I knew I could trust you! 3rd favorite for me. The Dark Tower, The Gunslinger, Song of Susannah, in that order. And surprise surprise, all 3 seem to be the most controversial. I mean, sure I get it. These are weird books. But that's exactly what I signed up for! Something like Wizard and Glass is a great novel. Amazing character work with a unique setting for a backdrop. But to me, it can't compete with King at his best, aka King at his WEIRDEST. Very glad you loved the book Philip, I'm sure you'll like the next one too. This series by far has my favorite ending to a book series ever.
I am extremely confident that I'm going to love book seven now, Nathan. I'm even hoping it could top all the others for me. And, yes, when you read Dark Tower, you're signing up for weird!
I just finished this book. Absolutely incredible. It’s my second favorite of the series! I understand why some people wouldn’t like it but this worked so well for me. The meta elements are some of the best things in the series too. Very glad you loved this one too! I’m so excited to end this series soon!
This review makes me so happy! I am so glad you enjoyed Song of Susannah! It is one of the weirdest fantasy books I've read and I love it for that reason! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Dark Tower! Best wishes!
It’s been a joy to see you experience these books I love, and turn your critical eye on them. You will LOVE the finale I have no doubt, and there’s one aspect of it that makes it the best series finale I’ve ever read. Enjoy the last book
That's high praise for the last book, Josh, and I totally believe in it now! Since I loved Song of Susannah so much, I'm hopeful that book seven will also blow me away.
I felt like I was the only person I knew that liked the last book when it came out, so it's been gratifying to see critical opinion switch my direction!
I'm glad you liked it! It's been maybe 15 years since I first read Dark Tower so I've been doing an extended reread since Jan. I'm working in some of the other King books that have strong relevance to the series. I just finished Wind through the Keyhole and then I'll read Wolves when I'm back from vacation. I don't recall hating the last 2 books so I'm sure I'll love them the 2nd time around.
Glad you liked this one. As someone who read the series about 3 years ago, this is the one that is hardest to remember in terms of plot. It seems almost like a wedge between the fifth and seventh book. However, watching this reminds me that it does manage to stand on its own as well as contributing to the overall narrative of the series. The meta elements were certainly jarring at first glance but they add a unique and exciting element to the story that I haven’t seen replicated anywhere else. Hope you enjoy the last book!
There are so many things about this series that I haven't seen elsewhere, and I'm loving that. Thanks so much, and I anticipate that book seven is going to be outstanding!
Wow, Philip, you have no idea how helpful your Dark Tower reviews have been for me. Everything you shared here is giving me the push I need to continue this series sooner rather than later. I have heard that this book gets very meta, and the way you describe it is making me reflect back on previous books in a new way. Love the psychedelic thumbnail too 😄!
I'm very happy you liked Song of Susannah. There are so many great things that happen in this book, and I always look forward to them on rereads. Yes, I reread the series every two or three years, and I pick up on something different or new with each read. I can't wait to back on the journey next year!
Buenas. Han pasado un par de meses, creo, desde la última vez que charlamos. Me encanta oír que hayas disfrutado este libro y la saga ya que como te he dicho, Stephen King es mi autor favorito. Tomé tu consejo y he comenzado a leer Malaz. Estoy en el primer libro y ya puedo decir que no es como nada que haya leído antes. Lo estoy disfrutando mucho. Gracias por todo y espero por más vídeos tuyos prontos. Saludos
¡Gracias! Dark Tower es una serie fantástica, y creo que será una de mis favoritas de todos los tiempos. ¡Estoy muy feliz de que estés disfrutando de Malazan hasta ahora!
I, too, loved SoS and was a bit surprised to find out afterwards that it generally ranks as one of the more unfavorable installments with the fan base. I’m glad you pointed out what makes it great, as hopefully it’ll help more people better appreciate the book when it might not be so obvious at first (much like the Malazan series!). Oh, and I’m confident you’ll love the last one!
Depending on the day, I love *that* King attempts the meta-flourishes more than I love *how* he ultimately does so: but man, I really love that he goes for it. You could say that about the whole series. It’s endlessly idiosyncratic and so clearly a product of passion. Weirdly, it thus ends up reminding me of War and Peace a little bit, with the author visibly wrestling with the project on the page towards the end, and the result being uniquely (and circularly) definable only as what it is.
I love the War and Peace comparison, Alex. I wouldn’t have come up with it, but you’re absolutely right about the author’s openness about the writing process. In King’s case, the struggle to write and to understand inspiration becomes an integral part of the story. Cheers!
Just finished the whole series a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. Still thinking about the ending daily. The only other king book I have read is insomnia and I highly recommend giving it a read before the last book. There’s a really important part that I feel I would have been very confused about if I didn’t fit in insomnia. Great video!
