Tag: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2025

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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 required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere).  However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks.  I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2025, as well as the best pre-2025 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2025.  This is a relatively new topic that I have only explored in 2023 and 2024, however it’s proving to be a great topic that I’m keen to keep going back to.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Crusade by Richard Cullen

A great and very exciting historical fiction novel that serves as an excellent sequel to the first book in Cullen’s Chronicles of the Black Lion series, Rebellion.

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Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben provided an intense and clever sequel to one of his better-known novels, Fool Me Once, this year with the awesome new book, Nobody’s Fool

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The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

I had a lot of fun reading the compelling Australian crime novel, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins, this year, which serves as an outstanding sequel to the author’s debut, How to Kill a Client.

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Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining sequels of the year was the hilarious and charming English release of Hotel Lucky Seven by iconic Japanese author Kotaro Isaka.  A direct sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven follows the previous book’s terminally unlucky protagonist as he finds himself trapped in a hotel full of outrageous assassins.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first incredible 2025 sequel I want to highlight on this list is A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  An elaborate and deeply clever fantasy murder mystery novel, A Drop of Corruption serves as a sequel to The Tainted Cup, which was one of my favourite books of 2024.  Following an unnaturally skilled detective and her loyal assistant as they investigate impossible crimes in a land constantly under attack from giant monsters, A Drop of Corruption, was an outstanding read that will keep you hooked until the end.  Featuring an exceptional mystery that perfectly utilises elements from the universe started in The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption was one of the best books of the year and an incredible sequel.

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Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

Possibly one of the most long-awaited sequel on this list is the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City.  The sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City sees the original protagonist return for another gritty war story, this time forced to fly amongst the ruins of a giant city.  Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are likely to read in fiction, Interceptor City was an exceptional read and it was amazing to see Double Eagle’s story continue in such a fantastic manner.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

I had a hilarious time getting through the highly entertaining and gloriously over-the-top fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight.  The sequel to De Castell’s outstanding novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight follows eight crazy mages as they attempt to save their world from the combined armies of heaven and hell.  A comedic treat that I couldn’t put down, this was an incredible fantasy sequel that comes very highly recommended.

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Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

I had to feature the impressive Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer on this list.  Serving as an interesting follow-up to Spencer’s debut novel Black River, Broke Road is a gritty and complex murder mystery that sees a troubled detective and a rogue journalist investigate a shocking crime in regional Australia.  I deeply enjoyed Broke Road and it ended up being a particularly amazing sequel that overshadowed Spencer’s original novel.  One of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2025, I cannot wait to see how Spencer continues to grow as an author.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan continues to greatly impress with his new fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm.  The second book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm continues the excellent story started in A Tide of Black Steel, as four separate protagonists attempt to weather a dark invasion coming down upon their lands.  A wonderful fantasy adventure sequel that makes full use of its Viking inspiration, Born of an Iron Storm was a powerful read that is really worth checking out.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, continued his distinctive and dark NecroTek science fiction series this year with the fantastic second entry Cold War.  Set right after the events of the first book, NecroTek, Cold War was an inventive, intense and disturbing sequel that pitted human scientists and soldiers against the very worst Lovecraftian monsters.  A great sequel that cleverly brings in some awesome new characters and further raises the stakes of the crazy plot, Cold War was an exceptional read that I honestly couldn’t stop listening to.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including this next entry, however, I honestly count Never Flinch as a sequel as it is the second novel from Stephen King to feature his unique character, Holly Gibney, as protagonist.  Following on from the success of Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Never Flinch sees the protagonist attempt to stop two deadly killers stalking their prey in her city.  A particularly moving and intense book, Never Flinch was so damn good, and I’m very glad that King produced a second Holly Gibney focused novel.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

