Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 7 November 2024.
Make sure you check out my extended reviews of The Fury of the Gods, The Heart of the World, and Buried Deep and Other Stories.
Tag: Naomi Novik
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey (Trade Paperback – 17 September 2024)
Series: Standalone/Short Story Collection
Length: 433 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
A must-read for all fans of fantasy author Naomi Novik is the excellent and highly enjoyable short story collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. Featuring an intriguing combination of stories from across Novik’s imagination and established fantasy universes, Buried Deep and Other Stories was a particularly awesome read that I had a lot of fun getting through.
Naomi Novik is a well-established and impressive fantasy author who has produced some amazing works over the years. Best known for her iconic Temeraire series, which envisioned the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, Novik has produced some great books and stories over the years, including some interesting standalone works. I best know Novik from her excellent Scholomance books, which showcased a dark and impressive take on the magic school genre. The Scholomance books, made up of A Deadly Education (one of my favourite books of 2020), The Last Graduate (one of my favourite books of 2021) and The Golden Enclaves (one of my favourite books of 2022), were all extremely awesome, and this remains one of my all-time favourite book trilogies. As such, I was very interested in reading more from Novik and Buried Deep and Other Stories offered an amazing opportunity to explore her varied writings.
Buried Deep and Other Stories contains an auspicious 13 short stories, which run the gambit from entertaining to moving and bring together both previously published short stories and new tales fresh from the author’s imagination. While some of the reads are standalone stories, there were also entries from Novik’s more familiar universes, all of which comes together to make quite an awesome overall volume. I was initially drawn to this book by the promise of a continuation of series I’ve previously read, but I ended up staying for the whole inventive array, especially as you are gifted a vision into Novik’s future works.
Novik starts the book off strong with the fast-paced story, Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake, a Regency-style adventure with fantasy elements that follows a young, adventurous woman who wants more than a planned marriage. A chance pirate attack and a gender-morphing amulet provide the opportunity she is looking for while also leading to various amorous adventures. This was a very fun, and slightly randy, swashbuckling adventure that successfully highlights the author’s flair for combining historical periods with her own fantasy ideas. This proved to be a great first entry to Buried Deep and Other Stories, and I appreciated that Novik started things off fun.
Novik kept the book going strong with the amazing Afterhours, which serves as a follow-up to her awesome Scholomance trilogy. I must admit that of all the stories in this book, Afterhours was the one that I was most excited for, primarily because I had such a great time with the Scholomance novels, and I really wanted to see how the universe continued. Novik did not disappoint with a captivating story set a couple of years after The Golden Enclaves, with a look at a new class studying at the Scholomance magical school. Despite the Scholomance evolving and becoming less exclusive, some things remain the same, with the unusual witch Beata, finding her school life made difficult by the rich and powerful enclave students, including her roommate. Desperate to survive, Beata and her friends break curfew to obtain rare supplies, only to encounter some of the remaining monsters roaming the school.
This proved to be an entertaining and wonderful return to the Scholomance series, and I for one was glad to get a look at the school and its unusual setup following the chaotic events of the original trilogy. Novik does an excellent job expanding on her existing universe, and fans of the series will love this continuation, as well as a major cameo at the end. However, this story is open to reader’s unfamiliar with the Scholomance books, especially as Novik focuses the plot on a protagonist unaware of the full details of the previous books, allowing for an excellent outsider’s perspective as you explore the setting’s unique features. It was great to return to this iconic setting, and Afterhours was a fun read that both stood on its own, while also providing some awesome moments to the author’s existing readers.
The third story in this book, Vici, is a quick but highly fun entry that ties into the dragon taming world of Novik’s Temeraire universe. Indeed, Vici shows the origin of the universe’s entire dragon riding premise with a Roman historical tale that sees a young Mark Antony hatch a dragon egg. Novik produces a particularly entertaining and hilarious story, as her irresponsible Mark Antony (inspired by James Purefoy from the Rome television series), finds himself in all manner of trouble, made worse by his impressionable talking dragon. I loved this simple but highly effective story, which not only expertly works dragons into Roman history, but which also keeps the reader extremely amused with some great humour and over-the-top moments. One of the funniest stories in Buried Deep and Other Stories, and a wonderful mood lightener between other heavier entries.
This leads us to the book’s titular short story, Buried Deep, which serves as a powerful retelling of the Minotaur myth. Told from the perspective of King Minos’s daughter, Ariadne, Buried Deep follows her journey to becoming a priestess of the shrine that holds her brother, Minotaur, as he stalks the labyrinth under the island. Novik seeks to cast both Ariadne and Minotaur in a more sympathetic light, showing them as victims of their father’s schemes, with Ariadne seeking to undermine Minos by using the labyrinth to enhance her reputation. Thanks to its deep emotional edge and near gothic style, Buried Deep proved to be a particularly unique and memorable take on the Minotaur myth, and I loved seeing Ariadne’s perspective of events. You really appreciate her bond with Minotaur and the pain that his imprisonment has on her, and this was one of the more moving entries in Buried Deep and Other Stories. This story effectively showcased Novik’s ability to transform well-established stories and myths, and I’m glad Buried Deep was featured here.
The next story is the fantastic entry, Spinning Silver. A clever take on the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, this story follows Miryem, the daughter of a village moneylender, who takes over her weak father’s business and becomes a successful businesswoman. A boast about her ability to make money brings her to the attention of a malicious faerie who demands that she prove her ill-timed words three times by turning his silver coins into gold. What follows is a fantastic and clever series of events as Miryem uses her business sense and quick thinking to technically fulfill the terms of the magical contract while also trying to get out of the unfavourable marriage promised as a reward.
I really loved Spinning Silver for a multitude of reasons, especially as it has a compelling narrative that brilliantly retells a famous fairytale in a darker and more modern manner, while also featuring a great historical Russian setting. This proved to be a particularly enthralling tale of fortitude and tough decisions that also subtly examines the historical hardship of the Jewish population of Eastern Europe. Spinning Silver is also an interesting inclusion as it bears the same name as one of the author’s novels. This short story, which was published a few years before the Spinning Silver novel, was the inspiration for Novik’s later book, with the author reusing elements from it. While readers who have already enjoyed the Spinning Silver novel will see some similarities between it and this short story, the entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories is very much worth checking out as Novik takes this short story in a different direction to give it quicker and more definitive conclusion. I think that the Spinning Silver short story works a little better than the overall novel, mainly because the concept was more focused and reached its key points sooner, but both prove to be excellent reads. This honestly proved to be one of the strongest entries in Buried Deep and Other Stories, and I see why Novik chose to expand it into a novel.
The fun continues with the fantastic story Commonplaces, which serves as the author’s unique entry in the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Set after the events of the classic Sherlock Holmes short story, The Final Problem, Commonplaces focuses on the character of Irene Adler after she hears about the events at Reichenbach Falls. This was a short but sweet story that provides an interesting modern look at the impact Holmes has on the characters he encounters. Novik’s take on Adler, which only utilises details from A Scandal in Bohemia, is particularly authentic, and doesn’t fall into the exaggeration that many of her current popular culture portrayals are known for. Shown solely from Adler’s perspective, you get some great interpretations into her personality, as well as her observations of the enigmatic Holmes. I felt the story went in some very interesting and memorable directions, and I liked how it both cleverly referenced A Scandal in Bohemia but also covered a potential romance between Holmes and Adler in its own way. Novik adds in a few subtle implications about Holmes’ romantic interests and inclinations, which I thought was a nice touch, and the resulting story effectively ties up the entire storyline between these two iconic figures. An overall fantastic story, Commonplaces is a fun and quick short that will appeal to a lot of readers.
