Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2023 novels that I read this year.
Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2023, for the last few years, I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2023 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before, and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2023, including some pretty incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.
To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2023. This proved to be a momentous task, as 2023 was a year where I spent a lot of time reading and listening to a ton of older books, including quite a few Warhammer 40,000 books. There were so many awesome older novels I got through this year, that I honestly couldn’t fit it all into a Top Ten list. Instead, I turned this into a pretty expansive Top 20 list, just to highlight how much fun I had with older books this year. This mega list ended up containing an interesting combination of novels, although there was a bit of an overload of entries from the Dresden Files’ series by Jim Butcher and Warhammer 40,000 novels, both of which I really got into throughout this year. Indeed, it got a little bad that I ended up combining several of these novels into a single entry, just to diversify it up a bit. While I might be cheating in places, this list honestly reflects the best pre-2023 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.
Top Twenty List (by release year):
Gaunt’s Ghosts novels by Dan Abnett – 2000-2002
If this list is going to show anything it is that 2023 was the year that I really started diving into older pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and boy did I have fun doing so. One of the most important of these series is the Gaunt’s Ghost books by Dan Abnett. Generally considered the most seminal series of the entire Warhammer 40,000 franchise, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books are a compelling and moving military fiction series that follow the common human soldier as they face the worst horrors the Warhammer 40,000 universe has to offer. I ended up reading four Gaunt’s Ghosts books in 2023, including Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith. Each novel had an outstanding story behind it and I loved seeing the great characters continue to evolve in each entry. Compelling, intense and very addictive, each book was worthy of its own entry on this list, although I combined all four into this one entry to add more diversity. I am hoping to really dive into this series next year and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
13th Legion and Kill Team by Gav Thorpe – 2000-2001
Another cool, older Warhammer 40,000 series I started reading in 2023 was the fantastic Last Chancers books by Gav Thorpe. Essentially The Dirty Dozen in space, the Last Chancers books follow an elite squad of condemned soldiers as they pull off suicidal missions hoping to receive a pardon. I had an incredible time with the first two books in this series, 13th Legion and Kill Team, and I loved the intense action, compelling characters and insane scenarios. I am hoping to get the rest of the series in 2024 and I cannot wait to see what chaos the Last Chancers cause next.
Eisenhorn Trilogy by Dan Abnett – 2001-2002
Another major Warhammer 40,000 series from Dan Abnett that I finally got around to reading this year is the iconic Eisenhorn trilogy. Made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, the Eisenhorn books follow the titular Inquisitor Eisenhorn as he faces off against dangerous aliens and the forces of Chaos seeking to destroy humanity from within. All three books in this trilogy are so damn good, and I love how they showed an interesting progression of internal corruption as the principled Eisenhorn begins to use darker methods to fight his war, even using the tainted weapons of his enemy. An outstanding series that all Warhammer 40,000 fans need to read, I cannot recommend these books enough and this trilogy is a worthy entry for this list.
Giantslayer by William King – 2003
While I mostly read the science fiction focussed Warhammer 40,000 books this year, I also dove back into the Warhammer Fantasy universe as well with another cool Gotrek and Felix book, Giantslayer. Following a doomed dwarf slayer and his human companion as they battle through a mysterious magical island, Giantslayer was a pretty fun entry to this already great series and I loved seeing these fantastic characters again. Giantslayer marked William King’s last entry on this long running series and I look forward to seeing how the series evolved under Nathan Long when I read the next book, Orcslayer.
For the Emperor and Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell – 2003-2004
One of the more distinctive and beloved Warhammer 40,000 series is the fun Ciaphas Cain books by Sandy Mitchell. Following a famous and heroic Imperial Commissar who is actually a massive coward, the Ciaphas Cain books are often more comedy than serious action, as Cain tries to do everything he can to avoid danger, only to be thrust into the middle of the battle against his will. I have been meaning to dive into this series for a while and I finally got the chance to read the first two books in the series, For the Emperor and Caves of Ice this year. Both are amazing reads and I really have to highlight their outstanding audiobook formats that feature three outstanding narrators. Some of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books out there, the Ciaphas Cain books live up to all the hype around them and I cannot wait to read more of them in the future.
Blood Angels: Deus Encarmine by James Swallow – 2004
A powerful and exciting read that sees members of the iconic Blood Angels chapter of Space Marines, fall under the sway of a new champion of their order. However, not everything is as it seems, and one Blood Angel seeks to find the truth before war and zealotry destroys him.
Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier – 2005
A fantastic, dark and compelling Warhammer 40,000 novel that pits an ostracised psychic against the personification of fear in a Night Lords Space Marine in a desolate and decaying city. Lord of the Night was an outstanding piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that I am planning to review fully in my next upcoming Throwback Thursday post. Highly recommended.
Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher – 2006-2012
Ok, so I’m kind of going a bit overboard with this entry as I’m actually covering six different books here. Readers of this blog will be aware I have been having fun getting through the awesome Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher over the last couple of years, and it has been a pretty epic experience. I really picked up my Dresden Files game in 2023 as I ended up listening to six books, including Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Night, Small Favour, Turn Coat, Changes and Ghost Story. All six were exceptional five-star reads and would have taken up a spot on this list each if I hadn’t combined them into one entry here. I had such a brilliant time with these Dresden Files novels in 2023 and Butcher tells some elaborate, entertaining and emotionally charged tales in this iconic urban fantasy series. I am hoping to finish it off in the new year, but before I do make sure to check out the linked reviews for books 7-13 above.
