Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2024 that I Still Need to Read

On July 9, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie. However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2024 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.

While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding novels in 2024, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read. Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2024 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet. Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads. This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while. All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.

Honourable Mentions:

The Burning Land by David Hair

An epic fantasy novel that I know I would have an amazing time reading.

The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

One of the big fantasy releases of 2024. I left this book as an honourable mention, mainly because I haven’t read the preceding book in the series yet, and I would need to do that before even contemplating reading The Trials of Empire. Still, this seems like a big gap in my 2024 reading schedule, and I should try to get up to date with this series ASAP.

Past Crimes by Jason Pinter

A cool and exciting science fiction thriller that sees true-crime documentaries get way too interactive in the future.

Top Ten List:

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

Probably the book I am most surprised about not having read yet is the new Flavia Albia novel from Lindsey Davis, Death on the Tiber. An excellent and intriguing historical murder mystery, Death on the Tiber is the latest book in one of my favourite series and looks set to throw the protagonists into another complex murder in ancient Rome. I always have so much fun with this series, so it’s very surprising that I haven’t read it yet. This will hopefully be resolved soon, as it will likely be one of my top books of the year.

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Another major book from the first half of 2024 that I really need to check out is Service Model by acclaimed science fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky. The second of four books Tchaikovsky has coming out this year, Service Model will follow a rebellious robot who gains sentience and becomes determined to destroy the crumbling remnants of human society. I have no doubt this is going to be an epic read, and I am going to try very hard to read it as soon as humanly possible.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

One of the more compelling murder mystery novels from the first half of 2024, How to Solve Your Own Murder sounds like an extremely fun read, and I must try to check it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lords of Excess by Rich McCormick

I have had a lot of fun with several Warhammer books in 2024 so far, but the key one I’ve missed out on reading is Lords of Excess by debuting author Rich McCormick. Part of the Renegades subseries that highlights Chaos Space Marine warbands, Lords of Excess follow the hedonistic Emperor’s Children as they attempt to bring their twisted version of perfection to an isolated world. I love the sound of this book, especially as you know more chaos and destruction is likely on the way, and it is always fun to read a Warhammer book told from the villain’s perspective. I might honestly try to start listening to the audiobook version of Lords of Excess in the next week or two, especially as I need another Warhammer 40,000 fix.

The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom

Another major historical fiction book from the first half of 2024 that I need to check out is the epic novel, The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom. Sidebottom is a fantastic author, and I have had a wonderful time with all his recent books set in the Roman empire. The Shadow King will see Sidebottom examine Alexander the Great’s empire in an intriguing new way, and I know that I will find the whole thing deeply fascinating and exciting. As such, I will hopefully make time to read The Shadow King soon, especially as I will be very disappointed not to read this book by the end of 2024.

The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly

John Connolly is an author who I have been meaning to read for years. I had hoped that his latest book, the intense and dark legal thriller The Instruments of Darkness, would have been a good opportunity to enjoy his work for the first time, but I have yet to have the time to read it. I am still optimistic that I will be able to read The Instruments of Darkness soon, as it sounds like a very complex and powerful novel.

Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

A very fun sounding thriller about a retired assassin in a killer support group who is dragged back into the world of contract killing against his will. I honestly fell in love with Assassins Anonymous’s fun sounding plot the moment I read the synopsis and I have been meaning to grab a copy since it came out. Hopefully I get one soon, as this sounds like such an exciting and awesome book.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

While there were a few Star Wars novels out in the first half of this year, the one I most regret not reading is The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Set just before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Living Force is a compelling entry to the canon that focuses on the various members of the Jedi Council. I love the sound of this awesome book and I am hoping to listen to it in the future, as it should be a fantastic novel.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill

An intriguing and captivating murder mystery from a very talented Australian author, The Mystery Writer sounded like a very impressive novel, and I have had some great experiences with Sulari Gentill in the past. I look forward to checking this book out at some point in the future and I am sure it will be an outstanding read.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

The final book from the first half of 2024 that I want to highlight here is the fantasy debut Five Broken Blades. Following five dangerous rogues tasked with killing a tyrannical king, Five Broken Blades sounds like a very awesome book, and I have heard some great things about it. I currently have the audiobook version of Five Broken Blades ready to go and I am hoping to listen to it soon, especially as I am in the mood for some fun and fierce fantasy fiction.

Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out. All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them. In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Fantasy and Science Fiction)

On June 25, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction13 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2024. I am planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, and more, and this one that will focus on upcoming fantasy and science fiction books.

2024 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books (something I will cover in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday), with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away. However, the year is far from over and there are so many incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2024. To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to. I already have a couple of these books in advance, but I think it’s worth including them here, especially as I still need to make time to read them.

I had initially intended to only do a single list featuring all the genres, however, I ended up with way too many awesome upcoming novels on my radar. So, to fairly feature them all, and to save myself from some hard decisions, I decided to split this post into two separate lists, starting with this one on fantasy and science fiction. I still had to cut out several impressive upcoming releases, but I was a lot happier with how these lists turned out, especially as I was able to feature so many epic upcoming reads that I am going to have the most fun reading. Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated fantasy and science fiction releases for the second half of 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons – 9 July 2024

An intriguing fantasy heist novel that will see a fugitive girl and her dragon work with a team to break into a heavily guarded vault in a floating dragon castle.

Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 30 July 2024

Another unique science fiction read from the highly inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Good Boys by Jeremy Robinson – 20 August 2024

Jeremy Robinson looks to impress with his second book of 2024, the alien focussed novel, Good Boys.

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

An awesome Star Wars novel that will focus on the legendary Mace Windu.

Top Ten List:

Deep Black by Miles Cameron – 1 August 2024

The first upcoming book I want to highlight on this list is the excellent science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron. A sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black will follow a massive interstellar trading ship, known as a Greatship, as it tries to make its treacherous journey home. Set to combine elaborate science fiction elements with a compelling thriller storyline, Deep Black should be an outstanding read.

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey – 6 August 2024

The masterminds behind The Expanse series return with a bold new book, The Mercy of Gods. The Mercy of Gods will see vestiges of humanity stolen away by an advanced alien species so that they can compete in elaborate games to become their new master’s favoured race. This book sounds so damn awesome, especially as it will combine intricate alien political intrigue with some amazing science fiction elements. Set to introduce the next big science fiction series, The Mercy of Gods is going to be something epic and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of it earlier today.

The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston – 13 August 2024

After wowing me with books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston returns in 2024 with another awesome dark fantasy novel, The Last Shield. Set to be a gender-bent, dark fantasy Die Hard, The Last Shield sounds pretty damn incredible and there is no way I won’t love this book.

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry – 20 August 2024

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, has been having an amazing couple of years across multiple genres. While I still need to read his science fiction novel from earlier this year, NecroTek, I am particularly excited for his next book, The Dragon in Winter. The third and final book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, The Dragon in Winter looks set to be one of the absolute best dark fantasy novels of 2024 as the doomed protagonist finally faces off against his nemesis. The first two books in this series Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), were dark, extremely over-the-top, and excessively addictive, and I cannot wait to see how this dark series concludes.

