Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
45th out of 332 books
—
697 voters
Smoke and Mirrors (Tony Foster #2)
by
Tanya Huff
When Tony and his TV crew find themselves shooting in an actual haunted house, all hell threatens to break loose. Locked into the house overnight, can Tony keep the diabolical controling spirit from turning the crew against one another in an orgy of blood?
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
June 6th 2006
by DAW
(first published June 7th 2005)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,920)
Supernatural/Mystery. The crew of Darkest Night is filming a haunted house episode in a house that, surprise, turns out to be haunted and Tony has to save them all with his new beginning-level wizarding powers! This is very, very good. I tore through it. Huff seems to have resolved her POV issues and the story itself has lots of suspense and gore and creepiness. Tony's growing up some, and it's awesome that he's wizardly. The unresolved sexual tension between him and Lee is actually sexy this ti...more
Tony Foster works as a production assistant on the Canadian television show Darkest Night, a show about a vampire detective. Last spring Tony discovered he was an actual wizard as he defeated a being called the Shadowlord and his minions. Things have been quiet on the set since, until they go on location to shoot an episode featuring a haunted house. But no one realized the house really is haunted until it's too late. Now the cast and crew must somehow survive the night because the house isn't w...more
2 likes
·
like
· see review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book & was surprised to find I had trouble putting it down [this lead to some very bleary-eyed work days]. Fans of the Blood series should enjoy it, but I strongly recommend reading the first book in the series, Smoke & Shadows, as there's little time spent on filling in the back story, and you may find yourself a little lost otherwise. I had to look up some of what happened previously to understand some of Tony's references. One other criticism is I would have...more
Mar 21, 2009
Jammies
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of horror and humor with a strong stomach
Shelves:
vampires
While I did enjoy the Vicky Nelson series and the first "Smoke and..." book with Tony Foster as the main character, I was surprised at just how blown away I was by this book. The characters are well-drawn, quirky enough to be engaging but not so quirky as to make relating to them difficult. The plot is an amazing new take on the old "group of people trying to survive in a haunted house until sunrise" and the twists and turns kept me turning pages until late in the night. In fact, the television...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Tony and the crew of Darkest Night film in an actual haunted house and get trapped inside overnight.
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Scary haunted house, fun banter and bitching between the TV crew, and wow -- keeping dialogue and POV clear between eighteen people trapped in a house, not to mention the ghosts? Huff pulled that one off very nicely. Not a lot of Henry, but baby-wizard Tony is adorable and I think I love him the best anyway. I thought his UST with Lee in this was perfect. I hope Huff...more
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Scary haunted house, fun banter and bitching between the TV crew, and wow -- keeping dialogue and POV clear between eighteen people trapped in a house, not to mention the ghosts? Huff pulled that one off very nicely. Not a lot of Henry, but baby-wizard Tony is adorable and I think I love him the best anyway. I thought his UST with Lee in this was perfect. I hope Huff...more
1 like
·
like
· see review
I looooved this book! I love the supernatural mystery/horror thing. It was so creepy, and I had no idea for most of the book how they would resolve it. It's a little sad that we didn't actually get to see what happened with Tony and Zev between the last book and this one, but the UST between Tony and Lee was awesome (much better than in the last book). I didn't think I would like Henry playing such a background role, but it sort of allowed Tony to become a strong, powerful character in his own r...more
I liked seeing the growing relationships among the crew, but the creepy factor was much higher with this book. I don't usually get nightmares from sf/fantasy books, but this was edging into horror and I was wondering if it was wise to read it before bed.
Basically the cast and crew gets trapped in a haunted house at night and the ghosts of those who died come out to play.
If you're reading these books simply for Henry, you'll probably be disappointed in how little he's in this one. After all, he's...more
Basically the cast and crew gets trapped in a haunted house at night and the ghosts of those who died come out to play.
If you're reading these books simply for Henry, you'll probably be disappointed in how little he's in this one. After all, he's...more
After chugging through Phaedra Weldon's Wraith, I was definitely in the mood to go right back to good ol' Tanya Huff, so I went for Smoke and Mirrors, Book 2 of her Tony Foster series.
And really, Tanya Huff just continues to solidly entertain. It's less rare than it used to be to have an urban fantasy series with a male protagonist, but it's still very, very rare to have an urban fantasy series with a queer protagonist. So just being able to read one is cool.
It helps of course that the Tony Fost...more
And really, Tanya Huff just continues to solidly entertain. It's less rare than it used to be to have an urban fantasy series with a male protagonist, but it's still very, very rare to have an urban fantasy series with a queer protagonist. So just being able to read one is cool.
