Quick Thoughts
Fantasy is genre absolutely brimming with possibility. The complex worlds and beloved tropes these stories deliver offer so much potential for wild and weird reinterpretations and re-imaginings. It is interesting then that we so often revert to the same tried and tested paths, with the genre often feeling like it is metaphorically running in place. But what Bill Adams manages to accomplish with this book is the exact opposite. He takes the promises fantasy makes of infinite possibilities and runs with it. He asks the question, if you took a typical medieval fantasy world, with its magic and prophecies, its monsters and strange races, and let it continue to evolve for thousands of years, what would that look like?
The answer The Godsblood Tragedy lands on is pretty bleak, as a matter of fact. A deeply Grimdark story set in a steampunk fantasy world where magic and technology collide, this book pulls no punches. The world is harsh and unforgiving, with people using what power they gain to violate and demean others, enforce their will and bend others to it. Our protagonists are morally complex and thoroughly gray, skirting lines that would make them absolute villains in a more traditional story. Moreover, Adams has no interest in making the reader feel comfortable with that fact. The book presents hard choices and offers no easy solutions, with every win coming at a cost that makes you question if it was worth it. If that kind of dark, unforgiving storytelling in a setting brimming with history and wildly creative, complex worldbuilding sounds like your thing, I cannot recommend The Godsblood Tragedy enough!
Full Review
The Godsblood Tragedy is the sort of book that holds no illusions about what it is or who it is written for. It a dark, complex story written for fans who fiend for dark, complex stories. It takes many of the typical genre tropes of fantasy like secret chosen ones, mysterious prophesies, power hungry dark lords, etc. and twists them into shapes that are new while still remaining recognizable and being all the more tragic for it. If there’s one thing Adam’s really excels at in this book, it’s asking, how far can I take this trope, and then going one step beyond that.
Our story starts with a familiar enough sounding cast. An orphan girl returning to her home to try and uncover her past, an ousted ruler bent on taking down a dark lord and freeing his people, a woman so bent on freeing her daughter from the clutches of evil that she risks losing herself in the process. But the way these individual arcs play out feels so different, yet still entirely satisfying and inline with the tone and world of the story, that the reader is left feeling immensely satisfied. Complimenting this, Adam’s character work and relationship building are top notch. Each character carried a level of identity and depth that is hard to achieve in a sprawling, multi-POV story such as this, but the book pulls it off wonderfully. The reader is left knowing these characters thoroughly by the end, for better or worse when the conclusion finally rolls around.
On top of the stellar characters, The Godsblood Tragedy is well served by a richly realized world. Imagine if there was a story set several thousand years in the future of Middle Earth after the world had rolled on, with societies and technology had continuing to develop. We have magic and arcane tech that mimics modern day, skyships and massive floating cities coexisting alongside Elves and Goblins and Orcs and Demons who inhabit the world with our human characters. These various elements are all melded into new shapes to better fit this dark world they are forced to exist in. Moreover, the long, complex histories and societal intricacies that are explored in this first installment are extensive and interesting. There are many hints that the world has a far deeper lore just waiting to be revealed, with many question and mysteries left tantalizingly unanswered. For readers who love getting lost in a well built world, The Godsblood Tragedy offers a world well worth exploring.
As a Grimdark fan and a longtime lover of all things fantasy, as well as an absolute sucker for weird and genre bending worlds, this book was right up my alley. But, I will also be the first to admit this book is not for everyone. The worldbuilding on display here is immense and intricate, hearkening back to a more classic style with dozens of concepts and historical tidbits being thrown at you and expecting you to keep up. Adams hits the ground running and does not hold your hand, leaving little room for inattentive readers. There is also serious, graphic violence, cursing, assault, and coercion, and of course, heartbreaking tragedy to be found in these pages. As one might expect, the final act is not for the faint of heart. But, for readers who are looking for something with some serious grit, a whole lot of darkness and an epic scope, The Godsblood Tragedy hits a high watermark and shows how indie fantasy can compete with the best of them.
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