Throwback Thursday – Changes by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday9 Comments

Changes Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 15 April 2010)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 12

Length: 15 hours and 26 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

As promised in the previous posts for Small Favour and Turn Coat, this Throwback Thursday is a four-way special as I look at another epic entry in the exciting and fun Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.  This review looks at the 12th entry in the series, Changes, which is one of the most intense and compelling books that Butcher has so far produced.

It is Harry Dresden’s darkest hour.  For years, Dresden has been Chicago’s only defence against the various mystical and monstrous threats that seek to destroy it.  His crusade to keep Chicago safe resulted in a deadly war between the White Council of wizards and the vampires of the Red Court, with Dresden firmly in the centre of the battle.  After years of fighting, the Red Court look set to launch their final killing blow, aimed directly at a weak spot Dresden was unaware he even had: his daughter.

Kept from him by his former lover, Susan Rodriguez, Dresden is shocked to discover that he has a child and that she has been kidnapped by a vengeful vampire noble.  Determined to get his daughter back no matter the cost, a reckless Dresden begins a new battle against the Red Court.  However, with the White Council unwilling to back him, Dresden has few options available to him as he is relentlessly hunted by agents of the Red King.

Injured, tired and desperate, Dresden will need all his most powerful allies to survive, but even the full might of Dresden’s most loyal friends isn’t enough to overwhelm the forces in front of them.  To succeed, Dresden may be forced to compromise everything he has ever believed in, especially if it brings him the tools and power he needs to save his daughter.  But the price demanded may be far more terrible than anything he could imagine.

Well damn, now this must be one of the most intense and powerful entries in this already outstanding series.  Butcher outdid himself with Changes as he wraps up several brilliant storylines while also taking his protagonist to the very edge in the worst ways possible.

Butcher provides a very powerful start to Changes, which places Harry in a dark position as he finds out that he has a daughter and that she has been kidnapped by Red Court vampires.  This expertly follows on from several long-running storylines around Dresden’s war with the Red Court (including those started Grave Peril and Death Masks), and it was really interesting to see an emotionally untethered Dresden trying to come to terms with having a child and the evils being done to them.  The first half of Changes is highly compelling, especially as Dresden faces attacks and obstacles he hasn’t seen before, with his office building getting blown up and increased interest from law enforcement in the city.  There are several great set pieces here, and Butcher quickly builds up the many threats surrounding Dresden as well as unprecedented stakes.

However, Butcher really saves the best for the second half of the book, as Dresden finds himself going down some dark roads to save his child.  After a particularly heartbreaking moment in the centre of the book, the weakened Dresden is forced to make a Faustian deal in one of Changes most powerful scenes.  However, this proves to be only the beginning as Dresden leads all his allies to the big final battle, which was something particularly impressive.  There are several outstanding fight sequences, including a magical pitched battle with everyone involved, and the ending sequence of the entire event is pretty dark.  There are losses, tragedies and massive changes featured here, and you really are left blown away by just how epic and brutal Butcher made everything.  However, that is only the beginning as, after a series of revelations and sacrifices, Butcher chooses to end Changes on a massive cliffhanger, one that is guaranteed to shock every Dresden Files fan and force them to dive right into the next book.

Changes is definitely one of the most impressive and expansive entries in the entire Dresden Files series, and it had me hooked the entire way through.  Thanks to the massive battles, intense and extremely epic action scenes, and the game-changing and emotionally charged moments where the protagonist is forced to make all the hard decisions, it honestly proves very hard to put Changes down and I loved how well Butcher wrapped up several long-running storylines while setting up key elements for some of the later novels.  This is one of the darker books in the Dresden Files series, although Butcher still manages to maintain a good amount of inherent humour and investigative focus.  I felt that the typical Dresden humour blended well with the more desperate and brutal parts of the book, especially as it helps to underline just how grim Changes becomes in places.  Unlike some of the previous books in the series, I would not recommend Changes as a place to start reading the Dresden Files books.  While Butcher provides his usual excellent recap of prior events throughout the book, there are way too many ongoing storylines and complex character moments featured here that you won’t get the full effect of unless you understand the full history of the protagonist and all he’s overcome.  This was honestly one of the better books in the entire series, especially with how much Butcher raised the stakes, and I love just how well the entire story came together.

Out of all the Dresden Files novels Changes has some of the best character moments in the entire series, mainly because of just how big events turned out to be.  Dresden, despite his attempts to keep his usual defiant humour intact, is emotionally wrecked time and time again in this book following the revelation that he has a daughter he didn’t know about.  Enraged, desperate and determined to not leave her alone like he was as a child, Dresden is forced into some very dark places to save her, and the resulting scenes where he sells his soul are very heartbreaking and emotionally charged.  A lot of these compromises come after he has been physically chopped away at throughout the book, and you can really understand why he is forced to make these decisions and just how much they cost him spiritually and morally to do so.  As such, Dresden spends a good chunk of this book unsure of whether he is making the right decisions, but he remains determined to do so all the same and would even go further if needed.  Despite this, Dresden still has the support of his friends, and it was great to see how they kept him grounded and certain that he was on the right path.  I particularly enjoyed the fun Lord of the Rings analogy that was revealed to him by his friends to show how they see him (he’s more of a Sam than a Gandalf), and Dresden’s concern that he might instead be a different, less heroic character from the series hits you right in the feels.  I may never forgive Butcher for how brutally and effectively he tugged at my heartstrings in Changes when it came to Dresden and this is probably one of the most substantial novels in the entire series when it comes to his character development.

Aside from Dresden, Changes features a great range of supporting characters, many of whom return to help the protagonist in his hour of need.  A lot of focus went into Susan Rodriguez, Dresden’s former lover and the secret mother of his child, who has struggled with her vampiric corruption since the third book.  While there is a certain amount of resentment towards her for her actions, you can completely understand why Susan might try to keep her daughter away from both herself and Dresden, which is honestly heartbreaking.  Butcher does a great job of featuring Susan again here after a lengthy absence, and I felt that he wrapped up her storyline and the relationship she had with Dresden really well.  Several other characters get a great showing in Changes, with Murphy becoming a literal Holy Knight for one particularly glorious sequence and Dresden’s apprentice Molly really showcasing her skills and her emotional vulnerability.  I also must mention one of my favourite characters, Dresden’s dog, Mouse, who continues to be one of the best figures in the series, especially here where he reveals more of his supernatural potential and his actual intelligence.  The scene where you can hear him talking is just hilarious, especially as Mouse has a very different view about his relationship with his human.  These characters and more really help to turn Changes into one of the most emotionally charged books in the entire Dresden Files series, and I loved seeing each and every one of them.

