WWW Wednesday – 6 September 2023

On September 6, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer (ebook)

Traitors Gate Cover

I started reading the upcoming Jeffrey Archer novel, Traitors Gate this week, which is proving to be an interesting addition to one of Archer’s long running series. Focusing on an attempt to steal the Crown Jewels, Traitors Gate is a fast-paced and awesome read that I am hoping to knock off in the next day or so.

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Warhammer 40,000: Longshot by Rob Young (Audiobook)

Longshot Cover

I started listening to the latest Warhammer 40,000 novel, Longshot by Rob Young this week. Following a talented sniper as she gets drawn into an intense battle against manipulative alien forces, Longshot is a really compelling and clever read that I am having a ton of fun with.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King (Paperback)

Mr Mercedes Cover 1

A deeply intense and dark thriller that I really should have read sooner.

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The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding (Audiobook)

The Shadow Casket Cover

I finally managed to finish off the massive fantasy release The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding this week. The sequel to his epic 2018 novel, The Ember Blade, The Shadow Casket lived up to all my expectations and was a pretty amazing novel. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Holly by Stephen King

Holly Cover

I am hoping to get through the new Stephen King novel, Holly this week, which should be quite an epic read. A dark crime thriller with some potential horror/supernatural elements to it, Holly sounds really amazing and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

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Code Red by Kyle Mills

Code Red Cover

In addition, if I get the chance, I might try and quickly read the early copy of the new Mitch Rapp novel I got, Code Red. The latest book in one of my favourite ongoing spy thriller series, Code Red sounds like an amazing read, and I am sure it will be a worthy addition to this impressive, and often over-the-top, series.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Warhammer 40,000: The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

On September 4, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer12 Comments

The King of the Spoil Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 July 2023)

Series: Warhammer Crime

Length: 12 hours and 33 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Get ready for another awesome round of Warhammer Crime goodness as Jonathan D. Beer presents an epic and captivating novel thick with action, intrigue and cool characters in The King of the Spoil.

Out of all the many Warhammer 40,000 novels and series currently running, few are as fun as the very impressive Warhammer Crime collection of books. An intriguing subseries designed to mix distinctive crime fiction narratives with the awesome grimdark Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Warhammer Crime novels are a ton of fun, and I love the crazy and powerful stories that result. All loosely connected and set in the same massive dystopian city of Varangantua, the Warhammer Crime series has so far produced some epic reads, including The Wraithbone Phoenix and Dredge Runners by Alec Worley, Grim Repast by Marc Collins, Flesh and Steel by Guy Hayley, and Bloodlines by Chris Wraight. Each of these Warhammer Crime books has been pretty damn exceptional in their own way, and most of them appeared on my recent favourite Warhammer 40,000 list. As such, I was very excited when I saw that a new Warhammer Crime novel was on its way with The King of the Spoil.

The King of the Spoil was an outstanding novel from author Jonathan D. Beer that introduced the reader to a new area of the overarching setting of Varangantua while also supplying them with a compelling and impressive story. This is actually the first full novel from Beer, and it continues several of his short stories that were previously published in the Warhammer Crime collected editions, Broken City and Sanction and Sin. I had an epic time with this fantastic novel as Beer produced an exceptional and addictive read.

In the vast continent-spanning city of Varangantua, there is no section of the city more desperate or devastated than the broken chunk of land known as the Spoil. A formerly prominent industrial area, time has turned the Spoil in a useless wasteland abandoned by the rest of the city. With the remaining populace of the Spoil forced to remain within its bounds, there are very few choices for survival and little chance for escape. But even in this fallen area, someone must rise to the top, and only one man can be king.

For over a generation, the Spoil was ruled by Andreti Sorokin, the self-proclaimed King of the Spoil. His rule brought stability to the once lawless section of the city, while his unpopular alliance with the Valtteri business cartel ensured that money once again flowed through the Spoil. However, no king can rule forever, and when Sorokin is brutally murdered by a mysterious assassin, it doesn’t take long until someone tries to replace him.

As the Spoil devolves into a deadly gang war, with rival factions fighting for control of whatever they can get, the Valtteri turn to their most effective agent to find them an edge. Melita Voronova is an info-broker and hacker of unsurpassed skill who has been forced to work for the Valterri. However, after failing to predict Sorokin’s assassination, her only hope to survive her employer’s wrath is to travel to the Spoil and determine who killed Sorokin. However, many people within the Spoil had a motive for killing the king, and Melita is about to discover that Sorokin’s death is only the first step in an elaborate plot that could change the very foundation of the Spoil. Can Melita find the truth before it’s too late, or will this massive conspiracy destroy her and everything she cares about?

This was a pretty awesome book from Beer, who really showcases his fantastic writing ability in his debut novel. Featuring an excellent and intense story, loaded with intrigue, action and complex characters, The King of the Spoil is an excellent addition to the Warhammer Crime series and I had so much fun getting through it.

Beer comes up with a very elaborate and fun story in The King of the Spoil, which starts very strong and never really slows down. Beginning with the assassination of the titular king, Beer takes his time before introducing the main protagonist, instead utilising a series of short chapters to effectively bring several supporting cast members into the narrative while also showcasing the immediate aftermath of Sorokin’s death. I really liked how Beer decided to focus on these other characters first, especially as it adds in some interesting story angles that come into play later in the story.

