Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2025 Novels

On December 3, 2025 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. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2025 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2025, for the last few years I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2025 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2025, including some incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2025. While I struggled due to an overabundance of choice, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books I read this year released before 2025. I did have to put one restriction on my choices for this year’s list, primarily because I read quite a few novels from authors, Matt Dinniman and Terry Pratchett, and I could have filled this top ten list with books from these two alone. As such, I limited myself to three books from each author, which ensured a bit more diversity in this list. With this rule in place, I feel that this list still reflects the best pre-2025 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire by Matthew Farrer – 2003

An intense classic novel from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise with a great crime fiction twist.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 2024

An intricate fantasy novel that makes excellent use of a clever, time-loop scenario

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 2024

Flavia Albia returns for another ancient Rome mystery, this time hunting down an organised crime boss that she has a dark history with.

Top Ten List:

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett – 1992

I had a lot of fun re-reading several Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett in 2025, including the impressive and thought-provoking Small Gods. One of Pratchett’s absolute best Discworld books, Small Gods provides a clever and hilarious look at religion and how it impacts the human condition, all while following two of the author’s most relatable protagonists. There is so much to love about Small Gods, and it was a pleasure to read it once again, especially with the new audiobook format that featured narration from Andy Serkis.

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett – 1993

Another outstanding Discworld book I enjoyed in 2025 was the second entry in the City Watch sub-series, Men at Arms. The sequel to Pratchett’s earlier release, Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms sees the unlikely heroes of the Ankh-Morpork city watch attempt to stop a deranged killer wielding the Disc’s first firearm. A very impressive crime fiction novel that makes full use of the iconic city of Ankh-Morpork as a gritty background setting, Men at Arms was another early classic from Pratchett, that I will never get tired of re-reading.

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett – 1996

The final book from Pratchett that I want to highlight on this list is the third City Watch book, Feet of Clay. Following the returning protagonists from Men at Arms as they attempt to solve a series of brutal murders connected to Ankh-Morpork’s golem population, as well as stop the poisoning of the patrician. Probably the best crime fiction novel that Pratchett ever wrote, Feet of Clay is an exceptional book that still brings me joy whenever I read it.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett – 2008

It wouldn’t be a reading year for me without some older Warhammer 40,000 novels thrown into the mix. One of my favourites of these was the epic novel Titanicus by the legendary Dan Abnett. A spin-off of his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Titanicus follows a sprawling war between the gigantic Titan war machines, as they rain destruction and death across an entire planet. Massive in scope and featuring some outstanding battle sequences, Titanicus was an outstanding read and one I had such an incredible time getting through.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell – 2010

I also continued my dive into another awesome older Warhammer 40,000 series this year with The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell. A particularly hilarious entry in the entertaining Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest once again follows the galaxy’s smartest, if most cowardly, commissar, as he attempts to avoid deadly danger in space, only to inadvertently end up facing even worse monsters or deadly situations. I laughed myself silly throughout The Emperor’s Finest and it was a great entry in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – 2020

Those who are familiar with this blog will already know that 2025 started my obsession with the incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, as I dove into several of these novels which were all released before 2025. I ended up powering through the entire series on audiobook in a couple of weeks, it was that damn good, and I just had to include a few entries from this series on this list as a result. This includes the very first book in the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, which serves as a powerful introduction to the elaborate narrative and setting. I love how well Dungeon Crawler Carl sets the entire adventure up, and you get a perfect taste of the author’s unique humour and crazy imagination with this incredible read. Highly recommended, although be warned, once you start reading this book, you won’t be able to stop.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton – 2022

The highly entertaining and inventive science fiction novel, Mickey7, proved to be excellent entertainment for a road trip earlier this year. A fantastic novel that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, Mickey7 featured a great story about an expendable member of a distant space colony, who gets in trouble when an extra clone of him is created. I really enjoyed this awesome novel and it really worth going back and checking out.

