Top Ten Tuesday –Book Titles Containing Place Names

On November 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, contributors are tasked with listing their ten favourite books that have a destination title, or a title that contains the name of a place. This includes either fictional or non-fictional place names and serves as a rather interesting challenge for participating bloggers.

I had a fun pulling this latest list together, and it proved intriguing to dive through my various bookshelves to see what cool novels and comics I could find with the appropriate titles. It turns out that there were quite a few books I have read that featured destinations or places in their titles, and I managed to come up with quite a unique list. This post features an excellent blend of fictional and non-fictional place names, and I think they play off each other nicely. While this list is a little heavy on books from my favourite authors and universes, I am happy with how everything turned out, and it represents a very Unseen Library take on the topic. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

A fun name for a great historical read.

The Moscow Offensive by Dale Brown

An outstanding thriller that pits Russians against the United States with advanced weaponry.

Rome’s Sacred Flame by Robert Fabbri

A complex and entertaining historical fiction book that covers an insane period of Roman history.

Warhammer 40,000: The Guns of Tanith by Dan Abnett

A particularly awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel. The place name, Tanith, refers to the home planet of the main regiment of the book, although as it’s been destroyed at this point and more of a concept, I decided to only include this as an honourable mention.

Top Ten List:

The Gates of Athens by Conn Iggulden

A great historical fiction book about the Persian wars in Greece and focuses on the turbulent politics of Athens during the period.

The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

An intriguing fantasy debut from a talented Australian author. The title references the main setting for the series, Sunder City, a formerly great magical city laid low by catastrophe.

Warhammer 40,000: Siege of Vraks by Steve Lyons

I have a few Warhammer 40,000 novels in this list, as the franchise has a tendency to name books after war locations. The planet of Vraks identified in the title was a fortress world, and this book recounts a particularly brutal siege to claim it. An outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel with a catchy title.

Hill 112 by Adrian Goldsworthy

A complex and fascinating historical fiction book from earlier this year. The titular Hill 112 was a vital World War II location in the early days of the Allies’ invasion of Normandy, and this book provides a powerful account of the battle to claim and hold it.

Usagi Yojimbo: Duel at Kitanoji by Stan Sakai

I had to feature an Usagi Yojimbo comic on this list, and the one I chose was the brilliant and moving volume, Duel at Kitanoji. Following the events that led up to a duel between two samurai masters that the protagonist deeply respects, this was a particularly impressive Usagi Yojimbo comic. The place, Kitanoji, referenced in the title, was a shrine where the two duellists chose to fight to the death, and I think that it helps to create a memorable and complex name for this volume.

The Secret Runners of New York by Mathew Reilly

An awesome young adult thriller that follows a group of students who follow secret pathways around New York to visit a future version of the city.

Warhammer 40,000: The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

Another epic Warhammer 40,000 novel with a place name in the title is The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath. Recounting a major lore event in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, this book follows the last day of the iconic Warhammer world of Cadia as it faces its doom during the 13^th Black Crusade. A particularly impressive and captivating read, this was a very easy choice to include on this list.

Traitors of Rome by Simon Scarrow

There were actually a few books in Simon Scarrow’s long-running Eagles of the Empire historical fiction series that featured Rome in the title, including the next, upcoming entry in the series, Revenge of Rome. However, for the moment I have included the excellent novel, Traitors of Rome, which proved to be an exciting and intense addition to the series.

A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist

A key book in Raymond E. Feist’s original Riftwar Cycle trilogy, this title refers to the major battle of the book that sees an epic confrontation at the town of Sethanon.

Star Wars: Darth Vader: The Shu-Torun War by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

The final entry on this list is the very cool Star Wars comic, The Shu-Torun War. Part of an extremely awesome series that focused on the iconic character of Darth Vader, The Shu-Torun War was a strong entry in the series that recounts Vader’s actions in brutally supressing a rebellion on the vital planet of Shu-Torun. An impressive comic that takes the reader on a dark adventure, this was a fantastic addition to this list that I was glad I could include.

That’s my latest list. As you can see, there are some great books out there that feature titles with destinations included within. I like the cool range of books and locations I picked out in the above list and proved to be a lot of fun to pull it together. All the above books are fantastic reads as well, and you can have an amazing time getting through them. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books with destinations in the titles are in the comments below.

Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster

On November 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 March 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Secrets, lies and devils from the past converge around the Dark Angels in this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 novel from Gary Kloster, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge.

I have been on a real roll with Warhammer 40,000 fiction this year, as books like Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks, Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward, Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven and Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick have all proven to be exceptional additions the Warhammer canon. But despite how awesome the above books and others have proven to be, I am still keen for more. That is why I made sure to listen to a copy of the early 2024 novel, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by new-to-me author Gary Kloster. An interesting entry that follows members of the iconic Dark Angels chapter, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge was a book I nearly didn’t read this year, but I was sure glad that I did.

For over 10,000 years the Space Marines of the Dark Angels chapter have defended the Imperium of Man from all manner of insidious threats, all while keeping their own terrible secrets hidden. Maintaining watch for fallen members of their order, the Dark Angels are forced to balance their Chapter’s need for secrecy and revenge with their solemn duty to keep humanity safe from the monsters and heretics stalking the stars. But not every member of the Dark Angel’s inner circle believes that the battles of the past should impact the Chapter’s future.

Lazarus, Master of the Dark Angels Fifth Company, knows the burden that history can have on the soul. The first Primaris Marine to hold rank within the chapter’s inner circle, Lazarus finds himself haunted by the battle that killed him and forced him to undergo the Rubicon surgery. Determined to rid the universe of all psykers and the foul forces of Chaos behind them, Lazarus is a dedicated warrior, although one that questions the secrets that impact his ability to fulfill his duty. That is why, when an ancient beacon located on the planet Reis is activated, the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels, Azrael, summons Lazarus and his Fifth Company to fulfill an old debt of honour.

A thousand years before, the Imperial Knight world of Reis was nearly overwhelmed by a rampaging army of daemons, resulting in the destruction of the planet’s war machine guardians, and only through the intervention of the Dark Angels was Reis saved. But now, after years of peace, Reis finds itself under attack from a new foe, one that may cause another daemonic incursion. Determined to ensure the daemons stay in the warp, Lazarus arrives to assess the situation on Reis, but soon discover that not everything is as it seems. The planet is a hotbed of sinister politics, ancient grudges, and long-buried secrets, all of which conspire to drag Reis closer to destruction. Forced to navigate the planet’s complex history, Lazarus discovers a terrible enemy hiding deep within the planet’s jungles, one that, like Lazarus, refuses to die. To save Reis and his brothers, Lazarus must uncover the true hidden past of the planet and understand the origin of the grudge that could turn the Dark Angels against the Imperium they are sworn to protect.

Wow, Warhammer 40,000 fiction is in peak form in 2024 as Gary Kloster deeply impressed me with Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge. Featuring a particularly complex and captivating narrative that blended awesome action and great characters with a clever and well-written plot, Enmity’s Edge proved to be extremely addictive, and I found myself irreversibly hooked. Exciting, intense and loaded with all manner of intrigue, Enmity’s Edge is one of the best Warhammer books of 2024 and gets a full five-star rating from me.

