Tag: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday – The Three Paradises by Robert Fabbri

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday7 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 article, I look at the upcoming second book in the awesome Alexander’s Legacy series, The Three Paradises, by bestselling historical fiction author Robert Fabbri.

The Three Paradises Cover

Fabbri is probably one of my favourite historical fiction authors at the moment.  I was a major fan of his Vespasian series, which followed the entire life of the titular Emperor-to-be as he navigated the insane, debauched and dangerous world of ancient Rome under some of the most deranged Emperors in history.  The Vespasian novels were extremely exciting and captivating, and to my mind it is one of the best Roman historical fiction series in recent years (make sure to check out my reviews of the eighth and ninth books in the Vespasian series, Rome’s Sacred Flame and Emperor of Rome, as well as the collection of associated short stories, Magnus and the Crossroads Brotherhood).

After completing the Vespasian novels in 2019, Fabbri moved onto to a new body of work earlier this year with the Alexander’s Legacy series.  The Alexander’s Legacy novels are set in the immediate aftermath of the death of Alexander the Great and examine what happened to his vast empire when he was no longer around to control it.  The first novel in this series, To the Strongest, followed several compelling historical figures who all tried to take advantage of the death of Alexander and advance their own position, with various degrees of success.  I really enjoyed this first Alexander’s Legacy novel, and it was particularly entertaining to see the larger-than life point-of-view characters attempted to out-manoeuvre their opponents to gain power, especially as many of these insane events reportedly really happened.

Due to how much I enjoyed To the Strongest, and because of how impressive Fabbri’s writing is in general, I have been really looking forward to seeing how the series continues.  The second Alexander’s Legacy book is The Three Paradises, which will be set right after the events of To the Strongest.  The Three Paradises is currently set for release in early 2021 and should make for an excellent read for the start of the year.

Synopsis:

In the second instalment in the breakneck, brutal new series from bestseller Robert Fabbri, the fight to control the largest empire in the world continues…

Alexander the Great’s sudden and unexpected death has left the largest, most formidable empire the world has ever seen leaderless. As the fight to take control descends into ruthless scheming and bloody battles, no one – man, woman or child – is safe.

As wars on land and sea are lost and won, and promises are made only to be broken, long-buried secrets come to light in the quest for the true circumstances surrounding Alexander’s death. Was he murdered, and if so by whom? Could he have been sowing the seeds of discord deliberately, through his refusal to name an heir? And who will eventually ascend to power at the helm of the empire – if it manages to survive that long?

Can one champion vanquish all…?

This second entry in the Alexander’s Legacy series sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun to read.  I am extremely excited to see where the various storylines around the surviving characters will head next and I am sure it will all make for an exceptional story.  I am also rather curious about how the book is apparently going to look into the death of Alexander and I am very interested in seeing how Fabbri explores this.  All of this sounds quite fascinating and compelling, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on The Three Paradises in a few months time.

Waiting on Wednesday – Breakout by Paul Herron

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday6 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 Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at a fun and exciting-sounding thriller that is set to come out early next year, Breakout by Paul Herron.

Breakout Cover

Paul Herron is a pseudonym for author and screenwriter Paul Crilley, who has written several fantasy and science fiction novels, including his Delphic Division, The Invisible Order and Tweed & Nightingale Adventures series.  Crilley announced earlier this year that he was planning to start writing thriller novels under the name of Paul Herron, the first of which will be Breakout.

Breakout is an extremely cool-sounding book that is currently set for release on 9 March 2021.  This first thriller from Crilley/Herron is set in a flooded maximum security prison and follows the protagonist’s attempts to escape.  I cannot emphasise how much I love this story concept and I think that it has a lot of potential to be a fantastic read.

Synopsis:

A LETHAL STORM. THE MOST DEADLY PRISON. WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?

Jack Constantine – a former cop who killed one of his wife’s murderers in an act of vengeance – is serving his time in Ravenhill penitentiary, a notorious ‘supermax’ home to the most dangerous convicts in the country.

