The Infinite State by Richard Swan

On September 22, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Australian, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Audiobook – 28 July 2026)

Series: The Decurion Saga – Book One

Length: 15 hours and 19 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s most prominent science fiction and fantasy authors, Richard Swan, starts a bold new series with the powerful and deeply compelling novel The Infinite State, an outstanding science fiction read with some relevant messaging.

Few fantasy authors have been as successful in recent years as Australian Richard Swan. A talented author with some unique stories under his belt, Swan has gained a lot of attention in recent years thanks to his Empire of the Wolf series, which started in 2022 with The Justice of Kings. A complex series that examined law and order in a crumbling fantasy empire, the Empire of the Wolf books proved to be very popular, enough so that Swan is currently following up the original trilogy with his The Great Silence sequel series, which examines a whole new era for his established world.

While I am more familiar with his fantasy fiction work, Swan also has a bit of experience with science fiction, which includes his latest release The Infinite State. The first book in Swan’s new Decurion Saga, The Infinite State follows several protagonists as they attempt to escape a fascist space government. I have been looking forward to reading The Infinite State since I first heard about it, and made sure to listen to it on audiobook as soon as I could.

Plot Synopsis:

WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus—governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire—he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.

WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled—each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society.

WHO GIVES YOU JOY?
PATER AETERNUS.

But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she’s not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.

A democracy.

Wow, now that was a truly impressive read. Richard Swan was firing on all cylinders with The Infinite State, producing a powerful and highly addictive character-driven book that I had an amazing time getting through. Captivating, insightful and perfectly introducing an exciting and dark futuristic universe, The Infinite State was so damn good, and I have to give it a full five-star read, especially in its audiobook format.

Swan produces a highly impressive narrative for The Infinite State that follows three compelling protagonists as they attempt to overcome and escape the evils of the Decurion Empire. This includes Katherine Fuller, the widow of a high-ranking party official, who finds herself inheriting a vast fortune upon her husband’s death. Already disillusioned with the Empire, Katherine embarks on the radical plan of buying her own planet and setting it up as a democracy. The book also follows Julian Yashego, a famous hypersled pilot born on an independent planet outside the Decurion Empire. Having been recruited to race for the premier team in the Decurion hypersled circuit, Julian is forced to contend with the unforgiving politics and propaganda machine of the empire as an outsider, especially when his personal secrets are discovered. The third storyline follows Cyprian Reis, a weary inspector charged with investigating murders in the empire’s capital, Kada Gamar. However, his latest case, a mutilated body fished out of the river, sees him caught between two competing factions of the Pater Aeternus party, while also trying to reign in his ambitious and unhinged young partner.

There is a great mixture of elements in this first part of the book, as Swan successfully develops three complex character-focused storylines that initially exist independent of each other. This includes a moving personal journey to independence in Katherine’s POV with a lot of key universe-building, a look at the true dark side of the regime in Julian’s storyline that also has a compelling science fiction sports element to it, and an exciting noir crime story in Cyprian’s chapters, all told in the shadow of Pater Aeternus influence. This was honestly one of those rare multi-POV novels where I enjoyed each of the storylines equally, and I deeply enjoyed the separate narrative threads. While these storylines are kept separate for most of The Infinite State, they produce an impressive overarching narrative, with some overlapping ideas and supporting characters. You also become highly invested in each protagonist’s specific journeys, as well as their attempts to survive the party’s attention. Swan eventually brings the three storylines together in the final third of The Infinite State, which has an interesting change of setting to Katherine’s newly established world. The author does a good job of bringing these characters together naturally, and none of the storylines are negatively impacted by the suddenly joined narrative. All of this results in an exciting and captivating conclusion that brings some excellent action to the book and introduces some great reveals. Swan wraps everything up quite nicely with some big climatic moments that allow each of the protagonists to shine in their own unique ways. At the same, Swan leaves several storylines open for the sequel, ensuring that readers will need to come back and check out the rest of the books in the series.

I was really impressed with how The Infinite State turned out, as Swan produced a gripping science fiction story centred around some great characters intent on escaping an overbearing fascist government. As I mentioned above, Swan does an excellent job showcasing the story through three separate perspectives, and you really get a fantastic mixture of storylines as a result. The resulting blend of elements that emerged throughout The Infinite State, including political discourse, espionage, mystery, space colonisation, proxy propaganda battles and more, was so damn good, and Swan did an outstanding job bringing all this together. I was particularly impressed with the cool background setting surrounding this narrative, as Swan envisions and portrays a chaotic universe dominated by the Decurion Empire and the controlling Pater Aeternus party. The idea of a vast fascist empire is familiar in the modern context, but Swan makes it his own, showcasing how such an empire could spread throughout the stars, and how other planets would react to it. The evils and weaknesses of such an empire is on full display, and I appreciated how well Swan showcased the machinations and rivalries of the party’s power players, and how they manipulate the inherent fear, despair and anger of the normal inhabitants. All this was quite inventive, if worryingly familiar, and the dose of reality in amongst the science fiction added to the emotional impact of the overall story.

I must once again highlight the outstanding main protagonists of The Infinite State, each of whom had unique and emotionally charged personal stories. These great character arcs worked perfectly as the centre for the main storylines of The Infinite State, and Swan took many of these characters to their extremes as part of the plot. This includes central character Katherine Fuller, the wife of a high-level party member, who, after several personal loses, decides to finally rebel against the system that has held her down her entire life. Much of Katherine’s storyline involves her attempting to gain a confidence that has been quashed by Pater Aeternus’s patriarchal system and embark on her own journey. It was great seeing her start to become a leader in this book, and it will be interesting to see how she continues to develop as the series continues. Another key protagonist is the dour Cyprian Reis, a senior police inspector who finds himself on the wrong side of a political skirmish between two of Pater Aeternus’s ministers. Already broken and suicidal at the start of the book, Cyprian finds his long-buried desire for justice clashing with the dark realities of the monsters above him. Swan perfectly captures the impotent anger of Cyprian as he is manipulated and threatened by everyone, and while there are periods of rage, you can see that deep down Cyprian is a good man who has been wrecked by the system. Of all the characters, Cyprian has the best redemption arc in the novel, and it was wonderful to see him start to find himself after the dark first half of the book.

The final protagonist is Julian Yashego, who honestly has one of the most complex, if traumatising, character narratives in the entire novel. A champion racer considered to be the best hypersled driver in the galaxy, Julian is introduced in The Infinite State as a naïve foreigner who doesn’t understand the true dangers of the Decurion Empire. However, after some early scenes, Julian soon finds his survival tied into his success as a racer, as he gets caught up in certain political machinations. Things get quite dark for Julian, especially when his personal secrets are uncovered, and you really get drawn into his continuous downward spiral. Not only does Julian’s storyline have some impressive emotional depth, but I enjoyed how the character’s hypersled background referenced the political battles fought around foreign race-car drivers and the Olympics in Nazi Germany. Swan’s portrayal of Julian’s trauma was so well written, and he ends up being the protagonist you most relate to as a result.

