Tag: James Patterson

Top Ten Tuesday – Titles with Animals in Them

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing their top books with animals in the title.  This is a rather interesting topic and it has several similarities to other topics that have been featured as part of the Top Ten Tuesday meme before.

I ended up coming up with quite a few good books that had animals in the titles, far too many if I’m going to be honest as it turns out it is quite a common practice to feature some form of animal in a title.  To make this list a little more manageable, I decided to exclude any mythical creatures or animals from this list, mainly because I don’t think that was in the spirit of the topic, but also because this book would end up being very similar to my recent list that looked at book covers featuring dragons.  When this exclusion still left me with way too-many options, I decided to further limit myself by restricting this list to only one book per author.  This ensured that I had reasonable input from several authors who favour animal-themed titles, or who I have a great deal of books from.  The resultant list, which still required some cutting, ended up looking pretty good and I think that I ended up covering the top books I have read with animals in the titles. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Space Wolf by William King

Space Wolf Original Cover

Following the genetically enhanced and wolf-like members of the Space Wolves Space Marine chapter, this intriguing Warhammer 40,000 is pretty damn awesome, and the title fits extremely well.

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Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

Dark Horse Cover

A great entry in Hurwitz’s awesome Orphan X series, Dark Horse was a fantastic book and its animal-themed title had great multiple meanings within the plot.

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The Black Hawks by David Wragg

The Black Hawks Cover

An amazing and captivating fantasy read; The Black Hawks references the titular mercenary group the book follows who get into all manner of trouble in a dark fantasy realm.

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The Bear Pit by S. G. MacLean

The Bear Pit Cover

An excellent historical murder mystery which features a fighting bear as a potential suspect and lethal murder weapon.

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Top Ten List:

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 5: Lone Goat and Kid by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo Lone Goat and Kid Cover

Now, realistically I could include any of the Usagi Yojimbo comics on this list, as Usagi is Japanese for rabbit.  However, I chose to ignore that and instead the animal in the title I am focusing on can be found in the fifth collected volume, Lone Goat and Kid.  A great addition in the Usagi Yojimbo series, this is a pretty epic volume, and I loved the story focussing on the titular Lone Goat and Kid, who are animal parodies of Lone Wolf and Cub.  I really like the fun homage contained in this title, which is why I included this volume, rather than the later volumes Fox Hunt and Red Scorpion, which I could have also used.

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Dogs of War by Jonathan Maberry

Dogs of War Cover

The always amazing Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry has some great titles to it, but the only one I could fit here was the fantastic novel Dogs of War.  This was an outstanding read, and while the title, Dogs of War, is a play on the famous saying, it also refers to robotic attack dogs featured within the book.  As such, I had to include this here, and this book is an outstanding addition to the series.

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Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond E. Feist

Talon of the Silver Hawk Cover

Legendary fantasy author, Raymond E. Feist has featured a couple of animals into his fantasy titles over the year, such as with King of Foxes, but the one I’m going to focus on in this list is Talon of the Silver Hawk, which was the first Feist novel I ever read.  Not only is this an incredible and eye-catching title, but Talon of the Silver Hawk also references the main character, who gains his name early in the novel when he witnesses a hawk on a vision quest.  An epic inclusion that has a very special place in my heart.

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The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett

Fifth Elephant

I’m featuring a few of my favourite authors on this list and that includes the legendary Terry Pratchett who used animal names in a few of his books.  I was very tempted to use one of my favourite Discworld books, Hogfather, here, although that is more of a character name rather than a reference to an animal.  So instead, I used The Fifth Elephant, which is a fantastic and impressive entry to the series.  Elephants are a very important part of the Discworld books, as four of them hold up the titular Discworld while standing on-top of a giant turtle, so The Fifth Elephant is a title that is guaranteed to get reader’s attention.  The book itself is a compelling addition to the City Watch sub-series and this entry sees the main characters to travel to a Transylvania-esque land, which has been gifted great riches by the crashing fifth elephant, to solve several murders and resolve political discord.  This is an outstanding entry in the series and I’m glad I could feature it on this list. 

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

Death of the Black Widow Cover

An excellent, animal-themed book title I wanted to highlight was Death of the Black Widow by the excellent team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker.  The black widow in the title refers to a mysterious, supernatural figure who seduces and kills many people over an extended period.  I had an amazing time with this novel, which was one of my favourite books of 2022, and I will admit the cool title was one of the reasons I chose to read Death of the Black Widow.

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White Wolf by David Gemmell

White Wolf Cover

One of the more interesting books I wanted to feature on this list was the epic fantasy novel White Wolf by the late, great David Gemmell.  I’ve mostly only ever talked about Gemmell’s debut novel, Legend, on this blog, but I also deeply enjoyed one of his later novels, White Wolf.  Following a deadly warrior who attempts and fails to leave his life of violence behind, White Wolf is an incredible novel that has so many great moments to it.  This was one of the earlier big pieces of fantasy that I read when I was younger, and it has stuck with me for years.  I have been meaning to go back and read this series for a while and White Wolf is one of the main reasons for this.

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The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde

The Constant Rabbit Cover

When it came to books with animals in the titles, I just to include The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde, which is such an awesomely fun book.  The Constant Rabbit is a complex novel set in a version of England where anthropomorphic rabbits have emerged and started living with humans.  This ended up being a very impressive novel that is simultaneously inventive, hilarious and a brilliant parody of British politics.  One of my favourite books of 2020 and a great addition to this list.

