Category: Five-Star Books

Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code by Justin Woolley

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Australian, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 May 2026)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 9 hours and 41 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Justin Woolley returns to the insane world of Warhammer 40,000 fiction with one of the funniest books of the year, the outstanding Da Freebooterz Code.

Readers of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for Warhammer 40,000 fiction which produces so many outstanding books each year.  While many Warhammer novels are enjoyable because they have awesome action or intense grimdark themes, some stand out because they are incredibly funny and use humour to enhance the darker elements of the setting.  One of the best recent authors who uses humour in Warhammer 40,000 is Justin Woolley, who has a particular affinity for the hilarious ork faction.  His first Warhammer 40,000 novel, Catachan Devil, had a hilarious partial focus on ork characters, and watching their crazy exploits alongside the perspective of serious and grim human soldiers ensured that Catachan Devil was a particularly funny and compelling read.  As such, I have been eager to read more from Woolley for a while, and I was quite excited when his latest novel, Da Freebooterz Code was announced, especially as Woolley was going to look at a group of ork pirates.

In the depths of space, there are few beings that have as much fun as an ork freebooter, an unusual breed of ork who haunt the stars in ramshackle ships.  The life of an ork freebooter is consumed with raiding, looting and destroying any ship unlucky enough to encounter them.  However, only the most successful ork leader can keep control of a band of freebooterz, and if a kaptin fails to find enough loot then an ambitious underlying can do a mutiny to take control of the ship and their pointy hat.  However, the next kaptin of the Gork’s Revenge has a different plan.

After accidently taking over the ship, Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof finds himself with several hungry underlings eying his position.  Luckily, Horntoof is an ork of rare ambition, and his crazy and ambitious plans soon leads his crew into a new period of raids and pillage.  However, Horntoof’s most unique and potentially un-orky idea is to lay down Da Freebooterz Code, a set of rules so outrageous that the rest of the orks can’t help but follow along.

Now determined to use his code to rally more orks to his cause to become the greatest freebooter the galaxy has ever seen, Horntoof embarks on a series of daring raids to find more loot.  However, Horntoof soon finds his ship floating into the Gulf of Gannemedes, an area of space protected by legendary rogue trader Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume, who vows to destroy the ork menace encroaching into her territory.  However, when tragedy strikes, von Hume finds herself becoming obsessed with the hunt for Horntoof and his ship, determined to wipe out the ork kaptin no matter the cost.  Caught between mutiny plots and a deranged human chasing him across the stars, can Horntoof fulfil his dream, or will he go up in flames alongside his ship and crew?

Da Freebooterz Code was an outstanding and highly entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel from Justin Woolley that provides laughs, thrills and captivating characters in spades.  Featuring a powerful story of ambition and revenge perfectly set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Da Freebooterz Code was an incredible read that was a true highlight from the first half of 2026.

Woolley did an amazing job pulling together an exciting and compelling narrative for Da Freebooterz Code, that is both funny and a little tragic.  Primarily a character-driven narrative focusing on some intriguing protagonists, Da Freebooterz Code is broken into two major storylines that cleverly interact with each other as the book progresses.  Woolley effectively introduces you to both major protagonists, Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof and Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume, early in the plot and you soon get very invested in their different narrative threads.  There is the more humour laden narrative around Horntoof, as he learns the ropes of being a kaptin and starts his ambitious plans.  Woolley also provides a great early introduction to the more rigid von Hume, as she is drawn back into the Gulf of Gannemedes in response to Horntoof’s raids.  The author sets up some interesting early elements in this first part of the book, and there are some fun early contrasts between the two different storylines.

After this excellent introduction, Woolley cleverly leads both storylines towards an initial collision between the opposing protagonists, which results in a sudden reversal of fortunes that changes the entire status quo of the story and makes you see both protagonists in a very different light.  Horntoof’s narrative becomes a fun story of ork politics and betrayals, as he fights to maintain control of a new tool that could give him everything he wants.  Meanwhile the storyline around von Hume dissolves into a tale of mass tragedy and revenge, with the rogue trader focusing her wrath on Horntoof as the being responsible for her losing everything.  This leads to a powerful central part of the book, with the dark narrative around the now unstable von Hume, perfectly matched by the unsubtle machinations of the orks around Horntoof.  Woolley does an excellent job alternating between these two main threads, and I loved the contrast in humour and emotional depth that emerged.

Everything leads up to the final third of Da Freebooterz Code, which was the strongest part of the book.  Woolley provides some similar initial obstacles for both Horntoof and von Hume, as they are forced to overcome obstacles from treacherous or ambitious rivals of their own species.  However, their determination soon sees the two protagonists finally facing off against each other in a series of compelling and emotionally charged sequences.  I loved some of the twists and reveals that came out in this final part of the book, especially as you realise that Woolley had laid down some interesting early clues hinting at them.  The big confrontation was everything you could hope it would be with some even-handed action, alternating betrayals, and fantastic interactions between the main two characters.  The result of this confrontation was pretty perfect, especially with disappointments on both sides, and you really come away equally appreciating these very different protagonists.  Woolley also leads the main plot open for continuation, and I frankly would love to see the main story threads from Da Freebooterz Code continue, especially after all the hilarious, yet dramatic, build-up contained in this brilliant narrative.

I really loved how this story came together, as Woolley leans into the over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40,000 setting and pulls as much humour from it as possible.  Much of this is because at least half the book is focused around the always hilarious ork faction, and Woolley excels at showcasing the innate comedic charm of these seemingly unsophisticated alien brutes.  The character dynamics and dialogue between the various orks is so damn amusing, and their interactions with humans, who they really don’t understand, is just amazing.  The craziness of this faction is even further enhanced by the fact that all the ork characters are emulating classic pirate tropes, which essentially results in Da Freebooterz Code become a book about a backstabbing band of the dumbest pirates possible, constantly failing upwards.  There are also some clever pirate-themed jokes and puns thrown in as well, and I honestly had some laugh-out-load moments when I first heard them.  What makes this humour even better is the way in which Woolley writes the human perspective chapters in Da Freebooterz Code almost entirely dead serious, with the human characters forced to continuously deal with the brutal destruction left in the ork’s wake.  The alternating chapters contrasted off each other extremely effectively, with both the ork humour and the tragedy of the human characters enhanced when compared to the other.  Woolley also balances this well written, alternating character-driven comedy and drama with some amazing action sequences.  I especially enjoyed the multiple space battles between warring ships, especially when the orks go for some outrageous strategies, while the entertaining and excessively violent fight scenes aboard ship are always quite fun.

I felt that Da Freebooterz Code was a particularly awesome entry in the wider Warhammer 40,000 franchise that will appeal to a wide range of readers.  Pretty much anyone who loves an entertaining science fiction romp can dive into Da Freebooterz Code and fully appreciate the story, as it is very accessible to new readers unfamiliar with the franchise.  Indeed, Da Freebooterz Code would be a good starting point as it showcases both the over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, as well as the inevitable tragedy lying beneath the surface.  Established Warhammer fans will obviously get a little more out of Da Freebooterz Code than other readers, especially as Woolley dives into two unique sub-factions, rogue traders of the Imperium of Man, and freebooter ork pirates.  The author provides some compelling insights into both these sub-factions, especially that of the rogue traders, and it was fascinating to see the contrasting mindsets of both groups.  This was probably one of the more purely entertaining romps into the Warhammer 40,000 universe I have had the pleasure of exploring in recent years, and I would really recommend it to anyone looking to explore the franchise at any level.

The writing element of Da Freeboterz Code that turned it into one of the top Warhammer books of the year were the amazing character arcs that Woolley loaded into the story.  These character arcs produced some deeply complex storylines, and I really appreciated the range of fun or damaged figures that emerged.  Much of the book’s focus lies around the very entertaining ork Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof, a new freebooter kaptin attempting to make a name for himself.  Initially shown to be an inexperienced figure well out of his depth thanks to the machinations of his crew, Horntoof quickly proves to be a somewhat canny ork, using his ambition and imagination to increase his influence.  I loved how Horntoof evolved in his role, and his over-the-top plans and growing appreciation for a talented human rival allowed for some particularly entertaining moments.  Horntoof’s perspective chapters are well supplemented by several other fun ork characters, who seek to help or hinder him on his journey, including a mad mek and several amusing bridge crewmembers.  My favourite, though, is the ship’s second-in-command Blak Skad, a surprisingly clever ork who has realised the danger of being in command of a group of freebooterz.  Blak Skad spends much of the book attempting to manipulate Horntoof into commanding the ship the way he wants, and his complex relationship with his new kaptin results in several fantastic moments of tense hilarity.

While the ork characters were a lot of fun, the protagonist who was a surprising highlight of Da Freebooterz Code was the human rogue trader Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume.  A proud and experienced captain defined by her extensive family legacy, von Hume’s whole storyline revolves around her experiencing failure and defeat for the first time in her life.  Mentally unravelling and hearing the judgemental voices of her ancestors, von Hume descends into a dark spiral driven by her desire for revenge.  The focus on von Hume’s overwhelming obsession to destroy Horntoof, no matter the cost, was a brilliant dramatic foil to Da Freebooterz Code’s usual comedy, and I loved seeing her storyline get darker and darker.  Throw in several of von Hume’s loyal family/crewmembers, who get caught up in her dangerous story, and a corrupt space station governor who serves as a snivelling secondary antagonist and the human characters do a wonderful job stacking up in a book primarily focused on orks.

I ended up listening to Da Freebooterz Code on audiobook, which is easily the best format to enjoy any Warhammer novel.  Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks always do such a good job of bringing the craziness of the story and setting to life, and Da Freebooterz Code was a particularly impressive example of this, with the book’s fantastic humour and over-the-top elements being effectively showcased.  A lot of credit for this awesomeness goes to narrator Harry Myers, who, thanks to his great voice and British accent, perfectly portrays ork characters.  I have loved Myers’s portrayal of orks in previous audiobooks like Da Red Gobbo Collection, Warboss and Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks and Grotsnik Da Mad Dok by Denny Flowers, but his voice work in Da Freebooterz Code is some of his best.  Myers goes all out with the orks in Da Freebooterz Code, with some outrageous and original voices that completely fit Woolley’s narrative scenario.  The orks in Da Freebooterz Code, especially the main character, are given some over-the-top pirate-themed accents, that blend well with the loud booming ork tones Myers usually utilises.  This helps to make Da Freebooterz Code audiobook really stand out, and many of the jokes are so much funnier when read out by someone voicing a laddish alien pirate.  Myers’s human voices, in comparison, are a little more subdued, but this helps to showcase the differences between the professional human rogue trader and the ramshackle orks.  However, Myers does cut loose in some scenes where the human protagonist loses it, and the result is extremely powerful.  All this exceptional voice work makes for a brilliant audiobook listen, and I ended up powering through Da Freebooterz Code’s near 10-hour runtime extremely quickly.  Easily one of the best audiobooks from the first half of 2026, Da Freebooterz Code was a damn good listen, and I cannot recommend this format enough.

Justin Woolley shines in his second Warhammer 40,000 novel, Da Freebooterz Code, which once again combines hilarious ork characters with a dramatic human story to create an amazing story.  An incredible novel I couldn’t get stop listening to, Da Freebooterz Code was one of the best Warhammer novels of 2026 and you are guaranteed to have an incredible time reading it.

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The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Historical Fiction, LGBT+1 Comment

Publisher: Tor (Trade Paperback– 24 February 2026)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 535 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Cameron Sullivan delivers one of the best and most compelling debuts of 2026, with the historical fantasy epic, The Red Winter, a truly impressive read that you won’t be able to put down.

Plot Synopsis:

A devastating love story.
A bewitching twist on history.
A blood-drenched hunt for purpose, power, and redemption.

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake.

Sebastian knows the Beast. Twenty years ago, it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down. Now, he has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. With the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel – who takes payment in living hearts – Sebastian must return to Gévaudan for a final reckoning, while the Beast is poised to plunge the continent into war.

In this dark retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan, Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history. He lifts the veil on the hidden world behind our own and reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d’Arc and the first flickers of the French Revolution.

Wow, want an outstanding and incredible debut.  I must admit that when I first received The Red Winter, having very little prior knowledge of what it was about, I didn’t know what to expect.  Still, I decided to give it a chance, and found myself quickly enthralled by Cameron Sullivan’s brilliant storytelling, excellent humour, and use of multiple intriguing periods of French history.  One of the best books I have so far read in 2026, The Red Winter gets a full five-star rating from me, and I loved it so damn much.

I loved the unique and layered story that Sullivan came up with for The Red Winter, which thrust readers through several different periods of French history in a slightly alternate world filled with demons, angels and spiritual power.  Told primarily from the perspective of Professor Sebastian Grave, an immortal sorcerer with a demonic spirit bound to him, the book serves as a personal chronicle of several connected past adventures in France.  Starting with a storyline set in 1785, the book sees Professor Grave encounter Jacques Avenel d’Ocerne, the son of his former lover Antoine d’Ocerne, who requests Grave return with him to the Gévaudan region of France to fulfil a contract he holds with his father.  Setting off on this new journey, the reader soon starts following Grave’s previous adventure in Gévaudan in 1766, when Grave first encounters Antoine and finds himself drawn into the hunt for the infamous Beast of Gévaudan, a monster terrorising the area and killing many locals.  The story also features an interesting third storyline set out as an Addendum to the main narrative.  This Addendum takes place throughout the early 14th century and is also told in the form a chronicle, this one primarily written by Grave’s succubus servant Livia, who attempts to uncover a valuable artifact in war-torn France, dragging her employer into further danger and carnage.

Without giving too much away, Sullivan masterfully binds these storylines together, as he simultaneously follows the events of all three time periods.  Most of the focus is on the two 18th century storylines, with the consequences of Grave’s attempts to hunt the beast in 1766 coming back to bite him when the same monster returns in 1785, with even greater savagery.  At the same time, the Addendum narrative contains even more chaos, which sees Grave first unknowing encounter with the Beast, and establishes much of this creature’s history and motivations, as well as Grave’s long-time obsession with obtaining its power.

Each of these different plotlines provides the reader with something different, including a great tragic romance narrative in the 1766 adventures, covered over with dark unexplained events from real-life history.  This blends well with the more entertaining misadventures showcased in the Addendum, and the darker storyline in 1785, as Grave and other character are forced to relive all their past mistakes and uncover how the Beast survived.  I honestly grew quite attached to all three of the different plot threads, as each contains a brilliant and compelling narrative that stands on its own.  However, it’s the way that Sullivan weaves a larger, more complete narrative from them, that is the real highlight of The Red Winter, and which raised this entire book to a five-star epic.  Each storyline perfectly flows into the other, and learning revelations from one has great impacts on your understanding of the others.  Sullivan also captures the regret and anger of the protagonist (and other characters), in each progressive timeframe, and I loved seeing the true impacts of past decisions and bad decisions haunt people years down the line.  I really cannot emphasise just how impactful, addictive and well-put-together this incredible narrative was, and you are guaranteed to come away from it deeply entranced.

