I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hall of Smoke was such a good book! I will admit though that some things that were happening confused me for a bit. Luckily, for me, it didn't take long for everything to make sense. In it, you will meet Hessa. Now she was a person that you could easily fall in like or dislike with. It kind of depends on where you are at in the story. Don't get me wrong, she is strong and kind of a badass when she needs to be.. but she also goes through a lot.

Whether it's pain or on this mission for Eang, the Goddess of War, Hessa is a girl who will fight for what she believes in. At some point, I honestly thought there was going to be more of a romance than what I got.. but it just never happened. In a way it was bittersweet but I still ended up enjoying the crap out of the book.

Now while I enjoyed the book... I just feel like not a lot happened throughout it. Yea, we got some fights here and there.. but she doesn't really talk to anyone unless she needs to. Even if she does, it happens for a minute or two. I just feel like I needed a bit more in this just to make Hessa a bit more realistic or relatable.

In the end, I was intrigued enough to finish the book and the ending was okay enough to like.

It might be an "it's not you, it's me" case because I saw a lot of 5 stars reviews.

I was excited to read this Viking inspired fantasy full of ruthless gods at war with each other and magic-wielding priestesses. Hessa is an Eangi, a fighter priestess who worships Eang, Goddess of War. The story is about her hard quest for redemption after she ignored the Goddess’s order to kill a man and after all her people were slaughtered by an enemy raid. Now Hessa is trying to find the man she was supposed to kill to fulfill her Goddess’s will and regain her favor.

She is guided by her regrets, and her desire for redemption and revenge, and her path is filled with enemies and demons. Hessa is a flawed character, trying to right her wrongs and on her journey, she starts to question her beliefs as she finds out that there is way more to the worlds and the gods than what she was taught. She is a good character, she is strong and independent, and I liked the fact that there was no forced romance in this story, even though she meets many men along the way.

The fighting scenes are vivid and well written, the world-building is simple, and easy to picture (there is a map at the end to help), but it is also very interesting. The information about the Gods and Goddesses is presented as the story goes, it is not an info-dump at the beginning of the book, and it made it easier for me to get invested in this book from the first chapter.

One complaint that I have is the lack of interaction between Hessa and the other characters. Even though she was surrounded by people for some parts, she didn’t develop real relationships and her conversations didn’t help her create connections with the people around her. I was really immersed in Hessa’s story right from the start, but then, after reading this story for over 200 pages, I was wishing for more meaningful interactions and discussions. This story is solely about Hessa, her inner thoughts, and her quest to get rid of her remorse and to find inner peace. She talks with some deities and she keeps on praying to her Goddess for guidance, but that’s about it. Her first interaction with Ogam is great and I thought that he was the kind of character that I would really enjoy, he seems funny and has good repartee, but then he left and Hessa continued her lonely quest, only speaking with him occasionally.

She also spends about 80% of the book traveling because she needs to find the man she is supposed to kill. There is a lot of description about the geography and topography of the lands she crosses, I would even say that some parts are over-detailed, and it clashed with the pace of intense action scenes, but not necessarily in a good way. It created real slow moments in the story where I had to push myself to keep on reading until there was another action scene or faster-paced chapter to hook me back into the story.

Overall it is a good book, and I liked it, but the flow of the story and the secondary characters (and their role in the story) could be improved.

I really enjoyed this. I feel like the options for finding an adult fantasy novel written by a woman is a bit harder to come by in a genre so traditionally dominated by men, but Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long is a FANTASTIC debut read—one worth a reread or few.

If you dig Viking influence and stories that feature strong women at their helm, give this one a shot. It’s similar to Sky in the Deep (which I found lacking), only way more grown-up. Better writing, more immersive world-building and lore, captivating storytelling and plot, and an epic cast of characters, which includes monsteresque creatures, zealot priests and legionaries, and brutal, brutal gods.

The lore, the stakes, the fight scenes, battles—they were all superb in Hall of Smoke. I got major Skyrim vibes reading this book (the shouts, the setting, the weapons). I’ve put an embarrassing number of hours into that game LOL.

Though it took roughly a quarter to one-third of the way into the book for it to really get going for me, once I passed that 25–33% mark, it had my undivided attention. If you’re looking for a romance sub-plot, you won’t find it here. HoS is not that kind of story. This is about one woman’s struggle as she examines her beliefs and, ultimately, avenges all she’s lost.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. H.M. Long is an author I’ll have my eye on for future books. If House of Smoke gets a sequel, I’m here for it. Very respectable debut!

