Category: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday – Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I look at the exciting upcoming volume of one of my favourite comic book series with Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow by the legendary Stan Sakai.

Usagi Yojimbo - Ice and Snow Cover

Amazon

Anyone familiar with my blog will know I am a huge, huge fan of the outstanding Usagi Yojimbo comic series.  Set in an alternate version of Feudal Japan populated by anthropomorphic animals the Usagi Yojimbo series follows rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi, as he travels the wilds, encountering all manner of trouble.  Written and drawn by the highly acclaimed Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo features some exceptionally beautiful artwork, clever stories, and unique Japanese cultural and mythological elements that help to produce an incredible comic.

I have been a fan of this series for years, and I currently own every single volume which I constantly re-read.  I have also had an amazing time reviewing this series ever since I started my blog, starting back in 2018 when I reviewed the 32nd volume Mysteries.  This led to me reviewing every subsequent volume that came out after 2018, and I have also been working my way through the prior volumes as part of my Throwback Thursday range.  I have been particularly enjoying some of the more recent volumes, especially as publisher IDW released them in colour, including Bunraku and Other Stories (one of my favourite books of 2020), Homecoming (one of my favourite books of 2021), Tengu War! and Crossroads (both of which were among my favourite books of 2022) and The Green Dragon (one of my favourite books of 2023).

Due to how much of a fan I am of this series, I am always excited when I see that a new comic is coming out, and we are getting a very interesting sounding addition to the series in 2024 with the 39th volume, Ice and Snow.  Set for release in September 2024, Ice and Snow will see the Usagi Yojimbo series return to Dark Horse comics, who previously published the series for 22 years (from volume 8: Shades of Death to Volume 33: The Hidden).  It will be interesting to see how the series changes when it returns to Dark Horse, and I am already very keen for this upcoming volume, especially as it has an amazing sounding plot behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

Following the events of “The Green Dragon,” Usagi and Yukichi are still in the snowy mountaintops of Northern Japan.

They are led to the hut of a strange woman hermit who allows them to spend the night. Meanwhile, the maniacal Jei and his familiar, Keiko, are on Usagi’s trail, and they stumble upon a bandit lair and subdue the band of cutthroats and thieves.

Stan Sakai brings his beloved rabbit ronin series back to Dark Horse—featuring full color by colorist team Hi-Fi!

Collects Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow #1–#5.

There is a lot to love about this intriguing upcoming volume.  Not only does it look like Ice and Snow is only going to feature one story, a reliable indicator of an epic Usagi Yojimbo volume, but the plot sounds extremely intense.  There have been some great Usagi Yojimbo adventures lately, and Ice and Snow will probably be a particularly deadly one as it builds on some fantastic story elements from the last few entries  I love that Usagi is still accompanied by his cousin, Yukichi, as the two have made for an interesting duo, and I look forward to seeing more of Sakai’s amazing artwork of the snowy mountain tops of Northern Japan.  However, the main reason why I think that Ice and Snow is going to be great, is that it features the return of the series’ best villain, Jei.

Since his introduction in the third volume, The Wanderer’s Road, Jei has been a particularly deadly and memorable foe.  Portrayed as a dark warrior obsessed with lethal justice and guided by divine voices, the character of Jei appears to live on the borders between the natural and the supernatural.  Thanks to his obsession with Usagi, the two have crossed paths multiple times, and Jei is routinely the only foe that terrifies Usagi, especially as he keeps coming back from the dead, much like the character he is based on (Jei is an homage to Jason from the Friday the 13th franchise).  Pretty much any story that has a version of Jei in it is amazing, and you have to love how creepy Sakai makes him, especially as he now travels around with an innocent little girl.  It has been quite a while since Usagi and Jei faced off, with their last major battle occurring in the 12th volume Grasscutter, although Usagi did encounter a version of Jei possessing one of his friends in Volume 24, Return of the Dark Soul.  As such, this is a showdown long in the making, and the constant hints about Jei in recent volumes have only heightened anticipation.  I cannot wait to see Usagi and Jei come together again, especially as the protagonist will likely be emotionally and physically damaged by the encounter.

I think my fanboy ramblings above make it clear that I am very excited for the next Usagi Yojimbo volume.  Ice and Snow has a ton of potential in my opinion, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.  Not only is this going to feature Sakai’s usual amazing art, characters and story, but the dark, emotionally charged confrontations that are bound to occur should be extremely amazing.  As such, Ice and Snow is a must-read for me, and I have no doubt it will be one of my favourite things I read in 2024.

Waiting on Wednesday – Star Wars – The Living Force and The Glass Abyss

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two awesome upcoming Star Wars novels that are sure to deeply entertain and excite with The Living Force and The Glass Abyss.

Fans of this blog will be well aware of my love for Star Wars fiction, especially as I have had the great pleasure of reading and reviewing a ton of amazing Star Wars novels over the last few years.  Something about a brilliant novel that further explores the elaborate Star Wars universe, or which presents a totally unique story about some of your favourite characters always greatly appeals to me, and I can always get dragged into a good Star Wars novel, especially in their audiobook format.  Unfortunately, I have been a little slack when it comes to reading Star Wars fiction in the last year, but that is something I am planning to rectify in 2024, especially as there are two fantastic sounding upcoming books from the franchise that have really caught my eye.

Star Wars - The Living Force Cover

Amazon

The first of these is Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller.  Miller is a well-established author of tie-in fiction, have written across several franchises, including Star Trek (check out my review for his novel Die Standing), and other cool shows.  Miller has also written several Star Wars novels, with his exceptional book, Kenobi, being one of the best Star Wars novels I have ever read.  As such, I am very eager to try out his new book, The Living Force, especially as it has an awesome story behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

In the year before The Phantom Menace, Yoda, Mace Windu, and the entire Jedi Council confront a galaxy on the brink of change.