While the epic storyline of The Red Winter was very awesome in its own right, Sullivan’s moving writing style added an extra impressive kick to it that constantly kept the reader coming back for more.  I’ve already mentioned a few times the different time periods, separate narrative threads and even an alternate narrator, and these effective writing tools were each used to great effect.  However, I really need to emphasise the way that each of them had their own unique feeling of tragedy, anger and personal regrets, especially thanks to the different experiences of the protagonist, that ensured they all stood out.  The difference in tone between these three simultaneous plotlines produces a truly vibrant and emotionally charged novel, and I loved how each storyline got dark in their own way, while still having some moments of levity.

While there are some tonal differences, each plotline has some excellent and consistent humour behind it.  Much of this humour is driven by the interaction between Grave and his internal spirit, Sarmodel, as well as the selfish and cynical antics of Livia in the 14th century plotline.  Sullivan also makes great use of various entertaining footnotes, which not only provide further context for this fantasy version of the world, but also add some additional comedy outside the flow of the main story.  This humour blends well with the darker elements of The Red Winter, and the contrast and occasional lighter tone makes this book even easier to read and enjoy.  Indeed, Sullivan’s entire writing style in The Red Winter was very inviting and easy going at times, and I was quite impressed with how effortlessly he conveyed a lot of complicated bits of real-life history and his own personal lore to the reader.  There was never a part of The Red Winter that got bogged down in extensive occult discussion or deep dives into history, and Sullivan’s writing keeps the reader hooked all the way from start to finish.

One of the big highlights of The Red Winter for me was Sullivan’s clever use of French history, which also tied into a wider world of magic and religious truth that only the protagonist and his associates are aware of.  As with most successful urban fantasy series, Sullivan ensures that the setting of The Red Winter is very similar to the real-world in terms of history and society, but with hidden magic just beneath the surface and only visible to a few.  The author works these elements cleverly into the story, with the protagonist explaining to the reader the realities of magic and the divine, both in text and through the aforementioned footnotes.  These descriptions and explanations work into the main narrative well, and you soon understand the implications of what the protagonist is experiencing or doing, as well as the dark consequences of everything that he does.  While much of the magic in this book is more subtle than some other fantasy reads, it is still quite impactful, and its clever design and inclusion of battling angels, demons and other godlike beings really upped the stakes at times.

On top of the fantasy elements, Sullivan does an excellent job showcasing three different periods of French history, especially based around the Gévaudan region of France.  This includes the post-Hundred-Years War period in the 14th century, the early waning days of the French monarch in 1766, and the angry start of the French revolution around 1785.  Each of these are explored masterfully, and not only does this help to give each separate plotline its own unique identity, but Sullivan gives some interesting mystical or spiritual origin to some certain historical events.  However, the historical element I liked the most was the compelling dive into the mysterious occurrence of the Beast of Gévaudan.  A heavily documented series of creature attacks in Gévaudan in the 1760s, the story of the Beast of Gévaudan wasn’t something I was too familiar with before getting this book, but boy am I interested in it now.  While Sullivan does put his own spin on the origins of these events, he did capture much of the actual recorded history of the Beast of Gévaudan attacks, with several historical figures appearing as supporting characters.  I found this to be deeply fascinating, and it served as a very interesting centre to much of the story, primarily the near half of the book set in 1766.  I cannot emphasise just how fascinating Sullivan’s dive and use of this curious event was to the plot of The Red Winter, and I really must congratulate him for finding and using such a fitting piece of historical weirdness.

Finally, I need to mention some of the great characters featured throughout The Red Winter.  Sullivan utilises a rich cast, combining immortals and magical beings, with normal humans caught up in their crossfire.  The obvious focus is on main protagonist and point-of-view character Professor Sebastian Grave, a seemingly immortal being who has already lived for over a thousand years at this point in the story.  An entertaining figure, bowed by his experiences yet still retaining the ability to fall in love and make mistakes, Grave was an interesting conduit for the reader to explore this dark tale, and I loved his unique and often cynical take on events, often written with some unfortunate hindsight.  While you don’t get a lot of character development from Grave due to his immortal status, there is still some moving moments with this character, especially when more tragedy comes his way, and he is forced to deal with old mistakes and failings.  The way that Sullivan simultaneously showcases Grave’s passionate romance with Antoine in 1766, and the distain Antoine holds for him in 1785, added some great drama to the plot, and you really become intrigued by what led to these events.  This doomed romance and the history behind it drive much of Grave’s later story, and it was compelling to see how much regret he holds and how it continues to impact him.

Aside from Grave, there are several other great characters of note in The Red Winter, many of whom steal the show in their own way.  This includes the demonic spirit Sarmodel, a mysterious being that has lodged itself into Grave’s soul, giving him immortality and much of his power.  Thanks to their connection, which is nearly another romance, Sarmodel serves as a background voice to Grave’s actions.  I loved the constant bickering back and forth between Grave and Sarmodel (like a very old married couple), and it honestly added a lot of humour and internal discord to the novel.  Sarmodel’s needs also serve as a great motivator for this protagonist duo, with Sarmodel constantly driving Grave to find sources of life and magic to feed him, and it was interesting to see how that impacted their adventures.  The use of the d’Ocerne father and son duo was also an excellent character use in The Red Winter, primarily because of their relationships with Grave, but also because of how their separate mistakes and secrets impact each other and bring greater tragedy to the plot.  Throw in a disobedient succubus assistant, controlled by her own vices, various interesting historical luminaries and even the Archangel Michael who is working his own angle in events, and the cast of The Red Winter was impressive, and helped move the story in some awesome directions.

Thanks to his obvious talent, impressive ability and fantastic imagination, Cameron Sullivan’s debut novel, The Red Winter, was an exceptional read, and I honestly still can’t get over how much I loved it.  A particularly clever, moving and addictive novel, The Red Winter was an absolute pleasure to read, and I loved every single second I spent with it.  I honestly hope that Sullivan revisits his main characters again in the future, as there is so much potential for further adventures across history.  Until then, The Red Winter remains one of the most impressive recent debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and indeed it was one of the very best books I read in the first half of 2026.

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30Seven by Jeremy Robinson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Podium Audio (Audiobook – 20 January 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 11 hours and 51 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Jeremy Robinson presents one of the most awesome and unique science fiction reads of early 2026 with the impressive and over-the-top novel, 30Seven, a clever alien abduction novel with some daringly dark horror elements behind it.

Jeremy Robinson is an outstanding author who has a fantastic career writing clever, fun, and occasionally terrifying thrillers that often feature intriguing science fiction elements.  Best known for his Antarktos Saga, Chess Team and Nemesis Saga series, Robinson has written a staggering amount of fiction over the years, including additional cool series and standalone reads.  I got into Robinson’s work a few years ago when I read a few books from his addictive interconnected Infinite Timeline series, including Tribe, The Dark and Mind Bullet (the latter two of which were amongst my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have also started getting into Robinson’s standalone novels, including Point Nemo (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2024), and Artifact (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025). As such, I was very excited to read some more books from Robinson in 2026 novel, including the awesome sounding 30Seven, which was one of my most anticipated releases for the first half of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

Twenty-eight people are abducted from a lakeside beach-and a killer is among them-in this twisty UFO horror novel from the bestselling author of The Others.

After a year of torment following the loss of his wife, Isabella, to a serial killer with an artistic flair, Marcus Lockwood retreats with his son, Elias, to Moose Hollow-a secluded campground in backwoods Maine-in search of healing. There, a close-knit band of lifelong campers immerses them in a warm, nostalgic experience filled with fishing, canoeing, crackling barbecues, and a taste of normalcy.

When whispers of eerie UFO sightings ignite a vigil on the beach, Marcus and Elias eagerly join the hunt for the inexplicable. But when the sky erupts in otherworldly light, they’ll get much more than they bargained for. A mysterious craft descends, and in one surreal moment, the group is abducted and transported into the unknown. Amid the chaos and disorientation, a gut-wrenching discovery terrifies Marcus:

One of them is Isabella’s killer.

Jeremey Robinson hits it out of the park again with this outstanding standalone science fiction thriller.  30Seven was a complex and addictive novel, that cleverly twisted the classic narrative of alien abductions into a brutal and manic thriller.  A highly addictive novel I couldn’t get enough of, 30Seven gets a very easy five-star rating from me, especially as I’ve still got some of the reveals and revelations stuck in my head.

I loved the dark and very clever story that Robison featured in 30Seven, which I frankly think was one of the strongest the narratives that I have so far seen from this author.  A slick, character driven novel, the book quickly introduces you to the main point-of-view protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, a highly damaged figure who has journeyed to the remote Moose Hollow campgrounds with his son, Elias.  However, despite the serene setting, nothing is quite what it seems, especially with strange alien sightings and evidence that Marcus and Elias were lured to the camp by the serial killer responsible for destroying their family.  Robinson does an interesting job of setting up a lot of key elements in the first part of 30Seven, especially as you are introduced to the key cast of fellow campers, as well as some early information about potential alien encounters.

While this first part of the book moves quickly and effectively draws the reader in, Robinson makes sure to kick the narrative up a notch with the sudden abduction of the entire protagonist group by a UFO, a moment that changes 30Seven’s entire status quo.  Not only do the characters now have to deal with terror caused by interacting with telepathic aliens but the abduction awakens the serial killer, who begins a murderous reign of terror aboard the ship.  What follows is a horrifying jaunt as Marcus tries to find and protect his son amid disastrous alien first contact, while a deranged killer stalks around them, butchering and artistically posing multiple victims.

The entire second half of 30Seven is so damn good, and I loved just how dark things ended up getting, with so many gruesome horrors.  The clash of fascinating alien interactions against human insanity makes for an intense and fast-paced story, and you race towards the end eager to see who the killer is.  Everything leads up to a fantastic final confrontation, where all the author’s twists come to light.  While I saw part of the big reveal coming, the full extent of it was very impressive, and it makes you rethink everything that took place earlier in the novel.  Readers will come away very satisfied, if a little disturbed, and Robinson does an amazing job wrapping up the entire story and ensuring this was a tight and captivating read.

30Seven ended up being a spectacular novel, and I really enjoyed the unique feel that this book had.  Featuring an alien abduction narrative that devolves into a horror-laden slasher novel, Robinson perfectly emulating both genres to pull together an intense read.  The resulting story is unique, and Robinson expertly tells it through a primary first-person perspective which allows readers to have a front-row view of 30Seven’s crazy carnage.  I loved how the book got darker the further you went along, with Robinson moving the story further into the horror genre, especially when it comes to having the bodies displayed as artworks (a certain moving art exhibit was particularly disturbing).  This really ups the tension of the plot, and you are constantly on edge all the way through the final clever reveals.  Throw in some interesting thoughts about the potential for alien life, the influence they’ve had on humanity, as well as some interesting concerns about the rise of AI, and this ended up being a very clever and well-written novel.

Robinson always excels at creating likeable figures for his readers to follow, and 30Seven was no exception, featuring an interesting collection of major characters.  Unsurprisingly most of the focus goes to main protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, who serves as the novel’s primary point-of-view character.  A clever and relatable father, who has been severely traumatised by the recent murder of his wife, Marcus serves as a great heart to the story, especially as he encounters the horrors of Moose Hollow.  I felt that Robinson did a good job at painting Marcus as an excellent everyman hero, with some very understandable reaction to events going on around him.  In addition, the first-person perspective allows Robinson to really get stuck into Marcus’s trauma, allowing for an authentic and powerful look at a grieving father’s fear, attempts to protect his child, and establish a new connection.  All this allows for a fantastic emotional ride, which enhances 30Seven’s main narrative, while pushing the plot in some interesting directions.

In addition to Marcus, 30Seven features a great collection of supporting characters who help or develop the protagonist’s journey in some compelling manners.  Most of these supporting characters are fellow campers at Moose Hollow, whose connection to the camp and previous alien encounters provide some interesting side-plots and hints at what is to come.  I don’t want to go into too much detail about these supporting characters, especially as it could spoil who is and who isn’t the antagonistic serial killer.  However, I will say that each of these supporting characters are well utilised, even if they have an untimely and brutal death.

The one character I do want to go into a little more detail about is the serial killer antagonist of the story.  A sinister shadow for some of the early parts of the book, this serial killer awakens when the first alien abduction occurs, and you start seeing parts of the novel from their perspective.  These additional perspective shots are some of the best parts of 30Seven, primarily because the killer talks to an unseen watcher that also acts as a proxy for the reader themselves.  The resulting sarcastic commentary from the killer as he haunts the ship and the protagonists is so damn brilliant and adds a dark bit of humour to the story.  There are also some extremely clever moments as the killer seems to taunt the reader with his words, while also providing hints about who he really is.  The final reveal about the figure behind this narration is impressive, especially as it twists the hints around, while the killer mocks readers who guessed wrong (or even partially right).  I laughed so damn hard at some of the jokes Robinson loaded into the killer’s chapters (especially those that seem personally aimed at cynical readers like me), and these sections were some of my favourites in the book, especially when they attacked my preconceived notions of how the plot should unfold.  Honestly all the characters in 30Seven were great, and I really appreciated the amazing depth, complexity and humour they added to the plot.

As has been habit with all the previous Jeremy Robinson novels I have enjoyed, I ended up grabbing the audiobook version of 30Seven.  This format always works extremely well to enhance Robinson’s outstanding and crazy narratives, and 30Seven is no exception to this, as I quickly powered through its near 12-hour long runtime.  A lot of this is down to the exceptional narration of Scott Brick, who proves to be an interesting replacement to Robinson’s usual audiobook collaborator R. C. Bray.  Brick, whose work on the Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz and Cotton Malone by Steve Berry audiobooks I’ve previously enjoyed, is a very talented narrator who brings his substantial experience with voicing thriller novels to this complicated read in all the best ways.

Despite this being Brick’s first time narrating one of Robinson’s novels, I felt that Brick did an outstanding job adapting to the author’s style.  Not only does he have a little more energy in his voice when reading out the over-the-top science fiction action, but he also perfectly expresses Robinson’s excellent humour.  I also really liked the fantastic voices that Brick pulled together for the extended cast of 30Seven.  While a couple of voices were similar to tones Brick used in previous audiobooks, most of the cast sounds unique, and you’re able to easily distinguish between the characters.  I especially loved the old, wise voice he gives to Emmett, the camp caretaker, while the over-worldly voices of several alien characters were well done.  However, it is the sinister and delightfully malicious tone that Brick utilises in the various interludes where the serial killer is seemingly talking to the reader that was the true highlight of this audiobook’s narration.  The sarcastic and mocking voice that comes out here was just perfect, and I loved how it helped increase the threat this mysterious figure had.  All this results in an exceptional audiobook, which does an incredible job showcasing Robinson’s compelling story.

