Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 17 April 2025.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of Pacific Heights, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations and Landfall.
Author: The Unseen Library
The Unseen Librarian
I have been reviewing since 2009.
I previously reviewed for the Canberra Times.
I am now a reviewer for the Canberra Weekly.
Quick Review – Landfall by James Bradley
Publisher: Penguin (ebook – 23 April 2025)
Series: Standalone
Length: 336 pages
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Those in the mood for a though-provoking and powerful Australian crime fiction read would do well to check out the excellent 2025 release, Landfall. Written by acclaimed Australian author James Bradley, Landfall was a clever and intense standalone novel that presented a gritty crime fiction scenario in a dark Australian future.
Plot Synopsis:
In an already swamped city, a disastrous weather system looms, making the search to find a missing child urgent.
A missing child.
A city on edge.
Time is running out…
The world is in the grip of climate catastrophe. Sydney has been transformed by rising sea levels, soaring temperatures and rocketing social divide and unrest.
When a small girl on the margins goes missing, Senior Detective Sadiya Azad is assigned to find her. She knows exactly what it is to be displaced, and swallowed by the landscape. A murder at the site of the child’s disappearance suggests a connection and web of corruption, but fear keeps eyes turned and mouths closed.
With few leads to go on and only days until a deadly storm strikes the city, Sadiya and offsider Detective Sergeant Paul Findlay find themselves locked in a race against time.
Chilling and utterly compelling, Landfall is crime writing at its best – and a terrifying vision of the future bearing down on us.
Landfall was an excellent and exciting novel from earlier this year that presented a compelling crime fiction read with a complex and emotionally charged background setting. Taking place in a dystopian version of modern Sydney that is starting to flood due to climate change, Landfall follows Senior Detective Sadiya Azad and her new partner, Detective Sergeant Paul Findlay, as they attempt to find a child who went missing around the Tideline, a slum area of the city that has been most impacted by rising sea levels. However, they soon find their investigation hampered by multiple elements including corrupt policing, uncooperative family members with their own political agendas, rampart social divides and more. This proves to be a strong start to Landfall, and Bradley does a good job of setting up the reality of Sydney, as well as introducing the case and some of the key players.
The story takes an interesting turn when a murdered body is found at a site connected to the child’s disappearance. Assuming the two cases are linked, the protagonists are forced to investigate suspects related to the murder victim and her corporate ties, and the missing child, trying to find out who is responsible, while also dealing with the dark threat of an oncoming tropical cyclone that looks set to destroy half the city. At the same time, several other key perspective character are introduced, including Tasim, a refugee living on the streets, who witnesses the abduction and finds himself dragged into events, and Sadiya’s dementia-suffering father, Arman, whose fractured mind provides greater context to their family’s history, as well as showing the early days of some of the environmental crisis’s impacting the world.
These character-focused storylines combine nicely to create an intriguing and compelling overall narrative, and I liked the various themes and outlooks at the future they contained. The main investigative focus of Sadiya’s narrative is well balanced by the more human stories of Tasim and Arman, and Bradley also makes use of some intense flashback sequences to really build up the tragedy surrounding all these figures. The mystery narrative also goes in some interesting directions, and while the culprit isn’t too surprising, Bradley does a good job focusing on the characters building their case and pulling together the conclusions. Unsurprisingly, the climax of Landfall comes together amid the cyclone, with all the characters facing the storm in different ways. This last part of the book, while dramatic and featuring a high-stakes backdrop, was a little rushed, and could have used a little padding to make it more satisfying. Still, this is a mostly well-balanced narrative that allows for a good conclusion to the main story arc while also allowing Bradley to make all his thematic points.
Landfall ended up being an excellent overall read and Bradley succeeded in pulling together a complex novel with a lot of moving parts to it. The central mystery element of the novel, while compelling on its own, was greatly enhanced by the author’s examinations of the future, which features some dire predictions and warnings, wrapped up in very human stories to make them even more impactful. While an excellent police protagonist, I felt that Sadiya’s personal story was a bit overshadowed by Tasim and Arman’s arcs, especially as Tasmin’s story about losing his family to heatwaves and the harsh journey to Australia, as well as the very realistic depictions of dementia with Arman. All three of these character’s stories are well wrapped up in the final chapters of the book, although I do wish there had been another chapter or two just to showcase what happened in the aftermath. The overall focus on the potential dire future for Sydney and the world was probably the most impressive and notable part of Landfall, and Bradley provided a compelling, if terrifying, portrait of probable events to come that gives this book a fantastic edge that scrapes the edge of overshadowing the main mystery, and allows for quite a powerful overall read.
With its complex characters, intense story, and compelling visions of the future, Landfall by James Bradley was one of the more distinctive Australian novels of 2025, and I was glad I got the chance to check out my first book from the author. An extremely interesting novel that blends crime fiction with social messaging, Landfall comes highly recommended, especially for those with one eye on the future.
2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox
Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 18 March 2025)
Series: 2 Sisters Detective Agency – Book Two
Length: 352 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The team of iconic crime fiction author James Patterson and one of Australia’s best thriller authors, Candice Fox, once again come together for the outstanding 2025 sequel, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations.
James Patterson and Candice Fox are both very talented authors whose work I have been really enjoying since I started reading more crime fiction. Patterson, the iconic writer who is known for his various long-running series, has been primarily producing collaborative work with other authors in recent years, including Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker, The No. 1 Lawyer with Nancy Allen and The Perfect Assassin by Brian Sitts. Fox on the other hand, has been on a real roll with her great recent standalone novels, including Devil’s Kitchen, Fire with Fire, High Wire and The Chase. On top of those previous novels, Patterson and Fox have found time to collaborate on several great books, including the fun 2024 novel, The Murder Inn, and their outstanding previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, the latter of which, has generated a sequel I now want to talk about with 2 Sisters Murder Investigations. Following two mismatched sisters who find themselves investigating crimes in L. A. after re-opening their father’s old detective agency, this interesting series was very fun, I was very happy to receive a copy of the second 2 Sisters Detective Agency novel earlier this year.
Plot Synopsis:
Rhonda and Barbara “Baby” Bird are half-sisters—and full partners in their Los Angeles detective agency. They agree on nothing.
Rhonda, a former attorney, takes a by-the-book approach to solving crimes, while teenage Baby relies on her street smarts.
But when they take a controversial case of a loner whose popular wife has gone missing, they’re accused of being PIs who can’t tell a client from a killer.
The Bird sisters share a late father, but not much else…except their willingness to fight.
Fight the system. Fight for the underdog. Fight for the truth. If they can stop fighting each other long enough to work together.
Patterson and Fox produce another outstanding and highly entertaining crime fiction read with 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, which quickly grabs your attention and keeps pushing you forward. Slick, easy-to-read, and full of excitement, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was another great thriller from two masters of the genre.
