Really enjoyed the Brighton talk for the release of Fury Of The Gods last night lads, you did a great job - also loved the Gurgi impression, Ed 😂 I also really resonated with the brief discussion of grief as well, I lost my dad last year and the Bloodsworn saga has given me a great deal of merriment during a really difficult time, so please do send my thanks to John for creating such an expansive world to dive into it. Cheers - Tom
Thank you so much for coming to the event last night. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your father. My thoughts are with you. I am glad The Bloodsworn Saga has been able to help in a small way, and will pass on the message to Papa Gwynne. Will
I happened to be at a Barnes & Noble and found they had The Road graphical novel in stock and so picked it up. Great artwork really helps one get into the mood of this excellent post apocalyptic novel. Thanks Ed, I wouldn’t have known to look for it.
Oh wow so many books from my favorite series! It’s never too late to hop on the Robin Hobb train, and you’re in for quite the journey with all the rest of the books. Love how much you’re enjoying the DCC audios! I fell in love with them early this year and CANNOT WAIT for the next one!! I felt there was a clear leveling up in the storytelling from the end of bk 3 onward, and can’t wait to see what you make of the next ones. Bk 2 of Sun Eater is the one that really moves beyond set up and has the series feeling like what it really is like the rest of the time - will be keen to see what you think!
I am just about finished with Malice and it is absolutely incredible! I am not joking, this series is going to make me so sad when it ends. PLEASE get this into Hollywood somehow. Papa Gwynne is an incredible writer and I heard each book only gets better. PHENOMENAL! 5 STARS going to Good Reads
Whether you guys are together or apart, your videos are just pure comfort and entertainment ❤ Also, welcome to the trauma club, Ed hahah. And this is only the start... so ready for you to become obsessed with the wider RotE. Also congrats to you and Papa Gwynne on the successful release of Fury. I can't wait to get to it!
Never heard of David Gemmel until I started watching you guys. Was at a local used bookstore yesterday and bought the first 3 books in the Rigante series and the first two in A Stones of Power series. All were only a few dollars each. Thanks for the recommendation!! Looking forward to reading these!
A great video and a great reading month! I hope to get more into David Gemmell next year, I've heard nothing but good things about his books, especially from you guys.
Excited for your thoughts as you continue your journey into «Sun Eater», Ed! Will get to «The Fury of Gods» and start on «Boudica» later this month! 😎🙌 In October I read: Mary Shelley’s «Frankenstein» (Gothic Science Fiction, with illustrations by Bernie Wrightson: Breathtaking!) «The Land Leviathan» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #2) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅) «Midnight Falcon» (Rigante #2) by David Gemmell (Heroic Fantasy/S&S inspired by Celtic Britain and the Roman Invasions and Gladiators) «The City» (City of Victory Trilogy #2) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during Emperor Trajan’s Campaigns) «The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read) Now in November, I have just finished «The Steel Tsar» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #3) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅), next is up is «Lord of Light» by Roger Zelazny (Science Fantasy inspired by the Legend of Siddhartha Gautama/the Buddha). That said, I going on a Holiday soon, so that might impact my reading! 😅 Cheers chaps! 😊
That horror joke was hilarious. The photo war between the two of you was funny too. Great month of reading for you both! I finished The Fury of the Gods and Assassin's Apprentice. I just started Royal Assassin, so let's see how it goes. I'm loving Robin Hobb's writing. Papa Gwynne is a new favorite author of mine for sure.
Will's looking a little Wolverine there with his hair! And Ed's hair is (er, was?) absolutely beautiful! 😂 But yes, I can concur that the Bloodsworn Saga is brilliant! Lots of good books you all have been reading. Still need to delve into Robin Hobb once I get some free time.
Im glad you enjoyed Empire of Silence Ed. Howling Dark is a big step up and honestly every book after just keeps getting better and better. Hope you enjoy! Horus Rising!!! He's read some Warhammer! Woohoo! Not all of them are go hard bolter porn. But im glad you enjoyed it. You'll get pulled in eventually haha.
