I did LOVE the three main characters though, they were very well-thought-out, diverse, and engaging! So I'll most likely read the second book, but we'll see how I'm feeling once it comes out.

🌈Queer rep: pan/bi main female character (MF main relationship), secondary FF couple. Brief mentions of a pan/bi and poly male character, and an additional FF couple.

I was searching for a good grimdark story without a lot of romance and this really fit the bill. Enjoyed the world, characters, magic system. Can't wait for the next book!

I put off reading this book because I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my unreasonably high expectations but I shouldn’t have worried or waited to read this. It was so good! As soon as I finished I wanted to start it again so I could dive back into the world. Loved the representation throughout the book and had a lot of fun with the MC’s. Did not enjoy the cliffhanger as much but I’ll definitely be picking up the next book.

I'll be honest.......took a bit to finally get into this story and start to care about these characters. I liked the setting and the idea of having a person whose job it is to kill gods, but Kissen was a bit tough to get a read on at first. Her start in life was tragic, I like that she is self-sufficient and takes no gruff from anyone, but definitely had a hard time really liking her at first. The one relationship I immediately took to was Inara and Skedi......he is adorable, loyal and must not be harmed!! Elogast is to me the most sympathetic character and easiest to like right from the start and once the 3 of them start their journey together, that's when the story really settled in, and I was onboard. The attacks by the demons and the fight scenes were well written and meeting some of the remaining gods in Blenraden was my favorite part of the story, as I liked Kissen much more once she started connecting to the other characters. I am looking forward to the growing relationship between Elo and Inara and am certainly looking forward to where the story is going in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, I truly did not want to stop reading. I was able to listen along to the audio as I read, and that is extremely well-done as well. I love this complex magic system and the reimagining of gods. I found the characters to be well developed, and I loved watching the dynamics between them shift throughout the story. This is a multi-POV story, which I usually find distracting, but the chapters flowed effortlessly and I was glad to see all of the different perspectives.

I think my favorite part of the story was the pilgrimage element, it added quite a lot to the world building as well as the mood of the story. I also appreciate the representation in this story, with an LGBTQ+ main character that also has a prosthetic leg and sign language represented throughout.

I would recommend this to fans of Percy Jackson, but also Lord of the Rings. Really anyone who appreciates an unlikely group of travelers with an intricate magic system and medieval(ish) setting would enjoy this book. I can't wait to read the sequel.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what this author releases in the future.

This novel has the feel of an epic fantasy without the "heaviness" and massive length of one. Hannah Kaner doesn't waste time or words with her brilliantly crafted writing style, rich world building, and captivating characters. I got lost in this immersive story and can't wait to read more from the author

I've heard so much about this book over the past few months/weeks and had high expectations for it. I think I definitely enjoyed the plot and thought it was overall, very interesting. I would definitely recommend it due to the intricate relationships between characters, the world building, etc. Overall, really great :)

In a world full of over powerful gods, Kissen makes her living as a godkiller, seeking revenge after her family was killed by zealots of a fire god. On her way between jobs, she crosses paths with a young noble girl named Inara who has a god of white lies, Skedi, bound to her. While Kissen’s instincts are to kill Skedi, she is convinced into helping Inara and Skedi on their journey to separate the bond that ties them together while avoiding mercenaries intent on Inara’s demise. Along the way they are joined by a knight turned baker named Elogast, who’s on his own mysterious journey that could change the course of the entire kingdom.

I’ve always heard it said that first books are for building characters and second books are for building the world out. However, with high fantasy books such as this one, it’s impossible to not have a large info dump at the beginning. It definitely took a while before I figured out what was going on but I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I loved the idea of having thousands of gods, from mighty fire and sea gods to a god of broken sandals. I loved how this world is queer normative and how several of the characters are disabled.

I did struggle to connect to the characters those. As a very character driven reader, I expect to care about the characters and be interested in their development but I didn’t really see that in these ones. I think a part of that was because this was written with several POV’s for all the characters so instead of slowly learning and figuring out things about each character it was just told which felt a little “too easy” for me. I also feel like this was a really short book to be a high fantasy book and a lot of things were crammed into a very short amount of space which made it hard for me to connect with the story. I wasn’t really into it until the last 20% of the book which was amazing and redeemed the story a ton for me!