W&G is still my ultimate favorite of the series, but I loved SoS too and I'm just absolutely astounded by the number of people who didn't like it or actually DNF'd the series at this one. It was so important!! Wovles - I agree, I was bored with that one...I just wanted to stay with that opening theme of the Wolves. LOL So nice to hear someone share some love for this one - maybe some of my love stems from Susannah being my favorite character and my fascination of her personality.
Its really interesting to hear the perspective of someone who has only read the DT novels. Having read the smaller connections to other king works added back story but it sounds like there's a lot I missed in terms of outside influences that add thematic elements.
Someone could write a dissertation on all the allusions King makes in the Dark Tower series as well as their thematic contributions. Actually, someone probably has!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy as much as i enjoy King's work, one of best parts of reading him is that he has helped expand what i have read. Whether its his horror influences like Shirley Jackson and Arthur Machen but also TS Elliott etc. I found his book Dance Macabre fascinating.
Thanks for this review - I will now proceed to read the rest of DT without trepidation. It sounds like when life got weird for King, his writing became even weirder, and I'm all in for that.
Dude! I saw the title of this video and freaked out 🤣 I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite but I definitely enjoyed Song of Susannah. I’m glad to see I’m in good company.
Thanks, Jake! I thought it might surprise some people, but I honestly loved every moment of this book. It might have helped that my expectations were low, but it really worked for me.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes! The dichotomy between Mia and Susannah is outstanding. Also, I think it’s really difficult to write about time travel and inter dimensionality, but as those things get ramped up in that book, King shows us he is flawless at it..
I’m so happy you liked SOS! I just finished my first trip to the tower about a month ago and I absolutely loved SOS and did not understand all the hate. I thought it was a wild and extremely unique ride.
I'm so glad you like it. It's not my favorite of the series (but I do like it), but I find it so interesting that it is yours (so far). King is a "meta" writer almost always, but this is probably peak meta for him, and that's interesting in and of itself. I'm sure you've been inundated with "read this by King" or "read that by King" since you started reading DT, especially since King ties a lot of his works together in this series. Honestly, all these recommendations do enrich the experience, but none of them are necessary. I'm gonna recommend something anyway! If you are into King's take on storytelling, check out his non-fiction memoir On Writing. It is very entertaining as well as enlightening. And, I think, it showcases King's process which is central to what he's doing in DT. I find it so fascinating. I'm sure your TBR is, like, infinite at this point, but if you ever have time, squeeze it in, I'm sure you'd get a kick out of it (and it might have material that could be taught, if you do that kind of thing in your classes).
Thanks, Todd! I actually have a copy of On Writing, and I'm very likely to read it in the not too distant future, especially now that I've read Song of Susannah, which has me very curious.
I’m late to getting to this review.. man, I’m so surprised! Really great review. Everything with Suze and especially her memories from the 60’s I really loved. I definitely didn’t dislike the book, but I didn’t expect it to be your favorite! Love hearing your thoughts. Can’t wait to hear what you think of the last one!
Awesome! Love it when you start gushing about a book! Life and art feeding each other, and being true to the human experience, beautiful and transcendent -- sounds like something I should read. If you ever decide to run a workshop on how to gush about books in a way that others want to read them immediately then please let me know. I'd enrol straight away!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy An artform indeed. Hence learning from a master! Dark Tower is very tempting. But because one big series (Malazan) is not enough I've started Wars of Light and Shadow to get maximum enjoyment from your planned discussions with A P. and the rest of the gang. I've also heard a rumour that I'm buddy reading Book of the Ancestor with a certain medievalist. So it will be a while before there will be Dark Tower videos.
Wow, I think you need to have Mike on to debate this one. I didn’t dislike book 6, but I don’t think it was my favorite. Very excited to hear what you think about the ending!
I’m currently reading the last Dark Tower book. So far I’d say that Wolves was my favorite Dark Tower book though Song of Susannah is right behind it. I’m very nervous about where King is heading in book seven. I’m about 300 pages in at this point. Mainly because of all the negative I’ve heard from others haha.
Just wait until the very end! It’s brilliant, in my opinion. Also, don’t listen to Stephen King. You’ll know when you get there. My best to you for the conclusion, Matt!
Highly, HIGHLY unpopular opinion but I'm with you! I absolutely loved this book and I'm not afraid to say it... and I've got a lot of shit for saying it lol. I'm the rarest specimen in the Constant Reader community, because my fav from DT is Gunslinger followed by S. of Susannah. Glad you're being honest on your review, that's why I trust and follow your channel. Cheers!
Thanks, Juan! I loved every minute of Song of Susannah, which absolutely hit me the right way. I guess tastes vary, or perhaps many people just weren’t willing to go where King was leading here, but I love how he goes for it in this series.
