Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To

On January 30, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list their top New-to-Me Authors they discovered in 2023. However, I already published a list on this topic a few weeks ago, so instead I will be listing the top books I meant to read in 2023 but that I didn’t get a chance to. This was actually the official topic of last week’s Top Ten Tuesday, which I missed because I was doing a special post on my favourite Australian novels of 2023. I look forward to making up for this list here, which is likely to be my final list highlighting the top books and authors of 2023.

2023 was a pretty awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of debuts, exciting sequels and fun older novels, most of which were epic and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries, there are always a couple of books each year that fall through the cracks and that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or from being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret, as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling sounding novels that I did not get a chance to read in 2023. Each entry was released last year, and while I knew that they were coming out, I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases, I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. The final list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres, and includes several major 2023 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson

An intriguing Star Wars book that follows the life of a fallen Jedi who becomes a notorious Inquisitor.

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Thick as Thieves by M. J. Kuhn

Thick of Thieves was a great sounding fantasy novel that I regret not reading, especially after enjoying Kuhn’s first book, Among Thieves.

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The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

A particularly fun sounding novel from last year about crime fiction authors being murdered at writing retreat that I really wish I had read.

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The Hunters by David Wragg

An outstanding fantasy novel that I know I would have loved.

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Top Ten List:

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker

Without a doubt, the book I most regret not reading in 2023 was Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker. An incredible and unique sounding fantasy read that would follow a former-chosen one in a dark new fantasy world, Gods of the Wyrdwood had so much potential behind it. Unfortunately, I just never seemed to be in the mood or have the time to read it, which is so mindboggling to me as I absolutely loved all of Barker’s previous novels. Barker’s The Wounded Kingdom trilogy (made up of Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins) and The Tide Child trilogy (made up of The Bone Ships, Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake) are some of the best fantasy trilogies I have ever had the pleasure of reading, so it is very surprising that I didn’t read Gods of the Wyrdwood yet. I have a copy of Gods of Wyrdwood at home now and I am hoping to read it in the next month or two, especially so I can enjoy the upcoming sequel from Barker.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang

I have mentioned a few times recently that I have fallen behind in my reading of Star Wars fiction and this really became apparent in 2023 when I did not read Cataclysm by Lydia Kang. A key book in the High Republic extended series, Cataclysm continues the epic main story featured in several outstanding books I have previously read. As such, it is probably the most important Star Wars book I can read right now, especially if I want to keep going with the High Republic. I hope I get the chance to catch up on this series in 2024, as I have been really enjoying the unique narratives in these prequel reads.

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The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

Another exciting fantasy novel I really regret not reading last year is The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. A compelling and exciting sounding book about legendary heroes corrupted by the swords they wrested from their great evil enemy, The Sword Defiant sounded so damn cool, and I had high hopes for it the moment I saw its plot synopsis. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of The Sword Defiant when it first came out and I have not had a chance to get one since. I really should make an effort though, as I know I would have loved this book.

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The 9th Man by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood

I have been having a lot of fun with Steve Berry’s iconic Cotton Malone thriller series the last few years, with epic books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom, really impressing me with their elaborate and compelling narratives. As such, I should have made more of an effort to read Steve Berry’s other 2023 novel, The 9th Man, when it came out. Co-written with Grant Blackwood, The 9th Man was the first book in a spin-off series featuring one of the main supporting characters from the Cotton Malone books. Featuring Berry’s typical blend of historical conspiracy and modern day thriller storyline, The 9th Man sounded very fun and I am confident I would have deeply enjoyed this excellent novel. The 9th Man is another book I am planning to try and read soon, as Berry and Blackwood have a sequel coming out later this year.

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The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan

After having such a great time with Swan’s first fantasy novel, The Justice of Kings, I meant to read the sequel, The Tyranny of Faith last year. Continuing Swan’s intriguing tale of a roaming Justice who brings law and order to their world with magic, swordsmanship and legal work, The Tyranny of Faith further explored the elaborate conspiracy that Swan set up in the first book. I really did intend to read The Tyranny of Faith, but I could never fit it into my reading schedule. I am hoping to change that soon, especially as the third book in the series is out very soon.

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Defiant by Brandon Sanderson

One of my most anticipated books for the end of 2023 was Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. The final book in Sanderson’s excellent Skyward young adult science fiction series (made up of Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic), Defiant sounded pretty damn epic and it wraps up an outstanding series. Unfortunately, there was just not enough time to read Defiant before 2023 ended. I will definitely try to finish off this series this year, and I cannot wait to see how Sanderson finishes everything off.

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Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron

Another major sequel I should have read last year was Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron. The intriguing follow-up to Cameron’s outstanding 2022 novel, Against All Gods, Storming Heaven continued to explore the author’s new world of murderous gods and rebelling humans. I had such a great time reading Against All Gods and I plan to make an effort to read Storming Heaven this year, hopefully before Cameron’s next intriguing novel comes out.

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Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

I really enjoyed Mammay’s original first three books, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, but since he released those, I just have not been able to make time for his other excellent, standalone science fiction novels. I was particularly annoyed at myself for not reading his 2023 novel, Generation Ship, which sounded like such a fantastic read. Focussing on a massive generation ship at the end of its long voyage, this book explores the various issues that arise as they near their destination, including an unknown alien planet, unsuccessful colonisation efforts, and a class uprising from the crew. Generation Ship sounded so damn good, and I really wish I had the time to listen to it last year as I know I would have loved it.

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Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks

I read a lot of Warhammer 40,000 fiction in 2023, but there are still some great books from this franchise I wish I had checked out. The main one of these is Renegades: Harrowmaster by excellent author Mike Brooks. Brooks has deeply impressed me in the last year, and his other 2023 Warhammer 40,000 novels, Warboss and The Lion: Son of the Forest, were so damn good. Renegades: Harrowmaster, which also came out in 2023 (at least on audiobook), sounded extremely awesome, as it follows the infamous Alpha Legion, the most mysterious, secretive and manipulative group of warriors in the canon. I love the sound of this great book, and I really wish I could have listened to Harrowmaster last year. I am hoping to read this book at some point in 2024, although this might have to wait as I also want to read another novel from Brooks first, Brutal Kunnin.

