Tag: Tyrant

Book Haul – 6 December 2025

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

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

I finally got my copy of the cool new Joe Hill book, King Sorrow. An extensive novel that will follow a group of friends who make an unwise, life-time bargain with an ancient dragon, King Sorrow sounds really awesome, and I’ve heard some great things about it.  I’m actually hoping to start reading King Sorrow next, and I have no doubt it is going to be something special.

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The Feeding by Anthony Ryan

I was very happy to receive a copy of Anthony Ryan’s new novel, The Feeding, especially after having so much fun with his other 2025 release, Born of an Iron Storm. The Feeding is an excellent post-apocalyptic novel, set in a future overrun with vampires. I’ve actually already read The Feeding, and it was an outstanding novel that I deeply enjoyed.

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The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

I was very happy to get a copy of The Blackfire Blade by James Logan in the last week. The sequel to Logan’s outstanding debut, The Silverblood Promise, The Blackfire Blade features another awesome plot as the protagonist journeys to another dangerous and unique fantasy city to uncover more clues about his father’s death. I really enjoyed Logan’s first novel, and I cannot wait to see how this sequel unfolds.

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Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky

My reading list for 2026 is already off to a strong start, as I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The fourth book in the Tyrant Philosophers series, Pretenders to the Throne of God is set in an unique and complex fantasy world and will follow on from outstanding books like City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith. Set to feature more war, magic and brilliantly damaged characters, Pretenders to the Throne of God is one of my most anticipated books coming out in 2026 and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

I recently grabbed a copy of Tyrant by Conn Iggulden, which I have been keen to read all year. The entertaining sounding sequel to Iggulden’s 2024 novel, Nero, Tyrant will continue to follow the rise of the infamous Roman emperor, with this book focusing on his teenage years. I had a lot of fun with the previous entry in this series, and I cannot wait to see more of Iggulden’s unique take on this iconic historical figure.

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Forged in Rome by Conn Iggulden

I also managed to grab a copy of Iggulden’s other 2025 release, Forged in Rome, which I honestly didn’t realise was coming out. Set to follow a former slave turned treasured scribe, Forged in Rome should be a unique Roman story and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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Everyone Wants to Rule the World by Ace Atkins

A fun 1980’s thriller with some entertaining twists to it. I look forward to checking this book out, especially as I haven’t read anything from Ace Atkins before.

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On the Edge by Kate Horan

An exciting and complex Australian murder mystery that should be a highlight of early 2026.

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No Man’s Land by Richard K. Morgan

One of the more distinctive novels I recently received a copy of is the cool historical fantasy novel No Man’s Land by Richard Morgan. A gritty standalone novel that envisions England being overrun by a race of fae during World War I, No Man’s Land has a lot of potential, and I feel it is going to be one of the most impressive fantasy novels of 2026.

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Star Trek: Shaxs’ Best (and Worst) Day by Ryan North and Derek Charm

The final book I recently was received was a copy of the fun Star Trek comic, Shaxs’ Best (and Worst) Day. Written by Ryan North and featuring art from Derek Charm, this cool entry serves as an entertaining spin-off to the pair’s Lower Decks comic, the first volume of which I recently reviewed. I love the sound of Shaxs’ Best (and Worst) Day, which will see the titular character attempt to save the day when the universe is rewritten by Lore. I’m sure this is going to be a ton of fun and I look forward to diving into it.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2025 that I still Need to Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie.  However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2025 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.

While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding books in 2025, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read.  Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2025 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet.  Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads.  This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while.  All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about a hero whose chosen-one status isn’t what he thinks it is.

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Warrior by Simon Turney

The interesting sounding sequel to Turney’s 2024 novel Invader.  I failed to get a copy of Warrior earlier in the year, so I will have to see how I go continuing the series.

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Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong

A very exciting science fiction debut that I’m hoping to read soon, especially as Strong already has a sequel to it coming out.

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The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron

An awesome historical thriller that I am going to try and grab a copy of soon, as it sounds particularly epic.

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Top Ten List:

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The first novel from the first half of 2025 that I want to talk about is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence.  The third and final entry in Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart will finish off the elaborate story of a war within a massive, impossible library that started in The Book that Wouldn’t Burn and continued in The Book That Broke the World.  I deeply enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I really want to finish Lawrence’s trilogy off.  Hopefully I will be able to fit The book That Held Her Heart into my reading schedule soon, as this is one of the biggest releases from the first half of the year I still need to read.

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

Another key book from early 2025 that I still need to read is the gripping Tyrant by historical fiction author Conn Iggulden.  The second book in the author’s Nero series, Tyrant will continue to follow the young life of the infamous emperor Nero, as he slowly rose to power in ancient Rome.  The first book in this series, Nero, was pretty damn good, and I cannot wait to continue Iggulden’s intriguing examination of this fascinating historical figure.  I’m hoping to get a copy of Tyrant soon, and I have no doubt this will be one of the better historical fiction books I read in 2025.

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The Medici Return by Steve Berry

One of the more surprising entries on this list is the new Cotton Malone novel from Steve Berry, The Medici Return.  In recent years I’ve made a real effort to read the new Steve Berry book each year, especially as the Cotton Malone novels feature cool thriller stories based around complex historical secrets and conspiracies.  Unfortunately, I just haven’t been able to fit The Medici Return into my 2025 reading schedule yet, which is a real shame as it has a very fun plot about the return of the legendary Medici of Florence, which could have massive impacts on modern day Italy.  Sure to be another complex and culturally rich story, The Medici Return is very high on my to-read list.

