WWW Wednesday – 28 September 2022

On September 28, 2022 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: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

I just started to read the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this cool book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I have also just started the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. The sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. I have been having a lot of fun with this audiobook and I have already made a ton of progress on it. I very excited to see what happens next, and this is already turning out to be one of the better fantasy books of 2022.

Amazon Book Depository

What did you recently finish reading?

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

Well, I was certainly impressed with The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The epic sequel to A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, The Golden Enclaves was one of my most anticipated novels of 2022, especially after the epic cliff-hanger Novik left at the end of The Last Graduate. While the story went in some different directions than I was expecting, this was still a very impressive read that did an incredible job wrapping up a pretty epic series. I really appreciated the way that Novik answered several of the linger questions from the first two novels, and this was an excellent final book that comes very highly recommended.

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The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I just finished listening to the third book in the awesome Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice, both of which were incredible reads. This latest book contained another exceptional mystery as the titular Thursday Murder Club, four unusual retirees with a talent for solving crimes, embarked on investigating another compelling murder. Loaded with amazing humour, an excellent mystery and some sensational characters, The Bullet That Missed is another top book of 2022 and I am so very glad I got the chance to read it. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

The legendary Stephen King writing an intense and dark fairy orientated novel, yeah that’s going to be awesome and that is why it is the book I am hoping to read next.

Amazon Book Depository

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 by My Favourite Authors That I Still Need to Read

On September 28, 2022 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 topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday called for participants to list their favourite books with typographical covers. However, I really didn’t have much for that one so instead I decided to dive into the backlog of topics from the Artsy Reader Girl’s past and choose one that I didn’t have a chance to do. The one that caught my eye involved listing books by my favourite authors that I still need to read, and so that is what I am going to do.

As a reviewer, and indeed as a reader in general, it is very hard not to quickly pick up some favourite authors. We all have that select group of awesome writers whose work just seems to naturally click with you, and you must go out of your way to read more of these books. I honestly have quite a few of these favourite authors, and I am having a great time exploring their impressive reads. However, due to time constraints I rarely have time to read an entire author’s catalogue of works and there is always some book or series of theirs that I need to check out. As such, I had quite a few options to include in this latest list and I think I made some interesting choices, even if some of the authors I chose were a little predictable.

To fill out this list I went through all my favourite authors now and tried to figure out which of their books I haven’t had a chance to read yet, I would probably enjoy the most. This resulted in a very big collection of books, which took a bit of choosing to get through. I tried to narrow it down by excluding books that are part of a series that I am currently in the middle of reading, which removed a few books of this list (including the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, the Gray Man series by Mark Greaney and more). I also tried not to include recent releases from my top authors that I haven’t had a chance to read yet, as that would likely mimic some of my recent most anticipated reads lists. This ended up being quite a fun list to pull together, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Malice by John Gwynne

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Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

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Star Wars: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed

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Warhammer 40,000: Xenos by Dan Abnett

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Top Ten List:

The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore

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The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

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Sword and Scimitar by Simon Scarrow

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Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry

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Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell

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Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

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The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

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Bright Steel by Miles Cameron

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The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

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While I Live by John Marsden

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Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see, there are several epic and intriguing books out there from some of my favourite authors that I really want to read. I have no doubt that all the above books are going to be pretty damn epic and I cannot wait to eventually try them out when I get a chance. In the meantime, let me know which books do you need to read that that were written by your favourite authors.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2022 TBR

On September 6, 2022 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. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was around books I got for my personal library, however, I decided to instead move up my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and as this Tuesday is just before Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), this is the ideal time to put this up.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2022 and 30 November 2022. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am extremely excited for, including some of my most anticipated 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 Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be pretty incredible reads. I have extremely excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads are easily going to be amongst the best books of 2022.

Honourable Mentions:

Falling Sky by Harry Sidebottom – 13 October 2022

An epic adventure from one of the best current authors of historical fiction, Harry Sidebottom. Set to bring back his best protagonist for a ton of historical action and intrigue in the Alps, Falling Sky is going to be a lot of fun and I cannot wait to read it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham – 18 October 2022

After having a fantastic time with Grisham’s latest legal thrillers, The Judge’s List and Sparring Partners, I am quite keen to read something else from this iconic crime fiction author. Luckily his new book, The Boys from Biloxi, sounds very impressive and I know I am going to have a blast getting through it.

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Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez – 1 November 2022

Last year, Jennifer Lynn Alvarez greatly impressed me her first young adult thriller, Lies Like Wildfire, which ended up being one of the best debuts of 2021. I loved the complex and clever story that Alvarez featured in Lies Like Wildfire, and it looks like she’s set to continue her awesome young adult thriller ways with the upcoming Friends Like These, which explore the deadly consequences of a drunken party.

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Death to the Emperor by Simon Scarrow – 8 November 2022

I will of course be grabbing the latest historical fiction epic from one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, when it comes out in November. Scarrow’s last few books have all been very exciting and I cannot wait to read Death to the Emperor when it comes out, especially as it sets his long-running Roman protagonists against a massed rebellion in Britain.

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Top Ten List:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King – 6 September 2022

First on this list is the upcoming fantasy novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale. I have been deeply enjoying King’s last few books, such as the fantastic Later and the epic Billy Summers, and I am very keen to see King dive into a dark fantasy novel. Set around a young boy who finds himself drawn into a dark realm of fairies and magic, Fairy Tale promises to be an exceptional read, and I know I am going to have a blast with it.

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Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – 13 September 2022

Since her impressive debut in 2019 with Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir has been one of the most intriguing science fiction authors out there. Not only was her first book a ton of fun with its dark story around a group of space-faring necromancers, but her sequel, Harrow the Ninth, was a truly exceptional read that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020. I am exceedingly excited to see what happens in the third book, Nona the Ninth, and it looks let to continue the fantastic body-swapping antics of the previous two novels. Nona the Ninth is likely to be one of the best and most distinctive science fiction reads of 2022, and I am very excited for it as a result.

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Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills – 13 September 2022

There are some excellent long-running spy thriller series at there now, but one of my favourites is the action-packed Mitch Rapp novels. Originally written by Vince Flynn, the Mitch Rapp novels follow the titular spy and assassin as he lays waste to America’s enemies around the world. The last several novels, such as Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, and Enemy at the Gates, have been written by Kyle Mills and feature some amazing narratives to them. I have been having an outstanding time getting through this series recently, and the next novel, Oath of Loyalty, looks set to be another awesome read. Oath of Loyalty will continue the feud between Rapp and the new US president and will force Rapp to defend his family when they are sold out to a deadly and unstoppable group of assassins. I love the sound of this epic read and I know I am going to have an amazing time with it.

