State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe

On July 31, 2021April 10, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller5 Comments

State of Fear Cover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (Trade Paperback – 22 July 2019)

Series: John Bailey – Book Two

Length: 390 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of the fastest-rising Australian thriller writers, Tim Ayliffe, follows up his impressive debut with an excellent second entry in his John Bailey series, State of Fear.

Tim Ayliffe is a talented author who debuted in 2018 with The Greater Good, the first John Bailey book. This novel explored political corruption and international interference in Australia and made excellent use of the author’s experiences as a journalist. I really enjoyed this first book and was rather interested when I received the second novel from Ayliffe, State of Fear, in 2019. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to read State of Fear when it first came out, and it has been in my to-read pile for a while, until I received a copy of the third John Bailey novel, The Enemy Within, a few weeks ago. I rather liked the sound of the third book’s plot, and I really wanted to read and review it. However, before checking out The Enemy Within I thought it would make more sense to read State of Fear first, and boy am I glad that I did.

Throughout his long career as a journalist and war correspondent, John Bailey has faced many dangers and been in several terrible situations. However, his worst encounter was with the notorious terrorist mastermind, Mustafa al-Baghdadi, who kidnapped Bailey while he was reporting on the invasion in Afghanistan and relentlessly tortured him mentally and psychically. Following his release from the terrorist group and a retirement from working in active war zones, Bailey thought that his days of dealing with terrorists was over, but he was wrong.

Speaking at a conference on Islamic terrorism in London, Bailey is horrified when a radicalised terrorist murders a woman in front of the convention centre. Rattled, Bailey returns home to Sydney, only to find his troubles have followed him there. The son of his former driver in Bagdad has gone missing, and Bailey has been implored to help. Investigating, Bailey finds that the son has been in contact with some dangerous men with connections to Islamic terrorist cells. Worse, it appears that they are planning to launch a massive attack in Sydney.

Desperate to save his friend’s son from making a terrible mistake, Bailey attempts to make sense of the terrible events unfolding in Sydney. However, the deeper he goes, the clearer it becomes that Mustafa al-Baghdadi is back, and he is targeting Bailey personally. As Bailey and everyone he loves comes under attack, Bailey is forced to turn to his old friend, CIA agent Ronnie Johnson, to find Mustafa and take him down. But will they be able to stop Mustafa before it is too late, or will the world’s most dangerous terrorist destroy everything that Bailey holds dear?

State of Fear was an excellent and powerful novel that takes its great protagonist on a rough and dangerous journey through hell and back. Ayliffe has definitely grown as an author since his first novel, and this second book is a compelling and intense novel with a well-crafted narrative. Starting off with an intense beginning, the protagonist is swiftly shoved into his latest harrowing adventure, as the terrorist he thought he escaped violently bursts back into his life. This is a very captivating novel, and despite its longer length I found myself powering through it in a very short amount of time. The protagonist goes through a real wringer as he is forced to visit the ghosts of his past while trying to stop his foe’s latest plot. Featuring a sprawling and deadly investigation through the suburbs of Sydney, the story eventually journeys back to London, where the protagonist and his friends engage in a deadly and dramatic fight to stop a deadly attack. There is so much going on in this story, and the reader will experience outstanding action, powerful drama, and some major tragedy, especially in the novel’s dramatic conclusion. This is a fantastic book which stands on its own and can easily be read by people unfamiliar with the other John Bailey novels. I had an exceptional time reading State of Fear and it is really worth checking out.

Ayliffe works a lot of fun elements into this novel that make it quite a unique read. Perhaps one of the most prominent of these is his experience and knowledge as a journalist which helps to produce a very Australian centric view of the events that are being depicted. For example, Ayliffe includes a very detailed and compelling look at radical Islamic terrorism and how it is occurring both in Australia and in the wider world, particularly England. Using several real-life Australian cases as basis, Ayliffe manages to expose and explore the heart of the issue, and he paints a fair and captivating picture of how individuals are lured into radical Islam as well as the consequences of their actions. There are some very intriguing and powerful discussions included within this novel, especially around how the Islamic and migrant community in Australia feels isolated and prejudiced against, and I really appreciated the compelling inclusion in the novel.

Other intriguing elements contained within State of Fear include Ayliffe’s experiences with modern media and how journalist stories are produced and distributed. There are some fascinating and fun journalistic scenes contained within this novel, and you have to assume that the protagonist’s extremely negative views about the swing to online social media based journalism has to reflect some of the author’s personal feelings. Another great feature of this novel was the way in which Ayliffe once again used his novel to highlight the city of Sydney. While a good portion of this novel is set in London (which Ayliffe also does a great job portraying), the scenes set within Sydney are a particular highlight. The author really dives into showcasing this city, with the protagonist visiting several real-life suburbs and locations throughout the course of the book, distributing local knowledge as he goes. As a result, this book is filled with some fun references that locals and Sydneysiders will really appreciate, and I enjoyed how Ayliffe spent the time to write a love letter to his city.

In addition to a fantastic story and excellent setting, Ayliffe also ensures that State of Fear is loaded with some complex and memorable characters. The most prominent of these is series main protagonist and primary point of view character John Bailey. Bailey is an outstanding veteran reporting character, and Ayliffe portrays him as a broken older news hound who is trying to balance his addictive career with holding onto his family. This protagonist is the very definition of a damaged character, as he has experienced great trauma, both psychical and emotional, over the years thanks to his work as a war correspondent. Despite this trauma, Bailey has experienced some major growth since the first book in the series, mainly thanks to the actions of major people in his life, and he is now a much more functional human being, allowing the reader to really connect with his struggles and damage. Unfortunately, the events of this novel really hit him hard, as he experiences fresh pain while also revisiting his traumatic past through a series of dark flashbacks. Despite this, Bailey keeps moving forward trying to solve the case, and it was great to see his determination and resolve, even under the worse of circumstances. The ending of the novel is pretty bad for Bailey, and he goes through some tragic moments that will no doubt rock him for the rest of the series. All of this makes for an incredible central protagonist, and readers will fall in love with this damaged and compelling character.

Aside from Bailey, State of Fear also contains several great supporting characters, most of whom are holdovers from The Greater Good, and who find themselves in all sorts of trouble in this book. The most prominent of these is Bailey’s romantic partner, Detective Chief Inspector Sharon Dexter, who serves as a secondary point-of-view protagonist for parts of the book. Dexter is a tough, no-nonsense cop whose past with Bailey led to a romantic relationship in the first book. Despite having a very complex and unusual relationship with Bailey, Dexter proves to be an excellent supporting character, acting as the sensible and official support to Bailey who tries to keep him out of trouble. While she has a bit of a cold exterior, especially when Bailey stuffs up or lies to her, Dexter is another character the reader can easily get attached to, and her involvement in the story is quite essentially the overall powerful narrative.