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Slayers by Christopher Golden and Amber Benson

The final entry I want to include on this list in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer audio drama production, Slayers. Written by author Christopher Golden and actor Amber Benson, Slayers serves as a sequel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and explores the multiverse surrounding the shows. As a massive Buffy fan, I love the idea of any sort of official continuation and I was pretty excited for this audio production, especially as it features the voices of several key actors from the show. Unfortunately, there were just too many other books I needed to read before the end of 2023 and I could not fit it in. I have plans to try to listen to Slayers in the next month or so, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2024, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2023 in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2023

On January 2, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List87 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. As we roll into the new year I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2023, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a continuation of several lists that highlighted the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year. Previous lists for last year included my favourite pre-2023 novels, and my favourite audiobooks, sequels and new-to-me authors of 2023. However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2023 has been another roller-coaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace as this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established works. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to some outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last four years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2023, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book only needed to be released here in Australia during 2023. I have naturally excluded anything I have not read yet, even though there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. For example, several of these novels appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2023 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2023 list, which I ran back into July. Overall though, I am very happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that showcase the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.

Top Twenty List (no particular order):

City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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For my first entry, I am doing a double entry with the first two books in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s The Tyrant Philosopher’s series. City of Last Chances was technically released late 2022 but I am including it here because I only got it in Australia earlier this year. Both books are exceptional fantasy novels set in a compelling world where a relentlessness army of anti-religious zealots are conquering everything. The first book, City of Last Chances, was an excellent character-focused novel set in an occupied city with several big personalities try to survive a turbulent period of revolution. House of Open Wounds is a loose sequel that follows one of the best protagonists from the first book as he gets drafted into an army hospital full of eccentric and forbidden healers. Both novels were outstanding, with a great blend of complex characters, intricate overlapping storylines and a subtle humour, and they make for a very worthy inclusion on this list.

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Holly by Stephen King

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I had to feature one of my favourite horror novels on this list with the latest release from Stephen King, Holly. The latest story featuring one of King’s most distinctive protagonists, Holly Gibney (introduced in Mr Mercedes), Holly is an intense and gripping novel that sees the protagonist investigate a missing person’s case. However, the more she digs the more disturbing things get as she uncovers a pair of terrifying antagonists with a dark, dark secret. Honestly one of the best Stephen King novels I have so far read, Holly had me hooked the entire way through, especially as it features two of King’s most disturbing villains. Highly recommended, especially in its audiobook format narrated by Holly’s Mr Mercedes’ actor, Justine Lupe.

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Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

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It was a very good year for fans of Jonathan Maberry as we got two amazing books from him, both of which feature on this list. This first of these, Son of the Poison Rose, was the sequel to Maberry’s first foray into fantasy fiction, Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022). This gritty and brutal read continued to see the protagonist attempt to get revenge on an evil empire and their Witch-king after they slaughtered the royal family he was sworn to protect. However, his enemy has some terrible weapons at their disposal, including zombies, unkillable magical constructs and much, much worse. An excellent inclusion to one of the darkest fantasy series out there, Son of the Poison Rose was an outstanding read that continues to showcase how good Maberry’s distinctive style works in the fantasy genre.

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Burner by Mark Greaney

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Mark Greaney continues to impress with his outstanding Gray Man spy thriller series, the last several books of which have appeared on prior year’s versions of this list (including One Minute Out, Relentless and Sierra Six). This latest novel, Burner, sets Greaney’s lethal main protagonist and his conflicted former lover against a determined kill team, determined to keep Russia’s foreign influences secret. A powerful read that tastefully features contemporary conflicts, Burner was one of Greaney’s best books yet and I had an awesome time getting through it.

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The Armour of Light by Ken Follett

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One of my favourite historical fiction authors continued to showcase his impressive writing ability this year with The Armour of Light. The latest book in Follet’s iconic Kingsbridge series (previous novels include The Evening and the Morning and A Column of Fire), The Armour of Light took the reader back to the start of the Industrial Revolution in England as the town of Kingsbridge struggles with the march on progress. Following a vast cast of colourful and complex characters, The Armour of Light was an outstanding and massive read that I powered through in no time at all. A five-star piece of historical fiction that comes highly recommended.

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The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence

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One of the most inventive and bold fantasy novels of 2023 was The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence. Primarily set inside an impossibly large library in a unique fantasy location, The Book that Wouldn’t Burn follows two protagonists with very different experiences of the library as they try to discover its secrets. Impressive in its scope and creativity, The Book that Wouldn’t Burn was a brilliant read that perfectly starts a captivating new trilogy from one of fantasy fiction’s best authors.

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Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry

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My second Maberry novel on this list is Cave 13, which continues the outrageous adventures of Maberry’s most iconic and mentally traumatised protagonist, Joe Ledger. The third book in the Rogue Team International sequel series, Cave 13 follows on from Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019) and Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and sees Ledger and his team of specialists investigate a new terrorism case involving high-tech weapons. Cave 13 has one of Maberry’s more creative stories, as the protagonists try to stop a deadly plot involving ancient magic, the Dead Sea Scrolls, a traumatising bio-weapon and nukes in the Middle East. Fast-paced, wildly brutal, and featuring a cast of intriguing, over-the-top characters, Cave 13 was an amazing addition to one of my favourite series and I had an epic time listening to it.

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The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

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One of the most moving, captivating and hilarious books of the year had to be the fourth Thursday Murder Club book by Richard Osman, The Last Devil to Die. Following on from Osman’s previous epic books, The Thursday Murder Club (one of the best books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet that Missed, The Last Devil to Die follows four retirees who investigate the murder of a close friend. This latest entry had a fascinating case involving drug dealers, antiquities and other villains, all of whom are completely outclassed by four entertaining seniors. However, the best part of The Last Devil to Die was the outstanding characters, each of whom goes through their own emotional journeys in this series, which can be both extremely funny and brutally heartbreaking. One storyline in this book was particularly tragic and you will not be able to keep the tears from your eyes as you read it. One of the most moving, yet hopeful books of 2023, I cannot recommend this entire exceptional series enough.

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Usagi Yojimbo: The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai

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The 38^th volume in my absolute favourite comic book series, The Green Dragon was another fantastic and beautiful addition to the Usagi Yojimbo series. Once again following Stan Sakai’s rabbit ronin through three more compelling adventures, The Green Dragon was an excellent addition to a creative and well-drawn series, and I read through this great volume the very second I got my hands on it.