It was right what I needed after the slow burn that was book 5. Just a quick, page turner with tons of weird conecpts coming in. You will definetly love book 7 as much as this, the hate that the ending gets comes mostly from people who didn't dig Song Of Susannah. Idk if you've been spoiled, but you're in for an emotional journey on that one!
Thank you! I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I have read a little about Buddhism and deeply admire philosophical Buddhism. I also have lived in Nepal and been near where the Buddha was born.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Nepal must have been life-changing. I became involved with Zen Buddhism in my early 20s and then later with the teachings of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. I'm about your age and grew up in the 80s playing D&D and reading tons of fantasy and sci-fi. It's been an interesting experience allowing room for those two forces to co-exist within my present experience. Many of my friends involved in mediation practice don't always know quite how to respond when I let my "geeky" side slip out a bit. On another note, I wanted to thank for your channel; you're my favorite book-tuber I've discovered so far. I'm just now getting into Malazan, and I've appreciated very much all the content you've put out surrounding the series. Keep up the great work!
@@databloom70 That’s fantastic! I have a feeling that you will come to find so much that resonates in Malazan. Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching is a book that felt like a meditation to read - a very important read for me. It sounds like we have some things in common!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy THofBT is a wonderfully profound and important book. I'm happy to know you've had the chance to experience it. You and I do seem to be birds of a feather. So yes, the comments you made regarding Malazan containing elements of compassion, empathy, and interconnectedness, is what drew me to the series. Being older, and now more widely read across genres, it's preferable those elements be present within much of the content I'm willing to consume.
Interesting thoughts! I just finished it yesterday, and while it's not my favorite I didn't dislike it either. I learned early on in this series to just take the weirdness and roll with it.
After finishing the series, I think the meta stuff was King dealing with his own mortality. He finished the series after his accident and destiny/fate is a big theme within the DT so I think those things were on his mind. I’ll be interested in your thoughts after you finish the series. I agree the meta stuff was integrated into the story pretty well.
Great question! It depends on the time of year. I have more time in the summer, but I’m guessing most of the time I read 3-5 hours per day. And I’ll never get to read all the books I want to read . . . But I’ll get to some good ones!
Maybe I will have to take a look into the Dark Tower series, depending on what you present here. I remember a friend of mine in Jr. High was reading the 7th book. He told me he was one of four people in line at the local book store for the midnight release. I too know that feeling, of being the ONLY person at the midnight release for Eldest, Brisingir and Inheritance from Christopher Paolini. Such a splendid book series... Also, I feel as if I am an odd-ball amongst the Lit nerds, in the fact that I do not like Stephen King. The only book of his that I liked was "The Shining", there was just something about the themes contained in the story, and how JUST enough of it was left up to interpretation that you could really feel like you were in the story... without going into TOO MUCH detail, like Tolkien taking about 100,000 pages to describe Bilbo's house ha!
I haven't read anything by King outside of Dark Tower, but I am absolutely in love with this series, which is unlike anything else I've read. If you give it a try, I hope you'll enjoy it!
Loved the Dark Tower series. I thought every book just got better and better. Although my personal favourite was Wizard and Glass, which I know many didn't like.
This was the first Tower entry that I merely liked versus loved. I’ve been looking forward to your thoughts on this one, and I’m so happy you loved it. I agree the meta stuff didn’t pop up out of thin air, but I was confused about why he went the route that he did. I didn’t understand how it benefitted the story as a trade-off for potentially pulling readers out of their immersion, but I really like your explanation. I can’t wait to get started on The Dark Tower in 1 week!
Thanks, Scot! I too am very excited for The Dark Tower. I will almost certainly be starting much later because of other reads, but I hope to finish the series in August. My very best to you!
See the TURTLE of enormous girth! On His shell He holds the earth. His thought is slow but always kind; He holds us all within His mind. I think my big and pretty much only problem with Song of Susannah is that is kind of feels like half of a book. It ends right before the climax, then as a result in my opinion book 7 feels a bit bloated. Otherwise, I disagree with the general hate for the last few books.
Now I’m wondering which antagonist you mean, but we should keep the comments spoiler free. Perhaps you could let me know when I have the spoiler-filled palaver on the series? All the best, Marc!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Haha, you know a bit of basic German, right? Maybe that's cryptic enough for most. Others scroll down and google translate at your own peril. . Der Mann in Schwarz.