A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist – 20 August 2024

Legendary author Raymond E. Feist returns with A Darkness Returns, the first book in his new The Dragonwar Saga. This new series sounds really cool, especially as it will pull together his iconic Riftwar Cycle with his recent Firemane Saga (King of Ashes, Queen of Storms and Master of Furies). In particular, the plot of this book will split between the two different fantasy worlds of the respective series, as the protagonist attempt to save them from both mundane and dangerous interdimensional threats.

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

One of the fantasy books I am really looking forward to this year is the awesome sounding new novel from Anthony Ryan, A Tide of Black Steel. Set in the same universe as the author’s epic The Covenant of Steel series (made up of The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel will expand on the compelling fantasy world introduced in the first trilogy and take the reader on an intriguing new adventure. I am very excited to read this book, and I look forward to seeing how Ryan will connect this new novel with his previous series.

Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024

One of my favourite science fiction thriller series returns with the upcoming book Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth entry in the amazing Planetside series, Darkside follows on from the exceptional novels, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, and will bring back Mammay’s retired solider protagonist for another intrigue laden adventure. This time the protagonist will be forced to go up against two corrupt corporations he has previously annoyed, while investigating another missing person’s case at a mining operation on an isolated moon. Mammay has deeply impressed me over the years with his outstanding writing, and Darkside is going to be a particularly gripping read.

The Fury of Gods by John Gwynne – 24 October 2024

John Gwynne looks set to bring his epic The Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with the upcoming novel, The Fury of the Gods. Concluding an extremely epic trilogy, that includes The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods will showcase the final battle between warring mortals and returning gods, as all hell literally threatens to break out throughout Gwynne’s intriguing new fantasy nation. I have deeply enjoyed this amazing, character-driven series of the last few years, and I look forward to seeing how Gwynne wraps everything up. Also, it needs to be said that The Fury of Gods has the best cover out of all the books I am highlighting tonight.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 26 November 2024

Another favourite fantasy author of mine, Melissa Caruso, has a great new book coming out later this year that I am very excited for. This novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, will feature a complex and entertaining fantasy mystery, as two rivals attempt to work together to investigate a reality bending magical event killing people. I love the sound of this intriguing new novel and I have a feeling The Last Hour Between Worlds is going to be one of the most compelling books of 2024.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 5 December 2024

The final upcoming novel I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding and fun Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Days of Shattered Faith will continue the loosely connected events of the previous books, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds. This third book will see two new protagonists, unusual ambassadors from an oppressive and zealous nation, attempt to survive a deadly city where everything goes. This should be a pretty wild and entertaining novel with some subtle underlying messages, and I cannot wait to see the elaborate and inventive adventure that Tchaikovsky comes up with. Due to how epic the previous two books were, this should be something very special and impressive, and Tchaikovsky has yet to produce something I didn’t love to death.

That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming fantasy and science fiction books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me. Make sure to also check out my next list where I dive into upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more. Let me also know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Literary Trilogies – April 2024

On April 16, 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. While the official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list the 10 characters they would like to go on vacation with, I have decided to do something a little different, and instead I will be updating my favourite literary trilogies list from a few years ago.

Trilogies in literature are a long-running and deeply fun tradition that packs an epic connected tale, into three consecutive novels. There are some truly amazing trilogies out there, from the classics, like The Lord of the Rings, to some recent trilogies that I have been deeply enjoying. Indeed, 2023 just saw the end of several epic and outstanding literary trilogies, while 2024 will see some intriguing new trilogies start up. I have had the great pleasure of reading some truly awesome and exciting trilogies over the years, and back in 2021 I had a wonderful time coming up with a list that featured my absolute favourite literary trilogies. Since I had so much fun last week updating my favourite Warhammer 40,000 fiction list, I figured it was also time to update my previous trilogy list, especially as I had more than enough new entries to highlight.

This proved to be a fun update to pull together, especially as I had a great wealth of new potential trilogies to feature on this list. To be eligible, the proposed trilogy must consist of three, inter-connected novels. I only included series that were intended to end after three novels, rather than by happenstance, so that means that series like The Gentleman Bastards will not be featured (it technically has a fourth novel on the way). This meant that a previous entry, the Planetside books by Michael Mammay (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), had to be taken off this new list because Mammay has just announced a fourth book. I also excluded trilogies that I have not yet completed, even if I have already read and deeply enjoyed the first two novels. This is because I really need to see how the third book turns out, as a bad third entry can easily spoil a trilogy that starts out strong.

Even with these restrictions, I ended up with a descent list of trilogies, which took me a little while to cull down and which resulted in a generous honourable mentions section. I am judging these trilogies on several factors, including how complete their story is, how well connected the novels are, and whether the component novels provide good introductions, conclusions and connections to the other books in the trilogy. Overall, I am very happy with how this latest version of this list turned out, even though I combined a couple of entries together, and I think that this accurately represents the best trilogies that I have so far finished.

Honourable Mentions:

Swords and Fire trilogy by Melissa Caruso

My first honourable mention is the debut trilogy from talented fantasy author Melissa Caruso. Featuring The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir, and The Unbound Empire, the Swords and Fire trilogy tells the tale of the unlikely partnership of an ambitious noble and a reckless, ultra-powerful mage, whose fates are literally bound together. This is an amazing and inventive fantasy trilogy that pits this duo against conspiracies, a nation of terrifying magical users, and their own substantial personal issues.

Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy by Alexander Freed

There are some great Star Wars series out there, and one of the very best is the Alphabet Squadron trilogy by Alexander Freed. Made up of Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price, this trilogy followed a group of pilots in the immediate aftermath of Return of the Jedi, as they continue to fight the brutal war to claim the universe. This trilogy combined a gritty and complex war story with the iconic Star Wars universe to create three impressive novels that work brilliantly as an overarching series.

The Century trilogy by Ken Follett

A massive and comprehensive historical fiction trilogy, made up of Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity. These books take place throughout the 20^th century and follow three generations of several families as they navigate the century’s big historical events, including two world wars and the Cold War. Some of the best historical fiction writing you are ever likely to see; this is a powerful and captivating series.

The Icewind Dale trilogy by R. A. Salvatore

Iconic fantasy author, R. A. Salvatore, has made a career out of writing trilogies, and there were several I could have included, especially his Dark Elf trilogy. However, I think that his debut Icewind Dale series, is his most consistently impressive trilogy. While the first novel, The Crystal Shard is a tad rough, the second and third books, Streams of Silver and The Halfling’s Gem, more than make up for it, and produce a brilliant overall story that perfectly set up all his iconic characters for decades to follow.

Top Ten List:

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Let us start this list off with the dark fantasy masterpiece that is Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy. Consisting of The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings, this amazing trilogy follows a group of extremely complex and damaged characters as they attempt to navigate a dark world filled with betrayal, uncontrolled ambition, and all manner of human monsters. All three books are really incredible, with The Blade Itself providing an outstanding introduction, while Last Argument of Kings wraps everything up perfectly and leaves the reader with a troubling but memorable conclusion. I powered through this trilogy in a very short time, and it remains one of my all-time favourite pieces of fantasy fiction.

