The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher

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Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 25 August 2026)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 360 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Jacob K. Gallagher drops one of the more distinctive fantasy debuts of 2026 with The Doubles, a captivating and inventive urban fantasy novel that makes amazing use of its rural Australian setting.

Plot Synopsis:

‘I remembered a dream I had been having: a mountain, covered in trees, swelling up out of a plain like a tidal wave. But peering out from the underbrush was a row of eyeless faces looking past me out into the endless expanse I knew was at my back.’

On the Liverpool Plains, near the town of Werris Creek, the Veil that separates the mortal realm from the Outside is wearing thin. Children have been disappearing and turning up dead. Someone – or something – is responsible; taking them from their beds in the middle of the night and sending a message no one can understand.

That’s all Kring knows when she gets the case. That’s all she needs to know.

Kring is no stranger to magic and monsters – her job as an Envoy for the Higher Powers is to banish Trespassers from our world. But this mission will push her capabilities to the limit, and bring back memories of a past she’d rather leave forgotten. Together with Dries, a local officer of magical law enforcement, she finds herself in a race against time to stop a demon from killing again. And once the demon finds what it’s looking for, things will get a whole lot worse …

The Doubles was an exciting and impressive first novel from Jacob K. Gallagher, a fellow Canberran who has jumped onto the fantasy scene in a big way with a complex Australian fantasy story.  Featuring a great urban fantasy narrative loaded with cool details and a distinctive local Australian setting, The Doubles was an excellent read that hooked me extremely quickly.

I had an amazing time with the cool story that Gallagher came up with for The Doubles, that brought together classic urban fantasy elements with the always awesome Australian outback setting.  Following protagonist Kring, an Australian human magic user who works as a monster hunter (known as an Envoy), for the Higher Powers (angels).  After a series of mysterious disappearances of several children, Kring is sent to the small town of Werris Creek in rural New South Wales Australia to investigate the potential appearance of a Trespasser, an invading being from another reality.  Gallagher does an excellent job setting up a lot of these early story elements for The Doubles, including a concise introduction to the magic system and the overarching supernatural governance of this world.

This early worldbuilding is soon backed up by a compelling mystery, as you become invested in discovering what is targeting indigenous children in the area around Werris Creek and replacing them with magical duplicates.  Teaming up with local magical law enforcement agent Dries, Kring is forced into a complex investigation, as they look at impacted locals, legends and the sinister nearby mountain that appears to be at the centre of the mystery.  Gallagher provides some excellent and compelling story elements as The Doubles continues, with Kring and Dries forced to compete with multiple magical attacks as they attempt to uncover the being responsible and destroy them.  The author also throws in some interesting personal struggles, as Kring is forced to deal with social interactions after years of fighting monsters, while Dries attempts to get a more human reaction out of Kring.  Everything leads up to a massive final confrontation that nicely wraps up this specific story, while also hinting at larger issues to come if Gallagher chooses to continue this series.  An overall excellent Australian fantasy story that is guaranteed to hook you with its tense magical action and overarching mystery.

I had an excellent time reading The Doubles, which I felt was both a great Australian debut, and one of the more distinctive fantasy novels of 2026.  The quick paced story loaded with magical mayhem was very addictive right off the bat, and Gallagher produced a great urban fantasy narrative, with humans in the modern world dealing with hidden magic and monsters.  The story contained an impressive blend of world-building, character development and a complex magical mystery, which Gallagher did an excellent job of blending together into a tight, cohesive narrative.  The central mystery was of particular note, and I quite enjoyed seeing the powerful dive into the local culture to uncover clues.  The well-written character development was also quite impressive, and the main duo of the powerful yet impersonal Kring and the more human Dries played off each other extremely well, and it was great to see their clashing views of magic and the risks of the investigation.

While I enjoyed the mystery and character elements of The Doubles, I felt that the highlight was the compelling fantasy elements and the overarching setting of the story.  Gallagher made use of a fun blend of more traditional western fantasy inclusions, such as angels, monsters from another realm, and a system of world-spanning magic rules, which helped to create a fascinating urban fantasy framework for the plot.  These elements are very well introduced, and the reader soon gets their head around many of this universe’s particular rules.  I quite enjoyed the interchange between the angelic Higher Powers who create the rules of magic and the human operated Null Legion that enforce it, especially as it caused some friction for the protagonist, who serves as the angel’s human agent.  Gallagher also created some compelling additional mystery by hinting at secrets and a potential conspiracy behind the Higher Powers, and there were some interesting unanswered questions at the end of this book that will likely bring me back for a sequel.

One thing that made all these fantastic supernatural elements even cooler to me was the way in which Gallagher expertly brought it into an Australian setting by having the protagonists hunt for monsters out in some iconic rural bush territory.  As an avid fantasy reader who reads a lot of Australian fiction, I can tell you that there aren’t enough mainstream fantasy novels out there that feature Australia as a key setting.  Gallagher more than made up for the lack of competition, cleverly portraying some real-life Australian locations and setting them up as the scene of a magical investigation.  A lot of cool elements from this setting, including its local mythology, the Aboriginal history, the isolated nature of the towns and all its local flavour are worked into the plot in some fun ways.  The resulting contrast from the more traditional fantasy inclusions and the local Australian elements was very intriguing and helped The Doubles to stand out as a very special read.