The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman – 2022

After already featuring the first Dungeon Crawler Carl novel on this list, I was spoiled for choice about which other entries from the series to feature here, especially as I read them all this year. however, in the end the choice was rather easy for me as I had to feature one of the very best books from Dinniman with the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade. Featuring an elaborate plot that sees the increasingly damaged protagonists transported to a new level filled with alien hunters who plan to butcher them for sport, The Butcher’s Masquerade was another exceptional entry in the series. Between its epic story, amazing humour, crazy moments, and impressive emotional depth, The Butcher’s Masquerade was a true standout amongst an already incredible series, and I just had to feature it here.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman – 2023

The third Dungeon Crawler Carl novel I decided to feature on this list was the sixth book, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, which I honestly think was one of the most impressive entries in the series. Perfectly building on the plot from the previous novels, Dinniman turned what could have been a fun bridging novel into an emotionally charged and traumatic read that really dived into several of the series’ outstanding characters. Funny, exhilarating and absolutely heartbreaking, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features some of Dinniman’s best writing, and I honestly could not get enough of the elaborate scenarios and shocking moments in this book. The crown jewel of one of the best ongoing series you need to read.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga – 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the very exciting 2024 thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. A compelling read that saw a damaged former cop attempt to climb up through a chaotic and deadly rioting prison, The Ascent was a very impressive novel, and one I flew through extremely quickly. I really enjoyed this great book, and I’m hoping to read the sequel, Hard Town, sometime soon.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2025 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend all of them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading many more older books in 2026, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2025.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

On June 22, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery4 Comments

Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 26 November 2024)

Series: The Echo Archives – Book One

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Take a bold leap through various time loops with one of the more exciting and clever fantasy novels of 2024, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso.

Melissa Caruso is a very talented author who has been producing brilliant female-led fantasy fiction since her debut in 2017. Starting with her outstanding Swords and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire) and continuing with her sequel Rooks and Ruins trilogy, Caruso made a big impact the first several years of career, and her writing has only gotten stronger since. As such, I made it a big priority to get my hands on her 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, which I had the pleasure of reading at the start of this year. The first book in the author’s new The Echo Archives series, The Last Hour Between Worlds sets up a cool new fantasy series with a murder mystery twist behind it and some great story ideas.

Plot Synopsis:

A whip-smart adventure fantasy packed with rival guilds, reality-bending magic, and sapphic pining, The Last Hour Between Worlds is the brilliant launch of a new series from David Gemmell Award-nominated author, Melissa Caruso.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she’s determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can’t help picking up the scent of trouble.

She’s not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what’s causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they’ll need to rely on their wits—and each other—to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home.

The Last Hour Between Worlds was a particularly elaborate and compelling read that had me hooked from the start and kept dragging me along, much like its characters were dragged down through death and echoes. Sharp, intense and featuring a ton of unique world-building, The Last Hour Between Worlds was a bold read that cleverly sets up a great new fantasy series.

I had a brilliant time with The Last Hour Between Worlds, as Caruso features a complex narrative with compelling stakes that proved hard to put down. Starting off with a good introduction to the protagonist, Kembral Thorne, a nearly retired Hound and expert at travelling through the various arcane Echoes that exists under her city, and several other key characters as they are entertained at a party held by a prominent city politician. It doesn’t take long for the action to kick off as several dark denizens from the Echoes arrive at the party, determined to kill certain guests and drag the entire gathering down into the reality below. Dragged along with it, Kembral finds herself stuck in a dark time loop which only she remembers thanks to an interaction with a mysterious grandfather clock. Forced to watch her friends and colleagues brutally murdered and dropped into a deeper Echo with each variation of the loop, Kembral seeks a way to stop the recurring murders and ensure that everyone comes out alive.

