Second in a duology inspired by Yoruba mythology, At the Fount of Creation continues the story of Ashake, who in the first novella (In the Shadow of the Fall) learned that she had been created to be the Guardian of the gods.

In this book she learns just how precarious her position is. She's being tracked by the godkillers, who will do anything to keep the gods from reentering the world. At the same time, the more she learns about the gods whose existence she safeguards, the more she realizes she means nothing to them as an individual.

I like this concluding entry more than the first novella, since Ashake takes more of an active role in the plot. I also really liked the ambiguity of her position as guardian. I recommend reading both at once if you can!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

I really enjoyed this. I felt this conclusion cleared up any murkiness or obscure plot points from book 1. It ended up making me want more of the gods. How interesting it would be to get backstories and watch them interact with each other and the mortals.

At its core, this novella looks at the reciprocity in relationships between gods and their supplicants, worshippers, observers. It delves into the characteristics that gods share with mortals. The very things that make us human and fallible make the gods callous and selfish. I appreciate reading stories like these that maybe tell a tale of imperfect perfection and of how actual trust and communication can lead to understanding, which goes a long way in establishing true relatability and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for letting me read an e-ARC of At the Fount of Creation by Tobi Ogundiran!

This was an absolutely wonderful return to our main character, Ashâke's, world as the Guardian. Where I found the first installment occasionally tepid, this sequel and conclusion was white-hot and traveled at a breakneck speed. There was so much growth in the characters and everything about the world felt so much more fleshed out. In hindsight, honestly, the first book is mostly world-building and setup for this epic conclusion. The twists and turns kept me hooked and I loved the big reveal that comes out of the handful of interludes throughout the novella. The ending was unexpected (but, then again, I’m very bad at predicting plot - I just enjoy being along for the ride), but I thought it wrapped up the storylines nicely in a lovely bow, especially after such a brutal climax.

I would gladly read more novellas or a full-length novel about this world and our characters. I found them enthralling thanks to this second story. If you’re looking for a fast read or a great fantasy duology with lots of West African inspiration - I’d recommend this series!

Very solid conclusion to an excellent fantasy novella duology. This is the rare novella where I find myself simultaneously satisfied with the tight story and pacing while also wanting so much more in this world.

Mr. Ogundiran manages to squeeze real nuance into his characters, despite the limitations of the novella format. In the first novella, our main character begins as a meek acolyte with no real knowledge of the world outside the temple walls. Her character arc from there through the end of this book is so satisfying, believable, and all too human.

Read this duology for interesting, non-European inspired, fantasy worldbuilding with dynamic characters and flawed "gods."

Strong recommendation.

Thanks to @tordotcompub and @netgalley for the eArc.

So this was an amazing sequel i liked it a lot better than the first book! The gods and mythology are so interesting and fun. I couldn’t not put it down i finished it in a single day. Which is easy since it’s a short fun read.

I liked this so much more than the first one! The strongest part for me was the characters, I loved seeing their journeys. It was also mythology that was new to me and made it all the more exciting. If you read In the shadow of the Fall and weren't sure if you should continue, do it! This was so much fun.

This book! I enjoyed In the Shadow of the Fall but I LOVED At the Fount of Creation. It is such an excellent conclusion. The worldbuilding is more expansive, the characters more fully fleshed out, and the development was excellent for only 220 pages. I can’t say much more so I don’t spoil anything, but I so enjoyed every aspect and character of this novella. 5 stars. No notes. Thanks to NetGalley and tordotcom for an eARC.

I had begged for book one to have been longer, and I am very thankful my prayers were answered with getting book two. Getting a chance to explore more of the character, of the world, of why the war became, it was absolutely amazing. I truly enjoyed every moment of this.

3.5 stars.

This would've been a 4-star read for me if the first half wasn't so focused on random characters who were wronged by the orisha. It made it a bit of a drag to read, even though this is a novella and not a full-length novel. Truth be told, my mind was starting to wander and I kept putting this book off in favor of other reads.

The second half delivered on the action and high stakes that I wanted a lot more of. I was seated and ready for Ashâke's story and her fate ever since book 1 ended. While her hero's journey in the first half of this book felt meandering, the story really tightened up by the halfway mark and brought my interest back.

