Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Movies and Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

On July 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This is actually my second Top Ten List of this week, as I also looked at my favourite books from the first half of 2026. However, I also wanted to take the time to highlight some of the other awesome entertainment that came out in the first half of the year, and so with this second list I’m going to look at some of my favourite movies and television shows so far released in 2026.

2026 has so far been an interesting year for both films and television (a general term that also includes shows and miniseries released by streaming services), with some great new content coming out in both mediums. I’ve had the pleasure of watching various films and shows that have been released this year, and there are some real interesting gems. I must admit that my viewing habits for 2026 fiction has a been a little mainstream, but there are still some interesting and weird entries to thrown in as well.

I ended up deciding to highlight five films and five television series is this single list, with a couple of other honourable mentions thrown in. This was primarily done because I haven’t watched as much 2026 televisions series yet this year (I’ve been caught up with some older long-running shows). Still this breakdown between films and television series does a good job of showcasing some of the interesting stuff I’ve been watching this year, and I’m happy with how the list turned out. So let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (Film)

After many years, Star Wars fans finally got another film with the very entertaining The Mandalorian and Grogu. A well-made continuation of The Mandalorian television show, The Mandalorian and Grogu was a very fun watch, that brought some light-hearted adventure back into the franchise.

Young Sherlock (Television Series)

An excellent and thrilling series that showcased a young Sherlock Holmes getting involved in his first mystery and conspiracy. Filled with some great twists and surprise villains, Young Sherlock is a fine watch that you can power through very quickly.

Pizza Movie (Film)

One of the more unique movies of 2026 was the stoner comedy Pizza Movie, which saw several college outcasts attempt to obtain pizza to modify the effects of a crazy experimental drugs they’ve taken. A very ridiculous movie with some beautifully insane moments, Pizza Movie was one of the funniest things I watched all year and I had to give it an honourable mention here.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! (Television Series – Season 2)

While a fan of regularly Jeopardy!, I must admit there was something particularly fun about the easier Pop Culture Jeopardy!, the recently released second season of which I binge watched on Netflix. A very entertaining show that still engaged my brain, I had so much fun with this second season that I also went back and watched the original first season produced by Amazon.

Top Five List – Favourite Films from the First Half of 2026

Project Hail Mary

The first film entry on this list might be one of the best with the gripping science fiction epic, Project Hail Mary. An adaptation of the book of the same name, Project Hail Mary was an outstanding adventure in space, complete with great acting, an amazing alien sidekick and some deeply impressive special effects. Not only does this film hit all the right emotional notes, but it also is a faithful adaptation of the original book, which I personally really appreciated. An incredible watch that is best enjoyed on the biggest screen you can find.

Send Help

The next entry on this list, Send Help, is pretty darn bonkers, but it honestly was one of the best things I watched all year. A new Sam Raimi classic, Send Help has some great role reversals when a seemingly meek office worker played by an unhinged Rachel McAdams, is trapped on a deserted island with her abusive, yet hapless boss, fantastically portrayed by Dylan O’Brien. The resulting mind games, abuse and insane decisions adds so much tension to the mix, and you honestly don’t know which terrible person to root for as the film progresses. Throw in some over-the-top Raimi gore and some truly unsettling moments, and Send Help was a brutal watch you won’t be able to escape from.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Another outstanding cinematic smash from the first half of the year was the new 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple. A twisted sequel to the first 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple sees returning protagonist Spike caught up in the machinations of Jimmy Savile-styled cultists, who are somehow more dangerous than the zombies infesting the country. With outstanding performances from Jack O’Connell (who is killing it with villain roles at the moment) and especially Ralph Fiennes, The Bone Temple was in many ways better than the first film. It definitely had one of the coolest scenes of all time thanks to a dance number played to Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast, which was so cinematically awesome. A truly wonderful film, although it’s a shame, we might not get a third entry in the series after some disappointing box officer returns here.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Another outstanding sequel from the first half of 2026 is the second Ready or Not film, Here I Come. Bringing back Samara Weaving for another comedic slasher hunt, Ready or Not 2 was an over-the-top follow-up to the first film, with some excellent action sequences, humour and general carnage. Featuring some great supporting performances from an amazing cast, including Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy and Elijah Wood, Ready or Not 2 was relentlessly entertaining, and a fun continuation of the series.

Toy Story 5

The final film I need to feature on this list is the latest entry in the iconic Toy Story series, Toy Story 5. An emotionally charged animated triumph, Toy Story 5 takes the franchise back to the lofty heights of the first few films, with a heartwarming story about friendship, personal struggles and the impact technology is having on our children. I loved everything about this film, especially how it finally gave the viewers closure from some heartbreaking moments in Toy Story 2, and you’ll come away with all the feelings we have come to expect from classic Pixar animation.

Top Five List – Favourite Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Topping my list of fantasy shows is the carefully crafted A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms televisions adaptation and prequel to A Game of Thrones. Set roughly 100 years before the events of the show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees a simple hedge knight dragged into the machinations of the Targaryen family. Short and brutal yet bringing back all the magic and political intrigue of the original show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms made excellent use of its relatively unknown, yet highly talented, cast, and produced a particularly gripping watch that could save the entire franchise.

