For underrated booktubers, you are hands down number 1. Even though you gained near 4000 in no time you still deserve many many more viewers. He’s almost hour long videos are a delight and I learned of a couple series from this. I read both books in the five warrior angels series and couldn’t agree more both books were perfect!
The Black Company is amazing. The characters are fantastic, the action is very true to life for anyone who has been in a scrap, and the magic is both mysterious and very impacts the world in a logical way
Plenty of great series on this list! Glad you loved The Band that much, too. The series used to be talked about much more in 2017-2019, but I think with the lack of book 3 the series has not been recommended or talked as much as before, which i think is a shame. For me, as time passes by, this is one of the series thst just keep getting better and better to me with each remembrance, and I haven't even reread the series! I shall fix that ASAP. Also, agree so mcuh regarding Five Warrior Angels!!!
Yeah I honestly can't stop thinking about Kings of the Wyld even though I finished it weeks ago, it's one of those series that is just going to stay stuck up there - which is a wonderful feeling. Crazy that we both released Five Warrior Angels praise on the same day!
The Black Company must be my most beloved find. They way that the narrator changes gives you so much more perspective into the characters, how they change and, most importantly, how other people perceive them. I also love how Glen Cook narrates massive conflicts from a point of view of few key characters. It written in a way that you are in awe every time the focus changes and you are reminded that in a particular skirmish there are tens of thousands of combatants. I would wholeheartedly recommend the series to anyone interested in fantasy!
I used to loan the original three book omnibus version to all my co-workers. They all loved it. (Some of the later sequels less so.) It fell apart finally, rip!
The fact that if a narrator is limited in their knowledge, the reader is limited as well. If THEY are lied to, then WE are lied to. If THEY believe a rumor then WE believe the rumor. Love it!
@@michaelrondon5472 Strongly recommend reading it- the Audiobook feels like an afterthought, its a terrible struggle to get through. It has a solid start, but it only really becomes a "Masterpiece" by volume 3 or so.
Same! It’s about time! The most fluid and believable character growth and development I’ve ever seen in a story, mainly because of when you have a series that is like 14 times the length of the LOTR trilogy and counting you have room for organic growth lol
I love The Wandering Inn. I actually found your channel because I was looking for a review of the first book after my brother in law recommended it to me. Since then I have been flying through these books, just finished the 4th one a couple days ago. The story is just perfect for me, I love progression, I love low stakes cozy vibes with the occasional high stakes thrill and absolutely love the world pirateaba has created. It's also such an easy read as someone who gets lost and loses attention easily like I tend to do. I can't recommend the series enough to people if they have the time to read it haha.
This is great! Used to be you could read everything. Series like The Black Company I’ve read and re-read over the years, partially because there just wasn’t that much competition. Nowadays, though, something’s wrong with ratings systems. There’s a lot more out there but more importantly the highest rated books often are NOT the best writing. (I’ve simply given up on NK Jemison, for instance.) I’m going to pick this one (Inn) and Durfee’s books (#1 recommendation) to test this list, but regardless, thanks for the new suggestions. 🙂
I adore The Wandering Inn. I've been listening to the audiobooks while I work, and they've been great. Erin is a fantastic protagonist, and I love all the bizarre characters. The relationships between the characters are great, from the chaotic sibling energy of the Horns of Hammerad, to Halrac being a grumpy dad, to Mrsha being the most little kid-esque little kid in anything, to Erin and Ryoka's wonderful dynamic. I appreciate that the story puts actual focus on the act of killing and how it effects someone that's never killed or how the goblins evolve into a complex and sympathetic race of people that are more the monsters people treat them as. I enjoy the chapters that focus on other Earthers like Geneva Scala, the Last Light of Boleros or Laken Godart the Emperor of the Unseen. I love Erin's wacky antics and firm resolve to do what she knows is right, no matter how much trouble it brings her. And most recently I've enjoyed learning more about the infamous Goblin Lord the stories spent so much time building up to. It's such a good series and really deserves more love.
At this point Matt, I would like to say your videos have been a real enjoyment for me man. Every single one is packed with information and passion for the craft of writing and storytelling. I wish one day, when I finally finish my book, it would be reviewed by you. Keep up the amazing work!
Its a crime that Brian’s books aren’t more mainstream in the fantasy community. Not only is he a very charming person but his books just show how much fun he truly had writing them, I cannot recommend the five warrior angels enough!
I will tell you what is going on. Shitty publishers combined with putting politics both external and internal (in the books themselves), is, in my opinion, causing fantasy and scifi works to be touted as better than they really are. Its like a "backwarding" of authorship/publishing.
I reed Terry Pratchett, Robin Hobb and Robert Jordan growing up. Then my love for reading died off for over 15 years. I just recently started reading again, I'm going all in! I'm following all the big book tubers to get recommendations, and you Sir just added alot of series to my tbr! Btw as said in another comment, you are the most underrated book tuber. Your videos are insightful, entertaining and all over awesome! Keep up the good work! Love from Sweden!
Couldn't agree more about The Band. I just finished Bloody Rose. Both books are so funny, and the touching / heartbreaking parts tear you to pieces. You will fall in love with about a dozen different characters. Fun fun fun.
Glad to see Brian Lee Durfee on the list. I met him a handful of years ago at a writer's convention and he seemed like a good dude but I didn't know anything about his writing. A couple years later I see The Forgetting Moon getting really positive reviews and it was cool to see.
The Wandering Inn is one of the most underrated series for sure. I’ve never seen it mentioned by anyone in the fantasy groups I’m in on FB. But it’s incredible!
First I want to thank you for the depth of detail about each series and the time you've devoted to them. I've been reading for quite a long time and each year it gets harder to find a series to immerse myself into or to see a list that closely matches my taste so well, so thanks so much! With this list I can pick and choose series that best match moods and hungers as they change. If I may add one small piece of advice, as one experiencing ADD for many years, I find myself drifting and have to refocus on your analysis. I almost feel as though having the book in a corner of the screen throughout most of each review would give the listener a focal point and to more successfully embed the series name and author, thereby entwining completely, all of the data. Or, not heh. Maybe Just the perception of someone with a different perspective perhaps. But ultimately, a great list and review of each!
Jeff, you aren't the first person to mention that - and I appreciate the feedback. I like the idea of scrolling some artwork, but I'm going to toy with this and try to always keep the picture of the book on the side whenever the artwork isn't visible. Thank you!
Totally agree about Of Blood and Bone. John Gwynne focused on fewer characters which really improved my enjoyment of his writing. Also his animal companionship material is just top-notch. Just ask Craf. He'll tell you.
Bro to remember only 6 months ago and see the video quality from then to now is awesome. Video quality, length, and content all on the up. Day 1 right here Matt!
