A story of faith and fate, of truth and treachery, of what it means to make your own choices and to listen to your intuition even when those with the power and the control tell you to take a different path.


We meet Hessa, a warrior priestess dedicated in body and mind to her warrior goddess, Eang.
When Hessa fails to carry out the goddess's decree to slay a kind eyed stranger, her world is thrown into chaos.
Old enemies lay waste to her homeland and Hessa is forced to face a future where vengeful gods, fanatical priests and ancient powers vie for control of her world.

This story is chock full of beautiful world building and descriptions, from mossy woodlands to soaring mountains and fantastical godly realms. This facet of the writing was truely captivating and delightfully tangible.
The plot itself winds and meanders through this world, hinting at events and revelations to come with subtle foreshadowing that keeps you thinking and trying to untangle the motivations of a pantheon of fickle gods.
The action scenes are impactful and poetic while also being realistic and easy to follow.
Our cast of characters are diverse and written with depth and emotion.
Hessa's personal journey and development was intriguing to watch unfold as she stepped beyond the world she knew and faced truths that made her question everything she had ever believed.
I particularly enjoyed the friendship she had with a secondary character and how realistic the development of this relationship was.
This book is almost completely void of the tropes that are often overused in fantasy today and this made it a very refreshing and unexpected read.


Overall an excellent adult fantasy featuring sublime writing, stunning world building, epic fight scenes and a fierce and complex heroine.
4/5

First off, can we take a minute to appreciate how unbelievably gorgeous the book cover is?! Secondly, are you looking for a Vikings inspired epic fantasy world with gods and goddesses, magic and quests, journey and redemption? Well, look no further dear readers because Hall of Smoke is here for you and it is the perfect combination of all of these elements and so much more. This fascinating debut builds up a new world ruled by gods and goddesses, a breath of fresh air as it contains less of the general fantasy tropes.

Our main character is Hessa, an Eangi, a warrior-priestess of the Goddess of War Eang. Banished from her home for disobeying her goddess’s order and desperately trying to gain her forgiveness, she sets off on a journey to find the traveller she was supposed to kill and this time, she is determined to finish her duty. Hessa starts her journey across the world, unveiling hidden secrets and getting swept into battles between the Old and New Gods. Sounds terrifying, doesn’t it?

The majority of the book narrates Hessa’s travels from one place to another, combined with the illustrated map at the start of the book, Long creates an exciting and engaging world full of adventures and mysteries as we follow Hessa’s footprints along the world. The worldbuilding is undoubtedly, very successful. Long did an amazing job at describing the important roles in which the gods and goddesses play in the world and the influences they have on their believers. They are not myths or folklores, in this story, they are real. Different gods and goddesses are encountered, and questions are raised. As we follow Hessa’s journey, one cannot help but wonder that something is a little bit off. Hessa is a devoted warrior, incredibly loyal and never questioning orders and decisions that her goddess makes, but it is impossible to shake off the feeling that Eang is hiding something and not being entirely forthcoming with Hessa, who is trying her best to right her wrongs. Even though the people (and gods) she encountered on her journey kept bringing up new doubts and questions, Hessa’s belief of Eang never wavers as she continues on her mission, despite the difficulties.

It’s safe to say that our main character Hessa is an unbelievably strong character. After being banished, she then finds her village raided, friends, and family slaughtered, and she was the only Eangi left in the world. Lost and alone, she sets off on a rough path determined to make everything right and be reunited with her family again. At first, the book contains both chapters from the present time and flashbacks of when she became an Eangi and her time with her family which made the present even more painful as she continuously mourns her lost ones. Romance is not heavily depicted in this novel, (which I didn’t know I appreciated until now), as it effectively shows Hessa’s independence and strong personality. Since it’s written in first person and present tense, we are able to pay close attention to Hessa’s thoughts, her passion, loyalty and confusion throughout this whirlwind of events. Long’s writing continues to surprise me as she describes the world around Hessa vividly and it is easy to picture all the images in mind while reading. Her writing is very well grounded, surprisingly so for a debut novel and the chapters are short so as not to be confusing by putting too much stuff into one single chapter. The pacing might be a bit slow, involving a lot of traveling and flashbacks at first, but gradually, everything will start to make sense as it draws closer towards a mind-blowing finale. All the questions that we’ve raised throughout the book will be resolved by the end.

