Book Haul – 23 May 2023

On May 23, 2023May 23, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I have been having an excellent couple of weeks for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including some books that have the potential to be the top novels of 2023. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker

Gods of the Wyrdwood Cover

The first book I need to highlight is the epic fantasy novel, Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker, which is one of my most anticipated fantasy books of 2023. Barker is an outstanding author who has previously deeply impressed me with The Wounded Kingdom (Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins) and The Tide Child trilogies (The Bone Ships, Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake), so I am very keen to see the start of his new series. Gods of the Wyrdwood will follow a new conflicted protagonist, an overlooked former chosen one, in a dark fantasy world locked in an eternal winter. This book has so much damn potential and I already know it is going to be one of the top books of 2023.

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The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison

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Another book I was particularly excited to get was my early copy of The Last True Templar by the fantastic writing team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2022, The Lawless Land, The Last True Templar is an epic historical adventure novel that will follow two great protagonists, an excommunicated knight and a runaway maid, as they get involved in another dark historical conspiracy. I already know that this is going a pretty awesome read and I look forward to seeing what chaotic adventure this new book contains.

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Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh

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I received a copy of the cool upcoming thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh. I was very happy to get a copy of Kill For Me Kill For You, especially as I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series (The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice). This new novel looks to be a fun take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline, and I am sure it will be another epic Cavanagh read.

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Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

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I also received the inventive new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise looks set to be a compelling space exploration novel and I am very curious to see how it turns out.

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The Drowing Girls by Veronica Lando

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What would one of my book hauls be without a fantastic piece of Australian fiction? This haul’s entry is the outstanding sounding The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando, a compelling crime fiction novel set in a small Australian town where someone appears to be sacrificing women in the waves. This should be a pretty amazing read and I am excited to check it out.

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The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

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An interesting thriller debut that I was excited get was The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson. Following a court interpreter who deliberately mistranslates a witness’s testimony to get justice, The Interpreter sounds like an outstanding read and I look forward to seeing how Robinson’s first book turns out.

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The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

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A fun and interesting murder mystery novel from the great team of Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, The Night in Question is the second book from this cool duo and it sounds like a fantastic read.

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The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker

The Other Side of Mrs Wood Cover

One of the more interesting and slightly different books I recently received was The Other Side of Ms Wood by new author Lucy Barker. Billed as a historical comedy debut, The Other Side of Ms Wood will apparently follow two rival mediums in Victorian London as they fight for control of the city’s seance scene. This sounds like a very fun book and I am already quite intrigued about its fantastic premise.

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Consumed by Greg Buchanan

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The final book I recently received is the intriguing, if gruesome, murder mystery novel Consumed by Greg Buchanan. Following his forensic veterinarian protagonist as he investigates the murder of a woman eaten by her own pigs, Consumed sounds like a very compelling read and I look forward to seeing how this unique mystery novel unfolds.

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

Waiting on Wednesday – The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison

On April 6, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I take a look at an awesome upcoming historical fiction adventure with The Last True Templar by the fantastic writing team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.

The Last True Templar Cover

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Last year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the excellent novel, The Lawless Land, which, thanks to its exciting and compelling sounding story I eagerly started reading the moment I could. Written by thriller author Boyd Morrison and historian Beth Morrison, The Lawless Land was an outstanding historical epic that saw an excommunicated knight and a runaway noblewoman team up to face off against a corrupt French cardinal, determined to become pope by any means necessary. I really got pulled into this amazing read, which was loaded with cool historical detail, political intrigue, action, chase sequences, jousts, epic escapes, heists and even a full-on judicial dual to the death. All this, and more, ensured that The Lawless Land was a pretty exceptional read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2022.

As such, I have been eager to see if the authors were planning to provide some form of sequel or follow up to The Lawless Land, and it looks like my prayers have been answered. That is because the Morrisons have a second entry in their Tales of the Lawless Land series, coming out later this year with The Last True Templar. Set for release in September 2023, The Last True Templar will continue the story started in The Lawless Land and follow the first book’s protagonists as they travel through war-torn, plague ravished Europe in the 13^th century. The new adventure will see the two lost protagonists get involved in a deadly battle for control of a lost treasure, one that is connected to the infamous Knights Templar.

I love the sound of this cool upcoming book, although frankly I was going to grab this novel no matter what the plot contained, the first book was that much fun. However, seeing the characters caught up in a hunt for another treasured relic is going to be awesome, and I assume that’s going to be a recurring theme of the series. The Knights Templar and their hidden treasures are always a great inclusion and it will be interesting to see a more historical focused adventure, rather than a thriller set in modern times. As such, I am extremely keen to get my hands on a copy of The Last True Templar and based on how much I enjoyed The Lawless Land, this is a must-read book for me. I have a strong feeling that The Last True Templar is going to be one of the more entertaining and awesome historical reads of 2023, and it should be pretty damn epic.

Plot Synopsis:

A Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.

Italy, 1351. English knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards their future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.

In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush. After rescuing the enigmatic woman who is the target of the attack, they take refuge in her opulent villa and learn her heartbreaking story – a tale of loss, deception… and a burning desire for freedom.

Soon, Fox and Willa are involved in a perilous quest to save her family’s legacy… and to do so, they will have to solve a mystery that points the way to the fabled lost treasure of the Knights Templar.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2022

On January 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 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 Bookish Goals for 2023. While this was an interesting topic, I have a slightly different Top Ten Tuesday schedule planned and instead I will be moving forward the official topic from next week and looking at New-to-Me Authors I discovered in 2022. This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020 and 2021 versions), and it is one that I always have fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes some that were written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2022 was a particularly good example of this as there were an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. This included some debuting authors, as well as more established writers whose work I only got around to this year. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional reads, some of which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2022, and I really feel the need to highlight them here. As a result, this list may feature a bit of overlap with my top books, pre-2022 books and audiobooks lists of 2022 that I have previously published on this blog.