Putting The Band into my TBR list. Love love love John Gwynne! Want to read his 3rd trilogy next year. I trust that he will get that third book out. Love love love Tide Child too! Just finished the last book and was not disappointed in the least. Go read it!! 🙂
I can’t believe I’m just now finding your channel within the last month. I’ve watched several videos now. I must say I appreciate your opinions, they really seem to line up with my own. You really don’t beat around the bush, you cut right to the chase to give an unbiased opinion. I will continue watching, thank you for the amazing content brother. 👏🏼
I really appreciate lists like this. More often than not I really enjoy underrated things. And it says something that Kings of the wild and Black company are on my TBR self. And The forgotten moon is in my library TBR! Thank you for the recommendations!
You’re Dead On!!!! The Five Warrior Angels is an incredible series thus far. Can’t wait for The Lonesome Crown!!! Definitely one of my favorite series.
I just want to say that you are now one of my favourite bookTubers on the platform. I love your straightforward and honest opinions. Keep being awesome! :)
One of the issues i found living in the UK was getting your hands on a copy of the 1st book The Forgetting Moon, as most if not all UK bookstores don't sell it and its not even available from new on amazon atm
Hi Matt, thanks for making this video and having such a detailed list for these books! It's really refreshing to hear your information and thoughts on these series, and I'll have to dive into some of these myself!
Awesome list. I would love a top 10 list for fantasy books with just one point of view. I love reading multiple point of views, but at times it gets a little draining lol
Just discovered your channel and I have to say I absolutely adore the way you talk about books!! You make me want to read every single one of them! Your passion really shines through :)
Just found your channel just few days ago…your reviews must say make you think and agree with a lot of them and some books I never heard of .glad to heard about them also ..thank you for your channel
LOVE this list. Really appreciate it. I'm starting Forgetting Moon tomorrow. This put me over the edge. Wanna catch up before #3 comes out. I was torn between this and Shadow of the Gods for next read but your video got me on the Brian train!
You need to read all the books for WanderingInn man, I promise you, all the things you have mentioned as good/great are simply tiny parts of what makes this series absolutely amazing. Please do read them all and make another video on it! I bet you won't be able stop raving about it. I know I can't XD
Yeah I'm going to - I just read so many series that it takes a while for me to circle back around each book series I'm reading. I'm reading book 3 as my next book actually, and should get the review up around 11/1.
A couple underrated series that no one talks about that I've been trying to get everyone to read are Michael Wisehart's series "The Aldoran Chronicles" and Edward W. Robertson's "The Cycle of Arawn" and "The Cycle of Galand." These books need way more attention!!!
I'm finishing up my forgetting moon read thru right now, and will read blackest heart in time for the lonesome crown in late November. He is the unsung hero of fantasy right now. That being said, durfeee is an amazing dude. I'm just super bummed out about his eyesight going downhill so quickly so we likely won't get many more books by him unless he can figure out a work around, perhaps dictating or something. I don't know, but I hope we keep getting more stories from him for a long long time, because he's incredibly gifted
I get most of my fiction from Audible these days, and I listened to Black Company some months ago. It is well done, and Cook cares about his characters, and has interesting plot ideas. I am glad I listened to it (like Malazan), but I feel no urge to go beyond the first book (also like Malazan).
I've had the Drenai series recommended to me more than any other series, and I'm super excited because I'm going to be starting it up early 2023! I can't wati!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews his style is the opposite of Erickson, Tolkien, Jordan, etc. it’s almost pulp fiction but he let us, the readers fill in the gaps and created great characters like Druss & Waylander. Damn good yarns.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I have not read any of his. I’ve read a lot in my years but there are authors I’ve not even heard of let alone read. The important thing to remember is enjoy the ones you love, keep the bad ones to a minimum and accept you are going to miss some because of the plethora out there.
Like some other comments here, Im super glad to hear Wandering Inn brought up. Ive managed to keep up with the latest chapters after catching up to it two years ago and it has just been an unending weekly source of fun for me. It is unfortunate that the length often turns new readers away or is used in criticism related to how writing more isn't better. However, I've found that pirateaba has really been able to take advantage of the uncapped nature of web serials to really expand upon her world to a depth that simply can't be matched by the limited length of traditionally published novels. For those who really like getting lost in fantasy worlds, there is nothing better and you have a lot to look forward to! Looking forward to more reviews!
Just found you and enjoying your videos so far! Glad to hear the Malazan series is your favorite, it's mine as well and you don't hear or see that often for some reason.
my most underrated novel (in the west) is lord of Mysteries. sadly its only a Web novel but its a Masterpiece with so much thought behind it and my Favorit world building. it has a Word count of 2,7 Million words. it will get a part 2 in march but with a different main cast, exploring different parts of the world
Brent Week is an underrated author. I love the magic in the Lightbringer series. I agree with you on the ending. Loved the series from beginning to end!
I ordered The Bone Ships two days ago! It's even translated to german.. crazy. We often get the not so well known translated while we have to wait 100 years for popular books. 😂 I'm soo excited for finally reading pirate fantasy 😍 Honestly I just added all of the books to my wishlist, except the ones I already read. I LOVE Kings of the Wyld!
"Croaker, there are strangers on the plain!" Glen Cook's Black Company series is totally awesome. The Books of the South tend to be a little dry and slow but interesting. The pace picks up again in Glittering Stone. The ending is 100% totally unexpected.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Check out his review on Redwall -- he just freaks out about the scaling of wagons and such not knowing if they're mouse sized or real sized. It's hilarious!
Thank you mat for recommending such amazing fantasy book series . Powder mage has been in my TBR for long time , thank you for recommending such amazing big list . Looking forward to readindg malazan series as well
Powder Mage trilogy is what seriously got me into reading, also first books I ever got with my own money, read them like 3 or 4 times already. While it could do some things little better I have never read a series that would grip me so hard from the first chapter. Amazing stuff.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I liked the first book in it a lot but, I've not read whole trilogy yet, It's waiting on the shelf for me to end my looooong journey with Wheel of Time.
@@AvanToor well, the moral fiber of the characters of The Black Company (TBC) is on average much worse than the moral fiber of Covenant was (i only ever read book 1 and i don't plan on picking up book 2). That all being said, while TBC is pretty upfront that most of their members are pretty mean and nasty people the books also don't follow the lives of the Company members, it follows Croaker and a few of the people he found important to mention in the Annals. It is important to note that Croaker and the other Annalists later on are unreliable narrators and at times are actively lying to the reader in the name of operational security (you are essentially reading the daily Notes of Stuff We Did Today turned into a novel) What you will see in TBC is the core of the malazan marines, their dark humor and how they managed to continue on despite everything.
A few older series that were just awesome: The Riddle Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip The Iron Tower trilogy by Dennis L McKiernan and The Silver Call Duology also by McKiernan.. (The closest thing to Tolkien that I have ever read) The Loremasters of Elundium by Mike Jefferies
I was just playing what ever rolled up on booktube and did not know this was a year ago 🤪 Great list 🙌🏼 -Elder Empire -The Graven (sci-fantasy) -Dragons of Terra
Just finished Powder Mage trilogy and loved it. Still need to read Black Company as Erikson has said it was an inspiration for Malazan, which is my favourite series.
