Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 31 August 2023.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for Ripper, Never a Hero and Dark Corners.
Author: The Unseen Library
The Unseen Librarian
I have been reviewing since 2009.
I previously reviewed for the Canberra Times.
I am now a reviewer for the Canberra Weekly.
Quick Review – Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 29 August 2023)
Series: Only a Monster – Book Two
Length: 475 pages
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
New Australian fantasy author Vanessa Len follows up her outstanding debut with her second book, Never a Hero.
Back in 2022 I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Vanessa Len’s awesome debut novel, the young adult fantasy Only a Monster. This amazing and clever read saw a young woman find out that she was a monster, part of a community of people who can travel through time by absorbing the life force of ordinary humans. When her crush is revealed to be a deadly monster hunter determined to destroy her and everyone she loves, she is forced to flee through time to try and save her family. I loved the unique concept that Len came up with in her debut, and the resulting story was powerful, compelling, and very moving, especially as the author finished it off with a major twist and some heartbreaking decisions. Only a Monster proved to be so damn good, and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2022. As such, I was quite excited when I saw that Len had a sequel to Only a Monster coming out last year, and I really enjoyed the unique way that she chose to continue her brilliant narrative.
Plot Synopsis:
This sequel to the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster will take Joan deeper into the monster world, where treacherous secrets and even more danger await.
Despite all of the odds, Joan achieved the impossible. She reset the timeline, saved her family – and destroyed the hero, Nick.
But her success has come at a terrible cost.
She alone remembers what happened. Now, Aaron, her hard-won friend – and maybe more – is an enemy, trying to kill her. And Nick, the boy she loved, is a stranger who doesn’t even know her name. Only Joan remembers that there is a ruthless and dangerous enemy still out there.
When a deadly attack forces Joan back into the monster world as a fugitive, she finds herself on the run with Nick – as Aaron closes in.
As the danger rises – and Nick gets perilously closer to discovering the truth of what Joan did to him – Joan discovers a secret of her own. One that threatens everyone she loves.
Torn between love and family and monstrous choices, Joan must find a way to re-gather her old allies to face down the deadliest of enemies, and to save the timeline itself.
Vanessa Len’s stunning Only a Monster trilogy continues with this second instalment, a thrilling journey where a secret past threatens to unravel everyone’s future.
Len comes up with quite an outstanding story for Never a Hero that hits the ground running fast and never lets up with the feels, action and deadly reveals. The story starts with Joan living in a slightly different world thanks to her manipulations of the timestream, where her former love interest, Nick, has no memory of who she is or that he used to be a monster hunter. However, an attack by the agents of the Monster Court forces her to once again jump back into that world to try and unravel a deadly conspiracy hinted at in the first novel. However, this time she is the expert, dragging along the very human Nick, who quickly learns about the monster world as Joan desperately tries to keep him from remembering his deleted past as a monster hunter. At the same time, her former ally from the first book, Aaron Oliver, has no idea who she is and is instead leading the hunt for her.
The resulting story proves to be quite exciting and intense, as the protagonists stay on the run, connecting with old allies and trying to discover why they are being chased and what deadly new plot has impacted their lives. While there are some deliberate similarities with the first book, Never a Hero goes in some different directions, especially as Joan is aware of what it means to be a monster. The book really goes in some interesting directions, and I loved how Len chose to wrap everything up. The conclusion has so many heartbreaking revelations about the characters’ pasts, and the resulting secrets will shake readers to the core. I love how well Len set up many of these reveals, and it was great to get a satisfying pay-off to some of the secrets and questions left unanswered in Only a Monster. Never a Hero ends on a big and ground-shaking note, hinting at a big final novel that will push the characters to their limits.
Len did an outstanding job following up her amazing debut here in Never a Hero, and this was another intense and moving character-driven read that expertly built on the elaborate story of her first book. This was a great piece of young adult fantasy fiction that will attract both a mature teenage audience as well as older fans of inventive fantasy fiction. While written in the same style as Only a Monster, Never a Hero definitely has a different feel to it, mainly because Len is weaving in some complex and inventive additional time travel elements. In particular, the protagonist is forced to manoeuvre through a different world brought on by the changes to timeline she made at the end of the last book. There is a constant reintroduction of supporting characters, locations and events, often in a much different context as the protagonist tries to work out the consequences of her actions. At the same time, the reader is also treated to some additional lore surrounding the various monster families and there is some substantial and imaginative world building as a result. I love how effectively and effortlessly Len utilised these complex fantasy concepts throughout her second novel and it really enhances an already exciting and memorable story. While Len does work to make Never a Hero more accessible to new readers, the focus on differing timelines and alternate characters does slightly restrict who is going to enjoy this book. I personally would strongly recommend reading the first novel before diving into Never a Hero, and that is honestly the best way to enjoy this story.
One of the best aspects of Never a Hero was the amazing character work of Len, who did an amazing job bringing together several intense and compelling story arcs around her excellent protagonists. The main three characters of the book, Joan, Nick and Aaron, each have impressive appearances and scenes in Never a Hero, and what was particularly great about them is that they were so different from their prior appearance in Only a Monster. Thanks to the time manipulations, each of them experiences an interesting new narrative in this book, and Len works this into the overall narrative of the book extremely well. Joan, the only one who effectively remembers the prior events, is burdened by all manner of guilt, not only because of her monster heritage but because she killed off a version of Nick in the previous novel. This guilt and despair only grows as the novel continues, especially when she realises the true consequences of her actions. At the same time, Joan is constantly trying to hide the evil of her species from Nick, while also trying to come to terms with the other dramatic changes and revelations in her life.
The other two major characters, Nick and Aaron, also have some amazing sequences in this book. Nick, who spent the previous novel hunting Joan as a monster hunter, is reborn for this book as a normal teen with a happy home life. However, he is soon forced back into the world of monsters when he and Joan are attacked, and it was fascinating to see him experience everything from the other side, especially as a single wrong move from the other characters could turn Nick back into a ruthless killer. Len also dives into the complex past around Nick’s various incarnations, and I deeply appreciated the tragic story about how he became a killer. Aaron, on the other hand, is a monster from a noble family who was a reluctant ally to Joan in the previous book, before something else formed between them. However, in Never a Hero, Aaron remembers nothing about this adventure or Joan, and instead he finds himself hunting her. This was an outstanding move from Len, as readers of the first book had grown to care for Aaron, so it was jarring to see him evil again in this sequel. The author wove quite an interesting storyline around Aaron, especially when it came to his connection with Joan, and there were some amazing scenes where the protagonist tried to bring him back onside by using secrets she previously learned from him. These three characters and their unique personal stories formed a powerful emotional heart to Never a Hero, especially when combined with the excellent supporting cast and a wonderfully wicked villain.
Never a Hero proved to be quite an impressive and outstanding follow-up to Vanessa Len’s epic debut. This amazing young adult fantasy novel had me quite enthralled and I loved the clever and powerful ways Len continued her unique narrative. Len is truly proving to be one of Australia’s best new fantasy authors and I cannot wait to see how she wraps this series up with her next amazing novel.
