WWW Wednesday – 13 November 2024

On November 13, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 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:

Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson (Hardcover)

I just started reading the awesome Australian murder mystery novel, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson. The follow up to Stevenson’s previous books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is another unique murder mystery that sees the dysfunctional protagonist attempt to discover a murderer amongst a group of Christmas performers. Once again combining a clever investigation with comedy and a satirical look at the murder mystery genre, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret should be a particularly awesome read and I will probably knock it off in the next day or so.

Warhammer 40,000: Daemonhammer by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

I am still powering through every 2024 Warhammer 40,000 novel I can, so I just started listening to the new book from Darius Hinks (whose previous novel, Leviathan, was delightfully dark). This new book, Daemonhammer, sets an aging Imperial Inquisitor against deadly hidden forces in an elaborate game of cat and mouse. I haven’t made a lot of progress on Daemonhammer yet, but I am already quite curious about where the plot is going.

What did you recently finish reading?

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang (Trade Paperback)

I managed to get through the awesome fantasy novel, Blood Over Bright Haven this week, and boy was it awesome. The new book from acclaimed author M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven was a particularly powerful and inventive fantasy novel that I had such a brilliant time with. Clever, tragic, and filled with some unique fantasy features, Blood Over Bright Haven was so damn good, and I am very glad I decided to check it out.

Darkside by Michael Mammay (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the epic science fiction thriller Darkside by Michael Mammay this week as well. The fourth book in Mammay’s Planetside series (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside brings back the author’s controversial protagonist as he investigates a missing persons case on a moon-based mining colony, run by two companies who have both tried to kill him in the past. This proved to be an excellent and fast-paced book, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Ghosts of August by Peter Watt

The next book I am hoping to read is the new Australian historical fiction novel, The Ghosts of August. The final entry in Peter Watt’s Colonial series, The Ghosts of August should be a compelling and exciting book, as the various members of a prominent family deal with the chaos surrounding World War I.

Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven

I am also hoping to read the exciting thriller, Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven. The sequel to Craven’s previous novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero will taking the author’s new protagonist on a dangerous mission to London. I am really looking forward to reading this over-the-top thriller, especially as Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair, proved to be particularly impressive.

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 – A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

On November 13, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, 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 my latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an intriguing 2025 fantasy debut with A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde.

The new year is shaping up to quite impressive fiction wise, as there are a ton of awesome new novels coming out in 2025. While I love seeing some of my favourite series continuing, I am also always keeping my eye out for something new, especially if that means debuts from promising new authors. I have already identified a couple of cool Australian crime fiction debuts coming out in early 2025, and now I’m turning to fantasy fiction debuts, there is a compelling fantasy novel from a first-time author is coming out in April.

This fantasy debut is A Song of Legends Lost by new author M. H. Ayinde, and not only does it have an amazing cover, but it also sounds really impressive. Set to be a gripping and powerful revenge tale, A Song of Legends Lost has an interesting magic system revolving around the summoning of ancient ancestor spirits for combat purposes. However, when a commoner summons the wrong spirit by accident, it leads to all manner of trouble, both in the spirit realm, and on the physical plane. I really love the sound of A Song of Legends Lost and I think that this novel could have some real potential for next year, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Plot Synopsis:

A relentlessly gripping tale of revenge and rebellion from a major new voice in epic fantasy

In the kingdom of Nine Lands, incursions by an ancient enemy are dealt with by the Invoker clans – warriors of noble blood who can summon their ancestors to fight with them in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending this centuries-long war.

But as secrets long buried come to light, Temi will learn that not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor, and some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.

Top Ten Tuesday –Book Titles Containing Place Names

On November 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, contributors are tasked with listing their ten favourite books that have a destination title, or a title that contains the name of a place. This includes either fictional or non-fictional place names and serves as a rather interesting challenge for participating bloggers.

I had a fun pulling this latest list together, and it proved intriguing to dive through my various bookshelves to see what cool novels and comics I could find with the appropriate titles. It turns out that there were quite a few books I have read that featured destinations or places in their titles, and I managed to come up with quite a unique list. This post features an excellent blend of fictional and non-fictional place names, and I think they play off each other nicely. While this list is a little heavy on books from my favourite authors and universes, I am happy with how everything turned out, and it represents a very Unseen Library take on the topic. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

A fun name for a great historical read.

The Moscow Offensive by Dale Brown

An outstanding thriller that pits Russians against the United States with advanced weaponry.

Rome’s Sacred Flame by Robert Fabbri

A complex and entertaining historical fiction book that covers an insane period of Roman history.

Warhammer 40,000: The Guns of Tanith by Dan Abnett

A particularly awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel. The place name, Tanith, refers to the home planet of the main regiment of the book, although as it’s been destroyed at this point and more of a concept, I decided to only include this as an honourable mention.

Top Ten List:

The Gates of Athens by Conn Iggulden

A great historical fiction book about the Persian wars in Greece and focuses on the turbulent politics of Athens during the period.

The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

An intriguing fantasy debut from a talented Australian author. The title references the main setting for the series, Sunder City, a formerly great magical city laid low by catastrophe.

Warhammer 40,000: Siege of Vraks by Steve Lyons

I have a few Warhammer 40,000 novels in this list, as the franchise has a tendency to name books after war locations. The planet of Vraks identified in the title was a fortress world, and this book recounts a particularly brutal siege to claim it. An outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel with a catchy title.

Hill 112 by Adrian Goldsworthy

A complex and fascinating historical fiction book from earlier this year. The titular Hill 112 was a vital World War II location in the early days of the Allies’ invasion of Normandy, and this book provides a powerful account of the battle to claim and hold it.

Usagi Yojimbo: Duel at Kitanoji by Stan Sakai

I had to feature an Usagi Yojimbo comic on this list, and the one I chose was the brilliant and moving volume, Duel at Kitanoji. Following the events that led up to a duel between two samurai masters that the protagonist deeply respects, this was a particularly impressive Usagi Yojimbo comic. The place, Kitanoji, referenced in the title, was a shrine where the two duellists chose to fight to the death, and I think that it helps to create a memorable and complex name for this volume.

The Secret Runners of New York by Mathew Reilly

An awesome young adult thriller that follows a group of students who follow secret pathways around New York to visit a future version of the city.

Warhammer 40,000: The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

Another epic Warhammer 40,000 novel with a place name in the title is The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath. Recounting a major lore event in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, this book follows the last day of the iconic Warhammer world of Cadia as it faces its doom during the 13^th Black Crusade. A particularly impressive and captivating read, this was a very easy choice to include on this list.

