WWW Wednesday – 26 October 2022

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

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Seventeen by John Brownlow (Trade Paperback)

I have just started reading the awesome and very fun thriller novel, Seventeen by new author John Brownlow. A fast-paced read, Seventeen follows the world’s most lethal assassin who finds himself caught in the crossfire between his deadly predecessor and younger assassins wanting to take his place. I sped through the first 60 pages of Seventeen in one go and I am already pretty hooked by this cool read. I will probably knock this off in the next day or so and I think I’ll have a very enjoyable time doing so.

Amazon Book Depository

Warhammer 40,000: The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley (Audiobook)

I have been having an absolute blast with my latest exploration of Warhammer 40,000 tie-in fiction, with The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley. Part of the Warhammer Crime subseries, The Wraithbone Phoenix follows two criminal abhumans, a ratling and an ogryn, as they attempt to steal their big score, the mysterious missing artefact known as The Wraithbone Phoenix. However, after a series of misfortunes, every criminal, assassin and treasure hunter on the planet knows what they are after, forcing them to fight through a horde of outrageous assailants. Naturally, I am having a ton of fun with this impressive Warhammer audiobook, and I look forward to finding out who gets the prize, and which of the many distinctive supporting characters is going to suffer a gruesome death.

Amazon Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

I finally managed to finish off the massive new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, and it proved to be quite an awesome read. While a bit long, Fairy Tale had a unique and compelling story that saw a teenage protagonist descend to a fairytale realm, which has been overtaken by dark forces. A classic adventure story with a compelling setting and Stephen King’s distinctive voice, Fairy Tale was an excellent read and I am glad I spent the time getting through it.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

I managed to knock off In the Shadow of Lightning a few days ago and boy did Brian McClellan outdo himself with this first book in an awesome new series. Set in an inventive new fantasy world where all magic is associated with glass, In the Shadow of Lightning provides the reader with a complex and intriguing tale, rich with politics, espionage, action, betrayal and more. I had such an outstanding time listening to this captivating book and this is easily one of my favourite fantasy books of 2022. Review to follow soon.

Amazon Book Depository

Warhammer 40,000: Dredge Runners by Alec Worley (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something short and sweet at the start of the week, so I quickly checked out the short Warhammer 40,000 audio drama, Dredge Runners. The audio drama that introduces the protagonists of The Wraithbone Phoenix (which I am currently reading), Dredge Runners was an extremely clever and highly entertaining short that set the two rogues against criminals and corrupt law enforcement in a well-written and brilliantly paced read. Featuring an amazing voice cast, Dredge Runners was an exceptional audio drama that comes highly recommended.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Desert Star by Michael Connelly

I have got several awesome books to read at the moment, but I think I’ll dive into the new Michael Connelly crime fiction read, Desert Star, next. Once again bringing together two of Connelly’s impressive protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, Desert Star sees them dive into several intriguing cold cases, including a murder investigation Bosch has been obsessed about for years. I love Connelly’s amazing crime fiction books and this one has a lot of potential to be a great read. I look forward to checking out in the next few days and I have very high hopes that Desert Star will end up being one of the better crime fiction novels of 2022.

Amazon Book Depository

Star Wars: The High Republic: Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland

My plan after finishing The Wraithbone Phoenix is to start listening to the Path of Deceit audiobook, written by the intriguing team of Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. The first entry in the second phase of The High Republic sub-series of Star Wars fiction, Path of Deceit introduces the reader to yet another version of the High Republic, this time in a period of exploration and discovery. I am quite intrigued to see what is happening at this point in the Star Wars universe and I can’t wait to find out what interesting story Gratton and Ireland have chosen to introduce it to us.

Amazon Book Depository

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 – 19 October 2022

On October 19, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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?

I didn’t make as much progress with my reading this week as I would have liked, mainly because the two books I was reading last Wednesday are so damn long, and it is taking me time to get through them. Still, both are pretty exceptional, so I am happy enough taking my time reading them.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

Fairy Tale Cover

I am still going with the intriguing new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, which is so far proving to be quite an impressive read. Fairy Tale is an intense coming of age story that follows a teenage protagonist and his dog as they venture into a dangerous and mysterious fairy realm. I have really got caught up in this book, and while it is taking me a little while to get through it, Fairy Tale is an exceptional and captivating read that is really worth checking out.

