Tag: Sci-Fi

Waiting on Wednesday – 2024 Warhammer 40,000 Books

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday, Warhammer11 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.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I am going to once again dive into my favourite franchise and highlight several Warhammer 40,000 novels still set for release in 2024.

This has been a pretty big year for the iconic Warhammer 40,000 franchise.  The media outside of the tabletop games has been on absolute fire, with massive video games, intense animation, and more, bringing more people into the fandom.  One part of the franchise that has been particularly impressive has been the various novels, short stories and audiobooks that have been released, expanding the lore of the games and other media.  Readers of this blog will know that I have been getting very deep into this extended Warhammer 40,000 fiction in recent years, and I have read so many different books in this fantastic, grim dark setting.

2024 in particular has been great for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, with some very intriguing and unique novels in the setting coming out.  Naturally, I have gone out of my way to check most of these out, with books like Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks, Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward and Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick greatly impressing me.  However, the year is far from over, and there are many more Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in the next couple of months.

Due to how much I’ve been enjoying this franchise lately, I thought I would take the time to highlight some of the most intriguing Warhammer 40,000 novels coming out in the tail end of the year.  There are several particularly cool books on the horizon, and I am honestly planning to read every one of them the moment they come out.  I’ve got five upcoming books featured below, with most of the information on them coming from the Warhammer Community website.  I unfortunately don’t have actual release dates for a couple of these upcoming books, but they are all set to come out before the end of the year.

The first of these books I want to highlight is Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer.  Now, Dominion Genesis is actually out in the next couple of days, however, I figured it was still worth featuring here as it sounds pretty damn cool.

Plot Synopsis:

A Warhammer 40,000 Novel

Gryphonne IV is dead – one of the mightiest forge worlds in the arsenal of the Adeptus Mechanicus, succumbed to the relentless hunger of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Devoured. Lost.

The few magi that survive drift in idleness, robbed of purpose and direction. But there is one who rejects that fate.

READ IT BECAUSE

It’s the gripping tale of an Explorator desperately seeking ancient technologies from humanity’s past as she races against time to restore one of the mightiest forge worlds in the Imperium.

THE STORY

Explorator Talin Sherax seeks ancient and miraculous technologies from humanity’s distant past. When she learns of a fabled relic that could restore all that has been lost, Sherax embarks on a journey, the outcome of which could change everything. Nothing will stand in her way… even if the quest brings her to the brink of heresy.


Dominion Genesis sounds like a very epic novel, and I am looking forward to another intriguing look at the mysterious Adeptus Mechanicus from a new perspective.  Forcing the unique figure of an Explorator, a Adeptus Mechanicus Tech-Priest tasked with finding ancient technology, against the unstoppable force of a ravening Hive Fleet, has a lot of potential, and I am very curious to see how this story turns out.  This will be the second full Warhammer 40,000 novel that Beer has written, with his first book, The King of the Spoil, being one of my top debuts of 2023.  Based on how impressive Beer’s first book turned out, I am very excited for Dominion Genesis, and I have very high hopes for this fantastic novel.

The second upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novel I want to highlight here is the awesome sounding book, Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers.  The sequel to Flowers’ previous novel, Outgunned (one of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels I have read), Above and Beyond is probably the entry on this post that I think has the most potential, and I am very eager to see this series continue.

Plot synopsis:

 When the man responsible for Lucille von Shard’s fame – lowly propagandist Kile Simlex – receives a cryptic message, he is whisked away to join the crusade for which she has become the figurehead. What he finds, however, is not the fighter ace he once knew…

While the details are still a little sparse, I love the sound of Above and Beyond’s plot, primarily because it looks set to bring back the two protagonists from the first book.  The combination of the fearless and slightly suicidal fighter pilot and the inquisitive and thoughtful propaganda expert worked wonders in Outgunned, and I am curious to see how it continues here in the sequel, especially as it sounds like the formerly skilled Lucille von Shard, has lost some of her famed flying ability.  Flowers has shown himself to be a particularly skilled writer, and I am eager to see how Above and Beyond turns out, as frankly this might end up being the best Warhammer book of the year.

The next book that I want to highlight is the interesting and no-doubt lore heavy book, The High Kâhl’s Oath by Gav Thorpe.  The first Warhammer 40,000 novel to really focus on the Leagues of Votann faction (essentially space dwarves), The High Kâhl’s Oath should be a rather unique read for fans of the Black Library.  This foray into Leagues of Votann fiction will be helmed by veteran Warhammer author Gav Thorpe, who has a lot of experience diving into factions across the various Warhammer games.  I am a particular fan of his Last Chancers series (13th Legion and Kill Team), and I’m hoping for another dark and compelling read with The High Kâhl’s Oath.

Plot Synopsis:

Hernkyn Prospect leader Myrtun Dammergot is a member of the Kindred of the Eternal Starforge, and flourishing in this new age of conflict between the Kin and the Imperium, exploiting battles for great personal gain. When a messenger sent from her Kindred’s Hold Ship upends her freewheeling life, she and her companions are thrust into a dangerous venture with high stakes, but a magnificent prize if they succeed. 

I think that The High Kâhl’s Oath is going to be a fascinating and complex Warhammer 40,000 novel which I am quite excited for.  I’m not especially familiar with the Leagues of Votann faction, although they sound like a fun addition to the already crazy Warhammer 40,000 grimdark universe, and I am eager to learn more about them.  Due to this book likely to be quite lore heavy, I can potentially see The High Kâhl’s Oath not working for every reader, although Thorpe has got some substantial experience of highlighting specific factions while still producing great stories (see his dwarf focused Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer).  I am personally really looking forward to The High Kâhl’s Oath, and I cannot wait to see how Thorpe explores these high-tech space faring dwarves.

The fourth novel that I am focusing on here is the recently announced Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer.  The second novel from Fischer after their debut novel Witchbringer, Broken Crusade will see the author dive into one of the most iconic Space Marines Chapter, the highly fanatical and dedicated Black Templars.

Plot Synopsis:

On the fringes of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Black Templars of the Second Dorean Crusade tear through the void to join the crusade fleet on the sands of Tempest – an ancient, storied shrine world. The planet has been assailed by the murderous warbands of the Blood God, and the Black Templars have come to burn it clean of the Ruinous Powers once and for all.

But when a violent warp storm scatters the fleet, the Dauntless Honour is left battered and alone in the void. Besieged by doubt, Castellan Emeric and his brothers must cling to their faith and carve a way to Tempest. For it is there that their battles will truly begin, and the cost of victory may be more than even they are prepared to pay…


Broken Crusade should be another pretty damn awesome Warhammer 40,000 book, and I like the intriguing and dark narrative that Fischer is setting up.  While the Black Templars are a little overused in Warhammer fiction, I think that Broken Crusade is going to show a bit of a different side to them.  The focus on their faith, their isolation, and their sacrifice as they attempt to make their way to the battle on Tempest all has an intriguing harrowing quality, which should make for quite a powerful read.  After how much Fischer impressed me with his complex debut, I am particularly excited for Broken Crusade, and I cannot wait to dive into the psyches of these zealous Space Marines.

The final book I want to highlight in this post was only just announced, but it could end up being one of the top books of 2024 with Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young.  Young is another relatively new Warhammer 40,000 author who impressed me last year with his debut novel Longshot.  His second book will provide an interesting look at a major character in the lore who has been gaining a lot of attention lately, Arcadian Leontus, Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar.

Plot Synopsis:

A saviour pod screams a flaming path through the skies of Fortuna Minor, almost lost amidst the debris that rains down over the arid plains below. The Imperial fleet in orbit is in full retreat, their deployment undone by orkish cunning.

Those lucky enough to make planetfall find the world a false sanctuary – one overrun by Speed Waaaghs!, its population enslaved to build weaponised effigies of the foul ork gods. For the Imperial forces, every hour will be a hopeless fight for survival.

But the man in the saviour pod is Arcadian Leontus – Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar, peerless tactician and mastermind of countless victories. Even stripped of his armies and separated from his loyal steed Konstantin, Leontus has no intention to merely survive this war. He intends to win it.

Leontus: Lord Solar is the latest Black Library novel by Rob Young – a rip-roaring tale about one of the most powerful men in the Imperium fighting a desperate personal battle against endless tides of orks. Stranded on an occupied planet, he must rebuild an army to wrest it back.

This another fun and exciting upcoming Warhammer book that I am think I am going to have a very good time reading.  The plot of Leontus: Lord Solar reminds me a little of the Ciaphas Cain novel, Death or Glory, although I imagine that Young is going to play this book a little more serious and have Leontus engage in a series of strategic battles rather than trying to run away like a certain commissar.  It will be interesting to see how Young portrays Leontus, and I’m hoping that the author really captures the character’s tactical prowess and drive.  This should an action-packed Warhammer novel and I cannot wait to dive into it.

As you can see there are still a ton of really cool Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in final few months of 2024, and I haven’t even mentioned a couple of recent releases I’m still waiting to grab, or any other books that still haven’t been announced.  I think all the above are going to be really fun books to check out, and I love the variety of stories, factions and authors these five novels represent.  This has been such a great year for Warhammer fans, and if you don’t know about this franchise already, you are really missing out.

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick

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

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 6 April 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000: Renegades – Book Two

Length: 14 hours and 17 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare to break the bounds of sensation, desire and treachery in the amazing Warhammer 40,000 novel, Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick, the second book in the fantastic Renegades series.

I have been having a great time with the huge variety of unique and elaborate Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in recent years, and it is always fun to see the impressive reads the franchise is producing.  One of the things I particularly enjoy about the Warhammer 40,000 fiction machine is the way in which it gives new authors the chance to shine, with several talented authors writing their very first book as part of the Warhammer canon.  I have already talked about one particularly good Warhammer 40,000 debut this year with Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward, but another incredible first novel I had the great pleasure of reading was Lord of Excess by new author Rich McCormick.

Lord of Excess was an exceptional book that was released as part of the loosely connected Renegades series that looks at a different band of traitor Space Marines as they make their dark way through the universe.  For example, the first Renegades book, Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks, looked at the nefarious Alpha Legion, and I am sure that future entries will dive into the other traitor legions with some fun stories.  Lord of Excess is the second Renegades book, and it provides the reader with an outstanding and unique story focussed on the ultimate beings of excess, the Emperor’s Children.

At the dawn of the Imperium, the Emperor’s Children were the master of mankind’s most loyal and revered Space Marine Legions, dedicated to the fight for humanity while seeking perfection in all things.  However, during the tumultuous events of the Horus Heresy, the Emperor’s Children followed their Primarch into treachery, and turned against their Emperor, falling into the service of the ruinous powers of Chaos.

Now, millennia later, the Emperor’s Children are a twisted remnant of their former glory.  Scattered into smaller warbands, the Emperor’s Children now only seek pleasure and sensation in hedonistic service to the Chaos God Slaanesh, the lord of obsession and excess.  One such band is the feared and infamous group known as the Adored.  Lead by the tainted Space Marine Xantine, the Adored has ravaged the galaxy for centuries, taking slaves and bringing untold torment, but Xantine has never found what he truly desires, until now.

