WWW Wednesday – 12 March 2025

On March 12, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion. Set in the Blue Mountains (a location I have a lot of love for), The Reunion follows a group who return to the scene of their friend’s death and find their dark secrets coming to the surface. I haven’t made too much progress with The Reunion yet, but I am already very intrigued by the mystery and cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (Audiobook)

I am still enjoying the cool new Star Wars audiobook, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the outstanding Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear follows the early day of the Empire’s reign, as several key supporting characters attempt to fight back against it in various ways. I am about two thirds through The Mask of Fear at the moment, and I am hoping to finish it off this week. It will be very interesting to see how this outstanding book comes together, and I am really enjoying this cool read.

What did you recently finish reading?

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben (Trade Paperback)

I powered through the new Harlan Coben book, Nobody’s Fool, on the weekend, and it proved to be quite an exceptional read. A captivating and brilliant novel, Nobody’s Fool comes very highly recommended, and I am hoping to have a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The next book I am hoping to read is the compelling historical thriller The White Fortress from Boyd and Beth Morrison. The follow-up to The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, The White Fortress sounds very exceptional, and I cannot wait to dive into its captivating and exciting story.

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry

Finally, if I manage to finish off The Mask of Fear this week, I will probably start listening to the epic new Jonathan Maberry novel, Burn to Shine. The fourth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), Burn to Shine will probably end up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how this new devastating adventure unfolds.

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

WWW Wednesday – 5 March 2025

On March 7, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (Audiobook)

I just started listening to the cool new Star Wars audiobook, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the outstanding Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear follows the early day of the Empire’s reign, as several key supporting characters attempt to fight back against it in various ways. I have made a descent amount of progress into The Mask of Fear so far and it is proving to be an outstanding book with some interesting Ideas behind it.

What did you recently finish reading?

Little Red Death by A. K. Benedict (ebook)

A very unique murder mystery with an interesting twist halfway through.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

The incredible sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic Warhammer 40,000 novel, Double Eagle. Interceptor City was an exceptional read and one of the best books I have read so far this year.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 40: The Crow by Stan Sakai (Trade Paperback)

A cool new addition to one of my favourite comic series. Highly recommended and my review will follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

I’m still planning to read the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion, next and I should start it up this weekend. This new book sounds really good, and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Meant to Read in 2024 but Didn’t Get To

On January 14, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list their bookish goals for 2025. While this is an interesting topic, I am instead going to continue my recent trend of end of year and examining the best books released in 2024. As such I will be listening the top books I meant to read in 2024 but that I didn’t get a chance to.

2024 was a pretty awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of books from new-to-me authors, exciting sequels and fun older novels, most of which were fun and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries there are always a couple of books each year that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling novels that I didn’t get a chance to read in 2024. Each entry was released last year and while knew that they were coming out I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. This list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres and include several major 2024 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mention:

Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit

An intriguing science fiction release that I’m still hoping to get around to exploring.

Burn Out by Joshua Hood

An exciting thriller about a smoke jumper forced to work for the CIA that I really wanted to check out. This book sounded awesome and I’m sorry to have missed it.

In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child

I’m still haven’t had the chance to read a Jack Reacher novel yet, although last year’s entry, In Too Deep, is high up on my to-read list.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Bristen Perrin

One of the top debut mysteries of 2024, I’m still thinking about checking How to Solve Your Own Murder out, especially as there is a sequel coming out soon.

Top Ten List:

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

An awesome sounding book about a dangerous heist involving dragons and magic. I really enjoyed the sound of the synopsis for The Sky on Fire last year, but I unfortunately couldn’t fit it into my reading schedule. I still have a copy and I’m hoping to get around to checking this book out at some point this year, especially as I really want to finally read something from Lyons.

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

One of the books I most regret not reading in 2024 was the new Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest entry in one of my favourite historical fiction series, I fully intended to read Death on the Tiber last year, but I never had the time to pick it up. Featuring a cool new mystery in ancient Rome, Death on the Tiber sounded like a key book in the series and I’m interested to see what happens next. I honestly might make the effort to read Death on the Tiber in the next week or so, especially as Davis has another book coming out in April that I’m also keen to read.

Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes

I didn’t get through nearly as much Star Wars fiction in 2024 as I would have liked, especially as there were a couple of very cool new entries in the franchise out last year. This includes the Mace Windu novel, The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes. Thanks to its intriguing plot, The Glass Abyss was very high on my to-read list, and I thought it had a lot of potential. I’m still hoping to listen to The Glass Abyss on audiobook in the coming months, and I have no doubt I will have a great time with it.

Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovsky had a massive year in 2024, releasing four separate awesome books. As a recently converted fan of Tchaikovsky, I tried to check out all of them, but only got through two, Alien Clay and Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024). The main Tchaikovsky book I missed was Saturation Point, which featured an intriguing science fiction story that explores a new, extra-deadly jungle growing at the equator. I am hoping to listen to the audiobook version of Saturation Point sometime this year, especially as it has a relatively short run time, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out. In the meantime, I am also hoping to read Tchaikovsky’s latest novel, Days of Shattered Faith, which, while it technically came out last year, I’m probably going to consider a 2025 release going forward due to the differences in release dates for Australia.

The Chamber by Will Dean

One of the more unique novels I missed out on in 2024 was The Chamber by Will Dean. This excellent book sees a murder occur underwater hyperbaric chamber, then forces the remaining divers to try and uncover the killer while they wait for decompression to occur. This was such a cool sounding plot, and I am still hoping to explore The Chamber soon, mainly because I am so damn curious about how this narrative would unfold.

