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Outlander: Outlander, Book 1
Diana Gabaldon
4.6
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men: Gael Song, Book 1
by Shauna Lawless
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About this book
In 981 AD, Ireland is a fractured landscape of shifting alliances and brutal power struggles. Following the death of the Viking King of Dublin, his widow, Gormflaith, maneuvers to secure her son’s legacy. Beneath her political ambition lies a dangerous secret: she is a Fomorian, an immortal being capable of wielding lethal fire-magic.
Her existence is a death sentence, as the Tuatha Dé Danann—a race of immortal warriors—are sworn to eradicate her kind. Fódla, a healer among the Tuatha Dé Danann, lives in the shadows, forbidden from interacting with the mortal realm. Yet, as the ambitious Brian Boru rises to claim the title of High King, Fódla is drawn into the fray to spy on his court.
As she navigates the volatile world of mortal kings and blood-soaked battlefields, she finds herself entangled with the very enemies she was taught to destroy. With war looming and the ancient Fomorians emerging from hiding, Gormflaith and Fódla are forced onto a collision course. Their destinies become inextricably linked in a treacherous game of power, where magic is a liability and survival demands the ultimate sacrifice.
This is an epic tale where historical reality bleeds into the realm of myth.
Available Formats
Paperback: $15.99 Audiobook: $0.00
What readers are saying
AnonymousGreat start to a series
"I can't believe how much I enjoyed this book. It is a great start to a fantasy series and I can't wait to pick up book 2. While light on fantasy elements as others have said, that is not the point of this book and does not hinder the story in any way. Both main perspectives were expertly done. ["
January 28, 2026 Verified Purchase
HeatherGreat Historical Fiction, But Felt Lacking For Fantasy
"3.75 rounded to 4. Not my favorite, but I liked it more than just "ok" it just wasn't quite what I expected going into this book. While magic does exist in this world, it felt more like historical fiction, which I do enjoy on occasion (especially about Ireland)! It reminded me almost of Morgan Llewelyn's historical fiction books that take place in Ireland, but with less historical accuracy. The book is full of political intrigue and backstabbing and a fight between two "magical" races, at war with each other, both trying to stay alive as the world moves from paganism to Christianity. I feel like you need to have a love of Irish history or enjoy historical fiction to really enjoy this book, because it's not a typical fantasy read and more history than magic. I think this is a good book, the writing was well done, the plot was interesting from a historical standpoint, and I loved getting two POVs, one from each side of the conflict. I appreciated that the book focused on two female main characters living in a world of fighting men and what that looked like during the time period. I also appreciated motherhood being a big theme in the book. This book probably would have been rated higher for me if I liked Gormflaith. At the beginning of the story I felt for her, but as the story progressed I just dreaded every one of her chapters. She's devious, manipulative, and her actions just bothered me on so many levels. There was not a single moment, beyond the initial chapters, that I rooted for her character and all I could think was "if this is what Fomorians are like then I understand why the descendants of the Tuatha De Danann want to wipe them out." I kept wishing there was some more action or more moments to bring me back to rooting for her character like I did at the start. Her PoV is half the book and it just never came. But maybe that was the point? I feel like by the end the book wanted me to pick one side or the other and I was firmly on Fodla's side because I disliked Gormflaith so much. I think I would just much rather read a book where I'm cheering for both sides and conflicted and hoping for a resolution between both sides. Will I continue the series? I don't know. Maybe if I'm in the mood for historical fiction, cause it does scratch that itch, but it'll be a while because my current reading preferences are firmly rooted in more fantastical worlds rather than historical reads. ["
June 1, 2025 Verified Purchase
highdesertgradgirlExcellent historical fantasy
"Excellent historical fantasy filled with political machinations and two cunning, strong women at the center of it. ["
February 1, 2026 Verified Purchase
Faythe GlennIrish Historical Fiction Fantasy
"Historical fiction is by far my favorite genre and I am often drawn to Irish history.This novel is Irish Historical Fantasy.This novel started slowly, made slower by the many difficult to pronounce character names and locals. That being said, as I read further, a compelling story began to emerge with well defined characters and an emotionally charged story line. Even though, fantasy is not my favorite genre, this was a good read and I do plan to read the second in the series. ["
June 13, 2025 Verified Purchase