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

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One of the funniest fantasy authors out there, K. J. Parker (who also writes as Tom Holt), had a ripper of a year, releasing several outstanding books. Parker, whose Siege series has been heavily featured on this list in the past with books like Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It and A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, released a complete trilogy in the later half of 2023 with the Corax books. Following a battlefield looter with a complex past as he gets caught up in all manner of conflicts, the Corax series is an intriguing trilogy that combines some amazing comedy with Parker’s unique outlook on life and fantasy fiction. I have only had the chance to read the first book of this trilogy so far with Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, and it was something very special, as the protagonist finds himself embroiled in an over-the-top situation with substantial implications for the entire world. I loved every second spent reading Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead and if I had been able to read the sequels (both of which are currently sitting on my shelf), I have no doubt they would be featured on this list as well.

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The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry

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I have been really impressed with Steve Berry’s long-running Cotton Malone thriller series in recent years, thanks to great books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol and The Kaiser’s Web, but his latest novel, The Last Kingdom, might be one of his best yet. Cleverly combining a modern-day spy thriller storyline with an intriguing historical conspiracy about an iconic king of Bavaria, The Last Kingdom really got the right balance of modern-day excitement and fascinating history. There is so much to love about this exciting and insightful book and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next upcoming entry of the series coming soon.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington

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One of the best new fantasy authors I tried out in 2023 was James Islington who produced the outstanding novel, The Will of the Many, which has been topping all of my recent end-of-year lists. Following a runaway who is drafted into a war against an oppressive regime and forced to infiltrate their elite academy, The Will of the Many was pretty damn epic on a number of levels. Not only did it have an amazing magic school plot (something I am a big fan of), but it also featured some cool and unique fantasy elements while following a compelling protagonist. I was absolutely hooked the entire way through this impressive story and I cannot recommend this brilliant novel enough. I am really hopeful that we get a sequel this year, and I plan to read it the second it is released.

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Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

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After wowing the world with his impressive 2022 Australian novel, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, author Benjamin Stevenson provided an outstanding follow-up with Everyone on this Train is a Suspect. Amplifying the clever and hilarious homage to murder mystery classics by forcing the protagonist to participate in a mystery writer’s convention aboard Australia’s version of the Orient Express, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect lovingly made fun of many classic crime fiction sub-genres while also presenting the reader with a compelling new mystery. Featuring an excellent blend of suspense, misdirection and comedy, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was an amazing sequel that had me laughing the entire way through as Stevenson has fun roasting his fellow crime fiction authors and enthusiasts.

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The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

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There were so many amazing Warhammer 40,000 novels released in 2023, but one of the absolute best was The Fall of Cadia by the very impressive Robert Rath. Rath, who previously wowed me with his other Warhammer novels, Assassinorum: Kingmaker and The Infinite and the Divine, attempted to novelise one of the biggest lore events from the Warhammer 40,000 canon. Featuring a ton of cinematic battles and larger-than-life characters, The Fall of Cadia had me riveted from start to finish, and I loved just how well Rath was able to capture this climatic event. One of my new favourite Warhammer 40,000 books, The Fall of Cadia was so damn epic in every way possible.

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The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding

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After waiting years for a continuation to Chris Wooding’s epic fantasy novel, The Ember Blade, readers were finally gifted a sequel in 2023 with The Shadow Casket, which was everything we hoped it would be. Featuring a massive and elaborate tale of revolution, comradery and difficult decisions, The Shadow Casket set a disparate group of friends against an oppressive empire in an outstanding read. Featuring some amazing character arcs, compelling world building, and massive war sequences, The Shadow Casket was such a great read and one of the best fantasy novels of 2023. I loved The Shadow Casket so much, and my biggest disappointment about it is that we are probably going to have to wait a few years to get the third book.

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Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly

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One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is an author who always manages to impress me, and several of his books, including The Night Fire, The Dark Hours, Desert Star and Fair Warning, have appeared on prior year’s version of this list. Therefore, it should be unsurprising that his latest novel, Resurrection Walk, also needs to be featured here, as it was one of the best books I read all year. A new addition to his Lincoln Lawyer series, Resurrection Walk was a wonderful legal thriller that saw two of Connelly’s best protagonists team up to get an innocent woman out of prison. Wildly entertaining and featuring a fascinating and unique legal case, Resurrection Walk was one of the better Connelly books I have so far enjoyed and I had such an exceptional time reading it.

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Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

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An elaborate and compelling historical novel that followed a fictional secretary who was dragged into some of the biggest events of the early 20^th century. Mr Einstein’s Secretary was an exciting novel that saw Matthew Reilly tell a particularly unique historical tale of love, determination and sacrifice, which cleverly inserted his protagonist into the lives of several major historical figures as their secretaries. This novel had so many compelling elements to it, from the bold characters, intriguing historical details, and a curious writing style, that I ended up finishing Mr Einstein’s Secretary off in a single day. I absolutely loved this book and I had to feature it here as a result.

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The Traitor by Anthony Ryan

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Anthony Ryan ended his outstanding Covenant of Steel trilogy in 2023 with The Traitor. Serving as an excellent conclusion to The Pariah and The Martyr, The Traitor saw Ryan’s complicated and scruffy scribe protagonist caught in the middle of a bloody civil war as his beloved risen martyr attempts to unite the country and force out all the evil she believes corrupts it. However, nothing is as it seems, and the protagonist soon finds himself trying to decide whether he is actually on the right side. Filled with heartbreak, treachery, and damaged characters trying to do the right thing, The Traitor was an epic and moving piece of fantasy fiction that I had such an amazing time getting through. An epic end to a particularly impressive fantasy trilogy.

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The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks

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Another amazing Warhammer 40,000 book I have to highlight on this list is The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks. A key piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that covers the return of a major lore figure, The Lion: Son of the Forest was a thoughtful and moving character-driven read loaded with symbolisms and intriguing takes on established pieces of Warhammer 40,000 history. I had an amazing time with this particularly strong piece of Warhammer fiction and Brooks really impressed me as an author in 2023.

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Battle Song by Ian Ross

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The final book I want to highlight on this list is the exciting and compelling historical fiction read, Battle Song by Ian Ross. Following an ill-tempered knight and his unlucky squire as they become embroiled in a lesser-known English civil war, Battle Song was a powerful and compelling historical adventure that had me hooked the entire way through. Smart, intriguing, and full of fun action, Battle Song comes highly recommended, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel coming out in the next couple of months.