2 Sisters Murder Investigations had an excellent story behind it that sees the dysfunctional Bird sisters, older sister Rhonda and rampart teenager Baby, working together at their family detective agency after the events of the first book. After an entertaining start that shows that the sisters still aren’t on the same page, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations thrusts them into a compelling new case when the main suspect in a current murder case requests their help to prove his innocence. Deciding to take on the case against their better judgment, Rhonda and Baby try to help their new client, Troy Hansen, who is accused of murdering his missing wife, and whose unusual demeanour about the case has convinced the entire city he is guilty.
Patterson and Fox’s narrative for 2 Sisters Murder Investigations splits early, as Rhonda’s perspective chapters primarily focus on the Hansen case, which goes in some interesting directions. Under pressure from both the public and the police to stop helping Troy, Rhonda tries to prove his innocence, but she is quickly stymied by a series of problems, including lethal intruders trying, her client’s unusual behaviour, and a box full of concerning evidence hidden at the crime scene. At the same time, Baby attempts to help an older man who is being targeted as part of a sinister scheme to force him to sell his house to a corrupt company. The resulting storylines both go in interesting directions, especially the one around Rhonda and her attempts to help Troy, as the evidence continues to point to her client being a dangerous killer. The eventual result for this plot thread was very captivating, and there were some great twists here, including an unlikely alternate suspect who suddenly shows up. While the reveal about the actual killer wasn’t all that surprising, the way that Patterson and Fox set it up was extremely good, and the fast-paced conclusion to that arc, as well as the surprising tragedy, allowed for some captivating and intense moments. While I liked this main plotline, the secondary storyline with Baby attempting to take on her own case ended up being a little rushed, especially at the end, although I did enjoy seeing how Baby comes into her own and acquires an excellent canine friend. While this weak ending to the second storyline does rob 2 Sisters Murder Investigations of some of its overall impact, I did feel that this narrative for the sequel was very strong, and all thriller fans, even those unfamiliar with the series or the authors, will have a lot of fun with it.
I really enjoyed how entertaining and exciting the authors made 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, and Patterson and Fox ensure that this was a highly compelling and fun novel to read. Utilising the multiple short, sharp paragraphs that Patterson fans will be familiar with, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was a very easy novel to power through as you jump from one compelling scene to the next. These quick chapters really encourage you to keep going, as the next twists could be only pages away, and I found myself speeding through the story. It helped that Patterson and Fox did a good job splitting the novel’s focus between the two sister protagonists, which allows for a layered narrative, especially as both characters have different focuses and priorities, resulting in a well-balanced and complex overarching story. These separate storylines have a certain distinctness given to them, especially as the authors switched up the perspective style depending on whose chapter it is. For example, Rhonda is shown as more of main protagonist due to her chapters being told in the first person, while Baby’s chapters are told in the third person, which helps to reflect her more junior role in the team. While Patterson and Fox could have perhaps done a better job at the front of each chapter showing which character is the focal point of the book at that point, for the most part this split is pretty seamless, and I liked the alternating and fast-paced nature of the novel that the author’s writing style allows for.
On top of the great story and exciting writing style, I quite enjoyed how Patterson and Fox revisited the main characters of the series, sisters Rhonda and Baby Bird. Still in conflict despite the initial successful nature of their relationship, Rhonda and Baby play off each other extremely well as dysfunctional sisters, which allows for a lot of fun interactions amongst the darker nature of the plot. While you could argue there is a slight loss of character growth between Rhonda and Baby in 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, as they lose some of the cohesion they built up in the first novel, I think their continued bickering and disagreement worked well in the context of the story, as Baby tried to stretch her wings, while Rhonda continues to adjust to being a responsible guardian to a new sister. Throw in some excellent supporting characters, including Rhonda’s complicated love interest, an obsessed cop investigating the murder, a lonely old man who finds purpose thanks to Baby, and one suspicious client who helped to showcase the unlikely choices those under pressure make, and this was a fun cast that turned 2 Sisters Murder Investigations into a really awesome read.
Overall, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was a great sequel to James Patterson and Candice Fox’s 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and it was very cool to see the Bird sisters back in action again. Featuring a fascinating and gripping narrative that you can easily speed through and still have an awesome time, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was an outstanding novel that is worth reading, especially if you have enjoyed the previous collaborations between Patterson and Fox.
Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (Audiobook – 4 March 2025)
Series: Rogue Team International – Book Four
Length: 19 hours and 9 minutes
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Bring on the chaos, carnage and craziness with the new epic Rogue Team International from Jonathan Maberry, Burn to Shine, which takes the reader on another dark and over-the-top ride in a deeply addictive thriller.
Readers of this blog will know that I am a massive Jonathan Maberry fan, having had the great pleasure getting to know and power through some of his biggest series. Thanks to his intense writing, ability to pull together amazing characters and great attention for action and combat, all Maberry’s books really resonate with me, and pretty much all the Maberry books I have read have been 5-star novels in my mind. Highlights include the dark 2024 science fiction novel, NecroTek, the creepy horror novel, Ink (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), as well as the brilliant Kagen the Damned dark fantasy trilogy, made up of Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), and The Dragon in Winter (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024).
While the above series and books are all outstanding, my favourite Maberry novels are the iconic and long-running Joe Ledger series. Following the titular troubled protagonist as he works as a part of an elite government special forces team detailed to stopping terrorist attacks or criminal organisations using advanced and unusual technology, the Joe Ledger novels were impressive and complex thrillers with over-the-top dark elements, that often featured some outstanding science fiction and compelling horror elements. The original series, which ran for 10 books, features some amazing novels, including Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, Assassin’s Code, Predator One and Deep Silence just to name a few. Each of these novels were amazing reads on their own, although I also got really drawn into the ongoing storylines and recurring villains.
Following the end of the original Joe Ledger books, Maberry continued many of his storylines in the sequel Rogue Team International series, bringing back the major characters and setting them up as independent intelligence operatives working for themselves. This series was also extremely exciting, and I have appreciated the way in which the author has continued some of the complex story arcs and villainous narratives from the first series. The Rogue Team International books have so far featured Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), each of which have been pretty damn amazing and filled with some dark and captivating narratives.
Naturally, I was very excited when I saw that there was a fourth Rogue Team International book coming out in 2025 with Burn to Shine. The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger novel, Burn to Shine brings back the protagonist and his team in a big way, as they go toe-to-toe with some of the most dangerous recurring villains. One of my most anticipated books of 2025, Burn to Shine had so much potential, and I read it the very first chance I got.
After suffering through another set of harrowing losses and intense damage to their already shredded psyche, the members of Rogue Team International are back in the fray. Led by troubled veteran Joe Ledger and the enigmatic Mr Church, Rogue Team International continue to fight against elaborate high-tech threats and other strange occurrences across the world. However, they are unprepared for their next dangerous threat, one that has emerged from the organisation’s combined dark past.