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The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman – 15 September 2022

There was no way I can possibly exclude the upcoming Richard Osman novel, The Bullet that Missed, from this list. The third book in the Thursday Murder Club, which follows on from the exceptional The Thursday Murder Club (one of the best debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet that Missed will bring back Osman’s fun group of crime solving senior citizens and set them on a new case. I love the sound of this amazing book and I can’t wait to start reading it.

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The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik – 20 September 2022

Easily one of my most anticipated books coming out in the next few months is The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The third and final book in Novik’s exquisite and epic Scholomance trilogy, The Golden Enclaves will finally provide some closure to readers following the impressive first two novels, A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate. Both books have had perfect, dark magical school narratives, and I have had such an incredible time reading them. However, I have been dying to check out The Golden Enclaves for a year now, especially after that brutal cliff-hanger at the end of The Last Graduate, and I am just going to absorb this book the moment I get my hands on it.

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Khaos by Jeremy Robinson – 18 October 2022

I have no doubt that one of the most exciting and action-packed novels of the next three months is going to be Khaos by Jeremy Robinson. Following on from Robinson’s fantastic and fun novels, Tribe, The Dark, and Mind Bullet, Khaos will set three groups of Robinson’s protagonists on a joint mission to Hades to free the gods and titans for an upcoming war. This book has so much damn potential and I can’t wait to see what chaos happens in Khaos.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai – 25 October 2022

After already being blessed with one volume of the incredible Usagi Yojimbo comic series this year with Tengu War!, I am exceeding happy that we are getting another volume with Crossroads. Crossroads looks set to enthrall readers with several great new stories, and I am very excited to see how Sakai continues his iconic comics. There is a very good reason why this is one of my favourite comic series of all time, and I cannot wait to get another volume extremely soon.

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The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell – 3 November 2022

Another epic trilogy that is coming to an end in the next few months is Nick Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King series with the third and final book, The Voyage of the Forgotten. I have been absolutely and incredibly impressed with Martell’s first two novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, both of which have been exceptional five-star reads. I am extremely excited for the final book, and I cannot wait to see how Martell will wrap up the multiple complex and captivating storylines. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to be one of the top books of the year and it is going to be something truly epic.

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Desert Star by Michael Connelly – 8 November 2022

Another must-read I must include on this list is the next book from acclaimed crime-fiction author Michael Connelly. His new book, Desert Star, is the latest entry in his Ballard of Bosch series, which has already featured three amazing reads, Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire and The Dark Hours. This new book sets the great protagonists on another intriguing case, and I look forward to seeing how Connelly sets out his new great mystery.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova – 15 November 2022

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the new upcoming Star Wars novel, Convergence by Zoraida Cordova. Convergence is part of The High Republic sub-series and will set up the entire next phase of the High Republic. This new phase serves as a prequel to the previous High Republic novels, and I am very curious to see how everything ties together. This should be a very awesome Star Wars novel and I am sure I am going to have a lot of fun reading it.

Amazon Book Depository

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 Wish Had a Sequel

On June 14, 2022 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 participants are tasked with listing the top books that they wish had an epilogue. This is a pretty fun topic, although I’m going to alter it slightly and change epilogue to sequel. There are a ton of great books out there that really deserve a follow-up in some way shape or form and I can think of several awesome examples of the bat that I would really like to see more of.

To come up with this list I looked at some of my favourite standalone novels and series and had a think about which ones I thought deserved a sequel. I made sure to avoid novels which already have a planned sequel coming out in the future (even if it has been promised for a very long time), and mostly focussed on books that have nothing currently planned or where the author has no real intention of ever doing a sequel for. In most cases this is a real shame as I think that all the entries down below definitely deserve some more content in one shape or another.

Honourable Mentions

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra by Sara Kuhn

I loved this audio adaptation of the various comics featuring standout Star Wars extended universe character Doctor Aphra, and I hope that they consider doing a sequel that covers some of her other adventures.

The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde

Jasper Fforde honestly tied up everything pretty perfectly in this awesome novel, although I would gladly read more books about these hilariously sentient rabbits.

Kal Jerico series

It has been a couple of years since the last Warhammer 40,000 novel or comic featured the amazing character of Kal Jerico, bounty-hunter extraordinaire. The last novel, Sinner’s Bounty, was really good, and I want to see more of this amazing and flamboyant protagonist.

Later by Stephen King

An awesome book from last year that really needs a sequel at some point. Get onto it Stephen King!

Top Ten Tuesday:

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

I would give anything to see more of the freaky and terrifying mermaid monsters featured in this impressive horror read by Mira Grant. There is still so much story that could be continued here, and I hope that Grant fleshes out Into the Drowning Deep’s unique plot into a sequel or even a whole series.

A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

A fun and clever novel about a vampire epidemic springing up around the world. Villareal left a lot of potential storylines open and I would love to see this world explored more at some point.

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

Even after finishing more than 10 years ago, The Inheritance Cycle remains one of my favourite all-time fantasy series to this day, mainly due to its clever world-building and massive narrative. As such, I would love to see more adventures set in this universe and there are a ton of unanswered questions that need to be explored.

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

Ok, so technically Death Troopers, a fantastically fun novel about zombies in the Star Wars universe, did get a prequel with the Old-Republic novel Red Harvest, that explored the origins of the zombie virus. However, I personally would love to see more zombie-related stories in the Star Wars universe and I think it would a fun addition to the current canon (although I can’t really see Disney doing that). Still, never say never, especially for something this awesome.

The Coven trilogy by R. A. Salvatore

Bestselling fantasy author R. A. Salvatore absolutely killed it between 2018 and 2020 with The Coven trilogy. Set in his Corona universe and featuring the novels Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God, The Coven trilogy was extremely compelling and introduced some intriguing new characters while also bringing back some iconic figures from his Demon Wars Saga. The final book left with several storylines wide open and I have yet to see any indication that Salvatore is coming back to this universe anytime soon. Hopefully we’ll see a sequel trilogy in the next few years, I know I will have a great time with it.

