Waiting on Wednesday – A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

On August 14, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 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. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight a particularly awesome upcoming fantasy novel with the gripping second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the captivating novel, The Tainted Cup, by veteran fantasy author Robert Jackson Bennett. An intriguing fantasy murder mystery set in a realm beset by giant monsters, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that saw two unlikely investigators, including an eccentric genius and her grounded assistant, attempt to discover the truth behind a brutal death caused by a tree spontaneously growing from someone’s chest. Expertly combining a clever crime fiction story with unique fantasy elements and a hilarious set of main protagonists, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that got a full five-star rating from me. Indeed, The Tainted Cup topped the list of my favourite books from the first half of the year and will likely go down as one of the very best fantasy novels of 2024.

Due to how impressive I found The Tainted Cup to be, you can probably appreciate that I am very keen to see how the series continues. Luckily it looks like I won’t have to wait too long to see what happens next, as the sequel, A Drop of Corruption, is coming out in February 2025. Set to once again to pit Bennett’s protagonists against an elaborate magical mystery, A Drop of Corruption sounds extremely epic, and I love the cool new story concept being promised for it.

Plot Synopsis:

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

This sounds like another particularly outstanding story from Bennett, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun with it. The mystery premise for A Drop of Corruption is particularly striking, as Bennett produces a high-stakes locked room mystery, where the solution to the crime is likely to be some elaborate form of magic or mutation. In addition, we have the return of the first book’s excellent, mismatched protagonists, whose unusual partnership will likely result in some fantastic humour, while also presenting the reader with a brilliant investigative method. I have no doubt that Bennett will turn these elements into another extremely special story, and I look forward to seeing how he resolves the main investigation, and how it ties into the greater mysteries infecting his fantasy setting.

Based on how impressive the first book in the series turned out to be, I am already extremely excited for A Drop of Corruption. However, the epic plot synopsis above also sounds very cool, and I cannot wait to see what madness and mystery Robert Jackson Bennett unleashes next. A Drop of Corruption will probably be one of the very best fantasy novels of 2025, and I am so very keen to get my hands on this incredible upcoming book.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite X-Men Live Action Movies (Ranked – August 2024)

On August 13, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday I s a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official task for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was for participants to highlight books that featured travel elements. While this was interesting, I’m going to do something a little different, especially as I’m in a real comic book movie mood. In particular, I want to talk about the X-Men movie franchise now that the 20^th Century Fox era has come to an end.

I am sure that it will come to no surprise to anyone that I am a major fan of all things comic related, which includes the fabulous works coming out of Marvel. Naturally, this includes the iconic and classic X-Men movies that were produced by 20^th Century Fox. The recently released Deadpool & Wolverine saw the end of the 20^th Century Fox X-Men films, with the comic franchise now officially incorporated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I think that enough time has passed since the movie’s release that I can finally start talking about it on this blog without spoiling anything for people out there.

The X-Men films represent a key part of comic book movie history, as they have been a substantial corner of the genre since the year 2000. Following the iconic Marvel Comics superhero team of mutants, the X-Men films feature a range of cool storylines, characters and epic actors, as well as some exceptional graphics and productions. The first X-Men films were some of the top movies in the genre at the time, helping the fan the early popularity of comic book films. While the franchise has had its ups and downs over the years, it has still maintained its relevancy, and produced some true classics. It has also continued to be a gamechanger right up until its most recent entry, especially as it helped to popularise R-rated comic book films. I honestly have so much love for the X-Men film franchise, and I have had to the very great pleasure of viewing all of them multiple times.

Between my love for the X-Men films and the recent release of Deadpool & Wolverine, I thought this would be a good opportunity to quickly provide my personal ranking for the films in this franchise. I have included all 13 of the live-action X-Men films released by 20^th Century Fox, as well as the MCU released Deadpool & Wolverine. Ranking these various films proved to be an interesting task, and I had a fun time trying to weigh the pros and cons of each entry. I made sure to consider factors such as casting, story, graphics, legacy and how they handled the original source material. However, the most important thing that I considered was how much I would want to watch this film again. While I struggled a little in places, especially at the beginning of the list, I was able to come up with a ranking that I think captures my personal feelings and opinions about these various films.

Spoiler Warning below

List (Ranked – Reverse Order):

14. Dark Phoenix

Starting at the bottom, we have the last movie to focus on the actual X-Men team, Dark Phoenix which featured the prequel characters first introduced in X-Men: First Class. The second attempt to adapt The Dark Phoenix Saga comic into a film, Dark Phoenix was dull, by the numbers, and very predictable in its story telling. While it still features an excellent cast, you can tell that most of the veteran actors were getting tired at this point, as evident by Jennifer Lawrence’s limited screentime. In addition, Sophie Turner, while doing her best, fails to truly connect to the Jean Grey role, while Jessica Chastain is a particularly unmemorable villain. Despite that, there are still some great scenes in this movie, including two fantastic action set-pieces, but overall, it was a disappointing film, especially when compared to other X-Men content being released around the same time.

13. X-Men: Apocalypse

I must admit that in the lead up to X-Men: Apocalypse, I was naively excited for this film. The franchise was riding high after an epic revival, and they were looking to bring the major villain Apocalypse to the screen. This movie had all the potential in the world, and yet it ended up being a major disappointment. Oscar Isaac, while fun, didn’t do the character of Apocalypse justice, and the overall design of the villain was weird. In addition, many of the new actors to the franchise were a little underwhelming, although props to Kodi Smit-McPhee and Alexandra Shipp for their great portrayals of the young Nightcrawler and Storm. Moreover, the story was very weak in places, and was honestly a letdown after the previous well-written prequel films. Despite this, X-Men: Apocalypse is still a fun movie with some impressive elements. The main cast continues to excel, the graphics were awesome, there was a particularly fun Quicksilver sequence, as well as a bloody Wolverine cameo. While it didn’t live up to its full potential, I would still rewatch X-Men: Apocalypse, and it is possible to really enjoy it.

