The Unseen Library

The gloomy and complex fantasy adventures of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman continues in this epic second audiobook volume that once again brings Gaiman’s unique imagination and characters to life with an outstanding cast of actors.

Back in 2022 I had an outstanding time listening to the first volume of the audiobook adaptation of The Sandman comic. The original series, which started in 1989, is one of the most iconic comics of all time and features a unique adventure that only someone as twisted and imaginative as Neil Gaiman can come up with. Following Dream, the anthropomorphic personification of dreams and human imagination, The Sandman is a truly interesting comic that blends horror, fantasy and superhero storylines together. Some people might be more familiar with the recent Netflix series that adapted the first couple of comics and which has a second season on the way.

While I loved the show, I personally had a much better time with the audiobook version of the comics that was released a couple of years ago. Featuring a truly exceptional cast of celebrity and established audiobook narrators, the first volume of this series was so damn good, and I loved how well it established the characters and universe of The Sandman while also adapting Gaiman’s unique vibes and dark themes. This first volume was extremely addictive, and I made sure to listen to the second volume shortly after. The second volume, or Act II as it will be called in this review, continues the comic storyline and features some amazing stories, fun characters and new cast members.

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

Still dealing with the consequences of his forced absence from his realm, Morpheus is working to recover everything he lost while avoiding the enemies he made along the way. The most powerful of these is Lucifer, the fallen angel and lord of Hell, whom Morpheus insulted when he stormed Hell to take back his stolen helm. Despite not wishing to cross Lucifer again, Morpheus is convinced to set right the biggest wrong of his life and free his former lover from Hell. However, he is unprepared for the reception that awaits him as Lucifer chooses to damn him in a far more sinister way: by gifting him control of his dark domain.

Finding himself in possession of the key to Hell’s gates, Lucifer must determine who will become the new ruler of Hell. Setting up a gala in the Dreaming, Morpheus receives visits from an array of gods, demons, angels, and other immortal beings, each of whom seek to control Hell for their own reason. Soon, Morpheus finds himself in the middle of a host of scheming beings, many of whom will turn on their host to get what they want. At the same time, weird things are happening in the Dreaming, as an ancient and unstable realm begins to drag in inhabitants from the real world and influence the waking world. Can Morpheus ensure his realm stays whole whilst dealing with the most dangerous beings in creation?

This was another outstanding adaptation of The Sandman comics that was so damn epic to listen to. Adapted by director Dirk Maggs and featuring all Gaiman’s impressive storytelling and dark characterisation, The Sandman – Act II was extremely impressive, and you really get drawn into the unique world of the original comics. Adapting issues #21-40 and #50 of the original comics, The Sandman – Act II brings together the stories of Season of Mists and A Game of You, and several entries from Fables & Reflections. All these adaptations are so damn good, and I love the elaborate and epic cast that helps to bring the tale to life.

Due to how the audiobook is set out, there are three distinctive parts to The Sandman – Act II, which provided their own unique stories and characters. The first of these is titled Season of Mists, and features Morpheus finding himself wrapped up in the fate of Hell. Starting with an entertaining and dysfunctional family dinner, where Morpheus reunites with all his siblings (bar one), the story then turns to Morpheus’s biggest regret, his relationship with the ancient African queen Nada (whose story was told in the last audiobook), which trapped her soul in Hell. Travelling to Hell to free her, Morpheus finds that Lucifer has banished all the demons and damned souls from his realm and is abdicating as ruler, leaving the key to Hell’s gates with Morpheus. Morpheus is soon tasked with deciding the fate of the dimension, which results in a flurry of immortal beings arriving at his home to request the key. The resulting conference proves to be highly entertaining as Morpheus is forced to deal with all manner of bargains, schemes and betrayals as everyone seeks his favour. I loved how the entire dramatic conference unfolds, and the interactions between the various over-the-top figures and the implacable Morpheus results in some great drama and hilarious sequences. The conclusion of this storyline is amazing, as a new irony overtakes the denizens of Hell, Morpheus finds himself meeting various beings who will change him in the future, and the seeds are set for a new story around Lucifer (as seen in his own comic and television series).

Honestly, this is probably the best part of The Sandman – Act II, as not only is Season of Mists particularly gripping, but it makes full use of both the existing voice cast and several new figures to really enhance the content. The battle of wits between several larger-than-life characters is extremely compelling and clever, and Gaiman does a remarkable job expanding the canon of The Sandman. There are so many subtle and delightful character interactions scattered throughout this storyline, and listeners will love the impressively devious stakes that are being discussed. This includes some fantastic and deep soul searching for the protagonist, who is forced to revisit one of his darkest deeds. Thanks to his own experiences of being locked away, Morpheus understands his harsh past actions a lot better, especially when prompted by members of his family. I always appreciated how Gaiman shows that Morpheus isn’t really a hero but a force of nature who arrogantly follows his own whims. However, in this case he is a somewhat better person, even if he is still selfish in his actions, and it takes some real prompting for him to do the right thing.

Gaiman also makes sure to feature some additional amazing character arcs, the most intriguing being Lucifer’s when he decides to perform the ultimate rebellion against his father by abandoning Hell. Lucifer’s portrayal by a returning Michael Sheen is exceptional, especially during his interactions with Morpheus, and his take on the events that led him to rule Hell are very powerful. In addition to Sheen, Season of Mists also features the inclusion of several amazing new actors, each of whom are used to their full potential. Jeffery Wright and Kristen Schaal are perfect additions to the Endless, voicing the taciturn Destiny and the bubbly Delirium respectfully. However, it is the one-two punch of Bill Nighy as Odin and David Tennant as Loki that really sold this chapter to me. Bill Nighy and David Tennant are two of my absolute favourite actors, and their takes on these two Norse gods are just amazing. While Nighy brings gravitas and cruelty to Odin, Tennant’s wheedling, manipulative Loki was so damn fun, and both were the highlight of every scene there were in. The rest of the cast in this chapter were epic as well, and this entire section was such a highlight of The Sandman – Act II, with its placement at the top of the book successfully drawing listeners in and ensuring they don’t go anywhere.

The other main storyline in The Sandman – Act II was titled A Game of You, and is an adaptation of one of the less popular comic arcs. This story is an intriguing female-led additional to the series, which primarily follows Barbie, a minor figure from the previous The Doll’s House arc, who has uprooted her life and moved to New York to live with an eclectic mixture of residents in an apartment building. When figures from Barbie’s long-lost dreams arrive in the waking world, Barbie is dragged back into a fantasy adventure, while her friends in New York deal with minions of the mysterious Cuckoo, a dream parasite preying on Barbie’s mind. The resulting attempts to help Barbie result in chaos and tragedy as they trespass into the Dreaming and come face to face with Morpheus as a he fulfills an old bargain.

Now I must admit that A Game of You was a little weaker than I was hoping, especially when compared to the preceding Season of Mists. The decision to focus on Barbie, who honestly didn’t stand out too much in her previous appearance, was an interesting choice by Gaiman, and this arc doesn’t have the most engrossing story. However, I did still have a great time listening to this part of the audiobook, especially as it focuses on showcasing both the magic and danger of dreams, as well as the impacts that interactions with Morpheus can have on mortals. The more distinctive fantasy focus of this story makes for a nice change of pace, and I liked how well Gaiman simultaneously showed events occurring inside and outside of the protagonist’s dreams.

One side effect of listening to A Game of You immediately after Season of Mists is that the less substantial cast is a lot more noticeable. That’s not to say that A Game of You doesn’t have great characters. There are some amazing figures featured here, including several unique protagonists who have compelling connections to previous story arcs from the series. There are also some nicely progressive LGBT+ elements for a comic released in 1991-92, especially when it comes to the trans woman character, Wanda, who is handled with tact and who has a particularly impactful story arc. There are also fewer celebrity voice appearances in this arc, although I did rather enjoy the inclusion of actress Emma Corrin of The Crown fame as the ancient witch Thessaly, as her intense and distinctive voice added a lot to this fantastic character. While it is easy to nitpick A Game of You, especially after some of the previous arcs, this is s till a particularly impressive storyline, which is masterfully brought to life with this production, producing something that is very fun to listen to.

These two main storylines are impressively augmented by a series of short stories scattered throughout the course of the audiobook. Most of these short stories fall between Season of Mists and A Game of You, with several more wrapping events up. There is also a short story in the middle of Season of Mists that showcases the impacts the closure of Hell has, which leads to the Dead Boy Detectives series. Gaiman comes up with some truly interesting and unique shorter stories to add to the main plot of the book. Most of these stories involve various mortals or other supernatural creatures encountering either the Endless or some of Morpheus’s creations, and they usually serve as some form of cautionary tale. I loved the intriguing underlying themes that Gaiman loaded into each story, including about the impermanence of power and examinations of the human condition, and the author also has fun in launching his distinctive characters into various historical periods.

While all the shorter stories contained in The Sandman – Act II are awesome in their own way, a couple do stand out due to their excellent stories and fantastic performances. For example, the complex story Three Septembers and a January, retells the tale of Joshua Abraham Norton, self-declared Emperor of the United States, with Dream and his siblings shown to be responsible for his strange actions. This story is both fascinating and dark, as you witness a man torn apart by the whims of the ethereal siblings. Listeners grow particularly attached to this tale due to the performance of John Lithgow as Joshua Norton, who adds some excellent humour and no small amount of tragedy with his moving voice work. Other great stories include Thermido, which sees the return of Lady Johanna Constantine from the first audiobook. Voiced by the absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley, this story follows Constantine as she steals into France during the height of the revolution to steal something from Robespierre. This story was fast-paced, clever, and substantially dark, all of which helped it to stand out, especially with the compelling twists and ironic historical fates. It was also amazing to get a whole story told by Joanna Lumley, who was somewhat underutilised in the first audiobook. Finally, the tale August, which follows Augustus Caesar as he disguises himself as a beggar and tells his life story to a dwarf, proves to be quite impressive, especially with Brian Cox playing the titular character. Each of these shorter stories are masterfully presented, and I loved how complex and powerful their stories were, even with the shorter length the author had to work with.

