Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2021 TBR

On September 7, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was Books Guaranteed to put a Smile on Your Face. While this was a pretty interesting topic (although my list probably would have primarily been a collection of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels), I thought I might instead bring forward my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to be read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and as this is the first week of Spring, this is the ideal time to put this up.

For this list I have come up with 10 of the best novels that are coming out between 1 September 2021 and 30 November 2021. There was a pretty substantial pool of cool upcoming novels that I am excited for, which I was eventually able to whittle down into a great Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be some really impressive and enjoyable reads. I am incredibly excited for the next three months as there are some incredible novels coming out, several of which I already know are going to be amongst the best books of 2021.

Honourable Mentions:

Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills and Vince Flynn – 14 September 2021

Firefly: Carnival by Una McCormack – 2 November 2021

Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – 9 November 2021

Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey – 16 November 2021

Top Ten List:

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie – 16 September 2021

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – 16 September 2021

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik – 28 September 2021

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker – 28 September 2021

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly – 9 November 2021

Never by Ken Follett – 9 November 2021

The Honour of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 9 November 2021

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn – 16 November 2021

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters by Charles Soule, Luke Ross and Neeraj Menon – 23 November 2021

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson – 30 November 2021

Well that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be pretty epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be pretty awesome.

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

On July 26, 2021February 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Thriller21 Comments

Blackout Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 30 March 2021)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 424 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Book Depository

One of the leading authors of historical fiction, Simon Scarrow, breaks new ground in a thrilling and captivating historical murder mystery, Blackout.

Berlin, December 1939. As the citizens of Berlin worry about a potential upcoming conflict with Britain and France, the Nazi party continues to sink their claws into every aspect of German society. But as a bleak winter sets in and enforced blackouts plunge the city into darkness, a far more sinister threat begins to stalk the streets of Berlin.

A young woman has been found brutally murdered near a busy set of train tracks. The victim is a former famous actress with a powerful husband. Due to her marital connections, as well as a scandalous past with various high-ranking Nazi figures, including Goebbels, her case has dangerous political implications. To that end, her case is assigned to Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Kriminalpolizei, the Kripo, one of the few police officers not to join the party. Due to his apparent disregard for the party and the importance of the victim, Horst is under intense pressure from the head of the Gestapo to solve this case. However, what begins as an easy murder case swiftly devolves into something far more dangerous when a second body is found, and Horst is forced to face the reality that he is chasing a serial killer.

As the bodies of more young women are discovered, Horst rushes to find a killer before the government attempts to hush up the fact that a killer is loose within their perfect Nazi society. But with the Gestapo interfering at every step and key suspects protected by the Abwehr, German Military Intelligence, this case proves difficult to solve. When a survivor is found, Horst thinks this may be the opportunity to find the killer. However, when the witness is revealed to be Jewish, Horst is forced to find a way to protect her from both the killer and the Gestapo. Can Horst find the killer before it is too late, or will he discover that disloyalty to the Nazi government is considered a far worse crime?

This was another amazing novel from one of my absolute favourite authors. Scarrow is best known as a Roman historical fiction author due to his long-running and impressive The Eagles of the Empire series, which I am a particular fan of (see my reviews for The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, and The Emperor’s Exile). However, Scarrow has also branched out into other historical periods with his Revolution quartet, the standalone novels The Sword and the Scimitar and Hearts of Stone, and a modern crime novel he wrote with his colleague Lee Francis, Playing with Death (which I really need to check out). His latest book, Blackout, is an interesting change of pace from some of the previous Scarrow novels I have enjoyed, presenting a compelling murder mystery story with the dark historical setting of Nazi Germany. Blackout, which was unfortunately delayed from last year, proved to be an excellent read, and I loved the complex and powerful story that Scarrow came up with.

Scarrow’s latest book has an outstanding narrative that starts with a Nazi social party scene quickly leading to the brutal murder. This shocking opening in the dark of a blacked-out Berlin sets the scene for the rest of Blackout perfectly, and lets the reader know that they are in for an intense and dark tale. The narrative then advances to the next day, with a great introduction to central protagonist Inspector Horst Schenke, who gets to showcase his deductive ability while also covering his personality and feelings about the Nazi government. Once the case proper begins, Horst and his team are thrust into a lethal hunt for a serial killer, while also having to contend with the vicious politics and intrigue of the Nazi party. Horst finds himself caught between the Gestapo, German Military Intelligence, and other influential Nazis, each of whom are attempting to manipulate the situation for their own ends. This blend of mystery and dangerous political intrigue makes for a fantastic read, and I enjoyed the compelling balance that Scarrow produced. The mystery itself is well crafted, with the author ensuring there is a complex and tangled web to unravel, with several promising suspects. There are some very cool twists added into the plot, and I quite enjoyed the exciting conclusion and eventual reveal of the killer. This is also a very effective standalone mystery, which would serve as a great introductory novel if Scarrow ever wanted to revisit this setting and characters in the future. A series set around this book could go in some interesting directions, and I for one would be quite keen for that.

