If HALL OF SMOKE was more about the north, uncovering the secrets of the gods and bringing stability to a war-locked north, then TEMPLE OF NO GOD is about the south, the fight for the vacant throne and a new, dangerous magic that's emerging.

It was nice to see more of the land that was a small segment of the previous book, and only really seen through the eyes of someone trying to get back north. This time, we push deeper into the south and get more of a sense of how their religion works with respect to their rulers, and the consequences of losing all their gods but not yet gaining a new one.

I thought, from the blurb, that there might be more politics in this book as Hessa got caught up in the different factions contending for the throne. Instead, it's more about journeying to another land and trying to work out exactly what is happening - and how to twist it to best suit the north. She spends most of her time with an agent of one faction, seeing the strange new magic and trying to work out how well she can trust those with her.

There are a few recurring characters (Nisien, Estavious, Castor), but mostly we meet new ones, adding to the sense of exploring a new world. One of the new characters is Hessa's second husband. It's a strategic match, to unite their warring people into one (which hasn't entirely worked.) They both have lost previous partners, and are having to deal with that as well as the distance between them.

Their relationship is the emotional core of the book, as they take tentative steps to be more united, but there are a lot of suspicions in the way. I liked how quiet and tentative the relationship was, more about building a better future for their people than any real attraction, particularly as it also grappled with remarriage after losing spouses. Not to mention it doesn't all get wrapped up at the end with a nice neat bow, which made it feel more realistic.

The next book in the series is a true companion (vs this more sequel-leaning standalone.) At the time of writing, we don't have much information (it's snowy!) but I'm hoping we get some more soon, once we're past the promotional window for this book. I'm looking forward to more books in this world.

I really enjoyed the first book; Hall of Smoke so was looking forward to reading Temple of No God. This is set a decade after the first book and much has changed. You need to have read the first book to get a feel for the world and characters. I liked the fact you get to see more of the world created in the first book on a deeper level. Hessa has changed a lot but some aspects of the person she was still linger. This is a richer, more plot driven read.

H.M. Long’s sophomore novel, Temple of No God, follows up on 2021’s Hall of Smoke, though it is billed by the publisher as a standalone novel in the same world rather than a sequel. I thoroughly enjoyed both books – I loved Hall of Smoke’s approach to the concept of deities and Long’s detailed world building, as well as Hessa’s unusual character as a warrior priestess. To me, Temple of No God feels more like a delayed sequel rather than a true standalone novel in the same world. I would have struggled to understand many of the references made to details in the world building – which is one of Long’s greatest strengths as a writer – if I had not read Hall of Smoke before diving into Temple of No God. Thus, I would recommend treating them as a series and reading in order if you can.

Temple of No God sets in a dozen or so years after the end of the first book, and while Hessa is still our main focus, her life has changed quite a bit. She is married – again – to Imnir, an Algatt and High Priest of Thvynder, a relationship that is ultimately at the centre of this story. They live in more of a political alliance than a truly romantic relationship when we meet them. The world is still changed due to the events at the end of Hall of Smoke, the relations between Gods and Men irrevocably changed after Hessa slew Eang, the Goddess she had been dedicated to. Temple significantly expands the scope of the world by having Hessa, Imnir and their companions travel to the Arpa Empire to the south where a dangerous cult is rising and various factions are vying for political dominance.

The story is once again full of action, drama, strongly written characters with depth and nuance and, of course, fabulous world building and interactions with the divine. Hessa is both impulsive and capable of great forethought, and as a warrior priestess, she is a wonderful and unusual leading character. Set in a Viking-inspired secondary world, Long’s novels are epic fantasy at its best, combining quests with a good dash of grittiness but also heart and charm and always putting the characters and their relationships at the centre of the stories. Very much a recommended read.

Temple of No God is the follow-up to H. M. Long’s excellent Hall of Smoke. It is fantasy set in a pre-industrial, tribal world that resembles partly ancient China, partly native American cultures, and partly ancient Rome, with a unique pantheon thrown in the mix.