Good Boys by Jeremy Robinson

Jeremy Robinson is another author on this list who released multiple books in 2024. While I did enjoy his compelling and freaky novel Point Nemo, I missed out on reading his two Good Boys novels (The Lost Tribe and Unleashed) that came out towards the end of the year. These books follow an interesting alien encounter tale that only an author as unique as Robinson could imagine. I have been trying to read more of Robinson’s novels in recent years so I might try and listen to the Good Boys audiobooks soon, especially as they sound very exciting and will no doubt contain the author’s fun humour.

The First Murder on Mars by Sam Wilson

An intriguing science fiction thriller about the first murder on Mars. This debut novel from Sam Wilson caught my eye earlier this year and I had really hoped to check it out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t never make enough time, which I very much regret as this sounded like a great book.

The Out-of-Town Lawyer by Robert Rotstein

I love a good legal thriller, which is why I was annoyed with myself for not reading Robert Rotstein’s distinctive novel, The Out-of-Town Lawyer. Focussing on a nomadic lawyer who takes on tough case, The Out-of-Town Lawyer would see the protagonist return to his hometown to defend a controversial killer from a prejudice legal system. I felt that The Out-of-Town Lawyer had a lot of potential, and I am even more keen to read it now after having just re-read the compelling synopsis.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

Another Star Wars book I hoped to read in 2024 was The Living Force by the always impressive John Jackson Miller. Focussing on the Jedi Council in the lead up to The Phantom Menace, The Living Force sounded like an interesting and lore-heavy book that would have focussed on a cool group of supporting characters from the prequel films. I know that Miller would have provided a captivating dive into these figures, and I am sure that I will have a great time with The Living Force’s audiobook if I get a chance to listen to it this year.

Danube Legion by Laurence Read

The final book I needed to feature on this list was the fascinating sounding historical fiction novel, Danube Legion. A fantastic Roman history novel, Danube Legion caught my eye because the plot promised to explore the logistics behind the deployment of a Roman Legion, which is something you don’t see a lot of in other historical fiction books. I honestly found this plot idea to be very awesome, and I really wish that I could have fit Danube Legion into my reading schedule last year. This is another one I am hoping to check out this year as well, as it sounds like quite a cracking read with a great plot behind it.

Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list, and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2025, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2024 in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Release in the First Half of 2025

On January 8, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction15 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated books for the first half of the year. This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year. Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am doing two versions of this list, this first one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and another that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.

2025 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year. I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely keen for. This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors. I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be in the fantasy and science fiction space, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025 which I have some descent details about. Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult. I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy and science fiction reads of 2025. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

The awesome action-packed sequel to Corland’s fantastic 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms is going to be a fantastic read, filled with drama, betrayal and great characters.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris – 15 January 2025

A fun thriller debut with an interesting fantasy twist, as a woman with the ability to take life from one person and transfer it to someone else, tries to determine the best way to use her gift and ethically kill those who deserve to live.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde – 8 April 2025

Another cool upcoming debut is the fantasy novel, A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde. Featuring an intriguing plot set around revenge and spirt magic, A Song of Legends Lost has so much potential, and I look forward to reading it.

Strange New World by Vivian Shaw – 20 May 2025

I was pleasantly surprised to see we are getting a new Dr Greta Helsing novel this year with Strange New World. Following a doctor who specialises in treating monsters and the undead, this is a fantastic series (see my reviews for Strange Practice and Dreadful Company), and I look forward to seeing how it continues.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young – 28 January 2025

The first upcoming book I want to highlight is the next big Warhammer 40,000 fiction release, Leontus: Lord Solar. Following a skilled human leader who finds himself trapped on an ork infested world, Leontus; Lord Solar looks to be an exciting story of survival and overcoming the odds that I really love the sound of. I am also interested to see how author Rob Young goes with his second book, as his first novel, Longshot, was one of my favourite debuts of 2023.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

There are several cool Star Wars novels coming out in 2025, however, the one I am most excited for is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the new Reign of the Empire series, The Mask of Fear will follow the early days of the Empire as it comes to power and takes over the former Republic. Written by the very talented Alexander Freed, who really impressed me with his previous foray into Star Wars fiction with the Alphabet Squadron books (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I think that this book has a lot of potential, and I love seeing stories set in this period of Star Wars fiction. As such I am planning to listen to the audiobook version of The Mask of Fear the second it comes out and I know I’m going to love it.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

Awesome science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky had a great 2024 with books like Alien Clay and Service Model, so I am excited to see what he writes in 2025. It looks like he’ll be off to a strong start with the science fiction novel, Shroud, that sees two women trapped on a planet whose surface is completely inhospitable to human life. This sounds like a very gritty and claustrophobic read, and I cannot wait to see how dark and dramatic Tchaikovsky makes this upcoming book.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18 March 2025

A major 2025 release that I’m sure a lot of people are excited for is the fifth book in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. The second prequel set around the original Hunger Games trilogy (see my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will take readers back to the 50^th Hunger Games and explore the dark events that twisted fan favourite character Haymitch Abernathy. I am extremely excited to read Sunrise on the Reaping, especially as we get to see the ultra-violent second Quarter Quell in action, and it will be interesting to see how Collins’ sets this latest book out.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

One of the more unique books coming out in 2025 is When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always memorable John Scalzi. Featuring a very fun science fiction plot that sees the moon suddenly turned into a giant ball of cheese, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds so damn outrageous, and I know I’m going to love it. Based on Scalzi’s previous entertaining reads, I have no doubt this will be crazy, funny and thoughtful in equal measure, and I will have so much fun checking it out.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 1 April 2025

One of my favourite urban fantasy series, the Fetch Phillips series by Australian author Luke Arnolds, returns this year with another awesome book, Whisper in the Wind. Set in a fantasy city which has lost all its magic, the Fetch Phillip books follow broken and guilty private investigator Fetch Phillips who is desperately trying to bring back magic, and which results in some dark and powerful adventures (see The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade). This fourth book will see Fetch dragged out of retirement in back into action when a series of murders brings trouble and potential revolution to his door. Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes, and I am expecting another outstanding novel with Whisper in the Wind.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett – 8 April 2025