To appear on this list, the book had to be one I read last year and be written by an author who I was unfamiliar with before 2022. If I had not read anything from this author before last year, it was eligible for this latest list, although I did exclude debut novels as I had another list prepared for them. Despite this, I ended up with a massive list of potential inclusions on this list, as it appears that I read a ton of great new authors in the last year. Despite my best efforts, I had a very hard time whittling this list down, so in the end I decided to face the inevitable and leave it as a top 20 list. While I still had to exclude several great authors whose books I really liked, I think that I came up with a good overall list that represents which authors I am really glad that I decided to try out for the first time last year.

Top Twenty List:

Andy Clark – Steel Tread

One of the first new-to-me authors I check out in 2022 was Andy Clark, who immediately blew me away with his impressive writing skill in the Warhammer 40,000 novel, Steel Tread. A gritty and character driven war story set in the close confines of a tank, Steel Tread was an exceptional read and one that I was instantly addicted to. Easily one of the top Warhammer books of 2022, I loved Steel Tread so much and I will be diving back into Andy Clark’s catalogue of Warhammer novels when I get a chance.

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Sarah Barrie – Unforgiven and Retribution

I actually enjoyed two books from talented Australian crime fiction author Sarah Barrie this year, her 2021 book Unforgiven and the sequel Retribution. Both were excellent dark crime thrillers that saw a damaged vigilante go after the very worst criminals Sydney had to offer. I deeply enjoyed both books and their unique style has made Barrie a must-read Australian author from now on.

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Adrian Tchaikovsky – Day of Ascension

It seems ridiculous that it took me until 2022 to finally read something from acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky, but that’s what happened. While I have had the opportunity to read some of his other established series before, my first experience with Tchaikovsky’s writing was his debut Warhammer 40,000 novel Day of Ascension. A complex and captivating read that sees a Genestealer Cult rise to overthrow a despotic government. This was an outstanding book that combined Tchaikovsky’s unique writing style with the iconic Warhammer 40,000 setting. I loved the gruesome and impressive story that resulted and I will have to make an effort to read more of Tchaikovsky’s books in the future.

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Boyd and Beth Morrison – The Lawless Land

This was an interesting entry that actually features two new-to-me authors with the writing duo of thriller author Boyd Morrison and historian Beth Morrison. Together these talented authors wrote one of my favourite books of 2022, The Lawless Land, an exciting and deeply entertaining historical epic that followed a fallen knight on a quest around war-torn Europe. I had so much fun with The Lawless Land, which featured intrigue, betrayal, duels, jousts, war and so much more, and I ended up coming away a big fan of this brother/sister writing team. There is a sequel to The Lawless Land coming out later this year, and I will make damn sure to get a copy of it when it comes out.

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Steve Lyons –Krieg

Steve Lyons was a new-to-me author who particularly impressed me this year with his compelling and concise Warhammer 40,000 audiobook exclusive, Krieg. Following one of the more iconic regiments of Imperial Guard in the franchise, the Death Korps of Krieg, Krieg is an excellent read that combines a harrowing modern war tale with an intriguing dive into the history of the planet Krieg and its deadly soldiers. A tight and effective audiobook, Krieg comes highly recommended and I had an outstanding time listening to it.

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Dan Koboldt – Silver Queendom

I was very lucky to enjoy the latest works from awesome fantasy author Dan Koboldt this year with Silver Queendom. A deeply entertaining fantasy heist read, Silver Queendom was a lot of fun and I will be making a huge effort to read more of Koboldt’s work in the future, especially if he comes up with a sequel to this great book.

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Justin D. Hill – The Bookkeeper’s Skull

Justin D. Hill is a very well-known author in Warhammer circles, and I was very happy to finally read one of his books this year with the Warhammer Horror novel, The Bookkeeper’s Skull. A compelling read that told a harrowing tale of murder and mutilation on a cursed farm, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was a great horror read centred around a clever mystery. I was really impressed with the dark and tangible feeling of dread that hung over everything, and I think it really speaks to the author’s skill that he was able to tell such a compelling read in such a concise book. I cannot wait to try out some of Hill’s other books in 2023, and I already know I am going to love them.

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Neil Gaiman – The Sandman

I finally got around to reading something from epic author Neil Gaiman and boy was it a doozy of a tale. I actually listened to the audiobook adaptation of his iconic The Sandman comic, which was such an incredible and dark story. Following the immortal Dream, The Sandman features a complex and captivating tale all read out by an all-star cast. Gaiman really showcases his incredible, if slightly insane, inventiveness in this comic and I loved how well this new format portrayed this fantastic story.

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Robert Rath – Assassinorum: Kingmaker

Few 2022 Warhammer books impressed me as much as the excellent and highly addictive Assassinorum: Kingmaker by new-to-me author Robert Rath. A complex and action-packed tale of assassins, royal politics and mecha warfare, Assassinorum: Kingmaker is very over-the-top, even for a Warhammer 40,000 novel, and I loved every damn second of it. The entire intense story came together perfectly and Robert Rath is definitely an author I will be reading more Warhammer books from in the future.

