Love the Viking and The Last Kingdom tv series? Like me? Then if yes, this one is for you!

A Nordic fantasy tales/folklore that starts with Hessa’s adventure that you’ll gonna dig in! A priestess ( a bad*ss MC that I love) that has been banished from an act that she truly regret. This debut novel is a great one! At first honestly I’m already intrigue, from the first chapter I’m like ‘woah.. i need to know what happen right now’! You’ll going to find the answer to the scene/situations, that occur from first chapter of the book, (you know what im talking if you read it already) not going to spoil it our fellow readers. Did i say plot twist?! I love a good one and this one is ‘wow’! I didn’t see it coming. Amazing!

Im so hype from the first chapter, then to the second... then from the succeeding part my enthusiasm drops a little bit, phase wise im like ‘where will this lead’ then an adventure, then another, then ‘okay where we going’. Dont get me wrong i still believe the greatness of the plot and the story, im just a little tired of the detour, but hey i love the fights and action scenes and the story telling of the gods of new and old’s own adventures, deceptions and background story, even each priestesses/priests sacrifices and beliefs. It is beautifully written that you’ll wish to be in the woods, in a river or in a camping site and hunt!

Can’t wait for the sequel of THIS book!

I love most stories that deal with mythology and gods, and what it means to be divine. This book delivered exactly what I wanted in that regard, and I think in the end I really enjoyed this and the time I spent in the world, but it did feel like a book much longer than it actually was.

For this reason, I don't think this book is necessarily for everyone. I did listen to the audio of this, which helped in the moments the story may have dragged otherwise. I may have had more issues with the length and pacing of the story had I been reading this using my eyes instead. The story overall was a really long journey, interspersed with some action here and there. However, there are many moments where the main character is alone, or isolated in a group of people, and a large portion of this book is told through the main character narrating her story to us vs. lots of dialogue. We spend a lot of time with just the main character, to the point that some trains of thoughts can begin to feel repetitive. However, even with the length of this story and it's many slow moments, I feel like Long did a good job of keeping Hessa's thoughts unique and interesting, and seeing her grapple with her beliefs was interesting. And, while the story did feel noticeably long, I was never tired of it, forced to pause my audio and take a break.

However, my favorite part of this book had to be how it dealt with divinity, and the many layers the lore of the story had. I loved how it explored what it meant to be a god, to have followers and powers and magic, and the assumed connection between the two that is tested. I can't explain much here without spoiling, but the lore of this world felt like a closed rose opening, with each new petal unfurled revealing a new hidden layer of the magic of this world. It kept me hooked even when much wasn't happening at the time in terms of action/plot. I can't wait to see this world further explored.

The writing style also matched the story well. I really enjoyed the descriptions of places and people, and the battle scenes were also extremely well done. In those sorts of scenes, it's really easy to lose the reader in the clashes of swords and fists, but Hall of Smoke both explained the combat well enough I was able to follow it, while also remaining realistic in a sense. I also really loved how magic was explained in this story, and how well the very existence of it was woven into Hessa's experience of the world. For example, her goddess gifted her with fire magic that she channels through her mouth, and there were many moments where the story describes the build up of this magic in her lungs and throat to show Hessa's rising anger or frustration in scenes. And even though I don't know what it feels like to swallow down rising internal fire and taste ash in my mouth, the fact that Long tied this to emotion makes it easy for the reader to relate to and 'feel' alongside Hessa.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot, and thinking back on it is making me realize just how much. I can't wait to see what Long writes next, and I'm excited she's writing more in this world!

This book was really good and I particularly loved the world that it was set in with the complex pantheons of gods and the political landscape that accompanied it.

The characters, including the gods, were very well written because they were all so complex and I loved that about them. Hessa was a wonderful main character and I thought that it was really wonderful who she changed throughout the book, from her beliefs to her character based on what she encountered and who she met along the way. The gods too who frequented the narrative were also complex, as most gods are, and I thought it was interesting how they weren't all moral but selfish and also able to die. It was all very interesting to read and just made the story much more enjoyable to read.

