Tag: Standalone

Quick Review – Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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

Alien Clay Cover

Publisher: Tor (Audiobook – 28 March 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 13 hours and 55 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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

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

Plot Synopsis:

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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Alien Clay Cover 2

Hill 112 by Adrian Goldsworthy

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction1 Comment

Hill 112 Cover

Publisher: Head of Zeus (ebook – 23 May 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 495 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare to dive headfirst into the deadliest of struggles as acclaimed historical fiction author Adrian Goldsworthy provides a captivating look at the Normandy invasions with his epic novel, Hill 112.

Adrian Goldsworthy is an impressive historical fiction author who has been producing some great novels as of late.  A respected historian, Goldsworthy made the jump back to fiction in 2011 when he started his Napoleonic Wars series.  I had the great pleasure of reading the first few books in the series, including True Solider Gentlemen and Beat the Drums Slowly, and Goldsworthy prove to be an outstanding author who would focus his stories on intriguing historical elements.  His Napoleonic Wars series ended up featuring six novels before he dove into Roman historical fiction in 2017 with his Roman Britain series.  Starting with Vindolanda and also featuring six novels, the Roman Britain series sounds very awesome, and it is one I need to check out in the future.  Due to how much I enjoyed some of Goldsworthy’s previous books, I made sure to grab a copy of his latest release, Hill 112, which provides a compelling examination of the bloody invasion of Normandy during World War II.

June 6th, 1944.  After years of enduring the Nazi onslaught, the Allies are finally ready to begin their campaign to invade occupied France.  But to liberate France and free all of Europe, the Allies first must make a perilous landing and brave the full force of the German army waiting for them.  The destination for their fateful landing: Normandy!

As the Allies begin their invasion, three young soldiers, former classmates from south Wales, are amongst the troops landing in Normandy.  The charismatic James must put his previous experience as cricket captain into practice by leading a troop of Sherman tanks into fray.  The athletic Mark is forced to prove himself as the young officer in charge of a platoon of infantrymen, while Bill, the group’s resident firebrand, finds himself in the middle of the fighting as he serves as a private soldier.  However, none of these young men are truly prepared for the carnage to come.

The battle-hardened German army is determined to push the Allies back into the sea, and soon both sides find themselves caught up in a brutal battle for survival.  Into the middle of this, James, Mark and Bill find their courage and luck tested like never before as they finally experience the horrors of war and the seemingly unbeatable Germans.  Their fates, and that of the entire Allied war effort, will be decided in one of the most brutal fights of the Normandy campaign, the battle for Hill 112.

Goldsworthy brings together one of his heaviest and moving novels yet with the incredible Hill 112.  A gritty and realistic war story that seeks to capture the experiences of young soldiers during Normandy, Hill 112 was a fantastic and moving novel that drags readers right into the heart of the fighting.

Hill 112 has a great story to it that, while simple in concept, hits the reader hard and provides a powerful look into the realities of war.  Told from the perspective of three young soldiers as they experience their first taste of combat, Hill 112 is a very moving war novel that is hard to look away from at times.  Starting with the first day of the Normandy landings, you initially follow James, who leads the charge with his tank unit, while Mark and Bill wait back in England for their deployment to the front.  While this did make James’s chapters a lot more interesting and exciting than the others’ at the start of the book, I liked how Goldsworthy chose to start the remaining two characters off back in England.  Not only was historically realistic, but it allowed you to get to know these two protagonists and other supporting characters before the fighting, while also building up the tension, especially when you compared their experiences with what James was going through on the front.

It doesn’t take long for Mark and Bill to make it over to Normandy, and from there the reader becomes enmeshed in seeing all three protagonists facing the tough campaign in Europe.  There is a lot of action and a ton of tragedy in this part of the book, and it was fascinating to see them slowly adjust to the new normal of battle, as they experience the true horrors of war.  Goldsworthy continued to keep the three protagonists separated for most of the story, which allows each of them to grow, while also showcasing several different fronts at the same time.  Their storylines start to converge as the book continues, especially when they find themselves at the foot of the tactically significant Hill 112.  The last third of the book is essentially all out fighting as the three protagonists attempt to survive the desperate battle for the hill.  The carnage flies thick and fast in this part of the book, and you are constantly on edge as the three characters fight on, while also trying to understand the necessity and impacts of war.  I was deeply captivated for this entire part of Hill 112, and I couldn’t stop reading as I waited to see the fates of all three characters.  Goldsworthy did not disappoint, as the ending to this book was extremely shocking and powerful, and you come away wondering about the sacrifices, experiences and emotions of those involved in the fighting.  This was a such a great character-driven war story, and I came away very impressed with how it all unfolded.

I deeply enjoyed the compelling and powerful story that Goldsworthy created for Hill 112 that hits all the right notes for the reader.  Goldsworthy made the clever choice to provide the reader with a more insular look at the invasion, as the viewpoint is limited to the lower-ranked protagonists, more concerned with their own battles, rather than a look at the large war going on around them.  This proved to be an excellent choice of focus, and I deeply appreciated the way in which Goldsworthy was able to get into the mindset of the young soldiers fighting this war.  The constant switching between the three main protagonists allowed for a complex and intriguing story, as they experienced different battles while coming to terms with the fighting in their own ways.  Goldsworthy has a real talent for showing the chaos of war, and you are thrown into innumerable skirmishes, firefights and large-scale battles, all of which is captured in its full destructive glory.  You can honestly feel the bullets flying and the shells landing as you pour through Hill 112, and the constant conflict, danger and excellent portrayal of the fighting ensures that readers have a very hard time pulling their attention away from this amazing book.

Goldsworthy clearly did an exceptional amount of research for Hill 112 as this book is loaded with historical detail as the author meticulously covers key events of this initial invasion.  While the main regiments featured in Hill 112 are fictitious, Goldsworthy bases them on actual participants of the fighting, and you get incredibly detailed depictions of the early days of the Normandy campaign for the English and Canadian forces.  This includes events that followed from the initial landings on Normandy all the way to the conclusion of the fighting around the titular Hill 112, a key historical battle.  Readers get a very compelling and intensive look at how the campaign unfolded, and it was interesting to see how hotly contested this initial fighting in France was, especially as most modern war movies/television series usually show swift victory the moment the allies are off the beaches.  The battle of Hill 112 was naturally a compelling part of the book which the author covers in heavy detail, noting the movement of all the relevant units and the various attacks.  I got so engrossed in Goldsworthy’s recounting of this battle, and readers are left haunted and amazed that so much death occurred for a simple hill in the countryside.

