I don't have many pet peeves when it comes to reading SFF. The books I tend to devour often fall in the middle-ground between completely described (Sanderson like) and batshit-throw-you-in-the-middle 'GOTM'(Malazan being an exception!). Jack Vance, N.K Jemisin(just go ahead and buy her books), Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards, Brother Red by Adrian Selby are some works I've immensely enjoyed. This is exactly where Miles(Christian) Cameron's work fits in, almost every book of his.(Go buy every book of the Traitor Son and the Chivalry series, I urge you).

Throw in some 'all-powerful yet loathsome' gods, sprinkle in interesting humans, a dash of godborn (powerful yet humans), a splatter of godkings, set the story in an interesting secondary world yet filled with recognizable political machinations, you get the blockbuster called 'Against All Gods'.

The old gods have been replaced by the new pantheon, who had created humans to play the role of pets. I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible, so all I can say is that there are a few old gods who escaped annihilation. The story starts with a godborn setting out to avenge his daughter's death, then a supreme warrior, it also features the peace loving Hakran traders whose people have long faced decimation and enslavement, and a beautiful dancer who can manipulate aura. Though they now can't directly stand against the all powerful Enkul-Anu, who himself is now tired and just trying to hold everything together, they very well can find other means..? Introducing humans - ones who can be bent to the gods' will. But, do they?? Read the book and find for yourself. Suffice to say that I restarted the 1st Auza scene as soon as I completed the book. Shocker: the 2nd book is done and you even get a teaser chapter here. You don't have to wait 5 fucking years for the follow up.

Wait I haven't yet gone into the magic part!

Christian Cameron's fantasy books have had well done magic systems starting with the memory palace stuff from the fantastic Traitor Son cycle(Willful Murder- best named character ever?) and this book isn't different either. While I considered the other series to have started slow with the brilliant siege tale in The Red Knight, this one is a Hollywood action movie through and through. That initial pace is what I think turns off some of the readers - for it is too pacey? We are introduced to too many characters in too little time, so quickly that the reader finds it hard to connect with any one of them. I trusted the author to deliver on this and was vindicated in the second half when it all came together.

9/10 will definitely recommend for anyone who likes inversion of tropes, expansive and bronze age fantasy.

Thanks to the author for sending an ARC. I couldn't finish the book before it got released, so I went ahead and bought the gorgeous hardcover signed edition to support. Check it out.