When an apocalyptic superstorm wreaks havoc across the USA, the correctional officers flee the prison…but not before opening every cell door. The inmates must fend for themselves as lethal floodwaters rise and violent anarchy is unleashed.

Teaming up with Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer left behind on her first day of work, Constantine has one chance of survival – he must break out of a maximum security prison. But with the building on the verge of collapse, and deadly chaos around him, time is running out…

There is so much to love about the above synopsis.  Not only will the get some great thriller action from the prison breakout story but you also have the stakes raised incredibly high with a flooded building and an entire facilities worth of hostile, high-risk criminals trying to kill the protagonists.  Everything about this book just sounds so awesome, and I am extremely confident that I am going to have an incredible time reading it.  I cannot wait to see what madness the author installs in his first thriller novel and I am looking forward to all the fun and mayhem

Waiting on Wednesday – The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday6 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 take a look at an exciting fantasy novel coming out in early 2021 that I think has a lot of potential, The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick.

The Mask of Mirrors Cover

The Mask of Mirrors is a rather interesting upcoming fantasy novel that is currently set for release in January 2021.  The novel is written by M. A. Carrick, the pen name for the joint writing team of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms.  Brennan and Helms are both established fantasy authors, having written several books between them from Brennan’s The Memoirs of Lady Trent series to Helms’s Missy Masters books.  These two authors and friends are teaming up together for the first time with The Mask of Mirrors, which will serve as the first entry in their planned Rook & Rose trilogy.

I have not had the pleasure of reading any novels that either Brennan or Helms have previously written, but I do like the sound of their upcoming joint venture.  Based on the cool synopsis that has been released, it sounds like The Mask of Mirrors is going to feature a lot of intrigue, politics and sneaky ploys as it follows the adventures of a con artist who attempts to trick her way into a seat of power and instead finds far more corruption and betrayal than she intended.  I love a novel that combines together fun crime fiction and political intrigue with enchanting fantasy and The Mask of Mirrors certainly looks like it is going to be an exciting and enjoyable novel.  I look forward to checking this one out in early 2021 and I am curious to see what the team of Brennan and Helms have in store for us with their first outing.

Synopsis:

Darkly magical and intricately imagined, The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.

Nightmares are creeping through the city of dreams…

Renata Viraudax is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadezra — the city of dreams — with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune and her sister’s future.

But as she’s drawn into the elite world of House Traementis, she realizes her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as corrupt magic begins to weave its way through Nadezra, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled — with Ren at their heart.

Waiting on Wednesday – A Prince and a Spy by Rory Clements

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Thriller, 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday I look at an awesome upcoming historical thriller, A Prince and a Spy by Rory Clements.

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Rory Clements is an outstanding and talented author who has written several exciting and clever historical thrillers throughout his career.  I have been a fan of Clements for a while now and I have enjoyed several of his books in the past.  In particular, I have been really getting into his current body of work, the Tom Wilde series, of which I have so far read all four books: Corpus, Nucleus, Nemesis and Hitler’s Secret.  Each of these novels has been really cool, presenting complex and compelling thriller storylines set before and during the events of World War II.  So far in this series the protagonist, dashing American history professor Tom Wilde, has managed to avert an armed coup against King George VI, stopped the Nazis gaining nuclear secrets, thwarted an attempt to kill the Kennedy family and infiltrated Germany at the height of the war to save Hitler’s secret daughter.  However, Clements is far from done, and in his new book, A Prince and a Spy, Wilde will investigate another curious event from history.

Plot Synopsis:

Sweden, 1942 – Two old friends meet. They are cousins. One is Prince George, Duke of Kent, brother of the King of England. The other is Prince Philipp von Hesse, a committed Nazi and close friend of Adolf Hitler.

Days later, the Prince George is killed in a plane crash in the north of Scotland. The official story is that it was an accident – but not everyone is convinced.