The Holdout by Graham Moore

The Holdout was a cool standalone legal thriller from a few years ago that I had a brilliant time reading. While this initial story was wrapped up really well, I would love to see more jury-related storylines in the future, potentially with The Holdout’s protagonist involved in other controversial jury cases.

Nuking the Moon by Vince Houghton

Give me more fun stories about the most idiotic military plans and technology from history!

Star Wars: Dark Disciple by Christie Golden

Another great Star Wars book that deserves a sequel of some variety. Dark Disciple followed two major characters from the Star Wars extended universe, including Quinlan Vos (recently mention in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series), and I would love to see what happened to him, and other characters, after the events of this book and Order 66.

Devolution by Max Brooks

Devolution was one of my favourite books of 2020 and contained an outstanding standalone read about sasquatches attacking a small community. While this was a really awesome novel that came together extremely well in the end, I always felt that Brooks could have made his novel longer and expanded the story out a bit more. As such, I think a Devolution sequel would be pretty awesome as there are so many more details that could be explored.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Could we get another one of these that parodies Star Trek: The Next Generation? Wil Wheaton’s narration of the audiobook version would be even funnier that way.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. I hope you enjoy my somewhat unique choices above, and maybe if we’re lucky there might be some follow up novels to the in the future. In the meantime, let me know what books you think deserve fun sequels in the comments below?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I was SO EXCITED to Get, but Still Haven’t Read (Waiting on Wednesday list)

On May 17, 2022 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 latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are required to list their favourite books that the were excited to get but still haven’t had a chance to read. There is also a side requirement to list the length of time since you’ve received or heard about the book, which adds some interesting complexity to the list.

Now, one of the saddest things about being a reviewer is that there are always far too many books coming out every year to keep up with. Despite my best efforts, at the end of each year there are always multiple books that I am extremely sad that I never got the chance to read. These books have built up over the years, and I currently have an extended list of awesome sounding novels sitting around waiting to be read. Many of these have been captured in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday posts, and I am quite ashamed to say that quite a substantial number of novels I previously highlighted in these posts haven’t been read. As such, I thought I might slightly alter the underlying basis of this list slightly by looking at the ten oldest Waiting on Wednesday posts I have where I never actually got around to reading the book.

This ended up being a rather interesting list to pull together as I have highlighted quite a few great novels over the years. However, it was fairly easy to find the ten oldest Waiting on Wednesday posts on my blog where I haven’t read the book, and I added them to this list in descending order. I did have to make a few exclusions for a couple of books which still haven’t been released yet, and I also had to filter out some posts where I failed to review a book after reading it. Still, this left me with a rather interesting top ten list of cool books that I really need to check out. So let us see which are the ten books I have been waiting the longest to check out.

Top Ten List (Descending by Date of Waiting on Wednesday Article)

10. The Shadow Saint by Gareth Ryder – Hanrahan -6 November 2019

The Shadow Saint Cover

The sequel to one of the more intriguing debuts of 2019, The Gutter Prayer, The Shadow Saint is a fantastic sounding grimdark fantasy novel that I really need to take off the shelf and read.

9. Anyone by Charles Soule – 31 October 2019

Anyone Cover

An awesome sounding standalone science fiction novels from one of my favourite Star Wars authors, Charles Soule (author of Light of the Jedi, and several awesome comic series). Anyone is an interesting thriller set around a future where people can transfer their consciousness into other bodies. I love the sound of this concept and I hope I can make time to read it at some point.

8. The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso – 15 August 2019

The Obsidian Tower Cover

Easily one of the books I most regret not reading is The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso. The first book in the Rooks and Ruins series, which serves as a sequel to her impressive debut Swords and Fire trilogy (made up of The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), this book has been high on my to-read list for ages, but I can never seem to find the time to read it. This is a real shame, as I have heard that this is an exceptional novel, and I am sure the following books in the Rooks and Ruins series are going to be really incredible as well.

7. #Murderfunding by Gretchen McNeil – 3 July 2019

#MurderFunding Cover

A fun and deadly young adult thriller, #MurderFunding is the sequel to the great 2018 read, #MurderTrending, and it is one I have been hoping to read for a while. This delay is because I unfortunately didn’t get a copy of this when it first came out. While I did eventually grab a copy a few months ago, I still haven’t had the chance to read it, even after reading the great prequel novel #NoEscape. I honestly need to sit down and try to read this at some point, as I will probably just power through it and finish it off in a day.

6. Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw – 19 June 2019

Grave Importance Cover

The third book in the Dr. Greta Helsing series, Grave Importance is an excellent book about a doctor who specialises in helping the undead, and who finds herself wrapped up in a mystery involving mummies. I loved the first two books in this series, Strange Practice and Dreadful Company, and I really regret having not seen how the series continued. This is another mistake I really should try to rectify, especially as my copy of Grave Importance is constantly judging me from a nearby bookshelf.

5. The Institute by Stephen King – 9 May 2019

The Institute Cover 1

I loved the sound of this unique and interesting Stephen King novel when I heard about it in 2019, however, I didn’t get a chance to read The Institute when it first came out. Despite hearing some amazing things about it, I have never gone back to check it out, even after having a blast with King’s two 2021 novels, Later and Billy Summers. I will have to carve some time out for The Institute at some point, although there are also many, many other Stephen King books I also want to read.

4. Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton – 1 May 2019

Salvation Lost Cover

Another book that I deeply regret not reading, Salvation Lost is the fantastic sounding sequel to the great 2018 read, Salvation by science fiction master Peter F. Hamilton. I absolutely loved Salvation when it came out, and I honestly cannot fathom why I keep failing to read Salvation Lost, it is completely mind boggling.

3. The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson – 13 March 2019

The Andromeda Evolution Cover

The recently released sequel to Michael Chrichton’s iconic technothriller, The Andromeda Strain. I was very interested to see what they did in this sequel, written 50 years after the release of the first book, however, I was never able to fit it into my reading schedule.

2. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling – 16 January 2019

the luminous dead cover

An interesting and compelling sounding science fiction horror novel that caught my eye a few years ago. I failed to even get a copy of this book when it came out, although it is still on my radar to read. Hopefully I will get a chance at some point, but it may be a while.

