Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Summer 2023-24 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

On November 28, 2023 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 looked at books set in specific location or period of the blogger’s choice. However, as I’m mucking around with my Top Ten List schedule, I actually did this list last week when I covered my favourite books set in the Roman Empire. As a result, I have a topic free this week and as we are just about to enter Summer (Winter for those up in the Norther Hemisphere) I decided to move up my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to-be-read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I honestly should have pulled this together a couple of weeks ago.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 December 2023 and 29 February 2024. 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 the top books from each respective 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 reads of their respective years.

Honourable Mentions:

Midnight by Amy McCulloch – 2 January 2024

Midnight Cover

A cool science fiction mystery that I’m keen to sink my teeth into.

The Burning Land by David Hair – 1 February 2024

The Burning Land Cover

The compelling start to a new fantasy series.

The Holy Terrors by Simon R. Green – 6 February 2024

The Holy Terrors Cover

A fun sounding horror book that parodies reality television.

Top Ten List (by release date):

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 7 December 2023

House of Open Wounds Cover

Let us start this list off with a book I actually started reading today, House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky. A dark and complex fantasy novel that follows the deranged inhabitants of an experimental magical healing unit in a hostile army, House of Open Wounds is the sequel to Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances, which is one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2023. I’m currently around 150 pages into House of Open Wounds and I am loving the complex, multi-character narrative that sees a huge cast of distinctive and troubled figures attempt to survive in a cruel world. Featuring a brilliant story and Tchaikovsky’s trademark inventive setting, House of Open Wounds is an amazing read and one I look forward to reviewing in the coming weeks.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga – 2 January 2024

The Ascent Cover

A fun and action-packed debut thriller that will see a former cop attempt to survive a rioting prison filled with deadly convicts. The Ascent is going to be a very entertaining book and I am sure I will have a blast getting through it.

Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont – 3 January 2024

Dark Arena Cover

An awesome book coming out very early in 2024 is Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont. The sequel to one of my favourite debuts from 2021, The Frenchman, Dark Arena looks set to continue Beaumont’s compelling and detailed depiction of French espionage, this time hunting down a mysterious group of operators seeking to destabilise Europe.

Goodbye Girl by James Grippando – 9 January 2024

Goodbye Girl Cover

A fun upcoming legal thriller from a new-to-me author that will see a lawyer get dragged into a contentious case involving internet piracy, music contracts and bad romances. However, the case gets even more complicated when both the protagonist’s client, and the ex-husband suing her, are charged with the same murder. I love the sound of the amazing plot for the next upcoming book by James Grippando and Goodbye Girl should prove to be an excellent read.

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2024

The Ghost Orchid Cover

A series I have really grown to love reading at the start of each year is the amazing long-running Alex Delaware murder mystery series by Jonathan Kellerman. Following a psychiatrist and a detective who team up to solve unusual murders in L.A., the Alex Delaware books are really impressive pieces of crime fiction and I always get drawn into Kellerman’s amazing narratives such as those of The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History. The next book in the series, The Ghost Orchid, will see the protagonists investigate a double homicide of two wealthy lovers with troubled pasts. Sure to be a complicated mystery with loads of compelling suspects, I cannot wait to dive into The Ghost Orchid and it should be something special.

Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz – 13 February 2024

Lone Wolf Cover

Gregg Hurwitz look set to continue his outstanding Orphan X series in early 2024 with the excellent sounding Lone Wolf. This series, which has featured awesome books like Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan, follows a fugitive government assassin codenamed Orphan X, who attempts to save people as a secretive vigilante. This latest book will see an emotionally compromised Orphan X go up against a mysterious billionaire and a deadly serial killer, which is sure to result in an outstanding story. I am very excited for this novel and it should turn out to be pretty awesome.

The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox – 13 February 2024

The Murder Inn Cover

An intriguing new thriller from the winning team of the legendary James Patterson and Australian author Candice Fox. The sequel to one of their previous collaborations, The Murder Inn looks set to be an intense and quick paced book, loaded with intrigue and murder.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett – 13 February 2024

The Tainted Cup Cover

I had to feature the awesome upcoming fantasy novel The Tainted Cup by the always impressive Robert Jackson Bennett. The start of an intriguing new series from Bennett, The Tainted Cup will see an intriguing duo investigate a mysterious magical death, one that could change everything and doom their entire nation. The Tainted Cup sounds like a wonderful character driven fantasy book with a great murder mystery element to it, and Bennett has proven to be an exceptional author in the past. As such, I am very keen for The Tainted Cup, and I feel it has the potential to be one of the top fantasy books of 2024.

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney – 20 February 2024

The Chaos Agent Cover

Perhaps the book I’m most excited for at the start of 2024 is The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney, which will serve as the 13^th novel in his epic Gray Man series. I have had a blast with this series over the years, and previous novels like The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out, Relentless, Sierra Six and Burner have all been exceptional reads, loaded with action, clever narratives and damaged characters. The Chaos Agent looks set to continue this trend with an intriguing new adventure which will force the protagonist to go up against old friends and new enemies as he tries to stop a plot involving artificial intelligence.

The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry – 20 February 2024

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

The final entry I want to highlight on this list is the fantastic upcoming thriller The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry. The latest book in Berry’s long-running Cotton Malone series (make sure to check out my reviews for previous entries like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom), The Atlas Maneuver will see the protagonist become involved in an insidious financial attack linked to looted Japanese war gold and a long-simmering war between the CIA and the world’s oldest bank. Sure to feature Berry’s trademark blend of an exciting and suspenseful modern thriller and fascinating historical secrets, I already know I am going to love The Atlas Maneuver and it is going to be so much fun.

