Tag: Warhammer

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

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

The King of the Spoil Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 July 2023)

Series: Warhammer Crime

Length: 12 hours and 33 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks with Multiple Narrators

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List5 Comments

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

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

Caves of Ice Cover

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

Dredge Runners

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

Dark Sacred Night Cover

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

Star Wars - The Battle of Jedha Cover

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Top Ten Tuesdsay:

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

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

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

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

Sandman Act 1 Cover

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

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

World War Z Cover

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

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

Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh! Cover

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

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

Doctor Aphra Audio Cover

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

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

Engines of Empire Cover

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

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

Star Wars - Tempest Runner Cover

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

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

The Night Fire Cover

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

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

WAY OF KINGS MM REV FINAL.indd

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

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

Dooku - Jedi Lost Cover

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

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

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

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions

Giantslayer by William King

Giantslayer Cover

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Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell

Caves of Ice Cover

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Kill Team by Gav Thorpe

Kill Team Cover

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Kingsblade by Andy Clark

Kingsblade Cover

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Top Ten List:

Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

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

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Dead Beat, Proven Guilty and White Night by Jim Butcher

White Night Cover

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

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

Warhammer Ghostmaker Cover

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

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The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

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

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Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley

Flesh and Steel Cover

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

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Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Ogres Cover

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

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Grim Repast by Marc Collins

Warhammer 40,000 - Grim Repast Cover

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

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For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

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

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Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

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

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13th Legion by Gav Thorpe

13th Legion Cover 2

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

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

Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer6 Comments

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 24 June 2023)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 12 hours and 13 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for all-out war as the righteous Ultramarines battle the insidious Tyranids in this epic new Warhammer 40,000 novel from Darius Hinks, Leviathan.

It has been a pretty good year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction already, with several fantastic novels coming out in 2023, including Warboss and The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks (the latter being one of my favourite books from the first half of 2023), and Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly.  However, the hits are far from over, especially as there are several fantastic new Warhammer 40,000 novels set to come out later this year.  But before we get to those, I managed to jump onto another recent release with the outstanding novel Leviathan, written by established Warhammer author Darius Hinks.  Hinks was a new author to me, but I soon grew to appreciate his latest book, especially as it showcased a dark and intense alien invasion that made for a great story.

In the far future of the 41st millennium, the besieged Imperium of Man faces many threats, but few are more deadly, unstoppable, or insidious as the unrelenting and seemingly endless hordes of the Tyranids, an alien race determined to devour everything it encounters.  While several of the larger invading Tyranid fleets have been destroyed, a splinter tendril is making its way towards the galactic centre, threatening the very heart of the Imperium.

Standing in the way of this fleet is the fortress world of Regium, an ancient planet recently taken over by Imperial forces, it now serves as a bulwark against invasions heading towards the inner-Imperium.  Many believe that Regium is secure from all threats, but when the people of the planet are haunted by parasites, strange cults, and mysterious dreams of terrifying monsters, it soon becomes clear that a Tyranid swarm is about to descend upon them.

It falls to the decorated hero, Lieutenant Castamon of the Ultramarines, to hold Regium against the foes and keep the rest of the Imperium safe.  A veteran of many battles, Castamon believes that this new Tyranid fleet will be swiftly destroyed.  However, these Tyranids are led by something far more sinister than the Ultramarines have encountered before, something cunning and ruthless that is able to disrupt minds and outthink even the cleverest of humans.  With his forces split, Regium’s defences compromised, and his allies panicking, even the vaunted Lieutenant Castamon may be unable to save Regium from the Tyranid invasion.  However, Castamon has one last trick up his sleeve, the brilliant Ultramarine Apothecary Biologis, Vultis, whose research into the Tyranid biology might be the only thing that can stop them.  Unfortunately, the enemy knows all about the Ultramarines and their plans, and the deadly creature known as the Harbinger is coming for them.

Leviathan was a pretty awesome and intense Warhammer 40,000 novel that shines a real spotlight on one of the more insidious alien races in the canon.  Featuring a strong and at times terrifying narrative, Leviathan was a great read, and I really got caught up in Hinks’s fantastic book.

Hinks pulls together an excellent story for Leviathan, and it is one that will appeal to a range of different readers, especially those fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.  Set around the already troubled planet of Regium, Leviathan follows an intriguing range of different human/space marine characters as they attempt to make sense and prepare for a Tyranid invasion of their world.  The early parts of the book are dedicated to introducing the key characters and the overall setting of the story, while also attempting to cast a more psychological edge to the main story as visions, doubts and other insanities haunt the populace.  There are some great early action sequences, including a disastrous shipboard incursion, and a dark hunt in some interesting terrain, and Hinks works well to set up for the second half of the book, especially as several unique, character driven stories were introduced and given some early weight.  While I enjoyed a lot of this set up, I did find the first half of the story to be a bit slow with its pacing and I was initially having trouble getting too invested in any of the characters or story elements.  However, this changed when I got to the second half of the book.

This second half masterfully builds on all the setup and character development that occurred at the start of Leviathan and readers are in for a particularly intense and gruesome narrative from this point on.  This entire second half is dedicated to the full-on invasion of Regium, as swarms of aliens, including some new creatures, emerge to decimate the populace and challenge the protagonists.  Each of the character focused plot lines set up in the first part of the book, as well as a few additional story inclusions, are perfectly thrust into this overlying chaos, and you get to see them try to survive the oncoming horrors and monstrosities.  Hinks really pulls no punches when it comes to this Tyranid invasion, and you get to witness all the devastation, the deadly transformation of the planet, and the subsequent epic battles, as the Tyranids fight against the human and Ultramarine defenders in some epic and well-crafted set pieces.  Each storyline was really good in its own way, and together they formed a fantastic and at times over-the-top overarching narrative that successfully showcased just how overwhelming the Tyranids can be.  I loved how dark Hinks made Leviathan at times, especially as he had no qualms about killing off key characters in some particularly brutal ways, which really raised the stakes for the reader.  While I did think that a lot of the plot did rely a little on the narrative stupidity of certain characters (the Ultramarines kept forgetting everything they knew about the Tyranids), the second half of the book was extremely epic, and I had real trouble putting it down.  All the separate storylines were concluded in entertaining and fitting ways, and I particularly appreciated the final plan that Hinks introduced for the main protagonists, which really fitted the outrageous feel of a lot of the plot.  This brutal and continuously exciting second half really turned Leviathan into such a great read, and I really loved how the entire thing turned out.

