Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

'A ground breaking and extraordinary novel . . . Hanrahan has an astonishing imagination' Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones 'Beautifully written. Gripping. Guerdon is the city of my dreams' - Anna Smith Spark, author of The Court of Broken Knives In the ancient city of Guerdon, three thieves - an orphan, a ghoul and a cursed man - are accused of a crime they didn't commit. Their quest for revenge exposes a perilous conspiracy, the seeds of which were sown long before they were born. A centuries-old magical war is on the verge of reigniting and in the tunnels deep below the city, a malevolent power stirs. Only by standing together can the three friends prevent a conflict that would bring total devastation to their city - and the world beyond. Set in a world of dark gods and dangerous magic, The Gutter Prayer is thrilling and visceral debut fantasy from an exciting new talent.

The Gutter Prayer

altlovesbooks

This book had me in the very beginning, lost me in the middle, and then found me again near the end. The writing was very dark and engaging, but for some reason all the middle banter and groups of main characters splitting off, reforming differently, and splitting off again was a little hard to get used to. I also feel like this book suffers from having too many main characters doing too many important things at once. Everyone has some divine importance, and when everybody does, it sort of loses its impact. I'll still likely read the second book, all that said. There was something fun about it that I liked a lot.

Sade A

.UPDATE: The Gutter Prayer is currently on sale now 1st July, 2019 in the Kindle UK Store for 99p.

"Isn't it wonderful to be here in the great city of Guerdon, with all its sights and strangeness"

I'm not sure what i was expecting when i started The Gutter Prayer. I'd seen the reviews, obviously, from readers who'd gotten the ARC (those lucky people) - they were glorious. It wasn't just one person lauding this book, everyone who's review i hold in high regard was unanimous in their rating of this book: 
Believe the praise, The Gutter Prayer is that book you don't want to pass up.

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So what makes this book stand out? 

📌I finally get a dark fantasy (i refuse to use that grimdark word) book where the female characters are not reduced to type. Like do you know how happy i was to have capable women. Nowhere was it questioned or insinuated that you couldn't do shit because you were a woman. I could have wept happy tears. No joke.

📌This book hits the ground running. From the very first scene, the author shows you that this book means business and is going to leave you at the edge of your seat. And by the book gods it does!! Completely and totally leaves you spinning and questioning everyone's motives.

📌The imagery/ World building is amazing. This book didn't do overly complicated and thank the lord for that. Whether it was with describing the non human denziens of Guerdon, or the gods or even Guerdon itself, this book was succint and direct. Yes you're reading, this but let me tell you Hanrahan was able to paint Guerdon and everything in it, in vivid imagery, that would make you fascinated enough to wish it existed. No jokes!! If Guerdon existed i'd definitely visit (i think) 

📌The characters stand out. It's hard i'll give you that, to flesh out characters. To make them seem like there's different facets to them. But this book does that, We're not talking flat liveless characters here that end up feeling like they're being prodded to act in a certain way, It's all very organic. What's even more impressive with this book is, you're not just focused on one character. There's a host of characters here that you get to live inside their heads so to speak and they are freaking amazing.
Side note: My fave was Aleena because whew!!! that lady was a boss.

 📌The prose is right on the money...Not unnessarily hindered with cumbersome words just to make the book sound smart, except you're using the word inferated 😊. What i especially loved about it was the narration in present time. So it basically felt you and characters didn't know what was going to happen next. You were basically in the dark and it just served to make charcter decisions even more authentic because you could realy immerse yourself in their situations.

📌Finally the plot. A lot of times i feel authors who write in this sub genre think if their book is especially gruesome and people curse a lot, the plot is taken care of. This doesn't happen here. The Gutter Prayer after being supported by amazing characterisation, world building and prose spins an awesome, pray for your characters, probably yell at your kindle, pray to the book gods, take deep breaths kind of story that you only find in the most impressive kind of books.

Is this book perfect? HECK YEAH!!! Ok well, that's maybe too much pressure, but it comes pretty darn close. I promise you won't regret buying this book.



  BUY THIS BOOK!!

First thing first, the worldbuiding in this book was quite fascinating. I liked multiple aspects of it and the fact that we see creatures specific to this world is really cool. The backstories of the creatures we meet was pretty awesome too.