I also quite liked the inclusion of Bailey’s editor, Gerald Summers, another aging newsman who serves as Bailey’s emotional rock and best friend and who has an amazing run in this book. Gerald is an outstanding and loveable character, which of course means he is going to suffer a little bit, so prepare yourself for that. You also have to like Ronnie Johnson, the maverick CIA agent who spends most of his time living on Bailey’s couch, but who proves to be an effective and very dangerous operative when he needs to. Ronnie has been a favourite character of mine ever since the first book (I mean, he kills an Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt style), and he does some cool things in this second novel. Finally, I felt that Mustafa al-Baghdadi was a pretty good overarching antagonist for State of Fear. Ayliffe did a good job portraying a manipulative religious zealot with grand plans for vengeance and the advancement of his cause. Despite being hidden for most of the book, this character contains a great deal of menace, and I really enjoyed the sinister flashback sequences that featured him and Bailey. I did think that some of his reasons for vengeance on Bailey were a bit weak (I mean, he had to know that the first thing Bailey was going to do when freed was to share what he knew with the Americans), but he was an overall great villain with major impacts on the narrative. Each of these characters were well written and established, and I felt that their combined narratives really improved this fantastic novel.

State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe was an outstanding and captivating read that presents a powerful and moving adventure of journalist John Bailey. Containing an intense narrative about terrorism, some unique elements and amazing characters, State of Fear is an excellent read which swiftly grabs the reader’s attention and refuses to let them go. I had an incredible time reading this novel and I am still kicking myself for taking so long to check it out. I have already read the third entry in the John Bailey series, The Enemy Within, and I am hoping to get a review out for it soon.

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Waiting on Wednesday – The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

On July 28, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday3 Comments

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. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I feature one of the more intriguing and entertaining sounding novels of early 2022 with The Kaiju Preservation Society by awesome author John Scalzi.

The Kaiju Preservation Society Cover

John Scalzi is a talented and thrilling author who has written a great collection of science fiction novels in the last 15 years. Following his debut series, the Old Man’s War novels, Scalzi has written a unique and diverse collection of science fiction books, ranging from high-concept epics to outrageous comedic adventures. Some of his best works include the books in The Interdependency series, The Android’s Dream, Fuzzy Nation and the Lock In novels, all of which are incredibly inventive pieces of fiction. So far, I have only read one of his novels, Redshirts, which proved to be a particularly hilarious parody of Star Trek that followed a group of redshirts who become aware of their impending doom and tried to change their destiny. Redshirt was a fantastic book that I had an excellent time read, and I am eager to see some of Scalzi’s other works.

As luck will have it, Scalzi has a great novel coming out in early 2022 and boy does it sounds fun. This book is The Kaiju Preservation Society, which pretty much caught my attention the moment I heard its name. The Kaiju Preservation Society will follow a group of animal rights activists who attempt to protect massive, endangered Kaiju in an alternate dimension from hunters and other humans seeking to kill them. Of course, things are likely going to go wrong, and I am sure that there will be all manner of chaos and destruction. Scalzi will hopefully take this opportunity to parody various monster movies, and I look forward to seeing his take on Kaiju and their interactions with humans. Set for release in mid-March 2022, The Kaiju Preservation Society sounds like a really awesome novel, and I have absolutely no doubt that I am going to love it.

Synopsis:

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They’re the universe’s largest and most dangerous panda and they’re in trouble.

It’s not just the Kaiju Preservation Society whose found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks from the First Half of 2021

On July 27, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List13 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week is Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded on a Deserted Island, but I am going to do something a little different and instead look at my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2021. This is a continuation of my Top Ten list from a few weeks ago that featured my favourite overall novels from the first half of 2021.

People familiar with my blog will know that I have a great deal of love for the audiobook format, and it is one of the main ways that I tend to check out books. Each year I enjoy a great number of different audiobooks and use the format to check out recent releases and older novels. I have been enjoying audiobooks for years, and it is amazing the various ways in which listening to a book can enhance your enjoyment. A great narrator can really bring you into the story, and I find that listening to a book enhances the amount of detail that you can take in. In addition, other features, such as great voices, music and sound effects can really make an audiobook something special, and there some great examples of that out there. This year alone I have listened to several outstanding audiobooks, includes some of my favourite books from early 2021. Because I love this format so much, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year.

To pull this list off I had a look at all the 2021 releases that I listened to on audiobook to figure out my favourites. It turns out that I have already gone through quite a few this year so there was a very large collection of potential additions to this list. I was eventually able to whittle it down to the ten audiobooks I consider to be the best, as well as a generous honourable mention section. There is a bit of a crossover with my previous Favourite Books from the First Half of 2021 list, but I think there are enough new additions to make this list worthwhile. I did prioritise audiobook production and narration over story in a few places, as outstanding narration or use of music and sound effects can enhance the plot. That is why so many Star Wars novels made this list, because they are awesome productions, which are really worth checking out. I am pretty happy with how the overall list turned out and I think that the below entries really highlight what my favourite audiobooks are.

Honourable Mentions:

The Coward, written by Stephen Aryan and narrated by Matt Wycliffe

Serpentine, written by Jonathan Kellerman and narrated by John Rubinstein

Prodigal Son, written by Gregg Hurwitz and narrated by Scott Brick

The Girl and the Mountain, written by Mark Lawrence and narrated by Helen Duff

Top Ten List (No Particular Order):

The Two-Faced Queen, written by Nick Martell and narrated by Joe Jameson

One of my favourite books of the year, The Two-Faced Queen, is easily one of the best audiobooks as well. There were actually two separate audiobook versions of this book, and I chose to go with the Joe Jameson version, since he previously narrated Martell’s debut novel, The Kingdom of Liars. I am a big fan of Jameson, especially after his work on books such as King of Assassins by R. J. Barker, and he did another amazing job on this book. The Two-Faced Queen audiobook is an excellent and addictive listen, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this format to anyone wanting to enjoy this awesome five-star novel.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price, written by Alexander Freed and narrated by January LaVoy

Earlier this year, impressive author Alexander Freed finished off his Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron series with Victory’s Price, and in the process created one of the best books of 2021. This audiobook massively enhances the already incredible and moving narrative within this exceptional novel, utilising outstanding voice work from January LaVoy, as well as the iconic Star Wars score and sound effects. Easily one of best audiobooks of the year.

Relentless, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

One of the leading authors of spy thrillers, Mark Greaney, produced another intense and exciting novel this year with Relentless. Thanks to some excellent voice work from Jay Snyder, the Relentless audiobook was pretty damn impressive, and you are in for a real treat with this exhilarating novel.

