Get a 7-day free trial and 25% off Blinkist Annual Premium by clicking here: www.blinkist.com/capturedinwords What books would you add to my Advanced Fantasy Guide?
honestly go ahead and read whatever peaks your interest, worst case scenario you put it off until later if it's too dense or complicated, but honestly none of these are truly hard to read except maybe The Book of the New Sun (you have to pay attention carefully and reread) and Malazan but Malazan just because it's too big and it doesn't explain everything that's happening, otherwise they're not difficult to read per se. Just read whatever you feel like reading.
I‘m currently reading the Malazan series and I‘m IN LOVE! I was very confused by the first 300 pages but then it started to pick up. I just finished the third book (the fifth book in German, the German translation has 19!! books) and I‘m so happy to still have so much more to read
Excellent list. I especially liked the nods to Peake, Carey, Donaldson, Gemmell, Cook and Wolfe. Fantasy on RUclips seems to have an almost nonexistent memory. Have you read any of the following: Mieville’s Bas-Lag books, which are truly weird and wonderful; Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos books; Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norell; Charles de Lint’s Newford series. None of these is traditional epic fantasy, but they are all well worth a try.
Woo-ho, GGK! Just finished "Under Heaven", big contender for Book of the Year for me! Clearly that the multicultural Tang Dynasty China is a great inspiration for GGK: Not only Chinese, but also Turkic, Persian and Tibetan Culture flows through his imagined world! The first chapter(s) could have been an amazing short story all on it’s own: I am always amazed how quickly I feel totally at home with his writing and characters!
Thank you for this recommendation. I loved Tigana and A Song for Arbonne and am looking for more Guy Gavreil Kay. Even if my phone thinks that I mean Gabreil.
Thank you so much for including Donaldson's first Thomas Covenant trilogy! Lately I have been watching a lot of fantasy-book videos and have been disappointed it's not been mentioned before. I started Lord Foul's Bane back in the 80s and found it very engrossing, while fighting the impulse all the way through to throw the book against the wall. It's the only book I ever read that I couldn't put down in spite of despising the lead character. Couldn't much stand him for the remaining two books either. What a tribute to great writing!
@@Dobr3967 I read the second, which I enjoyed but not as much as the first. Apparently, Covenant made for a more interesting story in spite of the fact I despised him! The last I haven't read. Have you? Would you recommend it?
The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are fairly heavy reading, but I enjoyed the first six books so much that I stayed right to the end. I read the first two trilogies in the 80's. It was only 3 or 4 years ago I discovered the final books. I agree that Thomas Covenant is a hard character to like at all. Wait until the end!@@msaligned
@@Dobr3967 I have, in the 80s for the Second and only a few years ago for the Last. I thought they were about equally well done, but can't live up to the First.
In my experience, whether you love The Silmarillion or not does not depend so much on how advanced a reader you are. It is really this: if you love leafing through books of lore, you will love The Silmarillion. If you do not, you will not enjoy it. If you are like me, and your favorite book as a child at one point was a Burpee seed catalogue, and you absolutely loved leafing through it looking at all the different kinds of flowers, you will love The Silmarillion. There is an easy way to tell, for there is a little bit of The Silmarillion in the Lord of the Rings. It's Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers. This is basically the part of The Silmarillion that made it into the Lord of the Rings Appendices, since it covers men and dwarves after the end of the first age. It is written in exactly the same style, and it is the writing style that turns some people off. If you love Annals of the Kings and Rulers, you will love The Silmarillion. If Annals of the Kings and Rulers bores you, The Silmarillion will bore you. Anyway, hope this helps! For some of us, The Silmarillion is such a treasure trove- but for others it will simply bore you! This is how to find out if it is for you!
For me, what I tell anyone who wants to read the silmarillion, is that if they go into it expecting a coherent journey and narrative, with a main character and an antagonist, and basically anything you’ll find in most books, they are going to dislike it. If they go into it expecting a vast chronicle of mythology then it will be easier to read, and if they don’t want to read a vast chronicle of mythology, they won’t like it. For me, it’s one of my favorite books of all time, and I kind of wish more authors did that sort of thing with their own books.
So glad David Gemmell's getting some recognition. I've read all of his works so I'd essentally end up recommending all of them, but you gotta start with Legend. Gemmell's great at creating iconic heroes.
Been reading fantasy for sixty plus years and applaud your choices. A few I don't know so will check them out. Malazan for me is the best modern fantasy written, Tolkien is base and Glen Cook is a pivotal point in fantasy. He was one of the first, if not the first, to shift the narrative viewpoint to that of a common soldier and away from the tropes of the kindly, wise old wizard, the prince on a quest, etc that happened with all the Tolkien imitators. I'll just throw in couple writers I love. One is Tanith Lee and her Flat Earth series and Evangeline Walton's Mabingonion series based on Welsh mythology. Good reading all!