Once the scene has been effectively set, the story starts to primarily focus on protagonist Melita Voronova who, after failing to warn her dangerous corporate employers about Sorokin’s death, is forced to journey to the Spoil to find out who killed him and manage the appointment of a successor. Beer also introduces a great alternate point of view protagonist in young Spoil resident Haska Jovanic, who provides an intriguing look at the events occurring on the ground in the Spoil, especially as warlords and other involved parties make their move. Both major narratives evolve at a steady pace, mostly independent of each other, and I liked the competing views of the events and the city that they provided to the reader. Out of the two, Melita’s investigation-focused chapters were probably the more entertaining, and she leads the reader on the hunt for the killer and the complex politics of the Spoil and its gangs. These two main perspectives are cleverly interspersed with a series of interludes shown from other side characters, including the true antagonist and their patsies, as they put their masterplan into commission. While a more detailed perspective from the antagonist might have been interesting, Beer chose to keep their involvement mostly mysterious for the moment, and it was interesting to see their intermittent involvement to the larger plot.

The King of the Spoil takes a big turn in the second half when the antagonist makes a big move and absolutely rocks the entire plot. The full extent of their ambitious plan and its massive repercussions are pretty over the top, and I loved how Beer cleverly hinted at what was to come while setting everything up in the first half of the book. Everything honestly goes to hell for Melita at that point while Haska finds herself in the middle of conflict, fighting for everything she believes in. The stakes of the book keep getting bigger and bigger, and Melita is forced to find help more in keeping with the Warhammer Crime vibe to uncover who some of the major hidden players in the case are, which only results in a more sinister conspiracy than anyone realised. This leads up to a massively explosive conclusion, which leads to some major changes and mostly resolves events, although there are some big plot points left open which Beer is clearly looking to explore in the future. Both the main protagonists are left in interesting positions, which cleverly fits their respective development, and it will be great to see what happens to them next. This was overall an exciting and gripping narrative that lived up to the lofty heights of the Warhammer Crime series.

Like many of the Warhammer Crime books, The King of the Spoil is a mostly standalone read that does not require a lot of pre-knowledge of the other entries in the series, or the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe to enjoy. While Beer has written about the main character in several prior short stories, you don’t really need to check these out first, as the author makes sure that any relevant details are revisited or mentioned where necessary. I think that Beer did a really good job of converting the characters and scenarios from his previous shorter works into the larger novel format, and his debut book was pretty epic as a result.

I loved the intriguing mixture of storylines that were featured within The King of the Spoil, and the blend of investigation, gang politics, and character driven storylines worked to produce a fantastic and complex read that fit well within the larger Warhammer Crime universe. Beer maintains a steady and compelling pace throughout the course of The King of Spoil, and there honestly wasn’t a dull moment throughout the entire book, whether the focus was on intrigue, action, or character growth. The intriguing crime elements of the novel, such as the protagonist’s major investigation, criminal politics, and the brewing gang war, were all expertly inserted into the story and it blended well with both the setting and the accompanying character arcs. Beer proved competent at ratchetting up the tension at certain parts of the novel, as both main protagonists are continuously experiencing major threats, momentous decisions, and tragedy. The action scenes were pretty damn awesome, and I loved how Beer was able to capture the intricacies of the various battles that occurred, whether they be gang scraps or something even more serious. Thanks to the author’s inclusive writing style and determination to bring a powerful crime fiction story to life, I found The King of the Spoil to be a great entry novel into the Warhammer Crime series, and indeed this might even be a good read for those readers looking to explore the Warhammer 40,000 universe for the first time. This entire story was showcased extremely well by Beer and I honestly had a hard time putting down The King of the Spoil.

One of the things I love so much about the Warhammer Crime books is the great overarching setting of the massive city of Varangantua, which each author adds to throughout the course of the series. I love all the unique and different areas of the city that have so far been introduced, but I think the Spoil is one of the best. Showcased as an extremely poor district that has been deliberately cut off from the rest of the city and is now completely ruled by gangs, the Spoil is a particularly grim and desperate place in an already notoriously grim city/universe. Beer does a wonderful job diving into the unique history of the Spoil and its inhabitants throughout the course of the book, including how things changed during the reign of Andreti Sorokin, who brought some stability to the region, but in a way that damaged their pride and independence. This desperation and desire to be free becomes a key part of the plot, as the antagonists use this to bring anarchy to the Spoil and beyond in some impressively destructive ways. There is also an outstanding and enjoyable focus on gang politics and interactions, as various factions seek to take control of the Spoil throughout the course of the book. I deeply appreciated how Beer wove these elements of his major setting into the plot, and it made for a much more complex story where neither side is really in the right. Beer also cleverly works in some larger Warhammer 40,000 elements into the story, which work to enhance the stakes of the story. The inclusion of one notorious Imperial organisation really showcases just how serious events get at times, and I honestly enjoyed just how widespread and massive Beer decided to make his plot, especially as there are implications of darker forces at work. This was such a great addition to the Warhammer Crime sub-series of books, and I loved how Beer made this part of Varangantua his own and built an outstanding story around it.

One of the major highlights of The King of the Spoil was the intriguing group of characters the story was set around. Beer does a great job of introducing a fantastic cast of thieves, gangsters, mercenaries, cut-throat industrialists and more throughout the book, and their battles for supremacy and respect ensured this was an excellent read. The main protagonist is Melita Voronova, a talented info-broker who has been forced into service by the Valterri cartel and is tasked with keeping an eye on the Spoil. A brilliant, analytical person with the ability to recruit and maintain a large spy network, Melita is a very intriguing protagonist, and you swiftly grow to ensure her unique outlook and abilities. However, thanks to her indentured servitude, her complex past, and the cybernetic implants she’s received, Melita is a bit of a mess and is using drugs to cope. Beer portrays Melita is a deeply damaged figure, who is resentful of her current lot in life and is constantly pushing everyone close to her away. This makes for several deeply personal scenes throughout The King of Spoil, and it was heartbreaking at times to see her refuse any help, even when she really needs it. Thanks to the chaotic events of the book, Melita experiences several tragedies in The King of the Spoil which adds further strain to her psyche and enhances the already dark tension of the novel. I really liked where Beer left Melita’s character arc at the end of The King of the Spoil, especially as it became clear that she still has a lot of development to go, and it will be fascinating to see what happens to her next, especially as she is now on several powerful people’s radar.