I really liked how the orishas reminded me of the stories of the Norse gods (the mythological version and the Marvel version). They're fickle and petty and funny, and I'd like to read a spin-off with their stories.

Overall, this duology was a quick and entertaining read. I'd definitely recommend if you're interested in Yoruba mythology and don't mind adult reads that read more YA.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.

What a beautiful and empowering conclusion to this duology. This sequel is seamlessly woven together and incredibly well-paced. The orishas' presence and personalities are really felt on the page, and I absolutely enjoyed the character dynamics. At the start, I found myself wanting more from Ashâke's perspective, but, by the end, each of the characters' storylines proved necessary. Thank you NetGalley and Tor/Forge for this ARC!! 4.5 / 5.0 ⭐️

Continuing where In the Shadow of the Fall left off, At the Fount of Creation is a fantastic conclusion to this duology that delivers on the series commitment to nuanced characters, and their motivations and machinations. Ogundiran delivers the right combination of direct prose with the right inflections of magic to draw the reader in and make such an intricate story feel justified in such a small page count. I recommend this to readers seeking a fast-paced, character-focused, moral journey navigating the influence of gods and higher-powers.

I am incredibly interesting in seeing what Ogundiran can do in a full length novel, or a series of novels.

4.75 stars

I have been waiting for the sequel to be available and it did not disappoint. There was more action in this novella with some more world building; this is truly a novella duology meant for fans of N. K. Jemisin as it feels familiar to her Inheritance Trilogy. Ashake remains as a fresh take on "The Chosen One" trope, the only draw back I would give this novella is that it seems Ashake's regressed, if only slightly, in the beginning from the strong woman she presented herself at the end of the first novella.

it took me a bit to get into the story, but i unfortunately did not like this as much as i did the first one, it really could have been wrapped up in one book if i'm being honest like a standalone epic fantasy. I enjoyed all the characters tho and the world building around it and history.

4.5 stars rounded up

A strong conclusion to this duology! At the Fount of Creation continues Ashâke's story, drawing on West African mythology. She is caught up in an epic battle between powerful beings- the Orisha and the godkillers. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but this installment was action packed and included some interesting twists and revelations, leading up to a very satisfying conclusion. Definitely recommend both books and would read more from this author in the future! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to Net Galley and Tordotcom for the ARC. I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to read the second, but unfortunately it was not as interesting as the first.

3.5 ☆
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At the Fount of Creation is the conclusion to the duology "Guardians of the Gods." Let me say, this cover art is beautiful and definitely caught my attention! At the Fount of Creation is a super quick novella that finishes up where the first book left off. I was a little behind, so I will have to go back and read book 1.
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Thank you, Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great conclusion to the duology! I really liked the expansion of the world in this one, as well as how Ashake's character continued to develop. She grew and matured from a somewhat sullen acolyte while still keeping her quick-witted personality.

I didn't personally find this novella stood alone (so it isn't the right fit for our libraries). For such a short work, the worldbuilding was heavy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

With the end of «In the Shadow of the Fall» I could not wait to get my hands on the sequel and see what happens next for Ashâke and the Orisha who resided within her. This is such a satisfying ending to the duology and I really loved the interspersion of what events that led to the creation of the Teacher. This is such a great exploration of choices and consequences and how feeling exploited and used can lead to dismantlement of systems. I really loved this and hope there might be more in this world, though the ending is definitely solid and ties up Ashâke’s story very neatly.

The first novella in this duology was one of my favourite fantasy reads of the year, so it’s easy to say I was extremely excited for this finale to the story. In many ways, this installment feels a lot different from the first, where it’s a story of discovery, this novella is a lot more about following through, and it manifests in a very different way. The action starts immediately, but not exactly where the last book left off, as seasons have passed and the tension between the Orisha and the Godkillers is stronger than ever. And while Ashâke is still the protagonist, the story has a lot more narrators, and dives more into the lore of the Orisha in this world, and that of the Teacher. I think it’s a look at grief and motivation, as well as an exercise of power from many different angles. The story does have an ending, but it also felt like it wasn’t truly over because I don’t think there’s a singular answer for the questions that Ogundiran brings up in this series. While I found the first novella to be more compelling, I do think this is a fantasy duology that’s definitely worth reading.