I'll also recommend the Five Warrior Angles trilogy by Brian Lee Durfee. It's not too difficult to read, but the world is humongous and it's very dark. It also has amazing prose.
I recommend including the Patternist series by Octavia E. Butler. Wild Seed is my favorite book in it. The Final Strife (Saara El-Arifi) is book 1 in the Ending Fire series that definitely needs a place on the list. 😊
I'd love to see some Malazan videos, especially since you're enjoying the books. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Also glad you mentioned Realm of the Elderlings, it's a phenomenal series
I am in book 3 of The Black company. I am loving it so much! Gormenghast and Book of the new sun sound like my jam. I would say the broken empire is for dark fantasy/ Grimdark beginners. It's certainly not as complex as some of the other mentions in this video but it's an interesting character story that I enjoyed. The prince of nothing is one you have to read. I would love to know your thoughts on it. Berserk is my favourite manga of all time. Its characters and themes are just Thanks for making my TBR more unbearable than it already was. Great video! 👌
Your Bioshock comparison for Senlin Ascends just shot it right up near the top of my TBR. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and it kight be what I need.
You have the best taste in fantasy! So much love for The Dark Tower, Gormenghast, Robin Hobb and GGK. If you want more Gemmell, Legend is probably the one I would recommend to anyone. The King Beyond The Gate is also amazing and has a line that has stuck with me for probably twenty years now. I read The Blade Itself a long time ago and it didn't really work for me, but the fact that I agree with everything else in your videos is making me think I must be wrong XD
I have read, and re-read, all ten volumes of the First, Second and Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. The protagonist is not a character that most readers will completely understand, let alone like, on a first reading, and there are some moments that will dismay many readers . Fortunately there is much else in the books that a new reader will find rewarding.
Hey man , I love these videos. Make sure you stay true and don’t chase one piece clickbait like Merphy or that green guy. You’ve got a great channel going on!
I came across your “book tube” channel the other day, and it is far and away the best I’ve encountered. Thanks for recommending my all-time favorite series, “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.” Most reviewers either are incredibly negative, or refuse to read it at all.
II remember being mind blown by Thomas Covenant, both the first and second chronicles. The final chronicles not so much, but that may have been the fact that I had just recently suffered a stroke and had yet to realise the only way I can now enjoy books is when my kindle reads to me! I find it frustrating that I can't get from one end of a paragraph to the other whilst reading.
Hi! I think even Wandering Inn fans (like myself) will admit that the prose of the original version of volume 1 (which is what you'll get with Kindle and audio) isn't quite there yet, and that certain characters are more difficult to write than the author's skills at the time were capable of imparting adeptly--all of which is to say, I hope you're reading the version that is currently up on the website, rather than the ebook, as the website hosts a version of v1 that was rewritten almost in its entirety with the aid of a professional editor.
This is a great guide. I haven't read everything on your list but I have read the ones that are talked about on Booktube. Like Way of Kings, First Law, SOIAF, and Dark Tower.
I read the first two trilogies of Chronicles of Thomas Covenent many years ago. Recently discovered there were 4 more books that finished the series. Pretty heavy going over these last 4 books, but well worth it in the end.
Am so glad a list somewhere finally had Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I loved how thought provoking it was, and how heart wrenching it could be to be simultaneously good and bad. This was my first antihero fantasy book I read in my teens and I still remember the impression it made on me decades later
You did well to wait before reading ASOIF, I just finished reading the last book in the series and I am just itching to know what will happen next. I don't even want to think about when A Dream of Spring will release...
Great video all around, but it was nice to see someone rec. BotNS and The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe, even if it is sandwiched between the same old same old. I would add The Worm Ouroboros and the Zimiamvian Trilogy by E.R. Eddison, and some Jack Vance to the list; The Dying Earth especially, with the Lyonesse books for good measure. GGK has so many good books. Tigana is maybe the best modern stand alone fantasy, but The Last Light of the Sun is my 2nd fav. of his.
I would like to recommend the Dragon Prince & Star Scroll Trilogies by Melanie Rawn. Desert setting, Political intrigue, Multi-Generational, Interesting Magick system, Flawed charachters. I haven't seen any recommendations for it, but it is one of my all time favourites. I have just finished a reread of it, and though it is older fantasy I really enjoyed revisting this world.