I must admit that when I first decided to check out Enmity’s Edge, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Space Marine focused Warhammer 40,000 novels can sometimes be an overloaded, action slog colloquially known as “Bolter porn”, and I was initially slightly worried that was the direction Enmity’s Edge was going, especially as it started off with an intense war sequence against orks. However, Kloster instead showcased a remarkably compelling and layered Warhammer 40,00 novel that made excellent use of its Dark Angel protagonists and a unique, secret-laden background setting. The initial battle serves as a great introduction to the main protagonist, Lazarus, and his command staff, and you get a sense of his tactical skills, as well as his dislike of psykers and the secrets of his order. This leads nicely to the more complex part of the book, as the reader is introduced to some interesting side characters, as well as the world of Reis, where Lazarus and his company are sent to.

Arriving on Reis, Lazarus discovers a unique world of secrets, lies and hidden history, with the populace attacked by a mysterious fungal infection that has taken over various host bodies. Quickly diving into the fray to determine the full extent of the threat, the first half of the book sees the Dark Angels essentially taking on the zombies from The Last of Us with an intelligent malevolence behind them, and these unique antagonists prove an interesting alternative to the classic villains of the franchise. From there the story devolves into an intriguing combination of sequences, as Lazarus attempts to uncover his true opponent, while also dealing with attacks on multiple fronts. This leads to some compelling and occasionally brutal scenes, including a continued conflict inside an Adeptus Mechanicus base, as well as some other great sequences scattered throughout the planet. The author spends some substantial time building up some impressive and moving character arcs, as various figures deal with the chaotic events in different ways.

The author does an excellent job building up a great hidden villain who the protagonist must uncover, and the secrets and mysterious surrounding the figure really adds to the intrigue of the story. While the identity of some of the antagonists are a little predictable, the journey getting there is impressive, and I loved the setup to the answers that Kloster subtly hid through the earlier parts of the book, with the reliance on understanding the past to survive the future being a great recurring theme. This leads up to a particularly intense and dark final third as the antagonist’s very long-term plot comes to dramatic fruition. Kloster does a masterful job of building up tension and substantially upping the stakes in the leadup to this, and you find yourself deeply engaged as you wait to see how everything will unfold. There are some brilliant moments here, including a ton of over-the-top action, some fantastic plot resolutions, and several particularly tragic moments as the protagonists face overwhelming foes. The overall resolution is very clever and builds on some excellent prior story inclusions and character growth, that Kloster wraps up perfect. The end result is an awesome, memorable and particularly enthralling standalone story, that really showcases just how cool and complex a Warhammer 40,000 story can be.

I really enjoyed how Enmity’s Edge came together, and I felt Kloster had a great writing style the ensured a powerful and intense story. His entire complex narrative was a ton of fun from start to finish, and it proved to be well showcased through several compelling protagonist perspectives. While there is a ton of awesome and intense action in this book, as is required for a Warhammer 40,000 novel (war is in the name for a reason), the focus on a more subtle threat ensured that Enmity’s Edge stood out from the pack. I particularly appreciated how subtly Kloster set up a lot of key story elements early in the book and they all paid off extremely well, with a great theme on the lessons of the past recurring in an excellent way. I also must highlight the great new setting of the planet Reis, which Kloster made fantastic use of. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is home to a multitude of intriguing and unique worlds, but Reis really stood out to me thanks to Kloster’s vibrant descriptions and the clever way the planet’s complex history and disposition played into the narrative. An Imperial Knight planet (a feudal world governed by mech pilots who take the whole knight thing way too seriously) that has fallen on hard times thanks to the destruction of the ruler’s battle suits, Reis is a hotbed of dark history, lingering secrets, and intense rivalries, covered with useful fungus. Kloster perfectly introduces and then utilizes this planet throughout the narrative, and you find yourself getting really drawn into the revealed history, especially as it produces a particularly effective and dark antagonist. These writing elements ensure that Kloster’s captivating narrative pops in the reader’s mind, and I was really impressed with how he presented this excellent Warhammer novel.

In addition to being an outstanding read, I also felt that Enmity’s Edge was an excellent piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and one that really emphasizes how clever and compelling a story in this canon can be. Focusing on the Space Marine chapter, the Dark Angels, Kloster presents a gripping standalone narrative that makes great use of the franchise’s unique features and history without getting too bloated or lore heavy. Thanks to how effectively the author covers these franchise inclusions, I felt that readers unfamiliar with Warhammer fiction could easily jump into Enmity’s Edge without too much pre-knowledge and still deeply enjoy the plot, especially as it really showcases how cool the iconic Space Marines can be. More established Warhammer 40,000 fans will naturally get a lot more out of the story, especially as Kloster explored some particularly awesome aspects of the universe. I personally loved how well he showcased the various squads featured within a specific Space Marines company, and it was fun to have a mixture of troop specializations and vehicles which reminded me of tabletop gameplay at times. He also does an outstanding job showcasing the Dark Angels, who are one of the more popular Space Marine chapters for a reason. This proved to be a very strong book for Dark Angels fans, and I appreciated how he veered away from the typical topics you’d expect for a Dark Angels novel (completely focused on the Fallen), and instead showed them facing a fresh foe with some excellent motivations to hate them. As such, this is a highly recommend read for all Warhammer fans that might also attract a few new readers to the franchise.

One of Enmity’s Edge’s real strengths was the excellent batch of characters that Kloster set the narrative around. This includes the titular protagonist, Lazarus, Master of the Dark Angels Fifth Company, who proves to be an intriguing central character. A well-known tactician, secret holder, and one of the few commanding Primaris marines (an upgraded Space Marines) in the Chapter, Lazarus proves to be a great main figure for the plot. While some Space Marine characters in fiction can be a little one-dimensional, I felt that Kloster did an excellent job turning Lazarus into a complex figure, haunted by his previous battles, concerned about the future of his chapter, and bitter about those friends he has lost to psykers. There are some great scenes featuring Lazarus throughout Enmity’s Edge, especially as he showed a lot of humanity to a certain point-of-view character, and it was intriguing to see his tactical mind in action. He also proves to be an excellent foil to the excellent main antagonist of the plot, and they had some compelling scenes together.

Aside from Lazarus, Enmity’s Edge featured a raft of notable support characters, including several major members of the Dark Angels Fifth Company. I particularly enjoyed the imposing and unfailingly honorable figure of Ancient Jequn, the Fifth Company’s veteran standard bearer. Jequn has a particularly tragic arc in this book, and I really grew attached to him and his resolve throughout the run of Enmity’s Edge. Other enjoyable characters included members of Lazarus’s command squad, an Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priest whose technology reflects their obsession with birds, and the various key rulers of Reis. The antagonists of Enmity’s Edge are also well set-up and utilized, and while I won’t got into too much detail of them here, they had some brilliant sequences, and really enhanced the overall narrative.

However, I felt that one of the best characters in Enmity’s Edge was Learned Ysentrud, an enhanced human of a type found only on Reis called a Wyrbuk, who finds themselves helping the Dark Angels. Essentially a living repository of knowledge, Ysentrud becomes a key figure in the plot as she provides the Dark Angels with history and insights into Reis that allow them to uncover the plot’s big mystery. Probably the book’s main point-of-view protagonist after Lazarus, Ysentrud had one of the more relatable character perspectives in Enmity’s Edge, as she finds herself surrounded by the demi-god figures of the Space Marines as they engage in combat. Not only does Ysentrud’s perspective help to bring readers a little more into the plot, but I really enjoyed the compelling story arc Kloster wove around her as she attempted to find her courage and prove her worth to the Dark Angels. Kloster’s entire arc around Ysentrud was really well written, and I felt that her complex personal narrative was a particularly strong part of the book.