While most of the focus is understandably on the three perspective protagonists, I do need to mention the great supporting cast featured within The Infinite State, who add some interesting elements to each of the main storylines. Swan does a great job of introducing these various characters through the eyes of the main protagonists, and there are some fascinating relationships that emerge as a result. Highlights include Jaroslav Droor, the Decurion Empire’s propaganda minister, who appears to be manipulating many of the key plot points from the shadow. A malevolent force in both Cyprian’s and Julian’s early storylines, Swan sets Droor up as a sinister Machiavellian figure with a hidden agenda, and it was so fun to see his dark machinations. Another excellent supporting character is Cyprian’s young partner, Lang, an ambitious investigator with a romanticised view of Pater Aeternus and life in the Decurion Empire. Thanks to his naivety and near-brainwashed personality, Lang soon becomes a problem for Cyprian, and his worse traits are only enhanced as the story continues. These great supporting characters, and more, perfectly populate the crazy universe of The Infinite State, and it was fascinating to see their storylines unfold alongside the perspective protagonists.

As I mentioned above, I ended up checking out the audiobook version of The Infinite State, which proved to be an incredible way to enjoy this epic book, as it allowed listeners to really absorb the compelling details of the setting. Thanks to its use of multiple narrators, The Infinite State audiobook perfectly tells Swan’s complex narrative, while also cleverly giving life to the three protagonists, as well as the compelling supporting cast. The audiobook does a great job of splitting itself between its three narrators, with each of them taking over the chapters told from the perspective of one of the main protagonists. These narrators include Helen Keeley, who provides a powerful performance in the chapters told from the perspective of Katherine Fuller. Not only does Keeley provide a refined voice to Fuller, capturing her grief, frustration and determination every step of the way, but she also provides some impressive voices for the various characters that Fuller interacts with, including multiple senior party members. Another great performance was Chris Rowe, who voices the chapters from the perspective of Julian Yashego, the famous hypersled driver who experiences the dark side of the empire. This requires Rowe to provide a lot of range, as his initial portrayals of a cocky and naïve athlete are soon tinged with despair. Rowe does a great job of capturing the changing emotions of his main character, while also providing some terrifying and harsh voices to the dark people he encounters, especially Droor, who comes off as his most sinister here.

The final narrator I need to highlight is Nathaniel Priestley, who fans of Swan might recognise from his work with the author’s fantasy books, and who has another great performance providing the narration of the POV of Cyprian Reis. Priestley unsurprisingly does an amazing job in The Infinite State, and I loved his take on the weary investigator and the dangerous people he encounters. This includes a striking accent for Cyprian that fits the character perfectly and helps to enhance the rage and impatience in his voice as he is manipulated and threatened. All three of these narrators are incredible in The Infinite State, and I enjoyed how their performances were spaced out through the audiobook. This includes in some of the later chapters, where the quickfire change in perspectives from the three protagonists also includes changes in narrator. It was also fun to hear the different narrators try to emulate the established character voices of their colleagues, such as when they try to match the accent Priestley gives to Cyprian with varying results. Overall, I think these narrators brought out the best of The Infinite State and this was one of the more exceptional audiobooks of 2026, that I cannot recommend enough.

Richard Swan continues to showcase his ability to tell an incredible and addictive story, this time diving back into science fiction with The Infinite State. A brilliant and incredible start to a compelling new series, The Infinite State had me hooked very early on, and I loved seeing the powerful journeys each of Swan’s complex characters took. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next entry in this series, and I will be very keen to read the sequel in 2027. In the meantime, I need to get my hands on Swan’s recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command, which also sounds extremely cool.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson

On July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

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 latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the more awesome sounding science fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026 with Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson.

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2026 has proven to be a particularly impressive year for author Jeremy Robinson, whose unique and over-the-top science fiction novels always entertain with they great mixture of action, horror and intriguing science fiction elements. I’ve already had an exceptional time with Robinson’s first 2026 release, 30Seven, which ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of the year. However, we still have so much more to get through, as not only do I still have to read the recently released novel Parallax, but Robinson also has the fantastic upcoming book Settle Down coming out.

Of the two, Settle Down has definitely caught my attention more, and it is one of my most anticipated releases coming out in the second half of 2026. Set for release in late August 2026, Settle Down has an outstanding sounding plot idea behind it, which looks set to present a unique turn on a classic alien invasion story.

Plot Synopsis:

When Clayton survives a plane crash, he figures the worst is over―but he’s wrong―in this sci-fi genre mashup from the author of the Infinite Timeline series.

Stranded on a thirty-acre island with a handful of art students, a grieving widow, and a growing pile of corpses, Prof. Clayton Reed is forced into a role he never wanted: leader. Food is scarce. Water is scarcer. And trust? Practically extinct. When one of the survivors kills in self-defence, the fragile alliance fractures and a subset of the group flees in a dinghy to take its chances in shark-infested waters, leaving Clayton and six others behind.

But soon the night sky turns blue. Strange lights pulse across the horizon and strings of star-like objects pass by overhead. Something big is happening to the rest of the world, and the professor and his companions are sure it isn’t normal.

Rescued by a drifting luxury yacht loaded with food, weapons, and a fortune in cocaine, the survivors trade one nightmare for another. Earth is under attack, massive beams of light shooting down from space to the surface. As they sail toward home, not knowing whether it still exists, one thing becomes clear: Those looking at Earth with hungry eyes have noticed them . . .

New York Times–bestselling author Jeremy Robinson delivers a razor-sharp, character-driven survival thriller meets postapocalyptic alien invasion story that flips the genre upside down, inside out, and back again.

Wow, now that is a very awesome plot. I have to admit at the start of 2026 I never imagined that one of my most anticipated upcoming reads would be a science fiction thriller following plane-crash survivors on a desert island who are forced to contend with an alien invasion, although I should have known that Robinson would have come up with something this fantastically crazy. This entire book sounds so damn good, and Settle Down is exactly the sort of over-the-top read that I know I love on so many levels. I am excited to see how this excellent narrative unfolds, and you have to imagine it’s going to feature a lot of deaths, moving character interactions, and so many moments of insane action and intense science fiction horror.