Amazon Book Depository

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

In the Shadow of Lightning Cover

I am also still getting through In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, and I am just a bit over halfway through the audiobook version of it at the moment. I am really regretting not listening to this outstanding book sooner as it is proving to be quite an epic read. While I knew I would probably have a great time with this novel, especially after how impressive his previous book, Promise of Blood turned out, I am still blown away by how compelling and addictive In the Shadow of Lightning is. Set in a new fantasy realm where magic is contained in glass, In the Shadow of Lightning has a great blend of intrigue, politics, action and character development, and I am absolutely loving this book, especially with all the unique fantasy features McClellan has come up with. I can’t wait to see how this book comes to an end, but this is already one of my top fantasy books of 2022.

Amazon Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

Nothing to add in here, hopefully I’ll have a few books finished off by this time next week.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Seventeen by John Brownlow

Seventeen Cover

My plan, after I get through the massive brick that is Fairy Tale, is to dive into some of the intriguing thrillers I have sitting in my to-read pile. The first one of these that I need to check out is the compelling debut, Seventeen by John Brownlow. Set to feature a bunch of awesome assassin characters duking it out, Seventeen sounds pretty incredible and I look forward to seeing what happens in it.

Amazon Book Depository

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 October 2022

On October 12, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, today, which is so far proving to be quite an impressive read. An intense coming of age story that will see its teenage protagonist and his dog venture into a dangerous fairy realm, this book is pretty awesome so far and I am quite intrigued to see how this entire novel unfolds.

Amazon Book Depository

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

I had several awesome audiobooks to start up this week, but in the end I went with In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, mainly because of how much I enjoyed his previous book, Promise of Blood. I have made a fair bit of progress on this audiobook already and it is proving to be just as epic as I thought it would be. Set in a new fantasy realm where magic is contained in glass, In the Shadow of Lightning has a great blend of intrigue, politics, action and character development, and I am already very hooked. I can’t wait to see how this book continues and at the rate I’m going with it, I’ll probably finish it off by this time next week.

Amazon Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

An excellent Star Wars novel that did a wonderful job capturing the romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia. I deeply enjoyed this cool book and it ended up being quite an intriguing read.

Amazon Book Depository

Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)

This has to have been one of the better Warhammer 40,000 novels I have read recently, especially as it had a brilliant and dark story to it. Depicting a massive siege of formidable fortress, this was a very exciting book, and I loved the cool directions that McNeill took the story. I am hoping to get a review up for this soon in a Throwback Thursday article, but this is a must-read for all Warhammer fans.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Seventeen by John Brownlow

Amazon Book Depository

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 – 5 October 2022

On October 5, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

I didn’t make as much progress with the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis, this week as I would have liked. Still, I am about halfway through it at the moment, and I will make an effort to finish it off in the next day or so, especially as this is proving to be quite an interesting read. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.

Amazon Book Depository

Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 adventures so I decided to check out the awesome sounding Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill. An older Warhammer 40,000 novel, Storm of Iron depicts a massive siege that see the infamous Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines use all their craft to attack an impregnatable fortress. I have only just started listening to this book, but I know I am going to have an outstanding time with Storm of Iron.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, in the last week and it really lived up to all my expectations and more. One of my most anticipated books of the year and the sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to a bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. This second novel sees his quest get even more dangerous and complex, as he begins to understand the full implications of everything he is involved with, while also finding himself thrust into several deadly wars. This was a deeply captivating, powerful and exciting read that I had such an exceptional time getting through. A perfect follow-up to The Pariah, The Martyr is one of the best fantasy books of 2022 and comes highly recommended. Review to follow soon.