The always fun Django Wexler wrapped up his Dark Lord Davi duology in amazing fashion this year with Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.  Following a slightly insane fantasy protagonist who finds herself trapped in a deadly time loop, this entry was the wonderful sequel to Wexler’s 2024 novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  With the protagonist now a deadly Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees her attempt to save the human nation her minions want to conquer through an elaborate infiltration mission.  Filled with mishaps, adventure and outrageous humour, Everybody Wants to Ruel the World Except Me was so damn fun, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I had to feature the very impressive novel I just finished, The Strength of the Few by James Islington, on this list.  The most elaborate sequel of 2025, The Strength of the Few, serves as a follow-up to Islington’s highly acclaimed 2023 novel, The Will of the Many.  Upping the ante in a particularly inventive way, this great sequel sees the protagonist of The Will of the Many split across three separate versions of the same world, requiring three unique story arcs.  A very ambitious novel that shows some true inventiveness, The Strength of the Few was an exceptional novel that serves as a worthy sequel to Islington’s previous epic book.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland.  The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees the murderous and mistrustful protagonists of the first book attempt to once again work together to pull off an impossible heist.  Full of compelling characters, doomed romances and clever worldbuilding, Four Ruined Realms was an excellent novel, that worked extremely well as a sequel to Corland’s previous adventure.  Four Ruined Realms comes highly recommended as a result, and I really need to check out the third and final book in the series before the end of 2025.

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Well, that’s it for this list.  As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so.  Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel.  All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels from the First Half of 2025

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In addition to the highlighting some of the best Australian novels I read in the first half of 2025, I am also taking this opportunity to list some of the best new sequel novels that I have had the opportunity to read this year.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year, but I feel that the first half of 2025 has been particularly rich in the form of amazing follow-up novels from talented authors.  Indeed, the sheer quality of some of the sequels coming out this year has been quite remarkable, and it has compelled me to dedicate this list to highlighting the very best.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released so far in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and highlights my favourite sequels released in the first half of 2025.

Top Ten List:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first book I had to highlight on this list was the deeply impressive and addictive fantasy/mystery hybrid, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption continues to follow the author’s unlikely detective protagonists as they investigate dark conspiracies in a monster-besieged empire.  This second novel was particularly epic, featuring a complex investigation narrative well supported by Bennett’s unique fantasy elements.  A deeply addictive read, A Drop of Corruption was a very easy choice for this list, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

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Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Next, we have the very cool sequel to Harlan Coben’s classic thriller, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool.  Bringing back one of the police protagonists of Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool was an intense and quick-paced read, that saw a damaged figure attempt to find answers for one of the more traumatising moments in his life.  Loaded with cool twists and some great shocks, I flew through Nobody’s Fool in no time at all, and it was very interesting to see how Coben followed up his previous amazing read.

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Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

A very outstanding sequel that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2025 is the epic Warhammer 40,000 novel Interceptor City by Dan Abnett.  The long-awaited follow-up to his iconic novel Double Eagle (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), Interceptor City took readers back to the skies with another rich, aerial combat focused novel in the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe.  This time forcing his protagonist to fly in claustrophobic conditions amongst the ruins of a massive fallen city, Interceptor City was Abnett at his finest, and you will not be able to put down this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 sequel.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

Mai Corland provided a great second entry in her Broken Blades trilogy this year with her brilliant novel, Four Ruined Realms.  The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms saw the author’s lethal protagonists forced to complete a deadly heist in an enemy nation.  Loaded with lies, betrayals and complex drama, Four Ruined Realms was a very impressive continuation of the series, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

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Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

After impressing with his first novel, the Australian crime fiction read Black River, Matthew Spencer presented an incredible sequel this year with the dark and thrilling read, Broke Road.  Setting his protagonists on another harrowing investigation, Broke Road was an intense read that cleverly built on the relationships introduced in Black River.  A really amazing Australian sequel and one I’m very glad I got the chance to read.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

One of the more entertaining sequels of 2025 so far is the unhinged dark fantasy novel The Malevolent Eight.  The sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s extremely fun novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight proved to be particularly awesome, especially as de Castell dialled up the mayhem and kept the readers entertained with the resulting carnage.  A very interesting and impressive novel, de Castell clearly had fun with The Malevolent Eight, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future, especially as he has another outstanding sequel coming out later this year with Our Lady of Blades.

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The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Next up we have the really cool Australian fiction sequel, The Bluff by Joanne Jenkins.  The interesting follow-up to Jenkin’s first novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was a great rural crime fiction novel that cleverly recreated the events leading up to a brutal death.  A fantastic, character-focused read loaded with twists, The Bluff was an excellent second novel from Jenkins, and one I had an amazing time reading.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

After blowing me away with the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler finished his story this year with the great sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.  Following Wexler’s slightly unhinged protagonist as she attempts to save everyone after achieving her goal of becoming an infamous Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an awesome second and final book from the author that I couldn’t stop reading.  Funny, addictive, and featuring some very interesting plot reveals, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an outstanding read and an excellent sequel to Wexler’s previous book.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including the next novel, Never Flinch by Stephen King, however, I view it as a sequel to his previous novel, Holly, as they are the first books primarily focussed on his memorable character Holly Gibney.  An exceptional and powerful crime fiction read that saw Gibney contend with the worrying schemes of two obsessed hunters, Never Flinch was an outstanding novel that you won’t be able to get away from.