Suddenly dropped out of the Warp, the Adored find themselves in orbit about the isolated planet of Serrine.  A wealthy and corrupt planet of the Imperium, Serrine has been long cut off from the rest of humanity due to corrupted currents of the Warp.  Sensing the opportunity to carve out a place for himself, Xantine decides to take control of Serrine, and turn it into the perfect society, dedicated to loving him.  However, making true perfection is an impossible task, and Xantine soon finds his rule challenged by both the population of Serrine and those closest to him.  Worse, there are darker forces at work within the bowels of Serrine, and soon the world will be engulfed in perfect destruction.

Lord of Excess was an exceptional and impressive Warhammer 40,000 novel that achieved so very much for the reader.  Featuring a complex and compelling tale of betrayal, deceit and corruption, loaded with fun characters and larger-than-life personalities, Lord of Excess was an entertaining and elaborate read from the very start, and I could not get enough of it.

I really loved the story contained with Lord of Excess, and I find it hard to believe that this was McCormick’s very first novel.  The plot of Lord of Excess is an elaborate and continuous tale of woe and failed ambition as it charts main character, Xantine of the Emperor’s Children, as he attempts to bring perfection to the world of Serrine.  Starting off by introducing Xantine and his renegade Space Marines, you are soon shown the world of Serrine, an isolated and mismanaged Hiveworld with plenty of its own problems, including an uprising from a genestealer cult.  Taking advantage of these chaotic events, an obsessive Xantine leads his mostly apathetic Emperor’s Children to the planet’s surface, telling the locals they are there to save them.  This proves to be an intriguing start, as the reader is shown a battle between two very different group of villains, which is essentially the equivalent of the cenobites from Hellraiser facing off against xenomorphs from Alien (with both sides using a lot of purple).  This fight against the genestealers is a fun first part of the book, and I honestly thought that McCormick was going to stretch that conflict out for the entirety of Lord of Excess.  However, the author instead chooses to cleverly end this conflict about a third of the way through the book, and the rest of the novel goes in some very interesting directions.

Following this introduction, Lord of Excess than goes through a series of time skips, as you follow the unlucky course of Serrine under the “benevolent” rule of the Emperor’s Children.  Each new version of Serrine you see is somehow worse the previous version, and it proves extremely entertaining to watch the inherent downsides of the protagonist’s twisted version of perfection.  The plot cleverly rotates between the machinations of Xantine and his Adored as they fight over the course of their warband, and several intriguing human inhabitants of Serrine, whose reaction to the fate of their planet varies across the emotional spectrum.  The plot goes in some very interesting and entertaining directions, as Xantine finds himself continuously beset by betrayal, mostly of his own making, while many others are driven to extreme lengths by Xantine’s actions, and other malign foes hiding beneath Serrine’s surface.  Things continuously get darker and darker as the plot continues, leading up to a brutal and amusing conclusion.  I loved the various elaborate twists and captivating revelations that McCormick cleverly worked into the plot, and his accompanying character work really helps to sell it.  The book ends on a fantastic note, with devilish and deserved endings for many members of the cast, and the ultimate fates of everyone really reminds you that Lord of Excess is a grimdark book focussing on deranged villains.

McCormick really showcased his effective and powerful writing style in Lord of Excess, and I loved the elaborate and multifaceted book that he ended up creating.  The fantastic story has so many deep elements to it, and it transcends the typical action-focused Warhammer fiction by providing nuanced portrayals of society, human nature, and the impossible search for perfection.  That’s not to say that there isn’t action in Lord of Excess, as McCormick loads the book with multiple over-the-top and entertaining fight sequences that prove hard not to love.  However, he also balances these battles with intriguing character work, long-running elaborate story elements, and complex depictions of intriguing Warhammer features.  The way in which the author cleverly shifts the narrative around several fantastic characters works to create a fun and layered story with many moving parts to it.  I also love how descriptive and visual McCormick got at times.  The author clearly had fun describing the many excesses and mutations of the Adored, and you really got a clear and vivid sense of the twisted nature of the beings involved.  This ended up being such an outstanding read, and McCormick did such a great job bringing his elaborate story to life in the absolute best way.

I felt that Lord of Excess was a pretty awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, that will really appeal to a varied audience.  Established Warhammer fans will love the fantastic depictions of the Emperor’s Children featured within this book, and I love how well McCormick captured the complexities of these renegade Space Marines and the depths to which they have sunk.  While he doesn’t do a full deep dive into the history of the Emperor’s Children, McCormick provides some detailed flashbacks into their past, that Warhammer readers will appreciate, which also providing some good context for new readers.  While this book did spend a lot of time examining the Emperor’s Children, it also featured its own unique and clever narrative, which really utilised the grimdark nature of the wider Warhammer setting to its advantage.  Readers are gifted by a truly complex and intense read, and I felt that Lord of Excess is an amazing example of just how good a Warhammer 40,000 novel can be.  This would be a pretty good entry point for new readers keen to check out the elaborate Warhammer 40,000 fictional universe, especially as you can get an amazing sense of the overall cruel, deadly and often ironic nature of this fantastic overarching setting.

Easily the key strengths of Lord of Excess were the elaborate, distinctive and damaged characters that McCormick centred his story around.  There are some brilliant characters featured in this book, from ancient traitor Space Marines lost in their own obsessions, to the normal inhabitants of Serrine, whose lives are irrevocably turned upside down by the arrival of the Adored.  These elaborate character arcs are very intriguing, and McCormick expertly features them throughout his story, ensuring that the reader becomes intrigued by the fates of these various figures.  The most prominent character is the Adored leader, Xantine.  An ambitious and twisted being, Xantine finds himself drawn to the world of Serrine and sees it as an opportunity to create a perfect world, much like the previous planets the Emperor’s Children called home.  Xantine proves to be an intriguing central figure for the book, especially as you get drawn into his obsession and the disdain of his followers for his vision.  Thanks to the machinations of the daemon S’janth, who shares Xantine’s body, you get some fascinating insights into this character’s mind, and you soon appreciate the depths of his determination to be perfect, which stems from his daddy issues and dark personal history.  I loved seeing how the events of the book were driven with this figures love of perfection, and Xantine proved to be an excellent dark heart to this entire story.

In addition to Xantine, Lord of Excess features several other great characters, all of whom are damaged in fantastic and intriguing ways.  This includes the various members of the Adored, each of whom has their own unique obsessions and focuses.  McCormick really had fun when it came to these corrupted figures, and there are some delightfully over-the-top characters as a result.  These other members of the Adored often come into conflict with Xantine, primarily due to their incompatible obsessions, and I loved the barbed interactions that followed, especially as Xantine both loves and hates his fellow renegades.  While several of these characters stood out, the best one was probably Vavisk.  Vavisk, a Noise Marine, is obsessed with finding the perfect sound, and often finds himself lost in his horrifying music.  However, Vavisk is also Xantine’s closest friend, and the unique bond of brotherhood between these two figures, proves to be a key part of the book, especially as the potential for it to break is always there.

Other major characters include several inhabitants of Serrine who attempt to survive the actions of Xantine.  Due to a creation myth, many people on Serrine initially see Xantine as a destined saviour, and the eventual revelation of his true nature leads to much heartache for them.  These characters provide an outstanding alternative perspective to that of Xantine and the other Adored, and I loved seeing the various reactions to the evil that came to their planet.  Key figures include the young man Arqat, whose rage at the injustices performed against him drives him to some dark places.  The mysterious Cecily founds salvation and escape thanks to the patronage of Xantine, although her loyalty costs her deeply.  While the foppish noble Pierod, seeks to take advantage of the arrival of the Adored, which has blistering ups and downs for him.  I really enjoyed these three human characters, and their unique storylines, some of which were nearly as extensive as Xantine’s, helped to turn Lord of Excess into a particularly brilliant read as you get drawn into their various tales of woe and opportunity.  While Pierod’s story was probably the most entertaining, due to his naked ambition and greed, you honestly connect to all three of them, and it proves fascinating to see where their encounters with the Adored takes them.  McCormick writes some grim and fitting fates for all three of them, and the other humans of Serrine, and seeing the journey they take to get there, is so damn entertaining.

As with most Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoy, I ended up grabbing Lord of Excess on audiobook, which is just the best way to appreciate a piece of Warhammer fiction.  Coming in with a runtime of over 14 hours, the Lord of Excess audiobook is a decent length, but one you can get through quickly once you become caught up in the outstanding plot.  I love how well this format highlighted the epic narrative featured with Lord of Excess, and you get a real sense of the plot’s chaotic delights, unnatural horrors, and devilish figures when they are read out to you.  It helped that the Lord of Excess audiobook was helmed by one of the very best Warhammer 40,000 narrators, Richard Reed.  Reed has been killing it in recent years with his work in Warhammer 40,000 fiction, including The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath, Ruin and Reign by Nate Crowley and Grim Repast by Marc Collins, all of which were greatly enhanced by his impressive voice work.  His work in Lord of Excess is particularly awesome, as he once again produces an impressive range of unique voices to fit the big personalities of the plot.  This includes multiple mutated and utterly corrupted Space Marines, and Reed provides very fitting voices for them, as well as the unlucky humans caught up in their machinations.  The over-the-top story comes out so much better because of Reed’s compelling narration, and I love how effectively he captured the various insane figures.  This amazing voice work turned the Lord of Excess audiobook into something very special, and I had an exceptional time getting through it.

Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick is an absolutely brilliant and amazing piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that I could not get enough of.  Expertly combining elaborate elements of the Warhammer 40,000 canon with a complex narrative and darkly damaged characters, Lord of Excess was so much fun to read, and it proves impossible not to get caught up in this epic debut.  This might be one of the smartest and most compelling pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction release so far in 2024.  A truly outstanding Warhammer 40,000 book from a particularly amazing new author, Lord of Excess comes very highly recommended, and Rich McCormick is an author with big things in his future.

Amazon

Point Nemo by Jeremy Robinson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller5 Comments

Point Nemo Cover

Publisher: Podium Audio (Audiobook – 5 April 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 9 hours and 31 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The always entertaining and intense Jeremy Robinson returns with a compelling and dark science fiction adventure that takes the reader on one hell of a mushroom trip with Point Nemo.

Jeremy Robinson is an intriguing author who has been contributing some exiting and wild books to various genres for nearly 20 years.  Best known for his over-the-top science fiction and horror thrillers, Robinson has written a ton of fantastic books over the years, including his Chess Team, Nemesis Saga and Antarktos Saga series, as well as an awesome collection of standalone novels.  I am mostly familiar with the books in Robinson’s more recent Infinite Timeline connected universe, which feature a huge collection of compelling standalone novels that gradually came together as the series continued.  I had a wonderful time with several entries from this universe, including Tribe, The Dark and Mind Bullet, the latter two of which were amongst my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021.  I have been meaning to read a lot more of Robinson’s books, and I finally got the chance when I grabbed a copy of his latest audiobook, Point Nemo.  Originally a screenplay by Robinson, the author morphed Point Nemo into a complex novel that I really got stuck into.

Alien life has been discovered, and it’s far closer to Earth than we ever realised.  Mission Specialist Julie Rohr, an astrobiologist, has been sent to the International Space Station to study a strange, migratory space dust called xylem that has unusual properties that could benefit all of humanity.  However, despite appearing benign, the xylem is both alive and extremely insidious, causing the International Space Station to fail and crash towards Earth, dragging Julie with it.  The destination of the crash landing is Point Nemo.

