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  • Hall of Smoke

  • By: H. M. Long
  • Narrated by: Samara Naeymi
  • Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (24 ratings)
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Hall of Smoke cover art

Hall of Smoke

By: H. M. Long
Narrated by: Samara Naeymi
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Summary

Epic fantasy featuring warrior priestesses and fickle gods at war, for fans of Brian Staveley's Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne. 

Hessa is an Eangi: a warrior priestess of the Goddess of War, with the power to turn an enemy's bones to dust with a scream. Banished for disobeying her goddess's command to murder a traveller, she prays for forgiveness alone on a mountainside. 

While she is gone, raiders raze her village and obliterate the Eangi priesthood. Grieving and alone, Hessa - the last Eangi - must find the traveller and atone for her weakness and secure her place with her loved ones in the High Halls. As clans from the north and legionnaires from the south tear through her homeland, slaughtering everyone in their path, Hessa strives to win back her goddess' favour. 

Beset by zealot soldiers, deceitful gods, and newly-awakened demons at every turn, Hessa burns her path towards redemption and revenge. But her journey reveals a harrowing truth: the gods are dying and the High Halls of the afterlife are fading. Soon Hessa's trust in her goddess weakens with every unheeded prayer. 

Thrust into a battle between the gods of the Old World and the New, Hessa realizes there is far more on the line than securing a life beyond her own death. Bigger, older powers slumber beneath the surface of her world. And they're about to wake up.

©2021 H. M. Long (P)2021 Recorded Books

What listeners say about Hall of Smoke

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • jd
  • 04-08-22

Narrator: distractingly bad Irish accent

Why, dear God why, is the narrator trying to do an Irish accent? She's very obviously American, and sounds like she's never even been to Ireland. It's insultingly bad, and for the life of me I can't think what need there could possibly have been to pretend to be Irish here, and if the story really needed Irish voices (again, can't think why) then hire an Irish actor!
(Not actually rating the story because I couldn't finish it, but Amazon demanded a rating, so 3-neutral)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An unexpected find

H. M. Long's 'Hall of Smoke' was one of the best standalone fantasy novels I've read in a while. It had all the elements that would make it work. A hero's journey style narrative,, a badass protagonist warrior priestess, an epic yet intimate and character driven plot, a prophecy with a twist, action galore, a meddlesome pantheon of gods and of course, magic. I found the world reminiscent of Keltic, Roman and Norse mythologies. Samara Naeymi's expressive narration held my attention all the way until the wee hours of the morning. I really liked it.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Competent Fantasy

This is a decent debut fantasy novel that may well begin a good series, and it sores above many in seeming to lack the misogyny and other bigotry that is sadly so prevalent in the genre.

However, I only made it half way through before I decided to stop as I just wasn't grabbed by any aspect of it really. The concept of not all powerful gods tied to areas is interesting, but I just wasn't getting anything from this. As a tale from here to there doing fantasy stuff it's written rather well, but lacked the depth I need to get my teeth into a book. If I'm honest, if it wasn't a free audiobook I wouldn't have made it as far as I did and I might feel more negatively.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A gathering crescendo

This book is one of the best examples I've come across of an author developing their craft as they write.

After a thrilling opening the next few chapters meander and take a few false turns before the real story really gets going. After that the world building and character development really seizes control.

A few of the early threads and characters don't really pay off, but those that stick around into the back third are benefited by much tighter writing and action, with pitch-perfect pacing building from a slow burning threat into a late rush and a powerful and overwhelming finale that had me clinging to every word to hold on.

That back half really earns the 4* for me, and would probably be a 5* on its own, which bodes very well for the sequels!

Nb. I listened to this on audiobook whilst driving through the fyords of Norway on my honeymoon, an experience of the novel I can hugely recommend!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable read.

Great and interesting and vibrant story. Can't wait to listen again. Great voice acting. Yay.

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