Based on how much I have enjoyed some of Jeremy Robinson’s previous wacky adventure novels (such as The Dark, Mind Bullet, Artifact and Point Nemo), I already know that Settle Down is going to be an exceptional and highly addictive read, and I am so excited to check it out. While I was likely to read Settle Down based on my fandom of Robinson, the above synopsis is one of the most intriguing novel plots I have ever seen, and I love every single part of it. I have no doubt that this will be a true highlight of the second half of 2026, and I fully intend to listen to Settle Down on audiobook, especially with one of my favourite narrators, R. C. Bray, bringing all the insanity to life.

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson

On July 9, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Podium Audio (Audiobook – 20 January 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 11 hours and 51 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Jeremy Robinson presents one of the most awesome and unique science fiction reads of early 2026 with the impressive and over-the-top novel, 30Seven, a clever alien abduction novel with some daringly dark horror elements behind it.

Jeremy Robinson is an outstanding author who has a fantastic career writing clever, fun, and occasionally terrifying thrillers that often feature intriguing science fiction elements. Best known for his Antarktos Saga, Chess Team and Nemesis Saga series, Robinson has written a staggering amount of fiction over the years, including additional cool series and standalone reads. I got into Robinson’s work a few years ago when I read a few books from his addictive interconnected Infinite Timeline series, including Tribe, The Dark and Mind Bullet (the latter two of which were amongst my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have also started getting into Robinson’s standalone novels, including Point Nemo (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2024), and Artifact (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025). As such, I was very excited to read some more books from Robinson in 2026 novel, including the awesome sounding 30Seven, which was one of my most anticipated releases for the first half of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

Twenty-eight people are abducted from a lakeside beach-and a killer is among them-in this twisty UFO horror novel from the bestselling author of The Others.

After a year of torment following the loss of his wife, Isabella, to a serial killer with an artistic flair, Marcus Lockwood retreats with his son, Elias, to Moose Hollow-a secluded campground in backwoods Maine-in search of healing. There, a close-knit band of lifelong campers immerses them in a warm, nostalgic experience filled with fishing, canoeing, crackling barbecues, and a taste of normalcy.

When whispers of eerie UFO sightings ignite a vigil on the beach, Marcus and Elias eagerly join the hunt for the inexplicable. But when the sky erupts in otherworldly light, they’ll get much more than they bargained for. A mysterious craft descends, and in one surreal moment, the group is abducted and transported into the unknown. Amid the chaos and disorientation, a gut-wrenching discovery terrifies Marcus:

One of them is Isabella’s killer.

Jeremey Robinson hits it out of the park again with this outstanding standalone science fiction thriller. 30Seven was a complex and addictive novel, that cleverly twisted the classic narrative of alien abductions into a brutal and manic thriller. A highly addictive novel I couldn’t get enough of, 30Seven gets a very easy five-star rating from me, especially as I’ve still got some of the reveals and revelations stuck in my head.

I loved the dark and very clever story that Robison featured in 30Seven, which I frankly think was one of the strongest the narratives that I have so far seen from this author. A slick, character driven novel, the book quickly introduces you to the main point-of-view protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, a highly damaged figure who has journeyed to the remote Moose Hollow campgrounds with his son, Elias. However, despite the serene setting, nothing is quite what it seems, especially with strange alien sightings and evidence that Marcus and Elias were lured to the camp by the serial killer responsible for destroying their family. Robinson does an interesting job of setting up a lot of key elements in the first part of 30Seven, especially as you are introduced to the key cast of fellow campers, as well as some early information about potential alien encounters.

While this first part of the book moves quickly and effectively draws the reader in, Robinson makes sure to kick the narrative up a notch with the sudden abduction of the entire protagonist group by a UFO, a moment that changes 30Seven’s entire status quo. Not only do the characters now have to deal with terror caused by interacting with telepathic aliens but the abduction awakens the serial killer, who begins a murderous reign of terror aboard the ship. What follows is a horrifying jaunt as Marcus tries to find and protect his son amid disastrous alien first contact, while a deranged killer stalks around them, butchering and artistically posing multiple victims.

The entire second half of 30Seven is so damn good, and I loved just how dark things ended up getting, with so many gruesome horrors. The clash of fascinating alien interactions against human insanity makes for an intense and fast-paced story, and you race towards the end eager to see who the killer is. Everything leads up to a fantastic final confrontation, where all the author’s twists come to light. While I saw part of the big reveal coming, the full extent of it was very impressive, and it makes you rethink everything that took place earlier in the novel. Readers will come away very satisfied, if a little disturbed, and Robinson does an amazing job wrapping up the entire story and ensuring this was a tight and captivating read.

30Seven ended up being a spectacular novel, and I really enjoyed the unique feel that this book had. Featuring an alien abduction narrative that devolves into a horror-laden slasher novel, Robinson perfectly emulating both genres to pull together an intense read. The resulting story is unique, and Robinson expertly tells it through a primary first-person perspective which allows readers to have a front-row view of 30Seven’s crazy carnage. I loved how the book got darker the further you went along, with Robinson moving the story further into the horror genre, especially when it comes to having the bodies displayed as artworks (a certain moving art exhibit was particularly disturbing). This really ups the tension of the plot, and you are constantly on edge all the way through the final clever reveals. Throw in some interesting thoughts about the potential for alien life, the influence they’ve had on humanity, as well as some interesting concerns about the rise of AI, and this ended up being a very clever and well-written novel.

Robinson always excels at creating likeable figures for his readers to follow, and 30Seven was no exception, featuring an interesting collection of major characters. Unsurprisingly most of the focus goes to main protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, who serves as the novel’s primary point-of-view character. A clever and relatable father, who has been severely traumatised by the recent murder of his wife, Marcus serves as a great heart to the story, especially as he encounters the horrors of Moose Hollow. I felt that Robinson did a good job at painting Marcus as an excellent everyman hero, with some very understandable reaction to events going on around him. In addition, the first-person perspective allows Robinson to really get stuck into Marcus’s trauma, allowing for an authentic and powerful look at a grieving father’s fear, attempts to protect his child, and establish a new connection. All this allows for a fantastic emotional ride, which enhances 30Seven’s main narrative, while pushing the plot in some interesting directions.

In addition to Marcus, 30Seven features a great collection of supporting characters who help or develop the protagonist’s journey in some compelling manners. Most of these supporting characters are fellow campers at Moose Hollow, whose connection to the camp and previous alien encounters provide some interesting side-plots and hints at what is to come. I don’t want to go into too much detail about these supporting characters, especially as it could spoil who is and who isn’t the antagonistic serial killer. However, I will say that each of these supporting characters are well utilised, even if they have an untimely and brutal death.

