Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 15 September 2022.
Month: October 2022
The Martyr by Anthony Ryan
Publisher: Orbit/Hachette Audio (Audiobook – 28 June 2022)
Series: The Covenant of Steel – Book Two
Length: 19 hours and 42 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The always impressive Anthony Ryan continues his outstanding Covenant of Steel series with The Martyr, which was hands down one of the best fantasy novels of 2022.
Anthony Ryan is an extremely talented author who has been one of the leading authors of fantasy fiction for the last decade, producing several intriguing and major series. Best known for his Raven’s Shadow trilogy (which was followed on by the Raven’s Blade duology), Slab City Blues, The Draconis Memoria and Seven Swords series, Ryan has a substantial catalogue of fantasy works to his name, most of which sound pretty damn epic. However, I have so far only read the books from his latest series, The Covenant of Steel series, which has proven to be exceptional. The first book in The Covenant of Steel was last year’s deeply compelling release, The Pariah, an excellent novel that set up a deeply intriguing and highly addictive character-driven tale of adventure, conspiracy and war.
The Pariah told the adventure of Alwyn Scribe, a young outlaw who was raised by brutal bandit chief. However, his time as a member of a notorious band of villains came to a bloody end when his entire gang is brutally killed by the crown and his mentor is executed. Imprisoned in a mine, Alwyn finds a new mentor in an imprisoned religious figure, who teaches him to be a talented scribe, and he is eventually able to escape. Chance and self-preservation lead him to join the Covenant Company of Lady Evadine Courlain, a pious woman whose religious visions, sermons and sheer faith allow her to bring together a band of dedicated soldiers. Swiftly growing loyal to her, Alwyn becomes one of her key followers, and saves her from certain death several times as they fight across the Kingdom of Albermaine. I deeply enjoyed the elaborate and extremely addictive narrative contained within The Pariah, and this ended up being one of my absolute favourite books and audiobooks of 2021 (as well as being one of my favourite new-to-me authors of the year as well). As such, I was extremely happy to receive a copy of The Martyr a little while ago, although I held out reading it until I could get a copy of the audiobook version as well.
The Martyr takes places shortly after the bloody conclusion to The Pariah and sees Alwyn Scribe now firmly in the service of Lady Evadine Courlain, whose apparent resurrection has led to her being proclaimed a living martyr of the Covenant church. However, this and the fanatical devotion of the faithful of Albermaine have placed her in the crosshairs of both the Crown and the Covenant, both of whom see her as a dangerous pretender to their power. Unable to kill her without starting a religious rebellion, the king decides to use Evadine for his own purposes.
Sent south to the Duchy of Alundia to put down a rebellion and stop a series of religious attacks upon the Covenant faithful, Alwyn, Evadine and the Covenant Company take up residence in a small, dilapidated castle, which soon draws the attention of the Alundian nobility. Besieged by a massive army, Alwyn and his companions must survive the onslaught if they are to pass on Evadine’s message for the future. However, not everything is as it seems. Dark forces are in play and Alwyn soon finds himself in the middle of treacheries, both new and old, as he desperately stands beside his mistress. Forced to dive into the secret past of the land, Alwyn soon discovers that many of the things that Evadine preaches are true, including the legend of the Scourge that destroyed the world and threatens to re-emerge. But is Alwyn fully prepared for all the heartache, betrayal and bloodshed his quest is about to unleash?
Anthony Ryan is on fire once again with his second book in The Covenant of Steel series. The Martyr is an epic and deeply addictive read that perfectly follows on from Ryan’s previous book and in some ways surpasses it with its impressive storytelling and amazing characters. Thanks to its incredible story and cool expansion of Ryan’s fantasy universe, I had an outstanding time getting through The Martyr, and it receives an easy five-star rating from me.
I had such an outstanding time with the epic story that Ryan pulled together for The Martyr, especially as it cleverly expands on the narrative from the first book, while also taking the characters in some awesome new directions. The book has a very strong start to it, which follows on from a useful, and slightly humorous, summary of the events of The Pariah. From there, we quickly see the fallout from the last book, with the protagonist Alwyn and his comrades forced to engage in the politics of the realm to ensure that living martyr Evadine is allowed to continue her work. The narrative is still told from Alwyn’s perspective as he recounts the events in chronicle form, so I was quickly hooked, and I liked the immediate dive into fantastic political intrigue and compelling universe building. However, the story only gets even more awesome from there, as the protagonist and his company are deployed to a war setting, which turns out to be particularly epic as they are soon caught up in some outstanding siege scenarios.
Now, I frankly had no idea how Ryan was going to improve on the outstanding story from The Pariah, but having a siege storyline was a pretty good way to go about it. I love sieges, and Ryan featured an incredible example here, as a large amount part of the book revolves around two amazing battles between attackers and castle defenders. The first of these sees the protagonists trapped inside a dilapidated fortress facing off against a larger army, which proved to be a lot of fun. The author really captures the chaos and drama of an impromptu siege with this earlier one, and the carnage comes quick and fast as the characters are forced to bring the attackers to battle before repelling them, using their wits and limited resources. The action here is pretty intense and shown in excellent detail, as Ryan does not hold back on the brutality and the complexities of a siege. I had such a great time with this first siege, and words cannot describe how ecstatic I was that he followed it up with a second siege, with the protagonists now acting as besiegers, in a more traditional siege, with artillery, sapping and even a deadly storm of the breach with the point-of-view character in the front. These two sieges were pretty damn exceptional and have some of the best and most bloody action scenes in the entire book. I particularly liked how well the author contrasted the differing experiences that the protagonist experienced as both a defender and an attacker, and it was fascinating and very fun to see him on both sides of the wall, especially as he learns from his experiences to become a better invader. However, it is not all about the action, as you have some compelling political considerations going on here, as well as some great character development and the protagonist gets closer to some of the other characters during the heat of combat.
Following the sieges, the story goes in some interesting and unique directions, as Ryan continues the epic of Alwyn Scribe by expanding the universe around him. This includes a visit to a dangerous foreign land, where he learns some harsh and surprising truths about the universe he lives in and his place within it. This results in some trippy but deeply fascinating scenes, especially as there are some interesting reveals and some great hints for the future. Ryan also once again dives into the political intrigue, as the protagonists are involved in some great fights for the future of the realm. Watching the protagonists fight both on and off the battlefield is pretty cool, and the sheer threats growing around them in the last quarter of the book bode well for the future of the series. There are some interesting reveals towards the end of The Martyr, and Ryan also works to tie up a few loose ends from the previous book, which I was very happy to have closure on. Everything ends on a very intriguing note, as Ryan leaves behind a great little cliff-hanger reveal that will be very thought-provoking in the lead-up to the next book. I had such a great time with this story, and it really drew me in with its fantastic moments and complex, overarching storylines.