The plot was full of twists and turns and I was kept engaged throughout because I didn't know what was going to happen next. I also really enjoyed how it took us through a lot of different locations in the world it was set in because it just made the world feel more real. That and it made sure that we got a fuller sense of who all the characters were and what they were fighting for. The ending was so satisfying, everything was resolved nicely and there was a sense of completion in the epilogue that left me wanting more but also not haha.

The writing was really enjoyable to read and, as I've already said it was very engaging and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I cannot wait to read the next book that is set in this universe because I know it is going to be just as incredible if not better.

This book took me a while to get through but I loved it. The world that was created for this book was amazing and so interesting. I loved all of the different Gods and how they were as vicious as Gods in true myths typically are. I loved the main character and was amazed at all that she was able to endure. I can't wait to read the second book in the series when it is released! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

This high fantasy book follows Hessa, a priestess of the war goddess Eangi, after her home is attacked by enemy raiders. Now she has to win back her goddess’s favor. Hessa soon finds herself caught between a human war and scheming gods who have their own agendas.

I really enjoyed The Hall of Smoke. I thought that they worldbuilding was done really well and that the characters were interesting. The plot was engaging, although the pacing was a bit off at times.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Hall of Smoke and would recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for a review!

A warrior priestess who has lost everything finds herself journeying across the world she lives in encountering gods new and old. Having to juggle who to trust and who to help, Hessa's journey is fraught with challenges but also unlikely friendships.

The story starts with the young Eangi priestess, Hessa, banished from her home and village, for not obeying the command of her goddess, Eang who gives great power to her warrior priestesses. We meet Hessa outside an alter to Eang seeking forgiveness. .While seeking her redemption her village is razed to the ground by a mysterious legion of Arpa warriors

Hessa determined to atone for her failings seeks out the outsider, she failed to kill, hoping to regain the favor of her goddess and somehow save the rest of her people, if any, who remain. Her task is not easy nor straightforward, Hessa must use both her physical powers and those of her mind to figure out who to trust when faced surrounded on all sides by friends and foes, soldiers, zealots, gods, monsters and her own struggle to forgive herself for the choices she made.

Hessa's world is like that of a viking like community slowly being overtaken by Roman legions with gods dumped in and a small dose of magic. Hessa is so relatable, strong but not invincible. I enjoy that there is a small amount of romance but for the most part her male companions stay as friends and allies who see each other as equals. Its a nice change of pace from all the intense romance fantasy out there (which I love too!)

If you enjoyed SKy in the Deep, American Gods, Throne of Glass then give this book a shot. .

Huge thank you to titan books for sending me an Ebook for an honest opinion.

I can’t explain to you guys how much I loved this book. What a stunning debut by @hmlongbooks 😍 Hall of Smoke is a wild journey through a Viking fantasy (yes VIKINGS!) world, filled with merciless gods, ruthless wars and a blood-soaked quest for redemption. Hessa, a warrior-priestess of Eang, a northern goddess of war, disobeyed her goddess’s orders to kill a stranger who came to her village. Now her people have been slaughtered and the war between nations starts to mirror a war among the gods, and somehow this mysterious traveler is at the heart of it. As Hessa fights to win back Eang’s favor, she uncovers impossible truths about the gods and the war that makes her doubt the motives of her goddess and if she truly wants her forgiveness.

The writing was incredible. Long deals punch after punch, and you are hooked from the start. The strength of the main character Hessa was so unbelievably inspiring. She is so alone in the world, and yet she always fights for what she’s believes is right. The other characters were so well fleshed out, I loved watching Hessa’s interactions with them. Plus it’s good time to point out, there are naturally a lot of characters in this fantasy world but there is a handy glossary included at the back of the book for easy reference. I think every fantasy book should have one of these, as well as the stunning hand-drawn map as you follow Hessa's story.