The other major protagonist of The King of the Spoil was Haska Jovanic, a young resident of the Spoil who gets a front row view of all the changes and conflict that occurs throughout the book. In some ways, Haska has a much more complete character journey in this book than Melita, especially as she goes from scared street rat to hardened and vengeful gang soldier. Dragged into various conflicts in the book thanks to her eager friends, Haska is a bit of a reluctant figure for much of the story, and there are some intriguing chapters around her motivations and what she wants out of life. Forced to choose between being a fighter or being exploited, Haska is thrust into some of the major plot points of the book, where she finds courage, motivation and tragedy. Beer did a particularly good job of building up the reader’s attachment to Haska throughout The King of the Spoil, especially as she is one of the more relatable figures in the entire book. Watching her be forced by circumstances, fear and loyalty into several deadly situations which usually backfire on her is pretty powerful, and the author builds some fantastic storylines around her as a result, especially in the second half of the book. I deeply enjoyed how her entire complex storyline unfolded, and the compelling conclusion to her arc in The King of the Spoil ensures that she is going to be particularly interesting to follow when she shows up again next.

Aside from Melita and Haska, there are a ton of other great characters featured throughout The King of the Spoil, mainly to bolster the protagonist’s storyline or provide some intriguing antagonistic figures. Some of the most notable includes Edi, Melita’s bodyguard and former enforcer who serves as the main character’s conscience, resolve and sounding board. Edi is probably one of the more likeable and honourable figures in the novel, and his intriguing relationship with Melita as he tries to act like her father against her wishes, makes him that much more enjoyable. The Valterri security chief Tomillan Vasimov, who controls Melita for his organisation, served as an outstanding secondary antagonist, especially due to his rivalry and disdain for the protagonist. Beer turns him into quite a fantastically unlikeable figure, so much so that you quite enjoy it when the real antagonists take shots at him. Haska’s ambitious and inexperienced gang friends also prove an excellent addition to the cast, especially as they give Haska a lot of motivation to get involved in events, while Mattix, the grizzled Probator (investigator for the Enforcers), adds a great police presence, despite his often less-than-honourable motivations. Other great characters also have their moment in the book, such as the actual, and somewhat hidden, antagonist of the story, who masterfully sets every event into play. I quite liked the deadly intrigue that surrounded this figure, although I do wish we had gotten to see more of them in The King of the Spoil or find out more about their motivations. I imagine this antagonist will be a recurring figure in any future Beer Warhammer Crime novels, and I look forward to seeing them face off against the protagonist again. These characters, and more, were all deeply enjoyable and I loved the intriguing range they brought to the plot.

I checked out The King of the Spoil on audiobook, as frankly it is the best way to enjoy a Warhammer 40,000 novel. Unsurprisingly, I had an amazing time listening to The King of the Spoil, and I really felt that the audiobook format helped to enhance its already exciting and fantastic story. The frenetic intrigue and brutal action sequences all really come to life when it is read out to you from the protagonist’s perspective, and I definitely absorbed more of the elaborate and desolate landscape of the Spoil thanks to the narration. I also a very big fan of the narration provided by relatively new audiobook narrator, Gabrielle Nellis-Pain, whose intriguing range added a great deal to the impact and enjoyment of the story. Nellis-Pain does such a great job of inhabiting the roles of the various characters contained within The King of the Spoil, especially the main two protagonists, Melita and Haska. I felt that the narrator did a wonderful job capturing their various personalities, as well as the emotional pain and distress the events of this book inflict upon them, and you really get drawn into their story arcs as a result. The rest of the cast also come together extremely well, and I liked how Nellis-Pain was able to really showcase some of their key character traits, which really helped me to enjoy the excellent story. Coming in with a decent runtime of 12 and a half hours, dedicated listeners can get through The King of Spoil fairly quickly, especially once they get caught up in its wonderful detail. I would strongly recommend The King of the Spoil’s audiobook to anyone interested in checking this book out and you will really enjoy it more in this format.

Overall, The King of the Spoil was an excellent and captivating Warhammer Crime novel that I had an epic time listening to. Author Jonathan Beer did an outstanding job with his first Warhammer novel, and I deeply enjoyed the powerful and exciting crime fiction story he came up with, loaded with amazing characters and set in a fantastic and compelling new part of the Warhammer Crime shared setting. The King of the Spoil was an impressive addition to an already awesome sub-series and it is clear that Beer has some interesting plans to continue the storylines started here in the future. I cannot wait to see what Beer delivers in the future and if this first book is anything to go by, it’s bound to be exceptional.

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WWW Wednesday – 23 August 2023

On August 23, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King (Paperback)

Mr Mercedes Cover 1

In preparation for the new Stephen King novel, Holly, coming out in a couple of weeks, I decided to go back and read King’s earlier novel, Mr Mercedes. A deeply intense and dark thriller, Mr Mercedes is so far proving to be an outstanding book and I really should have tried to read it sooner. I am about a quarter of the way through Mr Mercedes at the moment and I look forward to seeing the how the rest of the elaborate and shocking narrative unwinds.