The brilliant and dark mind of Jeremy Robinson was once again on full display with his new novel, 30Seven.  A wonderfully twisted science fiction novel that sets a serial killer loose on a spaceship with dark results, 30Seven was an outstanding standalone novel I couldn’t get enough of.  Clever, shocking and highly addictive, 30Seven was an incredible novel and it was one of my top books so far this year.  I will definitely be reading more Robinson in 2026, and I cannot wait to try out either the recently released Parallax or the upcoming novel Settle Down when I get a chance.

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Warhammer 40,000: Hive by Dan Abnett

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

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 16 May 2026)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 24 hours and 25 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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The highly inventive and compelling Dan Abnett once again impresses with his latest addictive entry in the gritty Warhammer 40,000 universe, Hive, an exceptional novel that really puts the grim into grimdark fiction.

Dan Abnett is an author I have mentioned multiple times in this blog, primarily because he is one of the best and most prolific writers of Warhammer fiction.  Abnett’s impressive work is a pillar of the extended Warhammer 40,000 universe, especially with his entries in the Horus Heresy range, as well as his own various unique series, several of which are amongst some of my very favourite pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.  This includes his outstanding Eisenhorn novels (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), his long-running Gaunt’s Ghosts books (First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr), as well as gripping titles like Titanicus, Double Eagle, and Interceptor City.  Due to these exceptional books, Abnett has quickly become one of my favourite authors, and I was very excited when he recently announced and then released a brand-new Warhammer 40,000 novel.  This novel is the wonderfully lengthy Hive, a two-part novel released simultaneously, which comes together as a single complex tale of life and death in one of the infamous Warhammer 40,000 hive cities, vast metropolises burrowing into the ground and filled with billions of teaming humans.  I’m reviewing both Hive novels as one in this review, primarily because the audiobook format combined them, and it acted as one extended Warhammer 40,000 narrative.

In the hive city of Sacramentus, known simply as the Hive, toil, duty and austerity are the way of life, as its people work in the Hive’s oppressive darkness.  However, after years of war with the planet’s other major city, Sacramentus is entering a period of instability and change.  The planet’s governor, the Domne, has been deposed and executed by the Adeptus Arbites, and a new Domne has been named.  However, this new Domne is an off-planet administrator sent by the wider Imperium of Man to rule, and the Hive does not appreciate outsiders.

As preparations begin for the Domne’s coronation, unrest besets Sacramentus.  Many of the Hive’s citizens, from its lowest worker to its highest noble, speak of revolution and anarchy, while unusual murders and the destructive emergence of unstable psykers create their own havoc.  With the city on edge, many look to take advantage, with gangs, revolutionaries, terrorists and tired workers all determined to make their mark, no matter the cost.

Soon, protests and deadly riots are unleashed upon the Hive’s streets, and the city’s new ruler attempts to maintain control from the forces arrayed against her.  However, there is far more to this atmosphere of dissent and revolution than anyone realises.  A dark and dangerous threat lies just beneath the surface of the Hive, hidden and waiting to unleash its full wrath on everything it encounters.  Can the beleaguered citizens of Sacramentus pull together and fight the malevolent forces coming for it, or is the city’s precious light about to go out for good?

Well damn, that was a very impressive read.  Dan Abnett continues to showcase why he is one of the very best authors of Warhammer fiction, with the highly intricate and deeply addictive Hive.  A powerful and multilayered novel filled with a multitude of compelling character stories, Hive was one of Abnett’s most epic projects yet, with the author’s inventive flair and ability to craft large, unique worlds, perfectly showcased.  A particularly dark and intense novel that gets a very easy five-star rating, Hive is guaranteed to hook you all the way to the bitter end.

Abnett creates a very ambitious and intricate narrative for Hive, which takes the reader on a twisty and complex journey through the eyes of so many characters.  Starting off on an interesting note that helps to establish some aspects of the unique setting, Abnett quickly splits the story into multiple different character storylines.  Introducing a substantial number of different perspective characters in the early going of the book (with some of these scenes introducing other characters who would get their own perspective sections in the book later), you are soon embroiled in a series of different personal stories.  This mass of alternating storylines paints an elaborate picture of the main setting, with different people at the various levels of hive society all showcasing their separate opinions and grudges.  While this large array of characters and multiple distinctive storylines can be a little overwhelming at the start of Hive, Abnett is able to forge it into a comprehensive and addictive narrative very early on.  You are soon engrossed in several separate tales of revolution, revolt and secret activity, while other characters find themselves investigating mysterious events or occurrences.

I was enthralled with Hive’s narrative quite early on, especially as there were several different schemes for control or power happening simultaneously, with multiple complex characters being drawn into these plans at different levels.  Abnett painted a compelling picture of the city as a roiling powder keg at this point, with the authority characters largely unaware of the various plans being laid against them.  At around the halfway point of Hive, events kick off in a dramatic fashion, with Sacramentus engulfed in a chaotic riot as key characters start to enact their separate plans.  You soon have an interesting split of storylines between those involved in setting off the alternating riots, those investigating and trying to stop them, and those who are simply caught in the middle.  Abnett makes sure to drop some hints about certain hidden forces behind much of the unfolding disorder, although there are multiple clever red herrings and false leads that keep the reader guessing at what the true evil is for quite a while.  There are also some reductions in the number of character perspectives, with a couple of surprising deaths earlier than expected.  These sudden twisty ends are quite effective to the plot, and it helps to prepare the reader for just how grim and fatal things are going to get in the final stretch of the novel.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about how the final third of Hive unfolds, because it is better if you go into it blind.  I will say that things get very dark very quickly, and you will not be prepared for some of the shocking surprises.  Abnett does an excellent job blending several character perspectives together into combined story arcs as you near the end, although other character plotlines do remain nicely separated to tell their own story amongst the growing carnage.  The author also slowly but effectively starts revealing the true danger behind the events of the book, and there are some amazing and devastating moments when the inevitable truth about what is happening emerges.  People familiar with Warhammer 40,000 lore will probably be able to identify the main antagonists early, thanks to some hints from the author, although these readers will still be unready for how bad things get.  I liked how Abnett played up the deliberate ignorance normal members of this universe had regarding this threat, and the protagonists’ failure to recognise what’s around them deliciously adds to the gripping tension of the plot.  Everything leads up to a highly brutal conclusion, with a further narrowing of perspectives as you near the end.  I felt that the eventual ending for Hive was quite fitting and really helped to hammer home some of the key fundamental elements of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Most readers will come away from Hive shaken, and I may never forgive Abnett for how he toyed with my emotions in this novel.

Abnett has always been one of my favourite authors of Warhammer fiction, and Hive was a particularly impressive example of his writing style, especially as it is essentially a scaled-up version of one of his multiple-character novels like Titanicus or Double Eagle.  A dark and atmospheric novel that makes full use of its epic city setting (and I do mean epic), Hive came together exceedingly well, as Abnett provides the perfect balance of excitement, intrigue and character growth.  Once again making excellent use of multiple personal stories, Abnett is easily sets up multiple characters and independent storylines, while also telling a cohesive and powerful overall narrative.  While a lot of perspective characters are introduced in very short order at the start of the novel, these multiple storylines all prove to be quite engrossing, and you really get invested in all the hard-hitting and personal tales.  There is a certain amount of tragedy and dark inevitability to many of these storylines, and I enjoyed the even grimmer theme that Hive had, especially towards the end.  The compelling range of different story elements, including focuses on politics, crime, unlikely romance and personal crusades, allowed for quite a varied tale, although as this is a Warhammer book, everything eventually devolves into dark action.  The build-up to the more intense parts of the novel was also extremely well-done, and by the time things kick off, you are ready to see the full chaotic events unfold.  The growing sense of tension and dread that Abnett was able to install in the book was just insane, especially in the second half of the book, and I honestly was on the edge of my seat at so many points in this incredible novel.

Probably the most impressive part of Hive was the incredibly detailed and elaborate city setting that Abnett created.  The hive city of Sacramentus is a mind-boggling enormous setting that the author quicky and effectively introduces through the eyes of multiple characters.  You soon have a great idea of the various zones and levels of the city, including its seat of government, its outer layers where herds of domesticated animals roam, a lower level where mushrooms are harvested, large gang-controlled sectors, and various levels of factories and mines, including the infamous Neg, where disgruntled workers and guilds argue about the state of the city.  While these locations all serve as excellent and detailed backgrounds to the plot, the thing that really impressed me was the joint culture and society that the introduced for the entire city.  There is a shared sense of self and civic identity that all the characters had within Hive, and you are soon introduced to their ideas of the city being the entire world, and anything outside is effectively alien.  This mindset and the history behind it become a key part of Hive’s plot, as it serves as motivation for some figures, while other storylines require outsider characters to understand and overcome the differences.

Abnett further enhanced the uniqueness of the city’s culture by having all the Sacramentus-born characters consistently use distinctive terms, forms of address and slang in all their conversations.  This seemingly simple yet highly effective use of language further enhanced the isolated and unique position that Sacramentus held within the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe, while also helping to draw me even more into the plot.  Be warned that this does make comprehension of certain early conversations a little difficult, although readers are easily able to follow along thanks to context clues and some explanations given to outsider characters.  However, I think that feelings of uniqueness and civic continuance this gave the plot more than makes up for any initial confusion the reader might have.  I know it’s a bit cliché to say, but elements like this helps to the whole of Sacramentus feel like its own distinctive character within Hive, and you really get invested in the fate of the city and its entire population.  Abnett clearly put so much work into developing this vast urban setting, and the joy readers have exploring it, as well as the impact its complexity and distinctiveness has on the overall story, cannot be emphasised enough.

In addition to having its own fantastic setting, Hive serves as an awesome inclusion in the Warhammer franchise.  While seemingly separate, the author quickly establishes that Sacramentus is part of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with clever inclusions about technology, culture and certain other outside elements.  Despite this, Abnett makes It very clear just how insulated the enclosed city is from the rest of the Imperium of Man.  Certain intruding elements, such as the Adeptus Arbites and the new ruler, are greatly resented and mistrusted as a result, and it was intriguing to see well established lore elements like the Arbites and other official Imperium organisations trying to operate in the city, especially as it added drama and difficulties to the plot.

However, it was way that Abnett worked the ignorance and lack of understanding about the wider universe into the plot of Hive that was the author’s masterstroke.  Due to Sacramentus’s isolation, and the habit of the Imperium authorities to limit information about potential threats to its citizens, even planetary governors who are unlikely to encounter them, the protagonists of Hive are painfully slow at recognising the threats coming for them, which causes even more problems in the long run.  Anyone with basic knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe will be incredibly frustrated at characters’ inability to pick up on certain clues, which perfectly adds to the book’s tension.  As such, Hive becomes an impactful read for established fans of the franchise, many of whom will be yelling at these characters multiple times in the book about what they are truly facing (I know I did).  However, thanks to Abnett’s writing style, and the isolated and unique setting, Hive also works well as an introductory book to readers interested in checking out the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Indeed, Hive is perfect for those readers who want to see just how dark and complex a novel in this franchise can be, and you will become a huge fan of the author and Warhammer in general after reading Hive.

Another major highlight of Hive is the amazing array of great characters that Abnett loaded into his book as he once again attempts to showcase the human side of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Abnett has always excelled at bringing multiple perspective characters to life within his novels, and Hive is the biggest example of this.  The sheer number of point-of-view protagonists in this book is very impressive, if a little overwhelming at times.  However, Abnett always excels at bringing the reader back to these characters with little effort, and you are soon caught up in their individual storylines.  Each of these character-driven narratives is extremely well established, and you quickly get all the relevant details of these characters and their motivations.  Most of their storylines are nicely self-contained and come together into full narrative threads, and there are some excellent developments as the characters rise to the occasion.  However, readers are advised not to get too attached to any character, as Abnett was brutal when it came to removing certain key characters at surprising moments.

Character highlights for me in Hive include the new ruler of the planet, who finds her attempts to rule the unfamiliar city sabotaged at every level, while her loyal and likeable staff attempt to keep her alive.  There was also an excellent mismatched buddy cop storyline set up between a local detective and off-world member of the elite Adeptus Arbites, who attempt to uncover secrets at the lowest level of Sacramentus with their different approaches and backgrounds. There were also several revolutionary characters with differing motivations, including members of the manipulated masses, infiltrators from outside the city, and gangsters with designs for power, each of whom have their own clever narrative threads in the book.  I liked how the reader felt a sympathy for most of these revolutionaries, considering the typical circumstances of life in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and there is a level of tragedy to their stories.

Abnett also adds an excellent and heartfelt love story into the mix, with two young women from different levels of the city’s society meeting early and spending much of the book exploring their relationship amongst the turmoil engulfing the city.  This unlikely romance added a certain level of extra tension and tragedy to Hive, and you spend much of the book rooting for the mismatched pair.  Finally, there was a great narrative around multiple retired members of an army regiment, who, after a reunion at the start of Hive, find themselves scattered across the city encountering different levels of the crisis.  Not only did this allow some additional connection within the plot, as each of these characters tried to stay in contact with each other, but there were some great storylines about trauma and comradery thrown into their perspective chapters, as they encountered new horrors while dealing with the ghosts of their last war.  I’m honestly only scratching the surface of Hive’s awesome characters here, as Abnett dreamed up a wonderfully complex cast whose alternating personal tales added some excellent additional drama and tragedy to the already outstanding narrative.

As with most Warhammer novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading, I ended up enjoying Hive on audiobook.  The Warhammer audiobooks are always such good fun, as they enhance the over-the-top elements of the books and universe in all the best ways, and the crazy characters, awesome action and intense themes always come out so clearly.  The audiobook for Hive was particularly good, as it allowed you to really immerse yourself in Abnett’s outstanding setting, and enjoy the fantastic figures featured throughout.  Coming in with a runtime of over 24 hours, this is one of the longest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks I have ever listened to, although most listeners are guaranteed to power through to see how everything ends.  I did think that some of the early confusion about the identity of the multiple recurring characters is enhanced in this format, as the audiobook limits a reader’s ability to go back and remind yourself who a new character is and where you’ve previously seen them.  However, I felt that this was only a minor problem, especially as the audiobook quickly moves you around the characters and you can distinguish their unique story arcs quite easily.

One of the major reasons the Hive audiobook works is due to the narration of the legendary Toby Longworth.  Longworth (one of my favourite audiobook narrators), has long been associated with Abnett’s novels, having lent his voice to nearly all the author’s Warhammer entries.  As such, Longworth is probably the narrator that best understand Abnett’s style, and does an exceptional job presenting the book’s ideas, setting and characters with his voice work.  Not only is Longworth’s base narration voice quite epic and provides some extra gravitas to proceedings, but he also does an amazing job voicing the various characters.  All the extensive cast are given voices that fit their personalities, vocations and origins, including accents for the various off-world characters, which allows the listener to distinguish easily between all the key protagonists.  Combine this with some excellent sound effects to reflect voices coming through communication devices or projectors, and the entire listening experience of Hive is just exceptional, and I honestly couldn’t turn this audiobook off at times.  As such, this format is very heavily recommended, and it is one of the top audiobooks I have listened to this year.