There is even a suggestion that the Duke’s plane was sabotaged, but with no evidence, Cambridge spy Tom Wilde is sent north to discover the truth . . .

This new novel from Clements sounds really interesting, and I am looking forward to seeing how this cool story pans out.  Based on my prior experiences with Clements’s Tom Wilde novels, I know that the author is able to craft a great historical thriller around clever plot idea, and I am quite intrigued to find out what sort of story he can come up with around the death of Prince George, Duke of Kent.  I have to admit that I am a little unfamiliar with the late Duke of Kent and his untimely demise, but he seems to be a rather striking historical figure thanks to his colourful personal life and his status as the first British Royal to die in military service in hundreds of years, as well as being the only member of the Royal Family to die due to World War II.  I have no doubt Clements will weave together something extremely interesting memorable out of this notable historical event and I am very curious to see what it is.

A Prince and a Spy is currently set for release on 21 January 2021 and I think it is going to be one of the better novels to start the new year with.  It certainly sounds like Clements has come up with another compelling entry in his awesome Tom Wilde historical thriller series, and I am really looking forward to seeing what sort of clever and exciting adventure he has comes up with in this new novel.

Waiting on Wednesday – Call of the Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday9 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 one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2020, Call of the Bone Ships from fantasy phenomenon R. J. Barker.

Call of the Bone Ships Cover

Barker is an incredibly talented fantasy author who burst onto the scene in 2017 with the amazing and dark The Wounded Kingdom trilogy, made up of the three excellent fantasy novels, Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins, each of which was better than the last.  Barker followed up this fantastic debut trilogy with the incredible first book in The Tide Child series, The Bone Ships.

The Bone Ships was an epic and captivating novel that followed a group of condemned sailors in another brutal fantasy world as they attempted to hunt down and protect the last dragon, whose bones make the ships that fight in a deadly war.  The Bone Ships contained so many amazing elements, including great characters, realistic nautical adventures and some extremely gripping action sequences.  This was an outstanding book that I consider to be one of the best novels (and best audiobooks) of 2019, and which got an easy five-star rating from me.  I absolutely fell in love with this awesome book and I have been eagerly waiting for a sequel since last year.

This long-awaited sequel is Call of the Bone Ships, which will be the second book in The Tide Child series.  Call of the Bone Ships is one the books I have been most looking forward to checking out this year and is currently set for release on 24 November 2020.  So far not a lot of detail about this upcoming novel has been released, apart from a brief plot synopsis (see below) and another very impressive cover.  However, this book looks set to continue the amazing story started in The Bone Ships, and I am more than sure that Barker is going to present another gripping and clever narrative.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A brilliantly imagined saga of honour, glory and warfare, Call of the Bone Ships is the captivating epic fantasy sequel to RJ Barker’s The Bone Ships.

Dragons have returned to the Hundred Isles. But their return heralds only war and destruction. When a horde of dying slaves are discovered in the bowels of a ship, Shipwife Meas and the crew of the Tide Child find themselves drawn into a vicious plot that will leave them questioning their loyalties and fighting for their lives.

The above synopsis is not too much to go on, but I kind of like the suspense of not having an idea of how the plot will unfold and it should make for a nice surprise.  Honestly, though, based on how good Barker’s writing is and how incredible The Bone Ships was, I already know that I am going to love this book.  I have absolutely no doubt that Call of the Bone Ships will also get a full five stars from me when I get a chance to read it and I am expecting amazing things from this upcoming book.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Hunting by Stephen Leather

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 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 entry I look at an exciting upcoming thriller that I think is going to be a lot of fun to read.

The Hunting Cover

I have been really getting into the thriller genre over the last couple of years and I have found that I tend to gravitate to those thrillers with a unique and deeply intriguing plot synopsis.  In this Waiting on Wednesday I am going to feature the latest book from bestselling author Stephen Leather, The Hunting.