Traitors of Rome by Simon Scarrow

There were actually a few books in Simon Scarrow’s long-running Eagles of the Empire historical fiction series that featured Rome in the title, including the next, upcoming entry in the series, Revenge of Rome. However, for the moment I have included the excellent novel, Traitors of Rome, which proved to be an exciting and intense addition to the series.

A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist

A key book in Raymond E. Feist’s original Riftwar Cycle trilogy, this title refers to the major battle of the book that sees an epic confrontation at the town of Sethanon.

Star Wars: Darth Vader: The Shu-Torun War by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

The final entry on this list is the very cool Star Wars comic, The Shu-Torun War. Part of an extremely awesome series that focused on the iconic character of Darth Vader, The Shu-Torun War was a strong entry in the series that recounts Vader’s actions in brutally supressing a rebellion on the vital planet of Shu-Torun. An impressive comic that takes the reader on a dark adventure, this was a fantastic addition to this list that I was glad I could include.

That’s my latest list. As you can see, there are some great books out there that feature titles with destinations included within. I like the cool range of books and locations I picked out in the above list and proved to be a lot of fun to pull it together. All the above books are fantastic reads as well, and you can have an amazing time getting through them. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books with destinations in the titles are in the comments below.

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

On November 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Short Stories1 Comment

Publisher: Del Rey (Trade Paperback – 17 September 2024)

Series: Standalone/Short Story Collection

Length: 433 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

A must-read for all fans of fantasy author Naomi Novik is the excellent and highly enjoyable short story collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. Featuring an intriguing combination of stories from across Novik’s imagination and established fantasy universes, Buried Deep and Other Stories was a particularly awesome read that I had a lot of fun getting through.

Naomi Novik is a well-established and impressive fantasy author who has produced some amazing works over the years. Best known for her iconic Temeraire series, which envisioned the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, Novik has produced some great books and stories over the years, including some interesting standalone works. I best know Novik from her excellent Scholomance books, which showcased a dark and impressive take on the magic school genre. The Scholomance books, made up of A Deadly Education (one of my favourite books of 2020), The Last Graduate (one of my favourite books of 2021) and The Golden Enclaves (one of my favourite books of 2022), were all extremely awesome, and this remains one of my all-time favourite book trilogies. As such, I was very interested in reading more from Novik and Buried Deep and Other Stories offered an amazing opportunity to explore her varied writings.

Buried Deep and Other Stories contains an auspicious 13 short stories, which run the gambit from entertaining to moving and bring together both previously published short stories and new tales fresh from the author’s imagination. While some of the reads are standalone stories, there were also entries from Novik’s more familiar universes, all of which comes together to make quite an awesome overall volume. I was initially drawn to this book by the promise of a continuation of series I’ve previously read, but I ended up staying for the whole inventive array, especially as you are gifted a vision into Novik’s future works.

Novik starts the book off strong with the fast-paced story, Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake, a Regency-style adventure with fantasy elements that follows a young, adventurous woman who wants more than a planned marriage. A chance pirate attack and a gender-morphing amulet provide the opportunity she is looking for while also leading to various amorous adventures. This was a very fun, and slightly randy, swashbuckling adventure that successfully highlights the author’s flair for combining historical periods with her own fantasy ideas. This proved to be a great first entry to Buried Deep and Other Stories, and I appreciated that Novik started things off fun.

Novik kept the book going strong with the amazing Afterhours, which serves as a follow-up to her awesome Scholomance trilogy. I must admit that of all the stories in this book, Afterhours was the one that I was most excited for, primarily because I had such a great time with the Scholomance novels, and I really wanted to see how the universe continued. Novik did not disappoint with a captivating story set a couple of years after The Golden Enclaves, with a look at a new class studying at the Scholomance magical school. Despite the Scholomance evolving and becoming less exclusive, some things remain the same, with the unusual witch Beata, finding her school life made difficult by the rich and powerful enclave students, including her roommate. Desperate to survive, Beata and her friends break curfew to obtain rare supplies, only to encounter some of the remaining monsters roaming the school.

This proved to be an entertaining and wonderful return to the Scholomance series, and I for one was glad to get a look at the school and its unusual setup following the chaotic events of the original trilogy. Novik does an excellent job expanding on her existing universe, and fans of the series will love this continuation, as well as a major cameo at the end. However, this story is open to reader’s unfamiliar with the Scholomance books, especially as Novik focuses the plot on a protagonist unaware of the full details of the previous books, allowing for an excellent outsider’s perspective as you explore the setting’s unique features. It was great to return to this iconic setting, and Afterhours was a fun read that both stood on its own, while also providing some awesome moments to the author’s existing readers.

The third story in this book, Vici, is a quick but highly fun entry that ties into the dragon taming world of Novik’s Temeraire universe. Indeed, Vici shows the origin of the universe’s entire dragon riding premise with a Roman historical tale that sees a young Mark Antony hatch a dragon egg. Novik produces a particularly entertaining and hilarious story, as her irresponsible Mark Antony (inspired by James Purefoy from the Rome television series), finds himself in all manner of trouble, made worse by his impressionable talking dragon. I loved this simple but highly effective story, which not only expertly works dragons into Roman history, but which also keeps the reader extremely amused with some great humour and over-the-top moments. One of the funniest stories in Buried Deep and Other Stories, and a wonderful mood lightener between other heavier entries.

This leads us to the book’s titular short story, Buried Deep, which serves as a powerful retelling of the Minotaur myth. Told from the perspective of King Minos’s daughter, Ariadne, Buried Deep follows her journey to becoming a priestess of the shrine that holds her brother, Minotaur, as he stalks the labyrinth under the island. Novik seeks to cast both Ariadne and Minotaur in a more sympathetic light, showing them as victims of their father’s schemes, with Ariadne seeking to undermine Minos by using the labyrinth to enhance her reputation. Thanks to its deep emotional edge and near gothic style, Buried Deep proved to be a particularly unique and memorable take on the Minotaur myth, and I loved seeing Ariadne’s perspective of events. You really appreciate her bond with Minotaur and the pain that his imprisonment has on her, and this was one of the more moving entries in Buried Deep and Other Stories. This story effectively showcased Novik’s ability to transform well-established stories and myths, and I’m glad Buried Deep was featured here.

The next story is the fantastic entry, Spinning Silver. A clever take on the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, this story follows Miryem, the daughter of a village moneylender, who takes over her weak father’s business and becomes a successful businesswoman. A boast about her ability to make money brings her to the attention of a malicious faerie who demands that she prove her ill-timed words three times by turning his silver coins into gold. What follows is a fantastic and clever series of events as Miryem uses her business sense and quick thinking to technically fulfill the terms of the magical contract while also trying to get out of the unfavourable marriage promised as a reward.