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Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow

Under the Eagle Cover

Out of all the authors I’m featuring on this list, few have as many books with animals in the title than historical fiction author Simon Scarrow.  That is because his long-running Eagles of the Empire series, features eagle in the titles of the first seven books (i.e. The Eagle’s Conquest, The Eagle and the Wolves and The Eagle in the Sand), as well as some other animals, like The Blood Crows.  I decided to feature the very first book in the series, Under the Eagle, which is a brilliant introduction to a gripping and powerful Roman history series, and which comes highly recommended.

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Cover

Next, we dive into Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series, which had a lot of bird imagery involved with it.  While the third book does have an animal in the title with Mockingjay, I decided against featuring it as this was a fictional species.  Instead, I decided to feature the prequel novel Collin’s released a couple of years ago with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which features two separate animals in the title.  This was an excellent prequel to the very cool young adult trilogy and I look forward to seeing it turned into a movie later this year.

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War of the Wolf by Bernard Cornwell

War of the Wolf Cover

The final entry on this list is War of the Wolf by Bernard Cornwell, which served as a great addition to his long running Saxon series.  This great book sees the aging protagonist engage in another series of battles against enemies on all fronts.  Serving as the beginning of the end of this brilliant series, I have a lot of love for War of the Wolf and it was an outstanding addition to both the Saxon series and this list.

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Well, that’s the end of my list.  It turns out that I’ve read a good number of books with animals in the title, so this ended up being a great list for me in the end.  I am pretty happy with how this turned out and it was fun to figure what to include. Let me know what your favourite books with animals in the titles are in the comments below.

3 Days to Live by James Patterson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Short Stories, Thriller1 Comment

3 Days to Live Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 31 January 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 372 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Those in the mood for a quick and very fun series of thriller stories should check out the intriguing new book from the legendary James Patterson, 3 Days to Live, featuring three great short stories co-written by some impressive talents.

I have been really getting into James Patterson’s books over the last couple of years, and there is a reason that he is always leading the thriller field.  At this point, I have mostly read books that Patterson has co-written with several other authors, including the fun Doc Savage sequel The Perfect Assassin (co-written by Brian Sitts), the impressive mystery loaded with family drama 2 Sisters Detective Agency (co-written by Candice Fox), the compelling thriller Lost (co-written by James O. Born) and the addictive and freaky Death of the Black Widow (co-written by J. D. Barker and one of my favourite books of 2022).  As such, I am always keen to read more from Patterson and when I received a copy of 3 Days to Live, I quickly dove into it knowing I would have a great time with it.

3 Days to Live is a captivating book that contains three separate short stories, including the titular story 3 Days to Live, as well as Women and Children First and The Housekeepers.  Patterson wrote each of these short stories with a separate co-author, and the talented Duane Swierczynski, Bill Schweigart and Julie Margaret Moulin each add their own flair to these great stories.  I haven’t read anything from these three authors before, so 3 Days to Live proved to be an excellent and fun introduction.  All three stories are roughly the same length, and they each have their own elaborate and intelligent narratives told utilising Patterson’s fast-paced style.  There is a very fun collection of different storylines with each of these entries, and I loved the sheer variety of scenarios these great authors came up with.

The first of these short stories is 3 Days to Live, which was co-written by Patterson and Swierczynski.  This is a very exciting and clever spy thriller that serves as an excellent and distinctive introduction to the entire collection.  The story is told from the perspective of Samantha Bell, a young, recently retired CIA agent, who has just eloped with her new husband, Kevin Drexel.  Honeymooning in Berlin, tragedy strikes when Kevin is lethally poisoned at the hotel alongside a Russian Oligarch and his daughter.  Samantha manages to survive the attack but is also dosed with the poison, which will end up killing her in less than three days.  Weakened, dazed, and heartbroken, Samantha sets out to find out who killed her and her husband and is forced to contend with both the CIA and the Russians, before discovering the terrible truth behind her own murder.

This was a very impressive and enjoyable story that I particularly enjoyed getting through.  Patterson and Swierczynski came up with a great story that perfectly utilises its fun storyline about a poisoned individual trying to find their killer before they die, which was reminiscent of films like D.O.A, Crank, and Kate.  The authors set the scene for 3 Days to Live’s story extremely well and you are soon deeply engrossed with Samantha’s story as she utilises all her knowledge and skill as a CIA agent to find out who killed her and why.  The story goes in some very fun directions, and you really connect with Samantha as she balances her grief over her husband’s death with her need for vengeance and control of the situation.  The authors do a good job of showcasing the character’s slowly declining physical health, and the weakness and loss of control she feels becomes an outstanding part of the plot, especially as you begin to worry that she won’t be able to achieve her goals.  There are some fun twists and swerves throughout this short story, and while the identity of the poisoner is a little obvious, the full motivations and set-up for it works perfectly.  I was extremely engrossed by this captivating story and I managed to power through all 110 pages in very, very short order.  Readers interested in checking this book out are in for a lot of fun with this first impressive entry and it honestly was my favourite story in the entire book.

The second story is the great read Women and Children First, which was co-written by Bill Schweigart.  This intriguing second story follows security specialist and former elite soldier Chase Weldon, who has been hired by a massive corporation to test their systems and find any potential breaches.  However, during Chase’s initial investigations a series of deadly cyber security breaches occur, and it becomes clear that someone is targeting the company and its eccentric CEO.  Initially an observer, Chase is dragged into the chaos when the saboteurs contact him and coerce him to convince his employers to pay a substantial ransom.  But when Chase attempts to push back, the saboteurs place him in a terrible situation, one where killing his wife and kids seems to be the only option.

