Month: September 2024

Warhammer 40,000: Siege of Vraks by Steve Lyons

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer5 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 22 June 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 9 hours and 48 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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The always impressive Steve Lyons once again dives into the wars of the legendary Death Korps of Krieg with this epic new novel that shows just how massive a Warhammer 40,000 campaign can be with the ultra-exciting and intense Siege of Vraks.

I have been having a ton of fun with Warhammer 40,000 fiction this year, as complex books like Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks, Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward and Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick have greatly impressed me.  However, few have had the scale or pure brutality of the amazing new release, Siege of Vraks by Steve Lyons.  The third standalone book by Lyons that focuses on the Death Korps of Krieg (see my reviews for Dead Men Walking and Krieg), Siege of Vraks brings to life a massive event from the Warhammer 40,000 canon (as featured in several game books), with the long-running siege of the planet of Vraks.

In the far future, humanity has been forced to fight on many brutal battlefields, but none are as infamous as the slaughter that occurred on the planet Vraks.  Once a vital armoury world used to supply regiments throughout the Imperium of Man, Vraks has become tainted by humanity’s greatest enemy.  Thanks to a corrupted cardinal, the entirety of Vraks’s population has fallen under the sway of the Chaos Gods and have risen in rebellion against the rest of the Imperium, believing themselves to be fighting in the god Emperor’s name.

Desperate to reclaim the vital world, the Imperium has no choice but to send in a massive besieging invasion force to purge the traitors.  Only a completely relentless force has a chance of success on the bloody fields of Vraks, and to that end the stoic soldiers of the Death Korps of Krieg have been chosen to lead the attack.  Experts at sieges, fanatically stubborn, and desperate to wipe away the stain of their planet’s historical betrayal, the soldiers of Krieg are prepared to destroy their enemy no matter the cost.

However, even with the implacable Krieg soldiers leading the assault, Vraks is no simple planet to conquer.  Its massive central fortress is impregnable, and the entire population of planet has been mobilised to fight against the Krieg, equipped with the massive arsenal of weapons previously held in Vraks’s armoury.  To defeat their enemy, the Krieg will need to spend years and millions of soldiers to slowly approach and wear down Vraks’s fortresses.  But with the constant battle drawing the attention of other malign Chaos forces to Vraks, can even the massed forces of the Krieg win this impossible siege, or will these fearless soldiers finally face an army even their devotion and dedication to duty is unable to overcome?

Siege of Vraks was another particularly strong Warhammer 40,000 novel from Lyons, who excels at diving into the grimdark core of Warhammer fiction.  Filled with an insane amount of action, Siege of Vraks proves to be an intense and addictive siege novel that cleverly explores a well-established lore event and presents it in an outstanding and moving way to the reader.

The story of Siege of Vraks is one of action, sacrifice and self-discovery, as it recounts the events of the titular siege in its own compelling way.  Starting off with a quick prelude that covers the events that led up to the conflict, the main story starts a few years into the war and then goes all the way to the very conclusion of the siege which occurs after years of brutal fighting.  Rather than having one concise narrative thread, Siege of Vraks is instead made up of a series of connected storylines set around key events of the war.  Each of the initial chapters features a new central character caught up in a different battle and scenario of the war, and often focuses on them fighting in dangerous or impossible situations.  While these initial chapters are often linked by the inclusion of recurring character Confessor Ignea Tenaxus or by showing different sides to the same battle, for the most part they are unconnected and some of their messages and themes remain self-contained within the chapter.  However, as the book continues, a few point-of-view characters return for another chapter, often years removed from their last appearance.  These characters, especially Colonel Tyborc, will then continue their storylines from the previous appearances, which often play into the larger events of the overall siege in some interesting ways.  While I imagine the slightly disjointed way that Lyons tried to capture the siege might not be for everyone, especially those who would prefer seeing every event from one character’s eyes, I thought that it was extremely clever and fit into the unique mindset of the Krieg regiment.

The rest of the book takes places over a series of years as Lyons attempts to capture the entire epic and lengthy sieges.  The author includes multiple time skips here to showcase the dragging length of the battle, often interspersed with useful context inclusions that provide an overview of the carnage.  These time skips move the story along at a sensible pace and the reader is never lost, especially when it comes to the key recurring characters. While Lyons is primarily showing the carnage of war from the perspective of the fighter on the ground, you get a good understanding of just how big the scope of the fighting is, and really get drawn into the over-the-top action.  The loosely connected character arcs continue in the second half of Siege of Vraks, and there are some complex stories being featured here.  I particularly enjoyed the fascinating standalone chapter that followed the interrogation of a local inhabitant of Vraks after he defected and pretended to be a member of a Krieg regiment.  While other chapters featuring recurring character Colonel Tyborc provides some unique insights into the mindset of a Krieg soldier and what being a hero means to them.  All these chapters are loaded with some intense action, intriguing discussions, or shocking occurrences, as the horrors of war, and even darker things, take their toll on the Krieg soldiers.  Everything leads up to the conclusion of the siege, with final battles, deadly confrontations, and despair in the aftermath, leaving plenty for the reader to get drawn into.  This ended up being a particularly epic narrative which I personally really enjoyed.