Lying in the heart of the South Pacific, Point Nemo is the most remote and desolate place on the entire planet.  Thanks to its strong and isolating currents, Point Nemo is essentially a dead zone, devoid of life or any form of land, which makes it the perfect place for the world governments to crash their satellites.  However, that is no longer the case, as a mysterious island has begun growing in the middle of Point Nemo without anyone knowing.  Worse, the island appears to be made up of xylem, and it has begun moving towards inhabited waters.

Determined to investigate this mysterious occurrence and rescue Julie and her research, the US government sends in a small team to find her.  Among the team is Julie’s estranged father, renowned mycologist Dr Finn Maddern, who journeys from his isolation in the Amazon rainforest to save his daughter.  However, that might prove to be harder than expected as the xylem-forged island is swiftly evolving, becoming ever more dangerous and giving birth to an array of strange and terrifying creatures.  As the team begins to suffer tragic loses, it quickly becomes apparent that the island has hostile intentions for all of humanity, and if it escapes Point Nemo, it could destroy all life on the planet.  Can Julie and her father find the secrets of the alien island before its too late, or will they end up food for the malicious life forms coming for all of humanity?

Jeremy Robinson produces another high intensity, clever, and exciting read that had me hooked the entire way through.  Point Nemo was a very impressive science fiction thriller that make excellent use of the author’s intriguing story concept to create an intriguing and haunting story.

Point Nemo had an outstanding and epic narrative behind it that is heavy on the action, intriguing science fiction elements, and just a bit of body horror, which allows for an intense and fast-paced read.  Starting off with a few explosive space station crashes, and never slowing down from there, Point Nemo grabbed my attention very early on, and I liked the unique scenarios that Robinson kept introducing to the plot.  There is a fast but comprehensive introduction to the various key players to the story, including primary protagonist and point of view character, Dr Finn Maddern, a literal jungle-man scientist who joins to the team to save his daughter.  The protagonists are soon dropped onto the mysterious island, where they quickly begin to understand the unique makeup of the island, and the unusual biological processes going on.  I felt the first half of this book was very strong, and while it loses a little of its storytelling punch due to the need to introduce the scenario, it was still extremely gripping.

The second half of Point Nemo is where things really pick up, as Robinson begins to unleash the full horror of the island the protagonists find themselves trapped on.  There are some gruesome deaths, insane action sequences, and some very dark moments, as the protagonists begin to understand the full horror of the quickly evolving alien island, and desperately try to find a way to either escape or stop the island from destroying the world.  This leads up to a very desperate and compelling conclusion, as the protagonists risk everything to save the day, only to encounter tragedy and more and more deadly alien creatures.  The various action sequences littering the second half of the Point Nemo were exceptional and I really liked the sheer tension that Robinson was able inject into the book at times, especially in the final, extended struggle.  I cannot emphasise how captivating and exciting this second half of Point Nemo was, and I powered through it so damn quickly.  Robinson ends everything on an interesting note that potentially hints at a sequel to come, and I look forward to seeing how he might expand on this fantastic narrative in the future.

Robinson has a very fun and distinctive style for his novels which he reuses again for Point Nemo.  Told pretty much exclusively from the first-person perspective of his excellent and compelling protagonists Finn Maddern, the reader is quickly thrust into the action while also being treated to some very relatable insights from his protagonist.  As is typical with a Robinson book, Point Nemo moves very fast and is very explosive at time, with the protagonists quickly falling in line with the adventure into the unusual scenario.  This book did feel a little overly cinematic at times, probably because that this novel was originally a screenplay, but Robinson has done an outstanding job of fleshing out his original concept into a complete and complex book.  Readers unfamiliar with Robinson’s style might not fully appreciate the more casual dialogue and character traits that he utilises, but I think it works extremely well, especially as there is a lot of fun humour and realistic reactions spread out here.

All the protagonists are very relatable and human in their portrayal, and I found myself getting attached to those that survived.  Even those who die due to their own mistakes are quite easy to understand (to a degree, one character’s death was very frustrating), as they have very human traits of stubbornness and pride.  Protagonist Finn Maddern was easily the standout of the book, and while his brilliance and humour are typical Robinson protagonist traits, you have to love his jungle scientist background, especially as it sets him up very nicely as a protagonist for this book without turning him into an impossible action hero.  Finn’s central perspective for the vast majority of the story is very easy to follow, and Robinson builds him up as quite a complex figure with a powerful past thanks to his first-person narration.  The author does switch up the perspective of Point Nemo at times, especially towards the end, and this proves to be quite an effective writing move at times, as it really shows how serious and game-changing events are getting.  Point Nemo ended up being a very good standalone book from Robinson, which can be easily enjoyed by any reader looking for a highly thrilling read, although established fans of the author will no doubt appreciate the fun joke references to some of his other works.

I think one of the strongest elements of Point Nemo was the unique science fiction elements that Robinson came up with as the basis for his story.  A mysterious alien spore that crashes satellites, enhances biology, creates a massive, connected living island in the ocean and evolves various crazy alien creatures is an outstanding concept that the author uses to full effect in their narrative.  The author does an excellent job of breaking down the science behind these elements and presenting it to the reader in a compelling way.  There are also some fun dives into mycology, especially as Earth fungi and mushrooms bear some interesting similarities to the alien spores and play a big role in the overall story.  The unique island and its fantastic creatures prove to be an amazing part of the book, and I loved how crazy and over-the-top Robinson made them.  The various dangers and creatures encountered by the protagonists are legitimately scary at times, and Robinson allows them to make his story particularly gruesome at times.  This includes some dark body horror moments that will stick in my mind, and which allows for a particularly shocking narrative that will keep readers very engrossed.  I honestly cannot talk up Robison’s science fiction elements enough, especially as this very inventive story basis allowed for a particularly exciting and captivating narrative.

There are several series and authors out there whose works I would always recommend that potential readers should check out on audiobook.  Jeremy Robinson is one of these, as all the novels of his that I have enjoyed have been in their audiobook format, which were really damn awesome.  This is once again true for Point Nemo, which proved to be an incredible listen.  Coming in with a run time of nine and a half hours, the Point Nemo audiobook was a lot of fun, especially as it enhanced Robinson’s exciting adventure, while also showcasing the intense action in all its gory glory.  It also helped that Point Nemo was narrated by the legendary R. C. Bray, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators.  Robinson and Bray have a great partnership going, with Bray narrating most of the author’s recent books.  Bray has an incredible voice that works extremely well for thrillers and high excitement tales, and any audiobook read by him becomes instantly better.  His tones work wonders in the first-person chapters of Point Nemo, and I loved the deep and likeable tones he assigns to the various characters.  His narration for the main character, Finn Maddern, was particularly good, and Bray really captured the multiple elements of this complex character.  I love how Bray was able to simultaneously bring out Finn’s humour, passion and intensity with his voice work, and you really get drawn into his personal journey as a result.  Due to this voice work, as well as how the story was enhanced by being read out, I would strongly recommend the audiobook format as the best way to enjoy Point Nemo.

Jeremy Robinson continues to show why he is one of the best and most insanely inventive authors of the science fiction thriller.  Point Nemo is an exciting, addictive, and slightly insane read that had me hooked all the way through, especially as Robinson brought out some amazing and impressive science fiction elements to really enhance his action-packed story.  I had such a great time with Point Nemo, especially with its audiobook format with narrator R. C. Bray, who helped to turn this into a five-star read.  I cannot recommend Point Nemo enough, and I look forward to more books from Robison in the future, especially if the audiobooks are as epic as this one was.

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Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer9 Comments

Warhammer 40,000 - Deathworlder Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 23 April 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 11 hours and 1 minute

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Debuting author Victoria Hayward presents one of the year’s most compelling entries to the Warhammer 40,000 canon, with the outstanding and grim novel, Deathworlder.

I have made no bones about how much love I have for Warhammer 40,000 extended fiction, which honestly features some of the very best media tie-in novels currently being written.  One of the things I particularly love about Warhammer fiction is the sheer range of compelling and impressive authors that are adding to the lore and narrative of this universe.  While a good chunk of the novels come from grizzled veteran Warhammer authors, the Black Library has also been cleverly utilising a range of intriguing new writers to offer fresh stories to the franchise, and some of the best books in recent years have been an author’s very first novel.  In 2023 alone there were several outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novels from first time authors, including The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer, Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid, and Longshot by Rob Young, all of which were among my favourite debuts of the year.

2024 also looks set to a be a good year for authors making their debut through Warhammer fiction, especially when it comes to Deathworlder, the very first novel by exciting new author Victoria Hayward.  Featuring a compelling and exciting plot, Deathworlder has been on my radar for a while, and I ended up grabbing Deathworlder on audiobook as soon as I could.

There are many dangerous foes and deadly enemies stalking the galaxy in the far future, but none are as insidious, destructive and terrifying as the alien menace, the tyranids.  Made up of innumerable biological lifeforms, the tyranids traverse the galaxy, devouring entire planets and adding it to their biomass.  Hundreds of former human planets have fallen to the hivefleets of the tyranids, and the next world to be consumed is the planet of Lazulai.

Once a magnificent planet of beauty and rich resources, Lazulai is currently on the brink of destruction.  The armies of humanity were unable to hold back the invading tyranid hordes, and now the planet has begun to change as it is devoured by the alien lifeforms covering its surface.  Only a few small pockets of resistance remain, including the 903rd Catachan Night Shrikes, who garrison one of the last fortresses still standing.  However, hope remains in the most unlikely of places.

Receiving intelligence about a mysterious piece of archeotech that may hold the key for saving the entire system, Major Wulf Khan is given one final mission to retrieve the technology.  Leading a small mixed squad, Major Khan must use all the innate Catachan skills of infiltration and survival in extreme environments to lead her soldiers through the alien jungles that have sprouted up in the wake of the tyranid advance.  However, while the Catachans might be the best jungle fighters humanity has to offer, they are facing off against an unstoppable foe, capable of adapting to the greatest of obstacles.  Can Khan and her Catachans prove they are the deadliest survivors in the galaxy or will the tyranid horde consume them alongside the last remnants of Lazulai?

Deathworlder was a particularly dark and intense Warhammer 40,000 novel that grabbed my attention from the very beginning.  Hayward came up with a wonderful story that expertly highlighted the opposing Warhammer factions while also making full use of some very strong character work to tell an emotionally charged narrative.

I really liked how Deathworlder’s story unfolded as it proved to be a gritty, character-driven tale of survival.  Starting off by expertly showing the end of the planet setting and the despair being felt by the various protagonists, the story quickly moves along into the main quest, with the Catachan protagonist, Major Wulf Khan, leading a small squad of troops out to recover valuable technology before the planet dies.  The story is primarily split between the perspectives of Khan and the Cadian Lieutenant Kaede Anditz, who joins the squad as a guide towards their final objective.  This leads to an intriguing first half of the book, as the eclectic squadron of protagonists begins their trek towards the objective.  There are some dark and grim moments here, especially as large chunks of the protagonist’s comrades get killed in the lead-up to their mission, and the reader is soon engulfed in the horrifying early stages of the destruction of the planet.