Personally, I have never read any Viking inspired fantasies and I had no idea what to expect from this, but it’s that lack of expectation which makes this novel even more interesting. Because it contains gods and wars, you can definitely expect a fair amount of fight scenes, sometimes the scenes tend to get quite violent and gore so be prepared for those when picking up this book.

One last thing to mention is that it might be best to keep referring back to the glossary at the end of the book whilst reading, that way, the names of the characters and places would be easier to read and it would make so much more sense!

Hall of Smoke is a fast paced adventure that just borders on fantasy that takes place in a detailed world. The majority of the story follows Hessa's journey across the land to kill a man her god told her she is destined to kill.
Each time the story felt like it was about to slow down there was action right around the corner.

What didn't work for me here was the motivation: Hessa has been disowned by her priesthood (the Enagi who follow the god Enag) and then her entire community is raided, killing everyone she cares for. With her cousin and her husband dead, her community destroyed, her no longer technically being an Enagi since she was kicked out, her motivation to go on the quest is the make amends to her god by following the gods original orders and by doing so secure her destiny in the afterlife. The motivator failed to impress any sense of urgency with me.

Long (the author) clearly excels with description, world building, and plotting, where she maybe isn't perfect yet is with character development and there relationships. I would have greatly preferred if we were able to connect with any characters more that we could better connect with how passionate Hessa is intended to be about this cause, admittedly the fact that her god directly speaks with her does help this, but I didn't find the god likeable.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a e-ARC of this book for an honest review.

After having a so-so year in 2020 as far as fantasy goes, I was excited to dive into this book. I'm glad to say I was not disappointed! I loved the Viking-inspired setting and felt immediately connected to the voice of the main character, Hessa. From the opening pages, the setting was adequately set and I began to get a taste of worldbuilding without feeling overwhelmed. The world did feel extensive as I read on and there definitely was a learning curve for me, especially with all of the different names. At times it was hard to keep track of all of the different gods/goddesses and places in the world. And a few of the side characters I thought could be combined or eliminated. But it wasn't too bad as to take me out of the story. The writing was simple and straightforward which I liked and overall this was a strong fantasy debut and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author!

Review copied from my Goodreads page:

* A big thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I had high expectations for this book - I mean, warrior-priestesses?!- and boy did the author deliver!

Rife with lore, betrayal and plot twists, we follow warrior-priestess Hessa as she struggles with her faith in her goddess Eang while also trying to basically save the world and her people.
I loved the writing style, it was vivid and beautifully descriptive. I also appreciated the way the action scenes were written, as I could clearly picture the battle scenes in my mind which is a good thing because there's loads of them! I also really really loved how we got to see so much of the different gods, they truly were part of the main story and I loved all the lore and magic surrounding them, as well as not knowing whether you could trust anything coming out of their mouths (looking at you, Ogam...).
This story captured me right from the beginning and kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time, up until the epic fight scene near the end. I loved how we slowly got to learn more about the gods and the world along with Hessa, and how she so clearly and honestly struggled with what to believe in.

If this book wasn't already on your TBR I sincerely hope it now will be, it's one of my new favorites for sure!

Thank you to Titan Books for sending me a digital copy of this book for review. I am on the bookstagram tour for this book, so my mini-review will be posted on Instagram on the 18th, but here is my full review. Side note – I absolutely love the cover for this book, and the colours are so beautiful! Right now I have a digital copy, but I bet the physical copy is gorgeous. Also, in my digital copy there was a map and glossary at the end.

Hall of Smoke begins with Hessa seeking forgiveness from the goddess she serves after she failed to complete a mission. Hessa is not at the temple long, but while she is gone there is a raid, and many of her friends and family are murdered. In the aftermath, Hessa must try to redeem herself in Eang’s eyes or she will continue to be disgraced by her goddess. She soon realises that there has been a shift, and the Old Gods are returning and threatening everything Hessa thinks she knows. Hessa has served the goddess of war for a long time, so what will happen when she begins to question her committment?