I really loved Spinning Silver for a multitude of reasons, especially as it has a compelling narrative that brilliantly retells a famous fairytale in a darker and more modern manner, while also featuring a great historical Russian setting. This proved to be a particularly enthralling tale of fortitude and tough decisions that also subtly examines the historical hardship of the Jewish population of Eastern Europe. Spinning Silver is also an interesting inclusion as it bears the same name as one of the author’s novels. This short story, which was published a few years before the Spinning Silver novel, was the inspiration for Novik’s later book, with the author reusing elements from it. While readers who have already enjoyed the Spinning Silver novel will see some similarities between it and this short story, the entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories is very much worth checking out as Novik takes this short story in a different direction to give it quicker and more definitive conclusion. I think that the Spinning Silver short story works a little better than the overall novel, mainly because the concept was more focused and reached its key points sooner, but both prove to be excellent reads. This honestly proved to be one of the strongest entries in Buried Deep and Other Stories, and I see why Novik chose to expand it into a novel.

The fun continues with the fantastic story Commonplaces, which serves as the author’s unique entry in the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Set after the events of the classic Sherlock Holmes short story, The Final Problem, Commonplaces focuses on the character of Irene Adler after she hears about the events at Reichenbach Falls. This was a short but sweet story that provides an interesting modern look at the impact Holmes has on the characters he encounters. Novik’s take on Adler, which only utilises details from A Scandal in Bohemia, is particularly authentic, and doesn’t fall into the exaggeration that many of her current popular culture portrayals are known for. Shown solely from Adler’s perspective, you get some great interpretations into her personality, as well as her observations of the enigmatic Holmes. I felt the story went in some very interesting and memorable directions, and I liked how it both cleverly referenced A Scandal in Bohemia but also covered a potential romance between Holmes and Adler in its own way. Novik adds in a few subtle implications about Holmes’ romantic interests and inclinations, which I thought was a nice touch, and the resulting story effectively ties up the entire storyline between these two iconic figures. An overall fantastic story, Commonplaces is a fun and quick short that will appeal to a lot of readers.

Novik continues to delight with the seventh entry, ironically named Seven, which was one of my favourite stories in Buried Deep and Other Stories. Set in a unique fantasy city called Seven, the story is set around the city’s famous ceramics trade, which constantly ensures that the city is surrounded by seven giant singing statues. Whenever one of the statues breaks, a replacement is made from a beautiful yet deadly special clay by the city’s then master clay-shaper. Seven primarily follows Kath, a clay-shaper’s widow, who takes over her husband’s business with the help of grouchy kiln master and ceramic devotee Grovin, and eventually forms a reputation as a radical artist due to the simplicity of her pots and ceramics. Chosen to build the next singing statue, Kath is initially reluctant due to the life-shortening nature of the special clay, until the machinations of Grovin forces her hand.

I really loved Seven, and I think it is the story that best showcases how imaginative and skilled Novik is as an author. I was deeply impressed with how effectively Novik was able to build up a new fantasy city and then set up a complex and character-driven tale that debated art versus practicality in only 25 pages. You easily get drawn into the struggle of Kath as she becomes a famous artist and creator with all the trouble that entails, while simply trying to provide for her family. Novik works this initial premise extremely well, and then cleverly twists the entirety of Seven into a tale the examines the dark side of art appreciation. This darkness is conveyed by the complex and gruff character of Grovin, a man who only loves the beauty of ceramics, and whose desire to see more of Kath’s art forces him to some dark places. I loved the ironic twist that forces Grovin to live a life less devoted to the arts to get what he wants, and I really appreciated how Novik explored his obsession, and the differing views of what ceramics represent between the two main characters. If I had one complaint, it would be that the story wasn’t long enough; I would love to have seen a more concrete conclusion than the philosophical end Novik came up with, but this was still an exceptional story that really hooked me in with its creativity and unique focus.

Continuing onwards, Novik throws in two great short stories that break up the book in preparation for the longer stories towards the end, with Blessings and Lord Dunsany’s Teapot. Lord Dunsany’s Teapot is a tale of magic and imagination in the depths of horrifying war, while Blessings is a fun story about a young baby who gets over-blessed by six drunk and competitive fairy godmothers. Both these stories have their own unique flavour, and I liked how well they played off each other in short order. Lord Dunsany’s Teapot was a quick magical story with descriptive dark war elements to it that highlight the need for an escape from horror, while Blessings was an excellent comedic take on the fairy godmother trope from popular fairytales. I enjoyed both these stories, although Blessings was probably my favourite due to its hilarious, quick-fire content.

Next up we have the tenth entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories, with the book’s only science fiction contribution. Seven Years From Home is a striking story about futuristic colonialism in which a young diplomat from an ever-increasing galactic federation visits a prospective new member planet where a war is brewing between new, technological reliant colonists and the original settlers of the planet who have genetically modified themselves and are now in tune with nature. This was an interesting take on the classic story of technologically advanced colonists warring with nature-loving natives with an outsider amid the natives learning their ways. However, Novik takes her story in some different directions, with the natives proving to be far more adaptable than you would expect, and I loved this brilliant and intriguing tale. While it features a great story, Novik ensures that Seven Years From Home really stands out thanks to the protagonist, who finds herself caught between her loyalties to her home empire and the new friends she makes on her adventures. There were some great scenes as the protagonist becomes even more conflicted with her choices, especially as the information she sends home keeps the war going, and her attempts to find the same mindset of her hosts. This story ends with some touching tragedy and a great twist, and I felt that Novik’s foray into science fiction was a fantastic success.

Continuing, we have the book’s second foray into the Temeraire universe with the fabulous entry Dragons & Decorum. Set to the backdrop of the Napoleonic War that the main Temeraire books are based on, Dragons & Decorum is a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice with dragons. The primary story sees Elizabeth Bennett becoming a Longwing captain in the Aerial Corps, flying her dragon as professional soldier, much to the horror of her mother. However, despite her new role, Elizabeth still finds herself drawing the attention of Mr Darcy, and the two engage in a tumultuous courtship, with even more complexity thanks to Elizabeth’s romance-obsessed dragon and the ongoing war. Novik clearly had fun working elements of her dragon-focused world into this literary classic, and I loved her fantastic take on the classic book, especially as dragons add new entertaining angles to the romance. I felt that the author perfectly blended the more outrageous elements of her universe with the Pride and Prejudice plot, while also cleverly imitating Jane Austen’s writing style. The result is a particularly amusing entry that will appeal to both fantasy fans and Jane Austen fans, and I just love the hilarious impacts any book’s relationship to the Temeraire universe can have.