One book I am particularly keen for in 2025 is the awesome second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow an unlikely investigative duo as they attempt to solve unusual magical murders in a land constantly besieged by giant monsters. This second book will feature an impossible locked room mystery as the protagonists attempt to unwind a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire realm. I have no doubt that this is going to be a particularly incredible novel, and I am hoping to read A Drop of Corruption very soon.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – 8 April 2025

One of the more complex science fiction and fantasy novels I will be reading in 2025 will be the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart. Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the two separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them. I have no doubt this will be a moving, captivating and elaborate read, and I am very curious to see how Lawrence brings this entire ambitious series to an end.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

Easily the book that I am most excited about in 2025 (and I’m sure a lot of fantasy fans are in the same boat) is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. Abercrombie has proven to be the master of dark fantasy fiction thanks to his iconic First Law series, as well as the incredible follow up Age of Madness trilogy. All of these books are just incredible, and I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing the Age of Madness books a couple of years ago, including A Little Hatred (one of my favourite books of 2019), The Trouble With Peace (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and The Wisdom of Crowds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been eagerly awaiting a new Abercrombie novel since The Wisdom of Crowds, and I was so damn happy to see he had a book coming out this year with The Devils. Set in an alternate medieval Europe, The Devils will follow a hapless priest as he tries to bind a congregation of monsters to save the world from a coming apocalypse. This book has so much pure potential and I have no doubt at all that it will end up being one of the best things I read this year.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the hilarious sounding novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler. The sequel to one of the funniest fantasy novels of 2024, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will once again follow the unlikely Dark Lord of the realms, Davi, a human trapped in fantasy themed time loop who starts her adventure again after every painful death. This second book will see Davi attempt to save her former human subjects from her own upcoming invasion, only to encounter new opponents and obstacles. I had so much fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and this sequel should be another brilliant comedic romp that I know I am going to love.

Well, that’s the end of this first list. As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books coming out the first half of this year. All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads. 2025 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this year. I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out and I think I am going to have an incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2025. Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2025 from the other genres.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Summer 2024/25 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

On November 26, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants get a Thanksgiving Freebie to focus on whatever topic they want. As such, I am going to take this opportunity to look ahead for the next three months. That is because today is the last Tuesday before December 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Summer (Winter for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 December 2024 and 28 February 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024 and 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt – 1 January 2025

An intriguing Australian crime fiction debut from an awesome new author. Gunnawah will probably be one of the first books I read in 2025.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers – 11 February 2025

Another awesome sounding Australian crime fiction debut that will feature the beautiful and iconic Blue Mountains as a background setting.

Battle Mountain by C. J. Box – 25 February 2025

I had a lot of fun with the latest book in C. J. Box’s entertaining Joe Pickett thriller series, Three-Inch Teeth, and I’m curious to see how the series continues next year.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

A complex and compelling upcoming science fiction novel from the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett – December 2024

First on this list I had to include the upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The long-awaited sequel to Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City will present readers with even more aerial combat awesomeness as he brings back one of his complex protagonists for another massive war. Set in his large inter-connected Sabbat Worlds Crusade series, Interceptor City sounds extremely epic, and if its anywhere as good as Double Eagle, this will end up being one of my top books of the years. I’m not 100 per cent sure when Interceptor City is out in Australia, but I should be able to get a copy of it in December so I’m happy including it on this list.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 5 December 2024

Another exceptional book to end 2024 with is the new Adrian Tchaikovsky book, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith returns to his chaotic fantasy world, where a tyrannical nation attempts to bring perfection and correctness by any means necessary. This latest book will see two diplomats attempt to navigate a complex city filled with gods, necromancy and intrigue, while also trying to work around the constrictions of their own inflexible government. The previous two books in this series, City of Last Chances (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2023) and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books of 2023) have been unbelievably exceptional, and I cannot wait to see what hilarious insanity occurs in this next amazing novel.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

One of the first books out in 2025 that I am excited for is the cool fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms. The sequel to Corland’s brilliant 2024 fantasy debut, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms will see the author’s murderous and duplicitous protagonists try to pull off another impossible heist with everything they care about on the line. However, after all the lies in the previous book, none of the protagonists trust each other, especially with even more betrayals on the horizon. This should be an outstanding read, and I am hoping to grab Four Ruined Realms on audiobook, especially as it features several talented narrators.

Grave Danger by James Grippando – 14 January 2025

I’m looking forward to some fantastic legal thriller excitement in January with the next book from acclaimed author James Grippando, Grave Danger. The next book in the author’s Jack Swyteck series, Grave Danger features a new intriguing case that sees the protagonist become involved in a contentious international custody case. However, things become even more complicated when Jack’s FBI agent wife is dragged into events, and the protagonist finds himself navigating a massive international conspiracy. I really love the sound of this awesome book, and after having so much fun with Grippando’s previous novel, Goodbye Girl, I know I am going to love Grave Danger.

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2025

It isn’t the start of my reading year if I don’t have the new Alex Delaware novel (see my reviews for The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead, Unnatural History and The Ghost Orchid). The next entry in the series, Open Season, will see Kellerman’s iconic protagonists return for a particularly complex case, when a spree killer starts taking out Hollywood hopefuls. Open Season sounds extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz – 11 February 2025

I always love how the start of the new year brings fresh thrillers from some of my favourite authors, and that includes Gregg Hurwitz. A talented author with a flair for action, Hurwitz has really impressed me in recent years with his Orphan X series (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse, The Last Orphan and Lone Wolf). The next book in the series will see Hurwitz’s elite, but damaged, spy protagonist go to war with his only friend, with even more dangerous forces lurking on the horizon. This should be another exciting and addictive addition to the Orphan X series, and I cannot wait to see what amazing action Hurwitz features in his new book.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry – 11 February 2025

Another great thriller series I enjoy reading early each year are the Cotton Malone books by Steve Berry. A distinctive series that combines modern day thriller storylines with historical conspiracies and secrets, the Cotton Malone books are always a ton of fun, and I love some of the compelling topics that Berry cleverly explores. The next book in the series, The Medici Return, has an outstanding sounding narrative behind it that involves an ancient, massive debt owed by the Vatican, that could change the future of both Italy and the Catholic church. This is one of the more intriguing plots that Berry has come up with and I cannot wait to unwrap the many mysteries in this cool upcoming thriller.

