Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 6 March 2025.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for The Bluff, Nemesis and Little Red Death.
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz
Publisher: Michael Joseph (Trade Paperback – 18 February 2025)
Series: Orphan X – Book 10
Length: 493 pages
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
One of my favourite thriller authors, Gregg Hurwitz, returns with a powerful and particularly addictive new entry in his Orphan X series with the emotionally charged and pulse-pounding read, Nemesis.
Gregg Hurwitz is an author I have had a wonderful time enjoying over the last few years, primarily thanks to his exceptional Orphan X books. Following former government assassin Evan Smoak, formerly known as Orphan X, this compelling thriller series explores Smoak’s vigilante actions as the Nowhere Man, a source of lethal justice for those who can’t get help anywhere else. I started reading these books several years ago with the amazing fourth entry, Out of the Dark, which saw the protagonist go to war with a corrupt US President, and I have been hooked ever since, grabbing every subsequent entry in the series. This includes the outstanding novels Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse, The Last Orphan and Lone Wolf, each of which did an intriguing job of continuing the series while also exploring Hurwitz’s complex protagonist and his unlikely family. I really enjoyed all these books, and I have been eagerly awaiting the 10th novel, Nemesis, for a while now, especially as it promised to follow on from the intriguing cliff-hanger at the end of Lone Wolf.
No greater friend. No worse enemy.
Evan Smoak, the Nowhere Man, has spent years taking on impossible vigilante missions, while also keeping his former government owners at bay. No matter how hard the mission, Smoak always succeeds, in no small part to the group of loyal friends who have his back. But Evan is about to discover the sad truth that it’s those closest to you that can cause you the most pain.
After foiling a lethal assassin with a penchant for taking out innocent bystanders, Evan is disturbed to discover that the assassin’s weapons were sourced from his trusted comrade and armourer, Tommy Stojack. Shocked and determined to get answers, an emotionally compromised Evan finds himself unwilling to forgive Tommy for his lapse in moral code, and the two strong-willed warriors soon find themselves at odds. When Evan’s next attempt to talk sees him ambushed by a flurry of thugs and shooters, he decides that it’s time to go to war, even if that means killing his best friend.
However, Tommy has his own problems to deal with. Receiving a call for help from the son of an old war buddy, Tommy travels to a dying American town, filled with anger, corruption and racial tension. Attempting to honour his debts, Tommy finds himself mentoring a group of neglected and angry young men whose uninformed actions have led to tragedy. However, Tommy’s seemingly simple mission soon turns deadly when Evan arrives in town and takes issue with the actions of those under Tommy’s protection. Thrown into opposite moral paths and plagued by assassins, local troubles and their own substantial personal issues, Evan and Tommy find themselves in conflict, with everyone around them caught in the crossfire.
Hurwitz continues to shine as one of the premier authors of thriller fiction with this particularly intense and complex entry in his Orphan X series. Featuring a compelling plot loaded with action and captivating character moments, Nemesis was an addictive read that hits the reader hard and never gives them a chance to recover. This was probably one of my favourite Orphan X books so far, and thanks to Hurwitz’s brilliant writing, I have very little choice but to give Nemesis a full five-star rating.
I was really impressed with the plot for Nemesis, which honestly went in some compelling directions that I didn’t expect, but which provides great closure and intense character moments, while also loaded up with the series’ trademark action. Following on from Lone Wolf, Nemesis sees a preoccupied protagonist, Evan Smoak, distracted and distressed by the revelations that his best friend and armourer Tommy Stojack supplied weapons to a deadly assassin who killed multiple innocent people in the previous book. Forced by his moral code into a confrontation, Evan finds himself in conflict with a stubborn and unapologetic Tommy. However, what starts as a major disagreement between friends turns into a full-on war, when the two find themselves on different sides of an ethical fence, while also fending off assassins and killers after Tommy.
Hurwitz paced this narrative out extremely well, with a great intro and an early action set piece that worked to showcase the protagonist’s emotional instability. The initial confrontation between Evan and Tommy sparks up the intensity of the plot, and the reader becomes engaged in seeing how the conflict between them will continue, especially after the second sequence forces Evan to fight for his life. The author then takes the book in a very interesting direction, as Tommy journeys to a small town in heartland America to help the son of an old comrade and finds himself mentoring a group of young want-to-be militia members who have gotten into trouble. Hurwitz spends a lot of time focusing on Tommy’s attempts to guide the group and trying to gently resolve the dark things they have done.