Yo yo yo, thanks for this one Gwynne Brothers :) Say hello to Papa Gwynne. Keep being your most authentic selves. Much love, God bless, and keep on keeping on. 🍻 Skol, Salute, Na Zdravie, 🍻 -JRoot
Oh wow so many books from my favorite series! It’s never too late to hop on the Robin Hobb train, and you’re in for quite the journey with all the rest of the books. Love how much you’re enjoying the DCC audios! I fell in love with them early this year and CANNOT WAIT for the next one!! I felt there was a clear leveling up in the storytelling from the end of bk 3 onward, and can’t wait to see what you make of the next ones. Bk 2 of Sun Eater is the one that really moves beyond set up and has the series feeling like what it really is like the rest of the time - will be keen to see what you think! Thanks Will for getting me excited to try the RJ Barker series, and I’m thrilled to see you enjoying DCC as well!
I've just started Dungeon Anarchist's Cook Book myself. Books 1 and 2 were so good. Brilliant narration, sounds like Brian Griffin. Great seeing your dad at Leeds BTW. First event of that kind I've been to, definitely wanna do more.
It truly is brilliant! An experience listening to it. So glad you enjoyed the event at Leeds! It is awesome being able to see and listen to the authors in person :). Will
I enjoyed Godkiller, same kinda feelings as yourself really. I read book 2 in the series and enjoyed that one more. (Also, it’s by Hannah Kaner … Kissen is one of the characters 😊). Re-read Hunger of the Gods last month too and about to start Fury. Currently on book 3 of Robin Hobbs Soldier Son trilogy, it gets mixed reviews but I’m loving it.
Always love the videos with you together because of the brotherly banter but life is hard so when you have to be apart, you have to be apart and us beggars shouldn’t be choosers. You both give concise, clear, and interesting looks into the books you either read or are excited to read so it’s never not a good video. But a Skype video would definitely be a treat while Will is away!
I picked up Gods Of The Wyrdwood at the Piccadilly event. Keen to try it. Glad you enjoyed Godkiller, I've had it a while, but I'll definitely try it when book 3 comes out.
Can’t wait to read the Forsaken Trilogy. Barker killed the Tide Child trilogy so I’ve been buying the new releases as they come out, though I am not reading them until I get book 3 in hand!
So different from Tide Child, and somehow even more creative! But still bears Barker's hallmarks of conflicted characters and wonderful world-building. Will
I was going to reply to Ed’s request for feedback by saying I slightly prefer the videos with the two of you together because of the brotherly banter . . . But then Will put up that picture of Edton Chigurh, and I changed my mind. 😂
I was waiting for your Empire of Silence review. I finished it a couple weeks ago after sitting on it for a few months. I hear Howling Dark is a better so that will be the deciding book for me as well.
@@thebrothersgwynne The fundamental challenge with that novel is that it presents a huge promise at the beginning (How HM destroys the alien race) and you get nowhere close to understanding how this came to be in the first book. So, I felt pretty much unfulfilled with the novel. So, I guess I have to read 4 more novels to see what transpires, huh?
I read 10 books in October My favorite reads were Glitterland by alexis hall The violence by delilah s dawson it's a dystopian thriller I was so surprised by this book I highly recommend this one My least favorite Memnoch the devil by Anne rice book 5 in the vampire chronicles
Theo from Rekindled reader recently read ACOTAR. I believe he said, and I am paraphrasing, it wasn't great but wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it would be..........so I'm going to count this as a win. SPOILERS FOR EMPIRE OF SILENCE Empire of Silence was fine for me, but I didn’t have particularly strong feelings about it one way or the other. I think part of my issue was that it felt like it jumped around a lot for a first book, but at the same time, it also dragged in places. I wasn’t all that taken with the gladiator section either-it just felt like we've seen that kind of arena setting in a lot of futuristic stories. To be fair, I had just seen Dune 2 when I read Empire of Silence, and that movie was so good that I might be a little biased. The Dune influences were pretty clear to me, especially with the Mentat-like characters. I found the archaeological subplot more interesting than the main story, and I really wish it had been given more focus. Unfortunately, it felt like it was crammed in at the last minute, and it didn’t get enough time to develop. That said, I’m still planning on continuing the series. I’ve heard great things about Howling Dark, so I’m hoping it clicks better for me. SPOILERS FOR EMPIRE OF SILENCE HAVE ENDED Here's some booktalk from me, should you choose to accept it. Ahem......... First on the docket this month was a reread of the Silver Chair by CS Lewis. I listened to this on audio while running and it remains one of my favorite audiobooks of all time, an opinion I have maintained since early childhood. Jeremy Northram is absolutely fantastic. Silver Chair is always on my list of favorite fantasy books of all time, in part due to the introduction of Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, whose unlimitless pessimism, or boundless optimism depending on how you look at it, has inspired me to claw my way out of many a melancholic episode. Good