Hessa is a priestess to the war goddess Eang, blessed with fearsome powers that the goddess bestowed upon her. When she fails to follow a command given years ago, Hessa is exiled. After murderous raiders attack the village, she is forced to re-evaluate her previously unquestioned beliefs. Hessa must journey to earn the forgiveness of her goddess and save the afterlife of her people. As menacing forces gather to battle for godly power, Hessa cannot rely on her goddess for aid as she attempts to fulfill her destiny.

In a harsh world where the gods are fickle, Hall of Smoke is a creative and new adventure. This is a captivating tale that reaches out and grabs hold of the reader! Hessa is a strong warrior priestess determined to save her people, regardless of any demons or gods that get in her way. One can feel the chill of winter on the back of the neck, hear the crackle of the flames, and Hessa’s determination seeps through the page. I really enjoyed the complex systems of gods and magic paired with vivid descriptions of the surroundings. I was very surprised by some of the twists and turns the story took, it was fantastic! Hall of Smoke is an incredible fantasy debut and I would highly recommend it. Hall of Smoke releases on January 19, 2021. Thank you so much to H.M. Long, Titan Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc.

I am a sucker for epic world building. Fortunately, Hall of Smoke did not disappoint. The mythos of this world, inspired by the ancient Norse, is engrossing and original. Hessa, the lead character of this story, is a young Eangi warrior priestess that finds herself embarking on a turbulent path after her village is invaded. Hessa is at times contradictory, but it makes her relatable and touchingly human in a world with Gods and Goddesses that are not always what they seem. This was a stunning debut with a strong female lead that I greatly enjoyed. If you like gritty, kick ass heroines then perhaps you will too.

Also, I just want to take a moment to say how much I adore the cover. It is stunning.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an e-copy of this book.

I loved this book from the very first page until the very end.

We meet Hessa and are introduced to the mythology of her universe and her attempt of reedeming herself. The book starts strong and heart-wrenchingly, it prepares us for her journey. And what a journey...
I loved Hessa and her strength, mentally as mush as physically (but especially mentally). There is always something happening: new interesting characters being introduced, fight scenes, treasons, powerful gods. I loved the development of the world-building, the pantheon of the gods, the tensions between the different lands (even though I was sometimes confused by which land was at war with which other land), the different beliefs.
Also, the writing is really beautiful and it really keeps you captivated by the story.

I was enthralled thoughout the whole book, it was epic!

Haha of smoke is a Viking fantasy with badass heroines and the storyline stresses on religion, culture and devotion towards your loved ones. It was bit slow for me as it takes sometime to get into the story and as the story builds up you will be intrigued and the characters grew up on you.

Oooh I loved this. What a breath of fresh air!

I don't know where to begin, and I don't want to spoil much, but suffice it to say it wasn't what I was expecting at all. In fact, I went in with almost no expectations, and it still surprised me. What began as a usual viking story (village raid, etc etc) quickly hinted at something else - something bigger at play, and I couldn't help turning the pages to figure out what was REALLY going on.

Hessa is our MC, a devout priestess for her god, known as Eang. At the beginning, she's being punished for the crime of not killing someone Eang wanted her to kill. Despite Eang's anger and vague messages (yes! we meet Eang! the gods are very prevalent), Hessa is endlessly devoted to her, and her only chance to get back in her god's good graces is to finish the job she didn't do. She must kill said man.

Thus Hessa is sent on a journey to find him, and find him, she does, only he raises very peculiar questions about her god, perhaps even hinting that Eang may not *actually* a god. Heresy! Or is it? What follows is a whirlwind of events: Hessa trying to find/kill the man, all while running into other gods (who are very much on the page) and people who stir even more questions. Stranger still, every encounter/vision Hessa has with Eang, we can tell something is off. We can't help but dislike Eang for her vagueness and cruelty towards Hessa, who's clearly trying right her wrongs.

I can't say much more, but I loved the twists! I think we get a sense of a much larger world, but it expands into a mind-blowing 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 while that might be a turn-off for me in usual circumstances, something about it was intoxicating here, and I think it was the constant NEED to know the truth. Better yet, said truth did not disappoint.

Honestly, I haven't read anything like this and I suspect I never will. What a fun ride!

This book was ten levels of intense, even with it's fairly slow pace.

Hessa is the kind of protagonist that is fairly rare in my opinion, especially when it comes to female protagonists, as it's also rare to find them in adult fiction and not along side a male protagonist.