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this book – the synopsis indicated to me that it would be a high fantasy with a focus on religion, mythology and war, which it definitely was! This book is full of gods and war, and I think the setting is Viking-inspired. This was right up my street, and just what I like to see in fantasy books! The gods in Hall of Smoke were so interesting, and I loved learning about the history of the world-building – it was very well-done and detailed, and I definitely felt immersed in the world.

I really enjoyed learning about the religion, especially because Hessa is a priestess and so caught up in her beliefs, so it is a shock when she realises that everything is not as it seems. Hessa’s whole life has been devoted to Eang, so I loved to see how her relationship with faith changed throughout the book. Hessa definitely isn’t perfect, and she also has to question what she knows about people devoted to other gods, who she had dismissed all her life because she was so devoted to her goddess.

I did struggle to get into this book at the very beginning – it took me a few chapters to get used to the world-building and get into the story. I found the pacing a bit off for a while, mainly before the action started, because most of this book is Hessa travelling on a journey to complete her mission. However, once I did get used to the terminology and plot I really enjoyed the story. There is a lot of information, so I’d recommend looking at the glossary if you need to, and there are pronunciation guides for some of the words. After reading the first few chapters, I was definitely sucked in and once I hit the 50% mark I found it hard to put down!

I liked the alternating timeline because this allowed us to learn more about Hessa and where she came from through some flashbacks. For me, Hessa stood out quite a lot and I really liked following her journey – she definitely had the most depth and character development, and I wanted to know what would happen to her. I really appreciated how she got her period at one point, because unfortunately periods aren’t often discussed in fantasy books. However, most of the other characters weren’t as memorable, so I didn’t feel fully connected to them. This did stop me from fully loving this book, but luckily the book mainly focused on Hessa.

I was a bit confused at the very end – some things were a left a bit vague, so I would have just liked more detail or a longer ending. I have this issue often with standalone books, especially fantasy standalones, because it’s much harder to wrap up a story without it feeling rushed. However, I did really enjoy the climax of the book because I really didn’t know what would happen! There was a lot of action in the second half of the book, as well as revelations and twists and turns in the plot.

Once again, thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy. I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book, and I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author. Content warnings for death, murder, violence, some graphic descriptions of injuries.

4/5 stars

I loved this book! Exciting, extremely well written, and expansive in its worldbuilding. There are so few epic fantasy standalones written by women. I’m so glad to be adding this one to my shelf.


Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read and review in advance!

Hall of Smoke was a really interesting novel, every inch as epic as the blurb suggests. It manages to hit that perfect blend of plot and simplicity; with a story that feels lengthy yet succinct. I wish I’d managed to get my hands on a physical copy of this as I feel a book like this suffers slightly from being electronic - ebooks often feel longer than they are, without the reality of being able to see how far in you’ve gotten. In addition to this, the map is placed at the back of the book, alongside a glossary of characters - and I feel I wish I’d had access to flick back to this when necessary as I did have quite a few ‘wait, who?’ Moments whilst reading. Geography is never my strong suit, so I tend to let the grasp of locations pass me by unless I have a map; and did find myself wishing for one as I read.

I absolutely loved the Viking ideology in this book, and the cover art is so strong that it remained within my mind the entire time I was reading. I loved the way magic was treated like a gift and a curse, and how it came to be really resonated with me; having spent my childhood reading Pratchett and seeing gods made stronger by their followers.

The Gods play a prominent part in the book, reminding me of the meddling ways of Greek deities in the best way. I loved the different people, their looks and cultures and lifestyles - and the way this reflected in their worship. Having one deity show itself through flowers opening, another through owls etc, was a magical addition that felt real and powerful as a reader.

I think my favourite thing about this book though was the real sense of self-discovery and growth. Our heroine wasn't the strongest in her people, or the fastest, or their fiercest warrior. The book literally starts with her repenting from a mistake and the entire book feels like a true battle with what she feels she should do...and what she's being told to do. It's Hessa's journey from mindlessly following orders to making her own choices. Choosing her own fate. Reaching inward for her own strength, her own power.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a touch slow at times, but my fascination with the Gods and their story and Hessa's redemption kept my interest strong throughout. I was so happy with the ending, with the choices Hessa made for herself. I was happy that there was no forced romance, no sappy scene that felt out of place. Just a strong, fantastically written story that kept my interest throughout.