times this book. Lots of complaining which I appreciate, obviously, mostly about being cold and hungry. Just makes me crack up. Next I finished Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, which was my first full novel by Brandon Sanderson. First off, the illustrations were absolutely stunning. I actually bought the book mainly for the artwork and didn’t honestly care too much if the story was amazing or not. The book ended up being really enjoyable. The way the characters interact in this world felt fresh and distinct enough that I didn't find myself endlessly comparing it to Sanderson's influences, particularly the film Your Name which he has mentioned inspired him, a fantastic animated film I’d definitely recommend if you're into that kind of movie (or honestly, even if you're not). One thing I will say about Yumi and the Nightmare Painter-and this isn't a criticism at all-is that I don’t think this book is going to be the one to make me dive into more Sanderson novels right away. It’s pretty different from his usual stuff, so I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll explore his larger bibliography. But who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind down the line. I picked up Snow Country by Kawabata. This is my third book by him, and I’ve really enjoyed his other works, especially The Old Capital. But this one… was just *okay*. A month ago, I read a Japanese classic called Tales of Snow Country, written by a guy from the Snow Country region in the 19th century. That one was super interesting and gave a lot of cool insight into the setting. Snow Country (the Kawabata one) takes place in the same area, but it's more of a romance between two-or maybe three-pretty unlikeable characters. Honestly, everyone in this book just seemed to spend all their valuable time either drunk as a skunk or waiting around on train platforms, which didn’t make for the most engaging read. Maybe it’s the translation, who knows. But still, Kawabata is a fantastic author, and I’m definitely planning to read more of his work. Oh! This month I finally got around to reading the latest Witcher book, Season of Storms. When I say "latest," I mean it came out like ten years ago, but hey, better late than never, right? Anyway, the book was pretty solid! It didn’t quite reach the highs of The Dear Friend Letter, but it was definitely an enjoyable read. The structure was a bit different from the others-it felt more like a collection of connected short stories rather than one continuous narrative. There was also a bit more focus on the theme of unreliable historical narratives, which the author kind of tried to shoehorn into Lady of the Lake, but honestly, it didn’t bother me here. I just love this world so much. Every time I hear "Temeria" or "Kaer Morhen," I can't help but feel a little more chipper. I'm already excited for the next book, though I have no idea when the English translation will be out. At least I’ve got something to look forward to! This month, I picked up Barrayar from the Vorkosigan Saga. At this point, I’ve given up trying to read the series in publication order and switched to chronological order instead. Honestly, my brain just can’t handle jumping back and forth in time. The Vorkosigan books are a really solid sci-fi series-short and quick enough to make for nice listening during my runs. I know Jake Bishop and Read by Kyle are huge fans of these books, so I’m diving into the ones featuring Miles Vorkosigan and enjoying the ride. Nice change of pace. Reread Fareinheit 451. Haven't read this since middle school with Mom so it was nice to revist. If you haven't read it, read it. I would actually recommend reading it over listening because it seems like all the narrators I have listened to tend to end up agressively SHOUTING some of these internal monologues which I could have done without. Good book. I finished two big books on my list this month! One was, "The First Man in Rome", the first book in the "Masters of Rome" series, written by an Australian neurologist. The series spans seven books, and they're all massive-this one was over 1,000 pages. Only parts of this I wasn't crazy about was Sulla who sucks. This is the second book I have read lately that featured Sulla and he was AWFUL is both. Like Harkonnen bad sometimes. Now, in this book you can just skip through these parts if this isn't something you want to get through as it mostly stops about a third of the way through the book. There’s a ton of other characters and events to dive into, so it never feels like you’re stuck with him. This book really felt epic in scope, so I think fantasy readers who enjoy long, intricate series will probably get a lot out of it. This might be the series for me to begin taking super seriously, like Realm of the Elderlings for you John. I have books two and three at home which I will see about getting when I return home. I feel like I say that a lot. Next big read, and the last one of the month, was the original "Tale of the Heike". I say "original" because, you know, it’s a translation for those of us who don’t speak medieval Japanese. This monumental work has been on my TBR for ages, and I’m so glad I finally finished it. Well, that was October. Not a bad month all in all. I wish I had been home for Halloween and to see the leaves change. I did give a presentation on Halloween to the students here in Europe and was given hell by EVERYONE for being one of the only people in the school who didn't dress up. Happy reading and have a great month!
