Throne of Glass was the first fantasy series I’ve ever read. I was 24ish when I read it. I LOVED it. It definitely opened the genre to me. Gateway books are very important.
stumbled upon this video and I really appreciate the "let people read what they want to read" and finding the fun in a book you aren't the audience for... I did not read past Throne of Glass but yes, let people read what they want to read damn it!
I am so glad this video was recommended to me! Subscribed! Seeing a “fantasy dude” talk about books like this without total judgement & pretension is A BREATH OF FRESH AIR! Throne of Glass doesn’t totally “hold up” for me anymore but man, it will always hold a place in my heart because it is indeed what truly got me into fantasy, many years ago 🙌
It's not that the people aren't archetypes, it's their relationships. How they interact. The most fun part of Kingdom of Ash (last book) is all the different storylines intersecting finally for one goal.
I haven't read Throne of Glass, but in general, thinking about fantasy romance as it's own sub genre, it's not surprising that they are lighter on the world building and fantasy elements. Getting the romance beats on the page takes space. Many "traditional" fantasy books often don't do justice to the romance subplots they have, this is very common complaint. It's a trade off, something's gotta give because there is only so much space between the covers. Fantasy romance and other fantasy sub genres just prioritize different things
I'm biased as a Sarah Janet fan (though I haven't read ToG yet), but I really appreciate your approach in this video! It's positive while also poking fun at the ridiculousness of the series. In general, I think the online book community doesn't understand that you can do both. It's also OK to not like something that others do. It's NOT OK to try to make others feel bad or lesser for what they enjoy.
Stereotypical "fantasy-nerds" often struggle to see past their own point of view. (Weird, considering that reading has been proven to help develop empathy.) So it's refreshing to hear you talk about the importance of resisting judgement. Back in 2013 I was a 15-year-old girl in Finland who had read most of the translated fantasy that interested me at the time. These books were great for learning fantasy phrases etc in English. If I'd started with J. Butcher I wouldn't be reading in English today.
Agree. I really had a hard time liking Cealena it got better later on. But to be fair I think Sarah was a teenager when she started throne of glass and she got better as a writer as the series went on. It would be awsome of you would make a video like this for the acotar series. 🤞🤞
the most amusing part to me was the main character who is the "worlds greatest assassin" not only never assassinates anyone, but goes out of her way to fake having killed people.
I just want to leave a comment to say that I really like your attitude. I am used to people online insulting other people, saying they have bad taste. It is very refreshing to see someone encouraging others to like what they like, even when it is not what you like. :) This was a good video, thank you.
Such a great message to say that you shouldn’t let other people tell you if you’ll enjoy a book or not. The books I enjoyed the most when I first started reading, were the ones I found by chance and just liked the synopsis/plot idea. It’s actually much harder to do that nowadays without scrolling through reviews on Goodreads and RUclips ect
Sarah j maas always feels like fantasy Jackie Collins to me. It's a bit of an occasional guilty pleasure for me these days. But Throne Of Glass was my fantasy gateway after not reading the genre for 20 years and now it's the only genre I really read. Totally agree with everything you said. Thank you for recognising it's value
i mean, i've been saying similar as i tore apart acotar. People who'd never read fantasy raved about the world building, but as a seasoned fantasy reader i was standing there asking: what world building? but the success of it absolutely helped get more people reading, and more people to read fantasy. It's an impressive feat. I despise the book, but the feat is still undeniable.
This was a really lovely video. You have such a sweet personality and I personally have no interest in the ToG series, but you approached this in a really nice way that showed issues with it, without being hateful about it. It was really nuanced, gateway fantasy series/books are so important, as you said, everyone has one, we don’t have to tear people down because of it. I really hope your channel grows more, you deserve it.
I just want to say usually people’s intros feel long and I want to click out… Yours is a delight and as soon as I saw you tucking in the Dresden Files I was SOLD. Then you playing a guitar - beyond fabulous. Ok now I’ll watch the video.🤣 Great tshirt by the way. And a TARDIS? Impeccable taste in books and shows.
Adding on: Ok ok I’m subscribing. Give me all the MASH appreciation!!! - So I read this series because a friend recommended it. I recommended Mistborn to them and they ended up neck deep in the Cosmere and I felt obligated to read something for them. If not for that obligation I would have jumped ship in book one. Book 3 I kind of had a “Wait that was actually kinda okay” and book 4 was “Guilty pleasure.” The final book had me distraught on the couch. I was incredibly INVESTED. I honestly loved it I and don’t care that the battles make no sense. I read KoA in one night.🤣 I went on to read Maas’s ACOTAR series. They’re just a really good time and like a bag of chips. Delicious and crunchy and addicting. The ending WAS initially too clean for me, BUT I was tired of the romantic drama and relieved it was tidy. Thanks for the great video! You approached this series in such a refreshing way that isn’t dismissive OR completely in love with it. XD
This video spoke to me! It is I, this series was my introduction to fantasy as a teenager. It's really fun to look back after having read so much more fantasy Edit because I just got to the reading order part of the video. I always suggest reading Assassin's Blade after Heir of Fire and before Queen of Shadows for maximum pain and suffering
i’ve read this series multiple times and i love it. i love it when i see it given a proper chance by people who are into the popular epic adult fantasies (sanderson, WoT, asoiaf…) because it’s often looked down on by people who enjoy these series, despite it being entirely possible to love both like i do :)
Great! I love that you loved it! Hope I didn't roast TOG too much for you, cause I'm genuinely happy for you. Yes, it's absolutely possible to love multiple series that are different in style. :)
This was the series that got me into reading in general. I picked up during an extremely difficult point in my life and it really helped me get out of that dark space, so naturally it holds such a special place in my heart, so when i finished reading the whole series in like two weeks, and I saw it being criticized and hated on I got unreasonably angry.And that wasnt right. But as I've matured and got into other fantacy books, I can understand why so many people hate on it. Its not the greatest and most definitely not the most well writen true, but I love it none the less😂
This was brilliant. I do not need another book tuber in my life.....except you! Subscribed at 14:00, but could have at 2 minutes. I'm a middle age woman and always read mystery, thrillers, but picked up this series and read them all in a week. Then read Anne Bishop the Others series, Jim Butchers Dresden Files, Patricia Briggs, then Mistborn, etc....found out I love urban Fantasy best. Thank you. Lynn in Arizona 🌵
I’ve read all the “real” fantasy books and love some, hate some. Fantasy is my genre, but I’m not afraid to say that I love TOG. The very first book is written pretty poorly- but she gets way better as they go along and the story is great. I love the characters and you definitely care. The romance is fun and engaging. These books are definitely bait for snobs. Don’t be a snob, just have fun. (Don’t be a Malazan snob for sure- they’re the worst).
