Tag: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday – Master of Furies and Glacier’s Edge

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I check out some awesome upcoming novels from two of my favourite all-time fantasy authors.

Out of all the fantasy authors currently writing, there are two in particularly who I will always make time for in my reading schedule no matter how busy I am.  This is because I am a major old-school fan of these authors, as I have been reading them for decades and they were responsible for some of my first major obsession with fantasy fiction.  These two authors are Raymond E. Feist and R. A. Salvatore, both of whom are insanely talented masters of the fantasy genre who have substantial number of books under their belts.  I have so much love both authors and I have honestly read most of their respective works over the years and enjoyed every word of them.

Feist is best known for his epic Riftwar Cycle, a massive connected series that saw a classic fantasy world invaded by various beings from across a connected series of universes.  Starting off with Magician and incorporating, amongst others The Empire trilogy (cowritten by Jenny Wurst), this is an exceptional series, and one that all true fantasy fans need to check out.  Salvatore on the other hand has a bit more of a diverse writing portfolio having produced a couple of intriguing and connected series throughout his career.  While he has done some substantial work on his Corona universe, such as his recent The Coven trilogy (featuring the outstanding Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen Gods), Salvatore will always be best known for his Drizzt Do’Urden novels.  Set in the Forgotten Realms shared universe, the Drizzt Do’Urden novels encompasses multiple connected trilogies and series, all focused on Salvatore’s iconic Drow protagonist and his friends, as they go on various fantasy adventures through a dangerous landscape.  Both authors have created some great works over the years and luckily for me they are both going strong and creating some intriguing new works, including two great books for later this year.

Master of Furies Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

The first of these books is Master of the Furies by Raymond E. Feist which is currently set for release in July.  Master of the Furies is the third and final book in the Firemane Saga, an excellent series in Feist’s new fantasy universe that features some classic elements as various compelling characters find themselves thrust into a vast and mysterious conflict.  I have had a brilliant time with the first two entries in the series, King of Ashes and Queen of Storms, with both novels containing a fantastic narrative, clever world building and interesting characters.  After the fantastic and game changing events of Queen of Storms, the series will wrap up with Master of Furies, but it sounds like there is still plenty of epic adventure to come.

Synopsis:

From King of Ashes to Queen of Storms, it’s all built up to this–the thrilling conclusion to legendary New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist’s epic Firemane saga.

War has swept across Marquensas. Ruthless raiders have massacred the inhabitants of Beran’s Hill, including Gwen, the beloved wife of Declan Smith. Hollow of heart, his hopes burned to ashes, Declan swears to track down and destroy the raiders, an ambition shared by Baron Daylon Dumarch, whose family was massacred as they fled the capital.

Meanwhile Hava, whose gift for piracy has seen her acquire the treasure ship Borzon’s Black Wake and the swift Azhante sailing vessel, Queen of Storms, and won her the name of “the Sea Demon,” is closing in on the whereabouts of those who unleashed the murderous hordes.

Her husband, Hatushaly, the last remaining member of the ruling family of Ithrace, the legendary Firemanes, seeks to control the magical powers he has inherited. He is able now to visualize and even travel among the filaments of energies that power all existence: the furies. But will he be able to channel his magic in time to combat the deepest, darkest threat the world of Garn has ever faced?

This final book sounds really cool and I am highly interesting in seeing how the various storylines that Feist has set up will come together here.  The main story will probably focus on the character of Hatushaly, who has been set up as a fiery saviour for most of the trilogy, and it will be great to finally see some magic out of him.  The pirate-based adventures around Hava will also be extremely awesome, especially as Feist has some real talent with nautical combat sequences and adventures.  However, I mostly looking forward to the part of the book following Declan Smith, who has probably been my favourite character of the series so far.  A talented blacksmith who keeps finding himself in battle, Declan’s dream of a simple life was burned up very suddenly in the last book and he now looks set for a massive revenge arc against the mysterious raiders who have been targeting the various characters throughout the series.  I am really looking forward to seeing what happens to Declan, as well as the other characters, and I am very hopeful that Master of Furies will all come together into a brilliant and fun final novel.

Glacier's Edge Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

The other book I am very excited for is Glacier’s Edge by R. A. Salvatore.  Part of Salvatore’s massive Drizzt Do’Urden connected series, Glacier’s Edge will be the second book in the current The Way of the Drow series, following on from last years release, Starlight Enclave, while also continuing some other storylines from the previous Generations trilogy (Timeless, Boundless and Relentless).  The Way of the Drow novels takes the series back to its adventuring and exploration roots as some of the key characters set out to explore a hidden Drow settlement, which ended rather badly for them.  Set for release in August, Glacier’s Edge will continue this intriguing storyline and see the rest of the series’ recurring heroes take up the fight.

Synopsis:

There’s a lot that Jarlaxle doesn’t know: is he the lone survivor of the raid on the slaad fortress, can he even find a way to get out, and beyond his immediate predicament, could he possibly escape the ice caverns and get help for his friends?