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Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2023. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2024 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2023 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy New Years.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books From the First Half of 2023

On July 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List22 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. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing your favourite book covers in the colours of your country’s flag. While this was an interesting idea, I had already decided in advance of seeing this topic that I would take this opportunity to celebrate the fact that we are already into the second half of 2023 by highlight some amazing books from the first half of the year.

2023 has already proven to be a pretty fantastic year for books, and I have already read some incredible 2023 releases, including impressive standalone books, amazing new entries in established series and fantastic debuts. Because of this, I thought that I would take the time to work out what my top ten favourite books from the first half of 2023 were. To be eligible, a book had to be released in the first half of this year in some form. I have also excluded any books released during this period that I have not so far read, although a couple of releases I have my eye on might have appeared on this list if I had read them in time.

Coming up with this list proved to be a rather bigger task than I originally intended, as I ended up amassing nearly 20 releases, all of which I consider to be some pretty outstanding reads. I was eventually able to whittle this down to an acceptable Top Ten list, although I did include my typical generous honourable mentions section. I am rather happy with how this list turned out, although I am surprised at some of the great recent books that ended up being excluded. Still, the entries below represent what I considered to be some of the best books from the first half of 2023, and I would strongly recommend each and every one of them.

Honourable Mentions:

The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien De Castell

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An ultra-fun, ultra-violent fantasy read that pitted a group of amoral mercenary mages against the worst the world had to throw at them. A highly entertaining read.

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Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis

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Another excellent addition to Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series. Fatal Legacy featured another compelling case, this time based around an extensive family feud in ancient Rome and is well worth the read.

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Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman

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Veteran crime fiction author Jonathan Kellerman delivered another brilliant entry to his iconic Alex Delaware series this year with the fantastic and clever Unnatural History. A powerful and well-written crime fiction read with a clever solution behind it, this was an amazing addition to the series.

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Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow

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One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, delivered an amazing sequel to his previous World War II thriller, Blackout, with the impressive Dead of Night. Set in Nazi controlled Berlin, Dead of Night had a unique and historically powerful narrative, and this proves to be quite the memorable novel.

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Top Ten List (no particular order):

The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence

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Acclaimed author Mark Lawrence produced one of his best fantasy books ever with the outstanding and epic, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn. Set in a massive fantasy library, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn contains a complex and twist-laded narrative that had me hooked from the very beginning. Lawrence really outdid himself with The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and this is such an incredible read.

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Burner by Mark Greaney

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I always make sure to check out the new Gray Man novel by top thriller author Mark Greaney each year and I am never disappointed, especially with the latest book Burner. Burner was a hyper-intense and action packed read that didn’t stop once during its entire run. Perfectly exploring contemporary history and tying it into ongoing storylines, Burner was a particularly strong addition to the already great Gray Man series and it comes very highly recommended.

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Usagi Yojimbo: The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo - Volume 38 - The Green Dragon Cover

Unsurprisingly, I had to include the new Usagi Yojimbo comic in this list, as it still one of my all-time favourite comic series. Despite the series’ age, Stan Sakai is still pumping out some outstanding stories, and The Green Dragon was a pretty amazing addition to the series. Following the titular rabbit ronin as he journeys through his version of Feudal Japan, The Green Dragon featured three amazing stories, each one perfectly showcasing the complex characters and Sakai’s striking art style. Another masterful entry in this amazing series, I loved The Green Dragon and I’m hoping to get a proper review up for it soon.

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Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

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One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, continued to explore the dark fantasy genre in a big way with his violent and captivating novel, Son of the Poison Rose. The epic sequel to Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Son of the Poison Rose continues to follow the adventure of a doomed and damned protagonist, desperate for revenge, while also cleverly expanding Maberry’s awesome new fantasy realm. Brutal, uncompromising, but utterly addictive, Son of the Poison Rose was another incredible book from Maberry and I had an exceptional time reading it.

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Battle Song by Ian Ross

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A new author I tried out in the first half of 2023 was historical fiction author Ian Ross, who presented a cool medieval adventure story. Battle Song was an outstanding read, that saw a naïve squire follow a cynical knight through tournaments, politics and civil war, in a deeply entertaining and powerful story. Set amongst a unique period of English history, I got pretty damn hooked on Battle Song and I was really impressed with his style, fun characters, and awesome action sequences. A very exciting novel that all fans of historical fiction will enjoy, Battle Song is really worth checking out.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington

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Easily one of the best books I have read so far this year was the outstanding fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by Australian author James Islington. An addictive and inventive read set primarily in a magical school (one of my favourite fantasy settings), The Will of the Many follows a rebellious student with secrets who is dragged into multiple conspiracies. Featuring a bold new universe, a complex story, and some great characters, The Will of the Many was a joy to read from start to finish and I cannot recommend it enough, especially those looking for a new series to dive into.

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The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks

The Lion - Son of the Forest Cover

I had to include at least one Warhammer 40,000 novel on this list and few new books from this franchise impressed me as much this year as The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks. Brooks, whose work I previously enjoyed with Warboss and Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, produced one of his strongest books yet with The Lion: Son of the Forest. Following the return of an iconic character from the franchise lore, The Lion: Son of the Forest was a powerful and action-packed read that told a great story of return, redemption and revenge. A must-read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans, The Lion: Son of the Forest was an outstanding book and Brooks is proving to be one the best rising authors in the franchise.

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Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

Following on from the success of her first novel, Her Perfect Twin (one of my favourite debuts of 2022), Sarah Bonner released another awesome thriller this year with Her Sweet Revenge. Following a grieving protagonist who wants revenge for her best friend’s murder, Her Sweet Revenge is fantastic series of twists, turns and clever reveals, all of which is so damn fun to read. I loved this great second book from Bonner and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

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City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky

City of Last Chances Cover

I’m slightly cheating by including City of Last Chances here because it was initially released in 2022. However, the version I managed to get didn’t come out in Australia until earlier this year, so I’m counting it for this list. It helps that City of Last Chances was an exceptional and highly inventive fantasy read that blew me away with its scope, cleverness and complex characters. Featuring a very distinctive and fun style, City of Last Chances was a particularly amazing book from Adrian Tchaikovsky (Ogres and Day of Ascension), and I had an outstanding time diving into this cool and memorable setting. An epic read that comes very, very highly recommended.