Overall, I really appreciated the entire story of this volume. The blending of two fantastic main storylines, as well as the scattering of intriguing and unique short stories, makes for quite an epic continuous listen. The short stories were well utilised as the director spread them out amongst the audiobook providing a good break between the two extended plotlines, as well as some fun listens in the epilogue. Not only were all the entries in The Sandman – Act II fantastic and compelling, but each of them had such a distinctive feel that really highlights the author’s style and ability to blend various genres together into one powerful story. The interesting array of over-the-top characters makes for quite a fantastic listen, especially as Gaiman attempts to capture the many burdens of having cosmic responsibility, while other stories look at how characters are affected by dreams and imagination. The mixture of fantastic tales and dark moments is always cleverly undercut with moral lessons or complex observations about the human experience. You honestly come away from The Sandman in deep thought while still being traumatised or wildly entertained by how events unfolded. There is honestly nothing else quite like The Sandman in fiction, and I always have great admiration for the elaborate and multifaceted tales that Gaiman comes up with.

Just with the first volume of this epic audiobook collection, the production really captures the epic nature of the comic, which makes it a real joy to listen to. Even with its runtime of nearly 14 hours, this is such an easy and addictive audiobook to listen to, and it proves hard to ever stop listening to the elaborate story that emerges. A lot of this is down to the impressive nature of the production surrounding this audiobook, as the director goes out of his way to enhance the audio experience for the listener. Everything about this audiobook, from the emotionally charged music, the elaborate sound effects, and the brilliant cast of actors and narrators, is designed to remind you what an imaginative and unique story you are listening to. Heck, even the way that the various chapter titles are announced is epic, and I always get a kick out of the impressive way they are read out. Honestly, the entire audiobook production is just perfect, and anyone who listens to it is in for an exceptional time they will not forget.

As part of my hyping up of the audiobook production, I have to highlight the sheer range of talent lending their voices to this audiobook production, without whom The Sandman – Act II would be nowhere near as exceptional as it was. I have mentioned several of the newer voice actors in the review already, but The Sandman – Act II also featured the exceptional returning cast from the first audiobook, each of whom provided fantastic new performances that really stuck in the mind. For example, Andy Serkis is so much fun as Matthew the Raven, while Justin Vivian Bond and Miriam Margolyes serve as fantastic and fitting versions of Desire and Despair respectively. Kat Dennings proves to be an outstandingly effective incarnation of Death, especially as her positive portrayal captures the more compassionate and likeable version of Death that Gaiman envisioned for his comic. Even Neil Gaiman has a key vocal role in the production, serving as the narrator who highlights events and details not captured by the dialogue. Gaiman proves to be an impressive narrator for this story, and his distinctive and wise voice matches the feel of The Sandman perfectly. However, most of these are overshadowed by James McAvoy, who plays the titular Sandman, Morpheus, in this production. McAvoy is honestly perfect in this role, and the gravitas, sense of unknowing, and great sadness of this character is so perfectly portrayed by the actor’s voice. McAvoy does such a good job portraying the imperialistic and arrogant tone and personality of Morpheus and the reader can really envision his actions and thoughts. McAvoy honestly does the best presentation of this character it is possible to do (television series included), and you will fall in love with his take on this sinister and mysterious figure.

The Sandman – Act II is an outstanding and incredible audiobook production that does such a remarkable job of bringing more of Neil Gaiman’s iconic comic to life. Perfectly adapting the distinctive and dark comics into a new format, listeners get the benefit of both an excellent narrative and some amazing audiobook production with a remarkable cast. An absolute joy to listen to from start to finish, The Sandman – Act II was a brilliant follow-up to the first production, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Book Haul – 13 April 2024

On April 13, 2024April 14, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I have been having another excellent couple of weeks for books, and I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers, Netgalley and the local bookshop. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including several books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I look forward to seeing how they turn out.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

The Gathering Cover

The first book I want to highlight in this Book Haul is The Gathering by C. J. Tudor. An outstanding horror thriller that sees a detective attempt to determine if a murder in a small Alaskan town was committed by local vampires. I have actually already read The Gathering and it proved to be an incredible read that comes highly recommended.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

Another outstanding recently released novel that I have already read is The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. An intriguing and unique mystery; The Last Murder at the End of the World follows the last vestiges of humanity as they attempt to solve a devastating murder. A very clever novel that I had an outstanding time reading.

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

The Girl in Question Cover

I was very happy to receive a copy of the young adult thriller, The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe. The sequel to Sharpe’s outstanding prior novel, The Girls I’ve Been, The Girl in Question will see the series’ teenage protagonist attempt to outwit a series of hitman coming for her. I had such an incredible time with the previous novel in this series and I have no doubt I am going to love the sequel.

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

The Sky on Fire Cover

An intriguing new fantasy novel from the very impressive Jenn Lyons, The Sky on Fire is a fun sounding book that will see a band of misfits attempt to pull off a heist from a city of dragons. Need I say more?

The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom

The Shadow King Cover

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Harry Sidebottom, turns to a new period as he dives into the reign of Alexander the Great. Following the other Alexander of Macedon, The Shadow King sounds really interesting, and I cannot wait to see what outstanding story Sidebottom comes up with.

Empire by Conn Iggulden

Empire Cover

While I am waiting for Iggulden’s new book, Nero, I just had to grab a copy of his prior novel, Empire, which I missed last year. Following the inevitable war between the Athenians and the Spartans, Empire sounds extremely awesome and I cannot wait to read it.

Firefly: Coup de Grace by Una McCormack

Coup De Grace Cover

The final book I recently grabbed was the 2023 Firefly novel, Coup de Grace by Una McCormack. This is a cool tie-in novel that sees the Serenity crew get caught up in a gang war when a murdered lawyer’s daughter hires them to get justice. I always have a lot of fun with the Firefly series, and I cannot wait to dive into this latest entry.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

WWW Wednesday – 10 April 2024

On April 11, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell (Trade Paperback)

Play of Shadows Cover

I just started reading the awesome and entertaining new fantasy novel from Sebastien De Castell, Play of Shadows. Set in his Greatcoat universe, Play of Shadows is the start of new series from De Castell that sees a hapless actor become wrapped up in all manner of trouble when he begins to mystically channel the spirt of his city’s greatest historical villain while on stage. While I loved De Castell’s last book, The Malevolent Seven, I was initially a little wary of reading Play of Shadows, mainly because I haven’t read any of the other Greatcoat novels. However, Play of Shadows is proving to be an exceptional book with a funny and compelling plot behind it that I am having an amazing time reading.

The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry (Audiobook)

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

I made a lot of progress with The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry this week and I am nearly finished with it. The latest book in the long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver features an intriguing story about Japanese war loot and cryptocurrency as Berry once again blends historical conspiracies with modern day thriller storylines. I have about an hour left of The Atlas Maneuver which I will probably finish off later tonight.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Winter Palace by Paul Morgan (Trade Paperback)

The Winter Palace Cover

A compelling, fascinating and well-written historical drama that really dove into the various horrors inflicted upon the people of Poland.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton (Trade Paperback)

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

I had a wonderful time with the intriguing science fiction thriller, The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book follows a small town of survivors who need to quickly solve a murder. However, everyone in the town, including the murderer, has forgotten the events of the previous night, complicating the investigation. This proved to be an excellent read and I love the complex scenario that Turton set out.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor (ebook)

The Gathering Cover

I also read the new C. J. Tudor novel, The Gathering this week. A fantastic and distinctive murder mystery/horror hybrid, The Gathering is set in a world where vampires exist and where the protagonist needs to discover if a gruesome murder was committed by a local vampire or a human killer. This novel was so damn good, especially as Tudor set up a brilliant alternate world so quickly, and I loved the amazing mystery she featured within it. One of the best books I have read in 2024 so far, I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

What do you think you’ll read next?

Death on the Tiber Cover

While I have a few potential books to read next, I think I will probably dive into the new Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber will see the series protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I really love this amazing series and I have no doubt I will have a wonderful time reading Death on the Tiber.

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 Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan

On April 11, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday7 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an awesome and highly anticipated upcoming fantasy novel from one of my favourite authors with A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan.

A Tide of Black Steel Cover

There are so many great fantasy authors currently plying their literary trade to eager audiences, but one of my favourites is the extremely talented Anthony Ryan. A compelling and prolific author, Ryan has been dominating the genre for over 10 years with several impressive series, including his Raven’s Shadow, Raven’s Blade, Slab City Blues and Draconis Memoria books. While all these series sound extremely good, I have only had the pleasure of reading Ryan’s latest series, although that has been more than enough to make me a major fan.

This series was the exciting and intriguing The Covenant of Steel trilogy. Set in an elaborate and battle-torn fantasy world, The Covenant of Steel books followed the tumultuous life of Alwyn Scribe, a former outlaw who finds redemption and a new purpose after being trained as a scribe, and then becoming a key figure in a series of wars and religious revolutions. Told through an awesome chronicle style, this series was so damn good, and featured some great characters, powerful battles, and set up a complex new fantasy realm.