Easily the most captivating and fascinating part of this novel is the amazing historical setting that Scarrow used as the backdrop to his amazing mystery. While several great mystery series have used World War II Germany as a setting before (the Bernie Gunther series by the late, great Philip Kerr comes to mind), I think that Blackout was a particularly good example of how it could be done, with Scarrow making sure that it really enhanced this already incredible story. Scarrow skilfully works several fantastic and intriguing elements of this iconic setting into his narrative. This includes the blacked-out winter streets and train lines of 1939 Berlin, which serve to hide the killer’s actions and ensures an easy hunting ground. I also appreciated the air of worry and uncertainty that inhabited many of the characters as they are constantly left wondering if their country is heading towards a bigger war with Britain and France, not knowing of their government’s master plan. There is also a certain amount of nationalism, patriotism and casual racism/anti-Semitism on the streets, which is a confronting and concerning aspect that the protagonist has to deal with. There is also a fascinating focus on the way in which the Nazis infested all aspects of the German government and administration, particularly the police. Inspector Horst is constantly butting heads with other members of the police force who were only promoted due to their party allegiances, rather than any skill or ability, which impacts the protagonists to successfully investigate his crime. Add in the compelling depictions of German politics and Nazi interference that I mentioned before, and you have a very impactful and distinctive setting, which really helped to turn this crime novel into something very special.

Scarrow has a knack for creating some interesting and likeable characters, and this is certainly true for Blackout. Inspector Horst is a fantastic protagonist, a former famous race car driver who experienced a traumatic crash several years ago. He has since reworked himself as a talented police investigator and a rare man of honour in troubled times. There is a lot to like about Horst, including his brilliant investigative skills, his courage in the face of danger, and his complete disregard for the Nazi leadership. As one of the few senior police officers who has not joined the Nazi party, Horst is a bit of a black sheep amongst the ranks of his organisation, especially as he barely contains his disdain for the Nazis and what they are doing to his country. This invariably leads him into a whole mess of trouble, which sees him in the crosshairs of the Gestapo and other Nazi figures, who seek to use his neutrality and skill for their own advantages. I had a lot of fun following Horst throughout this novel, and it was great to see how a non-Nazi supporter would survive amongst the authoritarian ranks of German police in this period. There are several great storylines surrounding this character, including about the trauma he is experiencing from his crash, as well as guilt at his failure to save the people closest to him. I really enjoyed this character in Blackout, and it seems likely that Scarrow would have some very compelling storylines in place for this character if he ever revisited this series.

Aside from Horst, there are several other compelling side characters in this novel, which include a mixture of fictional characters and real historical figures. One of the better characters is Ruth, the only apparent survivor of one of the serial killer’s attacks. Ruth is a feisty and combative character, made so by her position as one of the few Jewish people still remaining in Berlin. Despite being threatened by the entire German apparatus as well as a serial killer, Ruth remains strong throughout the book and is a very inspirational character to follow. I also quite enjoyed the character of Liebwitz, a Gestapo agent assigned to Horst’s unit to spy on him and report back to the Gestapo commander. However, Liebwitz proves to be a rather unusual Gestapo agent, more concerned with facts and analysis, rather than Nazi internal politics, and it was fascinating to see an honest and non-sociopathic member of the Gestapo. While there is a lot of mistrust for Liebwitz in the beginning, he soon becomes a major part of the investigation, and Scarrow sets up some very interesting storylines for him. Finally, I also quite enjoyed the killer of the story. Several sequences in Blackout are shown from his point of view, although his identity is kept hidden towards the end of the book. Scarrow paints an interesting picture of this killer’s mental state, and it was interesting to see his motivations run parallel to the goals of the Nazi party, which he uses to justify some of his actions, and indeed his actions are something that the Nazi leadership might approve of. I felt that the author did a good job setting this antagonist up throughout the novel, and I rather liked the twist surrounding their eventual reveal.

Simon Scarrow continues to show why he is one of the leading authors of historical fiction with the outstanding and captivating historical murder mystery, Blackout. Breaking into a whole new historical period and setting, Scarrow produces a fantastic and powerful murder investigation which makes amazing use of its complex characters and detailed historical setting. Featuring all manner of twists, political intrigue and devious Nazi characters, Blackout was a compelling and intriguing read that comes highly recommended. I cannot wait to get my next hit of Scarrow, and luckily I don’t have to be patient for long as the next Eagles of the Empire book, The Honour of Rome, is out in a few months time.

Amazon Book Depository

WWW Wednesday – 14 July 2021

On July 14, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading State of Fear by Tim Ayliffe, an Australian thriller that originally came out in 2019 and which serves as a sequel to his debut novel, The Greater Good. I have plans to read Ayliffe third book, The Enemy Within, in the next couple of weeks, so I thought it would be worth my while to check out this bridging novel first. State of Fear, which details a traumatized reporter attempted to stop the terrorist who kidnapped him years before, has a very strong start to it, and I am already really getting into this excellent book

Star Wars: The High Republic: The Rising Storm by Scott Cavan (Audiobook)

I am currently making some great progress with the latest entry in The High Republic range of Star Wars fiction, The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott. This latest novel, which follows on from the events of Light of the Jedi, is a pretty epic read, which highlights the unique chaos and battles that occurred hundreds of years before the events of the Star Wars film franchise. Scott, who previously wrote the great audiodrama Dooku: Jedi Lost, has crafted together a pretty impressive story in The Rising Storm, and I cannot wait to see how this fantastic tale concludes.