The author really did not spare any detail when it comes to the fighting, and you get a comprehensive vision of the potential experiences of the participants in these battles.  Goldsworthy really dives into every single aspect of the solider experience, and you come away with insights into the conditions, equipment, training and attitudes of the troops, all of which greatly adds to the gritty realism of the story.  This is particularly true in the battle scenes, and it was very compelling to see how the soldiers would have fought, as well as other factors that came into play, such as the Allies’ overwhelming artillery.  I especially enjoyed the many scenes that focused on vehicular combat as one of the protagonists spends most of the book inside a Sherman tank, fighting against German armoured units.  The sequences in the tank are always a high-strung affair, and Goldsworthy expertly captures the cramped conditions, fast-paced fighting, and constant peril that the British crews experienced.  The author further increases the authenticity of the book by having his protagonists experience various incidents that were recorded to have happened during these invasions.  The author cleverly retells these events to feature his characters, and the various experiences, some of which are quite hellish, add a lot of intensity to the book.  Goldsworthy really pulls no punches when it comes to showcasing the experiences of Allied soldiers in Hill 112, and it proves hard not to deeply appreciate his ability to utilise a massive amount of historical detail to tell a good story.

I must also highlight the intriguing characters featured within Hill 112 who added a lot to the impact of the book.  The three main characters, James, Mark and Bill, are all quite intriguing in their own way, and I appreciated how they ran the gambit of young people who would have joined the war effort after leaving school.  Goldsworthy ensures that each of these main characters have a compelling backstory which contrasts in a moving way to their current experiences, and it was moving to see them grow up throughout the course of the horrendous ordeals they find themselves in.  These three main characters are also accompanied by a huge supporting cast of fellow soldiers, officers, tank crews and other figures, each of whom travel with the protagonists to engage in the fighting.  Many of these supporting characters are exclusive to the chapters told from the perspective of a particular protagonist, allowing for unique interactions, and Goldsworthy often provides relevant backstories for these supporting characters as well.  This cast of additional characters gets quite extensive as the book continues, which can make remembering everyone a little hard at times.  However, that proves to be a short-term problem at best, as the supporting players usually doesn’t last too long in the fighting.  This proved to be an excellent and intense character-driven novel, and I really appreciated how well Goldsworthy captured the experiences of these young soldiers in war.

Adrian Goldsworthy once again brings the past back to haunt his readers in the outstanding and moving novel, Hill 112.  A highly detailed and impressive war novel, Hill 112 does an incredible job capturing the experiences of young soldiers in the Normandy campaign and you will quickly become absorbed in the resulting story.  Highly recommended, especially for those fans of military history, Hill 112 was such an amazing read.

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The No.1 Lawyer by James Patterson and Nancy Allen

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller6 Comments

The No.1 Lawyer Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 3 April 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 423 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The blockbuster team of bestselling author James Patterson and former lawyer Nancy Allen return with the outstanding and highly entertaining legal thriller, The No.1 Lawyer.

I have been having an outstanding time getting into the various works of James Patterson the last few years, especially as he produces so many excellent books in collaboration with a range of exceptional authors.  This includes 2 Sisters Detective Agency and The Murder Inn with Candice Fox, Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker, Lost with James O. Born and The Perfect Assassin with Brian Sitts, just to name a few.  One of the more interesting people he has been collaborating with is veteran lawyer and author Nancy Allen.  Best known for her Ozarks Mysteries and Anonymous Justice series, Allen has also cowritten two legal thrillers with Patterson, including The Jailhouse Lawyer and Juror No.3.  The No.1 Lawyer is the third collaboration between Patterson and Allen and proved to be an amazing amount of fun.

Stafford Lee Penney is a high-flying lawyer with a shining reputation in the city of Biloxi.  The son of a notorious mob lawyer, Stafford Lee has worked his way out of the mud and holds the distinction of being the best defence attorney in the state of Mississippi.  However, this dubious title comes at a cost, and Stafford Lee’s marriage is in the toilet and his home life is a mess.  Throwing himself into his latest case, Stafford Lee defends a prominent doctor accused of a heinous murder in the trial of the century.

Determined to show that he’s the best, Stafford Lee provides an impassioned defence in this controversial case.  However, Stafford Lee is unprepared for the fallout of his decision to defend the undefendable, when his wife is murdered and he loses everything.  Broken and devastated, Stafford Lee sinks into a drunken losing streak that destroys his reputation and ends his once promising career.

With the help of his friends, Stafford Lee attempts to return to legal profession he loves so much, even if just on the periphery.  But he is unprepared for the dark truth that his wife’s killer might still be on the loose.  Worse, it soon becomes apparent that someone is targeting Stafford Lee personally, and he soon finds himself accused of murder.  To survive, Stafford Lee needs to once again become the No. 1 lawyer of Biloxi to win the biggest trial of his career, his own.

Patterson and Allen are in strong form as they bring together an outstanding and highly exciting legal thriller that is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.  The No.1 Lawyer was an awesome book, that wowed me with its cool court scenes, intriguing protagonists, and thrilling plot.

The team of Patterson and Allen come up with a fun and compelling narrative for The No.1 Lawyer and it was one that I found hard to put down at times.  The authors find the right balance of legal thriller, murder mystery and character driven storylines throughout The No.1 Lawyer and you really get drawn in as a result.  The first half of the book is firmly anchored around a big murder trial that the protagonist has been hired as the defence lawyer for.  This proves to be a fascinating case, especially as it raises some intriguing ethical concerns about Stafford Lee defending a likely guilty man, and the case gets highly personal and crazy at times.  This first half of the book also introduces some key plot points that become very relevant later, while also showcasing the main cast in a great way.  This first part of the book ends on some big moments, and while I was hooked all the way there, the compelling conclusion to the first part of the story ensured that I had to keep going with The No.1 Lawyer.

After the death of the protagonist’s wife, the story goes in some fantastic and personal directions as Stafford Lee ends up spiralling and very much losing his way.  This is easily the most emotionally charged part of The No.1 Lawyer, and you really come to appreciate the author’s character work and how they cover grief and loss.  A good chunk of the middle of the book is dedicated the protagonist rebuilding his life one brick at a time, while he also finds his way back into the legal profession, albeit at a much lower level than before.  These various scenes are really heartfelt, and the authors also use them to further set up additional plot points for the rest of the book.