Cronk! New subbie here! Gotta say, a metal guitarist AND a fantasy book lover? My metal brother from another mother! \m/ Never read these books and to be honest, I'm rather intrigued... because I never really saw this series as a "gateway" series, but more of a staple of "romantasy" that well... I'm not 100% into, but hey! It is a thing for a lot of other people! The way you described the characters, it reminds me of the term "large hams", which really, there is nothing wrong with large hams, but they tend to be... well, hammy! What an amazing review, though. I never knew about the mental health-focus in her characters and her story into fame. Well-deserved and good for her. "We see ourselves represented and we may not even necessarily know how much we needed that." - and good on you, well said! Looking forward to your next one, bud!
Throne of Glass was my first fantasy book after getting back into reading after many years. While it’s certainly not my favorite series, I greatly appreciate it for bringing me back into the fantasy genre!!
love this! I've been looking at picking this series up but it's so hard to find someone objectively looking at it for what it is, not speaking about how it's either the best thing ever or the worst thing they've ever laid their hands on. Reading fantasy as an adult is hard sometimes because you don't need or want eons of history or intense/intricate political manoeuvres, sometimes you want something a bit lighter with still a decent plot and characters which, for me, is what Sarah j Maas is (based on ACOTAR anyway) Gateway fantasy like this is almost certainly some of the most fondly remembered for us all--think of all the children's books you remember in comparison to adult. thank you for your nuance and clearly having such a passion for reading :)
Obsessed with everything you’re doing here! I enjoyed ACOTAR (fully going into it just expecting fun silly fae smut) and have been wondering about ToG for a while so this is super helpful!
"The world's greatest assassin..." just made me burst into laughter at work. I'm on Throne of Glass right now and read Assassin's Blade beforehand. It's just not getting it's claws into me like I feel it should be and I came for some insight. Thank you!
I was half way through this video when my TV crapped-out and exited the RUclips app... As I stumbled across you by accident, I couldn't quickly resume my viewing.... So I dedicated a whole 10minutes trying to find your channel so I could come back and subscribe.😂 You're a sweet and I like your humour! I haven't read this series but I see a lot of basic people posting about it (I guess I'm a bit of a gatekeeper myself 😂). It's safe to say that after your review, I'll be avoiding it as much as I avoid The Saviors Champion and the plague.
I've been a fantasy nerd since I first read Lord of the Rings in the 3rd grade. I picked up TOG when it first came out and I LOVED this series. Is it literary perfection? No. But its my trash and I will love it all the same. Its really great seeing you take such an even hand in talking about this series because I think this series (and SJM in general) has been unfairly hated on in the fantasy/bookish space. I think you hit the nail on the head with discussing its place as gateway fantasy that could be part of that prejudice. I would also add that I think that because its very clearly targeted at first time fantasy readers who are women/girls it gets even more flack than a gateway fantasy written for a more general audience.
I'm currently reading this series, and I just started Empire of Storms (will do tandom read with Tower of Dawn). As I've read roughly 500 📚 books, I totally agree with all your points. This is gateway fantasy, and she does a great job with mental health and female empowerment! The Lord of the Rings is my favorite fantasy series of all time!!
I stumbled across this randomly and I very much appreciate your take in this series! Absolutely let peopler read what they want! HUZZAH! I'd like to add also that people need to remember what age the main character is. The MC in this novel is young, so she's going to say and do dumb things. Likewise, she had to grow up really fast, so she's also going to be smart and strong in some areas too. It's all about nuance.
Thanks!! Nice to hear your take on series. I have it and haven't started yet. Refreshing style and got me subscribed. Totally agree on reading whatever entertains me best👍😎
I don't think i have ever seen anybody else acknowledge that it is an entryway fantasy series. Kudos for mentioning it. That said, i absolutely admit that if that was the first fantasy book i have read, i would have dropped it and maybe avoid the genre. I would love to hear your opinion on Pale lights. Do you accept recommendations for books/series?
Oh I hadn't heard of Pale Lights. Had to look it up. Unfortunately I don't read enough independently published books. (And I better start, cause I wa t to independently publish myself soon!) Absolutely make suggestions! Always happy to hear your thoughts.