Leather is a veteran author and thriller writer who has been writing since the late 1980s.  He has so far written over 50 novels in his career, which includes entries in his Mike Cramer and Jack Nightingale series, as well as the books in his iconic and long-running Dan ‘Spider’ Shepherd series.  I have so far not had the pleasure of reading any of Leather’s books, although I have heard good things about several of them, including the standalone release from earlier this year, The Runner.  However, I think that it is high time that I check out one of Leather’s books, and The Hunting looks set to be an amazing novel to check out in 2021.

The Hunting is standalone novel from Leather which is currently set for release in January 2021.  This new novel from Leather has a compelling and distinctive plot idea to it, which focuses on a British doctor getting caught up in a big-game hunter’s plan to hunt ISIS terrorists on his personal estate.  This whole premise sound incredibly entertaining and I think that it has a lot of potential to be an exciting, memorable and action-packed read.  This is definitely a book I will be grabbing early next year and I cannot wait to see how awesome The Hunting turns out to be.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Money can’t buy everything

But it can buy revenge

Can a doctor take lives instead of saving them?

British doctor Raj Patel puts his own life on the line to treat the injured in war-torn Syria. His medical skills help casualties survive against all the odds.But Raj needs to rely on a completely different set of skills when he is taken hostage in a treacherous case of mistaken identity.

Billionaire big-game hunter Jon van der Sandt is driven by revenge – his family have been killed by jihadist terrorists and he wants his vengeance up close and personal. He has hired ex Special Forces hard men to snatch the ISIS killers from the desert and transport them halfway across the world to the vast wilderness of his American estate.

But they grab Raj by mistake, and once the killing begins it’s too late to plead mistaken identity. To survive, he’ll have to become as ruthless a killer as the man who is hunting him.

Waiting on Wednesday – Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, 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.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday entry I take a look at Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke, an excellent sounding upcoming fantasy novel that serves as a sequel to one of my favourite books from 2018, City of Lies.

Hollow Empire Cover 2

City of Lies was an impressive and clever debut from Australian author (and fellow Canberran) Sam Hawke that I absolutely loved when it came out.  Hawke’s first book was an amazing fantasy novel that followed a pair of siblings trained in the art of poison detection as they attempted to save their friend and their city from an invading army and the sinister conspiracy behind it.  I loved the combination conspiracy and siege storyline and it proved to be an outstanding and deeply captivating read.

I have been hoping a sequel to City of Lies for some time now and I was deeply excited when I saw that Hollow Empire was coming out soon.  This second book from Hawke, which will be the second and final entry in her Poison War duology, is currently set for release in early December 2020, and it looks like it is going to be another epic and enjoyable read.

Synopsis:

You never get used to poisoning a child . . .

Two years after a devastating siege tore the country apart, Silasta has recovered. But to the frustration of poison-taster siblings Jovan and Kalina, sworn to protect the Chancellor, the city has grown complacent in its new-found peace and prosperity.

And now, amid the celebrations of the largest carnival the continent has ever seen, it seems a mysterious enemy has returned.

The death of a former adversary sets Jovan on the trail of a cunning killer, while Kalina negotiates the treacherous politics of visiting dignitaries, knowing that this vengeful mastermind may lurk among the princes and dukes, noble ladies and priests. But their investigations uncover another conspiracy which now threatens not just Silasta and the Chancellor but also their own family.

Assassins, witches and a dangerous criminal network are all closing in. And brother and sister must once more fight to save their city – and everyone they hold dear – from a patient, powerful enemy determined to tear it all down . . .

I really like the sound of the above synopsis as it looks like Hawke has come up with another compelling and fanatic story.  I love the idea of the two siblings once again investigating a complex, multilayered conspiracy that is set to engulf their city and loved ones, and having it set around a massive festival playing host to various dangerous parties and rivals sounds really intriguing.  I am really hoping that this sequel features more of the poison-based plot elements that made City of Lies such a distinctive read, as seeing the protagonist countering the various poisoning attempts was a fantastic highlight of the first book.  I am also really curious to see how the author continues the story from City of Lies as well as how she intends to finish off the series.