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The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry

The Last Kingdom (Steve Berry) Cover

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome Cotton Malone thriller, The Last Kingdom, by veteran author Steve Berry. Set around a unique conspiracy from Bavaria, The Last Kingdom is an outstanding combination of modern-day thriller and an impressive dive into Bavaria’s complex past. I have so much love for Berry’s outstanding ability to weave together a fantastic historical conspiracy, and this was probably one of the better entries in the Cotton Malone series that I have had the pleasure of reading.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have already read some amazing and epic books so far in 2023 and we are only halfway through the year. I am pretty happy with how this list turned out, and it will be interesting to see which of these books ends up being amongst my top reads of the year. All the novels above come very highly recommended, and you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time reading them. Let me know what your favourite releases for the first half of the year are in the comments below and make sure to check out my two most anticipated reads lists (fantasy and science fiction and other), as well as which of the above books you liked the most.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2023 (Fantasy and Science Fiction)

On June 27, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction19 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. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2023. I am planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, and more, and this one that will focus on upcoming fantasy and science fiction books.

2023 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books (something I will cover in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday), with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away. However, the year is far from over and there are so many incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2023. To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to. I already have a couple of these books in advance, but I think it’s worth including them here, especially as I still need to make time to read them.

I had initially intended to only do a single list featuring all the genres, however, I ended up with way too many awesome upcoming novels on my radar. So, to fairly feature them all, and to save myself from some hard decisions, I decided to split this post into two and do separate lists, starting with this one on fantasy and science fiction. I still had to cut out several impressive upcoming releases, but I was a lot happier with how these lists turned out, especially as I was able to feature so many epic upcoming reads that I am going to have the most fun reading. Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated fantasy and science fiction releases for the second half of 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French – 18 July 2023

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

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The Hunters by David Wragg – 20 July 2023

The Hunters Cover

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Thick as Thieves by M. J. Kun – 25 July 2023

Thick as Thieves Cover

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Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid – 1 December 2023

Creed-Ashes of Cadia Cover

Top Ten List (by release date):

King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer – 4 July 2023

The King of the Spoil Cover

First up we have the intriguing upcoming Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil. Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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The Traitor by Anthony Ryan – 11 July 2023

The Traitor Cover

One of my most anticipated fantasy releases of the year is The Traitor by Anthony Ryan. Finishing off Ryan’s exceptional Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor looks set to be an amazing read and I am very excited to see what happens the series’ great protagonist. The first two books in this trilogy, The Pariah (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and The Martyr (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), were pretty damn epic and I cannot to finish this brilliant trilogy off.

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Longshot by Rob Young – 15 August 2023

Longshot Cover

An intense sniper battle in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, need I say more?

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Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry – 29 August 2023

Cave 13 Cover

Now I could have probably featured this book in the thriller list, but if I know Jonathan Maberry the science fiction, paranormal and horror elements of Cave 13 are going to be pretty impressive. The third book in his Rogue Team International series, following on from Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019) and Relentless, Cave 13 will see Maberry’s troubled protagonist, Joe Ledger, investigate a cave full of ancient scrolls with the potential to destroy the world. This is the second book from Maberry in 2023 (the first being the five-star read, Son of the Poison Rose), and I have no doubt this is also going to be an exceptional novel. I have so much love for Maberry’s unique science fiction thriller novels and Cave 13 will probably be one of my favourite books of the year.

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Starter Villain by John Scalzi – 19 September 2023

Starter Villain Cover

One of the funniest science fiction authors out there, John Scalzi (Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society) is releasing an amazing upcoming book about supervillains later this year with Starter Villain. Following a new protagonist thrust feet first into the supervillain business, Starter Villain sounds like a ton of fun and I already have a copy of it.

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Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead by K. J. Parker – 3 October 2023

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead Cover

The always clever and hilarious K. J. Parker returns with an entertaining new fantasy series this year that starts off with Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead. Following a protagonist who specialises in looting battlefields, this amazing novel is going to be so much damn fun and I know I am going to love every second that I spend reading it, especially after how impressive Parker’s The Siege trilogy was (Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It and A Practical Guide to Conquering the World).

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Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron – 24 October 2023

Storming Heaven Cover

Last year one of the always unique author Miles Cameron released a great fantasy book with Against all Gods, that set a group of desperate heroes against a corrupt pantheon of cruel gods. I had an outstanding time with Against all Gods and I am very excited that Cameron has a sequel coming out in a few months with Storming Heaven. Set to continue the war between mortals and gods, Storming Heaven sounds extremely epic, and I cannot wait to see what happens next with this series.

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Defiant by Brandon Sanderson – 1 November 2023

Defiant Cover

After wowing us for years with this impressive young adult science fiction series, Sanderson looks set to bring his Skyward series to an end in a few months with the final book, Defiant. Following a skilled fighter pilot and her sentient ship as they attempt to save the remnants of humanity from an alien horde, the Skyward series (made up of Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic) has been pretty damn exceptional. I am really excited to see how Sanderson finishes of the Skyward books and I have no doubt that he will pluck the heartstrings and hit all the action buttons as he does so.

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Murtagh by Christopher Paolini – 7 November 2023

Murtagh Cover

12 years after he finished off iconic Inheritance Cycle, legendary fantasy author Christopher Paolini returns to the world of Alagaësia with the new novel, Murtagh. I have a lot of nostalgic love for the Inheritance Cycle novels, especially thanks to their great characters and impressive worldbuilding, and it is one of the series that I constantly revisit again and again when I want a comfort read. As such, I am very, very curious to see how Paolini will revisit it and I look forward to seeing how he has developed as a writer since then. It helps that this new upcoming book will centre around one of the best figures from the original novels, the anti-hero Murtagh, and I cannot wait to continue his story, especially as he’ll start Murtagh as the most hated being in all Alagaësia. I have a lot of hope for Murtagh and I already know I am going to love it.

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House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 7 December 2023

The final book I want to highlight on this fantasy and science fiction list is the awesome upcoming novel, House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This book has been on my radar for a while, especially after I had fun with Tchaikovsky’s previous reads, Ogres and Day of Ascension. However, House of Open Wounds became a must-read book for me the moment that I saw it was a sequel to his previous novel City of Last Chances, which is one of the best fantasy novels I have read all year. House of Open Wounds will bring back one of Tchaikovsky’s best characters from City of Last Chances, Yasnic, a failed priest with a box of orphan Gods, and will see him join an unorthodox military medical unit that uses unusual and illegal methods to heal the wounded. I’m currently envisioning this as a fantasy version of M*A*S*H, and if my previous experiences of Tchaikovsky’s brilliant writing are any indication, this is going to be an exceptional read.

