Category: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday – Absolon Creed by R. S. Ford

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out an awesome upcoming fantasy novel with Absolon Creed by R. S. Ford.

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I’m always in the mood for epic and dark fantasy reads and one of the more compelling sounding upcoming releases of 2026 is set to be released by R. S. Ford.  Ford is a veteran fantasy author who has previously written several intriguing series across the genres.  This includes his The Age of Uprising series (Engines of Empire), as well as some other excellent fantasy releases.  Readers may also be familiar with Ford’s contributions to the historical fiction genre under the alternate pen name of Richard Cullen, which includes his excellent Chronicles of the Black Lion series (Rebellion and Crusade).  I’ve had a great time with several of Ford’s previous novels; however, his next book has the potential to be his most exciting.

This new book is the fantastic sounding Absolon Creed, which is currently set for release in November 2026.  A grimdark fantasy novel with a compelling murder mystery centre, Absolon Creed sounds awesome, as it sets a monster-slaying knight on a quest to uncover a killer in city on the edge of ruin.  Everything about this novel, including its brutal setting, damaged protagonists and captivating plot, sounds incredible, and I have no doubt it is going to result in an outstanding read.  As such, I am extremely excited for Absolon Creed, and I have a feeling it is going to be a top fantasy novel of 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

A legendary soldier is the last line of defense between his city and monstrous chaos in this grimdark adventure from an unmissable voice in epic fantasy.

Bastion, the once-shining capital of Morrengard, teeters on the brink. Its grand spires are crumbling and its nobility fight over scraps, all while eldritch creatures stalk the streets. The only thing standing in the way of its utter destruction is the Order of Draken: a knightly order more brutal than the threats the city faces. And its most brutal champion… Absolon Creed.

When two nobles are found murdered in a manner most grotesque, suspicions arise about a traitor within the Order itself. Creed is tasked with investigating, and for his sins he is saddled with a partner: Guenivar Blackmere, a daughter of nobility and the Order’s newest, and most untested, initiate.

Together, they are plunged into Bastion’s fetid underbelly, where warlocks rub elbows with corrupt nobles and necromancers cavort with the dead. Guenivar must learn fast or perish under Creed’s cold tutelage. Her mentor is quick to anger, and about as friendly as a cornered wolf, but that is the only way to survive these unforgiving streets.

But as the investigation deepens, Guenivar discovers a secret about him that could shatter everything she believed about the order and its heroes. While Creed himself must defeat the ghosts he’s spent years trying to bury… before they bury Bastion itself.

Waiting on Wednesday – Choppy Water by Jack Heath

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an incredible and unique upcoming murder mystery from one of my favourite Australian authors with Choppy Water by Jack Heath.

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There are a lot of talented and entertaining Australian authors writing outstanding novels these days, but one of my favourites due to his consistently clever and entertaining reads is the wonderful Jack Heath. Hailing from my home city of Canberra, Heath has been entertaining Australian readers for years with his interesting combination of complex works.  I am a massive fan of his amazing crime fiction novels, which includes his spectacularly over-the-top international Hangman series (including Hideout and Headcase).

Heath has also written some brilliant and twisted murder mysteries that make great use of an Australian setting.  This includes the impactful and addictive, Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), the outrageous and memorable Kill Your Husbands (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023), and the very relatable Kill Your Boss (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2025).  All these fantastic Australian novels from Heath are both clever and quite fun, and I really enjoy some the unique scenarios that the author comes up with.  Due to this, I’m always keeping an eye out for Heath’s next intriguing read, and it looks like he will be delivering something special for crime fiction fans later this year.

This next book from Heath is the standalone novel, Choppy Water, which will take the readers on an entertaining ride, while also diving into the familiar chaos of the Covid period from a very different perspective.  Set for release in November 2026, Choppy Water has a great plot behind it that is going to make for an outstanding read.

Plot Synopsis:

Death on the Nile meets Die Hard in this new ‘locked room’ mystery by the King of Twists, Jack Heath.

A woman’s body is found in a laundry cart aboard the Silver Lady cruise ship. Management says it was a freak accident and her death is quickly covered up, so as not to spoil the voyage for the passengers.

Cesar Cain doesn’t want to get involved. He boarded the Silver Lady to disappear. If the cops find him, he’s in a cell. If the Hell’s Hounds catch him, he’s in a grave.