Star Wars: Light of the Jedi, written by Charles Soule and narrated by Marc Thompson

Another outstanding Star Wars audiobook was Light of the Jedi, the introductory novel in the new High Republic range. Just like Victory’s Price, Light of the Jedi makes full use of the Star Wars music and effects to produce a fantastic listen. However, Light of the Jedi also features the incredible voice work of Marc Thompson, one of the best narrators utilised by the Star Wars franchise. Thompson produces a raft of great voices to highlight the new characters featured within this novel and it was really fun to hear him tell this story. Thompson is lending his vocal talents to several other outstanding Star Wars audiobooks this year, including the latest High Republic novel, The Rising Storm, which is another great audiobook to check out.

The Shadow of the Gods, written by John Gwynne and narrated by Colin Mace

After hearing some incredible things about the latest John Gwynne novel, I ended up checking out The Shadow of the Gods on audiobook. Not only was this book one of the absolute best fantasy releases of 2021 but the audiobook format was pretty damn exceptional. Colin Mace’s voice really fit the dark fantasy setting and he really dives into the complex characters to highlight their deeper feelings and hidden rages. An impressive and captivating listen.

Later, written by Stephen King and narrated by Seth Numrich

I was deeply impressed earlier this year when I checked out the audiobook format of the latest Stephen King novel, Later. Outstanding new narrator Seth Numrich really dives into this excellent novel, and I had a wonderful and freaky time getting through this fantastic audiobook.

The Bone Maker, written by Sarah Beth Durst and narrated by Soneela Nankani

I had an absolute blast listening to the latest great fantasy novel from Sarah Beth Durst, The Bone Maker, especially as narrator Soneela Nankani does a great job bringing the novel’s damaged protagonists to life.

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: The Greater Good, written by Timothy Zahn and narrated by Marc Thompson

The final Star Wars audiobook on this list is the second Thrawn Ascendancy entry, The Greater Good. Thompson once again lends his incredible voice to this great book, bringing the unique characters to life. However, his best work is reserved for main character Grand Admiral Thrawn, as Thompson perfectly replicates the character’s voice from the Star Wars Rebels animated series. This makes for a complex and powerful audiobook, and I loved every second I spent listening to it.

Colonyside, written by Michael Mammay and narrated by R. C. Bray

One of the fastest rising science fiction authors, Michael Mammay, continued to impress earlier this year with Colonyside, the third entry in the Planetside series, which was another awesome read. You really need to listen to this novel’s audiobook format, as narrator R. C. Bray brings a certain necessary gruffness and fun to the central character. An amazing book to listen to!

The Mask of Mirrors, written by M. A. Carrick and narrated by Nikki Massoud

The final entry on this list is the great fantasy novel, The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick. The Mask of Mirrors is a particularly fun and intriguing read, and I found myself really drawn to its audiobook format. This is mainly because of narrator Nikki Massoud, who strategically utilises a fantastic range of voices and accents to turn this amazing book into an incredible listening experience.

That is the end of my latest list. As you can see, I have a pretty typical Unseen Library Top Ten List (I’ve got to fit in as many Star Wars novels as possible), but I really do think this represents all of my absolute favourite audiobooks from the first part of 2021. All of the above audiobooks come highly recommended, and in my opinion, the audiobook format really enhances all of these great reads. Let me know what your favourite 2021 audiobooks are in the comments below, and I look forward to seeing which of the above make my Top Audiobooks of 2021 list later this year.

The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick

On July 27, 2021August 15, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, LGBT+7 Comments

The Mask of Mirrors Cover

Publisher: Orbit (Audiobook – 19 January 2021)

Series: Rook & Rose – Book One

Length: 23 hours and 13 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Book Depository

Magic and masquerade combine into one of the most creative fantasy releases from the first half of 2021 with The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick, the first book in the Rook & Rose trilogy.

The Mask of Mirrors was a fantastic novel that caught a lot of buzz earlier in the year. This book was written by M. A. Carrick, the joint pen name of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, two established fantasy authors who are teaming together for their first novel. This debut novel was pretty impressive and the two talented authors ended up producing an exciting and complex fantasy tale that sees a young con artist attempt to change her fate.

Welcome to Nadežra, a city of iniquity and greed that forms the gateway between two warring cultures. Many people call Nadežra home, although few truly prosper, with only the great noble houses and their supporters gaining any true wealth. However, one young woman is about to change everything. Ren is a former street rat of Nadežra who escaped the city years ago to seek her fortune. Returning after several years, Ren has taken on an entirely new persona: Renata Viraudax, a mysterious and seemingly wealthy noblewoman from the capital, come calling on her long-lost relatives. Ren hopes to con her way into the once great noble family of House Traementis and use their name and legacy to make her fortune and ensure a comfortable life for herself and her sister. But as she begins to worm her way into the family, she soon finds that the life of a noble in Nadežra is far more complex than she ever imagined.

Despite their noble standing, House Traementis is in poor shape, and if Ren is going to make money off them, she first needs to ensure their success. However, a powerful rival family is seeking to destroy House Traementis, and they will do anything in their power to get their way. Forced to work with criminals and shadows to achieve her goal, Ren will find just how ugly the glittering nobles of Nadežra can be. Unbeknownst to Ren, a far more insidious presence is lurking within the city, killing children and unleashing corrupt magic for their own goals. Worse, this evil has a deadly connection to Ren’s past and wants to use her to destroy everything she holds dear. Can Ren overcome this evil while maintaining her cover, or will the nobility of Nadežra eat her whole?

This was an extremely captivating first outing from this new writing team, and I deeply enjoyed the cool and compelling story that they came up with. The Mask of Mirrors is a complex tale that expertly combines intriguing and clever fantasy elements with a thrilling confidence trick, as the protagonist attempts to work her way into high society. Of course, nothing works out that simply, as the protagonist soon finds herself embroiled in all manner of scandals, plots and deadly feuds, producing an excellent story.

While I did enjoy the overall narrative, the book did start off a little slow and it took me a while to get really excited about it. I personally only got hooked when the character of the Rook was added in. The Rook is a mysterious, Zorro-esque (perhaps more Tuxedo Mask than Zorro) character who haunts the streets of Nadežra, fighting oppression and tyranny while thumbing his nose at authority. Following a great duel sequence, the mystery of the Rook’s identity becomes a major part of the plot, and I found myself really getting into this and the other interesting storylines. The rest of the novel flows at a fantastic pace, especially after the authors set up so many fascinating and compelling plot points at the start of the book that slowly come to fruition. There are some amazing moments throughout the novel, and I was really impressed by a particularly tragic moment that occurred around two-thirds of the way through, which was shocking and surprising. The entire narrative comes together in an excellent conclusion, providing a satisfying and moving ending, while also setting up some excellent moments for the next two entries in the series. I did think that the novel could maybe have benefited from either finishing at the big moment I mentioned above, or by trimming around 100 pages out of the middle of the book. Some of the twists at the end of The Mask of Mirrors were also a little predictable, especially around the identity of the antagonists (it literally could not have been anyone else). However, I think that the eventual reveal about who was under the Rook mask was handled beautifully, and I honestly did not know which direction they were going to go in for much of the plot. I had a really amazing time getting through this story, and I look forward to seeing how these two talented authors continue it in the next two entries in the series.