One Piece – Season 2

I’ve long been a fan of the One Piece anime and I ended up really enjoying the epic live-action adaptation Netflix first released a couple of years ago (one of the only good live-action anime adaptations). However, I honestly felt that this second season was even better than the first as they cover some of the original manga/anime’s best early episodes in dramatic fashion. Perfectly leaning into the silliness and heart that made the original productions so iconic, this second season brought back even more of the franchise’s magic, while also providing its own unique take. Clearly made with love, and featuring impressive performances from a dedicated cast, including some great new inclusions, this second season of One Piece was one of the best things about 2026, and I cannot wait for the third season to come out.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord

In addition to a new movie, Star Wars fans also got some incredible animated content this year with Maul – Shadow Lord. Another brilliant sequel to Dave Fillion’s iconic The Clone Wars, Maul – Shadow Lord follows the former Darth Maul as he attempts to rebuild his criminal network, while also embarking on far more sinister plans. However, the greater evil shadow of the Empire hangs over the entire cast, and soon Maul will come face-to-face with a true embodiment of the Dark Side, in a particularly epic final episode. Beautifully animated and featuring a dark story with so much cool action, Maul – Shadow Lord is Star Wars television at it’s very best, and I still cannot believe just how cool some of the final confrontations were. The second season of this show can frankly not come soon enough, and I just have to know what happens next.

Spider-Noir

Nick Cage steals the small screen with his appearance in the whacky and fantastic live-action Spider-Noir. A clever alternate reality story, featuring Nick Cage as failing private eye Ben Reilly, a former vigilante known as The Spider, in a 1930’s inspired New York, Spider-Noir was an excellent watch, that combined some serious comic moments with the over-the-top insanity of a Nick Cage performance. Throw in some great supporting performances, including Brendan Gleeson as the main antagonist, and the fun option to either watch the show in black-or-white or a unique colour style, and this was an outstanding watch that catches the imagination.

The Pitt – Season 2

The final entry on this list is a series that many people are going to have on their best-show lists, with the second season of The Pitt. A brilliant medical drama that captures a chaotic holiday shift at a busy emergency room, this second season of The Pitt had just as much drama as the first, with multiple tragic deaths and highly detailed depictions of medical emergencies. Also bringing in some great recurring characters and examining the personal dramas associated with the high-pressure lives of medical professionals, this second season of The Pitt hit the same high standard as its initial season, and you just keep coming back for more. Highly recommended, especially as a binge watch.

Well, that’s the end of my second Top Ten list for the week. I think combined these lists do a great job of showcasing what I’ve been up to so far this year and 2026 is really proving to be an outstanding time for fiction. Let us know what your favourite movies and television shows released so far in 2026 are in the comments below and keep up all the great viewing.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Feature Travel

On May 21, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are encouraged to list their favourite ten books that feature travel in them. While this guiding topic could reference a lot of different things, I’m choosing to interpret it as books where the participants are required to go on long journeys away from home, possibly in a quest-like manner, or novels where the act of traveling is essential to the plot. As such, my list is filled with a fair amount of fantasy and science fiction, with a few other interesting entries as well. I actually came up with quite a few potential choices for this list, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a compelling Top Ten list alongside my usual generous Honourable Mentions section. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

A classic young adult fantasy tale where the protagonist travels far from home to discover his destiny.

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Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Vast intergalactic journeys are the order of the day in this brilliant science fiction read.

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Trollslayer by William King

An awesome collection of connected tales, where the two protagonists journey all over the Warhammer Fantasy world looking for trouble.

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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

One of the funnier entries on this list. How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was a great book that saw a young woman repeatedly journey across a fantasy land to become the next dark lord.

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Top Ten List:

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

A very easy place to start is with the works of J. R. R. Tolkien whose books were all about epic quests and long journeys. While all three books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy would have worked here, I’m going with the original classic, The Hobbit, that saw a very brave hobbit journey across Middle Earth on a grand adventure.

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Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

From Tolkien to Pratchett, I’m starting this list off with some real fantasy fiction heavyweights. Terry Pratchett was another author whose stories often featured grand quests across the titular Discworld, even though his protagonists were often a lot more reluctant to go on them. There were quite a few different Discworld books I could have featured here (as well as some of Pratchett’s standalone novels like Strata or The Carpet People), however, I’m going to go with one of my favourites, Witches Abroad, which fits the travel theme extremely well. Following three of Pratchett’s witch protagonists as they go on an extended holiday to a fairy-tale plagued city, Witches Abroad is a very funny read and one of the better Discworld books.

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Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon

Moving outside of fantasy fiction for a bit we have the epic historical fiction novel Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon. A massive adventure novel, Hawk Quest follows an eclectic group of protagonists in the 11^th century as they transport rare hawks to the Holy Land to serve as ransom for an imprisoned knight. Requiring a trek across medieval Europe, Hawk Quest is a brilliant novel that is all about travelling impossible distances.

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Magician by Raymond E. Feist

I just had to feature the outstanding classic fantasy read Magician by Raymond E. Feist on this list, which sees all its protagonists embark on great adventures across Feist’s fantasy realms. All the key characters engage in some massive travels in this novel via ship, horseback and more, including the main protagonist who journeys to a whole other fantasy dimension and back again, just to hammer home how important travel is for this outstanding read.

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Artifact Space by Miles Cameron

To mix things up a bit I had to include the cool science fiction novel, Artifact Space by Miles Cameron. While quite a few of Cameron’s books features lengthy quests or travelling great distances (such as his novel Dark Forge), I decided to go with Artifact Space as it probably features the furthest distance travelled as the protagonist embarks on a massive trade ship going to the edge of known human space. An ambitious and compelling read, Artifact Space is an excellent novel where the protagonists end up going so very far away from home.

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Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

Another author whose books often feature grand journeys is legendary fantasy writer R. A. Salvatore. I was honestly spoiled for choice when it came to Salvatore’s books, as so many are travel-focused, but in the end, I went with Streams of Silver. The second book in the Icewind Dale trilogy, Streams of Silver sees Salvatore’s entertaining party of protagonists leave on a quest to recover the legendary Mithril Halls, traversing all manner of fantasy landscape along the way. A classic fantasy adventure with a ton of travel, Streams of Silver is a very worthy addition to this list.

