Thank you so much to HarperVoyage and Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

Faithbreaker is an absolutely breathtaking finale to a phenomenal trilogy, and I have a lot to say about it, so this review will be divided into two parts.

First, the actual feedback:

Writing: Kaner’s writing is such a clever blend of imagery and emotion with all of the snark and sarcasm that will have the reader laughing on one page and tearing up on the next. Of course, since this is the final book in a trilogy, I was already familiar with Kaner’s style, and while I personally found this book even more engaging than the previous two, there was not a significant change in writing.

Characters: I personally think the characters and their relationships are the pillars of the Fallen Gods series. While Faithbreaker does add a couple of characters to the main cast, it also does a wonderful job of adding depth to the characters. All of the characters, even some of the antagonists and side characters feel like real people with their own histories and motivations which greatly increased the immersion.

Worldbuilding: While this book does add some more depth to the world, the majority of the worldbuilding took place in the first two books. With that being said, while Faithbreaker doesn’t introduce much new worldbuilding, it does take the opportunity to show some aspects of the world that were previously mentioned.

Plot: I am very fond of stories about wars and fighting gods and pirates, so I was always going to love this story. Though even when setting aside those particular biases, I believe Kaner does a wonderful job at maintaining suspense. With war on the horizon and Hseth on the rampage tensions start at a very high point, but the constant stream of hope running through this book stops it from becoming too stressful to read. There are more moments of tragedy and hopelessness in this book than the first two, but it feels like a natural progression of the themes from the previous novels.

Second, my personal feelings on the book:

The way that queerness is represented in this book feels so natural and lovely. I really adored the way that non monogamous relationships and sexual but not romantic relationships were allowed to exist without contest or fanfare. Sometimes I find that queer books put a very heavy emphasis on romantic attraction, (which is totally valid) but as someone on the aromantic spectrum, it means a lot to me to see non-romantic relationships that go beyond the realms of typical friendships. Also the way that disabled people are represented (and allowed to exist as fully fledged characters) and the other characters make accommodations without being asked made me cry a little every time. I understand that accommodating people who need accommodations should be common decency, but it is something that doesn’t happen enough in real life or in fiction, so it still made me really happy.

The drama between Elo and Arren was SO GOOD. I’m obsessed with knights who can’t stop loving someone who hurt them. I’m obsessed with kings who always wait a little too long to learn how to love someone gently. From the first time we got an Arren chapter I knew I would be obsessed with him as a character. I just think he’s so delightfully interesting. Also, Inara’s personal journey with trying to balance her love for humanity with her anger and desire for justice felt like a very accurate and empathetic depiction of being a child and learning that people do cruel things. Truth be told, I have so much more to talk about, but this review is now over a page long, so I will end it here.

I certainly liked this book more than the middle entry in the trilogy, but it didn't quite live up to the promise I read into 'Godkiller'. I did love parts of the resolution, and the character work was still quite strong, but some of the overall character arcs were disappointing. That's more a matter of personal taste than narratological critique, though, and I know plenty of folks will adore this ending. It's, in many ways, very much in kind with what the series actually promised (instead of what I'd read into it).

Ma'am, that was mean. That's it. That's the entire review.
No, but in all honesty I really enjoyed the conclusion to this series. I think Kaner managed to bring it all together, and while there were a few little things I noticed that might have been inaccuracies that were fixed for the final print of the book as a whole I was so pleased with how things turned out. I can also say that having binged this series I'm now honestly going to miss all of these characters. My only real complaint (aside from just wanting more in general) is the strange romantic subplot that Kissen was given. As it stands I don't really think anything was wrong with it, I just didn't care for it and I found it a little weird. There's not an enormous amount I can really say without spoiling anything about either this book, or the previous books in the series, so I think I'll just say that Kaner did a good job with both this book and the whole of the series. I think she has talent, and I believe that given some time she should be able to make a name for herself in the fantasy genre. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next, and I hope that in some way we might get a peek at what some of these characters are doing down the road. I'll most likely be writing a shelf talker for the series as a whole, and I hope to be able to hand sell it to anyone looking for a good fantasy series.