At the end of the first book, Hessa, the last remaining priestess of warrior goddess Eang, killed all the false gods, hers included, and freed an ancient god Thvynder. This book takes place ten years later. Hessa is the High Priestess and the leader of her people. They’ve had a chance to rebuild their villages, but every year, she leads her tribe to raid the border areas with Arpa, the old enemy of her people, now in disarray without gods and the emperor who gets his power from them.

Then a new god arises in Arpa, and with it a possibility that there will be an emperor once more. Hessa’s god sends the people who worship them to Arpa to make sure the right person is crowned as the emperor. The book is one long campaign that ends at the temple of no god in the middle of the Arpa empire, where the divine coronation is to take place.

This was a good book. Well-written and well-paced, with a straightforward plot that was easy to follow. The chapters were short and there was nothing unnecessary.

But it wasn’t as great as the first book. Nothing was truly at stake, despite the possibility that the rebuilt empire would ignite the ancient warfare. Hessa, the sole point of view character, had nothing to lose. The need to keep her people safe was a good incentive to take on the campaign, but it wasn’t enough to carry the plot.

The first book built on Hessa slowly realising that the goddess she had worshipped and killed for was false, and the reader was taken on a journey of revelation and growth with her. Her rage and need to revenge the people she loved drove the plot.

This book had nothing. The gods are gone and so is Hessa’s rage. She’s a ghost of her former self. There’s no fervour and nothing drives her. The emotional bonds she formed in the previous book are on the background, and the few scenes where she shows affection to her family members feel tagged on. She never has to act on any of her beliefs and she isn’t tested. Not even coming face to face with her former torturer elicit a proper reaction from her and she’s perfectly willing to go with him simply because he has lost his memory of the events.

The emotional payload here is about Hessa’s marriage. Between the books, Hessa has married High Priest Imnir, an odd choice that made me wonder if I’d missed a book because he wasn’t in the first one. We learn nothing about him and don’t have a chance to form an emotional bond with him when we already learn that the marriage is failing.

Imnir is struggling with the loss of his first family, which drives his actions, but which have no emotional meaning for the reader, as we haven’t been there. Hessa, secure with her family and tribe, has nothing to contribute to his struggle. She wants family and children, but not so much that she would force him to confront his grief that is over a decade old already.

We catch up at the tail-end of the marriage, without witnessing the good there might have been and what has been lost. Hessa’s dithering between letting him go and trying to make the marriage work has no meaning. Imnir’s actions fail to make the impact they’re supposed to, because Hessa doesn’t truly care and so the reader doesn’t care. Compared with the betrayals of Hessa’s goddess in the first book, the lack of emotional impact becomes even more pronounced.

Nevertheless, the book was satisfying enough, even if it was light compared with the first. Hessa wasn’t all-powerful, despite the magic she carries, and the solution at the end that worked best for her people came with some personal sacrifice for her. It would’ve meant more, however, if the author had concentrated on the friendships formed in the first book instead of the emotionless marriage. The ending left me feeling good for having read the book, but nothing much else. It doesn’t seem like there will be more books, but I’m sure I’ll read them if there are.

After enjoying the first book in this world, Hall of Smoke, I was excited to read its companion! (You don't need to read HoS before ToNG)

You can tell from this book that H.M. Long has really found their footing with their writing and within the wider fantasy genre. I felt that Hessa was a little flat in Hall of Smoke and didn't really fit the description she was given--a warrior priestess--but in this book, she more than lived up to it. As this book takes ten years in the future after a war of the Gods she has had a lot of time to grow, and when she is thrust into an equally scary and life-threatening situation she only gets better.

This book had such a fantastic plot that surprised me at many points through the plot twists as Hessa had to grapple with who to trust. The tensions were consistently high, which in turn led to some amazingly written and exciting battle scenes where Hessa got to shine as a warrior. She is such a fierce and loyal person who just wants what is best for friends, family and the wider community. She also has wonderful chemistry with the side characters which is always a plus.