A powerful group of military contractors are expanding their influence across the United States, seeking to cause fear, division and political uncertainty. At the same time, a series of planned attacks have breached and destroyed many of the world’s most secure bio-weapons research facilities, with the stolen diseases and technology being utilised to create chaos and fear through infected humans turned into living disease bombs.
As Ledger and his team try and counter these attacks, their path leads them to the mysterious town of Pine Deep, Pennsylvania, where a multitude of dark secrets are hidden. Teaming up with old allies, new friends, and some of the more dangerous denizens of Pine Deep, Ledger and his team attempt to strike back against their enemies before a catastrophe is unleashed across the country. But can even this deadly and unlikely group of heroes stand up to some of the team’s most dangerous enemies, including a ghost from their past who plans to burn the world to ground?
Jonathan Maberry once again presents a gripping and deeply exciting tale with Burn to Shine. A compelling continuation of his long-running Joe Ledger/Rogue Team International books, Burn to Shine had another great story that continued the author’s ongoing storylines by heavily diving back into the series’ past. An excellent addition to the series that is guaranteed to keep you entertained all the way to the end.
Burn to Shine had an awesome narrative that presents its own unique tale, while also reviving multiple elements from the Maberry’s previous works, to create a novel very much designed for established fans of the author. Starting off strong with an intense action sequence around the protagonists, Maberry also takes the time to establish multiple parallel storylines and plot threads, some of which are set well before the main narrative and showcase the emergence of the book’s antagonist and the formation of their new plan. This allows for a very rich and intricate first half of the book, as you are given glimpses of the evil facing Joe Ledger and his team, while also watching the protagonists initially start to move to understand the new threat facing them. This first half ends with an extended sequence inside a secret vault built to contain some of the worst bio-weapons the protagonists have encountered throughout the series. Following a harrowing and tense descent into the vault while events get even more hectic outside, the protagonists eventually discover hints at the true mastermind of the new plot, as well as the insidious zombie-making weapon from their past that they seek to unleash.
The second half of Burn to Shine goes in some very interesting directions, as all the major characters start to converge around the town of Pine Deep, the centre of all things weird in Maberry’s shared literary universe. Teaming up with some figures familiar to Maberry fans, the protagonists engage in a series of raids against the various bases of their opponents in some high-octane and particularly brutal sequences. Due to the various over-the-top technologies and Maberry’s ability to imagine extremely bloody fights, these are some intense scenes, and the author really amps up the risk factor of the fights for his various recurring characters, with some very dark moments.
All this leads up to the big showdown between Ledger and the antagonists of the book, as he comes face to face with them in a very interesting location. This showdown was very awesome, especially sandwiched amongst the other various conflict-laden storylines, and the author kept you on the edge of your seat as Ledger comes face-to-face with familiar opponents from the past. While I love all the action and the way Maberry brought back a lot of previous story arcs, I did think that this ending was a tad rushed, and it relied way too much on having knowledge of Maberry’s first trilogy. I also wished Maberry had taken some parts of this story a little further, perhaps with some greater tragedy, as it was a little frustrating that he didn’t follow through with the telegraphed death of a major character. Still, this proved to be an excellent and exciting read, and there is also a very interesting final scene that provides some early, long-sought answers about one of the protagonists.
I have a great deal of love for how Maberry sets out his awesome stories, and his distinctive style always results in an impressive and layered novel, especially when it comes to his over-the-top thrillers. Featuring a lot of dark, over-the-top elements and an at times near horror vibe, Burn to Shine was another classic Joe Ledger novel, which showcases his damaged protagonists facing off against complicated evil antagonists. Thanks to the author’s utilisation of multiple character perspectives and scenes set in the past, this proves to be a very detailed book, and I loved the varied storylines that emerged and worked side by side with each other. This includes a vibrant look at the antagonist’s plans from start to finish, which also involves the re-introduction of previously featured villains. While not every detail of the antagonist’s sinister and over-the-top plans are revealed to the reader from the start, you get enough to really amp up the stakes of the plot, and it is compelling to see the protagonists act on the limited information they have. The villainous scheme for Burn to Shine was a tad similar to some schemes from previous Maberry books, but it still produces some particularly captivating moments, especially towards the end. I also quite enjoyed how Maberry tied the plot into a lot of modern issues, including disinformation, the use of fear in politics, fake news and AI-generated imagery, while giving it its usual excess and ultra-dark flair. Throw in the author’s impressive action sequences, which are particularly epic, as well as the overly exaggerated villains, and this proved to be a powerful and layered novel that has all of Maberry’s typical charm and intensity.
While I had a ton of fun with Burn to Shine, this was very much a novel for the author’s established readers, although even some of them might get lost at times. As I have hinted, the main villains of Burn to Shine are figures previously featured in prior Joe Ledger novels, including the series’ big bad, and one antagonist long believed dead. While Maberry loads up Burn to Shine with a lot of internal recap moments in the protagonist’s head that gives the reader all the context they need to follow the plot, the true threat or emotional impact of these villains is going to be best appreciated by those who have read the previous books, especially Code Zero. Maberry also takes the story further into his extended universe, as the plot becomes heavily enmeshed with his classic Pine Deep novels and brings in various characters from the original trilogy. I must admit, as someone who hasn’t had the chance to read Maberry’s Pine Deep novels, I would have been a tad lost here unless I had previously read Ink, which featured several of these characters, and new readers may not quite understand their significance. Even those who have read all the previous Joe Ledger novels might be a little confused with their inclusion, especially as these Pine Deep characters have never appeared in a Joe Ledger novel before, besides a couple of short stories. As such, having such a big focus on them is a little surprising, and I felt that it mucked around with the flow of Burn to Shine. Still, considering how good Maberry is at recapping or reintroducing key characters and storylines, most established Joe Ledger fans should be able to follow along fine, just keep in mind that the author is doing some deep cuts back to his previous novels.
As with all Maberry’s novels, the real heart of Burn to Shine lies in its complex characters, whose powerful stories and dark pasts allow for some deep emotional heft to the plot. This is especially true for main protagonist, Joe Ledger, whose cracked psyche is always a key part of his appearances. A very damaged figure, Ledger is a powerful part of Burn to Shine’s narrative and serves as the only first-person perspective character, influencing a lot of the novel as a result. While on the surface he is a humorous, wise-cracking cowboy, determined to save the day no matter what, deep down he is haunted by all his past experiences, including the deaths of so many loved ones and the trauma of various missions. Maberry has long perfected balancing the character’s various emotional states in his novels, and while Ledger provides a lot of the book’s humour, his darker side is a constant presence, threating to bubble out. The author adds in some interesting additional emotional elements for Ledger to deal with this novel, including the return of an antagonist who previously caused him a lot of pain, as well as the protagonist’s battle with the knowledge that he may finally have the names of the people responsible for his earliest trauma. The later of these is likely to be a big part of the characters’ battle with his vengeful emotional going forward, and it will be interesting to see how Maberry works them in.
