Is The Fallen Gods Trilogy Your Next Must-Read Fantasy?

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What begins with Kissen—whose family was slaughtered by zealots of a fire god—grows into one of the most unforgettable fantasy trilogies in recent years (but that is up for you to determine). As a professional godkiller, Kissen makes her living killing gods, until she meets the one she cannot kill: Skedi, a god of white lies who has somehow bound himself to the young noble Inara.

Together with the weary knight Elogast, they set out toward the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, and what they uncover shakes the very foundation of their world. Through demons, betrayal, and war, this unlikely family of companions is pushed to the edge of survival, with each book peeling back new truths about gods, faith, and the cost of loyalty.

Across Godkiller, Sunbringer, and Faithbreaker, Hannah Kaner crafts a world both brutal and beautiful. It is a place where living, killing gods walk beside mortals, where Inara struggles with her power, where Elo must count his sacrifices, and where Kissen is forced to decide what future she will fight for. By the time the unstoppable fire god Hseth marches south with an army, readers are completely invested in whether this broken band of travelers can stand against her.

The result is a story steeped in grief, faith, and resilience. One that proves why Kaner’s fantasy books belong among the most talked-about series of 2025. And maybe even a spot on your never-ending TBR.

Can Godkiller be one of the best fantasy trilogies for 2025?

The Fallen Gods Trilogy by Hannah Kaner was a surprise read for me. Honestly, I didn’t even know about it until I purchased my Illumicrate set. The books were stunning—edges I couldn’t stop staring at—and I thought, what if I love it? That was enough to hit buy.

I decided on an immersive read—listening to the audiobook while following along on the page. But I quickly realized that the speed of the narration mirrored the speed of the story itself: slow. At 1.7x, it still dragged. Faster, and I lost the nuance. Slower, and I may as well have read it myself. It made me realize that while Kaner’s world was interesting, the pacing of the story sometimes held it back.

So let’s break it down: Godkiller, Sunbringer, and Faithbreaker. Three books that took me from skepticism to immersion to an ending I still can’t stop thinking about.

“Knowledge can bring pain in place of ignorance, terror in place of hope’

Title: Godkiller (Fallen Gods, 1)

Author: Hannah Kaner

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Physical

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Queer, LGBTQ+

Release Date: January 19, 2023

Pages: 304

Star Rating: 4 stars

Spice Rating: 1 chili pepper

Godkiller (Book One)

We meet Kissen, whose family was slaughtered by zealots of a fire god. Now she makes her living killing gods in a kingdom where worship is outlawed. She’s blunt, mercenary, and more than a little bitter. Alongside her, we’re introduced to Elogast (Elo), a former knight-turned-baker still haunted by his past, and Inara, a young noble who hides a dangerous secret: Skedi, a little god of white lies, has somehow bound himself to her.

Together, they travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, each chasing their own answers. What unfolds is a fantasy series that blends intimate character work with sweeping questions about faith, loyalty, and survival.

I found Godkiller uneven. The worldbuilding is lush and detailed. Especially for a book under 300 pages, but the pacing is deliberate, almost too slow for what the words hold. Kissen herself grated on me; her anger was understandable but often misplaced, making her difficult to like. And yet, the ending saved it. The final chapters lit a spark that convinced me to continue.

“I am a god of people. Of little lies, little hopes, little stories. Middren has not been kind to me, but its people have. A godkiller has helped me, a child has saved me, a knight has cared for me.”

Title: Sunbringer (Fallen Gods, 2)

Author: Hannah Kaner

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Physical

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Queer, LGBTQ+

Release Date: March 12, 2024

Pages: 370

Star Rating: 4 stars

Spice Rating: 1 chili pepper

Sunbringer (Book Two)

If Godkiller was the slow sweetness of honey, Sunbringer is a rocket with boosters. Burning so bright it singes. From the very first pages, it gripped me far more than the first book ever did.

Here, the scope of the POVs widens. And while I understand Kaner’s intention, I honestly felt some could have been merged or cut; their inclusion didn’t always add much. Still, the trade-off was worth it because of one name: King Arren. I’ll say it without hesitation. I wanted to call him every dirty name I could think of. He’s back, and his presence reshapes the entire trilogy.

Where Godkiller ended on a high note, Sunbringer catapults us into grief, vengeance, and rebellion. Kissen survives when she shouldn’t. Elo and Inara believe her dead and are consumed by rage at Arren’s betrayal. And Arren himself? He isn’t content with being king. His life belongs to a god, and he strives to become a god himself.

The strength of Sunbringer is in Kaner’s worldbuilding. She has a talent for making the world feel whole, even within a limited word count. Traveling through Talicia, Kissen encounters gods directly. Summoned in visions, whispered warnings, brutal reminders that faith cannot be killed with a blade. For the first time, Kissen shows flickers of softness: her affection for animals, her need to protect Inara, her willingness to listen instead of simply rage.

The central theme of rebellion drives the narrative, with the city of Lesscia acting as both archive and battlefield. Elo’s PTSD resurfaces as he’s thrust back into soldiering against his former friend, King Arren, and it was heartbreaking to see him set aside his gentle manner to fight. The buildup to the battle stretched a bit long, and the ending felt abrupt, but it perfectly set up the stakes for the finale.

“It’s all pretend, power. It’s make-believe and storytelling. Some people just made better stories.”

Title: Faithbreaker (Fallen Gods, 3)

Author: Hannah Kaner

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: Physical

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Queer, LGBTQ+

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Pages: 415

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

Spice Rating: 1 chili pepper

Faithbreaker (Final Book)

And then came Faithbreaker! The book that cemented my ranking: 1. Faithbreaker, 2. Sunbringer, 3. Godkiller.

War explodes. The fire god Hseth leads an unstoppable army south, forcing Middren to unite old foes against a common enemy. The story becomes one of war councils, battle strategy, and fragmented quests. At times, I grew frustrated that the group splintered apart—I’ve always found their story strongest when they’re together. Still, the separation allowed Kaner to explore her characters in more depth.

Elo’s uneasy alliance with Arren was among the highlights. Inara’s struggle with identity and belonging remained compelling. And Kissen—my least favorite from the start—felt sharper, more focused, finally confronting the grief and rage that had defined her.

The pacing dragged in places, especially in the first half, weighed down by too many POVs. But then came the second half, and it was everything I hoped for. Battle scenes, betrayals, impossible sacrifices, and an ending that delivered both devastation and catharsis.

And then there’s Skedi. My favorite chaotic little god. A jackalope who should not exist, Skedi is the heart of this trilogy. His love for Inara, his loyalty despite his fear, his constant humor in the face of despair, I’ll be thinking about him for a long time.

Final Thoughts

The Fallen Gods Trilogy is not perfect. It’s sometimes slow (too slow), sometimes overstuffed with POVs, and sometimes frustrating. But it’s also richly atmospheric, full of diverse characters, and built on a foundation of worldbuilding that is vivid and concise.

For a debut fantasy series from Harper Voyager, it’s impressive. Hannah Kaner may not yet be my favorite writer in terms of style, but I’ll be watching what she brings next, because the way she builds a world is worth returning to.

If you love fantasy trilogies about flawed heroes, gods who can die (or cannot die), and found family who learn to fight for one another, the Fallen Gods Trilogy deserves a place on your shelf.

And that ending? Let’s just say I’m still not over it.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for sending me a paperback copy of Faithbreaker to review the series. Don’t forget to shop bookshop.org to help support your local bookstore when you purchase the Fallen Gods trilogy.