As I mentioned above, Lyons features a more fractured narrative structure in Siege of Vraks that shows detailed snapshots of key parts of the larger war and the lives of certain protagonists.  Considering that the overall siege lasts many, many years and features a lot of smaller, pointless battles, this is honestly the best way of doing it, and I think that Lyons’s choice provided the best view of this conflict, while also taking the time to explore multiple characters and storylines.  The resulting book has an interesting flow to it, as you are introduced to new dark scenarios and figures in peril, and forced to watch them participate in a pointless, unrelenting conflict.  While some may not connect with the way in which Lyons dived the book between characters and time periods, I really appreciated the way it was told, and other readers’ dislike will be well bridged by the book’s awesome action.  There are so many impressive battle sequences featured throughout Siege of Vraks, and you see the Krieg soldiers and their allies face off against all manner of opposing forces, from corrupted civilians to daemons and traitor Space Marines.  All these scenes are particularly epic, as Lyons succeeds in showcasing the elaborate big battles of the franchise, and you really get drawn into the resulting carnage.  There is a palpable desperation in many of these sequences, as the Krieg soldiers face off against terrible odds, and Lyons also adds in a bit of horror in places, as Warhammer 40,000 zombies, disgusting daemons, and even more terrors enter the fray.

Due to all this cool action, Siege of Vraks is a highly accessible read to those readers unfamiliar to Warhammer fiction, and any general fans of science fiction and military fiction can have fun with the over-the-top battles featured in the book.  Indeed, I personally felt that Siege of Vraks was one of the few of the franchise novels that really captured the epic scope of a Warhammer 40,000 war, as this book captures a literal world-spanning conflict with millions upon millions of casualties.  Lyons really takes the time to explore just how devastating a full-on war in the franchise can be, and I appreciated seeing the extent of this slaughter here, compared to other Warhammer books that focus primarily on one regiment or relatively small-scale conflicts.  As such, long-term Warhammer fans will also get a lot out of Siege of Vraks, especially as Lyons really does a good job of capturing this event, which has been discussed in some of the games books for ages and showing it to the reader from the soldier’s perspective.  However, the thing that will appeal most to established Warhammer 40,000 readers, is Lyons’ portrayal of the awesome Krieg soldiers.

Due to their dour background, German World War I aesthetic, and the utter devotion to death and duty, the Krieg are a particularly popular faction in the Warhammer 40,000 games and extended fiction, and Lyons is the undisputed author of them.  His previous books have all explored different aspects of the faction, with Krieg looking at their history and the events that made them, while Dead Men Walking showed them as near-soulless automaton, especially through the eyes of the desperate civilians they were there to save.  In Siege of Vraks, Lyons goes a slightly different way and presents a more nuanced and complex portrayal  that fans of his previous works will really appreciate.  For the first time, Lyons features several Krieg perspective characters, and you are given some intriguing insights into their mind, which proves to be highly fascinating.  While on the surface they are dedicated and fanatical fighters, you do see some threads of humanity in several of the characters, such as ambition, fear and uncertainty.  I liked how Lyon tries to humanise the Krieg soldiers in places, especially around main character Colonel Tyborc who struggles with the notion of being a hero when all he wants is to fight the war and redeem his planet.  Tyborc’s arc proves to be particularly compelling in places, especially as his experiences cause him to doubt the war they are fighting in, and lead to an infamous showing of fear.  Despite this attempt at showcasing humanity, Lyons is clear that the Krieg have their own unique drive and take on human nature, such as when one Krieg character sends his older Commissar on a suicide mission because he believes its more merciful than letting him retire.  As such, there are some complex depictions of the Krieg here in Siege of Vrak, which serve as an interesting comparison to some of the author’s previous novels, and I felt that Lyons’ dive between different Krieg characters produced a very complex read.

Unsurprisingly to anyone who has read one of my Warhammer 40,000 reviews, I chose to enjoy Siege of Vraks in its audiobook format.  I have waxed poetic many times about how awesome I find Warhammer audiobooks to be, and this proved to be the case again with Siege of Vraks.  The many intense and over-the-top battles really come across in an epic way when read to you, and I personally find that I can envision the action much more effectively this way.  I also find that the complex character interactions and personal developments that Lyons loads up into the story are expertly captured by this format, and I believe that I got a lot more out of the audiobook than reading a physical copy.  It helped that excellent narrator Timothy Watson returned for Siege of Vraks.  Watson has previously really impressed me with Lyons’ previous audiobooks, as well as in The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks, and it was great to see him continue to add his own spin these Krieg-focused books.  Watson is very effective at conveying the excessive violence and intensity of the Warhammer universe with his narration, and you really get drawn into the action as a result.  I also really love the Germanic accents that Watson attributes to the various Krieg characters, especially as it fits into their faction aesthetic.  While the various Krieg characters all sound a little similar (which does fit into their potential clone background), the narrator does a good job differentiating between these characters, and you are never in doubt about who is talking.  This excellent narration really helped to drag me into the Siege of Vraks audiobook, and I honestly flew through its near 10 hour long run.  There is honestly no better way to enjoy Siege of Vraks then on audiobook, and you are going to have a great time doing so.

Overall, Steve Lyons’s Siege of Vraks was a particularly epic and intense piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, that is going to appeal to a lot of different readers.  Loaded with massive and over-the-top action sequences, Siege of Vraks had me hooked from the very beginning, especially as the author once again expertly showcases the iconic Death Korps of Krieg.  This was such a great read, and all fans of Warhammer fiction and excessively massive science fiction battles, are in for an amazing treat with Siege of Vraks.