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Gillian McAllister – Wrong Place Wrong Time

Gillian McAllister had a brilliant year in 2022 when she released her compelling science fiction thriller, Wrong Place Wrong Time. A twisty and complex novel that saw a mother forced back through time as she attempts to uncover the dark story behind the murder her son committed. This was such a clever read and I have a feeling that McAllister is an author I am going to see a lot of in the future.

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Ben Counter – Van Horstmann

A lucky find in a second-hand bookshop introduced me to the writings of Ben Counter when I grabbed a copy of his Warhammer Fantasy novel Van Horstmann. An intense and entertaining read that followed a magical student’s quick slide into darkness, Van Horstmann was one of the better Warhammer Fantasy books I have ever had the pleasure of reading and I cannot wait to see what other delicious and impressive reads Counter has produced for the Black Library.

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Zoraida Cordova – Star Wars: Convergence

Outstanding new Star Wars author, Zoraida Cordova, ensured that the second phase of The High Republic sub-series started off in a big way with her amazing Star Wars novel Convergence. An exciting and powerful novel that perfectly sets up future storylines while following several complex characters, Convergence was a brilliant read and one that really sets up Cordova as an author to watch out for.

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C. L. Werner – Runefang

Another new-to-me Warhammer Fantasy author I deeply enjoyed in 2022 was C. L. Werner, who wrote the gritty adventure novel Runefang. An awesome book, Runefang followed a band of doomed heroes on a quest to recover a legendary sword to stop an undead horde, in a great, classic fantasy narrative. Loaded with twists and surprise deaths, Runefang was an excellent read and Werner really shows off his talents with this great book.

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Justin Woolley – Catachan Devil

I had to include Justin Woolley on this list, especially after I had such a fun time with his Warhammer 40,000 book, Catachan Devil. A compelling and thoroughly entertaining story that completely explored the legendary Catachan Imperial Guards regiment, Catachan Devil was a brilliant, soldier-focused story that is really worth a read. I look forward to seeing what other brilliant books Justin Woolley has coming out, especially if they are as good as Catachan Devil.

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Jon Hollins – Fool’s Gold

One of the more entertaining new authors I tried out in 2022 was fantasy writer Jon Hollins (Jonathan Wood), as I started his epic Dragon Lords trilogy with Fool’s Gold. A comedic and relentless fantasy heist book, Fool’s Gold followed a group of desperate adventurers as they attempt to steal a tyrannical dragons hoard. However, when their plans go terribly wrong, they find the fate of the entire realm resting on their shoulders and must come up with an even more elaborate plan to survive. A sharp and very, very fun book, Fool’s Gold was pretty damn awesome and I cannot wait to see what craziness Hollins featured in his other Dragon Lords novels.

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Graham McNeill – Storm of Iron

One Warhammer author I am particularly glad I got the chance to read in 2022 was Graham McNeill with his awesome standalone novel, Storm of Iron. A brutal and captivating siege tale that sees a giant army of Chaos Space Marines besiege an impregnable space fortress, Storm of Iron was a blast from start to finish and was near impossible to put down. I always intended to read all of McNeill’s books at some point, but Storm of Iron ensured that I will be moving most of his novels to the very front of my to-read pile.

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M. L. Spencer – Dragon Mage

I finally got around to reading M. L. Spencer’s Dragon Mage in 2022, a book I have had my mind on for a while. Dragon Mage was an elaborate and classic fantasy tale about heroes and dragons which really showcased Spencer’s imagination and writing talent and took the reader on a complex, character-driven ride. A great book from an exceptional author.

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Alec Worley – Dredge Runners and The Wraithbone Phoenix

Another exceptional new-to-me Warhammer author I read for the first time in 2022 was Alec Worley, who really impressed me with his outstanding work. I actually read two things from Worley this year, the fun novella Dredge Runners and the exciting and compelling full novel The Wraithbone Phoenix. Both books followed a unique duo of criminals in a futuristic Warhammer city as they engage in a series of bungled heists and cons against a range of outrageous foes. Both of these entries were pretty damn exceptional, and Worley really showcased his amazing writing ability with them. A very talented author who I am very glad I came across.

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Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland – Path of Deceit

The cool team of Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland pulled out an awesome and solid young adult Star Wars book with Path of Deceit. Serving as an outstanding prequel to the previous High Republic novels, Path of Deceit was an amazing novel from these authors, and I had a wonderful time reading some from this cool team for the first time.

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Edoardo Albert – Kasrkin

I doubt anyone is too surprised that the final author on this list, Edoardo Albert is yet another writer of Warhammer fiction. I was very happy to come across Albert’s latest novel in 2022, Kasrkin, which follows an elite unit of soldiers as they brave a desert planet, only to face off against a series of dangerous foes. Tight, action-packed, and making excellent use of its Warhammer 40,000 elements, Kasrkin did a good job of highlighting Albert’s superb ability and I had an outstanding time with this great book.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2022. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads. Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2022 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting list.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2022

On December 27, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List26 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2022, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobooks, favourite debuts and my top pre-2022 books I read this year. 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 2022 has been another roller-coaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that 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 several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many 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 three years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2022, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book needed to be released here in Australia during 2022 and I had to have read it. I have naturally excluded anything I haven’t read yet, even if there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule for this year, although I am sure that several of those would have made the cut. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries kind of make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. Several novels also appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2022 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2022 list which I ran back into July. Overall, I am fairly happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that really showcases the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.

Top Ten List (no particular order):

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The first entry on this list was a real no-brainer with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Bullet That Missed by British comedian Richard Osman. The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, audiobooks, and debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and might be one of Osman’s best novels yet. Featuring his deeply likeable cast of pensioner crime solvers, The Bullet That Missed introduced another compelling murder investigation, loaded with intrigue, comedy and some deeply human moments. Impossible to put down once you start, The Bullet That Missed was a very easy entry for this list and comes extremely highly recommended.