That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming fantasy and science fiction books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me. Make sure to also check out my next list where I dive into upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more. Let me also know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Top Reads From 2023 Quarter One

On April 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 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. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was around participant’s favourite indie/self-published books, which isn’t honestly something I can particularly contribute to. So instead, as this is the first Tuesday of April, I thought I would take the time to look back at the first quarter of 2023 and highlight the best books I read during that period. This is a rather new list type that I think I might employ a bit more in the future, and it will be very interesting to see what the best books of each quarter of the year are.

I’m keeping this list fairly open and pretty much allowing any novel or audiobook I recently read to be included here. The only condition is that I had to have read it between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2023, and I am also excluding a couple of books that I started reading in March but didn’t finish until April. This still leaves me with a huge collection of recently read books to feature here, and I had to make some hard decisions. However, I ended up coming up with an interesting list, and one that definitely shows off what sort of books I have been focusing on in the first quarter of the year. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Grim Repast by Marc Collins

Warhammer 40,000 - Grim Repast Cover

A dark and captivating Warhammer Crime novel that showcases the very worst parts of the Warhammer 40,000 underworld.

Amazon Book Depository

How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins

How to Kill a Client Cover

An impressive and exciting Australian debut that casts an interesting light on Australia’s legal profession.

Amazon Book Depository

13^th Legion by Gav Thorpe

13th Legion Cover 2

I was very happy to start of the awesome Warhammer 40,000 Last Chancers series this year, and 13^th Legion serves as a great introduction to the entire action-packed series.

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For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

One of the funniest books I have read in 2023 so far, For the Emperor is a brilliant Warhammer 40,000 entry that sees a cowardly war hero attempt to save the day, and his own skin.

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Top Ten List:

Eisenhorn Trilogy by Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

One of the things that pulling this list together has really shown me is that I have been reading way too much Warhammer 40,000 fiction in the first quarter of this year (if that is possible). I really have become a little obsessed with this awesome franchise, but to be fair, there are some particularly epic books featured within it. My favourite of these so far will have to be the Eisenhorn trilogy by exceptional author Dan Abnett. Following a noble Inquisitor as he faces the forces of Chaos, the Eisenhorn trilogy is made up of three excellent, five-star reads, including Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, each of which I had a great time reading this year. All three books have brilliant stories, and the overarching theme of the protagonist’s corruption as he tries to do the right thing, is pretty perfect. One of the best Warhammer 40,000 series out there, highly recommended.

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Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Son of the Poison Rose Cover

Probably the best 2023 release I have read so far this year is the exceptional dark fantasy epic, Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry. The sequel to the outstanding 2022 novel, Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Son of the Poison Rose continues the twisted story introduced in the first novel. Loaded with intense world building, dark magic, over-the-top scenes, and some of the best action you are ever likely to read, Son of the Poison Rose is a brilliant read, and I am hoping to get a proper review up for it soon.

Amazon Book Depository

Red Dirt Road by S. R. White

Red Dirt Road Cover

Moving on to Australian fiction and we have the captivating Red Dirt Road by S. R. White. Set in the middle of the Australian desert, Red Dirt Road follows an intrepid detective as she attempts to solve a sinister murder where every resident left in a near-abandoned town is a suspect. Smart, character focused, and very intriguing, this was an amazing read and White is fast become one of my favourite Australian crime fiction authors.

Amazon Book Depository

The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

One of the most amusing novels I read in the first quarter of 2023 is the amazing Warhammer 40,000 book, The Infinite and the Divine. Written by Robert Rath, who previously enthralled me with his 2022 release, Assassinorum: Kingmaker, The Infinite and the Divine is a brilliant read that sees two immortal Necron lords fight for control of a mysterious artifact. Presenting the reader with an exceptional story, set around the pettiest of feuds, The Infinite and the Divine is highly amusing and deeply compelling, while also diving into the intriguing Necron faction. An absolute joy to read from start to finish, this is a must read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans.

Amazon Book Depository

Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Ogres Cover

I had to include one of the latest audiobooks I finished off on this list with the Adrian Tchaikovsky novella, Ogres. Set in a world where humans are ruled over by technologically advanced Ogres, this clever read focuses on revolution, adventure and nature vs nurture. This ended up being on the most complex and intriguing things I have read in 2023, and I really enjoy Tchaikovsky’s unique writing style. I am actually listening to his latest novel, City of Last Chances as I put this review up, and it is also proving to be a fantastic read.

Amazon Book Depository

Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley

Flesh and Steel Cover

I had an absolute blast with the Warhammer Crime novels in the first quarter of 2023 and one of the best is Flesh and Steel by Guy Hayley. A compelling read that sees two unusual and highly damaged detectives team up to solve a unique, Warhammer 40,000 crime, Flesh and Steel was exceptionally entertaining and a highly recommended novel to anyone interested in a cool combination of a unique dystopian world a gripping mystery.

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Burner by Mark Greaney

Burner Cover

Mark Greaney continued his iconic Gray Man series in a big was this year with the latest entry Burner. Setting his legendary protagonist, Court Gentry, the Gray Man, against both the CIA and the Russians while also focusing on major world events, Burner was a powerful and epic read that I cannot hype up enough. This is easily going to top all my best of 2023 lists later this year, and it is a must read for all fans of this talented author.

Amazon Book Depository

Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

The final Warhammer 40,000 novel I need to feature on this list is the awesome Warhammer Crime entry, Bloodlines by Chris Wraight. Featuring a particularly impressive crime fiction story, set around a veteran cop with many secrets, Bloodlines is a fantastic read that perfectly blended its crime fiction story with the Warhammer 40,000 setting. I had such a great time with this book, and it is probably the Warhammer Crime novel I most want a sequel for.

Amazon Book Depository

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman

Unnatural History Cover 2

What’s the start of a year without a new Alex Delaware novel from iconic crime fiction author Jonathan Kellerman. His latest entry, Unnatural History, presents the reader with another captivating mystery, this time centred around an intriguing victim with a complex past. I had such a great time reading this slick and intense read, and I look forward to seeing what amazing stories Kellerman produces in the future.

Amazon Book Depository

Downfall by Louise Carey

Downfall Cover

The final book on this list is Downfall by Louise Carey. The exciting and thoughtful conclusion to Carey’s excellent Inscape trilogy (featuring Inscape and Outcast), Downfall is a captivating read, loaded with cyberpunk influences and an outstanding story. Carey has really shown how talented she is as an author here and I cannot wait to see what she produces in the future.