Hall of Smoke follows the priestess Hessa after things take a wrong turn and her homeland is ravaged by war. Her journey is not for the faint of heart and takes her across multiple lands, cultures on a journey to redeem herself after a failure to heed the commands of her goddess.

The most impressive thing about this novel for me was the premise and the world. I thought that the worldbuilding was awesome. The different countries and lands with their own pantheon of gods who fight, bicker and have their own alliances really made it seem quite real to me. There are old gods, new gods, demons, magic abilities, power struggles and it all just mixes in so well. The novel seems to take cues from the Viking culture which I can always appreciate and it all felt new and interesting. I believe the world itself has many more stories to tell.

This however brings us to my first and main issue I had with the novel: the length. The book is only 400 pages long and I believe this was not enough to contain such an awesome world. For a first glimpse into an entirely new world that is this intricate it was just too brief. The story takes us to pretty much every country on the map as well so the reader is constantly bombarded with the names of a bunch of gods, followers, customs and at some point it became a hindrance and I felt like I could not connect to a lot of the story as well as I should have. The novel could have really used a more focused plot. We do not need to visit every country that exists on the map and I would have liked to learn about the world in a much more relaxed pace. I would not call it complex but there was just too much of everything for the kind of story this book was trying to tell.

To not come across as entirely negatively minded I would like to comment that separately all the aspects of the book work quite well. I came out of this novel thinking - "Well the world is awesome, characters are good enough, plot is nice, action is great" - and yet I felt entirely detached from it all due to the way these elements were mixed together. As to what this does to the score I will set the book exactly in the middle with a 5/10. I believe the author has promise but this story sadly comes out to be less than the sum of its parts.

Hall of Smoke is a Viking-inspired fantasy, where the Gods are real.

I admittedly haven’t read a lot of Viking literature, but this book feels like a fresh take on the genre for a first reasons. Firstly, while I wouldn’t necessarily call this a ‘feminist’ story, it’s nice to read a take on pre-medieval societies featuring a well-rounded female MC, who has a wide array of hopes, dreams and fears unrelated to her gender. In Eang, men and women are equal out of necessity (in a case of all hands on deck), and Hessa is both a religious acolyte, part of the mysterious Eangi priesthood, as well as a skilled fighter. Additionally, while Hessa receives help from many men on her journey, she also proves herself their equal – and there are rarely, if ever, romantic undertones in their meetings.

Secondly, I really enjoyed Long’s take on the gods of Hessa’s world. This book does some really deft things with the various gods and the concept of religion more generally: the Gods are real, but who the true gods are and how they should be worshipped is a matter of cultural perspective. Hessa is devoted to Eang, but when the Goddess fails to answer her calls for help, she starts to question exactly who it is she serves. The Gods themselves are also all very different in personality; some are tricksters, some are violent; others just want to go home and forget about human concerns. It genuinely does feel like a pantheon of gods, reminiscent of the Vikings and other cultures like the Greeks.

As for the rest of the story: the quality of the prose is excellent, and really evokes an otherworldly feel. This is a world similar to our history, but also a world full of mysteries Hessa is only just being to understand. However, the plot – my main issue with this book – is painfully slow-moving at points. Much of the middle of this book is Hessa simply moving from one village to another, and replaying the same crises of faith in her mind, and it gets a little repetitive. I also didn’t get a good sense of the other human characters in this book. Much of Hessa’s journey is about revenge and justice for her family, and to protect those she loves who are still in hiding, but the problem is that we simply don’t know enough about these characters to really feel the depths of Hessa’s motivations or love for them. However, the action does build nicely at the end, and I was satisfied with the payoff; always a good sign for a standalone book.

Overall, Hall of Smoke hits a lot of the same beats as other epic fantasy novels, but also contains enough to differentiate it from the crowd. I’m looking forward to seeing what Long writes next.