It helps of course that the Tony Fost...more
Nov 28, 2008
Katie M.
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
ghost fans, buffy fans, vampire fans, canadians
Recommended to Katie by:
my dad
Shelves:
vampires
Smoke and Mirrors is an excellent ghost story to be read in twenty-four hours, not just because it's not exactly dense but because the plot will make it very difficult to put the book down until you're done. A cheesy vampire detective TV show is using a big, isolated, abandoned mansion as the perfect location for a haunted house episode. Problem is, the house really is haunted. Oops. A number of the cast and crew are trapped inside when the house seals itself at sunset. Many cliches are in use,...more
I picked this book up first in the library because the first vol had been taken out and third had yet to come out. It’s about a young man from one of her previous series -- Tony, a gay runaway that had been picked up and taken care of by the vampire Henry-- he is out and about on his own, deliberately trying to build his own life and identity. Determined to hold his own job. He ends up at a production company for some B-rated TV series and ends up crushing madly one of the stars.
While I found so...more
While I found so...more
My official beach reading selection for my trip to Mallorca. Tanya Huff's style remains engrossing and entertaining, though her peculiarities are becoming repetitive. (If I never read about anyone being almost able to see someone considering something ever again it will be too soon. Also, what's with the incest between mystical siblings?) This time there's a haunted house and secrets are revealed! Totally worth the $4 I paid at the used bookstore for it, and I'll pick up the next one whenever I...more
This is a straight-up (no pun intended) haunted house story. As such, I actually didn't love it as much as I expected - I like Tony Foster, and I did enjoy watching him grapple with his own nascent powers, but the whole ghosties and ghoulies and evil things locked in the basement just doesn't do much for me. Part of the reason may be that the redshirts never really won me over, and I knew that obviously Tony himself was in no danger. Maybe if I cared more about his maybe-bi-maybe-not crush...
Why have I not written a review of this awesomeness? Because it has been too damn long since I read it. I plan to re-read all the Blood Books and the Tony Foster series some time next year so hopefully I will have a review soon but to sum up for the time being:
Take the bastard son of Herny VIII who is now a vampire and put him where he can't help much add his ex-street kid protege Tony (who is also Henry's sometimes lover, bff and confidant and he's a trainee wizard) plus a hot bi actor named Le...more
Take the bastard son of Herny VIII who is now a vampire and put him where he can't help much add his ex-street kid protege Tony (who is also Henry's sometimes lover, bff and confidant and he's a trainee wizard) plus a hot bi actor named Le...more
The second in the brilliant series focusing upon the exploits of Tony Foster. There is a great supporting cast of characters, fantastic plot, and genuinely funny moments. Tony is one smart-assed guy. As with the other two books some of the humour is peculiarly and wonderfully Canadian. It has me laughing out loud at times and smirking quietly at some of the subtleties.
SUMMARY:
In the sequel to Smoke and Shadows, Tony Foster, a production assistant on the syndicated TV series Darkest Night, is forced to draw on his magical ability to see and hear the dead when the show goes on location to shoot an episode at Caulfield House, an actual haunted house filled with dark forces that can destroy the living.
In the sequel to Smoke and Shadows, Tony Foster, a production assistant on the syndicated TV series Darkest Night, is forced to draw on his magical ability to see and hear the dead when the show goes on location to shoot an episode at Caulfield House, an actual haunted house filled with dark forces that can destroy the living.
I liked this one more than I remember it's prequel. Maybe less buildup, more creepy? Ghosts and a haunted house, but not too bad to read alone in the dark. How someone can call themselves a wizard with only one spell is a bit much. The problem was solved in stages, by teamwork. Lots of interpersonal dynamics. Read in two days (while sick at home).
Tony is a compelling protagonist who grows in an interesting way over the course of the "Smoke" books, and is by far my favorite openly gay protagonist in any SF series.
"Smoke and Mirrors" is not quite as good as "Smoke and Shadows", but taken as a trilogy, the three "Smoke" books are superior even to the "Blood" books.
"Smoke and Mirrors" is not quite as good as "Smoke and Shadows", but taken as a trilogy, the three "Smoke" books are superior even to the "Blood" books.
In the second book of this spinoff series from Tanya's Vicky Nelson Vampire novels, Tony Foster and the crew of a Canadian made vampire series rent a "haunted mansion" to film their latest episode. Only problem is, this mansion really is haunted, and the not so dearly departed original owner has plans for the crew.