The Mask of Mirrors contains a fantastic collection of characters who offer up a range of different perspectives and vantage points to tell a massive and complete narrative. The authors behind this book spent a lot of time building up the various characters, ensuring that they had intriguing and tragic backstories, which leads to some fantastic development throughout the course of the novel and the entire series. The most prominent character is Ren, a former local who attempts to pull off and ambitious con. Ren is a confident, talented, haunted figure, who experienced great tragedy at an early age and is still trying to pull herself together. She is forced to return to the city that she fled from years before to achieve greatness and make money and ends up connecting to her heritage as well as being forced to relive her greatest mistakes and traumas. I loved the fantastic storylines surrounding Ren, and she proves to be quite a complex character. Rather than being obsessed with money and dislike of the noble class in Nadežra, Ren grows to care for her marks and works to save them and the entire city when the antagonist makes their move. Ren proves to be an exceptional central character to follow, especially as she provides the most insight into one of the main magical disciplines featured in the book, and it will be very interesting to see how her storyline continues later in the series, especially after she gains a mask of her own.

Other great characters contained within this novel include ruthless rising crime boss Derossi Vargo, a man with great ambition who is willing to risk anything and anyone to achieve his goal. Vargo, a seemingly self-made man, proves to be one of the most entertaining and enthralling figures in the entire novel, and I deeply enjoyed seeing him work with Ren while enhancing his own plans. It looks like Carrick has some major plans for Vargo, and he could be an amazing overarching antagonistic figure. Another excellent character is Grey Serrado, a police officer and friend of the Traementis who finds himself investigating some of the major activities occurring the city. Grey is a conflicted and damaged character, constantly torn between his duty as an officer and his heritage. He goes through some major events throughout this novel and looks set to be a major figure throughout the rest of the series. I also enjoyed Ren’s adopted siblings Tess and Sedge, who act as fantastic supporting figures to Ren and her plans. Carrick develops them quite nicely and they prove to be entertaining figures who have a long and caring relationship with Ren. I also appreciated the focus on the members of House Traementis, the people that Ren is trying to con. The Traementis are a once great house who have fallen on hard times and are slowly falling into oblivion due to a rumoured curse. While you initially aren’t too concerned with these characters, due to their status as patsies, the three surviving members swiftly grow on you, enough that you eventually start to judge Ren’s continued attempts to con them. Finally, I have to say that the masked Rook was a particularly awesome character, and I deeply loved his inclusion in the plot. It was so much fun trying to figure out who he was, and the authors utilised him to perfection to create an outstanding narrative.

You cannot talk about The Mask of Mirrors without discussing the complex and distinctive setting that is the city of Nadežra. Nadežra is a sprawling, independent city state resting on a delta, filled with palaces, slums, massive buildings and all manner of different people. Due to its unique history, Nadežra is home to several distinct ethnic groups, the local Vraszenians underclass and the Liganti upper class. The two ethnic groups are opposites, and there is substantial friction between them, especially as the Vraszenians feel like second-class citizens in their own historical city. While most of the novel shows the two groups living mostly in harmony, the lingering tension between the two groups becomes a major plot point as the novel, and I think that the authors did an outstanding job highlighting this and using it as part of the story. Carrick provides detailed explorations of the different cultures between the two groups, and it was interesting to see how it partially paralleled some real-life political situations. It was also quite interesting to see that, despite the cultural differences and clashes, Nadežra proves to extremely woke and tolerant when it comes to issues of gender and LGTB+ issues. Not only are there several prominent female figures within the city but there also several homosexual, nonbinary and transgender characters. I love the way in which most modern fantasy novels are featuring more and more of these aspects in their settings, and this was a great example of that. The city of Nadežra proves to be a very magical place, and there is so much detail, backstory and culture contained within that the reader will feel like they are actually walking the streets.

Carrick also comes up with several distinctive forms of magic, which are as diverse and different as the various cultures contained within the city. There are three major forms of magic shown in the book, although I had to say that I found all three of them to be a little less dramatic than you would expect in a fantasy book. The first one of these is numinata, which is sort of a combination of geometry and astronomy, often using complex glyphs or geometric patterns. Numinata is generally used by the Liganti and is considered a more cultured and precise form of magic. The Vraszenian magic, on the other hand, is based on patterns and dreams, and is mostly shown through the protagonist’s pattern reading, a form of tarot card reading which gives glimpses into the past, the present and the future. The final form of magic is imbuing, which allows the user to put a little bit of their essence into an item or product to enhance its effect. All three magics are featured fairly prominently within The Mask of Mirrors and prove to give the novel a unique feel, while also highlighting the cultural and social differences between the ethnic groups. While I did think that much of the magic was a little undefined in the novel, it becomes a key part of the plot, and it was interesting to see how the combination of magics could create some nightmarish results. Overall, I deeply enjoyed the extraordinary and detailed setting that Carrick came up for The Mask of Mirrors and I found myself getting really lost in its spectacle and details. While I would have preferred just a little more info about the universe’s magical rules, I felt that Carrick did a wonderful job pulling this together, and it was a definite highlight of this great book.

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of The Mask of Mirrors, narrated by Nikki Massoud, who has done several interesting audiobooks in the last year. While this is a pretty long audiobook (at 23 hours and 13 minutes, it is the 17^th longest audiobook I have ever listened to) I am actually incredibly glad that I ended up checking out the audiobook format of this book. The complex narrative and immensely detailed setting really came to life, and I found myself absorbing a whole lot more of the story and the beauty of the background. However, the real advantage of this format was the outstanding narration by Massoud. Massoud did an exquisite job portraying the various characters featured within The Mask of Mirrors, capturing each figure perfectly and providing them with an outstanding and wildly fitting voice. To achieve this, Massoud utilises a wide array of different voices and accents, which really help you differentiate the various characters, and which help to show their nationality or social status. I was particularly impressed at how Massoud was able to showcase the various personas of the main character, Ren. This was achieved by seamlessly changing accents depending on which character Ren was playing at the time. For example, when Ren was with her sister or pretending to be a local, Massoud would use the rougher, more exotic accent that all the Vraszenian characters have. However, when the character changed back into the persona of Alta Renata, her voice would become a lot more cultured, mimicking the nobility. This seamless change between the various voices was perfectly done, and I really appreciated the narrator’s determination to capture the separate halves of the character. This was some truly impressive voice work, and I think that listening to the audiobook format ended up adding to my overall rating for the novel.