This was another awesome and electrifying story that serves as a wonderful and compelling second entry in 3 Days to Kill.  Moving from spy thriller to corporate espionage is a fun change of pace, and I liked the unique and clever story that emerges.  Patterson and Schweigart do a great job drawing the reader in, especially after an entertaining introduction to the protagonist that also serves to highlight the tactics of the baddie.  The stakes steadily rise as the book continues and watching the protagonist get desperate enough to consider killing his family really added to tension of the plot.  The subsequent interactions with the arrogant tech CEO make for some great scenes, and while I was able to see most of the story’s big twists coming, it was still a ton of fun getting through it, especially with all the action that unfolds around them.  There are some fantastic family dynamics worked into the plot, and while the family are portrayed as way too overwhelmingly talented, you still get caught up in their gripping adventure.  The authors end up telling a very concise and entertaining story through the course of 121 pages, and I was hooked enough to read the entire thing in one sitting.  Women and Children First also serves as a great follow up to 3 Days to Live, and readers following on straight away from the first action-packed story will find another excellent read that keeps the blood pumping while telling its own distinctive and enjoyable story.

The third and final story in 3 Days to Live is the powerful and intense thriller, The Housekeepers, which was co-written by Julie Margaret Moulin.  Following several distinctive characters, The Housekeepers sees Russian housekeepers Sophie and Masha on the run from the Russian mob who intend to kill Sophie’s son Nikolai.  Desperate for a place to hide, they secrete themselves in the pool house of Masha’s boss, Dr Elizabeth Parks.  However, Dr Parks is going through her own issues, including family drama and police concerns around a gang violently targeting her clients to steal their prescription medication.  When circumstances drive them together, the doctor and the housekeepers need to work together to survive all their deadly problems.

This was another compelling story and probably the most moving and powerful of the bunch.  Rather than the fast-paced action of the first two stories, The Housekeepers is more character driven, and Patterson and Moulin do a wonderful job of efficiently setting up the major problems impacting all the distinctive protagonists.  Each of these issues, including Russian gangsters, problematic teenagers, intruders, family tensions, and even a pack of coyotes, come crashing down around them and it results in some complex and dramatic interactions.  The authors really lay down an excellent and intelligent narrative in The Housekeepers and I loved how dark it got, especially with those great twists at the end.  All the complex characters have their own dark issues, and it was really impressive how Patterson and Moulin where able to effectively set them out and resolve them during the course of this short story.  I came away from The Housekeepers deeply satisfied, if slightly saddened, and this proved to be an awesome and moving finale to this volume.

This was an overall excellent and captivating collection of short stories from Patterson and his co-writers, and I am really glad I got the chance to read them.  All three fast-paced stories really draw the reader in with their well-established and thought-out narratives and unique scenarios, and the authors played them out perfectly.  Each story really stood on its own feet while also adding to the entire volume.  I personally enjoyed the differences in tone and focus that each story contained, and I think that 3 Days to Live serves as a good example of Patterson’s style and ability to work with different authors.  I would strongly recommend 3 Days to Live to established Patterson readers or thriller fans who are interested in seeing what sort of ideas Patterson and his cohorts are working with these days.  I can’t wait to read more Patterson books in the future.

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The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller4 Comments

The Perfect Assassin Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 15 November 2022)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 317 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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The team of James Patterson and Brian Sitts present one of the most unique thrillers of 2022 with The Perfect Assassin, a sharp, exciting read that pays homage to a classic pulp hero.

Readers of this this blog will remember that I only started reading the works of the iconic and exceedingly productive James Patterson a couple of years ago and I have so far enjoyed several of his more interesting books.  This includes Lost (co-written with James O. Born), 2 Sisters Detective Agency (co-written with Candice Fox), Blowback (co-written with Brendan DuBois) and one of my favourite books of 2022, Death of the Black Widow (co-written with J. D. Barker).  I have had a great time with each of these cool reads, and when I heard the plot of one of Patterson’s latest books, The Perfect Assassin, I knew I had to read it.  The Perfect Assassin is fifth collaboration between Patterson and fellow thriller author Brian Sitts and presents the reader with a really fun and intense story that had an intriguing connection to a classic adventure series from the past.

Dr Brandt Savage is an anthropology professor at the University of Chicago, leading a less-than ordinary life and often ignored by his colleagues and students.  His only real plan in life is to disappear to some exotic locale on an upcoming research sabbatical.  However, the sabbatical is going to become far more extreme than anything he imagined when he is kidnapped from the university campus and imprisoned inside an isolated and hidden warehouse.

Savage’s kidnapper is a beautiful and deadly killer, known only as Meed, who informs Savage that his life needs to change.  Forcing him to undertake an intense and extended physical and mental training regimen, Meed begins to mould him into a completely new person, one who is stronger, smarter, and more dangerous than anything Savage could ever imagine.  But even after six months of the most brutal training imaginable, Savage is far from ready for what is to come.

Meed is running from her own past and the dangerous people who turned her into a lethal killer.  To survive, she needs Savage’s help, especially if she can use her training and conditioning to bring out the genetics of his legendary ancestor, the original Doc Savage.  Savage is soon dragged into a new and terrifying world of killers, assassins and secret organisations, all of which are connected to his family’s terrible legacy.  Forced to work with Meed, who has her own link to his family, Savage begins a new adventure worthy of his ancestor.  But is he enough of a Savage to survive the experience?

This was a very fun and exciting novel from the team of Patterson and Sitts, and I am really glad I decided to read it.  The two authors have come up with an awesome story for The Perfect Assassin, which blends a thrilling modern tales with some interesting connections to the classic Doc Savage pulp novels.