The Broken Empire Trilogy is definitely very dark and a bit confusing to follow because, while you're only following one character throughout the series, you're experiencing the story from two different points in time, one that is the "current day" and one that is a flashback that sheds light on a lot of the events that have already happened in the "current day" time. What makes it difficult to me, though, is that the main character is absolutely abhorent until about 2/3 of the way through the first book and that makes the beginning extremely tough to get through, though, the books do get better after that and his actions do have an explanation that makes him a lot more sympathetic. I definitely recommend it, they're pretty easy to follow once you get the hang of it, the pacing is fast, and they're not long at all, and they are very enjoyable and well written, just be aware that the beginning is very rough.
Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky is another series I would include on this list. It's not my favorite series, but the world building is beyond anything else I've read.
I have added Gormenghast and Senlin Ascends to by TBR. Sound exactly like the type of prose and description I like to get lost in, and the strange worldbuilding and characterization atop it :D Thank you for the list!
I love your recommendations. Fantasy is the bulk of my reading and usually stay loyal to a few authors but I’m finishing the Wheel of Time and was wondering which Brandon Sanderson book do you recommend I start with?
For Brandon Sanderson I always recommend starting with his Mistborn trilogy 🙂 I feel like The Stormlight Archive is his best work, but Mistborn is a really great place to start
Elantris, Warbreaker, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and The Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval England, are all standalone novels if you wanna try out Sanderson’s work without having to commit to a multi book series.
Life in the meadows by Barry fletcher is absolutely captivating! the world building, the character development is just top tier and ive never met anyone it disappointed. Be sure to add it to your tbr it wont let you down
Another great video! I was wondering, how much do you read a week, or in a month (pages or maybe even whole books)? Do you have a goal for a specific time frame? It fascinates me how someone can read so many books. Keep up the good work! :)
If you like The Rigante series by David Gemmell, I highly recommend the Troy series. Probably his best, finished beautifully by his wife Stella as he died before the last book was completed 😢 Also im working my way through Malazan myself at the moment and the way you described it was perfect. Great series altogether though
Totally agree on Troy. I'm not much of a historical fiction guy, but that series was amazing. Seemed like it was setting up an Odyssey sequel series, but sadly it will never come to pass.
hello i want to start Malazan but i don't know if i should do so . Because so far I've read in fantasy is dresden files upto book 5 , hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy(whole triology of 5 books), legends and lattes, mistborn first and second book, Wool triology, The Shadow and Bone book 1 (which i didn't like so i think i won't read sequel it in future) and First Law Book 1. So should i start malazan or should i read more books firsts then start malazan ?
I'm reading book 1 of the Death gate cycle! It's called dragon wing I am very much enjoying it also I went to the book store today I bought book one of the book of the new sun! I'm very excited to read it after I finish the death gate cycle
there is Satirical/Parody genre with not many example, but one great. The Discworld. If you didn't read, begin by either Wyrd Sister, Guards Guard, or Mort
really enjoying your channel, though I've not read most of the books you recommend. Have you read any of the books in the grishaverse, would love to know your opinion.
I’ve been searching for a more historical fantasy book than a high fantasy one, and this video was helpful. For some reason, no one cares about historical fantasy, and everyone just wants fast paced magic and dragons and antiheroes. I much prefer the more romanticized kind of fantasy that feels at the same time, more grounded in reality.
You just reminded me that I need to keep reading the Wandering Inn 😅 Also, as a Kingkiller fan, do you think people can read the novelas if they haven't finished the main books? (In this case I still have 300 pages left to read of book 2 but gave it a pause and was wanderinf if could read the short ones)
I want to recommend the trilogy Daevabad by S.A. Chakraborty. I just finished it and it has such a grand world with very complicated politics and magic. The characters are strong and so beautifully flawed, they felt real. It's also very colourful in a way, bright and shiny but war scenes suck that out harshly and makes you bite your nails off.
You didn't mention the last four books about covenant, Does anyone know if the conan series edited by de camp and carter are still in print? I think there were 12 books.
The Malazan Wiki is necessary. Don’t feel like you are cheating. The story is kind of too big to keep track of, so don’t beat yourself up. It’s all so worth it!!
I would recommend: The Divine Comedy by D. Alighieri. The author goes on a fantasy journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Get a collaboration with Red from OSP and "WOW!" But have you considered doing some classic literature that is somewhat fantasy?
Well, of this list I have read the Silmarillion/Children of Hurin, and loved them, as well as a 1/3rd of the Wheel of Time. And Fire and Blood. Maybe I can say I'm an advanced reader? And Dune, which has enough complexity and Fantasy to make this list. And I think at some point the advanced reader should try branching into Epic poetry, such as Tolkien's poetic version of Beren and Luthian or Paradise Lost - incredible stuff - and I want to go back further in time to read Dante's Devine Comedy, Beowulf and the Illiad/Oddysey, though then we're navigating the inconstant realm of translations - but at least you can stall with Tolkien for a number of them.