![[안방1열 풀캠4K] 베이비몬스터 'DRIP' (BABYMONSTER FullCam)│@SBS Inkigayo 241110](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AQ4RIghEvUs/mqdefault.jpg)
Really enjoyed the Brighton talk for the release of Fury Of The Gods last night lads, you did a great job - also loved the Gurgi impression, Ed 😂 I also really resonated with the brief discussion of grief as well, I lost my dad last year and the Bloodsworn saga has given me a great deal of merriment during a really difficult time, so please do send my thanks to John for creating such an expansive world to dive into it. Cheers - Tom
Thank you so much for coming to the event last night. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your father. My thoughts are with you. I am glad The Bloodsworn Saga has been able to help in a small way, and will pass on the message to Papa Gwynne.
Will
Welcome to the trauma club Ed. Hobb just drags your heart out more with each book
Hahah, she truly does. Royal Assassin is just the beginning...
Will
I happened to be at a Barnes & Noble and found they had The Road graphical novel in stock and so picked it up. Great artwork really helps one get into the mood of this excellent post apocalyptic novel. Thanks Ed, I wouldn’t have known to look for it.
Excellent read, guys! It's ok if you stay with the separate videos for now. They work and we still get to see both of you 😁
I just picked up Gods of the Wyrd Wood. Good luck and enjoy the author interview. Thanks Will.
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy Gods of the Wyrdwood :).
Will
I read Gods of Wyrdwood last month and immediately read the next book! Loved it
An addictive series! I'm gutted I'm caught up now! I need book 3 now....
Will
Oh wow so many books from my favorite series! It’s never too late to hop on the Robin Hobb train, and you’re in for quite the journey with all the rest of the books.
Love how much you’re enjoying the DCC audios! I fell in love with them early this year and CANNOT WAIT for the next one!! I felt there was a clear leveling up in the storytelling from the end of bk 3 onward, and can’t wait to see what you make of the next ones.
Bk 2 of Sun Eater is the one that really moves beyond set up and has the series feeling like what it really is like the rest of the time - will be keen to see what you think!
I am just about finished with Malice and it is absolutely incredible! I am not joking, this series is going to make me so sad when it ends. PLEASE get this into Hollywood somehow. Papa Gwynne is an incredible writer and I heard each book only gets better. PHENOMENAL! 5 STARS going to Good Reads
Whether you guys are together or apart, your videos are just pure comfort and entertainment ❤
Also, welcome to the trauma club, Ed hahah. And this is only the start... so ready for you to become obsessed with the wider RotE. Also congrats to you and Papa Gwynne on the successful release of Fury. I can't wait to get to it!
Never heard of David Gemmel until I started watching you guys. Was at a local used bookstore yesterday and bought the first 3 books in the Rigante series and the first two in A Stones of Power series. All were only a few dollars each. Thanks for the recommendation!! Looking forward to reading these!
That is so awesome to hear! What a bargain for those. Hope you pick them up :).
Will
A great video and a great reading month! I hope to get more into David Gemmell next year, I've heard nothing but good things about his books, especially from you guys.
Excited for your thoughts as you continue your journey into «Sun Eater», Ed! Will get to «The Fury of Gods» and start on «Boudica» later this month! 😎🙌
In October I read:
Mary Shelley’s «Frankenstein» (Gothic Science Fiction, with illustrations by Bernie Wrightson: Breathtaking!)