Leviathan proved to be an interesting and compelling addition to the wider Warhammer canon, especially as Hinks took the opportunity to really dive into some of the factions and showcase how crazy they can be.  However, I know that Leviathan has been copping a little flack in this department, mainly because some people see it as merely a promotional novel tied-in with some of the recently announced Ultramarines and Tyranid models.  While I can definitely see that, especially as Hinks spends a lot of time highlighting some of the newer Tyranid creatures in his narrative, I still enjoyed Leviathan a lot.  His depictions of the Tyranids were one of the major highlights of the book, and I loved how much he upped the horror aspect of them, showing them to be ravenous monsters who alter and devour everything they encounter.  This might be one of the better portrayals of Tyranids that I have so far seen in Warhammer fiction, and they were certainly a lot less one-dimensional here than they are in other books.  Part of this was because of the inclusion of several newer Tyranid creatures, such as the Neurotyrant and the Norn Emissary, with both being shown as unstoppable monsters with interesting abilities.  This allowed the Tyranids to attack their prey in all new ways, and it was very fun to see the various intricate tactics they were able to come up with.  Hinks tempers some of the more commercial aspects of these creatures’ inclusion by not actually using the names of the models in Leviathan, instead all you have is the protagonist’s descriptions of them when they encounter them in person.  These personal and often deeply terrified accounts of the various Tyranid bioforms really help to showcase just how terrifying and alien they are, especially to the ordinary human, and it really added a great edge to the narrative.  This darker edge is further exacerbated by the author’s powerful examination of how the planet of Regium is altered once the Tyranids arrive.  The spores constantly raining down on the planet slowly poison the various humans as they breathe in, and the depictions of the protagonists dying from within as they inhale alien matter, while their skin starts to slowly melt is pretty damn memorable and terrifying, especially as this is the first step in turning all biological matter in the planet into edible goo.  Frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced the horror that is the Tyranid better than in Leviathan, and Hinks’ brilliant use of this faction enhanced the entire book.

On top of the Tyranids, Leviathan also features another intriguing major faction, the all-time classic Ultramarines chapter of Space Marines.  I mostly liked how the various Ultramarine characters were featured in Leviathan, although I did think that Hinks could have perhaps done a little more to distinguish them from other general Space Marines.  Still, Hinks goes out of his way to make the Ultramarines as badass as possible, and you really get a sense of their courage and battle prowess, especially as the severally outnumbered Ultramarines (I won’t go into the logistics of Regium’s defence here, but it did seem a tad low for such a vital planet), managed to put up quite a showing against the Tyranid swarm.  Some of the fight sequences featuring the Ultramarines in combat were pretty damn epic, and while some Space Marines did die easily for plot effect (especially when going up against a Tyranid with a new model), I felt that Hinks did a good job highlighting just how dangerous a Space Marine can be.  Hinks really tries to cover various aspects of the Space Marines throughout Leviathan, including the reverence and respect that most normal people have for them, and while this might not be the absolute best portrayal of an Ultramarine detachment ever, it was still pretty damn good, especially in those fantastic fight sequences.

I also must highlight some of the great characters featured within Leviathan as Hinks comes up with a diverse and compelling cast to tell the story with.  Thanks to the way the story is set out, each of the key plotlines revolves around some excellent characters, each with their own motivations, missions, and big moments, as they try to weather or escape the oncoming Tyranid doom.  Hinks crafts some great storylines for each of these major characters, and it proves easy to get invested in them, such as the tale of two ordinary farm workers who try to escape the monsters around them, the hapless Governor who finds himself out of his depth, or the proud Cadian leader who is drawn into war by the machinations of a delusional priest.  However, some of the best characters in Leviathan are members of the Ultramarines, and much of the story focuses on the elites of this chapter on Regium.  I really enjoyed these major Ultramarine characters, including the bold Lieutenant Castamon, the heroic leader who lives up to all the hype, the Apothecary Biologis, Vultis, whose analytical mind and desire for knowledge might hold the key to victory, and even the arrogant Sergeant Tanaro has his moments, especially in that powerful last scene.  However, my favourite character in the book is probably the scarred Ultramarine Baraca.  Baraca is a seemingly unkillable figure who has survived an insane amount of damage, but who has grown detached from even the rest of his battle brothers.  Despite appearing to be a mindless brute, Baraca is a deep and complex figure whose friendship with Vultis provides some emotional power to their scenes together.  Baraca honestly steals every scene he is in, especially his last, and Hinks writes a great storyline around him as he courts death, while trying to find his place in life.  All these characters, and more are very well written, and the impact they have on the plot is pretty impressive.

Like most Warhammer 40,000 content that I absorb, I chose to listen to Leviathan’s audiobook format, which is such a fantastic way to enjoy these intense stories.  I think that I made the right choice when it came to Leviathan, as this amazing audiobook really helped to throw me into the midst of the action.  Narrator Theo Solomon did an excellent job of setting a fast pace with his narration, and his descriptions of the massive battles, compelling heroics, and gruesome aliens was very fun to listen to.  While I wasn’t always the biggest fan of some of the character voices that he came up with, Solomon did produce some excellent tones for some of the main characters, particularly that of Lieutenant Castamon, who is made to sound very heroic and bold, which worked to showcase this intriguing protagonist.  As such, I felt that this was an excellent way to enjoy Leviathan, and with a run time of just over 12 hours, this isn’t a massive audiobook to get through, especially once you get caught up in the impressive second half.  I had an awesome time with Leviathan on audiobook, and I recently featured it on my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2023 list.

Overall, I think that Leviathan was a pretty good Warhammer 40,000 novel and I was pretty impressed with my first book from Darius Hinks.  While I did have some issues with the story, especially in the early goings, this ended up being a very memorable and captivating read, especially thanks to the use of the cool Tyranid faction.  Loaded with carnage, brutal fights to the death, and complex characters dealing with an oncoming horde of clever aliens, Leviathan was an outstanding novel that deeply enjoyed.

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WWW Wednesday – 7 June 2023

On 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?

Witch King by Martha Wells (Ebook)

Witch King Cover

I haven’t made a lot of progress with the new fantasy novel from Martha Wells this week, Witch King.  While I am enjoying this book, I honestly haven’t had a lot of reading time, instead focusing more on writing and other stuff.  I am hoping to get a bit of reading done on it this weekend, so we’ll see how it goes.

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Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Proven Guilty Cover

After all the fun I had last week with Dead Beat, I decided to dive into another of Jim Butcher’s epic Dresden Files this week with Proven Guilty.  The 8th book in the series, Proven Guilty sees wizard Harry Dresden investigate a series of mysterious magical murders committed by monsters from horror films. This is proving to be another excellent read and I will hopefully finish it off in the next day or two and do a Throwback Thursday post about it.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks

The Lion - Son of the Forest Cover

I managed to finish off the recent Warhammer 40,000 novel The Lion: Son of the Forest this week, and boy was it epic.  Written by rising Warhammer author Mike Brooks, The Lion: Son of the Forest follows the return of the legendary founder of the Dark Angels Space Marines as he awakens in a changed universe. This was an exceptional read and you can check out my review for it here.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Falling Sky by Harry Sidebottom

Falling Sky Cover

I am still hoping to quickly dive into the fun historical fiction novel, Falling Sky in the next week.  Written by one of my favourite historical fiction authors, Falling Sky will follow a determined Roman general as he attempts to win a dangerous battle in the Alps while also countering treachery in his own camp. I have been meaning to read this book for a while and I know I am going to have a ton of fun with it.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington

The Will of the Many Cover

I’m also hoping in the next week to start listening to the cool epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington. Set in a deadly magical school, The Will of the Many is a thrilling sounding novel filled with politics, mystery, and an intriguing magical system. I love the sound of The Will of the Many and it looks set to be one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year.