Her journey through this book is something I hope to see more from any protagonist. She goes through the ringer, what she has to endeavor, the lies she uncovers all while being more or less utterly alone after losing her husband and closest family member. She stays resilient. But not in a way that comes across as plot armor. Not in the way that it typically is used. Destiny and fate surround her, and all that. But she still struggles and suffers, nearly dies.

The setting of this book, while very different from most other fantasy I've read was at times hard for me to picture. There was a map in the copy I read, but it was at the back of the book, I wish it had been at the front. The narrative was also strange at times, it was told almost in a reflective way, as if she were telling the story to somebody. That might have been what contributed to the pacing for me.

The worldbuilding doesn't lack in any way because of that either. It still has a very rich mythology with their gods, who are the real gods, and who is pretending to be a god, and those who know what they are in the world. I am very interested in this world and wouldn't mind reading more tales set in it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this standalone fantasy novel by H.M. Long. The story of Hessa captured me almost immediately, a disillusioned but determined warrior priestess who is easy to cheer for. She has no one to rely upon except herself, chasing the whims of other gods and goddesses whose alliances are unknown and unreliable. After her home village is massacred and Hessa barely escapes with her life, she's on the run to find out where her goddess, Eangi, might be hiding. This is Viking fantasy of the highest order, and the whole story is interweaved seamlessly to whisk the reader onto a pretty exciting adventure. I'm glad this was a standalone in some ways; sometimes authors don't know when to end a novel, even if you love the characters and want their stories to keep happening. It's a beautiful story, I hope it gets a wide readership among fantasy lovers. Recommended for fans of Naomi Novik or Neil Gaiman's book "Norse Mythology".

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing me with this wonderful book, in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5

I requested this book on a whim and because of that gorgeous cover. Let me tell you that I’m so glad I did because with The Hall of Smoke, you’re in for a ride.

There was just something really enticing about this novel. Something about the beautiful writing style, the rich and fascinating mythology, the vivid descriptions of the setting, the intriguing side characters, the captivating action scenes, the Gods’ machinations, ... Well, I guess I loved everything about it.

But can we talk about Hessa? She was an amazing and admirable MC. She went forward without feeling sorry for herself - and what happened at the very beginning could have broken her much more (sometimes I wonder if it was a realistic portrayal of grief but she did acknowledged her loss, she just tried to not be overwhelmed by sorrow). But she’s trying very hard to redeem herself. In short, she had a mission and she never lost sight of her goal no matter the circumstances and obstacles. And the fact that she was faced with inevitable questions: who can she trust? The goddess she’s devoted to or the stranger she’s meant to kill? Nothing is as simple as it seems.

The conclusion pleased me and I did shed a tear because I was happy to have witnessed Hessa’s evolution and expedition.

I wanted to add that there is no romance in this book, just mention of it, and it was refreshing. I usually love when there is a romance if it doesn’t overshadow the plot, but here it is nonexistent and it didn’t bother me at all. The focus is solely on Hessa’s journey and it was highly entertaining.

The Hall of Smoke is a strong debut filled with layered characters - mainly enigmatic gods and a magical priestess - and many revelations. I’m excited to read what H.M. Long will write next.

Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for providing me with ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Viking inspired story following the adventure of the Eangi priestess Hessa, as her whole world turns upside down in a heartbeat. Her people and loved ones slaughtered,her goddess of war Eang, that she devoted her whole life turns silent and didn't lift a finger to save them....and just because she failed to kill the stranger that she was told to long time ago, and now she's paying the prise.
I love the plot and the complex idea of old gods,new gods,miri and all the plethora of given powers and myths.
Unfortunately for most of the book It was hard for me to keep up, wich god is old,new,miri and that took away from the pleasure and i really wished that there was a prequel,solely devoted to the early history of the gods,creation of miri and their change and rule over people.
Hessa's journey was interesting but i think it was prolonget a little too much in expense of the final that was resolved in a much faster pace ,given all the events that had to unfold and click into place.
And talking about Hessa's adventure , when i finished the book i was disappointed to see the map that would've been helpful for understanding where you are in the moment....but since i am one of those that don't touch the final pages, afraid of seen spoilers i couldn't have known for the map and the glossary.
I was intrigued by Nisien,Estavius and would've loved to know more about them....as for Omaskat ,with so much anticipation and hype i was so anxious to know him,to see what will happen between him and Hessa...only to be disappointed with his arc and how he was handled.
I absolutely hate to write such reviews and i tried hard to love this adventure but alas my heart wasn't into it....and given all the other positive reviews that are majority i am inclined to think that the problem may be in my "TV" .
I will write this review only here in Netgalley, because i don't want to do any harm and make a bad pr for the book!
Thank you again to Titan Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book and write a review!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I will wait until January to post my review to sites like Amazon and B&N.