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 – Favourite Books/Series Set in the Roman Empire

On November 22, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, List5 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 topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was a Thanksgiving themed list that required participants to list the reasons why they are thankful for books. While this is an interesting topic, I decided against contributing to it, instead I’m skipping ahead to next week’s topic to free up December for my usual end-of-year lists. As such, my topic for this week involves listing my favourite books set in a specific setting of my choosing, whether that be a country, state, outer space or something else. This open-ended list left me with quite a few opportunities for potential topics, but I decided to go back to my historical fiction roots and instead focus on books set in the Roman Empire.

I have mentioned before that when I started reviewing books I focussed completely on historical fiction, which was a favourite genre of mine. While I have expanded my horizons to other genres since then, historical fiction still has a very special place in my heart, and I always like to highlight it on this blog when I get a chance. As such, I thought I would give this latest list a historical fiction theme and look at books set in the most popular historical fiction setting, the ancient Roman Empire.

Due to the rich history, intriguing people, multiple wars, and iconic nature of ancient Rome, so many historical fiction novels and series are set during this period. While most of these books are military fiction, there are a ton other stories that can be told during this period, especially as there are so many detailed records about the various Roman Emperors and their reigns. I have a great deal of love for the Roman Empire in fiction and nearly every major historical fiction author has written a Roman series at some point in their career. As such, I can think of no better setting to focus this list on than the Roman Empire and its many different battles, plots and unique figures.

To feature on this list, a book needed to be set in some period of Roman history, whether it be the rise of city, the early wars, the height of Empire or its eventual decline. I decided to allow whole series to be featured as a single entry on this list as this honestly saves me having to choose my favourite novel from some particularly long series. While I had quite a few good options to feature here, I was eventually able to whittle my list down to ten books/series, with a few honourable mentions thrown in as well. Each of the below entries are very much worth checking out if you want some fiction set in the Roman Empire, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Return by Harry Sidebottom

The Return Cover

A dark and gritty standalone novel set shortly after the Roman conquest of Greece, which sees a traumatised former soldier return home only to find himself a suspect in a series of brutal murders.

Hannibal/The Forgotten Legion series by Ben Kane

Enemy of Rome Cover

Ben Kane has written several great Roman series over the years, and while I have one on the main list, I had to also highlight two of his other series here, including his awesome depiction Hannibal’s battles with Rome in Hannibal and the gripping read about Roman soldiers trapped in the East with The Forgotten Legion.

The Siege by Nick Brown

The Siege Cover

The fun first book in Brown’s Agent of Rome series that sees a young intelligence agent lead the defence of an isolated fort and its disparate soldiers. High recommended.

Top Ten List:

Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow

Death to the Emperor Cover

This list has to start with one of my all-time favourite historical fiction series, the Eagles of the Empire books by Simon Scarrow. Probably the gold standard of Roman historical fiction, the Eagles of the Empire is a great long-running series that really drew me into the genre when I started reading it years ago. Currently made up of 21 novels (with the 22^nd due to drop any day now), the Eagles of the Empire books follow two Roman officers who bounce from deadly warzone to warzone, trying to survive. Filled with elaborate battles, great characters, and a cool focus on some of Rome’s most memorable campaigns, the Eagles of the Empire books are so much fun and I cannot recommend them enough (check out my reviews for The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor).

Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis

Desperate Undertaking Cover 2

While most Roman series focus on wars and historical figures, one of the best is a fun murder mystery series with the Flavia Albia books by Lindsey Davis. A sequel to Davis’ original Falco novels (a series I still need to check out), the Flavia Albia books follow a skilled investigator as she tries to solve a series of elaborate crimes and murders while also balancing her hectic personal life. I have so much love for this series, especially as Davis always seems to get the perfect blend of humour, mystery, and dark intensity into her fantastic narratives. Some of my favourites in the series include Pandora’s Boy, The Grove of the Caesars (one of my favourite books of 2020), and Desperate Undertaking (one of my favourite books of 2022), and Davis is at her best when she creates particularly elaborate murders and large comedic set pieces. A must-read series for all fans of Roman historical fiction, especially those looking for something other than wars and politics.

Vespasian series by Robert Fabbri

Emperor of Rome Cover

Many Roman historical fiction authors choose to centre their books around great figures of history, but few of biographic novels are as entertaining or bold as the Vespasian series by Robert Fabbri. Focussing on the life of future Roman Emperor Vespasian, Fabbri works to combines the official record of Vespasian’s life with additional adventures that place the character in the middle of the most significant events of the era. Thanks to Fabbri’s choice to bring every salacious and insane bit of history from the period to life, you get to see the outrageous emperors who preceded Vespasian in all the bloody glory as the protagonist tries to survive the tumultuous wars and politics leading to his ascension. Deeply entertaining, compelling, and highly shocking, the Vespasian series (check out my reviews for Rome’s Sacred Flame and Emperor of Rome), are well worth checking out.

Eagles of Rome series by Ben Kane

Eagles at War Cover

As I mentioned above, there are several great Roman historical series written by Ben Kane, but my personal favourite is the Eagles of Rome series. Set around the infamous massacre of three Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest, the first book, Eagles at War, perfectly covers the massacre, while the sequels, Hunting the Eagle and Eagles in the Storm shows the attempts by the Roman characters to get revenge years later. Eagles at War really sets the tone for this excellent and dark series and I loved this fantastic and brutal portrayal of such an infamous event.