Novik continues to delight with the seventh entry, ironically named Seven, which was one of my favourite stories in Buried Deep and Other Stories. Set in a unique fantasy city called Seven, the story is set around the city’s famous ceramics trade, which constantly ensures that the city is surrounded by seven giant singing statues. Whenever one of the statues breaks, a replacement is made from a beautiful yet deadly special clay by the city’s then master clay-shaper. Seven primarily follows Kath, a clay-shaper’s widow, who takes over her husband’s business with the help of grouchy kiln master and ceramic devotee Grovin, and eventually forms a reputation as a radical artist due to the simplicity of her pots and ceramics. Chosen to build the next singing statue, Kath is initially reluctant due to the life-shortening nature of the special clay, until the machinations of Grovin forces her hand.
I really loved Seven, and I think it is the story that best showcases how imaginative and skilled Novik is as an author. I was deeply impressed with how effectively Novik was able to build up a new fantasy city and then set up a complex and character-driven tale that debated art versus practicality in only 25 pages. You easily get drawn into the struggle of Kath as she becomes a famous artist and creator with all the trouble that entails, while simply trying to provide for her family. Novik works this initial premise extremely well, and then cleverly twists the entirety of Seven into a tale the examines the dark side of art appreciation. This darkness is conveyed by the complex and gruff character of Grovin, a man who only loves the beauty of ceramics, and whose desire to see more of Kath’s art forces him to some dark places. I loved the ironic twist that forces Grovin to live a life less devoted to the arts to get what he wants, and I really appreciated how Novik explored his obsession, and the differing views of what ceramics represent between the two main characters. If I had one complaint, it would be that the story wasn’t long enough; I would love to have seen a more concrete conclusion than the philosophical end Novik came up with, but this was still an exceptional story that really hooked me in with its creativity and unique focus.
Continuing onwards, Novik throws in two great short stories that break up the book in preparation for the longer stories towards the end, with Blessings and Lord Dunsany’s Teapot. Lord Dunsany’s Teapot is a tale of magic and imagination in the depths of horrifying war, while Blessings is a fun story about a young baby who gets over-blessed by six drunk and competitive fairy godmothers. Both these stories have their own unique flavour, and I liked how well they played off each other in short order. Lord Dunsany’s Teapot was a quick magical story with descriptive dark war elements to it that highlight the need for an escape from horror, while Blessings was an excellent comedic take on the fairy godmother trope from popular fairytales. I enjoyed both these stories, although Blessings was probably my favourite due to its hilarious, quick-fire content.
Next up we have the tenth entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories, with the book’s only science fiction contribution. Seven Years From Home is a striking story about futuristic colonialism in which a young diplomat from an ever-increasing galactic federation visits a prospective new member planet where a war is brewing between new, technological reliant colonists and the original settlers of the planet who have genetically modified themselves and are now in tune with nature. This was an interesting take on the classic story of technologically advanced colonists warring with nature-loving natives with an outsider amid the natives learning their ways. However, Novik takes her story in some different directions, with the natives proving to be far more adaptable than you would expect, and I loved this brilliant and intriguing tale. While it features a great story, Novik ensures that Seven Years From Home really stands out thanks to the protagonist, who finds herself caught between her loyalties to her home empire and the new friends she makes on her adventures. There were some great scenes as the protagonist becomes even more conflicted with her choices, especially as the information she sends home keeps the war going, and her attempts to find the same mindset of her hosts. This story ends with some touching tragedy and a great twist, and I felt that Novik’s foray into science fiction was a fantastic success.
Continuing, we have the book’s second foray into the Temeraire universe with the fabulous entry Dragons & Decorum. Set to the backdrop of the Napoleonic War that the main Temeraire books are based on, Dragons & Decorum is a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice with dragons. The primary story sees Elizabeth Bennett becoming a Longwing captain in the Aerial Corps, flying her dragon as professional soldier, much to the horror of her mother. However, despite her new role, Elizabeth still finds herself drawing the attention of Mr Darcy, and the two engage in a tumultuous courtship, with even more complexity thanks to Elizabeth’s romance-obsessed dragon and the ongoing war. Novik clearly had fun working elements of her dragon-focused world into this literary classic, and I loved her fantastic take on the classic book, especially as dragons add new entertaining angles to the romance. I felt that the author perfectly blended the more outrageous elements of her universe with the Pride and Prejudice plot, while also cleverly imitating Jane Austen’s writing style. The result is a particularly amusing entry that will appeal to both fantasy fans and Jane Austen fans, and I just love the hilarious impacts any book’s relationship to the Temeraire universe can have.
On the home streak we have the intriguing and dark story, Castle Coeurlieu, which saw the very young bride of a castle lord grow close to her similarly aged stepson and learn the unusual history of the castle in which they live, including several stories about people visiting a mysterious tower within its bounds. When plague strikes the region and her new friend flees to the tower, the protagonist follows, only to discover unusual occurrences, including three women playing with cards inscribed with the fate of the castle’s inhabitants. While Castle Coeurlieu wasn’t my favourite entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories, it proved to be a compelling darker story that added in some grimmer elements towards the end of the book. I enjoyed the different layers of lore surrounding the setting, and the curious young protagonist was well written and provided a great view to the plot. An overall interesting addition to the volume, that serves as a great buffer between two of its biggest stories.
The final story contained within Buried Deep and Other Stories is the captivating adventure tale, The Long Way Round. The longest entry in the collection, The Long Way Round was probably the story I was most looking forward to reading outside of After Hours, mainly because it provides readers with the first glimpse at Novik’s next upcoming book, currently titled Folly, following two siblings, canny sailor Tess and brilliant boat-builder Aston, who embark on a journey to cross the seemingly empty seas surrounding their known world and try to discover new lands. Forcibly accompanied by their High Lord, a young wizard looking to prove himself, Tess, Aston and their crew set out on their adventure, only to make some unexpected discoveries with major implications for their entire world.
Featuring a great combination of likeable characters, well-written nautical elements, and a compelling new world filled with unique elements, The Long Way Round was a particularly addictive entry in Buried Deep and Other Stories. Novik once again does a remarkable job effectively building up the scenario and the new fantasy realm in a short run time, and readers quickly find themselves getting invested in the protagonist’s journey, especially as the author does an excellent job exploring their motivations and desires. The set-up and apprehension of the first part of The Long Way Round is well balanced by the subsequent mystery contained in the second half of the story, as the protagonists find what they seek, even if they are uncertain what it is. Novik provides the reader with a series of stimulating and intriguing visuals and curious elements, and you really get into the spirit of the adventurous narrative elements. This honestly proved to be an addictive read, and I found the clever, character-driven nautical adventure to be moving and fascinating at the same time. I also found myself coming away from The Long Way Round extremely curious about Novik’s next book, and I will be interested to see whether it will be a direct sequel to this or something set further in the future. Either way, the mystery of the titular follies is something I hope to explore in the future, and I am now even more excited for Novik’s next book whenever it comes out.