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I had really hoped to read the awesome new Adrian Tchaikovsky science fiction novel, Shroud, by this point in the year.  A complex and intense read about two people who find themselves trapped on the surface a truly inhospitable and completely dark alien planet, Shroud has a fascinating story about survival and alien contact.  I love the sound of this excellent science fiction novel, and I am determined to read Shroud in 2025.

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You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I was happy to receive a copy of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego earlier this year, although I unfortunately haven’t had a chance to read it yet.  Featuring the fun concept of a group of mystery writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated manor with a dangerous killer, You Are Fatally Invited sounds like an incredible read, and one sure to be loaded with fun twists and complex turns.  I really intend to explore You Are Fatally Invited by the end of the year, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.

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The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

One of the more exciting novels from the first half of 2025 I still must read is The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani, an excellent and intense historical thriller that sees a farmer join Richard Lionheart’s crusade to get revenge on soldiers who killed his wife.  A very cool sounding revenge novel amongst a great historical setting, I am very keen to get my hands on The Pilgrim’s Revenge, although I may have to wait until it gets a paperback release in Australia later this year.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

The next entry on this list is an ambitious and compelling fantasy debut that I had hoped to have read by now, A Song of Legends Lost.  A Song of Legends Lost is the excellent first novel from new author M. H. Ayinde, filled with war, rebellion and spirit magic.  I am still hoping to dive into this massive fantasy debut soon, and I cannot wait to see what impressive story Ayinde has started his writing career with.

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There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

For the second year in a row, I am very behind in reading the new Flavia Albia book from Lindsey Davis, as I still haven’t enjoyed the latest book in the series, There Will be Bodies.  Following on from the previous entry in the series, Death on the Tiber, There Will be Bodies sees the ancient Roman detective protagonist attempt to solve a murder that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius.  I love the awesome concept behind this book, and I am hoping to dive into this story soon.

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With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

One of the more intriguing novels of 2025 that I have yet to read is the fantastic historical crime fiction novel, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager.  A cool twist on the classic whodunnit, With a Vengeance sees an unforgiving woman’s plan to destroy the people responsible for her family’s downfall go off the rails when a mysterious killer starts to murder her targets while she is trapped on a train with them.  I love the sound of this complex and fun read, and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.

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Warhammer 40,000: Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill.  Set to once again follow the damaged members of the Cadian 101st as they continue to fight after the destruction of their planet, Hell’s Last sounds like an awesome piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction from a very talented author.  I’ve been a little slack in not listening to Hell’s Last yet, especially as I usually instantly snap up every Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes my way.  Much of this is because I haven’t read the rest of the books in Hill’s Cadia series, which I might try and do first before diving into this latest entry in the series.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2025 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

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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 involved character quotes, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Autumn 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere).  This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2025 and 31 May 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section.  I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world.  I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books of 2025 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads.  I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025

An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025

An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.

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Top Ten List:

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry.  The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past.  I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.

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The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025

Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.  The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe.  This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo.  I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.

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A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin.  Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up.  This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read.  I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025

I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films.  The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games.  This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.

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When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance?  Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025

The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters.  The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation.  A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie.  The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe.  Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe.  Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.

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Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade.  Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble.  When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets.  I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord.  Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot.  As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading.  Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King.  Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly.  This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web.  I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.

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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, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025.  Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon.  Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months.  In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.

Waiting on Wednesday – Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I look at Tyrant, the new novel from acclaimed historical fiction author, Conn Iggulden, which continues to follow the dark rise of Emperor Nero.

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2025 is shaping up to be a great year for historical fiction, and one of the books that I am looking forward to the most is the next fun novel from awesome author Conn Iggulden, Tyrant.  Iggulden is an outstanding author who has produced some amazing and complex historical reads throughout his career.  This includes his epic Emperor series, which covered the complete life of Julius Caesar, as the Conqueror series that was set around Genghis Khan, and the outstanding War of the Roses books.  I also have had a lot of fun reading and reviewing some of his more recent books, including The Falcon of Sparta and his Athenian series, made up of The Gates of Athens and Protector.

The historical fiction fun continued last year as Iggulden started off a cool new series that revolved around the life of the infamous Emperor Nero.  This first book, Nero, was set around the birth and early childhood of the titular future emperor, and examined how his mother, the manipulative Agrippina, outlasted her husband and survived the dark attention of her crazed brother Caligula, all while scheming to enhance her position and ensure her son becomes emperor.  Nero proved to be a highly captivating read that provided both excitement and a fascinating look at the tumultuous events leading up to Nero’s adoption.  I had a great time with this latest Iggulden novel, and I have been keen to see how the author would follow it up.

Well, it looks like I will be able to explore more of Nero’s contentious life in a few months’ time as a sequel to Nero is coming out in May 2025.  This sequel, Tyrant, will continue to follow the early life of Nero, this time focusing on his time as Emperor Claudius’ adopted son and his mother’s twisted attempts to remove his new brother and current heir to the throne.  This should be another amazing book filled with cool historical detail, deadly intrigue and complex figures fighting for power, which should result in an epic and memorable narrative.  I have no doubt Tyrant will be one of the better historical fiction reads of 2025 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Plot Synopsis:

The latest gripping instalment in the bestselling Nero trilogy follows empress Agrippina’s ceaseless pursuit of absolute power for her son to rule over the Roman Empire

Ancient Rome, AD 50

The boy Nero lives. His mother Agrippina has married her way to power, tangling the Emperor Claudius in her skirts.

The emperor may have a son and heir of his own, but Agrippina sees no obstacles to her ambition.

Rome is a path through a marsh, lit by torches. Those who walk it are always one step from disaster – and the road itself is treacherous, slippery with blood.

Claudius may have the world at his feet, but he has Agrippina in his bed.