I'd recommend the Bas Lag books by China Mieville. They're fantastically weird and rich in their worldbuilding. No one else writes quite like China Mieville. If you're looking for truly unique fantasy worlds with quality prose, I'd always recommend Mieville and Guy Gavriel Kay. They're my favourites.
For me the easiest Tolkien's work to read was "The Silmarillion". It's action-packed, has some really great lines, a whole cast of characters described by their hair colour and height only, so it's both like reading a history school book and a comedy. It reminds me of "Iliad" a little. I read the whole "Lord of the Rings" and I remember only bits and peaces and it was a lot more challenging read than Silmarillion. I can't complete the task of rereading "Hobbit", maybe because it was intended as children's book (similar to LOTR, but it got out of control and transformed into epic tale). So for me at least, the difficulty order is the exact opposite. Silmarillion has this unique quality of leaving gaps in the sotry, which the reader can fill out, so it's interactive. In my head I hold multiple versions of events from the Silmarillion at the same time. It also doesn't really stop with just one book, there's the "unfinished tales" and Christopher's books containing his fathers notes.
Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora series, Beyond Redemption series by Michael R Fletcher, Anna Spark-Smith The Court of Broken Knives series are all worth a read
I have a few volumes of berserk to go, and it is fucking unreal how good it is. Its my first manga, and is a top ten series of all time for me. Closer to the top than the bottom. RIP kentaro miura, ill miss you and your brilliant mind.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
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What books would you add to my Advanced Fantasy Guide?
@capturedinwords have you read the licanius trilogy?
You and Petrik are the 1-2 combo of making fantasy readers feel like they haven't read anything 😂 never change dude love the content!
The editing is off the chain! Like what! This is the highest quality fantasy video I’ve ever seen.
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed!
I have not completed the beginner recommendations yet but I am still here for the advanced guide.
You and me both mate 😂 let's pile up our TBRs and regret about it later!!!
Me too 🙋♂️
Having too many books to read is a GOOD problem.
honestly go ahead and read whatever peaks your interest, worst case scenario you put it off until later if it's too dense or complicated, but honestly none of these are truly hard to read except maybe The Book of the New Sun (you have to pay attention carefully and reread) and Malazan but Malazan just because it's too big and it doesn't explain everything that's happening, otherwise they're not difficult to read per se. Just read whatever you feel like reading.
So many books, so little time…
I'm so glad you're bringing more attention to Book of the New Sun. It's an incredible series, and it deserves more attention.
“Hear the prophet make his guess that paradise lies to the west, now join his quest for the sun”
Wolfe has the best prose of this video. Easily.
absolutely, it looks like only hardcore Sci Fi booktubers talk about it (Ruocchio, Media Death Cult, Bookpilled, etc.)
I‘m currently reading the Malazan series and I‘m IN LOVE! I was very confused by the first 300 pages but then it started to pick up. I just finished the third book (the fifth book in German, the German translation has 19!! books) and I‘m so happy to still have so much more to read
I started my Sanderson journey you recommended a while back. Finished "Final Empire," and moving right along--thank you!
Excellent list. I especially liked the nods to Peake, Carey, Donaldson, Gemmell, Cook and Wolfe. Fantasy on RUclips seems to have an almost nonexistent memory.
Have you read any of the following: Mieville’s Bas-Lag books, which are truly weird and wonderful; Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos books; Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norell; Charles de Lint’s Newford series. None of these is traditional epic fantasy, but they are all well worth a try.
Woo-ho, GGK!
Just finished "Under Heaven", big contender for Book of the Year for me! Clearly that the multicultural Tang Dynasty China is a great inspiration for GGK: Not only Chinese, but also Turkic, Persian and Tibetan Culture flows through his imagined world! The first chapter(s) could have been an amazing short story all on it’s own: I am always amazed how quickly I feel totally at home with his writing and characters!
Sounds awesome! Im excited to read more GGK, and will definitely need to read Under Heaven soon!
@@CapturedInWords «A friend had died here today. There was blood on the bedding. There was a new hole in the world were sorrow could enter».
Talking about Guy Gavriel Kay, his 'Fionavar Tapestry' is an awesome read, absolutely worth checking out
I just bought a bindup edition of the Fionavar Tapestry and hope to get to it soon!
Thank you for this recommendation. I loved Tigana and A Song for Arbonne and am looking for more Guy Gavreil Kay. Even if my phone thinks that I mean Gabreil.
@@DuckRon626 I have also read Tigana and Arbonne but I think the Fionavar Trilogy is his masterpiece
Thank you so much for including Donaldson's first Thomas Covenant trilogy! Lately I have been watching a lot of fantasy-book videos and have been disappointed it's not been mentioned before. I started Lord Foul's Bane back in the 80s and found it very engrossing, while fighting the impulse all the way through to throw the book against the wall. It's the only book I ever read that I couldn't put down in spite of despising the lead character. Couldn't much stand him for the remaining two books either. What a tribute to great writing!
