The Wisdom of Crowds – Page 2 – The Unseen Library

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 2021.

2021 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books, with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away. However, the year is far from over and there are a number of incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2021. 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.

This proved to be a rather hard list to finalise, mainly because of how many awesome novels are coming out in the next six months. I honestly had enough awesome upcoming novels on my radar to turn this into a Top 20, but I decided instead to make some hard decisions, and I ended up cutting out several impressive upcoming releases, leaving me with a list mostly featuring books from some of my favourite authors. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects which upcoming novels 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. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, which gives this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2021.

Honourable Mentions:

Billy Summers by Stephen King – 3 August 2021

The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston – 10 August 2021

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik – 28 September 2021

The Honour of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 11 November 2021

Top Ten List (by release date):

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry – 13 July 2021

This list is off to an extraordinarily strong start as it features the second awesome entry in the Rogue Team International series by the always impressive Jonathan Maberry, Relentless. Spinning off from Maberry’s outstanding Joe Ledger series (which features such epic reads as Patient Zero, Code Zero and Deep Silence), the Rogue Team International series continues to follow action hero Joe Ledger as he goes up against crazy opponents wielding the weirdest science and technology. The first novel in this thrilling series, Rage, was an amazing read that was one of my favourite books (and audiobooks) of 2019, and which ended on a fantastic, if tragic, note. This sets up Relentless to be a gripping and bloody novel filled with revenge as an emotionally compromised Ledger goes up against a new breed of dangerous enemies.

Starlight Enclave by R. A. Salvatore – 3 August 2021

One of my absolute favourite fantasy authors of all times, R. A. Salvatore, returns with the first book in a brand-new series that sets his iconic and long-running protagonists on a whole new adventure. This first book, Starlight Enclave, will follow on from the events of the previous trilogy (made up of Timeless, Boundless and Relentless), and should result in a very impressive and exciting fantasy read.

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie – 16 September 2021

The master of dark fantasy, Joe Abercrombie, returns with the third and final entry in his intense and addictive Age of Madness trilogy. Both previous novels in the series, A Little Hatred and The Trouble with Peace, have been incredible masterpieces with some deeply impressive stories to them and I am expecting great things for this final novel. The Wisdom of Crowds will focus on the aftermath of the revolution that occurred at the end of The Trouble with Peace and should result in an epic and captivating tale.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – 16 September 2021

Following his incredible debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, comedian Richard Osman returns with a much-anticipated sequel novel, The Man Who Died Twice, which will present his retired protagonists with another intriguing case. The Thursday Murder Club was one of the runaway hits of last year, and it was easily one of the best novels, audiobooks, and debuts, I had the pleasure of reading in 2020. As a result, I have extremely high hopes for The Man Who Died Twice, and I cannot wait to see what hilarious and clever things are featured in this new novel.

The Bone Ship’s Wake by R. J. Barker – 28 September 2021

Over the last two years, the deeply impressive R. J. Barker has been wowing me, and the rest of the fantasy community, with his epic and captivating novels about the notorious crew of the Tide Child. The Tide Child trilogy, which has so far consisted of The Bone Ships and Call of the Bone Ships, is an outstanding and compelling series, which places a great group of characters in a dark and bloody fantasy world, where crews of condemned men fight aboard ships made from dragon bone. The final entry in this trilogy, The Bone Ship’s Wake, looks set to provide an epic and memorable conclusion to this incredible series, especially after Barker ended Call of the Bone Ships on such a fantastic and moving cliff-hanger. Unfortunately, there has been no preview of The Bone Ship’s Wake’s cover yet but based on how cool the covers for the other entries in The Tide Child trilogy have been, I am sure it is going to be something extremely awesome.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly – 9 November 2021

After a bumper 2020 where he released two fantastic crime novels, Fair Warning and The Law of Innocence, bestselling crime fiction author Michael Connelly returns with another intriguing and exciting novel, The Dark Hours. The third entry in the Ballard and Bosch sub-series, which has so far consisted of Dark Sacred Night and The Night Fire, The Dark Hours will set its protagonists on the trail of a clever and conniving killer. This has the potential to be one of the best crime novels of 2021 and I cannot wait to see what unique case Connelly has come up with this time.