Faithbreaker
By Hannah Kaner

This is going to be short and sweet, mainly because it’s the third and final book so anything specific I say is probably a spoiler. So I’ll leave you with three things.
1. If you enjoyed the first one or two, I think it’s safe to say you’ll enjoy this one.
2. The ending is as satisfying as I could have expected.
3. Bring tissues 😭

Thanks to @netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Fantastic ending to one of my now favorite trilogies! I laughed and sobbed, and several times I had to put it down because I honesty couldn't handle the thought of my favorite characters going through it.

I know it's only a trilogy but I need a book 4, even a novella would do, because I need more, and to know what happens next with my girl Kissen, and my favorite little god Skedi!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the ARC!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I can't believe that we're at the end of the journey. I absolutely loved this series, and in my opinion book three held it's own just as much as the two before it. I will be highly recommending it to my friends and followers, and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Beautiful and moving finale to Hannah Kaner's GODKILLER trilogy, FAITHBREAKER continues where we last left our heroes and continues in the war for Middren.

This series has been an amazing ride, and I am sad that the war is upon us. With that said, this book had my feelings all over the place. Each character had a point of view, many of them forming alliances with friends or old foes in order to defeat Hseth, the fire god as she journeys south. I absolutely love Skediceth and was glad he got his own POV again. This book is a testament to how faith, family, and friends can come together in different ways in order to bring hope when everything feels like all is lost. This is a series I will never forget!

Oh, if only I were able to see the colors radiating off of me while reading this book! Faithbreaker has encapsulated the Fallen Gods trilogy as one of my favorite series. The found family, inclusivity, emotional growth, love and relationships, war, world building… the banter!! It all comes full circle in Faithbreaker. The way Hannah Kaner describes the color of aura of the characters in this book is so beautiful and one of my favorite parts. The main characters are built-up in such a way that you can’t help but fall in love with them all. Legs. LEGS!! Skedi.. and all the others. While these books do have a LOT of detail and world/character/plot building- and it can feel like it slows the story down a bit- if you can sit and take the time to immerse yourself in this world you will be taken on a wonderful journey that you won’t forget

*Faithbreaker* by Hannah Kane is a dark, immersive fantasy novel that delves into themes of power, faith, and personal transformation. The story takes place in a richly built world where magic, politics, and religion are deeply intertwined, creating a landscape full of intrigue and moral ambiguity.

The central plot follows a protagonist who is on a journey of self-discovery, grappling with both internal and external forces that challenge their beliefs and sense of identity. The book’s title, *Faithbreaker*, speaks to the central theme of breaking away from established beliefs—whether that’s religious, personal, or societal. The character’s evolution is both painful and fascinating, as they face betrayal, confront their own limitations, and navigate a world where faith can either be a source of strength or a tool of oppression.

Kane’s world-building is one of the standout features of the book. The author does an excellent job of creating a complex, vivid setting that feels alive and full of tension. The magical system is detailed, and the religious elements are intertwined with the politics of the world, making for a rich, layered narrative. The way Kane explores the intersection of faith and power adds a unique dimension to the fantasy genre, pushing the boundaries of what readers might expect from a typical "good vs. evil" plot.

The characters in *Faithbreaker* are multifaceted and compelling. The protagonist is deeply flawed but relatable, struggling with moral dilemmas that will resonate with readers. Kane excels at portraying the internal conflict that comes with breaking free from long-held beliefs and the repercussions of those choices on both a personal and societal level. The supporting cast is equally interesting, with their own motives and complexities adding depth to the narrative.

While the story is engrossing, there are moments where the pacing may feel slower, particularly in the middle sections, as the protagonist goes through a series of emotional and philosophical shifts. However, these moments of introspection are necessary for the character’s development and add a layer of depth to the story.

Overall, *Faithbreaker* is a thought-provoking and ambitious fantasy novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy morally complex characters, intricate world-building, and stories that explore the power of belief and the consequences of questioning it. It’s a captivating journey into a world where nothing is as it seems, and every choice has a price. If you’re looking for a dark, intellectually stimulating read with a strong emotional core, *Faithbreaker* is worth picking up.