The final third of The No.1 Lawyer is where all the action unfolds, and Patterson and Allen don’t hold back, with additional murders, frame jobs and a new trial where the protagonist must defend himself for murder.  I really enjoyed how bleak things got for the protagonist here, especially after seeing him get back on his feet in the previous part of the book, and it was great to see him once again get into top legal form to defend himself.  The big trial here was very fun, as Stafford Lee stopped caring about decorum and decided to go for a very aggressive defence, and the resulting scenes were pretty damn fun.  There was also a compelling murder investigation in the sidelines, which melded well with the legal thriller parts of the book.  The big reveal of who was behind the killings was very interesting, if not too surprising, and while I liked how it turned out, especially the violent confrontation, I would have preferred a fun court sequence to reveal the truth.  Still, Patterson and Allen more than make up for this with the final big twist, which I thought was extremely clever, and which will blow more than a few people away.  I had such a great time with this amazing and epic story, and this was easily one of the most entertaining narratives of 2024 so far.

I am a big fan of legal thrillers, and Patterson’s writing style combined well with the knowledge of Allen to create a very good example of the genre.  The various court scenes and accompanying legal work are well showcased, and you really get drawn into the outrageous and captivating court sequences as a result.  The cases being discussed also prove to be quite complex, and I enjoyed seeing the various secrets and lies that the authors hide within the details.  I also had a good chuckle at Patterson and Allen producing a fun homage to John Grisham here with The No.1 Lawyer, especially as they featured a legal thriller down in Biloxi.  The two provide their own excellent take on this infamous city, and I liked the small town feel you often got with everyone knowing each other, especially as that led to some intriguing legal complications.  Everything is kept very sharp and fast paced, and the multiple quickfire chapters that are so typical of a Patterson book help to keep readers extremely engaged with the plot.

While there is obviously a lot of focus on murder and legal proceedings in The No.1 Lawyer, I felt that human elements of the story helped to make this book particularly good.  Nearly all the main characters in The No.1 Lawyer are deeply flawed in ways that only humans can be, and the authors do a wonderful job showcasing this as the plot continues.  This is particularly true for protagonist Stafford Lee Penney, the young hotshot lawyer whose obsession with his career has cost him his marriage and a normal homelife.  We follow Stafford Lee through the many highs and dramatic lows of his life, which presents a rollercoaster of emotions to the reader which are so damn compelling.  The many scenes where Stafford Lee loses everything and finds himself in a drunken depression were very moving, and the authors did an amazing job of capturing his grief and despair.  Watching him rebuild himself with the help of his friends was an excellent part of the book, and you really grow attached to him as a result, which makes the trials that follow even more intense.  I also appreciated how the way in which the book captures the many pressures associated with being a top-notch lawyer, especially as it shows that no matter how hard it gets, the protagonist loves his profession and the thrills that comes with it.

The No.1 Lawyer also features a fantastic supporting cast that move the story along in some interesting directions.  Stafford Lee’s two close friends, Mason Burnett and Jenny Glaser prove to be his emotional rock for much of the book, and the various scenes where they support Stafford Lee at this worst are some of the strongest in the entire novel.  Jenny’s concurrent investigation into the various killings around Biloxi also prove to be an interesting part of the book, especially as it often clashes with Stafford Lee’s wishes, and she proved to be a fantastic female lead.  However, I did think the inevitable romantic arc between Stafford Lee and Jenny was a little forced at times, and the book might have been fine without it.  Other key characters include Stafford Lee’s original client, who proves to be a fun key suspect, a notorious Biloxi gangster, and the various members of the state’s court system, all of whom prove quite invested in Stafford Lee’s various cases.  The opposing prosecution for Stafford Lee’s main trials is of particular note, especially as the cases get quite personal for them.  All these characters, and more, prove to be excellent additions to the plot and I really enjoyed the fun directions the authors took them in.

Overall, I had an amazing time with The No.1 Lawyer, and it proved to be a very epic and entertaining book that I really got invested in.  The brilliant team of James Patterson and Nancy Allen created an excellent legal thriller, and I really appreciated how compelling and exciting the story got at times.  Slick, entertaining, and loaded with substantial emotional charge, The No.1 Lawyer was a fantastic novel that is really worth checking out.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – High Wire by Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller, 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I look at an awesome upcoming piece of Australian fiction from an author who is having a particularly good 2024, with High Wire by Candice Fox.

High Wire Cover

Amazon

This really is the year of the Fox as Australian author Candice Fox introduces her third epic thriller of 2024 with the exciting sounding High Wire.  Fox is an author who I have come to really appreciate over the years, especially as she has wowed me with some truly amazing reads.  This includes her great standalone novels, Fire With Fire, Gathering Dark and The Chase, as well as the novel she cowrote with James Patterson, 2 Sisters Detective Agency.  All these novels feature some intriguing and clever concepts that Fox works into effective and powerful stories that you can’t turn away from.  This was particularly true in 2024 as Fox’s other two books from this year, The Murder Inn (with Patterson) and Devil’s Kitchen, were extremely impressive and really drove home how good an author Fox is.

As such, it is little wonder that I am excited for Fox’s new novel, High Wire, which is currently set for release in late September 2024.  High Wire sees Fox return her focus to the Australian outback, as two people get caught up in all manner of trouble in the very worst place you could imagine.

Plot Synopsis:

You only take the High Wire if you’re desperate – or up to no good.|

A notorious unmarked track through outback Australia, the ‘Wire’ crosses slabs of lawless land, body dumping grounds and mobile phone blackspots.

Harvey Buck is certainly desperate. Racing to be with his dying girlfriend, he encounters Clare Holland, whose car has broken down. He offers the hapless traveller a ride . . . and then their nightmare begins.

The pair are ambushed by a vengeful crew – and strapped into bomb vests. As part of a deadly game, Harvey and Clare are forced to commit a series of increasingly murderous missions, or else be blown to smithereens.

Senior Sergeant Edna Norris is dealing with a runaway teenager; not an unusual job in a place where people go to disappear. But an unfolding crime spree turns this outback cop’s night into a fight for survival. Hot on Harvey and Clare’s trail, Edna finds a burnt-out car, a missing woman, a bank robbery and a bullet-riddled body.