Warhammer 40,000: Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett

It was inevitable that a Warhammer 40,000 trilogy was going to end up on this list at some point, and no trilogy deserves it more than the Eisenhorn books (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus) by Dan Abnett. Considered one of the pillars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, the Eisenhorn books follow an Imperial Inquisitor, the titular Eisenhorn, as he attempts to root out hidden alien and Chaos threats to humanity. However, throughout the course of the trilogy, Eisenhorn starts to use the methods of his enemies and slowly becomes corrupted by them without even noticing. A brilliant collection of three books that spawned some intriguing sequel series, I cannot recommend this trilogy enough and it is essential readding for all Warhammer fans.

The Empire trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

I was spoiled for choice when it came to Raymond E. Feist and his multitude of great trilogies, from his iconic Riftwar Saga to his more recent The Firemane Saga (King of Ashes, Queen of Storms and Master of Furies). However, I think his most consistent and impressive trilogy were The Empire books he cowrote with Janny Wurts. Set at the same time as the Riftwar Saga, this trilogy explored an alien fantasy world with some major Japanese influences. An intense and action-packed fantasy trilogy loaded with political intrigue, family feuds and a female ruler battling for control in a male-dominated world, The Empire books, Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of the Empire, form an exceptional trilogy that is really worth reading.

Amazon

The Siege trilogy and Corax trilogy by K. J. Parker

Since my original list in 2021 I have finished two awesome trilogies by K. J. Parker, The Siege trilogy and the Corax trilogy, both of which were outstanding pieces of fantasy fiction that leaned heavily on humour and cynical insights into human nature to tell their entertaining tales. While the Siege books tell three separate stories connected to the siege of a massive city, the Corax trilogy follows the misadventures of the titular Saevus Corax, a conman battlefield salvager. The Siege books featured three amazing reads, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, and A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, while the Corax series featured the excellent books Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder (review to follow soon). Both series were very exciting, clever, and featured a heavy dose of dark wit I honestly found irresistible, enough so that all six books mentioned here got five-star reviews from me. Due to the similarities in style, comedic inclusions, and the fact they are set in the same universe, I had an extremely hard time determining which of these trilogies I enjoyed the most. In fact, it proved so impossible to choose, I ended up calling it a tie and combined the trilogies together into a single entry. Both trilogies are quite impressive, and you are guaranteed to have an outstanding time with all the books in them.

The Tide Child trilogy by R. J. Barker

The trilogy that inspired me to write the first version of this list was the exceptional The Tide Child trilogy by rising fantasy fiction start R. J. Barker. Barker did some incredible work here producing an intense and addictive dark fantasy series that takes place primarily on a naval vessel made from dragon bones. With some exceptional character work, beautifully written scenes, and some truly unique fantasy features, The Tide Child series is one of the absolute best fantasy trilogies out there. All three novels, The Bone Ships (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Call of the Bone Ships, and The Bone Ship’s Wake, are incredible and enchanting reads, which come together to form a brilliant and highly recommend trilogy.

Lessons of the Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik

Few trilogies impressed me more in recent years than the Lessons of the Scholomance books by veteran fantasy author Naomi Novik. Essentially a dark take on the magical school genre, the Scholomance books follows a trouble and ultra-destructive teenage magic user who has been sent to the Scholomance, a magical school filled with harsh lessons and infested with hungry monsters. I really got drawn into this elaborate series, especially with its unique setting, damaged characters, and fantastic stakes. Made up of three excellent reads, including A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves, the Scholomance books were a very powerful series that traumatised the reader (I still haven’t recovered from The Last Graduate’s ending) and took its characters through hell and back, all while also making great use of Novik’s inventive concepts. A brilliant, beautiful, and intense three books that you will not regret picking up.

Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy by Nick Martell

Out of all the exceptional fantasy trilogies I have enjoyed over the years, few have struck me as hard as the Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy from Nick Martell. Martell’s debut trilogy, the Legacy of the Mercenary King books follows the scion of a disgraced family who fights to uncover various conspiracies and lies inflicting his city as dark forces move to destroy everything. Starting with The Kingdom of Liars (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), the series kept moving from strength to strength as the following two books, The Two-Faced Queen (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and The Voyage of the Forgotten (one of my favourite books of 2022), moved the story in some outstanding directions while continuing to introduce and expand on the series’ impressive characters. Easily one of the best trilogies from a debuting fantasy author I have had the pleasure of reading, the Legacy of the Mercenary Kings books are extremely exceptional, and a guaranteed hit for anyone looking for something fresh and addictive.

The Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Not content with only having one exceptional fantasy trilogy, Joe Abercrombie had to double down and write the epic sequel trilogy, The Age of Madness, which frankly I had no choice but to give a separate entry on this list. Set a generation after The First Law trilogy, the three Age of Madness novels, A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds, contains another outstanding dark fantasy tale following a whole new group of complex and troubled protagonists. This brilliant trilogy featured Abercrombie’s trademark character work, dark storytelling, and cynical edge, which resulted in three outstanding five-star reads. These amazing novels form a deeply thrilling and powerful trilogy which is just as good, if not better than the original First Law novels.

The Covenant of Steel trilogy by Anthony Ryan

Another brilliant fantasy trilogy that I fell in love with recently is The Covenant of Steel books by acclaimed author Anthony Ryan. Made up of The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor, The Covenant of Steel books tell the tale of a bandit turned scribe who finds himself caught up in deadly, kingdom changing events, including war, religious upheaval, and supernatural calamities. All three books in this series were quite exceptional, and I love the intricate and impressive overarching narrative they told, which drew you in with powerful storytelling, great characters, and dark twists. I will have to go back and check out some of Ryan’s other series in the future, but for the moment, my eye is on a new trilogy of his, debuting later this year with A Tide of Dark Steel. I have no doubt this new trilogy will be a strong contender for future versions of this list, and I cannot wait to see how Ryan’s next captivating adventure unfolds.

Star Wars: Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy by Timothy Zahn

The final entry on this list is another joint entry with the epic Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies by Timothy Zahn. Bringing back his iconic extended universe character, Grand Admiral Thrawn, to the new Star Wars canon, these trilogies expand on the character’s appearances in recent shows and provide a whole new history to the character. The first trilogy, made up of Thrawn, Alliances and Treason, provides a great coverage of Thrawn’s service to the Empire before the finale of Star Wars: Rebels, while the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, made up of Chaos Rising, Greater Good and Lesser Evil, dives into his complex past on his home world. Both trilogies are very well balanced, although I would say they each have a strongest and weakest point to them. I was initially going to feature these as two separate entries, much like I did with John Abercrombie’s books above, however, due to the way they support each other, and because they are both very similar, I felt it was better to combine them into a single entry. All six book are very awesome, and feature some of the best novelised Star Wars space combat sequences you are likely to see. A must read for all Star Wars fans, I really hope that Zahn comes back and writes more Thrawn books, especially after the character had his live action debut last year.

Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see, I have read some awesome trilogies over the last few years, and I think this update does a great job highlighting some of the best recent additions. I am planning to come back to this list again in a year or two, especially as there are some more outstanding trilogies, I am currently in the middle of that will easy make this list in the future. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite trilogies are in the comments below.