On the home streak we have the intriguing and dark story, Castle Coeurlieu, which saw the very young bride of a castle lord grow close to her similarly aged stepson and learn the unusual history of the castle in which they live, including several stories about people visiting a mysterious tower within its bounds. When plague strikes the region and her new friend flees to the tower, the protagonist follows, only to discover unusual occurrences, including three women playing with cards inscribed with the fate of the castle’s inhabitants. While Castle Coeurlieu wasn’t my favourite entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories, it proved to be a compelling darker story that added in some grimmer elements towards the end of the book. I enjoyed the different layers of lore surrounding the setting, and the curious young protagonist was well written and provided a great view to the plot. An overall interesting addition to the volume, that serves as a great buffer between two of its biggest stories.

The final story contained within Buried Deep and Other Stories is the captivating adventure tale, The Long Way Round. The longest entry in the collection, The Long Way Round was probably the story I was most looking forward to reading outside of After Hours, mainly because it provides readers with the first glimpse at Novik’s next upcoming book, currently titled Folly, following two siblings, canny sailor Tess and brilliant boat-builder Aston, who embark on a journey to cross the seemingly empty seas surrounding their known world and try to discover new lands. Forcibly accompanied by their High Lord, a young wizard looking to prove himself, Tess, Aston and their crew set out on their adventure, only to make some unexpected discoveries with major implications for their entire world.

Featuring a great combination of likeable characters, well-written nautical elements, and a compelling new world filled with unique elements, The Long Way Round was a particularly addictive entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories. Novik once again does a remarkable job effectively building up the scenario and the new fantasy realm in a short run time, and readers quickly find themselves getting invested in the protagonist’s journey, especially as the author does an excellent job exploring their motivations and desires. The set-up and apprehension of the first part of The Long Way Round is well balanced by the subsequent mystery contained in the second half of the story, as the protagonists find what they seek, even if they are uncertain what it is. Novik provides the reader with a series of stimulating and intriguing visuals and curious elements, and you really get into the spirit of the adventurous narrative elements. This honestly proved to be an addictive read, and I found the clever, character-driven nautical adventure to be moving and fascinating at the same time. I also found myself coming away from The Long Way Round extremely curious about Novik’s next book, and I will be interested to see whether it will be a direct sequel to this or something set further in the future. Either way, the mystery of the titular follies is something I hope to explore in the future, and I am now even more excited for Novik’s next book whenever it comes out.

Overall, Buried Deep and Other Stories turned out to be an awesome short story volume from Naomi Novik that showed me her true range and skill as a fantasy author. This book provides a fantastic collection of works, that hit you on every part of the emotional spectrum, including fun comedic reads and darker, tragedy charged narratives. I was also particularly impressed by the inclusion of unique standalone stories whose elaborate fantasy concepts were well established and the expertly utilised to tell compelling stories. The blend of original stories and windows into the author’s current and upcoming fantasy universes also ensured that readers of Buried Deep and Other Stories are in for a brilliant time. It proved very easy to jump between these different fantasy worlds, and I felt that all readers can appreciate and follow the stories contained within, even if they were tied into the author’s other series. As a fan of Novik’s writings, it was great to get some additional stories from her various universes, and the final story, The Long Way Round, has really gotten me excited to check out her next book. Folly (or whatever its name may change to) is now very high on my to-read list, and I hope we see it soon. As for Buried Deep and Other Stories, this was an incredible and fantastic short story collection that comes highly recommended for fans of Naomi Novik, as well as general fantasy fans looking for some compelling, shorter reads.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

On November 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Fantasy10 Comments

Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 6 August 2024)

Series: Dark Lord Davi – Book One

Length: 395 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Hilarious author Django Wexler presents one of the funniest and most memorable fantasy novels of 2024 with the deeply addictive How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. Serving as the first book in Wexler’s new Dark Lord Davi series, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was an extremely amusing book that has been on my radar for a while due to its amazing-sounding plot.

It’s a tale as old as time. An ordinary human becomes trapped in a mythical fantasy realm and is subsequently lauded as the prophesied hero of legend, destined to rule the kingdom and defeat the conquering Dark Lord. But what happens when the human protagonist gets sick of living and dying as the hero?

That’s the question that falls to Davi, a young woman who has become trapped in a bloody and predictable time loop. Constantly forced to become the leader of the soon-to-be-destroyed humans of The Kingdom, Davi has tried time and time again to organise an army capable of defeating the oncoming and everchanging Dark Lord, only to fail and die in agony in over 200 inventive ways. After nearly a thousand years of playing the hero and losing in brutal fashion, Davi has had enough and decides that if you can’t beat them, become them.

Determined to take control of her destiny, Davi sets out to do the direct opposite of every other loop. If the Dark Lord always wins, then this time Davi will take her place at the top of the winning side and become the new Dark Lord herself. But first she must pull together a band of followers from the various non-human races of the realm and bring her loyal minions to the Convocation where the new Dark Lord is chosen, far away in lands she’s never even seen. Standing between Davi and her destiny lie multitudes of deadly landscapes, brutal enemies, and all manner of unique obstacles that a Dark Lord in training needs to overcome. Armed with her wits, her accumulated knowledge of the world, the ability to use her own death to her advantage, and an insane amount of humorous confidence, Davi may be able to do the impossible and finally win. But Davi will soon learn that becoming the Dark Lord isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was a highly entertaining and insanely captivating read that I honestly could not get enough off. Featuring a brilliant scenario that Wexler plays to comedic perfection, combined with dark humour and a uniquely insane protagonist, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is an outstanding novel that I had so much fun reading.

I must admit that I instantly loved the very fun premise of this book which saw the protagonist decide to take on the role of the Dark Lord after hundreds of failed attempts to survive as the hero. Wexler did an outstanding job setting this idea up in the first couple of chapters of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and you are quickly intrigued by the combination of a bloody time loop, a despondent, if hyper, protagonist, and the entire change of plan said protagonist embarks upon. As such, you are completely onboard as soon as Davi starts to implement her plan, and the resulting carnage proves to be highly entertaining and fun. After multiple bloody failed attempts to start her new turn to darkness, Davi soon begins to get into her groove as the next Dark Lord, recruiting a small band of minions, and taking the first steps to proving she has what it takes to rule.

Davi’s subsequent quest to become the Dark Lord involves an intense adventure arc, as she leads her army through various fun fantasy locations. Along the way to her destination, Davi engages in different schemes to recruit new followers, especially when she encounters some chaotic communities whose internal strife she is able to exploit. The story devolves into an awesome combination of intrigue, humorous encounters, fantasy action and personal character growth, as the protagonist becomes more comfortable with the Dark Lord lifestyle. After several extended sequences at key locations, the protagonist eventually reaches her goal and begins her trials to become the new Dark Lord. However, nothing at the trials is what it seems, and Davi is forced to deal with multiple enemies from her various pasts to survive. There are some great moments in this final part of the book, including tragic betrayals, heart-felt romance, intriguing revelations, and some big fights, all of which leads to an interesting open-ended conclusion that will ensure readers come back for the next book in the series.