As I said, the plot of this book is fantastic. The empire is in the midst of political tensions as three factions vie for a new and unclaimed power and because of this, we got to see a new God and their cult. I was delighted to see a cult in a fantasy book as they're super intriguing--and the author did not let me down. I wish cults were more widely used in the fantasy genre, particularly after the wild things they did to try and secure power in this book. There was also an event that occurred toward the end of the book which involved the cult that raised tensions tenfold and I had to stop reading to process it. There's always this subtle feeling that something is about to go wrong and the payoff for it was worth it. Trust is definitely the main theme in this book and the reader is left second-guessing who to trust along with Hessa, which only added to the feeling that something wrong is about to occur at any moment.

Despite this, I did have a few quips with the book. The first one is the world and its atmosphere, I am one who loves descriptions and from things I've seen online the author aimed to create this hilly, foresty world but I could never really envision the places all that way as I felt there was a general lack of description. I wouldn't say this is a bad thing as lots of world descriptions are not to everyone's tastes, but I just wished for a little more. My second issue was to do with the pacing. I will say that this book was paced and plotted better than Hall of Smoke, however, I felt that some parts of this book were quite rushed to the point that it felt a little unbelievable. I know the author wanted to get to the exciting climax but I feel that a few extra scenes in some places would've helped the book without damaging the tensions.

Overall, I felt that Temple of No God was a fantastic sequel and I will most definitely be reading the next two companion novels set in this world that are set to be published in 2023 and 2024. Fingers crossed I can get more ARC's!

Temple of No God picks up the story begun in last year's Hall of Smoke. Hessa, High Priestess of the goddess Eang, betrayed and killed her deity when the new god, Thvnder, arose. Ten years later, as a leader among the tribes who previously worshipped Eang, Hessa is older and wiser, but as handy with an axe as ever. Offered an opportunity to interfere in the politics of the once mighty Arpan Empire, Hessa travels south with a few trusted friends and her estranged husband, Imnir, into the heart of the Empire - albeit an Empire in chaos, with at least three rivals for the throne, and a new cult of the god Larun rising which is apparently able to draw power from the very land, leaving it blighted and dead.

I really enjoyed Temple of No God. Long provides, again, what worked so well in Hall of Smoke: Hessa as the main protagonist, a woman skilled in combat, confident, as ready to walk the otherworldly High Halls and imbibe their honey-scented magic as to endure brutal marches across remote mountains, hold council with kings and emperors, or take in an orphan who needs protection.

But this book isn't just more of the same. Hessa has aged and matured. The revelations of Hall of Smoke destroyed out the secure footings of Hessa's worldview, leaving her distrusting both purported gods and treacherous men. They also made her responsible for a lot that she might wish she wasn't - such as the continued deception practised by her and Imnir on the new priesthood of Thvnder. And there are other problems that can't, in general, be dealt with by the stroke of an axe or a bit of magic - the uneasy tribal alliance among the Eangi, or those those who still see Hessa as a deicide, worthy of death.

The events of Temple of No God add new layers to this - grand politics and concerns over the future of the magical realm, the Penumbra, Arpa's equivalent to the High Halls, where things have gone amiss since the death of the Arpan gods. There are also personal issues. Hessa is at the same time both bloodthirsty - at the start of the book we see her leading a raid, as is the custom of her people, happy to destroy a village and loot it - and afflicted by conscience, unsure of her place with her difficult husband and feeling her lack of a child.

So I wasn't surprised that Hessa rather jumped at the offer from the Arpan envoys. Yes, it brings great opportunities (even if there is also - implicitly - great danger if the power struggle in the South comes out the wrong way) but more importantly, it's a diversion from the mundane, an adventure, a distraction from some of these problems.

Or perhaps not... there's a great deal going on in Temple of No God, with both a returned cast of characters and some new ones caught up in the struggle. Here you'll find brutal, blow by blow combat; anguished partings and loss; double-crossing; unlikely allies and always, always, a galloping pace of story that keeps the reader deeply engaged. Hessa is a remarkable protagonist, and the sole point of view here, so tends to remain at the centre of the action (this only fails once when, towards the end of the novel, she's out of things for a a few hours while a LOT of stuff is going on and I was left wishing I knew just what had happened to everyone else in the meantime).

