Including a book from Book of the Ancestor was a no-brainer! Deciding which one to include was a bit harder, but it had to be Holy Sister in the end because of what you accomplished with the atmosphere, the ending, and the deeply moving portrayals of friendship and love. Thank you!!!
Well, you've done it again. I am floored... Again. To have The Severing Son listed among several of my own favorites, and stories by literary heroes of mine, makes this another stellar memory in a very memorable year. A memorable year in which you have played a vital role, Philip. I'm feeling humbled and honored and thrilled. I'm super excited to add several of these to my '23 TBR, including Wurts and getting back to Lawrence. And then there's this other author--one I sense will become a favorite; perhaps even an insta-classic--out there, about to publish a debut. Cannot wait to read this Chase fellow. Here's to storytelling in 2023, my friend. Thanks so much for being a part of my journey. Happy New Year!
It's been a fantastic year of reads for me, Vaughn, and I'm so delighted that The Severing Son was among them. Here's to more great storytelling in 2023!
I think you do an incredible job of describing these books without spoiling anything. You have an aptitude for describing books and telling us why they might be of interest.
Love your list, Philip! And love your approach! Let's make the non tier, not ranked list that contains any number of books a trend. Apart from showing me that you had a marvelous reading year, your video confirmed again why I love your channel as almost two thirds of your list are favourite and valued authors of mine as well. And some of them like Gwynne or Esslemont I found through you and your channel.Therefore a big thank you for all those wonderful videos in 2022! And an equally big thank you for all the support you have given to Do Unicorns Read?. It's deeply appreciated! See you next year, Philip, for what most likely will be a total Book of the Ancestor gush fest!
I am very much looking forward to that gush fest, Angela! Also, I'm glad you like the approach here -- since I have to grade as part of my day job, I'd rather not rank things -- especially the ones I enjoy! My very best to you for the New Year!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Ah, grading, like you I could have done without it. That explains why this appeals so much. A deeply fulfilling 2023 to you and your family!
Great list. I am happy you picked Bakker for your list. Finally some recognition for this weird Canadian genius 😁 Dark Tower is also a favourite of mine but I think Wizard and Glass was the one I loved most. This was the year I discovered Curse of the Mistwraith and Vinland Saga and loved them both. Very good taste Phillip. Have a great New Year
Thank you! Bakker really is a genius -- a word I try to use sparingly. "Weird" probably applies too! I love Wizard and Glass as well -- it's the book that transformed Roland from merely awesome to lovable for me. All the best!
Bro you got the cleanest beard on RUclips hands down. Hiding the list before you show up is part of the fun for me. I just started getting into books thanks for going in depth about what you liked about each book!
Thank you! One of the few benefits to getting older is the beard gets better. I'm glad you enjoyed my explanations of why I loved each book. Happy New Year!
What an absolute banger of a list!! Just hearing you talk about LPQ already makes me want to reread it again! And you have totally sold me on The Severing Son, I can't wait to check that one out! My top five this year is Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar, Dream of Death City by P.J. Nwosu, A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla, The Risen Kingdoms series by Curtis Craddock and The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu! Thanks for sharing your list!!
Excellent top five, Esmay! I hope to get to Dandelion Dynasty in 2023, but probably later in the year. I hope you’ll enjoy The Severing Son when you get to it!
We really need to check out Long Price Quartet. Same in regards to the works of Janny Wurts as well. After our chat I'm really looking forward to returning to Dark Tower. So glad that you loved Holy Sister and the Book of the Ancestor as a whole! Will & Ed
Yes! I'm so excited to hear what you two make of the Dark Tower, and LPQ has phenomenal character work. It's a good series to learn from, I think. My very best to you and your loved ones for 2023!!!
Nice wrap up, Philip! I read all of Dark Tower in 2022, including all of the suggested reading order tie-ins, and I am excited to finish off the last book in 2023. Glad you enjoyed it!
That's awesome, Jimmy! You did the deluxe version of the Dark Tower journey. I hope to read all those tie-in books someday too. My best to you for 2023!
I loved these beautiful reflections on your top reads of 2022! Your thoughts on Roycroft, Esslemont, and Abraham excite me for what's ahead in 2023! I went back and forth about what to choose from Bakker and Wurts (and I'll Hobb to my list). So many great books from great authors! I don't think I've heard anyone describe the Dark Tower journey more profoundly than you did in this video. Happy New Year, Philip!
Thank you, Johanna! It has been an enriching year here on BookTube, and, even more than the reads themselves, I think the "secret" is the community and the wonderful friends we have here. My very best to you for 2023!
Great list and very much appreciate the way you discussed the books. This year I completed both a LOTR reread and a slow readalong of The Silmarillion - this catapulted the Legendarium to my #1 favourite fantasy world. Next year, I hope to read Unfinished Tales. For me, Tolkien is simply unparalleled in his writing and worldbuilding. I also rediscovered Ursula K Le Guin - by reading both the Earthsea and the Hainish Cycle courtesy a Booktube friend of mine and came to love her writing style. I wish Malazan had clicked with me but it just didn't. I did read the first three books of WoLaS and To Ride Hell's Chasm - Wurts' writing style is still very dense for me but I hope to reread the first three books again in 2023 as part of a readalong and get more out of them by listening to discussions and reading more slowly. Happy New Year and thank you for being such a kind, knowledgeable and gracious presence on Booktube. 🙏🏽🌷
Thank you, Paromita! Any praise for Tolkien and Le Guin puts a silly grin on my face -- they are the two most formative authors for me, without a doubt. My very best wishes to you for 2023!
Thank you, Chas! Any year with good books is amazing for me, but I feel like I encountered some incredible stories. Here's to many great reads for us in 2023!
Great list! The final three books you talked about are definitely favorites of mine. I hope to do a reread of the Dark Tower in 2023 because I want to get another read in before the tv show comes out and starts changing the way I imagine the characters. I love Book of the Ancestor for everything you said about it. Lawrence seems to be able to stuff as many ideas and themes into 350-400pg book that takes other authors 800-1000pgs to pull off. The Warrior Prophet is my favorite out of PoN too. I'm glad you are eventually going to continue on with the series because like Jimmy I feel that Aspect-Emperor is superior to PoN and even more ripe for interesting discussions. Ian C. Esslemont's Malazan books and Janny Wurts' Wars of Light and Shadow are two works I'm hoping to get to by the end of 2023. They seem like works I would enjoy quite a bit. I only read a couple of self-published novels a year and the way you talked about The Severing Son makes me think that one will be filling up the spot in 2023. Thanks for putting it on my radar. Great video! Have a good New Year. I look forward to watching what you have coming in 2023.
Thanks, Andrew! I know a lot of Dark Tower fans feel burned by the movie they made (I haven’t seen it), so let’s hope the TV series will fare better. I’m encouraged to finish Second Apocalypse by all the praise I hear for Aspect Emperor. I hope you’ll enjoy The Severing Son! Here’s to a wonderful year of reading in 2023!
I started reading Malazan last week due to your videos. I've been putting it off for a while because of how daunting it is, but I think I'm finally ready to start!
As someone who has read the fallen series twice I’d advise you to enjoy the books, relax about keeping up who is where & doing what (it’s nearly impossible to follow the convoluted paths of so many characters) but rest assured there’s a lot of fun in them, interesting insights and Erickson brings it to a tremendous conclusion in the final books.
Amazing wrap up! You have me so excited to get to these soon, whether LPQ, Dark Tower, Severing Son, or Janny Wurts! Thanks for being such a pillar of the community, and here’s to a very happy new year!
Great List Philip. Nice to see Janny Wurts's works back in the spotlight. While I've only read one, years ago when it first came out, It is on my reread for 2023 and as much of the series as I can fit in for the upcoming year. The Book of the Ancestor series is also on my 2023 TBR. Vinland Saga is also my introduction to Manga. I was hoping to keep up with you and Merphy but life outside got in my way. Ha!
I am very happy to see Price of Spring in the list, Philip. That's one of my favourite books ever. Everything Abraham did in that series resonated with me and I loved his character work.
Great list! I will finally be starting my journey into Malazan this year and I hope it clicks for me because it seems like there is so much to unpack there.
Happy New Year Phillp! I look forward to watching more in 2023 and cheering you on with your novels! As always I just love hearing you talk about the books you love. It always comes through how much you clearly love reading and fantasy. It is so contagious! ♥
I'm so glad that you loved The Dark Tower so much! I feel like I'm the only one who found that book to be at such a level of quality and perfection that I could gush about it for hours if I wanted to, on that book alone.
This was probably my favorite list. I just finished The Severing Son and plan on reviewing it. It was a great debut! You were spot on about Assail and how it adds SO MUCH to the Malazan mythos. I'm going to try and get to Gwynne this new year and I'm deep in Curse of the Mistwraith now and loving it. For the coming year, I'd recommend Stephen R. Donaldson- anything by him is worth it. It was because of his blurb on the cover that I started reading Malazan in the first place. Also, for manga, Lone Wolf and Cub. The artwork alone is worth it, but there is also no better father/son theme going. (That is, if you can get away from Scandinavia for a little while and go to Edo period Japan 😀, also as a warning, it is quite explicit). Hopefully, I'll get to some of the others on this list but I do have to read the occasional history book as well. Happy new year!
Thank you for the recommendations, Jarrod! I’ll definitely be covering more Donaldson in the years to come. I did a video on his essays on fantasy, which speak to me more than I can say about what fantasy can do. I also had the immense pleasure of meeting Donaldson and having dinner with him last year. The man has a lot of stories!
Ha ha! Once I figure out what "reading sprints" are, I'll come gunning for 'em! 😄Of course LPQ is here! When has the Long Price Prophet steered me wrong? Never!!! My very best to you and Christina for a wonderful New Year, buddy!
