After reading the first book in the series I was thrilled to get me hands on the sequel. With Kissen presumed dead and Elo and Inara on a warpath, there wasca definite feeling of higher stakes than the first book. I think Kissen's plot line was the most interesting as she had to work with the Gods while dealing with seeing her home country's devotion toward Hseth. Arren's story was also exciting and I want to see more of him in the next book. Inara felt like a moody teenager in this book, and it got old real quick. However, I understood where she was coming from. Skedi's growth was awesome and I love how he was there for Inara.

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner is the sequel to Godkiller and second book in this trilogy.

Our characters are not doing very well - there is war on the horizon, King Arren has shown his true colors, and Kissen is gone. At least that is what Elo, Inara, and Skedi think. If you read Godkiller, you know what actually happened.

While Kissen is back in her hometown, she gets more insight into the upcoming invasion - her character grows and while she remains the brutal warrior we met in Godkiller, we also see other sides to her. Inara experiences a similar growth, she has seen much and knows there is much more to come and that she will play a part in it, and her bond with Skedi becomes strained.

Elo, the knight-turned-baker, realizes he must go back to donning his armor and fight his old friend Arren, whose desire for godhood will spell doom for everyone.

Second books in trilogies are tricky - many times there is a slump and it may feel like filler while the author sets up the final book, but this doesn’t happen with Sunbringer. I loved visiting our old friends and seeing how they grew and readied for the coming battles. And I will admit to some worry about their fates as I await the third and final book.

4.5/5
Hannah Kaner continues to impress with the installment of Sunbringer, the second book in the Fallen Gods trilogy. Second book syndrome, who?? I really enjoyed Godkiller and Sunbringer brings the same, if not more, danger to this world and drastically improves on character development. Elo, Inara, Skedi, and Kissen are such strong characters in their own right, and the addition of a fifth (yes, fifth!) point of view creates even more value to the story. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed following this new point of view, and I hope there is more of it to come in the next installment. As much as I wished that the core four POVs could've stayed together, I think the separation of Kissen going on her own separate journey with the gods allowed for tremendous growth not only for her, but for Elo and Inara as well. I was eager for the reveal after the teases of Inara's background, and after the reveal, I cannot wait for her to explore more of her powers/abilities with the gods. Her relationship with Skedi is so incredibly heartwarming, and I absolutely love their dynamic together. Elo really grew into his role of a protector, and the responsibilities it takes to rally others to stand up and fight for what is right. His relationship with Arren is explored more in this book, and with the ending that Sunbringer had, I am looking forward to how this dynamic influences things in the next book. The characters in this series are so well written, and I absolutely love the representation in this book. It is so incredibly well done!

Compared to Godkiller, this book is a bit more slow paced and can take a little bit for all the chess pieces to be where they need to be for check mate. Although this book is formidable in its own right, it can be seen how it is also used to primarily set up for the third book, especially Kissen's point of view since it goes beyond what is happening in their direct kingdom. It is all so much more than what it seems, and Kaner utilizes this book to move the pieces into nearing their final positions for the resolution of this trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

“He is not a king. He is a god. And we kill gods.”

I am so stupid for thinking this was a duology. Imagine my surprise getting 80% done with this book and realizing, there’s no way this ends in 60 pages.

Anyway, this was great. I loved Godkiller, Sunbringer was just as good, but it did drag in that way that second in a trilogy books tend to do. Which, now that I know what I know. Makes sense. I’m a goose.

Sunbringer picks up right where Godkiller left off and we follow our same beloved cast of characters as they lick their wounds and find ways to cope This was definitely slower than Godkiller, more politics-driven, and less murder. But everything that I liked about the first book was in Sunbringer so I can’t complain. I devoured Godkiller in about 8 hours. It took me around 25 days to get through Sunbringer. Kanner slows down and takes us through more in-depth worldbuilding and politics.

Whatever comes next for these characters was perfectly set up in this book and I am fucking ecstatic.