Have you read “Second Chronicles” and “The Last Chronicles?”
@@Dobr3967 I read the second, which I enjoyed but not as much as the first. Apparently, Covenant made for a more interesting story in spite of the fact I despised him! The last I haven't read. Have you? Would you recommend it?
The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are fairly heavy reading, but I enjoyed the first six books so much that I stayed right to the end. I read the first two trilogies in the 80's. It was only 3 or 4 years ago I discovered the final books. I agree that Thomas Covenant is a hard character to like at all. Wait until the end!@@msaligned
@@Dobr3967 I have, in the 80s for the Second and only a few years ago for the Last. I thought they were about equally well done, but can't live up to the First.
I would. It's as good as the Second, not as good as the First.
In my experience, whether you love The Silmarillion or not does not depend so much on how advanced a reader you are. It is really this: if you love leafing through books of lore, you will love The Silmarillion. If you do not, you will not enjoy it. If you are like me, and your favorite book as a child at one point was a Burpee seed catalogue, and you absolutely loved leafing through it looking at all the different kinds of flowers, you will love The Silmarillion. There is an easy way to tell, for there is a little bit of The Silmarillion in the Lord of the Rings. It's Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers. This is basically the part of The Silmarillion that made it into the Lord of the Rings Appendices, since it covers men and dwarves after the end of the first age. It is written in exactly the same style, and it is the writing style that turns some people off. If you love Annals of the Kings and Rulers, you will love The Silmarillion. If Annals of the Kings and Rulers bores you, The Silmarillion will bore you. Anyway, hope this helps! For some of us, The Silmarillion is such a treasure trove- but for others it will simply bore you! This is how to find out if it is for you!
For me, what I tell anyone who wants to read the silmarillion, is that if they go into it expecting a coherent journey and narrative, with a main character and an antagonist, and basically anything you’ll find in most books, they are going to dislike it. If they go into it expecting a vast chronicle of mythology then it will be easier to read, and if they don’t want to read a vast chronicle of mythology, they won’t like it. For me, it’s one of my favorite books of all time, and I kind of wish more authors did that sort of thing with their own books.
Wolfe, Donaldson, Kay, Bakker in one video??? Wow❤
Oh dang it's my friend!! Awesome video man, I'm always so happy when you talk about The First Law, ugh so good!!!
The Gunslinger is SOOO GOOD. That last part of the first book when he’s having philosophical conversations with the antagonist about the cosmos❤️
So glad David Gemmell's getting some recognition. I've read all of his works so I'd essentally end up recommending all of them, but you gotta start with Legend. Gemmell's great at creating iconic heroes.
Been reading fantasy for sixty plus years and applaud your choices. A few I don't know so will check them out. Malazan for me is the best modern fantasy written, Tolkien is base and Glen Cook is a pivotal point in fantasy. He was one of the first, if not the first, to shift the narrative viewpoint to that of a common soldier and away from the tropes of the kindly, wise old wizard, the prince on a quest, etc that happened with all the Tolkien imitators. I'll just throw in couple writers I love. One is Tanith Lee and her Flat Earth series and Evangeline Walton's Mabingonion series based on Welsh mythology. Good reading all!
05:41 DID YOU JUST SAY DAVID COOK? LOL. MY MAN RIGHT THERE.
I'll also recommend the Five Warrior Angles trilogy by Brian Lee Durfee. It's not too difficult to read, but the world is humongous and it's very dark. It also has amazing prose.
Really been loving the videos lately.
Glad you're enjoying them! 😁
I recommend including the Patternist series by Octavia E. Butler. Wild Seed is my favorite book in it. The Final Strife (Saara El-Arifi) is book 1 in the Ending Fire series that definitely needs a place on the list. 😊
I can’t agree with this comment moreeee! 💕 There is a Butler sized hole on this list.
I am about to wrap up my first pass through Wheel of Time and have been wondering what comes next. Thanks for the guidance!
I'd love to see some Malazan videos, especially since you're enjoying the books. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Also glad you mentioned Realm of the Elderlings, it's a phenomenal series
I loved your description of the Malazan series: "I don't know what's really going on but I love it anyway"--very accurate
"All the Seas of the World" by Guy Gavriel Kay was just beautiful... A total surprise when I chose it based on the cover art... lol...
I am in book 3 of The Black company. I am loving it so much! Gormenghast and Book of the new sun sound like my jam. I would say the broken empire is for dark fantasy/ Grimdark beginners. It's certainly not as complex as some of the other mentions in this video but it's an interesting character story that I enjoyed. The prince of nothing is one you have to read. I would love to know your thoughts on it.
