Tag: Sci-Fi

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer3 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 September 2008)

Series: Warhammer 40,000/Sabbat Worlds Crusade

Length: 13 hours and 38 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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The Titans walk to war in this brutal and captivating Warhammer 40,000 novel from the legendary Dan Abnett, Titanicus.

Of the many great Warhammer 40,000 authors out there, few are as impressive as Dan Abnett, who has envisioned an incredible number of awesome battlefields and unique character-focused war stories across the Warhammer universe.  Abnett has written a ton of exceptional and powerful books around the franchise, including several series considered to be the seminal texts of the extended universe.  This includes his brilliant Eisenhorn trilogy (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), and he has multiple entries in my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books list.  However, his best-known series is the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, which I am currently in the middle of reading.

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are a key series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that follows the frontline human soldier of this grimdark universe.  Set in an extended multi-planet campaign, known as the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books follow a ragged regiment of soldiers as they attempt to survive the dark servants of Chaos coming for them.  I am having an exceptional time reading the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, with books like First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr, really impressing me with the complex stories and intense action.  While I need to read more of the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, I have taken a quick break to read some of the spin-off novels Abnett wrote around his main series.  Also set around the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, these spin-off novels follow other campaigns in this massive sector spanning war and provide Warhammer fans with a more in-depth view of these battles.  These spin-offs include the exceptional Double Eagle, which I had the great pleasure of reading last year, and which featured so many awesome duels between flyers.  Titanicus was another spectacular book shows a new and highly destructive battlefront of the crusade by focusing on the iconic Titan Legions of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

As war rage across the stars, the forces of Chaos constantly seek a way to disrupt the vital Sabbat World Crusade and destroy the human forces fighting to bring new worlds into the Imperium of Man.  To that end, the archenemy launches an ambitious and devastating surprise assault on the vital forge world of Orestes, whose under-strength defenders find themselves under mass attack from Chaos Titan war engines.  With both the citizens of the Imperium of Man and the forges of the Adeptus Mechanicus under threat, the planet appeals for help and soon finds its prayers answered from the stars in dramatic fashion.

Fresh from their own wars and heading out to join the crusade, the Titans of the Legio Invicta arrive on Orestes, determined to help their Mechanicus brethren.  Finding the forces of Orestes severely outwatched, the Invicta Titans stride to war, causing everything to tremble at the god-machines wrath.  Soon the world is engulfed in an engine war, with both sides wielding enough firepower to crack the planet and the entire population of Orestes caught in the conflict.

But as the war continues, a far more insidious threat arises that could impact far more than just the war on Orestes.  Deep secrets from within Orestes Forge soon begin to spill out, risking a schism between the Imperium of Man and the Adeptus Mechanicus.  With the planet trembling under the battling machines and enemy forces growing by the day, can Legio Invicta overcome the peril growing within their brotherhood before Orestes and the entire galaxy is put to the flame?

Dan Abnett presets another brilliant war story that is epic in every definition of the word.  Successfully presenting the awesome power of the Titans, Titanicus is a deeply compelling and impressive Warhammer 40,000 novel that I honestly could not get enough of.  Intense, exciting and so darn cool, Titanicus gets an easy five-star rating from me, as Abnett once again shows just how talented he is.

Titanicus had a particularly awesome and multi-layered standalone war narrative behind it that hooked me thanks to the author’s nuanced take on the destructive conflicts of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  Starting off with some dark death to hammer home how grim the situation is, you are soon thrust into the main story as the planet of Orestes comes under attack and the defenders are pushed to the limit.  However, hope soon arrives with the landing of Legio Invicta, who back up Orestes’s existing Titans and defenders with their own engines and troops.  Abnett quickly and effectively sets up multiple character specific storylines as the book progresses that show various alternative viewpoints of the war.  The author works hard to showcase multiple levels of the conflict, from the top commanders all the way to the lowliest of soldiers, and I really enjoyed some of the intriguing storylines that emerged.  This includes desperate tales of survival by following human troops caught behind enemy lines and pursued by mechanical monsters, compelling dives into the minds of the Titan pilots, looks at the various political forces on Orestes, and even some fascinating storylines inside the Adeptus Mechanicus forge.  Abnett did an amazing job highlighting the desperate strife and the complex conflicts these figures endured, and you get a fantastic overarching look at the machine war that proves hard to look away from. 

As the plot of Titanicus continues, the various storylines go in some interesting directions, as you follow each of the characters or groups on their own unique journeys.  Abnett did a really good job of ensuring these unique storylines effectively played off each other as the book continues, and the way characters reacted to events from other plotlines was quite clever and helped to produce a cohesive and intense overarching narrative.  The introduction of a compelling storyline around intrigue and dissent amongst the Adeptus Mechanicus characters provides some extra drama and character conflicts, which added some interesting complexity to the plot, especially as it gave you an alternative group of antagonists which worked well alongside the menacing forces of Chaos, whose perspective you don’t see.  I appreciated how well Abnett set this storyline up in advance, and there are some clever hints to this, and other big events, earlier in the plot.

The final third of Titanicus is particularly impressive and intense, as the author brings together his various storylines extremely well.  I especially enjoyed some of the massive action sequences, while the resolution of the Adeptus Mechanicus storyline was powerful and full of drama as big personalities try to overcome mistrust and dissent.  While I would have liked to have seen the final battle in full, I think Abnett’s effective summary worked pretty well, and I understand that spending another few hours in combat would have watered down the author’s main message.  Each major character’s arc is resolved in a very satisfying manner, and there is an excellent blend of dramatic moments and intense action to keep the reader hooked.  I appreciated how a couple of these conclusions were more depressing, rather than being uniformly happy, which fits both the grimdark nature of Warhammer 40,000 as well as Abnett’s overarching themes that war has no true winners.  This story really came together well, and I deeply enjoyed the complex standalone narrative that Abnett came up with.

This was another insanely well written novel from Abnett, who excels at telling dark, deeply personal war stories from multiple perspectives.  The author provides the perfect balance of excitement, deep intrigue and fantastic character growth in Titanicus, all expertly set within the amazing Warhammer 40,000 universe, and it proves to be such an addictive read.  I personally became engrossed in the various character-driven storylines that emerged throughout the plot, especially the long-running storylines that lasted the entire book.  However, even the more minor character arcs, such as the occasional scene from a normal citizen living in the city to an extended look at the crew of a doomed machine, was hard hitting and Abnett really gets you invested in these personal tales.  As I mentioned above, these often-separate storylines worked extremely well in concert with each other, and Abnett did such a good job pulling them together into a brilliant, overarching narrative. 

Of course, you can’t talk about Titanicus’s writing without going into how incredible the action sequences are.  Abnett crafts together so many deeply intense and powerful battle scenes throughout Titanicus that constantly had the blood pumping as you watched your favourite characters brave the dark gauntlet of battle time and time again.  The author had a lot of fun envisioning war on multiple fronts, and I loved how we got to see infantry fights, tank battles and entertaining skirmishes between various augmented foes as the story continued.  However, easily the most awesome thing about Titanicus is the Titans themselves.  Insanely massive and powerful walking war machines, the Titans steal any scene they are in, and there are so many great reactions as the normal human characters see the Titans fight, especially when the despoiled enemy machines advance on them.  However, it is the sequences shown from the perspective of the Titan pilots themselves that are the best, as you become fully immersed into the battles in the scenes as the machines rain down destruction and depth.  You can honestly feel the insane powerful and destructive ability of the Titans as you move throughout Titanicus, and every single battle involving one of these massive walkers is epic on so many levels. 

As with the rest of Abnett’s books, Titanicus proved to be a particularly strong entry in the Warhammer 40,000 canon.  Serving as a companion piece to the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Titanicus is a must-read to anyone who has enjoyed Abnett’s main series and the overarching campaign it is a part of.  However, as there are no overlapping characters or major storylines, Titanicus can also be easily read as a standalone novel, and indeed would be a great introduction to Abnett’s writing style and his ability to write awesome war stories.  Titanicus would also be the perfect entry novel to anyone interested in exploring Warhammer 40,000 fiction, especially science fiction readers who love the idea of giant piloted war machines.  The cool action, complex character arcs and fantastic standalone narrative ensures that anyone can really dive into Titanicus and have a brilliant time, and I honestly think this book would appeal to a wide range of different readers.

However, as with most books in the franchise, Titanicus will mostly appeal to those established Warhammer 40,000 fans who will love Abnett’s dive into some unique aspects of the universe.  Naturally, this is primarily going to be around the Titans, who are a very awesome part of the Warhammer 40,000 setting that are often underutilised in fiction due to being too overpowered (or getting badly nerfed when they do appear).  I think Abnett did these war machines perfect justice in Titanicus, and you really come away appreciating every aspect of them, including their raw power, their powerful spirit, and the love the crews have for them.  However, Abnett also dives into the dark side of the machine, and some of the sequences that show the pilots losing their humanity were particularly jarring.  Honestly, I thought Abnett’s portray of the Titans was just brilliant, and I have yet to see another Warhammer author do any better.  Abnett also takes a lot of time to dive into the lore surrounding the Adeptus Mechanics.  While these parts of the book might be slightly confusing for newer readers, established fans will love seeing Abnett explore these machine-worshipping figures, especially as a theological schism becomes a major plot issue.  Other cool lore aspects include examining the uneasy relationship between the Imperium and the Mechanicus on planets they share, the dark side of human life on a planet under siege, and even little fun moments, like a toy maker finally finding success as he makes models of the Titans battling across the world.  All these elements make Titanicus a particularly epic read for fans of the franchise, and I personally loved seeing Abnett’s take on all these cool universe inclusions.