Amazon Book Depository

What do you think you’ll read next?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I am still planning to read the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, next, which should prove to be pretty epic. An intense and dark novel about a dangerous fairy realm, this book is going to be awesome and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

Amazon Book Depository

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

I am also hoping to read the next book in the epic Locked Tomb series by intriguing author Tamsyn Muir, Nona the Ninth. Part of an awesome series about damaged necromancers in a desolate far future, Nona the Ninth follows on from the impressive Gideon the Ninth (one of my favourite debuts of 2019) and Harrow the Ninth (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020). I have no doubt this is going to be one of the more unique and captivating books of 2022 and I can’t wait to read it.

Amazon Book Depository

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 September 2022

On September 28, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

I just started to read the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this cool book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I have also just started the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. The sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. I have been having a lot of fun with this audiobook and I have already made a ton of progress on it. I very excited to see what happens next, and this is already turning out to be one of the better fantasy books of 2022.

Amazon Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

Well, I was certainly impressed with The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The epic sequel to A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, The Golden Enclaves was one of my most anticipated novels of 2022, especially after the epic cliff-hanger Novik left at the end of The Last Graduate. While the story went in some different directions than I was expecting, this was still a very impressive read that did an incredible job wrapping up a pretty epic series. I really appreciated the way that Novik answered several of the linger questions from the first two novels, and this was an excellent final book that comes very highly recommended.

Amazon Book Depository

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I just finished listening to the third book in the awesome Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice, both of which were incredible reads. This latest book contained another exceptional mystery as the titular Thursday Murder Club, four unusual retirees with a talent for solving crimes, embarked on investigating another compelling murder. Loaded with amazing humour, an excellent mystery and some sensational characters, The Bullet That Missed is another top book of 2022 and I am so very glad I got the chance to read it. Review to follow soon.

Amazon Book Depository

What do you think you’ll read next?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

The legendary Stephen King writing an intense and dark fairy orientated novel, yeah that’s going to be awesome and that is why it is the book I am hoping to read next.

Amazon Book Depository

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 – Books on my Spring 2022 TBR

On September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was around books I got for my personal library, however, 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 as this Tuesday is just before Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), this is the ideal time to put this up.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2022 and 30 November 2022. 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 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 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 2022.

Honourable Mentions:

Falling Sky by Harry Sidebottom – 13 October 2022

An epic adventure from one of the best current authors of historical fiction, Harry Sidebottom. Set to bring back his best protagonist for a ton of historical action and intrigue in the Alps, Falling Sky is going to be a lot of fun and I cannot wait to read it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham – 18 October 2022

After having a fantastic time with Grisham’s latest legal thrillers, The Judge’s List and Sparring Partners, I am quite keen to read something else from this iconic crime fiction author. Luckily his new book, The Boys from Biloxi, sounds very impressive and I know I am going to have a blast getting through it.

Amazon Book Depository

Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez – 1 November 2022

Last year, Jennifer Lynn Alvarez greatly impressed me her first young adult thriller, Lies Like Wildfire, which ended up being one of the best debuts of 2021. I loved the complex and clever story that Alvarez featured in Lies Like Wildfire, and it looks like she’s set to continue her awesome young adult thriller ways with the upcoming Friends Like These, which explore the deadly consequences of a drunken party.

Amazon Book Depository

Death to the Emperor by Simon Scarrow – 8 November 2022

I will of course be grabbing the latest historical fiction epic from one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, when it comes out in November. Scarrow’s last few books have all been very exciting and I cannot wait to read Death to the Emperor when it comes out, especially as it sets his long-running Roman protagonists against a massed rebellion in Britain.

Amazon Book Depository

Top Ten List:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King – 6 September 2022

First on this list is the upcoming fantasy novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale. I have been deeply enjoying King’s last few books, such as the fantastic Later and the epic Billy Summers, and I am very keen to see King dive into a dark fantasy novel. Set around a young boy who finds himself drawn into a dark realm of fairies and magic, Fairy Tale promises to be an exceptional read, and I know I am going to have a blast with it.

Amazon Book Depository

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – 13 September 2022

Since her impressive debut in 2019 with Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir has been one of the most intriguing science fiction authors out there. Not only was her first book a ton of fun with its dark story around a group of space-faring necromancers, but her sequel, Harrow the Ninth, was a truly exceptional read that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020. I am exceedingly excited to see what happens in the third book, Nona the Ninth, and it looks let to continue the fantastic body-swapping antics of the previous two novels. Nona the Ninth is likely to be one of the best and most distinctive science fiction reads of 2022, and I am very excited for it as a result.

