3.5/5 stars. HM Long excels in creating atmosphere and this is another example of that. This time we're following the journey of Thray, daughter of Ogam. Her conflict ends up being internal before external and she is on a journey of discovery in a lot of ways.

I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for a wintery atmosphere and a strong bad-ass female character.

The Hall of Smoke series has been one that I've found a lot of enjoyment in. H.M. Long has crafted a very interesting world, with subtle and complex mythology, and history, and has populated it with some complex and engaging characters. With this, the third book in the series, moving away from the series main protagonist to follow a character who was just a baby in the previous book, as well as moving location, it allows Long to explore different parts of her world and to introduce some incredibly interesting new things to the readers.

Barrow of Winter tells the story of Thray, the daughter of the human woman Sixnit and Ogam, the embodiment of winter. Part god, Thray seems to have struggled to figure out where she really fits in, and who she is across her life to this point. She sometimes receives favours from her godly relatives, having been gifted a magical weapon that can shift forms, but isn't treated like one of them. At the same time, the small village she's living in could offer a home to her, but she doesn't quite fit in there either.

When a trading party arrives from up north Thray is shocked when she learns that their leader is like her, another daughter of Ogam. Her half sister offers to take her north with her, to the land of winter and eternal night, to learn more about who she is and where she fits into the world. Thray agrees to go, and sets out to discover more about herself; but what she finds waiting for her in the dark lands to the north will change her life forever.

Barrow of Winter feels like a more personal, character driven story than the previous two books in the series. Both books that came before focused on Hessa and her journeys, but they were also dealing with impending war, with dangers from other groups, with the gods themselves. It always felt like it was grand in scale even though we were seeing it through the eyes of a single woman. And whilst this book does deal with big things, and does feature demi-gods and other powerful beings, it always feels strongly connected with Thray. Those other books always felt like stories that were going to unfold no matter what, situations where things were going to reach breaking point even if Hessa weren't there; but in contrast this story feels like it couldn't have happened if not for Thray.

The places that Long takes readers in this new book have a very different feel to the previous two entries too, and in a lot of ways they felt much more fantastical, and dark to me. Yes, visually dark as they were in a land of eternal night, but also in tone. Long does a wonderful job at creating a slowly building tension that starts incredibly subtly, before building into what could almost be overt horror. Part of this is down to how much detail that Long puts into things, you start to feel like you're there experiencing it yourself thanks to how well she describes the feel of things, the smell, the creeping cold. Everything comes to life in vivid,powerful ways because Long makes it feel so real.

Barrow of Winter is a great read that feels like a bold reinvention of the series. It's not a huge departure from what we've had before, but the focus on newer characters, newer locations, and newer threats makes it feel fresh and exciting. But, for those who are fans of the previous book you don't have to worry, there are plenty of connections to what came before, and some returning characters, that very firmly establishes this as part of that same world. Whether you've read the previous books or not, this is a great adventure well worth going on.

What stands out most is the atmosphere, the writings amazing! This is adult Adrienne Young. I love the winter Norse theme. This has very complicated lore and religion systems that while this can be read as a standalone I bet it is much more understandable if you read at least the first one, Hall of Smoke.
To me this is very character driven because while there is plot, the focus is on Thray's internal conflicts. I do think that H.M. Long kind of opted out of writing romance because she didn't want to. If she didn't want to write romance she should not have included a love interest and instead created a childhood friend that had growing pains with Thray. She also created tension and prolonged conflicts by saying a version of "I don't want to take about this right now" repeatedly.
It is hard to put into words but the relationships are weird. She is distant from the Egan, she pines for her siblings love in an almost creepy way, and there were great potential relationships that she threw away. That being said the Hessa relationship is top tier so maybe she just needed to edit down the character list.

I loved the writing, and the ending so much I recommend to any norse fantasy lover. H.M. Long is one to watch!

Introduction

Read this book! This book has scream magic, immortal siblings, a priestess that goes against her faith’s rules, a forever dark winter night. Just read this book! It’s amazing!