And this road trip from hell has only just begun . . .


High Wire sounds like it is going to be a pretty full-on and intense read, which I am totally here for.  An explosive race across the country with murderous intentions, dangerous games, and two apparently innocent people trapped in badly escalating situation has all the potential to be an amazing story, especially with a talented author like Candice Fox at the wheel.  Throw in the author’s ability to bring the wild outback Australian setting to life, as well as some great and intriguing characters, and I feel that High Wire is going to be a pretty epic book.

Honestly, after the 2024 that Candice Fox has been having, there is no way that I will not be picking up High Wire when it comes out later this year.  Fox’s other two books this year have been extremely impressive, and High Wire looks set to follow that trend.  This upcoming book has such an exciting and over-the-top plot behind it, and I fully believe that Fox will turn it into something special.  This is easily one of my most anticipated pieces of Australian fiction coming out in the second half of 2024 and I cannot wait to read it.

Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller10 Comments

Devil's Kitchen Cover

Publisher: Bantam Australia (Trade Paperback – 26 March 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 480 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of Australia’s very best thriller authors continues her hellacious 2024 with the outstanding and epic read, Devil’s Kitchen.

Candice Fox is a very impressive author who has been doing an amazing job representing Australian authors on the international stage with her epic thrillers.  Starting off with some intriguing outback thrillers, including her Archer and Bennett series and Crimson Lake books (the latter of which have been adapted into the Australian television series Troppo), it didn’t take long for Fox to gain worldwide appeal, especially once she started collaborating with James Patterson.  Fox with Patterson has written several amazing reads, including the Detective Harriet Blue series, The Inn, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and Fox’s other 2024 read, The Murder Inn.  Fox has also been writing some amazing standalone thrillers in recent years, including Gathering Dark, The Chase and Fire with Fire.  I have had an amazing time with these outstanding books, and they usually end up being some of the top books by an Australian author each year.  However, Fox’s latest novel, Devil’s Kitchen, might be her best thriller yet.

Everyone knows firefighters are heroes, and in the FDNY, no team is more daring or brave than the members of Engine 99.  For years this tightknit band of firefighters has stood against the worst blazes New York has to offer, working together to save lives and keep the city safe.  However, beneath this heroic façade, the four members of Engine 99 harbour a dark secret: they are ruthless and successful thieves.

Utilising their knowledge of fire to create opportunities and destroy evidence, the Engine 99 crew have pulled off several impressive heists and stolen millions of dollars.  With their loyalty, skills and ability to work within the system, the team seems unbeatable.  However, that changes when the family of one member of the team, Ben, goes missing.  Convinced that someone else on the Engine 99 crew had something to do with their disappearance, Ben attempts to make a deal with the law to save them.  However, Ben is unprepared for the carnage his actions will bring down.

Andrea ‘Andy’ Nearland is a professional undercover operative with a dangerous past.  She has spent years learning to get close to people to learn their darkest secrets and will do anything to bring her targets to justice.  Joining the team after obtaining intensive firefighting training, Andy begins the arduous task of gaining the rest of the team’s trust with Ben’s reluctant help.  However, getting through the web of secrecy surrounding the rest of Engine 99 and finding out what happened to Ben’s family will be difficult, especially as the team plots their most ambitious heist yet.  With tensions running higher than ever and her obsessive employer trying to drag her out, can Andy find out all of Engine 99’s dark secrets before it’s too late, or will her tangled web of lies and emotional connections bring her down?

This was a particularly epic book from Fox that I couldn’t put down.  Featuring an ambitious and powerful narrative that pushes the boundaries of relationships, loyalty and doing the right thing, Devil’s Kitchen had me hooked the entire way through, and this was truly an outstanding read.

I really cannot emphasise enough what a great story Devil’s Kitchen had, and this ended up being a dark and compelling thriller.  Featuring a gripping prelude that ensures you get drawn into the story, Devil’s Kitchen is quickly split between the perspectives of main characters Andy and Ben, as Andy begins her infiltration of the Engine 99 crew after Ben contacts the authorities about his crew’s criminal actions.  Joining as a new member with a romantic connection to Ben, Andy attempts to gain their trust, while the crew begins planning a new heist with destructive potential.  What follows is an intriguing game of cat and mouse as Andy uses her skills at infiltration to try and find out all their secrets, even the ones that Ben doesn’t want her to know, all while the rest of the crew battle their suspicions about her motivations.

The plot goes in some intriguing directions as Devil’s Kitchen continues, as all the team’s dark secrets and Andy’s troubled past come to light.  Andy proves to be a very smooth operator as she gets closer to finding out the truth, while Ben is a complex and haunted figure, desperate to save those he cares about, while also hoping to keep his worst secrets to himself.  I loved the many layers of deception, personal struggle and compelling personalities contained within the story, as the protagonists attempt to discover what happened to Ben’s missing family and how it ties into his heist work.  At the same time, Andy and Ben get closer, and Andy is forced to deal with her overprotective employer and former lover, whose jealousy and concern about the situation causes more trouble for her.  The last third of the story is particularly epic, as the truth in all its forms gets out, and everyone is thrown into some desperate directions.  Fox pulls together some excellent twists and turns here, and all the big reveals were suitably shocking and intense.  This was probably one of Fox’s best conclusions, and all the elaborate story threads come together perfectly, ensuring that the reader comes away satisfied with the various solutions to the book’s big mysteries.  At the same time, there are some dark and shocking moments, and I honestly did not expect how tragic Fox would make her conclusion.

I have a lot of love for how Fox brought her story together, and this proved to be a very well-written book.  The intense back and forth between the two perspective protagonists presents the reader with a dramatic and complex read, especially as both have hidden motivations and desires.  In many ways this is almost a psychological thriller, especially as Fox does an outstanding job diving into why Andy desires connections in every identity she takes on, while Ben is caught between his intense loyalty to the crew and his desires to save his loved ones.  This balance of thriller storyline and character arcs really works, and I ended up invested in both Andy and Ben’s unique storylines, even if that threatened to lead to tragedy.  Fox keeps up a fantastic and fast pace for this novel, and I honestly couldn’t put Devil’s Kitchen down at times, I was so engrossed in seeing the next dark turn or compelling character moment.