The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick is an outstanding and moving fantasy novel that I had a wonderful time reading. Featuring an excellent narrative, some complex characters and a detailed and memorable fantasy setting, this debut novel from the writing team of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms was an immense amount of fun and I really got into this fantastic story. The Rook & Rose trilogy looks set to a spectacular series and I am quite excited to see how all the books turn out. The next entry, The Liar’s Knot, is set for release in December, and I look forward to continuing this great series into the New Year.

Amazon Book Depository

Quick Review – Breakout by Paul Herron

On July 26, 2021August 19, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Breakout Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 9 March 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 291 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Prepare yourself for one of the most exhilarating and action-packed novels of 2021 with the ultra-exciting thriller novel, Breakout by Paul Herron.

Breakout is an intriguing and fantastic novel that caught my eyes earlier this year. This fun book was written by Paul Herron, the pseudonym for established author and screenwriter Paul Crilley. Crilley, whose body of work includes his Delphic Division, The Invisible Order and The Chronicles of Abraxis Wren novels, appears to have taken this opportunity to dive into the thriller genre in a big way with Breakout. While I have not read any of Herron/Crilley’s books before, I found myself really drawn to this latest novel due to its outrageous and fun-sounding plot.

Synopsis:

As explosive as a Hollywood blockbuster, this high-concept thriller is perfect for fans of James Patterson, David Baldacci and Gregg Hurwitz.

A LETHAL STORM. THE MOST DEADLY PRISON. WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?

Jack Constantine – a former cop who killed one of his wife’s murderers in an act of vengeance – is serving his time in Ravenhill penitentiary, a notorious ‘supermax’ home to the most dangerous convicts in the country.

When an apocalyptic superstorm wreaks havoc across the USA, the correctional officers flee the prison…but not before opening every cell door. The inmates must fend for themselves as lethal floodwaters rise and violent anarchy is unleashed.

Teaming up with Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer left behind on her first day of work, Constantine has one chance of survival – he must break out of a maximum security prison. But with the building on the verge of collapse, and deadly chaos around him, time is running out…

Breathless, exhilarating and brilliantly original, this high-octane thriller is perfect for fans of Gregg Hurwitz, Lee Child and David Baldacci – and blockbuster action movies like John Wick.

As you can imagine, the idea of a supermax prison with all the inmates loose and a destructive superstorm on the way was something that sounded pretty damn awesome and it was one of the main reasons that I wanted to read Breakout. There were so many cool things that could happen with such a narrative and Herron made sure to produce an epic and fast-paced narrative that is guaranteed to keep your attention through every electrifying scene.

The best way to describe Breakout is that it is very similar to the most insane action movie script you have ever seen. Herron has essentially written nearly 300 pages of wall-to-wall excitement and movement, as the protagonists are thrust into an unthinkable situation with very little chance of survival. The author does an incredible job setting up the initial threads of this great story, with compelling and detailed introductions of the troubled central character, Jack Constantine, the prison, the storm, and the other personalities contained within the prison. The author also makes good use of some flashback sequences at the start that not only tell Jack’s story but also set up some major plot points, such as two characters the protagonist really wants to kill and a major antagonist. All of this set up ensures that when the mayhem begins, it can go on at a continuous pace, with Jack, the trapped rookie prison guard, Keira Sawyer, and other associates running into problem after problem without any additional background information. These obstacles include rival prison gangs, flooding, insane winds, collapsing buildings, impromptu fight clubs, a deranged cult leader, and a vengeful gangster. These inclusions ensure that the reader can barely take a breath without something cool happening, and it is extremely easy to read this novel in one sitting. All this leads up to big conclusion as the protagonist has to make some big decisions, as well as deal with the consequences of a few good twists that Herron added. I deeply enjoyed this entire narrative, and action lovers everywhere are going to have an absolute blast getting through this fun book.

Breakout contains an intriguing array of characters, although I must admit that I was not taken by central protagonist, Jack Constantine. Constantine is a bit of an ass at the best of times, as he is very arrogant and selfish. I honestly had a hard time feeling any sympathy for the character at times, mainly because he brings all his problems on himself. However, the deficits of this lead character are more than made up for in some of the supporting characters and antagonists featured throughout the book. The most prominent of those is Keira Sawyer, a first-day prison guard who finds herself trapped in the prison and needs to work with Constantine to survive and escape. I felt that the author did a great job with Keria, a strong and passionate character with a hidden backstory. While Herron could have written Keria as a damsel in distress, he instead showed her to be a tough and resourceful figure, capable of holding her own and gaining the respect of the inmates. I also really have to highlight Constantine’s friend and cellmate, Felix, the fantastic teller of tales. Felix is an intensely funny character with a very unique outlook on life and the prison system. This character is insanely likeable, and together with Constantine and Keria, Felix helps to form an excellent central trio of protagonists who you cannot help but cheer for as the action commences.

I was also quite impressed by the antagonists of this story. Herron ensures that the protagonists have to face off with a huge raft of different criminals and gangsters as they attempt to make their escape, and it was really cool to see the range of personalities that emerged. The main antagonist is Malcolm Kincaid, a dangerous and sadistic Miami crime figure who was able to get away with terrible acts of violence for years until Constantine framed him for murder. Kincaid is rightfully pissed and spends much of the novel trying to brutally kill Constantine and his friends, while also causing general mayhem around the prison, including initiating an involuntary Russian roulette tournament. Kincaid was an excellent main antagonist, and I loved some of the twists that were revealed around him. The other villain I really liked was Preacher, a demented serial killer with a major religious bent who convinces some of the prison’s more insane members to join him in a fun little murder cult. Preacher was a pretty intense baddie, and I loved the inclusion of a murderous cultist and his friends to an already fun story. The final antagonist I want to talk about is the superstorm itself. The storm, Hurricane Anna, is an absolute beast that wrecks the entirety of Florida, as well as several other states. Herron does an amazing job bringing this crazy storm to life throughout the book, and you get to experience a number of powerful scenes where characters encounter Anna in all its windy glory. The entire storm was an insane and fantastic addition to the plot, and it was so cool to see the character attempt to escape its pure destructive power.

Overall, I felt that Breakout was an extremely fun and exciting novel that was an absolute treat to read. Due to all the incredible action, crazy villains and major set pieces, this is an outstanding thriller that readers will have a fantastic time getting through, especially as the action never ends. It honestly would not surprise me if this was turned into a major blockbuster film in the next few years (perhaps with Dwayne Johnson), and it is one that I know I would deeply enjoy. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to increase their heart rate, Breakout is an incredibly awesome read!