Aside from Ledger, Burn to Shine is loaded with a ton of interesting supporting characters and protagonists whose various experiences help to shape the entire awesome story. This cast includes a huge array of figures from previous Maberry books, and it was fun to see them continue to grow. The most prominent of these characters include the mysterious Mr Church, whose secretive past has been one of the more intriguing ongoing storylines of the series. Shown to be almost human in Burn to Shine thanks to the trauma obtained during the previous novel, Cave 13, Church has some excellent appearances in Burn to Shine, especially when it comes to facing down the antagonists. I loved how well Maberry balanced this more fragile version of Mr Church with his mysterious persona, and the final scene where you get some interesting answers about who, or what, Church is, is very impressive.
The various other members of Rogue Team International are also great parts of the book, including the member of Ledger’s fire team, each of whom have their own distinct personality and complexity in this book. Maberry provides some great moments for all these characters to shine, and I felt that an interesting early part of the novel where the organisation’s resident psychiatrist, Dr Rudy Sanchez, dives into the trauma all the supporting characters are feeling after Cave 13, added some excellent emotional depth to the plot. Throw in the fascinating Pine Deep characters I mentioned above, as well as two of Maberry’s more complex and memorable antagonists, who return in a big way here, and the cast of Burn to Shine is very impressive, and you really get drawn into this dark struggles and battles.
Anyone who has read my previous Maberry reviews will know that I had no choice but to enjoy Burn to Shine on audiobook, as it is honestly the only way to enjoy one of the author’s novels. This is primarily because of the author’s long association with legendary actor and audiobook narrator, Ray Porter, who has lent his epic voice to most of Maberry’s exciting novels, and the result is always something very special. Porter is the perfect narrator for Maberry’s amazing and intense novels, bringing all the necessary energy, excitement and darkness you need to convey the author’s complex and twisted plots, and he is one of my favourite audiobook narrators. Porter effortlessly brought Burn to Shine to life from the very first word, and you swiftly get drawn into the story as a result. Everything from the dark content, the complex story elements, and the extensive action is extremely well conveyed and flows so quickly. I particularly enjoyed how Porter once again perfectly inhabited all the characters featured in Burn to Shine, with impressive takes on all the unique figures. Special mention must be given to Porter’s personification of the main protagonist, Joe Ledger, as the narrator has long mastered capturing all of Ledger’s pain, internal conflict and fantastic humour and presenting it to the listener in an outstanding way. The rest of the characters are also showcased in a really awesome way, and I still love the ultra-calm and controlled voice used for Mr Church, as well as the more sinister and often unnatural voices for the crazy antagonists of the book. I honestly loved every second I spent listening to this audiobook, and it was another outstanding performance from Ray Porter and one of the best audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2025.
Once again bringing all the carnage, complex characters and dark storylines you have come to expect from a Joe Ledger novel, Burn to Shine was another amazing read from Jonathan Maberry, and one I deeply enjoyed getting through. A very interesting entry in Maberry’s long-running, combined series, Burn to Shine was an ultra-exciting and chilling Rogue Team International novel that proves very easy to power through. I look forward to reading more of Maberry’s novels in the next few months, and I currently have the tough decision of if I want to read the advanced copy I have of his upcoming release, Cold War, or wait to listen to it on audiobook.
Templar Traitor by Angus Donald
Publisher: Canelo Adventures (ebook – 28 August 2025)
Series: The Mongol Knight – Book One
Length: 411 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Those in the mood for an awesome and intense adventure should check out the soon-to-be-released historical fiction novel from Angus Donald, Templar Traitor, an outstanding book that I had a brilliant time getting through.
I have mentioned several times on my blog that my experiences with reviewing started with historical fiction, which was the main genre that I read for several years. While I have progressed to a range of other genres since then, historical fiction still holds a very special place in my heart, and I always love to dive back into time and read a great adventure or moving tale set in our collective past. One of the more enticing recent examples was Templar Traitor by Angus Donald. Featuring a cool plot about an English knight fighting alongside the Mongolian horde, Templar Traitor is the first book in Donald’s The Mongol Knight series, which I really liked the sound of. It helped that Donald is an author I have an interesting history with, as his early novel, Outlaw, was one of the first books that I reviewed professionally, and I was very keen to see how he had progressed as a writer since then.
Plot Synopsis:
“Do not lie to me, Templar, or it will be the last thing you do.”
July 1241. Christendom cowers in terror before the threat of a Mongol invasion. The swift-moving, invincible cavalry of Genghis Khan has smashed the proud, steel-clad knights of Russia, Poland and Hungary – and now Austria lies directly in their path.
At a skirmish outside the walls of Vienna, German knights capture a squad of Mongol scouts, and are astonished to discover one of their number is an Englishman – a Templar knight – who has been riding with these Devil’s horsemen for more than twenty years.
Interrogator Father Ivo of Narbonne is summoned to Vienna Castle to draw the truth from the imprisoned Englishman before his impending trial, to find out why he abandoned his Faith, his Brethren and his homeland to become… a traitor to Christendom.
This was a very impressive novel from Donald that nicely sets up a cool new historical fiction series, while also containing an intense and exciting story. Loaded with action, adventure and some fascinating historical elements, Templar Traitor was an excellent read that I’m very glad I got to check out early.
Donald pulled together a very interesting story for Templar Traitor that cleverly makes use of a real recorded historical event and expands on it to create an elaborate tale of adventure, war and survival from the perspective of an initially eager young knight. The framing device of the novel starts in Austria in 1241, with the capture of protagonist Robert of Hadlow, a knight from England who rides with the Mongols during their invasion of Europe. From there, the captured Robert gives testimony to a priest with his own agendas, who is shocked to discover that Robert is a former Templar Knight who had journeyed to Mongol lands many years earlier. From there the story dives back in time and chronicle of Robert’s life, following him as a young man ejected from Templars two decades earlier to becoming a wandering merchant travelling across Europe, before he is given the unique opportunity to try and establish an exclusive trade deal with Genghis Khan. This first part of the book was a very compelling introduction to the story, and it sets up the early story of the protagonist nicely, including his pressing reasons to undertake such a task, while also providing some fascinating historical contexts of the regions that the protagonist initially journeyed through.