Hello Phillip! I would have tried to get ahold of you in the private messages of some other platform somewhere, but I could not seem to find you anywhere, even on Mike's Discord Server, so I decided I would try here. I see you've made most of your journey through The Dark Tower, and it is one of the few fantasy series that I have also read (I'm just really young and barely getting started with my fantasy journeys haha). I was curious to know if you would be interested in having a discussion on the full series sometime when you have wrapped it up? I figured there would be nobody else I'd rather feature on my channel as my first guest, and discussing a great series we've both got to experience for the first time this year seemed like the best way to break the ice! If you see this comment, let me know if you're interested and we can look to getting connected on Discord or whatever platforms you have made yourself present :D
Thank you for the invitation to palaver on Dark Tower! I’m flattered and honored. At the moment, I have so many chats in the works, including an already planned Dark Tower discussion, that I’m not looking to schedule any more until early next year. Between work and family and what I’ve got going on already on RUclips, I just can’t fit more in right now. But I’ll check out your channel for Dark Tower content, and I wish you all the best for your reading and your channel!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Perfectly acceptable answer! I’ve seen several of the discussion plans you have in the works with so many other people on so many cool things, and can only imagine how busy of a guy you are compared to me haha I am honored to at least have received a quick response; if your schedule ever opens up, I’d love you to join me sometime. In the meantime, I hope you have good end to your year!
A few of my favorite moments in the dark tower are in this book! Specifically everyone going through the bad guys hideout and the scenes with the man in black here. That being said, this is my least favorite book. There were a few story lines in this book that I had no interest in. I struggled with most parts set in the real world. I didn't like the second book either which is many people's favorite.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy that's how I feel! 2 and 6 are my least favorites and they are still 4 star reads for me! Book 1 literally changed my life as a reader and it's my 4th favorite. Least favorite always sounds like such an enditement, but the quality of these books are just so high!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Since it seems everyone reading it right now but me loves it, I think I'll just embrace being a pariah and go hide in a cave.
I knew I could trust you! 3rd favorite for me. The Dark Tower, The Gunslinger, Song of Susannah, in that order. And surprise surprise, all 3 seem to be the most controversial. I mean, sure I get it. These are weird books. But that's exactly what I signed up for! Something like Wizard and Glass is a great novel. Amazing character work with a unique setting for a backdrop. But to me, it can't compete with King at his best, aka King at his WEIRDEST. Very glad you loved the book Philip, I'm sure you'll like the next one too. This series by far has my favorite ending to a book series ever.
I am extremely confident that I'm going to love book seven now, Nathan. I'm even hoping it could top all the others for me. And, yes, when you read Dark Tower, you're signing up for weird!
Am just In love with the thumbnail. Your getting really creative with them Philip. thank you for the great review.
Thanks, Avi! I admit that I chuckled a lot while making that thumbnail!
I just finished this book. Absolutely incredible. It’s my second favorite of the series! I understand why some people wouldn’t like it but this worked so well for me. The meta elements are some of the best things in the series too.
Very glad you loved this one too! I’m so excited to end this series soon!
@@iSamwise That’s an excellent sign for how you’ll like the final book, Sam. My best for your journey to the Dark Tower!
This review makes me so happy! I am so glad you enjoyed Song of Susannah! It is one of the weirdest fantasy books I've read and I love it for that reason! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Dark Tower! Best wishes!
I'm almost there, Johan! I can't wait to see how much I enjoy the final book. Based on this one, I'm confident I'm going to love it.
It’s been a joy to see you experience these books I love, and turn your critical eye on them. You will LOVE the finale I have no doubt, and there’s one aspect of it that makes it the best series finale I’ve ever read. Enjoy the last book
That's high praise for the last book, Josh, and I totally believe in it now! Since I loved Song of Susannah so much, I'm hopeful that book seven will also blow me away.
I felt like I was the only person I knew that liked the last book when it came out, so it's been gratifying to see critical opinion switch my direction!
@@RedFuryBooks You were ahead of your time!
I'm glad you liked it! It's been maybe 15 years since I first read Dark Tower so I've been doing an extended reread since Jan. I'm working in some of the other King books that have strong relevance to the series. I just finished Wind through the Keyhole and then I'll read Wolves when I'm back from vacation. I don't recall hating the last 2 books so I'm sure I'll love them the 2nd time around.
I hope to read all those related books someday too. Have a wonderful vacation, Camanda!
Glad you liked this one. As someone who read the series about 3 years ago, this is the one that is hardest to remember in terms of plot. It seems almost like a wedge between the fifth and seventh book. However, watching this reminds me that it does manage to stand on its own as well as contributing to the overall narrative of the series. The meta elements were certainly jarring at first glance but they add a unique and exciting element to the story that I haven’t seen replicated anywhere else. Hope you enjoy the last book!
There are so many things about this series that I haven't seen elsewhere, and I'm loving that. Thanks so much, and I anticipate that book seven is going to be outstanding!