The Old Kingdom Series and the Keys to the Kingdom Series by Garth Nix are amazing. I’m not sure if you’ve checked them out but they have such unique worlds and magic systems. The Old Kingdom is my favourite series of all time. Well worth a read and super underrated. Great list by the way.
It's refreshing to hear someone else talk about Lightbringer and not completely trash it. I had such a great reading experience, and I didn't have an issue with the ending at all.
Agreed, it’s very different from Dresden files and really good. Unfortunately it’s complete, but I felt left too much hanging so doesn’t feel it. Seems set up for a sequel series but there won’t be one.
Oh God yes! Funny enough, that series is what convinced me to give The Dresden Files a chance. I must say, I enjoyed that series way more than I have Dresden so far (though I do like Dresden in spite of it being first person and therefore thoroughly inferior as a work of fiction.)
A good way to explain the wandering inn for people who watch anime is it's basically an isekai(reborn in another world) it also follows how most manga and anome work as well with the whole "arcs" thing which is very very anime/eastern
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I dont know what I would do if he ever fixed his camera focusing issue or changed his intro. Well I guess we will see how book three feels when he amends it onto the intro in a few months.
Faithful and the Fallen is debatably my favorite fantasy series of all time, but you're totally right! For some reason I still haven't read Of Blood and Bone!
Great video. Matt. I love your rating explanations and your passion. This is probably the right place to ask, have you read the Deed of Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon? I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Your TBR must be huge so I'm going to do a little pitch for this trilogy. :-) Having now watched many of your reviews I think this is why YOU will like it. 1. Excellent battle scenes and tactics. The author is a history major and served in the US Marine Corps. She clearly has an interest in historical warfare. I'm reading John Gwynne now and am reminded of the way Elizabeth Moon wrote battles. 2. A slow burn. The first novel, Sheepfamers Daughter, largely follows a military campaign. The fantastical elements are mainly in the background slowly building. It pays off well and they come to the foreground in books 2 and 3. 3. Well-written characters. In many ways, Paks is the classic fantasy hero and could have been boring except she is well-written and different enough to be refreshing. We, the reader, get a feel for where she may go eventually but she doesn't see it and her path is anything but straightforward. I had tears in a couple of places. I'd describe it as high fantasy, but I haven't seen a Paladin (not really a spoiler) written before, so that, with the character work and military detail made familiar tropes seem new and refreshed. It's no Malazaan but it's such a fun series to read and I keep going back to it. Keep up the great content!
I can’t wait for the last Five Warrior Angels. I love Brian Lee Durfee’s books and his RUclips reviews are fantastic. He cracks me up with the “we will edit this out” comments. When he has never edited any of his videos.😀😀😀
Really nice in depth reviews! One thing: If you use the 10 points system, I wouldn‘t use half points like 4,5. What‘s the benefit of this system then? If you want to make finer nuances better use the 100 system. Otherwise great YT channel!
Might have convinced me to pick A Promise of Blood back up. Does the prose itself get any denser as the series goes on? The Bone Ships (have only read the first) is for sure worthy of that high spot so far. Such a unique concept and the writing is strong.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I still might enjoy it just because the whole flintlock fantasy concept is so cool and the writing itself is solid enough just wasn't what I was looking for at that particular time. I already have The Call of The Bone Ships on audio, will definitely be getting to it soon.
I consider Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne extremely top tier fantasy and everyone 💩s on it now. So I feel you about Powder Mage. I haven’t read it yet but I still plan to and I think I’m going to love it. Same with Brent Weeks. I love Night Angel and nobody does, plan to read Light Bringer too.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews The Emperor’s Blades is the first one. Maybe that will be more familiar. Allen read it with his patreons maybe in the spring of this year and evidently everyone hated it. All the reviews before that though tended to be good. Brittney loves it a lot. Gwenna 🤌🤌🤌
Can I make a recommendation? You said you adore pirate fantasy, I really think you'd love the Ash and Sand trilogy. Petrik Leo is who I saw talking about it first. Such an incredible, underappreciated gem. Also happens to be self published.
Read the 5 warrior angels about 6 months ago when I came across his youtube channel, had never heard of them before that really looking forward to the next book next month.
It's kind of an older book now, but in these videos I never see Talian: Revenant. That book was the first fantasy book I've ever read. has it's issues, sure, but I don't what it is but I love books were people get put in factions. You have the main character growing up in a kingdom where the youth are separated and some become foot soldiers, cavalry, archers, griffin riders who fly, and each one has it's own distinct culture. Then you add a last faction with the main character of 'justices' where they get schooled with all the factions and goes around playing judge dredd in a dungeons and dragons setting. freaking epic.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I think so, it’s a quick single book fun read, even if it isn’t the most awesome of books like many you’ve reviewed. I think you would get a kick out of it. I’ve always rated it as my favorite underrated book.
Im currently reading the Powder Mages trilogy. at the moment finishing the second book. Easily my favorite books of the last 5 years. Amazing worldbuilding, complex and intelligently written characters, a plot that gets you stuck to the pages... The trilogy is a 10
The Black Company has been with me since the 80s. As is so common with Black Company fanatics I'm retired military. Cook got so much right. If your 1 star book is Port of Shadows, nobody really counts that as part of the series. I'm quite sure Cook wrote that as he did to get the publisher off his ass and to give everyone the middle finger for making him write it. Cook can be a bit surly. I'd dislike him but TBC is just so damned good!
I know it's a sort of "founding pillar" of modern fantasy, but I can't help feeling as though The Earthsea Cycle isn't talked about enough these days. The first book, A Wizard of Earthsea, was written as a stand-alone and can be read as such. The small page count doesn't hold it back from being epic, personal, magical, and climactic all at once. It's honestly staggering how much ground Le Guin covered in such a short book. She's a fantasy legend, in my opinion.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I read it at 21 and loved it. If anything, the series is more suitable for adults than it is children. I've heard that some people have trouble with the writing style (I think it's beautiful, it reads like a legend) and things get dark in book 2. Neither of which will be a problem for a Malazan fan. I think it's good for anyone at any point their fantasy journey, it's just a good read for anyone looking for an epic, magical tale. I remember reading the last line of the first book and immediately feeling nostalgic for everything I'd just experienced, despite never having read it before.
Deeply soulful book. I agree that it has value for readers of any age, in much the same way that Taran Wanderer or Siddhartha do, despite their simple language and short length.
Just gone to Audible for the Five Warrior Angels. First 3 are free with subscription at the moment. Downloaded and will listen when I finish Book 12 of TWI (which I love!)