Ripper by Shelley Burr
Publisher: Hachette Australian (Trade Paperback – 30 August 2023)
Series: PI Lane Holland – Book Two
Length: 344 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Impressive rising Australian crime fiction star Shelley Burr follows up her amazing debut with the complex and addictive rural murder mystery, Ripper.
In 2022 I had the very great pleasure of reading Shelley Burr’s debut novel, Wake. An awesome book that followed two compelling protagonists as they investigated an infamous missing persons case in a small Australian town, Wake really had me hooked from the get go. Wake ended up being one of my favourite debuts and favourite pieces of Australian fiction in 2022, and I have been eager to see how Burr would follow that up for a while. Burr did not disappoint, as she recently released an intriguing sequel, Ripper (also released as Murder Town).
Seventeen years ago, the small town of Rainier was rocked by a series of brutal killings that saw three people murdered and the infamous killer captured in a heroic effort by the police. Thanks to these tragic events, Rainier is now known as an infamous murder town, with people far more interested in checking out the site of the Rainier Ripper’s trial of destruction rather than the town’s quaint charm and bush location.
Now, after years of neglect and changing economic times, Rainier is starting to financially fail. The town’s only hope might be a dark tourism company that is eager to exploit Rainier’s infamous name. However, when the tour operator is brutally killed in the same location as one of the Ripper’s victims, it opens old wounds and forces the locals, long traumatised by the events of that massacre, to uncover long buried secrets.
Gemma Guillory knows everything about the Rainier Ripper, especially as her teashop was the location of the original Ripper’s final killing. When the new murder occurs, Gemma is brought back to her painful past and is determined to discover whether this new crime was done by a copycat or if the real Rainier Ripper escaped justice years before. Receiving unlikely help from incarcerated investigator Lane Holland, Gemma begins to chip away at years of secrets and lies she didn’t even know surrounded her. But is Gemma truly ready for the truth, especially as a dangerous killer is still hiding in town, waiting to kill again?
I really enjoyed Ripper and felt that it was a fantastic follow-up to Burr’s first novel. I deeply appreciated the complex, moving and character driven murder mystery storyline at Ripper’s centre, especially as it forced its complex protagonist to simultaneously look at events in the past and current concerns.
The book starts off very strong, with a flashback to the original killings, followed by a good recap of the events that made Rainier infamous, and some excellent set up around the current day town, including the proposal to start a dark tourism company and some of the personal problems impacting the key locals. Naturally, things get dark quickly, as a new body is found in the same location of one of the Rainier Ripper’s victims, and the population of Rainier, especially primary protagonist Gemma Guillory, is dragged back into their complex history. The following story is very powerful, as the protagonist begins to dive back into her towns past to try and find the killer, which also forces her to look at those closest to her in a new light. At the same time, the returning protagonist from Wake, imprisoned investigator Lane Holland, is tasked by his prison warden to interrogate the Rainier Ripper to determine if he has any additional information about the case.
Burr moves Ripper’s intriguing plot along at a quick pace, and I liked how complex and intricate the mystery soon became. Solving the crime involves a great mixture of current intuitions about the key characters, memories of the past, and interrogations by Holland in prison. The mystery branches off into some interesting places, and the protagonists need to do some emotionally charged digging to find out what really happened. The resulting solutions to the mystery are very clever, and Burr did a wonderful job laying down subtle but effective clues throughout the main body of the book. I really enjoyed how there wasn’t just one solution, but multiple secrets and reveals that had to come to light for the full truth to be revealed, and there was an outstanding domino effect of revelations and twists. I cannot emphasise enough just how impressive this full range of reveals was, and Burr did a great job weaving together the solutions into one moving and complex narrative.
I think Burr hit the right blend of mystery, excitement and character storylines in Ripper, and the author ensured that everything moved along at an exciting and enjoyable clip. I really enjoyed how much of the story relied on diving into the complex lives of the key Rainier residences, and the author balanced some interesting character storylines in both the present day and in the past. This was especially true of main character Gemma Guillory, and her return to the past, coupled with revelations around the lies of her loved ones, added some powerful emotion to the story. If I had one complaint, it would probably be that Burr worked a little too hard to insert Lane Holland into the plot. While I do appreciate that Burr is trying to set up an ongoing series with Lane Holland as the connecting character, the plot of Ripper might have been a bit sleeker without him. Still, it was fun getting a sequel to Wake and I’m very keen to see what exciting mysteries Burr cooks up in the future.
Ripper by Shelley Burr was another outstanding and compelling read from a talented, rising Australian author. This second rural Australian murder mystery from Burr was extremely compelling and featured an intense narrative, loaded with great twists and complicated characters. I had a brilliant time getting through Ripper and it was one of the top pieces of Australian crime fiction I read last year.
Book Haul – 22 January 2024
As we have been getting into 2024, I have been having an excellent couple of weeks for book, and I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including several of my most anticipated novels of 2024. I truly believe that some of these books have to potential to be some of my top reads of the year and I cannot wait to dive into them.
The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman
Let us start this Book Haul post off strong with the fantastic murder mystery, The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman. The latest book in Kellerman’s long-running Alex Delaware series, The Ghost Orchid will see the author’s entertaining protagonists investigate a chilling double homicide with many potential suspects. I am a major fan of Kellerman’s at the moment, especially after amazing recent reads like The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History, and I have no doubt that The Ghost Orchid will be just as awesome.
Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz
Another amazing book I was very happy to get a copy of was Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz. The latest book in Hurwitz’s excellent Orphan X series, Lone Wolf will see the author’s rogue spy/vigilante protagonist go up against his most dangerous opponents yet. This series is another favourite of mine (see my reviews for Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan), and I am extremely keen to see what happens to the complex protagonist next.
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox
The outstanding team of James Patterson and Candice Fox return with the intriguing crime fiction novel, The Murder Inn, which serves as a sequel to their previous novel, The Inn. The Murder Inn will see two murderers head towards the titular troubled inn, but which one of them is there for help, and which one is looking to kill again? I love the sound of this book and I am hoping to read The Murder Inn very soon.
Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox
Australian thriller author Candice Fox is on a roll in 2024 as in addition to her above joint book with James Patterson, she is also releasing the epic standalone thriller, Devil’s Kitchen. Set around an elite group of firefighters who are also secretly a notorious crew of bank robbers, Devil’s Kitchen has an incredible story behind it, and I cannot wait to dive into this awesome novel. Likely to be one of the best books by an Australian author in 2024.
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
I was particularly happy to receive an early copy of The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. Logan’s debut novel The Silverblood Promise is an outstanding sounding fantasy book, that will force the disgraced heir of a noble house to go up against a city of criminals after his father is murdered. I really love the sound of this epic novel and it is one of my most anticipated fantasy releases of 2024.
Past Crimes by Jason Pinter
A cool and unique sounding science fiction novel, Past Crimes by Jason Pinter was one of the more interesting novels that I came across in recent days and I am hoping to check it out soon.
Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom
One of the more compelling novels I recently received was Hollywood Hustle, an excellent debut crime fiction read from actor Jon Lindstrom. Hollywood Hustle tells the story of a washed-up actor who finds himself caught up in a dangerous situation when his daughter is kidnapped. I’m actually reading Hollywood Hustle right now, and it is proving to be a fantastic book.
