WWW Wednesday – 5 February 2025

On February 6, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 Comments

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:

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson (ebook)

I just started reading Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson. A fun young adult dark academia novel that sees a young protagonist investigate a mysterious Scottish boarding school with a demonic edge to it, Unhallowed Halls sounded very entertaining, and I have really enjoyed Wilkinson’s other young adult books in the past (see my reviews for The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out). I’ve only made a little progress on Unhallowed Halls so far, and I look forward to uncovering the complete complex narrative soon.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)

I also started to listen to the audiobook version of the new Adrian Tchaikovsky novel, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith follows two damaged diplomats from an unpopular empire as they try to navigate a crazy foreign city. I had so much fun with the previous entries in this series, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), and I have been looking forward to Days of Shattered Faith for a while now. I have made a bit of progress with this book, and it is proving to be a particularly captivating read, loaded with unique characters and an imaginative and elaborate setting. I am hoping to finish this book off in the next week or so, and Days of Shattered Faith is proving to be a very exceptional book.

What did you recently finish reading?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (ebook)

I managed to finish off the excellent debut thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris this week. A powerful and intriguing book set around an interesting plot premise, An Ethical Guide to Murder was a very fun novel that leaves you thinking about the ethics of murder.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young (Audiobook)

I also managed to knock off the audiobook version of Leontus: Lord Solar this week. The second Warhammer 40,000 book from Young, who previously impressed me with his debut novel Longshot, Leontus: Lord Solar was a very compelling and exciting read that was really worth checking out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Crusade by Richard Cullen

If I get a chance in the next week, I’ll probably read the upcoming historical fiction book Crusade by Richard Cullen. The sequel to Cullen’s awesome 2024 novel, Rebellion, Crusade will follow the rogue knight protagonist from Rebellion as he attempts to prove himself in the crusades. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I cannot wait to see how Cullen continues the story in Crusade.

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: Titanicus by Dan Abnett

On January 30, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer3 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 September 2008)

Series: Warhammer 40,000/Sabbat Worlds Crusade

Length: 13 hours and 38 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Titans walk to war in this brutal and captivating Warhammer 40,000 novel from the legendary Dan Abnett, Titanicus.

Of the many great Warhammer 40,000 authors out there, few are as impressive as Dan Abnett, who has envisioned an incredible number of awesome battlefields and unique character-focused war stories across the Warhammer universe. Abnett has written a ton of exceptional and powerful books around the franchise, including several series considered to be the seminal texts of the extended universe. This includes his brilliant Eisenhorn trilogy (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), and he has multiple entries in my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books list. However, his best-known series is the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, which I am currently in the middle of reading.

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are a key series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that follows the frontline human soldier of this grimdark universe. Set in an extended multi-planet campaign, known as the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books follow a ragged regiment of soldiers as they attempt to survive the dark servants of Chaos coming for them. I am having an exceptional time reading the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, with books like First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr, really impressing me with the complex stories and intense action. While I need to read more of the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, I have taken a quick break to read some of the spin-off novels Abnett wrote around his main series. Also set around the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, these spin-off novels follow other campaigns in this massive sector spanning war and provide Warhammer fans with a more in-depth view of these battles. These spin-offs include the exceptional Double Eagle, which I had the great pleasure of reading last year, and which featured so many awesome duels between flyers. Titanicus was another spectacular book shows a new and highly destructive battlefront of the crusade by focusing on the iconic Titan Legions of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

As war rage across the stars, the forces of Chaos constantly seek a way to disrupt the vital Sabbat World Crusade and destroy the human forces fighting to bring new worlds into the Imperium of Man. To that end, the archenemy launches an ambitious and devastating surprise assault on the vital forge world of Orestes, whose under-strength defenders find themselves under mass attack from Chaos Titan war engines. With both the citizens of the Imperium of Man and the forges of the Adeptus Mechanicus under threat, the planet appeals for help and soon finds its prayers answered from the stars in dramatic fashion.

Fresh from their own wars and heading out to join the crusade, the Titans of the Legio Invicta arrive on Orestes, determined to help their Mechanicus brethren. Finding the forces of Orestes severely outwatched, the Invicta Titans stride to war, causing everything to tremble at the god-machines wrath. Soon the world is engulfed in an engine war, with both sides wielding enough firepower to crack the planet and the entire population of Orestes caught in the conflict.

But as the war continues, a far more insidious threat arises that could impact far more than just the war on Orestes. Deep secrets from within Orestes Forge soon begin to spill out, risking a schism between the Imperium of Man and the Adeptus Mechanicus. With the planet trembling under the battling machines and enemy forces growing by the day, can Legio Invicta overcome the peril growing within their brotherhood before Orestes and the entire galaxy is put to the flame?

Dan Abnett presets another brilliant war story that is epic in every definition of the word. Successfully presenting the awesome power of the Titans, Titanicus is a deeply compelling and impressive Warhammer 40,000 novel that I honestly could not get enough of. Intense, exciting and so darn cool, Titanicus gets an easy five-star rating from me, as Abnett once again shows just how talented he is.

Titanicus had a particularly awesome and multi-layered standalone war narrative behind it that hooked me thanks to the author’s nuanced take on the destructive conflicts of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Starting off with some dark death to hammer home how grim the situation is, you are soon thrust into the main story as the planet of Orestes comes under attack and the defenders are pushed to the limit. However, hope soon arrives with the landing of Legio Invicta, who back up Orestes’s existing Titans and defenders with their own engines and troops. Abnett quickly and effectively sets up multiple character specific storylines as the book progresses that show various alternative viewpoints of the war. The author works hard to showcase multiple levels of the conflict, from the top commanders all the way to the lowliest of soldiers, and I really enjoyed some of the intriguing storylines that emerged. This includes desperate tales of survival by following human troops caught behind enemy lines and pursued by mechanical monsters, compelling dives into the minds of the Titan pilots, looks at the various political forces on Orestes, and even some fascinating storylines inside the Adeptus Mechanicus forge. Abnett did an amazing job highlighting the desperate strife and the complex conflicts these figures endured, and you get a fantastic overarching look at the machine war that proves hard to look away from.

As the plot of Titanicus continues, the various storylines go in some interesting directions, as you follow each of the characters or groups on their own unique journeys. Abnett did a really good job of ensuring these unique storylines effectively played off each other as the book continues, and the way characters reacted to events from other plotlines was quite clever and helped to produce a cohesive and intense overarching narrative. The introduction of a compelling storyline around intrigue and dissent amongst the Adeptus Mechanicus characters provides some extra drama and character conflicts, which added some interesting complexity to the plot, especially as it gave you an alternative group of antagonists which worked well alongside the menacing forces of Chaos, whose perspective you don’t see. I appreciated how well Abnett set this storyline up in advance, and there are some clever hints to this, and other big events, earlier in the plot.

The final third of Titanicus is particularly impressive and intense, as the author brings together his various storylines extremely well. I especially enjoyed some of the massive action sequences, while the resolution of the Adeptus Mechanicus storyline was powerful and full of drama as big personalities try to overcome mistrust and dissent. While I would have liked to have seen the final battle in full, I think Abnett’s effective summary worked pretty well, and I understand that spending another few hours in combat would have watered down the author’s main message. Each major character’s arc is resolved in a very satisfying manner, and there is an excellent blend of dramatic moments and intense action to keep the reader hooked. I appreciated how a couple of these conclusions were more depressing, rather than being uniformly happy, which fits both the grimdark nature of Warhammer 40,000 as well as Abnett’s overarching themes that war has no true winners. This story really came together well, and I deeply enjoyed the complex standalone narrative that Abnett came up with.