1. Alien: Echo by Mira Grant – 19 December 2019

Alien Echo Cover

The final entry (and oldest post) on this list is Alien: Echo, which I have so many regrets about not reading. An amazing Alien tie-in novel from one of the best authors of horror fiction, the talented Mira Grant (Into the Drowning Deep is still one of my favourite horror novels), I have no idea why I never tried to read this, but I am constantly berating myself for not checking it out, especially as I know I am going to love it. Hopefully I pull myself together at some point to read it, so we’ll see how that goes.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are several awesome novels that I really need to try and read at some point, especially as I have been thinking about most of them for multiple years now. All 10 books above sound extremely cool, and I desperately need to carve some time out to read them. In the meantime, let me know which books you most regret not reading, and if you’ve enjoyed any of the entries on this list, I would love to hear what you thought about them.

Book Haul – 3 April 2022

On April 3, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

I have been having an absolutely fantastic couple of week for books, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, several of which I have been eagerly awaiting for some time. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below (indeed, I have already gotten through a couple), and they should make for some amazing reads.

Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo - Tengu War!

I was extremely happy to get my copy of the latest Usagi Yojimbo volume, Tengu War!. The Usagi Yojimbo series by Stan Sakai is one of my favourite comic series and I have been eagerly waiting for this comic for some time (it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022). I actually read Tengu War! the day I received it and it was pretty damn amazing. I am hoping to get the review for it up soon and needless to say it will get a five-star rating from me.

An Empty Throne by Robert Fabbri

An Empty Throne Cover

Another recent acquisition that I have been looking forward to for a while was the third book in Robert Fabbri’s Alexander’s Legacy series, An Empty Throne. Following on from the previous books in the series, To the Strongest and The Three Paradises, An Empty Throne will continue to follow the chaos that emerged in the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death as his former advisors, relatives and friends, fought for his empire. I have been really enjoying this series over the last few years and I cannot wait to see what wacky events from history are contained in this next book.

Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone Cover

I was very happy to receive this very fun book from Australian author Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone. Stevenson, who previously wrote the murder mystery novels Greenlight and Either Side of Midnight, has come up with something pretty spectacular here with Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, which I have already finished. This awesome novel, which brilliantly mixes comedy, mystery and multiple homages to classic whodunits, places a troubled Australian family in the midst of several suspicious deaths at a remote location, and forces them to solve it. Utterly hilarious and extremely clever, I had an absolute blast from this book and I will be putting up an extremely positive review for it soon.

Three Assassins by Kotaro Isaka

Three Assassins Cover

I was also extremely fortunate to receive a copy of the English translation of Three Assassins by Japanese author Kotaro Isaka, which I am extremely excited to read. I had an amazing time reading Isaka’s previous novel, Bullet Train, last year and Three Assassins sounds like it is in a similar vein to it, setting someone against three outrageous assassins. Sure to be filled with laughs, odd characters and brutal action, I cannot wait to check this book out and will probably dive into next.

Esther’s Children by Caroline Beecham

Esther's Children Cover

I just received an electronic advanced proof of the intriguing upcoming historical drama, Esther’s Children by Caroline Beecham. Set around World War II, this novel follows a young woman who works at an organisation that tried to rescue Jewish academics and scholars from Europe. Sure to be powerful, romantic and moving, I am curious to check this book out, especially after enjoyed Beecham’s last novel, Finding Eadie. I was very happy to see that they have used my Canberra Weekly review for Finding Eadie inside this new book, and I hope to read this latest novel soon.

Esther's Children Front Page

Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch

Amongst our Weapons Cover

I was naturally extremely happy to receive the latest Rivers of London novel by Ben Aaronovitch, Amongst our Weapons. The latest book in one of the best urban fantasy series out there, Amongst our Weapons is one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2022 and I am extremely keen to read it. I had a great time with Aaronovitch’s previous two novels, Lies Sleeping and False Value, and Amongst our Weapons has a great plot to it involving someone using magic to rob the London Silver Vaults. I already know this is going to be a top read and I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.

Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

Death of the Black Widow Cover

Superstar crime fiction author, James Patterson, returns with another collaboration, this time with acclaimed writer J. D. Barker, for their new book Death of the Black Widow. This cool new is a gripping and intriguing crime fiction read that sets a rookie police officer chasing after a mysterious, alluring and very dangerous woman. I really like the sound of this awesome book and I am hoping to read it in the next few weeks.

Nobody But Us by Laure Van Rensburg

Nobody But Us Cover

One of the more intriguing novels I recently received was Nobody But Us by new author Laure Van Rensburg. This dark and compelling thriller sees a mismatched couple take an unusual trip to the remote countryside, with both lying about their intentions for being there. I am very taken by this mysterious and awesome novel, and I look forward to seeing what sort of devious tale Van Rensburg has come up with.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

The Diamond Eye Cover

Another fantastic historical drama I was lucky enough to receive is The Diamond Eye by the extremely talented Kate Quinn. The Diamond Eye follows a young woman from Kiev who becomes a notorious and deadly sniper during the Nazi invasion in World War II. I love the sound of this awesome book, especially as it is particularly topical at the moment, and I am extremely confident that Quinn has come up with a compelling and powerful tale here.

Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro

Ordinary Monsters Cover

I was also extremely fortunate to receive a copy of Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro, an intriguing and comprehensive young adult fantasy novel set in 19th century London and Edinburgh. This fascinating novel will follow individuals with unique abilities who have been gathered together in a mysterious institute. I have been hearing some good things about this book and it sounds like this could be the start of the next big young adult series. As such, I should probably clear some room in my reading schedule soon in order to get through this fantastic novel.

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

Mr Mercedes Cover 1

I also recently had a successful visit to a second-hand book shop and picked up a couple of older books from author’s I have been enjoying recently. The first of these is the classic Mr Mercedes by legendary author Stephen King. I had an amazing time reading King’s 2021 novels, Later and Billy Summers, and I thought it was time I expand my King knowledge. Mr Mercedes seemed liked a great place to start, especially as one of the protagonists from it is apparently set to appear in some of King’s upcoming books, and I cannot wait to see how this gritty thriller comes together.

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

The Late Show Cover

The other second-hand book I got was The Late Show by Michael Connelly, which serves as the very first Renee Ballard book. I have had a great time reading all of Connelly’s other books featuring Ballard, including Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, and The Dark Hours, so I thought it would be worth my time going back and seeing the first book she appeared in. The Late Show has a really intriguing sounding mystery to it and I can’t wait to see the earlier adventure of this tenacious protagonist. I will hopefully feature The Late Show in a Throwback Thursday article soon, I just need to find sometime to read this book in between all the fun new releases.