However, what Jarlaxle does know is that if he plans to come back—if Catti-brie, Entreri, and Zaknafein are to have any hope of surviving—he’s going to have to bring back far more firepower. An army of aevendrow seems unlikely, so he must go home and pull together a team with great skill and unimaginable power.

But how will he get home? Will such a collection of warriors and mages come to his aid? And even if he manages all that, will it be enough? For Jarlaxle has seen the slaadi’s power and their god in a most personal and terrifying way.

Trapped in the ice while the world is on fire, Jarlaxle is in a race against time—and burdened with a magical secret—to save a peaceful city and his companions.

And he’s running out of tricks in his bag of holding… 


Glacier’s Edge sounds like another pretty impressive novel and I am very excited to check it out.  I love the idea of a novel mostly dedicated to the tricky Jarlaxle, one of Salvatore’s more entertaining characters.  Watching him trying to escape a frozen wasteland without any of his magic to bring back some of the other protagonists is going to be fun, and I can’t wait to see what interesting new elements are brought into the plot as a result.  I imagine that Salvatore will try and continue some of the fascinating character work that was featured in the previous novel, and I am intrigued to see how some of the series more complex protagonists further develop.  Overall, Glacier’s Edge looks set to be another epic novel and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Honestly, just based on who is writing these upcoming books, there was no way I wasn’t going to get copies of Master of Furies and Glacier’s Edge when they come out.  I already know that I will have a great time with Feist and Salvatore’s latest novels, and I really want to see how their respective series continue.  2022 is turning out to be a pretty awesome year for fantasy fiction, and these additional novels are going to keep making it even better.

Waiting on Wednesday – Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills (based on the series by Vince Flynn)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, 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.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday book meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an upcoming novel that I know is going to be particularly fun and exciting with Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills.

Oath of Loyalty Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

Over the last few years, I have been really getting into the action-packed Mitch Rapp novels, which have become a fantastic highlight of my reading schedule.  Featuring an elite special agent as he faces off against all manner of America’s foes, both foreign and domestic, this is an intense, compelling, and highly violent series that is always guaranteed to grab your attention with its unique plots.  The Mitch Rapp novels, which were first written by Vince Flynn before his passing, are now authored by the talented Kyle Mills who has done a wonderful job of continuing the series and keeping Flynn’s creation alive.  I have had an outstanding time reading some of the latest entries, including the World War III orientated Red War, the pandemic focused Lethal Agent (released pre-2020), the fantastic Total Power which was set during a nationwide blackout terrorist attack, and last year’s Enemy at the Gates, which featured Mitch Rapp going up against a corrupt president.

After having such a great time with these recent Mitch Rapp novels, I always keep an eye out for details of the next entry in the series and I am quite excited to talk about the upcoming Oath of Loyalty.  Set for release in September, Oath of Loyalty will be the 21st Mitch Rapp book and looks set to expand on some of the recurring storylines introduced in Enemy at the Gates.  In particular, it will see Mitch Rapp continue to feud with the current president, who has decided to attack Rapp by targeting those closest to him.

Synopsis:

Mitch Rapp confronts a very different kind of killer in the explosive new thriller in Vince Flynn’s #1 New York Times bestselling series, written by Kyle Mills.

With President Anthony Cook convinced that Mitch Rapp poses a mortal threat to him, CIA Director Irene Kennedy is forced to construct a truce between the two men. The terms are simple: Rapp agrees to leave the country and stay in plain sight for as long as Cook controls the White House. In exchange, the administration agrees not to make any moves against him.

This fragile détente holds until Cook’s power-hungry security adviser convinces him that Rapp has no intention of honoring their agreement. In an effort to put him on the defensive, they leak the true identity of his partner, Claudia Gould. As Rapp races to neutralize the enemies organizing against her, he discovers that a new generation of assassins is on her trail. A killer known to intelligence agencies only as Legion.

The shadowy group has created a business model based on double-blind secrecy. Neither the killer nor the client knows the other’s identity. Because of this, Legion can’t be called off nor can they afford to fail. No matter how long it takes—weeks, months, years—they won’t stand down until their target is dead. Faced with the seemingly impossible task of finding and stopping Legion, Rapp and his people must close ranks against a world that has turned on them.

I have to say that I am extremely intrigued by the plot synopsis for Oath of Loyalty above and it has made me quite excited for the next Mitch Rapp novel.  I loved the start of the conflict between Rapp and the president in Enemy at the Gate and I can’t wait to see it continue in this upcoming entry.  Having the identity of Rapp’s partner be revealed to the world by his enemies is a great move by Mills, and it is one that he has been setting up for a while as many of his recent novels have featured Rapp strongly thinking about retiring.  As such, I figured that it was only a matter of time before Rapp’s family came under attack, and I imagine it is going to force him to do some rather rash actions (Rapp is so going to try to kill the president, either in this book or the next).  I am also really like the idea of the sinister Legion group, who will be the main antagonists of this novel.  A shadowy group of faceless assassins who keep hunting their target no matter their failures sounds pretty cool, and I look forward to seeing how they turn out and what Rapp will have to do to stop their attacks.