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

Warhammer 40,000: The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer24 Comments

The Lion - Son of the Forest Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 22 April 2023)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 12 hours and 15 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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One of the fastest rising authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, Mike Brooks, returns with another exceptional read, this time covering one of the most significant events in recent Warhammer fiction, the return of Lion El’Johnson with The Lion: Son of the Forest.

At this point I think that my love for all things Warhammer is pretty well established, especially after my lengthy post earlier this year detailing my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels.  I have been having a ton of fun in 2023 with this cool franchise, and I have just managed to finish off the newest Warhammer novel with The Lion: Son of the Forest.  This is the latest book from the very impressive Mike Brooks, who has been making a real name for himself in Warhammer 40,000 fiction and who seems to get better with every one of his books that I read.  His previous novel, Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom was a great read about an excellent established villain, and I had a lot of fun with his most recent book, Warboss, a highly entertaining novel about the always crazy orks.  However, I think that The Lion is probably his most ambitious and captivating novel yet as he covers the return of the Primarch of the Dark Angels, Lion El’Johnson.  This is a pretty big deal in Warhammer circles, and I was very impressed with how Brooks puts his own spin on the return to create an epic and powerful read.

At the dawn of the Imperium of Man, there was no force more deadly nor more loyal to the Emperor than the Dark Angels, the first Legion of Space Marines.  Led by their implacable and unstoppable Primarch and genefather, Lion El’Johnson, better known as the Lion, nothing was able to stop the Dark Angels as they crusaded from planet to planet dispensing the Emperor’s will.  However, following the events of the Horus Heresy and the Lion’s inability to save the Emperor, the Dark Angels imploded from within.  Treachery and years of resentment saw the Legion engage in a brutal and sudden civil war, which resulted in the destruction of the Dark Angel’s home world of Caliban, the scattering of the traitor Dark Angels throughout time and space as the Fallen, and the disappearance and apparent death of the Lion right when the galaxy needed him most.

Now in the 41st millennium, humanity is facing the greatest threat since the Horus Heresy.  The fall of Cadia spawned the Great Rift, a sprawling gap of daemon infested space that split the already crumbling Imperium in two, distributing travel, communications and coordination between humanity’s armies.  Into this darkness, the dread forces of Chaos emerge, destroying all before them, while other malign threats begin to eat away the remains of the Imperium.  The doom of all mankind seems certain, but hope is about to emerge in the most unlikely of places.

After a 10,000-year absence, the Lion awakens on the far-flung and devastated planet of Camarth, with no memory of how he got there.  Discovering one of his former sons, the Fallen Zabriel, the Lion soon discovers what has happened to the Imperium in his absence, as well as the terrible threats of the Great Rift and the forces of Chaos.  Unsure of his purpose or what has happened to him, the Lion sets out to preserve humanity from the forces trying to destroy it.  Rallying members of the Fallen from their long exile, the Lion begins a new campaign throughout the besieged systems of man, while trying to reconcile himself to everything he has lost.  But a dangerous and well-organised Chaos warband, the Ten Thousand Eyes, led by two of the Lion’s Fallen sons, are determined to destroy the returned Primarch and enact an ambitious plan with galaxy shattering consequences.  Can an isolated Lion survive the insanity of the 41st millennium, or has he returned only to face his doom?

Wow, now this was a pretty damn awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel.  Mike Brooks continues to really impress me with this cool new book, and I loved the elaborate and captivating tale contained within The Lion: Son of the Forest.  Featuring an intriguing and emotionally charged narrative that perfectly revives a key Warhammer 40,000 character, The Lion is an outstanding read and I think this is probably Brooks’ best Warhammer novel yet.

The Lion had a particularly interesting narrative that was firmly set around the return of Lion El’Johnson, and I loved the unique tale that Brooks came up.  The initial scenes of the book are quite fascinating as Brooks presents a symbol laden couple of chapters to show the Lion’s initial return, which I felt was a great way to start the story as it set up a lot of intriguing moments and gave the book quite a distinctive theme.  The introduction of two new alternate perspective characters a few chapters in helps to morph the story into a more typical Warhammer 40,000 narrative as it sees the Lion and other former members of the Dark Angels awaken in the current timeline.  The story soon sees the Lion reunite with one of his former sons and begin to reclaim a conquered Imperial planet from a notorious Chaos warband while trying to understand the new universe he’s in.  Getting back to his roots as a protector, the Lion soon is soon drawn into larger affairs, thanks a mysterious new ability he has obtained, and he sets out to do the right thing and right the wrongs of his past.  His actions not only lead him to more of his sons, ensuring that this book has a deep emotional heart to it, but it also leads him into conflict with a dangerous enemy, one that has big plans for him.

The Lion’s narrative is pretty epic in its scope and power as Brooks tells an exciting and compelling story about both the past and the present, and how one hero can make a difference.  The story features some great moments, including cool battles, emotional reunions, and dives into ancient history, as the characters come to grips with what the Lion’s return means to the greater universe.  Everything leads up to an ultra-intense finale as the Lion encounters a truly fallen son and is forced to reckon with the sins of his Legion and family.  I really enjoyed this epic narrative and Brooks sets out all the events extremely well, ensuring that readers will follow one excellent scene to the next.  While not every mystery is explained, the author does lay out some intriguing events that will grab a lot of Warhammer fans attention, and it leaves it open for more awesome books in the future.  I had an incredible time with The Lion and I managed to finish it off in a short amount of time.

This outstanding story is beautifully brought to life in Brooks’s capable hands as he deploys an excellent and captivating writing style throughout The Lion.  Brooks really had a tall order here in bringing back a key character from the Warhammer mythos and I think that he handled in an outstanding way by focusing on the emotional aspects of the character, rather than a pure action novel.  While The Lion does have some outstanding battle sequences designed to showcase just how epic a Space Marine can be, the focus is really on character development as Brooks examines three outstanding point of view figures while also telling an excellent narrative about characters trying to find their place in a strange new galaxy.

I loved how the author split the story across the three different perspectives, and I enjoyed how he made them so distinctive by using different styles and tenses for each of them.  For example, Baelor’s chapters use a third-person narration to show his struggles without going too deep into his head, the scenes shown from Zabriel’s eyes are written in a first person chronicle style as he recounts his story as if writing a journal, while the chapters focusing on the Lion are also in the third person, but feature a different, more epic style, which at times put me in mind of an older story or saga.  These different styles really fit the characters and their specific stories, and I appreciated how Brooks utilised these changes of styles to really tell a complex by subtly layering a classic Warhammer tale with pain, emotional damage, and uncertainty.