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

Waiting on Wednesday – Fairy Tale by Stephen King

On February 2, 2022September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday7 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the next upcoming novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale, a twisted and inventive dark fantasy novel that I am extremely excited for.

Fairy Tale Cover

Amazon Book Depository

After a reading career spent mostly devoid of the works of iconic author Stephen King, 2021 was the year that I started getting into this talented and twisted writer. This was made easy by the fact that King released two particularly awesome novels, both of which were extremely cool and fun to read. The first was the horror thriller, Later, a unique coming-of-age story that followed a young boy who can see the dead, and who finds himself thrust into dangerous and terrifying situations as a result. Kings second book was the incredible Billy Summers, a powerful thriller that followed a titular assassin whose entire life is changed by his final job and a fateful encounter that followed. I deeply enjoyed the captivating and deep Billy Summers and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2022. As such, I am extremely keen to read more of King’s work, and while I am considering diving into previous impressive books, I have also been keeping an eye out for his next upcoming book.

Well, I just found out some details about King’s next book and boy does it sound like it is going to be one heck of a unique read. This new book, which is currently set for release in September 2022, is Fairy Tale, which will take another teenage protagonist on a powerful and intense journey to the dark side of reality where he comes face to face with an ancient evil.

Synopsis:

Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for their world or ours.

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale about another world than ours, in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Ok, now this sounds like it is going to be something special. I love the various intriguing elements that Fairy Tale’s synopsis hints at, especially as it will pit King’s typical young adult protagonist against a mysterious evil from another realm. The idea of a young man being thrust into a struggle between good and evil in an alternate, dark fantasy dimension has a lot of potential, especially when combined with King’s extremely well proven writing style and ability to craft great characters. I am really intrigued by this idea of another realm, and from the sound of some of the quotes from King that are being released as marketing for this book, it looks like the author really went out of his way to make it as inventive and crazy as possible.

Look let us be honest here, we already know that Fairy Tale is going to be a great book. King has been on a role lately, and after 40 years of writing some of the best books out there, he really knows how to create an exceptional read. I am particularly drawn to the synopsis above and I think that a cool, alternate fantasy realm storyline helmed by this great author has an unbelievable amount of potential. This is easily going to be one of the best books of 2022 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Book Covers of 2021

On February 2, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday, where I am going to list my absolute favourite book covers of the last year. This is actually the second Top Ten Tuesday post I am putting up today, mainly because I wanted to finish off all my best-of-2021 lists before we got too far into the new year. I have previously highlighted several other amazing books from last year in a range of lists, including My Favourite Books of 2021, Favourite Audiobooks, Favourite Debuts and Favourite Australian Fiction lists, and I think looking at awesome covers is a good way to wrap this all up.

Now, I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I think we can all agree that an awesome piece of cover art can really raise some interest in a novel. I can personally think of several examples where an epic cover absolutely grabbed me and convinced me to check out a novel that I ended up really loving. 2021 was a great example of this as there were some extremely cool and impressive covers that I thought were visually stunning. Most of these outstanding covers complemented and emphasised the amazing stories within, and in some places the cover artists really went all out to produce some truly epic statement pieces. As such, I thought I would quickly highlight some of the best covers here by producing a visually awesome list. To appear on this list, the book had to be released in 2021 and had to be generally impressive and amazing. I think I ended up choosing a great range of excellent covers, and I hope you enjoy all the pretty pictures below. I have tried to find out who did the cover art where possible, although for a couple of books (ones I got on audiobook and don’t have a physical copy of), I couldn’t find out who drew it. Apologies in advance for any artist I overlooked.

Honourable Mentions:

Lies Like Wildfire written by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, cover by MISHKO

The Dark written by Jeremy Robinson

Breakout written by Paul Herron, cover by Patrick Insole

The Mask of Mirrors written by M. A. Carrick, cover by Nekro and Lauren Panepinto

Top Ten Tuesday:

The Shadow of the Gods written by John Gwynne, cover by Marcus Whinney

My absolute favourite cover of 2021, this epic piece of art really grabbed my attention and forced me to read this impressive piece of fantasy fiction. I had a wonderful time with The Shadow of the Gods and the upcoming sequel, The Hunger of the Gods, also has an extremely awesome cover (easily going to be one of the best covers of 2022).

Star Wars: Visions: Ronin written by Emma Mieko Candon, cover by Ella Laytham and Kotaro Chiba

There were some cool pieces of Star Wars cover art out this year, but nothing could top the artistic masterpiece that appeared on Ronin. A tie-in to the Star Wars: Visions anime series, the cover of Ronin made perfect use of traditional Japanese artforms to create something exceptional. I loved the blend of Star Wars iconography and the classic Japanese wave form, and this was an absolute joy to behold.

The Pariah written by Anthony Ryan, cover by Lauren Panepinto and Jaime Jones

A clever and subtle bit of art that showcases the roguish protagonist of this fun fantasy novel. I think the artist did a great job of highlighting what was to come in The Pariah, and the cool detail around the character was very impressive. While I loved the art for The Pariah, I think that the cover on the upcoming sequel, The Martyr, is even better, and I can’t wait to grab it.

The Twice-Dead King: Ruin, written by Nate Crowley

Gosh artists must have so much fun coming up with art for Warhammer covers, as there are some amazing and fantastic elements contained in this extended universe. I particularly loved this cover from last year, which showcases the ancient and mysterious Necron race in all their glory. A great cover for a very entertaining tie-in novel.

The Warsaw Orphan written by Kelly Rimmer, cover by Christabella Designs

A simple and understated cover that does a wonderful job highlighting the upcoming dread and tragedy contained in this moving historical drama novel.

Colonyside, written by Michael Mammay, cover by Sebastien Hue

There have been some really great covers for the previous books in Michael Mammay’s Planetside series (Planetside and Spaceside), but I think that the one for Colonyside was the best. I love the above shot, especially as it perfectly captures the insane jungle planet that was such a distinctive setting of this book. A very fun cover!

Star Wars: The High Republic: Tempest Runner, written by Cavan Scott, cover by Katerina Balikova

While I also deeply enjoyed one of the covers for Cavan Scott’s other 2021 Star Wars release, The Rising Storm, I think that the cool art that adorned the front of Tempest Runner was even better. Tempest Runner, which was released as both a full-cast audio drama and a paperback, was a great read, and I loved how this cover did a fantastic job of capturing it’s entertaining and deadly central character.