Hall of Smoke was Long's debut novel and it was... okay. Not exceptional as I hoped. The main problem was the pacing: 80% of the story is about Hessa's journey. She travels from one place to another and doesn't interact very much with other characters. She doesn't develop any relationship. It's mostly about her, about her inner thoughts. After a while, it became a little bit boring. Another thing I couldn't connect with was the writing style. I felt it flat and it didn't captivate me. I had to push myself to keep on reading and finish the book.

Creative, intricate, and unique are all words I would use to describe the last half of Hall of Smoke. Unfortunately, to get there requires more than a little effort. I came dangerously close to not finishing this book due to some structural and pacing issues in the beginning.
My number one problem had to do with the language. No matter what was occurring, and believe me there were some potentially epic battle scenes in the first half of this novel, everything was monotonous. The tone and cadence of the language did not change, making the narrative seem almost textbook, even at times that it should have been really exciting. This was not the case later in the novel, which made the affectation of it in the beginning seem all the more strange.
My other problem had to do with the sheer amount of unnecessary characters thrown at you in the beginning of the book. Random encounters, idle memories, briefly met allies; it became impossible to discern who was who, and who was supposed to actually matter to the story.
That aside, let’s talk about the positive. Hall of Smoke has a really intricate magic and god system that made my mouth water with the level of unique detail in it. Similarly, the world was really well thought out. The various warring factions and how they interacted and responded to one another was amazing. This all came into play in the last half of the novel when Hessa began to piece together what was actually going on. I wish that some of these elements had been introduced sooner to better even out the pacing. If the starting tedium was adjusted, and the reader was to catch some foreshadowing or glimpses of the potential of the later chapters, I think it would have made this decent novel into something seriously great.

I know the saying is that you should never judge a book by its cover, and as someone who reads a lot of books I know that's good advice; however, I dare anyone to look at the cover for Hall of Smoke to look at this book and not want a copy. Luckily, this is a book that you can judge by its cover, as the content inside is just as bold, and beautiful as the artwork on the front, and is a book that I had a hell of a good time reading.

The story follows Hessa, a young warrior priestess of Eang. The book begins with her having to travel to her goddess' temple to pray for forgiveness for failing to carry out an assassination of a strange traveller that she was instructed to make by Eang herself. Unfortunately for Hessa, whilst she's up the mountain her village comes under attack from the Algatt, a tribe of raiders from the country to the north. By the time Hessa returns home she finds the village in flames and her family dead. This was not just a simple raid, but the exodus of thousands of Algatt, fleeing their home in the wake of a rival force. Now one of the last remaining Eangi priests Hessa sets out to finish her mission and kill this mysterious traveller; but she soon discovers that there is much more going on than she could ever have imagined, and god both new and ancient are awakening across the land.

One of the things that surprised me most about Hall of Smoke was that despite the length of an average novel (400 pages) it really managed to pack the content in, and it at times felt like reading a book twice the length. This was in part due to the amazing amount of world building that Long did, and despite the main bulk of the book taking place in a relatively small corner of this world it felt like a very big universe, one where you could get lost for hours exploring the history and lore. This history is an important part of the story, and over the course of the book the readers get to learn more and more about the pantheon of gods in Hessa's world, both those new and those much more ancient. Learning about these gods and their history is an integral part of both the story and Hessa's journey, and despite the book being packed with great action sequences it was these quiet moments of discovery that really hooked me and drew me in.

Long has managed to create a story that feels incredibly layered and complex, but one that never leaves you confused or feeling lost. Yes, you get a lot of information dropped on you at times, but this information is usually delivered in such a way that we learn of it through Hessa, and her experiences of discovering these secrets, and what they mean to her, makes it much easier to digest than some other lore heavy fantasy novels. We experience everything this way, through Hessa, and whilst not only does she make for a narrator that makes the story and its complex turns easy to follow, but her journey is one of the best I've read for a long while. So many protagonists end their journeys having learnt something, but often they still seem like the same person; Hessa, on the other hand, ends up being a completely different person com the end. She grows in ways that I never expected when I started the book, and by the end I was still desperate to spend more time with her. I wanted to see what this new Hessa would do next, what her life has in store for her come the conclusion. She's the kind of character that I could spend a dozen books reading about and never get bored of her. If this is the only time I get to read about her I'll be a little disappointed that I won't be getting more, but still incredibly happy with the journey I got to go on with her.