Overall, a vigorous ands satisfying continuation of the earlier story and one that promises more to come. There are signs of trouble (perhaps) in the future: Imnir's warning to Hessa about taking too much power from the High Halls, alliances that are convenient here but may be less so in future, and some rocky relationships that will surely need care and attention, something hard to guarantee in the general mayhem that is Hessa's life. I look forward to seeing a middle-aged Hessa face some of these in a further book!

This book was very different from the first one but still felt the same in several ways. Hessa is very much the badass that has grown into her power. She isn’t as naive as the first book which I appreciate. The pace of the book is slow which is similar to the first one mostly because of the way the story unfolds. I think it will do well as an audiobook for this reason. My only major complaint is that the story takes place 10 years in the future from the last book and that most of Hessa and Imnir’s relationship happened off page. I had a terrible time connecting or caring about them together. I personally felt either the book needed the romance better written into it or left out entirely.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC!

3.5 stars

Temple of No God is the sequel to Hall of Smoke, a Norse inspired epic following Hessa, a priestess of the war godess. After forging a fragile peace in book one, a new threat is growing and Hessa must travel into enemy territory where warring factions, sinster cults and dangerous magic may threaten everything.

I remember liking book one but not loving it and I think I have pretty similar feelings with this one! There were a lot of elements I enjoyed and I liked seeing Hessa a little bit older, wiser, more mature and taking on more of a leadership role but I think something holds me back from completely loving it.

I am a bit of a sucker for relationships where it is an arranaged marriage and they are sort of reluctant allies to begin with but then slowly realise they care about each other and start to fall in love and that book delivers on this trope in a very satisfying but subtle way.

I liked the atmosphere of the book - I love the barren, perishingly cold landscape and all the worldbuilding details really transport you and create a vivid, richly imagined world. I also really like the prose, it's very sophisticated whilst still being easy to read and enjoy.

I think the thing that holds me back from loving this series more is that I'm not super attatched to the characters, nothing about them is particularly special or standout to me. The book is also pretty fast paced and sometimes I wish it was a little slower but I do think the author does a good job of balancing the action and battle scenes with intrigue and interactions with the deities.

In conclusion I think if you enjoyed book 1 you will really like this - it is a worthy sequel and I don't have the best memories of book one haha (as in I can't remember much not it was bad) but I think I enjoyed book 2 a little bit more!!

I have no WORDs at how much I loved this. I adored HALL OF SMOKE last year when it first came out, and have been since scrambling to get my hands on the second -- and it did NOT DISAPPOINT!! Everything from the absolutely epic worldbuilding to the grey are-they-good-or-not characters that keep you turning page after page, I absolutely adore TEMPLE OF NO GOD!!! And I highly recommend it for those who love darker, wide sweeping fantasies -- especially when the main character is an epic, totally badass woman who wields an axe. Plus, there's a creepy cult, and an absolutely adorable dog companion, so how could you not want to read this???

I have really enjoyed this book. I love the writing, the characters, the storytelling is just beautiful.

For many years Fantasy has had a standard format a giant story split into normally at least three volumes but all giving just one sequential tale. But series can mean different things. Terry Pratchett’s discworld is a more gently evolving world with long-standing characters but rarely connected storylines; while in Adrian Selby’s fantasy series has decade long time jumps between books exploring long term im pact on a world. Last year I was amazingly wowed by Hall of Smoke by H M Long with a tale of warring clans that turned into battling empires and overturning of various gods. Now we return to the world ten years later in Temple of No God to see how this world has moved on since.

We first met Hessia in Hall of Smoke as a young warrior/priestess finding her entire clan either dead or imprisoned but after leading a rebellion she managed to unite the long warring Algatt and Eangen people against the southern Arpan empire. (Imagine a fantasy version of northern Vikings versus Romans but each side had their own feuding Gods too). Now a decade has passed, and the northern people have prospered and become a force to be reckoned with. Hessia is now a leader in an alliance of a marriage with Algatt priest Imnir (although the relationship is a often frosty one). Hessia though gets two signs that all is not well in the world, A raid reveals some sinister priests with their own magic and a mysterious new god known as Laru in Arpa is supporting them; then Hessia is offered to do a deal with one of three feuding groups in Arpa battling to be Emperor – secure the seat of power and they could be left alone by the Empire as well as get more power for their own people. Hessia, Inmir and a small group of warriors, head into danger where further surprises are in store.