Overall, I had an outstanding time reading The Doubles, which was ended up being an amazing urban fantasy debut.  Jacob Gallagher really wrote something impressive with his first book, and I loved the great magical mystery out in the Australian wilderness.  I really hope that Gallagher choses to write a sequel to The Doubles at some point, as this really was one of the better Australian-set fantasy novels I have had the pleasure of reading.

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The Infinite State by Richard Swan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Australian, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Audiobook – 28 July 2026)

Series: The Decurion Saga – Book One

Length: 15 hours and 19 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s most prominent science fiction and fantasy authors, Richard Swan, starts a bold new series with the powerful and deeply compelling novel The Infinite State, an outstanding science fiction read with some relevant messaging.

Few fantasy authors have been as successful in recent years as Australian Richard Swan.  A talented author with some unique stories under his belt, Swan has gained a lot of attention in recent years thanks to his Empire of the Wolf series, which started in 2022 with The Justice of Kings.  A complex series that examined law and order in a crumbling fantasy empire, the Empire of the Wolf books proved to be very popular, enough so that Swan is currently following up the original trilogy with his The Great Silence sequel series, which examines a whole new era for his established world.

While I am more familiar with his fantasy fiction work, Swan also has a bit of experience with science fiction, which includes his latest release The Infinite State. The first book in Swan’s new Decurion Saga, The Infinite State follows several protagonists as they attempt to escape a fascist space government.  I have been looking forward to reading The Infinite State since I first heard about it, and made sure to listen to it on audiobook as soon as I could.

Plot Synopsis:

WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus—governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire—he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.

WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled—each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society.

WHO GIVES YOU JOY?
PATER AETERNUS.

But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she’s not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.

A democracy.

Wow, now that was a truly impressive read.  Richard Swan was firing on all cylinders with The Infinite State, producing a powerful and highly addictive character-driven book that I had an amazing time getting through.  Captivating, insightful and perfectly introducing an exciting and dark futuristic universe, The Infinite State was so damn good, and I have to give it a full five-star read, especially in its audiobook format.

Swan produces a highly impressive narrative for The Infinite State that follows three compelling protagonists as they attempt to overcome and escape the evils of the Decurion Empire.  This includes Katherine Fuller, the widow of a high-ranking party official, who finds herself inheriting a vast fortune upon her husband’s death.  Already disillusioned with the Empire, Katherine embarks on the radical plan of buying her own planet and setting it up as a democracy.  The book also follows Julian Yashego, a famous hypersled pilot born on an independent planet outside the Decurion Empire.  Having been recruited to race for the premier team in the Decurion hypersled circuit, Julian is forced to contend with the unforgiving politics and propaganda machine of the empire as an outsider, especially when his personal secrets are discovered.  The third storyline follows Cyprian Reis, a weary inspector charged with investigating murders in the empire’s capital, Kada Gamar.  However, his latest case, a mutilated body fished out of the river, sees him caught between two competing factions of the Pater Aeternus party, while also trying to reign in his ambitious and unhinged young partner.

There is a great mixture of elements in this first part of the book, as Swan successfully develops three complex character-focused storylines that initially exist independent of each other.  This includes a moving personal journey to independence in Katherine’s POV with a lot of key universe-building, a look at the true dark side of the regime in Julian’s storyline that also has a compelling science fiction sports element to it, and an exciting noir crime story in Cyprian’s chapters, all told in the shadow of Pater Aeternus influence.  This was honestly one of those rare multi-POV novels where I enjoyed each of the storylines equally, and I deeply enjoyed the separate narrative threads.  While these storylines are kept separate for most of The Infinite State, they produce an impressive overarching narrative, with some overlapping ideas and supporting characters.  You also become highly invested in each protagonist’s specific journeys, as well as their attempts to survive the party’s attention.  Swan eventually brings the three storylines together in the final third of The Infinite State, which has an interesting change of setting to Katherine’s newly established world.  The author does a good job of bringing these characters together naturally, and none of the storylines are negatively impacted by the suddenly joined narrative.  All of this results in an exciting and captivating conclusion that brings some excellent action to the book and introduces some great reveals.  Swan wraps everything up quite nicely with some big climatic moments that allow each of the protagonists to shine in their own unique ways.  At the same, Swan leaves several storylines open for the sequel, ensuring that readers will need to come back and check out the rest of the books in the series.

I was really impressed with how The Infinite State turned out, as Swan produced a gripping science fiction story centred around some great characters intent on escaping an overbearing fascist government.  As I mentioned above, Swan does an excellent job showcasing the story through three separate perspectives, and you really get a fantastic mixture of storylines as a result.  The resulting blend of elements that emerged throughout The Infinite State, including political discourse, espionage, mystery, space colonisation, proxy propaganda battles and more, was so damn good, and Swan did an outstanding job bringing all this together.  I was particularly impressed with the cool background setting surrounding this narrative, as Swan envisions and portrays a chaotic universe dominated by the Decurion Empire and the controlling Pater Aeternus party.  The idea of a vast fascist empire is familiar in the modern context, but Swan makes it his own, showcasing how such an empire could spread throughout the stars, and how other planets would react to it.  The evils and weaknesses of such an empire is on full display, and I appreciated how well Swan showcased the machinations and rivalries of the party’s power players, and how they manipulate the inherent fear, despair and anger of the normal inhabitants.  All this was quite inventive, if worryingly familiar, and the dose of reality in amongst the science fiction added to the emotional impact of the overall story.

