Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2025 Novels

On December 3, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2025 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2025, for the last few years I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2025 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2025, including some incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2025. While I struggled due to an overabundance of choice, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books I read this year released before 2025. I did have to put one restriction on my choices for this year’s list, primarily because I read quite a few novels from authors, Matt Dinniman and Terry Pratchett, and I could have filled this top ten list with books from these two alone. As such, I limited myself to three books from each author, which ensured a bit more diversity in this list. With this rule in place, I feel that this list still reflects the best pre-2025 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire by Matthew Farrer – 2003

An intense classic novel from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise with a great crime fiction twist.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 2024

An intricate fantasy novel that makes excellent use of a clever, time-loop scenario

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 2024

Flavia Albia returns for another ancient Rome mystery, this time hunting down an organised crime boss that she has a dark history with.

Top Ten List:

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett – 1992

I had a lot of fun re-reading several Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett in 2025, including the impressive and thought-provoking Small Gods. One of Pratchett’s absolute best Discworld books, Small Gods provides a clever and hilarious look at religion and how it impacts the human condition, all while following two of the author’s most relatable protagonists. There is so much to love about Small Gods, and it was a pleasure to read it once again, especially with the new audiobook format that featured narration from Andy Serkis.

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett – 1993

Another outstanding Discworld book I enjoyed in 2025 was the second entry in the City Watch sub-series, Men at Arms. The sequel to Pratchett’s earlier release, Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms sees the unlikely heroes of the Ankh-Morpork city watch attempt to stop a deranged killer wielding the Disc’s first firearm. A very impressive crime fiction novel that makes full use of the iconic city of Ankh-Morpork as a gritty background setting, Men at Arms was another early classic from Pratchett, that I will never get tired of re-reading.

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett – 1996

The final book from Pratchett that I want to highlight on this list is the third City Watch book, Feet of Clay. Following the returning protagonists from Men at Arms as they attempt to solve a series of brutal murders connected to Ankh-Morpork’s golem population, as well as stop the poisoning of the patrician. Probably the best crime fiction novel that Pratchett ever wrote, Feet of Clay is an exceptional book that still brings me joy whenever I read it.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett – 2008

It wouldn’t be a reading year for me without some older Warhammer 40,000 novels thrown into the mix. One of my favourites of these was the epic novel Titanicus by the legendary Dan Abnett. A spin-off of his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Titanicus follows a sprawling war between the gigantic Titan war machines, as they rain destruction and death across an entire planet. Massive in scope and featuring some outstanding battle sequences, Titanicus was an outstanding read and one I had such an incredible time getting through.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell – 2010

I also continued my dive into another awesome older Warhammer 40,000 series this year with The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell. A particularly hilarious entry in the entertaining Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest once again follows the galaxy’s smartest, if most cowardly, commissar, as he attempts to avoid deadly danger in space, only to inadvertently end up facing even worse monsters or deadly situations. I laughed myself silly throughout The Emperor’s Finest and it was a great entry in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – 2020

Those who are familiar with this blog will already know that 2025 started my obsession with the incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, as I dove into several of these novels which were all released before 2025. I ended up powering through the entire series on audiobook in a couple of weeks, it was that damn good, and I just had to include a few entries from this series on this list as a result. This includes the very first book in the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, which serves as a powerful introduction to the elaborate narrative and setting. I love how well Dungeon Crawler Carl sets the entire adventure up, and you get a perfect taste of the author’s unique humour and crazy imagination with this incredible read. Highly recommended, although be warned, once you start reading this book, you won’t be able to stop.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton – 2022

The highly entertaining and inventive science fiction novel, Mickey7, proved to be excellent entertainment for a road trip earlier this year. A fantastic novel that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, Mickey7 featured a great story about an expendable member of a distant space colony, who gets in trouble when an extra clone of him is created. I really enjoyed this awesome novel and it really worth going back and checking out.

The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman – 2022

After already featuring the first Dungeon Crawler Carl novel on this list, I was spoiled for choice about which other entries from the series to feature here, especially as I read them all this year. however, in the end the choice was rather easy for me as I had to feature one of the very best books from Dinniman with the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade. Featuring an elaborate plot that sees the increasingly damaged protagonists transported to a new level filled with alien hunters who plan to butcher them for sport, The Butcher’s Masquerade was another exceptional entry in the series. Between its epic story, amazing humour, crazy moments, and impressive emotional depth, The Butcher’s Masquerade was a true standout amongst an already incredible series, and I just had to feature it here.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman – 2023

The third Dungeon Crawler Carl novel I decided to feature on this list was the sixth book, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, which I honestly think was one of the most impressive entries in the series. Perfectly building on the plot from the previous novels, Dinniman turned what could have been a fun bridging novel into an emotionally charged and traumatic read that really dived into several of the series’ outstanding characters. Funny, exhilarating and absolutely heartbreaking, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features some of Dinniman’s best writing, and I honestly could not get enough of the elaborate scenarios and shocking moments in this book. The crown jewel of one of the best ongoing series you need to read.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga – 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the very exciting 2024 thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. A compelling read that saw a damaged former cop attempt to climb up through a chaotic and deadly rioting prison, The Ascent was a very impressive novel, and one I flew through extremely quickly. I really enjoyed this great book, and I’m hoping to read the sequel, Hard Town, sometime soon.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2025 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend all of them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading many more older books in 2026, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2025 that I still Need to Read

On July 2, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie. However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2025 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.