I’m going to say I’m not convinced this could work completely as a great starting point for new readers. A lot of the story calls straight back to the events of ten years earlier. There is a regular recap of key points, but it may feel for a new reader a little confusing. However, Hall of Smoke was one of the best debuts of 2021 so if you did get around to it there is a huge amount to enjoy; and this establishes H M Long as a name to watch in the fantasy genre.

The centre piece is Hessia and here we get something we just don’t have enough of in fantasy a mature leading female character and she is a breath of fresh air. If in the first story she was a warrior learning about the world we now have a character who is listened to, feared and commands as well as fights. The northern people do not have issues with women fighting so she is equally as deadly as any men with her two axes and various weapons on top of that the ability to break any magical curse. She is smart, capable, flexible when circumstances change and brave leading her warrior’s attacks from the front. What I really did appreciate is you can definitely tell this is Hessia from the book, but you can feel the years and weight of responsibility has changed her and in particular she is confident rather than cocky – be that with her peers in the North or negotiating with soldiers and would be emperors in the South. More characters like this please in fantasy.

The other key aspect is if Hall of Smoke was about a revolution and war of the gods this deals with upheaval and the intrigues that spring up. In a fantasy world where most gods were killed what comes next? Prepare for demons, vengeful gods, and creepy child ghosts. Long has built this world where the magical world and the physical overlap and impact each other be it strange areas of dead land or mysterious powers gained if you cross into the realm of the gods. It’s a world where the humans are still unsure of the rules now that their gods no longer have full control and that does create uncertainty for everyone trying to work out who is pulling the strings and Long gives these scenes a nice eerie ethereal feel to them.

The intrigue is also with the politics – can these southern lands be trusted and also has the peace Hessia and Inmir negotiated still solid ten years into it? It’s bad enough knowing your enemies are in front of you but they could also be armed and right next to you. It creates the air of a fledgling new world that could easily go wrong for this small expedition. While last time Hessia at least knew the land and her people’s ways but with Arpa it is all quite unfamiliar, and this is where the story does aid new readers as they feel Hessia’s confusion and suspicion on top. But of course talking isn’t aways likely to end things in fantasy and then we get raids, battles and hand to hand combat. Long writes action scenes with energy, tactics and blood which keep you engaged and gives us a pacy read.

Temple of No God is a well plotted and refreshing adventure with a definitely engaging and fascinating lead in the form of Hessia. This near familiar version of ancient Europe subtly altered with different traditions, magics and gods is inventive and full of wonder. There are hints more stories in this world could come to pass but whatever comes next I think Long is now definitely established in modern fantasy and I advise you to give these books your attention if you’ve not yet realised what you’re missing! Recommended!

Temple of No God takes place ten years after Hall of Smoke. Hessa is High Priestess and pulled into a battle to protect her people.

While this novel is a stand-alone I do feel that you need to have read the first book in order the understand this one better. Even though I’ve read the first book I found the beginning a bit confusing as there was a lot going on and so many names and people to keep track of. Because of this it took me a good few chapters to get into the story.

Hessa is quite different in this story compared with the first. Still an amazing warrior but more mature and careful in her decisions. The world building was just as good as the first time and I really love the Norse mythology.

Overall an enjoyable read although for me, it didn’t quite have the magic of the first one.

Thank you to Titan Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story takes place ten years after the events in Hall of Smoke. We follow Hessa as she takes on a new mission.

I love that we get to see more of the world from Hall and Smoke and that this time round the story seems to be more plot driven.
The story kept me hooked from the beginning and I ended up reading it in one sitting.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an eARC of this amazing story.

Temple of No God is the the continuation of last year's Hall of Smoke, a fantasy book that I really enjoyed. Picking up several years after the events of the first book Hessa, once a priestess of the war god Eang, she has now become the high priestess of Thvynder, an ancient god that came from a time before Eang. With the last book ending with the destruction of almost all of the gods at the hands of Thvynder, and Hessa's old life gone, there was always a sense that more could be told with these characters, that we could one day return to this world and find out what happens next. Temple of No God delivers on those hopes.