Synopsis

Barrow of Winter by H.M.Long is the third instalment in the Hall of Smoke world. It is a standalone novel, although chronologically takes place after the events of the first two books. It follows a new POV, Thray, who is the daughter of Ogam and Sixnit, raised by Hessa, the head Priestess of Vynder, sister of Vistic, the vestige of Vynder, and the granddaughter of Winter himself. So, yeah, Thray has some powerful relatives but still cannot resist travelling North for answers to her identity and specifically her mortality, the answer to which will determine what kind of life she will lead.

Review

Barrow of Winter is a fast paced, action filled story and my personal favourite so far in the Hall of Smoke world. Alongside all the cool magic and world building, it is a story about family and the place an individual has within their own complicated familial network. I found it especially interesting that this family and identity that is explored is further complicated with the addition of being of a split heritage and how impossible at times it is do right to both sides.

I also loved how Thray is so much more flawed than Hessa, the previous protagonist of the first two books. It makes her very endearing even thought at time I did want to shout at her a bit.

Conclusion

I absolutely loved this book and recommend it whole heartedly to all fantasy readers but I think it will be especially good fit to people who enjoyed books like The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne or The Children of Gods and generally enjoy epic fantasy. I strongly urge you to read Barrow of Winter and the other books in the Hall of Smoke world. If you do, let me know what you think!

Barrow of Winter by H. M. Long
Pub Date

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the arc.
All good fantasy books start with a map, so we are introduced to a map before the story. Thray our protagonists may be a demi-god. To find the truth, she has to sacrifice herself to come back alive. The wintery atmosphere was intensely intense and cinematic, the characters' journeys were emotionally charged, and the action was even more so. It has everything a fantasy novel should have: a highly complicated and expressive plot, corruptions, supernatural beings and sects, believable character relationships, mythical creatures, and more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc.

First, I have the pleasure of being mutuals with the author on TikTok but this does not impact my view of this book.

I've been itching for another Norse inspired fantasy. Long's other works have captured something special and Barrow of Winter is no different in the way it blends fantasy, culture, character growth, and world building. It shines in the way it builds a gradual story around Thray, a slowburn at its finest.

The atmosphere is literally chilling. It's snowing outside as I write this and every page really captured the bleakness of winter. The silence. How cold makes you feel alone. It also captured the wonder and danger of what lurks in the snow behind blizzarding walls of white. The characters are spectacular, crafted with so much care that I feel like I could reach out and touch them. Thray's connection to the supporting cast can truly be felt in every interaction.

I find a lot of stories struggle with a morally gray protagonist when trying to craft a betrayal story, but Long managed to knock it right out of the park and wrapped ths story up with such a bittersweet, heart ache filled ending that left me gutted but satisfied. I like that Thray is allowed to make bad decisions - that she makes mistakes and suffers the consequences. I like that she grows and learns and starts to weigh her choices more and more critically and each choice makes sense for her character and never for the convenience of the plot. Immortality for Thray is just a much of a curse as a blessing and I truly felt that in her story. I felt for her when she experienced a betrayal I can only describe as being as painful as a gunshot.

Long's writing is fantastic. Her pacing is some of the best I've ever read. I firmly believe she has the potential to make waves in the fantasy world at large and I cannot express my excitement for her upcoming works.

Barrow of Winter expands this world Long has built up and it makes each book richer. Some works take away and complciate their worlds but not these - these build off of the works before it and it shows incredible growth and dedication to her craft. I cannot sing H. M. Long's praises enough for the world she's made and I think any fantasy fan would happily fall in and devour this.

Overall, this book was the perfect fantasy for someone like me.

Hall of Smoke was an enthralling novel. You get carried away to a world ruled by winter, the cold, and powerful demi-gods. Even tough I found the beginning quite slow, I liked following the main character, Thray, who I found lovable and relatable despite her flaws. Her inner conflict is so well written that you can't not feel invested in the story. I couldn't stop reading, as the writing style was beautiful.