A Satisfying and Beautiful End to The Godkiller Trilogy

If you’ve made it this far in The Godkiller Trilogy, you’re in for a treat with Faithbringer. Hannah Kaner absolutely delivers on the finale, wrapping up the story in a way that feels both complete and open-ended—just enough that you can imagine what happens next, or maybe even hope for more books down the line.

One of the best things about this series has always been the characters. They’re so human—flawed, messy, and sometimes frustrating—but that never takes away from their goodness. You don’t just root for them; you understand them. Kaner does an amazing job of keeping them real while still making them people you want to follow to the very end.

If you’ve been waiting to see how it all plays out, I think you’ll be really happy. It’s emotional, gripping, and beautifully written—exactly the kind of ending this trilogy deserves.

An absolute spectacular and masterful end to the series-- I couldn't have asked for a better ending. My love of the "Godkiller" series is well documented, so I'd generated a lot of hype for myself about the ending, and it lived up to my hopes and dreams, and then some. All that said, it did absolutely rip my heart out of my chest and I was crying on my plane home from vacation. A superb ending to a superb series-- I cannot wait to see what Hannah Kaner has coming next.

What a beautiful conclusion to the Fallen Gods Trilogy. Seeing how all the characters — Kissen, Inara, Elo, Skedi, Arren, and all the others — have evolved through the trilogy is so rewarding. Not once did I know where this final battle was going. Kaner kept me guessing how, or IF, our heroes would survive and defeat Hseth. Thank you, Hannah Kaner, for bringing us to the incredible world the Fallen Gods.

Omg I didn’t think I could love this story anymore and then this comes along. It expanded on the world so much and I feel so much more for these characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

4 stars! I struggled to get back into this series but once it picked up I was hooked again. The beginning felt a little slow and I'm never a big fan of when the group splits up, but it was handled well with all the POVs. The ending of this book and trilogy was incredible and Kaner really pulled out all the stops! I think the series ended well and I will be thinking about that ending for months.

TW: Animal death

A fantastic and riveting read! I absolutely loved this, but I was definitely sad to see it all come to an end and will definitely miss the ragtag crew. The writing was extraordinary and rich. The character development was excellent, and we saw lots of growth. The world-building throughout the whole trilogy is amazing and strong. I thought the pacing in this was good until the end. The end felt hasty and abrupt. I thought everyone's story wrapped up nicely but felt a little more time should have been spent on the conclusion.

This was a strong finale to the Fallen Gods world, it had that overall feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the concept of this world. I was invested in this world and characters and was glad everything flowed well together. Hannah Kaner writes a strong concept and enjoyed the full story overall. I'm excited to read more from Hannah Kaner as this was really well done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an Uncorrected e-proof of this book.

This is a great end to the series. The author builds up to the big final battle gradually and logically and what happens at the very end has impact and feels well earned. I really enjoyed the whole trilogy, and this is a good payoff of the relationships and a good end to the stories of the characters.

Things I liked:

Anything to do with Kissen. Kissen is a great character and has always been what has drawn me to the series and what makes it sort of unique for me. She's an original person, tough and cynical but not in the way of some "tough lady" fantasy characters where they're just invincible badasses or the kind of character where we're told how amazing they are at what they do but we never see it. Kissen isn't perfect by any means, but she gets by on her wits and her will and I just like everything about her.

The parts of the book with Kissen, Inara, Skedi and Inara's mother Lessa travelling to Irisia to try to win their support for the war are awesome. They're my favorite parts, full of action and dramatic tensions and pirate battles and the wary building of trust between Lessa and Inara and Lessa and Kissen. All of this was done very well, and I enjoyed it a lot. Lessa is also a good character. As much as I would've loved her POV, not having it is even better. She's supposed to be an enigma to them at first, and it made me have even more interest and watching them figure each other out. My only complaint about these interactions is that there weren't enough of them. I would've especially liked more scenes in the last third of the book with Lessa and Kissen. I wanted an epilogue chapter from Kissen's POV, in part because this started with her, and it would've been nice to bring it full circle with how's feeling.