The one character I do want to go into a little more detail about is the serial killer antagonist of the story. A sinister shadow for some of the early parts of the book, this serial killer awakens when the first alien abduction occurs, and you start seeing parts of the novel from their perspective. These additional perspective shots are some of the best parts of 30Seven, primarily because the killer talks to an unseen watcher that also acts as a proxy for the reader themselves. The resulting sarcastic commentary from the killer as he haunts the ship and the protagonists is so damn brilliant and adds a dark bit of humour to the story. There are also some extremely clever moments as the killer seems to taunt the reader with his words, while also providing hints about who he really is. The final reveal about the figure behind this narration is impressive, especially as it twists the hints around, while the killer mocks readers who guessed wrong (or even partially right). I laughed so damn hard at some of the jokes Robinson loaded into the killer’s chapters (especially those that seem personally aimed at cynical readers like me), and these sections were some of my favourites in the book, especially when they attacked my preconceived notions of how the plot should unfold. Honestly all the characters in 30Seven were great, and I really appreciated the amazing depth, complexity and humour they added to the plot.

As has been habit with all the previous Jeremy Robinson novels I have enjoyed, I ended up grabbing the audiobook version of 30Seven. This format always works extremely well to enhance Robinson’s outstanding and crazy narratives, and 30Seven is no exception to this, as I quickly powered through its near 12-hour long runtime. A lot of this is down to the exceptional narration of Scott Brick, who proves to be an interesting replacement to Robinson’s usual audiobook collaborator R. C. Bray. Brick, whose work on the Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz and Cotton Malone by Steve Berry audiobooks I’ve previously enjoyed, is a very talented narrator who brings his substantial experience with voicing thriller novels to this complicated read in all the best ways.

Despite this being Brick’s first time narrating one of Robinson’s novels, I felt that Brick did an outstanding job adapting to the author’s style. Not only does he have a little more energy in his voice when reading out the over-the-top science fiction action, but he also perfectly expresses Robinson’s excellent humour. I also really liked the fantastic voices that Brick pulled together for the extended cast of 30Seven. While a couple of voices were similar to tones Brick used in previous audiobooks, most of the cast sounds unique, and you’re able to easily distinguish between the characters. I especially loved the old, wise voice he gives to Emmett, the camp caretaker, while the over-worldly voices of several alien characters were well done. However, it is the sinister and delightfully malicious tone that Brick utilises in the various interludes where the serial killer is seemingly talking to the reader that was the true highlight of this audiobook’s narration. The sarcastic and mocking voice that comes out here was just perfect, and I loved how it helped increase the threat this mysterious figure had. All this results in an exceptional audiobook, which does an incredible job showcasing Robinson’s compelling story.

The brilliant and dark mind of Jeremy Robinson was once again on full display with his new novel, 30Seven. A wonderfully twisted science fiction novel that sets a serial killer loose on a spaceship with dark results, 30Seven was an outstanding standalone novel I couldn’t get enough of. Clever, shocking and highly addictive, 30Seven was an incredible novel and it was one of my top books so far this year. I will definitely be reading more Robinson in 2026, and I cannot wait to try out either the recently released Parallax or the upcoming novel Settle Down when I get a chance.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Blindside by Michael Mammay

On July 19, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday, I once again jump ahead to 2026 and highlight an especially awesome upcoming science fiction thriller that I am really excited for with Blindside by Michael Mammay.

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Back in 2018 I had the very great pleasure of reading the debut novel of new author Michael Mammay, Planetside. An intriguing science fiction thriller that sent a retiring military officer, Colonel Carl Butler, to an alien planet to find a missing soldier, Planetside turned into quite the clever and exciting read, and I really got attached to its complex narrative and maverick protagonist. Ending on a massive and well-written twist, Planetside was an exceptional read and was one of my favourite books of 2018. The series continued strong from that point on as Mammary released more cool additions to the Planetside series, each of which pit the protagonist against human corruption and corporate greed in the depths of space with Spaceside (one of my favourite books of 2019), Colonyside (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and last year’s intense read Darkside (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024).

Due to how impressive I have found them the Planetside books soon became a must-read series for me, and I eagerly grab the latest entry as soon as it comes out. As such, I am very keen to get my hands on the recently announced next novel in the series, Blindside. Set for release in March 2026, Blindside will once again put the protagonist in great danger as he faces the dark consequences of his past interferences.

Plot Synopsis:

Colonel Carl Butler charges back into the world of military crisis, corporate malfeasance, and intergalactic mystery in the action-packed fifth Planetside novel from science fiction master Michael Mammay.

Carl Butler has returned to his home planet from the moon Taug and is looking forward to some rest and relaxation. But following two mysterious deaths connected with the Taug mission, he realizes that the intruders that recently set off his home’s security system might be looking to add him to the death toll.

Having been Butler’s muscle on numerous missions, Mac is no stranger to getting involved with mysteries that should be none of his business. So when the daughter of one of his gym members goes missing, he offers to help. Mac assumes she’s a simple runaway, but the case turns out not to be so clear-cut. Wondering if these strange occurrences are somehow related, Butler—along with Mac, Ganos, and the rest of his small crew—once again finds himself neck deep in intrigue.

As the clues for the various cases begin to intertwine, Butler sees the hand of an old enemy at work, and…well…he’s never been one to sit back and wait for something to happen. Gathering the team, he heads off across the galaxy to confront his suspects head-on.

But this time, they’re waiting for him.

Blindside sounds like another epic entry in the Planetside series, especially as eternal busybody and constant thorn in the corrupt galaxy’s powerbrokers, Colonel Carl Butler, is once again causing trouble. Having the enemies come after the protagonist this time, rather than having Butler visiting new locations and uncovering rampart corruption, is going to be a cool twist to the typical Planetside series, and I’m very keen to see how everything unfolds. You have to imagine that Butler is once again facing off against a corrupt corporation who he has managed to annoy. However, as Butler has found himself involved in quite a few dark situations throughout the course of the series, the trick is going to be finding out which specific corporation or old enemy (or perhaps multiple corporate opponents) are coming after him. This should result in an intense and compelling narrative, especially if some of the people close to Butler get hurt as part of the attack against him.

Based on my experiences with this series, I predict that Blindside is likely to be another intense and exciting science fiction thriller, that will include some cool mystery and high-level stakes. I’m very curious to see how Mammay will handle the investigation in this next novel, especially when it hits closer to the protagonist’s home. From what I understand, this next book will feature more narration from major supporting character Mac, so it will be interesting to see how this changes the pace. Mammay will likely also lay in the usual outstanding action sequences, resulting in quite an exciting and powerful read, and I cannot wait to see how everything unfolds.