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

On March 5, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week required participants to list the most unusual topics that they have looked up online as a result of reading a book, which while interesting, wasn’t something I felt I could contribute to. However, as this is the first Tuesday of March, I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Autumn (Spring 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 the ten books coming out between 1 March 2024 and 31 May 2024 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am looking forward to, including some of my most anticipated books of the year (as well as my most anticipated fantasy/science fiction books of the year). Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am really excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

White Ash Ridge by S. R. White – 14 March 2024

A cool, imminent Australian murder mystery with a very intriguing premise behind it.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill – 19 March 2024

Another unique novel from one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors.

Behind a Closed Door by J.D. Barker – 13 May 2024

A brilliant and dark thriller from the always impressive J. D. Barker

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton – 21 May 2024

A fantastic sounding science fiction thriller with a particularly distinctive murder premise behind it.

Top Ten List:

Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox – 26 March 2024

The first book on this list is probably the novel I will be reading next, with Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox. A compelling and fun sounding thriller by one of Australia’s most popular crime fiction authors, Devil’s Kitchen sounds extremely awesome and I cannot wait to read it, especially after how much I enjoyed The Murder Inn by Fox earlier this year.

Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 28 March 2024

After his exceptional 2023, where he released both City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds (two of my favourite books of 2023), I am eagerly waiting to read all of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s upcoming books. His first 2024 release is Alien Clay, an outstanding and entertaining science fiction read set in a deadly prison on an alien planet. It sounds like Alien Clay will combine over-the-top characters with unique science fiction concepts and I have no doubt that this is going to be one of the most entertaining reads of the next three months.

The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence – 9 April 2024

The gripping sequel to Lawrence’s exceptional 2023 novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, The Book That Broke the World is an awesome upcoming read that I am so very excited for. Continuing the elaborate narrative started in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, which follows two connected characters whose lives revolve around a massive library; The Book That Broke the World will no doubt contain more of Lawrence’s exceptional world building and amazing storytelling.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller – 9 April 2024

It has been a little while since I read a Star Wars novel, but that is going to change in April when I get my hands on The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Set before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Living Force has an intriguing story that will expand out the early lore of the Star Wars franchise. I cannot wait to see what excellent story Miller has planned for The Living Force, and I have no doubt I am going to love this book.

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 9 April 2024

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Lindsey Davis, will continue her impressive Flavia Albia series in April with the new book, Death on the Tiber. Featuring another intriguing mystery set in ancient Rome, Death on the Tiber promises to be a particularly awesome addition to the series, especially as it pits the protagonist against an old foe from her traumatic past.

Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward – 23 April 2024

I have been loving some of the great Warhammer 40,000 novels in 2024, but one of my most anticipated releases is Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward. Set to feature the ultimate battle of survival between the hardest human jungle warriors in the canon and the deadliest aliens, Deathworlder has so much awesome potential and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan – 7 May 2024

The fantasy release that has me most intrigued in the next few months is The Silverblood Promise. The debut novel of James Logan, The Silverblood Promise will combine a cool new fantasy world with thrilling criminal intrigue, as a young lord tries to determine who killed his father in a deadly city. This book sounds so damn amazing, and I am hoping to dive into it very soon.

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – 14 May 2024

Back in 2021, I had the very great pleasure of reading The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe, a young adult thriller that pitted a teenage con artist with a past against deadly bank robbers. I absolutely loved The Girls I’ve Been, and I was excited to find out a sequel, The Girl in Question, is coming out in May. Set to follow the protagonist as she once again faces off against the ghosts of her past, The Girl in Question is going to be outstanding and I cannot wait to read it.

Cloaked Deception by Timothy Zahn – 14 May 2024

One of the more unique books coming out in Autumn this year is Cloaked Deception by Timothy Zahn. An epic and entertaining science fiction thriller, Cloaked Deception features a brilliant narrative that will see a deadly assassination plan involving nuclear weapons become entangled with the theft of advanced cloaking technology. I love the over-the-top plot of this book, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry – 28 May 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is Necrotek by one of my favourite authors Jonathan Maberry. The first book in a new series from Maberry, Necrotek is a dark and brutal sounding piece of science fiction that will see human scientists encounter a deadly, Lovecraftian threat in space. I have no doubt that Maberry is going to deliver another outstanding read here with Necrotek and I cannot wait to get my hands on its audiobook version, especially with the always amazing Ray Porter narrating it.

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 pretty awesome.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To

On January 30, 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 creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list their top New-to-Me Authors they discovered in 2023. However, I already published a list on this topic a few weeks ago, so instead I will be listing the top books I meant to read in 2023 but that I didn’t get a chance to. This was actually the official topic of last week’s Top Ten Tuesday, which I missed because I was doing a special post on my favourite Australian novels of 2023. I look forward to making up for this list here, which is likely to be my final list highlighting the top books and authors of 2023.

2023 was a pretty awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of debuts, exciting sequels and fun older novels, most of which were epic and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries, there are always a couple of books each year that fall through the cracks and that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or from 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 sounding novels that I did not get a chance to read in 2023. Each entry was released last year, and while I 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. The final list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres, and includes several major 2023 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson

An intriguing Star Wars book that follows the life of a fallen Jedi who becomes a notorious Inquisitor.

Thick as Thieves by M. J. Kuhn

Thick of Thieves was a great sounding fantasy novel that I regret not reading, especially after enjoying Kuhn’s first book, Among Thieves.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

A particularly fun sounding novel from last year about crime fiction authors being murdered at writing retreat that I really wish I had read.

The Hunters by David Wragg

An outstanding fantasy novel that I know I would have loved.

Top Ten List:

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker

Without a doubt, the book I most regret not reading in 2023 was Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker. An incredible and unique sounding fantasy read that would follow a former-chosen one in a dark new fantasy world, Gods of the Wyrdwood had so much potential behind it. Unfortunately, I just never seemed to be in the mood or have the time to read it, which is so mindboggling to me as I absolutely loved all of Barker’s previous novels. Barker’s The Wounded Kingdom trilogy (made up of Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins) and The Tide Child trilogy (made up of The Bone Ships, Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake) are some of the best fantasy trilogies I have ever had the pleasure of reading, so it is very surprising that I didn’t read Gods of the Wyrdwood yet. I have a copy of Gods of Wyrdwood at home now and I am hoping to read it in the next month or two, especially so I can enjoy the upcoming sequel from Barker.

Star Wars: The High Republic: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang

I have mentioned a few times recently that I have fallen behind in my reading of Star Wars fiction and this really became apparent in 2023 when I did not read Cataclysm by Lydia Kang. A key book in the High Republic extended series, Cataclysm continues the epic main story featured in several outstanding books I have previously read. As such, it is probably the most important Star Wars book I can read right now, especially if I want to keep going with the High Republic. I hope I get the chance to catch up on this series in 2024, as I have been really enjoying the unique narratives in these prequel reads.