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Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy17 Comments

Publisher: Recorded Books (Audiobook – 7 May 2024)

Series: The Broken Blades – Book One

Length: 15 hours and 1 minute

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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I was in the mood for some awesome fantasy fiction, so I decided to check out something a little different for me, Five Broken Blades by new author Mai Corland.  The debut adult book from Corland, who previously wrote children’s and young adult fiction under the name Meredith Ireland, Five Broken Blades was an addictive and exciting fantasy novel with some tragic romance at its core.

In the kingdom of Yusan, the God King Joon is a tyrannical and despised figure whose rule has seen the lives of the poor and innocent disadvantaged even further.  There are many people who want Joon dead, but to even think about it is high treason, punished by the most painful of deaths.  Worse, killing the king is next to impossible, as he is immortal, granted extended life and invulnerability by his magical crown.  Despite this, a small group of desperate killers are about to try to take him down.

Mysteriously summoned from across the nation, five of the most dangerous killers and rogues in Yusan have been tasked with working together and doing the impossible, stealing Joon’s crown and killing him in public.  Each of the five has their own reason for taking part in this apparent suicide mission, including a hired hitman seeking the money he needs for his redemption, a trapped poison-maiden hoping to gain freedom for herself and her sister, the royal spymaster looking for revenge, a banished prince who wants his life back, and a slippery thief seeking to reconnect with her family.

As the group begin to put their plan into motion, these independent killers will need to learn to work together with the rest of the group if they have any hope of surviving.  However, each of them has their own deeper motivations regarding their planned mission, and none of them truly trusts the other rogues they have been tasked with working with.  As they get closer to their goal, the five experience setbacks, twisted romance and unexpected opportunities.  But can they succeed and kill a God King, especially when they have a traitor in their midst?

Five Broken Blades was an excellent and highly enjoyable novel from Corland, who produced an amazing debut adult fantasy novel.  A clever fantasy novel with some entertaining romance elements, Five Broken Blades has an outstanding story of deceit, betrayal and bloodshed set in a Korean-influenced fantasy realm, which really drew me in with its impressive and fun story.

I had an outstanding time with the elaborate story that Corland came up with for Five Broken Blades, and the author produces an intense and moving, character-driven story.  Despite the name and the discussion about the five killers in the synopsis, there are actually six protagonists in this book, which produces a well-balanced narrative with a variety of intriguing character perspectives, arcs and motivations.  Corland starts the book by initially focusing on three of the protagonists and working the reader into their own unique circumstances and backstory.  The author does a good job of quickly and effectively introducing these figures in the initial chapters of the book, and then pairing them off with an additional protagonist who seeks to bring them into the main assassination plot of the book.  These new characters generally serve as great foils for the initial protagonists, and Corland then works to expand their roles in the book, providing their own backgrounds and motivations for being there.  Once established together, these three pairs of characters, then set off to meet up with the other protagonists as they plan their attempted regicide.

The first half of the book primarily focuses on the three separate pairs as they set up their own storylines both individually and as a couple, which I felt worked to really hammer home the complex character arcs Corland was setting up.  There are some fantastic moments in these early pages, including fights against monstrous birds, pirate warfare, and some intense personal scenes.  While the romantic entanglements that emerge within all three of these initial pairs are very predictable and forced, you generally grow attached to all six protagonists, and it proves interesting to see the various hidden motivations and background, especially as Corland expertly trickles out their respective secrets to the reader.  While I quite enjoyed getting to know the characters separately, I felt that Five Broken Blades’s story really took off once all six characters joined together in one group.  The six protagonists all play off each other nicely, and it was intriguing to see the different opinions they had of the rest of the group.  The mismatched styles and motivations make for some compelling interactions, and Corland also works in a particularly intense fight sequence, that helps to cement the protagonists as a team.

While there is some excellent camaraderie, and more romantic tension, the second half of the narrative is strongly defined by mistrust and secrets.  Corland does an excellent job of showcasing the conflicting motivations and hidden desires of the protagonists to the reader, and it was entertaining seeing the various ways the characters all lied to each other as they progressed.  Everything leads up to an intense final act, where the assassination attempt is made, and everyone’s secrets are brought out into the light.  There are some excellent reveals here, and I loved the big twist that comes out as a result.  While I did feel that the identity of the traitor in the group was slightly predictable, the full extent of their motivations and the reasons why they are there was compelling, and it ties in well with all the other clever reveals.  The last few chapters of Five Broken Blades were so damn good, especially as nearly every big question from the book is answered, and I loved the excellent cliff-hanger that Corland left it on, as it really raises the bar for the sequel’s potential plot.

I really enjoyed how Corland set out Five Broken Blades, and the exciting narrative came across in an excellent way.  The key highlight of this is probably the use of six separate perspective characters to tell the complex story.  While too many narrators can sometimes ruin a story, I felt that Corland had the right balance, as Five Broken Blades’ story never felt too crowded or diluted.  While the author probably could have left out Tiyung’s perspective, for the most part the split and switch between narrators worked extremely well, and I loved how it enhanced the overall story and allowed the author to explore multiple compelling character arcs.  The way in which the specific character-focused chapters started off long at the start of the book, allowing for introductions and initial character development at the front, and then got shorter once all six protagonists were together, was very clever as well, and I appreciated how the sudden shift in perspectives with the shorter chapters helped with some of the books more intense or action-packed scenes.