Warrior of Rome series by Harry Sidebottom

Fie in the East Cover

One of my absolute favourite Roman historical series is the amazing Warrior of Rome books by Harry Sidebottom. One of the first series I ever had the pleasure of reviewing, the Warrior of Rome novels follow the intriguing character of Ballista, a German hostage turned Roman nobleman who serves as a general and siege expert in the army. The first book, Fire in the East, saw Ballista take command of a doomed city in one of my favourite siege books, while the sequels show his attempts to save his friend the emperor from threats outside and within with some amazing reads. This series has remained very fresh and fun over the years, especially the last three novels which have featured an intriguing range of storylines, often laced with compelling thriller elements, such as the 24-inspired The Last Hour, the intense survival novel The Burning Road, and the behind-enemy-lines novel, Falling Sky. I have a lot of love for this outstanding series and Sidebottom continuously shows himself to be one of the very best authors of Roman historical fiction.

Commodus by Simon Turney

Commodus Cover

A fascinating and addictive read that followed one of the most intriguing Roman Emperors, the infamous and beloved Commodus. Turney does a wonderful job of showcasing this complex figure in all his glory, strength and insanity, and you really get a feel for both his nobility and his struggles. One of the most moving and compelling Roman fiction novels I have had the pleasure of reading, this is an outstanding book.

Empire series by Anthony Riches

River of Gold Cover

Another Roman historical series I got into years ago is the Empire series by Anthony Riches, which is a classic and impressive collection of books that dive into the comradery of a dedicated regiment. Starting with Wounds of Honour, this series primarily follows a political fugitive fighting in the legions under an assumed name in several deadly conflicts. I deeply enjoyed the first several books in the series, and I recently got back into it when I read the fun novel River of Gold. An awesome and exciting series that proves very easy to read whenever I want a new historical adventure.

The Throne of Caesar by Steven Saylor

The Throne of Caesars Cover

Another excellent Roman detective series is the Roma Sub Rosa books by Steven Saylor which follow the long running character Gordianus the Finder. I have only had the pleasure of reading one of Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa books, The Throne of Caesar, but I really loved it. Set just before the Ides of March, The Throne of Caesar sees Gordianus investigate the conspiracy against Julius Caesar in a clever narrative that gets even more intense the closer the protagonist gets to the assassination. A brilliant read that I am really glad I got the chance to check out.

The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford

The Sword of Attila Cover

Another great standalone Roman fiction book I had to highlight on this list was the invigorating and compelling read, The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford. The Sword of Attila is a gripping novel that focussed on two figures from history, Attila the Hun and the Roman general who beat him, Flavius Aetius. Set towards the end of the Roman Empire, The Sword of the Attila did an excellent job of examining the lives of both fascinating historical figures and the connections they shared. One of the better character-driven Roman historical fiction novels I have had the pleasure of reading, I deeply enjoyed learning about both these intriguing legends.

Emperor series by Conn Iggulden

The Gates of Rome Cover

The final series I want to feature on this list is one of the best with the Emperor series by iconic historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. An awesome retelling of the entire life of Julius Caesar, Iggulden imagines all the triumphs and tragedies of this illustrious leader and portrays them in a captivating and intelligent way for the reader. A deeply impressive series that proves very hard to put down, the Emperor books are some of the best Roman historical fiction novels out there and are a must read for fans of the genre.

Well that’s my latest list. As you can see, there are a range of awesome and compelling novels and series set in the Roman Empire that are very much worth checking out. I am such a huge fun of this setting and all the above books and series come highly recommended. Let me know in the comments below what your favourite books set in ancient Rome are, as well as some of your favourite settings.

Top Ten Tuesday – Mainstream Popular Authors that I Still Have Not Read

On November 15, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing the top mainstream authors they have not read. This proved to be a very interesting topic to pull together, as like many reviewers and book bloggers out there, I already had a pretty substantial list of big-named authors I wish I’d had the chance to read at some point. As such, this proved to be a relatively easy list for me to pull together, and it didn’t take me long to come up with a list of impressive mainstream authors that have been on my radar for years. I think the resulting list turned out pretty well, even if it is slightly fantasy fiction skewed, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Peter V. Brett

The Core Cover

I have been meaning to dive into Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle series for years as it’s a major bit of fantasy fiction I’ve been missing out on.

Janny Wurts

The Empire Trilogy Cover

I left Janny Wurts as an honourable mention, mainly because I have some experience with her writing thanks to the Empire trilogy she co-authored with Raymond E. Feist. However, Wurst has an impressive catalogue of her own classic fantasy fiction that I really need to check out.

Chris Hammer

The Tilt Cover

A major Australian crime fiction author I always regret not reading anything from is Chris Hammer, who has produced some awesome sounding books over the years.

James Rollins

Sandstorm Cover

I’m slightly cheating featuring James Rollins on this list as I have read a few of his books in the past. However, that was at least 15 years ago, and I honestly don’t remember too much of the details, except for the fact that I really enjoyed his Sigma Force books. I have been meaning to go back and try them again, especially after having so much fun with the similar Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, and I definitely need to reacquaint myself with James Rollins in a big way.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon Cover

I’m starting this list off with one of the biggest fantasy fiction authors I haven’t had the pleasure of reading yet, Steven Erikson. I’m pretty much always on the R/Fantasy subreddit and not a day goes by that someone doesn’t recommend or gush about how good the Malazan series is. Partially cowritten by Erikson’s friend, Ian Cameron Esslemont (who I guess I’m also including on this list by default) the Malazan books are an elaborate and character-driven series that features an epic world, massive scope and complex plot. The first 10 books in the series are written by Erikson, so he’s the author I’m featuring on this list, and it sounds like he covers the major story of the franchise. I really want to check out the Malazan books, especially as they have been so hyped up for me, and it sounds like such an exceptional series to get into.