I've somehow ended up on your channel after just finishing Mother of Learning, and now I'm gonna take your recommendation to read The Wandering Inn absolutely totally blind. I actually paused when you were about to go over the synopsis. Just for having read Mother of Learning and your respect for it just tells me you're really into good web serials. I'm sure you have a billion books to read, may I recommend a way-out-of-the-way fantasy series? It's a light novel series called Ascendance of a Bookworm, and is probably unlike most things you talk about. Anyway, just throwing it out there just in case you decide to read this rogue comment.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Hi Matt, I'm currently on Volume 4 Chapter 18 of the Wandering Inn and I'm LOVING it! I'm absolutely eating this series up - and I didn't realize before just how long it actually is! (Or the fact that it's still coming out!) Quick notes on the series so far: "Pisces sniffed" NEVER fails to make me laugh. Mrsha's cuteness is actually palpable through text. Laken's character being basically inspired by Emperor Norton is PHENOMENAL in the scope of the world, it's just goofy enough to work with the jank class/level system. Toren, at the point in my story, becoming a trans-skeleton mid-paragraph while finding a sense of style was actually super fucking funny and ridiculously natural even after his rampant murder hobo arc. The world feels vast and expansive, and I can't wait to see what world-bending nonsense this series devolves into. Other note - coming back to the series I recommended, Ascendance of a Bookworm - Erin Solstice is REALLY similar to Myne, the main character of AoaB. They're both impulsive gremlins who introduce new things and inventions that shake the world around them, they're both portal-fantasied/isekai'd into ridiculous circumstances, and they both build relationships with the people and community around them to reshape the world. They're both paragons of change that actually FEEL special, all while pursuing their own goals in their own way. I'll check back in when I'm caught up to the most recent release on the web serialization. Have a good one, Matt, and thank you so much for making content recommending this series.
Well, several of these are on my list. I went to start the John Gwynne series and planned to read both series but I decided I wasn't in the mood for such a big commitment so I read a stand a lone then started Gardens of the Moon, because mood reader. Plan for Faithful and the Fallen to be my next epic fantasy series but I have to finish Malazan first, currently on Toll the Hounds. And you have convinced me to read the Esselmont books, I just have to track them down.
I'm straight up laughing here reading you say you didn't want such a big commitment so you started up Gardens of the Moon, and 11,000 page series! :) You are in for an absolute TREAT with Toll the Hounds. It has the greatest ending of any book in the history of written word. And yes, definitely track down the Esselmont books. Happy reading!
I would have to recommend "The Dwarfs" series by Markus Heitz. I found book 2 and 3 used in a dumpshop. Got addicted reading it and bought book 4 new and finished that one in a week or two. I will get book 1 and 5 soon. There is also book 6 and 7. But the story of the main protagonist's ends after the first 5. And will continue with a new generation of dwarfs after that.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Roc Steady (feat. Flo Milli) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HozPPyqW0dY/mqdefault.jpg)
For underrated booktubers, you are hands down number 1. Even though you gained near 4000 in no time you still deserve many many more viewers. He’s almost hour long videos are a delight and I learned of a couple series from this. I read both books in the five warrior angels series and couldn’t agree more both books were perfect!
Thanks so much, you are much too kind! :)
The Black Company is amazing. The characters are fantastic, the action is very true to life for anyone who has been in a scrap, and the magic is both mysterious and very impacts the world in a logical way
My favorite black companion character is catcher….
Plenty of great series on this list! Glad you loved The Band that much, too. The series used to be talked about much more in 2017-2019, but I think with the lack of book 3 the series has not been recommended or talked as much as before, which i think is a shame. For me, as time passes by, this is one of the series thst just keep getting better and better to me with each remembrance, and I haven't even reread the series! I shall fix that ASAP. Also, agree so mcuh regarding Five Warrior Angels!!!
Yeah I honestly can't stop thinking about Kings of the Wyld even though I finished it weeks ago, it's one of those series that is just going to stay stuck up there - which is a wonderful feeling.
Crazy that we both released Five Warrior Angels praise on the same day!
The Black Company must be my most beloved find. They way that the narrator changes gives you so much more perspective into the characters, how they change and, most importantly, how other people perceive them. I also love how Glen Cook narrates massive conflicts from a point of view of few key characters. It written in a way that you are in awe every time the focus changes and you are reminded that in a particular skirmish there are tens of thousands of combatants. I would wholeheartedly recommend the series to anyone interested in fantasy!
Very well said! I agree with every word you wrote here.
I used to loan the original three book omnibus version to all my co-workers. They all loved it. (Some of the later sequels less so.) It fell apart finally, rip!
Poor Limper!
The fact that if a narrator is limited in their knowledge, the reader is limited as well.
If THEY are lied to, then WE are lied to. If THEY believe a rumor then WE believe the rumor.
Love it!
I'm glad the Wanderung Inn is finally getting some love on Booktube😍
I hope more booktubers give it a chance, it's a very special series and I'm only a small fraction into it so far!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews
Wandering Inn is a struggle as an audiobook. I had to return it. Surprising to see it well loved. Ill have to give it another try.
@@michaelrondon5472 Strongly recommend reading it- the Audiobook feels like an afterthought, its a terrible struggle to get through. It has a solid start, but it only really becomes a "Masterpiece" by volume 3 or so.
Same! It’s about time! The most fluid and believable character growth and development I’ve ever seen in a story, mainly because of when you have a series that is like 14 times the length of the LOTR trilogy and counting you have room for organic growth lol
I love The Wandering Inn. I actually found your channel because I was looking for a review of the first book after my brother in law recommended it to me. Since then I have been flying through these books, just finished the 4th one a couple days ago. The story is just perfect for me, I love progression, I love low stakes cozy vibes with the occasional high stakes thrill and absolutely love the world pirateaba has created. It's also such an easy read as someone who gets lost and loses attention easily like I tend to do. I can't recommend the series enough to people if they have the time to read it haha.
That's how i found this channel also. I'm 5 books in and am in love with the series.
Very well stated on what makes this series great!
Wow you are a reading machine - those books are huge!
This is great! Used to be you could read everything. Series like The Black Company I’ve read and re-read over the years, partially because there just wasn’t that much competition.
Nowadays, though, something’s wrong with ratings systems. There’s a lot more out there but more importantly the highest rated books often are NOT the best writing. (I’ve simply given up on NK Jemison, for instance.)
I’m going to pick this one (Inn) and Durfee’s books (#1 recommendation) to test this list, but regardless, thanks for the new suggestions. 🙂
I adore The Wandering Inn. I've been listening to the audiobooks while I work, and they've been great. Erin is a fantastic protagonist, and I love all the bizarre characters. The relationships between the characters are great, from the chaotic sibling energy of the Horns of Hammerad, to Halrac being a grumpy dad, to Mrsha being the most little kid-esque little kid in anything, to Erin and Ryoka's wonderful dynamic. I appreciate that the story puts actual focus on the act of killing and how it effects someone that's never killed or how the goblins evolve into a complex and sympathetic race of people that are more the monsters people treat them as. I enjoy the chapters that focus on other Earthers like Geneva Scala, the Last Light of Boleros or Laken Godart the Emperor of the Unseen. I love Erin's wacky antics and firm resolve to do what she knows is right, no matter how much trouble it brings her. And most recently I've enjoyed learning more about the infamous Goblin Lord the stories spent so much time building up to. It's such a good series and really deserves more love.