I must once again highlight the outstanding main protagonists of The Infinite State, each of whom had unique and emotionally charged personal stories.  These great character arcs worked perfectly as the centre for the main storylines of The Infinite State, and Swan took many of these characters to their extremes as part of the plot.  This includes central character Katherine Fuller, the wife of a high-level party member, who, after several personal loses, decides to finally rebel against the system that has held her down her entire life.  Much of Katherine’s storyline involves her attempting to gain a confidence that has been quashed by Pater Aeternus’s patriarchal system and embark on her own journey.  It was great seeing her start to become a leader in this book, and it will be interesting to see how she continues to develop as the series continues.  Another key protagonist is the dour Cyprian Reis, a senior police inspector who finds himself on the wrong side of a political skirmish between two of Pater Aeternus’s ministers.  Already broken and suicidal at the start of the book, Cyprian finds his long-buried desire for justice clashing with the dark realities of the monsters above him.  Swan perfectly captures the impotent anger of Cyprian as he is manipulated and threatened by everyone, and while there are periods of rage, you can see that deep down Cyprian is a good man who has been wrecked by the system.  Of all the characters, Cyprian has the best redemption arc in the novel, and it was wonderful to see him start to find himself after the dark first half of the book.

The final protagonist is Julian Yashego, who honestly has one of the most complex, if traumatising, character narratives in the entire novel.  A champion racer considered to be the best hypersled driver in the galaxy, Julian is introduced in The Infinite State as a naïve foreigner who doesn’t understand the true dangers of the Decurion Empire.  However, after some early scenes, Julian soon finds his survival tied into his success as a racer, as he gets caught up in certain political machinations.  Things get quite dark for Julian, especially when his personal secrets are uncovered, and you really get drawn into his continuous downward spiral.  Not only does Julian’s storyline have some impressive emotional depth, but I enjoyed how the character’s hypersled background referenced the political battles fought around foreign race-car drivers and the Olympics in Nazi Germany.  Swan’s portrayal of Julian’s trauma was so well written, and he ends up being the protagonist you most relate to as a result.

While most of the focus is understandably on the three perspective protagonists, I do need to mention the great supporting cast featured within The Infinite State, who add some interesting elements to each of the main storylines.  Swan does a great job of introducing these various characters through the eyes of the main protagonists, and there are some fascinating relationships that emerge as a result.  Highlights include Jaroslav Droor, the Decurion Empire’s propaganda minister, who appears to be manipulating many of the key plot points from the shadow.  A malevolent force in both Cyprian’s and Julian’s early storylines, Swan sets Droor up as a sinister Machiavellian figure with a hidden agenda, and it was so fun to see his dark machinations.  Another excellent supporting character is Cyprian’s young partner, Lang, an ambitious investigator with a romanticised view of Pater Aeternus and life in the Decurion Empire.  Thanks to his naivety and near-brainwashed personality, Lang soon becomes a problem for Cyprian, and his worse traits are only enhanced as the story continues.  These great supporting characters, and more, perfectly populate the crazy universe of The Infinite State, and it was fascinating to see their storylines unfold alongside the perspective protagonists.

As I mentioned above, I ended up checking out the audiobook version of The Infinite State, which proved to be an incredible way to enjoy this epic book, as it allowed listeners to really absorb the compelling details of the setting.  Thanks to its use of multiple narrators, The Infinite State audiobook perfectly tells Swan’s complex narrative, while also cleverly giving life to the three protagonists, as well as the compelling supporting cast.  The audiobook does a great job of splitting itself between its three narrators, with each of them taking over the chapters told from the perspective of one of the main protagonists. These narrators include Helen Keeley, who provides a powerful performance in the chapters told from the perspective of Katherine Fuller.  Not only does Keeley provide a refined voice to Fuller, capturing her grief, frustration and determination every step of the way, but she also provides some impressive voices for the various characters that Fuller interacts with, including multiple senior party members.  Another great performance was Chris Rowe, who voices the chapters from the perspective of Julian Yashego, the famous hypersled driver who experiences the dark side of the empire.  This requires Rowe to provide a lot of range, as his initial portrayals of a cocky and naïve athlete are soon tinged with despair.  Rowe does a great job of capturing the changing emotions of his main character, while also providing some terrifying and harsh voices to the dark people he encounters, especially Droor, who comes off as his most sinister here.

The final narrator I need to highlight is Nathaniel Priestley, who fans of Swan might recognise from his work with the author’s fantasy books, and who has another great performance providing the narration of the POV of Cyprian Reis.  Priestley unsurprisingly does an amazing job in The Infinite State, and I loved his take on the weary investigator and the dangerous people he encounters.  This includes a striking accent for Cyprian that fits the character perfectly and helps to enhance the rage and impatience in his voice as he is manipulated and threatened.  All three of these narrators are incredible in The Infinite State, and I enjoyed how their performances were spaced out through the audiobook.  This includes in some of the later chapters, where the quickfire change in perspectives from the three protagonists also includes changes in narrator.  It was also fun to hear the different narrators try to emulate the established character voices of their colleagues, such as when they try to match the accent Priestley gives to Cyprian with varying results.  Overall, I think these narrators brought out the best of The Infinite State and this was one of the more exceptional audiobooks of 2026, that I cannot recommend enough.