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A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker

One of the very first books I read in 2022 was another easy pick for this list with the awesome fantasy comedy novel, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World. The third and final book in K. J. Parker’s loosely connected Siege series, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is an addictive and wildly funny read that sees a scholar become ruler of a fantasy world through a series of schemes and strange coincidences. Featuring another wildly unreliable narrator, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is a brilliant continuation of the outrageous tales told in Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (one of my favourite books of 2019) and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It and it is easily one of the most hilarious and cleverest books of the year.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War! and Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai

Ok, so I am slightly cheating by combining two books into one entry, but when it comes to one of my favourite comic book series, the excellent Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai, I have a hard time picking favourites. Usually this isn’t an issue as Sakai generally only releases one volume of his comic a year. However, in 2022, there were two Usagi Yojimbo volumes, the intense and compelling 36^th volume, Tengu War! and the fast-paced 37^th volume Crossroads. Loaded with clever stories, complex characters, and some absolutely gorgeous artwork, both of volumes were extremely good and there was no way I could exclude either from this list.

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Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley

2022 was a very, very good year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction and I have had an outstanding time getting through some of the best additions to this delightful extended universe. Out of all this year’s releases, one of the best was Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley, which features a unique and hilarious take on an iconic and ultra-destructive ork character. A brilliant story told across multiple narrators (something that really pops in the audiobook format), Crowley featured all the right notes of action, comedy, dark treachery, and a clever examination of one of the game’s most iconic alien factions. I had such an amazing time reading Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh!, and this is an absolute must-read for all fans of Warhammer fiction.

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Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry

I doubt anyone is too surprised that the new Jonathan Maberry novel has shown up here. I have featured several of Maberry’s recent releases on previous iterations of this list, although usually they are either horror or science fiction thriller releases, such as Ink, Rage and Relentless, however, in 2022 Maberry made the jump to epic fantasy fiction in a big way with the dark and despair-laden novel, Kagen the Damned. The first book in an epic new series, Kagen the Damned follows a broken and devastated former hero who, after his royal charges are brutally murdered, finds himself damned by the gods. But even hunted and damaged beyond all believe, he is still the deadliest man in the kingdom, and he sets off on a bloody mission of revenge. Intense from the very first scene, Kagen the Damned was an exceptional read that gives you Maberry’s usual serving of blood, traumatised characters and dark deeds, this time in a great new fantasy setting. I deeply enjoyed this exceptional read and I look forward to the next book which is being released very, very soon.

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Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis

The master of the historical mystery, Lindsey Davis, came up with another wonderful entry in her long-running Flavia Albia series this year with Desperate Undertaking. A compelling murder mystery set in ancient Rome, Desperate Undertaking follows intrepid and clever investigator Flavia Albia as she tries to catch a deadly serial killer who stages their kills to mimic iconic scenes from ancient plays. A very entertaining, compelling and dark tale, Desperate Undertaking is one of Davis’s best books yet and I was hooked almost instantly with it.

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The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

I was very excited to read the new fantasy epic from John Gwynne, The Hunger of the Gods, this year, and it was a very worthy addition to this best-of-2022 list. The sequel to last year’s exceptional novel, The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods continues Gwynne’s Norse-inspired fantasy tale, which follows several distinctive protagonists as they embark on multiple epic quests across a war-torn world whose destructive gods are re-awakening. The Hunger of the Gods perfectly continued the amazing story started in the first book, and I once again fell in love with the detailed battles, intriguing dark fantasy world and the brilliant characters. I had such an incredible time with this book and I cannot wait to see how Gwynne continues this awesome story in the future.

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Desert Star by Michael Connelly

I have a very hard time excluding Michael Connelly from this list ever year and 2022 is no exception as I had a fantastic time with his latest book, Desert Star. Once again teaming up two of his best characters, Desert Star was a complex and captivating crime fiction read that featured two great and emotionally charged cases. I loved how this amazing book came together and I was especially impressed with the deeply personal tale Connelly told of his long-running protagonist, Harry Bosch, as he becomes obsessed with solving a murder that has long haunted him. An excellent crime fiction book with a rich, character-driven narrative, Desert Star was an easy choice for this list and I am really intrigued to see what happens with this book’s main characters next.

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Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney continues to shine with another great entry in his ambitious Gray Man series this year. Following on from impressive reads like The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out and Relentless, Sierra Six was another outstanding read that I really got drawn into. Telling a multi-layered story set in both the past and the present, Sierra Six followed protagonist Court Gentry as he attempts to get revenge for one of his first missions with an enemy, he long thought was dead. A tight, captivating read that makes excellent use of multiple timelines, Sierra Six was an amazing read that is highly recommended for all fans of the spy thriller.

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Against All Gods by Miles Cameron

Miles Cameron continues to showcase his writing range in 2022 with another five-star read in Against All Gods. Set in a unique, bronze-age inspired fantasy world were angry gods rule humanity with an iron fist, Against All Gods follows a group of rebel humans who are dragged into a deadly, divine conspiracy by a crazed god of chaos who seeks the end of all her fellow deities. A powerful and captivating read, Against All Gods was so much fun and I look forward to the upcoming sequel.

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Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

The other outstanding Warhammer 40,000 entry I had to include on this list was the incredibly epic Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath. This non-stop book follows three elite assassins as they must plot to assassinate a king, bonded to a massive mecha suit, while also ending an insidious conspiracy. Extremely over-the-top, but with a compelling and well thought out narrative, Assassinorum: Kingmaker was a very addictive read that had so many great elements to it, from intense mecha warfare, to some complex and enjoyable characters. An easy five-star read; this was one of the best Warhammer books I have ever read.