What did you recently finish reading?

Breakout by Paul Herron (Trade Paperback)

Blackout by Simon Scarrow (Trade Paperback)

Skavenslayer by William King (Audiobook)

Daemonslayer by William King (Audiobook)

What do you think you’ll read next?

The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry (Trade Paperback)

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2021

On June 29, 2021June 29, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List17 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2021.

2021 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books, with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away. However, the year is far from over and there are a number of incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2021. To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to.

This proved to be a rather hard list to finalise, mainly because of how many awesome novels are coming out in the next six months. I honestly had enough awesome upcoming novels on my radar to turn this into a Top 20, but I decided instead to make some hard decisions, and I ended up cutting out several impressive upcoming releases, leaving me with a list mostly featuring books from some of my favourite authors. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects which upcoming novels I am going to have the most fun reading. Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, which gives this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2021.

Honourable Mentions:

Billy Summers by Stephen King – 3 August 2021

The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston – 10 August 2021

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik – 28 September 2021

The Honour of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 11 November 2021

Top Ten List (by release date):

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry – 13 July 2021

This list is off to an extraordinarily strong start as it features the second awesome entry in the Rogue Team International series by the always impressive Jonathan Maberry, Relentless. Spinning off from Maberry’s outstanding Joe Ledger series (which features such epic reads as Patient Zero, Code Zero and Deep Silence), the Rogue Team International series continues to follow action hero Joe Ledger as he goes up against crazy opponents wielding the weirdest science and technology. The first novel in this thrilling series, Rage, was an amazing read that was one of my favourite books (and audiobooks) of 2019, and which ended on a fantastic, if tragic, note. This sets up Relentless to be a gripping and bloody novel filled with revenge as an emotionally compromised Ledger goes up against a new breed of dangerous enemies.

Starlight Enclave by R. A. Salvatore – 3 August 2021

One of my absolute favourite fantasy authors of all times, R. A. Salvatore, returns with the first book in a brand-new series that sets his iconic and long-running protagonists on a whole new adventure. This first book, Starlight Enclave, will follow on from the events of the previous trilogy (made up of Timeless, Boundless and Relentless), and should result in a very impressive and exciting fantasy read.

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie – 16 September 2021

The master of dark fantasy, Joe Abercrombie, returns with the third and final entry in his intense and addictive Age of Madness trilogy. Both previous novels in the series, A Little Hatred and The Trouble with Peace, have been incredible masterpieces with some deeply impressive stories to them and I am expecting great things for this final novel. The Wisdom of Crowds will focus on the aftermath of the revolution that occurred at the end of The Trouble with Peace and should result in an epic and captivating tale.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – 16 September 2021

Following his incredible debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, comedian Richard Osman returns with a much-anticipated sequel novel, The Man Who Died Twice, which will present his retired protagonists with another intriguing case. The Thursday Murder Club was one of the runaway hits of last year, and it was easily one of the best novels, audiobooks, and debuts, I had the pleasure of reading in 2020. As a result, I have extremely high hopes for The Man Who Died Twice, and I cannot wait to see what hilarious and clever things are featured in this new novel.

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker – 28 September 2021

Over the last two years, the deeply impressive R. J. Barker has been wowing me, and the rest of the fantasy community, with his epic and captivating novels about the notorious crew of the Tide Child. The Tide Child trilogy, which has so far consisted of The Bone Ships and Call of the Bone Ships, is an outstanding and compelling series, which places a great group of characters in a dark and bloody fantasy world, where crews of condemned men fight aboard ships made from dragon bone. The final entry in this trilogy, The Bone Ship’s Wake, looks set to provide an epic and memorable conclusion to this incredible series, especially after Barker ended Call of the Bone Ships on such a fantastic and moving cliff-hanger. Unfortunately, there has been no preview of The Bone Ship’s Wake’s cover yet but based on how cool the covers for the other entries in The Tide Child trilogy have been, I am sure it is going to be something extremely awesome.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly – 9 November 2021

After a bumper 2020 where he released two fantastic crime novels, Fair Warning and The Law of Innocence, bestselling crime fiction author Michael Connelly returns with another intriguing and exciting novel, The Dark Hours. The third entry in the Ballard and Bosch sub-series, which has so far consisted of Dark Sacred Night and The Night Fire, The Dark Hours will set its protagonists on the trail of a clever and conniving killer. This has the potential to be one of the best crime novels of 2021 and I cannot wait to see what unique case Connelly has come up with this time.