The Jedi have always traveled the stars, defending peace and justice across the galaxy. But the galaxy is changing, and the Jedi Order along with it. More and more, the Order finds itself focused on the future of the Republic, secluded on Coruscant, where the twelve members of the Jedi Council weigh crises on a galactic scale.

As yet another Jedi Outpost left over from the Republic’s golden age is set to be decommissioned on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Council about the Order’s increasing isolation. Mace Windu suggests a bold response: All twelve Jedi Masters will embark on a goodwill mission to help the planet and to remind the people of the galaxy that the Jedi remain as stalwart and present as they have been across the ages.

But the arrival of the Jedi leadership is not seen by all as a cause for celebration. In the increasing absence of the Jedi, warring pirate factions have infested the sector. To maintain their dominance, the pirates unite, intent on assassinating the Council members. And they are willing to destroy countless innocent lives to secure their power.

Cut off from Coruscant, the Jedi Masters must reckon with an unwelcome truth: While no one thinks more about the future than the Jedi Council, nobody needs their help more than those living in the present.

I love the sound of this amazing book, especially as it dives into the somewhat underdeveloped history pre-The Phantom Menace.  A novel following the entire Jedi Council as they get into trouble on a remote planet sounds like a recipe for great success, and I am really looking forward to The Living Force as a result.  Set for release in April 2024, I feel that this book has a lot of potential to be pretty damn epic, especially in Miller’s extremely capable hands.  As such, I cannot wait for The Living Force to come out and I have a feeling it will be one of the top books I read in early 2024.

Star Wars - The Glass Abyss Cover

Amazon

The other Star Wars novel I want to highlight here is the intense and powerful sounding book, Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes.  Set for release in August 2024, The Glass Abyss will be Barnes’ first Star Wars novel since his 2004 book, The Cetus Deception.  The Glass Abyss will also be set during the same early period of Star Wars history as The Living Force and will follow fan-favourite character Mace Windu in the immediate aftermath of The Phantom Menace.

Plot Synopsis:

Jedi Master Mace Windu travels to a dangerous, remote planet on a mission that challenges even his deadly prowess – all to fulfill Qui-Gon’s last request.

The Jedi are reeling from Qui-Gon Jinn’s sudden death at the hands of a Sith. Jedi Master Mace Windu’s feelings about Qui-Gon have always been complicated, and have not been made any simpler in death. While they often disagreed, Mace valued Qui-Gon’s unique perspective, and their shared dedication to the Force made them allies. Without Qui-Gon and his unorthodox views, Mace feels out of balance.

While considering his fallen friend’s legacy, Mace is surprised to receive a final message from Qui-Gon, marked to be delivered to Mace on the event of Qui-Gon’s death. The message contains a last request: a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.

Many years ago, a violent solar flare transformed the surface of the desert planet into a landscape of irradiated glass—as beautiful as it is dangerous. Now most of the surviving inhabitants live underground, where rival clans fight to control the planet’s limited resources. As a young Jedi, Qui-Gon protected the Sa’ad farming clan from the planet’s less scrupulous factions. The Sa’ad practice the art of dream-weaving, retaining their waking minds upon sleep in order to communicate and coexist with the wild creatures around them. Qui-Gon vowed to return if they ever required his aid, but now it falls to Mace to fulfill that promise. The Sa’ad’s leader, KinShan Nightbird, has begged for the Jedi’s help in freeing Metagos from the crime lords who threaten to eradicate her people’s way of life.

Intent on fulfilling Qui-Gon’s final wishes, Mace travels to Metagos and infiltrates the enemies of the Sa’ad. But as the Jedi Master investigates the intricate web of adversaries and allies, Mace finds himself pushed to the boundaries of the Jedi code, challenging his beliefs and his relationship to the Force itself.

This is another epic sounding upcoming Star Wars novel and I am very intrigued by the plot synopsis for The Glass Abyss.  Having a grieving Mace Windu attempt to free a planet from crime lords by going undercover sounds is a very cool story idea, and I look forward to seeing how Barnes pulls it off.  Mace Windu is an awesome character to follow, and I cannot wait to see his unique perspectives on life and the Force, especially after losing his friend.  The Glass Abyss also has a lot of potential in my opinion, and I am extremely keen to get my hands on it.

Both amazing 2024 Star Wars novels, The Living Force and The Glass Abyss, sound incredibly awesome, and I have very high hopes for them.  These books have some fantastic stories, and I am sure the highly regarded veteran authors behind them will turn them into something special.  2024 looks to be a very strong year for Star Wars fiction, and I look forward to reading those books, as well as any other Star Wars novels that come out, especially if I can catch up with The High Republic series.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday8 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight probably the most anticipated science fiction release of 2024 with The Mercy of Gods, written by the brains behind The Expanse series, James S. A. Corey.

The Mercy of Gods Cover

Amazon

There are many great science fiction series out there, but few have gained the love, fandom and recognition that The Expanse books by James S. A. Corey have.  The joint pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, both of whom are impressive authors in their own right, James S. A. Corey have been writing together since 2011 and while they have authored other works, specifically a Star Wars novel (Honor Among Thieves), they team is best known for their highly regarded The Expanse series.  Set in the future, The Expanse deals with war, intrigue, politics and murder in space, with events becomes even more intense and destructive once ancient alien technology and life forms are discovered.  While this series was always highly regarded by fans of science fiction novels, The Expanse gained even more recognition when its excellent television adaptation came out.