While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding books in 2025, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read. Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2025 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet. Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads. This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while. All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about a hero whose chosen-one status isn’t what he thinks it is.

Warrior by Simon Turney

The interesting sounding sequel to Turney’s 2024 novel Invader. I failed to get a copy of Warrior earlier in the year, so I will have to see how I go continuing the series.

Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong

A very exciting science fiction debut that I’m hoping to read soon, especially as Strong already has a sequel to it coming out.

The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron

An awesome historical thriller that I am going to try and grab a copy of soon, as it sounds particularly epic.

Top Ten List:

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The first novel from the first half of 2025 that I want to talk about is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence. The third and final entry in Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart will finish off the elaborate story of a war within a massive, impossible library that started in The Book that Wouldn’t Burn and continued in The Book That Broke the World. I deeply enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I really want to finish Lawrence’s trilogy off. Hopefully I will be able to fit The book That Held Her Heart into my reading schedule soon, as this is one of the biggest releases from the first half of the year I still need to read.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

Another key book from early 2025 that I still need to read is the gripping Tyrant by historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. The second book in the author’s Nero series, Tyrant will continue to follow the young life of the infamous emperor Nero, as he slowly rose to power in ancient Rome. The first book in this series, Nero, was pretty damn good, and I cannot wait to continue Iggulden’s intriguing examination of this fascinating historical figure. I’m hoping to get a copy of Tyrant soon, and I have no doubt this will be one of the better historical fiction books I read in 2025.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

One of the more surprising entries on this list is the new Cotton Malone novel from Steve Berry, The Medici Return. In recent years I’ve made a real effort to read the new Steve Berry book each year, especially as the Cotton Malone novels feature cool thriller stories based around complex historical secrets and conspiracies. Unfortunately, I just haven’t been able to fit The Medici Return into my 2025 reading schedule yet, which is a real shame as it has a very fun plot about the return of the legendary Medici of Florence, which could have massive impacts on modern day Italy. Sure to be another complex and culturally rich story, The Medici Return is very high on my to-read list.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I had really hoped to read the awesome new Adrian Tchaikovsky science fiction novel, Shroud, by this point in the year. A complex and intense read about two people who find themselves trapped on the surface a truly inhospitable and completely dark alien planet, Shroud has a fascinating story about survival and alien contact. I love the sound of this excellent science fiction novel, and I am determined to read Shroud in 2025.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I was happy to receive a copy of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego earlier this year, although I unfortunately haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Featuring the fun concept of a group of mystery writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated manor with a dangerous killer, You Are Fatally Invited sounds like an incredible read, and one sure to be loaded with fun twists and complex turns. I really intend to explore You Are Fatally Invited by the end of the year, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

One of the more exciting novels from the first half of 2025 I still must read is The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani, an excellent and intense historical thriller that sees a farmer join Richard Lionheart’s crusade to get revenge on soldiers who killed his wife. A very cool sounding revenge novel amongst a great historical setting, I am very keen to get my hands on The Pilgrim’s Revenge, although I may have to wait until it gets a paperback release in Australia later this year.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

The next entry on this list is an ambitious and compelling fantasy debut that I had hoped to have read by now, A Song of Legends Lost. A Song of Legends Lost is the excellent first novel from new author M. H. Ayinde, filled with war, rebellion and spirit magic. I am still hoping to dive into this massive fantasy debut soon, and I cannot wait to see what impressive story Ayinde has started his writing career with.

There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

For the second year in a row, I am very behind in reading the new Flavia Albia book from Lindsey Davis, as I still haven’t enjoyed the latest book in the series, There Will be Bodies. Following on from the previous entry in the series, Death on the Tiber, There Will be Bodies sees the ancient Roman detective protagonist attempt to solve a murder that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius. I love the awesome concept behind this book, and I am hoping to dive into this story soon.

With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

One of the more intriguing novels of 2025 that I have yet to read is the fantastic historical crime fiction novel, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager. A cool twist on the classic whodunnit, With a Vengeance sees an unforgiving woman’s plan to destroy the people responsible for her family’s downfall go off the rails when a mysterious killer starts to murder her targets while she is trapped on a train with them. I love the sound of this complex and fun read, and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.

Warhammer 40,000: Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill. Set to once again follow the damaged members of the Cadian 101^st as they continue to fight after the destruction of their planet, Hell’s Last sounds like an awesome piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction from a very talented author. I’ve been a little slack in not listening to Hell’s Last yet, especially as I usually instantly snap up every Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes my way. Much of this is because I haven’t read the rest of the books in Hill’s Cadia series, which I might try and do first before diving into this latest entry in the series.

Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out. All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them. In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.

