Hammerfall by Rob J. Hayes

Blurb:

How long can a cause remain just, when painted in the blood of innocence?

They named her the Starhammer once. Hero to some, monster to many more. First into the breach at the Shattering, anointed in the blood of a thousand demons. The last of the legendary Valkyr.

But the Starhammer is dead. Or so all the stories tell.

Amidst the soaring trees and haunted slopes of the Primals, Selitha relies on the forest to provide, and cares for her family. Nothing is more precious to her than her daughter.

It is a simple life. It is a peaceful life. It is a lie.

When bandits raid the Primals, burning towns and stealing children from their beds, Selitha has no choice but to lend her axe to the rescue.

Volcanic giants spew ash into the sky, demonic bears claw the forest to splinters, and there are even rumours the kin, half-men half-beasts, serve the raiders. All the Terrors of the old world stand against her.

With a severed head as guide, to rescue the children, Selitha may need to bring the Starhammer back from the dead.

But will it be the hero who rises from the grave, or the monster?

A new standalone fantasy adventure set in the world of the God Eater Saga. Inspired by Norse mythology and the God of War games, it's perfect for readers of John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga.

Review:

Rob J Hayes is one of my favorite contemporary writers. From Mortal Techniques to Titan Hoppers, I’ve loved pretty much everything that I’ve read from him. But one series really takes the cake, and that’s the God Eater Saga: an ambitious trilogy of trilogies that tells three separate stories which—when read together—make up for a sprawling fantasy epic. As much as the main novels in the trilogy are fantastic, I’ve also come to appreciate every short story that Hayes has put out to expand on this dark fantasy world where human kings killed God and his Angels, devoured their blood and flesh, and now rule the world as immortals. 

I went into Hammerfall blind. Mostly because I trust Hayes to deliver an action-packed epic fantasy. And that’s exactly what I got.

So, without further ado…

SPOILERS AHEAD!

What I liked:

Right off the bat, I absolutely loved Selitha as the protagonist. An immortal Fallen Angel who shed her Immortality Shield and Wings to accept a quaint life with her human lover; already a solid and complex character. Her perspective dominates the narrative, and that’s what made this journey all the more special. Selitha doesn’t belong to this post-God world, and now the world is slowly changing out of the God Eaters’ control. Her story is peppered with dream sequences and stories that build on our already-rich lore. In building the world, Hayes expertly develops Selitha’s personality, making us root for this Fallen Angel. Her moral dilemmas, her trauma from losing her Valkyr sisters, and her slow-but-certain acceptance of who she really is all made for a wonderful reading experience. 

Likewise, I found all the secondary characters to be really intriguing. Especially Selitha’s unnamed daughter. I won’t spoil her story for you, but she was the perfectly ‘innocent’ child with powers who could’ve accompanied Selitha on this adventure. That’s all I’ll say. Hayes’ character work really shines with these two. I sure hope we get to see more of both Selitha and her daughter in subsequent entries. Nail, on the other hand, was a tad too tropey, but I didn’t mind. I did wish we got more of him after—SPOILERS—he turned into a monster after drinking tainted Angel blood that he stole. However, narratively, I think his arc was solid. I had mixed feelings for Arid for the most part, until the finale. Finding out her true origins made me rethink her entire arc, and I just love how Hayes tied up that mystery. And lastly, the Head. He’s crass and annoying, but he adds that much-needed conflict into the group dynamics.

The plot in itself isn’t all that special. Mysterious strangers ravage a village and kidnap their children. Able members from said village then enlist the help of this Fallen Angel to retrieve their children and exact vengeance. The familiarity of the narrative actually allows enough room for Hayes to build on his characters. From Selitha’s past glory days, to Nail’s tragic backstory, to even Arid’s mysterious origins, each one adds layers of intrigue that equally build on their characters as they expand on the larger world. And what a world this is. From Drakon to Brauhm, we get to see new creatures as well as explore deeper crevices of this world. The plot of the kidnapped children was bleak and heartbreaking, especially when the finale revealed the reasoning behind it all. This is a dark fantasy world, and the plot really hammers in that fact with its nasty aesthetic and cruel plot progression. 

Overall, a solid instalment of the world of God Eater, Hammerfall is sure to scratch that itch for you if you’re anything like me. A must-read for fans of the God Eater world, and I sincerely hope we get to see more of these characters (the ones that survived). 

What I didn’t like:

If I’m being honest, I don’t have any major complaints with Hammerfall. The issue with Hammerfall is that it is a great story set in a world full of greater ones. It pales only when compared to the exceptional entries in the main trilogies. 

I genuinely did like everything about this novel, with the exception of the very ending. The climax and finale were appropriate, but it also felt like there was too much emphasis on setting up a sequel. While that’s not objectively a negative, it is something that I personally did not like. But that’s about it. That’s my only very minor complaint.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that Hammerfall isn’t the best entry point into the world of God Eater. Yes, you can enjoy the novel on its own, but to read it after all 3 book ones will really let you appreciate every detail that’s packed within these 300 pages. This also doesn’t count as a negative, but I thought it was worth mentioning. 

Conclusion:

A short but epic fantasy adventure, featuring immortals, ancient horrors and intriguing lore, Rob J Hayes’ the God Eater Saga is a classic in the making.

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Selitha’s character and story, lore and world-building

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: Nothing in particular, the ending felt incomplete