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Crusade by Richard Cullen

The final sequel on this list is the excellent historical fiction novel Crusade.  The second book in the Chronicles of the Black Lion series and works as a great follow-up to last year’s novel Rebellion.  Taking his protagonist on a dangerous adventure set around the Fifth Crusade, Crusade was an exciting and captivating read that I had an amazing time with.  A fantastic sequel and a great book to end this list on.

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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 sequels I have checked out so far in 2025.  I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt that some of the third and fourth books in these respective series are going to be just as impressive.  It will be interesting to see what other great sequels I will get to experience in the rest of 2025, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books coming out soon.  Indeed, the upcoming sequels The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan and The Strength of the Few by James Islington, are all currently very high on my to-read list, and I am sure they are going to be spectacular novels and deeply impressive sequels.

WWW Wednesday – 4 June 2025

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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:

Nightshade by Michael Connelly (ebook)

I just started to read the new Michael Connelly novel; Nightshade and I have already made a descent amount of progress on it.  Following an interesting new Connelly protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on Catalina Island, Nightshade is another amazing read from Connelly, and I am already pretty hooked on its cool mystery.  I fully expect to power through Nightshade in the next couple of days and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)

I also still listening to the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch.  Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch is a gripping novel that pits Holly against both a killer planning to murder 14 people and a disturbed stalker fixated on murdering a women’s rights activist.  I am currently halfway through Never Flinch, and I can already guarantee that this is going to be one of my favourite books of 2025.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)

I had a lot of fun reading the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler this week.  The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was another zany and clever read that had me laughing the entire way through.  Highly recommended.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

I have a few interesting books to check out at the moment, but I think I’ll probably start reading the awesome sounding dark fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell.  The sequel to de Castell’s outstanding The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight will follow the author’s unlikely band of murderous magic users, who are forced to play the hero in order to save the world.  I had a ton of fun with The Malevolent Seven, and I cannot wait to see how de Castell continues his cool story.

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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 – 28 May 2025

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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:

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees the new titular Dark Lord try to save the humans she is supposed to conquer, all while trying to survive her own minions.  I’ve only made a little progress on this book so far, but it is already quite funny, and I know I’m going to love every second I spend reading it.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)

I also just started listening to the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch.  Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch will pit her against some dangerous new foes, as she tries to catch a killer planning to murder 14 people, while also protecting a women’s rights activist from a stalker.  I have had an exceptional time with King’s recent crime fiction novels, and I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be one of the top books of 2025.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold (Trade Paperback)

I ended up having a wonderful time getting through the epic urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold this week.  An exceptional addition to the author’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a brilliant novel that comes very highly recommended, especially as Arnold continues to evolve as an author and produces an outstanding mystery in his complex fantasy world.

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Audiobook)

I finally managed to finish off the epic and outrageous dark fantasy novel, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, this week, and boy was it something special.  One of my most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, The Devils followed a mismatched group of monsters as they try to survive a dark and magic-filled alternate medieval Europe and place an unlikely princess on the throne of Troy.  Wildy entertaining and deliciously over-the-top, The Devils was so damn good, and I loved every single second I spend listening to it.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

The next book I am planning to check out is the new Michael Connelly novel, Nightshade.  Following an interesting new protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on an isolated and iconic Californian island, Nightshade should be another amazing read from Connelly, who has great impressed me over the years with his exceptional crime fiction novels.

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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 – 21 May 2025

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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:

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the epic urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold.  An intriguing addition to the author’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind returns the reader to the ravaged Sunder City as the damaged protagonist is forced back into his private investigator ways to solve a series of murders and uncover a hidden revolutionary.  I’ve only made a little bit of progress with Whisper in the Wind at the moment, but it is proving to be an excellent book with a really fun plot behind it.

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Audiobook)

I’m currently halfway through the epic and outrageous dark fantasy novel, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, and boy is it proving to be something special.  One of my most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, The Devils follows a mismatched group of monsters as they try to survive a dark and magic-filled alternate medieval Europe and place an unlikely princess on the throne of Troy.  Wildy entertaining and deliciously over-the-top, The Devils is so damn good, and I am loving every single second I spend listening to it.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Vanish by Shelley Burr (ebook)

An outstanding and compelling piece of Australian crime fiction.