Richard Swan continues to showcase his ability to tell an incredible and addictive story, this time diving back into science fiction with The Infinite State.  A brilliant and incredible start to a compelling new series, The Infinite State had me hooked very early on, and I loved seeing the powerful journeys each of Swan’s complex characters took.  I cannot wait to get my hands on the next entry in this series, and I will be very keen to read the sequel in 2027.  In the meantime, I need to get my hands on Swan’s recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command, which also sounds extremely cool.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Floralinda by Tamsyn Muir

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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.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out a cool and enticing fantasy novel coming out next year with Floralinda by Tamsyn Muir.

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There are a lot of cool fantasy and science fiction authors out there who specialise in unique and distinctive stories.  However, one of the more popular at the moment is the talented Tamsyn Muir, who gained particular attention in recent years thanks to her Locked Tomb series.  Featuring an elaborate, galaxy-spanning narrative that follows several complex, space-faring lesbian necromancers, the Locked Tomb series is deeply compelling, with some great queer representation.  I had an outstanding time reading the first two books in the series, Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth, especially as they contained some impressive twists and clever swerves.

While I still need to read the third book in the Locked Tomb series, Nona the Ninth, I currently have my eye set on Muir’s next upcoming book, Floralinda.  A captivating new upcoming fantasy novel, Floralinda looks set to be a fun twist on the classic trapped princess story, which will see the princess in question forced to implement her own escape after all the princes sent to rescue her brutally die.  Set for release in July 2027, Floralinda has an intriguing plot behind it which I really love the sound of.

Plot Synopsis:

THE TOWER BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. TRUE LOVE MADE THEM WORSE.

The princess in the tower is a classic for a reason. Witch kidnaps princess. Witch puts princess in tower guarded by monsters. Prince kills monsters, rescues princess: happily ever after, roll credits. Princess Floralinda’s story goes a little differently.

Her witch was an artiste, and she got carried away. After a dozen or so princes died on the very first floor, the rest decided there were easier paths to wedded bliss. So Floralinda sets out to rescue herself, armed only with a breadknife, a good upbringing, and a captive fairy named Cobweb.

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS DOWN

Unfortunately for Floralinda, the trouble with the tower is only beginning. On the outside, succession looms. The Fairy Courts call. A princess would have no hope of surviving all that is to come… but maybe a monster could.

The above story for Floralinda sounds extremely cool, and it is something that has definitely caught my attention.  A fun take on the classic trapped princess narrative that sees the princess have enough of her captivity and then fight down multiple levels of a monster-filled tower has a ton of potential, and I imagine that Muir will throw in multiple fun twists as the story continues.  This has the potential to get quite crazy, and I’m very curious to see the author’s first full foray into fantasy fiction, especially one filled with adventure, intrigue and a clever deconstruction of iconic fairy tale tropes.  It also helps that I haven’t had the chance to read Muir’s existing novella, Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower, which the author apparently used as a base for this book, so I can check out Floralinda with no existing expectations.

Due to it’s awesome sounding plot, Floralinda is now one of the top fantasy releases in 2027 that I want to read.  Sure to be one of the more entertaining and unique fantasy novels of the year, Floralinda has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Tamsyn Muir’s next book turns out.  I have no doubt I’m going to love every second that the protagonist spends descending this crazy tower, and Floralinda is going to be such an incredible read.

WWW Wednesday – 16 September 2026

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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 Facilite Con by Dick Wybrow (ebook)

I was in the mood for something a little unusual this week so I decided to check out the fun science fiction heist novel, The Facilite Con. An entertaining novel from Dick Wybrow, The Facilite Con sees an unusual crew attempt to pull off a deadly heist. I’m having a good amount of fun with this book so far, and I’m currently halfway through it. I’m hoping to knock it off in the next day or two and I’m curious to see where this book goes.

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Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)

After deeply enjoying Jeremy Robinson’s other epic 2026 novel, 30Seven, I was very eager to read his next novel Settle Down.  A dark and powerful read with a great hook, Settle Down follows the survivors of a plane crash who are forced to contend with a brutal alien invasion that took place while they were trapped on a desert island. I have been powering through the audiobook version of Settle Down this week, and I am nearly at the end. I will probably knock Settle Down off very soon, and I cannot wait to see how this deeply compelling story comes to an end.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Five Voices by Tamara Moss (ebook)

I had an amazing time getting through the cool Australian young adult murder mystery Five Voices by Tamara Moss recent. Featuring an intriguing narrative about a group of podcasters caught up in the murder of one of their own, Five Voices was extremely good and really worth checking out.

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The Infinite State by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the exceptional audiobook The Infinite State by Richard Swan this week. A captivating science fiction novel that sees several protagonists attempt to survive the tyrannies of a fascist space empire, including by buying their own planet, The Infinite State was an incredible book, and one I’m hoping to review soon.