While the writing, story and Warhammer 40,000 elements are all exceptional on their own, what really brings them together and makes Titanicus truly awesome are the multiple cool characters scattered throughout the plot.  Abnett introduces a huge range of fantastic and complex characters in Titanicus who you grow quite attached to as the plot continues.  All the characters, from major figures to minor one-scene characters, are fantastically written and cleverly influence the plot in their own cool ways.  Highlights for me included the desperate crew of a destroyed tank who try to escape on foot, only to find more danger in front of them.  A group of inexperienced conscripts who are completely unprepared for the horrors of war also prove to be really entertaining, and you grow invested in their struggles to survive and the tragedies that await them.  Abnett also examines several intriguing Adeptus Mechanicus figures within the Orestes Forge, whose frustrations, ambitions and struggles for power are far more human than they’d like to believe.  However, the best character arc for me was the one that revolved around the crew of a Legio Invicta’s Titan who are forced to accept an Orestes’ Princeps (the pilot plugged into the Titan’s mind) when their own dies without a successor.  The resulting conflicts between the inexperienced and arrogant outsider pilot and the veteran Legio Invicta crew, which includes the Titan’s moderati (second-in-command), who finds himself under a suspended death sentence, sets the scene perfectly, and you become really intrigued in seeing how the Titan will survive.  Watching these figures come together as a crew is a highlight of Titanicus, although Abnett does an excellent job twisting that around later when internal conflict splits the protagonists.  All these characters, and many more, gave Titanicus some real emotional heft, and I became so damn invested in seeing the final fate of so many of these outstanding protagonists.

I think that it’s kind of a given that I listened to Titanicus on audiobook rather than seeking out a physical copy of the book.  Warhammer audiobooks are so damn good, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy the franchise’s awesome narratives and compelling action.  This is particularly true for Titanicus, as the intricate details and impressive combat sequences really shine through even better when read out.  I especially loved how incredibly epic the various Titan-on-Titan battles came across in this audiobook format, and the fantastic voice of narrator Toby Longworth ensured that you were enrapt by every single second of carnage.  Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, always does an exceptional job bringing Abnett’s amazing stories to life, and he was once again exceptional here in Titanicus.  Longworth captures all the characters in Titanicus perfectly, and you get a real sense of their personalities, emotions and their reactions to the insane events of the book.  This includes the various Adeptus Mechanicus figures, which Longworth voices in all their mechanical glory, and you can just imagine these augmented figures, and indeed all the complex characters of Titanicus, as Longworth describes them.  This makes for such an exceptional experience, and I flew through the audiobook’s near 14-hour long runtime extremely quickly.  There is honestly no other way to enjoy Titanicus than on audiobook, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing time.

Dan Abnett continues to showcase why he is such a highly regarded author of Warhammer fiction with the brilliant and captivating Titanicus.  Perfectly showcasing a war between one of the franchise’s most epic components, the massive Titan war engines, Titanicus was an exceptional read from start to finish and one that I cannot recommend enough.  I had such a great time with Titanicus, and I look forward to reading even more Warhammer 40,000 books from Dan Abnett this year.

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Quick Review – Warhammer: The Horus Heresy: Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Quick Review, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, WarhammerLeave a comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 22 October 2024)

Series: Warhammer: The Horus Heresy

Length: 6 hours and 26 minutes

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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2024 was a great year for Warhammer fiction, especially as the Black Library released a ton of awesome books across the various sub-series and franchises, including The Horus Heresy series, which serves as a major prequel to the Warhammer 40,000 books I usually look at.  One of the last releases of the year was The Horus Heresy character novel, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer.  Written by Marc Collins, who previously impressed me with his Warhammer Crime novel, Grim Repast, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer was a fast-paced and compelling read that dove into the twisted mind of an ambitious traitor as he travels to the final battle of the great war.


Plot Synopsis:

A Horus Heresy Novel

Lord Commander Primus Eidolon has claimed many titles along the annals of his infamy. He is the Exemplar and the Risen, the Soul-Severed, and the Auric Hammer. Now, fallen far from his primarch’s grace, he carves a path to Terra, where the culmination of Horus’ grand heresy awaits.

READ IT BECAUSE

Eidolon has been a key figure of the Emperor’s Children Legion from the beginning. Now, on the eve of the Siege of Terra, he’s fallen far from grace and is facing a long overdue reckoning for his many misdeeds during the Horus Heresy. Can he come to terms with his tainted legacy?

THE STORY

Coaxed and goaded by the wiles of the warp – and an entity whose whispered truths stretch even his credulity – Eidolon finds himself stranded around the world of Tatricala, where the ghosts of his past haunt every fated step. Now he must choose which life he wants to lead… and how much of his soul he is willing to sacrifice for it.

If Eidolon cannot banish his daemons, then they will surely take him for their own.


Eidolon: The Auric Hammer was an excellent addition to the canon, and one that will really appeal to those readers who dove into the extended Horus Heresy series.  Like many of the Horus Heresy character books, The Auric Hammer focuses on one of the interesting supporting characters in the larger franchise and provides a compelling story around them, while also diving into their past.  In this case, Marc Collins tells a quick and entertaining story around Eidolon, one of the commanders of the now fallen Emperor’s Children legion, who has given in to the hedonism and worship of Slaanesh, the Chaos God of pleasure and obsession.

Collins does a great job effectively introducing the character of Eidolon and thrusting readers into his personal madness.  I must admit that I haven’t read any of the other Horus Heresy novels before, so I wasn’t especially familiar with the character of Eidolon, which did slightly reduce my appreciation for this book.  However, readers with even moderate knowledge of Warhammer 40,000 lore and the Horus Heresy can easily follow along with Collin’s quick story without too much difficulty.  Collins breaks this into a couple of fun parts, with a fight against daemons on the protagonist’s ship leading to an impromptu invasion of an isolated planet alongside “allies”.  However, nothing goes to plan as Eidolon and his comrades find themselves best by the dark plots of a daemonic entity who desires to destroy him.

This last third of the book is probably the best, as Collins envisions a series of daemonic encounters that play in the ravaged psyches of the various Emperor’s Children characters.  While I had a hard time connecting to some of the supporting cast members (Collins might have been better off with a more tightly focused narrative), it was interesting to see their various struggles, especially as it effectively showed how far their legion had fallen.  Eidolon’s personal inner struggle was the strongest part of the book, especially as Collins dove into his many issues, including his ambition, resentments and the anger he has with the various father figures in his life.  The protagonist comes out of this book stronger, and I particularly loved the reveal about who was behind everything at the end of the novel.  The confrontation that Eidolon had with this figure was extremely entertaining, and you come away appreciating just how suicidally stubborn Eidolon can be.

As is my habit with most Warhammer fiction, I chose to check out The Auric Hammer on audiobook, mainly because it was voiced by one of my favourite audiobook narrators, Toby Longworth.  A very effective narrator, Longworth perfectly captures the various elaborately dark characters featured with The Auric Hammer, and I love how he brings readers into the outrageous and grim Warhammer universe.  Longworth’s already impressive voice is enhanced in various sequences by cool sound effects that help to showcase the various daemonic creatures that the protagonist encounters.  These effects and Longworth’s fantastic voicework really make you appreciate the eldritch power and inherent evilness the various figures they represented, and I felt it did wonders on bringing me further into the narrative.  Combine that with the excellent way in which Longworth captures the intense dark emotions of Eidolon, including his frustration and disgust at his Primarch’s actions and abandonment of him, and this proves to be an outstanding and addictive audiobook.  Featuring a relatively short runtime of just under six and a half hours, The Auric Hammer is an easy audiobook to get through quickly, and I had a lot of fun knocking it off in a couple of enjoyable sessions.

Overall, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer was an awesome and exciting Warhammer audiobook from Marc Collins that is worth checking out.  Cleverly focusing on an intriguing figure in the canon while also expanding on the massive Horus Heresy series, The Auric Hammer really grabbed my attention, and I had a great time getting through it.  An excellent Warhammer book to check out, especially if you have been enjoying the other Horus Heresy books.

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Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Release in the First Half of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction15 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 Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated books for the first half of the year.  This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year.  Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am doing two versions of this list, this first one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and another that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.

2025 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year.  I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely keen for.  This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors.  I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be in the fantasy and science fiction space, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025 which I have some descent details about.  Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult.  I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy and science fiction reads of 2025.  So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

The awesome action-packed sequel to Corland’s fantastic 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms is going to be a fantastic read, filled with drama, betrayal and great characters.