I felt that the author got the right balance of action and adventure with character growth, and you really get attached to the protagonists and their unique experiences in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  I also loved how Brooks layered the story with a ton of Arthurian symbolism, as the Lion is meant to mirror King Arthur in this book, returning during his people’s darkest hour after dying during a war with his sons.  This included an excellent take on the Green Knight tale, with a dark Warhammer 40,000 twist to it, which also leads to one of the book’s funniest moments with a Monty Python homage.  I really got drawn into this outstanding story thanks to the way that Brooks told it, and this was an excellent and captivating read.

Now, this one of those Warhammer 40,000 novels that I probably wouldn’t recommend to new Warhammer readers as the story dives into some deep canon elements of the franchise.  Due to its focus on the return of Lion El’Johnson, a particularly important character that was only recently brought back in the game as a major event, The Lion is a key book in the Warhammer 40,000 expanded universe, and I felt readers needed a good understanding of the lore to fully appreciate its story.  This is because is strongly related to the history of the Dark Angels, and indeed all the Space Marines, and while Brooks does revisit and explain these events, having a more in-depth knowledge really does make that story that much clearer and more intriguing.  For those established fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, you are in for a real treat as Brooks expertly expands the lore while also providing some intriguing insights into established canon.  Seeing the Lion return and interact with his Fallen brethren was so damn cool, and it really tied into some of the best bits of Dark Angel lore that has been building for years and years.

I loved how the story examined both the current state of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, as well as the Horus Heresy, and it was fantastic to see characters who survived the Heresy arrive in the current universe and see what has been unleashed by the arrival of the Great Rift.  There are also a ton of jokes, references, and in-universe discussions that I had a lot of fun with, including intriguing new descriptions of events of the Horus Heresy, as well as more intriguing Dark Angels history.  I personally deeply enjoyed seeing the various ancient characters discuss the events that happened after they disappeared, and their reactions at the state of the Imperium, the deification of the Emperor to godhood, and what happened to the Dark Angels in the Lion’s absence, and this lead to some outstanding scenes.  The Lion proved to be a pretty epic piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and I was really impressed with how Brooks told such a unique and important story.

As I mentioned before, The Lion is a very powerful character driven novel as Brooks focuses on a cast of damaged and dispossessed figures thrust into an uncompromising future.  This is mostly clearly seen in the main character of Lion El’Johnson, the legendary Primarch of the Dark Angels and son of the Emperor, who returns after 10,000 years of mysterious disappearance.  Brooks paints quite the intriguing and complex picture around the Lion, showing him as a being out of time who, after experiencing some of the greatest losses and betrayals imaginable, awakens 10,000 years in the future with no idea of what happened to him.  The Lion is shocked at what the Imperium has become and how badly the universe has changed without him there.  Forced to reconcile with both this new future and his many failures, the older and wiser Lion heads back to the basics of his youth, protecting humans from monsters while also trying to reconnect with his lost sons, the Fallen, who he has mixed feelings about.  Brooks’s characterisation of the Lion is very different to what we’ve seen in previous novels, which I think a smart move, as the character is tired and lonely in this reality, and very much aware of the mistakes he has throughout his life.  Watching him relive some of the worst decisions he made during the Horus Heresy is very moving, and I loved how his insights into the past allowed him to move forward with his rediscovered sons and attempt to forgive them.  While there are a still a lot of questions around how the Lion returned (something I hope Brooks addresses in the future), I think that this was a pretty impressive return of such a key character, and I look forward to seeing more books focused on him.

The other major characters featured within The Lion are former Dark Angels who rebelled against their father thousands of years ago and were scattered throughout time and space following the destruction of Caliban.  Known collectively as the Fallen, these Space Marine characters have very complex feelings about Lion El’Johnson, especially as many believe he betrayed them and the Imperium, and they have all spent the intervening years being relentlessly hunted by the modern Dark Angels and their successor chapters.  This intriguing background was fertile ground for rich character development and backgrounds, and a large portion of the novel’s emotional depth relied heavily on the Lion meeting and reconciling with his lost sons.  Brooks produces several brilliant scenes that showcase the turbulent relationship between the Lion and the returning Fallen, and it was fascinating to see the Lion, a usually stubborn and proud character, admit that he was wrong and try to make amend to his sons.  I loved the intriguing group of characters that emerged in a supporting role as a result, especially as Brooks set them up as counterpoints to the Knights of the Round Table to match the Arthurian vibes around the Lion.

The most prominent of these supporting characters is Zabriel, the first Fallen that the returned Lion encounters, who serves as his guide to the new universe.  Zabriel has some amazing scenes in this book, especially as he provides the Lion with the first taste of the trauma the Fallen have experienced thanks to their father, and he makes sure the Lion knows that.  His well written chapters really capture his deep emotional conflict throughout The Lion, as he tries to reconcile the betrayals of the past with the hope that surrounds the revelation that Lion El’Johnson has returned.  His interactions with other members of the Fallen are really impressive as well, and I think he had some of the best chapters in the book.  Zabriel’s intriguing perspective is well matched by the other major point of view character, Baelor, a fellow Fallen who has chosen to continue following his former commander Seraphax, who he believes has a great plan to save the Imperium.  To achieve this goal, Seraphax has taken to wielding dark magic and is working with the followers of Chaos, forming the deadly warband, The Ten Thousand Eyes.  This forces Baelor to make a lot of compromises as he works to maintain his loyalty to Seraphax, even though they are doing terrible things.  The return of the Lion really throws Baelor for a loop, and there is a great undercurrent of denial to him as he tries to process all the implications that this has for him.  Brooks paints a brilliantly narrative of conflicted loyalty and duty around Baelor which worked wonderfully with all his chapters depicting the horrors of Chaos.  The rest of the Fallen characters in The Lion are very well written, and while some of them didn’t get a lot of focus, I loved some of the distinctive personalities that emerged.  It will be interesting to see how many of them are featured in the future, especially as there are still some secrets I wouldn’t mind knowing (who is The Red Whisper?), and I deeply appreciated how well Brooks featured them here.

To nobody’s great surprise, I checked out The Lion on audiobook, which is easily the best way to enjoy any good Warhammer novel.  Naturally, The Lion was pretty damn epic in this form, and everything about the book is greatly enhanced by the narration, as the epic story, amazing characters, and intriguing additions to the Warhammer universe, all come to life when read out.  I particularly enjoyed the voice work of Timothy Watson, who previously impressed me in last year’s Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Krieg.  Watson has a wonderfully booming and commanding voice that worked well with all the powerful Space Marine characters in The Lion.  The narrators take on the confident and radiant tones of Lion El’Johnson was particularly awesome, and I really felt that he captured both the majesty of the character, as well as his deeper uncertainty and regret.  The other Space Marine characters are also extremely well captured, and I liked the fun range of voices that emerged, especially as they all seemed to fit that respective character and convey the key parts of their identity to the listener.  The villains are also cleverly narrated, and Watson goes out of his way to make them sound as inhuman as possible in places.  Coming in with a run time of over 12 hours, The Lion has a decent length for a Warhammer audiobook, although Watson’s fantastic narration moves the story along at a swift pace, ensuring that the listener is constantly hooked on the plot.  This entire production was just amazing, and I had an exceptional time listening to The Lion on audiobook, which is such an epic way to enjoy a Warhammer 40,000 novel.