Corland ensures that there is a great mixture of different story elements featured throughout Five Broken Blades, and I personally appreciated how the focus on the characters was balanced with action and so much intrigue.  All this is well surrounded by an intriguing new fantasy realm, Yusan, with some distinctive Korean influences.  While I did feel that parts of this world were a little basic, for the most part this was an excellent background setting, and I appreciate how well Corland worked her fantasy ideas into the larger narrative.

Another key aspect of Five Broken Blades was the inclusion of multiple romance arcs, due to this book being marketed as a romantasy.  I must admit that I’m not the biggest fan of romantasy fiction, and while a good romance arc can greatly enhance a fantasy story, I don’t go out of my way for books that feature excessive romance added in purely to make it a mixed genre novel.  Still, I gave Five Broken Blades a chance, and I honestly thought that Corland did a great job with the romance elements.  While two of the main three romances are very forced (although Euyn and Mikail’s arc of betrayal and forgiveness was pretty strong), for the most part they were fun or interesting to see unfold.  It helped that they didn’t overwhelm the rest of the story and instead were well balanced against the constant machinations of the characters.  Indeed, the romances added an extra layer of heartbreak to some of the betrayals, which ensured a more intense plot.  As such, Five Broken Blades was a romantasy most fantasy fans can probably enjoy, although people will have issues with the predictable way that all three of the initial pairs of protagonists couple up.

While the excellent and twisty story is a great part of Five Broken Blades, the best part of this book is the well-crafted main characters who the narrative is set around.  Corland came up with six excellent protagonists for this book, all of whom have complex and tragic backstories that come into play throughout the course of the book.  Indeed, the narrative is strongly driven by each of their personal tales and experiences, and you really get drawn into the backgrounds and thoughts of the protagonists, especially as understanding their motivations and interactions with the other protagonists is key to working out the upcoming twists.

Of these characters, I felt that Royo and Sora were probably the best written, and I loved their complex stories filled with tragedy, regret and a loss of freedom.  Royo, the tough street thug with a severe need for redemption proves to be the heart of the story, especially as he has a particularly tragic backstory.  He is well matched by the beautiful Sora, a young woman who was forced into a life of death as a poison-maiden, whose poisonous body brings death to those who try to get close to her.  Required to perform assassinations to keep her sister safe, Sora longs for freedom, and will take any opportunity to get revenge and ensure her sister’s safety.  Royo and Sora and well matched by the entertaining pairing of Euyn and Mikail, whose respective arcs were nearly as complex as theirs.  Euyn, the former crown prince of Yusan, had been forced from his life of luxury due to his murderous predilections, and now seeks to become king after years on the run and a better understanding of the common people.  However, Euyn is constantly bedevilled by his former lover Mikail, the royal spymaster, who blows into his life once again to recruit Euyn for the plot against his brother.  Mikail is probably the most entertaining figure in the book, and I loved his constant manipulation of the others.  Corland did a good job of building up a complex backstory behind Mikail, and you grow to like him even more once you understand the reasons behind his inner rage and the lengths he wishes to go to resolve it.

While these four protagonists are pretty awesome, I did feel that the story was slightly let down by the other two protagonists Aeri and Tiyung.  Tiyung is underused (he’s not one of the titular five broken blades), and his unrequited love with Sora and rebellion against his father had some benefit for the story.  However, I had a hard time liking the character of Aeri.  While she did grow on you a little as Five Broken Blades continued, I honestly felt that Aeri’s bubbly personality really didn’t match the other figures in the book, and it was hard to take her seriously as a protagonist.  Corland makes her way too manic (and horny if we’re being honest), and her chapters are a bit too discordant to the rest of the book.  Still, she had some interesting background elements, and there were some compelling reveals around her that explain her unusual behaviours.  Throw in several great additional characters, including some villainous nobles, and this proved to be an outstanding cast, who really help to turn Five Broken Blades into a distinctive and powerful read.

I ended up grabbing the audiobook version of Five Broken Blades, which I always find to be a great medium to enjoy a fun fantasy book.  This proved particularly true for Five Broken Blades, and I loved how well the audiobook format enhanced its compelling and exciting story in some fun ways.  I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of six separate narrators, Greg Chun, Zion Jang, Roger Yeh, Donald Chang, Jaine Ye and Sophie Oda, each of whom voiced the chapters of a particular point of view character.  I really love audiobooks with multiple narrators, and when done right it can help to produce an epic listen.  I felt that the Five Broken Blades audiobook was a great example of this, as all six narrators did an amazing job voicing their protagonist throughout the novel, and you really saw them dive into the role of their specific character, capturing their essence and personality.  While this mixture of narrators does result in an interesting array of different takes on the main characters when they appear in other protagonist’s chapters (a natural side effect of having multiple narrators), I honestly felt the flow of this audiobook was extremely strong, and narrators came together extremely well to produce an excellent overall performance.

Audiobook highlights include Royo’s narration, which really captured the tortured and tough nature of the figure, as well as his exasperation of Aeri’s antics.  Sora was also perfectly showcased as a reluctant assassin in all her manipulative glory, and you really felt for her tragic story because of the voice work.  I was also a big fan of the audiobook’s main portrayal of Euyn, and I also loved his narrator’s take on Mikail, which I felt was a little better than that character’s own voice actor.  While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Aeri’s chapters, especially towards the beginning, for the most part this was an overall epic production, and I really loved how this elaborate audiobook came together.  With a runtime of 15 hours, this is a lengthy audiobook, but that really gave the six narrators the room they needed for their performance, and I managed to get through this audiobook relatively quickly.  This was an overall fantastic and elaborate audiobook, and I would strongly recommend this format to anyone interested in checking out Five Broken Blades.