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An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris – 15 January 2025

A fun thriller debut with an interesting fantasy twist, as a woman with the ability to take life from one person and transfer it to someone else, tries to determine the best way to use her gift and ethically kill those who deserve to live.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde – 8 April 2025

Another cool upcoming debut is the fantasy novel, A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde.  Featuring an intriguing plot set around revenge and spirt magic, A Song of Legends Lost has so much potential, and I look forward to reading it.

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Strange New World by Vivian Shaw – 20 May 2025

I was pleasantly surprised to see we are getting a new Dr Greta Helsing novel this year with Strange New World.  Following a doctor who specialises in treating monsters and the undead, this is a fantastic series (see my reviews for Strange Practice and Dreadful Company), and I look forward to seeing how it continues.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young – 28 January 2025

The first upcoming book I want to highlight is the next big Warhammer 40,000 fiction release, Leontus: Lord Solar.  Following a skilled human leader who finds himself trapped on an ork infested world, Leontus; Lord Solar looks to be an exciting story of survival and overcoming the odds that I really love the sound of.  I am also interested to see how author Rob Young goes with his second book, as his first novel, Longshot, was one of my favourite debuts of 2023.

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Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

There are several cool Star Wars novels coming out in 2025, however, the one I am most excited for is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed.  The first book in the new Reign of the Empire series, The Mask of Fear will follow the early days of the Empire as it comes to power and takes over the former Republic.  Written by the very talented Alexander Freed, who really impressed me with his previous foray into Star Wars fiction with the Alphabet Squadron books (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I think that this book has a lot of potential, and I love seeing stories set in this period of Star Wars fiction.  As such I am planning to listen to the audiobook version of The Mask of Fear the second it comes out and I know I’m going to love it.

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

Awesome science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky had a great 2024 with books like Alien Clay and Service Model, so I am excited to see what he writes in 2025.  It looks like he’ll be off to a strong start with the science fiction novel, Shroud, that sees two women trapped on a planet whose surface is completely inhospitable to human life.  This sounds like a very gritty and claustrophobic read, and I cannot wait to see how dark and dramatic Tchaikovsky makes this upcoming book.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18 March 2025

A major 2025 release that I’m sure a lot of people are excited for is the fifth book in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.  The second prequel set around the original Hunger Games trilogy (see my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will take readers back to the 50th Hunger Games and explore the dark events that twisted fan favourite character Haymitch Abernathy.  I am extremely excited to read Sunrise on the Reaping, especially as we get to see the ultra-violent second Quarter Quell in action, and it will be interesting to see how Collins’ sets this latest book out.

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When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

One of the more unique books coming out in 2025 is When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always memorable John Scalzi.  Featuring a very fun science fiction plot that sees the moon suddenly turned into a giant ball of cheese, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds so damn outrageous, and I know I’m going to love it.  Based on Scalzi’s previous entertaining reads, I have no doubt this will be crazy, funny and thoughtful in equal measure, and I will have so much fun checking it out.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 1 April 2025

One of my favourite urban fantasy series, the Fetch Phillips series by Australian author Luke Arnolds, returns this year with another awesome book, Whisper in the Wind.  Set in a fantasy city which has lost all its magic, the Fetch Phillip books follow broken and guilty private investigator Fetch Phillips who is desperately trying to bring back magic, and which results in some dark and powerful adventures (see The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade).  This fourth book will see Fetch dragged out of retirement in back into action when a series of murders brings trouble and potential revolution to his door.  Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes, and I am expecting another outstanding novel with Whisper in the Wind.

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett – 8 April 2025

One book I am particularly keen for in 2025 is the awesome second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption.  The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow an unlikely investigative duo as they attempt to solve unusual magical murders in a land constantly besieged by giant monsters.  This second book will feature an impossible locked room mystery as the protagonists attempt to unwind a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire realm.  I have no doubt that this is going to be a particularly incredible novel, and I am hoping to read A Drop of Corruption very soon.

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The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – 8 April 2025

One of the more complex science fiction and fantasy novels I will be reading in 2025 will be the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart.  Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the two separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them.  I have no doubt this will be a moving, captivating and elaborate read, and I am very curious to see how Lawrence brings this entire ambitious series to an end.

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

Easily the book that I am most excited about in 2025 (and I’m sure a lot of fantasy fans are in the same boat) is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie.  Abercrombie has proven to be the master of dark fantasy fiction thanks to his iconic First Law series, as well as the incredible follow up Age of Madness trilogy.  All of these books are just incredible, and I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing the Age of Madness books a couple of years ago, including A Little Hatred (one of my favourite books of 2019), The Trouble With Peace (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and The Wisdom of Crowds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been eagerly awaiting a new Abercrombie novel since The Wisdom of Crowds, and I was so damn happy to see he had a book coming out this year with The Devils.  Set in an alternate medieval Europe, The Devils will follow a hapless priest as he tries to bind a congregation of monsters to save the world from a coming apocalypse.  This book has so much pure potential and I have no doubt at all that it will end up being one of the best things I read this year.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the hilarious sounding novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to one of the funniest fantasy novels of 2024, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will once again follow the unlikely Dark Lord of the realms, Davi, a human trapped in fantasy themed time loop who starts her adventure again after every painful death.  This second book will see Davi attempt to save her former human subjects from her own upcoming invasion, only to encounter new opponents and obstacles.  I had so much fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and this sequel should be another brilliant comedic romp that I know I am going to love.

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Well, that’s the end of this first list.  As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books coming out the first half of this year.  All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads.  2025 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this year.  I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out and I think I am going to have an incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2025.  Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2025 from the other genres.

Waiting on Wednesday – When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday8 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  This week to celebrate the new year I am doing two Waiting on Wednesday posts to really highlight some awesome upcoming books.  I have already looked at the upcoming Usagi Yojimbo volume by Stan Sakai, The Crow, and in this post I want to talk about a cool and hilarious upcoming science fiction novel, When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always entertaining John Scalzi.

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Scalzi is a fantastic author whose career is defined by an array of intriguing and inventive science fiction novels.  Best known for his Old Man’s War series, Scalzi has produced some impressive and fun series and standalone novels over the years, including the hilarious Redshirts, the compelling monster focused The Kaiju Preservation Society, and the outstanding 2023 release, Starter Villain.  All these novels were really fun and entertaining in their own unique ways, and I have resolved to try and grab all of Scalzi’s new books whenever they come out.

To that end, I really want to highlight Scalzi’s next upcoming novel because it sounds so damn outrageous and distinctive.  This book, When the Moon Hits Your Eye, is currently set for release in March 2025 and features a unique and memorable plot that is very Scalzi.  I honestly laughed myself silly the first time I saw what this book was going be based around, although I must admit it has a lot of potential.

Plot Synopsis:

One day, without explanation, the moon turns into a ball of cheese.

For some, it’s an opportunity. For others, it’s time to question their life choices. How can the world stay the same in the face of such absurdity and uncertainty?

Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and patients at the end of their lives – over the length of a lunar cycle, each gets their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to hope, to laugh and to grieve. All in a story that goes all the places you’d expect, and to many others you could never anticipate. For the people of the earth, this could be the end – or the beginning of a whole new world.

From the Hugo and Locus Award-winning author John Scalzi, When the Moon Hits Your Eye is an entirely serious take on an entirely unserious subject.

So yeah, this is going to be a book about the moon turning into a big ball of cheese, and if that isn’t a Scalzi story than I don’t know what is.  While When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds a bit weird, I personally am really excited for it.  Scalzi has a great track record of turning unlikely stories into outstanding books and I think this could be one of his better ones.  I am very interested in seeing how Scalzi envisions this massive lunar change impacting the entire world, and it should result in some very fun and unique scenarios.

Based on the synopsis above, it seems like Scalzi is going for a wide-spread character-focussed plot with When the Moon Hits Your Eye as he examines multiple people impacted by this phenomenon across the world.  Setting this over the length of a lunar cycle and seeing all the different ways characters react has some real potential, and I am sure Scalzi will fit in his usual clever humour and great character work.

While I was already planning to grab the new Scalzi before I knew anything about it, When the Moon Hits Your Eye is now very high on my to-read list thanks to the crazy synopsis above.  I am so damn curious to see what sort of outrageous and fun narrative John Scalzi will weave around the moon turning into a ball of cheese, and it is clear we are in for a wild ride.  When the Moon Hits Your Eye will easily be one of the more distinctive science fiction novels of 2025 and I cannot wait to power through this unlikely story the first chance I can.

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction6 Comments

Publisher: Tor (ebook – 6 June 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 369 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The line between man and machine is about to blurred in the most hilarious of ways as one of the world’s best science fiction authors, Adrian Tchaikovsky, presents the brilliantly satirical novel, Service Model.

The last couple of years have seen me really get into the writings of acclaimed author Adrian Tchaikovsky, whose work in the fantasy and science fiction genres has been truly amazing.  While Tchaikovsky has written many books over the years, I am more familiar with his recent works, including the novella Ogres, one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Day of Ascension, and his first two Tyrant Philosophers novels, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023.  2024 has proven to be a particularly big year for Tchaikovsky, as he has released four separate books.  The first of these, Alien Clay, was a compelling and memorable science fiction adventure on a deadly prison planet filled with unusual alien life, and I had a great time with it.  I also made sure to check out the brilliant and fantastic novel, Service Model, which had a hilarious plot behind it that I just couldn’t turn away from.