Overall, Buried Deep and Other Stories turned out to be an awesome short story volume from Naomi Novik that showed me her true range and skill as a fantasy author. This book provides a fantastic collection of works, that hit you on every part of the emotional spectrum, including fun comedic reads and darker, tragedy charged narratives. I was also particularly impressed by the inclusion of unique standalone stories whose elaborate fantasy concepts were well established and the expertly utilised to tell compelling stories. The blend of original stories and windows into the author’s current and upcoming fantasy universes also ensured that readers of Buried Deep and Other Stories are in for a brilliant time. It proved very easy to jump between these different fantasy worlds, and I felt that all readers can appreciate and follow the stories contained within, even if they were tied into the author’s other series. As a fan of Novik’s writings, it was great to get some additional stories from her various universes, and the final story, The Long Way Round, has really gotten me excited to check out her next book. Folly (or whatever its name may change to) is now very high on my to-read list, and I hope we see it soon. As for Buried Deep and Other Stories, this was an incredible and fantastic short story collection that comes highly recommended for fans of Naomi Novik, as well as general fantasy fans looking for some compelling, shorter reads.
WWW Wednesday – 30 October 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman (Trade Paperback)
I’ve just started to read the intriguing young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World takes Kaufman’s teenage protagonists on a dark and intense journey as they try to stop a destructive war while also dealing with two angry gods using them as vessels. The Heart of the World is so far proving to be an intriguing and fast-paced book, and I cannot wait to see how it ends.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)
I also started listening to the new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods. The final entry in Gwynne’s epic and exceptional Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods is a particularly awesome book that I am deeply enjoying. Showcasing the final battle between wrathful gods and a small group of great characters, The Fury of the Gods is very addictive, and I have made a bit of progress on it so far. I am hoping to finish this off in the next week, and while I’m only a few hours in, I am already confident that this will end up being one of my favourite books of 2024.
What did you recently finish reading?
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)
A great collection of short stories from acclaimed fantasy author Naomi Novik, Buried Deep and Other Stories features an intriguing array of tales from Novik’s various fantasy worlds, including the setting of her next big series. This was an excellent read, and I enjoyed seeing how imaginative Novik can get.
Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers (Audiobook)
I absolutely powered through Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers this week, it was so damn good. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond places the protagonists of the first book, a disgraced propaganda expert and a legendary, if exceedingly cynical, pilot, in a new dangerous situation. A compelling mixture of action, intrigue, and eccentric characters, all while providing a particularly dark look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Above and Beyond is an exceptional read and one I will hopefully review soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang
I’ve got a few books to check out in the coming weeks, but the one I think I’ll probably read next is Blood Over Bright Haven. The new book from M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven will follow intrigue, politics and passionate research in a massive magical university. I think that this book has a ton of potential, not only because I love books set in magical schools, but also because I have heard so much good stuff about Wang and her previous book, The Sword of Kaigen.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 23 October 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the intriguing new Naomi Novik book, Buried Deep and Other Stories. A collection of short stories from the acclaimed fantasy author, Buried Deep and Other Stories features an intriguing array of tales from Novik’s various fantasy worlds, including the setting of her next big series. I have already gotten through the first story and it proved to be a lot of fun. I will hopefully get through the rest of the book pretty quickly and I look forward to seeing what other great adventures it contains
Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers (Audiobook)
I was still in a massive Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started listening to Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers, which I had been really looking forward to. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond places the protagonists of the first book, a disgraced propaganda expert and a legendary, if exceedingly cynical, pilot, in a new dangerous situation. A compelling mixture of action, intrigue, and eccentric characters, all while providing a particularly dark look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Above and Beyond is an exceptional read and one I will hopefully knock off very soon.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)
Another outstanding novel from Connelly. Featuring three fantastic major protagonists, The Waiting had some very clever mysteries in it, and this was one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024.
Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)
Another outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel that focused on a unique faction in the game, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer was a particularly intriguing and compelling novel that I could not get enough of. Review to hopefully follow soon.
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)
One of the funniest and most compelling fantasy novels of 2024. I loved this comedic take on the classic heroic tale, especially as Wexler made it very over-the-top in all the right ways.
Rebellion by Richard Cullen (ebook)
An excellent and exciting historical fiction novel that focused on an intriguing period of English history. I had a lot of fun with Rebellion, especially as I was in the mood for a fun and entertaining historical adventure.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
I’m planning to read the intriguing young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman next. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World will take Kaufman’s teenage protagonists on a dark and intense journey as they try to stop a destructive war.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
I am also planning to start reading the new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods, in the next week. The final book in Gwynne’s epic and exceptional Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods has so much awesome potential and it will probably end up being one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Book Haul – 23 September 2024
I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
The first book I need to highlight in this post is the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders. A gripping standalone thriller novel, written in the same vein as Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books, We Solve Murders is an excellent and addictive read that follows an elite bodyguard and her retired father-in-law as they attempt to unravel an international conspiracy. I am actually in the middle of We Solve Murders at the moment and it is proving to be a particularly funny, entertaining and sweet novel that I cannot get enough of.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie
The next awesome book I recently received was the extremely awesome Australian thriller Endgame by Sarah Barrie. The final book in Barrie’s dark and deeply compelling Lexi Winter series (Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta), Endgame will see the series protagonist enter into a final confrontation with the monster who destroyed her as a child. Set to be one of the most intense Australian thrillers of 2024, Endgame is going to be so damn good, and I cannot wait to check it out.
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley
I was very lucky to receive a copy of the latest book in the long-running Mitch Rapp series, Capture or Kill. The first book in the series written by Don Bentley, Capture or Kill takes the protagonists back to his counter-terrorist roots as the series revisits familiar territory under a new author. This should be a pretty awesome and action-packed thriller, and I’m hoping to start reading it in the next couple of days.
Gunnawah by Ronni Salt
I also recently received an early copy of the upcoming Australian crime fiction debut, Gunnawah. The first book from new author Ronni Salt, Gunnawah has a lot of potential, and I look forward to diving into this intriguing book soon, especially as it is set to be one of the top debuts of 2025.
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
One of the more interesting books I recently received was the short story collection by Naomi Novik, Buried Deep and Other Stories. Featuring multiple stories from the author set in her various unique worlds, Buried Deep should be a very awesome read, and I am particularly keen to check out the story that gives readers their first glimpse at Novik’s next big fantasy setting.
Shadow City by Natalie Conyer
A gritty and compelling Australian crime fiction read, written by a talented rising star.
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
The final book I recently received that I want to highlight on this post is the young adult fantasy novel, The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman. The sequel to Kaufman’s previous novel, The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World looks set to be another exciting and captivating read that sees two teenage heroes attempt to save their world from war and vengeful gods.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Literary Trilogies – April 2024
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. While the official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list the 10 characters they would like to go on vacation with, I have decided to do something a little different, and instead I will be updating my favourite literary trilogies list from a few years ago.
Trilogies in literature are a long-running and deeply fun tradition that packs an epic connected tale, into three consecutive novels. There are some truly amazing trilogies out there, from the classics, like The Lord of the Rings, to some recent trilogies that I have been deeply enjoying. Indeed, 2023 just saw the end of several epic and outstanding literary trilogies, while 2024 will see some intriguing new trilogies start up. I have had the great pleasure of reading some truly awesome and exciting trilogies over the years, and back in 2021 I had a wonderful time coming up with a list that featured my absolute favourite literary trilogies. Since I had so much fun last week updating my favourite Warhammer 40,000 fiction list, I figured it was also time to update my previous trilogy list, especially as I had more than enough new entries to highlight.