While this journey to middle-America initially seemed an odd choice for plot progression, Hurwitz utilises it perfectly to showcase Tommy’s character and the differences in approach and personality between him and Evan. Conflict inevitably emerges when Evan arrives and attempts to solve matters in a black-and-white manner, forcing Tommy to intervene. This provides even greater emotional turmoil, and I loved how well the author set it out. You find yourself getting really drawn into the nuanced situation that emerges, and I loved seeing the alternating methods and personalities of the two protagonists. After an impressive action sequence where Evan and Tommy come together one time to face off against a scary group of assassins, Hurwitz sets up the book’s final confrontations, which are loaded with some brilliant moments that pushes both main characters to the edge. I deeply enjoyed how Hurwitz resolved the entire situation, and you are on the edge of your seat the entire time, which results in a particularly addictive read. I honestly was very satisfied with this book, right up to the final twist, which was impactful and clever, but for which I may never forgive Hurwitz. This was easily one of Hurwitz’s best narratives, and I really appreciated the complex, character-driven thriller storyline he envisioned for this latest Orphan X book.
Hurwitz did an exceptional job bringing Nemesis’s complex and captivating narrative together, and I honestly feel that this is some of his best writing. Featuring a fantastic continuation of the ongoing series, Nemesis had the perfect blend of action, intrigue and character-focused drama, which allowed for quite an addictive read. The various action sequences scattered throughout the book are intense, brutal and very-well put together, and I loved how they showcase the various moods of the protagonist, as we go from his usual smooth sequences to more frenetic fights when he is emotionally compromised. While these typical thriller elements are a lot of fun, it is the focus on the characters and the intense emotions between them that makes Nemesis particularly impressive. Hurwitz sometimes struggles with the balance between action and character development, but I felt that this one was perfect, especially as he featured an array of damaged figures, including two former best friends in deep conflict. While I do think that Nemesis could have gone without another manufactured conflict between Evan and his ward, Joey, for the most part it was exceptional to see the various character interactions and dives into the protagonist’s psyche that emerged. This blended extremely well with the overarching thriller narrative and the fantastic action of the plot, and resulted in a particularly powerful read that, while more emotionally charged than most thrillers, worked extremely well in the context of this series. I really appreciated how carefully Hurwitz set out these elements in Nemesis, and there is really something for everyone here including some thought-provoking discussions, awesome action scenes, and some major emotional moments that will hit you hard and really stick with you.
As with most books in the Orphan X series, Nemesis can be read as a standalone novel, as Hurwitz does an excellent job of recapping key events, elements and characters from the previous novels for new readers. I personally felt that to get the full emotional impact of Nemesis, readers really need to have read some of the previous books in the series first. Not only does the cause of the key conflict of Nemesis occur in the previous novel, Lone Wolf, but seeing just how close the emotionally shuttered Evan is with Tommy ensures you understand the emotional stakes of Nemesis and how far apart these two former friends have gotten. However, if you decide to make Nemesis your first entry in the Orphan X series, you’ll still be in for an amazing treat, and I feel that Hurwitz features enough context and recaps to allow any reader to enjoy Nemesis. This honestly was a very impressive book in the Orphan X series, and it will be very interesting to see where Hurwitz goes with this next. The author has set up some big emotional hurdles for the next novel, and I look forward to seeing how his protagonist overcomes them.
As I have mentioned a few times above, I felt that Hurwitz’s character work was the element that made Nemesis particularly exceptional. Not only does Hurwitz cleverly build on a range of existing character storylines and developments from the previous book but he also introduces several compelling one-off characters whose interactions with the main cast make for some impressively powerful moments. Naturally a lot of the development is reserved for series protagonist Evan Smoak, the former government assassin turned vigilante. Evan has always been an exceptionally complex character due to his unusual upbringing, lack of emotional awareness and OCD, and many books have dealt with his inability to deal with other people in his life. Hurwitz does an excellent job revisiting that here in Nemesis as Evan faces another emotional hurdle when he is forced to come into conflict with his one true friend. The emotional stress this puts him under turns him into a bit more of a deranged and careless creature. The fantastic emotional range showed by Evan in Nemesis was fascinating, and Hurwitz writes some great story moments around his anger, poor judgement and strict moral code. Few Orphan X books have pushed the protagonist in more ways than Nemesis, and I honestly felt every emotional bruise that occurred in this book, including the final one that is going to have some major repercussions for the protagonist.
Aside from Evan, the main character of Nemesis was the protagonist’s former friend turned opposing figure, Tommy Stojack. Tommy, the gruff and cantankerous old soldier, has always been one of the more entertaining characters in the Orphan X books, and it has always been fun to see the unlikely friendship between him and Evan. Given a much larger role in Nemesis, Tommy serves as a secondary protagonist and major point of view character, which really suits him. I deeply enjoyed seeing more of Tommy’s perspective, especially as it is starkly different to Evans. His interactions with many of the supporting characters of Nemesis really help to showcase his personality and mindset, especially when he takes on a stern mentor role for several younger characters. However, it is the intense and strained relationship with Evan that is the major highlight of this book, as Hurwitz provides a compelling deep dive into their friendship. Thanks to both characters pride and belief that they are right, the two face off several times in this book, proving that friends really make the worse enemies. I really appreciate how well Hurwitz used Tommy in Nemesis, and the emotionally charged circumstances that surround his inclusion help to deeply enhance this book.