I ended up having an outstanding time with Five Broken Blades, especially as Mai Corland came up with an excellent and captivating story of betrayal, intrigue and complex motivations.  An entertaining and addictive read from the very beginning, Five Broken Blades was a great fantasy read that makes excellent use of all its story elements, characters, and romantic inclusion.  An impressive debut adult novel from Corland, Five Broken Blades is really worth the read, and I am really keen for the sequel coming out early next year.

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WWW Wednesday – 18 September 2024

On 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:

Terra Incognita by Simon Turney (ebook)

I have started reading the intriguing historical read, Terra Incognita by Simon Turney this week.  A fantastic novel that follows a squad of Roman soldiers looking to find the source of the Nile, Terra Incognita is Turney’s second book of 2024 (he also released the fantastic novel Agricola: Invader), and it is proving to be an excellent and addictive read.

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We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I have also started listening to the audiobook version of the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders.  An intriguing murder mystery set outside of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, We Solve Murders has a very compelling plot, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.  I only just started We Solve Murders relatively recently, but I am already very invested in it.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham (Trade Paperback)

A unique English crime fiction read with a distinctive protagonist.

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Warhammer 40,000: Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid (Audiobook)

An excellent and powerful Warhammer 40,000 novel that takes the franchises’ nuns with guns on a desperate adventure.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

An Eye for an Eye by Jeffrey Archer

While I have several books I want to read next, I think I’ll start by diving into the new Jeffrey Archer book, An Eye for an Eye. The latest book in his William Warwick series, An Eye for an Eye will see the series protagonists investigate a complex murder case, while also battling the malign influence of a sinister art thief with a grudge against them. The William Warwick books always prove to be a ton of fun and I have no doubt that this latest entry is going to keep me very entertained.

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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 – 2024 Warhammer 40,000 Books

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday, Warhammer11 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.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I am going to once again dive into my favourite franchise and highlight several Warhammer 40,000 novels still set for release in 2024.

This has been a pretty big year for the iconic Warhammer 40,000 franchise.  The media outside of the tabletop games has been on absolute fire, with massive video games, intense animation, and more, bringing more people into the fandom.  One part of the franchise that has been particularly impressive has been the various novels, short stories and audiobooks that have been released, expanding the lore of the games and other media.  Readers of this blog will know that I have been getting very deep into this extended Warhammer 40,000 fiction in recent years, and I have read so many different books in this fantastic, grim dark setting.

2024 in particular has been great for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, with some very intriguing and unique novels in the setting coming out.  Naturally, I have gone out of my way to check most of these out, with books like Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks, Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward and Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick greatly impressing me.  However, the year is far from over, and there are many more Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in the next couple of months.

Due to how much I’ve been enjoying this franchise lately, I thought I would take the time to highlight some of the most intriguing Warhammer 40,000 novels coming out in the tail end of the year.  There are several particularly cool books on the horizon, and I am honestly planning to read every one of them the moment they come out.  I’ve got five upcoming books featured below, with most of the information on them coming from the Warhammer Community website.  I unfortunately don’t have actual release dates for a couple of these upcoming books, but they are all set to come out before the end of the year.

The first of these books I want to highlight is Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer.  Now, Dominion Genesis is actually out in the next couple of days, however, I figured it was still worth featuring here as it sounds pretty damn cool.

Plot Synopsis:

A Warhammer 40,000 Novel

Gryphonne IV is dead – one of the mightiest forge worlds in the arsenal of the Adeptus Mechanicus, succumbed to the relentless hunger of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Devoured. Lost.

The few magi that survive drift in idleness, robbed of purpose and direction. But there is one who rejects that fate.

READ IT BECAUSE

It’s the gripping tale of an Explorator desperately seeking ancient technologies from humanity’s past as she races against time to restore one of the mightiest forge worlds in the Imperium.

THE STORY

Explorator Talin Sherax seeks ancient and miraculous technologies from humanity’s distant past. When she learns of a fabled relic that could restore all that has been lost, Sherax embarks on a journey, the outcome of which could change everything. Nothing will stand in her way… even if the quest brings her to the brink of heresy.


Dominion Genesis sounds like a very epic novel, and I am looking forward to another intriguing look at the mysterious Adeptus Mechanicus from a new perspective.  Forcing the unique figure of an Explorator, a Adeptus Mechanicus Tech-Priest tasked with finding ancient technology, against the unstoppable force of a ravening Hive Fleet, has a lot of potential, and I am very curious to see how this story turns out.  This will be the second full Warhammer 40,000 novel that Beer has written, with his first book, The King of the Spoil, being one of my top debuts of 2023.  Based on how impressive Beer’s first book turned out, I am very excited for Dominion Genesis, and I have very high hopes for this fantastic novel.

The second upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novel I want to highlight here is the awesome sounding book, Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers.  The sequel to Flowers’ previous novel, Outgunned (one of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels I have read), Above and Beyond is probably the entry on this post that I think has the most potential, and I am very eager to see this series continue.