I am a pretty big fan of how The Martyr’s story came together, and Ryan has a great writing style that really enhanced the whole experience. I absolutely loved the chronicle style that he uses to detail the plot. Told completely from the protagonist’s perspective as he writes down all he experiences, you get a unique view of the events occurring, especially as the protagonist writes in funny or insightful comments that show his opinions of the events in hindsight. At the same time, they allow the protagonist to air his many regrets, and you get a certain sense of foreboding for some of the events that are to come, either in this book or in the rest of the series. I was pretty consistently entertained by this style of writing, and I think that it also added in some extra humour to a somewhat darker fantasy story, especially as the protagonist is quite a funny and unconventional figure. The Martyr’s story has an amazing blend of different elements, and while I lavished my love above on the great action, especially during the siege sequences, most of the book is about the development of the protagonist and his attempts to keep Evadine alive. This results in a brilliant combination of politics, intrigue, great interactions between figures, and some awesome character development, which works to produce quite an addictive read. Watching Alwyn trying to come to grips with the many dangers threating his friends, while also unpicking the multitude of mysteries and secrets surrounding him is just great, and Ryan keeps adding in new secrets and supporting storylines to keep the reader interested. While there is a lot going on within The Martyr, the pace is pretty fast and consistently exciting, and at no point was I not immensely entertained, either by the powerful action or fascinating world building. Due to the amount of lore and history featured in the first book, I would strongly suggest that interested readers get through The Pariah before trying out The Martyr, and fans of the first book will really enjoy where this second book goes and how Ryan effectively tells the story.
I was very impressed with all the cool ways that Ryan expanded the series’ setting in The Martyr, as he adds in some great additional history, expands on some of the mysterious religious and mystical aspects of the first, while also showing off some fascinating new lands. This additional context around parts of the nation of Albermaine proves to be pretty damn intriguing, and you learn a lot more about it, while also seeing a lot more about its internal politics and rule, especially as the characters are forced to deal with the royalty and the church. The inclusion of the Duchy of Alundia, where much of the plot takes place, was also pretty excellent, especially as Ryan portrays it as a more rugged and dangerous locale, whose unique take on the Covenant religion leads to a veritable holy war when Evadine and her company arrive. However, the most captivating new part of the book has to involve the protagonist’s journey to the Caerith Wastes. Alwyn has been haunted by members of the mysterious Caerith race since the start of The Pariah, and their strange ways and powerful magics have been both a boon and a curse to him. As such, a journey to their homeland was always inevitable, and Ryan ensures that there are many surprises, mysteries and some interesting reveals for the protagonist when he finally arrives. Ryan did a really good job introducing this new race of people in the story, and there are some great scenes where Alwyn attempts to learn more of them, while using his own personal history to stay alive with them. The subsequent reveals about some of their powers and how it has been impacting Alwyn are pretty amazing. One reveal, which illuminates the origins of Alwyn’s historical chronicle that the entire series is based on, was particularly compelling, and it sheds a whole new light on everything you have been reading. Overall, Ryan did a fantastic job expanding his fantasy realm in The Martyr, and I look forward to seeing what cool inclusions he features in the next book.
Easily one of the best things about The Martyr was the outstanding and complex characters that were such a key part of the book. Ryan expands on many of the great characters from the first book and takes their unique narratives in some amazing new directions. The compelling and dramatic interactions that occur between these figures results in some powerful moments and I deeply enjoyed seeing the outstanding ways their tales and lives evolved in this second book.
The character who naturally gets the most focus is central protagonist and sole point-of-view character, Alwyn Scribe. A former bandit who, thanks to a series of influential leaders and friends, became first a talented scribe and then a soldier, Alwyn is a man with a past and a fast mind who now finds himself in the centre of his nation’s crisis. Dedicated to the Lady Evadine, Alwyn spends much of this book advancing her cause, while also evolving further as a character. While he still primarily considers himself to be a scribe, Alwyn ends up taking on more and more different roles as he finds himself thrust into Evadine’s adventures, including being a knight, a military commander, a politician and a spymaster. As such, you see him go through some major leaps and developments as he tries to reconcile what he is with what he needs to be to keep those around him alive. This proves to be quite fascinating, and I loved the various unique situations he finds himself in, especially as he begins to realise some of the mystical mysteries the world contains and his place in them. Alwyn continues to be an excellent main character for this series, and I loved his depictions of how the events of the book unfold, especially as his later insights from when he chronicles his adventures add both weight and humour to the current story. His unique background as a criminal and a scribe continues to serve him well in The Martyr, and he has some very inventive ways of solving problems that often rely on his criminal or academic past. I also deeply enjoyed seeing him take on a role as a teacher and mentor to several younger characters in this book, and it was a nice to see Alwyn come full circle after all the mentorship he received in the first book. I had a great time seeing how he grew into the new roles in this book, and it will be fascinating to see what different positions he takes on in the future, especially as he becomes more and more devoted to Evadine, not matter how crazy their adventures become.
That leads nicely to the other major character I wanted to highlight, Lady Evadine Courlain. Evadine is a fascinating figure in this series, a pious and devote noblewoman who has been receiving prophetic visions all her life. Believing these visions to be from the Seraphile (the divine focus of the Covenant religion), Evadine created her own military company in the hopes of averting the Second Scourge (an apocalyptic calamity). After miraculously recovering from a fatal wound, Evadine has now been declared a Risen Martyr, and believes herself to have been raised up by the Seraphile, despite it actually being caused by a magical bargain struck by Alwyn. Now a major religious figure, Evadine has become a threat to both the church and the crown and must deal with their attempts to destroy her while she attempts to achieve her mysterious goals. I deeply enjoy Evadine as a character, particularly as there is such an inherent mystery behind her, as you have no idea whether she is actually divinely blessed or just crazy. Ryan portrays her as both at times, and while it is easy to assume the latter, she keeps coming up with knowledge and insights that should be impossible to achieve. Watching her continue to evolve as a religious figure in The Martyr is both fascinating, and a little concerning, as you really have no idea where her story is going to go, or what insanity or divine revelation may come from her next. Evadine serves as a quite a good foil to the more cynical character of Alwyn, and they become quite an intriguing team in The Martyr, with Alwyn providing the means to many of her successes, while strongly disbelieving her divine status. There is also a certain growing instability in Evadine that underlies much of the book and adds to the general tension between her an Alwyn. This, as well as a few intriguing reveals, makes Evadine one of the most compelling and unique figures in the series and it is clear that Ryan has some very, very interesting plans for her future.
Aside from Alwyn and Evadine, The Martyr is loaded with a ton of great supporting characters who add a substantial amount to the overall narrative. Many of these characters carry over from the first book, and there are some intriguing and dramatic developments that occur in The Martyr that prove to be quite shocking and fun in places. Great examples of this include the disgraced knight Wilhum Dornmahl, who is a major figure in the Covenant Company’s ranks, Ayin a murderous young girl Alwyn takes under his wing and teaches, and the mysterious Sack Witch, who haunts the character, despite barely appearing in the book. In addition, Ryan introduces many new great characters in the second book, or else finally introduces and expands on characters mentioned in The Pariah. Two minor characters from the first book who really stood out to me in the sequel were Princess Leannor, the king’s sister, who serves as a canny and complex political adversary to Alwyn; and Ehkbert Bauldry, a legendary knight who Alwyn bears a grudge against, but who also proves to be an interesting ally. Both have some intriguing interactions with Alwyn, especially as they know he has some substantial dirt on them that makes him quite a threat. I also must highlight outstanding new characters like Juhlina, better known as a The Widow, a deadly Covenant Company soldier with a tragic backstory and unstoppable rage, and Lilat, another new mentee for Alywn. These characters were all extremely fun and compelling, and I loved how Ryan fit them into the story and made them shine.