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

On July 26, 2021February 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Thriller11 Comments

Blackout Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 30 March 2021)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 424 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of the leading authors of historical fiction, Simon Scarrow, breaks new ground in a thrilling and captivating historical murder mystery, Blackout.

Berlin, December 1939. As the citizens of Berlin worry about a potential upcoming conflict with Britain and France, the Nazi party continues to sink their claws into every aspect of German society. But as a bleak winter sets in and enforced blackouts plunge the city into darkness, a far more sinister threat begins to stalk the streets of Berlin.

A young woman has been found brutally murdered near a busy set of train tracks. The victim is a former famous actress with a powerful husband. Due to her marital connections, as well as a scandalous past with various high-ranking Nazi figures, including Goebbels, her case has dangerous political implications. To that end, her case is assigned to Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Kriminalpolizei, the Kripo, one of the few police officers not to join the party. Due to his apparent disregard for the party and the importance of the victim, Horst is under intense pressure from the head of the Gestapo to solve this case. However, what begins as an easy murder case swiftly devolves into something far more dangerous when a second body is found, and Horst is forced to face the reality that he is chasing a serial killer.

As the bodies of more young women are discovered, Horst rushes to find a killer before the government attempts to hush up the fact that a killer is loose within their perfect Nazi society. But with the Gestapo interfering at every step and key suspects protected by the Abwehr, German Military Intelligence, this case proves difficult to solve. When a survivor is found, Horst thinks this may be the opportunity to find the killer. However, when the witness is revealed to be Jewish, Horst is forced to find a way to protect her from both the killer and the Gestapo. Can Horst find the killer before it is too late, or will he discover that disloyalty to the Nazi government is considered a far worse crime?

This was another amazing novel from one of my absolute favourite authors. Scarrow is best known as a Roman historical fiction author due to his long-running and impressive The Eagles of the Empire series, which I am a particular fan of (see my reviews for The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, and The Emperor’s Exile). However, Scarrow has also branched out into other historical periods with his Revolution quartet, the standalone novels The Sword and the Scimitar and Hearts of Stone, and a modern crime novel he wrote with his colleague Lee Francis, Playing with Death (which I really need to check out). His latest book, Blackout, is an interesting change of pace from some of the previous Scarrow novels I have enjoyed, presenting a compelling murder mystery story with the dark historical setting of Nazi Germany. Blackout, which was unfortunately delayed from last year, proved to be an excellent read, and I loved the complex and powerful story that Scarrow came up with.

Scarrow’s latest book has an outstanding narrative that starts with a Nazi social party scene quickly leading to the brutal murder. This shocking opening in the dark of a blacked-out Berlin sets the scene for the rest of Blackout perfectly, and lets the reader know that they are in for an intense and dark tale. The narrative then advances to the next day, with a great introduction to central protagonist Inspector Horst Schenke, who gets to showcase his deductive ability while also covering his personality and feelings about the Nazi government. Once the case proper begins, Horst and his team are thrust into a lethal hunt for a serial killer, while also having to contend with the vicious politics and intrigue of the Nazi party. Horst finds himself caught between the Gestapo, German Military Intelligence, and other influential Nazis, each of whom are attempting to manipulate the situation for their own ends. This blend of mystery and dangerous political intrigue makes for a fantastic read, and I enjoyed the compelling balance that Scarrow produced. The mystery itself is well crafted, with the author ensuring there is a complex and tangled web to unravel, with several promising suspects. There are some very cool twists added into the plot, and I quite enjoyed the exciting conclusion and eventual reveal of the killer. This is also a very effective standalone mystery, which would serve as a great introductory novel if Scarrow ever wanted to revisit this setting and characters in the future. A series set around this book could go in some interesting directions, and I for one would be quite keen for that.

Easily the most captivating and fascinating part of this novel is the amazing historical setting that Scarrow used as the backdrop to his amazing mystery. While several great mystery series have used World War II Germany as a setting before (the Bernie Gunther series by the late, great Philip Kerr comes to mind), I think that Blackout was a particularly good example of how it could be done, with Scarrow making sure that it really enhanced this already incredible story. Scarrow skilfully works several fantastic and intriguing elements of this iconic setting into his narrative. This includes the blacked-out winter streets and train lines of 1939 Berlin, which serve to hide the killer’s actions and ensures an easy hunting ground. I also appreciated the air of worry and uncertainty that inhabited many of the characters as they are constantly left wondering if their country is heading towards a bigger war with Britain and France, not knowing of their government’s master plan. There is also a certain amount of nationalism, patriotism and casual racism/anti-Semitism on the streets, which is a confronting and concerning aspect that the protagonist has to deal with. There is also a fascinating focus on the way in which the Nazis infested all aspects of the German government and administration, particularly the police. Inspector Horst is constantly butting heads with other members of the police force who were only promoted due to their party allegiances, rather than any skill or ability, which impacts the protagonists to successfully investigate his crime. Add in the compelling depictions of German politics and Nazi interference that I mentioned before, and you have a very impactful and distinctive setting, which really helped to turn this crime novel into something very special.

Scarrow has a knack for creating some interesting and likeable characters, and this is certainly true for Blackout. Inspector Horst is a fantastic protagonist, a former famous race car driver who experienced a traumatic crash several years ago. He has since reworked himself as a talented police investigator and a rare man of honour in troubled times. There is a lot to like about Horst, including his brilliant investigative skills, his courage in the face of danger, and his complete disregard for the Nazi leadership. As one of the few senior police officers who has not joined the Nazi party, Horst is a bit of a black sheep amongst the ranks of his organisation, especially as he barely contains his disdain for the Nazis and what they are doing to his country. This invariably leads him into a whole mess of trouble, which sees him in the crosshairs of the Gestapo and other Nazi figures, who seek to use his neutrality and skill for their own advantages. I had a lot of fun following Horst throughout this novel, and it was great to see how a non-Nazi supporter would survive amongst the authoritarian ranks of German police in this period. There are several great storylines surrounding this character, including about the trauma he is experiencing from his crash, as well as guilt at his failure to save the people closest to him. I really enjoyed this character in Blackout, and it seems likely that Scarrow would have some very compelling storylines in place for this character if he ever revisited this series.

