Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2023 TBR

On September 12, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 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 Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was based around favourite character relationships, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to. However, as we are already a couple of weeks into the Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), I decided to instead move up my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I honestly should have pulled this together a couple of weeks ago.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2023 and 30 November 2023. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am extremely excited for, including some of my most anticipated book of the year (as well as my most anticipated fantasy/science fiction books of the year). Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I also excluded several awesome Spring releases that I have already read or started reading (such as Holly by Stephen King which I am nearly at the end of). I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be pretty incredible reads. I have extremely excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads are easily going to be amongst the best books of 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher – 10 October 2023

Long Past Dues Cover

The Exchange by John Grisham – 17 October 2023

The Exchange Cover

The long-awaited sequel to Grisham’s iconic novel, The Firm, this should be a very interesting and compelling thriller.

The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom – 9 November 2023

The Shadow King Cover

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie – 15 November 2023

Vendetta Cover

Top Ten Tuesday:

Code Red by Kyle Mills – 12 September 2023

Code Red Cover

The latest book in the iconic Mitch Rapp spy thriller series (originally written by Vince Flynn and currently authored by Kyle Mills), Code Red sounds like a very exciting and intense novel that I am hoping to read this week.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 12 September 2023

The Last Devil to Die Cover

Filled with mystery, great characters and a wicked dose of humour, Richard Osman’s fourth Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil to Die, is going to be exceedingly awesome and so much fun to read.

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett – 26 September 2023

The Armour of Light Cover

An epic and massive historical fiction novel from the master of elaborate character-focused tales, Ken Follett.

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

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead Cover

An intriguing and awesome upcoming fantasy comedy book that I know I am going to love, Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead will follow a battlefield looter as they experience all manner of trouble. Two sequels to Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead are also coming out in the next few months, but I think I will just highlight this first book for now.

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 17 October 2023

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

The fantastic sounding sequel to Stevenson’s hilarious and addictive 2022 Australian murder mystery, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect sounds extremely amazing and should be one of the funniest and most compelling crime fiction novels of 2023.

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – 7 November 2023

Resurrection Walk Cover

Michael Connelly continues his entertaining and captivating Lincoln Lawyer series with Resurrection Walk, which sees the titular lawyer protagonist face off against a corrupt police force. An awesome legal thriller featuring several of Connelly’s best characters, this is going to be something very special.

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini – 7 November 2023

Murtagh Cover

Acclaimed author Christopher Paolini returns to the world of his original work, the Inheritance Cycle, with a new standalone novel focused on the amazing character of Murtagh. Set to follow this conflicted and hated dragon rider as he encounters a new dangerous threat, this will be an awesome book and I am very excited to finally have a continuation of one of my favourite series.

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 14 November 2023

Rebellion Cover

The always exciting Simon Scarrow continues his excellent Eagles of the Empire series with the fantastic sounding Rebellion. Set to follow the brutal battles of Boudica’s uprising, Rebellion looks set to be an outstanding addition to this already epic series.

Defiant by Brandon Sanderson – 21 November 2023

Defiant Cover

Sanderson brings his fantastic Skyward series to an end with the fourth book Defiant. Following on from previous epic reads, Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic, Defiant should be pretty damn exceptional and I am eager to see how Sanderson brings everything to an end.

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath – 28 November 2023

Kill Your Husbands Cover

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome upcoming Australian crime fiction novel, Kill Your Husbands. The sequel to author’s previous fantastic read, Kill Your Brother, Kill Your Husbands will feature a unique murder scenario with a twisted web of lies, deceit and intriguing characters surrounding it, and I cannot wait to read it.

Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be pretty awesome.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Water Terms in the Title

On August 29, 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. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing their top books that have some sort of water theme to them. I decided to make my list simple by listing those books whose titles are related to water in some way and I was very flexible in what qualified, with bodies of water, water features, things people do in water and even things that exist on water, such as boats, making the cut. The only real limitation I put on myself was keeping this list to one entry per author, which honestly was not that problematic. Despite that, I struggled to come up with a full list as water related terms apparently do not show up in the titles of many books I read. I was eventually able to pull together a descent list, and I liked how it turned out, especially as each of them are excellent books with amazing titles.

Honourable Mentions:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

This one was a bit of a stretch, but Queen of Storms was the name of a ship in the book so I felt that it qualified for this list.

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

A fantastic nautical-based fantasy novel, which required the protagonists to travel across an enemy-filled ocean to get to a mythical island.