I have mentioned Andy and Ben a few times, and they really were the tortured heart and soul of the team.  Fox portrayed Ben as an outstandingly complex figure, and you really get invested in his motivations for both staying quiet and trying to end his crew’s heist careers.  Ben is forced to experience some major moral dilemmas in Devil’s Kitchen, and despite his criminal focus, you can’t help but feel bad for him.  While I enjoyed Ben’s chapters and story arc, I found Andy to be the more compelling character and I loved the idea of a master infiltrator who can go undercover and get close to people.  Fox does an excellent job of expanding out her motivations and insights while ensuring that the reader will be interested in finding out more about her past.  These gradually reveal some intriguing details into why she is so good at taking up new identities and her dangerous habit of getting too close to her targets becomes a recurring theme.  I found Andy’s clever perspective to be some of the best parts of Devil’s Kitchen, and her various techniques for getting closer to her targets were extremely clever.  I think there is a lot of potential in an extended series focused on Andy (or whatever her name will be in the future), especially as there are some open doors when it comes to her past.

Aside from Andy and Ben, I have to highlight the three antagonists of the story, the other members of Engine 99.  Made up of a damaged veteran firefighter, an unhinged fixer, and a young trainee with a gambling problem, they, along with Ben, have become a tightknit group, loyal only to each other and dedicated to earning a sufficient retirement.  Due to the story requiring Andy to get closer to them and learn their secrets, you get drawn into their tangled relationships and connections, especially as the secret to what happen to Ben’s family, as well as their latest plot, lies in uncovering that.  I really enjoyed getting to know these three additional figures, especially as you get drawn into their dark motivations and outlooks on life.  They prove to be suitably complex and intriguing antagonists for the story, and it was fascinating to see how Andy and Ben navigate their interactions with them.

Overall, I felt that Devil’s Kitchen was a pretty amazing novel from Candice Fox, and it was one of her most impressive thrillers so far.  Featuring a particularly intense, character-driven storyline focused on lies, deception and misdirection, Devil’s Kitchen had me hooked from the very beginning and I could not rest until I uncovered every single clever twist and outrageous reveal.  An exceptional read from one of Australia’s best authors, I cannot wait to see more from Fox, especially as she has yet another book coming out later this year.

Devil's Kitchen 2

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Quick Review – The Winter Palace by Paul Morgan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical Fiction, Quick Review4 Comments

The Winter Palace Cover

Publisher: Penguin Books (Trade Paperback – 26 March 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 329 pages

My page: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Compelling Australian author Paul Morgan presents an intense and intriguing historical drama that examines the tragic lives of a Polish husband and wife who find themselves torn apart by war and circumstance in The Winter Palace.

Plot Synopsis:

If he had died, I would know it in my heart.

In 1939, Anton, a captain in the Polish army, says goodbye to his wife, Elisabeth. He is leaving to defend their homeland against the invasion by Nazi Germany and Russia. They make a vow that – whatever happens, however much time passes – they’ll meet again at the Winter Palace, their stately home in the Polish countryside.

The winds of war draw them far apart. Anton is captured and sent to Siberia as a POW. He eventually joins a lost army that battles through snowstorms and scorching deserts in Central Asia to find freedom. Anton survives, driven by his determination to join Elisabeth again. She, meanwhile, is forced to be the ‘mistress’ of a Nazi officer before escaping to join the Polish resistance.

As the war ends, Anton and Elisabeth are at the opposite ends of the world. Anton is in Australia. Elisabeth is in Poland, awaiting his return for months and then years. Will they ever meet again at the Winter Palace?

From 1930s Europe to present-day Australia, this is a sweeping story of love that cannot be broken by time, distance, war or even death.

Morgan came up with a powerful and captivating tale in The Winter Palace which really hits hard.  Following Anton, a Polish military captain, and his wife Elisabeth, The Winter Palace features a well-planned-out split protagonist storyline that shows their respective dark journeys during the destructive chaos of World War II.

Both character-focused storylines are interesting and dark in their own ways, especially as the two protagonists go through hell and back as part of their respective war stories.  Anton’s plot follows the fate of the Polish soldiers who were captured during the joint Nazi and Soviet Invasion.  In Anton’s case, he experiences being a Soviet POW, a reluctant Soviet soldier fighting the Nazis, and then a member of the Allies when the Soviets send their freed Polish soldiers to Palestine.  Elisabeth’s story is more Poland focused, as she is forced to become a Nazi ‘mistress’ before escaping and finding purpose, first as a nurse, and then as a member of the Polish resistance.  Both storylines go in some very compelling directions, as the protagonists experience major traumas, tragedies and struggles, all while the two characters are convinced that they will never see their spouse again.

I honestly have a hard time saying which of these two storylines was my favourite, as both hit you in different ways.  Anton’s was possibly the more interesting to me as a fan of military history, and I found his constant struggle to survive the direct imprisonments he experienced to be both moving and intense.  There are some very direct tragedies in Anton’s experiences, including a particularly dark moment in the first half of the book, and I really found the story of the captured Polish soldiers to be extremely fascinating.  However, the other half the book that focuses on Elisabeth is just as dark, if not even more traumatic, especially as the protagonist experiences evil she can’t fight back against, at least not at first.  Watching her overcome her constant oppression and pull together a satisfying life that allows her to help people on many fronts was particularly inspiring, and I really enjoyed how her arc came together.

While these storylines are separate for the entirety of the plot, I felt that Morgan did a good job playing them off each other. The corresponding tragedies, the near misses in finding out each other’s fates, and the decisions they make as a result are all moving and captivating, and you are constantly enthralled to see if or how they will get back together.  I think that the ending Morgan left the book on was particularly moving, and it fit the overarching themes of the tragedy of war and not knowing about those left behind.  I also appreciated how Morgan didn’t overuse the trope of Australian descendants finding out the wartime secrets of their parents or grandparents.  Instead, readers were given a simple but highly effective connection to the present that ended the story on a thoughtful and peaceful note that was a great conclusion to such an intense story.

