Best Action Books January 2025

The Song Rising

Paige Mahoney’s world is crumbling. As Underqueen of the Mime Order, she faces mounting threats from all sides. The Scion regime tightens its grip on London, while a dangerous new technology threatens to expose clairvoyants everywhere. Torn between loyalty and survival, Paige must navigate treacherous alliances and confront her own demons. As she uncovers shocking secrets about her past, she realizes the fate of her people rests on her shoulders. Shannon’s vivid prose brings this dystopian world to life, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

The Mime Order

Paige Mahoney’s world is shattered when she’s thrust into the criminal underworld of Scion London. Forced to navigate a treacherous landscape of rival gangs and shadowy figures, she must use her rare clairvoyant abilities to survive. As she uncovers a sinister plot that threatens everything she holds dear, Paige finds herself torn between loyalty and love. Shannon’s gripping prose and intricate world-building had me on the edge of my seat, desperately turning pages late into the night. A thrilling blend of dystopian fantasy and urban grit that left me craving more.

The Bone Season

In a dystopian London, Paige Mahoney navigates a dangerous underworld as a dreamwalker, a rare clairvoyant hunted by the government. When she’s captured and thrust into a hidden city ruled by powerful beings, she discovers her own untapped abilities. As she unravels the city’s secrets, Paige forms unlikely alliances and faces heart-wrenching choices. I couldn’t put it down, staying up late to devour just one more chapter. Shannon’s vivid world-building and complex characters left me craving the next installment in this thrilling series.

The Burning God

Rin’s journey reaches its explosive finale in this heart-wrenching conclusion to R.F. Kuang’s epic fantasy trilogy. Haunted by the atrocities she’s committed, Rin grapples with her inner demons and the crushing weight of destiny. As war engulfs the land, alliances shift like sand, and ancient powers awaken, Rin must confront the ultimate question: How far will she go to save her people? Kuang’s masterful prose and unflinching exploration of power, colonialism, and morality will leave you breathless until the very last page.

The Dragon Republic

Rin’s world is shattered. Haunted by the atrocities she committed to save her people, she grapples with addiction and the weight of her actions. As civil war erupts, Rin finds herself caught between loyalty and survival. Kuang’s visceral prose plunges readers into a brutal, richly-imagined fantasy realm inspired by Chinese history. With complex characters and heart-wrenching choices, this sequel left me breathless. A masterful exploration of power, trauma, and the cost of victory.

The Poppy War

Rin, a war orphan from a backwater province, defies expectations by acing the Empire’s brutal military exam. Thrust into an elite academy, she discovers a gift for shamanism—a power that could change the course of history. As war looms and dark forces awaken, Rin must confront her own demons and make impossible choices. Kuang’s debut is a gripping tale of magic, warfare, and the cost of power, leaving readers breathless and haunted long after the final page.

All the Pretty Horses

Cormac McCarthy’s haunting tale follows young John Grady Cole as he flees Texas for Mexico in 1949. With his best friend, they embark on a perilous journey filled with wild horses, dangerous men, and a forbidden love. McCarthy’s sparse prose paints a vivid landscape of the dying American West, while exploring themes of innocence lost and the harsh realities of adulthood. I was captivated by the raw beauty and melancholy that permeates every page of this modern classic.

No Country for Old Men

Cormac McCarthy’s haunting masterpiece follows a deadly game of cat and mouse across the desolate Texan landscape. When Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, he sets in motion a chain of events that will change his life forever. Pursued by the relentless hitman Anton Chigurh, Moss must use all his wits to survive. Meanwhile, aging sheriff Ed Tom Bell grapples with the violence engulfing his once-peaceful county. A gripping meditation on fate, morality, and the changing face of America.

Blood Meridian

Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” is a haunting masterpiece that plunges readers into the brutal landscape of the American West. Through sparse yet poetic prose, McCarthy weaves a tale of unrelenting violence and moral ambiguity. The story follows a nameless teenager known only as “the kid” as he joins a gang of scalp hunters, led by the enigmatic and terrifying Judge Holden. It’s a visceral journey that left me questioning the nature of humanity and evil. Not for the faint of heart, but utterly unforgettable.

Shantaram

Shantaram is a mesmerizing journey through the underbelly of Bombay, as seen through the eyes of Lin, an escaped Australian convict. Roberts’ vivid prose brings the city to life, with its teeming slums, colorful characters, and pulsing energy. I was captivated by Lin’s transformation from fugitive to slum doctor to gangster, feeling every triumph and heartbreak along the way. This epic tale of love, redemption, and self-discovery left me pondering the nature of good and evil long after I turned the final page.