Lee Child

Killing Floor Cover

I love a good and exciting thriller and one of the biggest thriller series out there that I still need to read are the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. Following the titular protagonist, Jack Reacher, as he drifts around America solving crime and righting wrongs with extreme violence, the Jack Reacher novels sound like a ton of fun. I really enjoyed both the film and television adaptation of the Jack Reacher novels, so I should dive into the original source material at some point and see how good an author Lee Child is.

V. E. Schwab

Vicious Cover

One author that I have had my eye on for a while is the very talented V. E. Schwab, who also writes as Victoria Schwab. Schwab is very highly regarded in fantasy fiction circles, and I honestly have seen so much praise for her work over the years, especially her Villains series, which gets a ton of love from some reviewers I follow. Many of Schwab’s other works, including her Shades of Magic series and her intriguing standalone novels, sound pretty damn awesome and I hope that I can get around to reading some of her work at some point in the future. I reckon I would start with the Villains series first, as a fun take on supervillains and superpowers is always something I’m going to love.

Pierce Brown

Red Rising Cover

Probably the science fiction author I have the biggest regrets about not reading anything from yet is Pierce Brown, who is best known for his iconic Red Rising series. An epic dystopian science fiction series with some intriguing class and race elements behind it, the Red Rising books are generally considered one of the top science fiction series of the last decade and I have always wanted to check it out. I honestly did a quick read of Red Rising’s plot as research for this list and it sounds so damn awesome, with betrayal, subterfuge and war all across futuristic Mars. I definitely need to check this series work out and I know I’m going to love Brown’s creativity and epic storytelling.

Jenn Lyons

The Ruin of Kings Cover

Another major fantasy author who is very high on my to-read list is Jenn Lyons thanks to her awesome sounding A Chorus of Dragons series. Set around a complex protagonist who finds himself dragged into tangled events surrounding dragons, demons, gods and treachery, this series sounds like a ton of fun and I’ve been meaning to dive into it for a while. I’ve actually got several A Chorus of Dragons books currently sitting on my bookshelf and I’m hoping to make a dent in them soon.

David Baldacci

Absolute Power Cover

David Baldacci is a prime example of a major crime fiction author whose work I never seem to get the chance to read. It’s actually a little embarrassing to me as I always get copies of Baldacci’s books, but I never end up reading them. This seems like such a real shame to me, especially as each of his novels sound really cool and interesting, but I can never make the time to get into them. I’m hoping to change that one day and I am sure when I do, I know I will be blown away by how much I enjoy his fantastic crime fiction.

R. F. Kuang

The Poppy War Cover

When fantasy fans online talk about the best recent fantasy fiction the name R. F. Kuang constantly comes up thanks to her highly acclaimed Poppy War trilogy. A complex and dark fantasy series with compelling Chinese influences, the series follows a young woman who is dragged into a bloody war and must overcome prejudice, addiction, and other traumas to survive. I really love the sound of the Poppy War books, which has so many awesome elements to it, and I am also quite intrigued by some of Kuang’s standalone novels such as a Yellowface and Babel, or the Necessity of Violence, which have all come highly rated. I really need to make an effort to read some of Kuang’s work in the future and I think I will start by grabbing her next standalone novel when it comes out in 2024.

Glen Cook

The Black Company Cover

Another pretty essential fantasy author whose work I’ve missed out on is Glen Cook, who is best known for the fantastically dark The Black Company series. Generally regarded by many as the gold standard of dark fantasy, The Black Company novels follow a group of amoral mercenaries who find themselves caught up in a series of brutal wars. This gritty series sounds pretty damn amazing, and I have heard a lot of positive reviews of it over the years. As such, The Black Company and Glen Cook are book very high on my to-read list and I really must check them out before someone adapts them into a television show.

Ian Rankin

Knots and Crosses Cover

Over the last couple of years I have been making some major strides to fill in some gaps in my crime fiction appreciation by reading more from established big name authors. However, one of the main ones that I have missed is Ian Rankin, who has been writing since 1986. Best known for his Inspector Rebus series, Rankin has produced some amazing books over the years and I’m sorry not to have enjoyed any of them. This will hopefully be something I can overcome in the future, and I am sure I will have a great time with Rankin’s unique take on murder mystery.

Brent Weeks

Night Angel Nemesis Cover

The final mainstream author I need to highlight on this list is acclaimed fantasy author Brent Weeks. Weeks is a pretty major fantasy fiction writer whose work I haven’t had the chance the read, which always seems like such a big shame. His two major series, the Night Angel trilogy and the Lightbringer books, sound extremely compelling, presenting the reader with complex fantasy concepts and elaborate stories. Both series are very iconic and highly regarded and I feel like I’m missing out by not reading them. Hopefully this is something I can rectify in the future and I am sure that I will be enthralled by all of Weeks’ amazing writing.

That’s the end of this latest fun Top Ten Tuesday post. As you can see, there are some pretty awesome mainstream authors out there that I still need to dive into and I am hoping that is something I can start rectifying in the new year. I have heard some amazing things about all the above authors and I can’t wait to find out just how good they are some point soon. In the meantime, let me know which mainstream authors you still need to read in the comments below.