The mythology of this world will completely sucks you in. I ADORE anything Viking-esque or mythology based and I just fell head over heels in love with this book. It has everything you want from a Viking fantasy and is so cleverly written! We have gods, monsters, warriors and more! The one thing I did want more of is romance, but that’s just my personal preference. I’m trash when it comes to wanting a bit of romance in my books.

I can't really say much more, but I loved the twists and turns throughout. You get a sense of a much larger world, but it expands into a mind-bending finale, where we not only learn the truth, but question everything we've been told along the way. The story very much revolves around the mythology and "gods", and that’s one of the main things I loved! I’m a sucker for mythology and fantasy and this did not disappoint! As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to reread it again, I am so excited for the sequel!

I loved following Hessa’s journey and seeing how she fought each twist and turn. Though it will be a duology, this book also works well as a stand alone. You will lose yourself in this heart pounding adventure. The world is cinematic, gory, brutal, epic and heroic. You do not want to miss out! 5 stars for me.

DNF @ 24%

While the Norse-inspired worldbuilding was well done, and the prose very competent, I struggled to immerse myself in Hall of Smoke. The characters were a little flat emotionally, and not given a lot of time to grow on the page before disappearing, which made it hard for me to follow them and remember who was who. There were some scenes where characters were killed, and all I'd think was, "Wait, who was that again?" The pacing was also on the slower side, which didn't help.

This is far from a bad book, so I don't think it deserves a bad review—I'm just having a pandemic-induced reading slump, and am in the mood for something a lot quicker than this.

Thanks for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Gods are in turmoil, and the humans are dying. How can one Eangi Priestess alter the fate of so many?

Beginning: I struggled to get into this book. It seemed quite slow and overly descriptive when we have no emotional attachment to anything that is happening.

Once I got beyond this however I was enraptured by the whole world the author created, the levels of the Gods and their relationships with the humans.

I feel like it was quite slow until the final maybe 6 chapters where the whole story hit the accelerator.

Looking forward to reading book two, but not sure I’d read it a second time.

It took me a long, LONG time to finish this book, because something about it kept numbing my mind. I'm not sure why, because on paper, this looks to be a fantastic read, but in practice it was a slog to get through. I had a very difficult time keeping track of the different characters, but the 'big mystery' for the main character was something I worked out almost instantly, simply because I'm an experienced fantasy reader and that kind of twist was...easy to see coming from the reader's perspective. So Hessa's long journey of discovery and struggle with the truth wasn't of much interest to me.

I loved most of the worldbuilding, but the ending came together in a way that made no sense to me. I have a lot of unanswered questions left, and I'm not sure if my numbed brain just missed important details or if they simply weren't there. I closed the book still not understanding why Hessa was in the middle of all the conflict - it had something to do with Fate? Multiple times enemies, both mortal and divine, hold back from killing her because of this Fate of hers, and that...felt very wishy-washy to me. Very hand-wavey. And the whole thing with the baby...came out of nowhere and served no purpose. In the end, the save-the-day ritual/event doesn't even happen on-page.

I don't know. There were some aspects of this book I really loved, but the overall reading experience was terrible; getting this read felt like a chore that I just needed to get over with.

This is a new author for me. I thought it was a great book and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent between its pages. I really enjoyed the Viking-inspired world of the book, something I haven’t really come across before. It’s clear the author has been inspired by Vikings as well as Celtic and Norse mythology, elements which add up to a well-written and engaging book. The characters are also well-written and fleshed out and I was impressed by the world building.

Set in a Viking-inspired world this fantasy novel delves into the realms of men and gods. The main character of Hessa is a priestess of the goddess Eang, but the story begins when she is being punished for not following orders. She prays to her goddess and receives no response, and when she returns to her village she finds it burned to the ground and all of her people have been killed. This starts a long voyage across countries and various peoples as Hessa learns the truth about the gods and claims her own power.

Vividly drawn characters and excellent world-building make this a stand-out from similar titles. Long draws upon various real-world mythologies for her gods including Norse and Celtic traditions. Although rooted in real-world mythologies, the author does a fantastic job creating an entirely new pantheon within this fantasy world.