Aside from Evan and Tommy, there is a very fun and intriguing supporting cast in Nemesis who add to the story in some compelling ways. Evan’s ward, Joey Morales, is her usual fun, rebel self, and while I think some of her conflicts with Evan are a little unnecessary, I liked her continued coming-of-age storylines, as well as a fun scene she has with Orphan V. I felt that the highlight of the supporting characters was a small group of rebellious, angry young men who Tommy chooses to look out for. Although they’re a hard group of characters to initially like, Hurwitz provides some fascinating context to their actions as the story continues. I really appreciate the intelligent social commentary that Hurwitz featured around these characters, and you end up feeling a little sorry for them, despite what they have done. Throw in some great villains, including four related assassins who are honestly quite freaky in their appearances, and this was an outstanding cast of characters, whose complex and captivating personal stories and interactions ensure that Nemesis is a particularly powerful read.
The always impressive Gregg Hurwitz continues his Orphan X series in incredible manner with Nemesis. An exception and memorable entry in this always fun series, Nemesis had a brilliant and emotionally charged narrative behind it, loaded with amazing character moments. Guaranteed to hook you with its fun action and complex character dynamics, Nemesis was so damn good, and I am still not over all of Hurwitz’s excellent, and brutal, twists.
Quick Review – Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (ebook – 13 February 2025)
Series: Standalone
Length: 383 pages
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
I had a wonderful time reading one of the more unique murder mystery novels of 2025, the compelling and occasionally bonkers novel, Litte Red Death by bestselling author A. K. Benedict.
Plot Synopsis:
ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU’VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE . . .
DI Lyla Rondell is on the case of a lifetime. Tasked with investigating a series of perplexing deaths, the only lead she has is that each appears to be based on a different classic fairy tale. Far from the stuff of bedtime stories, the press is having a field day with what they have named the Grimm Ripper Murders.
But as the bodies stack up, Lyla’s whole world is about to flip on its head. Because the killer’s bloody trail stretches deep into her own origin story, and when she discovers the truth, nothing will ever be the same again.
Faced with the fact that everything she knows is fiction, Lyla will have to take a little creative license of her own if she’s going to turn the final page on the killings . . .
Little Red Death was a quite a fascinating read that went in some very surprising directions. While I was expecting a less conventional crime fiction book, I honestly wasn’t prepared for just how fantastical Little Red Death turned out to be, as Benedict loads in some memorable twists that change everything, while keeping the readers engaged with its compelling plot.
I felt that Little Red Death started off strong and provided some intriguing details that will hook most readers. The main plotline revolves around DI Lyla Rondell, who is called in to investigate a killing that has been inspired by classic Grimm fairytales. This case strikes Lyla hard, as years before the girl she loved suddenly disappeared with a classic fairytale plot device left behind. Receiving taunting messages apparently from the killer, known as the Grimm Ripper, as more vicious fairytale themed murders are carried, Lyla becomes obsessed with the case, hoping that she will finally find her missing friend. This initial storyline around Lyla is quite impactful in its own right, and Benedict ensures that the first half of the book is made further intriguing thanks to a perspective from a second major character, Katie, a mystery writer who has been kidnapped by the killer and is now being forced to write a series of twisted fairytale murder stories that the Grimm Ripper is using as a guideline for his crimes. These two major storylines blend quite nicely, and Benedict cleverly layers in some clues at the major events to come, which was very well done in hindsight. However, despite some hints about the unusual nature of events, nothing quite prepares you for the big twist at the centre of the book.
Now, I don’t want to give too much away about what the big twist is, especially as it is quite fun to find out on your own. I will say that Benedict does set it up nicely, and it fits the unusual nature of Little Red Death extremely well. While I can see some murder mystery purists not enjoying it, especially as it veers the story towards fantasy grounds, I personally liked it. I must admit that I did laugh like crazy when I initially discovered what was happening, because it is pretty out there, but Benedict really commits to it, and it makes Little Red Death really stand out. Because of this twist, the second half of Little Red Death has a very different tone to it, but it also allows for some great character moments, especially as the main protagonists discover more about themselves and are forced to come to terms with some very hard truths. It leads up nicely to a series of big twists and shocking moments at the end, which were quite clever in their way, although it did feel like Benedict was trying to make things too complicated at times. Still, it was a very fun ending, and I liked the sadistically satisfying and unique overall conclusion to Little Red Death, which is extremely meta and brings together a lot of fun references from the rest of the book.