As for the magic system, I don't know why but I had the impression to see a lot of similarities with the Malazan world. Like the way some characters practiced sorcery seeking powers from gods in another plan or whatever you would call it (well I have particular scenes in mind) I wish the magic system was introduced in a more understandable way, I had just admitted it tbh and can't say for sure how it works. But I can see the inspirations.

Plot wise, when we start the story we see that so much stuffs happened but at the same time it felt like nothing is going on and it takes really some time for the story to take off. To have more actions, more answers. The way we were kept in the dark for certain things was more frustrating than intriguing and I've slowly started to lose interest. The storytelling and the pacing were not it for me. 

Still, the revelations at the end were a bit surprising even if I had my own suspicions lol and I'm frustrated for one particular character but well like I said they've lost me throughout the story and I'm not sure I would pick up the next book in the series. The characters were not memorable to me and I am not invested to them enough to want to meet them again.

Still, it's a good 3 stars neither bad neither good for me.

Amira BEN

First thing first, the worldbuiding in this book was quite fascinating. I liked multiple aspects of it and the fact that we see creatures specific to this world is really cool. The backstories of the creatures we meet was pretty awesome too.

As for the magic system, I don't know why but I had the impression to see a lot of similarities with the Malazan world. Like the way some characters practiced sorcery seeking powers from gods in another plan or whatever you would call it (well I have particular scenes in mind) I wish the magic system was introduced in a more understandable way, I had just admitted it tbh and can't say for sure how it works. But I can see the inspirations.

Plot wise, when we start the story we see that so much stuffs happened but at the same time it felt like nothing is going on and it takes really some time for the story to take off. To have more actions, more answers. The way we were kept in the dark for certain things was more frustrating than intriguing and I've slowly started to lose interest. The storytelling and the pacing were not it for me. 

Still, the revelations at the end were a bit surprising even if I had my own suspicions lol and I'm frustrated for one particular character but well like I said they've lost me throughout the story and I'm not sure I would pick up the next book in the series. The characters were not memorable to me and I am not invested to them enough to want to meet them again.

Still, it's a good 3 stars neither bad neither good for me.

There was a lot going on in this book. The world building in the beginning was very interesting, I liked a few of the characters a lot but then I just kind of lost interest. Getting to the end was a struggle and I probably wouldn’t have gotten there if it weren’t for 

It’s definitely interesting but the writing style started to get confusing and the plot didn’t really draw me in. Overall it was entertaining but I don’t have a desire to return to that world. 

Megan BV

There was a lot going on in this book. The world building in the beginning was very interesting, I liked a few of the characters a lot but then I just kind of lost interest. Getting to the end was a struggle and I probably wouldn’t have gotten there if it weren’t for @amirasreading

It’s definitely interesting but the writing style started to get confusing and the plot didn’t really draw me in. Overall it was entertaining but I don’t have a desire to return to that world. 

Eryn Bradshaw

ARC received from NetGalley for a review.

This was a book that I really wanted to like but kept waiting for it to hook me in and keep me there. I love dark and gritty fantasies, but there were times where I felt like it was needless dark and gritty. There was an almost needless harshness about each character you met. The three main characters, Cari, Rat, and Spar, where a bit flat and unlikeable. I wanted to try and find some sympathy or even some likable qualities about them, but each one just seems as boring as the next.

There seemed to be some really solid ideas with lore, gods, the alchemists, and even different beings like the Raveller and the Tallowmen, but I think there might have been too many ideas crammed into a single book.

I felt like the book dragged on, unfortunately. I really wish I hadn't found it so slow and found more enjoyment out of this book, but it just wasn't there for me.

Keagan Hilliard

Savannah Winchell

Gareth Hanrahan

A group of three young thieves are pulled into a centuries old magical war between ancient beings, mages, and humanity in this wildly original debut epic fantasy. Enter a city of saints and thieves . . . The city of Guerdon stands eternal. A refuge from the war that rages beyond its borders. But in the ancient tunnels deep beneath its streets, a malevolent power has begun to stir. The fate of the city rests in the hands of three thieves. They alone stand against the coming darkness. As conspiracies unfold and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be tested to the limit. If they fail, all will be lost, and the streets of Guerdon will run with blood. The Gutter Prayer is an epic tale of sorcerers and thieves, treachery and revenge, from a remarkable new voice in fantasy.

The Gutter Prayer

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