Berserk is my favourite manga of all time. Its characters and themes are just
Thanks for making my TBR more unbearable than it already was. Great video! 👌
Your Bioshock comparison for Senlin Ascends just shot it right up near the top of my TBR. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and it kight be what I need.
The way you describe it is simply awesome and so tempting to read books
You have the best taste in fantasy! So much love for The Dark Tower, Gormenghast, Robin Hobb and GGK. If you want more Gemmell, Legend is probably the one I would recommend to anyone. The King Beyond The Gate is also amazing and has a line that has stuck with me for probably twenty years now.
I read The Blade Itself a long time ago and it didn't really work for me, but the fact that I agree with everything else in your videos is making me think I must be wrong XD
I have read, and re-read, all ten volumes of the First, Second and Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. The protagonist is not a character that most readers will completely understand, let alone like, on a first reading, and there are some moments that will dismay many readers . Fortunately there is much else in the books that a new reader will find rewarding.
Have you tried Mordant’s need?
Hey man , I love these videos. Make sure you stay true and don’t chase one piece clickbait like Merphy or that green guy. You’ve got a great channel going on!
I came across your “book tube” channel the other day, and it is far and away the best I’ve encountered. Thanks for recommending my all-time favorite series, “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.” Most reviewers either are incredibly negative, or refuse to read it at all.
Wow the editing here omg❤
I spent days editing haha, glad you enjoy it! 😁
@@CapturedInWords haha I loved it. Keep up the good work ❤️
II remember being mind blown by Thomas Covenant, both the first and second chronicles. The final chronicles not so much, but that may have been the fact that I had just recently suffered a stroke and had yet to realise the only way I can now enjoy books is when my kindle reads to me! I find it frustrating that I can't get from one end of a paragraph to the other whilst reading.
Hi! I think even Wandering Inn fans (like myself) will admit that the prose of the original version of volume 1 (which is what you'll get with Kindle and audio) isn't quite there yet, and that certain characters are more difficult to write than the author's skills at the time were capable of imparting adeptly--all of which is to say, I hope you're reading the version that is currently up on the website, rather than the ebook, as the website hosts a version of v1 that was rewritten almost in its entirety with the aid of a professional editor.
You're not supposed to know the "why" of certain events and character motivations in Malazan but that slowly gets revealed, it's part of the charm.
I'm loving the mystery of it, can't wait to read more Malazan!
Definitely agree with you on Guy Gavreil Kay. Loved Tigana and A Song for Arbonne. Looking forward to The Lions of Al-Rassan and other works by him.
This is a great guide. I haven't read everything on your list but I have read the ones that are talked about on Booktube. Like Way of Kings, First Law, SOIAF, and Dark Tower.
Right on time! I was just about to pick my next read!
Perfect timing!
I’ve had the Black Company on my list for a long time. Yet to get to it though!
Props for the *fantastic* intro!
I read the first two trilogies of Chronicles of Thomas Covenent many years ago. Recently discovered there were 4 more books that finished the series. Pretty heavy going over these last 4 books, but well worth it in the end.
Am so glad a list somewhere finally had Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I loved how thought provoking it was, and how heart wrenching it could be to be simultaneously good and bad. This was my first antihero fantasy book I read in my teens and I still remember the impression it made on me decades later
Love the recommendations!
Can't wait to see what you have to say about The Wandering Inn, one of the better gamelit/portal fantasy's out there.
I'm almost finished Ship of Magic, and man... the level of misery and frustration is HIGH -- definitely Hobb's trademark 😀
You did well to wait before reading ASOIF, I just finished reading the last book in the series and I am just itching to know what will happen next. I don't even want to think about when A Dream of Spring will release...
Great video all around, but it was nice to see someone rec. BotNS and The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe, even if it is sandwiched between the same old same old. I would add The Worm Ouroboros and the Zimiamvian Trilogy by E.R. Eddison, and some Jack Vance to the list; The Dying Earth especially, with the Lyonesse books for good measure.
GGK has so many good books. Tigana is maybe the best modern stand alone fantasy, but The Last Light of the Sun is my 2nd fav. of his.
I have started First Law and will be getting to Stormlight this month. I Got alot of catching up to do.
+1 for talking about the amazing Guy Gavriel Kay! 🙂
Kay definitely needs to be talked about more!!
Kay, one of my favorite, specialy the finavar tapastry
I would like to recommend the Dragon Prince & Star Scroll Trilogies by Melanie Rawn. Desert setting, Political intrigue, Multi-Generational, Interesting Magick system, Flawed charachters. I haven't seen any recommendations for it, but it is one of my all time favourites. I have just finished a reread of it, and though it is older fantasy I really enjoyed revisting this world.