As has been the recurring theme with the Dresden Files, I checked out Changes on audiobook, which was another epic listen.  Narrator James Marsters can do no wrong with this audiobook, and with a runtime of 15.5 hours, you will find yourself quite engrossed with this elaborate tale.  Thanks to Marsters’s exceptional narration, I absolutely powered through this audiobook, and I loved the sheer emotion and power he brought to the production.  The epic set pieces were particularly cool in this audiobook, and I loved how well the climatic battles came across in this format.  As a result, Changes is definitely best enjoyed as an audiobook and I cannot recommend this format enough.

Unsurprisingly, Changes also gets a five-star rating from me and it was honestly one of the most impressive Dresden Files novels that Butcher has written.  The powerful character work and brutal story had me hooked the entire way through, and it honestly has some of the most significant moments in the entire series.  In fact it was so good that it instantly made me start listening to yet another Dresden Files novel, Ghost Story (that cliffhanger at the end left me no choice), which I am also reviewing today.  This is an exceptional read that once again shows why Butcher is such an incredible author.

Amazon

Throwback Thursday – Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday4 Comments

Turn Coat Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 7 April 2009)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 11

Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

It’s a Dresden Files multi-feature today! In addition to reviewing Small Favour, I also check out the 11th book in the series, Turn Coat.

As I mentioned in my other post tonight, I have been in a real Dresden Files mood recently.  Thanks to how much fun I had with Small Favour, I immediately started listening to the 11th entry in the series, Turn Coat, which was another excellent novel.  I managed to finish off Turn Coat in a couple of days, and it proved to be another amazing entry in the series, tying up several long-running storylines while diving into some of the unique relationships surrounding the protagonist.

Throughout his entire magical career, professional wizard Harry Dresden has been feared and despised by the White Council of Wizard after killing his crazed mentor with magic.  Despite his crime being in self-defence, Dresden was watched and harassed for most of his life by a Warden of the White Council tasked with slicing his head off if he showed any dark magical inclinations.  The man who so relentlessly watched him was the implacable Warden Morgan, who still suspects Dresden of dark magic to this day.  So when Morgan shows up wounded at Dresden’s apartment asking for help, Dresden is reluctant to provide it.

Morgan has been accused of betraying the White Council and murdering one of its most senior members.  Despite the long history of hatred, Dresden agrees to help him, fully aware that Morgan is incapable of committing the acts he is accused of.  But by sheltering Morgan, Dresden has made himself a target of the White Council, and the only way to survive is to identify the real murderer before Morgan is discovered.

Digging into the case, Dresden soon uncovers an insidious conspiracy that threatens the fragile stability of the White Council and the world of magic it governs.  Forced to face off against friends, mercenaries, rogue vampires and one of the most dangerous mystical creatures in existence, a skinwalker, Dresden finds himself walking a razor’s edge.  If he succeeds, he could start a civil war within the White Council, but if he fails, he will be executed alongside Morgan.  With danger all around, can Dresden survive both his enemies and his own complicated feelings for Morgan?

This was a very interesting and compelling entry in the Dresden Files series, and I had quite a bit of fun with it.  Unlike the preceding novel, Small Favour, Turn Coat has a bit of a slower pace to it, and there is more of a focus on conspiracy, mystery and character growth rather than full on action.  The story has a very strong start, especially as Butcher brings back one of the more complex supporting characters: Morgan.  A lot of the story revolves around the contentious history between Dresden and Morgan, and the powerful tension between them makes for some excellent moments in the story.  I liked the central premise of Dresden attempting to uncover a conspiracy at the heart of the White Council and it follows up several key storylines from the rest of the series.  The shadowy plot that emerges is very intriguing, and the mixture of players, as well as a particularly terrifying antagonist, really ensures that the story is highly compelling the entire way through.  Everything leads up to the big fight sequence at the end of the book quite nicely and it was fun to see the unusual array of Dresden’s allies face off against a dangerous and deadly force.  The following big reveal of who the real antagonist of the story is was also very well set up and quite clever, although I was able to figure out the culprit some time in advance.  Still, this really didn’t detract from the impact of the reveal and the subsequent tragic events really hit the reader hard.  Butcher ends Turn Coat on a troubled and tragic note, with more questions than answers, and I quite enjoyed the darker, less hopeful tone that emerged as a result.

Butcher applied his typical writing style to Turn Coat, which I greatly appreciated, especially as it makes jumping from book to book in the series easy when I’m in the mood for something familiar to escape into.  Thanks to Butcher’s great continued use of the first-person perspective, you get a complex and intense story in Turn Coat, especially as much of the narrative focussed on Dresden’s hunt for the traitor and his other personal issues.  The protagonist’s usual glib outlook on life helped to provide much of the book’s humour, which melded well with the compelling fantasy and investigation elements of the book.  Butcher made Turn Coat particularly dark in places, and the haunting depictions of certain creatures and the inherent tragedy of much of the plot helped Turn Coat really stand out.  I personally enjoyed how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding the White Council and the subsequent magical politics and backstabbing that emerged was a fascinating inclusion.  As with most of the Dresden Files books, Turn Coat can be read as a standalone novel or a starting point to the larger series, although much of the enjoyment of this 11th book relies on the continuation of key storylines and character arcs from the previous novels.  However, Butcher does an outstanding job of rehashing key events and characters were needed, so it is very easy to follow along if you start here.

I once again need to highlight some of the amazing characters featured in Turn Coat, each of whom expertly enhance the overall story.  Obviously, Dresden gets most of focus in Turn Coat and he proves to be as entertaining and enraging as usual.  Dresden has quite a lot of emotional baggage to unpack here, especially when it comes to his past with Morgan, and their hostility and inability to agree on the White Council and the laws of magic makes for some excellent scenes.  That being said, it is clear that Dresden has grown a lot as a person and a mentor by this point in the series, and his ability to plan ahead and outthink his opponents is quite impressive.  Thanks to how the story unfolds, the intriguing and harsh character Morgan got quite a lot of focus and I was really glad to see more of him here in Turn Coat.  Morgan has only had a few appearances in the series and is usually treated as a secondary antagonist thanks to his hostile attitude towards Dresden.  Butcher spends much of Turn Coat unpacking Morgan’s personality, and you finally get to understand why he’s so strict and concerned about dark wizardry.  The scenes featuring both Dresden and Morgan are some of the best in the book, and I deeply appreciated how Butcher was able to both expand upon and wrap up their turbulent relationship here.