I personally came into The Expanse books a bit later than other readers, having only read the last three novels in the series, Persepolis Rising, Tiamat’s Wrath and Leviathan Falls.  While I might not have explored the whole series, I still really enjoyed these last three novels, with Tiamat’s Wrath being one of my top books and audiobooks of 2019.  I do wish I had come into this series at the beginning, but I never had the time to fit it into my schedule.  However, it looks like I’ll be able to start one of their series from the beginning thanks to the upcoming book The Mercy of Gods.

The Mercy of Gods is another piece of epic science fiction and will be the first entry in The Captive’s War series, the first original series from the pair since they started The Expanse.  The Mercy of Gods has an impressive plot behind it that will see the inhabitants of a human world get enslaved by a powerful alien race and forced to face off against other captured alien species in an elaborate competition.

Plot Synopsis:

How humanity came to the planet called Anjiin is lost in the fog of history, but that history is about to end.

The Carryx—part empire, part hive—have waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy. Now, they are facing a great and deathless enemy. The key to their survival may rest with the humans of Anjiin.

Caught up in academic intrigue and affairs of the heart, Dafyd Alkhor is pleased just to be an assistant to a brilliant scientist and his celebrated research team. Then the Carryx ships descend, decimating the human population and taking the best and brightest of Anjiin society away to serve on the Carryx homeworld, and Dafyd is swept along with them.

They are dropped in the middle of a struggle they barely understand, set in a competition against the other captive species with extinction as the price of failure. Only Dafyd and a handful of his companions see past the Darwinian contest to the deeper game that they must play to survive: learning to understand—and manipulate—the Carryx themselves.

With a noble but suicidal human rebellion on one hand and strange and murderous enemies on the other, the team pays a terrible price to become the trusted servants of their new rulers.

Dafyd Alkhor is a simple man swept up in events that are beyond his control and more vast than his imagination. He will become the champion of humanity and its betrayer, the most hated man in history and the guardian of his people.

This is where his story begins.

Ok, now this sounds like a book with some real potential.  Putting aside the notable and highly proven writing skills of Corey, the plot alone of The Mercy of Gods has me pretty damn excited.  I love the idea of humans being taken by an advanced alien race, who themselves are on the brink of extinction, which is a bold story idea to start with.  However, combine that with an apparent dark competition arc, where the human protagonists need to compete against, betray and overcome other captive species to become their new master’s favoured servants, and you have something extremely special.  An elaborate and deadly competition between species is such a great concept, and the fact that the authors are going to go even deeper than that with additional elements that look at the Carryx, a human rebellion, and murderous enemies attacking the protagonist, and you have one hell of an adventure that is sure to be particularly epic.

Based on the author’s writing style in the past, you must imagine that they are going to use this first book to set up a particularly intricate space setting, and no doubt all the competing alien races will have an intriguing history, unique features, and a proven desire to win and destroy the humans.  The authors thrive when they get to deal in elaborate detail, and I cannot wait to see how they construct this new universe and the elaborate worlds and species featured within, especially as all these details are likely to have impacts on the larger story.  The combination of unique science fiction elements and a dark story of desperate survivors and competitors is bound to result in something particularly impressive and I am really looking forward to it.

Honestly, the fact that this is the first book in a new series by James S. A. Corey instantly guaranteed that I would read The Mercy of Gods in 2024, and I am sure many other science fiction fans think the same way.  However, I am also so in love with the extraordinary plot synopsis above and the incredible story it describes is something I cannot wait to see.  As such, I have very little doubt that The Mercy of Gods is going to be a particularly epic and awesome novel, and it will probably end up being one of the top science fiction books of the year.  I am so, very, very excited for The Mercy of Gods, and this new series from James S. A. Corey is going to be a firm fixture on my reading schedule for years to come.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s entry I look at one of the most anticipated and potentially imaginative fantasy novels of 2024 with The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence.

The Book That Broke the World Cover

Amazon

In early 2023 I was extremely lucky to receive a copy of the latest book from Mark Lawrence, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.  The first entry in Lawrence’s The Library trilogy, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was a bold and compelling novel set in an intriguing new setting of an impossibly large library.  Following two damaged protagonists who have very different experiences about the library and its secrets, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was an exceptional novel, whose scope, creativity and unique story really drew me in.  I had an incredible time reading The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, and not only did it get a full five-star rating from me, but it was also an easy inclusion on my recent Favourite Books of 2023 list.  I was so very impressed with The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, and I have been eagerly waiting to find out details about a potential sequel and luckily it doesn’t look like I’ll have to much longer to wait.

This upcoming sequel is The Book That Broke the World, which is currently set for release in April 2024.  The Book That Broke the World will take place after the chaotic conclusion of The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and will see the two protagonists thrust into a whole new level of peril as they try to save themselves, their friends, and the library itself.

Plot Synopsis:

Two people living in a world connected by an immense and mysterious library must fight for those they love in the second book in a new trilogy from the international bestselling author of The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.

The Library spans worlds and times. It touches and joins distant places. It is memory and future. And amid its vastness Evar Eventari both found, and lost, Livira Page.

Evar has been forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover the book she wrote—one which is the only true threat to the library’s existence—if she’s to return to her life.

While Evar’s journey leads him outside into a world he’s never seen, Livira’s path will taker her deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.

The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.

This sounds like a pretty awesome read and I am so looking forward to it.  Lawrence has cooked up a very interesting plot for The Book That Broke the World, especially as it seems that he is planning to do a reversal on the protagonist’s fates, with Evar trapped outside the library after a lifetime stuck within, while Livira, the cagey outsider who entered the library after her childhood in the desert, will be trapped within learning more about its secrets and herself.  I have no doubt this will be a particularly character-driven plot, and I look forward to seeing how both likeable, yet troubled, protagonists continue to develop.