Dan Abnett continues to showcase just how powerful, complex and heartbreaking stories in the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be with the exceptional Hive.  Featuring a captivating, character-driven plot set in a unique and highly detailed setting, Hive was a deeply compelling read from the very beginning.  Loaded with intrigue, surprises and inevitable carnage, Hive was Abnett at his very best, and this is already one of my absolute favourite books of 2026.

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Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Throwback ThursdayLeave a comment

Publisher: Gollancz/Penguin Random (Audiobook – 6 June 1996)

Series: Discworld – Book 19/City Watch – Book Three

Length: 12 hours and 20 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Even after many, many re-reads, the awesome fantasy satire novel Feet of Clay remains one of my favourite Discworld novels by the late, great Terry Pratchett, with its intricate crime fiction narrative, compelling characters, and even a cool new audiobook version.

I’ve done a lot of Discworld re-reading recently as I have been checking out several of the best books in the series on their new audiobook formats, which featured cool new narrators.  This new format has proven particularly awesome for books like Mort, Pyramids, Moving Pictures and Small Gods, as well as for entries in my favourite Discworld subseries, the City Watch books.

While I have a lot of love for all the books in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, my absolute favourites come from the City Watch subseries.  Following the unlikely members of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, a rag-tag team of guards who go from losers to an effective police force, the City Watch books features an exceptional combination of fantasy and crime fiction elements, wrapped up in Pratchett’s usual satirical humour.  The first two books in this series, Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms are quite exceptional, and it was a very easy decision to also check out the epic third novel in the series, Feet of Clay.

After several unlikely but successful investigations, things are looking up for the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.  No longer a home for the dregs of society, the City Watch is now a respected crime-fighting unit.  Led by Commander Sam Vimes, the Watch’s enthusiastic, if unusual, members are determined to bring some law and order to the city of Ankh-Morpork, whether it wants it or not.

However, even with their new resources and members, the Watch find themselves troubled by a series of brutal murders occurring throughout the city.  All the victims were bludgeoned to death, but there is no evidence of anyone alive, or undead, having been at the crime scene.  At the same time, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork has been poisoned by unknown methods and is only barely clinging to life.  If the Patrician dies, sanity in the city will be the next to fall.

To solve both cases, Vimes and his watchmen will need to investigate an overlooked underclass in the city, the golems, whose ancient secrets and desires may lie at the heart of the killings.  But with desperate conspiracies, unlikely noble heirs and a new deranged king coming to light, can the City Watch uncover the figures pulling the strings in the darkness of Ankh-Morpork before it’s too late?

Wow, how is this book still so damn good?  Feet of Clay was another outstanding read from Terry Pratchett, who once again deeply impresses with his exceptional writing, unmatched humour, and deeply relatable characters.  This third City Watch book is probably some of Pratchett’s very best work, and it gets an extremely easy five-star rating from me.

I absolutely love the great narrative that Pratchett came up with for Feet of Clay, which I personally thinks has one of the author’s best crime fiction narratives behind it, as the complex characters humorously manoeuvre around the gritty streets of Ankh-Morpork.  This book features a fun start that perfectly sets the scene for several of the key characters, including protagonist Sam Vimes’s daily routine of assassins and high society.  You are also quickly thrust into the Watch’s new case involving two elderly academics bludgeoned to death.  These initial investigations, as well as some other great sequences, set the scene for much of the rest of the book, with the narrative becoming even more hectic when Vimes discovers that the Patrician has been poisoned by unknown conspirators.

Afte the initial set-up, the rest of the story flows by extremely fast, with several character-driven storylines that flow together perfectly.  The primary focus is on the two seemingly separate investigations into the murders and the poisonings, with Captain Carrot and Vimes taking control of each case.  Both these major storylines go in some very interesting directions, with Vimes desperately trying to work out how the poisonings happened, while Carrot and Angua begin investigating the city’s golems, one of whom seems responsible for the murders.  At the same time, Pratchett also provides some fantastic character-based storylines around several of the supporting Watch characters. This includes the unusual proclivities of the Watch’s new dwarf officer Corporal Cheery Littlebottom, Corporal Nobby Nobbs’s unbelievable reveal as a potential noble, one golem’s journey towards self-determination, and Angua’s continued feelings of alienation at being a werewolf.

All these storylines cross over perfectly in the final third of Feet of Clay, as the protagonists finally put together the subtle clues for the main two cases.  While the reveal about who or what is behind the murders is fantastic in its own way, I must highlight the extremely well-hidden poisoning method that Pratchett devised for this plot, which is just so damn devious and cleverly set-up by the author.  This leads to an excellent, action-focused collection of sequences that eventually pull together into an intense confrontation.

Pratchett wraps this up perfectly, with some amazing final reveals about who was ultimately pulling all the strings.  While the mastermind of the conspiracy isn’t too surprising (especially if you listen to one of the audiobook versions), the way that Vimes works out their identity is so much fun thanks to some ironically hidden clues, and I love the big reveal scene between Vimes and the main antagonist.  Pratchett also wraps up the remaining storylines perfectly, providing some great final touches to each of the characters’ respective arcs, and ensuring that the readers come away extremely satisfied.  I honestly cannot emphasise enough just how addictive and clever this narrative was, and every single aspect of this plot was perfectly set up and utilised by Pratchett as he wove his fantasy, crime fiction magic.

I’ve always felt that Feet of Clay was one of Pratchett’s best-written novels, as he manages to expertly balance a range of competing storylines inside this highly entertaining, hybrid novel.  As with all his City Watch books, the way that Pratchett manages to blend fantasy and crime fiction elements with his usual brilliant humour is just incredible, and I love how well this mixture of elements works to tell an effective narrative.  I must particularly commend the great mystery in Feet of Clay, which is just so damn intricate with all its clues and mixture of compelling character storylines.  Feet of Clay easily has some of Pratchett’s best mystery writing in its plot, and there is an outstanding amount of complexity built into both cases, with the truly elaborate poisoning arc being a particular highlight.  The sheer amount of cleverly crafted and often humorous clues that the author scatters throughout the book is so damn awesome, and it is so much fun to pull them all together.

The book’s outstanding crime fiction elements are perfectly enhanced by the background fantasy elements of the setting, with the protagonists forced to investigate the crimes in the context of a chaotic city populated with different species.  Compared to previous books, the investigation in Feet of Clay is much more like a modern police procedural, with classic forensic concepts enhanced with fantasy elements like scent tracking done by a werewolf and crime scene photos drawn by imps.  The protagonists also need to deal with various fantasy creatures, such as golems, vampires, dwarfs and a very angry gnome, and understanding their motivations becomes a key part of the plot.  Pratchett also uses these fantasy elements to address and lightly satirise contemporary social trends.  For example, one dwarf’s attempt to find herself leads to a complex, nuanced and thought-provoking discussion on gender identity, which can still be readily applied to modern discourses on transgendered rights and modern gender norms.  Another storyline focusing on golems gaining free will is also highly relevant, especially when you consider artificial intelligence.  Throw in the general chaos and disorder of the city, which results in additional fun conflicts and incidents (Vimes’s one-sided battle against the Assassins Guild is particularly amusing), as well as a focus on the changes that have occurred to Ankh-Morpork thanks to the actions of the Patrician and the Watch, and you really have to appreciate just how fell the inherent fantasy elements of Feet of Clay enhances the plot.

While both the mystery and fantasy elements of Feet of Clay are very compelling, what really turns this into a five-star read is the clever humour that Pratchett adds to his books.  There are various layers to the humour in this novel, although much of it lies in classic fantasy or murder mystery scenarios going in particularly absurd directions, or being artfully dissected by self-aware protagonists who find the situation and its real-world historical precedent very absurd.  There are also the brilliant footnotes that seek to enhance the story and showcase just how ridiculous the Discworld is by providing additional details about the universe and the people within it.  Finally, you have humour driven by the outrageous characters scattered throughout the plot, with ultra-sarcastic figures rubbing shoulders with entertaining parodies of terrible people.  The more direct humour drawn from the storylines of several of these characters, such as Corporal Nobbs’s foray into the upper class, and Sergeant Colon unfortunate agricultural experiences, blends well with the rest of the complex novel, and ensures that there are entertaining moments, no matter where in Feet in Clay you are.

This great combination of humour, fantasy elements and a crime fiction narrative helps to make Feet of Clay one of the more appealing novels in all the Discworld series, and so many different readers will end up getting a lot out of it.  As such, Feet of Clay works incredibly well as a standalone novel, with new readers easily able to enjoy this book without any prior knowledge of the Discworld or previous City Watch books, especially as Pratchett covers any relevant history or characters quite effectively.  However, I do feel that to get the best experience with Feet of Clay, readers would benefit from checking out Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms first.  The continuing storylines, history of the city and character arcs all come into play extremely well in Feet of Clay and you get a much more complete experience viewing all City Watch novels in order.

As with all of Pratchett’s novels, one of the real joys of Feet of Clay is the complex and comedic characters the author weaved such incredible, entertaining, and often extremely heartwarming tales around.  Featuring a great combination of the well-established cast of the previous City Watch books, as well as a couple of awesome new figures, Pratchett did an exceptional job diving into the cast of his novel and the resulting depth to their characters was so damn impressive.

At the centre of Feet of Clay lies main character Commander Samuel Vimes, the recently ennobled and married commander of the City Watch.  Transformed from a drunken and hated figure to the leader of a respected police organisation, Vimes has been forced to up his game, especially as he now finds himself being targeted by the elites of the city which he does with some comedic vigour.  Feet of Clay is probably the book where Pratchett twists the focus of the City Watch fully towards Vimes.  The definite centre of the plot, Pratchett really dives into Vimes’s obsessive nature, his simmering anger at the upper classes, and his determination to bring justice to everyone equally.  Vimes dogged, yet cynical, approach to investigation and crime solving comes face to face with a particularly dastardly plot in Feet of Clay, and there are some wonderful sequences as he tries to puzzle out the poisoning.  Pratchett also provides some extra detail about Vimes’ poor upbringing and the history of his family, which really showcases his motivations to a great degree.  All this allows for a much more complicated figure then we saw in previous books, and it was an interesting change of pace for this central character that Pratchett would expand on in later books.

In addition to Vimes, there are some interesting focuses on Captain Carrot and Constable Angua, who led the investigation into the murders in the city, and Pratchett wraps some compelling elements around them.  Carrot remains the charismatic and skilled leader of men for much of the story, with a continued focus on his love for the city and ability to charm anyone he encounters.  However, Pratchett does attempt to break his seemingly perfect facade in this novel by having him struggle to come to terms with Cheery Littlebottom’s identity issues.  The author also continues to shift away from Carrot as a perspective character, instead allowing his many appearances to be mainly told from the view of other, more cynical members of the cast.  This gives his actions and motivations a little more mystery and allows the reader to wonder just how perfect he really is.  For Feet of Clay, most of this narration was done by Angua, the Watch’s werewolf officer and Carrot’s love interest.  Angua proves to be a very practical and sarcastic personality foil to the upbeat Carrot, which helps to humanise both to a degree.  Pratchett also adds in a compelling underlying storyline of Angua struggling with how others perceive her as a werewolf, and her certainty that her relationship with Carrot can’t last.

While Carrot and Angua represent the more serious side of the Watch, Pratchett continues to have fun by focusing on the always amusing and comedic duo of Sergeant Fred Colon and Corporal Nobby Nobbs.  Their narrative in Feet of Clay is particularly good, especially for Nobby, who finds himself elevated to nobility status when it is discovered he is the long-lost descendant of the Earl of Ankh.  Suddenly forced to hobnob with other nobs, Nobby has some fantastic reactions and interactions, especially going from despair at being a penniless noble, to trying to fit in with the city’s elite.  While this seems like a mostly comedic storyline to undercut the tension of Feet of Clay’s serious crimes it fits into the main narrative in some clever ways, although Nobby’s reaction when he finds this out is so damn funny and perfectly reflects his own mentality and his knowledge of Vimes’ reactions.

Sergeant Colon, on the other hand, is somewhat less used in Feet of Clay, although Pratchett has fun satirising the ‘policeman three days away from retirement’ trope through him.  Keen to get out of the Watch because his wife wants him to buy a farm (another subtle and fun joke from Pratchett), Colon inevitably runs into insane trouble in the second half of the book, and it was fun to see the craziness of the other storylines literally stampede over him.  I have loved these two characters since their first appearance in Guards! Guards! and this is one of their funniest books (although their next appearance in Jingo is also peak comedy).

While these recurring characters are awesome, special mention needs to go to the new members of the Watch that Pratchett introduces in Feet of Clay, who have major impacts on the plot.  The most significant of this is the new dwarf forensic officer, Corporal Cheery Littlebottom (a very traditional dwarf name).  Cheery serves as a compelling outsider figure, with Pratchett moving her across both investigations.  However, it’s her characterisation as a female dwarf who wants to acknowledge her gender rather than act like a male dwarf, as is tradition, that really sets Cheery up as a standout character.  Naturally working in aspects of identity and overcoming established mindsets are a big part of Cheery’s character, and it was wonderful to see her gain confidence and skill as a Watch officer.  Pratchett did such an excellent job of handling these complex cultural elements through Cheery, and it’s amazing how significant Cheery’s actions are in the larger Discworld narrative, as well as how relevant they are today.

Other characters I need to mention as I finally wrap up this section include the mysterious golem Dorfl.  A voiceless and dutiful figure that is part of the city’s exploited golem underclass, Dorfl has a compelling connection to the murders in Feet of Clay and serves as an unlikely witness and suspect.  Pratchett writes a particularly compelling motivation around Dorfl’s actions in this novel, which cleverly ties into discussion about self-determination and artificial intelligence.  I also had a lot of fun with Dorfl’s later scenes, especially as he becomes the city’s most unexpected and dramatic revolutionary.  Other highlights for me include Lord Vetinari, who takes his role as a poison victim with his usual special interest.  Throw in an ancient vampire with a love of terrible puns, an extremely angry gnome, and other compelling characters dragged into the narrative’s web, and the cast of Feet of Clay was one of Pratchett’s strongest, especially with all the emotional impact they add to the plot.