But it’s March 2020, and the borders are slamming shut. Cesar soon discovers that the woman wasn’t the first victim – and with the ship suddenly quarantined and unable to dock anywhere, she won’t be the last …

I love this fun sounding plot for Choppy Water, which looks to combine Heath’s love of unique scenarios with some homages to classic whodunnit storytelling.  A reluctant protagonist investigating a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship has a lot of potential, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how this entire plot comes together.  Based on my previous experiences with Jack Heath and his very entertaining reads, I foresee that Choppy Water will end up being one of the top Australian books of 2026 and I cannot wait to check it out.

Waiting on Wednesday – Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the more awesome sounding science fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026 with Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson.

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2026 has proven to be a particularly impressive year for author Jeremy Robinson, whose unique and over-the-top science fiction novels always entertain with they great mixture of action, horror and intriguing science fiction elements.  I’ve already had an exceptional time with Robinson’s first 2026 release, 30Seven, which ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of the year.  However, we still have so much more to get through, as not only do I still have to read the recently released novel Parallax, but Robinson also has the fantastic upcoming book Settle Down coming out.

Of the two, Settle Down has definitely caught my attention more, and it is one of my most anticipated releases coming out in the second half of 2026.  Set for release in late August 2026, Settle Down has an outstanding sounding plot idea behind it, which looks set to present a unique turn on a classic alien invasion story.

Plot Synopsis:

When Clayton survives a plane crash, he figures the worst is over―but he’s wrong―in this sci-fi genre mashup from the author of the Infinite Timeline series.

Stranded on a thirty-acre island with a handful of art students, a grieving widow, and a growing pile of corpses, Prof. Clayton Reed is forced into a role he never wanted: leader. Food is scarce. Water is scarcer. And trust? Practically extinct. When one of the survivors kills in self-defence, the fragile alliance fractures and a subset of the group flees in a dinghy to take its chances in shark-infested waters, leaving Clayton and six others behind.

But soon the night sky turns blue. Strange lights pulse across the horizon and strings of star-like objects pass by overhead. Something big is happening to the rest of the world, and the professor and his companions are sure it isn’t normal.

Rescued by a drifting luxury yacht loaded with food, weapons, and a fortune in cocaine, the survivors trade one nightmare for another. Earth is under attack, massive beams of light shooting down from space to the surface. As they sail toward home, not knowing whether it still exists, one thing becomes clear: Those looking at Earth with hungry eyes have noticed them . . .

New York Times–bestselling author Jeremy Robinson delivers a razor-sharp, character-driven survival thriller meets postapocalyptic alien invasion story that flips the genre upside down, inside out, and back again.

Wow, now that is a very awesome plot.  I have to admit at the start of 2026 I never imagined that one of my most anticipated upcoming reads would be a science fiction thriller following plane-crash survivors on a desert island who are forced to contend with an alien invasion, although I should have known that Robinson would have come up with something this fantastically crazy.  This entire book sounds so damn good, and Settle Down is exactly the sort of over-the-top read that I know I love on so many levels.  I am excited to see how this excellent narrative unfolds, and you have to imagine it’s going to feature a lot of deaths, moving character interactions, and so many moments of insane action and intense science fiction horror.

Based on how much I have enjoyed some of Jeremy Robinson’s previous wacky adventure novels (such as The Dark, Mind Bullet, Artifact and Point Nemo), I already know that Settle Down is going to be an exceptional and highly addictive read, and I am so excited to check it out.  While I was likely to read Settle Down based on my fandom of Robinson, the above synopsis is one of the most intriguing novel plots I have ever seen, and I love every single part of it.  I have no doubt that this will be a true highlight of the second half of 2026, and I fully intend to listen to Settle Down on audiobook, especially with one of my favourite narrators, R. C. Bray, bringing all the insanity to life.

Waiting on Wednesday – Shot by Shelley Burr

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an outstanding upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with Shot by Shelley Burr.