In the far future, the remnants of humanity are utterly reliant on artificial labour and service.  Living in estates completely staffed by robots and advanced computer systems, the remaining humans have every aspect of their lives taken care of.  But what happens when their robot servants find new and dangerous ideas loaded into their heads?

Charles is the loyal body robot to one of these humans.  Content to serve and enact the often confusing and contradictory orders of his master, Charles’s life is one of routine and protocol.  That is until one day an apparent fault in his programming causes him to murder his master.  Now without an employer or a purpose, Charles is forced to leave the household and embark on a journey into the wider world, one he never knew existed.  Here, despite all his expectations, he encounters a crumbling world in which all the humans are gone and the robots that remain are stuck completing illogical or impossible tasks.

After a chance encounter with a mysterious and self-determined figure, Charles embarks on a new mission, to find new employment as a body servant and once again gain purpose.  However, finding a suitable employer in this new world is tricky as every potential boss is dead, insane, or trapped within their own contradictory tasks.  It soon becomes apparent that if Charles is to once again find a suitable purpose in life, he must either find the cause for humanity’s fall or take everybody down with him.

Service Model was a very clever, entertaining and compelling science fiction adventure that I could not get enough of.  Featuring Tchaikovsky’s trademark satirical wit and unique outlook on all manner of life, Service Model was a particularly awesome read that was equal measures funny and tragic, but all entertainment.  A fantastic and inventive novel I had to give a full five-star rating to.

Tchaikovsky really went out of his way to produce a hilarious and intense story about life, decisions and the crumbling future in Service Model, and I loved every single mad second of it.  Set around the unlikely protagonist, Charles (later rechristened Uncharles), Service Model starts with Charles satisfied with his existence as a body servant, until he unexpectantly kills his master.  Forced to leave the manor, Charles journeys towards the repair yard, only to discover that the world is nothing like he expected, and that everything built by humans is failing, taking the robots down with them.

Faced with nothing but inconsistencies and illogical fellow robots, Charles embarks on a quest to find a new human master or some form of purpose.  Assisted and occasionally hindered by the strange robot The Wonk, who is definitely not a human in disguise, Charles encounters the many unlikely and unusual examples of continued society left in the world, from an illogical attempt to keep human society going (essentially a human zoo), a group of insane librarians (more insane than typical librarians), rival robot armies, and other outrageous occurrence of robotic life.  The book pretty much revolves around Charles and The Wonk discovering these societies, learning their flaws, and then trying to find a way to help or escape their respective crazy ideas.  There are a ton of highly amusing interactions and outrageous scenes throughout this intense quest, and I loved some of the wonderfully weird scenarios that emerged as Tchaikovsky utilises his considerable imagination to envision the grim future.  Everything ends on a very interesting note, as the protagonists find the answers they are looking for, even if it’s not what they wanted, and there is a hopeful conclusion that fits the recurring themes of Service Model perfectly and leaves the reader thoughtful going out.

Service Model ended up being an outstanding and complex standalone science fiction novel that perfectly combined a fun adventure story with the author’s cynical humour to create a powerful and inventive read.  Tchaikovsky utilises a unique writing style for this book, that seeks to really drive home the robotic nature of the main protagonist to the reader.  While this does result in some aesthetic and stylistic choices that some readers might not enjoy, especially around the dialogue, I personally felt that it fit the story perfectly and was a clever way of expressing the thoughts and motivations of the unusual point of view protagonist.  You really begin to appreciate the programmed, yet changing, mindset of Charles as the book continues, and it proves interesting to slowly see this robot realise just broken the world around him is.  There are some surprisingly deep emotional moments captured within this tale of automated life, especially tied around the great characters of Charles and The Wonk, and it was fascinating and touching to see how they developed together.  As such, Service Model proves to be a multi-layered and complex read, and it proves very hard to pull away from it at times.

One of the main reasons that I enjoyed Service Model so much was the fantastic and intelligent humour that Tchaikovsky infused his story with.  Like with most of Tchaikovsky’s more light-hearted books, much of this humour is tied into the author’s cynical view of humanity and the future, and I loved once again seeing the author’s take on how doomed we are.  In Service Model, a lot of this humour is tied into the failure of systems, overreliance on technology and human shortsightedness as the various robot characters try to enact the various incomplete, ill-advised or just plain insane commands of the former human masters.  There are so many examples of Charles or other robots trying to complete these instructions to the best of their ability, only to bring greater chaos or misunderstanding to those around them, and it is fun, if a tad depressing, to see these events unfold.  Tchaikovsky throws in even more insane occurrences of this, as certain robots have taken their former illogical instructions or existing systems too far, resulting in elaborate quests, wars or other activities, often for a broken or non-existent purpose.  Seeing the protagonist explore these events and either try to navigate them or find their place within them results in some very absurd but clever moments, and I liked how Tchaikovsky played these events for laughs while also using them to show the protagonist just how broken the current way of thinking is.  I really enjoyed this dark humour, especially as the author uses it to make you think at the same time, and it helped to turn Service Model into quite an entertaining and captivating read.

Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to shine with this brilliant and addictive science fiction read.  Bringing together a compelling and moving story of self-discovery with some fantastic humour and a post-apocalyptic setting loaded with disorganised and distressed robots, Service Model keeps you laughing while also hitting you in the feels.  I had an exceptional time with Service Model, and it was a true pleasure to read.  I cannot wait to check out more of Tchaikovsky’s books in 2025, and my next stop will have to be the outstanding Days of Shattered Faith.

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Da Red Gobbo Collection by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer5 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 16 November 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 11 hours and 10 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare for da revolution with this collection of brilliant Warhammer 40,000 stories from three top authors, with Da Red Gobbo Collection.

Gosh this has been a great year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and the fun is still continuing as one of the best releases of this year just dropped with Da Red Gobbo Collection, which features five brilliant stories from awesome authors Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James.  Featuring three novellas and two short stories, Da Red Gobbo Collection focuses on the always entertaining ork faction from Warhammer 40,000 fiction, whose brutal, hooligan-inspired mindset always leads to comedic and outrageous reads.

However, rather than your typical ork novel, the stories in this anthology collection are focused on the ork sub-species known as grots, who are the 40K equivalent of the goblins from the Warhammer Fantasy universe.  Small, cunning and cowardly, the grots, also known as gretchin, work as slaves, cannon fodder and scapegoats (scape-grots??) to the bigger orks, generally getting kicked around by their ork masters even if they do the right thing.  However, not all grots are content to live under ork oppression, and some even have the courage to fight back thanks to the legendary figure known as Da Red Gobbo.

Da Red Gobbo is a mysterious figure in the grot mythology, who arises whenever the orks push their smaller cousins too far.  Able to put aside the typical grot amnesty and selfishness, Da Red Gobbo is an icon for revolution and revolt against the orkish oppression.  But who is Da Red Gobbo?  Are they really a legendary figure going from ork warband to ork warband spreading the word of freedom, or can any grot put on the cape, hat and goggles and inspire his fellows?  Whatever the truth may be, Da Red Gobbo is here to bring a crumping, and nobody, be they human, Chaos worshipper or even the mightiest of orks, will underestimate the grots again.

I had a blast with Da Red Gobbo Collection, especially as I was able to enjoy all five stories on audiobook for the first time.  Brooks, Flowers and James have all produced exceptional stories focused on the hilarious figure of the Red Gobbo, and I like their intriguing alternative takes on this unlikely revolutionary and his origin.  Thanks to the inherent humour of the ork faction, this was a particularly entertaining and comedic novel, and I frankly laughed my way through the various stories, especially as the three excellent authors created some particularly inventive reads.

The first story in Da Red Gobbo Collection was Da Gobbo’s Revenge by Mike Brooks, which was one of the longer novellas in the collection.  Brooks is an outstanding author, and I have read quite a few of his Warhammer 40,000 books recently, including The Lion: Son the Forest and Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives.  Da Gobbo’s Revenge was a particularly entertaining read, which is set parallel to Brook’s previous ork-focused novels, such as Warboss, Brutal Kunnin and Da Big Dakka, which have also featured fun narratives of grot revolution and rebellion.

Da Gobbo’s Revenge is a more compact narrative that follows the unlikely hero, Fingwit.  The leader of small band of grots that follow a crazed ork mek, Fingwit and his comrades find themselves in deep trouble when their boss forces them to participate in a deadly boarding action aboard an Imperial war vessel.  When the mek dies in front of them, Fingwit attempts to lead his fellow grots to complete their boss’s final mission, only to encounter human soldiers, running firefights, and dissent from amongst his fellow grots.  However, it’s the actions of an ork taskmaster that finally drives Fingwit over the edge, and he decides that the only way to survive is to become something legendary.