Amazon Book Depository

Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills – 13 September 2022

There are some excellent long-running spy thriller series at there now, but one of my favourites is the action-packed Mitch Rapp novels. Originally written by Vince Flynn, the Mitch Rapp novels follow the titular spy and assassin as he lays waste to America’s enemies around the world. The last several novels, such as Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, and Enemy at the Gates, have been written by Kyle Mills and feature some amazing narratives to them. I have been having an outstanding time getting through this series recently, and the next novel, Oath of Loyalty, looks set to be another awesome read. Oath of Loyalty will continue the feud between Rapp and the new US president and will force Rapp to defend his family when they are sold out to a deadly and unstoppable group of assassins. I love the sound of this epic read and I know I am going to have an amazing time with it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman – 15 September 2022

There was no way I can possibly exclude the upcoming Richard Osman novel, The Bullet that Missed, from this list. The third book in the Thursday Murder Club, which follows on from the exceptional The Thursday Murder Club (one of the best debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet that Missed will bring back Osman’s fun group of crime solving senior citizens and set them on a new case. I love the sound of this amazing book and I can’t wait to start reading it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik – 20 September 2022

Easily one of my most anticipated books coming out in the next few months is The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The third and final book in Novik’s exquisite and epic Scholomance trilogy, The Golden Enclaves will finally provide some closure to readers following the impressive first two novels, A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate. Both books have had perfect, dark magical school narratives, and I have had such an incredible time reading them. However, I have been dying to check out The Golden Enclaves for a year now, especially after that brutal cliff-hanger at the end of The Last Graduate, and I am just going to absorb this book the moment I get my hands on it.

Amazon Book Depository

Khaos by Jeremy Robinson – 18 October 2022

I have no doubt that one of the most exciting and action-packed novels of the next three months is going to be Khaos by Jeremy Robinson. Following on from Robinson’s fantastic and fun novels, Tribe, The Dark, and Mind Bullet, Khaos will set three groups of Robinson’s protagonists on a joint mission to Hades to free the gods and titans for an upcoming war. This book has so much damn potential and I can’t wait to see what chaos happens in Khaos.

Amazon

Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai – 25 October 2022

After already being blessed with one volume of the incredible Usagi Yojimbo comic series this year with Tengu War!, I am exceeding happy that we are getting another volume with Crossroads. Crossroads looks set to enthrall readers with several great new stories, and I am very excited to see how Sakai continues his iconic comics. There is a very good reason why this is one of my favourite comic series of all time, and I cannot wait to get another volume extremely soon.

Amazon Book Depository

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell – 3 November 2022

Another epic trilogy that is coming to an end in the next few months is Nick Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King series with the third and final book, The Voyage of the Forgotten. I have been absolutely and incredibly impressed with Martell’s first two novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, both of which have been exceptional five-star reads. I am extremely excited for the final book, and I cannot wait to see how Martell will wrap up the multiple complex and captivating storylines. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to be one of the top books of the year and it is going to be something truly epic.

Amazon Book Depository

Desert Star by Michael Connelly – 8 November 2022

Another must-read I must include on this list is the next book from acclaimed crime-fiction author Michael Connelly. His new book, Desert Star, is the latest entry in his Ballard of Bosch series, which has already featured three amazing reads, Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire and The Dark Hours. This new book sets the great protagonists on another intriguing case, and I look forward to seeing how Connelly sets out his new great mystery.

Amazon Book Depository

Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova – 15 November 2022

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the new upcoming Star Wars novel, Convergence by Zoraida Cordova. Convergence is part of The High Republic sub-series and will set up the entire next phase of the High Republic. This new phase serves as a prequel to the previous High Republic novels, and I am very curious to see how everything ties together. This should be a very awesome Star Wars novel and I am sure I am going to have a lot of fun reading it.

Amazon Book Depository

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.