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The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

Last year I was extremely wowed by the deep and captivating historical drama, The Warsaw Orphan by Australian author Kelly Rimmer, which was such an exceptional read. As such, I was very happy to receive a copy of Rimmer’s new book this year, The German Wife, which also blew me away. Another complex historical drama, The German Wife examined the compelling story of the family of a former Nazi rocket scientist who are relocated to America as part of Operation Paperclip. Facing prejudice from their new neighbours who only see them as the enemy, Rimmer reveals the true story behind this troubled family and the various evils they faced during the Nazi reign. Heartbreaking, incredibly touching and a timely examination of the insidiousness of evil, The German Wife was a powerful and poignant book that I had to include on this list.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

Another amazing and highly addictive fantasy read was In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan. The first book in an intriguing new series centred around glass-based magic, In the Shadow of Lightning was a very compelling read that followed four great characters as they get involved with elaborate conspiracies, deadly politics and a massive war. Near impossible to put down, In the Shadow of Lightning was such an incredible read and I cannot rave about this new series enough.

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The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

One of most entertaining reads of 2022 had to be the very fun historical adventure novel, The Lawless Land, by new-to-me writing duo, Boyd and Beth Morrison. Set in the 14^th century amongst war and plague, The Lawless Land follows a disgraced knight and a runaway bride as they attempt to keep a precious holy relic out of the hands of a corrupt cardinal and a deranged English noble. A continuously exciting and historically detailed book, The Lawless Land really grabbed my attention and I had such an amazing time reading this awesome historical novel. I hope this great writing team present more fantastic books in the future and I look forward to reading them.

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The Martyr by Anthony Ryan

Few books impressed me as much this year as The Martyr, the gripping and action-packed sequel to Anthony Ryan’s 2021 book, The Pariah. Continuing the tale of Alwyn Scribe, a former outlaw who now works for a religious zealot, The Martyr is an elaborate tale of war, politics and fate as Alwyn finds himself amid a deadly war for the future. Filled with some amazing action, including two exceptional sieges, The Martyr was a blast the entire way through, and I had such an incredible time reading it.

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Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

I had so much damn fun this year reading the cool thriller, Death of the Black Widow, written by the superb writing team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker. Following a cop who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman he meets his first night on the job, Death of the Black Widow sees the protagonist get caught in a decades long investigation to find her and stop the strange deaths that follow her appearance. An excellent and highly exciting thriller that features some clever horror elements, I had a fantastic time reading this amazing read and I just had to include it on this list.

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The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

After really showcasing her skills in the last two years with her excellent, dark homages to the magical school genre with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik brings her Scholomance trilogy to an incredible end with The Golden Enclaves. Now set outside of the magic school, The Golden Enclaves sees main protagonist, Galadriel “El” Higgins, attempt to save the magic world while also getting over the traumatic cliff-hanger Novik left us on at the end of The Last Graduate. Living up to all its potential, The Golden Enclaves had a fantastic story that perfectly wrapped up the series while hitting the reader with some well-foreshadowed twists and revelations. I cannot wait to see what Novik will write next, but I know I am going to love it.

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Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch

I was very lucky to receive a copy of the latest Rivers of London book by Ben Aaronovitch this year, Amongst Our Weapons, and it quickly became a favourite 2022 read of mine. Seamlessly blending a classic police procedural story with a unique fantasy setting, Amongst Our Weapons sees main character Peter Grant investigate a series of magical murders across London that were apparently committed by an angel. The book’s tight mystery and well-thought-out fantasy elements are expertly combined to produce an exceptional narrative that I had a blast with. An outstanding read that once again shows why Aaronovitch is one of the best urban fantasy writers now.

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The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis

There were many amazing debuts in 2022 but one that I found particularly impressive was the gritty Australian crime fiction read, The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis. Set in rural Australia, The Unbelieved follows a damaged cop as she attempts to investigate a series of sexual assaults in her seemingly quiet small town, only to run into a wall of silence from the locals. A slick and powerful read that contains a great story, The Unbelieved also served as a commentary on the perception of sexual violence in modern society which really hits you hard. Petraitis really showed herself to be an outstanding new writing talent this year and I am very glad I was able to include The Unbelieved on this list.

Amazon Book Depository

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The final entry on my list is another slightly cheeky entry, mainly because I haven’t finished it yet. This book is The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell, one of my most anticipated fantasy reads of 2022 which I only just started listening to last week. The third and final book in Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy, The Voyage of the Forgotten follows on from the exceptional novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, which introduced and expanded a massively complex and elaborate fantasy tale of betrayal, world-ending plots, magic, and battles between hidden immortals. I had such a great time with the previous two books in the series and I am deeply intrigued to see how Martell wraps everything up in the final book. I am about halfway through The Voyage of the Forgotten and it is proving to be a particularly epic and captivating read that I am having a very hard time putting down, especially as every scene seems to reveal a new secret or answer a question from the previous books. I cannot wait to find out how Martell ends this incredible trilogy and based on how good the first half of this book has been, there was no way I could exclude The Voyage of the Forgotten from this best of 2022 list.