Hi Philip, I hope your doing great. Thank you for sharing with us your favorite reads of 2022, and even more your heartfelt and meaningful reflections on them! I would like to read Vinland saga and the Long Price Quartet this year, at least start them. I wish you and the channel an awesome year!
What a great lineup Phillip. Really, all of the books mentioned in this video are indeed so compelling and memorable, each in their own special way. Thank you For revisiting these moments. What a wonderful year for reading it was. Hope the new year brings as much joy and good reads as this one Happy new year!
What a great stack of faves! I gave a hoot and hollar twice in this presentation; first when you mentioned Hunger of the Gods and then again with The Dark Tower 😀 This year coming up, I would like to give Janny Wurts a try, and also R Scott Bakker. I'm a fan of the horror genre, and your description of Prince of Nothing really piqued my interest. Heck, it may even be a bit much for me, for how bleak it sounds. But I'm up for the challenge. This has been a great reading year for me, a lot of favorites spanning many genres. I adored Assassin's Apprentice and am eager to continue with Royal Assassin. Empire of Silence amazed me, with Ruocchio's talent for writing. Peter Straub took me by surprise with his psychological thriller, Ghost Story. I wish you a very happy New Year, Dr. Chase, I've had a great time this year with you, and Mike, and Sarah, and the whole community of Booktube. I am grateful to you all. Til next Year!😀
Thanks, Anthony! It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful reading year, and I wish more of the same for you in 2023, which is about to begin in about 12 minutes for us here in good old NJ! All the best!
Loved the list! And took some recomendations for my next year's TBR. Hope you have a wonderfull new year's eve Philip. You look like a really nice person. Greetings from Argentina
Here's my top list 1. Dolores Claiborne by Stephen king 2. The great peace by mena suvari her memoir 3. Billy summers by Stephen king 4. Not my father son by Alan Cumming his first memoir 5. they never learn by Layne Fargo 6. the cactus by Sarah Haywood 7. the charm offensive by allison Cochrane 8. The heart principle by helen Huang 9. Iron widow 10. A king of battle and blood by scarlett st claire
Hi Philip, this year I've discovered your channel through Merphy and I subscribed, all of a sudden you became one of my favorite booktubers along with Merphy and Johanna (whom I discovered this year as well). Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom and for being such a positive looking person. Happy new year from Spain. All the best to you and your family and friends!
A fantastic year indeed! I wrapped up The Thousandfold Thought yesterday so interested to hear your thoughts. Can't wait to see what 2023 brings for you and the channel!
Thank you so much, Ibi! I am grateful for your support and your many kind words in all your comments. You viewers are the ones who keep me going. My very best to you for 2023!
I am excited to start Vagabond soon! Merphy and I will be chatting about it in early February after we finish Vinland Saga. Happy New Year to you too, Lila!
My familiarity with Janny Wurts is the Daughter of the Empire series, which she co-wrote with Raymond E. Fiest. I read it decades ago when I was a kid, and it was my first introduction to political machinations in fantasy - it's a great series.
The Empire series is on my list to get to this year. I skipped over them when they were originally published because I was a teenager and thought they looked boring. Want to rectify that oversight.
The empire series is best read after reading Fiest magician trilogy but it was my gateway to Janny and I have enjoyed reading her novels and short stories immensely.
@@stevenredpath9332 that’s the plan I recently re-read the original Riftwar trilogy, part of me trying to get back into reading as much as I did when I was younger.
Love your Ganesha tee! Long price quartet is high on my list but I think I can get to it only in 2024. Curse of the Mistwraith is great but I just finished Ships of Merior , the second book in the series and it is even better! Arithon is my favourite character, I can say without a doubt now , having read the second book. Can't wait to hear your thoughts about Ships.
Thanks a lot for this review,I will add all of them to my TBR list for 2023. If you want to try another manga for 2023 I really recommend you Attack on Titan. The story is really deep and much more than what you can imagine when you start it.
A lot of amazing books and def some i am looking forward to reading. My favourite read this year would have to be The House in Fata Morgana which is a visual novel you can get on steam or the switch. In some ways it is quite similar to malazan in that the first four stories are not that connected but instead of location it is time. On the other hand it is more of a gothic, suspense, horror and mystery story with a large focus on romance and not as much fantasy elements. The prequel I would say is even better than the main story holding the peak quality of the main story throughout its shorter length. The music is also an amazing aspect maintaining the atmosphere perfectly throughout. Dreams of revenant edition is best if anyone is interested. There is a manga of it by the same author but it is condensed and def not as good as the visual novel.
Great list! My top 10: 1 - Nevernight (Jay Kristoff) 2 - Saint’s Blood (Sebastian de Castell) 3 - Fairy Tale (Stephen King) 4 - Fire & Blood (George R R Martin) 5 - Last Argument of Kings (Joe Abercrombie) 6 - Jade Legacy (Fonda Lee) 7 - Priest of Crowns (Peter McLean) 8 - The Shadow of the Gods (John Gwynne) 9 - Pennyblade (J L Worrad) 10 - The Justice of Kings (Richard Swan) My 2 runners-up are The Ember Blade (Chris Wooding) and The Hellborn King (Christopher G Brenning).
I've had a pretty poor reading year overall, read a lot of books but very very few that managed to distinguish themselves in any memorable way. I don't really have a conventional top 10 but here are a few that I really loved, a couple I've already read two or three times since reading them earlier in the year. - The Terror by Dan Simmons, brilliant historical horror novel about the doomed artic voyage of two ships in the 1850s. - Jady Legacy by Fonda and by extension the trilogy as a whole. Just really fell for the characters in a big way. - Miracle In The Andes by Nando Parrado - a non fiction about a plane crash in The Andes, really life affirming inspirational stuff. - If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio, about a group of thespians who become dangerously obsessed with Shakespeare. - The Three body Problem by Liu Cixin, an extremely interesting sci-fi that lead to a kind of existential crisis - in a good way mind you. - Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, a brilliant generational story about systemic discrimination, the erasure of culture, identity and family. I read this at the height of summer in my garden, beautiful weather. I suspect that plays a part in my initial love of this book. Happy new year to you!
Looking forward to reading Assail one day. When I first read Night of Knives I really didn't like it and almost didn't continue. But then coming off my favorite Malazan novel, Bonehunters, Return of the Crimson Guard was the sequel I wanted to read to the fall out from that book instead if Reaper's Gale, which I was really disappointed in. I've read up through Stonewielder and every book has been better than the one before.
Stonewielder and Assail are probably my two favorite Esslemont books, but I have enjoyed all his contributions to Malazan. My best to you for a great year of reading ahead!
Ha ha! Oops. Bakker is an amazing writer, but I do feel I should warn folks about what to expect in the case of Prince of Nothing. I hope you'll love Curse of the Mistwraith!
I am very happy you enjoyed your experience with Manga, that medium is so versatile and or diversed that I wished US editions are that many, so many good titles or stories that were discontinued, from sports to historical fiction from fantasy to scifi from cooking to coming of age all of them are that good, I am currently reading the Seven Shakespeare series by Harold Sakushi, which is a historical fiction manga of Shakespeare... and a manga that is about wine called Drops of God ... these past 2 years I've been reading too many manga and comicbooks that my nonfiction reads gets pushed back, so my goal this 2023 is to read nonfiction books that i like especially history, my Thomas Jefferson biography by Jon Meacham is collecting dust Have a good new year and all the best in 2023
I've really enjoyed all your content this year and look forward to your 2023 videos! It makes me so happy that you've enjoyed your manga journey so far. I'm sure this has opened a new door for you in your reading/fantasy journey as well and what a journey it will be! I'm so excited to see you discover and love new manga Happy New year! Wishing you all the best in the new year with your channel and book release
Great video Philip! I'm confident one day we'll be seeing YOUR books on "top book lists" of various booktubers / bloggers! Happiest of New Years to you and yours ! Looking forward to chatting with you on PAGE CHEWING very soon!
Currently reading The Hunger of the Gods and having a fantastic time :) Definitely plan to start reading Janny Wurts this year! So many people I respect love her work that it’s basically a crime I haven’t picked any up yet… The same goes for Bakker too at this point 😂
Welcome to the fantasy world of Janny Wurts. She will challenge you and make you think. My only criticism of the war of light and shadows was the start to the final arc was an abrupt disconnect from what proceeded it but will be worth working through that. Very much worth it.
Great list! I might check out Vinland Saga next year. I never got to Mark Lawrence either! I’ll try to get to him next year. 2022 was great for both of us in fantasy and I hope 2023 will be another great year for reading.
Thank you, Joana! Gwynne’s books are easy for me to love. Bakker’s, so far, have been more of a challenge because of the despair and the frequent graphic sexual violence, but he’s an incredibly talented writer. I wish you the best for your reading this year!
