Star Trek: The Last Starship: Volume One by Jackson Lanzin, Collin Kelly and Adrián Bonilla

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Tie-in NovelLeave a comment

Publisher: IDW Publishing (Paperback – 8 September 2026)

Series: Star Trek: The Last Starship (2025) – Volume One

Writers: Jackon Lanzing and Collin Kelly

Artist: Adrián Bonilla

Colourists: Heather Moore (Issues #1 to #3), Lee Loughridge (Issues #4 to #6)

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Length: 176 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for a dark new era of Star Trek comics with the intense and compelling first volume of the new series, The Last Starship, which boldly goes into one of the franchises darkest periods with some familiar faces.

I have mentioned in a few posts already that there has been a real resurgence in Star Trek comics in recent years, which has resulted in several impressive and unique series.  This includes the brutal Red Shirts limited series and the start of a fun new Lower Decks series, just to name the ones I’ve had the pleasure of reading.  However, one of the more ambitious Star Trek comics that I have so far come across is The Last Starship, an impressive and inventive new series by the writing team of Jackson Lanzin and Collin Kelly, featuring art by Adrián Bonilla.

It is the 31st century and the United Federation of Planets is made up of worlds and races from across the entire galaxy.  With Starfleet still leading the charge to explore and bring together all worlds, the Federation stands on the brink of its greatest diplomatic feat and the promise of peace throughout the galaxy.  However, one calamitous event will rip apart everything in an instance: The Burn.

Throughout the entire galaxy, nearly every piece of dilithium, the fuel that has driven space travel for generations, mysterious goes inert, resulting in the simultaneous detonation of all technology that utilised it, including the warp cores of every active starship.  As trillions die, no species or organisation is spared from the carnage, including Starfleet, whose entire fleet and crews are destroyed in moments.  With no Starfleet to maintain its security or diplomacy, the Federation and the safe future of the galaxy looks doomed.

However, as the galaxy burns, there are still those who believe.  One of the last remaining Starfleet captains, Delacourt Sato, is determined to keep the ideals of the Federation alive after The Burn and bring hope to its member planets.  To achieve his vision, Sato commissions the U.S.S. Omega, the last active starship Starfleet has.  Fitted with advanced transwarp technology by its unlikely engineer, Queen Agnes Jurati of the Borg Cooperative, the Omega is ready to fly amongst the stars, but there are those who do not want Starfleet to recover.

With no one to oppose them, the Klingon return to their warrior roots and launch a new war against humanity, while back on Earth many humans decide that they no longer want anything to do with the Federation.  As Captain Sato attempts to solve these problems diplomatically and bring together the remnants of the Federation into an effective coalition, he faces problems his years as a peacetime captain cannot contend with.  To succeed, Sato will need a miracle, which Agnes provides by resurrecting a long dead legend, James T. Kirk.  But can even a returned Kirk keep the Federation together when all hope seems lost?

Wow, now that was a spectacular Star Trek comic.  Jackson Lanzin and Collin Kelly pulled together an incredible story in The Last Ship, ably brought to life by the expressive artwork of Adrián Bonilla.  Featuring the first six issues of this new series, this volume of The Last Starship starts off strong and keeps up the carnage the entire way through.  Filled with compelling characters, dark betrayals and an intriguing mixture of Star Trek lore, The Last Starship was a brilliant comic that I had a wonderful time getting through.

I must admit I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with The Last Starship, but I ended up getting blown away by its complexity and surprisingly dark narrative.  Starting off with a very quick introduction to a few new key characters, the first issue of The Last Starship immediately shakes the core of the Star Trek universe by showcasing the galaxy-spanning calamity known as The Burn and its devastating impact on everyone, especially Starfleet.  This was a very memorable start to the series, which Lanzin and Kelly capitalise on by tapping into the inherent hope at the heart of all Star Trek media.  Now following Captain Sato, the plot follows his attempt to inspire the galaxy and the remnants of the Federation by launching a new Starfleet flagship, the U.S S. Omega.  Thanks to the unlikely appearance of Borg Queen Agnes Jurati (from the Picard series), who provides the means for the Omega to travel the stars, Sato’s plan is made possible.  However, that’s not the only crazy thing happening in this first issue, as Lanzin and Kelly make sure to hit the nostalgia button by introducing a resurrected Kirk as one of the series’ main characters, bolstering the new cast.

Following this intense and intriguing start, which contains a lot of big moments that hit some very different Star Trek lore buttons, the plot of this first volume of The Last Starship goes in some powerful directions.  Firstly, because the people in this period apparently haven’t suffered enough, there is a Klingon attack that results in even further carnage.  The comic does an outstanding job showcasing the ineffectiveness of the more peaceable Starfleet of this period, which necessitates the return of Kirk and his experiences as a fighting captain.  The further aftermath of this substantial carnage results in even greater change in the galaxy, which Sato hopes to resolve with a conference on the planet of Babel between representatives from the remaining Federation members.  However, between betrayals, greed and selfish agendas, nothing goes the way you’d expect, starting the trend towards the darker period you later encounter 100 years later during the events of Star Trek: Discovery.

This was honestly a brilliant start to a cool new comic series, which makes full use of its grim themes and a setting centuries away from the main Star Trek shows to tell a truly unique story.  Serving as a compelling prequel to the later seasons of Star Trek Discovery, Lanzin and Kelly pulled together a distinctive story about the unlikely last Starfleet crew attempting to navigate a post-Burn galaxy.  This ended up being a fantastic, character-driven comic, that really tried to show the darker side of the Star Trek universe.  Starting with one massive tragedy, and then showing the various disasters that followed it, readers should be ready for carnage, war, and political upheaval on a level Star Trek fans usually wouldn’t see.  The resulting focus on characters as they attempt to survive this, or are thrust into it against their will, adds some outstanding drama, with all these figures having to make hard or selfish decisions.  While The Last Starship is pretty disaster focused, the authors did try to balance this out by looking at the impacts of hope and principles in trying times.  Watching several characters from various backgrounds and origins continue to try and do the right thing is quite captivating, and it’s hard not to feel for the protagonists as their experiences the extreme lows of the Star Trek universe.

As you would expect from any Star Trek comic, The Last Starship is geared heavily towards established fans of the franchise, and I would say that readers need to have a certain level of knowledge about some of the existing shows to appreciate it.  In particular, The Last Starship serves as a prequel for the last three seasons of Star Trek: Discovery and deeply explores the events that led up to the dystopian galaxy showcased in this series.  The full sequences depicting The Burn in this comic happen very early on, and yet they stick with you, not just because of how devastating they are, but because of the last emotional impact they convey.  There are some brilliant scenes in this comic where the full despair of the events and death-toll of The Burn is showcased, including one panel which just shows final messages from various ships (including the Enterprise).  I really loved how effectively the creators of The Last Starship explored the full immediate impacts of The Burn, and it was something different to see the devastation in caused as it happened, rather than 100 years after like in Discovery.