Overall, Oath of Loyalty sounds like it is going to be an extremely awesome new addition to this great series, and it is one that I am quite keen to check out.  Kyle Mills has been doing some awesome stuff with the Mitch Rapp series recently, and I am highly confident that this upcoming book is going to be just as good, especially with its impressive sounding story and continued elements from the recent books.  I already know I am going to have a lot of fun with Oath of Loyalty and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Waiting on Wednesday – Upcoming Star Wars Novels 2022

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Star Wars, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday article, and in honour of May the Fourth, better known as Star Wars Day, I am going to look at a couple of awesome Star Wars novels coming out later this year.

As readers of my blog are well aware, I love all things Star Wars and have made a great effort to read and review multiple Star Wars tie-in novels and comics over the last few years (make sure to check out the list of my favourite Star Wars novels I published yesterday).  2022 has already been a pretty good year for Star Wars fiction, seeing the end of the first phase of The High Republic series, as well as featuring some other fun reads, comics and shows.  While I haven’t had the chance to read a couple of the latest Star Wars novels yet, I fully intend to in the next few months, and I also have the intriguing Brotherhood by Mike Chen coming out in a few days’ time (I will have to try and read that before the new Obi-Wan Kenobi show comes out).  However, there are also three other great Star Wars novels coming out in the next few months that have caught my attention, and I thought today would be the best opportunity to highlight them in advance.  All three of these upcoming books sound really cool, and it will be nice to have a bit of a break away from the current High Republic range.

Shadow of the Sith Cover

The first of these upcoming books is the fantastic and intense Shadow of the Sith from Adam Christopher.  Christopher, who has previously released several intriguing Star Wars short stories, looks set to deliver a major entry to the current canon in late June 2022, as Shadow of the Sith attempts to fill in some of the gaps created by The Rise of Skywalker.

Synopsis:

Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian return in this essential novel set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

The Empire is dead. Nearly two decades on from the Battle of Endor, the tattered remnants of Palpatine’s forces have fled to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. But for the heroes of the New Republic, danger and loss are ever-present companions, even in this newly forged era of peace.

Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is haunted by visions of the dark side, foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol. The disturbance in the Force is undeniable…and Luke’s worst fears are confirmed when his old friend, Lando Calrissian, comes to him with reports of a new Sith menace.

After his daughter was stolen from his arms, Lando searched the stars for any trace of his lost child. But every new rumor only led to dead ends and fading hopes-until he crossed paths with Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin tasked with kidnapping a young girl.

Ochi’s true motives remain shrouded to Luke and Lando. For on a junkyard moon, a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal has bequeathed a sacred blade to the assassin, promising that it will give him answers to the questions that have haunted him since the Empire fell. In exchange, he must complete a final mission: return to Exegol with the key to the Sith’s glorious rebirth-the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself, Rey.

As Ochi hunts Rey and her parents to the edge of the galaxy, Luke and Lando race into the mystery of the Sith’s lingering shadow and aid a young family running for their lives.

Ooh, now this is an intriguing sounding Star Wars novel and one that I think could turn out to be very awesome.  Christopher is looking to tell an extremely ambitious story with Shadow of the Sith, and I am really hoping that it will pay off.  I already love the idea of a story that follows both Luke and Lando as they traverse the galaxy together (it’s not a partnership you see a lot of) and having them try to get to grips with the rising Sith threat, as well as the Emperor’s hidden base on Exegol, is pretty cool and could result in some amazing storylines.  I am also quite interesting in seeing more of compelling side character, Ochi of Bestoon, who has been getting a bit of love in the recent Darth Vader comic series.  I am quite curious to see what happens to this character after the fall of the Emperor, and finding out about his latest mission will be very fascinating.  Finally, it will be great to finally have some more information about Rey’s childhood and parents, especially as there were only minor details featured in The Rise of Skywalker.

Out of all the upcoming Star Wars novels, I think that Shadow of the Sith has the most potential.  Not only will it bring together some great characters in an emotional journey, but it will hopefully fil in a lot of lore gaps and try to explain some of the plot holes from the film.  If done right, Shadow of the Sith could become quite the invaluable read in the current Star Wars canon, and I am extremely intrigued to see what reveals and revelations it contains.

Star Wars - Padawan Cover

The second upcoming Star Wars book I want to highlight is the young adult novel, Padawan by Kiersten White, a talented author with a lot of experience in both young adult fiction and tie-in novels.  Padawan, which is coming out on 26 July, is a compelling prequel novel that will serve as one of the earlier Skywalker Saga novels in the current canon.  This book will follow a young Obi-Wan Kenobi as he goes on his first mission, with disastrous results.

Synopsis:

BEING A TEENAGER IS HARD ENOUGH WITHOUT ALSO TRAINING TO BE A JEDI….