All three books in The Covenant of Steel were particularly epic, and I really enjoyed each of them. This included the impressive first novel, The Pariah (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) that perfectly up the series, The Martyr (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) that continued the excellent story while also feature some amazing battles, and The Traitor (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023) which provided a dark and compelling finish to this gripping series. I came away a massive fan of Ryan after reading these three books and I have been eager to dive into some of his other series. I also kept an eye out for whatever new book Ryan was cooking up next as I planned to read them as soon as it came out. Well, it looks like I won’t have to wait much longer as Ryan has a new novel coming out in a few short months.

That new novel is A Tide of Black Steel, which is currently set for release in September 2024. The first book in his new Age of Wrath series, A Tide of Black Steel will present the reader with a cool, Norse-inspired fantasy tale of war, adventure and family drama, which sounds very fun.

Plot Synopsis:

A NEW AGE HAS DAWNED. AN AGE OF BLOOD AND STEEL.

AN AGE OF WRATH.

The land of Ascarlia, a fabled realm of bloodied steel and epic sagas, has been ruled by the Sister Queens for centuries. No one has dared question their rule.

Until now.

Whispers speak of longships of mysterious tattooed warriors, sailing under the banners of a murderous cult of oath-breakers long thought extinct. A tide of black steel that threatens to vanquish all in its path.

Thera of the Blackspear, favoured servant of the Sister Queens, is ordered to uncover the truth. As Thera sails north, her reviled brother, Felnir, sets out on his own adventure. He hopes to find the Vault of the Altvar – the treasure room of the gods – and win the Sister Queens’ favour at his sister’s expense.

Both siblings – along with a brilliant young scribe and a prisoner with a terrifying, primal power – will play a part in the coming storm.

The Age of Wrath has begun.

I really love the sound of the great plot that Ryan has come up with for his new book and A Tide of Black Steel is currently one of my most anticipated fantasy books in 2024. A more Norse-inspired fantasy read from Ryan has a lot of potential, especially as it will be somewhat different to more classic medieval fantasy we saw in Ryan’s previous series. A compelling adventure fantasy tale that sees two rival siblings lead separate expeditions into the wilds is going to very fun, and I am already excited to learn more about the mystery of the tattooed warriors. However, the reason I am most intrigued by A Tide of Black Steel is that it is set in the same universe as The Covenant of Steel books.

I am very excited for this as I really did love reading The Covenant of Steel books the last few years. While it isn’t 100% clear in the summary above, A Tide of Black Steel appears to be a sequel to Ryan’s previous series, and I am excited to see if he will pick up some of the established storylines and plot points from the prior books. The land of Ascarlia was mentioned to a degree in the previous series, primarily in The Pariah where they were minor antagonists, so it will be interesting see how it ties into that. I am also curious to see if any characters from The Covenant of Steel books will be featured in this upcoming series. Thanks to prophetic visions in The Heretic, you know that the story of Alwyn Scribe isn’t finished, and the character, or potentially his son, are bound to return at some point. As such I have my eye on the “brilliant young scribe” character mentioned in the synopsis, although this does seem a little too obvious. It will be very interesting to see how this pans out, and I have no doubt I am going to love all the featured connections no matter what.

Look, I was always planning to grab A Tide of Black Steel when it came out, especially after really getting obsessed with Anthony Ryan’s last series. However, the fact that A Tide of Black Steel is going to be some form of continuation to The Covenant of Steel books makes this a must-read for me, as I really can’t wait to see an expansion of the fantastic fantasy universe from these previous books. This is frankly one of the top upcoming fantasy books I want to read and there is no way this doesn’t end up being one of my favourite books of the year.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels – April 2024

On April 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List, Warhammer32 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 given a freebie, where they can talk about any book topic they want. While I had a few ideas, I decided to update a fun list from last year where I highlighted my absolute favourite Warhammer 40,000 tie-in novels.

Warhammer is a long-running extended universe that is based around a series of miniature table-top games. Started by Games Workshop decades ago, Warhammer in its various forms has a large and dedicated following to it, and there are several existing or defunct games associated with the franchise. The most iconic of these is probably the futuristic Warhammer 40,000 franchise which is set millennia in the future and details a grim-dark universe where multiple factions engage in massive wars and battles. Thanks to years of extended lore, there are a ton of Warhammer 40,000 books and comics out there, with a massive team of great authors contributing more and more to it all the time.

Due to how much I love this franchise and how many books I have been reading from it, around this time last year, I went out of my way to list my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books, which ballooned into a 20-entry feature. This proved to be a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed highlighting the top Warhammer 40,000 books I read. While I was happy with how this prior list panned out, I was only really scratching the surface of this massive collection of fiction, as there are a ton of other epic Warhammer 40,000 books out there. I’ve spent the last year or so getting even further into this franchise, and I have read several additional awesome books, which includes several brand-new favourites. As such, I figured this would be a good time to update my previous list and feature even more epic pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

As with my previous list about Warhammer 40,000 fiction, I have loaded this entry up with my top 20 favourite books, including several great books I discovered in the last year. There are some amazing Warhammer 40,000 novels here, and it was interesting to see what new pieces of fiction made it onto the latest version of this list. I had some very hard decisions to make, and several books that I featured last time needed to be cut, which wasn’t easy to do. I did once again decide to compact several books from the same series (and written by the same author) into a single entry to increase variety, which I think worked out well. Overall, I’m very happy with how my Top 20 list turned out and there are so many exceptional and epic novels I would strongly recommend.

Top 20 List (no particular order):

Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

The first entry on this list is the iconic and epic Eisenhorn trilogy by legendary Warhammer author Dan Abnett. Generally considered one of the most influential authors of Warhammer fiction, Abnett has written several key series and novels in this canon and the Eisenhorn books are some of his finest work. Made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, this series follows the titular Inquisitor Eisenhorn who investigates several complex conspiracies while trying to keep the Imperium of Man safe. However, along the way he starts making dark compromises and deals to fight the forces of Chaos, which slowly corrupts him. Providing an outstanding mixture of elaborate stories, impressive characters and some epic moments, the Eisenhorn trilogy is damn near perfect, and I have had a wonderful time getting through it. Easily one of the best Warhammer series out there, the Eisenhorn novels are a must-read, and there is a reason why most fans recommend it as a brilliant starting Warhammer 40,000 fiction starting point.

Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley

Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh! Cover

For readers looking for something a little less human-focussed, Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! is the perfect book. A unique retelling of iconic ork character Ghazghkull Thraka’s origin story, this fantastic novel presents a powerful and instantly compelling story that shows a far deeper side to the ork boss and his followers. Crowley expertly utilises a series of distinctive perspectives to tell a particularly striking story, and I loved the fun combination of serious elements and humorous undertones. I had a brilliant time with this novel, and it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022. Highly recommended, especially on audiobook due to the amazing team of talented narrators the recruited to voice it.

Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

Assassinorum Kingmaker Cover

Another Warhammer 40,000 novel from 2022 that topped my best of lists was the insanely good Assassinorum: Kingmaker by talented author Robert Rath. Following three ultra-elite assassins, Kingmaker showcases their mission to assassinate a king and bring a new era to a feudal Imperial Knight planet. The only problem is that their target is permanently bonded to a giant mecha, and there are far darker secrets hidden on the planet than they realised. This book was highly addictive from the very start, and I cannot emphasise how impressively amazing the narrative was. You really get attached to the major characters, and I loved all the epic mecha-on-mecha fights than ensued. A top read from one of the franchises fastest rising stars.

The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley

The Wraithbone Phoenix Cover

One of the things that I most love about Warhammer 40,000 fiction is the sheer range of different stories that can be featured in this universe. Probably the best example of this is the Warhammer Crime subseries that set a series of powerful crime fiction novels in a futuristic and corrupt Warhammer 40,000 city. The first one of these that I read was The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley, which features a fast-paced, crime thriller romp as several teams of over-the-top criminals fight to recover a mysterious McGuffin, the titular Wraithbone Phoenix. The story primarily focuses on the hilarious team of thieving ratling (a futuristic halfling/hobbit) and an enlightened Ogryn (ogre), who find themselves caught in the middle of the heist and hunted by everyone. Fun, intense and surprisingly moving, this was an amazing book, and readers should also check out Worley’s short audiobook, Dredge Runners, which serves as an exceptional prequel.

Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill

Storm of Iron Cover 2

From cool crime fiction to brutal sieges, my next entry is the awesome epic Storm of Iron by the legendary Graham McNeill. Storm of Iron is a powerful and intense read that chronicles a deadly futuristic siege of a legendary citadel by the Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines, the galaxy’s most accomplished siege experts. What follows is a brutal and lengthy siege novel that sees both sides engage in a hellish campaign to try and survive. Cleverly showcasing both sides and providing some great context to the antagonists, this is a particularly fun book that is easily one of the best siege novels I have ever read.

Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

Da Big Dakka Cover

One of the more entertaining recent additions to this list is Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks. Brooks is one of the most talented rising authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, especially with books like The Lion: King of the Forest and Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom. While I enjoy his serious work, my favourite book of his is Da Big Dakka. An intriguing and ultra-entertaining follow-up to his ork novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, Da Big Dakka sets a deadly ork warband against the lethal Drukhari in a battle of wits, carnage and pain. Hilarious and clever from start to finish, I cannot recommend this book enough as it had me laughing all the way through.

