Excited to see your Malazan journey. I’ve taken the pacing myself through them and I like that I have Canticle for Lebowitz is something that keeps showing up for me in something I need to read
@@Chance.Dillon I mean Canticle is a pretty short read so if there’s a month coming up you’d want to read it at the same time, let me know! (And if not that’s fine too. Haha)
In the bound and the broken the first book feels a lot like reading eye of the world to me, to the point where it gets a little distracting and takes away from the experience. The second book flips this entirely on its head and from that point on the series is completely its own thing and truly one of the greatest fantasy epics ever written provided it stays on course, which I have high hopes it shall
I literally just read A Canticle for Liebowitz this year (After hearing about it from Ruocchio) it’s now in my top ten. Also, we both plan on starting Long Sun next year!!! Lets goo!!!
I'm currently finishing up The Fall of Hyperion (book two) and while I'm still quite enjoying the series, Hyperion can be treated as a fantastic stand-alone book. Highly recommend!
Love hearing you talk about books man! I need to check out some Bujold as well (especially being a massive Suneater fan!) If you’re looking to read Malazan with a group, we are doing a 15 month readalong on my discord starting in January, would love to have you 😊
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Malazan. I had no interest in it for a long time (I read one page and put it down), but the comparisons to Gene Wolfe that I've been hearing have piqued my interest. I can tell some of these picks come at the recommendation of Ruocchio, lol.
Excellent list! I’m also eager to read from Bujold. The Sarantine Mosaic was not my favorite Kay (based on 5 of his books I’ve read so far), but it has its moments. Happy reading!
Thanks Johanna! And the thing about Bujold is even though she’s written many many books, most of them are short enough to be fit in between longer reads. Personally that’s always a plus.
Hey hey, new subscriber here! Happy to have found your channel. This is quite the hefty list! I still need to read a lot of these authors, but am particularly excited to get to GGK. Best of luck!
Have you ever considered starting a discord for read alongs? I have a few of the same books on my TBR (Malazan, Canticle, Hyperion, etc). Might be kind of fun reading with a community!
I haven’t actively considered it. However I am a part of the Talking Story Discord and Allen’s from Library of Allenxandria. You can always find me there.
GGK! 🤩🙌 «Sailing to Sarantium» was my book of the year back in 2022: Crispin (while by all means a flawed man at best!) dealing with his loss and depression and find new inspiration, really struck a cord with me (as did the constant theme of GGK of keeping the flame of Civilization, Culture & Art alive), but I hear the majority favors book #2, «Lord of Emperors»! Excited to hear your thoughts on «Malazan», Vance (have only read his later «Lyonesse» Arthurian-adjacent Fantasy Trilogy), Simmons and Bujold! Continued series on my High Priority TBR List for 2025: «Doom of Destiny» (Sundered Nation #3) by Vaughn Roycroft (Epic/Historical Fantasy) «Book of Ash» by Mary Gentle (Alt-Historical Military Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance) The «Sun Eater» series by Christopher Ruocchio (Space opera) «The Nightingale & The Falcon» series by Stephen Aryan (Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia) The «Boudicca» Series by Manda Scott (Historical Fiction, about the famous Celtic Queen and her rebellion seeking revenge on the Romans) The «Gael Song» series by Shauna Lawless (Historical Fantasy set during the Viking Invasions of Ireland) The «Women of Troy» Series by Pat Barker (Retelling of the Iliad from the perspective of Achilles’ «War Bride» Briseis) High Priority TBR List as of now: The «Arthurian Tales» Trilogy by Giles Kristian (Arthurian Historical Fiction) The «Aspect-Emperor» series by R. Scott Bakker (Grimdark/Dark Epic Fantasy inspired by the Crusades, Silmarillion, Blood Meridian & Dune) «The Last King of Osten Ard» series (plus the standalone prequels) by Tad Williams (Epic Fantasy, sequel Trilogy to the «Memory, Sorrow & Thorn» Trilogy) The «Kane» stories by Karl Edward Wagner (S&S, Proto-Grimdark) The «Three Kingdoms Chronicles» Series by Baptiste Pinson Wu (Historical Fiction based on the Chinese Epic «Romance of the Three Kingdoms») «Hanuvar» series by Howard Andrew Jones (Heroic Fantasy/S&S, inspired by Hannibal Barca) The «Arthurian Saga» by Mary Stewart (Arthurian Fantasy) The «Reborn Empire» Series by Devin Madson (Epic/Dark Fantasy) The «Wolf Den» Trilogy by Elodie Harper (Historical Fiction set in Roman Pompeii)
@ I have only read book #1 «The Secret History», but have already ordered the rest of the 4-book series: The first book is a well-written and interesting read, that goes from being REALLY dark straight away in the alternative history mercenary story, to clearly having some fun with academia in the Meta-narrative of the «Scholar» discussing this «Lost Manuscript»! Given your affection for «Book of the New Sun» and «Sun Eater», I would definitely recommend it to you! 😃
Have you read Cage of Souls? I'm trying to power through it, but it seems a little bland to me. Love Hyperion. The third book is my favorite. Forgot about the long sun, thanks for the reminder.