Sunbringer has the same stunning world building. The same complex characters I found myself genuinely caring about and rooting for them - all of that was there. What wasn’t there, what made Godkiller magical, was any character interaction. The found family aspect was missing and that has a huge impact on my enjoyment.

I really like the premise of this series. A kingdom that shuns gods with a godkiller who hunts them for a living. I love my morally gray women and Kissen is that for me. I like that Kaner uses similar features from most fantasy books involving gods on earth but twists it in her own unique way. The action writing overall was absolutely amazing too.

But I also think Sunbringer needs a little work. The story was too choppy for me and felt like it jumped around too much. I was also disappointed that it seemed to lack the emotions that the first book conveyed so well. Almost like this book was hurriedly written.

I still liked the series well enough though. And can we talk about the wonderful queer and disability representation? Kaner really kills it and I have a huge appreciation for authors who don't stick to the typical main character archetypes.

Also huge shoutout for the cover art. These are GORGEOUS covers that I think would look so beautiful on any bookshelf!

8/10

What a follow up to the fantastic debut that was Godkiller . Sunbringer does start off a bit slow but when it picks up, it picks up. The political maneuverings, the action scenes, and the mystery and wonder behind the gods and their powers always kept me wondering what was coming next. Many times I found myself saying "maybe just one more chapter".

Sunbringer Includes the cast of characters you would expect it to coming off the ending of Godkiller as well as a couple new additions (though not as POV characters). This book also explores a bit deeper into a lot of the characters to really flush out who they are and what motivates them, as well as the pain they feel. There were many times where I found myself really emphasizing with the characters and wished I could reach through the pages to help them, or scream at them to do/not do something.

The plot of this entry, for most of the book, seems a bit more muted than in the first book. This allows for a more character driven narrative, like I mentioned above. That being said the new plot directions that are brought up during this book range from fascinating to dread inspiring for what is to come. I also really love the way that the gods work in this world. I love that they get power from being loved, from receiving offerings and gifts, and can dwindle and die when they are forgotten or go without love/worship from humans. It is such a great dynamic, like yes a well loved god is immensely powerful and can do great and/or terrible things to humans, but without love and worship from those same humans it can cease to exist.

By the time I finished reading I couldn't decide if I was happy to have received an ARC of this, because it was a joy to read, or mad because it means I have to wait longer between this and book 3 without the answers I desperately crave.

Also I once again have to give props for the amazing cover art.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this arc which will be available 3/12/24!


This book was magical. The whole experience of it breathed magic into my soul. This series to me will go down as a favorite fantasy read. It is an odyssey of epic proportions and that I feel is a feat. It seamlessly carried on from book one. Honestly I am speechless. I cannot wait to buy this book.

Sunbringer was one of my first books of 2024, and I could not have gotten off to a better start. Godkiller was my #1 Fantasy read of 2023 (and if you ask anyone who knows me I WOULD NOT shut up about it,) and I can see the sequel following in its footsteps for this year (yes even though it is so early in the year!)
This is a perfect blend of high fantasy, political fantasy, and mythology elements combined with tons of disability and lgbt+ representation and complex, realistic characters who like us humans HAVE FAULTS (gasp a not perfect lead character?!?!? YES thank goodness!!!)

We pick up right where we left each of our beloved characters at the end of Godkiller: in a state of anguish and alarm. Each of our beloved characters has to figure out how to pick up and keep going after everything they’ve been through. It is here we really see the essence of each person as they navigate new trials. Inara in specific stands out in this book; she gets some truly quality, almost painful to read character development. Her thoughts and feelings are so realistic for a child who crashed into a terrible situation and is trying so hard to grow up and make a difference. Meanwhile, the adults around her want nothing more than to protect her from suffering any more harm. I think this is a big part of what makes this series so compelling: each character has such heart-wrenchingly understandable inspirations.