I had an exceptional amount of fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and Wexler had a fantastic style that really appealed to me. Told exclusively from the slightly crazed first-person perspective of the protagonist, readers are treated to Davi’s highly excitable inner thoughts as she recounts her journey to becoming the Dark Lord. This proved to be a great medium to explore the more complex elements of the plot, and I appreciated how Wexler was able to succinctly dive into time-loop and Davi’s place in it, while also moving the plot along. The author also introduces a serviceable and intriguing fantasy world the plot of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, which proved interesting to explore. While a little basic in places, Wexler does feature some excellent concepts here, and readers will enjoy watching Davi explore it with her own unique perspective, especially as she forms new ideas about the supposedly evil wilders (non-human creatures) as she works with them. While some of these concepts are a little complex at times, everything honestly works extremely well for the entertaining plot, and I really appreciated how effectively the author was able to explore and utilise his fantastic ideas.

While all these great concepts help to craft a unique book, what holds everything together and keeps the reader’s attention is the relentless comedy that Wexler injects into nearly every page of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. I really connected to Wexler’s humour in this book, and I found myself chuckling away for large chunks of it. Thanks to the slightly cracked protagonist, the reader is bombarded with a constant array of jokes, hilarious commentary, and over-the-top moments, as Davi combats the horrors both in front and behind her with humour. A lot of this humour was driven by the protagonist having a modern, nerdish perspective in a crazy fantasy world, and her reactions ranged from sarcastic to goofy. Wexler also makes great use of an array of continuous footnotes to tell additional jokes outside the flow of the narrative, or to really expand on an interesting or funny point. I am a big fan of the use of footnotes for comedic purposes (blame my Terry Pratchett upbringing), and Wexler made it work really well here. The author also relies on quite a lot of highly adult humour throughout the book, which helped to give How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying an interesting flair. While I could see some readers not liking how continuously risqué the book got, or how over-the-top the humour is in general, I personally felt that it worked and allowed for quite an amusing, if slightly randy, experience.

Talking of crazy humour, I must highlight the fantastic central protagonist of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Davi. A modern-day and highly nerdy woman who finds herself trapped in this recurring fantasy adventure without any idea of how she got there, Davi is an interesting figure, and you really connect with her as the plot continues, especially as a lot of hilarity is drawn from her outrageous behaviour and thoughts. Davi is constantly cracking jokes, making sarcastic inner observations and meta commentary, often driven by her modern experiences, and it’s hard not to be amused by her antics. She also has some great, often ridiculous interactions with the various fantasy creatures she encounters, and I liked seeing her unusual persona connect with these more serious creatures.

While it is easy to get lost in Davi’s comedic persona, the further you get into the book, the more apparent it is that her cracked behaviour has been brought on by the constant trauma from her hundreds of deaths and the accompanying thousand years of experience that she has lived through as part of her fantasy adventure. The initial exposure to her early trauma and rage at the start of the book gives you enough of a glimpse of this that you appreciate her turn to the dark side, but you see even more of it as the story continues. A lot of this is because, even after years of watching everyone die, she still cares about the people around her, and the impacts of her decisions start to wear on her. While she maintains her zany persona for much of the book, a new romance and a dark change in her circumstances towards the end of the book nearly break her, and I felt that Wexler did an outstanding job of trying to humanise her there, especially as she sometimes gives off uncaring, immortal vibes. Thanks to these deeper personality traits, as well as her comedic nature, I really grew to appreciate to Davi as main character, especially as she is a lot more capable and competent thanks to her experiences, although she still makes some interesting mistakes (never sleep with your minions, everyone knows that). As such, I look forward to seeing how her story continues, especially as things are likely to get even more out of control for her.

Overall, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler was an awesome book that I honestly found to be quite addictive. The fantastic central scenario is greatly enhanced by the author’s outrageous humour and clever storytelling, and it allows for quite an outstanding read. Slick, unique and very, very funny, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was one of the more unique fantasy novels of 2024, and if you are in the mood for a great laugh, then this is the book for you. I personally am very excited to see how the Dark Lord Davi series continues in the future, and the second novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, is set for release in May 2025.

Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster

On November 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 March 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Secrets, lies and devils from the past converge around the Dark Angels in this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 novel from Gary Kloster, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge.

I have been on a real roll with Warhammer 40,000 fiction this year, as books like Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks, Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward, Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven and Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick have all proven to be exceptional additions the Warhammer canon. But despite how awesome the above books and others have proven to be, I am still keen for more. That is why I made sure to listen to a copy of the early 2024 novel, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by new-to-me author Gary Kloster. An interesting entry that follows members of the iconic Dark Angels chapter, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge was a book I nearly didn’t read this year, but I was sure glad that I did.

For over 10,000 years the Space Marines of the Dark Angels chapter have defended the Imperium of Man from all manner of insidious threats, all while keeping their own terrible secrets hidden. Maintaining watch for fallen members of their order, the Dark Angels are forced to balance their Chapter’s need for secrecy and revenge with their solemn duty to keep humanity safe from the monsters and heretics stalking the stars. But not every member of the Dark Angel’s inner circle believes that the battles of the past should impact the Chapter’s future.

Lazarus, Master of the Dark Angels Fifth Company, knows the burden that history can have on the soul. The first Primaris Marine to hold rank within the chapter’s inner circle, Lazarus finds himself haunted by the battle that killed him and forced him to undergo the Rubicon surgery. Determined to rid the universe of all psykers and the foul forces of Chaos behind them, Lazarus is a dedicated warrior, although one that questions the secrets that impact his ability to fulfill his duty. That is why, when an ancient beacon located on the planet Reis is activated, the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels, Azrael, summons Lazarus and his Fifth Company to fulfill an old debt of honour.

A thousand years before, the Imperial Knight world of Reis was nearly overwhelmed by a rampaging army of daemons, resulting in the destruction of the planet’s war machine guardians, and only through the intervention of the Dark Angels was Reis saved. But now, after years of peace, Reis finds itself under attack from a new foe, one that may cause another daemonic incursion. Determined to ensure the daemons stay in the warp, Lazarus arrives to assess the situation on Reis, but soon discover that not everything is as it seems. The planet is a hotbed of sinister politics, ancient grudges, and long-buried secrets, all of which conspire to drag Reis closer to destruction. Forced to navigate the planet’s complex history, Lazarus discovers a terrible enemy hiding deep within the planet’s jungles, one that, like Lazarus, refuses to die. To save Reis and his brothers, Lazarus must uncover the true hidden past of the planet and understand the origin of the grudge that could turn the Dark Angels against the Imperium they are sworn to protect.