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Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka

For something a little different I decided to include the cool thriller Bullet Train by Japanese author Kōtarō Isaka. Set aboard a moving bullet train, this fun book sees several dangerous killers attempt to outfox each other before the train arrives at its final deadly destination. I think the constant moving train and the ticking clock as it gets closer to the end of the line qualify this thriller nicely as a book containing travel, and I honestly had a ton of fun getting through both the Bullet Train novel, and its entertaining movie adaptation.

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The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

Nothing says epic travel more than a group of condemned criminals navigating a ship made of bone across a deadly ocean to hunt down a sea dragon. The always impressive R. J. Barker makes this insane concept work extremely well with some of the very best fantasy nautical scenes you are likely to read. A truly incredible novel that you will not be able to put down.

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The Falcon of Sparta by Conn Iggulden

Going back to history we have the fantastic read The Falcon of Sparta from amazing author Conn Iggulden. Loosely based on the Anabasis by Xenophon, The Falcon of Sparta follows ten thousand Greek mercenaries and camp followers who attempt to escape Persia by land back to Greece following the Battle of Cunaxa. An awesome book that makes use of one of history’s most unlikely journeys.

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

The final book I want to feature on this list is the complex space adventure Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Following a lone scientist sent to another star system to find a way to stop the sun from dimming, Project Hail Mary features a darker, yet highly compelling take on a travel narrative that is extremely impressive and addictive. A truly exceptional read, this was a great novel to end this list on, and I cannot recommend it enough.

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And that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. As you can see, I’ve had the pleasure of reading some really great books that feature amazing travel elements, and this Top Ten list is only just scratching the surface of the novels I could talk about. I’m pretty happy with how this latest list turned out and I look forward to seeing what other travel-focused books people want to recommend in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2021

On January 18, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was 2021 releases I was excited to read but didn’t get to, however, I addressed that topic in my post last week. So instead of covering that, this week I will look at my favourite new-to-me authors that I discovered in 2021. This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019 and 2020 versions), and it is one that I always have fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes some that were written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2021 was a good example of this as there were an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. This included some debuting authors, as well as more established writers whose work I only got around to this year. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional reads, some of which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2021, and I really feel the need to highlight them here. As a result, this list may feature a bit of overlap with my top books, pre-2021 books and audiobooks lists of 2021 that I have previously published on this blog.

To appear on this list, the book had to be one I read last year and be written by an author who I was unfamiliar with before 2021. If I had not read anything from this author before last year, it was eligible for this latest list, although I did exclude debut novels as I had another list prepared for them. Despite this, I ended up with a massive list of potential inclusions on this list, as it appears that I read a ton of great new authors in the last year. Despite my best efforts, I had a very hard time whittling this list down, so in the end I decided to face the inevitable and leave it as a top 20 list. While I still had to exclude several great authors whose books I really liked, I think that I came up with a good overall list that represents which authors I am really glad that I decided to try out for the first time last year.

Top Twenty List:

William King – Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, and Dragonslayer

Well, let us start this list off with an author I read multiple books from in 2021 with William King. I was in a real Warhammer mood in 2021, and as part of the that I decided to check out the iconic Gotrek and Felix series that was initially written by King. This great series follows a deranged dwarf Slayer and his reluctant human companion as they travel around the Warhammer Fantasy world looking for a monster bad enough to give Gotrek the heroic death he desperately wants. I really love this amazing series and I ended up reading the first four of King’s Gotrek and Felix books in 2021, Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer and Dragonslayer, each of which were a lot of fun. I have even kept reading King’s books in 2022, having only recently read and reviewed the fifth Gotrek and Felix novel, Beastslayer. I fully intend to keep reading this series this year when I get a chance, and I reckon I will finish off King’s entire run on this series extremely soon.

Jeremy Robinson – The Dark and Mind Bullet

The other new-to-me author who I read more than one book from in 2021 was Jeremy Robinson, an awesome author known for his over-the-top science fiction and horror books. I was initially drawn to Robinson’s interesting dark horror read, The Dark, which sets a group of protagonists against a deadly demonic invasion, and which had a brilliant story to it. I ended up enjoying it so much that I decided to check out any other books that Robinson had coming out in 2021 and that led me to his latest release, Mind Bullet, which follows a psychic assassin who finds himself being hunted by a cadre of unconventional and superpowered hitmen. I had an absolute blast reading these cool books, and the both received easy five-star ratings from me. Due to how much fun I had with these books I plan to read a hell of a lot more from Robinson this year, especially as he has some cool releases on the way.

Tess Sharpe – The Girls I’ve Been

One of the more interesting authors I checked out in 2021 was young adult author Tess Sharpe who wowed me with her cool novel, The Girls I’ve Been. This fantastic novel followed a teenage former con-artist who is forced to revert to her old ways to save herself and her friends from vicious bank robbers. Clever, compelling and deeply thrilling, I have so much love for this novel and I cannot wait to see what cool books Sharpe rights in the future.

John Gwynne – The Shadow of the Gods

One of the best new-to-me authors I read last year was legendary fantasy author John Gwynne. Gwynne, who has written some very highly regarded dark fantasy books in the past presented The Shadow of the Gods last year, which was the first book in his new Bloodsworn Saga series. I initially hadn’t planned to read this book but after hearing so many positive reviews about it I changed my mind and was extremely glad that I did. The Shadow of the Gods was an epic and captivating read that featured action and adventure in an awesome, Viking-inspired fantasy landscape. This was such an incredible book (with a really amazing cover) and it made me an instant fan of this author. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next, and I really need to go back and read some of Gwynne’s earlier series.