The end of Inara's journey from scared kid who just lost her home and family and was begging a surly stranger for help in the first book, to who she is in this book is done very well, particularly during the parts where she's trying to figure out where she stands with her mother and how she can help with the cause. She makes mistakes and has made mistakes, but she learns from them, and ultimately she's just a kid who is in a position no kid has probably ever been before and it makes sense there'd be some growing pains. I liked seeing her relationship with Skedi settle into what it is in this book after all the turmoil in the last couple as they tried to figure themselves out.

(If the author wanted to write a second trilogy just focusing on the Craiers and Kissen and their lives after all this, I'd read it. I wouldn't even care if there was no action, just their day to day lives, which is to me the mark of a good character, they're interesting enough that you'd watch them just going about their business, god war aside. This whole book could've been about them and I wouldn't have minded).

The battle scenes and action scenes, like those in the rest of the series are great. Clearly written so you know exactly where people are and what is happening when the author wants you to. Sometimes, especially in epic fantasy battles, there's so much going on that it becomes hard to track where everyone is and what they're doing. Whether it was a duel between two people, or a giant battle, you always knew what was going on, and (just as importantly) you never got so bogged down in logistics that the scene lost momentum.

Hseth is a scary ass villain and the priests and worshippers who follow her are scary as well. The author has a fairly nuanced take on the whole issue of faith, how faith can be a great good, but can also drive people to do the most horrible things. Taken to its extreme, faith is terrifying. But it can also provide comfort and hope. Both those sides are represented here in ways that do not bash you over the head with the message the author is trying to get across. This portion of the story was well executed.

I liked the parts of Elo's story where he finished his journey of allowing himself to be who he truly was, of reconnecting with his old friends, with his role as a general who could make a difference, and coming to the realization of all the things he was hiding from. I find Elo himself not to be terribly interesting as a character (he is, at his core, a very upstanding honorable knight, and nothing AT ALL about that changes from the first time we see him to the last; he has an inner arc where he accepts his role, but he kind of stays the same person, which is fine, because I like him well enough, but makes it sort of... not as compelling to read about him). Most of his worries and conflicts are external to himself, and a lot if it is beating himself up over things he either can't control or that he perceives as his fault that aren't (because most of them ARE ARREN'S FAULT).

Anyway, I really enjoyed the story, I really enjoyed the way she ended the series, I thought it was all wrapped up very well, and the thing that happens at the very end did make me cry. The book was also well written, with strong characters and well drawn relationships and the world building continues to be top notch. The twists are good, the surprises, surprising (I thought the last battle's tactics were particularly clever).

I feel like this is a book that could've actually benefitted from being epic fantasy length, with more details about the relationships and showing us more interactions between the characters (by this i mean... more chapters with Kissen, Inara and Skedi)

HOWEVER, here are the things that bugged me... or rather the primary thing that bugged me.

I hate Arren. I hate him. I didn't like spending time in his head. I didn't like that everyone had to forgive him. It even bothered me that he's tormenting himself about trying to be a better man. I get exactly why the author does this. I understand why he's trying to do better, and I appreciate he's not trying to light anyone on fire or plotting to murder his own lords anymore, but the bottom line is EVERYTHING that is happening, the war, Hseth, the burning and sacrifices and blood, it's all his fault. He's the one that facilitated all of it, and he continues to make awful, obviously dangerous and foolish decisions (particularly in terms of who he trusts) in this book. I get that his mother was awful, and that he is desperate for love, I understand that as a character motivation, but I just can't like him.

And this means that all the time spent in his head, and listening to Elo think about him I just... didn't feel engaged it. I didn't care whether he lived or died except as it affected the characters I actually liked. I didn't care what happened to him in the end. I would've rather all the battle scenes and scenes from their end of the war had been from either Elo's POV or someone else's. Perhaps it's irrational, and I don't get the impression that the author wants us to forgive him, but every time it switched to his POV or Elo tormented himself over how much he'd changed I just rolled my eyes and thought "get me out of this guy's head".