Never by Ken Follett – 9 November 2021

I was a little surprised earlier this year when I saw that highly acclaimed author, Ken Follett, was releasing a novel this year, especially after The Evening and the Morning, came out last year. However, I am not one to complain when another awesome Follett novel drops into my lap, especially as his new upcoming book, Never, looks set to be an intriguing world-spanning thriller novel. With an intense and captivating sounding narrative, Never, should be an incredible read and I am exceedingly keen to check it out.

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters by Charles Soule, Luke Ross and Neeraj Menon – 23 November 2021

While I was very tempted to include the new upcoming Thrawn Ascendancy novel, Lesser Evil, on this list, it quickly became apparent that the piece of Star Wars fiction I am most looking forward to in the second half of 2021 is the major crossover comic, Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters. War of the Bounty Hunters, which is set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, details a brutal fight to claim Han Solo’s frozen body after a major returning character steals it from Boba Fett. Serving as a crossover between the four current Star Wars ongoing series, Star Wars (2020), Darth Vader (2020), Doctor Aphra (2020), and Bounty Hunters, this crossover series sounds like awesomeness personified, and there have already been some major twists and reveals. I cannot wait to check this comic out, although I probably will wait until the collected edition comes out in November. This will be one of the biggest Star Wars events of the year, and as a Star Wars mega-fan, I am deeply, deeply excited for it.

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson – 25 November 2021

Perhaps the greatest authors of fantasy and science fiction in the world today, the legendary Brandon Sanderson, has a new novel coming out in November, and it is one that I am particularly eager to get my hands on. This new book, Cytonic, is the third entry in the gripping and clever Skyward series of young adult science fiction novels, which has so far featured two exceptional novels, Skyward and Starsight. Featuring an intriguing and complex narrative around humans fighting aliens in a deadly war for survival, the Skyward series has been deeply impressive and thrilling, and I have had so much fun with the first two novels. This next book in the series, Cytonic, looks set to take its likeable protagonist on another unique adventure, this time into a whole new dimension. This novel has an immense amount of potential, and I already now it is going to be epic beyond belief.

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker – 25 November 2021

The final entry on this list is A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker, which is probably going to be the funniest books I read all year. Over the last two years, Parker has released two outstanding and hilarious fantasy novels as part of The Siege series, which takes place during an insane and long-lasting siege of a fantasy city. Featuring two very clever and loosely connected novels, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It, this series featured two fantastic narratives around unqualified, but devious men, taking control of the siege and attempting to win it through unconventional means. I have absolutely loved the first two novels in this series, and I was very excited to see that a third entry, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, is set for release in November. While no plot details are currently available, I am extremely confident that this will be a fantastic tale political intrigue, treachery, and humorous ambition, as a new non-hero rises to the challenge of ruling the world.

That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me. I cannot wait to see what awesome and exciting stories the entries on this list contain, and I think that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2021. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Honour of Rome by Simon Scarrow

On June 23, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday8 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday article, I look at the latest book in the long-running Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow, The Honour of Rome.

The Honour of Rome Cover

It is that time of the year where I once again gush about the latest entry in the Eagles of the Empire books by one of my favourite all-time authors, Simon Scarrow. Scarrow is a fantastically talented author who has consistently produced thrilling and captivating historical fiction reads since his debut in 2000. His Eagles of the Empire series, which follows the chaotic lives of two Roman officers, Prefect Cato and Centurion Marco, is a thing of beauty that I am a massive fan of. I have been reading this great series for years (check out my reviews for The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, and The Emperor’s Exile) and have deeply enjoyed every single entry in the series.

Due to how much I enjoy the Eagles of the Empire books, I am always extremely excited for next entry in the series, in this case, The Honour of Rome, which just had its final cover art released. Set for publication on 9 November 2021, The Honour of Rome will be the 20^th novel in the series and will once again see its compelling protagonists engage in a desperate battle for survival. This time, the characters head back to the series’ original setting of Britannia, where all manner of enemies lie in wait for them.

Synopsis:

AD 58. BRITANNIA. TENSION IS SIMMERING. DANGER LIES ROUND EVERY CORNER FOR ROME’S BRAVE SOLDIERS …

Fifteen years after Rome’s invasion of Britannia, centurion Marco is back. The island is settled now, bustling with commerce. Macro’s goal is to help run his mother’s Londinium inn, and exploit his land grant. He’s prepared for the dismal weather and the barbaric ways of the people. But far worse dangers threaten all his plans.

A gang led by an ex-legionary rules the city, demanding protection money and terrorising those who won’t pay up. The Roman official in charge has turned a blind eye. Macro has to act. He needs the back-up of the finest soldier he knows: Prefect Cato. But Cato is in distant Rome. Or is he?

As the streets run red with blood, the army’s heroes face an enemy as merciless and cunning as any barbarian tribe. The honour of Rome is in their hands …

This upcoming novel from Scarrow sounds pretty amazing and I think that it has loads of potential. While the Eagles of the Empire books typically show standard battles and fights, the author has featured some intriguing historical thriller and crime fiction elements in the past. It looks like Scarrow is going back to this in The Emperor’s Honour, and it will be rather interesting to see how the retired Marco and the fugitive Cato fare against gangs of violent ex-legionaries. Scarrow’s previous novel, The Emperor’s Exile, also finished with some fantastic story elements left open, and it will be great to see how the author resolves them in this latest book.