My «Personal Enjoyment Reads» List for 2022: 12-«By Force Alone» by Lavie Tidhar (Loved the Grimdark Prologue with Uther and Merlin, but it would have been better either longer or with a sequel delving more into “Guy Ritchie Gangster” Arthur’s Camelot, second half was way too rushed! Also Lancelot’s main plot is straight out of Mel Brooks: Very funny (Jewish Ninjas fighting N@zi Vampires in the 5-6th Century!), but a bit off from the Grimdark opening, would have great seperate stories. Predator-reference had me ROFL though. Inspired by Jimmy Nutts' categories: Clear winner of "Scariest Character of 2022 I read": Merlin) 11-«The Hood» by Lavie Tidhar (Much more evenly balanced: «Breaking Bad» Rebecca of York/Robin Hood meets «Heart of Darkness»/«Apocalypse Now») 10-«The Broken Sword» by Poul Anderson (A S&S Classic: Anderson effortlessly changes between huge laughs, epic fight and deep tragedy. Vikings meets Myth(s)) 9-«Beowulf» (JRR Tolkien’s interpretation: A Literary Classic for a reason + excellent commentary from the Professor Himself!) 8-«Storm of Swords» by Matthew Harffy (The «Bernicia Chronicles» is my «palett cleanser» book series: While this is essentially Anglo-Saxon «Taken», the characters have grown on me and loved the «Ship Wrecker»-«sidequest») 7-«Snakewood» by Adrian Selby (While the structure of the story is not the most welcoming, there is great action, diplomacy and heartfelt laughs and tragedy. Gant, Kailen and The Prince are on my shortlist for "Favorite Characters of the Year", while Mirisham wins my "Most Morally Complex Character of the Year" Award!) 6-«Legend» by David Gemmell (While a bit generic in World Building, I definitely got great action and a incredible positive surprise in the immense humanity in Gemmell’s writing, even to what could easily have been stock side characters and antagonists, so Orrin wins "Biggest Character Surprise of the Year"!) 5-«Hunger of the Gods» by John Gwynne (Good expansion of the World presented in the first book and Guthvar is a delightful pov-antagonist I love to hate: Favorite Dirtbag Character of the Year!) 4-«Banner Saga: Gift of Hadrborg»/«Tales from the Caravan» (especially the short stories «Haugr’s Grin» & «Too Much Rope») (GoH: Vikings+Gang Wars+A dash of Indiana Jones: Neat!/TotC: Great action, great tragedy! Eirik (the Undercover Viking Cop) from "GoH" is a "Favorite Character of the Year"-contender, while Mogr from "Too Much Rope" has to be my "Favorite Tragic Main Character of the Year") 3-«The Severing Son» by Vaughn Roycroft (Great Culture Building, Loved the characters, especially the leaders: The dynamic between the adopted brothers Captain Urias and Lord Thadmeir of great trust even in (often) disagreement, the dastardly Desdrusan and cunning Keisella, so many contenders for "Favorite Character Categories", but Sael has to be the winner of "Sassiest Old Lady of the Year"-category! Also, wins my "Favorite Ongoing Series": Heck, what a great debut!) 2-«Finn and Hengist» (JRR Tolkien’s interpretation) (While incredibly short, it contains rivalries, dilemmas and tragedies worthy of a full Greek Drama or Norse Saga! Great scholarly work by the Professor, on a part of history/myth unfairly often overlooked! Hengist is contender for "Favorite Morally Complex Character" and Hildeburh solidly wins "Favorite Tragic Side Character"!) 1-«Sarantine Mosaic: Sailing to Sarantium» by Gay Gavriel Kay (The Prose, The Characters, The Setting, The World Building: GGK is one of the best writers of today! The Prologue and the Epilogue is both top notch! Favorite characters over all this year for me: Emperor Valerius II and Empress Alixana)
Wow, I'm blown away to be #3 on this awesome list, Mac! Thanks a million! (Also, I'm very fond of so many of my secondary characters--Urias and Sael being chief among them.) Happy New Year!
I don't have a top 10. My list is more like top 16 or 17. They include: Project Hail Mary, The Stand, the entire Book of the Ancestor trilogy, the entire Long Price Quartet, Guns of the Dawn and Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne, The Blade Itself, Boys Life, Stonewielder, the Lost Metal, Leviathan Wakes. Ok, how many is that? I would be a terrible booktuber. Lol
My best reads of the year according to your criteria - no rereads and just one book per author in reading order. However, restricted to “just” 25 books out of 118.5: Hyperion by Dan Simmons Is by Ulla-Lena Lundberg Lasisilmä by Johanna Sinisalo Hägring 38 by Kjell Westö A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel kay 1793 by Niklas Natt och Dag The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu The White-Luck Warrior by R. Scott Bakker Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey Män kan inte våldtas by Märta Tikkanen Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher by Walter Moers Wie der Soldat das Grammafon repariert by Saša Stanišić Canal Grande by Hannu Raittila The Princess Bride by William Goldman Malafrena by Ursula K. Le Guin Svålhålet by Mikael Niemi The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Im Westen nichts Neues by Erich Maria Remarque Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Happy New Year!
I'm glad you could narrow it down to 25! Ha ha! That's an awesome list, and I see a few that I would certainly like to read someday. My very best to you for a wonderful year of reading in 2023!
@@toinenosoite3173 In the past, I’ve read novels in French, German, and Welsh. I’m a much better reader than speaker of all the languages I’ve learned except Nepali, which I can only speak, but I can’t claim fluency in them. The “foreign” language I read the most is Old English. I do love languages!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy That is a passion we share. Languages are my profession and a hobby of mine. In 2023 a goal of mine is to start reading Italian books - of course in Italian.
Since you like historical fiction and mentioned great duels, have you read Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond series? In my list of top duels, she has the top two. She also has one of the most exciting action sequences I've ever read in book two, and the most heartbreaking in a later book. She was a talent like no other. Her character work was subtle and sharp, and repeated readings show you something different and deeper each time. Lymond has a very slight fantasy aspect and takes place around the beginning of Elizabeth I's reign, and takes place in Scotland, Paris, Malta, Constantinople, Russia, and England, different for each book. The first 100 pages can be tough to get through until you get used to the way she writes (Lymond often speaks in quotes from popular songs, plays, etc of the time, much the way we use movie quotes etc in talking to friends). But it seems to me you might like the series.
A top 10 for 2022: 10. Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts (that ending really does stand out, war is hell and all that) 9. Golden Kamuy by Satoru Noda 8. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams 7. Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams 6. Antkind by Charlie Kaufman 5. To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams 4. Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware 3. The Sculptor by Scott McCloud 2. The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy 1. Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy (I did not want this book to end but it did and this upsets me, could've easily been three times longer) I need to read more Janny Wurts and Tad Williams in 2023, number 11 would've been The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Right back at you. You might want to add Golden Kamuy to the list of manga to possibly read in the future. It's part treasure hunt, part anhtropological study of the Ainu, with the last remnants of samurai culture dying off in the wake of the Meiji Restoration and the modernizing world of the 20th century thrown in for good measure.
Happy New Year, Phillip! I hope 2023 will bless you with even more wonderful reads. Btw, are you and AP going to have a discussion about CG and Assail or not? :)
Thank you, Ruda! I am committed to having those chats with AP (and hopefully the authors) when he is ready. I am sorry it's taking a long time, but there are unavoidable things that he has to take care of first. All the best!
Good books! My favorites were all the Tawny Man books by Robin Hobb, Wrath by John Gwynne, Empireof the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, or something else, it's difficult to decide
It would really be impossible for me to keep up with your adventures in fantasy - so much to read, so little time - not least because I also love reading science fiction, and so I have a great many novels vying for my attention. However, I am always interested to hear about what you are reading, and what are your favourites and recommendations. Your videos on the Dark Tower series have convinced me that this is one series I really ought to prioritise and commit to. Thanks for all your insights and cheeriness throughout the year.
In Lawrence's trilogy I find it amazing the main characters are.so different that someone will find somerhung in one of them. The end of Thousandfold Thought is almost a happy ending, I literally cheered anyway. But it can wear a reader down which is likely his intent. He confronts the reader.in a very visceral way I just havent seen anywhere else. He also has an amazing ability to pack so much in a single sentence. But will be picking up Things We Carry soon. I have read a lot of war non fiction and really like Cook. Need to finish Lions by GGK and Lathe of Heaven.
Happy New Year! What a great list of books! I would highly recommend you check out Master Assasins by Robert V.S Reddick, it’s a more literary fantasy with some of the best prose I’ve read in years. (Read mark Lawrence’s review and he would agree!)
I think the best books I read this year are Curse of the Mistwraith (Wurts), Shadow of the Gods (Gwynne) and Equal Rites (Pratchett). I also reread Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghost and Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorne series. Both of which held up which makes me happy. I am just under Brian Lee Dufree's Forgetting Moon and I can picture that going up on next year's list.
Equal rites is fun and the young girl makes a reappearance in one of the Aching novels. I can recommend reading the whole witches series. They are fun and clever.
@@stevenredpath9332 i have read a few of the Discworld novels, all out of order. But my intro to Discworld were the BBC cartoons of Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters. The Wytches series are probably my favourite, I had just thought equal Rites was a Rincewind book until I picked it up this summer.
@@cmmosher8035 I, personally, would pick Rincewind over the witches but it’s not by much. Interesting Times vs Witches Abroad level of stuff. You probably confused sourcery with equal rites. I think they came out fairly close together (though it was a long time ago).
@@stevenredpath9332 Wyrd Sisters and Masquerade were my first two Discworld books so I may just be biased. I do need to read more of the series overall.
2022 (and even-numbered years in general) turned out to g a bit of a fallow year for me. I had a few outstanding reads, and many strong reads, but it was rare to get blown away. I’m still parsing the order, but my top reads this year: Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu (the worst I can say is that I think Le Guin is a slightly better short story writer…) Hyperion by Dan Simmons (up there with Dune, Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and Book of the New Sun as the sci-fi that have most impacted me) Nature and “The Over-Soul” by Ralph Waldo Emerson (Sublime meditations on art, cosmology, and more) Reverse Colonization: Science Fiction, Imperial Fantasy, and Alt-victimhood by David M. Higgins (the most persuasive political reading of literature I’ve read in a long time) Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (truly beautiful fairy tale reworking) The Aeneid by Virgil (didn’t hit me as hard as the Homeric epics, but he introduces some interesting nuances to the story)
would you say you liked the thousandfold thought? ive read the first two, but those were kind of a slog so i have yet to read the third. the way bakker uses philosophy as magic in the prince of nothing is really cool. its a concept that makes you think "how has no one done this before?". the world is great, its a bit like black metal if it were a book series. i just kind of wish he'd get to the point sometimes lol. him and erikson. good reviews!