The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

Another exciting fantasy novel I really regret not reading last year is The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. A compelling and exciting sounding book about legendary heroes corrupted by the swords they wrested from their great evil enemy, The Sword Defiant sounded so damn cool, and I had high hopes for it the moment I saw its plot synopsis. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of The Sword Defiant when it first came out and I have not had a chance to get one since. I really should make an effort though, as I know I would have loved this book.

The 9th Man by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood

I have been having a lot of fun with Steve Berry’s iconic Cotton Malone thriller series the last few years, with epic books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom, really impressing me with their elaborate and compelling narratives. As such, I should have made more of an effort to read Steve Berry’s other 2023 novel, The 9th Man, when it came out. Co-written with Grant Blackwood, The 9th Man was the first book in a spin-off series featuring one of the main supporting characters from the Cotton Malone books. Featuring Berry’s typical blend of historical conspiracy and modern day thriller storyline, The 9th Man sounded very fun and I am confident I would have deeply enjoyed this excellent novel. The 9th Man is another book I am planning to try and read soon, as Berry and Blackwood have a sequel coming out later this year.

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan

After having such a great time with Swan’s first fantasy novel, The Justice of Kings, I meant to read the sequel, The Tyranny of Faith last year. Continuing Swan’s intriguing tale of a roaming Justice who brings law and order to their world with magic, swordsmanship and legal work, The Tyranny of Faith further explored the elaborate conspiracy that Swan set up in the first book. I really did intend to read The Tyranny of Faith, but I could never fit it into my reading schedule. I am hoping to change that soon, especially as the third book in the series is out very soon.

Defiant by Brandon Sanderson

One of my most anticipated books for the end of 2023 was Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. The final book in Sanderson’s excellent Skyward young adult science fiction series (made up of Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic), Defiant sounded pretty damn epic and it wraps up an outstanding series. Unfortunately, there was just not enough time to read Defiant before 2023 ended. I will definitely try to finish off this series this year, and I cannot wait to see how Sanderson finishes everything off.

Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron

Another major sequel I should have read last year was Storming Heaven by Miles Cameron. The intriguing follow-up to Cameron’s outstanding 2022 novel, Against All Gods, Storming Heaven continued to explore the author’s new world of murderous gods and rebelling humans. I had such a great time reading Against All Gods and I plan to make an effort to read Storming Heaven this year, hopefully before Cameron’s next intriguing novel comes out.

Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

I really enjoyed Mammay’s original first three books, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, but since he released those, I just have not been able to make time for his other excellent, standalone science fiction novels. I was particularly annoyed at myself for not reading his 2023 novel, Generation Ship, which sounded like such a fantastic read. Focussing on a massive generation ship at the end of its long voyage, this book explores the various issues that arise as they near their destination, including an unknown alien planet, unsuccessful colonisation efforts, and a class uprising from the crew. Generation Ship sounded so damn good, and I really wish I had the time to listen to it last year as I know I would have loved it.

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks

I read a lot of Warhammer 40,000 fiction in 2023, but there are still some great books from this franchise I wish I had checked out. The main one of these is Renegades: Harrowmaster by excellent author Mike Brooks. Brooks has deeply impressed me in the last year, and his other 2023 Warhammer 40,000 novels, Warboss and The Lion: Son of the Forest, were so damn good. Renegades: Harrowmaster, which also came out in 2023 (at least on audiobook), sounded extremely awesome, as it follows the infamous Alpha Legion, the most mysterious, secretive and manipulative group of warriors in the canon. I love the sound of this great book, and I really wish I could have listened to Harrowmaster last year. I am hoping to read this book at some point in 2024, although this might have to wait as I also want to read another novel from Brooks first, Brutal Kunnin.

Slayers by Christopher Golden and Amber Benson

The final entry I want to include on this list in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer audio drama production, Slayers. Written by author Christopher Golden and actor Amber Benson, Slayers serves as a sequel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and explores the multiverse surrounding the shows. As a massive Buffy fan, I love the idea of any sort of official continuation and I was pretty excited for this audio production, especially as it features the voices of several key actors from the show. Unfortunately, there were just too many other books I needed to read before the end of 2023 and I could not fit it in. I have plans to try to listen to Slayers in the next month or so, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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 2024, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2023 in the comments below.

Waiting on Wednesday – Star Wars – The Living Force and The Glass Abyss

On January 17, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. 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. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two awesome upcoming Star Wars novels that are sure to deeply entertain and excite with The Living Force and The Glass Abyss.

Fans of this blog will be well aware of my love for Star Wars fiction, especially as I have had the great pleasure of reading and reviewing a ton of amazing Star Wars novels over the last few years. Something about a brilliant novel that further explores the elaborate Star Wars universe, or which presents a totally unique story about some of your favourite characters always greatly appeals to me, and I can always get dragged into a good Star Wars novel, especially in their audiobook format. Unfortunately, I have been a little slack when it comes to reading Star Wars fiction in the last year, but that is something I am planning to rectify in 2024, especially as there are two fantastic sounding upcoming books from the franchise that have really caught my eye.

The first of these is Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller. Miller is a well-established author of tie-in fiction, have written across several franchises, including Star Trek (check out my review for his novel Die Standing), and other cool shows. Miller has also written several Star Wars novels, with his exceptional book, Kenobi, being one of the best Star Wars novels I have ever read. As such, I am very eager to try out his new book, The Living Force, especially as it has an awesome story behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

In the year before The Phantom Menace, Yoda, Mace Windu, and the entire Jedi Council confront a galaxy on the brink of change.

The Jedi have always traveled the stars, defending peace and justice across the galaxy. But the galaxy is changing, and the Jedi Order along with it. More and more, the Order finds itself focused on the future of the Republic, secluded on Coruscant, where the twelve members of the Jedi Council weigh crises on a galactic scale.

As yet another Jedi Outpost left over from the Republic’s golden age is set to be decommissioned on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Council about the Order’s increasing isolation. Mace Windu suggests a bold response: All twelve Jedi Masters will embark on a goodwill mission to help the planet and to remind the people of the galaxy that the Jedi remain as stalwart and present as they have been across the ages.

But the arrival of the Jedi leadership is not seen by all as a cause for celebration. In the increasing absence of the Jedi, warring pirate factions have infested the sector. To maintain their dominance, the pirates unite, intent on assassinating the Council members. And they are willing to destroy countless innocent lives to secure their power.

Cut off from Coruscant, the Jedi Masters must reckon with an unwelcome truth: While no one thinks more about the future than the Jedi Council, nobody needs their help more than those living in the present.

I love the sound of this amazing book, especially as it dives into the somewhat underdeveloped history pre-The Phantom Menace. A novel following the entire Jedi Council as they get into trouble on a remote planet sounds like a recipe for great success, and I am really looking forward to The Living Force as a result. Set for release in April 2024, I feel that this book has a lot of potential to be pretty damn epic, especially in Miller’s extremely capable hands. As such, I cannot wait for The Living Force to come out and I have a feeling it will be one of the top books I read in early 2024.

The other Star Wars novel I want to highlight here is the intense and powerful sounding book, Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes. Set for release in August 2024, The Glass Abyss will be Barnes’ first Star Wars novel since his 2004 book, The Cetus Deception. The Glass Abyss will also be set during the same early period of Star Wars history as The Living Force and will follow fan-favourite character Mace Windu in the immediate aftermath of The Phantom Menace.

