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The Chronicles of Hanuvar #3
Shadow of the Smoking Mountain
He had crossed half a continent, venturing into the heartland of his enemies to wage a secret war of liberation!
It almost seemed that the worst lay behind them. Hanuvar and his small band of allies had faced down warriors and horrors and sinister magics to free hundreds of their people from slavery. The emperor was dead and his successor had so little interest in finding Hanuvar he’d ordered his sorcerous revenants to cease their search and turn their sinister talents to other targets.
But as Hanuvar shifted his efforts south, where hundreds of his people still labored under the Dervan yoke, other forces were advancing agendas of their own. Determined to prove Hanuvar still lived, the revenant legate secretly sought him with dark sorceries. A band of gladiators had rebelled and now wandered free, threatening the innocent and calling down the wrath of the legions. And upon the slopes of an ancient volcano, an ageless warrior mage worked to unleash a spell that would doom them all . . .
It almost seemed that the worst lay behind them. Hanuvar and his small band of allies had faced down warriors and horrors and sinister magics to free hundreds of their people from slavery. The emperor was dead and his successor had so little interest in finding Hanuvar he’d ordered his sorcerous revenants to cease their search and turn their sinister talents to other targets.
But as Hanuvar shifted his efforts south, where hundreds of his people still labored under the Dervan yoke, other forces were advancing agendas of their own. Determined to prove Hanuvar still lived, the revenant legate secretly sought him with dark sorceries. A band of gladiators had rebelled and now wandered free, threatening the innocent and calling down the wrath of the legions. And upon the slopes of an ancient volcano, an ageless warrior mage worked to unleash a spell that would doom them all . . .
512 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2024
16 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Howard Andrew Jones
68 books370 followersHoward Andrew Jones was an American speculative fiction and fantasy author and editor, known for The Chronicles of Hanuvar series, The Chronicles of Sword and Sand series and The Ring-Sworn trilogy. He had also written Pathfinder Tales, tie-in fiction novels in the world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, published by Paizo. He was the editor of Tales from the Magician's Skull and had served as a Managing Editor at Black Gate since 2004. He assembled and edited a series of eight volumes of the short fiction of Harold Lamb for publication by Bison Books.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 30, 2024
My review is published at Before We Go Blog.
“‘It never ends well in myths,’ he said. ‘But the old stories exaggerate everything, don’t they?’”
Howard Andrew Jones sets a new standard for sword and sorcery with the Hanuvar Chronicles. The third volume of the series, Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, continues in the same tradition of excellence on display in his first two books, Lord of a Shattered Land and The City of Marble and Blood.
The worldbuilding in the Hanuvar Chronicles is derived from real history, viz., the Punic Wars between the Roman Republic and the North African empire of Carthage. While much of modern fantasy has embraced anti-heroes, Hanuvar, the lead protagonist of Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, is a classic altruistic hero. Hanuvar is directly inspired by Hannibal of Carthage, the renowned statesman and general who led the war against Rome during the Second Punic War.
The parallels between the Punic Wars and the fantasy world of the Hanuvar Chronicles are evident starting with the map at the beginning of the book. Hanuvar’s homeland of Volanus is a fictionalized version of Carthage after it had been decimated at the conclusion of the Third Punic War, all its people either killed or enslaved by Rome, which is represented by the Dervan Empire in Shadow of the Smoking Mountain.
Like the first two books in the series, Shadow of the Smoking Mountain is told in episodic format over fourteen chapters that serve as interconnected short stories. Each chapter recounts one of Hanuvar’s adventures to liberate and protect his people. While the individual stories are enjoyable on their own, the greatest payoff is seeing how the various plot threads come together at the end of the book.
Once again, Howard Andrew Jones shows his versatility as a writer in Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, leveraging the episodic format to flex his writing style, often in subtle ways. Jones writes with a skill and gravitas that reminds me of Umberto Eco at his best.
Altogether, the Hanuvar Chronicles is sword and sorcery at its finest, a must-read series for fantasy fans. This series is also the perfect entry point for readers curious to explore the sword and sorcery subgenre.