Never by Ken Follett – 9 November 2021

I was a little surprised earlier this year when I saw that highly acclaimed author, Ken Follett, was releasing a novel this year, especially after The Evening and the Morning, came out last year. However, I am not one to complain when another awesome Follett novel drops into my lap, especially as his new upcoming book, Never, looks set to be an intriguing world-spanning thriller novel. With an intense and captivating sounding narrative, Never, should be an incredible read and I am exceedingly keen to check it out.

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters by Charles Soule, Luke Ross and Neeraj Menon – 23 November 2021

While I was very tempted to include the new upcoming Thrawn Ascendancy novel, Lesser Evil, on this list, it quickly became apparent that the piece of Star Wars fiction I am most looking forward to in the second half of 2021 is the major crossover comic, Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters. War of the Bounty Hunters, which is set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, details a brutal fight to claim Han Solo’s frozen body after a major returning character steals it from Boba Fett. Serving as a crossover between the four current Star Wars ongoing series, Star Wars (2020), Darth Vader (2020), Doctor Aphra (2020), and Bounty Hunters, this crossover series sounds like awesomeness personified, and there have already been some major twists and reveals. I cannot wait to check this comic out, although I probably will wait until the collected edition comes out in November. This will be one of the biggest Star Wars events of the year, and as a Star Wars mega-fan, I am deeply, deeply excited for it.

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson – 25 November 2021

Perhaps the greatest authors of fantasy and science fiction in the world today, the legendary Brandon Sanderson, has a new novel coming out in November, and it is one that I am particularly eager to get my hands on. This new book, Cytonic, is the third entry in the gripping and clever Skyward series of young adult science fiction novels, which has so far featured two exceptional novels, Skyward and Starsight. Featuring an intriguing and complex narrative around humans fighting aliens in a deadly war for survival, the Skyward series has been deeply impressive and thrilling, and I have had so much fun with the first two novels. This next book in the series, Cytonic, looks set to take its likeable protagonist on another unique adventure, this time into a whole new dimension. This novel has an immense amount of potential, and I already now it is going to be epic beyond belief.

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker – 25 November 2021

The final entry on this list is A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker, which is probably going to be the funniest books I read all year. Over the last two years, Parker has released two outstanding and hilarious fantasy novels as part of The Siege series, which takes place during an insane and long-lasting siege of a fantasy city. Featuring two very clever and loosely connected novels, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It, this series featured two fantastic narratives around unqualified, but devious men, taking control of the siege and attempting to win it through unconventional means. I have absolutely loved the first two novels in this series, and I was very excited to see that a third entry, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, is set for release in November. While no plot details are currently available, I am extremely confident that this will be a fantastic tale political intrigue, treachery, and humorous ambition, as a new non-hero rises to the challenge of ruling the world.

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 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. I cannot wait to see what awesome and exciting stories the entries on this list contain, and I think that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2021. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me 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.

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday article I take a look at the epic upcoming conclusion to legendary author Joe Abercrombie’s The Age of Madness trilogy, The Wisdom of Crowds.

The Wisdom of Crowds Cover

Cards on the table: I already know that The Wisdom of Crowds is going to be an extremely impressive and intense five-star read, and I have already prepared a place for it on my top reads of 2021 list. While some may think this could be a bit of a rash decision, I think that anyone who is familiar with Joe Abercrombie and his outstanding contributions to fantasy fiction will soundly agree with my decision and are probably sharing my overwhelming excitement that his next book will be here in a few short months.

Joe Abercrombie is a talented and exceptional author who has been the measuring stick of the dark fantasy/grimdark fantasy subgenres ever since he burst onto the scene with his amazing 2006 debut, The Blade Itself. The Blade Itself was the first entry in the extended The First Law series of novels, which follow an eclectic group of damaged characters as they attempt to survive the schemes and bloody wars of a dark and uncaring fantasy world. The First Law series has so far featured eight separate novels, as well as a good collection of short stories, and all of them have been amazing and captivating fantasy reads. I have been a major fan of the author ever since I read the first few pages of The Blade Itself, thanks to its entertaining and brutal writing style, as well as its great characters. I have been particularly getting into his latest entries into this overarching series, The Age of Madness trilogy.