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow
The last two books on this list are some fantastic historical fiction novels I bought in the wake of Christmas. The first of these is Rebellion, the latest book in Simon Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, which is one of my favourite historical fiction series. Rebellion was a pretty epic book, and I actually just reviewed it last night here. Highly recommended, especially if you are the mood for some historical action.
Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones
The other historical fiction book I bought was the intriguing Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones. The sequel to Jones’ excellent debut, Essex Dogs, Wolves of Winter will continue to follow the author’s damaged group of mercenaries as they continue to fight the French in the Hundred Years War. This cool sequel will see them caught them caught up in the siege of Calais, while their own dark demons from the past threaten to consume them. I love the sound of this book and if it’s as good as Essex Dogs, I’m going to really love reading it.
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.
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow
Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 14 November 2023)
Series: Eagles of the Empire – Book 22
Length: 398 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One of my favourite historical fiction authors of all time, Simon Scarrow, returns with another epic adventure that places his long-running Roman protagonists right in the middle of the deadliest fight imaginable with Rebellion.
I have made no secret of the fact that I am a massive fan of Simon Scarrow, especially when it comes to his main Roman historical fiction series. While I have deeply enjoyed Scarrow’s books set in other periods, such as his awesome Berlin Wartime thrillers Blackout and Dead of Night, it is Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series that I come back to every time. Following two veteran Roman officers who manage to find themselves sent to every battlefield imaginable, the Eagles of the Empire books have dominated the historical fiction market for over 20 years, and I have had such an incredible time reading every entry in this series. Eagles of the Empire has been a staple series for this blog ever since I started The Unseen Library, and I have reviewed multiple entries, including The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor. Due to how much fun I have with these fantastic historical adventures, I always make time to read the latest Eagles of Empire book each year, and I finally managed to read the late 2023 entry, Rebellion. The 22nd book in the series, Rebellion was an exceptional and bloody read that places Scarrow’s protagonists in their most dangerous battle yet.
AD 60, Britannia. The Roman province of Britannia is in utter turmoil as the queen of the Iceni tribe, Boudica, leads her people in total rebellion after suffering the greed and cruelty of Rome too long. Despite the best efforts of retired centurion Macro, Boudica’s growing force of Britons managed to destroy the veteran’s colony of Camulodunum, and now her army is emboldened to take back the entire province in a bloody spree of vengeance.
Campaigning on the other side of the province, Governor Suetonius desperately attempts to lead his army back to Londinium as soon as word reaches him about the uprising. Forced to move ahead with a smaller force, led by Prefect Cato, Suetonius hopes to rally the rest of the troops in Britannia to make time for his army to arrive. However, Suetonius is unprepared for the savagery of the desperate rebels and the incompetence of the officers he left behind, and he soon finds himself hopeless outnumbered.
As the Roman forces attempt to salvage the situation, Cato finds himself lost without his longtime comrade Macro beside him. Convinced that Macro died at Camulodunum, Cato is determined to avenge his friend no matter the cost. But Macro’s fate is far more complicated than the Roman’s realise, as he has been taken prisoner and is trapped in Boudica’s camp where everyone wants him dead. As the Roman host desperately makes their final stand against the rebelling tribes, can these two grizzled soldiers survive this bloody battle, or has their luck finally run out?
Scarrow once again presents a fast-paced and powerful piece of historical fiction that proves impossible to put down. Focusing on a particularly fascinating and iconic piece of history, Rebellion is an outstanding novel that once again thrusts Scarrow’s beloved protagonists right into the middle of the carnage.
The author had to achieve a lot in Rebellion, especially after the epic cliffhanger the prior novel, Death to the Emperor, left us on. The events leading up to Boudica’s rebellion have been in play since the author’s very first book, and it was only a matter of time before Scarrow showcased it in this series. Death to the Emperor did a really good job setting the rebellion in motion, and Scarrow needed to majorly capitalise on that in this latest novel. Luckily, he was more than up to the task, presenting a captivating story that covers the key events of the rebellion.
After starting with a fun and bloody introduction that helps to highlight just how much trouble the Romans are in, Rebellion swiftly returns to the protagonists. The first part of the book is told primarily from Cato’s perspective, as he accompanies the Roman general and a small force back to the imperilled capital in a desperate march. This sets up a lot of the later narrative, especially as you get a sense of how out of position the Romans are and how desperate events have become. Rebellion’s plot got even more interesting when the story spent several chapters focussing on Macro. Now, I never for a second believed that Macro had been killed in the previous book, so I do not consider it a spoiler to mention that he was a major part of Rebellion. His scenes were easily the highlight of the first half of Rebellion, especially as he endured being a prisoner of the rebelling tribes and his former lover, Boudica. These scenes are so tense and emotionally charged, as Macro is forced to watch his comrades be butchered all around him, while also learning some surprising secrets. Despite the horrors he witnesses, Macro still manages to be a bullish and utterly frustrating figure for his captors, and I loved seeing the various ways he tries to fight back. Naturally, these two separate storylines converge as the book continues, although things only get darker once Cato and Macro are back together.
The second half of Rebellion is so damn fast-paced, exciting and intense that I honestly read the whole thing in a single night. Everything about this second half is very impressive, as the characters go through hell time and again. Much of this involves an extended chase sequence as the Romans are forced to flee the advancing wrath of Boudica. The sheer desperation, despair and sacrifice involved in many of these scenes is extremely moving, and Scarrow did not sugarcoat just how brutal and bloody things got at the hands of the rebelling Britons. The continued perspective spilt between Cato and Macro during these sequences works great, and Scarrow really captures just how fraught the situation is.
While I loved this long chase sequence and the brawls involved with it, the main highlight of Rebellion was always going to be the final battle between the Romans and Boudica. Scarrow takes his time setting up this battle, which really heightens the anticipation, as the characters make their preparations and reflect on the fight to come. The conclusive battle was everything you would hope it to be, and Scarrow showcases the epic confrontation, one of the bloodiest in Roman British history, in fantastic detail. The action is intense, fast and shocking, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat waiting to see how events would unfold and whether the protagonists would survive. Everything comes to a powerful and desperate finish, and readers will be thrilled by how this entire novel comes together.
As with most books in Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, Rebellion can be read as a fun standalone novel, although in this case reading one or two of the previous entries might be beneficial. This is because most of the storylines from the last few books have involved the events that led to Boudica’s revolt, and it was great to see it finally see this ongoing arc finally come to fruition. At the very least, I would advise people to read the prior novel, Death to the Emperor, before getting into Rebellion. Death to the Emperor was one of Scarrow’s best recent book in the series, and it ends with the battle for Camulodunum and a cliffhanger regarding Macro. The two books form a powerful pairing, and I strongly believe that the impact of Rebellion was enhanced by reading the events of Death to the Emperor first. However, if you choose to dive into Rebellion as a standalone, you will still be in for a good time because Scarrow ensures that the plot is very accessible and easy to follow for new readers. This proves to be an awesome Eagles of the Empire book as a result, and I look forward to the next entry in the series, especially after some of the cool revelations that came out in this impressive novel.