I just stumbled upon this Video and I find it so refreshing to see someone not bash a series just because they are not the target audience! I am actually someone who enjoyed throne of glass because sometimes I just wanna read something that is easy to follow and not to dark and a cliche romance (sub)plot is always a bonus in these kinda books. Also it reminds me of my Teenage years since these were the kinda fantasy books I read as a teen. Nowadays I am more of a darkgrim fantasy reader but once in a while I get the urge to read something like Sarah J. Maas. And it really bothers me when people just absolutely bash these kind of books especially when they are clearly not the target audience. Also not every book/movie/show needs to be an absolute masterpiece and groundbreaking for someone to like and enjoy it. Some of my all time favorites actually could be considered absolute trash and I am very much aware of their faults but it worked for me and I had an amazing time reading the book or I just have memories linked to it because I read it when I was younger. I just think it is not fair to compare for example throne of glass to something like the Poppy war or Robin Hobb or George r.r. Martin because it is not trying to be something like that and has a completely different target audience but that doesn't make the books worse.
Randomly found this, and now I'm a new subscriber. I greatly appreciated your approach to this video, particularly the idea that one person's 2-star read could be another's new favorite book. There have been so many times that negative reviews have actually made me *want* to read a book, because the reviewer disliked things that I love, and the same goes for 5-star reviews that make me avoid books entirely. (Also I'm pretty sure I own most of the books on your bookshelves that I can see, so I'm gonna vibe with your content.)
I bought the first four books and I'm finishing the first one. After finishing for the second time ASOIAF, this story seemed... lackluster. But I enjoyed it! As an artist, it inspired me a lot to draw and it being an easy read I enjoyed for what it is. Simple, more romance and a story to read while I have breakfast and practice my English.. (I'm from Argentina and love reading books in English)
Love the way you cover these books! I could take or leave the main plot but I really liked the entire witch storyline. Thats all I remember about the first couple books 😅
At exactly a second to 28 minutes you've managed to bravely handle this massacre without annoying any of the romantasy readers whooow, nailed it meeen 😂
I’m currently on Queen of Shadows and I’m in love with the series. The first two books were definitely a bit hard to get through but Heir of Fire blew me away. I loved your takes and opinions thank you so much!!
Just finished my reread of the series (which I started years ago and stopped at Tower of Dawn). And your points perfectly echo my thoughts. I have been binging your other videos and love your analysis and respect for other people's view points!
Throne of glass was the book series that got me into fantasy books in general, by the time the last book had come out though i'd outgrown the series in a way and never finished the series.
Currently on Tower of Dawn and this series just... I'm not wildly into fantasy but I have a decent history with it. That being said I can't tell if it's just that I've read a lot of YA fantasy or that this series is simply too long for its own good. It's not BAD, it's just ALOT. Personally, this could've been six books, not eight. With that being said, I agree with you on most of this! It's very much a gateway series! Also, personally I would recommend this BEFORE ACOTAR because then you're reading the books as her writing style grows up.
I'm so glad I got recommended your videos, I'll definitely keep watching! I also checked out some other videos and I definitely noticed how the sound has already improved, but you might want to keep the microphone somewhere, so you don't move it around and affect the sound! :) Are you thinking of adding a community element to this channel? I would definitely love to discuss these series or buddy-read the new ones!
Thank you! I’ve never been much of a reader, but I went back to school in my 30’s last year and found that the setting lifted the mom fog off my brain and made me interested in reading. ToG is on my list, but I feel like ACOTAR has been my gateway book into fantasy, and it definitely left me wanting more! I’m also a big believer in just letting people enjoy things. Life is too short and heavy to spend it reading books you don’t enjoy just to impress people you don’t know.
Nice review! I really enjoyed books 1 & 2 of the TOG series, but never finished book 3 as I lost interest - though the series definitely was a gateway fantasy book for me. Spotted The Lunar Chronicles on your shelf and would love to see you talk about it 😊
I have found the ToG series to be a good starting point to the SJM universe, especially as later series will eventually connect. Yes, these may be considered to be some guilty pleasure books, but it does not diminish from the joyous experience.
I am half was through throne of glass and am loving it! But it is in fact the first “fantasy” book/series I have ever read. I’m so glad this video popped up in recommendations because it was really great to hear your insight. I 100% agree on the gateway fantasy… I think that’s all I’ll be reading from here on out! Subscribed 😊
Throne of glass was my gateway fantasy series! I read it when I was in middle school and liked it but my feelings did start to turn by the end of the series (I especially started hating aelin for never being called out and always being right). Kingdom of ash is still the longest book I’ve read 😅 SJM definitely needs an editor. Thanks for not blindly hating TOG, it deserves criticism, a hefty amount, but it’s nice to see things targeted for teenage girls being treated fairly.
Great video! I've never read SJM and have been influenced by the gatekeepers not to but i have watched a lot of reviews and retellings of her books on yt. You make great points and I really appreciate what you're doing for the fantasy community. I'm so happy yt recommended me your channel! I do have one suggestion. It might be just my problem.. I mostly just listen to book videos so i noticed the sound quality fluctuate a lot as you move your microphone around. I would keep it closer and at a steady height. Other than that keep up the good work!
I’ve been trying to get through the court of thorns and roses series and it’s so interesting to me. Maas’ ideas are good (in a junk food kind of way) but her writing is so flowery and melodramatic I can’t stand it. But it sounds like throne of glass is even worse so I’m just not gonna go there 😅 Really dig your style of video btw. I subbed
Love that you did this, I'm a middle school librarian and read this series and then pulled it off my shelves as the content was a little racy for my age group, but I think it is perfect for high school and above :) I cringed a lot when reading but I think you are correct and it is a great gateway book!!