Warrior by Simon Turney – 13 February 2025

Following on from his outstanding 2024 novel, Invader, Turney looks set to continue his great Agricola series in the new year with Warrior. Following the early life of famous Roman general Agricola, Warrior will see the young officer attempt to survive the deadly politics of the realm in the dying days of Nero’s rule. Warrior will no doubt be an exciting and captivating historical fiction novel, and I cannot wait to see how this fantastic series continues.

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney – 18 February 2025

In recent years I have become a massive fan of Mark Greaney’s Gray Man series, which is probably my favourite spy thriller series now (check out my reviews for The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out, Relentless, Sierra Six, Burner and The Chaos Agent). Following the titular Gray Man, a legendary killer attempting to survive in a complicated world, the Gray Man series is so damn good, and I love the complex scenarios that Greaney envisions. The next book in the series, Midnight Black, will see the Gray Man go to war with Russia after the woman he loves is captured and held in a prison camp. Likely to be a particularly intense and bloody addition to the series, I am so excited for Midnight Black, and it is one of my most anticipated thrillers of 2025.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the epic upcoming Star Wars novel, The Mask of Fear. The first entry in the planned Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear will follow several key characters from the Star Wars franchise, including Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera and Bail Organa, during the first year of the Emperor’s rule. I love this period of Star Wars history and there is so much potential here to show the early days of the Rebel Alliance and the tyranny they seek to overthrow. It helps that Alexander Freed is a particularly impactful Star Wars writer, and after enjoying his Alphabet Squadron trilogy (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I know that this is going to be an exceptional book. I cannot wait for this epic Star Wars novel, and it is a very worthy final entry on this list.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books on my TBR

On November 19, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing the books with the earliest publication date that is currently sitting on their to-be-read (TBR) pile.

Like most book lovers, I have a huge backlog of novels out there that I want to read but I haven’t been able to fit into my schedule due to lack of time or other books I needed to get through first. As such, this is a rather interesting list to pull together, and I hope that it inspires me a little to go back and read some books on my TBR pile. I also love the shoutout to the older TBR books I have, especially as I am easily distracted by new and shiny things.

I must admit I struggled a little to pull together some really old titles, so my list is most made up of books from the 80s and 90s. Still, this ended up being a rather interesting, if slightly predictable list if you know who some of my favourite authors are, although I made sure to limit myself to one inclusion from each author. Despite these limitations, I really like how it came together, so let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman – 1985

A classic crime fiction book from an author still going strong.

Space Marine by Ian Watson – 1993

An old-school Warhammer 40,000 novel I currently have on my shelf. While not the first Warhammer 40,000 novel ever written, it sounds bonkers, and I’m curious to see original universe from before they established the current canon.

Killing Floor by Lee Child – 1997

The first book in the epic Jack Reacher series. I loved the television adaptation of this book and I’m curious to read the series from start to finish.

Excavation by James Rollins – 2000

A fantastic older thriller I have sitting on my shelf.

Top Ten List:

Carrie by Stephen King – 1974

After some awesome recent experiences with Stephen King’s writing, I’ve been meaning to read more of his amazing books and there is no better place to start than his first novel, Carrie. A classic piece of horror fiction, Carrie is a bloody and complex read that I hope to check out one day.

Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell – 1981

I’m a massive fan of Bernard Cornwell, who is one of the biggest names in historical fiction. While I have read a couple of books in his iconic Richard Sharpe series, I need to read more, including the first book he published, Sharpe’s Eagle. A compelling historical adventure, Sharpe’s Eagle was the book that introduced the world to Richard Sharpe and Cornwell’s vision of the Napoleonic War. Thanks to Cornwell releasing his books out of chronological order, Sharpe’s Eagle is now the eighth book in the series, but it remains a key entry. I look forward to reading Sharpe’s Eagle one day and it sounds like a lot of fun.

Magician by Raymond E. Feist – 1982

I am slightly cheating by including Magician here, as I have read it a couple of times before. However, I really want to do a big re-read of Feist’s entire Riftwar Cycle and Magician is the best place to start this series. A particularly iconic fantasy novel, Magician sees a young boy discover his destiny as a mighty mage after the kingdom he lives in is invaded by soldiers from another world. This is a really, really good book and I cannot wait to read it again at some point.

The Black Company by Glen Cook – 1984

I have long wanted to read the epic The Black Company fantasy series by Glen Cook, which started back in 1984 with this book of the same name. Generally considered to be one of the best dark fantasy novels/series of all time, The Black Company follows a band of dangerous mercenaries as they find themselves drawn into a bloody and all-consuming war. I already know that I am going to love this book, and I will hopefully be able to make time for it at some point in the future.

The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell – 1985

A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of reading David Gemmell’s classic fantasy debut, Legend, which is honestly one of the best books I have every read. Gemmell was a very skilled author, and I have been meaning to check out more examples of his work. The obvious next step would be to read The King Beyond the Gate, which is the second novel in the series that started with Legend. Another compelling read that follows a small band of aging heroes as they face a seemingly unbeatable foe, The King Beyond the Gate sounds awesome, and I need to dedicate some time to getting through the rest of Gemmell’s books.

