Ben Allen – The Unseen Library

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature 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 required participants to pick a single book and list the top ten things they love about it. While this is an interesting idea, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2024. This is a continuation of my Top Ten list from a couple of weeks ago that featured my favourite overall novels from the first half of 2024.

I have a great deal of love for the audiobook format, and it is one of the main ways that I tend to check out books. Each year I enjoy a great number of different audiobooks and use the format to enjoy both recent releases and older novels. I have been a major fan of audiobooks for years, and it is amazing the various ways in which listening to a book can enhance your enjoyment. A great narrator can really bring you into the story, and I find that listening to a book enhances the amount of detail that you can take in. In addition, other features, such as captivating voices, music and sound effects can really make an audiobook something special, and there some great examples of that out there. This year alone I have listened to a ton of outstanding audiobooks, includes some of my favourite books from early 2024. Because I love this format so much, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year.

To pull this list off I had a look at all the 2024 releases that I listened to on audiobook to figure out my favourites. It turns out that I have already gone through quite a few this year so there was a very large collection of potential additions to this list. I was eventually able to whittle it down to the ten audiobooks I consider to be the best. There is a bit of a crossover with my previous Favourite Books from the First Half of 2024 list, but I think there are enough new additions to make this list worthwhile. I made sure to feature only the very best audiobooks on this list, and, in addition to the quality of the baseline novel, I also looked at audiobook production and narration. In my experience an outstanding narration or use of music and sound effects can enhance the plot, and I think that all the audiobooks listed below were exceptional listens that are really worth checking out.

In addition, I also featured my typical generous Honourable Mentions section, which featured some great books from the first half of the year that I didn’t feature in my main list for various reasons, as well as a couple of pre-2024 audiobooks that really impressed me. With these honourable mentions, I am very happy with how the overall list turned out and I think that the below entries really highlight what my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year are.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Siege of Vraks, written by Steve Lyons and narrated by Timothy Watson

My first honourable mention is the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Siege of Vraks, which is the audiobook I am currently listening to. The successor to Lyon’s previous novels, Dead Men Walking and Krieg, Siege of Vraks is a great book that covers the epic and bloody siege of the same name. While this is an amazing audiobook, I’m leaving it as an honourable mention for the moment as I have only just started listening to it and I need to see how it unfolds fully. Still, based on what I have listened to so far, this could end up being one of my favourite audiobooks of 2024.

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Alien Clay, written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and narrated by Ben Allen

An outstanding and cool science fiction audiobook from and insanely inventive author.

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Skin Game, written by Jim Butcher and narrated by James Marsters

One of my favourite pre-2024 audiobooks I listened to in the first half of the year. Skin Game was one of the better books in the iconic Dresden Files series, and I loved how well the fun fantasy heist story was told by narrator and actor James Marsters.

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Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver, written by Dan Abnett and narrated by Toby Longworth

I have had the pleasure of listening to a few pre-2024 Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks in the first half of the year, however my favourite is Straight Silver. An epic entry in the fantastic Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver was an intense and compelling book, especially when read out by the talented Toby Longworth.

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Top Ten List:

NecroTek, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

For the first entry on this list, I had to include the latest audiobook from Jonathan Maberry, NecroTek, which proved to be an exceptional dark science fiction adventure. Maberry is one of my favourite authors at the moment, and he consistently produces gripping and dark reads that turn into exceptional audiobooks, especially when narrated by his long-time audiobook collaborator Ray Porter. Porter has an amazing voice, and I love how he takes Maberry’s elaborate stories and makes them even more special. NecroTek was an exceptional audiobook, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second Maberry/Porter audiobook coming out in 2024, The Dragon in Winter.

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Point Nemo, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by R. C. Bray

Few audiobooks were as impressive as Point Nemo by Jeremy Robinson this year. A fast-paced and highly awesome science fiction thriller, Point Nemo had an outstanding plot behind it that followed a fun band of adventurers as they attempted to uncover the secrets of an island created from alien spores. The story and action of Point Nemo are very amazing on their own, but I felt that the narration of R. C. Bray added even more to it. A very talented voice actor who has lent his voice to many of Robinson’s works, Bray is one of my favourite narrators, and I really love the fantastic energy and power he gave to Point Nemo’s audiobook. An exceptional listen that I cannot recommend enough.

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Goodbye Girl, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis

I was eager to try out the intriguing legal thriller, Goodbye Girl by James Grippando, this year, and decided to grab it on audiobook because narrator Jonathan Davis had previously voiced some great Star Wars audiobooks. Goodbye Girl proved to be an amazing listen, and I deeply enjoyed how effectively the compelling and entertaining legal thriller elements came across in this medium. A wonderful and thrilling audiobook that had me hooked the entire way through.