Thanks, Ethan! If you felt like the first two Prince of Nothing books were kind of a slog, then my guess is you would find the third tedious for much of the time. I would still advocate reading it, but, if anything, it drags the most of the three. You do learn more about the magic too!
Ohh I think that’s genuinely Bakker’s view of humanity. Not just an in book thing haha. He puts it all out there in Neuropath, a stand-alone sci-fi. I think you get some of the same concepts in Aspect Emperor but it’s more integrated into the plot, not explicitly stated
It really does start out slowly -- I'll be the first to admit that. But somehow it gets its hooks deep into you, and by the end, you can't believe how well you know the characters. It's truly astounding! All the best, Jim!
Here a recommendation for you may like. If you Not mind Japanese light novel. Check out restaurant to a another world.( Translate & License by seven seas) It's about restaurant has a door allow people from another world to eat that his restaurant. While telling their stories how they found the door and few side stories about restaurant history along way If not sure about it it's have anime. The anime doesn't full adapt everything in novel so pacing work better in animation.
Hi Philip. You seem to be a guy that would really enjoy The Book of the new Sun series by Gene Wolfe. I guess you've already heard about this series. That is my recommendation for 2023 - have a good one!
In fact, I have the four volumes and will be starting the first in late January/early February. I'm looking forward to Book of the New Sun very much! Thank you, and have a wonderful 2023!
The BookTube police have been hunting for me, but I’m too clever for them. 😁 My very best wishes to you, Jake, for an amazing 2023! I’m excited to discuss Tawny Man with you and the others!
INCOMING - WALL OF TEXT from TheGeekyHippie! With me coming closer and closer to finishing *The Expanse* by James SA Corey (aka Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham), I am becoming more and more eager to read Abraham's solo stuff, especially after all of your praise for *The Long Price Quartet* this past year (and of course I'll also be diving into Franck's stuff at some point too). I also have some Gwynne's *Bloodsworn Trilogy* lined up for some time this year (that will be the first of his I read, but those covers just pull at me LOL). I'm nowhere near starting Esselmont's Malazan books, still have seven to go with the Book of the Fallen. But I definitely hope to eat away at more of that particular... franchise (??? does that word apply in this instance???). But my next Erikson will be *Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart* sometime in the next month or so I think. Janny Wurts is on my TBR for 2023 twice. First, I am hoping to do a reread of the *Empire Trilogy* she co-wrote with Raymond E Feist, and then her *Wars of Light and Shadow* series after that. I really am looking forward to that reread, as Mara of the Acoma is my number two all time favorite female character. As someone on a budget (and using my public library), I have to ask if the Vinland Saga manga series has a good price to story ratio. I haven't seen them listed on my library's website yet, so cost is a serious question for me (why I stopped reading comic books years ago, the cost to story ratio was too small). A return to Bakker's work is planned for next year, assuming I finish *The Malazan Book of the Fallen* this year. Either way, MBotF comes first before I reenter a world even more dark and depressing than Malazan is LOL. Super glad you read the trilogy, and glad to see I'm not the only one to take a break after finishing it. Seriously though, Bakker really is a great storyteller, and his prose is damn good too. Abercrombie is definitely also on my TBR, just not sure how far down *First Law Trilogy* is. I'm also hoping to get around to some Mark Lawrence at some point here, but I'd love your input on reading order of his oeuvre. I would like to start with his best stuff, but I also have a thing about reading stories in chronological order, unless the author purposefully wrote out of order as they published. So where do you think I should start with his stuff, and what is the least grimdark-esque of his stuff? You've inspired a lot of my TBR list, honestly. And not just this video, but throughout all of the the videos of yours I have watched. Thank you!
Those are some awesome reads ahead for you, Glenn! About Lawrence, if you’re okay with true grimdark, then take it all in chronological order. Broken Empire is the only real grimdark, and the protagonist is morally reprehensible and villainous and fascinating. If you think it will be too much, then I recommend starting with Book of the Ancestor. I wish you the very best with all of it!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thank you for the advice. It helps. I do like some dark villainous b@astards at times, so I think I can deal with that no problem.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'm aiming for 75 books this year over on Goodreads. I think I may be able to pull it off too, now that I have cut out/cut back my Twitter activity. Sure, I only read 66 books for the year, but I've now got more time than I did last year.
Most likely you will not enjoy manga, I strongly suspect. That said, I’ve never watched anime, so I’m not certain how close it is to manga, of which I’ve read only one. So, I’m probably not the best person to answer your question. I will say that I grew up on comics (Marvel and DC), which probably contributed to how fun the leap into manga was for me. All the best, Shawn!
Great to see Holy Sister in the stack - so glad you enjoyed it.
Including a book from Book of the Ancestor was a no-brainer! Deciding which one to include was a bit harder, but it had to be Holy Sister in the end because of what you accomplished with the atmosphere, the ending, and the deeply moving portrayals of friendship and love. Thank you!!!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy The whole trilogy is a fantastic read. I knew you'd like it Philip :) Happy New Year to you both btw !
@@djsuth7727 Happy New Year to you too, DJ!
Holy Sister is an amazing series. Glad to see it getting the attention it deserves!
Yay for Vinland Saga!!! Here’s hoping we’ll both have Vagnond on our lists next year as well 🎉
Thank you, Merphy, for one of my favorite recommendations, and even more for your friendship. Here’s to a wonderful year of stories in 2023!
Vagabond is amazing, has my favorite character in anything (not even the main character)
Berserk *
@@ICONGAMER57 that's too much pain
came here to recommend Vagabond! please do read it together, it's fantastic
Well, you've done it again. I am floored... Again. To have The Severing Son listed among several of my own favorites, and stories by literary heroes of mine, makes this another stellar memory in a very memorable year. A memorable year in which you have played a vital role, Philip. I'm feeling humbled and honored and thrilled.
I'm super excited to add several of these to my '23 TBR, including Wurts and getting back to Lawrence. And then there's this other author--one I sense will become a favorite; perhaps even an insta-classic--out there, about to publish a debut. Cannot wait to read this Chase fellow. Here's to storytelling in 2023, my friend. Thanks so much for being a part of my journey. Happy New Year!
It's been a fantastic year of reads for me, Vaughn, and I'm so delighted that The Severing Son was among them. Here's to more great storytelling in 2023!
I think you do an incredible job of describing these books without spoiling anything. You have an aptitude for describing books and telling us why they might be of interest.
Thank you, Geoff! It’s tricky to explain why I love a book without spoilers, so I appreciate your kind words. Happy New Year!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Happy New Year to you as well!
Love your list, Philip! And love your approach! Let's make the non tier, not ranked list that contains any number of books a trend. Apart from showing me that you had a marvelous reading year, your video confirmed again why I love your channel as almost two thirds of your list are favourite and valued authors of mine as well. And some of them like Gwynne or Esslemont I found through you and your channel.Therefore a big thank you for all those wonderful videos in 2022! And an equally big thank you for all the support you have given to Do Unicorns Read?. It's deeply appreciated!
See you next year, Philip, for what most likely will be a total Book of the Ancestor gush fest!
I am very much looking forward to that gush fest, Angela! Also, I'm glad you like the approach here -- since I have to grade as part of my day job, I'd rather not rank things -- especially the ones I enjoy! My very best to you for the New Year!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Ah, grading, like you I could have done without it. That explains why this appeals so much. A deeply fulfilling 2023 to you and your family!
Great list. I am happy you picked Bakker for your list. Finally some recognition for this weird Canadian genius 😁
Dark Tower is also a favourite of mine but I think Wizard and Glass was the one I loved most.
This was the year I discovered Curse of the Mistwraith and Vinland Saga and loved them both.
Very good taste Phillip. Have a great New Year
Thank you! Bakker really is a genius -- a word I try to use sparingly. "Weird" probably applies too! I love Wizard and Glass as well -- it's the book that transformed Roland from merely awesome to lovable for me. All the best!
Bro you got the cleanest beard on RUclips hands down.
Hiding the list before you show up is part of the fun for me.
I just started getting into books thanks for going in depth about what you liked about each book!
Thank you! One of the few benefits to getting older is the beard gets better. I'm glad you enjoyed my explanations of why I loved each book. Happy New Year!
What an absolute banger of a list!! Just hearing you talk about LPQ already makes me want to reread it again! And you have totally sold me on The Severing Son, I can't wait to check that one out!
My top five this year is Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar, Dream of Death City by P.J. Nwosu, A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla, The Risen Kingdoms series by Curtis Craddock and The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu!
Thanks for sharing your list!!
Excellent top five, Esmay! I hope to get to Dandelion Dynasty in 2023, but probably later in the year. I hope you’ll enjoy The Severing Son when you get to it!
We really need to check out Long Price Quartet. Same in regards to the works of Janny Wurts as well. After our chat I'm really looking forward to returning to Dark Tower. So glad that you loved Holy Sister and the Book of the Ancestor as a whole!
Will & Ed
Yes! I'm so excited to hear what you two make of the Dark Tower, and LPQ has phenomenal character work. It's a good series to learn from, I think. My very best to you and your loved ones for 2023!!!
Nice wrap up, Philip! I read all of Dark Tower in 2022, including all of the suggested reading order tie-ins, and I am excited to finish off the last book in 2023. Glad you enjoyed it!
That's awesome, Jimmy! You did the deluxe version of the Dark Tower journey. I hope to read all those tie-in books someday too. My best to you for 2023!
I loved these beautiful reflections on your top reads of 2022! Your thoughts on Roycroft, Esslemont, and Abraham excite me for what's ahead in 2023! I went back and forth about what to choose from Bakker and Wurts (and I'll Hobb to my list). So many great books from great authors! I don't think I've heard anyone describe the Dark Tower journey more profoundly than you did in this video. Happy New Year, Philip!