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

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

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Genefather by Guy Haley

Warhammer 40,000 - Genefather Cover

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

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

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

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Sword Catcher Cover

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

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

The Lie Maker Cover

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

Top Ten List:

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

Murtagh Cover

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

Slayers by Christopher Golden and Amber Benson

Slayers Cover

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

Gods of the Wyrdwood by R. J. Barker

Gods of the Wyrdwood Cover

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

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

Warhammer 40,000 - The Fall of Cadia Cover

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

Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

Generation Ship Cover

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

The 9^th Man by Grant Blackwood and Steve Berry

The 9th Man Cover

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

Warhammer 40,000: Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons

Dead Men Walking Cover

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

Defiant by Brandon Sanderson

Defiant Cover

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

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

House of Open Wounds Cover

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

Star Wars: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Horror Novels (Halloween 2023)

On October 31, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List7 Comments

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

Later by Stephen King

An excellent read from one horror mastermind Stephen King. While primarily a character-driven story about a complicated youth’s life, Later gets pretty scary in places especially once the protagonist encounters true evil. A deeply compelling read with some interesting connections to one of King’s most iconic horror novels, this is an excellent and unique book that is worth reading.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

While more of a fantasy/superhero story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, including the infamous diner scene. These horror elements are greatly enhanced in the full-cast audiobook and you will end up cringing away from how dark this gothic comic gets.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

One of horrors most compelling current authors, Grady Hendrix, came up with a brilliant book earlier this year that really showcased his appreciated for the horror genre. A fantastic and spooky examination of haunted house stories, How to Sell a Haunted House was gripping and creepy from the get-go and I loved it, even if I will never look at puppets the same way again.

Warhammer 40,000: Sepulturum by Nick Kyme

The epic Warhammer 40,000 universe features a range of intense and dark horror novels and one of my favourites is the compelling novel Sepulturum by Nick Kyme. A terrifying read set in a grim city overrun by strange zombies, Sepulturum is a gripping read that showcases just how dark Warhammer fiction can get.

Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

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

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

The first of two Jonathan Maberry novels I featured on this list, Patient Zero is an awesome book that features an elite counterterrorist unit as they attempt to stop terrorists spreading a deadly zombie virus across America. I have a lot of love for the thriller aspects of Patient Zero, however, the highlights of this book are the gruesome and terrifying zombie sequences, which sees the protagonists get overwhelmed by hordes of the infected. This results in some truly impressive horror scenes, and I had to include this book on my list as a result.

The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

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

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

Another intriguing Warhammer Horror novel, The Bookkeeper’s Skull is a haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting. The book follows a planetary enforcer as he investigates a mysterious and cursed agricultural community plagued by a series of gruesome murders. Hill creates a spooky and malevolent atmosphere, and you are constantly left wondering who is going to end up dead next. Tightly paced and featuring some gritty depictions of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

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

Holly by Stephen King

The latest book from Stephen King, Holly is primarily a thriller that sees the titular protagonist investigate a missing persons case. However, there are some devastatingly insidious and horrifying elements loaded into the story, especially with how exceptionally evil the excellent antagonists were. I found myself shuddering multiple times throughout the course of Holly and if that doesn’t make it a horror book I don’t know what will. This was easily one of the best books I have read all year and I must include it on this horror list as well.

World War Z by Max Brooks

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

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

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

Devolution by Max Brooks

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

Ink by Jonathan Maberry

For the final entry on this list there was no way I could exclude one of Maberry’s best pure horror reads, Ink. While most of the other Maberry novels with horror elements focus either on zombies or Lovecraftian monsters, Ink features a particularly horrendous tale of a depraved being who steals a person’s tattoos and the precious memories associated with them. Set in one of Maberry’s most iconic settings, Ink had a very disturbing narrative, and I deeply appreciated this unique and book that the author came up with.

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

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

On October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

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

Honourable Mentions

Stormblood by Jeremy Szal

Before the Storm by Christe Golden

Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski

Top Ten Tuesday:

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

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

Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill

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

The Third Day, The Frost by John Marsden

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

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

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

Star Wars: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott

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

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

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

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

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

We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo

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

Warriors of the Storm by Bernard Cornwell

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

Usagi Yojimbo: Seasons by Stan Sakai

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2023 TBR

On September 12, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 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 based around favourite character relationships, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to. However, as we are already a couple of weeks into the Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), 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 I honestly should have pulled this together a couple of weeks ago.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2023 and 30 November 2023. 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 book of the year (as well as my most anticipated fantasy/science fiction books of the year). Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I also excluded several awesome Spring releases that I have already read or started reading (such as Holly by Stephen King which I am nearly at the end of). 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 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher – 10 October 2023

Long Past Dues Cover

The Exchange by John Grisham – 17 October 2023

The Exchange Cover

The long-awaited sequel to Grisham’s iconic novel, The Firm, this should be a very interesting and compelling thriller.

The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom – 9 November 2023

The Shadow King Cover

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie – 15 November 2023

Vendetta Cover

Top Ten Tuesday:

Code Red by Kyle Mills – 12 September 2023

Code Red Cover

The latest book in the iconic Mitch Rapp spy thriller series (originally written by Vince Flynn and currently authored by Kyle Mills), Code Red sounds like a very exciting and intense novel that I am hoping to read this week.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 12 September 2023

The Last Devil to Die Cover

Filled with mystery, great characters and a wicked dose of humour, Richard Osman’s fourth Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil to Die, is going to be exceedingly awesome and so much fun to read.

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett – 26 September 2023

The Armour of Light Cover

An epic and massive historical fiction novel from the master of elaborate character-focused tales, Ken Follett.