Later, written by Stephen King, cover by Paul Mann

I loved the classic mystery novel feel that the artists choose to utilise for Stephen King’s early 2021 release, Later. This cover does a fantastic job capturing the unique tone of this cool horror/coming-of-age story and gives it a fun, crime fiction-tinged edge. This cover, as well as another couple of covers done by Gregory Manchess for the hardcover version, also fit the story really well, especially as they connect to the cheesy adventure novels that the protagonist and his mother produce.

Cytonic written by Brandon Sanderson, cover by Sam Green and Tomas Almeida

I have a lot of love for the cool covers that get used in the Gollancz versions of Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series (so far consisting of Skyward and Starlight). The cover for the third book, Cytonic, was particularly awesome, and I loved how it showcased parts of the very unique new setting of the third novel.

The Art of Death written by David Fennell, cover by Nick Stearn

A creepy and eye-catching piece of artwork that hints at the disturbing crimes contained in this fantastic 2021 crime fiction debut.

Well, that’s the end of this second list, I hope you enjoyed all the cool covers above. Make sure to me know what your favourite book covers of 2021 was in the comments below and I cannot wait to see what awesome and epic pieces of art will grace the front of 2022’s best reads.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Character Names in the Titles

On February 1, 2022 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. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants are required to list their favourite books that have character names in the title. I rather liked the idea of this topic, especially as I was unsure if I would be able to really complete a full list about it as only a few book titles really came to mind when I initially thought about it. However, after a bit of research I was able to come up with pretty substantial list of potential entries, which included some amazing releases.

To make this list a bit of a challenge I tried to avoid books or comics that had series names included in the title (for example, all the Harry Potter books). I also tried to avoid entries where they added on a name to the main title to designate that a book is going to be about a specific character in a franchise, such as Maul: Lockdown from Star Wars or Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty from Warhammer 40K. I did, however, include a few books from these franchises where the primary version of its title had a character name in it. Despite these limitations, I still had a massive list of awesome books, which I then had to cull down. I ended up having to remove several fantastic reads, but I think the below list really captures the absolute best books I have read with character names in the titles. So, let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Tarkin by James Luceno

A compelling Star Wars novel that does exactly what it says on the packet, tell the story of Grand Moth Tarkin, one of the most distinctive villains from the original film.

Steel Tread by Andy Clark

I am being slightly cute with this Warhammer 40K novel, as Steel Tread is the name of a tank, rather than a human or alien. However, I would argue that Steel Tread was a proper character, due its presence, impact on the protagonists, and because machines are partially sentient in this universe.

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

The second book in Nicholas Eames’ The Band series, Bloody Rose is a fantastic fantasy read that centred around a group of mercenary monster fighters. The title of this book refers to the infamous leader of this mercenary group, Bloody Rose, who serves as quite the distinctive figure. A fun and captivating book that is really worth checking out.

Vader by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

The first volume of the epic 2015 Darth Vader series was simply named Vader. While this was an unimaginative title, the volume itself is extremely epic as it followed Vader in the aftermath of A New Hope. Perfectly written and filled with some amazing artwork, this was a major volume that not only introduced the amazing character of Doctor Aphra, but also contained an exceptional ending where Vader discovers that the pilot who destroyed the Death Star was named Skywalker.

Top Ten List:

Mort/Eric by Terry Pratchett

I have a hard time not including as many of Terry Pratchett’s masterful Discworld novels as possible on lists like these, and luckily for me there were only two Discworld books with character names in the titles, so I figured I would include both. The first is the excellent novel Mort, which sees Death decided to recruit an apprentice, the titular Mort, who almost immediately starts messing with reality by trying to save the life of a doomed princess. This was a hilarious novel, especially the bits following Death’s midlife crisis, and it sets up a bunch of other interesting Death-led Discworld novels. The other book is Eric, one of Pratchett’s shorter books, that follows a teenage demonologist, Eric, who attempts a Faustian demon-summoning for absolute power. Unfortunately, rather than summoning a demon, Eric instead gets the incompetent wizard Rincewind, who naturally stuff everything up. This was another funny Discworld book, and I love how the cover of this book crosses out Faust and replaces it with a pen-drawn Eric, just to hammer home what this novel is satirising.

The Aurora Cycle by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I had to mention one of the best trilogies of recent years with The Aurora Cycle by Australian authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, especially when all three entries contain a character name in their titles. Made up of Aurora Rising, Aurora Burning and Aurora’s End, these titles all refer to the titular character Aurora (also known as Auri) a time-displaced psychic who ends up being the key to saving the entire universe.

Billy Summers by Stephen King

One of the more recent releases on this list was Stephen King’s Billy Summers. An interesting and intense thriller, Billy Summers follows the titular character, an honourable assassin, as he embarks on his final job, only to encounter betrayal, introspection and a girl who changes everything. This was one of the best books of 2021, and I really loved finding out all about Billy Summers.

Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

Easily the best Star Wars book that focuses on a specific character is the epic Thrawn by legendary author Timothy Zahn. This novel perfectly reintroduced Zahn’s greatest character, Grand Admiral Thrawn, into the new canon and is one of my absolute favourite Star Wars novels. Eventually leading to another five connected books (Alliances, Treason, Chaos Rising, Greater Good and Lesser Evil), this was an exceptional read, and I like how the simple title Thrawn tells you everything you need to know about this book.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Years ago, when I was first getting into fantasy I received a cool novel I knew nothing about apart from the title, Eragon. Intrigued by its closeness to dragon, I dove into this great book and quickly became utterly engrossed by the story of teenager Eragon who finds a dragon egg and becomes a legendary hero. I have a lot of love for this book and the Inheritance Cycle series that followed, so I just had to feature this novel on this list.

