Quick Review – The Dying Squad by Adam Simcox

On December 15, 2021August 22, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Quick Review1 Comment

The Dying Squad Cover

Publisher: Gollancz (Trade Paperback – 27 July 2021)

Series: The Dying Squad – Book One

Length: 360 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Intriguing new author, Adam Simcox, presents his compelling debut novel, the fun and fascinating supernatural crime fiction read, The Dying Squad, which proves that just because you are dead, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get justice.

The Dying Squad was a fantastic and intriguing first novel from Simcox that contained a fascinating premise about a man forced to solve his own murder as a ghost. I loved the sound of this book when I first heard about it, and I was very glad when I received a copy a while ago.

Synopsis:

WHO BETTER TO SOLVE A MURDER THAN A DEAD DETECTIVE?

When Detective Inspector Joe Lazarus storms a Lincolnshire farmhouse, he expects to bring down a notorious drug gang; instead, he discovers his own body and a spirit guide called Daisy-May.

She’s there to enlist him to The Dying Squad, a spectral police force who solve crimes their flesh and blood counterparts cannot.

Lazarus reluctantly accepts and returns to the Lincolnshire Badlands, where he faces dangers from both the living and the dead in his quest to discover the identity of his killer – before they kill again.

This was an awesome and intriguing read and I ended up really getting into this fantastic supernatural novel. Set initially in the apparently crime-ridden wilds of Lincolnshire, the novel quickly establishes itself by killing off the protagonist, Joe Lazarus, and introducing him to his co-lead the bombastic and entertaining Daisy-May, a member of the ghost-run investigative unit, known as the Dying Squad, there to recruit Lazarus. The book then jumps to the Pen (purgatory), where Lazarus is given the chance to save his soul by solving his own murder. Returning with Daisy to the real world, Lazarus must investigate his death while facing several limitations, including the fact that the real world is affecting his memories, and he must work to uncover his own past to discover who killed him. At the same time, dangerous events are occurring in the Pen as a mysterious being leads an uprising of the seemingly mindless souls imprisoned there, while back in the real world, a dangerous creature stalks Lazarus and Daisy-May, seeking to drag them down below.

I really enjoyed the cool story featured within The Dying Squad, and Simcox has come up with something particularly unique and compelling here. The author does a great job of quickly introducing all the relevant story elements, and the reader is soon expertly enthralled in the book’s compelling mystery. I loved the unique investigation that takes place throughout the novel, especially as the protagonists must deal with a range of different problems, including the sinister Xylophone Man (he’s a lot more threatening than the name implies), the deceit of living humans, fading memories, and the protagonist’s desire to interfere in events, even when they’re not supposed to. At the same time, the protagonist’s boss back in the Pen is forced to deal with a universe-ending revolt, as desperate lost souls attempt to tear down the walls of reality. While Daisy May and some of the other characters are dragged between these two plot threads, Lazarus continues to follow the trial towards his death by investigating several potential suspects and slowly regaining his own memories. This eventually leads to several startling revelations, including a very clever reveal about who was behind his death and their reasons why. This investigation eventually leads back to the wider universe story about the rebelling souls, and there are some great moments, especially when the protagonists are forced to make some hard and afterlife-altering choices. I really enjoyed this unique blend of storylines, as well as some of the cool characters featured throughout the book, and The Dying Squad ended up being quite a fun and interesting read.

I definitely need to highlight the unique world building featured throughout The Dying Squad. Simcox has come up with a detailed and fascinating scenario, involving supernatural ghosts going back to Earth to investigate unsolved murders. This results in several memorable and compelling settings, including the dark and dreary Pen, a version of Purgatory, where lost and forgotten souls congregate in confusion and apathy (unless roused by a dangerous soul with ulterior motives). At the same time, you also have the setting of Earth, which ends up being an unnatural location for departed souls, even the protagonists. As such, the characters who venture there to investigate encounter all manner of obstacles, from rogue spirits to the very air itself, which drains dead souls of their memories unless precautions are taken. These various elements, especially the memory loss and the typical incorporeal nature of ghosts, are worked into the investigation aspect of the story extremely well, and it added a layer of complexity and uncertainty that really enhanced the mystery. At the same time, Simcox really went for broke exploring the wider universe and the focus on the events in the Pen soon become a major part of the plot. While I deeply enjoyed the potential universe ending event, I cannot help thinking that maybe more of the story could have been spent on beefing up the investigation angle of the book, especially as some of the culprits and twists ended up being a little easy to spot. That being said, it was a fascinating part of the story that ended up being explored extremely well, and it really enhanced the stakes of the plot. It will be interesting to see what the focus of the next novel will be, but I am sure that I will enjoy it.

Overall, this ended up being quite a clever read, and I think that Simcox did a great job of combining a complex murder investigation with complex and fascinating supernatural elements. I had a lot of fun with The Dying Squad, and it is an excellent compelling new debut to check out in 2021.

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Quick Review – Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

On December 15, 2021August 13, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller, Young Adult9 Comments

Lies Like Wildfire Cover

Publisher: Penguin Books (Trade Paperback – 14 September 2021)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 371 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare to see the strongest of friendships burnt alive by fire, lies and deceit, in this startling and powerful young adult thriller by amazing author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, Lies Like Wildfire.

Lies Like Wildfire was a really compelling and exciting read that ended up being one of the better pieces of young adult fiction I read all year. This was the debut thriller novel from Alvarez, whose previous work has primarily included middle-grade fantasy novels, such as her equine-based The Guardian Herd and Riders of the Realm series. I was actually surprised to learn that his was Alvarez’s first thriller novel, as it was really good, presenting the reader with an untenable and desperate scenario and forcing several life-long friends to make some hard and terrible decisions.

Synopsis:

The monsters have known each other their whole lives. This is their final summer before college – time to hang out, fall in love and dream about the future.

Until they accidentally start a forest fire which destroys their hometown and leaves death in its wake.

Desperate for the truth to remain hidden, the group make a pact of silence.

But the twisted secret begins to spin out of control and when one of the friends disappears they all become suspects.

We know how it starts but where does it end?

Wow, now this was such a great book. Lies Like Wildfire has a brilliant and powerful plot that was extremely clever, emotionally rich and very shocking, all at the same time. The book follows a group of childhood friends, known as the Monsters, who accidently start a forest fire during a summer outing. Terrified of California’s incredibly strict fire laws that harshly punish even accidental offenders, the group attempt to cover up their actions as the fire races towards their town causing all manner of death and destruction. As the fire rages, the group makes a pact to keep the secret, but lies, guilt and personal vendettas soon lead to terrible choices, as the truth bursts out and even more lives are ruined in the fallout.

I loved this brilliant book, and Alvarez has come up with such an impressive scenario for it. Told from the perspective of one of the Monsters, Hannah, this entire novel unfolds in a rush, with the readers barely getting time to breathe as devastating events and terrible secrets are thrust before them as part of this addictive and powerful narrative. Alvarez ensures that the readers are hooked early in the book, especially as the opening scene gives a sneak peek to events halfway throughout the narrative. The story then jumps back to the events that led up to the fire, showing the mostly innocent group as a careless accident threatens to ruin their entire lives and everything they know and love. Alveraz does a brilliant job of producing the ultimate no-win scenario, with the protagonists caught between their own guilt and the harsh consequences for their unintentional actions.

This fantastic introduction leads to the destructive early scenes of the wildfires that ravish the protagonist’s hometown. These scenes are pretty damn devastating and very well written, as Alvarez perfectly captures all the horror of an incoming fire and the panic and pain it can cause (it’s very realistic, and those people triggered by wildfires or bushfires might want to avoid it). However, this destruction is nothing compared to the guilt, public shame, police prosecution, and disintegration of friendships that occur in the aftermath of the fire as the friend’s first attempt to cover up their involvement, and then limit the blame they receive as they start to get found out. Despite their guilt in this matter, you cannot help but feel for the characters, especially as Alvarez does an incredible job making them very relatable, and the circumstances surrounding their crime could honestly happen to anybody. However, the real meat of the story involves the powerful drama that emerges because of the fire, as this lifelong friendship is pushed to the limit, not just because of the actions of the characters, but because of jealousy, family hardship, and the stress of lost futures, that drives all of them to desperate action.

This leads to the second half of the novel, when one of the Monsters goes missing in mysterious circumstances. Evidence soon points to members of the Monsters being involved, potentially to stop the missing person from revealing the groups involvement to the police, and the group is riven by further mistrust and interrogation. This second half of the book is incredibly fascinating, especially as the readers are left unaware of who could potentially be involved as the only point-of-view character, Hannah, suffers from amnesia brought on by a bear attack. While I usually dislike an amnesia inclusion in a novel, it works extremely well in the context of Lies Like Wildfire’s plot, even the bit about the bear attack (it’s a clever, if devastating, inclusion). This lack of memory from the protagonist really keeps the reader on their toes and the sudden mystery is a compelling and fun addition to the plot. I personally became ultra-invested in this book at this point, not only because I wanted to find out what had happened to the missing character, but because I was enjoying the complex character arcs and the quickly decaying personal relationships that bound them together. The final reveal about who was responsible and why is brilliantly done, and I deeply enjoyed the various character reactions that occurred around it, especially from the protagonist. This ended up being quite a complex and deep narrative, and it is one is perfect for teenagers and older readers, as everyone can get really invested in the intelligent and emotional plot.