Overall, it looks like The Honour of Rome is going to be another fantastic and impressive entry in this great series. Based on how much I have enjoyed Scarrow’s work in the past, I already know that I am going to absolutely love this upcoming novel, especially as this new book has a great premise to it. I am really looking forward to seeing what cool story elements pop up in The Honour of Rome, and it would not surprise me if Scarrow does something big to commemorate his 20^th entry in the series. No matter what, I am extremely keen to grab this book in November, and this will be one of the best historical fiction novels I check out all year. In the meantime, I definitely need to read Scarrow’s other 2021 release, Blackout, which is currently sitting near the top of my TBR list.

Book Haul – 29 May 2021

On May 31, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

It has been a little while since I have done a Book Haul post, so I figured it was a good time to look back at some of the amazing books that I have received in the last couple of weeks. I have actually received quite an impressive haul recently, made up of a number of exciting and intriguing books, including a few novels that I have been looking forward to for some time. Each of the books below have a lot of potential and I am really keen to check them all out as soon as I can.

Protector by Conn Iggulden

Let us start this post off with one of my anticipated reads of 2021, Protector by Conn Iggulden. Protector is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Gates of Athens, and will continue to follow the epic events of the Greek war against Persia. Set to feature some major battles and Athenian politics, this is going to be an awesome and compelling novel and I look forward to checking it out.

Rabbits by Terry Miles

Next we have this intriguing science fiction debut, Rabbits by Terry Miles. Rabbits, which I have already read, is a weird and unique novel that sees a brilliant, yet troubled, protagonist attempt to play a legendary game with the fate of the universe in the balance. A fantastic, if unusual read, I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy

Another book that I have already read, The Ninth Metal is an exciting and interesting science fiction read that follows the chaotic events occurring around a small-town in America that was the site of a meteor strike, leaving a vast amount of a rare, alien metal. Featuring feuding companies, strange abilities and a fantastic goldrush mentality, this was a captivating and fun read.

The Enemy Within by Tim Ayliffe

I also received a copy of the latest thriller from Australian author Tim Ayliffe, The Enemy Within. This latest novel contains an intriguing narrative about neo-Nazis in Australia and a dangerous cover-up surrounding them. I very much enjoyed Ayliffe’s first novel from a few years ago, The Greater Good, and I was honoured to see that my review for it was featured in the inner-cover of The Enemy Within. I am looking forward to checking this novel out, although I may have to read the second novel, State of Fear, first.

Falling by T. J. Newman

Another great book that I have received is the fantastic sounding thriller, Falling by T. J. Newman. Falling contains a great story that sees a plane full of people at risk when their pilot’s family is kidnapped and threatened. This debut novel from Newman already has a lot of buzz around it and I am very keen to check this one out.

Small Acts of Defiance by Michelle Wright

I am also very excited to check out another great debut, Small Acts of Defiance by Australian author Michelle Wright. Small Acts of Defiance is a compelling historical drama set in occupied Paris. I imagine this is going to be a pretty intense and impressive read and I am very excited to check it out.

The President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

The final novel I have received is the fun sounding thriller, The President’s Daughter by the remarkable team of Bill Clinton and James Paterson. The President’s Daughter is the follow-up to the pair’s first novel, The President is Missing, and looks set to be another exciting and fantastic adventure of a rogue president going off on his own to save the people he loves.

In addition to some of the books I have received from publishers, I also went out on a bit of a shopping spree the other day and grabbed several amazing novels and comics that I have been really excited for.

A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis

There was no way that I could avoid getting a copy of the latest Flavia Albia novel by Lindsey Davis, A Comedy of Terrors, especially after how much I enjoyed her 2020 release, The Grove of the Caesars. This latest novel sets professional informer and investigator Flavia Albia up against a new and dangerous foe during the middle of a massive festival. It sounds like a pretty awesome novel and I cannot wait to explore it’s brilliant mystery and fantastic humour.

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

Blackout is a novel that I have been hoping to read for a very long time. Written by one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, Blackout is an excellent sounding murder mystery set in the midst of Nazi Germany during the war. While I do prefer some of Scarrow’s Roman historical fiction novels, such as last years exciting The Emperor’s Exile, Blackout sounds like an exceptional read and I am very keen to check it out.

Breakout by Paul Herron

Another novel that I have been hoping to read for a while is the amazing thriller Breakout by Paul Herron. Breakout has a fantastic sounding plot which forces a violent criminal and a forgotten prison guard to work together to survive the horrors of a flooding super-max prison with all the inmates let out. This novel has so much potential for fun, action and excitement, and I imagine I will get through it in a very short amount of time.

