Pillar of Ash by HM Long

I would like to thank Titan for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher - Titan

Published - Out Now

Price - £8.99 paperback £6.99 Kindle eBook

Yske, daughter of the legendary warrior priestess Hessa, has dedicated her life to medicine and pacifism in service to Aita, the Great Healer. When her twin brother Berin, hungry for glory, gathers a party to investigate rumours of strange sightings in the Unmade – shadows in the darkness at the end of the world – Yske joins the mission, to keep him safe.

Their journey east takes them through primal forests, walking paths last trod when gods were at war and ancient, powerful beasts were defeated and bound. And the closer they get to the Unmade, the more strange and terrible things haunt them from the shadows, corruptions in nature and monstrous creatures of moss and bone.

Earning the respect of Berin and his warriors, Yske must forge a place for mercy and healing in a world of violence and sacrifice. She must survive murderous ambushes and brutal sieges and take her place at the centre of the oldest war of all.

Thrust into a desperate conflict of survival, Yske and Berin will wage the final war with the gods – in the shadow of a vast and ancient tree, the fate of creation is about to be decided.

NB this is the conclusion of the Hall of Smoke quartet starting with Hall of Smoke by H M Long Temple of No God by H M Long and then  Barrow of Winter by H M Long

Usually, final books in a fantasy series are the epic conclusion where all plotlines end and characters meet their fates. One of the reasons I’ve been so impressed by HM Long’s Hall of Smoke series is we have a very different and for me really interesting approach. We’ve had a set of stories set in the same fantasy world but shifts characters, times, and locations so each instalment is an epic in their own right but the consequences of each tale affect the other. In the final book Pillar of Ash these tales link loosely to a new final epic tale that can be seen as a fine conclusion and just possibly a sign of what could be in the future.

Many of the tales have had Hessa a fierce warrior priest who as the tale unwinds finds the gods she worshipped are truly not worthy. A war between gods, the major powers of the land have all led to a new paradigm. Imagine a slightly changed Roman and Viking empire learning to live around each other. Now gods live with humans but no longer quite worshipped as they once were. That’s left a mark this is a world of magic, monsters, legends and adventures. Hess is older now and this instalment has as the lead her children primarily the healer Yske and her more warrior focused brother Berin. A story has appeared of something no one can believe something being seen in the less well-known eastern edge of the world – a barrier no one can cross or live in. Berin sees a chance for glory but knows a dangerous route needs a healer and begs Yske to join his group. They find a journey filled with dangers, one where the very roots of the gods and magic that live in the world will have severe consequences not just for Yske but the fate of the entire world.

I really loved meeting Yske – we have been in this series and in many fantasy novels focused on warriors but here we have the concept of a healer. Indeed, Yske has memories of the battles her mother was in and has very much decided she will not fight. It’s a role that is necessary but not one in her world that carries all respect. She feels that Hessa isn’t always on her side and as she joins the group, she finds herself undermined. But Yske is very determined, she is smart and knows how to use her knowledge and build alliances. It is her determination that shines through. An event happens that bestows great power on Yske but it has an immense and unpleasant price. This cost she pays makes her a key player in the story but Long makes us feel the pain and agony this causes her. By the end we know Yske really well and it’s a reminder what a hero is can be a much broader concept than just who has the best sword. While this is a quest its also about Yske working out her own role and dynamic in the world and addressing some long-standing issues in her family

In terms of plot, we find in the forests of the East that there are some forgotten figures and creatures from the past lying in wait. I will say they’re creepy, rather indestructible, and not something I’ve seen before but they feel a clear threat throughout. Which makes that we find there is a larger threat even more powerful in the final sections of the book. Here the three previous stories start to combine – the stakes of the world come into play a d through Yske’s actions it will take all the major powers to stop it. Fans of the series will see many familiar faces and the culmination of the storyline about the Gods. Long has always written great action sequences but this really ramps the epic dimension of gods, warriors, monsters and magic all clashing – impressively the result is not looking clear cut. It’s a beautiful endgame to the story and just hints what could happen in the future if Long ever decides to return to this world.

Filled with interesting relationships, family dynamics, action and great moments of horror and romance this is a fine culmination to a great series that ahs regularly impressed me over the years. Long is very much established as one of the most interesting epic fantasy writers of the 2020s and I’m looking forward what new tales there are to come! Highly recommended!