Review: Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken

Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken

Series: Fallen Gods #1

Publication date: December 2nd, 2025

Pages: 400

Spice: 🌶️

Synopsis:

They said the Gods were myth. That the Giants were only stories told around dying fires. They lied.

The Gods aren't dead--they're only sleeping, locked in mortal bodies, scattered across the world, waiting for the right spark to wake them. And my father is the most ruthless of them all.

He raised me to obey. To bleed. To be his blade when the time came. Now he's sending me to Endir University, a place filled with ancient bloodlines and deadly secrets, to steal back Mjolnir, the hammer of legend. If I fail, everyone I love dies.

But Aric Erikson wasn't part of the plan. He's the enemy's heir. Distant. Dangerous. And... the one person I can't afford to fall for. He's closed himself off completely behind a wall of ice, but the more I'm ordered to unravel him, the harder it becomes to remember where the lies end and I begin. 

There's only a mission I never chose--and a man I was never meant to love--standing between me and a war that will decide the fate of the world.

But if I'm the spark, maybe he's the fuse. And the Gods? They're about to wake up angry.

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Story:

Just when you think that people have written everything you could imagine about mythology (Greek, Norse, etc.) they find a new way to spin it. In this one, the gods are all taking a little nap. Of course, while they are napping the whole war between people has been put on hold. Not really in the mood to kill each other when a big bad god isn't cracking the whip, you know? So, the descendants of these gods all attend a prestigious academy where their heritages are usually hidden behind nefarious reputations that humans find more palatable (mafia families and the like). It was an interesting premise but at the same time a little bit farfetched. Of course, we are talking about gods and magic so farfetched is obvious. However, there were a few inconsistencies that were glossed over a lot. The author seemed to kinda force the narrative forward even when it didn't entirely make sense or lead to a smooth transition. The Romeo and Juliet love entanglement also didn't quite make sense. And with gods usually being a little... taboo about their family ties, it made for some uncomfortable scrutiny. I think the story had promise but the execution was a little lacking.

Characters:

• Rey - Rey was not likeable for me. It felt like she was there to be the antithesis of Aric and drive him nuts. She was constantly whining over her daddy issues or over how unfair her life was and it got to the point where I really just wanted nothing to do with her overall. She had her moments of self-sacrifice which was meant to be redeeming but instead it only made it seem inauthentic. Did she do these things because she actually desired helping others or was it because she felt that was what was expected of her?

• Aric - Unfortunately Aric was not likeable for me too. He spent so much time complaining about Rey existing next to him and fighting his desire for her that I lost any connection to who he is as a character. As with Rey, Aric was led around by his brother. He followed his brother's lead which come to find out was probably not the best idea. Whoops! Aric lacked a lot of depth for me. So did Rey. They were not a couple I would have chosen honestly.

Writing:

The writing was decent even if the story and characters were lackluster. Rachel Van Dyken has written quite a few contemporary novels and it is obvious she knows what she is doing for the most part. I think romantasy just may not be the genre for her. She is good with cutesy romances with some slow-burn and heat. Trying to tie in some supernatural elements is what caused it to come at a detriment for her. I would say college age romance may be what she should stick to or at the very least, maybe do a little more research into Norse mythology and the elements of magic that may be tied to the fables.

Overall:

I was not a fan and whenever the second book comes out, if it hasn't already, I will probably skip it. I know the author should not be judged by this book alone as I have read and loved many of her books in the past. I think maybe with some practice she can get more accustomed to the formatting of normal romantasy books.