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis – 1989

Long-term readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of historical fiction author Lindsey Davis, who has greatly impressed me over the years with her Flavia Albia series, which follows some deeply unique murder investigations in ancient Rome. However, the Flavia Albia books are only the latest series from Davis, who originally started back in the 1980s with her Falco novels. Following the father of Flavia Albia as he solves his own crimes, the Falco books have been on my radar for a while, and I fully intend to read them at some point. The obvious starting point for this would be The Silver Pigs, which introduced the world to Falco and Davis’s distinctive style. I have a copy of The Silver Pigs sitting on my bookshelf, and I look forward to the day when I get around to reading it.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn – 1991

Some of my very favourite Star Wars novels were the recent Thrawn trilogies written by legendary author Timothy Zahn. A complex and compelling collection of books, the Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies follow Zahn’s best original character, Grand Admiral Thrawn and help to reintroduce him into the new Disney canon. However, Thrawn first appeared back in 1991 when Zahn released the iconic Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire. A sequel to Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire was one of the very first proper Star Wars tie-in novels, and it set the stage for the massive Star Wars Extended Universe that followed. As a massive Star Wars fan, I have been remiss in not going back to check out this important novel, although I hope to change that in the future. From all accounts this book is extremely epic, and I am very curious to see the novel that first introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy.

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly – 1992

The next entry on this list is The Black Echo by Michael Connelly. The very first book from Connelly to feature his famous detective character Harry Bosch, The Black Echo set up the author’s shared universe which would later expand to feature so many memorable protagonists. I have had an exceptional time reading all of Connelly’s most recent works and I have been meaning to go back and explore his universe from the beginning, starting with The Black Echo. Like The Silver Pigs, I have a copy of The Black Echo sitting on my bookshelf, and when my reading schedule opens up, I hope to grab it and power through it. I have no doubt that I will love The Black Echo, and I am curious to see what Connelly’s writing style was like in this first book.

The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore – 1997

I am a huge fan of R. A. Salvatore various additions to the expanded Forgotten Realms universe, having read nearly all of them over the years. However, I am also keen to read more books in Salvatore’s original Corona universe. I had a ton of fun reading the latest trilogy set in this world (The Coven books made up of Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God), and I felt that this was an excellent fantasy universe that I’d like to see more of. As such, I will try to explore this series from the beginning, which means starting with The Demon Awakens. An exciting adventure novel with some great characters, The Demon Awakens should be a ton of fun and I am keen to read it in the future.

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin – 1998

The final book on this list is A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. The second book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings doesn’t need a massive introduction. I have been meaning to continuing this series after reading A Game of Thrones a few years ago, which means going through A Clash of Kings next. I am sure I will deeply enjoy this major book, and I am curious to see how it differs from the television show.

And with that, my list concluded. I felt that this latest Top Ten Tuesday post came together well, and I like the intriguing collection of books I listed above. It turns out there are a ton of older novels on my to-be-read list, and I hope I get the opportunity to get through them soon. In the meantime, let me know what older books are on your TBR lists in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday –Book Titles Containing Place Names

On November 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, contributors are tasked with listing their ten favourite books that have a destination title, or a title that contains the name of a place. This includes either fictional or non-fictional place names and serves as a rather interesting challenge for participating bloggers.

I had a fun pulling this latest list together, and it proved intriguing to dive through my various bookshelves to see what cool novels and comics I could find with the appropriate titles. It turns out that there were quite a few books I have read that featured destinations or places in their titles, and I managed to come up with quite a unique list. This post features an excellent blend of fictional and non-fictional place names, and I think they play off each other nicely. While this list is a little heavy on books from my favourite authors and universes, I am happy with how everything turned out, and it represents a very Unseen Library take on the topic. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

A fun name for a great historical read.

The Moscow Offensive by Dale Brown

An outstanding thriller that pits Russians against the United States with advanced weaponry.

Rome’s Sacred Flame by Robert Fabbri

A complex and entertaining historical fiction book that covers an insane period of Roman history.

Warhammer 40,000: The Guns of Tanith by Dan Abnett

A particularly awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel. The place name, Tanith, refers to the home planet of the main regiment of the book, although as it’s been destroyed at this point and more of a concept, I decided to only include this as an honourable mention.

Top Ten List:

The Gates of Athens by Conn Iggulden

A great historical fiction book about the Persian wars in Greece and focuses on the turbulent politics of Athens during the period.

The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

An intriguing fantasy debut from a talented Australian author. The title references the main setting for the series, Sunder City, a formerly great magical city laid low by catastrophe.

Warhammer 40,000: Siege of Vraks by Steve Lyons

I have a few Warhammer 40,000 novels in this list, as the franchise has a tendency to name books after war locations. The planet of Vraks identified in the title was a fortress world, and this book recounts a particularly brutal siege to claim it. An outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel with a catchy title.

Hill 112 by Adrian Goldsworthy

A complex and fascinating historical fiction book from earlier this year. The titular Hill 112 was a vital World War II location in the early days of the Allies’ invasion of Normandy, and this book provides a powerful account of the battle to claim and hold it.

Usagi Yojimbo: Duel at Kitanoji by Stan Sakai

I had to feature an Usagi Yojimbo comic on this list, and the one I chose was the brilliant and moving volume, Duel at Kitanoji. Following the events that led up to a duel between two samurai masters that the protagonist deeply respects, this was a particularly impressive Usagi Yojimbo comic. The place, Kitanoji, referenced in the title, was a shrine where the two duellists chose to fight to the death, and I think that it helps to create a memorable and complex name for this volume.

The Secret Runners of New York by Mathew Reilly

An awesome young adult thriller that follows a group of students who follow secret pathways around New York to visit a future version of the city.