12. The New Mutants

The final X-Men film released by 20^th Century Fox, The New Mutants was an interesting spin-off that focused on five new, young and damaged mutant characters, trapped in a facility designed to control their rampaging powers. Events take a dark turn as various supernatural creatures start to haunt the students, as the secrets of their mentor/jailer come to light. The New Mutants was a rather unique addition to the franchise, that simultaneously introduced new characters, while trying to set up a horror story in the X-Men universe. While the film suffered from production delays, creative issues and studio interference, I still think it was a good film, and I applaud the creators for trying to do something different. The small cast enthusiastically dive into their roles, and while the producers were clearly trying to cash in on the success of other franchises with some of their casting choices, the young actors were more than up for the task. Highlights include Anya Taylor-Joy as a deliciously devilish Magik, Henry Zaga as a fairly accurate Sunspot, Maise Williams who brings her charm to the conflicted character of Wolfsbane, while Blu Hunt effectively holds down the main role of Dani Moonstar. There is even a cameo from everyone’s favourite dragon, Lockheed, which hardcore X-Men fans will really appreciate. The end result, despite suffering a little from being played more as a teenage supernatural story than a pure dark horror narrative, was pretty watchable, and it’s unfortunate that some of the cast will never get a chance to revisit these characters.

11. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The best way to describe X-Men Origins: Wolverine is as a fun and action-packed movie that has one of the weakest plots in the franchise. Focussing on the origins of Wolverine, this film saw Hugh Jackman strike out on his own with a new supporting cast. Best known for its epic title-card montage and the terribly mishandled introduction of Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool, this Wolverine focused film had some cool moments, but struggled to rise above its basic narrative. Still, the cast was pretty on-point, including Liev Schreiber impressive performance as Sabretooth, and while Ryan Reynold’s appearance was far too brief, he did manage to show off how naturally he’d fit the role of the Merc with a Mouth, which led to great things down the line.

10. X-Men: The Last Stand

The other film that tried to adapt The Dark Phoenix Saga was the third X-Men film, The Last Stand. Coming off the first two excellent entries in the series, expectations were high for The Last Stand, however, the third film in the trilogy proved to be the worse (something Bryan Singer would later regret making fun of in X-Men: Apocalypse). Just like with its future successor, The Last Stand completely failed to adapt the complex The Dark Phoenix Saga in a compelling way, alienating both comic fans and general audiences with its weak story and cliched moments. While The Last Stand still featured the incredible main cast from the first two movies, two key actors only had limited screen time, while parts of Famke Janssen’s performance as the newly formed Phoenix were questionable. In addition, several new supporting cast members failed to impress, with the obvious exceptions of Kelsey Grammer as Beast, and Elliot Page as Kitty Pryde. While flawed, this was still a fun movie with some awesome scenes, and you have to love the excellent acting talent who came back for it. However, I really hope no one tries to do another live action adaptation of The Dark Phoenix Saga.

9. The Wolverine

Another solo Wolverine outing, The Wolverine was an impressive Hugh Jackman film that covered some of the comic character’s adventures in Japan. A substantially stronger movie then X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Wolverine has a slick and complex story that covers the protagonist’s grief and trauma after the events of The Last Stand. While not a perfect film, especially with some ridiculous story elements at the end (why did it need a giant robot?), this was an excellent and moving entry in the X-Men franchise, although it probably would have been better with a hard-R rating. Still, I’m a big fan of the film’s excellent Japanese cast, and Hugh Jackman was once again amazing as Wolverine. While it wasn’t a perfect adaptation of the comics it was based around, it is an outstanding and distinctive film.

8. X-Men: First Class

After the end of the original trilogy and the failure of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, fans were uncertain where the franchise could go. Luckily Matthew Vaughn stepped up and gave the series new life by creating a prequel X-Men film set during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Partially based around the First Class comics, X-Men: First Class looked at the origins of the X-Men in this universe, and brought in a whole new group of actors to portray several classic roles. While the plot of the film was a little predictable, the result was spectacular, especially when it came to the cast. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were perfectly cast as younger versions of Professor X and Magneto, and both actors really gave their all to the roles, diving into the issues and quirks of the characters, while also exploring the origins of their lifelong friendship. Other great casting choices include Jennfier Lawrence as Mystique and Nicholas Hoult as Beast, both of whom would go on to anchor the franchise with McAvoy and Fassbender, while Kevin Bacon was a sinister, if generic, villain. The rest of the cast was ok, although I think the fact that most of them were killed off-screen before the next movie, tells you all you need to know about how forgettable they were. The 1960s aesthetic and historical tie-ins of the plot were also very cool, although it did create some timeline issues going forward. Overall, a pretty amazing film, and one that resulted in some excellent sequel films going forward.

7. X-Men

At the halfway point of this list, we have the original film that kicked off the entire movie franchise with X-Men. While relatively low budget and with less complex graphics than modern audiences might expect for a superhero epic, X-Men nonetheless captured the world’s imagination in some major ways. Featuring an excellent story that cleverly introduced the X-Men universe, with some modern twists, X-Men was a compelling film that set up a lot of future story elements. A strong part of its success was due to its perfect cast, with a relatively unknown Hugh Jackman stealing the show as Wolverine, while Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Cyclops), Halle Berry (Storm) and Anna Paquin (Rogue) all perfectly portrayed their respective characters. However, the real genius lay with the inclusion of acclaimed veteran actors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as Professor X and Magneto. Stewart and McKellen were born to play their respective characters, and the two perfectly acted off each other, bringing some impressive gravitas and passion to the film. These performances, and more, ensured that this film was exceptional, and it was a slam-dunk movie in the very early days of the comic book film.