Thank you, Johanna! It has been an enriching year here on BookTube, and, even more than the reads themselves, I think the "secret" is the community and the wonderful friends we have here. My very best to you for 2023!
Great list and very much appreciate the way you discussed the books.
This year I completed both a LOTR reread and a slow readalong of The Silmarillion - this catapulted the Legendarium to my #1 favourite fantasy world. Next year, I hope to read Unfinished Tales. For me, Tolkien is simply unparalleled in his writing and worldbuilding.
I also rediscovered Ursula K Le Guin - by reading both the Earthsea and the Hainish Cycle courtesy a Booktube friend of mine and came to love her writing style.
I wish Malazan had clicked with me but it just didn't. I did read the first three books of WoLaS and To Ride Hell's Chasm - Wurts' writing style is still very dense for me but I hope to reread the first three books again in 2023 as part of a readalong and get more out of them by listening to discussions and reading more slowly.
Happy New Year and thank you for being such a kind, knowledgeable and gracious presence on Booktube. 🙏🏽🌷
Thank you, Paromita! Any praise for Tolkien and Le Guin puts a silly grin on my face -- they are the two most formative authors for me, without a doubt. My very best wishes to you for 2023!
You have a way to constantly expand my TBR. Which is frustrating given my slow reading speed. Thanks for the video.
Sorry! 😄Whatever you do read, I wish you the very best with it, and also a wonderful year in 2023!
You had a really amazing year Philip. I enjoyed hearing about it. I’ll be getting to Prince of Nothing hopefully this year. At least book one.
Thank you, Chas! Any year with good books is amazing for me, but I feel like I encountered some incredible stories. Here's to many great reads for us in 2023!
Great list!
The final three books you talked about are definitely favorites of mine. I hope to do a reread of the Dark Tower in 2023 because I want to get another read in before the tv show comes out and starts changing the way I imagine the characters. I love Book of the Ancestor for everything you said about it. Lawrence seems to be able to stuff as many ideas and themes into 350-400pg book that takes other authors 800-1000pgs to pull off. The Warrior Prophet is my favorite out of PoN too. I'm glad you are eventually going to continue on with the series because like Jimmy I feel that Aspect-Emperor is superior to PoN and even more ripe for interesting discussions.
Ian C. Esslemont's Malazan books and Janny Wurts' Wars of Light and Shadow are two works I'm hoping to get to by the end of 2023. They seem like works I would enjoy quite a bit.
I only read a couple of self-published novels a year and the way you talked about The Severing Son makes me think that one will be filling up the spot in 2023. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
Great video! Have a good New Year. I look forward to watching what you have coming in 2023.
Thanks, Andrew! I know a lot of Dark Tower fans feel burned by the movie they made (I haven’t seen it), so let’s hope the TV series will fare better. I’m encouraged to finish Second Apocalypse by all the praise I hear for Aspect Emperor. I hope you’ll enjoy The Severing Son! Here’s to a wonderful year of reading in 2023!
I started reading Malazan last week due to your videos. I've been putting it off for a while because of how daunting it is, but I think I'm finally ready to start!
My very best to you for the read, Alejandro!
As someone who has read the fallen series twice I’d advise you to enjoy the books, relax about keeping up who is where & doing what (it’s nearly impossible to follow the convoluted paths of so many characters) but rest assured there’s a lot of fun in them, interesting insights and Erickson brings it to a tremendous conclusion in the final books.
You give off a very calm and positive energy, love your videos but rarely comment. Here's to a happy 2023 and more good books to enjoy!
Thank you, Mako! Your comments are always welcome, but I’m grateful for the views too. My very best to you for 2023!
Amazing wrap up! You have me so excited to get to these soon, whether LPQ, Dark Tower, Severing Son, or Janny Wurts! Thanks for being such a pillar of the community, and here’s to a very happy new year!
Thank you, Ben! My very best to you for an awesome 2023, my friend!
Great List Philip. Nice to see Janny Wurts's works back in the spotlight. While I've only read one, years ago when it first came out, It is on my reread for 2023 and as much of the series as I can fit in for the upcoming year. The Book of the Ancestor series is also on my 2023 TBR. Vinland Saga is also my introduction to Manga. I was hoping to keep up with you and Merphy but life outside got in my way. Ha!
Thank you, Christopher! Sounds like some great reads in store for you in 2023, and I wish you the very best!
Have a great 2023 Mr. Chase!
Thank you! And I wish the same for you!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I appreciate it!
I am very happy to see Price of Spring in the list, Philip. That's one of my favourite books ever. Everything Abraham did in that series resonated with me and I loved his character work.
LPQ will stay with me forever. May you have a wonderful 2023, Anitha!
Great list! I will finally be starting my journey into Malazan this year and I hope it clicks for me because it seems like there is so much to unpack there.
Thank you! I wish you the very best for your Malazan read!
Happy New Year Phillp! I look forward to watching more in 2023 and cheering you on with your novels! As always I just love hearing you talk about the books you love. It always comes through how much you clearly love reading and fantasy. It is so contagious! ♥
Thank you for your kindness and your encouraging words! My very best to you for 2023 as well!
I'm so glad that you loved The Dark Tower so much! I feel like I'm the only one who found that book to be at such a level of quality and perfection that I could gush about it for hours if I wanted to, on that book alone.
I couldn’t ask for more from that ending, which I will think about often. My best to you for an awesome year of reading in 2023!
This was probably my favorite list. I just finished The Severing Son and plan on reviewing it. It was a great debut! You were spot on about Assail and how it adds SO MUCH to the Malazan mythos. I'm going to try and get to Gwynne this new year and I'm deep in Curse of the Mistwraith now and loving it. For the coming year, I'd recommend Stephen R. Donaldson- anything by him is worth it. It was because of his blurb on the cover that I started reading Malazan in the first place. Also, for manga, Lone Wolf and Cub. The artwork alone is worth it, but there is also no better father/son theme going. (That is, if you can get away from Scandinavia for a little while and go to Edo period Japan 😀, also as a warning, it is quite explicit). Hopefully, I'll get to some of the others on this list but I do have to read the occasional history book as well. Happy new year!
Thank you for the recommendations, Jarrod! I’ll definitely be covering more Donaldson in the years to come. I did a video on his essays on fantasy, which speak to me more than I can say about what fantasy can do. I also had the immense pleasure of meeting Donaldson and having dinner with him last year. The man has a lot of stories!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy That is awesome! Just posted my review of The Severing Son. ruclips.net/channel/UCvXJrtBl0FP3P_CCcyaq51A
What a great year of reading. I’m glad you loved Vinland Saga, I hope you’ll give Berserk a shot at some point in the future.
Thank you, Danel! Berserk is on my list of mangas to read, for sure. All the best!
Philip out here eschewing Top 10 Lists as well! What will he come for next, ladies and gentlemen???
So happy to see some LPQ on here!!!! Great list!
Ha ha! Once I figure out what "reading sprints" are, I'll come gunning for 'em! 😄Of course LPQ is here! When has the Long Price Prophet steered me wrong? Never!!! My very best to you and Christina for a wonderful New Year, buddy!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy same to you, my friend!!!
Happy new year and thanks for all the great videos over the past year. Looking forward to 2023
Thank you, Scott! I'm excited for 2023, which I hope will be a great year for you!
Hi Philip, I hope your doing great. Thank you for sharing with us your favorite reads of 2022, and even more your heartfelt and meaningful reflections on them!
I would like to read Vinland saga and the Long Price Quartet this year, at least start them.
I wish you and the channel an awesome year!
Thanks so much, Simon! My very best to you for an amazing year of reading!
What a great lineup Phillip. Really, all of the books mentioned in this video are indeed so compelling and memorable, each in their own special way. Thank you
For revisiting these moments.
What a wonderful year for reading it was.
Hope the new year brings as much joy and good reads as this one
Happy new year!
Thank you, Avi! My very best to you for a wonderful year in 2023!
What a great stack of faves! I gave a hoot and hollar twice in this presentation; first when you mentioned Hunger of the Gods and then again with The Dark Tower 😀
This year coming up, I would like to give Janny Wurts a try, and also R Scott Bakker.
I'm a fan of the horror genre, and your description of Prince of Nothing really piqued my interest. Heck, it may even be a bit much for me, for how bleak it sounds. But I'm up for the challenge.
This has been a great reading year for me, a lot of favorites spanning many genres. I adored Assassin's Apprentice and am eager to continue with Royal Assassin.
Empire of Silence amazed me, with Ruocchio's talent for writing. Peter Straub took me by surprise with his psychological thriller, Ghost Story.
I wish you a very happy New Year, Dr. Chase, I've had a great time this year with you, and Mike, and Sarah, and the whole community of Booktube. I am grateful to you all.
Til next Year!😀
Thanks, Anthony! It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful reading year, and I wish more of the same for you in 2023, which is about to begin in about 12 minutes for us here in good old NJ! All the best!
Loved the list! And took some recomendations for my next year's TBR. Hope you have a wonderfull new year's eve Philip. You look like a really nice person. Greetings from Argentina
Thank you so much, Fernando! I appreciate the kind words. My very best to you for your reading in 2023!
Here's my top list
1. Dolores Claiborne by Stephen king
2. The great peace by mena suvari her memoir
3. Billy summers by Stephen king
4. Not my father son by Alan Cumming his first memoir
5. they never learn by Layne Fargo
6. the cactus by Sarah Haywood
7. the charm offensive by allison Cochrane
8. The heart principle by helen Huang
9. Iron widow
10. A king of battle and blood by scarlett st claire
Excellent list, Angela!