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Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka, written by Mike Brooks and narrated by Harry Myers

Unsurprisingly, I have several Warhammer audiobooks featured on this list, as it is frankly the best format to enjoy this extensive franchise in. The first of these is the outstanding and hilarious Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks. The sequel to Brooks’ previous books, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, Da Big Dakka followed a rowdy group of orks as they raided a dark fortress filled with torture obsessed space elves. I laughed pretty much the entire way through this audiobook, especially with the fantastic narration of Harry Myers, who effectively captured the many excentric participants in this battle. An amazing and highly entertaining audiobook that you won’t be able to stop listening to.

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The Chaos Agent, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

One of my favourite thriller authors, Mark Greaney, continues to impress with his latest Gray Man novel, The Chaos Agent. An exciting and impressive read, The Chaos Agent had a great story behind it that was even crazier than usual. As with most of the books in this series, I grabbed The Chaos Agent on audiobook, which proved to be an excellent experience. Veteran narrator Jay Snyder has always done a great job with the Gray Man audiobooks, and his work in The Chaos Agent was on point again. I really enjoyed this fantastic audiobook, and the format really enhances the excitement and intensity of the plot.

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Star Trek: Pliable Truths, written by Dayton Ward and narrated by Robert Petkoff

I ended up having a brilliant time listening to the latest Star Trek audiobook from Dayton Ward, Pliable Truths. A compelling and entertaining book that serves as a bridge between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine shows, Pliable Truths was a lot of fun and will really appeal to Star Trek fans. Of course, no Star Trek audiobook is complete without the impressive narration of Robert Petkoff, who has lent his great voice to so many audiobooks in the franchise. Petkoff’s ability to mimic key Star Trek characters is well known and he does another outstanding job in the Pliable Truths audiobook, enhancing this already awesome book in an outstanding way.

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Warhammer: The Old World: Lords of the Lance, written by Graham McNeill and narrated by Peter Kenny

This year the Warhammer franchise brought fans back to the iconic Old World fantasy setting, including through the exceptional book Lords of the Lance. Written by one of the Black Library’s best authors, Graham McNeill, Lords of the Lance was an exciting and addictive adventure story that saw the legendary knights of Bretonnia traverse some of the most hostile terrain in the setting to face off against an army of the dead. Expertly narrated by Peter Kenny, this amazing story was loaded with action, compelling characters, and a fantastic appreciation for the setting. I really had a lot of fun listening to the Lords of the Lance audiobook, and it was the best way to experience this amazing story.

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The Atlas Maneuver, written by Steve Berry and narrated by Scott Brick

I had a lot of fun listening to the new Cotton Malone book by Steve Berry, The Atlas Maneuver. Another intricate and captivating spy thriller that makes use of fun historical conspiracies, The Atlas Maneuver was a great book and I felt that the excellent audiobook version, narrated by Scott Brick, enhanced its unique elements. An outstanding listen from one of my favourite thriller series.

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Crucible of Chaos, written by Sebastien de Castell and narrated by Joe Jameson

I’m slightly cheating with this next entry as Crucible of Chaos came out in 2023. However, due its late December 2023 release date, as well as it’s connection to the fantastic 2024 novel, Play of Shadows, I have decided to include it as part of this list. Crucible of Chaos was an exceptional book from talented fantasy author Sebastien de Castell, that saw an unlikely investigator and his noble steed attempt to uncover the cause of insanity and chaos in a famous monastery. A clever and funny read, Crucible of Chaos was an impressive audiobook, and I had a lot of fun with how Joe Jameson, another favourite narrator of mine, brought it too life.

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Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder, written by Victoria Hayward and narrated by Gabrielle Nellis-Pain

The final audiobook I want to highlight on this list is the amazing Warhammer 40,000 production, Deathworlder. Written by debuting author Victoria Hayward, Deathworlder was a grim and complex tale of survival in a planet full of horrors. Featuring two of the most compelling factions in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, Deathworlder was so damn good, and I deeply appreciated how effectively the audiobook version captured the turmoil and intensity of the plot. Narrator Gabrielle Nellis-Pain did an amazing job bringing the traumatised protagonists to life, and the resulting audiobook came across masterfully. A deeply impressive audiobook and one of the best Warhammer reads from the first half of 2024.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there have been some very good audiobooks out in the first half of 2024. It will be interesting to see which books make the cut later in the year, especially as I currently have several major 2024 audiobooks currently sitting on my phone, waiting to be listened to. While I get to that, make sure to let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2024 so far are in the comments below.

Alien Clay Cover

Publisher: Tor (Audiobook – 28 March 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 13 hours and 55 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to dominate the science fiction genre with his intriguing new novel, Alien Clay, an awesome read that blends high-concept science with a fantastic and insightful look at human nature.

Chronic overachiever Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author who is swiftly becoming one of my favourite science fiction and fantasy writers. A master of complex and highly inventive fiction, Tchaikovsky has deeply impressed me in recent years with some of his outstanding works, including Day of Ascension (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), the novella Ogres, City of Last Chances (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2023) and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books of 2023). Due to how awesome these recent books have been, I have been keeping a close eye on Tchaikovsky’s upcoming releases, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he had four books coming out in 2024, including three science fiction reads and a cool fantasy release. The first out this year is the fantastic novel, Alien Clay, which saw a group of convicts deal with unnatural issues inside and outside their prison complex on a hostile alien world.