The Last Starship also explores other key plot points covered in Discovery, including the disappearance of the Klingons, the formation of the Emerald Chain and Earth leaving the Federation, all of which cause major drama in this comic.  Aside from needing to have some knowledge of Discovery to appreciate some of the resulting plot points, The Last Starship also features key characters from other televisions series, including the always iconic Kirk, and Agnes from the first two seasons of Picard, after she becomes a Borg queen.  While most general science fiction fans can appreciate the story of Kirk in The Last Starship to a degree, understanding his full history, including his relationship with the Klingons and his previous death, will really add to overall emotional impact of his scenes in this comic.  Throw in a ton of clever references or call-backs to various characters and moments from previous shows, and there is a lot for established Star Trek fans to appreciate.  I recommend it for those in the mood for something a little darker that still has an authentic Star Trek feel to it.

As I have mentioned a few times already, a key reason that The Last Starship is so impactful is that it features several complex characters caught up in the very worst of circumstances.  This includes Captain Delacourt Sato, one of Starfleet’s last surviving captains, who is attempting to bring back hope and the idea of the Federation to the galaxy.  Sato proves to be a compelling and desperate character, with much of his storyline revolving around his attempts to apply hundreds of years of peaceful Federation ideals to a universe that no longer wants them.  As such, Sato experiences a lot of disappointment and heartbreak in this comic, especially when betrayed by those close to him, but it was very compelling to follow a desperate figure who must change to meet the times he is in.

On the other end of the scale is the newly resurrected James T. Kirk, who finds himself in a future where his mentality and experiences are sorely needed.  Once again thrust into a future time he doesn’t understand, Kirk experiences great despair from his very introduction, as he is forced to watch the Federation he helped build get utterly fractured by The Burn.  There are a lot of excellent and palpable emotions burning within Kirk throughout this comic, as his barely controlled anger, inability to connect to a future where he is an icon, and a lot of internal pain constantly come to the surface and lash out at key times, including during the volume’s climactic scene.  Despite this, there is a certain amount of the old-school Kirk in this resurrected figure, as he inspires many, fights everyone, and even hooks up with an alien.  I appreciated this interesting inclusion of one of Star Trek’s most iconic figures into a very different time, and I think that Lanzin and Kelly made the right choice utilising Kirk, rather than someone like Picard or Janeway, whose inclusion would have really changed the tone of the comic.

Aside from Sato and Kirk, The Last Starship featured several other excellent characters, and I really appreciated the range of figures that the creative team introduced and utilised.  Of note was Commander Howie (Wowie) Carter, the first officer of the Omega, a relatively young character who proves himself to be a major badass forced to make some major decisions.  The son of a chief Earth scientist and political leader, Wowie makes the tough decision to stay with Starfleet, which, thanks to some time dilation, means he watches his parents age and die while Earth becomes even more disconnected from the Federation.  The sequences following this time dilation are some of the most emotionally charged in the comic, and it makes you really appreciate Wowie as a character.  Another key character I enjoyed was Doctor Zed (full name: Herculion Sabratash Ork’ver Purple Four Zedacitus), the Ferengi Chief of Medicine aboard the Omega.  Crude, rude and constantly high, Zed is literally the last doctor Starfleet has, and it was entertaining to see him interact with his more reserved crewmates.  Despite this brash outer layer, Zed is eventually showed to be a competent and principled doctor, and he honestly ended up being a favourite protagonist of mine.  Throw in several other intriguing characters who will likely get explored more in future issues, and this first volume of The Last Starship has some amazing characters, who Lanzin and Kelly use to full effect to advance their story.

The final aspect of this volume that I need to talk about is the beautiful and complex artwork that is featured throughout it.  Drawn by artist Adrián Bonilla and enhanced by colourists Heather Moore (for issues #1 to #3), Lee Loughridge (for issues #4 to #6), the art of The Last Starship was quite striking, perfectly showcasing the unique story in several dramatic ways.  Utilising a noir drawing style to match the dramatic tone of the comic are a lot of bold colours, heavy shading and complex depictions throughout this first six issues of the comic, and I loved some of the interesting character designs that the art team utilised.  The characters originating from the 31st century have a distinctive futuristic feel to them, while characters from the older series, such as Kirk, have a bit more of a rugged appearance.  I also need to highlight the incredible large-scale backgrounds, such as planets, buildings, ships and depictions of space that appear throughout the comic.  The artists really capture the scale and complexity of many of these settings, no matter how weird they get.  This includes the Ni’Varran Panoptical Diplomascope, a gravity-defying, multi-ringed construct that was a distinctive backdrop for a key sequence in the plot.  I also felt that the artists excelled in showcasing the big moments of the plot, including brutal starship battles, intense bits of combat in zero gravity, and the entire carnage of The Burn.  The artists don’t hold back in showing the devastation of these events, and you really feel all the action and intense trauma as you view this art, especially with Bonilla’s drawing the despair and sadness of the survivors.  The amazing artwork behind The Last Starship was so damn good, and it brought the complex story to life in all the right ways.

Overall, this first volume of Star Trek: The Last Starship was an amazing and captivating comic, that I had a blast getting through.  The creative team behind The Last Starship produced a powerful character driven story, loaded with interesting bits of Star Trek lore, and backed up by outstanding artwork.  This was an exceptional comic with a darker edge that Star Trek fans are going to love, and I look forward to reading more of The Last Starship as it continues.

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He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Throwback ThursdayLeave a comment

Publisher: Michael Joseph (Trade Paperback – 15 September 2026, originally published 18 May 2021)

Series: He Who Fights With Monsters – Volume Two

Length: 607 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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After falling in love with the first book in Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters series, I just had to check out the second volume, Adventurer, which proved to be just as fun, entertaining and addictive as the first entry.

Readers of this blog may remember a couple of months ago I became obsessed with the amazing first volume of the impressive He Who Fights With Monsters LitRPG series.  Written by Australian author Travis Deverell (also known as Shirtaloon), the first volume of the He Who Fights With Monsters series was originally released several years ago but has since been republished in paperback by Penguin.  This series followed an Australian protagonist, Jason Asano, who becomes a deadly fantasy adventurer after being pulled into an alternate version of Earth filled with magic, monsters and all manner of carnage.

The first volume of this series, recently titled Outworlder, served as an excellent introduction to the protagonist, multiple supporting characters, and Deverell’s fantastic fantasy world.  I had a wonderful time with this initial book’s story, which saw Jason learn to become an adventurer as he gets involved with monster slaying, politics, local crime and larger conspiracies.  While a little rough in places, I ended up absolutely powering through this first volume, and I found it to be an extremely fun and impressive piece of LitRPG.  Due to how much pure enjoyment I got from the first He Who Fights With Monsters book, I made sure to grab a copy of the second volume when it was released, and boy was I glad that I did.

Plot Synopsis:

The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn’t easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life.

Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he is to stand a chance against the best the world has to offer.

While the young adventurers are caught up in competition, the city leaders deal with revelations of betrayal as a vast and terrible enemy is revealed. Jason thinks he’s on the sidelines—until it becomes clear he’s already crossed the wrong path. With allies and enemies closing in, one thing is certain: this contest is only the beginning, and the coming conflict will change everything.