However, I think one would like this more if they read Hall of Smoke before, it's better to feel more invested in the story.

We're back in Long's enjoyable, gritty, Viking-inspired world! This is the third book in the series, and while it is a standalone, it is certainly enriched by having read its predecessors.

This was a solid read, but not my favorite. I love books that deal with the aftermath of what happens when the day is "saved," which this series explores, and I enjoy the theology and the fact that you're aware that, as the reader, there is so much more going on behind the scenes of the story than you'll ever know. However, Thray was a tricker protagonist to root for. I dislike stories where the central action is based on a lie or deception, and that's what this was. Much of the plot felt like I was waiting for Thray's decision to come back to haunt her, and that's just not my favorite to read. Overall an alright book, and I'll continue reading the series, but for me personally this one was the weakest installment.

BARROW OF WINTER is an icy tale of finding yourself and your family.

I really enjoyed how this book tackled facing down the uncertainty of immortality, the fear of losing loved ones to old age and not knowing if or when you'd pass to see them in the afterlife. There was so much nuance in it, how it would affect relationships if that was hanging over you. Plus there was the horrible predicament of knowing that the only way to find out if you were immortal was to not die when you should - but if the gamble was wrong and you did die, that was it.

This book is more of a companion than a sequel to the previous two books (HALL OF SMOKE and TEMPLE OF NO GOD.) While there are some spoilers for them (how they ended, particularly with regards to the gods), BARROW OF WINTER follows a new protagonist rather than Hessa and the returning cast are secondary characters who are hardly on the page. Therefore you could jump in at this entry rather than the first book.

This third entry once more explores the various faiths of the world. We see the consequences of Hessa's actions in the previous books on various faiths, and what steps in to fill religious voids. There are also some hints about what could be in the third book as we discover more about the third of four "pillars of the world."

It is a perfect book for winter, set largely in an icy world with an unnatural night and full of demi-gods with power over ice and snow and wind. It's cold in a biting way, full of treks through snowy-bound forests and journeys across icy seas.

There is one more book to come in this series, PILLAR OF ASH, another companion book, this time about Hessa's children. Something to look forward to next year!

The newest installment in the world of Hall of Smoke, Barrow of Winter follows Thray as she explores her identity and ancestry.

Born to a mortal woman and the son of a Goddess, Thray doesn't yet know if she is immortal, but she is desperate to find out before she marries and begins to build a family of her own without knowing is she is cursed to outlive them all.

Similar to the first two, this book can be read as a standalone but will contain a few spoilers for the first two books. personally, I'd recommend reading them in order but if only one appeals to you, you are able to skip to that one!

Overall, I've really enjoyed this series, but this was the weakest one in my opinion. I found Thray to be an incredibly frustrating character, and did not always agree with her choices which made it harder for me to enjoy this one. That said, if you enjoy complicated FMCs, you may love this one!

read for:
✨️ Viking inspired fantasy
✨️ quests
✨️ arranged marriage
✨️ found family
✨️manipulative and vengeful gods

thank you so much to Titan books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Barrow of Winter was a great fantasy with a unique setting and interesting world.

The cultures depicted are rich and engaging. Reading about the differences between them and how their religious beliefs influence their societies was a highlight.

The winter and eternal night setting of the book was intensely atmospheric and my favorite aspect of it. The cold can almost be felt through the pages!

I really liked the protagonist - she has flaws but her reflective nature, bravery, and intrinsic air of dignity drew me to her. She is conflicted from the beginning and I truly rooted for her on her quest for answers.

I received this book for free in exchange for a fair review. These are my unbiased thoughts.

My goodness, what an AMAZING book!!!

I’ve been a long time fan of H.M. Long’s books set in her bespoke viking-inspired fantasy world, where gods and humans aren’t so far apart from one another.

Barrow of Winter is the newest addition to this universe (which I got the honor to review in exchange for an ARC) and follows Thray, the adopted niece of Hessa, the protagonist from the first two books, and the daughter of Ogam, the wintry son of Winter and Eang.