Sinner’s Bounty by Joshua Reynolds

Kal Jerico - Sinner's Bounty Cover

While Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker was the first current Warhammer 40,000 novel I read, Sinner’s Bounty was the book that sealed my fate and ensured I would get hooked on this franchise again. Set in the Necromunda sub-series/game, Sinner’s Bounty presents a whole new adventure from one of the franchise’s best characters, bounty hunter Kal Jerico, as he follows a notorious criminal into the darkest parts of the massive Necromunda hive city. A massively entertaining romp that features multiple teams of bounty hunters, an army of mutants, and all manner of monsters in the dark sewers of the city, Sinner’s Bounty is so much damn fun and I loved seeing my favourite character back in action. I hope we get more Kal Jerico books in the future, but in the meantime Sinner’s Bounty an amazing read that perfectly showcases one of the franchises best settings and protagonists.

The Infinite and The Divine by Robert Rath

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

Another outstanding novel from Robert Rath that I had to feature here is, The Infinite and The Divine. Focussed on two compelling and brilliant Necron characters, The Infinite and The Divine showcases the legendary feud between them as they spend thousands of years battling over a recovered artefact and its secrets. Devolving into quite a petty scrap at times, The Infinite and The Divine is one of the funniest and cleverest Warhammer 40,000 books out there as it makes excellent use of humour, intense lore, and some very serious moments to tell a unique and memorable tale. I had an exceptionally fun time with The Infinite and The Divine, and it is a fantastic novel for all Warhammer fans.

Gaunt’s Ghosts series – Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Necropolis Cover

There was no way I could exclude Dan Abnett’s other iconic series, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books from this list. Generally considered one of the key pillars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and essential reading for all newcomers to the franchise, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books follow the Tanith First and Only, a small regiment from a destroyed planet fighting for redemption in a deadly crusade. Containing great characters, compelling storylines, and a gritty examination of the common Imperial soldier’s life, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books are pretty damn captivating and I have had a great deal of fun with them. While last year I had only read the first two books, First and Only and Ghostmaker, as well as the prequel novel, The Vincula Insurgency, I spent a bit of time in 2023 getting through more of the series, including the epic books Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith. While Necropolis is probably my favourite of these books so far, all of them are very cool in their own way and form a great overarching series. While I still have to read several more Gaunt’s Ghosts books, this is one of the best Warhammer series out there and I would strongly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about this cool universe. I’m hoping to make more progress on this series in the next year and I cannot wait to see how everything pans out.

Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier

Lord of the Night Cover

A classic Warhammer 40,000 novel that I have a lot of love for is the dark and compelling Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier. A unique read that sees a lone Night Lords traitor Space Marine terrorise an entire giant city in the hunt for a legendary artefact, Lord of the Night is a complex, character driven novel that really dives into the villain’s perspective. Loaded with twists, compelling protagonists and a legendary game of cat and mouse, Lord of the Night is an outstanding read that I’m glad I got the chance to read.

Steel Tread by Andy Clark

Steel Tread Cover

While most Warhammer novels tries to capture the gritty realities of war, few have succeeded as well as Andy Clark’s 2022 novel, Steel Tread. Set within the close confines of a tank, the book sees a crew of large personalities try to survive each other amid a destructive and terrifying warzone. A super intense and deeply personal novel, I had an exceptional time with Steel Tread and it was one of the best soldier-focused Warhammer 40,000 novels I have had the pleasure of reading.

The Twice-Dead King books – Nate Crowley

The Twice-Dead King - Ruin Cover

The next entry is a joint entry featuring the two The Twice-Dead King novels by Nate Crowley, Ruin and Reign. A Necron focussed series, The Twice-Dead King follows a fallen Necron prince who battles to regain his power and throne when a deadly invasion of humans threatens his realm. Providing one of the deepest examinations of the intriguing Necron faction in all of Warhammer fiction, you really get to understand this complex race, especially when they are faced with their own terrifying internal demons. This book powerfully showcases Crowley’s talent for diving into alien races with his writing and you come away from these books extremely moved and highly impressed with just how good Warhammer fiction can be.

For The Emperor by Sandy Mitchell

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

Easily one of the funniest Warhammer novels I have ever read was the brilliant and compelling read, For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell. The first book in the long-running and beloved Ciaphas Cain series, For the Emperor follows the adventures of Commissar Ciaphas Cain, one of the Imperium’s greatest heroes. However, it is soon revealed that Cain is a manipulative coward who actively tries to avoid combat, only to end up in even worse situations. Mitchell paints a pretty hilarious picture around this scenario, and the result is just spectacular and side-splittingly funny. An exceptional and fun novel that serves as a great introduction to the Ciaphas Cain novels, while also showing just how impressive and varied this franchise can be. I’m hoping to read more of these books in the future, especially as the second novel, Caves of Ice, is a very worthy sequel.

The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

Warhammer 40,000 - The Fall of Cadia Cover

Robert Rath makes yet another appearance on this list with his latest novel, The Fall of Cadia. A truly epic read that recounts the dire events of the canon-changing, Imperium wrecking, final battle of the 13^th Black Crusade, The Fall of Cadia is a remarkable book that Warhammer 40,000 fans will not be able to put down. Filled with massive battles, unique moments, and so many larger-than-life characters, The Fall of Cadia perfectly captures one of the more essential moments in recent Warhammer 40,000 lore. Rath is really proving himself to be one of the absolute best authors of Warhammer fiction, as The Fall of Cadia ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023.

Outgunned by Denny Flowers

Warhammer 40,000 - Outgunned Cover

While Denny Flowers’ first book, Fire Made Flesh, was a great Necromunda novel, it pales in comparison to Outgunned which had me hooked very early on. Outgunned follows an Imperial propaganda specialist who arrives on a swampy battlefield to film inspiration footage of a legendary fighter pilot as she battles an ork invasion. However, nothing goes to plan as the protagonist soon discovers that his preferred subject is an arrogant drunkard, the planet has some unusual secrets and the orks are actually winning the war. A brilliant and intense novel that not only featured a ton of great aerial combat, but which also dives into some very dark places that shows just how far humanity has fallen in the far future. Highly recommended.

Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley

Flesh and Steel Cover

The Warhammer Crime hits keep on coming with Flesh and Steel by renowned author Guy Haley. This compelling read acts a bit of an odd-couple, buddy cop story when two very different detectives are forced to team up to investigate a dismembered body left across a city border. Mixing some fantastic comedy with some pretty dark and horrific elements, Flesh and Steel provided one of the best character-focused stories in the Warhammer Crime range and I was deeply impressed with how everything unfolded. A key Warhammer Crime read and one that I have a great deal of affection for.

Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons

Dead Men Walking Cover

Another book that highlight’s the unique human soldiers of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is the moving and tragic novel, Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons. Featuring a battle between two unrelenting foes, Dead Men Walking pitted the Death Korps of Krieg against the Necrons in a brutal, all-out war with no true winners. Cleverly told from the perspective of the poor unfortunates caught in the middle of the fighting, Dead Men Walking is an outstanding and dire novel that really highlights how desperate the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be. The book that cemented Lyons as the master of the Death Korps of Krieg (check out his other novel, Krieg), Dead Men Walking was a dark riot from start to finish that will stick with you for a very long time.

Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Day of Ascension Cover

A great example of the impressive talent that this franchise attracts can be seen in the 2022 novel, Day of Ascension, written by highly renowned author Adrian Tchaikovsky, making his Warhammer debut. Day of Ascension was a short and sweet novel which sets the robotic and callus Adeptus Mechanicus against a revolution started by a dangerous Genestealer Cult. Featuring Tchaikovsky’s flair for highlighting alien mindsets and cultures, there are some very clever divergent perspectives in this novel, and I loved diving into the distinctive minds of two very different types of human hybrids. Successfully introducing a great talent to the franchise, Day of Ascension is a brilliant read and one that I had an epic time with.

13^th Legion by Gav Thorpe

13th Legion Cover 2

Next up we have the first Last Chancer novel, 13^th Legion, that perfectly adds in some expendable space convicts to a desperate military fiction narrative. Written by another iconic Warhammer fiction author, Gav Thorpe, 13^th Legion follows the 13^th Penal Legion who are forced to participate in a series of suicidal missions to gain their freedom and redemption. Essentially The Dirty Dozen in space, 13^th Legion is an exciting and entertaining novel with a very high body count, that I honestly could not put down. I also must highlight the sequel, Kill Team, which proved to be a fun follow-up to the first book. I am hoping to find the rest of the books in the series at some point, as the Last Chancer’s novels are a fun and fantastic inclusion to the canon.

Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

The final entry on this list is the insanely good Warhammer Crime novel, Bloodlines by Chris Wraight. Following a cynical, veteran detective as he is dragged into a problematic missing person’s case, Bloodlines soon devolves into a hard tale of rich privilege and gangster violence as the protagonist refuses to stop investigating a crooked corporation. Probably one of the best pure crime fiction novels in this range, I loved the clever conclusion to the narrative and Bloodlines is an outstanding read, and one I am particularly keen for a sequel for (the protagonist has some dark secrets that need to come into the light). Highly recommended.

And that’s the end of my list. All 20 of the above books/series come very highly recommended, and each of them would make an excellent addition to any budding Warhammer 40,000 fan’s collection. I really loved that I was able to update this awesome list with several new books, and I have no doubt I will have even more to add next year when I update it again, especially as there are some great Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in 2024. I hope I’ve inspired at least one reader to embark on a Warhammer 40,000 adventure, and you honestly won’t be disappointed.

The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston

On April 6, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books8 Comments

Publisher: Angry Robot (Trade Paperback – 10 August 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

One of the fastest rising authors of dark fantasy fiction, Cameron Johnston, returns with his most entertaining book yet, the outstanding and epic novel, The Maleficent Seven.