Mike Brooks continues to rise through the ranks of Warhammer 40,000 authors with his outstanding new novel, The Lion: Son of the Forest.  The impressive and captivating read brilliantly brings back one of the most significant characters in the Warhammer canon and places him in an intense and deeply powerful tale of betrayal, forgiveness and displacement.  I had such an epic time with The Lion: Son of the Forest and this probably the best Warhammer book of 2023 so far.  I cannot wait to see what happens to this iconic character in the future, nor can wait to get my next Mike Brooks novel.  Highly recommended and required reading for all fans of Warhammer fiction.

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Warhammer 40,000: Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer5 Comments

Warhammer 40,000 - Shadowsun Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 April 2023)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 8 hours and 13 minutes

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Veteran Warhammer 40,000 author Phil Kelly once again dives into his favourite topic, the T’au, with this new fast-paced and intense novel focused on the intriguing figure of Commander Shadowsun, Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter.

I have been having a lot of fun with Warhammer 40,000 novels this year, and I have already had the opportunity to read some major classics.  Many of these appeared in my recent Favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels list, and I have been keen to read more Warhammer fiction as a result.  As such, I decided to dive into one of the more recent Warhammer 40,000 novels, Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter, an excellent novel focusing on the intriguing T’au faction.  Shadowsun is the latest Warhammer 40,000 novel from Phil Kelly, who is probably best known for his work as a background writer on the various codexes and campaign books released as part of the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game.  However, Kelly has also produced several Warhammer 40,000 novels over his career, with a particular focus on the T’au, having written several of the more prominent novels for the alien faction, including his Farsight novels and Blades of Damocles.  This latest book sees Kelly once again focus on Commander Shadowsun as she leads the latest T’au expansion, only to encounter more horrors than she ever expected.

Commander Shas’O Shaserra, better known to her foes as Shadowsun, has long led the forces of the T’au into war against all manner of foes.  A former contemporary of the legendary Commander Farsight, Shadowsun has since earned her own substantial reputation across various theatres.  Her latest action sees her leading the T’au Empire’s Fifth Sphere Expansion on the other side of the Startide Nexus, capturing many former Imperial worlds and bringing them under the sphere of the T’au’s influence.

A calculating tactician and a master of the philosophy of war that emulates the Patient Hunter, Shadowsun has known only success during this new phase of expansion.  But the surprise appearance of a massive fleet of decaying and indestructible warships soon throws all her plans into turmoil as she faces an enemy unlike anything T’au have dealt with before, the Chaos Space Marines of the Death Guard.

Ancient and deadly warriors sworn to the Chaos God of disease and decay, Nurgle, the Death Guard are a force unlike any other in the galaxy.  Employing deadly diseases, unstoppable daemons and other deranged horrors that defy all laws of physics and sanity, the Death Guard effortlessly brush through the T’au resistance.  Unable to counter their terrible tactics, Shadowsun desperately looks for a way to strike back against the Death Guard.  But with her own body consumed with disease and rivals within the T’au seeking their own sinister objectives, can even the great Commander Shadowsun succeed against these relentless opponents?

This was a pretty fun and intense Warhammer 40,000 novel from Phil Kelly, who had a great time really showing off two very different factions from the game.  Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter was a very interesting and action-packed read that will really appeal to fans of the Warhammer 40,000 franchise.

The plot of Shadowsun follows the character of Commander Shadowsun in her most lethal adventure yet.  This is a very brutal and quick-paced narrative that wastes no time diving into the action and intrigue to grab the readers full attention.  Starting with a good introduction to the character of Shadowsun and the complex politics of the T’au, the reader is soon introduced to the gruesome threat of the Death Guard, who soon make a major impact on the plot.  This takes the form of an extended and very over-the-top battle sequence on a T’au controlled human planet which Shadowsun was visiting, and she soon must contend with the full threat of the Death Guard.  Kelly really does not hold back at this part of the book, producing a brilliant and very lengthy connected sequence in which Shadowsun encounters the full, fly-infested horrors of Nurgle, as the Death Guard unleash their terrible might.  These scenes are pretty damn intense, at times bordering on pure horror, as the characters encounter diseases, decay, daemons and plague zombies, each of which test Shadowsun and her forces in very different ways.  This major sequence takes a substantial chunk of the book, and it really served to grab the reader’s attention early on with very high plot stakes.

The second half of the book deals with the fallout of this conflict, as an infected and weakened Shadowsun finds all her strategies and plans in ruin, and must find a new way to strike back, despite being hamstrung by internal T’au politics, a growing conflict between the T’au and their alien levies, and a sinister conspiracy from her superiors.  The resolution to this is a desperate boarding action against the Death Guard flagship, with Shadowsun leading a small force on a deadly suicide mission.  While not as extensive as the previous major confrontation, this final third of the book is extremely good, as Kelly envisions another complex battle that pits T’au tech against ancient, unclean horrors.  This sequence gets a little crazy in places, especially as Kelly brings in a couple of unique aliens as backup for the protagonist, and the Death Guard ship is loaded with horrors.  The big fights that emerge are extremely deadly and well written, and you will be enthralled at the carnage that emerges and the unique encounters that occur.  At the same time, the character of Shadowsun continues to grow as a warrior and a commander, fully trusting in her new squad of aliens, while also beginning to understand there is far more going on in the universe than her superiors have let her know.  Everything comes together extremely well, with a fun conclusion that is very satisfying for readers and leaves quite a few questions open that I am sure Kelly will try to answer in the future.  I liked the more metaphysical examination of the T’au towards the end of the book, and it gave the story a really unique conclusion that I will definitely remember.

I felt that Shadowsun was an overall pretty good Warhammer 40,000 novel as Kelly produced an excellent and highly exciting narrative that makes full use of the book’s action, heavy doses of lore intriguing characters.  The various fight sequences are very well written, and the author goes out of his way to try and capture the full horror and considerations of the battlefield, especially when regular soldiers face off against something strange and terrifying.  The two lengthy battles that much of the plot of Shadowsun focuses on are true highlights of the novel, and I love how intense, captivating and devastating the author made them.  Due to Kelly’s obvious passion for the game, this is a very, very detailed novel as the author goes out of his way to highlight the various factions, their motivations, and the state of the Warhammer 40,000 universe at this point in the canon timeline.  Every scene is loaded with some fascinating description of technology, lore, politics or factional history, which is fun in its way, especially for established fans of the games and the surrounding canon.  However, this does mean that Shadowsun might be a bit of a harder book for more casual readers to enjoy, as a certain level of understanding about the T’au is needed to fully appreciate the plot.  As such, I would probably recommend this book to fans of the T’au and dedicated Warhammer 40,000 readers, although newer readers will still be able to have some fun with Shadowsun.