This book had a lot of elements that I love from this series - great characters, additional worldbuilding that is creative and enhances the plot, action scenes that draw you in, and overall, a great story that follows a Hero’s Journey theme. This book had all of those things, all while building up to an exciting conclusion.

Thray is a flawed but compelling heroine - she yearns to find herself and figure out where she stands: with the gods or humans? You want to root for her, even when she catastrophically messes up, and her character development throughout the whole story really drew me in.

It was, all in all, a wonderful read 🤍

Barrow of Winter releases on January 31st - run, dont walk, to your local bookstore for a copy!

Sometimes as a reader you will find yourself overwhelmed by this “giddy” feeling about 10% into a book when you know it is going to be something special to you and you can just feel it in your gut that you are in for a treat. That is exactly what happened to me with H.M. Long’s Barrow of Winter.

Above all, Barrow of Winter is a quest for Eangen village Priestess, Thray, to find herself, her demigod siblings, and the truth about her power and mortality. As a main character I found myself so incredibly pulled into Thray’s physical and personal journey and although she did not always make the most selfless decision, you always could understand why she did it. At a critical point of the book, Thray experienced a heart wrenching betrayal, and I physically felt that hurt IN. MY. SOUL.

And it’s not just good character development either, H.M. Long was a master at setting creation – the snowy world she built as the backdrop to Thray’s journey was so vivid and vibrant that I could barely stand to pull myself away. The pacing of the story was also a stand-out for me as it kept me consistently engaged as Long expertly navigated providing enough new information and plot twists to keep the story moving while simultaneously filling in pieces of Thray’s backstory that help us to deeply understand Thray and what motivates her.

I will officially be diving into the past works of H.M. Long now and anxiously await her next release, Dark Water Daughter.

Barrow of Winter is the third book in the hall of smoke universe. I haven't read the first two books but I wanted to read them for a while. All books in this series are read as standalone so I wanted to start somewhere. This book follows the story of Thray. It was a really fun and fast-paced book to read. I really enjoyed it. The author created an amazing wintery world and a very complex storyline. Apparently, other characters from the previous books made an appearance as well. You definitely can read this book as a standalone and enjoy it a lot. I think I'll read this series from the first book and find the connections and I'll be ready to read the next book.

In Fantasy and Science Fiction we can go beyond human via magic or very powerful Technology. We can enhance ourselves and give us more power but there may be a price to pay. When can you step away from being human? In H M Long’s Barrow of Winter their latest entry into their Hall of Smoke series we get an interesting story centred on a new main character exploring a land that offers not just a new frontier, a potential family she never knew but also the possibility of immortality itself.

Thray is a priestess for her coastal Eangen village; a land getting used tot eh aftermath of a war with Gods and new allies within the old Arpa Empire. However Thray isn’t quite human she is the child of Ogam one of the old Gods themselves; she is Grandchild of Winter one of the very old Gods nd so she may be immortal but she would need to die first to find out. One day she spots seven ships arriving on the coast and finds that they are being led by Siru – a woman who looks an awful lot like Thray and indeed is t be revealed to be another of Ogam’s children. Thray gets tempted to join Siru who tells her there is a whole community of Ogam’s children to meet and a land in the North the Eangen may wish to trade with. Thray lies to her people about answering their God’s call but she also soon finds a land wrapped in eternal night; her new ‘family’ view her as a tool and the next battle is never too far behind her.

After two novels focused on Hessa the High Priest it’s a bold and refreshing step to refresh the series setting and main character. We have a story placed 25 years after the last episode and with Thray while also a priestess with a warrior’s instinct when fighting she comes across as a younger more unsure character than Hessa. Thray as our narrator feels a little in search of answers – who is she; does she have a family; could she be immortal and have all the powers that come with that ability. She clearly loves the Eangens and indeed travelling with her is her betrothed, but she never comes across as entirely comfortable there. As with many younger characters she wants a little more and this offers an adventure but also forces Thray to finally decide where she stands on a host of issues. She is sympathetic but also we are not entirely sure where she will end up as the story ends – will she put people ahead of her own answers.