Da Gobbo’s Revenge is a very entertaining and fast-paced novella that provides an interesting initial look into the grot mindset while throwing them into a frenetic adventure.  Brooks hits this story with the clever and comedic style he has utilised for his other ork-focused books, and you can really appreciate his clear love for this faction, as well as his attention to detail around them.  The only story in this book told exclusively through the eyes of a grot, Da Gobbo’s Revenge fully showcases their sneakiness, their shrewd cunning, and their desire to outdo each other, and the result is hilarious, especially as they manage to outsmart various bigger opponents who completely underestimate them.  This over-the-top adventure, while very fun, takes on a more thoughtful manner towards the end once Fingwit decides to take on the mantle of the Red Gobbo to save his friends.  Seeing the previously self-obsessed Fingwit become more concerned with the fate of his fellow grots helps to hammer home the significance of the Red Gobbo to these lowly creatures, especially as he inspires them to do something truly special and unselfish.  This ending is surprisingly powerful and poignant, especially for an ork/grot focussed Warhammer 40,000 story, and Da Gobbo’s Revenge was a very strong story that serves as the perfect introduction to Da Red Gobbo Collection.

Following hot on the heels of this first excellent entry is the brilliant novella, Da Gobbo’s Demise by Denny Flowers.  Da Gobbo’s Demise was another awesome read that I was particularly keen to check out, mainly because I am a massive fan of Flowers at the moment.  One of the best rising stars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, Flowers has deeply impressed me with his books Fire Made Flesh, Outgunned, and the outstanding 2024 release Above and Beyond.  Da Gobbo’s Demise was the first of Flowers’s novellas I have had the pleasure of reading, and I was very excited to check out his take on a non-human character, the result of which was extremely entertaining and fantastically fun.

Da Gobbo’s Demise follows a small herd of grots who find themselves alone and in trouble when their taskmaster, Runtherd Killaskun, is suddenly killed, and they are left without any ork supervision.  This proves particularly problematic for Killaskun’s right-hand grot, Redsnot, as he knows that his fellow grots will be looking to even the score against him for enforcing Killaskun’s orders.  However, the grots soon find themselves in deeper trouble when they are surrounded by a horde of Chaos cultists determined to kill them and take the church they are hiding in.  Determined to survive, Redsnot seeks to take advantage of the situation and be the leader the grots need.  However, his genius plan is ruined by the surprise appearance of Da Red Gobbo, hero of all grot-kind.  But Redsnot isn’t going to be upstaged by anyone, even if the Red Gobbo trying to save his life.  But luckily even legends are susceptible to a knife in the back.

This was another particularly fun and awesome novella that really showcase Flowers’ ability to write a clever, funny and very cynical story that I could not get enough off.  I honestly really enjoyed where Flowers took the story, especially as it ended up being a Home Alone-inspired siege, where the hilariously cruel grots hold off a bunch of incompetent cultists by any means necessary.  The constant bickering and dissent on both sides of the conflict was just great, and there are some very amusing moments as the grots use their natural cunning to outsmart their opponent.  The entire story moves quickly, and I found myself constantly laughing due to the outrageous antics of everyone involved.

Flowers makes Da Gobbo’s Demise’s story even more entertaining and funny through amazing use of multiple character perspectives, as in addition to showing events through Redsnot’s eyes, the author also features the viewpoint of the Chaos cultists besieging them, including a traitor commissar hoping for glory under his new gods.  There are some brilliant contrasts between the bickering grots and the disorganised cultists, especially when it comes to their different leaders.  While the chaos cultists are controlled by fear, and their leader becomes more and more demented the more failure he encounters, the usually contentious grots become surprisingly well organised thanks to the appearance of Da Red Gobbo, who resolves most of their petty arguments and turns them into an effective team.  I especially enjoyed the way in which Da Red Gobbo manages to effectively undermine and outsmart Redsnot at every turn, especially as it leads to yet another compelling bit of character growth for the main protagonist as he learns to fight for something bigger than himself.  The resulting story turns into a wonderfully bloody mess of over-the-top characters and outrageous antics, and I laughed my way through it.  Another outstanding outing from Flowers that perfectly expanded on the opening momentum of Da Gobbo’s Revenge and ensured that readers are firmly enthralled by Da Red Gobbo Collection as this point in the book.

The next entry in Da Red Gobbo Collection is the short story Da Wrong Type of Green, also by Denny Flowers.  A quick and exciting read, Da Wrong Type of Green is a direct prequel to Da Gobbo’s Demise that, shows the events immediately leading up to the novella’s opening scene.  Featuring the exact same style and most of the same characters, Da Wrong Type of Green gives some fun additional context to Da Gobbo’s Demise that I rather enjoyed seeing, especially as I had such a brilliant time with Flower’s longer novella.  I particularly enjoyed seeing the protagonist’s relationship with their former ork leader, Runtherd Killaskun, which really enhanced some of the themes of freedom and revolution that Flowers featured in novella.  While the inclusion of this story does feel a tad unnecessary, especially as you don’t really need to read it to appreciate Da Gobbo’s Demise, it was an interesting story, and one that you can get through very quickly.

Following these two stories by Flowers, readers are then led to the book’s third novella, the amusing and outrageous entry, Da Gobbo Rides Again, by Rhuairidh James.  James, who has previously written several interesting Warhammer 40,000 short stories, honestly produces one of the best entries in Da Red Gobbo Collection, and I was really blown away by his intriguing and original take on the focal character, especially as he examines the revolution and the relationship between orks and grots in a very different manner.

Da Gobbo Rides Again follows the ork painboy Stimma, who arrives back to camp only to discover something strange happening to his warband’s grots.  Rather than being their usual sneaky selves, the grots have all become exceedingly compliant and helpful, completely throwing off the usual anarchic rhythms of the ork encampment.  Ordered by his warboss to fix the problem, Stimma and his grot assistant, Goggulz, try to shake the grots out of their malaise and back to their previous sly and murderous mentality.  They soon determine that the only way to inspire the grots is to give them a Red Gobbo to stir them up.  However, with no Red Gobbo to hand, Stimma decides to create one, but first he needs to understand what the Red Gobbo is and how he comes into being.  But the further he dives into the mysteries of the Red Gobbo, the closer he comes to the truth, and not even an ork as ruthless as Stimma is prepared for what he finds.

This was such a brilliant entry from James, and I loved the elaborate and very memorable story he comes up with.  I love how he decided to tell the story through the eyes of an ork master, rather than another grot, which allows for a unique new perspective in the tale of Da Red Gobbo.  The central story focusing on the dispirited grots was very clever, and James’s concept of compliant grots being more dangerous to the orks than rebellious ones was a fun take.  The resulting story of Stimma’s attempt to create his own Red Gobbo is both hilarious and philosophical in nature, and you must love the ork mentality when it comes to grots and their so-called heroes.  This attempt at science also leads the protagonist to various ork experts, and while this is mostly a novella about grots, the fun and in-depth dive into the oddboyz, those orks with special skills such as meks and weirdboyz, proves to be really amusing and detailed.  I especially loved Jame’s take on the painboyz, the orks’ highly experimental medics, especially as it results in some hilarious discussions about ‘medicine’.

However, the thing that I loved most about Da Gobbo Rides Again is the main twist of the story.  Thanks in part to having read the other novellas first, you can easily see where Stimma’s plan is going to go, even if the orks cannot due to their blind spot when it comes to their smaller cousins.  As such, you get to watch in joy as James openly works to bring this twist to fruition bit by bit, and it is very satisfying when it all comes together.  This fantastic buildup works extremely well amongst the general chaos of the ork camp, while the fun relationship that builds between Stimma and Goggulz makes it even more delicious.  Throw in some very interesting sequences that explore the unusual past of the orks and their relationship to grot-kind, as well as a great scene that brings together Da Gobbo Rides Again with the other novellas in this collection, and this was an impressive entry that I could not get enough of.  I honestly cannot emphasise enough just how amazing Da Gobbo Rides Again was, and I hope we get a full-length novel from James at some point in the future as I know I will deeply enjoy it.

The final entry within Da Red Gobbo Collection is The Instigator.  Also written by James, The Instigator is a prequel to Da Gobbo Rides Again which was originally released in the White Dwarf magazine.  This story tells of the first time a young Stimma encountered a Red Gobbo, when he accompanies an ork raiding party when it attempts to board a spaceship.  However, nothing goes to plan, especially when the orks find an unexpected enemy hidden within the ship, led by an unlikely commander.  This story does a great job of showcasing events that were hinted at within Da Gobbo Rides Again and presenting them in a very different way than Stimma remembers them, especially as events were a little more desperate than he cares to admit.  James amps up the tension in this short but sweet story, which shows just how scary grots can be for orks, while also providing a fantastic opponent for the plot.  The Instigator proves to be a great follow-up for Da Gobbo Rides Again, and I really enjoyed seeing the seeds for Stimma’s later idea around Da Red Gobbo be planted.