This was another insanely well written novel from Abnett, who excels at telling dark, deeply personal war stories from multiple perspectives. The author provides the perfect balance of excitement, deep intrigue and fantastic character growth in Titanicus, all expertly set within the amazing Warhammer 40,000 universe, and it proves to be such an addictive read. I personally became engrossed in the various character-driven storylines that emerged throughout the plot, especially the long-running storylines that lasted the entire book. However, even the more minor character arcs, such as the occasional scene from a normal citizen living in the city to an extended look at the crew of a doomed machine, was hard hitting and Abnett really gets you invested in these personal tales. As I mentioned above, these often-separate storylines worked extremely well in concert with each other, and Abnett did such a good job pulling them together into a brilliant, overarching narrative.

Of course, you can’t talk about Titanicus’s writing without going into how incredible the action sequences are. Abnett crafts together so many deeply intense and powerful battle scenes throughout Titanicus that constantly had the blood pumping as you watched your favourite characters brave the dark gauntlet of battle time and time again. The author had a lot of fun envisioning war on multiple fronts, and I loved how we got to see infantry fights, tank battles and entertaining skirmishes between various augmented foes as the story continued. However, easily the most awesome thing about Titanicus is the Titans themselves. Insanely massive and powerful walking war machines, the Titans steal any scene they are in, and there are so many great reactions as the normal human characters see the Titans fight, especially when the despoiled enemy machines advance on them. However, it is the sequences shown from the perspective of the Titan pilots themselves that are the best, as you become fully immersed into the battles in the scenes as the machines rain down destruction and depth. You can honestly feel the insane powerful and destructive ability of the Titans as you move throughout Titanicus, and every single battle involving one of these massive walkers is epic on so many levels.

As with the rest of Abnett’s books, Titanicus proved to be a particularly strong entry in the Warhammer 40,000 canon. Serving as a companion piece to the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Titanicus is a must-read to anyone who has enjoyed Abnett’s main series and the overarching campaign it is a part of. However, as there are no overlapping characters or major storylines, Titanicus can also be easily read as a standalone novel, and indeed would be a great introduction to Abnett’s writing style and his ability to write awesome war stories. Titanicus would also be the perfect entry novel to anyone interested in exploring Warhammer 40,000 fiction, especially science fiction readers who love the idea of giant piloted war machines. The cool action, complex character arcs and fantastic standalone narrative ensures that anyone can really dive into Titanicus and have a brilliant time, and I honestly think this book would appeal to a wide range of different readers.

However, as with most books in the franchise, Titanicus will mostly appeal to those established Warhammer 40,000 fans who will love Abnett’s dive into some unique aspects of the universe. Naturally, this is primarily going to be around the Titans, who are a very awesome part of the Warhammer 40,000 setting that are often underutilised in fiction due to being too overpowered (or getting badly nerfed when they do appear). I think Abnett did these war machines perfect justice in Titanicus, and you really come away appreciating every aspect of them, including their raw power, their powerful spirit, and the love the crews have for them. However, Abnett also dives into the dark side of the machine, and some of the sequences that show the pilots losing their humanity were particularly jarring. Honestly, I thought Abnett’s portray of the Titans was just brilliant, and I have yet to see another Warhammer author do any better. Abnett also takes a lot of time to dive into the lore surrounding the Adeptus Mechanics. While these parts of the book might be slightly confusing for newer readers, established fans will love seeing Abnett explore these machine-worshipping figures, especially as a theological schism becomes a major plot issue. Other cool lore aspects include examining the uneasy relationship between the Imperium and the Mechanicus on planets they share, the dark side of human life on a planet under siege, and even little fun moments, like a toy maker finally finding success as he makes models of the Titans battling across the world. All these elements make Titanicus a particularly epic read for fans of the franchise, and I personally loved seeing Abnett’s take on all these cool universe inclusions.

While the writing, story and Warhammer 40,000 elements are all exceptional on their own, what really brings them together and makes Titanicus truly awesome are the multiple cool characters scattered throughout the plot. Abnett introduces a huge range of fantastic and complex characters in Titanicus who you grow quite attached to as the plot continues. All the characters, from major figures to minor one-scene characters, are fantastically written and cleverly influence the plot in their own cool ways. Highlights for me included the desperate crew of a destroyed tank who try to escape on foot, only to find more danger in front of them. A group of inexperienced conscripts who are completely unprepared for the horrors of war also prove to be really entertaining, and you grow invested in their struggles to survive and the tragedies that await them. Abnett also examines several intriguing Adeptus Mechanicus figures within the Orestes Forge, whose frustrations, ambitions and struggles for power are far more human than they’d like to believe. However, the best character arc for me was the one that revolved around the crew of a Legio Invicta’s Titan who are forced to accept an Orestes’ Princeps (the pilot plugged into the Titan’s mind) when their own dies without a successor. The resulting conflicts between the inexperienced and arrogant outsider pilot and the veteran Legio Invicta crew, which includes the Titan’s moderati (second-in-command), who finds himself under a suspended death sentence, sets the scene perfectly, and you become really intrigued in seeing how the Titan will survive. Watching these figures come together as a crew is a highlight of Titanicus, although Abnett does an excellent job twisting that around later when internal conflict splits the protagonists. All these characters, and many more, gave Titanicus some real emotional heft, and I became so damn invested in seeing the final fate of so many of these outstanding protagonists.

I think that it’s kind of a given that I listened to Titanicus on audiobook rather than seeking out a physical copy of the book. Warhammer audiobooks are so damn good, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy the franchise’s awesome narratives and compelling action. This is particularly true for Titanicus, as the intricate details and impressive combat sequences really shine through even better when read out. I especially loved how incredibly epic the various Titan-on-Titan battles came across in this audiobook format, and the fantastic voice of narrator Toby Longworth ensured that you were enrapt by every single second of carnage. Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, always does an exceptional job bringing Abnett’s amazing stories to life, and he was once again exceptional here in Titanicus. Longworth captures all the characters in Titanicus perfectly, and you get a real sense of their personalities, emotions and their reactions to the insane events of the book. This includes the various Adeptus Mechanicus figures, which Longworth voices in all their mechanical glory, and you can just imagine these augmented figures, and indeed all the complex characters of Titanicus, as Longworth describes them. This makes for such an exceptional experience, and I flew through the audiobook’s near 14-hour long runtime extremely quickly. There is honestly no other way to enjoy Titanicus than on audiobook, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing time.

Dan Abnett continues to showcase why he is such a highly regarded author of Warhammer fiction with the brilliant and captivating Titanicus. Perfectly showcasing a war between one of the franchise’s most epic components, the massive Titan war engines, Titanicus was an exceptional read from start to finish and one that I cannot recommend enough. I had such a great time with Titanicus, and I look forward to reading even more Warhammer 40,000 books from Dan Abnett this year.

WWW Wednesday – 29 January 2025

On January 30, 2025 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:

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (ebook)

I started reading the excellent debut thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her come up with her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I haven’t made too much progress with An Ethical Guide to Murder yet, but the first 50 pages of it were a lot of fun. I will hopefully power through this book in the next few days, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young (Audiobook)

I was still in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started reading the intense novel, Leontus: Lord Solar. The second Warhammer 40,000 book from Young, who previously impressed me with his debut novel Longshot, Leontus: Lord Solar follows a legendary general as he leads a ragtag human army behind alien lines. A very compelling and exciting read, I am powering through the audiobook version of Leontus: Lord Solar and I should finish it soon.

What did you recently finish reading?

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to finish reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber saw the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I had an exceptional time with this book, and it proved to be an amazing addition to the series.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I also powered through the entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest this week. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I had such a great listening to it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

Thanks to a productive road trip I also finished listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proved to be an outstanding book and I’m glad I read it before the movie came out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The next book I am planning to read is the new incredible novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith will follow two mismatched diplomats as they try to understand a crazy new city. I had so much fun with the previous entries in this series, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), and I have no doubt Days of Shattered Faith is going to be just as epic.