As with all the other Discworld novels I have reviewed, I have enjoyed Feet of Clay on various formats over the years, but my favourite is once again its audiobook version.  The various audiobook releases are always the absolute best ways to enjoy a Discworld novel, and the fantastic humour, compelling characters and entertaining locations that Pratchett comes up with, always come across in impressive fashion when read out.  This is especially true for Feet of Clay, which, like many of the series, has had several different audiobook versions over the years.  This includes the classic version released back in 1997, featuring narration by one of my favourite audiobook narrators, the legendary Nigel Planer.  I have raved about Planer in several previous reviews, including for Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms, and few narrators can capture Pratchett’s style and comedic charm with their voices like Planer did.  His work narrating Feet of Clay was particularly impressive, especially with his portrayal of all the cool characters, including an over-the-top vampire, the new dwarf member of the watch, and more.  The Planer narration of this novel is probably the definitive Feet of Clay audiobook, and I have been in love with this version since I was a child.

I also need to highlight the new audiobook released a couple of years ago.  Featuring the very impressive cast of Jon Culshaw, Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy, this more recent Feet of Clay release was also very exceptional, building off the great work these three narrators did with their Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms audiobooks.  Coming in with a runtime of 12 hours and 20 minutes, this Feet of Clay audiobook is a bit longer than the Planer release (which had a runtime of 9 hours and 38 minutes), although listeners are still in for an exceptional time.  Much of this is down to British radio and television personality Jon Culshaw, who once again made this audiobook his own with his take on the story and his characters.  His gritty and entertaining voices for the cast are very fitting, and like Planer, he excels at showcasing their complicated personalities, as well as the overall humour of the book.  I am once again very impressed with just how excellent Culshaw was for the City Watch books, and he is my favourite narrator from these new Discworld audiobooks.

As with all books in this new collection of Discworld audiobook’s, Culshaw’s main narration was perfectly backed up by recuring voices of Bill Nighy and Peter Serafinowicz.  These performances were once again perfect, and I especially loved Nighy’s excellent work with the vital, comedic footnotes. Serafinowicz’s role in Feet of Clay is also very fun, as he brings the fan-favourite character of Death to life.  While Death only has a few scenes in Feet of Clay, Serafinowicz makes the most of his appearances, and hearing the actor’s deep Death voice suddenly appear amongst the general narration really increases the impact of the character.  Both Bill Nighy and Peter Serafinowicz’s inclusions were extremely fun, and I felt that they were combined with Culshaw’s main narration in a very impressive way.  These three brilliant British talents ensured that the new version of Feet of Clay was particularly impressive and while my heart will always belong to the original audiobook with Nigel Planer, this new multi-cast audiobook will likely inspire a new generation of Discworld fans.

With an incredible and winning combination of charm, mystery and comedic brilliance, Feet of Clay was another exceptional and classic read in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.  Providing an ultra-addictive story that also perfectly adds in some great new characters, Feet of Clay is one of the very best Discworld books, and one of my personal favourites.  An exceptional read I will recommend until the day I die!

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The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday1 Comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Trade Paperback – 16 March 2021)

Series: Blacktongue series – Book One

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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Prepare for brutal action and adventure in the highly acclaimed fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief, a modern classic from a fast-rising author of fantasy fiction.

Several years ago, I made note of an intriguing upcoming fantasy novel that had caught my attention, The Blacktongue Thief.  Written by Christopher Buehlman, an established fantasy and horror writer who I wasn’t familiar with, The Blacktongue Thief had an awesome and intriguing plot behind it, and I was determined to read it when it came out in 2021.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints I never got the chance to read it when it first came out.  However, for the next several years all I heard from fellow fantasy fans was just how good The Blacktongue Thief and its prequel The Daughter’s War was.  Despite this constant praise, which felt a little judgemental towards me, I kept failing to read The Blacktongue Thief, although I was lucky enough to find a good secondhand copy of it last year.  With the sequel to The Blacktongue Thief announced for late 2026, I finally decided to take the plunge with this book earlier this year, and boy was I happy, if unsurprised, with how much fun I had with it.

Plot Synopsis:

Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.

But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.

Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva’s. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.

Whelp, it turns out that I made a big mistake not reading The Blacktongue Thief sooner.  Featuring a powerful and dark take on the classic fantasy quest, The Blacktongue Thief was a compelling character-driven journey into an elaborate and war-riven fantasy world that effortlessly grabs your attention and refuses to let go.  An utterly addictive read from Buehlman that gets a full five-star rating from me.

Buehlman hits the ground running hard with The Blacktongue Thief, quickly introducing you to witty and likeable rogue, Kinch Na Shannack, the book’s protagonist and point-of-view character, as he engages in a little light banditry in the forest.  However, things quickly get out of hand for the protagonist as he fails to rob travelling knight and goblin wars veteran Galva in dramatic fashion.  However, there is far more to Galva than expected, as Kinch finds himself tasked by his employers, the powerful Takers Guild of thieves to follow Galva on her quest to the remote, giant-ravished nation of Oustrim, where she seeks to find her lost friend and queen.  Manoeuvring his way into Galva’s travel plans, Kinch soon becomes attached to his new friend, while the Takers Guild continue to control his actions.  I liked how effectively Buehlman set up his narrative in the early pages of The Blacktongue Thief, as there is a lot of early hints and starting storylines that play out as the novel continues.  The author also lays out some interesting details about the larger fantasy world, including much of its recent troubles and wars, which effectively draws you in alongside the compelling central narrative.

After this intriguing start, Buehlman gets into the story proper, as The Blacktongue Thief takes on many characteristics of a classic fantasy adventure story, with the protagonists travelling from one end of the continent to another.  Picking up some interesting new companions, as well as hints of some of the shadowy motivations around the various players of the plot, Buehlman starts loading in the action, with several entertaining and bloody sequences.  I personally loved the extended run with the protagonists travelling on a piratical whaling ship that takes up much of the centre of The Blacktongue Thief, especially as Buehlman litters this part of the book with feuds, monster fighting, multiple skirmishes and other nautical misadventures.  There are some great moments here, and the author shows the reader what type of book The Blacktongue Thief is with plenty of brutal deaths and sudden changes of fortune.  While much of this part of the book is focused on adventure and modern carnage, Buehlman also makes sure to continue providing intriguing dives into additional details of the setting, as well as some compelling character histories, much of which comes into play as the book continues.

After several dark encounters, tragedies and compelling dangers, the book enters its final third, which proves to be particularly compelling.  Set in the giant-stalked ruins of Oustrim, this final part of The Blacktongue Thief is particularly intense, and you are constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop amongst the dangerous exploration, encounters and sudden sharp conflict.  Buehlman cleverly drops some big revelations as you get towards the end of the book, with developments that change your entire perspective of events.  It also leads to a final series of deadly confrontations, which proves to be quite shocking in places, even after the book’s various prior tragedies.  Buehlman keeps you guessing about what will happen next right to the very end, especially with a final mind-blowing twist about a supporting character.  I loved the intriguing note that Buehlman leaves The Blacktongue Thief on, especially as it sets up its potential sequel which will no-doubt expand on several loose ends from this cool book.  All this is quite addictive, and I honestly got so hooked on all the crazy adventures that the author loaded into this novel.

I really enjoyed how The Blacktongue Thief came together, especially as Buehlman provides a dark take on the classic quest narrative.  Bringing the reader into a beat-up fantasy world, The Blacktongue Thief has a very readable and edgy style that effectively draws you in from the start.  It really doesn’t take you long to get stuck into the book thanks to the great combination of entertaining humour, distinctive worldbuilding and intense action, all of which blends in an excellent and intense manner.  Much of this humour is driven from the amusing antics of The Blacktongue Thief’s protagonist, and the combination of other unique personalities adds a lot to the overall adventure aspect of the plot.  The intrigue, mistrust and hidden motivations increase the tension of the plot nicely, with old mistakes and dark histories perfectly inserted into the main plot by Buehlman.  I deeply enjoyed the multiple awesome action set-pieces that the author throws into The Blacktongue Thief, with so many intense moments of well-choreographed and described combat weaved into the plot.  There is an amazing amount of brutality thrown into the book, which the darker nature of the universe and the desperate plot extremely well, and I was glad that Buehlman didn’t hold back any punches.  I also really enjoyed how there were no slow or quiet moments in The Blacktongue Thief, with the reader constantly moving forward, much like the protagonists.

For me one of the big highlights that put The Blacktongue Thief on another level was the complex and grim fantasy world the story takes place in.  While there are many classic fantasy elements within this book, Buehlman sets it apart with some very intriguing details.  In particular, the book is set in the aftermath of a brutal war between the various human nations and an invading army of goblins.  As such, there is a battered feel to the setting, with the remaining humans wary and militant, and distrust and change in the air.  I loved how well Buehlman captured the desperation and despair of the inhabitants of the realm, as they attempt to survive in the post-war period, and it adds an even darker edge to the already brutal proceedings.  The clever inclusion of several consequences of the war, such as the loss of all the horses in the world thanks to a goblin-wrought disease, and the necessity of woman to be called up to fight in the last war, further enhances the uniqueness of The Blacktongue Thief, and it was really cool how it impacted the current journey and the protagonist’s pasts.  I also quite enjoyed how Buehlman set up multiple unique fantasy realms and kingdoms within the larger world, which the protagonists are forced to move across to reach their goals.  The differing politics, cultures and allegiances that they experienced, as well as the realistic length of the journey across the large continent, ensured that the protagonist’s journey felt like a proper epic quest, and I really enjoyed following the journey on the map provided at the front of the book.  Tracing the protagonist’s journey across the lands helped to enhance the enormity of the plot, and it also hinted at a ton of fun new realms that the protagonists will likely visit in the other entries in this series.  Buehlman’s excellent world building in The Blacktongue Thief really was quite impressive, and it was a big factor in my eventual five-star rating.

The final thing I want to talk about with The Blacktongue Thief are the excellent and memorable characters Buehlman sets his plot around.  The author ends up introducing a fun central cast that engage in the main quest, each of whom have their own demons and interesting quirks.  The primary character is Kinch Na Shannack, a low-level thief who is indebted to the Takers Guild after they trained him and taught him some basic magic.  The narrator and central perspective protagonist, Kinch entertains as the willey tricksters of the group, using his brains and talents for deceit and thievery to survive rather than brute force.  Much of The Blacktongue Thief’s humour comes from Kinch’s funny jokes, cutting observations and somewhat unreliable narration, which blended surprisingly well with the darker setting of the book.  While mostly always comedic, Kinch does have a serious side to him, especially when it comes to his many secrets and hidden motivations.  Buehlman writes a great plot around Kinch finding his true purpose, as his loyalties to the group and his growing courage is forced up against the control of the Takers Guild and the general craziness of the world he encounters.  An overall amazing main character who was the perfect depiction of the rebellious yet faithful rogue.

The other major character I really need to highlight is the striking Galva, a deadly female knight whose quest the plot is set around.  A scarred and dangerous veteran of the goblin wars, Galva is a no-nonsense figure in the book, dedicated to her mission, as well as her worship of the setting’s death goddess.  Buehlman ensures that Galva is set up as pretty badass character from the very start of the book, and you really get drawn to her honourable personality in this dishonourable world.  While mostly serious and unforgiving, there is a certain lighter side to Galva at times, which makes even more likeable, and she ended up being the perfect foil and straight woman to Kinch, with the two having some great interactions.  There is also a certain amount of battle-born trauma to Galva, much of which looks set to be explored in the prequel novel, The Daughter’s War, which added some extra complexity to her appearance.  Galva truly was a great character, and I loved her use as the serious and militant heart of the larger cast.

While Kinch and Galva get most of the focus in The Blacktongue Thief, there are some other entertaining characters who add a lot to the plot.  This includes the young witch, Norrigal, who serves as an interesting interest to Kinch, and whose overarching story had some clever and twisty moments to.  I also must mention Malk Na Brannyck, a countryman of Kinch who adds a lot of drama to the plot due to his history with the protagonist.  Another war veteran, Malk worked well as a minor antagonist who eventually morphs into a reluctant ally, and his various caustic interactions with Kinch added to the larger dysfunction of the protagonists.  Special mention also needs to go to the stray cat, Bully Boy, who tags along with the group against all the odds, and whose appearance definitely isn’t sinister or mysterious.  Throw in a range of rogues, thieves, killers and other dangerous figures that the protagonists encounter, and the cast of The Blacktongue Thief is stacked.  All these characters, and more, have some great storylines attached to them, and I really enjoyed the entertaining and often dark interactions that occurred, especially as it added to the general chaos of the plot.

After finally reading this epic novel, I can confirm that The Blacktongue Thief lives up the hype surrounding it.  Christopher Buehlman introduced a wonderfully dark fantasy world in this book and then moulded a powerful adventure story around it.  Loaded with intense action, great characters and a captivating story, The Blacktongue Thief was utter fun from the very beginning, and I had so much fun getting through it.  I am so glad I finally got the chance to read this novel, and I am hoping to read The Daughter’s War next, especially with the next book in series, The Thrice-Bound Fool, set for release later this year.

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Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star BooksLeave a comment

Publisher: Head of Zeus (Audiobook – 12 February 2026)

Series: The Tyrant Philosophers – Book Four

Length: 20 hours and 1 minute

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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The legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to showcase his incredible writing skill with his deeply impressive novel, Pretenders to the Throne of God, an outstanding read that perfectly continues one of his very best series.

Over the last few years, I have fully fallen in love with the writings of Adrian Tchaikvosky, who is honestly one of the best current writers of fantasy and science fiction.  Known for his Shadows of the Apt, Children of Time, Echoes of the Fall and Final Architecture series, as well as several awesome standalone novels, Tchaikovsky has a truly outstanding catalogue of works to his name, and there are some true classics captured there.  I personally have had the pleasure of reading several of his latest great books, with entries like Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024), Alien Clay, the novella Orges and the Warhammer 40,000 novel, Day of Ascension (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels) and the awesome fantasy novel Guns of the Dawn (which I only recently finished), proving to be quite amazing.

While I have had an exceptional time with many of Tchaikovsky’s novels, my favourites are the awesome novels of his Tyrant Philosophers series.  This gripping, brilliant and highly amusing series is set in a cool fantasy world filled with magic, gods and demons, all of which are being consumed by the Palleseen, an anti-religious empire of perfection-seeking fanatics who have been conquering the world through elaborate military and diplomatic action. The first three books in the series have been quite exceptional, including City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Days of Shattered Faith (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025), as well as the cool novella Lives of Bitter Rain.  I really love these elaborate and highly entertaining novels, which made me very excited for the fourth book in the series Pretenders to the Throne of God, one of my most anticipated books of 2026, which very much lived up to all my expectations.

Plot Synopsis:

Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller returns to a world steeped in magic – and the Tyrant Philosophers’ campaign to bring reason, logic and ‘perfection’ to it.

Eres Ffenegh – “the City on the Back of a Crab” – is the next state slated for conquest by the Palleseen, but its citizens won’t give up sovereignty easily, and the siege has now dragged into the harsh Eresi winter. The defenders – both locals and Pal renegades – hold an uneasy alliance against the enemy at the gates, while the Pal army is constantly looking over its shoulder for the next self-destructive dictate of their government back home.