Mr Mercedes by Stephen King – 2014
In anticipation for the release of the new Stephen King novel, Holly (which is going to top a bunch of my end-of-year best of lists), I went back and read the book she was introduced in, Mr Mercedes. A slick, powerful and intense thriller, Mr Mercedes was an absolute riot, with complicated characters, unique crimes and one of the best games of cat-and-mouse you are likely to see. An outstanding read from one of the best authors of all-time, this is such a highly recommended read, especially if you loved King’s latest book.
Kingsblade by Andy Clark – 2017
I had to include the action-packed extravaganza that was Kingsblade on this list. Written by the highly talented Andy Clark (who impressed me last year with Steel Tread), Kingsblade is a great Warhammer 40,000 novel loaded with explosions, battles and war. Focussing on the legendary Imperial Knights, nobles who fight in deadly mecha, Kingsblade is set in the middle of a brutal war where a newly crowned king must contend with the very worst of treachery. A particularly exciting book, Kingsblade was so much fun and I’m glad I got to check it out this year.
Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley – 2020
A cool Warhammer 40,000 sub-series I had an excellent time exploring in 2023 was the Warhammer Crime series of books. Set in a massive and corrupt city, the Warhammer Crime books each recount a unique criminal investigation that could only take place in that sort of setting. Flesh and Steel was a great example of this, as it featured a distinctive buddy-cop storyline with a disinherited heir and a machine priest teaming up to work out why lobotomised machine/human hybrids are suddenly killing people. A fantastic and impressive novel that is really worth checking out.
The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath – 2020
One of the absolute best Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2023 was The Infinite and the Divine. Focussing on two eternal rivals as they plot and scheme across the millennia to obtain a rare artifact, The Infinite and the Divine is a brilliant read that gets funnier and funnier with each passing scene. Watching two typically taciturn and serious immortals devolve into petty children as the rivalry continues is so damn good, and Rath builds such an outstanding story around it. I loved this book so much and it got a full five-star rating from me.
Sepulturum by Nick Kyme – 2020
Another fun and gruesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Sepulturum is part of the Warhammer Horror range and is set in a dying city overrun by zombies. Scary, fast-paced, and filled with some interesting twists, Sepulturum is a great read for those after an exciting horror story in the Warhammer universe.
Bloodlines by Chris Wraight – 2020
Probably one of the most impressive Warhammer Crime books I read all year was the outstanding and elaborate Bloodlines by Chris Wraight. Featuring a much more standard crime fiction storyline about gangs, illicit dealings and missing heirs, Bloodlines was a fascinating book that still made great use of its impressive setting. The main crime fiction storyline, combined with the tired protagonist and the unique crime, really resonated with me and I loved how well a classic cop story could come across in this setting. This book desperately needs a sequel and I hope we see more books from Chris Wraight soon.
The Sandman: Act II by Neil Gaiman – 2021
I managed to finish off the second audiobook adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s epic comic The Sandman this year. Featuring two impressive central storylines, as well as multiple intriguing standalone tales, Act II of The Sandman continues to tell the complex and dark tale of Morpheus, the personification of dreams, as he faces off against dangerous threats and elaborate games from other immortals. Complex, highly inventive and featuring an outstanding voicecast, this epic audiobook is such an amazing way to enjoy this excellent comic and I cannot recommend it enough.
Grim Repast by Marc Collins – 2021
The final Warhammer Crime novels I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding read, Grim Repast. A grim and dark novel that leans heavily into the noir traditions, Grim Repast is a particularly bleak read that sees an ostracised detective try to solve a series of murders connected to a corrupt company. This was one of the more memorable and chilling Warhammer 40,000 books I have had the pleasure of reading, and it really encouraged me to check out the other Warhammer Crime entries on this list.
The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston – 2021
After falling in love with Johnston’s first two novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, I have been hoping to read his next dark fantasy novel, The Maleficent Seven, since it came out in 2021. I finally got the chance to read it while away on holiday and boy was I missing out. Pitting seven monstrous former comrades against a dangerous army of religious fanatics in a deadly siege scenario, The Maleficent Seven was an intense and action-packed read that I had such a hard time putting down. I really regret not reading this book sooner and I will try to get a proper review up for it soon.
Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 2022
One of the things I most regretted not reading in 2022 was the cool novella Ogres. Written by Adrian Tchaikovsky, an author I am growing to love more and more each year, Ogres was an intriguing sounding read that many people gushed about when it first came out. I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Ogres in advance of reading a more recent Tchaikovsky novel, City of Last Chances, and it turned out to be such a clever read. Set in a world where ogres rule, Ogres was a captivating tale of revolution and deceit, with some excellent social commentary included. One of the more unique stories I read all year, this was everything I hoped it would be and more.
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans – 2022
A cool and unique fantasy novel from last year, Notorious Sorcerer had been on my to-read list for a while and I finally got the chance this year while on holiday. Featuring a great story with a complex magical system, Notorious Sorcerer was a fine book and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.
Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham – 2022
The final pre-2023 book I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding fantasy read, Age of Ash by one half of the team behind The Expanse, Daniel Abraham. Set in an elaborate fantasy city loaded with secrets and lies, Age of Ash follows several complex protagonists as they try to survive the chaos following the sudden ascension of a new ruler. I had a great time with this book, and I’m hoping to check out the next entry soon, especially as it apparently has a compelling, multi-layered story that ties into the first book in a unique way.
And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2023 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading some other older books in 2024, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. I imagine it will end up looking a little similar, especially as I have plans to finish off the Dresden Files, as well as examining some other outstanding Warhammer novels. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2023.
The Unseen Library 