I started with the final book in the series, not knowing that it was the final book. I was still in high school, and I was invested in that book. The way the main character was just tortured, let alone the trauma that dealt, and then the final battle!! Dude, I don't know what to think at the time, but man, was it cool.
When I read this series years ago I was advised to read Assassin's Blade after heir of fire and that’s what I did. I think it makes sense since some stuff in Queen of Shadows just wouldn’t have made as much sense otherwise and there’s some references that you just wouldn’t pick up on if you read the novellas first
I truly appreciate the way you talked about this series. And how it’s about enjoying what you read instead of talking down about other peoples reading choices. For Tower of Dawn - I think the reason it felt so disjointed/unnecessary for the series is that it was originally supposed to be a novella. But as she was writing it, she had enough to make a whole book - so she did lol. The intent at the start of writing may have been to not make it vital to the main plot, which may not have translated when the switch from novella to novel was made. 🤷🏻♀️
Okay my favourite series are: Tad Williams- Memory, Sorrow And Thorn Robin Hobb- The Realm Of The Elderlings Robert Jordan- Wheel Of Time And I'd happily put ToG in my top ten
Great review thank you, I just finished the ACOTAR trilogy and was wondering which of her series to start next, based on this review I’ll probably try Crescent city lol.
I really loved this and enjoyed your constructive criticism. Your commentary is hilarious. I finished Throne of Glass last week and I really did enjoy the first 6 books sooo much! I wholly agree with Tower of Dawn being so boring and not really caring about the story at all. Even though I don't mind Chaol as a character, I think it could have been like 300 pages as opposed to 600, like a 6.5 book like A Court of Frost and Starlight in Acotar. I found myself dreading reading it and did the tandem read of that and Empire of Storns, which I enjoyed EOS so much.
I appreciate this video so much!! I have a tendency to judge books that I see as low quality, but I really don't want to discourage new readers, so I always try to encourage people to read what they like and like what they want. Also, were those Riyria books I saw in the intro? 👀
I haven't read Throne of Glass, but I have read the first 3 books in the ACOTAR series from the same author, and I had the same impression. I could understand how someone new to the genre would be in love with it! I've been reading fantasy since the first HP book came out (98 or 99 when I was 9-10 years old. thanks mom, that was my gateway!!), and even as an experienced fantasy reader, it was still entertaining just not something that impressed and blew me away. Solid 2 to 3/5 star territory. I appreciate it for what it is.
Glad I found this channel! You mention not doing erotica on the channel, but I wonder how you'd feel about something like Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. It is another very long series with a great deal of political intrigue, but from what I gather, it is much spicier. I've only read Kushiel's Dart and not the rest of the trilogy nor the follow instructions. Even so, I wonder how much this series is skipped because of the spice, much like Maas gets skipped over because of the tendency to malign media that is marketed toward teen girls. Thanks for the excellent channel and the enormous amount of books you've added to my TBR!
👏 So many people like to look down on this style of writing. I read the first 2 novels, and it was ok but didn’t grab me. Then I tried the first acotar and found out this author was not for me, but that’s my personal taste. Like what you like. We’re all readers after all. In the fantasy romance ‘sub genre’ I prefer the writings of Grace Draven for instance 🤓
This book got a lot of people reading fantasy so that’s good, but yeah I hated this series and didn’t understand how it and her other books blew up sooo much. Thanks for the review, you did an excellent job. Stay safe and well 🐨🦘👍✌️🙏✨
I love the way you approached this video! I recommend doing the tandem read of Tower of Dawn and Empire of Storms tofether. It made my reading experience so much better!
It is honestly so refreshing to see a video where the creator isn't just spitting hate and calling gateway fantasy "childish".
FINALLY every video I’ve searched up about the series just has uncalled for hostility for no reason
@@bhanuverma4278 dude you’re not even saying the title right
Throne of Glass was the first fantasy series I’ve ever read. I was 24ish when I read it. I LOVED it. It definitely opened the genre to me. Gateway books are very important.
stumbled upon this video and I really appreciate the "let people read what they want to read" and finding the fun in a book you aren't the audience for... I did not read past Throne of Glass but yes, let people read what they want to read damn it!
Right?! Target audience is a huge factor in making art. If it's not intended for me, that doesn't make it automatically bad.
"I may not like it, but you might. And that's the more important thing." Instant subscribe! :)
I am so glad this video was recommended to me! Subscribed!
Seeing a “fantasy dude” talk about books like this without total judgement & pretension is A BREATH OF FRESH AIR!
Throne of Glass doesn’t totally “hold up” for me anymore but man, it will always hold a place in my heart because it is indeed what truly got me into fantasy, many years ago 🙌
I'm slowly working through Throne of Glass and its my "I want a fantasy but I also don't want to think a lot" series.
It's not that the people aren't archetypes, it's their relationships. How they interact. The most fun part of Kingdom of Ash (last book) is all the different storylines intersecting finally for one goal.
I haven't read Throne of Glass, but in general, thinking about fantasy romance as it's own sub genre, it's not surprising that they are lighter on the world building and fantasy elements. Getting the romance beats on the page takes space. Many "traditional" fantasy books often don't do justice to the romance subplots they have, this is very common complaint. It's a trade off, something's gotta give because there is only so much space between the covers. Fantasy romance and other fantasy sub genres just prioritize different things
I'm biased as a Sarah Janet fan (though I haven't read ToG yet), but I really appreciate your approach in this video! It's positive while also poking fun at the ridiculousness of the series. In general, I think the online book community doesn't understand that you can do both. It's also OK to not like something that others do. It's NOT OK to try to make others feel bad or lesser for what they enjoy.