Due to how damn impressive the first four Planetside books have been, Blindside is already one of my most anticipated books of 2026, and I am extremely excited to read it. Featuring another awesome plot that will continue the deadly adventures of a terminally nosey old-soldier, Blindside looks set to be one of the stronger books in the first half of next year, and I already know I am going to love it. I will probably once again try to check out Bindside on audiobook, primarily thanks to the narration of the legendary R. C. Bray, and I have a feeling that this new entry is going to be something really special.

Darkside by Michael Mammay

On December 28, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller4 Comments

Publisher: Harper Audio (Audiobook – 24 September 2024)

Series: Planetside – Book Four

Length: eight hours and six minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Waiting on Wednesday – Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry

On December 19, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday6 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. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of my most anticipated books of 2025 with the new Rogue Team International novel from Jonathan Maberry, Burn to Shine.

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Readers of this blog will probably have noticed that I have been talking about author Jonathan Maberry a lot this week. Between the fact that I am currently reading his awesome fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter, and I am just about to publish a review for his other 2024 novel, NecroTek, Maberry has really been on my mind lately. As such, to keep this ball rolling I am going to take this opportunity to highlight Maberry’s new book coming out in 2025, the awesome thriller novel Burn to Shine.

Burn to Shine is an interesting upcoming book that forms part of Maberry’s long-running Joe Ledger series. This series, which started back in 2009 with Patient Zero, follows the titular character of Joe Ledger, a government agent who seeks to save the world from various unnatural scientific threats and sinister schemes. A brutal, complex and addictively dark series, the Joe Ledger books are deeply entertaining, and I love all the intense action, elaborate plots, and fantastic over-the-top figures within. Highlights include The Dragon Factory, Assassin’s Code, Code Zero, Predator One and Dogs of War just to name a few, and I have had an exceptional time with all the epic entries in this series.

Since 2019, the new Joe Ledger books have all fallen within the Rogue Team International sub-series, which continues the adventures of the protagonist and his team, while also setting the characters up as a more independent organisation. The Rogue Team International books are just as awesome as the previous entries in the overall series, and Maberry has presented some cool ideas and grim scenarios in these latest novels. These books include Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13. (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), all of which were extremely impressive five-star reads. As such, I am understandably very eager to see how this series continues, and luckily it doesn’t look like I have too much longer to wait.

The fourth Rogue Team International novel will be the upcoming Burn to Shine, which is set for release in March 2025. Another epic entry in the series, Burn to Shine will force Ledger and his team to deal with a new world-destroying threat, as old enemies once again rise looking for revenge.

Plot Synopsis:

Rogue Team International joins Joe Ledger in a new, tension-filled mission to stop a wave of bioterrorism from devastating the country.

A covert group is infiltrating the world’s most secure bio-weapons research sites. All across the country, people are acting as human ‘disease bombs’ by infecting themselves and walking into public places. And heavily-armed groups of illegal private soldiers are massing for some unknown strike.

Joe Ledger and the members of Rogue Team International, still reeling from the devastation and heartbreaking losses of their last mission, are forced into relentless action to try and save the country, if not the entire world.

Old enemies are rising and joining forces to hit Joe and his team with one devastating blow after another. What is the end game for all of this madness and terror? Outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outgunned, Joe Ledger has to find a way back from the fires of grief in order to make a stand between these enemies and millions of potential innocent lives. But Joe has allies, too. His team, the vicious fighters of Arklight, and friends who may or may not be entirely human.

A war of darkness and light is coming. Who will stand? Who will fall? And how will anyone ever survive?

Burn to Shine sounds like another excellent addition to this long-running series, and I cannot wait to dive into it next year. Featuring another intriguing plot of bioterrorism, it sounds like this is going to be a major entry in the series, especially as Maberry spent a good chunk of Cave 13 building up the plot for this fourth book. Thanks to some of the hints in Cave 13, as well as the above plot synopsis and even the title of this book, it appears that Burn to Shine is going to feature a familiar array of enemies, with antagonists from previous books set to return. I have a pretty good idea about who some of these antagonists are going to be, although it will be interesting to see how Maberry brings them back and utilises them in this latest novel. I am excited to dive into this new plot, and I hope that the author has come up with a particularly dark and complex villainous plan that we get to untangle.

Another aspect of Burn to Shine mentioned in the synopsis that I am really looking forward to is exploring is the continued trauma and damage that the various protagonists of Burn to Shine will no doubt be feeling. Ledger and his team have gone through all manner of loss and suffering in the Rogue Team International books, and it will be interesting to see how that impacts their ability to fight back, especially when they are once again assailed by the ghosts of their past in the potential returning antagonists. I have no doubt that Maberry will play this trauma aspect of the plot perfectly throughout Burn to Shine, and I always appreciate how well written and human the author’s characters feel during their unnatural adventures.

Honestly, due to how much I love the Joe Ledger books, there is no way in hell that I am not grabbing Burn to Shine next year the first chance I get. Jonathan Maberry has been on a brilliant roll with this series for years and I always get so damn engrossed with their elaborate narratives and brutal inclusions. This next book sounds particularly impressive, and I cannot wait to see how Burn to Shine fits into the larger series, especially as there are some very intriguing hints about who is plaguing the protagonists this time. There is no way this won’t end up being one of my favourite novels of 2025, and I look forward to enjoying the audiobook version of it, especially as it will be once again voiced by the impeccable Ray Porter. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for my review of NecroTek which will be out in the next day or two.

Point Nemo by Jeremy Robinson

On July 16, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller5 Comments

Publisher: Podium Audio (Audiobook – 5 April 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 9 hours and 31 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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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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The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

On June 30, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Thriller13 Comments

Publisher: Sphere/Audible (Audiobook – 20 February 2024)

Series: Gray Man – Book 13

Length: 17 hours and 34 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the leading authors of the spy thriller genre, Mark Greaney, returns with another epic entry in his iconic Gray Man series, The Chaos Agent.

Readers of this blog will know that I am a massive fan of thriller author Mark Greaney, who has been wowing the world with his elaborate and exciting stories for years. Ever since I started reading thrillers, Greaney has been a major figure in my yearly reading schedule, with books like Armored and Red Metal (cowritten with Hunter Ripley Rawlings IV), ensuring that he became a must-read author for me. However, his most iconic body of work is his Gray Man series, which follows legendary former CIA agent and assassin Court Gentry, known as the Gray Man, as he engages in carnage across the world. This series, which people may be familiar with thanks to the Netflix adaptation, is so damn good, and I really love the elaborate and intense stories that emerge. This includes the impressive first novel The Gray Man, as well as later books like Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Burner (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). Naturally, I grabbed Greaney’s latest novel, The Chaos Agent, the first chance I could, and it proved to be another amazing read.