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The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman (Hardcover)

I finally got the chance to read the dark fantasy novel The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman this week. A prequel to Buehlman’s impressive novel The Blacktongue Thief, The Daughter’s War was a brutal novel that saw a protagonist attempt to survive a war against a ravenous goblin horde. This ended up being an amazing read and I’m now ready to dive into the next book in the series, The Thrice-Bound Fool, when it comes out later this year.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

The next book I’m hoping to dive into is the highly entertaining murder mystery, We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman. One of my most anticipated novels for the second half of 2026, We Chase Shadows is the sequel to Osman’s previous exceptional novel, We Solve Murders, and will see some of Osman’s more unique protagonists attempt to uncover another international mystery. I have no doubt We Chase Shadows going to be one of the top books of 2026, and I look forward to listening to it’s epic audiobook format.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2026 To Be Read (TBR) List

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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 is an indie freebie.  While this is an interesting topic, it’s not one that I had a lot of good examples for, so instead I’m going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because it’s the start of Spring 2026, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 September 2026 and 30 November 2026 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I even have some early copies of a some of them (I’m hoping to read them soon). I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2026.

Honourable Mention:

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer – 6 October 2026

The final book from the legendary Jeffrey Archer.

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SHOT by Shelley Burr – 27 October 2026

A gritty and intense Australian thriller from an outstanding rising crime fiction star.

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Monsters of Ohio by John Scalzi – 3 November 2026

The always highly inventive John Scalzi presents another crazy science fiction novel, with the weird but no doubt entertaining Monsters of Ohio

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Absolon Creed by R. S. Ford – 10 November 2026

An upcoming fantasy novel with an excellent sounding plot and an awesome cover.

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Top Ten List:

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor – 10 September 2026

The first book I want to feature on this list is the horror thriller Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor.  A compelling and unique standalone novel that sees a family encounter unusual behaviour and dark secrets in the supposedly tranquil town of Serenity Falls.  I am extremely curious to see where Tudor takes this new story, but I’m very confident that I’m going to enjoy Serenity Falls, especially after having a blast with Tudor’s previous novel The Gathering.

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Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss by Rebecca Roanhorse – 15 September 2026

I’m going to get my Star Wars fiction itch scratched in a few weeks when I get the chance to read Edge of the Abyss.  The second book in the Reign of the Empire series, Edge of the Abyss serves as a sequel to The Mask of Fear and will examine the early days of the Rebel Alliance from the perspective of several key figures from the Star Wars extended universe.  This second entry is written by Rebecca Roanhorse, and I cannot wait to see how Roanhorse dives into this amazing period of the Star Wars canon.

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We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman – 15 September 2026

There was no way that I couldn’t include the incredible upcoming novel We Chase Shadows on this list.  The next book from the hilarious Richard Osman, We Chase Shadows is a sequel to the outstanding novel, We Solve Murders (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024) and will see the unlikely protagonists of the first book investigate a new global conspiracy.  Sure to feature Osman’s trademark blend of incredible storytelling, great characters and impressive humour, We Chase Shadows will likely be one of my favourite books of the year, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler – 29 September 2026

One of the more exciting and fun sounding books coming out in the next month is The Only Way Out is Up by the very talented Django Wexler.  An intriguing progressive fantasy novel that will follow a young man and his constructed companion as they attempt to survive in an elite fighting tournament, The Only Way Out is Up has so much potential, and I know that I’m going to have a blast reading it.

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King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly – 29 September 2026

While there are some great crime fiction reads coming out in the next three months, the one I predict is going to be the most over-the-top and enjoyable is King’s Ransom by Australian author Matthew Reilly.  The sequel to Reilly’s outrageous 2025 novel, The Detective, King’s Ransom will see returning protagonist, the unusual Sam Speedman, compete against several other elite private detectives to solve a particularly deranged crime.  Sure to be an exceptional and highly addictive read, I cannot wait to get my hands on King’s Ransom.

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The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman – 13 October 2026

Possibly the most anticipated fantasy novel still left for release in 2026 is The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman.  The sequel to Buehlman’s beloved The Blacktongue Thief, The Thrice-Bound Fool will see the two protagonists from the first novel, a secretive thief and a deadly knight, traverse a dangerous fantasy landscape, trying to stay ahead of an array of lethal assassins.  Set to be an intense and highly addictive dark fantasy read, I have no doubt The Thrice-Bound Fool is going to be something special.

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Ghosts of the Void by Jonathan Maberry – 13 October 2026

A must read for me in the next three months is the final book in Jonathan Maberry’s NecroTek series, Ghosts of the Void.  Following on from the exceptional first two books in the trilogy, NecroTek and Cold War, Ghosts of the Void will see a group of human scientists and their fallen comrades attempt to escape ancient space gods as they fight a seemingly unwinnable war.  I cannot wait to see how this dark and powerful trilogy comes to an end, and I have no doubt that Maberry will load up plenty of twisted tragedy.

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The Hollow by Michael Connelly – 3 November 2026

After already impressing this year with Ironwood, legendary crime fiction author Michael Connelly has another amazing sounding book coming out later this year with The Hollow.  The first book in several years to feature his iconic protagonist, Harry Bosch, as the sole main character, The Hollow will see an older Bosch investigate a dark secret from his childhood.  Set to be a particularly intense and momentous entry in Conelly’s shared crime universe, The Hollow has the potential to be a particularly impressive novel, and I look forward to reading it.

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The Wolves of War by John Gwynne – 3 November 2026

Next up we have is the upcoming fantasy novel, The Wolves of War by John Gwynne.  Another compelling fantasy adventure novel with a Viking-inspired story, The Wolves of War sounds like an exceptional read in a cool new world.  After deeply enjoying Gwynne’s previous Bloodsworn Saga (The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods and The Fury of the Gods), I am very confident that I’m going to have an amazing time with this fantasy epic, which I will probably try to enjoy on audiobook.