The book begins with Hessa leading her people into battle against the Arpa, the empire to the south of her homeland who have threatened her nation for years. During the fight we, and Hessa, learn that despite losing their pantheon of gods when Thvynder returned some of the Arpa warriors have powers, powers that none of them have ever seen before.

Years later, Hessa is approached by an Arpa faction. It turns out that there is a power struggle going on for the throne, with three factions all fighting to put their own Emperor in power. The catch is, to be crowned as an Emperor they will need someone able to enter the realm of the gods to perform the ceremony; someone like Hessa. Hessa is offered a deal, bring her people into Arpa territory, have them raid and pillage in the places where the other two factions hold sway as Hessa travels to the capital and crowns the new Emperor. In return, the Eangen people will be left alone, and their territory will never again come under threat from the Empire.

Knowing that this is the best way to secure a future for her nation, and curious to find out more about the strange new warrior priests allied with one of the rival factions, Hessa agrees to the terms, taking her people into war.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about Temple of No God is how different it feels from Hall of Smoke due in large part to how different the lead character is now. In the first book she was a fierce warrior priestess, but one who felt a little short sighted in some ways. She seemed like the kind of person who didn't think too far ahead, who concentrated on herself, and thought of the world in ways in which it directly effected her. Here, having been the leader of her people for almost a decade, Hessa has grown, becoming almost the opposite of who she was. She carefully weighs her decisions, she thinks about the larger impact, and she puts others before herself. And none of it feels unexpected or out of character, rather, it feels like the natural progression of what we've already seen.

The book also opens up in the sense of scope too, even though it also feels like a smaller scale story in some ways. There isn't the huge, world changing revelations of the first book, there's no huge battle with multiple gods at the end, but it still manages to feel like a bigger book because we explore more of the world H.M. Long has created, as well as getting to know more of the people who inhabit it. Much of the first book centred on Hessa, and the journey that she took. For most of that she was on her own, though occasionally joined by another person. As such, the story felt very focused on her; but here there's a much larger group around Hessa, and I came away from the book feeling like I'd gotten to know a lot more characters than I did in the first volume. So even if the events of the book didn't have as big an impact as the first it felt broader in scope thanks to the places we're taken to and the people we get to know along the way.

Temple of No God also felt like it could be read on its own too, as something of a stand-alone sequel; due in large part to the time gap between the two books and the changes in Hessa. Whilst there were times where I felt a little left behind because I'd forgotten small elements from the first book, I was never lost, and Long was able to catch up new and forgetful readers really well. Obviously, it would be best reading both books, and preferably both books together, but I'm sure that if you came to this book completely new without any previous knowledge you'd find a lot to enjoy here.

Temple of No God is the kind of sequel that I really love, one that takes what the first book did and does something that feels connected, but doesn't retread the same ground. It has allowed the characters to grow in believable ways, it's changed the world and had things evolve, and it's introduced a lot of new elements, yet it's still that world that I enjoyed in the first book. If Long continues to revisit this world and these characters I hope that they do so in the same way, popping in every decade or so to see how things have changed, and giving us unexpected new adventures.

Hessa shines again in this companion novel to Hall of Smoke. Temple of No God takes place 10 years after HoS and I love the woman she has become and how mature she is.
Once more, the relationships are well handled and realistic, not rushed at all. And friendship is everything which is so refreshing.
I would have loved more Gods presence because Hannah’s depiction of them in the first one was great but it’s just a personal wish..
The world building widens for our greatest pleasure and we get to meet new characters and old faces whom I miss a lot - Estavius and Nisien ♥️
I can’t wait to read the upcoming books in this world and I deeply hope that Hessa and the beloved cast will make an appearance.

10 years after the events of Hall of Smoke, we follow Hessa on a new mission in which she intends to maintain the stability achieved in the North.

"Could I resent someone for crimes they didn't recall committing? Could I push past what he used to be and open myself up to the possibility that he was someone else, now?"