Warhammer 40,000: The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

Another epic Warhammer 40,000 novel with a place name in the title is The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath. Recounting a major lore event in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, this book follows the last day of the iconic Warhammer world of Cadia as it faces its doom during the 13^th Black Crusade. A particularly impressive and captivating read, this was a very easy choice to include on this list.

Traitors of Rome by Simon Scarrow

There were actually a few books in Simon Scarrow’s long-running Eagles of the Empire historical fiction series that featured Rome in the title, including the next, upcoming entry in the series, Revenge of Rome. However, for the moment I have included the excellent novel, Traitors of Rome, which proved to be an exciting and intense addition to the series.

A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist

A key book in Raymond E. Feist’s original Riftwar Cycle trilogy, this title refers to the major battle of the book that sees an epic confrontation at the town of Sethanon.

Star Wars: Darth Vader: The Shu-Torun War by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

The final entry on this list is the very cool Star Wars comic, The Shu-Torun War. Part of an extremely awesome series that focused on the iconic character of Darth Vader, The Shu-Torun War was a strong entry in the series that recounts Vader’s actions in brutally supressing a rebellion on the vital planet of Shu-Torun. An impressive comic that takes the reader on a dark adventure, this was a fantastic addition to this list that I was glad I could include.

That’s my latest list. As you can see, there are some great books out there that feature titles with destinations included within. I like the cool range of books and locations I picked out in the above list and proved to be a lot of fun to pull it together. All the above books are fantastic reads as well, and you can have an amazing time getting through them. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books with destinations in the titles are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Horror Novels (Halloween 2024)

On October 29, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this latest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, readers get a Halloween Freebie, meaning that they can list whatever topic they want, although a horror or Halloween them is encouraged. So, with that in mind, I thought I would take this opportunity to update some previous lists where I highlighted my favourite horror novels.

Back in 2020 for Halloween, I came up with a list where I looked at my top ten favourite horror novels. While horror is not my absolute favourite genre, I ended up producing a rather interesting list with some unique entries that I was very happy with. I must admit that many of my entries are hybrid books which combine horror elements with other genres I prefer to read, however, I think they make for good Halloween fare. This list got a bit of interest, and I decided I would make a bit of effort to come back to update this list every Halloween, especially if I had some new horror novels to add to it. I produced some interesting updates to this list in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and I have once again decided to come back to it again this year, especially as I have had the opportunity to check out some excellent and intense horror reads.

To sort out this update, I took a critical look at the previous version of the list and made some hard decisions about whether any of the horror novels I read in the last year might fit in better. I ended up making a few changes and while I was sad to see some of the previously featured novels removed, I honestly felt that the new entries are better overall horror novels. This resulted in a fun new version of this list, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Honourable Mentions:

You Like it Darker by Stephen King

The master of horror, Stephen King, is going to appear a few times on this list, primarily because I’ve been having an epic time reading more of his stuff lately. One of the first books on this list is the recent short story collection, You Like it Darker, which gets an honourable mention here. Featuring a range of compelling and powerful stories, including some very memorable dark reads and even a sequel to the classic novel Cujo, You Like it Darker is an amazing horror book for all fans of Stephen King.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

While more of a fantasy/superhero story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, including the infamous diner scene. These horror elements are greatly enhanced in the full-cast audiobook and you will end up cringing away from how dark this gothic comic gets. I also must highlight the Act II and Act III audiobooks that were released in subsequent years, especially as they also featured great stories and terrifying scenes.

Warhammer 40,000: The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill

Fans of this blog will know I’m a big thing of all things Warhammer, and that includes the intriguing Warhammer Horror range. I’ve only read a couple of these so far, but my favourite is The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill. A haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read, and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

Ink by Jonathan Maberry

I had to feature one of Maberry’s best pure horror reads, Ink in the honourable mentions. While most of the other Maberry novels with horror elements focus either on zombies or Lovecraftian monsters, Ink features a particularly horrendous tale of a depraved being who steals a person’s tattoos and the precious memories associated with them. Set in one of Maberry’s most iconic settings, Ink had a very disturbing narrative, and I deeply appreciated this unique book.

Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

I think it says a lot about my horror choices that the first book on my list is about killer mermaids. Into the Drowning Deep is exceptional book that actually turns a mermaid attack into a pretty terrifying experience. Grant did an amazing job of this book and Into the Drowning Deep comes very highly recommended.

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

I had a ton of awesome Jonathan Maberry novels that I could have featured on this list, but the obvious choice was the fantastically dark thriller Patient Zero. An epic book that features an elite counterterrorist unit as they attempt to stop terrorists spreading a deadly zombie virus across America, Patient Zero was the first book in a brilliant science fiction thriller series, all of which have a great horror edge to them. I have a lot of love for the thriller aspects of Patient Zero, however, the highlights of this book are the gruesome and terrifying zombie sequences, which sees the protagonists get overwhelmed by hordes of the infected. This results in some truly impressive horror scenes, and I had to include this book on my list as a result.

Holly by Stephen King

One of my favourite books from horror icon Stephen King, Holly, is primarily a thriller that sees the titular protagonist investigate a missing persons case. However, there are some devastatingly insidious and horrifying elements loaded into the story, especially with how exceptionally evil the excellent antagonists were. I found myself shuddering multiple times throughout the course of Holly and if that doesn’t make it a horror book, I don’t know what will. This was easily one of the best books and audiobooks of 2023, and I had to feature it on this list as a result.