Little Red Death proved to be a very exciting and outrageous book in the end, and I think that Benedict did a great job of introducing and utilising all her unique ideas to create a very distinctive story. As I mentioned above, the use of multiple character perspectives between Lyla and Katie worked very well to tell a layered narrative with some great added complexity, especially after the big twist showcases their unlikely connection. Benedict also has fun including a series of Katie’s twisted fairytales throughout the book, which allows the reader to see the inspiration behind the killer’s next murders. These stories, and other inclusions, add a great self-referential edge to the plot, especially as the characters discuss writing techniques and how to come up with elaborate murders which clearly emulate the author’s own personal experiences. It also allowed Benedict to showcase knowledge of the original Grimm fairytales, and she twists the classic tales into even darker scenarios. Benedict further adds to the mystery and darker elements of the story by including multiple subtle meta references and hints throughout the book. While a few of these at the start seem weird, by the end you realise that Benedict was trying something very clever, and they play in nicely to the book’s complex ending. I quite liked this fun way in which the author tried to make Little Red Death just a bit more memorable and zanier, and it ensures that you come away from the book really thinking about the full implications of the plot and what it means to both the reader and all the characters.
With a very out-there plot, a unique mystery and some intriguing characters, Little Red Death was one of the more distinctive novels of 2025, and one that I had an outstanding time with. A. K. Benedict clearly had fun coming up with this dark fairytale themed romp (or maybe not depending on how you see the final meta twist), and Little Red Death is really worth a read, especially if you enjoy unusual and exciting murder mysteries.
The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 4 March 2025)
Series: How to Kill a Client – Book Two
Length: 432 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Impressive new Australian author Joanna Jenkins presents another captivating piece of crime fiction with the gripping and emotionally charged read, The Bluff.
Back in 2023 I had the very great pleasure of reading the fantastic legal thriller, How to Kill a Client. The debut novel of Australian author Joanna Jenkins, How to Kill a Client followed various members of a prestigious Australian law firm who are forced to deal with the fallout of the murder of one of their biggest clients, a man who everyone in the firm had a motive to kill. Jenkins produced an outstanding story in her first novel, and How to Kill a Client ended up being one of my favourite debuts and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023. Due to how good her first book was, I have been keeping an eye out for anything else from Jenkins and I was very happy to see she had a new book coming out in 2025 with The Bluff. A surprising sequel to How to Kill a Client, The Bluff has been on my to-read list for a while, and I was very glad that I finally got the chance to check it out.
Plot Synopsis:
People like Dash didn’t die. He was only what? Mid-thirties? Well off. Adored. By some anyway. World at his feet. Well, Myddle at his feet, which was his world.
Ruth Dawson has taken a break from big city law to fill in for a few months at a mate’s small-town legal practice in Myddle. It’s not what she’s used to . . .
So when she hears the front door of her office open she’s expecting a weird demand, or a question she doesn’t know the answer to. But it’s Bea Baulderstone’s mum, worried that she hasn’t seen her seventeen-year-old daughter for five days, and Constable Gazza Parker is refusing to report the girl missing.
Ruth tries to find Bea, but Myddle is a wall of indifference. Then Dash Rogers is found at his farm gate, dead from a gunshot wound, and suddenly the town is very interested in Bea’s whereabouts.
An unputdownable thriller of deception and greed, The Bluff reveals an enmeshed web of family and community loyalties, set in the lush rural hinterland of east coast Australia.
The Bluff was an extremely captivating and complex Australian thriller from Joanna Jenkins that stands on its own feet while also serving as a great sequel to How to Kill a Client. Featuring a fantastic character-driven story loaded with mystery, impressive storytelling and an excellent rural setting, The Bluff had me hooked very quickly, and I ended up powering through it in a day.
I really enjoyed the amazing story that Jenkins came up with for The Bluff, as she provides both an intriguing mystery, and some great character development. A mostly standalone plot set after the events of How to Kill a Client, the reader is reintroduced to high profile layer Ruth Dawson, who is taking a break from the high-flying life to manage a small law firm in the small New South Wales town of Myddle. This change in setting and story focus towards a rural thriller, rather than the big-city legal thriller of Jenkins’ previous book, proved to be quite effective, as was the very clever way the author set out The Bluff’s story.