Those familiar with this blog will be unsurprised that I chose to enjoy Enmity’s Edge on audiobook, which is how I primarily check out all my Warhammer content. As with most Warhammer 40,000 books, Enmity’s Edge came across extremely well in this format, and you are in for a really good time listening to it. Coming in with a runtime just short of 12 hours, listeners can get through Enmity’s Edge’s audiobook in no time at all, especially once you get caught up in its fantastic story. The intense action, elaborate sequences and deep intrigue of the plot is perfectly enhanced by having it read out to you, and I loved hearing the elaborate descriptions of the setting and the unique characters within it. I was also very impressed by narrator John Banks, who has lent his voice to several Warhammer audiobooks over the years. Banks did a remarkable job diving into the various characters featured within Enmity’s Edge, and I also felt that his amazing voice lent a lot of gravitas to these figures. While all the characters are given excellent and fitting voices, I particularly loved his take on the various Dark Angels characters featured throughout the plot. He gives these genetically enhanced, ancient warriors the booming and commanding voices you would expect, and their emphatic declarations sound really cool here. I absolutely powered through this excellent audiobook, and I would strongly recommend it as the very best way to enjoy Enmity’s Edge.

Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster was another excellent 2024 Warhammer 40,000 novel that I could not get enough of. Featuring a complex and intense plot of betrayal, secrets and dark history, Enmity’s Edge grabs your attention early and ensures you can’t put it down as you rush towards the end. One of the best Warhammer 40,000 novels of the year, Enmity’s Edge is a must read of all fans of the franchise, and I really loved its brilliant story.

WWW Wednesday – 30 October 2024

On October 30, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman (Trade Paperback)

I’ve just started to read the intriguing young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World takes Kaufman’s teenage protagonists on a dark and intense journey as they try to stop a destructive war while also dealing with two angry gods using them as vessels. The Heart of the World is so far proving to be an intriguing and fast-paced book, and I cannot wait to see how it ends.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods. The final entry in Gwynne’s epic and exceptional Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods is a particularly awesome book that I am deeply enjoying. Showcasing the final battle between wrathful gods and a small group of great characters, The Fury of the Gods is very addictive, and I have made a bit of progress on it so far. I am hoping to finish this off in the next week, and while I’m only a few hours in, I am already confident that this will end up being one of my favourite books of 2024.

What did you recently finish reading?

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

A great collection of short stories from acclaimed fantasy author Naomi Novik, Buried Deep and Other Stories features an intriguing array of tales from Novik’s various fantasy worlds, including the setting of her next big series. This was an excellent read, and I enjoyed seeing how imaginative Novik can get.

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers this week, it was so damn good. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond places the protagonists of the first book, a disgraced propaganda expert and a legendary, if exceedingly cynical, pilot, in a new dangerous situation. A compelling mixture of action, intrigue, and eccentric characters, all while providing a particularly dark look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Above and Beyond is an exceptional read and one I will hopefully review soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

I’ve got a few books to check out in the coming weeks, but the one I think I’ll probably read next is Blood Over Bright Haven. The new book from M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven will follow intrigue, politics and passionate research in a massive magical university. I think that this book has a ton of potential, not only because I love books set in magical schools, but also because I have heard so much good stuff about Wang and her previous book, The Sword of Kaigen.

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: Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives by Mike Brooks

On October 28, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 27 July 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 5 hours and 59 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of the rising stars of Warhammer fiction, Mike Brooks, presents another exciting, character-focused narrative within the grimdark Warhammer 40,000 universe with awesome novel, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives.

Those familiar with the franchise will know that Warhammer 40,000 fiction is on fire at the moment. There are some very talented authors out there writing exciting and compelling adventures based on the game’s various factions, and readers are finding out just how fun and complex stories written in this universe can be. Out of all the fantastic authors writing Warhammer fiction in recent years, one of the most impressive is Mike Brooks, who is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s big writers. A talented fantasy and science fiction author, Brooks has been producing some excellent books in recent years that either focus on unique Warhammer 40,000 characters or one of the game’s non-human factions. Books like Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, The Lion: Son of the Forest (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Brutal Kunnin, Warboss and Da Big Dakka (one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of 2024), have been extremely epic, and I am always down for more stuff from Brooks as a result. As such, I made sure to grab a copy of his other 2024 Warhammer 40,000 novel, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives, which was another interesting and memorable addition to the canon.

In the far future, the fallen and capricious drukhari heal and hold back the grim prospect of death by inflicting pain on others. The dark streets of their city, Commorragh, run red with blood as millions of prisoners are killed in their gladiatorial arenas to slake their citizens’ bloodlust and need for suffering. To survive in this brutal city, a drukhari needs to be smart, deceitful or a natural killer, and no killer is more revered in Commorragh than Lelith Hesperax.

A legendary gladiator, Lelith Hesperax has long reigned as the Grand Succubus of the most powerful Wych Cult in Commorragh, her blades having carved through thousands of challengers, potential rivals and alien captives. But after years of fighting for herself, Lelith has found a new cause to draw blood for. Abandoning Commorragh, Lelith now fights against daemonic hordes alongside the nomadic cultists of the Ynnead, who seek a different way to survive as a species. However, while she’s been away, new rivals strike at Lelith’s holdings back at Commorragh.

Warned by the mysterious Harlequins of a rising threat against her, Lelith returns to Commorragh to find that much has changed. Her Cult of Strife is no longer feared or respected, and many of the city’s inhabitants openly plot against her and her followers. Shocked at how far her status has fallen in her absence, Lelith knows that the only person capable of causing this much disruption to her empire is the undisputed ruler of Commorragh, Asdrubael Vect. Forced to contend against the schemes of a master manipulator, Lelith believes that the only way to survive is to remind the city just how dangerous she is. But with Vect’s web of manipulation surrounding her, can even Lelith cut herself free, especially when her opponent forces her to fight against the only person in Commorragh she doesn’t want to kill?

Mike Brooks continues to showcase just how good he is at bringing the various complex figures of the Warhammer 40,000 universe to life with this exciting new read. Expertly capturing the legendary drukhari killer, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives was an awesome and captivating read I had a lot of fun getting through.

This latest book from Brooks is a quick but very intense and well-written read that successfully gets into the head of an iconic drukhari character from the games. Told exclusively from the perspective of the main character, Lelith Hesperax, Queen of Knives moves at an extremely fast pace; after a fast introduction to set up how much Lelith’s life has changed since leaving to work with the cultists of the Ynnead, you are thrust into the action when a bored Lelith is warned about a rising threat back in Commorragh. This effectively brings the reader back to the main setting, which is for the best, as Commorragh is a particularly awesome location for any Warhammer 40,000 novel. The protagonist is soon embroiled in a sinister array of intrigue, as it becomes clear that the undisputed leader of the drukhari, Asdrubael Vect, is working against her, and is using a figure from Lelith’s past, Morghana Nathrax, as his catspaw.