Across the world, elite scientists are being murdered in a series of elaborate and well-coordinated assassinations. The killers are well equipped, well prepared, and seem capable of striking across multiple countries. The only connection between the killings is the area of expertise the victims are known for, as someone is targeting the world’s leading experts in artificial intelligence and robotics.

As the killings continue, it appears that only two major assassins aren’t involved in the plot, the Gray Man, Court Gentry, and his lover Zoya Zakharova. Hiding out in Central America after their last mission once again forced them to become fugitives, Court and Zoya are seeking the quiet life together after all their years apart. But an assassin’s work is never done, and soon an old family friend of Zoya’s seeks them out, hoping that they can help identify the individuals behind the attack. Initially reluctant to get involved, Court and Zoya soon find themselves targeted by association, and must flee an army of dangerous killers and mysterious advanced combat drones.

Forced to find out who is hunting them, Court and Zoya soon discover that the killings are linked to a deadly proposed artificial intelligence weapon that could change everything about modern warfare. To discover what’s truly going on, the two former agents and their allies need to investigate the one survivor of the ongoing assassinations. But with their target now protected by an old friend of theirs, Zack Hightower, in an isolated fortress, Court and Zoya will need to use all their connections and luck to find the truth before it’s too late?

The Chaos Agent was another excellent novel from Greaney, who continues to highlight why he is one of the world’s leading spy thriller writers. This latest Gray Man novel ended up being a lot of fun, especially as Greaney goes a little overboard with the plot, and I deeply enjoyed the resulting adventure.

Greaney came out of the bag with something very exciting in The Chaos Agent, which is mainly down to how over-the-top and crazy the main narrative ended up being. This story starts off relatively low-key, with a couple of random killings, and an update on the lives of the protagonist, Court Gentry, and his partner Zoya Zakharova. Naturally, it doesn’t take long for Gentry and Zakharova to get dragged into the action, and this starts an intense fugitive arc for them, as they find themselves being hunted by various killers across central America. At the same time, the other supporting characters of the book are investigating the worldwide plot around the assassination of various AI experts. This results in a compelling investigation angle that continues for a large portion of The Chaos Agent, and it was fun to not completely know the identity of the book’s antagonist until towards the end. This first half of The Chaos Agent definitely got my attention, and the compelling action, intense mystery, and intriguing characters help to draw the reader in.

The second half of The Chaos Agent is where things start to get particularly interesting, as Greaney amps up the story and throws it into overdrive. In particular, the antagonists get even more crazy, which is well shown in an intense action sequence involving Gentry and Zakharova in contact’s house in Central America. These additional opponents give The Chaos Agent a real science fiction edge to them, and it was a gloriously over-the-top inclusion that I really loved. The various character storylines soon come together after that, as all the characters end up in Cuba investigating who is truly behind everything and why. There are some cool sequences here, including complex and intricate multi-perspective operations as various players manoeuvre around each other to achieve their goals. This all leads up nicely to the big extended finale, where all hell breaks loose as Greaney sets up a massive firefight with various sides thrown into the mix. The action here is intense, with the carnage flying thick and fast, and with so many perils coming for the protagonists. It all ends on a pretty big cliffhanger that will play nicely into the next book in the series, especially as two major supporting characters find their situation drastically changed due to their decisions.

I deeply enjoyed how this cool novel unfolded, and Greaney utilises his trademark writing style to great effect with this excellent story. The high-intensity action, fast-paced plot, and intriguing overarching storyline came together wonderfully, and it proves very hard not to get drawn into The Chaos Agent as a result. I particularly love how Greaney so effortlessly jumps between different character perspectives throughout the course of the book, which allows for a more complex and enhanced story. These quickfire changes in perspective also work extremely well in some of the book’s more intense sequences, especially as seeing the various participants continuously react to other character’s actions, allows for some outstanding scenes. Good examples of this include a sequence in the Cuban docks where Gentry and a rival assassin move around each other trying to simultaneously protect or kill their target. These scenes, and more, are true highlights of this book, and I love how well they were able to incorporate the particularly eccentric inclusions that Greaney featured within The Chaos Agent.

As with most of the books in the Gray Man series, The Chaos Agent can easily be read as a standalone novel. Greaney does a good job of recapping any the relevant key events from the prior novels where needed so new readers can enjoy this book without knowing anything about the rest of the series. That being said, established Gray Man readers will probably get a little more out of The Chaos Agent, especially when it comes to seeing how the various character relationships unfold. It also helps that this proved to be a particularly memorable entry in the series. Not only does Greaney go all out with his very inventive and exciting story, but there is a great combination of story elements there that everyone can enjoy. The intense action pairs well with a deep dive into modern technology elements, and Greaney pulls together an intriguing mystery about who is behind everything, rather than showing the antagonist from the get-go. While some of the twists around the true antagonist are a little predictable, Greaney played them out well, and they worked into the massive status quo changes at the end of the book. I will admit that I did find some of Greaney’s writing, including the dialogue, to be a little robotic at times in The Chaos Agent, which is kind of ironic when you consider the story focus. The way some parts of the writing or dialogue came together just didn’t feel right to me at times, and that slightly decreased my enjoyment of the book. Still, the awesome story more than made up for it, and I felt this was an awesome addition to the overall series, especially as the epic ending has got me extremely excited for the next book.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about The Chaos Agent was Greaney’s intriguing look at the future of AI and how it could be utilised in the military and intelligence fields. Greaney clearly did some research on the subject, and several characters spend significant time lecturing about the potential advantages and dangers of AI weaponry. I found this to be utterly fascinating, and this ends up being quite a key part of the book, especially once the protagonists find themselves beset by advanced drones and other distinctive weaponry. As I mentioned above, Greaney uses this AI concept to make The Chaos Agent a little more science fiction than his previous novels. While I won’t go into too much detail here, as frankly it is best experienced in the context of the story, some of these elements were very outrageous, and it made the story quite fun with some unique action. While it was very over-the-top, Greaney did paint everything with a film of realism, and I came away from The Chaos Agent with a healthy respect and fear for the potential future of AI in the military, especially as Greaney is probably right and someone will use it to kill the rest of us.

Aside from the complex writing and cool AI elements, The Chaos Agent’s story is also enhanced by a great cast of characters who are cleverly showcased throughout the plot. This includes protagonist Court Gentry and his partner Zoya Zakharova, who were reunited in the last book. Gentry and Zakharova form an effective team as the main protagonists of The Chaos Agent, and it was fun to see them in action again. However, Greaney also adds in an element of dissention, especially as neither really has the ability to trust other people, and they are both concerned about their potential future. Their combined storyline goes in some interesting directions, and the final twist of the book ensures that their relationship will be a big part of the next entry in the series. Greaney also brings back fun recurring character Zack Hightower, who worked with Gentry and Zakharova in the past. Hightower is always great value for money, and he had an interesting run in The Chaos Agent as he’s hired as security for a tech billionaire being targeted. Hightower ends up being an integral part of the book, and it was great to see him working with Gentry and Zakharova again, especially as his new job leads to some dark moments for him. Throw in an excellent supporting cast, which includes some recurring faces and some new intriguing antagonists, and this ended up being an excellent book that makes fantastic use of its characters.