Obi-Wan Kenobi has not been apprenticed long to Qui-Gon Jinn, and he is chafing at Qui-Gon’s training style: all meditation, no action. Obi-Wan yearns to prove himself on a mission, but when he and Qui-Gon are finally set to leave on an assignment, Qui-Gon is nowhere to be found. Angered by his master’s abandonment, Obi-Wan sets out on the mission alone, determined to prove himself. On a mysterious planet he encounters a pack of feral, Force-wielding teens who seem to be the planet’s only inhabitants. As he experiences wild freedom with them and wonders if this isn’t the life he was meant for, Obi-Wan can’t escape the nagging sense that something is wrong with the Force there. Growing attachments, startling revelations, and a looming threat to both the planet and his new friends will bring Obi-Wan face-to-face with his worst fear: that maybe he was never supposed to be a Jedi at all. Can he connect with the living Force in time to save himself and everyone around him?

It’s the star of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ limited series as you’ve never seen him before….

This is another fantastic sounding Star Wars novel that could also turn out to be quite a good read.  We seem to be getting several Obi-Wan Kenobi centric stories coming out this year (I wonder why?), although I am not complaining as I really want to see more about his backstory and the formative moments of his life.  I like the idea of a moody, teenage Obi-Wan rebelliously going off on a mission, only to get trapped with some other rebellious Force users, and I am curious to see what impact that has on him.  I do slightly worry that Padawan might rehash some of the character development and conflict between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn that was featured a couple of years ago in Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray.  However, I feel that there is some real possibility for a compelling story here in this plot synopsis and I am personally curious to see how it all turns out.

The final book that I wanted to highlight in this post is the fun sounding The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis, which alas I don’t yet have a cover for.  Revis, who has already written the Star Wars novel, Rebel Rising, will present a new chapter in the unique romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia.  Set for release in mid-August 2022, The Princess and the Scoundrel will focus on this unlikely pairing’s wedding and extravagant honeymoon.  Of course, nothing ever goes to plan for these two, so their honeymoon will turn into more of an action romp than a romantic journey.

Synopsis:

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo.

The Death Star is destroyed. Darth Vader is dead. The Empire is desolated. But on the forest moon of Endor, amongst the chaos of a changing galaxy, time stands still for a princess and her scoundrel.

After being frozen in carbonite, then risking everything for the Rebellion, Han is eager to stop living his life for other people. He and Leia have earned their future together, a thousand times over. And when he proposes to Leia, it’s the first time in a long time he’s had a good feeling about this. For Leia, a lifetime of fighting doesn’t truly seem over. There is work still to do, penance to pay for the dark secret she now knows runs through her veins. Her brother, Luke, is offering her that chance — one that comes with family and the promise of the Force. But when Han asks her to marry him, Leia finds her answer immediately on her lips . . . Yes.

But happily ever after doesn’t come easily. As soon as Han and Leia depart their idyllic ceremony on Endor for their honeymoon, they find themselves on the grandest and most glamorous stage of all: the Halcyon, a luxury vessel on a very public journey to the most wondrous worlds in the galaxy. Their marriage, and the peace and prosperity it represents, is a lightning rod for everyone in the galaxy — including Imperial remnants still clinging to power.

Facing their most desperate hour, the soldiers of the Empire have dispersed across the galaxy, retrenching on isolated worlds vulnerable to their influence. As the Halcyon travels from world to world, one thing becomes abundantly clear: The war is not over. But as danger draws closer, Han and Leia find that they fight their best battles not alone but as husband and wife.

Despite my general lack of enthusiasm for romance stories (I know, I’m such a guy sometimes), I am pretty excited for The Princess and the Scoundrel.  Not only do you get to see more a development of the relationship between Han and Leia after Return of the Jedi (which is mostly missing from the current canon), but this novel will also continue to explore the absolute chaos that followed the destruction of the second Death Star and the continued war.  I love the idea of the Han and Leia’s honeymoon being a big PR campaign that will showcase how many planets are going during this period and having Imperial remnant elements coming after them will add a certain amount of excitement and intrigue to the mix.  I think that The Princess and the Scoundrel will turn out to be a really good Star Wars novel and I cannot wait to see what sort of compelling story Revis writes around these great characters.

As you can no doubt see, there are some outstanding and brilliant sounding Star Wars novels coming out in the next few months.  All three of the above novels sound like excellent entries in the current Star Wars canon and I am very excited to see the amazing stories they contain.  It looks like these cool books will have a real focus on examining some of the main characters in the franchise, and I cannot wait to see what unique and powerful adventures they end up happening.  I already know I am going to have an incredible time checking these Star Wars books out and they should all be pretty epic.  Hopefully you will find the above books interesting, and, as always, May the Fourth by with you!

Waiting on Wednesday – Desert Star by Michael Connelly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at the next epic book from the master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly, Desert Star.

Desert Star Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

Over the last few years, I have started to really become much more of a crime fiction reader after years of primarily focusing on other genres.  During this time, I have had the pleasure of reading excellent series from several great and impressive crime fiction authors, however one of my absolute favourites is legendary author Michael Connelly, who has been one of the leading figures of this genre since his debut back in 1992.  Despite becoming a fan of Connelly much later than most readers, I have really enjoyed his recent work which features an intriguing range of murder mysteries and thrillers set inside one combined crime fiction universe.  While I have had the pleasure of reading novels from his Jack McEvoy (Fair Warning) and Mickey Haller (The Law of Innocence) sub-series, the books I have read the most are the Ballard and Bosch novels.