Forced on the backfoot in a fight for the first time in her life, Lelith attempts to find a way to counter the moves of her shadowy opponent, while also trying to avoid a fight with Morghana. This results in some excellent action set pieces and moments of intrigue, as Lelith gets back to her dread drukhari roots. The fight sequences surrounding the protagonists are sharp, exciting, and necessarily brutal, and I appreciated how well Brooks balanced the action with overlying intrigue and plotting. The author also spends a good chunk of time diving into the protagonist’s personality and past, and a few well-placed flashbacks help to provide additional emotional attachment and show Lelith’s complicated relationship with Morghana. Everything leads up to the inevitable confrontation, which goes in some very interesting and emotionally charged directions. While I felt that Brooks could have added in another layer of intrigue to the protagonist’s final ploy to make the book really stand out, the conclusion of the book was generally pretty satisfying, and Queen of Knives turned out to be an excellent standalone read.

Due to the book being deliberately focused on one iconic protagonist, Queen of Knives does by necessity have a character-driven plot, which revolves around some fantastic figures. Naturally the most prominent of these is the book’s sole perspective character, Lelith Hesperax, who proved to be quite an awesome protagonist to follow. Brooks chooses to jump readers right into the midst of Lelith’s current adventure at the start of Queen of Knives rather than immediately focusing on her backstory, which I think worked from a narrative perspective, as it brought readers quickly into the plot. There is a useful drip feed of information about her past and her nature as the book continues, enough that reader’s unfamiliar with the protagonist can easily enjoy Queen of Knives, while also allowing Brooks to control the audience’s understanding of the protagonist’s motivations and feelings. Readers soon come to appreciate that Lelith is a complex figure, torn between her love of violence and glory and the new path of redemption she finds herself on with the cult of Ynnead. As such, Queen of Knives proves to be a key chapter in Lelith’s story, as she returns to her old ways, only to discover a new side to her life and a potential romance. I loved seeing Brooks’ examination of the protagonist’s various complex layers, and it made for quite a moving book as a result.

The main protagonist is well balanced by several great supporting characters, each of whom have their own unique impact on the narrative. The two I really want to focus on include new character Morghana Nathrax, a figure from Lelith’s past who develops a real love-hate relationship with the protagonist. Morghana’s well-balanced admiration and hatred of Lelith ensures that conflict is inevitable between them, even though Lelith wants to keep her alive, and Brooks writes quite a complex relationship between them. However, my favourite supporting character is the main antagonist of Queen of Knives, the notorious ruler of Commorragh, Asdrubael Vect. Vect is a particularly awesome figure in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, so it was cool to see him utilised here in Queen of Knives. Even though Vect only appears in one sequence at the end of the novel, Brooks does an outstanding job building him up as a brilliantly devious figure, effortlessly manipulating all the drukhari in the city, including Lelith and her followers. You really come to appreciate the fear that all Commorragh has for Vect as the book continues, and his one appearance ensures that you understand why he commands such fear. I really loved how well Brooks built up these characters, and it made for some awesome reading as a result.

I felt that Queen of Knives was a great Warhammer 40,000 novel, especially as Brooks expertly explores and utilises so many cool lore elements throughout his story. It proves to be a deeply compelling look at the iconic and always enticing drukhari faction. The drukhari, or the dark eldar, as older fans may know them, are the Warhammer 40,000 universe’s resident space elf murder pirates, and have a long history in the game. Despite that, there isn’t a lot of fiction out there about them, with Brooks’s other 2024 novel, Da Big Dakka, being the only recent book to strongly feature their perspective that I can recall, and even then, more focus was given to the ork characters in that book. As such, it was a real pleasure to have a novel completely dedicated to the drukhari, and Brooks does an outstanding job diving into the faction’s culture, mentality and other vital lore elements. This includes a fantastic look at the iconic dark city of Commorragh, one of the most dangerous places in the Warhammer 40,000 canon. A noted seat of deceit, bloodshed and easy death, Commorragh did not disappoint as a background setting from Queen of Knives, and Brooks ensures it plays a key part in the story. Throw in some other interesting, if relatively brief, looks at the other Aeldari sub-factions (particularly the Ynnari), and there is a lot of interesting lore here for Warhammer 40,000 fans to appreciate. As such, Queen of Knives is probably best enjoyed by those who already have an established connection to the franchise, although thanks to Brooks’s excellent writing, a new reader could probably come in and enjoy Queen of Knives without too much context.

As with most things Warhammer that I enjoy, I made sure to grab a copy of Queen of Knives on audiobook, which proved to be as epic as always. The fast-paced plot, intense action and unique characters of Queen of Knives unsurprisingly came across extremely well in the audiobook format, and I really got absorbed into the story as a result, especially when it came to the elaborate depictions of the sinister city of Commorragh. Coming in with a runtime of six hours, Queen of Knives is a relatively short Warhammer audiobook to get through, and I managed to knock it off quickly once I got stuck into it. I really enjoyed how Queen of Knives came together, and I particularly enjoyed the narrator Antonia Beamish. Beamish, whose work I previously enjoyed on the Warhammer Horror audiobook Sepulturum, was really impressive with her narration of Queen of Knives, and I liked her take on the main protagonist. You really get a sense of the predatory nature of the various drukhari characters that Beamish voices throughout this audiobook, and I felt that these figures were all given fitting and impressive voices. This great voice work helped ensure that the audiobook was once again the best way to enjoy this excellent book, and you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun listening to Queen of Knives.

Overall, Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives was another amazing book from Mike Brooks, who once again showcases his ability to write complex Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Combining a compelling and intrigue laden narrative with great character work and a particularly distinctive Warhammer 40,000 setting, Queen of Knives was so much fun, and I really powered through it. A highly recommended read, I look forward to seeing what Brooks will write next.

WWW Wednesday – 23 October 2024

On October 24, 2024 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:

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the intriguing new Naomi Novik book, Buried Deep and Other Stories. A collection of short stories from the acclaimed fantasy author, Buried Deep and Other Stories features an intriguing array of tales from Novik’s various fantasy worlds, including the setting of her next big series. I have already gotten through the first story and it proved to be a lot of fun. I will hopefully get through the rest of the book pretty quickly and I look forward to seeing what other great adventures it contains

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers (Audiobook)

I was still in a massive Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started listening to Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers, which I had been really looking forward to. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond places the protagonists of the first book, a disgraced propaganda expert and a legendary, if exceedingly cynical, pilot, in a new dangerous situation. A compelling mixture of action, intrigue, and eccentric characters, all while providing a particularly dark look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Above and Beyond is an exceptional read and one I will hopefully knock off very soon.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

Another outstanding novel from Connelly. Featuring three fantastic major protagonists, The Waiting had some very clever mysteries in it, and this was one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024.

Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

Another outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel that focused on a unique faction in the game, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer was a particularly intriguing and compelling novel that I could not get enough of. Review to hopefully follow soon.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)

One of the funniest and most compelling fantasy novels of 2024. I loved this comedic take on the classic heroic tale, especially as Wexler made it very over-the-top in all the right ways.

Rebellion by Richard Cullen (ebook)

An excellent and exciting historical fiction novel that focused on an intriguing period of English history. I had a lot of fun with Rebellion, especially as I was in the mood for a fun and entertaining historical adventure.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

I’m planning to read the intriguing young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman next. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World will take Kaufman’s teenage protagonists on a dark and intense journey as they try to stop a destructive war.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

I am also planning to start reading the new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods, in the next week. The final book in Gwynne’s epic and exceptional Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods has so much awesome potential and it will probably end up being one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024.

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 – Interceptor City and Elemental Council

On October 24, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday, Warhammer5 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. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight two epic upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novels that are sure to be extremely awesome, Interceptor City and Elemental Council.