“‘It never ends well in myths,’ he said. ‘But the old stories exaggerate everything, don’t they?’”
Howard Andrew Jones sets a new standard for sword and sorcery with the Hanuvar Chronicles. The third volume of the series, Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, continues in the same tradition of excellence on display in his first two books, Lord of a Shattered Land and The City of Marble and Blood.
The worldbuilding in the Hanuvar Chronicles is derived from real history, viz., the Punic Wars between the Roman Republic and the North African empire of Carthage. While much of modern fantasy has embraced anti-heroes, Hanuvar, the lead protagonist of Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, is a classic altruistic hero. Hanuvar is directly inspired by Hannibal of Carthage, the renowned statesman and general who led the war against Rome during the Second Punic War.
The parallels between the Punic Wars and the fantasy world of the Hanuvar Chronicles are evident starting with the map at the beginning of the book. Hanuvar’s homeland of Volanus is a fictionalized version of Carthage after it had been decimated at the conclusion of the Third Punic War, all its people either killed or enslaved by Rome, which is represented by the Dervan Empire in Shadow of the Smoking Mountain.
Like the first two books in the series, Shadow of the Smoking Mountain is told in episodic format over fourteen chapters that serve as interconnected short stories. Each chapter recounts one of Hanuvar’s adventures to liberate and protect his people. While the individual stories are enjoyable on their own, the greatest payoff is seeing how the various plot threads come together at the end of the book.
Once again, Howard Andrew Jones shows his versatility as a writer in Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, leveraging the episodic format to flex his writing style, often in subtle ways. Jones writes with a skill and gravitas that reminds me of Umberto Eco at his best.
Altogether, the Hanuvar Chronicles is sword and sorcery at its finest, a must-read series for fantasy fans. This series is also the perfect entry point for readers curious to explore the sword and sorcery subgenre.
February 11, 2025
HAJ does it again! Fantastic heroic sword and sorcery
December 20, 2024
I’ve enjoyed the first two volumes of the Hanuvar Chronicles quite a bit. I think this third entry crystallizes everything author Howard Andrew Jones was striving for in the previous volumes. It’s a masterpiece of episodic storytelling, both in its ability to tell compelling monster of the week stories with recurring characters and its ability to weave in a grander narrative.
The characters have depth, but without being cynical like much of modern character driven fantasy. There’s a tremendous sense of maturity to the characters without any aspect of cynicism. They’re deeply human but also show an overall fundamental goodness and optimism in human nature no matter their complexities.
I had some minor critiques of the previous entries. One of which was that I felt the magic often didn’t feel capital W weird enough but all that’s corrected with the phenomenal “season” villian Calenius. Talk about compelling and complex characters. The concluding story and his arc was just tremendous.
Some stories in particular grabbed me. Reflections from a Tarnished Mirror was tremendous. A real gem. It has such a compelling narrative and sense of honor and decency to it. I just loved it. Wonderfully heroic.
I also really loved Death Grip. Most of the stories have longer setups but this one was told at a blistering pace. Maybe it’s not the most original Sword and Sorcery story but the sense of alacrity and the enormous unsettling feeling the story and writing convey are just wonderful.
I think Howard Andrew Jones really triumphed here. He’s honed his craft into an incredibly readable adventure that is both digestible and also lofty in its philosophical subtexts and heroic quality. It’s truly inspirational. One of the finest novels of the modern fantasy era.
I write this review with bittersweetness, as I’m thrilled at Howard’s triumph but also feel a sense of tremendous loss as the author has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The fourth volume is advertised at the front and I believe written, but the fifth book will never be written by the author.
I hope Baen and the author’s family have enough notes and a desire to pass on Hanuvar’s story to one of HAJ peers to conclude. Whether it’s round robin (which would fit the episodic nature) or a particular author I hope that we get to see the vision concluded.
This series is a master study in episodic storytelling and feels like a lost 90s Sword and Sandal show. Like the thinking man’s Hercules or Xena. A must read.