The plot goes in some interesting directions as The Last Hour Between Worlds continues, and it soon becomes apparent that Kembral and the rest of the humans are caught up in a deadly power struggle between the Empyrean, the masters of the Echoes, who are using this event as a key piece in their games. Forced to team up with the only other person who can remember events, her nemesis and potential love interest, Rika Nonesuch, the two work through various iterations of the time loop, figuring out more clues about the event and trying knock all the competing Empyrean out of the time loop before the final chime of the clock. This results in an entertaining, exciting and complex storyline, which Caruso sets up extremely well. The blend of human and magical intrigues that the protagonists are forced to navigate allows for a very compelling story, and I loved all the cool twists that emerge, as well as the deeper personal struggles between Kembral and Rika. It all leads up to the big conclusion at the final Echo, as the two desperately fight to ensure everyone survives. I felt that Caruso set up an excellent ending for The Last Hour Between Worlds, especially as this story is wrapped up in a satisfying manner, while also hinting at some more dark adventures to come.

I really enjoyed how cleverly The Last Hour Between Worlds came together. The slick blend of unique fantasy elements, a cool time-loop mechanism, and the layers of intrigue surrounding events was particularly impressive, and I really got hooked on the story because of how well these elements were utilised. The time-loop part of the book was especially great, and the way in which Caruso kept reframing the story in each successive Echo ensured that you were constantly on your feet and you never quite knew what was going to happen next. The underlying setting and magic of The Last Hour Between Worlds was also quite clever, as Caruso envisioned an elaborate array of alternating dimensions and dark creatures that mirror the humans above in twisted ways that the protagonists need to overcome and bargain with. While I think that some of the elements of the setting could have perhaps been explored in a little more detail before the major events of the plot kicked off, for the most part readers can come in and completely follow what is happening in the plot without any issues. The resulting action, well-hidden twists, and cool character interactions really enhance The Last Hour Between Worlds’ already compelling narrative, and you won’t be able to turn away from Caruso’s new fantasy adventure.

The final thing I want to talk about were the great characters featured within The Last Hour Between Worlds, with the focus primarily being around the heated pairing of Kembral Thorne and Rika Nonesuch. A fun case of attracted opposites with lots of history, the law-abiding Kembral and the roguish thief Rika are the perfect foils for each other, and I love their heated interactions. Despite their initial mistrust, the two soon begin to work together to survive and find their old feelings rekindling. Caruso nicely slow burns their inevitable romantic attachment, , and they must work through a lot of mistrust, hidden secrets, and their own perceived slights to get there. The rest of the cast is also interesting and entertaining, and you get quite attached to them as the time loops continue, even though some wind up temporarily dead. Several are these characters are slated to have bigger roles in the upcoming sequel to The Last Hour Between Worlds, and I cannot wait to see what happens there. Throw in some excellent dark mystical figures in the Empyrean, who act as either antagonists or shadowy figures on the sidelines, and this was a stacked set of characters that Caruso clearly has some intriguing plans for.

With a slick plot, a great mixture of fantasy adventure of murder mystery hijinks, and some entertaining characters, The Last Hour Between Worlds was an outstanding novel from Melissa Caruso, who continues to showcase why she is one of fantasy fictions most inventive rising stars. Serving as a great starting point to a new series, The Last Hour Between Worlds comes highly recommended, and I loved its powerful and complex plot. I honestly cannot wait to see where Caruso takes The Echo Archives series next, although the upcoming sequel, The Last Soul Among Wolves, sounds particularly awesome.

WWW Wednesday – 8 January 2025

On January 9, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt (Trade Paperback)

I finally got the chance to start reading the thrilling 2025 Australian debut novel, Gunnawah by Ronni Salt. An intriguing crime fiction read, Gunnawah provides a compelling and unique look at a turbulent region of Australia during the 1970s through the eyes of some entertaining characters. I am currently about halfway through Gunnawah at the moment and I am hoping to finish it off in the next couple of days.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I just started listening to the awesome 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms is proving to be a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades, and I have made a fair bit of progress on it so far.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, this week. An amazing fantasy thriller, The Last Hour Between Worlds so much fun to read, and I got so caught up in its unique plot. Highly recommended!