The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

I had to add this brilliant and compelling horror/science fiction read onto this list. The Dark is one of the best novels I have so far read from author Jeremy Robinson that focuses on an apparent demonic invasion of Earth. Filled with gore, monsters and body mutations, The Dark gets pretty gruesome and scary in places, which blends perfectly with the intense action and Robinson’s quirky humour. An outstanding read, this fantastic horror novel comes highly recommended and was one of my top novels and audiobooks of 2021.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

One of the newer entries on this list is the impressive and memorable novel The Gathering by C. J. Tudor. A complex murder mystery set in a remote Alaskan town, The Gathering follows a vampyr expert as they attempt to determine whether a teenage was killed by members of the local vampyr colony, or other outside forces. Cleverly introducing a vampire focused alternate history and using it as a basis for a tense and fascinating mystery, The Gathering was an exceptional read that perfectly utilised its horror elements to enhance the entire thrilling narrative.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

The Anomaly is an excellent horror novel from 2018 which follows an unfortunate film crew after they get trapped in a series of ancient caves and are forced to face the terrible horrors waiting for them inside. There are a lot of amazing elements to this book, but I personally appreciated the intense and claustrophobic atmosphere that Rutger was able to produce, especially as most of the novel takes place in the dark. Highly recommended, especially in its audiobook format that deeply enhances the claustrophobic nature of the story.

World War Z by Max Brooks

One of the more unique zombie books out there, World War Z recounts the history a devastating, world-wide zombie apocalypse and the various people it impacts. Told through a brilliant chronicle method where multiple interesting characters recount their distinctive personal stories, you get an impressive, multifaceted narrative that covers the beginning, middle and end of the zombie wars. Epic in its scope and filled with some great stories and characters, it honestly does not take long to get extremely addicted to World War Z, especially on audiobook which features an extremely stacked cast. While the focus is more on exploring the impacts a zombie apocalypse would have on the world, World War Z does have some pretty creepy moment. The darker tales of underwater zombies, massacres of modern armies, and the mental turmoil suffered by zombie survivors, are excellent horror material that makes this an easy book to include here. An epic and outstanding book that lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

I am a big fan of Star Wars fiction, but I had never been scared while reading a Star Wars novel until I came across Death Troopers. Death Troopers is part of the Star Wars Legends canon and features an Imperial prison ship, which of course contains Han and Chewie, encountering an abandoned Star Destroyer filled with a zombified crew. Watching a bunch of Star Wars characters attempt to escape from zombies is really cool, and Schreiber comes up with a number of gruesome scenes that will definitely stick in your mind. Also, if you really want to get a fright out of this book, make sure to check out the audiobook version of Death Troopers, as the various sound effects they include are extremely disturbing.

Devolution by Max Brooks

In addition to World War Z, Max Brooks also gets featured on this list for the brilliant novel Devolution. Expertly making use of a whole new horror monster when he explores the fate of an isolated community who are attacked by a tribe of sasquatches, Brooks really turns these creatures into a frightening and deadly force of nature, and readers are in for an exciting and well-written tale of survival and brutality.

The Outsider by Stephen King

The final book I want to highlight is the incredible Stephen King book, The Outsider. An extremely tense and disturbing thriller, The Outsider features a captivating narrative that sees local town hero charged with the gruesome murder of a child, with ironclad evidence indicating that he did it. However, the suspect continues to plead his innocence and has an impossibly perfect alibi for the time of the murder. While primarily a thriller, there is some brilliant initial personal horror as you witness a potentially innocent man and town hero so thoroughly painted as a monster before your eyes. King pivots to more supernatural horror elements as the book progresses, which fits perfectly with the dark narrative already ongoing, and the result is an exceptional book that proves deeply disturbing on multiple levels. An incredible read and a worthy final entry on this list.

That’s the end of this latest Top Ten Tuesday list. I think that the new horror novels were great additions to the list, and I think this new version of the list turned out really well. Each of the above novels, both new inclusions and existing ones, are outstanding reads that come highly recommended to all horror fans. I look forward to seeing how this list evolves once again this time next year, especially as I am sure some amazing and spinetingling horror books are likely to come out in the next 12 months.

Waiting on Wednesday – Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed

On October 2, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out one of the most promising upcoming Star Wars tie-in novels, with the first book in Alexander Freed’s Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear.

I must admit that I have been a little lax recently in my reading of Star Wars fiction, especially as I have had some amazing experiences with the franchise over the years. However, there is one upcoming Star Wars trilogy that I won’t be avoiding, and that is the intriguing and epic sounding Reign of the Empire trilogy by acclaimed author Alexander Freed. Freed is an outstanding author who previously greatly impressed me with his incredible Alphabet Squadron trilogy of Star Wars novels. Made up of the fantastic novels Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price, the Alphabet Squadron novels were a dark and gritty war series set in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi, which provided a dark follow-up to the classic film. I became a big fan of Freed thanks to the Alphabet Squadron trilogy and I have been keen to see what he was going to write next in the Star Wars universe.

Well, it turns out that Freed’s next foray in Star Wars fiction is going to be another intriguing and awesome series with the Reign of the Empire books. Set after the events of the prequel trilogy, the Reign of the Empire books will provide readers with a fresh take on how the Empire rose and maintained power and how the initial seeds of rebellion were born. The first book in this series, The Mask of Fear, is currently set for release in February 2025, and it is one of my most anticipated books coming out in the first half of the new year thanks to its exceptional focus.

Plot Synopsis:

Before the Rebellion, the Empire reigns, in book one of a trilogy told through the eyes of Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera.

“In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire! For a safe and secure society!”

With one speech, and thunderous applause, Chancellor Palpatine brought the era of the Republic crashing down. In its place rose the Galactic Empire. Across the galaxy, people rejoiced and celebrated the end to war—and the promises of tomorrow. But that tomorrow was a lie. Instead the galaxy became twisted by the cruelty and fear of the Emperor’s rule.

During that terrifying first year of tyranny, Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa face the encroaching darkness. One day, they will be three architects of the Rebel Alliance. But first, each must find purpose and direction in a changing galaxy, while harboring their own secrets, fears, and hopes for a future that may never come, unless they act.