Due to Kelly’s familiarity with the T’au, quite a lot of the book is dedicated to showing them in all their glory, from their advanced technology, their complex society, and their reliance on allied races to help their expansion.  While I am familiar with the T’au, I haven’t read a lot of books from their perspective, having instead only read books where they’re the enemy (Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker by Steve Parker and Kill Team by Gav Thorpe).  As such, I really appreciated this highly detailed and compelling focus on the T’au, and I had a lot of fun exploring their recent history, including their expansion throughout the galaxy.  There are so many great elements to their inclusion in Shadowsun, such as getting to see their awesome advanced weapons in combat, which are so very different from the human technology that most of the other Warhammer 40,000 books feature.  I also appreciated the compelling look at several of the client species that make up the T’au auxiliary forces, such as the Kroot.  Kelly features several intriguing different alien species throughout Shadowsun, making for some unique scenes as a result, and I appreciated the examination of their thoughts about the T’au allies, especially with how it plays into their faith and how they view the rest of the galaxy.

In addition, Kelly layers this book with so many complex bits of T’au day to day life, and you must admire his dedication and attention to detail.  Every conversation or discussion between T’au characters provides you some intriguing insights into their society, and I loved seeing their perfectionist mindsets or their fascinating interactions, such as those meaning-laden hand signals.  There are also some cool examinations of the various castes, their reliance on technology (such as Shadowsun’s two drone companions), and their desire to expand and bring word of the “Greater Good” to the rest of the galaxy.  While there is some definite love for the T’au throughout Shadowsun, Kelly also makes it a point to examine the darker side of their society, including the deadly secrets of the Fourth Sphere Expansion force and the typical manipulation of the Ethereal caste.  Commander Shadowsun, who starts the story off relatively naïve about some of the darker aspects of her race, begins to get an understanding of some of the secrets being kept from her, especially when she encounters some of the forces of Chaos and the secrets of the Warp.  The attempts to shut down any discussion about daemons or what happened to the allied species when they went through the Warp gave some of the T’au focused scenes a darker and more sinister edge, and it will be interesting to see whether Shadowsun continues to blindly follow the Ethereals in the future.  I also liked how Kelly really showcased the inherent arrogance of the T’au, especially when it comes to their opinion of other races in the universe, such as humans from the Imperium.  Their haughty belief that they understand the universe is quite amusing, especially when they come face to face with something completely insane.

To balance out the T’au, Kelly also strongly features the Chaos Space Marines of the Death Guard legion in Shadowsun, who are pretty epic antagonists.  Followers of the Chaos God Nurgle, the Death Guard are dedicated to all things disease, decay and corruption, which results in some pretty horrific mutations for their plague infested bodies.  The Death Guard are always pretty gruesome when featured in fiction, but I felt that Kelly did a particularly fantastic job of capturing them in their fully festering glory.  All the Death Guard encountered in this book are covered in putrefying mutations or growths to some degree, and Kelly really goes out of his way to describe just how unsettling they are.  This includes a compelling look at a Death Guard battle cruiser, whose interior is just covered in growths, mould, various liquids that fill up entire corridors, and loaded with so many other over-the-top elements, which really pop in Kelly’s talented hands.  I also loved how the author tries to capture the Death Guard’s highly positive and benevolent natures, which are reflections of their “kindly” god, Nurgle, and which honestly makes them even more sinister.  He further disturbs the reader by showing the Death Guard unleashing their full horrors on the T’au with, diseases, plague zombies, daemons, dark magic and more used against them, totally devastating them.

Watching the T’au get overwhelmed by these weird and terrifying elements is pretty intense, and the main T’au perspective character, Commander Shadowsun, keeps getting more disturbed by their unpredictable tactics and terrible weaponry.  I loved the compelling comparisons the author makes between the Death Guard and the T’au, and the two are honestly the antithesis of each other in aesthetics, combat styles, and mindset.  This ensures that their conflicts are pretty damn epic and watching the T’au forced to come up with some new tactic while freaking out made for some thrilling reading.  I did think that to make the Death Guard see even more threatening and dangerous, Kelly did slightly nerf the T’au in places, especially during their earlier battles, which fans of the faction probably won’t love, however, the protagonist makes up for that by taking out a Great Unclean One at one point.  Kelly’s decision to feature the Death Guard as the antagonists was an outstanding choice and one that made Shadowsun standout to me even more.

As with most Warhammer 40,000 novels that I have the pleasure of enjoying, I chose to check out Shadowsun on audiobook, which was a fun decision as always.  Coming in at just over eight hours, this was a quick audiobook to power through, especially when you get to some of the more epic battle scenes.  This format served to really enhance some of the best elements of the Shadowsun book, including the cool action and the sheer horror of some of the scenes where the protagonists go up against the forces of Nurgle.  Having someone reading out all the disgusting things this foul horde contains makes the book seem even more terrifying, which I deeply appreciated.  Narrator Helen McAlpine does a very good job bringing this compelling plot to life with her great voice work, and I really appreciated her take on several of the characters and big scenes within Shadowsun.  The voice that she gives to the main character of Commander Shadowsun is highly fitting, and I felt that McAlpine managed to capture her emotions, particularly that of distress of despair, very well throughout this audiobook.  Due to this, and more, I would once again strongly recommend this Warhammer 40,000 audiobook to anyone interested in checking out Shadowsun, as it is easily the best way to enjoy any book from this franchise.

Overall, Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter is an excellent Warhammer 40,000 novel and one that I really had a fun time with.  Phil Kelly did an outstanding job featuring the T’au again and it was great to get a deeper look at one of the more fascinating alien factions in the canon.  Loaded with action, horrifying moments, and some deep lore drops, Shadowsun is an awesome read that fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction can have a lot of fun with.

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WWW Wednesday – 24 May 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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? 

Battle Song by Ian Ross (Trade Paperback)

Battle Song Cover

I finally managed to start reading the awesome historical adventure, Battle Song by Ian Ross.  Following a young squire as he reluctantly follows his new amoral master to tourneys and war in 13th century Europe, Battle Song is already proving to be an excellent and exciting novel and I cannot wait to see how its interesting story unfolds.