6. X2

While X-Men set up the franchise, its sequel, X2, was the film that cemented the X-Men films as a cornerstone of superhero movie genre. Bringing back the cast from the first film to great effect, X2 had a larger budget, which Bryan Singer put it to full use to create some exceptional sequences. Starting off with the still memorable Nightcrawler sequence, the film goes from strength to strength, as the X-Men compete with Brian Cox’s sinister Willaim Stryker. While James Marsden’s Cyclops does get somewhat sidelined in this film (a recuring theme of the X-Men film franchise), the rest of the cast get their moment to shine, and I loved how complex and emotionally charged parts of the plot got, especially around Wolverine’s past and Jean Grey’s future. This was honestly one of the films that made me fall in love with the superhero genre, and it was a particularly exceptional entry from the early 2000s.

5. X-Men: Days of Future Past

The next film on this list might be the most ambitious and creatively clever X-Men entry, with Days of Future Past. An elaborate film, Days of Future Past sought to combine the original trilogy with the universe introduced in First Class by bringing together the casts of both in a narrative with two separate timelines. Anchored once again around Hugh Jackman, the film sees him interact with both his original cast mates and the main actors from First Class in a gripping and compelling time travel performance. Both sets of actors were exceptional here, with McAvoy and Fassbender perfectly playing younger, angrier versions of Professor X and Magneto, while Stewart and McKellen bring a believable weariness to the older incarnations of the characters. I really have to highlight McAvoy’s performance here as a damaged and pained figure trying to reconcile his past trauma and future legacy, and his scenes with Jackman, Fassbender, Lawerence, and even a future version of himself with Stewart, are some of the best parts of the entire movie. Special mention also goes to newcomer Evan Peters, who is a major highlight of the first half of Days of Future Past as Quicksilver. I personally think that Days of Future Past has some of the best writing in the entire franchise, perfectly playing the two timelines off each other, and producing an emotionally charged and trauma laden narrative. The final big sequence is particularly epic, with scenes from both timelines showcased to some moving music, all leading up to one character making their choice and changing the timelines to come. I have so much for Days of Future Past, and I think it was the best film to feature the full X-Men team.

4. Deadpool

As we come into the final four of this list, I feel the need to point out that the following top entries are all R-rated films. While I don’t necessarily think that a comic book film needs to be R-rated to be awesome, it definitely helped with the following films, and the reason why they were allowed to be this extreme has its roots in Deadpool. Bringing back Ryan Reynolds after his appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Deadpool was a film that never seemed fated to happen, and indeed it took leaked footage from an unknown source (cough, no idea who that could be), for it to eventuate. However, eventuate it did, and boy were we the richer for it. The resulting film, while not as complex as some of the later Deadpool entries, was filled with comedic genius, as Reynold’s madcap Wade Wilson steals the show with his insane humour and fourth-wall breaking jokes. A clever and impressive origin film that reimagines the hero as a tragic, and brutal, protagonist, Deadpool was a laugh riot from the very beginning, and director Tim Miller made full use of the R-rating to produce some gruesome, if hilarious, action sequences. Everything about this film was great, and it should be rightly celebrated for giving us the Marvel Jesus we deserve, both here, and in its two sequels.

3. Deadpool & Wolverine

The latest film in the X-Men film franchise, Deadpool & Wolverine is a particularly fun entry that introduces the X-Men to the MCU. Serving as the very first R-rated film in the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine reunites Ryan Reynolds with Hugh Jackman in an insane and compelling romp through the multiverse. I cannot emphasise how long fans had been waiting to see a proper Deadpool and Wolverine team-up, and this film did not disappoint, bringing all the over-the-top action, references and humour, you would expect and more. Loaded with extremely awesome and clever cameos and serving as a love-letter to all the 20^th Century Fox Marvel films, Deadpool & Wolverine was one of the better recent MCU films, and fans came away extremely satisfied with its outrageous story.

2. Deadpool 2

While Deadpool & Wolverine was really impressive, my favourite Deadpool film is the second entry, Deadpool 2. An outstanding sequel to the first Deadpool, Deadpool 2 expanded on the best story elements from the first film, while also bringing together another insane, but clever, new narrative. Setting Deadpool against Josh Brolin’s Cable, this film had so many great moments as the creative team blended comedy with complex storytelling. I particularly love the way the audience was misdirected in advance with the X-Force team prominently featured in the trailer, only for their appearance to be cut short in dramatic fashion, and viewers honestly did not know where the story was going at times. Zazie Beetz Domino and Julian Dennison’s Rusty, were both exceptional additions to the cast, and you have to love how effectively they were able to show off Domino’s ill-defined luck powers. This might honestly be the funniest comic book film I have ever had the pleasure of watching, and it is so far the pinnacle of Ryan Reynold’s comedic genius.

1. Logan

I doubt anyone will be too surprised that Logan tops my list as my favourite X-Men film. Generally considered one of the best comic book films of all time (I have it in my top three with Infinity War and The Dark Knight), Logan is an exceptional movie that shows just how complex and powerful a comic book adaptation can be. Partially based on the Old Man Logan graphic novel, Logan follows an aging former Wolverine in a dark future where mutant-kind is in decline, and the X-Men are all dead. Taking care of a near incapacitated Charles Xavier, Logan goes on one last mission to save a young girl, Laura, who has a dark connection to him. This was an outstanding film that combines a compelling X-Men story with a grim Western aesthetic. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart give some of the best performances of their careers, while newcomer Dafne Keen proved to be a fantastic X-23/Laura. Director James Mangold produces something truly special with the tight and compelling story, and viewers are treated to emotional gut-punch after emotional gut-punch. I honestly came away from Logan a changed man, and if a comic movie is going to make to you cry, it will be Logan. Easily the undisputed best film of the entire X-Men franchise, and a very worthy number one place on this list.