As I mentioned above, I did receive a psychical copy of The Martyr a little while ago, however, I held off reading it until the audiobook version came out. While I did regret not diving into the story as soon as I got it, I think it was more than worth it as the audiobook format of The Martyr was pretty damn exceptional. Coming in with a run time of just under 20 hours, The Martyr has a decent length to it, although I found myself getting through it in just a week, mainly because I was just so addicted to Ryan’s outstanding story. The audiobook format really helped with my enjoyment of this book, and I really found myself getting drawn into the elaborate narrative through the narration. I definitely absorb more narrative detail when I listen to a book, and this was particularly noticeable with The Martyr audiobook, as I found all the cool story elements, details about the setting, intriguing characters and epic action popped more into my head through this format. I also really need to highlight the exceptional voice work of actor Steven Brand (who I best know as the villain from The Scorpion King) who has lent his voice to the audiobook versions of all of Ryan’s works. Brand is an extremely talented audiobook narrator who deftly captures the many characters contained with The Martyr and gives them distinctive and compelling voices that really fit the character and showcase their emotions. I particularly liked the way in which he portrays protagonist and narrator Alwyn Scribe, and you really get a sense of the character’s emotional state, as well as the sense of weariness the chronicle format conveys through Brand’s voice. This ended up being a pretty awesome audiobook and it was definitely my preferred way to enjoy The Martyr. As such, this format is highly recommended, and when I get around to reading the rest of Ryan’s books, I will be grabbing their audiobook versions.
After all the gushing above, I think it is fair to say that I deeply enjoyed Anthony Ryan’s latest book. The Martyr was an exceptional and deeply addictive read that I felt perfectly continued the amazing groundwork he established in The Pariah. This second entry in The Covenant of Steel series was something special, and I had such an epic time seeing what unique and captivating adventures and battles the great protagonists found themselves in. The Martyr was such an outstanding fantasy read, and I can’t wait to see how Ryan continues this awesome series in the future. A truly incredible read!
Throwback Thursday – Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill
Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – July 2002)
Series: Warhammer 40,000
Length: 11 hours and 3 minutes
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. For this latest Throwback Thursday, I dive into some old-school Warhammer 40,000 fiction with the exceptional Storm of Iron by one of the most prolific Warhammer authors, Graham McNeill.
Readers of this blog will know that I have been really getting back into Warhammer fiction in the last few years, and I have had an outstanding time reading all the exciting and captivating reads the franchise’s extended universe contains. I have been particularly impressed by the sheer number of talented authors who contribute to this extended universe, and I already have a few favourites due to how epic and complex their novels have turned out to be. However, one of the main contributors to the current Warhammer canon I had not really explored yet is the superbly talented Graham McNeill. McNeill has been writing Warhammer fiction for 20 years now, and he has produced multiple books for both the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy sub-franchises. Best known for The Ambassador Chronicles, Legend of Sigma, Ultramarines and Forges of Mars series, as well as his entries in the massive Horus Heresy series, McNeill has produced some outstanding sounding books throughout his career (including several books I really want to read) and had an incalculable impact on Warhammer fiction universe. I however, have not had too much experience with his works, although I do have several of his novels sitting on my shelf. I am hoping to read more of his stuff in the future, but I ended up starting with one of his earlier books, the standalone Warhammer 40,000 novel, Storm of Iron.
The Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World of Hydra Cordatus is a barren and desolate place, garrisoned by Imperial Guard of the 383rd Jouran Dragoons and members of Adeptus Mechanicus, who rule from one of the mightiest and seemingly impregnable fortresses in the galaxy. No-one ever expected that the many wars that plague the universe would ever come to a planet as seemingly inhospitable as Hydra Cordatus, but hell has descended upon the planet in the form of Chaos Space Marines from the feared Iron Warriors legion.
Under the leadership of the dread Warsmith Barban Falk, the Iron Warriors have arrived on Hydra Cordatus in substantial numbers, determined to destroy all the Imperial defenders and take the planet’s main citadel. After a blistering landing upon the surface of the planet that cuts off all hope of relief, the Iron Warriors deploy their full force of warriors, slaves, labourers and even several corrupt Titans to assault the enemy. But they have not chosen an easy target, as the citadel of Hydra Cordatus is no ordinary fortress. It is an ancient and mysterious stronghold, whose walls are designed to stymy any attack, and few foes would have a chance of defeating its defences.
However, the Iron Warriors have long been considered the greatest siege warfare specialists in all the universe. Having honed their bloody craft for millennia since their betrayal of the Emperor, the corrupt Iron Warriors soon embark on an ambitious and fast campaign that soon threatens to completely destroy the Imperial forces. Only the arrival of members of the Iron Warrior’s greatest enemies, the Space Marines of the Imperial Fists, gives any hope to the defenders. But can even the legendary Imperial Fists stand against the ancient fury of the Iron Warriors? And what secrets truly lay hidden in the depths of Hydra Cordatus’s citadel?
Well, this was a pretty damn awesome Warhammer book. McNeill did a remarkable job with Storm of Iron, producing an intense and action-packed novel that might be one of the best siege novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Loaded with impressive battle-sequence after impressive battle-sequence, as well as a ton of intriguing and fun characters, Storm of Iron was an outstanding read, and I had so much fun getting through it.
I will admit that one of the things that really drew me to Storm of Iron is that it showcases a massive siege in the gothic future of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. I have always deeply enjoyed books with sieges in them, and the Warhammer universe is naturally filled with some good examples of this, although these mostly occurred in the fantasy focussed books. As such, I was quite intrigued to see how a science fiction siege would occur, and McNeill really did not disappoint, painting a powerful and captivating picture and using the Iron Warriors and Imperial Fists, both of whom are known for their siege craft, as central figures in the narrative.
McNeill starts Storm of Iron off with a bang, showing the Iron Warrior’s initial move as they launch a lightning-fast raid and landing upon Hydra Cordatus in the opening chapters. From there, the siege of the citadel starts in earnest as the Iron Warriors deploy their entire army towards it. Told from multiple character perspectives of both the attackers and defenders, you swiftly get to know all the key players of the book and see their various personal and military struggles as the siege unfolds. The author sets everything up perfectly, and you are soon engrossed in the novel-spanning siege, which McNeill explores in intricate detail, examining the various moves and countermoves that the two sides are doing. You get some awesome scenes throughout Storm of Iron, and it really has everything you could want from a siege book, including artillery barrages, trench warfare, sapping, sallies, reinforcements, counterattacks and desperate fighting in breaches. The entire story moves pretty quickly, and there are barely any pauses in between battle scenes. Any delays that do occur serve an essential part of the plot, showing the various personal issues impacting the participants, introducing new characters, or exploring some of the hidden intrigue going on within the besieged citadel.
The story picks up even further around the middle, with the arrival of the Imperial Fists Space Marines who give the defenders more of a fighting chance. As such, you are never quite certain how the book is going to unfold, and the battle really could go any way. I liked how McNeill balanced the book between the Chaos and Imperial characters (or the attackers and defenders), and I deeply enjoyed seeing how each side conducted their war, especially as both had to deal with internal dissension and setbacks. I think that the narrative had a great blend of cool story elements, and the combination of action, intrigue and character work fit the story very well. Naturally, the best part of the book is the exceptional battle scenes, and thanks to author’s detailed depictions, it is extremely easy to envision all the intense fight sequences that unfold. There are some outstanding scenes here, and there is a little bit of everything, included destructive ranged warfare, brutal close combat fights, desperate last stands and even some over-the-top battles between the massive Titans (essentially intense mecha warfare). This entire story comes together pretty well, and I really liked the fantastic and dark notes that McNeill left it on. While I wasn’t too shocked by one of the book’s main twists, there honestly wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t entertained by Storm of Iron’s story, and I had such a fantastic time seeing this entire epic siege unfold. I managed to power through this book extremely quickly, and I had so much fun seeing how this protracted battle unfolded. As such, this is a must-read for all those who love a good siege book, and I really appreciate the awesome story that McNeill featured here.