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead by K. J. Parker – 3 October 2023

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead Cover

An intriguing and awesome upcoming fantasy comedy book that I know I am going to love, Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead will follow a battlefield looter as they experience all manner of trouble. Two sequels to Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead are also coming out in the next few months, but I think I will just highlight this first book for now.

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 17 October 2023

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

The fantastic sounding sequel to Stevenson’s hilarious and addictive 2022 Australian murder mystery, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect sounds extremely amazing and should be one of the funniest and most compelling crime fiction novels of 2023.

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – 7 November 2023

Resurrection Walk Cover

Michael Connelly continues his entertaining and captivating Lincoln Lawyer series with Resurrection Walk, which sees the titular lawyer protagonist face off against a corrupt police force. An awesome legal thriller featuring several of Connelly’s best characters, this is going to be something very special.

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini – 7 November 2023

Murtagh Cover

Acclaimed author Christopher Paolini returns to the world of his original work, the Inheritance Cycle, with a new standalone novel focused on the amazing character of Murtagh. Set to follow this conflicted and hated dragon rider as he encounters a new dangerous threat, this will be an awesome book and I am very excited to finally have a continuation of one of my favourite series.

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 14 November 2023

Rebellion Cover

The always exciting Simon Scarrow continues his excellent Eagles of the Empire series with the fantastic sounding Rebellion. Set to follow the brutal battles of Boudica’s uprising, Rebellion looks set to be an outstanding addition to this already epic series.

Defiant by Brandon Sanderson – 21 November 2023

Defiant Cover

Sanderson brings his fantastic Skyward series to an end with the fourth book Defiant. Following on from previous epic reads, Skyward, Starsight and Cytonic, Defiant should be pretty damn exceptional and I am eager to see how Sanderson brings everything to an end.

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath – 28 November 2023

Kill Your Husbands Cover

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome upcoming Australian crime fiction novel, Kill Your Husbands. The sequel to author’s previous fantastic read, Kill Your Brother, Kill Your Husbands will feature a unique murder scenario with a twisted web of lies, deceit and intriguing characters surrounding it, and I cannot wait to read it.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Water Terms in the Title

On August 29, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

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

Honourable Mentions:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

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

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

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

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Top Ten Tuesday:

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

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

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

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

The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

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

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

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

The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

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

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

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

River of Gold by Anthony Riches

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

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

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

Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

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

Black River by Matthew Spencer

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks with Special Narrators

On August 22, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants get a freebie list that they can build around a specific genre. As such, I’m going to go back to my favourite format for enjoying all things fiction and craft a list around audiobooks, which fans of this blog will know I have a major liking for. In particular, I am going to look at those very awesome audiobooks that make excellent use of a special narrator.

All audiobook fans know that the one thing that can make or break an audiobook is the narrator. A talented narrator with a great voice can turn any book into something spectacular, while a bad narrator can tank even the very best story. In some very awesome cases, the audiobook’s producers manage to get their hands on someone particularly special to narrate their product for them, and this usually works out to be pretty damn epic. Now, when I talk about special narrators, I’m talking about either major celebrities, or someone who already has a significant connection with the book/franchise, and whose inclusion ensures that the listener can really get absorbed into the resultant audiobook. I have had the very great pleasure of listening to several amazing examples of these special narrators turning already epic books into first-class listens, and I thought this would be a fantastic time to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the audiobook had to feature the voice of a celebrity or an actor best known from another media, and whose inclusion as a narrator was particularly significant. I chose to exclude a couple major audiobook productions that went out of their way to get a ton of celebrity voices, such as World War Z or The Sandman, mainly because they recently appeared on another Top Ten List, but also because that felt a little like cheating. Despite this, I still had a good collection of first-rate audiobooks that featured very special narrators. All these epic and unique narrators helped to deeply enhance the audiobook they lent their voices to, and I would strongly recommend the resulting products as a result. So let’s see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Law, written and narrated by Jim Butcher

It often doesn’t work when an author narrates their own audiobook, especially if their series is already well known for having an excellent narrator, but I felt Jim Butcher did a pretty good job voicing his most iconic character in this audio adaptation of The Law novella.

The Padmé Trilogy, written by E. K. Johnston, narrated by Catherine Taber

The Padmé trilogy of Star Wars novels was an intriguing young adult series that worked to expand on the story of Padmé Amidala from the prequel trilogy. Now, while this series from E. K. Johnston, made up of Queen’s Shadow, Queen’s Peril and Queen’s Hope, is quite good in its own way, the audiobook versions are deeply enhanced by the inclusion of narrator Catherine Taber, the voice of Padmé from The Clone Wars animated series. Taber really brings this iconic character to life again in this new format, and her voice work deeply enhances this fantastic read.

The Night Fire, written by Michael Connelly and narrated by Titus Welliver and Christine Lakin

The audiobook versions of Michael Conelly’s books are usually pretty damn awesome, but I had a particularly good time with The Night Fire, mainly because it had a great voice cast behind it. While Christine Lakin does an excellent job, for the purposes of this list I am mainly highlighting the inclusion of Titus Welliver, who plays the character of Harry Bosche in the Bosche television series. His use as a narrator here is brilliant, and I loved the continuity in these latest audiobooks.

The Final Girl Support Group, written by Grady Hendrix and narrated by Adrienne King

Grady Hendrix’s outstanding horror thriller, The Final Girl Support Group, featured a ton of amazing homages to classic slasher films, but its best is probably the inclusion of Adrienne King as the audiobook narrator. King, who is best known for her role as the final girl in the original Friday the 13^th film was an inspired choice for narrator, and I loved the added authenticity her performance gave this fantastic audiobook.