Now this was a very cool and relentlessly fun sequel.  This second volume of He Who Fights With Monsters, titled Adventurer, ended up being a particularly addictive read as Deverell loaded it up with a great story, zany humour and clever fantasy LitRPG elements.  I couldn’t stop reading Adventurer at times, and because I powered through all 600+ pages in only a couple of days (which is impressive even for me), I must give this second volume a full five-star rating.

I had an absolute blast getting through Adventurer’s fantastic story, which brings together a range of intriguing plot elements into one brilliant tale of adventure and action.  Once again primarily set in the city of Greenstone, Adventurer’s narrative mostly focuses on protagonist Jason Asano, former Australian retail worker turned interdimensional badass, as he and his friends are still reeling from the death of one of their own at the end of the last book.  Determined to become a better adventurer, Jason focuses on the latest complication in his unusual life, the captured thief Sophie, who, thanks to political intrigue and bad luck, has gained the protection she needs by becoming Jason’s indentured servant (in a mostly non-weird way).  Needing to keep her safe, Jason works to make Sophie an adventurer, and much of the first half of Adventurer sees Jason and his friends training Sophie while also forming a new adventuring party.  At the same time, Deverell works in a compelling side story that sees much of the supporting cast investigating the mysterious interdimensional army that attacked the Greenstone adventurer expedition at the end of Outworlder, revealing a large-scale conspiracy that could destroy the entirety of this magical world.

This first half of Adventurer really drags the reader in, and you are soon quite absorbed in the various ongoing storylines.  The plot around Sophie and her attempts to become an adventurer matches Jason’s training in Outworlder, and it was nice to still get an outsider/trainee perspective on the rules of magic and adventuring.  This training element worked well with the book’s entertaining personal dynamics as Jason forms a team with Sophie and some of their other friends and associates, brought together utilising Jason’s chaotic, yet persuasive manner.  At the same time, Deverell also ensures that there are some storylines going for all the extensive supporting cast, and the separate exploits of several of these characters worked well alongside the main story focused on Jason.  I appreciated how well the author fell back on elements from the first book, even some of the more obscure inclusions, and many of these previous hints are cleverly built into the overlying conspiracy that was a big part of Adventurer’s plot.

While I had a brilliant time with the first part of Adventurer, the second half of the book is where things really kick off and drag the reader in.  Indeed, I read the entirety of this second half of Adventurer in a single day, I was that damn hooked.  Much of this is because the main story follows Jason, his team, and several other major supporting characters as they enter a magical competition for rising adventurers.  Essentially split up throughout a dungeon with many other aspiring adventurers, Jason and his team need to fight through an array of monsters and rivals to participate in the main trial of the competition.  This keeps you extremely hooked, as you are drawn into an extended session of action, exploration and advancement, with some interesting combinations of supporting characters coming together into impromptu groups.  This entire extended sequence was so damn good, and while the winner of the trials isn’t especially surprising, the journey to get there is so much fun and wraps up a lot of key storylines from this second volume.  This proves to be a particularly awesome main plot sequence for this volume, and I loved how it turned out.  I also enjoyed how there was still a little bit of Adventurer left after this dungeon sequence, with the author taking some time to showcase the gains following this major arc, while providing some build-up to the third novel.  While this slightly slows the story down at the end, it ensures that the main cast have all their new abilities ready for the next entry, and this will very much appeal to those readers who enjoy the nuances of the LitRPG genre.  Deverell does make sure to keep some intensity going with a big cliffhanger around a major supporting character, while other threats to Jason and the larger world continue to grow, and by the time you finish Adventurer, you are extremely ready for more He Who Fights With Monsters fun.

I had an amazing time with this second He Who Fights With Monsters book, especially as I felt that Adventurer was a better written novel than Outworlder, with Deverell improving as an author.  The author did a great job building on the best elements of the first book, like the worldbuilding and cool fantasy elements, and there was once again a fantastic blend of adventure, personal growth and underlying intrigue to draw the reader in.  I particularly love the effective way in which the LitRPG elements of the setting are incorporated into the story, and the resulting carnage from the distinctive magical system allowed for some intense scenes, especially in the well-structured and intense extended dungeon sequence, which really was a brilliant highlight of Adventurer. At the same time, most of the rough edges I noted in the first He Who Fights With Monsters novel where gone, allowing for a smoother read, especially as I was also more familiar with the author’s writing style.  I was particularly happy that the weird formatting issues that bugged me in the first book were missing, which was a major relief.

Another thing I appreciated about Adventurer was how well Deverell set it up as a sequel to Outworlder.  While LitRPG sequels tend to just be continuations of the first book without much variation, there was a clear plot delineation between the events of Adventurer and Outworlder, which ensures that it feels like an entirely separate novel.  There is also a great continuation and expansion of many of the story elements, world building and the magical system throughout Adventurer, all of which expands in some compelling and intriguing ways.  Naturally, this does mean that Adventurer is going to be a lot easier to read for those people who already checked out the first He Who Fights With Monsters novel, especially as this sequel starts right after the climactic battle of Outworlder.  However, I did think that Deverell’s writing style in Adventurer would allow new readers to start exploring this series with the second book if they wanted to, especially as there are some recaps about the magical system and character arcs. Still, I would recommend reading Outworlder first, as it will allow you to enjoy the entire He Who Fights With Monsters series a lot more.

As with the first He Who Fights With Monsters book, Adventurer features a huge cast of characters whose adventures form the basis for the plot.  Most of the attention of this book is once again on series protagonist Jason Asano, an Australian retail worker who was dragged to this world of magic and monsters thanks to a summoning ritual gone bad and is now making a new life as an adventurer.  As I mentioned in my review of Outlander, Jason is a complex and unique protagonist who projects an outer layer of silliness and seeming insanity to everyone around him.  However, deep down he is a far more collected and shrewd person who has not only already mastered adventuring but is thriving in this new world thanks to his unrivalled ability to empathise with and manipulate everyone he meets.  His anti-authority streak also comes into play a lot in this novel, and it was fun to see him interact with fantasy beings who usually appreciate a hierarchy (although the amused reactions of several gods to this is quite entertaining).  While I can see how some readers might not enjoy Jason as a character for being too over-the-top or a little preachy with his attitudes, for the most part he is great, and much of the book’s humour comes from his various crazy interactions.  I enjoyed how Deverell provided a bit more of a look at Jason’s past in this novel, including how his feelings of inadequacy towards his brother resulted in his current persona.  There was also some compelling focus on how Jason has finally found his calling and friends in this new world, and it will be interesting to see how future storylines that involve him returning to Earth will play into that.