Aside from Horst, there are several other compelling side characters in this novel, which include a mixture of fictional characters and real historical figures. One of the better characters is Ruth, the only apparent survivor of one of the serial killer’s attacks. Ruth is a feisty and combative character, made so by her position as one of the few Jewish people still remaining in Berlin. Despite being threatened by the entire German apparatus as well as a serial killer, Ruth remains strong throughout the book and is a very inspirational character to follow. I also quite enjoyed the character of Liebwitz, a Gestapo agent assigned to Horst’s unit to spy on him and report back to the Gestapo commander. However, Liebwitz proves to be a rather unusual Gestapo agent, more concerned with facts and analysis, rather than Nazi internal politics, and it was fascinating to see an honest and non-sociopathic member of the Gestapo. While there is a lot of mistrust for Liebwitz in the beginning, he soon becomes a major part of the investigation, and Scarrow sets up some very interesting storylines for him. Finally, I also quite enjoyed the killer of the story. Several sequences in Blackout are shown from his point of view, although his identity is kept hidden towards the end of the book. Scarrow paints an interesting picture of this killer’s mental state, and it was interesting to see his motivations run parallel to the goals of the Nazi party, which he uses to justify some of his actions, and indeed his actions are something that the Nazi leadership might approve of. I felt that the author did a good job setting this antagonist up throughout the novel, and I rather liked the twist surrounding their eventual reveal.

Simon Scarrow continues to show why he is one of the leading authors of historical fiction with the outstanding and captivating historical murder mystery, Blackout. Breaking into a whole new historical period and setting, Scarrow produces a fantastic and powerful murder investigation which makes amazing use of its complex characters and detailed historical setting. Featuring all manner of twists, political intrigue and devious Nazi characters, Blackout was a compelling and intriguing read that comes highly recommended. I cannot wait to get my next hit of Scarrow, and luckily I don’t have to be patient for long as the next Eagles of the Empire book, The Honour of Rome, is out in a few months time.

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Canberra Weekly Column – Mixed Genre – 1 July 2021

On July 24, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly ColumnLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Best of Three - 1 July 2021-1

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 1 July 2021.

This review can also be found on the Canberra Weekly website.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Artifact Space, Small Acts of Defiance and Protector.

Small Acts of Defiance by Michelle Wright

On July 24, 2021August 23, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical Fiction4 Comments

Small Acts of Defiance Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 1 June 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 344 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Impressive debuting Australian author Michelle Wright transports the reader back to the horrors and struggles of occupied Paris with the moving historical drama, Small Acts of Defiance.

May 1940. Following the tragic death of her father, Australian teenager Lucie and her French mother Yvonne are left without any means of supporting themselves in Australia. Reaching out to the only family they have left, Yvonne’s estranged brother Gerard, Lucie and her mother are convinced to journey back to Yvonne’s home city of Paris to live with Gerard in his apartment.

Despite having reservations about leaving for a Europe rocked by the early stages of war, Lucie is quickly enchanted by the beauty and culture of the city. However, shortly after their arrival, disaster strikes and the French army suffers a catastrophic defeat, allowing the Nazis to invade France and occupy Paris. Forced to adapt to the new regime, Lucie and her family attempt to survive as well as they can.

While wishing to remain safe and unnoticed by the Nazis, Lucie is drawn into the conflict when she befriends several people around Paris who resent the German occupation. Encouraged by their strength and determination, Lucie experiments with using her artistic talents to engage in small acts of defiance against the Nazis and the puppet Vichy French government. However, when she witnesses the Nazis’ increased attacks against Paris’s Jewish population and the attitudes of her authoritarian uncle, Lucie is drawn even deeper into the fight. How far will Lucie go to save her new home, and what difference can even a few small acts of defiance truly have?

Small Acts of Defiance was a fantastic and moving novel from a promising new author that did an excellent job highlighting the horrors and troubles of occupied France. Author Michelle Wright, an Australian who has spent considerable time in Paris, has written an outstanding novel with a story that is both beautiful and devastating, as she tells the intriguing and intense tale of Lucie and her experiences during the war.

Wright has produced a fast-paced and deeply moving narrative for Small Acts of Defiance. The author swiftly sets the scene for the main characters of Lucie and her mother, who move to Paris right before the invasion while still dealing with the traumatic aftermath of Lucie’s father’s death. It really does not take long for the historical horror to occur, as Paris is swiftly conquered by the Nazis, although Wright ensures that there is just enough time for Lucie, and the reader, to become enchanted with the city before its occupation. Following the invasion, you are introduced to several great supporting characters who help Lucie to fully see how evil the Nazis and their French collaborators are, especially as some of her new friends are Jewish. This centre part of the novel is great, and it was fantastic to see Lucie find her feet while also starting her initial acts of defiance. However, while all appears mostly right, you know that tragedy is on the horizon, especially as the Jewish characters you become close to slowly have more and more restrictions placed upon them, which can only lead to disaster and despair. Once the inevitable happens, the story really intensifies, as the protagonist witnesses true horrors and atrocities which slowly costs her some people she is really close to. Readers will not be prepared for how dark and tragic the book becomes, although you cannot help but keep reading, especially as there is a little bit of hope for some characters. The conclusion of Small Acts of Defiance is pretty intense and satisfying, especially as the protagonist achieves several great things while there is some good news for the other supporting characters. This entire narrative very well written, and I loved the dramatic and powerful tale that Wright created here. There is so much amazing and moving character development, especially around Lucie, which really grounds the novel and helps keeps the readers glued to the pages. Wright has a real talent for writing hard and dark scenes, and I was utterly enthralled by this powerful story.

I was deeply impressed by the sheer amount of historical detail that Wright put into her debut novel, which is no doubt a side effect of all the time she spent in Paris. The author covers the entirety of the Nazi occupation, from the French defeat, to the chaos of the invasion and the subsequent control of the city by the Germans. There are so many interesting details and facets of history contained within the story, and I found myself getting really engrossed in the spectacular portrayal of this key historical location. Wright spends time focusing on the various attitudes and reactions of the citizens of Paris, which ranged from outrage to acceptance or even outright support of the new regime. The depictions of the puppet Vichy government and its actions was particularly intriguing, especially as the author examines the reason it had some support from the French. This is particularly shown by Lucie’s uncle, an authoritarian former solider who respected the military general put in charge of the country, and who felt disenfranchised by the previous free French government. There was also a lot of focus on the gradual crackdown and eventual deportation of the city’s Jewish population. Due to the protagonist befriending several Jewish characters, you get to see the various restrictive laws come into effect, and the way that the Jewish population was dehumanised and destroyed one step at a time. All of these proved to be deeply fascinating, and I loved how Wright was able to work it all into her intense and excellent story.

