
Member Reviews

Thank you, Random House UK for the advance copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. As always, it's been a pleasure.
Man. From the very first chapter, this story had me. Barreling forward at a relentless pace, it pulled me through hidden rooms, deadly quests, and eerie moments that felt both wondrous and deeply unsettling. Brown immersed me in his shadowy world of dark magic, reluctant heroes, ruthless violence, and surprising romance without an ounce of remorse or apology. It was glorious.
The Society of Unknowable Objects is a race to save the world from the catastrophic misuse of magical artifacts. The adventure is exciting and, at times, downright terrifying. Some aspects vaguely reminded me of The Da Vinci Code, but without the heavy handed religious angles and a crafted, clever blend of arcane mystery and modern stakes that felt sharper and far more original.
As a huge fan of The Book of Doors, I was thrilled to find subtle ties here. While this isn’t a direct continuation, it brushes up against the edges in a way that expands the universe beautifully, adding layers that make both books more satisfying.
All together, this is an exhilarating, darkly enchanting novel that once again proves Brown is a master at weaving tales of intrigue and human emotion. Highly recommend for anyone craving a fast paced, intelligent adventure with a lot of magical action, angst, and heart.

Please see link for full review. This review has been written for book sales and recommendation site LoveReading and it has been chosen as a Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month.

The Society of Unknowable Objects follows the story of Magda, a member of the society since her mother’s death. They collect magical objects to keep the world safe, but soon Magda realises she hasn’t been told the truth and she is plunged into a series of dangerous situations and has to take desperate measures to keep not only her loved ones safe, but the whole world too.
I really enjoyed this book. The beginning seems a little slow but there’s enough intrigue to pull you in, and things soon speed up. Gareth Brown has a talent for bringing the world to life and keeps the action and revelations going marvellously. The way the relationships between the main characters are explored is also very well done, from frustrations with loved ones to a light smattering of romance.
The different ways magic can be used through the unknowable objects was fascinating, and I especially loved how one of the objects that creates something that should be beautiful was warped into something sinister and vicious.
From the epilogue, I’m assuming we’ll see more of Magda and her gang in the future, along with some familiar faces from The Book of Doors, so I’m looking forward to the next book!
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Gareth Brown's ability to create fantastical worlds. The Book of Doors blew me anyway so I had high hopes for this one, and I was not disappointed. The concept is original and fun, the characters are entirely believable - I loved Magda in particular, and there's a lovely nod to the Book of Doors towards the end.

Thank-you to NetGalleyUK and the publisher for a free eARC in return for an honest review.
I went into this with such high hopes. The Book of Doors was one of my favourite NetGalley finds from last year. The set up for the Society of Unknowable Objects was so good! And yet...
I read more fantasy than every other genre, and I always feel silly saying that I struggled with suspension of disbelief. Why can I believe in flying and magic and alternate realities, but struggle with human motivation or characters that just seem a bit one-sided?
I also struggled with the pacing with this. I found that for the first half of the book I was really dragging my heels, and only reading a few pages each night before I decided it was time to sleep. Once the pace picked up in the middle I was really enjoying it, and would have gone up to 4 stars, but the ending was a bit anti-climactic and lost me.

This book will have captured your imagination before you’ve even finished the prologue.
It promises adventure and intrigue and doesn’t disappoint. It’s filled with interesting characters, and magic. Don’t be fooled though. This is not Hocus Pocus type magic. This magic is dark and dangerous in the wrong hands. Will it be possible to stop the danger and gain control of the magic? No guarantees because this is powerful and scary stuff!!
I could not put this book down I was so caught up as to how this would play out.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.

The Society of Unknowable Objects is a spellbinding meditation on mystery, memory, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. Brown’s prose hums with quiet power, drawing readers into a world where the strange feels just barely out of reach and yet intimately familiar. The result is a story that blends atmospheric tension with philosophical depth, inviting readers to linger on every page.
The writing is immersive and evocative, effortlessly merging the mundane with the magical. There is a sense of movement beneath the surface—a feeling that the story is part of something larger, older, and beautifully unknowable. At its heart is a protagonist whose journey becomes a mirror for the reader’s own questioning: how much can we know, and what do we lose when we try?
What makes this novel truly stand out is its tone—measured, intelligent, and unafraid to ask difficult questions. The pacing is balanced, giving space for introspection without ever losing momentum. Themes of secrecy, power, and self-understanding unfold through a narrative that is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually curious.
For readers drawn to speculative fiction with a lyrical, literary edge, The Society of Unknowable Objects offers a compelling and quietly haunting experience. It is a story that rewards attention, and one that will stay with you long after you close the book.