The second half of Deathworlder only gets darker, as the protagonists encounter more and more obstacles on their quest.  I really appreciated how Hayward focused on the alien and human monsters that the protagonists are forced to deal with, and the author ensures that emotions are constantly running hot as the characters encounter worse and worse things.  A particularly powerful moment splits the perspectives of the book even further, while also leading to some very dark experiences.  There are some excellent action set pieces, compelling character moments, and dark examinations of humanity on the edge, through this part of the book, and I honestly found it impossible to put Deathworlder down at times as a result.  Everything leads up to the final sequence as the protagonists encounter even darker surprises and revelations as they attempt to survive.  There are several exceedingly tense moments where you are constantly left wondering if any of the protagonists are going to make it, and I loved how desperate things got.  Hayward ends everything on an intriguing note, and readers will come away very moved by how this great narrative came together.

I felt that Hayward had a great dark tone for Deathworlder that really showcases just how deadly and hopeless parts of the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be.  The focus on characters who had already accepted that they were going to die, as well as the terrible changes that a loss in this universe can result in, gave a particularly intense edge to the book, which I felt made helped it really stand out.  Things get quite dark in Deathworlder, as Hayward really wanted to highlight the terrors of the tyranid, and I honestly got a major horror vibe at times, especially when it came to some particularly gruesome deaths (the field of stuck soldiers still makes me shudder).  While there is plenty of action, tragedy and lore dumps, I felt that the author’s decision to really focus on the book’s unique characters and camaraderie was very clever, and I became really invested due to the exceptional character work.  Deathworlder also proved to be a very strong addition to the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, and Hayward ensures that there is plenty of appeal for both established fans and new readers.  Indeed, I felt that Deathworlder would be a very good entry point into the larger fiction surrounding the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, especially as Hayward’s fresh writing shows just how complex a novel set in this grimdark universe can be.

While Deathworlder would be a good entry point for new readers, established Warhammer 40,000 fans will also get quite a lot out of this book, especially as Hayward expertly highlights two exceptional factions, the Catachans and the tyranids.

Essentially an army of Rambos, the Catachans have been a fan favourite regiment for ages and are always a great inclusion to any narrative.  I have read a few books around the Catachans, including Catachan Devil by Justin Woolley.  These novels, while fun, always tend to focus on the more stereotypical aspects of the Catachans: muscles, jungle craft and big knives.  However, Hayward takes a bit more of nuanced look at the Catachans in Deathworlder, showing them to be a complicated group of soldiers who fall back on the hard-talking jungle killer personas when the going gets tough.  While one very fun character does live up to the stereotype, primarily for comedic effect, for the most part the Catachans are shown as practical survivors, who in this book, are at the end of their tethers.  As such, you see a much more compelling side to the Catachans, and it was fascinating to see how complex the members of the regiment are, as well as how damaged they are by the constant fighting and slaughter.  The author’s use of alternative perspectives allows the readers to see the Catachans in various lights, both from within their own minds, and through the eyes of the Cadian Lieutenant Kaede Anditz, who grows to respect their culture and methods as the book continues.  I really appreciated this more realistic and grounded look at the Catachans in Deathworlder, and Hayward really showcased her ability to portray an iconic human regiment.

While the Catachans get a lot of the focus, you also really need to highlight the tyranids in Deathworlder, who serve as an outstanding antagonist.  While I have enjoyed a few great books where the tyranids were terrifying monsters, including Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Leviathan by Darius Hinks and Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell, Deathworlder might be one of the best portrayals of the tyranids that I have so far read.  That is primarily because Hayward’s story is set on a world already being devoured by the tyranids.  The resulting scenes of destruction, despair and digestion prove to be quite horrific, and few writers have really captured just how disturbing this scenario would be.  I felt the various scenes where the protagonists, who themselves are being slowly digested by falling spores, encounter the continuous horrors of the dying world, were so damn good.  The human experience with these horrors is a key part of Deathworlders appeal, and the despairing reactions from both the hardened soldier protagonists, as well as civilians they encounter along the way, really sells just how horrifying the situation truly is.  Even the more typical tyranid threat is well represented in Deathworlder.  The author really captures the fear associated with hordes of ravenous, chitinous aliens as they overrun simple soldiers.  While the tyranids are occasionally depowered by the protagonist’s plot armour, for the most part they are outstanding monsters, and the constant threat they could suddenly represent, proves to be a fantastic part of the novel.  As such, fans who love tyranids are in for a real treat with Deathworlder, and seldom are they a better monstrous villain than in this book.

I cannot write my review of Deathworlder without once again mentioning the impressive characters featured within this book.  Hayward excelled at introducing and exploring complex and damaged protagonists, and their very human, very determined actions, prove to be the true heart and soul of the narrative.  You go through a lot with these characters, and their overwhelming humanity in the face of continuous horrors and loss makes for a very powerful read.  There are some great characters here, including main protagonist Major Wulf Khan, a grizzled Catachan fighter who finds her desire to complete the mission constantly challenged by the losses of those around her.  Her trusted orderly, Sergeant Rutger Haruto, proves to be an excellent backup, especially as his constant curiosity and sensible nature helps to keep his commander in check.  Alternate point-of-view character Lieutenant Kaede Anditz is another excellent addition to the cast, and I think that his unique perspective of the Catachans he suddenly finds himself serving with ensured that their compelling portrayal in Deathworlder really came through.  Anditz is also going through a lot of trauma, especially after witnessing the slaughter of every Cadian soldier on Lazulai, and Hayward really ensures that his guilt and horror really shine through in his chapters.

While the characters above are great, my favourite was probably Trooper Falke Adair.  A muscled Catachan with a heavy flamer, Adair is essentially a walking Catachan stereotype, something she really acts up as the book continues.  Crass, disrespectful and always looking for a fight, Adair steals any scene she becomes a part of, and her over-the-top mannerisms and actions are very entertaining.  However, as the book continues, and characters, particularly Anditz, get closer to her, you see that much of her bravado is a front, and she proves to be one of the most complex figures in the entire novel.

I also must highlight the brilliant character of Lamya.  A Genestealer Cult propagandist, Lamya is captured at the start of the novel and dragged along by the squad for her knowledge.  An arrogant and slightly unhinged noble turned tyranid-worshipping stooge, Lamya plays off the other characters perfectly, and her distain for those around her is so much fun.  However, the more they traverse Lazulai, the more Lamya comes face to face with the horrors that her cult helped to bring to her planet.  Caught between her own beliefs and the horrors she witnesses, Lamya goes quite insane as the book continues, while also providing some of the most compelling perspective of events in the entire novel.  Throw in a scheming Tech Priest and a silent Catachan sniper, and this proves to be an outstanding cast of main characters that you really grow attached to as you watch their intense personal and physical journey.

Unsurprisingly, I chose to check out Deathworlder on audiobook, which is just the best way to enjoy a Warhammer novel.  This was very much the case with Deathworlder, and I loved how effectively and vividly the story came across as it was being read out to me.  The exciting action, captivating characters, and horrendous horrors of the narrative really came to life, especially when read out by talented narrator Gabrielle Nellis-Pain, whose work on The King of the Spoil audiobook last year was very fun.  Nellis-Pain did another outstanding job with Deathworlder, and I love how effectively she told Hayward’s elaborate story.  I particularly enjoyed the excellent voices she gifted to the various characters within Deathworlder, and she very effectively captured the cool protagonists in all their martial glory.  This was particularly true for the over-the-top Catachan protagonists, and you could really visualise the muscular characters as she narrated.  Nellis-Pain also ensured that appropriate alternate accents were given to characters from other human factions, such as the Cadians or the Adeptus Mechanicus, and I particularly enjoyed how well the narrator expressed the mechanical nature of the latter.  I honestly believe that this book wouldn’t have been as impactful if I had physically read it, and I strongly recommend the audiobook version as a result.  Coming in with a run time of 11 hours, Deathworlder was so much fun to listen to, and you can power through it in no time at all.

With her very first novel, Deathworlder, debuting author Victoria Hayward shows she is a writing force to be a reckoned with, especially when it comes to Warhammer fiction.  Deathworlder was an outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel that features a truly dark and intense narrative, loaded with great characters and compelling depictions of Warhammer universe.  An exceptional read from start to finish, I cannot talk this novel up enough, and I am really intrigued to see how Hayward follows up her amazing debut.

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Quick Review – Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Quick Review, Science Fiction7 Comments

Alien Clay Cover

Publisher: Tor (Audiobook – 28 March 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 13 hours and 55 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to dominate the science fiction genre with his intriguing new novel, Alien Clay, an awesome read that blends high-concept science with a fantastic and insightful look at human nature.

Chronic overachiever Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author who is swiftly becoming one of my favourite science fiction and fantasy writers.  A master of complex and highly inventive fiction, Tchaikovsky has deeply impressed me in recent years with some of his outstanding works, including Day of Ascension (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), the novella Ogres, City of Last Chances (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2023) and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books of 2023).  Due to how awesome these recent books have been, I have been keeping a close eye on Tchaikovsky’s upcoming releases, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he had four books coming out in 2024, including three science fiction reads and a cool fantasy release.  The first out this year is the fantastic novel, Alien Clay, which saw a group of convicts deal with unnatural issues inside and outside their prison complex on a hostile alien world.

Plot Synopsis:

They travelled into the unknown and left themselves behind . . .

On the distant world of Kiln lie the ruins of an alien civilization. It’s the greatest discovery in humanity’s spacefaring history – yet who were its builders and where did they go?

Professor Arton Daghdev had always wanted to study alien life up close. Then his wishes become a reality in the worst way. His political activism sees him exiled from Earth to Kiln’s extrasolar labour camp. There, he’s condemned to work under an alien sky until he dies.

Kiln boasts a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem like nothing seen on Earth. The monstrous alien life interacts in surprising, sometimes shocking ways with the human body, so Arton will risk death on a daily basis. However, the camp’s oppressive regime might just kill him first. If Arton can somehow escape both fates, the world of Kiln holds a wondrous, terrible secret. It will redefine life and intelligence as he knows it, and might just set him free . . .


Alien Clay was another awesome and complex read from Tchaikovsky that combined his trademark love of high-concept science fiction, with cynical examinations of human nature and society.  Set in a dark future where a tyrannical government places intense doctrinal limitations on scientific study, Alien Clay is told from the perspective of Professor Arton Daghdev, an ecologist who has been exiled to the Kiln labour camp in dramatic fashion due to his radical scientific and political thoughts.  Initially employed as a lab assistant researching the highly unusual biology and apparent extinct intelligent life on Kiln, Arton walks the thin line between rebel and survivor.  However, his actions soon lead to him to be forced to explore the planet’s surface, and the changes wrought by the alien biology outside will have a profound effect on everyone left on Kiln.

This proved to be another excellent standalone novel from Tchaikovsky, and you must appreciate his ability to craft another unique setting and set up a compelling narrative within it.  The alien planet the narrative is set around is loaded with unusual biological life that bonds with both itself and the human invaders in a very memorable manner, and I loved how weird things got at times.  Tchaikovsky blends the story of the protagonist attempting to survive on the planet, with an intriguing focus around political ideology, revolution, and scientific freedom of the future human society.  As such, Alien Clay turns into a mixture of science fiction adventure and a political dystopian thriller, as the protagonist is forced to navigate both to survive.  These elements are explored in immense detail by the author, and I loved how effortlessly he brings the unique future to life while also layering in some subtle critiques and observations about our own current society and where it is possibly going.