The Perfect Assassin’s story starts in a very cool and intense way when Brandt Savage is kidnapped by the mysterious Meed and finds himself being brutally trained to bring out his best self.  The first half of the book sets up the entire novel very well, as it is split between chapters told from Savage’s perspective as he undergoes his training, and chapters from Meed’s perspective that either explore her childhood being raised in deadly assassin school or show her current missions against some of her former classmates.  This results in quite the compelling narrative, especially as you begin to appreciate the contrasts between Meed’s past and her current actions with Savage.  The authors introduce some big revelations about both primary characters and their ancestors that results in a complete change to the narrative format for the second half of the book, especially as there is a big focus on the protagonist’s connection to Doc Savage.  There the narrative is firmly set in the present with the characters working together on a sped up and action-packed chase around the world that ended up with several big confrontations.  Everything ends with a ton of action, and while the plot was wrapped up way too quick, you have so much fun getting there that you do not mind too much.

I felt that Patterson and Sitts’s writing style for The Perfect Assassin helped to enhance this awesome narrative, especially as everything was set up to compliment the fast-paced story.  The author’s use of short, sharp chapters really moves the story along.  At the same time, the blend of multiple perspectives, especially those shown from Meed’s childhood in the first half of the book, allows for them to efficiently tell a more complex tale, especially as it provides greater detail about Meed and her motivations in short and exciting order.  Throw in a ton of action, some quick, but well received character development, and a good selection of sudden twists and revelations and you will be flying through this book in no time at all.  I really appreciated the way that Patterson and Sitts set this book up and their style of writing, as well as the memorable narrative, made it very hard to put down, especially when you could keep seeing the end of the next chapter just around the corner every time you turned the page.

Easily one of the most interesting parts of this book is the fantastic connection that it bears to the classic pulp character of Doc Savage and associated media.  Patterson and Sitts’s unique narrative serves as a multi-generational successor to the original novels, with the plot focussing on multiple aspects of the Doc Savage lore and characters.  Not only are the main characters related to iconic Doc Savage figures, but the entire plot revolves around the consequences of Doc Savages origins, with aspects of it coming into play with the new Savage and his training, but also with the assassin school that Meed was raised in (which was such a cool setting btw).  Now, I have to admit that I am not particularly familiar with the Doc Savage media (it is well before my time), but it was very clear that the authors loaded The Perfect Assassin with a ton of homages to the original books, with references to characters, settings, plot lines and other Doc Savage elements.  At the same time, the authors seek to modernise the story to a degree, giving parts of the characters’ origins a darker and more morally ambiguous edge.  These Doc Savage elements were made pretty accessible to new readers, and even those people who aren’t that familiar with the old-school character should be able to follow what is happening (a quick online search probably wouldn’t hurt though).  Naturally, fans of the original pulp novels are going to have the most fun with this book, especially as they will be able to recognise all the references I missed.  I did think that they might have slightly overdone some of the Doc Savage elements towards the end of the book, with a Doc Savage inspired speech and certain super-human abilities making the story way sillier than it needed to be.  However, I ended up having a ton of fun with all these fantastic Doc Savage references in The Perfect Assassin, and I think quite a few readers will appreciate how Patterson and Sitts endeavoured to bring the one of the first superhuman characters into a whole new age.

Overall, The Perfect Assassin was one of the more unique and awesome thrillers of 2022 and I had an outstanding time getting through it.  The great team of James Patterson and Brian Sitts produced a fantastic and compelling story that quickly draws you in and keeps you interested with its action, amazing developments, and distinctive relationship to a historic piece of action/adventure media.  It will be great if Patterson and Sitts present some sequel to The Perfect Assassin in the future.  If they do, I will be sure to grab a copy, especially if I am in the mood for some easy-to-read excitement.

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Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2022

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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.  In this final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2022, which is something I look forward to every year.  This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobooks, favourite debuts and my top pre-2022 books I read this year.  However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2022 has been another roller-coaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres.  Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts and several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way.  I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites.  I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned.  Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last three years).  These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2022, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

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

Top Ten List (no particular order):

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The Bullet That Missed Cover

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

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

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World Cover

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

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

Usagi Joint Cover

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

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Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley

Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh! Cover

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

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Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry

Kagen the Damned Cover

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

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Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis

Desperate Undertaking Cover 2

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

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The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

The Hunger of the Gods Cover

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

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Desert Star by Michael Connelly

Desert Star Cover

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

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Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

Sierra Six Cover

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

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Against All Gods by Miles Cameron

Against all Gods Cover

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

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Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

Assassinorum Kingmaker Cover

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

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The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

The German Wife Cover

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

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

In the Shadow of Lightning Cover

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

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The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The Lawless Land Cover

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

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The Martyr by Anthony Ryan

The Martyr Cover

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

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

Death of the Black Widow Cover

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

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The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

The Golden Enclaves Cover Better

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

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Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch

Amongst our Weapons Cover

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

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The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis

The Unbelieved Cover

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

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The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The Voyage of the Forgotten Cover

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

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Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2022. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books.  2023 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week.  In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2022 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

WWW Wednesday – 21 December 2022

On 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?

Hunting Time by Jeffery Deaver (Trade Paperback)

Hunting Time Cover

I just started reading the interesting thriller novel, Hunting Time by Jeffery Deaver.  Bringing back his established protagonist Colter Shaw, Hunting Time features an elaborate fugitive narrative as a desperate woman attempts to outrun Shaw, her abusive cop husband, and several hitman.  I have only made a little progress on Hunting Time so far, but I am really enjoying it, especially as it has a compelling story behind it.  I am hoping to finish it off in the next few days and I can’t wait to see how everything comes together.

