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On any given day there is a good chance that at some point I will think of The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, either because something I read made me think of it, or I am having a hard time choosing a new book so I consider picking Mount Char up again instead. I can’t help it. I love it so much. (If you haven’t read it, you should fix that immediately. I’ll wait here.)
So, yeah, today I was thinking about it and how one of the characters, Father, was a god, and it got me thinking about other books I have loved that have gods in them. And voilà! A post was born. (And trust me, that was actually a pretty straightforward path to an idea for me. Usually my thinking looks like a serial killer board on a detective show.)
So below you’ll find five great fantasy books that feature gods in some way. Most likely in a diminished capacity, because humans wiped them out, or they killed each other off, or they just said, “Enough of this. Laterz!” and left. But that doesn’t mean they’re not still watching.
City of Stairs (The Divine Cities) by Robert Jackson Bennett
The gods once fiercely ruled over the divine city of Bulikov. But eventually, the merciless overlords were all killed, leaving the city a shell of its former self. Years later, junior diplomat Shara Thivani has been sent to Bulikov by the ruling government to catch a murderer. But as Shara investigates, she uncovers clues that point to the dead gods not being so dead after all. (Side note: If you love Chewbacca, Ronon Dex, Drax, or any other muscly sidekicks, you’re going to love Sigrud.)
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark
This is an excellent novella centered around a guild of assassins—but no dead cats—who live and die by their code. Okay, so they’re already dead, but you get what I’m saying. Eveen the Eviscerator is one of the most skilled of the bunch, and has always followed the guild rules. That is, until she acquires a target that forces her to confront her past life, which was erased from her memory when she joined. Failing to carry out her job, Eveen is now on the run from the very people she works with, hiding out in a city where the gods are never too far away and crossing them could mean a fate worse than death. Er, again.
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The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne
In an attempt to prove who was the best god in all of Vigrid, the gods instead managed to fight each other to extinction. Now all that remains of the gods are their bones, which could provide significant powers to anyone who finds them. And as war begins, the fate of the lands rests in the hands of three warriors, whose bravery and fierceness will be tested as the shadows of the gods touch Vigrid once more.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin
After her mother’s mysterious death, outcast Yeine Darr is called to the floating city of Sky, where she learns she is an heiress to the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. With barely any time to process what is going on, Yeine must fight for survival against the relatives she just learned about if she wants to win the throne, or even just escape with her life. And in between all the royal intrigue, she starts to uncover the truth about her mother’s death and the gods that reside in Sky.
Godkiller (Fallen Gods Book 1) by Hannah Kaner
Gods exist in the world of this excellent debut, but they are no longer welcome in the kingdom of Middren. Kissen’s family was killed by a fire god, and she has grown up to be a godkiller, which is a wicked cool job title. She helps rid people of their god problems for a living. But when her latest target cannot be killed without also claiming the life of the child it is bound to, Kissen must travel to the ruined city of the wild gods to find a solution. Along her journey, she learns dark secrets about the fate of their world.
One more recommendation: I also really enjoy the multi-authored Gods and Monsters series, especially Food of the Gods and The Last Supper Before Ragnarok by Cassandra Khaw, but they can be hard to get your hands on, if you like to read physical books.
Okay, star bits, now take the knowledge you have learned here today and use it for good, not evil. If you want to know more about books, I talk about books pretty much nonstop (when I’m not reading them), and you can hear me say lots of adjectives about them on the BR podcast All the Books! and on Instagram.
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The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post that asks: Are reading parties the next big thing? People—especially readers—are clearly looking for community. Are reading parties the answer? Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
Reading communities are everywhere online. From Storygraph to Fable to BookTube to BookTok, the growth of online reading buddies feels exponential. The problem with social media as it exists online, however, is that it’s a stand-in for the true connections we all seek over the things we love. As much as reading roundups and reading tracking can be fun, meeting up with in-person book lovers is a great book lover community event. With that in mind, reading parties could be the next big thing.
A reading party is distinct from a book club because everyone shows up to read instead of having read something to discuss. At a reading party, you can make time to discuss what you are reading, but it doesn’t all need to be the same book. It’s more of a reading vibe check than a book discussion.
Sign up to become an All Access member for only $6/month and then click here to read the full, unlocked article. Level up your reading life with All Access membership and explore a full library of exclusive bonus content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations.