This installment really raises the stakes in preparation for the final book in the trilogy, but it does take some time to get momentum going. The last 30-40% are incredibly action-packed, and the first half is tense and a bit slow-paced. However, I think Sunbringer does a good job of not falling into the second book lull that so many trilogies suffer from. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of this incredible story. 4.8/5 stars, thus I am rounding to 5.
Thank you to Netgalley, Edelweiss+, and Haper Collins for the copies of digital and physicals ARCs that allowed me to read practically anywhere I wanted.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book for an honest review.

I went straight from reading the first book to reading the sequel; I totally recommend that, I had zero cliffhanger anxiety... That is until the end of this book.

While the first book left us with a few situations that in other books would be cut and dry, this book throws it on it's head. The group needs to kill the king, well there's going to be a problem with that. Kissen needs to get back to the group, there's a problem with that. Inara needs to find out why she can command gods, there's a problem with that. This book adds to the issues that are going on in the world and builds it out little by little.

I think the only annoyance I got was the total pause on the romance. I know it wasn't a big deal in the first book, but I loved Kissen and Elo's dynamic. I'm also excited for the next book to see what happens next.

Honestly, I can't give spoilers... but like the first book, things are going to be put into perspective. New allies are going to be added and some of them are shocking for me. I now need to live with the fact there's another great cliffhanger and I don't have the next book to run to yet.

I will say the book does drag a bit in the beginning as things get on track, but that clears up and the ending is totally worth it. I love the fact Inara is a YA protagonist who's hanging with a bunch of adults who are war-worn and ready to throw hands.

This was a great end to the duology that I really enjoyed! I was a little confused at some parts but overall I got the plot and I really loved the main characters. So epic!

The way I absolutely SCREAMED when I got approved for this 😭😮‍💨

I devoured Godkiller and I’m happy to say I enjoyed the second installment just as much. While it was a bit predictable, it did not take away from my enjoyment. We get multiple POV from the characters we love.

The representation was AMAZING throughout the entire book. 🤌🏻

The author does such an incredible job writing. If you’re anything like me, you struggle with high fantasy due to length and confusion. This is not the case with this series and I’m fully obsessed, I’’m gonna need the next book as soon as possible 🙃

"Sunbringer" picks up right where Godkiller left off. We follow multiple perspectives, including Kissen, Inara, Elo, Arren, and Skedi, each character having their own story line that intertwines with the others.

Some of the things I absolutely love about this second installment are that we get to see so much representation. There is a really great LGBTQ representation in this book, with many gay and lesbian families seemlessly written into the story, including Telle and Yatho, Elo's parents, and a few other side characters. These families are able to have children in this society and its just so effortlessly written into the world, and it makes me hope that one day our own world can be so accepting that this is just the norm.

There is also a great representation of people with disabilities; Telle being deaf, Yatho being confined to a wheelchair, and Kissen missing a limb. It shows the struggles that they face but also how society is able to come together to ease their difficulties (many people speak sign language).

The story is a lot more action packed than the first book, follow multiple different perspectives as they fight for what they think is right. I felt like the 2nd half of the book really picked up speed, and I flew through the story. This novel once again ends on a cliffhanger, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making me excited to read the next book!

Somethings that detracted from this novel are that there are so many characters, so many gods, and so many places to keep track of, and all of them have crazy names that make it hard to keep track of. I had a hard time remembering which god was which, and an especially hard time knowing which cities were in which kingdom and where they were located. (My ARC did not come with a map, so that may have made things worse). I also hope this novel goes through at least one more round of editing before being published, because there were quite a few spelling and gramatical errors.

Overall, I enjoyed this installment more than the first book, would absolutely recommend and cannot wait to read more! This series might be for you if you are interested in political fantasy, where gods have the power to help or hinder society.