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The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding (Audiobook)

The Shadow Casket Cover

Unsurprisingly, I’m still getting through the massive fantasy release The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding. The sequel to his epic 2018 novel, The Ember Blade, The Shadow Casket follows a desperate band of revolutionaries as they attempt to overthrow an evil empire, while also dealing with dangerous supernatural threats. I made a ton of progress this week with The Shadow Casket and I currently only have a third of the book left. I am fairly confident that I will finish The Shadow Casket off in the next week and I cannot wait to see how this epic fantasy novel concludes. This is already proving to be one of the better fantasy reads of 2023 and I am getting really drawn into its exceptional and addictive narrative.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Never a Hero by Vanessa Len (Trade Paperback)

Never A Hero Cover

I managed to power through Never a Hero by Vanessa Len in the last week and it really lived up to all my expectations. The sequel to Len’s impressive young adult fantasy debut from last year, Only a Monster, Never a Hero was an outstanding novel that took its protagonist on a dark and twisty journey, loaded with tragedy, betrayal and time travel. Highly recommended!

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Ripper by Shelley Burr (Trade Paperback)

Ripper Cover

I also managed to quickly knock off the fantastic Australian murder mystery Ripper by Shelley Burr this week. The sequel to her outstanding 2022 debut, Wake, Ripper was an extremely clever and well-written novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Pit by Peter Papathanasiou

The Pit Cover

I’m having a lot of fun with Australian fiction at the moment, so I think the next book I’ll check out is the intriguing outback murder mystery, The Pit, by talented author Peter Papathanasiou. This book sounds very cool and I look forward to digging my way through it.

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Warhammer 40,000: Longshot by Rob Young

Longshot Cover

If I manage to finish off The Shadow Casket in the next week, I plan to start listening to the latest Warhammer 40,000 novel, Longshot by Rob Young. Following a talented sniper as she gets drawn into an intense battle against manipulative alien forces, Longshot sounds really compelling and clever and I already know I am going to have a ton of fun with it.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books With One-Word Titles

On August 16, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing characters from different books that the participants believe should team up. While this is certainly a unique list, it wasn’t anything I felt I could contribute to, so I instead went back and did the July 18 topic of books with one-word titles, which I missed a few weeks ago.

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

Top Twenty List:

Xenos by Dan Abnett

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

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Legend by David Gemmell

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

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Burner by Mark Greaney

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

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Homeland by R. A. Salvatore

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

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Tombland by C. J. Sansom

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

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini

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

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Devolution by Max Brooks

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

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Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

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

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Magician by Raymond E. Feist

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

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Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

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

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Outgunned by Denny Flowers

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

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Blackout by Simon Scarrow

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

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Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

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

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Later by Stephen King

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

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Necropolis by Dan Abnett

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

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Relentless by Jonathan Maberry

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

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Planetside by Michael Mammay

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

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Redshirts by John Scalzi

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

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Recursion by Blake Crouch

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

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Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn

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

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

WWW Wednesday – 9 August 2023

On August 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin (Trade Paperback)

Dark Corners Cover

I just started reading the exciting new thriller from awesome Australian author Megan Goldin, Dark Corners. A sequel to her previous gripping read, The Night Swim, Dark Corners follows a famed true-crime podcaster when she is called in to investigate a mysterious disappearance that will force her to go undercover in an influencer convention. This is already proving to be a fascinating and compelling read and I look forward to unwinding Goldin’s latest impressive puzzle.

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The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding (Audiobook)

The Shadow Casket Cover

This week I also started listening to a massive fantasy release from earlier in the year with The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding. The sequel to his epic 2018 novel, The Ember Blade, The Shadow Casket follows a desperate band of revolutionaries as they attempt to overthrow an evil empire, while also dealing with dangerous supernatural threats. The first book in this series was a powerful and elaborate novel and I have been really looking forward to this sequel for years. I have made a fair bit of progress so far, and The Shadow Casket is already proving to be everything I hoped it would be. I look forward to discovering just how epic and impressive Wooding has made this sequel, although it will probably take me a couple of weeks to get through this lengthy audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Starter Villain by John Scalzi (ebook)

Starter Villain Cover

A very fun and hilarious novel about a rookie supervillain, Starter Villain is John Scalzi at his best, and I managed to power through this book in a single day.

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Warhammer 40,000: Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French (Audiobook)

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

A particularly intriguing, intense and complex Warhammer 40,000 novel, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen was a short, but very sweet, audiobook, that I cannot recommend enough. Review to follow soon.

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Fearless by M. W. Craven (Trade Paperback)

Fearless Cover

A very exciting and over-the-top action thriller that followed a cool new protagonist on a deadly revenge mission. Fast-paced, intense and so damn violent, this was a very awesome read.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Never A Hero Cover

I am hoping to start reading Never a Hero by Vanessa Len in the next week. The sequel to her impressive debut from last year, Only a Monster, Never a Hero looks set to be one of the best young adult novels of 2023 and I am very excited to start reading it.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks with Multiple Narrators

On August 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic of this week’s Top Ten Tuesday looked at books participants have read or wanted to read because of other Top Ten Tuesday posts. While this is a very interesting topic, it’s not one that I felt I could really participate in. However, I did have a couple of audiobook-focused lists I’d been cooking up in the background, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to post one here.