Quick Review – Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

On March 22, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery2 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 9 April 2024)

Series: Flavia Albia – Book 12

Length: 380 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Those in the mood for a clever murder mystery in ancient Rome look no further than the 2024 entry in the long-running Flavia Albia series with Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and one of my favourite ongoing historical series is the outstanding Flavia Albia books by veteran author Lindsey Davis. The Flavia Albia books, which are a sequel series to the author’s long-running Falco series, follow a determined private investigator in ancient Rome who takes on a range of complex cases and murder investigations, often encountering many of the city’s over-the-top inhabitants. I have had an amazing time reading this series over the years, including The Third Nero, Pandora’s Boy, A Capitol Death, The Grove of the Caesars (one of my favourite books of 2020), A Comedy of Terrors, Desperate Undertakings (one of my favourite books of 2022) and Fatal Legacy. As such, I try to read every new Flavia Albia book that comes out, and after accidently avoiding it for much of 2024, I recently finished off the 12^th book in the series, Death on the Tiber.

Plot Synopsis:

Rome is in chaos. The empire of a mobster chief is falling apart following his death. Rivals, fearsome relatives and associates are taking up position to vie for the spoils.

With hideous murders in the streets of Rome, a lone female traveller arrives with an agenda of her own. But when her corpse is dragged out of the river bearing signs of foul play, Flavia Alba is drawn in, concerned about her fellow Briton’s fate.

Alba’s quest to find the killer becomes deeply personal when she discovers a man at the centre of the plot is an old adversary of hers. Will she be obsessed by revenge? Can she let the past go, or will it consume her?

Death on the Tiber was a great addition to the Flavia Albia series that features its own distinctive crimes, while also cleverly tying into several of the author’s previous Falco and Flavia Albia books.

The plot of Death on the Tiber is very compelling, as the protagonist, Flavia Albia, finds herself drawn into the investigation of a murdered tourist pulled out of the Tiber. However, the case becomes personal for Albia when she discovers the victim’s connection to the gangster Florius, an old foe of her fathers, who years before committed unspeakable evils against Albia and who may have finally returned to Rome. Determined to finally hunt down Florius and make him pay for his crimes, Albia begins her investigation and soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly gang war that could tip the balance of Rome’s underworld. Forced to compete with a range of interested parties, including her own vengeful father and uncle, the Roman military and several gangsters and their families who Flavia has previously encountered through her work, the protagonist slowly begins to piece together the events that lead to the victim’s death and the connection to her quarry’s current location.

This proved to be a highly personal and complex entry in the series, and one that I felt served as a love letter to the author’s prior works. A huge range of characters from previous Flavia Albia novels, as well as major figures from the preceding Falco books, are featured throughout Death on the Tiber as the author takes the opportunity to tie together a range of ongoing storylines related to a major antagonist of the Falco books. This allows for quite a fascinating read, especially for those readers familiar with the previous works, and it was awesome to see Davis bring together a compelling cast of returning figures.

The plot moves in some interesting directions as the book nears the end, and Davis adds in a range of compelling layers to the case, including disgruntled mobster wives, a big gang war for the control of Rome, and alternating bands of Roman officials seeking to disrupt events. The conclusion for the book proves to be very emotionally charged, especially as the protagonist comes face to face with her biggest monster and finally gets some closure. The main mystery of Death on the Tiber is also extremely well written and utilised, and Davis does an excellent job tying in a lot of the novel’s leads and investigative plots into the main hunt for the returning Florius. While the reveal of the ultimate culprit behind the killing isn’t especially surprising, the way in which Davis addresses their fate is particularly impressive, and it leads to a very fun final moment in the book. I loved this last little twist, which I honestly think tied the book together very nicely, and it certainly was one of the moments that has stuck with me since finishing Death on the Tiber off.

This ended up being another strong Flavia Albia book as Davis continues to utilise her trademark style in Death on the Tiber. Focused primarily through the sarcastic and cynical Flavia, Death in the Tiber evolves into a twisty hunt for answers, that brings together mystery, criminal intrigue, and the protagonist’s various personal connections. Davis has a very compelling way of writing her stories, and her examinations of Rome through the protagonist’s eyes are often light-hearted, sarcastic, and applying modern mentalities to the ancient society. This results in an impressive read, especially as Davis lays down an exceptional combination mystery and revenge-focussed narrative. While I really enjoyed how well Davis revisited multiple previous books from both the Falco and Flavia Albia series, it does mean that readers do need a bit of pre-knowledge of these earlier works to fully appreciate Death on the Tiber’s plot. Davis does provide some much-needed context at times, which will allow some new or forgetful readers to enjoy this book, but I personally think that people should have at least read the last few Flavia Albia books before Death on the Tiber to really get this book.

Despite the series’ general comedic vibe, Death on the Tiber gets very dark at times, especially as the protagonist is forced to revisit her traumatic history. The author does an excellent job of diving into Flavia’s trauma and pain on the subject, and it was nice for this compelling protagonist to finally get some closure. Davis nicely balances some of these darker moments by including an extensive cast of eccentric characters, many of whom are continuing their storylines from both the Falco and Flavia Albia series, and there are some very fun moments scattered throughout Death on the Tiber as a result. This includes a fun competitiveness with Flavia’s father, Falco, a dive into some other important parental figures in her life, as well as her very strong relationship with her supportive and relentless husband. I personally loved the return of all the various major gangsters Flavia has dealt with over the years, and it was fun to see her try to investigate them after prior experiences. However, two of Flavia’s female relatives end up stealing the show in Death on the Tiber, especially at the end where they showed an ironic sense of justice. An overall great extended cast that served to connect this book to the larger series in some outstanding ways.

With Lindsey Davis’s typical impressive writing and a cool plot laden with mystery and criminal intrigue, Death on the Tiber was an amazing entry in one of my favourite historical fiction series. Entertaining, addictive and very moving, Death on the Tiber had me hooked from the very beginning, and I wish I’d read it sooner. I look forward to continuing the Flavia Albia series this year, especially as Davis has a cool book coming out in April set around the ruins of Pompei with There Will Be Bodies.

WWW Wednesday – 29 January 2025

On January 30, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (ebook)

I started reading the excellent debut thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her come up with her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I haven’t made too much progress with An Ethical Guide to Murder yet, but the first 50 pages of it were a lot of fun. I will hopefully power through this book in the next few days, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young (Audiobook)

I was still in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started reading the intense novel, Leontus: Lord Solar. The second Warhammer 40,000 book from Young, who previously impressed me with his debut novel Longshot, Leontus: Lord Solar follows a legendary general as he leads a ragtag human army behind alien lines. A very compelling and exciting read, I am powering through the audiobook version of Leontus: Lord Solar and I should finish it soon.

What did you recently finish reading?

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to finish reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber saw the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I had an exceptional time with this book, and it proved to be an amazing addition to the series.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I also powered through the entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest this week. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I had such a great listening to it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

Thanks to a productive road trip I also finished listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proved to be an outstanding book and I’m glad I read it before the movie came out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The next book I am planning to read is the new incredible novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith will follow two mismatched diplomats as they try to understand a crazy new city. I had so much fun with the previous entries in this series, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), and I have no doubt Days of Shattered Faith is going to be just as epic.

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 – 22 January 2025

On January 24, 2025January 24, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to start reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber sees the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I am having an exceptional time with this book, and I am hoping to knock it off tonight.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something fun this week, so I started listening to another entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I am powering through it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton this week while on a road trip. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proving to be an outstanding book and I’m very glad I decided to check it out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga (Paperback)

I powered through the awesome thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga this week. One of the more exciting debuts of 2024, The Ascent followed former cop forced to fight his way out of a rioting prison. This was an incredible and deeply thrilling novel that I had a brilliant time read, make sure to check out my review for it here.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland this week. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms was a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades. Review to follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

I have several awesome books to read next, but I think I’m going to check out the excellent thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her pull together her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to read it.

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

WWW Wednesday – 15 January 2025

On January 15, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga (Paperback)

I’ve started reading the awesome thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga this week. One of the more exciting debuts of 2024, The Ascent has been on my to-read list for a while, due to its fun plot about a former cop forced to fight his way out of a rioting prison. I’ve made a bit of progress on The Ascent so far and it is proving to be an intense and compelling book. I am hoping to finish The Ascent off in the next few days, and I look forward to seeing what craziness happens as I get through it.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I am still enjoying the 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland this week. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms is proving to be a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades, and I am currently halfway through it. I should knock it off in the next week and I cannot wait to see what cool twists or devilish reveals Corland has in store for us.

What did you recently finish reading?

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt (Trade Paperback)

A thrilling 2025 Australian debut novel, Gunnawah by Ronni Salt was an intriguing crime fiction read that I was glad I got the chance to check out. Review to follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

Death on the Tiber Cover

While I have a few potential books to read next, I am hoping to finally dive into the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber will see the series’ protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I really love this amazing series, and I really regret not reading Death on the Tiber sooner.

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 I Meant to Read in 2024 but Didn’t Get To

On January 14, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list their bookish goals for 2025. While this is an interesting topic, I am instead going to continue my recent trend of end of year and examining the best books released in 2024. As such I will be listening the top books I meant to read in 2024 but that I didn’t get a chance to.

2024 was a pretty awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of books from new-to-me authors, exciting sequels and fun older novels, most of which were fun and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries there are always a couple of books each year that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling novels that I didn’t get a chance to read in 2024. Each entry was released last year and while knew that they were coming out I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. This list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres and include several major 2024 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mention:

Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit

An intriguing science fiction release that I’m still hoping to get around to exploring.

Burn Out by Joshua Hood

An exciting thriller about a smoke jumper forced to work for the CIA that I really wanted to check out. This book sounded awesome and I’m sorry to have missed it.

In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child

I’m still haven’t had the chance to read a Jack Reacher novel yet, although last year’s entry, In Too Deep, is high up on my to-read list.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Bristen Perrin

One of the top debut mysteries of 2024, I’m still thinking about checking How to Solve Your Own Murder out, especially as there is a sequel coming out soon.

Top Ten List:

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

An awesome sounding book about a dangerous heist involving dragons and magic. I really enjoyed the sound of the synopsis for The Sky on Fire last year, but I unfortunately couldn’t fit it into my reading schedule. I still have a copy and I’m hoping to get around to checking this book out at some point this year, especially as I really want to finally read something from Lyons.

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

One of the books I most regret not reading in 2024 was the new Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest entry in one of my favourite historical fiction series, I fully intended to read Death on the Tiber last year, but I never had the time to pick it up. Featuring a cool new mystery in ancient Rome, Death on the Tiber sounded like a key book in the series and I’m interested to see what happens next. I honestly might make the effort to read Death on the Tiber in the next week or so, especially as Davis has another book coming out in April that I’m also keen to read.

Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes

I didn’t get through nearly as much Star Wars fiction in 2024 as I would have liked, especially as there were a couple of very cool new entries in the franchise out last year. This includes the Mace Windu novel, The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes. Thanks to its intriguing plot, The Glass Abyss was very high on my to-read list, and I thought it had a lot of potential. I’m still hoping to listen to The Glass Abyss on audiobook in the coming months, and I have no doubt I will have a great time with it.

Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovsky had a massive year in 2024, releasing four separate awesome books. As a recently converted fan of Tchaikovsky, I tried to check out all of them, but only got through two, Alien Clay and Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024). The main Tchaikovsky book I missed was Saturation Point, which featured an intriguing science fiction story that explores a new, extra-deadly jungle growing at the equator. I am hoping to listen to the audiobook version of Saturation Point sometime this year, especially as it has a relatively short run time, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out. In the meantime, I am also hoping to read Tchaikovsky’s latest novel, Days of Shattered Faith, which, while it technically came out last year, I’m probably going to consider a 2025 release going forward due to the differences in release dates for Australia.

The Chamber by Will Dean

One of the more unique novels I missed out on in 2024 was The Chamber by Will Dean. This excellent book sees a murder occur underwater hyperbaric chamber, then forces the remaining divers to try and uncover the killer while they wait for decompression to occur. This was such a cool sounding plot, and I am still hoping to explore The Chamber soon, mainly because I am so damn curious about how this narrative would unfold.

Good Boys by Jeremy Robinson

Jeremy Robinson is another author on this list who released multiple books in 2024. While I did enjoy his compelling and freaky novel Point Nemo, I missed out on reading his two Good Boys novels (The Lost Tribe and Unleashed) that came out towards the end of the year. These books follow an interesting alien encounter tale that only an author as unique as Robinson could imagine. I have been trying to read more of Robinson’s novels in recent years so I might try and listen to the Good Boys audiobooks soon, especially as they sound very exciting and will no doubt contain the author’s fun humour.

The First Murder on Mars by Sam Wilson

An intriguing science fiction thriller about the first murder on Mars. This debut novel from Sam Wilson caught my eye earlier this year and I had really hoped to check it out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t never make enough time, which I very much regret as this sounded like a great book.

The Out-of-Town Lawyer by Robert Rotstein

I love a good legal thriller, which is why I was annoyed with myself for not reading Robert Rotstein’s distinctive novel, The Out-of-Town Lawyer. Focussing on a nomadic lawyer who takes on tough case, The Out-of-Town Lawyer would see the protagonist return to his hometown to defend a controversial killer from a prejudice legal system. I felt that The Out-of-Town Lawyer had a lot of potential, and I am even more keen to read it now after having just re-read the compelling synopsis.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

Another Star Wars book I hoped to read in 2024 was The Living Force by the always impressive John Jackson Miller. Focussing on the Jedi Council in the lead up to The Phantom Menace, The Living Force sounded like an interesting and lore-heavy book that would have focussed on a cool group of supporting characters from the prequel films. I know that Miller would have provided a captivating dive into these figures, and I am sure that I will have a great time with The Living Force’s audiobook if I get a chance to listen to it this year.

Danube Legion by Laurence Read

The final book I needed to feature on this list was the fascinating sounding historical fiction novel, Danube Legion. A fantastic Roman history novel, Danube Legion caught my eye because the plot promised to explore the logistics behind the deployment of a Roman Legion, which is something you don’t see a lot of in other historical fiction books. I honestly found this plot idea to be very awesome, and I really wish that I could have fit Danube Legion into my reading schedule last year. This is another one I am hoping to check out this year as well, as it sounds like quite a cracking read with a great plot behind it.

Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list, and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2025, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2024 in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books on my TBR

On November 19, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing the books with the earliest publication date that is currently sitting on their to-be-read (TBR) pile.

Like most book lovers, I have a huge backlog of novels out there that I want to read but I haven’t been able to fit into my schedule due to lack of time or other books I needed to get through first. As such, this is a rather interesting list to pull together, and I hope that it inspires me a little to go back and read some books on my TBR pile. I also love the shoutout to the older TBR books I have, especially as I am easily distracted by new and shiny things.

I must admit I struggled a little to pull together some really old titles, so my list is most made up of books from the 80s and 90s. Still, this ended up being a rather interesting, if slightly predictable list if you know who some of my favourite authors are, although I made sure to limit myself to one inclusion from each author. Despite these limitations, I really like how it came together, so let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman – 1985

A classic crime fiction book from an author still going strong.

Space Marine by Ian Watson – 1993

An old-school Warhammer 40,000 novel I currently have on my shelf. While not the first Warhammer 40,000 novel ever written, it sounds bonkers, and I’m curious to see original universe from before they established the current canon.

Killing Floor by Lee Child – 1997

The first book in the epic Jack Reacher series. I loved the television adaptation of this book and I’m curious to read the series from start to finish.

Excavation by James Rollins – 2000

A fantastic older thriller I have sitting on my shelf.

Top Ten List:

Carrie by Stephen King – 1974

After some awesome recent experiences with Stephen King’s writing, I’ve been meaning to read more of his amazing books and there is no better place to start than his first novel, Carrie. A classic piece of horror fiction, Carrie is a bloody and complex read that I hope to check out one day.

Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell – 1981

I’m a massive fan of Bernard Cornwell, who is one of the biggest names in historical fiction. While I have read a couple of books in his iconic Richard Sharpe series, I need to read more, including the first book he published, Sharpe’s Eagle. A compelling historical adventure, Sharpe’s Eagle was the book that introduced the world to Richard Sharpe and Cornwell’s vision of the Napoleonic War. Thanks to Cornwell releasing his books out of chronological order, Sharpe’s Eagle is now the eighth book in the series, but it remains a key entry. I look forward to reading Sharpe’s Eagle one day and it sounds like a lot of fun.

Magician by Raymond E. Feist – 1982

I am slightly cheating by including Magician here, as I have read it a couple of times before. However, I really want to do a big re-read of Feist’s entire Riftwar Cycle and Magician is the best place to start this series. A particularly iconic fantasy novel, Magician sees a young boy discover his destiny as a mighty mage after the kingdom he lives in is invaded by soldiers from another world. This is a really, really good book and I cannot wait to read it again at some point.

The Black Company by Glen Cook – 1984

I have long wanted to read the epic The Black Company fantasy series by Glen Cook, which started back in 1984 with this book of the same name. Generally considered to be one of the best dark fantasy novels/series of all time, The Black Company follows a band of dangerous mercenaries as they find themselves drawn into a bloody and all-consuming war. I already know that I am going to love this book, and I will hopefully be able to make time for it at some point in the future.

The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell – 1985

A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of reading David Gemmell’s classic fantasy debut, Legend, which is honestly one of the best books I have every read. Gemmell was a very skilled author, and I have been meaning to check out more examples of his work. The obvious next step would be to read The King Beyond the Gate, which is the second novel in the series that started with Legend. Another compelling read that follows a small band of aging heroes as they face a seemingly unbeatable foe, The King Beyond the Gate sounds awesome, and I need to dedicate some time to getting through the rest of Gemmell’s books.

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis – 1989

Long-term readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of historical fiction author Lindsey Davis, who has greatly impressed me over the years with her Flavia Albia series, which follows some deeply unique murder investigations in ancient Rome. However, the Flavia Albia books are only the latest series from Davis, who originally started back in the 1980s with her Falco novels. Following the father of Flavia Albia as he solves his own crimes, the Falco books have been on my radar for a while, and I fully intend to read them at some point. The obvious starting point for this would be The Silver Pigs, which introduced the world to Falco and Davis’s distinctive style. I have a copy of The Silver Pigs sitting on my bookshelf, and I look forward to the day when I get around to reading it.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn – 1991

Some of my very favourite Star Wars novels were the recent Thrawn trilogies written by legendary author Timothy Zahn. A complex and compelling collection of books, the Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies follow Zahn’s best original character, Grand Admiral Thrawn and help to reintroduce him into the new Disney canon. However, Thrawn first appeared back in 1991 when Zahn released the iconic Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire. A sequel to Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire was one of the very first proper Star Wars tie-in novels, and it set the stage for the massive Star Wars Extended Universe that followed. As a massive Star Wars fan, I have been remiss in not going back to check out this important novel, although I hope to change that in the future. From all accounts this book is extremely epic, and I am very curious to see the novel that first introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy.

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly – 1992

The next entry on this list is The Black Echo by Michael Connelly. The very first book from Connelly to feature his famous detective character Harry Bosch, The Black Echo set up the author’s shared universe which would later expand to feature so many memorable protagonists. I have had an exceptional time reading all of Connelly’s most recent works and I have been meaning to go back and explore his universe from the beginning, starting with The Black Echo. Like The Silver Pigs, I have a copy of The Black Echo sitting on my bookshelf, and when my reading schedule opens up, I hope to grab it and power through it. I have no doubt that I will love The Black Echo, and I am curious to see what Connelly’s writing style was like in this first book.

The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore – 1997

I am a huge fan of R. A. Salvatore various additions to the expanded Forgotten Realms universe, having read nearly all of them over the years. However, I am also keen to read more books in Salvatore’s original Corona universe. I had a ton of fun reading the latest trilogy set in this world (The Coven books made up of Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God), and I felt that this was an excellent fantasy universe that I’d like to see more of. As such, I will try to explore this series from the beginning, which means starting with The Demon Awakens. An exciting adventure novel with some great characters, The Demon Awakens should be a ton of fun and I am keen to read it in the future.

