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The Book Guy
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 6 พ.ค. 2015
On a mission to help you find your next favourite book. I'm here to celebrate all types of reading, with a special love for fantasy and sci-fi. I'll be introducing all those big fantasy series you've always heard about but never really tried. Cause I just want to make reading more accessible for everyone.
This is the perfect place to help you find a love for books.
You can support this channel and hang out with me via my patreon:
www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy
Check out our shop for awesome book-related treasures, including Book Guy Merch!
rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
For all enquiries, you can reach me via email. I welcome enquiries from small and indie authors, or any collaboration requests.
cronkthebookguy@gmail.com
This is the perfect place to help you find a love for books.
You can support this channel and hang out with me via my patreon:
www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy
Check out our shop for awesome book-related treasures, including Book Guy Merch!
rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
For all enquiries, you can reach me via email. I welcome enquiries from small and indie authors, or any collaboration requests.
cronkthebookguy@gmail.com
The Demon Cycle - Grimdark, Monsters, and Divisive as Hell!
Welcome back! Let's look at the Demon Cycle, a grimdark fantasy about demons that rise out of the ground every night to hunt humanity!
Some readers call this series brilliant and top quality, others call it frustrating as hell. So here's my objective overview, balancing all the pros and cons of this series so you know what to expect.
Shoutout to Mike's Book Reviews @mikesbookreviewsfor his Demon Cycle Video:
th-cam.com/video/MCEt9oefLHs/w-d-xo.html
Check out our Fantasy Varsity Jackets, live on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/kitcronk/fantasy-varsity-jackets
To support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:
www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy
rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
Thanks for watching!
Some readers call this series brilliant and top quality, others call it frustrating as hell. So here's my objective overview, balancing all the pros and cons of this series so you know what to expect.
Shoutout to Mike's Book Reviews @mikesbookreviewsfor his Demon Cycle Video:
th-cam.com/video/MCEt9oefLHs/w-d-xo.html
Check out our Fantasy Varsity Jackets, live on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/kitcronk/fantasy-varsity-jackets
To support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:
www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy
rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
Thanks for watching!
มุมมอง: 3 244
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The Green Bone Saga - It's F#$&ing Brilliant!
มุมมอง 3.7K21 วันที่ผ่านมา
Welcome back! Today we’re discussing the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee, and this series is so freaking good! This is an urban fantasy, and it’s got crime families, blood feuds, vengeance, magic and kungfu. It’s incredible! You can support my channel through my patreon: www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy Or check out our shop! rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
The Bergman Brothers - and Why Romance Matters!
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Welcome to the Book GAL's first romance review! Let's talk about the Romance genre, how it's often unfairly judged, and why people love it. We'll talk about The Bergman Brothers series by Chloe Liese, a 7 book contemporary romance series about the Bergman family and each of their journeys to find love. We'll discuss how romance is the perfect place for safe, happy stories when life gets you dow...
The Will of the Many - Best New Fantasy
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Hello! Here's an introduction and pitch for James Islington's current fantasy series, Hierarchy, starting with book one, The Will of the Many. It's a post-apocalyptic world inspired by Roman mythology This book has intricate plot work, masterful worldbuilding and super cool magic, as we’ve come to expect from James’s work. This book also improves on the weaknesses of his earlier Licanius trilog...
The Licanius Trilogy - The Perfect Puzzle
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Welcome back! Here's an introduction and pitch for Licanius to help you decide if it's the right series for you. We have amazing magic systems, air-tight plots, and the most perfect puzzle of time travel! Though I'll also discuss weaknesses like flat characters and rushed romances. This series gets compared to the Wheel of Time for it's quality and style. Though I would also compare it to Malaz...
The Lightbringer Series is Great...but Problematic
มุมมอง 4.6K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
Welcome back! I’m looking at the Lightbringer Series, 5 books by Brent Weeks. This is a spoiler free objective intro and overview to help you decide if you want to read this series in full. This is a Flintlock fantasy of magic and guns, a world on the cusp of the industrial age. We’re talking a great magic system, cool technological inventions, and a crap-ton of excellent action scenes. This is...
The Kingkiller Chronicles - A Gentle Fantasy
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This is a spoiler-free introduction and overview of the Kingkiller Chronicles, the massively popular series by Patrick Rothfuss. I'll help you decide if you want to read it. We discuss both novels and both novellas, including the recent release The Narrow Road Between Desires. This includes a deep dive on writing beautiful prose, the theme of intelligence, and a response to some of the series c...
The Cosmere - Stand Alones, Secret Projects, & Everything Else!