Starting in 2018 with Dark Sacred Night, the Ballard and Bosch books brought together one of Connelly’s newest protagonists, Renee Ballard, with his most iconic and heavily featured character, Harry Bosch.  This fun team up worked really well, and I loved seeing the fantastic mentor/mentee relationship that formed between the cynical and damaged female detective and the retired, veteran investigator still trying to stay in the game.  Connelly followed this initial novel with two brilliant books, The Night Fire (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019) and The Dark Hours (one of my favourite books of 2021), both of which utilised the combination of characters extremely well.

It looks like this fun will continue later this year as Connelly is producing another Ballard and Bosch book with Desert Star.  This awesome upcoming novel, which is currently set for release in November 2022, contains an incredible sounding story that will see these two impressive characters team up for another complex case.

Synopsis:

LAPD detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch work together to hunt the killer who is Bosch’s “white whale”—a man responsible for the murder of an entire family.

A year has passed since LAPD detective Renée Ballard quit the force in the face of misogyny, demoralization, and endless red tape. Yet, after the chief of police himself tells her she can write her ticket within the department, Ballard takes back her badge, leaving “the Late Show” to rebuild the cold case unit at the elite Robbery-Homicide Division.

For years, Harry Bosch has been working a case that haunts him but that he hasn’t been able to crack—the murder of an entire family by a psychopath who still walks free. Ballard makes Bosch an offer: come work with her as a volunteer investigator in the new Open-Unsolved Unit, and he can pursue his “white whale” with the resources of the LAPD behind him.

The two must put aside old resentments to work together again and close in on a dangerous killer. 

I really like the sound of Desert Star and think it is going to end up being a particularly awesome and memorable entry in this extended universe.  There are several interesting storyline elements already hinted at in the above synopsis that have grabbed my attention.  I am very intrigued to see the fallout from the previous book where Ballard quit the LAPD, and it will be pretty cool to see her return to the force and start up her own investigative unit.  At the same time, we get some compelling investigative elements as Bosch attempts to catch a killer he has been pursuing for years, and no doubt there will be some other connected cases that Ballard is working on.  Some of these storylines have been hinted at before in some of the previous books, and I look forward to seeing how they are resolved, as well as the impact that they have on the main two characters.

Another part of the book that I am quite keen on seeing is the continued partnership between Ballard and Bosch, as well as the overall impressive character development of this sub series.  Both characters have gone through a lot in their last few books, and I am curious to see how some of their storylines continue here.  Ballard’s brush with sexism, corruption and harassment in the LAPD, will no doubt be continued, and it will be fascinating to see how her recent decisions will impact that.  It will also be great to see Bosch finally get a chance to solve a case that has been bugging him for years, and I’m sure there will be some follow up to the family and health focused storylines that have been hinted at in some of the prior books.  I am also a little curious to see how much Bosch is utilised in Desert Star, considering he was partially sidelined in the previous novel.  Based on how much he is featured in the synopsis above, I would assume he’ll once again be used as a point-of-view character here, and it will be interesting to see his take on all the relevant events.  I have a feeling there is going to be some major, passing of the torch moments in Desert Star and I cannot wait to see how everything turns out.

Look, based on how much I have loved Connelly’s latest books I was already extremely confident that I was going to love Desert Star, even before I knew all the details about it.  However, now that I’ve seen the plot synopsis above, I reckon this is going to be an incredible read.  Not only does the central mystery element sound really cool, but it seems like this one is going to present some major changes for the main two protagonists.  I cannot wait to see how this awesome novel unfolds and I foresee Desert Star receiving a five-star rating from me.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Accomplice by Steve Cavanagh

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday2 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday I look at an awesome upcoming legal thriller that is likely to be one of the most entertaining reads of 2022 with The Accomplice by Steve Cavanagh.

The Accomplice Cover

Last year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the sixth book in Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series of legal thrillers, The Devil’s Advocate, which turned out to be a wildly addictive novel with a fun and captivating story.  Following the adventures of titular protagonist Eddie Flynn, former conman turned expert defence attorney, the Eddie Flynn novels have been some of the more interesting and unique thrillers of the last few years, with Cavanagh coming up with a range of awesome and complex scenarios for his protagonist to wiggle through.

I deeply enjoyed my first foray into this series, especially as The Devil’s Advocate featured, amongst other distinctive inclusions, a murderous district attorney, corrupt cops, a range of ridiculous and entertaining legal strategies, as well as several improbable but hilarious twists.  As such, I have been keeping a close out for Cavanagh’s next novel and I was very excited when I saw that The Accomplice is coming out soon.

The Accomplice, which is currently set for release in late July 2022, will be the seventh book in the Eddie Flynn series and will present the author’s cocky and exceedingly likeable protagonist with another seemingly impossible legal scenario.  This time, Flynn will have to prove that the most hated women in America, the wife of a notorious and at-large serial killer, didn’t know anything about her husbands’ crimes.  While this is already a pretty cool scenario, Cavanagh will apparently raise the stakes even further by throwing in a potentially murderous and guilty client, a rogue former-FBI agent and the returning serial killer who plans to murder anyone associated with the case, including Eddie Flynn.