This proved to be a fun update to pull together, especially as I had a great wealth of new potential trilogies to feature on this list. To be eligible, the proposed trilogy must consist of three, inter-connected novels. I only included series that were intended to end after three novels, rather than by happenstance, so that means that series like The Gentleman Bastards will not be featured (it technically has a fourth novel on the way). This meant that a previous entry, the Planetside books by Michael Mammay (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), had to be taken off this new list because Mammay has just announced a fourth book. I also excluded trilogies that I have not yet completed, even if I have already read and deeply enjoyed the first two novels. This is because I really need to see how the third book turns out, as a bad third entry can easily spoil a trilogy that starts out strong.
Even with these restrictions, I ended up with a descent list of trilogies, which took me a little while to cull down and which resulted in a generous honourable mentions section. I am judging these trilogies on several factors, including how complete their story is, how well connected the novels are, and whether the component novels provide good introductions, conclusions and connections to the other books in the trilogy. Overall, I am very happy with how this latest version of this list turned out, even though I combined a couple of entries together, and I think that this accurately represents the best trilogies that I have so far finished.
Honourable Mentions:
Swords and Fire trilogy by Melissa Caruso
My first honourable mention is the debut trilogy from talented fantasy author Melissa Caruso. Featuring The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir, and The Unbound Empire, the Swords and Fire trilogy tells the tale of the unlikely partnership of an ambitious noble and a reckless, ultra-powerful mage, whose fates are literally bound together. This is an amazing and inventive fantasy trilogy that pits this duo against conspiracies, a nation of terrifying magical users, and their own substantial personal issues.
Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy by Alexander Freed
There are some great Star Wars series out there, and one of the very best is the Alphabet Squadron trilogy by Alexander Freed. Made up of Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price, this trilogy followed a group of pilots in the immediate aftermath of Return of the Jedi, as they continue to fight the brutal war to claim the universe. This trilogy combined a gritty and complex war story with the iconic Star Wars universe to create three impressive novels that work brilliantly as an overarching series.
The Century trilogy by Ken Follett
A massive and comprehensive historical fiction trilogy, made up of Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity. These books take place throughout the 20th century and follow three generations of several families as they navigate the century’s big historical events, including two world wars and the Cold War. Some of the best historical fiction writing you are ever likely to see; this is a powerful and captivating series.
The Icewind Dale trilogy by R. A. Salvatore
Iconic fantasy author, R. A. Salvatore, has made a career out of writing trilogies, and there were several I could have included, especially his Dark Elf trilogy. However, I think that his debut Icewind Dale series, is his most consistently impressive trilogy. While the first novel, The Crystal Shard is a tad rough, the second and third books, Streams of Silver and The Halfling’s Gem, more than make up for it, and produce a brilliant overall story that perfectly set up all his iconic characters for decades to follow.
Top Ten List:
The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Let us start this list off with the dark fantasy masterpiece that is Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy. Consisting of The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings, this amazing trilogy follows a group of extremely complex and damaged characters as they attempt to navigate a dark world filled with betrayal, uncontrolled ambition, and all manner of human monsters. All three books are really incredible, with The Blade Itself providing an outstanding introduction, while Last Argument of Kings wraps everything up perfectly and leaves the reader with a troubling but memorable conclusion. I powered through this trilogy in a very short time, and it remains one of my all-time favourite pieces of fantasy fiction.
Warhammer 40,000: Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett
It was inevitable that a Warhammer 40,000 trilogy was going to end up on this list at some point, and no trilogy deserves it more than the Eisenhorn books (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus) by Dan Abnett. Considered one of the pillars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, the Eisenhorn books follow an Imperial Inquisitor, the titular Eisenhorn, as he attempts to root out hidden alien and Chaos threats to humanity. However, throughout the course of the trilogy, Eisenhorn starts to use the methods of his enemies and slowly becomes corrupted by them without even noticing. A brilliant collection of three books that spawned some intriguing sequel series, I cannot recommend this trilogy enough and it is essential readding for all Warhammer fans.
The Empire trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts
I was spoiled for choice when it came to Raymond E. Feist and his multitude of great trilogies, from his iconic Riftwar Saga to his more recent The Firemane Saga (King of Ashes, Queen of Storms and Master of Furies). However, I think his most consistent and impressive trilogy were The Empire books he cowrote with Janny Wurts. Set at the same time as the Riftwar Saga, this trilogy explored an alien fantasy world with some major Japanese influences. An intense and action-packed fantasy trilogy loaded with political intrigue, family feuds and a female ruler battling for control in a male-dominated world, The Empire books, Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of the Empire, form an exceptional trilogy that is really worth reading.
Amazon
The Siege trilogy and Corax trilogy by K. J. Parker
Since my original list in 2021 I have finished two awesome trilogies by K. J. Parker, The Siege trilogy and the Corax trilogy, both of which were outstanding pieces of fantasy fiction that leaned heavily on humour and cynical insights into human nature to tell their entertaining tales. While the Siege books tell three separate stories connected to the siege of a massive city, the Corax trilogy follows the misadventures of the titular Saevus Corax, a conman battlefield salvager. The Siege books featured three amazing reads, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, and A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, while the Corax series featured the excellent books Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder (review to follow soon). Both series were very exciting, clever, and featured a heavy dose of dark wit I honestly found irresistible, enough so that all six books mentioned here got five-star reviews from me. Due to the similarities in style, comedic inclusions, and the fact they are set in the same universe, I had an extremely hard time determining which of these trilogies I enjoyed the most. In fact, it proved so impossible to choose, I ended up calling it a tie and combined the trilogies together into a single entry. Both trilogies are quite impressive, and you are guaranteed to have an outstanding time with all the books in them.
The Tide Child trilogy by R. J. Barker
The trilogy that inspired me to write the first version of this list was the exceptional The Tide Child trilogy by rising fantasy fiction start R. J. Barker. Barker did some incredible work here producing an intense and addictive dark fantasy series that takes place primarily on a naval vessel made from dragon bones. With some exceptional character work, beautifully written scenes, and some truly unique fantasy features, The Tide Child series is one of the absolute best fantasy trilogies out there. All three novels, The Bone Ships (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Call of the Bone Ships, and The Bone Ship’s Wake, are incredible and enchanting reads, which come together to form a brilliant and highly recommend trilogy.
Lessons of the Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik
Few trilogies impressed me more in recent years than the Lessons of the Scholomance books by veteran fantasy author Naomi Novik. Essentially a dark take on the magical school genre, the Scholomance books follows a trouble and ultra-destructive teenage magic user who has been sent to the Scholomance, a magical school filled with harsh lessons and infested with hungry monsters. I really got drawn into this elaborate series, especially with its unique setting, damaged characters, and fantastic stakes. Made up of three excellent reads, including A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves, the Scholomance books were a very powerful series that traumatised the reader (I still haven’t recovered from The Last Graduate’s ending) and took its characters through hell and back, all while also making great use of Novik’s inventive concepts. A brilliant, beautiful, and intense three books that you will not regret picking up.
Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy by Nick Martell
Out of all the exceptional fantasy trilogies I have enjoyed over the years, few have struck me as hard as the Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy from Nick Martell. Martell’s debut trilogy, the Legacy of the Mercenary King books follows the scion of a disgraced family who fights to uncover various conspiracies and lies inflicting his city as dark forces move to destroy everything. Starting with The Kingdom of Liars (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), the series kept moving from strength to strength as the following two books, The Two-Faced Queen (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and The Voyage of the Forgotten (one of my favourite books of 2022), moved the story in some outstanding directions while continuing to introduce and expand on the series’ impressive characters. Easily one of the best trilogies from a debuting fantasy author I have had the pleasure of reading, the Legacy of the Mercenary Kings books are extremely exceptional, and a guaranteed hit for anyone looking for something fresh and addictive.
The Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Not content with only having one exceptional fantasy trilogy, Joe Abercrombie had to double down and write the epic sequel trilogy, The Age of Madness, which frankly I had no choice but to give a separate entry on this list. Set a generation after The First Law trilogy, the three Age of Madness novels, A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds, contains another outstanding dark fantasy tale following a whole new group of complex and troubled protagonists. This brilliant trilogy featured Abercrombie’s trademark character work, dark storytelling, and cynical edge, which resulted in three outstanding five-star reads. These amazing novels form a deeply thrilling and powerful trilogy which is just as good, if not better than the original First Law novels.
The Covenant of Steel trilogy by Anthony Ryan
Another brilliant fantasy trilogy that I fell in love with recently is The Covenant of Steel books by acclaimed author Anthony Ryan. Made up of The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor, The Covenant of Steel books tell the tale of a bandit turned scribe who finds himself caught up in deadly, kingdom changing events, including war, religious upheaval, and supernatural calamities. All three books in this series were quite exceptional, and I love the intricate and impressive overarching narrative they told, which drew you in with powerful storytelling, great characters, and dark twists. I will have to go back and check out some of Ryan’s other series in the future, but for the moment, my eye is on a new trilogy of his, debuting later this year with A Tide of Dark Steel. I have no doubt this new trilogy will be a strong contender for future versions of this list, and I cannot wait to see how Ryan’s next captivating adventure unfolds.
Star Wars: Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy by Timothy Zahn
The final entry on this list is another joint entry with the epic Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies by Timothy Zahn. Bringing back his iconic extended universe character, Grand Admiral Thrawn, to the new Star Wars canon, these trilogies expand on the character’s appearances in recent shows and provide a whole new history to the character. The first trilogy, made up of Thrawn, Alliances and Treason, provides a great coverage of Thrawn’s service to the Empire before the finale of Star Wars: Rebels, while the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, made up of Chaos Rising, Greater Good and Lesser Evil, dives into his complex past on his home world. Both trilogies are very well balanced, although I would say they each have a strongest and weakest point to them. I was initially going to feature these as two separate entries, much like I did with John Abercrombie’s books above, however, due to the way they support each other, and because they are both very similar, I felt it was better to combine them into a single entry. All six book are very awesome, and feature some of the best novelised Star Wars space combat sequences you are likely to see. A must read for all Star Wars fans, I really hope that Zahn comes back and writes more Thrawn books, especially after the character had his live action debut last year.
Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see, I have read some awesome trilogies over the last few years, and I think this update does a great job highlighting some of the best recent additions. I am planning to come back to this list again in a year or two, especially as there are some more outstanding trilogies, I am currently in the middle of that will easy make this list in the future. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite trilogies are in the comments below.
Canberra Weekly – Mixed Genre – 20 October 2022
Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 20 October 2022.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Weekly website.
Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Fairy Tale, The Bullet That Missed and The Golden Enclaves.
Book Haul – Second-Hand Books
In addition to all the recent books I have received, I’ve also done a bit of second-hand book shopping that I want to talk about. Not only did I majorly clean up at an awesome second-hand bookstore in the Blue Mountains, but I also scored big at the recent Canberra Lifeline Bookfair (a great event to check out if you’re ever in Canberra). I honestly probably went overboard with some of the books I picked up, but the end result is a pretty awesome collection of older books, including some fantasy classics I have been keen to read for a while, and a ton of Warhammer fiction to fuel my current major obsession. So let us see what epic second-hand books I managed to obtain.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
I managed to grab a copy of the epic fantasy crime-fiction novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. I have actually already read this book before (on audiobook), but I wanted to quickly re-read it before doing a Throwback Thursday review in the future.
Ashes of Prospero by Gav Thorpe
The first of many Warhammer 40,000 novels I managed to grab, Ashes of Prospero is an epic Space Marine focused read that see the Space Wolves return to Prospero, the ravaged planet of their greatest enemy
13th Legion and Kill Team by Gav Thorpe
I was extremely happy to get a copy of the first two Last Chancers novels by Gav Thorpe, which I have been trying to get for a while. Essentially billed as The Dirty Dozen in space, the Last Chancers are an epic series and I’ve actually already read and reviewed the first book, 13th Legion, in the last week, and it was everything I hoped it would be.
Temeraire by Naomi Novik
After enjoying some of her previous books, I decided to grab a copy of iconic fantasy author Naomi Novik’s first novel, Temeraire. An alternate history novel that imagines the Napoleonic Wars fought with dragons, I have heard some great things about this series and look forward to seeing how fun they actually are.
Gotrex and Felix – The Third and Fourth Omnibus – by William King and Nathan Long
Of all the Warhammer Fantasy series out there, few have been as iconic and epic as the Gotrek and Felix novels by William King and later continued by Nathan Long. Following a suicidal dwarf slayer and his human companion, the Gotrek and Felix books are some of the best books in the Warhammer range and I have been having a lot of fun getting through the first several (see my reviews for Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer and Vampireslayer). As such, I was extremely pleased when I managed to get the third and fourth omnibuses of the series that contain the next six books I need to read. I cannot wait to dive into these epic fantasy reads, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun with them.
Space Wolf series – Ragnar’s Claw, Grey Hunter and Space Wolf: The Second Omnibus by William King and Lee Lightner
Another series that I got a ton of books for in my recent second-hand book hunt are the next five novels in the iconic Space Wolf series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. I deeply enjoyed the first book, Space Wolf, last year, and it was pretty epic to find good copies of the next several entries, including the single copies of Ragnar’s Claw and Grey Hunter, as well as the second Space Wolf omnibus. This should set me up with some cool space viking adventures I will ever need and I can’t wait to continue this fantastic series.
Ulrika the Vampire – Bloodborn by Bloodforged by Nathan Long
I’m always happy for some cool Warhammer Fantasy vampire fiction and few vampire series sound better than the Ulrika the Vampire books by Nathan Long. A spin-off of the Gortek and Felix books, Bloodborn and Bloodforged will follow recent vampire convert Ulrika as she comes to terms with her condition and new place in society.
Helsreach by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
There was no way I could resist an epic novel about orks versus the Black Templar Space Marines on the planet of Armageddon, which is going to result in quite an epic read.
Hunt for Voldorius by Andy Hoare
Another Space Marines focused novel, Hunt for Voldorius will see the White Scars and their allies go to war to kill an evil Daemon Prince.
Death & Dishonour, edited by Alex Davis, Nick Kyme and Lindsey Priestley
A cool Warhammer Fantasy short story anthology that should make for quite an interesting and fun read.
Soul Drinkers Series – Soul Drinker, The Bleeding Chalice, Crimson Tears and Chapter War by Ben Counter
I was very pleased to grab the first four books in Ben Counter’s iconic Soul Drinkers series, which I have heard some excellent things about. Following the doomed Soul Drinkers chapter of Space Marines as they attempt to save themselves from corruption and mutation, only to be declared heretics and traitors by the Imperium. I have had a lot of fun with Ben Counter’s books in the past (such as Van Horstmann) and I have a feeling this is going to be an outstanding and great series that I am going to really love.
