Review: The Gods Below is a gripping start to Andrea Stewart’s next fantasy epic, The Hollow Covenant

As a voracious reader with a penchant for immersive world-building and a soft spot for unique magical systems, I found myself utterly captivated by Andrea Stewart’s “The Gods Below.” The author’s ability to breathe life into such a richly detailed fantasy landscape is nothing short of breathtaking.

Andrea Stewart is known as the author of the popular fantasy trilogy titled “The Drowning Empire“, which propelled her into the spotlight as a significant new voice within the genre. Last year, the trilogy concluded with “The Bone Shard War“. However, instead of taking a break, Stewart has been actively working and recently published “The Gods Below“, the debut novel in her fresh fantasy series called “The Hollow Covenant“.

If you’re among those who are ardent admirers of Stewart’s writing style (and that includes you, Mephi enthusiasts!), then you should keep an eye out for “The Gods Below“. This novel presents a unique world distinct from the floating island archipelago in “The Drowning Empire“, filled with fallen deities, mortals on the brink of extinction, and a captivating magic system centered around gemstones and enchanted air. It retains many elements of Stewart’s previous series, such as an ambiance that oscillates between hopeful and eerily unsettling, body horror, intriguing fauna (in this case, gods with a fondness for transforming into cats), multiple narratives, and more.

I’ve just finished reading “The Gods Below” and I’m eager to express my thoughts on it. This review will mainly avoid spoilers, but we’ll delve into some broader aspects of the story, the world, the characters, and the initial setup. Enjoy!

Review: The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart (The Hollow Covenant #1)

As a gamer diving into the first volume of the new fantasy series titled “The Gods Below“, I wasn’t surprised to find that it had a significant task: laying the groundwork for the world, magic systems, and lore that would drive the story forward. And indeed, it delivers on all fronts, going beyond my expectations. However, contrary to what one might think, this book doesn’t start off slow; instead, it begins with a punch in its early chapters, instantly pulling me into Stewart’s next captivating science fiction and fantasy adventure.

In this story, “The Gods Below” is set in a fragmented post-apocalyptic world, a literal remnant of its former self. Following an incident known as The Shattering, where gods were forced to flee from their home deep within the earth and humans destroyed magical trees essential for the planet’s survival, the world has been divided into segments by thick layers of enigmatic magical dust. This dust can lead to madness, aggression, and even death if inhaled excessively. However, these barriers are not necessarily negative, at least as far as the solitary benevolent deity for mankind, Kluehnn, is concerned. They merely separate the world into manageable regions, allowing him to systematically “heal” each area, transforming barren lands into flourishing jungles teeming with diverse life forms.

In the process of restoration, every region’s ecosystem undergoes a transformation, encompassing all life forms, including humanity. However, this process comes at a steep cost; approximately half of the population perishes, while the survivors are reborn as changed beings. These new entities often exhibit unique traits such as wings, scales, horns, and other physical alterations that set them apart from ordinary humans, potentially making them more divine-like. Furthermore, these changes grant many of them the power to harness magic and develop extraordinary physical abilities far surpassing those of regular humans.

“The enchantment in ‘The Gods Below’ stands out significantly, bearing resemblance to Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Mistborn’ magic system and the bond between Aes Sedai and warders from ‘The Wheel of Time’. In this world, individuals acquire distinct types of magic, with most being able to harness infused magical air that originates beneath the ground. Some characters can inhale a potent dose of this magical air, consume a gemstone of specific colors (each color offers unique abilities), and perform remarkable feats while holding their breath. Stewart skillfully employs this magic system to create thrilling scenes throughout the narrative.

Fundamentally, it’s the characters that truly shine in this narrative. What has always captivated me about Stewart’s past works is her unique approach to characterization, employing both first-person and third-person viewpoints, thus creating a distinct atmosphere for each character based on their particular perspective. In “The Gods Below,” this technique persists, with the main characters, Hakara and Rasha, having first-person narratives, while other characters are presented in the more conventional third-person perspectives prevalent in modern fantasy today. This blend results in a rich tapestry of diverse characters, each one distinct on the page.

It appears that not every character was given an equal amount of depth in this story compared to others. Characters such as Hakara and Rasha were well-developed with distinct personalities. However, some characters like Sheuan, despite having intriguing qualities, seemed to have their developments come unexpectedly, possibly due to less focus on them compared to the main characters. Overall, the character development in this series felt somewhat shallow when compared to Stewart’s previous works.

The pacing is another thing that occasionally tripped me up in The Gods Below. There were times that this book grabbed me by the throat and plunged me through chapter after chapter because I needed to know what happened next. But in some instances those moments were cut up, with set pieces having chapter breaks focused on other characters in the middle of them that caused them to stretch out. I don’t mind that on the whole, but the way it was done here jarred me out of the immersion more than once, because the cliffhanger action chapters were all one compact set of scenes while time passed differently for the characters in the other chapters. For example, late in the book there’s an abrupt chapter break with a secondary character after a traumatic scene. Weeks then pass for all the other POV characters as plot threads wrap up, but when we come back to that first character, it’s in the very next moment after their traumatic event. It distracted me a little from what was actually happening on the page.

The world of The Gods Below is lush, vivid, and filled with mystery

In “The Gods Below,” Stewart truly excelled, particularly in the creation of the unique, captivating world depicted. The portrayal of the transformed beasts was especially intriguing. What makes this story stand out is that we are given insights not only from the perspective of each group internally but also externally, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factions influencing the narrative.

This first book doesn’t provide all the answers, but fortunately, it’s the start of a trilogy that definitely feels like one. It addresses some questions while raising many more. In “The Gods Below,” we explore various facets of this world, from the cities waiting to be rebuilt to Kluehnn’s cult-like lair and the subterranean passages leading into the earth’s core. These tunnels are laced with the magical dust I mentioned earlier, dividing them into “aeroclines,” areas where magic is denser and more potent the deeper you delve. There’s a lot to absorb about “The Gods Below,” and I can’t wait for my next journey in this fantasy realm.

As a captivated reader, I can’t help but notice the palpable romantic undercurrents in this novel. I won’t reveal who it involves, but let me tell you, one romantic subplot was something I had been eagerly awaiting, while another unfolded so swiftly that it took me by surprise, leading to one of the most intense and intriguing relationships and a particularly steamy scene. The romance in this book mirrors that found in “The Bone Shard Emperor,” the second installment of “The Drowning Empire,” where two characters danced around each other, bound by duty. However, in “The Gods Below,” these romantic elements take center stage even more and I have a feeling they’ll become even more prominent as the series progresses.

Of course, there’s a chance I might be mistaken, but let’s catch up again when book two is released to find out how things unfold. I definitely plan on reading book two since I’m eager to discover what happens next with Rasha, Haraka, Thassir the winged altered being, and the rest of the characters.

Verdict

Andrea Stewart’s ‘The Gods Below’ is another fantastic addition to the fantasy genre, brimming with innovative magic systems, ominous dark worlds, heartfelt longing, and lore so rich it could be carved. If you appreciate these elements in a book, this title should undoubtedly be on your radar. Stewart has been consistently impressive lately, rising as one of the leading new talents in fantasy, and her momentum shows no signs of abating. By the time we reflect on the standout fantasy books of 2024, it’s likely that ‘The Gods Below’ will have earned a prominent place among them.

Right now, you can grab a copy of “The Gods Below” from Orbit Books. For more insights into Andrea Stewart’s literary endeavors, visit her official website.

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2024-10-02 19:41