Temple of No God
by H.M. Long
After a brutal war between the gods, Hessa – High Priestess of the Eangen – has brokered a fragile peace. Through great sacrifice, she has forged an alliance between warring tribes and introduced her people to the true god.
But a new threat is growing across the southern border. In the remnants of the once-great Arpa Empire, three factions are vying for the imperial throne, and the vast well of raw magical power only accessible to the Arpa Emperor. Already beating back former Arpa legionaries at her borders, Hessa knows she cannot let this chance slip by. She must intervene, for the safety of her people.
With the peace she has sacrificed so much for at stake, Hessa must venture into the heart of enemy territory, where warring Arpa factions are not the only danger she must face. A sinister new cult is on the rise, one with the power to suck the life from everything it touches. With enemies on every side and her fragile alliance beginning to waver, Hessa must decide who to trust – no matter what it may cost her…
Hall of Smoke was one of our favorite reads of 2021, solidifying H.M. Long’s place on the list of authors we’d read just about anything from. Her writing is sharp, her plotting complex and gripping with action that keeps readers turning the page. Temple of No God, Hall of Smoke’s sequel that can be read as a standalone, quickly became one of our most anticipated releases of 2022.
Related: Hall of Smoke | A Review
Temple of No God picks up ten years after the events of Hall of Smoke, in a world still unsettled. In this new world, traditions have changed and lines of allegiance have been redrawn. We meet Hessa, our warrior priestess from Hall of Smoke, as a 30-year-old woman in a position of leadership and power she was left with after the world fell apart. Before reading this novel, it wasn’t clear how a gap of ten years would change the world and just how that would affect the reading experience. Would it feel like too much was skipped over? Would there be so many changes it was difficult to keep track of? As the story began, there was a simultaneous sense of being thrown right back into this world without missing a beat and the ground shifting beneath my feet as I tried to keep track of the cultural and personal developments of the past decade. While it took a moment to get my footing within the new order of things and Hessa’s new role, there was no delay to the feeling of being fully immersed in this sharply stunning world of axe-wielding clans, fragile alliances, and fascinating mythology.
When the chance comes for Hessa, now High Priestess of the new god Thyvnder, to secure the safe future of her people by intervening in the political battle for the Arpa Empire’s throne, she doesn’t hesitate. Laced with satisfyingly vicious axe battles and the growing threat of something much larger at play that threatens the balance of the natural and political world, Temple of No God’s plot is one that simply cannot be turned away from. As Hessa leads her people to the Arpa Empire, it becomes clear that there is more at stake than the question of who will be emperor. The land is dying and curious signs of strange, dark magic mark a rising cult’s presence and that of their unfamiliar god. Hessa is forced to navigate uneasy alliances while trying to figure out exactly what these signs mean, the threats they may be facing. There’s action, betrayals, and shocking twists. This story is so intricately woven, a well-paced, thrilling tale of epic proportions. It’s utterly compelling.
Related: H.M. Long on Writing and the World of Hall of Smoke | Author Interview
Long is a born storyteller. There is something so steady and grounded about her writing and storytelling. It’s epic and thrilling, intriguing and complex, but for all the plot-based excitement, there’s no lack of attention for world-building, character development, and emotional depth. This world is so real. Sharp and brutal as a breath of freezing air and made rich by complex characters and relationships. I love that we return to this world with Hessa as a 30-year-old woman. Though Hall of Smoke is absolutely an adult novel and not Young Adult, Hessa was only 19 or 20 during the events of the book, a very common age for YA protagonists. To read about a 30-year-old woman—let alone a woman who has already seen her “saving the world” moment and has now settled into the world after the upheaval—is quite a unique thing in a fantasy novel. Hessa is an incredible character. She was incredible in Hall of Smoke, but seeing her as a more mature version of herself, long settled into her role as High Priestess, and dealing with emotions and personal issues that feel more mature, too, was an absolute treat. Just like with Hall of Smoke, the emotional depth that exists within Temple of No God is remarkable. Grief, obligation, and regret are common themes and written with such heart and skill. I loved reconnecting with secondary characters from Hall of Smoke, but one of my favorite additions to Hessa’s story was Imnir. What a wonderfully unique, complex, and imperfect relationship. It was a development I didn’t see coming and added such raw, difficult emotion to the story that I really appreciated.
The world and mythology Long creates within the Hall of Smoke series is stunning. The setting and atmosphere come alive in beautiful detail through Long’s sharp, detailed writing as the world is expanded upon within this novel. It’s vibrant and alluring. While familiar in terms of general Norse inspiration, the mythology is something completely its own, something intricate and rich, yet wonderfully simplistic in its approach to magic and worship. It’s remarkably real and believable. I love every aspect of it.
Temple of No God was a fantastic novel. It was everything I had hoped the second book in this series would be, while also being so much more than I expected. Mythological and political intrigue and epic action define Temple of No God’s plot while incredible writing, world-building, and characters tie it all together and make it a story you won’t want to put down. This series is a must read for all fantasy readers.