Overall, Lies Like Wildfire was a brilliant and powerful debut thriller from Alvarez, who came up with an amazing concept and turned it into an outstanding read. I loved the great blend of thriller and young adult drama, especially as it produced a complex and moving tale of youth, disaster, mystery, and the tenuous ties that bind us together. Readers will swiftly become entranced by this excellent and compelling tale, and I really found myself getting drawn into the amazing character driven tale of lies and deceit. I am extremely glad that Alvarez decided to dive across into the thriller world, and if Lies Like Wildfire is anything to go on, she has a really bright future in it. I look forward to seeing what other books Alvarez produces in the future, and I am definitely grabbing a copy of her next book, Friends Like These, when it comes out next year.

The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield

On December 13, 2021November 30, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller9 Comments

The Apollo Murders Cover

Publisher: Quercus/Hachette Audio (Audiobook – 12 October 2021)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 15 hours and 14 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare for one of the most impressive and complex debuts of 2021, with the exciting alternate history science fiction thriller, The Apollo Murders, by former astronaut Chris Hadfield.

In 1973, former test pilot turned government liaison officer Kazimieras “Kaz” Zemeckis arrives at Huston to supervise NASA’s latest voyage into space for their 18^th Apollo mission. On paper, NASA plans to send three astronauts to the moon, seemingly on a scientific expedition. However, Kaz is also under orders to prepare the military astronauts on board for a covert operation to investigate the Russians’ recent rover mission to the moon as well as a secret spy satellite orbiting Earth that could give the Soviets an invaluable advantage in the Cold War.

As the crew prepares for their mission, tragedy strikes when a helicopter crash results in the death of one of the astronauts. Forced to take on a new crew member at the last minute, the team launches and begins to make for their primary mission, the spy satellite. However, the Americans are unprepared for the satellite to be manned by Russian cosmonauts determined to defend their station. The encounter results in a terrible accident and a cosmonaut being trapped aboard the Apollo craft as it hurtles towards the moon.

As the American and Soviet governments argue over the unfortunate events, the Apollo crew attempt to undertake a moon landing with limited crew and resources. Forced to work together with their Russian stowaway, the crew begins to descend towards the moon on an apparent joint venture. However, back on Earth, the Soviet government is determined to turn this to their advantage by any means necessary, even if it means utilising a long-hidden intelligence asset. Worse, it soon becomes clear that the helicopter crash that killed one of the astronauts was no accident. Forced to contend with the knowledge that an Apollo astronaut in space might be a murderous saboteur with nothing to lose, Kaz and the flight team at Huston can only watch helplessly as events unfold and the future of space travel is changed forever.

This was a pretty impressive debut from Chris Hadfield, who really showed a lot of talent in this book. Hadfield, a former astronaut known for his excellent rendition of ‘Space Oddity‘ filmed aboard the ISS, was able to construct a compelling and fast-paced novel with an amazing story to it. Combining detailed science with a complex alternate history thriller, The Apollo Murders ended up being an excellent and powerful read that I deeply enjoyed.

At the heart of this novel lies a captivating and multilayered narrative surrounding a doomed mission into space. Set in the 1970s during the golden age of spaceflight, The Apollo Murders follows a fictional 18^th Apollo mission that goes very differently than intended, with fantastic espionage thriller elements combining with the science and historical fiction storyline. Told from a huge range of different perspectives, this book initially focuses on the planning for an Apollo flight, which intends to both explore the moon and disable a Soviet spy satellite. However, the story takes a turn when one of the astronauts is killed, and from there the story ramps up as the astronauts blast off into space while the other characters, both American and Russian, attempt to follow them while also conducting their own investigations and espionage missions. The novel has an explosive middle, in which the American and Soviet astronauts encounter each other in space with disastrous results. The consequences of this encounter lead into an epic second half filled with lies, deceit, sabotage and backstabbing, as two characters in space attempt to manipulate the situation to their advantage, while everyone on the ground, including Kaz, the astronauts, mission control, the Russians and a variety of other characters try to influence what is happening. This all builds to one hell of a conclusion, with interesting consequences for several of the characters, and one surprise after another.

I really enjoyed this cool story, and I loved the fun blend of genres that Hadfield featured throughout it. On paper, a thriller and murder mystery set around a fictional historical space flight seems a bit too complex for its own good, but Hadfield made it work, and the story is crisp and easy to follow, with none of the component parts overwhelming any of the others. The reader is swiftly drawn into the story and it was fun to see everything unfold, especially as Hadfield ensures that you can see all the various angles and treacheries as they occur. The author made excellent use of multiple character perspectives to tell a rich and captivating story, and it was extremely fun to see how the various characters viewed the situation and reacted to certain events. Each of the characters featured in this novel is set up extremely well, and the reader quickly get to see their unique personalities, history and motivations surrounding the events of this book, which makes them extremely relatable and easily to follow. While the identity of the person responsible for the murder at the start of the novel was a tad obvious, Hadfield uses this to its full advantage, helping to establish the book’s main antagonist, turning him into quite an arrogant and unlikable figure whom the reader really starts to root against. It was really fascinating to see all the various character arcs and storylines come full circle by the end of the narrative, and The Apollo Murders ended up being a brilliant and compelling self-contained novel.

Easily one of the best things about The Apollo Murders was the incredible amount of detail about space flight and the science of space featured within. Throughout the narrative, Hadfield spends an amazing amount of time explaining all the relevant science and technology that is relevant to the plot as the protagonists encounter it. At the same time, the author also features a ton of relevant anecdotes or discussion about the history of spaceflight up to this point, which often serves to highlight the scientific information being provided at the same time. All of this is worked into the plot extremely well, and the reader is soon given insight into what the characters are doing and the significance of their actions. While all this information had the potential to be extremely overwhelming, Hadfield manages to dole it out in appropriate snippets, ensuring that there is never too much science or history in one scene, only enough for the reader to follow what happens. This information is usually very easy to follow, and Hadfield’s writing style ensures that all the relevant facts are explained appropriately as the reader requires. As such, the reader is never left confused at any point, and it leaves them open to enjoy some of the epic scenes. I really must highlight some of the great spaceflight sequences featured throughout this book, including some of the epic take-off and landing scenes. Hadfield really paints a beautiful picture here with his writing, and the reader gets a detailed understanding of every element of the flight and what the astronaut characters are experiencing or attempting to do. These spaceflight elements are extremely well written, and I really must commend Hadfield for the work he put into making them seem as realistic and accurate as possible.

I must also highlight the great historical elements featured in this novel. I rather expected this to be one of the weaker spots of the book, especially with so much focus on the spaceflight or the thriller parts of the book. Instead, the reader is treated to a detailed and compelling discussion about the state of the world in the 1970s, especially surrounding the Cold War and the capabilities of both America and the Soviet Union. A lot of this history relates to space travel, which is probably why Hadfield knows so much about it, and he uses it to great effect throughout the novel, giving the story an appropriate feel. However, Hadfield also takes the time to examine the competing nations of America and the Soviet Union, and there are some brilliant scenes set in both, especially when it comes to the covert geopolitical battle occurring between them. Hadfield portrays this period perfectly, and I especially liked his great use of multiple real historical characters, including politicians, NASA flight crew, espionage heads and even a few famous astronauts such as Alan Shepard, all of whom played vital roles in fleshing out the espionage elements of the plot. While a lot of this book is based on historical events and facts, it is set around a fictional 18^th Apollo mission. This alternate history element is a fun part of the book, and I really appreciated the way in which Hadfield tried to envision how the various governments would react to such as disastrous mission to the moon. I feel that Hadfield captured the political and social elements of this period extremely well, and I really appreciated this examination into history, especially as it combined with the thriller and space faring elements of the book extremely well to produce an outstanding and compelling narrative.

While I did receive a physical copy of The Apollo Murders, I was unable to resist the audiobook version, which proved to be really impressive. With a run time of just over 15 hours, I was able to power through this audiobook quickly, especially once I got engrossed in the cool story. I felt that the audiobook format was very conducive to following the various scientific elements featured throughout the novel, and I had a wonderful time imagining the elaborate space manoeuvres brought to life by the narration. However, the main reason that I wanted to listen to this book was due to its narrator, Ray Porter. Porter is one of the best audiobook narrators in the world today, and I am a big fan of his voice work in the thrillers of Jonathan Maberry (such as Code Zero, Deep Silence, Rage, Relentless and Ink). Porter ended up providing an excellent narration for The Apollo Murders, with each of the various characters presented with a compelling and fitting voice that fit their personalities and nationalities. While it was a bit weird in places to hear a voice from one of the other books I have heard him narrate, Porter was able to produce an excellent flow throughout The Apollo Murders, and the story swiftly moved across at a great pace. This ended up being an excellent way to enjoy this novel and I would strongly recommend checking out this audiobook version of The Apollo Murders.

The Apollo Murders is a brilliant and powerful literary debut from former astronaut Chris Hadfield, who blew me away with this amazing first novel. The Apollo Murders contains a fantastic and complex story that blends several genres into an exciting and clever read that takes the reader on a wild and thrilling adventure into space. Featuring a deeply fascinating look at historical space flights and based around a fictional 18^th Apollo mission, The Apollo Murders was one of the best debuts of 2021 and I had a fantastic time listening to it. This is a great novel to check out and I cannot wait to see what Hadfield writes next.

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It Ends in Fire by Andrew Shvarts

On December 9, 2021August 22, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, LGBT+, Young Adult3 Comments

It Ends in Fire Cover 2

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books (Hardcover – 9 November 2021)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 369 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Book Depository

After wowing the world with his debut trilogy, impressive young adult fantasy author Andrew Shvarts return with a fantastic and entertaining read that cleverly parodies the classic magical school fantasy setting with It Ends in Fire.