Mara Timon – Resistance

I was also lucky enough to read the fantastic historical thriller Resistance towards the end of last year written by relatively new author Mara Timon. Resistance was a sequel to Timon’s 2020 debut City of Spies and contains a great story about a female spy dropped into occupied Normandy shortly before the D-Day landings. This was an excellent spy thriller and I look forward to seeing what other cool books Timon writes in the future.

Nate Crowley – The Twice-Dead King: Ruin

Another great new-to-me author of Warhammer fiction I read last year was the insanely talented Nate Crowley who presented his first The Twice-Dead King novel, Ruin. Ruin followed a banished Necron prince as he attempts to save his former empire from internal corruption and destructive outside forces. Breathing amazing life into essentially dead characters, this was a fantastic and intense Warhammer read that I had a great time with. I cannot wait to see how the series continues in 2022 and I will also try to read some of Crowley’s other cool Warhammer releases.

Kotaro Isaka – Bullet Train

I was very excited to check out a book from Japanese thriller author Kotaro Isaka last year with Bullet Train. A translation of his 2010 novel Maria Beetle, this book featured a complex and quirky tale about several assassins trapped on the same bullet train. I had an incredible time with this book, especially as Isaka loaded it with some amazing twists and very unique characters. Thanks to the success of this book, and the cool upcoming (if somewhat whitewashed) film adaptation of Bullet Train, several of the author’s other novels are being translated and I look forward to seeing what other crazy adventures he has come up with.

Kelly Rimmer – The Warsaw Orphan

Another great new author I found in 2021 was historical drama writer Kelly Rimmer whose latest book, The Warsaw Orphan, was an outstanding and powerful read. Set in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation, this book follows a group of people who attempt to save Jewish children from the Ghetto. A heartbreaking and riveting read, The Warsaw Orphan was an amazing book and I will be keeping an eye out for more of Rimmer’s stuff in the future.

Andy Weir – Project Hail Mary

One of the best books I had the pleasure to read in 2021 was Project Hail Mary, an impressive and clever science fiction novel by bestselling author Andy Weir. I have been meaning to read some of Weir’s books for years, especially after seeing the movie adaptation of The Martian, but I never got the chance. As such I was extremely keen to read his latest book when it came out last year and boy did Project Hail Mary deliver. Containing an epic and brilliant story filled with realistic science, I loved every second I spent reading this book and I honestly could not put it down. I am now a firm fan of the author and I fully intend to read the rest of Weir’s works as soon as possible.

Josh Reynolds – Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty

There was no way that I couldn’t check out fantastic author Josh Reynolds this year especially after I saw that he had brought back one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 characters, Kal Jerico. This cool new book, Sinner’s Bounty, sets the titular bounty hunter and his friends on an insane journey into the depths of their Hive City to retrieve a wanted man. Forced to contend with rival bounty hunters, monsters, mutants, and gangs, this was an amazing read and I will be checking out more of Reynolds’ Warhammer books in the future, especially if they feature Kal Jerico.

Sarah Bailey – The Housemate

I was very lucky to grab a novel from amazing Australian author Sarah Bailey this year. Her latest book, The Housemate, was a brilliant novel that saw a disturbed reporter attempt to solve a notorious crime that had been haunting her for years. Incredibly powerful, compelling and intense, this was one of the best Australian books of 2021 and I will be very interested to see what other cool books Bailey writes in the future.

Steve Cavanagh – The Devil’s Advocate

Easily one of the more entertaining books I read in 2021 was the fun and wildly addictive legal thriller by Steve Cavanagh, The Devil’s Advocate. The sixth book in his Eddie Flynn series, The Devil’s Advocate was a great novel that saw its former conman turned defence attorney protagonist attempt to stop a murderous prosecutor determined to send an innocent man to death row. I had an amazing time with this compelling and over-the-top read, and I now really want to go back and read the rest of the awesome novels in this cool series.

Anthony Ryan – The Pariah

Another instant favourite new author I checked out last year was impressive well-established fantasy author Anthony Ryan. Ryan is another author who I have been meaning to read for a while and it turns out I have been really missing out. His latest book, The Pariah, was an excellent and compelling first entry in a great new series that follows a young scribe as he journeys around a fantasy world trying to find his purpose. An epic first book, I cannot wait to see how this series continues and I know I am going to love it.

John Grisham – The Judge’s List

Perhaps one of the biggest names on this list is bestselling author John Grisham, who has been at the top of the crime fiction genre for decades. Grisham is one of those massive authors whose work I have been meaning to read for a very long time but never got the chance. Well, that all changed last year when I received a copy of his latest book, The Judge’s List, which sets some clever protagonists against a dangerous serial killer who is also a sitting judge. I had an incredible time with The Judge’s List, and I am fully planning to check out the rest of Grisham’s catalogue to see what I have been missing out on.

Dan Abnett – First and Only

Wow there were so many awesome new-to-me Warhammer authors I checked out last year and one of the best was Dan Abnett. Abnett has written a ton of awesome Warhammer novels over the years, but the first book of his I decided to check out was First and Only, the initial book of his iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts series. Following a regiment of Imperial Guard soldiers as they fight through a gauntlet of traitors, rivals and conspiracies, this was an outstanding novel and I cannot wait to see what happens in the rest of this impressive series.