While most of the book is focused specifically on Jason and his adventures, there are a huge number of additional supporting characters in this novel, including most of the cast of the first book, as well as several interesting new figures.  While in some ways the cast of this novel is too big (I must admit that I sometimes lost track of who was who, especially as they all have normal names rather than memorable fantasy ones), it was fascinating to see the various interactions and specific storylines that emerged around them.  Deverell expertly follows various cast members throughout the book, including Jason’s original companions, members of his new team, various key figures of Greenstone who Jason has interacted with, and even a few antagonists.  The third-person perspective of He Who Fights With Monsters really helped to ensure that Deverell could effectively showcase storylines around these characters without Jason needing to be there.  A good example of this occurred during the major dungeon arc of Adventurer, where most of the cast were across a large space and couldn’t communicate with each other.  This resulted in the various members of Jason’s usual party and other supporting characters being forced to team up with other new adventurers, and it was interesting to see how each character was able to work with people they had never dealt with before.

Supporting cast highlights of this book included Jason’s student/indentured servant Sophie, who fills an important role as the rookie adventurer in this story.  A generally untrusting figure, Sophie finds herself forced to work with Jason, and there was a good focus on her uncertainty about Jason’s motivations.  This allowed for some intriguing interactions alongside the interesting examination of Sophie’s abilities as an adventurer, and I felt that she worked well as a serious foil to the usually silly Jason.  The team that Jason and Sophie help form in this book were also a fun group of supporting characters from the first book, and it was interesting see their teamwork grow throughout the novel.  Jason’s friend and mentor Rufus Remore also gets a compelling arc in this book, as he feels guilty for the death of his team member Farrah at the end of Outworlder, and spends much of the story determined to find the one responsible.  These, and many other character storylines, ensured that a range of different plot points and bits of character growth in this novel, and it was fun following so many figures that had great introductions in the first novel.

The He Who Fights With Monsters series continues to impress me, with this second entry, Adventurer, proving to be a particularly addictive read.  Travis Deverell did an exceptional job with Adventurer, and I had such a brilliant time getting through this novel.  I really am not exaggerating with just how hard I found it to stop reading this outstanding novel, and I got through it so damn quickly.  Due to this, I’ve pretty much committed myself to reading the entire He Who Fights With Monsters series in order as soon as I can (a big commitment considering that the 13th book just came out).  Indeed, I’ve already ordered the third book in the series, titled Hero, and I will probably start reading it the second I get my hands on it next week, which really goes to show just how much I am enjoying Deverell’s amazing novels.

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The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman

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Publisher: Gollancz (Hardcover – 25 June 2024)

Series: Blacktongue series – Book 0 

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out 5 stars

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Prepare for the most brutal of wars with the intense and impressive fantasy prequel from Christopher Buehlman, The Daughter’s War, an intriguing read that dives into the early life of one of the author’s more complex characters.

Most fantasy fans will be aware of author Christopher Buehlman, who has been very popular since 2021 when he released the acclaimed novel The Blacktongue Thief.  An elaborate dark fantasy adventure story set in a series of human nations recovering from a devastating total war against goblins, The Blacktongue Thief was an exceptional read that very much lives up to the hype around it.  I had the pleasure of finally reading The Blacktongue Thief earlier this year, and after finishing it I attempted to find a copy of the 2024 prequel novel, The Daughter’s War.  After a long search through many second-hand bookshops in Australia, I was eventually able to find a wonderful hardcover copy of The Daughter’s War at the tail end of a road trip (thank you Wyrdbooks in Wentworth Falls), and I just got the chance to read it.  A brutal war novel, The Daughter’s War was a great read that provides some additional history around a fantastic character from the first book in the series.

Plot Synopsis:

The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men.

They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.

Now, our daughters take up arms.

Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill ― has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.

The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted ― not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.

Buehlman brings the carnage in this compelling prequel novel.  The Daughter’s War was an interesting and action-packed addition to this cool fantasy series that tells a powerful character-driven narrative, while also cleverly expanding on the lore his unique fantasy universe.  A wonderfully dark and addictive novel, The Daughter’s War was an outstanding read you’ll have a hard time pulling away from.

I very much enjoyed the prequel narrative that Buehlman set for The Daughter’s War, especially as the author sets out a gritty war story rather than the classic adventure narrative in The Blacktongue Thief.  Set several years before the events of The Blacktongue Thief, The Daughter’s War follows young noblewoman Galva dom Braga, the striking character from the first book who was introduced as a scarred war veteran and death worshipper.  However, in this prequel Galva is a more innocent and hopeful figure who has volunteered to fight in the Daughter’s War against the goblins, so called because most of the new soldiers are women after most of the men died in the previous goblin wars.  A member of the experimental Corvid Knights unit, an all-female band of warriors who fight alongside giant, magically mutated ravens, Galva travels to the goblin occupied nation of Gallardia, and fights in some of the most brutal battles of this latest war.

Told in a chronicle format primarily from Galva’s perspective, The Daughter’s War starts off with an effective reintroduction to Galva and starts to showcase the various complexities of her early life that you never saw in The Blacktongue Thief.  This includes familial responsibilities and drama when she is reunited with her three brothers, each of whom is participating in the war in different ways.  Buehlman soon embarks on the full intensity of his war story as Galva and her companions head towards the inevitable battles and tragedy to come.  There is a good pace to this story, as the author expands the setting while slowly introducing both the protagonist and the reader to the horrors of war and the goblin enemies.  After several smaller battles, and the build-up of several additional problems around Galva, you soon get your taste of the first true combat, which also introduces readers to even more complexity for the protagonist as she meets her love interest from The Blacktongue Thief for the first time.

After a more emotionally charged centre to the story, the second half of The Daughter’s War is defined by true brutality, as the protagonist and her comrades encounter the wrath of the goblins.  Buehlman is in his dark fantasy element when it comes to this second half of the book, and he excels at highlight the horrors of the war through Galva’s constantly hardening eyes.  After an escalating series of tragedies, there is a major battle sequence that was a highlight of the book, and which sets the protagonist down a darker path.  This change in characterisation is showcased in the book’s climatic sequence, where Galva asserts herself in all the best ways, and becomes the figure we knew from The Blacktongue Thief.  Throw in some intriguing wrap up which helps to bridge the gap between this book and The Blacktongue Thief, and this ended up being an outstanding prequel narrative, guaranteed to keep you hooked to the end.

I enjoyed how Buehlman utilised a different writing style for The Daughter’s War, which helped it stand out as its own novel.  Rather than utilising the active first-person style of The Blacktongue Thief, this novel is told in a chronicle format, as Galva recounts her memories of the war to an unseen character (the protagonist of the first book).  Primarily told from Galva’s immediate perspective, Buehlman also utilises several in-universe documents and letters, as well as other inclusions and rogue memories to paint a wider picture of events and help to recount the larger war.  This chronicle style highlighted that The Daughter’s War was very much a prequel novel, and the author did an amazing job emulating the feel of a veteran recounting their most personal war story.  This includes working in a sense of regret and sadness from the very first page, as the protagonist/writer lays down hints about the tragedies to come.  This focus on the past ensures that The Daughter’s War works well as a prequel to The Blacktongue Thief, and readers have a choice of either enjoying this book after The Blacktongue Thief to see how the protagonist got the way she did, or by reading it first and then exploring the aftermath of the war with the original book in the series (with some potential spoilers).  I will admit that, thanks to its unique style and narrative structure, The Daughter’s War might not be for every fantasy reader out there, especially those who enjoyed the more straightforward and humour-laden style of The Blacktongue Thief.  However, for those looking for an intense and darker character-focused read with some epic and brutal battle sequences, The Daughter’s War has a lot to offer.