Well, that is the end of my new X-Men film list. I think it turned out pretty well, and I really had fun pulling it together. It will be interesting to see if this list gets updated again in the future, especially with the fate of the X-Men films tied into the MCU, but I hope this will be something I can revisit again at some point. Make sure to let me know what you think about my ratings above, and don’t worry about hurting my feelings if you have different opinions about the films in question.

The Sandman – Act III (Audiobook), written by Neil Gaiman and performed by a full cast

On August 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comics/Manga, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Horror, Superhero, Tie-in Novel4 Comments

Publisher: Audible Original (Audiobook – 28 September 2022)

Series: The Sandman – Volume 3

Script: Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs (script adapter)

Director: Dirk Maggs

Length: 11 hours and 31 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

After falling in the love with the epic The Sandman comics thanks to their exceptional audiobook adaptations, I finally got to the third audiobook act in this exceptional series by Neil Gaiman, which was another amazing listen.

I have had an outstanding time listening to the first and second volumes of the audiobook adaptations of The Sandman comic. Set partially in the DC universe, the original series, which started in 1989, is one of the most iconic comics of all time and features a unique adventure that only Neil Gaiman can come up with. Following Dream, the anthropomorphic personification of dreams and human imagination, The Sandman is a truly amazing comic that blends horror, fantasy and superhero elements together. Some people might be more familiar with the recent Netflix series that adapted the first couple of comics, and which has a second season on the way.

This series has proven to be extremely exceptional, with Act I perfectly introducing the characters and setting up the initial storyline, while Act II continues some of the key story points and places Dream against various foes, including Lucifer and other dangerous mythical figures. Not only do these audiobooks feature an incredible story and powerful characters but they are brought to life by a truly awesome cast of celebrity actors and audiobook narrators who really lend their all to this performance. As such, when going on a couple of fun road trips this year, Act III was a very easy choice to listen to, and I was extremely curious to see how this series would continue.

In a universe of strange and deadly creatures, many beings are considered immortal, but only seven siblings can truly claim to be endless. The Endless, each a personification of a universal concept, are powerful and mesmerizing in their own way, but the most enchanting and mysterious is Dream. Known by many names, including Morpheus, this being governs the Dreaming, a vast realm of creation’s collected dreams and stories, protecting the imagination that makes life worth living. But circumstances outside of his control have set him on a dark path that not even he can escape from.

After being freed from captivity and deciding the future of Hell, Morpheus finds himself troubled by another failed romance, his own complex past, his previous monstrous decisions, and his often contentious relationship with his family. Visited by his troubled youngest sibling Delirium, Dream embarks on an unusual quest alongside her to find their missing brother, the one member of the Endless to ever give up their role and responsibility, Destruction. But their prodigal sibling does not wish to be found, and many obstacles lie between an Endless reunification. To succeed in their quest, Morpheus will need to revisit the most painful chapter from his past. However, no-one, not even a member of the Endless, comes away from a meeting with Destruction unscathed!

Unsurprisingly, Act III proved to be an exceptional listen, and I once again got wrapped up in the elaborate and compelling web of stories and characters that The Sandman is well known for. Adapted once again by director Dirk Maggs and featuring all of Gaiman’s impressive storytelling and dark characterisations, The Sandman – Act III, was an outstanding listen, and one that I could not get away from. Adapting the Brief Lives and Worlds’ End arcs of The Sandman comic, as well as several additional short stories, Act III was an exceptional addition to this series, especially with the truly exceptional voice cast.

Act III continues the same format and style of the previous The Sandman audiobook adaptations, with the comic broken into several distinctive parts to best tell the elaborate story from the comics. The previously drawn adventures are brought to life here through a combination of excellent narration by Neil Gaiman, who covers many of the characters’ actions and movements, sound effects to represent other unseen elements, and the dialogue of the various characters, with their respective actors often describing the moments going on around them. This results in an intriguing but complex listening experience, and with a runtime of 11 hours and 31 minutes, it is one that you can get through very quickly if you have the time.

This latest audiobook adaptation starts off in an interesting place with the short story The Song of Orpheus, which originally appeared in the Fables & Reflections collection of stories. The Song of Orpheus is a fantastic retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus, with the character reimagined as the son of Morphius and the muse Calliope, the latter of whom was featured in the story Calliope in the Dream Country collection (featured in the Act I adaptation). Gaiman does an excellent job of bringing together the classic Greek mythology of the Orpheus legend with his own characters and the result is a seamless and complex tale. Orpheus’ ill-fated marriage and journey to save his love is aided and hindered by the various members of the Endless, with Morpheus serving as a complex distant father figure. The resulting story may seem familiar to those with knowledge of Greek mythology, but there are some added intriguing twists, and the inclusion of Gaiman’s characters ensure that there is even greater tragedy than the original Greek myth envisioned.

When I started this audiobook, I thought that The Song of Orpheus was interesting start to this act, and in hindsight it was quite a clever decision, as it sets up some of the other arcs extremely well. The story ensures that listeners are well warned about the tragedy and elaborate storylines contained in Act III, while also drawing you in with its inventiveness and complexity. It is also a brilliant production thanks to the combination of cast and background music effects. Regé-Jean Page (of Bridgerton fame), proves to be an outstanding Orpheus, who stands as an interesting contrast to the other established voice actors of this story. There are also some epic musical accompaniment and sound effects that prove vital in showcasing the full impact of this story, and which you honestly need when telling a story about the mythical musician Orpheus. I felt that the musical elements of this chapter deeply helped to enhance the story, especially as there was some great sadness in the sound effects that mirrored the story. This was honestly a very strong start to Act III, and I loved how well it led into the first main story, Brief Lives.