Usagi Yojimbo: Gen’s Story by Stan Sakai

I really do tend to hit my classics when it comes to lists like this, so naturally I had to see if there was an entry from one of my favourite comic series, Usagi Yojimbo, that I could feature. There were actually several Usagi Yojimbo volumes that contained character names in the title, including Lone Goat and Kid, Travels with Jotaro, and Tomoe’s Story. However, the one I went with was the volume Gen’s Story. This great volume contains a brilliant story that showcases the childhood of fantastic supporting character Murakami Gennosuke, better known as Gen. This comic examines why the often disrespectful and uncouth bounty hunter has such dislike for samurai honour and discipline and served as a brilliant bit of backstory for one of the best characters in this series.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

I was spoiled for choice for this list when it came to the works of Tamsyn Muir, as several of her books feature character names in the title. While I was very tempted to feature her first novel, Gideon the Ninth (one of the best debuts of 2019), I instead went with her second book, Harrow the Ninth. Harrow the Ninth was an incredible read that ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020. Containing a trippy and exceedingly clever narrative, this book follows Harrow, a spacefaring necromancer who is going through some major identity issues. An exceptional read, I am really looking forward to Muir’s next book, the 2022 release Nona the Ninth.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

I had to include the extremely compelling The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. Another brilliant debut and one of the best books of 2018, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle follows a mysterious time-displaced man who awakens in several different bodies during a fancy party at an old British estate. Forced to experience the entire party again and again, the protagonist only has seven chances to discover who murdered the party’s host, Evelyn Hardcastle. Compelling, unique and with a title that immediately grabs your attention, I deeply enjoyed this cool book.

Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond E. Feist

Another excellent book I had to feature on this list was the impressive Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond E. Feist. While on the surface this title doesn’t appear to contain a character name, Talon of the Silver Hawk is the main character, as it was the name he chose during a tribal vision quest. While he goes by other identities and names throughout the novel, this is the one closest to his heart and it makes for quite a catchy book title. I have a lot of love for this novel, especially as it introduced me to Feist’s excellent and extended Riftwar Cycle, and it is really worth checking out.

Vader Down by Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen, Mike Deodato and Salvador Larroca

The final entry on this list was the cool comic Vader Down. Written and drawn by the join teams behind the 2015 Star Wars and Darth Vader comic book series, this comic follows Darth Vader who is shot down above a Rebel-controlled planet, and must contend with a Rebel army, traitors, the original trilogy protagonists, and all manner of other dangers. An exceedingly epic and exceptional limited crossover series, this is one of my favourite Star Wars comics of all time and it is guaranteed to make you a fan of the current Star Wars extended universe.

That’s the end of this list. As you can see, there are some really cool books and comic volumes out there that make good use of character names in their titles. I am very happy with how this list turned out and I think it captures my absolute favourite books that make use of this naming convention. This might be a list I revisit in the future, especially as there are several other excellent books that I am planning to read soon featuring character names in the titles (for example, the upcoming fantasy book Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry). Until then, let me know what your favourite book was a character name in the title is in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2021

On December 28, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn List130 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 final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, participants are tasked with listing their top books of 2021, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobook, favourite debuts and my top pre-2021 books I read this year. However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

Just like with 2020, 2021 has been pretty shitty in places, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts and several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last two years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2021, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book needed to be released here in Australia during 2021 (one minor exception) and I had to have read it. I have excluded Never by Ken Follett, as I am only partway through it, and there are many awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule for this year, although I am sure that several of those would have made the cut. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries kind of make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. Several novels also appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2021 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2021 list which I ran back into July. Overall, I am fairly happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that really showcases the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.

Top 20 List (no particular order):

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

Let us start this list off strong with the awesome fantasy novel that I still haven’t gotten over, The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. The sequel to her 2020 hit, A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate continues the impressive Scholomance series in a big way , making full use of its cool characters and uniquely dangerous magical school setting. There were some major developments in this second novel, including an epic and heartbreaking cliff-hanger that is guaranteed to make me pick up the final book next year.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Next we have one of the best science fiction reads of the year. Written by the exceedingly talented Andy Weir (of The Martian fame), Project Hail Mary is a very clever, entertaining and science heavy novel that sees a man travel to a distant star to find a way to save Earth when the sun starts to lose energy. A brilliantly written and deeply captivating read that features a great, surprise supporting character and an awesome twist around the protagonist. Highly recommended!

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

I had a great time this year checking out new authors, and one of the best was fantasy author Anthony Ryan, who started his Covenant of Steel series with The Pariah. Featuring an epic and captivating tale that follows a young protagonist as he explores a war-torn, religiously ruled landscape, The Pariah was an impressive fantasy read that I could not put down, no matter how hard I tried. I deeply enjoyed this cool book and I cannot wait to grab the sequel, The Martyr, next year.

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

For the fourth year in a row, one of Jonathan Maberry’s amazing books has achieved a spot on this list (Deep Silence was one of the best books of 2018, Rage was one of the best books of 2019 and Ink was one of the best books of 2020). Relentless, was one of his best, sending his legendary protagonist on deadly revenge mission against his worst enemies as they attempt a new world-ending master plan. I loved this latest science fiction/thriller hybrid from Maberry, especially due to the exceptional character work, and this was a captivating and exceedingly exciting read.

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

There was no way that I could exclude the incredible latest book from the legendary Joe Abercrombie, The Wisdom of Crowds, from this list. This exceptional fantasy read perfectly wrapped up the brilliantly dark Age of Madness series (which previously featured the excellent A Little Hatred and The Trouble With Peace). Featuring some of the best and most complex characters you are likely to see in fiction, and an intensely dark tale of revenge, betrayal and revolution, The Wisdom of Crowds is relentlessly entertaining without a single dull moment. I had an incredible time with this book and I cannot wait to see what Abercrombie comes up with next.

Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

Even after 35 volumes, Stan Sakai’s bestselling Usagi Yojimbo comic (which is one of my favourite all-time comic series) continues to shine with the exceptional Homecoming. Homecoming was another beautifully drawn and narratively rich volume that takes the protagonist on a dramatic journey back to his home village and the many pains that reside there. An exceptional and fun read; I cannot wait to get my hands of Sakai’s next volume, Tengu War, in a few short months.

The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

After producing one of the absolute best debuts of 2020 with The Kingdom of Liars, talented rising author Nick Martell continued his impressive Legacy of the Mercenary King series with The Two-Faced Queen. Featuring deadly assassins, a vengeful queen and even a couple of murderous dragons, The Two-Faced Queen was even more exceptional than his first novel, deeply expanding the cool overarching narrative and adding in even more twists, reveals and surprises. This was one of the best sequels I have ever read, and readers will be quickly drawn into the book’s many mysteries, unique magic and deeply captivating storylines.