Others will most likely not mind as much, but I didn't like him through two books when he was the villain, and I hate him even more now. This is the problem with trying to make the guy who was murdering and burning people into someone who is trying to be good. It happens a lot in fiction, and it has to be handled carefully. It helps if he learns from his mistakes and stops doing stupid things but Arren really doesn't.

Luckily, there are alternating chapters, and it's not hard to just speed through them to someone else's POV, but it's another book of watching this guy make very stupid decisions and then other people having to pay for them (in this case, his entire country). I almost feel like I'd have been happier with him dying at the end of the last one.

So harsh as it may be the book gets a 1/2 star off for making me live in this guy's head for even as much as it did.

The other 1/2 star I took off in my head is something that involves SPOILERS, so please stop reading here if you don't want spoilers.




Kissen's beloved horse, Legs, who has survived some SHIT in the first two books, ends up dying in a sort of stupid meaningless way, and the only reason it appears to happen is so that Elo can have one more thing to feel sad about. I get that Legs is a horse, so it's not like this is the most important thing ever, but when something happens in a book, I want it to make sense. Yes, I understand that in real life, things don't have to make sense, that senseless tragedy happens all the time, however, this is a book. The author has control of how things happen and why.

Elo just lost a ton of his friends, watched his former squire die, watched one of his old friends' husband die in his arms... why exactly does he *need* further tragedy except to give him a link back to Kissen and to beat himself up for breaking a promise to her (and what's even dumber is Kissen, because she is Kissen, doesn't even blame him or give him a hard time). Why does it even need to happen at all? Especially because the poor horse burns to death.

It also doesn't make a lot of sense logistically. Why exactly was Legs anywhere near the battle front. Elo goes around talking about how he's not a war horse and gives him to a little noble girl to take care of (I kind of get why he rode Legs to the front, because he's a connection to Kissen), but they knew the battle was coming for a few days. The nobles had all moved back to the rear, why wasn't Legs with the noble girl, who had probably moved away from the fighting? Why was he even in a position to be burned to death on the front line. This is never explained and just adds to the feeling that it was only done to make Elo even MORE tormented, which was unnecessary. Elo has been tormented the whole time. He doesn't need any help being stoic and sad.

Anyway, this annoys me in part because I really liked Legs and think it's annoying that Kissen loses a horse she's loved for years, and partly because in a book where the author is so good with her logistics and making sure we know where everyone is and sets up everything so well, it just seems like a pointless tragedy when there are plenty of other tragedies to choose from.

I mean, even Arren's death in the very end is set up well, and he gets exactly what he deserves. He dies as he lived, making stupid decisions based on trusting people who he thinks love him without thinking through the consequences. In fact, he almost loses the last fight at the end because of not noticing when people are about to betray him because all he cares about is how much they profess to love him. (Man, I really don't like him lol)

Horse rant ended haha.

Despite these issues, I highly recommend this book and this trilogy.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for this review!
This is the last book in the Fallen Gods trilogy and it will absolutely break your heart and mend it back together. I actually can't get over one of the things that happened, even though there was a ton of foreshadowing. I chose to live in denial. © The character development and worldbuilding was probably some of the best that l've ever read.
Overall, this was a really good trilogy that I feel had the perfect mix of politics, romance, and fantasy.

For the love of god, prepare yourself before you read this book. I thought, after two full books by Hannah Kaner, I knew what to expect. I was wrong. Dear god, was I wrong.

In the conclusion to her Fallen Gods trilogy, the author created a masterpiece, weaving together the threads of the first two into a stunning climax that - no exaggeration - blew me away. She managed to bring in all the players who made the first two books what they were (plus some delightful new ones) and merge them into a sweeping narrative that surprises nearly as much as it delivers.

My wife teases me over how often and early I predict where a story is going. I can say with full honesty and zero malice that Hannah Kaner blew me away. I broke down in tears when it was over, and I do believe that is the first time any book has accomplished such a feat. In my opinion, this trilogy has earned itself and its author a seat among the legends of narrative.