This book started out very strong. It was so good, I couldn't put down. But as the book progressed and it got more in depth about the God's and Goodness, I found myself a little lost throughout the book until the end when everything was explained.

Hessa is punished for not fulfilling her Goddesses command and while she is visiting and praying for her goddesses forgiveness, her village is attacked. Hessa must now fulfill the Goddesses command and embark on an adventure to do this. But nothing seems as it is. Hessa must make decisions and follow her gut on who to believe and what is right for her people.

Overall this book was fun to read and the writing flow was very good. It gripped me easily throughout each chapter, which is a major thing for me. I tend to lose interest if I can't follow the authors writing style.

This book does have animal sacrifices so if that bothers you, I would be a little cautious in reading it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

H. M. Long's Hall Of Smoke details the staggering, punishing oddessey of a warrior preistess, Hessa, fighting her way through a sea of relentless savages, righteous warriors, brawling gods and vicious, corrupt demons.
Hessa is adrift, desperate for the reconciliation and peace she's owed as a devoted warrior of the Goddess Of War, Eang, but her chance at a  reprieve is slipping away. Hessa must put her mistake right, kill the traveller she let live, and gain entrance into the high halls alongside her beloved husband. The gods are scared, distant and lost. Older gods are returning, bringing death and war with them. But even those gods are aware that something bigger, more powerful is coming for them. Hessa must battle through and gain the trust of both humanity and the divine, searching for the man with mismatched eyes. Avoiding men who forced their god upon others. Dodging the savages that destroyed her life. Pleading with a goddess that has all but abandoned her. Trusting the few that look to help her on her travels. Struggling to ignore that burdesome, troubling doubt in her god and focusing on those she can still save. Hall Of Smoke is an absolutely remarkable, compelling and expansive fantasy experience that took hold of me completely. I may be coming on strong here but if you have any interest in fantasy, no matter how minute, then Hall Of Smoke is a must read for four good reasons. Firstly the phenomenal lead character Hessa. Secondly the fully realised and engrossing story. Thirdly is the captivating world filled with gods, demons (more like corrupted shadow gods) and rival civilisations. Finally there is H. M. Long's brilliant, detailed, action-filled and insightful writing. All coalescing into one of the best, most refined fantasy novels I had the pleasure to review.

HML decided to go with a singular character in a first person perspective  which I haven't personally seen in fantasy very much. It was the best decision because it really focused each stage of events and it was satisfying to invest myself in Hessa. HML took the time and effort to really break down Hessa, her beliefs, motivations and her identity. In doing so I think she may have revealed a fantastic formula that proves that a lead character can be a totally badass and crushingly vunerable without comprising either quality. Hessa's story is savage and uncomfortable but it is also wonderous and as she overcomes each challange, it becomes clearer what HML has instore for her and I became even more excited for the conclusion. For me, Hessa set a new bar for quality character development.

I have read a lot of fantasy and there are truly epic books that detail every facet of the world they take place in. I'm talking Lord Of The Rings. I don't think I've read a book that does this in one novel though. Well not until Hall Of Smoke. Better yet it is done through a focused, engaging plot instead of just listed off for effect. We only see through Hessa's eyes. We only know what she knows and we get learn, and react alongside her. My favourite thing about the story is that it is secretive. Information is currency and being kept in the dark is powerful. But HML's detail makes each reveal, and each fight, mean something. HML loves detail, she's in no rush to drive the plot forward, but that is a bonus here. There is so much to experience, to look at, to be scared of and to revel in and HML gives the reader that time. This leads me to my absolute favourite aspect of this novel. The cultures that exist below and the gods that rule above. There are some obvious influences here from Greek, Norse and Roman mythology to lore and legend. HML has embraced those influences and crafted her own unique and amazing spin on all that history. The pantheon of gods in this book is, after Hessa, the reason I couldn't leave it alone. These gods are not shy. They walk amongst those who embrace them. They fight alongside them. Each culture praying to their gods, bleeding for them and representing them in mind, body and soul. Hessa is a warrior of Eang, Goddess Of War but there are so many to speak of. I really like Ogam, son of Winter, his presence is felt along time before his arrival. And the divine war in Hall Of Smoke is off the rails. Old gods vs new gods. Current gods trying to take over all gods. And even more ancient powers trying to break free. It is elaborate, endlessly cool and intriguingly clever. Each time I got to meet another god I felt like I did when playing God of War or reading Joanne M. Harris novels. It was also interesting that HML was able to hide certain gods in plain sight. So satisfying. The plethora of gods and demons made an already humanly savage story into a truly heroic one. I could not get enough of Hall Of Smoke. There wasn't a point where I felt disconnected, frustrated or uninterested for what feels like a lengthy novel. And with an ending that made so much sense, I couldn't have asked for more. Hessa's story is one of identity, loss, underestimation and pure chaos and I recommend it to you all with all my might. I was beginning to feel like fantasy was running out of surprises but I was wrong.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