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 – 22 January 2025

On January 24, 2025January 24, 2025 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:

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to start reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber sees the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I am having an exceptional time with this book, and I am hoping to knock it off tonight.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something fun this week, so I started listening to another entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I am powering through it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton this week while on a road trip. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proving to be an outstanding book and I’m very glad I decided to check it out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga (Paperback)

I powered through the awesome thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga this week. One of the more exciting debuts of 2024, The Ascent followed former cop forced to fight his way out of a rioting prison. This was an incredible and deeply thrilling novel that I had a brilliant time read, make sure to check out my review for it here.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland this week. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms was a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades. Review to follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

I have several awesome books to read next, but I think I’m going to check out the excellent thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her pull together her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to read it.

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 Debuts of 2024

On January 21, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List14 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 involved listing the 10 latest additions to your bookshelf, which while interesting, is something I’ll probably be covering in my next book haul post. Instead, for this week I am going to continue listing some of my favourite books of 2024 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlighted my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2024 novels, new-to-me-authors in 2024 and overall favourite books of 2024), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2024.

2024 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels. I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year. As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.

To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2024 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was substantially different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre). I ended up reading quite a few good debuts in 2024, which allowed me to pull together a full list of 10 books, as well as a couple of honourable mentions. I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel that this list captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly. So, let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander

A moving novel about guilt and secrets, as a damaged protagonist is confronted by a dark incident from her past.

Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom

An exciting, fast-paced thriller from actor Jon Lindstrom that was fun to check out.

Top Ten List:

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick

The first book I want to highlight is the epic debut novel from Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess. McCormick’s very first novel, Lord of Excess was part of the Renegades sub-series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and followed a warband of the fallen Emperor’s Children Legion of Chaos Space Marines who have completely fallen to hedonism and the pursuit of pleasure. McCormick came up with an exceptional plot for Lord of Excess that saw the warband take over an isolated planet, only for their dark proclivities to turn on them in unexpected ways. This was such a clever and compelling read, and Lord of Excess ended up being one my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024 and is a very worthy addition to this list of great debuts.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

I had a lot of fun reading the awesome fantasy novel, Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland last year and had to include it on this list. The first adult fantasy novel from Corland, who previously released children and young adult fiction under the name Meridith Ireland, Five Broken Blades was an excellent book that saw several dangerous killers and liars come together to assassinate an immortal king, only to betray each other time and time again. I had a really good time with Five Broken Blades, and I am actually listening to the sequel, Four Ruined Realms as I put this post up.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

The most recent 2024 debut I read; The Ascent was an extremely epic thriller loaded with action, excitement and over-the-top characters. The debut novel of author Adam Plantinga, The Ascent follows a desperate battle for survival as a small group find themselves trapped in a rioting prison and must fight their way up several levels of dangerous criminal to get to safety. An intense and ultra-thrilling book from start to finish, The Ascent was such a great read, and I am very glad I decided to check it out.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

A bold new fantasy author debuted in 2024 with James Logan, who released the outstanding book The Silverblood Promise. Setting a dishonoured scion on a desperate quest to find his father’s killers, The Silverblood Promise introduced a cool new fantasy city that the protagonist is forced to navigate as he tries to secure a vital clue. However, he soon finds himself caught up in an elaborate conspiracy and must rely on an unlikely group of allies to survive and overcome his new opponents. This was a particularly awesome novel that really impressed me, as Logan weaves together a compelling tale of adventure, magic and intrigue that I couldn’t get enough of. One of the stronger fantasy books of 2024, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing first novel from Logan and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel, The Blackfire Blade, later this year.

Outrider by Mark Wales

Next on this list of amazing debuts is the intense first book from Australian author Mark Wales, Outrider. Envisioning a grim future for Australia, Wales sets out a thrilling tale of survival and war as an elite soldier traverses a conquered countryside with his young son, hoping to recover an asset that will allow his group of rebels to survive an enemy incursion. An exciting and compelling read, Outrider was a very distinctive Australian book and a great debut from Mark Wales.

Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward

The other incredible Warhammer 40,000 debut of 2024 that I want to highlight in this post was the dark and chilling Deathworlder by new author Victoria Hayward. Set on a doomed planet being consumed by the alien Tyranids, Deathworlder follows a small group of rugged human soldiers as they attempt to complete one last mission against their ravenous enemies. A powerful Warhammer read, Hayward did an outstanding job of balancing complex characters with a particularly grim scenario, as the protagonists witness the world being digested around them as they are being stalked by deadly monsters. Easily one of the more haunting books of 2024, Deathworlder was an outstanding debut, and Hayward is a Warhammer author to keep an eye on in the future.

The Recruiter by Gregg Podolski

2024 was full of fun thrillers but one of the most entertaining was the cool first book from Gregg Podolski, The Recruiter. Following a criminal recruiter who specialises in bringing together professional killers with potential clients, The Recruiter sees the protagonist forced to fight against his best assassins when the family he left behind is targeted by a sinister organisation. Featuring a distinctive story and fantastic characters, The Recruiter was a very fun book to get through, and I look forward to any sequels Podolski plans to release.

Song of the Samurai by C. A. Parker

Fans of Japanese history where in for a real treat last year with the amazing debut, Song of the Samurai by C. A. Parker. An extremely fascinating tale of a celebrated historical samurai musician and pilgrim, Song of the Samurai followed this figure as he traversed Japan, learning about the people of his country and the true nature of the music that he played. This was such a great first book from Parker, who does an amazing job envisioning the classic setting of historical Japan and following a compelling figure across the intricately described landscape. A deep and memorable read from a passionate author.

The Chilling by Riley James

Another great Australian debut from 2024 was The Chilling by Riley James. Following the members of an Antarctica research expedition who encounter a sunken ship on the way to their base camp, The Chilling sees the characters thrust into a dark adventure as secrets, lies and the debilitating isolation, turn the researchers against each other as they try to uncover the truth. The Chilling was a really cool (ha ha) book, and a fantastic first foray into Australian fiction from new author Riley James.

Argylle by Elly Conway

The final debut I want to highlight on this list is the spy thriller Argylle, by “debuting author” Elly Conway. A tie-in to the film of the same name, Argylle was an exciting and very easy-to-read book from the start of 2024 that I had a bit of fun getting through. Actually written by the team of Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen, I am still counting Argylle as a debut and it proved to be an entertaining final book to feature on this list.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them. Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction. I am excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres. I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2025, and I have already enjoyed my first debut from this year with Gunnawah by Ronni Salt. Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2025 are the best from this year.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Release in the First Half of 2025

On January 8, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction15 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated books for the first half of the year. This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books for the start of the year. Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am doing two versions of this list, this first one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and another that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.

2025 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year. I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely keen for. This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors. I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be in the fantasy and science fiction space, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025 which I have some descent details about. Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult. I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy and science fiction reads of 2025. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

The awesome action-packed sequel to Corland’s fantastic 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms is going to be a fantastic read, filled with drama, betrayal and great characters.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris – 15 January 2025

A fun thriller debut with an interesting fantasy twist, as a woman with the ability to take life from one person and transfer it to someone else, tries to determine the best way to use her gift and ethically kill those who deserve to live.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde – 8 April 2025

Another cool upcoming debut is the fantasy novel, A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde. Featuring an intriguing plot set around revenge and spirt magic, A Song of Legends Lost has so much potential, and I look forward to reading it.