Wow, Philip, you have no idea how helpful your Dark Tower reviews have been for me. Everything you shared here is giving me the push I need to continue this series sooner rather than later. I have heard that this book gets very meta, and the way you describe it is making me reflect back on previous books in a new way. Love the psychedelic thumbnail too 😄!
The thumbnail really fits the book, I think! I hope to hear your thoughts on this one and the whole series eventually, Johanna!
I definitely liked Song of Susannah a lot more than other people as well. Great review, as always!
Thanks, Andrew! It’s wonderful to hear from you, by the way. I hope you’re doing great!
I'm very happy you liked Song of Susannah. There are so many great things that happen in this book, and I always look forward to them on rereads. Yes, I reread the series every two or three years, and I pick up on something different or new with each read. I can't wait to back on the journey next year!
Thanks, Michael! I'm positive that this series would reward multiple rereads, and I look forward to doing that someday myself.
Buenas. Han pasado un par de meses, creo, desde la última vez que charlamos.
Me encanta oír que hayas disfrutado este libro y la saga ya que como te he dicho, Stephen King es mi autor favorito.
Tomé tu consejo y he comenzado a leer Malaz. Estoy en el primer libro y ya puedo decir que no es como nada que haya leído antes. Lo estoy disfrutando mucho.
Gracias por todo y espero por más vídeos tuyos prontos. Saludos
¡Gracias! Dark Tower es una serie fantástica, y creo que será una de mis favoritas de todos los tiempos. ¡Estoy muy feliz de que estés disfrutando de Malazan hasta ahora!
Qué bueno ver a alguien más que habla español por estos lados. ¡Saludos!
@@ferenvelaslanza El español es un idioma hermoso, y me gustaría poder hablarlo mejor.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ¡al menos puedo ver que lo escribes muy bien! Cuando quieras podemos practicar. I love your videos BTW.
@@ferenvelaslanza ¡Gracias! Soy muy lento en español, pero admiro el idioma. ¡Me alegra que te gusten los vídeos!
I, too, loved SoS and was a bit surprised to find out afterwards that it generally ranks as one of the more unfavorable installments with the fan base. I’m glad you pointed out what makes it great, as hopefully it’ll help more people better appreciate the book when it might not be so obvious at first (much like the Malazan series!). Oh, and I’m confident you’ll love the last one!
Thanks, Leroy! I'm in complete agreement with you about the last one -- I'm very sure I'm going to love it.
Depending on the day, I love *that* King attempts the meta-flourishes more than I love *how* he ultimately does so: but man, I really love that he goes for it. You could say that about the whole series. It’s endlessly idiosyncratic and so clearly a product of passion. Weirdly, it thus ends up reminding me of War and Peace a little bit, with the author visibly wrestling with the project on the page towards the end, and the result being uniquely (and circularly) definable only as what it is.
I love the War and Peace comparison, Alex. I wouldn’t have come up with it, but you’re absolutely right about the author’s openness about the writing process. In King’s case, the struggle to write and to understand inspiration becomes an integral part of the story. Cheers!
Just finished the whole series a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. Still thinking about the ending daily. The only other king book I have read is insomnia and I highly recommend giving it a read before the last book. There’s a really important part that I feel I would have been very confused about if I didn’t fit in insomnia. Great video!
Thanks, Macon, and thanks also for the recommendation!
Awesome review. Thank you, Philip!
Thank you, Chase!
W&G is still my ultimate favorite of the series, but I loved SoS too and I'm just absolutely astounded by the number of people who didn't like it or actually DNF'd the series at this one. It was so important!! Wovles - I agree, I was bored with that one...I just wanted to stay with that opening theme of the Wolves. LOL So nice to hear someone share some love for this one - maybe some of my love stems from Susannah being my favorite character and my fascination of her personality.
Susannah is an excellent character, and I was so glad to see her central role in this book. All the best to you, Lezlie, and thanks for watching!
Its really interesting to hear the perspective of someone who has only read the DT novels. Having read the smaller connections to other king works added back story but it sounds like there's a lot I missed in terms of outside influences that add thematic elements.
Someone could write a dissertation on all the allusions King makes in the Dark Tower series as well as their thematic contributions. Actually, someone probably has!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy as much as i enjoy King's work, one of best parts of reading him is that he has helped expand what i have read. Whether its his horror influences like Shirley Jackson and Arthur Machen but also TS Elliott etc. I found his book Dance Macabre fascinating.
@@cmmosher8035 That is very cool. I also like a writer who acknowledges and pays tribute to influences.
I love that you love this one. I didn't hate it like others but didn't love it. It was wild and different. I loved the meta elements.
Wild and different it is, Penny! Cheers!
Thanks for this review - I will now proceed to read the rest of DT without trepidation. It sounds like when life got weird for King, his writing became even weirder, and I'm all in for that.