Jenkins ensured that readers get dragged into The Bluff’s tale almost immediately, with two very quick sequences at the start: one that showed a key moment of the plot without any context, and then a subsequent scene where the protagonist is reintroduced and then finds out about the narrative’s two main mysteries, a missing girl and a murder. With these important bits of information in your brain, the reader is then transported back six months and is shown all the events that occurred over this period that led up to the disappearance of Bea Baulderstone and the murder of Dash Rogers. Through this six-month period, you become acquainted with all the key players around Myddle and observe their interactions with the victims and the protagonist, and you begin the appreciate the complex web of relationships, problems and personalities that surround the case, as well as the many potential motivations for the book’s main crimes.
This dive back in time was an outstanding writing choice by Jenkins that allowed the reader to really appreciate the full breadth of the relationships and troubles that accompany the crime, all while perfectly utilising The Bluff’s excellent rural setting. With every brick of plot laid down to hint at the events to come, you find yourself becoming more and more involved with the plot as you try to picture how and why the murder will occur and which of the many interesting and emotional characters may commit it. The inclusion of a countdown at the start of each new chapter gives a great ticking clock vibe to The Bluff, and you become more and more anxious and excited as you get closer the plot’s principal event. The reader also begins to appreciate just how despicable the main murder victim is, and that allows for an even more compelling read, as you can see just how many potential people have a motive to kill him, as well as cause the disappearance of the missing girl.
The final third of The Bluff is probably the best, and I flew through it to find out how the story ends. The final series of events leading up to the pivotal killings are particularly dark (and potentially triggering for some readers), and it was fascinating to see everyone’s emotional state in advance of this crime, especially as there are so many potential suspects. However, rather than show the killings there, Jenkins instead jumps back to the timeline from the front of the book and spends the last 100 or so pages dealing with the subsequent investigation, with the protagonist pulling events together. I liked this delay, as it provided an excellent trickle effect for the twists and also allowed the protagonist to shine as she uses her knowledge of events and her own skills at deduction to identify the culprit and protect her friends in the town. The eventual solutions for the mysteries were very clever, and Jenkins did such a great job subtly dropping the clues throughout the backstory of the plot and setting up the various motivations. I really appreciated the many complex and compelling twists which fit into the plot perfectly, especially the last one that really made you think.
This entire brilliant story is wrapped up in some great character arcs, as Jenkins features a range of protagonists and potential suspects, each of whom were quite compelling and brought different shades of drama to the plot. I loved seeing their complex relationships and interactions throughout the plot of The Bluff, especially those that could lead to them committing the book’s main crimes. There are some really great characters here, and it was especially interesting to see more of series protagonist Ruth Dawson, who is not only continuing to move on from the personal trauma and loneliness that was a key part of How to Kill Your Client, but is also trying to figure out where her life is going after the collapse of her previous law firm. These character arcs come together in a very satisfying manner at the end of The Bluff, and a lot of this book’s complexity and strength came from how relatable and compelling Jenkins’ made these various characters, especially when it comes to their anger, fear and potential ability to commit murder.
Overall, The Bluff was an exceptional and deeply impressive sequel from Joanna Jenkins that I think was even stronger than the excellent first book. Featuring a very clever and well-written narrative that brings together powerful character storylines and a great rural setting with complex mystery, The Bluff proved to be extremely captivating, and you will become engrossed in uncovering the full extent of the plot. One of the best Australian crime fiction books of 2025 so far, The Bluff comes highly recommended and is really worth checking out.
WWW Wednesday – 5 March 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (Audiobook)
I just started listening to the cool new Star Wars audiobook, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the outstanding Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear follows the early day of the Empire’s reign, as several key supporting characters attempt to fight back against it in various ways. I have made a descent amount of progress into The Mask of Fear so far and it is proving to be an outstanding book with some interesting Ideas behind it.
What did you recently finish reading?
Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict (ebook)
A very unique murder mystery with an interesting twist halfway through.
Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
The incredible sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic Warhammer 40,000 novel, Double Eagle. Interceptor City was an exceptional read and one of the best books I have read so far this year.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 40: The Crow by Stan Sakai (Trade Paperback)
A cool new addition to one of my favourite comic series. Highly recommended and my review will follow soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
I’m still planning to read the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion, next and I should start it up this weekend. This new book sounds really good, and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Waiting on Wednesday – Katabasis by R. F. Kuang
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 one of the more intriguing and complex upcoming fantasy novels of 2025 with the incredible sounding Katabasis by R. F. Kuang.
Over the last few years, an intriguing rising fantasy author I have unfortunately not had the opportunity to read was the highly regarded R. F. Kuang. A talented author whose books feature interesting references and insights into Asian culture and how it is perceived in the West, Kuang has produced an impressive and unique body of work. This includes here acclaimed The Poppy War series, as well as the varied standalone novels Yellowface and Babel, or the Necessity of Violence. All these books have outstanding and complex plots behind them, and I honestly wish that I had taken the time to try and read some of these novels in recent years. Luckily it looks like I might get the opportunity to finally read one of her books later this year as Kuang has a particularly epic new novel coming out that has really grabbed my attention.
