Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to lists books which you thought required either more or less of certain elements to make them better. While this is an interesting concept, I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my them of recapping the first half of 2024. The first of these lists will look at the very best pre-2024 novels that I read in the first half of the year.
I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2024 in previous weeks, but I also need to talk about some of the books that came out before 2024 that I also read this year. I am a big fan of going back and checking out older series and books, and there are so many excellent pre-2024 novels that I haven’t had a chance to read before. This has been particularly true recently, as I have spent a lot of time this year pouring through novels and audiobooks with a variety of older release dates and featuring them in my Throwback Thursday posts. I honestly might have enjoyed too many of these older books, as I am way behind in my 2024 readings now, but I think it was more than worth it as there were some exceptional reads there, including a bunch that got five-star ratings from me. Due to the sheer number of pre-2024 books I have already read this year, as well as their amazing quality, I felt that it would be interesting to do a list highlighting them now.
To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2024. This list includes a range of pre-2024 releases, including quite a few that I had been meaning to read for a while. To make it a little more difficult for myself, I decided to limit myself to only one book from each author for the main list, which did reduce the choices I had. Thank to this I was eventually able to cull this down to a workable Top Ten list, with a descent honourable mentions section. Due to my current obsession, this list is extremely Warhammer 40,000 heavy, which I’m fine with because they are awesome books, so I apologise in advance if some of my choices are a little predictable. This proved to be a fun list to pull together, so let us see what made the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett – 2003
An intense and epic Warhammer read that blew me away, especially as it provided a fitting end to several key characters.
Warhammer 40,000: Cain’s Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell – 2008
Commissar Cain “bravely” faces his toughest challenge ever in this very clever and hilarious book.
Cold Days by Jim Butcher – 2012
A fantastic, high-stakes addition to the always impressive Dresden Files series.
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher – 2020
Another intriguing Dresden Files novel, Peace Talks was a great read that masterfully set up its explosive sequel, Battle Ground.
Top Ten List:
Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett – 2002
First up we have a great entry in the fantastic Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver. I have been slowly making my way through this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 series by Dan Abnett and Straight Silver might be my favourite entry so far. Forcing the stealth-orientated Ghosts to fight in stagnate trench warfare, Straight Silver is a dark and compelling entry in the series that also does a good job setting up the following Sabbat Martyr. I deeply enjoyed this book, and it was a great pre-2024 novel to check out this year.
Warhammer 40,000: Death or Glory by Sandy Mitchell – 2006
There were several awesome entries in the Ciaphas Cain series that I checked out this year, including The Traitor’s Hand and Duty Calls, all of which were very fun and loaded with action. However, my favourite had to be Death or Glory, which sees a younger Cain crash-land on an ork controlled planet and is forced to fight his way across it. Essentially turning into a Mad Max inspired adventure with the cowardly Cain leading the charge, Death or Glory was pretty damn hilarious and I loved every second I spent with it.
Warhammer 40,000 Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons – 2010
One of the most intense pre-2024 novels I’ve read this year is Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons. A great novel that focused on Lyons’ beloved Death Korp of Krieg (check out his later novel, Krieg), Dead Men Walking saw the implacable Krieg soldiers face off against the unstoppable necrons. Essentially a battle between two faceless and unfeeling armies, with the poor civilians of the invaded planet caught in the middle, Dead Men Walking was an outstanding read that showed a particularly dark side to the already crazy Warhammer universe.
Skin Game by Jim Butcher – 2014
While Cold Days and Peace Talks were very good additions to the Dresden Files series, my favourite book from Butcher I read this year was Skin Game. One of the most highly regarded Dresden Files novels, Skin Game sees wizard protagonist Harry Dresden forced to work with his worst enemy to complete an impossible magical heist. Clever, exciting and loaded with memorable moments, Skin Game was one of the best books Butcher has ever written and I cannot recommend it enough.
Warhammer 40,000: Brutal Kunnin by Mike Brooks – 2021
Mike Brooks has been on a real roll with his amazing Warhammer 40,000 fiction lately, and I made sure to jump back and check out one of his older novels this year, Brutal Kunnin. A captivating and fast-paced read, Brutal Kunnin focuses on the always entertaining ork faction, as they attack a heavily defended planet. Mostly focused on the innate humour that surrounds the orks, Brutal Kunnin was an excellent book that will have you laughing the entire way through. It also sets up Brooks’ 2024 release, Da Big Dakka, and is a must-read as a result.
The Sandman Act III by Neil Gaiman – 2022
I had to continue the intricate and utterly brilliant full-cast audiobook adaptation of the classic The Sandman comics with the third entry, which made for some great listening during some road trips I recently had. Continuing the stories set up in Act I and Act II, this third volume had another amazing story that was expertly portrayed with the extensive, high-profile vocal cast who brought it together. A magnificent audiobook that you will not be able to stop listening to.
Warhammer 40,000: Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer – 2022
An outstanding Warhammer debut from a few years ago I’ve been meaning to read for ages, Witchbringer was a very clever read from Fischer that saw a sanction psychic defend a regiment who all fear and hate her. An amazing read with some interesting examinations of Warhammer 40,000 lore.
Saevus Corax Captures the Castle/Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker – 2023
A quick double entry I had to include here was the second and third Corax novels, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker. Continuing from the amazing Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, these two books continue to follow the titular master of battlefield loot as he attempts to survive an array of scams and cons being run around him. Both books are very entertaining, and contain Parker’s typical wit, intensity and cynical outlook on human nature.
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 2023
The latest entries from one of my favourite historical fiction series that I had to read earlier this year rather than when it first came out. A particularly epic book, Rebellion had a great story loaded with Roman historical action and adventure.
Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien De Castell – 2023
After loving the amazing 2024 novel, Play of Shadows, I had to dive back into the loosely connected novel from Sebastien De Castell, Crucible of Chaos. Released at the end of 2023, Crucible of Chaos had an exceptional story that saw an injured investigator and duellist travel to an important monastery to try and discover what drove all the monks crazy. An elaborate and highly entertaining novel, Crucible of Chaos got an easy five-star rating from me and is guaranteed to make you a fan of De Castell and his extended Greatcoats universe.
And that is the end of this list. As you can see I have managed to check out a bunch of epic pre-2024 novels in the first half of 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 more older books in 2024, although I should probably slow down a little and check out my recent releases. However, I imagine it I will probably continue several of these series, especially the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, so be prepared to see more Throwback Thursday posts featuring. Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2024, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool older books you have already checked out this year.
The Unseen Library 
Pingback: Top Ten Tuesday – Top New-to-Me Authors That I Read in the First Half of 2024 – The Unseen Library
Jim Butcher and Sebastian de Castell are always a lot of fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, there is definitely something to be said for reading backlist books!
LikeLiked by 1 person