Based on Lawrence’s writing in the past, I have no doubt that he will continue to develop the elaborate world that surrounds the series in The Book That Broke the World, and I assume we are going to see more timelines, more visions of past and future wars, and more of the long-running conflict between the two races that trade control of the library and its resources.  This, combined with the excellent story and character work, should make for one hell of a read and I cannot wait to dive even further into this amazing series.  As such, The Book That Broke the World is one of my most anticipated books for 2024 and I am so damn excited to see what incredible new narrative threads Lawrence has in store for us.

Waiting on Wednesday – 2024 Adrian Tchaikovsky Science Fiction Novels

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday15 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight three planned 2024 novels from one of my new favourite authors, Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Over the last couple of years, I have found myself really getting into the works of the impressive and inventive science fiction and fantasy author, Adrian Tchaikovsky, who has been wowing me with his fun and complex reads.  Known for his elaborate novels that combine great characters with unique settings, complicated ideas and intriguing social commentary, Tchaikovsky’s books are always extremely fun and deeply compelling.  Some of his best-known works including his Shadows of the Apt, Children of Time, Echoes of the Fall and The Final Architecture series, just to name a few, as well as a range of awesome standalone reads.

I personally have become familiar with Tchaikovsky through some of his more recent books.  This started last year when I had the pleasure of reading Tchaikovsky’s first foray into Warhammer 40,000 fiction with the dark and intriguing Day of Ascension, that focused on a nefarious Genestealer Cult on an oppressed planet.  Day of Ascension ended up being one of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels I have had the pleasure of reading, and it encouraged me to check out more books from Tchaikovsky.  This led me to the fantastic novella, Ogres, which told a fantastic story of a young man forced to grow up in a world ruled over by terrifying, technologically advanced ogres, and which ended up being quite the unique and memorable read.

However, the book that made me a particularly massive fan of Tchaikovsky is his awesome fantasy release, City of Last Chances.  Following a complex cohort of characters around an occupied city on the verge of revolution, City of Last Chances was an outstanding and highly addictive novel that had me hooked the entire way through.  City of Last Chances got an easy five-star rating from me, and I just featured it on my Top Ten Audiobooks of 2023 list.  Tchaikovsky followed City of Last Chances up in late 2023 with the awesome sequel, House of Open Wounds, which took one of the main characters from City of Last Chances and conscripted him to an unusual military hospital.  This resulted in an epic read that got another five-star rating and left me with an unstoppable need to read more books from Tchaikovsky.  Luckily for me, Tchaikovsky has three amazing sounding science fiction novels coming out in 2024 that I am going to make a big effort to read next year.

Alien Clay Cover

Amazon

The first of these books is the exciting and intense sounding science fiction thriller, Alien Clay.  Set for release in March 2024, Alien Clay will see an imprisoned scientist attempt to make a unique scientific discovery on an alien planet that has been turned into a notorious prison colony.

Plot Synopsis:

Alien Clay is a thrilling far-future adventure by acclaimed Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky.

The planet of Kiln is where the tyrannical Mandate keeps its prison colony, and for inmates the journey there is always a one-way trip. One such prisoner is Professor Arton Daghdev, xeno-ecologist and political dissident. Soon after arrival he discovers that Kiln has a secret. Humanity is not the first intelligent life to set foot there.

In the midst a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem are the ruins of a civilization, but who were the vanished builders and where did they go? If he can survive both the harsh rule of the camp commandant and the alien horrors of the world around him, then Arton has a chance at making a discovery that might just transform not only Kiln but distant Earth as well.

Alien Clay sounds like an awesome read and I love the idea of a character forced to survive threats both human and alien to make a significant discovery with far-reaching implications.  A harrowing prison thriller combined with complex science fiction elements has a lot of potential, and I imagine that Tchaikovsky is going to come up with some vicious and entertaining villains for the protagonist to come into conflict with.  Everything about Alien Clay sounds really awesome and I look forward to seeing just how messed up things get on Kiln.

Service Model Cover

Amazon

The next book that Tchaikovsky has coming out in 2024 is the fun and deadly science fiction novel, Service Model, which will see the author put his own spin to a well-known story idea.  Set for release in June 2024, Service Model has a fantastic plot about a domesticated robot who gains murderous sentience and then discovers the dark truth about the society it was built to support.

Plot Synopsis:

Murderbot meets Redshirts in a delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder from the Hugo-nominated author of Elder Race and Children of Time.

To fix the world they must first break it, further.

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service.

When a domesticated robot gets a nasty little idea downloaded into its core programming, they murder their owner. The robot discovers they can also do something else they never did before: they can run away.

Fleeing the household they enter a wider world they never knew existed, where the age-old hierarchy of humans at the top is disintegrating into ruins and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to human wellbeing is having to find a new purpose.

Sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming.

This is a Tchaikovsky book that I am particularly looking forward to, especially as it sounds like it’s going to be the author’s funniest and most insightful novel.  Any story that focuses on an intelligent robot who begins to realise that they don’t have to continue to take orders from humans is always going to be good, and I have no doubt Tchaikovsky will ensure that the funniest aspects of this human/robot relationship come to the fore.  I also look forward to seeing another Tchaikovsky dystopia, especially as one where humans have become too reliant on robots sounds perfectly feasible.  This will no doubt make the story hit even closer to home and Tchaikovsky will undoubtedly fill Service Model with cutting observations about the current state of humanity and the paths we find ourselves on.  Honestly, Service Model sounds like the book I am most going to enjoy from Tchaikovsky next year and I cannot wait to check it out.

Saturation Point Cover

Amazon

The final novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky coming out in 2024 that I want to highlight is the awesome science fiction adventure novel, Saturation Point.  A darker sounding read, in Saturation Point Tchaikovsky envisions a deadly new eco-system emerging on Earth where no human can survive, and naturally sends some human protagonists in.