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My longest video to date is about my favourite universe, the Cosmere! Here's a break down of every single stand alone novel and secret project. This video is about everything in the Cosmere, outside of Mistborn and Stormlight. I'll help you learn how it all fits together and hopefully get you excited about reading them all. Featuring Elantris, Warbreaker, White Sand, Arcanum Unbound, Tress of t...
Can Books Save the World?
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This is the most important video I've ever made. Can Books Save the World? In this video essay, we look at ten ways that fictional books have a profound, positive impact on society and on the entire human race. This is why we read. You can support the Book Guy via our patreon or our shop: www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy www.rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
How to Fall in Love with Reading
มุมมอง 4K4 หลายเดือนก่อน
How do you read more books? I believe you will naturally read more if you have a deep love for reading. We discuss many negative reading attitudes that can hold you back. Such as reading guilt & pressure, reading to impress people, and how to stop criticizing the crap out of everything. This is all about having a excitement and deep love for reading that will motivate you to read more than ever...
The Book Guy Q&A (unscripted) - One Year Channel Anniversary!
มุมมอง 2.8K4 หลายเดือนก่อน
Happy Birthday to the Book Guy channel! To celebrate, we asked YOU to submit your questions, and I answer them on the fly in this unscripted video. We discuss cats, writing, favourite magic systems, and my hair (lol). Plus a surprise reveal of my upcoming book cover! Special Guest Star my wife, Kit Cronk, as our host and interviewer. Enjoy! You can support the Book Guy via our patron or our sho...
Why Adults Don't Read ... and How to Start Again
มุมมอง 6K4 หลายเดือนก่อน
So many adults do not read at all. Let's look at why this happens and how we can fix some broken habits to get you reading again. This is a researched video essay designed to inspire and motivate you to start reading again. Enjoy! You can support my channel through my patreon: www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy Or check out our shop! rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
Read Whatever You Want - Why it's harder than you think
มุมมอง 5K5 หลายเดือนก่อน
Welcome to my new series, "For the Love of Reading". Everyone tells us what to read. There is so much pressure to read the right books, and not read 'bad' books. Today we're going to look at where all the pressure is coming from, so that you can learn to ignore it. If you want to support what I do, check out my patreon and my shop. www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy rainbowspaceunicorn.com/
The Book Guy: Origin Story + One Big Announcement
มุมมอง 2.6K5 หลายเดือนก่อน
Hey all! Today I'm sharing my backstory on how I started the Book Guy channel. And I'm sharing a massive announcement about my own writing. Enjoy! In this video I publicly thank Elliot Brooks @ebnovels and Michael R Miller @Michael_R_Miller for their support. Please go give them some love and check out their work. You can support the Book Guy's work on patreon: www.patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy O...
The Gentleman Bastards - The Lies of Locke Lamora - Morally Grey Misfits, Liars, and Thieves
มุมมอง 5K5 หลายเดือนก่อน
The Gentleman Bastards - The Lies of Locke Lamora - Morally Grey Misfits, Liars, and Thieves
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - An Epic Standalone Fantasy Book
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - An Epic Standalone Fantasy Book
The Powdermage Series - The Best Flintlock Fantasy???
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The Powdermage Series - The Best Flintlock Fantasy???
The Lunar Chronicles - Fairytales with a Sci-Fi Twist
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The Lunar Chronicles - Fairytales with a Sci-Fi Twist
The Skyward Series - Perfect Sci-fi for Beginners/EVERYONE!
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The Skyward Series - Perfect Sci-fi for Beginners/EVERYONE!
The Hunger Games -The Books that Defined YA
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The Hunger Games -The Books that Defined YA
Fourth Wing - Why it's Worth the Hype
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Fourth Wing - Why it's Worth the Hype
In Defence of Young Adult Fiction - Because Gatekeeping Sucks
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In Defence of Young Adult Fiction - Because Gatekeeping Sucks
Behind the Scenes & New Library Tour! + Check out my LOTR Office!
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Behind the Scenes & New Library Tour! Check out my LOTR Office!
I Tried Reading Non-European Fantasy - & What I Learned
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I Tried Reading Non-European Fantasy - & What I Learned
Children of Blood & Bone - West African Mythology & YA Fantasy
มุมมอง 4.3K7 หลายเดือนก่อน
Children of Blood & Bone - West African Mythology & YA Fantasy
The Daevabad Trilogy - Arabian Fantasy and Folklore
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The Daevabad Trilogy - Arabian Fantasy and Folklore
The Poppy War - Historical & VERY Grimdark Fantasy
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The Poppy War - Historical & VERY Grimdark Fantasy
The Cradle Series & Unsouled by Will Wight - Martial Arts Magic
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The Cradle Series & Unsouled by Will Wight - Martial Arts Magic
Songs of Chaos by Michael R Miller - Dragon Riding Done Right
มุมมอง 3.8K9 หลายเดือนก่อน
Songs of Chaos by Michael R Miller - Dragon Riding Done Right
I really want to read this series, but I’m a bit hesitant because English isn’t my first language. I’m worried it might use difficult words or complex language. I’ve mostly read YA fantasy, so I’m wondering if I should give this series a try. What do you think?