Aside from Dresden and Morgan, Turn Coat also features an outstanding and compelling supporting cast, each of whom adds a lot to the overall story.  Recurring characters Molly Carpenter and Thomas Raith each get a great focus in Turn Coat for different reasons, with Molly trying to deal with the inherent prejudice of the White Council against her and Dresden, while Thomas is tortured for a good part of the book and reverts to his baser instincts.  Dresden’s current love interest, Anastasia Luccio, also has a great outing in Turn Coat, and certain elements of her emotional state prove quite vital to the story in some clever and quite tragic ways.  Dresden’s giant dog, Mouse, who is always a scene stealer, has some fantastic moments in Turn Coat, especially when he proves to be the only intelligent adult in the room when it comes to Molly, Morgan and Luccio.  There are also some great scenes featuring small pixie Toot-Toot and wizard elder Listens-to-Wind, who are very entertaining and fun in their own ways.  Finally, I really need to highlight one of the more sinister figures of the book, the skinwalker (also known as a Naagloshii), a Native American spirit who bursts into the scene by driving Dresden insane with fear.  Butcher did an amazing job building them up as a mega shapeshifting threat quite early in the story, and their powerful abilities and dark nature really comes across throughout the entire story.  These characters and more each added so much to the story and I had an amazing time seeing all of them get even further developed by this talented author.

As with Small Favour and the other Dresden Files books I have enjoyed over the years, I chose to grab the audiobook version of Turn Coat, which is just the best way to enjoy this amazing novel.  Thanks to the narration of the always talented James Marsters, Turn Coat was a real joy to listen to, and I love how well Marsters dives into the various characters.  His fun takes on many of the figures, especially protagonist Harry Dresden, are just perfect, and you must appreciate how well he knows all of the cast at this point.  Marsters does a lot of fantastic voices in Turn Coat, although I particularly enjoyed the voice he used for new character Binder, who sounds an awful lot like a certain blonde vampire from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I absolutely powered through this outstanding audiobook, and despite its 14 and a half hour run time, I managed to listen to it in an enjoyable two days.  Easily to best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel, you will not be disappointed by the Turn Coat audiobook.

As you can no doubt tell from the gushy review about, I had a lot of fun with Turn Coat, and it was an outstanding addition to one of the very best fantasy series out there.  Slick, emotionally rich and building on some amazing long-running storylines, Turn Coat had so much going for it that I honestly could not put it down.  Heck, thanks to how awesome both Turn Coat and Small Favour was, I listened to yet another Dresden Files book, Changes, which I am also featuring today.  This is such an epic series, and Turn Coat is another five-star read that I cannot recommend enough.

Amazon

Throwback Thursday – Small Favour by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday8 Comments

Small Favour Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 1 April 2008)

Series: Dresden Files – Book Ten

Length: 13 hours and 49 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. In a very special Throwback Thursday, I present reviews for four books in the legendary Dresden Files urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher starting with the 10th book in the series, Small Favour.

Over the last few years, I have been having an absolute blast getting through the outstanding and highly addictive Dresden Files urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher.  Following a maverick wizard as he investigates supernatural crimes in Chicago while also facing all manner of dark threats, the Dresden Files books are some of the best urban fantasy novels out there and I have had such a great time reading the rest of the series.  All the other Dresden Files novels I have read, including Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Knight, Battle Ground and The Law have gotten a full five-star rating from me and I have been very eager to continue this great long-running series.  As such, when I was travelling around and needed an audiobook I could listen to extremely easily, there was no better choice than the next Dresden Files book, Small Favour, which really did not disappoint.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard and protector against the supernatural, has been enjoying a period of rare peace and productivity in his chaotic life.  But nothing ever lasts forever, and soon Dresden finds himself thrust into a dark battle between dangerous old enemies with the fate of the world at stake.

Thanks to a debt from his reckless youth, Dresden owes three favours to Queen Mab, manipulative monarch of the Winter Court of the fae, who seeks to turn Dresden into her greatest weapon.  Her latest favour sees Dresden drawn into a surprising conflict surrounding his old rival, Chicago crime boss John Marcone.  Marcone has been kidnapped by another deadly foe of Dresden’s, the Denarians, fallen angels who are determined to turn Marcone into a new host for one of their brethren.

Strongarmed by Mab, Dresden reluctantly agrees to help save Marcone from his fate and begins a new search for his foe throughout Chicago.  However, his acceptance not only forces him up against the Denarians and their twisted leader, Nicodemus, but also puts him in the sights of Mab’s rival, the Queen of the Summer Court, who sends her deadliest servants to kill him.  Caught between two unstoppable mystical forces can Dresden and his allies survive their deadliest battle yet, especially when Nicodemus’s full destructive plot is unleashed?

Unsurprisingly I loved Small Favour, which is easily one of the better Dresden File books in this already excellent series.  Combining a fast-paced story with elaborate world building, amazing action sequences and great characters, Small Favours masterfully builds on so many of the previous books and proves to be a highly addictive read that gets another five-star rating from me.

Butcher came up with an extremely amazing story for this 10th entry in the series, and I deeply enjoyed the elaborate and complex narrative that emerged.  Once again told solely through the troubled eyes of protagonist Harry Dresden, Small Favour sees the protagonist immediately under attack again as he is dragged into a deadly series of confrontations.  Thanks to a long-running story arc surrounding his relationship with the Winter Court, Dresden is forced to save his least favourite person in the world while also contending with the deadly Summer Court and his old enemies the Denarians.  Butcher does a great job of setting up this compelling scenario, and the early action scenes where Dresden faces down gun-wielding fairies really gets you caught up in the excitement.  Thanks to the inclusion of several excellent supporting characters, as well as some of Butcher’s best antagonists, the story moves along at a cracking pace, and there are two excellent, elaborate and bloody set pieces near the centre that really caught my attention, including a dark supernatural brawl at a train station, and a parley turned war at an aquarian, both of which are very well set out and which consistently raise the stakes again and again.

After the big twist in the middle of the book, where the antagonist’s full plot is revealed, the last third of Small Favour has a desperate and dark feel to it as Dresden and his allies attempt to save the day, while also dealing with darker concerns surrounding the protagonist.  There are several interesting reveals here, as well as good closure to several long-running storylines surrounding the attempted corruption of Dresden.  Everything leads up perfectly to the big final confrontation where Dresden and his allies face off against all manner of foes in his usual flippant and creative way.  There are some great moments here, including tragedies, sacrifices, intriguing confrontations, tricks, and Dresden finally getting his own against a superior foe.  I was one the edge of my seat the entire way through this massive confrontation and it was everything I hoped it would be and more.  The reader comes away from this part of the book very satisfied, if a little traumatised by certain heartbreaking moments, and Butcher really pulls together a great ending for Small Favour.