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The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 5 November 2026

The final book on this TBR list is the next entry in the always awesome Eagles of the Empire series, The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow.  A very intriguing new addition to one of my favourite series, The Sword of Rome will see two veteran Roman officers thrown into a new chaotic battle for survival, with their families held hostage back at Rome to ensure they succeed.  Sure to be a particularly epic book in an outstanding series, I cannot wait to read The Sword of Rome.

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Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some impressive books coming out in this part of 2026, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do in the near future.

WWW Wednesday – 2 September 2026

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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:

Five Voices by Tamara Moss (ebook)

I’ve just started reading the cool Australian young adult murder mystery Five Voices by Tamara Moss. Featuring an intriguing narrative about a group of podcasters caught up in the murder of one of their own, Five Voices is proving to be a compelling novel and I’m curious to see where its mystery goes.

Amazon

 

The Infinite State by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for a unique audiobook this week, so I decided to listen to The Infinite State by Richard Swan. A captivating science fiction novel that sees several protagonists attempt to survive the tyrannies of a fascist space empire, including by buying their own planet, The Infinite State already has me hooked and I’m very curious to see where it goes.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher (Trade Paperback)

I had a very successful week of reading, which started when I finished off the intriguing Australian urban fantasy novel The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher. Set in rural New South Wales, The Doubles follows a human agent of angelic powers as she attempts to discover a sinister magical trespasser killing children. An excellent debut, this was a great read I’m really glad I got the chance to check out.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath (Audiobook)

I also finished off the incredible new Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath.  The fantastic sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, The Infinite and the Divine, The Wicked and the Warped follows two immortal rivals as they embark on another chaotic expedition.  This ended up being an exceptional audiobook, and one of my favourite Warhammer books of 2026.

Amazon

 

Web of Spies by Tim Ayliffe (Trade Paperback)

A cool young adult Australian spy thriller from one of my favourite Australian authors. I was very curious to see Ayliffe’s first foray into young adult fiction, and this was a great read for younger teens.

 

The Killing Rules by Bree Despain (ebook)

I was on a real young adult kick this week as I also powered through the wonderful and exciting novel, The Killing Rules by Bree Despain.  A very entertaining horror/thriller hybrid that follows a murderous cheerleader who goes after terrible men, The Killing Rules was an outstanding read that I had a ton of fun with.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman 

I’ve got a few things on my shelf to check out at the moment, but I think I might take the opportunity to read The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman next. A prequel to Buehlman’s impressive novel The Blacktongue Thief, The Daughter’s War sounds like an incredible and dark war novel and I’m very keen to finally read it, especially with the third book in the series coming out very soon.

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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.

The Detective Matthew Reilly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Throwback ThursdayLeave a comment

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Sam Speedman – Book One

Length: 383 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for one of the most over-the-top and highly impressive thrillers of recent years, with the brilliant and utterly addictive The Detective by Matthew Reilly.

Those who follow my blog will know that I tend to read a lot of Australian fiction, not only because I like to support local authors but because there are some cracking and captivating reads from my talented countryfolk.  Of the current crop of awesome Australian authors out there, few are more well known internationally than Matthew Reilly, a thriller writer with a raft of distinctive novels in his bibliography.  Known for books like his Shane Schofield and Jack West Jr series, as well as some of his outrageous standalone novels, Reilly has been a consistently entertaining author since the 1990s.  Despite this, I’ve only had the chance to read a couple of books from Reilly, including The Secret Runners of New York and Mr Einstein’s Secretary (one of my favourite books and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023), both of which were excellent in their own ways.  As such, I’ve tried to grab some more of his books, including his 2025 release, The Detective.  I only recently got the chance to read The Detective, and boy was I glad that I did.  The first book in Reilly’s new Sam Speedman series, The Detective was a highly addictive read with an exceedingly thrilling narrative behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

For 150 years, women have been going missing.

And all of the investigators who went in search of them – from 1877 to the present day – have disappeared, too.

Now Sam Speedman, a most unique private detective, is on the case.

Brilliant, direct and disarming, Sam is … different. He’s not your average private detective. But then again, this isn’t your average case.

For not even he will be prepared for what he will find.

Set in the darkest corners of the American South, tapping into hot-button issues that simmer beneath the surface of the modern United States, this is Matthew Reilly writing faster and bolder than ever before, bringing you a detective thriller like no other.

Well damn, now that was a crazy ass book!  While I knew I was likely going to enjoy The Detective, I was unprepared for just how over-the-top and entertaining it was going to be.  I honestly read this outstanding novel from Matthew Reilly in less than a day, it was damn addictive, especially when the full insanity of the plot emerged.  Due to just how fun and exciting The Detective was, I have to award this book a full five-stars, a rating it very much deserves.

I had an amazing time getting through The Detective’s narrative, primarily because Reilly came up with a powerful and detailed story that provides some intriguing mystery, heavy thrills and very over-the-top moments.  Reilly starts the narrative off strong, with an exciting introduction to the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Sam Speedman, the unlikely autistic private investigator.  While this opening sequence and early exploration of Reilly’s unique protagonist was great, it was the introduction of The Detective’s main case that personally drew me in, which starts when DNA test reveals that a dead newborn baby in the Louisiana swamp is the child of missing person Speedman has been hired to find.  To raise the stakes and interest, this disappearance is the latest in a long string of missing African American women dating back to the end of the Civil War.  Even more troubling, every previous detective who has investigated the case, including Speedman’s mentor, has either disappeared or turned up dead.