Strange New World by Vivian Shaw – 20 May 2025

I was pleasantly surprised to see we are getting a new Dr Greta Helsing novel this year with Strange New World. Following a doctor who specialises in treating monsters and the undead, this is a fantastic series (see my reviews for Strange Practice and Dreadful Company), and I look forward to seeing how it continues.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young – 28 January 2025

The first upcoming book I want to highlight is the next big Warhammer 40,000 fiction release, Leontus: Lord Solar. Following a skilled human leader who finds himself trapped on an ork infested world, Leontus; Lord Solar looks to be an exciting story of survival and overcoming the odds that I really love the sound of. I am also interested to see how author Rob Young goes with his second book, as his first novel, Longshot, was one of my favourite debuts of 2023.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

There are several cool Star Wars novels coming out in 2025, however, the one I am most excited for is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the new Reign of the Empire series, The Mask of Fear will follow the early days of the Empire as it comes to power and takes over the former Republic. Written by the very talented Alexander Freed, who really impressed me with his previous foray into Star Wars fiction with the Alphabet Squadron books (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I think that this book has a lot of potential, and I love seeing stories set in this period of Star Wars fiction. As such I am planning to listen to the audiobook version of The Mask of Fear the second it comes out and I know I’m going to love it.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

Awesome science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky had a great 2024 with books like Alien Clay and Service Model, so I am excited to see what he writes in 2025. It looks like he’ll be off to a strong start with the science fiction novel, Shroud, that sees two women trapped on a planet whose surface is completely inhospitable to human life. This sounds like a very gritty and claustrophobic read, and I cannot wait to see how dark and dramatic Tchaikovsky makes this upcoming book.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18 March 2025

A major 2025 release that I’m sure a lot of people are excited for is the fifth book in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. The second prequel set around the original Hunger Games trilogy (see my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will take readers back to the 50^th Hunger Games and explore the dark events that twisted fan favourite character Haymitch Abernathy. I am extremely excited to read Sunrise on the Reaping, especially as we get to see the ultra-violent second Quarter Quell in action, and it will be interesting to see how Collins’ sets this latest book out.

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

One of the more unique books coming out in 2025 is When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always memorable John Scalzi. Featuring a very fun science fiction plot that sees the moon suddenly turned into a giant ball of cheese, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds so damn outrageous, and I know I’m going to love it. Based on Scalzi’s previous entertaining reads, I have no doubt this will be crazy, funny and thoughtful in equal measure, and I will have so much fun checking it out.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 1 April 2025

One of my favourite urban fantasy series, the Fetch Phillips series by Australian author Luke Arnolds, returns this year with another awesome book, Whisper in the Wind. Set in a fantasy city which has lost all its magic, the Fetch Phillip books follow broken and guilty private investigator Fetch Phillips who is desperately trying to bring back magic, and which results in some dark and powerful adventures (see The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade). This fourth book will see Fetch dragged out of retirement in back into action when a series of murders brings trouble and potential revolution to his door. Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes, and I am expecting another outstanding novel with Whisper in the Wind.

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

One book I am particularly keen for in 2025 is the awesome second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow an unlikely investigative duo as they attempt to solve unusual magical murders in a land constantly besieged by giant monsters. This second book will feature an impossible locked room mystery as the protagonists attempt to unwind a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire realm. I have no doubt that this is going to be a particularly incredible novel, and I am hoping to read A Drop of Corruption very soon.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – 8 April 2025

One of the more complex science fiction and fantasy novels I will be reading in 2025 will be the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart. Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the two separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them. I have no doubt this will be a moving, captivating and elaborate read, and I am very curious to see how Lawrence brings this entire ambitious series to an end.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

Easily the book that I am most excited about in 2025 (and I’m sure a lot of fantasy fans are in the same boat) is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. Abercrombie has proven to be the master of dark fantasy fiction thanks to his iconic First Law series, as well as the incredible follow up Age of Madness trilogy. All of these books are just incredible, and I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing the Age of Madness books a couple of years ago, including A Little Hatred (one of my favourite books of 2019), The Trouble With Peace (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and The Wisdom of Crowds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been eagerly awaiting a new Abercrombie novel since The Wisdom of Crowds, and I was so damn happy to see he had a book coming out this year with The Devils. Set in an alternate medieval Europe, The Devils will follow a hapless priest as he tries to bind a congregation of monsters to save the world from a coming apocalypse. This book has so much pure potential and I have no doubt at all that it will end up being one of the best things I read this year.

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

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the hilarious sounding novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler. The sequel to one of the funniest fantasy novels of 2024, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will once again follow the unlikely Dark Lord of the realms, Davi, a human trapped in fantasy themed time loop who starts her adventure again after every painful death. This second book will see Davi attempt to save her former human subjects from her own upcoming invasion, only to encounter new opponents and obstacles. I had so much fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and this sequel should be another brilliant comedic romp that I know I am going to love.

Well, that’s the end of this first list. As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books coming out the first half of this year. All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads. 2025 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this year. I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out and I think I am going to have an incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2025. Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2025 from the other genres.

WWW Wednesday – 1 January 2025

On January 2, 2025 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:

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso (Trade Paperback)

I have made a fair bit of progress on the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, this week. An amazing fantasy thriller, The Last Hour Between Worlds follows an investigator who finds themself trapped in a deadly party with murder, monsters and a time loop. I am about halfway through The Last Hour Between Worlds at the moment, and I love its awesome concept and fun story. I look forward to seeing how the entire book comes together, and this is proving to be an outstanding read.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

I was the mood for something particularly awesome to start 2025 with so I decided to listen to the classic Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Titanicus. Set in author Dan Abnett’s iconic Sabbat Worlds Crusade overarching series (which also features the Gaunt’s Ghosts books and Double Eagle), Titanicus explores a war in the Warhammer 40,000 universe fought primarily with giant Titan war machines. I have made a fair bit of progress on Titanicus already and it is proving to be a very epic and impactful read that covers the destructive machine war at multiple intriguing levels. An overall exceptional book to start the year with.

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer: The Horus Heresy: Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins (Audiobook)

I managed to quickly power through the short Warhammer audiobook, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins this week. Part of The Horus Heresy series, Eidolon: The Auric Hammer was an entertaining read focused on an intriguing and deranged traitor Space Marine. A fun listen with an awesome story behind it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

I am still planning to dive into the thrilling 2025 Australian debut novel, Gunnawah, next. An intriguing crime fiction read, Gunnawah sounds very cool and I hope to read it soon.

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 Books of 2024

On December 31, 2024December 31, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List48 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and feature bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. As we roll into the new year I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2024, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a continuation of several lists I have done in recent weeks that highlighted the authors and books that have most impressed me this year. Previous lists looked at topics like my favourite pre-2024 novels, as well as my favourite audiobooks, sequels, and new-to-me authors of 2024. However, this list is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2024 has been another rollercoaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a little bit of solace as this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established works. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to some outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last five years, I’m a very soft touch). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2024, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book only needed to be released here in Australia during 2024. I have naturally excluded anything I have not read yet, even though there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. For example, several of these novels appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2024 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2024 list, which I ran back into July. Overall, I am very happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that showcase the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So, without further ado, here is the list.

Top Twenty List:

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry

Let’s start this list off with the exceptional fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry. The third and final book in the Kagen the Damned trilogy, The Dragon in Winter follows on from the exciting and impressive reads, Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). Featuring an outstanding and action-packed dark fantasy storyline that saw the damned and damaged series protagonist attempt to finally get his vengeance during the final battles of a brutal war. Intense, powerful and loaded with some dramatic character moments, The Dragon in Winter was an awesome end to one of my favourite fantasy trilogies and I was enthralled the entire way through this great book.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Richard Osman has really become a notable fixture on these end of year lists thanks to his brilliant and hilarious Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die). This year he presented readers with a new treat in the standalone thriller, We Solve Murders. Featuring the exceptional humour and fantastic writing that made the Thursday Murder Club books so much fun, We Solve Murders is a clever and addictive international thriller focused on a great new group of protagonists. Witty, charming and extraordinarily compelling, We Solve Murders was another incredible novel from Osman that I cannot recommend enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers

2024 proved to be an outstanding year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I had the pleasure of reading multiple fantastic novels from this franchise. One of the best was the captivating and cynical novel, Above and Beyond. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites Flower’s damaged protagonists, a broken propaganda expert and a crass heroic pilot, for another outrageous adventure. Cleverly examining the role propaganda plays in the wars of the grim future, Above and Beyond ended up being a very exciting and powerful thriller that I could not get enough off. An incredible novel from one of the fastest rising Warhammer authors (make sure to also check Flower’s novella in Da Red Gobbo Collection).