Stereotypical "fantasy-nerds" often struggle to see past their own point of view. (Weird, considering that reading has been proven to help develop empathy.) So it's refreshing to hear you talk about the importance of resisting judgement. Back in 2013 I was a 15-year-old girl in Finland who had read most of the translated fantasy that interested me at the time. These books were great for learning fantasy phrases etc in English. If I'd started with J. Butcher I wouldn't be reading in English today.
Yes
Agree. I really had a hard time liking Cealena it got better later on. But to be fair I think Sarah was a teenager when she started throne of glass and she got better as a writer as the series went on.
It would be awsome of you would make a video like this for the acotar series. 🤞🤞
the most amusing part to me was the main character who is the "worlds greatest assassin" not only never assassinates anyone, but goes out of her way to fake having killed people.
I just want to leave a comment to say that I really like your attitude. I am used to people online insulting other people, saying they have bad taste. It is very refreshing to see someone encouraging others to like what they like, even when it is not what you like. :) This was a good video, thank you.
Such a great message to say that you shouldn’t let other people tell you if you’ll enjoy a book or not. The books I enjoyed the most when I first started reading, were the ones I found by chance and just liked the synopsis/plot idea. It’s actually much harder to do that nowadays without scrolling through reviews on Goodreads and RUclips ect
Sarah j maas always feels like fantasy Jackie Collins to me. It's a bit of an occasional guilty pleasure for me these days. But Throne Of Glass was my fantasy gateway after not reading the genre for 20 years and now it's the only genre I really read. Totally agree with everything you said. Thank you for recognising it's value
i mean, i've been saying similar as i tore apart acotar.
People who'd never read fantasy raved about the world building, but as a seasoned fantasy reader i was standing there asking: what world building?
but the success of it absolutely helped get more people reading, and more people to read fantasy. It's an impressive feat. I despise the book, but the feat is still undeniable.
I had one friend tell me to read it because of the 'hard magic system'! :O Then I read it and was like, "uh...what magic system?" :D
Love your attitude about this. You arent trying to sway us away because you arent a fan. Respect
This was a really lovely video. You have such a sweet personality and I personally have no interest in the ToG series, but you approached this in a really nice way that showed issues with it, without being hateful about it. It was really nuanced, gateway fantasy series/books are so important, as you said, everyone has one, we don’t have to tear people down because of it. I really hope your channel grows more, you deserve it.
I just want to say usually people’s intros feel long and I want to click out… Yours is a delight and as soon as I saw you tucking in the Dresden Files I was SOLD. Then you playing a guitar - beyond fabulous.
Ok now I’ll watch the video.🤣 Great tshirt by the way. And a TARDIS? Impeccable taste in books and shows.
Adding on:
Ok ok I’m subscribing. Give me all the MASH appreciation!!!
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So I read this series because a friend recommended it. I recommended Mistborn to them and they ended up neck deep in the Cosmere and I felt obligated to read something for them. If not for that obligation I would have jumped ship in book one.
Book 3 I kind of had a “Wait that was actually kinda okay” and book 4 was “Guilty pleasure.” The final book had me distraught on the couch. I was incredibly INVESTED. I honestly loved it I and don’t care that the battles make no sense. I read KoA in one night.🤣 I went on to read Maas’s ACOTAR series. They’re just a really good time and like a bag of chips. Delicious and crunchy and addicting.
The ending WAS initially too clean for me, BUT I was tired of the romantic drama and relieved it was tidy.
Thanks for the great video! You approached this series in such a refreshing way that isn’t dismissive OR completely in love with it. XD
This video spoke to me! It is I, this series was my introduction to fantasy as a teenager. It's really fun to look back after having read so much more fantasy
Edit because I just got to the reading order part of the video. I always suggest reading Assassin's Blade after Heir of Fire and before Queen of Shadows for maximum pain and suffering
i’ve read this series multiple times and i love it. i love it when i see it given a proper chance by people who are into the popular epic adult fantasies (sanderson, WoT, asoiaf…) because it’s often looked down on by people who enjoy these series, despite it being entirely possible to love both like i do :)
Great! I love that you loved it! Hope I didn't roast TOG too much for you, cause I'm genuinely happy for you. Yes, it's absolutely possible to love multiple series that are different in style. :)
Throne of Glass was my first fantasy and it will always be held near and dear to my heart. I’m a more seasoned fantasy reader now!!!
This was the series that got me into reading in general. I picked up during an extremely difficult point in my life and it really helped me get out of that dark space, so naturally it holds such a special place in my heart, so when i finished reading the whole series in like two weeks, and I saw it being criticized and hated on I got unreasonably angry.And that wasnt right. But as I've matured and got into other fantacy books, I can understand why so many people hate on it. Its not the greatest and most definitely not the most well writen true, but I love it none the less😂
This was brilliant. I do not need another book tuber in my life.....except you! Subscribed at 14:00, but could have at 2 minutes. I'm a middle age woman and always read mystery, thrillers, but picked up this series and read them all in a week. Then read Anne Bishop the Others series, Jim Butchers Dresden Files, Patricia Briggs, then Mistborn, etc....found out I love urban Fantasy best. Thank you. Lynn in Arizona 🌵
I’ve read all the “real” fantasy books and love some, hate some. Fantasy is my genre, but I’m not afraid to say that I love TOG. The very first book is written pretty poorly- but she gets way better as they go along and the story is great. I love the characters and you definitely care. The romance is fun and engaging. These books are definitely bait for snobs. Don’t be a snob, just have fun. (Don’t be a Malazan snob for sure- they’re the worst).