Gareth Brown is a wonderful writer. That’s two five star reads in a row I’ve had from him. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This exists alongside The Book of Doors but you don’t need to read them in order as they are standalones. I’m glad I did though as there were a couple of small references in this book that I was pleased to recognise.
This is fantasy rooted in the real world. It focuses on objects that can be infused with a magical power. Objects are mundane, a chess piece, a coin, a note book, but they can be extremely powerful. They can be hard to recognise unless you know what you’re looking for. A society exists to make sure they don’t fall into the wrong hands, and that’s where we find our characters. I loved the way this leaned into ‘what if?’ The world is very recognisable and there was something so mesmerising in the way it just infused a little bit of believable magic. I was enthralled.
This book has a darkness to it too. There’s a significant villainous presence and an exploration of how power can be exploited in the wrong hands and do great harm. The characters are facing something unexpected and secrets will be exposed as a result. The reveals were very well done in this book and the pacing was excellent.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I look forward to the author’s next book!

Soooo close to a full 4 stars.
The Society of Unknowable Objects is the second novel by Gareth Brown who wrote the wonderful The Book of Doors which I read last month.
TSOUO is very similar to Brown's previous novel, and possibly, I would have rated this book a bit higher if I hadn't read his previous book so recently as they were almost mirrors of one another - there was the same set up, the same characters (and friend / support group) and similar villains too but I realise this is my issue and not the book's or the author's.
In TSOUO we follow Magda Sparks, a thriller writer who is also a member of said society who goes to Hong Kong on a quest to find an unknowable object and there she meets the lovely James Wei who is in possession of said object. Whilst there though, they are interrupted by someone who is also on a quest to obtain these objects and will stop at nothing to get them.
If you have read The Book of Doors, you will know Brown has an exceptional and very unique writing style (especially when it comes to descriptions and similes) - the number of quotes I highlighted reading this was frankly, ridiculous, and once again his writing truly shines.
TSOUO is pretty fast-paced with a great cast of characters and yet...for me, it didn't live up to The Book of Doors which honestly terrified me at times. Even though there are villain(s)? in this second book, I never felt truly scared and there was quite a lot of repetition concerning Magda's background / mother which I understand for sentimental reasons but sometimes it was all a bit too much. Likewise the "showdown" with the primary villain was a bit lacklustre as I wanted something more and thought they deserved a more "showy" end.
However, the other "antagonist" was very intriguing and I really enjoyed how Brown wrote about them and what the "reveal" was - I thought it was pretty ingenious and I liked how their story wrapped up (although I did think maybe indulging the characters' wishes would have been a kinder end). I also thought Henry's and James' "abilities" were fantastic and made for a fun, emotional and riveting read.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this and I think if you liked Brown's previous work, you will definitely like this.

The Book of Doors was a hard act to follow and this book doesn’t quite make the grade for me. Magda is an interesting character but the others don’t seem to develop as well as they could have been. The story is a bit repetitive and overly magical for me. And I don’t think that the romance was necessary. But a romance seems de rigeur in any book currently. The author certainly has a vivid imagination and writes an interesting story, but this one didn’t excite me enough to keep me reading past bedtime. With thanks for the e-ARC to read and review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I didn't realise that this was set in the same world as the authors first book when I requested it, and in the end I have a similar opinion that I did of that book. I liked but didn't love it, it is missing something (that I can't quite put my finger on) that would elevate it from ok to great, it all felt rather surface level and too fast paced to allow true immersion. My other niggle is that for a story about magic in the real world, I could not find bring myself to find certain parts of the story believable.