Cameron Johnston is a great author who I was lucky to come across a few years ago with his debut novel, The Traitor God. Bought on a whim because it sounded cool, The Traitor God ended up being one of my favourite fantasy books of the year thanks to its excellent revenge storyline. The Traitor God was such an epic read and I ended up grabbing the intriguing sequel the following year, God of Broken Things. God of Broken Things (one of my favourite books of 2019) proved to be an outstanding sequel, and it ensured that I would be keeping an eye out for more of Johnston’s work. This included his 2021 novel, The Maleficent Seven, which had an awesome plot behind it. I honestly have been meaning to read The Maleficent Seven for ages but could never fit it into my schedule. That was until last year, when I managed to power through the entire book in a single plane ride. The Maleficent Seven ended up being a pretty darn exceptional novel that I wish I read a hell of a lot sooner.

It is a dangerous time in the lands of Essoran, as the Lucent Empire, a nation of apparent holiness and light, continuously expands, sweeping away all opposition and either burning or converting the survivors to their faith. Despite their apparent benevolence, the Lucent Empire has a dark side dedicated to destroying all magic, heretics, and anything it deems evil through fire, blood and death. The final stage of their invasion is set, but to proceed they first need to cross through the mountain road, which exits at the small town of Tarnbrooke. All looks lost for the inhabitants of Tarnbrooke, who are likely to burn in the Lucent Empire’s light, until an unlikely figure appears to lead them.

Forty years ago, the dread demonologist Black Herron led a black horde of bloodthirsty soldiers, dark creatures and monsters on a deadly campaign that rocked all Essoran. Total conquest of the realm looked certain, until she suddenly disappeared the eve of the final battle. Without the will of their leader to hold them together, the army fell to infighting allowing their enemies to prevail. No one knew what happened to Black Herron, until she reappears in Tarnbrooke, having lived there in disguises for decades.

Determined to stop the Lucent Empire and their fanatical leader no matter what, Black Herron takes over the town and prepares it for siege. But even a being as powerful as Black Herron is unable to stop an entire divinely infused army by herself. Instead, Herron seeks to bring together the six deadly captains of her army, whose skills and ferocity helped her to nearly conquer the world. Together, this assortment of dangerous beings, including a vampire, a necromancer, an orc chieftain, a war god, a pirate queen and a deranged alchemist, might stand a chance against the coming storm. But first they need to learn to work together once more, especially as each of them have a very different reasons to fight with Black Herron again.

The Maleficent Seven is a powerful, captivating and fantastically over-the-top novel that showcases Cameron Johnston’s impressive writing skill and ability to bring together great characters with dark fantasy settings.

Now, as you can probably guess from the name, The Maleficent Seven is a dark fantasy take on classic films like The Magnificent Seven and its predecessor, Seven Samurai. Johnston sets the scenario perfectly, first introducing protagonist Black Herron and her previous evil horde, which disbands in the starting chapter. From there, we get a time skip and are introduced to the book’s antagonists in the form of the Lucent Empire, their divinely empowered inquisitors and their leader, the Falcon Prince. Their initial actions are enough to paint them as dangerous religious zealots who use their divine light and apparent holiness as a shield for their dark ambitions. Their quest leads them on the road to Tarnbrooke, where the elderly Black Herron waits for them, having decided to make a stand and bring together her six former captains.

The first half of the book is dedicated to recruiting the six captains, who have scattered across the world. All evil or deadly figures, none of them particularly wants to fight another war, but each are drawn back for different reasons, including family, pride, revenge and more. Johnston does a good job of breaking up the recruitment process throughout the early chapters, and each of the revealed captains turn out to be crazier than the last, enhancing your anticipation for how they are going to act in the coming battles. At the same time, you get to know the Lucent Empire, as they send agents against the captains, trying to eliminate the danger they pose. Johnston lays down some very solid groundwork in this first half of the book, and you quickly get drawn to each of the seven main characters for various reasons. There are a great range of character arcs spread out amongst these unlikely protagonists, and while a couple of them are purposely irredeemable, the rest prove to be surprisingly likeable and complex. Johnston also takes the time to build up the antagonist, showcasing just how sinister they truly are, while also providing some slightly predictable revelations about their leader.

The second half of the book is dedicated to the battle for Tarnbrooke, which after seeing how crazy the first half of The Maleficent Seven is, you know is going to be good. There is some good additional setup once the captains arrive in town, with the building of siegeworks, the training of the townsfolk, and other unusual preparations, all of which is reminiscent of the films the book is an homage to. Johnston also builds up some additional character interactions that I really enjoyed, as certain townsfolk become connected to different saviours and there is some good follow-up regarding the protagonist’s prior adventures. The resulting siege is everything you could hope for and more. I am a huge fan of sieges in fiction (check out my previous list on the subject) and The Maleficent Seven is a particularly good example of an epic siege, especially as Johnston goes very over-the-top when it comes to the different weapons and methods the defenders employ. Everything from vampiric conversion, exploding pigs and drugged townspeople are used to hold the line against the enemy in several brilliant and brutal fight sequences, while a major sea battle simultaneously occurs, featuring, amongst other combatants, a giant kraken. All the fighting is fierce, desperate, and pretty damn bleak, while the characters each go through their own intriguing and powerful journeys. I honestly was enthralled once the main fighting started, and Johnston really did not let up until the end.

The final sequence of the main fight turns into an impressive and extremely horrific brawl for survival as the protagonists fight against increasingly desperate odds. There are also several betrayals as certain telegraphed plots from the evil protagonists come to fruition, and everyone fights to survive and come out on top. You will be a bit unprepared for who lives and who dies during the final few chapters as Johnston loads up some fantastic twists and cool revelations that constantly leave you guessing. Even when you’re sure you know who is going to survive, Johnston swiftly changes everything around with a few hilariously ironic reveals, as well as some more tragic deaths. I liked how Johnston imbued the story with a certain level of hope towards the end, even if that was somewhat overshadowed by the carnage surrounding it. There were also some darker moments in the conclusion, as certain characters realise just how damned they truly are. Throw in a final great twist that really tied together a hidden motivation from the very start, and Johnston ends The Maleficent Seven on the perfect note for the reader.

Johnston did a remarkable job with this awesome book, and I loved how dark, powerful, and compelling The Maleficent Seven turned out to be. Thanks to the unique array of characters, insane fight sequences and entertaining twists, The Maleficent Seven will prove really appealing to a wide array of readers, especially as Johnston got the right balance of action, tragedy, and humour throughout the entire read. I especially loved how well the author flipped the established concept of heroes defending a town from villains on its head with the inclusion of seven fantasy supervillains leading the charge against a holy army. The clever reveal that the apparently good warriors are far more sinister than the literal monsters is so well handled, and it was impressive to see a classic idea so well refreshed. Throw in some excellent world building, an interesting collection of fantasy creatures and the sheer overwhelming chaos of a desperate siege, and there is something in The Maleficent Seven for all fantasy fans.

Something I really loved about The Maleficent Seven was the cool collection of characters who made up the key cast. All the titular seven are very well represented throughout the book, and it proves very hard not to fall in love with each crazy member of the team; thanks to the narrative split, you get some intriguing insights into their motivations, actions, and history.

Of these characters, my favourite was probably Tiarnach, the fading war god who has fallen on hard times. Thanks to the death of all his followers and his inability to fight against the Lucent Empire, Tiarnach starts the book off as a broken, drunken figure with barely any power left. Joining Black Herron’s cause to get revenge and some form of redemption, Tiarnach becomes the defenders’ nominal drill instructor, trying to whip the townsfolk into a fighting force. The connection Tiarnach forms with the townsfolk, his journey towards redemption, and the fact that he is one of the few characters without ulterior motivations, ensures that readers are drawn towards him. He easily has one of the best, most tragic character arcs in the entire book, and I really enjoyed how Johnston utilised him. The same can also be said for the legendary orc warrior, Amogg. Amogg leaves her responsibilities behind to sate her desire for battle and alleviate her restlessness. Thanks to her blunt and entertaining personality, Amogg was another character the reader connects to. However, Johnston ensured that she became a true favourite when she begins to turn the women of Tarnsdale into an effective fighting force against their will. Watching her empower and lead a band of fighting women into battle was very impressive, and her storyline was heartwarming and bleak in equal measures.

The other five characters each have their moment to shine. The vampire, Lorimer Felle, was a suave and brutal figure whose inability to die, connection to his one loyal servant, and desire for destruction left a major impression. Verena, the pirate queen, was also really good, although she kind of gets overshadowed by the other characters. Jerak the alchemist was the most unhinged, and I loved how he ended up becoming more of a danger to his friends than his enemies thanks to his gruesome experiments. Maeven, the necromancer, has one of the more complex story arcs in the book as she blurs the line between ambition, revenge and a desire for family. While she fights alongside the others, her own need for vengeance and power leads her down a dark path, especially with her connections to the Lucent Empire’s leader. Maeven’s entire story goes in some very dark directions, and I appreciated the dark note Johnston left it on. Finally, the leader of the group, Black Herron, has a very interesting storyline that runs the gambit from dark queen to unlikely hero. Johnston does a great job showcasing her rise and fall throughout the story, and the question of why she chose to abandon her conquest and her army is a fantastic part of the book. All these protagonists are outstanding in their own way, and I loved how Johnston was able to weave together some compelling, entertaining, and occasionally sad storylines around such wonderfully outrageous figures.

Look, with a story this awesome there was no way I wasn’t going to love The Maleficent Seven, and I think my lengthy review above proves this point extremely well. Cameron Johnston was on fire when he wrote his third full-length novel, and The Maleficent Seven proved to be a particularly intense, clever and impressive read. Bringing together entertaining characters with insane violence amid a classic story scenario, The Maleficent Seven proved near impossible to put down and I loved every second I spent reading it. A highly recommended read for all fans of dark fantasy, I cannot wait to see how Johnston’s next book (coming out later this year) turns out.