My list for this week revolves around audiobooks with multiple narrators. Now fans of my blog will be well aware that I am a massive fan of the audiobook format, and I honestly find it the best way to enjoy a range of cool novels and series. I have so much love for audiobooks, and a great narrator can exceptionally increase how much I enjoy an epic book. In some particularly awesome cases, the audiobook format can feature more than one narrator, and that is what I want to focus this list on. I have had the pleasure of listening to some very impressive audiobooks that feature a large cast of voice actors and frankly the range of voices and talents involved can add an even greater layer of awesomeness to the proceedings. As such, I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to highlight some of the very vest multi-narrator audiobooks I have listened to so far.

To appear on this list, the audiobook in question had to have two or more narrators attached to it, with the second narrator having more than a cameo appearance to it. I actually had quite a few options to include here, but I was eventually able to whittle it down to a satisfying top-ten list, with my typical generous honourable mentions section as well. I think this list came up pretty well, and I really liked some of the books I selected. All the below choices come very highly recommended on audiobook, and their great collection of narrators ensured that this format was particularly epic.

Honourable Mentions:

Caves of Ice, written by Sandy Mitchell and narrated by Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlins and Emma Gregory

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Dredge Runners, written by Alec Worley and narrated by Jon Rand, Paul Putner, Emma Noakes, Kelly Hotten, David Seddon and Andrew James Spooner

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Dark Sacred Night, written by Michael Connelly narrated by Titus Welliver and Christine Lakin

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The Battle For Jedha, written by George Mann and performed by a full cast

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Top Ten Tuesdsay:

For the Emperor, written by Sandy Mitchell and narrated by Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlins and Emma Gregory

Let us start off with one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell. The first book in the acclaimed and hilarious Ciaphas Cain series, For the Emperor is a very entertaining novel that follows the exploits of a cowardly Commissar who has managed to convince everyone that he’s a brilliant war hero. This is an extremely funny read, and it’s audiobook version is greatly enhanced by the use of its three narrators, Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlins and Emma Gregory. All three narrators are extremely good in their roles, and I love how they split the load, with Perring voicing much of the main story, Rawlins voicing hilarious notes from an outside observer, and Gregory voicing several intentionally badly written book excerpts in an over-the-top manner. This unique narration works extremely well and you will fall down laughing as a result. This cast (with a few more additions), lend their voices to the entire Ciaphas Cian series, and I look forward to checking out more entries in this series in the future, especially with this brilliant cast behind it.

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The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and narrated by a full cast

I had to include the first epic audio adaptation of the iconic Sandman comic here on this list, as it is a particularly exceptional listen. This adaptation features a massive and highly talented voice cast to bring Gaiman’s elaborate story to life, including a cool mixture of celebrities and professional voice actors, who mesh extremely well together to tell a brilliant story. Celebrities, including James McAvoy, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Andy Serkis, Michael Sheen and Riz Ahmed, as well as iconic audiobook narrators like Ray Porter, do an exceptional job bringing their characters to life, and in some cases they are even better than the live-action cast from the Netflix show. I absolutely flew through this adaptation, and the sheer range of great voices involved is so damn epic you won’t be able to turn it off.

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World War Z, written by Max Brooks and narrated by a full cast

Another massive audiobook production that benefits incredibly from an extensive celebrity cast is the adaptation of the awesome zombie novel, World War Z. This large cast works extremely well to bring Brooks’ interview-style story to life, as they each take on the role of a specific character being interviewed. With Brooks acting as the interviewer, each of these actors tell their character’s specific story of the zombie apocalypse in impressive fashion, diving into their charaters and telling their terrifying tales. Honestly all 30+ actors do an incredible job here, but some of the standouts include Alfred Molina as former astronaut (with a decent Australian accent), Alan Alda as a business strategist, Masi Oka as a Japanese otaku who is totally unprepared for the zombies, and Rob Reiner and an almost unrecognisable Simon Pegg as politicians. However, my favourite is easily Mark Hamill, who has several of the best chapters as a jaded former solider caught up in the very worst moments of the war. This cast is just exceptional, and their use in this audiobook turns this into a first-class listen.

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Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waagh!, written by Nate Crowley and narrated by Kelly Hotten, Paul Putner and Jon Rand

One Warhammer 40,000 audiobook that particularly benefitted from multiple narrators was the impressive and exceedingly fun Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waagh!. Featuring a fantastic story that dives into the origins of a legendary figure in Warhammer 40,000 lore, this audiobook featured three talented narrators, Kelly Hotten, Paul Putner and Jon Rand. These three narrators switched throughout the book, depending on which unique figure was the perspective character for that chapter. This worked to really immerse the listener in the clever, multi-tiered narrative, and I had an awesome time listening to Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waagh! as a result. This was one of my favourite books and audiobooks from 2022 and this fantastic narration is a very strong reason for that.

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Doctor Aphra, written by Sarah Kuhn and narrated by a full cast

One thing that Star Wars fiction excels at it is producing high quality and addictive audiobook versions of their novels. This is particularly true for their audio exclusive productions that feature huge casts of talented audiobook narrators, many of whom have lent their voices to previous Star Wars audiobooks. One of the best was probably the impressive Doctor Aphra audio production, which served as a very clever and funny adaptation of several fantastic Star Wars comics. I had an absolute blast with this production and the sheer range of cool voices that were featured throughout really enhanced the clever storytelling and witty humour. While there were several distinctive narrators for this production, the standout was probably Emily Woo Zeller, who voiced the titular protagonist and provided a perfect and fantastic take on the opportunistic archaeologist. A must listen for all Star Wars fans, especially if you’ve had the pleasure of reading the Doctor Aphra comics.