So very, very well said! These thoughts really echo my own!
At this point Matt, I would like to say your videos have been a real enjoyment for me man. Every single one is packed with information and passion for the craft of writing and storytelling. I wish one day, when I finally finish my book, it would be reviewed by you. Keep up the amazing work!
Thanks so much - and send it my way when you are done :)
Its a crime that Brian’s books aren’t more mainstream in the fantasy community. Not only is he a very charming person but his books just show how much fun he truly had writing them, I cannot recommend the five warrior angels enough!
Hear hear!
I will tell you what is going on. Shitty publishers combined with putting politics both external and internal (in the books themselves), is, in my opinion, causing fantasy and scifi works to be touted as better than they really are. Its like a "backwarding" of authorship/publishing.
I reed Terry Pratchett, Robin Hobb and Robert Jordan growing up.
Then my love for reading died off for over 15 years.
I just recently started reading again, I'm going all in!
I'm following all the big book tubers to get recommendations, and you Sir just added alot of series to my tbr!
Btw as said in another comment, you are the most underrated book tuber.
Your videos are insightful, entertaining and all over awesome!
Keep up the good work!
Love from Sweden!
Thanks so much - you are too kind! Happy reading!
Couldn't agree more about The Band. I just finished Bloody Rose. Both books are so funny, and the touching / heartbreaking parts tear you to pieces. You will fall in love with about a dozen different characters. Fun fun fun.
1000% spot on!
Cool. I will share this on my social media tomorrow. And thanks!!!
Thank YOU for some dope books.
Powder Mage is one of my favourite of all time, as well as Lightbringer and Malazan is on a who other level of masterpiece
I love "The Five Warrior Angels." This series and "The Licanius Trilogy" are immensely entertaining, and grossly underrated.
Appreciate the minimal editing and honest takes.
You are most welcome! Thanks for the kind words.
Glad to see Brian Lee Durfee on the list. I met him a handful of years ago at a writer's convention and he seemed like a good dude but I didn't know anything about his writing. A couple years later I see The Forgetting Moon getting really positive reviews and it was cool to see.
The Wandering Inn is one of the most underrated series for sure. I’ve never seen it mentioned by anyone in the fantasy groups I’m in on FB. But it’s incredible!
First I want to thank you for the depth of detail about each series and the time you've devoted to them. I've been reading for quite a long time and each year it gets harder to find a series to immerse myself into or to see a list that closely matches my taste so well, so thanks so much! With this list I can pick and choose series that best match moods and hungers as they change. If I may add one small piece of advice, as one experiencing ADD for many years, I find myself drifting and have to refocus on your analysis. I almost feel as though having the book in a corner of the screen throughout most of each review would give the listener a focal point and to more successfully embed the series name and author, thereby entwining completely, all of the data. Or, not heh. Maybe Just the perception of someone with a different perspective perhaps. But ultimately, a great list and review of each!
Jeff, you aren't the first person to mention that - and I appreciate the feedback. I like the idea of scrolling some artwork, but I'm going to toy with this and try to always keep the picture of the book on the side whenever the artwork isn't visible. Thank you!
Totally agree about Of Blood and Bone. John Gwynne focused on fewer characters which really improved my enjoyment of his writing. Also his animal companionship material is just top-notch. Just ask Craf. He'll tell you.
Yeah I should have mentioned the animal companion aspect to the stories. They are really, really top notch!
Bro to remember only 6 months ago and see the video quality from then to now is awesome. Video quality, length, and content all on the up. Day 1 right here Matt!
Thanks so much Edwin - it's fun to go back and look at those early videos because they totally make me cringe! :)
Putting The Band into my TBR list. Love love love John Gwynne! Want to read his 3rd trilogy next year. I trust that he will get that third book out. Love love love Tide Child too! Just finished the last book and was not disappointed in the least. Go read it!! 🙂
The last Tide Child is on my December list - I can't wait to get to it!
I can’t believe I’m just now finding your channel within the last month. I’ve watched several videos now. I must say I appreciate your opinions, they really seem to line up with my own. You really don’t beat around the bush, you cut right to the chase to give an unbiased opinion. I will continue watching, thank you for the amazing content brother. 👏🏼
Thanks so much, that's so kind of you to say! Happy reading to you!
I really appreciate lists like this. More often than not I really enjoy underrated things. And it says something that Kings of the wild and Black company are on my TBR self. And The forgotten moon is in my library TBR! Thank you for the recommendations!
You’re Dead On!!!! The Five Warrior Angels is an incredible series thus far. Can’t wait for The Lonesome Crown!!! Definitely one of my favorite series.
Hear hear!
I just want to say that you are now one of my favourite bookTubers on the platform. I love your straightforward and honest opinions. Keep being awesome! :)
Thank you so much, you are too kind!
One of the issues i found living in the UK was getting your hands on a copy of the 1st book The Forgetting Moon, as most if not all UK bookstores don't sell it and its not even available from new on amazon atm
Time to pick up a kindle! :)
Hi Matt, thanks for making this video and having such a detailed list for these books! It's really refreshing to hear your information and thoughts on these series, and I'll have to dive into some of these myself!
Thanks so much!
Awesome list. I would love a top 10 list for fantasy books with just one point of view. I love reading multiple point of views, but at times it gets a little draining lol
Yeah...I just have to make sure I've read 10 books that are single POV! lol
Clearly this is a sign that I need to read 5 Warrior. It's been on my TBR forever and also Petrik released a video about it today too!!!
Yes, read it! The last book comes out late November.
I have officially ordered all three of Durfee's books! Looking forward to it!
Yes! Get ready for a wild ride!
Just discovered your channel and I have to say I absolutely adore the way you talk about books!! You make me want to read every single one of them! Your passion really shines through :)
Thank you so much - that's very kind of you!
This is a wonderful video. Love the detailed descriptions of the books.
OMG The Powder Mage trilogy is so good, definitely one of my all time favorites! I'm glad you're talking about it cause it needs more love.
Yeah it's really, really good!
Just bought the first Brian Lee Durfee book. Looking forward to diving in. Thanks for the recommendation
My book of the year in 2017! And the 3rd book comes out this year, my #1 anticipated read!
YAY! Happy reading, I hope you love it!
Just found your channel just few days ago…your reviews must say make you think and agree with a lot of them and some books I never heard of .glad to heard about them also ..thank you for your channel
You are most welcome, thanks for the kind words!
LOVE this list. Really appreciate it. I'm starting Forgetting Moon tomorrow. This put me over the edge. Wanna catch up before #3 comes out. I was torn between this and Shadow of the Gods for next read but your video got me on the Brian train!
You are in for an absolute TREAT with both Forgetting Moon and Shadow of the Gods. I hope you enjoy!
"What are you DOING? What is WRONG WITH YOU??!"
Me: "I don't know. I DON'T KNOW!"