I have always found that the best way to enjoy one of the Gray Man novels is to listen to it in its audiobook format, which really enhances the story. This is once again true for The Chaos Agent, which turned out to be such an epic listen. The audiobook format, which has a substantial runtime of 17 and a half hours, proved to be a lot of fun, and I deeply appreciated how well it enhanced Greaney’s already fun story and writing style. The constant movement between perspective characters, especially in the action sequences, comes across really well, and the intense fights feel so much more real and impactful when they are read out. It helps that The Chaos Agent was once again narrated by Jay Snyder, who has voiced all the other Gray Man novels. Snyder has a great vocal range that really lends itself to a spy thriller novel like The Chaos Agent, and all the over-the-top tough characters are captured extremely well in this audiobook, with Snyder expertly bringing back recurring voices from the previous Gray Man audiobooks. The rest of the extended cast also get appropriate and fitting tones, and you can see Snyder is really trying to get the voices to match the characters. This includes accents, as Snyder tries to capture many of the ethnicities captured within The Chaos Agent’s story, including a pretty good attempt at the New Zealand accent. As such, I really found myself getting drawn into The Chaos Agent’s story while listening to it, and while Snyder can also be a tad robotic at times, this audiobook format was a pretty exceptional way to enjoy this amazing book.

Overall, The Chaos Agent was another excellent addition to one of the very best spy thriller series currently running. Mark Greaney always goes all out with his amazing Gray Man novels, and The Chaos Agent is one of his most intense and gripping reads yet. Clever, compelling, and featuring some particularly fun story features, The Chaos Agent is an excellent read that gets another five-star rating from me.

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Extinction by Douglas Preston

On May 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller10 Comments

Extinction Cover

Publisher: Forge Books (ebook – 23 April 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Entertaining author Douglas Preston presents Extinction, a wild science fiction thriller that will drag you in with is amazing and exciting story.

Preston is a veteran author who has been writing compelling novels for 30 years. Preston is best known for his many collaborations with fellow author Lincoln Child, which have resulted in an impressive body of work, including several standalone novels, the long-running Agent Pendergast series, the Gideon Crew series and the Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson books. In addition to his work with Child, Preston has also written several of his own series, including the Tom Broadbent novels, the Wyman Ford books and his standalone novel, Jennie. While I love the unique sound of many of these books, I have never had the opportunity to read anything from Preston before. However, when I managed to get my hands on a copy of his new book, Extinction, I dove into it as soon as I could due to its awesome-sounding story.

Deep in the Colorado Rockies lies the exclusive and world-famous Erebus Resort. Based in a massive 100,000-acre valley, the Erebus Resort contains many wonders of genetic science as clones of woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, giant ground sloths and other extinct species roam the valley, brought back to life, and turned into gentle tourist attractions. The Erebus Resort seems like the most perfect place in the world, but nothing is what it seems.

When a billionaire’s son and his new wife are kidnapped on their honeymoon in the wild countryside surrounding the resort, Agent Frances Cash of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is sent out to investigate. Working with local county sheriff James Colcord, the two lead a force of police and Erebus security to try and locate the missing pair. However, when the two hikers are found brutally murdered and mutilated, apparently by a group of ecological terrorists, the case takes a dark turn.

Determined to find the killers hiding out in the wilds, Cash and Colcord coordinate an exhaustive search while also trying to uncover the dark secrets hidden within the Erebus labs. But with the body count mounting and the Erebus staff attempting to cover up the truth, Cash and Colcord find themselves pushed to the limit, especially as there is something unusual about their potential suspects. The further they dig, the more they discover that the killers are there to pay back an old grudge and will do anything to get their revenge.

Extinction was an awesome book from Preston, and it was honestly as fun and addictive as I was hoping it would be. Combining a great thriller storyline with some entertaining science fiction elements, Extinction was a pretty epic read which I powered through extremely quickly due to the very exciting and thrilling story.

Preston comes up with quite an entertaining and over-the-top narrative for Extinction, which is frankly glorious in just how crazy things get. Starting off with a gruesome murder in a gigantic nature preserve with genetically resurrected creatures, the story quickly evolves into an elaborate and thrilling mystery with a background that is going to remind readers of Jurassic Park (although one character insists they are nothing alike). The first third of the book serves as a great introduction to many of the key elements of Extinction, including the resort, the main characters, and the initial search for answers, while the hints of a wider conspiracy are also shown to the reader. Things get even more interesting in the second third of the book, where further deaths are revealed, several intriguing and often annoying characters are introduced, and the potential antagonists of the story are somewhat revealed. It is the later which most got my attention, as the protagonists face off against an unusual group of apparent terrorists with some distasteful and extreme methods.

I honestly was hooked after the first two thirds of the book, and I loved where the unique mystery was going. However, it was the final third of Extinction that really sealed just how much I enjoyed this epic novel. There are some big, if not especially surprising, reveals here about who is responsible for the attacks and why, which I was completely there for as it was so bonkers and fun. The resulting chaos that results from these revelations is just perfect, as there are numerous outrageous and highly violent sequences that grab your attention. Many of the supporting cast, including several particularly unlikeable characters, meet an ironic or suitably entertaining end, which really highlights the book’s focus on hubris and karma. There are so many fun moments here, as well as some dark and serious pieces, as the protagonists try to survive and come to terms with what is going on. I absolutely powered through this part of the book as I was so intrigued to find out how the story was going to come to an end. Preston leaves everything on a very interesting note, and I frankly came away from the story very, very happy.

Preston did a great job of presenting this dark, if slightly exaggerated, narrative and I liked his writing style in Extinction. In particular, he utilised the tried and tested thriller method of splitting the story amongst several intriguing characters, who told various aspects of the story. While most of it was reserved for the well-written and compelling protagonists, Agent Frances Cash and Sheriff James Colcord, you also get to see the story through the eyes of several supporting cast members, which includes antagonists, supporting members of Cash and Colcord’s investigation, and other people located in the resort, including Cash’s politically minded boss, a grieving billionaire, and the unlucky members of a film crew working nearby. This interesting range of characters and perspectives added some extra drama to the story, especially as Cash is forced to deal with incompetence, politics and coverups, while you also get some fantastic viewpoints of the events leading up to the inevitable carnage. It helped that several of the characters that Preston chose to focus on where pretty unlikeable, and it proved very entertaining to see them get caught in the crossfire.