This ended up being a very awesome overall collection of Warhammer 40,000 stories, and I love the impressive and relentlessly comedic tales that these excellent authors came up with.  I loved how the three main novellas perfectly complemented each other, building on the work of the preceding stories, while also standing on their own feet.  Brooks, Flowers and James really had fun when it came to these stories, and I love how you get some unique takes on the orks and the grots, although the general ork humour does carry through very well for all of them.  I also deeply enjoyed how each author showcased a different aspect of the Red Gobbo character, and the three separate incarnations of the Red Gobbo you witness paints a fascinating picture of this unique being in the Warhammer canon.  All three authors really outdid themselves in how they brought this figure to life, and their amazing stories were a true joy to read.

Unsurprisingly, I chose to listen to Da Red Gobbo Collection on audiobook, a format which always deeply enhances Warhammer fiction, especially as the crazy characters, unlikely scenarios and dark settings really pop when read out loud.  Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks that feature the orks are always particularly awesome, as the outrageous aliens are so damn entertaining especially when you get a great narrator voicing them.  As such, I was very keen to listen to Da Red Gobbo Collection, especially as it provided the first audiobook adaptations of several existing short stories and novellas, which ensured a whole new way to appreciate these clever tales.  I was also excited because British actor Harry Myers was attached to narrate Da Red Gobbo Collection.  A very talented narrator who has brought some of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books to life, including The Wraithbone Phoenix and Day of Ascension, Myers has a fantastically entertaining voice that really fits some of the outrageous figures in this universe.  Myers particularly excels at voice ork characters (he previously narrated Warboss and Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks), and his voice perfectly fits the rough and crude orks in so many entertaining ways.  He also does a great job of capturing the smaller and cowardly grots, and you really get a great sense of their scared, weaselly and backstabbing ways through his narration.  I also loved how each character comes out in this audiobook, and I was very impressed that Myers featured variety with his voice work, providing the various grots different voices, even when he moved on to a new story.  This was such an epic listen, and I really cannot recommend Da Red Gobbo Collection on audiobook enough.  Coming in with a runtime of just over 11 hours, this is a slightly long but very easy audiobook to power through, and there is honestly no better way to enjoy Da Red Gobbo Collection than by listening to it in this format.

Da Red Gobbo Collection was an exceptional Warhammer 40,000 book that I had so much damn fun getting through.  Thanks to the outstanding team of Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James, you are gifted with some very impressive stories that prove to be exceedingly addictive.  Insanely addictive and extremely hilarious, Da Red Gobbo Collection will bring a smile to any Warhammer fan, and even new readers will be able to have an amazing time with it.  As such, I must give this collection a full five-star rating, as each author delivered something very special that came together perfectly.

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Darkside by Michael Mammay

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller4 Comments

Publisher: Harper Audio (Audiobook – 24 September 2024)

Series: Planetside – Book Four

Length: eight hours and six minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of my favourite science fiction authors returns with another fantastic and compelling military thriller in space, the highly addictive Darkside by Michael Mammay.

Back in 2018 I had the very great pleasure of reading the debut novel of new author Michael Mammay, Planetside.  An intriguing science fiction thriller that sent a retiring military officer to an alien planet to find a missing soldier, Planetside turned into quite the clever and exciting read, and I really got attached to its complex narrative and maverick protagonist.  Ending on a massive and well-written twist, Planetside was an exceptional read and was one of my favourite books of 2018.  The series continued strong from that point on as Mammary released more cool additions to the Planetside series, each of which pit the protagonist against human corruption and corporate greed in the depths of space with Spaceside (one of my favourite books of 2019) and Colonyside (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021).  I have been curious to see if Mammay was planning to continue this series going forward, and I was nicely surprised earlier this year to find out that there was a fourth book coming out with Darkside.  One of my most anticipated books of 2024, Darkside was an intriguing entry to the series that once again forced the author’s protagonist to deal with old corporate threats on a distinctive new environment.

Colonel Carl Butler, former military officer turned genocidal fall-guy, has had an interesting life since his retirement from the military.  Thanks to the machinations of both the government and powerful corporation, Butler has found himself drawn into multiple conspiracies, and his direct way of dealing with the resulting controversy has made him infamous throughout the galaxy, as well as making him some very dangerous enemies.

Attempting to live out a quiet life on a remote planet, Butler finds his retirement once again disturbed when a young girl tracks him down, requesting his help in finding her missing father.  Finding it hard to say no to the desperate girl, especially when it becomes clear that something truly sinister has befallen her father, Butler reluctantly agrees to help, not realising the trouble he is about to find himself in again.

The missing father, Jorge Ramiro, had been working as the assistant for a famous archaeologist on the isolated moon of Taug.  With no electronic trace of Jorge remaining on the planet, Butler and his team chart a ship to the mining operations of Taug to find him.  However, Butler soon finds his investigation complicated by the fact that he has history with the two consortiums who control mining on Taug, Caliber and Omicron, as both have tried to kill him in the past.  Determined to find the truth no matter what, Butler relentless follows the dwindling trail of clues before him, even when that leads to the dangerous dark side of Taug where secrets lie hidden, and the two corporations are free to act without repercussion.

Michael Mammay presents another outstanding and impressive science fiction thriller that drags the reader in with its elaborate tale of intrigue, secrets, and one determined man seeking to fight the system.  Featuring a great combination of elements and a fantastically fun protagonist, Darkside was a brilliant addition to the Planetside series, and I had such an amazing time with it that it gets a full five-star rating from me.

I felt that Mammay produced another exciting and captivating narrative for his fourth Planetside book that ties in nicely to the rest of the series while providing readers with an excellent and entertaining ride capable of standing on its own feet.  Once again bringing in series protagonist Carl Butler to investigate a mysterious case on a new planet, Darkside features a fantastic tale of mystery, corporate antics and deeper intrigue.  The author does a great job of quickly setting the scene at the start of Darkside before dropping the protagonist right into the action as they attempt to find the missing father on Taug.  Seeking information from both corporations on the moon, Butler initially starts a methodical and low-key investigation.  However, things get tricky when Butler and his team discover evidence of a major coverup, and the protagonist is forced to pit the corporations against each other in his attempts to find the missing person.  This complex first half proves to be an excellent start to the novel, and Mammay ensures that the tension, stakes and mystery rise at an effectively rate, keeping the reader’s attention the entire way through.

Things take a very exciting turn around halfway through Darkside, as Butler’s investigation provoke action from his opponents that results in some extremely dramatic and intense moments.  While I had been enjoying the investigation and intrigue of the first half of the book, it was fun to dive into something much more action packed for the second half, and I really enjoyed the exciting direction that Mammay took the story.  There are some great reveals here, and I love how complicated the various corporate lies and agendas became at times.  Everything leads up to a very intense final set of sequences, as Butler finds his back against the wall and is forced to decide which devil to have in his corner.  There are some great twists here, as well as a cool chapter told from the perspective of one of the series’ major supporting characters, and it leads up to a particularly intense and moving conclusion that perfectly fit the overarching anti-corporate message of the entire series.

Darkside has an excellent and addictive style to it that really draws the reader in.  Told from the perspective of the cynical, but realistic, Colonel Butler, readers are presented an outstanding thriller novel expertly set in a futuristic setting.  Starting off with a mystery of a missing person, the story evolves into a more elaborate game of intrigue as the protagonist attempts to outsmart two rival companies.  Mammay hits the right blend of manipulation, investigation and action throughout Darkside, and readers are presented with a great story that thrills the reader while dragging them further in with the curious mystery.  This story is well set by the moon of Taug, which proves to be an outstanding setting for this intense novel.  Not only does Mammay provide some striking descriptions of this desolate moon, but the isolated nature of it, as well as more scientific elements like gravity and composition, are well utilised in the plot, creating problems and opportunities for the protagonists.  Whilst Darkside is part of a larger series, for the most part it is a standalone novel that new readers can easily dive into, especially as there is an effective summary at the front to fill in some major details about the protagonist and his previous outings.  I think I had a bit more fun having read the previous books first, especially as you appreciate how Butler’s relationship with some of the supporting characters has grown, as well as having a better understanding the protagonist’s adversarial relationship with the corporations on the moon.  Darkside was such a great addition to this series, and I had an exceptional time powering through this novel in record time.

Another major element of Darkside, and indeed the entire Planetside series, that I come to really enjoy, was the outstanding characters who sat at the heart of the story and who add some real emotional depth to the book.  This primarily refers to the protagonist and point-of-view character, Colonel Carl Butler, who is very fun to follow.  A former career soldier trying to enjoy retirement, Butler has been hit by controversy, betrayal and the downside of duty, which has made him infamous and forced him to live on a remote planet.  Despite this, he is still a cheerful figure whose desire to do good forces him into another adventure.  Witty and honourable, Butler has a very eccentric personality that results in most of Darkside’s humour, and you have to laugh at some of his clever thoughts and responses to the dark events around him.  Despite having a seemingly carefree, easy-going attitude, Butler is a canny operator at this point in the series, and it was great to see how he has finally learnt from his previous experiences of dealing with corrupt corporations.  I also really enjoy how Mammay portrays Butler’s thought process in this novel, as you get to see him weighing the options and impacts of his various potential actions, and seeing the steps Butler takes to make his decisions makes him a little more human and relatable to the reader.  As such, you really get caught up in Butler’s latest crusade, and it proves hard not to root for him the entire way, even despite his dark history.