The characters have depth, but without being cynical like much of modern character driven fantasy. There’s a tremendous sense of maturity to the characters without any aspect of cynicism. They’re deeply human but also show an overall fundamental goodness and optimism in human nature no matter their complexities.
I had some minor critiques of the previous entries. One of which was that I felt the magic often didn’t feel capital W weird enough but all that’s corrected with the phenomenal “season” villian Calenius. Talk about compelling and complex characters. The concluding story and his arc was just tremendous.
Some stories in particular grabbed me. Reflections from a Tarnished Mirror was tremendous. A real gem. It has such a compelling narrative and sense of honor and decency to it. I just loved it. Wonderfully heroic.
I also really loved Death Grip. Most of the stories have longer setups but this one was told at a blistering pace. Maybe it’s not the most original Sword and Sorcery story but the sense of alacrity and the enormous unsettling feeling the story and writing convey are just wonderful.
I think Howard Andrew Jones really triumphed here. He’s honed his craft into an incredibly readable adventure that is both digestible and also lofty in its philosophical subtexts and heroic quality. It’s truly inspirational. One of the finest novels of the modern fantasy era.
I write this review with bittersweetness, as I’m thrilled at Howard’s triumph but also feel a sense of tremendous loss as the author has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The fourth volume is advertised at the front and I believe written, but the fifth book will never be written by the author.
I hope Baen and the author’s family have enough notes and a desire to pass on Hanuvar’s story to one of HAJ peers to conclude. Whether it’s round robin (which would fit the episodic nature) or a particular author I hope that we get to see the vision concluded.
This series is a master study in episodic storytelling and feels like a lost 90s Sword and Sandal show. Like the thinking man’s Hercules or Xena. A must read.
September 3, 2025
This is apparently the end of this truly heroic fantasy series. With the untimely demise of the author, unless he had laid out guidelines for where the series was to go, a là Robert Jordan.
This serial style series is quite a different flavor of fantasy from the author's Ring-Sworn saga and is just as well done. RIP Howard Andrew Jones.
This serial style series is quite a different flavor of fantasy from the author's Ring-Sworn saga and is just as well done. RIP Howard Andrew Jones.
October 17, 2024
This is such a refreshing series, serving as both an excellent Sword and Sorcery Fantasy story, an excellent operatic story, and also a great Historical-like narrative. Howard has developed a formula that works really well for him.
I need to make a baseball analog here. Because there are only 14 chapters and they each serve as short stories, some of the stories are swings and misses. However, there are several stories in here that are not only hits, but I would classify as HOME RUNS!
I was particularly moved by some of the smaller stories in the book, such as the woman who tries to woo the Emperor, the woman who lost her sons to Hanuvar's wars, the false "Hanuvar" who doesn't know better, and the final story that is essentially a culmination of all of the previous stories (which appeared to be standalone but come together at the end).
Several characters stood out in this book. I thought that Izivar, Antires, and Emperor Enarius really all stood out on their own, and had great journeys. Before, I remembered each of the characters, but I wasn't particularly connected to any of the recurring characters (besides Hanuvar himself, of course).
The book has one of the most shocking questions and is a turn-of-phrase I would never expect to see in the book. If you've read the book, you might remember what I'm referring to and might understand why Baseball was on the mind as an analogy to use in the review. (think the Pitcher and the Catcher). I was shocked that Howard put that in the book. Gross!
I think the story of Hanuvar freeing the slaves and preparing New Volanus is going at a good pace, but it is taking too long for Hanuvar to be reunited with his Daughter. It felt like that's what we were going towards in books 1 and 2, and we still spend book 3 trying to achieve that same goal.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I still think book 1 is the best of the three released thus far, but Howard is still a really special author and every book has been a great read! I'll give this book a 9 out of 10!
I need to make a baseball analog here. Because there are only 14 chapters and they each serve as short stories, some of the stories are swings and misses. However, there are several stories in here that are not only hits, but I would classify as HOME RUNS!