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The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell (Audiobook)

The Voyage of the Forgotten Cover

I finally got a chance to start listening to one of my most anticipated books of 2022, with The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell.  The third and final book in Martell’s The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings trilogy, The Voyage of the Forgotten continues the adventures of reluctant hero Michael Kingman, who finds himself in the middle of a secret war between hidden immortals.  I only just started this audiobook a few minutes ago, but I am having a great time with it, especially as there are some outstanding details up front.  I already know that I am going to love this book, especially after I have had such an incredible time with this series and both of the preceding books, The Kingdom of Liars (one of my favourite books, audiobooks and debuts of 2020) and The Two-Faced Queen (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have very little doubt that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to be one of the top books of 2022 and I cannot wait to explore all its mysteries, revelations, and inevitable tragedies in the next week.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Red Winter by Marc Cameron, based on the books by Tom Clancy (Trade Paperback) 

Red Winter Cover

A fantastic and intense spy thriller that takes readers back to the classic adventures of Jack Ryan.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova (Audiobook)

Star Wars - Convergence Cover

The second phase of The High Republic looks set to be one of its strongest, especially if we have more outstanding books like Convergence by Zoraida Cordova.  An epic and powerful read, this was one of the best Star Wars novels and audiobooks of 2022, and I am extremely glad I listened to it. 

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The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

The Perfect Assassin Cover

I absolutely powered through the new James Patterson novel, The Perfect Assassin, this week.  Co-written by Brian Sitts, The Perfect Assassin had an excellent and fast-paced story that takes the reader on a wild ride.  Compelling, exciting, and featuring a great connection to some old-school pulp novels, this was a lot of fun, and I am hoping to get a review up of it soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Khaos by Jeremy Robinson

Khaos Cover

I’m not entirely certain what physical book I’ll read after finishing off The Hunting Time, but I do know that the next audiobook I will be listening to is Khaos by Jeremy Robinson.  The intriguing follow-up to his awesome books, Tribe, The Dark, and Mind Bullet, Khaos will bring together the protagonists of these three novels and force them to travel to the ancient Greek hell of Tartarus and summon the banished Gods and Titans to war.  I am very excited to listen to this crazy book next and I am sure it will be an ultra-fun and highly compelling novel.

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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 – 14 December 2022

On 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?

Red Winter by Marc Cameron, based on the books by Tom Clancy (Trade Paperback) 

Red Winter Cover

I just started reading the fantastic Jack Ryan novel, Red Winter, by awesome author Marc Cameron.  A throwback to the classic works of Tom Clancy, Red Winter follows Clancy’s iconic protagonist on a new adventure set in the height of his CIA career in the 1980s.  This time Ryan must go behind the Iron Curtain to East Berlin to secure a defecting agent and gain information on an enemy operation in the United States that has just obtained valuable military research. I have made a good amount of progress on this book so far, and I am really enjoying the exciting and complex spy thriller narrative.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova (Audiobook)

Star Wars - Convergence Cover

I am still going with the audiobook version of Convergence by Zoraida Cordova and I have made a fair bit of progress with it.  The first adult book in the second phase of the Star Wars: The High Republic series, Convergence sets the stage for much of 2023’s Star Wars fiction and has quite a lot riding on it.  Following a new batch of characters as they explore a whole new period of Star Wars history, Convergence has an outstanding narrative which sees some great characters attempt to bring peace to two worlds stuck in an eternal war.  I am hoping to finish off Convergence in the next week and I cannot wait to see how this complex novel ends.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Fool’s Gold by Jon Hollins (Paperback)

9780356507651

An extremely fun and entertaining fantasy heist book that sees a mismatched group of thieves attempt to rob a dragon’s hoard, with disastrous results. Highly recommended, make sure to check out my review.

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Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher (Hardcover)

Dead Man's Hand Cover

A brilliant and very well-written urban fantasy novel that I powered through extremely quickly.  One of my favourite debuts of 2022.

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Headcase by Jack Heath (Trade Paperback)

Headcase Cover

I just finished off this epic dark thriller today, and boy was it something special.  The fourth book in Australian author Jack Heath’s fantastic Hangman series, Headcase follows his twisted cannibal protagonist as he attempts to solve an impossible murder of an apparent astronaut who fell from the sky.  Extremely clever and insanely good, Headcase was one of the best books by an Australian author I have read all year and I cannot recommend it enough. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

The Perfect Assassin Cover

I am hoping to check out this interesting thriller next.  Written by the team of James Patterson and Brian Sitts, The Perfect Assassin is a fascinating sounding read that has connections to the classic Doc Savage stories.  I know I am going to have an epic time with this book and I can’t wait to see what amazing story these two authors have cooked up here.

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The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The Voyage of the Forgotten Cover

After I finish off Convergence, my plan is to dive into one of my most anticipated books of 2022, with The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell.  The third and final book in Martell’s The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings trilogy, The Voyage of the Forgotten will continue to follow the adventures of Michael Kingman, the scion of a formerly great house who seeks to prove his father’s innocence, but instead finds himself in the middle several dangerous conspiracies and a secret war between hidden immortals.  I have had such an incredible time with this series and both of the preceding books, The Kingdom of Liars (one of my favourite books, audiobooks and debuts of 2020) and The Two-Faced Queen (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), were exceedingly epic. I have very little doubt that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to be one of the top books of 2022 for me and I look forward to listening to it very soon.