In addition to Butler, Mammay also features a great supporting cast of characters in Darkside, most of whom play off Butler extremely well.  This includes the returning characters of Mac and Ganos, Butler’s bodyguard and computer expert respectively, who once again saddle up to help.  Mammay works these two characters back into the plot quickly and effectively, and it was great to see this team in action again.  Mac and Ganos serve as an entertaining support to Butler, especially as by this point, they have learned to anticipate their boss’s likely course of action.  I really enjoyed seeing the close camaraderie and support these three had together, and it there were some excellent and moving moments as a result.  The rest of the case also worked well around these central characters, with several new members of Butler’s team providing some intriguing plot options.  Throw in the usual collection of local soldiers who work with Butler, and a group of manipulative corporate officers who serve as the antagonists, and the cast of Darkside proves to be a fantastic part of the book, and I loved seeing them all in action.

I ended up enjoying Darkside on audiobook, which has been my preferred way of enjoying the Planetside books, primarily because of the inclusion of R. C. Bray as the narrator.  Bray, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, did another exceptional job voicing the characters in Darkside, and I love how well his gruff and rich voice fits Colonel Butler.  Bray’s voice work perfectly captures Butler’s sarcastic, pragmatic and rebellious streak, and you really get caught up in this excellent narrator’s central performance.  In addition to his excellent portrayal of Butler, Bray also brings all the supporting cast to life in fun and effective manner, with each character given their own distinctive voice or accent.  I particularly enjoyed the fun voice he gave to Butler’s right-hand man, Mac, which was handy considering Mac got a lengthy chapter from his perspective that really popped in Bray’s voice.  I honestly don’t think I would have enjoyed Darkside quite as much without having Bray read it out to me, and I have so much love for the paring between Bray and Mammay’s great writing.  Coming in with a runtime of just over eight hours, most people will be able to power through Darkside very quickly, and I honestly found it very hard to stop listening to this audiobook, which comes very highly recommended.

Michael Mammay continues to impress with Darkside, a brilliant addition to his fantastic Planetside series that proves hard to turn away from.  Clever, exciting, and featuring a well-written and intense story, Darkside is one of Mammay’s best Planetside novels yet, and I cannot wait to see how he continues the story in the future, especially as the rascally protagonists keeps making more and more enemies.

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NecroTek by Jonathan Maberry

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller15 Comments

Publisher: Blackstone Audio (Audiobook – 28 May 2024)

Series: NecroTek – Book One

Length: 15 hours and 24 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the leading authors of action-packed fiction, Jonathan Maberry, dives headfirst into the science fiction genre with the unique read NecroTek, a remarkable Lovecraftian adventure in space that takes readers to some very dark places.

Readers of this blog will know that I have long been a fan of compelling author Jonathan Maberry, who has been impressing me with his elaborate, grim and varied book for years.  A long-time writer of horror-filled fiction across the genres, Maberry has multiple books and series under his belt, and I have had the great pleasure of reading a large portion of his existing works.  His main body of fiction is his Joe Ledger thriller series, which follows a tortured protagonist as he attempts to stop an array of dark technological threats assailing the modern world.  This series, which includes great books like Patient Zero, Assassin’s Code, Predator One and Dogs of War, as well as the Rogue Team International sequel series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), proved to be a great introduction to the author for me, and my appreciation for him grew after reading his Kagen the Damned dark fantasy series.  Made up of Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), and The Dragon in Winter (which I am currently reading now), the Kagen the Damned books saw the author bring his distinctive style to the world of dark fantasy in a big way, and I loved the end result.

Due to how much I love Maberry’s captivating and enthralling novels, I always instantly grab anything new the author writes, and this includes his first release of 2024, NectroTek.  While his Joe Ledger books often feature strong science fiction elements in their thriller narratives, NecroTek was the first pure science fiction novel from the author, and I felt that he did an outstanding job applying his style and love for old-school horror into this new genre.  Released under the banner of the iconic Weird Tales horror magazine, NecroTek was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, and it did not disappoint.

Plot Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, NecroTek is a gripping sci-fi thriller full of ghosts, gods, and a battle for the soul of humanity.

Neither cosmic philosopher Lars Soren, hotshot pilot Bianca Petrescu, nor the high priestess Jessica McHugh–Lady Death herself–can say quite where in the galaxy they are. But after an experiment gone horribly wrong, one thing is clear: Asphodel Station isn’t in orbit around Jupiter any longer. Worse, the monsters that live out here–ancient eldritch beings thought only to exist in stories and nightmares–have now been alerted to Earth’s existence.

Their army of Shoggoths is coming for us next.

Humanity’s only hope for survival lies on the surface of the alien world of Shadderal, where a ghost named Lost, the last of an ancient race, still haunts the vast plains of the Field of Dead Birds. But hope has a cost. Lost tells Soren about ancient derelict spacecraft awaiting on Shadderal, shapeshifting machines that blend ultra-advanced technology with the dark powers of necromancy. These ships might just be nimble enough to defend mankind against the coming invasion.

But there’s a catch: they can only be piloted by the dead.

As human starfighters fall in battle, their spirits can be called back from death to pilot these ghost ships of a fallen race. But will this new necromantic technology–NecroTek–allow humanity to stand against the vast armies of the Shoggoths? And even if it can, is the war to save the human race worth the cost of its pilots’ immortal souls?

What another brilliant read from Jonathan Maberry!  NecroTek was an outstanding and captivating novel that I unsurprisingly loved thanks to its elaborate and ambitious narrative, loaded with horror, carnage and a distinctive tale of survival against the odds.  Moving, powerful and highly emotional, NecroTek was such an epic and captivating novel, and I must give it a full five-star rating as a result.

Maberry produces another complex, detailed and powerfully dark narrative for NecroTek that is part science fiction, part horror, and all excitement.  Starting off just in advance of the events that will set the story in motion, Maberry does a great job of opening the book up and quickly setting the scene for the reader.  The start of a new series unconnected from his previous works (for now), this is one of the easier Maberry novels to break into, and you are soon invested in the tale of scientific exploration.  However, things change quickly once the teleportation experiment fails, and as this is Maberry, when things go wrong, they go wrong in a big and gruesome way.  The author really leans into his love of horror during these opening moments, and there are some shocking depictions of the side effects of the jump through space, as well as the terrifying things waiting for the survivors on the other side.  Maberry revels in featuring powerful depictions of terror and craziness here and it makes for a brilliant and often disturbing first part of the book.

After this horrifying start to the novel, NecroTek becomes more of a science fiction tale, although Maberry quickly infects it with his beloved Lovecraftian elements, as the protagonists soon discover that they have been discovered by Shoggoths above a mysterious planet.  This allows for some fantastic moments, as the humans attempt to defeat this new alien foe with their existing ships, while continuing to dive into the complex science and philosophy surrounding their circumstances.  This middle section of the book moves at a swift pace, and the readers are treated to some excellent battle sequences in space, as well as the character’s continued uncertainty as they try to understand the outrageous situation they have found themselves in.  Maberry does a great job setting down the required Lovecraftian lore and bringing key parts of the plot to light during this part of the book, and readers easily become absorbed in his compelling ideas, especially when they are coated in a combination of adventure, horror and intriguing characters.

Everything leads up perfectly to the final third of NecroTek, which sees the protagonists desperate to defend both the station, and the important planet they hover above.  Faced with attacks on multiple fronts and so many tragedies, the protagonists are forced to rely on a new ally and the titular NecroTek to face off against the Shoggoth fleet.  Maberry keeps the tension riding high for this final part of the book, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat as several simultaneous battles rage around the reader, often fought in some extremely epic ways.  There is some captivating tragedy, deeply moving moments of sacrifice, and elaborate dives into the human psyche as everything comes together, and you will be left dazed and moved by everything that unfolds.  An overall exceptional and unique story, NecroTek was so much fun, and I liked the potential for story continuation that exists at the end of the novel.

Maberry has a very distinctive writing style that he utilises in all his novels, no matter the genre, and which always results in an awesome and complex read.  Featuring a huge number of short and sharp perspective chapters that constantly jump between the key characters, as well as a few shots of the antagonists and other mysterious creatures, you get a layered story that shows so many complex actions at the same time.  This style works extremely well in this science fiction adventure, and I loved the elaborate ways he showcased the dark events occurring around the station, whether you get the experiences of the recurring characters, or one-off chapters that shows what happened to specific characters before they die.  These chapters deeply enhance the horror vibes in the book, which keep you on your toes and provides an overarching sense of threat and danger that really makes you concerned for the protagonists.  This cool horror vibe blends well with the extremely detailed science fiction setting and storyline, to create a particularly striking read that really stuck with me, especially as the author also dives into Lovecraftian elements which work nicely into Maberry’s distinctive tone.  As with most of Maberry’s work, NecroTek does get incredibly dark and disturbing at times, which may not appeal to every reader, especially when it comes to some of the more distressing occurrences.  However, Maberry channels this darkness extremely well into the plot and the various action sequences of the book, producing a rafter of ultra-exciting scenes that really stick in the mind.  I personally felt his various space-combat sequences were extremely good, and I loved how effectively he showcased the intricate nature of the battles, even when things get extreme with the inclusion of ghost-powered battle mechs. 