Brief Lives is a particularly epic main story arc for this audiobook which serves as both the plot and emotional heart of Act III. Initially focusing on the incredibly fun character of Delirium, who we only briefly saw in Act II, Brief Lives sees Dream accompany his sister on a road trip to find their lost brother, Destruction. This results in several intriguing mini story arcs as the mismatched and chaotic siblings travel through the mortal world, encountering their family, friends, and former associates of Destruction. At the same time, sinister events begin to impact people associated with their search, and Dream must navigate the increased collateral damage his quest is incurring.

I really loved this arc, and I think that Brief Lives might be one of the stronger The Sandman storylines. The road trip storyline with Dream and Delirium worked to tell this story in a fantastic manner, and I enjoyed how the author took the opportunity to quickly and effectively introduce new intriguing characters whose worlds become impacted by their interactions with the Endless. The long-anticipated reveal about the missing Endless was great, and Gaiman loads in some intriguing examinations about family, destiny and duty. Brief Lives is loaded with a great combination of dark mystery, the author’s gothic vibe, a fantastic layer of humour, and an intense amount of tragedy, all wrapped up with the most unique familial interactions you are likely to see in fiction. The author takes the storylines in some interesting directions, and the resulting emotional richness proves very hard to ignore. The ending of Brief Lives is particularly moving, with a resolution of family drama followed by additional tragedy millennia in the making. This also proves to be quite a key story in the wider The Sandman story, with the consequences radiating out from the events of this road trip have chaotic impacts in the future.

I have to say that I was really impressed with how Brief Lives came together. Not only does the elaborate story come across clearly and interestingly with the chapter split, but you really get drawn into every single supporting character that shows up. I particularly enjoyed seeing Delirium getting a whole arc to shine in, and actress Kristen Schaal is perfect as the embodiment of personal chaos, bringing an immense childlike glee to the madcap antics of her character. Schaal perfectly plays off the more serious characters in this story arc, and you can really feel the dancing chaos beneath the surface of her mind as well as how scattered and unconnected she is. The reveal of Destruction as a character was also quite interesting, and I like the author’s take of him being a warm, thoughtful and entertaining destroyer, whose duty has deeply damaged him. David Harewood brings some real compassion and charm to the role of Destruction, and I enjoyed how he played off the sarcastic talking dog Barnabas, voiced by veteran voice actor Harry Myers. The portrayal of Brief Lives also makes excellent use of some musical accompaniment to enhance the emotional impact of the plot, including in some of the story’s heaviest scenes, and this ended up being the most compelling part of Act III to listen to.

The other major storyline in The Sandman – Act III, is the intriguing anthology storyline, Worlds’ End. Like some of the previous arcs in The Sandman, Worlds’ End is more of an indirect addition to the plot, loaded with short stories that show snippets of Dream, the Endless, and other supporting characters, interacting with new and unique figures. However, Worlds’ End is also quite distinctive, especially as Neil Gaiman surrenders his narrator duties in this arc, and instead features multiple guest narrators telling their own tales in a similar manner to The Canterbury Tales. The plot of this arc starts with character Brant Tucker (voiced by Wil Wheaton) and his colleague crashing their car in a freak storm and then finding refuge in the mysterious Worlds’ End inn. Within the inn, they discover multiple unusual travellers from across time and the realms, who have been scattered due to a reality storm and are seeking shelter. To pass the time, the various guests tell stories based on their lives, which paint a complex tapestry of their experiences and the long-reaching influence of the Endless.

I have a lot of love for the various short stories that Gaiman fills The Sandman comics with, but I felt that the collection featured with Worlds’ End were some of his strongest. There are five central stories featured within, and they each provide a complex and wildly different tale of life, loss and adventure, all set in the contexts of different worlds and experiences. Gaiman manages to tell some complex tales in the short time he has with each entry, and the reader comes away with intriguing visions of these unique worlds and characters. There are a few times where the narrative devolves into a story within a story, as narrators begin to recount tales that were told to them (and in a couple of cases you have a story within a story within another story). However, even these prove to be very captivating, and it is a testament to how good a storytelling Gaiman is that readers can moved into multiple interlocking tales and still be intrigued by what is going on. There is also a great mixture of tales here, from a Lovecraftian inspired dream tale, to a hilarious fantasy adventure told by a rambunctious Faerie, and even a classic nautical adventure tale of a handsome sailor boy, which features the return of fan favourite character Hob Gadling. However, my favourite story was The Golden Boy, an intriguing retelling of the story of Prez Rickard, the teenage president protagonist of the classic, if short-lived, Prez comics, which proves to be quite entertaining and haunting, while also showing an idealised vision of America.

I felt that these five stories came across in a very organic way with the differing narrators, and it proved to be a lot of fun to experience the talents of several new or underutilised vocal talents in a strong way here. Wil Wheaton was a great main narrator for the overarching story, and I felt he portrayed a good everyman character experiencing the unnatural for the first time. Billy Boyd and Colin McFarlane both shine as narrators and central characters for their respective stories, and I quite enjoyed the performances of KJ Apa and Jon Culshaw in The Golden Boy, while Simon Jones was an impactful addition to the funeral-focused story Cerements. These actors, and many others, helped to turn Worlds’ End into a compelling and distinctive arc, and I liked how effectively it contrasted with the other The Sandman arcs we have enjoyed. This entire storyline ends on an ominous and prophetic note, as the listener is given a glimpse of major events to come, and Worlds’ End proved to be a great way to conclude Act III.