Plot Synopsis:

A group of scientists and soldiers are hunted by mysterious enemies in a terrifying new climate thriller from the “Master of British SF”

Doctor Jasmine Marks is going back into hell.

The Hygrometric Dehabitation Region, or the “Zone,” is a growing band of rainforest on the equator, where the heat and humidity make it impossible for warm-blooded animals to survive. A human being without protection in the Zone is dead in minutes.

Twenty years ago, Marks went into the rainforest with a group of researchers led by Doctor Elaine Fell, to study the extraordinary climate and see if it could be used in agriculture. The only thing she learned was that the Zone was no place for people. There were deaths, and the programme was cut short.

Now, they’re sending her back in. A plane crash, a rescue mission, a race against time and the environment to bring out the survivors. But there are things Marks’s corporate masters aren’t telling her. The Zone keeps its secrets, and so does Doctor Fell…


Saturation Point sounds like it is going to be a great piece of science fiction, with some possible horror elements thrown in as well.  I love the idea of an extremely hostile climate system appearing on Earth, and I am sure there is going to be some interesting climate change discussions there, especially with corporations trying to exploit it.  Sending a group of soldiers and scientists into such a zone is a great premise for a classic horror tale and I am sure that Tchaikovsky will rise to the occasion and produce something gritty, exciting and with some clever commentary.  Saturation Point should prove to be a very awesome read and I am very much looking forward to it.

As you can see, Adrian Tchaikovsky is going to have a particularly busy year in 2024, with at least three books coming out.  All three of these intriguing science fiction novels, Alien Clay, Service Model and Saturation Point sound pretty damn impressive in their own unique way and I love the impressive and different plots that Tchaikovsky has come up for them.  Combine this with the author’s proven and often humour-laden writing ability, and these novels are going to be extremely epic.  It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if most of them end up being some of the best novels I read in 2024, and I cannot wait to see what crazy rabbit holes Tchaikovsky takes me down next.

Waiting on Wednesday – Upcoming 2024 Thrillers

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday17 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight three outstanding sounding thrillers coming out in the first half of 2024.

In recent years I have really grown to love the thriller genre, having had a lot of fun reading a variety of different books from this awesome category of fun novels.  Something about the action, intrigue and adventure really speaks to me, and I always have an outstanding time with a good thriller.  Thanks to my increased interest in this genre, there are several series and authors I am a massive fan of, and whose books I am always going to grab whenever they come out each year.  As such, there are three particularly outstanding thrillers coming out in the first half of 2024 that I am very excited for, and I cannot wait to check them out.

The first book I want to look at is the awesome sounding Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz.  Lone Wolf is part of Hurwitz’s Orphan X series that follows a former government assassin turned resourceful vigilante as he attempts to help those who have nowhere else to turn.  This is a very fun series and I have enjoyed several epic entries so far, including Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan.

Lone Wolf Cover

Amazon

The next Orphan X book, Lone Wolf, is set for release in February 2024 and has another epic sounding plot behind it.  This time the protagonist is caught between a dangerous assassin who might be as good as he is and a mysterious tech billionaire, each of whom have their own twisted agendas.  This upcoming novel sounds pretty awesome, and I cannot wait to see what carnage, intrigue and deep personal growth occurs in this next fantastic book.

Plot Synopsis:

AN ASSASSIN IN FREEFALL: Following a career in which he was always the most dangerous man in the room, ex-government assassin Evan Smoak is the last person his friends should ever have to worry about. But when Evan, formerly codenamed Orphan X, drops out of sight they’re concerned. They were right to be. A personal crisis has left him on his knees.

A RECLUSIVE BILLIONAIRE: If anyone remembered his first name they never cared to use it. But Allman’s lack of empathy hasn’t proven any barrier to building a tech empire whose tentacles reach into every aspect of people’s lives. And in the rush to praise his genius, no one’s asking what it could mean for humanity. Nor what Allman’s got coming next.

A KILLER AT LARGE: Someone is leaving a trail of dead in their wake. Apparently chosen at random, their deaths dressed up as accidents or suicides. The woman responsible is known only as the Wolf and looks to be every bit Evan’s equal. She now has him in her sights.

How does it all connect? What is at stake? And will Evan rediscover the instinct and skill he needs to prevail? Or die trying . . .

The second book I want to highlight is the complex and entertaining sounding new release from Steve Berry, The Atlas Maneuver.  The 18th entry in Berry’s long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver contains another intricate conspiracy laden storyline whose origin lies in the depths of history.  I have a lot of love for this awesome series as Berry constantly works outrageous moments from history into elaborate modern day thriller storylines, and I have really enjoyed the last few entries, including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom.

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

Amazon

This next Cotton Malone book, which is coming out in late February 2024, will see Cotton Malone thrust into another conspiracy, this time involving hidden Japanese war gold, the world’s oldest bank and the CIA, all wrapped into a story about bitcoin.  I am very intrigued to see a financial based thriller plot, especially with such awesome sounding historical elements, and I know Berry will do a wonderful job bringing this all together.  As such, The Atlas Maneuver is currently one of my most anticipated releases for 2024 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Plot Synopsis:

From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, in which Cotton unravels a mystery from World War II involving a legendary lost treasure, Yamashita’s Gold, worth billions.

1945. In the waning months of World War II, Japan hid vast quantities of gold and other stolen valuables in boobytrapped underground caches all across the Philippines. By 1947 some of that loot was recovered, not by treasure hunters, but by the United States government, which told no one about the find. Instead, those assets were stamped classified, shipped to Europe, and secretly assimilated into something called the Black Eagle Trust.