@@iSamwise If I say anymore about it, I will ruin it for you. When you get there, you will know if you will re-visit this series in the future ever again.
I’m also aiming to start Malazan next year and will very much be taking AP’s advice. I was wondering whether you’ve read any of the Culture series? And if not, I recommend you checking it out some time.
@iSamwise Ahh haha yes, I talk about it at every opportunity. I would start with the Player of Games (book 2), and if you don't enjoy that at least give Player of Games a chance (Book 3). Phlebas is probably the weakest but better once you've read some of the other books.
Malazan is amazing. Don’t feel compelled to rush through it, but also don't wait TOO long between books.
Sounds good! I wonder how people did it having to wait a year plus in between books?
@iSamwise I waited 20 years after book 4 and had to start again from scratch!
Excited to see your Malazan journey. I’ve taken the pacing myself through them and I like that I have
Canticle for Lebowitz is something that keeps showing up for me in something I need to read
@@Chance.Dillon thanks Chance! Definitely hope to take my time!
@@Chance.Dillon I mean Canticle is a pretty short read so if there’s a month coming up you’d want to read it at the same time, let me know! (And if not that’s fine too. Haha)
In the bound and the broken the first book feels a lot like reading eye of the world to me, to the point where it gets a little distracting and takes away from the experience. The second book flips this entirely on its head and from that point on the series is completely its own thing and truly one of the greatest fantasy epics ever written provided it stays on course, which I have high hopes it shall
@@John-i2c That sounds great! Eye of the World I greatly enjoyed despite its flaws so I definitely don’t mind a remix of it.
I literally just read A Canticle for Liebowitz this year (After hearing about it from Ruocchio) it’s now in my top ten.
Also, we both plan on starting Long Sun next year!!! Lets goo!!!
@@NICKREADSFANTASY sounds great!!!!
I'm currently finishing up The Fall of Hyperion (book two) and while I'm still quite enjoying the series, Hyperion can be treated as a fantastic stand-alone book. Highly recommend!
Sweet. I’ll have to get to it soon!!
Love hearing you talk about books man! I need to check out some Bujold as well (especially being a massive Suneater fan!) If you’re looking to read Malazan with a group, we are doing a 15 month readalong on my discord starting in January, would love to have you 😊
@@Shelf-Esteem Oooh. I’ll definitely consider it! Thanks.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Malazan. I had no interest in it for a long time (I read one page and put it down), but the comparisons to Gene Wolfe that I've been hearing have piqued my interest.
I can tell some of these picks come at the recommendation of Ruocchio, lol.
Recommendations from Ruocchio?? Nooooooooo….absolutely not…..
Is it that obvious? Hahaha
Interesting list. There are a couple I haven't even heard of. Good luck exploring these new worlds.
Thanks Anitha!!!
Excellent list! I’m also eager to read from Bujold. The Sarantine Mosaic was not my favorite Kay (based on 5 of his books I’ve read so far), but it has its moments. Happy reading!
Thanks Johanna! And the thing about Bujold is even though she’s written many many books, most of them are short enough to be fit in between longer reads. Personally that’s always a plus.
Hey hey, new subscriber here! Happy to have found your channel.
This is quite the hefty list! I still need to read a lot of these authors, but am particularly excited to get to GGK. Best of luck!
Thank you very much! You’re very kind.
Have you ever considered starting a discord for read alongs? I have a few of the same books on my TBR (Malazan, Canticle, Hyperion, etc). Might be kind of fun reading with a community!
I haven’t actively considered it. However I am a part of the Talking Story Discord and Allen’s from Library of Allenxandria. You can always find me there.
GGK! 🤩🙌 «Sailing to Sarantium» was my book of the year back in 2022: Crispin (while by all means a flawed man at best!) dealing with his loss and depression and find new inspiration, really struck a cord with me (as did the constant theme of GGK of keeping the flame of Civilization, Culture & Art alive), but I hear the majority favors book #2, «Lord of Emperors»!