One of the things that I really like about the Dresden Files books is that Butcher has an effective and distinctive style that will be instantly recognisable to anyone reading one of his novels.  This style, which focuses on the first-person perspective of the protagonist, really brings out the best of the story and you are always guaranteed a great blend of action, adventure, comedy, mystery and impressive character moments while Butcher constantly builds up his extended universe around the story.  Small Favour is a great example of this as Butcher pulls out all the stops to make his excellent story even more enjoyable.  The action is fast-paced and powerful, the world according to Harry Dresden is both dark and hopeful, and the humour is continuous and hilarious as the main character constantly seeks to make light of all the terrible things he encounters.  I particularly enjoyed how well several of the major action pieces came together (the dark scene in the subway station is just amazing), and I loved the undercurrent of suspicion and dread that surrounded many of the scenes and this book can get quite bleak at times.  I also need to highlight a very clever bit of writing that Butcher worked into the story where certain typical elements of Dresden’s usual magical practice are missing, hinting at some darker elements behind his actions.  These writing elements and more really help to turn Small Favour into an excellent read and I had such a great time getting through it.

Like most of the books in the Dresden Files series, Small Favour can easily be read as a standalone read and Butcher does a great job recapping key events from the prior novels that are necessary to the main story.  However, the further you get into the series the more certain characters and storylines keep recurring, so dedicated fans of the series are probably going to get the most out of reading this novel.  Small Favour also proves to be an intriguing overall novel in the wider series, especially as Butcher introduces some key story elements and settings, as well as masterfully expanding on several characters from the previous novels.  There is a certain sense of a bigger evil starting to stir here (something that is explored a lot more in the next couple of books) and there are some very cool developments here as a result.  However, this is one of the easier books to start the Dresden Files series on then some others later in the series, although I will always recommend starting at the beginning to get the full impact of Butcher’s masterful work.

One of the true highlights of the Dresden Files series has to be the excellent characters featured within it.  Butcher builds up a complex and powerful cast in each novel, including several recurring characters, and it is always a real joy to see how they develop and grow with each book.  Of course, most of the focus is on the wise-cracking wizard protagonist and narrator Harry Dresden, who is such a fantastic character to focus on.  Witty, loyal, highly perceptive and utterly disrespectful of every evil creature he encounters, Dresden is an outstanding protagonist to set this series around, especially as Butcher always effectively dives into his deeper psyche.  Despite his comedic and irreverent exterior, which is responsible for most of the book’s humour, Dresden is a deeply troubled and damaged figure, having been forced to deal with so much pain and suffering throughout the series, all of which leaves a mark on him.  Small Favour really dives into his past trauma, especially when it comes to looking at certain dark influences that he only recently threw off, and Butcher manages to put some real unease around Dresden motivations and actions as a result.  I also liked seeing the continued growth of Dresden’s magical abilities, and the fun story around Dresden being forced to save one of his rivals is quite entertaining at times.  This works wonderfully along Butcher’s typical excellent portrayal of Dresden to tell a brilliant character-driven story ,and I really enjoyed some of the complex development that occurred around the protagonist as a result.

In addition to Dresden, Butcher did an excellent job utilising an extended cast of supporting characters and villains in Small Favour, and I really enjoyed how the author was able to weave them into his elaborate tale.  Many of Butcher’s best recurring characters make an appearance here, although I think the best in this book was Michael Carpenter, the calm and redemptive Knight of the Cross who serves as a voice of reason to Dresden’s more reactive desires.  Butcher has made great use of Michael in several of the previous novels, although this is probably one of his best, especially as he is forced to deal with both Dresden’s erratic behaviour and the return of his mortal enemies.  This leads nicely into the main antagonists of the story, Nicodemus and the Denarians, who are some of the more insidious foes in the series.  The Denarians have had one major appearance in the past and Butcher nicely expands on them here in Small Favour, diving into their motivations, introducing new members, and showcasing just how sinister, manipulative and destructive they can be.  The physical, mental and moral threat they represent to both the protagonists and the world are really well built up, and I loved the complex plan that Butcher attributed to them.  Throw in the assassins of the Summer Court, the Gruffs (based on the Three Billy Goats Gruff), who get bigger and more deadly with each appearance, and this was an excellent group of characters who really enhanced and already great story.

As with all the other Dresden Files books I have enjoyed so far, I chose to listen to Small Favour on audiobook.  This once again proved to be an outstanding choice, as the audiobooks are so damn good.  This is primarily because of narrator James Marsters, who is perfect for this series.  Marsters, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators at the moment, does such a great job when reading these books out, and I love how enthusiastically he dives into the story and the characters.  Each of the figures in Small Favour is given a perfectly fitting voice, and I have so much love for how well he encapsulates protagonist Harry Dresden and his unique personality.  Marsters clearly has a lot of fun narrating these amazing books, and it proves near impossible to stop listening to his work as he narrates this cool series.  Coming in at just under 14 hours, this was an easy audiobook to get through quickly, and I cannot recommend this format enough to anyone interested in checking it out.

Jim Butcher does it again as his 10th Dresden Files book, Small Favour, proves to be another epic read.  Featuring a clever and compelling plot, loaded with emotion, action and complex characters, Small Favour was an addictive read from start to finish which I really could not stop enjoying.  I can think of no higher praise for this book than to say that the second I finished Small Favour, I immediately dove into the next book in the series, Turn Coat, because I wanted more Dresden Files goodness, and I ended up continuing and reading four Dresden Files books in a row.

Amazon

Quick Review – The Pit by Peter Papathanasiou

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, LGBT+, Murder Mystery, Quick Review3 Comments

The Pit Cover

Publisher: Maclehose Press (Trade Paperback – 25 July 2023)

Series: DS George Manolis – Book Three

Length: 297 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Australian author Peter Papathanasiou returns with his third DS George Manolis novel, The Pit, a complex and intriguing piece of Australian crime fiction that takes three unlikely companions on a memorable road trip.

Plot Synopsis:

A third outback noir from Peter Papathanasiou, following Special Constable Sparrow as he investigates a cold case in a barren mining region of Western Australia.