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Dead Beat by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

Dead Beat Cover

I was in the mood for something I knew I could effortlessly fall into this week, so I decided to continue the awesome Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher with the seventh book, Dead Beat. Following Butcher’s entertaining wizard protagonist as he gets dragged into an elaborate battle for a powerful necromantic book, Dead Beat is an exceptional piece of urban fantasy fiction, and one that I have no doubt is getting a full five-star rating from me.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence (ebook)

The Book That Wouldn't Burn Cover

I finally managed to finish off the latest Mark Lawrence novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, and boy did it turn out to be something extremely special.  Lawrence wrote an epic story, set around a massive and elaborate library, and I still cannot believe all the elaborate twists and turns it contained.  Easily one of the best fantasy books of the year, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn comes very highly recommended and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

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Warhammer 40,000: Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Shadowsun Cover

I also managed to finish of the fun Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly this week.  Focusing on the intriguing T’au faction, Shadowsun is a pretty cool read that sees a legendary T’au commander face off against the forces of Nurgle. Action-packed, lore heavy, and somewhat gruesome in places, this was a fantastic novel that fans of the franchise can have some fun with.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Falling Sky by Harry Sidebottom

Falling Sky Cover

I hoping to quickly dive into the fun historical fiction novel, Falling Sky in the next week.  Written by one of my favourite historical fiction authors, Falling Sky will follow a determined Roman general as he attempts to win a dangerous battle in the Alps while also countering treachery in his own camp. I have been meaning to read this book for a while and I know I am going to have a ton of fun with it.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington

The Will of the Many Cover

I’m hoping in the next week or so to really dive into the cool epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington. Set in a deadly magical school, The Will of the Many is a thrilling sounding novel filled with politics, mystery, and an intriguing magical system. I love the sound of The Will of the Many and it looks set to be one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks

The Lion - Son of the Forest Cover

Before I get to The Will of the Many, I’m thinking I might quickly fit in another Warhammer 40,000 novel with The Lion: Son of the Forest.  Written by rising Warhammer author Mike Brooks, who previously impressed me with Huron Blackheart and Warboss, The Lion: Son of the Forest, will follow the return of a legendary character from within the canon. This book will shadow one of the more significant events of recent Warhammer 40,000 history, and it will probably end up being a key read for any major Warhammer fan.

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

WWW Wednesday – 17 May 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday6 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? 

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence (ebook)

The Book That Wouldn't Burn Cover

I am still getting through the new Mark Lawrence novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, which is proving to be a particularly epic read.  Set around a massive and elaborate library, this book follows two very different protagonists as they attempt to understand its mysteries.  I am a bit over halfway through this brilliant book at the moment although I was hoping to have made a bit more progress by now.  Still, this is proving to be a pretty epic read and The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is proving to be something truly special that will probably end up being one of the best fantasy books of 2023. I am hoping to finish The Book That Wouldn’t Burn off in the next week and I cannot wait to see how the entire novel turns out.

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Warhammer 40,000: Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Shadowsun Cover

I was eager to dive into some of the more recent Warhammer 40,000 novels so I decided to start listening to the intriguing Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter by Phil Kelly.  Focusing on the intriguing T’au faction, Shadowsun is a pretty cool read that sees a legendary T’au commander face off against the forces of Nurgle. I have only just started this audiobook but it looks set to be an action packed outing which I am always eager for.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst (Audiobook)

The Lake House Cover Better

I managed to finish off the exceptional young adult thriller, The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst in the last week.  Set around a very remote summer camp, The Lake House follows three teenage girls as they find themselves trapped in an unexpected and sinister situation.  This was an extremely good novel and I loved how Durst was able to weave together such a captivating and fun story.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Battle Song by Ian Ross

Battle Song Cover

If I get a chance in the next week my plan is to start reading the awesome sounding historical adventure, Battle Song by Ian Ross.  I have been in love with the plot of this cool novel since I first saw it and I really want to see what epic historical adventure Ross has come up with.

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

Waiting on Wednesday – 2023 Warhammer 40,000 Novels

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday, Warhammer15 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I return to one of my favourite franchises, the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and look at four epic upcoming tie-in novels coming out in the next few months that I am extremely eager to get my hands on.

I have been having a particularly good year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction as I dive further and further in the franchise by reading a ton of outstanding books.  There is something about this grim and entertaining franchise that deeply appeals to me, and I have had an exceptional time getting through various books from this universe that feature brilliant authors, elaborate storylines, and a fun mixture of genres and sub-genres.  2023 has been particularly Warhammer intensive for me as I spent a ton of time earlier in the year reading several great books so I could list all my absolute favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, which turned out extremely well.  Even since then I have been diving even deeper into the franchise, with additional books from the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett, such as Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith, filling up my Throwback Thursday posts, while I only just published a review for the cool standalone novel Warboss by Mike Brooks.  However, 2023 is far from over as there are still several epic new Warhammer 40,000 novels set for release.  As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to dive into the four upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novels I am most excited for, all of which are from new-to-me authors and which sound pretty damn incredible.

The first book I want to highlight in this post is the outstanding new Warhammer Crime novel, The King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer.  The Warhammer Crime sub-franchise of Warhammer 40,000 is a slick and cool series of crime fiction novels that make great use of the franchises background to create some amazing reads.  Set at various points in the vast, lawless city of Varangantua, the Warhammer Crime novels have been some of my favourite books in the franchise, especially as each novels use different crime fiction elements perfectly.  Some of the best examples of this include the crime thriller romps The Wraithbone Phoenix and Dredge Runners by Alec Worley, the noir-inspired Grim Repast by Marc Collins, the intriguing buddy cop read Flesh and Steel by Guy Hayley, and the more classic crime fiction novel Bloodlines by Chris Wraight.  All these Warhammer Crime books have beyond exceptional, and I have been very eager for a new entry, which is why I am particularly excited for The King of the Spoil.

The King of the Spoil Cover

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The King of the Spoil, which is currently set for release on 4 July 2023, is another intriguing crime fiction read, set in a whole new area of Varangantua, known as the Spoil.  This novel will see the return of Beer’s protagonist info-broker Melita Voronova, from the short story, Service, which appeared in the Sanction & Sin anthology book, as she is forced to investigate a murder in the most lawless part of the city.

Plot Synopsis:

Delve into the lawless underbelly of the vast city of Varangantua in this fantastic Warhammer Crime novel.

Within the vast sprawl of Varangantua lies the Spoil. It is a broken crossroads, forsaken by the Lex, abandoned by the city’s uncaring masters, where the only choice is a slow death in the manufactories, or a quick one on the street.

And it is in turmoil.

Andreti Sorokin, the gangster king whose vicious rule brought order to the Spoil, is dead, slain in the most brutal fashion.

Melita Voronova, skilled info-broker and reluctant agent of the imperious Valtteri cartel, is tasked with uncovering the mystery of who killed Sorokin, and preventing his fragile alliance of thugs and narco-pushers from collapsing into chaos.

As street-blades clash and gang leaders turn against one another, Melita’s instincts tell her there is a larger conspiracy at work. Someone has created this crisis not merely to disrupt the Spoil, but to overturn the foundations of Varangantua itself.

Unsurprisingly, I love the sound of The King of the Spoil, which has an epic sounding narrative to it.  Watching a complex info-broker character attempting to find out who killed a legendary gangster king should be amazing, and I have no doubt this story will be loaded with twists, betrayals and a full-on gang war.  I have had so much fun with some of the great mysteries in the other Warhammer Crime books, and this unique scenario has so much damn potential for an outstanding story.  While I haven’t read Beer’s previous short story about Melita Voronova, these novels are pretty good at reintroducing the reader to the characters, and I am sure that I will have no problem diving into this one.  Frankly, based on my previous very positive experiences with the Warhammer Crime series, as well as the awesome sounding plot above, I am very confident that The King of the Spoil is going to be one of the more entertaining novels of 2023 and I am so damn excited for it.