LOL
You need to read all the books for WanderingInn man, I promise you, all the things you have mentioned as good/great are simply tiny parts of what makes this series absolutely amazing. Please do read them all and make another video on it! I bet you won't be able stop raving about it. I know I can't XD
Yeah I'm going to - I just read so many series that it takes a while for me to circle back around each book series I'm reading.
I'm reading book 3 as my next book actually, and should get the review up around 11/1.
A couple underrated series that no one talks about that I've been trying to get everyone to read are Michael Wisehart's series "The Aldoran Chronicles" and Edward W. Robertson's "The Cycle of Arawn" and "The Cycle of Galand." These books need way more attention!!!
I'm finishing up my forgetting moon read thru right now, and will read blackest heart in time for the lonesome crown in late November. He is the unsung hero of fantasy right now.
That being said, durfeee is an amazing dude. I'm just super bummed out about his eyesight going downhill so quickly so we likely won't get many more books by him unless he can figure out a work around, perhaps dictating or something. I don't know, but I hope we keep getting more stories from him for a long long time, because he's incredibly gifted
Yup, fully - fully agreed!
I get most of my fiction from Audible these days, and I listened to Black Company some months ago. It is well done, and Cook cares about his characters, and has interesting plot ideas. I am glad I listened to it (like Malazan), but I feel no urge to go beyond the first book (also like Malazan).
Yeah I hear you, especially with Black Company - it can serve as a really good standalone.
The Drenai series by David Gemell is hugely underrated and has many interesting characters scattered throughout the books.
I've had the Drenai series recommended to me more than any other series, and I'm super excited because I'm going to be starting it up early 2023! I can't wati!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews his style is the opposite of Erickson, Tolkien, Jordan, etc. it’s almost pulp fiction but he let us, the readers fill in the gaps and created great characters like Druss & Waylander. Damn good yarns.
@@stevenredpath9332 I'm on board! I've heard a lot of people say that it is a little similar to John Gwynne (an author I absolutely LOVE)
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I have not read any of his. I’ve read a lot in my years but there are authors I’ve not even heard of let alone read. The important thing to remember is enjoy the ones you love, keep the bad ones to a minimum and accept you are going to miss some because of the plethora out there.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews John Gwyne is a huge fan of him, Maybe that's why.
Like some other comments here, Im super glad to hear Wandering Inn brought up. Ive managed to keep up with the latest chapters after catching up to it two years ago and it has just been an unending weekly source of fun for me. It is unfortunate that the length often turns new readers away or is used in criticism related to how writing more isn't better. However, I've found that pirateaba has really been able to take advantage of the uncapped nature of web serials to really expand upon her world to a depth that simply can't be matched by the limited length of traditionally published novels. For those who really like getting lost in fantasy worlds, there is nothing better and you have a lot to look forward to!
Looking forward to more reviews!
Very well said! My next read is actually going to be Book 3 - I cannot wait!
Just found you and enjoying your videos so far! Glad to hear the Malazan series is your favorite, it's mine as well and you don't hear or see that often for some reason.
Thanks so much, glad to have you here. And glad to have another Malazan lover here as well!
my most underrated novel (in the west) is lord of Mysteries. sadly its only a Web novel but its a Masterpiece with so much thought behind it and my Favorit world building. it has a Word count of 2,7 Million words. it will get a part 2 in march but with a different main cast, exploring different parts of the world
Interesting I haven't heard of it before, I'll check it out at some point. Thanks!
These are some of my all time best series. I feel like we’re on the same page and thus I am a new sub. Concise reviews
Thanks so much! Also you have a GREAT first name :)
I was thinking the same
I've read them all except for Wandering Inn and Mother of Learning. Totally agree!
We have very similar tastes - awesome!
Brent Week is an underrated author. I love the magic in the Lightbringer series. I agree with you on the ending. Loved the series from beginning to end!
There are dozens of us...DOZENS!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews 😂
Very nicely done, Matt! I am loving your content and look forward to your videos. Thank you!
Thanks so much!
I ordered The Bone Ships two days ago! It's even translated to german.. crazy. We often get the not so well known translated while we have to wait 100 years for popular books. 😂 I'm soo excited for finally reading pirate fantasy 😍
Honestly I just added all of the books to my wishlist, except the ones I already read. I LOVE Kings of the Wyld!
I'm sure you are going to love Bone Ships!
Watch One Piece
"Croaker, there are strangers on the plain!" Glen Cook's Black Company series is totally awesome. The Books of the South tend to be a little dry and slow but interesting. The pace picks up again in Glittering Stone. The ending is 100% totally unexpected.
Brian Lee Durfee had me almost crying at his Redwall reviews. I am going to have to check out his books !
What kind of stuff did he say?
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Check out his review on Redwall -- he just freaks out about the scaling of wagons and such not knowing if they're mouse sized or real sized. It's hilarious!
Thank you mat for recommending such amazing fantasy book series . Powder mage has been in my TBR for long time , thank you for recommending such amazing big list . Looking forward to readindg malazan series as well
Brandon sanderson is technically a booktuber now and has talked a lot about powdermage, and brian in general.
Yeah he puts out great content!
Totally agree on The five warrior angels. What a hidden gem! I would love to see a spoiler filled discussion video of this series.
Come join the discord and we can chat about it!
What do you do for living? amazing your ability to read, thanks for the content, love your channel!
Thanks! I am the chief of staff for a politician.
I love the all-female band of bandits in The Kings of the Wild. Pretty humorous encounters.
Yeah I'm definitely loving it so far!
Powder Mage trilogy is what seriously got me into reading, also first books I ever got with my own money, read them like 3 or 4 times already. While it could do some things little better I have never read a series that would grip me so hard from the first chapter. Amazing stuff.
Nice! I can't wait to re-read them! Did you like the second trilogy in the same universe?
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I liked the first book in it a lot but, I've not read whole trilogy yet, It's waiting on the shelf for me to end my looooong journey with Wheel of Time.
It's always great to see appreciation for The Black Company! Loved that one
Hear, hear!
I picked up the first and the third collections of The Black Company yesterday. I think I'm going to enjoy it a lot!
YAY! Happy reading!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews To be fair, the other recommendation we get from Stevenson, Donaldson and Covenant didn't really do it for me...
@@AvanToor well, the moral fiber of the characters of The Black Company (TBC) is on average much worse than the moral fiber of Covenant was (i only ever read book 1 and i don't plan on picking up book 2). That all being said, while TBC is pretty upfront that most of their members are pretty mean and nasty people the books also don't follow the lives of the Company members, it follows Croaker and a few of the people he found important to mention in the Annals. It is important to note that Croaker and the other Annalists later on are unreliable narrators and at times are actively lying to the reader in the name of operational security (you are essentially reading the daily Notes of Stuff We Did Today turned into a novel)
What you will see in TBC is the core of the malazan marines, their dark humor and how they managed to continue on despite everything.