I think Preston did a good job of balancing the thriller and science fiction elements of Extinction to produce the best story. The initial novel is primarily a crime fiction read, with the protagonist’s investigation and search taking priority while the park and its genetically engineered creatures serve as an intriguing and distinctive background. However, as the story progresses, there are some interesting dives into the science surrounding the creation of the cloned animals, as well some of the interesting real-life history of the related genetic sciences. This genetic science leads to some very fun and major reveals in the plot, and Extinction soon turns into a full-fledged science fiction read with some pretty over-the-top discoveries. I feel that the inevitable science fiction story of Extinction was greatly enhanced because Preston drew the reader in with the exciting thriller elements, and it kept you guessing about who or what the antagonists were going to be. While much of the genetics featured within Extinction is a bit overexaggerated for plot reasons, there is a grain of real science at its core, which makes the book a bit scarier to a degree. Preston makes sure to highlight, both in the plot and his notes at the end, that much of what is being discussed is possible and could be seen in real life sooner than you’d think. As such, you come away from Extinction being a little thoughtful, while also really appreciating the great story Preston has provided to you.

Overall, Extinction by Douglas Preston was an extremely fun book that I was very glad I decided to check out. Loaded with some outrageous moments and exciting sequences, Extinction had me on the edge of my seat for its entire narrative, and I honestly got so caught up in seeing how events would unfold. Dark, brutal, and gloriously unrestrained, readers will get all the excitement and thrills they could want out of Extinction, while finding the underlying mystery to be intriguing, concerning, and entertaining in equal measures. A great novel that will no doubt bring me back to Preston’s writings in the future.

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Quick Review – 36 Streets by T. R. Napper

On January 24, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Science Fiction, Thriller4 Comments

36 Streets Cover

Publisher: Titan Books (Trade Paperback – 19 January 2022)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 433 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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One of the most unique reads by an Australian in 2022 had to be the action-packed and deeply compelling cyberpunk thriller, 36 Streets by new-to-me author T. R. Napper.

Plot Synopsis:

Altered Carbon and The Wind-Up Girl meet Apocalypse Now in this fast-paced, intelligent, action-driven cyberpunk, probing questions of memory, identity and the power of narratives.

Lin ‘The Silent One’ Vu is a gangster and sometime private investigator living in Chinese-occupied Hanoi, in the steaming, paranoid alleyways of the 36 Streets. Born in Vietnam, raised in Australia, everywhere she is an outsider.

Through grit and courage Lin has carved a place for herself in the Vietnamese underworld where Hanoi’s crime boss, Bao Nguyen, is training her to fight and lead. Bao drives her hard; on the streets there are no second chances. Meanwhile the people of Hanoi are succumbing to Fat Victory – a dangerously addictive immersive simulation of the US-Vietnam war.

When an Englishman comes to Hanoi on the trail of his friend’s murderer, Lin’s life is turned upside down. She is drawn into the grand conspiracies of the neon gods – of regimes and mega-corporations – as they unleash dangerous new technologies.

Lin must confront the immutable moral calculus of unjust wars. She must choose: family, country, or gang. Blood, truth, or redemption. No choice is easy on the 36 Streets.

36 Streets was a particularly unique and ultra-exciting novel that tells a powerful and memorable story of intrigue, conspiracy and the various families you make in life. Set in a futuristic Hanoi in the midst of a Chinese occupation, 36 Streets begins as a cyberpunk gangster tale following Lin Vu, a deadly enforcer and fighter for a Vietnamese street gang. Raised in Australia before being deported to Vietnam, Lin is a damaged and angry figure who has found purpose as an ultra-violent gang member, and is somewhat content with her current life of drinking, drugs and womanising. However, her latest job for a mysterious English executive leads her and her gang into the middle of a dark conspiracy that could influence the entirety of Vietnam and which pits her against a deadly rival gang, the Chinese government, and a corrupt corporation.

Napper tells a fast-paced and compelling story in 36 Streets, and I was constantly intrigued where the plot was going, especially as the author blends interesting character work, futuristic cyberpunk elements and an intense conspiracy storyline to create a great overall read. Lin’s attempt to find answers and discover the full and terrible truth of the events she has been dragged into serves as an outstanding base to the story, and the author throws in some great twists and swerves as the story continues. Brutal and sharp action scenes are interspersed with a compelling street-based investigation, as well as fascinating showcases of the cool cyberpunk technology, including a trippy video game that shows an alternate version of the Vietnam War, all of which creates a distinctive and dark overarching tone for the book, which I felt matched the compelling conspiracy story extremely well. Napper further adds to intensity of the plot by diving into his complex protagonist’s past, which includes unique family dynamics, rejection from every country she has ever lived in, and some of the most brutal training sequences you are ever likely to find in a fiction novel. Everything comes together in a shocking and bloody conclusion, which leaves the reader satisfied, saddened, and wanting more.

There are so many great elements to this book that I could talk about, but a true highlight of 36 Streets is Napper’s intriguing examination and portrayal of the soul and culture of Vietnam, as well as the beautiful historic city of Hanoi. The intrepidness and distinctive personality of the Vietnamese people are on full display throughout the entirety of 36 Streets’ story, and the author spends substantial time exploring the history and culture of Vietnam through his complex characters. This dive into the Vietnamese people and their mindset, actually becomes a key and intriguing part of the book’s overall plot, and I loved how the conspiracy that Lin is investigating ties into elements of the Vietnam War and country’s inbuilt ability to resist. I was also quite impressed with Napper’s outstanding portrayal of his version of Hanoi, especially as he perfectly blended the new cyberpunk elements of his story with the distinctive historical elements and culture of the city that exists today. Another intriguing setting element he included was the fictional future Chinese invasion and occupation of Hanoi and greater Vietnam, especially as it results in a second Vietnamese War, with a new Vietcong now fighting and beating the Chinese from the other side of the country. All of these outstanding elements, including the unique futuristic setting and the powerful examinations of Vietnam and its people, add a memorable impact to the larger story, and I felt that this book benefited greatly from Napper highlighting the Vietnamese people in this way.

I honestly was not sure how 36 Streets was going to turn out when I initially started reading it. However, after enjoying everything about its cool story, fantastic insights and brilliant character work, I have to say that this was a pretty amazing read and one that I am very glad I grabbed a copy of. Australian author T. R. Napper has created something very impressive with 36 Streets and I cannot emphasise what a powerful and compelling book this turned out to be, especially with its Vietnamese setting and fantastic cyberpunk inclusions. Highly recommended!

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