Hall of Smoke was a book that I missed in its pre-release hype, one that I wasn't really excited for or thought much about, but it's quickly become one of my favourite fantasy books I've read in a good long while, and one that I know that I'll be shouting about and recommending to a lot of people. The perfect debut novel.

This book tells the story of Hessa, an Eangi priestess, banished from her community for not following the orders of the high priestess and subsequently, her goddess Eang. However, soon her people are killed and she’s left alone in the world with one mission: kill the traveler and earn the forgiveness of the goddess. Heartbroken but determined, Hessa starts her journey around her known world, to uncover the secrets behind the massacre and finding the traveler to secure her place in the afterlife.

Most of this book is a journey from one location to another, following it on the map would make it more interesting and engaging. The world-building was very well done, H. M. Long transported us to a harsh world full of lore and rich culture. Albeit inspired by Vikings and Norse mythology, the gods had more of a direct and important role in this book. I’m always intrigued by books where gods are actually real and their influence on the world is evident. The world Long created and the history she weaved and how they played out at the end of the book was my favorite part of this book. She also illustrated the relations between the different nations in a clear interesting way.
Please check the glossary at the end, if it wasn’t for it, I would’ve been confused since there are many names mentioned.

Long’s writing was easy to get lost in. she described the world vividly and I was always imagining the lands Hessa was traveling through in my head. Her style was solid, especially for a debut book. The book is told from Hessa’s perspective. I also appreciate the lack of romance in this book and how Hessa didn’t need anyone to survive and was always depending on herself. Sure, many helped along the way but not in the way of a “love interest” does.

Hessa was fierce and strong, a warrior who is left with a heavy burden. But she’s also vulnerable when it’s needed. She was also loyal and always putting others first. While the book is mostly told in the present time, we get a flew flashbacks chapters that tell us about Hessa’s life before the events of <i>Hall of Smoke</i>. Although the pace of this book is slow, since most of it is on the road, the chapters helped since they weren’t long most of the time.

But these are all positives why didn’t I give it any more stars?
I couldn’t connect with the characters. I also didn’t feel that she loved her husband. We were constantly told about how much he meant for her and yet it was more telling than showing, this is usually a set up for future “true love” later on.

All in, this is a good debut. The world-building was great and I loved the history of the world. Do I recommend it? Sure if you like Vikings inspired stories. You might have better luck than me connecting with the characters. I will also keep an eye for H. M. Long future books.


Note: Make sure to check the glossary and the appendix containing the map at the end.

This book brings the epic to epic fantasy. I richly imagined world, breathtaking fights, creatures that could haunt your sleep, Hall of Smoke has something that'll make anyone fall in love with it. The writing is exceptional--the prose snatched me into the book and I clung for my life. A great debut!

Hessa, is an Eangi, a warrior priestess of Eang, the Goddess of War.

A very likable heroine to follow, she gets involuntarily sucked into a war among the gods.

It was nice to read a high fantasy book that was a bit different from ones that have come out lately. More of a Viking fantasy world.

I really enjoyed the story, but it was fairly slow in some sections, and I think it would benefit greatly from reading a physical copy of the book instead of an ebook, since having the map and glossary of names at the beginning would have been super helpful.

I would definitely recommend this book regardless! There’s going to be some awesome fan art when this is released. I can’t wait.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

This is what storytelling is made of.

I can’t explain to you guys how much I loved this book. The author takes her time telling this story, and let me tell you...With the ending, it’s totally worth it. I could not predict where this story was going to go, and I can guarantee you won’t be able to either. The strength of our main heroine Hessa was so unbelievably inspiring. She is so alone in the world, and yet always comes out on top in the numerous problems she faces.

The writing was so cinematic, fluid, and without reserve. Long deals punch after punch, and you can’t help but keep reading! The mythology of this world will completely suck you in. I adore anything Viking-esque (thank you for the introduction, Adrienne Young), and I just fell head over heels in love with this book. And if you're a gamer (like me), and have been playing the new Assassin's Creed Valhalla game - same vibes, my dudes. Same vibes.