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Top Ten Tuesday:

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

A classic fantasy novel that features some of the best nautical sequences you are likely to read.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Probably one of my all-time favourite horror books, Into the Drowning Deeps sees a group of scientists face deadly marine monsters in the dark and treacherous ocean.

The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

Another outstanding fantasy novel set on the open seas, The Bone Ships was an exceptional read that followed a group of condemned sailors adventuring on a boat made of dragon bone. I honestly could have feature the entire Tide Child trilogy on this list (Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake), but The Bone Ships was the awesome first entry that perfectly sets up this epic series.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 23: Bridge of Tears by Stan Sakai

This entry from one of my favourite comic series was a bit of a stretch, but I think the combination of bridge and tears fits the theme of this list well and it is a very outstanding comic.

The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

One of the more recent entries on this list, The Drowning Girls is an outstanding novel that sees an Australian fishing town endure a mysterious set of drownings with a sacrificial edge to them.

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The third and final book in the incredible Legacy of the Mercenary Kings series, the title refers to a treacherous sea voyage the protagonists undertake to reclaim a character’s memories. The title is again a bit of a stretch, but I decided to leave it in, especially as the more nautical themed plot was very different from the city-based first two books, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen. Plus, this is a brilliant read that perfectly wraps up an exceptional trilogy.

River of Gold by Anthony Riches

An excellent historical fiction read that saw a Roman regiment travel along a river into the depths of Africa.

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

Darth Vader invades an ocean planet looking for Jedi and all hell breaks loose, need I say more?

Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

A classic fantasy novel from the legendary R. A. Salvatore. The streams in the title was technically referring to veins of ore, however, I am still including it here.

Black River by Matthew Spencer

The final entry is an outstanding and powerful Australian crime fiction debut that takes place along the shores a river running through Sydney. Tight, intense and deeply enjoyable, this is a brilliant read.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can see there are some fantastic novels out there that uses water-based terms in their titles, and there honestly some very interesting usages for it throughout fiction. All the above novels are wonderful and highly recommended reads, and I had an incredible time reading them. Let me know which books with water-based phrases or terms in the title you have enjoyed the most in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books With One-Word Titles

On August 16, 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 involved listing characters from different books that the participants believe should team up. While this is certainly a unique list, it wasn’t anything I felt I could contribute to, so I instead went back and did the July 18 topic of books with one-word titles, which I missed a few weeks ago.

This is a simple, yet interesting topic that requires people to list their favourite books whose title is a single word. This actually proved to be a rather difficult list for me to pull together, mainly because there are so many good books out there that have a single word title to them. To make this easier, I tried to limit myself to only one entry from each author or series, although I did fail that in places. Even with this limitation, I still ended up by a ton of books to use, so I went big and instead make this a full 20 book list. I am pretty happy with how this turned out, so let us see what made the cut.

Top Twenty List:

Xenos by Dan Abnett

A fantastic and complex thriller set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. All three books in the Eisenhorn trilogy (including Malleus and Hereticus) could be used here, but I decided to feature the first book only as it expertly sets the great series up.

Legend by David Gemmell

A classic and exceptional piece of fantasy fiction that features one of the best sieges you’ll ever read.

Burner by Mark Greaney

There are several great books in Mark Greaney’s outstanding Gray Man series that have a one-word title, however, my favourite is probably the most recent entry Burner, which was an impressive read from start to finish.

Homeland by R. A. Salvatore

Quite a few of Salvatore’s fantasy books only have one word in the title, however I had to include his very best book, Homeland, which serves a perfect origin story for his most iconic character.

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

A gripping and exceptional historical murder mystery/legal thriller, Tombland was one of the best books of 2018.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I had to include at least one of the books from Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle on this list, as it is one of my very favourite fantasy series. While all four books in the series could be featured here, I decided to go with Eragon, mainly because it serves as such an excellent introduction to this entire fun series.

Devolution by Max Brooks

A very captivating and entertaining horror that cleverly features sasquatches as a terrifying and intriguing monster.

Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

One of the best novels in the outstanding Warhammer Crime series.

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

One of the seminal pieces of fantasy fiction out there, Magician is a brilliant read that honestly got me into the genre years ago.

Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

A highly entertaining novel that perfectly reintroduces the iconic Star Wars character of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the current canon.

Outgunned by Denny Flowers

A powerful and moving Warhammer 40,000 novel that shines a whole new light on a unique battlefield in the chaotic future.