I really must emphasise how impressed and intrigued I was by some of the historical elements captured in The Winter Palace.  Morgan does an amazing job of showcasing various alterative experiences suffered by the Polish, from the initial invasion all the way up to the end of the war.  This includes a great rundown of how many citizens, especially women, were abused in Poland as the troops rolled in, which ensured a dark aura around the potential homecoming many characters were hoping for.  However, I found the historical details of the Polish soldiers and civilians captured in the opening days of the invasion to be the most interesting.  Watching the various hardships and journeys that these individuals had to go through during the war, including being POWs, having to fight alongside their former captors against the Nazis when they found themselves on the same side as the Soviets, and the transfer of their army to the Middle East to serve with the Allies on the Western front was extremely fascinating and it was an part of history you don’t see often in fiction.  These historical details from Morgan where some of my favourite parts of the book, and I deeply appreciated the compelling story he told around them.

Overall, The Winter Palace by Paul Morgan was an outstanding and compelling historical drama that really grabbed my attention.  Powerful, unflinching and focusing on a complex and dark period of our history, this was an emotionally charged and excellent read that is really worth checking out.

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Extinction by Douglas Preston

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller7 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.

Extinction Cover 2

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The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books7 Comments

The Maleficent Seven Cover 2

Publisher: Angry Robot (Trade Paperback – 10 August 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the fastest rising authors of dark fantasy fiction, Cameron Johnston, returns with his most entertaining book yet, the outstanding and epic novel, The Maleficent Seven.

Cameron Johnston is a great author who I was lucky to come across a few years ago with his debut novel, The Traitor God.  Bought on a whim because it sounded cool, The Traitor God ended up being one of my favourite fantasy books of the year thanks to its excellent revenge storyline.  The Traitor God was such an epic read and I ended up grabbing the intriguing sequel the following year, God of Broken Things.  God of Broken Things (one of my favourite books of 2019) proved to be an outstanding sequel, and it ensured that I would be keeping an eye out for more of Johnston’s work.  This included his 2021 novel, The Maleficent Seven, which had an awesome plot behind it.  I honestly have been meaning to read The Maleficent Seven for ages but could never fit it into my schedule.  That was until last year, when I managed to power through the entire book in a single plane ride.  The Maleficent Seven ended up being a pretty darn exceptional novel that I wish I read a hell of a lot sooner.

It is a dangerous time in the lands of Essoran, as the Lucent Empire, a nation of apparent holiness and light, continuously expands, sweeping away all opposition and either burning or converting the survivors to their faith.  Despite their apparent benevolence, the Lucent Empire has a dark side dedicated to destroying all magic, heretics, and anything it deems evil through fire, blood and death.  The final stage of their invasion is set, but to proceed they first need to cross through the mountain road, which exits at the small town of Tarnbrooke.  All looks lost for the inhabitants of Tarnbrooke, who are likely to burn in the Lucent Empire’s light, until an unlikely figure appears to lead them.

Forty years ago, the dread demonologist Black Herron led a black horde of bloodthirsty soldiers, dark creatures and monsters on a deadly campaign that rocked all Essoran.  Total conquest of the realm looked certain, until she suddenly disappeared the eve of the final battle.  Without the will of their leader to hold them together, the army fell to infighting allowing their enemies to prevail.  No one knew what happened to Black Herron, until she reappears in Tarnbrooke, having lived there in disguises for decades.

Determined to stop the Lucent Empire and their fanatical leader no matter what, Black Herron takes over the town and prepares it for siege.  But even a being as powerful as Black Herron is unable to stop an entire divinely infused army by herself.  Instead, Herron seeks to bring together the six deadly captains of her army, whose skills and ferocity helped her to nearly conquer the world.  Together, this assortment of dangerous beings, including a vampire, a necromancer, an orc chieftain, a war god, a pirate queen and a deranged alchemist, might stand a chance against the coming storm.  But first they need to learn to work together once more, especially as each of them have a very different reasons to fight with Black Herron again.

The Maleficent Seven is a powerful, captivating and fantastically over-the-top novel that showcases Cameron Johnston’s impressive writing skill and ability to bring together great characters with dark fantasy settings.

Now, as you can probably guess from the name, The Maleficent Seven is a dark fantasy take on classic films like The Magnificent Seven and its predecessor, Seven Samurai.  Johnston sets the scenario perfectly, first introducing protagonist Black Herron and her previous evil horde, which disbands in the starting chapter.  From there, we get a time skip and are introduced to the book’s antagonists in the form of the Lucent Empire, their divinely empowered inquisitors and their leader, the Falcon Prince.  Their initial actions are enough to paint them as dangerous religious zealots who use their divine light and apparent holiness as a shield for their dark ambitions.  Their quest leads them on the road to Tarnbrooke, where the elderly Black Herron waits for them, having decided to make a stand and bring together her six former captains.

The first half of the book is dedicated to recruiting the six captains, who have scattered across the world.  All evil or deadly figures, none of them particularly wants to fight another war, but each are drawn back for different reasons, including family, pride, revenge and more.  Johnston does a good job of breaking up the recruitment process throughout the early chapters, and each of the revealed captains turn out to be crazier than the last, enhancing your anticipation for how they are going to act in the coming battles.  At the same time, you get to know the Lucent Empire, as they send agents against the captains, trying to eliminate the danger they pose.  Johnston lays down some very solid groundwork in this first half of the book, and you quickly get drawn to each of the seven main characters for various reasons.  There are a great range of character arcs spread out amongst these unlikely protagonists, and while a couple of them are purposely irredeemable, the rest prove to be surprisingly likeable and complex.  Johnston also takes the time to build up the antagonist, showcasing just how sinister they truly are, while also providing some slightly predictable revelations about their leader.

The second half of the book is dedicated to the battle for Tarnbrooke, which after seeing how crazy the first half of The Maleficent Seven is, you know is going to be good.  There is some good additional setup once the captains arrive in town, with the building of siegeworks, the training of the townsfolk, and other unusual preparations, all of which is reminiscent of the films the book is an homage to.  Johnston also builds up some additional character interactions that I really enjoyed, as certain townsfolk become connected to different saviours and there is some good follow-up regarding the protagonist’s prior adventures.  The resulting siege is everything you could hope for and more.  I am a huge fan of sieges in fiction (check out my previous list on the subject) and The Maleficent Seven is a particularly good example of an epic siege, especially as Johnston goes very over-the-top when it comes to the different weapons and methods the defenders employ.  Everything from vampiric conversion, exploding pigs and drugged townspeople are used to hold the line against the enemy in several brilliant and brutal fight sequences, while a major sea battle simultaneously occurs, featuring, amongst other combatants, a giant kraken.  All the fighting is fierce, desperate, and pretty damn bleak, while the characters each go through their own intriguing and powerful journeys.  I honestly was enthralled once the main fighting started, and Johnston really did not let up until the end.