Pretty sure she was 16 at the time when she wrote it
Cronk! New subbie here! Gotta say, a metal guitarist AND a fantasy book lover? My metal brother from another mother! \m/
Never read these books and to be honest, I'm rather intrigued... because I never really saw this series as a "gateway" series, but more of a staple of "romantasy" that well... I'm not 100% into, but hey! It is a thing for a lot of other people!
The way you described the characters, it reminds me of the term "large hams", which really, there is nothing wrong with large hams, but they tend to be... well, hammy!
What an amazing review, though. I never knew about the mental health-focus in her characters and her story into fame. Well-deserved and good for her. "We see ourselves represented and we may not even necessarily know how much we needed that." - and good on you, well said!
Looking forward to your next one, bud!
Throne of Glass was my first fantasy book after getting back into reading after many years. While it’s certainly not my favorite series, I greatly appreciate it for bringing me back into the fantasy genre!!
Just discovered the channel. Really good stuff! Subscribed!!
I wouldn’t mind seeing some Brandon Sanderson content in the future
Ooooh it's coming!!! :D great suggestion.
The best introduction to Throne of Glass I've ever seen! I never thought I would ever read this, but now I've ordered it at my library 😂
*slow clap* um.. that was amazing *cheers and applause now* 👏🏽👏🏽
love this! I've been looking at picking this series up but it's so hard to find someone objectively looking at it for what it is, not speaking about how it's either the best thing ever or the worst thing they've ever laid their hands on. Reading fantasy as an adult is hard sometimes because you don't need or want eons of history or intense/intricate political manoeuvres, sometimes you want something a bit lighter with still a decent plot and characters which, for me, is what Sarah j Maas is (based on ACOTAR anyway) Gateway fantasy like this is almost certainly some of the most fondly remembered for us all--think of all the children's books you remember in comparison to adult.
thank you for your nuance and clearly having such a passion for reading :)
Obsessed with everything you’re doing here! I enjoyed ACOTAR (fully going into it just expecting fun silly fae smut) and have been wondering about ToG for a while so this is super helpful!
This video deserves second like for the intro. Amazing video 🤩
"The world's greatest assassin..." just made me burst into laughter at work. I'm on Throne of Glass right now and read Assassin's Blade beforehand. It's just not getting it's claws into me like I feel it should be and I came for some insight. Thank you!
I was half way through this video when my TV crapped-out and exited the RUclips app... As I stumbled across you by accident, I couldn't quickly resume my viewing.... So I dedicated a whole 10minutes trying to find your channel so I could come back and subscribe.😂
You're a sweet and I like your humour! I haven't read this series but I see a lot of basic people posting about it (I guess I'm a bit of a gatekeeper myself 😂).
It's safe to say that after your review, I'll be avoiding it as much as I avoid The Saviors Champion and the plague.
I've been a fantasy nerd since I first read Lord of the Rings in the 3rd grade. I picked up TOG when it first came out and I LOVED this series. Is it literary perfection? No. But its my trash and I will love it all the same.
Its really great seeing you take such an even hand in talking about this series because I think this series (and SJM in general) has been unfairly hated on in the fantasy/bookish space. I think you hit the nail on the head with discussing its place as gateway fantasy that could be part of that prejudice. I would also add that I think that because its very clearly targeted at first time fantasy readers who are women/girls it gets even more flack than a gateway fantasy written for a more general audience.
I'm currently reading this series, and I just started Empire of Storms (will do tandom read with Tower of Dawn). As I've read roughly 500 📚 books, I totally agree with all your points. This is gateway fantasy, and she does a great job with mental health and female empowerment!
The Lord of the Rings is my favorite fantasy series of all time!!
I stumbled across this randomly and I very much appreciate your take in this series! Absolutely let peopler read what they want! HUZZAH!
I'd like to add also that people need to remember what age the main character is. The MC in this novel is young, so she's going to say and do dumb things. Likewise, she had to grow up really fast, so she's also going to be smart and strong in some areas too. It's all about nuance.
Thanks!! Nice to hear your take on series. I have it and haven't started yet. Refreshing style and got me subscribed. Totally agree on reading whatever entertains me best👍😎
I don't think i have ever seen anybody else acknowledge that it is an entryway fantasy series. Kudos for mentioning it.
That said, i absolutely admit that if that was the first fantasy book i have read, i would have dropped it and maybe avoid the genre.
I would love to hear your opinion on Pale lights. Do you accept recommendations for books/series?
Oh I hadn't heard of Pale Lights. Had to look it up. Unfortunately I don't read enough independently published books. (And I better start, cause I wa t to independently publish myself soon!)
Absolutely make suggestions! Always happy to hear your thoughts.
I just stumbled upon this Video and I find it so refreshing to see someone not bash a series just because they are not the target audience! I am actually someone who enjoyed throne of glass because sometimes I just wanna read something that is easy to follow and not to dark and a cliche romance (sub)plot is always a bonus in these kinda books. Also it reminds me of my Teenage years since these were the kinda fantasy books I read as a teen. Nowadays I am more of a darkgrim fantasy reader but once in a while I get the urge to read something like Sarah J. Maas. And it really bothers me when people just absolutely bash these kind of books especially when they are clearly not the target audience. Also not every book/movie/show needs to be an absolute masterpiece and groundbreaking for someone to like and enjoy it. Some of my all time favorites actually could be considered absolute trash and I am very much aware of their faults but it worked for me and I had an amazing time reading the book or I just have memories linked to it because I read it when I was younger. I just think it is not fair to compare for example throne of glass to something like the Poppy war or Robin Hobb or George r.r. Martin because it is not trying to be something like that and has a completely different target audience but that doesn't make the books worse.