One of my favourite things about the original book in this series was the elaborate and dark fantasy world that Buehlman invented as the background for The Blacktongue Thief’s story.  The various human nations still diminished and feeling the impact of the goblin wars made for a striking and bleak setting, and I loved following the protagonists on the map as they made their way across the continent.  This setting was also a highlight of this prequel, especially as the author uses The Daughter’s War to provide an extended look at new parts of the world, while also showcasing some of the dark history mentioned in The Blacktongue Thief.  Readers follow the sprawling campaign through the invaded kingdom of Gallardia and get to appreciate the dark impacts war has had on it.  Multiple other kingdoms from the larger continent setting of the series are also represented in other ways, primarily from their soldiers fighting in the war, and the author’s portrayals of the different combat styles of these nations was very compelling.  Additional details about the protagonist’s home country of Ispanthia, which was talked about but not seen in The Blacktongue Thief, were also mentioned here, and this context helps to expand on the character’s origins.

While the focus on the human participants in the war is excellent, Buehlman’s portrayal of the goblin antagonists is particularly awesome.  Already shown as deadly and malicious creatures when nominally at peace in The Blacktongue Thief, the author does not hold back showcasing their true nature in this prequel as you see the goblins at their full war savagery.  The scenes showing them fighting against human soldiers are so damn brutal, and their varying tactics, weapons and counters to traditional warfare add some major impact to the impressive battle sequences.  However, it is the examination of how they treat humans, especially humans they have captured or conquered, that really showcases how terrifying the goblins are, with the goblins essentially considering them to be cattle that they can drug, mutilate, eat and find various uses for (human skin sails and mutated human warriors are a striking inclusion).  This portrayal of the goblin ruthlessness really ups the stakes of The Daughter’s War, and it was very fun to have an antagonist group that is so irredeemably evil.  These outstanding elements of the setting were perfectly utilised in Buehlman’s darker fantasy narrative, and I really appreciated this look at the war that caused all the scars in the original novel.

In addition to cool setting and dark fantasy features, another great highlight of The Daughter’s War was the author’s excellent character work, especially around protagonist Galva dom Braga, who enters the war as a hopeful Corvid Knight, leading two magically enhanced ravens into battle alongside her sister knights.  Buehlman does an excellent job showcasing the young noblewoman in a very different light than when you see her in The Blacktongue Thief, as through her own telling, she was a somewhat naïve and uncertain figure with no experience of war.  Thanks to the horrors of battle, interactions with several supporting characters, and various tragedies involving her three brothers, Galva is slowly turned into the experienced and death-worshipping figure that we encountered in the original novel, and I really appreciated the gradual and understandable transition that the author worked in.  The use of Galva as both the main character and the narrator recounting her most brutal memories allows for some powerful storytelling and she ended up being an excellent centre for this book.  Throw in some outstanding, if somewhat doomed, supporting characters, including comrades, rivals, cheeky talking ravens, an insane wizard, the princess Galva falls in love with, and her three brothers, each of whom has their own complex narrative in this book, and the cast of The Daughter’s War is extremely impressive and adds a lot to the overall story.  I’m extremely glad that Buehlman decided to provide all of Galva’s story in this prequel, and I cannot wait to see what happens with this eventually brooding warrior next.

Christopher Buehlman continues to showcase his skill for dark fantasy fiction in this impressive novel.  The Daughter’s War was an outstanding prequel to Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief, and I really appreciated the exploration of the past of his complex setting and one iconic scarred character.  Shocking, intense and filled with inevitable tragedy, The Daughter’s War comes highly recommended, and I am very glad I finally got the chance to read this book.  I cannot wait to see what happens in the upcoming third book in the series, The Thrice-Bound Fool, and I’m hoping to get that very soon.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

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Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 27 May 2025)

Series: Dark Lord Davi Duology – Book Two

Length: 327 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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If you are in the mood for some compelling fantasy fiction with some bonkers humour behind it, make sure to check out the 2025 novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler, a fantastic and highly entertaining fantasy you can’t help but love.

Back in 2024, I had the very great pleasure of picking up the hilarious novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler.  The first book in his Dark Lord Davi duology, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was an amazing read that followed protagonist Davi, the fated hero of a fantasy realm who keeps dying and respawning with every failed attempt to save the humans of The Kingdom from an incoming monster horde led by a rotating array of leaders known as the Dark Lord.  After thousands of years spent dying in the most brutal of ways, Davi finally has enough and decides to instead try to become the new Dark Lord herself and win that way.  This amazing novel was honestly one of the funniest things I read in 2024, and I have so much love for the addictive story and impressive humour that Wexler loaded into it.  As such, I made sure to grab the sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, as soon as I could last year, especially as it ended the duology.  While I did read and deeply enjoy Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me last year, I failed to write a review for it, which has been haunting me for nearly a year.  With Wexler’s latest novel, The Only Way Out Is Up, just released and in my reading queue, I had to pull together a review for Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, so I can enjoy this new book guilt-free.

Plot Synopsis:

Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil–by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi’s not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.

With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there’s that too.

Wexler did a wonderful job writing Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, which contains a fantastic story with tons of humour and over-the-top moments.  Best read as a sequel to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, this follow-up perfectly wraps up the duology, while standing out in its own amazing way.

Once again following the duology’s titular protagonist Davi, the recently crowned Dark Lord of the wilders, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees Davi try to mend the mistake of bringing together a horde of monsters.  To stop all the killing, Davi heads towards the Kingdom in advance of horde, hoping to negotiate a treaty.  However, rather than the usual nation that Davi has gained control of multiple times before, Davi instead finds that in the months she was away becoming the Dark Lord, the incompetent Duke Aster has taken over the Kingdom, while her usual love interest, Prince Johann, is already married to someone else.  With her horde nearly at the borders of the Kingdom, Davi needs to find a way to convince the humans to trust her. At the same time, Davi attempts to discover who or what is behind bringing her to this world and the constant time loops.

I loved the resulting story, as Wexler showcases an entertaining blend of politics and personal drama, as Davi and her orc girlfriend, Tsav, must attempt to control both sides of the war.  The first half of the story is particularly funny, as Davi is at her most entertaining, attempting to build credibility with the lords and adventurers of the Kingdom without the usual introduction of her magical mentor.  There are some brilliant moments here, with Davi’s ploys usually falling flat thanks to her manic personality, but her persistence and magical ability allow her to start making strides towards her goals.  At the same time, Davi and her friends start making progress uncovering the secrets of her origins in this world, which nicely builds on some hints that Wexler threw into the first book.  Naturally, things go to hell, as various antagonists force the war to go ahead, and Davi is forced to come up with some unusual solutions to the problems.  I love the crazy scenarios that Wexler envisions his protagonist coming up with, and the resulting carnage was very entertaining.  The author does an excellent job moving from there to the big reveal about the villain of the duology, and while the reveal of the ultimate manipulator isn’t too surprising, their identity and how it ties into Davi’s past is both clever and very dark.  This results in an epic, fun final confrontation which hits a lot of emotional high notes and is guaranteed to keep you hooked.  Readers will come away very satisfied with the resulting story, and I think that Wexler wrapped up this entire duology extremely well.