4.5

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the characters and the internal strife. I enjoyed the Viking vibes. The new and old gods were intriguing. Overall, very enjoyable.

Big thanks to Netgalley and H. M. Long for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Hall of Smoke follows Hessa, a young woman who is an Eangi (essentially a demigod of sorts). She is given a task of killing the two-tone eyed man but when she disobeys she is sent to repent to Eang, the God her and her people worship. While Hessa is waiting for her fate to be decided by her God, her village is decimated and everyone, save her friend Six and Six's newborn son, are killed.
Hessa must find the man with the different coloured eyes and kill him to make things right while waiting for Eang to step in and save her followers.

Along the way, Hessa meets other Gods, and groups of people battling in the name of their Gods.

This was a bit of a tough read. There are A LOT of characters and they occasionally have multiple names (human name then their God name) which made it difficult to follow.
Hessa doesn't really seem to have any deep relationship connections, with the exception of Nisien. And even their relationship is a bit ambiguous. I think near the end she compares him to a brother but up until that point it doesn't really feel like a sibling relationship but neither does it seem like a romantic relationship.
Her husband and cousin die in the attack on their village and she just got over it like nothing. I kept expecting to have their relationship with Hessa have some motivating factor or impact on anything and... there wasn't any.

There were so many Gods that their names became muddled after a while and I wasn't able to follow who was connected to whom.

Overall, I'm giving this 3.5 stars. The story line is interesting and the hierarchy of the Gods themselves could be a story on its own!

4.5*

Excellent debut.
So, you know when you request an ARC and they ask you what drew your attention to the book? Well, I honestly wish I could have put the author's description that spoke to my Vinland/GoW/Lagertha obsessed heart. As these things tend to happen, I am also playing AC: Valhalla at the moment, so let's just say this book came at the right time to the right person.

The story: On the surface, it's a pretty straightforward story. We are following Hessa, an Eangi warrior priestess on a quest to fulfil her Goddess's task: to kill a stranger with eyes of a different colour. To succeed means to get back under Eang's wing and make peace with what happened to her family and her tribe. To fail is to forever be damned. But those stakes mean nothing to Gods. Because, when immortals fight, humans die. It starts very focused with a clear view of who the good guys are and who are bad ones, but it grows into more complex story with many layers. As Hessa slowly realizes what is her place and humanity's place on the board when it comes to Old and New Gods, it cuts deeper into themes of faith and prophets, dealing with grief and loss and, perhaps, more than anything else, challenging one's view and understanding of the world.
The world: With so many Vikings references surrounding this book, it's important to say that you will not find a word "viking" anywhere in the novel. H.M. Long actually built and original world with original Pantheon of Gods, but clearly inspired by Norse mythology and Viking way of life. We see various clans who worship different gods depending on where they're settled: by the rivers, in the mountains, etc. Hessa's people, Eangi, are settled alongside mountains and they worship Eang, the Goddess of War. They are great hunters and insanely brave and those who are touched by Eang and can wield a bone-crushing warcry are trained all their life to be warriors and go in raids, no matter if they are men or women- they are equally feared (just like shield-maidens). Eang is a pretty good stand-in for Odin: wise, powerful, self-serving, fickle and with her own "flying spies"- instead of ravens, she has owls. Eang in an important player in the book and her relationship with Hessa provides a complexity Gods in this world have: she is not fully evil and she is not nice. She just cares more for her own goals, which looking at the broader picture may not be as bad for all of them. Beside Eang, this book also have an interesting version of "Loki-like" god and even one with Thor's recognizable telltale signs. But perhaps, the biggest parallel we can draw is a version of conflict between Æsir and Vanir that gets some nice interpretation here and an interesting resolution. So, it's not fantasy with Norse gods, but it's definitely in the spirit of Norse mythology.
Characters: Hessa is easy to like: she is fierce and fearless in a battle, she is loyal and caring and she also shows the signs of vulnerability in her grief, but that's not what left the biggest impression on me. I think that one of the best inner conflicts writers can depict with their characters is the crisis of fate. It's a such a heartbreaking inner battle because it shatters the foundation of everything they are, especially in a world like this one, where Gods play such a big role. Entire book is written from Hessa's point of view and along with her, readers are discovering what's actually happening and the truth behind the world which, up until major thing that set her on that path at the beginning, was a very narrow view. She worships Eang because she is thought all her life that that's the way and she does what Eang tells her because she tells her and Eang is not a Goddess you can question. In a way, the simplicity with which Hessa accepts the strangeness and powers of Gods shows just how deep her belief is, so I felt for her when she dared to think that maybe, just maybe, there is a different solution. If there is anything I would take issue with is that there is a huge chunk of this book that's just too introspective, with Hessa running various question in her head over and over going in circles which, occasionally strangled the pace progression and repeated, but I understand the necessity. Also, I never like reading that, but Hessa's dependency of immortals made her be a passive player for a big part of the novel because they decided for her, but it really fits this particular story to emphasise the triumph of a free thought and singularity over herd mentality which is, by far, the bravest thing Hessa's done.
This is an excellent debut for H.M. Long. This is not a short book, but I flew through it with ease and it kept my attention all the way through. The writing fit the story so well and I had a feeling author has such a firm grasp on her characters and this world she can write countless pages more about it. Recommended.