I was particularly moved by some of the smaller stories in the book, such as the woman who tries to woo the Emperor, the woman who lost her sons to Hanuvar's wars, the false "Hanuvar" who doesn't know better, and the final story that is essentially a culmination of all of the previous stories (which appeared to be standalone but come together at the end).
Several characters stood out in this book. I thought that Izivar, Antires, and Emperor Enarius really all stood out on their own, and had great journeys. Before, I remembered each of the characters, but I wasn't particularly connected to any of the recurring characters (besides Hanuvar himself, of course).
The book has one of the most shocking questions and is a turn-of-phrase I would never expect to see in the book. If you've read the book, you might remember what I'm referring to and might understand why Baseball was on the mind as an analogy to use in the review. (think the Pitcher and the Catcher). I was shocked that Howard put that in the book. Gross!
I think the story of Hanuvar freeing the slaves and preparing New Volanus is going at a good pace, but it is taking too long for Hanuvar to be reunited with his Daughter. It felt like that's what we were going towards in books 1 and 2, and we still spend book 3 trying to achieve that same goal.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I still think book 1 is the best of the three released thus far, but Howard is still a really special author and every book has been a great read! I'll give this book a 9 out of 10!
August 21, 2024
What a phenomenal book! Full review coming, but suffice it to say for now that I loved this!
July 24, 2024
I just finished **Shadow of the Smoking Mountain** by Howard Andrew Jones. Once I began this book I found that I did not want to complete my work tasks, neglected to get the proper amount of sleep, did not want to socialize with others, nor did I want to sit out by the pool. All I wanted to do was turn page after page and devour every word. This book completely stole my time and attention like a thief in the night. I completely cut myself off from my own reality and instead wanted to immerse myself in the reality created by the author on the printed page. I am sure many of you have had the same experience. Where a book is so good, you completely find yourself completely ensnared. When the very last sentence of the book is devoured and the novel complete, you are left with a myriad of emotions, one of them sadness that the experience is over. THIS is what this book was for me. It weighs in at 605 pages and contains 14 episodic chapters. What stands out in this volume is the strength and "evenness" of all 14 stories found within. They are all solid, evocative, and necessary. What is as apparent as a slap in the face, as each story unfolds, is the strength of the supporting cast. Every character has amazing depth and seem as real as you and I and the author deftly has you caring deeply for each and every one of them. This is not easily done but Mr. Jones is at the top of his game here and quite frankly I think he's showing off a little bit. The first two volumes in this series are **Lord of a Shattered Land** and **The City of Marble and Blood. ** The author has compared each of these volumes to a season of a TV show. Each chapter representing an episode. Audiences and critics have commented in the past that the greatest TV shows hit a high point in season 3. The audience are attached to the characters and the acting and writing are usually at the top of their game with the greatest of TV hits. THIS also happens to be the case with this third volume in this series. I give this book and series my highest recommendation. If you miss reading this book and series, I suggest that you ensconce yourself in your room, close the door, lower the blinds, put on some emo music, and cry softly into your pillow. READ this book. Kudos to Howard Andrew Jones - you've hit the equivalent of a home run here.
March 12, 2025
The best one in the series! Hanuvar and company deal with consequences that have been built from the previous two books. While I enjoyed some of the other stories in books 1 and 2 more, there were some of the best chapters in this one, especially the end. This is Sword & Sorcery at its absolute finest.
Howard, you will be missed greatly.
Howard, you will be missed greatly.
July 28, 2025
This is my first written review for Goodreads. I felt I had to say something about this great book series that Howard has given us.... It's a masterpiece in sword and sorcery. Every chapter is it's own short story and they are all great. Hanuvar is a great hero. But the real hero is Howard Andrew Jones who sadly passed away after his third Book. This last book still finishes the story great even tho there was supposed to be two more in the series, don't let that put you off picking this great book up. Buy all three and enjoy.