As with the first book in this duology, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an excellently written novel that perfectly combined a compelling fantasy narrative with outrageous humour.  Told exclusively from the first-person perspective of the protagonist, much of the book’s humour is drawn from Davi’s oddball personality as she bombards the reader with an array of internal jokes, silly observations and half-remembered references from the real world.  This works to lighten most of the scenes in the book, and the contrast between dark fantasy events and the protagonist’s over-the-top or utterly insane responses, especially in the eyes of the other characters who have no idea what is going on or what she is referencing, will keep you laughing the entire way through.  Favourites for me include a fun The Lord of the Rings inspired attempt at magical intimidation, which was only slightly ruined by the protagonist’s bad sense of direction, as well as certain dastardly responses to other characters ploys.  Special mention once again goes to Wexler’s use of footnotes throughout Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, which further enhanced the humour, and kept the readers on their toes as the book continued.

While Wexler tends to focus on unleashing his entertaining humour in this duology, there are a lot of other great elements to it that should be mentioned, such as the novel’s excellent character development.  This includes around Davi, who, after an untold number of time loops, had started to lose her humanity and had trouble seeing other beings as real.  Much of this book is her trying to maintain her sanity amid the chaos, and finally appreciating the connections she has made, both in her previous incarnations and in her current role as a dark lord.  I also must highlight Davi’s love interest, Tsav, an orc who accompanies Davi into the human kingdom in disguise.  While sharing Davi’s vision for peace between humans and wilders, Tsav is more wary, having grown up oppressed and hunted by human Guildblades her entire life.  Her attempts to fit in amongst the humans while witnessing them commit murderous acts against her kind is an interesting subplot that helps remind you just how dark parts of the setting are, even with all the humour.  This is honestly just the tip of the amazing character work in this novel, and when combined with other elements like the intriguing fantasy creatures, bonkers action and general insanity of Wexler’s writing, you get an impressive blend of elements that allows for a particularly addictive read.

Overall, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an outstanding novel from Django Wexler, and one I should have reviewed earlier.  Serving as a great sequel to the author’s previous Dark Lord Davi novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me utilises all the charm and humour of the first entry in the duology, allowing for a unique and exceedingly fun fantasy read.  As such, this duology comes highly recommended for those readers looking for an entertaining fantasy read that not only has some heart but will also make you laugh like crazy.   I am so excited to read Wexler’s next book after enjoying this series, and I am hoping to check out The Only Way Out is Up in the coming week.

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WWW Wednesday – 7 October 2026

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor (Trade Paperback)

I was in a horror mood this week, so I decided to check out the new C. J. Tudor novel Serenity Falls.  An intriguing read that explores the dark side of a seemingly perfect community, Serenity Falls has an excellent plot behind it, backed up by the very talented writing of Tudor.  I’ve only made a little progress on Serenity Falls so far, but it has already captured my interest and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.

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Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

After having an incredible time with Richard Swan’s other science fiction novel of 2026, The Infinite State, I just had to listen to his recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command.  Swan’s first full Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command follows a demoralised regiment as they encounter betrayal, dissent and corruption, putting down a manipulative rebellion.  One of the darker Warhammer novels of 2026, Voice of Command is proving to be pretty damn incredible, and I am hoping to finish it off in the next few days.

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What did you recently finish reading?

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the highly entertaining murder mystery, We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman this week. One of my most anticipated novels for the second half of 2026, We Chase Shadows is the sequel to Osman’s previous exceptional novel, We Solve Murders and follows some of Osman’s more unique protagonists as they attempt to solve another international mystery. An exceptional read with some real heart and brilliant humour behind it; this book comes very highly recommended.

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Scion by James Islington (Trade Paperback)

I also recently got through the cool science fiction thriller, Scion by Australian author James Islington. A futuristic thriller that sees an enhanced assassin try to protect her target rather than kill him, Scion was an excellent read that I had a lot of fun with.

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138 Main Street by Gavin Bell (Hardcover)

An intense and compelling thriller with a brilliant story hook behind it, 138 Main Street was a fantastic novel, and I’m hoping to review it soon.

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He Who Fights With Monsters – Adventurer by Travis Deverell (Trade Paperback)

After falling in love with the first He Who Fights With Monsters novel, Outworlder, I made sure to also read the recently re-released second novel, Adventurer.  A highly entertaining and addictive fantasy novel, I powered through the massive volume of Adventurer in no time at all. I will be publishing a review up for Adventurer this weekend with a full five-star rating.

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Hard Town by Adam Plantinga (Trade Paperback)

An intense and brutal thriller that I got through extremely quickly. Highly recommended.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

My plan for this week is to dive into the next volume of He Who Fights With Monsters the very second I finish off Serenity Falls.  This next volume, Hero, will continue to follow the adventures of a complex protagonist as he explores a cool LitRPG world, and I cannot wait to see what carnage and insanity he unleashes in this third volume.  An epic read I already know I am going to love.

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That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Guerrilla Republic by Richard Swan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this Waiting on Wednesday, I check out one of the top sequels and science fiction novels coming out in 2027, with the epic sounding read The Guerrilla Republic by Richard Swan.

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I think that all fantasy and science fiction fans can agree that 2026 has been an amazing year for Australian author Richard Swan.  Not only has he continued some of his epic fantasy series this year to major acclaim, but he has also been writing some exceptional pieces of science fiction.  Indeed, I am currently in the middle of reading his very first Warhammer novel, with the dark and compelling Warhammer 40,000 entry Voice of Command.  However, with this post I want to focus on his epic Decurion Saga series, which I had the very great pleasure of starting this year with The Infinite State.

The Decurion Saga is an awesome new science fiction series set in a far future dominated by the fascist Decurion Empire and it’s ruling Pater Aeternus party.  The first book in this series, The Infinite State, introduced readers to this setting, and started following three intriguing perspective protagonists as they tried to survive and escape the evils of this empire.  These attempts to escape included one wealthy individual buying her own planet outside of the Empire’s influence to set up a new democracy, which the other characters eventually gravitated to.  A timely and intense read with some impressive twists and narrative ideas, The Infinite State was an incredible read that I already consider to be amongst the best novels, and audiobooks, of 2026.  I honestly cannot wait to see how Swan continues the story from the first book, which is why I have been keeping an eye out for a potential sequel the moment I finished off The Infinite State.

It really didn’t take long for Swan to announce this sequel, as the second book in the Decurion Saga is set for release in August 2027.  Titled The Guerrilla Republic, this awesome sounding sequel will continue the intrigue and threat from the first book, as the three protagonists fight to keep their new planet safe from the jealous and malicious grasp of Pater Aeternus.

Plot Synopsis:

With The Guerrilla Republic, International bestselling author Richard Swan weaves an epic tale of galaxy-spanning intrigue. Following the events of The Infinite State, the rebels have succeeded and independence has been won—but the fight for true freedom has only just begun.