I love all the cool Warhammer 40,000 elements that McNeill was able to fit into this awesome book, and fans of the franchise will appreciate his attention to detail and fun depictions of the various factions and their iconic regiments/toys. While the Imperial Guard, Adeptus Mechanicus and Imperial Fists are all featured here, this book is mainly about the Iron Warriors, and it was fascinating to see them in action. These traitorous and corrupt siege specialists have a rich history of hatred, and while the author doesn’t go completely into their fall from grace, you get a good idea of why they turned and some of the terrors they have inflicted. Indeed, all the depictions of the Chaos side are extremely powerful, and you get an impressive view of just how twisted and dangerous they and their dark gods are. That being said, you get a much more nuanced viewpoint of the Chaos side here than most Warhammer books have, and it was utterly fascinating to see their views on the conflict. That, combined with some of the secrets that the Adeptus Mechanicus are hiding, continues to reinforce one of the key concepts of the Warhammer 40,000 universe: that there really are no good guys here, just winners and dead people. Thanks to author’s ability to highlight key universe and faction details, this is one of those Warhammer 40,000 books that could serve as a great introduction to Warhammer fiction, and if a massive and bloody siege doesn’t get your attention and make you interested in this franchise, nothing will. As such, you don’t need to come into Storm of Iron with too much pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe to enjoy this book, although established fans will naturally get a lot more out of it. I am personally glad that, of all of McNeill’s books, I chose to start with Storm of Iron, especially as it apparently sets up some of his future Warhammer entries. In particular, it introduces one of the key antagonists of his Ultramarines series, which has long been on my to-read list, and I look forward to enjoying more of McNeill’s epic Warhammer books in the future.
I also deeply appreciated some of the excellent character work that was featured within Storm of Iron. Due to how McNeill writes the story, the book features a huge range of different point-of-view characters, broken up between the Iron Warriors and the members of the 383rd Jouran Dragoons who are defending the citadel. While the quick-paced story and multiple character perspectives cuts down on development a little, you do get to know all the key characters very quickly, and McNeill fits in some absolutely fascinating character arcs that I deeply enjoyed. Three of the most interesting characters are the Iron Warriors captains who are leading the assault on Hydra Cordatus, Honsou, Forrix and Kroeger. All three are pretty interesting in their own right, with Honsou the true believer ostracised by his comrades due to his heritage, Forrix the disillusioned veteran, and Kroeger the mad berserker who is slowly going insane serving the Blood God Khorne. Their personal storylines are all amazing, but the real fun is seeing their interactions, especially as they all hate each other and are vying for their master’s favour. McNeill spends a lot of time with these three villains, and you really get a sense of whole Iron Warrior’s legion through their disparate viewpoints. I will say that I didn’t think any of the Imperial characters quite measured up to these Chaos characters, especially as McNeill really worked to make them as compelling as possible. I did deeply enjoy the character of Guardsman Julius Hawke, a slacker who finds himself alone in the wilds and serves an interesting role in the battle. I was also quite intrigued by Lieutenant Larana Ultorian, a defiant soldier who is captured by the Chaos forces and slowly driven insane by her forced service to them. These characters, and more, all help to turn Storm of Iron into a much more complex and powerful read, and I had a great time explore all their unique stories and histories here.
I doubt anyone is going to be too surprised that I made sure to grab the recently released audiobook version, which in my opinion is one of the best ways to enjoy a cool Warhammer book. The Storm of Iron audiobook was a pretty good example of this, as I quickly got drawn into it, especially as the awesome action sequences became even more epic when they are read out. With a run time of just over 11 hours, this was a decent length Warhammer audiobook, although I managed to power through it in less than a week, mainly because of how much I got caught up in the story. I was also pretty impressed by the narration from Michael Geary, who really dove into the various roles contained within Storm of Iron’s story. Geary clearly had a lot of fun telling this dark tale, and I felt his fast-paced narration really added the intensity and excitement of the story. I also felt that he did a great job bringing the various characters of Storm of Iron to life, and each of the main figures is given a unique voice or accent to help set them apart. While I liked all the cool voices he did, Geary’s take on the various Chaos Space Marines was very memorable, especially as he really captures the cruelty, hatred and dark demonic influences that affect them. An overall excellent Warhammer audiobook, I had such an exceptional time listening to this version of Storm of Iron, and this format comes highly recommended.
Overall, I am extremely happy that I chose to read this fantastic Warhammer 40,000 novel, and it was one of the more interesting older entries in the franchise I have so far read. The extremely talented Graham McNeill did a wonderful job on Storm of Iron, and I had such an amazing time getting through its elaborate and action-packed narrative. This book featured such an impressive depiction of a siege in the gothic far future, and readers are in for an intense and captivating time as they see this complex battle between besiegers and defenders unfold. Clever, compelling, and filled with pulse-pounding fun, Siege of Iron was an excellent book and I look forward to reading more of McNeill’s Warhammer books in the future.
WWW Wednesday – 12 October 2022
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?
Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, today, which is so far proving to be quite an impressive read. An intense coming of age story that will see its teenage protagonist and his dog venture into a dangerous fairy realm, this book is pretty awesome so far and I am quite intrigued to see how this entire novel unfolds.
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)
I had several awesome audiobooks to start up this week, but in the end I went with In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, mainly because of how much I enjoyed his previous book, Promise of Blood. I have made a fair bit of progress on this audiobook already and it is proving to be just as epic as I thought it would be. Set in a new fantasy realm where magic is contained in glass, In the Shadow of Lightning has a great blend of intrigue, politics, action and character development, and I am already very hooked. I can’t wait to see how this book continues and at the rate I’m going with it, I’ll probably finish it off by this time next week.
What did you recently finish reading?
Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)
An excellent Star Wars novel that did a wonderful job capturing the romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia. I deeply enjoyed this cool book and it ended up being quite an intriguing read.
Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)
This has to have been one of the better Warhammer 40,000 novels I have read recently, especially as it had a brilliant and dark story to it. Depicting a massive siege of formidable fortress, this was a very exciting book, and I loved the cool directions that McNeill took the story. I am hoping to get a review up for this soon in a Throwback Thursday article, but this is a must-read for all Warhammer fans.
What do you think you’ll read next?
My plan, after I get through the massive brick that is Fairy Tale, is to dive into some of the intriguing thrillers I have sitting in my to-read pile. The first one of these that I need to check out is the compelling debut, Seventeen by John Brownlow. Set to feature a bunch of awesome assassin characters duking it out, Seventeen sounds pretty incredible and I look forward to seeing what happens in it.
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 – Three-Edged Sword by Jeff Lindsay
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For my latest Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at an awesome upcoming thriller read with Three-Edged Sword by Jeff Lindsay.