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Engines of Empire, written by Richard S. Ford and narrated by Alison Campbell, Ciaran Saward, Phoebe McIntosh, Ewan Goddard, Andrew Kingston, Martin Reeve and Stephen Perry.

One of the more unique fantasy audiobooks from last year was the awesome Engines of Empire, which told a story of revolution and betrayal in a fresh new fantasy realm. This audiobook featured a huge cast of point of view characters, and the audiobook production seeks to enhance that by featuring a large group of narrators. Each narrator voices the chapter told from a specific character, helping to create a rich and powerful audio tapestry as they capture the personalities of their respective protagonists. This helps to turn the Engines of Empire audiobook into a great listen and I really had fun with it as a result.

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Tempest Runner, written by Cavan Scott and narrated by a full cast

Another excellent Star Wars audio production with a large cast was the excellent Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott. A fun addition to the High Republic subseries of Star Wars fiction, Tempest Runner followed one of the standout villains of the previous books and gives some fantastic context to her actions. Tempest Runner featured an awesome cast of actors, and I loved some of the great performances that emerged. Standouts included Jessica Almasy, who voiced the main character, January LaVoy who voiced a spiteful antagonist, and the leading Star Wars narrators, Marc Thompson and Jonathan Davies, who bring their very impressive skills to the fore again. An outstanding audiobook that makes perfect use of its exceptional cast.

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

I have had fun with several of Michael Connelly’s audiobooks in recent years, but some of my favourites have to be the Ballard and Bosch books, that bring together two of Connelly’s best police protagonists. One of the things that make these audiobooks so cool are the use of dual narrators, Titus Welliver and Christine Lakin, who do a particularly awesome job in the second Ballard and Bosch book, The Night Fire. The audiobook is evenly split between each of the characters, so Welliver and Lakin split the narration down the middle, with Welliver voicing all the chapters from Bosch’s perspective, while Lakin takes on Ballard’s chapters. This helps to produce a very intriguing and compelling audiobook, with both actors inhabiting their respective role perfectly (unsurprisingly for Welliver, who plays Bosch in the recent television adaption). I absolutely flew through this audiobook and I cannot recommend this format enough when enjoying the epic Ballard and Bosch crossovers.

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The Way of Kings, written by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading

Another great audiobook that benefited from two separated narrators was the massive and iconic fantasy read, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I had a brilliant time listening to The Way of Kings in this format, especially as the audiobook allows for a greater appreciation of all the detail Sanderson chucked in, and the dual narrators of Michael Kramer and Kate Reading definitely helped here. Kramer and Reading split their duties along gender lines, with Kramer narrating all the chapters and interludes told from a male perspective, while Reading does the same for the parts of the book told from the female perspective. This helps to produce a very elaborate listen, especially as both narrators are particularly skilled, and I liked having a variety of voices in this extremely long audiobook. This is such a great way to enjoy this fantatic novel, and you will have an awesome time with these two narrators.

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Dooku: Jedi Lost, written by Cavan Scott and narrated by a full cast

The final multi-narrator audio production I wanted to highlight here is the Star Wars audiobook, Dooku: Jedi Lost. Diving into the past of iconic Star Wars villain Count Dooku, Jedi Lost was an excellent and entertaining listen, that features a brilliant cast of voice actors who bring several fantastic figures from the canon to life. This includes Euan Morton, who breaths great life into the titular Count Dooku, Orlagh Cassidy who has a great take on fan favourite villainess Asajji Ventress, and Jonathan Davis and Marc Thompson, whose respective portrayals of Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda, are pretty damn spot on. I had such a great time with this Star Wars production, and you have to love the dedication and power that the big cast of voice actors really brought to the table.

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That is the end of this latest list highlighting some of my favourite audiobooks that feature multiple narrators. Let me know what you think in the comments below and make sure to recommend your favourite audiobooks with a range of narrators behind it.

WWW Wednesday – 2 August 2023

On August 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Starter Villain by John Scalzi (ebook)

Starter Villain Cover

I just started reading my early copy of Starter Villain by John Scalzi, and so far it is a ton of fun. The latest standalone novel from the always entertaining Scalzi (check out my reviews for his previous awesome books, Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society), Starter Villain follows the chaos surrounding a protagonist who inherits a supervillain company. I have already had several great laughs thanks to this book and I will probably finish it off in the next day or so.

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Warhammer 40,000: Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French (Audiobook)

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

I also started listening to the recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French today. Following a notorious, yet mysterious, rogue as he runs around the Imperial Palace, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen is proving to be an intriguing and action-packed addition to this awesome franchise and I really glad I got the chance to dive into it. This is a relatively short audiobook so I will probably finish this off in the next couple of days as well and I am looking forward to seeing how this intense story unfolds.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

The Last True Templar Cover

I managed to finish off the early copy of The Last True Templar I got through Netgalley this week and it ended up being a very awesome novel. Written by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Last True Templar is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Lawless Land, which I had such an epic time with. This sequel was an outstanding read that combined compelling historical detail with an intriguing thriller storyline. I am hoping to get a review up for it soon and I am very glad I got the opportunity to read this upcoming book in advance.