With DS Manolis on leave in Greece, Senior Constable Sparrow receives a phone call from a man who wants to turn himself in.

Bob is sixty-five years old, confined to a Perth nursing home. But thirty years ago, he killed a man in the remote northern Kimberley mining region. He offers to show Sparrow where the body is, but there’s a catch: Sparrow must travel north with him under the guise of being his carer.

They are accompanied on the drive by another nursing home resident: Luke, thirty years old, paralysed in a motorbike accident. As they embark on their road trip through the guts of Western Australia, pursued by outback police and adrenaline-soaked miners, Sparrow begins to suspect that Bob’s desire to head north may have sinister motivations. Is Luke being held against his will? And what lies in store for them when they reach their goal?


The Pit proved to be quite an interesting and compelling novel which honestly was very different from what I was expecting.  I thought this would be more of a standard crime fiction/murder mystery novel in the Australian wilderness, but instead I got a character driven story that dove into one protagonist’s complex life, and I honestly think it worked out better this way.

The plot of The Pit is very far removed from Papathanasiou’s previous DS George Manolis novels, with the protagonist of the first two books not even actually appearing.  Instead we get an intriguing story about supporting character Special Constable Sparrow, who finds himself presented with an unusual opportunity by an old man, Bob, wanting to confess to a 30-year-old murder.  While I do think that Sparrow agreed to Bob’s strange request without backup a little too readily, it sets up an interesting and heartfelt storyline where Sparrow accompanies Bob and Bob’s unsuspecting young protégé, Luke, across Western Australia into the heart of mining country.  The narrative splits into two separate timelines at this point, with the main narrative focusing on the three companions as they travel across the Pilbara, getting into all manner of trouble and meeting a range of outrageous and unique outback locals.  The other main storyline is a series of intense flashbacks that examine the full life of Bob and the many hardships he experienced as a homosexual man in Australia from the 1960s onwards.  There is also a subplot that follows the friendship Bob formed with Luke in the nursing home and why Bob decided to take him on the road trip.

These different fantastic storylines are interesting and emotional in their own way, and the reader gets heavily invested in seeing both the past and the present.  Bob’s tragic and violent life story really drags the reader in, and it was fascinating to see his take on the homosexual experience throughout various periods of recent Australian history.  At the same time, you get quite entranced by the unique friendship that forms between the three road trippers, especially as each of them has their own secrets, personal issues and emotional turmoil.  I felt that the darker past storylines blended well with the unusual hijinks of the modern storyline, and the hidden clues in Bob’s recounting of events ended up having some interesting impacts on the central story.  These split storylines come together in an excellent way, and Papathanasiou really lays on the tragedy in the main narrative threads, especially when it comes to Bob and the tragedies he’s experienced.  The ending of the book is quietly poignant and ultimately unavoidable, and you will come away quite moved by how everything turned out and how the main characters developed.

Papathanasiou backed up this emotionally rich story with some fantastic and highly detailed background settings.  The Pilbara in particular is shown in all its red glory, and the author does a remarkable job describing its harsh beauty and the heavy burden of those who traverse it.  The anecdotes about the unusual people who worked in the Pilbara, both in the modern day and in the 1970s and 80s, are pretty over-the-top and very entertaining to absorb.  I do hope that Papathanasiou was exaggerating just how crazy everyone out in the Pilbara is, as there were a lot of unsettling and concerning characters involved who added some interesting spice to the story.  The memorable social interactions and courtship rituals of the repressed male Pilbara mining community back in the 1970s also seemed a bit unlikely, and I doubt I will be able look at a ute full of blokes the same way again after reading this book.  These outrageous scenes were quite entertaining, and I think they helped to enhance some of the more emotional parts of the book in greater detail.  Throw in other interesting historical locations, such as Sydney during the AIDS epidemic, and you have a fantastic background to this intense story that Papathanasiou used to full effect to tell his unique story.

Overall, The Pit was quite a memorable and compelling read by Papathanasiou, who told quite a complex Australian tale.  As a dramatic Australian tale with historical elements more than a pure crime fiction read, The Pit was a fantastic book that beautifully dove into some dark issues and showcased some amazing characters.  Charming and heartbreaking, The Pit was an excellent piece of Australian fiction that is well worth checking out.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 1 November 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

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?

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

Resurrection Walk Cover

I just started reading the excellent new Michael Connelly novel, Resurrection Walk.  A Lincoln Lawyer novel that also features Connelly’s main protagonist Harry Bosch, Resurrection Walk is an awesome book that sees the protagonists try to prove the innocence of several convicted felons.  An intriguing legal thriller that builds on Connelly’s impressive character work, Resurrection Walk is proving to be an incredible read and I cannot wait to see how everything comes together.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid (Audiobook)

Creed - Ashes of Cadia Cover 2

I also just started listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 novels, Creed: Ashes of Cadia by established Warhammer author Jude Reid.  Following the daughter of a legendary war hero as she journeys back to the site of her father’s greatest failure, the fall of Cadia, Creed: Ashes of Cadia looks set to be an amazing novel with implications for the wider Warhammer 40,000 canon.  I’ve made a bit of progress on this audiobook so far and I am hoping to have it knocked off by this time next week.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett (Hardcover)

The Armour of Light Cover

I managed to get through the new massive historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, The Armour of Light, a lot quicker than I thought I would, especially when I got caught up in its excellent story. Another compelling entry in Follett’s most iconic series, The Armour of Light had a brilliant and gripping story behind it, and this is one of the best historical fiction novels of 2023.

Amazon

 

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Ghost Story Cover

I also managed to finish off another Dresden Files novel this week with Ghost Story.  One of the darker books in the entire series, Ghost Story was a brilliant listen and I deeply enjoying its complex and powerful story.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

Mr Einstein's Secretary Cover

I am hoping to check out the awesome and compelling historical novel, Mr Einstein’s Secretary in the next week.  The latest book from acclaimed Australian author Matthew Reilly, Mr Einstein’s Secretary promises to be a great read set around a unique historical figure, and I look forward to checking it out.

Amazon

 

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 – The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday7 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 check out an awesome and fun upcoming thriller that I know I am going to have an amazing time with, The Ascent by Adam Plantinga.

The Ascent Cover

Amazon

I have made no secret over the years that I love thrillers with over-the-top sounding plots to them, especially as they usually work out to be fantastic and captivating reads.  This remains true for this week’s Waiting on Wednesday as I highlight The Ascent by Adam Plantinga, which sounds so damn cool and exciting.