Hessa is a great protagonist, a warrior who grows increasingly tired of blood and death for the sake of her goddess. She is complicated and empathetic, and easy to root for. She is a deeply flawed character, and that makes her character growth all the more satisfying.

The plot does have a tendency to meander at points, as Hessa is on a long voyage that takes her around the entire continent. But each slow burn has a great payoff in the end with fast paced action scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A solid debut novel from a new voice in fantasy that we will be watching for years to come.

Hall of Smoke has an expansive setting and epic plot; I certainly enjoyed getting to know different areas and exploring part of the world, as well as piecing the information together. Unfortunately, the lack of magic and connection with the characters made me unable to enjoy the story fully. However, if you’re looking for a standalone fantasy with no romance, this book might be up on your alley.

My thanks to Titan Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Hall of Smoke’ by H.M. Long in exchange for an honest review. It was published in January.

‘Hall of Smoke’ is an impressive fantasy debut with Viking and Norse influences. Its protagonist and narrator is Hessa, an Eangi - a priestess of Eang, the Goddess of War, with the power to turn an enemy's bones to dust with a scream. Terrifying!

As the novel opens Hessa has been banished for disobeying an order of her goddess. She has gone to a mountainside to pray for forgiveness.

Yet while she is away, raiders attack her village and obliterate the Eangi priesthood. So now Hessa is the last Eangi. As this is an epic fantasy in the pages that follow there is plenty of action, raids and battles, alliances and betrayals, magic and curses, gods and demons. Through it all Hessa strives to win back Eang’s favour. 

I was quickly drawn into this novel and felt that the world-building was excellent. Hessa relates the tale in the manner of a storyteller as if we are all gathered in a Viking longhouse to thrill to a saga of the gods and warriors. It was a powerful and immersive experience.

‘Hall of Smoke’ is a standalone and her next novel, ‘Temple of No God’, will be a standalone sequel set in the same world. I certainly shall be looking forward to it.

This book was incredible from beginning to finish. I loved the unique plot line and the way the author shows the reader how pain affects our main character. I found the pace slower for the middle part of the novel but the character growth made up for that. This is a story of Gods and grief and I just found myself living right along the characters. My only negative point would be the world building since it felt lacking, my opinion is that the author tried to create this extensive lore but then failed to get out of the head of the main character to portrait that world correctly. But it was still a very well connected system of faith and magic. It just left too many questions in the open.

<blockquote><i>I wanted to worship Eang, as my people always had, I wanted her to stand between Styga and me on a mountainside - my blazing Goddess of War, and me, her trusted, valued servant. I wanted to stand in the Hall of Smoke, shoulder to shoulder with a hundred Eangi, as we changed and sung, united in heart and will and mind. I wanted to rest each night in the security of a goddess's bravery, watchfulness, and vengeance.
But I could have none of those things. The Eangi were dead. Eang would not protect us from the threat we now faced, and I had to do what was right for my people, and myself.</i></blockquote>

H.M. Long's debut novel brings promises of vikings, gods, warrior priestesses, and beings that are older than the gods themselves. Hessa is one of many warrior priestesses (Eangi) who has devoted her life to serving the Goddess of War, Eang, and protecting the people of Eangen. When war beyond what they were prepared for strikes the city of Albor, Hessa is the lone survivor, making her the last Eangen warrior priestess. Already shunned by her goddess for refusing to fulfill a previous prophecy and mission, Hessa seeks to regain Eang's favor and help the rest of the Eangen people from the empires and gods that seek to crush them. She must kill Omaskat, the kind, mysterious traveler who had passed through Albor before.

Long does a fantastic job of creating a wonderfully atmospheric and picturesque world. From poppy fields to looming mountains to white lakes, this is a world I really felt like I could experience (especially aided by the map). I was refreshed by a high fantasy world that felt unique compared to what I've read before, including the gods, monsters, and "magic" system. And though the short overview of the plot I gave might sound cliche, I enjoyed the plot and conflicts presented, especially when it came to Hessa's internal struggle reconciling her perception of the gods.