TYRANNY IS AN ABERRATION

Katherine may have escaped the Decurion Empire, but her problems are only just beginning. As Gabriel gears up for its first democratic elections, she is nearly killed by an orbital mining laser. A freak industrial accident? Or something more sinister?

PATER AETERNUS IS EVIL

Cyprian is struggling to adapt to his new life in the Republic. His children are recovering from their re-education, whilst his department is being overwhelmed with reports of sabotage and corruption. Life in Kada Gamar wasn’t better, but it was certainly simpler.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY

Julian has a promise to keep to Kamilla Makar. The only problem is, she’s in the Labyrinth, a vast subterranean prison complex in the very heart of the Empire. A daring rescue operation may be the only answer—but can Gabriel afford to poke the slumbering Decurion giant?

Now this sounds like an extremely epic sequel.  I honestly was planning to read The Guerrilla Republic no matter what next year, but the above plot synopsis sounds so damn cool and has got me very excited.  It looks like Swan will once again centre his story around the three main protagonists, including the President of the newly formed republic of Gabriel, Katherine Fuller, who bought the planet and made it’s independence possible, former Decurion Empire cop Cyprian Reis, who has taken up the role of Gabriel’s head of security, and famed hypersled pilot Julian Yashego, who has fled to Gabriel after experiencing the horrors of Pater Aeternus’ hated.  Based on the above synopsis, Swan is hoping to get a good mixture of storylines going, with Katherine having to deal with the politics of running a new planet, Cyprian sorting out a mystery and encountering potential threats on the ground, and Julian potentially getting involved in espionage back in the Decurion Empire.

These potential storylines all sound extremely compelling, and I am very curious to see how they unfold.  I have no doubt that Swan will wrap them together into a cohesive and intense overlapping narrative in The Guerilla Republic, all centred around the potential interference of the Decurion Empire on Gabriel, while the protagonists attempt to fight back against an unbeatable enemy.  I’m looking forward to seeing how each of these complex and highly damaged characters will continue to develop in this sequel, especially now they are nominally free of the oppressive control of Pater Aeternus.  I’m also sure that we’ll see more from the dangerous antagonists who were so effectively featured in The Infinite State, and the resulting confrontations and battles across the arenas of politics, espionage, intrigue and war, are going to be amazing.

Look, after how damn good The Infinite State was last year, there is no chance at all that I won’t be grabbing The Guerrilla Republic in 2027, and I honestly think it’s going to be one of the absolute best science fiction reads of next year.  As such, I am planning to read The Guerrilla Republic as soon as I can, probably on its epic audiobook version.  If you haven’t had the chance to read The Infinite State yet, make sure you do, especially before The Guerrilla Republic comes out next year.

Waiting on Wednesday – Sons of the Reich by Simon Scarrow

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I look ahead to 2027, with an outstanding upcoming murder mystery with a promising historical dark side, Sons of the Reich by Simon Scarrow.

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Readers of this blog will know that I am a massive fan of historical fiction author Simon Scarrow, whose various books set across multiple historical periods has produced some gripping and fantastic reads.  I am primarily a fan of his Eagles of the Empire series, the next book of which, The Sword of Rome, is set for release later this year.  However, while I wait for The Sword of Rome to come out, I thought I would look ahead and highlight the next Scarrow book coming out with Sons of the Reich, the fourth book in the author’s Criminal Inspector Schenke thriller series.

The Criminal Inspector Schenke series, also known as the Berlin Wartime series, are an addictive and captivating series that focus on dark murder investigations in Berlin during World War II.  Following protagonist CI Horst Schenke, a Kripo investigator and one of the few good cops left in the city, the series sees Horst investigate murders that occur against the backdrop of the war and the Nazi regime.  Inevitably, Schenke runs up against powerful Nazis and members of the SS as the crimes he investigates skirt the dark secrets of the Nazi government.  The first three books in this series, Blackout, Dead of Night and A Death in Berlin, were impressive reads that expertly combined compelling narratives with the ominous historical setting.  As such, I keep a close out for any additional books in the series, and it looks like we are going to be blessed with a new entry in the series in 2027 with Sons of the Reich.

Set for release in March 2027, Sons of the Reich sees Schenke once again in a dangerous and politically sensitive investigation, this time involving the Hitler Youth.  Featuring a very interesting story idea that will showcase murder and secrets at the heart of the Nazi movement, Sons of the Reich sounds like another complex and exciting read with a ton of potential.

Plot Synopsis:

May 1940. Nazi Party propaganda indicates that the war is nearly won, but disturbing news of casualties makes for a tense atmosphere in Berlin.

Violent crime is growing, with arrogant members of the Hitler Youth amongst the worst culprits. When a young man of the group is found brutally murdered, Criminal Inspector Schenke is called in. The crime has occurred outside his precinct, but the dead boy’s uncle is Gestapo, and SS Gruppenfuhrer Heydrich wants Schenke to investigate. Or, rather, to focus on one suspect to the exclusion of all others.

Schenke is determined to discover the truth rather than follow instructions from on high. Evidence seems too easily discovered, while the accounts shared by the victim’s fellow Hitler Youths are disturbingly similar in every detail. But if Schenke pushes his search for the truth too far, will his luck finally run out, as the might of a ruthless regime is turned against him?

I am very excited to dive into this new historic murder mystery, especially after how impressive and clever the previous three books in this series have been.  It sounds liked Scarrow has come up with a particularly intriguing scenario for Sons of the Reich that should produce an outstanding story, and I’m expecting both an impressive standalone mystery, as well as a continuation of some of the series ongoing storylines, such as the protagonist’s illicit relationship with a fugitive Jewish woman hiding in the city.  I am also quite intrigued see the author’s take on the Hitler Youth and their role in this stage of Berlin life, as well as the powers working behind them.  I have no doubt Scarrow will continue to explore and utilise the fascinating and sinister historical elements of this setting to his full extent, and I cannot wait to see how they continue to enhance the excellent crime fiction elements of the narrative.

Based on how much I have enjoyed the first three novels in this series, there is no way that I won’t be grabbing Sons of the Reich next year.  Simon Scarrow is such a good author, and I have really enjoyed this impressive World War II crime fiction series, especially as it allows him to explore wartime Berlin through the eyes of a conflicted protagonist.  I am very curious to see how this new story will unfold, and I have no doubt I am going to find it fascinating and compelling.  Due to all this, Sons of the Reich is one of my most anticipated historical fiction novels for next year, and I will dive into it the first chance I get.

Book Haul – 27 September 2026

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I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from publishers and Netgalley, plus a few purchases of my own.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year.  I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly

The first recently receive book I want to highlight in this post is the fantastic new novel from Matthew Reilly, King’s Ransom. The sequel to his 2025 novel, The Detective, King’s Ransom brings back the first book’s unique protagonist and sets him on another over-the-top case.  I’ve actually already read this novel and it lived up to all my expectations, containing a particularly addictive narrative I couldn’t stop reading. A highly recommended read that I’m hoping to review soon.