Shvarts is a great author whose work I have been rather enjoying over the last couple of years. Shvarts debuted back in 2017 with his Royal Bastards trilogy, which followed a group of illegitimate children as they found themselves caught up in the conspiracies and plots of their dangerous parents. Made up of Royal Bastards, City of Bastards (which has an extremely explosive ending), and War of the Bastards (one of my favourite books of 2019), this was an awesome trilogy, and it has made me very keen to read more of Shvarts’s books. As a result, when I heard that Shvarts had a new novel coming out, one set in one of my favourite settings, a magical school, I knew I had to grab it. I have been waiting for It Ends in Fire for a while, and I was quite excited when I received a copy the other day.

Prepare to visit the Republic, a land of magic, deceit and corrupted power, where the Wizards rule and the non-magical people, the Humbles, are brutally oppressed. At the heart of the Republic is Blackwater Academy, the most prestigious school of magic in the land, where the elite Wizards are trained and forged into scheming, power-hungry sadists. Blackwell Academy has survived for centuries and remains a great power in the Republic, but nobody is prepared for the arrival of its latest student.

As a child, Alka Chelrazi watched as her parents were brutally murdered by a powerful Wizard, and she has since sworn vengeance. Taken in by a rebel group, Alka has grown into their most lethal weapon thanks to her own magical abilities and has spent her life training to do the impossible: infiltrate Blackwell. Taking the identity of a dead Wizard unknown to anyone, Alka is tasked with entering the school, learning all its secrets, and burning it to the ground from the inside.

Determined to carry out her duty to the very end, Alka attempts to find her bearings and learn everything she can. However, Blackwell is unlike any other school in the Republic, its lessons are lethal, the rivalries are fierce, and some students will do anything to succeed, even kill their classmates. To complete her mission, Alka will need to use every skill and trick at her disposal to recruit allies, take out her rivals and help a motley crew of outcasts to win the Academy’s Great Game. However, with dangerous politics, power-hungry rivals, suspicious professors, and an evil headmaster all arrayed against it, can Alka succeed in bringing down the Academy, or will the fires of her revolution be snuffed out before it can begin?

This was an awesome and compelling new book from Shvarts, who has produced another deeply entertaining and intense read. It Ends in Fire has a powerful and captivating narrative that not only contains a great story about revenge and finding oneself, but which also parodies certain magical school stories. I had a great time reading this novel, and I became quite addicted to it as it went along.

It Ends in Fire has a brilliant and exciting narrative that moves at a fast pace and ensures that the reader is never bored. Shvarts starts the story off with a bang, introducing the protagonists and point-of-view narrator, Alka, and showing her initial steps in infiltrating the academy. The start quickly showcases some of the lead characters, the stakes of her mission, and the new and somewhat familiar setting of Blackwell Academy, as well as the surrounding Republic. At the same time, Shvarts includes a series of framing chapters that are set in the protagonist’s past, showcasing her motivations, her many personal tragedies and the training she undertook for her infiltration. From there the story quickly progresses into a compelling arc around the character’s darker magical school experience, while also building up her personal history. There are some fun magical lessons, budding rivalries and caste systems woven into the narrative, and it was intriguing to see this ultimate outsider attempt to get into the flow of this elite school. The crux of the narrative revolves around three magical contents that the various school houses compete in for glory and reputation (as well access to the Republic Senate, which interests Alka). These competitions are pretty awesome, and serve as the major story highlights, much in the same way as the Quidditch matches and the Triwizard Tournament in the Harry Potter novels. I particularly enjoyed the first and third one, and it was pretty fun to see the protagonist engage in some heavy cheating to pull it off.

This all leads up to a big and brutal finale, where the protagonist finally gets to unleash her true personality on her foes, and which potentially sets up some interesting directions for any resultant series in the future. There is a great blend of character development, world building, magical adventure, intrigue and personal betrayal throughout this story, and I ended up getting really stuck into this brilliant narrative. I pretty much read the last 200 pages in a single day, especially as it contained two of the competitions and a fantastic duel, and I really loved how everything came together. It Ends in Fire turned out to be fairly self-contained and feels a lot like a standalone read. That being said, it has some potential to be a larger series, and I would be interested to see where it goes, especially as there are some outstanding storylines to explore. Like Shvarts’s previous novels, It Ends in Fire is aimed towards a young adult audience with its teenage protagonist and supporting characters. Due to some more mature elements, this novel is probably best suited towards an older teenage audience, who will no doubt appreciate the author’s realistic take on teenage education. This novel will also hold a lot of appeal to adult fantasy fans, especially those who grew up on Harry Potter, as this novel acts in many ways like a clever and fun parody of these classic novels. An overall excellent story with some fun twists and major memorable moments.

I must say that I was also incredibly impressed with the new fantasy setting that Shvarts came up with for It Ends in Fire. This new fantasy world is a brilliant and complex collection of nations brought together by an oppressive magical regime ruled by powerful Wizards who control the non-magical people, the Humbles. The author does a great job setting up this cool new world, and I loved the examination of a magical regime and the unique cultural and social circumstances that would evolve in such a regime. I particularly enjoyed the fun examination of the Republic’s politics, especially when it came to the impacts of the protagonist’s actions within Blackwater Academy. It was also very compelling to see the clever hierarchies that see even some Wizards oppressed or disenfranchised, ensuring that the situation is even more complex than the protagonist, who was raised by rebellious Humbles who hate all Wizards, initially believed. This proves fertile ground for the main narrative that follows Alka attempting to take the system down from the inside, and it was a solid background to the narrative. I also really appreciated the cool new magical system that Shvarts came up with for his new novel. In It Ends in Fire, Wizards cast spells by entering a time-dilated field known as the Null, where they carve glyphs into the air with Loci (magical wands) to unleash elemental spells. This is an awesome magical system, which allows for some amazing and complex duals and battles. The slow-motion aspect of the Null ensures that there is some clever strategy involved, as well as some intense explanation from the protagonist, and I deeply enjoyed some of the fun an epic clashes that occurred.

In addition to the cool magic and fun overarching setting, I also must highlight Blackwater Academy, which serves as a dark mirror to other magical schools that have been featured in fantasy novels and media. In many ways, Blackwater Academy is a twisted version of Hogwarts; an elite magic school, with houses, elaborate classes and competitions. Shvarts does an amazing job of working altered versions of these classic magic school elements into his own setting, and pretty much every scene has something reminiscent of these established school settings. However, all these elements are twisted and converted into something far darker and more adult. The teachers are crueller, the rich rival kills with impunity, the lessons are more deadly, and the headmaster is essentially Dumbledore (a highly respected wizard who turned down political leadership to be a teacher), except evil and self-serving. I really liked how Shvarts included these elements in his novels, and it was a lot of fun to not only spot the similarities but also see how the author had twisted them into something different (for example, the protagonist is chucked into the universe’s version of Hufflepuff, and then turns them into a strong team). This resulted in a fantastic and compelling setting that is both familiar and rather distinct at the same time.

While there are a lot of similarities to Hogwarts and other classic magical schools, Blackwater Academy also has some truly unique features, which also enhance how awesome it is as a primary setting. The near murderous rivalries between the houses added some excellent conflict to the narrative, and I found the Humble village located next to the school to be a great inclusion, especially as all the inhabitants are absolutely terrified of their Wizard clientele. I also really loved the unique challenges that the students had to compete in throughout the year into order to win the Great Game. While the inclusion of a three-event competition is somewhat familiar, the challenges themselves are special, and Shvarts obviously had a lot of fun coming up with something new for the young Wizards to compete in. This entire clever setting and compelling magical system help to transform It Ends in Fire into an incredible read, and I hope that Shvarts will explore it more in the future.

I also need to quickly highlight the great characters within this novel. It Ends in Fire features a fantastic and entertaining cast whose unique stories add a lot of depth and drama to this brilliant tale. The most prominent of these is protagonist and narrator Alka, a rebel and wizard who infiltrates the Blackwater Academy with dreams of destroying it and everyone in it. Alka is a complex and intriguing figure who must overcome a lot of emotional turmoil in this novel while also encountering conflicts, revelations and disturbing truths about the nature of evil. Shvarts did an awesome job setting Alka up throughout this novel, and I appreciated the way in which elements of her past life are blended into the primary story. Alka’s unique history and experience with Wizard culture ensures that she is the perfect narrator, ensuring that the reader learns about many parts of the world’s unique aspects through her constant questioning and research. I also appreciated the complex romantic relationships that form between her and two other characters, especially as both are sweet and moving in their own ways, while also naturalising Alka’s bisexuality. The rest of the characters in It Ends in Fire are also set up pretty well, and I liked the cool blend of arrogant rich wizards, bitter Humbles and lower-tiered Wizards who struggle in life nearly as much as the Humbles. Shvarts utilised a wonderfully eclectic group of supporting characters throughout this novel, and I enjoyed some of the friendships and rivalries that formed, as well as the similarities that some characters have to notable Harry Potter characters. The author introduces some interesting storylines and character development arcs around them, and you end up getting attached to their survival alongside Alka. It will be interesting to see if Shvarts will continue to explore them in the future, and I hope he does, as I would love to see what happens to them next.

With his latest novel, It Ends in Fire, Andrew Shvarts continues to dominate the young adult fantasy genre with a complex and powerful read. It Ends in Fire has a brilliant and entertaining narrative that takes a rebellious soul into the heart of enemy territory, an evil and twisted magical school. I loved how Shvarts cleverly subverted a classic fantasy setting with his fantastic narrative and world building, and the resulting story is loaded with magical action, amazing character develop, and multiple fun, high-concept sequences. It Ends in Fire is a highly recommended young adult fantasy novel and you will have a wonderful and amazing time reading it.

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WWW Wednesday – 8 December 2021

On December 9, 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?