I loved the historical aspects of Rebellion as Scarrow does an amazing job of exploring the events of Boudica’s revolt in detail. As I mentioned above, the set-up for the revolt was handled flawlessly in Death to the Emperor, and Scarrow did a great job following it up with the main event here in this sequel. Many of the key aspects of this conflict, including the sacking of Londinium, the forced march of the Roman army, and the general panic of the citizens in Britannia are shown in impressive detail, and Scarrow does a great job of setting the scene and showing just how close the Romans were to defeat. The author does not pull any punches when it comes to how bad things got, and the inhuman actions both sides committed really raised the stakes of the book. Scarrow also does an outstanding job of filling in historical details that were not effectively covered by the surviving sources. For example, I liked his take on the destruction of the Ninth Legion at the start of the book, which was reminiscent of the Teutoburg Forest massacre. Scarrow further enhances the story by providing an intriguing potential viewpoint on both sides of the revolt. Interactions between Cato, Macro, and several different Briton characters really highlight how both sides thought they were in the right, and the differing views around the conflicts amped up the emotions of the story. However, it was his fantastic depiction of the final battle that I particularly enjoyed. Despite its fame, reliable details about this battle are scarce and I think that Scarrow presented a very reasonable depiction, showing the tactics the desperate Romans likely used. This battle really came to life thanks to Scarrow’s outstanding storytelling, and you can just envision the fight between the tightly formed Roman legionaries and the massed hordes of Britons. All this historical detail was just superb, and I loved how authentic and brutal it helped to make Rebellion.
In addition to the amazing and compelling historical elements, Rebellion also featured some moving character work. The plot of Rebellion featured an interesting combination of long-running protagonists, real-life historical figures, and new characters introduced for this book. I think this cool combination of characters worked extremely well, and it helped to tell an amazing and complex story. Naturally, most of this focus goes towards the characters of Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, who we have had so many adventures with over the years. Cato is again showcased as the young but tough veteran campaigner and tactician, and I liked his intriguing storylines in Rebellion as he was involved in all the major battles and conversations. While I am not sure that every key idea for Rome’s victory needed to come from Cato, it did allow him to serve a vital role in Rebellion, providing the reader with the best overview of Rome’s tactics and strategies during the war.
Due to Cato’s role as the leader, much of the more emotionally charged character work was left to the usually impassive and unflappable Macro. Macro actually goes through a lot in Rebellion, as after losing several friends in Death to the Emperor, he is captured by the Britons. Despite his steely resolve and fighting spirit, this imprisonment leaves its mark on Macro, especially when as he learns some disturbing secrets. Macro also bears a certain amount of guilt in Rebellion, as he feels responsible for Boudica’s uprising, and he worries about all the deaths he seems to have caused. I love this moving and powerful look at Macro, and it was great that Scarrow can still give him some additional depth this far into the series. Throw in compelling and intriguing looks at the two opposing leaders of this war, Boudica and Roman Governor Suetonius, as well as some other great characters, many of whom do not survive the entire book, and Rebellion proved to be an exception novel that expertly showcased its amazing cast.
Simon Scarrow once again wows me with his outstanding Roman historical fiction novel, Rebellion. This latest exceptional Eagles of the Empire book was everything I hoped it would be as Scarrow expertly places his protagonists in bloody heart of Boudica’s revolt. Loaded with action, intriguing historical detail, and fantastic emotionally charged character moments, Rebellion had me hooked from the very beginning, and I loved every second I spent reading it.
Throwback Thursday – Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 27 November 2012)
Series: Dresden Files – Book 14
Length: 18 hours and 47 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I check out yet another exceptional entry in Jim Butcher’s outstanding Dresden Files urban fantasy series with Cold Days.
Readers of this blog will know that I have been having an incredible time getting through the epic Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. An iconic urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files follows maverick wizard Harry Dresden as he defends the city of Chicago from all manner of supernatural threats. This series is so impressive, and I have been steadily making my way through out it since 2020. My previous burst of reading saw me get through four of these amazing books in a row, including Small Favor, Turn Coat, Changes and Ghost Story, and while that momentarily sated my interest in this series, I am still very keen to continue, and I’m hoping to finish it off this year. I’m already off to a good start as I just knocked off the 14th book in the series, Cold Days, which proved to be another gripping and clever read.
Despite his best efforts, professional wizard Harry Dresden is once again alive, and his troubles are only just beginning. Forced into a Faustian deal to gain the power he needed to save his daughter, Dresden, now finds himself indebted to Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness and ruler of the Winter Court of the Faerie. While he’d hoped his murder would get him out of this dark responsibility, Mab had other plans and now Dresden finds himself dragged back to life as the Winter Knight, Mab’s personal champion and hitman.
Determined not to fall under the alluring sway of his new position and power, Dresden finds himself once again thrust into the middle of a conflict outside of his abilities when Mab sets him on his first mission, killing her own immortal daughter. Grappling with such an impossible task, Dresden returns to his beloved Chicago, only to find even more trouble awaiting him there. Demonreach, the mystical island in the middle of Lake Michigan that Dresden bound himself to, is under magical siege, and it if falls, billions will die.
With only 24 hours to complete both his allotted assassination and save Demonreach, Dresden soon finds himself under attack from all manner of foes, including manipulative faeries, dangerous beings originating from outside of reality, and former friends with new agendas. To survive, Dresden will need to reconnect with his old allies and work with them to prevent a dark cataclysm. But faced with impossible choices and hidden enemies, Dresden soon finds himself unsure who to trust. Worse, his new powers are working to change him into something primal and dark. Can Harry defeat both his foes and his own inner darkness before it is too late?
I doubt anyone is going to be surprised to find out that I loved Cold Days. Butcher did a wonderful job continuing his exceptional series, especially as he presents the reader with a complex and intriguing new adventure, loaded with mystery, sacrifice and surprises. A gripping read from start to finish, Cold Days gets another easy five-star rating from me, and I had an amazing time getting through it.
At this point in the series, Butcher had been on a real roll, and the last two books, Changes and Ghost Story, had exceptional stories that dramatically shifted the status quo for the protagonist. This trend continued in Cold Days as Butcher simultaneously reintroduced Dresden back to the world after his death, showed his first adventure as the Winter Knight, and provided some massive detail about the major antagonist that his been hinted about since the start of the series. I honestly was hooked on Cold Days the second I started it, especially as it begins with a particularly entertaining training montage, before dumping the protagonist right into the midst of complex Winter Court politics. From there, Dresden is given an impossible task, and his attempts to understand his new mission reveal additional obstacles, including the danger posed by Demonreach. This swiftly morphs into a classic Dresden Files novel, with the protagonist attempting to solve several concurrent mysteries, while entertaining antagonists try to take him off the board. A lot of the story involves the always fascinating and manipulative Faeries, and I liked how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding them. Naturally, this means that the protagonist must deal with politics, intrigue, and so many betrayals, as he finds himself in the middle of their deadly games.
Once Dresden fully understands the stakes of his new mission, he is forced to make some big decisions, especially as the true antagonists of this book are obscured and hidden. Everything leads up to a massive and extended final confrontation, which was pretty damn awesome to see, especially as Dresden leads some interesting forces to war and finds himself going up against some big players. There are some brilliant and well-setup twists at the end of Cold Days that really highlight just how manipulative a certain character is, as well as how good Butcher is at planning ahead with his writing, and the status-quo of the series changes once again. This entire story was so damn entertaining, clever and moving, and I just flew through it.