WWW Wednesday – 3 April 2024

On April 4, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

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 Winter Palace by Paul Morgan (Trade Paperback)

The Winter Palace Cover

I’m still going with the historical drama, The Winter Palace by Paul Morgan. Set during World War II, The Winter Palace follows a separated Polish husband and wife duo as they attempt to get back to each other. I didn’t make as much progress with The Winter Palace as I had hoped this week, but I am still enjoying its intriguing narrative. I will probably finish it off tomorrow and I look forward to seeing how Morgan brings everything together.

The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry (Audiobook)

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

I finally started listening to The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry this week. The latest book in the long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver features an intriguing story about Japanese war loot and cryptocurrency as Berry once again blends historical conspiracies with modern day thriller storylines. I am about halfway through The Atlas Maneuver and I should hopefully finish it off within the next week.

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

What did you recently finish reading?

Peace Talks Cover

I finally finished off the entire Dresden Files series, by reading the 16th book, Peace Talks. A slightly shorter entry in the series that serves as a prelude to the epic book Battle Ground, Peace Talks is a compelling read that sees the protagonist deal with a supernatural peace summit in Chicago. This ended up being an outstanding additional to the series, so make sure to check out my review for it here.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

The next book I am planning to dive into is the intriguing science fiction thriller, The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book follows a small town of survivors who need to quickly solve a murder. However, everyone in the town, including the murderer, has forgotten the events of the previous night, complicating the investigation. I love the complex sound of this amazing mystery and I have no doubt The Last Murder at the End of the World is going to be an exceptional read.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

The Gathering Cover

I also have plans to read the new C. J. Tudor novel, The Gathering this week. A fantastic sounding murder mystery/horror hybrid, The Gathering is set in a world where vampires exist and where the protagonist needs to discover if a gruesome murder was committed by a local vampire or a human killer. This novel has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see what outstanding mystery Tudor has pulled together.

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.

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher

On April 4, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 14 July 2020)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 16

Length: 12 hours and 52 minutes

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

After nearly four fantastic years, I have officially come full circle with the epic Dresden Files series as I check out the final book I needed to read with the entertaining and compelling entry, Peace Talks.

Back in 2020, I had the very great pleasure of discovering Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files urban fantasy series. A powerful, action-packed, and intense read, Battle Ground was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020, even though I started with the 17^th entry in the series. I had so much fun with Battle Ground that I instantly went back and listened to the first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front, which cemented my love for the series. Since then, I have been slowly working my way through the entire Dresden Files audiobook collection, loving every second of it. There are so many exceptional entries in this amazing series, with some of my favourites including Fool Moon, Dead Beat, Small Favour, Changes, Ghost Story, and Skin Game, just to name a few. There was frankly not a single book in this series I didn’t love, and I had such a wonderful time with each of them. I have been on the final stretch of this series for the last couple of months, which ended when I got through the intriguing Peace Talks.

Harry Dresden, professional wizard, White Knight, and supernatural defender of Chicago is adjusting to many of the changes in his life, including a new romance and his duties as a father. However, things always have a way of becoming even more complicated for Dresden as the sins of his past and his twisted loyalties come back to haunt him, especially when an important gathering of supernatural entities is set to take place in his city.

Ever since Dresden destroyed the Red Court of vampires, the Fomor, an ancient and long hidden kingdom, have been making a play for power. Their dark exploits have led them into conflict with many supernatural nations, and after years of skirmishes, the Fomor are finally ready to talk peace with the larger supernatural world in Chicago. Assigned to summit as security for the White Council of wizards, as well as a liaison between the wizards and the Winter Court of Queen Mab, Dresden has his hands full, especially as he expects all hell to break loose.

As the various delegations descend upon Chicago, Dresden is proved right when his vampire half-brother, Thomas Raith, instigates a diplomatic incident that could lead to his death. Forced to work with Thomas’ sister, Lara Raith, Dresden works to free his brother without starting a war. But his actions soon draw the ire of several people close to him, especially as his loyalty to the White Council are in doubt. Worse, an ancient evil has arrived in Chicago, one determined to destroy all chances of peace and bring about untold disaster. Can Dresden save his brother while preparing for a force capable of destroying everything he has sworn to protect?

Peace Talks is a compelling addition to the long-running Dresden Files series that takes readers on an interesting ride in the lead up to the next big adventure. Filled with great character moments, intriguing revelations, and some cool world-building, this was a solid addition to the series that I absolutely powered through.

Butcher comes up with a good story for Peace Talks that not only sets up some interesting plot points for later, but also tells its own unique narrative that is hard to put down. To fully enjoy Peace Talks, you must appreciate that it is primarily a prelude for Butcher’s other 2020 release, Battle Ground, and as such a lot of story elements from it don’t get any real payoff until the second book. As I’d already read Battle Ground before getting to Peace Talks, I could see where a lot of the hints, character arcs and storylines were going, so I think that gave me a bit more appreciation for what Butcher was doing here.

The story itself is an excellent character-driven narrative that contains a lot of great elements I really appreciated. Starting off by showcasing the new normal for Dresden as a parent and partner, the story quickly moves along to the introduction of the summit, which brings several recurring characters back into the mix. As various troubles begin to build on the horizon, the story introduces its major hurdle as Thomas apparently attempts to assassinate the leader of a supernatural nation. Convinced of his innocence, Dresden reluctantly works with Thomas’ sister Lara to try to free him, resulting in a prison break sequence during a busy event. Dresden’s determination to save his secret brother even at the risk of war begins to alienate several of his allies, including his grandfather, eventually resulting in an epic confrontation that was the highpoint of the book. At the same time, the peace conference proves to be an intriguing addition to the plot, as you get to see some compelling interactions from multiple supporting characters, including many who haven’t been in the same book before. The conclusion of the summit comes rather fast and shockingly, with the major antagonist for the next book arriving and making their intentions clear, and you come away greatly anticipating the chaos to come in Battle Ground.

I loved how Peace Talks came together as Butcher brings his usual charm, sharp writing and entertaining wit to the table in a big way. Peace Talks features the trademark blend of mystery, adventure, character development, fantasy elements and snarky humour that I deeply enjoy about all the Dresden Files books, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the story. There is a great focus on intrigue, politics and personal perception in this book, and I liked how a lot of the threats were more subtle and in the realm of future consequences rather than direct action. Butcher also focused on setting up for the next book, and much of Peace Talks is geared towards providing context and character introductions for the coming war in Battle Ground. While in some ways this reliance on setting things up for the next book made the events of Peace Talks seem a little less important, it was an overall strong book, and a great entry to the wider Dresden Files series. While I do think that people should be really starting the series earlier than the 16^th entry, new readers could slot themselves into the Dresden Files series here as Butcher continues his accessible style, minus a few references to some short stories. Peace Talks also features some clever and subtle clues to major twists and big events in Battle Ground which you don’t fully appreciate until you read the following book. I honestly came away from Peace Talks with an even greater appreciate for Butcher’s long-term writing skills, as well as his ability to expertly telegraph some major events.

I did feel that certain elements of Peace Talks did feel a bit rushed, especially when it came to the big bad who was revealed at the end of the peace summit. Having already read Battle Ground, I was expecting more buildup for the villain Ethniu in Peace Talks, especially as she hasn’t been mentioned at all in any of the preceding 15 books. However, she kind of just shows up, kicks ass for a few seconds, and then leaves, making her threats for the next book. You don’t even get any history for her aside from the fact that she’s a long-dormant Titan who is annoyed at the world. In hindsight, this is a little weak, and some explanation about who she is, how she took over the Fomor, or her history with the other magical leaders would have been good. Butcher also failed to really set up any connection between her and Dresden before their fights in Battle Ground, which I think you needed. This and other rushed bits of character interaction towards the end of Peace Talks weakened the overall story of both books, and it was clear that Butcher was keen to finish Peace Talks off and get into the major war sequences of the sequel.

As with most Dresden Files entries, Peace Talks excelled in the character department, which was a major highlight of the book. Peace Talks features a huge cast of characters, most of whom are being reintroduced from previous novels so Butcher can feature them in Battle Ground. As such, Peace Talks is loaded with some compelling interactions and character moments, especially as the protagonist must deal with a range of friends, family and foes who he hasn’t seen in years.

Naturally, most of the character work revolves around protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden. Dresden is such a fun character to follow, mainly because of his immaturity, sense of humour, and the lack of fear and respect he holds for powerful beings. However, while deep down Dresden is still the same loveable rogue we’ve been following for years, he has been experiencing some major changes in his life that have had some intriguing impacts on his personality. Peace Talks sees him dealing with a lot of these major life events in various ways, and it was interesting to see how much Dresden and his situation has changed since the start of the series. Much of the book revolves around his changing relationships with certain people, including his new romance with Karrin Murphey, which finally came official in the previous book Skin Game. This romance is one of the nicest parts of the whole book, and the two characters are just perfect for each other, which twists certain future emotional knives a little deeper. It was also sweet to see Dresden as a father, even with their complicated relationship and the trauma surrounding them.

However, I think the most dramatic character relationship that was featured in Peace Talks involved Dresden and his mentor/recently revealed grandfather Ebenezar McCoy. The two of them have been rocky for years, but their emotions finally spilled over in Peace Talks, especially when it came to Dresden’s relationship with Thomas and his plans to raise his daughter. The anger between the two bubbles over throughout the course of Peace Talks, mainly because Dresden is forced to hide the true reasons for helping Thomas due to McCoy’s hatred of vampires. The eventual and inevitable confrontation is very brutal as the two are unable to come to common ground and both think they are in the right. The big fight between them is one of the best scenes in the book, and it simultaneously showed how powerful McCoy truly is while also highlighting how much more skilled Dresden has gotten over the years. The eventual result is very heartbreaking, showcasing the fact that no one can hurt you more than family, while also containing a fun bit of sneakiness from Dresden. It will be interesting to see where this relationship goes in the future, but it’s clear this family has some major issue to work out.