One aspect of this historical detail that I found extremely intriguing was the storyline surrounding the protagonist’s attempts at defying the Nazi and Vichy governments. Unlike most historical fiction protagonists who fight back with guns, political speeches or brazen heists, the hero of Small Acts of Defiance at first uses art to subtly push back against authority. This is achieved by drawing pamphlets or subtle symbols of French freedom in the postcards that she sells, small things that could still get her in trouble. As the war progresses, the protagonist gets involved in other small ways, such as helping to pass information to the Allies or assisting the city’s remaining Jewish population. I found these small acts of resistance to be a fascinating part of the book’s plot, and it was rather interesting to see the effect that even these minor actions could have on the character’s moral. It also resulted in some compelling comparison to some of the more radical members of the French Resistance, especially some of Lucie’s friends, who take more drastic actions and face several physical and moral consequences as a result. While Lucie does become more involved later in the book, I felt that it was really intriguing to see the various small, non-violent ways that French citizens could have helped in the war effort, and I think that it was a fantastic part of this captivating narrative.

Small Acts of Defiance was an incredible debut from Australian author Michelle Wright that does an amazing job capturing the tragedy, division and defiance that occurred during Nazi occupation of Paris. Featuring a moving and captivating tale that surrounds one girl’s small attempt to help her friends and her new city, Small Acts of Defiance is an outstanding historical drama that comes highly recommended. I am very intrigued to see what additional novels Wright creates in the future, and I am extremely glad I got the opportunity to read her fantastic first novel.

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WWW Wednesday – 21 July 2021

On July 21, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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?

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (Trade Paperback)

I recently started reading She Who Became the Sun, a fascinating historical fiction novel that is getting a lot of buzz throughout the review community. She Who Became the Sun is the debut novel from Australian author Shelley Parker-Chan and it follows a young woman in 14th century China who steals her brother’s identity in order to survive and forge her own destiny. I am around 100 pages in at the moment and I am quickly becoming addicted to the awesome and compelling story it contains. Parker-Chan is a very talented author and I look forward to seeing how this outstanding novel ends.

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I was very excited to start listening to the latest entry in the Rogue Team International series by Jonathan Maberry, Relentless. The Rogue Team International series, which follows on from the Joe Ledger series, are among some of my favourite books at the moment, and Relentless was one of my most anticipated reads for the year. This latest novel follows on after the devastating conclusion of Rage and see’s protagonist Joe Ledger go on a one-man rampage while some of his worst enemies plot another massive attack. I have made some pretty good progress with this audiobook so far and I am hoping to finish it off in the next week or so. Unsurprisingly, I am deeply enjoying this latest novel and Relentless is proving to be an exceptional new addition to this great series.

What did you recently finish reading?

Star Wars: The High Republic: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott (Audiobook)

The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry (Trade Paperback)

State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe (Trade Paperback)

The Enemy Within by Tim Ayliffe (Trade Paperback)

What do you think you’ll read next?

#MurderFunding by Gretchen McNeil (Hardcover)

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 Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker

On July 21, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

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. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For my latest Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2021, The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker, the final book in The Tide Child trilogy.

The Bone Ship's Wake Cover

Most fantasy readers will be familiar with the incredible talent that is R. J. Barker, especially as the author has been one of the leading authors in the genre since their debut in 2017. I have been a major fan of Barker’s ever since I read the first book in his The Wounded Kingdom series. This first book, Age of Assassins, was a great read that focused on an intriguing pair of assassins in a dark fantasy world. I had a fantastic time reading Age of Assassins, and Barker swiftly followed his debut with Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins, both of which were better than the last. I deeply enjoyed The Wounded Kingdom novels, and Barker made sure to capitalise on this success by releasing another amazing series the following year.

This second series was the outstanding and impressive The Tide Child trilogy. Set in another unique dark fantasy world, The Tide Child novels follow a condemned crew who are forced to serve aboard black ships made from the bones of sea dragons and fight in a deadly, long running war. The first novel in this series, The Bone Ships, introduced the central characters and set the crew on an epic quest to find and kill the last dragon. This was an incredible and outstanding novel, as Barker was able to produce a powerful and compelling read that made full use of its nautical setting and features. The Bone Ships was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019 and is a very highly recommended read. Its sequel, Call of the Bone Ships, was another five-star read that was a particularly strong 2020 novel. This second Tide Child novel had a great plot, which saw the crew, particularly its Shipwife, Meas Gillbryn and main character, Joron Twiner, start a rebellion in order to end the war and save the returning dragons. Call of the Bone Ships ended on a fantastic cliffhanger, which leads us into the final book, The Bone Ship’s Wake.

The Bone Ship’s Wake, which is currently set for release on 28 September 2021, has an amazing amount of potential and I already know that it is going to be one of the better fantasy books of the year. I have been hoping to feature this novel in a Waiting on Wednesday article for a while, but I had to wait for the cover to be revealed. The wait was worth it however, as the new cover looks pretty damn impressive (all The Tide Child novel’s covers have been exceptionally cool). In addition, we also have a brief synopsis, which provides some intriguing hints about what is going to happen with this final book.

Synopsis:

Discover a brilliantly imagined epic fantasy of honor, glory, and warfare in this action-packed conclusion to the David Gemmell Award-nominated trilogy.

Joron Twiner’s dreams of freedom lay shattered. His Shipwife is gone and all he has left is revenge. Leading the black fleet from the deck of Tide Child, he takes every opportunity to hurt the Hundred Isles he is given. But his time is limited.

His fleet is shrinking, the Keyshan’s Rot is running through his body, and he hiding from a prophecy that says he and the avian sorcerer, the Windseer will end the entire world.

But the Sea Dragons have returned, a miracle in itself, and who is to say that if you can have one miracle, there cannot be another?

Whelp, I know that I am excited for this. It looks like Barker plans to end his trilogy on a massive high note, with lead character, Jordan Twiner, continuing the rebellion that was started in the previous book. It will be very interesting to see how the entire story unfolds, especially as Twiner is dying from a disease, is missing the guiding influence of his Shipwife (captain) who sacrificed herself for her crew, and is also an apparent prophesised world destroyer. There are so many awesome storylines that need to be wrapped up from the previous novel, and I cannot wait to see what Barker has planned for this final novel. You have to know that there are going to be some major moments and twists featured in this final book, and I am expecting a particularly large and impressive naval battle at some point (I’m picturing rebel ships and dragons versus everyone else). There is also likely to be a lot of painful and moving character development, especially as Twiner gets closer to either his death or achieving his unwanted destiny. It will also be great to see what happens to some of the various side characters, as you become rather attached to several in the previous two books. All of this should be pretty epic, and I am dying to see how it all comes together.

As you can probably tell from the above, I am pretty keen for this final novel in The Tide Child trilogy. Barker is an exceptional author, and based on all his prior works, I know that this will be an incredible and captivating novel. The Bone Ship’s Wake has nearly unlimited potential and I have no doubt that Barker will write one of his best novels yet. This will be one of the best fantasy books of there year, and if you have not explored The Tide Child trilogy yet, you are missing out.