Enjoyable read.

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

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Worth the LIsten

Good world building with celtic / norse / roman influences with a wide array of characters. LIttle to no agency in the protagonist though rhe plot just happens to her and then its done. self enclosed story with a wider arc to explore in sequels which is nice.

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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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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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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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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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1 person found this helpful