Despite this terrifying background, Speedman investigates and soon finds himself teaming up with an FBI agent also interested in the case.  Reilly does a lot of solid set-up in this first half of the book, and you are presented with some intriguing suspects, great supporting characters, and a real appreciation for the unique case and the way that the protagonist investigates.  The case goes in some interesting directions here, especially as Speedman finds an unlikely collection of clues and suspicions, before a seemingly early end to the investigation.  However, this is just a prelude to the rest of the plot, especially when Speedman quickly identifies a massive coverup surrounding the case.  Despite being offered everything he ever wanted, Speedman is unable to drop his investigation, which results in utter chaos and destruction being thrown at him and everyone he cares for.

While the first half of The Detective was very good and quickly draws you in, it was the brutal and insanely over-the-top second half of the book that makes this a truly memorable read.  Reilly throws everything that he can at his protagonist, as Speedman journeys through the deep south to find answers.  There are some great moments here, with plenty of action and clever investigating, all pulling together into a crazy result.  I don’t want to give too much away, but the hidden secrets behind the case are incredibly insane, while still cleverly fitting into the overarching narrative of The Detective.  Everything leads up to an explosive confrontation which delivers some very cathartic moments, as well as some memorable action sequences.  Reilly also throws in a great, if now depressingly unrealistic, solution to the giant odds the protagonists are facing, and watching their plan come together was really impressive.  An overall outstanding narrative, that you won’t be able to stop reading, even if you wanted to.

I had a lot of fun with Reilly’s style for The Detective, which was very easy to read and really highlighted the book’s fantastic action.  The author makes excellent use of the first-person perspective, which showcased the entertaining viewpoint of the primary perspective character.  Thanks to this, you get a great view of the investigation and the protagonist’s mind as he pulls the unique threads of the mystery together.  The mystery itself is quite well set up, and I appreciated the variety of clues and hints that Reilly introduces early in the book, even if you can’t imagine just where the author is going with them.  I will say that Reilly makes good use of the southern setting for the plot, with race, cultural heritage and other issues all working as motives or underlying factors.  These contemporary issues, as well as some key historical events, are cleverly referenced or alluded to (including quotes from real-life events or people), and while Reilly naturally takes everything several steps further than reality, it still makes you think.  I deeply enjoyed the narrative extremes that Reilly went to, which added a lot of entertainment to this book, and you must imagine that some of the world’s current craziness bled into Reilly’s mind as he wrote it.  I also have to highlight some of the cool diagrams and helpful alternate formatting that was added into the paperback version of The Detective, which helped order key parts of the plot and allowed even more insights into the protagonist’s mind.

I’ve already mentioned the unique protagonist of The Detective, Sam Speedman, a few times, and I want to again make it clear how interesting and fun he proved to be.  Introduced as a questionable investigative protagonist due to his lack of social skills and distinctive way of thinking, Speedman quickly grows on the reader thanks to his insights, down-to-earth view, and determination to do the right thing no matter what.  I liked how Reilly already had Speedman set up as a very competent figure right at the start of the book, and you are soon drawn into his personality, as well as the unlikely connections he already has.  The author also throws in some growth for Speedman in this book, with the protagonist becoming even more comfortable with other people while continuing to stick to his principles no matter the cost.  I really think that Reilly did a good job of providing a nuanced portrayal of an autistic central character, and I liked how Speedman’s eccentricities, such as his preferred restaurant and inherent caution, played into the plot in some natural ways.  Speedman proved to be one of the more memorable crime fiction protagonists in recent years, and I’m very curious to see what other adventures Reilly takes him on in the future.

Aside from Speedman, The Detective features an intriguing array of supporting characters, each of whom add their own spin on the plot.  Reilly has fun showcasing many of these great characters from Speedman’s perspective, and it was interesting to see his take on them.  I personally enjoyed secondary protagonist FBI agent Audrey Mills, who serves as a motivated support to Speedman, as well as a moving love interest once she realises who she is working with.  Other fun characters include Speedman’s eclectic contacts, such as an enterprising assistant, an exceedingly brave fellow investigator, and several Hooters waitresses who are some of the protagonist’s best friends.  Finally, we have the various antagonists of the story, who exist at near supervillain levels thanks to their audacious evil plans.  To avoid spoilers, I won’t say too much about these antagonists, except that they make for a terrifying opposition thanks to their reach and influences.  This fantastic and over-the-top group of characters all fit naturally into Reilly’s ambitious and ultra-entertaining narrative.

Thanks to its outrageous story, complex characters, and non-stop fun and excitement, The Detective proved to be an incredible read, and one that I still cannot stop thinking about.  Matthew Reilly really came up with something special with The Detective, and it was a crazy pleasure to read it.  I am now exceedingly excited for the soon to be released sequel, King’s Ransom, which I already know is going to be exceedingly awesome and crazy.

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Quick Review – On the Edge by Kate Horan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: HQ (Trade Paperback – 1 January 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 372 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Get ready for one of the more compelling pieces of Australian crime fiction released earlier this year, the powerful and twisty On the Edge by Kate Horan.