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For the last few years, one of my favourite authors of Australian crime fiction has been the very impressive Shelley Burr.  A rising and talented writer who experiments with new styles and writing ideas with each novel, Burr appeared on the scene back in 2022 with her debut novel, Wake.  An excellent and addictive outback mystery about a historical disappearance, Wake was an outstanding novel, which served as the first book of her Lane Holland series.  Followed up by the amazing novels, Ripper (also released as Murder Town), and last year’s release Vanish, each book in this series told its own unique and narrative, while also further exploring the complex life of its recurring protagonist.  I had an incredible time with these books, and I’ve been keen to see what Burr would write next, especially as she seemed to wrap up her first series with Vanish.

It looks like Australian crime fiction fans don’t have long to wait until they’re lucky enough to get another Shelley Burr novel, as the author has an interesting new release coming out in October.  This new book, Shot, will tell a distinctive new tale of murder, regret and hidden secrets, as a new investigative protagonist dives into the past to uncover the truth behind an infamous killing.

Set to follow a disgraced true-crime vlogger (Burr likes her damaged protagonists), as she does a feature on a double killing that occurred in the middle of a livestream, Shot sounds extremely intriguing, and I love the cool and unique elements to its proposed plot.  Sure to bring the drama and dive into modern audience’s obsessions with glamourous streaming families and famous murders, Shot has a ton of potential, especially if Burr weaves her typical storytelling magic.  Based on how good Burr’s previous novels were, Shot is now one of my most anticipated crime fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026, and I have no doubt that this will be a top piece of Australian fiction.

Plot Synopsis:

A murder is witnessed by thousands, but who pulled the trigger?

Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous, glamorous – they share their lifestyle and picture-perfect family with hundreds of thousands of online subscribers. The Crews have it all – until they don’t. Shot dead in the middle of a livestream, the couple’s teenage daughter, Karma, is the sole survivor. And the prime suspect.

Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the unsolved Crews family murders. It’s the chance she needs to salvage her reputation, but there’s a catch: prove Karma Crews innocent. But something – or someone – is lurking just off camera, and the closer Jennifer gets to the truth, the further she is from safety.

Who is watching? And how far will they go to remain unseen?

Waiting on Wednesday – Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss by Rebecca Roanhorse

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight the next big major Star Wars novel I’m excited for with Edge of the Abyss by the very talented Rebecca Roanhorse.

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Last year I had the great pleasure of reading the excellent Star Wars novel, The Mask of Fear by Alex Freed.  The compelling first entry in the new Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear showed an interesting vision of the early Empire in the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith.  Following several key characters from the expanded franchise, The Mask of Fear was a great combination of politics, cultural examinations and a spy thriller narrative, that was highly relevant in the modern climate.  I had an excellent time with The Mask of Fear, and I was curious to see how they were going to continue this series going forward.

It turns out that they are going to shake things up in the second Reign of the Empire book, as not only are inserting a significant time skip, but they are bringing in a whole new author with Rebecca Roanhorse.  Roanhorse, who is best known for her The Sixth World and Between Earth and Sky series, has dabbled with Star Wars fiction previously, having written Resistance Reborn in 2019.  Edge of the Abyss will be her second foray into the Star Wars universe, and I’m curious to see how she has developed since writing Resistance Reborn.

Set for release in September 2026, Edge of the Abyss looks set to further showcase the overwhelming tyranny of the Empire, as well as the rise of the Rebel Alliance, as three of the main characters from The Mask of Fear continue their fight for freedom, alongside other compelling figures from the expanded universe.

Plot Synopsis:

In this thrilling sequel to The Mask of Fear, set one year before season one of Andor, truth becomes a weapon of the Empire.

Over a decade into the Empire’s reign, life under imperial rule has become routine. The days of the Republic have long passed into memory – if they are remembered at all.

Within the Senate, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa face dwindling influence, for there is no difference between the will of the Emperor and the direction of his Empire. Bail increasingly shifts his focus to support clandestine resistance efforts, knowing a successful fight against the Empire will come from beyond the halls of power. Meanwhile, Mon Mothma sees once chance to take a stand when she makes a horrifying discover about the lengths the regime will go to weaponize truth and loyalty. The Empire’s newest target: the next generation raised under the Emperor’s deepening shadow, including Mon and Bail’s daughters.