<blockquote><i>Well, the gods are gods; they are powerful and fickle and flawed.</i></blockquote>

Despite this, there were elements of *Hall of Smoke* that made it tough for me to really get immersed and feel the need to plow through its pages. Most critically, the characters were severely lacking for me. Hessa undergoes tremendous character development along her journey; after blind devotion to her goddess for her whole life, she's forced to confront uncomfortable truths and perspectives that make her second guess everything she's known. Besides that, Hessa fell largely flat. She wasn't a likable or unlikeable character, she was just there. I couldn't really tell you much about her personality because, besides her mission and character development, it wasn't really there. She's motivated by her desire to repent, but also by the loss of her husband and the protection of her best friend's baby. We knew these secondary characters for such a short time that I had trouble connecting with these motivations.

My favorite character appeared for a handful of chapters but actually brought some spice to an otherwise somewhat-slow read. This is more of a personal preference for banter and characters with wit. I got this for a bit through Ogam, the son of Eang and Winter. For a second I hoped that it was the spark of at least some romance in this novel, but there is none, which is refreshing (according to my brain, at least; my heart says 'disappointing').

<blockquote><i>“Ah, well, you don’t need to understand. As to my children,” the god said, tugging the conversation back around, “would you like one? They’re adorable, I promise, and many of them are immortal. Parenthood is so much less stressful when they’re immortal."</i></blockquote>
Overall, I had mixed feelings about <i>Hall of Smoke</i>. I don't regret reading it because I enjoyed Long's world-building, writing style, and overall plot, but it's certainly not a book I would read again, or would necessarily recommend. But sometimes, you're just looking for a book you can enjoy but not tear through, and this would fit the bill.

<i>I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!</i>

A Vikings-like scenario, a priestess and Gods way more real than what is expected. These are the components of Hall of Smoke, a novel written by H.M. Long. The protagonist is Hessa, an Eangi priestess, who serves Eang, a God of the New World, Goddess of War e protector of the people and the lands of Eangen. Hessa has always believed in the absolute power of Eang, without ever doubting it, but the task she is supposed to do, that took Hessa three years to prepare to, is not that simple and she fails. Hessa needs to ask for forgiveness to Eang for the assignment she has not achieved and, while she is in Hall of Smoke, the sacred place for the Eangi priestesses, praying for a second chance, her village is attacked and razed. Almost everyone dies in the siege, including Hessa’s husband and her cousin, and the attack seems to be caused by the Algatt, the people who live northern of Eangen and periodically went down the mountains to raid the village. Hessa is taken as a hostage, probably to be sold to someone, and, from this moment, the adventure starts, in a series of events in which Hessa is forced to question everything she believes in and to learn she can count only in herself.