Overall, these main stories, as well as an additional couple of short stories, proved to be very impressive to read, and I love the complex plots and themes that the author tried to impart. The continuation of a larger storyline, combined with multiple short stories that expands The Sandman universe, works to create an elaborate experience for the listener, and I deeply appreciate the immense imagination that Gaiman puts into his work. The flow from larger, cohesive storylines to a series of shorter tales also works extremely well, and I love how the obvious palate cleaner short stories take on a compelling life of their own. No matter how short, each of the stories in Act III were very well written, and the distinctive blend of dark storytelling, gothic imagination and complex characters makes for some addictive listening. I especially love the recurring trend of normal humans, as well as other more supernatural beings, encountering the various Endless by chance, only to find their lives altered by the experience, often for the worst. The often capricious nature of Dream, as well as some of his siblings, really comes through with Gaiman’s writing and the subsequent acting, and you cannot appreciate just how well-written these figures, and indeed the entire character cast of The Sandman, are, until you experience it for yourself.

Before we get to the end of this review, I must once again strongly compliment just how awesome these The Sandman audiobooks are. Gaiman, Maggs and others do such an incredible job of converting the original comics into this new format, and all the original ideas, actions and compelling figures come across perfectly in the audiobook. The combination of clever narration and on-point dialogue allows listeners to really appreciate the unfolding actions taking place, and effective sound effects add that extra layer of understanding. Throw in some outstanding musical moments, which prove to be particularly impactful in Act III, and this entire audiobook hits the reader hard and ensures that are constantly caught up in the elaborate ideas of the original author. All the storylines come across perfectly, with some slight alterations in the order they appear, and you really come away with an outstanding appreciation for The Sandman, even if you’ve never read the comics.

It goes without saying that Act III once again featured an incredible cast of actors and voice specialists, all of whom perfectly portray the characters they are assigned to. I love how all the key stars from Act I and Act II, once again returned here, and their outstanding voices, combined with some awesome new figures, ensured that every word of this audiobook delighted its audience. I have already mentioned a few key actors above, but I really want to once again highlight the outstanding recurring key cast, who do such a great job here. Series lead James McAvoy is just perfect as Morpheus, and his resonate and powerful voice consistently captures the ethereal, arrogant, and thoughtful qualities of the titular protagonist every time. It is such a pleasure to listen to McAvoy perform once again in Act III, and his excellent voice plays off every other actor in this audiobook so damn well.

Other key returning stars include Kat Dennings, who perfectly portrays Gaiman’s warmer, caring, female Death, who is frankly one of the best characters in the entire series. Andy Serkis has a lot of fun as the raven Matthew, and his scenes with Dream and Delirium are hilarious. Jeffrey Wright, Justin Vivian Bond and Miriam Margolyes each do an amazing job of bringing Destiny, Desire and Despair to life, and you can really feel their ancient power and alternating views of humanity. Justin Vivian Bond’s portrayal of the feckless and fickle Desire is particularly noteworthy, and I love how well this unique character came across. Multiple other actors and established audiobook narrators provide a range of compelling and memorable voices throughout Act III, including several of my favourite audiobook narrators like Ray Porter and Toby Longworth, and I loved every one of their voices. Finally, Neil Gaiman himself serves as an outstanding central narrator for much of the Act III. Gaiman’s distinctive voice perfectly fits the gothic and mysterious vibe of The Sandman comics, and there is no-one else who could narrate these complex ideas and experiences, better than the author who originally came up with them. You will frankly struggle to find a better cast of voice actors in any other audiobook out there, and this outstanding vocal team makes Act III, and indeed all The Sandman audiobooks, something extremely special to enjoy.

Act III of The Sandman audiobook was another exceptional listen and one that proves pretty impossible to stop listening to. The combination of captivating storylines, outrageous characters, and a huge array of vocal and acting talents make this an easy five-star listen, and I can personally guarantee that The Sandman – Act III makes for an excellent accompaniment to a long road trip. While I’m sure that recent controversies might impact this, I hope we get the fourth act in this epic series soon, and I cannot wait to see how Morpheus’s tragic and complex tale ends.

WWW Wednesday – 7 August 2024

On August 8, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a 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:

A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist (ebook)

I just started reading the new Raymond E. Feist novel, A Darkness Returns. An intriguing high fantasy novel, A Darkness Returns sets up a cool new series from Feist that brings together two of his prior series set on different worlds. I am already really enjoying this book, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives by Mike Brooks (Audiobook)

I was still in a big Warhammer mood this week, so I decided to listen to the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives. Written by Mike Brooks, who has released several amazing Warhammer novels in recent years, this new book will follow members of the canon’s most duplicitous race, as they battle for power and their immortal souls. I’ve only made a little bit of progress on this book so far, but I am very intrigued by its cool plot. Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives is a relatively short Warhammer audiobook, so I will probably finish it off in the next couple of days, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Outsider by Stephen King (Audiobook)

I quickly finished off the audiobook of The Outsider by Stephen King this week, and boy was it epic. One of the better Stephen King novels I have so far read, I cannot wait to review it.

Sentinel by Mark Greaney (Trade Paperback)

Sentinel Cover

A sequel to Greaney’s previous novel, Armored, Sentinel was an intense and deeply exciting action read that proves hard to put down.

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick (Audiobook)

A fantastically over-the-top Warhammer 40,000 novel that follows the very best of the bad guys. I just finished this audiobook off, and it was pretty damn awesome. Easily one of the best debuts I have so far read this year.

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey (Trade Paperback)

The team behind The Expanse, James S. A. Corey, produced another exceptional science fiction read with The Mercy of the Gods. Epic in scope and plot, this was one of the very best science fiction books of 2024.