Tchaikovsky did a great job of showcasing all the unique features of Alien Clay through the eyes and mind of his protagonist, who is the position to understand all the science, politics, and social elements of the setting.  Loaded with a tragic and complex backstory, Arton proves to be a compelling and relatable protagonist to follow.  Forced to overcome the enforced conflicts of his society, the shock at being trapped on an alien world, his stymied scientific curiosity, and so many more setbacks, Arton attempts to find solace in the groundbreaking biology of Kiln.  However, when his plans for Kiln go out the window, thanks to the fantastically villainous warden of the prison camp, Arton and a group of other entertaining and compelling prisoners find out just how alive Kiln can be.  Tchaikovsky does an excellent job of combining various story elements, including the adventures on Kiln, Arton’s personal rebellious history, and all manner of scientific weirdness, into a single cohesive narrative, and the resulting explosive plot goes in some very interesting directions.  The author keeps the tension and intrigue up for as long as he can, including through cleverly skipping a key part of the story and only featuring it later through flashbacks.  The ending of the book is very Tchaikovsky and makes excellent use of his scientific and social observations and messaging.

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Alien Clay, which proved to be a very enjoyable and interesting experience.  The audiobook, which had a run time of just under 14 hours, did a great job of telling Tchaikovsky’s complex story, and I appreciated how the story was presented in this format.  The unique and intriguing ideas from Tchaikovsky, both scientific and political in nature, really come across more effectively in this format, and I felt that I understood the many nuanced themes and messages that Tchaikovsky was trying to impart with his story a little better.  I also really enjoyed the narration featured in the Alien Clay as narrator Ben Allen proved to be an excellent addition to the production.  Allen did an amazing job capturing the complex figures with Alien Clay, and his compelling tones really helped to convey all the weird science and alien creatures that the protagonist encountered, as well as the intense personal issues surrounding the protagonist and his companions.  I honestly really enjoyed the Alien Clay audiobook, and I felt that this was a really great way to enjoy this compelling story.  There is also a fun interview between Allen and Tchaikovsky at the end, that will definitely appeal to fans of the author.

Overall, Alien Clay was a clever and unique science fiction novel that I had a fantastic time listening to.  Blending Adrian Tchaikovsky’s brilliant imagination and ability to tell a compelling and complex story, Alien Clay had me hooked the entire way through, and I loved how inventive and scientifically crazy the story got at times.  I am hoping to get to Tchaikovsky’s second novel of the year, Service Model, soon, and I have no doubt it is also going to be an outstanding read.

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Alien Clay Cover 2

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Pliable Truths by Dayton Ward

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Tie-in Novel3 Comments

Star Trek - Pliable Truths Cover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (Audiobook – 21 May 2024)

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Length: 11 hours

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Leading Star Trek author Dayton Ward presents a compelling new tie-in novel that bridges the gap between two of the franchise’s most iconic shows in the outstanding and impressive Pliable Truths.

I have mentioned a few times on this blog that Star Trek extended fiction is amongst some of the richest and most comprehensive of all the assembled tie-in fiction.  There are hundreds of intriguing novels that expand on the universe introduced in the television series and movies, all of which are highly fascinating, especially for fans of the various shows.  While I haven’t explored Star Trek extended fiction as much as some other franchises out there, I have had the pleasure of reading several outstanding books, with some of my favourites including The Captain’s Oath by Christopher L. Bennett, The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack and Die Standing by John Jackson Miller.  Due to my enjoyment of these previous books, I keep an eye out for new Star Trek releases, and I was very intrigued when I saw that Dayton Ward had released a new book, Pliable Truths.

Dayton Ward is well-known science fiction author who has made a name for himself creating tie-in fiction for several different franchises.  Ward’s most comprehensive work involves writing Star Trek novels, with the author writing an intriguing collection of different Star Trek books connected to different series.  I have read a couple of Ward’s books in recent years, including The Next Generation novel, Available Light, and the Original Series novel, Agents of Influence.  These previous books from Ward both proved to be very impressive, and I had a great time reading them.  As such, when I saw that Pliable Truths was written by Ward, I knew it was going to be another fantastic read, especially as the author has a lot of experience writing fiction for the various Star Trek series, periods and timelines.  This latest novel, Pliable Truths, while ostensibly tied-into The Next Generation series, also serves as a compelling bridging novel between the events of The Next Generation and its spin-off series, Deep Space Nine.

Following a tumultuous series of events, Starfleet has managed to thwart a planned invasion of a Federation system by the Cardassians.  Thrown into political disarray by their military defeat, the Cardassian civilian government has acceded to Starfleet demands and ordered the withdrawal from the occupied planet of Bajor.  Long enslaved by the Cardassians, the Bajorans are determined to once again rule themselves, but they first reluctantly require the assistance of the Federation.

To ensure a peaceful transition of power to the new Bajoran government, Starfleet orders Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise to the Bajor to oversee negotiations between the Bajorans and the Cardassians.  Still recovering from his own recent trauma suffered at the hands of a Cardassians torturer, Picard is unsure if he is ready to fairly arbitrate the question of recompense and justice.  But with no other choice, Picard travels to the massive Cardassian space station orbiting Bajor, Terok Nor.

Attempting to stay neutral and calm, Picard soon finds his patience tested by the disruptive tactics of the Cardassians, as they seek to gain advantage from the chaos surrounding the withdraw.  The situation looks to become even more complicated when Ensign Ro Laren receives a message from a long-missing friend, exposing deadly secrets from inside Cardassian space.  Forced to balance the needs of the Bajorans with a desire to stop a new war erupting between the Federation and the Cardassians, Picard will need to utilise all his diplomatic skills to salvage the situation.  But can even Picard remain calm when he comes face to the face with the man responsible for his recent torture?

Dayton Ward continues to showcase why he is one of the top authors of Star Trek fiction with this compelling and intriguing read.  Serving as a brilliant bridge between two key shows, Pliable Truths has an outstanding story behind it that does an amazing job diving into the iconic lore and characters of the Star Trek universe.

Pliable Truths had a great narrative behind it that sought to simultaneously fill in certain gaps between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, while also producing a standalone narrative that proved quite intriguing to get into.  Set between the events of The Next Generation episode Chain of Command and the first episode of Deep Space Nine, Pliable Truth’s main story primarily follows The Next Generation cast, as well as several of the best characters from Deep Space Nine, as they attempt to help Bajor adapt to its independence.  At the same time, a separate storyline follows a group of Bajoran labours working at a Cardassian prison camp, whose freedom is threatened by the dark secrets surrounding the camp.  I very much enjoyed how both storylines unfolded, as the Cardassian labour camp part of the narrative is quite intense and focuses on a raft of intriguing new characters engaged in a game of cat and mouse, as the prisoners try to work out why they are still imprisoned and how they can save themselves.  At the same time, the storyline around the Enterprise crew and Bajor focuses on the attempts to rebuilt Bajor and the future Deep Space Nine space station, as well as the ongoing negotiations between the Cardassians and the Bajorans, moderated by Picard.

This main storyline with the established characters of the two series proves to be an entertaining and enjoyable experience, especially as Ward works in so many references and key characters.  The unique interactions between the characters from both shows, most of whom never shared screentime, is very fun, and Ward does a great job playing up both the emotional and entertainment value of these interactions.  However, the heart of this story revolves around Picard as he comes face to face with the Cardassians after the events of Chain of Command where he was tortured (“There are four lights!”).  This proves to be an emotionally charged part of the story, especially when Picard is required to deal with his former torturer Gul Madred.  As Picard is forced to deal with his trauma, his crew encounter a series of complications and sabotages they need to overcome to save the station and the planet.

Both storylines come together extremely well as Pliable Truths nears its end, and I liked how well Ward balanced these separate narrative threads.  The darker moments of the Cardassian prison planet serves as an interesting contrast to the fanservice taking place in the main storyline, and I think this combination of storylines made for quite a distinctive narrative that stood on its own.  Ward brings a certain amount of tragedy to the end of Pliable Truths, which helped to enhance some of the more positive moments of the story, including Picard regaining his confidence, and the potentially bright future for Bajor.  All the main story elements get wrapped up satisfactorily, and I liked some of the entertaining twists that Ward through in there.  An overall impressive story and one that will appeal to a lot of Star Trek fans, Pliable Truths was a great read that I couldn’t get enough of.

Now this proved to be a very interesting Star Trek novel which is primarily going to appeal to fans of the franchise.  Ward, who knows more than most about Star Trek, does a wonderful job turning Pliable Truths into a compelling bridging novel between the two key series.  Showcasing the events that lead to the Federation having a presence on Deep Space Nine and the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor, Pliable Truth fills in a lot of the gaps between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.  There is a lot of detail covered here in Pliable Truths as result, and I really enjoyed Ward’s take on the story and how the intervening events likely unfolded.  As a fan of both shows, I found this to be very cool, especially as Ward layers in a ton of clever and intricate references that fans of both shows, especially Deep Space Nine, will really appreciate.  Things like Riker’s legendary win at Quarks, the early machinations of Garak, the reasons behind O’Brien’s decision to stay at the station, and more are all featured here, and Ward obviously had fun including them in his story.  Ward also takes the time to cover the various atrocities of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, which is referenced a lot in the shows, and which becomes a key part of this plot.  Discussing the various horrors committed by the Cardassians adds a darker tinge to much of the plot, and the obviously parallels to real-life occupations, ensure the reader comes away very thoughtful.  As such, Pliable Truths really is geared towards existing Star Trek fans, although I’m sure casual readers can probably have fun with this book, especially if they have watched some of Deep Space Nine.

One of the best parts of Pliable Truths was the excellent way in which Ward presented several iconic Star Trek characters and utilised them in the plot.  All of the key characters from The Next Generation were very strongly featured in Pliable Truths to various degrees, and even a few minor recurring characters had major showings in this book.  Each of them is featured in a manner very similar to how they appeared in the show, which I deeply appreciated, and it is a testament to Ward’s abilities as an author that he made them feel very realistic here.  The most prominent of these is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who has the most compelling storyline in the entire novel.  Picard, who in the story recently suffered from immense torture during the Chain of Command episodes, is shown to still be in mental recovery during this book, especially as his latest ordeal compounds various other traumatic experiences Picard has suffered over the years.  As such, much of this book is dedicated to Picard facing his Cardassian-related demons, which becomes the emotional heart of the story.  This becomes especially true when Picard’s former torturer appears, and their resulting scenes together are some of the strongest in the books.