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The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

The Traitor Cover

I finally managed to finish off the audiobook version of The Traitor this week, and boy was it everything I wanted it to be and more. The third and final book in Anthony Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor, follows on from the exceptional novels, The Pariah and The Martyr, and had an epic story of betrayal, insanity and war. This was easily one of the best fantasy books I have read in 2023 so far and I deeply enjoyed how Ryan finished off this brilliant trilogy. Review to hopefully follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fearless by M. W. Craven

Fearless Cover

The next book that I am planning to check out is the cool sounding thriller, Fearless by author M. W. Craven. Fearless has a fun and action-packed plot behind it and I look forward to diving into the excitement later this week.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 26 July 2023

On July 26, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

The Last True Templar Cover

I made a good start on the early copy of The Last True Templar I got through Netgalley this week and it is proving to be quite the awesome novel. Written by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Last True Templar is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Lawless Land, which I had such an epic time with. This sequel continues to follow the protagonists from the first book, an excommunicated knight and a fraudulent noblewoman, as they journey throughout medieval Europe, this time getting involved in an insidious plot surrounding the destroyed Knights Templar. I am already about a quarter of the way through The Last True Templar at the moment and I will easily finish it off in the next few days. This cool book has a very exciting plot to it and I cannot wait to see where the clever historical thriller elements take me.

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The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

The Traitor Cover

I am still going strong with the audiobook version of The Traitor and it is living up to all of my expectations. The third and final book in Anthony Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor, follows on from the exceptional novels, The Pariah and The Martyr, and was one of my most anticipated novels of 2023. Following a former criminal turned scribe, soldier and knight, The Traitor sees the protagonist torn between love and the greater good in a particularly harrowing adventure. I am about halfway through The Traitor at the moment and things are really starting to get dark and very intense. I cannot wait to see how this epic series comes to an end and I’m sure I won’t be fully prepared for every dark twist and turn that is to come. This will probably end up being one of my favourite books of 2023 and I am hoping to finish The Traitor off by this time next week.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (Trade Paperback)

Fractal Noise Cover

I managed to finish off the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise this week and it ended up being a very awesome read. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise was a compelling and harrowing space exploration novel that really draws you in. Make sure to check out my review for it here.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain Cover

I hoping to start reading my early copy of Starter Villain by John Scalzi in the next week. The latest standalone novel from the always entertaining Scalzi (check out my reviews for his previous awesome books, Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society), Starter Villain will follow the chaos surrounding a protagonist who inherits a supervillain company. I have no doubt this is going to be a very fun read and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Warhammer 40,000: Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

If I manage to get through The Traitor in the next week my plan is to listen to another recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French. Following a notorious, yet mysterious, rogue as he runs around the Imperial Palace, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen sounds like an awesome addition to this already fun franchise and I cannot wait to dive into its amazing story.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 19 July 2023

On July 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (Trade Paperback)

Fractal Noise Cover

I just started reading the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise is a compelling and harrowing space exploration novel and I have already been drawn into its high-concept science fiction narrative. I am about 50 pages in at the moment and I hope to finish it off soon.

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The Traitor by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

The Traitor Cover

I was very happy to start listening to the third and final book in Anthony Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy, The Traitor, today. Following on from the outstanding novels, The Pariah and The Martyr, The Traitor is one of my most anticipated novels for 2023 and I have been looking forward to reading it for months. I only just started listening to this a couple of minutes ago so I can’t comment on it too much yet, however, The Traitor has a strong start to it and I cannot wait to see how this epic trilogy comes to an end.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

I managed to get through the cool thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh this week. An intriguing take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline that sees two women team up to kill the people who destroyed their lives, this was an awesome book and I loved how the complex and twist-laden story unfolded.

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The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando (Trade Paperback)

The Drowning Girls Cover

A fantastic and haunting Australian crime fiction novel, The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando was an excellent read that I am really glad I managed to get through it this week.

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Warhammer 40,000: The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

The King of the Spoil Cover

I just finished off the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, The King of the Spoil. Combining intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe, The King of the Spoil was everything that I hoped it would be and I cannot recommend it enough.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

The Last True Templar Cover

I am in the mood for a good historical fiction novel, so the next book I am planning to read is the early copy of The Last True Templar I got through Netgalley. Written by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, The Last True Templar is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Lawless Land, which I had such an epic time with. This sequel will continue to follow the protagonists from the first book, an excommunicated knight and a fraudulent noblewoman, as they journey throughout medieval Europe. This time they will get involved in an insidious plot surrounding the Knights Templar and the many secrets they guarded. I have no doubt this will be another exceptional read and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Pre-2023 Novels That I Read in the First Half of the Year

On July 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to list books with one-word titles, however, I am going to do two separate lists here that continue my theme of recapping the first half of 2023. I have already published one list tonight that looked at which books from the first half of 2023 that I still need to read, however, I will also be highlighting the best pre-2023 novels that I read in the first half of the year.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2023 in previous weeks, but I also need to talk about some of the books that came out before 2023 that I also read this year. I am a big fan of going back and checking out older series and books, and there are so many excellent pre-2023 novels that I haven’t had a chance to read before. This has been particularly true recently, as I have spent a lot of time this year pouring through novels and audiobooks with a variety of older release dates and featuring them in my Throwback Thursday posts. I honestly might have enjoyed too many of these older books, as I am way behind in my 2023 readings at the moment, but I think it was more than worth it as there were some exceptional reads there, including a bunch that got five-star ratings from me. Due to the sheer number of pre-2023 books I have already read this year, as well as their amazing quality, I felt that it would be interesting to do a list highlighting them now.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2023. This list includes a range of pre-2023 releases, including quite a few that I had been meaning to read for a while. I was eventually able to cull this down to a workable Top Ten list, with a descent honourable mentions section. Due to my current obsession, this list is extremely Warhammer 40,000 heavy, which I’m fine with because they are awesome books, so I apologise in advance if some of my choices are a little predictable. I also decided to cheat a little by combining a few series together into a single list entry, although that was mainly done to add a little variety to the post. Still this honestly reflects the best pre-2023 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions

Giantslayer by William King

Giantslayer Cover

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Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell

Caves of Ice Cover

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Kill Team by Gav Thorpe

Kill Team Cover

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Kingsblade by Andy Clark

Kingsblade Cover

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Top Ten List:

Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

Let us start with the outstanding Eisenhorn books by Dan Abnett, which are some of the seminal pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Following a passionate Inquisitor as he attempts to destroy insidious alien and Chaos threats inside the Imperium of Man, the Eisenhorn books are a fantastic thriller and science fiction blend that prove to be highly addictive, especially as they also detail the protagonist’s own gradual personal corruption. Made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, all three of these books really lived up to the hype and got easy five-star ratings from me.