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of reading The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. An intriguing combination of fantasy and crime fiction, The Tainted Cup focussed on an unusual investigative duo in a monster besieged fantasy kingdom as they attempt to uncover the truth behind a series of brutal magical killings. The Tainted Cup proved to be an exceptional and intelligent novel I could not put down as Jackson effortlessly combined complex fantasy elements with his brilliant murder mystery narrative. One of the most inventive books of 2024, The Tainted Cup was something truly special, and I cannot wait to dive into the sequel, A Drop of Corruption, in the new year.

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

I had a brilliant time in 2024 continuing Mark Greaney’s awesome Gray Man spy thriller series with The Chaos Agent. Setting his iconic spy protagonist against a dangerous and terrifying new enemy, The Chaos Agent had a fantastic story behind it that proceeded to get very crazy once some memorable weapons are unleashed. An amazing entry in one of the best thriller series out there, The Chaos Agent was epic from start to finish and leaves readers on a major cliffhanger that I am looking forward to seeing resolved in 2025 with Midnight Black.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

One of the more unique novels of 2024 had to be The Gathering by C. J. Tudor. A powerful and clever murder mystery set in a world where vampires exist, The Gathering follows a government vampire expert who travels to an isolated town to determine whether a recent murder was as vampire kill and whether the local colony should be exterminated. Blending a great small-town murder narrative with an inventive world history featuring vampires, The Gathering was such a compelling and dark book, and I loved every single second I spent reading it.

Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell

While I have previously enjoyed some of Sebastien De Castell’s great fantasy fiction before with The Malevolent Seven, this year I dove into his Greatcoat’s universe with the relentlessly entertaining novel, Play of Shadows. The first book in his new Court of Shadows series, Play of Shadows followed a fugitive actor who gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain whenever he appears on stage. Suddenly caught in a massive city-wide conspiracy, the protagonist needs to survive to tell the spirit’s true story and soon finds out just how deadly the theatre can be. A truly fantastic and fun novel that I couldn’t stop reading, Play of Shadows had such a unique and powerful story behind it that perfectly fit into the author’s existing universe. A highly recommended novel, especially when read in concert with the outstanding prequel, Crucible of Chaos, that was released just in advance of Play of Shadows.

The Mercy Chair by M. W. Craven

Awesome crime fiction author M. W. Craven had a great 2024, as he released two books including the outrageous thriller Nobody’s Hero. However, my favourite novel of his was the sixth book in the Washington Poe series, The Mercy Chair. Following the author’s cynical protagonist and his unusual team as they investigate the brutal murder of a controversial religious leader, The Mercy Chair contained an exceptionally intense narrative as the protagonists uncover a raft of shocking secrets that will shake you to your very core. A dark and twisty British murder mystery, The Mercy Chair was a truly remarkable read that had me hooked from start to finish thanks to its barrage of clever reveals. One of the best pure murder mysteries of 2024.

NecroTek by Jonathan Maberry

In addition to The Dragon in Winter, Jonathan Maberry also released the dark and compelling science fiction novel, NecroTek. A cool dive into pure science fiction, Maberry utilised his usual style to effectively tell a massive tale of survival in strange space as the protagonists encounter Lovecraftian horrors and must fight them using necromancy-infused alien technology. Intense, compelling, and loaded with some powerful human moments, NecroTek was another impressive novel from Maberry in 2025 that I had to feature here as well.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

John Gwynne brought his epic Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with The Fury of the Gods. The final book in the trilogy that has previously featured the amazing reads The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods was a very awesome read that saw all the various character arcs finally come together as everyone picked a side in massive war between gods and mortals. Making full use of the series’ Viking aesthetic, The Fury of the Gods was an exceptional fantasy epic from start to finish, and I deeply enjoyed how Gwynne brought everything together.

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This was a bumper year for Adrian Tchaikovsky as he released several amazing books across the science fiction and fantasy genres. Of the ones I have so far read my favourite was Service Model. An intriguing and captivating novel that follows a robot exploring a post-apocalyptic wasteland, this book was filled with great humour and cynical take on the future of humanity. Service Model ended up being a very highly entertaining novel that I cannot recommend enough, especially to readers looking for something particularly clever and funny.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai

A surely unsurprising inclusion on this list is the latest Usagi Yojimbo comic, Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai. One of my favourite comic series, I always make sure to grab the new Usagi Yojimbo volume each year and they always prove to be quite exceptional. Ice and Snow was a particularly epic entry in the series, as the protagonists face off against a raft of supernatural foes, including Usagi’s dark nemesis Jei. Beautifully drawn and incredibly fun to read, Ice and Snow was another brilliant and beautiful comic that I powered through the second I got my hands on it.

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick

The other Warhammer 40,000 novel I wanted to include on this list was the twisted Renegades: Lord of Excess. The debut novel of Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess followed a warband of the hedonistic Emperor’s Children traitor Space Marines as they take over an isolated planet. McCormick perfectly captures the obsessive nature of his colourful characters, and I loved seeing the villain’s perspective in this deliciously dark novel. I had an incredible time with this warped and complex character driven novel, and McCormick is an impressive new talent to keep an eye on.

The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston

After wowing me with amazing books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston continues to get even better as an author with his 2024 release, The Last Shield. Essentially a gender-bent, fantasy fiction Die Hard, The Last Shield sees a group of bandits and traitors take over a royal palace to rob its vault filled with powerful magical artifacts. The only hope the inhabitants have is the wounded commander of the palace guard, who fights back from the many hidden passages to save those she loves. Clever, compelling and loaded with so much incredible action, The Last Shield was a highly addictive read that I really couldn’t put down and Johnston is swiftly becoming one of my favourite dark fantasy authors.

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross

Ian Ross brought his incredible de Norton historical fiction series to a gripping end with King’s Enemy. Following on from Battle Song and the other 2024 release War Cry, King’s Enemy saw the recently knighted protagonist, Adam de Norton, declared a traitor and king’s enemy for the role he played in Simon de Montford’s rebellion. Determined to fight back after losing everything, de Norton journeys towards the last bastion of resistance against the crown and finds himself engulfed in one of the most famous sieges in English history. A fantastic and captivating novel loaded with adventure, action and some fascinating historical detail; King’s Enemy was an outstanding book that is really worth checking out.

A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan followed up his Covenant of Steel series (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor) in a big way with the new book, A Tide of Black Steel. Featuring an exciting and intriguing new narrative that expands Ryan’s existing setting, A Tide of Black Steel was an epic fantasy novel that I had so much fun with, especially on audiobook.

Darkside by Michael Mammay

Another awesome novel that is particularly cool on audiobook is Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth book in the author’s excellent Planetside series (Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside follows a maverick former military officer when he investigates a missing persons case at a mining operation on an isolated moon. Featuring intrigue, mystery and warring corporations, Darkside was another exceptional read from Mammay and one I really got hooked on.

You Like it Darker by Stephen King

I just had to highlight the exceptional short story collection You Like It Darker by the legendary Stephen King on this list. Featuring 12 short stories from King, You Like it Darker was a horror-themed thrill ride from start to finish as the author wowed me with his versatility and unique narratives. This volume contains some noteworthy short stories, including a sequel to Cujo and an outstanding story about the downsides of psychic visions, all of which grabbed my imagination and refused to let go. I loved every second I spent with You Like It Darker, and I cannot wait to experience more Stephen King awesomeness in 2025, especially with the epic upcoming book Never Flinch.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

One of the most inventive and powerful fantasy novels I read this year was Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang, which, while technically released as an independent novel last year, I’m counting it as a 2024 release as that’s when it officially came out here in Australia. I have so much love for Blood Over Bright Haven, as Wang centres a complex and emotionally charged narrative around an intriguing and unique magical system. The result is an intense and memorable book that hits the reader with some amazing twists. I honestly have still not recovered from all the big reveals of this book, and it was all I needed to read to become a major fan of this awesome author.