Based on the strength of Hawke’s debut alone, I am already excited for Hollow Empire and I am extremely confident that I am going to enjoy this next entry in the series.  When combined with the fantastic sounding plot, I have no doubt that Hollow Empire is going to be an impressive and exciting read and I fully expect it to be one of the best fantasy novels of 2020.

Waiting on Wednesday – Fool Me Twice by Jeff Lindsay

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday I examine an upcoming thriller novel that I know is going to be a lot of fun, Fool Me Twice by bestselling author Jeff Lindsay.

Fool Me Twice Cover

Lindsay is a well-established thriller and crime fiction author who is easily best known for writing his Dexter series of novels.  Following the success of the novels and television adaptation, Lindsay has recently introduced a new complex and damaged protagonist, Riley Wolfe, who serves as the main character of his latest series.  Riley Wolfe is the world’s greatest thief, a master at pulling off impossible heists who has a particular desire to steal from the rich and make their lives miserable.

The first entry in this series, 2019’s Just Watch Me, featured an intriguing heist that saw Wolfe break into the world’s most impenetrable museum guarded by the Iranian Republican Guard in order to steal an extremely valuable jewel.  I really enjoyed reading Just Watch Me earlier this year and I found it to be an exciting and easy-to-read novel thanks to its compelling premise, portrayal of a fun heist and its unique main character who, despite his seemingly likeable persona, is just as bad as some of the people he is trying to rip off.  As a result, I am rather curious to see how the Riley Wolfe series continues, especially as the second novel in the series, Fool Me Twice, has another intriguing plot premise:

Synopsis:

Pulling off an impossible crime is the only way he can stay alive.

Stealing a Faberge egg. Surviving a double cross. And pulling off the most incredible robbery ever, for the world’s most demanding—and dangerous collector.

This will be the challenge of thief extraordinaire Riley Wolfe’s life.

Fool Me Twice opens in St. Petersburg, where Riley steals the egg—no easy task. Betrayed by the pilot he hired to help him get away, he wakes chained to a rock wall on one of the Kerguelen Islands—the most remote spot on earth—prisoner of a top-dog international arms dealer, and a top-notch art collector. He wants Riley to steal an artwork. Small problem–it’s a fresco, “The Liberation of St. Peter.” Slightly larger problem–it’s in the Vatican.

And, it’s a literal wall.

Riley has no choice: agree or die. But when his captor turns him loose, he’s grabbed by another arms dealer looking to do a double cross. Worse, he gives Riley a special incentive: a surveillance photograph of Monique, the love of his life, and more important, the art forger he can’t pull off any heist without. The threat is clear. Riley knows they both have only one way out.

With wicked dialogue, tons of explosive twists, and cinema-worthy scenes, Jeff Lindsay’s Fool Me Twice is another wildly entertaining caper starring the anti-hero you’ll root for, Riley Wolfe.

I have to admit that I really like this fantastic plot synopsis and Fool Me Twice sounds like it is going to be a really fun book.  I am particularly interested in seeing how the protagonist ends up stealing that wall from out of the Vatican and it should result in all manner of entertaining shenanigans.  Fool Me Twice is currently set for release in early December 2020 and I have a feeling that it will turn out to be another exciting and enjoyable book.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Emperor’s Exile and War Lord

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday9 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 take a look at upcoming releases from two of my favourite authors, historical fiction masters Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.  Both of these upcoming books are the latest entries in two of my favourite long-running series and should prove to be some of the top books of 2020.