Amazon Book Depository

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2022. 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. 2023 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2022 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Geographical Terms in the Title

On September 13, 2022 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. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday participants are tasked with listing their top books that have geographical terms in the title. Geographical terms in this case include terms such as mountains, islands, lands, deserts, oceans, valleys and much, much more. Participants were actually provided a link of hundreds of potential geographical terms on Wikipedia to use as examples to help with the task here, and while I didn’t get some of the more exotic terms, it did help me select a couple of fun books to include. I did have a bit of a struggle coming up with a full list here, as it turns out a lot of the books I have read didn’t feature geographical terms, but I was eventually able to pull together a descent list in the end. All the books below are excellent reads and I liked how the authors used these terms in the titles.

Honourable Mentions:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

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The Lawless Land by Beth Morrison and Boyd Morrison

Amazon Book Depository

In a Great Southern Land by Mary-Anne O’Connor

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Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 21: The Mother of Mountains by Stan Sakai

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Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

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The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

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The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence

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Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

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Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

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River of Gold by Anthony Riches

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Star Wars: Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith: The Burning Seas by Charles Soule

Amazon

Glacier’s Edge by R. A. Salvatore

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The Grove of the Caesars by Lindsey Davis

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Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see there is some fantastic novels out there that use geographical terms in their titles, and there are some interesting usages throughout fiction. All the above novels are wonderful and highly recommended reads, and I had an incredible time reading them. I look forward to potentially revisiting this list in the future and it will be interesting to see what new books will feature these sorts of terms in their titles. Let me know which books with geographical phrases in the titles you enjoyed the most in the comments below.

Canberra Weekly Column – Historical Fiction – 28 July 2022

On September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly Column, Historical FictionLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Historical Fiction - 28 July 2022-1

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 28 July 2022.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for:

Conviction by Frank Chalmers

Amazon Book Depository

The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

Amazon Book Depository

The Crimson Thread by Kate Forsyth

Amazon Book Depository

The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

On August 4, 2022May 23, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Historical Fiction, Thriller6 Comments

Publisher: Head of Zeus (Trade Paperback – 31 May 2022)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 474 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Get ready for one of the most thrilling historical adventures of 2022 with the wildly entertaining and deeply captivating medieval fiction novel, The Lawless Land, by the outstanding team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.

Despite my recent focus on other genres, historical fiction in all its forms remains one of my favourite book categories to check out, especially with awesome new novels coming out all the time. One of the best examples of this is The Lawless Land, which I was lucky enough to receive a copy of a little while ago. The Lawless Land was a fascinating read that takes some great protagonists on a bold adventure through medieval Europe. This book was written by Boyd and Beth Morrison, a brother and sister team who have deeply impressed me. This was a rather interesting combination of writers, as Boyd Morrison is an acclaimed thriller and historical fiction author, and Beth Morrison is the Senior Curator of Manuscripts at the J. Paul Getty Museum and has a PHD in history. These overachieving siblings really cooked up something special here with their first book, and I loved the outstanding story it contained.

In 1351, Europe is in utter chaos as the Hundred Years’ War rages in France and the Pestilence ravages the countryside, depopulating towns and devastating cities. These are dark days indeed, and only the desperate and the foolish can be found traversing the roads. Unfortunately, this includes skilled knight Gerard Fox, whose lands and titles have been taken from him as punishment for a crime against the church, and who is now forced to wander the world by himself, desperate to reclaim his family’s honour.

Journeying towards the castle of Lord Tonbridge, the one man who may be able to prove his innocence, Gerard witnesses a band of armed men waylaying a noblewoman. Impulsively jumping into action, Gerard saves the women, slaughtering her attackers and forever changing his life. The young woman, Lady Isabel, is Lord Tonbridge’s betrothed, who has fled from her future husband, taking with her a sacred relic she is sworn to protect. Forced to abandon his own quest, Gerard agrees to escort Isabel to safety, however, he is unaware of the chaos that is about to be unleashed upon him.

Tonbridge had promised Isabel’s relic to an ambitious Cardinal in Paris, one who is determined to rise to the station of Pope. Desperate to reclaim the relic and use it to cement his position, the Cardinal and his pawn, Tonbridge, unleash their substantial forces to hunt down Gerard and Isabel. Fleeing their pursuers, Gerard and Isabel traverse the breadth of England and France to find safe harbour for the relic. Forced to contend with dangerous foes around every corner, Gerard, Isabel, and their faithful companions will face the worse that medieval Europe has to offer and more. But worse lies in wait for Gerard, as he bears a dark connection with his pursuers that will ensure they will never stop hunting him.

Wow, now this was a really cool historical fiction novel. The exceptional writing team behind The Lawless Land have produced an outstanding novel that is extremely exciting, action-packed, and character driven, while also being heavy on the historical detail and accuracy. This results in an exceptional and epic historical thriller read that I had an absolute blast getting through and which gets a well-deserved five-star rating from me.

The Lawless Land was such a cool read, and I quickly fell in love with its brilliant and exceptional story. Essentially an adventure thriller set in medieval times, the authors start The Lawless Land off very quickly, showing the protagonist in battle as he saves the damsel in distress, only to end up in even more trouble. Effectively introducing the key characters early on, you get a real sense of the novels impressive style right at the start, especially with its gritty feel and intense action sequences. The story soon evolves into a high stakes chase across Europe, as Gerard, Isabel and their companions try to outrace and outwit their opponents to save Isabel’s relic and get revenge for Gerard. The authors make excellent use of multiple character perspectives here to showcase the chase from both sides, and you get a good look at the various schemes and ploys of the antagonists, as well as the full depths of their villainy. These amazing and action-packed scenes are expertly interspersed with some flashback chapters that examine the full history and tragedy of the protagonists, especially Gerard, and work to fully establish the enmity between him and the antagonists. This entire first half of the book is very well written, and the authors’ excellent style will appeal to wide range of readers, not just historical fiction fans, as anyone who enjoys a great adventure or gripping thriller read, can get really engrossed in this excellent story.