July 14, 2024
Hey looky, I’m the first (of many, surely) review! This is a special book, so special I read it over 3 days. I know that’s not that fast but considering I worked 12 hour shifts at work each one of those days, I was really putting in the time. It was worth it.
“Why is it that it’s always evil barbarians rescuing me? That never happens in the stories.”
“Maybe you’re reading the wrong stories.”
This is a continuation of the sword and sorcery saga where Hanuvar sets out in rescuing his people. The preamble recaps some of the story via an intra-diegetic narration and sets us up for what is to follow. As before, these chapters are pretty much self contained stories, sometimes feeling somewhat standalone and focused, they all move along a greater and more epic plot.
The book starts with Hanuvar still looking cripser than his old self because of some magic in book 2. He is looking for Volani slaves to free in the south part of the Dervan peninsula, called Oscanus and based off the Italian’s peninsula’s Oscan language. Particularly at ruins by a volcano. You can probably see the connection to the title already.
This is in part to see the volani children saved by Ciprion and Amelia. It’s a little slower start but sets up something more like the creepy underground things and a setting that’s around for much of the book too. So this book is less of a travel log but still good around. A new character of import is the enigmatic archaeologist Calenius, which is a nice nod to to KEWs Kane.
Unique magics and monsters keep it interesting, and as always Hanuvar is a very loveable and competent hero. Also, some wrenches are thrown into Hanuvar’s plans, some well meaning and some rather nefarious.
Lots of moving pieces, the spotlight is not always on the different characters. Some appear once, others over multiple stories, some very once in awhile. Izavara, Antires, Catharlo, and Ciprion being somewhat regular. The stories themselves are consistently entertaining but hop around in moods, more like short stories than a novel usually does. For example, “Family Heirloom” made me tear up, b the following story had me laugh aloud.
Some nice nods to certain topics, the one on artistry was quite relevant (looking at you, AI).
Lastly, I want to note how much I appreciated this read. I was feeling a bit down, largely about work and finances, and s&s often has this indomitable attitude, conquering and overcoming in a very personal manner. It’s often brusque and tough, sometimes villainous and picaresque, but Hanuvar is selfless and virtuous in line with the several definitions of that word. It was refreshing to read about such a character that I’d a superbly executing twist on the genre while still feeling like the s&s I needed. I devoured this book and enjoyed every page. I’m so very impressed and will look to this for the skill of a writer I hope to be able to even partially emulate. Bravo, Mr. Jones.
“Why is it that it’s always evil barbarians rescuing me? That never happens in the stories.”
“Maybe you’re reading the wrong stories.”
This is a continuation of the sword and sorcery saga where Hanuvar sets out in rescuing his people. The preamble recaps some of the story via an intra-diegetic narration and sets us up for what is to follow. As before, these chapters are pretty much self contained stories, sometimes feeling somewhat standalone and focused, they all move along a greater and more epic plot.
The book starts with Hanuvar still looking cripser than his old self because of some magic in book 2. He is looking for Volani slaves to free in the south part of the Dervan peninsula, called Oscanus and based off the Italian’s peninsula’s Oscan language. Particularly at ruins by a volcano. You can probably see the connection to the title already.
This is in part to see the volani children saved by Ciprion and Amelia. It’s a little slower start but sets up something more like the creepy underground things and a setting that’s around for much of the book too. So this book is less of a travel log but still good around. A new character of import is the enigmatic archaeologist Calenius, which is a nice nod to to KEWs Kane.
Unique magics and monsters keep it interesting, and as always Hanuvar is a very loveable and competent hero. Also, some wrenches are thrown into Hanuvar’s plans, some well meaning and some rather nefarious.
Lots of moving pieces, the spotlight is not always on the different characters. Some appear once, others over multiple stories, some very once in awhile. Izavara, Antires, Catharlo, and Ciprion being somewhat regular. The stories themselves are consistently entertaining but hop around in moods, more like short stories than a novel usually does. For example, “Family Heirloom” made me tear up, b the following story had me laugh aloud.
Some nice nods to certain topics, the one on artistry was quite relevant (looking at you, AI).