That book is Katabasis, a compelling dark academia fantasy novel that will see two rival students got to Hell to retrieve their professor’s soul. A suitably unique and quite entertaining plot idea, Katabasis, which is set for release in August 2025, promises to bring together a lot of complex story elements into a very interesting read. I especially love how Kuang will be apparently sending up both classic underworld stories, such as Dante or Orpheus, as well as the more maddening world of academia and post-graduate study. Based on both the distinctive plot and Kuang’s excellent reputation for creating elaborate and clever stories, I feel that Katabasis has a ton of potential and could end up being one of the top fantasy books of the year. As such, I am extremely eager to get my hands on Katabasis, and I think I am going to have an extremely fun time reading it.
Plot Synopsis:
Dante’s Inferno meets Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi in this all-new dark academia fantasy from R. F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface, in which two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own.
Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek:
The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld
Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.
That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.
Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams….
Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion.
With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like.
But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2025 To-Be-Read (TBR) List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week involved character quotes, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Autumn 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.
For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2025 and 31 May 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books of 2025 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.
Honourable Mentions:
Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025
An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.
Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025
An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.
Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025
An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.
Top Ten List:
Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025
First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry. The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past. I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.
The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025
Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe. This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo. I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.
A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin. Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up. This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read. I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025
I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films. The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games. This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025
The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance? Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025
The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters. The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation. A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025
There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe. Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe. Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.
Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025
One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade. Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble. When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets. I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025
Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord. Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot. As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading. Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.
Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025
The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King. Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly. This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web. I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.
Quick Review – Crusade by Richard Cullen
Publisher: Boldwood Books (ebook – 10 February 2025)
Series: Chronicles of the Black Lion – Book Two
Length: 369 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
If you’re in the mood for some excellent and exciting historical fiction, look no further than the outstanding read Crusade by fantastic author Richard Cullen. Cullen, who also writes as fantasy author R. S. Ford (see my review for his book Engines of Empire), provides a fantastic second entry in his Chronicles of the Black Lion historical series with Crusade. An amazing sequel to his 2024 novel, Rebellion, Crusade continues to follow his protagonist, Estienne Wace, former squire to William Marshal, on another powerful journey, this time into the Fifth Crusade.
Plot Synopsis:
Egypt 1219AD.
Abandoning the safety of England for the perilous shores of the Levant, Estienne Wace is thrust into the turmoil of the Fifth Crusade. Burning with righteous purpose, he is determined to reclaim the Holy Land in the name of Christ.
War rages along the banks of the Nile as a crusading army besieges the Saracen city of Damietta, certain that the price they pay in blood will return the glory and treasures they crave. But as the Black Lion roars, and the siege grinds on, Estienne’s unwavering faith is tested more and more by the grim reality of this brutal conflict.
As the siege turns on a knife edge, Estienne finds himself thrust upon a journey across the merciless desert. Stripped of everything, and forced into a dangerous alliance, he will grapple with the true meaning of faith, honour, and the price of salvation, in a land where nothing is as he once believed.
Crusade was a captivating and worthy sequel to Rebellion that provided readers with the intriguing next chapter in the life of Cullen’s main character. Easily read as a standalone historical adventure or a continuation of the author’s previous book, Crusade starts off strong and keeps the action coming quick and fast, as the protagonist is thrown into battle to seize the Saracen city of Damietta. There are some awesome sequences here, as Cullen produces some high-quality and intense medieval combat scenes that allow the reader to feel every hack and thrust of the protagonist’s sword. At the same time, the author also provides the reader with some introspection, as the protagonist has his first doubts about the crusade he has sworn to fight for.
Cullen quickly moves the reader into one of the more memorable parts of Crusade, as the protagonist finds himself separated from his crusader brethren and is instead captured and sold into slavery. Forced to cross the desert, Estienne faces innumerable hardships as he attempts to escape, including slavers, the elements, a surprise band of Mongolian raiders, and a gigantic and vengeful warrior who has sworn to hunt down and kill him. This proved to be a really fun part of the book, as the author provides innumerable perils, while also introducing or expanding on several interesting supporting characters. You really get stuck into Crusade’s story here, and it sets up the final third of the book extremely well, as a doubtful Estienne takes part in the final conflicts of the Fifth Crusade. Cullen features these final battles nicely, especially with some dual perspectives from Estienne’s gigantic rival, and you get some interesting closure as the final battles of the crusade emerge. Everything ends on a hopeful note, and you are left wondering what adventures will appear next in the series as the protagonist embarks on a new journey.