Plot Synopsis:

They travelled into the unknown and left themselves behind . . .

On the distant world of Kiln lie the ruins of an alien civilization. It’s the greatest discovery in humanity’s spacefaring history – yet who were its builders and where did they go?

Professor Arton Daghdev had always wanted to study alien life up close. Then his wishes become a reality in the worst way. His political activism sees him exiled from Earth to Kiln’s extrasolar labour camp. There, he’s condemned to work under an alien sky until he dies.

Kiln boasts a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem like nothing seen on Earth. The monstrous alien life interacts in surprising, sometimes shocking ways with the human body, so Arton will risk death on a daily basis. However, the camp’s oppressive regime might just kill him first. If Arton can somehow escape both fates, the world of Kiln holds a wondrous, terrible secret. It will redefine life and intelligence as he knows it, and might just set him free . . .

Alien Clay was another awesome and complex read from Tchaikovsky that combined his trademark love of high-concept science fiction, with cynical examinations of human nature and society. Set in a dark future where a tyrannical government places intense doctrinal limitations on scientific study, Alien Clay is told from the perspective of Professor Arton Daghdev, an ecologist who has been exiled to the Kiln labour camp in dramatic fashion due to his radical scientific and political thoughts. Initially employed as a lab assistant researching the highly unusual biology and apparent extinct intelligent life on Kiln, Arton walks the thin line between rebel and survivor. However, his actions soon lead to him to be forced to explore the planet’s surface, and the changes wrought by the alien biology outside will have a profound effect on everyone left on Kiln.

This proved to be another excellent standalone novel from Tchaikovsky, and you must appreciate his ability to craft another unique setting and set up a compelling narrative within it. The alien planet the narrative is set around is loaded with unusual biological life that bonds with both itself and the human invaders in a very memorable manner, and I loved how weird things got at times. Tchaikovsky blends the story of the protagonist attempting to survive on the planet, with an intriguing focus around political ideology, revolution, and scientific freedom of the future human society. As such, Alien Clay turns into a mixture of science fiction adventure and a political dystopian thriller, as the protagonist is forced to navigate both to survive. These elements are explored in immense detail by the author, and I loved how effortlessly he brings the unique future to life while also layering in some subtle critiques and observations about our own current society and where it is possibly going.

Tchaikovsky did a great job of showcasing all the unique features of Alien Clay through the eyes and mind of his protagonist, who is the position to understand all the science, politics, and social elements of the setting. Loaded with a tragic and complex backstory, Arton proves to be a compelling and relatable protagonist to follow. Forced to overcome the enforced conflicts of his society, the shock at being trapped on an alien world, his stymied scientific curiosity, and so many more setbacks, Arton attempts to find solace in the groundbreaking biology of Kiln. However, when his plans for Kiln go out the window, thanks to the fantastically villainous warden of the prison camp, Arton and a group of other entertaining and compelling prisoners find out just how alive Kiln can be. Tchaikovsky does an excellent job of combining various story elements, including the adventures on Kiln, Arton’s personal rebellious history, and all manner of scientific weirdness, into a single cohesive narrative, and the resulting explosive plot goes in some very interesting directions. The author keeps the tension and intrigue up for as long as he can, including through cleverly skipping a key part of the story and only featuring it later through flashbacks. The ending of the book is very Tchaikovsky and makes excellent use of his scientific and social observations and messaging.

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Alien Clay, which proved to be a very enjoyable and interesting experience. The audiobook, which had a run time of just under 14 hours, did a great job of telling Tchaikovsky’s complex story, and I appreciated how the story was presented in this format. The unique and intriguing ideas from Tchaikovsky, both scientific and political in nature, really come across more effectively in this format, and I felt that I understood the many nuanced themes and messages that Tchaikovsky was trying to impart with his story a little better. I also really enjoyed the narration featured in the Alien Clay as narrator Ben Allen proved to be an excellent addition to the production. Allen did an amazing job capturing the complex figures with Alien Clay, and his compelling tones really helped to convey all the weird science and alien creatures that the protagonist encountered, as well as the intense personal issues surrounding the protagonist and his companions. I honestly really enjoyed the Alien Clay audiobook, and I felt that this was a really great way to enjoy this compelling story. There is also a fun interview between Allen and Tchaikovsky at the end, that will definitely appeal to fans of the author.

Overall, Alien Clay was a clever and unique science fiction novel that I had a fantastic time listening to. Blending Adrian Tchaikovsky’s brilliant imagination and ability to tell a compelling and complex story, Alien Clay had me hooked the entire way through, and I loved how inventive and scientifically crazy the story got at times. I am hoping to get to Tchaikovsky’s second novel of the year, Service Model, soon, and I have no doubt it is also going to be an outstanding read.

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Alien Clay Cover 2