Since the first pages of the book, Hall of Smoke recalls the famous tv show Vikings, for scenarios and setting. The world-bulding of the novel is greatly done. The reader is thrown in these cruel lands, for some aspects, but loved a lot by the people who lived there, to the point they are willing to sacrifice their lives to protects those territories from the invaders who want to take the lands for themselves. Every scene is described with expertise, with particular attention for the details, that makes the reader almost see the image that is written. It’s really interesting to follow the path made by the protagonist with the map at the end of the book, like having the same journey as hers.
In these harsh lands, there are people who firmly believe in the Gods that protect them. The deities are not introduced like static and distant figures, but they are very real, interacting with their followers, ready to punish them in case they don’t fulfill the duty the Gods gave them. Clearly, the relationship between the Gods and their followers isn’t balanced. The worshippers don’t know what is behind a God’s order and don’t know what makes the deity choose a specific way of acting rather than another.
As far as the characters are concerned, the main character is Hessa, the Eangi priestess, and all the story is focused on her and her adventures. Hessa is a strong woman, who doesn’t show her weaknesses and her fears; she is independent, she knows what to do and how to behave when she has to take decisions. These are features that can be found also in other women of Eangen and it’s kind of the stereotype of the Nordic woman, such as Lagherta of the tv show Vikings. Hessa doesn’t need anyone, especially she doesn’t need a man to help her, and this is not because she doesn’t have fears, but because of her nature and of the education she has been given. We don’t know that much of her, at the beginning, but we find out pieces of her past throughout the chapters. Hessa was taken as a priestess when she was a child, she was forced to leave her family to follow her destiny, and it has been this kind of childhood to strengthen her, in my opinion.
Moving to the style and the plot of the novel, the events of the story are quite interesting, they’re not ordinary and they don’t follow other stories with a similar scenario. The narration take place in the present, mainly, but there are some chapters that are about the past of Hessa, of the path she had to follow to become a Eangi priestess. Hall of Smoke is a fantasy novel and there’s no romance in the book, characteristic that has been quite a surprise for me. The story is completely centered on Hessa and it’s almost a report of her adventures. The fact that there’s no romance made me feel a little bit disappointed, I have to say, but in the end it’s not such a big deal, because the story is still intriguing. However, a big flaw of this story, for me, was that I couldn’t identify with the protagonist, I couldn’t “feel” her. At the beginning, I thought it was just a problem of the first chapters, but then I figured out that it was something that continued all along. I admit I found quite difficult to keep on reading and not to drop the novel half the way. I felt like I was doing a superficial reading, I felt almost a stranger in the story e I wasn’t absorbed by the events, like other books make me feel.

In conclusion, is Hall of Smoke a bad book? No, absolutely. I think it’s just not the right book for me. The story, taken on its own, is quite interesting, the world-building is very good and the ideas on which the novel is based are fascinating, but the fact I could identify with the main characters is a big bias for me. However, this is just my opinion and you are free to disagree with me. Overall, I don’t think this book is bad, on the contrary, I think that other people may love it and, if you are a Vikings lover, you should definitely read it!

3.5 Stars.

Hall of Smoke by H. M. Long sounded right up my street when I first heard about it. A war between old gods and new gods? Sign me right up! But while I was gripped while reading, I finished with mixed feelings.

I found Hall of Smoke a little hard going at first. It starts off where Hessa has already failed to kill the traveller she was ordered to by her goddess, Eang. She's at her shrine up on the mountainside, several hours walk from her town, attempting to atone for failing her. And within a matter of pages, her town is attacked, but Hessa is too far away to make any difference. When she finally gets there, she finds her people have been massacred. We're thrown right into the deep end from the very beginning. There's no time for us to get emotionally involved, to feel attached to any of the characters. That's it, done, they're dead.

But at the same time, because it starts right away, we're not really given the opportunity to learn about the people of this world, who they are, what the politics is. We know the Agatti live north on the Eangen, they've never got on, and the Agatti raid Eangen towns a couple of times a year, but nothing ever like this. But we know nothing more at that point. We do get flashback chapters where Hessa thinks back to when she was younger, which gives us some context as to who the Eangen and Eangi are, but it just felt disjointed. And with other groups of people, we find out about them as we go, and it can get confusing when you don't yet understand yet why Hessa is reacting to them the way she is. I feel like there should have been a prologue or something, or the story should have started earlier, to give us some background as to who all the players are and what their politics is, who they worship, the various alliances and enmity between the gods, and the general history of the world as the Eangen people know it. I just had so many questions for the first quarter of the book, and really considered just putting it down. I was confused, and I didn't have time to get emotionally involved, so I also didn't care. The only thing that kept me reading was the fact that the story does move very quickly.