Across the galaxy, disparate rebel factions are rendered outcasts, branded criminals, and pitted against each other. On Ghorman, an idealistic student group seeks to make meaningful change, unaware of the ISB agent who seeks to sabotage them from the inside. Leaders like Saw Gerrera and Anto Kreegyr squabble and bargain to survive one more day against the crush of Imperial might. Trust is rare and betrayal quick. A distracted, disorganised resistance is one that is easy to snuff out.

There are few heroes…and no alliances.

When one of Gerrera’s partisans is captured by the Empire, time is running out for senators, outcastes, spies, and all those that desire a better tomorrow. What the prisoner knows could held the Empire eradicate any whisper of resistance, end any rebellion before it can truly begin – and ensure that the Empire’s truth is all the galaxy will ever know.

Now this a very interesting sounding novel, with the author looking set to further dive into politics, espionage and rebellion, as a continuation of the wider narrative of the Reign of the Empire series.  It also looks like there are going to be some compelling lore expansions in Edge of the Abyss which will no doubt really appeal to major fans of the Star Wars universe and it’s expanded lore.  It seems that Roanhorse is going to really dive into the very early days of the Rebellion, while providing her own take on some of the key characters from The Mask of Fear.  Roanhorse is also intending to further explore the divergence in tactics between Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, and I have no doubt the clash between the honourable realism of Bail and the the fading political idealism of Mon is going to be a major source of drama for much of the plot.

One of the more appealing aspects of Edge of the Abyss to me is the jump forward 10 years from the early days of the Empire to the heights of its power a year before the start of the Andor television series.  Showcasing the conflicted and disorganised rebels with different goals, like Saw Gerrera and the briefly mentioned Anto Kreegyr, has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to seeing their differing agendas.  I’m hoping that the appearance of those two characters also means that Luthen Rael from Andor is also going to show up, and I’m wondering if we’ll see his first interactions with Mon Mothma here.  Throw in some mentions of Ghorman, which was such a tragic setting in the second season of Andor, and Edge of the Abyss looks set to contain a lot of juicy hints references for established Star Wars fans.

Overall, I really like the sound of this awesome upcoming Star Wars novel.  Rebecca Roanhorse will be an excellent new addition to the larger Reign of the Empire series, and I’m very curious to see where she takes the story in Edge of the Abyss.  I’m sure that Edge of the Abyss is going to provide all the intriguing dives into the larger Star Wars universe that I will need in 2026, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight the next book in one of my absolute favourite series, with The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow.

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Readers of this blog will know that I am a massive fan of historical fiction author Simon Scarrow, who has been producing epic and compelling historical fiction novels for 25 years.  His books cover a range of interesting topics and settings, although his current body of work involves his long-running Eagles of the Empire series, as well as his Inspector Horst Schenke thriller novels set in wartime Berlin.

I am a particular fan of Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, and I have had the pleasure of reading every single entry in this series so far.  Following two veteran Roman officers, Prefect Cato and Centurian Macro, as they fight their way through the various battlefields and political intrigues of ancient Rome.  Scarrow has produced some outstanding novels in this series in recent years, with The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor, Rebellion, Revenge of Rome and Tyrant of Rome, all being extremely epic and entertaining in their own ways.

Unsurprisingly, any new Eagles of the Empire novel is very high up on my to-read list, and I was very excited to find out some details about the next entry in this series, The Sword of Rome.  Set to be the 25th entry in this long-running series, The Sword of Rome is coming out in November 2026, and will set the protagonist on another deadly adventure with the highest of stakes.

Plot Synopsis:

CATO AND MACRO ARE ARMED TO THE HILT FOR THE EPIC 25TH ADVENTURE IN THE EAGLES OF THE EMPIRE SERIES FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR


Twenty years have passed since the raw recruit Cato faced Centurion Macro on the training ground. Now scarred heroes of the Roman army’s toughest conflicts, they are the first choice when Emperor Nero’s top general, Corbulo, needs the best for a dangerous mission.

Over a thousand miles from Rome, on northern coastline of the Euxine Sea, a city’s people face massacre as the Scythian Empire pushes back against Nero’s wild ambitions.

The journey alone would break lesser men. And at their destination is a scene of carnage and approaching famine, while an army far greater in number than the Roman force gathers for the finish . . .

Always in Cato’s mind is the terrible image of his last hours in Rome: the fearful faces of his wife and son, and Macro’s wife, held as hostages against his failure. The fate of countless Roman citizens, and of everyone Cato cares about, lies in his hands.