All these elements sound pretty damn epic and I am deeply intrigued to see how it all comes together.  Based on how much I enjoyed The Devil’s Advocate I am highly confident I am going to have a wonderful and enjoyable time with The Accomplice, and I am sure it will be one of the more zany and unique novels of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA

The Sandman killings have been solved. Daniel Miller murdered fourteen people before he vanished. His wife, Carrie, now faces trial as his accomplice. The FBI, the District Attorney, the media and everyone in America believe she knew and helped cover up her husband’s crimes.

THE LAWYER

Eddie Flynn won’t take a case unless his client is innocent. Now, he has to prove to a jury, and the entire world, that Carrie Miller was just another victim of the Sandman. She didn’t know her husband’s dark side and she had no part in the murders. But so far, Eddie and his team are the only ones who believe her.

THE FORMER FBI AGENT

Gabriel Lake used to be a federal agent, before someone tried to kill him. Now, he’s an investigator with a vendetta against the Sandman. He’s the only one who can catch him, because he believes that everything the FBI knows about serial killers is wrong.

THE KILLER

With his wife on trial, the Sandman is forced to come out of hiding to save her from a life sentence. He will kill to protect her and everyone involved in the case is a target.

Even Eddie Flynn…

Waiting on Wednesday – The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this rather late Waiting on Wednesday article I check out an amazing upcoming fantasy debut, The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves Cover

I am always extremely keen to check out fascinating and fun debut novels each year and 2022 is already shaping up to be a particularly good year for fresh and talented new authors.  One of the more interesting and unique sounding debuts that has recently caught my eye is the upcoming book, The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings.  Set for release in June 2022, this excellent novel will tell a magical and musical story in an alternate version of New Orleans, as two wizards attempt to save their city from a dangerous lost spell.  I am extremely intrigued by this upcoming book and I cannot wait to get stuck into this cool new magical world, especially with its music-based magic system.  I honestly believe that The Ballad of Perilous Graves has some real potential and I look forward to seeing Jenning’s unique debut come to life.

Synopsis:

In a fantastical version of New Orleans where music is magic, a battle for the city’s soul brews between two young mages, a vengeful wraith, and one powerful song in this vibrant and imaginative debut.

Nola is a city full of wonders. A place of sky trolleys and dead cabs, where haints dance the night away and Wise Women keep the order, and where songs walk, talk and keep the spirit of the city alive. To those from Far Away, Nola might seem strange. To failed magician, Perilous Graves, it’s simply home. Then the rhythm stutters.

Nine songs of power have escaped from the magical piano that maintains the city’s beat and without them, Nola will fail. Unexpectedly, Perry and his sister, Brendy, are tasked with saving the city. But a storm is brewing and the Haint of All Haints is awake. Even if they capture the songs, Nola’s time might be coming to an end.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday8 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this slightly belated Waiting on Wednesday article I take a look at one of my most anticipated fantasy releases for 2022, the awesome and epic upcoming The Voyage of the Forgotten by impressive author Nick Martell.

The Voyage of the Forgotten Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

Over the last two years, fantasy fans have been absolutely blessed by the incredible talent of new author Nick Martell who has already made a substantial impact on the genre in a very short amount of time.  Debuting in 2020, Martell started his fantasy journey with the first The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings novel, The Kingdom of Liars.  This impressive novel told the captivating tale of Michael Kingman, the troubled scion of a formerly great house in the Kingdom of Hollow whose fortunes were erased after Michael’s father apparently killed the King’s oldest son.  Determined to prove his father’s innocence, Michael investigates the Hollow court in an attempt to find out who was truly responsible.  Along the way, he clashes with fractious royals, dangerous magic users, powerful mercenaries, and insidious hidden immortals, all of whom want him dead, while also trying to come to grips with his new magical abilities that slowly result in the loss of his memories.  Michael was eventually able to discover who was responsible for the murder, but only after he was framed for the death of the current king, narrowly avoiding execution.  I had an outstanding time with this exceptional novel’s brilliant story and powerful characters, and The Kingdom of Liars ended up being one of my favourite books (and audiobooks) of 2020, as well as one of the best debuts of the year.

While I was already suitably impressed with Martell’s first novel, the author amazed me even more last year when he released the sequel, The Two-Faced Queen.  The Two-Faced Queen was an exceptional follow-up to The Kingdom of Liars that masterfully expanded on the events of the first novel.  Not only where several intriguing new story elements introduced, such as a notorious serial killer, dragons and even more immortals, but we also got some great new characters, substantial world building, and even more fantastic twists and revelations.  The most substantial of these characters was Michael’s love interest, the queen of Hollow, Serena (the titular Two-Faced Queen), who spends most of the novel trying to kill Michael for the death of her father.  This resulted in a pretty complex and exceptional novel that I powered through extremely quickly as I tried to see how everything unfolded.  In many ways, The Two-Faced Queen surpassed Martell’s first novel, and it was easily one of the best books and audiobooks of 2021.

