So let me start by saying that I can’t wait for the next instalment of this series. I would normally break up a series by reading something else in between each novel, but after reading “Gunmetal Gods” I immediately purchased “Conqueror’s blood” and began reading it.
The setting is based on the middle-east but with Lovecraftian deities. The first book draws inspiration from the Crusades but the knights have guns.
I wasn’t initially a fan of the multiple first person POVs. Even by the second book its a little confusing and results in the characters blurring into each other. While they are distinct characters, their voices weren’t quite distinct enough, especially in the second book. Personally I would’ve preferred third person limited, but that’s just personal preference.
The stories are incredible. Detailed and vivid. Even when you think you know what’s going on, the “gods” have their own plans and motivations that always remain just outside the POVs frame of reference. Some people might not like to end a book with questions, but I love the mystery, and the implications that the plot is so much larger than mere human beings could possibly comprehend.
Despite the fact that Akhtar out does himself in the second book, creating nuanced and intricate plot threads, I preferred the more straightforward plot in Gunmetal Gods. It took about a third of the second book to grasp what was actually going on and who was who. However, by the end of the second book I was hooked. Especially with the epic Lovecraftian shenanigans going on. HOLY!
I highly recommend this series and give it an easy FIVE STARS
Fantasy World Forge 