A. W. Hammond – The Paris Collaborator

I had a great time checking out thriller author A. W. Hammond for the first time in 2021. Hammond, who also writes under the name Alex Hammond, produced an exceptional and fun historical thriller last year with The Paris Collaborator. Set in the last days of the German occupation of Paris, this cool book follows a French investigator who is hired to find several missing men around the city. Filled with cool action, intense twists and some excellent historical moments, this was a great read and I will be keeping an eye out for more of Hammond’s novels in the future.

Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman – All of Us Villains

I am slightly cheating here by including two authors in the one entry, but as this was the first time I had read anything from either of them and they were collaborating on the same book, I think I can make an exception. These two authors were Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, a great team of established authors who collaborated for the first time to create the amazing All of Us Villains. All of Us Villains was an excellent and entertaining young adult fantasy book that followed seven champions forced into a magical death tournament with the entire world watching. Loaded with amazing characters and brutal magic, this was an awesome book and I am extremely glad I decided to check out this intriguing team of authors last year.

Max Barry – The 22 Murders of Madison May

I had been meaning to read something from talented Australian author Max Barry for a while, especially as he has written some great and compelling sounding science fiction reads. I finally got a chance last year when I received a copy of Barry’s latest book, The 22 Murders of Madison May. This was a cool book that saw a women attempt to stop a deranged stalker from killing every version of his obsession, actress Madison May, in the multiverse. I deeply enjoyed this complex and entertaining story and I will have to grab some more stuff from Barry in the future.

Grady Hendrix – The Final Girl Support Group

One author I have been hearing a lot of buzz around over the years is Grady Hendrix, who has written several intriguing and unique horror hybrid novels. Due to all the positive stuff I have heard about this author I decided to check out one of their books last year with their 2021 release, The Final Girl Support Group. Set in a world were the survivors of iconic slasher scenarios have formed a support group, this cool novel follows these paranoid and damaged protagonists as they attempt to survive a new monster who is determined to kill them. An impressive homage to iconic slasher films that cleverly deconstructs the genre, this was a very fun read and I am extremely glad I decided to check out Grady Hendrix last year.

S. R. White – Prisoner

The final top new-to-me author I read last year was Australian author S. R. White, who released their second novel Prisoner. This was an enjoyable and captivating Australian murder mystery novel that had a very gritty and realistic feel to it, especially in some impressive interrogation scenes. An excellent novel from a great new author I will have to read more of in the future.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2021. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads. Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2021 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting list.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2021

On December 28, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List130 Comments

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

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

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

Top 20 List (no particular order):

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

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

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

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

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

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

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

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

Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

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

The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

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

Star Wars: Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed

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

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

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

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker

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

Colonyside by Michael Mammay

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

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

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

The Dark/Mind Bullet by Jeremy Robinson

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

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

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

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

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

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey

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

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron

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

Billy Summers by Stephen King

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

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn

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

Relentless by Mark Greaney

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books from the First Half of 2021

On July 6, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List16 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The task for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was originally to list the reasons why I love reading, however I am going to go off topic and instead look at something else. We have just crossed into the second half of 2021, which has already proven to be a pretty fantastic year for books. I have read some incredible novels so far this year, including impressive standalone books, amazing new entries in established series and fantastic debuts. Because of this, I thought that I would take the time to work out what my top ten favourite books from the first half of 2021 were.

Once I knew what I wanted to pull together for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I started taking a hard look at all the different novels that I have read this year. To be eligible, a book had to be released in (or extremely close to) the first half of this year. I have also excluded any books released during this period that I have not so far read, although a couple of releases I have my eye on might have appeared on this list if I had had the chance to read them before now.

Coming up with this list proved to be a rather bigger task than I originally intended, as I ended up amassing nearly 20 different releases, all of which I consider to be some pretty outstanding reads. I ended up being able to eventually whittle this down to an acceptable Top Ten list, although I did include my typical generous honourable mentions section. I am rather happy with how this list turned out, although I am surprised at some of the great releases that ended up being excluded. Still, the books below represent what I considered to be some of the best books from the first half of 2021, and I would strongly recommend each and every one of them. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer

Later by Stephen King

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

Top Ten List (no particular order):

The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

The first book on this list is the incredible and wildly addictive fantasy masterpiece, The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell. Serving as the sequel to last year’s amazing The Kingdom of Liars (which was one of my favourite books, audiobooks, and debuts of 2020), The Two-Faced Queen continues the compelling adventures of its angsty and relatable protagonist, Michael Kingman, as he attempts to uncover the mysteries and conspiracies of his home city. Containing a wild mass of unique opponents, plots and hidden secrets, this book holds your attention from beginning to end and is one of the best sequels I have ever read.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed

Next up we have the obligatory Star Wars entry on this list, Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed. While there have been several other great Star Wars releases this year (Light of the Jedi and Greater Good were both fantastic), none of them were as impressive as Victory’s Price. Serving as the third and final entry in the Alphabet Squadron series (which previously featured Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall), this incredible book features a powerful, character driven narrative that provides readers with tragedy, amazing character development and a full-on war story amid the Star Wars universe. Beautifully written and incredibly moving, Victory’s Price perfectly wraps up the Alphabet Squadron trilogy and is one of the best Star Wars novels out there.

Relentless by Mark Greaney

Epic spy thriller author Mark Greaney returns with the 10th book in his outstanding Gray Man series, Relentless. I have been deeply enjoying the Gray Man novels over the last couple of years (check out my reviews for Mission Critical and One Minute Out), so I knew I was going to be in for a good time with Relentless. This was another particularly thrilling tale of international espionage and plots, as Court Gentry and his comrades go up against a sinister, world-changing conspiracy. A fantastic and action-packed read that comes highly recommended.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

Next of this list we have the fantasy novel that everyone was talking about this year, The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne. Set in a Norse inspired dark fantasy world shattered by warring gods, The Shadow of the Gods contains a powerful and addictive narrative which sets three amazing protagonists on quests for redemption, honour, and family. Containing some extraordinary world building, great characters, and a really impressive story, this was one of the best fantasy books of the year, and I loved every second I spent reading it.