Twelve kings is severely underrated. I wish more people talked about that series!
Really enjoyed book 1! I'll definitely be making some videos on the series later this year
The Broken Empire Trilogy is definitely very dark and a bit confusing to follow because, while you're only following one character throughout the series, you're experiencing the story from two different points in time, one that is the "current day" and one that is a flashback that sheds light on a lot of the events that have already happened in the "current day" time. What makes it difficult to me, though, is that the main character is absolutely abhorent until about 2/3 of the way through the first book and that makes the beginning extremely tough to get through, though, the books do get better after that and his actions do have an explanation that makes him a lot more sympathetic. I definitely recommend it, they're pretty easy to follow once you get the hang of it, the pacing is fast, and they're not long at all, and they are very enjoyable and well written, just be aware that the beginning is very rough.
Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky is another series I would include on this list. It's not my favorite series, but the world building is beyond anything else I've read.
I recently bought book one of that series at a used bookshop, and am looking forward to starting it soon!
That's another series I have hopes of starting this year.
I have added Gormenghast and Senlin Ascends to by TBR. Sound exactly like the type of prose and description I like to get lost in, and the strange worldbuilding and characterization atop it :D Thank you for the list!
I love your recommendations. Fantasy is the bulk of my reading and usually stay loyal to a few authors but I’m finishing the Wheel of Time and was wondering which Brandon Sanderson book do you recommend I start with?
For Brandon Sanderson I always recommend starting with his Mistborn trilogy 🙂 I feel like The Stormlight Archive is his best work, but Mistborn is a really great place to start
Elantris, Warbreaker, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and The Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval England, are all standalone novels if you wanna try out Sanderson’s work without having to commit to a multi book series.
Life in the meadows by Barry fletcher is absolutely captivating! the world building, the character development is just top tier and ive never met anyone it disappointed. Be sure to add it to your tbr it wont let you down
Now we need an EXPERT guide for fantasy readings!!
Another great video! I was wondering, how much do you read a week, or in a month (pages or maybe even whole books)? Do you have a goal for a specific time frame? It fascinates me how someone can read so many books. Keep up the good work! :)
First Fantasy I read was when I was around 14, saw a Frazetta cover for a Conan novel in a used book store, took it home and loved it
If you like The Rigante series by David Gemmell, I highly recommend the Troy series. Probably his best, finished beautifully by his wife Stella as he died before the last book was completed 😢
Also im working my way through Malazan myself at the moment and the way you described it was perfect. Great series altogether though
Totally agree on Troy. I'm not much of a historical fiction guy, but that series was amazing. Seemed like it was setting up an Odyssey sequel series, but sadly it will never come to pass.
hello i want to start Malazan but i don't know if i should do so . Because so far I've read in fantasy is dresden files upto book 5 , hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy(whole triology of 5 books), legends and lattes, mistborn first and second book, Wool triology, The Shadow and Bone book 1 (which i didn't like so i think i won't read sequel it in future) and First Law Book 1. So should i start malazan or should i read more books firsts then start malazan ?
I'm reading book 1 of the Death gate cycle! It's called dragon wing I am very much enjoying it also I went to the book store today I bought book one of the book of the new sun! I'm very excited to read it after I finish the death gate cycle
The Dark Tower was the first epic fantasy I ever read. I read 4 1/2 of the books durring college. After that I went straight to stormlight😅
there is Satirical/Parody genre with not many example, but one great. The Discworld. If you didn't read, begin by either Wyrd Sister, Guards Guard, or Mort
For what it's worth, I started my Fantasy reading as a late teenager with Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones and Malazan, loved all of them.
looking forward to The Wandering Inn videos :)
Me too!
really enjoying your channel, though I've not read most of the books you recommend. Have you read any of the books in the grishaverse, would love to know your opinion.
Hey thank you, many really interesting titels that are defo now on my tbr (just startet malazan tho, so i guess the next few months are booked lol)
I’ve been searching for a more historical fantasy book than a high fantasy one, and this video was helpful. For some reason, no one cares about historical fantasy, and everyone just wants fast paced magic and dragons and antiheroes. I much prefer the more romanticized kind of fantasy that feels at the same time, more grounded in reality.
You just reminded me that I need to keep reading the Wandering Inn 😅
Also, as a Kingkiller fan, do you think people can read the novelas if they haven't finished the main books? (In this case I still have 300 pages left to read of book 2 but gave it a pause and was wanderinf if could read the short ones)
I want to recommend the trilogy Daevabad by S.A. Chakraborty. I just finished it and it has such a grand world with very complicated politics and magic. The characters are strong and so beautifully flawed, they felt real. It's also very colourful in a way, bright and shiny but war scenes suck that out harshly and makes you bite your nails off.