At first, this added to the confusion; between one page and the next, Hessa is on the other side of the world. Granted, she's unconcious for most of the journey, but it was startling. She was just in one situation, and now she's in a completely different situation. But this actually worked in the book's favour. After that first quarter, I had a fair handle on who all the different countries were peopled by and what their poltics was and who they worshipped. Otherwise, we just as much in the dark as Hessa. Hessa is struggling to reach her goddess, who is normally pretty responsive, other gods are in hiding, and other creatures are awakening, and Hessa doesn't have a clue what's happening. She's just lost her people, and is railing through grief, but she doesn't have time to deal with what she is feeling. She has to try and find the traveller and kill him to atone and to earn back her place in the High Halls after she dies, but the world is in chaos at the same time. While it isn't always action, action, action, something is always happening, and it's very fast paced. I still wasn't emotionally involved, and I hadn't connected to Hessa, but the mystery was intriguing. At every turn, you're never sure who Hessa should trust, what the truth is, or what's actually happening, and with Eang becoming more and more difficult to get ahold of, Hessa is lost at sea. It became really gripping, the more questions that crop up, the few answers we get.

I have to say I loved the worldbuilding. It's a very intriguing world, with gods that are very much a part of their worshipers' lives, and I was reminded of Greek mythology, as the ew gods had defeated the old gods, and were now in power, much like the Greek gods fighting the Titans. But there are secrets and lies and things kept hidden, and not everything is as it seems. There are so many layers, and they unfold layer by layer as the story progresses. I was desperate to know what the truth was of this world, of the people, and it's history.

So for the most part, I enjoyed Hall of Smoke. I was intrigued and gripped, and loved how quickly it moved, never letting the story lull. But I never really cared about any of the characters. While this book has a conclusion, and we get all the answers, there is meant to be a sequel, and I'd definitely be up for reading it, so that shows you how my feelings changed towards the book. But I definitely feel like the beginning could use some work, and give the reader some time to get emotionally involved, because I still never really cared about the characters. Hall of Smoke is overall enjoyable, but it could definitely have been better.

Thank you to Titan Books via NetGalley for the eProof.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, self-harm, description of wounds, violence towards animals and animal sacrifice, person attacked by a dog, abduction, slavery, discussion of trading sex for survival, murder, a massacre, and description of corpses.

I am saving this book for a time where I can read this one fully

I have heard amazing things about this one so I want to fully emerge myself into the storty

I went into Hall of Smoke really not knowing what to expect. I'd already seen so many mixed reviews and in all honesty the blurb wasn't really screaming anything special at me either. This is described as an epic new adult fantasy though and as you all know that is exactly my cup of tea so I had to give it a try didn't it?

Right from the start I was pleasantly surprised by the style of writing. I found it really easy to get along with and also so descriptive but without being too much filler. I could easily imagine the world and the characters and that helped me become absorbed in it all pretty quickly.

The story is about gods and culture which I absolutely loved. There are different types of gods in this world. The New Gods, The Old Gods and The Pillars who are the real gods, the oldest of the old and the creators of all. The history of the world and all the different types of gods are so well explained and its all really easy to follow.

We are introduced to the main character, Hessa and you quickly learn that she is a warrior described as an Eangi. Hessa serves the Goddess of War, Eang and is currently in disgrace after having ignored a vision that she was sent telling her to kill a specific visitor to the halls.

Hessa is blindly faithful to Eang but over the course of the book starts to question that devotion and I really liked the way that it was all done. Hessa didn't just switch sides for convenience and even at the very point when all seemed lost and she had no cause to believe in her goddess she still struggled to separate that part of herself that lives and serves Eang. She is driven by a desire to redeem herself and also to exact revenge on those who took away the people that she loved.

I found the world building and the magic systems to be well explained and fun. The Eangi warriors are described as having the fire of Eang within them which can burn hot and fast and turn the bones of their enemies to dust but at the cost of their own strength (so the fire has to be recharged, basically).

The story is action-packed from the beginning and doesn't take long at all to dive into the fighting and the adventure. I really liked Hessa as a main character but it seemed like the book was only about her and no one else. I didn't really relate to or care that much about any of the other characters even though it felt like there was so much that could be explored particularly with Hessa's relationship with Nisien.

I would have also loved to see more of Ogam and Estavius as they were both very cool characters and it's a shame to leave them as just side characters.

Hall of Smoke is very fast paced with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy, adventure, stories about gods and standalone novels.