Everyone has been talking about this book.
In fact, a lot of my twitter friends and fellow book-bloggers have already read it.
As a massive The Faithful and the Fallen fan, I was therefore eager to buy the book on the week of release.
So, on my return to work yesterday (I haven’t been to my office since before Christmas 2020 due to lockdown measures) I was excited at the prospect of going to Waterstones in Belfast to buy myself a copy.
I worked very hard until my lunch break, then strolled out of the office, looking forward to a bit of sunshine and a new book.
However, things took a turn for the worse when I arrived in said bookstore only to find they had completely sold out (well done Mr Gwynne btw). To quote the Waterstones assistant, ‘they came in and flew off the shelves’.
I quickly checked Google maps. There would be another bookstore… oh yes, Eason was just over the road. And so I walked…
Only to find it was closed and EMPTY. 😱
I Googled once again and discovered that Eason in Northern Ireland has closed for good. Why, I asked myself. A casualty of Brexit, or the pandemic, or just the general move to online shopping – or a culmination of all three? That was, however, a debate for another day. I was running out of time.
I once again looked at Google maps. Another bookstore was only 5 mins away. And so I ran…
I found Keats and Chapman just as the map promised, only to find it was a second hand book store. A pretty amazing one at that.
With an amazing (if disorganised) fantasy section).
I came away £6 lighter and two books heavier (and with a pledge to visit again) – but still no Shadow of the Gods in sight.
My lunch-break was over and there were no other bookshops I could reach. 😢
So what to do?
When I asked the very nice Waterstones lady about ordering it, she said it was out of print and didn’t know how long it would take.
And so, alas, my quest to buy Shadow of the Gods from a bricks and mortar bookstore is over. I shall have to move my quest online!
Keep your fingers crossed for me that I will have a copy by the end of the week!
Shauna Lawless is writing 