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell (Trade Paperback)

An intriguing murder mystery novel set in the Marvel universe and following the damaged figure of Jessica Jones as she investigates an unusual crime. Breaking the Dark was an outstanding read, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Confessions of the Dead by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

If I manage to get through my current book this week, I will probably start reading the compelling sounding thriller, Confessions of the Dead next. A dark and chilling read, Confessions of the Dead has a lot of potential, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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 – Grave Danger by James Grippando

On August 7, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday7 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 look at an awesome legal thriller set for release at the start of 2025, with Grave Danger by James Grippando.

Earlier this year I had the very great pleasure of diving into the latest book from a long-running series when I read the amazing novel, Goodbye Girl by James Grippando. The latest entry in Grippando’s Jack Swyteck series, Goodbye Girl was a highly clever legal thriller, loaded with twists, exciting legal manoeuvres and a sinister killer. Thanks to its great plot and fantastic characters, I ended up having an amazing time with Goodbye Girl, and it was one of the better audiobooks I listened to in the first half of 2024. As such, I am now keen to check out every new Jack Swyteck novel that comes out, as I know I’m going to have a ton of fun with them.

To that end, I have been keeping an eye on Grippando’s upcoming releases, and I was very excited to see that a new Jack Swyteck book is coming out in January 2025. This book, Grave Danger, will see Swyteck caught up in another elaborate legal case with deadly implications for himself, his client, and those that he loves.

Plot Synopsis:

Bestselling author James Grippando’s legendary criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck is back to defend a single mother accused of kidnapping her own child in a perilous case involving politics and international diplomacy that will test his legal expertise and his marriage.

Jack Swyteck’s new client fled Iran to Miami with her daughter, and has been accused of kidnapping by her husband. The seasoned attorney must not only plan a winning defense. To stop the father from taking the girl back to Tehran, Jack must build a case under international law and prove that returning the child would put her at risk.

But everything in this case isn’t what it seems, and Jack quickly learns that his client is really the child’s aunt and that the biological mother may have been killed by Iran’s morality police. But what role did the father play in his wife’s death, and why is Jack’s wife, FBI Agent Andie Henning, being pressured by her bosses to persuade Jack to drop the case?

Plunging into an investigation unlike any other, Jack must discover who is behind the legal maneuvering and what their interest is. As politics threatens to derail the case and compromise the best interests of the child, Jack and Andie find themselves on opposite sides—with their marriage hanging in the balance. For their relationship to survive, the couple must navigate a treacherous web of deceit that extends from a Miami courthouse to the highest echelons of Washington DC, and spells grave danger at every turn.

I have to say that I am very intrigued by this upcoming book, especially as Grippando appears to have pulled together a particularly compelling narrative. The case at the heart of Grave Danger has some awesome international and political implications behind it, which look set to tie into some contemporary world-events. I have no doubt that Grippando is going to wrangle together some excellent court sequences, and this sounds like a particularly strong central storyline for a great legal thriller. It also sounds like Grippando is going to continue diving into the marital issues between the protagonist and his wife, as the strain of a high-profiled defence attorney being married to an FBI agent continues to emerge. This should result in a particularly intense read, and I am very much looking forward to it.

Honestly, after how much Goodbye Girl impressed me earlier this year, James Grippando and the Jack Swyteck series is now firmly on my annual to-read list, so there was no way that I am going to miss Grave Danger when it comes out. However, I also really love the sound of the cool story that Grave Danger has, and I am already very intrigued to see how the entire narrative comes together. This will probably end up being one of the stronger thrillers I read in 2025, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Grave Danger to continue my new adventures with James Grippando and the Jack Swyteck series.

Top Ten Tuesday – Ten Favourite Books From Ten Series

On August 7, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week, Top Ten Tuesday participants are tasked with choosing ten separate series and then listing their favourite book from that series. This was a rather interesting topic that really got me thinking. No matter how outstanding a series is, there is always at least one book that stands just that little bit above the rest, and I was curious to see how a list along those lines would turn out.

To come up with this list, I ran through some of my top novel and comic book series to try and work out what the most glaring examples of my favourite entries were. I tried to limit my choices to longer series rather than trilogies, and I also went for series that I’m mostly up to date with, rather than those I’ve only made a little bit of progress on. Despite these limitations, I ended up with a huge range of potential entries and I had to spend a bit of time culling down my initial list. I’m pretty happy with how the final version of this post came out, as there are some excellent books featured within. I do note that some of the series I mention below are recurring features in my other Top Ten Tuesday lists, but as they’re my favourites, that’s hardly too surprising. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Gray Man – Gray Man series by Mark Greaney

An impressive debut that still stands up as the best book in this top spy thriller series.

Necropolis – Warhammer 40,000: Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett

Featuring an epic siege and deadly action, Necropolis is a particularly bright spot in an exceptional Warhammer series.

The Grove of the Caesars – Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis

There are so many great mysteries contained in this Roman historical fiction series, however, my favourite is The Grove of the Caesars, which contains a particularly dark story.

Thrawn – Star Wars: Thrawn series by Timothy Zahn

An amazing read reintroducing one of the best characters in the Star Wars canon. Thrawn is so much fun, and it serves as the best book in the new Thrawn trilogy, as well as Zahn’s other Thrawn related novels in the new Star Wars extended universe.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Guards! Guards! – Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

Unsurprisingly considering the name of this blog, I’m starting this list off with a Discworld novel. Written by the late great Terry Pratchett, the Discworld books remain one of my top series, and I cannot emphasise how outstanding these novels are. While there are many, many great books in this series, if I had to pick an absolute favourite it will probably be Guards! Guards!. Not only is this Pratchett at his very best, expertly combining a compelling mystery with hilarious fantasy elements, but it also sets up my favourite Discworld sub-series and introduces so many popular characters. A truly exceptional read and the best book to check out if you want to become addicted to the Discworld.