I’m very excited for The Mask of Fear, particularly as Freed looks to expand on the events surrounding the early days of the Empire. Some previous television shows, such as Andor and The Bad Batch, as well as the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith comic series, have done an outstanding job of exploring this part of the Star Wars history, and it is frankly one of my favourite periods of the franchise. I am really interested in seeing Freed’s take on it and based on the author’s previous powerful and intense depictions of the Star Wars universe, I am envisioning a dark and realistic take on the early days of power and the events that led the main characters into their rebellion. I am especially keen to see how Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and more, reach their state of rebellion in shows like Andor or Star Wars Rebels, and this should be an excellent, wide-reaching, character-driven Star Wars series.

Based on the author, the period of Star Wars history, and the excellent synopsis above, I am expecting a lot of great things from the Reign of the Empire trilogy. Alexander Freed is such an impressive author, and he is going to weave some real magic be exploring this fantastic part of the franchise. I have no doubt that The Mask of Fear is going to be a particularly strong introduction to this new trilogy, and this will probably be one of the top science fiction or tie-in novels I read in 2025. I cannot wait to check it out and I know I will love every second I spend with it.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

On August 27, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week requires participants to highlight the posts that best showcase their personality. While this is an interesting topic, and one that I may come back to in the future, I am instead going to look at some upcoming books. That is because today is the last Tuesday before Spring 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 September 2024 and 30 November 2024 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024

Another exciting read from one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors. High Wire is Candice Fox’s third book of 2024 (following The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen) and looks set to be a high-octane read in the middle of the Australian outback.

Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024

An intriguing follow-up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a ton of fun, and I am particularly keen to check it out after deeply loving Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair.

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

A cool and intriguing new Star Wars novel that looks set to highlight the legendary Mace Windu.

Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024

Another awesome Australian thriller from impressive author Sarah Barrie. Endgame will end the outstanding and dark Lexi Winter’s series, which has previously featured Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.

Top Ten List:

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024

The first book on this list is the awesome historical fiction release, King’s Enemy. The third and final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the exceptional reads Battle Song and War Cry. King’s Enemy will see the protagonist, knight Adam de Norton, forced to turn against his king after losing a deadly civil war, resulting in one of England’s most infamous sieges. I love the sound of this book so much, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2024.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024

Over the last four years, Richard Osman has consistently impressed me with his incredible and exceptional crime fiction reads. His Thursday Murder Club series, made up of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), are so damn good, and I am always eager for more Osman. As such, Osman’s new book, We Solve Murders, is one of my most anticipated books of 2024. Featuring a new group of protagonists, We Solve Murders has another outstanding story behind it, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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

Probably the fantasy novel I am most looking forward to in 2024 is A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. The start of new series from Ryan that follows on from his Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel looks set to be a powerful and compelling adventure read, following a new group of protagonists. I love the cool sounding plot of A Tide of Black Steel, and I am eager to see how it will continue some of the open storylines from the Covenant of Steel books.

Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024

I was very excited to see that outstanding author Michael Mammay was returning to his Planetside series later this year. Following a veteran, maverick solider in the future who finds himself involved in a series of genocidal plots, the Planetside books are so damn good and have been deeply impressing me since Mammay’s writing debut. Made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, the Planetside books are extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check out the fourth book in the series, Darkside. Following the protagonist as he investigates a sinister missing person’s case on the dark side of an isolated moon, Darkside should be an incredible read, especially when the protagonist goes up against multiple mega-corporations he’s annoyed in the past.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 8 October 2024

Readers of this blog will know that I need my Usagi Yojimbo fix each year, as it is easily my favourite comic series out there. Luckily, I don’t need to wait too much longer for the new Usagi Yojimbo comic, as the 39^th volume in this incredible series, Ice and Snow, comes out in October. This latest entry in the series sounds very awesome, as Usagi and his cousin are forced to face off against his most deadly enemy, the deadly supernatural killer Jei. I am so excited to get my hands on this comic, and it is going to be so much fun to read.

The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024

Time and time again, Michael Connelly continuously shows why he is the very best crime fiction author in the world today. So many of his recent books have deeply impressed me, including The Night Fire, Fair Warning and Resurrection Walk, just to name a few. As such I am always keen to grab the new Connelly book, and I am very, very happy that the new entry, The Waiting, is out very soon. Once again focusing on his main police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting looks set to be an excellent entry in the series, as Connelly has stacked it with multiple compelling cases, as well as bringing in another Bosch for fans to enjoy. I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting, and it will probably end up being one of my top books of 2024.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024

Another top crime fiction book coming out in Spring that I am particularly excited for is Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. Following on from Stevenson’s previous hilarious and clever books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, will be a Christmas themed murder mystery romp, with the protagonist forced to figure out who amongst a group of professional Christmas performers is a killer. This will be one of the funniest books of 2024, and I look forward to seeing how this latest book in one of my favourite Australian series turns out.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne – 22 October 2024

Probably the book with the best cover on this list is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne. The third and final book in Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the amazing and inventive fantasy releases, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have had an outstanding time with this incredible, Viking-inspired fantasy series, and I have no doubt this final battle between gods and mortals is going to be something truly special.

Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024

I can’t talk about November releases without highlighting the upcoming Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome. The 23^rd Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome follows on from several recent Scarrow books set in Britannia, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion. Revenge of Rome will be set in the bloody aftermath of Boudica’s revolt and follows the damaged protagonists as they attempt to hunt down the fleeing Boudica. This will no doubt be a particularly intense entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow will continue this epic series. Another amazing entry in one of my absolute favourite series.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 19 November 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool and unique upcoming fantasy read, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. Caruso, who previously deeply impressed me with her debut Sword and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), is set to deliver an intriguing fantasy crime fiction book. Following an odd-couple pair of investigators as they attempt to examine a mysterious set of murders driven by unusual time magic The Last Hour Between Worlds sounds extremely cool and distinctive, and I cannot wait explore this new amazing fantasy tale from Caruso.

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