The main storyline is more of a quest tale. Previously crossing into worlds that mirror Norse and Roman life we now move to an icy land that is forever winter. This feels like we are entering a more fantastical land than we have seen so far; here the white-haired magical children of Ogam reign as gods. The Duamel are humans who worship Ogam’s children. This raises a dilemma for Thray who comes from a country where they overthrew the gods who took delight and power from people; the children of Ogam are not actually deities despite many having unusual powers and that sets up a tension with Thray and her travellers but also starts to open up the tale leading to a climactic battle for power across the world. My one reservation is the first half of the book is a lot of people travelling to places then having to travel a little bit more without too much reward and that leads only a little room for the bigger storyline to unfold which felt a little rushed this time. However it does also suggest what is to come in the fourth and final book in the series.

Barrow of Winter is a very enjoyable adventure tale offering a fresh take on the series and another compelling main character. Filled with action; revelations and magic it’s a good addition to a very interesting fantasy series that is not afraid to take risks and avoid the repetition so many can fall into. Fans of the series will definitely enjoy it!

This one is a bit difficult to review. On the one hand it is extremely well written, but it's also slower paced and the character is a bit frustrating. In the beginning, for example, she makes one major decision that shapes the rest of the book, but then she's pulled alongside whatever is happening with little say in the matter until just about the last fifteen chapters or so.

That first decision she makes also leads to a number of unfortunate choices and since this is a coming of age story that's entirely understandable, but it's not exactly a blast to read even though this is a solid novel on the face of it. So far this is my least favorite of the set, although I have to say I do want to read more of the series if there's another book on the way. There's that, anyway.

Finally, I'm not sure who I'm going to recommend this particular book to if they're not already invested in the world (and the first books are so good I'd hard time saying "yeah, read those, but maybe not this one.") If it was the first in a series I might have given up on it. It's also a bit of a let down if it's the end of the series--which I hope it's not because there's a blurb in the back for the author's next book but I'm not sure it's set in the same world since I didn't read it. in any case I will keep an eye on this author's work and hopefully I'll have a chance to read more in the future.

'Why am I creeping down a tunnel in an abandoned tomb, other than curiosity and the encouragement of an owl that isn't an owl?'

Barrow of Winter returns to HM Long's Hall of Smoke universe (Hall of Smoke, Temple of No God) but it rings some changes.

The first two books focussed largely on Hessa, and saw her grow from a young woman in the first book to a mature warrior-priestess in the second, I had wondered whether the third would therefore show us an ageing Hessa. We don't get that. While Hessa plays a role in this story, she's still more than capable of fighting in battle. But the story doesn't revolve around her, instead it follows Thray, Hessa's sort-of niece, now a priestess in her own right but more significantly, a young woman who wants to know more about her own origins and nature.

Some twenty years after the cataclysmic events of the previous book - the deaths of gods and the overthrowing of empires and an old order of things - the land of the Eangen is now at (relative) peace and the worship of the newly ascendent god Thvnder well established. Life is calm for Thray... except when she goes out deliberately hunting deadly beasts just to find out whether she can die or - as a descendent of the dead god of winter - is immortal, like some of her siblings.

That impulse in Thray to push boundaries is established early on, and she lives up to it throughout (oddly reminding me of Hessa in Hall of Smoke). Despite being betrothed to a devoted young warrior and having numerous responsibilities as priestess for her village, it's clearly only a matter of time before Thray will find some reason to head off into the North to learn about her kin and where she came from. The opportunity, when it comes, takes us into who new realms of Long's fascinating world - a country bound in darkness beneath everlasting winter, one where strange new gods and their priests, and Thray's own kin, the Winterborn, coexist uneasily in a fragile politics already threatened by climate change and hunger for power.