Aside from The Next Generation cast, quite a lot of Pliable Truths is spent focusing on several intriguing figures who would go on to become main characters in the Deep Space Nine series.  Ward does a great job setting the scene for them to enter the plot of the new show, and I liked the way in which the author bridged the gaps between their first appearances on Deep Space Nine and their established backstories.  The includes focusing on Miles O’Brien and examining the reasons why he chose to leave the Enterprise and become an engineer on the station.  Quark and Odo get several fun sequences, Deep Space Nine antagonist Gul Dukat gets to menace around in all his arrogant glory, while Major Kira has an extended sequence with her badass abilities on full display.  However, my favourite character appearance was the always entertaining Elim Garak.  The “former” Cardassian spy turned “simple” tailor, Garak has some great moments in Pliable Truths as he starts to come to terms with his exile, as well as the growing fortunes of his former comrades/rivals.  Ward does an outstanding job capturing the hilarious nature of Garak and his cutting remarks, and he proved to be a fantastic figure in Pliable Truths, especially with his final hilarious, if sinister, scene.  I loved seeing earlier versions of several key Deep Space Nine characters in this story, especially as they also have unique interactions with their The Next Generation counterparts, and any fan of the show will have a wonderful time seeing them in action here.

As with most pieces of tie-in fiction I enjoy, I ended up listening to Pliable Truths on audiobook, which proved to be an excellent experience.  I personally find that the Star Trek books come across extremely well in this format, and at times it almost feels like you are watching one of the television shows.  A lot of this is due to the excellent narration of Robert Petkoff, who has lent his voice to many Star Trek audiobooks over the years.  One of my favourite audiobook narrators, Petkoff is well known for his ability to replicate the voices of many of the characters from the Star Trek franchise, especially the original series.  His work in Pliable Truths is pretty damn epic, especially as he brings so many classic characters to life with his great impersonations.  I felt that his versions of many of the Next Generation cast members, particularly Picard, Riker, Worf and Data, came across extremely well in Pliable Truths, and I also liked his take on the various Deep Space Nine characters that appeared, including Odo, Quark and Garak.  In addition to his great take on many of the characters from the show, Petkoff also supplies fitting voices to various new figures who only appear in this book.  In this case, Petkoff takes care to really highlight the species of the relevant character, utilising accents and tones associated with them from the show.   This excellent voice work really helped to drag me into the story, and I had a brilliant time listening to this wonderful audiobook.  Coming in with a run time of 11 hours, this is a very easy audiobook to get through quickly, and I would strongly recommend Pliable Truths in this format.

Pliable Truths was an incredible new Star Trek novel from Dayton Ward that provides fans of the franchise with some great callbacks to two classic television series.  Featuring a fantastic story and great interpretations of so many amazing characters, I had a wonderful time listening to Pliable Truths and it was one of the better audiobooks I have so far listened to in 2024.

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Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Fantasy and Science Fiction)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction13 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 latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2024.  I am planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, and more, and this one that will focus on upcoming fantasy and science fiction books.

2024 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books (something I will cover in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday), with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away.  However, the year is far from over and there are so many incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2024.  To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to.  I already have a couple of these books in advance, but I think it’s worth including them here, especially as I still need to make time to read them.

I had initially intended to only do a single list featuring all the genres, however, I ended up with way too many awesome upcoming novels on my radar.  So, to fairly feature them all, and to save myself from some hard decisions, I decided to split this post into two separate lists, starting with this one on fantasy and science fiction.  I still had to cut out several impressive upcoming releases, but I was a lot happier with how these lists turned out, especially as I was able to feature so many epic upcoming reads that I am going to have the most fun reading.  Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list.   So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated fantasy and science fiction releases for the second half of 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons – 9 July 2024

The Sky on Fire Cover

An intriguing fantasy heist novel that will see a fugitive girl and her dragon work with a team to break into a heavily guarded vault in a floating dragon castle.

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Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 30 July 2024

Saturation Point Cover

Another unique science fiction read from the highly inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky.

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Good Boys by Jeremy Robinson – 20 August 2024

Good Boy Cover

Jeremy Robinson looks to impress with his second book of 2024, the alien focussed novel, Good Boys.

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Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024

Star Wars - The Glass Abyss Cover

An awesome Star Wars novel that will focus on the legendary Mace Windu.

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Top Ten List:

Deep Black by Miles Cameron – 1 August 2024

Deep Black Cover

The first upcoming book I want to highlight on this list is the excellent science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron.  A sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black will follow a massive interstellar trading ship, known as a Greatship, as it tries to make its treacherous journey home.  Set to combine elaborate science fiction elements with a compelling thriller storyline, Deep Black should be an outstanding read.

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The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey – 6 August 2024

The Mercy of Gods Cover

The masterminds behind The Expanse series return with a bold new book, The Mercy of Gods.  The Mercy of Gods will see vestiges of humanity stolen away by an advanced alien species so that they can compete in elaborate games to become their new master’s favoured race.  This book sounds so damn awesome, especially as it will combine intricate alien political intrigue with some amazing science fiction elements.  Set to introduce the next big science fiction series, The Mercy of Gods is going to be something epic and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of it earlier today.

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The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston – 13 August 2024

The Last Shield Cover

After wowing me with books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston returns in 2024 with another awesome dark fantasy novel, The Last Shield.  Set to be a gender-bent, dark fantasy Die Hard, The Last Shield sounds pretty damn incredible and there is no way I won’t love this book.

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The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry – 20 August 2024

The Dragon in Winter Cover

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, has been having an amazing couple of years across multiple genres.  While I still need to read his science fiction novel from earlier this year, NecroTek, I am particularly excited for his next book, The Dragon in Winter.  The third and final book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, The Dragon in Winter looks set to be one of the absolute best dark fantasy novels of 2024 as the doomed protagonist finally faces off against his nemesis.  The first two books in this series Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), were dark, extremely over-the-top, and excessively addictive, and I cannot wait to see how this dark series concludes.

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A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist – 20 August 2024

A Darkness Returns Cover

Legendary author Raymond E. Feist returns with A Darkness Returns, the first book in his new The Dragonwar Saga.  This new series sounds really cool, especially as it will pull together his iconic Riftwar Cycle with his recent Firemane Saga (King of Ashes, Queen of Storms and Master of Furies).  In particular, the plot of this book will split between the two different fantasy worlds of the respective series, as the protagonist attempt to save them from both mundane and dangerous interdimensional threats.

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A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024

A Tide of Black Steel Cover

One of the fantasy books I am really looking forward to this year is the awesome sounding new novel from Anthony Ryan, A Tide of Black Steel.  Set in the same universe as the author’s epic The Covenant of Steel series (made up of The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel will expand on the compelling fantasy world introduced in the first trilogy and take the reader on an intriguing new adventure.  I am very excited to read this book, and I look forward to seeing how Ryan will connect this new novel with his previous series.

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Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024

Darkside Cover

One of my favourite science fiction thriller series returns with the upcoming book Darkside by Michael Mammay.  The fourth entry in the amazing Planetside series, Darkside follows on from the exceptional novels, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, and will bring back Mammay’s retired solider protagonist for another intrigue laden adventure.  This time the protagonist will be forced to go up against two corrupt corporations he has previously annoyed, while investigating another missing person’s case at a mining operation on an isolated moon.  Mammay has deeply impressed me over the years with his outstanding writing, and Darkside is going to be a particularly gripping read.

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The Fury of Gods by John Gwynne – 24 October 2024

The Fury of the Gods Cover

John Gwynne looks set to bring his epic The Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with the upcoming novel, The Fury of the Gods.  Concluding an extremely epic trilogy, that includes The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods will showcase the final battle between warring mortals and returning gods, as all hell literally threatens to break out throughout Gwynne’s intriguing new fantasy nation.  I have deeply enjoyed this amazing, character-driven series of the last few years, and I look forward to seeing how Gwynne wraps everything up.  Also, it needs to be said that The Fury of Gods has the best cover out of all the books I am highlighting tonight.

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The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 26 November 2024

The Last Hour Between Worlds Cover

Another favourite fantasy author of mine, Melissa Caruso, has a great new book coming out later this year that I am very excited for.  This novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, will feature a complex and entertaining fantasy mystery, as two rivals attempt to work together to investigate a reality bending magical event killing people.  I love the sound of this intriguing new novel and I have a feeling The Last Hour Between Worlds is going to be one of the most compelling books of 2024.

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Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 5 December 2024

Days of Shattered Faith Cover

The final upcoming novel I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding and fun Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky.  The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Days of Shattered Faith will continue the loosely connected events of the previous books, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds.  This third book will see two new protagonists, unusual ambassadors from an oppressive and zealous nation, attempt to survive a deadly city where everything goes.  This should be a pretty wild and entertaining novel with some subtle underlying messages, and I cannot wait to see the elaborate and inventive adventure that Tchaikovsky comes up with.  Due to how epic the previous two books were, this should be something very special and impressive, and Tchaikovsky has yet to produce something I didn’t love to death.

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That is the end of this list.  I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming fantasy and science fiction books that should prove to be incredible reads.  I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me.  Make sure to also check out my next list where I dive into upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.  Let me also know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Warhammer 40,000: Cain’s Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer4 Comments

Cain's Last Stand Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 January 2008)

Series: Ciaphas Cain – Book Six

Length: 10 hours and 30 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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I’ve been on a real roll with the amazing Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell (a pseudonym of Alex Stewart) lately, which is easily one of the funniest Warhammer 40,000 series out there.  Amazing books like For the Emperor, Caves of Ice, The Traitor’s Hand, Death or Glory and Duty Calls have all proved to be highly entertaining, and I like the author’s take on a less heroic figure in the martyr-filled grimdark Warhammer 40,000 universe.  As such, when in need of a particularly fun read, I made the very easy choice to power through another entry in this classic series last week with the sixth book, Cain’s Last Stand.  This was an unsurprisingly awesome book, and I loved the intriguing story that emerged.

Commissar Ciaphas Cain, legendary hero of the Imperium and self-professed fraudulent coward, has done the near impossible and survived decades of brutal service in the Imperial Guard.  Now effectively retired from active duty, Cain has returned to the planet of Perlia, which he helped save from an ork invasion early in his career, and now spends his time teaching Commissar cadets at the planet’s Schola Progenium.  However, the battle is never truly over for Cain, and soon dark forces begin to descend once again.

Half a galaxy away, Abaddon the Despoiler has launched his 13th Black Crusade, determined to invade the Imperium of Man.  While most of the fighting occurs around the fortress world of Cadia, a splinter fleet has broken off and is heading deep into the Imperium, defeating several forces sent to stop it.  When it becomes apparent that this fleet is heading directly for Perlia, Cain is once again forced into action, especially as he knows exactly what they are coming for.

An ancient alien device of devastating power lies hidden on Perlia, one capable of reshaping reality itself, and Cain is one of the few people who knows it’s there.  With no means of escape available and the fate of the galaxy in the balance, Cain is forced to lead the defence of Perlia against the oncoming Chaos tide.  With only a ramshackle army of local soldiers, militia and students from the Schola under his command, the defence of the planet looks grim, especially when faced with a charismatic Chaos lord and his fanatically loyal soldiers.  Worse, a far greater evil has its eyes on Perlia, one that Cain fears above all else.  Can the legendary hero of the Imperium pull out one last impossible victory before he rides off into the sunset, or has Cain finally met his match at the site of his greatest triumph?

Mitchell continues to bring joy to the dark Warhammer 40,000 universe with this epic sixth entry, which I had so much fun with.  Cain’s Last Stand was an excellent read, and I loved the cool and elaborate story that emerged.