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

An excellent and intense murder mystery set in Nazi controlled Berlin by one of my favourite historical fiction authors.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

The first book in Sanderson’s awesome Skyward series, Skyward is a powerful and addictive read about a young girl who attempts to become a pilot to save her planet. The sequels, Starsight and Cytonic, are also very good, and would have been worthy additions to this list.

Later by Stephen King

A quick, compelling and highly entertaining read from the master of fiction, Stephen King.

Necropolis by Dan Abnett

One of the best entries in the exceptional Gaunt’s Ghosts series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, Necropolis is an outstanding siege novel that I powered through in no time at all.

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

While I was tempted to feature the first book in the Rogue Team International series, Rage, I decided to instead go with the sequel Relentless, as it has a much darker story with some major character moments.

Planetside by Michael Mammay

A brilliant debut novel that followed a gruff solider as he investigated a sinister disappearance on an alien planet. This was such a great read, and the sequels, Spaceside and Colonyside, would also be worthy additions here.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

A hilarious and captivating novel that cleverly parodies classic Star Trek tropes by telling a story from the perspective of a doomed redshirt.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

One of the most intriguing and captivating science fiction novels I have ever read, I have so much love for this outstanding novel and its cool time travel concepts.

Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn

The final book I want to finish here is the fantastic standalone Star Wars novel, Scoundrels. Set in the now defunct Star Wars Legends canon, Scoundrels is an awesome heist book featuring your favourite rogues, Han, Lando and Chewie.

Well that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a ton of brilliant books out there at feature a single-world titles and it is amazing the sheer variety of different novels I have read over the years that use this naming convention. I think the above list does a great job capturing my absolute favourite single-word title novels, and I would strongly recommend all the above for anyone looking for an exceptional read.

Canberra Weekly Column – Mixed Genre – 27 July 2023

On August 14, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly ColumnLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Mixed Genres - 27 July 2023

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 27 July 2023.

A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Weekly website.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Kill For Me Kill For You, Fractal Noise and The Drowning Girls.

WWW Wednesday – 26 July 2023

On July 26, 2023 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?

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

The Last True Templar Cover

I made a good start on the early copy of The Last True Templar I got through Netgalley this week and it is proving to be quite the awesome novel. Written by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Last True Templar is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Lawless Land, which I had such an epic time with. This sequel continues to follow the protagonists from the first book, an excommunicated knight and a fraudulent noblewoman, as they journey throughout medieval Europe, this time getting involved in an insidious plot surrounding the destroyed Knights Templar. I am already about a quarter of the way through The Last True Templar at the moment and I will easily finish it off in the next few days. This cool book has a very exciting plot to it and I cannot wait to see where the clever historical thriller elements take me.

The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

The Traitor Cover

I am still going strong with the audiobook version of The Traitor and it is living up to all of my expectations. The third and final book in Anthony Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor, follows on from the exceptional novels, The Pariah and The Martyr, and was one of my most anticipated novels of 2023. Following a former criminal turned scribe, soldier and knight, The Traitor sees the protagonist torn between love and the greater good in a particularly harrowing adventure. I am about halfway through The Traitor at the moment and things are really starting to get dark and very intense. I cannot wait to see how this epic series comes to an end and I’m sure I won’t be fully prepared for every dark twist and turn that is to come. This will probably end up being one of my favourite books of 2023 and I am hoping to finish The Traitor off by this time next week.

What did you recently finish reading?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (Trade Paperback)

Fractal Noise Cover

I managed to finish off the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise this week and it ended up being a very awesome read. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise was a compelling and harrowing space exploration novel that really draws you in. Make sure to check out my review for it here.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain Cover

I hoping to start reading my early copy of Starter Villain by John Scalzi in the next week. The latest standalone novel from the always entertaining Scalzi (check out my reviews for his previous awesome books, Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society), Starter Villain will follow the chaos surrounding a protagonist who inherits a supervillain company. I have no doubt this is going to be a very fun read and I cannot wait to check it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

If I manage to get through The Traitor in the next week my plan is to listen to another recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French. Following a notorious, yet mysterious, rogue as he runs around the Imperial Palace, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen sounds like an awesome addition to this already fun franchise and I cannot wait to dive into its amazing story.

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.

Quick Review – Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

On July 26, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Science Fiction4 Comments

Fractal Noise Cover

Publisher: Tor (Trade Paperback – 16 May 2023)

Series: Fractalverse – 0.5

Length: 287 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Return to the epic Fractalverse of the always awesome Christopher Paolini with this standalone prequel novel, Fractal Noise, a tense and impressive dark science fiction novel.