Shira Calpurnia series – Crossfire, Legacy and Blind by Matthew Farrer
The last addition to my collection I got during my second-hand book foray was all three Shira Calpurnia books by Matthew Farrer. An intriguing Warhammer 40,000 series that follows a member of the Arbites, intergalactic space cops, these books look set to blend crime fiction with high-concept Warhammer 40,000 elements. I am very interested in checking these books out and I think I will have a great deal of fun doing so.
That’s the end of my post and as you can see, I have managed to grab quite a few second-hand books in recent weeks, perhaps too many if that’s a thing. All of the above sound pretty epic to me and I cannot wait to dive into all of them in time. This will probably be a bit of a lengthy process, so make sure to check back over the next year or so to see how I do.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2022
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2022, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobooks, favourite debuts and my top pre-2022 books I read this year. However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.
I think we can all agree that 2022 has been another roller-coaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts and several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last three years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2022, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.
To make it onto this list a book needed to be released here in Australia during 2022 and I had to have read it. I have naturally excluded anything I haven’t read yet, even if there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule for this year, although I am sure that several of those would have made the cut. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries kind of make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. Several novels also appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2022 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2022 list which I ran back into July. Overall, I am fairly happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that really showcases the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.
Top Ten List (no particular order):
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
The first entry on this list was a real no-brainer with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Bullet That Missed by British comedian Richard Osman. The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, audiobooks, and debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and might be one of Osman’s best novels yet. Featuring his deeply likeable cast of pensioner crime solvers, The Bullet That Missed introduced another compelling murder investigation, loaded with intrigue, comedy and some deeply human moments. Impossible to put down once you start, The Bullet That Missed was a very easy entry for this list and comes extremely highly recommended.
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker
One of the very first books I read in 2022 was another easy pick for this list with the awesome fantasy comedy novel, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World. The third and final book in K. J. Parker’s loosely connected Siege series, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is an addictive and wildly funny read that sees a scholar become ruler of a fantasy world through a series of schemes and strange coincidences. Featuring another wildly unreliable narrator, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is a brilliant continuation of the outrageous tales told in Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (one of my favourite books of 2019) and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It and it is easily one of the most hilarious and cleverest books of the year.
Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War! and Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai
Ok, so I am slightly cheating by combining two books into one entry, but when it comes to one of my favourite comic book series, the excellent Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai, I have a hard time picking favourites. Usually this isn’t an issue as Sakai generally only releases one volume of his comic a year. However, in 2022, there were two Usagi Yojimbo volumes, the intense and compelling 36th volume, Tengu War! and the fast-paced 37th volume Crossroads. Loaded with clever stories, complex characters, and some absolutely gorgeous artwork, both of volumes were extremely good and there was no way I could exclude either from this list.
Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley
2022 was a very, very good year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction and I have had an outstanding time getting through some of the best additions to this delightful extended universe. Out of all this year’s releases, one of the best was Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley, which features a unique and hilarious take on an iconic and ultra-destructive ork character. A brilliant story told across multiple narrators (something that really pops in the audiobook format), Crowley featured all the right notes of action, comedy, dark treachery, and a clever examination of one of the game’s most iconic alien factions. I had such an amazing time reading Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh!, and this is an absolute must-read for all fans of Warhammer fiction.
Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry
I doubt anyone is too surprised that the new Jonathan Maberry novel has shown up here. I have featured several of Maberry’s recent releases on previous iterations of this list, although usually they are either horror or science fiction thriller releases, such as Ink, Rage and Relentless, however, in 2022 Maberry made the jump to epic fantasy fiction in a big way with the dark and despair-laden novel, Kagen the Damned. The first book in an epic new series, Kagen the Damned follows a broken and devastated former hero who, after his royal charges are brutally murdered, finds himself damned by the gods. But even hunted and damaged beyond all believe, he is still the deadliest man in the kingdom, and he sets off on a bloody mission of revenge. Intense from the very first scene, Kagen the Damned was an exceptional read that gives you Maberry’s usual serving of blood, traumatised characters and dark deeds, this time in a great new fantasy setting. I deeply enjoyed this exceptional read and I look forward to the next book which is being released very, very soon.
Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis
The master of the historical mystery, Lindsey Davis, came up with another wonderful entry in her long-running Flavia Albia series this year with Desperate Undertaking. A compelling murder mystery set in ancient Rome, Desperate Undertaking follows intrepid and clever investigator Flavia Albia as she tries to catch a deadly serial killer who stages their kills to mimic iconic scenes from ancient plays. A very entertaining, compelling and dark tale, Desperate Undertaking is one of Davis’s best books yet and I was hooked almost instantly with it.
The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne
I was very excited to read the new fantasy epic from John Gwynne, The Hunger of the Gods, this year, and it was a very worthy addition to this best-of-2022 list. The sequel to last year’s exceptional novel, The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods continues Gwynne’s Norse-inspired fantasy tale, which follows several distinctive protagonists as they embark on multiple epic quests across a war-torn world whose destructive gods are re-awakening. The Hunger of the Gods perfectly continued the amazing story started in the first book, and I once again fell in love with the detailed battles, intriguing dark fantasy world and the brilliant characters. I had such an incredible time with this book and I cannot wait to see how Gwynne continues this awesome story in the future.
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
I have a very hard time excluding Michael Connelly from this list ever year and 2022 is no exception as I had a fantastic time with his latest book, Desert Star. Once again teaming up two of his best characters, Desert Star was a complex and captivating crime fiction read that featured two great and emotionally charged cases. I loved how this amazing book came together and I was especially impressed with the deeply personal tale Connelly told of his long-running protagonist, Harry Bosch, as he becomes obsessed with solving a murder that has long haunted him. An excellent crime fiction book with a rich, character-driven narrative, Desert Star was an easy choice for this list and I am really intrigued to see what happens with this book’s main characters next.
Mark Greaney continues to shine with another great entry in his ambitious Gray Man series this year. Following on from impressive reads like The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out and Relentless, Sierra Six was another outstanding read that I really got drawn into. Telling a multi-layered story set in both the past and the present, Sierra Six followed protagonist Court Gentry as he attempts to get revenge for one of his first missions with an enemy, he long thought was dead. A tight, captivating read that makes excellent use of multiple timelines, Sierra Six was an amazing read that is highly recommended for all fans of the spy thriller.
Against All Gods by Miles Cameron
Miles Cameron continues to showcase his writing range in 2022 with another five-star read in Against All Gods. Set in a unique, bronze-age inspired fantasy world were angry gods rule humanity with an iron fist, Against All Gods follows a group of rebel humans who are dragged into a deadly, divine conspiracy by a crazed god of chaos who seeks the end of all her fellow deities. A powerful and captivating read, Against All Gods was so much fun and I look forward to the upcoming sequel.
Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath
The other outstanding Warhammer 40,000 entry I had to include on this list was the incredibly epic Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath. This non-stop book follows three elite assassins as they must plot to assassinate a king, bonded to a massive mecha suit, while also ending an insidious conspiracy. Extremely over-the-top, but with a compelling and well thought out narrative, Assassinorum: Kingmaker was a very addictive read that had so many great elements to it, from intense mecha warfare, to some complex and enjoyable characters. An easy five-star read; this was one of the best Warhammer books I have ever read.