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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 – 22 November 2022

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I have been having an absolutely fantastic week for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, some of which rank amongst my top books of 2022.  I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Death to the Emperor by Simon Scarrow

Death to the Emperor Cover

The first book I recently received was the latest historical epic from the master of Roman historical fiction, Simon Scarrow, with Death to the Emperor.  The 21st book in his amazing Eagles of the Emperor series (which has previously featured such awesome reads like The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile and The Honour of Rome), Death to the Emperor puts Scarrow’s long-running protagonists in the middle of Boudica’s rebellion in Britannia.  I have actually already read this amazing book and it proved to be particularly captivating and action-packed.  Review to follow soon.

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Retribution by Sarah Barrie

Retribution Cover

Next up is the outstanding Australian thriller Retribution by Sarah Barrie.  A sequel to Barrie’s dark 2021 read, Unforgiven, Retribution presents several intriguing, interlocked cases that tie into the events of the last book and sees her maverick protagonist once again try to take down the deadly antagonist from Unforgiven. I have already started reading this fantastic novel and I can’t wait to see how the various cases unfold.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 37: Crossroads by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo - Crossroads Cover

I was exceedingly happy to receive a copy of the new Usagi Yojimbo volume, Crossroads, this week.  As most readers will know, I am a massive fan of Stan Sakai’s outstanding Usagi Yojimbo comic series, and I was extremely happy that Sakai released a second volume this year.  Crossroads, which I read the second it was delivered, is another amazing read with two epic stories to them.  Loaded with action, incredible artwork and fantastic characters, this was another impressive outing from Sakai that I had a wonderful time reading.

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Silver Queendom by Dan Koboldt

Silver Queendom Cover

The next book I was lucky enough to receive is the fantastic and fun fantasy novel, Silver Queendom by Dan Koboldt.  I absolutely love the sound of Silver Queendom which sees a scrappy group of conman attempt to pull off an impossible heist to save their skins.  There is nothing about this book’s plot that I do not love, and I am very excited to see how this fantasy heist novel pays off.  I already know I am going to have an awesome time with this book, and I am hoping to check it out next.

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The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett

The Resemblance Cover

I was also lucky enough to receive a copy of a fantastic new debut novel with The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett.  Set in a college town, this book will see a police detective dive into the corrupt world of fraternities and sororities as she attempts to solve a curious murder of a college student run over by someone who looks exactly like him.  This sounds like quite an intriguing read, and I look forward to diving into this elaborate case, which will no doubt provide some interesting insights into the crazy world of elite university students.

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Private Beijing by James Patterson and Adam Hamdy

Private Beijing Cover

I have been getting a few James Patterson books recently, and the latest is the compelling Private Beijing, which Patterson cowrote with Adam Hamdy.  This is the 17th book in Patterson’s The Private series which follows a group of private investigators, and his latest book will see the Beijing office of the agency come under attack, forcing Private’s leader, Jack Morgan, into action.  I haven’t had a chance to check out this series before, but I am very keen to try now, especially as this sounds like quite a fun spy thriller.  I look forward to getting through more of Patterson’s books this year and I am sure I am in for an excellent time with Private Beijing.

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Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

Judgement Day Cover

The final book I received a copy of is the awesome 2023 Australian thriller, Judgement Day, by new author Mali Waugh. The debut novel from Waugh, Judgement Day will see a detective investigate the murder of judge, which will bring her to the dark heart of the local legal system.  I am already quite intrigued by this upcoming novel, and I am very excited to already have a copy of this Australian crime fiction debut.

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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.

Book Haul – 13 November 2022

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I have been having an absolutely fantastic weeks for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, some of which rank amongst my top books of 2022.  I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova

Star Wars - Convergence Cover

The first book I recently received was the awesome Star Wars novel, Convergence by Zoraida Cordova.  The first adult book in the second phase of The High Republic sub-series, Convergence looks set to be one of the major books of this franchise, providing a major introduction to the wider galaxy in the prequel era while also showcasing some of the key new characters and concepts. I only just finished the very first book in this second phase, Path of Deceit, and it has gotten me pretty excited for the upcoming High Republic offerings.  I can’t wait to see what happens in Convergence, and I have a feeling it is going to be quite an impressive read.

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Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Friends Like These Cover 2

I was very excited to receive a copy of the intense young adult thriller, Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarerz.  I had an absolutely wonderful time reading Alvarez’s 2021 novel, Lies Like Wildfire, which was one of my favourite debuts of last year.  Friends Like These will contain another intriguing narrative around teenagers making terrible mistakes that lead to murder. This time centered around the consequences of a beach party where a viral video prank gets everyone in trouble, Friends Like These promises to be an exceptional read, and I reckon I’ll try to dive into it next.

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The Prisoner by B. A. Paris

The Prisoner by B. A. Paris Cover

One of the more intriguing books I recently received was the compelling psychological thriller, The Prisoner by acclaimed author B. A. Paris.  Set to follow a woman who knows plenty about survival, The Prisoner will see the protagonist kidnapped by mysterious captors, who lock her in a pitch-black room.  However, as the ordeal continues, the protagonist finds herself feeling safe, especially as it keeps her away from her husband.  I’m very, very curious about this book, mainly because I’m not entirely sure how it is going to unfold.  I am imagining that this is going to be a super-twisty read, and I look forward to seeing just how dark and complex it turns out to be.

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The Warrior by Stephen Aryan

The Warrior Cover

I was very happy to receive a copy of The Warrior by Stephen Aryan in the last week, which will continue an excellent narrative from a talented author.  The sequel to one of the more entertaining fantasy books of 2021, The Coward, The Warrior will see the protagonist, traumatized hero turned reluctant king, Kell, travel off on another lethal adventure, this time to help a friend. I loved the first book in this clever duology last year and I have no doubt that Aryan has another exciting and heartfelt adventure waiting for us in this cool sequel.