As always, I love the excellent first-person style that Butcher utilises to tell his Dresden Files stories, and Cold Days came across in a fun and entertaining way. Told exclusively from the perspective of protagonist Harry Dresden, you are given a front row seat to the chaotic events of the book as they occur, and I always love the fantastic blend of mystery, action, humour and character moments that result from this. Cold Days was a particularly good example of this, and it featured an amazing pace, loaded with major set pieces and powerful interactions between the protagonist and other characters. The action scenes were particularly fun, and I loved how well Butcher was able to enhance the battles with the continuously expanding lore surrounding his excellent series. Everything about this book was a lot of fun, and this ended up being an impressive entry in the wilder Dresden Files series.
One of the things I particularly enjoyed about Cold Days was the intriguing and impressive ways that Butcher provides some massive expansions to his universe. Cold Days features some major revelations which completely shift the entire perspective of the Dresden Files, especially as you get some reveals about who the true antagonists of previous books were. The protagonist’s place in this universe is greatly enhanced, as not only does he get some major power boosts but the true responsibilities of certain posts he took on are revealed. As such, the stakes of Cold Days and the future books in the series are now higher than ever, which I personally enjoyed. These changes were an outstanding natural progression of story elements from the previous 13 novels, and it was great to get some payoffs to some of the clever hints Butcher has been lacing into the series since book one. Because of this, I would strongly recommend that readers go back and read the series from the start rather than beginning with Cold Days, as you will get so much more out of it. At the very least, I think you need to read the previous two novels, Changes and Ghost Story first, as some of the major story elements and character arcs from there are concluded or continued here. However, if you decide to start reading the series here at Cold Days, you should still be able to follow along, especially as Butcher always ensures that key elements and characters are always succinctly and effectively reintroduced.
I must really highlight the excellent character work featured in Cold Days, as Butcher does an outstanding job featuring a huge cast of fascinating figures, each of whom plays an important role in the complex plot. Naturally most of this focus revolves around the point of view protagonist, Harry Dresden, who has been going through a real emotional and personal roller coaster in the last few books. Not only did he recently find out he had a daughter who was hidden from him, but he was forced to accept a deal with Mab to save her, which he then tried to get out of by dying. Fully resurrected by the start of Cold Days, Dresden is forced to deal with the consequences of his choices. It was interesting to see the usually moral and independent Dresden under the control of a historically malevolent figure like Mab, and his attempts to understand her motivations and his place in this new regime are a huge part of the plot. At the same time, his new powers are slowly changing him, and he is constantly forced to fight back against various primal urges. This results in some very interesting personal moments, especially as Dresden is finally properly reunited with his friends and family. I loved how emotional and powerful parts of this book get, especially as Dresden comes to terms with some of the darker moments and thoughts that have plagued him over the last few adventures. As such, this is an important entry in Dresden’s personal story, and I look forward to seeing what other develops occur in the future. Of course, while this book does get emotional and moving at times, Dresden was still mostly the same funny and disrespectful figure he always was, and much of Cold Days’ humour was derived from him making fun of and picking fights with people way outside his weight class. I have so much love for most of Dresden’s character traits, even when being turned slowly evil, and Cold Days is so much more entertaining with him as the narrator.
In addition to Dresden, Cold Days featured a great batch of returning figures, each of whose storylines are also expanded on once Dresden returns. I loved some of the interactions that occurred in Cold Days, especially as we once again got to see the fun sibling relationship Dresden has with his brother, Thomas, and there was finally some movement on the long-simmering romance between Dresden and Karin Murphy. It was great to also see more of recurring characters Butters, Bob the skull and Dresden’s dog, Mouse, who are all quite entertaining in their own way. However, I think the most interesting character development occurred around Dresden’s apprentice, Molly Carpenter. Like Dresden, Molly has gone through a ton of trauma in the last few books, and it was great to see her mostly on her feet in this novel. Of course, as Butcher is a cruel author, we had to know it wouldn’t last, and some very significant changes occur to Molly in the big conclusion. Butcher did a great job setting the scene for these changes, and it will be interesting to see how much her personality changes in the next few books. I still don’t love the constant hints about a potential romance between Dresden and Molly that were featured here; if they ever get together in a future book, it will be gross.
Aside from these familiar figures, Butcher also loads Cold Days up with nearly every Faerie character and figure he had, including several sinister new antagonists. The Dresden Files books featuring the Faerie Courts and characters can often be quite entertaining and I think Butcher did a really good job of showcasing the intricate figures who make up these courts in Cold Days. Mab was a fantastic, dark and sinister figure for much of the book as Dresden’s new master, and I enjoyed how she cast a big shadow over much of the plot. While mostly shown to be villainous, Butcher did attempt to humanise her in places, and it was great to finally get some more depth around her. The rest of Faeries all had their own unique purpose in the story, and you are never quite certain whose side they are on, especially when more revelations come through as part of this book. All the characters in Cold Days were very impressive and well-written, and I really appreciated how their complex character arcs helped to enhance an already powerful story.
As usual, I ended up enjoying Cold Days on audiobook, which is honestly just the best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel. Coming in with a run time of just under 19 hours, Cold Days was one of the longest Dresden Files audiobooks, but I still managed to power through it in one fantastic week. Butcher’s outstanding storytelling is always deeply enhanced by this format, and you really get the full experience of the action, unique fantasy elements and cool characters through it. Of course, the epic voice work from long-running narrator James Marsters is a huge factor in this. Marsters always moves the story along perfectly, and it is hard not to get caught up in the plot when he dives into the cool features and narrative. I still really love all the unique and enthusiastic voices he brings to the table, and all the characters, be they new or established, came across perfectly here. I always deeply appreciate how well Marsters can dive into protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden, and his narration once again pulled out all this character’s pain, inner turmoil, and relentless cheek. Marsters also has a lot of fun with the various monsters, faeries and other ethereal figures featured throughout Cold Days, and he always ensures these mysterious creatures come across as something inhuman or terrifying. This great voicework really turns the Cold Days audiobook into something deeply addictive and fun, and I really cannot recommend this format enough.
Look, there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy Cold Days, as frankly the entirety of the Dresden Files series has been pretty damn impressive. However, I felt that Jim Butcher did a really good job with this 14th book, as Cold Days features a compelling and emotionally charged narrative that expertly continues some of the most impressive storylines from the last few entries. Loaded with action, compelling lore expansion, and Butcher’s distinctive humour, Cold Days was an exceptional book that I cannot recommend enough. I love this series so much and I cannot wait to finish it off this year.
WWW Wednesday – 17 January 2024
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:
Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom (ebook)
I just started reading the fun debut thriller from actor Jon Lindstrom, Hollywood Hustle. Following a washed-up actor as he tries to recover his kidnapped daughter, Hollywood Hustle is an interesting book, and I loved the sound of its cool plot. I’ve only made a little progress on Hollywood Hustle so far, but I am enjoying its compelling story. I will probably knock Hollywood Hustle off fairly quickly and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Cold Days by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)
I am still going with the extremely awesome Dresden Files novel Cold Days by Jim Butcher, and I should knock it off in the next day or so. Cold Days is the 14th book in the series and sets a recently resurrected Harry Dresden against all the manipulations and intrigue of the Winter Court. A deeply addictive read, I am loving Cold Days and I am hoping to feature it in a post later this week.