«The Land Leviathan» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #2) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅)
«Midnight Falcon» (Rigante #2) by David Gemmell (Heroic Fantasy/S&S inspired by Celtic Britain and the Roman Invasions and Gladiators)
«The City» (City of Victory Trilogy #2) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Military Fiction set during Emperor Trajan’s Campaigns)
«The Power Broker» by Robert Caro (Political Biography/Investigative Journalism Classic, my Q4 long-read)
Now in November, I have just finished «The Steel Tsar» (A Nomad of the Time Streams» Trilogy #3) by Michael Moorcock (Multiverse/Alternative History/Time Travel Steampunk(?)😅), next is up is «Lord of Light» by Roger Zelazny (Science Fantasy inspired by the Legend of Siddhartha Gautama/the Buddha). That said, I going on a Holiday soon, so that might impact my reading! 😅
Cheers chaps! 😊
That horror joke was hilarious. The photo war between the two of you was funny too. Great month of reading for you both! I finished The Fury of the Gods and Assassin's Apprentice. I just started Royal Assassin, so let's see how it goes. I'm loving Robin Hobb's writing. Papa Gwynne is a new favorite author of mine for sure.
Sun eater book 2 and 3 are a big step up with story as well as scope, and with the beautiful writing.
Looking forward to hearing Ed's thoughts as he progresses! Then I will surely be jumping on the bandwagon soon enough....
Will
Will's looking a little Wolverine there with his hair! And Ed's hair is (er, was?) absolutely beautiful! 😂 But yes, I can concur that the Bloodsworn Saga is brilliant! Lots of good books you all have been reading. Still need to delve into Robin Hobb once I get some free time.
Hah, not the bit of Wolverine I would choose but I'll take it. Uni has made me dishevelled it seems 🤣. So glad you've loved The Bloodsworn Saga!
Will
Im glad you enjoyed Empire of Silence Ed. Howling Dark is a big step up and honestly every book after just keeps getting better and better. Hope you enjoy!
Horus Rising!!! He's read some Warhammer! Woohoo! Not all of them are go hard bolter porn. But im glad you enjoyed it. You'll get pulled in eventually haha.
Yo yo yo, thanks for this one Gwynne Brothers :)
Say hello to Papa Gwynne.
Keep being your most authentic selves. Much love, God bless, and keep on keeping on.
🍻 Skol, Salute, Na Zdravie, 🍻
-JRoot
Godkiller was very good!! Highly recommend the second in the series, some good twists and turns!
Oh wow so many books from my favorite series! It’s never too late to hop on the Robin Hobb train, and you’re in for quite the journey with all the rest of the books.
Love how much you’re enjoying the DCC audios! I fell in love with them early this year and CANNOT WAIT for the next one!! I felt there was a clear leveling up in the storytelling from the end of bk 3 onward, and can’t wait to see what you make of the next ones.
Bk 2 of Sun Eater is the one that really moves beyond set up and has the series feeling like what it really is like the rest of the time - will be keen to see what you think!
Thanks Will for getting me excited to try the RJ Barker series, and I’m thrilled to see you enjoying DCC as well!
I've just started Dungeon Anarchist's Cook Book myself. Books 1 and 2 were so good. Brilliant narration, sounds like Brian Griffin.
Great seeing your dad at Leeds BTW. First event of that kind I've been to, definitely wanna do more.
It truly is brilliant! An experience listening to it. So glad you enjoyed the event at Leeds! It is awesome being able to see and listen to the authors in person :).
Will
I enjoyed Godkiller, same kinda feelings as yourself really. I read book 2 in the series and enjoyed that one more. (Also, it’s by Hannah Kaner … Kissen is one of the characters 😊). Re-read Hunger of the Gods last month too and about to start Fury. Currently on book 3 of Robin Hobbs Soldier Son trilogy, it gets mixed reviews but I’m loving it.
Glad you enjoyed book 2 more! That makes me excited :). Love the dedication to Fury! Glad you're loving Soldier Son!
Will
Always love the videos with you together because of the brotherly banter but life is hard so when you have to be apart, you have to be apart and us beggars shouldn’t be choosers. You both give concise, clear, and interesting looks into the books you either read or are excited to read so it’s never not a good video. But a Skype video would definitely be a treat while Will is away!
I picked up Gods Of The Wyrdwood at the Piccadilly event. Keen to try it.
Glad you enjoyed Godkiller, I've had it a while, but I'll definitely try it when book 3 comes out.
So glad that you did! It is crazy and just beyond creative. A unique read. So awesome to see you at Piccadilly!