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Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher

Dead Man's Hand Cover

Out of all the books I have recently received, the one that I am particularly curious and excited for is Dead Man’s Hand, and that is mainly because of its author, James J. Butcher.  Butcher is the son of legendary fantasy author, Jim Butcher, and he is breaking into the family business by starting his own urban fantasy series.  Dead Man’s Hand is a very cool sounding book that sees a mediocre witch forced to investigate a murder of one of his powerful peers in order to prove his innocence.  Featuring a very interesting narrative and a cool cover, I have a feeling that I am going to enjoy Dead Man’s Hand and I look forward to finding out how Butcher’s first book turns out.

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The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

The Perfect Assassin Cover

The final book I recently received is the awesomely titled novel, The Perfect Assassin, written by the fantastic team of James Patterson and Brian Stills.  I have been having an incredible time with some of the recent novels Patterson has cowritten, such as 2 Sisters Detective Agency and Death of the Black Widow, and I am looking forward to reading this next one, especially as it has quite an intriguing plot to it.  Connected to classic pulp character, Doc Savage, this book will apparently follow a university professor who is kidnapped by a mysterious woman, who seeks to mold him into something very different.  I am very intrigued by this interesting novel, and I have a feeling The Perfect Assassin is going to be a very entertaining, if slightly bonkers read, and I can’t wait to see how it connects to the old-school adventures from the 1930s.

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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 – My Favourite Horror Novels (Updated – 2022)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List8 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  In this latest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, readers get a Halloween Freebie, meaning that they can list whatever topic they want, although a horror or Halloween theme is encouraged.  So, with that in mind, I thought I would take this opportunity to update a previous list where I highlighted my favourite horror novels of all time.

Back in 2020 for Halloween, I came up with a list where I looked at my top ten favourite horror novels.  While horror is not my favourite genre, I ended up producing a rather interesting list with some unique entries that I was pretty happy with.  This list got a bit of interest, and I decided I would make a bit of effort to come back to update this list every Halloween, especially if I had some new horror novels to add to it.  I did an update last year with several awesome novels, and I have decided to come back to it again in 2022, especially as I have had the opportunity to check out some excellent and intense horror reads.

To sort out this update, I took a critical look at the previous version of the list and made some hard decisions about whether any of the horror novels I read in the last year might fit in better.  I ended up making a few changes, with new entries replacing some of the existing books (all new entries in red).  While I was sad to see some of the previously featured novels removed, I honestly felt that the new entries are better horror novels.  This resulted in a fun new version of this list, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Honourable Mentions:

Later by Stephen King

Later Cover

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The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Sandman Act 1 Cover

I had to include the audiobook version of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman here, as it has some great horror elements to it.  While more of a fantasy/comic story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, which are really enhanced in the full-cast audiobook.  The Sandman features several great horror scenes, but the most disturbing would have to be the infamous diner scene.  Contained within the sixth chapter/issues, 24 Hours, this epic extended sequence shows a group of customers in a diner slowly driven insane and then brutally killed by the villainous Doctor Destiny using Dream’s stolen ruby.  This entire chapter is masterfully portrayed and you cannot help but shudder at every atrocity the innocent patrons experience during the worst 24 hours of their lives.  This trippy diner sequence was recently adapted in the recent The Sandman television series, and while that was good, especially with David Thewlis playing Doctor Destiny, I felt that the version in the comics was even darker and creepier.  This, and a several other dark scenes, ensure The Sandman an honourable mention on this list and this comic and its audiobook adaptation are highly recommended for all horror fans.

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A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

A History of the Vampire Uprising Cover

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

Death of the Black Widow Cover

Another entry that is not a full horror book, but which features amazing horror elements is the recent novel by James Patterson and J. D. Barker, Death of the Black Widow.  Following a young cop who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman he encounters on his first day on the job, Death of Black Widow is a twisty and intriguing read that takes the protagonist on a dangerous journey to the edge of sanity.  Initially portrayed as a compelling thriller story, this book eventually develops some excellent horror elements, which led me to include it as an honourable mention.  Extremely addictive, I loved this thriller/horror blend and I look forward to reading more books from this excellent team of writers.

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Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Into the Drowning Deep Cover

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Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Patient Zero Cover

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The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

The Dark Cover

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Warhammer 40,000: The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill

The Bookkeeper's Skull Cover

One of the more recent horror books I had the pleasure of reading was The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill.  Part of the intriguing Warhammer Horror subseries, The Bookkeeper’s Skull is a haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting.  The book follows a planetary enforcer as he investigates a mysterious and cursed agricultural community plagued by a series of gruesome murders.  Hill creates a spooky and malevolent atmosphere, and you are constantly left wondering who is going to end up dead next.  Tightly paced and featuring some brilliantly dark examinations of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

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The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

The Anomaly Cover

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Code Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Code Zero Cover

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World War Z by Max Brooks

World War Z Cover 2

After years of hearing how awesome it was, I finally got around to enjoying the iconic zombie novel, World War Z by Max Brooks.  One of the more unique zombie books out there, World War Z recounts the history a devastating, world-wide zombie apocalypse and the various people it impacts.  Told through a brilliant chronicle method where multiple interesting characters recount their distinctive personal stories, you get an impressive, multifaceted narrative that covers the beginning, middle and end of the zombie wars.  Epic in its scope and filled with some great stories and characters, it honestly does not take long to get extremely addicted to World War Z.  While the focus is more on exploring the impacts a zombie apocalypse would have on the world, World War Z does have some pretty creepy moment.  The darker tales of underwater zombies, massacres of modern armies, and the mental turmoil suffered by zombie survivors, are excellent horror material that makes this an easy book to include here.  An epic and outstanding book that lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