@@ylevre3285 And what I found in Covenant was a kiddie f***er
@@AvanToor it's been a long time since I tried covenant, I was remembering him "just" raping a woman and based it off that.
A few older series that were just awesome:
The Riddle Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip
The Iron Tower trilogy by Dennis L McKiernan and The Silver Call Duology also by McKiernan.. (The closest thing to Tolkien that I have ever read)
The Loremasters of Elundium by Mike Jefferies
Thanks for these recommendations, I'll add them to my ever growing list!
I was just playing what ever rolled up on booktube and did not know this was a year ago 🤪 Great list 🙌🏼
-Elder Empire
-The Graven (sci-fantasy)
-Dragons of Terra
Thanks for your work here, mate. You make me discover some very interesting Books.
Thanks for the kind words!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews you're welcome. Although I do not always share your appreciations , I acknowledge the quality of your work.
yay thanks for the long video! my list of plan to read books keeps on growing and growing :O
It's my lifelong goal to inflict that pain of a never-ending TBR list on other people!
Kings of the wyld is one of my favorites, I stumbled upon it looking thru audible and I’m glad I did
Yeah I read the physical version but I bet the audio option is great!
Just finished Powder Mage trilogy and loved it.
Still need to read Black Company as Erikson has said it was an inspiration for Malazan, which is my favourite series.
The Old Kingdom Series and the Keys to the Kingdom Series by Garth Nix are amazing. I’m not sure if you’ve checked them out but they have such unique worlds and magic systems. The Old Kingdom is my favourite series of all time. Well worth a read and super underrated.
Great list by the way.
No I haven't, but I'll check them out. Thanks!
It's refreshing to hear someone else talk about Lightbringer and not completely trash it. I had such a great reading experience, and I didn't have an issue with the ending at all.
An underrated series that I loved is The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. Overshadowed by Dresden I guess.
I haven't read it, but I'll add it to my list!
Agreed, it’s very different from Dresden files and really good. Unfortunately it’s complete, but I felt left too much hanging so doesn’t feel it. Seems set up for a sequel series but there won’t be one.
Oh God yes! Funny enough, that series is what convinced me to give The Dresden Files a chance. I must say, I enjoyed that series way more than I have Dresden so far (though I do like Dresden in spite of it being first person and therefore thoroughly inferior as a work of fiction.)
A good way to explain the wandering inn for people who watch anime is it's basically an isekai(reborn in another world) it also follows how most manga and anome work as well with the whole "arcs" thing which is very very anime/eastern
Yeah well stated!
Big agree on the powder mage trilogy! It deserves mistborn level attention. One of my most underrated series is the Lady Trent Memoirs
Yes, glad you love it too! And I haven't checked out Lady Trent Memoirs but I'll add it to my TBR, thanks!
Oooh lots of new books to read, thank you
You are most welcome, happy reading!
Glad to see Durfee get some love!
Brian Lee Durfee! the author of The Forgetting Moon and *camera struggles to focus......* The Blackest Heart!
"Both books published by Simon and Schuster's Saga Press!"
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I dont know what I would do if he ever fixed his camera focusing issue or changed his intro. Well I guess we will see how book three feels when he amends it onto the intro in a few months.
Faithful and the Fallen is debatably my favorite fantasy series of all time, but you're totally right! For some reason I still haven't read Of Blood and Bone!
SEE! This is what I'm talking about! :)
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I'm ashamed I need to take care of my guy John Gwynne! haha
@@dinocollins720 I'm filming my top 100 video and literally referenced your comment about when talking about Of Blood and Bone, lol!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Okay this literally makes my day!!! I am so hyped to watch now!
Reading five warrior angels currently, half way with the second book. Amazing series that everybody who likes grim dark should read.
So glad you are enjoying the series!
lightbringer is my #1 series, it was different but was so good
Some great suggestions, thank you.
Great video. Matt. I love your rating explanations and your passion. This is probably the right place to ask, have you read the Deed of Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon? I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have.
No I haven't ever even heard of it, but I'll add it to my TBR!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Your TBR must be huge so I'm going to do a little pitch for this trilogy. :-) Having now watched many of your reviews I think this is why YOU will like it.
1. Excellent battle scenes and tactics. The author is a history major and served in the US Marine Corps. She clearly has an interest in historical warfare. I'm reading John Gwynne now and am reminded of the way Elizabeth Moon wrote battles.
2. A slow burn. The first novel, Sheepfamers Daughter, largely follows a military campaign. The fantastical elements are mainly in the background slowly building. It pays off well and they come to the foreground in books 2 and 3.
3. Well-written characters. In many ways, Paks is the classic fantasy hero and could have been boring except she is well-written and different enough to be refreshing. We, the reader, get a feel for where she may go eventually but she doesn't see it and her path is anything but straightforward. I had tears in a couple of places.
I'd describe it as high fantasy, but I haven't seen a Paladin (not really a spoiler) written before, so that, with the character work and military detail made familiar tropes seem new and refreshed. It's no Malazaan but it's such a fun series to read and I keep going back to it.
Keep up the great content!
I can’t wait for the last Five Warrior Angels. I love Brian Lee Durfee’s books and his RUclips reviews are fantastic. He cracks me up with the “we will edit this out” comments. When he has never edited any of his videos.😀😀😀
LOL yeah I absolutely LOVE when he does that.
"King's Dark Tidings" by Kel Kade is by far the most underrated one, in my opinion.
If he ever flipping finished it or even did a Pirateaba and continued the series on a readable schedule
Really nice in depth reviews! One thing: If you use the 10 points system, I wouldn‘t use half points like 4,5. What‘s the benefit of this system then? If you want to make finer nuances better use the 100 system. Otherwise great YT channel!
It's because I post all my reviews on Goodreads, and they have a 5 point system.
Might have convinced me to pick A Promise of Blood back up. Does the prose itself get any denser as the series goes on?
The Bone Ships (have only read the first) is for sure worthy of that high spot so far. Such a unique concept and the writing is strong.
No, the prose stays the same so you may not enjoy it.
The second bone ships book was even better than the first in my opinion, check it out!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I still might enjoy it just because the whole flintlock fantasy concept is so cool and the writing itself is solid enough just wasn't what I was looking for at that particular time.
I already have The Call of The Bone Ships on audio, will definitely be getting to it soon.
I consider Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne extremely top tier fantasy and everyone 💩s on it now. So I feel you about Powder Mage. I haven’t read it yet but I still plan to and I think I’m going to love it. Same with Brent Weeks. I love Night Angel and nobody does, plan to read Light Bringer too.
I haven't ever heard of Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne, I'll check it out! And I haven't read Night Angel yet but plan on it in 2023.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews The Emperor’s Blades is the first one. Maybe that will be more familiar. Allen read it with his patreons maybe in the spring of this year and evidently everyone hated it. All the reviews before that though tended to be good. Brittney loves it a lot. Gwenna 🤌🤌🤌
Can I make a recommendation? You said you adore pirate fantasy, I really think you'd love the Ash and Sand trilogy. Petrik Leo is who I saw talking about it first. Such an incredible, underappreciated gem. Also happens to be self published.