Plot synopsis:

 When the man responsible for Lucille von Shard’s fame – lowly propagandist Kile Simlex – receives a cryptic message, he is whisked away to join the crusade for which she has become the figurehead. What he finds, however, is not the fighter ace he once knew…

While the details are still a little sparse, I love the sound of Above and Beyond’s plot, primarily because it looks set to bring back the two protagonists from the first book.  The combination of the fearless and slightly suicidal fighter pilot and the inquisitive and thoughtful propaganda expert worked wonders in Outgunned, and I am curious to see how it continues here in the sequel, especially as it sounds like the formerly skilled Lucille von Shard, has lost some of her famed flying ability.  Flowers has shown himself to be a particularly skilled writer, and I am eager to see how Above and Beyond turns out, as frankly this might end up being the best Warhammer book of the year.

The next book that I want to highlight is the interesting and no-doubt lore heavy book, The High Kâhl’s Oath by Gav Thorpe.  The first Warhammer 40,000 novel to really focus on the Leagues of Votann faction (essentially space dwarves), The High Kâhl’s Oath should be a rather unique read for fans of the Black Library.  This foray into Leagues of Votann fiction will be helmed by veteran Warhammer author Gav Thorpe, who has a lot of experience diving into factions across the various Warhammer games.  I am a particular fan of his Last Chancers series (13th Legion and Kill Team), and I’m hoping for another dark and compelling read with The High Kâhl’s Oath.

Plot Synopsis:

Hernkyn Prospect leader Myrtun Dammergot is a member of the Kindred of the Eternal Starforge, and flourishing in this new age of conflict between the Kin and the Imperium, exploiting battles for great personal gain. When a messenger sent from her Kindred’s Hold Ship upends her freewheeling life, she and her companions are thrust into a dangerous venture with high stakes, but a magnificent prize if they succeed. 

I think that The High Kâhl’s Oath is going to be a fascinating and complex Warhammer 40,000 novel which I am quite excited for.  I’m not especially familiar with the Leagues of Votann faction, although they sound like a fun addition to the already crazy Warhammer 40,000 grimdark universe, and I am eager to learn more about them.  Due to this book likely to be quite lore heavy, I can potentially see The High Kâhl’s Oath not working for every reader, although Thorpe has got some substantial experience of highlighting specific factions while still producing great stories (see his dwarf focused Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer).  I am personally really looking forward to The High Kâhl’s Oath, and I cannot wait to see how Thorpe explores these high-tech space faring dwarves.

The fourth novel that I am focusing on here is the recently announced Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer.  The second novel from Fischer after their debut novel Witchbringer, Broken Crusade will see the author dive into one of the most iconic Space Marines Chapter, the highly fanatical and dedicated Black Templars.

Plot Synopsis:

On the fringes of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Black Templars of the Second Dorean Crusade tear through the void to join the crusade fleet on the sands of Tempest – an ancient, storied shrine world. The planet has been assailed by the murderous warbands of the Blood God, and the Black Templars have come to burn it clean of the Ruinous Powers once and for all.

But when a violent warp storm scatters the fleet, the Dauntless Honour is left battered and alone in the void. Besieged by doubt, Castellan Emeric and his brothers must cling to their faith and carve a way to Tempest. For it is there that their battles will truly begin, and the cost of victory may be more than even they are prepared to pay…


Broken Crusade should be another pretty damn awesome Warhammer 40,000 book, and I like the intriguing and dark narrative that Fischer is setting up.  While the Black Templars are a little overused in Warhammer fiction, I think that Broken Crusade is going to show a bit of a different side to them.  The focus on their faith, their isolation, and their sacrifice as they attempt to make their way to the battle on Tempest all has an intriguing harrowing quality, which should make for quite a powerful read.  After how much Fischer impressed me with his complex debut, I am particularly excited for Broken Crusade, and I cannot wait to dive into the psyches of these zealous Space Marines.

The final book I want to highlight in this post was only just announced, but it could end up being one of the top books of 2024 with Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young.  Young is another relatively new Warhammer 40,000 author who impressed me last year with his debut novel Longshot.  His second book will provide an interesting look at a major character in the lore who has been gaining a lot of attention lately, Arcadian Leontus, Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar.

Plot Synopsis:

A saviour pod screams a flaming path through the skies of Fortuna Minor, almost lost amidst the debris that rains down over the arid plains below. The Imperial fleet in orbit is in full retreat, their deployment undone by orkish cunning.

Those lucky enough to make planetfall find the world a false sanctuary – one overrun by Speed Waaaghs!, its population enslaved to build weaponised effigies of the foul ork gods. For the Imperial forces, every hour will be a hopeless fight for survival.

But the man in the saviour pod is Arcadian Leontus – Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar, peerless tactician and mastermind of countless victories. Even stripped of his armies and separated from his loyal steed Konstantin, Leontus has no intention to merely survive this war. He intends to win it.

Leontus: Lord Solar is the latest Black Library novel by Rob Young – a rip-roaring tale about one of the most powerful men in the Imperium fighting a desperate personal battle against endless tides of orks. Stranded on an occupied planet, he must rebuild an army to wrest it back.

This another fun and exciting upcoming Warhammer book that I am think I am going to have a very good time reading.  The plot of Leontus: Lord Solar reminds me a little of the Ciaphas Cain novel, Death or Glory, although I imagine that Young is going to play this book a little more serious and have Leontus engage in a series of strategic battles rather than trying to run away like a certain commissar.  It will be interesting to see how Young portrays Leontus, and I’m hoping that the author really captures the character’s tactical prowess and drive.  This should an action-packed Warhammer novel and I cannot wait to dive into it.