Although we follow Hessa after several years, this second part of Hall of smoke is more plot driven than character development. However, Hessa has changed, now she is a little less impulsive, and thinks more about the welfare of her people in general, she looks for consense, which shows us how her character has changed adapting to circumstances.

The inicial spark of the story is the appearance of a group of priests of a god until now unknown, who gives them strange powers. This will lead to Hessa to go to a new mission, although she is not satisfied with the terms of it. The book is very well written and the pace is quite fast. There is a lot of action, and also, several questions that Hessa ask herself regarding issues that she already considered established. I love the author's world building, I find it fascinating, and being able to access more information about this world was something I really enjoyed.

The finale had very interesting revelations, and although I saw some coming, that did not make it any less enjoyable. If you liked Hall of smoke and want to know more about the world created by the author, do not hesitate to read Temple of no god.

This book builds more of the world we see in Hall of Smoke, and I adore it! The action, the tension between Hessa and her new husband, the raised stakes—this story is full of adventure and intrigue.


Contains:
-Violence

I'd just finished H.M. Long's debut "Hall of Smoke" when, thanks to this arc, I was able to dive right into this standalone sequel. I really enjoyed said debut so I was excited to see what the author came up with in this second installment, especially because it's still following the same (badass amazing) protagonist. While yes, both books are standalones, I probably would advise everyone interested in reading "Temple of No God" to read the first book before getting this one, because it really helps with understanding the lore and the characters.

The world of Long's stories is still a fascinating one, steeped in Norse mythology but with a unique spin and this time adding more insight into the Arpa Empire, which reminded me a little of the Roman Empire. The lore is rich and deep, complex but understandable. Hessa is still a badass warrior priestess queen of everything 10 years after the events of the first book, and I simply adore her. I loved seing what became of her, and I was intrigued by her complicated marriage and the new threat rising from the ashes of the gods we got to know in "Hall of Smoke". I loved meeting characters like Nisien, Estavius and Sixnit (even though the latter was sadly barely in this story). The new characters are intriguing, too, especially Uspa.

I still think "Temple of No God" doesn't reach the quality of its predecessor. For one, most of the characters are just not as intriguing as the ones I mentioned, but remain shallow. Some of their actions are very very predictable too - there is a betrayal later on in the story that I saw coming from miles away and was really hoping Long would surprise me by not going that way, but alas, here we are. One of the main villains is very easy to spot, too, another one is just kinda thrown in out of left field so I didn't care much (and that says something because I am a villains kind of gal). Personally, I was also hoping for more scenes involving the aforementioned returning characters. Nisien and Estavius had their roles, but were mostly absent for most of the book, and as I loved their respective relationships with Hessa (and was intrigued by their relationship with each other, which was nicely tragic and also added at least a dash of lgbt representation) I just wish they had spent more time with her. I also really really wanted Sixnit to play a larger role because she was such an important anchor to Hessa in the first book and obviously her children are very intriguing as well.

The story is a little meandering at times. The twists in general were not that hard to predict, though I still liked reading them - I just wasn't necessarily as surprised as I was with certain aspects of the first book. The pacing is another issue, because there is honestly not that much happening in the entire middle part of the book and I found myself getting a little bored with it, though the pace kept picking up the closer we came to the end. The end was just epic, amazing and very emotional.

All in all, this is a really good kind-of-standalone that expands the lore and makes one love Hessa even more. I hope she gets all that she wants from life - she sure earned it.
3,5 stars, but closer to 3.

I am excited for this to be released! I was enthralled by Hall of Smoke and so I was thrilled to be able to read an ARC copy of Temple of No God for my honest review.

As always, the world building was very atmospheric. If you are a fan of Norse inspired fantasy, a story filled with mysterious lore and a complex main character this is the book for you. The character development is sublime as the story explores grief and obligation among other themes. Exploring the characters and the world 10 years after the events of the first book is also something I find unique about this story. In the sequels of a lot of fantasy Ive read pick up almost immediately after the events of the previous book. I enjoyed how this one begins later after events have concretely impacted the world and the leading characters and how they navigate the changed world.