Set for release at the start of 2024, The Ascent is the debut thriller from Plantinga and has a brilliant prison break plot behind it.  Teaming up a heroic and angry ex-cop with the governor’s daughter in a maximum-security prison where every convict has been released, The Ascent will see the protagonists forced to slog their way u25p six floors of killers and dangerous prisoners to survive.  I unashamedly love the sound of this book and with a plot like that you know that you will be in for a ton of action, elaborate set pieces and crazy characters.  I already know that I am going to love this over-the-top book and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Plot Synopsis:

 When a high security prison fails, a down-on-his luck cop and the governor’s daughter are going to have to team up if they’re going to escape in this “jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping” (Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author) debut thriller from Adam Plantinga, whose first nonfiction book Lee Child praised as “truly excellent.”

Kurt Argento, an ex-Detroit street cop who can’t let injustice go—and who has the fighting skills to back up his idealism.

If he sees a young girl being dragged into an alley, he’s going to rescue her and cause some damage. 

When he does just that in a small corrupt Missouri town, he’s brutally beaten and thrown into a maximum-security prison.

Julie Wakefield, a grad student who happens to be the governor’s daughter, is about to take a tour of the prison. But when a malfunction in the security system releases a horde of prisoners, a fierce struggle for survival ensues.

Argento must help a small band of staff and civilians, including Julie and her two state trooper handlers, make their way from the bottom floor to the roof to safety.

All that stands in their way are six floors of the most dangerous convicts in Missouri.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Horror Novels (Halloween 2023)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  In this latest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, readers get a Halloween Freebie, meaning that they can list whatever topic they want, although a horror or Halloween theme is encouraged.  So, with that in mind, I thought I would take this opportunity to update some previous lists where I highlighted my favourite horror novels of all time.

Back in 2020 for Halloween, I came up with a list where I looked at my top ten favourite horror novels.  While horror is not my favourite genre, I ended up producing a rather interesting list with some unique entries that I was pretty happy with.  I must admit that many of my entries are hybrid books which combine horror elements with other genres I prefer to read, however, I think they make for good Halloween fare.  This list got a bit of interest, and I decided I would make a bit of effort to come back to update this list every Halloween, especially if I had some new horror novels to add to it.  I did a good update to it in 2021 and 2022 with several awesome novels, and I have decided to come back to it again in 2023, especially as I have had the opportunity to check out some excellent and intense horror reads.

To sort out this update, I took a critical look at the previous version of the list and made some hard decisions about whether any of the horror novels I read in the last year might fit in better.  I ended up making a few changes and while I was sad to see some of the previously featured novels removed, I honestly felt that the new entries are better overall horror novels.  This resulted in a fun new version of this list, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Honourable Mentions:

Later by Stephen King

Later Cover

An excellent read from one horror mastermind Stephen King.  While primarily a character-driven story about a complicated youth’s life, Later gets pretty scary in places especially once the protagonist encounters true evil.  A deeply compelling read with some interesting connections to one of King’s most iconic horror novels, this is an excellent and unique book that is worth reading.

Amazon

 

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Sandman Act 1 Cover

While more of a fantasy/superhero story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, including the infamous diner scene.  These horror elements are greatly enhanced in the full-cast audiobook and you will end up cringing away from how dark this gothic comic gets. 

Amazon

 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

How to Sell a Haunted House Cover

One of horrors most compelling current authors, Grady Hendrix, came up with a brilliant book earlier this year that really showcased his appreciated for the horror genre.  A fantastic and spooky examination of haunted house stories, How to Sell a Haunted House was gripping and creepy from the get-go and I loved it, even if I will never look at puppets the same way again.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Sepulturum by Nick Kyme

Warhammer 40,000 Sepulturum Cover

The epic Warhammer 40,000 universe features a range of intense and dark horror novels and one of my favourites is the compelling novel Sepulturum by Nick Kyme.  A terrifying read set in a grim city overrun by strange zombies, Sepulturum is a gripping read that showcases just how dark Warhammer fiction can get.

Amazon

Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Into the Drowning Deep Cover

I think it says a lot about my horror choices that the first book on my list is about killer mermaids.  Into the Drowning Deep is exceptional book that actually turns a mermaid attack into a pretty terrifying experience.  Grant did an amazing job of this book and Into the Drowning Deep comes very highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Patient Zero Cover

The first of two Jonathan Maberry novels I featured on this list, Patient Zero is an awesome book that features an elite counterterrorist unit as they attempt to stop terrorists spreading a deadly zombie virus across America.  I have a lot of love for the thriller aspects of Patient Zero, however, the highlights of this book are the gruesome and terrifying zombie sequences, which sees the protagonists get overwhelmed by hordes of the infected.  This results in some truly impressive horror scenes, and I had to include this book on my list as a result.

Amazon

 

The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

The Dark Cover

I had to add this brilliant and compelling horror/science fiction read onto this list.  The Dark is one of the best novels I have so far read from author Jeremy Robinson that focuses on an apparent demonic invasion of Earth.  Filled with gore, monsters and body mutations, The Dark gets pretty gruesome and scary in places, which blends perfectly with the intense action and Robinson’s quirky humour.  An outstanding read, this fantastic horror novel comes highly recommended and was one of my top novels and audiobooks of 2021.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill

The Bookkeeper's Skull Cover

Another intriguing Warhammer Horror novel, The Bookkeeper’s Skull is a haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting.  The book follows a planetary enforcer as he investigates a mysterious and cursed agricultural community plagued by a series of gruesome murders.  Hill creates a spooky and malevolent atmosphere, and you are constantly left wondering who is going to end up dead next.  Tightly paced and featuring some gritty depictions of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

Amazon

 

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

The Anomaly Cover

The Anomaly is an excellent horror novel from 2018 which follows an unfortunate film crew after they get trapped in a series of ancient caves and are forced to face the terrible horrors waiting for them inside.  There are a lot of amazing elements to this book, but I personally appreciated the intense and claustrophobic atmosphere that Rutger was able to produce, especially as most of the novel takes place in the dark.

Amazon

 

Holly by Stephen King

Holly Cover

The latest book from Stephen King, Holly is primarily a thriller that sees the titular protagonist investigate a missing persons case.  However, there are some devastatingly insidious and horrifying elements loaded into the story, especially with how exceptionally evil the excellent antagonists were.  I found myself shuddering multiple times throughout the course of Holly and if that doesn’t make it a horror book I don’t know what will.  This was easily one of the best books I have read all year and I must include it on this horror list as well.