A quest for redemption, friendship, loss, battling gods, prophecies foretelling the doom of the world, Hall of Smoke is the epic tale of one lone woman's journey to fulfill her destiny. Her journey is set in a Viking inspired fantasy world featuring dangerous mythical beings, axes, magic, and many bearded men. The stakes are high, the allies are few, making this one intense read. I definitely recommend you find out for yourself.

Hall of Smoke is about Hessa, an Eangi warrior priestess who has been banished by her Goddess for disobeying her orders. While she is gone, her village is raided, leaving her to be the last Eangi alive. Thus, Hessa must win back her Goddess' favour to secure herself a place in the afterlife where her loved ones now reside.

The premises of Hall of Smoke was really good, however, whilst reading this did not reflect until the end of the book where the plot finally started to unravel. The first part of the book is a lot about travelling, Hessa travels and in this way, the author tries to build the world as Hessa moves through it. Although, for me personally, sometimes this was overly descriptive which distracted me a lot of the time. Furthermore, by my own mistake, there was a map at the end of the e-ARC which, had I seen it at the beginning, would have helped me understand and visualize the journey a lot better.

Hessa is an awesome character to follow. She is insanely strong-willed and certainly has a mind of her own, unafraid to speak it. Her world is shattered before her very eyes, which obviously makes her doubt everything she knows. She is super badass, and the fight scenes are very well written, leaving you wanting to turn to the next page as fast as possible.

A big aspect of this book is religion. All the different groups of people answer to and worship different Gods. I thought this was super interesting, but also confusing at times. In the back of the e-ARC, there is a Glossary, but even so, the number of different terms disoriented me at times while reading.

Hall of Smoke is an ambitious high fantasy novel. While it is very well-written and original, it is sometimes overly detailed taking away from the story. However, once the action does get going it is super enjoyable. The story does not contain (m)any of the typical fantasy tropes, so it was a breath of fresh air to read.

Hall of Smoke is a hard-swinging mythological tale that grips you from the instant you open the book.

Hessa, a fierce and exciting warrior priestess, guides us through a grand adventure to restore her goddess' grace after defying a divine directive. She is a heroine who feels real, even amidst the fantastical fantasy backdrop. I loved her revelations and interactions with the gods, reminiscent of the Greek tellings who display more human elements and enjoy humanity's deceitful aspects. She also trudges through a harsh world, fanatics, and demons. I particularly appreciated how we watched as Hessa, granted new information and experiences, struggles with doubt and preconceived notions of the world.

The story is well crafted and utilized excellent prose to communicate vivid imagery and emotions. The story felt balanced and never relied too heavily on exposition. None in this story felt cliche, nor did the story fall into tropes or become trite.

This was a solid and fun read; I would definitely recommend it!


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC