Tag: Long Running Series

The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Thriller3 Comments

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

Publisher: Hachette Audio (Audiobook – 20 February 2024)

Series: Cotton Malone – Book 18

Length: 13 hours and 21 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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The always exciting Steve Berry continues his long-running Cotton Malone series with the intriguing and addictive novel, The Atlas Maneuver, which once again blends modern plots with historical riddles.

Over the last few years, I have been having a wonderful time getting to know the works of acclaimed thriller author Steve Berry.  Known for his intricate and complex works that dive into the past, Berry is an amazing author whose style and story focus really appeals to me.  I have had a wonderful time getting through the last several books in his main series, the Cotton Malone books, as well as his standalone novel, The Omega Factor.  Cotton Malone is a particularly fun series following the titular Cotton Malone as he attempts to stop sinister modern-day plots that have their roots in ancient conspiracies and secrets.  All the Cotton Malone books I have read have been extremely epic in their own way, including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web, and The Last Kingdom (one of my favourite books of 2023), and I cannot recommend them enough.

As World War II entered its final phase, the retreating Japanese hid vast quantities of looted gold and other stolen valuables throughout the Philippines.  Stored in hidden underground bunkers, the gold was supposed to be used to rebuild Japan after the war and expand its interests.  But with the location of the vaults lost, most of the gold remained hidden, except for a small fraction recovered by the United States government and the nascent CIA, who kept it for themselves in secret.

In the present day, retired Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, is in Switzerland, working for an old CIA friend to keep a potential asset safe.  However, when someone tries to take his target out, Cotton soon finds himself thrust into the middle of a dangerous battle between a shadowy branch of CIA and the Bank of St. George, one of the world’s oldest financial institutions, with whom the recovered gold was entrusted.

Forced to act, Cotton begins to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and discovers that the directors of the Bank of St. George are seeking to initiate a radical plot involving bitcoin, the elusive online currency, which could destabilise the entire financial world and leave them in control.  Working with a skilled Japanese agent, his lover, and a ghost from his past, Cotton seeks to stop the plot before it is too late.  But with a deadly team of CIA assassins also closing in, no-one is safe and everyone is a target.

This was a pretty interesting novel from Berry that I had an excellent time with.  Thanks to its unique thriller story combining historical secrets with contemporary mysteries and plots, The Atlas Maneuver proved to be an amazing and intricate novel that I found to be quite impressive.

I really enjoyed the compelling story that Berry came up with for his latest novel, especially as he once again successfully blends an elaborate historical conspiracy with an exciting modern thriller story.  This story came together extremely well and overall proved to be quite an exciting read as Berry comes up with several compelling story arcs that you become absorbed in.  Starting off with a glimpse at the origins of the hidden Japanese war loot, The Atlas Maneuver soon jumps to Cotton Malone as he finds himself drawn into a plot to disrupt the world economy by a powerful bank through bitcoin.  Working with an old flame whose financial brilliance is behind much of the bank’s plans, Cotton desperately tries to keep her safe, while also contending with a relentless Japanese agent.  At the same time, Cotton’s partner Cassiopeia Vitt and old CIA associate Derrick Koger attempt to discover the location of the lost wartime gold that was supposed to be in the bank’s possession.  Their inquiries lead them into conflict with the bank, as well as a shadowy arm of the CIA that attempts to take out everyone associated with the case.

The alternating thrusts of the hunt for lost gold and the attempts to stop the elaborate financial attack make for great reading, and Berry continuously raised the stakes while also dragging the story back to the past with the fun historical inclusions.  While the story did drag in places, especially around the middle, I honestly couldn’t turn away from this book at times, especially when the action got particularly intense and there were multiple fun figures to follow.  Berry perfectly sets up the big conclusion of The Atlas Maneuver, which has surprisingly more devastation than expected.  I loved the dark and ironic ending to some of the storylines that emerged, and I felt this strong finish enhanced the entire book as a result.  Berry also leaves the story on an excellent emotional cliffhanger, that I feel is really going to pay off later in the series, and I will ensure I come back for the next Cotton Malone book.

I really liked how Berry set out his methodical and intense story as he once again relied on his classic style that prioritised historical inclusions, while also ensuring that the new book is accessible to all readers.  Thanks to the author’s excellent use of multiple perspectives, you get a great wide-angle perspective story, which allows you to understand the motivations, desires and actions of most of the opposing parties.  I always love books that show the story from the antagonist’s perspective, and this was a great example of that as you got to see the leader of the evil bank manipulate one of the other main characters, while also trying to implement her wider plan.  Berry utilises these multiple perspectives to tell an excellent overarching story, and while the parts focusing on Cassiopeia Vitt and Derrick Koger felt a little too detached from Cotton Malone’s storyline, for the most part this was a very cohesive tale.  The writing is also very tight and fluid in The Atlas Maneuver as Berry does a great job moving the story along, while also including his trademark historical lectures and flashbacks.  The mixture of modern-day action, elaborate schemes and examinations of the past was pretty on-point for this latest Cotton Malone book, and you really get drawn into the story as a result.  There were also some fantastic character interactions, especially as the protagonist is forced to interact with a love interest from his past who looks set to change the status quo of the series.  I had such a good time reading this book, and it proved to be an excellent addition to Cotton Malone series.

I always love the elaborate and compelling dives into various parts of history that Berry takes the reader on in the Cotton Malone series.  Berry, who clearly does his research on all things history, once again set his new novel around a unique piece of history, which has intriguing implications for the modern day thriller storyline.  In this case, much of the story revolves around Yamashita’s gold, the infamous treasure hoard supposedly located in the Philippines.  The author does a deep dive into the subject highlighting all the history surrounding it, as well as mentioning many of the intriguing details that followed it as people attempted to find it.  Much of the plot of The Atlas Maneuver revolves around the fate of this gold, and Berry really does a great job of highlighting its importance and the cultural implications surrounding it.  While certain elements of Yamashita’s gold featured in The Atlas Maneuver were exaggerated or changed for narrative purposes, you really get a good grounding in history surrounding it.  I found this focus on the lost treasure to be highly fascinating, especially as it wasn’t something I was too familiar about before.  However, this only proved to be the tip of the historical iceberg, as other intriguing historical events were also cleverly featured throughout the book.  compelling examinations about the early days of the CIA, banking history, the financial affairs of Switzerland and Luxembourg, and post-war recovery of Japan are also covered in interesting detail, much of which helps to give context to the current story and which are cleverly inserted into the modern-day plot.  These historical elements are truly fascinating, and I love the unique conspiracies and hidden secrets that Berry creates utilising them.

In addition to this 20th century history, Berry also chooses to dive into something a little more modern with a detailed look at bitcoin, which also has a significant impact to the plot of The Atlas Maneuver.  Berry dives into the history surrounding bitcoin, how it came into being and how it eventually expanded out in a major currency.  While some of this history is altered for the book, there is still a lot of detail about its origins and how it become prevalent throughout the world, which I honestly didn’t know a lot about, and was quite fascinating.  Berry also tries to capture other aspects of bitcoin, such as its function, how it is mined, and how it is currently viewed throughout the world.  There is a focus on bitcoin’s potential, and how it can be used to change economies and grant financial freedoms to people.  I liked how Berry took a neutral, if hopeful, stance around bitcoin, as while certain characters are critical of the cryptocurrency, many see its potential and hope to make the world a better place through its usage.  I honestly found the entire inclusion of bitcoin to be highly interesting, and the focus on its manipulation, creation and exploitation drove the plot to some cool places.

Another aspect of all Berry’s books that I really enjoy is his highly detailed examinations of various intriguing places that his protagonists end up in.  These background settings are always a key part of the book, and I like how well Berry incorporates them into the story, especially as the history or unique locations are invariably explored or utilised in the plot.  While The Atlas Maneuver lacks some of the grandiose sites that I enjoyed in the previous books, there is still a range of cool locations featured here that are well done.  This includes deep looks at several cities and locations with Switzerland and Luxembourg, as well as a lengthy excursion to Morocco.  Berry loving describes all the historical cities, lakes and other key locations in high detail, and it is always very clear when he is working from memory, especially as some of his characters’ reactions clearly mirror his own.  These detailed depictions always allow the reader to effectively envision the locations quite clearly, and it is a lot of fun imagining the daring exploits taking place in these picturesque locales.  I always love Berry’s descriptions of these locations, not only because I find the history fascinating, but because there are so many places featured in these books that I want to visit.  As such, this is a great part of The Atlas Maneuver, and I cannot wait to see what cool locations Berry features in his next book.

As has been my custom with most of the Cotton Malone series, I ended up listening to The Atlas Maneuver on audiobook, which ended up being a pretty great way to enjoy this book.  Coming in a nearly 13 and a half hours, this is a moderately long audiobook, so it took me a little while to get through it.  However, I felt that the way it helped to portray the intense action and thrilling storyline was very impressive, especially as having the story read out to me engrained the elaborate historical details a little better.  The Atlas Maneuver once again featured the fantastic voice work of veteran audiobook narrator Scott Brick, who has lent his voice to all the previous Cotton Malone books.  Brick has a very serviceable voice that works well for the thriller books he usually narrates, especially as it helps to highlight the great action sequences and elaborate conspiracies.  Thanks to his good voice work, the plot of The Atlas Maneuver moves along at a brisk pace, and I really got swept up in the elaborate story.  As such, I feel that the audiobook version is a great way to enjoy The Atlas Maneuver, and I had an excellent time getting through it.

Overall, The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry was an amazing book that I had an outstanding time getting through.  Once again successfully combining intriguing and elaborate historical conspiracies with an exciting thriller storyline, The Atlas Maneuver was a blast from start to finish and will be deeply appreciated by both fans of the long-running Cotton Malone series and new readers experiencing Berry’s writing for the first time.  A compelling read that comes highly recommended.

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Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer9 Comments

Straight Silver Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 December 2002)

Series: Gaunt’s Ghosts – Book Six

Length: 9 hours and 52 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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After having a blast reading and reviewing The Traitor’s Hand, my desire for more things Warhammer 40,000 needed to be sated, so I dove into the exceptional and gritty Gaunt’s Ghost book by Dan Abnett, Straight Silver.

While there are some truly impressive Warhammer 40,000 authors out there, few can match Dan Abnett in terms of quality and impact.  One of the most significant authors of Warhammer fiction, Abnett has produced a great number of books in the franchise over the years, which includes several must-read series for all Warhammer fans.  These include his substantial contributions to the massive Horus Heresy series, as well as the iconic Inquisitor extended series.  The Inquisitor books include his impressive and highly compelling Eisenhorn trilogy, made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, and which are amongst my favourite literary trilogies.  While I am a huge fan of these novels, probably his most grounded and well-known contribution to the Warhammer 40,000 canon are the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels.

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are an extended series that follows the members of the Tanith First-and-Only, a weary and battle-hardened regiment of Imperial Guard soldiers.  Led by Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and known for their stealth abilities and the destruction of their home planet, the Tanith First-and-Only have taken up the name Gaunt’s Ghosts and are fighting in the massive Sabbat World Crusades hoping to find a new planet to call home.  This series emphasises the common human soldier and the gruelling realities of war in the grim Warhammer 40,000 future, and it is one of the most compelling series out there.  I have had an outstanding time with this series and all the books I have read, including First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, and the prequel novel The Vincula Insurgency, have been extremely epic and complex, perfectly blending great characters with intense action.  Despite still having several books to go, the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels are one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series for a very good reason and I had no hesitation diving into the next book of the series, Straight Silver, when I needed something fun to read.

As the massive Sabbat World Crusades gain traction against humanity’s enemies, the Imperial forces finally have the capacity to send aid to the long-isolated planet of Aexe Cardinal.  There the loyalist nations of the Aexe Alliances have been locked in a gruelling 40-year war against the Chaos corrupted Shadik Republic.  Amongst the Imperial reinforcements sent to Aexe Cardinal are the veteran Ghosts of the Tanith First-and-Only, who are ready to make a dent in a new foe.

However, upon arriving on Aexe Cardinal, the Ghosts are surprised to find themselves under the command of the Aexe Alliance rather than their own generals.  Forced to serve the whims of their new allies for political reasons, the Ghosts are soon thrust into the archaic way of fighting that have led the war to linger for decades.  Worse, their new commanders refuse to use the Ghosts to their full potential, and the lightly armoured scouts find themselves fighting in bloody trench warfare.