Amazon Book Depository

Well, that’s the end of this first quarter review. As you can see, I have read an interesting collection of books in the first three months of 2023, and I am hoping to get through quite a few more before the end of the year. 2023 has definitely been the year of older books, especially older Warhammer novels, for me as have read so many (perhaps too many), exceptional Warhammer books published before 2023. I am hoping to read more recent releases in the next quarter to compensate for this, and it will be very interesting to see what books I highlight in my next look-back list.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023 (Fantasy and Science Fiction)

On January 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction12 Comments

Welcome to my second Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, were I look at my most anticipated fantasy novels coming out in the first half of 2023. Traditionally I usually only do one list to represent the top upcoming books for the year, however, I was inspired to separate out the fantasy and science fiction novels into a second list due to all the awesome and impressive reads from these genres coming out extremely soon.

2023 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year. I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely excited for. This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors. I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be fantasy wise, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2023 which I have some descent details about. Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult. I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy reads of 2023. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Battle of Jedha by George Mann – 3 January 2023

The High Republic is set to continue in a big way in the coming days with the full-cast audiobook, The Battle of Jedha that will see a massive confrontation break out between the various Force cults on Jedha.

Amazon Book Depository

Engines of Chaos by Richard S. Ford – 4 April 2023

The follow-up to Ford’s 2022 novel, Engines of Empire, Engines of Chaos will continue to explore Ford’s great steampunk fantasy world and the massive revolution brewing within.

Amazon Book Depository

The Will of the Many by James Islington – 23 May 2023

A fun upcoming fantasy read that will put a darker face on the classic magic school story.

Amazon Book Depository

Top Ten List

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry – 10 January 2023

2023 is off to a very strong start on the fantasy front with the next upcoming book from the always amazing Jonathan Maberry, Son of the Poison Rose. The follow-up to one of the best books and audiobooks of 2022, Kagen the Damned, Son of the Poison Rose will continue to follow broken warrior Kagen Vale as he attempts to save his kingdom from the reign of the murderous Witch-king. Set to feature more adventures, deadly action and complex characters, Son of the Poison Rose is another guaranteed five-star book, and I cannot wait to see what happens in this complex series next.

Amazon Book Depository

Downfall by Louise Carey – 10 January 2023

One of the best, underrated science-fiction series of the last couple of years has been Louise Carey’s Inscape trilogy. Featuring the excellent novels, Inscape (one of my favourite debuts of 2021) and Outcast, this great series follows two damaged protagonists through a dark dystopian future of advanced technology and warring corporations. Carey ended her second novel, Outcast, on a great cliff-hanger and I am really keen to find out how she plans to conclude this amazing trilogy with Downfall.

Amazon Book Depository

Seven Faceless Saints by M. K. Lobb – 7 February 2023

A fantastic and fun upcoming young adult fantasy read that will set two different protagonists on a deadly mission to uncover a murderer within a corrupt fantasy city. An intriguing fantasy mystery that has already grabbed my attention.

Amazon Book Depository

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan – 14 February 2023

After wowing the world with his 2022 novel, The Justice of Kings, Richard Swan will continue his epic Empire of the Wolf series this year with The Tyranny of Faith. Following two supernatural peacekeepers in a deadly fantasy empire, The Tyranny of Faith will once again feature the great combination of mystery, politics, intrigue and magic that made The Justice of Kings such a great book. I have no doubt this will be one of the most popular fantasy novels of 2023 and I look forward to reading it very soon.

Amazon Book Depository

The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding – 16 February 2023

One of the fantasy books that I am most excited for in 2023 is The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding. The follow up to his epic novel, The Ember Blade, I have been waiting for years for The Shadow Casket to come out and I luckily, I only have a month left before I can dive into to. The Ember Blade was an exceptional and massive read and the sequel will see the surviving protagonists continue to try and ignite a rebellion against their despotic occupiers. Sure to be one of the very best fantasy books of 2023, I am so very glad that I can finally continue this exceptional series.

Amazon Book Depository

Star Wars: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang – 4 April 2022

I have been deeply enjoying the current phase of the outstanding High Republic Star Wars series, and the next major entry is coming out in April with Cataclysm by Lydia Kang. While we don’t currently have a lot of plot detail about Cataclysm, it will no doubt continue the elaborate prequel narrative of this second phase and should produce an epic read. All the books in this second phase have been really good and I am confident that will continue with Cataclysm.

Amazon Book Depository

The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan- 2 May 2023

After absolutely killing it with his highly acclaimed Black Iron Legacy series, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan is once again looking to set the fantasy world on fire with The Sword Defiant. An outstanding upcoming book with a very cool cover to it, The Sword Defiant will follow a legendary hero has he attempts to rally his former companions on a new quest to save the world. However, the dark swords they claimed during this first mission together has corrupted them all, leading to a deadly and tragic new mission that will pit the protagonist against his former friends. The Sword Defiant has an outstanding plot behind it and I feel it has the potential to be one of the very best books of 2023.

Amazon Book Depository

The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence – 11 May 2023

It is always a very safe bet that Mark Lawrence will have one of the best fantasy/science fiction books of a year and I am already hyped up for his next novel, The Book that Wouldn’t Burn. Set in a massive fantasy library, The Book that Wouldn’t Burn is the first entry in a bold new fantasy series, filled with adventure, blood and knowledge, and I cannot wait to dive into it later this year.

Amazon Book Depository

Witch King by Martha Wells – 30 May 2023

One of the biggest names currently in science fiction, Martha Wells returns to her fantasy roots in 2023 with Witch King. Set to follow a deadly demon who awakens from his trap to find himself being controlled by a lesser mage, Witch King has a fun and entertaining plot to it, and I have a feeling I am really going to love this amazing upcoming read.

Amazon Book Depository

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker – 27 June 2023

The final entry on this list could be one of the very best as one of the hottest and most wildly inventive fantasy authors of the current age presents an amazing new story with Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker. Barker has consistently been one of the very best fantasy authors of recent years with The Wounded Kingdom (featuring Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins) and The Tide Child (featuring The Bone Ships, Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake) trilogies. Each of Barker’s books have been outstandingly complex and powerful dark fantasy reads, so I am very excited for Gods of Wyrdwood which will set up The Forsaken Trilogy. While we currently don’t have a cover for Gods of the Wyrdwood, the plot sounds pretty damn exceptional as it will follow a former chosen one, whose destiny was stolen from him as he once again forced into the spotlight. Sure to be one of the most compelling and powerful reads of 2023, Gods of the Wyrdwood is going to be so damn epic.