Even after all these years, the first glimpse of a new Eagles of the Empire book still gets me very excited.  This next novel has me especially intrigued, as not only is it the 25th entry in the series (who knows what surprises an author could chuck into a milestone book), but the above plot for The Sword of Rome sounds extremely awesome and intense.  Setting the protagonists on an impossible mission to stop a massacre has a lot of potential, with the typical long-odds Cato and Macro seemingly enhanced with famine, carnage and superior opponents.  Scarrow seems to be framing it as one of the more brutal entries in the series, and I cannot wait to see some more of the excellent historical action that the author excels at.

While the main mission of The Sword of Rome is probably going to awesome on its own, the element of the above plot synopsis that really caught my eye was the underlying politics and threats to the protagonists.  The inclusion of General Corbula, a tragic figure that has been mentioned as a potential rival for Nero in previous books, provides some hints at Cato and Macro’s true purpose on this campaign.  There is also the revelation that both protagonist’s families are being held captive back in Rome, which not only provides extra motivation for them to succeed in this battle, but also hints at additional problems for them, especially as a recurring storyline in the last few books has been Cato keeping his secret wife hidden from the Emperor’s court.  All this has so much narrative potential, and it sounds like Scarrow is planning to make some big moves in this upcoming Eagles of the Empire novel.

Needless to say, I’m extremely excited for The Sword of Rome later this year.  There are very few things that would stop me from reading the new Eagles of the Empire novel anyway, especially as Simon Scarrow has been killing it recently, but The Sword of Rome sounds particularly epic, and I know I’m going to love it.  Now one my most anticipated releases in the second half of 2026, The Sword of Rome is going to be an exceptional and exciting novel that I will try to read the very second I get my hands on it.

Waiting on Wednesday – Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  This week I’m doing several Waiting on Wednesday posts, and the final upcoming book I want to highlight is the excellent and sure-to-be spooky thriller, Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

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C. J. Tudor is a talented and highly inventive author who has been releasing some intriguing reads over the last couple of years. Starting with her 2018 debut, The Chalk Man, Tudor has consistently produced some compelling books with clever horror or psychological thriller elements. Her other books include The Hiding Place (also titled The Taking of Annie Thorne), The Other People, The Burning Girls and The Drift.

I personally became a fan of Tudor when I read her latest book, The Gathering, an intriguing murder mystery with a great vampiric twist behind it.  The Gathering proved to be quite an exceptional read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024.  After this great first experience from Tudor, I am extremely keen to read from her, and it looks like I’m going to get the chance later this year.  That’s because Tudor’s next novel Serenity Falls, is coming out in September 2026.

Set to feature a unique horror plot, Serenity Falls will follow a small family who travel to the titular town in the United States.  Unsurprisingly, Serenity Falls is far from the safe and happy town everyone believes it to be, and it looks like Tudor has come up with a compelling and freaky array discoveries to push her protagonists over the edge.  I’m personally very curious to see where this unique story goes, and I have a feeling that Tudor has cooked up something quite disturbing and addictive in this upcoming novel.  As such, I have very high hopes for Serenity Falls, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the very best books of 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

Welcome to Serenity Falls – the most idyllic, and safest, town in the US – a place to grow up, grow your family and grow old together. For Dan and his daughter, Sadie, it’s the perfect relocation option. A fresh start, thousands of miles from their troubled past in the UK.

But their idyll is shattered when they find a dead body in the swimming pool of their new house – a house Dan’s late mother kept secret from him all his life.

It’s just the start of a series of disturbing discoveries. Abandoned houses where people have seemingly just upped and left. The strange woman Sadie sees around town putting up ‘missing’ posters for a child who drowned almost thirty years ago. An ice cream van that drives around at night making sure residents are asleep…

As plans gear up to celebrate Serenity Falls’ fiftieth anniversary, something is stirring beneath the surface of the blissful façade. Is Serenity Falls really the perfect town or is it founded on something far darker? And is someone so desperate to keep its secrets that they’d resort to anything to preserve them?

Welcome to Serenity Falls.
Once you’re here, you’re here to stay.