Within the city, Devil Jack is the apprentice to the notorious conjurer and bawd known as the Widow, a good man driven to bargaining with hell to get back what he’s lost. Meanwhile Kiffel ea Leachan is the city’s champion, a child of privilege who’s just lost everything to the invaders. We follow the ups and downs of both as they try to survive the siege and make their own destinies in a world that’s cut them loose.

Outside the city, the Pals have been desperately waiting for reinforcements so they can finally take the city, but when new soldiers finally march in with the winter it’s the worst kind of help, enough to damn the entire army.

Tchaikovsky continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s leading authors of unique fantasy fiction with his latest Tyrant Philosophers novel.  A wonderful and complex character-driven read, Pretenders to the Throne of God was an outstanding novel that perfectly tells its own story, while also continuing the epic overarching series narrative.  Clever, incredibly moving, and featuring some subtle but effective satire, Pretenders to the Throne of God is an exceptional novel that gets a full five-star rating from me.

Even after reading all the previous books in the Tyrant Philosophers series, I honestly was so impressed by how Tchaikovsky pulled this latest distinctive story together.  Pretenders to the Throne of God once again sees the bureaucratic, yet effective, armies of the insidious Palleseen trying to recapture the city of Eres Ffenegh.  However, between the city’s unique defences, determined citizens, and a group of former Palleseen soldiers sworn to two cults, the Palleseen assault has mostly halted, awaiting the arrival of fresh reinforcements.  Told through multiple chapters, each of which generally focus on one point-of-view character who is witnessing the events of the siege unfold from their perspective, Tchaikovsky effectively introduces the setting and the key players in the siege, and you soon get a sense of the chaotic nature of the conflict and the volatile figures on both sides.  These initial chapters do a good job of setting up a variety of book-wide story elements, including early introductions to figures who will have a bigger impact later in the plot as side figures in other characters perspective chapters.

The plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God quickly gets into overdrive when unexpected and uncomfortably undead Palleseen reinforcements arrive outside the city.  Despite reservations and restrictions, the besiegers make use of their new troops and swiftly gain ground, causing the defenders to make some desperate decisions.  Tchaikovsky makes sure to expand on all his character storylines as this plot continues, including in several compelling ‘mosaic’ chapters, which generally surround big events and split the focus across multiple characters as they try to deal with new developments.  There are some great character-focused moments built into this part of the plot, with various members of the cast dealing with their own issues or chasing their own desires.  This includes the continued torment of Devil Jack, internal politics of the besieged city, the machinations of a leading Palleseen officer, the struggles of isolated Palleseen specialists, and various people discovering how far they’ll go to get back what they have lost.

Everything leads up to a particularly intense and complex final third of Pretenders to the Throne of God, focused on the final days of the siege.  Without giving too much away, things inevitably go to hell for all the major characters, as desperation, determination and deceit guide them to their destinies.  I love how so many characters take the final steps towards being the people they want or think they should be, and there are some amazing moments built into this final bit of narrative.  Tchaikovsky has an even-handed approach to tragedy and happy endings here, with various characters encountering either an ironic conclusion to their story or their ideal fate.  The author ensures that the main standalone story of Pretenders to the Throne of God is nicely wrapped up by the end, with all the major character storylines finalised one way or another.  At the same time, certain storylines from previous entries in the series are cleverly continued, with various threads remaining for the final upcoming Tyrant Philosopher novel to finalise.  All this ensures that readers come out of Pretenders to the Throne of God extremely satisfied, while also remaining curious enough to instantly get the next book when it comes out.

Tchaikovsky ended up using a similar writing style to the previous entries in the Tyrant Philosophers series, which I think works extremely well to convey his elaborate and entertaining narrative.  Relying heavily on multiple perspective changes to tell his layered story, Tchaikovsky embarks on providing a deep and personal story, set around a large collection of compelling supporting characters.  The author excels at creating elaborate and complex backgrounds for the various protagonists which are worked into the larger plot extremely well, especially as each character has their own unique motivations and damage.  All these varied story elements are well woven together into one complex story, and it was fascinating to see all the different figures react to the continually changing events.

Tchaikovsky cleverly altered the tone of Pretenders to the Throne of God multiple times within the course of the story.  While there is an easy, compelling and cynical humour to much of this novel, especially when the various characters provide their realistic and sarcastic commentary on events, at times Pretenders to the Throne of God can get quite dark and moody.  Much of this is down to Pretenders to the Throne of God being a gritty siege novel, and the desperation of the characters fighting on both sides is heavily evident during the plot.  Into this potent mix, Tchaikovsky adds in some intense action sequences, as well as an overlay of intrigue, betrayal and hidden motivations, all of which is quite awesome to see.  There is even a moving love story right at the heart of the plot, which, while unique and twisted, adds some real emotional heft to the novel.  All this ensures that Pretenders to the Throne of God has an extremely unique feel to it, even compared to the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, and I loved how well the compelling fantasy elements fit with the very human narrative.

Pretenders to the Throne of God works well as both its own distinctive standalone narrative and as a continuation of elements and character-focused storylines from the previous books in the series.  Due to how it initially focuses on several central characters stuck in a new setting in the established world, readers can easily come into Pretenders to the Throne of God without any real pre-knowledge of the other Tyrant Philosophers books.  However, as the story eventually grows to focus on several major characters from the previous novels, existing Tyrant Philosophers readers will end up appreciating the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God a little more, as you are a little more familiar with the events that forged them.  Much of this prior character history is cleverly reintroduced throughout the course of Pretenders to the Throne of God, so new readers can also appreciate the continued personal arcs and storylines very easily.  The author also features references to events from the previous books throughout Pretenders to the Throne of God, and readers will find it fascinating to see how certain decisions or plots from the recurring characters, such as religious conversion in House of Open Wounds, wider rebellion against the Palleseen and the continued tragedy of a certain former priest, continue to be explored here.

One of the big highlights of Pretenders to the Throne of God is the elaborate setting for his compelling narrative.  While the book is set in the same fantasy world as the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, much of the action occurs around the newly introduced and besieged city of Eres Ffenegh.  An ancient city of gods and the sea located on top of the body of a long-dead crab god, Eres Ffenegh is currently under attack from the Palleseen, with various factions within the city, both new and old, struggle to work together to defend it.  Tchaikovsky excelled at introducing the various unique elements of Eres Ffenegh with some deep dives into its history and culture, all of which bleeds into the plot. In many ways Eres Ffenegh felt like its distinctive character of the book, with an understanding of its people, their mindset, and the city’s relationship to the rest of the world, vital to appreciating the full plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God.  Tchaikovsky cleared had fun developing the many quirky and unique features of Eres Ffenegh, and this ended up being a particularly compelling fantasy setting, which added a lot to the wider book.

I also must highlight Tchaikovsky’s excellent continued use of the villainous Palleseen, who serve as the series’ main antagonistic group.  Ideological zealots often bound by their own rules and processes as they slowly and greedily try to take over the world, all the books in this series are dedicated to examining their methods and serves as a humorous critique of militarisation and empire building.  Pretenders to the Throne of God once again features the Palleseen as an occupying force as they attempt to reconquer Eres Ffenegh. However, thanks to the events of the previous novels, many of the foreign magic and occult practices they co-opted as weapons, such as necromancy and demonology, are at risk of being designated as imperfect, with potential dire consequences for the Palleseen soldiers who specialise in them.  It has been very fun to see the slow decline of the mighty and insatiable Palleseen over the last few books, and the continued symptoms of their unsustainable growth and continually narrowing definition of perfection has been a fantastic ongoing storyline.  Tchaikovsky works these elements into the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God perfectly, especially when it comes to the various Palleseen characters, who come to fear their own side more than their opponents in the siege.  Not only does this add to the drama for half the cast but it also serves as an insightful critique of militaristic and fascist governments and how they always turn on each other.  I look forward to seeing how the various storylines about the Palleseen come to an end in the final Tyrant Philosophers’ novel, and it has been a real treat to see how Tchaikovsky has utilised them.

Another key aspect of Pretenders to the Throne of God that I need to highlight are the incredible characters featured throughout this story.  Tchaikovsky loads this novel with an outstanding array of complex or damaged characters who are the true highlight of the plot thanks to their collective dark histories and layered motivations.  The sheer range of different characters in this novel is very impressive, with a combination of local inhabitants of the city, newcomers determined to defend it for their own reasons, the invading Palleseen, and others who have their own complex motivations for being there, which Tchaikovsky explores in detail.

Some highlights of the cast include Kiffe lea Leachan, Eres Ffenegh’s current champion, who finds herself at a moral crossroads when her magical sword that allowed her to be a great fighter is destroyed.  Disgraced and caught up in despair, Kiffe is forced to fight between her natural meekness and determination to regain the thing that made her special by any means necessary.  Kiffe is well matched by Nieve a Galeaff, a fixer for one of the city’s leaders, who not only serves as a cynical buffer to the more naïve Kiffe but provides one of the more interesting perspectives of the Eres Ffenegh’s defenders, as she tries to hold the city together.  Other highlights include the damaged or insane leaders of the two former Palleseen religious cults that have taken up residence in Eres Ffenegh.  This includes the Mouth of the Sea; one cult’s conflicted second in command who will be very familiar to fans of the second Tyrant Philosopher’s novel.  There is also the quite entertaining Abellaime, better known as The Widow.  A dangerous conjurer, Abellaime serves as a dark temptress for many characters in the city, while also manipulating events for her own designs, and in many ways is a more dangerous villain than the Palleseen.

In addition to the defenders of Eres Ffenegh, Tchaikovsky spends a good chunk of the novel focused on the Palleseen army besieging the army, especially the members of an officer’s club known as the Heretics.  Made up of several specialists with controversial fields of study, the Heretics prove to be fun characters as they reluctantly fight for an empire that is likely to brand them imperfect and expendable any day.  Their alternating perspective of the novel, as well as their weariness and damage from previous wars, make the associated Heretics quite fascinating to follow, and their storyline was one of the more intense and interesting in the book.  However, my favourite Palleseen character had to be Fellow-Archivist Dantell, the second in command of the regiment and a self-serving schemer who serves as one of the main antagonists of the book.  Known as ‘the Stoat’ for her sneaky and backstabbing behaviour, Dantell was a highly entertaining figure who attempts to outthink and manipulate every other character in the book, with mixed effects.  A wonderfully sinister schemer who perfectly showcases the larger issues of the Palleseen in her actions and personality, Tchaikovsky clearly enjoyed writing Dantell, and I felt she had one of the more amusing storylines in the book.

While all these characters are amazing and intricate in their own ways, the best and most emotionally compelling character in Pretenders to the Throne of God had to be that of Devil Jack.  The closest thing this series has to a main character, Jack has appeared in all four novels so far with a different name or occupation each time, starting off as a priest to a selfish fallen god.  Much of the series has focussed on his struggle to escape his past and find a better life.  This latest novel sees Jack at his very lowest, having lost his demon lover and one chance of happiness in the previous novel.  Determined to do the impossible and bring her back, Jack apprentices himself to the Widow to learn all about conjuring and demonology, while the Widow attempts to corrupt him in turn.  Tchaikovsky writes an impressive narrative about Jack’s despair and desperation in Pretenders to the Throne of God, as he attempts to hold onto his humanity while trying to recover his lost love.  You really get drawn into his emotionally charged inner battle, and Tchaikovsky writes some fascinating scenes and interactions with the other characters, such as the unlikely friendship he forms with Kiffe.  I personally loved the scene where he meets his former god once again, with the two continuing to influence each other in entertaining and complex ways.  This was one of the most heartfelt appearances of Jack in the series yet, and he was the perfect highpoint Pretenders to the Throne of God’s other exceptional characters.

As with most big fantasy novels, I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Pretenders to the Throne of God, which turned out to be an awesome way to enjoy this incredible book.  Coming in with a decent runtime of 20 hours, the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook is a bit of a longer listen, however, it is worth it, as this format really helps to capture the elaborate nature of Tchaikovsky’s narrative, as well as the multiple complicated characters within.  Hearing the story read out really helps me absorb more of the book’s impressive detail, and I found myself more easily dropping into the besieged city and witnessing the various interactions between the characters.

Much of the impact associated with Pretenders to the Throne of God’s audiobook is due to the excellent voice work of David Thorpe, who has previously narrated the other Tyrant Philosophers audiobooks.  Thorpe has a real knack for bringing Tchaikovsky’s unique style and characters to life with his voice work, especially as he constantly matches the tone of the various scenes perfectly.  Not only does Thorpe always land the book’s subtle humour and sarcastic observations in every scene, but the more serious and tragic moments are given the solemnity and emotional depth they deserve.  Thorpe also has an incredible array of voices for the various characters of Pretenders of the Throne of God, and I loved some of the fun and unique tones he attributed to some of the more supernatural creatures in the plot.  I personally appreciated how Thorpe brought back several voices from the previous entries in the series, and it was great to get this continuity.  At the same time, the various new voices were also extremely good, with the tones always matching the personalities of their respective characters.  Thorpe also showcased a real talent for pronouncing the over-the-top names, titles and other unique words that Tchaikovsky invented for his fantasy world, and I loved how authentic the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook felt, as it was clear that Thorpe was really putting in the effort.  All this makes for quite an exceptional listen, and I loved every single second I spent listening to Pretenders to the Throne of God.

Thanks to his captivating and layered narrative, great characters, and wonderful storytelling, Adrian Tchaikovsky once again impresses with Pretenders to the Throne of God.  An exceptional continuation to the Tyrant Philosophers series, Pretenders to the Throne of God was so damn good, and I honestly couldn’t get enough of this outstanding read.  One of my favourite novels of the year so far, Pretenders to the Throne of God comes very highly recommended, and I cannot wait to read more from Tchaikovsky this year, especially with his next novel, Green City Wars, nearly here.

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Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science FictionLeave a comment

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio (Audiobook – 10 February 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 10 hours and 49 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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The always inventive and uniquely funny Matt Dinniman kicks off a big year with the epic and outstanding read, Operation Bounce House, an incredible and heartfelt novel with one of the most distinctive plots of 2026.

In the last year, I have become one of the many readers/reviewers that has irrevocably fallen in love with the writings of Matt Dinniman.  A clever and hilarious author, Dinniman has gained attention from the world thanks to his intriguing contributions to the LitRPG franchise, producing some very compelling and over-the-top books.  This includes his most famous body of work, the beloved Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which has attracted a diehard group of fans thanks to its addictive overarching plot, complex characters and bonkers humour.  I personally read the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl collection in one straight go last year, with the then seven books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods, The Butcher’s Masquerade, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride and This Inevitable Ruin, all getting very easy five star ratings from me.  Due to how unbelievably addictive the Dungeon Crawler Carl books are, I just had to check out Dinniman’s latest read, the standalone novel Operation Bounce House.  Due to both my experiences with Dinniman and its very cool sounding plot, Operation Bounce House ended up being one of my most anticipated releases of early 2026, and boy did it not disappoint.