Plot Synopsis:

Jedi Master Mace Windu travels to a dangerous, remote planet on a mission that challenges even his deadly prowess – all to fulfill Qui-Gon’s last request.

The Jedi are reeling from Qui-Gon Jinn’s sudden death at the hands of a Sith. Jedi Master Mace Windu’s feelings about Qui-Gon have always been complicated, and have not been made any simpler in death. While they often disagreed, Mace valued Qui-Gon’s unique perspective, and their shared dedication to the Force made them allies. Without Qui-Gon and his unorthodox views, Mace feels out of balance.

While considering his fallen friend’s legacy, Mace is surprised to receive a final message from Qui-Gon, marked to be delivered to Mace on the event of Qui-Gon’s death. The message contains a last request: a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.

Many years ago, a violent solar flare transformed the surface of the desert planet into a landscape of irradiated glass—as beautiful as it is dangerous. Now most of the surviving inhabitants live underground, where rival clans fight to control the planet’s limited resources. As a young Jedi, Qui-Gon protected the Sa’ad farming clan from the planet’s less scrupulous factions. The Sa’ad practice the art of dream-weaving, retaining their waking minds upon sleep in order to communicate and coexist with the wild creatures around them. Qui-Gon vowed to return if they ever required his aid, but now it falls to Mace to fulfill that promise. The Sa’ad’s leader, KinShan Nightbird, has begged for the Jedi’s help in freeing Metagos from the crime lords who threaten to eradicate her people’s way of life.

Intent on fulfilling Qui-Gon’s final wishes, Mace travels to Metagos and infiltrates the enemies of the Sa’ad. But as the Jedi Master investigates the intricate web of adversaries and allies, Mace finds himself pushed to the boundaries of the Jedi code, challenging his beliefs and his relationship to the Force itself.

This is another epic sounding upcoming Star Wars novel and I am very intrigued by the plot synopsis for The Glass Abyss. Having a grieving Mace Windu attempt to free a planet from crime lords by going undercover sounds is a very cool story idea, and I look forward to seeing how Barnes pulls it off. Mace Windu is an awesome character to follow, and I cannot wait to see his unique perspectives on life and the Force, especially after losing his friend. The Glass Abyss also has a lot of potential in my opinion, and I am extremely keen to get my hands on it.

Both amazing 2024 Star Wars novels, The Living Force and The Glass Abyss, sound incredibly awesome, and I have very high hopes for them. These books have some fantastic stories, and I am sure the highly regarded veteran authors behind them will turn them into something special. 2024 looks to be a very strong year for Star Wars fiction, and I look forward to reading those books, as well as any other Star Wars novels that come out, especially if I can catch up with The High Republic series.

Top Ten Tuesday –Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024:

On January 9, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction16 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 the first Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated upcoming 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.

2024 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 2024 and 30 June 2024 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 2024. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Burning Land by David Hair – 1 February 2024

An intriguing and awesome sound fantasy adventure that will see a group of knights go rogue to try and find the truth about the supposedly holy order that they serve.

The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan – 13 February 2024

While I am sure that The Trials of Empire is going to be high up on many people’s to-read list for 2024, I’m going to keep it as an honourable mention mainly because I haven’t had the chance to read the second novel, The Tyranny of Faith, yet. I am hoping to read The Tyranny of Faith before The Trials of Empire comes out, so I can enjoy this awesome sounding novel later this year.

Exit Black by Joe Pitkin – 20 February 2024

An intriguing science fiction thriller about a futuristic space hotel for the wealthy taken over by terrorists. Should be very, very fun.

Top Ten List:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett – 13 February 2024

One of the most anticipated fantasy releases of 2024, The Tainted Cup is an awesome and intricate novel that will force two unusual detectives to investigate a death apparently committed by impossible magic. Robert Jackson Bennett is an outstanding author, and I look forward to immersing myself in his new elaborate world.

Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 28 March 2024

An intriguing science fiction thriller set in a massive prison on an alien world, Alien Clay will follow a scientist’s attempts to uncover the secrets of the planet while also dodging the prison’s dangerous warden. I have really grown to enjoy Tchaikovsky’s writing, especially after his amazing 2023 novels, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, and I have no doubt that Alien Clay will be a fun and impressive read.

The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence – 9 April 2024

After deeply impressing me with the incredible and inventive The Book That Wouldn’t Burn (one of my favourite books of 2023), Mark Lawrence continues The Library trilogy in a big way with The Book That Broke the World. Continuing to follow his intriguing protagonists as they attempt to uncover the crazy secrets of the impossible library at the centre of their lives, The Book That Broke the World looks set to provide more peak Lawrence creativity and imagination and I cannot wait to see what happens next in this amazing series.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller – 9 April 2024

I’ve been a bit remiss with my Star Wars reading lately, and I’m hoping to make that up this year by checking out the cool new novel by John Jackson Miller, Star Wars: The Living Force. Set before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Living Force will follow Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and all twelve members of the Jedi Council as they investigate how Jedi are perceived in the universe. Authored by one of the top authors of tie-in fiction, The Living Force should be a pretty awesome read and I am deeply intrigued about a story focusing on the Jedi Council and their politics.

Extinction by Douglas Preston – 23 April 2024

One of the more entertaining and awesome upcoming books of 2024 is Extinction by veteran thriller and science fiction author Douglas Preston. Set in a resort where ancient animals have been brought back to life with genetic manipulation (when does that ever go wrong), the book will see guests murdered and kidnapped by a gang of eco-terrorists. Sounding like a fantastic mix of Die Hard and Jurassic Park, I love everything about Extinction, and I am hoping to read it soon.

Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward – 23 April 2024

It wouldn’t be one of my lists without at least one Warhammer 40,000 novel, which has been such an epic franchise for me lately. While there are several great Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in 2024, the one from the first half of the year that appeals to me the most is Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward. Hayward’s debut novel, Deathworlder will pit two of this universe’s best jungle fighters against each other, as the human Catachan troopers attempt to navigate a world actively being consumed by the insidious alien Tyranids. This will probably end up being a disturbing and grim survivalist adventure, and I know I will love every second of it.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan – 7 May 2024

One of the books I’m particularly excited for this year is the excellent fantasy debut, The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. This awesome novel will follow a disappointing and caddish heir to a noble house who is thrust into a leadership position and must find out who is responsible for his father’s death in a deadly city of rogues and liars. I love the sound of this book and it has the potential to be one of the best debuts of 2024.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton – 21 May 2024

An awesome science fiction murder mystery that I am really looking forward to in 2024 is the intriguing and complex The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. Set in the last human settlement after a mysterious apocalypse, the book will see a deadly murder occurs that threatens the entire colony. To stay alive the protagonists will need to solve the murder before their sanctuary is destroyed, however, the settlement’s security protocols have been activated and erased everyone’s memory of the night in question, even the killers. Bound to be one of the most compelling and unique murder mysteries of 2024, I am very hyped for The Last Murder at the End of the World, and this should be an exceptional read from Turton.

Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry – 28 May 2024

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, returns with an awesome and intense new book in 2024, with Necrotek. Maberry, who deeply impressed me with his 2023 releases, Son of the Poison Rose and Cave 13 (both of which were amongst my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), has a great writing style and I look forward to seeing how it translates across to the science fiction genre with Necrotek. Featuring a dark and horror themed narrative, Necrotek will be Maberry’s first pure science fiction novel, and I cannot wait to dive into his elaborate tale of eldritch space horrors, ancient alien technology, and immortal souls being lodged in deadly machinery. I have no doubt this will be one of my favourite books of 2024 and I am so damn excited for it.

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 4 June 2024

Another outstanding Adrian Tchaikovsky novel coming out in the first half of 2024 is the epic sounding Service Model. Following a service robot who gains sentience and decides to rebel against its human masters, Service Model has a particularly entertaining plot behind it that looks to be quite amusing while also serving as a critique humanity’s growing reliance on technology. This honestly sounds like one of the funniest books of the year, and I look forward to seeing even more outrageous adventures, witty comedy and intense social commentary from one of science fiction’s top authors.

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. 2024 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 2024. Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2024 from the other genres.

Top Ten Tuesday – Audiobooks I Need to Listen to by the end of 2023

On November 8, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were requested to list book titles that they thought would make great newspaper headlines. While this was a fun and unique sounding topic, it wasn’t one that I felt I could contribute to at this time, although I might come back to it in the future. So instead, I return to my favourite medium of enjoying literature and do another list about audiobooks. In particular, I take this opportunity to look at what remaining 2023 audiobooks I need to listen to before the end of the year.

2023 has been a pretty awesome year for fiction and I have already enjoyed several epic audiobooks which have really brought some elaborate stories to life (make sure to check out my list of top audiobooks from the first half of 2023). We now have just under two months left in 2023 and I still have a ton of epic audiobooks that I need to listen to before the year is out. So, to motivate me, I decided to come up with a list highlighting the top 2023 audiobooks I still need to listen to, including some major releases from this year.

To qualify for this list, an audiobook just needed to be released sometime in 2023. I decided to include a mixture of audiobooks I already have copies of, as well as a couple of 2023 audiobooks that still need to be released and which I need to make room in my listening schedule. I already knew somewhat in advance which main audiobooks I needed to include, but it was very satisfying and helpful to list it out like this. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Genefather by Guy Haley

Warhammer 40,000 - Genefather Cover

An epic Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I really want to listen to, although I will probably try to get through Haley’s previous novel, The Great Work, first.

Star Wars: Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson

A fun Star Wars audiobook that focuses on an intriguing new villain.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Sword Catcher Cover

A major and compelling fantasy novel I really wanted to read this year, hopefully I can try to listen to it at some point.

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

The Lie Maker Cover

A great sounding thriller from an author I’ve been meaning to check out for a while.

Top Ten List:

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

Murtagh Cover

Having just been released, Murtagh is the audiobook I am hoping to listen to next. The sequel to Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, Murtagh will follow a major morally grey supporting character as he embarks on his own quest. I loved Paolini’s original Inheritance Cycle and I cannot wait to explore his impressive fantasy world again, especially as they got Gerard Doyle back as narrator.

Slayers by Christopher Golden and Amber Benson

Slayers Cover

I am a massive fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series and I was very excited when I heard about the Slayer audio adventure. Written by the team of author Christopher Golden and actress Amber Benson, Slayers is a compelling audio sequel to the original series that features many members of the original cast, including James Marsters, Charisma Carpenter and Anthony Head. I am very excited to check this epic audio exclusive out and I am hoping to get into it soon.

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker

Gods of the Wyrdwood Cover

One of the books that I most regret not reading so far in 2023 is the awesome new fantasy novel from R. J. Barker, Gods of the Wyrdwood. Barker has really impressed me with his previous series and I have been eager to dive into Gods of the Wyrdwood for a while, although I haven’t had a chance to do so yet. I am planning to grab an audiobook copy of Gods of the Wyrdwood in the next few weeks and try to enjoy it that way. I already know I am going to love this outstanding novel and it easily has the potential to be one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023.

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

Warhammer 40,000 - The Fall of Cadia Cover

Out of all the Warhammer 40,000 books released in 2023, the one that has some of the most raw potential is the recently released novel, The Fall of Cadia. Written by the very talented Robert Rath (The Infinite and the Divine and Assassinorum: Kingmaker), The Fall of Cadia will follow one of the most infamous events in Warhammer 40,000 history, the destruction of the planet Cadia during the 13^th Black Crusade. Set to feature a powerful and elaborate war story of epic proportions, The Fall of Cadia sounds like an outstanding book and I cannot wait to listen to this amazing tale unfold in its audio format.

Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

Generation Ship Cover

I’m in the mood for some compelling science fiction before the end of 2023 so I will try and listen to the new Michael Mammay novel, Generation Ship. Mammay has written some amazing science fiction thrillers in the past, including his epic Planetside series (Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), and Generation Ship has a great standalone plot about an ill-fated journey to colonise a planet. I love the sound of this audiobook and I hope I get the chance to listen to it.

The 9^th Man by Grant Blackwood and Steve Berry

The 9th Man Cover

Earlier this year I had an exceptional time listening to the new Cotton Malone novel by Steve Berry, The Last Kingdom, which was a pretty epic audiobook. As such, I was very excited when I saw that Berry had released a Cotton Malone spin-off novel, The 9^th Man, which focuses on one of the series’ main supporting characters. Co-written by Grant Blackwood, The 9^th Man sounds like an fantastic read, and I am hoping to get through another great history/thriller hybrid before 2023 ends.

Warhammer 40,000: Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons

Dead Men Walking Cover

Another awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I’m hoping to listen to in 2023 is Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons. A sequel to his previous audiobook, Krieg, Dead Men Walking will pit the relentless soldiers of the Death Korps of Krieg against the metallic alien Necrons. Essentially a book about two fearless and unrelenting foes destroying each other, Dead Men Walking promises to be a particularly grim addition to the series and I for one am very excited for it.

Defiant by Brandon Sanderson

Defiant Cover

I had to include one of the most anticipated young adult science fiction novels of the year on this list with Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. The fourth and final book in Sanderson’s Skyward series, Defiant finishes off the elaborate adventure contained in Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic. Featuring warring aliens, compelling teenage protagonists, elaborate universes, and some of the best fighter pilot combat you are likely to read, this is an excellent series and I cannot wait to see how it ends.

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

House of Open Wounds Cover

After enjoying Tchaikovsky’s earlier 2023 fantasy novel, City of Last Chances, I am extremely eager to listen to the sequel, House of Open Wounds, which comes out in early December. Set to follow an outstanding protagonist as he takes place in a crazed military medical hospital with the most unusual healers, House of Open Wounds sound amazing and I cannot wait to check it out. While I would love to listen to House of Open Wounds on audiobook, I might be forced to read an electronic version of it instead, but I will see how I go. No matter what though, this should be an exceptional read.