I very much suspect that is exactly what happened, Jay. I'm definitely here for it too!
Dude! I saw the title of this video and freaked out 🤣 I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite but I definitely enjoyed Song of Susannah. I’m glad to see I’m in good company.
Thanks, Jake! I thought it might surprise some people, but I honestly loved every moment of this book. It might have helped that my expectations were low, but it really worked for me.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes! The dichotomy between Mia and Susannah is outstanding. Also, I think it’s really difficult to write about time travel and inter dimensionality, but as those things get ramped up in that book, King shows us he is flawless at it..
@@jakehensley1210 Agreed!
I’m so happy you liked SOS! I just finished my first trip to the tower about a month ago and I absolutely loved SOS and did not understand all the hate. I thought it was a wild and extremely unique ride.
I'm completely with you! It is definitely wild and unique, and I look forward to following your footsteps to the Tower!
I'm so glad you like it. It's not my favorite of the series (but I do like it), but I find it so interesting that it is yours (so far). King is a "meta" writer almost always, but this is probably peak meta for him, and that's interesting in and of itself.
I'm sure you've been inundated with "read this by King" or "read that by King" since you started reading DT, especially since King ties a lot of his works together in this series. Honestly, all these recommendations do enrich the experience, but none of them are necessary. I'm gonna recommend something anyway! If you are into King's take on storytelling, check out his non-fiction memoir On Writing. It is very entertaining as well as enlightening. And, I think, it showcases King's process which is central to what he's doing in DT. I find it so fascinating. I'm sure your TBR is, like, infinite at this point, but if you ever have time, squeeze it in, I'm sure you'd get a kick out of it (and it might have material that could be taught, if you do that kind of thing in your classes).
Thanks, Todd! I actually have a copy of On Writing, and I'm very likely to read it in the not too distant future, especially now that I've read Song of Susannah, which has me very curious.
Your title makes me happy. I know how controversial that book is but I adore it
I can now say that I adore it too, which I did not expect based on all the controversy. Cheers, Bryson!
I’m late to getting to this review.. man, I’m so surprised! Really great review. Everything with Suze and especially her memories from the 60’s I really loved. I definitely didn’t dislike the book, but I didn’t expect it to be your favorite! Love hearing your thoughts. Can’t wait to hear what you think of the last one!
Thanks, Madison! I was surprised too. Based on all the divisiveness about SOS, I didn’t expect to love it so much. On to the Dark Tower!
Happy reading to you! 😊
Thank you, Safina, and to you as well!
Awesome! Love it when you start gushing about a book!
Life and art feeding each other, and being true to the human experience, beautiful and transcendent -- sounds like something I should read.
If you ever decide to run a workshop on how to gush about books in a way that others want to read them immediately then please let me know. I'd enrol straight away!
Ha ha! Book gushing is truly an art! I would be curious to watch any Dark Tower videos you might make if you continue in the series.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy An artform indeed. Hence learning from a master!
Dark Tower is very tempting. But because one big series (Malazan) is not enough I've started Wars of Light and Shadow to get maximum enjoyment from your planned discussions with A P. and the rest of the gang. I've also heard a rumour that I'm buddy reading Book of the Ancestor with a certain medievalist. So it will be a while before there will be Dark Tower videos.
@@DoUnicornsRead Ha ha! Fair enough! There are other worlds than these . . .
Wow, I think you need to have Mike on to debate this one. I didn’t dislike book 6, but I don’t think it was my favorite. Very excited to hear what you think about the ending!
I would love the chance to talk about it with Mike! In fact, I'm hoping to do just that in August. 😁
If any author has the audacity to be this meta, it’s Stephen King. You have to applaud the man for what he does here. I love it.
I applaud it and love it too! Cheers, Lidens!
I’m currently reading the last Dark Tower book. So far I’d say that Wolves was my favorite Dark Tower book though Song of Susannah is right behind it. I’m very nervous about where King is heading in book seven. I’m about 300 pages in at this point. Mainly because of all the negative I’ve heard from others haha.
Just wait until the very end! It’s brilliant, in my opinion. Also, don’t listen to Stephen King. You’ll know when you get there. My best to you for the conclusion, Matt!
I'm really glad you enjoyed the book 😊
Thank you, Angela!
Highly, HIGHLY unpopular opinion but I'm with you! I absolutely loved this book and I'm not afraid to say it... and I've got a lot of shit for saying it lol. I'm the rarest specimen in the Constant Reader community, because my fav from DT is Gunslinger followed by S. of Susannah.
Glad you're being honest on your review, that's why I trust and follow your channel. Cheers!
Thanks, Juan! I loved every minute of Song of Susannah, which absolutely hit me the right way. I guess tastes vary, or perhaps many people just weren’t willing to go where King was leading here, but I love how he goes for it in this series.