I have been on a massive Warhammer 40,000 roll lately, brought on by all the amazing books from this franchise that have been released this year. I actually did another Waiting on Wednesday post on upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novels a few weeks ago, but in the short time since I published that post, even more fantastic new entries in the franchise have been announced. As such, I thought I would do a quickly supplementary Waiting on Wednesday here to highlight another two epic upcoming Warhammer 40,000 books I am hoping to get my hands on.

The first of these books is Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. Abnett is an absolute master of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, having written multiple novels within the franchise, including a couple of series universally accepted as the seminal works of Warhammer fiction. I have fallen deeply in love with many of Abnett’s books, with his Eisenhorn trilogy and Gaunt’s Ghosts books earning a well-deserved place on my list of best Warhammer 40,000 novels. As such, I will instantly grab anything new written by Abnett, but his next book, Interceptor City, is going to be something very special indeed.

Interceptor City is the long-awaited sequel to one of Abnett’s best novels, Double Eagle. Double Eagle was a brilliant and epic read that followed a band of aerial fighter pilots as they attempt to save a planet under siege from a horde of enemy bombers and fighters. I just read Double Eagle for the first time a couple of weeks ago in preparation for this sequel and it is frankly one of my new favourite Warhammer 40,000 books, especially as it featured an impressive story, great characters, and some of the most exciting and elaborate aerial action sequences you are likely to see. I cannot emphasise just how impressive Double Eagle was, and it got a very easy five-star rating from me. As such, I am extremely excited to now get my hands on the sequel, and Interceptor City has a great plot concept behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

The Imperium is locked into a gruelling war of attrition for the fate of Vesperus during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade – a dead hive on the planet Lysander nicknamed ‘Interceptor City’. Former ace fighter pilot Bree Jagdea is forced to give up her relatively safe life of supply runs, and is enlisted in the infamous Circus 66 squadron, whose contributions to the war effort are far more dangerous. In Vesperus’ lethal rat runs, the smallest error means certain death – the only question is whether Bree can make it through this hellish gauntlet alive.

While the plot synopsis above is a little short, it none-the-less has got me very excited for Interceptor City. Bringing back one of the main protagonists of Double Eagle, Bree Jagdea, for another dangerous flying adventure is going to be a ton of fun, and I look forward to seeing how the character has evolved since her previous book, especially when dragged into another dangerous fighter ace squadron. It also looks liked Abnett is setting up a pretty awesome scenario with the pilots forced to fight another brutal war, this time in the remnants of a Hive City.

Look, based on how much I love Abnett’s writing and just how awesome and epic the first book in this series, Double Eagle, was, there was no way that I wasn’t grabbing Interceptor City later this year. However, I really love the cool sound of the plot above, and I cannot wait to see what crazy aerial antics Abnett will feature in the gritty spires of this new setting. I am expecting another particularly impressive and action-packed adventure in Interceptor City, and I have a feeling this will end up being my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novel released in 2024.

In addition to the awesome Interceptor City, we will also be blessed with a more unique and intriguing Warhammer 40,000 novel with Elemental Council by author Noah Van Nguyen. Set to focus on the always fascinating T’au faction, Elemental Council will see a band of specialist T’au come together in one ruling body to ensure the successful subjugation of a conquered human planet. However, as this is the Warhammer universe, nothing is going to go their way.

Plot Synopsis:

As the Fifth Sphere Expansion continues to annex Imperial worlds on the galactic fringe, fewer and fewer planets are acquiescing peacefully to the change in leadership as the T’au Empire heads deeper into human space. Pockets of resistance are a constant thorn in their side, and one such insurrection threatens to overwhelm the recently acquired world of Cao Quo in Elemental Council – a new Warhammer 40,000 novel written by Noah Van Nguyen, author of The Godeater’s Son and Yndrasta: The Celestial Spear.

This exciting new story of intrigue and clandestine warfare stars an Elemental Council, luminaries from each of the Empire’s castes. Brought together by the enigmatic ethereal Yor’i to pacify the resistance, they’ll need to work together to forge their unique skills into an unbeatable team.

And unbeatable they will need to be, as the insurgency is no mere rabble of disorganised instigators, but one commanded by the ruthless and brilliant Brother-Sergeant Artamax – a Space Marine of the Raptors Chapter. As one of the few Chapters to specialise in sabotage, infiltration, and guerilla warfare, the Raptors are exactly the kind of Astartes you don’t want meddling in the stability of a newly conquered world.

If that was all they had to contend with, the Elemental Council would be hard-pressed, but soon even more devious enemies begin to emerge from both sides of the divide, with the fate of Cao Quo in the balance. Who they are and what their goals are is a mystery, but one you’ll be able to uncover soon.

The T’au are one of the more interesting factions in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, and there is an unfortunate dearth of books told from their perspective. As such, I am curious to read Elemental Council when it comes out, especially as you will get a good look at each of the T’au’s four castes and how they work together for the Greater Good. Of course, I am also quite intrigued to see how these brilliant T’au minds fare against the relentless fury of a deadly Space Marine, and I like the idea of a sabotage focuses lone Space Marine, and what over enemies emerge, gumming up the works for them behind the lines. This mixture of unique, faction-specific characters has a lot of potential, and I cannot wait to see what sort of awesome and elaborate narrative the author comes up with here.

It looks like Warhammer 40,000 fans are in for an awesome time in the coming months, as we have another two epic books coming out soon. Interceptor City and Elemental Council sound so damn cool, and I look forward to exploring their compelling new narratives. I honestly believe that both these Warhammer 40,000 books have a ton of potential, and I am very excited to get my hands on them once they come out.

Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett

On October 18, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer19 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 January 2004)

Series: Warhammer 40,000/Sabbat Worlds

Length: 10 hours and 16 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The master of Warhammer fiction, Dan Abnett, takes to the skies with the deeply addictive and ultra epic fighter pilot novel Double Eagle.

Readers familiar with this blog will know that I have been extremely damn obsessed with Warhammer fiction the last couple of years, having spent a substantial amount of time reading and reviewing numerous books from the franchise. Of the many Warhammer fiction authors I have read during this period, one of the most impressive is the legendary Dan Abnett, who has written so many exceptional and powerful books around the franchise, including several series considered to be the seminal texts of the extended universe. I have had a ton of fun with many of his books, including his brilliant Eisenhorn trilogy (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), and he has multiple entries in my current favourite Warhammer 40,000 books list. However, his best-known series is the iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts books, which I am currently in the middle of reading.

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are a beloved and key series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that seeks to give readers a moving look at the lives of the frontline human soldier in this grimdark universe. Set in an extended, multi-planet campaign, known as the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books follow a ragged regiment of soldiers as they attempt to survive the dark servants of Chaos coming for them. I am having an exceptional time reading the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and in 2024 alone I have read two particularly epic entries, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr. However, before I dive any further into the series, I decided to read the spin-off novel, Double Eagle, which I have had on my to-read list for a while now. Double Eagle was an interesting and unique novel that follows members of an airmen wing who were introduced in the fifth Gaunt’s Ghosts book, The Guns of Tanith. Set after their mission with the Ghosts, Double Eagle follows these pilots, including a few characters from The Guns of Tanith, in a brutal new campaign.

War has engulfed the Sabbat World system as the forces of the Imperium of Man attempt to reclaim multiple worlds invaded by the forces of Chaos. After years of fighting, the Imperium’s crusade has reached a tipping point, with victory or defeat for the entire campaign hanging on the results of a few key battles. While the fighting is fierce throughout the system, nowhere is it more desperate than the beleaguered world of Enothis.