As with Rebellion before it, one of the things that I personally enjoyed about Crusade was Cullen’s excellent use of historical elements as he dove into the compelling events surrounding the Fifth Crusade. One of the lesser utilised crusades in historical fiction, the Fifth Crusade saw the armies of Christendom invade Egypt, with a combined force of multiple nations and knightly orders. This was a clever historical event to set a story in, especially as it fits in right after the First Barons’ War, which was the focus of Rebellion. Cullen clearly did his research when it came to this conflict, and I liked how he fit his protagonist in amongst the key events of the crusade. Estienne proves to be a good witness to the major conflicts of the war, and his subsequent wanderings in the desert also provided some interesting historical context, especially with the appearance of the Mongolians and other desert groups. I deeply appreciated this cool examination of this period, and I love that Cullen is taking the opportunity to feature some less well-known conflicts with his books. It will be interesting to see what wars or key historical events Cullen will set his next entry in the Chronicles of the Black Lion series around, but I am sure I will find it fascinating.
Richard Cullen continues to impress with his cool historical fiction. Crusade proved to be a great addition to Chronicles of the Black Lion series, and I enjoyed its excellent action, compelling historical inclusions and intriguing narrative. I look forward to seeing where Cullen will take his series next, and I am having fun with these awesome books.
Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett – Supplementary Audiobook Review
Publisher: Gollancz/Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 1991)
Series: Discworld – Book 10
Length: 9 hours and 54 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Thanks to a recent road trip, I have once again reviewed the exceptional Terry Pratchett novel, Moving Pictures, which is one of my favourite books in late Pratchett’s exceptional Discworld series. The 10th Discworld book, Moving Pictures was a Pratchett classic that provided a satirical look at the golden age of the film industry when it mysteriously emerges on the chaotic and magic-laden Discworld.
Plot Synopsis:
The alchemists of the Discworld have discovered the magic of the silver screen. But what is the dark secret of Holy Wood hill?
It’s up to Victor Tugelbend (”Can’t sing. Can’t dance. Can handle a sword a little”) and Theda Withel (”I come from a little town you’ve probably never heard of”) to find out…
MOVING PICTURES, THE TENTH DISCWORLD NOVEL IS A GLORIOUSLY FUNNY SAGA SET AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF A WORLD GONE MAD!
Now, I feel this is a good time to point out that I have already reviewed Moving Pictures on this blog a few years ago. I provided a pretty detailed examination of Moving Pictures in the review HERE, and lauded it’s many good points, including its compelling plot, its fantastic comedic take on the golden age of film, as well as the impressive way that Pratchett introduced or expanded upon an array of key supporting Discworld characters, many of whom went on to have key roles in other novels in the series. All these previous points still stand, and I still deeply enjoy Moving Pictures after this new re-read, indeed I picked up on another joke or two that I have missed in previous outings. As such, I am not going to do a whole new review about this book here, although I do want to quickly spend some time talking the new audiobook version of Moving Pictures.
Fans of this blog will know that I am a massive audiobook lover, and I love checking out compelling series in this format. The Discworld books are one of my favourite audiobook series, and there have been some awesome versions released over the years. When I last reviewed Moving Pictures, I talked up the original audiobook narrated by Nigel Planer, who provided his voice to over half the Discworld audiobooks. The Nigel Planer version of Moving Pictures is the one that I grew up with, and I deeply enjoyed his exceptional take on book, especially as he provided a huge array of incredible voices to the production. In many ways the Planer version of Moving Pictures is still the best audiobook adaptation out there, but with the recent release of all the Discworld audiobooks with a fresh team of high-profile narrators, I thought I’d give the new version of Moving Pictures a try, especially when engaged on a road trip.
The new Moving Pictures audiobook is part of a recent re-recording of all the Discworld novels, each of which features a famous British performer voicing the main plot, while acclaimed actors Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy have key roles in every single production. While these have been out for a little while, I have only listened to a couple, including Guards! Guards!, and I have so far been really impressed with how they have turned out. This new recording of Moving Pictures was a fantastic addition to the series, and I really enjoyed the fresh take on the audiobook production. Featuring a run time of just under 10 hours, which is slightly shorter than the Nigel Planer version, this proved to be an easy audiobook to power through in a couple of lengthy car-contained sessions.
This latest Moving Pictures audiobook production is primarily narrated by major British actor Jason Isaacs, who does an outstanding job bringing this audiobook to life. Providing a compelling and different take on the basic narration and some of the characters, Isaacs breaths new life into the production, and I really enjoyed how he presented the book’s entertaining narrative. Issacs’s basic voice works very well in conjunction with the other narrators working on this production, and I appreciated how smoothly and effectively he moved the plot along. Isaacs also provides a range of excellent voices to the various characters featured within the audiobook, and I liked some of his interesting takes on Pratchett’s outrageous characters, especially as it casts them in a somewhat different light to how Planer featured them.