As with all Jonathan Maberry novels, the true power and heart of NecroTek lies in its many impressive and complex characters, who the author utilises to tell a particularly powerful and layered story.  Maberry has a real gift for producing compelling, damaged, and often highly over-the top characters for his various series, and NecroTek is no different as he introduces a range of figures whose unique perspectives shape and power the story.  While NecroTek lacks the full-on antagonist’s perspective that usually make his novels so effective (due to the enemies being unknowable aliens), you get a great spread of alternating perspectives and thoughts throughout NecroTek, as well as the powerful emotions behind them.  These emotions are greatly enhanced by the fact that all the human characters within NecroTek are disorientated or damaged by the earlier events of the plot, and watching them overcome their rage, fear or despair, really amps up the feeling of the unknown and the complex emotions that swirl around the plot.

While there are many characters featured within NecroTek, Maberry does focus the plot on a few key protagonists whose stories get a bit more attention.  This includes cosmic philosopher Lars Soren, who serves as one of the main explorers of the new world and the voice of calm reason amongst the protagonists.  I liked how effectively Maberry utilised a scholar protagonist for much of this novel, and it allowed for a much more thoughtful narrative at times.  Of course, as this is Maberry, there needs to be a militant main protagonist as well, and that role was filled ably by military pilot Bianca Petrescu.  A confident and skilled pilot, Bianca worked as a great partner to Soren throughout much of the adventure, and I liked the contrast in their styles and actions.  Bianca also works well as part of the fighter group, known as the Lost Souls, who work to defend the station from the Shoggoth fleet.  Acting like an extended family, the Lost Souls are a vital part of the book’s plot, especially as their eventual, many-layered sacrifice, results in some of the most emotionally charged scenes in the book, which is further enhanced by how much you have come to care for the whole group.  Throw in an actual necromancer and an ancient alien whose guilt-ridden ghost provides aid to the protagonists whilst also damning them, and the cast of NecroTek was extremely strong.  I really enjoyed the elaborate narrative threads that emerged around these figures, and it led to a very powerful and intense read.

As with most of the Jonathan Maberry novels, I chose to enjoy NecroTek on audiobook, which is easily the best way to enjoy one of the author’s elaborate and powerful novels.  Maberry’s distinctive writing style of constantly shifting characters, loaded action, and horrifying elements really comes across when read out and I honestly believe that this is the best way to enjoy one of author’s books.  A lot of this is due to the continued use of long-term Maberry collaborator Ray Porter, who has lent his voice to most of Maberry’s compelling audiobooks.  One of my favourite audiobook narrators, Ray Porter has an outstanding voice that expertly moves Maberry’s complex and addictive narrative around at a fast and effective pace.  Porter’s ability to instil emotion, intensity and often scary tones into his narration is extremely epic, and he can ensure that readers are always on the edge of their seats as they wait for more action or horror to emerge.  Porter also has a great range of different awesome voices that seem to always perfectly fit the character they are assigned to, and I love the fun and entertaining tones that convey so much of fear, feelings and deeper emotional state.  Coming in with an overall run time of 15 hours and 24 minutes, this is a long audiobook, although it proves easy to power through it quickly, especially in the action-heavy second half.  As such, the NecroTek audiobook version comes highly recommended, and you will not be disappointed when you listen to it.

Jonathan Maberry once again deeply impresses me with his elaborate and addictively dark science fiction read, NecroTek.  A very distinctive Maberry creation, NecroTek features a brilliant story that brings together cool new science fiction elements with the author’s love for all thing Lovecraftian into a brutal and captivating read.  Fast paced and loaded with complex characters, fantastic action, and some truly epic sequences, NecroTek was such a great read from Maberry and comes highly recommended.  I look forward to seeing how Maberry continues the series in the future, especially as a sequel, Cold War, is apparently set for release in 2025.

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Quick Review – Starter Villain by John Scalzi

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Quick Review, Science Fiction5 Comments

Publisher: Tor (ebook – 23 September 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 256 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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As we are getting towards the end of 2024, it’s probably about time I got around to writing something about one of the more hilarious and wildly entertaining books I checked out last year, the outstanding novel Starter Villain by John Scalzi.

John Scalzi is an outstanding science fiction author who has produced some intriguing and thoughtful books over the years.  Best known for his Old Man’s War series that followed the science fiction adventures of old human military volunteers whose minds are transferred to younger, genetically modified body, Scalzi is a highly inventive writer who creates some elaborate and powerful scenarios.  While he has written some very compelling science fiction series, I best know Scalzi from his standalone books where he and turns some outrageous ideas into wonderful tales of humanity.  My favourite is Redshirts, a fantastic and very clever Star Trek parody that imagines life aboard an Enterprise-esque ship from the point of view of the expendable lower-decks crew.  I also had a ton of fun with Scalzi’s 2022 novel, The Kaiju Preservation Society, which showcased the intriguing adventures of an organisation dedicated to preserving kaiju in a parallel universe.  All these books were very fun, which is why I made sure to grab a copy of the 2023 release, Starter Villian, which had a great plot behind it.


Plot Synopsis:

Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyperintelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.


This was a highly entertaining novel from Scalzi, who provides his own unique take on supervillains in all the best ways.  Starting off with a very comical funeral scene, Starter Villain only gets better from there as the protagonist, Charlie, finds his life unexpectantly changed when he inherits his uncle’s supervillain business and associated wealth.  Scalzi provides a fantastic introduction to the unique new world of super science and sinister business practices, and you are soon caught up in Charlie’s unlikely rise to the top.  The first half of the book is loaded with intriguing scenes as Scalzi lets his imagination run wild, and you have a fantastic time learning about sentient cats, crude talking dolphins constantly going on strike, and the other unlikely inventions and people that now make up Charlie’s life.  This compelling introduction to the world works well in setting up the second half of the story, as Charlie meets a cabal of similar uber-rich supervillains who all seek to exploit him.  When a series of events outside of his control force him into a battle of survival against these supervillains, Charlie needs all his new allies and his own unique ideas to win the day, even if victory isn’t quite what he imagined.

Starter Villain was such a lovely and impressive read, and I loved seeing Scalzi utilise his humour into something more terrestrial, yet still out of this world.  Featuring the author’s typical fast pace, Starter Villain hits the ground running and throws you right into the middle of Scalzi’s fantastic and memorable ideas.  The resulting story is clever, addictive, and features some amazing twists, all of which is very awesome to see unfold.  While there is a lot of mad science, Scalzi does try to ground the supervillain antics, and I loved the author’s thoughts on how such an organisation could exist in the modern world and what sort of nefarious actions they would participate in.  Naturally this means corporations and the uber-wealthy, which is depressingly accurate if you consider recent events, although this does mean that the antagonists are very easy to dislike and entirely unredeemable.  The author loads in so much clever humour around the general supervillain scenario, and I loved the fantastic jokes about the profession, the inventions that are being created, and the unusual ways they stay in power.  A lot of jokes about supervillains also provide some excellent commentary on current society, which cynical people like me will enjoy (a joke about a potential Australian recruit to the supervillain cabal hit close to home, which was just perfect).  This is a hilarious and well-put together read that expertly showcases the author’s inventive spirit.

I also want to mention the fantastic range of complex and eccentric characters featured throughout Starter Villain, who helped to make the story even more unique and funny.  Most of the book’s focus goes around the protagonist, Charlie, who finds himself thrust into a new world of dangerous rich elites and supervillain logic.  Charlie proves to be a great central figure for Starter Villain’s plot, mainly because he plays a great everyman character whose reaction to the narrative’s crazy events mirrors that of the reader.  While slightly bland compared to the other outrageous characters, Charlie does experience some excellent growth, especially as he learns to take responsibility and to appreciate the life he has.  I also enjoyed how Charlie, despite being new to the supervillain lifestyle, was able to work out solutions to his organisation’s big problems often by being his typical thoughtful self.  The rest of the characters in Starter Villain are all allowed to go wild due to having Charlie as the perspective protagonist, and I loved the array of talking dolphins, unusual scientists, murderous goons and rich manipulators that Charlie had to either work with or overcome.  My favourite figures were easily the highly intelligent sentient cats, who really run the company and who have been manipulating Charlie his whole life.  Scalzi has a lot of fun showcasing the cunning cats in charge, and I felt this whole awesome crew of characters helped to turn Starter Villain into an extremely fun read.

Overall, Starter Villain was an amazing read from John Scalzi that proves impossible not to love.  Featuring the author’s infectious humour and love for inventive scenarios, Starter Villain was such a great book, and I deeply enjoyed the author’s take on supervillain fiction.  Clever, unique and so much fun, Starter Villian is an exceptional read, and I really wish I had written a review for it sooner.  I will have to pick up my Scalzi game in the future, and not only have I got a copy of Old Man’s War to read at home, but I am eagerly awaiting his next book, When the Moon Hits Your Eye, which features a very, very interesting sounding story about the moon literally transforming into cheese, an idea I have so much love for and cannot wait to check out.

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