I think Cain’s Last Stand might be one of my favourite stories that Mitchell has so far used for the Ciaphas Cain series, especially because it differs from the standard narrative patterns of the series, while also cleverly tying together some intriguing ongoing storylines.  Set further into the future than any of the previous books, you get to see a nearly retired Cain in action, as the series finally ties itself into the events of the 13th Black Crusade (the original version of it, not the darker recent retcon).  I liked how Mitchell takes the reader back to the setting of the fourth book, Death or Glory, and the initial scenes of Cain as a reluctant but capable teacher, were very fun.  The switch from Tyranids to Chaos as the main threat is handled extremely well, and I liked the continued niggle that even worse enemies are lurking around.  The subsequent reveal that the reason behind the invasion is due to the ancient artefact first hinted at in Death or Glory and then expanded on in Duty Calls was great, and Mitchell does an excellent job of tying the various ongoing storylines together.

The second half of Cain’s Last Stand proves to be a very fun planetary invasion arc, especially as Cain works to rally an unusual array of defenders, including untrained militia, under strength garrison forces, and his own students.  The forces of Chaos prove to be excellent foes for this story, and I liked the much more insidious nature of the threat that emerged, especially as there was a slow build to the reveal.  After plenty of action, clever ploys, some touching tragedy, and so much misdirection from the protagonist, the story eventually heads to the inevitable last stand, which cleverly mirrors a similar event from Death or Glory.  Mitchell does a great job of building up anticipation for this event, and it doesn’t disappoint as there are some excellent action sequences and fun revelations that occurred.  I particularly enjoyed the big bluff that leads to the death of a certain enemy, especially as it was a classic Cain antic.  The final reveal about the actual big bad of the story was well handled, and it leaves this storyline open for the future, which I am very excited for.  An overall excellent addition to the series that builds on the prior novels while offering existing fans something new to enjoy.

Mitchell continues to utilise the fantastic writing style that has made the other Ciaphas Cain books so much fun, and I love how it cleverly enhances the narrative of Cain’s Last Stand.  As always, the cool journal format, equipped with entertaining footnotes and in-universe texts from Inquisitor Amberley Vail, ensures that you get a frank and cynical look at events in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and I love the inherent humour that results.  The various action scenes are exciting and fast-paced, and the constant commentary of complaints and annoyance that emerges from the protagonist are very entertaining.  This action and compelling humour are well offset by some of the darker elements of the plot, including some genuinely tragic moments, and you get thrown around the emotional ringer as a result.  This mixture of elements helped to create a much more impactful and complex read, and I appreciated some occasional seriousness to go with the impressive humour.

As with most books in the Ciaphas Cain series, Cain’s Last Stand can be read as a standalone read, especially as the author does a good job of rehashing relevant events from the prior novels.  However, for the full experience, especially when it comes to some fascinating storylines, reading the last two books would be good, and I really enjoyed how the author kept bringing the story back to these prior adventures.  While there was once again some repetition between books as Mitchell reutilises his favourite lines, I felt that the more original story and important connections to previous books ensured that Cain’s Last Stand stood out and got away from some of these minor issues.  An excellently written book that will appeal to both new readers and established fans of the series.

As always, I must give a callout to the outstanding characters featured in Cain’s Last Stand.  This of course includes Commissar Ciaphas Cain, the main protagonist and narrator, whose harrowing adventures we continue to follow.  I’ve talked a lot about the exciting dichotomy of Cain throughout my previous reviews, especially as he can be considered both a hero and a coward, and I loved seeing that occur again in Cain’s Last Stand.  Cain continues to be both a self-serving cad and a peerless commander, and it always fun to see himself plot to survive while discounting his own accomplishments.  His adventures in this book are particularly fun, and the inclusion of the protagonist as a teacher trying to get his methodology of command to Commissar cadets was a great choice from Mitchell and plays nicely on some of his offhand comments in previous books.  This, as well as the return to a planet important to his mythos, ensures that Cain has a lot to think about in Cain’s Last Stand, and I really enjoyed the way his past adventures keep coming back to haunt him.  This was a powerful adventure for Cain, and I always enjoy seeing the protagonist debate his own legacy whilst doing his trademark daring deeds.

The supporting cast for Cain’s Last Stand was also very good, and it provided an interesting mixed of established characters, returning figures, and raft of great new comrades.  This includes Inquisitor Amberley Vail, whose role as the overarching narrator of the book, as well as the person behind the footnotes, ensures that her fun influence is felt the entire way through.  Cain’s faithful bagman, Jurgen, was also a welcome inclusion, and his loyal service and fun interactions with Cain were as great as always.  Jurgen once again showed why he is the true MVP of the Ciaphas Cain series, and you have to love the entertaining contrast between his Baldrick-esque appearance and his impressive abilities.  Other great characters include a favourite character from Death or Glory, an interesting array of fellow teachers from Cain’s Schola Progenium, and other unique comrades for the protagonist.  I particularly enjoyed the class of Commissar cadets who are being instructed by Cain, and it was fun to see the range of different personalities they had.  Throw in a smarmy Chaos warlord whose charisma and influence outweighed his abilities and stature, and you had a great cast for Cain’s Last Stand, and I had a lot of fun seeing Cain interact with them.

I once again had an outstanding time with the audiobook format of this book, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy a Ciaphas Cain novel.  Thanks to the epic and well-cast multiple narrators, readers get an amazing experience when they listen to Cain’s Last Stand, especially as it helps to really capture the crazy nature of the plot.  The main narrators are Stephen Perring and Penelope Rawlins, who voice Cain’s perspective and Inquisitor Vail’s notes respectfully.  Perring once again does an incredible job voicing the main cast of the story, especially Cain and Jurgen, while Rawlins has a lot of fun including her character’s informative, if often sarcastic, comments throughout the plot.  These two main narrators complement each other extremely well, and I always have an awesome time listening to them.  The audiobook also features the talents of additional narrators Richard Reed, John Banks and Phillipe Bosher, each of whom voice fun in-universe texts and pieces of propaganda to liven up the main plot and provide some amusing context for the main story.  I have so much love for how these narrators bring the story together and this proved to be another impressive audiobook to listen to, especially as its great style really fit the fantastic story Mitchell came up with.  With a run time of 10 hours and 30 minutes, this is a very easy audiobook to get through quickly, and I managed to finish it off in no time at all.

Cain’s Last Stand was another amazing entry in the Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell, and I have so much love for this entertaining and fun Warhammer 40,000 series.  This sixth book was a particularly impressive entry in the series, and I loved the complex story that emerged, especially as it brings together several previous adventures from Mitchell’s outstanding protagonist.  A clever, exciting and overall funny book that I could not get enough of, Cain’s Last Stand comes highly recommended and I look forward to continuing this series in the future.

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Quick Review – Tiger Chair by Max Brooks

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Thriller1 Comment

Tiger Chair Cover

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories (ebook – 1 June 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 50 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

I was recently lucky enough to receive a copy of the new short story from acclaimed author Max Brooks, Tiger Chair, which instantly grabbed my attention.  Brooks is an author I have a lot of love for, especially as his two main novels are huge favourites of mine.  This includes his most iconic work, World War Z, which I had an exceptional time listening to a few years ago due to its complex story and the impressive array of celebrity narrators associated with the audiobook version of it.  Brooks followed this up a couple of years ago with the compelling horror read, Devolution, that saw an isolated community attacked by sasquatches in an outstanding and exciting read.  Devolution ended up being one of my favourite books of 2020 and ensured that I would check out anything else that came my way from Brooks.  As such, I made sure to read through Tiger Chair as soon as a got it, as I was intrigued by the content.

Plot Synopsis:

When China invades America, guerrilla warfare explodes on the streets of Los Angeles in this provocative short story about the future of war from Max Brooks, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of World War Z.

China thought it would be a quick war, an easy war. But now, years later, as the insurgency on the streets of Los Angeles escalates but the propaganda never changes, a Chinese officer can’t keep silent any longer. Torn between loyalty to his country and loyalty to his troops, he writes a brutally honest—and possibly suicidal—letter home to unmask the truth.

Brooks combines his signature meticulous research with unforgettable characters in this landmark work of speculative fiction.

This was a very interesting read from Brooks that I was able to power through in a short amount of time.  Set in the future, Tiger Chair is written as a secret letter from a Chinese officer involved in a fictional invasion of the United States to a friend back home.  In this letter, the officer describes the various hardships of the invasion, including the escalating insurgency in Los Angeles, who are pushing his soldiers to the limit with their intense attacks and low-tech strategies.  However, his priority in writing this potentially treasonous letter is to highlight his despair at the ineffective and inflexible strategies of his side, which care more for propaganda than the lives of their soldiers and the civilians, and his desire to see the war come to an end.

I felt this was a rather interesting choice of story for Brooks to write, and it reminded me of the cynical memories of a professional soldier during the zombie wars of World War Z.  Brooks paints a grim and gritty story of survival and duty in the Tiger Chair, and you can easily feel the frustration and fear of the protagonist as he attempts to highlight his feelings about how the war is being run and the various lies he and his soldiers have been fed by their superiors.  The author really captures the way that the protagonist is caught between loyalty to his country and his anger at how events have unfolded, especially as he is powerless to impart any effective change to the situation.

I was quite impressed by the various scenarios that Brooks imagined for this future war in Tiger Chair, and his vision for how events might unfold in this scenario, as well as the technology that would be utilised for it, is very fascinating.  While I am sure that there will be some criticism of Brooks trying to imagine the feelings of Chinese soldiers in a war they might not even undertake, I felt that the Tiger Chair was more of a general warning about the futilities of war, and the frustrations of the lower ranks at the mistakes of their politically motivated superiors.  Indeed, many of the issues the protagonist raises could be applied to many other historical or current wars, and there are several allusions to them in the plot.

Brooks does also attempt to get into the Chinese mindset, which I honestly think he did a good job of considering he had less than 50 pages in which to do so.  There is an interesting examination of the national identity and how their history and culture would influence them into going to war, and the various opinions people within the country would have about these battles.  Brooks also includes some commentary of recent well-known events and controversies involving China, which is more geared towards central criticism than specific critiques of the Chinese.  For example, while he mentions the way in which China influences American media and movies for their own purposes, the protagonist’s resulting criticism are more directed towards the media companies that allowed them to happen as they sacrificed their principles for money.  These and other observations an about current society are quite interesting and make for quite a compelling story.

Overall, I felt that Tiger Chair was a compelling and intense short story from Brooks that brings together some intriguing ideas and predictions.  While I probably would have avoided Tiger Chair if it weren’t Brooks writing it, mainly because I prefer full-length novels to short stories, I’m glad I checked this out, and it ended up being a fascinating and powerful read.

Amazon

Warhammer 40,000: Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer6 Comments

Duty Calls Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 22 May 2007)

Series: Ciaphas Cain – Book Five

Length: 9 hours and 37 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of the most entertaining authors of Warhammer fiction, Sandy Mitchell, continues to shine with the fifth book in his excellent Ciaphas Cain series, Duty Calls.

I doubt anyone is too surprised to hear that I broke a recent lull of reading by resuming the Ciaphas Cain series.  The Ciaphas Cain books, written by Sandy Mitchell (the alternate penname of author Alex Stewart), are an outstanding series that aims to bring a little humour to the crazy and dark battles of the gothic Warhammer 40,000 universe.  I have deeply enjoyed the first four books in this series, For the Emperor, Caves of Ice, The Traitor’s Hand and Death or Glory, and this honestly is one of the very best Warhammer 40,000 series out there.