From there Templar Traitor takes on a much more action-oriented edge, as Robert and his lone companion journey deep into Persia and beyond to find the Mongols, while pursued by rival European faction who seeks to secure trade for their own masters. This resulted in some fast-paced and frenetic sequences, and the protagonist is soon dropped in amongst the Mongols, trying to find a way earn their favour. Soon accepted as an envoy, Robert finds his place within the Khan’s army and witnesses their culture, people as well as their devastating war against the Khwarazmian Empire of Persia. To gain Genghis Khan’s favour, Robert finds himself serving as a key figure in the invasion, which allows for multiple battle sequences, as the protagonist finds himself thrust into the centre of the war. This resulted in a very rich and compelling historical novel, and it was fascinating to see some of Genghis Khan’s most famous battles through the lens of a western outsider. Donald adds in a rather good twist near the end of the novel that completely alters your entire perspective of the events of Templar Traitor, while also setting up some very interesting storylines going forward. This ended up being quite a fantastic overall story, and I appreciated how it contained a great, self-contained plot, while also working well as the first entry in a larger series.
Templar Traitor was a very strong historical fiction novel from Donald, and I really appreciated the layered book that emerged. The use of an older, imprisoned protagonist giving his confession as a framing device for the main plot worked extremely well, especially as the experiences of the older Robert of Hadlow impact his narrative of the past. The elaborate narrative of adventure and exploration allows Donald to really flex his historical writing ability, and he does an exceptional job exploring and showcasing the landscapes and cultures that his protagonist journeys through. However, his best writing is saved for exploring the Mongolian armies of Genghis Khan, whom the protagonist spends more than half the book riding with. Donald did an outstanding job diving into the complex culture and society of the Mongols throughout Templar Traitor, and the novel is loaded with compelling details and vivid descriptions. This was further enhanced through the author’s decision to frame these descriptions through the eyes of an outsider, and it allows for some very complex scenes of misunderstanding and cultural exchange.
Naturally, much of this examination of Mongolian culture is focused on their military exploits (the protagonist did join a war camp), and you get a very detailed examination of their invasion of Persia. The intense and bloody battle scenes are a true highlight of Templar Traitor, and you can easily imagine yourself riding amongst the Mongols as they fight through Asia, Europe and the Middle East. I felt that Donald did an outstanding job of covering the history around this war, and it was an excellent choice to have the protagonist join the Mongols at the height of their power, rather than at the beginning of Genghis Khan’s rule. I also enjoyed the fact that the scenes between the protagonist and his interrogator in 1241 were based on real events and Donald does an excellent job exploring a figure caught between his Christian upbringings in Europe, and his experiences living with his Mongol comrades. The compelling narrative about the protagonist’s motivations for journeying into the East, as well as the hidden secrets beneath his main story, was featured extremely well, and I loved the complex layers that emerged around Robert. This was a really impressive piece of historical fiction, and I really appreciated the skilled way that Donald set out his excellent story.
Overall, Templar Traitor was a great new novel from Angus Donald that is guaranteed to appeal to all historical fiction fans. Expertly blending intense action with some great characters and a deeply intriguing historical period, Templar Traitor was a joy to read, and I look forward to continuing The Mongol Knight series in the future.
Waiting on Wednesday – Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Due to forgetting to post a Waiting on Wednesday up last week, I’ve decided to do a second entry today on top of my Waiting on Wednesday for The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez. To make it even more interesting, I’m going to highlight a very awesome and entertaining upcoming book from one of my new favourite authors, Matt Dinniman, with the fantastic and no-doubt bonkers 2026 release, Operation Bounce House.
Those who have been paying attention to my blog the last couple of weeks will know that I am currently obsessed with brilliant, and slightly unhinged, author Matt Dinniman. This is because I made the ill-advised decision to try the first entry of his Dungeon Crawler Carl books, and I’ve been unable to stop reading the series since. Set around an amazing group of characters, including a stoic former Coastguard member, Carl, and his now sentient cat Princess Donut, the Dungeon Crawler Carl starts with the destruction of every building in the world, and then follows the remnants of humanity who are forced to compete in a massive fantasy dungeon as entertainment for trillions of alien viewers across the galaxy. A unique and amazing take on the LitRPG genre, the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels have been a constant ball of fun, and I love Dinniman’s crazy creativity, great characters, amazing humour, and the general elaborate nature of the entire story concept.
Due to all these awesome elements, as well as an exceptional audiobook adaptation, I have powered through the first five books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Handbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods and The Butcher’s Masquerade, and I’m currently making great progress through the sixth novel, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. All these books have been exceptional, five-star reads, and I will probably dive into the seventh book, This Inevitable Ruin, within the week.
Naturally, after having such an incredible time with Dinniman’s main series, I have become very curious about what other books the author has written or coming out on the horizon. While I am particularly excited for the potential eighth Dungeon Crawler Carl novel next year (which I have no doubt will be one of my most anticipated reads once I finish This Inevitable Ruin), I also noticed that Dinniman has an intriguing standalone novel coming out in early 2026, which I am very keen to get my hands on.
That book is the epically titled Operation Bounce House. Set for release in February 2026, Operation Bounce House has an excellent science fiction plot that sees a human colony planet forced to defend itself from killer robots, piloted by bored, corporate-sanction Earth gamers. This novel sounds really dawn awesome, and it looks set to be one of the more entertaining, and bloody, science fiction releases of early 2026.
Plot Synopsis:
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BECOME YOUR PLANET’S FINAL BOSS?
All New Sonoran colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking.
But when his planet’s transfer gate finally opens and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora, there’s a complication.
The colossal Apex Corporation is hired to commence an ‘eviction action’ – exterminate all life on New Sonora in preparation for a reboot. And they charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines, remotely pilot them, and make it a game.
The game is called Operation Bounce House . . .
And New Sonora is its playing field.
Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against these machines. But with the help of an old book from his grandfather, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.
Now this is going to be good. I love the sound of Operation Bounce House, and it looks like Dinniman is planning to continue his trademark carnage. Falling into a similar, anti-authoritarian plot about innocent people adapting to the dark rules of the soulless corporate entity trying to destroy them as the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, Operation Bounce House is probably going to feature similar over-the-top action, this time facilitated through various robots. It will be very interesting to see how Operation Bounce House comes together, and I imagine that this book will be a little less LitRPG and more science fiction with some game-inspired element. However, even if the mechanics of the novel change, I’m still expecting that Dinniman will provide an intriguing set-up, followed by a comedy-laden narrative, featuring compelling and likeable characters, complex themes, and the author’s fantastic comedic charm. As such, this will likely be a very intense and exciting book, and I look forward to seeing how the entire awesome story comes together.