Wow, Warhammer 40,000 fiction is in peak form in 2024 as Gary Kloster deeply impressed me with Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge. Featuring a particularly complex and captivating narrative that blended awesome action and great characters with a clever and well-written plot, Enmity’s Edge proved to be extremely addictive, and I found myself irreversibly hooked. Exciting, intense and loaded with all manner of intrigue, Enmity’s Edge is one of the best Warhammer books of 2024 and gets a full five-star rating from me.

I must admit that when I first decided to check out Enmity’s Edge, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Space Marine focused Warhammer 40,000 novels can sometimes be an overloaded, action slog colloquially known as “Bolter porn”, and I was initially slightly worried that was the direction Enmity’s Edge was going, especially as it started off with an intense war sequence against orks. However, Kloster instead showcased a remarkably compelling and layered Warhammer 40,00 novel that made excellent use of its Dark Angel protagonists and a unique, secret-laden background setting. The initial battle serves as a great introduction to the main protagonist, Lazarus, and his command staff, and you get a sense of his tactical skills, as well as his dislike of psykers and the secrets of his order. This leads nicely to the more complex part of the book, as the reader is introduced to some interesting side characters, as well as the world of Reis, where Lazarus and his company are sent to.

Arriving on Reis, Lazarus discovers a unique world of secrets, lies and hidden history, with the populace attacked by a mysterious fungal infection that has taken over various host bodies. Quickly diving into the fray to determine the full extent of the threat, the first half of the book sees the Dark Angels essentially taking on the zombies from The Last of Us with an intelligent malevolence behind them, and these unique antagonists prove an interesting alternative to the classic villains of the franchise. From there the story devolves into an intriguing combination of sequences, as Lazarus attempts to uncover his true opponent, while also dealing with attacks on multiple fronts. This leads to some compelling and occasionally brutal scenes, including a continued conflict inside an Adeptus Mechanicus base, as well as some other great sequences scattered throughout the planet. The author spends some substantial time building up some impressive and moving character arcs, as various figures deal with the chaotic events in different ways.

The author does an excellent job building up a great hidden villain who the protagonist must uncover, and the secrets and mysterious surrounding the figure really adds to the intrigue of the story. While the identity of some of the antagonists are a little predictable, the journey getting there is impressive, and I loved the setup to the answers that Kloster subtly hid through the earlier parts of the book, with the reliance on understanding the past to survive the future being a great recurring theme. This leads up to a particularly intense and dark final third as the antagonist’s very long-term plot comes to dramatic fruition. Kloster does a masterful job of building up tension and substantially upping the stakes in the leadup to this, and you find yourself deeply engaged as you wait to see how everything will unfold. There are some brilliant moments here, including a ton of over-the-top action, some fantastic plot resolutions, and several particularly tragic moments as the protagonists face overwhelming foes. The overall resolution is very clever and builds on some excellent prior story inclusions and character growth, that Kloster wraps up perfect. The end result is an awesome, memorable and particularly enthralling standalone story, that really showcases just how cool and complex a Warhammer 40,000 story can be.

I really enjoyed how Enmity’s Edge came together, and I felt Kloster had a great writing style the ensured a powerful and intense story. His entire complex narrative was a ton of fun from start to finish, and it proved to be well showcased through several compelling protagonist perspectives. While there is a ton of awesome and intense action in this book, as is required for a Warhammer 40,000 novel (war is in the name for a reason), the focus on a more subtle threat ensured that Enmity’s Edge stood out from the pack. I particularly appreciated how subtly Kloster set up a lot of key story elements early in the book and they all paid off extremely well, with a great theme on the lessons of the past recurring in an excellent way. I also must highlight the great new setting of the planet Reis, which Kloster made fantastic use of. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is home to a multitude of intriguing and unique worlds, but Reis really stood out to me thanks to Kloster’s vibrant descriptions and the clever way the planet’s complex history and disposition played into the narrative. An Imperial Knight planet (a feudal world governed by mech pilots who take the whole knight thing way too seriously) that has fallen on hard times thanks to the destruction of the ruler’s battle suits, Reis is a hotbed of dark history, lingering secrets, and intense rivalries, covered with useful fungus. Kloster perfectly introduces and then utilizes this planet throughout the narrative, and you find yourself getting really drawn into the revealed history, especially as it produces a particularly effective and dark antagonist. These writing elements ensure that Kloster’s captivating narrative pops in the reader’s mind, and I was really impressed with how he presented this excellent Warhammer novel.

In addition to being an outstanding read, I also felt that Enmity’s Edge was an excellent piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and one that really emphasizes how clever and compelling a story in this canon can be. Focusing on the Space Marine chapter, the Dark Angels, Kloster presents a gripping standalone narrative that makes great use of the franchise’s unique features and history without getting too bloated or lore heavy. Thanks to how effectively the author covers these franchise inclusions, I felt that readers unfamiliar with Warhammer fiction could easily jump into Enmity’s Edge without too much pre-knowledge and still deeply enjoy the plot, especially as it really showcases how cool the iconic Space Marines can be. More established Warhammer 40,000 fans will naturally get a lot more out of the story, especially as Kloster explored some particularly awesome aspects of the universe. I personally loved how well he showcased the various squads featured within a specific Space Marines company, and it was fun to have a mixture of troop specializations and vehicles which reminded me of tabletop gameplay at times. He also does an outstanding job showcasing the Dark Angels, who are one of the more popular Space Marine chapters for a reason. This proved to be a very strong book for Dark Angels fans, and I appreciated how he veered away from the typical topics you’d expect for a Dark Angels novel (completely focused on the Fallen), and instead showed them facing a fresh foe with some excellent motivations to hate them. As such, this is a highly recommend read for all Warhammer fans that might also attract a few new readers to the franchise.

One of Enmity’s Edge’s real strengths was the excellent batch of characters that Kloster set the narrative around. This includes the titular protagonist, Lazarus, Master of the Dark Angels Fifth Company, who proves to be an intriguing central character. A well-known tactician, secret holder, and one of the few commanding Primaris marines (an upgraded Space Marines) in the Chapter, Lazarus proves to be a great main figure for the plot. While some Space Marine characters in fiction can be a little one-dimensional, I felt that Kloster did an excellent job turning Lazarus into a complex figure, haunted by his previous battles, concerned about the future of his chapter, and bitter about those friends he has lost to psykers. There are some great scenes featuring Lazarus throughout Enmity’s Edge, especially as he showed a lot of humanity to a certain point-of-view character, and it was intriguing to see his tactical mind in action. He also proves to be an excellent foil to the excellent main antagonist of the plot, and they had some compelling scenes together.