In the far future, humanity has expanded out amongst the stars, with massive ships sent to colonise remote planets.  Many planets were found and settled, but few experienced the hardships of New Sonora, where tragedy forced the colonists to adapt through minor changes to their genetics.  Now, after years of isolation, New Sonora is on the brink of opening its public transport gate back to Earth.  However, this attempt at reconnection will cause hell to reign down upon the peaceful planet.

Young New Sonoran native Oliver Lewis has only ever wanted to live peacefully on his family farm, where his biggest problems are his uncertain love life, his sister’s plans to move to Earth, and the slow decline of his family’s aging fleet of ‘honeybee’ agricultural robots.  However, the craziness of a futuristic Earth comes abruptly crashing down on him when a deadly mech descends on his farm, remotely piloted by a petulant child trying to kill him.

As more mechs land on New Sonora, it becomes clear that something disastrous is befalling the planet.  Instead of New Sonora’s promised independence, the governments of Earth and their proxy, the Apex Corporation, have declared that New Sonora is home to anti-Earth terrorists, and have initiated a plan to wipe out the entire population in a shameless landgrab.  Worse, the Apex Corporation has decided to maximise their profits by starting the online hit Operation Bounce House, in which bored Earth gamers are given the opportunity to design and remotely pilot their own armed mechs to massacre the supposed terrorists on New Sonora, all from from the comfort and safety of their own home.

Oliver and his friends decide to fight back.  Utilising a hidden defence protocol left behind by his grandfather, the fleet of honeybee robots are converted into deadly war machines, armed with impromptu but effective weaponry.  But even with these new weapons, can the remaining New Sonorans survive the relentless wave of mechs coming for them, or do they have to find another way to bring the pain to their long-lost cousins from Earth?

Operation Bounce House was another exceptional novel from Matt Dinniman, who takes a break from his Dungeon Crawler Carl books with a unique and heartfelt standalone novel.  Exciting, well-written and extremely clever, Operation Bounce House was an inescapably addictive read that I absolutely absorbed, and which gets an easy five-star rating from me.

Operation Bounce House honestly has one of the more unique science fiction plots of 2026, as Dinniman sets up a powerful narrative of survival, sacrifice and friendship.  Starting with a quick introduction to the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Oliver Lewis, and his sassy farm robot Roger, the plot quickly gets explosive when the two encounter a remotely piloted mech on the outskirts of their land, which serves as a harbinger for a larger force of mechs coming for the planet.  Perfectly utilising a single protagonist perspective to tell the main story, the reader is soon very much enmeshed in the resulting story of survival and the fun interactions between Oliver and Roger.  These opening sequences do an excellent job of setting up the larger story of Operation Bounce House, and you get addicted fairly on, especially once Dinniman started expanding the world building and introducing more characters.

After this effective introduction, Dinniman starts to the throw the readers into the action, including an extended sequence to a nearby town.  A lot of these initial action sequences are quite bleak and really showcase the stakes of the war and the innocence of the protagonists.  Dinniman cleverly cuts these sequences with some deeper dives into the history of future Earth and New Sonora, all of which is relevant for later revelations in the plot.  Many of these deeper dives include transcripts of an in-universe documentary series, The Rhythm Mafia Tapes, which are scattered throughout the plot and provide humanising shots of the main characters and the world that is being destroyed.

The plot of Operation Bounce House eventually devolves into a relentless and bloody siege, with the protagonist and other surviving New Sonoran locals defending the Lewis farm from waves of oncoming mechs.  However, their unique strategies escalate the situation beyond their control, with all of Earth and the Apex Corporation focused on them.  This results in even more carnage, tragedy and hopelessness, and you are unbelievably hooked the entire way through the second half of the book.  I don’t want to go into too much detail about the conclusion of Operation Bounce House, but I will say it is crazy, and nothing goes the way you’d expect.  The big finale sequence is the perfect way for the protagonists to respond to the war around them, and it was one of my favourite parts of the entire book.  Dinniman also lays down several impressive swerves and revelations, many of which perfectly tie back to story and worldbuilding elements he cleverly laid down earlier in the plot, and you are constantly left guessing about where this bloody standalone story will go next.  Readers are guaranteed to come away from Operation Bounce House very satisfied with its ending, and I honestly wished for a longer story.

Dinniman presented another outstanding narrative in Operation Bounce House, and I really enjoyed how this powerful story came together.  Most readers are probably coming into this novel as fans of Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl books, and as one of those people I can guarantee that if you loved the author’s previous works, you’re going to love Operation Bounce House.  This new novel has a similar style in some places to the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, especially when it comes to the over-the-top story elements and outstanding character work.  Dinniman also once again showcasing his exceptional abilities at worldbuilding, and I was very impressed by how quickly and effectively Dinniman introduced the setting and brought you into the crazy scenario, loaded with dark action, complex tragedy and some incredible personal history.  There are so many compelling details featured within this setting, and I loved how well the author utilised these details and history in the larger narrative.  Dinniman makes sure to feature some similar themes his readers may be familiar with, including his love of RPGs, his anti-corporation messaging and his focus on the uncertainty around artificial intelligence, all of which are taken to fun new extremes in this novel.  The book also works as a dark parody of the current streaming culture, with interesting comparisons between crass online personalities and humble farmers, there are a range of clever messages thrown into the story about the future of modern society.

While there are some notable similarities to the author’s previous work here, I do think that Operation Bounce House also serves as an evolution of the author’s writing ability, and I really appreciate him branching out into something more straightforwardly science fiction.  I was very impressed with how well Operation Bounce House works as a standalone story, as there was a lot of detail expertly crammed into this read.  In many ways Operation Bounce House was a somewhat more grounded and personal story than the Dungeon Crawler Carl books.  Thanks to a smaller cast and the carnage focused on the protagonist’s local area, there is a lot more emotion, and I appreciated the focus on family, friends and local community.  Dinniman also provided some more subdued humour for most of the book, which I think helped to raise the impact of the stakes at time.  There are still of course a ton of funny moments in this book though, especially when it comes to fighting back against the mech controllers in unique ways, and things do get very out of hand at times.  Dinniman also ensures that the action is extremely unique, especially considering the context of the conflict, and his depictions of overpowered mechs attacking older robots and lightly armed people were realistic, brutal and intense.

One of the most impressive things about Operation Bounce House was the complex and deeply moving character storylines that Dinniman was able to work into this standalone narrative.  Featuring a well-written cast of colonists defending their homes against insane gamers, you really get absorbed into their powerful story of loss, despair and family.  The story is primarily told through the eyes of main protagonist, Oliver Lewis, a young man who is forced to transform from a farmer worried about everyone leaving him behind, to a traumatised resistance leader trying to save the last sparks of his planet.  Thanks to powerful first-person perspective, you fully witness Oliver’s growth into a reluctant leader throughout the book, while experiencing his sadness and loss.  Dinniman does an excellent job writing Oliver as an everyman character, and while he steps up, he isn’t as overpowered or strategic as some of Dinniman’s other protagonists, allowing for a more relatable story.  I deeply enjoyed the compelling and full narrative that Dinniman wrote around Oliver in this book, which was loaded with love of family and friends, and he worked well as a main character for this plot.

The rest of the natives of New Sonora serve as a wonderful supporting cast, with all of them having a great out-of-their-depth edge to them.  Most of the main cast are Oliver’s friends who find themselves the unlikely faces of a revolution.  Featuring several excellent characters, each with their own distinctive arc, whose relationship with Oliver and each other defines them in the chaos to come.  Standouts include Sam Amboya, Oliver’s best friend and one of the main comic reliefs in the plot.  A dedicated friend and soon-to-be parent, Sam is one of the emotional hearts of the story, whose survival you become very invested in.  I also really enjoyed Oliver’s sister, Lulu, who serves as an interesting and more worldly foil to her brother.  A sassy and confident figure, Lulu has some interesting scenes around her, including her fame in an adult vocation that works surprisingly well in building her up as an independent and charismatic woman.  These great New Sonoran characters, and more, prove to be excellent focusses for the plot, who the reader can really get behind.  The Rhythm Mafia Tape interludes provide some great snapshots and help to build up the defenders as real people.  Dinniman perfectly matches these likeable farmers with some very over-the-top antagonists, primarily the Earth based mech pilots participating in Operation Bounce House, as well as some shady corporate overlords.  Dinniman clearly had fun introducing a range of sadistic gamer characters and corporate managers, who while exaggerated, seem like a natural progression for some current trends.  These antagonists contrast in very entertaining ways to the New Sonoran defenders, and it was amusing to see many of them get their just-deserts thanks to the unique tactics of the protagonists.

While all these human characters are amazing, I honestly found that one of the best figures in the book was a robot, which is typical for a Dinniman novel.  This character is Roger (short for Roger-Roger), the Oliver family hive queen, an AI robot used to manage the farm and the other honeybee robots.  Roger serves various roles in this novel, including a key deliver of exposition about the larger setting, as well as a great comedic figure due to his role as a strict tutor and disciplinarian for the adult Oliver and Lulu (and their friends).  However, when the mechs invade, he starts following a hidden “perimeter defence protocol”, turning him into the control nodule for the protagonist’s entire defence network.  Dinniman writes some intriguing narratives around Roger, as the new protocols allow him to expand his learning capacity and overcome his coded limitations to make him a truly terrifying weapon.  Roger’s history, and the fear that future Earth has for AI, also serves as a fascinating central narrative thread for Operation Bounce House, and it proves interesting to see Roger transform from a simple farm robot to a major threat to all humanity.  Despite this, there are some heartwarming personality traits attached to Roger, and he honestly proves to be one of the more loveable figures in the novel, especially when seen through the protagonist’s eyes.  All this allows for quite a powerful and personal narrative, with Dinniman once again showing his aptitude for creating distinctive and complex characters.

While I was lucky enough to receive a physical copy of Operation Bounce House, I just had to listen to the audiobook version of it, especially after loving the Dungeon Crawler Carl series on this format.  Unsurprisingly, the Operation Bounce House audiobook was also extremely awesome, and listening to the plot really enhanced the unique scenario, elaborate plot and crazy characters.  I ended up powering through Operation Bounce House’s near 11-hour runtime in a very short amount of time (it’s a great book for a road trip), and there was frankly not a single second that I wasn’t enjoying this great audiobook experience.

Part of the reason that this audiobook was so damn fun was the incredible narration that accompanied it, with two outstanding and familiar voice actors coming along for the ride.  The primary narrator for Operation Bounce House was Travis Baldree, who Dinniman fans would be familiar with due to his appearances in two of the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks, including The Eye of the Bedlam Bride where he had one of the series’ funniest lines: “I need a baby seal”.  Baldree continues his exceptional work in Operation Bounce House, successfully voicing the tense plot perfectly, ensuring that the story moved along at a tight clip while also expertly enhancing the book’s tight humour.  Baldree also does an outstanding job with the various characters, with a compelling range of voices attributed to the entire cast.  My personal favourite was probably the amazing tone he gave to Roger, which helped showcase his robot nature while also still containing some excellent emotion and humour.  I also enjoyed how his various human main characters had a good rural rasp to their voice, that fit nicely with the agricultural nature of their world, and Baldree unsurprisingly did justice to the various Latino characters featured in the plot.

On top of Baldree’s outstanding central narration, we also get the legendary Jeff Hays, the voice of the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks, voicing several secondary characters.  Hays, who is just so damn good, has a ton of fun with these characters, including one of the main antagonists, who he gifts a particularly entertaining and arrogant voice, which was just perfect.  The combination of voices coming out of this impressive narration team was so damn amazing, and they really turned this audiobook into something special.  This is frankly the absolute best way to enjoy Operation Bounce House, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Matt Dinniman has fun showcasing a new, unhinged narrative with the wonderfully powerful Operation Bounce House.  An outstanding standalone science fiction novel that perfectly showcases Dinniman’s ability to craft elaborate universes and intense character arcs, Operation Bounce House was just incredible, and I still cannot get over some of the clever twists and intense action.  A deeply impressive read, and an outstanding novel to check out before Dinniman’s new Dungeon Crawler Carl novel, A Parade of Horribles, which I am currently reading as I write this review.

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King Sorrow by Joe Hill

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Horror, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 881 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the more unique and addictive novels I’ve had the great pleasure of reading in recent months has to be the exceptional horror read, King Sorrow, by the very impressive Joe Hill.

Joe Hill is an author who is well known for his creative and over-the-top narratives, especially with his very interesting contributions to the horror genre.  The son of the legendary Stephen King, Hill has followed in the family footsteps with some amazing releases, including several standalone novels like Horns, Heart-Shaped Box and NOS4A2, a huge array of short stories (including The Black Phone), and even some comics (Locke & Key being the obvious candidate).  Several of these publications have been turned into film and television adaptations over the years, and I have been keen to read something from Hill for a while.  As such, when I saw the compelling narrative of Hill’s new book, the massive King Sorrow, I knew I had to check it out, and boy was I glad that I did.

Plot Synopsis:

Bookish dreamer Arthur Oakes is a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters and beautiful buildings.

But his idyll – and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot – is shattered when local drug dealers force him into a terrible crime: stealing rare and valuable books from the exceptional college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for help: the wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren; brave, beautiful Allison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen. Together they dream up an impossible, fantastical scheme that they scarcely imagine will work: to summon the fabled dragon King Sorrow to kill those tormenting Arthur.

But the six stumble backwards into a deadly bargain – they soon learn they must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow each year or one of them will become his next victim. Unleashing consequences they can neither predict nor control, this promise will, over the course of four decades, shape and endanger their lives in ways they could never expect.

King Sorrow was a truly outstanding read from Hill that had me hooked from the very beginning, all the way to its heartfelt and complex end.  A wonderfully powerful read filled with great characters and dark moments, King Sorrow was an exceptional horror epic that proves near impossible to put down.  King Sorrow was one of my favourite books of 2025, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I really loved the elaborate narrative of King Sorrow, which I can tell Hill put an awful lot of care and thought into.  Told initially from the perspective of Arthur Oaks, a young scholar at Rackham College (in Maine, naturally) who is forced to steal rare books from the school’s library for local drug dealers with the ability to hurt his mother in prison.  When his secret becomes known to his friends, an eclectic mixture of fellow students at the college, they agree to help him with his troubles.  However, this help gets out of hand when, after a night of drinking, the group decides to use an infamous occult tome to summon a fabled dragon, King Sorrow, to kill those tormenting Arthur.  But to the group’s horror, this is no one-time occurrence, as King Sorrow decrees that the bargain they struck entitles him to a new soul each year.  This was a pretty awesome first part of King Sorrow, which, while long, was a very impactful introduction to the larger story and perfectly set up the chaotic events and dark bargains to come.