Forced to endure confined conflict in ill-maintained trenches, the Ghosts find death constantly on the horizon as raids, bombardments, gas weaponry, and their own shattered morale begin to take their toll.  To keep his regiment alive and sane, Gaunt volunteers his troops for the most dangerous missions where the Ghost’s scouting skills can be best utilised.  However, the resulting campaigns will test Gaunt and his troops to the utter limit as the relentless forces of Chaos come crashing down upon them.

Straight Silver proved to be an exceptional entry to this amazing Warhammer 40,000 series.  Featuring some powerful and gritty action that took its protagonists to dark places, this sixth entry in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series was so damn good that I managed to power through it in no time at all.

Abnett did a brilliant job coming up with a particularly intense and dark story that plants the protagonists and the reader into the middle of a gritty warzone.  The main story is initially a little basic, with the Ghosts arriving on a new planet and finding themselves caught up in another long-standing war.  However, the book takes an outstanding turn when the Ghosts, who work best as a scout force, are forced into an elaborate trench warfare scenario.  Thanks to the excellent World War I inspired setting, the Ghosts are figuratively thrust back into the past and are forced to fight an old-fashioned type of war with their lasguns going up against firearms, chemical shells, and fixed lines of trenches.  The constant grim trench battles, raids and fights across no man’s land that dominate the first half of this book are very intense, gory, and pointless, and the reader is swiftly drawn into the unusual and dangerous scenario the Ghosts find themselves in.  Abnett masterfully captures so many aspects of this grim scenario, and you have to appreciate how brutal he makes the battles and the terrible conditions the characters find themselves in.

All these initial battles are expertly shown through the eyes of the many recurring characters of the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and you swiftly begin to feel their despair and the rising tensions within them.  This works well with many of the existing character arcs, as several figures deal with grudges, uncertainty about duty, and growing relationships.  This excellent use of character arcs and perspectives humanises the fight, and you can’t help but get dragged even more into their hopeless situations.  I particularly enjoyed how Abnett deliberately made the antagonists a purely human force, with no named enemy characters serving as the villain.  This helps to reinforce that the true antagonist of the plot is human nature and their ability to wage unforgiving war, as the two opposing armies destroy everything around them.

While Abnett could have kept the characters in the trenches for a while and still had a good book, he chooses to accelerate the plot about halfway through Straight Silver, as the Ghosts are given a chance to prove themselves by going on two deadly missions.  This splits the story, as Gaunt leads half the characters on a series of deadly raids behind enemy lines, while another small group of key characters find themselves away from the fighting as they scout a critical location in the woods.  Naturally both storylines result in deadly chaos for the relevant protagonists, but I loved how they played out.  The storyline with Gaunt was brutal infiltration across no man’s land at its finest, and there are so many shudder-inducing moments as they continuously encounter the horrors of war.  The other storyline is much more a slow burn, as the characters find themselves isolated in the woods and only have themselves to fight with, as the grudges and resentments introduced at the start of the book are refreshed.  While the characters come together when an enemy presents itself, they are still caught up in their raw emotions, and this results in some dark moments.  Both storylines are resolve in an impressive and compelling manner, and the reader will come away enthralled, excited, and a little angry, as one excellent villain gets away with everything again.  You are honestly left wanting more, especially as Abnett throws in some tantalising hints for the future, and the bloody battles and horrors of Straight Silver will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

As with most books in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver can be read as a mostly standalone read, as many of the key characters and story arcs are expertly reintroduced throughout the course of the book.  While readers will always get more out of Straight Silver if they read the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books first, especially as that will allow them to become more attached to the characters, a new reader can easily pick up Straight Silver and have an outstanding time getting through it.  Straight Silver and the Gaunt’s Ghosts books can also be readily enjoyed by those people with minimal pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  The Gaunt’s Ghosts books exist in their own little pocket of the universe, with the story completely focused on their own struggle as soldiers.  As such, this makes these books perfect entry level reads for those wishing to learn more about Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and anyone with a love for science fiction or military fiction is going to love Straight Silver.

I’m always impressed with the amazing range of characters that Abnett fits into each of his Gaunt’s Ghost novels, as the author tries to constantly capture the entire experience of the regiment in a Band of Brothers sort of way.  Unlike his Eisenhorn books, which had one perspective character, the Gaunt’s Ghosts follow many different protagonists, which allows you to see a massive picture of events unfolding.  This works really well, and I loved the huge range of unique perspectives and personalities that emerged, as well as the different views of the fights and internal conflicts.  I did think that Straight Silver might have featured a few too many different perspectives, as Abnett tried to bring some new characters to the fore.  This meant that several of the established cast from the previous book didn’t have a chance to shine here and were often sidelined, while the newer characters didn’t impress as much in their first big appearance.

There were still a ton of great character arcs going on, and even with less time in the spotlight, many of these characters made the most of it.  Main protagonist Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt gets a good showing, especially as he is forced into conflict with his friend, the highly moral Chief Medic Tolin Dorden, and he is forced to balance his responsibilities as a Commissar with the love he holds for his soldiers.  Newly promoted Sergeant Tona Criid proves to be an absolute badass character, and it was great to see her take command and kick butt.  Sergeant Agun Soric has some great scenes as he slowly comes to realise his latent psychic abilities, while the formerly charismatic Gol Kolea is a hard figure to read about, after suffering a head wound in the previous book and losing his intelligence.  However, the best storyline in Straight Silver involves the mad sniper Hlaine Larkin and the nefarious trooper Lijah Cuu (sure as sure).  Thanks to their interactions in the previous book, the slippery murderer Cuu has a major grudge against Larkin and is determined to kill him, just like he did Bragg.  This results in a deadly game of cat and mouse between the two, as Larkin tries to survive both the enemy and Cuu.  Cuu comes away as such a good villain for this book (even more than the enemy), and you can’t help but hate the guy, especially as there is something slick and scary in his every appearance.  These characters, and many more, helped to turn Straight Silver into an exceptional read, and you really get wrapped up in their unique experiences of war.

I doubt anyone who has every read one of my Warhammer reviews will be surprised that I ended up listening to Straight Silver on audiobook.  All Warhammer books are so much better in this format, and the Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks are a great example of this, especially with narrator Toby Longworth.  Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, has lent his voice to most of Abnett’s Warhammer audiobooks, and he always does a remarkable job moving the story along and describing the book’s epic battle sequences.  This is extremely evident in Straight Silver, and I very quickly powered through this audiobook because of how good it is.

I especially loved the awesome voices that Longworth came up with for the various characters featured throughout the book, and he goes out of his way to ensure that every figure has their own distinctive and fitting voice.  Many of these voices are carried over from the previous audiobooks, and it was great to get the continuity for each of the recurring characters, so much so that by this point listeners of the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books can figure out who is talking just by hearing their particular tone.  One thing I particularly appreciate is the range of accents that Longworth distributes across the audiobook.  Each group of soldiers, such as the original Tanith troopers, the new Verghastite recruits, and the soldiers of Aexe Cardinal, are given their own distinctive accents, and this cool attention to detail is what makes Longworth such a good narrator.  This was such an epic audiobook; with a runtime of nearly ten hours, most people can power through it, especially when they get caught up in the epic story.

Straight Silver is a particularly epic and impressive addition to the Gaunt’s Ghosts series as Dan Abnett takes his fame regiment down into battle hell.  Loaded with intense moments, a powerful background setting, and multiple engaging character arcs, Straight Silver is an exceptional read, and it is honestly one of the strongest Gaunt’s Ghosts books I have so far read.  An utterly addictive Warhammer 40,000 novel, I can give it no higher honour as a reviewer than to say the moment I finished it, I instantly grabbed the next book in the series, read it, and will be putting up a review for it now.

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Peace Talks by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

Peace Talks Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 14 July 2020)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 16

Length: 12 hours and 52 minutes

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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After nearly four fantastic years, I have officially come full circle with the epic Dresden Files series as I check out the final book I needed to read with the entertaining and compelling entry, Peace Talks.

Back in 2020, I had the very great pleasure of discovering Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files urban fantasy series.  A powerful, action-packed, and intense read, Battle Ground was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020, even though I started with the 17th entry in the series.  I had so much fun with Battle Ground that I instantly went back and listened to the first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front, which cemented my love for the series.  Since then, I have been slowly working my way through the entire Dresden Files audiobook collection, loving every second of it.  There are so many exceptional entries in this amazing series, with some of my favourites including Fool Moon, Dead Beat, Small Favour, Changes, Ghost Story, and Skin Game, just to name a few.  There was frankly not a single book in this series I didn’t love, and I had such a wonderful time with each of them.  I have been on the final stretch of this series for the last couple of months, which ended when I got through the intriguing Peace Talks.

Harry Dresden, professional wizard, White Knight, and supernatural defender of Chicago is adjusting to many of the changes in his life, including a new romance and his duties as a father.  However, things always have a way of becoming even more complicated for Dresden as the sins of his past and his twisted loyalties come back to haunt him, especially when an important gathering of supernatural entities is set to take place in his city.

Ever since Dresden destroyed the Red Court of vampires, the Fomor, an ancient and long hidden kingdom, have been making a play for power.  Their dark exploits have led them into conflict with many supernatural nations, and after years of skirmishes, the Fomor are finally ready to talk peace with the larger supernatural world in Chicago.  Assigned to summit as security for the White Council of wizards, as well as a liaison between the wizards and the Winter Court of Queen Mab, Dresden has his hands full, especially as he expects all hell to break loose.

As the various delegations descend upon Chicago, Dresden is proved right when his vampire half-brother, Thomas Raith, instigates a diplomatic incident that could lead to his death.  Forced to work with Thomas’ sister, Lara Raith, Dresden works to free his brother without starting a war.  But his actions soon draw the ire of several people close to him, especially as his loyalty to the White Council are in doubt.  Worse, an ancient evil has arrived in Chicago, one determined to destroy all chances of peace and bring about untold disaster.  Can Dresden save his brother while preparing for a force capable of destroying everything he has sworn to protect?

Peace Talks is a compelling addition to the long-running Dresden Files series that takes readers on an interesting ride in the lead up to the next big adventure.  Filled with great character moments, intriguing revelations, and some cool world-building, this was a solid addition to the series that I absolutely powered through.

Butcher comes up with a good story for Peace Talks that not only sets up some interesting plot points for later, but also tells its own unique narrative that is hard to put down.  To fully enjoy Peace Talks, you must appreciate that it is primarily a prelude for Butcher’s other 2020 release, Battle Ground, and as such a lot of story elements from it don’t get any real payoff until the second book.  As I’d already read Battle Ground before getting to Peace Talks, I could see where a lot of the hints, character arcs and storylines were going, so I think that gave me a bit more appreciation for what Butcher was doing here.

The story itself is an excellent character-driven narrative that contains a lot of great elements I really appreciated.  Starting off by showcasing the new normal for Dresden as a parent and partner, the story quickly moves along to the introduction of the summit, which brings several recurring characters back into the mix.  As various troubles begin to build on the horizon, the story introduces its major hurdle as Thomas apparently attempts to assassinate the leader of a supernatural nation.  Convinced of his innocence, Dresden reluctantly works with Thomas’ sister Lara to try to free him, resulting in a prison break sequence during a busy event.  Dresden’s determination to save his secret brother even at the risk of war begins to alienate several of his allies, including his grandfather, eventually resulting in an epic confrontation that was the highpoint of the book.  At the same time, the peace conference proves to be an intriguing addition to the plot, as you get to see some compelling interactions from multiple supporting characters, including many who haven’t been in the same book before.  The conclusion of the summit comes rather fast and shockingly, with the major antagonist for the next book arriving and making their intentions clear, and you come away greatly anticipating the chaos to come in Battle Ground.

