The Land of the Living and the Dead (Gael Song, 3)

Shauna Lawless

A LOVEREADING BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024!

With war on the horizon in medieval Ireland, everything is at stake for mortal and magical folk alike. The new volume in the critically acclaimed GAEL SONG historical fantasy series from Shauna Lawless.

THE OLD WORLD WILL DIE IN FLAMES.

Ireland, 1011 AD. The mortal kingdoms rise up against High King Brian Boru as they seek to wrest his crown from him. Yet the real struggle is between the two magical races of Ireland, the Fomorians and the Descendants, eternal enemies who both now seek dominion over the mortal world.

Gormflaith, queen of King Brian, remains unmasked as the powerful Fomorian she is. Gormflaith plans to establish control over Ireland and destroy the Descendants in one fell swoop—but she cannot do it alone.

The Descendants are divided, for not all their kind wish to dominate the mortals. Fódla, a Descendant who was once part of King Brian's inner circle, must use this division to thwart treacherous plots that have been long in the making—even if it means sacrificing herself. But with other lives on the line, can Fódla reveal the evil in time?

As secret schemes come to deadly fruition, the only possible outcome is war. Ireland has bled red and often, but the coming clash will change the course of history forever.

Reviewers on Shauna Lawless' Gael Song series:

“Lawless blends fantasy with historical fiction to great effect.” — SFX
“Lawless's writing is absolutely luminous.” — Irish Independent
“Swept me along and refused to be put down.” — H.M. Long
“Utterly magical and completely captivating.” — Sarah Underwood
“A fine piece of storytelling.” — Mark Lawrence

Posts about this title from The Coterie

Poll:

Have you read Gael Song?
If you follow me on other platforms you know I have been raving about The Gael Song Trilogy.
But what makes it so special? Let me tell you.
First thing is we are set in true 10th-century Ireland and a lot of the key characters in this story are real people who existed. (Do not look up anything about these people till after you finish.) So we have the setting, the plot is also rooted in some historical truths as well. But then, let’s go ahead and throw in some Irish mythology of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians. They are magical immortals who have been at odds with each other and have been warring with each other.
Shauna Lawless expertly takes this story and weaves in all of the fantasy elements to seamlessly connect it all together.
Now, let’s talk the characters. Most of our POVs come from two characters, Gormflaith, a fomorian, and Fodla, a Tuatha De Danann. Both of these characters are opposite of each other but offer two perspectives of what strength looks like in women.
For me, I could not put these books down. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next and all of the politicking and scheming, the tiny subplot of romance, and the emotional attachment to these characters had me up late at night reading.
These series is severely underrated and it is one of my favorite series I've read! I get to interview and talk with Shauna Lawless this weekend and I can’t wait to ask her all about her current and future books!