It was right what I needed after the slow burn that was book 5. Just a quick, page turner with tons of weird conecpts coming in.
You will definetly love book 7 as much as this, the hate that the ending gets comes mostly from people who didn't dig Song Of Susannah. Idk if you've been spoiled, but you're in for an emotional journey on that one!
@@JuanMartinez-ib7mz I’ve managed to avoid spoilers for book seven, and I’m incredibly excited for it!
A Buddhist and lover of fantasy? You're my hero Philip!
Thank you! I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I have read a little about Buddhism and deeply admire philosophical Buddhism. I also have lived in Nepal and been near where the Buddha was born.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Nepal must have been life-changing. I became involved with Zen Buddhism in my early 20s and then later with the teachings of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. I'm about your age and grew up in the 80s playing D&D and reading tons of fantasy and sci-fi. It's been an interesting experience allowing room for those two forces to co-exist within my present experience. Many of my friends involved in mediation practice don't always know quite how to respond when I let my "geeky" side slip out a bit. On another note, I wanted to thank for your channel; you're my favorite book-tuber I've discovered so far. I'm just now getting into Malazan, and I've appreciated very much all the content you've put out surrounding the series. Keep up the great work!
@@databloom70 That’s fantastic! I have a feeling that you will come to find so much that resonates in Malazan. Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching is a book that felt like a meditation to read - a very important read for me. It sounds like we have some things in common!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy THofBT is a wonderfully profound and important book. I'm happy to know you've had the chance to experience it. You and I do seem to be birds of a feather. So yes, the comments you made regarding Malazan containing elements of compassion, empathy, and interconnectedness, is what drew me to the series. Being older, and now more widely read across genres, it's preferable those elements be present within much of the content I'm willing to consume.
@@databloom70 And those are the elements that, after much suffering, really come to the fore in the later books. My very best to you for the series!
Interesting thoughts! I just finished it yesterday, and while it's not my favorite I didn't dislike it either. I learned early on in this series to just take the weirdness and roll with it.
That’s definitely the attitude to have in relation to Dark Tower, I think!
After finishing the series, I think the meta stuff was King dealing with his own mortality. He finished the series after his accident and destiny/fate is a big theme within the DT so I think those things were on his mind.
I’ll be interested in your thoughts after you finish the series.
I agree the meta stuff was integrated into the story pretty well.
I suspect you're absolutely right that King's accident had a huge effect on these last books, Margaret. Thanks, and all the best!
If you loved Somg of Susannah you’re going to love and be SHOOOOOK over The Dark Tower. The last book is such a whirlwind.
I'm incredibly excited for book seven! Cheers!
By your reaction to this book I’m betting you’ll love the end of this series!
Saudações do Brasil!
Thanks so much! I’m betting that you will win that bet! 😁 I anticipate an amazing end to the series.
Great review as usual. Are you having a spoiler talk with someone about this book or waiting till you’re done the series?
Thanks! I’m scheduling the spoiler talk for the entire series, likely in August. I’m excited for it!
I loved Song of Susannah. I think King does really well in his shorter books.
I totally agree, Joseph. I’m glad to hear you loved this one too!
I know you have a busy schedule so I’m curious how much time you have in a day to devote to reading ? 🙂 so many books so little time 😅
Great question! It depends on the time of year. I have more time in the summer, but I’m guessing most of the time I read 3-5 hours per day. And I’ll never get to read all the books I want to read . . . But I’ll get to some good ones!
Maybe I will have to take a look into the Dark Tower series, depending on what you present here. I remember a friend of mine in Jr. High was reading the 7th book. He told me he was one of four people in line at the local book store for the midnight release. I too know that feeling, of being the ONLY person at the midnight release for Eldest, Brisingir and Inheritance from Christopher Paolini. Such a splendid book series...
Also, I feel as if I am an odd-ball amongst the Lit nerds, in the fact that I do not like Stephen King. The only book of his that I liked was "The Shining", there was just something about the themes contained in the story, and how JUST enough of it was left up to interpretation that you could really feel like you were in the story... without going into TOO MUCH detail, like Tolkien taking about 100,000 pages to describe Bilbo's house ha!
I haven't read anything by King outside of Dark Tower, but I am absolutely in love with this series, which is unlike anything else I've read. If you give it a try, I hope you'll enjoy it!
I really enjoyed the song of susannah it definitely was a step up from wolves of the calla 😃👍
I agree, Angela!
Loved the Dark Tower series. I thought every book just got better and better. Although my personal favourite was Wizard and Glass, which I know many didn't like.
Wizard and Glass is a beautiful and heart-wrenching book that made me love Roland. Just fantastic.