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron

Superstar author Miles Cameron made his science fiction debut earlier this year with the captivating Artifact Space. Containing an epic voyage throughout the stars, Artifact Space was an awesome read, that takes its damaged protagonist to some amazing places as they try to save their ship from a dangerous alien conspiracy.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 35: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

I doubt anyone is too surprised that the latest Usagi Yojimbo volume has appeared on this list. Written by one of my favourite authors, Stan Sakai, this latest volume of the long running series was extremely moving and deeply compelling, as Usagi goes through some harsh adventures near his long-avoided home province. With incredible art, powerful character work and some very elaborate stories, this was another excellent addition to one of the best comic series out there.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Another new to me author who blew me away this year was the outstanding Andy Weir, who produced one of the best science fiction novels of 2021. Project Hail Mary contains an extraordinary tale of an amnesiac scientist sent out into space to find out how to save the sun from burning out. Containing a deeply enjoyable and addictive story, I powered through Project Hail Mary in no time at all and loved every second of it. One of the easiest books of 2021 to recommend, you must check Project Hail Mary out.

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst

After deeply enjoying her 2020 novel, Race the Sands, I was eager to explore another fun standalone fantasy novel from bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst, and boy was I in for a treat with The Bone Maker. This clever novel follows five former heroes who are once again drawn into a deadly battle for their nation. Readers will fall in love with the novels damaged heroes, especially after they once head the call to battle, even after all the loss and trauma they have suffered.

Colonyside by Michael Mammay

Now, technically this novel was released in 2020, however, considering it only came out 31 December (which was technically 1 January 2021 in Australia), I am choosing to count this as a 2021 release instead. Colonyside is the third novel in the fantastic and impressive Planetside science fiction thriller series. Following on from the amazing Planetside (one of the best books of 2018) and Spaceside (one of the best books of 2019), Colonyside places its infamous protagonist in the middle of another dangerous conspiracy, as he searches for a missing person on a hostile alien planet. A masterful and thrilling novel, I deeply enjoyed this amazing book.

Protector by Conn Iggulden

The final entry on this list is the outstanding Protector from Conn Iggulden, which follows on the from the great 2020 novel, The Gates of Athens. Featuring an awesome story about some of the key battles between the Greeks and the Persians, this was a fantastic piece of historical fiction that is really worth reading.

That is the end of this list. As you can see, I have already read some amazing and epic books so far in 2021 and we are only halfway through the year. I am pretty happy with how this list turned out, especially as it features some extraordinary reads. It will be interesting to see which of these books ends up being amongst my top reads of 2020, and while I would assume all the above will make the cut, there is some pretty hefty competition coming up in the second half of 2021. Let me know what you think about the books that made my Top Ten list, and also let me know what your favourite releases from the first half of 2020 are.

Canberra Weekly Column – Science Fiction – 3 June 2021

On June 21, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly Column, Science FictionLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Science Fiction - 3 June 2021-1

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 3 June 2021.

This review can also be found on the Canberra Weekly website.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Project Hail Mary and Rabbits.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

On June 14, 2021May 21, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Science Fiction6 Comments

Publisher: Del Ray (Trade Paperback – 4 May 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 476 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare to ride off into the unknown with Project Hail Mary, an utterly compelling and powerful science fiction novel from bestselling author Andy Weir.

Andy Weir is a fascinating and highly regarded author who has been a major figure in the science fiction genre after writing a few fantastic novels. While he has also written books such as Theft of Pride, Artemis and James Moriarty, Consulting Criminal, Weir is best known for his science fiction masterpiece, The Martian, which has been adapted into an epic movie of the same name. I absolutely loved the film version of The Martian, which made me very curious about some of Weir’s other works. As a result, I was excited when I received a copy of his latest novel, especially as it sounded like an intriguing read.

Ryland Grace is having a very interesting time in space. Waking up aboard a ship he does not recognise, Grace has idea who he is or what he is doing there; all he knows is that he has been asleep for a very long time, he is currently millions of miles from home and he is alone except for two corpses. But as he explores his ship, the Hail Mary, glimpses of his past life slowly come back to him, as well as details of the desperate mission he is a part of.

Grace is the only surviving member of a crack crew of scientists and astronauts who were sent one a one-way trip to a distant star in order to find out how humanity can stop alien microbes, known as Astrophage, draining our sun and cooling the Earth to an apocalyptic level. Alone, disorientated, and finding himself with a massive and impossible burden upon his shoulders, Grace must find the courage and skill to analyse the problem before him and find a way to save our planet. When a second ship arrives in the system, Grace finds himself with an unexpected ally. As he forms a usual friendship and gets lost in his work, Grace will need every bit of knowledge and science at his disposal to find the answer before it is too late. However, success is no certainty, and Grace will have to overcome his own hidden past if he is to save everyone and everything he cares about.

Wow, just wow. I suspected that I would be in for an amazing time with Project Hail Mary when I started, especially as there were positive reviews on the cover from the notable trio of George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson and Blake Crouch, three authors who know a lot about epic, outstanding reads. However, I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this incredible book and I swiftly became engrossed with the awesome narrative contained within Project Hail Mary. This was a deeply impressive and captivating read which is easily one of the best science fiction novels of 2021 and which gets a full five-star rating from me.

