WWW Wednesday – 23 March 2022

On March 23, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

The Justice of Kings Cover

I started listening to the awesome new novel, The Justice of Kings, this week and boy is it really good. The debut fantasy novel of author Richard Swan, The Justice of Kings is a unique book that combines intriguing crime fiction elements with an excellent fantasy setting as a magically-empowered justice tries to solve a murder. This was one of my most anticipated fantasy books of 2022 and it is proving to be just as awesome as expected. I should hopefully finish The Justice of Kings off soon and I look forward to seeing how everything unfolds.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (Trade Paperback)

The Kaiju Preservation Society Cover 2

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney (Audiobook)

Sierra Six Cover

Firefly: Carnival by Una McCormack (Hardcover)

Firefly Carnival Cover

Daughters of Eve by Nina D. Campbell (Trade Paperback)

Daughters of Eve Cover

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook (Trade Paperback)

Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone Cover

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

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

On March 22, 2022February 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Thriller22 Comments

Publisher: Sphere/Audible Audio (Audiobook – 15 February 2022)

Series: Gray Man – Book 11

Length: 15 hours and 58 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Book Depository

Epic thriller author Mark Greaney returns with the latest entry in his incredible Gray Man series with Sierra Six, an intense and captivating spy thriller that will grab your attention and refuse to let go until the final explosion.

Over the last few years, I have been absolutely hooked on the incredible thrillers of Mark Greaney, who is easily one of the best authors of spy fiction in the world today. Not only did he cowrite a very cool military thriller, Red Metal (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), but he has continued his exceptional Gray Man series. The Gray Man books follow Court Gentry, the titular Gray Man, an elite assassin and undercover operator who has worked both for and against the CIA. This series has been so very cool, from the first novel The Gray Man (set to become a Netflix movie later this year), to the last three awesome entries, Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). Due to how impressive this series has been, I have been really excited to read the next book, Sierra Six, and it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022, especially as it had a very cool plot to it.

Court Gentry, the Gray Man, is once again the world’s most wanted spy, hunted by his former employers, the CIA, and every other intelligence agency on the planet. Looking for work, Gentry accepts an easy infiltration mission in Algeria to spy on a delegation from Pakistan. However, the mission goes sideways when Gentry recognises one of the Pakistanis and his rookie technical officer is captured. Chasing after the kidnappers, Gentry follows their trail to India and must relive one of the darkest moments from his past.

12 years ago, long before he became the Gray Man, Court Gentry was a talented young agent for the CIA. Specialising in solo operations, Gentry is suddenly reassigned to Ground Branch and must work as the junior member of veteran CIA action team, Golf Sierra. Given a new designation, Sierra Six, Gentry is forced to adapt to a new way of fighting as he and his team attempt to hunt down a dangerous terrorist leader in Pakistan. However, their mission resulted in a high body count and a great personal loss that has haunted Gentry ever since.

Now, as Gentry works his way through Mumbai, he must face the realisation that the target of his original Sierra Six mission is still alive and active after all these years. Determined to finish the job once and for all, Gentry works with a small team of rogue operators to find his target. However, his old foe has initiated a bold new plan that could have devastating consequences for all of India. Can Gentry get his revenge before it is too late, or will the ghosts of his past finally finish him off?

Greaney is in fine form with Sierra Six as he has written another excellent and intense spy thriller that I deeply enjoyed. Containing an action-packed and multilayered narrative loaded with major set pieces, exciting spy elements and some complex characters, this was another awesome Gray Man novel from Greaney.

Sierra Six was an absolutely thrilling read and I had an outstanding time getting through the impressive and addictive narrative. Greaney does something a little different for this book and features an excellent and intricate split timeline narrative, with the book divided between the events of the past when Gentry was part of Golf Sierra, and the current events in Mumbai which see Gentry again contending with the target of this original mission. The narrative switches between the two timelines every chapter or two and you get a great sense of what is happening in both well-established storylines. These two plot lines advance at a great pace throughout the entire novel and feature their own range of distinctive and fun supporting characters, some of whom appear in both the contemporary and past storylines. I had a lot of fun with the two separate periods, and I loved how they both made excellent use of interesting characters, fantastic developments and a ton of high-octane action sequences.

The timelines support each other extremely well, with certain hints about the events of the past contained in the contemporary storyline increasing anticipation for the historical storyline, while revealed details about the villain and the young Court Gentry from 12 years ago enhance the protagonist’s current adventure. In both cases, Gentry and his allies embark on a methodical hunt for their quarry, with a high body count accumulating as they follow various leads and respond to their opponent’s counter plays. While primarily told from Gentry’s perspective, both timelines utilise distinctive side characters to great effect, and you see intriguing supporting perspectives, including from the antagonist, that help to widen the picture and enhance the richness of the story. Both timelines eventually lead up to an awesome final sequence, comprised of two near-suicidal missions that the protagonist is engaged in. This final section of the novel is extremely fast paced, especially as Greaney shortens the chapters and introduces more frequent jumps between the timelines to make everything seem even more frenetic. Both timelines end with some incredible and awesome major set pieces, and I loved how Greaney used the end of the past storyline to set up the antagonist’s eventual return. The novel ends on a great note, with the two separate storylines coming together perfectly, and the reader is left very satisfied, if a little moved, at the tragic ending of the events from 12 years ago. I was extremely impressed with how this fantastic story came together, and this ended up being an addictive read with so many awesome moments in it.

Sierra Six was a particularly good entry in this already awesome series, and I loved how Greaney was able to create a book that both stands on its own as a thriller, while also serving as an amazing entry in the wider series. This novel is structured to be very accessible to new readers, and anyone can easily pick up this book and start reading it without any knowledge of the prior entries in the series, especially as certain key elements are carefully explained when necessary. There is also a lot for established Gray Man fans to enjoy here, as Greaney provides a bit of an origin story for his long-running protagonist. Not only do we get to see Court Gentry do some of his earliest work for the CIA, but you also get to see his first interactions with key supporting characters, including Matthew Hanley and Zack Hightower. I also loved a couple of fun little cameo appearances and throwaway lines that reference some of the earlier books, including the quick but enjoyable inclusion of the antagonist from the original novel. While there is are no major continuations of some of the established storylines this is still a key and intriguing Gray Man novel, and it is one that people familiar with this series will deeply enjoy.

I was very impressed with some of the unique elements of this book, particularly those involving tradecraft, espionage work and covert combat teams. There is a real focus on tradecraft throughout Sierra Six, and the author ensures that everything feels exceedingly realistic and gritty as the characters play their spy games. Not only do you get to see some of the usual undercover work that Gentry excels in but you also get a great look at paramilitary combat, as the protagonist learns from scratch the rules of fighting as part of a combat team. All this tradecraft really adds to the authenticity of the story, although it did make parts of the book a little clunky in places, especially when the narrator or the characters explain certain espionage or military elements multiple times in overly descriptive ways.

I also rather enjoyed the exciting settings of the various timelines, as Greaney takes the reader to wartime Afghanistan, Pakistan and modern-day India. This is an interesting change of pace from most of the Gray Man novels I have read, which have been primarily set in Europe, and I liked seeing the various descriptive landscapes and unique people. Mumbai proved to be a great setting for most of the contemporary storyline, and it was very fun to see Gentry manoeuvre his way through the crowded districts and locals. I also really enjoyed the focus on Pakistani intelligence and the Indian underworld, which proved to be very fascinating. For example, the fiction criminal group B-Company are clearly based on the infamous real-life D-Company, and it was quite intriguing to see them worked into the story, while also examining their origin and goals of their leadership. All these cool tradecraft elements and intriguing settings deeply enhanced the overall story, and it made for quite a fascinating and distinctive read.

There was some rather interesting character work going on in Sierra Six as Greaney takes his fantastic protagonist to some very dark places at various points in his timeline. I really appreciated the dive back into the period before Court Gentry became the Gray Man, and Greaney paints a compelling figure of a habitual loner with no personal attachments only at the beginning of his espionage career. Watching Gentry join a team and try to play nice with others was a captivating part of the book, and it was fascinating to see the rookie Gentry get rattled by stuff he’ll become much more used to in the future. Greaney also enhances Gentry’s development by including a curious, but touching, relationship in the earlier timeline, which helped to humanise Gentry a lot. However, certain tragic elements from this help mould him into the killer we all know and love, and Greaney subtly introduced the ripples from this into the contemporary storyline. The reader leaves Sierra Six with a much better understanding of this cool character, and I had a great time seeing more of the Gray Man’s past.

Both timelines are filled with an excellent and comprehensive cast of side characters, each of whom add a great deal to the narrative and Gentry’s development in their own way. While there are a few recurring characters from the previous Gray Man novels, most of the focus are on newer figures, who Greaney provides with compelling and interesting backstories. I liked how the past and modern-day storylines both featured great female side characters who helped move the story along in their own distinctive ways. This includes the socially awkward intelligence officer Julie Marquez, from the original Golf Sierra mission, and Indian tech guru Priyanka Bandari, who Gentry is forced to work with after saving her from kidnappers. Both female characters add to the plot a great deal, and it is fascinating to see events unfold from their eyes, especially as they have diverse life experiences and are also seeing very different versions of the protagonist. The storylines around both women are written extremely well, and I really appreciated where both went, especially as they both included tragedy, regret and definitive action. I also must really highlight the use of long-running supporting character Zack Hightower, who was an excellent inclusion in the historical storyline. Zack is always a great foil to Gentry, and I really enjoyed seeing him interact with the younger, cockier version here, especially as it shows some of the earlier dynamics between them. Watching Gentry meet his mentor and friend for the first time was great, and I really enjoyed the cool storyline that developed between them and the other members of the Golf Sierra kill team. All these characters were extremely impressive and I had a brilliant time getting to know them throughout the course of Sierra Six.

While I did receive a paperback version of Sierra Six, I went out of my way to also get this novel on audiobook as I have had some awesome experiences with the Gray Man books in this format before. This proved to be an excellent decision as the Sierra Six audiobook was amazing, perfectly telling the cool story while enhancing the intriguing tradecraft and action elements. The Sierra Six audiobook has a run time just short of 16 hours and so requires a bit of a time investment to get through it, although I think this was more than worth it and dedicated listeners should be able to get through rather quickly. I was also very happy to see that this audiobook once again featured the vocal talents of Jay Snyder, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators at the moment. Snyder has a gruff and distinctive voice that fits the harder spy thriller feel of this novel perfectly and drags the listener into the intense tale. Snyder does a brilliant voice with all the characters featured within, and you get a good sense of their various emotions and feelings, especially during some of the more action-packed sequences. I had an outstanding time listening to this audiobook and it is an excellent format for anyone interested in trying out this latest Gray Man novel.

The always impressive Mark Greaney has done it again, producing an incredible and exciting new Gray Man novel. Sierra Six, features a bold and captivating story that cleverly utilises two distinctive timelines to tell its intense and moving tale. Loaded with fun character, brutal action sequences, and some intriguing espionage moments, this was another outstanding book I had a brilliant time reading. Sierra Six comes highly recommended from me and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Greaney book.

Amazon Book Depository

WWW Wednesday – 16 March 2022

On March 16, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday7 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (Trade Paperback)

The Kaiju Preservation Society Cover 2

I just started reading this awesome and funny science fiction novel from John Scalzi (who wrote the hilarious Redshirts), The Kaiju Preservation Society. This fantastic novel sees a young man accepting a mysterious job offer that ends up transporting him to another universe where he must help in the preservation of giant monster. I am only a short way into this book so far but I am absolutely loving it and I should power through it in very soon.

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney (Audiobook)

Sierra Six Cover

I am nearly finished this epic audiobook and should hopefully knock it off by the end of the week. This is another very strong book from thriller author Mark Greaney and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.

What did you recently finish reading?

A Great Hope by Jessica Stanley (Trade Paperback)

A Great Hope Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Daughters of Eve by Nina D. Campbell

Daughters of Eve Cover

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

WWW Wednesday – 9 March 2022

On March 9, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

A Great Hope by Jessica Stanley (Trade Paperback)

A Great Hope Cover

I just started reading this intriguing Australian political drama novel, A Great Hope by debuting author Jessica Stanley. This compelling novel follows a political family in Australia following the death of their famous politician father. I have only made a little progress on this novel, but so far I am enjoying its fascinating story and interesting dive into Australian politics.

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney (Audiobook)

Sierra Six Cover

I also started the latest Mark Greaney Gray Man novel today, Sierra Six. This novel continues to tell the story of Court Gentry, the legendary assassin known as the Gray Man, and this latest entry dives back into his first mission for the CIA. I am only a short way into this book, but it is so far proving to be pretty awesome. Due to how cool the rest of the series (The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out and Relentless) have been, I am expecting great things from this book and I look forward to seeing all the carnage unfold.

What did you recently finish reading?

Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner (Trade Paperback)

Her Perfect Twin Cover

Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz (Audiobook)

Dark Horse Cover

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte (Paperback)

League of Liars Cover 2

Warhammer 40,000: Krieg by Steve Lyons (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Krieg Cover

36 Streets by T. R. Napper (Paperback)

36 Streets Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

The Justice of Kings Cover

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

WWW Wednesday – 2 March 2022

On March 2, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner (Trade Paperback)

I haven’t had much of a chance to read this book this last week but I am still enjoying this fantastic novel. I am hoping to finish it off in the next few days and I can’t wait to see how it ends.

Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz (Audiobook)

I have nearly finished this awesome audiobook which takes Hurwitz’s complex protagonist on another dark mission. Dark Horse has an outstanding story and I am deeply enjoying this intense and powerful novel. I will probably finish this off in the next day or so and I cannot wait to see how it all ends.

What did you recently finish reading?

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters: Volume 3: War of the Bounty Hunters

What do you think you’ll read next?

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

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

WWW Wednesday – 23 February 2022

On February 23, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday5 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner (Trade Paperback)

Her Perfect Twin Cover

I just started reading the intriguing dark thriller novel, Her Perfect Twin, the debut book from new author Sarah Bonner. This fantastic book follows a woman who kills her twin sister and then starts living her life in order to cover up the murder. I haven’t gotten too far in yet but I am already pretty damn hooked on this cool story and I look forward to seeing how it proceeds.

Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz (Audiobook)

Dark Horse Cover

It looks like I am having a bit of a thriller week here as I just started listening to the latest spy thriller from the impressive Gregg Hurwitz, Dark Horse. This cool book brings back Hurwitz’s awesome protagonist, Evan Smoak, the legendary spy known as both Orphan X and The Nowhere Man, for another action-packed adventure. This time Orphan X goes up against a criminal cartel to save a young girl for her crime lord father. Sure to be pretty damn epic and intense, I have had a great time reading the last few Orphan X novels (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire and Prodigal Son), and I am predicting that Dark Horse will be another five star book.

What did you recently finish reading?

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman (Trade Paperback)

City of the Dead Cover 2

Engines of Empire by R. S. Ford (Audiobook)

Engines of Empire Cover

Warhammer 40,000: Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)

Day of Ascension Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

Sierra Six Cover

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

Book Haul – 8 February 2022

On February 7, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

It has been a while since I have done a Book Haul post, but seeing that I received several interesting books recently, I thought I would quickly do one to highlight some of the best novels I have gotten in the last few weeks. Each of the below books sound extremely cool and captivating, and I cannot wait to see how they all turn out.

The Burning Road by Harry Sidebottom

The first book I want to highlight in this haul is The Burning Road by Harry Sidebottom, an awesome and action packed historical thriller. Set in ancient Sicily, this book follows a father and son team as they attempt to survive a brutal slave uprising that threatens to kill everyone they love. I have already read and reviewed this fantastic novel and it comes very highly recommended.

Star Wars: The High Republic: The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray

I was also lucky enough to receive a copy of the latest Star Wars novel, The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray, which is part of The High Republic range of Star Wars fiction. The Fallen Star continues the major storylines from the previous central High Republic novels (Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm), and sees the vicious Nihil launch a deadly attack against the Jedi aboard Starlight Beacon. This is another book I have already read and it turned out to be a compelling and intense survival story in space. I will hopefully get a review for it up soon but it is a must read for Star Wars fans.

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

I was extremely happy to receive a copy of the new Gray Man book, Sierra Six, by Mark Greaney. Following a lethal spy as he attempts to fix a mistake from his past, this cool novel will show the first mission of awesome series protagonist, Court Gentry, and the many regrets he has from it. I am already confident that this will be one of the best thrillers of 2022 and I cannot wait to check it out.

Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

Another awesome thriller I have received a copy of is Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz. The seventh book in his action-packed Orphan X series, Dark Horse will set Hurwitz’s legendary spy turned vigilante against an entire cartel. I cannot wait to see how this book turns out but I know I’m in for a very fun ride with it.

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman

I just seem to keep getting books from some of my favourite authors as I also received the latest novel from Jonathan Kellerman, City of the Dead. This new novel from Kellerman will see his fun protagonist duo attempt to solve a brutal double murder. I am very keen to read City of the Dead, especially as I have really grown to enjoy Kellerman’s excellent and methodical murder mysteries, and this should be a compelling and enjoyable novel.

Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner

I was very excited when I received this cool and unique thriller a little while ago. Set to be one of the most intense debuts of 2022, Her Perfect Twin follows a woman who kills her twin sister and then takes up her identity to ensure no-one knows she’s dead. I love the sound of this amazing novel and I am extremely keen to see how it all turns out.

The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly

Another awesome debut I recently received is The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly. Set in the wilds of rural Queensland, this Australian noir novel will dive into the creepy disappearance of a teenage girl. The Cane sounds pretty damn dark and I am sure I will have amazing time plumbing the depths of its disturbing story.

Abandoned in Death by J. D. Robb

The final book I received was the latest novel from J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts), Abandoned in Death. The 54th book in a long running series, Abandoned in Death follows the investigation into a killer who apparently targets bad parents. I love the sound of this novel and I may have to try diving into this series very late in the game.

Well that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2022 (non-fantasy)

On January 4, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List12 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For the first Top Ten Tuesday of 2022 participants get to list their most anticipated upcoming books for the first half of the year. This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year. I am actually planning to do two versions of this list, this one and another that will focus on some incredible upcoming fantasy novels, so make sure to check that out as well.

Despite only just starting, 2022 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months. This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series. The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to.

Even though I excluded fantasy books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2022. There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. I have mentioned several of these books before in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, and some of them also appeared on my recent Summer TBR list. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety. I am also excluding a couple of upcoming books with real potential, mainly because a lot of details about them haven’t been released yet, such as the third book in Conn Iggulden’s Athenian series. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2022.

Honourable Mentions

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden – 25 January 2022

A fun and intriguing horror thriller.

Warhammer 40,000: Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 1 February 2022

One of the best sounding upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novels by impressive science fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky.

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman – 8 February 2022

Another fantastic Alex Delaware novel from leading crime fiction author Jonathan Kellerman, that follows on from his last amazing novels, The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire and Serpentine.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher – 28 June 2022

There are several interesting new Star Wars novels coming out in 2022 and one of the more intriguing ones is Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher (no cover available yet). Set in the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, Shadow of the Sith follows Luke and Lando as they attempt to uncover ancient Sith secrets and identify the new threat rising to destroy the New Republic.

Top Ten List:

Star Wars: The High Republic: The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray – 4 January 2022

The impressive new High Republic subseries of Star Wars novels continues with The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray. Continuing the main storyline contained in previous novels Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm, The Fallen Star looks set to contain an intense and captivating story as the Nihil launch their most devastating attack yet. I am hoping to start The Fallen Star this week and it should be a pretty epic read.

Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz – 8 February 2022

The seventh book in Hurwitz’s action-packed Orphan X series, Dark Horse has a great sounding story and is easily going to be one of the most exciting books of the year.

Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War by Stan Sakai – 15 February 2022

One of my favourite comic series, Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai, has another great volume coming out early this year. Tengu War, the 36^th volume, looks set to feature several really cool stories in it and I already know I am going to love every page of this exceptional comic.

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney – 15 February 2022

Another epic thriller, Sierra Six will be the 11^th novel in the Gray Man series by amazing author Mark Greaney. I have deeply enjoyed the last few Gray Man novels (One Minute Out and Relentless were particularly good) and I am really looking forward to seeing how this incredible series continues.

The Misfit Soldier by Michael Mammay – 22 February 2022

After deeply impressing me with his debut Planetside series (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), science fiction author Michael Mammay has a cool new novel up his sleeve with The Misfit Soldier. The Misfit Soldier will follow a conman and thief turned futuristic soldier as he attempts to pull off a heist in the middle of a warzone. I love the sound of this book and The Misfit Soldier should be an outstanding read.

An Empty Throne by Robert Fabbri – 1 April 2022

One of the most entertaining historical fiction authors in the world today, Robert Fabbri, will continue his amazing Alexander’s Legacy series with the third book, An Empty Throne. Following on from To the Strongest and The Three Paradises, An Empty Throne will explore the unique chaos that occurred following the early death of Alexander the Great and should be a lot of crazy fun.

Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis – 7 April 2022

Another cool and entertaining historical fiction series continuing this year is the Flavia Albia series by veteran author Lindsey Davis. Set in ancient Rome, this cool series sees its titular protagonist investigate several strange murders around the city, often in hilarious circumstances. Several of the recent books, including Pandora’s Boy and The Grove of the Caesars, have been exceptional reads, and the new upcoming novel, Desperate Undertaking, has a great sounding story about a serial killer obsessed with architecture. Sure to be a gripping and clever read, I cannot wait to check it out.

Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen – 10 May 2022

Another awesome upcoming Star Wars novel is Brotherhood by Mike Chen. Set at the start of the Clone Wars, this novel will place Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in a dangerous situation as they attempt to uncover who is behind a terrorist attack on an alien planet. With some cool action and an interesting look at the relationship between former master and apprentice, this will be a great read, especially as it will likely tie into the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi television series.

Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio – 17 May 2022

Impressive science fiction author Christopher Ruocchio will continue his massive Sun Eater space opera series this year with his fourth book, Kingdoms of Death. Following on from the outstanding Empire of Silence, Howling Dark and Demon in White, this latest novel will continue to chronicle the life of the universe’s greatest heroes and villains as he fights for humanity’s survival in the stars. This will be an incredible and powerful science fiction read and I cannot wait to see how Ruocchio continues his epic series.

The Omega Factor by Steve Berry – 7 June 2022

The final book on this list is another cool and impressive thriller by the legendary Steve Berry. Berry, who is best known for his Cotton Malone novels (such as The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol and The Kaiser’s Web), is introducing a new protagonist in The Omega Factor, who is thrust into a deadly historical conspiracy involving a missing piece of artwork. Set to expose a war between the Vatican and a secret order of nuns, this sounds like an awesome novel, and I am very excited to dive into another enjoyable Steve Berry novel

That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy books of 2022.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2021

On December 28, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List130 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, participants are tasked with listing their top books of 2021, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobook, favourite debuts and my top pre-2021 books I read this year. However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

Just like with 2020, 2021 has been pretty shitty in places, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts and several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last two years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2021, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book needed to be released here in Australia during 2021 (one minor exception) and I had to have read it. I have excluded Never by Ken Follett, as I am only partway through it, and there are many awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule for this year, although I am sure that several of those would have made the cut. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries kind of make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. Several novels also appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2021 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2021 list which I ran back into July. Overall, I am fairly happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that really showcases the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.

Top 20 List (no particular order):

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Let us start this list off strong with the awesome fantasy novel that I still haven’t gotten over, The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. The sequel to her 2020 hit, A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate continues the impressive Scholomance series in a big way , making full use of its cool characters and uniquely dangerous magical school setting. There were some major developments in this second novel, including an epic and heartbreaking cliff-hanger that is guaranteed to make me pick up the final book next year.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Next we have one of the best science fiction reads of the year. Written by the exceedingly talented Andy Weir (of The Martian fame), Project Hail Mary is a very clever, entertaining and science heavy novel that sees a man travel to a distant star to find a way to save Earth when the sun starts to lose energy. A brilliantly written and deeply captivating read that features a great, surprise supporting character and an awesome twist around the protagonist. Highly recommended!

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

I had a great time this year checking out new authors, and one of the best was fantasy author Anthony Ryan, who started his Covenant of Steel series with The Pariah. Featuring an epic and captivating tale that follows a young protagonist as he explores a war-torn, religiously ruled landscape, The Pariah was an impressive fantasy read that I could not put down, no matter how hard I tried. I deeply enjoyed this cool book and I cannot wait to grab the sequel, The Martyr, next year.

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

For the fourth year in a row, one of Jonathan Maberry’s amazing books has achieved a spot on this list (Deep Silence was one of the best books of 2018, Rage was one of the best books of 2019 and Ink was one of the best books of 2020). Relentless, was one of his best, sending his legendary protagonist on deadly revenge mission against his worst enemies as they attempt a new world-ending master plan. I loved this latest science fiction/thriller hybrid from Maberry, especially due to the exceptional character work, and this was a captivating and exceedingly exciting read.

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

There was no way that I could exclude the incredible latest book from the legendary Joe Abercrombie, The Wisdom of Crowds, from this list. This exceptional fantasy read perfectly wrapped up the brilliantly dark Age of Madness series (which previously featured the excellent A Little Hatred and The Trouble With Peace). Featuring some of the best and most complex characters you are likely to see in fiction, and an intensely dark tale of revenge, betrayal and revolution, The Wisdom of Crowds is relentlessly entertaining without a single dull moment. I had an incredible time with this book and I cannot wait to see what Abercrombie comes up with next.

Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

Even after 35 volumes, Stan Sakai’s bestselling Usagi Yojimbo comic (which is one of my favourite all-time comic series) continues to shine with the exceptional Homecoming. Homecoming was another beautifully drawn and narratively rich volume that takes the protagonist on a dramatic journey back to his home village and the many pains that reside there. An exceptional and fun read; I cannot wait to get my hands of Sakai’s next volume, Tengu War, in a few short months.

The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

After producing one of the absolute best debuts of 2020 with The Kingdom of Liars, talented rising author Nick Martell continued his impressive Legacy of the Mercenary King series with The Two-Faced Queen. Featuring deadly assassins, a vengeful queen and even a couple of murderous dragons, The Two-Faced Queen was even more exceptional than his first novel, deeply expanding the cool overarching narrative and adding in even more twists, reveals and surprises. This was one of the best sequels I have ever read, and readers will be quickly drawn into the book’s many mysteries, unique magic and deeply captivating storylines.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed

2021 was an amazing year for Star Wars novels, especially with the launch of the High Republic sub-series (Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm were particularly good). However, one of the absolute best Star Wars books had to be the amazing Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed, which brought the compelling, star fighter focused Alphabet Squadron series to a beautiful end. Perfectly wrapping up the story contained in the first two novels, Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall, Victory’s Price was a powerful and intense character-driven war story that focused on five damaged Rebel pilots fighting in the war after the end of Return of the Jedi. This was easily one of the most exciting and moving Star Wars novels I have had the pleasure of reading and it is a must read for fans of the franchise.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

After producing two brilliant reads last year (Fair Warning and The Law of Innocence), bestselling crime fiction author Michael Connelly continues his outstanding Ballard and Bosch sub-series with The Dark Hours. This amazing novel contained another fantastic murder mystery combined with several other great police procedural story lines to create an outstanding overall narrative, expanding the fun partnership established in Dark Sacred Night and The Night Fire. I deeply enjoyed this latest Connelly book and I powered through extremely quickly.

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker

One of the best current authors of fantasy fiction, R. J. Barker, brings his exceptional Tide Child trilogy to a moving and captivating end with The Bone Ship’s Wake. Perfectly following on from The Bone Ships and Call of the Bone Ships, this epic nautical fantasy perfectly wrapped up all the trilogy’s captivating story arcs and character development with some big, emotional moments. I loved every twist and devastating moment in this novel and, thanks to this captivating conclusion, the Tide Child series ended up being one of the best trilogies I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Colonyside by Michael Mammay

Amazing science fiction author Michael Mammay continued his brilliant Planetside series (made up of Planetside and Spaceside) with Colonyside. This latest novel dragged Mammay’s entertaining and gruff protagonist out of retirement once again to investigate a shady corporate mystery on an alien planet. This book swiftly devolves into an exceptional conspiracy storyline, filled with twists and giant monsters. I had such a wonderful time with this book that it was my one exception to the 2021 release date rule (it had a very late December 2020 release). An impressive and clever read.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

Another amazing new author I checked out this year was the insanely talented John Gwynne, who produced an incredible first entry in his Bloodsworn Saga, The Shadow of the Gods. This amazing first novel contained a brutal and compelling Norse-inspired fantasy tale that followed three awesome central characters as they engaged in their own deeply personal quests. Filled with some outstanding fantasy combat, amazing character moments and a deeply impressive narrative, this was an exceptional and addictive read that made me an instant fan of this author. I have no doubt that the sequel, The Hunger of the Gods, is going to top this list next year and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The Dark/Mind Bullet by Jeremy Robinson

2021 was the year that I first tried out some books from compelling author Jeremy Robinson. I actually read two of his books, The Dark and Mind Bullet, both of which were amazing in their own way. While The Dark was a darkly compelling and slick horror read that showcased a brutal invasion from Hell, Mind Bullet was a funny and entertaining science fiction thriller that followed a psychic assassin being hunted by the world’s most unusual killers. Both were outstanding reads that got easy five-star ratings from me, so I had a very hard time choosing between them for this list. Therefore, I decided to include both, as I had such a great time with them and are equally worth checking out.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Comedian Richard Osman followed up his 2020 debut, The Thursday Murder Club, with another fun and entertaining murder mystery book, The Man Who Died Twice. This compelling and hilarious sequel thrust Osman’s elderly protagonists into another complex investigation, this time involving spies, stolen diamonds, and drug dealers. This book had some amazing moments and ended up being another fantastic read.

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

I have been waiting a couple of years for Sanderson to continue his Skyward series and I was very happy to finally get my hands on Cytonic. The third entry in this impressive young adult science fiction series, Cytonic was an exciting and inventive read that continues the captivating tale started in Skyward and Starsight. Taking his eccentric protagonist to a fantastic and unique new setting, Sanderson produced an epic and moving narrative that had me glued from the very first second. There are some big, if sad, moments in this novel and I had a wonderful time listening to it. I am a little miffed that I might have to wait another couple of years for this series to come to an end, but if it is anywhere as good as Cytonic, it will be worth it.

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey

One of my favourite crime fiction books this year had to be the dark and exceptional Australian thriller The Housemate by Sarah Bailey. This wonderful and intense read contains a complex and multifaceted mystery that keeps the reader guessing while they watch the central protagonist become even more unhinged by the revelations from her past. I honestly could not put this great book down and I will be grabbing more of Bailey’s clever novels in the future.

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron

After wowing the world with his fantasy and historical fiction reads, author Miles Cameron had his science fiction debut this year with Artifact Space. This powerful and deeply captivating read transports the reader to a massive spacecraft on a multi-year trading mission. However, the protagonist, a girl with a past and a fake identity, soon finds that her ship is under attack from outside forces and must do everything to save her new home and friends. This was a compelling epic which perfectly shows how talented Cameron is, no matter the genre.

Billy Summers by Stephen King

The master of horror and thrillers, Stephen King, had a great year in 2021 releasing two brilliant reads. While I really must highlight his clever coming-of-age horror read, Later, his best book was the cool thriller, Billy Summers. Billy Summers is a compelling, character driven read that follows a skilled hitman, as he attempts to engage in his last kill, only to run into a ton of surprises and complications. A wildly enjoyable and captivating read that has convinced me to check out more Stephen King books next year.

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn

The other really good Star Wars novel of 2021 was Lesser Evil, the third book in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Ascendancy series. Set before his impressive Thrawn trilogy (made up of Thrawn, Alliances and Treason), Lesser Evil perfectly wraps up the Thrawn Ascendancy series (made up of Chaos Rising and Greater Good) while also exploring the early history and greatest victory/defeat of Zahn’s iconic Grand Admiral Thrawn. Featuring excellent characters, cool universe expansion and some of the best tactical space battles you are likely to see, Lesser Evil was an exceptional read and I really hope that Timothy Zahn has some more Star Wars novels in the works.

Relentless by Mark Greaney

Last, but definitely not least, was the latest epic Gray Man novel from Mark Greaney, Relentless. This awesome novel sets Greaney’s dangerous protagonist on another intense spy mission as he attempts to stop a terrorist attack in Germany. I deeply enjoyed this fast-paced, action-packed and captivating spy thriller, especially as Greaney went out of his way to produce a clever and realistic narrative. I had such a blast with Relentless and I cannot wait to see what deadly adventures occur in his next Gray Man novel.

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2021. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2022 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2021 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks of 2021

On December 21, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List90 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this list was Books I Hope Santa Brings, and, while this did sound like a fun topic, I instead decided to continue my annual end of year wrap up of some of the best books of 2021. In previous weeks I highlighted some of the best debuts of 2021, as well as the best pre-2021 novels I read in the last year, but this week I am going to look at something near and dear to my heart, the best audiobooks of 2021.

Readers of my blog only need to check out my extensive audiobook category to know that I have a lot of love for the audiobook format. In my opinion, the audiobook is often the best way to experience a good book, and in many cases, this format makes a book a lot more enjoyable for me. As a result, I listened to quite a few audiobooks this year, and while several of them are books that had been released before 2021 and featured in my Throwback Thursday posts, a large majority of them were released this year. There were some truly outstanding and impressive audiobooks released this year, and I already know that I am going to have an extremely hard time coming up with the final version of this list.

For this list I have only included audiobooks released in 2021 that I have listened to and completed, so I am excluding a few audiobooks that were probably pretty awesome, but which I didn’t have a chance to listen to. Despite this, I still ended up with a long list of extremely good audiobooks, all of which were extremely worthy of appearing on this post. To help cut this down, I too into account a range of consideration, including quality of the original novel, skill of the narrator, production value, pacing and other factors, including any featured music or sound effects. Looking at all this I was eventually able to cut the list down to the absolute best 10 audiobooks (as well as an extended honourable mentions section). I had to make some very hard decisions here, and I ended up losing several extremely good audiobooks from this list. Still I think it really represents the best audiobooks I enjoyed this year, and there are some amazing productions down below. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Mind Bullet, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by R. C. Bray

Jeremy Robinson’s brilliant talent for writing incredibly entertaining novels once again combined perfectly with the fantastic narration of R. C. Bray (who gets a few mentions in this article) to produce an excellent and impressive audiobook production.

Relentless, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

A clever and intense spy thriller from the master Mark Greaney that is extremely well adapted by veteran narrator Jay Snyder.

The Man Who Died Twice, written by Richard Osman and narrated by Lesley Manville

After his sensational first novel/audiobook, The Thursday Murder Club, blew everyone away last year, comedian Richard Osman continued his cool series with The Man Who Died Twice. This second book featured another brilliant audiobook adaption narrated by the talented and perfectly cast Lesley Manville, which is really worth checking out.

Colonyside, written by Michael Mammay and narrated by R. C. Bray

Following on from Planetside and Spaceside, Michael Mammay produced another exceptional science fiction thriller with Colonyside, which was massively enhanced by R. C. Bray, whose voice works incredibly well for the gruff, military characters.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Relentless, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

There was no way that the latest epic Joe Ledger audiobook by Jonathan Maberry, Relentless, was not going to make this list, especially as it once again features the fantastic narration of Ray Porter. Relentless is the sequel to Rage (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2019), and contains an impressive story about Mayberry’s iconic protagonist, Joe Ledger, going on a revenge rampage. Porter, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, once again expertly inhabited the main characters of this book, ensuring that listeners get a real sense of Ledger’s pain and torment. An incredible production that perfectly brings this novel to life.

The Wisdom of Crowds, written by Joe Abercrombie and narrated by Steven Pacey

Joe Abercrombie’s outstanding dark fantasy Age of Madness trilogy came to an incredible end this year with the captivating and moving The Wisdom of Crowds. Containing a brilliant story and some wonderfully dark and complex characters The Wisdom of Crowds is a terrific read that did a fantastic job wrapping up the stories started in A Little Hatred and The Trouble With Peace (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020). The excellent Steven Pacey’s amazing voice helped to turn this into an excellent and compelling production, and I cannot wait to grab Abercrombie’s next book in this format.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price, written by Alexander Freed and narrated by January LaVoy

After enjoying physical copies of the first two novels in Alexander Freed’s Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy, Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall, I checked out the third novel, Victory’s Price, on audiobook and was absolutely blown away by it. The Victory’s Price audiobook was just exquisite, combining a perfect and dramatic narrative with amazing Star Wars sound effects, music, and the exceptional voice work of January LaVoy. This resulted in such an amazing audiobook, especially with the iconic Star Wars score working to enhance some of the more intense scenes.

The Bone Ship’s Wake, written by R. J. Barker and narrated by Jude Owusu

Another great trilogy that ended this year was The Tide Child trilogy by R. J. Barker (previously consisting of The Bone Ships and Call of the Bone Ships), which finished with the impressive The Bone Ship’s Wake. Containing an exceptionally moving narrative, The Bone Ship’s Wake was an incredible book that takes the readers on a wild emotional ride. I really enjoyed the audiobook adaption of this cool book. The Bone Ship’s Wake was voiced by the talented Jude Owusu, who expertly brought the compelling characters and brutal nautical setting to life through his narration. The Bone Ship’s Wake was an incredible audiobook that will really drag listeners into this brilliant series.

The Dark, written by Jeremey Robinson and narrated by R. C. Bray

Earlier this year I listened to my first Jeremey Robinson novels, The Dark, something that I am extremely thankful I did. The Dark was a clever and entertaining novel that followed a group of characters as they attempted to survive an invasion from hell. I have a lot of love for this book, not only because of the great story, but because the exceptionally talented R. C. Bray narrated the audiobook. Bray does a beautiful job with this book, expertly narrating the crazy story and enhancing all of Robinson’s unique humour and over-the-top characters, with his great voice work. A fast-paced and brutal novel, The Dark audiobook was a lot of fun, and Bray will ensure you stick to this bonkers story right to the end.

The Pariah, written by Anthony Ryan and narrated by Steven Brand

Leading fantasy author Anthony Ryan produced an excellent brand new fantasy series this year that started with The Pariah. The Pariah followed a complex and interesting protagonist as he tells the reader the story of his life through a chronical narrative. Not only is this a great story, but the audiobook is narrated by the excellent Steven Brand, who perfectly portrays this central figure and ensures that the reader really gets to grips with Ryan’s powerful and detailed story.

Cytonic, written by Brandon Sanderson and narrated by Sophie Aldred

After wowing us with Skyward and Starlight, one of the best authors in the world today, Brandon Sanderson, dropped the third entry in his epic Skyward young adult science fiction series, Cytonic. Cytonic is another captivating read that takes its unique characters to an incredibly weird setting and pits them against impossible odds. Narrator Sophie Aldred is just great here, especially when it comes to portraying the novel’s unpredictable point-of-view protagonist or highlighting the many awesome fighter combat sequences. Cytonic was a brilliant addition to the series and I am extremely glad that I checked it out on audiobook.

The Shadow of the Gods, written by John Gwynne and narrated by Colin Mace

Acclaimed author John Gwynne produced a brand new fantasy novel this year with the much-loved The Shadow of the Gods. Split into three separate storylines that followed some great characters as they traversed a dark fantasy world, each narrative thread was greatly enhanced by the excellent narration from Colin Mace. Not only does Mace perfectly portray all three amazing point-of-view characters, but his impressive voice really brings you into the Norse-inspired fantasy world the story was set in. This was such an amazing audiobook production and I would greatly recommend this format to anyone interested in reading this outstanding fantasy novel.

The Two-Faced Queen, written by Nick Martell and narrated by Joe Jameson

Last year, Nick Martell produced one of the best debuts of the year with The Kingdom of Liars, a truly awesome and exceptional read. Martell followed this debut up in a big way with the sequel, The Two-Faced Queen that featured an exceptional narrative, loaded with an unbelievable number of twists and reveals. The Two-Faced Queen was one of the best books of the year, and I had an incredible time listening to it on audiobook thanks to the talented Joe Jameson. Jameson, who has been narrating some awesome novels lately (such as the Warhammer 40,000 book, Fire Made Flesh) did a great job of enhancing this fantastic novel, and I loved the cool voice and personality he gave to the central character. Jameson’s brilliant narration also helped me follow the many, many complex elements of this novel, and this was a great way to enjoy this impressive novel.

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil, written by Timothy Zahn and narrated by Marc Thompson

The final audiobook on this list is another Star Wars novel. This time it is the final entry in the Thrawn Ascendancy series by Timothy Zahn, Lesser Evil. Following on from Chaos Rising and Greater Good, Lesser Evil was a brilliant and powerful novel that perfectly wrapped up a great trilogy. Like Victory’s Price, Lesser Evil made exceptional use of the iconic Star Wars music and sound effects, but it also features the notable talents of narrator Marc Thompson. Thompson does a great job coming up with cool voices for the various characters of Lesser Evil, especially its protagonist and villain, which helps to tell the book’s amazing narrative. That, combined with the production values of a Star Wars novel adaptation, helped to turn this into a compelling and enjoyable audiobook that was just amazing.

Well that is the end of this latest Top Ten list, and as you can see, I have been lucky enough to listen to some awesome audiobooks this year. All the above audiobooks are extremely good and I would highly recommend each of them in their audiobook format. There is still a little time for me to listen to a few more great audiobooks this year, and I cannot wait to see how they all turn out. Let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2021 were in the comments below, and I will have to try and check them out as well.