The Spy’s Wife by Fiona McIntosh (Trade Paperback)

The Spy's Wife Cover

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson (Audiobook)

Cytonic Cover

What did you recently finish reading?

All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

All of us Villains Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey

Leviathan Falls Cover

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 –2022 Star Wars Tie-in Novels

On December 9, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday12 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 this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out four awesome Star Wars novels guaranteed to dazzle me in early 2022.

It has been a pretty awesome year for Star Wars novels, and I have had a wonderful time reading some of the fantastic 2021 books that tie into the elaborate Star Wars extended universe. Well it looks like 2022 is going to be just as incredible as there are even more Star Wars novels on the way, with several great new entries in the franchise set for release in the next few months. As all the relevant details of the earlier releases are available I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight them, especially as many are likely to become some of my favourite reads of the new year.

The first book I want to feature in this article is the exciting and fantastic sounding new entry in The High Republic range of Star Wars novels, The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray. The High Republic books are a massive interlocked multi-media project that seeks to expand the canon universe by focusing on a range of interesting storylines from the High Republic era of Star Wars History, hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga. This series has already featured some exception novels, comics and audio dramas, and I am deeply excited to see what happens in the High Republic storylines next, especially after some recent compelling developments.

The Fallen Star looks set to be a particularly intriguing read, as it is continuing some of the main High Republic storylines that were set out in the epic preceding novels, Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm. The Fallen Star currently has a release date of 4 January 2022 and I think it has an immense amount of potential, especially as it is written by the talented Claudia Gray, who did such a wonderful job on her previous Star Wars novel Master & Apprentice.

Synopsis:

In this gripping sequel to Star Wars: The Rising Storm, the light of the Jedi faces its darkest hour.

Time and again, the vicious raiders known as the Nihil have sought to bring the golden age of the High Republic to a fiery end. Time and again, the High Republic has emerged battered and weary, but victorious thank to its Jedi protectors-and there is no monument to their cause grander than the Starlight Beacon.

Hanging like a jewel in the Outer Rim, the Beacon embodies the High Republic at the apex of its aspirations: a hub of culture and knowledge, a bright torch against the darkness of the unknown, and an extended hand of welcome to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. As survivors and refugees flee the Nihil’s attacks, the Beacon and its crew stand ready to shelter and heal.

The grateful Knights and Padawans of the Jedi Order stationed there finally have a chance to recover-from the pain of their injuries and the grief of their losses. But the storm they thought had passed still rages; they are simply caught in its eye. Marchion Ro, the true mastermind of the Nihil, is preparing his most daring attack yet-one designed to snuff out the light of the Jedi.

I really love the sound of this cool upcoming novel, and I think that The Fallen Star will end up being one of the best Star Wars books of 2022. It is clear from the plot synopsis that the Nihil, the High Republic’s fascinating main villains, are planning to attack Starlight Beacon, which has served as a central location of the previous novels. Considering some of the chaos that the Nihil have already caused in the previous High Republic books (the attack on the Republic Fair was just plain crazy), this will no doubt be a major and devastating event, and I am expecting a pretty dangerous death toll. There has been some cool official artwork released that shows a falling satellite, hinting at a massive cataclysmic event occurring within the book, and I for one cannot wait to see what happens there.

I am also extremely invested in some of the amazing characters that have been introduced in previous pieces of High Republic fiction, and who will no doubt be strongly featured in The Fallen Star. These characters have been extremely well set up and most of them have gone through some substantial development and devastating moments. I look forward to seeing what happens to some of them in The Fallen Star, and I am particularly keen to see how the Jedi survivors of The Rising Storm are faring after that novel’s terrible events. I have heard rumours that one of the Jedi characters may potentially fall to the Dark Side of the Force, and I will be interested to see if or who it will happen to (there are at least two potential options). Whatever happens, I think we are in for a wild ride with The Fallen Star and I am planning to read it the moment it comes out.

The next Star Wars novel I want to discuss is Midnight Horizon by Daniel José Older. Older is a talented author who has been contributing several great novels to the Star Wars canon ever since his 2018 novel, Last Shot. Midnight Horizon will be a young adult High Republic novel that will follow some younger Jedi and their masters as they attempt to defeat another Nihil threat.

Synopsis:

After a series of staggering losses, the Republic seems to finally have the villainous Nihil marauders on the run, and it looks like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Until word comes of a suspected Nihil attack on the industrial cosmopolitan world of Corellia, right in the Galactic Core.

Sent to investigate are Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy, along with Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram, all fighting their own private battles after months of unrelenting danger. On Corellia, Reath and Ram encounter a brazen young security specialist named Crash, whose friend was one of the victims of the Nihil attack, and they team up with her to infiltrate Corellia’s elite while the Masters pursue more diplomatic avenues. But going undercover with Crash is more dangerous than anyone expected, even as Ram pulls in his friend Zeen to help with an elaborate ruse involving a galactic pop star.

But what they uncover on Corellia turns out to be just one part of a greater plan, one that could lead the Jedi to their most stunning defeat yet….

This sounds like another extremely fun novel from Older and I am very excited to see what cool adventures happens here. Set for release on 1 February 2022, Midnight Horizon will follow on from some of the previous High Republic young adult novels such as Into the Dark and Out of the Shadows, especially as it follows the character of Padawan Reath Silas and his master who have appeared in both of these books. It also serves as a continuation of Race to Crashpoint Tower, with the character of Ram Jomaram, also being featured here. I cannot wait to see what happens to these characters in Midnight Horizon, and I think it will turn out to be another awesome adventure. I am also curious to see the High Republic version of Corellia and it will be fascinating to see what sort of attack the Nihil can pull off here. Midnight Horizon is another High Republic novel that I think has a lot of potential, especially with its fantastic cover up above and I look forward to reading it.

I also wanted to mention the upcoming junior High Republic novel, Mission to Disaster by Justina Ireland. While I do not usually tend to read some of the junior or young reader Star Wars books, I may make an exception for Mission to Disaster. This is because it will follow on from Ireland’s last novel, Out of the Shadows, and features the fun team of Vernestra Rwoh and Imri Cantaros. I look curious to see what happens to these two characters next, and I will probably quickly read Mission to Disaster to continue the interesting storyline they had in their last book.

Synopsis:

The Jedi think the dreaded Nihil marauders have been all but defeated. Their leader is on the run and their numbers have dwindled. Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh hopes this means she will finally have time to really train her Padawan, Imri Cantaros―but reports of a Nihil attack on Port Haileap soon dash those hopes. For not only have the Nihil attacked the peaceful outpost, they have abducted Vernestra and Imri’s friend, Avon Starros. The two Jedi set off for Port Haileap, determined to figure out where the Nihil have taken their friend. Meanwhile, Avon must put her smarts and skills to the ultimate test as she fights for survival among the Nihil―and uncovers a sinister plan. Can Vernestra and Imri find their friend before disaster strikes?

The final book I want to talk about here is the amazing sounding Brotherhood by Mike Chen. Rather than another High Republic book, the early May 2022 release, Brotherhood, will instead focus on the team of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars.

Synopsis:

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker must stem the tide of the raging Clone Wars and forge a new bond as Jedi Knights in a high-stakes adventure set just after the events of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.

The Clone Wars have begun. Battle lines are being drawn throughout the galaxy. With every world that joins the Separatists, the peace guarded by the Jedi Order is slipping through their fingers.

After an explosion devastates Cato Neimoidia, the jewel of the Trade Federation, the Republic is blamed and the fragile neutrality of the planet is threatened. The Jedi dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the Order’s most gifted diplomatic minds, to investigate the crime and maintain the balance that has begun to dangerously shift. As Obi-Wan investigates with the help of a heroic Neimoidian guard, he finds himself working against the Separatists who hope to draw the planet into their conspiracy—and senses the sinister hand of Asajj Ventress in the mists that cloak the planet.

Amid the brewing chaos, Anakin Skywalker rises to the rank of Jedi Knight. Despite the mandate that Obi-Wan travel alone—and his former master’s insistence that he listen this time—Anakin’s headstrong determination means nothing can stop him from crashing the party, and bringing along a promising but conflicted youngling.

Once a Padawan to Obi-Wan, Anakin now finds himself on equal—but uncertain—footing with the man who raised him. The lingering friction between them increases the danger for everyone around them. The two knights must learn a new way to work together—and they must learn quickly, to save Cato Neimoidia and its people from the fires of war. To overcome the threat they face they must grow beyond master and apprentice. They must stand together as brothers.

This sounds like another pretty fantastic Star Wars novel and I am extremely keen to get my hands on this one. I love the entire Clone Wars period of Star Wars history (if you have seen The Clone Wars animated series you know why) and I am very keen to explore more of it here. I love the idea of two Jedi attempting to solve a crime on a hostile Separatist World, which will no doubt result in much conflict, suspicion and political treachery. I am also really keen to see the author’s take on the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan. These two characters have always had an interesting and well-defined dynamic (when they’re not trying to kill each other), and I am curious to see how much this changes in the immediate aftermath of Anakin becoming a Jedi. No doubt some of this tension and conflict will tie-into the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi television series that is coming out soon, and it is possible that Brotherhood might be connected to the planned show in some way. Throw in an early sighting of Ventress, the awesome Dark Side assassin, and I think that Brotherhood is going to be a pretty exceptional read.