Excited to hear your thoughts on «Malazan», Vance (have only read his later «Lyonesse» Arthurian-adjacent Fantasy Trilogy), Simmons and Bujold!
Continued series on my High Priority TBR List for 2025:
«Doom of Destiny» (Sundered Nation #3) by Vaughn Roycroft (Epic/Historical Fantasy)
«Book of Ash» by Mary Gentle (Alt-Historical Military Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance)
The «Sun Eater» series by Christopher Ruocchio (Space opera)
«The Nightingale & The Falcon» series by Stephen Aryan (Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia)
The «Boudicca» Series by Manda Scott (Historical Fiction, about the famous Celtic Queen and her rebellion seeking revenge on the Romans)
The «Gael Song» series by Shauna Lawless (Historical Fantasy set during the Viking Invasions of Ireland)
The «Women of Troy» Series by Pat Barker (Retelling of the Iliad from the perspective of Achilles’ «War Bride» Briseis)
High Priority TBR List as of now:
The «Arthurian Tales» Trilogy by Giles Kristian (Arthurian Historical Fiction)
The «Aspect-Emperor» series by R. Scott Bakker (Grimdark/Dark Epic Fantasy inspired by the Crusades, Silmarillion, Blood Meridian & Dune)
«The Last King of Osten Ard» series (plus the standalone prequels) by Tad Williams (Epic Fantasy, sequel Trilogy to the «Memory, Sorrow & Thorn» Trilogy)
The «Kane» stories by Karl Edward Wagner (S&S, Proto-Grimdark)
The «Three Kingdoms Chronicles» Series by Baptiste Pinson Wu (Historical Fiction based on the Chinese Epic «Romance of the Three Kingdoms»)
«Hanuvar» series by Howard Andrew Jones (Heroic Fantasy/S&S, inspired by Hannibal Barca)
The «Arthurian Saga» by Mary Stewart (Arthurian Fantasy)
The «Reborn Empire» Series by Devin Madson (Epic/Dark Fantasy)
The «Wolf Den» Trilogy by Elodie Harper (Historical Fiction set in Roman Pompeii)
Wow that’s quite the list!! Haha. I’ve also heard good things about those Mary Gentle books. What have you thought of them?
@ I have only read book #1 «The Secret History», but have already ordered the rest of the 4-book series: The first book is a well-written and interesting read, that goes from being REALLY dark straight away in the alternative history mercenary story, to clearly having some fun with academia in the Meta-narrative of the «Scholar» discussing this «Lost Manuscript»! Given your affection for «Book of the New Sun» and «Sun Eater», I would definitely recommend it to you! 😃
Have you read Cage of Souls? I'm trying to power through it, but it seems a little bland to me. Love Hyperion. The third book is my favorite. Forgot about the long sun, thanks for the reminder.
@@Staylecrate I have not read Cage of Souls, but I think you’re the first I’ve heard to say the later Hyperion books are better than the first two.
@@iSamwise I've heard that before. I like the setup from the first 2 books setup really starts to come together.
The only thing I will mention about Lightbringer is book 4 has a reveal that eliminates re-read ability for the series. Book 5 is another topic lol
No kidding? Eliminates re-read ability? Well I’ve got to see this. I know the ending is pretty divisive and I can’t wait to see what I think of it.
@@iSamwise If I say anymore about it, I will ruin it for you. When you get there, you will know if you will re-visit this series in the future ever again.
@@civoreb ok thanks for being considerate about that!
I’m also aiming to start Malazan next year and will very much be taking AP’s advice. I was wondering whether you’ve read any of the Culture series? And if not, I recommend you checking it out some time.
I have not read The Culture. But since I’ve heard you highly recommend it before I will ask you, do I start with Consider Phlebas or Player of Games?
@iSamwise Ahh haha yes, I talk about it at every opportunity. I would start with the Player of Games (book 2), and if you don't enjoy that at least give Player of Games a chance (Book 3). Phlebas is probably the weakest but better once you've read some of the other books.
@ ok. That makes sense!!
Excellent list of authors and series. Also Brent Weeks is there
Hahaha. Fair enough!
think you would highly enjoy robin hobbs realm of the elderlings
@@sn00pryan I really should get too it one of these days
Also, just read dying earth this year as well.
Sweet!! What did you think?
@ not my favorite of all time, but very memorable. They stick in your mind.
🔥🔥🔥
@@margyadard965 🫡