The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer
Last year I was extremely wowed by the deep and captivating historical drama, The Warsaw Orphan by Australian author Kelly Rimmer, which was such an exceptional read. As such, I was very happy to receive a copy of Rimmer’s new book this year, The German Wife, which also blew me away. Another complex historical drama, The German Wife examined the compelling story of the family of a former Nazi rocket scientist who are relocated to America as part of Operation Paperclip. Facing prejudice from their new neighbours who only see them as the enemy, Rimmer reveals the true story behind this troubled family and the various evils they faced during the Nazi reign. Heartbreaking, incredibly touching and a timely examination of the insidiousness of evil, The German Wife was a powerful and poignant book that I had to include on this list.
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
Another amazing and highly addictive fantasy read was In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan. The first book in an intriguing new series centred around glass-based magic, In the Shadow of Lightning was a very compelling read that followed four great characters as they get involved with elaborate conspiracies, deadly politics and a massive war. Near impossible to put down, In the Shadow of Lightning was such an incredible read and I cannot rave about this new series enough.
The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison
One of most entertaining reads of 2022 had to be the very fun historical adventure novel, The Lawless Land, by new-to-me writing duo, Boyd and Beth Morrison. Set in the 14th century amongst war and plague, The Lawless Land follows a disgraced knight and a runaway bride as they attempt to keep a precious holy relic out of the hands of a corrupt cardinal and a deranged English noble. A continuously exciting and historically detailed book, The Lawless Land really grabbed my attention and I had such an amazing time reading this awesome historical novel. I hope this great writing team present more fantastic books in the future and I look forward to reading them.
Few books impressed me as much this year as The Martyr, the gripping and action-packed sequel to Anthony Ryan’s 2021 book, The Pariah. Continuing the tale of Alwyn Scribe, a former outlaw who now works for a religious zealot, The Martyr is an elaborate tale of war, politics and fate as Alwyn finds himself amid a deadly war for the future. Filled with some amazing action, including two exceptional sieges, The Martyr was a blast the entire way through, and I had such an incredible time reading it.
Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker
I had so much damn fun this year reading the cool thriller, Death of the Black Widow, written by the superb writing team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker. Following a cop who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman he meets his first night on the job, Death of the Black Widow sees the protagonist get caught in a decades long investigation to find her and stop the strange deaths that follow her appearance. An excellent and highly exciting thriller that features some clever horror elements, I had a fantastic time reading this amazing read and I just had to include it on this list.
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
After really showcasing her skills in the last two years with her excellent, dark homages to the magical school genre with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik brings her Scholomance trilogy to an incredible end with The Golden Enclaves. Now set outside of the magic school, The Golden Enclaves sees main protagonist, Galadriel “El” Higgins, attempt to save the magic world while also getting over the traumatic cliff-hanger Novik left us on at the end of The Last Graduate. Living up to all its potential, The Golden Enclaves had a fantastic story that perfectly wrapped up the series while hitting the reader with some well-foreshadowed twists and revelations. I cannot wait to see what Novik will write next, but I know I am going to love it.
Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch
I was very lucky to receive a copy of the latest Rivers of London book by Ben Aaronovitch this year, Amongst Our Weapons, and it quickly became a favourite 2022 read of mine. Seamlessly blending a classic police procedural story with a unique fantasy setting, Amongst Our Weapons sees main character Peter Grant investigate a series of magical murders across London that were apparently committed by an angel. The book’s tight mystery and well-thought-out fantasy elements are expertly combined to produce an exceptional narrative that I had a blast with. An outstanding read that once again shows why Aaronovitch is one of the best urban fantasy writers now.
The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis
There were many amazing debuts in 2022 but one that I found particularly impressive was the gritty Australian crime fiction read, The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis. Set in rural Australia, The Unbelieved follows a damaged cop as she attempts to investigate a series of sexual assaults in her seemingly quiet small town, only to run into a wall of silence from the locals. A slick and powerful read that contains a great story, The Unbelieved also served as a commentary on the perception of sexual violence in modern society which really hits you hard. Petraitis really showed herself to be an outstanding new writing talent this year and I am very glad I was able to include The Unbelieved on this list.
The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell
The final entry on my list is another slightly cheeky entry, mainly because I haven’t finished it yet. This book is The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell, one of my most anticipated fantasy reads of 2022 which I only just started listening to last week. The third and final book in Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy, The Voyage of the Forgotten follows on from the exceptional novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, which introduced and expanded a massively complex and elaborate fantasy tale of betrayal, world-ending plots, magic, and battles between hidden immortals. I had such a great time with the previous two books in the series and I am deeply intrigued to see how Martell wraps everything up in the final book. I am about halfway through The Voyage of the Forgotten and it is proving to be a particularly epic and captivating read that I am having a very hard time putting down, especially as every scene seems to reveal a new secret or answer a question from the previous books. I cannot wait to find out how Martell ends this incredible trilogy and based on how good the first half of this book has been, there was no way I could exclude The Voyage of the Forgotten from this best of 2022 list.
Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2022. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2023 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2022 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey (Trade Paperback – 20 September 2022)
Series: Lesson Three of the Scholomance
Length: 408 pages
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Naomi Novik ends her addictive and clever Scholomance trilogy in a big way with the very impressive The Golden Enclaves, which takes the protagonists out of the school and into a whole new world of trouble.
For the last few years I have been having an epic time with the exceptional Scholomance series by acclaimed author Naomi Novik. Novik, who is best known for her Temeraire series, as well as the standalone novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, has been absolutely killing it with the Scholomance books, which serve as a compelling, dark homage to classic magical school fantasy novels. Set within the deadly magic school, the Scholomance, the trilogy follows a group of teenage magic users who are attempting to hone their skills while surviving the school and the many dangerous magical creatures, known as maleficaria (mals) who inhabit it. The first book, A Deadly Education, introduced the reader to protagonist Galadriel “El” Higgins, a loner student who has a big secret, she is an unbelievably powerful magic user, capable of easily unleashing destructive magic that could level cities. Teaming up with Orion Lake, a mal hunter with a hero complex, El attempts to survive the school and ensure her and her friends survive. A Deadly Education was an excellent read and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2020. Novik followed it up perfectly last year with The Last Graduate (one of my favourite books of 2021), which brilliantly continued the story while also ending it on a traumatic cliff-hanger which I may never forgive Novik for. Needless to say, I have been extremely excited for The Golden Enclaves and it was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022.
After trapping most of the worlds mals in the Scholomance and untethering it from reality, El looks to have finally defeated fate. Instead of turning into the city-destroying dark witch she was prophesied to become, she is now a hero who has saved generations of young magic users from needing to hide in the deadly school. However, her victory has come at a great cost, as the love of her life, Orion Lake, chose to stay behind in the dying school to wage his eternal war against the mals, including the ravenous maw-mouth that finally claimed him.
Traumatised, El attempts to regain her sanity at home, her only plan to one day implement her dream of ending the elite enclave system and using the Golden Stone sutras book she liberated from the school to bring about a new era of magical communities. However, fate still has other ideas in store for her, and El is about to come face-to-face with the full horrors that her world has in store for her.