Top Ten Tuesday:

The Lord of the Rings, written by J. R. R. Tolkien and narrated by Andy Serkis

Let’s start with a true classic and focus on the latest The Lord of the Rings audiobooks. While The Lord of the Rings books are always pretty damn awesome, these new audiobooks are further enhanced by the inclusion of legendary actor Andy Serkis as narrator. Serkis gives a 110% performance in these audiobooks, gifting wonderful voices to all the characters, not just Gollum, and even trying to emulate the voices of fellow Lord of the Rings film cast members. His exceptional voice work and elaborate performance greatly enhances these amazing audiobooks, and The Unseen Library strongly recommends this format as a result.

Dresden Files audiobooks, written by Jim Butcher and narrated by James Marsters

I doubt anyone familiar with my blog will be too surprised that I am featuring the Dresden Files audiobooks on this list. I have had such an epic time with this series over the last few years, and part of the reason why is because each of the audiobooks is narrated by actor James Marsters, who I have been a huge fan of since Buffy the Vampire Slayer first came out. Marsters is such a talented narrator, and he really dives into the various characters featured in the Dresden Files books, including series protagonist Harry Dresden. The actor’s fun and emotional take on the protagonist really makes these audiobooks come to life, and every single one of them that I have listened to, including Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Night and Battle Ground, are so much better with Marsters’ expert narration. I cannot recommend this audiobook series enough as a result, and Marsters will make you fall in love with this exceptional urban fantasy series.

Welcome to Night Vale and It Devours!, written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, narrated by Cecil Baldwin

Another series I have to recommend thanks to my Guest Review section are the fantastic Welcome to Night Vale audiobooks. Welcome to Night Vale is a beloved and weird sci-fi podcast that has been ongoing for several years now, picking up a dedicated following. As part of this, the creators have also written several books, including Welcome to Night Vale and It Devours!, which provide some extra fun insight into this crazy series. The audiobook versions of these novels are particularly fun because they are narrated by Cecil Baldwin, who serves as one of the main voices of the Welcome to Night Vale podcast. While I haven’t personally listened to these books, my editor and occasional contributor Alex swears by them and I had to include them on this list as a result. Alex really loved Baldwin’s voicework in these two audiobooks and she assures me that his inclusion as narrator ensures that these are required listening for all fans of this iconic podcast.

The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice, written by Richard Osman and narrated by Lesley Manville

I have a lot of love for Richard Osman’s first two Thursday Murder Club novels, especially in their audiobook format. That is because the awesome narration of actress Lesley Manville is so damn exceptional and she gives perfect voices to all the great cast members. Manville really showcases her vocal skills in these first two books, and thanks to her outstanding narration, The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice both ended up being amongst my favourite audiobooks of 2020 and 2021 respectfully.

Sylvanas, written by Christie Golden and narrated by Patty Mattson

There are some pretty awesome Warcraft/World of Warcraft audiobooks out there, but probably one of the best in terms of narration has to be last year’s outstanding listen, Sylvanas. Not only does Sylvanas have a great story behind it that examines one of the most complex characters in the Warcraft cannon, but the production team sought to bring some major authenticity and power to the audiobook version by utilising voice actor Patty Mattson as narrator. Mattson is probably best known for voicing Sylvanas Windrunner in World of Warcraft, so her inclusion here as narrator is an epic choice, as she already embodies the book’s main character/narrator perfectly. Having Sylvanas’ story told to you in her own voice is so damn cool, and it turns this audiobook into an epic listen, especially for dedicated Warcraft fans.

The Salvage Crew, written by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne and narrated by Nathan Fillion

I must admit that one of the main reasons that I originally listened to the compelling and freaky science fiction audiobook, The Salvage Crew, was because it featured Nathan Fillion as narrator. Fillion, who voices the machine protagonist, unsurprisingly does an amazing job in The Salvage Crew, and his silky tones really drag you into this elaborate tale. While I did deeply enjoy Wijeratne’s clever writing, I doubt I would have checked it out without Fillion, who really does an amazing job as a narrator.

Redshirts, written by John Scalzi and narrated by Wil Wheaton

Redshirts by amazing author John Scalzi is a hilarious and exceedingly clever parody/homage to the classic Star Trek series that shows the perspective of the doomed redshirts who are highly aware of their lack of survivability. I have a lot of love for this novel, and the audiobook is particularly cool, especially because they chose the perfect narrator for it, with Star Trek: The Next Generation star, Wil Wheaton. Wheaton has a lot of fun narrating this outstanding book, and there is something particularly fun having an iconic cast member reading this a clever Star Trek parody. I was laughing myself silly the entire time I was listening to this book, and I doubt I would have had as much fun without Wheaton’s fantastic inclusion.

Star Wars: Ahsoka, written by E. K. Johnston and narrated by Ashley Eckstein

With the Ahsoka television series starting up tomorrow night, I definelty needed to highlight an awesome audiobook from a few years ago that makes perfect use of a special narrator. This audiobook is Ahsoka by E. K. Johnston and it features the excellent voice work of Ashley Eckstein, who is the definitive Ahsoka for The Clone Wars fans. This novel follows the character in the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith and Eckstein unsurprisingly kills it, showcasing her impressive vocal range while also telling a unique Ahsoka tale that only she can.