I’m going to be honest here; Operation Bounce House pretty much became a must-read book of 2026 for me the moment I started Dungeon Crawler Carl. Matt Dinniman has shown himself to be an extremely exceptional author, and I have no doubt that his next release is going to be just as impressive as his main series of books. Operation Bounce House sounds like a particularly amazing standalone novel, and I cannot wait to see what crazy antics and over-the-top moments Dinniman fits into this upcoming release. One of my most anticipated science fiction books in the first half of the new year, Operation Bounce House is going to be pure, chaotic fun, and I am so there for it, especially if it has a good audiobook version.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
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 very cool upcoming young adult thriller I know I’m going to have a great time with, The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.
Jennifer Lynn Alvarez is an interesting author who burst onto the young adult thriller scene a few years ago with her debut thriller, Lies Like Wildfire. Following a group of teenagers accidently responsible for burning down their small town, Lies Like Wildfire was a captivating and intense read that examined how far some of the teenagers were willing to go to ensure they didn’t get sent to jail. Lies Like Wildfire was an outstanding novel that was ideal for both older teenage readers and general thriller fans, and it ended up being one of my top debuts of 2021.
Due to how much I enjoyed Lies Like Wildfire, I made sure to grab Alvarez’s second thriller novel the following year with Friends Like These. Focussing on the consequences of a series of bad and criminal decisions made during a drunken party in response to a teenage rivalry, Friends Like These was another exceptional novel that provided some intriguing insights into the modern teenage mind, while also showing the life-long consequences young mistakes can have. Both Lies Like Wildfire and Friends Like These were among some of the better young adult thrillers I have had the pleasure of reading, and I have been eager to get my hands on Alvarez’s next entry to the genre.
Well, it looks like I don’t have too much longer to wait, as Alvarez has her next young adult thriller coming out in a couple of months with The Trespassers. Set for release in October 2025, The Trespassers will once again follow a group of complex teenagers as they try to cover up a dark mistake from the past. This time set in Alaska, The Trespassers has a very interesting plot behind it, and I firmly believe that this is going to be one of the more compelling and intense young adult novels of 2025.
Plot Synopsis:
In the frozen depths of an Alaskan winter, a house party turns deadly in this tightly wound thriller packed with icy suspense and devastating secrets.
You think you can bury the past… but some truths refuse to stay hidden.
Finley, Mya, River, and Eli were inseparable as kids, running wild on Alaska’s vast wide-open spaces. Then tragedy struck, and Finley moved to the lower 48. But now it’s Senior year, and Finley’s back in Anchorage. When Mya throws a house party on a snowy Valentine’s Day night, it’s supposed to be a chance for the friends to heal old wounds. But an encounter with a mysterious stranger quickly turns the evening into a nightmare.
As the group scrambles to cover up what they’ve done, the fault lines they’ve grown so good at ignoring begin to crack as the police investigate and the media hounds them. Are they the most vicious teens in America, or deeply misunderstood? Everyone wants to know—even the teens themselves.
Fast-paced and thrillingly tense, The Trespassers explores guilt, loyalty, and the complex nature of friendship.
WWW Wednesday – 13 August 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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 Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou (Trade Paperback)
I’ve started reading the excellent Australian crime fiction novel, The Bolthole, this week, and it’s proving to be a fantastic read. The latest book from author Peter Papathanasiou, The Bolthole is set on Kangaroo Island and focusses on the disappearance of a rich man, while also featuring a battle for the island’s identity. The Bolthole is so far proving to be a really intriguing novel and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I’m still obsessed with Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and I’ve just started the sixth book in the series, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. A very awesome entry in the larger series, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features a cool new dungeon floor with an interesting concept behind it, and I’m loving how Dinniman is continuing his unique story. This is one of the longer Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to get through it in the next week. I look forward to seeing all the cool twists and turns in this new book, and I’m sure it’s going to be so much fun.
What did you recently finish reading?
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (ebook)
I managed to finish off the cool murder mystery novel, Five Found Dead by Australian author Sulari Gentill this week. An intriguing crime fiction story set on the Orient Express, Five Found Dead was very fun, and I had a blast Gentill’s clever narrative.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I ad an absolute blast with the fifth Dungeon Crawler Carl book, The Butcher’s Masquerade, which is probably my favourite entry in the series at the moment. Featuring a particularly intense narrative, loaded with shocks, dark moments, and the author’s amazing humour, The Butcher’s Masquerade was an incredible book that I couldn’t stop listening to.
Death at Booroomba by A. L. Booth
Another outstanding piece of Australian fiction. Death at Booroomba was an amazing novel, and I’m glad I got the chance to check it out.
What do you think you’ll read next?
While I have so many incredible books to read at the moment, I think I’m going to sit down and enjoy The Final Vow by M. W. Craven next. A very awesome sounding novel that will see Craven’s protagonist face off against a deadly sniper terrorising England, The Final Vow has a ton of potential, and I am very excited to see how the story unfolds, especially after being enthralled by The Mercy Chair last year. I have a strong feeling that The Final Vow is going to be one of the top books of 2025, and I am extremely excited to see how it unfolds.
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.
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Soundbooth Theater (Audiobook – 19 March 2021)
Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl – Book Three
Length: 16 hours and 54 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Matt Dinniman’s elaborate tale of carnage and comedy continues with the third entry in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, another exceptional and highly addictive novel that I could not get enough of.
Those familiar with this blog will know that I recently discovered the sheer insanity that is Matt Dinniman’s epic Dungeon Crawler Carl books. An outstanding LitRPG series that sees Earth demolished by aliens and turned into a massive, multi-layered fantasy dungeon that the surviving humans need to fight through and descend, all in the name of reality television, the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels are an incredible collection of books with some amazing depth to them as they follow two of the more explosive dungeon crawlers, the gruff Carl and his now sentient cat, Princess Donut. I powered through the first two books in the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl and Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, in no time at all, and both were epic five-star books. Due to how incredible these first two books were, I just had to continue the series, and I instantly started listening to the third book, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, as soon as I finished off Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, and boy was it something special.
After the cataclysmic end to the third floor of the dungeon, Carl, Princess Donut, their dinosaur pet Mongo, and new party member Katia have arrived on the fourth floor. This new floor opens all manner of changes for the crawlers, with sponsorship programs, advanced living quarters, new crafting areas and a leaderboard, all needing to be considered by Carl and his companions. At the same time, the difficulty of the game is ramping up, and this new level is far more complicated than anything they have faced before.
Known as the Iron Tangle, the fourth floor of the dungeon is a mass of interwinding subway tunnels and stations built from the world’s pillaged railway systems. Tied together in an elaborate knot, thousands of different lines populate this level, filled with random subway and train cars loaded with monsters. To survive and find the stairs to the next floor, the crawlers need to work out the elaborate puzzle of the Iron Tangle, including which areas are safe, where the monsters are coming from, and what trains can be used to get to important destinations. However, the dungeon’s creators have populated this floor with all manner of nasty surprises, surprises designed to swallow all the crawlers they can find.