The next book I want to highlight is the excellent sounding read, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen by John French which is set for release on 18 July 2023.  French is a well-established Warhammer author who has written several great books in the past, and I am very interested in seeing his take on one of the most compelling characters in the extended canon, Cypher.  Cypher is a mysterious and sinister figure strongly associated with the Fallen, former members of the Dark Angels Space Marines who turned traitor and are now zealously hunted by their former brothers.  Cypher is a figure of intense anarchy whose deeds have haunted the Dark Angels for millennia as they try to hunt him down, and there is some real mystery behind his try identity and intentions.

Cypher - Lord of the Fallen Cover

Amazon

Cypher: Lord of the Fallen is a very intriguing novel that will provide readers with a personal look at this mysterious figure as he tries to make his way through the most secure location in the universe, the Imperial Palace on Holy Terra.  This is another book with an exceptional plot to it, and I have to admit that I am highly intrigued to see what French pulls off in this book.

Plot Synopsis:

Delve into a great new story featuring the enigmatic Cypher!

As the Great Rift unfolds in the night sky above Terra and daemons walk upon the birth world of mankind, the Primarch Roboute Guilliman returns, heralding a dark new age.

During the breaking storm, Cypher and his band of Fallen escape from the most secure prison in the Imperium. Now loose in the Imperial Palace, they are hunted by warriors of the Dark Angels, forces of the Adeptus Custodes and Imperial Assassins. But what are Cypher’s intentions? Can anything or anyone be trusted?

Told from Cypher’s own, unreliable point of view, this tale of truth, lies and secrets sees one of the Imperium’s most mysterious figures make war at its very heart. But what are the true motivations of the Lord of the Fallen?

This sounds like another particularly cool Warhammer 40,000 novel as it will combine a great character with a fun story in the most iconic setting in the canon.  I love the idea of Cypher causing chaos in the Imperial Palace as everyone tries to hunt him adown and kill him, and it will no doubt result in several particularly intense scenes.  I also look forward to learning more about Cypher, although it sounds like he is going to be an unreliable narrator, which isn’t too surprising when you consider the character this book is focused on.  Thanks to how great this story sounds, I also have a lot of hopes for John French’s new book, and I cannot wait to read Cypher: Lord of the Fallen.  I will probably try to read the recently released novel, The Lion: Son of the Forest by Mike Brooks before I get to Cypher: Lord of the Fallen however, as the new details around the returning Dark Angels Primarch might tie into this book as well.

Longshot Cover

Amazon

The third fantastic 2023 Warhammer 40,000 novel that I want to highlight is the compelling book Longshot by Rob Young which is part of the Astra Militarum sub-series that focuses on the soldiers of the Imperium of Man.  I have often said that some of the very best Warhammer 40,000 novels are those that focus on the normal, human soldiers who are thrust into some particularly dark and weird situations.  Some of my favourite books focused on these normal humans include the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Steel Tread by Andy Clark, Outgunned by Denny Flowers, 13th Legion by Gav Thorpe and Catachan Devil by Justin Woolley, all of which have successfully captured these human experiences and produced some exceptional reads.  This is what I am really hoping for from Longshot, which has a deeply epic plot to it.

Plot Synopsis:

Explore the life of a Cadian Sharpshooter in this great Astra Militarum novel from Black Library!

Transplant. Cadian. Sniper. Legend.

Sergeant Darya Nevic is all of these and more… but behind the stories stands a soldier haunted by the unwelcome fame her successes have brought.

During the Cadian 217th’s assault on the manufactorum world of Attruso, Darya finds herself out of her depth in a war that is fought with words as much as with weapons. As a fearsome winter closes in and her men begin to die around her, she will be forced to confront her doubts and make an impossible choice: to become the figurehead her soldiers need, or to believe the unimaginable promises of the mysterious t’au.

With the fate of her regiment in her hands, which path will she choose?

This is another exceptional sounding Warhammer 40,000 novel that I will definitely be reading when it comes out in mid-August 2023.  I love the idea of a sniper novel, especially in the dark Warhammer 40,000 universe, which will no doubt bring out the grittiness and intensity of a sniper war.  However, it sounds like Longshot is going to dive deeply into its main character as she tries to balance being a legend and hero to her comrades, while also trying to survive the nefarious propaganda of the T’au.  I think that Young is trying to replicate a Stalingrad-esque battle, à la Enemy at the Gate in this book, with the sniper battle, propaganda, and cold, cramped city warfare.  I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the more emotionally powerful Warhammer 40,000 books of the year and it is definitely pretty high on my to-read list for the second half of 2023.

Creed-Ashes of Cadia Cover

The final upcoming Warhammer 40,000 book I want to focus on this week is the pretty significant sounding read, Creed: Ashes of Cadia by Jude Reid.  Now, anyone familiar with recent Warhammer 40,000 history will know the names Creed and Cadia, both of which have played major roles in the canon.  As such, any new book that focuses on them is going to be pretty damn important and that makes it very interesting for me.  As such, Creed: Ashes of Cadia, which is set for a later 2023 release, is going to be one of my most anticipated novels of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

What does it mean to be Cadian after the Fall?

Ursula Creed has come to terms with the loss of her home world. For decades she has built a glittering career in the furthest reaches of the Imperium, far from her legendary father’s shadow. But when unexpected orders arrive from the Avening Son himself, Roboute Guilliman, the new lord castellan realises that the past may not be ready to let her go.

Dispatched into shattered remains of Cadia in search of Ursarkar E. Creed’s final battle plans, Ursula finds the planet a hellscape full of deadly secrets. What horrors claim Cadia’s corpse as their domain? What became of those left behind? What orders did Creed leave for Cadia when all was lost? And, most troubling of all, how can she succeed where her illustrious father has already failed?

Now this is a Warhammer 40,000 book that could go some places.  Not only do we get introduced to a new interesting character, one with a connection to the legendary Ursarkar Creed, but we also get to see the destroyed planet of Cadia after the catastrophic destruction of the 13th Black Crusade.  Based on this plot scenario alone, this is probably going to be one of the most important and impressive Warhammer 40,000 novels of the year and I am pretty damn excited for that.  I cannot wait to see what lies behind on Cadia and it’s going to be one of the first major views of it we’ve seen in years.  I am also very curious to see if they’ll dive into the fate of Creed senior, and it will be interesting to see why the man’s final battle plans were so important.  Like the rest of the books, I think that Creed: Ashes of Cadia has some major potential, and this one will probably have a great blend of universe building and character development.

Based on how much I have rambled on over the last few pages, I think it is clear that I am very, very keen on all these upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novels.  All four sound extremely epic and unique in their own way and I have very little doubt that I will love every single I spend with them.  Knowing me, I will probably get these novels as audiobooks, which is my preferred format for Warhammer fiction and I cannot wait to hear how each of these different tales unfolds.