Commissar Ciaphas Cain, hero of the Imperium and self-confessed self-serving coward, continues his exciting and deadly adventures when a new dark threat rises to destroy humanity.  After his last harrowing adventure with the Valhallan 597th, Cain is keen for a less deadly experience, and his new deployment to help crack down on civil unrest on the planet of Periremunda seems to be the ticket.  However, nothing is ever simple when Cain is involved.

Upon arriving on Periremunda, Cain quickly finds his life in danger as a series of assassination attempts are made against him.  Realising that his assailants are genestealers, the deadly scouts of the Tyranid swarm, Cain begins to understand the true danger Periremunda is in, as the genstealers herald the approach a Hive Fleet.  But unstoppable hordes of alien creatures are the least of Cain’s worries as he is reunited with his old flame, Inquisitor Amberley Vail.

Ostensibly on Periremunda to help the Imperial Guard stave off the Tyranid invasion, it soon becomes apparent that Vail is there for a darker reason.  Something incredibly important has been hidden on the planet that has the potential to change the entire Imperium.  Forced to assist Vail, Cain and his trusty aide, Jurgen, find themselves thrust into the deadly intricacies of a battle between hidden underground factions.  But with hungry Tyranids all around, deadly assassins gunning for Cain and a mysterious Chaos cult causing mischief, can Cain survive his deadliest encounter yet?

Duty Calls was an awesome addition to the Ciaphas Cain series that builds on several of the prior adventures, while also testing the protagonist in some fun new ways.  I loved the interesting story contained with Duty Calls, and this was one of Mitchell’s stronger additions to the series.

This fifth Ciaphas Cain novel had a great story behind it, although I am sure that prior readers will be familiar with the overall thrust of the narrative, with the seemingly cowardly Cain arriving on a new planet to face one threat, only to discover a much more dangerous enemy hiding beneath the surface that he is forced to reluctantly face and defeat, once again accidentally proving that he is a hero.  While Mitchell does try to break this story premise up throughout the series, this is a recurring story format, which can get a little too repetitive.  However, I think that Duty Calls stands on its own feet and Mitchell does a good job distinguishing it from the previous entries in the series.  The initial hidden threat of genestealers transforms into a massive Tyranid invasion, and it proved intriguing to see the protagonist face off against the ravening alien forces.  Tyranids are easily one of the best antagonists in the entire Warhammer 40,000 canon, and while they lose a little of their fighting ability in the face of Cain’s plot armour, they proved to be a great threat in Duty Calls.

While Mitchell could have probably left Duty Calls as simply a military novel, the inclusion of major recurring character Inquisitor Amberley Vail ensures that Cain is thrust into a much more subtle form of danger alongside the Tyranid invasion.  Caught between warring factions of the Inquisition and Adeptus Mechanicus, Cain is used as a pawn in the resulting shadow war, and there are some great scenes as Cain dodges assassination attempts, hidden Chaos cults, and other unseen dangers, all while trying to work out what the elaborate conspiracy is.  Novels that focus on the plots and conspiracies of Inquisitors are always very cool in the Warhammer 40,000 universe (see my reviews for Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus by Dan Abnett), and Mitchell fits Cain into this intrigue laden story arc extremely well.  It helped that there was some excellent set-up for this in the previous novel, and it was good to get a continuation here.  The resulting combination of storylines comes together really well, and Duty Calls has a really impressive and addictive narrative that will appeal to all fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

As with the previous Ciaphas Cain novels, Mitchell does a great job of balancing the various elements of Duty Calls perfectly.  While primarily a military focused science fiction read, Duty Calls also has some great elements of intrigue and espionage, which ensures extra levels of excitement and danger.  However, I feel that the best part of Duty Calls is the inherent humour that Mitchell produces, which is a real rarity in Warhammer fiction.  Most of this is due to the hilarious and cynical narration of the main character, who pulls no punches when it comes to describing how ridiculous events are and the fact that he’s caught in the middle of them.  Extra humour is also built in due to the contained chronicle format that Mitchell has set the series out in, with the protagonist’s journal entries enhanced by extra documentation, descriptions, references and notes from Cain’s associate, Inquisitor Vail.  Vail’s sarcastic take on Cain’s description of events throughout these extra notes is a lot of fun, and the additional in-universe texts and broadcasts seek to showcase just how ridiculous humanity and the Imperium has gotten in the war-torn future, with over-the-top bits of propaganda and biased historical documents.  All this adds to quite a funny book, and this built-in comedy pairs remarkably well with the more serious parts of Duty Call’s narrative to create a truly addictive and fun read.

I felt that Duty Calls was a strong entry in the Ciaphas Cain series, especially as it builds nicely off the events of the preceding novel, Death or Glory.  Due to the series looking at different time periods of Cain’s career, Duty Calls is set between the second and third books, although it makes a lot of references to the first novel, and the events of Death or Glory, which took place many years before.  While the jumps around the timeline are a little confusing, Mitchell makes it work, and I liked seeing the return of several recurring characters, as well as a continuation of some mysterious storylines from the previous book.  Despite these connections, Duty Calls also works quite well as a standalone novel, and new readers can jump into the series here without too many issues.  Indeed, Duty Calls is a good introduction to both the Tyranids and the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and the Ciaphas Cain books are very much engineered for new Warhammer fans.  I will say that after reading several Ciaphas Cain books in a row, Mitchell’s proclivity for repeating elements from his other novels is a bit more obvious, and you do get a little weary of hearing the same phrases, descriptions and character depictions again and again.  Still, Mitchell ensures that Duty Calls is a particularly entertaining read, so its easy to really get stuck into it, and I deeply enjoyed seeing this unique series continue.

As always, I must mention the great characters featured within Duty Calls.  The most prominent of these is series protagonist Ciaphas Cain, who might be one of the more complex and debated figures in the Warhammer 40,000 canon.  Shown by his own admission to be a coward and a false hero, Cain spends most of the book trying to come up with ways to avoid combat and surviving the inevitable battles that his reputation and own bad luck force him to participate in.  His memoirs are filled with cynical allusions to the methods he utilises to survive, and you can see that Mitchell is trying to emulate classic characters like Flashman or Blackadder.  However, despite the character’s constant assurances that he is no hero, you see time and time again that there is far more to Cain, as he routinely defeats the enemy, often thanks to his own caution, survival instincts and ability to inspire his fellow troops.  I love how you are constantly rooting for Cain, despite his attempts to weasel out of trouble, and his self-deprecation about his actions really makes you feel for him, especially as its apparent that he is just one filled with self-doubt after not being an over-the-top martyr like the other heroes in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  At the same time, Cain also provides a lot of the book’s humour, as you are bombarded with his fun comments and cynical attitude about everyone he encounters.  As such, I really appreciate Cain as a central character in this series, and it is always so much fun to follow him throughout his adventures.

Aside from Cain, there is an interesting array of characters featured in Duty Calls who I had a lot of fun with.  Many of them are recurring from the previous novels, and it was good to see various familiar faces again.  This includes Cain’s faithful aide, Jurgen, who Mitchell portrays in a manner like Baldrick from Blackadder, due to his apparent gormless attitude and poor personal hygiene.  However, in many ways Jurgen is just as much a hero as Cain, often being the one to save the day with his skills and big gun, and he forms a great team with Cain, especially as his Commissar is usually the one drawing the enemy’s attention from his aide’s attacks.  I also really enjoyed seeing the return of Inquisitor Amberley Vail, both as a character in Cain’s adventures and the person publishing his memoirs.  Vail proves to be the perfect foil to Cain for many reasons, and I like how she’s the only person who can effectively manipulate Cain and doesn’t fall for his lies and schemes.  Vail constantly calls out Cain, both in person and through the footnotes she amends to his chronicles, and I love how she has his number, while also clearly caring for Cain as a partner.  Duty Calls really shows just how dangerous Vail can be though, especially as she gets into the fight and makes some tough decisions.  Other interesting characters include several familiar soldiers from the Valhallan 597th, the outrageous members of Vail’s inquisitorial retinue, and a several intriguing antagonists who prove to be great and over-the-top opponents to the sensible Cain.  All these characters added a lot to the impact of the book, and I cannot wait to see how they fit into Cain’s adventures again in the future.

Readers who have seen my previous Ciaphas Cain reviews know that the only way I am going to enjoy this series is through its audiobook format.  All Warhammer novels make awesome audiobooks, but the Ciaphas Cain audiobooks are something particularly special thanks to the use of multiple narrators.  Duty Calls features six separate narrators who add a great deal to the production thanks to their fantastic voices and entertaining takes on the characters and universe.  Most of this narration is done by the superbly talented Stephen Perring, who lends his voice to all the chapters told from Cain’s perspective.  As such, he covers most of the first-person action and adventures of the main character, and his take on the complex Cain and his colleagues is exceptional.  The way he captures the various aspects of Cain’s character through his voice work is impressive, and you really get a sense of the multiple layers surrounding his motivations.  Perring also does a really good job of capturing the other intriguing characters Cain interacts with, including his aid Jurgen, and the eclectic members of the Inquisition that crosses his path.

After Perring, the most prominent narrator is Penelope Rawlins, who provides narrations for the various inclusions written by Inquisitor Vail.  As such, Rawlin’s voice is constantly interjected into the audiobook at various points as she reads out the footnotes, context pages, and personal remarks from Vail, as she attempts to make Cain’s story more readable.  Rawlins has really perfected her Vail voice over the course of the series, and it is always great to have the playful, informative, and often gently exasperated tones of a chronicling Inquisitor come through the plot.  There is also some good contrast between Perring and Rawlins, especially as both voice the character of Vail throughout Duty Calls, and they serve as a winning main team.

The other four narrators, Emma Gregory, Richard Reed, Tara Rawson and Andrew James Spooner are also very fun, even if they are used a little sparingly.  These four narrators’ voice extracts from various in-universe texts, chronicles and new casts that Inquisitor Vail has added to Cain’s manuscripts to give them more context.  These talented narrators go all out in voicing these intriguing and often over-the-top inclusions, and I love the humorous spin their excellent narration adds to them as a result.  Gregory is particularly noteworthy, especially as she once again voices the ridiculously patriotic memoirs of an officer fighting alongside Cain, but all these extra narrators do such a great job.  This excellent and entertaining combination of voice actors and audiobook narrators turns Duty Calls into a real treat to listen to, and I honestly cannot recommend this format enough to anyone interested in checking out the Ciaphas Cain series.

I continue to fall further in love with the Ciaphas Cain series as Sandy Mitchell produces another amazing and fun story in Duty Calls.  Loaded with action, humour, and a particularly complex protagonist, Duty Calls had everything I’ve come to expect from the Ciaphas Cain series, and I deeply enjoyed how Mitchell continues to showcase the Warhammer 40,000 universe in his own distinctive way.  I can think of no better way to highlight just how much of a great time I had with Duty Calls than to reveal that I automatically started listening to the sequel Cain’s Last Stand, the moment I finished it.  Highly recommended to all Warhammer fans and new readers wanting some fun science fiction adventures.

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