Project Hail Mary contains an epic and deeply addictive narrative of science, adventure and personal growth. This entire novel begins with a rather interesting hook, with the protagonist coming out of a coma aboard a spaceship with no memory of how he got there and two corpses lying next to him. Watching this then unnamed character explore and attempt to work out what is happening to him is pretty fascinating and it drags the reader in with its mystery. As the protagonist regains his memory, Project Hail Mary morphs into more of a science based adventure story with massive stakes, as the character finds himself engaging in a suicide mission to save Earth. This progresses at a great pace for the first third of the novel, and there is a nice rhythm of the character becoming familiar with the Hail Mary while also regaining his memories of the lead-up to of the mission. Weir then introduces an intriguing and compelling major story development that completely morphs the structure of the plot and turns Project Hail Mary from the doomed adventure of a lone man to something else entirely. I loved what the narrative turned into from this point, especially as it featured some captivating camaraderie, a unique relationship and fascinating science fiction elements. All of this leads up to the novel’s big conclusion, which features several memorable moments and an excellent conclusion that will leave readers extremely satisfied. This was an outstanding story, and I could not believe how quickly I become obsessed with finding out how the clever and exciting story would end.

A major highlight of Project Hail Mary is the fantastic use of flashbacks throughout the book’s narrative. These flashbacks represent the protagonist slowly regaining memories of the events that led up to the mission, and which highlights the entirety of the Astrophage arrival near the sun, all the way up to the launch of the Hail Mary. I really enjoyed the way in which the author utilised these flashbacks, which provided the reader with substantial detail about the character, the purpose of his mission, and the ship that serves as the novel’s setting, all of which comes into play as the story progresses. The various flashbacks really helped to enhance the plot, especially as the protagonist was forced to battle his own ignorance and lack of memory, as well as only gradually learn about what was happening back on Earth. It also ensured a smoother flow throughout the book, saving substantial exposition at the start of the novel, and leaving the background plot open for surprises and clever moments. All these flashbacks lead to an epic and incredibly clever twist near the end of the novel that completely changes everything and shines a completely new light on the protagonist’s actions and everything the reader thought they knew. I deeply, deeply enjoyed this twist, and it was one of the most memorable literary moments I have experienced in a while. This cleverly set up and brilliantly utilised format helps to create an exceptional story that readers will deeply enjoy and which will be stuck in their heads for a very long time.

People familiar with Weir’s writings will know that the author loves featuring vast amounts of science talk and terminology in his stories, and Project Hail Mary is no exception. Weir’s latest novel is absolutely packed full of science, technology and intriguing scenarios, all of which revolve around space travel, alien life, resource management, solar bodies and much, much more. Nearly every page of this novel contains the protagonist engaging in some scientific adventure, using science to solve a specific problem, or answering some unusual mystery. While this may seem a little repetitive, I found all the science talk and subsequent solutions to be extremely compelling and I enjoyed seeing what unexpected pieces of science the protagonist would use next. I felt that the author did an amazing job of explaining all of the underlying scientific principles contained within Project Hail Mary, and despite my own lack of a scientific background I was able to follow everything pretty closely and I always had a good idea of what his protagonist was talking about. I will admit that I would have no idea about how practical or realistic some of the ideas contained within this novel are, so if Weir has chucked in some incorrect science about space flight, biology or physics, I would not have a clue. However, everything seemed realistic and well explained to me, so I am choosing to believe that most of what happened is potentially possible.

I quite enjoyed the unique scenarios featured within Project Hail Mary, especially regarding the degradation of our sun. As shown in the excellent flashback sequences, energy from the sun is being absorbed by the Astrophage microbes, eventually causing a new ice age. The whole idea of the Astrophage is very intriguing, and I enjoyed seeing the planet’s reaction to this new life form and various nations banding together to save the planet. The Astrophage turn out to be a clever plot device; while they are dooming the planet, some of their other unique abilities may lead to its survival. I liked seeing the various ways in which these microbes could be used, and it proved to be a fascinating addition to the plot. I also quite enjoyed seeing the changes that occurred on Earth as the Hail Mary project came into being, especially as the measures put in place to prolong human life and come up with the necessary power for the mission, resulting in some big planetary changes. Weir also comes up with some outstanding first-contact scenes throughout the novel, and I really appreciated seeing the protagonist communicate with a previously unknown species. The author comes up with some great scenes around this, and it was cool to see how and why humans would try talking to and working with another race. All the science and technology were worked into the novel extremely well, and I felt that it helped to make this amazing story more compelling and realistic.

Another great highlight of Project Hail Mary is the great characters. The most prominent character is of course Ryland Grace, who serves as primary narrator and point-of-view character for the novel. Grace is a fantastic leading character as he proves to be both entertaining and relatable. A former biologist turned school science teacher, Grace is drafted into the mission to save Earth from the Astrophage due to his expertise and unique scientific outlook. Weir does an amazing job portraying this fantastic character, especially as you see him both aboard his one-way flight aboard Hail Mary and during his time on Earth in the lead up to the mission, which presents a really interesting view of his personality and motivations. Grace is a very science-orientated person, able to find a solution to any problem that presents to himself. This “do the science, work the problem” attitude is very reminiscent of The Martian, and readers will no doubt see some similarities between the two. I really enjoyed Grace as a character, especially as he approaches nearly every event with a clever and irreverent wit, which results in most of the book’s humour. Grace goes through several major moments throughout Project Hail Mary, and I loved seeing the development that occurred for him between the earlier flashbacks and the end of the novel. The protagonist really changes for the better throughout Project Hail Mary, and I deeply enjoyed some of the catalysts for this change, which included utterly surprising twists and the heart-warming moments. This was an awesome protagonist and readers will find themselves growing very attached to him.