Present day. Retired Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is in Switzerland doing a favor for a friend. But what was supposed to be a simple operation turns violent and Cotton is thrust into a war between the world’s oldest bank and the CIA, a battle that directly involves the Black Eagle Trust. He quickly discovers that everything hinges on a woman from his past, who suddenly reappears harbouring a host of explosive secrets centring around bitcoin. The cryptocurrency is being quietly weaponized, readied for an assault on the world’s financial systems, a calculated move that will have devastating consequences. Cotton has no choice. He has to act. But at what cost?

From the stolid banking halls of Luxembourg, to the secret vaults of Switzerland, and finally up into the treacherous mountains of southern Morocco, Cotton Malone is stymied at every turn. Each move he makes seems wrong, and nothing works, until he finally comes face-to-face with the Atlas Manoeuvre.

The final book I want to highlight is Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven, an author I only recently became a fan of.  Craven has written several intriguing thriller novels over the years, and I was lucky enough to get a copy of his latest book earlier this year with Fearless.  A fast-paced and over-the-top read that focussed on a cocky and deadly protagonist who literally feels no fear, Fearless was an exciting and exceedingly entertaining revenge romp that saw the protagonist destroy a sinister organisation.

Nobody's Hero Cover

Amazon

I had an amazing time with Fearless and I was very excited to see that there was another Ben Koenig book coming out in June 2024.  This outstanding book will see the protagonist thrust into another daring adventure, this time involving the CIA, a deadly killer in London and a long-hidden agent with a ton of secrets in her head.  Nobody’s Hero sounds extremely fun and impressive, and I am expecting another crazy and bloody action romp from Craven.

Plot Synopsis:

The man who can’t feel fear is back, in a race against time to find the woman who knows a secret that could take down the world as we know it.

When a shocking murder and abduction on the streets of London leads investigators to him, Ben Koenig has no idea at first why the highest echelons of the CIA would need his help. But then he realises he knows the woman who carried out the killings. Ten years earlier, without being told why, he was tasked with helping her disappear.

Far from being a deranged killer, she is the gatekeeper of a secret that could take down the West, so for years she has been in hiding.

Until now.

And if she has resurfaced, the danger may be closer and more terrifying than anyone can imagine.

So Ben Koenig has to find her before it’s too late. But Ben suffers from a syndrome which means he can’t feel fear. He doesn’t always know when he should walk away, or when he’s leading others into danger . . .

Fast, brutal, smart, and violent, Nobody’s Hero is an engrossing story of contract killers, international terrorism, hard choices — and a fearless man.

Early 2024 is shaping up to be a hell of a year for thriller readers.  The three books above sound so damn awesome and I am very excited to continue all these great series.  I imagine all three are going to be some of my favourite books of the year and I look forward to seeing what elaborate new adventures these amazing authors have come up with.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s entry, I check out one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of early 2024 with The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

The Tainted Cup Cover

Amazon

Robert Jackon Bennett is a highly regarded fantasy author who has been producing captivating reads since 2010.  Have started out writing several intriguing standalone novels, such as his debut, Mr. Shivers, Bennett is probably best known for his complex fantasy series, including The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy, both of which had elaborate settings and compelling stories behind them.  I personally had a wonderful time with his awesome novel, Foundryside, and while I haven’t had the chance to read anymore from Bennett since then, I have been keeping my eye out to see what he comes out with next.  As such, I heard some interesting stuff about his next novel, The Tainted Cup, which is already getting a lot of love from fantasy fans.

The Tainted Cup, which is set for release in February 2024, is the first book in Bennett’s new Shadow of the Leviathan series.  This first entry has a great story behind it that looks to combine a complex murder investigation with inventive fantasy elements and two fantastic sounding central characters.  The synopsis below sounds pretty damn amazing and I love the idea of a brilliant, if highly eccentric, detective, trying to solve a murder caused by the spontaneous growth of a tree in someone’s body.  Everything about this book sounds extremely cool and if Bennett is on his usual form this will probably be one of the top fantasy releases of 2024.

Plot Synopsis:

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest post I highlight an outstanding upcoming murder mystery novel with a fun science fiction twist that I am extremely keen to check out in 2024 with The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.

The Last Murder at the End of the World Cover

Amazon

2024 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for books and I am even more excited because there is a new Stuart Turton novel coming out in the next few months.  Turton is an outstanding author whose debut novel, The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (also released as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) deeply impressed me back in 2018.  Featuring an elaborate murder mystery plot enhanced by clever science fiction elements, this great novel forced a protagonist to jump across the bodies of several different suspects to figure out who was behind a mysterious death.  This was honestly such a brilliant and highly unique read that ended up being one of my favourite books of 2018.

While I unfortunately haven’t had the chance to read his second novel, The Devil and the Dark Water (maybe a good book to check out this Christmas), I am still very keen for any additional content from Turton and I was excited when I saw he had a new book coming out in May 2024.  This new novel is The Last Murder at the End of the World and it looks like Turton is going to present another compelling murder mystery/science fiction hybrid.

Plot Synopsis:

Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.

Outside the island there is the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.

If the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.

But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it…

The outstanding new high concept murder mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling and Costa Book Award winning author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle . An ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, an audacious solution.

I love the sound of the epic plot above and I reminds me a lot of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in terms of it having a complicated scenario serving as the compelling background to a murder investigation.  The idea of a murder taking place in a post-apocalyptic society is pretty solid on its own, but throw in a mysterious fog, elaborate security systems and the fact that everyone, including the killer has forgotten the events of the night in question, and you have all the components for a highly compelling read.  I cannot wait to see how Turton works all these elements into his new mystery and I’m sure it will make for quite a compelling and intense novel.