After failing to conquer the Chaos footholds on Enothis, the infantry and armoured forces of the Imperium are in full retreat, attempting to traverse miles of hostile terrain to return to safe territory, all while being harassed by relentless enemy aircraft. With the fate of the planet in the balance, the commanders of the crusade deploy multiple squadrons of Imperial fighters and bombers to Enothis to turn the entire conflict into an air war. If the Imperial pilots can hold back the advancing tides of Chaos and allow the ground forces to regroup the war for Enothis may be won. But if the airmen fail, then Enothis and the entire Sabbat Worlds campaign is doomed.

Amongst the pilots sent to Enothis are the elite flyers of the Phantine Air Corps. Veterans from the recent war to liberate their home planet of Phantine, the pilots of the Phantine Air Corps are determined to do their bit in this new conflict. But the battle for Enothis will be unlike anything seen before, as thousands of Chaos aircraft descend on the planet, hoping to obliterate the defenders. Severely outnumbered, can even the dogged Phantine pilots hold back the approaching tide of dark air machines before the planet is conquered, especially with an unnaturally skilled Chaos ace stalking the skies, determined to bring every opposing pilot down in flames?

Just when I think that Dan Abnett couldn’t impress me even more, I go and read Double Eagle. A brilliant, intense, and exceptionally well-written novel that focuses on a particularly cool aspect of the Warhammer universe, Double Eagle blew me away with its great characters and elaborate air combat sequences. I had an incredible time with Double Eagle, and it gets an easy five-star rating from me.

I deeply, deeply enjoyed Double Eagle, as Abnett took the brief of a Battle of Britain-inspired Warhammer 40,000 story and applied his usual impressively detailed style and powerful character-driven storytelling to produce an outstanding and addictive read. Perfectly spinning off from the previous Gaunt’s Ghosts books and bringing the reader to another adventure in the expansive Sabbat World Crusades, Double Eagle has a brilliant narrative loaded with action that goes hard and fast for your feels and refuses to let go once it has you firmly in your grasp.

Double Eagle starts off quickly, getting the reader across the brutal new campaign and the importance of the aerial war that emerges, you are soon introduced to multiple characters and shown some initial awesome sequences with some explosive dogfights. From there the story moves at a fast but smart pace, as you follow several distinctive and often overlapping character arcs throughout the length of the brutal campaign on Enothis. You really get dragged into each major protagonist’s story as they attempt to survive the flying war. There are some excellent battle scenes in this first half of the book and Abnett really shows how epic he can make a fighter pilot dogfight very early on. The characters each experience some highs and lows in the first half of the book, and it doesn’t take you long to get attached the protagonists and their complex personal tales within the confines of the main story.

However, it is the second half of the book where everything comes together perfectly. Each of the protagonists experience some version of personal loss or difficulty, and the impact of the war slowly drains them, taking them to some dark places. Abnett sets up a brilliant underdog narrative around the protagonists, as the massive fleet of Chaos airships seek to crush them. You can really see the parallels between this narrative and the Battle for Britain at this point, especially as the tired and severely outnumbered Phantine fighters and their local allies attempt to hold back the overwhelming and often Germanic-inspired forces coming for them. Everything leads up to a massive final confrontation, as the protagonists engage in a series of brutal and drawn-out dogfights and aerial confrontations as we lead up to the finale. While a couple of the character arcs leading up to this are a tad unsurprising, the way that Abnett writes them makes you love every second it. The author brings everything to an epic close with continued and captivating action that honestly is impossible not to react to at times. There are some very powerful moments at the closes, especially when some characters get everything they want, and you come away from Double Eagle wishing Abnett had made this book even longer.

Abnett once again masterfully crafts his compelling narrative together in such an effective way that I honestly just couldn’t stop listening to this book. Making excellent use of multiple complex perspectives, you are swiftly drawn into the lives of several ordinary soldiers drafted into the deadly aerial war against a massive opposing fleet. Featuring a range of complex characters arcs, Abnett expertly balances the character-driven plot between the various perspectives, while also featuring an epic war story that hits in all the right places. Abnett’s use of quick-fire perspective changes works to create an excellent and fast-paced narrative, and it works especially well in some of the novel’s more intense sequences. Speaking of action, you can’t talk about Double Eagle without discussing the amazing and epic aerial fight scenes and dogfights that make the book so damn distinctive. Abnett did a remarkable job of harnessing the energy and feel of classic World War II fighter combat and bringing it into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Featuring many, many awesome sequences of aerial combat, Double Eagle really feels like you’re in a futuristic Battle for Britain as you witness fights between small groups of fighters fending off mass raids from Chaos forces, as well as sequences from the perspective of Imperial bombers. The resulting dogfights between advanced fighter craft works so damn well in the context of the story, and you are treated to some truly epic sequences. I was constantly enthralled by the brilliant aerial combat and flight sequences, and Abnett did an exceptional job expressing the intensities of flight, the ultra-fast pace nature of the combat, and the craziness of a massed aerial battle. I could have honestly spent many, many more hours listening to Abnett’s descriptions of aerial combat, and there are so many excellent writing elements to this book that drag you in.

Double Eagle also proved to be an interesting and particularly strong Warhammer 40,000 novel that is really going to appeal to a wide range of readers. Spinning off from the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Double Eagle is tailor made for fans of the original series, although familiarity with the Gaunt’s Ghosts books isn’t necessary to enjoy this epic book. While there are a few references, returning characters, and discussions about the overarching Sabbat Worlds Crusade, for the most part any reader can easily dive into Double Eagle and follow the story with no issues at all. As with most tie-in books in the franchise, Double Eagle is best enjoyed by existing Warhammer fans, who will once again enjoy Abnett’s compelling insights into the canon. I know that I really loved the exploration of Warhammer 40,000 air combat, and I loved how Abnett explored the physics, as well as the reasons why aerial fighters are still utilised in a universe where space travel exists. However, I also felt that Double Eagle would serve as a pretty good entry point to any new readers interested in finding out why the Warhammer 40,000 universe is so damn cool. Indeed, readers who are a fan of aerial focused military fiction or World War II fighter combat fiction can very easily jump into the new world here, as Abnett really presents a tale they would enjoy. I need to read more Warhammer books from Abnett (I have several currently in my queue), and I currently very excited to read the recently announced sequel to Double Eagle, Interceptor City, which is set to be released later this year.

I found that the writing element that really brought Double Eagle together where the excellent characters at the heart and soul of the plot. Focusing on several intriguing pilot characters, Abnett dove into the mindset of these flyers and did an amazing job capturing their love of the air and their desire to be the best. However, as the book continues, you see a darker side to many of these characters, as the toil of war drags them down into their own mental hells. While it did take me a little while to get across every protagonist, I eventually got drawn into the excellent character-focused storylines that Abnett set up in Double Eagle, and it was great to see the return of several characters introduced in The Guns of Tanith. This includes the Phantine flight commander, Bree Jagdea, and the bombardier Oskar Viltry. Jagdea proves to be a great centre for much of the plot, and her steady determination to keep her flight together and survive the various rigors of war, really strike a chord with the reader. Viltry’s narrative is a little more complex, as the veteran pilot is suffering from trauma after being shot down and captured in The Guns of Tanith. Certain about his own impending death, Viltry spends much of the book as a morose and depressed figure, until he finds someone worth living for. Viltry’s storyline proves to be particularly heartfelt, especially as he has a relatively nice romance angle, and I felt that Abnett really captured his trauma and desire for a better life.

