The Gods Below is the first book in a new series (The Hollow Covenant) by Andrea Stewart (paid links). I have not read the author’s previous books, but received this as a beautiful hardcover edition from Fairy Loot.
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Here is the blurb:
A divine war shattered the world leaving humanity in ruins. Desperate for hope, they struck a deal with the devious god Kluehnn: He would restore the world to its former glory, but at a price so steep it would keep the mortals indebted to him for eternity. And as each land was transformed, so too were its people changed into strange new forms – if they survived at all.
Hakara is not willing to pay such a price. Desperate to protect herself and her sister, Rasha, she flees her homeland for the safety of a neighboring kingdom. But when tragedy separates them, Hakara is forced to abandon her beloved sister to an unknown fate.
Alone and desperate for answers on the wrong side of the world, Hakara discovers she can channel the magic from the mysterious gems they are forced to mine for Kluehnn. With that discovery comes another: her sister is alive, and the rebels plotting to destroy the God Pact can help rescue her.
But only if Hakara goes to war against a god.
My favorite part of this book was the unique worldbuilding and magic system. The mystical and dangerous barrier between realms reminds me of the Shadowfold from Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone books. I really liked how vastly different the realms become when they are transformed in the aftermath of their “restoration”.
The magic used by Hakara and others involves the ingestion of gems which echoed Brandon Sanderson’s magic system in his Mistborn series. However, this author’s version felt more organic and natural to the setting than in Sanderson’s version.
As far as characters go, this book introduces multiple viewpoints, setting up a complicated series. I enjoyed Hakara as someone who is sympathetic, determined, and resourceful. She uses her skills creatively and struggles throughout the story. Her sister Rasha offers us a view into Kluehnn’s followers and a restored realm.
Mullayne’s viewpoint follows an aspect of the story that does not directly connect to the rest of the characters, but still serves an important purpose. Thassir is the mysterious and powerful stranger whom Hakara is pointedly NOT attracted to (guess where this goes?). The best parts of Thassir’s character are the mystery of his background and that he absolutely LOVES cats. In one particular scene, he risks all of the group’s careful planning to burst from hiding and prevent a cat from triggering a trap they had set.
I think of all the characters, I was least enamored with Sheuan, the desperate daughter of a failing clan and an informant for the rebels in a threatened realm. She betrays Mullayne’s trust in her bid to improve her clan’s situation. She also has a romance subplot that was very abrupt and unbelievable to me.
This book ends with action and some of the smaller plot threads are pulled together, but the larger story isn’t over. This is definitely the beginning of a series and NOT a stand-alone read.
I want to keep reading to discover more of Thassir’s background. I want to find out if Hakara and her sister can ever reconcile. And I want to see more of this world that Andrea Stewart has created.
Have you read any books by Andrea Stewart? Which ones would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.
Find more of my reviews here.
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