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin – 1998

The final book on this list is A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. The second book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings doesn’t need a massive introduction. I have been meaning to continuing this series after reading A Game of Thrones a few years ago, which means going through A Clash of Kings next. I am sure I will deeply enjoy this major book, and I am curious to see how it differs from the television show.

And with that, my list concluded. I felt that this latest Top Ten Tuesday post came together well, and I like the intriguing collection of books I listed above. It turns out there are a ton of older novels on my to-be-read list, and I hope I get the opportunity to get through them soon. In the meantime, let me know what older books are on your TBR lists in the comments below.

WWW Wednesday – 25 September 2024

On September 25, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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:

Capture or Kill by Don Bentley (ebook)

I just started reading the latest Mitch Rapp novel, Capture or Kill. The first book in this long-running series written by new author Don Bentley, Capture or Kill is so far proving to be a great addition to the series that sets the protagonist against a dangerous new enemy. The first 50 pages of this book have proven to be very interesting, and I am curious to see how the rest of Capture or Kill unfolds.

What did you recently finish reading?

Terra Incognita by Simon Turney (ebook)

A fantastic novel that follows a squad of Roman soldiers looking to find the source of the Nile, Terra Incognita was a fun and engrossing read I couldn’t get enough of.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I just finished the audiobook version of the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders. An intriguing murder mystery set outside of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, We Solve Murders was an incredible read, that is easily one of the best things I have read in 2024 so far.

An Eye for an Eye by Jeffrey Archer (ebook)

An outstanding, fast-paced and compelling new novel from Jeffrey Archer that sets his long-running protagonists against several criminal enterprises, including the machinations of their deadly rival.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

Death on the Tiber Cover

While I have a few potential books to read next, I am hoping to finally dive into the new Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber will see the series’ protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I really love this amazing series, and I have no doubt I will have a wonderful time reading Death on the Tiber.

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 – Ten Favourite Books From Ten Series

On August 7, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week, Top Ten Tuesday participants are tasked with choosing ten separate series and then listing their favourite book from that series. This was a rather interesting topic that really got me thinking. No matter how outstanding a series is, there is always at least one book that stands just that little bit above the rest, and I was curious to see how a list along those lines would turn out.

To come up with this list, I ran through some of my top novel and comic book series to try and work out what the most glaring examples of my favourite entries were. I tried to limit my choices to longer series rather than trilogies, and I also went for series that I’m mostly up to date with, rather than those I’ve only made a little bit of progress on. Despite these limitations, I ended up with a huge range of potential entries and I had to spend a bit of time culling down my initial list. I’m pretty happy with how the final version of this post came out, as there are some excellent books featured within. I do note that some of the series I mention below are recurring features in my other Top Ten Tuesday lists, but as they’re my favourites, that’s hardly too surprising. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Gray Man – Gray Man series by Mark Greaney

An impressive debut that still stands up as the best book in this top spy thriller series.

Necropolis – Warhammer 40,000: Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett

Featuring an epic siege and deadly action, Necropolis is a particularly bright spot in an exceptional Warhammer series.

The Grove of the Caesars – Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis

There are so many great mysteries contained in this Roman historical fiction series, however, my favourite is The Grove of the Caesars, which contains a particularly dark story.

Thrawn – Star Wars: Thrawn series by Timothy Zahn

An amazing read reintroducing one of the best characters in the Star Wars canon. Thrawn is so much fun, and it serves as the best book in the new Thrawn trilogy, as well as Zahn’s other Thrawn related novels in the new Star Wars extended universe.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Guards! Guards! – Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

Unsurprisingly considering the name of this blog, I’m starting this list off with a Discworld novel. Written by the late great Terry Pratchett, the Discworld books remain one of my top series, and I cannot emphasise how outstanding these novels are. While there are many, many great books in this series, if I had to pick an absolute favourite it will probably be Guards! Guards!. Not only is this Pratchett at his very best, expertly combining a compelling mystery with hilarious fantasy elements, but it also sets up my favourite Discworld sub-series and introduces so many popular characters. A truly exceptional read and the best book to check out if you want to become addicted to the Discworld.

The Third Day, The Frost – Tomorrow series by John Marsden

Another formative book series for me is the Tomorrow series by John Marsden. An iconic Australian young adult series, the Tomorrow books follow a group of teenagers attempting to survive a brutal invasion of Australia. I honestly love every novel in this series, as Marsden produces an intense narrative that is well spaced out amongst all seven books. However, I always felt that the best Tomorrow entry was the third book, The Third Day, The Frost. Following the characters as they embark on their most ambitious mission yet, The Third Day, The Frost, is the darkest entry in the series, and it forces the protagonists to fully grasp the horrors of war. A masterpiece of emotion, sacrifice and heartbreak, The Third Day, The Frost, lives eternal in my mind for very good reason.