Aside from Lazarus, Enmity’s Edge featured a raft of notable support characters, including several major members of the Dark Angels Fifth Company. I particularly enjoyed the imposing and unfailingly honorable figure of Ancient Jequn, the Fifth Company’s veteran standard bearer. Jequn has a particularly tragic arc in this book, and I really grew attached to him and his resolve throughout the run of Enmity’s Edge. Other enjoyable characters included members of Lazarus’s command squad, an Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priest whose technology reflects their obsession with birds, and the various key rulers of Reis. The antagonists of Enmity’s Edge are also well set-up and utilized, and while I won’t got into too much detail of them here, they had some brilliant sequences, and really enhanced the overall narrative.

However, I felt that one of the best characters in Enmity’s Edge was Learned Ysentrud, an enhanced human of a type found only on Reis called a Wyrbuk, who finds themselves helping the Dark Angels. Essentially a living repository of knowledge, Ysentrud becomes a key figure in the plot as she provides the Dark Angels with history and insights into Reis that allow them to uncover the plot’s big mystery. Probably the book’s main point-of-view protagonist after Lazarus, Ysentrud had one of the more relatable character perspectives in Enmity’s Edge, as she finds herself surrounded by the demi-god figures of the Space Marines as they engage in combat. Not only does Ysentrud’s perspective help to bring readers a little more into the plot, but I really enjoyed the compelling story arc Kloster wove around her as she attempted to find her courage and prove her worth to the Dark Angels. Kloster’s entire arc around Ysentrud was really well written, and I felt that her complex personal narrative was a particularly strong part of the book.

Those familiar with this blog will be unsurprised that I chose to enjoy Enmity’s Edge on audiobook, which is how I primarily check out all my Warhammer content. As with most Warhammer 40,000 books, Enmity’s Edge came across extremely well in this format, and you are in for a really good time listening to it. Coming in with a runtime just short of 12 hours, listeners can get through Enmity’s Edge’s audiobook in no time at all, especially once you get caught up in its fantastic story. The intense action, elaborate sequences and deep intrigue of the plot is perfectly enhanced by having it read out to you, and I loved hearing the elaborate descriptions of the setting and the unique characters within it. I was also very impressed by narrator John Banks, who has lent his voice to several Warhammer audiobooks over the years. Banks did a remarkable job diving into the various characters featured within Enmity’s Edge, and I also felt that his amazing voice lent a lot of gravitas to these figures. While all the characters are given excellent and fitting voices, I particularly loved his take on the various Dark Angels characters featured throughout the plot. He gives these genetically enhanced, ancient warriors the booming and commanding voices you would expect, and their emphatic declarations sound really cool here. I absolutely powered through this excellent audiobook, and I would strongly recommend it as the very best way to enjoy Enmity’s Edge.

Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster was another excellent 2024 Warhammer 40,000 novel that I could not get enough of. Featuring a complex and intense plot of betrayal, secrets and dark history, Enmity’s Edge grabs your attention early and ensures you can’t put it down as you rush towards the end. One of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels of the year, Enmity’s Edge is a must read of all fans of the franchise, and I really loved its brilliant story.

WWW Wednesday – 6 November 2024

On November 7, 2024 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:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the intriguing fantasy novel, Blood Over Bright Haven. The new book from acclaimed author M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven follows intrigue, politics and passionate research in a massive university with a very intriguing magical system. I’ve only made a bit of progress on Blood Over Bright Haven but it is proving to be a pretty awesome read that I think has a ton of potential.

Darkside by Michael Mammay (Audiobook)

I’ve also started listening to the epic science fiction thriller Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth book in Mammay’s Planetside series (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside brings back the author’s controversial protagonist as he investigates a missing persons case on a moon-based mining colony, run by two companies who have both tried to kill him in the past. I’ve made a bit of a dent in Darkside so far and I am getting pretty drawn into its compelling story. I’m hoping to get through Darkside in the next week and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the excellent and fast-paced young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World was a great conclusion to this duology and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the epic new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods. The final entry in Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods was a particularly awesome book that I could not get enough of. Loaded with action and elaborate characters, this was a very strong and impressive fantasy novel and one of my favourite books of 2024.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

I’ve got several awesome books to check out in the next few weeks, but I think I’ll start by diving into the awesome Australian murder mystery novel, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson. The follow up to Stevenson’s previous books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is going to be an amazing read loaded with mystery, comedy and over-the-top characters.

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 – Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

On November 6, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, 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 the awesome upcoming sequel to a great fantasy novel I read in 2024, with Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland.

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of reading the fantasy debut, Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland. An exciting, intense and clever character-driven fantasy novel with some strong romantasy elements, Five Broken Blades was a fantastic read that saw several of the biggest liars in a fantasy kingdom team up to take down their immortal king. Essentially one big heist novel with over-the-top characters, excellent action, tons of intrigue and a whole lot of personal issues, Five Broken Blades was a deeply enjoyable book, and I had a brilliant time getting through it, especially in its audiobook format which featured multiple excellent narrators.

While I didn’t love absolutely everything about Five Broken Blades (I’m not a huge romantasy fan, although Corland kept these elements fairly subtle), I did get really caught up in the narrative and I am very curious to see how it is going to continue. As such, I am eager to get my hands on the upcoming sequel, Four Ruined Realms, which looks set to send the protagonists on another deadly heist. Set for release in early January 2025, Four Ruined Realms has a great plot behind it, and I’m looking forward to finding out how Corland builds on the clever twist and cliffhanger at the end of Five Broken Blades.

Plot Synopsis:

The lies are bigger and the plots more treacherous when your favourite backstabbers return in the mind-blowing sequel to instant Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Mai Corland’s epic adventure fantasy Five Broken Blades.

The King of Yusan may be the greatest liar of them all.

His sister’s ring is in his sights, and he will do anything to get what he wants. Even manipulating the five blades to steal it…

Bonded by deceit, the blades must rely on their skills to pull off King Joon’s pursuit or risk his legendary wrath.

A foreign rule of law stands between them and Quilimar, the Queen of Khitan. Now they have one month to steal the powerful Golden Ring of the Dragon Lord. But that impossible task might be easier than trusting one another, even though their lives, their families, and the realms depend on it.

They can all agree on one thing: the king can’t win. But can they beat him at his own game?

Because for the blades, this time it’s not just personal, it’s revenge. Lies may have torn them apart, but now vengeance will bring them together.