I know this is an older video but I’m about 100 pages in and just cannot get into this book. I wasn’t really aware that this was/is more a YA series. It has an interesting premise and ideas that I like but the writing is so stale. It feels worse than harry potter in terms of its simplicity. Literally within the pages I’ve read I feel like it’s just handing me the premise without any level of subtlety. Its allegories are comically obvious. The prose of the writing hasn’t done anything to impress me, as someone who likes to highlight passages that are beautiful or though provoking, I haven’t highlighted a single thing with the first parts of this book. Darrow being thrust into this word and basically being told you need to become the most capable and important person in the world, when 5 minutes ago he didn’t even know it existed at all, but here’s some surgery and training over the course and 10 pages and you’re ready, and he accepts it like ok cool, I’m mad I was a slave so I’ll do it. Idk maybe it gets better but unlike Harry Potter or dune he’s not a chosen one. He literally is created to fake it til you make it and something about that, again so far, feel inauthentic and weird. Going to try and finish the first book at least but came here looking for some reasoning as to why these book are so popular.
I made a decision decades ago not to start a series until it has been completed. I don't care for unfinished stories whatever the reason my be. Looks like GRRM is going to save me a lot of time. My money is on him dying before he finishes this series.
I just finished The Wind Through The Keyhole. So far I believe the series is incredibly overrated, especially Wizard and Glass Idk, I started reading King around 85. Perhaps if I started them earlier, I would like them more. Ii am going to see things through though and finish the series
I was like bro really spent a dozen $Gs on the Malazan hardcover set and then the plot twist 😂
Oh my, who is cutting onions? Thank you for this incredibly important and amazingly done video. This made me tear up, but it also gives me hope today. ❤
All of your criticisms fail to take into account how this is a first person recounting of events from long ago. Of course someone you make themselves look smarter, forget about awkward interactions or leave them out, make their enemies look flat and one-dimensional. Of course a teenager would find women unpredictable, etc.
Man...a shame that it's mot written in a more accessible way. More might be willing to dive in and stay the course 😊
Great content!
I am a big fan of the Shin Megami Tensei video game series that features a post-apocalyptic world where most of humanity has been wiped out and the world is overrun with demons. I've been looking for a book series with this same setting and this seems like a good one!
Bro I legit thought those were actually books on your shelf XD
I was 7,8,9 when the movies came out and tried to read the books after watching the movies but it was such a hard read at that age. Never got back to it :(
@actavisprime514 I did something similar. Tried fellowship at aged 12 and was bored. But tried again at...maybe 18 ish? Loved it. 😍 we enjoy books differently at each stage of life. Now might be a good time for you!
I feel like magicians nephew and lion witch and wardrobe are ok but man horse and his boy and last battle did not. The kids do blackface in last battle and 99 percent of the calormen who are pretty much stated to be Arab are all portrayed as evil
02:06 I'm not sure I'll agree... Having heard Dan Vasc's cover! That's a tough act to follow... I think I just will listen your take on the books.
@@Hummingbirder1 😆😆 fair!! Dan Vasc is legendary!
🤚 I'm one of the 2 who've never heard of this 🤓😟😔🙃
I had the great opportunity to play Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters. We played for a week. It was a fabulous experience. I treasure the memories. 🤓🌻
I subscribed for the intro alone
“He’s been gone half a century and still publishes more often than George RR Martin.”
Really hope youll give The Black Company Chronicle s try one of these days! Try ro make it halfway through the second book before giving up if you do!
You gotta do the Three-body Problem Series next year!
I find funny how you put picture of Neuschwanstein Castle, build by Gay King with 0 actual power and no interest in ruling. While somehow dont mention British monarchy, especially you being Australian and since British Monarchy still acutaly claim to have divine right to rule.
If Sanderson is writing in three acts rather than five that would explain rather a lot
It's not worth reading. One of the worst book series i had unfortune to read.
What kind of question is that? OF COURSE YOU SHOULD READ THE BOOKS!!! Think of the films as illustrations.
