Plot Summary
Fire and Betrayal
Kissen's childhood is shattered when her family, once blessed by the sea god Osidisen, is sacrificed by their own village to the fire god Hseth. The villagers, seduced by promises of wealth, burn Kissen's home and family alive. Only Kissen survives, her father sacrificing himself to save her, binding her to Osidisen with a promise. This trauma brands Kissen with a hatred for gods and a resolve to become a godkiller—a veiga. The memory of fire, betrayal, and loss becomes the crucible that forges her identity, setting her on a path of vengeance and survival, forever marked by the gods' indifference and the cruelty of human faith.
Godkiller's Oath
Years later, Kissen is a hardened godkiller, her prosthetic leg and briddite blade symbols of her resilience. She travels the lands, ridding towns of troublesome gods, despised and needed in equal measure. Her work is transactional, her heart guarded. When she kills a river god, Ennerast, she's reminded that gods are born from human need and fear, and that their deaths are never final. The world is uneasy, with gods outlawed but still worshipped in secret. Kissen's reputation grows, but so does the sense that something is stirring—a new threat, a gathering storm of faith and rebellion that even a godkiller cannot ignore.
The Girl and Her God
Inara Craier, a noble's daughter, hides a forbidden god named Skediceth—a small, winged creature bound to her by an unknown force. Fearing discovery and execution, Inara seeks out Kissen for help. Their meeting is fraught: Kissen is suspicious, Inara desperate, and Skedi terrified. When Inara's home is burned and her family slaughtered by unknown assailants, she is left with nothing but her god and the godkiller's reluctant protection. The three form an uneasy alliance, each haunted by secrets and hunted by those who would see them dead.
The King's Request
Elogast, once the king's closest friend and knight commander, lives in exile, baking bread and nursing wounds from the war. King Arren visits him in secret, revealing a fatal curse: his heart, replaced by a god's flame, is dying. Arren begs Elo to return to Blenraden, the ruined city of gods, to seek a cure. Torn by loyalty and guilt, Elo agrees, setting out on a pilgrimage that will force him to confront the past, the gods, and the cost of sacrifice. The fate of the kingdom, and Arren's life, depend on what Elo finds in the city of shrines.
Shadows in the Night
Kissen, Inara, Skedi, and Elo join a band of pilgrims traveling in secret to Blenraden. The journey is perilous: shadow demons, summoned by curses, attack the group, killing and scattering them. The attacks reveal that someone—or something—is hunting them, drawn by the presence of gods and old magic. The survivors are forced to rely on each other, their trust fraying as secrets surface. Skedi's powers grow, and Inara's strange abilities begin to manifest, hinting at a deeper connection to the gods and the unraveling of old bonds.
A Pilgrim's Lie
As the group travels, Skedi uses his power as a god of white lies to shield them, manipulating emotions and memories. Inara struggles with the morality of deception, while Kissen's hatred of gods clashes with her growing care for the girl. Elo's true identity is revealed, and the group's fragile unity is tested. When Skedi oversteps, taking control of Inara's will, the bond between god and girl is nearly broken. The cost of lies—white or otherwise—becomes clear, as trust is shattered and the path to Blenraden grows ever more dangerous.
The Bond Unravels
Skedi's manipulation is exposed, leading to a violent confrontation between Kissen and Elo, both manipulated by the god's will. Inara, discovering her own latent power, breaks Skedi's hold and forces a fragile peace. The group is changed: trust is hard-won, and the lines between friend and foe blur. Each must confront their own guilt and desire for redemption. The journey becomes not just a quest for survival, but a search for forgiveness and the possibility of new beginnings.
Curses and Confessions
In Lesscia and on the road, the group faces the consequences of their pasts. Elo discovers he has been cursed by a rebel god, marking him for death by shadow demons. Inara learns her mother was entangled in a rebellion against the king, and that her own existence is a secret tied to dangerous promises. Kissen confesses the truth of her family's sacrifice and her hatred for gods. The group's confessions bind them together, even as the curse tightens its grip and the city of Blenraden looms ahead.
The City of Shrines
The group enters Blenraden through secret ways, finding a city haunted by the ghosts of gods and the memories of war. Shrines, both broken and living, dot the landscape, each a testament to the power and peril of faith. Inara's abilities grow stronger, allowing her to unravel curses and command the attention of gods. Skedi searches for a new shrine, but finds only fading gods and the truth of his own origin: he is bound to Inara by a covenant of blood and love, a living shrine. The city is a crucible, testing each of them to their limits.
The Heart of Sacrifice
Elo learns that to save Arren, he must offer a heart to replace the dying god's flame within the king. The only heart powerful enough is his own. Arren, revealed as both victim and architect of his fate, manipulates Elo into making the ultimate sacrifice. The gods—Hseth, Hestra, and others—circle, eager for the offering. Kissen and Inara race to stop Elo, but the cost of love and loyalty is steep. The line between martyrdom and manipulation blurs, and the true nature of sacrifice is laid bare.