Over the last few years, I have been having a lot of fun with some intriguing new heist novels from bestselling thriller author Jeff Lindsay. Best known for his Dexter books, Lindsay has recently been working on another awesome series with the Riley Wolfe books. So far made up of Just Watch Me and Fool Me Twice, the Riley Wolfe books follow the titular character of Riley Wolfe, the world’s greatest thief. Intensely arrogant and pretty damn psychotic, Wolfe is the master of the elaborate heist, pulling off some over-the-top crimes during his first two books, including snatching an un-stealable relic from the middle of an army guarded museum and looting an entire wall from the Vatican. However, his last few jobs have had added complications, and the character has drawn way too much attention to himself.
This leads to the third book in the series, Three-Edged Sword, which is set for release on 6 December 2022. In this book, Wolfe once again finds his loved ones under threat as a new enemy kidnaps the people closest to him in order to blackmail him into committing an impossible heist. This time, the protagonist will need to break into a highly fortified and remote Soviet missile silo to steal another madman’s property.
I love the sound of Three-Edged Sword and I can’t wait to see how this entire adventure unfolds. The previous two Riley Wolfe books have been pretty awesome, even if I have a large dislike for the protagonist, although that is part of the series’ charm. I am eager to see how Lindsay sets out the new scenario in Three-Edged Sword, and more importantly, the ridiculous lengths the protagonist will go to in order to achieve his goal. I have no doubt that this will be a fun and very easy novel to enjoy, and I can’t wait to see what crazy antics occur in the next Riley Wolfe book.
Plot Synopsis:
Super thief Riley Wolfe can do it all. He is a master of disguise, can scale a wall, and can vanish into thin air (thick air, too). He uses these unique talents to rob the richest. But this time, it’s the most powerful who have him in their grips.
ONE MADMAN. TWO HOSTAGES.
It’s not just that the high-up, rogue government agent has abducted the only two people Riley loves: it’s the fact that Riley has to do the man’s dirty work to set them free. It’s something Riley ordinarily would find a modest day’s work, infiltrating a madman’s Soviet missile silo in one of the world’s most remote places, all to find a secret on a tiny flash drive–but he’s never had to race the clock like this.
SOMETIMES TRUTH CAN BE A THREE-EDGED SWORD.
From its vivid, remote locales to its John Wick-meets-Deadpool dialogue, this gripping heist novel from Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter series, is everything: an utterly escapist, must-read novel of espionage, thievery, love and betrayal. It twists, it turns, and keeps everything on the line until the very end. Even for Riley, it looks like this time, the only way out is through.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books I read on Vacation
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are required to list their top ten favourite books that they read of vacation. This is a rather unique topic that I was quite intrigued to try and implement. Like many fellow readers, I always enjoy a good book while on vacation, and I have managed to get into some cracking reads while away on holiday. As such, it was an interesting experience to dive back into my trips for the last few years and try to remember what I was reading. I ended up coming up with a pretty good list in the end, including a few honourable mentions. I might have stretched the definition of a book to include audiobooks and other productions, but I am overall pretty happy with how this turned out. Hopefully this following list will give you some reading ideas next time you are on vacation.
Honourable Mentions:
Asterix series – Foster/Tuncurry
I absolutely loved the Asterix comic strips when I was younger (still do to be honest) and I always remember bringing them with me to our regular coast trips as a kid. These proved to be very fun reads while away at the beach and I would have brought most of them with me at one point or another. The one I most distinctly associated with coast trips however is Asterix and the Banquet, as my parents got a rather good photo of me reading it, however all make pretty awesome and light reads while your away.
Cabin Pressure – Road Trip – Canberra to Coffs Harbour and Back
My editor/wife got me into British radio dramas during several road trips we did, so I thought I would include a couple here, even if they technically aren’t books. One of my favourites is the outstanding Cabin Pressure series, which she owns on CD. Made up of 27 episodes and featuring an exceptional British cast (including Stephanie Cole, Roger Allam, Benedict Cumberbatch, and John Finnemore), Cabin Pressure follows the chaotic crew of the world’s smallest airline. Intensely funny and utterly brilliant, the road flew away as we listened to this and it comes very highly recommended.
Inspector Steine – Tasmania
In that same vein as Cabin Pressure, I also must recommend Lynne Truss’s outstanding Inspector Steine series, which we listened to while driving around Tasmania. The Inspector Steine series is set in Brighton in the 1950s and follows an incompetent police station who fail to notice that their charlady is Brighton’s criminal mastermind. Slick, deeply amusing and well worth a listen, this was a hilarious series to enjoy on a fantastic trip.
Unleashed by Amy McCulloch – Nevada
The follow up to the cool young adult science fiction novel, Jinxed, Unleashed made for an excellent and compelling read while we were busing it around Nevada in 2019. I read most of it on the coach trip up to the Grand Canyon, and I managed to pass a lot of drive time getting through this awesome conclusion to a fantastic story.
Top Ten List:
World War Z by Max Brooks – Road Trip – Canberra to Gold Coast
Let us start this list off with one of the best road trip accompaniments I can recommend, World War Z by Max Brooks. This iconic and brilliant zombie novel really made a recent length road trip from Canberra all the way up the coast to Queensland really easy, as we got quite hooked on its exceptional audiobook format. Featuring an unparalleled voice cast and an exceedingly clever narrative, World War Z is a must read for all zombie fans, and this is honestly one of the better audiobooks I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Assassin’s Code by Jonathan Maberry – Sydney to San Francisco
Long flights are the bane of my existence as I never get any sleep on them. Luckily one lengthy flight I had between Sydney and San Francisco proved to be very entertaining as I was listening to one of Jonathan Maberry’s incredible Joe Ledger books, Assassin’s Codes. Featuring a highly thrilling narrative about modern vampires attempting to end the world, I powered through this audiobook on the flight and even managed to write and post a review for it (written in the airport during our stopover at Fiji). An amazing read for the best holiday ever.
Age of Assassins by R. J. Barker – Japan
I had a lot of fun getting to know one of my favourite new fantasy authors, R. J. Barker, when I was traversing Japan. While Japan is such an incredible country with so much to see, there were a lot of train rides involved, so I spent a bit of time getting into some great books. Easily the best was Age of Assassins by R. J. Barker, which was a particularly impressive debut. Following two assassins as they are tasked to save a life rather than take one in a cursed castle, Age of Assassins was an excellent read and one that made me a lifelong fan of Barker, who has written some amazing stuff since.
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman – Road Trip – Gold Coast to Kangaroo Valley
Another epic audiobook I enjoyed on my recent road trip was the full cast adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s iconic The Sandman comic. You can really get to grips with the complex and brilliant story contained in The Sandman comics when listening to it, and the exceptional voice cast really helped to bring everything to life. As such, the second leg of our road trip from Gold Coast to Kangaroo Valley was a lot of fun, especially once we got wrapped up in the powerful narrative. Another exceptional audiobook that is a very good option if you are looking for some entertainment on the road.
Warhammer: Broken Honour by Robert Earl – Gold Coast
The next entry on this list is a book I actually picked up while away on holiday. I managed to grab several great Warhammer novels while visiting a second-hand bookshop in the Blue Mountains and I ended up reading one while away on the same holiday. That book was Broken Honour, a great fantasy read about a group of prisoners pressed into service as a regiment of soldiers. Fun and action-packed, this was a great read for a holiday trip.