In addition, it was also particularly interesting to see Lara Wraith, leader of the White Court and Thomas’s half-sister become such a prominent character again in Peace Talks. Butcher spent a good chunk of Peace Talks reintroducing Lara as a major character who is going to be a big part of the series going forward. While this does result in the usual overly sexualised shenanigans that have accompanied Lara since her introduction in the infamous adult-film focused Blood Rites, Lara mostly proves to be a compelling and complex character. Indeed, there were some moving examinations of her relationship with Thomas that showed just how much she cared for him. While the differing goals and expectations for Thomas result in some conflict between Dresden and Lara, they prove to be an effective team, with a bit of hostility buried beneath them. Considering these two are going to be forced to spend a lot of time together in the future, I liked how Butcher built up their relationship here, and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the future. Overall, I felt the characters featured in Peace Talks were handled really well, and I loved the unique and powerful interactions that emerged.

As with the entire Dresden Files series, I ended up listening to Peace Talks on audiobook, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy one of these epic novels. Coming in with a runtime just shy of 13 hours, this was slightly shorter Dresden Files book, especially when compared to the other later books in the series. This shorter runtime allowed me to power through Peace Talks in no time at all, especially as I was once again wrapped up in the silky tones of narrator James Marsters. Marsters, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, primarily due to his work in this series, is so damn good, and I love how effective he is at telling Butcher’s story. Marsters honestly gets the tone of each scene perfectly and the way he inhabits each of the featured characters is just amazing. I once again must highlight how well he portrays protagonist Harry Dresden in this book, and you can really sense the character’s conflicted emotions. Due to the large cast associated with Peace Talks, Butcher needs fill in quite a few roles, including a ton of recurring figures from previous novels. I felt that he did a great job voicing all of them, and it was fun to see him dust off a few voices that we haven’t seen in a few books. Everything came together perfectly with Masters narration in Peace Talks, and this was another epic Dresden Files audiobook that I just loved listening to.

Jim Butcher provides another powerful and intriguing addition to the Dresden Files series here in Peace Talks. Simultaneously setting up the events for the sequel Battle Ground while also telling a powerful, character-driven tale of betrayal and family trouble, Peace Talks was a great read that proves hard to put down, especially for established fans of the series. A highly recommended book that leads to bigger things.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

On April 3, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the most anticipated books of 2024 with The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne.

John Gwynne is an exceptional fantasy author who rose to prominence back in 2012 when he debuted his Faithful and the Fallen series. Made up of four complex novels, the Faithful and the Fallen series is very highly regarded and featured a compelling dark fantasy storyline. Gwynne followed this series up with his Blood and Bone trilogy, which served as a sequel series to the original Faithful and Fallen books. While I really need to dive in Gwynne’s earlier books, I am a pretty massive fan of his, mainly because of his current books, the Bloodsworn trilogy.

The Fury of the Gods Cover

Set in a compelling dark fantasy world with great Viking aesthetics, the Bloodsworn trilogy follows several complex and damaged protagonists as they try to navigate a world still bearing the scars from the final war of the gods. The first book in this series, The Shadow of the Gods, was an outstanding read that I mainly picked up due to the epic cover on it. Luckily Gwynne had an excellent story to match, and I was quickly enthralled by the impressive overarching storylines it contained, especially as it blended a dark revenge mission with a search for self-discovery and a quest for lost treasure. The Shadow of the Gods ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021 and I had such a great time with it. Gwynne continued the magic in 2022 with the outstanding sequel, The Hunger of the Gods. Also featuring an excellent cover, The Hunger of the Gods (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) expertly followed on from the first Bloodsworn novel, expanding out the existing character arcs while also adding in two fantastic additional perspective protagonists. I really enjoyed how Gwynne continued his epic story and The Hunger of the Gods ended on a pretty big cliffhanger.

As such, I have been eagerly awaiting the third and final book in the trilogy, and it looks like we don’t have that much longer to wait. That is because the third book, The Fury of the Gods, is currently set for release in October 2024, and I couldn’t be more excited for it. The cover and plot synopsis for The Fury of the Gods was just released, and boy does it sound extremely epic.

Plot Synopsis:

The Fury of the Gods is the earth-shattering final book in John Gwynne’s bestselling Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance.

The final battle for the fate of Vigrid approaches…

Varg has overcome the trials of his past and become an accepted member of the Bloodsworn, but now he and his newfound comrades face their biggest challenge yet: slaying a dragon.

Elvar is struggling to consolidate her power in Snakavik, where she faces threats from without and within. As she fights to assert her authority in readiness for the coming conflict, she faces a surely insurmountable task: reigning in the ferocity of a wolf god.

As Biórr and his warband make their way north, eager for blood, Guðvarr pursues a mission of his own, hoping to win Lik-Rifa’s favor and further his own ambitions.

All paths lead to Snakavik, where the lines are being drawn for the final battle—a titanic clash that will shake the foundations of the world and bear witness to the true fury of the gods.

I am very excited after reading the above plot summary above as it looks like Gwynne is going to end this series with a bang. Each of the character arcs mentioned are already quite interesting and I am looking forward to seeing how Gwynne brings them together in this final book. I do note that one of the protagonists from the previous two books has been purposely excluded from the plot synopsis and I am eager to see what her fate was after the thrilling conclusion to the last book. No matter what happens to the protagonists, you have to know that the book is going to end with the heroes facing off against the dragon god antagonist, and it will be fascinating to see what other gods and monsters emerge for this final battle. The reveal in the cover of the gigantic snake god is pretty telling about how events are likely to unfold, and I am looking forward to seeing all the resulting carnage and devastation.

Honestly, after how much I have enjoyed the first two books in the series, there is nothing that is going to keep me from The Fury of the Gods later this year. I really cannot wait to see how Gwynne brings everything together and I have very little doubt that this is going to be one of my absolute favourite fantasy novels of 2024. I really do need to highlight the awesome new cove again, as it is so damn cool, and I have even featured an extended version of it that was also released during the cover reveal (as seen in Novel Notations). If The Fury of the Gods is even half as epic as its cover, then we are in for a very, very good time.

The Fury of the Gods Expanded Cover

Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

On March 30, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer17 Comments

Da Big Dakka Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 24 February 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000: Ufthak Blackhawk – Book Two

Length: 9 hours and 25 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

I have been really punching out the Warhammer reviews this week, and the final one I want to bring up is the exceedingly fun novel Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks.

Mike Brooks is an outstanding author, who has been killing it with his amazing novels in the Warhammer 40,000 universe with elaborate tales featuring some unique figures. I really enjoyed his dark novel, Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, and The Lion: Son of the Forest was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023. However, out of all of Brooks’s books, the most entertaining, exciting and outright funny are his novels that focus on the ork faction. Orks are always a fantastic group in Warhammer fiction, but Brooks has some amazing insights into these rowdy creatures. His previous ork novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, have both been awesome, but I honestly think his latest book, Da Big Dakka, is his best yet.

Ufthak Blackhawk, big boss of Da Tekwaaagh! is in trouble. Sent far away into the stars by his Warboss, Da Meklord, to find loot and a good scrap, Ufthak has found barely anything to steal or fight, and now Da Meklord wants his tribute. Determined to find one big score, Ufthak is awarded a unique opportunity when his new grot servant reveals the webway, mysterious ancient portals which can lead to all sorts of unusual places. However, he has no way of entering the webway, that is until someone opens it for him.

Dhaemira Thraex is a powerful and ambitious drukhari archon, who seeks to empower her cabal and become leader of her section of the dark city of Commorragh. To that end, Dhaemira brings Ufthak and his horde into Commorragh, hoping to use the threat they present to unite her rivals behind her. Confident of a swift victory against the unorganised orks, it quickly becomes apparent that Dhaemira has underestimated the danger she has unleashed.

After years of fighting and getting stronger, Ufthak is no longer the simple ork he once was. Instead, he is now a monstrous foe who excels at killing, and who has a plan to get everything he wants. But can even the new and improved Ufthak stand against the worst that the twisted and malevolent drukhari have to throw at him, especially when treachery sprouts within his own ranks in the most unlikely of places?

Mike Brooks presents one of his funniest and most exciting novels yet as Da Big Dakka hits all the right notes for me. Utterly hilarious, loaded with over-the-top characters, and featuring two extremely awesome factions from the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Da Big Dakka had me hooked from the moment I started listening to it and refused to let go until the very last laugh.

Da Big Dakka had a great story behind it, and I liked how Brooks set it up as a direct sequel to Brutal Kunnin (which I read recently in preparation for the release of this book), while also featuring elements from Warboss. Da Big Dakka is more of a dark comedy than a serious Warhammer 40,000 novel, which is to be expected when you have a book focused on the orks. The premise behind Da Big Dakka is simple: the orks under the command of the evolving Ufthak Blackhawk have found themselves inside the drukhari city of Commorragh and must pit their savage battle skills and crude intellect against the subtle tactics of their drukhari hosts.