I loved how Peace Talks came together as Butcher brings his usual charm, sharp writing and entertaining wit to the table in a big way.  Peace Talks features the trademark blend of mystery, adventure, character development, fantasy elements and snarky humour that I deeply enjoy about all the Dresden Files books, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the story.  There is a great focus on intrigue, politics and personal perception in this book, and I liked how a lot of the threats were more subtle and in the realm of future consequences rather than direct action.  Butcher also focused on setting up for the next book, and much of Peace Talks is geared towards providing context and character introductions for the coming war in Battle Ground.  While in some ways this reliance on setting things up for the next book made the events of Peace Talks seem a little less important, it was an overall strong book, and a great entry to the wider Dresden Files series.  While I do think that people should be really starting the series earlier than the 16th entry, new readers could slot themselves into the Dresden Files series here as Butcher continues his accessible style, minus a few references to some short stories.  Peace Talks also features some clever and subtle clues to major twists and big events in Battle Ground which you don’t fully appreciate until you read the following book.  I honestly came away from Peace Talks with an even greater appreciate for Butcher’s long-term writing skills, as well as his ability to expertly telegraph some major events.

I did feel that certain elements of Peace Talks did feel a bit rushed, especially when it came to the big bad who was revealed at the end of the peace summit.  Having already read Battle Ground, I was expecting more buildup for the villain Ethniu in Peace Talks, especially as she hasn’t been mentioned at all in any of the preceding 15 books.  However, she kind of just shows up, kicks ass for a few seconds, and then leaves, making her threats for the next book.  You don’t even get any history for her aside from the fact that she’s a long-dormant Titan who is annoyed at the world.  In hindsight, this is a little weak, and some explanation about who she is, how she took over the Fomor, or her history with the other magical leaders would have been good.  Butcher also failed to really set up any connection between her and Dresden before their fights in Battle Ground, which I think you needed.  This and other rushed bits of character interaction towards the end of Peace Talks weakened the overall story of both books, and it was clear that Butcher was keen to finish Peace Talks off and get into the major war sequences of the sequel.

As with most Dresden Files entries, Peace Talks excelled in the character department, which was a major highlight of the book.  Peace Talks features a huge cast of characters, most of whom are being reintroduced from previous novels so Butcher can feature them in Battle Ground.  As such, Peace Talks is loaded with some compelling interactions and character moments, especially as the protagonist must deal with a range of friends, family and foes who he hasn’t seen in years.

Naturally, most of the character work revolves around protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden.  Dresden is such a fun character to follow, mainly because of his immaturity, sense of humour, and the lack of fear and respect he holds for powerful beings.  However, while deep down Dresden is still the same loveable rogue we’ve been following for years, he has been experiencing some major changes in his life that have had some intriguing impacts on his personality.  Peace Talks sees him dealing with a lot of these major life events in various ways, and it was interesting to see how much Dresden and his situation has changed since the start of the series.  Much of the book revolves around his changing relationships with certain people, including his new romance with Karrin Murphey, which finally came official in the previous book Skin Game.  This romance is one of the nicest parts of the whole book, and the two characters are just perfect for each other, which twists certain future emotional knives a little deeper.  It was also sweet to see Dresden as a father, even with their complicated relationship and the trauma surrounding them.

However, I think the most dramatic character relationship that was featured in Peace Talks involved Dresden and his mentor/recently revealed grandfather Ebenezar McCoy.  The two of them have been rocky for years, but their emotions finally spilled over in Peace Talks, especially when it came to Dresden’s relationship with Thomas and his plans to raise his daughter.  The anger between the two bubbles over throughout the course of Peace Talks, mainly because Dresden is forced to hide the true reasons for helping Thomas due to McCoy’s hatred of vampires.  The eventual and inevitable confrontation is very brutal as the two are unable to come to common ground and both think they are in the right.  The big fight between them is one of the best scenes in the book, and it simultaneously showed how powerful McCoy truly is while also highlighting how much more skilled Dresden has gotten over the years.  The eventual result is very heartbreaking, showcasing the fact that no one can hurt you more than family, while also containing a fun bit of sneakiness from Dresden.  It will be interesting to see where this relationship goes in the future, but it’s clear this family has some major issue to work out.

In addition, it was also particularly interesting to see Lara Wraith, leader of the White Court and Thomas’s half-sister become such a prominent character again in Peace Talks.  Butcher spent a good chunk of Peace Talks reintroducing Lara as a major character who is going to be a big part of the series going forward.  While this does result in the usual overly sexualised shenanigans that have accompanied Lara since her introduction in the infamous adult-film focused Blood Rites, Lara mostly proves to be a compelling and complex character.  Indeed, there were some moving examinations of her relationship with Thomas that showed just how much she cared for him.  While the differing goals and expectations for Thomas result in some conflict between Dresden and Lara, they prove to be an effective team, with a bit of hostility buried beneath them.  Considering these two are going to be forced to spend a lot of time together in the future, I liked how Butcher built up their relationship here, and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the future.  Overall, I felt the characters featured in Peace Talks were handled really well, and I loved the unique and powerful interactions that emerged.

As with the entire Dresden Files series, I ended up listening to Peace Talks on audiobook, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy one of these epic novels.  Coming in with a runtime just shy of 13 hours, this was slightly shorter Dresden Files book, especially when compared to the other later books in the series.  This shorter runtime allowed me to power through Peace Talks in no time at all, especially as I was once again wrapped up in the silky tones of narrator James Marsters.  Marsters, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, primarily due to his work in this series, is so damn good, and I love how effective he is at telling Butcher’s story.  Marsters honestly gets the tone of each scene perfectly and the way he inhabits each of the featured characters is just amazing.  I once again must highlight how well he portrays protagonist Harry Dresden in this book, and you can really sense the character’s conflicted emotions.  Due to the large cast associated with Peace Talks, Butcher needs fill in quite a few roles, including a ton of recurring figures from previous novels.  I felt that he did a great job voicing all of them, and it was fun to see him dust off a few voices that we haven’t seen in a few books.  Everything came together perfectly with Masters narration in Peace Talks, and this was another epic Dresden Files audiobook that I just loved listening to.

Jim Butcher provides another powerful and intriguing addition to the Dresden Files series here in Peace Talks.  Simultaneously setting up the events for the sequel Battle Ground while also telling a powerful, character-driven tale of betrayal and family trouble, Peace Talks was a great read that proves hard to put down, especially for established fans of the series.  A highly recommended book that leads to bigger things.

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Skin Game by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday8 Comments

Skin Game Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 27 May 2014)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 15

Length: 15 hours and 49 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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I was once again in the mood for a guaranteed hit, so I looked no further than Jim Butcher’s exceptional Dresden Files series, with the 15th book Skin Game.

As readers of this blog will know, for the last couple of years I have been having a wonderful time getting through Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files series.  One of the most well-known and impressive urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files follow the titular wizard, Harry Dresden, as he investigates magical crimes and protects Chicago from supernatural threats.  This series is so damn cool, and I have loved the unique combination of mystery, great characters, and intensive world building as Butcher pulls together a brilliant, modern fantasy universe.  I honestly have loved every single book in the Dresden Files series, although I feel that the last few additions I have read, including Changes, Ghost Story and Cold Days are Butcher at his finest, especially as he really built in some elaborate and original stories.  As such, I had no reservations about checking out the 15th book in the series, Skin Game, especially as it had a pretty damn awesome plot behind it.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s sole practicing wizard and the new anointed Winter Knight, is in trouble.  Trapped on his island in the middle of Lake Michigan with a magical parasite in his head, Dresden has only days left to live.  Salvation soon appears when his boss, Queen Mab, arrives on the island, offering to save him.  However, nothing from Mab is ever free, and the conditions for her help might prove even more lethal.

To pay off an old debt, Mab has loaned out Dresden to one of his most hated and dangerous foes, the fallen angel Nicodemus Archleone.  To further his dark goals, Nicodemus is planning to break into the personal vault of the Greek god Hades to loot several valuable artefacts.  However, Nicodemus can’t do it alone and he hires a group of rogues, thieves and specialists, as well as Dresden, to pull off the job.  If they succeed, they will all come away insanely rich, but if they fail, their souls be trapped forever in the underworld.

As the job proceeds, it quickly becomes apparent that Nicodemus has no intention of letting any of his heist crew live, especially Dresden and his allies.  To survive, Dresden needs to work out how to both counter the many obstacles between them and the treasure they seek, while also finding a way to stop Nicodemus without breaking the agreements that bind the two together.  Can Dresden outsmart one of the most treacherous and deceptive beings in all creation while keeping everyone alive?  Let the games begin!

Wow, what an awesome book.  I am constantly impressed with how Butcher continues to produce outstanding and epic reads throughout this series, and nearly every Dresden Files book is better than the last.  Skin Game was a pretty great example of this, as Butcher produces one of his most entertaining stories yet with so many twists, betrayals and fantastic revelations.

I cannot emphasise enough just how cool the plot of Skin Game is, especially as Butcher comes up with a particularly clever and exciting heist storyline that the narrative is centred around.  After effectively following through from the events of the prior novel, the reader is soon thrust into the new scenario, which sees Dresden forced to work for his old enemy Nicodemus.  This leads to a classic heist scenario, with Dresden meeting Nicodemus’s unique crew, gathering up new members, and pulling together the resources need to break into the vault, even if the target is a much more supernatural than usual.  Butcher also adds in the fantastic dynamic between Dresden and Nicodemus as they plot against each other.  Both knows that the other is planning to betray them at some point, however they are forced to play by the rules in public to preserve the magical bargain between Nicodemus and Mab.  This leads to a great series of betrayals, manipulations and confrontations, as Dresden walks a thin line while trying to stop Nicodemus.  At the same time, several great recurring characters are brought back, which results in some powerful and personal character-driven storylines that I really got invested in.

There are so many great story elements ongoing through the bulk of Skin Game’s narrative, that by the time you get to the main event, the heist, you are extremely hooked.  The heist in question is everything you would hope it to be, as Dresden and his erstwhile crew of rogues, engage in some daring exploits to achieve their goals.  They are some brilliant set pieces, intriguing revelations, and several brutal twists, including one heartbreaking moment surrounding the main antagonist.  Everything leads up to the inevitable betrayal which sees Dresden and Nicodemus finally face off after dancing around each other all book.  I loved some of the scenes that followed, especially as there is a particularly great twist shown through a well-placed flashback that changes your entire perspective of the earlier story.  A subsequent sequence also presents some of the most emotionally charged moments of Skin Game, especially when it comes to one of my favourite supporting characters.  Everything gets wrapped up nicely by the end, and I loved some of the final revelations in the book, especially when you finally understand who was running the true game and why.

Butcher applies his usual excellent writing skills to Skin Game, and I love how effectively he tells this latest powerful and entertaining story; since it is once again told solely from the perspective of the protagonist, you are treated to Dresden’s typically amusing take on the events occurring around him.  This proves to be quite funny at times, although Butcher adds in a good level of drama and highly personal character development which I think balances out the book and ensures Skin Game can hit you at multiple emotional levels.  I love how Butcher experimented a bit with elements of Skin Game’s writing, especially with how he worked in some very clever, and well planned out twists and revelations, which I felt was one of the strongest points of the novel.  Butcher also really amps up the unique action, intrigue and adventure of the story, and I was constantly engrossed with how the story was going.  The depictions of the underworld and its defences were very striking, and I loved some of the unique scenarios Dresden found himself in.   This entire story come across extremely well with the writing, and I enjoyed every second I spent listening to it.

One of the things I have enjoyed getting through the Dresden Files series is how accessible Butcher makes each novel, as any entry in the series can be read somewhat independently from the others.  However, the deeper you get into the Dresden Files, the more the new book references elements from previous novels, while also building on existing storylines and character arcs.  Skin Game is a great example of this, as new readers can come in and have a wonderful time reading it, especially as Butcher does a good job explaining all the key plot points new readers might be unfamiliar with.  However, established fans of the series will get a lot more out of this book, as Butcher continues or concludes several amazing storylines here.  In particular, there are a lot of references to the last two books that featured Nicodemus as an antagonist, Death Masks and Small Favour, as Dresden continues his deadly fight against his old foe, while remembering all the previous battles that have occurred.  Several great character arcs also come full circle in Skin Game, which proves to be quite moving, especially to those readers who have laboured through the rest of the series and are already quite attached to the main cast.  As such, I probably would recommend reading the rest of the series before trying out Skin Game, mainly because you are in for a much more impactful time if you do so.  However, for those who want a fun and moving fantasy heist novel, you can easily dive into Skin Game and have an outstanding time witnessing all the betrayal, lies and deceit.