Aside from Jagdea and Viltry, Double Eagle also features several other impressive perspective characters who really bring the narrative together. This includes young Phantine pilot, Vander Marquall, who serves as a major protagonist. A rookie pilot fighting in his first campaign, Marquall has a massive desire to prove himself. His obsession with becoming an ace and being respected becomes an overwhelming part of his character, and you find yourself occasionally disliking him, while also simultaneously cheering him on. Thanks to his interactions with the other characters, Marquall gets some much-needed perspective at times (that scene with his mechanic at the end was brilliant), and I felt he had one of the most complex, dark and relatable storylines in the entire book. Abnett rounds out the characters with local pilots August Kaminsky, a wounded veteran no longer allowed to fly, and Enric Darrow, a rookie without a plane after getting shot down in the opening scenes by the novel’s big bad. While parts of Kaminsky and Darrow’s storylines are a little predictable, you really get invested in their various battles, especially as Abnett produces some interesting character moments and interactions for them. I especially loved the hilarious exchanges between Kaminsky and Jagdea during one fun sequence, and Darrow proves to be a very likeable and determined young character to get behind. These main characters, plus an excellent supporting cast, were great to follow in Double Eagle, and it will be awesome to continue at least one survivor’s story in the upcoming sequel.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I ended up listening to Double Eagle on audiobook, as there is frankly no better way to enjoy an epic Warhammer 40,000 novel. While I always gush about how much I enjoy a Warhammer audiobook, I frankly really need to emphasise just how impressive and exceptional Double Eagle was in this format. The many, many aerial combat sequences come across so damn well when they are read out to you, and I loved how easily it was to visualise the fast-paced and exceptional flight scenes. You really get lost in the battles when you listen to them, and I was frankly buzzing the entire time I was listening to Double Eagle. Part of the reason this audiobook was so damn good was the inclusion of one of my favourite audiobook narrators Toby Longworth. Longworth has lent his voice to most of Abnett’s Warhammer 40,000 novels in recent years, and frankly the two are a match made in heaven. The story comes across so effectively in Longworth’s voice, and he really makes every scene, especially the exciting action sequences, that little more epic. I also really love the fantastic and compelling voices he uses for the various characters. While a couple of character voices sounded the same as those Longworth used in the Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks, I felt that they perfectly fit every figure they were assigned to, and you really get drawn into the matching character arcs as a result. Frankly this audiobook was perfect, and I had so much fun listening to it. With a run time of just over 10 hours, the Double Eagle audiobook is very easy to power through, and that is exactly what I did.

With an elaborate, powerful and addictive story about glorious battles in the sky, Double Eagle was a particularly epic Warhammer 40,000 novel that proves impossible not to fall in love with. Another exceptional novel from Dan Abnett, who once again shows why he is one of the best authors of Warhammer fiction, Double Eagle had me hooked from the very first chapter, and I honestly couldn’t stop reading it until the very end. This book comes very highly recommended, and I cannot wait to read the sequel later this year.

WWW Wednesday – 16 October 2024

On October 16, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 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 Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting. The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting sees them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case murder. Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see how this twisty mystery unfolds.

Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

I also started listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 novels, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer. The second book from Beer following their excellent 2023 debut, The King of the Spoil, Dominion Genesis sees Beer follow the mechanical and inhuman tech priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to survive a devastating alien invasion. I haven’t gotten too far into Dominion Genesis yet, but it’s so far been an interesting start. I look forward to seeing how this entire novel comes together, and I am eager for more Warhammer awesomeness.

What did you recently finish reading?

High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

An exciting and explosive Australian thriller, High Wire was an excellent read and I am hoping to write a review for it soon.

A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the audiobook version of the new Anthony Ryan fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel this week. A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel was an epic read that I could not get enough of. An outstanding novel and one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024 so far.

What do you think you’ll read next?

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

I’ve got several great books to read at the moment, but I think I’ll try to read the hilarious sounding novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler next. A comedic take on the classic tale of good vs evil, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying will follow a hero who keeps dying in a time loop as they finally snap and decide to become an evil dark lord to survive. I love the sound of this funny and cool fantasy novel, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun reading it.

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

WWW Wednesday – 9 October 2024

On October 10, 2024October 10, 2024 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:

High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

I didn’t make as much progress with High Wire as I’d hoped this week. The latest book from Candice Fox, High Wire is an exciting Australian thriller with some real bang behind it. I’m hoping to devote a bit more time to High Wire in the next week and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I’ve started listening to the amazing new fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel is an epic read that takes some great new characters on an amazing adventure. I am absolutely powering through A Tide of Black Steel, and I should hopefully have it finished by this time next week.

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster (Audiobook)

I quickly finished off the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster this week. An impressive and epic read, I deeply enjoyed this exceptional audiobook, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

It turns out I was in a real Warhammer 40,000 mood this week as I also quickly listened to the awesome book Double Eagle by Dan Abnett. A spin-off from Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Double Eagle is an exceptional novel about aerial combat that I couldn’t get enough off. This was one of the best Warhammer novels I have ever read, and I will be reviewing it very soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

I am really hoping to read the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting this week. The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting will see them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case. Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see what twisty mysteries Connelly has written this time.

Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer

Finally, if I get through A Tide of Black Steel this week, I will probably start listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer. An intriguing read that will follow a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to save their world from an alien invasion, I think Dominion Genesis has a lot of potential, especially as Beer really impressed me with his debut, The King of the Spoil, last year.

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: Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid

On October 7, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer3 Comments

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 24 August 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 7 hours and 27 minutes

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Gird yourself in faith, fury and fire, as fantastic author Jude Reid presents her latest Warhammer 40,000 novel, Daemonbreaker, which follows a complex figure as she blazes forth into the darkness of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

After having a wonderful time with Warhammer 40,000 novels like Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward, Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick, Siege of Vraks by Steven Lyons and Oaths of Damnation by Robbie MacNiven, there was no way I was going to stop loving this franchise this year, so I eagerly dove into the cool new audiobook, Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid. Reid, who really impressed me last year with Creed: Ashes of Cadia (one of my favourite debuts of 2023), presents an intriguing and dark novel that follows members of the Adepta Sororitas, the Warhammer 40,000’s resident nuns-with-guns.

On the battlefields of faith and fury, few warriors in the Imperium of Man can match the battle prowess of Celestian Sacresant Aveline of the Order of the Sacred Rose. A deadly sister of the Adepta Sororitas, devoted to killing the mutants, witches, heretics and daemons that oppose the Emperor, Aveline is always eager for greater combat, and soon finds the ultimate opportunity she has been waiting for, defending the fortress world of Cadia from the ravening forces of Chaos as they embark on their 13^th Black Crusade.

However, before Aveline can join her sisters in the massive battle for Cadia, she has been assigned final sacred duty. Sent to Orrison VIII, a minor shrine world in the Cadia Gate system, Aveline is tasked with securing the desert world for the Emperor and scouring the forces of Chaos from its surface.