This perfectly sets up the second half of this epic novel, which sees the character involved in all manner of carnage and battle as they attempt to win. I honestly powered through the last 250 pages or so in a day; I was having that much fun reading it. This second part has everything, including jousting tournaments, prison breaks, desperate chases, elaborate skirmishes, political intrigue, skullduggery and more action than you can shake a stick at. There is even a full-on judicial duel (think The Last Duel), which was one of the most impressive and gritty fights in the entire book. There are some intriguing twists, clever reveals, major tragedies, and some outstanding action throughout this entire second half, and it was so much fun to see it all unfold. I really must highlight the impressive action of The Lawless Land, as all the fights felt particularly realist and very epic, and you can honestly feel every powerful swing and strike of steel on steel. The authors bring all the established story elements of The Lawless Land together extremely well in the end, and readers will come away satisfied, especially with the fun conclusion and the great ending for the characters. While this is ostensibly a standalone read, and the authors do wrap up everything really well, there is potential for a sequel at the end, and I for one would not be opposed to seeing more from these characters in the future.

One of the most compelling parts of The Lawless Land was the brilliant dive into the history of medieval Europe. The writing team clearly did their research when it came to this novel, which is hardly surprising considering the scholarly expertise of one of its authors. As such, this novel is loaded with impressive and captivating historical detail which isn’t overshadowed by some of the more over-the-top action. You get a great sense of the how bleak and brutal the continent was at this point in history, with some chilling depictions of plague and pestilence, as well as some intriguing looks at The Hundred Years’ War, including a full flashback chapter to the Battle of Crécy. The authors spend time exploring a ton of fascinating stuff from this period, including knightly conduct, the power and influence of the church, day to day life for people in cities and the countryside, and so much more. I particularly loved the scenes set around a tournament in France, where the protagonist engages in a series of jousts. The sheer amount of detail and realism around these scenes are so very cool, and you can really picture how everything would have looked and felt. There is also a great examination of medieval manuscripts (again, because of one of the author’s academic focuses), which become a key part of The Lawless Land’s plot, and it was really interesting to examine the significance and process behind them. All this impressive work around the setting and other historical elements of The Lawless Land really enhanced the overall quality of the book, and I loved how seamlessly it was worked into the epic narrative.

I also must highlight the fantastic characters featured within The Lawless Land, which includes an awesome balance of likeable protagonist and maniacal villains who hunt them. The story is perfectly split between the two groups, and you get some fun and intense competing views of events throughout the story as a result. The protagonists are headlined by the awesome character of Gerard Fox, a wandering knight, banished from his family’s lands by the church following a confrontation with one of the antagonists years ago. Dragged into this conspiracy by accident, Gerard becomes Isabel’s companion and protector, and tries to escort the relic to safety. A man of action and honour, Gerard is haunted by his past and his many failures, which include watching his brother die in battle, and being tricked into losing everything. He is also obsessed with discovering the true fate of his mother, and her mysterious disappearance and certain revelations draw him into this conspiracy even further. A lot of the novel revolves around Gerard’s past, and it was fascinating to see him come to terms with it and try to balance this current quest with his own desires. Gerard ends up being a pretty awesome protagonist to follow, especially with his martial prowess, unique weaponry, penchant for mischief and trickery (like a certain French fox), and his unbending desire to do the right thing.

Gerard is accompanied by some interesting companions, and the most prominent of these is Lady Isabel. A noblewoman who was forced into marriage, Isabel seeks to protect her family’s most sacred relic from her betrothed and goes to great length to escape him. Although she is initially seen as a bit of a damsel in distress, you soon begin to realise that there is a lot more to Isabel than what first appears, as she is an incredibly capable woman with some keen insights and strategies that prove invaluable to her companions. The authors work some excellent storylines around Isabel in this novel, and you really come to appreciate and enjoy her pluck, courage and intelligence. There is also a very clever twist about this character revealed in the second half of the book, which was set up extremely well by the authors, including in some flashbacks that both hint at and hide the truth from the reader. I also should mention the fun supporting characters of Henri and Youssef, two friendly rogues who have substantial history and friendship with Gerard. Henri and Youssef are excellent additions to the protagonists, and their fun personalities balance well with Gerard and Isabel’s to create a very likeable group of heroes that you become quite attached to, even if that leads to eventual heartbreak for the reader.

I also need to talk about The Lawless Land’s outstanding trio of villains who dog the protagonists’ steps throughout the entire narrative. This includes the evil Lord Tonbridge, Isabel’s betrothed who she runs away from. While Tonbridge is mainly hunting them for Isabel’s relic, it also becomes clear that Tonbridge is even more obsessed with righting the perceived slight to his honour and is eager for vengeance. However, Tonbridge is also partially subservient to villainous French cardinal Molyneux, who has promised him power and a kingship if he succeeds. Molyneux is particularly despicable, as an ambitious and immoral member of the church who is attempting to become Pope. Using his influence and the protection of the church for his advantage, Molyneux gains large amount of money and land through unscrupulous means and has some dark history with Gerard’s family, which deeply impacts both his and Gerald’s motivations to confound each other. The final villain is Molyneux’s vassal and bastard son Basquin, who serves as the protagonist’s main pursuer. A skilled swordsman and tactician, Basquin is a worthy, if not superior, foe to Gerard, whom he bears a powerful grudge against. There is some fascinating history behind Basquin that became quite an awesome part of the plot, and it was great to see the intense and captivating confrontations between the two. The authors take Basquin in some intriguing directions in this book, especially when his own desires clash with that of his abusive father, forcing him to go rogue and enact his own ambitious plan. All these villains were extremely well written, and it proved highly entertaining to see them go up against Gerard, Isabel and the rest throughout The Lawless Land. I had such a great time with the characters in this book, and their intense relationships, rivalries and schemes added so much to the power of the novel.