As always, one of the best elements of this Dresden Files novel was the exceptional character work.  Butcher always excels at creating complex and powerful character arcs that showcase the many different layers of each excellent protagonist and villain, and Skin Game is no exception.  Indeed, Skin Game was one of the best character-focused books Butcher has released, as it features an interesting cast and some deep and intense character arcs that showcase just how much many of the protagonists have changed.

Naturally, most of the focus of Skin Game revolves around protagonist and point-of-view character, Harry Dresden.  The wizard defender of Chicago, Dresden has gone through a hell of a lot in the last few books, which starts to catch up to him in Skin Game.  While he is still his usual flippant and disrespectful self, you can really see the cracks forming in Dresden’s psyche, especially as he balances the many responsibilities and traumas afflicting him.  Not only is his personality being altered by his decision to become the Winter Knight, but he is dealing with so much guilt for some of his recent actions.  This has made Dresden start to doubt himself, and he has trouble at times seeing whether he is still the same good guy he was at the start of the series, especially when some of his friends start to lose faith in him.  However, thanks to the help of those closest to him, Dresden regains a bit of himself as Skin Game continues, although the dark battles along the way once again take their toll on him.  Butcher works in some extremely powerful and emotional scenes around Dresden in Skin Game, especially as he finally gets closure with some other characters, including his daughter (the scene where they finally talk nearly had me in tears).  While Butcher really did amp up the heavy emotion around Dresden here, you still get a healthy dose of the protagonist’s distinctive with and humour, especially when it comes to the outrageous events, he finds himself in.  The unique situation where Dresden is forced to work with one his enemies prove a rich ground for the protagonist’s humour to come out.  It also allowed the reader to see how much smarter and more mature Dresden has become after fighting against all comers for over a decade.  I really loved how Dresden was able to anticipate many of the coming betrayals and pull together a particularly effective counter that shook up everything.  Butcher does such a great job writing Dresden, and it has been extremely fun to see this character once again grow.

Aside from Dresden, Skin Game featured an excellent collection of recurring characters from the previous books, each of whom had their own unique and powerful character arc that Butcher expertly continued with.  This includes Karrin Murphy, the former cop, who Dresden recruits as his muscle for the job.  Murphy is always one of the best characters in a Dresden Files novel, and Skin Game was a great example of this, as she once again serves as Dresden’s unwavering backup and conscience.  Skin Game proves to be a major novel for Murphy, especially as they finally resolved the romantic tension between Dresden and Murphy that had been building since the first book, Storm Front.  I really appreciate how well Butcher kept up the will-they/won’t-they atmosphere of these two characters for so long, and it was great to finally get some closure on that, even if I know I’m going to get my heart broken in Battle Ground.  Skin Game also saw the return of one of Butcher’s best characters, Michael Carpenter, the former Knight of the Cross who has been out of action for several books.  Michael gets back into the fray for this novel, and it was so good to finally see him return to his old ways.  The ultimate good-guy character, Michael is always a reassuring presence in any Dresden Files novel, and the interactions he has with Dresden are some of the most moving in the entire book, especially as he provides Dresden insights and emotional support like no one else can.

While I love Murphy and Michael, probably my favourite supporting character in the book is Waldo Butters.  The nerdy and kind medical examiner has been getting a real glow-up as the series continues, and you finally see how serious he has become by the events of Skin Game, especially after having to hold down the fort during Dresden’s enforced absence.  The events of the last few years have really changed Butters, and some of the interactions he has with Dresden are surprisingly intense, especially as Butters no longer trusts the main character.  Butcher had a lot of fun turning Butters into a magical superhero in Skin Game, and I loved some of the unique magical inventions that Butters uses to face off against forces way outside his weight class.  There is also the major turning point for Butters at the end of the book, where he shows just how noble he truly is, and the universe rewards him in a big way.  In many ways, Butter is the true MVP of Skin Game, and his future storyline looks very bright, especially as Butcher could easily do a whole spinoff series focused solely on him.

Of course, no Dresden Files book would be complete without a great villain, and Skin Game has one of the very best with the return of Nicodemus.  A fallen angel possessing an ancient, evil human, Nicodemus is a particularly suave and dapper figure, who always makes a huge impact when he appears.  Nicodemus falls into the role of heist leader extremely well, and I loved the fun dynamic that emerges between him and Dresden, especially as they both hate each other and known that betrayal is imminent on both fronts.  Some of the confrontations he has with the protagonists are pretty brutal, and you get to see just how dangerous he can be as a villain.  While Nicodemus is mostly his usual calm self for most of the book, certain big events push him over the edge, especially as he makes some big sacrifices.  It was both satisfying and a little heartbreaking to see him so damaged as a result, especially when the truth about the events are fully revealed.  I cannot wait to see Nicodemus return in some future books, especially as he is going to be even more dangerous and desperate.  Throw in a truly entertaining and dangerous group of fellow heisters, old enemies, Dresden’s loveable dog, Mouse, and a fantastic Greek god who proves surprisingly similar to the protagonist, and you have an incredible group of characters who help turn Skin Game into something truly special.

Unsurprisingly, I chose to listen to Skin Game on audiobook, which is frankly the best way to enjoy a Dresden Files book.  Coming in with a runtime of just under 16 hours, Skin Game was a decently long audiobook, although I was able to power through it very quickly, especially after getting caught up in Butcher’s impressive story.  As always, the audiobook format really enhances Skin Game’s presentation, and the novel’s humour, intense action and great characters really come through when read out.  Most of this is due to one of my favourite narrators, actor James Marsters, who has lent his voice to all the books in the series.  Marsters is so damn entertaining as a narrator, and I love how well he inhabits the various characters featured in the book, especially the protagonist.  Each character is given a very fitting voice, whether it be the dapper voice of Nicodemus, the calm tones of Michael Carpenter, or the hilariously British voice of Binder (which always reminds me of Spike).  Not only are these voices entertaining, but Marsters does such a good job of conveying emotion and feeling through his characters, including through the protagonist’s deep narration.  This was such a great way to enjoy Skin Game, and I cannot recommend the audiobook format of this book enough.

Overall, Skin Game proved to be an exceptional and highly addictive addition to Jim Butcher’s always impressive Dresden Files series.  Loaded with an outstanding heist story, amazing characters, and tons of sacrifice and betrayal, Skin Game was a particularly strong Dresden Files book and one I cannot recommend enough.  An incredible read that gets a very easy five-star rating from me.

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Three-Inch Teeth by C. J. Box

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller6 Comments

Three-Inch Teeth Cover

Publisher: Head of Zeus (ebook – 27 February 2024)

Series: Joe Pickett – Book 24

Length: 378 pages

My Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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In the mood for a fantastic and over-the-top thriller that makes great use of an American wilderness setting? Then look no further than the latest awesome novel from bestselling author C. J. Box, Three-Inch Teeth.

Ever since I started getting more involved with the crime fiction genre, I have been slowly working my way through some well-established mystery and thriller authors who I was previously unfamiliar with.  As such, I just had the pleasure of reading my first book from veteran thriller author C. J. Box, Three-Inch Teeth, which I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of.  Box is an outstanding author who has been writing for over 20 years.  While he has written several stand-alone novels, as well as his Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell series, Box is best known for his Joe Pickett books.  Following a game warden in the mountains of Wyoming who gets involved with various murders and other criminal activities, the Joe Pickett books are an amazing series, and I wish I had gotten into them sooner.  Starting with Box’s debut novel, Open Season, back in 2001, this series has featured some interesting stories behind it, which I might have to come back and read at some point.  The latest book, Three-Inch Teeth, is the 24th novel in the series, and it presents the reader with a unique and captivating story about nature, revenge and tragedy.

As a new hunting season begins in the wilderness of Wyoming, game warden Joe Pickett prepares for a busy period of monitoring the excited hunters coming into his domain.  However, he is unprepared for the savagery set to befall those closest to him as he encounters two very different killers.  The first is a wild animal, a massive rogue grizzly bear that goes on a rampage, killing several people, including the prospective fiancé of Joe’s daughter.  Desperate to stop the bear before it kills again, Joe and a team of expert hunters engage in an exhaustive hunt for it, which leaves Joe unprepared for a danger from his past to re-emerge.

Former champion rodeo star Dallas Cates has been released from prison.  Filled with anger over everything he lost, including his land, his family and his stardom, Cates plots his revenge against the people he blames for ruining his life, including Joe, Joe’s best friend Nate Romanowski, the local judge, prosecutor and more.  Spotting the chaos being caused by the enraged grizzly, Cates seeks a way to unleash similar attacks on those targets he wants dead.

Teaming up with a mechanical genius and another ghost from Joe’s past, Cates begins his deadly revenge plot, and soon all of Wyoming is in turmoil at the sudden upsurge in bear attacks.  With the incidents hitting closer and closer to home, Joe works to find the apparent rogue bear before its too late.  But is he ready to face Cates and his cohorts, or will his enemies finally get the best of him?  Whatever the case, tragedy and death await all those who enter the bear-infested wilderness.

This was an extremely fun and exciting read from Box, who pulls together an epic and memorable novel.  Three-Inch Teeth has a brilliant and addictive story behind it, and you will swiftly get drawn into this over-the-top book.  It’s an amazing read that I really could not put down.

I loved the epic story in Three-Inch Teeth, as Box comes up with an electrifying, intense and over-the-top thriller narrative that you can really sink your teeth into (pun intended).  Starting off with the first brutal bear attack, Box does a great job setting the scene for the reader as the protagonist, Joe Pickett finds himself leading the hunt for the culprit.  This proves to be a brilliant start to the book, and it serves as a good introduction/reintroduction to the protagonist, the setting, and the general vibe of the series.  While this is interesting, Box amps the plot up even further when he brings in main antagonist Dallas Cates, who has previously appeared in other Joe Pickett books.  Cates had a great balance of anger, patience and intelligence in him as a villain, as he seeks revenge against those that wronged him.  Teaming up with an interesting crew of accomplices, including another recurring Joe Pickett villain, Cates comes up with an igneous idea that allows him to capitalise on the bear attacks and kill those who wronged him without arising suspicion.

While I won’t go into too much detail about how Cates and his cohorts kill their targets, I will say it was extremely entertaining and very over-the-top, which I deeply enjoyed.  The resulting murder spree creates an intense plot as Joe tries to work out why a bear is killing several people close to him, and what the strange attacks could mean.  Box keeps the plot moving along at a quick pace once the killings begin, and I really enjoyed the switches in focus amongst the various characters.  The one exception to this is probably the storyline which focused on Pickett’s daughter, Sheridan, which honestly felt a little disconnected, and its payoff didn’t really add a whole lot to the overall plot (the falconry was cool though).  Still, I had a lot of fun with the story, and you really get drawn in to the book, especially once the protagonist gets closer to the truth.  The final leg of Three-Inch Teeth had me hooked the entire way through, as the antagonists gear up for their final confrontation with Joe and his friends and family.  The big finale is just as intense and deadly as you would expect, and long-term readers of this book will be shocked at some of the events that occur.  I loved how Box ended everything on a dark note, especially regarding a key side character, and there are some interesting hints about the future of the series.  I honestly had such a great time with this amazing story, and while it does get a bit outrageous at times, that is part of its rugged and exciting charm.

I really enjoyed how Box showcased his over-the-top story in Three-Inch Teeth, especially as it provided me with all the action, carnage and revenge that I was hoping for.  Featuring a very fast pace designed to lure you in, Three-Inch Teeth honestly never slowed down from the first brutal bear attack, and the author ensured that the excitement levels stayed extremely high.  I liked how Box set his story out in a typical thriller fashion of showcasing multiple character perspectives, which I think helped to showcase the story even better.  The constant shift between the scheming antagonists and the mystified, but increasingly suspicious, protagonists really enlivened the plot, and it was great to see both sides of the crazy scenario that emerged.  I personally also appreciated how accessible Box made Three-Inch Teeth to new readers.  I must admit that I was initially a little worried about coming into the Joe Pickett series at book 24, however, my fears quickly left me once I got stuck into the story.  While the plot of Three-Inch Teeth does rely heavily on elements from the previous novels, especially when it comes to the returning antagonists, you really don’t need any prior knowledge to get stuck into the story.  Box does a great job of recapping the key events of the previous novel as the book continues, and you quickly understand the grudge that the antagonists bear.  While long-term readers will probably get a lot more out of Three-Inch Teeth, especially when it comes to some of the character development, surprise deaths and continuation of existing storylines, any thriller fan can easily start the series here and have a wonderful time with this book.