Amazon Book Depository

Well that’s the end of this second list. As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books coming out the first half of this year. All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads. 2023 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this. I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out and I think I am going to have an incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2023.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023 (Mystery, thrillers, comics and historical fiction)

On January 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List8 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. For the first Top Ten Tuesday of 2023, I will be listing my most anticipated upcoming books for the first half of the year. This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year. I am actually planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and this one that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, comics and more.

Despite only just starting, 2023 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months. This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series. The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to.

Even though I excluded fantasy and science fiction books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2023. There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. I have mentioned several of these books before in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, and some of them also appeared on my recent Summer TBR list. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry – 21 February 2023

The Last Kingdom Cover

The next entry in Steve Berry’s brilliant Cotton Malone series, The Last Kingdom has a lot of potential for a fun read. Set to feature a compelling historical conspiracy, I know I’m going to have a lot of fun with this book and I can’t wait to read it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Kind Worth Saving by Peter Swanson – 28 February 2023

The Kind Worth Saving Cover

I have been having a lot of fun with Peter Swanson’s crime fiction books lately and I’m sure his upcoming book, The Kind Worth Saving, is going to be awesome.

Amazon Book Depository

Battle Song by Ian Ross – 28 March 2023

Battle Song Cover

A fantastic sounding historical read, loaded with war, corrupt knights and deadly tournaments.

Amazon Book Depository

Top Ten List:

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman – 14 February 2023

Unnatural History Cover

I am always guaranteed to have an amazing time in the first half of the year with the latest Alex Delaware novel by Jonathan Kellerman. I have deeply enjoyed several recent books in this long-running series (including The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine and City of the Dead) and I am very excited for the next entry. Set to focus on the murder of a controversial photographer, the always entertaining team of psychologist Alex Delaware and his best friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, must determine if his death was the result of his work or his uber-rich family. Sure to be one of the best mysteries of 2023.

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The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz – 14 February 2023

The Last Orphan Cover

One of the best current thriller authors, Gregg Hurwitz, continues his deep and action-packed Orphan X series with The Last Orphan. This latest book will see the former government agent turned vigilante protagonist Evan Smoak forced to decide whether to take one last contract for the United States Government or risk his freedom and his new life by defying the President. This has been a consistently awesome series (I have had an amazing time with previous entries, Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son and Dark Horse), and Hurwitz has set up some compelling and emotionally rich storylines heading into The Last Orphan. I know I am going to love this book and I cannot wait to read it.

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Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow – 16 February 2023

Dead of Night Cover

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, returns with another complex historical murder mystery set in Nazi Germany. The sequel to his previous novel, Blackout, Dead of Night will present the reader with another dark murder where the principled detective protagonist is forced to go against the wishes of the Nazi regime. I always deeply enjoy anything Scarrow writes, but I have a feeling this is going to be a particularly epic read.

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Burner by Mark Greaney – 21 February 2022

Burner Cover

Few books in the first half of 2023 have me more excited than the new Gray Man novel from Mark Greaney, Burner. Following on from such epic reads as The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Burner has a lot to live up to, but with Greaney at the helm I already know I am going to love it. This latest book will place protagonist Court Gentry firmly between the CIA and the Russian mob in an explosive and entertaining confrontation. This will no doubt be another five-star read and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

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Usagi Yojimbo: The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai – 21 February 2023

Usagi Yojimbo - Volume 38 - The Green Dragon Cover

I had to include the next entry of one of my favourite comic series on this list with the upcoming Usagi Yojimbo volume, The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai. I absolutely love this epic comic series and every new volume is a must read for me, especially after some of the recent awesome volumes released in colour (Bunraku and Other Stories, Homecoming, Tengu War! and Crossroads). This new volume will feature two amazing sounding stories and I already know I am going to have an exceptional time reading it.

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City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita – 28 February 2023

City Under One Roof Cover

One of the more intriguing debuts of 2023 is the excellent sounding murder mystery book, City Under One Roof by screenwriter Iris Yamashita. Set in a unique community, City Under One Roof has an awesome story behind it and I am very excited to dive into this complex and compelling mystery.

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Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner – 6 April 2023

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

After presenting one of the very best debuts of 2022, Her Perfect Twin, author Sarah Bonner returns with another elaborate thriller in Her Sweet Revenge. Set around two women who have very different reactions to the same mysterious note, Her Sweet Revenge looks set to be another twisty and addictive read that I have extremely high hopes for.

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Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis – 11 April 2023

Fatal Legacy Cover

The always impressive Lindsey Davis has yet another book in her long-running Flavia Albia series coming out in a few months with Fatal Legacy. The 11^th entry in this great historical murder mystery series (which has featured excellent reads like Pandora’s Boy, A Capitol Death, The Grove of the Caesars, A Comedy of Terrors and Desperate Undertaking), Fatal Legacy presents the reader with another intriguing case in the iconic setting of ancient Rome. This time focused on a complex legal dispute between two rival families, Fatal Legacy has a great deal of promise and should be a wildly entertaining read.

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The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst – 25 April 2023

The Lake House Cover Better

I have had an epic time with some of Sarah Beth Durst’s recent fantasy novels such as Race the Sands and The Bone Maker, so I am excited to follow her into a different genre with her upcoming young adult thriller The Lake House. A fun and intense sounding book with some major horror vibes, The Lake House sees three young women arrive at a remote summer camp to find it abandoned with a dead body in the woods. I can’t wait to see Durst’s take on a classic horror scenario, and I have a lot of faith that this is going to be an exceptional book.

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Empire by Conn Iggulden – 25 May 2023

Empire Cover

One of the very best historical fiction books of 2023 is definitely going to be the next book by legendary author Conn Iggulden, Empire. The fourth book in his current series about ancient Athens (which has previously featured The Gates of Athens, Protector and Lion), Empire will follow the rise of Pericles and shows the early stages of the upcoming war between Athens and Sparta. Set to be filled with exquisite historic details and outrageous figures from the fast, Empire is going to be an amazing read with a great story to it.

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That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy books of 2023.