Well that is about it for upcoming Star Wars books at the moment. There are a few other novels that have been announced for later in the year like Shadow of the Sith and Padawan, but I might wait until the covers are released before I cover them in a Waiting on Wednesday article. E. K. Johnston’s third and final Padmé Amidala novel, Queen’s Hope, is also due for release in April after it was delayed, although I have previously covered that before. I am deeply, deeply excited for all these cool upcoming Star Wars novels and I cannot wait to see what outstanding adventures happens within all of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite James Bond Films Ranked (December 2021)

On December 7, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Welcome to another addition of Top Ten Tuesday which I run in conjunction with The Artsy Reader Girl. This is actually my second Top Ten Tuesday of the week, but I only just saw the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, and it kind of inspired me. To that end, I thought I would take this opportunity to rank all 25 of the official (Eon) James Bond films in order from my least favourite to absolute favourite. This is a bit of a continuation of some recent lists where I have ranked some of my other favourite film franchises (including Star Wars, MCU and DC Comics films), and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

I have long been a major fan of the James Bond franchise of films as my brother and I really enjoyed them when we were young. Something about the awesome combination of action, over-the-top characters, incredible gadgets and elaborate scenarios really appealed to us (lets face it, we were teenage boys), and we had an absolute blast watching and re-watching them again and again. This love of the franchise has continued well into the present and they remain some of my absolute favourite movies. However, not all James Bond films are created equal.

After some major consideration (and multiple changes), I was eventually able to settle on a ranking, which I think reflects my opinions about this franchise. This list is based on my personal preferences, and I have taken several factors into consideration, including overall quality, impact, creativity, my personal nostalgia, and how well it has stood the test of time. I might put a little bit of preference towards some of the Pierce Brosnan films, as he was my favourite Bond growing up, but overall I think that this is a fair assessment of all 25 films. I have also excluded the two unofficial films, Never Say Never Again and the comedic Casino Royale, which are frankly terrible. Let us see where each of these brilliant spy masterpieces ended up.

List (ranked by descending order):

25. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

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There has to be a bottom to this list, and in this case it is the unfortunate On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Featuring the only Australian James Bond, George Lazenby (which makes this a little harder to say), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a pretty terrible film, especially compared to the rest of the franchise. Not only does Lazenby do a poor imitation of Connery’s Bond rather than doing his own thing, but the story is also extremely silly. I generally skip over it every time I do a big James Bond rewatch. Still, the impacts of this film are felt to this day, especially as it features the death of Bond’s first wife, and is the origin of the line “We have all the time in the world”, which was used to such great effect in No Time to Die. Also, my wife gives this one points for featuring Diana Rigg and Joanna Lumley.

24. A View to a Kill (1985)

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There is a pretty big gap in quality between On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and the rest of the entries on this list, but my next least favourite is probably the last Roger Moore film, A View to a Kill. While this film has some great elements, especially Christopher Walken as the villain, it was a bit of a low point in the franchise. While still giving a game performance, Moore was nearly 60 in this film, and it shows. I also think the viewers’ tolerance for the more zany aspects of the Moore films kind of wanes at this point, making it a bit harder to watch. As such, I have to chuck it towards the bottom of this list, although it is still a fun and compelling entry in this series.

23. Live and Let Die (1973)

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From the last Roger Moore film to the very first. Live and Let Die is an interesting entry in this franchise, although it really is not one of my favourite due to its mediocre storyline, the uninspired supporting cast, and the somewhat problematic portrayal of the antagonists. Still, this movie does have some high points, notably that banger of a title song by Paul and Linda McCartney, and the fun scene with the crocodiles (with subsequent boat chase). A great introduction to Moore as the character, but not one of his strongest films.

22. Diamonds are Forever (1971)

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Sean Connery’s movies are rightly lauded as classics, but out of all of them, Diamonds are Forever is probably my least favourite. Forced to bring back Connery after Lazenby’s sudden departure, the film faced some major issues, namely a resentful lead actor. Still, this ended up being a fun and clever film that harkened back to the original classics. Charles Gray plays a great Blofeld, and you have to love the fun tandem of Mr Wint and Mr Kidd. While I did dislike the way that Bond pretty much got over his dear, departed wife in five seconds flat, this film ends the initial SPECTRE storyline rather well. Not the best film, but pretty watchable, and it lives on in the original Austin Powers film which parodied many elements from it.

21. Spectre (2015)

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The first Daniel Craig film to feature on this list is the very disappointing Spectre. While an okay film, Spectre was unable to live up to its highly regarded predecessor, Skyfall, and proved to be a bit of a let-down. While Craig was amazing and the film had its excellent recurring cast firmly in place (Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris), the rest of the characters were not great. I was severely disappointed by Christoph Waltz as Blofeld, Dave Bautista’s Mr Hinx was killed too early and Léa Seydoux was only an okay Bond Girl here. I also rather disliked its ending that saw Blofeld captured and Bond run off with a girl for a happy future. Still, it had some great scenes, especially that opening sequence with the continuous shot, as well as that fun car chase that was very reminiscent of the classic films. I just wish it had lived up to some of the other Craig films.

20. Octopussy (1983)

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Next on this list, we have peak Roger Moore with the classic Octopussy. This fun film takes the audience on a great adventure throughout India as Bond attempts to stop a nuclear attack. This film has many enjoyable elements, from the tense bomb defusing scene, the interesting supporting cast, that cool opening scene with the mini-jet plan, and the final battle that sees Bond assist a group of female circus performers assault a fortress. While not my favourite Moore film, it is a great addition to the franchise that I have enjoyed multiple times.

19. You Only Live Twice (1967)

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Another classic film from Connery’s era, You Only Live Twice is interesting entry in the franchise that has its ups and downs. I quite like the fun story, the over-the-top action, the inclusion of some fun gadgets (that helicopter), the first encounter with Blofeld, and the massive attack on the volcano lair. However, it is very hard to look past the extremely inappropriate portrayals of Japanese people in this film, as the creators succeed in hitting every stereotype they could. Add in that terrible “disguise” for Connery, and it makes You Only Live Twice one of the most problematic James Bond films out there. Still, it is an exciting classic; just try not to think too hard about it.

18. Moonraker (1979)

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To me, nothing better represents the absurdity of the Roger Moore era than Moonraker. This film is an absolute masterpiece in over-the-top spy stuff, with larger-than-life characters, complex plots, and futuristic space travel. The entire space eugenics storyline is just bonkers, especially as it leads up to an elaborate battle in space between laser-wielding bad guys and US Marines. Add in the return of Richard Kiel’s Jaws, and you have yourself an absolutely insane film that should not work at all, but, it does! Moonraker is easily one of the most entertaining James Bond films of all time, as long as you can overlook its many quirks and just have fun with it.

17. From Russia with Love (1963)

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Hot off the success of the first film From Russia with Love sends Bond on a covert action to Istanbul. What follows is a brilliant old-school spy film that experiments with some classic Bond elements, such as gadgets and the recurring villains SPECTRE. While nominally a Cold War thriller, the creators throw in the machinations of the villainous organisation to see Bond surrounded by enemies on all fronts while forced to protect a valuable asset. This has a lot of great elements to it, including some impressive villains and a clever story. One of the more underrated James Bond films; it is a brilliant classic that I have a lot of fun watching.

16. Die Another Day (2002)

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As I mentioned above, the Pierce Brosnan films are some of my absolute favourite entries in the James Bond franchise. However, Die Another Day is probably the worst of them, despite its all-star cast and great use of nostalgia. While the film has a very promising start, with Bond captured by North Korea and tortured for years, the plot starts to get more and more ridiculous the further you get in, with face-changing technology, giant sun-wielding satellites, and cybernetic suits. The creative team really focused more on action and CGI than substance, and it results in some stupid sequences, including Bond wind-surfing a tidal wave. However, I also love many elements about this film, from the two amazing Bond Girls, Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike, the multiple homages to the previous films (Die Another Day was the 20^th overall entry in the franchise), Madonna’s theme song, and that brilliant car chase sequence on the ice that saw two gadget-laden cars face off. While this was an explosive way to end Brosnan’s tenure, it could have been better. Still, it is extremely watchable and jammed full of exciting scenes that still mostly hold up.

15. Quantum of Solace (2008)

Next, we have the second Daniel Craig James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Quantum of Solace is a solid James Bond movie that maintains the gritty feel established in Casino Royale while also continuing several great storylines from it. Craig, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini and Jeffrey Wright continue to shine, and there are some other impressive performances, including Olga Kurylenko and a slimy David Harbour. I also deeply appreciated the continuation from Casino Royale, especially when it comes to Bond’s unresolved grief for Vesper. However, Quantum of Solace is a somewhat unmemorable film, mainly because it sits between two of the best James Bond movies of all time. While some story elements do come up in later entries like Spectre, you can easily skip this film and still enjoy the rest of the interconnected Daniel Craig movies without missing anything. I also found the villains to be pretty underwhelming, except Jesper Christensen’s Mr White, who barely appears after his initial appearance. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great moments, including the opening sequence, the interrogation in Spain, and the opera sequence, but it really could have been so much more.

14. For Your Eyes Only (1981)

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At number 14 we have the underrated Roger Moore classic, For Your Eyes Only. This fun entry in the franchise contains a taught and clever story that harkens back to the classic spy elements of its predecessors, rather than the over-the-top elements of the rest of Moore’s run. This film is brilliant, with a fantastic espionage storyline that sees Bond try and recover a stolen piece of military hardware. Set throughout Europe, this film makes great use of multiple settings, including that awesome mountaintop monastery, and has one of the more inventive car chases. For Your Eyes Only doesn’t always get the love and attention it deserves.

13. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

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Next up we have The Spy Who Loved Me, the exciting and slightly crazy James Bond film that really helped to set the tone for all of Moore’s subsequent entries. Featuring an over-the-top villain, an underwater base, and Bond’s female Russian counterpart, The Spy Who Loved Me is an absolute classic, with some of the most iconic Bond moments and characters. Not only do you have the brilliant underwater car sequence, but this film also sees the introduction of Jaws, one of the best henchmen ever. This film has so much fun stuff going on within it, and is an absolute must-watch for all James Bond fans.