One of the things that really stood out to me about Three-Inch Teeth was the outstanding background setting that much of the story is based in.  Box really works to feature his beloved Wyoming wilderness in his novel, and I loved the great depictions of the beautiful landscape, isolated towns and interesting locals.  This mountain area makes a great background for a lot of the book, including in some tense hunting scenes, and you can see that Box has a great appreciation for the location and the creatures within it.  As such, quite a lot of attention is paid to some of the local animals in these mountains, with the grizzly bear getting quite a look at in Three-Inch Teeth.  Due to the bear’s importance to the plot, Box goes out of his way to explore the habits, behaviour and biology of the grizzly throughout the plot, which adds a fascinating edge to the book, and understanding how a bear acts ended up being a key plot point.

In addition, Box also tries to capture the personality and feel of the inhabitants of Wyoming, especially those living in the mountain communities, and this is where Three-Inch Teeth might become a little less appealing to some readers.  While the protagonist and his family generally try to stay away from politics, pretty much everyone they meet is very right-wing in their political ideology, and they generally all have something to say about it one way or another.  Having never had the pleasure of visiting Wyoming, I can’t really comment on the accuracy of this, but the huge number of conservative locals does come across as a little strong.  While I am sure this was done for realism, it does get a little much as the book continues, especially when politics is worked into all manner of unrelated conversations.  While it didn’t dramatically ruin my reading experience of Three-Inch Teeth, I could see it alienating some readers who are looking for a little escapism from the current political climate, and it might prove to be rather tiring for those readers interested in chain-reading this series.  Still, this is a minor complaint and I think most people can just have fun with Three-Inch Teeth’s over-the-top action.

I loved the range of eccentric and compelling characters featured throughout Three-Inch Teeth, and I deeply appreciated how each of them was rather easy to follow as Box expertly reintroduces each of them.  The protagonists, particularly Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski, are very sympathetic figures, and Box ensures you quickly get across their relevant character aspects and enjoy watching them try to solve the unique crime coming their way.  However, I felt that the antagonists carried the day in Three-Inch Teeth.  Box features several great villains in this novel, including two recurring antagonists from the prior Joe Pickett books, and it was a lot of fun seeing them attempt their outrageous revenge mission.  The author does a good job of diving back into the two main antagonists’ backstory, especially as its pretty vital to the plot, and you quickly understand their obsession with revenge and the deadly relationships they have with the protagonists.  These exceptional antagonists were so much fun, and I love the future storylines that Box sets up through one of them, that hints of even more carnage to come.  Each of these great characters added so much to the plot, and I am excited to see what happens to them in the future.

C. J. Box easily wooed me with this wonderful and impressively exciting addition to this long-running series. Three-Inch Teeth was a great introduction to the Joe Pickett books, and I loved the thrilling story that he came up with. A very fun and intense read, I will probably dive back into this series in the future, especially if Box comes up with another captivating and awesome plot like Three-Inch Teeth had.

Three-Inch Teeth Cover 2

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The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery7 Comments

The Ghost Orchid Cover (2)

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Alex Delaware – Book 39

Length: 293 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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Legendary crime fiction author Jonathan Kellerman returns with another outstanding read in his long-running Alex Delaware series with The Ghost Orchid, which presents the reader with another gripping murder mystery.

Over the last few years, I have developed an awesome and highly enjoyable habit of starting the new year off by reading the new Jonathan Kellerman book as soon as I can.  An excellent and well-established crime fiction author, Kellerman has been producing amazing reads for decades, with his best-known works being the Alex Delaware novels, following that follow a plucky psychologist and his cop best friend as they solve the most unusual or mysterious murders in Los Angeles.  While I got into Kellerman’s work late, I have had an outstanding time with some of his more recent books, including The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History.  All of these novels have been amazing and filled with great mysteries, and I am always very excited to check out a new Kellerman book.  That is why I made sure to grab a copy of the new Alex Delaware novel, The Ghost Orchid, as soon as I could, and boy did it prove to be another outstanding read.

Love, revenge and deceit are all in the air when two bodies are found beside the pool in an upscale Bel Air mansion.  The two victims have been mercilessly shot down in what appears to be a targeted hit.  But who was the intended victim?  Was it the rich playboy heir who lived in the mansion or was it his wealthier neighbour with whom he had been having an illicit affair?

Noting the apparent anger behind the case, LAPD homicide detective lieutenant Milo Sturgis calls in his old friend and colleague psychologist Alex Delaware to help unwind the twisted threads of both victims’ lives.  Only recently recovered from a dangerous encounter on their last investigation, Alex is keen to get back into the saddle, even for what appears to be a simple case of revenge from a spurned husband.  However, it soon becomes clear that this murder is anything but simple.

As Alex and Milo dig deeper into the case, they discover that both dead lovers had troubled pasts and dark secrets that they were running from.  To discover who was behind the deadly murders, the two friends will need to uncover everything about their victims’ lives, including any dark connections that could identify the killer or their motives.  But neither Alex nor Milo are prepared for just how convoluted the lives of these two Los Angeles elites truly were or just how far they went to escape their pasts.

This was another brilliant read from Jonathan Kellerman that I instantly fell in love with.  The 39th entry in the Alex Delaware series, The Ghost Orchid featured Kellerman’s trademark investigative style and iconic character as they dive into another excellent mystery.

The Ghost Orchid’s story proved to be extremely interesting and addictive as it once again followed the protagonists as they embark on another fascinating investigation.  Mostly shown through the eyes of main character Alex Delaware, Kellerman paints a fantastic picture at the start of The Ghost Orchid, as he sets up the crime scene and then introduces the reader to the two murder victims.  From there, the plot advances at a steady pace, as the protagonists begin to dive into the lives of their victims and learn about their past, their secrets, and their deeper motivations.  Much of this investigation involves methodical interviews of the victim’s various friends, acquaintances, and relatives, and the running down of any leads that come their way.

Kellerman effectively moves this story along, and you are soon given some great clues regarding the case, as well as some potential additional crimes.  I loved how well the author kept up a level of suspense and uncertainty regarding which victim is the most likely intended target, and the expert blending of their backstories worked extremely well.  At the same time, Kellerman also adds in some more personal elements for the main character, including examining the fallout of the last book and his own work as a psychologist.  The entire mystery comes together extremely well at the end of the novel, and I loved the compelling story that resulted, especially as one character’s past holds the secrets for the solution of the case.  I did think that Kellerman wrapped everything up a little suddenly and with less involvement from the protagonists than you would expect, although there is a certain amount of realism in the final confrontation.  However, this proved to be an overall extremely epic story that you can’t help but get drawn into.

I really love how Kellerman structures his outstanding mysteries in the Alex Delaware series, and The Ghost Orchid is a great example of this.  Kellerman’s methodical and more realistic style of investigation always stands out to me, and I deeply appreciate how the protagonist’s attempts to solve the crime usually requires talking to multiple intriguing suspects or people with any sort of connection to the case.  While some of the dialogue between these witnesses and the protagonists occasionally feels a little off, for the most part Kellerman succeeds in building a powerful and massive picture of events that fills the reader’s mind’s eye and really draws them into the mystery.  The entire mystery in The Ghost Orchid was extremely well structured, and the slow move towards answers really drew me in and made for some great reading.  Like most of the books in the Alex Delaware series, The Ghost Orchid can be easily read as a standalone novel.  While parts of the main character arc do discuss events from the prior book and there are some callbacks to earlier novels in the series, you honestly don’t need any pre-knowledge of these books to completely appreciate The Ghost Orchid.  Due to how insular the main mystery is, as well as how well Kellerman effectively covers any relevant prior events, anyone can dive into the series here without any issue, and The Ghost Orchid proves to be an excellent addition to the Alex Delaware books.

Like all the Alex Delaware novels, the heart of The Ghost Orchid lies in the fantastic and heartfelt partnership and friendship of main characters Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis.  Due to their long association together, the two have become best friends whose insights into the way the other thinks result in them being quite an effective investigative team.  These two have a great patter as they investigate their cases, and it always so much fun to see them bounce ideas, suggestions and insights off each other.  This friendship is always a great part of the series, and it was interesting to see it changed to a degree in The Ghost Orchid.  Due to the closing events of the previous novel, Unnatural History, Alex was badly injured while investigating a case and has been out of action for a while.  This led to quite a bit of guilt from Milo, who blamed himself for Alex getting hurt.  This changed the dynamic between the two for much of the book, especially as Milo was reluctant to bring Alex into another investigation.  It was moving and a little heartbreaking to see this guilt induced damage in their relationship, especially as Milo was a lot more protective as a result.  As such, this was a great addition to the series, and I enjoyed seeing Kellerman try to stretch the bounds of this well-established partnership in some new ways.

Aside from Alex and Milo, the two character who impact the plot of The Ghost Orchid the most are the murder victims, Giovanni Aggiunta and Meagin Lea March.  While dead for the entirety of the plot, their lives and legacies cast a shadow over the whole book, and the protagonists, as well as the reader, need to dive into the past to find out who the killer is.  Kellerman does an excellent job of featuring these two dead characters in The Ghost Orchid, and the slow-burn examination of their lives becomes a key part of the story, as the protagonists talk to family, contacts and more, while also doing copious research.  As such, you really get to know both dead characters as the book continues, which proves to be quite intriguing and powerful.  Both victims are revealed to have complicated pasts, and the disentanglement of these secrets and the examination of all their interactions, relationships and motivations raises the tension of the plot while simultaneously increasing the reader’s attachment to solving the case.  Kellerman ensures that there is a balanced focus on both victim’s pasts for much of the narrative to disguise who the intended target was for.  This really enhances the mystery of the story, and you are constantly wondering what new secret or hidden truth will be uncovered to finally allow the reader to pinpoint why they were killed.  As such, these dead characters prove just as important to The Ghost Orchid as the protagonist, and I was once again impressed at Kellerman’s ability to make me care about character we never actually see alive.

Even after decades of writing, Jonathan Kellerman continues to produce fascinating and complex mysteries that readers can get so easily lost in.  The Ghost Orchid was an outstanding novel, that saw Kellerman’s fantastic protagonists dive into another elaborate mystery.  Powerful, loaded with great characters, and making full use of Kellerman’s distinctive style, The Ghost Orchid was an excellent novel from start to finish, and I cannot recommend this latest Alex Delaware novel enough.

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Rebellion by Simon Scarrow

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction8 Comments

Rebellion Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 14 November 2023)

Series: Eagles of the Empire – Book 22

Length: 398 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of my favourite historical fiction authors of all time, Simon Scarrow, returns with another epic adventure that places his long-running Roman protagonists right in the middle of the deadliest fight imaginable with Rebellion.

I have made no secret of the fact that I am a massive fan of Simon Scarrow, especially when it comes to his main Roman historical fiction series.  While I have deeply enjoyed Scarrow’s books set in other periods, such as his awesome Berlin Wartime thrillers Blackout and Dead of Night, it is Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series that I come back to every time.  Following two veteran Roman officers who manage to find themselves sent to every battlefield imaginable, the Eagles of the Empire books have dominated the historical fiction market for over 20 years, and I have had such an incredible time reading every entry in this series.  Eagles of the Empire has been a staple series for this blog ever since I started The Unseen Library, and I have reviewed multiple entries, including The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor.  Due to how much fun I have with these fantastic historical adventures, I always make time to read the latest Eagles of Empire book each year, and I finally managed to read the late 2023 entry, Rebellion.  The 22nd book in the series, Rebellion was an exceptional and bloody read that places Scarrow’s protagonists in their most dangerous battle yet.

AD 60, Britannia.  The Roman province of Britannia is in utter turmoil as the queen of the Iceni tribe, Boudica, leads her people in total rebellion after suffering the greed and cruelty of Rome too long.  Despite the best efforts of retired centurion Macro, Boudica’s growing force of Britons managed to destroy the veteran’s colony of Camulodunum, and now her army is emboldened to take back the entire province in a bloody spree of vengeance.

Campaigning on the other side of the province, Governor Suetonius desperately attempts to lead his army back to Londinium as soon as word reaches him about the uprising.  Forced to move ahead with a smaller force, led by Prefect Cato, Suetonius hopes to rally the rest of the troops in Britannia to make time for his army to arrive.  However, Suetonius is unprepared for the savagery of the desperate rebels and the incompetence of the officers he left behind, and he soon finds himself hopeless outnumbered.

As the Roman forces attempt to salvage the situation, Cato finds himself lost without his longtime comrade Macro beside him.  Convinced that Macro died at Camulodunum, Cato is determined to avenge his friend no matter the cost.  But Macro’s fate is far more complicated than the Roman’s realise, as he has been taken prisoner and is trapped in Boudica’s camp where everyone wants him dead.  As the Roman host desperately makes their final stand against the rebelling tribes, can these two grizzled soldiers survive this bloody battle, or has their luck finally run out?

Scarrow once again presents a fast-paced and powerful piece of historical fiction that proves impossible to put down.  Focusing on a particularly fascinating and iconic piece of history, Rebellion is an outstanding novel that once again thrusts Scarrow’s beloved protagonists right into the middle of the carnage.

The author had to achieve a lot in Rebellion, especially after the epic cliffhanger the prior novel, Death to the Emperor, left us on.  The events leading up to Boudica’s rebellion have been in play since the author’s very first book, and it was only a matter of time before Scarrow showcased it in this series.  Death to the Emperor did a really good job setting the rebellion in motion, and Scarrow needed to majorly capitalise on that in this latest novel.  Luckily, he was more than up to the task, presenting a captivating story that covers the key events of the rebellion.

After starting with a fun and bloody introduction that helps to highlight just how much trouble the Romans are in, Rebellion swiftly returns to the protagonists.  The first part of the book is told primarily from Cato’s perspective, as he accompanies the Roman general and a small force back to the imperilled capital in a desperate march.  This sets up a lot of the later narrative, especially as you get a sense of how out of position the Romans are and how desperate events have become.  Rebellion’s plot got even more interesting when the story spent several chapters focussing on Macro.  Now, I never for a second believed that Macro had been killed in the previous book, so I do not consider it a spoiler to mention that he was a major part of Rebellion.  His scenes were easily the highlight of the first half of Rebellion, especially as he endured being a prisoner of the rebelling tribes and his former lover, Boudica.  These scenes are so tense and emotionally charged, as Macro is forced to watch his comrades be butchered all around him, while also learning some surprising secrets.  Despite the horrors he witnesses, Macro still manages to be a bullish and utterly frustrating figure for his captors, and I loved seeing the various ways he tries to fight back.  Naturally, these two separate storylines converge as the book continues, although things only get darker once Cato and Macro are back together.

The second half of Rebellion is so damn fast-paced, exciting and intense that I honestly read the whole thing in a single night.  Everything about this second half is very impressive, as the characters go through hell time and again.  Much of this involves an extended chase sequence as the Romans are forced to flee the advancing wrath of Boudica.  The sheer desperation, despair and sacrifice involved in many of these scenes is extremely moving, and Scarrow did not sugarcoat just how brutal and bloody things got at the hands of the rebelling Britons.  The continued perspective spilt between Cato and Macro during these sequences works great, and Scarrow really captures just how fraught the situation is.

While I loved this long chase sequence and the brawls involved with it, the main highlight of Rebellion was always going to be the final battle between the Romans and Boudica.  Scarrow takes his time setting up this battle, which really heightens the anticipation, as the characters make their preparations and reflect on the fight to come.  The conclusive battle was everything you would hope it to be, and Scarrow showcases the epic confrontation, one of the bloodiest in Roman British history, in fantastic detail.  The action is intense, fast and shocking, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat waiting to see how events would unfold and whether the protagonists would survive.  Everything comes to a powerful and desperate finish, and readers will be thrilled by how this entire novel comes together.

As with most books in Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, Rebellion can be read as a fun standalone novel, although in this case reading one or two of the previous entries might be beneficial.  This is because most of the storylines from the last few books have involved the events that led to Boudica’s revolt, and it was great to see it finally see this ongoing arc finally come to fruition.  At the very least, I would advise people to read the prior novel, Death to the Emperor, before getting into Rebellion.  Death to the Emperor was one of Scarrow’s best recent book in the series, and it ends with the battle for Camulodunum and a cliffhanger regarding Macro.  The two books form a powerful pairing, and I strongly believe that the impact of Rebellion was enhanced by reading the events of Death to the Emperor first.  However, if you choose to dive into Rebellion as a standalone, you will still be in for a good time because Scarrow ensures that the plot is very accessible and easy to follow for new readers.  This proves to be an awesome Eagles of the Empire book as a result, and I look forward to the next entry in the series, especially after some of the cool revelations that came out in this impressive novel.

I loved the historical aspects of Rebellion as Scarrow does an amazing job of exploring the events of Boudica’s revolt in detail.  As I mentioned above, the set-up for the revolt was handled flawlessly in Death to the Emperor, and Scarrow did a great job following it up with the main event here in this sequel.  Many of the key aspects of this conflict, including the sacking of Londinium, the forced march of the Roman army, and the general panic of the citizens in Britannia are shown in impressive detail, and Scarrow does a great job of setting the scene and showing just how close the Romans were to defeat.  The author does not pull any punches when it comes to how bad things got, and the inhuman actions both sides committed really raised the stakes of the book.  Scarrow also does an outstanding job of filling in historical details that were not effectively covered by the surviving sources.  For example, I liked his take on the destruction of the Ninth Legion at the start of the book, which was reminiscent of the Teutoburg Forest massacre.  Scarrow further enhances the story by providing an intriguing potential viewpoint on both sides of the revolt.  Interactions between Cato, Macro, and several different Briton characters really highlight how both sides thought they were in the right, and the differing views around the conflicts amped up the emotions of the story.  However, it was his fantastic depiction of the final battle that I particularly enjoyed.  Despite its fame, reliable details about this battle are scarce and I think that Scarrow presented a very reasonable depiction, showing the tactics the desperate Romans likely used.  This battle really came to life thanks to Scarrow’s outstanding storytelling, and you can just envision the fight between the tightly formed Roman legionaries and the massed hordes of Britons.  All this historical detail was just superb, and I loved how authentic and brutal it helped to make Rebellion.

In addition to the amazing and compelling historical elements, Rebellion also featured some moving character work.  The plot of Rebellion featured an interesting combination of long-running protagonists, real-life historical figures, and new characters introduced for this book.  I think this cool combination of characters worked extremely well, and it helped to tell an amazing and complex story.  Naturally, most of this focus goes towards the characters of Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, who we have had so many adventures with over the years.  Cato is again showcased as the young but tough veteran campaigner and tactician, and I liked his intriguing storylines in Rebellion as he was involved in all the major battles and conversations.  While I am not sure that every key idea for Rome’s victory needed to come from Cato, it did allow him to serve a vital role in Rebellion, providing the reader with the best overview of Rome’s tactics and strategies during the war.

Due to Cato’s role as the leader, much of the more emotionally charged character work was left to the usually impassive and unflappable Macro.  Macro actually goes through a lot in Rebellion, as after losing several friends in Death to the Emperor, he is captured by the Britons.  Despite his steely resolve and fighting spirit, this imprisonment leaves its mark on Macro, especially when as he learns some disturbing secrets.  Macro also bears a certain amount of guilt in Rebellion, as he feels responsible for Boudica’s uprising, and he worries about all the deaths he seems to have caused.  I love this moving and powerful look at Macro, and it was great that Scarrow can still give him some additional depth this far into the series.  Throw in compelling and intriguing looks at the two opposing leaders of this war, Boudica and Roman Governor Suetonius, as well as some other great characters, many of whom do not survive the entire book, and Rebellion proved to be an exception novel that expertly showcased its amazing cast.

Simon Scarrow once again wows me with his outstanding Roman historical fiction novel, Rebellion.  This latest exceptional Eagles of the Empire book was everything I hoped it would be as Scarrow expertly places his protagonists in bloody heart of Boudica’s revolt.  Loaded with action, intriguing historical detail, and fantastic emotionally charged character moments, Rebellion had me hooked from the very beginning, and I loved every second I spent reading it.

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Throwback Thursday – Cold Days by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday3 Comments

Cold Days Cover

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 27 November 2012)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 14

Length: 18 hours and 47 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read.  For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I check out yet another exceptional entry in Jim Butcher’s outstanding Dresden Files urban fantasy series with Cold Days.

Readers of this blog will know that I have been having an incredible time getting through the epic Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.  An iconic urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files follows maverick wizard Harry Dresden as he defends the city of Chicago from all manner of supernatural threats.  This series is so impressive, and I have been steadily making my way through out it since 2020.  My previous burst of reading saw me get through four of these amazing books in a row, including Small Favor, Turn Coat, Changes and Ghost Story, and while that momentarily sated my interest in this series, I am still very keen to continue, and I’m hoping to finish it off this year.  I’m already off to a good start as I just knocked off the 14th book in the series, Cold Days, which proved to be another gripping and clever read.

Despite his best efforts, professional wizard Harry Dresden is once again alive, and his troubles are only just beginning.  Forced into a Faustian deal to gain the power he needed to save his daughter, Dresden, now finds himself indebted to Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness and ruler of the Winter Court of the Faerie.  While he’d hoped his murder would get him out of this dark responsibility, Mab had other plans and now Dresden finds himself dragged back to life as the Winter Knight, Mab’s personal champion and hitman.

Determined not to fall under the alluring sway of his new position and power, Dresden finds himself once again thrust into the middle of a conflict outside of his abilities when Mab sets him on his first mission, killing her own immortal daughter.  Grappling with such an impossible task, Dresden returns to his beloved Chicago, only to find even more trouble awaiting him there.  Demonreach, the mystical island in the middle of Lake Michigan that Dresden bound himself to, is under magical siege, and it if falls, billions will die.

With only 24 hours to complete both his allotted assassination and save Demonreach, Dresden soon finds himself under attack from all manner of foes, including manipulative faeries, dangerous beings originating from outside of reality, and former friends with new agendas.  To survive, Dresden will need to reconnect with his old allies and work with them to prevent a dark cataclysm.  But faced with impossible choices and hidden enemies, Dresden soon finds himself unsure who to trust.  Worse, his new powers are working to change him into something primal and dark.  Can Harry defeat both his foes and his own inner darkness before it is too late?

I doubt anyone is going to be surprised to find out that I loved Cold Days.  Butcher did a wonderful job continuing his exceptional series, especially as he presents the reader with a complex and intriguing new adventure, loaded with mystery, sacrifice and surprises.  A gripping read from start to finish, Cold Days gets another easy five-star rating from me, and I had an amazing time getting through it.

At this point in the series, Butcher had been on a real roll, and the last two books, Changes and Ghost Story, had exceptional stories that dramatically shifted the status quo for the protagonist.  This trend continued in Cold Days as Butcher simultaneously reintroduced Dresden back to the world after his death, showed his first adventure as the Winter Knight, and provided some massive detail about the major antagonist that his been hinted about since the start of the series.  I honestly was hooked on Cold Days the second I started it, especially as it begins with a particularly entertaining training montage, before dumping the protagonist right into the midst of complex Winter Court politics.  From there, Dresden is given an impossible task, and his attempts to understand his new mission reveal additional obstacles, including the danger posed by Demonreach.  This swiftly morphs into a classic Dresden Files novel, with the protagonist attempting to solve several concurrent mysteries, while entertaining antagonists try to take him off the board.  A lot of the story involves the always fascinating and manipulative Faeries, and I liked how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding them.  Naturally, this means that the protagonist must deal with politics, intrigue, and so many betrayals, as he finds himself in the middle of their deadly games.

Once Dresden fully understands the stakes of his new mission, he is forced to make some big decisions, especially as the true antagonists of this book are obscured and hidden.  Everything leads up to a massive and extended final confrontation, which was pretty damn awesome to see, especially as Dresden leads some interesting forces to war and finds himself going up against some big players.  There are some brilliant and well-setup twists at the end of Cold Days that really highlight just how manipulative a certain character is, as well as how good Butcher is at planning ahead with his writing, and the status-quo of the series changes once again.  This entire story was so damn entertaining, clever and moving, and I just flew through it.

As always, I love the excellent first-person style that Butcher utilises to tell his Dresden Files stories, and Cold Days came across in a fun and entertaining way.  Told exclusively from the perspective of protagonist Harry Dresden, you are given a front row seat to the chaotic events of the book as they occur, and I always love the fantastic blend of mystery, action, humour and character moments that result from this.  Cold Days was a particularly good example of this, and it featured an amazing pace, loaded with major set pieces and powerful interactions between the protagonist and other characters.  The action scenes were particularly fun, and I loved how well Butcher was able to enhance the battles with the continuously expanding lore surrounding his excellent series.  Everything about this book was a lot of fun, and this ended up being an impressive entry in the wilder Dresden Files series.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about Cold Days was the intriguing and impressive ways that Butcher provides some massive expansions to his universe.  Cold Days features some major revelations which completely shift the entire perspective of the Dresden Files, especially as you get some reveals about who the true antagonists of previous books were.  The protagonist’s place in this universe is greatly enhanced, as not only does he get some major power boosts but the true responsibilities of certain posts he took on are revealed.  As such, the stakes of Cold Days and the future books in the series are now higher than ever, which I personally enjoyed.  These changes were an outstanding natural progression of story elements from the previous 13 novels, and it was great to get some payoffs to some of the clever hints Butcher has been lacing into the series since book one.  Because of this, I would strongly recommend that readers go back and read the series from the start rather than beginning with Cold Days, as you will get so much more out of it.  At the very least, I think you need to read the previous two novels, Changes and Ghost Story first, as some of the major story elements and character arcs from there are concluded or continued here.  However, if you decide to start reading the series here at Cold Days, you should still be able to follow along, especially as Butcher always ensures that key elements and characters are always succinctly and effectively reintroduced.

I must really highlight the excellent character work featured in Cold Days, as Butcher does an outstanding job featuring a huge cast of fascinating figures, each of whom plays an important role in the complex plot.  Naturally most of this focus revolves around the point of view protagonist, Harry Dresden, who has been going through a real emotional and personal roller coaster in the last few books.  Not only did he recently find out he had a daughter who was hidden from him, but he was forced to accept a deal with Mab to save her, which he then tried to get out of by dying.  Fully resurrected by the start of Cold Days, Dresden is forced to deal with the consequences of his choices.  It was interesting to see the usually moral and independent Dresden under the control of a historically malevolent figure like Mab, and his attempts to understand her motivations and his place in this new regime are a huge part of the plot.  At the same time, his new powers are slowly changing him, and he is constantly forced to fight back against various primal urges.  This results in some very interesting personal moments, especially as Dresden is finally properly reunited with his friends and family.  I loved how emotional and powerful parts of this book get, especially as Dresden comes to terms with some of the darker moments and thoughts that have plagued him over the last few adventures.  As such, this is an important entry in Dresden’s personal story, and I look forward to seeing what other develops occur in the future.  Of course, while this book does get emotional and moving at times, Dresden was still mostly the same funny and disrespectful figure he always was, and much of Cold Days’ humour was derived from him making fun of and picking fights with people way outside his weight class.  I have so much love for most of Dresden’s character traits, even when being turned slowly evil, and Cold Days is so much more entertaining with him as the narrator.

In addition to Dresden, Cold Days featured a great batch of returning figures, each of whose storylines are also expanded on once Dresden returns.  I loved some of the interactions that occurred in Cold Days, especially as we once again got to see the fun sibling relationship Dresden has with his brother, Thomas, and there was finally some movement on the long-simmering romance between Dresden and Karin Murphy.  It was great to also see more of recurring characters Butters, Bob the skull and Dresden’s dog, Mouse, who are all quite entertaining in their own way.  However, I think the most interesting character development occurred around Dresden’s apprentice, Molly Carpenter.  Like Dresden, Molly has gone through a ton of trauma in the last few books, and it was great to see her mostly on her feet in this novel.  Of course, as Butcher is a cruel author, we had to know it wouldn’t last, and some very significant changes occur to Molly in the big conclusion.  Butcher did a great job setting the scene for these changes, and it will be interesting to see how much her personality changes in the next few books.  I still don’t love the constant hints about a potential romance between Dresden and Molly that were featured here; if they ever get together in a future book, it will be gross.

Aside from these familiar figures, Butcher also loads Cold Days up with nearly every Faerie character and figure he had, including several sinister new antagonists.  The Dresden Files books featuring the Faerie Courts and characters can often be quite entertaining and I think Butcher did a really good job of showcasing the intricate figures who make up these courts in Cold Days. Mab was a fantastic, dark and sinister figure for much of the book as Dresden’s new master, and I enjoyed how she cast a big shadow over much of the plot.  While mostly shown to be villainous, Butcher did attempt to humanise her in places, and it was great to finally get some more depth around her.  The rest of Faeries all had their own unique purpose in the story, and you are never quite certain whose side they are on, especially when more revelations come through as part of this book.  All the characters in Cold Days were very impressive and well-written, and I really appreciated how their complex character arcs helped to enhance an already powerful story.

As usual, I ended up enjoying Cold Days on audiobook, which is honestly just the best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel.  Coming in with a run time of just under 19 hours, Cold Days was one of the longest Dresden Files audiobooks, but I still managed to power through it in one fantastic week.  Butcher’s outstanding storytelling is always deeply enhanced by this format, and you really get the full experience of the action, unique fantasy elements and cool characters through it.  Of course, the epic voice work from long-running narrator James Marsters is a huge factor in this.  Marsters always moves the story along perfectly, and it is hard not to get caught up in the plot when he dives into the cool features and narrative.  I still really love all the unique and enthusiastic voices he brings to the table, and all the characters, be they new or established, came across perfectly here.  I always deeply appreciate how well Marsters can dive into protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden, and his narration once again pulled out all this character’s pain, inner turmoil, and relentless cheek.  Marsters also has a lot of fun with the various monsters, faeries and other ethereal figures featured throughout Cold Days, and he always ensures these mysterious creatures come across as something inhuman or terrifying.  This great voicework really turns the Cold Days audiobook into something deeply addictive and fun, and I really cannot recommend this format enough.

Look, there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy Cold Days, as frankly the entirety of the Dresden Files series has been pretty damn impressive.  However, I felt that Jim Butcher did a really good job with this 14th book, as Cold Days features a compelling and emotionally charged narrative that expertly continues some of the most impressive storylines from the last few entries.  Loaded with action, compelling lore expansion, and Butcher’s distinctive humour, Cold Days was an exceptional book that I cannot recommend enough.  I love this series so much and I cannot wait to finish it off this year.

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Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller9 Comments

Resurrection Walk Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 31 October 2023)

Series: Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer – Book Seven

Length: 407 pages

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

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Acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly returns with another outstanding and captivating read, Resurrection Walk, a clever and impressive legal thriller featuring two of Connelly’s best characters.

Gosh it has been a very good few years for fans of crime fiction author Michael Connelly.  Not only have we got two fantastic television adaptations currently going, but Connelly has been producing several great books across his multiple subseries.  Most of these books were part of his Ballard and Bosch series, with excellent novels like Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), The Dark Hours (one of my favourite books of 2021) and Desert Star (one of my favourite books of 2022), and he has also released a cool book from his fantastic Jack McEvoy series with Fair Warning (one of my favourite books of 2020).  Each of these novels has been excellent in its own way, but for the best Connelly fun nothing beats a Mickey Haller novel.

The Mickey Haller series, also known as the Lincoln Lawyer books, follow Mickey Haller, an infamous and effective defence attorney in L.A who got his nickname, “the Lincoln Lawyer” by working out of a Lincoln town car.  Known for intricate cases, elaborate court scenes and fantastic legal shenanigans, the Mickey Haller books are always a ton of fun and I love both the books and its current television adaption.  Connelly’s last Mickey Haller book came out in 2020 with The Law of Innocence, and I was very happy to find out that he was releasing a new one this year with Resurrection Walk.  Resurrection Walk was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, especially as it featured a great plot and fantastic team-up between Haller and Connelly’s best-known protagonist, Harry Bosch.

Following a successful case that freed an innocent man from prison, defence attorney Mickey Haller has gotten a taste for hopeless cases and is now working on helping those unfairly convicted of crimes they didn’t commit.  Hiring his half-brother, retired detective Harry Bosch to vet the various requests for help being sent to him, Haller hopes that he can do a little good alongside his usual controversial legal practice.  However, the first case that Bosch picks might be the most dangerous.

Several years ago, Lucinda Sanz was accused of killing her sheriff’s deputy ex-husband in front of her house, a crime she always claimed she was innocent of.  Reading through her case, Bosch is convinced that there is far more to the murder than the files indicate, especially when he discovers evidence that the victim was part of a notorious police gang.  Convincing Haller to take on Lucinda’s case, the pair begin to investigate further and begin the process of having her conviction appealed.

However, proving Lucinda’s innocence is no easy task, especially with substantial evidence proclaiming her guilt, a police force closing ranks against them, and no new witnesses willing to come forward.  Worse, there are many people who don’t want Lucinda’s case re-opened, and soon Bosch and Haller find themselves being threatened on all fronts.  With determined legal opponents facing them in the court and dangerous foes waiting for them at home, can even the Haller-Bosch dream team uncover the truth and save their client?

Connelly does it again with an outstanding and deeply addictive read that had me hooked from the very beginning.  Expertly bringing together two of his best characters into an intense and clever legal thriller, Resurrection Walk is an amazing book, and it was probably one of my favourite Connelly reads from the last few years.

Resurrection Walk has a brilliant story around it that sees the characters of Haller and Bosch teaming up to try and get an innocent woman out of prison.  While billed as a Lincoln Lawyer novel, the plot of Resurrection Walk is split between Bosch and Haller, with both characters working on the case from their own unique perspectives.  Connelly dives into the fantastic story of Resurrection Walk quickly, effectively setting up the primary case, while also including some intriguing minor side cases and the compelling personal issues of the two protagonists.  While a couple of the side cases and adventures at the start of the book do seem a little unnecessary in the context of the main plot, I quite enjoyed them, and Connelly does tie a couple of them back into the story in some compelling ways.

The main plot itself is extremely fun as it cleverly builds on Haller and Bosch’s existing character arcs, while also presenting the reader with a unique case.  Haller and Bosch working to free a woman who pled no contest to a murder charge was always going to be a recipe for success, and Connelly turns it into gold with his writing.  The author breaks the story perfectly down the middle between Haller and Bosch, and the combination of an intriguing investigation arc and Haller’s entertaining legal manoeuvrings was a ton of fun.  There were also some intriguing thriller elements as the two protagonists are targeted by parties interested in stopping their investigation, which really ensures the reader gets more invested in the story.  The start of the book deals with the initial investigations into their client’s claims and coming up with a game plan for a potential appeal.  This proved to be a fascinating and vital part of the book as it expertly introduced a lot of the salient points to the reader while also quickly indicating that there are a ton of anomalies at play.

I really liked that Connelly took his time getting to the trial, and it helped to set up anticipation for the legal shenanigans to come.  The trial in question takes up most of the second half of the novel, and it proved to be the best part of the entire novel as it brings together a lot of the story threads that Connelly previously set up.  By the time you get to it, the reader is pretty invested in Lucinda Sanz’s story of innocence, and you want to see her triumph over the system that oppressed her.  It also helped that Connelly was presenting a unique legal case in this book as Haller goes federal and sues the State of California with a habeas petition to try and overturn his client’s decision to plead out a murder they were framed for.  This results in a very different game plan for Haller, and the resulting trial goes in some very interesting directions.  Connelly really keeps the reader on their feet during the trial, and there is a blazing back and forth between Haller and his opposition, especially when both start playing some dirty tricks.  Both sides have victories and defeats, and I liked how Connelly kept the reader in constant suspense, as you were never certain which way the case was going to go.  Haller of course puts in his typical over-the-top and unconventional legal strategies, which throws the case in some interesting directions and leaves the reader very entertained at times.  It was especially fun when some of them backfire on him, and the reminder that the protagonist isn’t legally invulnerable was a great part of the plot.

Everything leads up to a big conclusion which wraps up the plot in an interesting way.  While I liked elements of the finale, I did think that Connelly got there a little suddenly, and it kind of messed up the overall flow of the book.  I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the fact that the major event that sealed the deal occurred outside of the courtroom, and I honestly would have preferred some form of elaborate legal tactic to save the day.  Still, there are some great moments at the end, especially when Haller uses a few more tricks to make things go his way, minus some funny legal repercussions, but it was a generally satisfying ending that I deeply enjoyed.

Connelly did a wonderful job writing Resurrection Walk, and I loved how well he set out the story.  I deeply appreciated how there was some real authenticity in the various legal elements of this book, from the unique trial, the boundless prep-work, and the other vital work involved in the process.  Connelly also broaches some interesting concepts during the trial, including AI generated crime scene renderings, which was fascinating, even if it didn’t always go the way you hoped it would.  This book has a wonderful pace to it, especially during the intense and moving trial sequences, and I loved how invested I got in events, including those associated with the main case, and the personal lives of the two dynamic protagonists.  Connelly has a lot of experience of inserting his main protagonist, Harry Bosch, into other protagonists’ stories, and I think that he was a strong inclusion in Resurrection Walk as an equal protagonist to tell an outstanding story.  There is an equal balance of storylines and actions between the two, and I deeply appreciated the different tenses that the author uses depending on who the perspective character is, especially as the first-person perspective is perfect for Haller and his ego, while the third-person perspective fits Bosch’s quieter personality better.  This, and other elements, ensured Resurrection Walk’s narrative really popped, and Connelly amazing writing helped to turn this into an amazing read.

I mentioned how well the author switched between these two well-established protagonists, but Resurrection Walk also had some awesome character dynamics and arcs that added to the overall impact of the plot.  Both Haller and Bosch have been going through some intriguing ongoing storylines for several of their last appearances, and it was great to see some resolution or continuation of it here.  Haller, for example, has been trying to come to terms with what he wants to do as a lawyer as he has been having a certain amount of dissatisfaction with being a defence attorney for the city’s scum.  Bosch, on the other hand, has been slowly (ever so slowly) dying of cancer for the last few books, and his work with Haller in Resurrection Walk is due to Haller getting him on his insurance.  However, this raises even more issues for Bosch, as he, a former cop, is now working for a defence attorney, and he finds himself on the other end of the law process as a result.  This results in some intriguing and tense interactions between the two protagonists, especially as these brothers have different interpretations of the law, and it was really fascinating to see them come at the same case from very different angles.  Tension, inner drama, and other personal concerns added some excellent emotional weight to Resurrection Walk’s plot, and I really enjoyed seeing these protagonists in action, especially as there is a certain amount of respect gained between them as the case proceeds.  The author handles both characters extremely well in Resurrection Walk, and while I am a little dissatisfied that Connelly seems to be backing away from Bosch being on death’s door (an experimental treatment is making him better), both of Connelly’s amazing and iconic protagonist have an amazing time in this book and their collaboration was pure gold.

Michael Connelly once again produces one of the best crime fiction books of the year with the exciting legal thriller Resurrection Walk.  This is a captivating and powerful novel that combines a fascinating and intense legal case with two fan favourite characters to produce an exceptional and awesome read.   I powered through Resurrection Walk in no time at all, and it ended up getting an easy five-star rating from me.  One of my favourite books of the year, I cannot recommend the clever, moving, and highly addictive Resurrection Walk enough.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 38: The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Five-Star Books4 Comments

Usagi Yojimbo - Volume 38 - The Green Dragon Cover

Publisher: IDW (Paperback – 18 April 2023)

Series: Usagi Yojimbo – Volume 38

Length: 128 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I once again return to one of my absolute favourite comic book series as Stan Sakai brings out the 38th volume of his iconic Usagi Yojimbo series, The Green Dragon.

Fans of this blog will know that I am a massive fan of the classic Usagi Yojimbo comic series, having had a ton of fun reviewing multiple volumes of it over the years.  Written and drawn by the legendary Stan Sakai, the Usagi Yojimbo comics are set in a version of Feudal Japan inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, and follow a rabbit Ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, as he journeys the countryside fighting monsters, bandits, and other dangerous foes.  These comics are something truly special thanks to their clever stories, great characters, beautiful artwork, and impressive utilisation of Japanese mythology and iconography, and I have so much love for them.

Usagi Yojimbo #27 Cover

For the last couple of years, Usagi Yojimbo has been published by IDW comics, who have done a pretty good job continuing this epic comic, especially as they started the trend of releasing the volumes in colour right off the bat, which has been highly effective and striking.  All the previous IDW volumes, including Bunraku and Other Stories, Homecoming, Tengu War! and Crossroads, have been pretty awesome five-star reads, so I knew that I was going to have a ton of fun with the latest volume, The Green Dragon.  Containing issues #27-31 of the current series, The Green Dragon featured three intriguing new stories, each of which was better than the last.  This was another very strong entry in the series and Sakai did a wonderful job of continuing some storylines from the previous volumes while also making The Green Dragon stand out in some distinctive ways.

The first story in The Green Dragon is one of the shorter entries, titled A Ghost Story.  This story sees Usagi and his current travelling companion, his cousin Yukichi, travelling through a dark, apparently haunted forest before coming to a shrine at its heart.  The shrine is dedicated to a deceased pregnant maid who was murdered on the orders of her lover and master, and now stands as a place of prayer for women in similar circumstances.  Upon reaching the shrine, Usagi and Yukichi see history start to repeat itself, as another maid praying at the shrine is attacked by a group of bandits intent on murdering her.  Intervening to save her, Usagi and Yukichi attempt to discover who ordered the hit, only to discover a murderous plot with unexpected twists.  Worst, the ghosts of the forest are out in force, and they won’t go until revenge is satisfied.

Usagi Yojimbo #27b Cover

A Ghost Story was a fun story that utilises a few compelling elements that are very familiar to Usagi Yojimbo readers.  The murder plot at its heart is a bit simple, especially when it comes to working out who is orchestrating events, but Sakai tells it in a very compelling manner, especially with the fun action and quick-paced plot.  The parallels between this current murder plot and the story told to them at the beginning was an intriguing story device, especially as it gets twisted around a little, and I loved how Sakai works in supernatural elements to the narrative.  Sakai has made great use of vengeful and tricky ghosts in his stories before, and I felt this one was particularly good, especially as it gave the plot some fitting narrative justice.  It was also quite amusing to see Usagi acting as the wise mentor to Yukichi when it came to matters he is very familiar with, such as ghosts and murder plots, so I had fun with that.  This was an overall strong and entertaining first entry in this volume and it sets up the story extremely well.

Usagi Yojimbo #28 Cover

The second story in this volume is another single-issue story, The Long Road, which follows a different highly familiar Usagi Yojimbo trend of Usagi intervening in a sudden bandit attack in the woods.  This time, Usagi and Yukichi encounter a merchant and his servant being ambushed by bandits determined to steal a valuable jade figurine.  Managing to scare off the bandits just after they kill the merchant, Usagi and Yukichi agree to escort the servant to the next town and deliver the figurine to its buyer.  However, as they continue their journey, it soon becomes apparent that their new travelling companion is in league with the bandits, and he is leading them into a trap.

Usagi Yojimbo #28b Cover

This was another great Usagi Yojimbo story that has a similar feel to previous entries, although Sakai uses that to his advantage.  Usagi Yojimbo fans have seen a whole lot of Usagi-led escort missions over the years, but The Long Road was a pretty good overall story.  Part of this was because Usagi is very much wising up to treachery that always seems to occur on these missions, and he takes active steps to not only identify the threat but also counter it in a satisfying way.  There is also a lot of entertaining betrayal, especially as the disloyal servant learns a harsh lesson about backstabbing from some experts.  It was also quite entertaining to see the green and unworldly character of Yukichi get a hands-on lesson about being a Yojimbo, especially as Usagi has some fun explaining at the moral issues surrounding it.  Combine that with Sakai’s great art, the well-drawn battle scenes, and the way it leads into the main story of the volume, and The Long Road is an impressive story that has a lot going for it underneath its veneer of a typical Usagi Yojimbo entry.

Usagi Yojimbo #29 Cover

The final story in this volume is the main entry, The Secret of the Green Dragon.  A three-issue long story that continues in the immediate aftermath of The Long Road, The Secret of the Green Dragon has much of the volume’s meat and sees Usagi and Yukichi get involved in a deadly battle between rival ninja clans.  The story starts with the samurai continuing their journey to deliver the jade figurine from The Long Road, only to witness a courier going to the same destination being brutally murdered by the flying Komori Ninja.  Usagi and Yukichi soon discover that the Komori Ninja are after something very special being delivered to the town, and naturally that secret package is in their care.  As they attempt to work out why their package is so important, Usagi runs into his old friend Chizu, former head of the Neko Ninja, who reveals that the figurine’s box contains an important missive that will cause issues for the scheming Lord Hikiji.  Hiring Usagi and Yukichi as bodyguards, Chizu leads them on a desperate mission across the countryside to escape the hovering Komori Ninja.  But the Komori Ninja aren’t an easy foe to avoid, and the trio soon find themselves under attack in the snowy landscape.

Usagi Yojimbo #29b Cover

The Secret of the Green Dragon is easily the best story in the entire volume as it takes the protagonists on one heck of an adventure.  Storylines with the various ninja clans of Usagi Yojimbo’s Japan are always extremely fun, and The Secret of the Green Dragon is no exception to this as it features the sinister Komori Ninja.  Flying bat ninja with blades attached to their wings, the Komori Ninja are always a fantastic addition to any plot as Sakai sets them up as one of the most unique and deadly foes in the series.  Sakai makes especially great use of them in The Secret of the Green Dragon, and their constant pursuit of the protagonists over the harsh wintery terrain makes for some impressive visuals.  The author loads this story with a ton of action, and there are some amazing set pieces that are extremely well showcased by Sakai’s art style, including desperate chases, powerful air-to-surface combat, and forays across impossible terrain.

Usagi Yojimbo #30 Cover

There are a lot of fun story elements involved with The Secret of the Green Dragon, especially as it continues a lot of the ongoing plotlines involving the feuding ninja clans and Chizu’s attempts to regain control of the Neko Ninja.  The volumes ongoing storyline about Yukichi getting introduced to the various complicated elements of Usagi’s life as a wander was well set up, and he and Usagi learnt some harsh lessons about trust.  Watching Usagi lose his faith in Chizu after she engages in one deceit too many is pretty striking, and Chizu’s obvious regret later really makes this hit harder, especially as it is just one more tragedy this lonely ninja is forced to experience.  Finishing up with a threatening cameo from the series’ best villain, Jei, this ended up being a very strong story that is likely to have some intriguing repercussions later.

Usagi Yojimbo #30b Cover

I once again really need to highlight the outstanding artwork that is such an important cornerstone of this comic.  Sakai does some amazing drawings in The Green Dragon, and I loved the elaborate sequences that come together as a result.  All three stories are filled with eye-catching shots of beautiful Japanese scenery and towns, which really adds to the ambience of the story.  I particularly enjoyed the snowy landscapes that were such a big part of the third story, The Secret of the Green Dragon, serving as a powerful backdrop to the pursuit and battle-laden plot.  The villains of The Secret of the Green Dragon, the Komori Ninja, are also well showcased in the art style, and I think the full-colour spread helped to give them an added edge.  Their various attack scenes are very distinctive, especially compared to the typical combat sequences between Usagi and other samurai, and Sakai always goes out of his way to make the Komori Ninja a powerful villain with his drawings.  I honestly loved every beautifully drawn panel featured in The Green Dragon, and Sakai is still doing some amazing work after all these years.

Overall, The Green Dragon by Stan Sakai is an epic and fantastic volume in the always impressive Usagi Yojimbo series.  Filled with great art, clever stories, and some amazing, well-established characters, The Green Dragon was another strong outing from Sakai and one that I absorbed the second I got my hands on it.  There is a reason this is my absolute favourite comic series, and I will be reading this until the day it ends.  Highly recommended, especially for long-time fans of the comic, and one that pretty much gets an automatic five-star rating from me.