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Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman (Audiobook)

An amazing addition to the long-running Alex Delaware series, Open Season was very impressive, and I loved its cool mystery.

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Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

I had so much fun once again revisiting Terry Pratchett’s outstanding classic, Feet of Clay, which perfectly combines crime fiction and fantasy elements, wrapped up in the author’s unstoppable humour.

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Whisky Valley by Joan Sauers (ebook)

The cool sequel to Echo Lake, Whisky Valley was an excellent and comfy read that makes good use of its Australian setting.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

If I get a chance next week than I’m definitely going to read the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will see the new titular Dark Lord try to save the pesky humans she is supposed to conquer, all while trying to survive her own minions.  Sure to be an amazing and highly addictive read, I know I am going to love this incredible book.

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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 – 18 May 2025

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I’ve been away on holiday for a few weeks, which has resulted in a lack of major posts on this blog (at least that’s my excuse).  One upside about being away is that you tend to come back to a big pile of books, which is always fun to explore.  This holiday was no exception as I managed to return to a great collection of awesome books that have built up the last couple of weeks.  This includes some major 2025 releases, including a few books likely to be amongst my top books of the year.  I am very happy with this collection, and I just had to gloat about it here.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

Probably the book I was most excited to receive was the new Joe Abercrombie novel The Devils.  The start of a cool new series set in an alternate and dark medieval Europe filled with fantasy creatures, The Devils follow a mismatched group of monsters under the command of the Pope as they attempt to pull off an impossible mission.  This was one of my most anticipated fantasy releases of 2025 and I have already started reading it.  I’m a good third of the way through The Devils at the moment and it is already proving to be a particularly exceptional read that will likely be one of the best books of the entire year.  Highly recommended!

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

Another particularly awesome fantasy novel I was very happy to get my hands on was Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to the hilarious 2024 fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me follows a reluctant fantasy protagonist whose plan to survive by becoming a feared dark lord starts to backfire on her.  This will probably end up being one of the funniest books of the year and I am hoping to read it very soon.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

Australian author Luke Arnold returns with Whisper in the Wind, the fourth entry in his urban fantasy Fetch Phillips series that follows a damaged investigator desperately trying to bring back magic to a dying fantasy city.  I loved the first three books in this series, The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch, and One Foot in the Fade, and I cannot wait to see how this series continues.  Another amazing sounding book from an excellent author that I will probably be reading this week.   

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Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch

The fantasy hits I recently received keep on coming with the epic new Rivers of London novel, Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch.  The latest book in one of the best ongoing urban fantasy series, Stone and Sky will follow the series’ police protagonist as he attempts to have a family holiday in Scotland, only to encounter a new dark magical mystery.  I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into Stone and Sky’s complex and entertaining story.

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The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

Another great book I was lucky enough to recently receive was the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart. Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them.  I am very excited to finish this trilogy off, and The Book That Held Her Heart has a great deal of potential.

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Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes

Another cool Australian historical epic from John Byrnes, who previous impressed me with Headland and The Youngest Son.  This new book will follow three children through the early 20th century as they feud throughout key Australian historical events and locations.  This will likely be a fun and compelling read that I look forward to checking out. 

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The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose

An intriguing new novel from Nita Prose that will continue to showcase the investigations of her unlikely and unusual protagonist.

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Paved with Good Intentions by Peter McLean

The final book I have received was the cool fantasy crime novel, Paved With Good Intentions by Peter McLean.  A standalone novel set in McLean’s War for the Rose Throne universe, Paved With Good Intentions will follow a woman forced into the spying game as she tries to survive and get back to her children. A very intriguing and cool book from a talented author that I look forward to reading.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2025 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

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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 involved character quotes, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Autumn 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere).  This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2025 and 31 May 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section.  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 have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books of 2025 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads.  I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025

An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025

An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.

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Top Ten List:

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry.  The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past.  I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.

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The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025

Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.  The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe.  This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo.  I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.

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A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin.  Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up.  This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read.  I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025

I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films.  The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games.  This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.

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When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance?  Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025

The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters.  The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation.  A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie.  The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe.  Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe.  Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.

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Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade.  Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble.  When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets.  I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord.  Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot.  As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading.  Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King.  Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly.  This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web.  I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.