Hi Philip, this year I've discovered your channel through Merphy and I subscribed, all of a sudden you became one of my favorite booktubers along with Merphy and Johanna (whom I discovered this year as well). Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom and for being such a positive looking person. Happy new year from Spain. All the best to you and your family and friends!
Thank you for your kind words, Polly, and my very best to you for 2023!
A fantastic year indeed! I wrapped up The Thousandfold Thought yesterday so interested to hear your thoughts. Can't wait to see what 2023 brings for you and the channel!
Thank you, Dan! My very best to you for 2023!
Happy New Year Philip. I hope you had a great day. I know 2023 will be an amazing year for you and I can't wait to watch it.
Thank you so much, Ibi! I am grateful for your support and your many kind words in all your comments. You viewers are the ones who keep me going. My very best to you for 2023!
Oh, hope to see you reading more manga, it's an incredible medium with some unforgeable stories. Great list, Phillip, Happy New Year!
I am excited to start Vagabond soon! Merphy and I will be chatting about it in early February after we finish Vinland Saga. Happy New Year to you too, Lila!
Awesome list! 👌
Thank you, Chadia! 😃
My familiarity with Janny Wurts is the Daughter of the Empire series, which she co-wrote with Raymond E. Fiest. I read it decades ago when I was a kid, and it was my first introduction to political machinations in fantasy - it's a great series.
I am very much looking forward to reading the Empire Trilogy someday. Cheers, Benja!
The Empire series is on my list to get to this year. I skipped over them when they were originally published because I was a teenager and thought they looked boring. Want to rectify that oversight.
The empire series is best read after reading Fiest magician trilogy but it was my gateway to Janny and I have enjoyed reading her novels and short stories immensely.
@@stevenredpath9332 that’s the plan
I recently re-read the original Riftwar trilogy, part of me trying to get back into reading as much as I did when I was younger.
@@paulharvey5505 good luck and enjoy the reading.
Love it! Good choices! I can't wait to check some of them out.
Thanks, Tyrell! I hope you’ll enjoy the reads!
Love your Ganesha tee! Long price quartet is high on my list but I think I can get to it only in 2024. Curse of the Mistwraith is great but I just finished Ships of Merior , the second book in the series and it is even better! Arithon is my favourite character, I can say without a doubt now , having read the second book. Can't wait to hear your thoughts about Ships.
Thank you so much, Angie! That is awesome to hear about Ships of Merior. I can't wait!
Thanks a lot for this review,I will add all of them to my TBR list for 2023. If you want to try another manga for 2023 I really recommend you Attack on Titan. The story is really deep and much more than what you can imagine when you start it.
Thanks so much for the recommendation, Aurelie!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy you’re welcome ☺️
A lot of amazing books and def some i am looking forward to reading. My favourite read this year would have to be The House in Fata Morgana which is a visual novel you can get on steam or the switch. In some ways it is quite similar to malazan in that the first four stories are not that connected but instead of location it is time. On the other hand it is more of a gothic, suspense, horror and mystery story with a large focus on romance and not as much fantasy elements. The prequel I would say is even better than the main story holding the peak quality of the main story throughout its shorter length. The music is also an amazing aspect maintaining the atmosphere perfectly throughout. Dreams of revenant edition is best if anyone is interested. There is a manga of it by the same author but it is condensed and def not as good as the visual novel.
Thank you for the recommendation, Daniel -- sounds awesome!
Great list! My top 10:
1 - Nevernight (Jay Kristoff)
2 - Saint’s Blood (Sebastian de Castell)
3 - Fairy Tale (Stephen King)
4 - Fire & Blood (George R R Martin)
5 - Last Argument of Kings (Joe Abercrombie)
6 - Jade Legacy (Fonda Lee)
7 - Priest of Crowns (Peter McLean)
8 - The Shadow of the Gods (John Gwynne)
9 - Pennyblade (J L Worrad)
10 - The Justice of Kings (Richard Swan)
My 2 runners-up are The Ember Blade (Chris Wooding) and The Hellborn King (Christopher G Brenning).
That’s an excellent list, Michael! I see some there that I love and some I need to read. My best to you for 2023!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy And to you sir!
Happy New Year Philip! I'm looking forward to seeing you talk about your fantasy series that you wrote! 😊🌲
Thank you, Todd! I’ll be making an official announcement with details about my plans later this week. I appreciate your interest!
I've had a pretty poor reading year overall, read a lot of books but very very few that managed to distinguish themselves in any memorable way. I don't really have a conventional top 10 but here are a few that I really loved, a couple I've already read two or three times since reading them earlier in the year.
- The Terror by Dan Simmons, brilliant historical horror novel about the doomed artic voyage of two ships in the 1850s.
- Jady Legacy by Fonda and by extension the trilogy as a whole. Just really fell for the characters in a big way.
- Miracle In The Andes by Nando Parrado - a non fiction about a plane crash in The Andes, really life affirming inspirational stuff.
- If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio, about a group of thespians who become dangerously obsessed with Shakespeare.
- The Three body Problem by Liu Cixin, an extremely interesting sci-fi that lead to a kind of existential crisis - in a good way mind you.
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, a brilliant generational story about systemic discrimination, the erasure of culture, identity and family. I read this at the height of summer in my garden, beautiful weather. I suspect that plays a part in my initial love of this book.
Happy new year to you!
Those sounds like some great ones, Ryan! I'll be trying Green Bone Saga soon myself, and I look forward to it. My best to you for 2023!
Looking forward to reading Assail one day. When I first read Night of Knives I really didn't like it and almost didn't continue. But then coming off my favorite Malazan novel, Bonehunters, Return of the Crimson Guard was the sequel I wanted to read to the fall out from that book instead if Reaper's Gale, which I was really disappointed in. I've read up through Stonewielder and every book has been better than the one before.
Stonewielder and Assail are probably my two favorite Esslemont books, but I have enjoyed all his contributions to Malazan. My best to you for a great year of reading ahead!
You convinced me that Warrior Prophet was not a top book of 2022 😅😆
I cannot wait to start Curse of the Mistwraith!
Ha ha! Oops. Bakker is an amazing writer, but I do feel I should warn folks about what to expect in the case of Prince of Nothing. I hope you'll love Curse of the Mistwraith!
Thanks for sharing! I’m pretty new to fantasy, so I enjoyed hearing you talk about these!
Thank you, Trevor! I hope you’ll discover some wonderful reads in 2023!
Great list. I loved your thoughts about the Dark Tower - makes me want to reread soon!
Thank you, Josh! Dark Tower was a profoundly moving read for me. It might come up when we chat in a week!
I am very happy you enjoyed your experience with Manga, that medium is so versatile and or diversed that I wished US editions are that many, so many good titles or stories that were discontinued, from sports to historical fiction from fantasy to scifi from cooking to coming of age all of them are that good, I am currently reading the Seven Shakespeare series by Harold Sakushi, which is a historical fiction manga of Shakespeare... and a manga that is about wine called Drops of God ... these past 2 years I've been reading too many manga and comicbooks that my nonfiction reads gets pushed back, so my goal this 2023 is to read nonfiction books that i like especially history, my Thomas Jefferson biography by Jon Meacham is collecting dust
Have a good new year and all the best in 2023
No doubt there’s a vast world of stories in the manga format for me to discover. My very best wishes to you for your reading plans in 2023!
I've really enjoyed all your content this year and look forward to your 2023 videos! It makes me so happy that you've enjoyed your manga journey so far. I'm sure this has opened a new door for you in your reading/fantasy journey as well and what a journey it will be! I'm so excited to see you discover and love new manga
Happy New year! Wishing you all the best in the new year with your channel and book release
Thank you so much for all the kind words, and my very best to you and your loved ones for 2023!
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year Dr. Chase.
Thank you, Christopher, and the same to you and your loved ones!
Yes you’re right I absolutely do need to watch another top reads of 2022 video, especially this one
Ha ha! Thank you! 😊
I agree The Hunger of the Gods was amazing! Great list. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thank you, Jeremy! My very best wishes to you for much fulfillment in 2023!
Great video Philip! I'm confident one day we'll be seeing YOUR books on "top book lists" of various booktubers / bloggers! Happiest of New Years to you and yours ! Looking forward to chatting with you on PAGE CHEWING very soon!
Thank you so much, PL! I’m excited to chat with you in less than a week!
Hoopla the public library audiobook app has the The Long Price Quartet, I just added it to my favorites!
Cool! That is a great tip because it's not always easy to find copies of LPQ. Cheers, Heidi!
your review makes me want to read the books :)
Thank you, Arek! That’s a great compliment, and I appreciate it!
Happy new years
Happy New Year to you too, Mr. Rorosuri!
Happy New year, for a 2023 with more amazing books!!!
The same to you, Selene!
I can't wait to read a couple on this list , next year
I hope you'll love them, Mr. Rorosuri!
Currently reading The Hunger of the Gods and having a fantastic time :)
Definitely plan to start reading Janny Wurts this year! So many people I respect love her work that it’s basically a crime I haven’t picked any up yet…
The same goes for Bakker too at this point 😂
Fantastic! I predict that you’ll love Janny Wurts’ books. I’m not so sure about Bakker’s, but the fellow can write. Cheers, Taylor!
Happy New Year Philip!!
Thank you, Diptanjan! My very best wishes to you for 2023!
Welcome to the fantasy world of Janny Wurts. She will challenge you and make you think. My only criticism of the war of light and shadows was the start to the final arc was an abrupt disconnect from what proceeded it but will be worth working through that. Very much worth it.
Thank you, Steven! I’m incredibly excited for the journey that will be The Wars of Light and Shadow!
Great reading year! 🎉📚
Thank you, Michelle! My very best to you for your reading!
Great list! I might check out Vinland Saga next year. I never got to Mark Lawrence either! I’ll try to get to him next year. 2022 was great for both of us in fantasy and I hope 2023 will be another great year for reading.