Temple of No God was a good read. It would have been a great read if one part of it was either changed or omitted.

<i>I have received this book in exchange for an honest review, thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for the opportunity.</i>

I have my own blog now (https://www.daysinotherworlds.com), so please do pay it a visit if you're interested in my other reviews :)

──────────────────

I only became an ARC reader in January 2021. And my first read ARC ever was Hall of Smoke, which was one incredible experience. Learning that there is more to the story now, and a further expansion to come later was brilliant. In turn, I stalked the accounts of both the author and the publisher till Temple of No God became available. To which, I was lucky to get an approval for the ARC.

The plot this time deals with another big choice that will affect their lives moving forward. Like last time though, there is still a discussion of the fascinating themes of worship, faith and devotion. Hessa is now tasked of settling an internal strife in Arpa, while trying to get the best possible outcome for her people. Technically, this sounds doable, but considering the many outsider elements she has to deal with, mortals and higher beings, makes it a much difficult choice.

Once again, I’m taken back to this inspired Norse world, while seeing a much older Hessa navigate it. The main difference to see here, is that it’s no longer a solo journey. She has allies, people to take care of, friends, one very weird dog and many other duties. To me, this was fantastic to read about, because I really enjoy seeing the culture H. M. Long created here.

The rituals (so to speak) before battle, how different countries perceive their warriors, new sayings based on earlier events… While I happen to be a fan of info dumps, I do appreciate this more subtle approach as well. The brutality of the battles, is another aspect I really enjoy. Any depiction anywhere of a Norsemen is bloody, gory and vicious, to name a few elements and I got that part of it here.

The thing that makes it better is the connection to the in-verse Gods. Or rather, the magic they bring with them. It’s always more interesting when it’s not a single type of magic, in my humble opinion, and there are quite a few to see in this series. Never before seen ones in this book as well. Temple of No God details a different side to the conflict this time along though, but overall, that aspect of it remains consistent.

Which reminds me, that I seem to have a weird connection with this series and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. I was playing the game while reading the first book, and I revisited it again while reading this book to play the newly released crossover between it and an earlier game in the franchise. Considering that they both handle Norsemen in a way, I could easily see the similarities and that was fun in another way entirely.

Alongside all of this however, the one thing that really made it a better read was Hessa herself. She’s incredibly logical as a main character, isn’t primarily governed by her emotional side and is now much more powerful than she used to be. This shift in her personality from the average naïve war-priestess I started out with to the badass priestess she is now, was simply brilliant.

With her, there are more characters to meet, old and new. I wouldn’t say that they were all memorable name wise, as I did go back to the glossary several times to read back on who was who. For those not in the immediate vicinity or I haven’t seen past the first few chapters mind you. To better clarify on this point, the events are etched in my mind, it’s just the people responsible who got jumbled up sometimes.

But overall, I really enjoyed being around them, especially Uspa and Thray.

When taking all of this in, this book has many many elements that I personally enjoyed reading about. However, I still couldn’t get over how much the “alliance she forged” between the northern tribes actually ruins this book for me. She knows it’s not a good thing, dear friends know it’s not a good thing, the other party knows it’s not a good thing.

Yet, it doesn’t stop.

It’s continuously a point of discussion for, in my humble opinion, no good reason. Nothing good comes out of it. Hessa’s unbelievably logical approach to it, is always brushed to the side in the end for some reason I have failed to see. Before it goes back to this continuous cycle of gaslighting that I loathed with every fiber of my being. Adding “tragic backstories or situations” doesn’t justify anything, not in this fictional world and not in the real one either.

Especially if, the other party is an edgy pathetic idiot with zero redeeming qualities for 95% of the narrative. There are more than enough conflicts in the series. This one, feels cheap in comparison and was not needed whatsoever.

Ultimately, I enjoyed myself quite a bit and many elements in the book. I did wish for the omission, or at least the complete change of that one thing. But overall, it was still a good experience. I can’t wait to come back to the series for the next installments and/or see what else the author could come up with. The next work is seemingly a nautical fantasy duology with witches, dark magic and pirates… and that sounds amazing!