Plot Synopsis:

Desperate people do desperate things…

Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall’s body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved.

Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie’s best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now.

Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father’s sudden death, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Begrudgingly, she agrees to run his clinic for a few weeks, but during that time she meets local mum Sophie Warner and that changes everything.

Sophie’s husband Ryan, a prominent local real estate agent, was Maddie’s boyfriend and Nel is certain he played a role in her death. When Nel discovers that Ryan is not the loving husband and father that he seems, she decides she must prove what he did all those years ago. But as she starts to unravel the past, she discovers the truth is far more complex than she could have imagined.

A twisty, suspenseful mystery about the desperate things people do when they’re on the edge.

On the Edge was an excellent and intense read from rising Australian author Kate Horan, which was a great early highlight of the 2026 reading year.  The second book from Horan following her debut The Inheritance, On the Edge was an interesting take on the classic small-town Australian crime fiction novel, which took its mystery in some outstanding directions.

A lot of elements of On the Edge will be familiar to fans of Australian fiction, with a protagonist forced to return to their hometown after leaving years ago in the aftermath of a dark event, in this case the suspicious death of protagonist Nel’s best friend, Maddie.  Horan does an excellent job of introducing Nel and showcasing her trauma at returning, with some flashback sequences adding in some extra context.  Naturally, Nel takes the chance to start her own investigation into the historic crime thanks to new evidence recovered from her dead father’s files.

While there are some familiar story beats to On the Edge’s initial plot, Horan makes this format her own thanks to her use of the secondary protagonist Sophie.  The wife of Ryan, the obvious suspect to Maddie’s murder, Sophie spends most of the book dealing with Ryan’s domestic abuse, while also being haunted by the secrets from her past.  This provides a great alternate perspective to the narrative, which helps to make On the Edge really stand out, especially with some well-placed reveals.  Horan uses many of these story elements to drive up the book’s drama, with Nel forced to confront her family’s feelings and the scorn of the town, while Sophie works to escape her husband, and this personal struggle adds to the desperation to find the truth.

Everything perfectly leads up to the big finale for On the Edge, which I think was the strongest part of the entire book.  Horan came up with a very impressive twist around Sophie, which was honestly the narrative highlight of the entire story, and I was very impressed with how well the author set it up.  I did think that Horan perhaps went a twist too far after this big reveal, especially with the timing and location of the final revelation, but it was still an interesting inclusion that had the appropriate build behind it.  Horan wraps this up with some relatable happy endings, which was honestly needed after some of the darker elements of the book.

This was an impressive piece of Australian fiction from Horan, who produced a fantastic story of desperation, historical trauma and murder.  The use of the alternating perspectives from two women caught at opposing ends of the mystery was a true highlight, and I appreciated how effectively the author layered the clues to all the reviews in both their storylines.  Horan also expertly built up the alternating personal issues from both protagonists, and their struggles melded well with the overarching hunt for the truth.  On top of that, Horan also captured some of the true lows of family domestic violence in small-town Australia, which unsurprisingly is becoming a recurring theme in Australian crime fiction.  Throw in some great depictions of small-town Australia and the struggles associated with them, including a unique perspective from a local doctor, and this was a deeply compelling read that really highlighted Horan’s abilities as an author.

Overall, On the Edge was a great second novel from Kate Horan, and one that I’m glad I picked up.  Featuring a brilliant story loaded with impressive twists and turns, as well as some complex character-driven narratives, On the Edge was one of the stronger Australian set novels from the first half of 2026, and I look forward from reading more from Horan in the future.

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WWW Wednesday – 26 August 2026

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post 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 Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher (Trade Paperback)

This week I started reading the intriguing Australian urban fantasy novel The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher. Set in rural New South Wales, The Doubles follows a human agent of angelic powers as she attempts to discover a sinister magical trespasser killing children. I haven’t made a ton of progress on The Doubles yet, but it’s got a strong introduction and I’m already intrigued by its underlying mystery.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath (Audiobook)

I’m still enjoying the incredible new Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath.  The fantastic sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, The Infinite and the Divine, The Wicked and the Warped follows two immortal rivals as they embark on another chaotic expeditions into one of the most dangerous places in this grimdark universe.  I’ve nearly finished The Wicked and the Warped and it is proving to be a hilarious and highly addictive novel with a great plot behind it.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Choppy Water by Jack Heath (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish of my early copy of Jack Heath’s Choppy Water this week. A compelling thriller that sees a fugitive cop attempt to investigate a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship, Choppy Water is a very distinctive and exciting novel with an interesting take on the locked-room mystery.

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The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

I also finished off the latest Vikki Petraitis novel, The Reckoning, soon.  A continuation of her series that dives into gender violence in small town Australia, The Reckoning was another exciting and confronting novel that proved to be an excellent read.

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The Wreck by Riley James (Trade Paperback)

Finally, I also finished the new Riley James book The Wreck. A unique thriller novel featuring secrets and lies on a deserted island; The Wreck has a very intriguing plot behind it, which comes highly recommended.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Five Voices by Tamara Moss (ebook)

I’ve got a few books on my to-read list at the moment, but the next thing I will probably dive into is the cool Australian young adult murder mystery Five Voices by Tamara Moss. Featuring an intriguing narrative about a group of podcasters caught up in the murder of one of their own, Five Voices sounds extremely awesome and I can’t wait to check it out.

Amazon

 

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.