The drukhari, whose scenes are primarily told from the perspective of Dhaemira Thraex, initially see the orks as a minor threat, and they are more concerned with their intrigues to take them seriously. However, underestimating the orks never works out for anyone, and soon Ufthak has launched a series of insane and unpredictable counterattacks that force the drukhari to work together. As this happens, Ufthak finds himself being secretly undermined by one of his grots, Snaggi Littletoof (who previously appeared in Warboss), who his determined to lead a grot uprising and finds himself in all manner of trouble as a result. All three of these storylines come together in a big way towards the end of the book, as all the schemes, outrageous plans and badly organised rebellions, are decided in one big brawl. The final results of Da Big Dakka are pretty damn awesome, as there are some deliciously ironic comeuppances, interesting character development, and entertaining hints about what Brooks plans to do in the future.

While there are notable similarities between Da Big Dakka and the previous novel, Brutal Kunnin, as the book follows a similar thread of orks rampaging across a new world facing off against arrogant enemies, it’s hard not to fall in love with this book. You can clearly see that Brooks has evolved his style since Brutal Kunnin, and this sequel was a much stronger novel. A lot of this was down to the inclusion of one of the best characters from Warboss, who added in an extra comedic angle to the plot that vibed wonderfully with the other storylines. Brooks also amped up the petty political intrigue and plotting with the non-ork parts of the book, with the drukhari serving as an excellent antithesis to the orks. There was also a great deal more character development when it came to the protagonist, which helped to strengthen a lot of the plot. This split between these three main point of view characters was pretty damn perfect, and their alternating views of events helped to produce a very strong story.

In addition, there was excellent added complexity to Da Big Dakka’s humour, which I had a brilliant time with. While most of the comedy is based around the over-the-top antics of the orks, there is also some darker, more subtle comedic elements spread throughout the plot which plays off the other jokes extremely well. A lot of this based around ironic events, in-universe jokes, and hilarious betrayals, which really added up as the book progressed. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while listening to Da Big Dakka, and this was one of the funnier books of 2024. Throw in a ton of over-the-top fight scenes, most of which serves to enhance the already epic story, and you have an outstanding and captivating book with pure fun at its heart.

One of the things that I always enjoy about Warhammer 40,000 fiction is the shear range of different stories and styles that can be told. Da Big Dakka for example is a much more light-hearted book that focuses on two alien races that don’t always get a lot of focus in the extended fiction. As such, this book has a great deal of appeal for those unfamiliar with Warhammer, as Brooks is required to dive into these factions without weighing the reader down with too much heavy plot. New readers can easily enjoy this book without any real pre-knowledge or conceptions about the Warhammer 40,000 universe and still have an outstanding time with the unique story and characters. It can also be readily enjoyed by those who haven’t read the preceding two novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, as Brooks makes the story very accessible. Naturally, established fans and those who have read Brooks’ prior novels will get a lot more out of Da Big Dakka, mainly because there is some interesting progression of character arcs, and because Brooks provides outstanding look at the orks and the drukhari.

As with his previous two novels, I was deeply impressed with how Brooks portrayed the orks in Da Big Dakka. The orks are always a very entertaining bunch, and their hooligan-esque actions, desire to fight, and unique outlook on life makes for some fun reading. Pretty much every book that features an ork character is bound to be more on the comedic side, and Brooks delivers this in spades, loading up the story with a ton of funny observations, in-jokes and outrageous behaviours that proved to be exceedingly entertaining. Brooks really amps up the unpredictable nature of the orks in Da Big Dakka, and there was a good recurring theme about being underestimated. While Brooks went a little light on describing ork technology and the different clans, mainly because he’s covered that before, there was an interesting look at ork psychology and biology which showcased why they fight and how it benefits them. The author also featured a great look at the ork sub-race known as the grots, who have an expanded role in this book. Smaller, weaker and extremely bullied members of the ork race, the grots serve as a snivelling slave caste, and offer some fun comedic relief. A good part of the plot revolves around the grots and their cowardly nature, and it was really entertaining to see Brooks’s take on their mindset and place in ork society, especially when one of their number tries something different. Honestly every scene featuring a major ork character was entertaining or interesting in some way or another, and I really love how well Brooks portrays this awesome faction.

While Da Big Dakka is mostly dedicated to the orks, Brooks also spends a ton of time focusing on one of the more intriguing factions in the canon, the drukhari. Previously known as the dark eldar, the drukhari are one of the more underutilised groups in Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and it was great to see them here. Essentially evil space elves, the drukhari live in an extra-dimensional city and require the pain of others to survive (think the Cenobites from Hellraiser). As Da Big Dakka is primarily set in a section of their city and features a drukhari as a main character, Brooks showcases a lot of the drukhari lore in this book, which was really cool. This book features an in-depth look at the drukhari, with their unique units, weaponry and vehicles strongly featured. However, Brooks goes even deeper than that, focusing on the politics of the drukhari characters, the various alliances that bind them, and entire basis of their existence. I loved the fascinating examination of why they require pain to survive, as well as their thoughts on mortality, and this became a key part of the book’s plot. You get a real clash of styles between the two factions, and the orks are constantly frustrated by the hit-and-run tactics of the drukhari (or the spikiez, as the orks know them). I also loved how cool the city of Commorragh proved as a background to the plot, and Brooks features several unique drukhari structures and locations that made for some great battlefields. The entire final sequence takes place in one of their arenas, and it was very fun to see the protagonist face off against some of the drukhari captives. I honestly really loved that Brooks featured the drukhari here, and I hope we see more Warhammer authors use them in the future as they are so underutilised.

I also must highlight the excellent character work featured within Da Big Dakka, as Brooks featured some amazing figures whose unique insights added so much to the impact of this book. The primary character is the ork big boss, Ufthak Blackhawk, who previously served as the protagonist of Brutal Kunnin. Since we last saw him, Ufthak has literally grown into his role as a boss, as his victories have transformed Ufthak into a massive monster. This physical growth has also resulted in him becoming smarter, and a lot of his storyline revolves around him utilising this new intellect for the first time. It also makes him more ambitious and insightful, and it was fascinating to see him interact with the other characters in the book, especially the main drukhari figure. Indeed, the one scene where they have a frank conversation was probably one of my favourites in the entire book, with Ufthak proving to be her intellectual match. Despite this newfound and somewhat unwanted ability to think, Ufthak is still an ork at heart and he acts accordingly, with lots of destruction and carnage coming from him alone. Ufthak is also a major source of comedy as his cynical, hilarious, and often surprisingly accurate insights into the drukhari, his fellow orks, and the other races of the galaxy, are so funny. It will be interesting to see what adventures Brooks has planned for Ufthak in the future, as he is clearly positioning him to be a major recurring figure in his books.

Aside from Ufthak, the other two major characters of the book are the drukhari archon, Dhaemira Thraex and the grot Snaggi Littletoof, both of whom add some great alternate elements to the story. Dhaemira is a ruthless drukhari strategist, who revels in schemes, plots and ambitious powerplays. The person ultimately responsible for much of the carnage in Da Big Dakka, Dhaemira proves to be a fantastic figure to follow, especially as the reader gets most of their view of the drukhari from her. Dhaemira proves to be an excellent alternative protagonist to Ufthak, mainly because the two are so different, and it was fascinating to see their clash of styles and personality, even though they have more common ground then you would expect. I really loved Dhaemira’s narrative, which goes in some interesting directions, including an unlikely romance, and it really played off the ork perspective chapters so well.

The final key ingredient to this mix was Snaggi Littletoof, the self-proclaimed Grotboss and prophet of Gork and Mork. Snaggi, who previously appeared in Warboss, is determined to lead a grot rebellion to overthrow the orks and place him in charge. Unfortunately, Snaggi is held back due to the stupidity of his minions, as well as his own inaccurate sense of self-importance. His entire storyline of attempted rebellion was a welcome addition to the plot as it served an interesting middle ground between Ufthak’s direct actions and Dhaemira’s more subtle plots. It also added some excellent additional humour, as Snaggi’s various schemes to take over the ork band, go in some interesting directions that often balance unlikely success with massive failure. This fantastic combination of characters was so much fun, and I really loved how well Brooks introduced them and balanced them out throughout Da Big Dakka.

I checked out this Warhammer novel in its audiobook format, which is the best way to enjoy the over-the-top action and big personalities of this franchise. Da Big Dakka is a great example of this, and I love how all the amazing scenes and fun fights really come to life when they are read out to you. In Da Big Dakka’s case, a lot of this is due to narrator Harry Myers, who is quickly becoming one of my favourite Warhammer audiobook voice actors. Not only has he really impressed me in Brooks’s previous ork audiobook, Warboss, but Myers was also brilliant narrating two of my all-time favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky and The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley. Myers has such an amazing and booming voice and a great British accent that really fits the hooligan-aesthetics of the orks. He effectively works through a series of voices in Da Big Dakka, that includes the commanding voice of main character Ufthak Blackhawk, and the high-pitched whiny voices of the various grots. While his voice wasn’t always the most effective for conveying the subtle mannerisms of the ethereal drukhari, Myer still did an excellent job portraying them throughout this book, and I loved how efficiently and entertainingly he moved the plot along. I honestly don’t think I would have had as much fun with Da Big Dakka without Myers’s narration, and with a run time just short of nine and a half hours, this is a very easy audiobook to get through and enjoy.

Mike Brooks continues to impress me with his outstanding and epic contributions to the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, especially as he so clearly grows as an author with each book he writes. His latest novel, Da Big Dakka, is a captivating and deeply hilarious piece of Warhammer fiction that tells an awesome story, while also expertly using the franchise’s most unique factions. Wildly entertaining, incredibly funny, and subtly clever, Da Big Dakka was particularly fun to read and comes highly recommended. I cannot wait to see what wonderous piece of Warhammer fiction Mike Brooks will write next, as I know I am going to love it.