The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall by Anne McCaffrey offers a rewarding return to one of science fiction’s most beloved worlds. Rather than focusing solely on the sweeping, dragon filled epics that define the core novels, this collection of short stories turns its attention to formative and sometimes overlooked moments in Pern’s history. The result is a volume that deepens the mythology and enriches the emotional texture of the wider saga.

For long time readers of the Pern series, one of the great pleasures here is the way these stories fill in gaps in the established lore. McCaffrey explores the early days of colonisation, the struggles of adaptation, and the incremental discoveries that shaped the society later generations would inherit. Events that might once have been referenced only in passing are given space to unfold. Seeing how certain traditions began, how dragons and riders evolved in response to Thread, and how political and social structures solidified adds depth to everything that follows in the chronology.

It is especially satisfying to witness relatively minor events take centre stage. In the main novels, history often looms large and dramatic, dominated by major crises and heroic figures. In this collection, McCaffrey allows quieter developments to matter. Scientific breakthroughs, logistical decisions, and personal sacrifices that might otherwise have been footnotes are treated with care and narrative weight. These glimpses into lesser known corners of Pern’s past make the world feel lived in and organic. They remind the reader that history is not only shaped by grand battles but also by incremental choices and everyday courage.

This window into smaller scale moments makes for much richer world building. Pern has always stood out for its convincing blend of science fiction and fantasy, and these stories reinforce that balance. The colonists’ technical ingenuity sits alongside the wonder of dragonkind. The tension between preserving knowledge and adapting to necessity feels authentic. By illuminating transitional periods and behind the scenes developments, McCaffrey strengthens the internal logic of the setting. The world feels layered, with cultural memory and hard won experience underpinning every later triumph.

The audiobook narration by Meredith McRae brings clarity and warmth to the text. McRae handles the shifting perspectives competently and differentiates characters with subtle vocal changes. Her pacing is steady and measured, which suits the reflective tone of many of the stories. There is a calm assurance in her delivery that complements the historical nature of the material.

My only minor niggle is that the narration occasionally feels a little flat. In moments of heightened drama or emotional intensity, I sometimes wished for greater variation in tone. The performances are always clear and professional, but they do not always capture the full sweep of feeling that some scenes seem to invite. That said, this is a small reservation in what is otherwise an engaging listening experience.

Overall, The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall is a valuable and satisfying addition to the Pern canon. It rewards dedicated fans with deeper context and offers a richer understanding of the world’s foundations. Even the quieter stories resonate, proving once again the enduring strength of McCaffrey’s creation.

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Review: Anarch

Anarch by Dan Abnett is a powerful and emotionally charged entry in the long running Gaunt’s Ghosts series. Set against the brutal backdrop of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, it delivers everything readers have come to expect from the saga: ferocious combat, intricate military strategy, and, most importantly, a deep investment in the men and women of the Tanith First and Only.

At this stage in the series, Abnett has long since proven his ability to balance large scale warfare with intimate character work. In Anarch, that balance feels particularly refined. The campaign against the arch enemy known as Urlock Gaur reaches a fever pitch, and the tension is sustained across multiple fronts. Battles are vividly rendered, chaotic yet coherent, and the sense of attrition is palpable. Victories feel costly, and losses carry real weight.

What continues to distinguish Gaunt’s Ghosts from many other entries in the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe is the realism of its characters. These are not unbreakable super soldiers but tired, scarred infantry who have endured years of relentless conflict. In Anarch, their reactions to stress feel profoundly human. There is fear, frustration, dark humour, and sometimes emotional withdrawal. Leadership decisions are second guessed. Grief lingers. Bonds of loyalty are tested under impossible pressure. Abnett gives space to these responses, allowing quiet conversations and private doubts to sit alongside the thunder of artillery. It is this grounding in recognisable human behaviour that gives the novel its emotional force.

I have enjoyed every Gaunt’s Ghosts novel in the series, and Anarch reinforces why that is the case. Yet there is also a sense of approaching finality. Threads that have run for many volumes begin to tighten. Long standing rivalries and destinies edge closer to resolution. While it is bittersweet, I find myself pleased that the series appears to be drawing near to its conclusion. Abnett has sustained this epic for decades with remarkable consistency, and there is something fitting about seeing it build toward what promises to be a meaningful end rather than continuing indefinitely.

The audiobook is elevated further by the narration of Toby Longworth. Longworth has become synonymous with Black Library audio productions, and his performance here is exemplary. He captures the stoic authority of Ibram Gaunt while also differentiating the wide cast of Ghosts with clarity and subtlety. His pacing during battle scenes conveys urgency without descending into confusion, and in quieter moments he allows emotion to surface naturally. The strain in a voice, the hesitation before an order, the subdued tone of a soldier facing overwhelming odds all feel authentic. His narration enhances the sense of realism that Abnett builds on the page.

Overall, Anarch stands as one of the most compelling entries in Gaunt’s Ghosts. It is intense, character driven, and emotionally resonant. For long time readers, it offers both satisfaction and the promise of closure. For listeners, Longworth’s superb performance makes it an experience that is as immersive as it is moving.

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Review: Dead Lions

Dead Lions, the second instalment in Mick Herron’s acclaimed Slough House series, deepens both the emotional stakes and the satirical bite introduced in Slow Horses. Herron takes what could have been a straightforward espionage caper and turns it into something far richer: a tense, darkly funny, and unexpectedly moving exploration of loyalty, failure, and institutional neglect.

The novel begins with what appears to be a natural death—an old Cold War operative found dead on a bus. But in Herron’s hands, nothing is ever that simple. The plot that unfolds is, on the surface, almost implausible in its complexity: dormant Russian sleeper agents, bureaucratic cover-ups, and interdepartmental manoeuvring that border on farce. Yet it all feels oddly believable. Herron grounds the high-stakes intrigue in painstaking procedural detail and, more importantly, in character. However unlikely the wider conspiracy may seem, the human motivations driving it—career preservation, pride, fear, resentment—are entirely convincing.

That truly distinguishes Dead Lions is the realism of its characters. The disgraced agents of Slough House are not glamorous operatives but bruised professionals nursing past mistakes. Their reactions to stress feel painfully authentic: frayed tempers, flashes of pettiness, gallows humour, and moments of genuine courage emerging almost in spite of themselves. When one of their own dies, the response is neither melodramatic nor stoically heroic. Instead, Herron shows grief in awkward silences, misdirected anger, and a stubborn determination to uncover the truth. The emotional fallout reverberates through the team, lending the narrative weight and texture. These are people who feel the cost of their work.

Central to the audiobook’s success is the superb narration by Sean Barrett. Barrett’s performance captures Herron’s tonal balancing act perfectly. His rendering of Jackson Lamb is a particular triumph, by turns slovenly, sardonic, and razor-sharp, while the other members of Slough House are given distinct, lived-in voices. Barrett excels at conveying subtext; a slight pause or change in cadence suggests volumes about a character’s internal state. During moments of tension or grief, he resists overstatement, allowing the emotional truth of the scene to emerge naturally. The result is an immersive listening experience that heightens both the humour and the pathos.

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