The final sequence of the main fight turns into an impressive and extremely horrific brawl for survival as the protagonists fight against increasingly desperate odds.  There are also several betrayals as certain telegraphed plots from the evil protagonists come to fruition, and everyone fights to survive and come out on top.  You will be a bit unprepared for who lives and who dies during the final few chapters as Johnston loads up some fantastic twists and cool revelations that constantly leave you guessing.  Even when you’re sure you know who is going to survive, Johnston swiftly changes everything around with a few hilariously ironic reveals, as well as some more tragic deaths.  I liked how Johnston imbued the story with a certain level of hope towards the end, even if that was somewhat overshadowed by the carnage surrounding it.  There were also some darker moments in the conclusion, as certain characters realise just how damned they truly are.  Throw in a final great twist that really tied together a hidden motivation from the very start, and Johnston ends The Maleficent Seven on the perfect note for the reader.

Johnston did a remarkable job with this awesome book, and I loved how dark, powerful, and compelling The Maleficent Seven turned out to be.  Thanks to the unique array of characters, insane fight sequences and entertaining twists, The Maleficent Seven will prove really appealing to a wide array of readers, especially as Johnston got the right balance of action, tragedy, and humour throughout the entire read.  I especially loved how well the author flipped the established concept of heroes defending a town from villains on its head with the inclusion of seven fantasy supervillains leading the charge against a holy army.  The clever reveal that the apparently good warriors are far more sinister than the literal monsters is so well handled, and it was impressive to see a classic idea so well refreshed.  Throw in some excellent world building, an interesting collection of fantasy creatures and the sheer overwhelming chaos of a desperate siege, and there is something in The Maleficent Seven for all fantasy fans.

Something I really loved about The Maleficent Seven was the cool collection of characters who made up the key cast.  All the titular seven are very well represented throughout the book, and it proves very hard not to fall in love with each crazy member of the team; thanks to the narrative split, you get some intriguing insights into their motivations, actions, and history.

Of these characters, my favourite was probably Tiarnach, the fading war god who has fallen on hard times.  Thanks to the death of all his followers and his inability to fight against the Lucent Empire, Tiarnach starts the book off as a broken, drunken figure with barely any power left.  Joining Black Herron’s cause to get revenge and some form of redemption, Tiarnach becomes the defenders’ nominal drill instructor, trying to whip the townsfolk into a fighting force.  The connection Tiarnach forms with the townsfolk, his journey towards redemption, and the fact that he is one of the few characters without ulterior motivations, ensures that readers are drawn towards him.  He easily has one of the best, most tragic character arcs in the entire book, and I really enjoyed how Johnston utilised him.  The same can also be said for the legendary orc warrior, Amogg.  Amogg leaves her responsibilities behind to sate her desire for battle and alleviate her restlessness.  Thanks to her blunt and entertaining personality, Amogg was another character the reader connects to.  However, Johnston ensured that she became a true favourite when she begins to turn the women of Tarnsdale into an effective fighting force against their will.  Watching her empower and lead a band of fighting women into battle was very impressive, and her storyline was heartwarming and bleak in equal measures.

The other five characters each have their moment to shine.  The vampire, Lorimer Felle, was a suave and brutal figure whose inability to die, connection to his one loyal servant, and desire for destruction left a major impression.  Verena, the pirate queen, was also really good, although she kind of gets overshadowed by the other characters.  Jerak the alchemist was the most unhinged, and I loved how he ended up becoming more of a danger to his friends than his enemies thanks to his gruesome experiments.  Maeven, the necromancer, has one of the more complex story arcs in the book as she blurs the line between ambition, revenge and a desire for family.  While she fights alongside the others, her own need for vengeance and power leads her down a dark path, especially with her connections to the Lucent Empire’s leader.  Maeven’s entire story goes in some very dark directions, and I appreciated the dark note Johnston left it on.  Finally, the leader of the group, Black Herron, has a very interesting storyline that runs the gambit from dark queen to unlikely hero.  Johnston does a great job showcasing her rise and fall throughout the story, and the question of why she chose to abandon her conquest and her army is a fantastic part of the book.  All these protagonists are outstanding in their own way, and I loved how Johnston was able to weave together some compelling, entertaining, and occasionally sad storylines around such wonderfully outrageous figures.

Look, with a story this awesome there was no way I wasn’t going to love The Maleficent Seven, and I think my lengthy review above proves this point extremely well.  Cameron Johnston was on fire when he wrote his third full-length novel, and The Maleficent Seven proved to be a particularly intense, clever and impressive read.  Bringing together entertaining characters with insane violence amid a classic story scenario, The Maleficent Seven proved near impossible to put down and I loved every second I spent reading it.  A highly recommended read for all fans of dark fantasy, I cannot wait to see how Johnston’s next book (coming out later this year) turns out.

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Quick Review – Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Drama, Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead Cover

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 326 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Debuting author Jenny Hollander presents a memorable first book with Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead, an excellent read that provides a powerful insight into grief and trauma.

Plot Synopsis:

THEY CALL ME THE LUCKY ONE. THEY DON’T KNOW I LIED.

Nine years ago, Charlie Colbert’s life changed for ever.

On Christmas Eve, as the snow fell, her elite graduate school was the site of a chilling attack. Several of her classmates died. Charlie survived.

Years later, Charlie has the life she always wanted at her fingertips: she’s editor-in-chief of a major magazine and engaged to the golden child of the publishing industry.

But when a film adaptation of that fateful night goes into production, Charlie’s dark past threatens to crash into her shiny present.

Charlie was named a ‘witness’ in the police reports. Yet she knows she was much more than that.

The truth about that night will shatter everything she’s worked for. Just how far will she go to protect it?


Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead is an outstanding first book from Hollander, who provides a gripping and intense narrative for readers to get stuck into.  Told through the eyes of main character Charlie Colbert, the story quickly engrosses you.  Charlie has rebuilt her life after a brutal attack years ago, but when secrets from the past threaten to come forth, Charlie is forced to interact with her fellow survivors once again.  At the same time, Charlie also begins reliving the events leading up to that fateful night in her head, desperately trying to remember everything that happened to truly understand everything that she’s been running from.