Star Wars (2020): Volume Two: Operation Starlight by Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas and Jan Bazaldua

The final entry on this book haul post is the second volume of the fantastic Star Wars (2020) comic series, Operation Starlight. Operation Starlight continues to follow the adventures of Luke, Leia and Lando following the events of The Empire Strikes Back, and this latest volume forces them to face off with a dangerous foe. I deeply enjoyed the first volume of this series, The Destiny Path, and after reading this second volume, Star Wars (2020) is swiftly becoming one of my favourite Star Wars comic book series of all time.

Well that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2021 TBR

On March 17, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this Top Ten Tuesday, participants need to list the top releases that they are looking forward to reading in Spring (or Autumn for us down here in Australia). This is a fun exercise that I have done for each of the preceding seasons, and it is always interesting to highlight the various cool sounding books that are coming out in the next few months.

For this list I have come up with 10 of the best novels that are coming out between 1 March 2021 and 31 May 2021. I have decided to exclude novels that I have already read, so that took a couple of key books off the list. Still, this left me with a rather substantial pool of cool upcoming novels that I am excited for, which I was eventually able to whittle down into a great Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be some really impressive and enjoyable reads. I am actually really excited for the next three months as there are some incredible novels coming out, several of which I already know are going to be amongst the best books of 2021.

Honourable Mentions:

Blackout by Simon Scarrow – 30 March 2021

Crusader by Ben Kane – 27 April 2021

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – 4 May 2021

Gamora & Nebula: Sisters in Arms by Mackenzi Lee – 1 June 2021

Top Ten List:

The Councillor by E. J. Beaton – 2 March 2021

The first entry on this list is a rather intriguing fantasy debut from Australian author E. J. Beaton. The Councillor looks set to contain a thrilling and clever tale about politics, murder and betrayal in a cool new fantasy realm. This book has a lot of potential and I am rather keen to check it out.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed – 4 March 2021

I had to include at least one Star Wars book on this list (it’s practically a tradition for me at this point), and while I was very tempted to include the new Thrawn Ascendency novel, Greater Good (especially after how much I enjoyed the previous book, Chaos Rising), I instead decided I am a little more excited for Star Wars: Victory’s Price. Victory’s Price is the third and final entry in Alexander Freed’s excellent Alphabet Squadron series which follows a rag-tag group of New Republic pilots in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi. The last two books, Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall, have been really exceptional reads, and I am very excited to see how this amazing series ends.

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst – 9 March 2021

Last year I was lucky enough to enjoy fantasy author Sara Beth Durst’s work for the first time when I checked out her 2020 release, Race the Sands, which featured a captivating conspiracy around monster racing. Race the Sands was an epic read that I deeply enjoyed and it ended up being one of my favourite books (and audiobooks) of 2020. As a result, I have been rather keen to check out Durst’s next standalone fantasy book, The Bone Maker. I actually started reading The Bone Maker today and have made a fair bit of progress already. So far it has been pretty amazing and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Breakout by Paul Herron – 9 March 2021

Another intriguing debut, Breakout is a fantastically fun sounding thriller which sees a mostly innocent man attempt to escape from the most secure prison in the planet, whilst it is in the process of getting flooded during a raging storm. This has so much potential for action-packed fun and I am sure it is going to be an absolute blast to read.

Firefly: Life Signs by James Lovegrove – 16 March 2021

Another fantastic tie-in novel that I am looking forward to reading this month is the awesome sounding Firefly: Life Signs. I have been really loving the awesome batch of Firefly novels that have been released recently (Big Damn Hero, The Magnificent Nine, Generations and The Ghost Machine), and Life Signs sounds particularly good, especially as they revisit an interesting, unused storyline from the show. This should be an outstanding read and I am looking forward to it.

The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell – 30 March 2021

Last year, Nick Martell had one of the best debuts of 2020 with The Kingdom of Liars, a clever and captivating fantasy novel, set in a world where magic steals people’s memories. The Kingdom of Liars was an exceptionally amazing read and I have been really keen to see how the sequel turns out. I have already heard some intriguing things about this book and I am hoping that it will be just as good, if not better, than Martell’s impressive first novel.

A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis – 30 March 2021

I am always very happy when a new Lindsey Davis novel is released, and her current body of work, the Flavia Alba Roman historical fiction series, has featured some exceptional novels in recent years (check out my reviews for The Last Nero, Pandora’s Boy, A Capitol Death and The Grove of the Caesars). The next book in the series, A Comedy of Terrors, has an incredible sounding story to it, with murder and treason occurring during a popular festival. I am extremely keen to unwrap this latest historical mystery and I am hoping for another clever and entertaining read.

Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai – 14 April 2021

It has been a long year, but my favourite comic book series, the incredible Usagi Yojimbo series by the legendary Stan Sakai, is finally releasing another volume. The upcoming Usagi Yojimbo comic, Homecoming, is the second volume to be released completely in colour (the other being last years Bunraku and Other Stories), and has an intense sounding story and will no doubt be filled with exciting characters, impressive art work and Sakai’s trademark love for Japanese culture and heritage. I already know that I am going to deeply love this amazing comic and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence – 5 May 2021

Last year I finally got around to reading one of Mark Lawrence’s impressive fantasy novels, The Girl and the Stars, which followed a young women forced to survive in the dark and dangerous world beneath a desolate ice planet. I had an outstanding time reading this book and I am now extremely keen to read Lawrence’s next novel, The Girl and the Mountain. This cool sounding upcoming sequel looks set to continue the epic story started in The Girl and the Stars, and I am really excited to see what happens next.