What did you recently finish reading?
Rebellion by Simon Scarrow (Trade Paperback)
I managed to finish off the new Eagles of the Empire book by Simon Scarrow, Rebellion this week and boy was it awesome. The latest book in one of my favourite historical fiction series, Rebellion was clever, dark and moving, and I cannot recommend it enough. Review to follow in the next day or so.
Saevus Corax Captures the Castle by K. J. Parker (Trade Paperback)
I had a lot of fun over the weekend reading the second of three Saevus Corax books that entertaining author K. J. Parker released last year, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle. An outstanding sequel to Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead (one of my favourite books of 2023), Saevus Corax Captures the Castle was another hilarious read that thrusts Parker’s smart, but unlucky, protagonist into the middle of an elaborate and complex conspiracy. Highly recommended.
Extinction by Douglas Preston (ebook)
The allure of Extinction’s fantastic plot proved to be too much for me, and I dove into the early copy I received of this awesome book by veteran author Douglas Preston. Following a murder investigation in an elite resort full of genetically resurrected mega-fauna, Extinction was a captivating and over-the-top read that had me hooked the entire way through.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Warhammer 40,000: Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer
I am still planning to listen to the Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer next. Witchbringer has been on my radar for a while, but I couldn’t get a copy of it until recently. As such, I am hoping to make up for lost time by finally getting through this amazing sounding book that will follow a psyker, one of the most reviled beings in the Warhammer 40,000 setting, who is forced to return to assist the regiment she used to lead. Witchbringer sounds like a very awesome piece of Warhammer fiction, and I cannot wait to experience its fantastic story.
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox
I have a few books I wouldn’t mind reading in the next week, but I will probably start with the excellent crime fiction book, The Murder Inn by the team of James Patterson and Candice Fox. An outstanding sounding novel, The Murder Inn should be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to checking it out.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Waiting on Wednesday – Star Wars – The Living Force and The Glass Abyss
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two awesome upcoming Star Wars novels that are sure to deeply entertain and excite with The Living Force and The Glass Abyss.
Fans of this blog will be well aware of my love for Star Wars fiction, especially as I have had the great pleasure of reading and reviewing a ton of amazing Star Wars novels over the last few years. Something about a brilliant novel that further explores the elaborate Star Wars universe, or which presents a totally unique story about some of your favourite characters always greatly appeals to me, and I can always get dragged into a good Star Wars novel, especially in their audiobook format. Unfortunately, I have been a little slack when it comes to reading Star Wars fiction in the last year, but that is something I am planning to rectify in 2024, especially as there are two fantastic sounding upcoming books from the franchise that have really caught my eye.
The first of these is Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Miller is a well-established author of tie-in fiction, have written across several franchises, including Star Trek (check out my review for his novel Die Standing), and other cool shows. Miller has also written several Star Wars novels, with his exceptional book, Kenobi, being one of the best Star Wars novels I have ever read. As such, I am very eager to try out his new book, The Living Force, especially as it has an awesome story behind it.
Plot Synopsis:
In the year before The Phantom Menace, Yoda, Mace Windu, and the entire Jedi Council confront a galaxy on the brink of change.
The Jedi have always traveled the stars, defending peace and justice across the galaxy. But the galaxy is changing, and the Jedi Order along with it. More and more, the Order finds itself focused on the future of the Republic, secluded on Coruscant, where the twelve members of the Jedi Council weigh crises on a galactic scale.
As yet another Jedi Outpost left over from the Republic’s golden age is set to be decommissioned on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Council about the Order’s increasing isolation. Mace Windu suggests a bold response: All twelve Jedi Masters will embark on a goodwill mission to help the planet and to remind the people of the galaxy that the Jedi remain as stalwart and present as they have been across the ages.
But the arrival of the Jedi leadership is not seen by all as a cause for celebration. In the increasing absence of the Jedi, warring pirate factions have infested the sector. To maintain their dominance, the pirates unite, intent on assassinating the Council members. And they are willing to destroy countless innocent lives to secure their power.
Cut off from Coruscant, the Jedi Masters must reckon with an unwelcome truth: While no one thinks more about the future than the Jedi Council, nobody needs their help more than those living in the present.
I love the sound of this amazing book, especially as it dives into the somewhat underdeveloped history pre-The Phantom Menace. A novel following the entire Jedi Council as they get into trouble on a remote planet sounds like a recipe for great success, and I am really looking forward to The Living Force as a result. Set for release in April 2024, I feel that this book has a lot of potential to be pretty damn epic, especially in Miller’s extremely capable hands. As such, I cannot wait for The Living Force to come out and I have a feeling it will be one of the top books I read in early 2024.
The other Star Wars novel I want to highlight here is the intense and powerful sounding book, Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes. Set for release in August 2024, The Glass Abyss will be Barnes’ first Star Wars novel since his 2004 book, The Cetus Deception. The Glass Abyss will also be set during the same early period of Star Wars history as The Living Force and will follow fan-favourite character Mace Windu in the immediate aftermath of The Phantom Menace.
Plot Synopsis:
Jedi Master Mace Windu travels to a dangerous, remote planet on a mission that challenges even his deadly prowess – all to fulfill Qui-Gon’s last request.
The Jedi are reeling from Qui-Gon Jinn’s sudden death at the hands of a Sith. Jedi Master Mace Windu’s feelings about Qui-Gon have always been complicated, and have not been made any simpler in death. While they often disagreed, Mace valued Qui-Gon’s unique perspective, and their shared dedication to the Force made them allies. Without Qui-Gon and his unorthodox views, Mace feels out of balance.
While considering his fallen friend’s legacy, Mace is surprised to receive a final message from Qui-Gon, marked to be delivered to Mace on the event of Qui-Gon’s death. The message contains a last request: a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.
Many years ago, a violent solar flare transformed the surface of the desert planet into a landscape of irradiated glass—as beautiful as it is dangerous. Now most of the surviving inhabitants live underground, where rival clans fight to control the planet’s limited resources. As a young Jedi, Qui-Gon protected the Sa’ad farming clan from the planet’s less scrupulous factions. The Sa’ad practice the art of dream-weaving, retaining their waking minds upon sleep in order to communicate and coexist with the wild creatures around them. Qui-Gon vowed to return if they ever required his aid, but now it falls to Mace to fulfill that promise. The Sa’ad’s leader, KinShan Nightbird, has begged for the Jedi’s help in freeing Metagos from the crime lords who threaten to eradicate her people’s way of life.
Intent on fulfilling Qui-Gon’s final wishes, Mace travels to Metagos and infiltrates the enemies of the Sa’ad. But as the Jedi Master investigates the intricate web of adversaries and allies, Mace finds himself pushed to the boundaries of the Jedi code, challenging his beliefs and his relationship to the Force itself.
This is another epic sounding upcoming Star Wars novel and I am very intrigued by the plot synopsis for The Glass Abyss. Having a grieving Mace Windu attempt to free a planet from crime lords by going undercover sounds is a very cool story idea, and I look forward to seeing how Barnes pulls it off. Mace Windu is an awesome character to follow, and I cannot wait to see his unique perspectives on life and the Force, especially after losing his friend. The Glass Abyss also has a lot of potential in my opinion, and I am extremely keen to get my hands on it.