A light urban fantasy/magic realism story following a novelist, Magda Sparks, who is part of a small secret society sworn to protect and archive unknowable objects to prevent them from getting into the wrong hands. While retrieving a new object for the Society, it all goes wrong for someone, or a few, who know about the Society's existence and are coming for them. It explores greed in the way people hoard secrets, power, and material possessions, and seek companionship. It weighs the impact these unknowable objects have, and who can use them, and how to use them, and what ways are considered "good" or "bad".
Magda is a resilient, if not slightly naive, character who grows throughout the story as she is confronted up close with how marvellous and dangerous the objects are and gains a clearer vision of her role in the Society and what she wants to do as a part of it. The rest of the cast offer a balanced group dynamic with varying chemistry that makes you grin or groan when the whole cast interacts with each other (Henrietta, you're a star.) There's a (truly!) minor cute romance subplot involving the FMC, but it doesn't take over the story and doesn't have silly conflict.
A thrilling, charming story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK (Transworld Publishers | Bantam) for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I won't lie, I requested a copy of this book before I'd even read the synopsis. I had no idea what it was about, but I knew that I'd love it because of the author. Gareth Brown wrote one of my absolute favourite books - The Book of Doors. It was so impressive and I've been so looking forward to what he produced next.
This has adventure, secrets, lies, magic, a flirtation with some romance, lost friends, old friends and new friends, it's got danger and sadness, love and loss, and hope.
On reflection, I would say I enjoyed Book of Doors more. But I think that's because it was so new and fresh, but this is still a very enjoyable book.
It's full of fantasy and magic but it's rooted so deeply into reality that it almost becomes familiar.
I worried at first that there were too many characters and I'd get confused but he's written them so well, they're so full of depth, and they all play a key role in Magda's story, as well as their own.
There were a few different POVs in this book, which generally I like, but I found they didn't balance well. Magda is our protagonist, and then we have a couple of "baddies" who we hear from, but it's neither one thing or another. I would say you either have to have the main voice through most of it, with just a couple of entries from other characters, or you need to be one chapter for character A, the next for B, and the next for C, and repeat. This fell somewhere in between. It wasn't sparse, but nor was it consistent.
I found it got better as it went along and the final 30% or so is really exciting. I'd have just liked to to have been paced a bit better. At least the first half, if not more, is mostly conversation and explanation, and the excitement doesn't ramp up until near the end, so whilst I understand the need to lay down the foundations of the story, it would have been nice if the goings-on had come in a bit earlier.
It is it's own story and can be read on its own but there are hints that it's linked to The Book of Doors, and he does touch on the third book at the end, so I'm excited to see how this world comes together.

I loved The Book of Doors, Gareth Brown’s first book, so eagerly anticipated this one.
Again he creates a world of mystery hiding inside our “real” world, but this felt more like a thriller than a fantasy book.
The Society consists of four people dedicated to retrieving magical objects, and ensuring that they are not used in evil ways.
When Magda becomes a member following the death of her mother, and is sent to Hong Kong to retrieve an item, we quickly learn that not all magical items are hidden away, and the members have their own secret powers.
A ruthless mercenary, and a man who will do anything to possess a magical items provide the jeopardy, and the confrontations between them and the society members are much darker and gritty than I anticipated, hence the different feel.
The end of the book implied that there is more to come in this magical world, which is good news.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved the author's first book so I was very intrigued about the story of The Society of Unknowable Objects. Some great characters, brilliant world building and some dark, chilling moments kept me hooked. I love the idea of the magical objects and their reason for existing (no spoilers!) The scene setting was so good too,; I loved the bookshop they meet in, Magda's cosy house and the descriptive landscapes as they visit different parts of the world. Can't wait to see where he'll take his readers next.
Thanks to the publishers for my e-copy and to Gareth for sending me a signed proof!

I adored this so much. The link with The Book of Doors is subtle yet so fulfilling and satisfying. This world that Gareth Brown has built is vast and the fantasy adventures he is taking his readers on has been nothing short of five stars. Seriously an author to keep looking forward to new releases from. If you have read The Book of Doors and enjoyed it, you will love this. If you love urban fantasy adventure, you will love this.

A really interesting idea, but reads far more like a young adult book. Needed much more fleshing out for me.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an arc of one of my most anticipated reads. I very much enjoyed this, it was the perfect blend of fantasy and adventure, and I loved the mysticism around the ‘unknowable objects’ the book reminded me a little of the TV series - Warehouse 13. It was incredibly well written, I loved the characters, and it just felt like a really lovely, easy read. If you like high stakes, fantasy adventure books, you will absolutely adore this.

I would not say that I am a fantasy reader, however, I enjoy books that have elements of magic such as Jodi Taylor or Ben Aaronovitch. This book was really enjoyable, an original story with characters that I cared about, which is always good in my opinion. The book is set in the real world in current times, but everything is not as it seems. A very thrilling book and I will definitely seek out the author's previous book. Footnote: I found myself wondering which of the magical objects I would like to have to use and I still haven't decided.

I absolutely loved the first book of Gareth Brown's and this one has a very similar premise but with another different group of people. There is a cameo of a character from the first book too and you can see how both of these can become intertwined in future books.
The cast of characters certainly does the rounds, we have a secretive grump, an uptight introvert, a free spirit, an unabashed classy lady of dubious pursuits a noodle loving stud and not one but two villains, each with their own levels and motives.
Along with the characters we have themes ranging from the morally grey, power vs protection, murder, special powers and of course unknowable objects. We see people walking through walls, surviving death multiple times and flying from one country to the next with a horrible windburn... You'll understand all when you read it!
It (as Gareth says) is so hard to write a second novel, especially since the first one was so awesome. I found myself not loving this as much as the first one but in no means would rate it lower that a 4.5 stars as it was still very good!
Still beautifully written and extremely magical!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC of this book, I loved it!