Lastly, I want to note how much I appreciated this read. I was feeling a bit down, largely about work and finances, and s&s often has this indomitable attitude, conquering and overcoming in a very personal manner. It’s often brusque and tough, sometimes villainous and picaresque, but Hanuvar is selfless and virtuous in line with the several definitions of that word. It was refreshing to read about such a character that I’d a superbly executing twist on the genre while still feeling like the s&s I needed. I devoured this book and enjoyed every page. I’m so very impressed and will look to this for the skill of a writer I hope to be able to even partially emulate. Bravo, Mr. Jones.
December 23, 2024
Shadow of the Smoking Mountain by Howard Andrew Jones
The Chronicles of Hanuvar Book Three
Baen
October 2024
The third outing with Hanuvar continues strongly what Jones began with the first and second installments. I continue to enjoy the set up and delivery of the individual stories building to a greater whole. I also continue to be in awe of the variety of stories and settings Jones continues to hammer out. It is brilliant and it has yet to get stale.
The latest antagonist is a homage to Karl Edward Wagner's Kane. Calenius is an excellent antagonist and sometime ally. You never really know where you stand with him or if his ambition matches your goals.
My only criticism is that Hanuvar has a relatively easy run of things. Granted he is a planner and has an impressive team helping him, but the adversity and challenges they face are not far reaching. It is usually something that can be resolved within the individual story. I guess what I am saying is that the tension doesn't seem to be there. There are only a few times in which I sensed some anxiety over how something was going to turn out. With Hanuvar there is no setback like in the film The Empire Strikes Back. The good guys are never in rout. Although, the groundwork has been laid for some tense situations after the events in this book.
I do not know the author, but I know many people who do. His diagnosis came at an inconvenient time. He has been influential to so many people in the community. He is touted as a paragon of many estimable virtues. It has been a wonderful pleasure to read his Hanuvar stories.
The Chronicles of Hanuvar Book Three
Baen
October 2024
The third outing with Hanuvar continues strongly what Jones began with the first and second installments. I continue to enjoy the set up and delivery of the individual stories building to a greater whole. I also continue to be in awe of the variety of stories and settings Jones continues to hammer out. It is brilliant and it has yet to get stale.
The latest antagonist is a homage to Karl Edward Wagner's Kane. Calenius is an excellent antagonist and sometime ally. You never really know where you stand with him or if his ambition matches your goals.
My only criticism is that Hanuvar has a relatively easy run of things. Granted he is a planner and has an impressive team helping him, but the adversity and challenges they face are not far reaching. It is usually something that can be resolved within the individual story. I guess what I am saying is that the tension doesn't seem to be there. There are only a few times in which I sensed some anxiety over how something was going to turn out. With Hanuvar there is no setback like in the film The Empire Strikes Back. The good guys are never in rout. Although, the groundwork has been laid for some tense situations after the events in this book.
I do not know the author, but I know many people who do. His diagnosis came at an inconvenient time. He has been influential to so many people in the community. He is touted as a paragon of many estimable virtues. It has been a wonderful pleasure to read his Hanuvar stories.
December 1, 2024
Hanuvar continues his attempt to rescue his people after a version of the third Punic war that sent the survivors into slavery. Howard Andrew Jones throws in monsters and sorcerers, a soldier magically filled with Hanuvar’s memories who stirs up a slave revolt. The most exciting part in Shadow of the Smoking Mountain(hard from Baen) has a Dervan army facing a sorceror trying to turn back time. Excellent series.
May 22, 2025
What a Finish
This is a fantastic conclusion to this series and a series I’ll treasure. This series is for fans of epic fantasy and reminds me so much of the old sword and sandals movies. There are mysterious monsters and magic none of it really explained and it’s better for it. I hope we can get more series that are in a similar vein. Unfortunately we lost this terrific author and I have every intention of finding more of his books.