Aside from Grace, there is a small selection of supporting characters, the vast majority of whom only appear in the protagonist’s memory flashbacks. The one exception to this is Rocky, with whom Grace forms a unique and touching friendship with in the main storyline. While I do not want to spoil too much about this amazing character, I will say that Rocky proves to be an outstanding addition to the narrative and readers will find themselves really invested in his story and his friendship with Grace. I also quite enjoyed the character of Eva Stratt, the head of the UN task force designed to combat the problems caused by the Astrophage, who recruits Grace for the Hail Mary mission. Stratt is a bureaucrat given absolute power and authority by every world government to move the mission along as fast as possible without any delays or interference. Appearing exclusively in Grace’s flashbacks, Stratt is a very no-nonsense character, and it was really entertaining to see her bully her way through every problem, such as when she manages to undermine the authority of a court by showing up to the trial with the US Army. Stratt serves as a great foil to Grace throughout the flashbacks, and it proved to be quite fun to see Stratt keep Grace on track while also indulging some of his seemingly impossible requests and suggestions. Stratt is also responsible for one of the best moments in the entire novel, and I love how so much of her story and development built up to this one major moment. These characters, and some others, added so much to novel, and I had an outstanding time getting to know them as the story progressed.

Project Hail Mary is an outstanding and incredible read that sees the amazing Andy Weir at his very best. Mixing cool science, clever writing techniques and intriguing characters together into a fun and powerful story, Project Hail Mary was deeply compelling and near impossible to put down. I had an exceptional time getting through this novel, and this was one of the best novels I have read so far in 2021. A highly recommended book for all science fiction fans or anyone interested in an intelligent and exciting read, I am very excited to see how the planned film adaption turns out.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 9 June 2021

On June 9, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 Comments

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron (ebook)

Artifact Space Cover

This week I started reading an advanced proof I have of Artifact Space by the always impressive Miles Cameron, who has previous written great fantasy reads like Cold Iron and Dark Forge. Artifact Space is the author’s first science fiction novel and is set aboard a massive human trading ship in the future that finds itself under attack from a mysterious enemy. This book is an epic read in every sense of the word and I am having an amazing time getting through it. Cameron has done an incredible job coming up with another complex and captivating tale and I cannot wait to see how this excellent novel ends.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)

The Shadow of the Gods Cover

I also finally started listening to The Shadow of the Gods by highly acclaimed author John Gwynne. I have not previously read any of Gwynne’s novels before, but every reviewer out there was losing their minds over The Shadow of the Gods, so I thought it would be worth checking out, especially after seeing this book’s absolutely amazing cover. It turns out that the collective review community wasn’t lying when it came to this book, as The Shadow of the Gods is an incredible and outstanding read. I am halfway through The Shadow of the Gods at the moment and I am already pretty heavily invested in its intense narrative and well-developed characters. This is easily one of the best fantasy novels of 2021 and I am looking forward to seeing how Gwynne ends this fantastic book.

What did you recently finish reading?

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Trade Paperback)

Project Hail Mary Cover

The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence (Audiobook)

The Girl and the Mountain Cover

A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

A Comedy of Terrors Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Falling by T. J. Newman (Trade Paperback)

Falling Cover

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

WWW Wednesday – 26 May 2021

On May 26, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday4 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Trade Paperback)

Project Hail Mary Cover

I just started reading this outstanding science fiction novel from bestselling author Andy Weir. Project Hail Mary is so far proving to be an excellent and powerful science fiction read that follows a scientist, alone aboard a space ship, as he attempts to save Earth. Epic, clever and deeply captivating, this is an awesome novel to check out.

The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence (Audiobook)

The Girl and the Mountain Cover

Mark Lawrence’s intriguing fantasy/science fiction series continues with this latest novel, The Girl and the Mountain. Serving as a sequel to The Girl and the Stars, which was an amazing 2020 release, this outstanding and distinctive novel continues to impress and I am really enjoying this cool series.

What did you recently finish reading?

Inscape by Louise Carey (Trade Paperback)

Inscape Cover

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Grave Peril Cover

Rabbits by Terry Miles (Trade Paperback)

Rabbits Cover

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy (Trade Paperback)

The Ninth Metal Cover

What do you think you’ll read next?

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron (ebook)

Artifact Space Cover

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

WWW Wednesday – 19 May 2021

On May 19, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday4 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Inscape by Louise Carey (Trade Paperback)

I recently started Inscape, an intriguing science fiction debut from author Louise Carey. Inscape is a compelling novel set in a corporate controlled dystopian future and follows a corporate operative as she attempts to discover the sinister source of a leak in her company. This is a very clever read and I am hoping to finish it off in the next day or so.

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

I recently found myself in the mood for something fun and magical so I started listening to more awesome entries in the highly regarded Dresden Files urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher. I have been really keen to read more of these books ever since I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the latest Dresden Files novel, Battle Ground last year. Battle Ground was the first book of Butchers that I ever read and it ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed last year. As a result, I decided to go back and check out some of the earlier entries in the series, such as the first book Storm Front, which was also really good. I listened to the second book in this series, Fool Moon last week (review to follow soon), and had such a great time with it that I decided to go onto the third novel, Grave Peril, right away. I only started Grave Peril this morning but so far it has an outstanding story filled with ghosts, vampires, wizards, holy knights and one ticked-off fairy godmother. I cannot wait to see where this fantastic story goes next but I have no doubt I am going to love it.