Deep Black by Miles Cameron

The last book I want to highlight on this list is the massive and captivating science fiction epic Deep Black by Miles Cameron. The sequel to the exceptional Artifact Space, Deep Black continues to follow a gigantic human trading space vessel as it attempts to survive a complex conspiracy to destroy it. Featuring some impressive science fiction detail, powerful action sequences, and an elaborate plot, Deep Black was an outstanding read and a worthy final entry for this best-of-2024 post.

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2024. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2025 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2024 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

Da Red Gobbo Collection by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James

On December 29, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer5 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 16 November 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 11 hours and 10 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Prepare for da revolution with this collection of brilliant Warhammer 40,000 stories from three top authors, with Da Red Gobbo Collection.

Gosh this has been a great year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and the fun is still continuing as one of the best releases of this year just dropped with Da Red Gobbo Collection, which features five brilliant stories from awesome authors Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James. Featuring three novellas and two short stories, Da Red Gobbo Collection focuses on the always entertaining ork faction from Warhammer 40,000 fiction, whose brutal, hooligan-inspired mindset always leads to comedic and outrageous reads.

However, rather than your typical ork novel, the stories in this anthology collection are focused on the ork sub-species known as grots, who are the 40K equivalent of the goblins from the Warhammer Fantasy universe. Small, cunning and cowardly, the grots, also known as gretchin, work as slaves, cannon fodder and scapegoats (scape-grots??) to the bigger orks, generally getting kicked around by their ork masters even if they do the right thing. However, not all grots are content to live under ork oppression, and some even have the courage to fight back thanks to the legendary figure known as Da Red Gobbo.

Da Red Gobbo is a mysterious figure in the grot mythology, who arises whenever the orks push their smaller cousins too far. Able to put aside the typical grot amnesty and selfishness, Da Red Gobbo is an icon for revolution and revolt against the orkish oppression. But who is Da Red Gobbo? Are they really a legendary figure going from ork warband to ork warband spreading the word of freedom, or can any grot put on the cape, hat and goggles and inspire his fellows? Whatever the truth may be, Da Red Gobbo is here to bring a crumping, and nobody, be they human, Chaos worshipper or even the mightiest of orks, will underestimate the grots again.

I had a blast with Da Red Gobbo Collection, especially as I was able to enjoy all five stories on audiobook for the first time. Brooks, Flowers and James have all produced exceptional stories focused on the hilarious figure of the Red Gobbo, and I like their intriguing alternative takes on this unlikely revolutionary and his origin. Thanks to the inherent humour of the ork faction, this was a particularly entertaining and comedic novel, and I frankly laughed my way through the various stories, especially as the three excellent authors created some particularly inventive reads.

The first story in Da Red Gobbo Collection was Da Gobbo’s Revenge by Mike Brooks, which was one of the longer novellas in the collection. Brooks is an outstanding author, and I have read quite a few of his Warhammer 40,000 books recently, including The Lion: Son the Forest and Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives. Da Gobbo’s Revenge was a particularly entertaining read, which is set parallel to Brook’s previous ork-focused novels, such as Warboss, Brutal Kunnin and Da Big Dakka, which have also featured fun narratives of grot revolution and rebellion.

Da Gobbo’s Revenge is a more compact narrative that follows the unlikely hero, Fingwit. The leader of small band of grots that follow a crazed ork mek, Fingwit and his comrades find themselves in deep trouble when their boss forces them to participate in a deadly boarding action aboard an Imperial war vessel. When the mek dies in front of them, Fingwit attempts to lead his fellow grots to complete their boss’s final mission, only to encounter human soldiers, running firefights, and dissent from amongst his fellow grots. However, it’s the actions of an ork taskmaster that finally drives Fingwit over the edge, and he decides that the only way to survive is to become something legendary.

Da Gobbo’s Revenge is a very entertaining and fast-paced novella that provides an interesting initial look into the grot mindset while throwing them into a frenetic adventure. Brooks hits this story with the clever and comedic style he has utilised for his other ork-focused books, and you can really appreciate his clear love for this faction, as well as his attention to detail around them. The only story in this book told exclusively through the eyes of a grot, Da Gobbo’s Revenge fully showcases their sneakiness, their shrewd cunning, and their desire to outdo each other, and the result is hilarious, especially as they manage to outsmart various bigger opponents who completely underestimate them. This over-the-top adventure, while very fun, takes on a more thoughtful manner towards the end once Fingwit decides to take on the mantle of the Red Gobbo to save his friends. Seeing the previously self-obsessed Fingwit become more concerned with the fate of his fellow grots helps to hammer home the significance of the Red Gobbo to these lowly creatures, especially as he inspires them to do something truly special and unselfish. This ending is surprisingly powerful and poignant, especially for an ork/grot focussed Warhammer 40,000 story, and Da Gobbo’s Revenge was a very strong story that serves as the perfect introduction to Da Red Gobbo Collection.

Following hot on the heels of this first excellent entry is the brilliant novella, Da Gobbo’s Demise by Denny Flowers. Da Gobbo’s Demise was another awesome read that I was particularly keen to check out, mainly because I am a massive fan of Flowers at the moment. One of the best rising stars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, Flowers has deeply impressed me with his books Fire Made Flesh, Outgunned, and the outstanding 2024 release Above and Beyond. Da Gobbo’s Demise was the first of Flowers’s novellas I have had the pleasure of reading, and I was very excited to check out his take on a non-human character, the result of which was extremely entertaining and fantastically fun.

Da Gobbo’s Demise follows a small herd of grots who find themselves alone and in trouble when their taskmaster, Runtherd Killaskun, is suddenly killed, and they are left without any ork supervision. This proves particularly problematic for Killaskun’s right-hand grot, Redsnot, as he knows that his fellow grots will be looking to even the score against him for enforcing Killaskun’s orders. However, the grots soon find themselves in deeper trouble when they are surrounded by a horde of Chaos cultists determined to kill them and take the church they are hiding in. Determined to survive, Redsnot seeks to take advantage of the situation and be the leader the grots need. However, his genius plan is ruined by the surprise appearance of Da Red Gobbo, hero of all grot-kind. But Redsnot isn’t going to be upstaged by anyone, even if the Red Gobbo trying to save his life. But luckily even legends are susceptible to a knife in the back.

This was another particularly fun and awesome novella that really showcase Flowers’ ability to write a clever, funny and very cynical story that I could not get enough off. I honestly really enjoyed where Flowers took the story, especially as it ended up being a Home Alone-inspired siege, where the hilariously cruel grots hold off a bunch of incompetent cultists by any means necessary. The constant bickering and dissent on both sides of the conflict was just great, and there are some very amusing moments as the grots use their natural cunning to outsmart their opponent. The entire story moves quickly, and I found myself constantly laughing due to the outrageous antics of everyone involved.

Flowers makes Da Gobbo’s Demise’s story even more entertaining and funny through amazing use of multiple character perspectives, as in addition to showing events through Redsnot’s eyes, the author also features the viewpoint of the Chaos cultists besieging them, including a traitor commissar hoping for glory under his new gods. There are some brilliant contrasts between the bickering grots and the disorganised cultists, especially when it comes to their different leaders. While the chaos cultists are controlled by fear, and their leader becomes more and more demented the more failure he encounters, the usually contentious grots become surprisingly well organised thanks to the appearance of Da Red Gobbo, who resolves most of their petty arguments and turns them into an effective team. I especially enjoyed the way in which Da Red Gobbo manages to effectively undermine and outsmart Redsnot at every turn, especially as it leads to yet another compelling bit of character growth for the main protagonist as he learns to fight for something bigger than himself. The resulting story turns into a wonderfully bloody mess of over-the-top characters and outrageous antics, and I laughed my way through it. Another outstanding outing from Flowers that perfectly expanded on the opening momentum of Da Gobbo’s Revenge and ensured that readers are firmly enthralled by Da Red Gobbo Collection as this point in the book.