4/5 stars

Thank you so much to netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sunbringer was my first book of 2024, and I could not have gotten off to a better start. Godkiller was in my top 5 last year, and I can see the sequel following in its footsteps for this year. This is a perfect blend of high fantasy, political fantasy, and mythology elements combined with tons of disability and lgbt+ representation and complex, realistic characters.
We pick up right where we left each of our beloved characters at the end of Godkiller: in a state of grief and dismay. Each of them has to figure out how to pick up and keep going after everything they’ve been through, and we really see the essence of each person as they navigate new challenges. Inara in particular shines in this book; she gets some truly quality, almost painful to read character development. Her thoughts and feelings are so realistic for a child who got dropped into a terrible situation and is trying so hard to grow up and make a difference. Meanwhile, the adults around her want nothing more than to protect her from suffering any more harm. I think this is a big part of what makes this series so compelling: each character has such achingly understandable motivations.
This installment really raises the stakes in preparation for the final book in the trilogy, but it does take some time to get momentum going. The last 30-40% are incredibly action-packed, and the first half is tense and a bit slow-paced. However, I think Sunbringer does a good job of not falling into the second book lull that so many trilogies suffer from. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of this incredible story. 4.5/5 stars.

If you enjoyed the first book as I so greatly did, then this book will not disappoint. It falls into second book syndrome a bit as it's not as good as the first (but that's common that's why there's a name for it💀) but you could see all the ways it was setting up for a compelling conclusion. It was fast paced, atmospheric, intricate, and with well written characters this is shaping up to be a top notch series.

Godkiller was one one of my stand-out faves of last year, so as soon as the sequel was announced, I was already buzzing with excitement to dive into it. And, I gotta say, for me, this book delivered on all counts. The story takes place pretty quickly after the ending of Godkiller. While I loved the first book for the building up of a found family, this book focuses more on the characters as individuals. There's excellent explorations of grief and how the manifests; the preservation of history; the ways in which a religion can be twisted and how the fervor surrounding it can burn and hurt. The setting is mostly in the city, while Godkiller was a travelogue of sorts, but I quite enjoyed the familiarity because it allowed for other characters that were in the background a chance to shine. As for the main characters, I feel like this story really allowed Inara to shine and she broke my heart, even as she frustrated me at times.

There's a lot of set-up happening for the conclusion of the trilogy, but I was never bored. I love these characters and I'm both excited and terrified for what the author has planned for the finale.

Thank you Netgalley & Harper Collins for an ARC of Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner in exchange for an honest review

When I finished Godkiller, I was blown away by Hannah Kaner’s ability to write an intricate, interesting fantasy world in under 300 pages. I’m happy to say that she further impressed me with this sequel! Kaner also had the ability to make me care so deeply for each character, to the point where there wasn’t one perspective that I liked less than the others (which, if you know me, split perspective books can be the bane of my existence, there’s always one character’s chapters I just want to skip entirely)

With this series, Kaner has created a masterful world and I truly can’t wait for the conclusion! Fans of high fantasy who don’t have the energy for 800 page tomes will not be disappointed by this high stakes, low page count series.

A thrilling return to Kaner's brilliant world where the lives of gods and mortals are intertwined far more than either would like.

Sunbringer is my most Anticipated Sequel and it did not disappoint for a moment. I love the way Kaner continues to balance character-driven plot against the rapid, ever-increasing danger of outside forces. I adore this little found family of a feral godkiller, a broken baker-knight, and this young woman with strange connections to the gods.

My feelings can be summarized with the classic "Fire Elmo gif" which is, incidentally, wildly appropriate for the story.

I can't wait for the grand finale!

I genuinely adore these books; easily one of my favorite fantasy series (trilogy I'm guessing) of the past few years. Kaner continues her feud of dying gods and mortals in a wonderfully well-realized fantasy world with a great cast of characters. This is my go-to recommendation lately for readers looking for that classic epic fantasy feel with a more inclusive vibe and great prose. Will be eagerly awaiting the next volume!

I will admit that I bought the first book soley because of the cover...but the story and characters were amazing. This second book goes even further and I really enjoyed the adventure. This one is longerand the plotis much more involved, but still great. And the cover! *chef's kiss*