This is a fantastic conclusion to this series and a series I’ll treasure. This series is for fans of epic fantasy and reminds me so much of the old sword and sandals movies. There are mysterious monsters and magic none of it really explained and it’s better for it. I hope we can get more series that are in a similar vein. Unfortunately we lost this terrific author and I have every intention of finding more of his books.
October 30, 2024
Like books 1 and 2 in The Chronicles of Hanuvar, Shadow of the Smoking Mountain delivers the goods. This is what sword & sorcery is all about. Picking up where book 2 left off, we get the same style of novel--chapters that are practically short stories but interwoven in a way that ties together beautifully by the end.
November 17, 2024
Perhaps my favorite of the series so far. Somehow there are more supernatural elements and outright sorcery than ever yet it feels even more grounded and historical than before. An obvious homage to Karl Edward Wagner's Kane provides the book's main foil for Hanuvar and qualifies as an unofficial crossover.
January 8, 2025
Humanist, pluralist blood and thunder, and the strongest Hanuvar has been. I'll avoid spoilers, but Chapter 4 is deeply sobering in the context of both the author's recent life and his longstanding investment in writing neurodivergence with sensitivity. There's also resonance with the final revelations and confrontation. I hope to see more someday.
February 13, 2025
I love how this series has been constructed and executed. I will have to read it again and again and ...
I hope there is a fourth book in the near future.
I hope there is a fourth book in the near future.
May 4, 2025
A great wrap up to the trilogy of Conan-esque character.
March 9, 2025
Very enjoyable series. I love the "sequential short story" format reminiscent of Howard.
March 13, 2025
The Chronicles of Hanuvar is a brilliant sword and sorcery series. It’s one of my favorite finds of the last year.
Howard Andrew Jones should have been able to write in this world for another couple of decades, but it wasn’t meant to be. He announced a few months ago that he had terminal cancer and today it’s been announced that he’s gone.
This series follows Hanuvar, a general of a city state that is now just a smoking ruin. He was thought to have died in the war, but he was saved by a dragon-like being that doesn’t make it through the rescue, even as he does — yes, that’s how epic he is. His only goal in life now is to find every one of his people who have been captured and enslaved, purchase or rescue them, and move them to a colony that has been founded across the sea. There are only a couple thousand left alive after the catastrophic loss, and each chapter tells the story of various rescues and thwarted plots. Alternate identities and capers abound. It’s very well written and totally enjoyable.
Each chapter is it’s own story too, which is something I also love. While the book has it’s own through line, each chapter has a beginning, middle, and end, which works really well for this type of storytelling.
This book ends an arc and the finale is satisfying, even though the reader will want more because it’s just that fun. As I said, it would have been lovely to see Jones play in this world for decades, but at least we have these three installments. I can’t recommend this series more highly.
I’ll be delving into his impressive backlist as well as rereading these three.
RIP to a fantastic writer who was so talented and also, by all accounts, a wonderful human being.
Howard Andrew Jones should have been able to write in this world for another couple of decades, but it wasn’t meant to be. He announced a few months ago that he had terminal cancer and today it’s been announced that he’s gone.
This series follows Hanuvar, a general of a city state that is now just a smoking ruin. He was thought to have died in the war, but he was saved by a dragon-like being that doesn’t make it through the rescue, even as he does — yes, that’s how epic he is. His only goal in life now is to find every one of his people who have been captured and enslaved, purchase or rescue them, and move them to a colony that has been founded across the sea. There are only a couple thousand left alive after the catastrophic loss, and each chapter tells the story of various rescues and thwarted plots. Alternate identities and capers abound. It’s very well written and totally enjoyable.
Each chapter is it’s own story too, which is something I also love. While the book has it’s own through line, each chapter has a beginning, middle, and end, which works really well for this type of storytelling.
This book ends an arc and the finale is satisfying, even though the reader will want more because it’s just that fun. As I said, it would have been lovely to see Jones play in this world for decades, but at least we have these three installments. I can’t recommend this series more highly.
I’ll be delving into his impressive backlist as well as rereading these three.
RIP to a fantastic writer who was so talented and also, by all accounts, a wonderful human being.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews