Tag: Multiple Character Perspectives

Warhammer: The Old World: Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer2 Comments

Lords of the Lance Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 20 January 2024)

Series: The Old World – Book One

Length: 12 hours and 5 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of Warhammer’s very best authors brings fans back to the Old World in the gripping and action-packed fantasy adventure, Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill.

As a long-time Warhammer fan, I love many of the different areas of the Warhammer fandom, including the grim dark science fiction Warhammer 40,000 universe.  However, my heart will always belong to Warhammer Fantasy, mainly because it was the game I played as a kid and where I first learned to love the franchise.  I deeply enjoyed all the fiction associated with the overarching fantasy setting, especially those set in the Old World, the main continent where most of the battles and wars took place.  Series like the Gotrek and Felix books (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer, Vampireslayer and Giantslayer), as well as standalone books including Grudge Bearer, Van Horstmann, Runefang and Broken Honour, have all proven to be pretty damn awesome, and this is probably one of my absolute favourite fantasy settings.

Unfortunately, Games Worshop ceased the Warhammer Fantasy game several years ago, by having the in-game big bad win the final war against the forces of good and literally blow up the entirety of the setting.  This explosive conclusion ended all the ongoing novels, comics and characters from this universe, and Games Workshop subsequently ignored Warhammer Fantasy, prioritising Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar models and fiction.  However, Games Workshop are returning to their original fantasy world with The Old World.  Set hundreds of years before the end of the Warhammer Fantasy world, The Old World brings back the classic armies, figures, and history of this realm, while also introducing a whole new range of models.  As part of that, they are once again setting fiction in their fantasy realm and the first book back is Lords of the Lance by acclaimed Warhammer author Graham McNeill, who has really impressed me in the past with books like Storm of Iron.

Even centuries before the final war with the forces of Chaos, the Old World is still a dangerous place, where monsters, dark creatures and the forces of Chaos seek to destroy everything.  There are many dangerous places throughout the Old World, but few are more sinister than the Land of the Dead, an abandoned wasteland where the ancient and powerful nation of Khemri once stood.  Haunted by the evil actions of the dread necromancer Nagash, the former realm of Khemri is now ruled by the unliving Tomb Kings.  In this realm of sand, skeletons and death, only the greatest of warriors can hope to enter and survive, especially if they are on a noble quest.

Baron Lothar Aquilena is a great knight who has carved out territory in the lawless realm of the Border Princes.  However, despite his prowess, skilled warriors, and clever advisers, he is powerless when his son goes missing in the Land of the Dead, taken captive by the risen Amaranthine Queen, who seeks revenge against those who previously defeated her.  Desperate, Baron Lothar has no choice but to call in a debt of honour owed to him by his Bretonnian cousin, Duke Carrad of Quenelles, years after they suffered a falling out.  Despite the enmity between them, Duke Carrad leads his knights to Lothar’s realm, determined to repay the debt owed.

United in their mission, despite a mostly unwelcome reception by Baron Lothar, the knights of Bretonnia and the men of the Border Princes begin their quest to the Lands of the Dead.  However, crossing the deserts of Khemri is no easy task, and the loosely combined force soon experience the treacherous sand, blazing heat, unnatural creatures, and the forces of the dead.  Despite these obstacles, the host approach the giant tombs of Khemri, ready to save the Baron’s son.  However, nothing is as it seems, and soon the assembled knights and their retainers encounter a deadly enemy that none of them are prepared for.

Graham McNeill made me fall in love with the Old World once again as he provides a powerful and intense character-driven adventure across an iconic setting.  Lords of the Lance was a pretty damn awesome novel and I had such an epic time getting through it.

Due to this book being the first entry in The Old World canon, McNeill had a lot of pressure on his plate as he had to simultaneously bring back an established setting, tie-it into a recent model release, while also telling a powerful story that stood on its own.  I think that he succeeded on all fronts as Lords of the Lance proved to be quite an addictive read that contained some amazing features of the setting while also dragging the reader in with his elaborate storytelling.

The narrative of Lords of the Lance had a very classic fantasy quest feel to it, which honestly was a joy to see, and which fit this setting extremely well.  Starting off with an effective introduction, the story quickly proceeds with the two antagonistic lords leading their combined force towards the desert.  The narrative is effectively told from a few compelling and complex point-of-view characters, with several additional supporting characters standing in the wings.  The first half of the book is all about introducing and building up the protagonists, and there was a little less action than I was expecting, with McNeill content to firmly establish his story.  I think this build-up was very necessary as it ensured the second half was particularly epic, and there was still some good battles and compelling developments scattered throughout to keep readers interested.  This initial foray across the desert didn’t last as long as I thought it would, and McNeill brings the adventurers to their goal very quickly.  This allows him to enact an intriguing twist, which while telegraphed, was written brilliantly and changed the entire tone of the book.

This results in a frenetic, powerful, and impressive second half that sees the protagonists forced to abandon their quest and flee for their lives.  Constantly pursued, the knights and their retainers quickly traverse several of the most dangerous locations in the Old World while facing all manner of grave threats.  There are some brilliant and powerful scenes featured here as McNeill hits the protagonists hard, including with one particularly heartbreaking equine sacrifice.  I also loved the extended mini-siege sequence, as the Bretonnians face off against an awesome new foe in some of the best action scenes in the book.  McNeill also really enhances several character arcs during this half and the resulting development and emotional revelations empower the overall story, especially as the reader has become quite attached to the protagonists at this point.  Everything leads up to the final confrontation as the battered protagonists finally face their foes in one final charge.  The intensity and emotional power that leads up to this big confrontation cannot be understated, and I found myself very invested in seeing how everything came together.  The author keeps you on the edge of your feet right until the end and I really enjoyed how everything came together, although I was expecting some more tragedy.  Still, I came away from Lords of the Lance very satisfied, and McNeill leaves the story open for a sequel, while also providing one last tie to the latest release of models.

I liked how McNeill styled his narrative in Lords of the Lance, as you can tell he was trying to give it a more classic fantasy feel.  There is a lot of bold stating of titles, repetition of points, and depictions of knights, honour and magic, which gave the book an elaborate tone that I rather enjoyed, especially as it really fits the Arthurian-inspired Bretonnian faction who were the main focus of the story.  The resulting story is rich in both character work, action sequences, and intriguing Warhammer inclusions, with McNeill hitting an excellent balance of the features that had me quite hooked.  I really need to highlight some of the amazing action sequences, especially as McNeill provides such a fantastic variety of fight scenes to get the blood pumping.  The various knightly charges are a true highlight, and you can feel the thunder of the horse and power of the rushing knights, especially as McNeill endeavours to capture all the powerful details about them.  Other intense scenes also do an amazing job of enflaming the imagination, and I really loved how intricate and desperate some of the battles turned out to be.  I also really need to highlight the outstanding locations that much of this story was set in, especially as McNeill goes out of his way to make them come alive.  The deserts of Khemri are particularly vivid, and their use as a lethal and wearying backdrop is great, turning it into another foe the protagonists need to overcome.  The Marshes of Madness were also very awesome, offering another dangerous trudging location and I loved the alternate threats that they posed.  McNeill did such a great job of bringing this story together, and this great blend of story elements helped to produce an exquisite read.

I personally loved the intriguing version of the Bretonnians and the Tomb Kings that were featured within Lords of the Lance.  McNeill expertly captured the intensity, desire for honour, and compelling nature of the Bretonnian characters, as well as their prowess in combat (the scenes where they charge as cavalry are really well done).  The Tomb Kings are also shown to be an excellent antagonistic force, and while you don’t see anything from their perspective, the relentless pursuit they give and the anger contained within them is palpable at times.  A couple of other factions are also featured to a degree, mostly as additional threats for the Bretonnian characters, and I really enjoyed how well McNeill used some of them, especially during one horror-filled siege.  However, I understand that some readers had some issues with how McNeill portrayed these factions, mainly revolving around lore inconsistencies, which has led to a bit of review bombing.  While I’m no lore expert, I honestly barely noticed anything too problematic myself.  From what I could see, the most common complaints about the Bretonnian seem to be around the inclusion of female knights (gasp, oh my stars, clutch my pearls!), and one knight using a bow (seems like a pretty sensible weapon for someone riding a pegasus to me).  I will admit that some elements about the Tomb Kings, from their slightly more antagonist portrayal (they are usually a lot more neutral/good orientated), and the fact they raised some knights from the dead, was a little off lore, but I think that was mostly McNeill trying to make them even more threatening.  Honestly, most readers won’t even notice or care about these issues, and I personally didn’t let it get in my way of enjoying a great story.

For me, one of the best things about Lords of the Lance were the powerful, complex and memorable band of characters that the story was set around.  McNeill did an amazing job coming up with a cast of new and fantastic protagonists, each of whom had their own unique journey and background, which effortlessly flowed into the book’s main narrative.  You really become attached to many of these characters as Lords of the Lance progresses, and I loved how character-driven this book turned out to be.

One of the main characters of the book is Corentin Varo, equerry to Duke Carrard and known as The Knight of Quills due to his use as a clerk rather than a warrior.  Determined to prove himself, and to get over a tragic romance, Varo eagerly embarks on this quest, but chafes as his lord holds him back.  Varo proves to be an intriguing and compelling main protagonist, especially as you get invested in his tale of attempted heroism and valour.  McNeill does a good slow-burn story around Varo, as he slowly proves to others and himself that he is a worthy knight and leader, and he proves to be a good calm, central figure for most of the plot.  There are also some intriguing, if obvious, hints about his personal history, that while interesting, doesn’t have a major payoff in this book but could get explored in the future.  Varo is well matched by Karolina Lothar, who serves as the female lead of Lords of the Lance.  The daughter of Baron Lothar and a skilled knight, Karolina serves as the voice of reason for her father’s host and tries to bridge the gap between the two forces.  She forms a friendship with Varo as the book progresses and the two become a pretty impressive team.  I liked how naturally McNeill included Karolina as a strong female character and he paints an interesting picture of her family concerns, her grief as the book continues, and her martial prowess.  These two form a great centre for much of the plot and I liked the chemistry that grew between them, especially after their rough journey encourages them to let go of the past and look to the future.

Aside from Varo and Karolina, several other characters really stood out to me in Lords of the Lance, and I really enjoyed they fantastic storylines.  The most prominent of these is probably Sigurd of Yvaire, the deaf son of a nobleman who was left unknighted due to his affliction and who accompanies the Bretonnians on their quest leading the peasant host.  Sigurd ends up being the heart and soul of the book, and you get invested in his story as he finds both romance and self-worth on his journey.  I also had a lot of love for Bastien, the young and brash Knight Errant.  Bastien starts the book as an annoying cad who antagonises the other characters like Varo.  However, as the book continues, you eventually see that much of his brashness is an illusion, and he is a surprisingly thoughtful figure.  It is a testament to how good a writer McNeill is that you end up caring for Bastien after his annoying start.  Thanks to certain moments of bravery, and some notable setbacks, you really see just how noble Bastien is, and he ended up being one of my favourite characters.  Finally, I must highlight Sir Leodegar of the Golden Hart, a legendary Grail Knight who accompanies the army for duty, destiny, and to protect the Handmaidens of the Lady.  The epitome of the Bretonnian knightly code, Sir Leodegar is an imposing, memorable and incredibly noble figure who serves as a mentor to Varo, stealing every scene he’s in.  I loved how well McNeill captured the supernatural nature of the Grail Knights, and the depiction of this ethereal figure is quite fascinating, especially as the author also looks at the dark side of their duty.  These characters, and more, really enhanced Lords of the Lance’s great narrative, and I love the unique storylines that McNeill wove around them.

My love for Warhammer audiobooks is well known, so naturally I listened to Lords of the Lance.  Coming in at just over 12 hours, this is a decently long Warhammer audiobook that I was able to power through in short order.  I felt that the audiobook format did an outstanding job bringing this elaborate and intense story to life, and you really get a sense of the intense action, powerful characters, and the amazing scenery when you have it read out to you.  I particularly enjoyed the narration by Peter Kenny, who has a well-established pedigree when it comes to narrating fantasy audiobooks.  Kenny utilises a series of great voices that perfectly fit many of the characters featured within Lords of the Lance.  All the main cast come across extremely well here, and I loved the determination you get through some of the main characters like Karolina and Varo, the brashness of Bastien, and other intriguing figures.  I personally also thought he did a good job accurately voicing the deaf character, Sigurd, although I understand if some people found that a little controversial.  Still, this was an outstanding way to enjoy this remarkable book and I would strongly recommend the audiobook version to anyone interested in checking out Lords of the Lance, although it no longer seems to be available in this format.

Graham McNeill continues to show why he is one of the best authors of Warhammer fiction as he takes readers back to the Old World in Lords of the Lance.  Featuring a complex story, powerful characters, and a ton of adventure, Lords of the Lance was extremely fun to read, and I loved seeing a story set back in the iconic setting.  This book is best enjoyed by established fans of the franchise, especially those who remember the Warhammer Fantasy days, although new readers will have a great time here as McNeill provides an intense and fun standalone read.  Highly recommended, I hope we get more Old World books soon.

Amazon

Warhammer 40,000 – Brutal Kunnin by Mike Brooks

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer11 Comments

Brutal Kunnin Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 22 June 2001)

Series: Warhammer 40,000: Ufthak Blackhawk – Book One

Length: 8 hours and 20 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Get ready for a scrap as one of the fastest rising authors Warhammer fiction, Mike Brooks, presents a fast-paced and wildly entertaining book that follows the orks as they bring carnage to a new planet with Brutal Kunnin.

One of the most impressive rising stars in Warhammer fiction at the moment is Mike Brooks, who has been on an outstanding roll lately.  An excellent talent with a great understanding of Warhammer lore and factions, Brooks has written several impressive novels in the last few years, all of which have contained clever stories featuring unique figures from the franchise.  I have had a wonderful time with several of these books, with Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, Warboss and The Lion: Son of the Forest (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023) being outstanding in their own way.  Because Brooks has some intriguing books coming out this year, I thought I would go back and check out one of his first major contributions to the Warhammer 40,000 canon with the thrilling novel, Brutal Kunnin, which I ended up having an amazing time with.

Out of all the dangerous creatures that infest the known galaxy, few things have more potential for violence and destruction than an ork warband.  Unfortunately for the Adeptus Mechanicus forge world of Hephaesto, they are about to caught in the middle of two rival warbands ready to show each other just who the hardest gits truly are.

Ufthak Blackhawk is a newly minted nob in the fleet of Da Meklord, who eagerly follows his boss to Hephaesto, looking for loot, glory, and the chance to break some skulls.  However, when Da Meklord forces arrive in orbit, they soon discover that another ork force is already there, as the ships of Freebooter Kaptin Badrukk lay siege to the planet.  Rather than fighting each other, Da Meklord and Badrukk form a temporary alliance to kill the human defenders before turning on each other.

Leading his troops to the surface, Ufthak looks ready to prove himself, only to find himself coming face to face with the most advanced weaponry and upgraded troops in the entire Imperium of Man.  However, even the highly specialised and disciplined soldiers of the Adeptus Mechanicus are unprepared for the green tide about to roll down upon them, especially when their troops are bogged down by incompetent leaders and infighting from within.  Worse, a darker threat lies waiting in the bowels of Hephaesto, one that has no qualms about killing both ork and augmented humans to achieve its bloody goals.  Can Ufthak lead his troops to victory against all comers, including an enemy that even he can’t headbutt into submission?

Brutal Kunnin was a particularly fun and thrilling novel from Brooks that takes great looks at two fantastic Warhammer factions, while also presenting an action-packed story.  Funny, brutal and loaded with laughs, this is a particularly awesome novel that makes great use of the ork faction.

I really enjoyed the fantastic story featured within Brutal Kunnin, especially as Brook produced an addictive and exciting read.  The trick with ork focused Warhammer 40,000 novel is that you usually aren’t going to get a serious story out of it; instead the writer needs to lean into the humour surrounding the whole faction.  Brooks did a really good job of this, as he primarily focuses on the volatile orks as they land on Hephaesto and begin fighting against both the Adeptus Mechanicus soldiers and other orks due to the rival fleets in order.  While this is extremely fun, it doesn’t necessarily result in a complete or fully engrossing story, so Brooks cleverly adds in a parallel storyline which helps to turn Brutal Kunnin into something particularly awesome.

This secondary storyline follows members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, particularly Zaefa Varaz, who serves as an alternative protagonist, as they witness the ork invasion unfold.  About half the book is told from the perspective of the various Adeptus Mechanicus characters, which adds a lot of meat to the story.  Not only do you get the entertaining perspective of smart characters being completely unprepared for the unusual and direct actions of the orks, but there is a lot of internal conflict as the planet’s leadership fight amongst themselves.  At the same time, various conspiracies lurking beneath Hephaesto’s surface comes to life which present even greater threats to the defenders.  I really loved how well the intrigue laden human characters contrasted with the straightforward, action-packed ork chapters, and it helped to produce a very effective story.  Brooks loads in some big set pieces as the story rushes by, and you really get drawn into the carnage that unfolds as the orks get closer to their goal and all hell breaks loose within the main city of Hephaesto.  The author sets up a very entertaining ending for Brutal Kunnin, with the right characters coming away on top, while others get their just deserts.  An overall exceedingly amusing, exciting, and cleverly set up story that you can’t put down.

I felt that Brooks did a really good job of setting out Brutal Kunnin’s story, especially with the split between the ork perspective and that of the inhabitants of Hephaesto.  The ork chapters are exclusively shown from Ufthak Blackhawk’s perspective, while the rest of the book is shown from multiple point-of-view characters to tell their side of the narrative.  Having only one ork protagonist was a clever choice from Brooks, as it ensured that side of the story was focused, character driven and didn’t get watered down with a group of similar ork characters.  I loved how well Brooks was able to express the unique perspectives of the various characters throughout the course of Brutal Kunnin, and you really get the sense of how each of these races sees the universe.  The various ork chapters are naturally loaded with humour, mostly brought on by their unique insights into the humans they face, and you have to laugh at some of the outrageous events that occur there.  This humour blends in nicely with the more serious chapters focusing on the Adeptus Mechanicus, and Brook hits the right balance between silly and intense here.  The resulting action is also very well written, and Brook made sure to fill up the story with so many compelling and over-the-top fights, which anyone can appreciate.

Unlike some of the more elaborate Warhammer novels out there, I felt that Brutal Kunnin was particularly accessible to new readers, and indeed could be a good entry point into the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Brooks really leaned into showing how crazy and dark this universe can be throughout the course of the book, and the unique humour, over-the-top action, and interesting figures will appeal to a wide audience, especially to those interested in seeing what Warhammer 40,000 is all about.  Of course, there is a lot in it for established fans of the franchise, especially as Brooks brings several fantastic factions to life.

Naturally most of this focus revolved around the orks, who are always some of the funniest figures in the canon.  Essentially the Warhammer universe’s answer to football hooligans, the orks are the rude, crude, and always entertaining green horde, who only live for a fight.  You know what you are in for with an ork book.  Brooks did a particularly good job of capturing the orks in Brutal Kunnin, especially as you see them from both interior and exterior perspectives.  Most of what you see comes from the eyes of Ufthak Blackhawk, whose insights into the ork horde, its leaders, and the unique culture of violence, strength and domination, prove quite intriguing and usually entertaining.  Blackhawk’s chapters are loaded with the typical ork humour, as well as the entertaining observations of the humans they face, and I loved how well Brooks captured the ork mind.  This is well complemented by scenes shown from the perspective of the orks opponents, most of whom are completely unable to comprehend the threat coming towards them.  Indeed, much of the ork’s success is due to the other factions underestimating them, and it was quite satisfying to see some of the more arrogant characters lose badly due to their false preconceptions.  Other distinctive characters also have some compelling views about the orks, with one daemon’s insights in the matter being particularly fascinating.  If I had one complaint about the orks in Brutal Kunnin, it would be that Brooks somewhat overpowers them, as they tear through everything in front of them.  While this worked for narrative purposes, and showcased just how advantaged the orks were by their opponent’s arrogance, I could see fans of the other factions getting a little annoyed about how quickly the orks take down some big units.  Still, this is a very minor complaint, and I felt that Brutal Kunnin ended up being a pretty awesome book about the orks, and I loved how much fun Brooks had writing this faction.

Aside from the orks, Brutal Kunnin has a surprisingly in-depth look at the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Tech Priests of Mars.  Essentially humanity’s mechanics, inventors, and mass production specialists, the Adeptus Mechanicus worship technology and live to perfect their devices and expand their knowledge.  About half the book is shown from several Adeptus Mechanicus personalities on the planet as they attempt to fight back against the orks, and there are various scenes that showcase their combat capabilities, weird units, and excessive augmentation.  However, the true highlight of Brook’s use of the Adeptus Mechanicus characters, was how well he captured their ambitious and machine altered mindset.  Every scene featuring an Adeptus Mechanicus character has that figures perception and mind influenced by internal calculations and computer augmentations, which helped to show how most of this faction are more machine than man.  However, no matter how augmented they are, these characters are still human, especially when it comes to their ambitious, desires, and inability to work together.  In many ways, the main antagonist of Brutal Kunnin was these character’s hubris rather than the orks, as these big personalities were often more concerned with each other, and this cost them dearly.  Throw in a mysterious outsider from another faction, and Brutal Kunnin ends up being a pretty interesting piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, that fans will have a lot of fun with.

As with most Warhammer novels I have the pleasure of enjoying, I chose to check out Brutal Kunnin on audiobook rather than seeking out a physical copy.  Naturally this proved to be a pretty fun experience as Brutal Kunnin has an outstanding audiobook format that really enhances the amazing and fun story of this book.  With a run time of nearly eight and a half hours, this is a pretty typical sized Warhammer audiobook which I was able to power through quickly thanks to its fast-paced story.  It also helped that Brutal Kunnin had an awesome narrator in Tom Allenby.  Allenby is a narrator who I wasn’t familiar with before this book, but he quickly impressed me with his excellent range of voices.  Allenby proved quite adept at voicing the various inhuman figures in the story, whether it be an ork or a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus.  He did such a good job capturing the essence of these figures throughout the production, and I loved how all the various characters got their own unique voice that proved fitting to their personalities.  Allenby also did a great job of narrating the intense and entertaining action throughout the course of Brutal Kunnin, and the listener really gets a good sense of what is going on.  As such, I would strongly recommend the Brutal Kunnin audiobook format to anyone interested in checking this piece of Warhammer fiction out, as you guaranteed to have an amazing time with it.

Mike Brooks continues to impress me with his outstanding additions to the Warhammer canon.  Brutal Kunnin was a pretty damn amazing read that showcased the author’s ability to showcase some of the more distinctive figures from the game.  This was a wildly entertaining and exciting Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes very highly recommended.

Amazon

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

Amazon

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

Amazon

The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller16 Comments

The Murder Inn Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: The Inn – Book Two

Length: 307 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The superstar writing team of James Patterson and Candice Fox produce another wildly entertaining and captivating read with the impressive and over-the-top thriller, The Murder Inn.

As one of the world’s best-known authors, James Patterson needs very little introduction, especially with a huge range of exciting thrillers and gripping murder mysteries to his name.  Patterson has been particularly prolific in recent years, as he has been writing collaboratively with talented authors to create a range of unique reads.  I have had a wonderful time reading some of the more recent Patterson collaborative books, including Blow Back with Brendan DuBoise, The Perfect Assassin with Brian Sitts, Lost with James O. Born, Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker (one of my favourite books of 2022) and the short story collection 3 Days to Live (featuring three additional authors).

One of my favourite authors that Patterson regularly collaborates with is Australian writer Candice Fox.  Fox is one of Australia’s best thriller authors with some great books to her name, including the excellent Crimson Lake series, and impressive standalone thrillers like Fire With Fire, Gathering Dark and The Chase.  Patterson and Fox have written several books together in the past, including the highly addictive read, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, which saw two mismatched women forced to investigate a brutal crime after finding out they’re sisters.  I really enjoyed the intriguing story this fantastic writing team cooked up and I have been keen to read more from this pairing for a while.  I finally got my chance this week as I just got my hands on an early copy of the upcoming thriller by Patterson and Fox, The Murder Inn.  The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn was a particularly fun and enjoyable book that I powered through in no time at all.

Former Boston police officer Bill Robinson has found his life getting increasingly complicated ever since he set up his little coast-side guesthouse.  Known as The Inn by the Sea, the picturesque dwelling in Gloucester, Massachusetts, has become something of a safe house for several unusual long-term boarders, including his former FBI agent girlfriend, the town’s sheriff, disturbed veteran Nick Jones, an elderly former gangster, and other mysterious or outrageous residents.  However, trouble always seems to find the occupants of the Inn, especially when secrets from their complex pasts resurface.

Bill Robinson once again finds himself on the receiving end of this trouble after attending a funeral for former police colleague Mark Bulger.  While Robison has fond memories of his dead friend, Bulger was a particularly crooked cop, whose secret stash of stolen evidence could put many dangerous people away, including notorious drug lord Norman Driver.  When Driver’s thugs come looking for it, the Bulger widow, Shauna, finds herself caught in the crossfire, but she quickly proves that she isn’t the frail old lady everyone thinks she is.

As Shauna embarks on a one-woman crusade against Norman Driver, Robinson tries to help, but his actions only put him and the Inn in the crosshairs of the crime lord.  At the same time, he also finds himself trying to uncover the secrets surrounding his best friend, Nick Jones.  Nick has been receiving threatening messages regarding his former squad in Afghanistan, whose dark deeds might soon come to light.  Caught between criminals, dangerous vigilantes, and a dark killer stalking Nick, the Inn soon finds itself under siege, and not everyone will survive the night.

This was an extremely awesome and compelling read from Patterson and Fox that had me hooked the entire way through.  Featuring a great story, loaded with action, intrigue and fun characters, The Murder Inn was an outstanding novel and one that proves near impossible to put down.

The wonderful team of Patterson and Fox came up with an excellent narrative for The Murder Inn that really draws you in quickly.  Initially starting with background on side-character Nick Jones, The Murder Inn soon introduces several intriguing storylines as protagonist Bill Robinson finds himself drawn into the various troubles of his residents and friends.  What starts as a funeral for a friend soon sees Robinson drawn into a war against a crime lord, as his friend’s widow, the wildly entertaining Shauna Bulger, finds a stash of evidence and then goes to war in the name of justice.  At the same time, Robinson finds himself drawn into Jones’s military past, as the consequences of a deadly massacre come to light.  Throw in a mysterious guest, personal dramas surrounding the various characters, and other dark secrets emerging, and this proves to be a full and compelling story.  This explosive mixture of storylines comes together extremely well as the book continues, and I loved how each of the major characters are expertly explored, especially Shauna and Nick, which allows you to get really drawn into their personal histories and demons.  Thanks to a series of betrayals and dark secrets, you are never quite sure who is going to survive this dangerous story, and the constant threat and brushes with death upped the ante in a huge way.  I loved some of the great twists and turns that emerged, and Patterson and Fox ensured that parts of the story got wonderfully over-the-top in all the right ways, especially when it comes to key character deaths.  This was such a fun and exciting story to read, and I managed to blow through it so damn quickly.

Unsurprisingly, The Murder Inn utilised Patterson’s typical writing style, which I think worked extremely well for this impressive and enjoyable story.  The use of a huge number of short, sharp chapters really draws the reader in and sets an incredibly fast pace for the story.  Due to how quick these chapters are, and the exciting and constantly evolving story that accompanies it, you honestly have a hard time putting this book down; especially as it is so tempting to read a couple more pages just to see what is going to happen next.  This frenetic pace really increases the impact of the story in places, and I loved how well the authors continued to transition between multiple point-of-view characters.  The intriguing range of perspectives increased the complexity of the plot, especially as you get to see events through the eyes of all the affected characters, including the villains, and I loved the amazing storylines that emerged as a result.  Thanks to this, it proves very hard to stop reading The Murder Inn once you start, and the authors reward you with a ton of great action and some joyfully over-the-top moments.  Despite being a sequel, The Murder Inn is essentially a standalone novel, and no knowledge of the previous book is needed to enjoy it.  This was such a great story, and the team of Patterson and Fox made sure to display in the best way possible.

Patterson and Fox came up with some great characters for The Murder Inn, and there are some amazingly likeable protagonists showcased throughout the plot.  A lot of this focus revolves around protagonist Bill Robinson, the proprietor of The Inn by the Sea and a former cop who is trying to find redemption after a questionable police career.  Bill is a great straight man for much of the chaos going on in this book, and his dedication to helping his friends no matter what, made him a very likeable figure.  I liked how Robinson’s chapters were the only ones told from the first-person perspective, especially as it gave those chapters some additional importance, and the change of pacing surrounding that was quite fun.  It also allowed the reader to get a better look at the nice romance arc surrounding the protagonist, and it was great to see him finally get some happiness, if only temporarily.  Robinson’s friend, Nick Jones, also gets a lot of focus in The Murder Inn, as one of the primary storylines revolves around him.  Jones, an army veteran, is deeply traumatised by his time in Afghanistan, especially after a dark mission made him question everything.  Already damaged by his time in the war and the paranoia that followed, Nick finds himself coming to terms with his past in a big way here, and his battle for redemption is a powerful part of the book.

Probably my favourite character in The Murder Inn was new character Shauna Bulger.  The widow of a dirty cop, Shauna finds herself in a dark situation when criminals break into her house, searching for her husband’s secrets.  Rather than lying down for them, Shauna fights back and this awakens something primal in her that sees her wage war on the local criminals.  Shauna proves to be a hilariously badass vigilante, and it was interesting to see how she finally processed years of trauma into such a violent and over-the-top response.  Her counterpart, the crime lord Norman Driver, proves to be an outstanding villain for the story, and I loved how despite being a dangerous man with a dark history, even he was overwhelmed by the unusual inhabitants of the Inn and the other deadly people coming for him.  Throw in the other great residence of the Inn, many of whom have interesting history and stories that will no doubt get explored in future books in the series, and you have an amazing cast you can’t help but fall in love with.

Overall, The Murder Inn was an exciting, awesome and captivating read that was everything I hoped it would be and more.  James Patterson and Candice Fox once again from to be an effective writing team, and I loved the impressively insane and compelling story they came up with here that I absolutely absorbed.  A wonderfully entertaining novel that any thriller fan will have an amazing time with, The Murder Inn is really worth reading.

The Murder Inn Cover 2

Amazon

Quick Review – Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Hollywood Hustle Cover

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (ebook – 6 February 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 261 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

I was recently lucky enough to receive an early copy of the intriguing thriller debut, Hollywood Hustle.  Written by actor Jon Lindstrom, who has appeared in quite a few crime fiction shows and films himself, Hollywood Hustle had a cool story about the price of fame and the dark side of Hollywood which I really liked the sound of.

Plot Synopsis:

Winston Greene, a has-been film star, wakes one morning to find his six-year-old granddaughter at his bedside—traumatized, unattended, and gripping onto a thumb drive. She comes bearing video proof that her mother, Win’s troubled adult daughter, has been kidnapped by a murderous gang demanding all his “movie money” for her safe return. But what they don’t know is…his movie money is long gone.

Unable to go to the police for fear the kidnappers will make good on their promise to kill his daughter, Winston turns to two close friends—a legendary Hollywood stuntman and a disgraced former LAPD detective.

There’s no easy way out for Winston or his daughter—the gang is violent and willing to do anything to get the money they’re after, and Winston begins to realize that to get his daughter back, he’ll have to beat the kidnappers at their own game.

This propulsive and tense thriller will transport readers to the seedier side of LA, depicted in bold prose by a Hollywood insider.


Hollywood Hustle ended up being a fun first book from Lindstrom, which takes the reader on an exiting and fast-paced adventure through a dark Hollywood kidnapping.  Lindstrom starts things off quickly, with the readers given an effective introduction to the main character, fading actor Winston Greene, and the unthinkable scenario he finds himself in.  After an initial focus on Greene, the author branches out the focus of the story, splitting the perspective between various characters, including Greene, his two loyal friends, the kidnappers, and more, to create a wonderful and highly entertaining narrative.

Much of the story follows Greene, as he is forced to try and raise cash he doesn’t have to secure his daughter’s release.  While he goes about that, you get to see what the kidnappers are up to, as their botched operation quickly comes undone in several different ways.  At the same time, one of Greene’s friends begins an investigation into the case, while a nosey tabloid journalist tries to scoop up dirt on the troubled actor.  These various storylines all come crashing together, and I liked how well Lindstrom was able to tell a cohesive tale while also focusing on his characters.  I did find that some of the dialogue was a little weak in places, and the story did get a little derivative at times, but this was mostly a great read.  I especially enjoyed how Lindstrom took the plot in some surprising and unpredictable directions, and several over-the-top deaths really spiced things up.  While I didn’t love one plot twist at the end that relied on an overused writing cliché, I ended up having a lot of fun with this cool story, and I managed to finish it off in only a couple of days.

I really enjoyed Hollywood Hustles’ great story, and there were some excellent writing elements that helped it stand out.  Lindstrom set a great pace for the entire book, and I appreciated how he got right down to business.  I felt the entire story flowed efficiently and effectively, and he didn’t make the story overstay its welcome, finishing it off at just the right time.  Splitting the perspective chapters between the various characters involved in the plot also worked well, as you quickly get multiple eyes on the dangerous unfolding situation.  I liked the great mixture of distinctive character perspectives that emerged, and the slow-burn introduction of the three kidnappers was pretty awesome, especially as they all have compelling individual backstories, and it quickly becomes apparent that none of them are natural team players.  Honestly these three antagonists proved to be a major highlight of the entire story, and their dysfunctional relationship, over-the-top actions, and well-crafted pasts that examine interesting, failed takes on the American dream increased my enjoyment of the entire book.

However, most of Lindstrom’s character work revolves around protagonist Winston Greene, who serves as the heart and soul of the book.  A formerly famous actor who has reached has-been status and now only works bit gigs, Greene is a character with many parallels in real life, which makes his story even more relatable.  Initially shown to be a flawed but caring man, Lindstrom slowly reveals several of his darker demons, including the price he paid for fame, his battle with alcoholism, his struggles being a father and husband, and the guilt he harbours for his past mistakes.  Lindstrom builds in a very good narrative about Greene trying to redeem himself throughout the course of Hollywood Hustle, especially when it comes to his daughter and granddaughter, and you really find yourself pulling for him as a result.  The author also uses Greene’s character to help highlight the many negatives involved with a Hollywood career, which adds an interesting and personal edge to much of the plot.  The protagonist’s cynical views of the acting scene, especially after a complicated and currently expired movie career, make for a great inclusion, and I personally loved the fun fictional movie quotes attributed to Greene that are scattered throughout the novel.  Greene really felt like a character that Lindstrom was pouring himself into, and I deeply appreciated how compelling and powerful his story got at times.

Overall, I quite liked Hollywood Hustle, and I felt that it was a good, solid debut from this interesting author.  While Jon Lindstrom has some growing to do as a writer, this was an excellent first effort, especially when it comes to creating great characters, and I hope we see some more entertaining books from Lindstrom in the future.

Amazon

Ripper by Shelley Burr

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller6 Comments

Ripper Cover

Publisher: Hachette Australian (Trade Paperback – 30 August 2023)

Series: PI Lane Holland – Book Two

Length: 344 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Impressive rising Australian crime fiction star Shelley Burr follows up her amazing debut with the complex and addictive rural murder mystery, Ripper.

In 2022 I had the very great pleasure of reading Shelley Burr’s debut novel, Wake.  An awesome book that followed two compelling protagonists as they investigated an infamous missing persons case in a small Australian town, Wake really had me hooked from the get go.  Wake ended up being one of my favourite debuts and favourite pieces of Australian fiction in 2022, and I have been eager to see how Burr would follow that up for a while.  Burr did not disappoint, as she recently released an intriguing sequel, Ripper (also released as Murder Town).

Seventeen years ago, the small town of Rainier was rocked by a series of brutal killings that saw three people murdered and the infamous killer captured in a heroic effort by the police.  Thanks to these tragic events, Rainier is now known as an infamous murder town, with people far more interested in checking out the site of the Rainier Ripper’s trial of destruction rather than the town’s quaint charm and bush location.

Now, after years of neglect and changing economic times, Rainier is starting to financially fail.  The town’s only hope might be a dark tourism company that is eager to exploit Rainier’s infamous name.  However, when the tour operator is brutally killed in the same location as one of the Ripper’s victims, it opens old wounds and forces the locals, long traumatised by the events of that massacre, to uncover long buried secrets.

Gemma Guillory knows everything about the Rainier Ripper, especially as her teashop was the location of the original Ripper’s final killing.  When the new murder occurs, Gemma is brought back to her painful past and is determined to discover whether this new crime was done by a copycat or if the real Rainier Ripper escaped justice years before.  Receiving unlikely help from incarcerated investigator Lane Holland, Gemma begins to chip away at years of secrets and lies she didn’t even know surrounded her.  But is Gemma truly ready for the truth, especially as a dangerous killer is still hiding in town, waiting to kill again?

I really enjoyed Ripper and felt that it was a fantastic follow-up to Burr’s first novel.  I deeply appreciated the complex, moving and character driven murder mystery storyline at Ripper’s centre, especially as it forced its complex protagonist to simultaneously look at events in the past and current concerns.

The book starts off very strong, with a flashback to the original killings, followed by a good recap of the events that made Rainier infamous, and some excellent set up around the current day town, including the proposal to start a dark tourism company and some of the personal problems impacting the key locals.  Naturally, things get dark quickly, as a new body is found in the same location of one of the Rainier Ripper’s victims, and the population of Rainier, especially primary protagonist Gemma Guillory, is dragged back into their complex history.  The following story is very powerful, as the protagonist begins to dive back into her towns past to try and find the killer, which also forces her to look at those closest to her in a new light.  At the same time, the returning protagonist from Wake, imprisoned investigator Lane Holland, is tasked by his prison warden to interrogate the Rainier Ripper to determine if he has any additional information about the case.

Burr moves Ripper’s intriguing plot along at a quick pace, and I liked how complex and intricate the mystery soon became.  Solving the crime involves a great mixture of current intuitions about the key characters, memories of the past, and interrogations by Holland in prison.  The mystery branches off into some interesting places, and the protagonists need to do some emotionally charged digging to find out what really happened.  The resulting solutions to the mystery are very clever, and Burr did a wonderful job laying down subtle but effective clues throughout the main body of the book.  I really enjoyed how there wasn’t just one solution, but multiple secrets and reveals that had to come to light for the full truth to be revealed, and there was an outstanding domino effect of revelations and twists.  I cannot emphasise enough just how impressive this full range of reveals was, and Burr did a great job weaving together the solutions into one moving and complex narrative.

I think Burr hit the right blend of mystery, excitement and character storylines in Ripper, and the author ensured that everything moved along at an exciting and enjoyable clip.  I really enjoyed how much of the story relied on diving into the complex lives of the key Rainier residences, and the author balanced some interesting character storylines in both the present day and in the past.  This was especially true of main character Gemma Guillory, and her return to the past, coupled with revelations around the lies of her loved ones, added some powerful emotion to the story.  If I had one complaint, it would probably be that Burr worked a little too hard to insert Lane Holland into the plot.  While I do appreciate that Burr is trying to set up an ongoing series with Lane Holland as the connecting character, the plot of Ripper might have been a bit sleeker without him.  Still, it was fun getting a sequel to Wake and I’m very keen to see what exciting mysteries Burr cooks up in the future.

Ripper by Shelley Burr was another outstanding and compelling read from a talented, rising Australian author.  This second rural Australian murder mystery from Burr was extremely compelling and featured an intense narrative, loaded with great twists and complicated characters.  I had a brilliant time getting through Ripper and it was one of the top pieces of Australian crime fiction I read last year.

Murder Town (alternate Ripper) Cover

Amazon

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

Amazon

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.

Amazon

Warhammer 40,000: Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer10 Comments

Creed - Ashes of Cadia Cover 2

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 September 2023)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Exciting new Warhammer 40,000 author Jude Reid presents an action-packed and captivating novel that takes the reader to one of the most desolate places in the franchise’s universe, the ruins of Cadia, with the exciting novel Creed: Ashes of Cadia.

Last year proved to be an outstanding year for new authors producing their first Warhammer 40,000 novel, with several highly talented authors, such as Rob Young (Longshot) and Jonathan D. Beer (The King of the Spoil), producing amazing and intense reads in this fantastic universe.  One of the most interesting of these 2023 Warhammer 40,000 debuts was the impressive and captivating Creed: Ashes of Cadia by new author Jude Reid.  Reid’s first full novel after writing multiple Warhammer 40,000 short stories, Ashes of Cadia takes the reader on an epic journey with a new major protagonist.

Years after the fall of Cadia to the dread forces of Chaos, the Imperium of Man is still reeling from the carnage wrought in its aftermath which saw a massive warp rift cleave their besieged intergalactic realm in two.  Led by the returned Primarch Roboute Guilliman, humanity fights back as best it can in a great crusade, but its victories are never enough.  When word reaches Guilliman of a potential weapon on the most unlikely of locations, desperation requires him to investigate, and there is only one person he can call on for this dangerous mission.

After continually proving herself on the field of battle, Ursula Creed has succeeded her father, Ursarkar E. Creed, in becoming the new lord castellan of Cadia.  Leading the remaining Cadian forces in the Imperium, Ursula hopes to erase the stain of her legendary father’s great defeat, however, she can never seem to leave behind his complicated legacy.  When summoned by Guilliman for a secret mission, Creed is shocked to discover that she is being sent back to one place she never thought to return to, the shattered remains of Cadia.

Accompanied by a select team of Cadians with an unusual mixture of skills and experience, Ursula is sent to the surface to recover her father’s final battle plans and the secret weapons they supposedly lead to.  However, the surface of Cadia is a blasted wasteland, filled with foul energies and unnatural magic that causes even the dead to attack the invaders.  Left without support and hopelessly outnumbered, Ursula must lead her unprepared followers onwards in the hope of securing the prize.  But terrible evils lay claim to the remnants of Cadia, and Ursula will be forced to confront both the forces of Chaos and her own inescapable legacy as the daughter of Creed if she wants to survive.  Can Ursula succeed where her father failed and redeem Cadia, or is she already lost?

Reid had a very ambitious story idea for Ashes of Cadia, in that she needed to provide a human solider focused, character-driven adventure narrative that simultaneously examined the complex legacy of the Cadians in a new way, while also providing the reader with an intense and action-packed read.  Reid more than succeeded, as Ashes of Cadia takes the reader back to Cadia, one of the most significant landscapes in the Warhammer 40,000 universe and puts several intriguing and damaged protagonists through absolute hell.

Starting off a little slow to establish the main cast, remind people about the Cadian legacy, and set up the mission, Ashes of Cadia doesn’t really speed up until the protagonists land on shattered Cadia, and naturally all hell breaks loose.  The protagonists essentially find themselves thrust into a zombie apocalypse scenario, as a sorcerer attacks with a horde of living dead and decimates the protagonist’s team, leaving them trapped on the planet.  The disparate band of damaged and disillusioned survivors are forced to journey across the ravished planet to find either an escape or the rumoured secret weapon, encountering all manner of horrors, tragedy and continuous losses of supporting characters, all the while being hunted.  At the same time, the cast become more and more disheartened and internal conflicts seek to fracture them in a range of emotionally charged scenes.  This harsh adventure takes them to several key places on the ruins of the planet, as they get closer to their various personal goals.  There are some interesting false starts and twists, as well as some heartbreaking scenes, and you are constantly on edge, especially as a new danger of betrayal might emerge just around the corner.  I liked the reveal of Creed’s treasure in the novel, especially as it has some interesting potential consequences for the future of the Cadians, and the use of Creed’s daughter as a protagonist was a smart choice.  While I did see the big twist of the book regarding a certain traitor coming, it was still really well written, and I loved how Reid tried to misdirect with multiple bloody red herrings.  Everything leads up to a big, brutal, and over-the-top final confrontation, the sees the survivors redeemed in various ways, and it ended up being a fantastic and powerful piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

Reid wrote a very intense and personal novel here with Ashes of Cadia, and I really enjoyed her captivating writing style.  Expertly splitting the focus of the book between several complex and unconventional soldiers with their own individual baggage, Ashes of Cadia becomes a much more emotionally charged novel than I was expecting, but the result was an impressive read, especially as you quickly get invested in the various character arcs.  However, Reid is no slouch when it comes to the action, as the many combat sequences are sharp and brutal, keeping you on your toes as any of your favourite figures can quickly fall.  While the pace of Ashes of Cadia does slow a bit at the beginning and in the middle, for the most part Reid keeps her novel moving along, and I had a hard time putting it down as a result.  I especially loved how well Reid portrayed the fallen planet of Cadia throughout this novel, especially as she really laid out the horrors and dangers associated with this planet.  Fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction who know this planet well will be shocked by how disturbing and different it turns out, and I loved that we finally got an adventure in the ruins.  A brilliant and exceptionally written novel, you will have a lot of fun with this book.

As I have mentioned a few times in this review, Ashes of Cadia is a significant piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, mainly because it provides a continuation to a lot of the major story elements that have been a big part of the franchises fiction since the lore changes surrounding the fall of Cadia.  Quite a bit of in-universe time has taken place since that event, and most of the recently released Warhammer fiction focuses on how the loss of the planet effected the Imperium and the many Cadian soldiers fighting throughout it.  If followed through, the events of Ashes of Cadia are going to give these Cadian characters and stories new purpose, and I loved that we also have new Creed character to follow in Ursula.  Reid does an excellent job of building up to these reveals, and there was another interesting look at how traumatised and demoralised the Cadians are, which really fit into the plot of this book.  There are also a lot of references to other novels and events from the lore that fans of the franchise will appreciate, and I personally liked how it had some connections to another Warhammer 40,000 novel from last year, The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  As such, Ashes of Cadia is probably best enjoyed by those established fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, especially those who have enjoyed the recent influx in Cadian fiction.  However, there is still a lot for newer readers to the franchise to enjoy, especially as Reid does a wonderful job of explaining the key lore elements that lead up to this story.  General fans of adventure, science fiction and even horror, can have a lot of fun with Ashes of Cadia, and this turned into quite an intense and bloody war narrative.

Easily the most distinctive part of Ashes of Cadia is the complex and damaged cast of characters that make up the main cast.  Reid produced some unique figures for this impressive narrative, and their individual stories, as well as the general despair of the Cadian trooper following the loss of their planet, proves to be a major driving point in the plot, and I really enjoyed seeing the various character arcs unfold.

Ashes of Cadia’s story had three primary point of characters, and Reid did a pretty good job of jumping the story around them, showcasing each of their unique and well-written storylines.  The most prominent of these is the titular Ursula creed, the current lord castellan of the lost planet of Cadia.  The daughter of the beloved Cadian leader who lost the planet before disappearing, Ursula has big boots to fill, especially as she is resentful for her father’s legacy and the fact she barely knew him.  The resulting insecurities, responsibilities and bitterness play a huge part in her character arc, and watching her walk in the steps of her father and attempt to become the leader he was proved to be a great part of the plot.

The next major character, Shael Laskari, adds a more general viewpoint to the story as a recently graduated cadet who is chosen to accompany Creed to the surface for propaganda reasons.  Inexperienced and fearful, Laskari is the everywoman of Ashes of Cadia, and it proved interesting to see her deal with the unknown horrors of the planet while also trying to find her courage in her squad.  Reid also does an exceptional job with the unique character of Mac Ossian.  A former medic and member of a Cadian regiment, Ossian was assigned to a penal legion after killing his former commander, and now finds himself back on Cadia as part an expendable distraction.  Managing to meet up with Creed’s unit, Ossian spends much of the book trying to prove his loyalty and worth, while also wondering if Creed and Cadia still deserves his surface.

These central characters are accompanied by several fantastic supporting cast members, several of which have their own exceptional character arcs.  I personally really enjoyed Colonel Hadrian Aurelius Van Haast, who serves as a guide with local knowledge of the area.  Van Haast is a stupendously arrogant figure, who you can’t help but dislike, and he added a fantastic dynamic to the cast.  However, this arrogance is a cover for a much darker secret, which Reid slowly and expertly reveals as the book continues.  I also must highlight Ossian’s fellow penal legionnaire Liga Yager, another prisoner who tries to survive after being dropped on Cadia to die.  Due to her much more cynical perception of Creed and the Cadians, as well as her compelling backstory, Yager goes on a very different path than Ossian, and proved to be a devil on his shoulder that speaks some much-needed truth.  Finally, I loved the villain of the story, the Death Guard sorcerer, Livor Opilionis, who is mostly called The Huntsman throughout the book.  The Huntsman is a gloriously sinister and dangerous foe, who relentlessly hunts them throughout the ruins of Cadia, heralded by his hunting horn and packs of plague zombies, and the confrontations the protagonists have with him always leads to carnage.  This outstanding cast of characters, and more, really turned Ashes of Cadia into an amazing novel, and I loved the brilliant character arcs that Reid developed around them.

As with most Warhammer 40,000 books I check out, I made sure to grab Ashes of Cadia on audiobook.  The Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks are always pretty damn awesome, and I love how much the action, horror and unique setting came through in this format.  Coming in with a decent runtime of just over 14 and a half hours, Ashes of Cadia was a very easy book to listen to, and I managed to knock it off quickly.  It helped that Ashes of Cadia was narrated by the superbly talented Colleen Prendergast, who is swiftly becoming the go-to narrator of Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks with female Cadian protagonists.  Prendergast has a great and intense voice for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I love how well she was able to move the plot along.  She also provides a series of great and fitting voices for the cast of this book, especially the female characters.  I loved how dignified and complex she made some of these characters, as well as how monstrous and threatening the main antagonist sounded in his terrifying scenes.  As such, Ashes of Cadia was an absolute joy to listen to and I would strongly recommend this audiobook version to anyone interested in this fantastic piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

Creed: Ashes of Cadia was a fantastic, dark and captivating novel from Jude Reid, who produce an impressive debut with some intriguing potential for the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Loaded with action, intrigue and several complex characters, Creed: Ashes of Cadia was an excellent read that cleverly ties into the history and existing lore of this complex and highly fun franchise.  Intense, moving, and oh so brutal, Ashes of Cadia comes highly recommended, especially for fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

Amazon

Quick Review – The Hidden Book by Kirsty Manning

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical Fiction, Quick Review3 Comments

The Hidden Book Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 29 August 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 312 pages

My Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Amazon

Australian author Kirsty Manning presents an emotionally charged and compelling historical drama that follows a beleaguered group of protagonists during and after the horrors of World War II with The Hidden Book.

Plot Synopsis:

Europe, 1940

 Imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Spanish fighter and photographer Mateo Baca is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think …

Mateo manages to make a secret sixth book and, with the help of a local woman, Lena Lang, it remains hidden until the end of the war.

Australia, present

 When thirteen-year-old Hannah Campbell’s Yugoslavian grandfather, Nico Antonov, arrives in Australia to visit his family, one of the gifts he brings with him is an intriguing-looking parcel wrapped in calico cloth which Roza, Hannah’s mother, quickly hides.

Later, Hannah sneaks off in search for the mysterious package. She is horrified to find in it a photo book full of ghastly historical photographs of a terrible place full of people suffering.

At first Hannah has little context for what she sees, but over the years as she experiences love, grief and trauma, she understands what these photos came to mean, for herself, her freedom and for those who risked their lives to ‘bear witness’ to history.

A startling story of clandestine courage and treachery in World War Two, and how we must meet and overcome our pasts to move into our futures.

This was a great piece of historical fiction from Manning, who has written several other intriguing novels in this genre over the years.  The plot of The Hidden Book is interesting as it combines a harrowing story of people caught up in the Holocaust with a complex narrative of a young person trying to understand the horrors they came from.  Half the novel follows several characters either imprisoned at the Mauthausen concentration camp, or living in the surrounding area, as they work together to record and smuggle out pictures of the atrocities being perpetrated against them.  The second storyline follows Hannah, the grandchild of one of the characters from the first storyline, who grows up in Australia, constantly wondering about the secrets of her grandfather’s book of pictures, and who finds her life defined by it.

Both of these storylines are interesting in their own way, and I think that Manning did a pretty good job of bringing them together into a fantastic overall story.  The half of the book, set in Mauthausen, is suitably dark and nerve-wracking, as you are constantly bombarded by the fear and determination of the characters imprisoned there in one shape or another.  This part of the book is an interesting retelling of real historical events surrounding Mauthausen, and Manning brings together a great group of characters here, including a sadistic camp commandant and a family of anti-Nazi locals who are afraid the Nazis will find out about their mentally impaired daughter.  This compelling and dark storyline serves as an excellent basis for much of The Hidden Book’s plot, and it leads into the second plot line extremely well.

This secondary plotline involves the character of Hannah Campbell finding her grandfather’s photo album covering the atrocities at Mauthausen and spending the rest of her life trying to make sense of them.  While I am not the biggest fan of historical dramas that rely on descendants finding old material from their ancestors (it is a bit of an overused story device), Manning presented some interesting storylines around it.  In particular, she uses it as a key part of Hannah’s coming-of-age storyline, as she experiences the highs and lows of life from childhood to parenthood.  Manning tells a great story of growing up in Australia, including country living and city life, and while parts of this storyline is are very frustrating, and it serves as an interesting counterbalance to the Holocaust tale while also providing insights into how the younger generations view the Holocaust and how knowing your history and change your present.

I enjoyed how well these two separate and distinctive storylines come together throughout the course of The Hidden Book.  The intensity, conflict and drive for survival in the historical part of the novel is well offset by a different layer of emotion in Hannah’s life story, and I liked the constant looks back to the past.  This proved to be a fast-paced and easy to read novel, and I liked the blend of characters, historical elements and two very different background settings that emerged.  Despite all that, I didn’t get amazingly emotionally invested in the plot, and I think parts of Hannah’s storyline slowed down the pacing at times.  Overall, I thought that The Hidden Book by Kirsty Manning was an intense and compelling read that I had good time with.  An excellent read for fans of historical drama, especially those that combine dark pasts and hopeful futures into powerful character driven narratives.

Amazon

Argylle by Elly Conway

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller2 Comments

Argylle Cover

Publisher: Bantam (Trade Paperback – 3 January 2024)

Series: Argylle – Book One

Length: 368 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of the year’s most intriguing thrillers, Argylle by Elly Conway, proves to be a fantastic and highly entertaining book that I had a wonderful time exploring at the start of 2024.

Vasily Federov, a powerful Russian billionaire, is making a bid to become the new president of Russia.  If he succeeds, his ambition, drive, and absolute lack of humanity, could lead to chaos, especially as he seeks to bring together the dangerous right-wing factions of Europe to form a destructive new empire.  Determined to secure victory and the absolute loyalty of the Russian people, Federov promises the impossible: finding and restoring a beloved national treasure infamously looted and lost during World War II, the Amber Room.

Recognising what a dangerous threat Federov poses to the world, CIA Chief Operating Officer Frances Coffey is determined to stop him winning the election.  To that end, she pulls together an elite team of agents with the goal of locating the hidden Amber Room first and keeping it from Federov’s grasp.  However, Coffey believes that her team needs a unique edge, a new member with a different set of skills and outlook on life then her current operatives.  To that end, she recruits a complete unknown, Aubrey Argylle.

The son of two international drug dealers, Argylle has been lost since the death of his parents, hiding out in the jungles of Thailand.  Argylle attracts Coffey’s attention when he risks his own life to help a team of American agents in need.  Drafted to the CIA, Argylle works to prove himself to his new team as they work to stop Federov.  As Argylle starts to adapt to the life as a secret agent, his team makes headway in discovering the location of the Amber Room, which leads them on a desperate chase across Europe.  However, the closer they get to recovering their target, the more apparent it is that someone on their team is a traitor, and they now have Argylle in their sights.

Before I go into too much detail about what I thought about Argylle, I should probably address the interesting possibilities regarding the authorship of this book.  The identity of Argylle’s author has the potential to be one of the biggest literary reveals of the year, and the internet is already buzzing with the possibilities surrounding it.  That is because Elly Conway is a pseudonym of a new author, the identity of whom is being kept secret until the upcoming film of the same name is released.  While authors writing under pseudonyms is nothing new, certain facts about this particular case, including the large amount of money spent obtaining the film rights from a first-time writer, the insane secrecy surrounding the author’s identity, and the massive cast of famous actors in the adaptation indicate that someone special might be behind the pen.  There are several theories currently circulating, including it being written by AI, by the film’s creative team, or it being a massive marketing campaign to raise interest in the film.  However, the theory that seems to be getting the most attention is that it was authored by one of the world’s most influential singers, and there are a lot of apparent hints and easter eggs surrounding that theory.

The Argylle novel only came to my attention a few weeks ago; mainly because I had seen the cool film trailer, which features some of my favourite actors, and I figured it might be worth grabbing this related book.  It was only when I subsequently dug into the underlying material surrounding the book, including the theories about the author, that I became really curious.  I am not going to lie, that very much caught my attention, and it was a major reason why I got a copy of Argylle.  If it turns out to have been merely a marketing stunt, at least it was an effective one!  I would actually love it if someone surprising wrote this book, and I look forward to seeing how this comes into play with the upcoming film, which really looks quite hilarious.  However, I’m not going to let my curiosity about who might have written it impact my review for this book, and I have tried to make a balanced analysis of this intriguing debut thriller.

With that in mind, I am going to come right out that bat and say I quite liked Argylle, and it proved to be a fun and exciting read, with a fantastic plot and a compelling main character.  Featuring a fast-paced story, enjoyable writing, and a ton of entertaining action, Argylle was an awesome book that I managed to knock it off in only a few days.

From what I understand, the upcoming film will be set around the planned fourth book in this series and will feature the fictional adventures of Elly Conway when she releases it.  Argylle is the first book in this in-universe series, so it serves as an introductory novel, featuring the origins of the titular protagonist as well as some of his supporting cast members.  Conway initiates a strong start to Argylle, as you are given compelling visions of the disturbing main villain, as well as a great introduction to protagonist Aubrey Argylle, who risks everything to save several lives in an intense and sudden sequence, before he is recruited into a secretive team of CIA agents.  The initial training montages with the new team serve as a good introduction to the spy lifestyle for the protagonist, although it does reveal an early weakness of the book that never really went away, in that there are way too many characters.  With fourteen members in this main team, many of whom get cycled around each mission, the reader has a hard time remembering each of them, and with the exception of a couple who are pushed to the front early on, you never really connect to them.  The author’s initially rough writing style also takes a bit to get used to, with certain phrases, pieces of dialogue and more feeling a little unnatural.  Despite that, I was still really enjoying the story, and these initial introductory scenes slide nicely into the main part of the book.

This central plot of Argylle involves the protagonist’s team zipping around Europe, following hidden historical clues to uncover the location of the Amber Room before their Russian opponents.  The search for historical treasures is always an awesome thriller storyline, and I think that the author did a good job of diving into the history of the Amber Room, exploring why it is so significant, and then bringing together a fun and clever hunt for the prize that combines the official historical record with some intriguing conspiracies.  This results in a fun story, as the team are required to pull off a series of intricate heists, with the Russians close on their tail.  There are some glorious set pieces here, and I loved the fun locations and over-the-top scenarios the protagonists found themselves in.  Conway also works in a great spy thriller plot about a double agent in the team, as information about their missions keeps getting leaked to the Russians, with disastrous results.  The character arcs surrounding several of the characters develop quite nicely, and it was great to see Argylle get closer to some of the other cast, while also coming out of his shell.

Everything leads up to a pretty big and violent conclusion, as the protagonists battle it out against the Russians for the prize.  Most of this was very cool, although the issue I raised before about the large team did come to fruition at the end.  In particular, the deaths of some character really were not that impactful, because you had barely gotten to know them, while the potential identity of the traitor was a lot more obvious, as it had to be one of the characters who was prominently featured.  Still, the ending was epic and memorable, and I particularly enjoyed how the traitor storyline came full circle in an excellent and moving way.  Readers come away from Argylle very satisfied, and there are some fun hints about the planned sequels that I would be quite interested to explore.

While I have noted a few writing issues that I had with Argylle, for the most part I liked how this novel came together.  The author maintains a great pace throughout the book while also keeping the readers attached to the story.  The jump between several different characters, including the villain, gives the novel some excellent layers, and it is always great to see the antagonist’s schemes in action.  I also enjoyed the unique locations the author set the story in, including the jungles of Thailand, an isolated Greek island, and deep in the European wilderness.  All these settings, including a few intriguing historical sites, are described in exceptional detail, and you can really imagine the characters walking through these wildernesses and getting up to their shenanigans.  Throw in some excellent and high-octane action sequences, as well as some fun humour based around the unconventional protagonist, and I had a great time getting through Argylle.

Another excellent element that I enjoyed about Argylle was the fantastic central character, Aubrey Argylle.  I was actually a little surprised by how he was portrayed here as, in the movie trailer, he is played by Henry Cavill in a particularly suave James Bond-esque way.  However, the author flips the script around in this book, showing Argylle to be a much more rugged individual with a complex past.  The child of two murdered drug smugglers, Argylle had a unique childhood and spends much of the book trying to reconcile his past with his current actions with the CIA.  While the author potentially over-endowed him with natural spy abilities, it was not too noticeable, and indeed I quite enjoyed seeing the character’s early uncertainties as he grows into the agent he needs to be.

The book also features several great supporting characters.  While much of the protagonist’s support team is not effectively utilised, I quite enjoyed his main friends, Woody Wyatt and Keira Carter, who get a lot of attention throughout the book, and you quickly enjoy the fun trio that forms.  I especially liked the character of Wyatt, the cocky muscle of the team who initially serves as Argylle’s main rival.  The scene when the two characters meet and Argylle gets the drop on him is one of the funniest in the book, and I really enjoyed the entertaining dynamic that formed between them.  On top of them, Frances Coffey, serves as a complicated spymaster character for most of the plot, torn between the needs of the mission and her growing attachment to her agents.  The shadowy figure of Glenn Dabrowski has one of the most intriguing storylines in the entire book, and I loved seeing his alternate view of events.  Finally, the villain, Vasily Federov, adds a great deal of deadly menace to the plot, and I really enjoyed the fun way he was portrayed.  While I still had some issues regarding the extensive cast, I think for the most part his book had an excellent group of characters, which helped added to the emotional impact and enjoy ability of Argylle.

Overall, I really enjoyed Argylle and I thought that it was a great debut novel.  While the author has some room for improvement when it comes to their writing, I felt that this was a really good first outing, especially when it came to the fantastic story, intense action and entertaining characters.  No matter who actually wrote Argylle, I personally think it was a solid, fun and highly enjoyable thriller, and I would love to get a sequel at some point.  As such, I am even more excited for the upcoming Argylle film, and I look forward to seeing what twists it contains regarding the potential author.  If some of the suspicions regarding the author are correct, I might re-upload this review again under their real name, but until then, let us leave this one credited to Elly Conway, whose first book is pretty damn wonderful.

Amazon