Faced with a seemingly impossible puzzle before them, Carl, Donut and Katia will need to work with all the crawlers on the floor if they want to decipher the mystery of the Iron Tangle. Only by coming together can the remnants of humanity survive the horrors before them and find a way to continue descending to the bottom of the dungeon. But can Carl trust his fellow crawlers, especially now that he has a bounty on his head and a potential traitor in his own party?
Wow, wow, wow! I honestly didn’t believe that the series could get even better than the awesome first book, but Dinniman once again proves me wrong by producing a particularly elaborate third entry that I once again fell in love with. Featuring a clever and memorable new scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook was an exceptional continuation of the series, bringing back all Dinniman’s great characters, complex RPG elements and insane humour, and producing a particularly special story with it. This is another incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl book that gets a well-deserved five-star rating from me.
Like the previous entry in the series, the plot of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook covers the protagonists’ attempts to journey through a single level of the dungeon, in this case the massive fourth floor, which is made up of an elaborate tangle of monster-filled subway tunnels. Thanks to The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook having a longer length than the previous novels and not requiring any substantial introduction material, Dinniman is able to spend a substantial amount of time fleshing out the exploration of this level, and the primary focus of the plot focuses on the characters trying to find the various tricks of the Iron Tangle. While the narrative of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook is a little slower paced than the previous entries in the series, you soon get engrossed in this complex adventure narrative, especially as there is the usual fun humour, cool character dynamics and the inevitable explosive solutions to all the problems the characters encounter. Dinniman also spends time expanding on some of the background character plots and wider universe narrative threads that give greater context to the events of the dungeon. While these parts aren’t as prevalent as in the original novel, you still get some interesting continuation of the wider conspiracies and issues surrounding the crawl and the whole series, which come into play in some compelling ways.
While the first half of the book is very awesome and has some great moments, it is the second part of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook that really ensures that readers will come away from this novel particularly happy. Starting with a fantastic and particularly bloody rescue sequence when Carl and his associates attempt to save a bunch of trapped fellow crawlers and initiate a group stand against the horrors of the Iron Tangle, the plan swiftly breaks down in some particularly memorable ways, with the entire dynamic of the dungeon changing in a single moment. Other great scenes, including a confrontation between Carl and one of his main enemies in the dungeon, also add to the general drama of the novel, and I love how these complex moments, as well as the entire plot of the second half of the book, perfectly flows from the great build up Dinniman featured in the first half of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, as well as a multitude of other great plotlines the author has been building up throughout the series.
This impressive narrative eventually leads up to the big and massively destructive conclusion of the book, which was a perfect end to such a captivating novel. Dinniman cleverly builds up the tension in the lead-up to this finale, and you know that the other shoe is about to drop in a big way. When it does, Dinniman does not disappoint, forcing the protagonist into some elaborate life and death scenarios, including one particularly epic showdown. I really loved how all these intense and action-packed sequences came together, and you are constantly on your edge of your seat as you wait to see what happens next. The protagonist’s various creative plans and failed solutions in the face of these over-the-top scenarios really add to the outrageous entertainment value of the book, and I cannot emphasise enough what an awesome conclusion The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook had. The author also cleverly sets up the events for the next book, with several hints at key moments to come, and you are left eagerly waiting for even more of the series, especially after seeing how crazy and intense things got in this novel.
Dinniman did another outstanding job writing this third Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and I really appreciated how he brought the same energy and level of excitement to The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook. The reader is once again treated to an amazing amount of complex action, intriguing LitRPG elements, captivating character growth, and the author’s outstanding humour, which equates to a particularly gripping and intense read. I liked that The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook had a much more effective pace than the second novel, and the entire journey through the floor was very well set out and quite captivating. While the labyrinthine nature of the Iron Tangle is a little hard to follow at times, I think this worked well in the context of the story, as it helped to underscore the confusing puzzle that the protagonists had to solve, and you really have to appreciate the sheer inventiveness that the author threw into this distinctive fourth floor.
As with the second novel, I felt that people interested in trying out this series really shouldn’t start with The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, and instead they need to read the preceding novels first. While this third novel does have a bit more internal recapping, as the protagonist thinks back to key events, Dinniman does drop the reader into the story immediately after the closing moments of Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, which will confuse most new readers. The author again builds on the cool LitRPG elements of the previous novels, adding in even more classic gaming features that the protagonists, and through them the readers, need to keep in mind as the book progresses. All these features have an effective introduction so that anyone can understand their impact, no matter their experience with RPGs, and Dinniman works them into the wider plot extremely well. As always, a lot of the dryer LitRPG elements of the book are made a lot more entertaining thanks to the over-the-top explanations, clever jokes, and the general insane manner in which the protagonists utilise them, and those reader’s with less interest in stats, abilities or equipment, will still have fun with the scenes focussed on them, especially as they feature some of the book’s funniest lines. The rest of the novel also features a great comedic tone, and I laughed so many times throughout The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, especially as Dinniman keeps upping the ante with the plot and forcing the protagonist into even more ridiculous scenarios.
This great humour is well balanced by the often more serious character moments that Dinniman does a wonderful job inserting into the story. Most of these revolve around the perspective character, Carl, who serves as the voice of the entire story. A sarcastic, gruff and scarred figure, Carl serves as an excellent everyman protagonist for the series, and you soon get very attached to him, especially as he attempts to be the dungeon’s hero and save everyone he can. The author builds up some really moving storylines around Carl in this third book, and I loved seeing his continued growth as the team’s unofficial leader, as his accurate insights and tactical ideas really move the plot along. There are some very dramatic moments loaded in as Carl encounters the various dark sides of the dungeon, and I loved the big anti-authoritarian aspect to the character that Dinniman is expanding upon, especially as he witnesses more and more of the dungeon’s cruelty. The inclusion of the titular Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, a secret in-game book that gives him hints and ideas to survive in the dungeon, was a fun twist, and I loved how it gave him even more explosive ideas, while allowing the author to explore his rebellious side even more. Despite being a mostly serious figure, there is still a lot of humour around Carl, mainly from him being the straight man in a very ridiculous place, and you have to love his very reasonable reactions to some of the weird things he witnesses. Dinniman also continues the very funny trend of having Carl gain a well-deserved reputation of being one the craziest crawlers in the dungeon, mainly due to his tendency of solving all his problems with explosives, and there is a lot of entertainment in seeing Carl’s various plans go further off the rails than intended.