I am also quite intrigued by the cool setting the book is taking place in.  A remote island that survived a world-ending event is pretty interesting and it will be fun if we get some history about how that came about.  I’m getting some major The Island or The Village vibes from the sounds of this scenario (it’s totally going to be some form of experiment or social study), and I am quite intrigued to see if I’m right about that.

Overall, I am very excited for The Last Murder at the End of the World and I have some very high hopes for it when it comes out in May next year.  Turton already has a proven skill of combining elaborate science fiction scenarios with murder mysteries and The Last Murder at the End of the World should turn out to be pretty epic as a result.  I am fully expecting this upcoming book to be pretty damn exceptional and I cannot wait to see how Turton messes with my mind this time.

Waiting on Wednesday – NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday13 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two awesome upcoming books coming out in 2024 from one of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry.

Reader’s familiar with The Unseen Library will be well aware that I am a massive fan of horror and thriller author Jonathan Maberry, whose work I first fell in love with during the early days of my blog.  There have been so many great books from Maberry over the years, such as his cool standalone novel Ink (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and all the awesome books from his exceptional and fun Joe Ledger science fiction thriller series.  I have a lot of love for all the impressive Joe Ledger novels, including the books from the original series like Patient Zero, Assassin’s Code, Code Zero, Dogs of War and Deep Silence, and the books from the sequel Rogue Team International series, Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and the recently released Cave 13.

Due to how much I have enjoyed Maberry’s books over the years, I am always keeping an eye out for any future releases coming our way from him.  Well, it looks like Maberry fans are in for a real treat in 2024 as the author has another two books planned for next year.  Both of these novels are highly appealing to me in their own unique way, and I look forward to checking them both out soon.

Necrotek Cover

Amazon

The first upcoming book that I need to highlight is the fantastic and awesome sounding read, NecroTek, which is coming out in May 2024.  Released in collaboration with the horror icon Weird Tales magazine (which Maberry is currently the editor of), NecroTek see’s Maberry take on the science fiction genre with several human protagonists launched into a dark dimension where ancient horrors live and the only means of surviving and saving Earth might reside in some deadly, necromantic alien technology.

Plot Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, NecroTek is a gripping sci fi thriller full of ghosts, Gods, and a battle for the soul of humanity.

Neither cosmic philosopher Lars Soren, hotshot pilot Bianca Petrescu, nor the high priestess Jessica McHugh—Lady Death herself—can say quite where in the galaxy they are. But after an experiment gone horribly wrong, one thing is Asphodel Station isn’t in orbit around Jupiter any longer. Worse, the monsters that live out here—ancient eldritch beings thought only to exist in stories and nightmares—have now been alerted to Earth’s existence.

Their army of Shoggoths is coming for us next.

Humanity’s only hope for survival lies on the surface of the alien world of Shadderal, where a ghost named Lost, the last of an ancient race, still haunts the vast plains of the Field of Dead Birds. But hope has a cost. Lost tells Soren about ancient derelict spacecraft awaiting on Shadderal, shapeshifting machines that blend ultra-advanced technology with the dark powers of necromancy. These ships might just be nimble enough to defend mankind against the coming invasion.

But there’s a they can only be piloted by the dead.

As human starfighters fall in battle, their spirits can be called back from death to pilot these ghost ships of a fallen race. But will this new necromantic technology—NecroTek—allow humanity to stand against the vast armies of the Shoggoths? And even if it can, is the war to save the human race worth the cost of its pilots’ immortal souls?

Why am I not surprised that a Jonathan Maberry book set in outer space would force its protagonists to face off against an army of Lovecraftian monsters?  Maberry is a huge Lovecraft fan, and many of his books contain some of monsters and creatures.  As such, featuring them in a book partially brought to us by Weird Tales, which has its own connections with H. P. Lovecraft, is a pretty nice homage.  I love the idea of Earth being threatened by these monsters after several humans are sent to a hell dimension, and I am expecting some major horror elements in NecroTek as a result.  The concept of the titular NecroTek, which grabs the souls of fallen humans and use them to power dead alien ships is really cool, and I cannot wait to see what sort of crazy, negative side effects that has.  I am honestly very excited for NecroTek, especially as it will allow me to see Maberry’s first dive into full-on science fiction, and it will be great to have a whole new series from this author to focus on.

The Dragon in Winter Cover

Amazon

In addition to NecroTek, Maberry also has a second book coming out in 2024 with the third and final Kagen the Damned novel, The Dragon in Winter.  The Kagen the Damned series is a brilliant, recent body of work from Maberry that represents the author’s first foray into fantasy fiction.  A dark and brutal series, the Kagen the Damned books follow an emotionally wrecked protagonist who loses everything, including the love of his gods, after the royal family he was sworn to protect is brutally murdered by the armies of the nefarious Witch-king.  Brutal, bloody, and loaded with compelling worldbuilding and complex characters, the Kagen the Damned series is so damn awesome and I have had an excellent time getting through it.  The series has so far featured two exceptional novels, including Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of 2023), and I loved every second I spent reading them.

Luckily, it looks like I don’t have too much longer to wait to see how this compelling series ends as the final Kagen the Damned book is set for release in August 2024.  This book, The Dragon in Winter, will see Kagen finally face off against the Witch-king, with magic, dark forces, an ancient dragon, and a mysterious being of unimaginable power, all getting thrust into the mix.

Plot Synopsis:

The Dragon in Winter brings New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s epic Kagen the Damned Trilogy to a wild conclusion!

War is coming! War is here! The Witch-king of Hakkia, aided by terrifying dark forces, sits uneasy on his stolen throne. His enemies, led by Kagen the Damned and the Bloody Bastards have found the secrets of ancient magic they hope will defeat him. Strange forces gather on both sides – vast armies of both the living and the dead, devious trickster spirits, strange gods, warrior ghosts, undying vampires, blood plagues that drive people to murderous rage, immortal faeries, and Earth’s last dragon.