Both amazing 2024 Star Wars novels, The Living Force and The Glass Abyss, sound incredibly awesome, and I have very high hopes for them. These books have some fantastic stories, and I am sure the highly regarded veteran authors behind them will turn them into something special. 2024 looks to be a very strong year for Star Wars fiction, and I look forward to reading those books, as well as any other Star Wars novels that come out, especially if I can catch up with The High Republic series.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debuts of 2023
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week involved Bookish Goals for 2024 which, while interesting, isn’t something I plan to contribute to. Instead, I am going to be continuing listing some of my favourite books of 2023 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlight my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2023 novels, new-to-me authors in 2023, and favourite books of 2023), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2023.
2023 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels which I was lucky enough to receive. I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year. As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.
To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2023 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre). I didn’t end up reading as many debuts in 2023 as I did in previous years, but I was still able to pull together a full list of 10 books. I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly. So, let us see what made the cut.
Top Ten List:
The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer
The Warhammer 40,000 franchise had a strong year when it came to fiction, and I was very happy to see that the franchise gave several impressive new authors the opportunity to write their first novel ever. I read several of these intriguing debuts last year and the first one I’m going to highlight here is The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer, Beer’s first full-length novel. A compelling, entertaining and amazing novel in the Warhammer Crime sub-series, The King of the Spoil showcases the fallout following the assassination of a major gang lord in a massive, crime ridden city. An extremely epic and very fun debut that comes highly recommended.
A great Australian crime fiction debut that sees three cops trapped in a flooding town, while a killer hunts them.
How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins
An impressive legal thriller from new Australian author Joanna Jenkins. How to Kill a Client followed several members of a prestigious Australian law firm after one of their most important, and unpleasant, clients, is murdered and the lawyers become potential suspects. Witty, gripping, and extremely addictive.
After writing several Warhammer 40,000 short stories and novellas, Jude Reid released her first full-length novel in 2023 with Ashes of Cadia. Forcing a complex protagonist to return to the desolate ruins of her home planets, years after her legendary father lost it in battle, Ashes of Cadia was a moving and dark novel that had me hooked from the very beginning.
Legendary actor Michael Caine begins his writing career in his 90s with this fun and over-the-top thriller about a maverick London police officer hunting for stolen nuclear material.
A gripping Australian murder mystery that saw a damaged detective attempt to solve the sinister murder of a family court judge who was killed in her own chambers. One of the best pieces of Australian fiction all year and a top debut that comes very highly recommended.
The last Warhammer 40,000 novel I am going to feature on this list is Longshot. The debut novel of impressive new author Rob Young, Longshot follows a veteran sniper as she attempts to overwhelm an advanced alien force while also dealing with the prejudices of her own comrades.
A fun and entertaining cozy crime fiction read that makes good use of the local Australian scenery. A favourite debut of mine in 2023, especially as Sauers expertly featured several nearby towns I am very familiar with.
The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson
A unique and intriguing debut from Australian author Brooke Robinson that followed a court interpreter in London who begins to twist her translations to put people she thinks are guilty away. However, when someone catches on to what she is doing, she finds her entire life spiralling around her. An excellent and compelling debut from a great new author.
The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner
The final debut on this list is The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner, a fantastic and intense historical drama. While Spooner has written a couple of books before, The Girl from London was her first historical novel, and I enjoyed her unique World War II story that cleverly retold the story of a civilian ship destroyed by the Nazis off the coast of New Zealand. An outstanding book, I hope Spooner writes more historical books in the future.
Well, that is the end of this list. As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them. Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction. I am really excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres. I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2024, and I have already enjoyed my first debut from this year with Argylle by Elly Conway. Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2024 are the best from this year.
Warhammer 40,000: Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid
Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 September 2023)
Series: Warhammer 40,000
Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Exciting new Warhammer 40,000 author Jude Reid presents an action-packed and captivating novel that takes the reader to one of the most desolate places in the franchise’s universe, the ruins of Cadia, with the exciting novel Creed: Ashes of Cadia.
Last year proved to be an outstanding year for new authors producing their first Warhammer 40,000 novel, with several highly talented authors, such as Rob Young (Longshot) and Jonathan D. Beer (The King of the Spoil), producing amazing and intense reads in this fantastic universe. One of the most interesting of these 2023 Warhammer 40,000 debuts was the impressive and captivating Creed: Ashes of Cadia by new author Jude Reid. Reid’s first full novel after writing multiple Warhammer 40,000 short stories, Ashes of Cadia takes the reader on an epic journey with a new major protagonist.
Years after the fall of Cadia to the dread forces of Chaos, the Imperium of Man is still reeling from the carnage wrought in its aftermath which saw a massive warp rift cleave their besieged intergalactic realm in two. Led by the returned Primarch Roboute Guilliman, humanity fights back as best it can in a great crusade, but its victories are never enough. When word reaches Guilliman of a potential weapon on the most unlikely of locations, desperation requires him to investigate, and there is only one person he can call on for this dangerous mission.
After continually proving herself on the field of battle, Ursula Creed has succeeded her father, Ursarkar E. Creed, in becoming the new lord castellan of Cadia. Leading the remaining Cadian forces in the Imperium, Ursula hopes to erase the stain of her legendary father’s great defeat, however, she can never seem to leave behind his complicated legacy. When summoned by Guilliman for a secret mission, Creed is shocked to discover that she is being sent back to one place she never thought to return to, the shattered remains of Cadia.
Accompanied by a select team of Cadians with an unusual mixture of skills and experience, Ursula is sent to the surface to recover her father’s final battle plans and the secret weapons they supposedly lead to. However, the surface of Cadia is a blasted wasteland, filled with foul energies and unnatural magic that causes even the dead to attack the invaders. Left without support and hopelessly outnumbered, Ursula must lead her unprepared followers onwards in the hope of securing the prize. But terrible evils lay claim to the remnants of Cadia, and Ursula will be forced to confront both the forces of Chaos and her own inescapable legacy as the daughter of Creed if she wants to survive. Can Ursula succeed where her father failed and redeem Cadia, or is she already lost?
Reid had a very ambitious story idea for Ashes of Cadia, in that she needed to provide a human solider focused, character-driven adventure narrative that simultaneously examined the complex legacy of the Cadians in a new way, while also providing the reader with an intense and action-packed read. Reid more than succeeded, as Ashes of Cadia takes the reader back to Cadia, one of the most significant landscapes in the Warhammer 40,000 universe and puts several intriguing and damaged protagonists through absolute hell.