Christopher Paolini is an author that I have been a major fan of for a very long time thanks to his iconic and epic Inheritance Cycle series. The amazing Inheritance Cycle first debuted over 20 years ago with the amazing fantasy novel Eragon, which told the compelling story of a young hero and his dragon companion as they fight to free a conquered land. The Inheritance Cycle series is one of my all-time favourite series due to the great story, impressive world building, and the sheer nostalgia that I hold for them. Indeed, I am particularly excited because Paolini is also releasing a sequel to the Inheritance Cycle books later this year with Murtagh, which is one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2023. However, before we get to that there is even more Paolini goodness to unwrap this year as the author has also released the intriguing science fiction novel, Fractal Noise. A standalone prequel to his science fiction epic from a few years ago, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise was an intriguing read that I had a lot of fun reading in the last week.

Plot Synopsis:

July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.

On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII: a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.

Its curve not of nature, but design.

Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.

But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.

For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.

Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.

And the ghosts of their past follow.

Fractal Noise was a very awesome book from Paolini that I had an outstanding time getting through. I must admit that when I first received a copy of Fractal Noise, I wasn’t too sure that I was going to read it, mainly because while I enjoyed To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, it was a bit too long and overcomplicated, and I feared this potentially unnecessary prequel would be the same. However, I decided to give it a shot, especially as Fractal Noise was considerably shorter than the original novel in this series, and boy am I glad that I did.

Paolini sets up a simple but very effective story in Fractal Noise that is set 23 years before the events of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, which details the discover and early exploration of a mysterious alien artefact that was mentioned in the original novel. Just like with To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise is told from the perspective of a single scientific protagonist, this time a xenobiologist names Alex Crichton, and follows them and their team as they examine a newly discovered space anomaly, an uninhabited planet with a 50km-wide perfect hole in it that is constantly relaying a continuous, overwhelming beat. This anomaly could only have been created by a sentient species, and the scientists aboard the ship decide to journey to the planet to find any additional signs of alien life and to discover more about the hole. However, to make it to the edge they need to land a substantial distance away and trek to it by foot in an arduous journey with many potential complications.

Paolini does a good job of quickly and effectively setting up this compelling plot in the first 50 pages of Fractal Noise while also providing great introductions to the damaged protagonist, as well as the accompanying scientists that are taking the trek with him. However, the real story doesn’t start until the protagonists land on the planet and begin walking the distance towards the hole. The author really goes out of his way to make this trek as arduous as possible, as the characters need to walk through wind, dust and other obstacles, all while pulling a mechanised sled behind them that slowly breaks down. The sheer repetitiveness of this task, combined with the desolate landscape, injuries, and the unique planet that rings with a loud “thud” every few seconds, works to slowly wear down the protagonists and force them into some very dark places of their mind. The closer they get to their goal, the harder their task becomes as the vibrations and noise produced by the hole becomes more intense and places a bigger toil on their bodies and technology. At the same time, every setback impacts their minds even further as the four scientists soon fall to dangerous infighting as each of them is haunted by their own ghosts and their own reasons for being there.

I really liked how the entire story slowly devolved into a dark and ultra-intense psychological science fiction thriller as Paolini worked to emulate desolate real-life expeditions (such as those old-school arctic journeys), with his excellent storytelling. The slow but unstoppable mental decline of the characters is handled perfectly, and while you are initially more worried about the protagonist, Alex Crichton, due to the recent tragedies in his life, the other characters are the ones you have to watch out for as they become more and more deranged or determined in their own ways. Watching everyone slowly turn on each other as the journey becomes harder and harder on them is extremely compelling, and it proves hard to turn away as things get darker and darker. The author supplements this compelling narrative with some intriguing, realistic and very-well thought out science fiction elements, especially when it comes to the physics of the planet, the obstacles they are facing, and the technology they have access to. However, there is also a certain primitive edge to the storytelling as no matter how advanced their technology is, when it starts to fail, they are forced to dive back into more a much more basic mindset. All this combines well with the fantastic dive into Crichton’s bleak mental state, as the protagonist begins to see the expedition as an important quest that will give him some redemption for his recent losses.

The entire story continues along this dark vein all the way to its compelling conclusion, and I was honestly pretty addicted towards the end, knocking out the last couple of hundred pages in a single night. Watching the final snap of each protagonist was pretty brutal, but it was a necessary commutation of the complex storytelling that had been leading up to at that point. I loved how well the barren landscape served as a background to this great story, and the constant “thump” “thump” of the planet as they drew closer gave such an outstanding atmosphere to the plot. Paolini really pulled together an excellent read here that both serves as a continuation of his existing universe, while also giving readers a story so very different to anything that he has produced before.