Extinction Machine by Jonathan Maberry – San Francisco
On the same trip where I listened to Assassin’s Code, I also had fun with the next Joe Ledger book, Extinction Machine. Featuring a fantastic plot loaded with conspiracies about aliens, advanced aircraft and men in black, Extinction Machine was an amazing read, and one I had fun getting through on a couple of long coach rides between San Francisco and other great locations. It was very easy for me to just dive into this compelling audiobook amid the long trip and I had a fun time getting through it.
Redshirts by John Scalzi – Dubbo
Another excellent book for road trips is the hilarious Redshirts by the always clever John Scalzi. A very hilarious parody of Star Trek, Redshirts is a wonderful read and we had an outstanding time getting through it during a road trip to the town of Dubbo. We had so many amazing laughs during this trip and Redshirts is a great listen for a shorter road trip.
Timeless by R. A. Salvatore – Tasmania
Another book I started to read after buying it during a holiday was Timeless by R. A. Salvatore. I always love a great high fantasy adventure and Salvatore does some amazing work in this genre. As such, I made sure to grab a copy of Timeless while down in Tasmania during a fantastic trip and I ended up reading it while I was gone. An excellent and compelling fantasy adventure, Timeless leads into an awesome trilogy by Salvatore and is a must read for fantasy fans.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson – Los Angeles (Disney World)
I always enjoy a good Star Wars read but one book I was enjoying during a recent trip to America proved to be quite a fortuitous read. That book was Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson, which, while a fun book, is also a tie-in to Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge park. I ended up reading Black Spire while visiting Disney World back in 2019 and it was kind of fun to see the connections between the park and the book.
Mecha Samurai Empire by Peter Tieryas – Melbourne
The final entry on this list is Mecha Samurai Empire, which I picked up and read a few years ago while visiting Melbourne. I happened across this awesome book while visiting the city’s premier comic shop and I couldn’t walk past a book about mecha combat in an alternate history America. Mecha Samurai Empire was an outstanding read and I instantly got hooked on its brilliant and captivating story in between enjoying all the fun sights and shows of the beautiful city of Melbourne.
That’s the end of this list and as you can see, I have had the pleasure of reading/listening to some excellent books on some great trips over the years. All the above make for excellent vacation reading, and I had a blast with all of them. While I only had a good break a few months ago, I am already excited for whatever trip I have next and hopefully I can chuck in some more international travel now that the world is opening up again. In the meantime, let me know which books you enjoyed on your vacations in the comments below.
WWW Wednesday – 5 October 2022
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?
Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)
I didn’t make as much progress with the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis, this week as I would have liked. Still, I am about halfway through it at the moment, and I will make an effort to finish it off in the next day or so, especially as this is proving to be quite an interesting read. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.
Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)
I was in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 adventures so I decided to check out the awesome sounding Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill. An older Warhammer 40,000 novel, Storm of Iron depicts a massive siege that see the infamous Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines use all their craft to attack an impregnatable fortress. I have only just started listening to this book, but I know I am going to have an outstanding time with Storm of Iron.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)
I absolutely powered through the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, in the last week and it really lived up to all my expectations and more. One of my most anticipated books of the year and the sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to a bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. This second novel sees his quest get even more dangerous and complex, as he begins to understand the full implications of everything he is involved with, while also finding himself thrust into several deadly wars. This was a deeply captivating, powerful and exciting read that I had such an exceptional time getting through. A perfect follow-up to The Pariah, The Martyr is one of the best fantasy books of 2022 and comes highly recommended. Review to follow soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
I am still planning to read the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, next, which should prove to be pretty epic. An intense and dark novel about a dangerous fairy realm, this book is going to be awesome and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
I am also hoping to read the next book in the epic Locked Tomb series by intriguing author Tamsyn Muir, Nona the Ninth. Part of an awesome series about damaged necromancers in a desolate far future, Nona the Ninth follows on from the impressive Gideon the Ninth (one of my favourite debuts of 2019) and Harrow the Ninth (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020). I have no doubt this is going to be one of the more unique and captivating books of 2022 and I can’t wait to read it.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz
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 highlight one of the most intriguing upcoming thrillers of early 2023 with The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz.
Over the last several years, one of the most compelling and memorable thriller series out there has been the fantastic Orphan X series. Starting off with Orphan X in 2016, this series follows Evan Smoak, a former elite government assassin who operated under the codename of Orphan X. Eventually retiring from this role and seeking redemption, Evan took on a new persona as the Nowhere Man, a vigilante who would help those most in need.
I started reading this series a few years ago with the fourth book, Out of the Dark, mainly because it had a fantastic story around Evan attempting to kill the President. This was a pretty fun book to start the series on and it made me a big fan of Hurwitz’s work. Since then, I have made sure to check out each successive Orphan X novel, all of which have been pretty awesome. This includes Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, and Dark Horse, all of which had intriguing narratives that blended great story elements with impressive character work. Throughout these books, Hurwitz made sure to dive into the complicated relationships that surrounded the former spy, and this resulted in a very intense and impressive series of distinctive novels.
As such, I am always extremely eager for the next Orphan X book and luckily I don’t have to wait that much longer. The next Orphan X book will be The Last Orphan which is currently set for release in February 2023. The Last Orphan will follow on from the fantastic conclusion of Dark Horse and will see Evan once again forced into government service after they finally manage to track him down.
Plot Synopsis:
Evan Smoak returns in The Last Orphan, the latest New York Times bestselling Orphan X thriller–when everything changes and everything is at risk.
As a child, Evan Smoak was plucked out of a group home, raised and trained as an off-the-books assassin for the government as part of the Orphan program. When he broke with the program and went deep underground, he left with a lot of secrets in his head that the government would do anything to make sure never got out.
When he remade himself as The Nowhere Man, dedicated to helping the most desperate in their times of trouble, Evan found himself slowly back on the government’s radar. Having eliminated most of the Orphans in the program, the government will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat they see in Evan. But Orphan X has always been several steps ahead of his pursuers.
Until he makes one little mistake…
Now the President has him in her control and offers Evan a deal – eliminate a rich, powerful man she says is too dangerous to live and, in turn, she’ll let Evan survive. But when Evan left the Program he swore to only use his skills against those who really deserve it. Now he has to decide what’s more important – his principles or his life.
This sounds like it will be another intriguing and intense Orphan X read. From the summary it seems that Evan will be forced into another unwinnable situation where he must balance his principles against the survival of himself and those he cares about. Seeing Evan once again forced to work for the government against his will is going to be very intriguing, especially as this will set him on a new assassination mission against a mysterious and powerful foe. Throw in the intense relationship elements that were featured in the last book, especially the medical emergency concerning his love interesting, and The Last Orphan (which is a slightly concerning title) should prove to be quite an awesome and addictive read.
Based on how strong the rest of the Orphan X series has turned out, I have no doubt whatsoever that I am going to deeply enjoy The Last Orphan. Gregg Hurwitz has an outstanding writing style and I can’t wait to see how this powerful and action-packed read will turn out. The Orphan X novels really are some of the most unique and impressive thrillers out there now and I have no doubt that The Last Orphan will be an exceptional 2023 release.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Community Episodes
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic this week is about favourite bookstores, which, while interesting, isn’t something I can really contribute to. So, I went rogue again and come up with another list to do. Luckily, I was inspired by some recent news about the upcoming Community film and so I thought I would do something I have been thinking about for a while and list my top ten favourite Community episodes.