After having such an exceptional time with the first two books in The Legacy of the Mercenary King series (which is such an excellent series name), I have naturally been extremely keen to read the third book in this series.  This third novel is The Voyage of the Forgotten, which is currently set for release in November 2022.  While I was a little disappointed that its release date was knocked back towards the end of the year, I am still very excited for this novel and I have been eagerly waiting to find all the details I can about it.  Not only do we have a synopsis for it, but they have also released both of the covers for it, which look extremely awesome, and distinctive (I think I like the above UK cover more than the US cover below, but both are great in their own way).

Synopsis:

In this twistingly beautiful and epically thrilling conclusion to the fantasy trilogy The Legacy of the Mercenary King, Michael, the infamous Kingkiller, and Serena, the Hollow Queen, race against the odds to have the future they’ve worked so hard to protect…or risk bringing about the end of the world.

Michael Kingman has discovered his destiny, but the distance to what he wants, namely a life with Serena, the queen of Hollow kingdom, is as wide as the world, and just as cruel.

Meanwhile, Dark, the realm’s most fearsome mercenary, Michael’s sometime mentor, and son of his nemesis, Angelo, is trying to keep Michael in line, for his own purposes as he too has a hidden agenda. Michael comes to realize that he is outclassed by powers that have been working for centuries to bring about a fresh end to the world filled with those he loves. But when has merely being overpowered ever stopped Michael from getting what he wants?

To prevent what may bring about the end times Michael must gather his remaining allies and push himself to achieve the impossible because the alternative is worse than he can imagine: it’s not just the beginning of the end of the world, it’s being alone and forgotten.

In this epic conclusion, The Voyage of the Forgotten brilliantly wraps up the stories fans have fallen in love with as the characters struggle against odds that seem impossible to overcome.

I really like the sound of the above synopsis, and it is pretty clear that The Voyage of the Forgotten is set to be a pretty awesome read.  While some of the details here seem a little vague, it is clear that Martell looks set to bring together many key storylines here.  In particular, it looks like the plans of several of the major antagonists or villains he has faced in the previous books are about to start coming together, forcing Michael to step in and stop them.  I hope that we get some vital answers to certain plot points here as well as further explanation of who the key players are and what their motivations are, which will be great to see.

One of the things I find most interesting about this synopsis is the fact that The Voyage of the Forgotten is apparently going to be the final book in the series.  This is a bit surprising to me; due to the sheer number of storylines, interesting supporting characters and major plot arcs, I honestly thought/hoped this would be a longer series.  I am actually a tad worried that Martell may have trouble wrapping everything up in a single book, there are just that many story elements to conclude, but I have learnt to rely on Martell’s writing ability, so I am sure that this will come up really well.  I am actually very tempted to go back and do a reread of Martell’s first two novels to make sure I have all the particulars in my head before I read the final story (they are just that detailed).  I cannot wait to see how everything comes together and I am hoping for a very satisfying and captivating conclusion, no doubt filled with tragedy, intense action and impressive magical inclusions.

Look, I think it is very clear from the lengthy introductory paragraphs above that I am particularly keen to grab The Voyage of the Forgotten.  Nick Martell has already so deeply impressed me with his first two books that I know I am going to deeply enjoy this epic read.  I am very eager to see how this outstanding series concludes, and I am extremely confident that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to end up being one of the best books of 2022.

The Voyage of the Forgotten Cover 2

Waiting on Wednesday – All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday, Young Adult6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I highlight an awesome upcoming sequel that I am extremely keen to check out, All of Our Demise by the dream team of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman.

All of Our Demise Cover

Amazon     Book Depository

Last year, established authors Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman came together for the first time to produce an intriguing and unique young adult fantasy novel that followed several great protagonists into a magical death tournament with All of Us Villains.  Set in a world where access to extremely powerful high magick is determined by a death tournament featuring the children of ancient families, this novel closely followed four of the seven participants and showed the dangerous and epic personal and magical struggles they went through.

I had an incredible time reading All of Us Villains, which really lived up to all the hype surrounding it, and Foody and Lynn Herman ended up being some of my favourite new authors of 2021.  This first book was loaded with intrigue, clever magical sequences, an intriguing media angle, complex teenage characters who are forced to make intense, life-altering decisions, as well as some outstanding shocks and betrayals.  The novel ended on an excellent and heartbreaking note that left readers desperately wanting more.  Well, we do not have to wait much longer as details about the next book, All of Our Demise, have just been released and it sounds pretty damn awesome.

Synopsis:

“I feel like I should warn you: this is going to be absolutely brutal.”

For the first time in this ancient, bloodstained story, the tournament is breaking. The boundaries between the city of Ilvernath and the arena have fallen. Reporters swarm the historic battlegrounds. A dead boy now lives again. And a new champion has entered the fray, one who seeks to break the curse for good… no matter how many lives are sacrificed in the process.

As the curse teeters closer and closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story was always intended.

Long-held alliances will be severed. Hearts will break. Lives will end. Because a tale as wicked as this one was never destined for happily ever after.