Protector by Conn Iggulden – 18 May 2021

The final book on this list is Protector, the next novel from the always incredible Conn Iggulden, who is one of the best authors of historical fiction in the world today. Protector is the sequel to last year’s awesome read The Gates of Athens and is part of a great series that will chart the rise and fall of ancient Athens. This next book will continue to detail the war against the Persians while also highlighting some of the leading figures in the city, and I already know that this is going to be an exceptional and epic read.

Canberra Weekly Column – Holiday Reads – 17 December 2020

On January 3, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly ColumnLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Holiday Reads 1 - 17 December 2020-1

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 17 December 2020.

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

Reviews of Hollow Empire and The Emperor’s Exile were done by me, while the reviews of Unrestricted Access, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home and Box 88 were done by my colleague Jeffrey over at Murder, Mayhem and Long Dogs.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Hollow Empire and The Empire’s Exile.

The Emperor’s Exile by Simon Scarrow

On December 4, 2020June 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction19 Comments

The Emperor's Exile Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 10 November 2020)

Series: Eagles of the Empire – Book 19

Length: 434 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of the top authors of Roman historical fiction, Simon Scarrow, returns with the latest exciting novel in his Eagles of the Empire series, The Emperor’s Exile.

Rome, 57 A.D. Following their adventures in Parthia, Legionary veterans Tribune Cato and Centurion Marco return to Rome with the remnants of their Praetorian Cohort. Thanks to the ever-shifting politics of Rome and the fickleness of Emperor Nero’s court, Cato faces a hostile reception from some of Nero’s advisors, who hold him responsible for the military disasters experienced in the Parthian campaign. Soon Cato has his command taken away from him, while Marco decides to resign from the Legions in protest, determined to live out his retirement in Britain.

Isolated in Rome, Cato is forced by one of Nero’s advisors to take on a new and dangerous mission. Nero’s mistress, the beautiful Claudia Acte, has risen too high too quickly, and Nero’s political enemies have manipulated him into sending her into exile. Travelling with a select group of Praetorian officers and his new advisor, the spy Apollonius, Cato must escort Claudia to the location of her exile, the island province of Sardinia, where he has another mission to accomplish.

Sardinia has long been plagued by tribes of bandits living wild in the centre of the island. These proud decedents of the original inhabitants of Sardinia have been causing problems in recent months, raiding the local villages and ambushes caravans. Taking command of Sardinia’s entire garrison, Cato begins to work out a strategy to defeat the locals and regain his position in Rome. However, this proves harder than originally anticipated as Cato needs to contend with a disorganised military force, a dangerous plague that is beginning to overwhelm the island and a surprisingly competent group of bandits with unparalleled knowledge of the local landscape. Worse, Cato begins to have dangerous feelings for Claudia, feelings which his enemies will exploit and which could set the entirety of Rome against him. Can Cato pacify Sardinia before his entire force is decimated, or have his adventures finally come to an end?

This was another fantastic and highly enjoyable historical fiction novel from one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, who has produced an impressive new entry in his long-running Eagles of the Empire series. The Eagles of the Empire books are easily among the best Roman historical fiction series out there at the moment, and I have had an amazing time reading every single entry in this series, including the last two novels, The Blood of Rome and Traitors of Rome. The Emperor’s Exile is the 19^th Eagles of the Empire book and the author has produced another impressive story, featuring great historical elements and some fantastic character work. I had an awesome time reading this book and it is definitely worth checking out.

The Emperor’s Exile contains an extremely fun and captivating narrative which follows Cato work to defeat a new enemy in a new historical setting. Scarrow sets up an exciting and fast-paced story for this latest book, with the protagonist forced to deal with all manner of politics, intrigue and various forms of deadly peril in rather quick succession as he is assigned his mission and attempts to complete it. This naturally results in all manner of impressive action sequences which are a lot of fun to watch unfold, including one particularly good extended siege sequence. It is not all action, adventure and historical undertakings, however, as the book also has an intriguing focus on its central protagonist, Cato. Cato, who has been evolving as a character over the last 18 books, continues to develop in The Emperor’s Exile in several dramatic and emotionally rich ways. Not only does he have to adapt to a major change in his personal circumstances with the retirement of a great friend but he continues to question his role in the Roman army and whether he wants to remain a brutal killer. Throw in an ill-conceived romance, his continued regrets about his past actions and his disastrous first marriage, as well as a certain major change in his appearance for the future, and this becomes quite a substantial novel for Cato which also opens up some intriguing storylines in the future. I had a wonderful time reading this book and, once I got wrapped up in the story, I was able to power through the book extremely quickly.