Will
Can’t wait to read the Forsaken Trilogy. Barker killed the Tide Child trilogy so I’ve been buying the new releases as they come out, though I am not reading them until I get book 3 in hand!
So different from Tide Child, and somehow even more creative! But still bears Barker's hallmarks of conflicted characters and wonderful world-building.
Will
I was going to reply to Ed’s request for feedback by saying I slightly prefer the videos with the two of you together because of the brotherly banter . . . But then Will put up that picture of Edton Chigurh, and I changed my mind. 😂
Hahah, we can still find ways to get at each other.... Edton Chigurh 🤣 🤣.
Will
I absolutely love Nighteyes as a character as well
He is hard to beat!
Will
You know when you find a story and just think, "This is my exact taste and written exactly how I want." That is Sun Eater to me, just so amazing.
Exactly! It is a rare find. Glad you're loving Sun Eater :).
Will
Comparing ACOTAR to TOWIE has me in tears 😂
I love seeing the images of the other brother for each of you. Was Ed Goth at some point?
Hahah had to do it! The picture was of him going as Anton Chigurh for Halloween...
Will
CR actually considers sun eater “Science Fantasy”
I guess he knows what he's writing so we will go with that aha!
Will
Enjoy Howling Dark 😉
I was waiting for your Empire of Silence review. I finished it a couple weeks ago after sitting on it for a few months. I hear Howling Dark is a better so that will be the deciding book for me as well.
Yeah I've heard Empire of Silence is not an accurate representative of the series.... Hope you enjoy Howling Dark more!
Will
@@thebrothersgwynne The fundamental challenge with that novel is that it presents a huge promise at the beginning (How HM destroys the alien race) and you get nowhere close to understanding how this came to be in the first book. So, I felt pretty much unfulfilled with the novel. So, I guess I have to read 4 more novels to see what transpires, huh?
Finished faithful and fallen in October, started blood and bone now as i still dont have Fury yet 😪
At least you have Of Blood and Bone :). Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Will
I read 10 books in October
My favorite reads were
Glitterland by alexis hall
The violence by delilah s dawson it's a dystopian thriller I was so surprised by this book I highly recommend this one
My least favorite
Memnoch the devil by Anne rice book 5 in the vampire chronicles
Glad you had a great month! Thanks as always for highlighting some recommendations :).
Will
SunEater only gets better and better and better.
I'm looking forward to jumping on the bandwagon!
Will
Your brothers fired
Hahah why? 🤣
I think y'all should do the shows as works best at that time. I know I'm here for y'all not the format.
Theo from Rekindled reader recently read ACOTAR. I believe he said, and I am paraphrasing, it wasn't great but wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it would be..........so I'm going to count this as a win.
SPOILERS FOR EMPIRE OF SILENCE
Empire of Silence was fine for me, but I didn’t have particularly strong feelings about it one way or the other. I think part of my issue was that it felt like it jumped around a lot for a first book, but at the same time, it also dragged in places. I wasn’t all that taken with the gladiator section either-it just felt like we've seen that kind of arena setting in a lot of futuristic stories. To be fair, I had just seen Dune 2 when I read Empire of Silence, and that movie was so good that I might be a little biased. The Dune influences were pretty clear to me, especially with the Mentat-like characters. I found the archaeological subplot more interesting than the main story, and I really wish it had been given more focus. Unfortunately, it felt like it was crammed in at the last minute, and it didn’t get enough time to develop. That said, I’m still planning on continuing the series. I’ve heard great things about Howling Dark, so I’m hoping it clicks better for me.
SPOILERS FOR EMPIRE OF SILENCE HAVE ENDED
Here's some booktalk from me, should you choose to accept it. Ahem.........
First on the docket this month was a reread of the Silver Chair by CS Lewis. I listened to this on audio while running and it remains one of my favorite audiobooks of all time, an opinion I have maintained since early childhood. Jeremy Northram is absolutely fantastic. Silver Chair is always on my list of favorite fantasy books of all time, in part due to the introduction of Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, whose unlimitless pessimism, or boundless optimism depending on how you look at it, has inspired me to claw my way out of many a melancholic episode. Good times this book. Lots of complaining which I appreciate, obviously, mostly about being cold and hungry. Just makes me crack up.