The next entry in Da Red Gobbo Collection is the short story Da Wrong Type of Green, also by Denny Flowers. A quick and exciting read, Da Wrong Type of Green is a direct prequel to Da Gobbo’s Demise that, shows the events immediately leading up to the novella’s opening scene. Featuring the exact same style and most of the same characters, Da Wrong Type of Green gives some fun additional context to Da Gobbo’s Demise that I rather enjoyed seeing, especially as I had such a brilliant time with Flower’s longer novella. I particularly enjoyed seeing the protagonist’s relationship with their former ork leader, Runtherd Killaskun, which really enhanced some of the themes of freedom and revolution that Flowers featured in novella. While the inclusion of this story does feel a tad unnecessary, especially as you don’t really need to read it to appreciate Da Gobbo’s Demise, it was an interesting story, and one that you can get through very quickly.

Following these two stories by Flowers, readers are then led to the book’s third novella, the amusing and outrageous entry, Da Gobbo Rides Again, by Rhuairidh James. James, who has previously written several interesting Warhammer 40,000 short stories, honestly produces one of the best entries in Da Red Gobbo Collection, and I was really blown away by his intriguing and original take on the focal character, especially as he examines the revolution and the relationship between orks and grots in a very different manner.

Da Gobbo Rides Again follows the ork painboy Stimma, who arrives back to camp only to discover something strange happening to his warband’s grots. Rather than being their usual sneaky selves, the grots have all become exceedingly compliant and helpful, completely throwing off the usual anarchic rhythms of the ork encampment. Ordered by his warboss to fix the problem, Stimma and his grot assistant, Goggulz, try to shake the grots out of their malaise and back to their previous sly and murderous mentality. They soon determine that the only way to inspire the grots is to give them a Red Gobbo to stir them up. However, with no Red Gobbo to hand, Stimma decides to create one, but first he needs to understand what the Red Gobbo is and how he comes into being. But the further he dives into the mysteries of the Red Gobbo, the closer he comes to the truth, and not even an ork as ruthless as Stimma is prepared for what he finds.

This was such a brilliant entry from James, and I loved the elaborate and very memorable story he comes up with. I love how he decided to tell the story through the eyes of an ork master, rather than another grot, which allows for a unique new perspective in the tale of Da Red Gobbo. The central story focusing on the dispirited grots was very clever, and James’s concept of compliant grots being more dangerous to the orks than rebellious ones was a fun take. The resulting story of Stimma’s attempt to create his own Red Gobbo is both hilarious and philosophical in nature, and you must love the ork mentality when it comes to grots and their so-called heroes. This attempt at science also leads the protagonist to various ork experts, and while this is mostly a novella about grots, the fun and in-depth dive into the oddboyz, those orks with special skills such as meks and weirdboyz, proves to be really amusing and detailed. I especially loved Jame’s take on the painboyz, the orks’ highly experimental medics, especially as it results in some hilarious discussions about ‘medicine’.

However, the thing that I loved most about Da Gobbo Rides Again is the main twist of the story. Thanks in part to having read the other novellas first, you can easily see where Stimma’s plan is going to go, even if the orks cannot due to their blind spot when it comes to their smaller cousins. As such, you get to watch in joy as James openly works to bring this twist to fruition bit by bit, and it is very satisfying when it all comes together. This fantastic buildup works extremely well amongst the general chaos of the ork camp, while the fun relationship that builds between Stimma and Goggulz makes it even more delicious. Throw in some very interesting sequences that explore the unusual past of the orks and their relationship to grot-kind, as well as a great scene that brings together Da Gobbo Rides Again with the other novellas in this collection, and this was an impressive entry that I could not get enough of. I honestly cannot emphasise enough just how amazing Da Gobbo Rides Again was, and I hope we get a full-length novel from James at some point in the future as I know I will deeply enjoy it.

The final entry within Da Red Gobbo Collection is The Instigator. Also written by James, The Instigator is a prequel to Da Gobbo Rides Again which was originally released in the White Dwarf magazine. This story tells of the first time a young Stimma encountered a Red Gobbo, when he accompanies an ork raiding party when it attempts to board a spaceship. However, nothing goes to plan, especially when the orks find an unexpected enemy hidden within the ship, led by an unlikely commander. This story does a great job of showcasing events that were hinted at within Da Gobbo Rides Again and presenting them in a very different way than Stimma remembers them, especially as events were a little more desperate than he cares to admit. James amps up the tension in this short but sweet story, which shows just how scary grots can be for orks, while also providing a fantastic opponent for the plot. The Instigator proves to be a great follow-up for Da Gobbo Rides Again, and I really enjoyed seeing the seeds for Stimma’s later idea around Da Red Gobbo be planted.

This ended up being a very awesome overall collection of Warhammer 40,000 stories, and I love the impressive and relentlessly comedic tales that these excellent authors came up with. I loved how the three main novellas perfectly complemented each other, building on the work of the preceding stories, while also standing on their own feet. Brooks, Flowers and James really had fun when it came to these stories, and I love how you get some unique takes on the orks and the grots, although the general ork humour does carry through very well for all of them. I also deeply enjoyed how each author showcased a different aspect of the Red Gobbo character, and the three separate incarnations of the Red Gobbo you witness paints a fascinating picture of this unique being in the Warhammer canon. All three authors really outdid themselves in how they brought this figure to life, and their amazing stories were a true joy to read.

Unsurprisingly, I chose to listen to Da Red Gobbo Collection on audiobook, a format which always deeply enhances Warhammer fiction, especially as the crazy characters, unlikely scenarios and dark settings really pop when read out loud. Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks that feature the orks are always particularly awesome, as the outrageous aliens are so damn entertaining especially when you get a great narrator voicing them. As such, I was very keen to listen to Da Red Gobbo Collection, especially as it provided the first audiobook adaptations of several existing short stories and novellas, which ensured a whole new way to appreciate these clever tales. I was also excited because British actor Harry Myers was attached to narrate Da Red Gobbo Collection. A very talented narrator who has brought some of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books to life, including The Wraithbone Phoenix and Day of Ascension, Myers has a fantastically entertaining voice that really fits some of the outrageous figures in this universe. Myers particularly excels at voice ork characters (he previously narrated Warboss and Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks), and his voice perfectly fits the rough and crude orks in so many entertaining ways. He also does a great job of capturing the smaller and cowardly grots, and you really get a great sense of their scared, weaselly and backstabbing ways through his narration. I also loved how each character comes out in this audiobook, and I was very impressed that Myers featured variety with his voice work, providing the various grots different voices, even when he moved on to a new story. This was such an epic listen, and I really cannot recommend Da Red Gobbo Collection on audiobook enough. Coming in with a runtime of just over 11 hours, this is a slightly long but very easy audiobook to power through, and there is honestly no better way to enjoy Da Red Gobbo Collection than by listening to it in this format.

Da Red Gobbo Collection was an exceptional Warhammer 40,000 book that I had so much damn fun getting through. Thanks to the outstanding team of Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James, you are gifted with some very impressive stories that prove to be exceedingly addictive. Insanely addictive and extremely hilarious, Da Red Gobbo Collection will bring a smile to any Warhammer fan, and even new readers will be able to have an amazing time with it. As such, I must give this collection a full five-star rating, as each author delivered something very special that came together perfectly.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks of 2024

On December 26, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List26 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this list involved listing the ten top books you hope that Santa would bring you this year. While this is a fun sounding topic, I am instead going to continue my annual end of year wrap up of the best books I read in 2024. In previous weeks I have highlighted some of the best pre-2024 novels, best new-to-me-authors and best 2024 sequels I read in the last year. However, this week I am going to look at something near and dear to my hear, the best audiobooks of 2024.