Star Wars: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang

The final book on my list is the cool Star Wars: The High Republic novel, Cataclysm by Lydia King. I’ve been pretty slack with getting through Star Wars fiction lately and I really need to keep going with the High Republic series, which I have already invested a lot of time in. As such, I decided I needed to include the very early 2023 release, Cataclysm on my list. Cataclysm looks set to end the second phase of High Republic sub-series, and I am very eager to check it out, especially as it leads to the dark third and final phase of the series. I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to fit it into my audiobook listening schedule before the close of 2023, but I’ll try, especially as this sounds like an amazing novel.

Well that’s the end of my list. As you can see, there are still a ton of audiobooks I need to listen to in 2023, including some pretty major releases. Each of the above sound really awesome, and they all honestly have potential to be one of the top books or audiobooks of 2023. I really need to sit down and power through some of the above, and I cannot wait to find out just how awesome each of them is.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Weather Events/Words in the Title

On October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly task 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 their top books that have a weather event or weather-related word in their title (i.e. wind, storm, flood, frost and more). This was a pretty interesting topic and it is one I had a lot of fun pulling together as it forced me to look at some of the more obscure novels that I have read. I eventually managed to work out a full list of novels that qualified, although it turned out to be a somewhat harder challenge than I imaged and I possibly ended up with too many books where “Storm” was the defining title word. Still, I am pretty happy with the final result and each of the entries below are quite exceptional.

Honourable Mentions

Stormblood by Jeremy Szal

Before the Storm by Christe Golden

Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski

Top Ten Tuesday:

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

The first entry on this list was a very easy one with In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan. One of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022, In the Shadow of Lightning is an addictive and clever introduction to a new fantasy world where battles are fought using magical glass. The weather event in the title is referring to the man character, who goes by the monicker “the Lightning Prince” and the many shadows that cover his life. A highly recommended read for those looking for a new fantasy series.

Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill

The next book I want to highlight is a fantastic and very fun Warhammer 40,000 novel that sees a literal storm of iron descend on a fortress in the form of the infamous Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines. A clever and dark siege novel, Storm of Iron is an outstanding read and one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels.

The Third Day, The Frost by John Marsden

One of the easiest inclusions for this list had to be The Third Day, The Frost by John Marsden which is the third book in the Tomorrow series. I have a lot of love for this iconic Australian young adult series, and The Third Day, The Frost is probably my favourite book in the series, especially is this is where things get particularly dark for the protagonists. The weather themed title has a lot of meanings to the plot, as well as being a reference to Shakespeare and I was very glad I got to highlight this excellent book here.

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

I had to feature one of the latest books from one of my favourite fantasy authors here with Queen of Storms. The second book in The Firemane Saga, Queen of Storms is a very cool read with some bloody surprises hidden in its centre.

Star Wars: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott

Probably one of my favourite books so far from the High Republic range of Star Wars fiction, The Rising Storm is an exciting and complex read, and the title refers to the catch phrase and motifs of the insidious antagonists.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I feel this is going to be a popular entry for many fantasy fans participating in this Top Ten Tuesday as The Name of the Wind is a pretty iconic and bellowed novel for very good reason. The first entry in Rothfuss’s exceptional Kingkiller Chronicles, The Name of the Wind is such a damn good novel and the catchy title refers to a key magical concept that sees the protagonist harness the ability to control wind.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

The first epic book in one of the best urban fantasy series out there. The title Storm Front refers to intense weather magic that is being used as a clever murder weapon, and I have so much love for this epic book.

We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo

A brilliant debut where the title refers to an unnatural storm surrounding a doomed city.

Warriors of the Storm by Bernard Cornwell

A bold and fun inclusion in one of my favourite historical fiction series.

Usagi Yojimbo: Seasons by Stan Sakai

Now I may be slightly cheating with Seasons, however, as the name refers to the four different seasons featured throughout the book which results in distinctive weather and landscape shots for the story, I felt it was very appropriate to feature here.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can see there are some fantastic novels out there that uses weather-based terms in their titles, and there honestly some very interesting usages for it throughout fiction. All the above novels are wonderful and highly recommended reads, and I had an incredible time reading them. Let me know which books with weather-based phrases or terms in the title you have enjoyed the most in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Water Terms in the Title

On August 29, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing their top books that have some sort of water theme to them. I decided to make my list simple by listing those books whose titles are related to water in some way and I was very flexible in what qualified, with bodies of water, water features, things people do in water and even things that exist on water, such as boats, making the cut. The only real limitation I put on myself was keeping this list to one entry per author, which honestly was not that problematic. Despite that, I struggled to come up with a full list as water related terms apparently do not show up in the titles of many books I read. I was eventually able to pull together a descent list, and I liked how it turned out, especially as each of them are excellent books with amazing titles.

Honourable Mentions:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

This one was a bit of a stretch, but Queen of Storms was the name of a ship in the book so I felt that it qualified for this list.

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

A fantastic nautical-based fantasy novel, which required the protagonists to travel across an enemy-filled ocean to get to a mythical island.

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Top Ten Tuesday:

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

A classic fantasy novel that features some of the best nautical sequences you are likely to read.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Probably one of my all-time favourite horror books, Into the Drowning Deeps sees a group of scientists face deadly marine monsters in the dark and treacherous ocean.

The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

Another outstanding fantasy novel set on the open seas, The Bone Ships was an exceptional read that followed a group of condemned sailors adventuring on a boat made of dragon bone. I honestly could have feature the entire Tide Child trilogy on this list (Call of the Bone Ships and The Bone Ship’s Wake), but The Bone Ships was the awesome first entry that perfectly sets up this epic series.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 23: Bridge of Tears by Stan Sakai

This entry from one of my favourite comic series was a bit of a stretch, but I think the combination of bridge and tears fits the theme of this list well and it is a very outstanding comic.

The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

One of the more recent entries on this list, The Drowning Girls is an outstanding novel that sees an Australian fishing town endure a mysterious set of drownings with a sacrificial edge to them.

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The third and final book in the incredible Legacy of the Mercenary Kings series, the title refers to a treacherous sea voyage the protagonists undertake to reclaim a character’s memories. The title is again a bit of a stretch, but I decided to leave it in, especially as the more nautical themed plot was very different from the city-based first two books, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen. Plus, this is a brilliant read that perfectly wraps up an exceptional trilogy.

River of Gold by Anthony Riches

An excellent historical fiction read that saw a Roman regiment travel along a river into the depths of Africa.

Star Wars: Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith: The Burning Seas by Charles Soule

Darth Vader invades an ocean planet looking for Jedi and all hell breaks loose, need I say more?

Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

A classic fantasy novel from the legendary R. A. Salvatore. The streams in the title was technically referring to veins of ore, however, I am still including it here.

Black River by Matthew Spencer

The final entry is an outstanding and powerful Australian crime fiction debut that takes place along the shores a river running through Sydney. Tight, intense and deeply enjoyable, this is a brilliant read.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can see there are some fantastic novels out there that uses water-based terms in their titles, and there honestly some very interesting usages for it throughout fiction. All the above novels are wonderful and highly recommended reads, and I had an incredible time reading them. Let me know which books with water-based phrases or terms in the title you have enjoyed the most in the comments.