The God of Fire
Hseth, the fire god who destroyed Kissen's family, is summoned by Elo's desperate bargain. The confrontation is cataclysmic: Kissen faces the god who made her, wielding every weapon and ounce of cunning she possesses. The battle is brutal, both physical and spiritual, as Kissen's rage and trauma are pitted against divine indifference. Inara and Skedi, now fully united, use their powers to protect Elo and themselves, unraveling curses and lies. The city burns, and the fate of gods and mortals hangs in the balance.
The Fall and the Sea
In the climactic battle, Kissen sacrifices herself, dragging Hseth into the sea. Osidisen, the sea god of her childhood, answers her call, quenching the fire god and saving Kissen from death. The act fulfills her father's promise and breaks the cycle of vengeance. Kissen is reborn, not as a victim, but as a survivor who has faced her greatest fear and emerged whole. The gods are diminished, the city forever changed, and the survivors must reckon with what remains.
Vengeance and Forgiveness
Kissen's survival is a miracle, but her journey is not over. She must learn to forgive—not the gods, but herself. Inara, now an orphan and heir, chooses to fight for justice, not revenge. Elo, wounded but alive, rejects martyrdom and embraces the possibility of a future shaped by choice, not sacrifice. Skedi, freed from his bond, finds purpose in love rather than fear. Together, they mourn their losses and look to rebuild, forging new bonds in the ashes of the old.
The Unraveling Knot
Inara's power to unravel curses and bonds becomes the key to healing. She frees Elo from his curse, saves Skedi from fading, and offers hope to the broken gods of Blenraden. The city, once a place of death and despair, becomes a symbol of renewal. The survivors choose their own destinies, refusing to be defined by the gods or the past. The knot of fate is undone, and a new story begins.
The Promise Kept
Kissen's journey comes full circle as she honors her father's sacrifice, not by clinging to vengeance, but by living. The promise that saved her life becomes a beacon for others: love, not hate, is the true legacy. Inara, Skedi, and Elo find their own ways to keep faith—with themselves, with each other, and with the possibility of a world where gods and mortals can coexist without fear. The story ends not with victory, but with hope.
New Gods, New Wars
The world is changed, but not healed. New gods will rise, new wars will be fought, and the struggle between faith and freedom will endure. Yet in the choices of Kissen, Inara, Elo, and Skedi, there is a glimmer of something new: the courage to break the cycle, to choose love over sacrifice, and to believe in a future shaped by human hands. The godkiller's legacy is not death, but the possibility of peace.
Characters
Kissen
Kissen is the novel's fierce, one-legged protagonist, shaped by the betrayal and sacrifice of her family to the fire god Hseth. Her hatred of gods is both armor and wound, driving her to become a veiga—a professional godkiller. Kissen's relationships are marked by suspicion and guarded loyalty, but beneath her hard exterior lies a deep capacity for love and pain. Her journey is one of vengeance, survival, and ultimately, forgiveness. She is both hunter and hunted, her identity forged in fire and tempered by the bonds she forms with Inara, Skedi, and Elo. Kissen's arc is a study in trauma, resilience, and the possibility of healing.
Inara Craier
Inara is a young noble girl whose life is upended when her family is murdered and her home destroyed. Bound to the god Skediceth by a mysterious covenant, Inara is both vulnerable and extraordinary. She possesses the rare ability to see and unravel the bonds of gods, making her a target and a key to the story's resolution. Inara's journey is one of loss, self-discovery, and agency. She moves from frightened child to determined survivor, choosing justice over revenge and forging her own destiny. Her relationship with Skedi is central—a blend of love, dependence, and the pain of betrayal.
Skediceth (Skedi)
Skedi is a small, winged god bound to Inara, embodying the power and peril of deception. He is both comic and tragic: desperate for a shrine, terrified of death, and capable of both great kindness and manipulation. Skedi's powers allow him to protect and influence, but his fear leads him to betray Inara's trust. His arc is one of redemption, as he learns that love, not lies, is the true source of strength. Skedi's relationship with Inara is complex—a mirror of the novel's themes of faith, freedom, and the cost of survival.
Elogast (Elo)
Elo is the former knight commander and closest friend to King Arren. Exiled by guilt and trauma, he is drawn back into the world by the king's desperate plea. Elo's sense of honor and loyalty is both his strength and his weakness, leading him to the brink of martyrdom. His journey is one of reckoning—with the past, with the gods, and with his own worth. Elo's relationships with Kissen and Inara reveal his capacity for love, vulnerability, and change. His struggle to save Arren becomes a crucible for his own redemption.
King Arren
Arren is both victim and architect of the novel's central tragedy. Saved from death by a god's flame, he is slowly consumed by the power within him. His desperation to save his kingdom leads him to manipulate Elo and embrace a path of sacrifice and tyranny. Arren embodies the dangers of unchecked faith and the seductive allure of power. His relationship with Elo is fraught with love, betrayal, and the impossibility of returning to innocence. Arren's transformation into a god-king is both a warning and a tragedy.