Randomly found this, and now I'm a new subscriber. I greatly appreciated your approach to this video, particularly the idea that one person's 2-star read could be another's new favorite book. There have been so many times that negative reviews have actually made me *want* to read a book, because the reviewer disliked things that I love, and the same goes for 5-star reviews that make me avoid books entirely. (Also I'm pretty sure I own most of the books on your bookshelves that I can see, so I'm gonna vibe with your content.)
So funny and refreshing!! Keep going on!!! I’m definitely going to keep watching. Will you do Stormlight Archive?
You bet I will! Stormlight is a dear favourite of mine.
I bought the first four books and I'm finishing the first one. After finishing for the second time ASOIAF, this story seemed... lackluster. But I enjoyed it! As an artist, it inspired me a lot to draw and it being an easy read I enjoyed for what it is. Simple, more romance and a story to read while I have breakfast and practice my English.. (I'm from Argentina and love reading books in English)
I loved that intro so much I'm sticking around for more. I also really like your veiw of things
Love your thoughts, it’s not just slamming a book, because that’s so ways to do. You’re nuanced and I think pretty fair in criticisms
The thing with the king's name has a reason and it's sooooooo good ❤
OMGEEEEEE This series was amazing. I laughed and I cried. Bad Ass Young Ladies!!!
Love the reviews though. Keep them coming.
Love the way you cover these books!
I could take or leave the main plot but I really liked the entire witch storyline. Thats all I remember about the first couple books 😅
At exactly a second to 28 minutes you've managed to bravely handle this massacre without annoying any of the romantasy readers whooow, nailed it meeen 😂
I’m currently on Queen of Shadows and I’m in love with the series. The first two books were definitely a bit hard to get through but Heir of Fire blew me away. I loved your takes and opinions thank you so much!!
Thank you! Glad to hear it. Queen of Shadows was probably my favourite. Enjoy!
Just finished my reread of the series (which I started years ago and stopped at Tower of Dawn). And your points perfectly echo my thoughts. I have been binging your other videos and love your analysis and respect for other people's view points!
Throne of glass was the book series that got me into fantasy books in general, by the time the last book had come out though i'd outgrown the series in a way and never finished the series.
Subscribed for the intro alone
Currently on Tower of Dawn and this series just... I'm not wildly into fantasy but I have a decent history with it. That being said I can't tell if it's just that I've read a lot of YA fantasy or that this series is simply too long for its own good. It's not BAD, it's just ALOT. Personally, this could've been six books, not eight. With that being said, I agree with you on most of this! It's very much a gateway series! Also, personally I would recommend this BEFORE ACOTAR because then you're reading the books as her writing style grows up.
I'm so glad I got recommended your videos, I'll definitely keep watching!
I also checked out some other videos and I definitely noticed how the sound has already improved, but you might want to keep the microphone somewhere, so you don't move it around and affect the sound! :)
Are you thinking of adding a community element to this channel? I would definitely love to discuss these series or buddy-read the new ones!
8 bookshelves?! Sounds like you need a library tour video.
Thank you! I’ve never been much of a reader, but I went back to school in my 30’s last year and found that the setting lifted the mom fog off my brain and made me interested in reading. ToG is on my list, but I feel like ACOTAR has been my gateway book into fantasy, and it definitely left me wanting more! I’m also a big believer in just letting people enjoy things. Life is too short and heavy to spend it reading books you don’t enjoy just to impress people you don’t know.
Nice review! I really enjoyed books 1 & 2 of the TOG series, but never finished book 3 as I lost interest - though the series definitely was a gateway fantasy book for me. Spotted The Lunar Chronicles on your shelf and would love to see you talk about it 😊
I have found the ToG series to be a good starting point to the SJM universe, especially as later series will eventually connect. Yes, these may be considered to be some guilty pleasure books, but it does not diminish from the joyous experience.
I am half was through throne of glass and am loving it! But it is in fact the first “fantasy” book/series I have ever read. I’m so glad this video popped up in recommendations because it was really great to hear your insight. I 100% agree on the gateway fantasy… I think that’s all I’ll be reading from here on out! Subscribed 😊
Throne of glass was my gateway fantasy series! I read it when I was in middle school and liked it but my feelings did start to turn by the end of the series (I especially started hating aelin for never being called out and always being right). Kingdom of ash is still the longest book I’ve read 😅 SJM definitely needs an editor. Thanks for not blindly hating TOG, it deserves criticism, a hefty amount, but it’s nice to see things targeted for teenage girls being treated fairly.
both your channel and your approach to books are a breath of fresh air 🥹
Great video! I've never read SJM and have been influenced by the gatekeepers not to but i have watched a lot of reviews and retellings of her books on yt. You make great points and I really appreciate what you're doing for the fantasy community. I'm so happy yt recommended me your channel! I do have one suggestion. It might be just my problem.. I mostly just listen to book videos so i noticed the sound quality fluctuate a lot as you move your microphone around. I would keep it closer and at a steady height. Other than that keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Yeah you're right about the mic. Good advice. I'm still new to this. :) Hope you keep watching!
I’ve been trying to get through the court of thorns and roses series and it’s so interesting to me. Maas’ ideas are good (in a junk food kind of way) but her writing is so flowery and melodramatic I can’t stand it. But it sounds like throne of glass is even worse so I’m just not gonna go there 😅
Really dig your style of video btw. I subbed
I just saw your guitar playing than.. I saw the stack of terry pratchett and robert jordan. That's when I knew I had to subscribe.