Waiting on Wednesday – Scion by James Islington

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Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  This week I’m doing several different Waiting on Wednesday posts, including my first one for Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan.  I’m following up this fun fantasy adventure with a cool science fiction thriller from a rising Australian author, with Scion by James Islington.

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Few fantasy writers are as beloved right now as Australia’s James Islington.  A talented author with the ability to create truly elaborate worlds, Islington has gained a big following in recent years thanks to his exceptional Hierarchy series.  An intricate and complex series, the Hierarchy books follow a damaged protagonist as he attempts to overcome dark conspiracies and ancient magical threats across a multiverse.  This series started with The Will of the Many, where it introduced Vis Telimus, a fugitive prince who finds himself enrolled in an academy for the children of the elite members of the nation that conquered his homeland.  The resulting narrative saw Vis to deal with elaborate ancient puzzles, the unique magic of his world, unlikely friendships, deadly rebels, and all his hidden secrets potentially becoming uncovered. I had such an amazing time reading The Will of the Many that it got a very easy five-star rating from me, and it ended up topping several of my end-of-year lists for 2023, including my favourite book, audiobook, new-to-me author and Australian fiction lists.

Naturally after enjoying such an awesome read from Islington, I eagerly picked up the sequel last year as soon as I could with The Strength of the Few.  A fantastic and ambitious read that cleverly followed three separate versions of the protagonist who were replicated and transported to alternate mirror worlds.  This complex new take on the story was very impressive, with each version of Vis encountering tragedy, adversity and friendship as they attempted to survive.  An outstanding second entry, The Strength of the Few was one of my favourite books, audiobooks, sequels and Australian Fiction releases of 2025, and I cannot recommend it enough.

After having so much fun with these amazing books, I’m honestly very keen to read more from Islington, and while the third Hierarchy novel is probably a little way off, fans are still getting a new story from this awesome author in 2026 with Scion.  An action-packed science fiction thriller, Scion follows a futuristic contract killer who gets into all manner of trouble when she decides to take on a job protecting someone.  Set for release in September 2026, Scion sounds like an interesting change of pace from Islington, and it’s caught my attention.

Plot Synopsis:

Scion is a gripping sci-fi thriller in which a contract killer assigned to protect a scientist from assassination finds himself in the crosshairs.

My name’s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way to live forever—limited resources be damned—there was only ever going to be one real deterrent.

In the end, it’s like a lot of people’s jobs. I have to deal with a ton of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some awkward face-to-face interactions. And, like most of us, I’m only clocking on to crawl out from beneath my debts. It can be dirty work sometimes, sure, but someone’s got to do it.

Luckily, my genetic enhancements make me really, really good at it.

This next job, though…strange, that it got thrown my way. I haven’t had to protect a client in years.

Still, what could go wrong?

This new book from James Islington sounds pretty damn awesome, and I’m already very keen to check out Scion later this year.  An exciting and unique science fiction thriller in the hands of the uber talented Islington sounds like an absolute treat, and I have no doubt at all that this will be a very cool and addictive read.  As such, Scion is now one of my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2026, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Waiting on Wednesday – Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  This week I’m actually going to do a few Waiting on Wednesday posts to make up for my recent shortfall in updates.  As such, I’m starting this ultra-Wednesday post series off strong with one my most anticipated books for 2026, the epic upcoming fantasy novel Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan.

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In recent years, one of my favourite fantasy authors has been veteran writer Anthony Ryan.  Known for several intriguing and varied series, I become a fan of Ryan when I started reading The Covenant of Steel trilogy.  Following a young bandit turned scribe, who finds himself taking on many roles in his chronicled adventures, including that of knight, spy, rebel and heretical traitor, The Covenant of Steel series was a really impressive example of fantasy fiction, and I had an incredible time with The Pariah (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Martyr (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), and The Traitor (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), all of which were five-star reads.

Due to how much I loved these amazing novels, I was very excited in 2024 when Ryan released the first book in the Age of Wrath series, which served as a sequel to the Covenant of Steel books.  The first Age of Wrath novel, A Tide of Black Steel, is set a couple of decades after the events of The Traitor and builds on some of the events of the first series, while also featuring its own unique story.  I really enjoyed A Tide of Black Steel, which veered away from the chronicle style of the previous trilogy, and instead set out a Norse saga inspired tale of adventure and war and it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024.  Ryan followed this first Age of Wrath novel up in a big way last year with Born of an Iron Storm.  A compelling book that perfectly followed on from the twists of the first book and saw the protagonists continue their journeys of self-discovery, Born of an Iron Storm was another impressive read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025.