12. The World is Not Enough (1999)

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Another great Pierce Brosnan Bond film, The World is Not Enough is an awesome entry and it was actually the first James Bond film I ever saw at the cinemas. Brosnan continues to shine as the suavest Bond, with some fantastic and defining moments, including an impressive opening sequence in the Thames. While I love Brosnan here, he is let down by some of his co-stars, especially Denise Richards, who is easily the worst Bond Girl of all time (oh the Christmas puns). That being said, Judi Dench is once again brilliant, and Robbie Coltrane has some great moments reprising Valentine Zukovsky. This film also notable for containing the last appearance of Desmond Llewwlyn’s Q, whose retirement has some extreme emotional potency after the actor’s premature death. While not one of Brosnan’s best efforts, this is still an amazing film, and there is a lot to love about it

11. No Time to Die (2021)

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The latest James Bond film and the final one to feature Daniel Craig in the titular role, No Time to Die was a long time coming. This film has a brilliant story that seeks to bring together all the preceding films and wrap them up properly after the disappointing outing that was Spectre. I found myself getting really drawn into the very clever story of No Time to Die, which made use of some outstanding action sequences and interesting call-backs to Craig’s prior films. While the antagonist is nothing to write home about, the rest of the cast is brilliant, especially Craig, whose brooding veteran spy is perfectly portrayed. Léa Seydoux is a vastly better character in her second outing, Jeffrey Wright gets a fitting final outing as Felix Leiter, Lashana Lynch is an interesting new 007, and I found Ana de Armas’s Paloma to be a lot of fun. This film all leads up to a surprising and memorable conclusion, which I rather liked, although I understand some established fans were less keen. An exceptional film that redeems the franchise after Spectre, the next Bond has some big shoes to fill after Craig’s final performance.

10. Thunderball (1965)

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One of the all-time classic Connery performances, this fourth James Bond film is a compelling and exciting tale of espionage and villainy in the Bahamas. Featuring some outstanding sequences, including a massive underwater battle between henchmen and the Navy, this is a brilliant film and one of the better Connery performances. A favourite of all James Bond fans, it is a shame its legacy has been tarnished by the infamous Never Say Never Again.

9. Dr. No (1962)

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The original James Bond film Dr. No is a masterpiece that expertly introduces the character and the villainous figures he fights. Connery shines here as Bond, playing the character perfectly and giving the spy all the dignity and intensity it required. While it does get more outrageous towards the end, especially with its no-handed villain, for the most part Dr. No comes across as a hard-nosed spy thriller, and I think they got the right blend of classic espionage and fun Bond elements. An excellent film that perfectly started this entire franchise.

8. Licence to Kill (1989)

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I have always believed that the two Timothy Dalton films are some of the most underappreciated entries in the entire franchise. This is particularly true for his first film, Licence to Kill, which was way ahead of its time. Licence to Kill is a clever and intense film that sees Bond go rogue and engage on a revenge mission after his best friend is fed to a shark on his wedding day. This fantastic film has the sort of intense grittiness which would not become common in the James Bond films until the Daniel Craig era. Not only are several villains killed in some incredibly brutal ways, but the horrifying fates of Felix and his wife are surprisingly dark for this period of the franchise. While the audience of the time disliked this intense violence, I think it works from a more contemporary perspective and I really appreciated the way in which the creative team tried to modernise the franchise. This film has a brilliant cast to it, and I loved Dalton’s take on the titular character. Robert Davi serves as a sinister South American drug lord with a love of bloody revenge, and it was very satisfying to see him taken down. I also enjoyed Carey Lowell as a badass Bond Girl, especially after that fantastic introduction in the bar. Throw in a brilliant turn from Desmond Llewelyn’s Q, who shows up on vacation to help his wayward “nephew”, and a young Benicio del Toro as a deadly henchman, and this turned out to be a powerful and memorable entry in the franchise.

7. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

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Out of all of Roger Moore’s Bond films, my favourite has to be The Man with the Golden Gun. The Man with the Golden Gun is a brilliant outing that sees Bond take on the ruthless and talented assassin Francisco Scaramanga. Scaramanga is easily one of the best and most iconic antagonists ever featured in a Bond film, due to the charismatic portrayal by the late, great Christopher Lee. Lee, who was one of Fleming’s inspirations for James Bond thanks to his time in the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, brings some real style and depth to this villainous role, and he definitely comes across as a villain even more skilled than Bond. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast really cannot stand up in comparison. I am not a fan of Britt Ekland’s Mary Goodnight, Nick Nack is a problematic henchman, and why did they bring back Clifton Jame’s racist J. W. Pepper? A fun and exciting entry in the franchise, I loved this film and Lee remains as one of the best James Bond villains out there.

6. The Living Daylights (1987)

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The other Dalton film that is extremely underrated is the 1987 action-packed thriller, The Living Daylights, which dials back the intense violence of Licence to Kill and attempts a more classic outing. This film sees Bond forced into a battle with the KGB by villainous forces, which eventually leads to a massive battle in Afghanistan. This awesome film never slows down and features an impressive supporting cast of characters. I love several of the fun sequences in this movie, from the fantastic car chase sequence in Russia, to the continuous adventures in Afghanistan, whose historical inclusion as the good guys is very interesting in light of contemporary events. I am also a big fan of that whistle-activated key finder gadget, which opened up many fun moments. I really wish that Dalton had been given more films to work with, although that would have affected the next entry on this list.

5. GoldenEye (1995)

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Pierce Brosnan’s initial outing as Bond sets him against a dangerous foe, a rogue former 00 agent with a vendetta against England who manages to obtain a dangerous EMP space weapon. I have a lot of love for GoldenEye, and it is probably the entry I have watched the most over the years. Its plot is pretty perfect, making full use of being the first Bond film produced after the fall of the Soviet Union, and featuring a hacker-based story with some impressive scenes and great characters. Not only is Brosnan perfect as a smooth and exciting Bond, but Sean Bean is one of my favourite villains as Alec Trevelyan (006). Throw in great performances from Robbie Coltrane, Alan Cumming (“I am invincible!”), and Judi Dench as the new M, and you have one of the strongest casts out there. I love so much about this film, especially that fun tank chase through Moscow, and it perfectly revitalised the series after a long hiatus.

4. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

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To my mind, Tomorrow Never Dies is easily one of the best and most entertaining James Bond films out there, and if this list were based purely on my nostalgic joy, it would easily be number one. Tomorrow Never Dies was the first Bond film I ever saw, and it sparked a lifetime of love and enjoyment that lasts until this day. This cool film features an intriguing tale of a crazed media baron who attempts to start a war between Britain and China in order to boost his ratings and get television access into China (it sounds silly, but we all know Rupert Murdoch has done worse). There is so much awesome things about this film, especially as it has one of the best opening sequences of all time: “What the hell is he doing?”, “His job!” The film takes a bit of a darker turn with the attack on the British frigate (that drill torpedo gave me nightmares), which forces Bond right into the middle of a deadly situation. The subsequent massive scenes, such as the hilarious remote control car chase, the motorcycle scene in Ho Chi Minh City, and the final assault on the stealth boat, are all well paced out and perfectly choreographed, and you are not short of action or fun here. Michelle Yeoh and Teri Hatcher shine as the Bond Girls (especially Yeoh), while Jonathan Pryce is a pretty funny and crazed villain. There is honestly not a single thing that I dislike about this film, and I will watch this without hesitation anytime it shows up on the TV.

3. Casino Royale (2006)

While many people had their doubts about Casino Royale before it was released, thanks to the combination of a blonde Bond and the film serving as a reboot of the franchise, it ended up being an absolute masterpiece that perfectly adapted the classic James Bond novel of the same name into an official Eon production. I deeply enjoyed the fresh new take, with a modern and dark look at espionage, with Bond a new agent who is already a little disturbed and a tad psychotic. Craig is incredible here, and I loved his brooding take on the character, which was so different from the classic portrayals. At the same time, Mads Mikkelsen is an outstanding villain as always, bringing a real sinisterness to the role, while not being too over-the-top. I also enjoyed Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd, who proves to a real match to Bond in the female lead, while also leaving a lasting impression on the protagonist. Throw in excellent supporting performances from Giancarlo Giannini, Judi Dench and Jeffrey Wright, and this film perfectly introduced viewers to a new era of the franchise and easily silenced all doubters. Easily the best first-Bond film of all time, it set Craig up perfectly, and I loved how story elements from here would be reutilised in the rest of Craig’s outings.

2. Skyfall (2012)

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In the penultimate spot, we have the 2012 epic, Skyfall. This epic Craig film sees Judi Dench’s M face the consequences of her past mistakes when a dangerous villain reappears. There are so many exceptional elements to Skyfall, including the amazing title song by Adele, the dark and clever story, and some exceptionally crafted sequences. Craig plays an even more damaged Bond in this film, forced to come out of a self-imposed retirement to save the day, while Javier Bardem shines as Rauol Silva, a terrifying villain. Judi Dench’s final outing is one of her best, and you really get a feel for the relationship she has formed with both Bond and the franchise. There are also some outstanding introductions to the new recurring cast of Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw, whose performances helped to round this film out extremely well. I loved everything about this film, from the perfect opening sequence, to the fantastic siege of Bond’s childhood home, and I get a gut-punch every time I see that powerful final sequence with M. Pure excellence and the best of the modern James Bond films.

