God of Broken Things by Cameron Johnston

I reviewed the excellent The Traitor God back in 2020, so, based on my current rate of reviewing, I probably read it in 1920. However, despite reading the book in the previous millennium, I remember it well as it was great. The God of Broken Things, the sequel and seemingly final book in the series, is even better. In TTG, Edrin Walker managed to stop the Skallgrim champion (not a spoiler, having a book two is enough for that), but finds out the fun is only beginning.

Disclaimer – I read this in September, so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on some of the details. 

So, what’s it all about?

The Skallgrim monster has been defeated, but Edrin finds his work is only beginning. The parasites it released had infected some of the mages from the Arcanum, causing much of the damage done to Edrin’s home city of Setharis. Edrin’s victory was short-lived though. Not only was his power weakened, but the rest of the Skallgrim army was poised to attack the weakened defences of Setharis. With the regular army all but wiped out, Edrin and frenemies will have to rely on a bunch of mercenaries and emergency conscripts (i.e. old people and children) to fend off the coming attack. Blood will be shed.

Is it any good?

Ever feel like a book was written with you in mind? I’ve read a few in my time, and this one was close. The author’s Scottish humour fits well with my Irish humour, while the anti-heroes and grim vibe are a personal appeal. It’s more than just that. This is a fin story, often leaving you guessing what will happen next, or who is an ally or enemy. The characterization is deep throughout, and we learn more about Edrin and his Arcanum days. Even some of the peripheral characters have more than just cursory backstories. The story is told in the first person, which is a turnoff for some, but I find that stories with an element of mystery or suspense are more enjoyable told in this fashion, as we only know what the main character knows. I listened to the audio and the narrator, Paul Woodson, did an excellent job of bringing Edrin and Co to life, and the voices weren’t too far from what I had in my head while reading book one. I know I mentioned humour already, but for books with a grimdark setting, I find humour can raise the good to the great, and Edrin’s grizzled wit carries us through the harshest of scenarios. Oh yeah, and what an ending.

Verdict

A dark, gritty but (mostly) fun finish to the Age of Tyranny duology.

• Format: Audiobook
• Obtained from: Library
• Listening time: 11 hrs 21 mins
• Publisher: Tantor Audio
• ISBN: 9780857668097 (pb)
• Narrator: Paul Woodson

Library (support your public library people)