As you can see there are still a ton of really cool Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in final few months of 2024, and I haven’t even mentioned a couple of recent releases I’m still waiting to grab, or any other books that still haven’t been announced.  I think all the above are going to be really fun books to check out, and I love the variety of stories, factions and authors these five novels represent.  This has been such a great year for Warhammer fans, and if you don’t know about this franchise already, you are really missing out.

WWW Wednesday – 11 September 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham (Trade Paperback)

I started reading the entertaining thriller The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham.  A unique English crime fiction read with a distinctive protagonist, The Wrong Hands is so far proving to be a pretty enjoyable novel, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid (Audiobook)

I also just started listening to the latest Warhammer 40,000 novel, Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid.  Following a warrior nun as she becomes involved in a great conflict, Daemonbreaker should prove to be a pretty fantastic read.  I really enjoyed Reid’s first novel, Creed: Ashes of Cadia (one of my favourite debuts of 2023), and I cannot wait to see how the author’s second outing turns out.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

Precipice by Robert Harris (Trade Paperback)

A very compelling book that perfectly covers an infamous World War I scandal involving the British prime minister.  Precipice was a pretty intriguing and unique read, and I had a fantastic time getting through it.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven (Audiobook)

An excellent audiobook that features an intense and captivating story around the infamous Exorcists chapter of Space Marines.  Exciting, powerful, and highly recommended to Warhammer fans.

Amazon

 

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)

I finally got around to listening to the new audiobook version of one of my favourite Discworld novels, Guards! Guards!. Featuring a fantastic cast, this new version of Guards! Guards! was really fun to listen to, and it proved to be the perfect accompaniment for a road trip.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Terra Incognita by Simon Turney

I have a few awesome books that I need to read at the moment, but I think the next one I will dive into is the intriguing historical read, Terra Incognita.  An interesting sounding novel that will follow Roman explorers looking to find the source of the Nile, Terra Incognita is Turney’s second book of 2024 (he also released the fantastic novel Agricola: Invader), and should be an excellent and addictive read.

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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 – Gunnawah and The Reunion

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday14 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.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two intriguing upcoming Australian crime fiction debuts.

2025 is already shaping up to be a big year for Australian crime fiction debuts, as there are several compelling and epic novels from first-time authors set for release next year.  I always love checking out compelling Australian fiction from new authors, and it is fun to see these writers develop their style and produce complex reads set in our distinctive landscapes.  As such, I am very excited for 2025, especially with the focuses of today’s Waiting on Wednesday set for release right at the start of the year.

The first debut I want to highlight is the awesome and unique sounding novel, Gunnawah from new author Ronni Salt.  Set for release on 1 January 2025, Gunnawah is an interesting crime fiction novel, that will feature a rural mystery with a historical background setting.

Plot Synopsis:

It’s 1974 in the Riverina

The weather is hot

But the body in the Murray River is stone cold . . .

A captivating and compulsive crime thriller about guns, drugs and a young woman dead on the money

Riverina 1974:

When nineteen-year-old farmgirl Adelaide Hoffman applies for a cadetship at the Gunnawah Gazette, she sees it as her ticket out of a life too small for her. Its owner, Valdene Bullark, sees something of the girl she once was in young Adelaide.

Val puts Adelaide straight to work. What starts as a routine assignment covering an irrigation project soon puts Adelaide on the trail of a much bigger story. Water is money in farming communities, and when Adelaide starts asking questions, it’s as if she’s poked a stick in a bull ant’s nest. Violence follows. Someone will do whatever it takes to stop Adelaide and Val finding out how far the river of corruption and crime runs.

Shady deals. Vested interests. A labyrinth of lies. It seems everyone in Gunnawah has a secret to keep. But how many want to stop Adelaide dead?

Set deep in the heart of rural Australia during the era of Gough Whitlam, pub brawls and flared jeans, Gunnawah is a compulsive crime thriller of corruption, guns and drugs from Australian Noir’s most arresting new voice.

I feel that Gunnawah has a lot going for it, especially as Salt looks set to combine rural crime antics with Australia’s distinctive 1970s vibe.  The combination of 70s nostalgia, unique criminal activity, and plucky characters trying to get to the truth has some big potential, and I’m personally interested in seeing what sort of story Salt has planned here, especially with the focus seemingly on corruption around farmland irrigation.  This is one of the more distinctive crime fiction books coming out in 2025, and I have a feeling that Gunnawah is going to be a top debut of next year, and I cannot wait to see how Salt will impress us.

The other fascinating Australian crime fiction debut coming out in early 2025 that I want to highlight is The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers.  Set in the iconic and beautiful Blue Mountains wilderness, The Reunion will see five isolated protagonists relive the sins of their shared past as the truth comes for them.  The Reunion has a very cool story concept around it that has really grabbed my attention, and I am quite keen to grab it in February 2025.

Plot Synopsis:

THEY’LL WISH THEY NEVER WENT BACK.

Ten years ago, six teenagers hiked into the Blue Mountains wilderness – and only five came out alive.

The survivors have barely seen each other since the tragic bushwalk. Yet when an invitation arrives to attend a 10-year memorial of their friend’s death, Hugh, Charlotte, Alex, Laura and Jack find themselves travelling back into the rugged landscape where it all began.

The weekend at an isolated homestead in the bush – no phone signal, no distractions – should be a chance to reflect and reconnect.

But each of the friends has been carrying secrets from the fateful hike. And someone will stop at nothing to get the truth.