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138 Main Street by Gavin Bell

I was very happy to get my hands on one of the more unique thrillers of 2026, 138 Main Street by Gavin Bell.  Focusing on the hunt for a serial killer murdering people who live at the titular address of the book in various towns across America, 138 Main Street sounds so damn interesting and I love the cool hook. I cannot wait to see how this novel unfolds, and I’ve heard it’s very good.

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Scion by James Islington

One of Australia’s best fantasy authors, James Islington, dives into the world of cyberpunk science fiction with his cool new novel Scion.  Following an enhanced assassin who finds herself forced to work a protection job for a mysterious client, Scion is a fast-paced read with an interesting story.  I’ve actually just started reading Scion and I’m very curious to see how it will come to an end.

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He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer by Travis Deverell

After falling in love with the first volume of Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters series, Outworlder, I just had to grab a copy of the recently released sequel, Adventurer.  Sure to continue the fantastic LitRPG hijinks of the series, this second He Who Fights With Monsters novel is going to be incredible, and I look forward to diving into it.

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Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

Another amazing new novel I recently received was the fantastic horror release from C. J. Tudor, Serenity Falls.  An intriguing read set in a mysterious and seemingly perfect town, Serenity Falls has been on my radar for a while, and I cannot wait to see what dark horrors are contained within.

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One of Us is Guilty by Steve Cavanagh

I had to get my hands on the latest Steve Cavanagh legal thriller, One of Us is Guilty.  Part of the author’s Eddie Flynn series, One of Us is Guilty sees the protagonist forced to uncover which member of a seemingly perfectly married couple committed a murder. I’m very curious to see how this crazy case unfolds, and I have no doubt it is going to be fantastic and fun.

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Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

I have been hoping to read this next entry for a while now, so I’m particularly happy to finally get my hands on Hard Town by Adam Plantinga. His second novel following his debut, The Ascent, Hard Town will see the author’s protagonist engage in another brutal confrontation as he travels the United States.  I had an ton of fun with the author’s first book and I cannot wait to see what carnage unfolds in Hard Town.

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SHOT by Shelley Burr

I’ve also been lucky enough to receive a copy of one of the top Australian crime fiction releases from the second half of 2026 with SHOT by Shelley Burr.  An awesome new release that sees a disgraced journalist attempt to solve an impossible crime, SHOT sounds like an incredible read, and I look forward to diving into it.

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The Malevolent Nine by Sebastian de Castell

One of fantasy fiction’s most compelling authors, Sebastien de Castell, continues his epic 2026 with the sure to be crazy release, The Malevolent Nine.  Following on from de Castell’s insane novels The Malevolent Seven and The Malevolent Eight, The Malevolent Nine will see a group of rogue mages attempt to stop the new rulers of heaven and hell in the most destructive way possible. I have no doubt this book is going to be amazing, and I’m very excited to check it out.

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The Cross by Ronni Salt

Another great Australian book I recently received is The Cross by Ronni Salt. The sequel to her debut, Gunnawah, The Cross will take the reader back to 1970’s rural Australia, and feature the crime fiction misadventures of the residents of the small town of Gunnawah.  I’m very interested in seeing how Salt has improved as a writer since her first book, and I am excited to read this sequel.

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The Missing Season by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

The final book I recently received was the compelling 2027 murder mystery, The Missing Season.  Written by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, whose young adult crime fiction novels I have really enjoyed, The Missing Season features another thought-provoking story, as two women embark on different journeys to solve a missing person’s case.  I’m already quite intrigued by this book’s mystery, and I look forward to seeing all the cool twists and turns. A fantastic final novel for this Book Haul post.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post.  As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in.  Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

WWW Wednesday – 23 September 2026

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I’ve started listening to the highly entertaining murder mystery, We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman this week. One of my most anticipated novels for the second half of 2026, We Chase Shadows is the sequel to Osman’s previous exceptional novel, We Solve Murders and follows some of Osman’s more unique protagonists attempt to uncover another international mystery. This novel is so far proving to be pretty amazing, featuring a compelling case and Osman’s always entertaining humour, which is so much fun to get through.  I cannot wait to see where Osman takes this incredible story and I am hoping to finish off We Chase Shadows in the next week or so.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Facilite Con by Dick Wybrow (ebook)

An entertaining novel that saw an unusual crew attempt to pull off a deadly heist, this was a fun read that I had a blast with.

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Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)

Jeremy Robinson follows up his first epic novel of 2026, 30Seven, in a big way with his latest science fiction adventure Settle Down.  A dark and powerful read with a great hook, Settle Down was so damn good, and I cannot recommend it enough.

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King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly (Trade Paperback)

I was lucky enough to get my hands on King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly this week, and I honestly started reading it right away.  The sequel to Reilly’s previous novel, The Detective, King’s Ransom was an extremely entertaining thriller with a highly over-the-top plot that I honestly could not put down.  One of the most addictive, if crazy, thrillers of 2026, King’s Ransom was just amazing and I’m hoping to review it soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Scion by James Islington

The next book I am hoping to start reading is the science fiction thriller, Scion by Australian author James Islington. A futuristic thriller that sees an enhanced assassin try to protect her target rather than kill him, Scion sounds like an incredible read, and I am very curious to try out my first science fiction read from Islington.

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That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Waiting on Wednesday – First Degree Murder by Jennifer Pearson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday, Young AdultLeave a comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out an intriguing murder mystery release coming out next year with First Degree Murder by Jennifer Pearson.

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2027 is shaping up to be an excellent year for sequels, with several impressive authors following up on amazing novels with compelling and intriguing continuations.  One of the ones that I am currently most excited for is First Degree Murder, a follow-up to one of the better mystery novels of 2027, Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson.

Drop Dead Famous was a captivating young adult murder mystery I was lucky enough to read earlier this year.  Following an amateur teenage sleuth who investigates the murder of her famous sister with the help of an obsessive fan girl, Drop Dead Famous featured a particularly strong mystery, with Pearson loading in a ton of twists and shocking reveals as the protagonist uncovered various secrets about her town and her damaged family.  I had an incredible time reading Drop Dead Famous, and I really cannot get over how clever the story got.

Due to how impressive I found Drop Dead Famous, I have been eagerly awaiting a potential sequel for a while now, and I was very happy to find out some details.  This sequel, First Degree Murder, is set for release in May 2027, and will once again bring back the entertaining protagonists for brand new mystery.  Based on how strong Pearson’s first excellent teen thriller was, I’m expecting great things from the sequel, which I imagine will be filled with even more twists and shocks.  As such, First Degree Murder is now one of the books I’m most looking forward to in 2027, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Plot Synopsis:

THIS CAMPUS HAS SECRETS. AND ONE OF THEM KILLS.

Stevie Baker came to Wexford University hoping to leave the past behind. But when her friend Nate is found dead in his dorm room, Stevie is thrust into the middle of another murder investigation. And this time, the police are looking at her.

Determined to clear her name, Stevie and her best friend Colby start asking questions of their own. But the deeper they dig, the more dangerous the truth becomes. Because a killer is still out there.