That's on my list to for sure be read in 2023!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews love that! Also love your channel man. Great work
@@zionthedon7745 Thanks so much, you are too kind!
Read the 5 warrior angels about 6 months ago when I came across his youtube channel, had never heard of them before that really looking forward to the next book next month.
Nice - so happy that it worked out!
It's kind of an older book now, but in these videos I never see Talian: Revenant. That book was the first fantasy book I've ever read. has it's issues, sure, but I don't what it is but I love books were people get put in factions. You have the main character growing up in a kingdom where the youth are separated and some become foot soldiers, cavalry, archers, griffin riders who fly, and each one has it's own distinct culture. Then you add a last faction with the main character of 'justices' where they get schooled with all the factions and goes around playing judge dredd in a dungeons and dragons setting. freaking epic.
I never read it - is it still worth reading?
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I think so, it’s a quick single book fun read, even if it isn’t the most awesome of books like many you’ve reviewed. I think you would get a kick out of it. I’ve always rated it as my favorite underrated book.
Im currently reading the Powder Mages trilogy. at the moment finishing the second book. Easily my favorite books of the last 5 years. Amazing worldbuilding, complex and intelligently written characters, a plot that gets you stuck to the pages... The trilogy is a 10
The Black Company has been with me since the 80s. As is so common with Black Company fanatics I'm retired military. Cook got so much right. If your 1 star book is Port of Shadows, nobody really counts that as part of the series. I'm quite sure Cook wrote that as he did to get the publisher off his ass and to give everyone the middle finger for making him write it. Cook can be a bit surly. I'd dislike him but TBC is just so damned good!
I know it's a sort of "founding pillar" of modern fantasy, but I can't help feeling as though The Earthsea Cycle isn't talked about enough these days. The first book, A Wizard of Earthsea, was written as a stand-alone and can be read as such. The small page count doesn't hold it back from being epic, personal, magical, and climactic all at once. It's honestly staggering how much ground Le Guin covered in such a short book. She's a fantasy legend, in my opinion.
I've never read it. Would they be good to read at my age or are they more for people getting an introduction to fantasy?
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I read it at 21 and loved it. If anything, the series is more suitable for adults than it is children. I've heard that some people have trouble with the writing style (I think it's beautiful, it reads like a legend) and things get dark in book 2. Neither of which will be a problem for a Malazan fan. I think it's good for anyone at any point their fantasy journey, it's just a good read for anyone looking for an epic, magical tale. I remember reading the last line of the first book and immediately feeling nostalgic for everything I'd just experienced, despite never having read it before.
@@jarltrippin Wonderful - I will definitely check it out!
Deeply soulful book. I agree that it has value for readers of any age, in much the same way that Taran Wanderer or Siddhartha do, despite their simple language and short length.
It's one of the best fantasy books I've ever read and one I remember many years after reading.
This is a nice list! The Black Company and the Powder Mage books are great reads.
Thank you!
Just gone to Audible for the Five Warrior Angels. First 3 are free with subscription at the moment. Downloaded and will listen when I finish Book 12 of TWI (which I love!)
I am one of the few that really enjoyed the end of the series for Lightbringer.
Raymond Feist Riftwar Saga. 3 or 4 books for the initial series if Magician is split or not. 30 books overall. Really solid series
I've somehow ended up on your channel after just finishing Mother of Learning, and now I'm gonna take your recommendation to read The Wandering Inn absolutely totally blind. I actually paused when you were about to go over the synopsis. Just for having read Mother of Learning and your respect for it just tells me you're really into good web serials.
I'm sure you have a billion books to read, may I recommend a way-out-of-the-way fantasy series? It's a light novel series called Ascendance of a Bookworm, and is probably unlike most things you talk about. Anyway, just throwing it out there just in case you decide to read this rogue comment.
Awesome, I hope you love Wandering Inn! Let me know your thoughts as you are getting into it. And I'll put Ascendance of a Bookworm on my list!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews Hi Matt, I'm currently on Volume 4 Chapter 18 of the Wandering Inn and I'm LOVING it! I'm absolutely eating this series up - and I didn't realize before just how long it actually is! (Or the fact that it's still coming out!)
Quick notes on the series so far: "Pisces sniffed" NEVER fails to make me laugh. Mrsha's cuteness is actually palpable through text. Laken's character being basically inspired by Emperor Norton is PHENOMENAL in the scope of the world, it's just goofy enough to work with the jank class/level system. Toren, at the point in my story, becoming a trans-skeleton mid-paragraph while finding a sense of style was actually super fucking funny and ridiculously natural even after his rampant murder hobo arc. The world feels vast and expansive, and I can't wait to see what world-bending nonsense this series devolves into.
Other note - coming back to the series I recommended, Ascendance of a Bookworm - Erin Solstice is REALLY similar to Myne, the main character of AoaB. They're both impulsive gremlins who introduce new things and inventions that shake the world around them, they're both portal-fantasied/isekai'd into ridiculous circumstances, and they both build relationships with the people and community around them to reshape the world. They're both paragons of change that actually FEEL special, all while pursuing their own goals in their own way.
I'll check back in when I'm caught up to the most recent release on the web serialization. Have a good one, Matt, and thank you so much for making content recommending this series.
You need to read Logafjoll and Hamingje. You might get your mind blown.
Well, several of these are on my list. I went to start the John Gwynne series and planned to read both series but I decided I wasn't in the mood for such a big commitment so I read a stand a lone then started Gardens of the Moon, because mood reader. Plan for Faithful and the Fallen to be my next epic fantasy series but I have to finish Malazan first, currently on Toll the Hounds. And you have convinced me to read the Esselmont books, I just have to track them down.
I'm straight up laughing here reading you say you didn't want such a big commitment so you started up Gardens of the Moon, and 11,000 page series! :)
You are in for an absolute TREAT with Toll the Hounds. It has the greatest ending of any book in the history of written word. And yes, definitely track down the Esselmont books.
Happy reading!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews I know, right? Mood reading is a real problem.
I would have to recommend "The Dwarfs" series by Markus Heitz. I found book 2 and 3 used in a dumpshop. Got addicted reading it and bought book 4 new and finished that one in a week or two. I will get book 1 and 5 soon. There is also book 6 and 7. But the story of the main protagonist's ends after the first 5. And will continue with a new generation of dwarfs after that.
I haven't heard of those, I'll add them to my huge list!
0:00 -0:03 every time talk to someone
My underrated series:
Age of Assassins by RJ Barker,
Kan Savasci Cycle by Chase Blackwood,
The Dagger and the Coin Series by Daniel Abraham
Haven't read any of those, but plan on reading Age of Assassins soon!
I'm excited for you to read the final book of the Tide Child trilogy! I think it's even better than the first two, by a lot
Yeah my hype is as high as it can be to read that 3rd book. Cannot wait!