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Dead Beat, Proven Guilty and White Night by Jim Butcher

White Night Cover

I have been having a lot of fun diving back into the iconic Dresden Files urban fantasy series this year, especially after how epic the series has been in the past. I managed to get through three books in the series this year with Dead Beat, Proven Guilty and White Night, and each one was more compelling than the last. This is easily one of the best fantasy series out there and I cannot recommend each of these books enough, especially as they all got five-star ratings from me.

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Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith by Dan Abnett

Warhammer Ghostmaker Cover

In addition to his Eisenhorn novels, Dan Abnett is probably best known for his military fiction focused Warhammer 40,000 series, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books. Following a doomed regiment as they traverse from bloody battleground to bloody battleground, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books are considered one of the backbones of the Warhammer 40,000 fiction and I have been making a real effort to dive into the series this year. I have managed to read four books from this series so far in 2023, including Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith, and each has proven to be exciting and addictive in its own way. Each of these books are outstanding reads, although my favourite is probably Necropolis, mainly because it was set around a massive siege, and I cannot wait to dive even further into this series in the future.

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The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

Perhaps one of the best pre-2023 Warhammer 40,000 novels I read this year was The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath, who is one of the best current authors of Warhammer fiction. Following two ancient Necron lords as they fight for control of a mysterious artefact, The Infinite and the Divine is a brilliant read that perfectly combines backstabbing treachery and humour with the dark Warhammer 40,000 universe. This book essentially showcases a petty feud between two immortals that lasts millennia and destroys entire worlds, and it is something glorious to behold. Easily one of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels I have so far had the pleasure of reading, this book comes very highly recommended to all fans of the franchise.

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Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley

Flesh and Steel Cover

One of my favourite sub-series of Warhammer fiction are the Warhammer Crime books. Set in a corrupt Warhammer 40,000 city, the Warhammer Crime books detail several unique crime fiction narratives that make full use of the unique setting. I have read several Warhammer Crime books in 2023, but the one I want to highlight first is the fun and entertaining Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley. Essentially an odd couple buddy cop story, Flesh and Steel sees a wealthy by lonely officer and a cyborg investigator team up to solve a very unique murder with deadly consequences. This was a very impressive read that helped cement my love for the entire Warhammer Crime sub-series.

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Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Ogres Cover

I have been deeply enjoying the works of the brilliant Adrian Tchaikovsky this year, and I made the effort to go back and read his 2022 novella, Ogres, when I had a chance. Set in a deadly world where humans are enslaved by ogre overlords, Ogres follows a bold human who finally fights back against his oppressors with dark consequences. A complex and quick novella with an insanely good and complex plot, Ogres will have you guessing to the very end and I am very glad I made the effort to read it this year.

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Grim Repast by Marc Collins

Warhammer 40,000 - Grim Repast Cover

Another outstanding older Warhammer Crime book I enjoyed in early 2023 was the dark read, Grim Repast by Marc Collins. Set out as a classic noir mystery, Grim Repast follows a damaged cop as he attempts to stop a crazed serial killer, only to find himself a suspect in the crimes. This is one of the more intense Warhammer novels I have read, and I liked the grim feel and complex characters that Collins featured. A brilliant addition to a very unique sub-series.

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For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

From dark mystery to absolute fun, another pre-2023 novel I checked out this year was the classic Warhammer 40,000 read, For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell. The first book in the fan favourite Ciaphas Cain series, For the Emperor introduces the reader to the titular character, a legendary hero of the Imperium, who is secretly a coward with terrible luck and great survival instincts. Outrageously funny, especially as Cain finds so many different ways to try and avoid danger, only for his plans to backfire continuously, this is an outstanding read, especially in its audiobook format.

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Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

The final older Warhammer Crime book I check out in 2023 was Bloodlines by acclaimed author Chris Wraight. Probably one of the more straightforward crime fiction reads in this series, Bloodlines follows a tired, veteran cop as he attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding a high-profile disappearance and a looming gang war. A very addictive read, you will come away from Bloodlines with a great appreciation for just how good a crime story in the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe can be.

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13th Legion by Gav Thorpe

13th Legion Cover 2

The last pre-2023 novel that I want to highlight on this list is the powerful 13^th Legion by leading Warhammer fiction author Gav Thorpe. Essentially The Dirty Dozen in space, 13^th Legion is a classic Warhammer 40,000 novel that follows a condemned penal legion as they fight for survival and a potential pardon. Intense, dark and very fun, 13^th Legion was an epic book and I have a lot of love for the outstanding series it sets up.

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And that is the end of this list. As you can see I have managed to check out a bunch of epic pre-2023 novels in the first half of this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading more older books in 2023, although I should probably slow down a little and check out my recent releases. However, I imagine it I will probably continue several of these series, especially the Dresden Files and Gaunt’s Ghosts books, so be prepared to see more Throwback Thursday posts featuring. Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2023, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool older books you have already checked out this year.