In addition to having a great story, The Emperor’s Exile also serves as a key entry in this impressive, long-running series. While readers who want to check out this book do not particularly need to have read any of the previous Eagles of the Empire books, mainly because Scarrow does an excellent job of revisiting story aspects and characters from prior novels, those established fans of the series are going to find this book particularly significant and memorable. This is because one of the main protagonists of this series, Centurion Marco, who has been a major part of all 18 previous novels, retires from the Legions 100 or so pages into the book then subsequently disappears off to Britain, leaving Cato to his own adventure in Sardinia. Scarrow has been telegraphing Marco’s plans to retire for the last couple of books, and it is a natural consequence of the author realistically aging his characters (15 years have elapsed within the series at this point). While it was somewhat expected, it was still weird and a bit sad not to have Marco fighting along Cato in this latest adventure, especially as their comradeship is one of the defining aspects of this series. That being said, Cato has grown a lot over the last 18 books and the natural progression of Cato and Marco’s dynamic as characters did necessitate them splitting off at some point. It will be interesting to see how Scarrow features Marco in the future, especially if he plans to continue the Eagles of the Empire series for several more books (I personally would love it if he goes all the way into The Year of the Four Emperors, as it would wrap up the Vitellius and Vespasian storylines from the earlier books quite nicely). Based upon how The Emperor’s Exile ends, it looks like Marco is going to appear in the next book, but it is uncertain whether he will continue on as a central protagonist, become an occasional character or go down in a final blaze of glory. I personally think that Scarrow is planning to permanently retire Marco as a character soon, potentially replacing him with new character, Apollonius. Apollonius is the dangerous and insightful spy who Cato teamed up with during the previous novel, and who followed Cato back to Rome in this book. Apollonius served as Cato’s aide, scout and confident during The Emperor’s Exile in place of Marco, and it looks like he will be a major character in the next book as well. I quite liked Apollonius as a character and it will be interesting if he ends up as Marco’s replacement, especially as he shares a very different dynamic with Cato than Marco did. All of this makes The Emperor’s Exile quite an intriguing entry in the overall series and I am extremely curious to see what is going to happen to these amazing protagonists next year in the 20^th book in the series.

As always, this novel is chock full of fantastic historical detail and storytelling as the author sets his story in some intriguing parts of Roman history. Not only does the reader get a great view of Rome under the control of Emperor Nero (whose chaotic rule as described in this novel has some interesting modern parallels) but the main story takes place in the island province of Sardinia, off the Italian coast. Sardinia is a fascinating province that I personally have never seen used before in Roman historical fiction novels and which proved to be a fantastic setting for most of this book’s story. Scarrow really dives into the history, culture and geography of the island, explaining how it became a Roman province, examining some of the key towns and ports and highlighting the difference between the locals and the Roman settlers. There is a particularly compelling focus on the tribes who controlled the centre of the island and it was rather interesting to see how a group of rebellious barbarians managed to survive so close to Italy during this period. Scarrow also provides the reader with his usual focus on the Roman legions/auxiliaries, providing impressive details and depictions of how the Roman war machine operated and what their usual tactics and strategies are. All of this really helps to enhance the novel and I had an amazing time exploring Sardinia with the Roman protagonists.

Another intriguing aspect of The Emperor’s Exile was the plague storyline that saw the inhabitants of Sardinia, including Cato and his soldiers, have to contend with a deadly infectious sickness. This plague added an excellent edge to the storyline, serving as a hindrance to the protagonists and ensuring that they constantly have to change their plans while dealing with their enemy. Not only does this serve as a clever handicap for the Romans but readers cannot help but make some comparisons to modern day events. While I could potentially be reading a little too much into this and it is possible that Scarrow always intended to feature a plague in this book, I cannot help but think that this was a deliberate choice by the author. Either way, it proved to be an extremely fascinating part of the book and it was fun to compare the reactions of these historical characters to the actions of people in the real-world. While this story inclusion may potentially prove to be a little tiring for readers sick of any mentions of disease, infection and quarantine in their day-to-day lives, I thought it was a great addition to the novel, especially as it raised the dangerous stakes of this exciting novel.

With his latest novel, The Emperor’s Exile, Simon Scarrow continues to show why he is one of the top authors of Roman historical fiction in the world today. This latest novel serves as a key entry in his amazing Eagles of the Empire series and it takes the reader on an outstanding, action-packed adventure, loaded with some great character moments and some impressive historical settings. I had a fantastic time reading this book and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow continues this epic series next year. Luckily, I only have to wait a few more months for my next dose of this author’s work as his World War II crime fiction novel, Blackout, is set for release next March.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 2 December 2020

On December 2, 2020 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday4 Comments

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Ink by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

Ink Cover

This is the latest novel from one of my favourite authors at the moment, Jonathan Maberry. Ink is a standalone novel set in Maberry’s fictional town of Pine Deep and features a horror based storyline where people’s tattoos, and the memories associated with them, are stolen by a mysterious man. I am about halfway through this unique book at the moment and I am really enjoying its compelling story and intense characters. A very interesting read and one I am glad I decided to try out.