In regards to reading muscles: I wasn't much of a reader, read the odd book here and there but it definitely wasn't my hobby. then I watched the first season of the TV show and after I couldn't wait to find out how it continues, so I grabbed the books - oh boy, I sped through them, never having read anything so fast. it was literally my gateway into reading and I've been chasing that ever since (read some great books but the only series that could capture that feeling again for me was the expanse)
Inb4 Doors of Stone
I read the stand and saloms lot. And loved those books. I am ready I hope lol
I wish the book was written in the way you are describing it XD I couldn't even get through the sampling of this book, I just couldn't get over the writing. When I reached a whole page dedicated to describe how hot the main character was that she glanced over for like 2 seconds, I couldn't go further.
This series is not perfect in any way, shape or form, but boy is it engrossing and entertaining! Thank you for the really encouraging review! 😊
No violence in the first book??? The end of the first act sees a whole community of people brutally slaughtered. One woman is raped to death and her husband crawls 20 feet with his intestines spilling out just to be next to her when he dies. To be fair the rape is implied but still extremely violent
violence is very natural. life is violent in its nature, to survive means to consume other life. And no life wants to be consumed, so it is inherently violent.
Im laughing at the review because its so true. Loved the criticisms. The ending was such an anti-climax considering the build up. The whole series was still enjoyable but could've been done in 15 books. Some of those last books I wondered if I stumbled into some other story and author lol.
Just finished the Corwin cycle and was wary on starting the Merlin books. But you’ve sold me on them :) Cheers!
Shut up about your stupid DEI crap.
I would love to see your review of the shatter me series!
I'm going to share my trouble with reading just as message to other people who may be struggling. I'm from the US (one of the green states on that map), and I have struggled with dyslexia my entire life. Reading has ALWAYS felt like a chore to me. But I have just recently jumped back into reading books at the ripe old age of 32, and only having read 2 or 3 books in all my life prior. The key for me with reading was finding out the rest of the storyline being more rewarding the not reading because its can be hard for me. I happened to get sucked into The Licanius Trilogy and now I'm hungry for more. Those first 100 pages were tough but once I got into the groove it became easier.
I mean, yeah King rarely does series, but Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch were a trilogy
wheeloftimeisms
Hilo is among my favourite characters ever. To go from my most hated to my most loved over the series shows how excellent Fonda's character writing is
I'm not gonna lie, I don't get it. I've read the entire series, and for me, it was worth reading--once. I sincerely wish I could enjoy this series as much as so many other people seem to, but for me, it barely came out on the side of justifying the time it took to read. I felt that the characters became repetitive and boring (not to mention some of whom were, in my opinion, insufferable,) slow, painful narrative that felt like a protracted, written narrative of Breath of Fire II and a magic system that was slowly degraded from something wonderful, powerful and mysterious into a system that was way to OP but accessible by too many characters. Having said that, there are spaces in the books that are definitely imaginative and impressive. Just not my cup of tea.
Tolkien's work is not what limits fantasy, it is simply imagination (or lack thereof) that creates artificial limitations. For artists who feel entrapped by Tolkien's legacy, do what Tolkien himself did and find the boldness to find your own world or space with its own rules.
Here's my overview: read the first 3 books, then read the synopsis for books 4-11, then read the last 3 books. you're welcome.
That was a great series overview. I've read most of them and I agree broadly with most of what you say, particularly the love for the Empire trilogy, that's among my favourites across all genres. Very few disagreements with your conclusions generally. I think this series is a great example of no-strings-attached adventure narrative without subtext, allegory, political message, hidden agendas or anything (yeah, the sexism, but it's surely inevitable given the faux-medieval setting...), just universally enjoyable escapist entertainment. The 'tropiness' is I feel a very postmodern criticism, given the concept of tropes didn't exist when Feist was creating the basic world of these books; it's a valid criticism for a certain type of audience, sure, but like tropes in general it's not necessarily bad. The observation on the flatness of the prose is a really good point, and again not necessarily a bad thing; it makes them simple to read and get into, and if the books weren't such doorstops I'd encourage people learning English as a second language to read them as a way to improve multiple skills.
Amazing video. Haven't heard of this series before but now I'm very interested and I'm surprised that I haven't heard about this series before
Wonderful! Thanks a lot!
I started reading the first book in rehab when I was completely cut off, finished it in infantry osut, still my favorite book series
I loved the first three books and hated the fourth and fifth. The end of the series may end up being great but I think it has lost me. I would need to read the whole thing again in preparation for the reading the last book. I don’t want to have to read A Feast of Crows and A Dance with Dragons again.
You forgot the British mini series that came before the books and way better than the movie
OMG, I love the curious case of the dog in the night-time!!
I have read the Demon Cycle, I enjoyed them .... To a point. Thought they were quite repetitive. Enjoyable enough though.