Amazon

 

World War Z by Max Brooks

World War Z Cover 2

One of the more unique zombie books out there, World War Z recounts the history a devastating, world-wide zombie apocalypse and the various people it impacts.  Told through a brilliant chronicle method where multiple interesting characters recount their distinctive personal stories, you get an impressive, multifaceted narrative that covers the beginning, middle and end of the zombie wars.  Epic in its scope and filled with some great stories and characters, it honestly does not take long to get extremely addicted to World War Z.  While the focus is more on exploring the impacts a zombie apocalypse would have on the world, World War Z does have some pretty creepy moment.  The darker tales of underwater zombies, massacres of modern armies, and the mental turmoil suffered by zombie survivors, are excellent horror material that makes this an easy book to include here.  An epic and outstanding book that lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

Amazon

 

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

deathtrooperscover

I am a big fan of Star Wars fiction, but I had never been scared while reading a Star Wars novel until I came across Death Troopers.  Death Troopers is part of the Star Wars Legends canon and features an Imperial prison ship, which of course contains Han and Chewie, encountering an abandoned Star Destroyer filled with a zombified crew.  Watching a bunch of Star Wars characters attempt to escape from zombies is really cool, and Schreiber comes up with a number of gruesome scenes that will definitely stick in your mind.  Also, if you really want to get a fright out of this book, make sure to check out the audiobook version of Death Troopers, as the various sound effects they include are extremely disturbing.

Amazon

 

Devolution by Max Brooks

Devolution Cover

In addition to World War Z author Max Brooks expertly makes use of a whole new horror monster when he explores the fate of an isolated community who are attacked by a tribe of sasquatches in Devolution.  Brooks really turns these creatures into a frightening and deadly force of nature, and readers are in for an exciting and well-written tale of survival and brutality.

Amazon

 

Ink by Jonathan Maberry

Ink Cover

For the final entry on this list there was no way I could exclude one of Maberry’s best pure horror reads, Ink.  While most of the other Maberry novels with horror elements focus either on zombies or Lovecraftian monsters, Ink features a particularly horrendous tale of a depraved being who steals a person’s tattoos and the precious memories associated with them.  Set in one of Maberry’s most iconic settings, Ink had a very disturbing narrative, and I deeply appreciated this unique and book that the author came up with.

Amazon

 

 

That’s the end of this latest Top Ten Tuesday list.  I think that the new horror novels were great additions to the list, and I think this new version of the list turned out really well.  Each of the above novels, both new inclusions and existing ones, are outstanding reads that come highly recommended to all horror fans.  I look forward to seeing how this list evolves once again this time next year, especially as I am sure some amazing and spinetingling horror books are likely to come out in the next 12 months.

The Exchange by John Grisham

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller6 Comments

The Exchange Cover 2

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 17/10/23)

Series: The Firm – Book Two

Length: 338 pages

My Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Amazon

John Grisham presents an intriguing sequel to one of his best-known books with his latest release, The Exchange.

Grisham is a talented and well-respected author who needs very little introduction after wowing audiences for years with books (and their movie adaptations) such as The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury and A Time to Kill.  I personally came into Grisham’s novels a bit later than I probably should have, but I have had fun reading some of his latest releases such as The Judge’s List, The Boys from Biloxi and Sparring Partners.  I had a wonderful time with each of those books and I now make sure to grab the latest Grisham novel whenever they come out.  As such, I made sure to get a copy of Grisham’s new release, The Exchange, a fantastic legal thriller that serves as a sequel to one of his best-known novels, The Firm.

15 years ago, Mitch and Abby McDeere exposed the crimes of a corrupt Memphis law firm and its mobster clients, fleeing the country with a stash of the firm’s crooked money.  After spending years abroad in Europe fearing potential retribution, the McDeeres finally returned to America, taking up residence in New York, far away from their troubled past in Memphis.

Now, Mitch works as a partner in one of the biggest law firms in the world, sent to troubleshoot some of its most difficult cases.  A request from an old friend sees Mitch travel to Libya, where a Turkish construction company is suing the tyrannical Libyan government over failure to pay an extensive bill.  This is far from a routine case, and Mitch soon finds out just how dangerous that part of the world is when one of the firm’s young associates is kidnapped in a bloody attack.

Determined to save his associate before she is killed, Mitch desperately utilises all his contacts and legal knowhow to raise the ransom money needed and encourage governments to intervene.  However, the organisation that kidnapped the young woman is far more dangerous than anyone expected, and they soon launch a series of attacks against Mitch’s new firm while demanding an extravagant amount of money.  With his own family caught in the crossfire, Mitch must unwind the turbulent politics surrounding this event if he is to save everyone he cares about.

I must admit that I had some mixed feelings when it came to The Exchange, and it honestly wasn’t my favourite Grisham novel.  Let us start with what I liked about The Exchange, which for the most part was a pretty fun and exciting read.

Grisham wrote an intriguing and fast-paced narrative for The Exchange that is really easy to get into and proves very hard to put down in places.  There is a great set-up surrounding the Libyan deal, and it was fascinating to have a book set in Libya in 2005 during the Gaddafi regime.  Grisham ratchets up the tension early, as you know something bad is going to happen, and when it does, Grisham does not hold back with the brutality and violence.  The second half of the book, which primarily follows the protagonist as he uses all his contacts to try and negotiate for his colleague’s release, is also quite fascinating, and you can feel the fear and desperation of the characters, especially when Mitch’s family is brought into the situation.  Add into this the complex characters and the compelling, detailed and highly cynical examination of life in one of the world’s biggest law firms (in this case, a fictional law firm which has appeared in prior Grisham novels), and The Exchange has a lot going for it.

While I found it exiting and captivating to read, and I enjoyed a lot of how this story came together, most of my dissatisfaction came from the conclusion.  I won’t go into a lot of detail here to avoid spoilers, but frankly I found the end of the book to be rather underwhelming and a little lazy.  Despite setting up some intriguing storylines at the start that could have resulted in a great and engaging conclusion, Grisham instead chose to just resolve the storyline in a predictable manner and leave a lot of stuff hanging.  There are so many unanswered questions left over as a result, especially when it comes to the means and motive of the antagonists, and I was honestly surprised that Grisham did not tie it into the plot of The Firm somehow.  Frankly, this lacklustre conclusion put a damper on my enjoyment of The Exchange as a whole and I was a little disappointed about not getting a satisfying ending.