I have been a massive fan of the television series Community since it first aired. Thanks to its amazing and very talented cast, fantastic blend of outrageous characters, compelling storylines and the chaotic setting of Greendale Community College, Dan Harmon’s Community became an instant favourite for me. The writers really came up with some distinctive and extremely clever storylines for this show, which the cast dove into with gusto, bringing joy with every outing. Despite a lack-lustre fourth season, this series was pretty damn amazing, and I would say it was one of the cleverest and most inventive sitcoms in recent memories. Because of this, fans have been eager for some sort of follow up to the show ever since it ended in 2015, and #SixSeasonsandaMovie has become a major rallying cry for many. Well, they just announced they are finally giving us a Community movie, and while it is still early days, I thought I would be proactive and dive into the ten Community episodes I loved the most.
While nearly every episode was special and entertaining, there were some that stood out more than others, whether they had the best performances, the most interesting storylines, or because they had the best insane concepts. I can think of at least 20 Community episodes off the top of my head that pretty damn spectacular, and I have seen all of them multiple times. So, I went about listing these top episodes and then had the very hard task of whittling this down to my absolute favourite ten episodes. I was eventually able to do this, although it did require me to include a pretty massive honourable mentions list as well (six honourable mentions is probably a bit too much, but it’s my blog so I’ll allow it). Everyone entry in the list below is, in my opinion, one of the absolute best Community episodes out there, and are well worth a watch if you want something entertaining to keep you occupied. So let us see what made the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design – Season 2, Episode 9
A very fun episode which combines an elaborate conspiracy theory with two friends attempt to build a massive blanket fort. Jeff and Annie’s chemistry as they work through the absurd conspiracy they find themselves in is brilliant, and you have to love that elaborate series of double-crosses at the end. Special mention to guest star Kevin Corrigan, who really helped bring everything together.
Documentary Filmmaking: Redux – Season 3, Episode 8
The Dean goes crazy while attempting to create the ultimate Greendale commercial and takes everyone else down with him. You have to love the outstanding performance from Jim Rash as he gets progressively more unhinged, and the fantastic reactions from the rest of cast brings out some amazing humour, especially in that hugging scene between Britta and Troy.
Pillows and Blankets, Season 3, Episode 14
An elaborate pillow war breaks out on campus and filmed in a style reminiscent of a Civil War documentary narrated by Keith David. Need I say more?
Digital Estate Planning – Season 3, Episode 20
The study group goes 8-bit in this homage to classic video games when Pierce is forced to contest his inheritance against the sinister Gilbert Lawson played by the always outstanding Giancarlo Esposito. Brilliantly styled and brought together in a completely new medium, Digital Estate Planning is a firm favourite of mine and a guaranteed laugh.
Geothermal Escapism – Season 5, episode 5
Another fun, campus-wide escapade, this time brought about by Abed initiating a massive game of “The Floor is Lava” to farewell a departing Troy. While these shenanigans were getting a little played out by this point in the series, this was still a very fun episode, especially as everyone once again goes all-out with extra levels commitment and over-the-top roleplaying in a very short amount of time. Throw in a perfect goodbye to the departing Donald Glover, and this is a key and heartfelt episode that is always a great watch.
Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television – Season 6, Episode 13
Very few shows managed a finale as well as Community with Emotional Consequence of Broadcast Television. An emotionally rich episode that wraps up several relationships and storylines, Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television masterfully brings the show to an end, while also making fun of itself with a series of self-referential and meta jokes. The best scenes involve Jeff and Annie finally having their much-needed heart-to-heart, and the emotional farewell to Annie and Abed at the end. Throw in a final call for a sequel movie that has inspired watchers for years, and this episode ended on a perfect final note.
Top Ten List:
Contemporary American Poultry – Season 1, Episode 21
Let’s start this list off with a real zinger, with Contemporary American Poultry. Only a show as chaotic and fun as Community could take fried chicken and turn it into an elaborate and heartfelt gangster story. Contemporary American Poultry sees the study group continually disappointed by the lack of their favourite food in the cafeteria, chicken fingers, which are being pilfered by Star-Burns. Enraged, Jeff manages to convince the study group to take over the business, resulting in Abed imagining the story as a classic gangster film. With Abed taking over as the cafeteria’s new fry cook, the group manages to leverage their sudden chicken abundance into control of the school. However, things take an interesting turn when Abed ousts Jeff from his accustomed leadership position, only to have to then deal with a spoiled and power-hungry study group. There are so many fun elements to this episode, from the amazing story, the clever homages to some of the great gangster films, the deep look at both Jeff and Abed as they both face some major personal difficulties in this episode. One of my favourite episodes from the first season, Contemporary American Poultry definitely stood out as an early classic of this series.
Modern Warfare – Season 1, Episode 23
I think the episode that let everyone know just how awesome Community could be was the brilliant and action-packed Modern Warfare that was shot out near the end of the first season. This episode sees Greendale descend into anarchy when everyone takes a game of paintball assassin way too seriously. Every character gets in on the competition, all to gain the prize, and what results is a hilarious and over-the-top homage to classic action movies with some amazing scenes. At the same time, the long-simmering tension between Jeff and Britta is finally realised in explosive fashion. Throw in the insane Señor Chang who brings some massive weaponry to the fight, and you have a brilliant classic that would set the standard for crazy episodes in the future.
Anthropology 101 – Season 2, Episode 1
Following the success of season one, the creators came back with an even more impressive second season, which contained more outstanding and memorable episodes than any other (half my list is from season 2). Anthropology 101 starts this series off in a big way, perfectly following on from the cliff-hanger ending of the first season. Jeff is forced to deal with an upset Britta after running away from her declaration of love, while also trying to hide that he made out with an obsessed Annie. When the school’s women raise Britta up as a heroine, she and Jeff embark on a game of romantic chicken, which results in an outstanding impromptu wedding sequence that ends violently. This was a great episode that showed the continued evolution of the group, as well as how unwholesome their relationships could get. Throw in a brilliant performance from guest star Betty White as the new anthropology lecturer, who delivers one hell of an ass-kicking, and this proves to be an excellent start to the show’s best season.
Cooperative Calligraphy – Season 2, Episode 8
Few lists about Community are completed without a shout-out to the wildly entertaining and self-referential bottle episode, Cooperate Calligraphy. After one of Annie’s pens goes missing, she demands its return, resulting in the group descending into paranoia as they try to work out which of them is a pen thief. After all attempts to resolve the situation calmly fail, Jeff initiates a bottle episode lockdown to uncover the truth. The subsequent investigations results in secrets being revealed and the group losing all coherence in a series of bizarre encounters. Remarkably silly, this was such a well-written episode that allowed the characters to shine in the most mundane of situations. One of the best sitcom bottle episodes out there, this was an extremely funny episode that is a must watch for all Community viewers.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Season 2, Episode 14
While the next entry is a tad controversial, due to a certain dark elf, this is still an amazing episode that really stands out amongst the other excellent season 2 episodes. As the name suggests, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is all about the classic fantasy tabletop roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, as the study group attempts to help the often-mocked Fat Neil. Initiating a game with Abed as dungeon master, the group attempt to build up Neil’s confidence, while the usual shenanigans ensue as the group encounters Abed’s over-the-top approach to the game. However, a darkness appears on the horizon when Pierce (also known as Pierce the Dickish), takes out his anger at being excluded on Neil. Entering full villain mode, Pierce attempts to ruin everything, while also revealing who came up with the nickname Fat Neil. Hilarious, intense, and surprisingly moving, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is pretty spectacular and a lot of fun to both fans of Dungeons & Dragons and the non-initiated, especially when the group emulate the action going on within the game. Chevy Chase particularly shines in this episode with his great portrayal of the enraged Pierce, while Alison Brie steals the show with her character’s seduction of an elf-maiden (the reactions of the various characters as Annie describes her seduction is perfect, and I loved how the covering music made it seem even more graphic). An extremely hilarious episode, if this doesn’t make you want to try out Dungeons & Dragons, nothing will.