Here’s to an awesome year in 2023, Marco!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy yes!
Great picks for your year! I still need to catch up to gwynne and start bakker this year 😊
Thank you, Joana! Gwynne’s books are easy for me to love. Bakker’s, so far, have been more of a challenge because of the despair and the frequent graphic sexual violence, but he’s an incredibly talented writer. I wish you the best for your reading this year!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy thank you 🥰 i am a bit nervous about bakker but you and Johanna have made me want to read his books or at least try them
My «Personal Enjoyment Reads» List for 2022:
12-«By Force Alone» by Lavie Tidhar
(Loved the Grimdark Prologue with Uther and Merlin, but it would have been better either longer or with a sequel delving more into “Guy Ritchie Gangster” Arthur’s Camelot, second half was way too rushed! Also Lancelot’s main plot is straight out of Mel Brooks: Very funny (Jewish Ninjas fighting N@zi Vampires in the 5-6th Century!), but a bit off from the Grimdark opening, would have great seperate stories. Predator-reference had me ROFL though. Inspired by Jimmy Nutts' categories: Clear winner of "Scariest Character of 2022 I read": Merlin)
11-«The Hood» by Lavie Tidhar
(Much more evenly balanced: «Breaking Bad» Rebecca of York/Robin Hood meets «Heart of Darkness»/«Apocalypse Now»)
10-«The Broken Sword» by Poul Anderson (A S&S Classic: Anderson effortlessly changes between huge laughs, epic fight and deep tragedy. Vikings meets Myth(s))
9-«Beowulf» (JRR Tolkien’s interpretation: A Literary Classic for a reason + excellent commentary from the Professor Himself!)
8-«Storm of Swords» by Matthew Harffy (The «Bernicia Chronicles» is my «palett cleanser» book series: While this is essentially Anglo-Saxon «Taken», the characters have grown on me and loved the «Ship Wrecker»-«sidequest»)
7-«Snakewood» by Adrian Selby (While the structure of the story is not the most welcoming, there is great action, diplomacy and heartfelt laughs and tragedy. Gant, Kailen and The Prince are on my shortlist for "Favorite Characters of the Year", while Mirisham wins my "Most Morally Complex Character of the Year" Award!)
6-«Legend» by David Gemmell
(While a bit generic in World Building, I definitely got great action and a incredible positive surprise in the immense humanity in Gemmell’s writing, even to what could easily have been stock side characters and antagonists, so Orrin wins "Biggest Character Surprise of the Year"!)
5-«Hunger of the Gods» by John Gwynne (Good expansion of the World presented in the first book and Guthvar is a delightful pov-antagonist I love to hate: Favorite Dirtbag Character of the Year!)
4-«Banner Saga: Gift of Hadrborg»/«Tales from the Caravan» (especially the short stories «Haugr’s Grin» & «Too Much Rope») (GoH: Vikings+Gang Wars+A dash of Indiana Jones: Neat!/TotC: Great action, great tragedy! Eirik (the Undercover Viking Cop) from "GoH" is a "Favorite Character of the Year"-contender, while Mogr from "Too Much Rope" has to be my "Favorite Tragic Main Character of the Year")
3-«The Severing Son» by Vaughn Roycroft (Great Culture Building, Loved the characters, especially the leaders: The dynamic between the adopted brothers Captain Urias and Lord Thadmeir of great trust even in (often) disagreement, the dastardly Desdrusan and cunning Keisella, so many contenders for "Favorite Character Categories", but Sael has to be the winner of "Sassiest Old Lady of the Year"-category! Also, wins my "Favorite Ongoing Series": Heck, what a great debut!)
2-«Finn and Hengist» (JRR Tolkien’s interpretation)
(While incredibly short, it contains rivalries, dilemmas and tragedies worthy of a full Greek Drama or Norse Saga! Great scholarly work by the Professor, on a part of history/myth unfairly often overlooked! Hengist is contender for "Favorite Morally Complex Character" and Hildeburh solidly wins "Favorite Tragic Side Character"!)
1-«Sarantine Mosaic: Sailing to Sarantium» by Gay Gavriel Kay (The Prose, The Characters, The Setting, The World Building: GGK is one of the best writers of today! The Prologue and the Epilogue is both top notch! Favorite characters over all this year for me: Emperor Valerius II and Empress Alixana)
Wow, I'm blown away to be #3 on this awesome list, Mac! Thanks a million! (Also, I'm very fond of so many of my secondary characters--Urias and Sael being chief among them.) Happy New Year!
Excellent list, MacScarfield! I promise to read more GGK someday, and my very best wishes to you for 2023!!!
@@vaughnroycroft999 Again, I must thank you for an excellent read Mr. Roycroft! Happy New Year! 🎊
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Happy New Year Professor 🥳🍻
I don't have a top 10. My list is more like top 16 or 17. They include: Project Hail Mary, The Stand, the entire Book of the Ancestor trilogy, the entire Long Price Quartet, Guns of the Dawn and Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne, The Blade Itself, Boys Life, Stonewielder, the Lost Metal, Leviathan Wakes. Ok, how many is that? I would be a terrible booktuber. Lol
Ha ha! I suspect you would make an awesome BookTuber, Camanda! Fantastic list!
Lots of good stuff on this list! I really hope you check out the Sun Eater series in 2023. I think you'd love it
Thank you! Sun Eater is on my list of must reads. 2023 is possible, but probably late in the year. All the best!
Happy New Year 🥳 to you and ur family 🎉🎉
The same to you, Safina!
Happy New Year Philip 😊
Happy New Year to you too, Elaine!
My best reads of the year according to your criteria - no rereads and just one book per author in reading order. However, restricted to “just” 25 books out of 118.5:
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Is by Ulla-Lena Lundberg
Lasisilmä by Johanna Sinisalo
Hägring 38 by Kjell Westö
A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel kay
1793 by Niklas Natt och Dag
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu
The White-Luck Warrior by R. Scott Bakker
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham
Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey
Män kan inte våldtas by Märta Tikkanen
Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher by Walter Moers
Wie der Soldat das Grammafon repariert by Saša Stanišić
Canal Grande by Hannu Raittila
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Malafrena by Ursula K. Le Guin
Svålhålet by Mikael Niemi
The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
Im Westen nichts Neues by Erich Maria Remarque
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Happy New Year!
I'm glad you could narrow it down to 25! Ha ha! That's an awesome list, and I see a few that I would certainly like to read someday. My very best to you for a wonderful year of reading in 2023!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy An excellent reading year to you, too!
PS. Do you, by the way, read books in other (modern) languages than English?
@@toinenosoite3173 In the past, I’ve read novels in French, German, and Welsh. I’m a much better reader than speaker of all the languages I’ve learned except Nepali, which I can only speak, but I can’t claim fluency in them. The “foreign” language I read the most is Old English. I do love languages!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy That is a passion we share. Languages are my profession and a hobby of mine. In 2023 a goal of mine is to start reading Italian books - of course in Italian.
@@toinenosoite3173 buona fortuna!
Since you like historical fiction and mentioned great duels, have you read Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond series? In my list of top duels, she has the top two. She also has one of the most exciting action sequences I've ever read in book two, and the most heartbreaking in a later book. She was a talent like no other. Her character work was subtle and sharp, and repeated readings show you something different and deeper each time. Lymond has a very slight fantasy aspect and takes place around the beginning of Elizabeth I's reign, and takes place in Scotland, Paris, Malta, Constantinople, Russia, and England, different for each book. The first 100 pages can be tough to get through until you get used to the way she writes (Lymond often speaks in quotes from popular songs, plays, etc of the time, much the way we use movie quotes etc in talking to friends). But it seems to me you might like the series.
Sounds fantastic! Thank you for the recommendation! I'm writing down Lymond now to check out. Happy New Year!
A top 10 for 2022:
10. Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts (that ending really does stand out, war is hell and all that)
9. Golden Kamuy by Satoru Noda
8. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
7. Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
6. Antkind by Charlie Kaufman
5. To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams
4. Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
3. The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
2. The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy
1. Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy (I did not want this book to end but it did and this upsets me, could've easily been three times longer)
I need to read more Janny Wurts and Tad Williams in 2023, number 11 would've been The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams.
An awesome list, Kalle! I really need to reread Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. I wish you the best for your reading in 2023!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Right back at you. You might want to add Golden Kamuy to the list of manga to possibly read in the future. It's part treasure hunt, part anhtropological study of the Ainu, with the last remnants of samurai culture dying off in the wake of the Meiji Restoration and the modernizing world of the 20th century thrown in for good measure.
Happy New Year, Phillip! I hope 2023 will bless you with even more wonderful reads.
Btw, are you and AP going to have a discussion about CG and Assail or not? :)
Thank you, Ruda! I am committed to having those chats with AP (and hopefully the authors) when he is ready. I am sorry it's taking a long time, but there are unavoidable things that he has to take care of first. All the best!
Good books! My favorites were all the Tawny Man books by Robin Hobb, Wrath by John Gwynne, Empireof the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, or something else, it's difficult to decide
Thank you! I’m starting Tawny Man in a couple days and very much looking forward to it. My best to you for 2023!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy thanks, enjoy Tawny Man and have a great new year!
It would really be impossible for me to keep up with your adventures in fantasy - so much to read, so little time - not least because I also love reading science fiction, and so I have a great many novels vying for my attention. However, I am always interested to hear about what you are reading, and what are your favourites and recommendations. Your videos on the Dark Tower series have convinced me that this is one series I really ought to prioritise and commit to. Thanks for all your insights and cheeriness throughout the year.
Thank you, JG! If you do give Dark Tower a try, I hope you’ll find it an incredible journey. My very best to you for 2023!
