What Is The Main Conflict In 'Where Gods Do Not Walk'?

'Where Gods Do Not Walk' presents a layered conflict that shook me to my core. On the surface, it's about the physical war between deities and humans—cataclysmic battles where mountains get thrown like pebbles and oceans boil away in seconds. But dig deeper, and you'll find this is really a story about broken family bonds. The so-called gods are actually the protagonist's estranged ancestors, a dynasty of primordials who abandoned their half-breed descendants centuries ago. Now they want to 'reclaim' their hybrid children, seeing them as living weapons to wield against rival pantheons.

The human resistance isn't unified either. Some factions want to destroy all supernatural entities, others seek to harness divine power for themselves, and a secret third group actually worships the returning gods. The protagonist gets torn between these factions while struggling with their own awakening divine powers. The most heartbreaking conflict happens internally—every time they use their celestial abilities to protect humans, they become more like the very beings they're fighting against. The story masterfully shows how war changes everyone, even those trying to stay moral in an immoral situation.

What makes this stand out from other god-versus-man stories is the focus on consequences. Every battle leaves the world permanently altered—continents sink, laws of physics fray, and survivors mutate into Lovecraftian horrors. By the midpoint, it's clear neither side can 'win' without destroying everything. This escalates into a race against time to find a third option before reality collapses entirely.

At its heart, 'Where Gods Do Not Walk' explores the conflict between destiny and self-determination. The gods aren't just powerful beings—they're living concepts of order, each representing an aspect of existence like war, wisdom, or storms. Their return forces humanity to confront an uncomfortable truth: our free will might have been an illusion all along. The protagonist keeps experiencing déjà vu moments suggesting their entire rebellion was predestined, part of some cosmic cycle where mortals always rise against creators before being crushed.

What fascinates me is how the story handles prophecy. Instead of a single foretold outcome, there are competing oracles—godly visions that contradict each other, creating a web of possible futures. The war becomes as much about narrative control as territory control. When the protagonist starts remembering past cycles (hinting they might be the latest reincarnation of an eternal rebel soul), the conflict transforms into something meta. Are they fighting gods, or fighting the story itself? The inclusion of 'reader' characters—beings who observe events like we would—adds another layer. Their interventions suggest even the gods might be pawns in some greater conflict between cosmic storytellers.

The main conflict in 'Where Gods Do Not Walk' revolves around the clash between ancient celestial beings and humanity's last bastion of free will. The gods have returned after millennia, expecting worship, but find a world that's moved on. Humans built cities that scrape the heavens without divine help, forged weapons that can slay immortals, and worst of all—refuse to kneel. The protagonist leads a faction of rebels who see the gods as tyrants, not creators. Their struggle isn't just physical; it's ideological. Can mortal ingenuity outmaneuver eternal power? The gods aren't just fighting to rule—they're fighting to prove their very relevance in a world that dared to forget them.