Readers of this blog only need to check out my extensive audiobook category to the right to know that I have a lot of love for the audiobook format. In my opinion, the audiobook is often the best way to experience a good book and in many cases this format makes a novel far more enjoyable. As a result, I listened to quite a few audiobooks this year, and while a good chunk of them were books released before 2024 and featured in my Throwback Thursday posts, most were released this year. There were some truly outstanding and impressive audiobooks released in 2024 and I knew going in that I was going to have an extremely hard time coming up with a final version of this list.

For this list I have only included audiobooks released in 2024 that I have listened to, which left me with a long list of extremely impressive audiobooks which I wanted to include in this post. To help cut this down, I considered a range of factors, including the quality of the original novel, the skill of the narrator, production value, pacing and other features. Looking at all this I was eventually able to cut the list down to the absolute best 10 audiobooks, with my typical generous honourable mentions section. I had to make some very hard decisions here, and I ended up excluding several extremely good audiobooks from the main list. Still, I think it really represents the best audiobooks I enjoyed this year and there are some amazing productions below.

Honourable Mentions:

The Chaos Agent, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

An excellent continuation of the Gray Man series once again read out by Jay Snyder.

Five Broken Blades, written by Mai Corland and narrated by Greg Chun, Zion Jang, Roger Yeh, Donald Chang, Jaine Ye and Sophie Oda

A fun fantasy novel that was perfectly brought to life by a brilliant team of narrators.

Goodbye Girl, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis

One of my favourite Star Wars narrators, Jonathan Davis, made this excellent legal thriller particularly awesome to listen to.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Red Gobbo Collection, written by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James, narrated by Harry Myers

Three fantastic authors present an array of outstanding Warhammer 40,000 stories around a legendary figure, Da Red Gobbo, all of which is narrated by the highly talented Harry Myers.

Top Ten List:

NecroTek/The Dragon in Winter, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

First up on this list we have a double entry, as we were lucky enough to get two books from one of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry. Made up of the dark science fiction adventure, NecroTek, and the brilliant fantasy epic, The Dragon in Winter, both of which were particularly awesome. I chose to combine these two audiobooks into a single entry here, due to the fact they both shared the same narrator in the legendary Ray Porter. Porter, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, is synonymous with Maberry at this point, having lent his voice to most of the author’s books while always providing an exceptional performance. I love how well Porter’s narration enhances Maberry’s exceptional novels, and it makes these audiobooks extremely special. As such, I had to include them here, and both NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter come highly recommended as some of the best audiobooks of the year.

We Solve Murders, written by Richard Osman and narrated by Nicola Walker

After wowing us with the first four Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), Osman went on a different path this year with the clever and fast-paced thriller, We Solve Murders. A particularly fun book that combines Osman’s classic humour with a brilliant and intense story, We Solve Murders was another exceptional read that I couldn’t get enough of, especially in its audiobook format. Thanks to the impressive narration of actress Nicola Walker, We Solve Murders was an extremely awesome listen that made the elaborate narrative became even more fantastic. A truly great audiobook production that you won’t be able to stop listening to it.

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond, written by Denny Flowers and narrated by Phillip Sacramento

I have a few Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks on this list, but one of the most unique and compelling was Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond brought together a damaged propaganda expert and a broken hero into a cynical and entertaining adventure that really dives into the dark side of the Warhammer universe. Funny, powerful and featuring an outstanding story, Above and Beyond was so damn good, and it was even better when listened to on audiobook. Phillip Sacramento perfectly captures the grim themes of Flowers’ writing with his narration, and you soon become enthralled in following the book’s damaged characters on their new adventure. An exceptional and amazing listen, you will not be dissatisfied with this Warhammer 40,000 audiobook.

The Fury of the Gods, written by John Gwynne and narrated by Colin Mace

John Gwynne brings his epic Bloodsworn Saga fantasy series to a powerful end with the brutal and impressive The Fury of the Gods. Finalising a series of great character arcs and pushing his protagonists into one particularly deadly war, The Fury of the Gods was everything I could have hoped for, and I loved how it wrapped up the storylines previously raised in The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I had a fantastic time with this novel, and I particularly enjoyed the cool audiobook version that was narrated by Colin Mace. Mace brings so much energy to this narrative, and his excellent take on the characters turns this into an outstanding listen.

Darkside, written by Michael Mammay and narrated by R. C. Bray

One of the most awesome and fun science fiction audiobooks of 2024 had to be Darkside by Michael Mammay. Mammay, who previously impressed me with his previous books, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, produced an intriguing fourth entry to his Planetside series with Darkside, as his maverick protagonist investigates a new conspiracy driven by corrupt corporations. This fourth entry was such a great listen on audiobook, especially as it featured the return of the always incredible R. C. Bray as narrator. Bray, who has such a distinctive voice and style, helps to make this audiobook even more special, and I had so much fun with Darkside as result.

Warhammer 40,000: Lord of Excess, written by Rich McCormick and narrated by Richard Reed

Another particularly cool Warhammer 40,000 audiobook in 2024 was Renegades: Lord of Excess. The debut novel of Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess followed a band of hedonistic Chaos Space Marines as they conquer an isolated planet, only to have everything come crashing down around them. A fascinating and captivating addition to the Warhammer 40,000 canon, Lord of Excess was an amazing read from McCormick, and like most Warhammer 40,000 books is deeply benefited from its audiobook format. Not only does the outrageous story really come to life when read out, but narrator Richard Reed ensures all the larger-than-life characters are perfectly showcased. A truly outstanding Warhammer audiobook that I had such a great time with.

Point Nemo, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by R. C. Bray

Few audiobooks were as epic this year as Point Nemo by Jeremey Robinson, which was also narrated by R. C. Bray. A fast-paced and highly awesome science fiction thriller, Point Nemo had an outstanding plot behind it that followed a band of adventurers as they attempted to uncover the secrets of an island created from alien spores. The story and action of Point Nemo are very amazing on their own, but I felt that the narration of Bray added even more to it, and I was very impressed by all of Bray’s amazing performances this year. An exceptional listen that I cannot recommend enough.

A Tide of Black Steel, written by Anthony Ryan and narrated by Steven Brand

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan followed up his Covenant of Steel series (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor) in a big way with the new book, A Tide of Black Steel. Featuring an exciting and intriguing new narrative that expands Ryan’s existing setting, A Tide of Black Steel was an epic fantasy novel that I had so much fun with, especially on audiobook. It helped that the narrator of the Covenant of Steel audiobooks, Steven Brand, once again lent his voice to proceedings, and the resulting production was a powerful and amazing production that I couldn’t stop listening to.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka, written by Mike Brooks and narrated by Harry Myers

The final Warhammer audiobook I need to feature on this list is the outstanding and hilarious Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks. The sequel to Brooks’ previous novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, Da Big Dakka follows a rowdy group of orks who raid the most dangerous city in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. A clever read that I laughed the entire way through, especially with the fantastic narration of Harry Myers, who always perfectly captures the rowdy orks and their eccentric enemies. This was a really impress audiobook and I had a wonderful time listening to it.

Crucible of Chaos, written by Sebastien de Castell and narrated by Joe Jameson

I am slightly cheating with this final entry as Crucible of Chaos came out in 2023. However, due to its late December 2023 release, as well as it’s connection to the early 2024 novel, Play of Shadows, I have decided to include it as part of this list. Crucible of Chaos was an exceptional book from talented fantasy author Sebastien de Castell, that saw an unlikely investigator and his noble steed attempt to uncover the cause of insanity and chaos in a famous monastery. A clever and funny read, Crucible of Chaos was an impressive audiobook, and I had a lot of fun with how Joe Jameson, another favourite narrator of mine, brought it too life.

Well that is the end of this latest Top Ten list, and as you can see, I have been lucky enough to listen to some awesome audiobooks this year (although I clearly focused a little too much on Warhammer fiction). All the above audiobooks are extremely good and I would highly recommend each of them in their audiobook format. Let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2024 were in the comments below, and make sure to check back next week to see what my overall favourite novels of the year were.