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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, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025.  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 awesome.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Release in the First Half of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction15 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 Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated books for the first half of the year.  This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year.  Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am doing two versions of this list, this first one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and another that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.

2025 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year.  I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely keen for.  This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors.  I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be in the fantasy and science fiction space, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025 which I have some descent details about.  Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult.  I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy and science fiction reads of 2025.  So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

The awesome action-packed sequel to Corland’s fantastic 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms is going to be a fantastic read, filled with drama, betrayal and great characters.

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An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris – 15 January 2025

A fun thriller debut with an interesting fantasy twist, as a woman with the ability to take life from one person and transfer it to someone else, tries to determine the best way to use her gift and ethically kill those who deserve to live.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde – 8 April 2025

Another cool upcoming debut is the fantasy novel, A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde.  Featuring an intriguing plot set around revenge and spirt magic, A Song of Legends Lost has so much potential, and I look forward to reading it.

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Strange New World by Vivian Shaw – 20 May 2025

I was pleasantly surprised to see we are getting a new Dr Greta Helsing novel this year with Strange New World.  Following a doctor who specialises in treating monsters and the undead, this is a fantastic series (see my reviews for Strange Practice and Dreadful Company), and I look forward to seeing how it continues.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young – 28 January 2025

The first upcoming book I want to highlight is the next big Warhammer 40,000 fiction release, Leontus: Lord Solar.  Following a skilled human leader who finds himself trapped on an ork infested world, Leontus; Lord Solar looks to be an exciting story of survival and overcoming the odds that I really love the sound of.  I am also interested to see how author Rob Young goes with his second book, as his first novel, Longshot, was one of my favourite debuts of 2023.

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Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

There are several cool Star Wars novels coming out in 2025, however, the one I am most excited for is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed.  The first book in the new Reign of the Empire series, The Mask of Fear will follow the early days of the Empire as it comes to power and takes over the former Republic.  Written by the very talented Alexander Freed, who really impressed me with his previous foray into Star Wars fiction with the Alphabet Squadron books (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I think that this book has a lot of potential, and I love seeing stories set in this period of Star Wars fiction.  As such I am planning to listen to the audiobook version of The Mask of Fear the second it comes out and I know I’m going to love it.

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

Awesome science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky had a great 2024 with books like Alien Clay and Service Model, so I am excited to see what he writes in 2025.  It looks like he’ll be off to a strong start with the science fiction novel, Shroud, that sees two women trapped on a planet whose surface is completely inhospitable to human life.  This sounds like a very gritty and claustrophobic read, and I cannot wait to see how dark and dramatic Tchaikovsky makes this upcoming book.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18 March 2025

A major 2025 release that I’m sure a lot of people are excited for is the fifth book in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.  The second prequel set around the original Hunger Games trilogy (see my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will take readers back to the 50th Hunger Games and explore the dark events that twisted fan favourite character Haymitch Abernathy.  I am extremely excited to read Sunrise on the Reaping, especially as we get to see the ultra-violent second Quarter Quell in action, and it will be interesting to see how Collins’ sets this latest book out.

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When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

One of the more unique books coming out in 2025 is When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always memorable John Scalzi.  Featuring a very fun science fiction plot that sees the moon suddenly turned into a giant ball of cheese, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds so damn outrageous, and I know I’m going to love it.  Based on Scalzi’s previous entertaining reads, I have no doubt this will be crazy, funny and thoughtful in equal measure, and I will have so much fun checking it out.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 1 April 2025

One of my favourite urban fantasy series, the Fetch Phillips series by Australian author Luke Arnolds, returns this year with another awesome book, Whisper in the Wind.  Set in a fantasy city which has lost all its magic, the Fetch Phillip books follow broken and guilty private investigator Fetch Phillips who is desperately trying to bring back magic, and which results in some dark and powerful adventures (see The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade).  This fourth book will see Fetch dragged out of retirement in back into action when a series of murders brings trouble and potential revolution to his door.  Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes, and I am expecting another outstanding novel with Whisper in the Wind.

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett – 8 April 2025

One book I am particularly keen for in 2025 is the awesome second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption.  The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow an unlikely investigative duo as they attempt to solve unusual magical murders in a land constantly besieged by giant monsters.  This second book will feature an impossible locked room mystery as the protagonists attempt to unwind a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire realm.  I have no doubt that this is going to be a particularly incredible novel, and I am hoping to read A Drop of Corruption very soon.