Another major element of the book that I am not sure hit home completely for me was its connections to Grisham’s previous novel The Firm.  I must admit upfront that I haven’t read The Firm, but I honestly don’t think The Exchange’s story really benefited from being a sequel.  While I am sure that some Grisham fans really appreciated getting a continuation of the McDeeres’s story, it didn’t do a lot for me.  For example, the first 50 or so pages are dedicated to Mitch returning to Memphis for the first time since the events of The Firm, which does serve as a good bridging element for new readers.  However, this opening scene had no connections to the main plot of the book, and it was just so unnecessary in hindsight.  I also never really connected to Mitch and his family throughout the course of The Exchange’s story, and it might have been better if Grisham had introduced an original protagonist instead.  Still, the author did do a good job of recapping the key events of The Firm to new readers, and I am sure dedicated Grisham fans will appreciate this interesting continuation after all these years.

While I did have a bunch of issues with The Exchange, I think overall it was a good book by Grisham and I did have a fun time reading it.  Much of the plot is very exciting and well set out, and there are some truly fascinating elements to it.  Probably best read by those fans of Grisham’s style and prior novels (especially The Firm), The Exchange is well worth a read, but I just wish it had a better ending.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 25 October 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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?

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett (Hardcover)

The Armour of Light Cover

I started reading the new massive historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, The Armour of Light, this week and I am currently about 100 pages in.  Another compelling entry in Follett’s most iconic series, The Armour of Light is off to an interesting start as it examines several great characters during a troubled historical period.  I am hoping to finish this off in the next week or so and it is so far proving to be one of the better historical fiction novels of 2023.

Amazon

 

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Ghost Story Cover

I honestly did not intend to listen to more of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels this week, but thanks to the major cliffhanger at the end of Changes, I had to dive into the next book, Ghost Story, as well.  One of the darker books in the entire series, Ghost Story is a great listen and I am deeply enjoying it’s complex and powerful story.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham (Trade Paperback)

Age of Ash Cover

An intriguing and entertaining fantasy novel that I really enjoyed.  I am hoping to get a review up for it soon and I am also planning to dive into the sequel when I get a chance.

Amazon

 

Changes by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Changes Cover

A particularly brilliant and brutal entry in the Dresden Files series that will have you hooked the entire way through.

Amazon

 

The Exchange by John Grisham (Trade Paperback)

The Exchange Cover

An intense and clever new novel from the always dependable John Grisham.

Amazon

 

The Night House by Jo Nesbo (Trade Paperback)

The Night House Cover

A gritty horror thriller with some compelling twists behind it.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Saevus Corax Deals With The Dead by K. J. Parker

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead Cover

If I manage to get through the Follett this week I will probably dive into the new K. J. Parker novel, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead.  A fun fantasy novel about a battlefield looter who gets into all manner of trouble, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead sounds like an exceptional read and it has the potential to be one of the best books of 2023.

Amazon

 

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.

Book Haul – 20 October 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

Thanks to being away for a few weeks on a much-needed holiday I haven’t had much of an opportunity to update my blog lately.  However, that time away ensured that I had a massive pile of books waiting for me when I got back so I figured this would be a good time for a Book Haul post. I actually received several really good books while I was away, including some of my most anticipated reads for the second half of the year, which was a great welcome back present.  I cannot wait to read all the books below and I am sure they are all going to be cracking reads.

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett

The Armour of Light Cover

First up, I was very happy to receive a copy of the new Ken Follett historical fiction novel, The Armour of Light. A massive novel, The Armour of Light is the latest book in Follett’s Kingsbridge series and will follow a new group of protagonists in the titular city of Kingsbridge.  Set during the industrial revolution and the Napoleonic wars, The Armour of Light looks set to be a mighty read and will no doubt be one of the best historical fiction books of 2023.

Amazon

 

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the fun murder mystery Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson, which is set to be one of the top Australian books of 2023.  A sequel to Stevenson’s exceptional 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect should be a hilarious and clever murder mystery that pokes fun at classic crime fiction.

Amazon

 

The Exchange by John Grisham

The Exchange Cover

One of the more interesting novels I recently received was The Exchange by legendary author John Grisham.  The long-awaited sequel to his iconic novel The Firm, The Exchange looks set to be a great new legal thriller and I look forward to seeing how Grisham continues his original story.  I am hoping to read this book next and it should be a compelling and exciting read.

Amazon

 

Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K. J. Parker

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead Cover

One of the books I was happiest to get a copy of was the cool new novel from awesome fantasy author K. J. Parker, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead is the first book in a fun series that follows a battlefield looter as he gets into all manner of trouble.  I am a big fan of Parker, especially after his outstanding The Siege Trilogy, and I cannot wait to see what sort of elaborate and comedic story he comes up with here.

Amazon

 

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse Cover

Another great comedic fantasy novel I received is amazingly titled The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom Holt.  Tom Holt is the real name of K. J. Parker from above, so I’m pretty happy to receive a second book from him.  The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse is actually a continuation of one of Holt’s ongoing series, so it will interesting to see how it turns out.

Amazon

 

The Defector by Chris Hadfield

The Defector Cover

Former astronaut turned thriller author Chris Hadfield returns with his second intriguing novel, The Defector.  The sequel to his cool debut, The Apollo Murders, The Defector is another great sounding read that will examine espionage and betrayal in the 1970s as the protagonist tries to bring in a mysterious Soviet defector.  I really enjoyed Hadfield’s first book and I cannot wait to see how this cool sequel unfolds.

Amazon

 

Weapons Grade by Don Bentley

Weapons Grade Cover

Author Don Bently continues to expand the Tom Clancy universe with a new Jack Ryan Jr thriller.  Weapons Grade sounds like a fun read and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

Amazon

 

Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston

Murder on a School Night Cover

A fun and intriguing young adult thriller, Murder on a School Night sounds like a very entertaining novel and I am quite keen to dive into it.

Amazon

 

The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed

The Rosewood Hunt Cover

A deadly treasure hunt and an intriguing adventure look set to dominate this great young adult read by Mackenzie Reed.

Amazon

 

The Girl From London by Olivia Spooner

The Girl From London Cover

A complex and emotionally charged historical drama about a missing refugee ship during World War 2.

Amazon

 

Zero Days Since Last Incident by J. E. Rowney

Zero Days Since Last Incident Cover

The last book I recently received was the exciting and entertaining sounding thriller Zero Days Since Last Incident by JE Rowney.  This fantastic sounding book, which is billed as The Office meets Lord of the Flies, sounds very amusing and I look forward to seeing how crazy it gets.

Amazon

 

 

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post.  As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in.  Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.