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the classic Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Titanicus, this week. Set in author Dan Abnett’s iconic Sabbat Worlds Crusade overarching series (which also features the Gaunt’s Ghosts books and Double Eagle), Titanicus explores a war in the Warhammer 40,000 universe fought primarily with giant Titan war machines. An overall exceptional book that is a must read for all Warhammer fans; I am hoping to get a review up for this one soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

In the next week I am hoping to quickly read the awesome sounding thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. One of the more exciting sounding debuts of 2024, The Ascent has been on my to-read list for a while, and I look forward to seeing how this fantastic book unfolds.

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

WWW Wednesday – 1 January 2025

On January 2, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso (Trade Paperback)

I have made a fair bit of progress on the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, this week. An amazing fantasy thriller, The Last Hour Between Worlds follows an investigator who finds themself trapped in a deadly party with murder, monsters and a time loop. I am about halfway through The Last Hour Between Worlds at the moment, and I love its awesome concept and fun story. I look forward to seeing how the entire book comes together, and this is proving to be an outstanding read.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

I was the mood for something particularly awesome to start 2025 with so I decided to listen to the classic Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Titanicus. Set in author Dan Abnett’s iconic Sabbat Worlds Crusade overarching series (which also features the Gaunt’s Ghosts books and Double Eagle), Titanicus explores a war in the Warhammer 40,000 universe fought primarily with giant Titan war machines. I have made a fair bit of progress on Titanicus already and it is proving to be a very epic and impactful read that covers the destructive machine war at multiple intriguing levels. An overall exceptional book to start the year with.

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer: The Horus Heresy: Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins (Audiobook)

I managed to quickly power through the short Warhammer audiobook, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins this week. Part of The Horus Heresy series, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer was an entertaining read focused on an intriguing and deranged traitor Space Marine. A fun listen with an awesome story behind it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

I am still planning to dive into the thrilling 2025 Australian debut novel, Gunnawah, next. An intriguing crime fiction read, Gunnawah sounds very cool and I hope to read it soon.

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

WWW Wednesday – 25 December 2024

On December 26, 2024December 26, 2024 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:

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso (Trade Paperback)

I have started reading the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, this week. An amazing fantasy thriller, The Last Hour Between Worlds follows an investigator who finds themself trapped in a deadly party with murder, monsters and a time loop. I haven’t gotten too far into this book yet, although I am really intrigued by its core concept and look forward to seeing how it plays out.

What did you recently finish reading?

Deep Black by Miles Cameron (Hardcover)

I managed to finish off Deep Black by Miles Cameron, this week. The sequel to Cameron’s previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black was an elaborate and highly detailed science fiction novel that I found extremely addictive.

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I also finally finished off the awesome new Jonathan Maberry epic dark fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter. The third book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, which previously featured 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) this book was loaded with brutal action, damaged characters, some very dark elements and a complex, well-written story. An incredible book that I hoping to review soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

I am planning to dive into the thrilling 2025 Australian debut novel, Gunnawah, next. An intriguing crime fiction read, Gunnawah sounds very cool and I hope to read it soon.

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

WWW Wednesday – 18 December 2024

On December 18, 2024 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:

Deep Black by Miles Cameron (Hardcover)

I have made a fair bit of progress to the cool science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron, this week and it is proving to be pretty damn awesome. The sequel to Cameron’s previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black follows the crew of a massive human trading ship that finds itself under attack by warring alien factions. An elaborate and highly detailed read that is extremely addictive, Deep Black is an outstanding read that I am hoping to knock off in the next few days.

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I am also powering through the awesome new Jonathan Maberry epic dark fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter. This is the third book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, which previously featured 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) and looks set to bring this series to an end. Loaded with brutal action, damaged characters, some very dark elements and a complex, well-written story, The Dragon in Winter is an incredible book that I honestly cannot stop listening to. I’m about halfway through The Dragon in Winter at the moment and I am going to make a big effort to finish it off in the next week, as I cannot wait to see how this incredible series comes to an end.

What did you recently finish reading?