Overall, The Lawless Land was an exceptional and impressive historical fiction read from the great new team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. These two talented writers came up with something very special with The Lawless Land, and I loved the outstanding and highly addictive narrative contained in this book. Featuring a ton of epic action, some amazing characters, and some superb historical detail, The Lawless Land was an incredible read that comes very highly recommended by me.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 27 July 2022

On July 27, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Warhammer: Vampireslayer by William King (Audiobook)

Vampireslayer Cover

Many people will be unsurprised that I have once again drifted back to the world of Warhammer with Vampireslayer, another entry in the Gotrex and Felix series by William King. Set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, Vampireslayer is the sixth entry in the Gotrex and Felix series, which follows a mad dwarf slayer and his human companion as they travel across the land seeking out every deadly monster they can find. As the name suggests, Vampireslayer will see them face off against the hordes of the undead after a deadly vampire takes one of their companions. I have been deeply enjoying this epic series over the last few months, will all the previous entries (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer and Beastslayer), being extremely fun and loaded with action. I have only just started Vampireslayer, but it is already proving to be a compelling and awesome read for me and I look forward to seeing what violence and death lies in wait for me.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison (Trade Paperback)

The Lawless Land Cover

The Omega Factor by Steve Berry (Audiobook)

The Omega Factor Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Stay Awake Cover

That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 20 July 2022

On July 20, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison (Trade Paperback)

The Lawless Land Cover

I just started reading this impressive new historical fiction novel from the excellent team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. Set in 1351, The Lawless Land follows an honourable and skilled knight who finds himself dragged into a massive conspiracy that seeks to engulf all of Europe. I am already a major fan of this intense and captivating novel, and it is proving to be an excellent overall read.

The Omega Factor by Steve Berry (Audiobook)

The Omega Factor Cover

I have also just started listening to the new Steve Berry novel, The Omega Factor. Berry, who has previously impressed me with his Cotton Malone novels (including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocols and The Kaiser’s Web), has returned with another intriguing modern thriller focused on historical events that follows a new protagonist who gets caught in a war between two ancient and secret religious orders. I haven’t gotten too far into The Omega Factor yet, but it is shaping up to be a very interesting and fun book.

What did you recently finish reading?

Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

Kagen the Damned Cover

Conviction by Frank Chalmers (Trade Paperback)

Conviction Cover

The Law by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

The Law Cover

The Crimson Thread by Kate Forsyth (Trade Paperback)

The Crimson Thread Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor

Dirt Town Cover

That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Book Haul – 4 July 2022

On July 3, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

I have been having an absolutely fantastic couple of week for books, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, several of which I have been eagerly awaiting for some time. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan

The Martyr Cover

Lets start this haul off with one of my most anticipated fantasy releases of 2022, The Martyr by Anthony Ryan. The sequel to one of my favourite books (and audiobooks) of 2021, The Pariah, The Martyr is an awesome fantasy novel which is sure to be one of the top books of the year. Set to follow the protagonist of the first book as he continues to get caught up in the dangers and intrigues of his world, The Martyr sounds like an extremely epic read and I can’t wait to check it out.

Armored by Mark Greaney

Armored Cover (2)

I was also very happy to get a copy of Amored by Mark Greaney, one of the leading thriller authors of the day. This new novel from Greaney is a standalone read which follows an armoured convey of mercenaries heading deep into Cartel country. I have actually already read Armored and it was a very fun and exciting book loaded with so much action. Review to follow to soon.

The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish

The Bladed Faith Cover

Another anticipated fantasy read I got was The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish, which I will hopefully check out soon. The Bladed Faith is an epic read that will followed the deposed prince of a realm as he becomes a legendary assassin in order to get revenge on his kingdom’s conquerors. A very cool sounding book that I will no doubt love.

Seventeen by John Brownlow

Seventeen Cover

A novel about a secret order of assassins and their internal fight for supremacy, oh yes please! That is the incredibly epic plot of Seventeen, which will follow the deadliest assassin in the world as he attempts to kill his predecessor, while surviving the attentions of the next generation of killers. I love the sound of this book so much and I will hopefully read it very soon.

The Gatekeeper by James Byrne

The Gatekeeper

Another amazing thriller novel I received is The Gatekeeper by James Byrne. Following an infamous retired mercenary who finds himself dragged into a deadly conspiracy, The Gatekeeper sounds like another fast-paced and action-packed thriller that I am very keen to check out.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

The Ballad of Perilous Graves Cover

Magical and musical mayhem seem to be the theme of the cool and unique new fantasy read, The Ballad of Perilous Graves, which should be a very intriguing novel.

The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The Lawless Land Cover

An intense and powerful historical epic from the academic team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Lawless Land in an intriguing new historical fiction novel that I am really interested in reading. Following a rogue knight during the plague as he attempts to save his lands and reputation, only to get dragged into a dark historical conspiracy. I really like the sound of this impressive book and I look forward to checking this unique historical adventure out.

Illuminations by Alan Moore

Illuminations Cover

The final book I received was Illuminations from legendary comic book author Alan Moore. Containing several of his unique short stories, most of which sound incredibly bonkers, if extremely intriguing, Illuminations is one of the more fascinating books I have recently gotten my hands on and I am very keen to see what fantastic tales are featured within.

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