Starting off a little slow to establish the main cast, remind people about the Cadian legacy, and set up the mission, Ashes of Cadia doesn’t really speed up until the protagonists land on shattered Cadia, and naturally all hell breaks loose. The protagonists essentially find themselves thrust into a zombie apocalypse scenario, as a sorcerer attacks with a horde of living dead and decimates the protagonist’s team, leaving them trapped on the planet. The disparate band of damaged and disillusioned survivors are forced to journey across the ravished planet to find either an escape or the rumoured secret weapon, encountering all manner of horrors, tragedy and continuous losses of supporting characters, all the while being hunted. At the same time, the cast become more and more disheartened and internal conflicts seek to fracture them in a range of emotionally charged scenes. This harsh adventure takes them to several key places on the ruins of the planet, as they get closer to their various personal goals. There are some interesting false starts and twists, as well as some heartbreaking scenes, and you are constantly on edge, especially as a new danger of betrayal might emerge just around the corner. I liked the reveal of Creed’s treasure in the novel, especially as it has some interesting potential consequences for the future of the Cadians, and the use of Creed’s daughter as a protagonist was a smart choice. While I did see the big twist of the book regarding a certain traitor coming, it was still really well written, and I loved how Reid tried to misdirect with multiple bloody red herrings. Everything leads up to a big, brutal, and over-the-top final confrontation, the sees the survivors redeemed in various ways, and it ended up being a fantastic and powerful piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.
Reid wrote a very intense and personal novel here with Ashes of Cadia, and I really enjoyed her captivating writing style. Expertly splitting the focus of the book between several complex and unconventional soldiers with their own individual baggage, Ashes of Cadia becomes a much more emotionally charged novel than I was expecting, but the result was an impressive read, especially as you quickly get invested in the various character arcs. However, Reid is no slouch when it comes to the action, as the many combat sequences are sharp and brutal, keeping you on your toes as any of your favourite figures can quickly fall. While the pace of Ashes of Cadia does slow a bit at the beginning and in the middle, for the most part Reid keeps her novel moving along, and I had a hard time putting it down as a result. I especially loved how well Reid portrayed the fallen planet of Cadia throughout this novel, especially as she really laid out the horrors and dangers associated with this planet. Fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction who know this planet well will be shocked by how disturbing and different it turns out, and I loved that we finally got an adventure in the ruins. A brilliant and exceptionally written novel, you will have a lot of fun with this book.
As I have mentioned a few times in this review, Ashes of Cadia is a significant piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, mainly because it provides a continuation to a lot of the major story elements that have been a big part of the franchises fiction since the lore changes surrounding the fall of Cadia. Quite a bit of in-universe time has taken place since that event, and most of the recently released Warhammer fiction focuses on how the loss of the planet effected the Imperium and the many Cadian soldiers fighting throughout it. If followed through, the events of Ashes of Cadia are going to give these Cadian characters and stories new purpose, and I loved that we also have new Creed character to follow in Ursula. Reid does an excellent job of building up to these reveals, and there was another interesting look at how traumatised and demoralised the Cadians are, which really fit into the plot of this book. There are also a lot of references to other novels and events from the lore that fans of the franchise will appreciate, and I personally liked how it had some connections to another Warhammer 40,000 novel from last year, The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). As such, Ashes of Cadia is probably best enjoyed by those established fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, especially those who have enjoyed the recent influx in Cadian fiction. However, there is still a lot for newer readers to the franchise to enjoy, especially as Reid does a wonderful job of explaining the key lore elements that lead up to this story. General fans of adventure, science fiction and even horror, can have a lot of fun with Ashes of Cadia, and this turned into quite an intense and bloody war narrative.
Easily the most distinctive part of Ashes of Cadia is the complex and damaged cast of characters that make up the main cast. Reid produced some unique figures for this impressive narrative, and their individual stories, as well as the general despair of the Cadian trooper following the loss of their planet, proves to be a major driving point in the plot, and I really enjoyed seeing the various character arcs unfold.
Ashes of Cadia’s story had three primary point of characters, and Reid did a pretty good job of jumping the story around them, showcasing each of their unique and well-written storylines. The most prominent of these is the titular Ursula creed, the current lord castellan of the lost planet of Cadia. The daughter of the beloved Cadian leader who lost the planet before disappearing, Ursula has big boots to fill, especially as she is resentful for her father’s legacy and the fact she barely knew him. The resulting insecurities, responsibilities and bitterness play a huge part in her character arc, and watching her walk in the steps of her father and attempt to become the leader he was proved to be a great part of the plot.
The next major character, Shael Laskari, adds a more general viewpoint to the story as a recently graduated cadet who is chosen to accompany Creed to the surface for propaganda reasons. Inexperienced and fearful, Laskari is the everywoman of Ashes of Cadia, and it proved interesting to see her deal with the unknown horrors of the planet while also trying to find her courage in her squad. Reid also does an exceptional job with the unique character of Mac Ossian. A former medic and member of a Cadian regiment, Ossian was assigned to a penal legion after killing his former commander, and now finds himself back on Cadia as part an expendable distraction. Managing to meet up with Creed’s unit, Ossian spends much of the book trying to prove his loyalty and worth, while also wondering if Creed and Cadia still deserves his surface.
These central characters are accompanied by several fantastic supporting cast members, several of which have their own exceptional character arcs. I personally really enjoyed Colonel Hadrian Aurelius Van Haast, who serves as a guide with local knowledge of the area. Van Haast is a stupendously arrogant figure, who you can’t help but dislike, and he added a fantastic dynamic to the cast. However, this arrogance is a cover for a much darker secret, which Reid slowly and expertly reveals as the book continues. I also must highlight Ossian’s fellow penal legionnaire Liga Yager, another prisoner who tries to survive after being dropped on Cadia to die. Due to her much more cynical perception of Creed and the Cadians, as well as her compelling backstory, Yager goes on a very different path than Ossian, and proved to be a devil on his shoulder that speaks some much-needed truth. Finally, I loved the villain of the story, the Death Guard sorcerer, Livor Opilionis, who is mostly called The Huntsman throughout the book. The Huntsman is a gloriously sinister and dangerous foe, who relentlessly hunts them throughout the ruins of Cadia, heralded by his hunting horn and packs of plague zombies, and the confrontations the protagonists have with him always leads to carnage. This outstanding cast of characters, and more, really turned Ashes of Cadia into an amazing novel, and I loved the brilliant character arcs that Reid developed around them.
As with most Warhammer 40,000 books I check out, I made sure to grab Ashes of Cadia on audiobook. The Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks are always pretty damn awesome, and I love how much the action, horror and unique setting came through in this format. Coming in with a decent runtime of just over 14 and a half hours, Ashes of Cadia was a very easy book to listen to, and I managed to knock it off quickly. It helped that Ashes of Cadia was narrated by the superbly talented Colleen Prendergast, who is swiftly becoming the go-to narrator of Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks with female Cadian protagonists. Prendergast has a great and intense voice for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I love how well she was able to move the plot along. She also provides a series of great and fitting voices for the cast of this book, especially the female characters. I loved how dignified and complex she made some of these characters, as well as how monstrous and threatening the main antagonist sounded in his terrifying scenes. As such, Ashes of Cadia was an absolute joy to listen to and I would strongly recommend this audiobook version to anyone interested in this fantastic piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.
Creed: Ashes of Cadia was a fantastic, dark and captivating novel from Jude Reid, who produce an impressive debut with some intriguing potential for the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe. Loaded with action, intrigue and several complex characters, Creed: Ashes of Cadia was an excellent read that cleverly ties into the history and existing lore of this complex and highly fun franchise. Intense, moving, and oh so brutal, Ashes of Cadia comes highly recommended, especially for fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.
The Unseen Library 