Waiting on Wednesday – Fairy Tale by Stephen King

On February 2, 2022September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday7 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. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the next upcoming novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale, a twisted and inventive dark fantasy novel that I am extremely excited for.

Fairy Tale Cover

Amazon Book Depository

After a reading career spent mostly devoid of the works of iconic author Stephen King, 2021 was the year that I started getting into this talented and twisted writer. This was made easy by the fact that King released two particularly awesome novels, both of which were extremely cool and fun to read. The first was the horror thriller, Later, a unique coming-of-age story that followed a young boy who can see the dead, and who finds himself thrust into dangerous and terrifying situations as a result. Kings second book was the incredible Billy Summers, a powerful thriller that followed a titular assassin whose entire life is changed by his final job and a fateful encounter that followed. I deeply enjoyed the captivating and deep Billy Summers and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2022. As such, I am extremely keen to read more of King’s work, and while I am considering diving into previous impressive books, I have also been keeping an eye out for his next upcoming book.

Well, I just found out some details about King’s next book and boy does it sound like it is going to be one heck of a unique read. This new book, which is currently set for release in September 2022, is Fairy Tale, which will take another teenage protagonist on a powerful and intense journey to the dark side of reality where he comes face to face with an ancient evil.

Synopsis:

Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for their world or ours.

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale about another world than ours, in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Ok, now this sounds like it is going to be something special. I love the various intriguing elements that Fairy Tale’s synopsis hints at, especially as it will pit King’s typical young adult protagonist against a mysterious evil from another realm. The idea of a young man being thrust into a struggle between good and evil in an alternate, dark fantasy dimension has a lot of potential, especially when combined with King’s extremely well proven writing style and ability to craft great characters. I am really intrigued by this idea of another realm, and from the sound of some of the quotes from King that are being released as marketing for this book, it looks like the author really went out of his way to make it as inventive and crazy as possible.

Look let us be honest here, we already know that Fairy Tale is going to be a great book. King has been on a role lately, and after 40 years of writing some of the best books out there, he really knows how to create an exceptional read. I am particularly drawn to the synopsis above and I think that a cool, alternate fantasy realm storyline helmed by this great author has an unbelievable amount of potential. This is easily going to be one of the best books of 2022 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

On August 9, 2018August 14, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy6 Comments

Spinning Silver Cover.png

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date – 10 July 2018

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From award-winning fantasy author Naomi Novik comes an innovative novel that repackages the classic fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin and portrays a fresh and much darker take on a story no longer fit for children.

Miryem is the daughter of an ineffective village moneylender, whose kind nature is taken advantage of by their neighbours. Forced to harden her heart and take over the family business, Miryem is soon successful in her new career and quickly turns her family’s fortunes around. As her business grows, rumours soon spread that she has the ability to turn silver into gold. But words have power, and this boast has been overheard by the king of the Staryks, powerful fairies who hold dominion over winter. The Staryk king sets Miryem an impossible task: to turn three increasing amounts of silver coins into gold. If she fails, she dies, but if she succeeds, an even worst fate awaits her: marriage to the cruel king in his harsh kingdom of ice.

Forced to find a way to escape her life of captivity, Miryem finds a common cause with Irina, the daughter of a powerful nobleman. Irina has caught the attention of the Tsar and has used magical Staryk silver to win his hand in marriage. However, the Tsar has a dark secret that could threaten the realm, and Irina must find a way to survive his terrible powers. With no other choice, Miryem, Irina and Miryem’s servant, Wanda, embark on a daring quest to free themselves from these terrible forces.

The story within Spinning Silver is told through first person narrations from a variety of the characters featured within the book. The three main characters, Miryem, Wanda and Irina, each have their own adventures and narrate the vast majority of the book. Other side characters, such as Wanda’s younger brother, Stepon, and Irina’s old maid, Magreta, also narrate several parts of the book, although these sections are usually tied into the storylines of the main characters.