The lies have only just begun…

Four Ruined Realms sounds like a very fun read, and I cannot wait to see how Corland’s protagonists fair during their next heist. There are so many cool elements from the first book that need to be continued here, including the consequences of their various lies and manipulations, their own unique desires that often run counter to each other, and the fact that they now all want vengeance on King Joon, the man who brought them together in the first place. I cannot wait to see how the characters interact in Four Ruined Realms, especially now that all their cards are on the table, and I am sure there will be even more backstabbing and betrayals along the way. As such, I am imagining that Four Ruined Realms will be another intense, clever and captivating read, that continues to explore the excellent protagonists, while also presenting an exciting new target for them.

Due to how much I enjoyed the first book in this series, there is no way that I won’t be grabbing Four Ruined Realms when it comes out early next year. I am very curious to see how Corland continues this story, and the author has really hooked me with her various cool characters. This will probably be one of the first books of 2025 I read in the new year, and I am hoping to grab it on audiobook again after the great experiences I had with the format for Five Broken Blades. No matter how I read it though, I have no doubt that Four Ruined Realms is going to be an outstanding and addictive fantasy read.

Top Ten Tuesday – Covers with Ships on the Cover

On November 5, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are required to list their top ten favourite covers with an item of the blogger’s choice on them. This is an interesting topic that I have done in the past, producing a striking list about book covers featuring dragons that I felt really popped. However, I’ve been in a nautical mood lately, so I’m going to do a list focusing on book covers where ships are prominently featured.

For this list I am envisioning old, classic seafaring ships, or at least something that could be sailed in a terrestrial setting. As such, I am excluding spaceships from this list, primarily because I think that is a separate list that I could do at some other point. Even with this restriction I was able to come up with a fun collection of book covers where ships are featured prominently. This list looks really awesome, and I had a fun time pulling it together.

Honourable Mentions:

The Poisoned Island by Lloyd Shepherd

Black Leviathan (German Cover) by Bernd Perplies

I’m slightly cheating by featuring the German version of this cover, but as its cool, I’ll allow it. I loved this whole book, and it was fun to follow an airship crew (technically a ship) as they hunt dragons.

Seas of Swords by R. A. Salvatore

The use of the ship is subtle in this cover, but I just love seeing Drizzt framed by the rigging.

Top Ten Tuesday:

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

I just had to feature the cover of the book I’m reading now, The Fury of the Gods, which looks so damn awesome. Gwynne’s Bloodsworn trilogy has featured some brilliant covers the last couple of years, although this one might be my favourite. The ship featured in this cover is really small, but it’s placement in front of the rampaging snake god ensures it has a lot more impact. I love the contrast in sizes between the ship and the giant monster, and it helps to make this such an amazing cover.

Jingo by Terry Pratchett

A cover that has long been stuck in my mind, as Jingo was one of the first Discworld novels I ever read. The original cover art of Jingo featured two ships bordering the main battle on the weathercock, with various characters from the books dawn in Josh Kirby’s distinctive style. Later versions of the cover removed the ships and only featured the central conflict. This meant that I had a bit of a hard time finding a good picture of the cover that fully showcased the two ships in detail, so sorry if the full awesomeness doesn’t come across in the above shot.

Heastward Ho! by Garry Kilworth

Few covers are as much fun as the one for Heastward Ho!. The final book in Garry Kilworth’s Welkin Weasels series, which is set in a world with sentient rodents, Heastward Ho! featured a great adventure tale that I loved when I was younger. The cover for Heastward Ho! is very distinctive, especially with the weasel crewed ship firing cannons, and I love the fantastic blend of colourful elements. An overall excellent cover, although I must give a special mention to the other Welkin Weasels’ novel, Windjammer Run, which also featured a cool ship-focussed cover.

Pieces of Eight by John Drake

An awesome historical fiction book that provided a new take on the Treasure Island characters, Pieces of Eight has a fantastic cover that not only shows a cool pirate ship in the background, but also had two of the character’s fighting in the ships rigging.

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

The hardcover copy of Queen of Storms featured a great seascape shot with the titular ship, Queen of Storms, right in the middle. An excellent cover that really captures the imagination.

The Eagle’s Prophecy by Simon Scarrow

The sixth book in Simon Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, The Eagle’s Prophecy, took the protagonists on a very different adventure, as they stopped fighting the British and took on pirates instead. The have been a few different versions of the cover released over the years, although the one I originally got was the simple, but effective, cover with the ship’s sail above. A great cover with some detailed art that immediately tells the reader that there is something nautically themed about this book.

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

The second Gentleman Bastards novel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, features quite a lot of nautical elements, including a good half of the book spent out at sea, so it’s inevitable that they would feature some fantastic ships on the cover. There have been several different covers for Red Seas Under Red Skies released over the years, all of which look quite excellent and matched the themes of the book very well. However, my favourite is the one above that really captures the chaotic nature of the plot. The ship on fire references a key scene in the novel, and it blends beautifully with the titular red skies and red sea to create a striking image. An awesome and memorable cover that I have a lot of love for.

The Fathomless Caves by Kate Forsyth

Kate Forsyth’s brilliant Witches of Eileanan fantasy series featured some great covers throughout its run, although the best one with a ship is The Fathomless Caves, which was the last book in the original series. Setting the ship in front of an erupting volcano, the original The Fathomless Caves cover has always stood out to me, and I love the contrasting colours and imagery. There were actually a few books in this series I could have used, with The Forbidden Land and The Skull of the World also featuring distinctive original paperback covers that also made great use of ships, but I think the above cover for The Fathomless Caves is the only choice.

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

There is a lot of Viking imagery in the Last Kingdom books by Bernard Cornwell, and I love the various shots of longboats and other watercraft that are routinely featured on the cover. One of the best can be found on the first book in the series, The Last Kingdom, which features two cool longships ploughing the waves to battle. Viking/Danish ships are so damn awesome, and I think this is one of the better cover art versions of them in this series.

Mossflower by Brian Jacques

The final book cover I want to feature on this the fantastic novel Mossflower by Brian Jacques. Like many fantasy fans I spend my youth reading the fun and distinctive Redwall series by Brian Jacques that featured some brilliant art depicting the animal protagonists in action. Quite a few of these covers features boats or ships to some degree, so I was spoiled for choice here. Of them, I love the cover for Mossflower the most, as it really captures the magic of the plot and features outstanding artwork of the ship in question. This was a great cover and an awesome final inclusion for this list.

Well, that’s my list. As you can see there are some incredible books out there that make great use of ships and boats on their cover. All the above books are really awesome as well, and you can have an incredible time reading them while also appreciating their great covers. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list, and I will have to think about replicating it with another item in the future. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books with ships on the cover are in the comments below.