Desperate to find glory on Cadia, Aveline chafes at the slow speed of the mission on Orrison VIII, especially as their primary target, a deranged Chaos sorcerer, is content with playing a slow game of cat-and-mouse with her. However, when Aveline finally gets her chance to face the enemy, she finds herself confronting a dark foe who knows her name and has a sinister scheme to destroy her and her sisters through her own arrogance. If Aveline is unable to stop the dark Chaos forces before her, a deadly foe will be unleashed upon Holy Terra that could destroy the heart of humanity as it faces its darkest moment.

Daemonbreaker was a fantastic and compelling Warhammer 40,000 novel that expertly features an iconic faction and looks at the faith and emotions lying beneath their militant surface. Jude Reid continues to impress with this cool novel and I had an excellent time getting through the intense and exciting story, which seeks to bring to life the figure of Celestian Sacresant Aveline who recently got her own model in the game.

I must admit, before diving too far into this review, that I sometimes found it a little hard to connect with Daemonbreaker at times, primarily because I’ve never been a massive fan of the Adepta Sororitas as a faction. They’re honestly a little too one-note for me at times, and I never been especially drawn to their fiction as a result. However, I felt that Reid was able to lift her narrative above some of the inherent limitations of this faction throughout the course of the book. It helped that Daemonbreaker was a relatively shorter Warhammer 40,000 novel, so Reid sped up the plot, which in turn kept the reader from getting bogged down. The resulting story is exciting and intriguing, as author quickly sets up the primary plot of the hunt for Chaos on Orrison VIII, while some initial compelling action set pieces help grab the reader’s attention.

The main narrative moves at a quick pace, with the protagonist leading her force into several encounters out in the desert while battling her own emotional turmoil and disappointment. However, everything in the story changes around the halfway point of Daemonbreaker, when the author decides to throw the entire status-quo of the book on its head. Thanks to a combination of the protagonist’s mistake and a major Warhammer 40,000 universe event, everything gets substantially more desperate for the protagonists, and Reid goes a little nuclear stacking the odds against them. While there are a few gaps in the storytelling, the second half of Daemonbreaker is extremely fun and exciting, as the protagonists face impossible odds and encounter the very worst the universe has to offer. There is a ton of tragedy and some horrifying moments as the reader races towards the end of the book, and it proves harder and harder to put it down as you near the conclusion. Reid loads up some big final battles that showcase just how grim things can get in this universe, before the expected miracle brings things to a close. Readers come away from Daemonbreaker feeling pretty satisfied with how things come to an end, although I did feel that part of the plot was a bit thin in places.

Reid has a great handle on writing Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and this is on display again in Daemonbreaker. There is a notable cutdown in the exposition and Reid brings the reader right into the action and carnage which made it an easier book to get through, especially considering the faction focus. The various action sequences come across as gritty and powerful, and you can feel the raw emotions of the protagonists as they encounter their dark opponents and the dreadful things they need to overcome. Reid ensured that this was a concise and well-contained narrative through her use of two point-of-view characters, and I appreciated the excellent alternating perspectives. Both protagonists were very well written, with the main story around Celestian Sacresant Aveline being the most prominent. A deadly, if arrogant, sister of the Emperor, Aveline finds her devotion challenged by her own selfish desires and issues, which leads to dark things in the middle of the book. While I didn’t always connect with Aveline as a character, I felt that Reid wrote a rather good redemption arc around her, and she becomes a lot more likeable and relatable in the second half of the book, especially as she comes to recognise her hubris and flaws. Recognising these things allows her to fully appreciate her fellow sisters and leads her into the right place for the final arc of the plot to unfold.

Aveline is well balanced by the second perspective character, Novitate Gwineth, a young, keen and determined figure, whose eagerness to become a member of the Adepta Sororitas is drawn from her impending doom. Reid writes an interesting and unique Warhammer storyline around Gwineth having haemophilia, which ensures that her days on the battlefield and in life are limited. Wishing to die as a full sister, Gwineth’s keenness becomes a key part of the plot, and I loved seeing her grow into the role she wishes, especially as her innocence and determination are a driver for the rest of the cast. The rest of the characters within Daemonbreaker are also very fun, if sparingly used. I do perhaps wish that the author had added in additional perspective, preferably from a villain’s point of view, as I feel that would have enhanced the narrative to a degree, especially to provide some missing plot answers or explain the motivation and plans of the antagonists. However, for the most part, this was a very well-written story with some intriguing protagonists, and one that I had an excellent time getting through.

The author has really gotten the hang of showcasing the grim and intriguing Warhammer 40,000 universe, and I loved some of the directions and figures that she featured within Daemonbreaker. I especially felt that Reid does an excellent job examining Adepta Sororitas faction, the Sisters of Battle, within the book. The various different units and figures of the faction are dropped into the plot fairly seamlessly, and even someone unfamiliar with the Adepta Sororitas unit types can easily appreciate their role in the plot. I must also once again emphasise that Reid was able to overcome my disinterest in the classic Adepta Sororitas depictions with her clever narrative and compelling writing. While this was a great Warhammer 40,000 novel, I feel that Daemonbreaker is perhaps a book best left to established Warhammer fans, as Reid does feature some heavy lore elements, and Adepta Sororitas players will probably get the most out of it. Still, a new reader can easily come along and have a lot of fun with Daemonbreaker, as Reid’s story gets quite intense, personal and brutal. You may have to ignore the fact that Daemonbreaker mainly written to promote a new model released in the tabletop game, but if you can get past that, this is a book well worth checking out.

Naturally, I ended up grabbing Daemonbreaker on audiobook, as this format is the absolute best way to enjoy a Warhammer book. I really cannot emphasise how much more epic a Warhammer 40,000 tale comes across when it is read out to you, and I always have so much more fun listening to it. This is particularly true when it comes to all the epic action, and I felt that the carnage in Daemonbreaker was very strongly enhanced by the audiobook format, with listeners also able to appreciate the compelling characters and intriguing lore while it’s being read out to you. With a runtime of around seven and a half hours, this is a relatively short audiobook, and one that listeners can really power through, especially when they get caught up in the action and compelling character arcs.

One of the big highlights of this audiobook for me was the fact it was narrated by the appropriately named Faith Alabi, who really dives into the complex Adeptus Sororitas characters with her voice. Each of the key protagonists is given their own unique voice, and I liked how well Alabi expressed their holy rage, and personal issues. Alabi’s excellent voice work is cleverly supported by some fun additional audio enhancements, which I thought was a fun way to express some unique elements of the Warhammer 40,000 canon. For example, the cybernetic figures, such as members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, have a noticeable robotic voice modulation that really tries to capture their machine nature, while communication occurring over vox-casters (radios), are filled with static and sound effects to emulate how the voices would sound in real life. In addition, certain audio effects give dark and otherworldly voices to the antagonists, such as a particularly booming tone that makes the dialogue of a Chaos sorcerer antagonist that more impactful, or freaky vocal effects that make a major daemon seem even more powerful. These audio effects work extremely well alongside Alabi’s narration, and I really appreciate the effort the producers made to drag listeners further into the story. As such, those who decide to check out Daemonbreaker on audiobook are in for a very fun treat and this is such an awesome way to enjoy this fantastic addition to the Warhammer 40,000 canon.

Daemonbreaker was another amazing Warhammer 40,000 outing from Jude Reid, and one I was very glad I checked out. The author effectively brings the main character to life in this book while also showcasing a compelling and intense Warhammer narrative of sacrifice, tragedy and holy war. As such, Daemonbreaker is an excellent read for all fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I cannot wait to see what Reid takes on in the future.