Kagen knows that he faces the impossible task of toppling a usurper whose dark magic conquered an empire in a single night. But the Damned fear nothing and there are no limits to what Kagen will do to destroy the Witch-king. With his allies he will tear apart the veils that separate our world from the infinite realms of supernatural magic. The Witch-king will not go down with a fight, and he is willing to drown the western lands in innocent blood to retain his stolen crown. Even if he rules over an empire of dust and blood. His power is growing and soon he will be unstoppable.

But they are not the only forces at work in the world. Magic of all kinds is awakening and who can tell which side they will pick…or if they will pose a new and terrible threat to all! In the frozen North, the last dragon –tortured, captive, dying― cries out in despair. In the inky vastness of the outer dark that cry is heard! And something of incalculable power is coming in answer.

I am very, very excited to get my hands on The Dragon in Winter next year and I already know it’s going to be one of the best books of 2024.  Maberry has done a remarkable job with his first fantasy series, and I have loved seeing his typical fun writing style transferred to a dark fantasy storyline.  The elaborate plots, damaged protagonists, and huge array of horror-inspired antagonists makes for quite a gripping read and the Kagen the Damned books is one of the most distinctive fantasy series at the moment.  The above plot synopsis sounds extremely impressive, and it is going to be fun to see the long-anticipated continent spanning war to destroy the antagonist and his dark hordes.  I am particularly keen to see the final showdown between Kagen and the Witch-king, especially as they have quite the complicated history, and knowing Maberry there is a very good chance his protagonist isn’t going to survive.  Throw in some memorable new supporting villains, as well as the mysterious ancient power that is coming at the beckoning of the tortured dragon, and this should prove to be a very intense and destructive read.

Due to how much I have enjoyed Maberry’s work in the past there is absolutely no way that I won’t have an outstanding time with both upcoming books in 2024.  Both NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter are going to be dark, complex, and powerful books and I will make sure to read them as soon as possible.  I will probably try to get them both on audiobook, especially if Ray Porter returns as narrator, and they should make for quite the epic listen.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday12 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two upcoming books from a very talented Australian author, Candice Fox.

Over the last few years, I have been having a wonderful time getting into the novels of Australian crime fiction author Candice Fox, who has been a staple inclusion in my yearly reading schedule.  Fox has produced some amazing and compelling thrillers throughout her career, and I’ve deeply enjoyed several of her recent books, including Gathering Dark, The Chase and Fire With Fire.  Fox is also quite well known for her collaborations with legendary crime fiction author James Patterson, having written several novels together.  This includes their very entertaining novel from a couple of years ago, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, which proved to be a particularly exciting read.  As such, I am always quite excited when I find out details about some of Fox’s upcoming books and 2024 is shaping up to be a pretty major year for Fox with two awesome sounding books coming out.

The first of these is The Murder Inn, which Fox is once again co-authoring with James Patterson.  The sequel to their previous collaboration, The Inn, which follows the unusual inhabitants of a seaside in, including its former police officer owner, as they get caught up in a dangerous series of events.  The Murder Inn is set for release in February 2024 and looks like it will feature another great story, this time featuring two killers coming to the titular inn and raising hell.  The Murder Inn sounds like a pretty awesome read and I look forward to seeing what fantastic fun these two great authors come up with next.

The Murder Inn Cover

Amazon

Plot Synopsis:

In this thrilling follow-up to the international bestseller THE INN, past mistakes come back to haunt the friends and residents of The Inn by the Sea.

It’s the perfect getaway. But the past will always find you . . .

Since leaving the Boston Police Department, Bill Robinson has run The Inn by the Sea in Gloucester, Massachusetts. There he offers a safe and supportive home for his long-term guests.

That tranquil life, however, is about to be shattered.

Two murderers are heading to Bill’s door.

One needs his help to evade the cops. The other plans to kill again to silence the truth.

Standing in their way are the residents of the Inn. And not everyone will get out alive.

In addition to her collaboration with Patterson, Fox also has a standalone novel coming out in 2024 with Devil’s Kitchen.  Set for release shortly after The Murder Inn, Devil’s Kitchen has a brilliant sounding plot behind it about a heist crew made up of firefighters and the women who joins them trying to bring them down.  Fox has always been good at coming up with elaborate or unique thriller concepts for her books and Devil’s Kitchen sounds like a particularly cool one that I’m very keen to check out.

Devil's Kitchen Cover

Amazon

Plot Synopsis:

Candice Fox’s latest thriller is the definition of nailbiter, as a female agent goes undercover in a New York firefighting crew that is far more dangerous than the fires they fight.

When a city’s heroes become its boldest criminals . . .

For years the firefighters of New York’s Engine 99 have rushed fearlessly into hot zones, saving countless lives and stopping devastating blazes in their tracks.

They’ve also stolen millions from banks, jewellery stores and art galleries. With their inside knowledge and specialist equipment they’ve become the most successful heist crew on the East Coast.

Their newest member, Andrea ‘Andy’ Nearland, is not what she seems either. She’s an undercover operative, hunting the men of Engine 99 for a host of crimes – including the murder of an off-duty cop and the disappearance of a mother and child.

As the clock counts down to the gang’s most daring heist yet, loyalties begin to fray and mistrust boils over. Andy’s career is all smoke and mirrors, but infiltrating this crew of ‘heroes’ might prove her most dangerous job of all . . .

As you can see, Candice Fox fans have a pretty big year coming up in 2024 as this amazing Australian author has two great offerings for us, including one with the always impressive James Patterson.  Both The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen sound extremely epic and it looks like I’m going to get a major crime fiction fix early next year.