Love that you did this, I'm a middle school librarian and read this series and then pulled it off my shelves as the content was a little racy for my age group, but I think it is perfect for high school and above :) I cringed a lot when reading but I think you are correct and it is a great gateway book!!
I started with the final book in the series, not knowing that it was the final book. I was still in high school, and I was invested in that book. The way the main character was just tortured, let alone the trauma that dealt, and then the final battle!! Dude, I don't know what to think at the time, but man, was it cool.
When I read this series years ago I was advised to read Assassin's Blade after heir of fire and that’s what I did. I think it makes sense since some stuff in Queen of Shadows just wouldn’t have made as much sense otherwise and there’s some references that you just wouldn’t pick up on if you read the novellas first
A Court of Thorns and Roses would be an interesting assessment.
Randomly got recommended this video after a Daniel green vid annnnnnd I’m now subscribed. Love the attitude and content
Love the intro 😂😂😂 glad I found this channel, subbed
I truly appreciate the way you talked about this series. And how it’s about enjoying what you read instead of talking down about other peoples reading choices.
For Tower of Dawn - I think the reason it felt so disjointed/unnecessary for the series is that it was originally supposed to be a novella. But as she was writing it, she had enough to make a whole book - so she did lol. The intent at the start of writing may have been to not make it vital to the main plot, which may not have translated when the switch from novella to novel was made. 🤷🏻♀️
What a refreshing commentary. So well articulated!
Awfully good discussion.
Maybe you could do Crescent City series.
I agree with you. There is something interesting going on in these books.
Okay my favourite series are:
Tad Williams- Memory, Sorrow And Thorn
Robin Hobb- The Realm Of The Elderlings
Robert Jordan- Wheel Of Time
And I'd happily put ToG in my top ten
Yes! Robin Hobb is an excellent writer, i love her books.
I read this series through middle school and high school and thought it was amazing. Especially kingdom of ash and heir of fire.
Great video! Love your vibe and humor. 🙂
Great review thank you, I just finished the ACOTAR trilogy and was wondering which of her series to start next, based on this review I’ll probably try Crescent city lol.
That was the best video intro I’ve ever seen!
You had me at Frank Burns! Great overview of the series with a balanced look at strengths/weaknesses. Subscribing to see more!
I havent seen the video and already liked. That "testosterone-yet-nerdy" feel of the intro is all I needed to earn it.
I really loved this and enjoyed your constructive criticism. Your commentary is hilarious. I finished Throne of Glass last week and I really did enjoy the first 6 books sooo much! I wholly agree with Tower of Dawn being so boring and not really caring about the story at all. Even though I don't mind Chaol as a character, I think it could have been like 300 pages as opposed to 600, like a 6.5 book like A Court of Frost and Starlight in Acotar. I found myself dreading reading it and did the tandem read of that and Empire of Storns, which I enjoyed EOS so much.
I appreciate this video so much!! I have a tendency to judge books that I see as low quality, but I really don't want to discourage new readers, so I always try to encourage people to read what they like and like what they want. Also, were those Riyria books I saw in the intro? 👀
I haven't read Throne of Glass, but I have read the first 3 books in the ACOTAR series from the same author, and I had the same impression. I could understand how someone new to the genre would be in love with it! I've been reading fantasy since the first HP book came out (98 or 99 when I was 9-10 years old. thanks mom, that was my gateway!!), and even as an experienced fantasy reader, it was still entertaining just not something that impressed and blew me away. Solid 2 to 3/5 star territory. I appreciate it for what it is.
1 minute 30 seconds in and I'm already clicking subscribe. You're the sort of youtuber I've been looking for! 🫡 keep going!
Thanks for this review!! Just found your channel, please continue doing more of this. Love your videos and your intro is epic!!
Throne of Glass will always be special for me and a series i reread a lot
Glad I found this channel! You mention not doing erotica on the channel, but I wonder how you'd feel about something like Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. It is another very long series with a great deal of political intrigue, but from what I gather, it is much spicier. I've only read Kushiel's Dart and not the rest of the trilogy nor the follow instructions. Even so, I wonder how much this series is skipped because of the spice, much like Maas gets skipped over because of the tendency to malign media that is marketed toward teen girls. Thanks for the excellent channel and the enormous amount of books you've added to my TBR!
Happy I found your channel! 😃
Ok I gave in and started reading it, but started with the Assasins blade novellas as you suggested, so far so good 👍🏾
This is a great channel!
I love the series, and I like your review. it's funny and it's spot on.
I never finished the series but I do remember being excited about it as a teenager it probably wouldn't hold up for me today but 15 yr old me loved it
I just found your channel! This is awesome, so excited to watch your videos.
Just found your channel! Very excited to see more booktubers with non bias takes while still making it fun :)
👏 So many people like to look down on this style of writing.
I read the first 2 novels, and it was ok but didn’t grab me. Then I tried the first acotar and found out this author was not for me, but that’s my personal taste. Like what you like. We’re all readers after all. In the fantasy romance ‘sub genre’ I prefer the writings of Grace Draven for instance 🤓
This book got a lot of people reading fantasy so that’s good, but yeah I hated this series and didn’t understand how it and her other books blew up sooo much. Thanks for the review, you did an excellent job. Stay safe and well 🐨🦘👍✌️🙏✨
I love the way you approached this video! I recommend doing the tandem read of Tower of Dawn and Empire of Storms tofether. It made my reading experience so much better!
That is the best throne of glass review by far good job
Tower of dawn was amazing in my opinions second favorite book of the serie😂