Overall, I found Fractal Noise to be an outstanding and epic new novel from Christopher Paolini, which I had such a great time with. I cannot emphasise just how intense and complex this initially simple story becomes, and the author’s ability to create forbidding settings, damaged characters, and suffocating story atmospheres has clearly grow over the years. Due to its connections to the history of his pervious novel, Fractal Noise is perfect for fans of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, while also being very open to new readers interested in a compelling and bleak science fiction adventure. Fractal Noise was an exceptional read that comes very highly recommended from me and I cannot wait to see more of Paolini’s writing later this year when Murtagh comes out.

WWW Wednesday – 19 July 2023

On July 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (Trade Paperback)

Fractal Noise Cover

I just started reading the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise is a compelling and harrowing space exploration novel and I have already been drawn into its high-concept science fiction narrative. I am about 50 pages in at the moment and I hope to finish it off soon.

The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

The Traitor Cover

I was very happy to start listening to the third and final book in Anthony Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor, today. Following on from the outstanding novels, The Pariah and The Martyr, The Traitor is one of my most anticipated novels for 2023 and I have been looking forward to reading it for months. I only just started listening to this a couple of minutes ago so I can’t comment on it too much yet, however, The Traitor has a strong start to it and I cannot wait to see how this epic trilogy comes to an end.

What did you recently finish reading?

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

I managed to get through the cool thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh this week. An intriguing take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline that sees two women team up to kill the people who destroyed their lives, this was an awesome book and I loved how the complex and twist-laden story unfolded.

The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando (Trade Paperback)

The Drowning Girls Cover

A fantastic and haunting Australian crime fiction novel, The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando was an excellent read that I am really glad I managed to get through it this week.

Warhammer 40,000: The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

The King of the Spoil Cover

I just finished off the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, The King of the Spoil. Combining intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe, The King of the Spoil was everything that I hoped it would be and I cannot recommend it enough.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

The Last True Templar Cover

I am in the mood for a good historical fiction novel, so the next book I am planning to read is the early copy of The Last True Templar I got through Netgalley. Written by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Last True Templar is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Lawless Land, which I had such an epic time with. This sequel will continue to follow the protagonists from the first book, an excommunicated knight and a fraudulent noblewoman, as they journey throughout medieval Europe. This time they will get involved in an insidious plot surrounding the Knights Templar and the many secrets they guarded. I have no doubt this will be another exceptional read and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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 – 12 July 2023

On July 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

I just started reading the cool thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh. I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series (The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice) and this new novel is an intriguing take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline, that sees two women team up to kill the people who destroyed their lives. I am about 50 pages into this book at the moment and I am already pretty damn hooked and cannot wait to see how Kill For Me Kill For You turns out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (Trade Paperback)

The Paris Agent Cover

I managed to finish off the new historical drama from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent this week. Following an aging spy’s dive into the past as he attempts to find out who saved his life during an SOE operation in Nazi occupied France, The Paris Agent was a powerful and compelling novel that proved to be an excellent and captivating read.

Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

I also managed to finish off one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Leviathan by Darius Hinks. Featuring an intriguing, mind-bending story about an alien invasion, Leviathan was extremely intense and compelling with a very unique narrative. This ended up being a pretty awesome read and I had a brilliant time getting through it.

The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

I quickly powered through the cool upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel, The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell this week. Set during the Marvel Zombies storyline, The Hunger was a very fun novel that will appeal to all lovers of Marvel Comics and zombies.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

Fractal Noise Cover

I am hoping to read the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise next. 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.

The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

The Drowning Girls Cover

I am also hoping to start reading the fantastic Australian crime fiction novel, The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando, this week. 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.

Warhammer 40,000: King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

I am still hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil next. Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love it when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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.

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

The Hunters by David Wragg – 20 July 2023

The Hunters Cover

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

Thick as Thieves Cover

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.

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.

Longshot by Rob Young – 15 August 2023

Longshot Cover

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The Last True Templar Cover

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.

Amazon

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

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.

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

Fractal Noise Cover

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.

The Drowing Girls by Veronica Lando

The Drowning Girls Cover

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.

The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

The Interpreter Cover

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.

The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

The Night in Question Cover

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.

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.

Consumed by Greg Buchanan

Consumed Cover

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.

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.