The Third Day, The Frost – Tomorrow series by John Marsden

Another formative book series for me is the Tomorrow series by John Marsden. An iconic Australian young adult series, the Tomorrow books follow a group of teenagers attempting to survive a brutal invasion of Australia. I honestly love every novel in this series, as Marsden produces an intense narrative that is well spaced out amongst all seven books. However, I always felt that the best Tomorrow entry was the third book, The Third Day, The Frost. Following the characters as they embark on their most ambitious mission yet, The Third Day, The Frost, is the darkest entry in the series, and it forces the protagonists to fully grasp the horrors of war. A masterpiece of emotion, sacrifice and heartbreak, The Third Day, The Frost, lives eternal in my mind for very good reason.

The Archer’s Quest – Green Arrow (2001) by Brad Meltzer

I have a lot of love for DC comics released around the turn of the century, but to my mind one of the best series that came out around then was the 2001 Green Arrow series. Bringing back the original Green Arrow after his explosive death, this new series contains some amazing comics focussed on the Emerald Archer, with several outstanding creative leads exploring him in a new light. While I personally think every arc of this series is exceptional, my favourite is the third volume, The Archer’s Quest. Written by Brad Meltzer, The Archer’s Quest sees Green Arrow go back to his road-trip roots to recover multiple artifacts from his past. While on the surface this sounds like a simple narrative, Meltzer turns it into a deep personal journey, that really captures the complex history of Green Arrow in comics. I love how moving this comic gets at times, and Meltzer layers in the feels to keep the reader emotionally invested in the story. One of the best comics I have ever read.

Code Zero – Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry

Fans of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, which are some of the best science fiction thrillers out there. Following a damaged agent charged with protecting the world from unusual and technologically impossible threats, all the Joe Ledger books are addictive, and I love the complex stories, intriguing antagonists, and over-the-top action. There were several entries I could have mentioned here, but to my mind the best was probably the sixth book, Code Zero. Not only does it have a great story on its own, but it features one of the more intriguing villains who brings back multiple prior cases to mess with the protagonists. An amazing thriller that really showcased just how intense and intricate a Joe Ledger novel could be.

Magician – The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist

I have mentioned many times how awesome Raymond E. Feist’s epic Riftwar Cycle is, and I have literally just started reading the next book in this series, A Darkness Returns. There were several books I considered featuring as my favourite, including the Empire trilogy, but in the end, I went with the original book Magician. A classic piece of fantasy fiction that perfectly sets up Feist’s iconic worlds, Magician is so damn amazing, and it still stands up to this day.

The Eagle’s Conquest – Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow

Few series have impacted me over the years as much as Simon Scarrow’s exciting Eagles of the Empire series. One of the very best Roman historical fiction series, the Eagles of the Empire books feature some great stories and classic action as the protagonists journey across multiple Roman battlefields. While there are multiple outstanding books in this series, my favourite is the second book, The Eagle’s Conquest. Not only does it perfectly continue some of the great storylines set up in the first novel, but it also takes some dark turns that shake the protagonist and make sure the reader knows that tragedy is always ready to strike. Without The Eagle’s Conquest, I’m not sure I would have become a life-long fan of Scarrow, and it proved to be an exceptional second entry in this series.

Changes – Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher

I doubt anyone who has followed my blog in recent years will be surprised that I am featuring the Dresden Files series on this list. As one of the very best urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher feature some elaborate and complex storylines, all following Butcher’s rebellious, but heroic, wizard protagonist, and I have deeply enjoyed binge reading all 17 books in the series. Choosing a favourite Dresden Files book proved to be particularly hard, as there were several epic entries I could have gone with, including Skin Game and Battle Ground. However, in the end I had to go with the 12^th book in the series, Changes. Not only is Changes a particularly groundbreaking entry that fundamentally alters the trajectory of the series, but it also contains several dark twists that will shock you to your core. An exceptional read that shows author Jim Butcher at his very best.

Seasons – Usagi Yojimbo series by Stan Sakai

Another series that I had to feature here were the Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai. I have long loved the adventures of the rabbit samurai, and every volume is a masterpiece in its own way. While I honestly would rate all the Usagi Yojimbo volumes a full five-stars, if I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Seasons. Loaded with a ton of memorable adventures, Seasons shows how diverse the Usagi Yojimbo stories can be, while also setting up several impressive future adventures and characters. I also have a lot of nostalgic love for Seasons, as a chance encounter with one of its stories introduced the Usagi Yojimbo world to me. As such, Seasons is a very worthy addition to this list, and one that showcases Sakai’s skill as both an artist and a writer.

Homeland – The Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore

It proved very easy to put forth Homeland as my favourite book in R. A. Salvatore’s The Legend of Drizzt extended series. Homeland starts off a prequel sub-trilogy that seeks to provide valuable background to the life of Salvatore’s most iconic protagonist Drizzt Do’urden. Set in the underground city of the drow, Homeland expertly explores the early life of Drizzt and shows the events that led to him turning his back on his evil race. Easily one of the best things Salvatore ever wrote, Homeland is an amazing book I have re-read multiple times.

The Last Devil to Die – Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman

The final book in this list is part of the amazing new Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. A clever, funny and sweet crime fiction series that follows four retirees who solve murders in their spare time, the Thursday Murder Club books are quite exceptional, and I have loved every single one of them so far. While both The Thursday Murder Club and The Bullet That Missed are outstanding entries, if I had to choose a favourite it would be the latest entry, The Last Devil to Die. The fourth book in the series, The Last Devil to Die has one of the most emotionally charged stories behind it, especially as Osman chooses to end several tragic plot points in incredible fashion. I cannot emphasise just how good this book is, and it remains my favourite in the series so far.

Well that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have had an awesome time diving into some of my favourite series and choosing the best entry, and it produced a pretty cool collection of books. I hope you find the above entries interesting, and I would strongly recommend them, and the series they are associated with, to anyone looking for a new obsession.