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The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – 8 April 2025

One of the more complex science fiction and fantasy novels I will be reading in 2025 will be the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart.  Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the two separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them.  I have no doubt this will be a moving, captivating and elaborate read, and I am very curious to see how Lawrence brings this entire ambitious series to an end.

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

Easily the book that I am most excited about in 2025 (and I’m sure a lot of fantasy fans are in the same boat) is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie.  Abercrombie has proven to be the master of dark fantasy fiction thanks to his iconic First Law series, as well as the incredible follow up Age of Madness trilogy.  All of these books are just incredible, and I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing the Age of Madness books a couple of years ago, including A Little Hatred (one of my favourite books of 2019), The Trouble With Peace (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and The Wisdom of Crowds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been eagerly awaiting a new Abercrombie novel since The Wisdom of Crowds, and I was so damn happy to see he had a book coming out this year with The Devils.  Set in an alternate medieval Europe, The Devils will follow a hapless priest as he tries to bind a congregation of monsters to save the world from a coming apocalypse.  This book has so much pure potential and I have no doubt at all that it will end up being one of the best things I read this year.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the hilarious sounding novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to one of the funniest fantasy novels of 2024, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will once again follow the unlikely Dark Lord of the realms, Davi, a human trapped in fantasy themed time loop who starts her adventure again after every painful death.  This second book will see Davi attempt to save her former human subjects from her own upcoming invasion, only to encounter new opponents and obstacles.  I had so much fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and this sequel should be another brilliant comedic romp that I know I am going to love.

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Well, that’s the end of this first list.  As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books coming out the first half of this year.  All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads.  2025 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this year.  I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out and I think I am going to have an incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2025.  Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2025 from the other genres.

Waiting on Wednesday – Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday post I look ahead to Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler, which is sure to be one of the most entertaining fantasy books of 2025.

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Earlier this year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the hilarious novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler, the first book in the Dark Lord Davi duology.  This book was an intriguing and clever fantasy comedy that followed a funny, if slightly cracked protagonist, Davi, who has found herself stuck in a dark fantasy realm where she is the prophesised saviour of the human Kingdom.  However, saving the Kingdom proves to be a near impossible task and Davi finds herself constantly dying and being reborn, often at the hands of the interchanging Dark Lords who come to power to oppose her.  After centuries of painfully dying in this time loop Davi finally snaps and decides that if you can’t beat them join them.  This leads Davi on a dangerous journey into the wastelands containing the continent’s various non-human races as she embarks on an ambitious plan to become the Dark Lord herself.

I had such a great time reading How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, as Wexler wrote a particularly hilarious, meta, and occasionally dark tale around this fantastic premise and his eccentric protagonist.  I honestly laughed myself silly the entire way through How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and I also appreciated the intriguing and clever storytelling that the author was adding in.  As such, I have been curious to see how Wexler planned to finish off his duology for a while, and it looks like we’re about to see it in May 2025 with the sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.

Plot Synopsis:

Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom to peaceful prosperity is thwarted when she finds her usual love interest, Prince Johann, already married and the bloodthirsty Duke Aster running the government. Johann’s new husband is everything Davi is not, but he holds a key to the one mystery she can’t solve – the origins of the time loop that has entrapped her.

With restless armies at her doorstep, Duke Aster reaching for power, and an ancient magician hounding her every turn, Davi must scheme her way to peace and uncover the truth behind her curse if she is to break the spell that binds her once and for all.


Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me looks set to be a particularly awesome sequel to the first Dark Lord Davi book, and I love the fun direction that Wexler is apparently taking the story.  Returning Davi to the Kingdom as a reluctant conqueror rather than a saviour is a nice touch, and I love the idea of seeing the protagonist attempt to deal with the politics she is so familiar with from a different direction.  At the same time, it sounds like there is going to be some entertaining romantic shenanigans and dark political manoeuvres as Davi tries to save everyone, only to run into the typical problems of human nature.  This cool new plot idea really works as a follow up to the previous book, and I cannot wait to see how Wexler brings this duology to an end.  I am especially curious to find out how and why Davi is caught in her fantasy time loop, and I am hoping for an especially crazy or ironic background premise.

Honestly, after how much fun I had with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying this year there is no way I will not be grabbing Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me as soon as I can.  This first book had so much going for it, and I really grew to enjoy Django Wexler’s style and entertaining ideas.  As such, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me is now one of my most anticipated books of 2025 and I have no doubt I will have a blast getting through this comedic sequel.