1. Goldfinger (1964)

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While some of the more recent films are exceptional in a modern sense, I had to include the absolute classic Goldfinger in top position. The third film in the franchise, Goldfinger, is peak James Bond which still holds up to this day, introducing iconic elements that would be used for years to come (even in the latest film), and engaging audiences like never before. Featuring a brilliant plot that evolves from a simple investigation into gold smuggling to an assault on Fort Knox, this is a clever and perfectly paced narrative which has some extremely fun and clever highs, while also adding in gadgets and the outrageous characters we would all come to know and love. There are so many iconic elements to this film, including Harold Sakata’s incredible turn as Oddjob, the hilariously named Pussy Galore, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 car (with an ejector seat), to the massive action sequence at the end. It also features one of the best and most memorable exchanges in film history: “Do you expect me to talk?” “No, Mr Bond. I expect you to die”, which remains one of my all-time favourite quotes. An outstanding and epic film that perfectly captures everything great about the James Bond franchise. I think any future James Bond films will need to do something extremely special to have a hope of dislodging Goldfinger from the top of this list, although I really hope they try.

As you can see, I have put a lot of thought into this list, and I think this captures my feelings and opinions about this incredible franchise. I will plan come back to this list at some point in the future once some new James Bond films are released, although I may end up revaluating a few rankings. I cannot wait to see what the future of this awesome film series will hold, and I look forward to finding out who the new Bond will be (I would personally love Idris Elba). Let me know what you think about my choices in the comments below, and I will be interested to find out which James Bond film is your absolute favourite.

Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Pre-2021 Novels

On December 7, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn 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. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. I am planning to take advantage of this by doing two lists. Not only have a done a movie-related list ranking the James Bond movies, but I am also going to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2021 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists usually focus on 2021 releases, for the last few years, I have also taken the time to list out some of the best novels with pre-2021 release dates that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent older novels out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before this year, and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2021, including some pretty incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2021. This included several 2020 releases I only got a chance to check out this year, as well as a few older novels that I had been meaning to read for a while. I was eventually able to cull this down to a workable Top Ten list, with a descent honourable mentions section. This new list ended up containing an interesting combination of novels, although there was a bit of an overload of entries from the Dresden Files’ series by Jim Butcher, as well as some Warhammer 40,000 novels, both of which I really got into throughout this year. Still this honestly reflects the best pre-2021 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Trollslayer by William King – 1999

I have been meaning to check out the awesome Gotrek and Felix series of Warhammer Fantasy novels for ages and the recent release of the early entries on audiobook gave me the perfect opportunity to finally do so this year. The first book in this series was the fantastic, Trollslayer, which introduced the two mismatched companions, Gotrek the dwarven Slayer and Felix the human poet, and highlights some of their earliest adventures throughout the Warhammer Fantasy world in a series of exciting and fun short stories. This was an excellent initial entry by William King and it made me a massive fan of the unique tandem of Gotrek and Felix.

Skavenslayer by William King – 1999

I ended up loving Trollslayer so much that I immediately read its sequel, Skavenslayer, which proved to be just as fun as the first book. Skavenslayer has a more connected story that shows Gotrek and Felix getting caught up in a Skaven invasion of Nuln. I had an absolute blast with the humour in this novel, especially surrounding the bickering and backstabbing Skaven, and I powered through it in a couple of days.

The Return by Harry Sidebottom – 2020

An epic and clever historical read by the impressive Harry Sidebottom, The Return is a compelling read that sees a damaged Roman soldier return home only to encounter a series of dark murders. I was really glad that I got a chance to read The Return this year after missing out on it in 2020, and it ended up being a compelling read.

Either Side of Midnight by Benjamin Stevenson – 2020

Another 2020 novel I read towards the start of the year, Either Side of Midnight is a compelling Australian murder mystery that serves as a sequel to Stevenson’s first book, Greenlight. Either Side of Midnight had a brilliant thriller storyline, and it was one of the cleverest crime fiction books I had the pleasure of checking out this year.

Top Ten List (by original publication date):

First and Only by Dan Abnett – 1999

2021 was the year that I really dove into the Warhammer extended universe, a decision that I am very happy about as there are some exceptional works there. While the Gotrex and Felix novels were my go-to series for Warhammer Fantasy, when it came to Warhammer 40,000 the clear choice was easily First and Only by legendary Warhammer fiction author Dan Abnett. First and Only is the first book in the acclaimed Gaunt’s Ghosts series, which follows a group of Imperial foot soldiers as they fight and die across the myriad dangerous battlefields of the 41^st millennia. This first novel introduced the reader to the key Ghosts and takes them on a compelling and deadly series of adventures featuring war, death, and conspiracy. A wonderful and deeply exciting read, I cannot wait to enjoy the rest of the series next year.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher – 2000

Another series that I decided to really dive into this year was the exceptional Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Generally considered the gold-standard of urban fantasy novels, this series blends fantasy and crime fiction elements in the city of Chicago. I fell in love with this series last year when I checked out the awesome 17^th novel, Battle Ground (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020) which convinced me to go back and read some of the earlier entries. As such, I read the initial novel, Storm Front, towards the front of 2021 and I had a wonderful time with it. Storm Front contains an excellent story that introduces the protagonist, rogue wizard Harry Dresden, and follows his investigation of a series of magical murders around town. I had an absolute blast with this novel, and while it isn’t Butcher’s best work, it was an excellent debut that serves as a great first entry in this iconic series.

Daemonslayer by William King – 2000

Out of the three Gotrek and Felix novels I have so far had the pleasure of reading, I think that Daemonslayer is probably the best. This cool novel sees the titular protagonists journey to the most dangerous place in the entire Warhammer Fantasy universe, the Chaos Wastes, to face daemons, monsters and warriors of Chaos. This novel has a more complete and linear story than the preceding two entries, which makes for a stronger tale. An extremely exciting and action-packed epic, I look forward to reading more of these novels in the future.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher – 2001

The second Dresden Files novel I checked out in 2021 was the fantastic Fool Moon, which I found to be one of the strongest overall entries in the series. Fool Moon pits the protagonist against multiple tribes of werewolves, each of whom have their own magical origins, as he attempts to solve the murder of a friend and clear his name. This was a very clever and intense novel, and I deeply enjoyed the excellent story and powerful scenes that Butcher was able to craft together.

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher – 2002

I really got into the Dresden Files novel this year and quickly read Grave Peril right after finishing off Fool Moon. Grave Peril was another exceptional read that saw Dresden face off against vampires, elves and a nightmarish being of pure evil. This was another awesome novel that added in some great key characters, new antagonists, and substantial universe expansion. Featuring some truly dark moments and some major character development, this was an outstanding novel that I had a lot of fun with.

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher – 2002

The fourth and final Dresden Files book I managed to get through this year was the awesome Summer Knight. This book sees Dresden forced to work for the Winter Court of the elves who need him to solve a murder. Summer Knight has a great story that moves at an extremely quick pace and takes the protagonist to some awesome new places. I had an excellent time with Summer Knight, and indeed all the Dresden Files books I read in 2021 and I look forward to further exploring this series next year.

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney – 2009

Another series that I decided to go back and check out this year was Mark Greaney’s epic Gray Man spy thriller series. I have been deeply enjoying Greaney’s more recent Gray Man novels, such as Mission Critical, One Minute Out and Relentless, and I thought that it would be good to back and check this series out from the start, especially as there is a movie adaptation coming out next year. I ended up having an incredible time with The Gray Man which set’s the protagonist, Court Gentry, against a horde of professional hit teams. An exceptional and action-packed thrill ride, I cannot wait to see how the movie version of this turns out. I am also extremely excited for some other Greaney books coming out in the next couple of months, as they should be pretty damn awesome.

Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber – 2014

2021 was a great year for new Star Wars novels, many of which were pretty damn exceptional. However, one of the downsides of this was that I had less time to read some older Star Wars novels. I did however get a chance to read Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber, whose previous Star Wars novel, Death Troopers, was an awesome horror read. Lockdown has an awesome (and currently non-canon) story about Maul being sent to infiltrate a maximum-security space prison that runs a series of death fights. This was a great and compelling read, and I loved all the fun elements featured within. I am hoping to check out a couple more earlier Star Wars novels next year, and there are a few that I currently have my eye on.

State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe – 2019

Another excellent book I checked out this year was the 2019 novel State of Fear by Australian author Tim Ayliffe. I had been hoping to read this one for a while, especially after enjoying Ayliffe’s first novel The Greater Good, and I finally got the chance this year in the lead up to Ayliffe’s third novel, The Enemy Within. State of Fear was a great Australian thriller that set the protagonist against a dangerous terrorist threat both in Sydney and in London. Featuring some intense emotional moments and an impressive story, State of Fear is an excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of Ayliffe’s novels in the future.

Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty by Josh Reynolds– 2019

The final entry on this list is the incredibly awesome Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty, which is part of the Necromunda sub-series of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Sinner’s Bounty was initially released in 2019, but an audiobook version came out last year, which was a lot of fun to listen to. Featuring one of the best characters in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, notorious bounty hunter Kal Jerico, this novel takes the protagonist and his team to an obscure Underhive town to get a rich bounty. Forced to contend against monsters, religious zealots, rival bounty hunters and an army of mutants, the protagonists have a cool and fun adventure, filled with intense action, fun humour, and a ton of treachery. An amazing and deeply enjoyable read, I am very glad I decided to check this book out.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see I have managed to check out a bunch of epic pre-2021 novels this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading some other older books in 2022, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. I imagine it will end up looking a little similar, especially as I have plans to continue several of these series, especially the Dresden Files, as well as examining some other outstanding Star Wars and Warhammer novels. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2021.