In Lawrence's trilogy I find it amazing the main characters are.so different that someone will find somerhung in one of them.
The end of Thousandfold Thought is almost a happy ending, I literally cheered anyway. But it can wear a reader down which is likely his intent. He confronts the reader.in a very visceral way I just havent seen anywhere else. He also has an amazing ability to pack so much in a single sentence.
But will be picking up Things We Carry soon. I have read a lot of war non fiction and really like Cook. Need to finish Lions by GGK and Lathe of Heaven.
Ah, GGK - another author I need to read more of and cover in the channel. At least I’ll be getting to Gene Wolfe soon! My best to you, Eric!
Happy New Year to All and keep reading
The same to you!
Can wait for you and Merphy talk about VAGABOND...
I'm incredibly excited for my second manga series, especially since I hear great things about Vagabond!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too, Curt!
You literally uploaded this at midnight on the 31st where I am
Ha ha! What a perfect way to celebrate the new year! 😁 All the best to you for 2023, Harry!
Happy New Year! What a great list of books! I would highly recommend you check out Master Assasins by Robert V.S Reddick, it’s a more literary fantasy with some of the best prose I’ve read in years. (Read mark Lawrence’s review and he would agree!)
Thank you for the recommendation, which sounds excellent! Also, happy New Year to you too!
I think the best books I read this year are Curse of the Mistwraith (Wurts), Shadow of the Gods (Gwynne) and Equal Rites (Pratchett).
I also reread Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghost and Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorne series. Both of which held up which makes me happy.
I am just under Brian Lee Dufree's Forgetting Moon and I can picture that going up on next year's list.
Those are some marvelous reads! I loved Equal Rites too, and I look forward to progressing in Discworld. My very best to you for 2023!
Equal rites is fun and the young girl makes a reappearance in one of the Aching novels. I can recommend reading the whole witches series. They are fun and clever.
@@stevenredpath9332 i have read a few of the Discworld novels, all out of order. But my intro to Discworld were the BBC cartoons of Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters. The Wytches series are probably my favourite, I had just thought equal Rites was a Rincewind book until I picked it up this summer.
@@cmmosher8035 I, personally, would pick Rincewind over the witches but it’s not by much. Interesting Times vs Witches Abroad level of stuff. You probably confused sourcery with equal rites. I think they came out fairly close together (though it was a long time ago).
@@stevenredpath9332 Wyrd Sisters and Masquerade were my first two Discworld books so I may just be biased. I do need to read more of the series overall.
Not surprised that one of the dark tower books is on your list I'm curious to know have you read Dolores Claiborne yet
Yes! Dark Tower is phenomenal. I have not yet read Dolores Claiborne. Cheers, Angela!
2022 (and even-numbered years in general) turned out to g a bit of a fallow year for me. I had a few outstanding reads, and many strong reads, but it was rare to get blown away. I’m still parsing the order, but my top reads this year:
Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu (the worst I can say is that I think Le Guin is a slightly better short story writer…)
Hyperion by Dan Simmons (up there with Dune, Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and Book of the New Sun as the sci-fi that have most impacted me)
Nature and “The Over-Soul” by Ralph Waldo Emerson (Sublime meditations on art, cosmology, and more)
Reverse Colonization: Science Fiction, Imperial Fantasy, and Alt-victimhood by David M. Higgins (the most persuasive political reading of literature I’ve read in a long time)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (truly beautiful fairy tale reworking)
The Aeneid by Virgil (didn’t hit me as hard as the Homeric epics, but he introduces some interesting nuances to the story)
Some lovely reads there, Paul! I would love to be slightly worse than Ursula Le Guin. 😁 My best to you for 2023!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thanks! Happily, even-numbered years tend to be quite rewarding for me :) I hope it’s the same for your 2023.
would you say you liked the thousandfold thought? ive read the first two, but those were kind of a slog so i have yet to read the third.
the way bakker uses philosophy as magic in the prince of nothing is really cool. its a concept that makes you think "how has no one done this before?". the world is great, its a bit like black metal if it were a book series. i just kind of wish he'd get to the point sometimes lol. him and erikson. good reviews!
Thanks, Ethan! If you felt like the first two Prince of Nothing books were kind of a slog, then my guess is you would find the third tedious for much of the time. I would still advocate reading it, but, if anything, it drags the most of the three. You do learn more about the magic too!
Ohh I think that’s genuinely Bakker’s view of humanity. Not just an in book thing haha.
He puts it all out there in Neuropath, a stand-alone sci-fi. I think you get some of the same concepts in Aspect Emperor but it’s more integrated into the plot, not explicitly stated
I suspect you’re right!
I started Daniel Abraham’s series and I stopped about 100 pages into the first book. I guess I better start it again.
It really does start out slowly -- I'll be the first to admit that. But somehow it gets its hooks deep into you, and by the end, you can't believe how well you know the characters. It's truly astounding! All the best, Jim!
When I type in "ph" on the RUclips app on my TV it's just philly cheese steaks and Philip Chase 😂😂😂
Ha ha ha! Being on the same level as a Philly cheesesteak - now I know I’ve made it! 😁
Here a recommendation for you may like. If you Not mind Japanese light novel.
Check out restaurant to a another world.( Translate & License by seven seas)
It's about restaurant has a door allow people from another world to eat that his restaurant.
While telling their stories how they found the door and few side stories about restaurant history along way
If not sure about it it's have anime.
The anime doesn't full adapt everything in novel so pacing work better in animation.
Thank you for the recommendation, Tyler!
Hi Philip. You seem to be a guy that would really enjoy The Book of the new Sun series by Gene Wolfe. I guess you've already heard about this series. That is my recommendation for 2023 - have a good one!
In fact, I have the four volumes and will be starting the first in late January/early February. I'm looking forward to Book of the New Sun very much! Thank you, and have a wonderful 2023!
Wait a top list of the year with no order, and there isn't a number next to it? I thought that was illegal.
The BookTube police have been hunting for me, but I’m too clever for them. 😁 My very best wishes to you, Jake, for an amazing 2023! I’m excited to discuss Tawny Man with you and the others!
What was your favorite Malazan book from the main ten ? (I’m on book 7 and so far mine would be Bonehunters )
Without a doubt The Crippled God! Best wishes as you continue!
INCOMING - WALL OF TEXT from TheGeekyHippie!
With me coming closer and closer to finishing *The Expanse* by James SA Corey (aka Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham), I am becoming more and more eager to read Abraham's solo stuff, especially after all of your praise for *The Long Price Quartet* this past year (and of course I'll also be diving into Franck's stuff at some point too).
I also have some Gwynne's *Bloodsworn Trilogy* lined up for some time this year (that will be the first of his I read, but those covers just pull at me LOL).
I'm nowhere near starting Esselmont's Malazan books, still have seven to go with the Book of the Fallen. But I definitely hope to eat away at more of that particular... franchise (??? does that word apply in this instance???). But my next Erikson will be *Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart* sometime in the next month or so I think.
Janny Wurts is on my TBR for 2023 twice. First, I am hoping to do a reread of the *Empire Trilogy* she co-wrote with Raymond E Feist, and then her *Wars of Light and Shadow* series after that. I really am looking forward to that reread, as Mara of the Acoma is my number two all time favorite female character.
As someone on a budget (and using my public library), I have to ask if the Vinland Saga manga series has a good price to story ratio. I haven't seen them listed on my library's website yet, so cost is a serious question for me (why I stopped reading comic books years ago, the cost to story ratio was too small).
A return to Bakker's work is planned for next year, assuming I finish *The Malazan Book of the Fallen* this year. Either way, MBotF comes first before I reenter a world even more dark and depressing than Malazan is LOL. Super glad you read the trilogy, and glad to see I'm not the only one to take a break after finishing it. Seriously though, Bakker really is a great storyteller, and his prose is damn good too. Abercrombie is definitely also on my TBR, just not sure how far down *First Law Trilogy* is.
I'm also hoping to get around to some Mark Lawrence at some point here, but I'd love your input on reading order of his oeuvre. I would like to start with his best stuff, but I also have a thing about reading stories in chronological order, unless the author purposefully wrote out of order as they published. So where do you think I should start with his stuff, and what is the least grimdark-esque of his stuff?
You've inspired a lot of my TBR list, honestly. And not just this video, but throughout all of the the videos of yours I have watched. Thank you!
Those are some awesome reads ahead for you, Glenn! About Lawrence, if you’re okay with true grimdark, then take it all in chronological order. Broken Empire is the only real grimdark, and the protagonist is morally reprehensible and villainous and fascinating. If you think it will be too much, then I recommend starting with Book of the Ancestor. I wish you the very best with all of it!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thank you for the advice. It helps. I do like some dark villainous b@astards at times, so I think I can deal with that no problem.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'm aiming for 75 books this year over on Goodreads. I think I may be able to pull it off too, now that I have cut out/cut back my Twitter activity. Sure, I only read 66 books for the year, but I've now got more time than I did last year.
@@TheGeekyHippie Best wishes with your goal!
Everyone on RUclips is touting Vinland Saga. My question is - if I detest anime, and not a real fan of comics, will I like manga?
Most likely you will not enjoy manga, I strongly suspect. That said, I’ve never watched anime, so I’m not certain how close it is to manga, of which I’ve read only one. So, I’m probably not the best person to answer your question. I will say that I grew up on comics (Marvel and DC), which probably contributed to how fun the leap into manga was for me. All the best, Shawn!
I did need to watch another "Top Reads" video. How did you know?
Just an intuition . . .😁
Why nobody tells anything abt Witcher writer's new fantasy series release?
Rank them you coward!
(Kidding)
(Sorta)
Ha ha ha! It takes courage to ignore standard procedure, don't you know? At least that's the line I'm sticking to . . .