The resulting story is very good, and Hollander has come up with a gripping, character-driven book that you can really sink your teeth into.  The combination of past and present storylines is quite effective, and I liked how you got to see the protagonist’s dark reactions in the present while slowly learning about the events that traumatised her and the people involved.  The way in which Hollander reveals all the secrets of the past is handled exceptionally well, and I loved the combination of flashbacks, discussions in the present, and quotes from fictional news articles that hint at what happened.  The full events of the past storyline turn out to be far more complicated than you initially think, and the author throws in some incredibly clever twists.  I honestly was surprised at some of the more brilliant reveals that come to light, and you really appreciate Hollander’s ability to misdirect the audience into assuming certain things happened.  The full reveal and the fallout in the present for the protagonist are pretty amazing, and I loved how everything came together.  The reader really comes away feeling satisfied, especially as everyone gets what they truly deserve at the end.

While I loved the intricate story that Hollander pulled together for Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead, I think the most distinctive aspect of the book is the author’s focus on trauma and how different people deal with it.  This is mainly done through the eyes of the main character, Charlie, who is forced to continuously live with the trauma, guilt and emotional damage that followed the college massacre.  While a lot of this trauma results in a memory black hole for the protagonist, you get to see other aspects of it as the book continues, as she is dragged back into the past and begins to relive all the dark feelings that emerge.  The author’s portrayal of how a person would deal with such events, as well as how it would impact their memory, feels extremely realistic, and you can really feel the emotional damage done to Charlie and those closest to her as they try to help.  Other characters are also forced to deal with the trauma in other ways, and the different levels of regret, involvement and despair prove to be a captivating part of the book.  Throw in a cynical, if realistic, look at how the public idolises dark events, and Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead proves to be quite an emotional rollercoaster.  This emotional charge really enhances the impact of the book, and I deeply appreciated how Hollander worked the protagonist’s attempts to remember and overcome her past into the overarching story.

Overall, I found Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead to be an excellent and compelling first novel from Jenny Hollander that is really worth checking out.  Thanks to the great blend of personal storytelling, moving emotion, and dark secrets, readers come away from Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead deeply moved, and I look forward to seeing what intriguing reads Hollander writes in the future.

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Quick Review – The Holy Terrors by Simon R. Green

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, Quick Review, ThrillerLeave a comment

The Holy Terrors Cover

Publisher: Severn House (ebook – 6 February 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 214 pages

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Established thriller author Simon R. Green produces a fun and compelling read with The Holy Terrors, a cool book with an interesting plot idea behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

Six people locked in a haunted hall . . . Cameras watching their every move . . . And then someone dies . . . This first in a spine-tingling new paranormal mystery series from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green will make you doubt your judgement – and believe in ghosts!

Welcome to Spooky Time, the hit TV ghost-hunting show where the horror is scripted . . . and the ratings are declining rapidly. What better way to up the stakes – and boost the viewership – than by locking a select group of Z-list celebrities up for the night in The Most Haunted Hall in England (TM) and live-streaming the ‘terrifying’ results?

Soon Alistair, a newly appointed Bishop, actress Diana, medium Leslie, comedian Toby and celebrity chef Indira are trapped inside Stonehaven town hall, along with June, the host and producer of the show. The group tries to settle in and put on a good show, but then strange things start happening in their hall of horrors.

What is it about this place – and why is the TV crew outside not responding? Are they even on air?

Logical Alistair attempts to keep the group’s fears at bay and rationalise the odd events, but there are things that just can’t be explained within reason . . . Can he stop a cold-blooded would-be killer – even if it’s come from beyond the grave?

This locked-room mystery with a paranormal twist is classic Simon R. Green, featuring his trademark humour and imagination, irresistible characters, and thoroughly entertaining plotting.


The Holy Terrors was an intriguing book from Simon R. Green that I had a fun time getting through.  Short and very sweet, The Holy Terrors made good use of its compelling plot idea, which saw a bishop, a diva, a comedian, a celebrity chef, a psychic and a TV producer become trapped in a haunted town hall.  While that sounds like the set up to an elaborate joke, it produces a great plot background for an entertaining novel that you can quickly power through.

I loved the author’s idea of simultaneously parodying ghost shows and the reality television crowd, while also presenting the reader with a unique locked-room mystery scenario that might or might not be caused by supernatural forces.  Thanks to these ideas, I think the overall story was pretty good and proved to be quite exciting.  Green sets everything up nicely, and you are quickly drawn into the plot, especially as you know that there is something bad on the horizon.  After a few early scare elements, you are led nicely to the centre of the story, where one of the characters dies and the rest are left scrambling to figure out who or what is trying to kill them.  This proves to be a great backbone for much of the story, and the initial range of characters are fun.

While I enjoyed how the book was set up, I think that it slightly fell apart in the second half.  The story gets a bit silly in places, and it is easy to predict what the subsequent order of death was going to be.  I did enjoy how Green tried to keep the reader guessing about whether this was a horror novel or a murder mystery, especially as there are some great psychic inclusions, apparitions, and other mysterious occurrences.  However, despite the included misdirection, the answer to this question proved to be a bit obvious.  The eventual culprit reveal was predictable, as it was literally the most obvious suspect there, and Green’s method reveal was pretty unsubtle.  Still, the final confrontation was nicely written, and I liked the cool conclusion to the plot.  in the end, The Holy Terrors proves to be quite an easy book to get through quickly, and I manage to finish it off in two sessions.

While Green proved adept at creating a chilling atmosphere and utilising it well in his story, I did have certain issues when it came to the characters.  The author does come up with six interesting main figures for the story, each of which is a celebrity reality star archetype, and there are some fascinating dives into their backstories, especially during an emotional sequence near the climax.  However, for the most part I felt these characters were underdeveloped, and Green could have showcased them a little better.  Certain relationships between some of the characters were a bit forced, and quite a few interactions felt unusual.  I also found some of the dialogue to be a bit stilted and weak in places, and it could have come across as a bit more natural.  These elements let down The Holy Terrors’ promising plot to a degree, although I still managed to have fun getting through it.

Overall, The Holy Terrors was an interesting read from Simon Green that you can have an entertaining time with.  The author’s intriguing scenario does prove quite compelling, and while certain elements of the book were not as strong as I would have hoped, you can easily power through this book in no time at all.  As such, The Holy Terrors is a great book for anyone looking for a quick and efficient novel that tries to blur the line between horror and murder mystery.

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