Quick Review – The Return by Harry Sidebottom

On December 7, 2021November 22, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Quick Review6 Comments

The Return Cover

Publisher: Zaffre (Trade Paperback – 11 June 2020)

Series: Standalone

Length: 307 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Amazon

Bestselling historical fiction author Harry Sidebottom takes you on a dark and compelling adventure into the mind of a haunted Roman soldier as he returns home only to find more death waiting for him with, The Return.

Harry Sidebottom is an impressive author specialising in exciting and detailed Roman historical fiction novels, whose work I have been enjoying for years. Sidebottom has so far written two amazing series, the Warrior of Rome series, which followed a barbarian turned Roman general, Ballista, as he attempts to survive the machinations and wars of the Empire, and The Throne of the Caesar’s novels that examined some of the more obscure and chaotic Roman Emperors. In recent years Sidebottom has started experimenting with some compelling standalone novels. The first of these, The Last Hour, brought back Ballista and set him on a fast-paced adventure through Rome in a manner reminiscent of the television series 24. His next novel The Lost Ten, featured a group of 10 mis-matched Roman soldiers who are sent on an infiltration mission into enemy territory to break a high value target out of prison. His third standalone novel was The Return, which came out last year. I read it a little while ago and failed to provide a timely review for it. However, as Sidebottom’s latest novel, The Burning Road, has just been released, I thought I would take this opportunity to quickly review The Return so I have a clean slate when I get my hands on a copy of his latest book.

Synopsis:

He came home a hero.
But death isn’t finished with him yet . . .

145BC – CALABRIA, ANCIENT ROME. After years of spilling blood for Rome, Gaius Furius Paullus has returned home to spend his remaining days working quietly on the family farm.

But it seems death has stalked Paullus from the battlefield. Just days after his arrival, bodies start appearing – murdered and mutilated. And as the deaths stack up, and panic spreads, the war hero becomes the prime suspect. After all, Paullus has killed countless enemies on the battlefield – could he have brought his habit home with him?

With the psychological effects of combat clouding every thought, Paullus must use all his soldier’s instincts to hunt the real killer. Because if they are not brought to justice soon, he may become the next victim.

The Return was an intriguing and compelling novel that contains a brilliant and dark historical murder mystery. Like some of his previous novels, Sidebottom has blended some unique crime fiction/thriller elements with his traditional historical settings and storylines. As such, The Return reads like an interesting combination of historical fiction and a darker crime novel, specifically Scandi noir. This results in a clever and compelling character driven narrative that follows a dark and conflicted Roman protagonist who is forced to investigate a series of murders in his grim and forbidding village. The author does a wonderful job of blending his historical elements with the compelling crime fiction storyline, and the reader is soon treated to a harrowing and exciting murder investigation. There is some brilliant use of a darker location, including a forbidding forest, as well as a lot of focus on his haunted protagonist, especially through a series of flashbacks. All this comes together into an excellent narrative, and it was fascinating to see Sidebottom’s damaged protagonist dive head long into danger while trying to solve the murder and prove his own innocence. While I did think that the solution to the mystery and the culprits behind the murder was a little obvious, this ended up being an excellent and impressive novel. Sidebottom really takes the readers on a harrowing and enjoyable ride here, and I ended up getting through it in a few short days.

I was deeply impressed with the dark and guilt-ridden protagonist who Sidebottom set this great story around. Paullus is a recently returned soldier who received much acclaim during Rome’s war with ancient Greece, but he is also haunted by his actions there, particularly around the fates of two of his comrades. Thanks to his guilt he constantly sees the Furies, the Roman goddesses of vengeance and retribution, who remind him of the wrongs he commits. To avoid seeing them Paullus dives headfirst into danger, as the threat of death is the only thing that alleviates his guilt. This helps turns Paullus into a fascinating and deeply complex figure who has some interesting interactions with his own emotions and the people from his pre-war life who don’t understand what he is going through. Sidebottom utilises a series of flashbacks to showcase Paullus’ military career and you slowly get the entire story of the protagonist’s heroic past, as well as the event that led to his intense guilt and heartache. While I did think that Sidebottom might have been a tad heavy-handed with the flashbacks (it makes up nearly half the novel), I did really appreciate the sheer amount of work he put into his great protagonist. The author did an impressive job of simulating the guilt, fear and anger of a war veteran attempting to re-enter society and it was really compelling to see. I also deeply appreciated the author’s trick of personifying this guilt into visions of the supernatural Furies, especially as it is never fully established whether they are there or just figments of his damaged mind. The use of Paullus as the central protagonist really enhanced The Return’s excellent story and he was an outstanding investigator for this fantastic murder mystery.

I also really enjoyed the cool historical fiction elements contained within this novel. The Return takes place in 145BC, which is one of the earliest times that Sidebottom has explored in his historical fiction novels. I deeply enjoyed the exploration of this time, especially as Sidebottom features more obscure conquests and locations. The central location of the story, Calabria in Southern Italy, proved to be a fantastic and interesting setting, especially as this region of Italy contained two distinctive social groups, the Roman settlers and the original inhabitants. Due to their historical support of Hannibal during the Punic Wars which saw them forced to give up their lands, the locals are treated as second-class citizens by the Romans, who use them as slave labour. This adds some extra drama and intrigue to the story as these local tribes get caught up in the paranoia and despair around the hunt for the murderer. I also really appreciated Sidebottom’s examination of the Roman invasion of Greece that the protagonist fought in. This is one of the more obscure conflicts from Roman history and the author provides a detailed account of the causes, battles, and eventual consequences of the conflict. I deeply enjoyed exploring this period in the flashback chapters, as there were some detailed and powerful battle sequences which featured some distinctive clashes between Greek and Roman military styles. Throw in some Greek and Roman mythology as a potential cause for the murders or the protagonists’ actions, and you have quite a brilliant historical tale. These grim and bloody historical elements blended perfect with the darker story that Sidebottom was telling and it was absolutely fascinating to see how they were incorporated into The Return’s compelling, multi-genre style.

Overall, The Return was an epic and complex novel that continued to showcase Harry Sidebottom’s amazing talent as a writer. This fantastic novel ended up being one of the more unique historical fiction books I have ever read and I deeply enjoyed the cool combination of classic Roman history and darker crime fiction elements, especially when shown through the eyes of an extremely damaged protagonist. This book comes highly recommended, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Sidebottom’s latest novel, The Burning Road.

Amazon

Book Haul – 7 December 2021

On December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I have been having an absolutely fantastic couple of week for books, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, several of which I have been eagerly awaiting for some time. This includes an interesting collection of late 2021 book, as well as some releases from early 2022, all of which should make for fantastic reading. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below (indeed, I have already gotten through a couple), and they should make for some amazing reads.

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn

I got this one a few weeks ago and I was very happy when I did. Timothy Zahn is the undisputed master of Star Wars extended fiction and his current Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, which has so far consisted of Chaos Rising and Greater Good, has been a detailed and fun-filled series. As such, I have been really looking forward to the final entry, Lesser Evil, that highlights the exploits of the future Grand Admiral Thrawn amongst his own people. I have already read this book and it is pretty damn awesome, review to follow soon.

It Ends in Fire by Andrew Shvarts

Another recent arrival I have already read is It Ends in Fire by Andrew Shvarts. Shvarts, who did such a great job with his Royal Bastards series (check out my reviews of City of Bastards and War of the Bastards), once again presents a brilliant young adult fantasy novel. It Ends in Fire has an amazing story that follows a powerful Wizard and rebel as she infiltrates a nation’s premier magic school in order to burn it down from the inside. A fun and clever novel, I should have a review for it up tomorrow.

The Liar’s Knot by M. A. Carrick

Earlier this year fantastic new author M. A. Carrick (joint penname of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms) wowed me with her first novel, The Mask of Mirrors, which contained a bold story about a con woman drawn into preserving her city. I had a great time with this first book and I cannot wait to see what happens to the amazing characters and storylines next.

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte

I was also very excited when I received a copy of the latest novel from bestselling Australian author Astrid Scholte. This cool book has an awesome plot about a lawyer breaking several magically powered beings out a high security jail. I love the sound of this amazing novel and I cannot wait to see what happens within.

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

I also received the fantastic sound young adult fantasy novel Only a Monster by Vanessa Len. Set to be one of the best debuts of 2022, Only a Monster follows a young woman who discovers that her family are actually monsters from legend, and must attempt to defend herself from a dangerous monster hunter. I really like the sound of this cool read and I look forward to checking it out in the new year.

Resistance by Mara Timon

An intense and powerful historical fiction novel that follows the French Resistance during World War II. I look forward to seeing what thrilling and compelling story this awesome book contains and I am sure that I am going to love it.

Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor

Another interesting 2022 debut, Dirt Town is an upcoming Australian crime fiction/drama novel set in small town Australia. Dirt Town has a fantastic and deep sounding story about a missing girl and I am sure I am going to have a wonderful time reading this dramatic and powerful novel.

Exit .45 by Ben Sanders

I was very happy yesterday when I received this excellent sounding crime fiction novel, Exit .45 by Ben Sanders. It looks like Sanders will be bringing back his protagonist Marshall Grade for another exciting adventure, this time involving corrupt cops and deadly murders. I am very intrigued to read this novel and I already know I am going to love it.

All or Nothing by Ollie Ollerton

The final novel I received was the awesome thriller All or Nothing by former special forces operative Ollie Ollerton. This second book in the Alex Abbott series will take its protagonist on an exciting and dangerous infiltration mission. I look forward to reading this fantastic sounding novel and I reckon I will be in for a fast-paced and ultra-exciting time.

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.