David Gemmell is my favourite author. I have all his books and love them.
I'd recommend legend.
Did you ever try Pierre Grimbert? The Cycle of Ji, it's a slower, calmer one but it draws you in.
You didn't mention the last four books about covenant, Does anyone know if the conan series edited by de camp and carter are still in print? I think there were 12 books.
The Malazan Wiki is necessary. Don’t feel like you are cheating. The story is kind of too big to keep track of, so don’t beat yourself up. It’s all so worth it!!
I would recommend: The Divine Comedy by D. Alighieri. The author goes on a fantasy journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Get a collaboration with Red from OSP and "WOW!"
But have you considered doing some classic literature that is somewhat fantasy?
Well, of this list I have read the Silmarillion/Children of Hurin, and loved them, as well as a 1/3rd of the Wheel of Time. And Fire and Blood. Maybe I can say I'm an advanced reader? And Dune, which has enough complexity and Fantasy to make this list. And I think at some point the advanced reader should try branching into Epic poetry, such as Tolkien's poetic version of Beren and Luthian or Paradise Lost - incredible stuff - and I want to go back further in time to read Dante's Devine Comedy, Beowulf and the Illiad/Oddysey, though then we're navigating the inconstant realm of translations - but at least you can stall with Tolkien for a number of them.
Did you finish the black company series ?
I'd recommend the Bas Lag books by China Mieville. They're fantastically weird and rich in their worldbuilding. No one else writes quite like China Mieville. If you're looking for truly unique fantasy worlds with quality prose, I'd always recommend Mieville and Guy Gavriel Kay. They're my favourites.
Ken Liu and his Dandelion Dynasty deserve to be on this list.
Hoping to get to that series soon!
You are my favourite book channel Jay(comics not included😁)😎
Wow, thanks! 😁
With David Gemmell his best works include
Troy Trilogy
Drenai saga
Jon Shannow - The Jerusalem man
Thanks for the recommendations! Will definitely be adding these to my list
@@CapturedInWords your welcome
I quite enjoy your channel so looking forward to seeing more David Gemmell stuff
For me the easiest Tolkien's work to read was "The Silmarillion". It's action-packed, has some really great lines, a whole cast of characters described by their hair colour and height only, so it's both like reading a history school book and a comedy. It reminds me of "Iliad" a little. I read the whole "Lord of the Rings" and I remember only bits and peaces and it was a lot more challenging read than Silmarillion. I can't complete the task of rereading "Hobbit", maybe because it was intended as children's book (similar to LOTR, but it got out of control and transformed into epic tale). So for me at least, the difficulty order is the exact opposite. Silmarillion has this unique quality of leaving gaps in the sotry, which the reader can fill out, so it's interactive. In my head I hold multiple versions of events from the Silmarillion at the same time. It also doesn't really stop with just one book, there's the "unfinished tales" and Christopher's books containing his fathers notes.
Would micheal Moorecock’s Elric saga be part of the advanced?
When I was a beginner : Warhammer fantasy
Intermediate : Warhammer fantasy and sci fi.
Advanced : Warhammer and Black company.
I love that I have most of these and haven't read any except Song of Fire and Ice lol
Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora series, Beyond Redemption series by Michael R Fletcher, Anna Spark-Smith The Court of Broken Knives series are all worth a read
Thomas Covenant is one of the musts.
Tigana :( I started reading Tigana twice and couldn't continue.
Though Dense, I do enjoy the works of L. E. Modesitt Jr. a great stand-alone to start with is The Soprano Sorceress
This is a great list, really surprised you mentioned The Wandering Inn as it doesn’t get nearly enough the recognition it deserves.
It definitely deserves more recognition! I can't wait to make some videos on The Wandering Inn as I make my way through it :)
Anne Bishop Black Jewels Triology is wonderful. Highly recommend it.
Beautiful series i know and readed The 50%, just 4 not knowed!
Beautiful video, thank you sir!😎😎🥳😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Someday we'll see a book marketed as "Malazan for kids" and the world will explode.
My goal as a writer is to one day make it on a list like this.
GKK is amazing Lions of Al Rassan is based off the fall of Al-Andalus in Spain
As usual, my mandatory attendance to your video is here.
You're the best! Hope you enjoy it!
I would add the demon cycle books and the powder mage books. I also enjoyed stephen lawheads books
Simple is one way to describe Gemmell’s writing. I prefer ‘economical’ - he just doesn’t waste words.
I have a few volumes of berserk to go, and it is fucking unreal how good it is. Its my first manga, and is a top ten series of all time for me. Closer to the top than the bottom. RIP kentaro miura, ill miss you and your brilliant mind.