The Archer’s Quest – Green Arrow (2001) by Brad Meltzer

I have a lot of love for DC comics released around the turn of the century, but to my mind one of the best series that came out around then was the 2001 Green Arrow series. Bringing back the original Green Arrow after his explosive death, this new series contains some amazing comics focussed on the Emerald Archer, with several outstanding creative leads exploring him in a new light. While I personally think every arc of this series is exceptional, my favourite is the third volume, The Archer’s Quest. Written by Brad Meltzer, The Archer’s Quest sees Green Arrow go back to his road-trip roots to recover multiple artifacts from his past. While on the surface this sounds like a simple narrative, Meltzer turns it into a deep personal journey, that really captures the complex history of Green Arrow in comics. I love how moving this comic gets at times, and Meltzer layers in the feels to keep the reader emotionally invested in the story. One of the best comics I have ever read.

Code Zero – Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry

Fans of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, which are some of the best science fiction thrillers out there. Following a damaged agent charged with protecting the world from unusual and technologically impossible threats, all the Joe Ledger books are addictive, and I love the complex stories, intriguing antagonists, and over-the-top action. There were several entries I could have mentioned here, but to my mind the best was probably the sixth book, Code Zero. Not only does it have a great story on its own, but it features one of the more intriguing villains who brings back multiple prior cases to mess with the protagonists. An amazing thriller that really showcased just how intense and intricate a Joe Ledger novel could be.

Magician – The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist

I have mentioned many times how awesome Raymond E. Feist’s epic Riftwar Cycle is, and I have literally just started reading the next book in this series, A Darkness Returns. There were several books I considered featuring as my favourite, including the Empire trilogy, but in the end, I went with the original book Magician. A classic piece of fantasy fiction that perfectly sets up Feist’s iconic worlds, Magician is so damn amazing, and it still stands up to this day.

The Eagle’s Conquest – Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow

Few series have impacted me over the years as much as Simon Scarrow’s exciting Eagles of the Empire series. One of the very best Roman historical fiction series, the Eagles of the Empire books feature some great stories and classic action as the protagonists journey across multiple Roman battlefields. While there are multiple outstanding books in this series, my favourite is the second book, The Eagle’s Conquest. Not only does it perfectly continue some of the great storylines set up in the first novel, but it also takes some dark turns that shake the protagonist and make sure the reader knows that tragedy is always ready to strike. Without The Eagle’s Conquest, I’m not sure I would have become a life-long fan of Scarrow, and it proved to be an exceptional second entry in this series.

Changes – Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher

I doubt anyone who has followed my blog in recent years will be surprised that I am featuring the Dresden Files series on this list. As one of the very best urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher feature some elaborate and complex storylines, all following Butcher’s rebellious, but heroic, wizard protagonist, and I have deeply enjoyed binge reading all 17 books in the series. Choosing a favourite Dresden Files book proved to be particularly hard, as there were several epic entries I could have gone with, including Skin Game and Battle Ground. However, in the end I had to go with the 12^th book in the series, Changes. Not only is Changes a particularly groundbreaking entry that fundamentally alters the trajectory of the series, but it also contains several dark twists that will shock you to your core. An exceptional read that shows author Jim Butcher at his very best.

Seasons – Usagi Yojimbo series by Stan Sakai

Another series that I had to feature here were the Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai. I have long loved the adventures of the rabbit samurai, and every volume is a masterpiece in its own way. While I honestly would rate all the Usagi Yojimbo volumes a full five-stars, if I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Seasons. Loaded with a ton of memorable adventures, Seasons shows how diverse the Usagi Yojimbo stories can be, while also setting up several impressive future adventures and characters. I also have a lot of nostalgic love for Seasons, as a chance encounter with one of its stories introduced the Usagi Yojimbo world to me. As such, Seasons is a very worthy addition to this list, and one that showcases Sakai’s skill as both an artist and a writer.

Homeland – The Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore

It proved very easy to put forth Homeland as my favourite book in R. A. Salvatore’s The Legend of Drizzt extended series. Homeland starts off a prequel sub-trilogy that seeks to provide valuable background to the life of Salvatore’s most iconic protagonist Drizzt Do’urden. Set in the underground city of the drow, Homeland expertly explores the early life of Drizzt and shows the events that led to him turning his back on his evil race. Easily one of the best things Salvatore ever wrote, Homeland is an amazing book I have re-read multiple times.

The Last Devil to Die – Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman

The final book in this list is part of the amazing new Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. A clever, funny and sweet crime fiction series that follows four retirees who solve murders in their spare time, the Thursday Murder Club books are quite exceptional, and I have loved every single one of them so far. While both The Thursday Murder Club and The Bullet That Missed are outstanding entries, if I had to choose a favourite it would be the latest entry, The Last Devil to Die. The fourth book in the series, The Last Devil to Die has one of the most emotionally charged stories behind it, especially as Osman chooses to end several tragic plot points in incredible fashion. I cannot emphasise just how good this book is, and it remains my favourite in the series so far.

Well that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have had an awesome time diving into some of my favourite series and choosing the best entry, and it produced a pretty cool collection of books. I hope you find the above entries interesting, and I would strongly recommend them, and the series they are associated with, to anyone looking for a new obsession.