This was the first Tower entry that I merely liked versus loved. I’ve been looking forward to your thoughts on this one, and I’m so happy you loved it.
I agree the meta stuff didn’t pop up out of thin air, but I was confused about why he went the route that he did. I didn’t understand how it benefitted the story as a trade-off for potentially pulling readers out of their immersion, but I really like your explanation.
I can’t wait to get started on The Dark Tower in 1 week!
Thanks, Scot! I too am very excited for The Dark Tower. I will almost certainly be starting much later because of other reads, but I hope to finish the series in August. My very best to you!
There doesn't seem to be a lot of middle ground when it comes to DT series. You either love or hate it. I haven't read it yet, because of that reason.
If you ever give it a try, prepare for the bizarre!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I will!
YES!!!!!!!
Thank you, Patricia!
Can't believe I missed this. Mike has gotta be mad lol.
Ha ha! I believe his comment was something like this: “Ugh.” 🤣🤣🤣
🎉🥳🎉🥳
😊
I guess people love it when they expect the weirdness. It's not a bad book by any means.
Weirdness is one thing I’ve come to expect from Dark Tower, and I love it.
See the TURTLE of enormous girth! On His shell He holds the earth. His thought is slow but always kind; He holds us all within His mind.
I think my big and pretty much only problem with Song of Susannah is that is kind of feels like half of a book. It ends right before the climax, then as a result in my opinion book 7 feels a bit bloated. Otherwise, I disagree with the general hate for the last few books.
It definitely ends on a cliffhanger, which is a big reason (among several) I'm excited for the final book. All the best!
I liked the book when I read it. But my major gripe was how a specific major antagonist was handled. That I didn't like at all.
Now I’m wondering which antagonist you mean, but we should keep the comments spoiler free. Perhaps you could let me know when I have the spoiler-filled palaver on the series? All the best, Marc!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Haha, you know a bit of basic German, right? Maybe that's cryptic enough for most. Others scroll down and google translate at your own peril.
.
Der Mann in Schwarz.
@@marcweber8509 Ich verstehe. Sehr interessant! Ich hoffe, wir werden später darüber sprechen.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Bestens, werter Herr Professor!
Wizard and Glass is my personal favorite of the series but Song of Susannah is not far behind it.
I love Wizard and Glass too, but I found myself on the Path of the Beam while reading Song of Susannah! 😁
Hello Phillip!
I would have tried to get ahold of you in the private messages of some other platform somewhere, but I could not seem to find you anywhere, even on Mike's Discord Server, so I decided I would try here.
I see you've made most of your journey through The Dark Tower, and it is one of the few fantasy series that I have also read (I'm just really young and barely getting started with my fantasy journeys haha).
I was curious to know if you would be interested in having a discussion on the full series sometime when you have wrapped it up? I figured there would be nobody else I'd rather feature on my channel as my first guest, and discussing a great series we've both got to experience for the first time this year seemed like the best way to break the ice!
If you see this comment, let me know if you're interested and we can look to getting connected on Discord or whatever platforms you have made yourself present :D
Thank you for the invitation to palaver on Dark Tower! I’m flattered and honored. At the moment, I have so many chats in the works, including an already planned Dark Tower discussion, that I’m not looking to schedule any more until early next year. Between work and family and what I’ve got going on already on RUclips, I just can’t fit more in right now. But I’ll check out your channel for Dark Tower content, and I wish you all the best for your reading and your channel!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Perfectly acceptable answer! I’ve seen several of the discussion plans you have in the works with so many other people on so many cool things, and can only imagine how busy of a guy you are compared to me haha
I am honored to at least have received a quick response; if your schedule ever opens up, I’d love you to join me sometime. In the meantime, I hope you have good end to your year!
@@KingCrusoe Likewise!
I think you just declared war 😅
Ha ha! I think I might have! 😁
A few of my favorite moments in the dark tower are in this book! Specifically everyone going through the bad guys hideout and the scenes with the man in black here. That being said, this is my least favorite book. There were a few story lines in this book that I had no interest in. I struggled with most parts set in the real world. I didn't like the second book either which is many people's favorite.
My least favorite Dark Tower book (possibly Wolves of the Calla) is still an amazing book. All the best, Dylan!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy that's how I feel! 2 and 6 are my least favorites and they are still 4 star reads for me! Book 1 literally changed my life as a reader and it's my 4th favorite. Least favorite always sounds like such an enditement, but the quality of these books are just so high!
@@Dylan13Collins Exactly!
Ugh.
Ha ha! I look forward to your elaboration on that “ugh” when we have our Dark Tower palaver! 😁
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Since it seems everyone reading it right now but me loves it, I think I'll just embrace being a pariah and go hide in a cave.
@@mikesbookreviews I think you have some good company in your take.