In comparison to Carl, sentient cat Princess Donut is the fun face of the team, and it’s impossible not to love her various antics and over-the-top attitudes. Her many entertaining quirks, including her obsession with fame, hilarious insights into humans, her long-running grudge against all Cocker Spaniels, her relentless use of all-caps in chat mode, and her general cat-like personality all add a lot of amusement to the novel, and you have to love the odd-couple relationship that forms with Carl. So many of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook’s funniest sequences result from Donut’s antics and Carl’s subsequent reactions, and this novel would not be as entertaining without her. Despite mostly being a comedic figure, Donut does get some serious interactions with the other characters, which help to showcase her character growth and protective nature. Her occasional vulnerable and honest discussions with Carl really highlight their bond, and she has one of the best moments in the entire book when she overreacts after a friend is hurt. I really cannot emphasise enough what a great character Donut is, and I really love that Dinniman decided to make this hilarious sentient cat one of his main protagonists.
I also must mention the newest member of the protagonist’s party, Katia, a shy woman who has taken on a shapeshifting race that allows her to act as an effective tank. I must admit I wasn’t too certain about Katia as a character at the start of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, due to her understated personality and somewhat random introduction and inclusion to the team in the second half of the previous novel. However, Dinniman steadily builds up her complex personality as the book continues, and thanks to the continued support of her new party, as well as Carl’s various attempts to hack her race features, she becomes quite an effective crawler, gaining a lot more confidence. Her unique abilities and likeable personality nicely compliment the already existing team of Carl and Donut, and they end up becoming a well-balanced trio thanks to her inclusion. The author also sets up an intriguing storyline around Katia’s conflicting loyalties between her previous party and the current group of Carl and Donut, which come into play perfectly during one of the novel’s big moments. Katia ends up becoming quite an awesome part of the book thanks to these scenes, and I loved the excellent new dynamic she brings to the series.
Aside from these main three characters, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook features a really impressive supporting cast, especially as Dinniman brings back a lot of awesome characters from the previous two novels. This includes Donut’s pet, Mongo, a giant velociraptor who was once again a fun addition to the plot. While Mongo does get used a little less in the book thanks to the compact train cars of the setting, he made an impact when he did appear (especially to a certain gnoll) it is very entertaining to see Donut finally able to ride him. The group’s manager, Mordecai, was once again perfect as the reluctant and exasperated mentor figure, who plays off the personalities of the main protagonists perfectly. One excellent scene in the book ended up limiting Mordecai’s role in The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, which serves as an effective handicap for the protagonists, while also hinting at Mordecai’s traumatic past, and I look forward to the author expanding on that in the future.
This lack of Mordecai also allows for the author to feature a lot of additional characters, which fits the giant group teamwork focus of the plot, and it was fun to see some of Carl and Donut’s acquaintances from the previous two books return here, especially as several have changed in some very entertaining ways. I need to highlight the return of antagonist Frank Q, whose big scene with Carl was one of the most powerful moments of the novel, especially as Frank seemingly gets his revenge. Other previously mentioned antagonists, including some introduced outside the dungeon, are brought back here, often in a big way, and their interactions with Carl are always quite destructive. Dinniman also focuses on an array of NPC characters in The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, and the dark plight of these poor figures helps to showcase both the protagonist’s empathy and the twisted nature of the entire dungeon process. Finally, I again need to mention the hilarious AI who runs the dungeon, as the disembodied figure is easily the most hilarious character in the series thanks to his unhinged descriptions, brilliant references, and the twisted way he manipulates the crawlers to get the funniest result for the audience. I love how Dinniman showed how the AI is starting to crack a little, especially when it begins rebelling against the corporation running the game (how dare they appeal the AI’s decisions), and I laughed so hard at so many things the AI said. All these characters, and more, were very entertaining to follow, and I love the many rich character arcs and moments that the author cleverly inserted into the novel’s plot.
I have been having an absolute blast with the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks, and I didn’t even hesitate in choosing to also listen to The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook on this format. Unsurprisingly, this was another exceptional listen as the audiobook version of The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook really helped to highlight all the best aspects of the book, including the great action, amazing characters and brilliant, over-the-top humour. Coming in at nearly 17 hours, this was the longest Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks yet (they only get even longer from here), although I still managed to power through it in very quick order. A large reason this audiobook was so good was because the very talented Jeff Hays once again impressed as narrator. Thanks to his zany voices Hays makes this audiobook truly come alive, and I love how perfectly he inhabits all the crazy and complex characters featured within this book. There is an outstanding array of accents, parody voices, and over-the-top tones from Hays in this audiobook, and all the voices were a lot of fun, especially for some of the big or exaggerated monsters. I again need to highlight his excellent voices for Carl and Princess Donut, and it’s just amazing how he can embody both very divergent characters. I also loved the voice he used for the system AI, especially as Hays brings out all the disembodied figure’s sass, anger and sadistic comedy with his reading of the announcements, especially when the AI gets freaky or mad. This Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook also features the voice of Youtube personality The Critical Drinker, who voices a minor character in a well-done, if unnecessary, inclusion. I felt this entire audiobook came together pretty damn perfectly, including the very funny ad for Soundbooth Theater thrown in at the end, and I honestly don’t think I would enjoy this series nearly as much if it weren’t for these fantastic audiobook productions. I plan to listen to all future Dungeon Crawler Carl novels on audiobook, and I know I am going to have so much damn fun doing so.
With yet another explosive story, loaded with great characters, clever RPG inclusions and the author’s outstanding humour, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook was extremely epic, and I could not get enough of it. The best book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series so far, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook was ultra-impressive, and Matt Dinniman did an exceptional job bringing everything together. I enjoyed this novel so much that I once again decided to start reading the next book in the series the moment I finished this one and then continued after that. As such, I am currently in the middle of the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade, after loving the fourth book, Gate of the Feral Gods, and both are incredibly awesome and so much fun.
WWW Wednesday – 6 August 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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:
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (ebook)
I just started reading the cool murder mystery novel, Five Found Dead by Australian author Sulari Gentill. An intriguing crime fiction story set on the Orient Express, Five Found Dead is proving to be an excellent novel and I look forward to seeing how its captivating mystery unfolds.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
I’m still powering through Matt Dinniman’s exceptional Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which is so damn good. I have already made it to the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade, which sets the unlikely protagonists against a new array of dangerous opponents, including professional hunters who specialise in killing dungeon crawlers. Another incredible book and one that I cannot stop listening to, The Butcher’s Masquerade is already proving to be one of my favourite books in this series, and I cannot wait to see where the crazy story goes next.
What did you recently finish reading?
Templar Traitor by Angus Donald (ebook)
An outstanding historical fiction novel with a very interesting plot behind it.
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)
Another exceptional entry in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. This was a worthy fourth book in this outstanding series, perfectly following books like Dungeon Crawler Carl and Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, and I instantly started reading the fifth book the second I finished it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Death at Booroomba by A. L. Booth
I’m hoping to read some outstanding Australian fiction next week and I’ll start by checking out the fantastic and compelling historical crime fiction novel, Death at Booroomba. This novel sounds really awesome, and I cannot wait to dive into it.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
The Unseen Library 