Cinematic. Gory. Heroic. Epic.

I wouldn’t change a thing about this story. Except add more romance. But that’s just me LOL.

Big thank you to Titan Books + Netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of this book!

This novel was so beautifully crafted; Long has certainly set herself up for an explosive series.
The beginning of Hessa's story is a tragic one. We start off on an intense note; with her begging for forgiveness from a god, losing her family, and suddenly becoming the last of her people. Already, knee-deep in the third chapter, I have so many questions. This, of course, then propelled me to read further.
The most intriguing aspect of this novel is the magic and religious system. The gods being so present in these humans' lives is one we often don't see, I love how they interact with one another. Not only are there the ever-present New Gods, but we are also introduced to the Old ones. Just when we get some answers, the questions seem to double, which obviously makes for a great read.
Hessa is a powerful and smart woman. She is not afraid to question everything she knows for the sake of her sanity, and she is unapologetically headstrong. I couldn't have asked for a better main character.
I would highly recommend this for fans of Anthony Ryan and Andrea Stewart!

I requested this book because of that gorgeous cover and the synopsis seems so good. I love a great mythology and I was not disappointed.

The world building of this book is very rich. We discovered a mythology made up of several gods. Each has a unique power and is followed by it own community. The larger the community, the more powerful the god. Unfortunately, a new god comes to change the situation and we quickly realize that the power game between the gods is important and complicated. I loved discovering each god, each community and you can feel the Viking influence throughout the book. It was really good.

Hessa our main character is awesome. She made a mistake and accepts the consequences. She seems a little naive on some points but she never stops questioning herself when necessary. I liked her quest for truth and her evolution. In addition the author had the good idea not to put romance which is refreshing for this kind of book, because it made the MC that much more interesting.

Overall, I really recommend this book which I find very good both in the writing style, the characters and the construction of the universe.

Although Hall of Smoke is a debut novel, it feels like it was written by someone who has been telling stories their entire life. H.M. Long guides the reader through a living and breathing world, full of strong warrior priestesses, gods walking among men, mythical creatures and raw, human emotions.

Hessa is an Eangi, a warrior priestess of the Goddess of War, Eang. While away from her village, raiders destroy her home and kill her people, leaving her as the only Eangi left. Alone and grieving, Hessa hunts down a traveler she was tasked with killing by her Goddess. But while she hunts down this man, Hessa gets tangled up in a war amongst gods. When Eang no longer answers Hessa’s prayers, she starts to realize far more is going on than she knows. While her faith in the Goddess of War wavers, Hessa must find a way to navigate the fickle moods of the Gods and prepare for the war that is brewing.

Hall of Smoke was obviously inspired by multiple ancient religions, most notably the Norse one. Despite this, Long managed to create her own pantheon that feels almost as if I could find it in the history books. The mythology, different gods and goddesses, tribal communities and the emergence of a ‘one true god’, feel real, like this is the history of a people who lived on Earth long ago. The world-building is amazing, without it ever turning into an information dump. Mythological stories are woven in perfectly, giving exactly the right amount of information, without diverting from the main story at all.

Long also gives us a heroine that is flawed, and because of that feels very real. Hessa is strong, a warrior priestess. But after losing her people, she feels lost and vulnerable. She experiences grief and despair, without it ever spiraling into something annoying. She’s smart, but not too smart. Hessa makes mistakes, and pays for them. Because the book is written in first person, we experience Hessa’s doubts and feelings with her.

The only thing that sometimes bothered me was that some of the names of tribes, people and areas were easily confused with one another. Hall of Smoke has a list of names with an explanation in the back, which is helpful, but a bit annoying to go to when you’re reading it as an e-book. However, this is more of a personal pet peeve, and didn’t affect my rating.

The stakes in Hall of Smoke are high, but never feel unrealistic. Because the gods walk amongst men, speak and fight with them, an epic battle truly feels epic. The book works towards a very satisfying final battle, slowing down in all the right places, and becoming action-packed again as soon as you caught your breath.

I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Hessa, and I can’t wait to see what H.M. Long comes up with next.