The Bullet That Missed, written by Richard Osman and narrated by Fiona Shaw

Now I am slightly cheating here by including the third Thursday Murder Club novel, The Bullet That Missed, separately on this list, but I’m justifying it because it features a different special narrator. The Bullet That Missed was a particularly impressive entry in this great series, and I made sure to grab the audiobook version as soon as possible. While I was initially disappointed that Leslie Manville wasn’t returning, I swiftly got over that the moment I found of Fiona Shaw of Harry Potter, Andor and Killing Eve fame was replacing her. Shaw also does an exceptional job narrating this novel and while she does emulate Manville in places, Shaw really puts her own spin on the narration, producing an exceptional listen. I really loved how Shaw effortless stepped in for this third book and her narration deeply enhances some of the best elements of The Bullet That Missed, including the pure Britishness of the story. I am very happy that Shaw will be returning for the upcoming Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil To Die, and I cannot wait to hear her bring this new novel to life.

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line, written by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham and narrated by Kristen Bell

The final audiobook I want to highlight is the awesome Veronica Mars tie-in novel, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line, which is set after the Veronica Mars film. While I really did enjoy the clever mystery, intense personal story and intriguing expansion of the Veronica Mars mythos it contained, the true highlight of this audiobook has to be the fact that they get Kristen Bell to narrate it. Bell obviously has no problem bringing this elaborate Veronica Mars story to life and her narration is exceedingly impressive, cleverly capturing not only her own character, but several other figures from the show. This is probably one of my favourite pieces of tie-in media and Bell’s amazing narration is a key reason for this.

That’s my latest list. As you can see, I have had the pleasure of listening to several outstanding audiobooks that feature some brilliant and distinctive special narrators. All 10 entries above come very highly recommended and you are guaranteed to love all of them, especially with their outstanding narrators.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books With One-Word Titles

On August 16, 2023 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 topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing characters from different books that the participants believe should team up. While this is certainly a unique list, it wasn’t anything I felt I could contribute to, so I instead went back and did the July 18 topic of books with one-word titles, which I missed a few weeks ago.

This is a simple, yet interesting topic that requires people to list their favourite books whose title is a single word. This actually proved to be a rather difficult list for me to pull together, mainly because there are so many good books out there that have a single word title to them. To make this easier, I tried to limit myself to only one entry from each author or series, although I did fail that in places. Even with this limitation, I still ended up by a ton of books to use, so I went big and instead make this a full 20 book list. I am pretty happy with how this turned out, so let us see what made the cut.

Top Twenty List:

Xenos by Dan Abnett

A fantastic and complex thriller set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. All three books in the Eisenhorn trilogy (including Malleus and Hereticus) could be used here, but I decided to feature the first book only as it expertly sets the great series up.

Legend by David Gemmell

A classic and exceptional piece of fantasy fiction that features one of the best sieges you’ll ever read.

Burner by Mark Greaney

There are several great books in Mark Greaney’s outstanding Gray Man series that have a one-word title, however, my favourite is probably the most recent entry Burner, which was an impressive read from start to finish.

Homeland by R. A. Salvatore

Quite a few of Salvatore’s fantasy books only have one word in the title, however I had to include his very best book, Homeland, which serves a perfect origin story for his most iconic character.

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

A gripping and exceptional historical murder mystery/legal thriller, Tombland was one of the best books of 2018.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I had to include at least one of the books from Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle on this list, as it is one of my very favourite fantasy series. While all four books in the series could be featured here, I decided to go with Eragon, mainly because it serves as such an excellent introduction to this entire fun series.

Devolution by Max Brooks

A very captivating and entertaining horror that cleverly features sasquatches as a terrifying and intriguing monster.

Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

One of the best novels in the outstanding Warhammer Crime series.

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

One of the seminal pieces of fantasy fiction out there, Magician is a brilliant read that honestly got me into the genre years ago.

Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

A highly entertaining novel that perfectly reintroduces the iconic Star Wars character of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the current canon.

Outgunned by Denny Flowers

A powerful and moving Warhammer 40,000 novel that shines a whole new light on a unique battlefield in the chaotic future.

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

An excellent and intense murder mystery set in Nazi controlled Berlin by one of my favourite historical fiction authors.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

The first book in Sanderson’s awesome Skyward series, Skyward is a powerful and addictive read about a young girl who attempts to become a pilot to save her planet. The sequels, Starsight and Cytonic, are also very good, and would have been worthy additions to this list.

Later by Stephen King

A quick, compelling and highly entertaining read from the master of fiction, Stephen King.

Necropolis by Dan Abnett

One of the best entries in the exceptional Gaunt’s Ghosts series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, Necropolis is an outstanding siege novel that I powered through in no time at all.

Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

While I was tempted to feature the first book in the Rogue Team International series, Rage, I decided to instead go with the sequel Relentless, as it has a much darker story with some major character moments.

Planetside by Michael Mammay

A brilliant debut novel that followed a gruff solider as he investigated a sinister disappearance on an alien planet. This was such a great read, and the sequels, Spaceside and Colonyside, would also be worthy additions here.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

A hilarious and captivating novel that cleverly parodies classic Star Trek tropes by telling a story from the perspective of a doomed redshirt.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

One of the most intriguing and captivating science fiction novels I have ever read, I have so much love for this outstanding novel and its cool time travel concepts.

Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn

The final book I want to finish here is the fantastic standalone Star Wars novel, Scoundrels. Set in the now defunct Star Wars Legends canon, Scoundrels is an awesome heist book featuring your favourite rogues, Han, Lando and Chewie.

Well that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a ton of brilliant books out there at feature a single-world titles and it is amazing the sheer variety of different novels I have read over the years that use this naming convention. I think the above list does a great job capturing my absolute favourite single-word title novels, and I would strongly recommend all the above for anyone looking for an exceptional read.