Naomi Novik is an exciting name in fantasy fiction, best known for her nine Temeraire books set in an alternate version of 19^th century Europe in which the English and French fought the Napoleonic War with the help of dragons. Her latest book, Spinning Silver, is more reminiscent of her 2015 release, Uprooted. Uprooted, which is currently being looked at for a movie adaptation, was a standalone fantasy novel that utilised common fairy tale elements to create a unique and enthralling tale.

Spinning Silver is a dark and gripping fantasy story that is a loose adaption of the story of Rumpelstiltskin. The book’s main character, Miryem, is this story’s version of the local village girl who runs afoul of the magical creature. However, rather than being a miller’s daughter whose father claims she can weave straw into gold, Miryem is a money lender and businesswoman who earns gold through her business acumen and mercantile skill. Her initial challenge to change a material, in this case silver, into gold is done in a much more practical way than making a deal with a supernatural force. This is a fantastic and modern twist on a key point of this classic story, and Novik follows up with an inventive fantasy narrative which uses other key elements from the original fairy tale to an amazing effect.

Novik weaves several other unique story points from Rumpelstiltskin into this story, and readers will enjoy seeing several memorable elements of a story they have known since childhood inserted into a new and more adult fantasy tale. For example, in the fairy tale, the imp Rumpelstiltskin appears to the miller’s daughter three times to spin straw into gold. The first time he appears he demands the daughter’s necklace as payment for this gift, while during his second visit he demands her ring. Novik reverses this in her story, by having Miryem use the silver she has been given to create a ring and a necklace, which she can then sell to raise the gold she requires. Another example is the idea of the miller’s daughter having to fill three rooms with gold to marry the king and stay alive. In Spinning Silver, the fairy king demands that Miryem turn all the silver in three rooms into gold or else be killed. Novik instils her character with a certain amount of logic, which allows her to come up with a simple and clever solution to this task. Other parts of the book that have their roots in the fairy tale include the fairy king only allowing Miryem to ask three questions every night, his unwillingness for anyone to know his name and the general death sentence hanging over her head should she fail any of her undertakings. Novik’s ingenious use of elements associated with Rumpelstiltskin is a highlight of this book which results in a bold and captivating new story.

In many ways, this is a story about exploitation, as the main characters try to overcome their situation and take control of their own lives. For example, Wanda and her bothers live with an abusive father, and Wanda attempts to use her connections to Miryem to earn enough money to flee. Another character, Irina, is initially exploited by her father, who sees her as a political tool rather than a daughter. However, her exploitation by her eventual husband, the Tsar, is far worse, and Irina is forced to think of some inventive ways to manipulate the Tsar and his demonic ally in order to gain her freedom and keep her people alive. While Miryem does have a loving family, the entire village exploits Miryem and her family. Miryem is forced to become a hardened moneylender and then must outsmart the Staryk king to stay alive. Watching the characters change their nature and way of thinking in order to overcome the people using them is a fantastic piece of this story.

Like her previous book, Uprooted, Novik has set her book in an Eastern European landscape, during an unknown period of history. Despite the Germanic origins of Rumpelstiltskin, the setting of Spinning Silver feels somewhat more like Russian or Slavic in origin, with Tsars and Russian currency included in the narrative. The dark, snow-filled forests that surround the story’s towns and cities are the perfect backdrop for this story, and Novik does an amazing job of conveying the cold and hidden menace that they contain. Several of the characters in the book, including Miryem, are Jewish, and Novik spends time exploring how this group were treated and exploited. There are many examples of the other characters, especially the inhabitants of Miryem’s village, treating these characters poorly, which reflects the poor treatment that the Jewish population suffered throughout Eastern Europe, while also focusing on the role they often played as moneylenders. Overall, the dark Eastern European setting helps turn the usual child-friendly story into something colder and more hostile, and it is fascinating to see Novik’s supernatural and fantasy elements included in this historical situation.

Naomi Novik has completely reinvented one of our oldest and best-known fairy tales into a deeply fascinating and captivating story. This book highlights Novik’s fantastic understanding and utilisation of key elements of the original tale and makes full use of its deeply haunting setting and compelling dark twists. Spinning Silver is an excellent outing from Novik, who once again shows why she is one of the most creative minds in fantasy fiction.