Unsurprisingly after having such a great time with the previous Age of Wrath novels, I’m quite invested in seeing how the series concludes, which it is set to do later this year with Upon the Forge of Battle.  The third entry in the trilogy, Upon the Forge of Battle will deliver the final batch of carnage and intrigue, as the series’ four fantastic protagonists each encounter their true destinies.

Plot Synopsis:

As the Age of Wrath reaches its bloody conclusion, the world will be reforged in steel and fire …

Thera Blackspear was once champion to the Sister Queens. Now she’s a queen herself, with Elvine as her spear maiden, wielding a weapon forged by the gods. But while the traitorous Sister Lore plots in the shadows, Ascarlia will never be safe.

Felnir has won a crown of his own and forged a kingdom at the tip of his divine blade. Yet his dreams are troubled by visions of the brother he thought long dead. A brother who needs his help, and whom Felnir would give anything to save—even his hard-won kingship.

Ruhlin’s many victories have made him a hero to the Morvek, who believe he is the prophesied saviour who will overthrow their Nihlvarian enemies. But now he finds himself a prisoner of the Vortigurn, the King of Nihlvar, who has secrets and schemes of his own. Secrets that could unmake the world.

I love the sound of this new awesome novel from Ryan, and I think it has a narrative with a lot of potential.  While there aren’t too many surprising details captured in the above synopsis, it’s clear that Ryan has some big plans when it comes to finalising this series and I’m very curious to see how each of the four storylines come together.  I’m expecting a lot more crossover between these character arcs in this novel, and I’ll also be interested in seeing if certain characters from the Covenant of Steel novels appear.  All this looks set to produce a pretty epic overarching story, and I have faith that it’s going to be very special.

Thanks to how deeply enjoyed the previous entries in this series, there is no way I won’t be grabbing Upon the Forge of Battle later this year.  Anthony Ryan has set up some awesome narrative threads that I cannot wait to see resolved, and I am expecting even more carnage, treachery and complex character resolutions in this upcoming novel.  Likely to be one of my favourite fantasy novels of 2026, Upon the Forge of Battle is going to be good and I plan to read it the first chance I get.

Waiting on Wednesday – Hide and Seek by Chris Carter

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an excellent upcoming thriller with some dark twists to it, with Hide and Seek by Chris Carter.

Amazon

Regular readers of this blog will know that I have a certain love for unusual or unique thrillers, especially those that promise to take the reader to compelling and unexpected places.  This has led me to some truly wonderful books over the years and the next novel this love for distinctive thrillers is steering me towards is the intriguing upcoming release, Hide and Seek.

Hide and Seek is a very awesome sounding read, that will be the first standalone novel from author Chris Carter, who is best known for his acclaimed Robert Hunter novels.  Moving away from chasing killers and monsters in LA, Carter’s new novel will be a gripping and complex read about revenge and psychological torture, as a woman tries to escape the elaborate revenge of her abusive husband.

Set for release in July 2026, Hide and Seek has a very interesting plot behind it and it’s one that I think has a ton of potential.  I am extremely curious to see how this compelling story idea unfolds, and it sounds like it is going to be a truly insane and twisty read.  As such, Hide and Seek is a book I am very excited to read in the second half of 2026, and I look forward to reading my first novel from Chris Carter.

Plot Synopsis:

What if nothing in your life is what it appears to be?

After being trapped in an abusive marriage, Sam Stewart finally manages to gather enough courage to take her husband, Nelson, to court. But before he is sent to prison, he makes her a promise: ‘I will be coming for you. No matter how long it takes.’

And Nelson Stewart isn’t one to make empty promises.

Sam is granted a new name and a new identity. As Mary Smith she moves across the country to start life afresh, but she knows full well what her ex-husband is capable of – and that his reach stretches far beyond prison walls.

What was supposed to be a new beginning for Mary becomes the biggest cat and mouse game of her life, where nothing is quite what it appears to be, where she HIDES and he SEEKS, however long it takes, because to some, revenge can be an art form.