Next I finished Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, which was my first full novel by Brandon Sanderson. First off, the illustrations were absolutely stunning. I actually bought the book mainly for the artwork and didn’t honestly care too much if the story was amazing or not. The book ended up being really enjoyable. The way the characters interact in this world felt fresh and distinct enough that I didn't find myself endlessly comparing it to Sanderson's influences, particularly the film Your Name which he has mentioned inspired him, a fantastic animated film I’d definitely recommend if you're into that kind of movie (or honestly, even if you're not). One thing I will say about Yumi and the Nightmare Painter-and this isn't a criticism at all-is that I don’t think this book is going to be the one to make me dive into more Sanderson novels right away. It’s pretty different from his usual stuff, so I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll explore his larger bibliography. But who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind down the line.
I picked up Snow Country by Kawabata. This is my third book by him, and I’ve really enjoyed his other works, especially The Old Capital. But this one… was just *okay*. A month ago, I read a Japanese classic called Tales of Snow Country, written by a guy from the Snow Country region in the 19th century. That one was super interesting and gave a lot of cool insight into the setting. Snow Country (the Kawabata one) takes place in the same area, but it's more of a romance between two-or maybe three-pretty unlikeable characters. Honestly, everyone in this book just seemed to spend all their valuable time either drunk as a skunk or waiting around on train platforms, which didn’t make for the most engaging read. Maybe it’s the translation, who knows. But still, Kawabata is a fantastic author, and I’m definitely planning to read more of his work.
Oh! This month I finally got around to reading the latest Witcher book, Season of Storms. When I say "latest," I mean it came out like ten years ago, but hey, better late than never, right? Anyway, the book was pretty solid! It didn’t quite reach the highs of The Dear Friend Letter, but it was definitely an enjoyable read. The structure was a bit different from the others-it felt more like a collection of connected short stories rather than one continuous narrative. There was also a bit more focus on the theme of unreliable historical narratives, which the author kind of tried to shoehorn into Lady of the Lake, but honestly, it didn’t bother me here. I just love this world so much. Every time I hear "Temeria" or "Kaer Morhen," I can't help but feel a little more chipper. I'm already excited for the next book, though I have no idea when the English translation will be out. At least I’ve got something to look forward to!
This month, I picked up Barrayar from the Vorkosigan Saga. At this point, I’ve given up trying to read the series in publication order and switched to chronological order instead. Honestly, my brain just can’t handle jumping back and forth in time. The Vorkosigan books are a really solid sci-fi series-short and quick enough to make for nice listening during my runs. I know Jake Bishop and Read by Kyle are huge fans of these books, so I’m diving into the ones featuring Miles Vorkosigan and enjoying the ride. Nice change of pace.
Reread Fareinheit 451. Haven't read this since middle school with Mom so it was nice to revist. If you haven't read it, read it. I would actually recommend reading it over listening because it seems like all the narrators I have listened to tend to end up agressively SHOUTING some of these internal monologues which I could have done without. Good book.
I finished two big books on my list this month! One was, "The First Man in Rome", the first book in the "Masters of Rome" series, written by an Australian neurologist. The series spans seven books, and they're all massive-this one was over 1,000 pages. Only parts of this I wasn't crazy about was Sulla who sucks. This is the second book I have read lately that featured Sulla and he was AWFUL is both. Like Harkonnen bad sometimes. Now, in this book you can just skip through these parts if this isn't something you want to get through as it mostly stops about a third of the way through the book. There’s a ton of other characters and events to dive into, so it never feels like you’re stuck with him. This book really felt epic in scope, so I think fantasy readers who enjoy long, intricate series will probably get a lot out of it. This might be the series for me to begin taking super seriously, like Realm of the Elderlings for you John. I have books two and three at home which I will see about getting when I return home. I feel like I say that a lot. Next big read, and the last one of the month, was the original "Tale of the Heike". I say "original" because, you know, it’s a translation for those of us who don’t speak medieval Japanese. This monumental work has been on my TBR for ages, and I’m so glad I finally finished it.
Well, that was October. Not a bad month all in all. I wish I had been home for Halloween and to see the leaves change. I did give a presentation on Halloween to the students here in Europe and was given hell by EVERYONE for being one of the only people in the school who didn't dress up.
Happy reading and have a great month!