Someone is attacking the previously protected enclaves, striking at their very cores, and inflicting untold damage on those who rely on them for shelter. When two fall within days of El coming back into the real world, she is recruited to find out who is responsible and hunt them down before an all-out enclave war erupts amongst the world’s magic users. However, El is far more concerned with finding a way back into the Scholomance, the school she fought so hard to destroy, and attempt to either save Orion or kill the maw-mouth that ate him. However, her mission will lead her to a dark truth that lies at the very heart of the enclave system and which will turn the entire world on its head. Worse, it will finally force El to face the truth, that she really is destined to be a destroyer, no matter how much she hates it.
There is a lot to unpack here with The Golden Enclaves and it is partly one of the reasons why it has taken me so long to write a review for it. I honestly did not know what to expect when The Golden Enclaves was released, especially as it was missing the great dark magic school setting which was one of the things that I most liked about the first two books. It was also clear that Novik would have to work very hard to follow on from her last book after she left it on such a major and heartbreaking cliff-hanger, and I did not know if this book would live up to all these expectations. Despite these concerns, I dove into The Golden Enclaves as soon as I got my hands on it, as I desperately wanted to see how everything was going to end. I quickly powered through the book itself and I found the final product to be extremely interesting and not at all what I was expecting. I did end up giving this book a full five-star rating, but this rating comes with some caveats.
Firstly, I should state that I really loved The Golden Enclaves and I felt that it perfectly wrapped up the series. Not only do the main characters get some further interesting development, as well as even more trauma and emotional damage, but the story goes in some very unique directions which ties together all the various loose ends. The story itself is pretty fast paced, if loaded with a lot of fantasy exposition, and follows on right from the events of The Last Graduate. The impact of Orion Lake’s decision to stay behind in the Scholomance really messes with El and she spends a good part of the book attempting to come to terms with it, often in some very unhealthy ways. However, before she can get too bereaved, she is forced to help the enclaves (magical communities that offer protection from mals to magic users) to try and discover who is responsible for destroying them. This results in a compelling, multi-continent trip where she visits various magic communities, gets involved with deadly world politics, as well as checking in with the supporting cast from the first two books, trying to discover answers. El also searches for a way to rescue Orion from the Scholomance, which culminates in her visiting the mostly destroyed school and finding out some heartbreaking revelations about the man she loves. Those aren’t the only big secrets El and her companions uncover as they soon discover the true terrible price of the enclave system, as well as who is truly behind the destruction of the enclaves and why. Novik layers these revelations perfectly, so each new one is even more impactful than the last, culminating in a particularly major gut punch regarding El and her prophesied destiny. All this leads up to a fantastic and complex final confrontation where El is faced with a terrible choice and must try to find a way out of it. Everything ends on an interesting and mostly satisfying conclusion, which I think ended the series on the right hopeful note, especially after all the dark trauma the characters have witnessed.
While the story itself is pretty compelling, I personally don’t think it stood on its own legs as much as the first two books in the series. Not only does it get a bit slow in places, but parts of the big conclusion are a little weak and not as impressive as I was expecting. Readers also really need to have read the first two books in the series; The Golden Enclaves would be pretty hard to appreciate without some context going in. For these reasons and a few more (I really missed the school), I might have been tempted to give this a lower rating if not for the big revelations which are deeply connected to the events of the first few books. Novik expertly ties the entire series together in The Golden Enclaves and if you look at this novel from a larger series perspective, than it is a pretty exceptional book with some very awesome moments to it. You soon release just how clever Novik has been with her first two novels as she previously set up every big revelation in The Golden Enclaves extremely well. The various discussions about the enclaves, the outside world and the character’s history comes full circle in this final entry and every lingering question you ever had is answered completely here. I was so damn impressed with how everything was wrapped up, especially with some emotionally devastating discoveries that were in line with the darker tone of this series, that I honestly could not put this book down. Novik really is an extremely talented author with an exceptional ability for planning out long-term storylines and this book really proves it.
In addition, I also deeply appreciated how Novik expanded and explained various fantasy elements that she introduced in the previous books and merged them into her outstanding story. While many of these fantasy elements, such as enclaves, maw-mouths, the creation of the Scholomance and the magical politics that dominate the world, have been discussed in the prior novels, Novik brings everything about them together in this final read and it works extremely well. The secret histories and crazy lore behind these events are fully revealed in The Golden Enclaves, and the true horror about magic and what people have done to hold onto it is pretty damn shocking. Novik does a remarkable job in filling in all the gaps she purposefully left out of the first two books and the reader finally gets to appreciate just how complex and integral to the plot they truly were. She also has a lot of fun expanding out the magical universe substantially in this final book as the reader is finally introduced to some settings outside of the magical school. I loved the elaborate international enclaves that the protagonist visits throughout this final book and the subsequent political squabbles, discussions of magical castes and the larger worldview of magic becomes a fascinating part of the book. All this intriguing expansion, as well as the impressive revelations about certain magical elements in the previous books, mostly make up for the lack of the magical school setting you’ve come to love so much, and I think that Novik handled a story outside of the Scholomance extremely well.
The final thing I want to mention is the outstanding character work contained within The Golden Enclaves. While I don’t want to go into too much detail here, I think that Novik hit the main characters out of the park in this final book and I loved the brilliant examinations of trauma, grief and deep psychological damage that many of them had after spending years inside a hellish death school. El continues to shine as the main protagonist and only point-of-view character, and her expansive, if highly cynical worldview, helps you get stuck into the narrative. El goes through a huge emotional roller coaster in The Golden Enclaves, as she is wracked with guilt, grief and anger for much of it, especially after her perceived failure to save Orion from himself. Watching her break down at the start of the book is extremely heartbreaking, and she never really seems to recover as she keeps finding herself getting dragged into crazy events in the real world. Many of these events impact her even further, especially once she realises just how evil many of the enclavers are, and she must work very hard to not unleash her destructive fury. However, one major final revelation really knocks her around, especially as it ties into her extended family who have long abandoned her, as well as her destined place in the world. I deeply appreciated the outstanding work that Novik put into El, and I also really enjoyed the supporting cast who were featured here as well. Many of your favourite characters from the first two books make another appearance here, and it was very interesting to see how they were dealing with the aftermath of their Scholomance education, as well as seeing their place in the wider world. There are a few surprising choices for major supporting characters in The Golden Enclaves, and some interesting interactions that resulted. Without spoiling too much, I will say that Orion does appear in The Golden Enclaves, and the storylines around him, especially the deep dive into his past, prove to be an outstanding and traumatic part of the plot. An exceptional expansion of the amazing character work that was such as distinctive feature of the first two novels.
Overall, The Golden Enclaves proved to be an epic final chapter in Naomi Novik’s amazing Scholomance series and I had an outstanding time reading it. While I did think that The Golden Enclaves had a few flaws, the way that Novik used it to tie the entire series together blew my mind and I was so deeply impressed with how every loose thread and inventive fantasy element was dragged together to create an outstanding final inclusion. The subsequent shocking and dark revelations, powerful character work and the compelling expansion of Novik’s fantasy universe help to make this a pretty incredible book and it is one that I had a wonderful time reading. I really cannot get over how well set up this final novel was and I think that it serves as a brilliant conclusion to one of my most favourite recent fantasy series. As such, I have to award The Golden Enclaves a five-star rating as one of the better books of the year, especially as I don’t think Novik could have written a more powerful and moving end to the incredible Scholomance books.
The Unseen Library 