Smoke and Mirrors

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 show "Supernatural" borrowed the plot for an episode.

What delighted me the most about this book was Huff's extraordinarily skillful blending of horror and humor. Every page had something that made me start or wince or shiver, and almost every show more page had something that made me giggle. I've re-read this repeatedly, and it has lost none of its attraction for me. If you love to see clichés skewered and like your horror laced with belly laughs, this is a book for you. show less

Smoke and Mirrors is the second book in the Tony Foster series. In the first book, Tony, a production assistant for a low-budget TV show, discovered that he was a wizard. This time around, he’s back at his day job while the show films an episode in an old stately house. Weird things begin happening and Tony quickly realizes that the house is haunted with the memories of all the murders that have taken place within. But before he can get the cast and crew out, the menace behind the murders traps them in, and they have to survive until sunrise.

I thought Smoke and Mirrors was better than its predecessor. It runs on the same strengths: humour, parody of the horror genre and the film industry, quirky characters, general sense of fun and show more adventure. However, in Smoke and Shadows the plot was nothing fantastic. Not so this time around. The house and dangers that entrap Tony and the crew are successfully atmospheric. Gruesome murders happen, and have happened, that hang over the story. Despite Tony’s irreverent wisecracks, there is some dark stuff going on that made the stakes and risks feel more genuine than before.

Also, I’m a fan of locked room settings, and I thought Tanya Huff did a great job with it. Tony and his coworkers are trapped together and there is a lot of believable tension and reactions. I liked seeing how they were forced to deal with each other whether they liked to or not. And the side plot with Tony’s crush on the actor Lee was too cute for words. Oh, and Cassie and Stephen, two of the ghosts who end up helping Tony; they made my gut wrench and my heart grow heavy. Lost spirits are supposed to feel tragic, but this time they actually did. show less

It turns out that I am totally in love with these books. I actually like them more than the Blood books. I think this is probably because I really adore Tony. I know, at least in the case of my sister, she really missed Mike and Vicki when she started reading them -- I didn't. I had forgotten that they weren't featured in these books (except in passing) and for a moment I was kind of annoyed. But only for a moment. I got over that pretty quickly and fell in love. Smoke and Mirrors was fantastic, creepy and awesome. I love all the plot developments regarding Tony as what he's turning into. I also like his interactions with all the characters, but especially Lee, Zev, CB, Amy and that male cop (I say that, but you have to realize I've show more already started Smoke and Ashes). I also loved the humor in the book, especially the mentions of kiwi lube (I have no idea why this is so funny) and Amy saying she owns all of Charmed. I cannot wait to finish Smoke and Ashes. show less

After beating back the horrifying, albeit cheesily named Shadowlord, Tony Foster is ready to stay as far away as he can from the idea of being a potential wizard and get back to his normal life. Well, as normal as it gets when you are the Production Assistant (i.e. gopher) for a straight-to-syndication vampire television show. However, when Darkest Night begins shooting on location at a haunted house and the thing in the basement decides to it wants eat the crew it is up to Tony to use any means available to him to try and get them out before they all go insane or worse. A task made more difficult when people start accusing him of getting them into the mess and when the man of his dreams, actor Lee Nicholas, starts acting way out of show more character.

This second book of the "Smoke" series was just as fun as the first. There were many moments where the dry humor had me laughing out loud. I also loved the X-Files comments which were scattered throughout. Tony is quite the character and I really enjoyed him. I kind of wish we had seen a little more of Henry, I really loved his whole possessive vibe going on in "Smoke and Shadows", but we did see just enough of him to keep me happy. CB's precocious daughters were well done and superbly annoying and the way the entire crew rationalized the circumstances in their own warped, television weird ways was amusing as well.

There are issues in the book which may bother some, such as the grisly descriptions of various murders, the allusion to incest and Tony's homosexuality. But, if you enjoy dark and humorous urban fantasy I'd still say give this series a shot. I’ve certainly found it very entertaining so far. This story left off with a definitive end to the story but with many hooks to look into in the next book which I am highly looking forward to. show less

Another good Huff. Tony's world is getting richer - and more and more people are getting to know about him...I liked the way the TV people kept commenting on the cliches. But sometimes they're cliches because they're true (for whatever value of true can be applied here...book about vampires/ghosts...). People's reactions to types of events are true, anyway (some scream, some concentrate on ignoring the oddities, some deal...) Definitely want to read the third one.

I like this one better than the first in the trilogy, but it still felt padded. It all takes place over one night in a haunted house, as the cast and crew of Darkest Night try to film an episode about a haunted house on a location where the real ghosts are far more dangerous. Tony continues to learn wizard skills.

Better than the first in the series, itching to read the third now. Better book than the first. Liking character of Tony more. Love Lee and the surprising situational conflict arising. Henry was in book very little and takes a long time to appear. Clear Huff wants reader to be clear this is a Tony show, but a character as interesting as Henry can't disappear too long in the background without harming the book. Villain was awesome in a gory, almost cheesy but not cheesy way. Showdown fight worthy of its story and opponents. Sometimes assistant Amy got on my nerves. Ghost scenes cool, pacing tight. Rarely dulled (although a mite bit at minor times). Really left warning more at end with the Lee and Tony situation (i'm such a drama addict!)