Paradigms of Human Memory – Season 2, Episode 21
In most television series, clip show episodes are generally considered the very worst entries, especially when they rehash prior episodes to loosely tell a story. Community did this in a very different manner for the second season standout, Paradigms of Human Memory, which see the study group reminiscing about the past year after the hoard of the monkey, Annie’s Boobs, is discovered (it makes sense in context). Rather than using material from the previous episodes however, a series of new clips are presented instead, showing the group in some hilarious situations. All manner of scenarios are contained here, including a racist ghost town, a tragic takeover of the glee club, and Abed’s obsession with new show The Cape. These new scenes are all pretty fun and amazing in their own right, but they also come together perfectly to show the full chaotic nature of the group, while also revealing the secret affair between Jeff and Britta. The combination of these scenes is pretty amazing, especially as it features one of the best Jeff Winger speeches, that mixes together multiple, previously unseen speeches (which cover a range of subjects including Mexican Cartels, free salads, The Cape and mercury poisoning) combined into a single elaborate sequence which saves the day. An overall exceptional episode that makes full use of its concept, this is one of the top episodes out there and easily the best clip show episode ever made. An easy inclusion on this list, especially as it is the one that coined the rallying cry, “Six Seasons and a Movie”.
A Fistful of Paintballs/For a Few Paintballs More – Season 2, Episodes 23 and 24
You can’t talk about Community without discussing the second round of paintball episodes, with the final two episodes of the second season, A Fistful of Paintballs and For a Few Paintballs More. Now you must combine these two episodes together, as they form a joint arc, which is pretty damn perfect. The first episode, A Fistful of Paintballs, sees the cast embrace their inner cowboy when a mysterious ice cream company engineers another over-the-top paintball competition for an even bigger prize. Everyone goes all out in this western-themed fight, and the study group is forced to face off against the mysterious Black Rider while Jeff and Pierce battle it out for control of the group. After a fun conclusion, the story devolves into a Star Wars-esque story when the ice cream company is revealed to be from the rival City College, who invade Greendale dressed like storm troopers. This results in another fantastic and fun action filled jaunt which sees the Greendale students face off against City College in a winner take all scenario. Loaded with great jokes, some fantastic paint-filled sequences, and some clever homages to Star Wars, For a Few Paintballs More wraps up everything perfectly, including a great redemption arc for Pierce that ends the story on a surprisingly bittersweet note. Never has paintball been as fun as this, and these two episodes not only surpassed Modern Warfare, but also acted as the perfect ending to an outstanding second season.
Remedial Chaos Theory – Season 3, Episode 4
I just had to include the standout third season episode, Remedial Chaos Theory on this list. Rightly considered the very best episode that Community ever did, Remedial Chaos Theory is an elaborate and simply brilliant episode that is one of the most unique bits of television ever created. The episode is set around Troy and Abed’s housewarming party for their new apartment. When the pizza arrives, Jeff contrives a seemingly fair way to find out who gets it by throwing a die into the air. However, this has the unexpected consequence of creating six separate timelines as the episode shows what happens when each member of the group goes out to grab the pizza. This turns into another great bottle episode as you see what happens to the remaining members of the study group in the party with each person gone. The resulting alternate versions of events are all pretty hilarious and clever, including normal group interactions, romantic revelations and massive conflicts, all of which could shape the future group in very different ways. However, the standout is the surprisingly traumatic “darkest timeline” in which everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. It all ends with the best, prime timeline where Jeff’s trick is revealed, and everyone comes together in the very best of ways. All seven timelines are great alone, but the real beauty of this episode is the similarities and differences that the timelines have to each other, and the compelling examination of how a simple roll of a die can change everything. A perfect episode that makes full use of the cast and presents the viewer with an outstanding and well-thought-out concept.
Cooperative Polygraphy – Season 5, Episode 4
Another brilliant episode that takes place completely in the study room, Cooperative Polygraphy sees the group reeling from the death of Pierce. However, their grief takes a new turn when Pierce’s lawyer shows up with a final task from Pierce that forces everyone to answer a series of questions while wearing polygraph machinery. Soon everyone’s secrets come out, and there are some hilarious revelations that show just how disfunction the group is and how well Pierce can manipulate them, even from beyond the grave. The fantastic reactions to the various secrets is perfect, as the group slowly implodes as they become aware of all the dark things they have done to each other. However, this episode ends on quite a sweet note as it is eventually revealed that Pierce did all this to bring them together, and he has some touching final gifts for them (pun intended). While loaded with humour, this was actually quite a nice way to say goodbye to the amazing character of Pierce, even after Chevy Chase’s negative exit from the show. Throw in the heart-breaking final moments as Troy is given his out from Greendale, and the realisation that the study group would never be complete again, and this episode hits hard even while it leaves you laughing. There was a reason this was the episode the cast recently did a table-read for, and you have to love how many crazy secrets this group of characters can have.
Advanced Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Season 5, Episode 10
I honestly didn’t think it was possible to top Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, but they sure showed me with Advanced Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. This fantastic episode sees Jonathan Bank’s Professor Buzz Hickey recruit the Save Greendale committee to help him bond with his estranged son Hank Hickey (played by excellent guest star David Cross) through Dungeons & Dragons. With Abed once again acting as dungeon master, the more confident group begins the game, only to face opposition from the bitter Hank. Thanks to a falling bridge, the group is soon split between the two Hickey’s and must try and help their respective team leader win. This results in a massive and over-the-top battle between the characters, which has some absolutely hilarious moments to it, as well as a perfect and realistic conclusion to this amazing story. There are so many great moments in this episode including the Dean’s constant attempts to get Jeff to stroke his sword, that brutal interrogation scene of two Hobgoblins by Tiny Nuggins (Waterboarder of Goblins), that great final battle, and Abed’s reasoning behind why the evil necromancer ran away (wouldn’t you), will have you rolling in stiches. I honestly think this episode matches up to, if not surpasses the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and this is probably the episode I rewatch the most.
Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have some strong opinions about this show and I have a lot of love for the above episodes in particular. All these episodes rank amongst the very best that Community had to offer, and I love how they turned out and the entertaining stories and concepts they encapsulate. While my list was a little predictable in places, and a bit weighted towards the second season, I honestly think this represents my absolute favourite Community episodes, and I cannot rave about them enough. I am super excited for the Community movie when it comes out, but in the meantime, let me know which Community episode is your favourite in the comments below. And remember, we finally succeeded in getting #SixSeasonsandaMovie.
The Unseen Library 