After this first part, King Sorrow’s story evolves into a more long-term storyline, skipping ahead years with each new part and focusing on the various main characters and how they are dealing with the Faustian bargain they have struck.  After deciding to live with King Sorrow and his desires, the group have primarily decided to use the dragon to punish the worst of humanity around the world, by setting him on murderers and terrorists.  However, thanks to the entertaining machinations of King Sorrow, many of these kills have unexpected consequences, forcing the protagonists to react in different ways, and bringing new characters into the group’s orbit.  Highlights include a particularly intense extended sequences, where two members of the group try to save a passenger jet containing one of their intended targets, which King Sorrow wants to burn as collateral.  Another harrowing part of the book sees twin protagonists Donna and Donovan McBride kidnapped and held hostage by a government organisation with knowledge of their actions, a course of action that goes well for nobody.  At the same time, Hill throws in some fascinating interludes that provide greater depth for some of the book’s more interesting characters, while also providing glimpses at a long-term threat that is coming for the main cast.

The author effectively keeps up the drama much of King Sorrow’s plot, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat as you attempt to guess where the story will go next.  However, even I was really thrown by the great antagonistic curveball that Hill threw in about three-quarters into King Sorrow, that really adds in some substantial drama and provides some fascinating revelations about previous adventures in the plot.  With one of the protagonists brilliantly taking on a far more villainous role, the surviving characters are constantly thrown through a loop as they attempt to find a way to end their bargain.  However, nothing goes the way anyone anticipates, with tragedy, more betrayals and dark moments consuming the entire cast.  Everything leads up to an excellent full-circle confrontation with the beast that shaped all of them, with some heartwarming final encounters and resolutions to the plot.  Hill wraps everything up perfectly, and you come away from King Sorrow extremely satisfied, especially after getting so wrapped up in the author’s elaborate, character-driven plot.

I must admit that before I read King Sorrow, I didn’t know quite what to expect from Joe Hill as a writer.  However, his style really resonated with me, and I ended up being quite blown away with the elaborate nature of this book when I got the chance to read it.  Set up as a complex character-focused book with a layered narrative, King Sorrow was a particularly powerful epic that covered decades of several brilliant characters.  Featuring an exceptional use of multiple character perspectives and interludes, King Sorrow was a cleverly and intricately written story that examined so many points of human nature and compelling character development throughout its near 900-page run.  Despite its length (it’s one of the longer physical books I’ve ever read), there was never a second that I was bored with King Sorrow, and I honestly powered through it in a relatively short amount of time.

Much of this addictive edge is because Hill effortlessly blended a great mixture of genres into this plot, with horror, fantasy and thriller elements all working well together.  Setting a terrifying and vengeful dragon spirit against the worst of humanity makes for some interesting contrasts, and I rather enjoyed seeing how normal criminals and even intelligence organisations would react to a magical dragon occasionally terrifying the world.  There are also some entertaining historical elements to King Sorrow, as the author cleverly ties the plot of this book into certain real-world events, with the actions of the protagonists often leading to some major tragedies.  I really enjoyed the unique feel that this gave the book, especially when combined with the certain gothic edge of the more supernatural scenes, especially the multiple varied depictions of the crazy occult ceremony that first summoned King Sorrow.  Hill maintains these elements for the entirety of the book, and I have a lot of appreciation, for the elaborate way he tied his cast together with tragedy and bad decision.  The result was an incredibly well written novel from Hill, who emulated aspects of his father’s style while also providing his own distinctive feel.

Another outstanding highlight of King Sorrow that I must mention are the incredible and complex characters loaded into the plot.  This includes its six main characters, whose inadvertent summoning of King Sorrow sets the dark events of the book in motion.  While I don’t want to go into too much detail about these characters to avoid spoilers, I will say that Hill does an amazing job introducing and exploring their experiences throughout the course of the novel, and you really get caught up in their specific arcs as a result.  Hill really dives into the dark choices surrounding their deadly bargain, and I found it fascinating to see how the impact of their decisions hit each of them differently, with each reacting in a fantastic manner.  There is some real tragedy involved with these characters, and you really fall in love with most of them (with one or two exceptions), even if it hurts to do so.

The character I will go into a little more detail about is the titular dragon, King Sorrow.  A malevolent, supernatural figure, King Sorrow is a haunting presence in the novel, stalking both the protagonists and their victims and revelling in their fear.  Thanks to his vindictive and manipulative nature, King Sorrow proves to be one of the more entertaining figures in this novel, and I loved the multitude of ways he messed with the protagonists, especially when it forces them to make hard decisions.  I really loved the various scenes King Sorrow was in, and he matched the main cast so perfectly, especially as he slowly brought out the worst in several of them.  Throw in an array of intriguing side characters, including several criminals whose actions haunt the group for decades, and the cast of King Sorrow was something special, especially once you get drawn into this novel’s outstanding narrative.

With a truly remarkable story, some amazing characters, and a brilliant writing style that sets him apart from other authors, Joe Hill’s latest novel, King Sorrow, was truly impressive and an exceptional novel to check out.  A sprawling epic with so many complex layers to it, King Sorrow was so damn addictive, and I still cannot believe how quickly I powered through it.  A highly recommended read that lives up to all the hype surrounding it, King Sorrow was Joe Hill at his finest, and I cannot wait to see what he writes next.

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Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks

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

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 29 October 2022)

Series: Warhammer 40,000: Renegades – Book 1 

Length: 11 hours

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the leading authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, the highly entertaining Mike Brooks, dives into the minds of humanity’s most complex traitors with the outstanding and particularly gripping novel, Renegades: Harrowmaster.

Mike Brooks is an author who I have really grown to appreciate in recent years thanks to his ability to pull together complex and highly addictive Warhammer 40,000 narratives from across the expansive franchise.  Brooks’s great contributions to Warhammer 40,000 fiction include some deep dives into several iconic characters, such as Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives and The Lion: Son of the Forest, as well as his absolutely hilarious ork focused novels with Warboss, Brutal Kunnin and Da Big Dakka, as well as his short story contributions to Da Red Gobbo Collection.  All these amazing novels were quite exceptional reads, and it has really made me appreciate Brooks’s ability to dive into the entire Warhammer universe and bring its various characters and factions to life.  As such, when in the mood for more Warhammer 40,000 fiction, it was a very easy choice to check out his 2023 release, Harrowmaster, which has been on my to-read list for a while.  The first book in the Renegades sub-series that focuses on traitor Space Marines, Harrowmaster proved to be an epic and noteworthy first entry in this series, especially as Brooks choice to focus on the deeply intriguing Alpha Legion.

In the far future of the 41st millennium, there are many renegades and traitors assaulting the faltering Imperium of Man, but few are as dangerous or as insidious as the notorious traitor Space Marines of the Alpha Legion.  Masters of deceit, espionage and achieving victory through alternate tactics, the Alpha Legion have long haunted humanity with their spies and schemes.  But despite all their careful planning, even the Alpha Legion are unprepared when a new dangerous enemy is thrown against them.

Attempting to exploit the chaos caused by the opening of the Great Rift, the Alpha Legion warband known as The Serpent’s Teeth are the first of their legion to encounter Primaris Marines, a new breed of Space Marines that have been enhanced into something far more dangerous than anything the renegades have encountered before.  Now forced to contend with even more deadly threats from the hated Imperium, the members of the Alpha Legion gather to decide whether to hide from this new enemy or adapt to face it.

Into this uncertainty enters Solomon Akurra, the new leader of the Serpent’s Teeth.  Determined to lead a decisive war against the Imperium, Solomon claims the title of Harrowmaster and works to bind the various Alpha Legion bands to his cause.  Through deceit, lies and superior tactics, Solomon soon leads his men to victory, but that is only the start of the war to come.  With shadowy forces from the Imperium hunting him, and his own allies waiting to see if he fails, can Solomon survive all his enemies, as well as the hidden blades at his neck, to achieve his goal?  Only the most adaptable can become Harrowmaster, and the galaxy is unprepared for the carnage to come.

Harrowmaster was an exceptional Warhammer 40,000 novel from Brooks, and it is one that I wish I had read a lot sooner.  Perfectly blending action and intrigue with a fascinating dive into one of the franchise’s most notorious factions, Harrowmaster was a deeply impressive read that I couldn’t turn away from.  A very easy five-star read, this is one of my new favourites from Brooks due to its complex story and great characters.

I loved the very fun and captivating narrative that Brooks came up with for Harrowmaster, especially as it featured a lot of awesome moving parts that really came together perfectly.  Starting off with an excellent introduction that showcases the Alpha Legion’s tactics of manipulation, the villainous protagonists soon encounter a deadly new threat that forces them onto the backfoot.  From there the story takes on a bit of a lore-heavy focus, with Solomon Akurra, gathering different Alpha Legion factions and manipulating them into a single host.  This interesting focus on the Alpha Legion in this part of the book is well balanced by the appearance of a fun Inquisitor character, Kayzen Hart, who serves as an alternate protagonist for the plot, providing some excellent additional intrigue.

Following some great action sequences, the plot evolves into a complex game of cat and mouse, with the various characters trying gain advantage and achieve their varied goals.  For Solomon Akurra, this involves moulding his forces together into an effective and cohesive force, while using his Legion’s talents for deception and infiltration to their advantage.  At the same time, Inquisitor Hart finds himself not only trying to capture Solomon but also locked in a deadly battle of wits against a rival inquisitor.  The central plotlines of Harrowmaster cleverly force these two characters into greater danger, with both Solomon and Hart losing everything and being forced into some truly desperate action to get what they want.  This leads up to a great big confrontation sequence towards the end of the novel, which wraps up a lot of ongoing storylines.  There are some great twists here, including one that was particularly clever, and it was so much fun seeing it unfold.  Everything comes together very nicely, with some fitting final scenes that really highlight the underlying betrayals and battles of intrigue that categorised this novel.  Brooks ended this novel on a fun note that hints of more chaotic adventures to come.

Harrowmaster proved to be another exceptional read from Brooks, who honestly has one of the most readable and entertaining writing styles of all the current Warhammer 40,000 writers.  Presenting an intricate action narrative that expertly blends interesting character stories with some compelling dives into Warhammer lore, Harrowmaster will appeal to a wide range of readers.  Brooks does an excellent job breaking the story down across several interesting characters, which allows the reader to see various parts of the overarching and multilayered narrative.  I personally loved the combination of Alpha Legion action and deception that went alongside the inquisitor focussed shenanigans of Kayzen Hart’s storyline, and the high level on intrigue and alternating moves from the participants was a lot of fun.  Throw in some over-the-top action sequences which have an excellent flow to them, and Harrowmaster had a lot to recommend it, especially as it was easy to get caught up in the story.

One of the things I liked most about Harrowmaster was the way in which Brooks ensured it was open to new readers unfamiliar with the franchise, while also providing interesting details for Warhammer 40,000 fans.  The author ensures there is plenty of context and information for new readers to get involved in this universe, enough so that Harrowmaster would be a good introductory novel for new readers.  At the same time, Brooks also features a nuanced and layered look at the always awesome Alpha Legion, which established Warhammer readers will appreciate.  I personally enjoyed how cleverly Brooks dove into the disparate nature of the Alpha Legion, including their various philosophies and different way of interacting with the Imperium.  The focus on how they fight war through infiltration, deceit and spies was particularly awesome, and it was fascinating to see how they adapt and react to new threats, such as encountering Primaris Space Marines for the first time.  At the same time, Brooks also has fun showcasing other unique parts of the Warhammer universe here, such as the internally warring Inquisitors, who always make for entertaining narratives.  As such, I would honestly recommend Harrowmaster to readers of various experiences with Warhammer fiction, with everyone guaranteed to have an amazing time with this clever read.

I must also take this time to highlight some of the excellent characters contained within Harrowmaster, with Brooks focusing his narrative on some interesting figures.  This naturally includes the main character, Solomon Akurra, a veteran Alpha Legion member who seeks the title of Harrowmaster.  A clever and ambitious figure, Solomon proves to be an entertaining character to follow, with his schemes and plans allowing for some excellent story moments.  Despite being a member of an apparently villainous faction (very hard to judge with the Alpha Legion), Solomon proves to be an extremely likeable character, and you get really invested in seeing him succeed, even if his plans are quite destructive.  I felt a lot of Solomon’s likeability came from the entertaining friendship he had with his human sorceress comrade Tulaava Dyne.  A particularly sassy and dangerous figure in her own right, Tulaava served as a good foil to the more serious Solomon, and their partnership was a fantastic centre for Harrowmaster’s plot, especially when considering the unlikely loyalty that sprung up between them.

The other awesome main character for Harrowmaster was Inquisitor Kayzen Hart, whose obsession with hunting down the Alpha Legion, especially Solomon, resulted in some of the more compelling storylines of the entire book.  A radical Inquisitor, Kayzen attempts to understand and use his own target’s methods against them more much of the book, which has mixed results as he engages in a system-wide battle of wits against Solomon.  However, Kayzen’s methods put him at odds with his fellow Inquisitor Nessa Karnis, an old comrade who is just as obsessed with defeating the Alpha Legion.  However, the conflict between Kayzen’s radical methods and Nessa’s puritanical philosophies sees them fighting each other, and I loved how their conflict matched the infighting amongst the Alpha Legion.  Throw in a fantastic array of other over-the-top Alpha Legion members, each with different specialities and beliefs that Solomon is forced to manipulate, as well as the steadfast loyalist Space Marines of the Silver Templars, whose attempts to outthink the Alpha Legion lead to some of the book’s more exciting moments, and I have a lot of love for the characters in Harrowmaster, especially as Brooks weaves some intense and impressive storylines around them.

Unsurprisingly, I decided to check out Harrowmaster on audiobook, which is my go-to format for all things Warhammer due to how much more awesome the over-the-top stories become when read out loud.  This was the case with Harrowmaster, as its elaborate narrative of intrigue and action really came to life when read out, allowing me to absolutely power through its 11-hour long runtime.  A lot of this is due to the outstanding voice work of narrator Theo Solomon, whose work I preciously enjoyed in Leviathan by Darius Hinks.  Solomon perfectly captured the various characters contained within Harrowmaster with his narration, especially the main character Solomon Akurra, with the fitting voice for this protagonist forming the basis for much of the audiobook.  The rest of the cast was also voiced extremely well by Solomon, and I loved the fun array of voices that went to the complex and often outrageous cast, with some excellent choices for the crazed Chaos Space Marines, as well as the feuding inquisitors.  I honestly had such a great time listening to the Harrowmaster audiobook, and it is easily the best way to enjoy this incredible read.

Mike Brooks continues to showcase why he is one of the best current authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction with his fantastic Renegades novel, Harrowmaster.  An exceptional read that perfectly showcases the iconic Alpha Legion, while also telling its own outrageous story of deceit, intrigue and chaotic action, Harrowmaster was so damn good, especially on audiobook.  I honestly cannot recommend Harrowmaster enough, and I am actually reading the recently released sequel to it, Ghost Legion, at this very moment.

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