The main protagonist, Victor, got a pretty satisfying voice that captured both his intelligence and his role as the straight man of the story perfectly, and I felt that it was a very solid choice by Isaacs. I also quite liked his takes on some of the more outrageous figures in the book, including the various wizards, who get fantastic crazy old men voices, Detritus the troll, whose voice has a layer of more complexity to it, and Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, who Isaacs gifts a great greasy film producer voice. I personally thought that his voice for Gaspode the dog was one of his better choices, especially as he perfectly captured the talking dog’s sarcastic personality and occasionally self-pitying manner. The corresponding voice of Laddie, a dog of normal intelligence, was fantastic in comparison, and it was one that Isaacs had fun matching the dog’s breading and intentions. Many of the other voices were also extremely well done, and while I think that Planer might have had a better grasp on a few of the characters, such as Ginger, Isaacs proved to be quite exceptional in his own right and masterfully steered this new production along.
As with all the entries in this new run of Discworld audiobooks, Isaacs’s primary narration was backed up by Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy in their respective roles. Serafinowicz provides the voice of Death whenever he appears in this audiobook, which works out extremely well even with Death’s relatively limited role in Moving Pictures. Serafinowicz has an awesome Death voice, and I loved when it appears throughout the audiobook as it blends with Issacs’ voices very well. Nighy continues to voice all the footnotes in the book, which is a perfect role for Nighy, as his calm, consistent tones bring some fantastic class to the story and proves to be an excellent way to highlight Pratchett’s amusing and clever annotations. While Nighy doesn’t have too much to do in Moving Pictures as there aren’t too many footnotes, some of his takes were pretty fun, especially when he had to translate an exaggerated troll song. These three distinctive actors did a great job vibing together in this new Moving Pictures audiobook, and they brought some great life and a unique take on this classic Discworld book.
Overall, I felt that this new version of Moving Pictures was a very worthy adaptation, and the team of Jason Isaacs, Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy worked extremely well together. While Nigel Planer’s original narration is always going to be the gold standard for me when it comes to Moving Pictures (both due to his talent and my own nostalgia), this new version was also extremely good, and will be a great way for a new generation of Discworld audiobook fans to experience this amazing entry. As such, I would recommend this version to anyone interested in checking out Moving Pictures, and after the outstanding time I had last week, I can guarantee it is an excellent accompaniment for any descent length road trip you might need to take.
WWW Wednesday – 26 February 2025
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict (ebook)
I started reading the very interesting crime fiction book, Little Red Death, this week. A compelling read that sees an obsessed detective try to solve a series of fairytale-themed murders, Little Red Death has an amazing story behind it, and I am really glad I decided to check it out.
Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
I have just started listening to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The sequel to Abnett’s classic Warhammer 40,000 novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City brings back the protagonist from the previous book and sets her on a deadly new flying mission against skilled enemy pilots. I have so much love for Double Eagle, and I am expecting Interceptor City to be just as incredible, especially as Abnett is extremely skilled at writing elaborate air combat sequences. I have only made a little progress on Interceptor City so far, but I am really loving it and I have no doubt that this will be one of the best books I read all year.
What did you recently finish reading?
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz (Trade Paperback)
I absolutely powered through the awesome new addition to the Orphan X series from one of my favourite thriller writers, Nemesis. One of the best books I have so far enjoyed from Gregg Hurwitz, Nemesis was so damn good, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)
I finally managed to finish off Days of Shattered Faith and it was another exceptional five star read from Tchaikovsky that I could not get enough of.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)
Thanks to a road trip I’ve been in a real Discworld mood lately, which saw me get through the new audiobook version of Small Gods by Terry Pratchett narrated by Andy Serkis. This was an exceptional listen and Small Gods remains one of my favourite Discworld books.
The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins (Trade Paperback)
I had an exceptional time this week powering through the new book from Australian author Joanna Jenkins, The Bluff. A clever and twisty crime fiction read that serves as an excellent sequel to Jenkin’s debut novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was an amazing read that I look forward to reviewing soon.
Pyramids by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)
I also managed to get through the brilliant Discworld novel, Pyramids. Another one of my favourites, Pyramids is so much fun to listen to, including in the new audiobook version primarily narrated by Alfred Enoch.
What do you think you’ll read next?
I had to make some changes to my reading schedule, so I didn’t get a chance to read the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion, this week as planned. However, I am hoping to rectify that next week as The Reunion sounds particularly captivating and thrilling.
That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
The Unseen Library 