Hseth
Hseth is the novel's primary divine antagonist, the force behind Kissen's trauma and the engine of the story's climactic conflict. She is both alluring and terrifying, embodying the capriciousness of gods and the dangers of unchecked faith. Hseth's power is seductive, her cruelty casual, and her memory short. She is a symbol of the cycle of sacrifice and the indifference of the divine. Her confrontation with Kissen is both personal and cosmic—a battle for survival, vengeance, and the right to define one's own fate.
Aan
Aan is an ancient water god who serves as a source of knowledge and limited aid. She is powerful but detached, offering advice and small boons in exchange for offerings. Aan's perspective is that of the old gods: pragmatic, amused by human folly, and ultimately uninterested in the petty squabbles of mortals. She represents the possibility of coexistence between gods and humans, but also the limits of divine intervention.
Yatho and Telle
Yatho and Telle are Kissen's adopted sisters, survivors of Blenraden's horrors. Yatho is a smith, practical and protective; Telle is an archivist, wise and nurturing. Together, they provide a haven for Kissen, Inara, and Skedi, embodying the novel's theme of chosen family. Their relationship is a model of love, resilience, and the possibility of healing after trauma. They ground the story in humanity and hope.
Benjen
Benjen is a young knight who once idolized Elo and now serves as a reminder of the costs of loyalty and the dangers of blind faith. His confrontation with Elo forces both men to reckon with the consequences of their choices. Benjen's arc is one of disillusionment and the painful process of growing up in a world where heroes are flawed and gods are not to be trusted.
Maimee
Maimee is the cruel woman who raised Kissen and her found family in Blenraden, exploiting orphans for profit. She represents the human capacity for cruelty and the ways in which systems of power—divine or mortal—prey on the vulnerable. Maimee's legacy is one of pain, but also of survival: her victims become each other's salvation.
Plot Devices
Gods as Manifestations of Human Need
The novel's central conceit is that gods are created and sustained by human belief, love, and fear. They are both parasites and protectors, their power waxing and waning with the devotion of mortals. This device allows for a nuanced exploration of faith, trauma, and the cyclical nature of power. Gods are not inherently good or evil; they are reflections of human desires and anxieties. The destruction of shrines, the outlawing of worship, and the persistence of secret faiths drive the plot and shape the characters' journeys.
The Bond Between Mortal and God
The binding of Skedi to Inara, Arren's god-given heart, and Kissen's inherited promise are all examples of the novel's use of covenants as both plot and metaphor. These bonds are double-edged: they offer protection and power, but also vulnerability and the risk of betrayal. The process of unraveling these bonds—whether through forgiveness, sacrifice, or self-discovery—is central to the characters' arcs and the story's resolution.
Sacrifice and Martyrdom
Sacrifice is both a literal and symbolic plot device, driving the story's most pivotal moments. Kissen's father sacrifices himself to save her; Elo is manipulated into offering his heart for Arren; Kissen risks everything to defeat Hseth. The novel interrogates the value and danger of martyrdom, questioning whether love is best expressed through self-destruction or the courage to live. The gods' hunger for sacrifice mirrors the human tendency to seek meaning in suffering.
Lies, Truth, and Power
Skedi's power to manipulate truth is both a blessing and a curse. Lies protect, but they also wound; truth heals, but it can destroy. The novel uses deception as a plot device to explore the ethics of survival, the limits of trust, and the possibility of redemption. The unraveling of lies—personal, political, and divine—is key to the story's climax and resolution.
Trauma and Healing
The narrative structure is shaped by the characters' traumas and their attempts to heal. Flashbacks, confessions, and moments of vulnerability provide insight into their motivations and fears. The journey to Blenraden is both a physical and emotional pilgrimage, forcing each character to confront the past and choose a future. Healing is not presented as a return to innocence, but as the hard-won result of courage, forgiveness, and the willingness to break the cycle of violence.
Foreshadowing and Cyclical Structure
The novel is rich in foreshadowing: the opening betrayal, the recurring motif of fire and water, the warnings of gods and mortals alike. The structure is cyclical, with the past echoing in the present and the possibility of breaking the cycle always just out of reach. The ending is both a resolution and a beginning, suggesting that the struggle between gods and mortals, faith and freedom, will continue—but that hope endures.
Analysis
Godkiller is a dark, emotionally charged fantasy that interrogates the nature of faith, trauma, and the cost of survival in a world where gods are both real and reflections of human need. At its heart, the novel is about the bonds we choose and the ones we inherit—the promises that save us, and the lies we tell to endure. Through Kissen, Inara, Skedi, and Elo, Hannah Kaner explores the legacy of violence and the possibility of healing, refusing easy answers or simple heroics. The story is unflinching in its depiction of pain and betrayal, but it is also deeply compassionate, offering hope in the form of found family, forgiveness, and the courage to live. In a world where gods demand sacrifice and power corrupts, Godkiller asks what it means to be free—and whether love, in the end, is the most radical act of all. The novel's lessons resonate in our own world: that faith can be both weapon and balm, that survival is resistance, and that the future belongs to those who dare to break the cycle.
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