All of Our Demise will be set immediately after the events of All of Us Villains and will act as the conclusion to the fantastic duology.  Currently set for release on 30 August 2022, All of Our Demise will continue the intriguing storylines set up in the first novel as some of the participants fight to destroy the tournament for good, while others set out to win for power, glory and revenge.  However, with the mystical barrier that usually separates the participants from the rest of the world coming down and a mysterious individual manipulating events from the shadows, there are going to be a lot of compelling elements here that should add a great edge to the story.  I am extremely excited for this impressive upcoming young adult fantasy sequel, and I cannot wait to see how the cool story comes to an end.  All of Our Demise is easily one of the books I am most looking forward to in the second half of 2022, and it should be extremely epic.

Waiting on Wednesday – Seventeen by John Brownlow

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I look at a very cool sounding upcoming thriller that I predict is going to be buckets of epic fun with Seventeen by John Brownlow.

Seventeen Cover

Here at the Unseen Library, I have developed a real appreciation for the most awesome and unique sounding thriller novels out there and I have just discovered one upcoming book that I think fits that description perfectly with Seventeen.  Also known as Seventeen: Last Man Standing, this book is the debut novel of John Brownlow, a screenwriter known for working on films like Sylvia and television series such as Fleming and The Miniaturist.  Well Brownlow appears ready to make a jump to the literary world here with Seventeen, and I am for one am very excited for it.

The intriguing and fun sounding Seventeen is currently set for release down here in Australia in July 2022, and I am deeply impressed with the amazing and entertaining synopsis.  Set in a world where a secretive group of hidden killers keep the world safe through their political assassinations, the novel follows an assassin, known simply as 17, who strives to become the best killer on the planet by killing the current top contender, 16.  However, another assassin, 18, is chasing the same goal, and will stop at nothing to hunt down and kill our protagonist.  This novel sounds so freaking awesome to me and I cannot wait to see how the intense and epic Seventeen turns out.

Synopsis:

YOU’LL NEVER KNOW MY NAME.
BUT YOU WON’T FORGET MY NUMBER.

Behind the events you know are the killers you don’t.
When diplomacy fails, we’re the ones who gear up.
Officially we don’t exist, but every government in the world uses our services.
We’ve been saving the world, and your ass, for 100 years.

Sixteen people have done this job before me.
I am 17. The most feared assassin in the world.
But to be the best you must beat the best.
My next target is 16, just as one day 18 will hunt me down.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world and it gets lonely at the top.
Nobody gets to stay for long.
But while we’re here, all that matters is that we win.

Visceral, cinematic and insanely addictive, 17 will keep you on the edge of your seat and live long in the memory. Until 18 comes along …

Waiting on Wednesday – The Girl and the Moon by Mark Lawrence

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, 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.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out an awesome upcoming fantasy epic that I already know I am going to deeply enjoy, The Girl and the Moon by Mark Lawrence.

The Girl and the Moon Cover

Over the last couple of years, I have been having a great time reading the latest series by acclaimed fantasy/science fiction author Mark Lawrence.  Lawrence, who has made a real name for himself in fantasy circles with his epic and beloved The Broken Empire, The Red Queen’s War and The Book of the Ancestor series, is a brilliant author with a great imagination, who I had been meaning to check out for some time.

I finally got the chance in 2020 when I read the first book in his new The Book of the Ice trilogy, The Girl and the Stars, which serves as a prequel to The Book of the Ancestor series.  This impressive novel introduced a bold new protagonist, Yaz, who lives on a dying ice world where survival is a daily struggle.  After being thrown down a hole in the ice by a malevolent group of priests, Yaz is able to see her world in a new light as she is dragged into a conflict against malevolent artificial gods, their deadly priests, and dangerous shadow creatures.  The second book in the series, The Girl and the Mountain, continued this epic tale, taking the protagonist and her friends on a dangerous journey across the ice and towards the main setting of The Book of the Ancestor novels, ending it on a great cliff-hanger.  Both these novels were extremely good and I deeply enjoyed diving into this complex and intricate world.

Due to how much fun I had with The Girl and the Stars and The Girl and the Mountain, I have been very excited to get the third and final book in this series and I am extremely curious about how this impressive tale is going to end.  Well, my wait is nearly over as the next book, The Girl and the Moon, is coming out in late April 2022.  This upcoming finale already sounds pretty damn awesome to me, and I look forward to seeing what happens to the book’s great characters and sinister villains.  Not only is this one of my most anticipated reads for 2022 but I am already extremely confident that this will be one of the best books of the year.

Synopsis:

The fate of the world hangs from the Moon

The green world overwhelms all of Yaz’s expectations. Everything seems different but some things remain the same: her old enemies are still bent on her destruction.

The Corridor abounds with plenty and unsuspected danger. To stand a chance against the eyeless priest, Eular, and the god-like city-mind, Seus, Yaz will need to learn fast and make new friends.

The Convent of Sweet Mercy, like the Corridor itself, is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz needs the nuns’ help – but first they want to execute her.

The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those labouring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centres on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.

The Girl and the Moon Cover 2