The Emperor's Exile Cover

The first entry in this article is The Emperor’s Exile by Simon Scarrow, the 19th novel in The Eagles of the Empire series.  The Eagles of the Empire novels focus on two Roman officers, Tribune Cato and Centurion Marco, as they battle across the Roman Empire, taking on all manner of different enemies and getting involved in some of the pivotal historical events of the period, such as the invasion of Britain or the rise of Nero as Emperor.  This is easily one of the best Roman historical fiction series out there and I have had an amazing time reading all of the entries in this series.  The last few Eagles of the Empire novels, The Blood of Rome and Traitors of Rome, have been really compelling reads and I am always extremely eager to get my hands on a new entry in the series when it comes out.

The Emperor’s Exile is a fantastic sounding new addition to the series which is currently set for release on 10 November 2020.  This next novel will once again place the protagonists in the middle of another dangerous situation, with some rather unique and enjoyable new elements to it.

Synopsis:

A.D. 57. Battle-scarred veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro return to Rome. Thanks to the failure of their recent campaign on the eastern frontier they face a hostile reception at the imperial court. Their reputations and future are at stake.

When Emperor Nero’s infatuation with his mistress is exploited by political enemies, he reluctantly banishes her into exile. Cato, isolated and unwelcome in Rome, is forced to escort her to Sardinia.

Arriving on the restless, simmering island with a small cadre of officers, Cato faces peril on three fronts: a fractured command, a deadly plague spreading across the province…and a violent insurgency threatening to tip the province into blood-stained chaos.

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The other book that I will be looking at in this post is War Lord by Bernard Cornwell, the 13th and final novel in the acclaimed The Last Kingdom series.  The Last Kingdom books follow the fictional character, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a feared and respected warrior who is involved in some of the pivotal moments of the early formation of England.  This series has so far followed a number of key events in the life of Uhtred and has seen him get involved in the deadly conflict between the Christian Saxons and the pagan Danes.  Uhtred, a pagan raised by Danes, often finds himself fighting on behalf of the Saxon kingdoms, despite having more in common with and more respect for his enemies than his allies.  This is another series I have so far read all the books in, although I am particularly keen to get my hands on War Lord as I am extremely curious to see how The Last Kingdom series ends.  War Lords will be coming out in late October and it looks like Uhtred will once again be thrust into the midst of a deadly war which he probably will not survive.

Synopsis:

After years fighting to reclaim his rightful home, Uhtred of Bebbanburg has returned to Northumbria. With his loyal band of warriors and a new woman by his side, his household is secure – yet Uhtred is far from safe. Beyond the walls of his impregnable fortress, a battle for power rages.

To the south, King Æthelstan has unified the three kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia – and now eyes a bigger prize. To the north, King Constantine and other Scottish and Irish leaders seek to extend their borders and expand their dominion.

Caught in the eye of the storm is Uhtred. Threatened and bribed by all sides, he faces an impossible choice: stay out of the struggle, risking his freedom, or throw himself into the cauldron of war and the most terrible battle Britain has ever experienced. Only fate can decide the outcome.

The epic story of how England was made concludes in WAR LORD, the magnificent finale to the Last Kingdom series.

Both upcoming books sound like they are going to be a lot of fun, and I am excited to see how they turn out.  Based on all my experiences with every prior book in these two series, I know that I am going to have an amazing time reading The Emperor’s Exile and War Lords, especially as I am already very invested in both series.  It will be great to see how the various characters and established storylines continue to progress and I am particularly keen to see how Cornwell concludes The Last Kingdom series.  The Emperor’s Exile and War Lords both have an amazing amount of potential, and I already know that they will be some of the strongest and most enjoyable pieces of historical fiction in 2020.

Waiting on Wednesday – A Fool’s Hope by Mike Shackle

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, 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 my latest Waiting on Wednesday article I take a look at A Fool’s Hope by Mike Shackle, an intriguing upcoming fantasy novel that serves as a sequel to one of 2019’s best debuts.