I haven’t managed to get through any books this week, as I am still getting through two lengthy novels I started at the end of last week. I am hopeful that I will be able to feature a few finished reads in this section next week, as there are still a few great books I want to finish off in 2024.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

I am still hoping to start reading the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, next. An intriguing and fun sounding fantasy thriller, The House Hour Between Worlds has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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

WWW Wednesday – 11 December 2024

On December 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

Deep Black by Miles Cameron (Hardcover)

I managed to start reading the cool science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron, although I haven’t made a lot of progress on it yet. The sequel to Cameron’s previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black has already had a great start to it, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I also finally got around to starting the awesome new Jonathan Maberry epic dark fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter. This is the third book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, which previously featured 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) and looks set to bring this series to an end. Loaded with brutal action and a complex, well-written story, The Dragon in Winter is going to be something very fun and I cannot wait to see how this series comes to an end.

What did you recently finish reading?

Endgame by Sarah Barrie (Trade Paperback)

The final book in Barrie’s Lexi Winters series, Endgame was an intense and dark Australian thriller that set an unconventional cop against a deadly killer in a revenge filled game of cat-and-mouse. An outstanding book that wrapped up the series perfectly.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Red Gobbo Collection by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James (Audiobook)

A particularly epic collection of entertaining Warhammer stories, Da Red Gobbo Collection was really funny, and I had such an amazing time getting through it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

I’m hoping to start reading the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, next. An intriguing and fun sounding fantasy thriller, The House Hour Between Worlds has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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.

Book Haul – 1 December 2024

On December 1, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had a excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai

First up I have the latest volume of one of my favourite comic series, Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow. Pitting the rabbit samurai protagonists against several relentless supernatural foes, including Usagi’s archenemy Jei, Ice and Snow was a great addition to this awesome series, and I read it the very second I got my hands on it.

Deep Black by Miles Cameron

Next up we have the epic science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron. The sequel to Cameron’s excellent novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black will continue to follow the inhabitants of a massive human trading ship as it attempts to survive a nefarious plot to destroy it. I really loved Artifact Space and I cannot wait to see how Cameron continues the story. I am hoping to read Deep Black next, and I know I am going to really enjoy it.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

I was also very happy to get my hands on a copy of The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. A cool new fantasy novel from Caruso, an author who has really impressed me in the past, The Last Hour Between Worlds will see an unlikely pair of rivals team up to investigate a deadly magical mystery. I am deeply intrigued by the synopsis for The Last Hour Between Worlds and I have no doubt this will end up being one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

I was exceedingly lucky to receive an early copy of A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett, which is one of the top books coming out in 2025. The sequel to the exceptional fantasy crime fiction novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books from the first half of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow two unlikely investigators as they attempt to uncover dire plots to their monster-besieged kingdom. A Drop of Corruption is going to be such an epic novel, especially after Bennett blew me away with The Tainted Cup, and this will probably end up being one of my top reads of 2025. I am going to enjoy this book as early as I can (probably once we hit 2025 proper), and I cannot wait to dive into its outstanding story.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

An awesome and cool thriller debut that I have been meaning to check out all year, The Ascent sees a small group of survivors attempt to fight their way to the top floor of a rioting prison. This sounds like a very fun and exciting book, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton

A massive and complex science fiction novel from iconic author Peter F. Hamilton, Exodus: The Archimedes Machine, sounds like a very interesting read and I hope that I get the chance to check it out.

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson

Another hit 2025 novel I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of was Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson. A fun young adult dark academia novel that will see a young protagonist investigate a mysterious Scottish boarding school with a demonic edge to it, Unhallowed Halls sounds very entertaining, and I have really enjoyed Wilkinson’s other young adult books in the past (see my reviews for The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out). I look forward to diving into this book and I cannot wait to see what complex narrative Wilkinson has come up with this time.

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose

The final book I recently received that I want to highlight in this post is the awesome 2025 fantasy novel, Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose. An outstanding novel based around magical cooking, Seven Recipes for Revolution has so much potential, and I feel that it is going to be one of the more unique books of next year.

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.

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

On August 27, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024

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

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

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

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

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

Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024

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

Top Ten List:

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024

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

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024

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

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

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

Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024

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

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

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

The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024

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

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

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

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

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

Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024

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

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

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

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

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.