Star Wars: Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed

2021 was an amazing year for Star Wars novels, especially with the launch of the High Republic sub-series (Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm were particularly good). However, one of the absolute best Star Wars books had to be the amazing Victory’s Price by Alexander Freed, which brought the compelling, star fighter focused Alphabet Squadron series to a beautiful end. Perfectly wrapping up the story contained in the first two novels, Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall, Victory’s Price was a powerful and intense character-driven war story that focused on five damaged Rebel pilots fighting in the war after the end of Return of the Jedi. This was easily one of the most exciting and moving Star Wars novels I have had the pleasure of reading and it is a must read for fans of the franchise.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

After producing two brilliant reads last year (Fair Warning and The Law of Innocence), bestselling crime fiction author Michael Connelly continues his outstanding Ballard and Bosch sub-series with The Dark Hours. This amazing novel contained another fantastic murder mystery combined with several other great police procedural story lines to create an outstanding overall narrative, expanding the fun partnership established in Dark Sacred Night and The Night Fire. I deeply enjoyed this latest Connelly book and I powered through extremely quickly.

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker

One of the best current authors of fantasy fiction, R. J. Barker, brings his exceptional Tide Child trilogy to a moving and captivating end with The Bone Ship’s Wake. Perfectly following on from The Bone Ships and Call of the Bone Ships, this epic nautical fantasy perfectly wrapped up all the trilogy’s captivating story arcs and character development with some big, emotional moments. I loved every twist and devastating moment in this novel and, thanks to this captivating conclusion, the Tide Child series ended up being one of the best trilogies I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Colonyside by Michael Mammay

Amazing science fiction author Michael Mammay continued his brilliant Planetside series (made up of Planetside and Spaceside) with Colonyside. This latest novel dragged Mammay’s entertaining and gruff protagonist out of retirement once again to investigate a shady corporate mystery on an alien planet. This book swiftly devolves into an exceptional conspiracy storyline, filled with twists and giant monsters. I had such a wonderful time with this book that it was my one exception to the 2021 release date rule (it had a very late December 2020 release). An impressive and clever read.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

Another amazing new author I checked out this year was the insanely talented John Gwynne, who produced an incredible first entry in his Bloodsworn Saga, The Shadow of the Gods. This amazing first novel contained a brutal and compelling Norse-inspired fantasy tale that followed three awesome central characters as they engaged in their own deeply personal quests. Filled with some outstanding fantasy combat, amazing character moments and a deeply impressive narrative, this was an exceptional and addictive read that made me an instant fan of this author. I have no doubt that the sequel, The Hunger of the Gods, is going to top this list next year and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The Dark/Mind Bullet by Jeremy Robinson

2021 was the year that I first tried out some books from compelling author Jeremy Robinson. I actually read two of his books, The Dark and Mind Bullet, both of which were amazing in their own way. While The Dark was a darkly compelling and slick horror read that showcased a brutal invasion from Hell, Mind Bullet was a funny and entertaining science fiction thriller that followed a psychic assassin being hunted by the world’s most unusual killers. Both were outstanding reads that got easy five-star ratings from me, so I had a very hard time choosing between them for this list. Therefore, I decided to include both, as I had such a great time with them and are equally worth checking out.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Comedian Richard Osman followed up his 2020 debut, The Thursday Murder Club, with another fun and entertaining murder mystery book, The Man Who Died Twice. This compelling and hilarious sequel thrust Osman’s elderly protagonists into another complex investigation, this time involving spies, stolen diamonds, and drug dealers. This book had some amazing moments and ended up being another fantastic read.

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

I have been waiting a couple of years for Sanderson to continue his Skyward series and I was very happy to finally get my hands on Cytonic. The third entry in this impressive young adult science fiction series, Cytonic was an exciting and inventive read that continues the captivating tale started in Skyward and Starsight. Taking his eccentric protagonist to a fantastic and unique new setting, Sanderson produced an epic and moving narrative that had me glued from the very first second. There are some big, if sad, moments in this novel and I had a wonderful time listening to it. I am a little miffed that I might have to wait another couple of years for this series to come to an end, but if it is anywhere as good as Cytonic, it will be worth it.

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey

One of my favourite crime fiction books this year had to be the dark and exceptional Australian thriller The Housemate by Sarah Bailey. This wonderful and intense read contains a complex and multifaceted mystery that keeps the reader guessing while they watch the central protagonist become even more unhinged by the revelations from her past. I honestly could not put this great book down and I will be grabbing more of Bailey’s clever novels in the future.

Artifact Space by Miles Cameron

After wowing the world with his fantasy and historical fiction reads, author Miles Cameron had his science fiction debut this year with Artifact Space. This powerful and deeply captivating read transports the reader to a massive spacecraft on a multi-year trading mission. However, the protagonist, a girl with a past and a fake identity, soon finds that her ship is under attack from outside forces and must do everything to save her new home and friends. This was a compelling epic which perfectly shows how talented Cameron is, no matter the genre.

Billy Summers by Stephen King

The master of horror and thrillers, Stephen King, had a great year in 2021 releasing two brilliant reads. While I really must highlight his clever coming-of-age horror read, Later, his best book was the cool thriller, Billy Summers. Billy Summers is a compelling, character driven read that follows a skilled hitman, as he attempts to engage in his last kill, only to run into a ton of surprises and complications. A wildly enjoyable and captivating read that has convinced me to check out more Stephen King books next year.

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn

The other really good Star Wars novel of 2021 was Lesser Evil, the third book in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Ascendancy series. Set before his impressive Thrawn trilogy (made up of Thrawn, Alliances and Treason), Lesser Evil perfectly wraps up the Thrawn Ascendancy series (made up of Chaos Rising and Greater Good) while also exploring the early history and greatest victory/defeat of Zahn’s iconic Grand Admiral Thrawn. Featuring excellent characters, cool universe expansion and some of the best tactical space battles you are likely to see, Lesser Evil was an exceptional read and I really hope that Timothy Zahn has some more Star Wars novels in the works.

Relentless by Mark Greaney

Last, but definitely not least, was the latest epic Gray Man novel from Mark Greaney, Relentless. This awesome novel sets Greaney’s dangerous protagonist on another intense spy mission as he attempts to stop a terrorist attack in Germany. I deeply enjoyed this fast-paced, action-packed and captivating spy thriller, especially as Greaney went out of his way to produce a clever and realistic narrative. I had such a blast with Relentless and I cannot wait to see what deadly adventures occur in his next Gray Man novel.

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2021. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2022 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2021 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.