Apparently, women are horses who are constantly "tossing their heads" and "flaring their nostrils." Apparently, chemistry, conversation, or any interaction at all, is not necessary to build a relationship. Apparently, when people die, no one cares. Apparently, people become mean, uncaring bastards ready to commit murder under the mildest of strains.
Very good. I love the haunted house and the fact that almost the whole crew is involved. This was scarier than the rest of the books I've read by Tanya Huff. Not much Henry this time around, which is good because Tony needs his independence. He may eventually by a good wizard.
The Second in the Smoke series. This one goes a little darker, it still maintains the lighter playful tone, but the supernatural creepy it features is-- extra creepy.
Huff plays with Time and Ghosts and actually takes a trope you see more often in science fiction and makes it work. Or rather, it feels more like the science fiction version than the fantasy version. It's creepy, without an over abundance of gore (though there is some!) and the ultimate cause wasn't easily guessed by me.
Through it a...more
Huff plays with Time and Ghosts and actually takes a trope you see more often in science fiction and makes it work. Or rather, it feels more like the science fiction version than the fantasy version. It's creepy, without an over abundance of gore (though there is some!) and the ultimate cause wasn't easily guessed by me.
Through it a...more
I found the constant pop culture references and slang speak from the main character Tony very tiring. And I grew up watching and loving Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so you can only imagine how much of it there was that it drove me nuts.
Most certainly better than the first one in this series!
I'm one of those people that gets really creeped out by ghosts and things like that but I still really enjoyed the plot of this book. (I did manage to read most of it during the day though!)
I'm one of those people that gets really creeped out by ghosts and things like that but I still really enjoyed the plot of this book. (I did manage to read most of it during the day though!)
A TV production in a haunted house. What can go wrong.
Henry doesn't play a prominent part in this book, and you won't enjoy it if you have problems with a gay male lead. Still a good read.
Henry doesn't play a prominent part in this book, and you won't enjoy it if you have problems with a gay male lead. Still a good read.
Entertaining haunted house story and satire of tv production (specifically of Forever Knight, the original vampire detective tv series) with likable tough guy gay protagonist.
It's actually the Smoke Trilogy, 2.
I AM enjoying this series…irreverent, topical, and with an interesting insight into producing films. Great cast of characters.
I AM enjoying this series…irreverent, topical, and with an interesting insight into producing films. Great cast of characters.
Sep 24, 2007
Laura
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
dark urban fantasy fans
Shelves:
urbanfantasy
This is Book Two of Huff's "Smoke" series. Huff is doing a wonderful job in this series of building the character of Tony, who was only a minor character in the "Blood Books." I am beginning to realize Huff is a master at snappy dialogue, and her writing is excellent in this novel as well. The plot pace has its ups and downs, which is to be expected in a novel of this length that takes place almost entirely in the course of one evening in a haunted house. But the ending is WONDERFUL, and well wo...more
Pure genius! I could not put this second book in the Shadow series down. I seriously read like 200 pages in a single day. I wanted to stay up all night to finish it but my body would have protested the lack of sleep during class today.
Every death was more gruesome than the next and while I'm not a big fan I couldn't stop reading. This book truly built on Tony's character and I'm loving where Huff is taking him. I can't believe there's only one more book left in this series.
And it's official, I...more
Every death was more gruesome than the next and while I'm not a big fan I couldn't stop reading. This book truly built on Tony's character and I'm loving where Huff is taking him. I can't believe there's only one more book left in this series.
And it's official, I...more
This book is the second book in the Tony Foster series. The story deals with the Darkest Night TV series shooting at the Caulfied House, which is actually haunted. So Tony and the crew was trapped in the house during filming and has to figure out how to get out of the house safely. I have to admit that I did enjoy this book better than the first one. The character is more developed and this one I think has more action and mystery to it. It is also more fast paced and interesting. I hope the thir...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
"Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia: Although I haven't actually lived "down east" since just before my fourth birthday, I still consider myself a Maritimer. I think it's something to do with being born in sight of the ocean. Or possibly with the fact that almost no one admits to being from Ontario…
Raised, for the most part, in Kingston, Ontario. It was the late sixties, early to mid seventies. Enough s...more
More about Tanya Huff...
Raised, for the most part, in Kingston, Ontario. It was the late sixties, early to mid seventies. Enough s...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Jul 22, 2009 08:15am
It's so much fun! I stayed up until 2 in the morning reading it and creeped myself...more
Jul 22, 2009 08:39am