A Fool's Hope Cover

Last year Mike Shackle burst onto the scene with the dark and exciting first entry in his The Last War fantasy series, We are the Dead, an outstanding read which followed a group of resistance fighters in a feudal Japan inspired fantasy nation that had been brutally conquered by its neighbours.  I did not get a chance to read We are the Dead when it came out, but I finally managed to listen to an audiobook version of the book a couple of months ago.  I absolutely loved its compelling story, damaged characters and intense action sequences, which resulted in an amazing and dark read.  As a result, I am now really looking forward to seeing how the series continues, and I’ll soon get my chance as the sequel, A Fool’s Hope, is coming out later this year.  A Fool’s Hope, which currently has a planned release in December 2020, looks set to continue the epic story started in We are the Dead, as the battle to free Jia from the Egril.

Goodreads Synopsis:

War takes everything.

From Tinnstra, it took her family and thrust her into a conflict she wanted only to avoid. Now her queen’s sole protector, she must give everything she has left to keep Zorique safe.

It has taken just as much from Jia’s revolutionaries. Dren and Jax – battered, tortured, once enemies themselves – now must hold strong against their bruised invaders, the Egril.

For the enemy intends to wipe Jia from the map. They may have lost a battle, but they are coming back. And if Tinnstra and her allies hope to survive, Jia’s heroes will need to be ready when they do.

The sequel to the darkly fantastic WE ARE THE DEAD: with more unflinching action, A FOOL’S HOPE sees Jia’s revolutionaries dig in their heels as they learn that wars aren’t won in a day.

I like the sound of this plot synopsis as it looks like A Fool’s Hope will continue to follow the main characters from the first novel, including the coward Tinnstra, the rebellious Dren and the damaged veteran Jax, as they play their part in the war against the Egril.  Based on the synopsis and where the story concluded in We are the Dead, I imagine that the book will have some split storylines, particularly with Tinnstra and her charge, the princess Zorique, seeking refuge in a neighbouring country, while Dren and Jax will continue their guerrilla war back in Jia.  No doubt this story will go in some new and dark directions as the inevitable Egril counterattack occurs and there will probably be some plots to take or corrupt Zorique which Tinnstra will have to deal with.  It also seems likely that this second book will explore the origins and potential of this world’s magical system, particularly as Zorique has the potential to be a powerful magic user and I look forward to seeing how this plays into the story.

One of the best things about We are the Dead was the diverse collection of compelling point-of-view characters who the story was focused upon.  Each of these characters was extremely damaged or broken due to the events of the war and all of them went through a lot of stuff in the first book, including torture, near-death experiences and immense growth as people.  I am therefore excited to see more of these characters in A Fool’s Hope and it will be extremely interesting to see where each of their individual storylines ends up.  You have to imagine that each of them will have to work through a lot of issues and trauma after the events of the first book and I look forward to seeing how they all develop.  I will be intrigued to see how much the other two point-of-view characters from We are the Dead will feature in this novel considering that neither were mentioned in the plot synopsis.  I will be particularly interested in seeing if the sadistic antagonist of the first book, the Egril Darus, returns for this second novel after he had his head chopped off (he has some fairly substantial regenerative powers, so I think he has a real possibility of coming back).  However, if he does not, I am sure that Shackle will introduce another compelling and sinister antagonist for the story, perhaps the mysterious leader of the Egril himself.  I cannot emphasise enough how much I am looking forward to diving back into the great storylines of this series’ fantastic characters, although I am a tad wary as We are the Dead had a rather high casualty rate and Shackle did sadistically hint when I reviewed his first book that some of the main characters may die in A Fool’s Hope.  Still, I think I will have to risk getting my heart broken as I really want to see how the sequel ends up.

A Fool’s Hope looks set to be a strong fantasy release for the end of the year and I am really looking forward to seeing how this book unfolds.  Based on how much fun I had reading the first novel in The Last War series, I know that I am going to have an incredible time reading A Fool’s Hope, and I cannot wait to see where Mike Shackle takes his fascinating story and captivating characters next.  This upcoming book has an amazing amount of potential and I am really excited it read it in a few short months.