This is another particularly cool sounding book, and I think that Rivers has an excellent story idea that is really going to pay off.  The classic scenario of isolated protagonists revisiting a traumatic event from years before is always a reliable basis for a story, and I am curious to see how Rivers will make it her own.  Unwrapping the separate and joint secrets of five protagonists has a lot of potential, and I cannot wait to see what sort of twists and compelling reveals this new author comes up with.  I am also very excited to see how Rivers will utilise the wilderness setting of the Blue Mountains in The Reunion.  I literally just got back from a holiday in the Blue Mountains, so I can imagine some of the elaborate bushland settings and locals that can be used to hide secrets, bodies and lies.

Overall, I think that both Gunnawah and The Reunion have a lot of potential and I am very excited to read them.  I cannot wait to see how these first Australian crime fiction novels from Ronni Salt and Bronwyn Rivers will turn out and they will probably be amongst my top debut novels of 2025.

WWW Wednesday – 4 September 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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:

Precipice by Robert Harris (Trade Paperback)

I started reading the historical thriller Precipice this week.  The new book from the always outstanding Robert Harris, Precipice covers an infamous World War I scandal involving the British prime minister.  I have made a little bit of progress on Precipice already and I am loving the author’s deep dive into the controversial events surrounding this scandal.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven (Audiobook)

I didn’t get a lot of time to listen to audiobooks this week, so I’m still going with the entertaining Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven.  Following the infamous Exorcists chapter of Space Marines, Oaths of Damnation sees the Exorcists attempt to track down a dangerous daemon before it reveals their chapter’s darkest secrets.  Despite my slow progress, this is a very awesome audiobook and I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

The Youngest Son by John Byrnes (Trade Paperback)

An excellent historical crime fiction read that follows a compelling family in early 20th century Sydney.

Amazon

 

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross (Trade Paperback)

The final book in the de Norton trilogy, King’s Enemy was everything I hoped it would be and more.  An outstanding final entry in a trilogy that previously featured the awesome books Battle Song and War Cry, King’s Enemy saw the protagonist, now declared a traitor, fight in England’s most infamous siege.  This was an extremely epic historical novel, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Amazon

 

The Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson (Trade Paperback)

A great Australian historical mystery, set around the British Empire’s first female police officer.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham

I have several amazing books to check out next, but I think I’ll quickly dive into the entertaining thriller The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham.  This book sounds like a ton of fun, and I have no doubt that I am going to have an outstanding time getting through it.

Amazon

 

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 – Midnight Black by Mark Greaney

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, 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.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out a particularly epic 2025 thriller I know I’m going to absolutely love, with Midnight Black by Mark Greaney.

Amazon

I have been on a massive Mark Greaney kick this year, primarily because the talented Greaney has released two amazing thrillers.  This includes the action-packed read Sentinel (the sequel to his previous novel Armored), which I just reviewed, and his big release of 2024 The Chaos Agent.  An intense and compelling read, The Chaos Agent was one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of 2024, and it will likely top my end of year best-of lists.  I deeply enjoyed The Chaos Agent, and I felt it was a particularly good entry in Greaney’s long-running Gray Man series.

The Gray Man books are an outstanding spy thriller series that follows an elite assassin and former CIA asset as he faces off against an array of dangerous enemies and contemporary thriller plots.  Starting off with the particularly awesome The Gray Man, the series has grown from strength to strength since then and I have been a huge fan of some of the more recent entries.  This includes Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Burner (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).

Due to how impressive this series has been in the past, I am always keen to grab the new Gray Man novel when it comes out each year, and they usually end up being a major highlight for the early parts of the year.  I am particularly interested on getting my hands on the sequel to The Chaos Agent however, as Greaney ended this latest book on a great cliffhanger designed to drag the reader back again.  Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait, as the next book in the series, Midnight Black, is coming out in late February 2025.  The 14th entry in this outstanding series, Midnight Black has an exceptional plot behind it that sounds so damn good.

Plot Synopsis:

With his lover imprisoned in a Russian gulag, the Gray Man will stop at nothing to free her in this latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

A winter sunrise over the great plains of Russia is no cause for celebration. The temperature barely rises above zero, and the guards at Penal Colony IK22 are determined to take their misery out on the prisoners – chief among them, one Zoya Zakharova.

Once a master spy for Russian foreign intelligence, then the partner and lover of the Gray Man, Zakharova has information the Kremlin wants, and they don’t care what they have to do to get it.

But if they think a thousand miles of frozen wasteland and the combined power of the Russian police state is enough to protect them, they don’t know the Gray Man. He’s coming, and no one’s safe.

So, I really don’t think I need to explain why a book set around a pissed off Gray Man storming a Russian penal colony is going to be awesome.  Greaney did a great job of setting up this scenario in the previous book, and now all he has to do is sit back and ensure the action and intrigue flows heavily during the Gray Man’s assault on the camp and all of Russia in Midnight Black.  The author has done a remarkable job of exploring impossible survival scenarios for his protagonist in the past, and I have a feeling that this one is going to be particularly cool and gruesome, primarily because this will be the highest stakes for his protagonist yet.

Honestly there is no way that I wasn’t going to grab Midnight Black when it comes out next year, and the simple yet awesome scenario that Greaney has set up above is making me very, very excited.  I have no doubt whatsoever that Midnight Black is going to feature some particularly impressive action sequences, and I am imagining the Gray Man storming through all of Russia to get to his goal.  Midnight Black is probably the thriller I am most excited to get my hands on in 2025and I cannot wait to see how Greaney tops his previous books as he grants us more Gray Man goodness.