The Age of Madness trilogy is set over 20 years after the events of the original First Law trilogy and follows the children and younger associates of the original protagonists as they deal with the sins of their parents. Containing all of Abercrombie’s outstanding writing style, a great collection of new damaged characters and an intriguing backdrop of industrialisation and revolution, The Age of Madness trilogy has featured some exceptional reads, including the first book, A Little Hatred, and last year’s sequel, The Trouble With Peace. Both of these books have been absolutely incredible, and I consider both of them be amongst the best books I read in 2019 and 2020 respectfully (The Trouble With Peace was also one of the best audiobooks I listened to in 2020).

Due to how epic this fantastic trilogy has so far been, I have been really excited to check out the final book and I was very happy when all the details, including the above cover, came out. The Wisdom of Crowds is currently set for release on 16 September 2021, and is easily one of the books I am most looking forward to for the next half of the year. The Wisdom of Crowds looks set to continue right after the violent revolution that occurred in the closing moments of The Trouble With Peace once the identity of the secretive revolutionary, the Weaver, was revealed, and it will be interesting to see what is happening in the final chapter of this trilogy.

Synopsis:

Chaos. Fury. Destruction.

The Great Change is upon us…

Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.

With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies… while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.

The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver’s ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together…

I really like the sound of this cool synopsis; this upcoming novel is going to be pretty damn awesome. From what is featured above, it looks like the entirety of the Union is going to be overwhelmed by revolution and all the various characters are going to have to deal with the consequences of the Weaver’s bloody plan. I am deeply intrigued to see how each of the impressive character arcs introduced in the previous novels in the series conclude. It is going to be particularly interesting to see how Orso, the soon-to-be deposed king, will deal with everything, especially as its going to be a major comedown from his impressive arc in The Trouble With Peace. It is interesting to see that Brock is going to be a major feature in this novel after his literally crippling defeat in the previous novel, and Savine, the ultimate opportunist and survivor, is going to have to deal with once again being in control of the revolutionaries who have traumatised her so severely in the past.

I am also very intrigued to see how characters like Vick dan Teufel and Gunnar Broad survive in this new version of the Union. Vick, a spy and clever Inquisitor, is probably going to find her loyalties extremely tested in this book, although she will probably end up being a major part of its conclusion. Gunnar Broad, the dangerous soldier and former revolutionary is probably going to be the most conflicted character in the entire novel, especially as he will likely be called up to do violence for the Breakers and the Burners, despite his efforts to avoid all of that.

The story in the North should also prove to be quite interesting. Rikke’s great arc surrounding her battle to claim the constantly warring North was really good in the previous book, especially as she was able to outsmart one of her most dangerous enemies. I look forward to seeing how her war continues and I will be intrigued to see how it combines with the story set in the Union. I am also curious about how Abercrombie will wrap up her abilities surrounding her magical Long Eye, as that has proven to be a complex and compelling storyline in the past. The other character situated in the North who I want to see more of is Jonas Clover, the wily old veteran who is easily my favourite person in this entire trilogy. Clover has had some amazing appearances in the previous two novels, and I really loved the great twist at the end of The Trouble With Peace. It will be fun to see him teaming up with Rikke in this final novel and it should lead to some very entertaining moments.

As you can see, I am exceedingly invested in all the above characters, mainly because Abercrombie has done such a fantastic job setting them up and turning them into such compelling people. You have to know that some of them are going to die in this final novel (Abercrombie is cruel like that), and I have no doubt I will be both saddened and surprised with where everyone ends up. I am also curious about whether some of the remaining characters from the original First Law trilogy will show up again. Abercrombie has been progressively killing off or retiring several of them in the previous The Age of Madness books, but this upcoming third novel seems like the perfect opportunity to bring some of the remaining ones back. I have a strong feeling that Bayaz, the kindly old mage who is really the murderous shadow ruler of the Union, will return to reclaim his influence and power, and any storylines surrounding him are guaranteed to be compelling and clever.

Based on the synopsis and the continuing character arcs from the previous entries in this series, I am exceedingly excited to get my hands on The Wisdom of Crowds. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this final entry in The Age of Madness is going to pure, dark fantasy awesomeness that I will enjoy immensely. I look forward to giving this book a five-star rating in the near-future and I cannot wait to see all the madness and bloodshed that is to come.