The political turns out to be very personal indeed for Thray. The Winterborn aren't to be trusted, but they possess knowledge and abilities that she needs to make sense of her life. Will she be able to coax those from them without giving up her own identity, her own future? What will the price be?

Barrow of Winter was very enjoyable, very fast-paced and laced with mysteries. Thray is a relatable and interesting protagonist and Long makes this book entertaining and fun in its own right even if you haven'r read the previous ones. For myself, I'd like to have seen more of Hessa, but I appreciate that as High Priestess of a flourishing cult her life is probably too admin-y for a thrilling adventure - she has responsibilities and is old enough to know she shouldn't abandon them, as Thray does!

Recommended.

I’m such a huge fan of this series !!

We’re once again given beautiful wintery scenery, an engaging plot, epic battles, charismatic characters, … I don’t need more. Also, there is something about H.M. Long’s writing style, it’s so easy for me to visualize everything so vividly and beautifully and to root for her characters.

Contrary to the first two installments, we’re not following Hessa but Thray, the offspring of a human and a god. She’s questioning her place in the world, the life she wants to be hers, and her identity. Her journey was full of turmoil and new encounters, I loved every second of it from beginning to end.

PS : It was a pleasure to see Hessa, Nisien, Imnir, etc, even if only for such a short time.

I’m not ready to leave this world behind but I’m so excited for the fourth and final book from this series (and to read Dark Water Daughter by the same author!).

The third book in the series, Barrow can also be read as a stand-alone. However I highly recommend you read HoS and ToNG (books 1&2). This book builds on the world and characters we meet in the previous books and brings some more exciting adventures. I cannot express how much you need to read these books!

Now the review (the best bit, obvs):
A Viking-esque high fantasy, we meet a Thray, a young warrior priestess, who is questioning her own possible immortality and the unknown world of her half siblings and the land to the north.

Like Hessa from books 1 & 2 I adored watching Thray's story unfold. Admittedly I didn't love her as much as I did Hessa but Thray is a strong, vulnerable and curious character and you can't help but root for her.

We meet old and new characters and once again they are complex and raw. The sense of family, loss and identity is so cleverly tied together, you can't help but feel like you're there. Especially as Thray faces the loneliness of being from a mortal mother and god father - always slightly 'different' from the people of her village.

Now I've said it before and I'll say it again but Long's world building is one of my favourites in a fantasy novel! The stakes are high from page 1 and you're instantly captivated by the world Long creates. It's so atmospheric and richly layered, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in this dark and magical world.

You've got monsters, godly strife, war and the fact it's a fantasy with Viking influence makes it even more incredible! There's a mysterious ore and complex characters that tie the story together so well. Faced with a new point of view in Thray and her adventures north, you are faced with a new part of the world we haven't seen before.

I literally couldn't put it down. There's action, tension, betrayal, suspense. There's warring religions and fickle gods. There's monsters and magic and basically everything that makes a fantasy book great.

This is a book about adventure, action, fickle gods, monsters, war but it also explores loss, grief, longing and found families. Your attention is captured from the beginning and you can smell the blood, tears, sweat and clashing of swords. The sound of the wind through the trees and the spray of the icy waves.

This was one of mv most anticipated sequels and Long did not disappoint.
Thank you so much @hmlongbooks for this stunning world and incredible characters.
I'm so excited for book four and your exciting new work!

4.5 stars!

Thank you to Titan Books & NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As always HM Long delivers a truly cinematic experience. The story follows Thray in her quest to discover her true mortality (I am really parsing down the summary here to avoid spoilers) Thray is a dynamic, layered character. Her varying interactions between peripheral characters is where she shines - is she a villain? Or a hero?

The prose is so atmospheric & imaginative that I could almost feel the cold at times and it was easy to picture every setting, every fight.

Despite being in the same world as the other two books, this functions as a standalone. It does reference previous events and characters but you don’t have to have read the others to get everything from this story.

The plot is complex - filled with betrayal and a depth of emotion.

This is definitely a read for fans of Nordic/Viking action, Skyrim, and those interested in the cost of mortality/immortality