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Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

deathtrooperscover

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Devolution by Max Brooks

Devolution Cover

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Ink by Jonathan Maberry

Ink Cover

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That’s the end of this latest Top Ten Tuesday list.  I think that the new horror novels were great additions to the list, and I think this new version of the list turned out really well.  Each of the above novels, both new inclusions and existing ones, are outstanding reads that come highly recommended to all horror fans.  I look forward to seeing how this list evolves once again this time next year, especially as I am sure some amazing and spinetingling horror books are likely to come out in the next 12 months.

Book Haul – 1 September 2022

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

I have been having an absolutely fantastic couple of weeks for books, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, some of which rank amongst my top books of 2022.  I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Blowback by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois

Blowback Cover

The first book I was lucky enough to receive was Blowback by the wonderful team of James Patterson and Brendan DuBois.  A clever and interesting new thriller about a power-hungry US president who uses his position to launch an insane course of action against the rest of the world. This was an excellent and action-packed book that takes the reader on a very wild ride. I have already finished it off and I will hopefully get a review together for it soon.

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All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

All of Our Demise Cover 2

I was also lucky enough to receive a copy of All of Our Demise, which I have just started reading.  The sequel to last year’s fantastic All of Us Villains, the team of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman have done an excellent job of continuing the narrative here, expanding on the death tournament concept and taking the compelling, damaged protagonists on an even darker journey.  I can’t wait to see how this epic book comes to an end, and I am very confident this will turn out to be one of the best young adult novels of 2022.

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Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Nona the Ninth Cover

I was extremely happy to receive a copy of Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir out of the blue.  The third book in The Locked Tomb series, Nona the Ninth continues the excellent storylines about spacefaring necromancers started in the previous two novels.  I have loved the outstanding and elaborate first two entries in the series, Gideon the Ninth (one of my favourite debuts of 2019) and Harrow the Ninth (one my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), and I cannot wait to see how this complex series continues.  I have very, very high expectations for Nona the Ninth and I know I am going to have an exceptional time reading it.

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The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The Bullet That Missed Cover

There are few books in 2022 I am as excited for as The Bullet that Missed by comedian Richard Osman.  The sequel to The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet that Missed promises to be another exceptional and captivating mystery novel with some amazing characters and a fantastic sense of humour to it.  I have no doubt that this will be another five-star book and I will hopefully read it soon.

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Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis

Star Wars - The Princess and the Scoundrel Cover

There have been some great Star Wars tie-in novels coming out this year but one of the ones I have been most interested in checking out is The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis.  Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, The Princess and the Scoundrel will show the wedding and honeymoon of Han Solo and Princess Leia, all set to the backdrop of the formation of the New Republic.  I can’t wait to see what happens in this awesome sounding book and I reckon it will be one of the top Star Wars novels of 2022.

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Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

Act of Oblivion Cover

I was very happy to also receive a copy of the new Robert Harris book, Act of Oblivion, which I reckon is going to be really interesting.  Harris has been tearing it up with some fascinating historical fiction novels lately, including the 2020 release V2, and I really like the sound of Act of Oblivion.  Based on real historical events, Act of Oblivion will follow two of the men responsible for the death of Charles I as they attempt to hide from the English in the American colonies.  I love this impressive concept and I am very excited to see Harris’ take on these historical fugitives.

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Lion by Conn Iggulden

Lion Cover

I was in the mood for some awesome historical fiction, so I went out and grabbed a copy of Lion by Conn Iggulden.  The follow-up to Iggulden’s last two novels, The Gates of Athens and Protector, Lion will continue to tell the story of ancient Athens, this time showcasing the rise of Pericles. I have had an exceptional time reading the previous books in this series and I cannot wait to see how Iggulden continues it.

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No Country for Girls by Emma Styles

No Country for Girls Cover

I was extremely intrigued by one of the cool books I received in the last week with the Australian thriller No Country For Girls by Emma Styles.  Set in the Australian outback, this awesome sounding book will follow two strangers who get thrust into a deadly situation and must flee into the wild bush to survive. I really love the sound of this book’s amazing story and I am very curious to find out how this fantastic novel goes.

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The Killing Code by Ellie Marney

The Killing Code Cover

Another compelling novel I received was the young adult, historical murder mystery, The Killing Code by Australian author Ellie Marney.  Set during World War II, this book follows several American codebreakers as they attempt to find out who is murdering their colleagues.  The Killing Code has a fantastic and very appealing narrative, and I am very keen to check out Marney’s writing style.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Volume One by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Dan Duncan and more

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Volume One Cover

The final book I recently grabbed was the awesome first volume of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IDW comics.  I have been a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise for a long time, primarily the television series, and I have been meaning to check out some of the comics for ages, especially considering how much I enjoy the related Usagi Yojimbo comics. As such I splashed out and grabbed volume one of the IDW run on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is the current version of the comics.  Including Issues #1-12 of the series, as well as a couple of character-focused issues, this proved to be an excellent introduction to this current series.  I had a brilliant time getting through this comic, and it was interesting to see this new take on the characters and the universe.  Featuring a great writing team in Kevin Eastman (one of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creators) and Tom Waltz, as well as art from Dan Duncan, this was an excellent and impressive comic, and I will try and do a Throwback Thursday post about it soon.

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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.