All in all this book had amazing potential to be a really great story but fell flat in a lot of areas because too much was happening in too short a story. I wish there could have been another 100-200 pages in order to draw me in a little more!

I was immediately immersed in a richly diverse world where Kissen, a killer of gods, grapples with a past marred by tragedy and seeks vengeance. The narrative unfolds with an intriguing blend of elements, including nuanced character dynamics and multifaceted world-building. Kaner adeptly incorporates themes of disability, chronic pain, mental health, as well as LGBTQIA and BIPOC representation, fostering inclusivity within the story. ADORED that!

The intricate relationships among the characters are deftly portrayed, offering a glimpse into their shared histories and emotional complexities. I love that there is a god character (the god of white lies); it adds a unique layer to the narrative given that they can influence the characters in certain ways. Fascinating!

"Godkiller" captivated me with a compelling storyline and well-crafted characters. I was drawn into a world where the boundaries between divinity and humanity are blurred in interesting ways. I found it a thought-provoking read that will leave a lasting impression.

Loved it! Great, flawed characters and very unique setting.

Thank you to netgalley and avon/harper voyager for the eARC. This is an honest review.

I loved everything about this book! The tight narrative kept the story moving while giving us tons of information on the world and the characters. I fell in love with Elogast, Kissen, Inara, and Skediceth and their group relationships. I am so excited for the next book.

It's hard to believe this is Kaner's debut novel! This is a well-written, dark fantasy with masterful world-building and deep, rich characters that you're not always sure you should love or hate. Kaner manages to expertly weave a romantic plot into her storytelling without it being trifiling or unbelievable (something that I am particularly sensitive to, when reading new SFF releases). The ending felt very satisfying, but left the door open for more stories. I desperately hope we get to see more from these characters soon!

I look forward to seeing what Kaner cooks up next!

I love a solid found family, D&D-esque novel like this. There are a few pacing issues, but for the most part the journey is engaging, exciting, and adventurous; I could have easily read 100 more pages about Kissen, Elogast, and Inara. The worldbuilding also feels innovative (again, aside from a few aspects that could have been better fleshed out). I understand the inclusion of that cliffhanger, but it is MEAN.

I expected more from this book, honestly. The world-building and backstory felt cramped and rushed - again, I wanted more. I am glad I pushed through to the end of the book, though. I just wish the rest of the book had felt like the last 50 pages.

Kaner's inventive world is a place where gods come into being through human needs and wants, but when these gods become too powerful they become destructive. Kissen is a veiga, or godkiller, in a world where gods have been largely outlawed. She is approached one evening by a child, Inara, who is bound to a small god of white lies. They wish to find a way to be unbound and think that Kissen can help. As the three begin their journey to the destroyed city of the gods to see what can be done, they meet Elogast, a former knight, who is on a quest of his own. This is the first book in a trilogy and is recommended for fans of medieval and epic fantasy.

This is an exciting fantasy debut. An interesting magic system, a driving pace that moves the story along with lots of action and tension, an excellent cast of characters, and a captivating writing style made this book impossible to put down. I am eager to read the next book and curious to see what else Kaner has to offer.

This book was such an interesting premise - any god can be killed and Kissen will take on that task for a fee. The cast of characters was a great mix of personalities and there was excellent world building. I definitely enjoyed this and would like to see an expansion of this concept in further books.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner may be my favorite fantasy read of 2023.

- Amazing pacing
-expert world building
-great dialogue use
-Stunning across the board representation

I want to read more of this author's work as soon as humanly possible. My only sadness is that it seems the US did not get a hardcover release.

[3.75 Stars😊]Godkiller is a solid fantasy debut by Hannah Kaner! Like any new fantasy series, the first 25-30% is slow with the world-building and character introduction. However, once Hannah Kaner establishes the characters and the overall plot, Godkiller takes off at a gallop, and I finished the book in a couple of days! Godkiller is a well-written and well-crafted adventure that combines adventure, danger, political intrigue, and complex characters. I'm curious how the next book will expand on the story (especially with that ending!), and I can't wait for its release!